Chapter 121 You Seem to Have Fallen for Isabella
Joshua chuckled, "Go on, Sebastian. Why did you stop? Tell me, you never loved Isabella, not even for a moment."
Sebastian lowered his gaze, lit up a cigarette, and took several deep puffs. "I can walk away unscathed. Whereas you, Joshua, are destined to be trapped by Brittany and can never turn back."
"Are you sure you can walk away unscathed and stand firm on your principle of marrying Isabella, without wavering?"
"I'm sure."
Joshua also took out a cigarette from the box in front of him. He said, "Perhaps I can look forward to the day you regret your decision."
"What do you mean?"
"You seem to have fallen for Isabella," Joshua threw the lighter cap onto the table, "You dare not admit it, nor allow yourself to entertain such thoughts."
Sebastian immediately denied, "What nonsense are you spouting!"
"We've been friends for many years," Joshua looked at him, "I know what's going on in your mind. Likewise, I can easily see through my own desires."
"It's impossible."
Joshua just shrugged his shoulders, "Believe it or not, it's up to you."
Sebastian looked at the slowly burning cigarette, flicked off some excess ash, remained silent for a long time, and then changed the topic, asking, "Are you really getting engaged?"
"Yeah. At the end of next month."
"Have you thought it through? You'll truly lose her."
"I have already lost her," Joshua said, "She will never forgive me. In Brittany's eyes, I'm nothing more than a cheating, heartless scumbag who played with her emotions and made her the subject of ridicule."
"I've never quite understood why you orchestrated such a plot to force Brittany to break up with you," Sebastian looked at him, "You kept it even from me."
"You'll understand later."
"But why can't you say it now?"
Joshua laughed, "Some things are better left unsaid."
"And you're not disgusted?" Sebastian extinguished the cigarette in his hand, "Deliberately drinking the wine spiked with Nicole's drug and sleeping in the same bed, embracing each other."
"A performance needs to be believable. Mr. Lawrence, wasn't that what you taught me?"
"Fine, I'm leaving," Sebastian got up and walked away swiftly, lengthening his stride, "Hopefully, you won't regret what you're doing now."
"Same goes for you," Joshua said.
Sebastian's footsteps paused briefly, then he left the meeting room even faster.
Joshua looked at the cigarette between his fingertips.
In truth... he was disgusted too, but he had no choice but to do this. He needed to use Nicole to achieve his goals.
He tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and exhaled a long stream of smoke.
Sebastian returned to his office and glanced at Kaine, "Where is she?"
"Um, Mr. Lawrence, didn't Madame go to the meeting with you?"
"She didn't come back?"
"No."
Sebastian grunted coldly and slammed the office door shut.
Kaine rubbed his nose... What's going on now?
Ignoring Sebastian's murderous gaze, Isabella slipped away from under his nose in a brazen manner; she definitely wouldn't go back so easily.
She and Brittany huddled in the cafe’ across the street.
Brittany drank black coffee without milk or sugar, looking bitter just by appearance.
"What happened between you and Sebastian?" Brittany asked, "Something seems off today."
"Whenever was something right between us?"
Brittany smiled slightly, "No, it's different from before."
Isabella became dazed, "Really?"
"When you used to look at Sebastian, there was a light in your eyes. That's why I was so certain that you had fallen for him. But today, that light was very faint, as if it's about to go out."
Isabella also laughed, "It would be great if it could go out. But... it should be soon."
"Between you and him..."
"Lynda came back." Isabella picked up her coffee, took a sip, and frowned from the bitterness.
"That's how it is."
Black coffee, she used to dislike it, wouldn't even touch it. But now, she's gradually become fond of the taste.
Still bitter, but very fragrant, filling her lips and teeth with the flavor of coffee.
Brittany sighed, "I said she would come back soon, but I didn't expect... so soon."
"Do you know about me and the Lawrence family?"
"I've heard." Brittany nodded, "People in New York are gossiping about it in private. They're saying that this time Sebastian wants to make an example and warn those who belittle and look down on you."
"But the Lawrence family has shown Lynda kindness." Isabella said, "Yesterday, she came to Willow Brook Estate to plead."
"She went to Sebastian for help?"
"No, she came to me, hoping I would forgive her."
Brittany looked at her in astonishment, "Lynda... did that?"
Isabella smiled, "Very cunning, isn't she?"
"She is. On the surface, she sought you, but in reality, she wanted Sebastian to choose between helping her or helping you."
"I don't have any hopes anymore." Isabella shrugged, "In Sebastian's heart, I can never compare to Lynda."
Brittany replied, "But what if? After all, what Bob did to you..."
"It will only cause trouble and won't benefit Sebastian. Besides, do you know about me being bound and thrown into the wilderness?"
Brittany looked down, stirring her coffee, her eyes seeming to avoid something, "I've heard that Sebastian mobilized many people to find you. New York was almost turned upside down by him."
"The situation has gone topsy-turvy."
"Brittany, you don't have to hide; I won't blame you. I'm not foolish. How could a complete stranger inexplicably target me? That person was just a scapegoat."
Brittany paused with the spoon in her hand. "You... you knew all along?"
"I had a hunch, but I kept quiet," Isabella replied. "With the Lawrence family's current situation, I want to see if Sebastian will turn a blind eye like he did last time."
"Isabella..."
"It's alright," Isabella looked at her. "Really, everything's fine. I don't want to ask about anything else. I'm just curious about Lynda."
"You want to know about Lynda?"
"Yes."
Brittany glanced around; there were few people drinking coffee at this hour.
She lowered her voice. "Actually, I don't know much about Lynda either. I only know that she's not well and loves sticking close to Sebastian. She's tall and thin."
"Not well?"
Isabella remembered Sebastian saying those words to Lynda when she was present.
"Yes, she's constantly going to the hospital and eventually went abroad for treatment," Brittany said. "But in reality, the Lawrence family doesn't approve of her. Sebastian sent her overseas to protect her."
"Lynda... she's a clever woman, right?"
"Clever, yes. Otherwise, how could she hold Sebastian's heart for so long? She even made Sebastian go against the Lawrence family for her sake."
The coffee tasted too bitter to Isabella, more bitter than Chinese herbal medicine, bitter to the core of her heart.
Brittany reminded her, "Isabella, it's best if you don't have any direct conflicts with her."
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