Chapter 96
Trailing behind them, Elliot caught the noticeable softness in Sebastian’s voice and felt a wave of relief wash over him.
If they hadn’t found Stephanie when they did, Elliot was sure Sebastian would’ve lost his mind. But thankfully, she was safe,
It wasn’t until they were inside the living room that Sebastian finally let her go. “You’re not going to the studio this afternoon, are you?”
“I want to go,” Stephanie grumbled, pouting.
Now that he was back, there was no way he’d allow her to go to work.
Earlier, he had flat–out refused to take her to the studio, and now he was acting all concerned and asking? What a joke.
Sebastian smirked at her dissatisfaction and reached out to touch her forehead. “Go take a nap. Elliot and I will be in the study.”
“Okay.” Stephanie turned and happily ran upstairs.
Upon watching her lively figure disappear, the fondness in Sebastian’s eyes deepened before he finally followed Elliot into the study.
Elliot glanced at him and said, “Miss Giovanni has grown a lot stronger over the years.”
The most vivid memory Elliot had of Stephanie was from the year she was kidnapped, sobbing, helpless, and fragile.
Sebastian exhaled slowly. “She has toughened up. She isn’t as soft–hearted as she used to be.”
Elliot didn’t mean anything negative by that. Having worked with Sebastian for years, he knew that being soft–hearted was a fatal flaw in families like the Giovanni family and the Lucano family.
Sebastian lit a cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled. “It doesn’t matter what kind of person she is, as long as she knows how to protect herself.”
People might say Stephanie was cruel and even heartless when it came to Olivia.
But in Sebastian’s eyes, she handled it perfectly.
If Stephanie had intervened and saved Olivia, then Olivia wouldn’t have stood a chance in front of him. If Olivia died from her illness, that would spare him the trouble.
Elliot was slightly taken aback by his words. But on second thought, it wasn’t surprising. He nodded. “Understood.”
Sebastian had always spoiled Stephanie, indulging her without restraint. Back in Fiorenza, he had even hoped she would be more domineering so that people would fear her and no one would dare cross her.
But people couldn’t simply be taught to change their nature. Stephanie had been pure, oblivious to danger, and protected too well by Sebastian.
After she ran away from home, when they reunited years later, Sebastian could see a trace of coldness in her gaze, a coldness that the Casalini family had instilled in her.
Then, her time in Long Harbor and her encounters with the Hart family and Chris had completely worn down her natural
kindness.
To Sebastian, that was a good thing.
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Chapter 96
“How’s the investigation going?” Sebastian asked.
At the mention of business, Elliot straightened. “It’s been looked into. Jackson has nothing to do with it.”
“Oh?” Sebastian narrowed his eyes.
“On the contrary, the Hanks family might be involved,” Elliot said, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint.
Sebastian’s gaze darkened. “The Hanks family?”
Elliot nodded. “Yes.”
A cold, dangerous aura radiated from Sebastian. “Then keep an eye on Philip.”
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“Understood.” Elliot hesitated for a moment before asking, “And what about the Hart family and Chris? Are you really not going to step in for Miss Giovanni?”
“Right now, the Hart family needs Macro and Allison, and she’s the one who has the right to approve it. Let her have her fun,” Sebastian said, his voice laced with indulgence.
Elliot blinked in surprise. It was obvious. Sebastian was letting Stephanie handle things in her own way, and his overprotectiveness hadn’t changed in the slightest.
Thinking back, before they had arrived in Long Harbor, none of those people had been able to do anything to Stephanie.
Now that they were here, right under Sebastian’s nose, there was no way Sebastian would let anything happen to her.
With that realization, Elliot knew better than to question it further.
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