Love Is but an Illusion

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."