“You better take a shower first. I can wait.” Natalie subconsciously stepped back as if guarding herself against an enemy.
She looked like a trapped bird, struggling hard to hide her panic.
She didn’t know how to face her so-called husband.
The man stood at the table and looked at Natalie.
She looked like a deer caught in headlights.
Sebastian looked at her and chuckled. “Don’t be nervous. I won’t eat you. I need to discuss something with you.”
Natalie crossed her arms over her chest and hesitantly walked over to him. She didn’t want to be associated with this man in any way. Everything was happening too fast. She was married to a man she had just met at her wedding.
“What is it?”
Sebastian picked up a wooden chair with one hand and put it in front of her. “Sit down, please.”
Then, he dragged his chair closer to her and sat down. “I don’t like beating around the bush. I know you’re unwilling to marry me.”
‘Is it that obvious?’ thought Natalie.
“A relationship can’t be achieved overnight. It needs time — we need to get to know each other first,” she explained, trying to hide her embarrassment.
However, after saying so, she felt her explanation seemed unnecessary. Sebastian was aware of his position and what people thought of him. He knew Cassie wouldn’t want to marry an illegitimate person like him.
Sebastian knitted his brows and looked Natalie up and down. The woman had been nervous right from the beginning. She had been biting her lower lip, her gaze nervously roaming around everywhere.
“Don’t worry. I’m not interested in this marriage either. We can be a married couple to the outside world, but let’s stay out of each other’s affairs. That way, we can avoid trouble and live in harmony. I spend most of the time outside and seldom come home. I want to have the freedom to do whatever I want. The same goes for you. I will not control or interfere in your business.”
Then, he stood up and picked up the suit jacket from the chair. Then, as if remembering something, Sebastian bent over and grabbed the armrests of the chair, trapping Natalie between his arms.
“Watching a man change his clothes isn’t right. In case, you want me to fulfill your s****l desires, I will be more than happy to satisfy you as a husband.”
The smell of laundry detergent mingling with his scent wafted in the air, making Natalie’s scalp prickle.
“No need,” she hissed through her teeth, trying not to show any weakness.
Sebastian’s face darkened. He glanced at Natalie’s stomach for a split second and warned, “Although we are just a nominal couple, there is one thing I want you to keep in mind.” He took a deep breath and said, “I don’t want to find out that my wife is pregnant with another man’s child one day.”
Loyalty was the most important virtue for Sebastian. He had heard that Cassie changed men like changing clothes.
“I will abide by my duty as a wife as long as we are married,” Natalie answered firmly. “I hope you keep your word and don’t interfere with my life.”
The man’s playful smile faded a little.
He straightened up and stepped back from Natalie. “You’re not Cassie Quinn, are you?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.
Natalie was startled. “If I’m not Cassie Quinn, who else do you think I am? It’s such a lame question,” she said jokingly.
Natalie had married Sebastian as Cassie Quinn. If she messed up the plan, Lauren would not give her the money. Hannah was still at the hospital, waiting for the money to get her surgery done.
Sebastian frowned — something seemed out of place. Someone who had previously investigated the daughter of the Quinn family told him that Cassie was an arrogant, willful, vain, brainless woman who liked seducing wealthy men for personal gain.
Therefore, he pretended to be a penniless loser in front of Natalie, thinking she was Cassie so that she would take the initiative to ask for a divorce because the woman despised the poor.
However, the woman in front of him seemed surprisingly accepting of his financial position, as well as his humble abode.
Besides, her nervousness seemed apparent even though she tried her best to remain calm.
Sebastian felt the woman in front of her was kind and sweet. She seemed interesting to him.
But it didn’t matter whether she was the real Cassie or not. He married Cassie only because this was his mother’s last wish on her deathbed.
All he had to do was marry her.
“It was a casual question. Forget about it.” Sebastian picked up the suit jacket and stepped back. “I have finished saying what I want to say. Do you have anything else to add?”
Natalie felt relieved. “No.”
She shook her head and looked around. There was only one bedroom and a tiny sofa in the living room. ‘Do I have to sleep on the same bed with Sebastian?’ she thought.
Sebastian turned around and was about to go to the bathroom when he saw the concern in her eyes. He remembered there was only one bed in the house. The house had been unoccupied for a long time; he only asked the servants to clean it every month.
“There’s only one bed here. I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight. You can sleep in the bedroom,” Sebastian said, casually unbuttoning his cuffs.
Natalie looked at him in surprise. ‘Does he know how to read people’s minds? How does he know what I was thinking?’ she thought.
Although Natalie wanted him to sleep in the living room and was overjoyed that he offered before she asked, she pretended to be embarrassed. “Is that okay? It is our wedding night. Don’t you think it is inappropriate for you to sleep on the sofa? Besides, you are big and tall. How can you sleep comfortably on the small sofa?”
“It is indeed uncomfortable. But there is only one bed here. If I want to sleep comfortably, I might have to sleep here on the same bed with you.” Sebastian lowered his head and leaned closer to her. His eyes darkened as their gaze met. “I’ll join you after taking a shower,” he whispered into her ear.
“You… you’ve misunderstood me. I didn’t mean that.” Natalie’s eyes widened. She braced herself as a blush flamed her cheeks. She lowered her eyes, trying to escape. But there was nowhere to hide. She was forced to retreat to the wooden table.
Seeing that she was about to hit the corner of the table, Sebastian reached out and held her tightly in his arms.
“Then, what did you mean?” Sebastian asked, c*****g his head to the side with a playful glint in his eyes.
Natalie blinked at him, looking like a trapped animal.
Her heart was pounding in her chest. She could feel Sebastian’s warm breath blowing against her neck. The man’s body heat cloaked her. She had the urge to run away.
“I just want to sleep alone. And you just said that we only needed to be a nominal couple.”
“Well, I can change my mind. Being a real couple seems like a good option. After all, it looks like you want to consummate the wedding.” Sebastian withdrew his hand from her waist and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“No, I don’t!” Natalie hissed through her teeth. Her face turned red, looking like an angry kitten.
“Well, it looks like it. You are inviting a man to sleep on the same bed with you,” Sebastian said indifferently.
Natalie pushed him away, rushed into the bedroom, closed the door behind her, and locked it.
Seeing her reaction, Sebastian chuckled outside.
Leaning against the door, Natalie panted for breath. Her heart was beating faster than normal. Her face burned as if she had a fever.
As her racing heart gradually slowed down, she made up her mind to hit Sebastian with the lamp on the bedside table if he tried coming anywhere near her.
Natalie then cautiously sat on the bed, her gaze fixed on the closed door. She couldn’t fall asleep until it was very late.