Sinclair pointed at Sebastian, his voice laced with frustration. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would Sebastian go to her instead of me? He's never been this affectionate with anyone except me."
Michael scratched the back of his head. His face told me that he was at a lost too.
"Uh, maybe . . . maybe Sebastian recognizes the person who helped save him?"
Sinclair gave him a sideways glance. "You're the one who saved him."
Michael quickly added, "Yes, but it was Eve who made everything possible."
Sinclair let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head like he was trying to come to terms with this new reality. It was clear he was having a hard time accepting that his loyal companion now seemed to prefer me.
Years of shared history, loyalty, and love seemed to vanish in an instant as Sebastian sat devotedly by my side.
"Sebastian, come," Sinclair said, his voice softening as he attempted to regain the dog's attention. "Let's go home. There are treats waiting for you, a nice bed, and all your toys." His tone was almost pleading.
But Sebastian didn't budge. Instead, he grabbed onto the hem of my dress with his teeth, gently but firmly, refusing to let go. His eyes met mine with an almost human-like determination. He wasn't leaving without me.
Both Victor and Sinclair stared, their mouths agape.
I smirked, glancing up at Sinclair. "Looks like Sebastian's chosen me. I guess he's my dog now."
The disbelief on Sinclair's face was priceless, but I could also sense the hint of jealousy.
"I don't understand . . . ," Victor mumbled under his breath. "Sebastian's never been this attached to anyone before, not even to me, and I've known him for years."
Sinclair took a deep breath, frustration and resignation mingling in his expression as he let it out in a long sigh.
He gazed up at the ceiling for a moment, as if searching for answers there, before he finally spoke. "If Sebastian won't leave without you, then it seems you'll have to live at my mansion from now on," he declared, his tone firm and final.
I froze, my smirk vanishing. "Huh?"
I glanced over at the old man, who stood there, stoic and unyielding. His face said it all—no matter what, he wasn't going anywhere without his dog. And I knew from experience that Sinclair Rosette never budged once his mind was set.
Then, my eyes shifted to Sebastian, the unwitting cause of all this drama. I tried to reason with the dog again, urging him to go to Sinclair, but the stubborn animal wouldn't budge. He stayed glued to my side, his large eyes staring up at me with complete devotion.
I let out a long, defeated sigh. "Fine. But I need some time to myself once in a while. I can't stay at your mansion forever, I have to go back to my condo every now and then."
Sinclair raised an eyebrow. "Why do you need to live alone?"
"For my peace of mind," I said with a shrug. "Who doesn't want to laze around all day, doing nothing in their own space?"
Sinclair didn't miss a beat. "Stop being lazy. It kills brain cells."
I opened my mouth to argue, but Sinclair was already waving Sebastian over. "Sebastian, let's go home. I'm tired, boy."
"Wait! I need to stop by my condo to get some clothes and essentials—"
Before I could finish, Sinclair cut me off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Victor will handle it."
My jaw dropped as I watched Victor nod enthusiastically.
"What do you want, Eve? Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton? Or maybe a mix of all the top brands?" He grinned, already running through his mental checklist. "Just leave everything to me. I'll have all your clothes and essentials bought and ready in an hour."
Before I could even protest, he was already preparing to leave, fully committed to the errand Sinclair had casually assigned him.
"You can't be serious!" I protested.
But Sinclair and Victor were already walking toward the exit, clearly expecting me to follow without further debate.
I had no choice and trail after them, Sebastian trotting happily by my side as if he'd just won the biggest victory of his life.
"Fine," I muttered under my breath. "I'll live in your mansion . . . but this better come with room service, spa, and massages."