Sebastian didn't think too much of my explanation and nodded. "That's good. We're getting married, so it's time to buy some new furniture and decorations."

I felt a little guilty, but I didn't let it show. I quickly changed the topic. "Why are you back so soon this time?"

Sebastian didn't suspect anything and explained, "I finished dealing with things, so I came back earlier than expected."

He gave me a meaningful gaze, with a hint of guilt in his eyes. "Joan, I've been too busy with work and neglected you. I'll make it up to you this time."

Stunned, I didn't know how to respond to him. Sebastian grabbed my hand and said, "Come on, I'll take you somewhere."

I felt doubtful and confused, but I still followed him into the car. Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a massive estate.

I was surprised when I recognized that this was the exclusive private club in the city. Only the elite could access a place like this.

"Why are we here?" I asked in confusion. Sebastian gave me a slight smile. "There's a gathering tonight, and I wanted to bring you with me."

My heart was touched. I knew how busy he was. It was rare for him to take time off and accompany me to a banquet.

Throughout the event, Sebastian stayed by my side the entire time, introducing me to important figures of elite society.

Many women took the initiative to approach Sebastian, but he rejected them all. His eyes were only on me. Meanwhile, Cassandra also arrived at the banquet venue. She was dressed in designer clothes, looking beautiful and radiant.

"Mr. Ford, long time no see," she greeted him while throwing me a provocative glance. "Can I invite you to a dance? I'm sure Ms. Robinson wouldn't mind, would you?"

Before I could open my mouth to speak, Sebastian had already shook his head coldly. "I'm sorry, I only want to spend time with my girlfriend tonight."

An unpleasant feeling surfaced in my heart when I saw the firm expression on his face.

If I hadn't seen those photos or heard those conversations, I would've believed that he truly loved me. Unfortunately, I knew that everything he was doing now was an act. He was pretending to be a boyfriend who loved me dearly.

At the banquet, Sebastian officially announced our wedding to everyone. We initially didn't plan on inviting any business associates to the wedding ceremony since Emily disapproved of our relationship.

The guests were surprised with the sudden announcement, but they still congratulated us and said that they would attend the wedding.

I was also surprised. I had thought only a few friends would be at the wedding, but now he had invited so many people. It seemed like he was trying to do this to show his love and please me. In addition, he probably wanted to make up for the guilt he felt after spending time with Cassandra these past few days.

Unfortunately, I no longer needed it.

The love I wanted had to be exclusive. Since I was only worthy of a fake marriage certificate in his heart, then I didn't need his love at all.

We left the venue together.

As soon as we stepped out the entrance, we heard a loud commotion nearby. I looked up and saw Cassandra being surrounded by a group of thugs on the side of the road nearby.

"Hey, babe. You look so beautiful. Why don't you have a drink with us?" one said.

"Don't worry, we'll take good care of you."

As they spoke, the thugs stretched out their hands toward Cassandra and tried to grab her. They clearly had ill intentions.

Seeing this, Sebastian immediately rushed forward. "Stop right now!"

He shoved one of the thugs aside and shielded Cassandra behind him.

The thugs were angered and turned to attack Sebastian instead.

However, Sebastian was more skilled than them. He knocked them to the ground with just a few punches. His expression was dark with fury as he glared at the defeated thugs on the ground.

Sebastian said through gritted teeth, "How dare you mess with her? If you touch her again, I'll make you regret it for the rest of your lives!"

Terrified, the thugs scattered and ran for their lives.

Sebastian turned around and wrapped his arms around Cassandra before hurrying off.

In the chaos, a thug had shoved me aside. My arm was scraped on a sharp stone on the ground. Blood instantly gushed from the wound. I gasped in pain, but Sebastian didn't seem to hear me. All his attention was on bringing Cassandra to safety.

I wanted to call out after Sebastian's retreating figure, but I swallowed my words in the end. A wave of bitterness surged in my heart. At this moment, I knew he would never choose me if he had to choose between both of us.

I went to a nearby clinic alone to get my wound treated.

I winced in pain as the doctor bandaged my wound, but what hurt more was seeing how Sebastian had cared for Cassandra so tenderly. I returned home after getting my wound treated.

Sebastian still wasn't home.

At that moment, Cassandra posted a picture on Facebook. It was a photo of Sebastian taking care of her in the emergency room.

Then, she sent me a private message. "Ms. Robinson, Sebastian will be spending the night with me. You should sleep alone tonight."

I threw my phone aside and sat on the couch alone, replaying everything that happened today. Sebastian had personally promised me before that he would protect me for a lifetime.

He had been so afraid of my getting hurt that he wouldn't let me do something as simple as cooking. But now, he was able to abandon everything for another woman.

I took a deep breath and held back the tears in my eyes. That night, I lay alone in the empty bed. I couldn't sleep until dawn.

The next morning, I was awakened by my phone ringing. I endured my headache and answered the call, only to hear Sebastian's stern voice on the other end. "Joan, come to the office. I have something to ask you."

His voice was cold and devoid of any warmth.

My chest tightened instantly, and an ominous feeling rose within me. Was he finally going to confront me?

I didn't want to hear it. Although I knew he loved Cassandra, I didn't want to hear the words from his mouth personally. That was why I had chosen to escape abroad. In the end, I still went to his office obediently.

As soon as I entered the office, I saw Sebastian glaring at me with a dark expression. Next to him sat Cassandra, and she looked aggrieved.

I asked nervously, "What's wrong? What happened?"

He fixed his stare on me and spoke deliberately. "Joan, were you the one who hired those thugs yesterday to bully Cassandra?"

I was startled by his imposing manner, but I firmly replied, "How is that possible? Sebastian, you have to believe me. I would never do something like that."

However, Sebastian only let out a cold laugh. His eyes were filled with anger. "Joan, I never thought you would become such a despicable person. The evidence is all here. Are you still going to deny it?"

I was completely baffled. At that moment, Cassandra walked up and pulled out her phone. She showed me the screenshot of a chat log and said, "Ms. Robinson, I've already investigated everything about you hiring people to harm me in secret."

As she spoke, she gave me an aggrieved look. "This is your chat log with those thugs. I knew you never liked me, but you shouldn't do something like this… If you really hate me that much, I'll just stay out of your way from now on."

My face turned pale when I looked at the screenshot.

An account with my profile picture and nickname sent a picture of Cassandra to a strange man, along with a message, "Do you see this woman? You guys go and teach her a lesson tonight! Money is not an issue. Just make sure she pays the price. Better yet, make her wish she was dead!"

Alarms went off in my head immediately. I never sent those messages. Obviously, the chat was fake.

"Sebastian, this is fake! You have to believe me!" I was so anxious that tears welled up in my eyes. However, Sebastian didn't believe me at all. He simply said, "Joan, I never thought you could be so evil! Apologize to Cassandra right now."

I was stunned by his reaction. A bitter feeling welled up in my heart. We had been together for so many years and endured many challenges. In the end, was Cassandra still the person he trusted most?

"I won't apologize. I didn't do it, and I will never admit to something I didn't do!" I clenched my teeth and refused to give in.

In a fit of anger, Sebastian yelled at me, "Making a mistake is one thing, but refusing to admit it is another. Joan, I don't like the person you've become. You've become so cruel and heartless!"

Taken aback, I stared at him in disbelief.

Sebastian, who once cherished me like the apple of his eye, actually yelled at me because of Cassandra. How could he call me cruel and heartless?

Seeing this, Cassandra pretended to be considerate and understanding. She tugged on Sebastian's sleeve and said, "Mr. Ford, forget it. Ms. Robinson didn't do it on purpose. She's just jealous that we used to be lovers.

"She's afraid that I'll take you away now that I'm back. That's why she hired those thugs to teach me a lesson. She made a mistake because she's too in love with you. There's no need to apologize. Ms. Robinson only hated me out of love for you, and I can understand that."

Cassandra turned to look at me, her eyes malicious. "However, you should be punished since you did something wrong. Hiring thugs to harm others is a crime. I can let it go this time, but what if you target someone else next time? If you drink all the alcohol on this table, I'll consider this matter resolved."

I looked at the row of vodka bottles on the table. A chill ran down my spine. There were at least five or six bottles of alcohol. How could I possibly handle all that in one go?

However, Sebastian's expression remained indifferent, seemingly going along with Cassandra's suggestion. He clearly knew that I had developed severe gastric problems from caring for him in the past.

Even a sip of something cold or spicy could cause me unbearable pain. Drinking this much vodka was no different from a death sentence for me.

Nonetheless, he still acquiesced to Cassandra's request.

My heart was filled with agony, and I found it hard to breathe from the pain. "Fine, I'll drink."

I picked up the glass and emptied it in one gulp. The vodka scorched my throat and burned in my stomach like fire. My face drained of color instantly, but I still reached for another glass.

One bottle, two bottles…

By the fifth bottle, I could no longer endure it. My stomach was churning violently, and cold sweat broke out all over my body from the pain. I clutched my abdomen and collapsed onto the floor after vomiting.

Before I lost consciousness,I vaguely heard Sebastian's panicked voice. "Joan!"

I was in the hospital when I woke up once more.

An IV was attached to my hand, and an oxygen tube was in my nose. In a daze, I met Sebastian's worried gaze. "Joan, are you okay? Why were you so foolish to drink all the alcohol?"

His voice sounded anxious, as if he was truly concerned about me. My heart ached terribly at the thought of his coldness and disbelief earlier.

"Mr. Ford, shouldn't you be comforting your ex-lover who was wronged? Why are you here pretending to care about me?" My tone was icy as I turned my head away to avoid looking at him.

Sebastian was silent for a moment before he sighed. "Joan, I have no other feelings for Cassandra. I was just too angry, so I acted that way. Besides, my parents don't like you. If they found out you hired thugs to hurt someone, they would think you're heartless and hate you even more. Moreover, you… How could you hire thugs to attack Cassandra? That's illegal!"

I closed my eyes as tears rolled down my face silently. He still didn't believe me. I couldn't be bothered to explain myself further.

At that moment, Cassandra walked in. Her expression darkened when she saw Sebastian sitting at my bedside. "Sebastian, my head really hurts. Can you come with me to get it checked?" Cassandra tugged at his sleeve in a coquettish manner.

In the past, Sebastian would have gone with her without hesitation. However, he didn't move at all this time. He said indifferently, "You can go by yourself. I'm staying with Joan."

Cassandra's expression darkened instantly, but she quickly masked it with a gentle smile. "Ms. Robinson just woke up, so she probably needs rest. Mr. Ford, you should get some rest too. You've stayed up all night."

"There's no need. I'm not tired." Sebastian refused her suggestion directly.

Cassandra continued, "Ms. Robinson, I've already withdrawn my complaint against those thugs at the police station. Don't hire anyone to hurt me again.

"You're about to marry Sebastian, so every move you make reflects on the Ford family. If the media finds out that you committed a crime, it will impact the company negatively." With that, she turned around and left.

Sebastian glanced at me with a disappointed look. I didn't explain myself. After all, I was planning to leave soon. I wasn't his real wife, so I wouldn't bring any negative impact to the company.

I stayed in the hospital for two days, and Sebastian remained by my side the entire time. He tended to my needs carefully and waited on me hand and foot.

The moment I opened my eyes, I met Sebastian's anxious gaze. "Joan, are you awake? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

He touched my forehead gently to make sure I didn't have a fever before finally sighing in relief. "Stay in bed. I'll go buy you something to eat."

With that, he turned to leave.

I fixed my gaze on his retreating figure. Seeing how considerate he was, I felt a warm feeling spread in my heart. Maybe… it was possible that Sebastian still had feelings for me.

The thought of leaving started to waver within me. Perhaps I could pretend that I was unaware of everything that happened. After all, he would divorce Cassandra in two years. The fake marriage certificate in my hands would become the real thing!

I waited for him in my ward for a long time, but he never returned. Stepping outside the door, I overheard an argument between Sebastian and Emily.

"Sebastian, how many times do I have to tell you? Joanna is not good enough for you. Are you telling me you want to hold a wedding, and you've invited so many people? I'm telling you, I'm not going!" Emily's voice was filled with anger.

Sebastian's tone was firm as he replied, "Mom, I only love Joan. I will marry her, and I'll stay with her for the rest of my life."

Emily sighed and said, "Why are you so stubborn about her? Sebastian, listen to me. Haven't you been spending a lot of time with Cassandra lately? Why are you still clinging to that driver's daughter? You probably don't know about this, but Joanna has already taken the money and is planning to leave."

At that instant, my heart was in complete chaos. I quickly stepped in and interrupted their conversation. "Sebastian, Mrs. Ford, what are you two talking about?"

Emily's demeanor changed slightly when she saw me, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Joan, have you been waiting long?" Sebastian's face lit up with a smile once he saw me. "I already asked my assistant to buy soup from your favourite restaurant. Just wait a little longer, okay?"

Nodding, I shot Emily a meaningful look, signaling her to not say anything to Sebastian. I greeted her casually, "Mrs. Ford, are you here at the hospital for something?"

Her expression stiffened for a moment before putting on a calm front. "It's nothing, I just came for a routine check-up."

"Oh." I nodded obediently and fell silent.

However, Sebastian frowned and looked at Emily in confusion. "Mom, what did you say about leaving? What do you mean? Who's leaving?"

"Nothing much. It's nothing important." Emily cut him off before he could ask further. "I'm busy, so I'll be going now."

After saying that, she glared at me before turning to leave. I let out a sigh of relief as I watched her retreating figure.

Fortunately, she hadn't told Sebastian about our deal. At that moment, my phone buzzed with a notification.

I looked down and saw a message from Emily, "Joanna, don't forget our agreement. You'd better leave Sebastian according to our arrangement. Otherwise, I won't let you off."

A grim smile appeared on my face as I simply replied, "Okay."

I put my phone away and gazed at Sebastian's silhouette in the distance. A bitter feeling welled up in my heart. In the past, Sebastian had always been like this. He constantly argued with Emily for my sake.

"Mom, I want to be with Joan no matter what. No one can stop me. If you ever try to hurt Joan, I will never forgive you!" Sebastian used to hold me tightly, his voice unwavering with determination. "Joan, don't worry. No matter what challenges we face, I will never let go of your hand."

Back then, his eyes were filled with hopes for the future and deep affection for me.

However, all this had become nothing more than an illusion now that Cassandra was back in the picture.