The True Luna's Forbidden Temptation - Chapter 50: Chapter 50
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CEO.
Three simple letters. But it carries a heavy burden. It can change everything—including my entire future.
Sebastian watches me carefully, as if reading every single emotion that crosses my face. But while it seems like he’s reading me like a book, it’s nearly damn impossible to read his intentions.
‘Why is he doing this?’
I stare back at him, wondering if he’s playing a joke on me. But I can tell from his face that he meant every word that he just said.
“Clearly, you can’t be serious, Sebastian,” I whisper. “CEO? I have only worked decorated cakes and designed some jewelry. I don’t know how to run a company.”
Sebastian takes his time, sipping his water with deliberate grace. The crystal glass catches the light as he sets it down. "I am serious, Ana. I want you to be the CEO of one of my subsidiary companies.”
"But I—"
"You graduated top of your class. You specialized in design. You’re a Lander-McGregor. Business is in your blood."
The way he says my last name—like it means something—makes my stomach twist. It’s been so long since anyone spoke to me like that, like I mattered.
"That seems like eons away," I say, my hands fiddling with the sleeve of my robe. "People change."
He steps closer. I swallow hard as I turn away from his bare chest. "You’re brilliant, Ana. That hasn’t changed."
I laugh bitterly. "Well, if you consider being Tyler’s personal design slave and baking cakes and pastries for a few rich customers brilliant.” I sigh. “I don’t think that’s exactly CEO material.”
Sebastian narrows his eyes at me. "You should be proud of yourself. Other heiresses would have given up, crawled back to their Daddies. But not you.”
I shift uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze. "I did what I had to do.”
"No," he says sharply, stepping closer. "You did what no one else could do. You survived. You thrived. You built a career from nothing. No name, no connections. No trust fund to fall back on."
His words are overwhelming. I didn’t know he had so much confidence in me. "It wasn’t that impressive. Tyler didn’t think so.”
“He’s an idiot!” Sebastian retorts. “You are extraordinary. I bet that he saw that, too. And instead of valuing you, he chose to exploit you.”
“But still, I have no idea how to run a company. I have very limited network. When my father cut me off, he blacklisted me, prevented me from working for any reputable company.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightens, as if he trying to hold back a wave of anger. “He didn’t do that so that you would have a hard time. He did that in order for you to come back to him.”
"By destroying any chance I had of an independent career?" I shake my head. "Is that love? Or control?”
"I think it’s both," he says, his voice quiet. "But I know that he loved you. He just… has a strange way of showing it.”
“And now, you’re defending him.”
"No," he says, running a hand through his hair. "I’m just trying to make you understand where he’s coming from. He thought if he shut every door, you’d have no choice but to walk through his. Back to your legacy." He smiles faintly. "He underestimated your stubbornness."
"Or my pride," I mutter.
"That too," he says with a half-smile. "You have more talent than you think. Even back at that bakery, you made things others couldn’t."
He opens the fridge, the light throwing his sharp profile into relief. "Your pistachio rose buttercream cake? A masterpiece." He glances back at me. "And those Marie Antoinette macarons? Perfection."
I freeze for a moment. "How did you—how could you possibly know that?"
He shrugs. "You remember the regular order? Pistachio rose buttercream every Friday... and the macarons every Wednesday?"
I remember that. My anonymous consistent customer. He ordered religiously until I left the bakery.
"That was... you?"
He nods. "I became addicted to them."
"Why didn’t you tell me? You didn’t even walk inside to order them yourself?”
A flicker of guilt crosses his eyes. "It would’ve complicated things if I’d come myself."
My mind races, piecing together the memories—the standing order, the generous tips.
"All this time," I whisper. "You’ve been… watching over me?"
He looks at me sheepishly. “I just… I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
The air suddenly feels thick and heavy with tension.
"The credit card," I say slowly. "You wanted to give it to me years ago. When my father cut me off."
He nods. "Yes."
"Then why didn’t you give it yourself?"
Sebastian’s jaw tightens, his expression darkening. "I tried. I even hired a team to 'kidnap' you and bring you to me."
My eyes widen in shock. "What?"
"Five years ago, in that parking garage... Two men approached you—"
Suddenly, it clicks. I remember that day I got ambushed. "Oh my God," I whisper. "That was you?"
I remember fighting back, kicking one in the groin and pepper-spraying the others before running for safety.
Sebastian smirks. "You’ve got a hell of a punch. They were terrified when they came back to report."
"You sent men to abduct me?" I’m torn between outrage and... something else.
"To bring you somewhere safe," he corrects. "Where I could help you without—" He stops abruptly, regret flickering in his eyes.
"Without what?" I demand.
He hesitates. "It’s complicated."
"Then uncomplicate it," I challenge. "Why didn’t you just come to me? Why all the secrecy?"
Sebastian’s voice softens, heavy with something unspoken. "Someday, I’ll explain. For now... just trust me. Everything I did, everything I’m doing, is to protect you. But back then, I wasn’t strong enough to fight for you. So, I had to protect you—in secret."
I swallow the lump in my throat. I still don’t understand. But I guess, he’s not going to give me any more explanations.
"I appreciate it," I say, but doubt lingers. "But now, why are you offering me to become CEO of your company? I don’t know anything about it.”
Sebastian closer, narrowing his eyes at me. "You know more than you think. In fact, I think you are the most knowledgeable person in this line of business. You’re better than the CEOs of the companies we are working with. I can’t think of anyone else who better fit the job.”
I frown, confused. "What are you talking about?"
He pauses, eyes flickering. "SB Capitals."
The words hit me like a punch. SB Capitals. The financer behind almost everything Tyler’s done. The one pulling all the strings.
"You?" I gasp. "You were behind Tyler’s company this whole time?"
He doesn’t flinch. "Not behind. Above. I own sixty percent of TL Glam. Which means... you’ve been working for me for years.”
I get it now. SB Capitals. SB stands for Sebastian Blackwood.
My mind begins spinning. I hold on to the counter to steady myself. "Why would you do that? Why invest in Tyler’s company?"
"Because of you," he says flatly. "I know that Father cut you off. I wanted you to have another avenue for you talents—even if you didn’t know it was me.”
I shake my head, struggling to process everything he just said. "So all this time..."
"All this time," he confirms. "I was looking out for you. Making sure that you get the life that you grew up in—or at least somewhere close to it.”
"Were you the current CEO of SB Capitals?”
He shakes his head. “I named my be—my best friend, Julian, as the dummy CEO. I call the shots under his name. I didn’t risk you finding out I was behind everything.”
“Then why are you offering me this job now?”
"I’m offering you a chance to take control. As CEO of the luxury design division at SB Capitals. You’d have full creative freedom, an ownership stake, and resources beyond anything Tyler could offer. In other words—he’s gonna have to report to you. You have the final say in what happens to TL Glam.”
I feel a spark of hope—then a rush of fear. The power, the control. The revenge.
"And what do you get out of this?" I ask. Somehow, this is all too good to be true.
Sebastian’s smile is slow, dangerous. "I get to watch Tyler cower at your feet when he realizes that everything he has right now was all because of you—the woman he exploited and then threw away.”
A shiver runs through me at his words, at the possessive gleam in his eyes.
“You want your revenge, love?” he asks, his expression dangerously cold and determined. “I will help you get it.”
I stare back at Sebastian. Suddenly, everything seems tempting. Tyler refused to promote me to Vice President of Design. I wonder how he would react when I walk into that boardroom and gets introduced as SB Capitals’ CEO.
‘Hmmm… I bet it’s going to be quite satisfying.’
Three simple letters. But it carries a heavy burden. It can change everything—including my entire future.
Sebastian watches me carefully, as if reading every single emotion that crosses my face. But while it seems like he’s reading me like a book, it’s nearly damn impossible to read his intentions.
‘Why is he doing this?’
I stare back at him, wondering if he’s playing a joke on me. But I can tell from his face that he meant every word that he just said.
“Clearly, you can’t be serious, Sebastian,” I whisper. “CEO? I have only worked decorated cakes and designed some jewelry. I don’t know how to run a company.”
Sebastian takes his time, sipping his water with deliberate grace. The crystal glass catches the light as he sets it down. "I am serious, Ana. I want you to be the CEO of one of my subsidiary companies.”
"But I—"
"You graduated top of your class. You specialized in design. You’re a Lander-McGregor. Business is in your blood."
The way he says my last name—like it means something—makes my stomach twist. It’s been so long since anyone spoke to me like that, like I mattered.
"That seems like eons away," I say, my hands fiddling with the sleeve of my robe. "People change."
He steps closer. I swallow hard as I turn away from his bare chest. "You’re brilliant, Ana. That hasn’t changed."
I laugh bitterly. "Well, if you consider being Tyler’s personal design slave and baking cakes and pastries for a few rich customers brilliant.” I sigh. “I don’t think that’s exactly CEO material.”
Sebastian narrows his eyes at me. "You should be proud of yourself. Other heiresses would have given up, crawled back to their Daddies. But not you.”
I shift uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze. "I did what I had to do.”
"No," he says sharply, stepping closer. "You did what no one else could do. You survived. You thrived. You built a career from nothing. No name, no connections. No trust fund to fall back on."
His words are overwhelming. I didn’t know he had so much confidence in me. "It wasn’t that impressive. Tyler didn’t think so.”
“He’s an idiot!” Sebastian retorts. “You are extraordinary. I bet that he saw that, too. And instead of valuing you, he chose to exploit you.”
“But still, I have no idea how to run a company. I have very limited network. When my father cut me off, he blacklisted me, prevented me from working for any reputable company.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightens, as if he trying to hold back a wave of anger. “He didn’t do that so that you would have a hard time. He did that in order for you to come back to him.”
"By destroying any chance I had of an independent career?" I shake my head. "Is that love? Or control?”
"I think it’s both," he says, his voice quiet. "But I know that he loved you. He just… has a strange way of showing it.”
“And now, you’re defending him.”
"No," he says, running a hand through his hair. "I’m just trying to make you understand where he’s coming from. He thought if he shut every door, you’d have no choice but to walk through his. Back to your legacy." He smiles faintly. "He underestimated your stubbornness."
"Or my pride," I mutter.
"That too," he says with a half-smile. "You have more talent than you think. Even back at that bakery, you made things others couldn’t."
He opens the fridge, the light throwing his sharp profile into relief. "Your pistachio rose buttercream cake? A masterpiece." He glances back at me. "And those Marie Antoinette macarons? Perfection."
I freeze for a moment. "How did you—how could you possibly know that?"
He shrugs. "You remember the regular order? Pistachio rose buttercream every Friday... and the macarons every Wednesday?"
I remember that. My anonymous consistent customer. He ordered religiously until I left the bakery.
"That was... you?"
He nods. "I became addicted to them."
"Why didn’t you tell me? You didn’t even walk inside to order them yourself?”
A flicker of guilt crosses his eyes. "It would’ve complicated things if I’d come myself."
My mind races, piecing together the memories—the standing order, the generous tips.
"All this time," I whisper. "You’ve been… watching over me?"
He looks at me sheepishly. “I just… I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
The air suddenly feels thick and heavy with tension.
"The credit card," I say slowly. "You wanted to give it to me years ago. When my father cut me off."
He nods. "Yes."
"Then why didn’t you give it yourself?"
Sebastian’s jaw tightens, his expression darkening. "I tried. I even hired a team to 'kidnap' you and bring you to me."
My eyes widen in shock. "What?"
"Five years ago, in that parking garage... Two men approached you—"
Suddenly, it clicks. I remember that day I got ambushed. "Oh my God," I whisper. "That was you?"
I remember fighting back, kicking one in the groin and pepper-spraying the others before running for safety.
Sebastian smirks. "You’ve got a hell of a punch. They were terrified when they came back to report."
"You sent men to abduct me?" I’m torn between outrage and... something else.
"To bring you somewhere safe," he corrects. "Where I could help you without—" He stops abruptly, regret flickering in his eyes.
"Without what?" I demand.
He hesitates. "It’s complicated."
"Then uncomplicate it," I challenge. "Why didn’t you just come to me? Why all the secrecy?"
Sebastian’s voice softens, heavy with something unspoken. "Someday, I’ll explain. For now... just trust me. Everything I did, everything I’m doing, is to protect you. But back then, I wasn’t strong enough to fight for you. So, I had to protect you—in secret."
I swallow the lump in my throat. I still don’t understand. But I guess, he’s not going to give me any more explanations.
"I appreciate it," I say, but doubt lingers. "But now, why are you offering me to become CEO of your company? I don’t know anything about it.”
Sebastian closer, narrowing his eyes at me. "You know more than you think. In fact, I think you are the most knowledgeable person in this line of business. You’re better than the CEOs of the companies we are working with. I can’t think of anyone else who better fit the job.”
I frown, confused. "What are you talking about?"
He pauses, eyes flickering. "SB Capitals."
The words hit me like a punch. SB Capitals. The financer behind almost everything Tyler’s done. The one pulling all the strings.
"You?" I gasp. "You were behind Tyler’s company this whole time?"
He doesn’t flinch. "Not behind. Above. I own sixty percent of TL Glam. Which means... you’ve been working for me for years.”
I get it now. SB Capitals. SB stands for Sebastian Blackwood.
My mind begins spinning. I hold on to the counter to steady myself. "Why would you do that? Why invest in Tyler’s company?"
"Because of you," he says flatly. "I know that Father cut you off. I wanted you to have another avenue for you talents—even if you didn’t know it was me.”
I shake my head, struggling to process everything he just said. "So all this time..."
"All this time," he confirms. "I was looking out for you. Making sure that you get the life that you grew up in—or at least somewhere close to it.”
"Were you the current CEO of SB Capitals?”
He shakes his head. “I named my be—my best friend, Julian, as the dummy CEO. I call the shots under his name. I didn’t risk you finding out I was behind everything.”
“Then why are you offering me this job now?”
"I’m offering you a chance to take control. As CEO of the luxury design division at SB Capitals. You’d have full creative freedom, an ownership stake, and resources beyond anything Tyler could offer. In other words—he’s gonna have to report to you. You have the final say in what happens to TL Glam.”
I feel a spark of hope—then a rush of fear. The power, the control. The revenge.
"And what do you get out of this?" I ask. Somehow, this is all too good to be true.
Sebastian’s smile is slow, dangerous. "I get to watch Tyler cower at your feet when he realizes that everything he has right now was all because of you—the woman he exploited and then threw away.”
A shiver runs through me at his words, at the possessive gleam in his eyes.
“You want your revenge, love?” he asks, his expression dangerously cold and determined. “I will help you get it.”
I stare back at Sebastian. Suddenly, everything seems tempting. Tyler refused to promote me to Vice President of Design. I wonder how he would react when I walk into that boardroom and gets introduced as SB Capitals’ CEO.
‘Hmmm… I bet it’s going to be quite satisfying.’
End of The True Luna's Forbidden Temptation Chapter 50. Continue reading Chapter 51 or return to The True Luna's Forbidden Temptation book page.