Page 152 of The Bittersweet Bond

Evin’s cup clinked softly as she set it down, and Bas’ jaw visibly tightened.

“Sergej?” he asked, his voice low but razor-sharp.

Cat gave a small nod. “Yeah, I connected him with the agency. They were short-staffed, and he seemed… competent. Why?”

Evin’s face had lost its color, but her eyes burned.

“You recommended him? For this event?” Her voice carried a sharp edge of sarcasm. “Well, that explains a lot.”

Cat shrugged innocently. “I didn’t think it would be an issue. I figured we were all mature enough to keep things professional. We needed caterers, and his family is well-known for their food.”

Bas slowly straightened, his gaze locked onto Cat. “Of course you got him the job. Why hire someone actually useful when you can just hire a disaster instead?”

Cat met his eyes, but her smile faded. “Maybe. But if there is a problem, you should deal with it quickly. Wouldn’t want the event to suffer because of personal drama.”

What the hell was she playing at?

Evin wasn’t surprised by Cat’s behavior—but what was Sergej’s endgame?

Did he seriously think he still had a chance?

Damn it... Maybe Bas was right after all.

Milka was the first to break the tension. “How convenient. You bring the catastrophe and the perfect excuse to act like it’s no big deal.” She grabbed her jacket deliberately. “I think that’s our cue to leave. We were going to head out anyway.”

Evin nodded slowly, her gaze never leaving Cat. “Yeah.”

Cat took a step back, her eyes lingering on Bas for a second before she turned to her friends. “See you at school.”

The group sat in silence for a moment before Milka cleared her throat.

“So… He’s going to be at the event too.”

And with that, Bas turned to Evin with an icy glare.

The kind of look that said I told you so.

And just like that, the weight of the entire situation settled onto her shoulders.

“The devil himself,” Bellamy muttered, picking up his phone.

Evin fell into deep thought as they made their way toward the exit. But inside, a storm of anger and determination brewed.

I just hope she doesn’t have more surprises planned.

__________

Sebastian

His SUV's tires squealed softly against the sandy-colored driveway stones, a brief echo ringing out as Bas turned off the engine. The vehicle fell silent, and he stayed in his seat for a moment, clutching the steering wheel with a tense grip.

His gaze was fixed on the villa ahead, its large windows reflecting the warm, golden light of the setting sun. Inside, however, he was a storm of emotions, a stark contrast to the calm exterior. He took a deep breath, the tension in the air palpable, and leaned his head back against the plush seat, trying to untangle the knot of anxiety in his chest.

The last few hours had drained him. And that name—Sergej—left a bitter taste in his mouth every time he thought of it.

Bas grabbed his phone, scrolling through his messages until he found his chat with Ben.

He stared at the empty text field for a second before typing:

---