Chapter 219

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow over the room. Lillian stretched lazily, her body still humming with the remnants of last night’s passion. Beside her, Sebastian Blackwood lay sprawled across the bed, his muscular frame taking up most of the space. His dark hair was tousled, and the sheets barely covered his sculpted torso.

A soft knock at the door interrupted the peaceful silence.

"Come in," Lillian called, pulling the sheets higher.

The door creaked open, and Oliver’s small face peeked in. "Dad? Lillian?" His voice was hesitant, his big eyes darting between them.

Sebastian stirred, blinking sleepily before sitting up. "What is it, Oliver?"

Oliver fidgeted, clutching a stuffed wolf toy to his chest. "I had a bad dream."

Lillian’s heart softened instantly. She patted the space beside her. "Come here, sweetheart."

Oliver scrambled onto the bed, nestling between them. Sebastian ruffled his son’s hair, his expression uncharacteristically tender. "Tell us about the dream."

"It was dark," Oliver whispered, his voice trembling. "And there were monsters. They wanted to take me away."

Lillian wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close. "No one’s taking you anywhere. Your dad and I won’t let that happen."

Sebastian’s jaw tightened, a flicker of protectiveness flashing in his eyes. "She’s right. You’re safe here."

Oliver sniffled, then looked up at Lillian with sudden curiosity. "Are you going to be my new mom?"

The question caught her off guard. Lillian’s cheeks warmed, and she glanced at Sebastian, whose expression was unreadable.

Before she could answer, the door burst open, and Evelyn stormed in, her face flushed with anger. "There you are!" she snapped, glaring at Lillian. "I’ve been looking everywhere for you!"

Sebastian’s demeanor shifted instantly, his body tensing like a coiled spring. "Evelyn," he growled, his voice laced with warning. "You don’t barge into my room uninvited."

Evelyn ignored him, her gaze locked onto Lillian. "You think you can just waltz in here and replace me? You’re nothing but a cheap imitation!"

Oliver whimpered, pressing closer to Lillian.

Lillian’s pulse quickened, but she kept her voice steady. "I’m not trying to replace anyone. I just—"

"Save it," Evelyn spat. "Donovan may have been fooled by your act, but I see right through you."

Sebastian stood, his towering presence filling the room. "That’s enough. Get out."

Evelyn hesitated, her confidence wavering under his glare. With a final scowl, she turned on her heel and stalked out, slamming the door behind her.

Silence settled over the room once more. Oliver looked up at Lillian, his eyes wide. "Is she going to hurt you?"

Lillian forced a smile, though her stomach churned. "No, sweetheart. She’s just upset."

Sebastian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "This isn’t over."

Lillian met his gaze, a silent understanding passing between them. The peace they’d found was fragile, and the storm was far from gone.

But for now, she held Oliver close, determined to protect him—and herself—from whatever came next.

Celeste stood frozen, her mind reeling from Sebastian's words. Had she heard him correctly? Was he actually confirming his relationship with Lillian? She had assumed it was just a fling—nothing Victoria had mentioned suggested her father was seriously involved. The heat rushed to her cheeks as the paparazzi captured her humiliation in perfect, high-definition clarity.

Before Celeste could respond, one of the photographers cut in.

"Actually, we're referring to your relationship with Lillian Montague."

Sebastian stiffened, his expression momentarily blank before his eyes sharpened with fury. Celeste could see the confusion flicker across his face before it was replaced by something far more dangerous. He turned on the paparazzi with a glare that could melt steel.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he growled, his voice low and lethal.

The photographers exchanged uneasy glances. One of them cleared his throat and pulled out his phone, swiping to a photo of Sebastian and Lillian locked in an intimate embrace.

Celeste leaned in, her stomach plummeting when she saw the image. Her throat tightened, and she took an instinctive step back. Being seen with him now would ruin her. The tabloids would paint her as the villain—the woman who tried to steal another’s mate. It was clear Victoria had downplayed their relationship, and Celeste felt like a fool for trusting her. She wanted Sebastian, yes, but not at the cost of her reputation. She had worked too hard to be labeled a homewrecker.

"Take this down. Now," Sebastian demanded, his voice laced with barely restrained rage.

The paparazzi scrambled, pulling out their phones to make frantic calls. In the chaos, Sebastian turned his glare on Celeste, who looked just as bewildered as the rest of them.

"Did you know about this?" he snapped.

She shook her head immediately. "No," she answered truthfully.

He studied her face, then exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. "I have to go," he muttered before striding away without another word.

Damien appeared moments later, frowning as he watched Sebastian leave. "Everything alright?"

Celeste sighed. "Yeah. But I think I need to back off. He's clearly taken. I was misled..."

"Sorry to hear that," Damien said gently. "Maybe it's for the best. Now you can focus on the film."

Celeste nodded, but her mind was already racing. She had a reputation to protect—and a career to salvage.

Celeste nodded and turned to face the director.

"You're absolutely right. Let's wrap this up already."

They spent the next several hours finishing the final scenes. The crew was set to leave in a few days, and honestly, Celeste couldn’t wait. She needed a break—some time to just breathe before diving into post-production edits.

Later that night, as Celeste was about to head upstairs for some much-needed rest, Victoria’s voice cut through the quiet.

"Where’s my father?"

Celeste froze mid-step, one hand on the railing. She turned slowly, arching a brow. "How should I know?" She crossed her arms. "Probably with his girlfriend."

Victoria’s eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Please," Celeste scoffed. "You used me as a pawn. I don’t know what your problem is with Lillian Dumont, but my career matters. I won’t get dragged into your petty drama."

"Lillian?" Victoria’s voice sharpened. "She’s not his girlfriend. She’s a gold-digging social climber who only wants one thing—his money."

Celeste smirked, pulling out her phone. "Oh, really? Because the tabloids say otherwise." She shoved the screen in Victoria’s face.

Victoria’s breath hitched.

The headline blared: "Billionaire Lycan Chairman’s Mystery Lover Revealed!"

The article painted Lillian not as a mistress, but as Sebastian Blackwood’s official love interest. Worse—the comments were flooded with praise. People adored the idea of them together, calling them a "power couple."

Victoria’s stomach twisted. This was the opposite of what she’d wanted. She’d intended to humiliate Lillian, not elevate her.

"I want nothing to do with this," Celeste snapped, snatching her phone back. "Now, if you’ll excuse me."

Victoria watched, seething, as Celeste disappeared upstairs.

Her hands clenched into fists.

It wasn’t fair.

How did Lillian always win? She had Donovan’s lingering obsession, and now she was stealing her father’s attention too?

Fine.

If Lillian wanted a war, she’d get one.

Victoria knew one thing for certain—Sebastian Blackwood would always choose his children over anyone else.

And she was about to remind him of that.