Chapter 179

Chris’s chest heaved with anger. He glared at Stephanie. “Stephanie, tell your boyfriend to back off!”

Stephanie crossed her arms, sneering. “If you’ve got the guts, get up yourself.”

Chris was boiling with rage and humiliation. The pain was bad enough, but the humiliation fueled a desire to rip Stephanie and the man apart. Kevin wanted to intervene, but Sebastian’s aura froze him. Instead, he threw pleading looks at Stephanie, hoping for help, but she ignored him. Cold sweat ran down Kevin’s anxious back.

Desperate, Chris demanded, “Who the hell are you?” He couldn’t believe he’d never heard of such a ruthless man. Sebastian didn’t answer; he merely shifted his foot, eliciting a pained groan from Chris. Sweat poured down Chris's face.

“I swear to God, I’ll kill you! And you, Stephanie! You’re dead too!”

Sebastian’s smile darkened. The threat against Stephanie erased the warmth in his eyes. “You really think you’re walking out of here alive?” He moved his hand to his waist.

Kevin’s breath hitched. Seeing what Sebastian was drawing, his body went cold. The air felt sharper, as if the wind itself could cut.

Just as it seemed Chris was finished, Stephanie strolled over and grabbed Sebastian’s wrist. “Sebastian.”

His gaze, still ice-cold, flicked to her. “Feeling sorry for him?”

“Not worth it,” she said flatly, then stepped hard on Chris’s injured hand.

Chris hissed in pain, his cry more pathetic than ever. Stephanie disarmed Sebastian. “Let’s go.” She didn’t care about Chris; keeping Sebastian out of trouble was paramount. Any incident involving Chris here would create a massive headache, especially given Fred Ashford's position in Long Harbor; the fallout would be disastrous. Stephanie always prioritized Sebastian.

Sebastian held her gaze, his expression unreadable, before letting her take the weapon. He seemed instantly tamed. He gave Chris one last icy glare before leaving with Stephanie.

Chris lay there, drained and shaking. Only after their car disappeared did he allow Kevin to help him up. “What the hell was that guy holding?” The memory sent a chill down his spine. In Long Harbor, such recklessness was astonishing. Who was he?

Kevin nodded. “Yeah, that’s the thing.” He’d seen the man's eyes; they held only unrestrained danger. If Stephanie hadn’t intervened, Chris wouldn't have survived. The man's carrying such a weapon only highlighted his danger.

Chris’s chest heaved with anger. “You’re telling me we still don’t know who that guy is?”

Kevin frowned. “He seems familiar, but I can’t place him.” He searched his memory, but found nothing. Whatever forces were behind the man had erased his trace, signifying he was no ordinary individual.

Chris winced. “Damn it—get me to the hospital, now.” His hand throbbed; he couldn't move it.

Meanwhile, in Sebastian’s car, Stephanie quietly returned the item to his waist, then glanced at him. “You done with business in Long Harbor?”

Sebastian took her cold hand, rubbing warmth into it. “Why?”

“I miss Mom and Sofia.”