Mag-log inThe room appeared to have been deliberately divided in half by heavy curtains drawn across the center. Tanya was trapped on one side, swallowed by darkness, but through the narrow gap in the fabric she could still make out what was happening on the other side.She scanned the visible half of the room and saw only a single chair. The furnishings were almost identical to Leonard Eastwood’s bedroom, down to the smallest detail, and in that instant she knew exactly where she was.Damn Leonard Eastwood.Tanya instinctively tried to struggle, but before she could move, a faint, breathy moan reached her ears. She froze, listening closely, and her blood ran cold when she recognized the voice.It was Clara.“Mmm… that feels so good…” Clara murmured, her tone soft and intimate.Tanya frowned sharply. She didn’t yet understand the full situation, but one thing was certain—this had Leonard Eastwood written all over it.As the thought settled in, Tanya stopped struggling and forced herself to calm
Sebastian steadied himself and shook his head fiercely the moment he heard her words.“No,” he said hoarsely. “Tanya, that wasn’t a joke. That was a promise I made with my whole heart. A promise meant to be carried out over a lifetime. How could I forget it? How could I ever forget it?”Tanya forced down the ache rising in her throat. She looked at Sebastian, took a slow, steadying breath, and then spoke again, her voice deliberately flat.“So what if it wasn’t a joke to you?” she said. “To me, it was. I’m married now. I’m happy. And besides, my husband comes from a powerful family. He has money. You don’t. He does. That’s why I married him. Do you understand now?”She lowered her gaze as she spoke, refusing to look at him, lifting her coffee and taking a sip as if nothing mattered, doing her best to play the part of a shallow, materialistic woman who cared only about wealth.“Are you telling me you married him just for his money?” Sebastian stared at her in disbelief, his voice firm a
Tanya froze for a moment and tried to pull her hand back from Sebastian’s grip, but the instant she moved, his fingers tightened instead, holding her even more firmly until she couldn’t free herself at all.She let out a quiet sigh and looked at Sebastian in front of her. Memories of their shared past surfaced against her will, and a dull ache spread through her chest.Sebastian… if this had only been a forced marriage, maybe I really would have abandoned everything and gone with you.But it isn’t the same anymore.Too much has happened. Too much damage has been done., my body, my life—and Leonard Eastwood himself—are standing between us now.I can’t do that. I can’t.When Sebastian still didn’t receive an answer from her, the despair on his face deepened. His expression twisted with pain, yet he refused to let go of her wrist.Suddenly, he pulled her toward him, dragging her from the adjacent seat and straight into his arms.He wrapped her tightly against his chest, not allowing her t
Tanya smiled and lifted her hand to wave at him.Sebastian immediately stepped closer, opening a sun umbrella above her head with practiced ease, shielding her from the harsh light.They walked side by side into the café.Tanya raised her eyes and looked quietly at Sebastian Crowe.He was a man who carried warmth and composure in his presence, refined and gentle, the kind of man who made people feel at ease without trying. His brows were well-defined, his eyes deep and steady, his hair neat and cleanly styled, soft strands falling naturally across his forehead. He did not have Leonard Eastwood’s sharp, blade-cut handsomeness, but the more one looked at him, the more striking he became, an attractiveness that lingered rather than overwhelmed.Today, Sebastian was dressed in a deep navy tailored suit. His posture was straight, his frame tall and well-built, and the suit fit him impeccably, making him look confident and composed, almost radiant.Tanya hadn’t seen him in years, and the mom
Tanya immediately turned her face away, trying to pull back, but Leonard caught her with both hands, fixing her in place and forcing her to look at him.Her body reacted on instinct. She struggled, panic flaring in her chest. Leonard didn’t go any further than wrapping an arm around her waist, but even that simple contact was enough to make her tense all over.To Tanya, any closeness with him felt dangerous.She struggled harder, trying to break free—And then the moment shattered.Her phone rang.The sudden sound cut straight through the air between them.Tanya hurriedly grabbed her phone, but the instant she saw the name on the screen, her mind went blank. She froze, fingers stiff, staring at it for several seconds.Leonard noticed her reaction immediately. His brows drew together in suspicion.Tanya snapped back to herself, clutched the phone, and answered quietly.The call was short. She murmured a few soft “mm” responses, then hung up.Afterward, she looked at Leonard and said, “I
Leonard Eastwood forced down the anger boiling inside him and fixed Tanya Reed with a cold, penetrating stare. After a brief pause, he spoke in a low, cutting voice.“What you think you saw isn’t necessarily the truth. Honestly, I really question what you’ve been doing all these years. Do you ever think for yourself?”His lips curled with disdain.“How well do you really know that so-called best friend of yours? Well enough to let her waltz right in, in broad daylight, and shamelessly seduce her best friend’s husband?”Tanya froze.“So now you’re saying Clara seduced you first?” she shot back. “Don’t insult my intelligence. Do you really think I’m that easy to fool?”Leonard let out a short, mocking snort. He hadn’t intended to explain anything in the first place.“Believe it or don’t. That’s your problem.”With that, he turned away, clearly done with the conversation, reaching for his clothes.Tanya clenched her teeth, staring at his back. After a long moment, she suddenly spoke again







