"You know that project that required us to meet at bars? The client liked the atmosphere. I saw her there a few times, though we never spoke." To him, Yvonne was just a delinquent, not someone you build a life with. He much preferred someone like Natalie, who was elegant in public and capable at home.


    "Jerome is in love with her, so there''s not much we can say. But Yvonne has a terrible reputation, while Zenobia Nelson also loved Jerome, creating a love triangle. I''ve also heard that Yvonne is pregnant now, and Jerome ns to marry her after the race."


    Taking the opportunity, Sean pressed on. "Sir, aside from you and the Scotts, everyone else, myself included, has a very high opinion of Ms. Sanders. Your grandfather and grandmother adore her. Even your mother, before... you know... she was very fond of her. It''s simple, really: you treat people well, and they treat you well in return."


    "Natalie was genuinely good to your grandparents. And when you were blind and so frustrated with the world, she was the one who patiently cared for you until you started to heal. Sir, I think you should try to trust her. She''s been through so much. The Scott family treats her like she''s nothing."


    Sebastian''s cool,posed demeanor had already cracked when he confronted Jerome. It was clear he was beginning to believe Natalie.


    "And sir," Sean added quietly, "because she loved you, she got a tattoo over her heart. It was your initial, ''S'', surrounded by jasmine flowers, because she loves jasmines."


    Sebastian shot him a look so sharp it felt like it could slice him in two. "When did you see this?"


    "Ah... on the ind. The night


    Jerome got into trouble. Ms.


    Sanders and Ms. Nelson were going for a swim, and I ran into them. I saw the tattoo on her chest. I also overheard them talking. Ma Nelson asked her, ''Sebastian is devoted to Joanna, why would you tattoo his initial on your chest?'' And I remember Ms. Sanders replied, ''He can love who he loves, and I can love who I love. Having his initial here makes me feel closer to him.""


    "Then Ms. Nelson yelled at her, ''Natalie, you''re such a love-struck fool! Do you have to be so


    night you


    subservient? That was she''d


    were with Ms. Scott because she''d gotten a tiny scratch on her hand while swimming during the day. A scratch that would have healed on its own if you''d been a few minutester."


    Sebastian was stunned. Natalie had tattooed his initial on her chest? How did he not know?


    Sean saw the storm brewing in Sebastian''s eyes and wisely shut his mouth. "I''II... I''ll call Ms. Sanders and ask about what happened six months ago." He quickly turned and stepped away to make the call.


    Surprisingly, Natalie answered for Sean, as he had always been decent to her.


    "Ms. Sanders, thank you for taking my call," he said gratefully. "Jerome is acting this way because of what happened six months ago I want to investigate it and clear up this


    misunderstanding. Can you give me any clues?"