The sight of his reddened eyes instantly transported her back to the day he pushed her down the stairs. He had looked at her with that same terrifying intensity.


    "Go to hell, Natalie! Look at yourself. You''re disgusting!"


    A violent tremor ran through her, and she shoved him away with all her might. "What are you doing? Don''t touch me!" she cried, her voice raspy.


    Sebastian stumbled back, but not before he saw the raw fear and undisguised hatred in her eyes.


    "Natalie, I need to ask you something," he said, his voice hoarse. "Was it you who saved me from the fire?"


    Natalie froze. He didn''t even remember who had saved him? She had


    experienced two lifetimes of his heartlessness, and it was absolute. He hadn''t beenpletely unconscious then, so how could he not remember? He remembered Joanna saving him, but not her. It was that debt,bined with their childhood bond, that had driven him to support Joanna so blindly.


    But she didn''t need his gratitude. She would seed on her own terms and defeat them fair and square.


    "No, it wasn''t me," she said firmly. She wanted no more connection to him, especially not one based on a life debt. Why was he even asking about this now, after all these years?


    Sebastian looked at her denial, at her wless, porcin skin, her striking eyes, and her vivid red lips. She was breathtakingly beautiful in a way Joanna''s girl- next-door charm could never match.


    He gave a bitterugh. "So, you''re so desperate to divorce me that you''ll even deny saving my life?"


    Natalie remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line. She had collected enough disappointment tost a lifetime; she held no more hope for him. A tear escaped her eye, and she smiled a sad, broken smile. “Even if I had saved you, would you have been grateful? You still wouldn''t have spared me." You wouldn''t have spared my child.


    "So, no, Sebastian. I didn''t save you," she repeated.


    He strode toward her. He remembered how intense the fire had been, but he still didn''t understand why Joanna had been at that remote vi, or why Natalie had been there too. And it was true-he had never seen her wear a backless dress.


    He grabbed her hand, pulling her into his arms. An overwhelming sense of rightness washed over him, and he didn''t want to let her go.


    “Sebastian, what are you doing?” she struggled.


    "Don''t move if you don''t want to get hurt," he growled into her ear, his arms tightening around her. He felt a strange sense of peace a desire to hold her like this forever. His voice seemed to have a hypnotic effect, and she stilled.


    With a sudden movement, he pulled up the back of her shirt. His breath caught in his throat. Her back was andscape of scars some faded to white but arge, discolored patch remained. He sucked in a sharp breath. The pain must have been unbearable.


    "Natalie... this is..." he whispered, his voice shaking.


    She pushed him away, her own voice cold as ice. "It has nothing to do with you."


    "How can it have nothing to do with me? You saved me! Why won''t you admit it?" he roared.


    She suddenlyughed. "If I used this life debt to ask for a divorce, would you grant it?" If he agreed to finally end things, she would admit it.


    Sebastian''s gaze darkened, his eyes turning an even deeper shade of red. "Is that how badly you want to be with Matthew?"


    Natalie nodded. “Yes. Matthew


    trusts me unconditionally. He''s gentle and funny, and he''s my type Most importantly, my grandfather likes him. My grandfather was against me marrying you from the


    start, and he''s been furious about how you and your family treated me ever since."