Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains of the guest room.
Lillian Parker stirred slowly. For a moment she didn't remember where she was. Then the events of the past few days rushed back.
Sebastian.
His surgery.
The mansion.
Her decision to stay and take care of him.
She sat up quickly.
"Oh no…"
She glanced at the clock. Later than she expected. Her stomach twisted with unease.
Lillian pushed the blanket aside and stood. "I should check on him."
She walked into the hallway and headed straight for Sebastian's bedroom.
The door was slightly open.
"Mr. Wolfe?" she called gently as she stepped inside.
Silence.
Her eyes moved to the bed.
Empty.
Completely empty.
The blankets were pushed aside, the pillows disturbed, but Sebastian Wolfe was nowhere in sight.
Lillian's heart dropped.
"You have got to be kidding me."
She rubbed her forehead. "He didn't…"
He didn't go to work… did he?
Her eyes widened.
"And if he did, how did he get downstairs?"
The staircase alone would have been difficult for him.
"Mr. Wolfe?" she called again, louder this time.
Nothing.
She walked quickly out of the room and down the hallway.
"Mr. Wolfe!"
Still nothing.
Her pace quickened.
She checked the living room first.
Empty.
Then the dining room.
Empty.
"Where are you…" she muttered.
Her mind raced with possibilities.
Maybe he fell.
Maybe he pushed himself too hard.
Maybe—
She shook the thought away immediately.
"No. Don't think like that."
Lillian marched toward his office.
The door was open.
She stepped inside.
The massive desk sat untouched. The computer screen was dark.
"No," she sighed. "Good. At least he didn't sneak back to work."
She turned in a slow circle.
"Then where are you?"
The mansion suddenly felt far too large.
She moved from room to room.
A library.
A lounge.
A gym.
A formal sitting room she didn't even know existed.
Each room was bigger than the last.
Each room was empty.
"This place is ridiculous," she muttered. "How many rooms does one person need?"
Still no Sebastian.
Lillian pulled out her phone.
"I'll just call him."
Then she remembered.
Sebastian's phone.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh."
She rushed toward the kitchen.
The phone was exactly where she remembered leaving it the night before.
On the kitchen counter.
Right where she'd set it down after taking it from him.
She sighed deeply.
"Of course you didn't take it with."
She stared at the phone.
"So you're somewhere in this giant mansion… without your phone… after surgery…"
She rubbed her temples.
"Fantastic."
She started walking again, faster now.
"I've checked almost everywhere."
Her steps slowed suddenly.
Her eyes drifted to a hallway she hadn't gone down yet.
At the end of it was a heavy door.
"Wait…"
Her eyebrows lifted slightly.
"I haven't checked the garage."
She walked down the hall and pushed the door open.
The door creaked softly.
Then she froze.
The garage was massive.
Luxury cars lined one side.
Motorcycles on another.
But that wasn't what caught her attention.
At the far corner of the garage was a workbench.
And sitting at that bench…
Was Sebastian Wolfe.
He didn't notice her yet.
He was hunched slightly forward, focused completely on the table in front of him.
Electronics were scattered everywhere.
Wires.
Circuit boards.
Small tools.
A soldering iron.
Tiny blinking lights.
And Sebastian…
Was wearing glasses.
Lillian blinked.
She had never seen him wearing glasses before.
Not once.
Frameless glass rested on the bridge of his nose as he studied a small circuit board carefully.
Her cheeks warmed slightly.
"Well that's… new."
She took a step forward.
"Mr. Wolfe."
Sebastian's head turned immediately.
His eyes landed on her.
"Miss Parker."
He sounded perfectly calm.
Lillian crossed her arms.
"You're supposed to be in bed."
Sebastian turned back to his project casually.
"I woke up."
"That does not mean you get to wander around a mansion after surgery."
"I didn't wander," he replied calmly. "I came here."
She walked closer.
"You walked down the stairs alone?"
"Yes."
Her eyes widened.
"Mr. Wolfe!"
He sighed.
"I survived."
"That's not the point!"
He adjusted his glasses slightly and picked up a small tool.
"You're overreacting."
"I am not overreacting," she snapped.
"You had major surgery."
"And I'm recovering."
"By sitting in a garage building electronics?"
He glanced at her.
"Better than lying in bed staring at the ceiling."
"You're supposed to be resting!"
"I am resting," he said.
"That is not resting!"
"It is for my brain."
Lillian groaned.
"You are impossible."
He smirked slightly.
"I've been told that before."
Her eyes narrowed.
"You could reopen your stitches."
"They've already been removed."
"You could faint."
"I won't."
"You could fall down the stairs."
"I didn't."
She threw her hands in the air.
"You are missing the point!"
Sebastian leaned back in the chair slightly.
"What exactly is the point, Miss Parker?"
"The point is that your body needs time to heal!"
He looked at the electronics on the table again.
"I can't just sit in bed all day."
"That's exactly what you're supposed to do."
"I hate doing nothing."
"I noticed."
His fingers moved over the small device again.
"If you won't let me work," he said calmly, "then you can at least let me build something."
Lillian looked at the table.
"What are you even making?"
"A prototype."
"For what?"
"A small automation controller."
She blinked.
"You build things for fun?"
He looked at her like that was obvious.
"Yes."
She stared at him.
"I thought you only ran a billion-dollar company."
"I have hobbies."
"This is a hobby?"
"Yes."
She looked at the blinking lights.
"That's actually kind of impressive."
He smirked faintly.
"Thank you."
She sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"You're still not supposed to be doing this."
Sebastian set the tool down.
"Miss Parker."
"Yes?"
"If I stay in bed all day, I'll lose my mind."
She hesitated.
His voice was quieter now.
"I need to do something."
She studied him carefully.
For once he didn't look cold.
Or intimidating.
He just looked… restless.
Like someone trapped.
Like someone used to constant motion who suddenly wasn't allowed to move.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
"This must be hard for you."
Sebastian didn't answer.
She stepped closer.
"How long have you been down here?"
"Thirty minutes."
"Thirty minutes?"
"Approximately."
"You walked down the stairs thirty minutes ago?"
"Yes."
"And you didn't think to tell me?"
"You were asleep."
"That's not the point!"
He looked at her again.
"You worry too much."
"Someone has to," she muttered.
Sebastian picked up the soldering iron again.
"I'll finish this connection and then I'll go back upstairs."
She crossed her arms again.
"How long will that take?"
"Ten minutes."
She stared at him suspiciously.
"Ten real minutes?"
"Yes."
"Not Sebastian Wolfe minutes?"
He chuckled softly.
"Ten real minutes."
She sighed.
"Fine."
His eyebrow lifted.
"Fine?"
"You can finish this."
He looked genuinely surprised.
"You're allowing it?"
"For ten minutes."
"And then?"
"Then you go upstairs."
"And rest?"
"Yes."
He nodded once.
"Deal."
She leaned against the workbench beside him.
Watching.
After a moment she spoke again.
"You wear glasses."
"Yes."
"I didn't know that."
"I only use them for delicate work."
"They look good on you."
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Sebastian paused.
Then looked at her.
A small smile appeared.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Lillian immediately looked away.
"I didn't mean it like that."
"Of course you didn't."
Silence filled the garage for a moment.
Then she spoke again.
"You really enjoy this."
"Yes."
"You look… different."
"How?"
"Relaxed."
Sebastian glanced at her.
"That's rare."
"I've noticed."
A few minutes passed.
Then Lillian checked the clock on the wall.
"Time's up."
Sebastian sighed.
"You're strict."
"You agreed."
"I did."
He carefully set the tool down.
"Happy?"
"Yes."
He stood slowly.
And immediately winced.
Lillian stepped forward quickly.
"See?"
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine."
He straightened slowly.
"I just stood up too fast."
She offered her arm.
"Come on."
He hesitated.
Then accepted it.
They started walking toward the door.
"You know," Sebastian said quietly, "you're very bossy for a secretary."
"You're very stubborn for a patient."
"I was managing before you arrived."
"You were also overworking yourself."
"That's how I built my company."
"That's how you ended up in surgery."
He sighed.
"Fair point."
They reached the stairs.
Lillian looked at him.
"Slowly."
"Yes, Miss Parker."
"And if you try to sneak back down here—."
"You'll drug me with my own medication again?"
She glared at him.
"Don't tempt me."
He chuckled quietly.
"You're dangerous."
"And you're going to bed."
"Yes, ma'am."
She rolled her eyes but helped him up the stairs.
And for the first time that morning…
Sebastian Wolfe didn't argue.