Chapter 270 Sebastian's Mother Also Has a Heart Condition
Isabella's teeth were chattering; she retracted her hand and pushed against Sebastian's chest, trying to get some distance. His body was so warm, and the heat was transferring to Isabella, making her feel even hotter.
"I have other questions for you. Please move; I can't... I can't breathe properly."
Sebastian remained unmoved, persistently asking, "Are you happy? Tell me directly."
The heat made Isabella's eyes redden and mist over with tears. Under Sebastian's intense gaze, she pursed her lips and let out a faint sound of acknowledgment.
She was happy, truly happy, and didn't want to lie or deceive. But thinking it was all just a dream…
It was just an illusion, Sebastian getting lost in the act, wanting to hear what he longed for, so she just said it.
However, Sebastian took her seriously. A smile danced at the corner of his eyes; though Lawrence's lips were pursed, the upward twitch was unmistakable. He couldn't control it.
Since childhood, he had been taught to keep a poker face, to remain calm and composed. But in the end, he didn't know how to express joy, to show love.
Sebastian tried his best to manage his expressions, saying in a serious tone, "Hmm, I could guess that. It should be like that."
Isabella's breath quickened, feeling as if she was caught between ice and fire.
On one hand, she was acutely aware that all of this was just Sebastian's façade while, on the other, she couldn't calm her wildly beating heart.
Sebastian's acting was so convincing; it looked as if... as if he truly liked her.
Isabella was lost in thought when Sebastian, who had been lying beside her without any warning, grabbed her arm, causing her to jump in fright.
"Ah! Sebastian, what are you doing?" Her voice was frantic, and then Sebastian's hands gripped her waist, pulling her to kneel on his abdomen.
"Speak up, what do you want to ask me?" Sebastian leaned back on the pillow, toying with the ribbon on Isabella's pajamas, gazing deeply into her eyes. He wore a loose-fitting black robe that revealed a lot of skin.
Isabella blushed, feeling her heart pound in torment.
At that moment, she wanted to cry, to cry hard; if this was real, if this terrible man truly treated her this way, it would be bliss.
It would be sweeter than falling into a honey jar.
Isabella looked ahead for a couple of seconds, steadying her breath before she looked down to meet Sebastian's gaze and said, "I saw earlier... there's a photo on the bookshelf, of you and a distinguished-looking lady. Is that you and your mom?"
She had claimed to have a question before just to stall Sebastian, to keep him from making any rash moves.
Unexpectedly, not only did Sebastian remember, but he also pressed her on it, so she had to come up with this question.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow, "Hmm?"
"That photo," Isabella said, turning and gesturing toward the cabinet.
"That's not the right way to ask," Sebastian said coolly, "Try again."
Isabella's face heated up. She had to admit, that Sebastian knew how to flirt. She rephrased her question: "Is... is that a photo of you with... with your mom?"
Sebastian held Isabella's hand, prodding it gently, "Yes."
"Oh," Isabella sensed Sebastian's melancholy and swiftly changed the subject. "I'm going to freshen up."
But Sebastian didn't let go of her hand, "Talk to me."
Isabella watched him, "You were saying."
But Sebastian closed his eyes and didn't speak for a long time.
Isabella thought he was teasing her and struggled to get up.
She then heard Sebastian's indifferent voice, "My mother had a tough life. She was born with a heart defect. My grandparents told me, she practically had no childhood, and couldn't run or laugh without fear."
Isabella was taken aback; she hadn't expected that Sebastian's mother, like Lynda, also suffered from congenital heart disease.
No wonder Sebastian adored Lynda unconditionally; perhaps part of the reason was he projected the care for his mother onto Lynda.
"When she was ten, she had surgery that appeared to have promising results," he continued without any inflection in his voice.
"But the year I was born, her illness came back. Later, someone donated, and she underwent a heart transplant, which helped her hold on for a few more years. Then, when she became pregnant again, she refused to terminate it and gave birth to Amber Lawrence.
"After that, within a few years, she...” His magnetic voice suddenly stopped.
Listening, Isabella's heart felt as if it was being sliced open, aching for him as well as for herself.
By now, she fully understood why Sebastian couldn't bear the thought of Lynda having children.
He was frightened by his traumatic past, scared something might happen to Lynda, but Isabella had become the unintended victim.
Isabella quietly watched him, saying nothing.
"My relationship with my father has always been cold, probably because I blamed him for letting my mother have two children." Sebastian closed his eyes, his brows furrowed tightly, "Of course, I'm more to blame. Without me, she would not have had a relapse."
His words were bereft of emotion, flat and raspy. With each word he uttered, Isabella felt a stab in her heart.
For a moment, all that remained was her compassion for Sebastian. She smoothed the furrow between Sebastian's brows.
"It's not your fault," said Isabella, "It was a mother's choice."
After offering that consolation, Isabella awkwardly withdrew her hand and slid off of him, "I'm going to freshen up."
She turned over, her back to Sebastian, preparing to get out of bed. Sebastian wrapped his arms around her from behind, causing Isabella to pause.
With a slight stubble on his chin, he leaned close to her shoulder and whispered, "Isabella, I’ve never mentioned this to anyone else. Keep it a secret."
"And, you have to... feel for me even more, love me more." His breath was close to her ear, tickling, rendering half of Isabella’s body numb.
At that moment, Sebastian was fragile and lonely, almost like a child.
Isabella suddenly felt as if a feather had brushed against her heart, a peculiar sensation spreading throughout her entire body.
With her eyes wide open, Isabella bit her lip hard. Despite this, she couldn't hold back the overwhelming sympathy in her heart, and she said, "Okay."
She knew he was deceiving her, lying, seeking her sympathy and pity, yet she still agreed to him.
Isabella was fully aware that her love for Sebastian had grown stronger than ever before, deepening day by day. As she loved him, the irony and self-mockery within her also intensified.
Sebastian's arms tensed as he pulled Isabella closer as if trying to meld her into his body.
His voice raspy, he said, “Isabella, you must follow through with your promise. I can't guarantee what the punishment will be if you deceive me, and whether you can handle it."
Isabella had the feeling that Sebastian was serious.
She opened her mouth, intending to ask him for an answer to this question. But then, the man behind her began to breathe more steadily, slipping into a light sleep.
The nearly spoken words got trapped in her throat, and she never managed to ask them.
Sebastian's grip was too strong, Isabella couldn't break free, so she closed her eyes. The shoulders behind her, broad and reassuring, soon lulled her to sleep.
The two of them slept in an embrace, the atmosphere harmonious and warm.
The next morning, Sebastian woke up before Isabella did.
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