He was married to her, yet he was always seen with Joanna. It was truly his fault...


    Sebastian took a deep breath. The clearer the truth became, the more agitated he felt.


    No wonder Natalie hated him so much.


    Natalie had given everything, and yet he had cherished the wrong person.


    An inexplicable frustration washed over Sebastian. He tugged at his tie and undid the top button of his shirt.


    He still felt like he couldn''t breathe. The image of Natalie''s beautiful, hate-filled eyes shed in his mind, making him even more irritable.


    Watching his tormented expression, Sean wondered if his boss was finally feeling regret for what he''d done.


    Sebastian''s phone, lying on the desk, started ringing. He picked it up and saw it was Joanna.


    "Hello," he answered, his voice low and hoarse.


    Whenever Joanna heard that tone, she knew he was angry.


    She spoke in a gentle, soothing voice. "Sebastian, you promised you''d have lunch with me. I''m downstairs at your office."


    Sebastian replied, "Okay. I''ll be down in a minute."


    He hung up, grabbed his phone, and headed downstairs.


    Sean shook his head. One call from Joanna and he was off like a shot. The pull of a first love was a powerful thing.


    If he ever fell in love, he decided, he would treat the woman he loved right and never let her get hurt.


    Suddenly, Luna''s cool, detached face popped into his mind. Sean physically shuddered, shaking the image away.


    That girl was fierce.


    When Sebastian got downstairs, he saw Joanna, looking exceptionally pretty in a pink dress and a matching trench coat. Her straight ck hair danced in the cold wind, framing a face that looked pure and gentle.


    He''d banned her from thepanyst time, and it seemed she''d learned to keep her distance.


    "Sebastian, you''re here. I''ve booked a table at the restaurant just ahead. Shall we go?"


    Sebastian gave her a brief nce and nodded. "Alright, let''s go."


    Inside the upscale restaurant.


    The two sat facing each other. Sebastian''smanding presence was maic.


    Not far away, a photographer was discreetly taking pictures of them.


    Joanna smiled and asked, "Sebastian, have you been busytely?"


    He gave a curt nod. "Yes."


    "That exins why you haven''t had time to call me. Sebastian, we''re growing distant. Have you really stopped loving me?"


    Sebastian''s deep, unreadable eyes met hers. Up close, her face wasn''t bad, butpared to Natalie''s beauty, she waspletely outssed.


    Sebastian gave a faint, cool smile. "Joanna, I''ve been good to you for over a decade. Isn''t that enough?"


    Joanna smiled gently and shook her head, her voice taking on a


    coquettish tone it''s not enough Sebastian. Want a lifetime. We need to be together forever. You promised you would marry me."


    "That was because you saved me, and because you were always there for me when


    we were young. I was grateful to you."


    And then what?


    Grateful, so why not marry her?


    Joanna didn''t understand his logic.


    Why did he stop there?


    Sebastian cut a piece of steak and


    ate it before continuing, "As for why I promised to marry you, you know the reason. But can''t marry you now, and you know why. Joanna, it''s not meant to be between us."


    His gaze was so deep she couldn''t tell what he was thinking.


    Before, she could read Sebastian like an open book, but now, she couldn''t understand him at all.


    ket


    "It''s not meant to be between us." The words filled Joanna''s eyes with tears. He really was abandoning her She shook her head, crying, “Sebastian, you can''t do this to me."