My Stone-Hearted Billionaire Husband

Sebastian was the actual owner of the hospital and could do whatever he wanted. However, after a moment’s consideration, he decided to let it go, even with the extreme power he held.

With a shake of his head, he turned away, dismissing the idea of forcing her back in. He had missed three full workdays, and there were piles of paperwork awaiting his attention. The workload was a lot!

Yet, as he delved into the sea of documents, thoughts of Kourtney lingered in his mind. Sebastian couldn’t shake the distraction she had become. He could hardly concentrate while she was sleeping beside him, and he still couldn’t even now that she was gone.

Just the simple thoughts of her brief peck on his cheeks left him in a state of disarray. Her teasing kiss and the challenge in her eyes had left a lasting impression on him.

“Damn, what’s wrong with me?” he muttered, frustrated by the unexpected intrusion of these thoughts.

Her presence, or the memory of it, lingered in his mind. He shook his head, attempting to regain control over himself.

Kourtney’s audacity and wit had managed to break through his defenses. In a way, she had unlocked a part of him that had remained hidden for a long time.

Within 5 minutes, his phone buzzed, bringing him back to reality. It was a message from Kourtney, a simple “Goodnight” with a playful emoji. He couldn’t help but smile, one of the first genuine ones in a long time.

***********

The next day, Kourtney kept herself buried in her work as usual. She had been attending back-to-back meetings all morning long concerning the impending Silverstone Gala planning. It was one of the most crucial events of the year, and she was determined to make it a resounding success.

The details and logistics consumed her attention, providing a temporary break from the stormy events unfolded in her personal life recently.

Amid the flurry of emails and presentation slides, Kourtney’s phone beeped, disrupting the rhythmic clatter of the keyboard.

A text from her best friend, Lilian Powell, flashed on the screen: “Kourtney, what’s been happening? I just saw something weird online. Call me when you’re less busy; we need to talk.”

Kourtney’s heart skipped a beat as she read Lilian’s message. She didn’t need a second to guess what this was about. Lilian had probably seen the newly printed wedding invitation card and pre-wedding photos of her ex, Brandon, and her bitchy sister, Kathlyn.

Social media is the bearer of both good and bad news, as usual. Kathlyn had shamelessly posted the news on all her profile accounts, even on their high school group chat.

All of a sudden Kourtney felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She had kept Lilian in the dark about the storm brewing in her personal life. Her best friend knew absolutely nothing about the shocking twist of events that had happened to her over the past few days, and it was clear that Lilian had now discovered it in the most public way possible.

Kourtney immediately abandoned typing on her computer. Her fingers tapped anxiously as she dialed Lilian’s number. The phone rang for a few moments before Lilian picked up, her voice laced with both concern and curiosity.

“Kourt, what’s going on? What the fuck is happening? I saw something online, and it looks crazy.”

Kourtney took a deep breath before launching into the unsteady waters of the truth. “Lil, I… I caught Brandon and Kathlyn in bed together.”

“You what??? What did you say?”

“I caught Brandon cheating with Kathlyn with my two eyes,” Kourtney reaffirmed. She wanted to cry at this point. She’d missed her best friend’s company so badly and right when she needed it the most.

“Oh my God. Are you for real?”

“Yes, Bestie. And, well, that’s not even all. Turns out she’s pregnant with his child, and my parents are supporting the whole thing.”

Silence lingered on the line, broken only by Lilian’s sharp inhale. “What? How did that happen? What in the world is going on?”

Lilian had just had her final dress fitting as Kourtney’s maid of Honour a week ago for the wedding that was supposed to be held in 2 weeks. She had spent hours helping Kourtney pick the perfect dream gown and had been over the moon about being part of her best friend’s big day.

The news struck her like a sudden storm.

Kourtney struggled to find the words to explain the whole mess. “I… I don’t even know, Lilian. It’s a complete mess. Brandon just… I don’t know. He fell out of love with me, and now he’s in love with my sister. It’s like a nightmare.”

Lilian’s voice trembled. “Kathlyn, that bitch! How could she…? And how could he do that to you after you’ve loved him so blindly and honestly for three good years?”

Kourtney clung to the phone, her voice choked with emotion as she tried to explain the tangled state of her life. Her explanations poured out in a torrent. She spared no detail, describing the painful discovery, the shocking revelation of Kathlyn’s pregnancy, and the unexpected support from their parents.

Lilian’s gasps and exclamations punctuated the narrative, reflecting the disbelief that mirrored Kourtney’s own initial reaction. Her voice, when she finally spoke into the phone, was a mix of shock and anger.

“Kourt, how could you not tell me about all this? I thought we shared everything.”

Kourtney winced, feeling the weight of her friend’s disappointment. “I’m sorry, Lil. It all happened so fast, and I didn’t know how to face it, let alone talk about it. I was still figuring things out, and I didn’t want to burden you, especially since you’re so busy in your hometown.”

“Burden me? Kourt, we’ve been best friends for years. You don’t get to decide what burdens me or not. We’re in this together, you should’ve told me for crying out loud. I shouldn’t find out about your sister and ex getting together on social media!”

Kourtney’s voice trembled with more remorse. “You’re right, Lil. I messed up, and I’m so sorry. I should have told you about it earlier.”

Lilian sighed on the other end of the line, utterly disappointed and angry.

Her tone softened, but there was still a hint of sadness. “You should have, Kourtney. We’ve always been there for each other through thick and thin. I wish you had confided in me. And I looked like a fool, not knowing what to say when others called to ask me about it. I was so embarrassed. It hurts to be left in the dark like this.”

“Lilian, I’m really, truly sorry for keeping this from you. I don’t deserve your friendship at all,” Kourtney sobbed over the phone.

At this point, the strong girl and less miserable pretense she’d been putting up for days finally broke down. The tears were almost streaming down her face like a river while she struggled hard not to wail loudly by covering her mouth.

The facade she had meticulously built over the past week crumbled, leaving her vulnerable and exposed.

“Hey, Kourt, it’s okay. Let it out. You don’t have to be strong all the time.”

With that, the floodgates opened, and Kourtney’s sobs intensified. She cried into the phone, hoping none of her colleagues would see her in this miserable state because she had always pretended she didn’t care whenever anyone asked about the situation.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

But, the truth was, it hurt so much to be betrayed, especially by the people she trusted the most- including her parents, who had birthed her.

She recounted the bitter emotions that had swelled within her, the way her mother and father had ignored her presence at home, treating her like she was invisible since the day the whole thing got exposed while lavishing their care and attention on Kathlyn, the very person who had caused her such agony.

Her voice quivered between sobs as she spoke amidst the hot tears, “My own parents, Lilian. They knew I was hurting, but they ignored me. It’s like I don’t even exist to them anymore. And Kathlyn, you know she’s always been their favorite. They rain all their care and attention on her instead, especially now that she’s pregnant and going to become the Smith family’s Young Mistress, not me. My mom, Margaret, is even planning her wedding with Brandon using the very same date and venue that was meant for mine. How is this okay?”

Lilian’s gasp on the other end conveyed her shock and outrage.

“My Goodness! Kourt??? I still can’t believe you were going through all this horrible shit on your own without bothering to tell me. I was just one call away, girl.”

“Sorry…. I didn’t mean to…” Kourtney’s voice trailed as she kept crying, “Everything is so crazy, and it hurts like hell.”

“Hmmm. Stop crying now. It’s fine. I’m so angry, but I’ll get over this. Just promise me one thing, Kourtney. Promise me you won’t hide things from me again.”

Kourtney blinked. There was still an important detail she’d left out from telling Lilian.

“Lil, I promise, and starting now, no more secrets. That’s why there’s something else you need to know,” she decided to come clean this time.

“What is it?”

“Lil, listen. II married someone else.”

“You what?”