Category: The Double Life Of My Billionaire Husband novel (Natalie Quinn and Sebastian Klein novel)

Never had Sebastian expected to hear this shocking information today.

As he processed everything, his teeth clenched and his face sunken slightly.

The fact that Natalie only married him in exchange for money made him feel annoyed and heartbroken.

But on second thought, he remembered that he also only agreed to the marriage because of his mother’s last wish.

He wasn’t any different from Natalie.

Hence, he reasoned it would be unfair to judge her.

Although Sebastian put his emotions on a lockdown in order to stay composed, his mind was on a roller coaster.

‘Why did Natalie suddenly let the cat out of the bag? Does she want to divorce me? Oh my God, I thought she had feelings for me.’

“Why are you telling me this all of a sudden?” Sebastian’s jaw rose slightly and his eyes were filled with trepidation.

Natalie lowered her long eyelashes and replied calmly, “It’s because the Quinn family have refused to keep their end of the bargain.I have asked them severally to pay me the money as promised, but they refused. Today, they even orchestrated for the liver that was donated for Hannah to be given to someone else.I had no choice but to open up.”

With clear eyes, she looked up at him and continued sincerely, “I’m sorry for deceiving you all along. If you resent me because of this, you can divorce me.”

“Divorce?” Sebastian muttered and scoffed.

Getting a divorce was easier said than done.

Besides, he didn’t want that, “Do you think I will be interested in a bitch like Cassie?” Sebastian stared at her with an inexplicable glint in his eyes for a while before walking up to her.

He looked into her eyes and said, “Natalie, you seem to know very little about me.Just so you know.No woman can be compared to you.Besides, don’t you know you are the only woman I want?”

Natalie’s cheeks and ears turned red instantly.She fiddled with her fingers and stared at the floor.

Cassie, who had been standing on the staircase was livid when she heard Sebastian’s last statement.

With her face burning with fury, she shouted angrily, “Why? How dare you say that? What makes this bitch better than me? Sebastian, I used to think you were a man with good taste, but I was wrong. You are blind and stupid!”

Only a few moments ago, Cassie had thought that Sebastian would divorce Natalie and ask for her hand in marriage.

She wasn’t going to accept his proposal, but she just wanted to hurt Natalie and reiterate that she was better than her in all ramifications.

Sebastian paid no heed to the woman who was shouting at him.

He shot George and Lauren a cold glare and uttered, “Why bother? The substitute marriage was pointless. You should have just told me from the onset that you switched your daughters.I never had an interest in Cassie in the first place.She has a bad reputation, an ugly face, and a terrible character.No man in his right mind would want to have anything to do with her, let alone marry her.Natalie is ten thousand times better than her.”

George and Lauren had been afraid that Sebastian would flare up at them once he found out that his bride had been substituted.

Much to their surprise, he was actually happy with the arrangement because he harbored inveterate hatred for Cassie.

This annoyed them to the bones.Several wrinkles appeared at the corners of Lauren’s eyes as she sneered.

In a mean tone, she retorted, “Watch your mouth, Sebastian.

Don’t be so arrogant because you are just the illegitimate son of the Klein family.

As far as I’m concerned, you are nothing but an unpresentable bastard.

How dare you speak ill of my daughter in my presence?”

“Spare me that bull crap! I see where Cassie gets all her bad attributes from.She’s your carbon copy.The three of you are a family of vile humans!”

Sebastian sneered at them.

Afterward, he turned to look at Natalie who was still lowering her head timidly.

He lifted her head and said affectionately, “You are one of a kind. How did you manage to put up with them for so long?” Despite Sebastian’s shunning words, Lauren still stood up for her daughter.

“You bastard, you must apologize to my daughter, or you won’t be able to leave here today!”

“Humph! Fine, I’ll apologize!”

A murderous expression appeared on Sebastian’s face at this moment.He suddenly picked up a wine bottle, holding it by its neck.He then smashed it on the table.

The red wine spilled on the floor and dyed the carpet.

The remaining half of the bottle in his hand now had extremely sharp tips.

“No! Mom! He wants to stab us.Don’t let him get here!”

Cassie was so scared that her face turned pale.

As quick as a flash, she ran into her room and slammed the door shut.

Fear also filled Lauren as she stared at the bottle and the murderous look on Sebastian’s face.

She staggered backward as her heart began to pound against her chest.

‘Oh my God! Natalie and Sebastian are both crazy!’. Sebastian took two steps forward.

His black eyes were void of any emotions.

It was as if they led to a bottomless abyss.

“Please calm down, Sebastian.Lauren, stop arguing with him.You should know that we are to blame for this. Ve promised the Klein family to give out Cassie’s hand in marriage to their son many years ago.But we didn’t keep to our promise.He has every right to be angry now!”

George scolded his wife in a bid to show that he was reasonable and wanted peace.

He was only trying to save their lives.

Being an illegitimate child didn’t change the fact that Sebastian still had a powerful family behind him.

The Kleins were so powerful that a scandal would never erupt about them.

Even if Sebastian killed them all tonight, the truth would be buried easily by the Kleins and no one would know what happened forever.

Seeing that George was being fairly reasonable, Sebastian threw the broken bottle aside and casually wiped his fingers with tissue.

He glanced at the scared couple and said, “I can let go of you for deceiving me. You unknowingly did me a favor.I’m glad that Natalie became my wife.However, you owe her money, so you must pay her.”

He threw the tissue on the floor, held Natalie’s hand, and left.

It was already late at night. There were no buses, and only a few taxis were available.

Sebastian and Natalie slowly walked back along the quiet road.

Natalie hadn’t stopped crying ever since they left the Quinn family’s house.

Sebastian took off his jacket and wrapped it around Natalie, holding her in his arms.He was now wearing only a white T-shirt that clung to his chiseled body.

“Don’t you want to ask me something?” Natalie sniffed and looked up at him.

The pool of tears in her eyes sparkled under the dim streetlight.

“Well, I have a lot to ask.I just don’t know where to begin.”

Sebastian wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with his thumb.

His calm, resonant voice made her cry harder.

Sebastian couldn’t watch her break down before him.

Crying was one thing he didn’t like about Natalie.

He wanted to make sure she didn’t shed a tear again.

Natalie’s legs suddenly felt wobbly. The next second, she slumped to the floor.

A painful lump went up to her throat. She wanted to break down in tears, but something plagued her mind. A voice in her head told her that there was more to the incident than the hospital was telling her. Something smelled fishy.

She rushed out and went straight to the hospital.

“Doctor, please can I meet the patient who previously wanted to donate a liver to Hannah Stone?” Natalie asked the doctor nervously.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry. It’s illegal to reveal any information of our patients or a potential donor who had a change of heart. The patient has every right to decide to continue receiving treatment. We have no right to interfere. I can’t be of help to you. Please you need to leave now. I’ve other people to attend to.”

The doctor stared at Natalie with a serious expression on his face. When she didn’t move an inch, he called on a nurse to escort her out of his office.

Even after she was escorted out, she was still unwilling to give up. She held the nurse’s hand in the corridor. “Please is there really no other way? My relative has been waiting for a liver transplant for a long time. Her health is deteriorating by the second. She can’t wait any longer. Please save her life.”

Natalie pleaded in a quavering voice. The nurse wriggled her arm from Natalie’s firm grip. Instead of answering her question, she simply told her to go home and continue waiting. She then went about her work.

A heavy weight suddenly fell on Natalie. She was anxious, confused, and helpless all at this time. She leaned against the wall and stared blankly for a long time. Several patients passed by. A patient, who had overheard her conversation with the nurse moved close to her and shook his head sympathetically. “Young lady, you should go back home. There’s no point wasting time here. I have seen a lot of cases like yours. Believe me when I say that they are just lying to you by saying that the donor decided to continue treatment instead. They must have given the perfect match liver to someone else with money or connections.”

The tears Natalie had been trying to hold back streamed down her cheeks immediately she heard this. She became even more distressed.

“What do you think I should do now?” she murmured, sobbing helplessly.

“From my experience, such a negative turn of events frequently happens when the patient or family members have enemies with power. Do you have an enemy? Or have you offended anyone recently, young lady?” With an infusion bottle in his hand, the patient sighed and added, “Well, I think you might offend someone.”

Something suddenly dawned on Natalie as she stared at the man’s back.

She had offended someone today.

It was Lauren.

Not only was her adopted mother her sworn enemy, but she was also the person she had quarreled with recently. However, she didn’t expect her to act so quickly. She had only gone to ask them for money a few hours ago.

It was pretty obvious that Lauren had secretly pulled the strings to prevent the transplant because she didn’t want to give her money.

Natalie’s blood boiled at this moment. She gritted her teeth and really wanted to fight her adopted mother to the death.

‘Hannah’s health is rapidly declining. There’s no guarantee that she would still be alive by the time another donor comes forward. Lauren has crossed the line. Since that family has refused to keep their end of the bargain, I won’t keep their secret about this marriage anymore!’ she thought, clenching her fists in fury.

Natalie’s face reddened with rage. She wiped the tears on her face and left the hospital.

It was dark outside. The colorful neon lights cast a soft glow on her face.

Hearing the squeak of the door, Sebastian stood up and looked outside. He heaved a sigh of relief and put the phone down.

When Sebastian returned home, he saw the fridge was open, groceries on the floor and Natalie nowhere to be found. He knew Natalie wasn’t lethargic, so he sensed something had happened to her.

“Is everything all right? Where have you been?”

Natalie lowered her head and shook her head silently.

Sebastian quickly walked to her and took her bag. Seeing that she was still silent, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and examined her face. Natalie’s eyes were swollen, and the tip of her nose had turned red. It was obvious she had cried.

Sebastian frowned; his heart tightened in his chest. “Who bullied you?” he asked tenderly even though his body was tense with anger.

Someone had bullied his beloved wife, and he couldn’t watch her cry.

“No one. I…”

“Don’t try to fool me.” Sebastian hooked his fingers under her chin, forcing her to look at him. Although he looked like a towering mountain before her, the tenderness of his gaze revealed how much he cared for her.

As soon as her gaze met his, Natalie threw herself in his arms.

“What’s wrong?” Sebastian’s body stiffened. He gently rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.

Natalie sniffed and shook her head.

Sebastian’s manly scent consumed her at once, making her feel safe and secure. She had never met anyone who smelled both aggressive and comforting at the same time.

His mere presence lured women like moths to a flame.

She nestled her face in the crook of his neck and asked in a muffled voice, “Can you accompany me to the Quinn family’s house?” Things had gone out of hand, and she made up her mind to put an end to everything.

Sebastian looked at her and frowned.

He didn’t know what was going on.

He followed Natalie as she dragged him into the villa.

This time, Natalie had made up her mind to reveal the truth.

The maid wasn’t as arrogant as she usually was, mainly because Sebastian accompanied Natalie.

Seeing Sebastian and Natalie had come together, George and Lauren didn’t dare to shut the door on their faces or come up with some excuse.

“Why are you here at this hour, dear?” Lauren asked, pretending to be calm. She didn’t expect Natalie to bring Sebastian with her.

“I’m here to deal with our previous debts!” Natalie snapped coldly.

She decided to get straight to the point and break the truth. Natalie looked at Sebastian, her eyes glinting with confidence.

“Sebastian, I’m sorry. My adoptive parents and I have deceived you. I’m not Cassie Quinn. I’m Natalie Quinn, an orphan. The Quinn family adopted me when I was a child. I married you as my younger sister’s substitute.”

She took a deep breath and pointed at Cassie, who was staring at her with wide eyes. “She is Cassie Quinn. You have seen her before. She has insulted me in public several times in the past. She’s the woman you were supposed to marry.”

George and Lauren turned pale with fright.

They didn’t expect Natalie would do such a thing. The unexpected turn of events caught them off guard. They didn’t know what to do.

“What nonsense! What do you mean by a substitute? It’s not true. Don’t blabber shit! I guess you’re drunk. Go home and rest.” Natalie had torn her facade in an instant. She quickly darted forward and stopped Natalie before she uttered another word.

Just then, Sebastian grabbed Lauren’s hand and stopped her.

His face bore an unfathomable expression.

Sebastian always had an inkling that something was wrong, and he was initially stunned after hearing the truth. Then on second thought, everything started to make sense.

“Why did you marry me as a substitute?” He looked down at Natalie, staring into her eyes as if penetrating her thoughts.

The air suddenly turned cold.

Natalie averted his gaze and looked away. After a moment’s hesitation, she took a deep breath and told him the truth.

“For the money. I was in desperate need of money to pay the medical expense for someone who raised me.”

Natalie frowned. She hated Lauren’s hypocrisy, so her voice grew a decibel louder.

“Oh, cut the crap and give me my money. What? Are you trying to deny it? If that’s the case, I will tell everyone the truth about how this marriage is a hoax.”

George and Lauren attached great importance to their reputation. The truth would tear their facade and reveal their true faces. It would be a huge blow on their image.

“All right, Natalie. That’s enough. Let’s stop arguing. Some people have returned the money they owed us. How about I give you one hundred thousand first?” George looked around and saw the people watching him. He wanted to deal with Natalie as soon as possible and return to his business.

He took out a bank card from his pocket and placed it on Natalie’s palm. “There is one hundred thousand in this card. I’ll send the pin number to you later.”

Natalie silently took the card. George was better than Lauren. He was at least an honest man.

Ever since Natalie was a child, her adoptive father had been neutral toward her. He neither cared for her nor tortured her in any way. He didn’t hate Natalie as much as Lauren and Cassie did. But he was too weak that he listened to the two women’s every word, and never bothered to stop them when they bullied Natalie.

Natalie looked at the card and nodded. “Okay.”

“Well, you better leave now. I will give you the rest of the money soon.” George smiled apologetically.

The one hundred thousand was more than all the money they had given Natalie before. Natalie looked at Lauren and saw that she was appalled by what her husband had done. She sensed that getting more money today was impossible, so she finally left.

Lauren’s eyes blazed with rage as she watched Natalie leave. “Are you crazy?” she growled, pinching her husband’s arm. “The wires have come loose in your head! One hundred thousand? Are you kidding me? Why did you give her so much money?”

George sighed and tried to persuade her, “What’s the matter with you? You promised to give Natalie money before. One hundred thousand is far from enough.”

Lauren was burning with anger. Her husband’s words infuriated her. “That’s not true.” She leered. “Natalie is our adopted daughter. We adopted her when she was little. We have fed her and supported her all these years. Marrying Sebastian would be her way of repaying us for everything we have done for her. How could she demand money from us? You’re too kindhearted.”

“Yes, Dad. Why did you give that bitch money? You have no idea how badly she bullied me at the banquet last time!” Cassie gnashed her teeth as she saw Natalie’s receding figure.

Looking at the indignant mother and daughter in front of him, George shook his head and walked into the club without saying anything.

Lauren followed him inside. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

She felt she had to end this. Otherwise, Natalie would continue to ask her for money.

Lauren glanced at her phone. Just then, an idea occurred to her. She pursed her lips and dialed a number.

“Good evening, doctor. I’m Lauren Quinn. Is there a patient named Hannah Stone in your hospital who needs a liver transplant? Yes, that’s her name. As we talked before, doctor, your promotion is kind of in my hands. Now I’m in trouble, and I need your help. Could you do me a favor?”

Moments later, Lauren hung up the phone and took a sip of the black tea. Her red nail polish dazzled under the lights.

“Mom, why are you grinning happily?” Cassie quickly descended the stairs and stood beside her mother, eyeing her with curiosity.

A faint smile stretched across Lauren’s lips. “Well, good news. I have connections with a few people in the hospital. I secretly asked someone to give the suitable liver they had allocated for Hannah to someone else. Let’s see how long the old woman can hold on.”

Cassie was putting on lipstick, looking at herself in the mirror. “That’s great, Mom. That old bat should have died a long time ago. She has been relying on our money to survive. She is already in her eighties. It’s time for her to die.”

Natalie put a call through to the hospital as soon as she got home.

She didn’t have all the money yet for Hannah’s medical bills, but it was good news that the hospital had found the perfect match liver.

Money was hard to come by these days. Natalie had barely had time to work for it. From her calculations, the money she had wouldn’t be enough, but she still wanted to communicate with the hospital. She wanted to inquire if the operation could be carried out and she would pay the balance later.

“Hello, I’m the relative of the patient that needs a liver transplant. Her name is Hannah Stone. I want to make an inquiry. A perfect match liver has been found for her, right? How soon can she get the transplant?” Holding her phone pressed to her ear with one hand, Natalie put all the food she had bought into the fridge with the other.

“Did you say Hannah Stone? Please wait for a moment. I need to check our database. Oh, I’m so sorry, ma’am. We were just about to call you. A few minutes ago, we received a call from our superior. The liver can’t be used for her anymore. The patient who wanted to be euthanized and donate the liver has decided to continue treatment instead. Since there’s no matching donor, you would have to wait.”

The vegetable Natalie was holding fell to the floor as soon as she heard this news.

It was a bolt out of the blue for her. She suddenly froze like a statue.

“Why did the patient have a change of heart? How come? Why? No, no… I didn’t mean… But…” The shock was too much that Natalie could barely think straight, let alone speak coherently.

Although she badly wanted the liver to be donated to Hannah, she couldn’t decide the potential donor’s life and death.

“Is there any other matching livers?” she asked anxiously.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. We understand how you feel. However, there’s nothing we can do to help you now. Your relative isn’t the only patient waiting in line for a liver transplant. You will be contacted when another perfect donor comes forward. Have a great day,” the nurse said and then hung up the phone.

Sebastian immediately grabbed Natalie’s hand and pulled her back.

“Ah! What are you doing? We have arrived at an agreement, haven’t we?” Natalie squealed as she lost her balance and slumped in his arms.

Sebastian pursed his lips as he raked his eyes across her face. The soft light seemed to outline his handsome features. He looked like a hunter waiting to catch his prey.

“I want to kiss you.”

Before Natalie could respond, he quickly cupped her cheeks and bit her lip.

Even though he looked cold and aloof, he was really good at pretending to seem innocent.

He was more dangerous and powerful than the others, but Natalie hadn’t realized it yet.

Sebastian nibbled her bottom lip and pried her mouth open with his tongue. She wrapped her legs around his waist.

The howling winds stopped blowing, and the room was quiet as if time had stopped still. Only the rustling of clothes and their soft moans were audible in the quiet night.

“To my room?” Sebastian’s voice was thick with lust. He gently trailed his fingers against Natalie’s lips and tucked a sweaty strand of hair behind her ear.

Before Natalie could answer, Sebastian kissed her earlobe, picked her up, and carried her to his room.

The kiss was so intense that it left Natalie dazed and breathless. Her face had turned red. She bit his shoulder as her eyes rolled up in ecstasy. She didn’t know what to do.

Sebastian pinned her on the bed and kissed her passionately. It seemed as if Sebastian had complete control over her body and emotions.

“Sebastian, wait…” Natalie felt weak and limp as she sensed his hands reaching under her clothes.

“Shh… Don’t say anything, and don’t think about anything. Leave everything to me.” Sebastian’s low, magnetic voice made her body tremble. It felt as if he had cast a spell over her.

Wrapping her arms around Sebastian’s neck, Natalie responded to his passionate kiss. She sucked his tongue as he thrust it into her mouth.

Sebastian took off his jacket as he straddled above her.

As Sebastian’s hand slid under her dress and touched her panties, he felt something like a sanitary napkin.

His hands stilled; he jerked up his head and looked at her.

“Are you on your period?”

Natalie leaned against his arm, gasping for breath. Her face turned scarlet. “I told you to wait,” she said, looking away.

Sebastian did some mental math and realized it was indeed time for her period.

He sighed and stepped back, wrapping the quilt around Natalie. “When will you…”

“In three days.”

Sebastian stroked her hair. Then, he buried his head in her chest and took a deep breath. “You smell good.”

A few minutes later, Sebastian stood up and kissed the corner of her lips. His bloodshot eyes bore an unreadable emotion.

“All right.” He swallowed and cleared his throat. “Go to bed early. I’m going to shower.”

It was not easy to contain the desire surging through his veins.

Sebastian had been tired of waiting for Natalie to let him make love to her. Now that she didn’t resist his advances, his hopes and desires had reached their peak. Unfortunately, he couldn’t continue because Natalie was on her period. Sebastian could feel his blood rushing southward. It felt as if he were about to explode and burst into a ball of flame.

He clumsily stood up, grabbing his jacket.

Natalie was wrapped in the quilt, revealing nothing but her flawless face. Her watery eyes met Sebastian’s. She pursed her lips that still tingled after all the kisses. “Okay, sleep early. Good night.”

Her pristine beauty could easily arouse men’s desire to protect and take care of her.

Sebastian leaned forward and kissed her lips. “No wonder you were very cooperative today,” he whispered, chuckling. “I won’t let go of you next time.”

With that, he went to the bathroom and took a cold shower until his raging hormones subsided. After making sure Sebastian was inside the bathroom, Natalie sneaked back to her bedroom with her legs still shaking and heart beating like crazy.

On Monday morning, Sebastian went to work with a grumpy look on her face. The ferocity of his gaze and his tense aura frightened the senior executives of the Larson Group.

After the meeting, Garrett walked up to him and asked, “How’s it going, bro?”

Sebastian’s jaw tightened, and his brows furrowed as he looked at Garrett. “Stop gossiping, will you?”

“No, I won’t. I want to know what’s going on with you.” Garrett had a keen eye for detail.

He could tell at a glance that something was wrong with Sebastian.

After a lot of persuasion, Sebastian finally told him what happened last night. Hearing that, Garrett couldn’t stop laughing.

“Oh, God! It looks like you have absolutely no talent for pursuing women. Who would use such an old trick? No wonder you got exposed. But fortunately, everything is good now.”

Sebastian scowled at Garrett, ignoring his ridicule.

Meanwhile, after work, Natalie went to the supermarket to buy groceries.

Sebastian was a strong man.

He had a good appetite and ate a lot.

Natalie had to get a lot of food. Otherwise, Sebastian would empty the fridge in a day.

Natalie peeked out of the bus window. The entire city was sparkling with light. It was late summer and early autumn. The green ginkgo leaves on either side of the road had turned yellow.

Natalie admired the surroundings with a satisfied smile on her face. Just as the bus passed a high-end club, her eyes widened.

George, Lauren, and Cassie were standing at the entrance of the club. All three were dressed well as if they were attending a party.

Just then, the bus trundled to a halt. Natalie immediately grabbed her grocery bag and ran out of the bus.

The Quinn family hadn’t paid the money they owed her as promised, saying they couldn’t afford it; but now they could afford to come to have fun at an opulent club.

Natalie clutched the groceries and walked toward them.

She was worried about Hannah’s medical expenses. Considering they were in a posh place, Natalie felt that George and Lauren wouldn’t create a scene. Therefore, she decided to seize the opportunity to get back all the money they owed her.

At that moment, Lauren was smoothing her clothes. As soon as she was about to enter the club with her husband and daughter, Natalie stopped her.

“Since you can afford to have fun in such a high-end club, I’m sure you must have the money to pay me back as well.” Natalie’s loud voice caught everyone’s attention.

The smile on Lauren’s face dropped in an instant. She quickly strutted toward Natalie and said, “What a coincidence, Natalie! What are you doing here? What nonsense are you saying? How can a grown daughter still ask her parents for money?”

Natalie couldn’t dodge. Sebastian didn’t let go of her until they were breathless.

“Aren’t you going to get the motorcycle?” Natalie’s face flushed as she rested her face against his chest, hearing his heartbeat. She licked her swollen lips and smiled to herself.

“No need. My friend will come and get it himself.” Sebastian shrugged. His magnetic, playful smile made her heart skip a beat. Natalie couldn’t take her eyes off him.

Garrett would have no choice but to get the Vyrus himself.

Sebastian pecked the corner of her lips again. “Your lips taste like strawberry. I like it. It’s just so sweet.”

It was almost nine when they got home.

As soon as Natalie entered the apartment, she rushed into the bathroom to shower.

Sebastian was checking his phone on the sofa in the living room. Just then, the male subordinate who had played the role of his boss sent him a message.

“Boss, what should we do with the painting on the wall?”

“Why bother asking?” Sebastian typed impatiently. They obviously had to keep the painting.

Meanwhile, the bathroom door opened.

Noticing that she had forgotten to take the bath towel, Natalie decided to tiptoe to her room to get it.

A football game was playing on the TV. The commentator’s intense voice muffled her footsteps, so Sebastian didn’t notice her.

When Natalie walked past behind him, she caught a glimpse of Sebastian’s phone and saw someone asked about the painting on the wall in a respectful tone.

Natalie stopped. Her face darkened as she finally understood what had happened.

“Sebastian!” Sebastian jerked up in shock when he heard her high-pitched voice.

He didn’t expect Natalie to come out of the bathroom so soon, so he subconsciously hid the phone behind his back upon hearing her voice.

But seeing the fury in her face, Sebastian immediately realized it was too late.

Natalie weakly slumped on the sofa.

The window was open, and her long hair billowed with the wind. She sighed and closed her eyes.

Moments later, she turned to look at Sebastian, her gaze cold and aloof. “What the hell is going on, Sebastian?”

Everything had been a hoax.

She was so touched when Sebastian stood up for her. But she felt like a fool now.

“I can explain.” Sebastian quietly glanced at his phone. Although he looked calm, he was burning with rage inside. He was mad at his subordinate for ruining his perfect plan.

‘Damn it! What a stupid, useless man!

Why did he have to send a message about the painting now?’

“No need! I clearly saw everything. You had joined a few people and performed a drama to deceive me. Natalie sneered.

Sebastian was startled.

He rubbed his brows and blew out a loud breath. He didn’t want to reveal his guilt.

Natalie had caught him red-handed, and Sebastian didn’t dare to deny it. He sat up and looked at her innocently. “Yes, that was a setup. It was a rented villa.”

Natalie crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you think I’m a fool?” She was seething with rage.

She took a deep breath to control her rage. “What the hell were you thinking? Do you have too much money to spare? It was a stupid thing to do.”

“I just wanted you to be happy.” Sebastian squatted in front of Natalie and held her knees. “Don’t be mad at me. I’m sorry,” he said intently.

Natalie shook her head and stood up, intending to leave.

Sebastian grabbed her shoulders, and the two fell onto the sofa.

Natalie’s face reddened with rage. She quickly grabbed her clothes in fear. Sebastian’s dark eyes bore into hers; he looked frightening. “Do whatever you want, but please don’t ignore me.”

“You are crazy!” Natalie shouted as she tried wriggling out of his hold. “Don’t touch me! You tried fooling me. What makes you think I’d listen to you?”

Before she could utter another word, Sebastian wrapped her into a tight embrace.

His body trembled, for he couldn’t control his emotions anymore.

Sebastian was an influential personality in the business world. People feared him. However, his voice broke when he spoke. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t do anything to you without your consent. I just want to talk to you. Can you please listen to me?”

He knew Natalie was unhappy but didn’t know what to do to make her feel better.

“I just want you to know that I care about you a lot. If you don’t like what I just did, I’ll try something else next time. Anything for you. From now on, I will listen to your every word. A few days ago, when you told me about Brandon, I knew it was my fault that it appeared I didn’t care. Trust me when I say I do care about you. Scold me, beat me, do whatever you want to vent your anger, but please don’t ignore me. I’ve never been with anyone before, and we are newly married. This is all new to me. I’m bound to make mistakes. Correct me if I do something wrong, but don’t just turn your back to me. I want to be a better man — a better husband for you.”

Sebastian stared into Natalie’s eyes. Their faces were inches apart. The intensity of his gaze trapped Natalie.

Sebastian’s shaggy air gently brushed against her face, emanating a faint peppermint fragrance. The macho man now looked vulnerable in front of her. Natalie could tell that he meant every word.

Autumn was just around the corner. The wind was blowing outside, making the clothes on the balcony sway violently.

Natalie pursed her lips and looked away.

“Get up first. Then we’ll talk, I promise.” She tried pushing him away. Her nose almost brushed against his.

“No. You will run away.” Sebastian held her tighter and looked into her eyes. “You can’t leave without giving me an answer tonight.”

Natalie pinched his arm.

Her anger had almost subsided.

She could tell that Sebastian had no experience in love, but he was willing to take an effort and change himself for her. It meant he truly cared about her.

However, Natalie didn’t want to forgive him easily. She rolled her eyes and looked away. “Forget it. I will spare you this time. Don’t make such a stupid mistake again. It cost us both money and time. Now, let go of me. There is still hot water running in the bathroom. I need to shower.”

Sebastian’s gaze slowly drifted to Natalie. He nodded and reluctantly let go of her.

However, his heart sank as soon as she stepped away from him. It felt as if something was missing.

“Of course, I’m going to find someone else!” The woman angrily pointed at the door. “Get out now!”

After taking a few steps toward the door, Natalie stopped in her tracks, turned around, and glared at the woman. “I will go! But you have to pay me the money first!”

“You’ve ruined my wall. I haven’t asked you to compensate for it yet. What makes you think I’d pay you for wrecking my wall?” the woman snapped venomously. “If you don’t leave right now, I’ll ask the security guards to drive you away.”

The woman picked up her phone, pretending to make a phone call while she was mourning in her heart.

She wondered if she had gone too far. After all, fighting with the CEO’s wife was a dangerous thing to do. ‘Gosh, why is he asking me to do such a terrible thing!’

At that moment, Sebastian stepped forward and protectively stood beside Natalie. “It looks like you’re happy with the painting. You are deliberately trying to find faults just so that you don’t have to pay the money.”

The woman snorted. “Do I look like someone who can’t afford to pay for this stupid painting? I said I’m not satisfied. Don’t you understand that?”

Sebastian gently held Natalie’s arm and glared at the woman. “If you don’t pay as per the agreement, I’ll make you regret it.”

The woman was petrified.

She didn’t know what to do. Although she knew the CEO was just acting, he looked frightening.

“Who do you think you are? Fine, I’ll pay you!” The woman took out her wallet from her bag and handed all the money she had already prepared to give to Natalie.

Without saying a word, Natalie took the money and carefully counted it.

The woman looked at her and sneered. “You don’t need to count it. I wouldn’t cheat over such a small sum of money.”

Just then, they heard someone open the door.

“What’s going on? Why the noise? I could hear you quarreling all the way from the front yard.”

A man in his forties walked in. Natalie suspected he had used hair gel and makeup to look older for some reason.

The woman sprang to her feet and quickly rushed over to the man.

“Honey, you’re finally back. What kind of employee do you have! He just threatened me a while ago,” the woman complained as tears filled her eyes.

The middle-aged man was none other than Sebastian’s male subordinate. He had specially gone to the salon to have his hair done so that he could pay justice to the role.

Sebastian was his boss. Today, he finally had the chance to be his boss — even if it was in a play Sebastian had arranged.

He was thrilled about it.

“What’s going on, Sebastian?” The man threw his bag on the table and glared at him. “How dare you threaten my wife? You are fired!”

Sebastian seemed calm. He glanced at the couple in front of him and pulled Natalie to the door. “If you want to fire me, then go ahead.”

The man gritted his teeth and shouted after Sebastian to show that he was angry. “Let’s wait and see! I will make you suffer!”

Sebastian seemed indifferent. He grabbed Natalie’s hand and walked out of the villa.

It was already dark outside. The stars dazzled in the night sky.

After walking a few steps forward, Natalie stopped in her tracks and looked back at Sebastian, who had also stopped behind her.

“You shouldn’t have stood up for me. You have offended your boss. What are you going to do now?”

Natalie couldn’t help but worry about Sebastian.

He didn’t have a good educational background and was an illegitimate son. Now, he even lost his job. She feared the Klein family would despise him even more.

Besides, Sebastian’s boss had even threatened to make him suffer. ‘What if he takes his revenge?’ she thought, shuddering with fear.

Sebastian had fought with his boss for her.

Natalie let out a weary sigh.

“It doesn’t matter.” Sebastian shrugged nonchalantly.

She was more worried than him.

Natalie looked at him, her watery eyes burning with annoyance. “How could it not matter? What if he gets back at you?”

She sighed, and her shoulder slumped with dejection. “It wasn’t a big deal. You didn’t have to stand up for me.”

Sebastian stopped and looked at her. His deep eyes bore into Natalie’s face. The light from the street lamp flooded over him, accentuating his towering frame.

“It was my business too. I couldn’t watch others bully my wife. Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to feel guilty.”

How could Natalie not feel guilty?

Although Sebastian seemed casual, he treated her like a princess. If she planned to leave him for some reason one day, the pain would feel excruciating as if someone had ripped her heart right out of her chest.

The wind whistled in the night. Natalie lowered her head and tried to get hold of herself.

“I could have handled it on my own, Sebastian.” Her voice drifted with the wind.

She had always been alone and fought her own battles.

Sebastian walked up to her, and Natalie saw his yellowing canvas shoes.

She looked up, and her gaze met his enigmatic eyes.

Sebastian smiled and gently stroked his hair. “You have a husband now. It’s different.”

Sebastian’s broad chest blocked the wind as he stared into her eyes.

“Let’s go back. It’s late,”

Natalie said in a hushed voice. His words both confused and touched her. She turned around and continued to walk forward.

Sebastian followed Natalie and caught up with her.

The cicadas chirped in the quiet summer night.

All of a sudden, Sebastian felt something touch his finger. He looked down and saw Natalie clasp his finger.

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and his face softened. He gently held her hand and caressed her fingers with his thumb.

“I really want to kiss you. Can I?” Sebastian’s voice was thick with lust as he stared at her supple lips.

Natalie’s eyes widened. She didn’t know what to say to him. She felt his actions proved his affection for her.

Natalie’s ears turned red. “Why are asking me that?” she murmured shyly.

Sebastian shook his head in amusement. Natalie had just told him that he couldn’t touch her without her permission.

Sebastian leaned toward her. He kissed her lower lip and gently licked it. Natalie moaned in the back of her throat.

He nibbled on her lip, making her eyes flutter close. As soon as Natalie’s mouth parted, Sebastian lifted her in his arms. She involuntarily wrapped her legs around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

His chiseled, muscular body made her heart stutter.

The Vyrus belonged to Garrett and it was the kind of motorcycle used for serious racing.

With her face blushing, Natalie inched backward and tightened her coat.

The rest of the ride wasn’t bumpy. When they arrived at the so-called boss’s villa, Sebastian led her to the front door.

Unbeknown to Natalie, this villa was owned by her allegedly poor husband. It wasn’t decorated because he had never lived there.

“Welcome!” A woman who looked about forty years old answered the door at the first ring. She introduced herself as the wife of Sebastian’s boss and guided them into the villa.

“Hello, ma’am. What style of wall painting do you want for this villa?”

The wall the woman pointed out wasn’t so wide. Thus, Natalie calculated that she could finish painting it today.

“Nothing too complicated. Just make it simple but unique. It should be in grey. I would settle for any style that you choose to paint the rest.” The woman took a sip of tea and glanced at Sebastian. She then continued, “I’ve already bought the buckets of paint and the tools you would need. I’m going shopping with my neighbors later. You just take your time.”

She left after showing Natalie the buckets of paint and all the tools.

‘Let’s get to work!’ Natalie charged up herself. She was only free on weekends, so she decided to finish the painting today.

She first tied up her hair into a ponytail. Then, she rolled up her sleeves and put on an apron. She mixed the paint skillfully and began to paint.

“Aren’t you going back to work?” she asked curiously after sensing that he was still there.

“No, I took the day off. Let me help you here. I can pass you whatever paint you need.” Sebastian took off his jacket and squatted beside the paint buckets.

“Thank you, but there would be no need for that. I can do it myself.”

Natalie wanted to be left alone, but she didn’t drive him away either. She just concentrated on painting. She didn’t even bother to rest for a while.

Some hours later, the sun began to set and the dark rays fell into the room through the window. Everything became orange. It also warmed up Natalie’s skin a little.

She stopped painting and swung her right arm which was already aching at this time. When she looked back, she saw that no one was on the sofa.

It seemed that Sebastian had left.

Natalie pouted her lips and lowered her head dejectedly. A second later, she let out a laughter of self-mockery. ‘Natalie, you are such a fool. Were you expecting him to wait until you were done? Weren’t you the one who declined his help? Tsk-tsk!’

A strange noise suddenly came from the door. She looked up and saw that Sebastian was standing there with some takeout bags in his hands. There was an inexplicable glint in his eyes and a warm smile on his face.

“Were you looking for me? Anyway, I went to get dinner. You have been painting for a long time. I’m sure you must be tired and hungry by now. Come down and eat first.”

“Oh, you are still here. I thought you already left,” Natalie commented indifferently in a bid to hide her joy. She averted her gaze and continued to paint despite her aching arm.

Sebastian smiled without saying anything. He just opened all the takeout bags and set the table.

The soup was steaming, and the desserts had a strong creamy fragrance.

“Hey, come and eat. You need to rest and refuel your energy. I’ll help you paint while you are at it,” Sebastian said as he walked to her and grabbed the brush.

It was easy for him to do so because he was taller than her. He raised the brush high when she tried to take it back. She saw his perfectly sculpted jaw as she looked up. The closeness of their bodies gave her butterflies.

At this moment, Natalie had no choice but to go and eat quietly.

While munching on the food, she stole glances at him as he painted.

‘How does this man feel about me?

Does he love me? Sometimes he behaves indifferent, but other times, he’s so caring like a loving husband. Gosh! How can someone be so hard to read?’ she pondered.

Natalie had a small appetite, so she didn’t eat much. Sebastian later wolfed down all the leftovers as if he hadn’t eaten for a week.

At nine o’clock in the evening, the so-called wife of Sebastian’s boss returned to the villa and immediately checked the work Natalie did.

An deep frown appeared on her face as soon as she set her eyes on the wall.

Noticing the woman’s unhappiness, Natalie cautiously asked, “Ma’am, are you not happy with the work?”

The woman sat cross-legged on the sofa with a grumpy look on her face. She glanced at the painting on the wall and snorted coldly. “I don’t like the colors. Didn’t I ask you to keep it simple? Why have you made it so fancy and complicated? And the patterns here don’t match the style of my villa. I don’t understand what you were thinking. I didn’t ask you to fill in random colors. My villa is going to be occupied soon. You’re delaying us from moving in.”

Natalie explained anxiously, “I have painted according to your requirements. The colors are white and gray, which compliments your villa style. Ma’am, if you’re dissatisfied with any aspect of the design, I can change it for you.”

The woman sitting on the sofa took a sip of coffee and glanced at Sebastian, who was standing beside Natalie. Her stomach clenched with anticipation.

She didn’t know if she had gone too far.

The girl in front of her was the wife of her boss, while she was a mere employee who was called to act in the play. If she weren’t arrogant enough, she wouldn’t be able to achieve the desired result. Meanwhile, if she were too arrogant, she feared Sebastian might take it personally and get offended.

It was like walking on thin ice.

The man frowned and witnessed everything, without uttering a word.

“How can you change it? I don’t like it one bit, and it doesn’t meet my requirements. How are you going to change that? Your portfolio looked excellent. I never expected you to do such a terrible job. Now I wonder if the previous works you’d done earlier are authentic or not. It makes me think if you had really drawn them by yourself. This is a disaster! I don’t know what to say. Get out of here!”

The woman pointed at the painting on the wall and continued to indicate non-existent faults on purpose. She looked dissatisfied, exhibiting all her acting talent.

Enraged, Natalie began to pack her things. “No one has ever suspected the authenticity of my work. If you are not satisfied with my painting, you better find someone else.”

Sebastian cleared his throat and made way for her. Scratching his head, he asked, “Do you need my help with anything?”

“No, I don’t need any help. I’m not making breakfast for you. If you are hungry, you can eat out,” she replied with a poker face.

‘Humph! You have no feelings for me, but you have been eating all the delicious breakfast I made. I’m not your maid, so don’t expect any more meals from me!’ she thought to herself.

Natalie walked to the fridge and took out two eggs. The oil sizzled in the pan as she cracked the eggs. Shortly after she drizzled some black pepper on her fried eggs, a pleasant aroma filled the kitchen.

Sebastian took a deep breath and his shoulders slouched. Without uttering a word, he sulkily went to the bathroom to freshen up.

He was naturally not a romantic man, so he didn’t know the sweet words to say or the best gift to get her. ‘She’s still angry with me. What do I do now?’ he pondered while brushing his teeth.

An idea suddenly popped up in his head when he spat out the foam in his mouth. He smiled faintly, staring at his image in the mirror.

When he returned to the living room, he saw that Natalie was eating breakfast slowly. She didn’t even look up at him, as if he was invisible.

“Are you free this weekend? There’s a part-time job that pays this much. Are you interested?” As Sebastian spoke, he pulled out the chair beside her and sat down slowly.

Natalie swallowed the bread in her mouth quickly when she saw him open up all five fingers of his right hand. With her eyes opened wide, she asked, “Five grand?”

Since they had been married for some time, Sebastian knew a little about her. She loved making money. A job offer that paid that much was something she could never refuse.

Sure enough, Natalie set aside the displeasure she felt about his actions last night. She wiped her mouth quickly. Although her expression was still indifferent, her face wasn’t as cold as before. “What kind of part-time job is it?” she finally asked.

A smile tugged at the corners of Sebastian’s mouth after he heard her response. He picked up a piece of toast from her plate and took a bite. “Well, it’s a painting job. The owner of the convenience store where I work is decorating his new house. He needs a wall painting. I saw your works before, so I thought you would be perfect for the job.”

Sebastian had seen Natalie’s paintings. Although she majored in fashion design, painting was one of her foundational courses. Her artistic skills were also very good.

It was at this moment that Natalie finally noticed that he had been taking big bites off her toast. She frowned and queried him angrily, “Sebastian, I said I didn’t make breakfast for you. Why are you eating my toast?”

“Chill, it’s no big deal. Just take this as a reward for telling you about the job. Besides, you are my wife. Sharing is caring!” Sebastian stuffed the last quarter of the toast into his mouth and smiled at her playfully.

Natalie’s heart skipped a beat when she saw his handsome smile. She wanted to draw the line between them, but he only got closer to her with every effort she made.

“Do you have any copies of your previous work? Give me some of them so I can show my boss at work today.”

Pouting her lips, she went to her room. She brought back her previous paintings a few seconds later. “Here you go. This is the collection of my works. Hope this will do?”

“Yeah, it will. I need to head to work now.” Sebastian picked up the collection and scanned through the paintings. He then stood up and put on his black jacket while staring at her with a playful glint in his black eyes.

Later in the afternoon, Natalie received a call from him.

“What’s the matter? I’m still at work,” she whispered directly into the speaker and glanced at her colleagues.

“Well, I just called to give you feedback. My boss likes your paintings. Instead of an artistic piece, he wants you to paint his wall this coming weekend. The price is double the one I told you about this morning. Would you be free this weekend?” Sebastian’s calm voice wafted into her ear from the other end of the line.

‘Ten thousand dollars just to paint a wall? That’s huge. I would be a fool if I turned down such an offer!’ she thought quickly.

“Yes, I can do it this Sunday,” she replied without hesitation.

The weather was very sunny that Sunday.

Natalie waited impatiently at the bus stop. She had looked down at her phone several times.

Just when the long-awaited bus arrived, she heard a roar of an engine. A dazzling black Vyrus suddenly halted in front of her.

Sebastian pushed up the glass visor of his helmet. His high nose bridge was revealed first, followed by his alienated eyes. He looked so dashing even though he was just wearing an ordinary black T-shirt and loose jeans.

He threw a helmet to Natalie.

“Get on the motorcycle.”

After she caught the helmet, she stared at the luxury motorcycle for a while before putting on the helmet reluctantly. She then asked, “Whose motorcycle is this?”

Natalie had seen this motorcycle in an automobile magazine before. It costs a whopping amount of money that she could never make even if she worked tons of jobs for the rest of her life.

“I borrowed it from a friend. My boss’s villa is a little far from here. It’s in the suburbs. I’ll take you there.”

Natalie sat on the motorcycle uneasily.

“Let’s go!” Sebastian cast a glance at his wife and then put down the glass visor of his helmet.

Natalie held onto Sebastian’s T-shirt tightly.

Sebastian rode the motorcycle at a high speed. The wind blew violently past her ears and ruffled her hair. All the road noises soon faded away.

Before now, Natalie had associated the riding of motorcycles with rogues. This was because most of them rode recklessly and the roaring sound of the engines always disturbed other commuters on the road. However, this wasn’t the case for this particular motorcycle. The engine only made a humming sound.

“Sebastian, why is there no loud noise?” she asked blankly.

“Are you talking about the sound of the engine?”

Sebastian abruptly stopped to wait for the traffic light to turn green. It was so sudden that Natalie’s breasts bumped into his back because of the inertia. He looked back at her and smiled.

“My dear wife, do you see me as one of those numerous hooligans that disturb the peace of this city with their roaring motorcycles? This one has a silencer. I don’t want to constitute any nuisance on the road.”

Sebastian felt dejected. How could she deprive him of the right to kiss her?

He had just leaned on Natalie’s shoulder but didn’t do anything to offend her.

They had made out countless times in the past, and she had never resisted it. ‘What’s with the sudden change in her attitude?’

He couldn’t figure out what was on her mind.

Natalie came out of her room during dinner. A faint smile graced her face, but it was not as genuine as a few days ago.

Sebastian felt upset and confused. The growing distance made him uncomfortable.

Later that night, he called Garrett. The phone rang several times before it got connected.

“I’m busy right now. What’s the matter? Can’t you check the time before calling me?” Garrett grunted in frustration. He could hear the wind from the other end of the line and assumed Sebastian was standing on the balcony.

“I have something to ask you. After that, you can carry on with whatever you’re busy doing.” Sebastian was standing on the balcony with a bottle of beer. His dark eyes stared into the distance.

The apartment was near the beach. The salty air filled his nostrils. It was refreshing, yet the confusion seemed to gnaw his heart.

“Fine. Go ahead. You just got married, and it’s making all of us restless. Gosh, it’s annoying.” Garrett scratched his hair as his desire to have sex died in an instant. He patted the woman on his bed and listened to what Sebastian had to say.

After listening to the entire story, Garrett burst out laughing.

“Congratulations! Your wife cares about you too.”

The frown on Sebastian’s face deepened. He became even more confused.

“I don’t quite get it. Explain what you mean clearly.” He took a sip of the beer and stared blankly at the sea of lights in a distance.

Garrett shook his head and narrowed his eyes. “I think you deserve it. You are married, but you still behave like a bachelor. It’s appalling that you don’t even understand a woman’s behavior. Listen to me. Your wife just told you that some men are making advances at her. A normal husband would get jealous and ask questions about these men, but you just waved it off. You didn’t show care. What do you expect her to think? She’s unhappy because of your nonchalance. She thinks you don’t care about her. Doesn’t her unhappiness show that she cares about you and how you feel about her? Dude, you need to learn how to interpret the signals women give!”

Everything dawned on Sebastian at this moment. He leaned against the railing and smiled brightly. His side profile was so handsome.

It gladdened his heart to know that this was why she was displeased.

“I just hope that she can ask Brandon for help when necessary. That means they have to become close first. What should I do now?”

After pondering for a while, Garrett replied, “Well, you can’t possibly get jealous of yourself. In the end, you would at least prove to your wife that you genuinely love her. I’m sure she would be happy when her feelings are reciprocated. I’m not supposed to be teaching you this. Your relationship with her is hopeless if you can’t do it without any help. Man up!”

In a low voice, he continued, “You have turned me into your marriage counselor. I’m helping you build your marriage for free, but you will reap all the benefits in the end.”

Garrett knew Sebastian well. He saw him as an opportunist right from their high school days.

Sebastian chuckled and waved his hand playfully. “What are friends for? Anyway, I will give it a try.”

“Keeping secrets can cause a strain and even destroy a marriage. You can’t just keep her in the dark forever. When are you going to reveal your true identity to her?” Garrett asked seriously.

Sebastian was silent for a moment.

“You have a point there, Garrett. But I can’t tell her just yet,” he finally replied.

“Why? Are you afraid that she will be in danger? I have to admit that your family is a mess. Even I am wary of them.” Garrett tut-tutted with a fake shiver.

“How is the task I gave you coming along? Hope you are monitoring them well?” Sebastian stared down at the beer bottle in his hand.

The cold night wind blew. The trees swayed from side to side and their leaves rustled. At this time, the clouds darkened. It indicated that there would be a heavy downpour soon.

“Your two brothers? Nothing is up with them. They haven’t done anything suspicious recently. But you have to be wary of your father. He always keeps a close watch on us. It seems like he’s smelling something fishy and we would be found out if care is not taken.”

“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Are you really not going to tell her the truth? I think you owe her that, buddy,” Garrett queried further.

He felt that the problem would be easier to solve if Sebastian opened up to his wife soon. ‘Two heads are better than one. There’s nothing like having the support of your wife.’ He felt this way because Sebastian had been trying to solve this problem for a long time. If he wanted to come clean only after he took care of everything, it would take quite a while.

“No, I don’t want her to get involved in this matter. I’m still at loggerheads with my family. They already know that I married her. Sebastian’s just an illegitimate child to them and they don’t take me seriously. Things would become harder for her and she would be in grave danger if I reveal my identity to her and officially make her Mrs. Larson. I don’t want her to be caught in the middle before I solve the matter about my mother,” Sebastian responded calmly.

He closed his eyes for a while and then opened them again. The wind blew back the separate dark wisp of hair, revealing his shiny forehead.

“Okay, I get it. I won’t bring up that topic again.” Garrett sighed.

Afterward, he said with a giggle, “I wish you can win the beauty’s heart as soon as possible. I’m rooting for you!”

“Thank you. You can have a long vacation once I succeed.” Sebastian chuckled. His eyes were void of any coldness at this moment.

He opened the glass door and entered the room. As soon as he shut the door, the sound of the howling wind and rustling leaves was no more. The lights in the room had already been turned off, and the moon was covered by clouds. Only the dim light of street lamps outside flooded into the room.

Sebastian put down his phone and lay on the sofa. He was lost in thought for a long time before he dozed off.

The sound of cooking utensils clunking together in the kitchen woke him up the next morning.

He stood up and stretched his body. While yawning, he looked at the kitchen with misty eyes.

A woman was standing there in a thin and long white dress that covered her legs down to her ankles. He stared at her in a daze for a long time.

“Sebastian, don’t stand here. You’re in my way,” Natalie said in a lukewarm tone, blinking her big watery eyes.

Natalie put her phone down as her stomach clenched with unease.

‘Why would a CEO worry so much about the work of an ordinary employee like me?’

They only chatted online. Therefore, Natalie couldn’t conclude that he had an ulterior motive.

She wanted to figure out what Brandon wanted from her.

“What’s up? You’re always on the phone. Who have you been texting all day? You said you don’t have a boyfriend. Then, who is it?” Natalie’s colleague, Gerda, turned around and winked at her.

“Not my boyfriend.” She couldn’t tell who she was texting.

After all, it was the CEO, and people might gossip about it.

Natalie propped her chin on her palm and thought for a while.

“Mr. Larson seems like an excellent man. He must be married, right?” she asked, hoping for her friend to say yes.

“I don’t know. Maybe he has a girlfriend. But who cares? Wealthy people like him will have several girlfriends and mistresses at the same time. We should never probe into their personal lives.” Gerda elbowed Natalie and arched an eyebrow. “By the way, since when did you start gossiping?”

Gerda felt that Natalie was a quiet person who never gossiped about anyone. So she was surprised to see her ask questions about their CEO’s personal life.

Natalie forced a smile and shrugged. However, the worry on her face didn’t fade away.

Seacisco had extreme climatic conditions. It had scorching hot summers and cold winters.

The fruit store near their apartment sold iced watermelon juice. The refreshing scent of the fruit wafted in the air.

Natalie bought two cups of juice and went home.

She was still thinking about Brandon’s messages.

As Natalie walked into the house in a daze, she saw Sebastian standing on the balcony, picking up dried clothes from the line. His hair swayed with the gentle breeze, and a few strands covered his bright eyes.

“What’s wrong? You look preoccupied.” Sebastian sat on the sofa and put the pile of clothes beside him. His droopy eyes made him look indifferent and lazy. His magnetic voice snapped Natalie out of her thoughts.

A pang of guilt settled in her heart when she met his gaze.

Natalie felt she had to tell him the truth. After all, she didn’t do anything wrong.

“I’ve been thinking about my company’s CEO, Brandon Larson.” Natalie’s brows furrowed as if it were something important.

Sebastian picked up a cup of watermelon juice from the table, inserted the straw into it, and brought it to Natalie’s mouth, “What?”

After taking a sip of the juice, Natalie turned her phone on and showed Sebastian the conversation between her and Brandon.

“I think he is being too nice to me. It doesn’t look like a professional conversation at all. That’s not how a CEO talks to his employees.”

Sebastian drank the juice whilst reading the conversation. He scrolled down the screen and read the messages.

Although Sebastian had sent all the messages, he had to read the conversation. Otherwise, Natalie would doubt him.

He was glad that Natalie had told him the truth.

Sebastian felt she was a righteous woman and a good wife who would never cheat on him with a wealthy man for personal gains.

“Well, it seems normal to me. Why don’t you just accept what he has given you? Brandon is an influential person. I’m sure he’ll be able to help you in case you encounter any problems.”

Sebastian leaned back on the sofa, and his hair rubbed against Natalie’s neck. “Honey, you smell so good.”

He couldn’t speak ill of Brandon, for it was equivalent to cursing himself.

Natalie frowned and studied his face. “Is this how you really feel?”

Sebastian’s reaction surprised her.

She had always felt the man was jealous and possessive, but he seemed strangely calm now.

“Husbands usually get upset and angry when they find out other men are trying to hook up with their wives. Why are you so calm about it?” Natalie was confused.

Something seemed fishy. Sebastian had never reacted this way.

“I think it’s pretty obvious that Brandon’s up to something,” she added.

Sebastian was smart enough to understand the intention behind a message. Natalie felt he, too, must have sensed the conversation didn’t seem normal but couldn’t understand why he was strangely calm about it.

“He just wants to help you, doesn’t he?” Sebastian shrugged as if it were no big deal.

Although he didn’t think he had done anything wrong, he could sense Natalie’s unease. He sat up straight and turned to look at Natalie, who was staring at her feet.

A frown lined Sebastian’s forehead. He wanted Natalie to ask Brandon for help if she encountered any problems. After all, he was Brandon.

Natalie bit her lower lip and fell silent.

She didn’t expect Sebastian to take Brandon’s side.

His reaction both confused and upset her.

He had kissed and hugged Natalie. Now, another man was showing strange concern towards her. But Sebastian dismissed it as normal behavior.

‘Perhaps I’m not as important to Sebastian as I had thought,’ she wondered.

“All right. Forget it then.” Natalie stood up and picked up her clothes from the sofa.

“What’s wrong with you?” Sebastian frowned and grabbed her wrist.

The drastic change in her reaction surprised him.

“Nothing.” Natalie withdrew her hand from his hold.

She decided to remain calm and not reveal her emotions.

Natalie had married Sebastian only for her old maid’s medical expenses and didn’t have any expectations from him. Divorce was always an option in case he found out she wasn’t Cassie, the woman he was supposed to marry.

But still, knowing that Sebastian didn’t care about her made her heart sink with disappointment.

Perhaps she had unknowingly gotten attached to him since they had become intimate.

“You are not allowed to touch or kiss me anymore. We are just a nominal couple, Sebastian. If you dare to touch me again, I will move out of this house.” Natalie was not in the mood to talk to Sebastian anymore.

Sebastian’s brows furrowed, and his face darkened. “Did I say something wrong? I’m sorry if I did.”

He never got the chance to make love to her, and now she wasn’t even allowing him to touch her.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m fine.” Natalie stepped back to keep a distance from him. Then, she returned to her room, hiding her disappointment.

Sebastian could tell that Natalie was upset about something. He had a keen intuition as a businessman, but he couldn’t understand what was going on in his wife’s mind and what was bothering her.