Chapter 208
Sebastian's expression was terrifyingly composed, his eyes like an ice-covered lake. Seemingly calm, yet turbulent currents churned beneath.
He wore a dark suit with a matching overcoat, looking travel-worn—clearly having rushed over.
Leopold's hand froze in mid-air.
The air in the hospital room solidified in that moment.
Lisbeth hadn't expected Sebastian to come and didn't know how much he'd heard or how long he'd been standing at the door. "You..."
Sebastian slowly walked in, not sparing Leopold a single glance. He walked straight to Lisbeth's side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
It was a gesture full of possessiveness and protection.
"I came to take you home." His voice carried its usual gentleness, his eyes holding an indulgent smile, steady without the slightest ripple.
Lisbeth paused, then nodded. "Okay."
Leopold slowly lowered his hand that had been frozen in mid-air.
Sebastian's posture, Lisbeth's compliance, the natural intimacy and understanding between them—all indicated a magnetic field that only existed between the two of them.
Others simply couldn't enter, couldn't break through.
Leopold felt cold all over, as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over him from head to toe, chilling him to the bone.
"Lisbeth, don't go." Leopold's voice was somewhat hoarse.
He was too humble to dare compete with Sebastian, knowing he had no right. He could only play pitiful, trying to gain Lisbeth's sympathy.
Lisbeth turned to look at him and gently patted Sebastian's hand. "Wait for me outside. I'll say a few words to him."
Sebastian pressed his lips together, not wanting to leave, uneasy about them being alone together. But he wouldn't contradict Lisbeth at a time like this.
"Then I'll wait for you." Though his mouth had agreed, his eyes seemed glued to Lisbeth, looking utterly abandoned.
He stared until Lisbeth's heart softened. "Never mind."
Lisbeth held Sebastian's hand, but her gaze was on Leopold as she spoke seriously. "I don't know what you're thinking now, and I don't want to know. I only know I've started a new life and don't want to be disturbed. You should walk your own path, too."
Everyone was an adult and should take responsibility for every decision they made.
She turned and left.
When they reached the elevator, Sebastian said he wanted a drink and asked her to wait by the stairwell while he went to buy one.
Lisbeth didn't watch where he went.
Sebastian returned to the hospital room.
Leopold sat on the bed, lost in despair, when he saw him. His expression immediately darkened. "Did you come back to mock me? You won. You finally got what you wanted."
Sebastian had one hand in his pocket, the other gently closing the door. "What do you mean by 'what'? Are we competing for some object?"
"Don't split hairs. You know that's not what I meant."
Sebastian shrugged, his gaze sharp. "I came back today to tell you—please stay away from my girlfriend."
"You said it yourself—girlfriend."
They weren't married. Even if they married, people could divorce. Leopold felt he still had a chance.
Sebastian stared at him for a moment. "Your shamelessness really is unparalleled. No wonder you could do so many things to hurt others before, and now you can still shamelessly come back to pursue her. Have you lost your memory again?"
This struck a nerve. What Leopold regretted most now was what he'd done after losing his memory—the pain and harm he'd caused Lisbeth that he could never repay.
He clenched his teeth in silence.
"She's with me now." Sebastian's tone was flat but indisputable. "Leopold, you're a smart man. You should understand what 'knowing when to stop' means."
"Knowing when to stop?" Leopold laughed lowly, the sound full of sarcasm. "What right do you have to demand I stop? She was once my wife!"
"Once," Sebastian emphasized the word. "The past is past. People need to look forward. Since you've remembered everything from the past, you should understand that once some mistakes are made, there's no room for redemption."
Leopold's eyes reddened, but he refused to show weakness before his rival. "I don't believe it. Lisbeth loved me so much before. She absolutely won't give up on me."
"Don't try that moral blackmail routine." As fellow men, how could Sebastian not know his thoughts? Men were always so presumptuous.
Presumption and reality had worlds of difference.
He approached, standing before Leopold, his voice low like water. "Don't let me see you appear before Lisbeth again, or else..."
His threat stopped there, but Leopold understood.
Sebastian's lips curved slightly as he said gently, "Rest well. I hope you recover soon. After all, with you hospitalized, we're spending quite a bit on medical expenses every day."
He turned and strode away.
Leopold was so angry that the veins at his temples bulged. When Jake arrived, he immediately said, "Go to the hospital administration right now and refund all my medical expenses. I don't want anyone spending money on me. I'll pay for it myself!"
Jake looked confused. "What happened? The person you wanted to see came to visit, and you're still unhappy? Why are you so angry?"
Had they argued?
Thinking of Lisbeth, Leopold's gaze darkened. But thinking of Sebastian, he couldn't smile. "I absolutely won't let him succeed."
Even if Lisbeth blamed him now, they still had a child together. They shared a closeness no one else could match.
That was an unbreakable bond.
He would definitely win her back!
After leaving the hospital, Lisbeth remained silent.
Sebastian didn't speak either, only holding her hand with considerable force, as if confirming something.
In the car, Sebastian said to Owen, "Drive. Home first."
The car started. Lisbeth leaned against the window, watching the rapidly retreating scenery outside, and suddenly said, "Aren't you going to ask me why I went to see him?"
She'd thought Sebastian would be angry, would be jealous, especially since he was so prone to jealousy.
But he said, "Whatever you do, I support you."
Lisbeth froze and turned to look at him.
"I know Leopold was injured because of you. You feel guilty and can't just ignore it." Sebastian's voice was very calm, every word considering her perspective, completely standing in her position.
"But gratitude and feelings are different. Even if he confuses them, I won't." His honesty made her heart ache.
Lisbeth looked at his distinct profile, a complex emotion welling up in her heart—guilt, warmth, and an indescribable heartache.
"I should have told you," she said softly.
Just hearing this was already more than satisfying for Sebastian. He gently squeezed her hand. "You don't need to apologize. You did the right thing."
He suddenly sighed.