Sebastian''s dark eyes narrowed. "Joanna, are you threatening me?"


    Joanna gave him a coy smile, winking. "Sebastian, how could I ever threaten you? We''re the ones who are perfect for each other."


    Her yful expression was genuinely cute, but in Sebastian''s mind, a single thought surfaced: affected.


    The illusion shattered. He could see right through her cheap tricks now.


    "So, ever since you came back, you''ve been looking for opportunities to frame Natalie and drive a wedge between us?" Sebastian''s tone remained t.


    Joanna was taken aback, thenughed. "Sebastian, I don''t know what you''re talking about. You''re the one who has always wanted the divorce. It''s your own heart that isn''t firm. The person you love is me, which is why you''ve been trying to divorce her all this time."


    "Why are you ming me?" she added, a hint of bitterness in her voice. Men were all the same they always wanted what they couldn''t have. If Sebastian had been resolute, he never would have doubted Natalie and believed her instead. If the Scotts truly loved Natalie, would they have joined in on bullying her? In the end, it was all just ack of love.


    Sebastian''s eyes, deep as a whirlpool, squinted slightly. He leaned back in his chair. "You''re right. It''s my heart that wasn''t firm."


    A look of joy spread across Joanna''s face. His words were ambiguous, but she took them to mean he had finallye to his senses and realized he had always loved her.


    "Sebastian, I knew you''d figure it out," she said, her voice filled with relief. "We grew up together. I was the one by your side during your darkest times." She constantly reminded him that she was his savior.


    Sebastian thought for a moment. During his darkest times, it had been Natalie by his side.


    "You''re truly remarkable," he said, his voice devoid of any emotion. "You should go home. I need to get back to the office."


    Joanna gestured to the soup. "Sebastian, I made this hearty stew especially for you. Please have some."


    Sebastian nced at the container, a flicker of disgust in his eyes. "No, thank you can tell from the smell it''s not what I like. Joanna, if you want to marry me, you need to show. some genuine effort, like Natafie did." Bringing me stew cooked by a maid... where''s the sincerity in that? When have you ever been sincere?”


    With that, Sebastian stood up and left.


    Joanna stared at his retreating back, fuming. Before, he would have pretended to like anything she gave him, just to be polite. Now he wasparing her to Natalie? A country girl like Natalie wasn''t fit to be mentioned in the same breath as ady like her Natalie wasn''t even. worthy of beingpared to her little finger.


    It had been five months. Five


    months since Natalie left, and


    Sebastian still refused to finalize the divorce. Why? Had he actually started to believe Natalie''s stories? Or was it that after she left, he started remembering all the good things she did for him and couldn''t adjust to life without her? After all, Natalie had taken excellent care of him for two years. He had grown dependent on her, and now he was struggling with the change.


    But that was fine. Her own care would help him adapt quickly. She would capture his heartpletely and show Natalie that the life she could have so easily was something Natalie could only dream of. Whatever Natalie liked, whatever she cared about, Joanna would take it from her.


    Still, a sense of urgency gnawed at her. Sebastian''s heart, which had once been so steadfastly hers, was now slipping from her grasp.