The penthouse felt different when Sebastian wasn't in it, not empty, Just quieter. Selena hadn't noticed it before, but now, moving through the space alone, she could feel it, the stillness, the structure, the quiet control in everything around her. She walked slowly, her fingers grazing the smooth wall as she turned into a corridor she hadn't explored before.
And then
She stopped.
Portraits.
They lined the walls in careful spacing too deliberate to be decorative, too personal to be random.Selena took a step closer. Something about them felt different. Not like art. Not like something chosen to fill a space. Something quieter.
Heavier.
Like they had been placed there for a reason. And left there just as deliberately. Her gaze settled on the largest frame at the center.
A family portrait.
Four of them.
The man stood tall, his presence firm, controlled—the kind of authority that didn't need to be announced. His expression was unreadable, but there was no softness in it. Beside him, a woman. Elegant, Poised. There was a sharpness to her beauty, something observant in her gaze, like she missed nothing and forgave even less.
And then
A younger version of Sebastian. Selena blinked slightly. She hadn't expected that. He looked different.
Still composed.
Still reserved.
But not as guarded.
Not as distant. Like something in him hadn't fully hardened yet. Her eyes lingered on him longer than she meant to. Then shifted. The last figure
A young woman.
There was something freer about her posture. Less restrained. Not careless just… untouched by whatever weight the others seemed to carry. Her gaze held something bright. Something alive.
Selena stepped back slowly. Her eyes moved across the four of them again. This wasn't just a family. It felt like a structure. A history. Something built on more than just love. Her chest tightened slightly. They didn't feel like memories. They didn't feel like pride.
They felt
Unresolved.
Like pieces of a life that hadn't been fully let go. But hadn't been fully held onto either. Selena's fingers brushed lightly against the edge of the frame, then stilled. For a moment, she wondered Not why it was there. But why it was still there.
Then
"You found it."
Selena turned.
Sebastian stood a few steps behind her. His well tailored suit was still on, his tie loosened, the top button of his shirt undone. There was a faint tension in his posture—subtle, but there.His gaze moved briefly to the portrait. Then back to her.
"I didn't know this part of the house existed," she said softly.
"It's not meant to be seen first."
His tone was calm.
Neutral.
He stepped closer, stopping just beside her. Selena glanced back at the portrait.
"That's your family."
"Yes."
Simple.
She hesitated.
"You don't talk about them."
A pause.
"There isn't much to say."
Selena frowned slightly.
There was more, she could feel it, but she didn't push. Instead, she asked quietly,
"You look different there."
Sebastian's gaze rested on the younger version of himself.
"People change."
There was no emotion in the words. But there was something beneath them. Selena studied him for a moment.
"You don't work with them, do you?"
"No."
The answer came without hesitation.
"I built my own company."
Selena nodded slowly.
"You chose that."
"Yes."
A brief pause.
"We don't share the same direction."
Not anger.
Not bitterness.
Just distance.
Selena looked back at the portrait again.
"You're different when you talk about them."
Sebastian's gaze shifted to her.
"How?"
She hesitated, then said honestly,
"Like you're there but not really."
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then
"Maybe I'm not."
Before she could respond—
The sound of the main door unlocking broke through the quiet. Both of them turned. The door opened.
Footsteps.
Confident. Unhurried.
Like whoever it was didn't need permission to be there. Selena's heart picked up slightly.
And then
She appeared.
Tall. Composed. Effortless in a way that didn't try.
Her eyes landed on Sebastian first, then shifted to Selena.
A brief pause.
Assessment.
Then
"You didn't tell me someone was here."
Her voice was smooth, controlled but not cold. Sebastian's expression didn't change.
"How did you get in?"
She raised a brow slightly.
"You're still using variations of the same code."
A small pause.
"You're predictable when you think you're being careful."
Selena blinked softly.
Sebastian didn't respond.
Which… said enough.
The woman's attention returned to Selena.
More direct now.
She stepped closer—not too close, just enough to make her presence known.
Her gaze was sharp.
But not unkind.
"Are you going to introduce us or"?
Sebastian spoke, calm as ever.
"Selena."
That was all.
The woman's lips curved faintly.
"Selena," she repeated, like she was testing the name. Then she tilted her head slightly.
"I've heard nothing about you."
Selena wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. The woman extended her hand.
Graceful. Controlled.
"Annelise."
Selena took it. Her grip was firm—but warm.
"Selena".
Annelise studied her for a second longer than necessary.
Not judging.
Not welcoming either.
Just observing.
Then she let go.
"Well," she said lightly, glancing between them, "this is new."
Sebastian didn't respond.
Selena stood still, quietly aware of the shift in the room.
Because suddenly
This place didn't feel just like Sebastian's space anymore. It felt like something larger. Something layered. Something she didn't fully understand yet.
And somehow
She had just stepped deeper into it.