For a heartbeat, the room went eerily still.
Then whatever restraint Sebastian had left shattered completely.
“Oh, Arwen,” he sneered, lifting the phone high as though it were a prized trophy. “Isn’t this beautiful? Look at that—caught red-handed. The proof is staring us all in the face. So tell me… what excuse are you planning to crawl out with now?”
“I already told you the truth—that man is my brother!” I shouted, twisting violently as the guards tightened their grip on my arms. “Give me back my phone! This is theft. You’re slandering me—and violating my privacy!”
I didn’t even finish the sentence.
Sebastian’s hand lashed out.
The crack echoed sharply through the hall as pain exploded across my cheek. My vision flashed white, the sting blinding and immediate. Before I could even process the impact, he lifted my phone and hurled it down with brutal force.
The device smashed against the marble floor.
The screen shattered instantly, fragments scattering across the tiles like splintered glass, skidding toward my feet in sharp, useless pieces.
My face burned as I clutched my cheek, fury roaring through my veins. I surged forward on instinct, ready to strike back, ready to tear into him—but the family’s enforcers seized me again, locking my arms behind my back with crushing force.
That reaction only fed him.
Sebastian’s lips curved into a cold, vicious smile, the kind that came from absolute contempt.
“Don’t play innocent with me,” he said, every word dripping with disdain. “Do you really think you climbed that high in this family without spreading your legs? And don’t insult me by pretending you did it for my sake—that’s disgusting.”
I lifted my head slowly, forcing myself to meet his eyes. The disappointment hit harder than the slap, crashing over me like a tidal wave.
“Sebastian,” I said hoarsely, my voice shaking despite myself, “do you really need to degrade me like this?”
He let out a slow, mocking laugh. “Degrade you? You should be grateful I’m even acknowledging you. Do you honestly believe someone like you deserves dignity?”
The weight in my chest became unbearable—anger, humiliation, betrayal, all twisted together until it felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“Fine,” I said through clenched teeth. “If you refuse to hear the truth, then let internal affairs handle it. We’ll see who’s actually filthy here—you, with your lies, or me, with the crimes you invented.”