?


    Since he dared to say something like that, he must be confident he could follow through. Every word came from his heart. Yet, why did Rosalie keep thinking about Theodore?


    Sebastian felt increasingly bitter. Theodore had been a jerk in the past, and now, he was nothing but a coward.


    What on earth did she see in that man?


    "Rose, you''re way too naive."


    Rosalie looked at him helplessly, her hand gently brushing his cheek. "Does it still hurt?"


    Sebastian shook his head. "Not at all."


    "You''re lying. How could it not hurt? Let me apologize on her behalf."


    "It''s fine, I don''t mind. I understand how she must have felt at the time. If I were in her shoes, I''d be furious too. She onlyshed out because she cares about you. Your former mother-inw has always treated you well, especially since you''re carrying her grandchild. She just wanted to make sure you were safe first."


    Sydney stood outside, leaning against the wall, her eyes closed as she took a deep breath. Her heart ached with every word.


    Was Sebastian really speaking kindly of her? Why wasn''t he using this opportunity to say something bad about her and make Rosalie steer clear of her?


    Maybe Sydney had been wrong about Sebastian all along. She had insulted him, belittled him, and looked down on him without ever truly understanding him. Wasn''t it unfair to make up her mind about him after only a few brief meetings?


    Perhaps it was her own prejudice. She thought Sebastian was just Geoffrey''s son, and that bias had clouded her view from the start.


    Once a bias is formed, it''s hard to shake.


    But now, knowing Sebastian was her own son, guilt washed over her. She regretted the way she had treated him.


    All those years, she had believed her child had died; she was haunted by nightmares of her baby, waking up in tears countless times. And now, her child was alive.


    She resented Geoffrey for telling her the truth. She wished he had let her go on believing the baby was gone, sparing her from the pain of all those lost years.


    But deep down, she was relieved. Her child hadn''t really died.


    Sydney wiped the tears from her eyes andposed herself before entering the room. "Rose."


    Rosalie looked surprised to see her. "Mom, you''re here."


    Sebastian turned his head.


    Sydney froze when she saw Sebastian''s face, swollen and bruised. She hadn''t expected her two ps to leave such a mark.


    "Your face..." It was the first thing Sydney said.


    Seeing the state of Sebastian''s face twisted her heart. Her mind reyed the moment she hit him and the cruel words she had used.


    How could a mother call her own son such horrible names? How deeply must it have wounded him?


    If Sebastian ever found out she was his mother, how much would he hate her?


    He''d probably wonder why she was


    so biased. He was her child too,


    why


    had she treated him so


    vele


    differently?


    Sebastian stood up. "You''re here to see Rose? I''ll give you two some privacy."


    He turned to leave.


    "Seb." Rosalie called after him.


    He looked back. "Yes?"


    "Stay. There''s no need for you to leave."


    To Rosalie, he wasn''t an outsider.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Whatever conversation she had with Sydney, there was nothing Sebastian couldn''t hear.


    Sebastian nced at Sydney. "I don''t think it''s appropriate for me to stay."


    "There''s nothing inappropriate about it," Sydney chimed in. "You can stay."


    Her eyes avoided Sebastian''s, as if she couldn''t bear to look at him, like she was hiding something.


    Sebastian noticed this, and felt


    with


    Sydney usually stormed in


    air of confidence.


    seem so uneasy now Why di


    shes


    What was she feeling guilty about?


    Was it because of the two ps she gave him yesterday, along with, calling him a bastard? Was she was acting this way? belongs to


    why


    sw conto nee


    Still, she didn''t seem like the type to feel guilty.


    Sebastian pulled a chair over. "Ms. Harper, have a seat."


    Out of respect for Rosalie, he remained polite and courteous toward Sydney.


    Sydney ced her bag to the side and sat down.


    Sebastian poured her a ss of water.


    "Thank you."


    Sydney''s gaze drifted back to Sebastian''s face, unable to stop herself from staring.


    How could she have hit him so hard?


    The swelling was awful.


    She couldn''t believe her two ps had caused such damage.


    But seeing his face now, the bruises were undeniable.