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

Natalie went to the hospital, filled out the registration form, and went straight to get a physical examination. She planned to try the medicines the next week.

Delicious smell of food wafted in the air as soon as Sebastian entered the house.

“Why did you come back early today?”

Natalie cast a sidelong glance at him and continued to toss the spaghetti in the pan.

The apron accentuated her alluring figure.

One could grasp her slender waist with one hand.

Her curvy bum bobbed as she moved around.

The bowtie on her back seemed to tease Sebastian — as if hinting at him to open it and peek at the tempting gift inside.

Sebastian’s eyes darkened as he felt hot in his throat.

He unbuttoned his collar and went to the fridge to get a bottle of water.

“I was off duty earlier today,” he said after gulping down the water He looked at her floral apron and tugged at the hem.

“Is this an apron? It’s pink.It can’t even cover your thighs.”

It was more like a sexy lingerie.

“Stop pulling my apron.I got it at a discount.Pink is a beautiful color, is it not? Take the spaghetti to the table.I’ll make some salad.”

Natalie glared at him and continued to cut the vegetables without uttering a word Sebastian grinned and put the spaghetti bowl on the dining table.

Several design sketches were scattered on the table.

Just as Sebastian sorted the papers and was about to keep them aside, a piece of paper fell from his hands.

I was the physical examination report Sebastian looked at it and felt something was wrong. He couldn’t understand why there was a nicotine test.

Natalie put the salad on the table and realized that Sebastian didn’t seem to be interested in the food tonight “You don’t like the food?”

“No, I was thinking about something.”

The fork in Sebastian’s hand sulled, he turned lo look at her met his piercing gaze.

“What’s it?’ she asked.

“Have you volunteer to do drug trials?” he asked coldly.

Natalie’s hand trembled, and her fork fell.She didn’t know why she was flustered, but she tried to remain calm.

“Yes.The hospital conducts regular trials like these.Moreover, the trial is legal.Don’t look at me as if I have done something horrific.”

Sebastian put down his fork, pursed his lips, and looked at her.

“Don’t go.Don’t you know that the drug trial could cause serious side effects?”

The expression on Sebastian’s face frightened Natalie.Her heart leaped to her throat.

She took a piece of tissue and wiped her lips, pretending to be calm.

“Why are you stopping me?”

“I’m in urgent need of money now, I have no other choice.”

Sebastian’s eyes smoldered with anger.

“How much money do you want? I’m your husband.If you’re going through any problems, why can’t you tell me? Why would you do something like that?”

Natalie had been short of money ever since she was a child.

Tears welled up in her eyes.She took a deep breath and looked at him.

“We are husband and wife only to the outside world.You have already said that we shouldn’t interfere in each other’s business.What makes you think I’d share my problems with you and even ask for money?”

Her words silenced Sebastian.

He rubbed his brows, and his chest tightened with unease.He stood up and looked at her.

“Let’s calm down first and then solve this problem.”

Sebastian closed the door and went out.

The cold summer breeze and the chirping of cicadas filled the air.

Sebastian took a deep breath, and the sweet scent of roses filled his nostrils.

Natalie had planted them on the balcony.

Sebastian leaned against the door as the moonlight kissed his soft features.

Sebastian realized that he had crossed the line tonight.

Before they got married, he never liked Natalie and didn’t intend to be her husband.

However, his impression of her changed.He seemed to like her more with every passing day.

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair and let out a weary sigh.He couldn’t understand when he had started caring about her so much.He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes, trying to suppress his incomprehensible emotions.

Natalie stood at the table and picked up the tableware.

Just then, the door flew open, and Sebastian walked toward her and took the tableware from her hand.

“I’m going to wash them.”

“Why did you come back?” Natalie thought he wouldn’t come back, so she grabbed the plates and held them tightly in her arms in a fit of pique.

The oil from the vessels had stained her clothes.

“You don’t need to wash them.I’m afraid you will only break them,” she said.

“Why did I come back? You want me to let you cry here alone?”

Seeing her bloodshot eyes, Sebastian’s eyes darkened.He raised his hand to touch her cheek.

“Don’t touch me! I’m not crying!”

Shocked, Natalie stepped back.Her eyes were red and puffy.She stared at Sebastian fearlessly.

Sebastian felt dejected.

Natalie was like a delicate flower that would wither if he forced her.

Sebastian put his arms on the table, trapping her in place.He leaned closer and stared into her eyes.

“Don’t do the drug trial.Maybe you will get other income soon.Please listen to me,” he said softly, “What will you do if I don’t listen to you?”

Natalie sneered at him.

Sebastian’s brows furrowed, and his eyes looked frightening.

“There are several ways to deal with women,” he hissed through his teeth.

“Anyway, I’m a gangster.I’m not afraid of anything.”

He inched toward her and reached out his hand to unzip her dress.

“I know.I won’t do the trial.”

Natalie hugged herself as her voice trembled, Sebastian let go of her and stood aside.

Biting her lower lip.

Natalie ignored him and walked to the sink with the plates.She turned on the lap and began to wash the dishes.

She didn’t want to disagree with him.

Anyway, Sebastian was busy with his business every day and didn’t have time to care about her.

She could still do the trial next week without letting him know.

The next day, as soon as Natalie went to the company, several messages popped up on her computer.

She opened the e-mail and found that a client had contacted her about a design gig for a high payment.

“Twenty thousand dollars?”

Natalie stared at her laptop screen, her mouth wide open.She quickly typed a message to the client, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

This was going to be her first big client ever since her graduation.

Given the amount of the offer they had made, she was expecting a heap of strict instructions she would have to abide by.

“Excuse me.May I know whether you are a gentleman or a lady?”

This website played as a bridge between clients and freelance designers.

The clients had the option to use their real names or remain anonymous, but most of them didn’t really bother setting up a profile.

Most of the profiles in the listings were nothing more than the default gray icon, with no way to tell the client’s gender.

“Male,” came the client’s reply.

“I see.Do you have specific requirements regarding the design, sir?”

Natalie cast a skeptical look at the realtor and pulled Sebastian closer to her side.

“How is that possible? Is he a fraud?”

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask the realtor.” Sebastian looked at the realtor.

“That’s true.Mrs.Klein, your husband inquired about the situation.The owner of the house is desperate to rent out the house, so he is willing to lower the rent.”

The realtor wiped the sweat on his forehead.

The man wasn’t a realtor but was pretending to be one under Sebastian’s orders.

He hoped that Natalie would be dumb enough to believe him If he made any mistakes and Natalie suspected him, he would lose his job.

“Okay, thank you. Do you mind if we looked around the house one more time?”

Although Natalie sounded polite, she had become vigilant.

She walked into the rooms and carefully inspected them.

Leaning against the door, Sebastian saw her looking around the house and rummaging through the cabinets and drawers.

“What are you doing? he asked in a hushed voice.

Natalie was still worried, so she even checked under the beds.

Then, she parted the dust on her dress and stood up.

“Something seems fishy.The rent of a house like this can’t be this cheap.Perhaps this house is haunted, or someone has died here.We have to check it properly.” Sebastian was speechless.

He stepped closer to her and gently wiped the dust on her face.

“There is dust on your face.”

He dusted his dirty fingers and frowned.

“You are overthinking.Perhaps the landlord is having a financial crisis.”

The apartment was Sebastian’s property.He knew his house well.

Natalie’s skin prickled as his touch left a burning trail on her cheek.

She quickly wiped her face and turned around.

“You’re too naive.I feel something is wrong with the house.Otherwise, they wouldn’t rent it at such a cheap rate.And if that’s the case, I have to go and bargain with the realtor.”

She rolled up her sleeves and trotted to the living room.

“One hundred bucks.What do you say?”

‘What? One hundred bucks a month for an apparent like this? That’s unbelievable.

The man looked dumbfounded.

However, the apartment didn’t belong to him, so he couldn’t finalize the rent.

“Mrs.Klein, I’m actually surprised to hear your offer.However, this house isn’t mine.I need to check it with the landlord of the house.”

He walked out of the room with his phone on the pretext of making a phone call.

Taking the opportunity, he winked at Sebastian to ask for his opinion.

Sebastian understood his gesture and agreed without hesitation.

Natalie was a little nervous.

After all, she knew her offer was definitely unacceptable. A few minutes later, the realtor returned with a smile.

“The landlord has agreed.”

Natalie’s mouth popped open in shock.

She tried slashing the price but didn’t think the landlord would actually agree. She blinked at Sebastian.

Sebastian coughed and walked up to her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think this is an ordinary haunted house.I think something extremely terrible must have happened here before.Otherwise, why would the landlord agree to rent it at only a hundred dollars?”

Her hot breath blowing in his ear seemed to distract Sebastian.

After a moment’s hesitation, he blinked and asked, “Do you want to find another house?”

“No.We are lucky to have found such an affordable house.I won’t let go of it.”

“Aren’t you afraid it might be a haunted house?”

“Nope.The rent is unbelievable.Even if there are ghosts in the house, I don’t mind inviting them for dinner” Natalie said intently Sebastian had never seen anyone willing to move into a haunted house just because the rent was cheap He narrowed his eyes and pinched Natalie’s cheek.

“Wow! You’re brave.”

He gulped, surprised by the softness of her cheeks, “Sebastian, it hurts!”

Natalie’s face turned red.She stood on tiptoe to grab his face.

However, Sebastian towered before her, so he quickly stepped back.

Natalie couldn’t even touch his chin.

“Let me go! Sebastian! I’m angry.”

“Don’t move.There is still dust on your face.I’m just wiping it for you.”

The smile on his face widened as he looked at her.

‘How could she be so cute?’ he thought.

Natalie and Sebastian moved into the apartment the next day.

It was more convenient for her to go to work She could save all her commuting time.

In her spare time, Natalie accepted freelancing design gigs to earn extra money During weekends, she went to the hospital to see Hannah.

“Hannah, I have planned to transfer you to a better hospital for treatment.The hospitals in the city are more advanced then this one.It would also be convenient for me to meet you often,” she said while peeling an apple Hannah had raised Natalie.

The old woman was all she had “The hospitals there will be too expensive.I’m fine here.”

Hannah shook her head Her hair had already turned white.

Hannah was only in her sixties, yet she looked older because of her illness, Hannah knew that Natalie lived a hard life even though she never openly discussed her problems

“I’ve found a new job.I can handle it.Don’t worry about me.”

Natalie smiled and handed the plateful of apple slices to Hannah. “Eat the apple.”

She knew the medical expenses would double if Hannah moved to a better hospital in the city Natalie didn’t have enough money.

After leaving the hospital, Natalie immediately called George and Lauren.

But neither of them answered, She had no choice but to go to the Quinn family’s house again.

“Are you insane? Why are you constantly ringing the doorbell?”

Minutes later, the maid opened the door and yawned.She seemed annoyed that Natalie had disturbed her sleep.

“Let me in! I’m looking for George and Lauren!”

“The entire family is on a vacation to the Maldives.They’re not at home.”

“When will they come back?” Natalie asked anxiously.

Lauren said she didn’t have the money to pay the agreed money.How could they go on vacation to the Maldives?

“I don’t know.Go ask them!” The maid slammed the door.

Natalie stared at the door and kicked it.Her body trembled with rage.

“You lying bastards! All of you will rot in hell!”

The Quinn family had gone to the Maldives.

Regardless of whether it was true or not, Natalie couldn’t get in touch with them.She had to think of a way to pay Hannah’s medical bills.

Perhaps God had sensed that Natalie needed money.

As soon as Natalie opened her browser, she saw an advertisement about a hospital looking for volunteers for clinical trials to come up with tumor drugs.

They were paying the subjects a thousand dollars for staying in the hospital for a few days and trying out the medicines.

In case the drug had repercussions on the subject’s body, they would get about ten to forty thousand dollars as compensation, depending on the seriousness of the problem. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for Natalie.

She was young and healthy.

Even if the medicines had any side effects, they wouldn’t harm her that much.

Sebastian averted his gaze.

“I rented this car.It’s your first day at work.I wanted to pick you up in this car.”

“Renting a luxury car for even just one day must have been expensive.Sebastian, I know you did it out of kindness, but you don’t have to do this for me.We have to accept the reality and live our lives,”

Natalie stuttered.

She was not the biological daughter of the Quinn family — but a simple girl who was used to living in poverty.

The situation was embarrassing.

She had been working hard to save up money to pay for Hannah’s medical expenses and meet her daily needs.

Even though Sebastian didn’t spend her money, it still broke her heart to see him waste it on unnecessary luxuries.

On second thought, she realized it was perhaps difficult for Sebastian to change his habit because he was used to living a lavish life.She couldn’t push him too hard.

Natalie handed the wallet back to Sebastian.

“Forget it.” She grinned happily.

“Today is my first day at work.I should celebrate it.You better save the money for yourself.I think you would also need money.”

She had married Sebastian as Cassie’s substitute.

Natalie had already deceived him and felt it would be unreasonable to spend his money as well.

“Great!”

She stretched her body and sighed with contentment.

“I have never been in a luxurious Lamborghini before.”

Sebastian sat beside her and looked at his wallet.He remained silent all the way.

The woman was different than he had thought.

The next morning Natalie took a bus to the company.

The long commute had exhausted her.

She had to get up early to reach the company on time.

“The director asked you to go to his office.”

One of her colleagues nudged Natalie’s shoulder as she yawned.

“Okay, I’ll be right there.”

Natalie hadn’t met the department director yet.

She had only heard that he was a talented designer.She entered the office and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her delicate face.

“Mr.Lyman, what can I do for you?”

Ike Lyman stood in front of his desk.

The man was in his thirties with an average height.He turned around to look at Natalie.His eyes widened with amazement when he saw the woman in front of him.

“Nice to meet you.I’m Ike Lyman,” he greeted, stretching out his hand.

“I went on a business trip a few days ago and just came back today.Welcome to the design department.”

“Thank you, Mr.Lyman.”

Natalie smiled and let go of his hand after shaking it.

Yesterday, a colleague complained that Ike was a harsh man.

However, he seemed kind and affable toward Natalie.

Perhaps he was yet to show his other side.

“If you have any doubts or problems regarding your work, you can always approach me.I’m in charge of all the design projects of our company.”

Ike narrowed his eyes and studied Natalie’s face.

The greediness in his eyes made Natalie squirm.It felt as if he was picturing her naked.

“Okay.”

Natalie left calmly, but her skin prickled with goosebumps as she stepped out of his office.

Natalie’s stomach flipped with unease as she recalled how Ike looked at her.

By the time she got home from work, it was already dark.

The commute took most of her time, and Natalie felt drained and exhausted.

As soon as Natalie returned home, she slumped on the sofa.

Sebastian was sitting by the window, sorting the documents.

Seeing Natalie, he closed the file and looked at her tired face.

“Why don’t we rent a house near your company? Your work is a long drive from here.Traveling to the company consumes most of your time.”

Natalie finally opened her eyes and looked at him.

“Forget it.The company is in the heart of the city.The houses there are expensive.I can’t afford it.”

“Leave it to me.I promise I will find you a comfortable house with affordable rent.”

Sebastian stepped closer and picked up the shoes that Natalie had casually thrown beside the sofa.

Natalie stood up, blinked, and thought for a while.lt would be great if she didn’t have to spend hours traveling on bus.

That way, she could have more time to work on her designs.

Besides, she could go to the hospital to visit Hannah during her spare time.

“Okay.Try to find a house with reasonable rent, okay?”

Natalie was busy every day at work and seldom had time for herself.Time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye because she was consumed with work.

“What a coincidence! How about we go back together?” Christopher stopped Natalie in front of the elevator.

Ever since Natalie joined the Larson Group, the two had been coincidentally meeting every day after work.

Sometimes, Natalie would meet Christopher even if she worked overtime.

“Chris, how come we meet every day after work?” Natalie asked, smiling.

Her biggest problem was not knowing to say no to people.

Just then, her phone blared in her bag.She took it and saw Sebastian’s name flashing on the screen.

Therefore, she quickly answered the call.

“What’s up?”

“I found a house.I’m in the cafe opposite your company.Let’s go and see the house together.”

Sebastian’s words were brief and concise.

She didn’t expect him to act fast.

Natalie put away her phone and looked at Christopher apologetically.

“I’m sorry, Chris.I have important work to do.I have to go now.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

Christopher smiled and watched Natalie scurry out.He couldn’t hear what the person on the other end of the line had said.

However, judging from the smile on her face, Christopher felt she shared a good bond with the caller.

When Christopher walked out of the building of the Larson Group, he saw Natalie and a tall man disappear into a corner.

The man was holding Natalie’s laptop bag.

Looking at the man’s side profile, Christopher felt he was a handsome man.

The house Sebastian had mentioned earlier was near the Larson Group.

It was a small apartment with two bedrooms, one living room, a bathroom, and a kitchen.

The location, neighborhood, and every aspect of the house seemed to work well for Natalie.

The tasteful decoration was an added advantage.

“Sebastian, the house has excellent lighting and is close to my company.It’s only ten minutes’ walk from the Larson Group.”

Natalie’s eyes twinkled with delight as she walked around the house.

However, the happiness vanished from her face in an instant.

Natalie arched an eyebrow in suspicion.

“This house is perfect in every way.The rent must be at least a thousand dollars, right? asked you to look for an affordable house.”

Sebastian looked at Natalie’s flustered face and smiled.

“The landlord wants to rent out this house as soon as possible for personal reasons.He is only charging two hundred bucks.”

Sebastian stroked the coins in his hand. He remembered seeing Natalie quarrel with her parents when he went to the Quinn family’s house.

They didn’t seem to get along with each other.

“What happened? Why are you nervous? Why do you freak out every time I mention your family?” Sebastian ruffled Natalie’s hair tenderly.

“How can I spend a woman’s money? You better use my money first.”

After a moment’s thought, Sebastian took out his wallet from his jacket pocket and placed it in Natalie’s hands.

“I’ve made some money working part-time in a shop for the past few days.”

Natalie looked at the wallet, and her bangs covered her pretty face.

Just as the two looked at each other in silence, they heard a voice dripping with sarcasm.

“It looks like you really have been living a miserable life.

You can’t even afford to take a taxi and have to take a bus home.”

Natalie turned in the direction of the voice and found a white BMW parked at the curb not far away.

Wearing cat-eye sunglasses and a_ figure-hugging strapless dress, Cassie sat in the car next to Steve.

She took off her sunglasses now, and smacked the gum she was chewing as she eyed Natalie and Sebastian.

“What, do you want a ride or something?” Cassie drawled.

“I suppose that’s fine, but make sure you wipe your shoes before you get in, or you’re going to dirty my babe’s new car.”

Natalie took out her phone and wordlessly rounded the car to take photos of its license plate.

When she straightened, she pointed at the road sign just up ahead.

“Didn’t you see that you’re not allowed to park here? If you don’t move right away, I’ll report you to the traffic enforcers.”

Steve’s ears burned with shame.He didn’t want to irritate Natalie with Cassie and had wanted to drive away immediately, but Cassie had stopped him.

Cassie crossed her arms over her chest and scoffed.

“Go ahead, then.We can pay the fine, no matter how much it is.I’m not like you, who probably can’t even afford to take a taxi.For all I know, you must be out here begging for alms, aren’t you? Like some piss-poor vagrant.Oh, wait.Now that I think about it, our dog does the same.”

Cassie’s harsh words cut deep into Natalie’s skin.She gritted her teeth and looked at her feet to keep herself from spouting bitter curses at the woman.

Natalie had worked hard to build herself up over time, yet her morale seemed to have crumbled in the blink of an eye.She felt as though she had regressed back to her younger, helpless self.

Natalie clenched her fists so hard that her nails almost cut into her palm.

It was all she could do to keep her tears at bay.

She couldn’t let anyone see her cry.

All of a sudden, Sebastian pulled her back and took her in his arms.

Her forehead was then pressed against his broad, warm chest.

Just then, a Lamborghini sped toward them, its engine roaring in the otherwise serene highway.

It screeched to a halt just a few feet behind the BMW.

“Whose car is this?”

Cassie’s boyfriend exclaimed.

“It’s a limited edition model!”

Even Steve couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows, thinking that the car was owned by some rich young master who wanted to show off his wealth as well as pick up girls.

Cassie craned her neck and stared at the Lamborghini in a similarly covetous fashion.

Very few people in the city—no, in the whole country—could afford this luxury car.

The BMW was nothing compared to this sleek Lamborghini.

The driver of the Lamborghini got out of said car, walked past the BMW, and stopped in front of Sebastian.

He gave a small bow and spoke in a respectful voice.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting, sir.Please get in the car.”

Cassie and her boyfriend were stunned speechless.

That punk actually owned the Lamborghini? But how was that even possible? Sebastian nodded at the driver and squeezed Natalie’s shoulder.

“Let’s go home,” he said softly.

Cassie glared at the scene unfolding in front of her, her nostrils flared in anger.

Just what kind of man had Natalie married? Natalie had been burrowing in Sebastian’s arms all this time.

When she finally looked up and spotted the Lamborghini, she froze and gaped.

“Sebastian…”

Her unblinking eyes never left the Lamborghini.

Sebastian was unfazed.He gently ushered Natalie into the backseat of the car.

They drove off without another word to Cassie and her beau.

When Natalie was looking away, Steve stole a glance at her and couldn’t help but feel sad.

He didn’t care about whoever Natalie had married, but he did regret losing her to his stupidity and immaturity.

Cassie noticed the tenderness on Steve’s face as he looked at Natalie and gritted her teeth in anger.

The reason why she had tried to seduce Steve in the first place was because she wanted to take something away from Natalie.

In truth, she didn’t give a damn about Steve.

But it looked like Natalie didn’t care about her supposed “loss” at all.

Plus, Steve seemed reluctant to leave Natalie, too.

So why would Cassie want to keep a man who loved someone else? It’d only make her feel bad in the long run.

Steve’s status was good, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy her.

After all, her ultimate goal was to marry into a rich and powerful family that controlled the city, such as the Klein family.

It went without saying that she needed to marry a man richer and more powerful than Steve.

So she wrinkled her nose at Steve in disgust and said, “Let’s break up.”

Steve looked at her blankly and didn’t respond at first.

But this only served to annoy Cassie even more.

She raised her voice and said, “Steve! I said I want to break up with you!”

This pulled Steve back to his senses and his jaw dropped in shock.

“Didn’t you say you were pregnant?”

Steve’s combined obsession with Natalie and his indifference towards Cassie when she brought up the topic of breakup made her angry beyond belief.

“That was because I didn’t want to marry the illegitimate son of the Klein family, you idiot! I lied to you! I’m not pregnant, okay?”

Steve felt a wave of relief.

His expression immediately relaxed, as though he had been granted amnesty.

“Okay, then let’s break up.You can get out of the car now.”

Steve’s reaction made Cassie even more furious.

“Why the hell would I do that?”

Steve smiled coldly and opened the door for her.

“We’re broken up.And this is my car.So get out.”

Cassie’s face contorted with anger, but she had no choice but to obey.

As soon as she stepped out, Steve slammed the door in her face and zoomed away, as though he was escaping from her evil clutches.

In his haste to get away, the car ran through a puddle, splashing dirty water on Cassie’s feet.

Gritting her teeth, she was so angry that she nearly screamed expletives into the sky.

Why? Why the hell couldn’t she compete with Natalie? She just couldn’t understand.

Meanwhile, Natalie was sitting on the luxurious and comfortable backseat of the Lamborghini.

It wasn’t until they had driven some distance that Natalie finally shook herself out of her daze.

She whirled at the man beside her, looking confused and mad, and perhaps a little scared.

“Sebastian! What the hell is going on?”

Christopher smiled, hiding the joy in his eyes.It had been several years since he last saw Natalie.

She was more beautiful and graceful than she was at school.Her eyes were bright like the stars, and her delicate features made him like her at a glance.

Christopher couldn’t deny that he had never forgotten her over the years.

But he didn’t take the initiative to ask her out right away.He had been very immature in college.

That was perhaps why Natalie had rejected him.He couldn’t stand another rejection.

Now that they worked in the same company, he felt he had the chance to win her heart.

“All right, let’s have dinner sometime so that you can return my favor, okay?”

“Okay.But I’m busy lately.How about next month?”

Natalie wanted to wait until she got her salary.She had to cover Hannah’s medical expenses, so she couldn’t afford to spend money on casual dinners.

Chester smiled.

“No hurry.I’m free any time.How about I show you around the company?”

“Okay.Thank you, buddy.”

The smile on her face vanished as she followed him into the elevator.

In the elevator stood another man who had a charming smile.

“We meet again, Miss Quinn.”

With a faint smile on his lips, Garrett glanced at Natalie and Christopher.

“Good morning, Mr.Harding,” Natalie lowered her head and greeted him respectfully.She didn’t expect to meet Garrett again so soon.

“Did you encounter any problems after that?” Garrett pressed the button to the tenth floor and smiled at Natalie.

Natalie didn’t expect him to ask about it.

After all, they had met only once.

The deputy CEO of the Larson Group seemed to care a lot about their employees.

“No.Everything’s fine.Thank you for asking, Mr.Harding.” Natalie smiled politely.

Garrett glanced at Christopher, who was standing beside Natalie.

“Who is this gentleman?”

“Mr.Harding, my name is Christopher Garrison.If she encounters any problem, I will help her.Please rest assured.”

Christopher’s eyes gleamed with concern as he looked at Natalie.

Garrett was a smart man.He could see everything clearly.

The smile on his face dropped in an instant.

Just then, the elevator door opened.

Garrett walked out with a meaningful look on his face.

Natalie and Christopher seemed to be close.

Garrett felt someone was going to be unhappy after knowing this.

When it was time to get off work, dark clouds blocked the sunlight, and the sky became gloomy. Natalie and Christopher walked out of the building, laughing together.

The handsome man and the beautiful woman seemed to attract the attention of the people around.

Everyone wondered if they were fashion models of the company.

Sebastian was sitting in a car at the corner of the street.His gaze was fixed on the two people afar.He didn’t look away until Natalie and Christopher disappeared out of sight.

“See? I didn’t lie to you.”

A smile emerged on Garrett’s face as he stirred up trouble with a sense of schadenfreude.

Sebastian couldn’t know why, but he was extremely upset.He opened the door and got out of the car.

“It’s none of your business.Stay out of it,” he snapped, his eyes blazing with rage.

After parting with Christopher, Natalie took a shortcut to the next street to catch the bus.

As soon as she entered an alley, someone patted her shoulder.

“Where are you going, babe?” called a cold voice.

The man’s voice sounded familiar.

Natalie turned around and saw Sebastian standing behind her.

“Gosh, how could you call me that way in a public place?” Natalie frantically looked around as a blush flamed her cheeks.

Fortunately, no one else heard him.

“I’m just talking to my wife.I didn’t break the law.”

Sebastian smiled and playfully pinched her cheek.Then, he took Natalie’s bag and walked beside her.

“What are you doing here?” Natalie changed the topic.

“I was just taking the same route and saw you walking with a man.I thought you were going to a hotel to have fun with him.”

Sebastian’s blatant words made her blush again.She was so angry that she slapped Sebastian’s shoulder.

“Don’t talk nonsense.Chris and I were schoolmates.Didn’t I tell you about Elaine a few days ago? I guess it was Chris who helped me get the job.”

Sebastian stopped in his tracks.Natalie’s words infuriated him.He had specially asked Garrett to deal with the issue, and the man had laughed at him for that.But in the end, she thought her schoolmate had helped her.Sebastian sneered at her.

“Christopher’s family isn’t powerful enough to influence the company’s decision.What makes you think the Larson Group hired you because of him or whatever he had said?”

“Whoa! Calm down.How could you be so sure? Do you know the Larson Group well?” Sebastian’s remarks amused her.She looked up at him and saw the unhappiness on his face.Her questions had rendered Sebastian speechless.

A frown lined his forehead — he couldn’t reveal more information.

“I often hang out with people who work there so I know a thing or two about it,” he said, trying to hide his disappointment.

“You’re a married woman.Even though we’re only a nominal couple, you still have to maintain a distance from other men.”

Sebastian’s possessiveness surprised her.

“Chris and I were schoolmates; now, we are colleagues.Our relationship won’t go beyond that.”

Biting her rosy lower lip, Natalie looked into Sebastian’s eyes.

Thinking that he might misunderstand her dynamic with Christopher, she explained, “I just met him when I walked out to get some coffee.We just hung together for a while — that’s it.”

Looking down at her head, Sebastian smiled and touched her silky hair.

“All right.I see.Don’t keep your head down.Look at the road.”

Natalie’s flushed cheeks somehow made her look prettier.

The two walked to the bus stop.

Natalie fumbled inside her bag, looking for coins.

Sebastian glanced at the rows of buses in front of him and asked, “Are we going home by bus?”

“Of course.Our home is a long drive from here.It’s too expensive to take a taxi home.”

Finally, she took out two coins from her wallet and placed them on Enoch’s palm.

“Here you are.”

Sebastian’s brows furrowed as he looked at the coins.

“You are the precious daughter of the Quinn family.Why are you hesitant to even take a taxi home?”

Sensing the suspicion in his tone, Natalie clutched the wallet tightly.She had almost forgotten that she was playing the role of spoiled Cassie now.

“I used to spend whatever money I have, so I don’t have any savings.I’ve been at odds with my parents lately, so I don’t want to ask them for money.I’m broke now,” she lied, hiding her nervousness.

Her eyelashes fluttered as she averted her gaze.

Sebastian walked into the house and found Natalie stretched out on the sofa, her eyes fixed on her laptop screen.

She had cucumber slices plastered to her face, and one of her hands was holding a large tumbler with a straw peeking out of its rim.

“You’re back? Have you eaten yet?”

She had heard him arrive, yet she just couldn’t bear to miss a second of the TV series she was watching.

Sebastian found her endearing.

“I already had dinner with a friend,” he said softly.

Noticing that her long, slender legs were bare, he quietly fetched the gray blanket from the sofa and draped it over them before plopping down next to her.

“How did your job interview go?” Natalie perked up.

She closed her laptop, then grabbed the cucumber pieces from her face and popped them into her mouth.

“You won’t believe what I’m about to say,” she said seriously.

But Sebastian already knew everything.

Chuckling under his breath, he leaned back and listened intently as Natalie recounted the day’s events.

“Maybe the company just values your talents,” Sebastian said lightly when she was done.

“I saw your resume yesterday, and even I think that you have excellent skills.”

Natalie had been looking forward to his shocked face, so she was caught off-guard by his reaction.

Sebastian didn’t seem the slightest bit surprised.

“Maybe,” she murmured.

In the end, Natalie brushed it off, thinking that the gravity of the situation might be beyond his understanding.

She opened her laptop again, meaning to carry on with her series.

But then she paused at the last minute, and looked back at Sebastian.

He was reading a magazine beside her, looking all relaxed and unbothered.

His jacket had faded into a dull yellow color, and his jeans were worn-out, but his face more than made up for his clothes.

If she didn’t know better, she would have even thought they were from vintage designer brands and he had dressed this way on purpose.

“Sebastian,” Natalie said, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“What on earth is it that you do?”

All she knew about him, apart from his name, was that he had this small house, a deceased mother, and the Klein family that had abandoned him for being a bastard child.

When it came down to it, she knew virtually nothing at all.

Moreover, he always went out early in the morning and came home late in the evening.

He often looked tired, too, which could mean that he was toiling rather hard throughout the day.

Sebastian put down the magazine he was reading and picked up a different one from the coffee table.

‘I’m something of a part-time worker.I do odd jobs here and there.”

He paused then, as if an idea had just occurred to him.He lifted his eyes and looked at Natalie sharply.

“I’m afraid I don’t have a stable job.Do you think you’ll grow to resent me for it?”

“Of course not,” she replied without a second’s hesitation.

Natalie didn’t care about these things; she just happened to ask out of mild interest.

‘I’m awfully poor and she’s okay with it?’ Sebastian was taken aback by her response.

His eyes gradually softened.

He cleared his throat and was about to tell her that he would work hard in order to earn more in the future, but the woman beside him beat him to the punch.

“In any case, we’re nothing more than a couple in name.I didn’t actually expect you to support me.Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

Sebastian’s grip tightened on the magazine.

“I see,” he said after a while, his voice low and cold.

Natalie peered at him, confused at the sudden shift in his mood.

It was he who had proposed a contractual marriage in the first place, and she had just said that she wouldn’t take his circumstances against him.

What was he so displeased about?

Natalie attended the second round of the interview on the date the Larson Group had assigned and successfully passed it.

At the end of the month, she received an offer.

The Larson Group had two separate buildings in the city.

The design department was on the seventeenth floor of the first building.

It housed a talented team of designers who possessed exceptional skills and experience.

All the designers had graduated from well-reputed universities with flying colors.

Natalie believed the Larson Group would be the ideal place to start her career.

Before going upstairs, Natalie went to a convenience store near the company to buy coffee.

“Miss, your change is on the floor.”

Someone nudged her shoulder from behind.

“Oh, thank you.”

Natalie turned around, took the money from the man, and put it into her bag.

“You’re welcome.” The voice sounded familiar.

Natalie looked up and met the man’s gaze.

Her eyes widened in astonishment.

“Chris?”

“What a coincidence!”

The man looked equally surprised.He had black hair and brown eyes that twinkled with glee.He was wearing a navy blue shirt and suit pants.

A laptop bag was casually slung on his shoulder.

Although he didn’t seem handsome and eye-catching at first glance, he was tall and graceful.

Natalie never thought that she would meet Christopher Garrison – her senior from college who had a deep crush on her — here, in a convenient store like this.

They had never met after she graduated from college.

Natalie was not interested in a relationship back then, so she politely refused Christopher’s advances.

The two parted ways in harmony, so she didn’t feel embarrassed to meet him now.

“Do you also work in the Larson Group?”

Holding a cup of coffee in her hand, Natalie walked out of the convenience store and looked at Christopher’s ID card hanging around his neck.

No wonder Elaine was so hostile to her.

It turned out that Christopher also worked here.

“Yes, I worked as an intern in the Larson Group when I was in college, so I joined the company right after graduation.You work in the design department?” Christopher asked, smiling.

“Yes.It’s my first day at work.”

The two chatted along the way.

Apparently, Christopher worked in a different department and held a higher position in the company.

She wondered if Christopher had stood up for her when Elaine rejected her application.

The Garrison family was also a wealthy and powerful family.

When they were in college, the information about all wealthy students was printed on the university forum, and Christopher was one among them. That was perhaps why the company listened to him and gave her another chance.

“Thank you, Chris.” Natalie smiled gratefully.

Thinking that she was thanking him for picking her coins, Christopher chuckled.

“It’s not a big deal.Why do you always feel grateful even for a small favor?”

Natalie smiled, revealing her dimples.

“I just don’t want to owe favors to anyone.”

In the past, Natalie had deliberately kept a distance from him at college after he proposed to her.

A few years had already passed, and Christopher had just helped her, so Natalie felt much closer to him than before.

Elaine gingerly got to her feet, her fear showing on her face.She hadn’t expected to cause such a commotion, all because she had rejected an applicant.

Who was this woman, anyway? As far as anyone could tell, Natalie was clearly a nobody.

More than a dozen heads turned to Elaine, waiting for her response.

“I—I,” she stammered.

“I heard it from the others.When she was in university, she had sex with a-no, with several male students, and… In any case, they said that she is not innocent and sweet as it appears.She-“.

“Think carefully before you speak,”

Garrett interrupted, his tone sharp.

“Who did you hear it from? Give us the names of your informants, of the people involved, as well as the time and place of these incidents prove these claims.We must clear this matter up once and for all.I don’t want to find out later on that you were judging potential candidates for the company based on hearsay.

It’s easy enough to investigate whether you are telling the truth or not.You will have to take responsibility for every word you say today.I don’t think I have to remind you, Elaine, that there’s a fine line between gossip and slander.It can easily turn into a legal matter entirely.

In addition to that, you failed your duties as an interviewer by treating Miss Quinn with bias.You know very well that it’s against the company’s rules to let the newly-graduated applicants take the advanced examination meant for professional designers with years of experiences.”

Elaine froze.She gritted her teeth and glared at the two other interviewers.

It seemed that Garrett had already investigated this matter thoroughly, and he was dead serious about the consequences.

There was no way she could save herself with a few measly lies.

But the Larson Group discarded dozens, if not hundreds, of hopeful applicants every day.

She really couldn’t see what was so special about Natalie.

Why would a powerful man like Garrett go out of his way to personally handle something so trivial? At this point, Elaine decided to face the situation head-on.

She lifted her chin, her eyes burning with resentment and defiance.

“I have no evidence.I only heard the rumors.I disliked her on the spot and didn’t want her to work in the company, and that’s why I said that she has a moral issue.”

The amiable expression on Garrett’s face disappeared, turning cold.

“You made a subjective conjecture about another person based on rumors, and because of your personal feelings, you slandered and insisted on eliminating a perfectly capable applicant.In doing so, you almost cost the company a competent employee.It is obvious that you are unfit for a position in the Human Resources Department.The only person of moral issues here is you.Elaine Sellers, you are fired.”

A tense silence descended over the room.

All the color drained from Elaine’s place.

“I’m so sorry, Mr.Harding!” she immediately begged.

“I know I was wrong.I’ve realized my mistakes.It was all my fault.Please, I’ve been working for the Larson Group since I graduated from university.Please, I beg you, let me go this once.If only for the sake of my years of hard work in the company.”

Her desperation was written all over her face.

The Larson Group was a leading enterprise in the field of design, after all.

It hadn’t been easy for her to get into the company in the first place.

She had even bragged about it to everyone she knew.

More importantly, if word got out that she had been fired by the Larson Group, she might not be able to land a job in the industry again.

Elaine’s career would be ruined for good.

Unfortunately for her, Garrett didn’t care.He ignored her and turned to his assistant.

“Call security and have them take Elaine Sellers out of the building.” A small ruckus ensued.

Only when the guards had dragged Elaine away did the meeting room fall into another silence.

Garrett’s eyes darted toward Natalie.

Finally, he could observe this clever and talented woman at his leisure.

“Miss Quinn,” he said kindly, “you may continue your application process if you like.I have read your resume.You meet the requirements that the Larson Group has set for new graduates.”

Natalie gaped at him for a few seconds.

When she finally came back to her senses, all she could manage was a thoughtless nod.

“I see.Okay.Thank you.”

She couldn’t wrap her head around it.

Thankfully, Garrett spoke again, or she would have remained there, dazed and lost.

“Thank you again for coming today,” he said, flashing her a smile.

“I have another meeting, so I will be leaving first.”

He got to his feet and the rest of the men followed suit.

Garrett was at the door when he suddenly turned and winked at Natalie.

He appeared to be interested in her.

“It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Miss Quinn.I look forward to seeing you again.”

Once they had left, the female interviewer with chestnut hair came over and patted Natalie on the shou And then she left before Natalie could say anything.

Now all by herself, Natalie gripped the armrests of her chair, as if to ground herself and make sure that everything was real.

When she stood up a while later, she felt like she was stepping on clouds, weightless and free.

She was just as confused as she had been when she had first arrived, if not more so.

What the heck had just happened? Why did her failed interview draw so much attention, and from the VP of the company, no less?

A black Bugatti slowly ground to a halt outside the yard.The area was remote, with only a handful of shabby houses in sight.

A luxury car was decidedly out of place in such a scene.

The man in the backseat put aside a stack of documents he had been perusing, then changed from his svelte, tailored suit to an old jacket.

Sean twisted around to look at his boss, who had been going through so much trouble traveling back and forth every day.

“You used to come here only once or twice a year, Boss,” Sean pointed out.

“You have villas all over the city.You can just move into in one of them with your wife.Why do you bother going to this dump every single day?” Sebastian threw him a cold glance.

“You’ve been awful talkative lately.Do you have so much time in your hands? If you have nothing better to do, you might as well clean up and tend to these other villas of mine.”

Sean immediately shut up and looked away.

Sebastian got out of the car.

Once he was out of sight, Sean slapped his own cheek, muttering, “You blabbermouth.You spoke too much.”

Enoch ripped off a sheet of paper towel and handed it to her.

“Go ahead and do your thing.I’ll clean up over here.”

He didn’t want her to get injured due to his own carelessness.It didn’t take long for Sebastian to finish tidying things up.

When he was done, he wiped his hands and walked out of the kitchen, only to pause at the scene that greeted him.

The floor was absolutely spotless, and the huge windows were wide open, letting in beams of light and the refreshing afternoon breeze.

The previously messy cabinets and shelves had all been arranged neatly as well.

Wild daisies and irises adorned what was once an empty and dusty vase on the dining table.

Several potted plants popped up here and there, giving the house an artistic vibe that was edgy and refreshing at the same time.

“What do you think? It feels different, doesn’t it? The house was clean enough before, but it was dull and a little depressing.It needed some life kicked back into it.”

Natalie was standing by one of the windows.She had a bright smile on her face and a bottle of soda in her hand.

Why was she so pleased, anyway, when she had to make do with such a small house? Nevertheless, her cheerful mood was infectious.

A soft smile appeared in Sebastian’s eyes.

He reached out to the wild daisies, taking a soft white petal between his fingertips.

“You’re right.It does feel different.Just like it did in the past.”

His mother had liked to put flowers on the table, too.

Although they’d been dirt poor, she had managed to brighten up their lives with these tiny, trifling details.

Sebastian hadn’t had a proper home since his mother had died.

For the first time in as long as he could remember, he finally had a place he could call a true home.

“Your mother must have loved life very much,”

Natalie remarked, studying him out of the corner of her eye.

Sebastian’s expression tuned much tender as he thought of his departed mother.

“Not your mother-in-law? Are you still getting used to the fact that I am your husband now?”

He tried to sound nonchalant as he opened the fridge.He soon realized that Natalie had taken the last bottle of drink they had.

“I… I’ll be careful next time.”

It was true that she had yet to get accustomed to the fact that they were married.She hadn’t thought much about it when she spoke.

Had she offended him, by chance? Natalie was mulling her words with regret when her soda was suddenly snatched out of her hands.

The next thing she knew, he was tipping it up against his lips.

“No! I already drank,”

Her words caught in her throat as she watched Sebastian touch his lips to the same spot where hers had been.She was mesmerized at the way his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he drank the whole bottle.

As for Sebastian, he was too thirsty to care about anything else.

It occurred to him then that he had something else to do.

He took out his phone and glanced at the time, then tapped Natalie’s forehead with the now empty bottle.

“I’ll be leaving now.I have matters to deal with this evening.Don’t wait up for me.”

For some reason, the atmosphere had grown quiet and intimate.

Natalie’s hand shot up to touch the place he had tapped, her ears hot.

Even as Sebastian disappeared through the door, she remained frozen in place, still thinking about their indirect kiss just now.

The next morning.

Natalie woke up to shrill ringing of her alarm clock.She got up and padded to the kitchen.

On her way, she noticed the slight depression on the sofa.

Sebastian had obviously spent the night there, and it seemed like he had already gone out for the day.

Natalie sighed and thought nothing more of it.She was going to have another interview today, and not much time to get herself ready.

Later, she was on the subway on her way to the company when she received an email.

It was from the Larson Group.

Natalie was quite surprised.She hurriedly opened the mail and found herself reading a formal apology.

The email said that the notice of her failure at the interview had been withdrawn, and that the Larson Group was inviting for another one.

“How is this possible?” Natalie murmured, confused.

“I’ve never heard of a failure notice being withdrawn before.”

Even so, she decided to give it another shot and went to the Larson Group.

The receptionist ushered her to the meeting room and motioned for her to enter.

As soon as she stepped inside, all eyes fell on Natalie.

It gave her a momentary fright, but she calmed herself and mustered a smile.

“I apologize.I’m afraid I’ve come to the wrong place.”

But before she could turn and get out of there, a voice called out, “You’re in the right place, Miss Quinn.Please come in and have a seat.Now that she looked closer, Natalie recognized her.She was one of the interviewers yesterday, the woman with straight, chestnut colored hair.She must not be mistaken, then.

Natalie swallowed and cautiously moved forward.What was going on?

“Hello, Miss Quinn.I’m Garrett Harding from the Larson Group.We invited you here today because we wanted to deal with some problems that occurred in yesterday’s interview.”

The one who spoke was a handsome man in a tailored suit.He was sitting right in the middle of the long table, and he was eyeing Natalie carefully.His silver-rimmed glasses made him look like the typical boy next door, charming and friendly.

It helped that he also had a mole at the outer corner of his eye.

Garrett Harding? Why did he have to do with all of this? Natalie had only ever seen him in financial news and magazines.He was the vice president of the Larson Group, as well as a notorious playboy.

Back at university, a lot of her female classmates were so enamored by him.

They had been shameless and vocal about their fantasies to be his lover, and they eventually went on to try their luck in landing a job at the Larson Group.

“I see,” Natalie said now, not really seeing anything.

She still had no idea what was happening here.

And then she noticed that Elaine was also present, albeit looking like rather distressed.She looked up and gave Natalie a glare filled with hatred.

Natalie only looked away.She didn’t know why Elaine had just done that, either.She was absolutely clueless.

Garrett pressed his glasses against the bridge of his nose and glanced at either side of the table.

Seeing that everyone was there, he cleared his throat and spoke in a gentle but clear voice.

“All right, let’s get down to the matter at hand.Elaine, you rejected Miss Quinn on the grounds that she had moral issues, but we cannot simply take your word for it.Now, kindly tell us in detail what exactly is wrong with Miss Quinn’s character.It is only fair that you clarify things face-to-face, with us as your witnesses.”