Two years ago…
Elizabeth
I decided to check on my little plot of land today. In over two years, I hadn't set foot there—not once. I was supposed to visit it at least once a year, to keep things in order and update my budget for it, but life had gotten in the way.
This year, I had plans. Real plans. I wasn't just going to show up, stare at the land from afar, and disappear like someone without direction. I had saved a little to start something meaningful there, and I was still saving, inching toward my vision.
Dressed in my white Louis Vuitton two-piece crop top and flowing palazzo pants, my hair tied high in a Barbie-esque ponytail, a touch of makeup, delicate jewelry, and heels that clicked sharply on the pavement, I slid into my new purple Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. I told Sebastian I'd be checking on something but left out the details. He didn't press—thankfully.
The moment I drove into the area, my stomach dropped. Shock and disbelief collided.
My land—it wasn't mine anymore.
Men were swarming the property, erecting a massive skyscraper that seemed almost complete.
My heart raced. Who would do this?
The tiny houses and mini-properties that had surrounded the land were leveled, swallowed up, expanding this stolen space as if by design.
Where had I been all this time? The nagging feeling I'd had, the insistence that I should check on it… it wasn't unfounded. Something terrible had happened.
I leapt out of the car, fury roaring in my chest. I had to stop this—whatever they thought they were doing had to end now. This was my property, my plans, my future.
"Hey! What's going on here? This is my property! Stop—right now!" I shouted, my voice cracking with anger. "I said stop!"
A surge of violence coursed through me. God, I felt like killing someone.
Is this how things work in this country? Snatch people's property by force because they assume the law won't protect you?
It felt like I was shouting into a void.
"Hey!" I cried, hoping someone would hear me, hoping someone would stop the construction. "Do you hear me? This is my property! I can sue you all for trespassing!"
But they ignored me, continuing with their work as if I didn't exist.
The helplessness cut deep. I had fought tooth and nail for this plot, small as it was. Every brick, every dollar—I had earned it. And now, just like that, some stranger had stolen it.
I spotted a man in a blue overall, yellow helmet perched on his head, holding a pen and a notebook. He seemed to be supervising the construction—probably in charge.
I marched toward him, fury burning in my bloodshot eyes. "Tell your men to leave—now! Or I'll call the police. Don't test me—I mean it."
I wished I had the power to enforce my words. Think about the sting of oppression.
He didn't even glance at me until I grabbed a hammer from one of his men.
The moment his eyes met mine, I knew I was not welcome here—not in my own property.
"Ma'am, let go of the hammer," he warned.
"Let go, my foot," I snapped.
I started smashing anything in reach—walls, equipment, whatever I could destroy with my strength.
"Stop!" The supervisor barked, his voice trembling with authority and disbelief. "Who the hell are you!? Hey!" He lunged to take the hammer, but I wouldn't let go. "Young lady, stop!"
"This is my property!" I shouted, my voice breaking with desperation and fury. "You and your men are trespassing. I'm the rightful owner! I didn't sign off on this!"
For a brief moment, I saw a flicker of hesitation in him. His anger faltered when he noticed the raw despair in my eyes.
"We're sorry, ma'am," he said slowly. "But this property… it belongs to someone powerful. Someone bought it two years ago."
Of course. Someone untouchable. The law would not intimidate this person; they were untouchable.
"What!?" I froze. "No, I didn't sell my land. I would never… I still have the original credentials right here."
The man looked at me as if I were some foolish child, or worse, playing a prank. "I assume you sold this land but forgot when. Sorry, we have to proceed." He turned to his men and gave the go-ahead.
"No, wait!" I shouted, desperate. "You have to understand—this land, the one you're building a skyscraper on—it belongs to me. Please, tell your men to back down! I suffered to get this land. You need to know that!"
His irritation was evident. "Wasn't it a small plot when you had it? The real owner bought surrounding properties to expand the space you claim."
"Yes," I admitted, my voice shaking but firm. "But this piece—the one your building sits on—it is mine. I need it back!"
"Hey! What are you looking at?" he barked at his men, redirecting his anger. "Keep working, folks."
Tears now streaked my face, but I didn't care. "Please! Stop working! Call whoever hired you and let me settle this. I'm begging you!"
"Ma'am—"
"I bought this land with my life savings!" I snapped, stepping closer. "Try to imagine yourself in my shoes. Look at me as a sister—what would you do if someone did this to you?"
I had never pleaded like this before, never fought so hard for anything. This land was all I had to prove my life, my stake, my presence in Poland.
"Ma'am," he growled, clearly agitated now. "You have to leave—or I'm calling the police."
"What?" I bristled. "You're threatening me? I dare you. I don't care anymore. I'll fight every one of you tooth and nail until I have my land back. I have the original papers proving it's mine. And wait until I involve my boyfriend—you and your men, and whoever secretly stole this land from me, will all regret this!"
"Get lost," he said with pure disgust. "We're not afraid of your boyfriend or anyone else. Go ahead—call him. We'll be here waiting."
Fine. Let them wait. They haven't seen the last of me. I'd come back ready for war.
I stormed back to my car and floored it. At home, I saw Sebastian outside the mansion, phone pressed to his ear, his voice calm and professional.
"Sebastian!" I yelled, slamming the car door in fury. "Sebastian!"
He was still on the phone, attention split in two. "Poczekaj, oddzwonię," he muttered, tucking the phone away and furrowing his brow. "Hello, Sugar. What's with the long face?"
"Sebastian… it's my property. It's been stolen." My voice trembled; I hated how easily I became weak and emotional when explaining things. "I just went there to check on it, like I do every year, and some men are working on it without my knowledge."
I expected him to explode with fury immediately—but his calmness surprised me.
"Really?"
"Yes!" Did he think I was joking? "The architect said someone powerful bought it. But I didn't sell it to anyone. My papers are still with me. Sebastian, that land is my sweat, my life savings! I worked so hard for it four years ago, and now someone just claims it as theirs? This isn't fair! You have to help me get it back. Do something!"
Instead of reacting, he started typing on his phone like he was playing Candy Crush.
"You left them like that and came to me?" he asked casually.
"Yes!" What kind of question is that? "Because… you're my boyfriend!"
He held a finger to his lips as he crushed the last candy on his phone, muttering: "You didn't… break their heads?"
"What?!"
"No!"
"And what were you planning to invest in the land? A farm?"
God, Sebastian, you're pushing my buttons.
"No!" I snapped. "I bought the land to build my empire! To establish my brand! Owning a fashion empire has always been my dream!"
His expression shifted as if he sensed my anger. He tucked his phone away and started walking into the mansion.
"It's okay, honey. I'll kill the guy."
"What?!"
"Jesus, no, Sebastian!" I ran after him. "You know I hate blood. Killing isn't the only solution, right?"
He stopped in the lounge, calm and unnerving. "For me, it is."
I tried to read his expression—it was almost paranormal. "Baby, no. I don't want that."
He sat in the armchair, voice cold yet casual. "Come on. It'll be clean. No one will ever know."
But I didn't want that. I wanted my land back, yes—but not through bloodshed.
"Seb, please. We can find another way. Take it to court, negotiate—something else."
It almost felt like I'd pulled the veins right out from under his skin when he winced.
"Ugh. I hate lawsuits," he muttered, standing up and cupping my chin in his hand. "Why don't we take matters into our own hands and execute the guy, huh? You know… like killing me."
I blinked. Did he mean that? Was he drunk while I was gone?
I searched his eyes for understanding. Nothing. "Killing you? Are you insane? Why should I do that? You're my boyfriend, honey."
He traced my cheekbone with his fingers, smiling faintly. "Yes, I know. And I'm also the guy too."
For a full five seconds, everything went silent. My senses seemed to shut down; even sound felt muted, as though my eardrums had stopped working.
I froze. "What?"
He laughed, but I wasn't laughing. "Tada! Surprised?"
"Oh no…" A wave of dizziness swept over me, my head spinning, my eyes rolling back. Weakness overtook me, and I think he noticed because he grabbed my arms, his tone shifting immediately.
"Hey—honey—Serena—sugar—hey—?"
My eyes shut, and I lost my balance, collapsing into his arms.
Totally passed out.
---
Moments later, I blinked awake to find my back flat against the softness of our mattress, my head resting gently on the pillow. My eyelashes fluttered like a newborn's, trying to piece together where I was and how I got there.
Then I heard his voice, thick with concern and affection.
"Baby, are you okay?"
I tilted my head toward him, meeting his eyes, those deep, penetrating eyes that seemed to see straight through me.
I stayed mute.
"You almost scared me to death when you passed out." He kissed the back of my hand, relief shining in his gaze.
Did I really?
"Seb…" The rest of the words caught in my throat.
"I shouldn't have revealed the surprise like that. I'm sorry." He laced his fingers with mine, grounding me.
I needed to be certain about our earlier conversation, before I had fainted. "Sebastian… did you really do that?"
He smiled gently. "Yes, for you, honey."
My bottom lip trembled as tears threatened to spill. "Sebastian… why? You're already doing so much for me. These things… they're too much. I'm not used to them. I don't deserve any of this."
"Shhhh," he hushed me softly. "I wanted it to be a surprise package for you, to keep until next month. I already knew what you wanted for that land."
He brushed away my tears, and I wept harder, letting the emotions overwhelm me. "Sebastian…"
He hushed me again, this time pressing his lips to mine. I returned the kiss passionately, sobbing into him.
"I'm so proud of you," he said, his smile lighting up the room. "You worked so hard to earn a plot of land in the best spot in the city. Your brand… your business… it will thrive in the world market."
"How did you do that?" I whispered, still in shock.
He shook his head, chuckling, and cupped my cheek. "No… it's how did you do that? Spending all your life savings on a small plot of land? Tell me, honey—did you skip meals and scrimp on rent for a year to make this happen?"
It was funny, yet the unexpected gift made me cry all over again. I buried my face in my palms and let it out.
"Shh, stop crying now," he soothed, holding me close. I loved how tender he was, making me feel like the most precious person in the world. "I hate seeing your tears. They scare me."
I tried to steady myself, worried I was hurting his heart. "Seb… I can't control them. I'm still shocked."
"I know. I know. Shh, it's okay," he whispered.
"The building… it's almost finished," I sniffled. "All this time, I thought I still had an empty piece of land, waiting for my budget to grow."
"Yes. The building will be completed by the end of next month. I planned to show it to you when it was ready, but it seems fate has a way of exposing things early," he said.
I sat up slowly, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "You really invested so much in it. Looking at it, one could almost imagine the billions of dollars poured into it."
He snorted. "I don't imagine anything but you, my love."
"Was it among the projects you were working on?" I asked, curiosity pricking at me.
"Everything about you is customized and special. I don't mix you up with anything else," he said, his words carrying an almost sacred weight. "Yours first… then everything else can follow."
I cupped his jaw and kissed him deeply. "What can I ever give back to you?"
"Kids," he answered, laughing.
My eyes widened. "Are you for real?"
"Look at that mortified expression. Did I scare something in you?" he teased, chuckling.
God, he almost scared the life out of me. "Not really," I murmured.
He tilted his head, sensing something in me. "You don't like kids?"
Huh?
"That's not what I meant. Of course I do," I clarified.
He leaned in and kissed me again, this time so intensely that my back hit the mattress and I ran out of breath. My arms wrapped around his neck, his hands pressed firmly on my hips, our eyes locked in a heated, unspoken exchange.
When his gaze landed on my lips, we kissed again, the anticipation crackling between us. My hands found their way under his shirt, caressing his torso, abs, and chest. The need to have him entirely, to be consumed by him, was almost unbearable.
Then, unexpectedly, he pulled back. I blinked, caught off guard and slightly disappointed.
"Okay, now relax. Let me go downstairs and get you lunch," he said casually.
But that wasn't what I wanted. Not some regular food. I wanted him. Now.
I forced a plastered smile and nodded as he got off me. "Okay."