"Pfft... haha!" Marshall burst outughing.


    A smile tugged at Natalie''s lips.


    Joanna''s face burned with embarrassment; she wished the ground would swallow her whole. Sebastian hadn''t moved a muscle. If he had been the one to take her to the hospital, she would be the oneughing right now.


    She could have shot Natalie a triumphant, condescending smile, a silent message that Natalie meant nothing to Sebastian.


    But she had miscalcted. Sebastian just sat there, cold and silent.


    Marshall''s gratingughter echoed in her ears. With tears welling in her eyes and her red lips slightly parted, she put on a pitiful and wronged expression. She was gambling, betting that Sebastian would take her to the hospital.


    But her stomach genuinely did ache.


    “Sebastian....... I.......” She trailed off, ying the part of the perfect, pitiable victim.


    Her performance was so convincing it even stunned Natalie.


    What a master of the damsel-in-distress act. No wonder she had Sebastian sopletely fooled before.


    With that expression, any man would fall at her feet, utterly captivated.


    Sebastian''s gaze flickered. He looked at Natalie and said, "I''ll book the whole ce for you next time. I''m going to take her to the hospital first, then I''lle back and pick you up."


    Natalie nodded with a smile. "Go on, hurry. If she passes out from the pain, you''ll be heartbroken."


    Natalie waspletely unfazed, feeling no pang of jealousy at all.


    She found that not loving Sebastian was liberating.


    It was always like this, the difference between loving someone and not loving them was instantaneous and stark.


    Seeing her cheerful and indifferent demeanor, a fire of rage began to burn in Sebastian''s chest.


    She really didn''t care anymore.


    Joanna, however, was stunned. Sebastian was still good to her after all.


    She couldn''t hide the surprise and delight in her eyes. That life-saving favor was still proving useful.


    Natalie was destined to pave the way for her sess.


    She bent over, feigning a look of pain as she stood up, then shot Natalie a provocative smile.


    Natalie knew this wasing. She raised an eyebrow and said with a smirk, "Tsk, a moment ago you were in so much pain you looked like you were about to draw yourst breath. Now you have the energy to provoke me? Joaring, even a clown has more dignity."


    "What? Natalie, are you calling me a clown?" Joanna suddenly shrieked.


    This time, Marshall chimed in to support Natalie. "Wow! Still have the strength to yell that loud. Looks like the stomachache was fake, just a ploy for sympathy. I''ve never seen a mistress so shamelessly try to seduce someone else''s husband in public."


    Joanna nced around at the crowd, terrified of being recognized. Thebel of "mistress” would be a stain on her reputation for the rest of her life.


    Natalie saw Joanna''s fear and found it hrious. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too.


    Knowingly being the other woman while putting on an act of pure innocence.


    Natalie smiled and yed along with Marshall. "Marshall, how could you say such a thing? You''ll embarrass Ms. Scott. She has her own white knight to protect her. You shouldn''t be like some people insulting their own wife while doting on some pretty face on the side. Don''t you go learning bad habits."


    Sebastian froze, staring at Natalie''s smiling face.


    Insulting their own wife while doting on some pretty face on the side. The words felt


    like a punch to the gut.


    In Natalie''s eyes, was everything he did an insult to her?


    If it wasn''t for the mountain of disappointment he''d caused, how could she say something like that?


    But now he...


    Marshall yed his part perfectly, immediately dering, "Don''t worry, Natalie. I would never be that kind of scumbag. If I fall in love with someone, I''ll give them my whole heart."