Page 19 of More Than a Billionaire

“I hope it doesn’t take that long,” Skylar commented.

“My dad thinks there is a very good chance Milton will settle without taking this to trial, so let’s hope that’s how it all plays out.”

Skylar scowled. “I hate that Milton’s doing this to Gus. I hate that I ever got involved with him in the first place.”

“Sometimes people aren’t who they seem to be,” Sebastian said. “You think they’re one thing and you find out you were completely deceived.” He stopped talking and looked deep in thought.

“Bash.” Skylar reached across the table and squeezed his hand.

“Sorry. I just wish I had thought things through a little more before I decided to hide who I was from Genevieve.”

Franky and Skylar exchanged glances.

“I hated that Serena lied to me and pretended to be someone she wasn’t. And I did the exact same thing with Genevieve.”

“Not the same thing at all,” Skylar said. “Serena had bad intentions from the start. You didn’t, Sebastian. That’s not who you are. You’re a good man who made a bad choice. But you’re not a bad person. And you are nothing like that woman. Don’t ever think you are.”

“What she said,” Franky added.

Sebastian was quiet.

“I saw Genevieve before she left today,” Skylar said.

His eyes lifted to hers.

Franky wished Skylar would’ve changed the subject. The point of the night was to get Sebastian’s mind off of Genevieve, not send him deeper into sadness and despair.

“I told her about Serena,” Skylar admitted.

“What? Why would you do that?”

“I wanted her to know you had a reason for what you did. I thought maybe it would help her to understand why you did it.”

“And did she?” The look of hope on his face was heartbreaking.

“I think she understood, but it didn’t change the fact we all lied to her, and she doesn’t trust any of us anymore.”

Sebastian stared down at the table, and Franky felt for him, losing the only woman he’d ever truly loved. Franky had never been in love like that before, but he was all too familiar with the pain of a woman walking away from him.

After a long silence, Sebastian looked up at them. “I’m so sorry to both of you.”

“For what?” Franky and Skylar asked in unison and exchanged glances.

“For asking you to lie for me. For putting you in that position. It was wrong, and I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“Of course,” Franky said. “You didn’t even have to ask.”

Skylar stood and rounded the table to her brother, wrapping her arms around him from behind. “I forgive you. And I’m sorry things turned out the way they did, Bash. But I refuse to give up hope that things will work out for you two. If we give her some time—”

“I don’t think that’s going to make a difference. What I did is unforgivable. And I don’t blame her for never wanting to see me again.” He shook his head sadly. “It would take a miracle to get her to forgive me for this.”

“Well, I believe in miracles,” Skylar said. “Don’t give up.”

Franky admired Skylar’s positivity. He wasn’t sure it was making any difference with Sebastian’s mood tonight, but she had Franky believing anything was possible in life. It was clearly a gift she had, helping people see the best in every situation. The world needed more women like Skylar Schultz, and he was blessed to have her in his corner.

FIVE

Did we do more harm than good?” Skylar asked as she climbed into her car after returning to Sebastian’s home.

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