Chapter 396


    It was on purpose that Sebastian said these things in front of these childhood friends. He wasn''t fond of


    gossip, so he never mentioned to others the sordid things that Ann and Emma had done. Ann must''ve


    come here tonight with the intention of infiltrating his circle of childhood friends through Grayson. If his


    childhood friends were unaware of the bad blood between him and Ann, they''d certainly be nice to her


    out of courtesy for his and Grayson''s sake.


    He wouldn''t let Ann have her own way. Since she was so eager to meet his childhood friends, he''d let


    her meet them. However, he''d let his friends know what she and Emma had done. From now on, these


    two women could forget about bluffing and cheating others in his name. He''d let all his childhood


    friends know that he no longer had anything to do with them. In the future, Ann and Emma could never


    expect to receive preferential treatment or gain anything from his childhood friends.


    He did nothing to hide his loathing for Emma in front of his childhood friends.


    On the other hand, Grayson didn''t know that Emma was secretly in love with Philip, nor did he know


    that she had crossed a line with Sebastian by fantasizing that she was Philip''s soulmate. He thought


    that Sebastian was only ming her for her involvement in Ann''s scheme against him. Inwardly, he felt


    that his brother was kind of heartless.


    Despite his seemingly cold disposition, he was, in fact, a man of feeling. He was endlessly forgiving of


    whoever he cared about, and it was difficult for him to stop caring about them unless they had done


    something unforgivable. Therefore, he couldn''t understand Sebastian''s readiness to break with his own


    maternal aunt and his cousin, with whom they had grown up as a child.


    As a matter of fact, Grayson was a stony-faced man who had always looked cool and expressionless,


    but Sebastian knew him very well. He knew what Grayson was thinking from the look in thetter''s


    eyes alone. It was a good thing to be all heart, so he wouldn''t castigate Grayson for it. However,


    Grayson was his younger brother, so he wouldn''t let him side with Ann. If she were a virtuousdy, he


    wouldn''t interfere in Grayson''s private life. However, he was sick of the sight of her, so he wouldn''t


    mistreat himself by acknowledging her as his sister-inw. He felt sick to the stomach whenever he


    saw her.


    Unable to answer Sebastian''s question, Grayson bowed his head without saying a word.


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    Sebastian looked at him while saying impassively, "Grayson, you''ve got two options right now. Either


    you cut all ties and be done with Ann, or you make a clean break from our family and strike out on your


    own."


    Grayson looked up at him in astonishment. "Sebastian?"


    Sebastian looked at his astonished face with imperturbable eyes. "I hate it when someone who makes


    me feel sick whenever I see them keeps showing up in front of me to seek my attention. Both you and I


    know very well Ann''s purpose in moving into your apartment. I won''t ept her as my sister-inw. If


    you want to marry her, then get out and set up your own family."


    Grayson''s face paled. "Sebastian, t-that''s not what you told mest time…" Sebastian had only said


    last time that if he were to be romantically involved with Ann, he''d have to hand over everything that the


    Hart Family had given to him. However, he didn''t say he''d have to cut all ties with the family…


    "I''ve changed my mind now," Sebastian said tly. "If you choose to stay with her, then leave our family


    and never show up before me anymore. If youe around one day, thene back and I''ll still


    acknowledge you as my younger brother."


    Ann was stupefied after listening to Sebastian''s words. What does Sebastian mean? Does he mean


    that as long as Grayson marries me, he''ll be kicked out of the Hart Family with nothing to his name like


    me? But if Grayson divorces me, he''ll be able to return to the Hart Family as their second son!


    Sebastian''s words amounted to a ticking time bomb between her and Grayson. If Grayson chose to be


    with her, as long as they were disappointed with their future lives in the slightest, he''d be itching to


    leave her and return to the Hart Family. Wait a minute—that''s wrong. If Grayson will lose everything


    after marrying me, then why should I marry him?


    She wanted to marry Grayson because she wanted to take advantage of his social standing to rejoin


    the Hart Family, return to high society, and keep on living as a member of the upper crust. If he would


    be kicked out of the Hart Family with nothing to his name like her after marrying her, then why should


    she marry him? What else could she gain by doing so?


    The thought of this filled her with both anger and dread, making her feel as though her heart had been


    struck with a sledgehammer; she felt so terrible that she almost passed out. This is so cruel…


    Sebastian is so cruel! He''s cut off all opportunities for me to return to high society and live in grandeur


    and luxury. How could he be so cruel? Did he forget I''m the cousin he''d grown up with as a child?!


    Trembling all over with rage, she stared hard at Sebastian while asking in a quavering voice, "W-Why


    are you doing this to me? What have I done wrong for you to drive me into a corner? How could you


    treat me like this? I''m your cousin! D-Don''t you have a heart?"


    "My dad does have a heart!" Joel flung himself into Sebastian''s arms and embraced the man. Looking


    at her with his head tilted to one side, he continued, "My dad is the most kindhearted person in the


    world! He''s the kindest, the greatest, and the most warmhearted person ever!"


    Fixing the boy with a poisonous stare, Ann opened her mouth and wanted to say "F*ck off," but she bit


    back the words on the tip of her tongue. She dared not say those words. Whenever she was in trouble,


    it''d always have something to do with either Madeline or the two little b*stards. Whenever she met


    them, she''d be even more out of luck than before. Every time she thought that she had hit rock bottom


    and that her luck couldn''t have been worse, they''d teach her a lesson, letting her know that there was


    no end to her misery. Not daring to try anything on them anymore, she could only re bitterly at Joel


    with bloodshot eyes while cursing inwardly, wishing that he and the other little b*stard would die a


    sudden death. Either a car ident, an illness, or something that falls from upstairs and smashes them


    in the head… In any case, anything is fine as long as they''re dead!


    Joel wasn''t afraid at all, though. Wrapping his arms around Sebastian''s slender and muscr waist, he


    red back at her threateningly, saying, "You''re the viin, while I''m the dragon-ying warrior. I''m not


    scared of you!"


    Sebastian was speechless. What sort of a dragon is Ann? That''s too big apliment for her!


    Ann gnashed her teeth and withdrew her gaze before turning to look at Sebastian with teary eyes.


    "Seb… You''ve heard it yourself. He calls me a viin! I only got angry because he insulted me first…"


    "You say that my son insulted you? Did he?" Sebastian stroked Joel''s hair. He said unhurriedly, "Only


    insultingnguage is called an insult. When a person says something ording to the facts, they''re


    merely telling the truth. Joel didn''t insult you; he was only telling the truth by calling you a viin."


    "W-What did you say?" Ann''s eyes widened. "H-How could you say that?"


    "Am I wrong?" Sebastian asked in reply. He continued impassively, "To me, whoever has vited the


    law is a viin. Do you dare say that you''ve never vited thew?"