Chapter 135

He knew the drill: young women could be obsessed with their looks, sometimes to extremes. Sofia had once dieted so rigorously she'd ended up in the hospital. Ever since, Sebastian had been strict about healthy eating for the women in his family.

Stephanie slid into the chair opposite him, all innocence. "Is my big brother saying I eat too much now?"

"Yes!" Sebastian barked without hesitation.

Stephanie blinked. Seriously? Was he worried she'd bankrupt the Giovannis with her appetite? He probably just cared about her health, didn't want her repeating Sofia's experience and ending up in the ER from a crash diet.

Stephanie took a sip of her porridge. "What time did you get back last night?"

"Past two," Sebastian answered.

"Did you come into my room?"

Sebastian paused, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his eyes. He met her gaze, a hint of caution in his voice. "Why?"

"Just wondering." Stephanie shrugged it off. Maybe it was just a weird dream. She'd had a strange sensation of being enveloped in a cold aura while half-asleep, as if she were being held. She'd tried to move but felt completely paralyzed, like in a nightmare. Must have been a dream.

After breakfast, Stephanie headed to her studio, while Sebastian went to his study for a video conference. It was past ten when he finally emerged. Elliot stepped forward. "Sir."

"Hmm?"

"Mr. Ashford keeps requesting a meeting. And Mr. Hodge too."

Both Chris Ashford and Jackson Hodge were eager to partner with Sebastian. Jackson had met Sebastian once, but Chris hadn't even gotten in the same room. Despite Sebastian making it clear he wasn't interested in a deal, Chris was stubbornly persistent.

"That Hart woman at the hospital is still pushing to be discharged. And Ashford is digging into who owns Whispering Bay," Elliot continued.

"Should we leak the info and let him give up?" Elliot asked.

Sebastian chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "He's got tunnel vision for that sick woman. He'll run into a brick wall before he quits. If that woman died tomorrow, it would be too good for her." A glint of amusement sparked in Sebastian's eyes. "Leak nothing. Let him spin his wheels. The longer he's in the dark about who owns this place, the more amusing it will be. He'll break himself trying to figure it out." Prolonging his agony was far more entertaining than ending his hope.

Elliot added, "He knows Miss Giovanni lives here. He's been asking her who the owner is. Chasing Stephanie around, asking her about the owner of her own home. The guy is clueless."

The thought of Chris grilling Stephanie reminded Sebastian of the absurd "66-year-old owner" rumor. Where had Chris even pulled that number from? It was a miracle the Ashford Group hadn't crumbled under such incompetence.

"Just ignore him," Sebastian instructed. The best kind of torture was knowing your opponent was in the dark while you were completely in the know. Chris was stewing in his ignorance, driving himself crazy.

Stephanie arrived at her studio to find Jennifer practically bouncing with anticipation. "Boss, Mr. Hodge is here!" she whispered excitedly.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "Jackson Hodge?"

"Yeah, he showed up right when we opened. I tried calling you, but no answer."

Stephanie checked her phone. "Silent mode." Chris had been blowing up her phone all week about Whispering Bay, desperate to get Olivia into the manor for her recovery. 'My house for Olivia's sickbed? She can rot in that hospital for all I care.'

She walked into her office to find Jackson lounging on the sofa. He stood up as she entered, a tall, lean figure radiating an air of expensive confidence. Stephanie noticed the ashtray on the coffee table was empty – no cigarettes. Jackson strode over, flashing a wide, charming grin, and playfully took her arm.

"Sebastian, what a small world! Turns out you're Mr. Giovanni's sister!"

Stephanie met his gaze, a silent acknowledgment. So, Jackson had done his homework and figured out the Giovanni connection.