Page 179 of The Bittersweet Bond

Sebastian

The office was as immaculate as ever. Dark mahogany shelves lined the walls, filled to the brim with expensive books that Bas was certain his father had never read. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the Santa Barbara coastline, yet the golden sunlight spilling through the glass did nothing to warm the icy tension in the room.

Bas stood in front of the massive desk, his hands buried deep in his pockets, while his father lounged in his leather chair. Between his fingers, he rolled a sleek fountain pen, slowly, rhythmically, as if he were deliberately stretching time just to increase the pressure. A game Bas knew all too well.

“Sit down, Sebastian.” His father’s voice was calm but firm, as always. It wasn’t a request. It was a command.

Bas sank into the chair slowly, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited. He already knew this conversation would be neither pleasant nor brief.

“I’ve been thinking about how we’re going to handle this… problem.” His father’s voice was razor-sharp. “That little stunt you pulled at the charity event? A disaster. For you. For me. For this family.”

“It was necessary.” Bas’s voice was steady, but his eyes burned with defiance.

“Necessary?” A brow lifted, and his father leaned back slightly. “Tell me, what exactly was necessary about getting into a street fight like some common thug? Do you think it accomplished anything?”

“I protected Evin,” Bas shot back. “He hurt her.”

His father’s lips curled into the ghost of a smirk, barely there, yet unmistakable. “Ah. Evin Hayes. Of course. The center of your universe.” He let the pen drop onto the desk, clasping his hands together as he leaned forward. “Fine. Let’s get straight to the point.”

Bas felt his entire body tense. He knew something was coming. Something he wasn’t going to like.

“I’ll take care of Sergej.” His father’s tone was eerily calm, sending an uneasy shiver down Bas’s spine. “He’ll disappear. I’ve already made arrangements. The boy will be behind bars for years. You won’t have to worry about him ever again.”

Bas frowned, his confusion cutting through his anger. “What’s the catch?” he asked quietly, his voice sharp. He knew his father too well to believe this was a simple favor.

His father leaned back, pressing his fingertips together as he studied his son with a gaze that saw through everything. “You let her go.”

The words dropped into the room like a stone, sending ripples through the suffocating silence.

“What?” Bas stared at him, as if he hadn’t heard correctly.

“You break up with Evin.” His voice was even, almost casual, but there was a steel edge in his eyes that left no room for negotiation. “That’s the deal. Sergej disappears, and you walk away from her.”

“You’re joking,” Bas breathed, his voice dangerously quiet, his fists clenching.

“I’m not,” his father replied smoothly, gripping the edge of the desk. “She’s making you weak, Sebastian. You’re distracted, impulsive, reckless. You’ll never accomplish anything if you let her drag you down.”

“This isn’t about what you want for me,” Bas growled, rising to his feet, his voice trembling with rage. “I love her. And nothing you do or say will change that.”

“Love.” His father let out a humorless chuckle. “Love is an illusion, Sebastian. Feelings come and go. But power, status, success—those last. And she will keepyou from achieving them.”

Bas glared at him, his thoughts racing. He wanted to protect Evin, no matter the cost. But giving her up? Never.

“If you honestly think I’d ever walk away from her, then you don’t know me at all.” The frustration in his voice was unmistakable. “I don’t care what you do. I won’t leave her.”

His father’s gaze darkened. “Then you’re more foolish than I thought. Do you really want Sergej to remain in her life? To keep hurting her? To keep coming back?”

The thought of Sergej anywhere near Evin made Bas’s blood boil. But the price his father was demanding was impossible. His jaw clenched. His father had aimed directly at his deepest fear—he knew exactly where to hit. But Bas shook his head, his voice cold. “I’ll find another way. Without you.”

“There is no other way, Sebastian.” His father ran a thumb along his chin, as if brushing away an invisible speck of dust. “Walk away from her, or deal with the consequences.”

Bas felt the anger surge through him, but doubt gnawed at the edges of his mind. The idea of Sergej lingering in Evin’s life was unbearable. His fists tightened, his nails digging into his palms.

“You have no idea what I’d do for her,” he finally whispered, his voice shaking with barely restrained fury. “But I do know one thing—I will never leave her.”

His father’s smirk was ice-cold. Almost triumphant. “How incredibly selfish.”

Bas straightened, locking eyes with him. “Dad, I’ll find a way. Without your help.”

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