"But I still feel very bad for causing you so much trouble. Others must think that you have no taste for marrying such a terrible woman."
"I don't care what other people think of my marriage. Likewise, it is nobody's business whom I marry. What matters is that I know what kind of person you are, Yasmine."
Yasmine burst out crying and all the tears she had been trying to hold in rolled down her face. Sebastian's trust and favor were undoubtedly the best consolations she had at this point.
"Honey, thank you."
"Don't thank me, silly."
Sebastian reached out to wipe her tears and teased, "You are becoming more and more like a girl! No matter how badly you were bullied in the past, you always refused to cry, like the way men behave. But now, you keep crying in front of me. Did you know that men tend to become protective when they see a woman cry?"
Yasmine broke into laughter and said, "No, what nonsense!"
"Well, whether you know it or not, when you shed tears, I will feel distressed for you. So, if you don't want me to feel sad, then, you cannot be sad either. Don't worry, I will deal with this."
"How are you going to deal with it?" "First, I'll find out who was responsible for the rumour, and then I'll expose the truth."
Yasmine's heart tightened. "You want to reveal the reason I signed the agreement with the Lind family?"
"Yes."
"No way!"
She refused without even thinking. "You cannot do that!"
"Why?"
Yasmine's tears began to fall again. "My childhood memories left an indelible scar on my heart. It has already caused me much sorrow, and I don't want to expose that wound again, even if it can prove my innocence."
Sebastian felt distressed, and he took her into his arms. He said, "I'm sorry, Yasmine. I didn't consider your feelings before thinking of that. I'm sorry."
Yasmine leaned against his shoulder and sobbed softly. She was really tired. These complicated incidents happened one after another. If they only affected her, it would be fine. But now that they involved Sebastian too, she couldn't help but feel guilty over it.
When she got home in the evening, she stood at the entrance of the Mansion House. She wandered around for a long time and did not dare to go in. She did not dare to face her parents- in- law who loved her so much.
When Sebastian got home, he took her hand and entered the living room together with her. She came face to face with her parents-in-law and sister-in-law who were sitting in the living room. When she was about to begin her apology, Madam Simons broke the silence first. "We saw the news this afternoon. Yasmine, don't feel guilty. It's nonsense. Dad has already ensured that all the news has been withdrawn. The person who spread those rumors is so despicable! He seemed to have predicted that our family will quash the news. He wrote to all the newspapers and media companies in B City, and even the news portals in the neighboring cities too."
"You don't have to worry about this. I'll handle it. Blocking a website won't stop people from gossiping. Let's eat first."
Sebastian glanced at his family calmly. In fact, he already had an idea.
"Yasmine, don't be sad. No matter what others think of you, in the eyes of your father and me, you are an amazing daughter-in-law we could ask for."
"And me. To me, Yasmine is the best sister-in-law in the world."
Tiffany Simons raised her hand and spoke. She made her position about Yasmine very clear.
"Thank you, mom. Thank you, dad. Thank you, Tiffany." She looked at Sebastian who was next to her. Then, she said, "Thank you too."
"That's it, I'm getting tired of listening to you thanking us. Let's just eat."
After dinner, Yasmine went upstairs and dialled Richie Lind's number. The line was soon connected. He said in a slightly surprised voice, "I really didn't expect you to call me again, Yasmine." "Uncle Lind, you're the one who did it, aren't you?"
Richie was stunned. "What did I do?"
"There are rumours all over B City about me marrying Sebastian, and about how it's not in accordance with the agreement."
"Oh, so you do know that you broke the agreement after all?"
"So, are you admitting it?"
"Sorry, but I did no such thing, but if I know who did it, I will be very grateful to him, because this is exactly what I have always wanted to do but didn't have the guts to."
Slam! Richie hung up the phone.
Yasmine sat on the sofa powerlessly and her mind was in chaos.
Sebastian came to the bedroom and saw her tired face. Distressed, he asked, "Are you still worried about that thing?"
"No."
Yasmine tried very hard to squeeze a smile out and she said, "I've promised you not to think about it, so I won't think about it."
"It's good that you're not taking it to heart."
Sebastian gently tidied up the hair that was scattered over her temples. He comforted her, "Believe me, I won't let you be unhappy all the time. I won't let those malicious people create negativity to disturb you."
Yasmine leaned into his arms and said slowly, "I think you have heard enough 'thank you' today." "Yes, so you don't have to say it anymore. You don't have to say thank you if you really love someone sincerely," Sebastian sighed and said. "You're already tired enough now."
She suddenly raised her head. She felt surprised. Why did Sebastian's words sound as strange as they did when he called her that night in the United States?
The next morning, although the scandal was still rife, she went to school out of a sense of responsibility. As if nothing had happened, she taught her classes, marked her students' homework, and fought against the cruel reality with her tenacious willpower.
All of a sudden, Lily screamed as if she were an explorer discovering a new world. "Yasmine, hurry up!"
Yasmine thought something unacceptably bad had happened, so she dragged her feet to Lily's desk.
Suddenly, she was stunned.
Lily's computer screen was broadcasting a press conference Sebastian was holding on behalf of his company.
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