Page 13 of Forever His Favorite (Possessive Billionaires, Precious Sweethearts #3)

She tore her eyes away, unable to look at him another second. Her chest rose and fell with ragged breaths as she turned sharply, ready to storm off.

But just as she moved, Lucas’s hand shot out and clamped around her wrist, freezing her in place. His face was like stone, his breath harsh and uneven as if he was barely keeping himself together.

Sebastian was beside her in an instant. His hand closed over Lucas’s, his voice low and deathly quiet. “Let go of her hand.”

But Lucas didn’t move, refusing to obey, his grip tightening instead.

Emily, her voice calm but sharp as a blade, repeated, “Let go of my hand. There is no relationship between us.”

The moment she said it, Sebastian ripped Lucas’s hand off her arm and roughly shoved it aside. Wrapping his arm firmly around Emily’s shoulders, he led her away.

As she walked away with him, Lucas’s furious voice echoed from behind.

“How do you know he’s the right man for you?

! You’ve barely known him for weeks and you married him!

Do you even know his family—how rich they are, where they stand, where you stand?

!” His voice roared, raw and cutting. “What if they don’t accept you?

What if he leaves you for them? Then what, Emily? ”

His voice cracked as he roared, “At least I was with you through it all, no matter what! I stood by you! I never said I would leave you!”

Emily slowly turned back to face him, anger blazing in her eyes.

“I knew everything about you, Lucas. Yet what did you do to me?”

Her eyes met his, unflinching. Dark, unemotional. Cold.

“Even when you promised me the world, you never accepted me. You never even thought of marrying me. So believe me when I say this, Lucas Cantrell: even if there’s an abyss in front of me, I’d rather fall into it than go back to you and suffer again!”

Her words made Lucas stiffen, as if she had ripped the ground out from beneath him. Slowly, his anger cracked, his voice softening.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, his eyes burning. “I didn’t mean what I said. I was out of my mind. Agitated.”

He stepped closer, his tone desperate yet gentler now. “Emily, I just want to talk. Just give me a chance to explain. I’ll do anything… please. I want to be with you, no matter what it takes.”

Emily immediately recoiled, stepping closer to Sebastian. “No.”

The single word made Lucas freeze. His eyes went blank—hollow, lifeless—as though something vital had been ripped straight from his chest.

“Please, Emily,” his voice cracked, raw with desperation. “I’m begging you… just one last chance.”

But Emily didn’t falter. She turned to Sebastian instead, clutching his arm with both hands. “There’s nothing to go back to, Lucas. I’ve moved on with my life. And you should too. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

Sebastian tightened his hold on her hand. Together, they began to walk away.

“Please, Emily!” Lucas’s broken cry rang out behind them, jagged with anguish. His voice trembled as he begged, “Give me one chance… that’s all I’m asking.”

Before Emily could react, Sebastian spun. His hand shot out like a vice, clamping down on Lucas’s wrist as it brushed her shoulder. With one brutal twist, he tore it off her.

A heartbeat later, his fist drove into Lucas’s face. The crack echoed through the hall.

Lucas stumbled back, blood spilling from his split lip, his body reeling.

Sebastian’s furious eyes locked onto him, cold and merciless. His voice dropped into a lethal growl. “Didn’t you hear her?”

Lucas straightened, breathing heavily as he turned toward Emily. But she stood there, indifferent to the blood on his face. Instead, she reached out, grabbing Sebastian’s hand, her worried eyes flicking to his bruised knuckles as if checking for injury.

Sebastian calmly wrapped her hand in his own, then slid his other arm to her waist, pulling her closer against his body.

“Let’s go,” she muttered.

He obeyed without hesitation, stepping toward the stairs and walking out of the cruise with her by his side.

Lucas’s hand brushed over the blood trickling from his mouth. Dillon and Taylor approached him, worry written across their faces.

“Why don’t you go after her?” Taylor asked quietly.

Lucas shook his head, his voice edged with stubborn certainty.

“I know the way Emily loves me. She wouldn’t even lift a finger without talking to me about it first. Emily was never that indifferent and cold.

I upset her, hurt her. That’s the only reason she’s acting close and sweet to Sebastian.

She’s doing it deliberately, just to make me jealous. ”

Taylor frowned. “So what’s next?”

Lucas’s eyes burned with determination as he answered, “As long as I make up for all the bad things I did to her… if I win her heart back, she’ll return to me. And we’ll be together again.”

***

‘Satire’

Emily glanced up at the massive, white signboard as she and Sebastian stopped in front of the grand jewelry store inside Max Mall. The ultra-luxury space glittered with pieces she had never seen before.

She entered the store with Sebastian, turning to him with curiosity. “What are we doing here?”

“I owe my wife a ring.” His eyes twinkled as he lifted her hand, entangled in his, and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. “We got married, but your hands are still empty. We’re going to fix that today.”

Emily’s lips curved into a smile, a soft nod following.

As they approached the counter, the manager behind the counter immediately straightened, recognizing Sebastian. “Mr. Graves, Mrs. Graves,” he greeted them with a smile.

Immediately, from under the counter he brought out a velvet box and opened it carefully. Inside lay two rings—one delicate, the other bold—crafted in platinum, each set with a red diamond.

“As requested, sir,” the man said with pride. “Perfectly matched for you both. Red diamonds are said to protect and keep the wearer safe.”

Sebastian took the box, lifting one of the rings and showing it to Emily. “Do you like this?”

Her eyes widened as she took the ring, marveling at its beauty. Then her gaze flicked to his hand, settling on the familiar band on his pinky. Her brows drew together.

“This looks almost like the one you always wear. Do you have a thing for rings like these?”

Sebastian’s gaze dropped to the ring on his hand.

His voice softened. “When I was nine, I was kidnapped by some goons for money. A little girl saw me on the street near her house. She gave me this ring.” His fingers tapped the ring on his hand.

“She told me that her mother gave it to her. That it would always protect me and help me reach home.”

Emily froze. A strange warmth and ache stirred in her chest, a flash of memory surfacing like a whisper from long ago. The words… felt so familiar.

Sebastian took the ring from her fingers and slid it onto her hand. Emily stared at it, her heart racing.

“When I was little,” she murmured, almost dazed, “I think… I said something similar to a boy I met on the street.”

Sebastian went utterly still. Then, with sudden urgency, he gripped her arms and snatched her closer. Raw eagerness flashed in his eyes.

“Do you remember him?”

Emily looked at him, nodding slightly, her brows knitting in faint confusion. “Yeah, I remember… but I don’t remember his face.”

Disappointment shadowed Sebastian’s features, his grip on her loosening as though the memory had slipped just beyond his reach.

He inhaled sharply, reining himself back under control.

Then he picked up the box again and held it out to her, his gaze softening.

“Now, it's your turn to put the ring on me.”

Emily lifted the ring from its velvet bed and slid it onto his finger. She watched as his lips curled into a faint smile, something proud yet tender.

Moments later, with four more jewelry bags dangling from her hands, the two of them stepped out of the mall. His hand found hers again, their fingers naturally locking together as they walked.

“These must be so expensive,” Emily said after a pause, her gaze flicking down to the bags.

She slowed her steps, her fingers tightening around his.

When he paused and turned toward her, she added in a quiet, almost guilty voice, “I feel bad that you paid so much for these rings.” Her voice dropped lower, the words weighted with something heavier.

“You married me just because you were forced to… because of our one-night stand and your family’s rules. These rings aren’t worth it.”

The air seemed to thicken between them. Sebastian stopped immediately, pivoting toward her. His hand rose with quiet certainty, fingers sliding along her jaw until his palm cradled her cheek. He pulled her closer, his thumb brushing against her skin, his eyes burning with a stubborn fire.

“Who said I didn’t do it because I wanted to?” His voice was low, but fierce. “Who can force me to do anything I don’t want to?”

Emily’s breath caught. She stared at him, wide-eyed, her heartbeat drumming in her ears. “But… we didn’t even know each other that well before that night. Then why would you want to marry me?”

Sebastian leaned down until his lips grazed the shell of her ear, his warm breath ghosting across her skin. His voice slipped into a husky whisper, every word laced with restrained hunger.

“Because from the very first night I had you, I wanted more. Not just one… but every night after.”

Heat surged into Emily’s cheeks. Her face flushed a soft crimson, her eyes darting away for a moment. But as he leaned back, she scowled, trying to cover the tremor in her chest. “Don’t fool me,” she shot back, narrowing her eyes. “I know when you’re lying. I can hear it in your voice.”

Sebastian’s lips curved into a slow, teasing smile. “Then take a guess, Mrs. Graves. What reason do you think there could be?”

Emily muttered thoughtfully, almost like she was reasoning out loud.

“As far as I know about rich people, it’s usually one of a few things…

school friends, college lovers, family friends, or childhood sweethearts.

Or…” She gave him a pointed look. “…they fall in love at first sight, and it grows over time. But no one just marries a stranger out of the blue. Marriage first, love later? That doesn’t happen.

So… which one do you fall under? Tell me the truth. ”

Sebastian took a slow step forward, closing the gap until the tips of her shoes brushed his. His hand slipped around her waist, anchoring her against him.

His eyes were dark, intense, but a trace of tenderness lingered within them.

“What if I fall under a little bit of everything?” he murmured.

“The only thing I knew for sure was that I was never going to let you walk away from me. Ever. Now, if you insist on knowing… then for you, Mrs. Graves, it might be marriage first, love later.”

Her lips curved into a small smile as she playfully pushed against his chest. “You always swirl around your words instead of giving me a straight answer. Is it really that difficult?”

Sebastian caught her hand, tugging her toward him, his eyes gleaming with quiet promise. “You’ll know soon enough.”

Emily rolled her eyes, though her heart fluttered wildly in her chest. She didn’t push him away this time. His mouth descended, brushing hers in a soft kiss before he entwined their fingers again and guided her forward.

They slipped into the waiting car, the door shutting softly behind them. The driver started toward the Graves mansion.

Emily sat quietly, her fingers fidgeting in her lap, stealing glances at Sebastian. The closer they got to their destination, the more her nerves pressed down.

“I haven’t even met your family yet. We just… got married without informing anyone? Isn’t your mom upset that we didn’t tell her first? And my family found out before yours did?”

Sebastian turned to her, his hand sliding over hers, his thumb rubbing slow circles against her skin.

A faint smile curved his lips. “My family only wanted me to get married. That was my mother’s only wish.

So as long as you’re standing in front of her as my wife…

she’ll probably love you more than she loves me. ”

Emily let out a small, shaky laugh, the tension in her shoulders easing.

The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the towering Graves mansion. Its sprawling facade glittered under the night sky, golden lights spilling across the estate like something out of a dream.

Sebastian stepped out first, moving with quiet confidence before circling around to open Emily’s door himself. She slipped her hand into his, her heels clicking softly against the stone as she stepped out.

Her breath caught at the sight before her—the mansion wasn’t just a house, it was a palace. Bathed in light, adorned with intricate decorations with a ‘Welcome Home’ banner at the entrance. Emily instinctively took a step back, her wide eyes snapping to Sebastian.

He caught the surprise on her face and smiled knowingly. “See? I told you, my mother will probably love you more than me.”

Her heart pounded harder with every step she took toward the grand entrance. Her palm grew damp in his as they crossed the threshold, and just as they reached the towering doors, a flurry of movement caught her attention.

A woman rushed toward them from the hallway, several servants trailing behind her. There was a tense edge to her expression, urgency in every stride.

Emily froze at the doorway, breath stalling in her chest. Does she not like me? The thought hit like a stone. ‘Does she want me gone? Is she about to push me out before I even step inside?’ Her fingers tightened desperately around Sebastian’s, her body trembling faintly.