After her performance, Natalie stuck her tongue out at Sebastian.


    Sebastian''s eyes turned crimson with rage. He felt a hollowing emptiness inside and could only clench his fists, the veins on the back of his hands bulging as his throat tightened.


    His voice was icy, his wordsshing out in a fit of pique. “You can''tpare to her. At least she knows how to be affectionate."


    Natalie felt a pang of pain, but her eyes quickly darkened as she gave a self- deprecating smile. "Yes, how could I everpare to your saintly, delicate Joanna?”


    Sebastian froze, seeing the hurt in her eyes. In a moment of anger, he had wounded her again. He quickly apologized. "Sorry, that''s not what I meant.”


    "It''s fine. Whatever you meant, I know she''s irreceable in your heart. So just hurry up and divorce me, and go live your happy life with your first love."


    Natalie took a deep breath. "As for me and you, that was just youthful ignorance. I was too headstrong and didn''t listen to my family''s advice, which is why I got entangled with you for so many years. Now, I''ve seen the light and I won''t disturb your life any longer."


    Natalie sighed in frustration. Why was he bing so difficult to talk to?


    Pushing aside the sharp stabs of pain in her heart, she rested her head on her arms and went back to sleep.


    Sebastian felt his own heart prickle with a thousand tiny needles as he stared at her back.


    He wouldn''t mind if Natalie continued to disturb his life.


    Mrs. Spencer Sr. stood at the doorway, observing the trio inside.


    She narrowed her eyes. So, Sebastian, who had always treated Joanna like a precious treasure, was finally noticing Natalie''s worth?


    To be honest, she was very fond of Natalie. She and Marshall were the same age and got along so well. Sometimes, she truly wished Natalie could be the one to walk alongside her precious grandson through life.


    She shook her head slightly. It was up to fate. You can''t force love. It was their own path to forge.


    Leaning against the bed, Natalie fell asleep. She was truly exhausted. On snowy days, she loved to sleep.


    She hated being woken from her warm nkets.


    Sebastian heard her steady


    breathing and let out a humorlessugh. She could actually fall asleep What was she really think Marshall wouldn@try anything?


    With this woman!


    Or did she, deep down, trust Marshallpletely?


    He thought about how she didn''t trust him tonight, how she had locked her bedroom door against him.


    Theparison made Sebastian''s handsome features turn cial, the lines of his jaw tightening.


    But seeing her sleeping so ufortably, he stood up and walked over. He noticed that Marshall was still clutching Natalie''s hand in his sleep.


    For a moment, he had the urge to chop Marshall''s hand off.


    How dare he hold his wife''s hand.


    Sebastian was startled by his own thought. He was now defining Natalie as *his* wife.


    His phone had been vibrating nonstop; Joanna had been calling him relentlessly. He ignored it and switched his phone to silent mode.


    He carefully pried Marshall''s fingers from Natalie''s hand. Marshall stirred but didn''t wake.


    Sebastian shot him a cold re before lifting Natalie into his arms. He carried her to the sofa, gently cing her head on hisp He then covered her with a nearby nket, settling her into a morefortable position.


    Natalie shiftedfortably, her hands subconsciously wrapping around Sebastian''s waist as she continued to sleep soundly,pletely unaware of her new situation.


    In the deep of the night, her sleep was even heavier.


    She was clearly using Sebastian as a human furnace.


    Sebastian froze. Her soft hands holding his waist, the gentle touch... it sent a jolt through him. His whole body tensed and his heart seemed to lose its rhythm. He could hear it pounding in his own ears.