Trapped with My Billionaire Ex-Husband by Mariya Mercedes

Chapter 36

BLAIRE

Wife? He still had the audacity to call me his wife when he deliberately ignored me for the past few

days. I tried to act normal, pretending that both of their presences didn’t bother me at all. He was

coming here, and he didn’t bother informing me. Worse, he came here with Catherine instead of his

wife.

“Of course! Please, have a seat.” Alexander was the one who invited them.

Sebastian takes the seat closer to me while Catherine sits beside him. I noticed the mischievous smile

playing on Alexander’s lips, as if he’s enjoying this fiasco.

On the other hand, Sebastian seemed unfazed by Alexander’s presence. The air became charged with

unspoken words and unexplored emotions. Catherine, on the other hand, wore a smug expression,

reveling in the awkwardness she had orchestrated.

“I think Roman has already lost his magic. I’m disappointed that this is the dress that he gave you,”

Catherine remarked, her tone dripping with condescension. “I must say, I expected something more

impressive.”

I maintained my composure, refusing to let her provocations get under my skin. “Well, the good thing is,

I’m not here to impress anyone.”

Sebastian interjected, “Blaire, we need to talk.”

I’ve been waiting for him to tell me that, but I didn’t come here for that. I came here to enjoy. “This isn’t

the time or place for it.”

I glanced at Alexander, who observed the unfolding drama with a raised eyebrow. “She’s right,”

Alexander suggested, attempting to diffuse the tension. “Let’s enjoy the evening and save the serious

talks for another time.” After a minute of silence, Alexander chose. to break it. “I don’t mean to intrude,

but let me get this straight. This beautiful woman beside me is your wife, yet…” he deliberately hung his

words as he looked at the woman. sitting beside Sebastian. He then offered his hand and introduced

himself. “I’m Alexander Williams.”



“Catherine Banks. I’m pleased to meet you,” she responded as she extended her arm.

“Banks?” Alexander frowned as he looked at me. He’s probably wondering how we are connected

since we share the same family name.

“She’s my stepsister,” I answered his unspoken question.

“Sister, Blaire. May I remind you that we already established that before?” Catherine immediately

butted in.

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“As an actual sister?” Alexander asked again, still confused about our connection.

“Half-sister,” I corrected her. It still doesn’t sit well with me, but there’s nothing I can do about that fact.

“And you’re her husband, right?” Alexander then turned to Sebastian, who was silently sipping his wine.

“Then why…”

“That’s none of your fcking business,” Sebastian cut him off with his cold baritone voice, as if he’s

giving him a warning.

Alexander immediately raises both of his hands jokingly as if he were surrending. He then turned

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toward me with a playful smile on his face. “Your family is interesting,” he commented. He then looked

at Sebastian once again. “Since you already have a woman by your side, you wouldn’t mind if I was still

Blaire, right?” he said. Sebastian was about to open his mouth and object, but Alex quickly grabbed my

hand and pulled me up. “Great! See you later, guys!”

I was so c

confused about what was happening that I couldn’t react immediately. All I did was follow Alexander’s

lead until we reached the dance floor. He then wrapped his arm around my waist as I put my arms on

his shoulder before starting to move to the rhythm of the song that’s currently playing.

“Now, I know why such a beautiful woman like you came to this party alone,” he said as he started

dancing.



“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said. Though I’m grateful for his presence this evening, I don’t think I’m

comfortable enough to talk about my life with someone who’s practically a stranger to me.

“I’m sorry. I was out of line,” he apologized.

“Don’t get me wrong. I wanted to say thank you for saving me tonight. I just don’t feel. comfortable

sharing my life with you since I just met you,” I explained.

“I understand,” he answered. “But what do you mean by saving you tonight? I don’t remember doing

anything,” he chuckled.

“Your invitation to join your table has spared me from further humiliation courtesy of my estranged

husband.”

“So, he’s truly your husband. And he’s with your sister,” he halted, likely recalling my correction from

earlier. “I mean your half-sister instead of you. That’s messed up. I don’t know what’s going on inside

his head, but I’d say he’s foolish to let such a wonderful woman like you attend alone,” he remarked.

I smiled, finding comfort in the flattering words from a handsome man like him. It was

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Chapter 36

reassuring to discover that despite my husband’s clear preference for Catherine, there were still men

who found me attractive.

Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

Alexander’s charm seemed to be a breath of fresh air amidst the brewing storm back at our table.

“Well, if you ever need an escort to events like this, I’d be more than happy to accompany you,” he

offered with a playful smile as we continued to dance.

But it hadn’t been more than fifteen minutes since we hit the dance floor when I heard that familiar

baritone voice behind me.

“Mind if I steal my wife for a sec?” he asked..

We both turned to where the voice was coming from and found Sebastian with unreadable emotions

flashing on his face as he stood behind us.

I hesitated, torn between the desire to avoid a scene and the need to address the lingering questions.



But it was Alexander who made the decision for me. “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea given the fact

that you chose her sister over your wife,” he answered.

Sebastian clearly didn’t like Alexander’s answer. I saw him clench his jaw, and he closed his hand into

a tight fist. He looks like he was ready for a fight. Afraid that it might cause a commotion, I decided to

step in between them.

“It’s okay, Alex, I told him.

“Are you sure?” he asked worriedly..

“Yes, I’ll be fine. Thank you.” I smiled as I gently tapped his shoulder to assure him. That’s the only time

that he decided to step away and give my hand to Sebastian.

Sebastian didn’t think twice. He grabbed my hand and pulled me away from Alexander until we were

finally a few feet away from him. He then quickly wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me

tightly against his b*dy.

“Who is that man?” he asked in a cold baritone voice.

“He introduced himself a while ago, didn’t he?” I answered sarcastically.

“Don’t start me with your smart mouth, Blaire. I don’t appreciate you meddling with a stranger,” he said.

“I won’t be. If only my husband wasn’t too busy with my half sister,” I replied.

Sebastian’s grip tightened, his eyes reflecting a mix of anger and frustration. This isn’t the time or place

for this discussion, Blaire. We have our own issues to address.”

Chapter 36

“It seems like you’re doing just fine with Catherine,” I retorted, my tone laced with. bitterness.

Before Sebastian could respond, Catherine joined our tense exchange, her smile dripping with

insincerity. “Oh, the estranged couple is having a lover’s spat. How entertaining.

Sebastian shot her a warning look, urging her to back off, but Catherine reveled in the chaos she had

ignited. “Sebastian, darling, let’s not waste our time on her. She’s clearly trying to get attention.”

I scoffed, unable to contain my frustration. “Funny how the woman who stole my husband accuses me

of seeking attention.”

Sebastian’s expression hardened. “Enough, both of you. This isn’t helping anyone.”



Catherine, undeterred, added, “Sebastian, let’s go. We have better things to do than engage in a

drama with

your soon-to-be ex-wife.”

It still caught me by surprise upon hearing Catherine say those words. I was already. expecting that

everything would eventually lead to that, but it still caught me off guard.

Sebastian hesitated for a moment, torn between the conflicting dynamics at play.

“I need to talk to Blaire, Catherine. Please wait for me at the table,” he responded before pulling me

away from the crowd.

As Sebastian led me away from the escalating tension, the echoes of heated words lingered in the air.

The once glamorous gala now felt like a battleground where emotions clashed and alliances shifted.

Sebastian’s grip on my hand remained firm, but the warmth that used to accompany it felt replaced by

a chilling tension. The unspoken turmoil between us cast a shadow over the elegant surroundings, a

stark contrast to the festivities that continued around us.

In the dimly lit corner where Sebastian pulled me, he finally broke the silence. “Blaire, we need to talk,

but not here.”

I sighed, weary from the emotional rollercoaster. “It’s fine; let’s talk here. It doesn’t matter where we

are; it won’t change anything.”

Sebastian nodded. The tension between us thickened.

“Sebastian, I can’t pretend that everything is okay. You brought Catherine here, flaunting her in front of

everyone. What are you trying to prove?” I confronted him, my voice a mix of frustration and hurt.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, a sign of his own inner turmoil. “Blaire, this

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Chapter 36

isn’t easy for me either. Catherine needed me. You know what her condition is, right? I’m just trying to

make amends for the time that we weren’t there for her while she’s struggling for her life.”

“Amends? That was her choice, Sebastian! She chose to leave and fight her battle alone. Why should

we be the ones to suffer the aftereffects of the choices she made? May I Temind you that I’m: wife?



“The bitterness in my words hung in the air, a reflection.

of the wounds that were still raw.

Sebastian struggled to find the right words, his gaze shifting as he grappled with the consequences of

his choices. “I know I’ve made mistakes, Blaire. But Catherine-needs me now. I couldn’t be with her

when she’s fighting for her life. Now, I wanted to be with her

every step of the way. I can’t leave her now,” he said.

His words feel like a sharp knife piercing through every fiber of my being. How could he say that to my

face when, not long ago, he was telling me how much he loves me and how he chose me over

Catherine when she didn’t want to run away with another man?

“And now…. where does it leave me, Sebastian?” I confronted him.

“I don’t know. I’m sorry. Please give me some time to think.”

“If I asked you to choose now, Sebastian, who would choose?” I asked him directly. “Please don’t do

this,” he pleaded.

As the weight of the unspoken question lingered in the air, Sebastian’s eyes reflected at conflict of

emotions. He hesitated, the silence stretching between us as the gravity of the choice hung in the

balance.

“If I choose now, Blaire, it would tear me apart. I can’t make that decision on the spot,” he finally

uttered, his voice strained with the burden of uncertainty.

I took a step back, a mix of disappointment and resignation settling within me. “Are you hearing

yourself, Sebastian? You’re telling me that you can’t choose between your wife and your ex?”

His eyes searched mine, a desperate plea for understanding. “I need time to figure things out. Please,

Blaire, give me that time.”

I scoff, the ache in my chest echoing the pain of unrequited love. I thought we had made progress over

the past few weeks, but I was clearly wrong. I shouldn’t have come back. “Take the time you need,

Sebastian. But I won’t be waiting for you.” That’s a lie. I’m not as brave as I was a year ago, when I still

had the courage to run away from him. This time, I don’t think I would be able to drop everything and

leave him like I did before.



With that, I turned away, leaving him standing there amidst the shadows of indecision,

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The gala, once a stage for my revenge, now mirrored the shattered fragments of a life unraveling. The

echoes of our strained conversation mingled with the fading notes of music, creating a discordant

symphony of emotions.

SEND GIFT

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