Chapter 12: Sandalwood and Suspicion
Chapter 12: Sandalwood and Suspicion
(Rebecca’s POV)
I clutched my stomach dramatically, fingers digging into Ethan’s leather jacket. The look on his face when he saw Samantha standing there had been priceless. Everything was falling into place.
“Ethan, please,” I whimpered, making my voice tremble. “I’m feeling sharp pains. The baby-”
His eyes snapped to mine, cold and calculating. Gone was the panic from moments ago, replaced by something dangerous. I’d seen that look before–when he fired employees who crossed him.
“Let go of my jacket, Rebecca.”
His voice was quiet but carried a command I couldn’t ignore. My fingers uncurled against my will, releasing the expensive leather.
“But the baby-” I tried again.
“I’ll have Dr. Miller check on you tomorrow.” He didn’t even look back as he sprinted across the sand toward Samantha.
I watched him go, a smile spreading across my face once he was far enough away. The ceremonial fires he’d arranged for Samantha still burned along the shoreline, casting golden light across Golden Sands Cove.
Perfect backdrop for a selfie.
I pulled out my phone, positioning myself with the flames visible behind me. With the Blackwood heir growing inside me, it was only a matter of time before Ethan realized my value extended beyond being a mere surrogate.
(Ethan’s POV)
“Samantha!” I shouted, my voice carrying across the beach. “Sam, wait!”
Her car was already pulling away from the parking area. I caught a glimpse of her face in the rearview mirror–pale,
composed, but her eyes told a different story. They were filled with a pain that cut me deeper than any silver blade could.
1 ran faster, desperation fueling each step. My usual controlled demeanor had completely shattered. This wasn’t how
tonight was supposed to go. The ceremonial fires, the roses–everything had been arranged for Samantha, not Rebecca.
My car was parked too far away. By the time I reached it, Samantha would be long gone. Still, I sprinted toward the parking
lot, gravel crunching under my boots.
As I watched her taillights disappear around the bend, a realization hit me. If I had truly intended to make Rebecca my partner, why would I have Martha inform Samantha to come to the cove?
The setup was too obvious, too sloppy. This wasn’t my doing.
I pulled out my phone and dialed James. “Find out who arranged for Rebecca to be at Golden Sands Cove tonight. And
locate my sister. Now.”
(Samantha’s POV)
I parked at Crescent Bay Shoreline, hands still trembling on the steering wheel. From this vantage point, I could see the
ceremonial fires Ethan had arranged at Golden Sands Cove in the distance–beautiful, flickering points of light against the darkness.
Each flare reminded me of what we once had. The passion, the trust, the bond that seemed unbreakable.
< Chapter 12: Sandalwood and
Now it was all ashes.
The pain wasn’t from seeing Ethan with Rebecca. That shallow scheme was transparent. Martha would never have told me to come if Ethan had been planning a romantic evening with another woman.
No, the real betrayal was deeper. Olivia Blackwood–whom I had treated like a sister–had conspired with Rebecca against me. This meant the Blackwood family had known about Rebecca’s pregnancy all along, accepting the woman who was
destroying my marriage.
I watched the last ceremonial fire fade into embers, taking with it the final remnants of my hope for reconciliation.
“Are you mesmerized by the display, Healer Reed?”
I startled at the familiar voice behind me. Turning, I found Hector Grayson standing a few feet away, his tall figure
silhouetted against the night sky.
He looked different from his usual formal business attire. Tonight, he wore a black turtleneck sweater under a long black
cashmere coat. The casual elegance suited him.
Hector extended a monogrammed handkerchief toward me. “You might want this.”
Only then did I realize tears were streaming down my face. Embarrassed, I accepted the handkerchief, the subtle sandalwood scent calming my frayed nerves.
“I’m sorry you had to witness this,” I said, quickly wiping away the evidence of my weakness.
“No need for apologies,” he replied, his voice gentle despite his reputation as a ruthless businessman.
Hector settled beside me on the shoreline rocks, a respectful distance between us. He held out a steaming cup.
“Moonlight Espresso from the airport. Your favorite, if I recall correctly.”
I accepted the coffee with surprise. “You remembered.”
“Hard to forget when you nearly tackled the barista at Hong Harbor three years ago when they ran out.”
A small smile tugged at my lips. During our medical missions, coffee had been my lifeline through exhausting days of
treating patients.
Ethan had forbidden me from drinking it during our attempts to conceive, claiming it might affect my fertility. The familiar taste brought back a bittersweet feeling of small freedoms lost.
“Is your distress because of Ethan?” Hector asked, his perceptive eyes studying my face.
“Just problems at home,” I replied vaguely.
“I remember how happy you seemed with your husband when we worked together,” he observed. “You spoke of him
often.”
I looked up at the night sky, stars blinking indifferently at human suffering below. “Things change.”
“Do you regret it?” he asked. “Retiring from your medical practice? The choices that led you here?”
I considered his question, warming my hands around the coffee cup. “I don’t regret retiring. And I certainly don’t regret my impending divorce.”
The words felt liberating to say aloud. “I’ve spent days drowning in pain. It’s time to move forward.”
I stood to leave, brushing sand from my clothes. A strand of hair fell across my lips, and before I could reach for it, Hector’s fingers gently brushed it away.
The unexpected touch surprised me. His expression remained impassive, as if the gesture meant nothing–merely an act
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<Chapter 12 Sandalwood and
of kindness with no deeper intention.
I dismissed it as such, well aware of his reputation for proper conduct. “It’s getting late. I should go.”
“Before you do,” Hector said, “don’t forget you promised to treat me to a meal at The Silver Fang Restaurant. Their venison
is exceptional.”
“Tomorrow?” I suggested, suddenly not wanting to be alone with my thoughts.
“Perfect. I’ll send a car for you at seven.”
As I drove away from Crescent Bay Shoreline, I noticed headlights in my rearview mirror. Hector’s Shadow Hunter SUV followed at a discreet distance, escorting me toward home.
I texted him quickly: “I know my way back, but thank you for the concern.”
His reply came immediately: “Rest and recover your strength. You’ll need it.”
His attentiveness was surprising but not unwelcome after the evening’s emotional turmoil. For the first time in days, I
didn’t feel completely alone.
I entered Blackwood Manor quietly, hoping to slip upstairs unnoticed. My plan failed instantly.
Ethan stood in the entrance hall, his tall figure rigid with tension. His hair was disheveled, as if he’d been running his hands through it repeatedly–a habit when he was anxious.
“Sam,” he began, relief evident in his voice. “Thank the moon you’re safe. About tonight–Rebecca showed up
unexpectedly. I was waiting for you. The roses, the fires–they were all for you.”
I remained silent, letting him speak. His explanation matched my suspicions about the setup being too obvious.
Mid–sentence, he stopped. His nostrils flared slightly, and his eyes locked onto Hector’s handkerchief still clutched in my
hand.
The shift in his demeanor was immediate and frightening. Relief transformed into cold fury as territorial instincts flared.
His amber eyes darkened, pupils dilating.
“Who were you with?” he demanded, stepping closer, inhaling deeply to capture more of the rival businessman’s scent.
