Natalie looked at him, half-believing. She had slept so soundly that she really couldn''t remember anything.


    Natalie thought for a moment, then asked again, "How did you actually get inst night? I asked you, but you never answered."


    Sebastian smiled coolly. Standing under the light, his tall frame looked even more distinguished. His voice was low and maic. "I climbed the wall. Look, my arms and hands are all scratched up. After my showerst night, I think the cuts got infected."


    He held out his arm. There were scrapes on his palm, and after being soaked in water, the wounds were weeping a yellowish fluid.


    She knew that feeling. Even a breeze would make it sting.


    Natalie sneered. "I remember a few times when you pushed me down. My palms were scraped just like that, burning with pain."


    "Serves you right!"


    As she walked out the door, she added, "Thanks for letting me know. As soon as the snow stops, I''ll have the butler install barbed wire on top of the wall. Let''s see you climb it then."


    Sebastian looked at the scrapes on his hand. He remembered the times he''d shoved Natalie to protect Joanna. He hadn''t even checked to see if she was hurt before leaving. He had just taken over thepany back then and was spending most of his time at the office, with no time for her.


    But he really had climbed the wallst night, and the scrapes were from then. It was the only way to avoid her suspecting that he knew the gate code.


    So this is how much it hurt to scrape the skin off your palm.


    He knew he was guilty and didn''t argue.


    "Let''s go down for breakfast," he said.


    Natalie frowned, thenughed in exasperation. "Seriously, Sebastian? This is my house, not yours. And we''re getting a divorce. Could you please have some sense of boundaries?"


    "Your rtionship with Joanna has always been murky. Do you want things to be murky between us too?"


    Sebastian raised an eyebrow and smiled. "We are a legally married couple, Natalie. How is that murky?"


    Natalie was at a loss for words, having momentarily forgotten they weren''t divorced yet.


    She was furious. "Anyway, starting tomorrow-no, starting today-you are not toe to my house again. My grandfather ising back in a few days. If you don''t want to be thrown out, you''d better stay away."


    Sebastian''s actions were disrupting her life.


    She didn''t understand him; she never had.


    Sebastian''s actions, she could neverprehend.


    Hearing her try to kick him out again, Sebastian''s anger red. "Natalie, why are you always trying to get rid of me? I''ve told you, were husband and wife. We should live together. Either you move back, or I''ll move in here. Even when they get back, I can find a reason to stay."


    "I''ve warned you. Don''t make me go after Wayne."


    Natalie was enraged. How dare he threaten her "Sebastian, you and I being a couple? Not in this lifetime or any other. Look at my chest. That time you threw me out of the car and got hit... it''s been a long time, but it still hurts. Why would I want to be with a man who could snap at any moment?"


    "Don''t think you can threaten me with him. I''ve told you before, I don''t care about anything. Your threats mean nothing to me."


    She had always been so careful to keep Wayne''s identity a secret.


    Sebastian knew his name was Wayne, but he shouldn''t be able to find out anything else.


    Natalie was trembling with rage.


    Before, she had loved him so much that she had lost herself, bing utterly subservient.


    And what did he do? He trampled on her feelings again and again.


    "Sebastian, wasn''t leaving you what you always wanted? I''m gone. Why won''t you


    let me be?"