Chapter 436 The One I Love Must Be By My Side
Sebastian was stoked, but deep down, a flicker of panic crept in.
That panic didn't last long, though, swallowed up by the joy of Isabella forgiving him.
With a swift move, Sebastian wrapped his arm around Isabella's waist and pulled her close to his chest.
"Won't happen again," he rasped. "No next time, I swear."
Isabella's face was smushed against his chest, and she could hear his heart pounding like crazy.
His heart was racing.
And soon enough, her heartbeat started to match his pace.
Her heart was a mix of joy, but those feelings of confusion, hurt, and anger were still lurking in the background.
Just waiting for the right moment to blow up.
Isabella felt a weird sense of unease.
"By the way," she pushed him away and asked, "Why didn't you tell me about Betty donating her heart to your mom?"
Even though she was pissed, she kept it real, "You know if I'd known, I might've cut you some slack."
"But would you really? Isn't that a tough call?" Sebastian shot back.
Isabella was caught off guard, not expecting that from him.
She bit her lip, and after a bit, she gave a bitter smile, "Do you think it doesn't hurt me to know that you lied to me?"
"I never wanted you to find out," Sebastian frowned. "If you don't know, it won't hurt."
It took her a moment, then she stomped on his foot. And for good measure, she stomped again.
"You think I'm an idiot!" The whole lying thing made her anger flare up, a fire burning in her chest. "Your plan backfired! Not only do I know you lied, but I also know about Betty's sacrifice for your mom!"
"Now my pain's doubled!"
Isabella closed her eyes, a bitter smile on her face. "In the end, I still have to let Lynda go."
"If I'd known this was coming, you didn't need to hide it from me." She let out a long breath, and when she opened her eyes, they were red. "Letting Lynda go hurts. But your lies and deceit hurt more."
Sebastian opened his mouth to speak, but Isabella put two fingers on his lips, stopping him. "Don't say sorry, it's the most useless word," she said. "What's done is done, and the scars in my heart won't just vanish."
Sebastian's heart clenched.
"But I still let her go and forgave you," Isabella went on.
"In this game, I'm still the loser. Your life is important, really important. My grievances are nothing compared to your life."
In the end, the pain of letting Lynda go was less than the hurt from Sebastian's lies.
Both were nothing compared to the thought of losing Sebastian.
Even though he did it on purpose, he wouldn't get himself killed.
She got it, but Isabella was just that vulnerable.
For love, for the kids, for the family, Isabella compromised.
Honestly, she always knew she'd be the one to back down in the end.
The result proved her right.
Maybe it was 'cause their feelings weren't on the same level; Sebastian's love just didn't match hers.
Some things, Isabella didn't dare to dig into. She cleared her throat and said, "You should head out."
Raising her eyebrows, she pointed to Sebastian's chest. "You're still bleeding, let the nurse come and fix it up."
Sebastian shook his head, staying put, his eyes locked on Isabella's face.
He said hoarsely, "These past few days, I've been sneaking peeks at you. Let me look a little longer."
Isabella's heart was racing, but not as wild as before their big blow-up.
She wanted to laugh, to tease him, to flirt back, but it felt like she'd lost those moves.
"Okay," she replied, "I'll be quick."
Isabella turned around and started washing up.
Sebastian stood behind her, watching her reflection in the mirror.
Ignoring the wound on his chest, he opened his arms, wrapped them around her waist from behind, and rested his head on her shoulder.
Isabella's washing paused. "Let go, you'll hurt yourself."
"No," Sebastian stayed put, his voice rough, "Let me hold you. I'll be careful."
Isabella kept washing up, but her movements were gentler.
Sebastian could feel that all these little things were Isabella's way of showing love.
He wished he could embed Isabella deep into his bones and blood.
"Isabella," Sebastian said softly, "I'm not like Joshua. The person I love has to stay by my side, held tight, not allowed to leave even a step."
Even if there was no love, even if there were fights, she had to stay by his side, never allowed to leave.
He was so selfish.
The person he loved had to have her name engraved on their tombstone.
Once he had someone, there was no escape.
Sebastian had always been cunning. Stabbing himself was nothing to him.
If he could hold Isabella in his arms again, then he won.
He'd been in the business world long enough to know that the result mattered, not the process, as long as the means were effective.
Isabella could hear the danger in Sebastian's words, but she was drawn to another meaning hidden within.
"Joshua?" she asked, "What do you mean? Does he love Brittany?"
Sebastian didn't even lift his eyes, he shot back, "Can't you tell?"
"Of course not," Isabella said, "I don't think he can love Brittany the way you love me."
Sebastian lay on Isabella's shoulder, turned his head, tilted his head, and frowned, "I can even give my life to you."
Isabella really wanted to say, 'You didn't give me your life, did you?'
After thinking about it, she decided to stay quiet. She thought, 'Who knows what crazy thing Sebastian might do?'
She smoothly changed the topic, saying, "Let's get back to Joshua."
Thinking of the baby in Brittany's belly, Isabella hesitated for a few seconds and asked, "You say he loves Brittany, then why did he do those things? Could it be he has some hidden reason?"
If there was a hidden reason, maybe the baby in Brittany's belly could be saved, and Brittany wouldn't have to suffer so much.
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