She''d slept with hundreds of men over the years, but she always got checked regrly. She would be fine, she reassured herself.


    "Natalie, how could you say something like that?" Joanna chimed in, her voice dripping with false concern. "Yvonne is your future sister-inw..."


    "She''s your sister-inw, not mine," Natalie cut her off. "Be careful with your words. Don''t lump me in with you."


    Joanna''s smile faltered, but she quickly recovered. "You''re right. You signed the papers, so you have nothing to do with the Scott family anymore. I shouldn''t associate you with us. After all, you''re just an orphan." The implication was clear: an orphan was beneath her.


    Natalie''s smile was cial. "Joanna, it seems your head isn''tpletely full of crap after all. You finally have some self-awareness. Being associated with someone as disgusting as you would be the most nauseating thing imaginable."


    "You—!" Joanna''s eyes zed with fury. "Sebastian, look at her! Just as vulgar as you''d expect from someone from the countryside."


    Sebastian took a step forward, his tone grave. "Natalie, you are still Mrs. Griffith. Watch yournguage."


    "Pfft..." Natalie let out augh, utterly amused by his audacity. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands as she sized him up. "Sebastian, that''s the first time I''ve ever heard you say something like that. If you''d said it six months ago, I would have been thrilled that you were finally acknowledging me. But I don''t need it now. Take it back."


    Sebastian stared into her mocking eyes, his lips pressed into a thin line. He said nothing more. The light of adoration for him waspletely gone from her gaze, and a dull ache spread through his chest.


    Natalie''s expression turned frigid. She stood up. "Queena, let''s go. We''ll eat across the street."


    As they were leaving, Joanna called out, unable to resist a final jab. "By the way, Natalie, did you see the news? Sebastian is investing in my new series."


    Natalie nodded. "I saw. A person with your mountain of scandals dares to act in a movie? When it finallyes out, maybe I''ll send you a special gift."


    Joannaughed brazenly. She wasn''t afraid. By then, Natalie might not even be alive. "Natalie, why do you always have to scheme against me?" she asked, feigning sadness.


    "You give yourself too much credit," Natalie replied coolly. "I''m letting you live so you can send that heartless bunch at the Scott family to hell for me So even if I had evidence against you, I wouldn''t expose you."


    Joanna''s brow furrowed. The woman was bing more and more unpredictable. Did she know about her ns? Her eyes narrowed with a dark, cunning light.


    Natalie cast a knowing look at Yvonne. She would be next. That single nce sent a shiver down


    Yvonne''s spine. Natalie had oncon et


    told her she was just one of


    Joanna''s pawns. So far,


    all she had hacti


    lost was Jerome. But she knew she''d never find another man who treated her as well as he did. So, even if he was a cripple, at least he could provide for her son.


    "Joanna, I won''t interrupt you and Mr. Griffith any longer. I''m going to the hospital


    to see Jerome," Yvonne said, then quickly departed.


    Sebastian also turned to leave, but


    Joanna grabbed his wrist.


    "Sebastian, aren''t you going to have lunch with me? Your father''s people are watching us. If you leave now, he won''t be happy. I''m just trying to help you avoid his wrath, that''s all. Please, just stay for lunch."