Trapped with My Billionaire Ex-Husband

BLAIRE

We were completely silent as we started eating dinner. I was in awe upon seeing this arrangement from afar. But I was more amazed upon seeing it upfront. Petals of flowers were sc atte red on the sand, while the table was surrounded by small candles placed on the ground as well. The whole set-up was definitely romantic.

But I still can’t stop thinking, Why is he making all these efforts when what’s going on between us is clearly transactional? If not for what happened in the past, I’ll assume that he wanted to win me back.

Is he?

No matter how much I wanted to get all the answers I needed, I’m afraid to hear the truth. These past few days have been tough, for they brought out all the unwanted feelings that I’ve been hiding inside me. Despite my attempt to deny what I truly feel, all my attempts will come crushing down on me the moment I lay my eyes on him. He’s my weakness, my Achilles heel.

Even though I haven’t eaten anything since this morning, sitting across from Sebastian makes my food hard to swallow.

“You don’t like the food?” he asked. He probably noticed that I was barely touching my food.

“N-No. It’s not like that. The food is delicious,” I answered.

“So, what? Can’t stop thinking about your boyfriend after you talked to him?” He said it with an evident coldness in his voice.

I’m getting weary of his constant accusations. I hoped to convey that I’m no longer available, but broaching that subject always sours his mood, inevitably spiraling into

anger.

I took a loud breath before deciding to clear it up with him. “I don’t have a boyfriend,” I casually admitted.

Without lifting my head, I noticed from my peripheral view that he was stunned hearing what I said. He’s probably not expecting that answer.

“The, who is—”

upon

“Cut it, Sebastian,” I declared, cutting him off. I felt a firmness in my tone as I lifted my head, locking eyes with him. The air cra ckled with charged intensity, a silent challenge between us as my gaze held unwavering. “You don’t have the liberty to ask questions

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about my personal life. The same goes with me. I’m not going to ask questions about you.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “You can ask me all you want,” he responded.

I squinted my eyes, weighing whether he was telling the truth or not. Will he really be able to answer my questions if I dare to ask?ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“So, how are you and Catherine?” I asked bravely. I realized that no matter what his answer is, it doesn’t change the facts about what happened in the past. And it will definitely not change the course of our future.

“Eat. Your food is getting cold,” he said, evading the topic.

I scoff. As expected, Sebastian and his obsession with secrecy. I just shook my head and decided not to press more on that matter. I’m not really interested in knowing. I was just testing whether he’s telling the truth or not. And obviously, he’s lying.

“What?” he asked, frowning as if he had no idea what the problem was.

I sneered, “Nothing. Let’s just eat.”

“Blaire—”

He called my name, trying to squeeze what’s going on inside my head. The moment I heard him utter my name, I snapped.

“What Sebastian?” I raised my voice.

He opened his mouth as if he were trying to say something, but nothing came out of it. I watched him contemplate for a minute before he decided to stay silent.

“I thought so,” I commented when he didn’t have the courage to continue on with the topic.

The table was then surrounded by awkward silence. You can hear nothing but the sound of our utensils scraping against each other. I hadn’t even finished half of when I decided to leave my table. I can’t stand this awkwardness anymore.

“I’m done,” I announce before I stand from

my chair.

“Blaire…” he uttered my name with conviction, as if it were a warning.

my food

But I didn’t bother looking back. I scoff, laughing at myself, as I continue to walk back inside the house. I’m so st upid to think that this setup will work without us cutting each other’s throats. The only agreement we had was when we were at the bed, entangled in each other’s arms.

“Blaire, come back here!” I heard him shouting, but I ignored him. “Fck!” I heard him curse before I finally got inside the house. When I turned to close the glass door behind me, I saw him marching towards me with glaring eyes.

I just roll my eyes and proceed to the guest room. I wasn’t planning on sleeping in the same room as him tonight. I hadn’t been in the guest room for long when I heard Sebastian barge into the room.

“What is wrong with you, Blaire? Can’t you see I’m trying?”

you, Sebatian.

I turned to him and looked at him in disbelief. “I can’t believe this!” I exclaimed exasperatedly. “You’re actually asking me, What’s wrong? Look around Everything is wrong.”

He was about to say something when his phone started ringing. It was so loud that it was impossible for us to ignore it. He let out a loud sigh before picking up his phone from his pocket. He took a deep

breath when he finally saw the name flashing on the screen. He looked at me for a couple of minutes before he finally decided to answer the phone.

“Hello,” he greeted, but his eyes remained fixated on me. “I’m still working. I need to go. I’ll talk to you when I can,” he said.

I don’t need to be a genius to figure out who he was talking to on the other line. It’s definitely his wife. Our situation has become more and more complicated as we continue to go along with these charades.

He blew out another sigh as he ended the call.

“Was it Catherine? She was probably looking for you, am I right?”

“Let’s not talk about him. Come, let’s go back to our room,” he said before trying to grab my hand.

Before his touch could land, I deftly withdrew my hand. “No, Sebastian. We must discuss this. Does Catherine know about our arrangement?” I inquired, though the answer dawned on me before he could respond. “Of course! How foolish of me! She’s unaware because no sane wife would agree to such a deal.”

“You know nothing about what’s going on between us, Blaire. So, stop talking as if you know every detail of my life. You’ve been gone for years!”

“And who’s fault is that, Sebastian? Do I have to remind you that it was you who chose to be with Catherine?”

“No. You’re the one at fault here. We wouldn’t be in this situation if you didn’t sleep with that man who you just met,” he said, grabbing me tightly. His nails dug into my skin like

Mon, 29 Jan M

a claw.

D

I scoff, “You’re so stu pid! I didn’t sleep with anyone but you, you dumbas s!” I replied, sna tching my arm away from his grasp.

He was caught off guard as the weight of realization crashed over him. Doubts lingered in his eyes, but I could sense a flicker of understanding dawning within. “I don’t believe

“F*ck you, Sebastian. I don’t care whether you believe me or not. I’m way past that. I’m here for a different reason.”I cut him off, my words sharp and unyielding.

“Did you really not sleep with Alexander?” He stuttered, the question hanging in the air like a fragile thread.

you

“You’re such a dumbas s. Do you honestly believe that I would sleep with a man I just met?” I retorted, my frustration simmering just beneath the surface. “May I remind that I’ve been in love with you for so many years, and not once did I try to sleep with another man while I was married to you?”

The room fell into a charged silence, the truth lingering in the air as an uncomfortable barrier between us. I took a deep breath, collecting my thoughts, before continuing, “But that’s beside the point, Sebastian.”

He attempted to speak, but I raised my hand, signaling for him to listen. “I’ve endured the accusations and the sleepless nights wondering if our marriage meant anything to you. But I’m not sure how trapping me on this island would change any of that.”

His eyes flickered with a mixture of regret and realization, but pride still fought to keep him from admitting defeat. “I messed up, I know.”

I sighed, the weight of our shared history pressing on me. “I’m glad to know that at least you’re aware of what you’ve done.”

He sank into a chair, his shoulders slumping with the weight of the truth. “I never meant for it to come to this,” he admitted, a raw vulnerability surfacing.

“I know,” I replied softly. “But knowing doesn’t change what happened in the past.”

He stared at me intensely, trying to read my emotions. It felt like he was searching for answers in my eyes, delving into our shared history. Despite his probing gaze, I stood still, a silent participant in our wordless exchange. His once warm eyes now held uncertainty, as if he sought clarity through this intense look.

In the quiet moment, the room became a canvas for unspoken feelings. I wondered if he could see the pain and resilience etched on my face, signs of a love now broken. His persistent gaze seemed to beg for clarity amid the emotional landscape.

11:30 Mon, 29 Jan MWG.

After what seemed like forever, he blew a loud sigh. “Three days,” he said vaguely.

5

I frowned, trying to comprehend what he meant by that. I raised my eyebrows, waiting for him to explain it further. “You have to be more specific than that, Sebastian.”

“I’ll just need three days with you. Three days without arguing with me. If you can do that, then I’ll let you go. I’ll never bother you again.”

I sneered, “You paid two million dollars just so you could spend a few days with me?” I asked sarcastically. “Don’t expect me to give you a refund because that money is long gone.” It was too late before I realized that I’ve been spilling information more than I should. I looked at him nervously, checking whether he noticed something.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask for a refund. That money is yours. It was less than the money you could have gotten if you accepted your alimony.”

I was kind of relieved when it seemed like he wasn’t questioning where I spent all the money.

“Tss. So, you’re basically telling me that I prostituted myself for my own money?” I retorted, my words carrying a mix of defiance and frustration.

Sebastian’s brows furrowed as he processed my words, and a moment of charged silence hung between us. It was a risky choice of words, one intended to provoke a reaction, to break through the walls that guarded the truth.

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” he replied, attempting to defuse the growing

time with you.”

tension. “You needed money, and I need somet

I raised my eyebrow upon hearing his words. It makes me wonder if he planned everything from the beginning. “The job that they offered to me, do you have anything to do with it?”

He chuckled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “To be perfectly honest, I wanted to believe that it was pure coincidence. I had no idea that they offered that position to you.”

A tinge of disappointment crept in upon realizing that our fateful reunion might not have been orchestrated by him. The prospect that it was mere chance, not a deliberate effort on his part, left a subtle ache in my chest. However, a flicker of relief accompanied the disappointment. If he had actively sought me out, the truth about Blaze and my life would have inevitably surfaced.

“I see,” I replied, a carefully crafted veil concealing the complexity of my emotions. “Three days. Then you’ll never seek me again. Is that it?”

Sebastian’s expression softened, a subtle acknowledgment of the weight of my words.

Mon,

3

“Yes. That’s all I’m asking for. And after that, if you still think that I should stop bothering you, then I’ll let you be.”

His sincerity reverberated in the air, and I found myself staring at him for a moment, caught in the balance between past grievances and the possibility of a newfound understanding. Contemplating whether to trust his words became a delicate dance within my thoughts.

After a pregnant pause, I finally spoke, the weight of my decision evident in my words. “Fine. Let’s do that.”