Joanna sat down across from him, looking utterly wronged.


    Sebastian stared at her, his gaze deepening as he studied her pained expression.


    Wendy seized the opportunity to sit down as well. "Sebastian, years ago, you promised you would marry Joanna. A man of his word should honor hismitments. You and Natalie aren''t in love; the person you''ve always loved is Joanna. You should divorce Natalie and marry Joanna. Natalie has already signed the agreement, and there are no financial disputes."


    "The divorce proceedings will be quick. In the two years she was married to you, you never spent a penny on her. You gave her no financial security, never bought her a single gift. I assume you nned it that way so there would be no entanglements upon divorce."


    "For Joanna, however, you''d buy an ind worth hundreds of millions just to see her happy. Yet you were too cheap to even buy Natalie a wedding ring. The difference in treatment is obvious. I know you''re madly in love with Joanna."


    "Natalie, on the other hand, took care of you tirelessly during your most difficult time. For that alone, you should let her go. Marry Joanna, the woman you love. That''s the only way you''ll find happiness."


    "I''ve watched you grow up. The way you treat Joanna is better than any of those billionaire CEOs in the prime-time dramas. You''re a good man, and we would feel at ease entrusting Joanna to you."


    Wendy was deliberately building him up to tear him down. She knew she had no right to say much, being one of the viins in this story herself. Sebastian had married her daughter and given her nothing. He didn''t deserve her. There was no pain like the pain ofparison.


    Sebastian''s fists clenched under the table. As Wendyid it all out, piece by piece, he realized just how terribly he had failed Natalie. He had granted Joanna''s every wish while being so miserly with Natalie that he hadn''t even given her an allowance. He had forgotten all about that until Wendy brought it up.


    Joanna looked at Sebastian with breathless anticipation, waiting for him to agree to marry her.


    Sebastian said nothing. The atmosphere grew thick with a strange tension. Nathan, intimidated by Sebastian''s cold, distant aura, didn''t dare speak. Something was off about Sebastian tonight.


    "Sebastian, you promised you would marry me," Joanna said, her voice trembling She slid a USB drive across the table. "Sebastian, you''ve always wanted to know how your mother lost her mind, haven''t you? It was Natalie. This is what I found. After you watch it, you''ll understand. Ever since she married you, Natalie has been feeding your mother a slow-acting poison."


    Sebastian''s eyes widened in fury. He snatched the drive. Natalie again? He thought back. Only Natalie would have had that kind of ess to his mother.


    Seeing the storm gathering on his face, Joanna hid a flicker of triumph. This time, she would finally be rid of Natalie for good.


    Wendy stared at Joanna in shock. "Joanna, what are you talking about? How did you find this?"


    Joanna looked at the silent,


    brooding Sebastian, feigning


    sadness and uncertainty. "Mom, 1


    always suspected Natalie was


    behind it. I''ve been secretly


    gathering evidence since I came


    back, and I just found this."


    She turned back to Sebastian. "If you don''t believe me, I''ll get myptop right


    now. You can plug it in and see for yourself."


    Sebastian nodded curtly. "Get it.”


    Joanna lowered her eyes to hide her glee and quickly stood up to retrieve herptop.


    Wendy''s hands tightened into fists. Natalie would never do such a thing. Joanna''s behavior, on the other hand was highly suspicious. If she had real evidence, she would have


    e''


    exposed Natalie long ago. Why wait until now?