Her heart had fallen, and she couldn''t pick it up again. But so what? People have feelings; even if they''ve been trampled on and abused, love is love. There''s no reason for it.


    But she could also keep this love hidden in her heart. As long as she didn''t touch it, it wouldn''t hurt.


    Sebastian watched her intently, then suddenly reined in his temper. "It''s my fault."


    Natalie froze. Was Sebastian admitting he was wrong?


    "Uh..."


    Natalie waspletely thrown.


    How rare!


    Sebastian had admitted he was wrong!


    Natalie was astonished. "Sebastian, how could you be at fault?"


    "I was wrong," Sebastian said, looking at her with sincerity, his usual arrogance gone.


    Natalie was genuinely taken aback.


    Sebastian was offering a sincere apology.


    It was a blow to the heart.


    The Sebastian she knew was proud and arrogant, someone who would never bow his head to anyone.


    He didn''t even respect his own awful father.


    The only people he truly respected were his grandmother and grandfather.


    To see him bow his head and apologize to her was actually a bit frightening.


    Natalie shook her head. "It''s fine. Let the past be the past..."


    "But you can''t get over it. You keep bringing up the past..."


    At the mention of the past, Natalie''s temper red. "If I don''t bring up the past, what am I supposed to talk about? There''s no future between us, so the only thing to talk about is the past. Actually, if you would just agree to an amicable split, an amicable divorce, then it wouldn''t be so hard to get over."


    "Once we''re divorced, it''ll all be over, won''t it?"


    Natalie didn''t understand him. If he didn''t love her, why did he keep pestering her?


    Sebastian knew she was stuck in a loop, wanting only to escape him. As long as she could get away, she wouldn''t have to face the pain of the past.


    But could she really forget that pain?


    No, she couldn''t.


    He had been in that abyss himself; he knew how terrifying that despair and pain could be.


    So this time, he wouldn''t let her remain in that pain.


    "Sit down. I won''t force you. For this one year, I won''t touch you without your permission."


    Natalie''s eyes widened.


    Sebastian had be so reasonable.


    "Okay." Natalie could agree to that. She was more than willing to coexist peacefully.


    "I agree, but don''t tell anyone I''m


    your wife. In the eyes of the world et


    Joanna is your fiancée. don''t want to be called a homewrecker


    "You are not a homewrecker," Sebastian insisted, his tone definitive.


    Natalie looked at him, at a loss for words.


    Sebastian nced at the time. He had finished his work for the day.


    He leaned down and suddenly kissed Natalie''s red lips. She had just been dancing, and her lips were flushed a deep alluring red as tempting as a sunset.


    Natalie froze for a moment, but by the time she registered it, Sebastian had already pulled back to look at her.


    Her dazed expression was so innocent it made him want to devour her.


    Her full, red lips were incredibly tempting.


    When Natalie snapped back to reality, she fiercely wiped her mouth and red at him. "Stay away from me."


    To Sebastian, her warning waspletely harmless. In fact, it made him want tough. It was cute.


    Natalie went out to find Zenobia and Susan, and Sebastian didn''t stop her.


    Zenobia and Susan were waiting right by the door next to his. When they saw Natalie emerge, they breathed a sigh of relief.


    Zenobia rushed over. "Natalie, why did youe out of there? Are you okay? Did that jerk Sebastian bully you?"