"Sebastian, this is fraud. You hurt me on purpose!"


    Sebastian''s jaw tightened. He never thought things would get this out of hand.


    But right now, he couldn''t back down. He kept his voice cold. "Whoever makes the im has to prove it. Unless you can prove that evidence is real, Reese, there''s no way I''m agreeing to a divorce."


    Reese just stared at him, speechless.


    How could he be so shameless? The evidence was right there, and he still wouldn''t admit it. What else did he expect her to do?


    The judge looked at both of them, stuck in a deadlock. The judge hesitated for a second, then finally brought the gavel down with a dull thud.


    "Since neither side can offer new evidence, the court will adjourn. We''ll notify you of the next hearing date."


    Reese slumped in her chair and closed her eyes for a moment.


    She couldn''t believe it. Even after all this, she still wasn''t free.


    "Reese, can we talk?" Sebastian walked over, looking more humble than she''d ever seen him.


    Reese sat up straight, every muscle tense. She opened her eyes and pped him hard across the face. "There''s nothing left to say.


    "I''ll call the police. I''ll have them investigate. Before the next hearing, I''ll find new evidence, I swear."


    The p hade out of nowhere, leaving Sebastian''s head turned to the side.


    He pressed his tongue to the inside of his sore cheek and grabbed Reese''s arm as she tried to leave. His voice was shaky. "Can''t you give me another chance?"


    "I know I''ve done a lot of terrible things, but I really don''t want to lose you."


    Reese turned to look at him, her eyes red and wet, her smile bitter. "Sebastian, can you stop making me sick?


    "You know exactly what you''ve done. Can you honestly say that evidence is fake?"


    Sebastian swallowed hard. He


    reached out, wanting to touch her face, regret written all over him. "I was confused, okay? Back then, she saved my life but lost her chance to


    be a mother because of it resty"


    wanted to make it up to her, sol agreed to let you have her child.


    "I kept it from you because I thought you loved kids. I figured the baby would be


    with us, and nothing between us would change.


    "But then started to regret it. When


    I found out we lost the baby, I actually felt relieved. wanted to make it up to you. I wanted us to start over..."


    "Sebastian, don''t you realize how ridiculous that sounds?"


    Reese backed away, staring at him with cold hatred. "You owed someone a favor,


    so you paid it back by destroying me? In the end, you just used me as a tool.


    "And now you want to make it up to me?


    "How? With your own life?


    "Do you want to know something, Sebastian?


    “I have never hated you more than do right now. I wish you were dead. If you died, I wouldn''t have to see


    your


    you, or tight you for this divorce ever again."


    Sebastian watched her walk away, silent and lost.


    He reached for a cigarette to calm down, but his hands were shaking too badly to


    hold one.


    If he''d known things would turn out like this, he never would have agreed to Leslie''s n. He never would have let Reese be a surrogate.


    Across the room, Jane watched Sebastian''s defeated figure. Only one thought ran through her mind. She couldn''t let Reese and Sebastian divorce.


    If they did, the evidence Reese had woulde out eventually. Ratcliff Global and Sebastian would be ruined.


    Jane had to do something. She had to find a way to make Reese drop the case, to give up on the divorce.


    She watched Reese walk away, her eyes sharp and full of calction.