Sebastian was furious, but he couldn''t tell her the truth. If he did, she''d be in even more danger.


    “Natalie, you are my wife. You should be the one to apany me..."


    "No, no, no..." Natalie interrupted with a smile. "Mr. Griffith, everyone agrees that you and Joanna are a match made in heaven. The way you look at her is filled with so much love. I have no desire to break you two up."


    She had fought with all her might to escape them, and she wouldn''t be dragged back into their toxic drama to be torn apart again.


    “Natalie, must you always oppose me like this?" Sebastian''s eyes were dark and stormy as he stared at her. "Much of what happened before was a misunderstanding. I told you, I will exin it all to youter."


    Natalie''s voice was filled with a sudden sadness. "Sebastian, I just want to live. I don''t want to die. The feeling of being shattered to pieces... it hurts too much."


    She was just starting to enjoy her life again. She didn''t want to get involved in the mess between him and Joanna.


    Ever since leaving the Scott family, her life had been good. It would be even better if Sebastian would just leave her alone.


    The words Sebastian was about to say died in his throat. For a moment, he felt as if an entire century separated him from Natalie.


    They reached their destination without another word spoken between them.


    Sean drove the car directly into the courtyard.


    Sebastian unbuckled Natalie''s seatbelt and warned her, “Be good, or you''ll regret it.”


    Natalie nced at him, then at the vi outside, and shook her head. "What''s the point of this? Just because you bought a house here, you think I''ll move back in? The bulk of my pre-marital assets are in real estate. I don''t have to live here. I have several other luxury condos in the city, fully staffed. I''m done being your


    housekeeper. Find someone else."


    Natalie pushed the car door open and got out.


    Seeing her stubbornness, Sebastian quickly got out and grabbed her arm as she tried to walk away. "Come inside."


    Natalie refused. "I don''t want to."


    Sebastian narrowed his eyes, his gaze deepening as he looked at her defiant expression. “After how Joanna bullied you, don''t you want revenge?"


    Natalie froze, meeting his dark, intense gaze. She was confused. What did he mean by that?


    He was being suspiciously nice, and with him, there was always a catch.


    She watched him warily. "What do you mean by that? Sebastian, don''t y games with me. I won''t fall for it."


    Sebastian was taken aback. He realized that everything he''d done in the past had made her hate him to the core. Their rtionship could never go back to what it


    was.


    "I''m not ying games. I just wanted to show you our home. If you lived here with me, it would drive Joanna crazy Sebastian coaxed, his voice smooth and persuasive


    His deep eyes watched her, a rare gentleness softening his features.


    But Natalie wasn''t falling for it. She sneered, I''m not interested. You and Joanna have a fight, and I be the tool to spice up your rtionship? Im not that stupid.


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. "As for revenge, get it myself. These past few years have taught me a valuable lesson: I have to be my own person first, before lean be a wife of mother."


    "Since leaving, I''ve found myself again. I''m not going back to the way I was."


    With that, Natalie walked towards the house. If he wanted her to see it, she would humor him.


    Sebastian stared at her back. Against the backdrop of the wind and snow, her slender figure seemed so lonely, stirring an impulse in him to pull her into an embrace.