Contractual Obligations

I clutched the book tightly in my hands, waiting for Sebastian to get out of the shower.

In the two months since our contract ended, a lot had changed. Sebastian found a new job working for a startup. He was able to negotiate decent pay and brought half the staff from his old office to the new job. He seemed so much happier doing work for someone other than his father.

His new company’s mission was to provide therapy for teenagers who were struggling, so it meant a lot to him too.

He settled in quickly and was able to get closer to working a regular eight-hour day. He was much happier with the amount of hours he worked.

But for once, I was the busy one.

I had to get a lot of editing done to release my book on time. My inability to choose the ended dug into a lot of the time I would have had for final edits. Now I had to rush in order to have it ready by the release date. Sebastian was understanding, though he didn’t know exactly how big this was.

A month ago, the title for the book had been announced, and people lost it, piecing together theories and ideas of what the book would be about.

Sebastian included.

When he’d talked about my book for hours, it was hard not to tell him it was mine, but I was waiting for the first proof to come in so I could show him exactly what I’d been up to.

I’d thought about this time and time again. I was terrified about Sebastian’s reaction, but I knew I needed to come clean about who I was.

And once I had the first proof of my new book in my hands, I could do it.

The cover was glorious with swirling font and deep, rich, emerald tones. Rohanda and Jamisson faced each other, preparing for a kiss. The series had ended like I planned, with both of them together, and I wanted Sebastian to be the first to see it.

He was in the shower when I opened the package containing my book. I chewed on my lip, stomach rolling as I knew I needed to tell him before I chickened out.

When Sebastian walked into the living room, I abruptly stood. My heart raced as I saw him with wet hair and only sweatpants on, but I knew I couldn’t let my husband’s attractiveness distract me from telling him the truth.

“Hey,” I said, my voice shaky. I hid the book behind my back. My lunch wasn’t sitting well in my stomach, but I knew it was all my anxiety. The last thing I needed was to tell him and then immediately run to throw up.

“Hey,” he said, “what’s wrong?”

“Remember when I said I would give you a hint about my books?”

“Yes, of course. Am I finally getting that hint?”

“It’s less of a hint and more of a reveal.”

He looked curious, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I brought it out and offered it to him.

Sebastian gave me one last curious stare before his eyes trailed down to the book, and they widened. “Wait, is this the last book of The Fair Originals series?”

I nodded.

“How did you find this?” he asked, taking it from me. He gently creeped his hands over the cover like it was a treasure. “It’s not out for another six months.”

“It’s a proof. From the publisher.”

“Do you share the same publisher? Wait, do you know J.R.?”

“In a way,” I said. “Turn to the dedication.”

“J.R. Solace doesn’t do dedications.”

“They did this time.”

He raised his eyebrows as he opened the book, flipping through to get to the right page.

I knew it by heart after staring at it for hours, wondering if it was right.

Here’s your happy ending, Sebastian. I’m glad we also got ours.

I saw him read it, blink, and then read over it again. He eventually looked at me, with wide eyes.

“No way,” he said.

I nodded.

“I did say I read them a hundred times,” I said, voice shaky. “Surprise?”

“This is the book you wrote? The one you were so secretive about?”

I nodded again.

“You’re J.R. Solace.”

I cleared my throat. “I am.”

He only stared, and my heart raced.

“I started it on the honeymoon,” I explained, beginning to pace around the living room, “after Heather called I was angry and needed an outlet, and this was it. Rohanda’s betrothed was based off of you and I am so sorry I did that because I know you’re going to be mad at me and possibly hate me for a while because I did this—”

“Hang on, I’m still processing. You’re the actual writer of one of the most popular fantasy series? You? Lily Miller, you wrote this?”

“Yes.”

“And I was based on . . .” Realization hit him. “I was based on her betrothed husband.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologized again. “He was a terrible, abusive character and I took it too far because I was hurt with how I felt I was being treated by you. I know now you’re not that person and I regret ever making you into them.”

He was silent for a long moment. “So . . . if her betrothed is based on me, who was Jamisson based on?”

“Did you not hear me?”

“I did.”

“Don’t you hate me?”

“I don’t know what to feel, Lily. This is way bigger than I ever thought your writing would be.”

“Exactly. Once I knew you’d read it, I was afraid of telling you. I knew you’d figure out who I based on you. You have a right to be hurt and angry about it. I should have never—”

“Lily,” he grabbed my hands and stopped my pacing. “Calm down. I’m not mad.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s a book. Back then, I was terrible to you, and you were angry. This was your outlet, and it makes sense how you saw me.”

“But your dad used to hit you, and Rohanda’s betrothed used to hit her.”

“That was hard for me to read, but this isn’t me. We didn’t even know each other then. I never once connected with the character, and I laughed when he was killed off. I always connected with Jamisson, remember?”

“Right, but he wasn’t based on you. He was the knight that her family hired to keep her in line.”

As I said the words, it hit me.

In the back of my mind, when I killed off Rohanda’s asshole betrothed, I thought it symbolized Sebastian leaving my life. To me, it symbolized the future, one I always hoped to have.

Jamisson was only ever a fantasy, what I hoped Sebastian could be for me. And in the end, that’s exactly who he ended up being.

“You were Jamisson,” I said softly.

“What?”

“I based Jamisson off of you.”

Sebastian’s eyebrows knitted. “But he was introduced in book two, which is way before we moved here and started getting along.”

“I know. Jamisson was . . . what I always hoped you’d be. Deep down, I think I hoped you felt the same way as me, so then maybe we had something in common.”

“And we did.”

I stared at him, unable to believe what I’d just realized.

“This is . . . actually pretty romantic,” he said.

“Oh my God,” I said, relief hitting me. “I thought you would be so angry when I told you who I was.”

“Because you took a real, terrible thing I did and based a character off of it? Honestly, Lily, you were nineteen and angry. It’s not that bad. I figured when you said you wrote that there was something unflattering about me in there. God, at least I’m not like Rohanda’s father. He was a piece of work.”

“He turned out to be a mixture of both my parents using only their worst features.”

“I was glad he got killed off in book two.”

“You and half the fandom.”

“Wait, is this why you didn’t care about not being able to release the autobiography?” he asked. “If The Fair Originals is your book, then almost everyone has heard your story. Well, a dark fantasy version of it anyway.”

“Yeah,” I said. “It’s exactly why. I’d worked through my emotions this way. All I wanted when we were done with the contract was to get out, and we did.”

“This is incredible,” he said. “Who all knows?”

“Just you.”

“Thank you for telling me,” he said, “but now I’m stuck between being incredibly intimidated that my wife is one of the greatest writers of this decade and wanting to go devour this book.”

“You should read it,” I said. “I think you’ll like how it ends.”

“I’m going to read this in one sitting. Depending on how emotionally devastating this is, I might call out of work tomorrow.”

As I watched him go to the couch, the final weight lifted off my shoulders. Now that Sebastian knew who I was, I was truly free.

And I had no regrets.

What happened to Lily Miller?

By Elana Marsh

Everyone wants to know. Lily was an Instagram model for the ages. She had the perfect shots, the perfect looks, and the perfect marriage.

Until she announced it was all fake.

Her father-in-law had announced a pregnancy, only for Lily to rebuke it in the shocker of the decade. She said she would write a breakthrough exposé, which would detail everything she went through, but it’s been two months, and she hasn’t reappeared.

Her social media was removed after her contract was posted for less than twenty-four hours. Many fans saved the image, reposting to all of Miller Industries’ social media pages. Since the accusations made by Mrs. Miller, their stocks have fallen 50% and other employees have spoken out about their policies.

Lily’s mother, Barbara Roberts, tried to denounce her daughter’s accusations by saying she was always a troubled child, one who made up stories to get attention. Most fans, however, seem to be on Lily’s side, wherever she may be.

Lily is rumored to live in Nashville, Tennessee. However, neither she nor Sebastian Miller are listed on any properties in the state. They both seem to have vanished.

So what happened to the business world’s darling child? Post your theories in the comments below.

169 Comments

Xxxridimen – she obvs ran off w her lover

Makowskurt – um, that lover better be Sebastian. He punched his dad for her! What a hero!

Kurtiblurty – Nah, I don’t condone violence. Guy should have been arrested

Makowskurt – So should the dad then. He pushed Lily…

Fidgiemen – I hope she’s okay. If you look at her archived posts, she never looked truly happy.

Makowskurt – Nah, she’s just hiding out until the next rich man comes along. I bet she’s dating some old guy in his eighties waiting for him to die to she can get all this money.

Geuonit – Ew.

SebandLily4ever – I’VE BEEN CRYING FOR MONTHS! WHERE DID THEY GO? WILL THEY COME BACK?