Natalie was disgusted by her faux-innocent routine. "I bully you? Joanna, do you


    believe in karma? Everything you''ve ever done to me is going toe back to you."


    Joanna was stunned into silence. The old Natalie never would have fought back.


    Natalie turned to Sebastian. "Sebastian, I''ve already given you two what you want. You and Joanna really don''t need to keep tormenting me."


    Sebastian frowned, remembering thest few times he had wrongly used her. His expression darkened. "Natalie, I misunderstood you before. We were..."


    "Don''t apologize," Natalie cut him off with a coldugh. "You don''t deserve to, Sebastian. What you owe me, not even your life could repay. The Scott family, the Griffith family-all the false usations over the past two years... you can never pay me back for what you owe. So don''t you dare offer me a cheap apology."


    Sebastian''s gaze hardened. "Do you have to make such a scene?"


    "A scene? Are you kidding me? Why do you always say I''m making a scene? Are you blind and deaf? Did I do anything to your precious Joanna tonight? She framed me for her own fake kidnapping, and your family dismissed it by saying ''she doesn''t know any better.'' I did nothing wrong, yet your whole family ganged up on me, attacking me, forcing me to do this and that. Go to hell! You say one more word, and I swear I''ll punch you."


    Natalie was livid. She refused to hold back any longer. Around these people, she felt like she could snap at any moment.


    Sebastian was furious too, his expression grim. "Natalie, you''re being utterly vulgar."


    Natalieughed, a bright, sharp sound. He''s right. I have no shame. I was too thin-skinned before, and that''s why you all walked all over me.


    "So what if I''m vulgar? Your Joanna is so sweet and gentle. Go cherish her. Why can''t you people just leave me alone? I helped you tonight, didn''t I? And did I say a single word about it?"


    With a final, icy smile, she turned and walked over to Matthew.


    "Mr. Monroe, let''s go. There''s no point in arguing with a dog. We''re clearly not the same species. And I''m starving."


    Matthew''s shoulders shook with suppressedughter. That mouth on


    her. He didn''t nce back at


    Sebastian


    Joanna, knowing


    expressions


    their must be absolutely


    foul. He simply led Natalie away to dinner.


    Joanna trembled with rage. Natalie had truly changed. She wasn''t a pushover anymore.


    Sebastian watched them leave,ughing and talking, a storm of fury building in his chest.


    Sensing his anger, Joanna worried that Natalie''s words might be getting to him. "Sebastian, after all this, you''re still not going to divorce her?"


    He looked at her, his gaze deep and searching. "Why?"


    Joanna blinked, confused. "Sebastian, what do you mean, ''why''?"


    His eyes were fixed on her. "Why did you frame Natalie?"


    Joanna froze. He had never asked her about that before.


    "Why?" Joanna let out a bitterugh. "Back then, your mother forced me away. You know how crazy she was. How could I have stayed? When you had your ident, I wanted to stay and take care of you, but my father insisted on marrying Natalie to you. In just an adopted daughter. Yours know my situation better than anyone."


    She began to cry softly, painting herself as the victim. Thank God she had managed to get that woman locked away in a psychiatric hospital. No one could stop her from getting what she wanted Sebastian had to marry her. She would never go back to that other man. She had finally realized that only Sebastian truly cared for her.


    Sebastian thought of his mother''s temper and felt a wave of helplessness.


    "Let''s go. I''ll have Sean take you home." Without waiting for her response, he strode toward the exit.