Seduced By Sebastian

Aurora Blackwood woke to a dismal morning: her front door flooded with rejection letters, each one screaming "We regret to inform you..." in bleak uniformity.

Defeat laced her voice as she sighed, "The bad news keeps piling up, huh?"

Recently graduated, she was trapped in a never-ending job search nightmare.Her parents' struggling situation weighed heavily – they were counting on her for help.

Aurora grabbed a cup of coffee, staring blankly at her laptop screen as her phone buzzed with a text from Emily:"Any news yet... or should I say any GOOD news?"

Aurora typed back with desperation: "None, I'm doomed"

Emily's response was instantly uplifting: "Oh come on Aurora, give it ONE more day – get out there and give it your all!"

Aurora poured her heart out: "It feels like the universe is against me... I'll just keep failing over and over again... but my parents need me, so a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...I guess"

Emily countered with encouragement: "Shake off those negative thoughts, girl! I'm sure you'll nail an interview where they'll recognize your potential – I GUARANTEE you'll get the job!"

Aurora sighed dramatically: "Fine, I'll give it one more shot"

After finishing their conversation, Aurora put on her "big girl pants,"patched up her makeup, and pulled her long, brown hair into a messy bun framing her heart-shaped face.

As she headed out the door, already dreading another failed interview.

A familiar sensation crept over her: a cold shiver ran up her spine, leaving goosebumps in its wake.That unsettling feeling – someone was tracking her footsteps – had plagued her for over a month.

Emily had consistently brushed it off as paranoia, but Aurora couldn't shake the feeling – it had become her constant companion.

The interview was a disaster.

"We regret to inform you..." the interviewer said with fake sympathy.

Aurora nodded, forced a half-hearted smile, and escaped the office building into the cool afternoon air.

Her feet carried her to a nearby haven – a cozy coffee shop just a block away.

The cafe was a peaceful oasis filled with soft music and freshly brewed coffee.But Aurora didn't notice – she was too busy collapsing onto a stool at the counter, tears streaming down her face.

"Why do I even bother?! No one would ever hire someone as pathetic as me..."

Tears choked out the devastating truth:

"My parents are counting on me, and I'm failing them.

Everyone from my college class has careers by now... what's wrong with ME?!"

She continued bawling her eyes out, oblivious to her surroundings, until a gentle voice broke through her sobbing, "Sorry, love, but is everything okay?"

Aurora looked up, meeting his gaze and stared tearfully into his piercing blue eyes – eyes that seems to hold kindness and amusement at the same time.

He wore a tailored navy blue suit, his white shirt accentuating his chiseled feature and strong jawline

"Oh hi... yeah, no, everything's great," she said sarcastically, frustration and anger still simmering over her constant failures.

"Except I completely suck at interviews and just got rejected for about the 100th time."

The gentleman flashed a coquettish grin and said,

"Beautiful and clearly brilliant-yet they rejected you?

I think they need a new hiring manager?"

Aurora's laughter burst out unexpectedly, a welcome escape from her tears."Thank you for the sweet words,"she said, still chuckling, "but nonsense is more like it."

He leaned in slightly, his eyes sparkling with amusement and replied, "You're being modest. Nonsense isn't an argument – you're absolutely gorgeous. I'm just stating facts."Aurora's cheeks flushed as she smiled shyly.

He leaned in closer, his voice low and smooth, "May I ask, what's a stunning woman like you doing in a state like this – tears and rejection letters?"

Aurora laughed again, feeling her guard drop around him.

"Job hunting blues... and a serious case of failure," she admitted.He chuckled and said,

"Failure doesn't suit you.

You seem like a woman who gets what she wants."

Aurora's heart skipped a rhythm at his flirtatious tone.

As she looked into his eyes, she felt an intense connection – like he could see beyond her surface.

She finally got a proper look at him: Chiseled features, piercing blue eyes, and a charming smile that hinted at secrets.

Her mind reeled – how did she even manage to speak around him?

He noticed her gaze and smiled mischievously, "You're adorable when you're flustered. Want to tell me why?"

Aurora's voice barely above a whisper, "Because of you..."

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled softly and winked at her.He leaned in closer, his low, smooth voice sending shivers down her spine:"I'm glad I could cause that effect."

Aurora's blush deepened as she held his gaze for a fraction of a second before looking away.

The barista interrupted the moment, asking "Would you like a refill?"

Aurora shook her head, and the stranger smiled. He took the empty cup from her, his fingers brushing lightly against hers... Sending a tingling sensation through her body.

He handed the cup to the barista and turned back to Aurora.

"Bye, beautiful..."

His voice lingered in her mind as he walked away, disappearing into the crowded street.

Aurora stood there, breathless and bewildered, her heart still racing from their encounter.

She thought about calling out to him, asking his name, but he was already out of sight.

"Be real, Aurora," she said to herself with a smile, "even if he was still in sight, you wouldn't have uttered a word."

Aurora laughed softly at her own shy nature and began walking home, her feet lighter than they had been all day.

That evening, she lay in bed, her mind drifting back to the mysterious stranger – his piercing blue eyes, chiseled features, and charming smile etched in her memory.

"Who was he?" she wondered, "And why did he have such an intense impact on me?"As she turned off her night lamp, Aurora felt a lingering sense of excitement, a feeling she hadn't experienced in months – maybe even years.

She drifted off to sleep with a gentle smile on her face, the stranger's flirtatious voice whispering in her dreams:

"Beautiful... I'm just stating facts."