The doctor''s words kept reying in Sebastian''s mind. The old man''s health was failing, and any day now, any minute, it could all be over. And when that


    happened, what if Reese actually followed through on her threat? What if she left him for good?


    The thought made Sebastian''s eyes go icy cold. He couldn''t let her go. He wouldn''t let her divorce him. No way. Not ever.


    He red at her, voice sharp as ss. "You owe the Ratcliff family, Reese. You don''t get to walk away. You''re staying right here, for this family, for this child. That''s your way to make things right."


    Reese just stared at him, stunned, like she couldn''t believe what she was hearing.


    After everything she''d done, all those years she''d given, he was putting it all on her. Like she was the viin. Like the whole surrogacy nightmare was something she''d chosen.


    She lifted her chin, eyes zing. "Sebastian, I told you already. We''re done.


    "That pregnancy? I ended it. I never wanted it. I never wanted this marriage, either.


    "You''re not tying me to the Ratcliff family anymore. We''re over. I''m leaving, whether you like it or not."


    Her words hit him like a punch to the chest.


    Sebastian stepped closer, grabbed her wrist, hard enough that she winced.


    He was desperate. Scrambling for something, anything, that would make her stay. But all that came out was a bitter, hollowugh.


    "You want a divorce? Go ahead, Reese. Try it. I''ll get the bestwyers in town. Walk out on me, and you''ll leave with nothing. Not a penny."


    Then, just as quickly, his voice softened. He tried to pull her closer, tried to sound gentle.


    "Think about it, Reese. After everything we''ve built together, do you really want to walk away with nothing?


    "Stay with me. My money, my house, everything I have-you can get half of it. "You''re an adult. You know how the world works. Weigh your options."


    He shot a look at Matthew, a challenge flickering in his eyes. "Matthew, you really think you and Reese will get anywhere? She''s my wife. She always will be. We''ll have more kids together. She''s never leaving me. Isn''t that right, Reese?"


    He stared at her, his gaze so dark and intense it sent a chill down her spine. "You only want a divorce because you''re upset about the baby. You think you love Annie, but that''s just you trying to fill the hole.


    "If it''s a child you want, we can try


    again.


    have the''s not enough? We can


    four-as many as you


    want our family''s just getting started.


    "Sebastian, you bastard!"


    Just hearing him talk about kids was enough to make Reese snap.


    Being forced into surrogacy, having her body treated like it was nothing but a container for his child-that was the kind of pain that never went away How could he even ask her to put herself through that again? Who did he think he was?


    She yanked her hand free, ring at him through tears that wouldn''t stop falling.


    "Sebastian, I will never go back to you. And I will never have another child with you."


    She said it slow, clear, every word steady as steel.


    "Stop yelling Do you know where you are? This is a hospital. Keep it down!"


    Two nurses marched over, faces tight with annoyance. A doctor trailed behind them, sighing as he looked over a medical chart.


    "He only has a couple of days left. Instead of being with him, you''re out here fighting? Is this how you treat your family?"


    The doctor''s words hit Reese like a p. Two days left. That was all.


    She wiped her tears away, ignoring


    her swollen eyes, and turned to. Sebastian. Her smile was calm, but .... it held a kind of finality that he


    couldn''t even begin to understand.


    "Sebastian, the only reason I didn''t push for the divorce sooner was out of respect


    for your grandfather''sst days."


    "But he''s leaving us now. And I have nothing left to hold me back."


    She nced at Jane, then back at Sebastian. "I''ve done everything I could for the Ratcliff family. My conscience is clean."


    Right in front of him, she pulled out her phone and dialed George.


    "George, I need you to restart my divorce proceedings. Get all the paperwork and evidence together."


    "I want this divorce. And I want what''s mine."