Ch. 341..350
Chapter 341 Incompetent
From the dead of the night until the early hours of the morning, two tiny figures could be seen walking down the illuminated streets.
“Lucas, how much longer does it take to get there? I’m tired…” she trailed off as she sank to the floor. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she tried to catch her breath.
Lucas glanced at the map on his watch and noticed there were a few more kilometers before they reached their destination.
Walking for two hours without stopping was considered difficult for the two children.
However, they did not mind it. As long as their parents would stop arguing, they were willing to do anything.
Lucas took out two water bottles from his backpack. He handed one to Camila and said, “Drink some water to replenish your energy!”
The brother-sister duo gulped down a few mouthfuls of water as they sat side by side.
After some time, Lucas moved to squat in front of Camila. With his back facing her, he said, “Hold on a little longer. We’re almost there. Come on, I’ll give you a piggyback ride.”
His mother had taught him well since he was young. She always reminded him that Camila was a girl, and as her elder brother, he had to take good care of her.
Camila wiped the sweat off her forehead. Exhausted and sleepy, she climbed onto her brother’s back. without any hesitation.
Since Lucas was not used to giving people piggyback rides, he almost fell when he got up. It took him a while to regain his balance.
Because of that, the two tired children, who were feeling miserable about the journey, laughed.
“Don’t drop me, Lucas!” Camila wrapped her arms tight around Lucas’ neck as she giggled.
Lucas tightened his grip on her thighs. “Camila, don’t… don’t grab on so tight! L… I can’t breathe!”
Camila quickly let go and hugged Lucas’ shoulders instead as she leaned against his back.
“Lucas, hurry up. Otherwise, we won’t be home in time.”
Lucas hummed in response. He took tiny steps forward and resumed their journey to their destination.
“Camila, have you gained weight recently? Why do you feel much heavier than before?”
“Lucas, it’s not nice to tell a girl that she’s heavy. Your emotional intelligence is so low. I don’t think you’ll be able to find a wife in the future. Haha!”
Lucas was rendered speechless,
The sky was hazy. It was drizzling, accompanied by gusts of cold wind. The chilly weather jolted Christina awake. She yawned and stretched in bed.
She slowly opened her eyes and turned to glance at the window to see rain streaking down the panes. It’s
raining. I wonder if the kids are tucked in warmly.
Still groggy, she struggled to get out of bed. She grabbed her robe from the couch before leaving the bedroom.
Christina pushed open the door to the children’s room. It was close to dawn, and there wasn’t much light. in the room. She could see the blankets were folded neatly on the bed, and the bed was empty.
She quickly approached the bed and noticed the children were nowhere to be found.
All the drowsiness Christina felt left her body in an instant.
Her heart sank as she yelled, “Lucas? Camila?”
Where did they go?
Christina frantically searched through each bedroom on the second floor but could not find them. In a panic, she rushed down to the first floor and woke up all the housekeepers and the butler.
Tears welled up in Christina’s eyes. Her voice trembled as she asked. “Has anyone seen Lucas and Camila?”
Raymond pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “We haven’t seen Mr. Lucas or Ms. Camila… All the doors and gates are locked. They shouldn’t have been able to leave the manor.”
A bodyguard from Scenic Garden Manor was panting as he hurried over to report to Christina. “Mrs. Hadley, we couldn’t find Mr. Lucas and Ms. Camila.”
Christina was horrified. She quickly took out her phone to call the police.
“I remember there are surveillance cameras in the manor. Quick! Pull up the footage for me!”
“Right away, Mrs. Hadley!”
Christina could feel her adrenaline flowing as she bit her lip nervously. Various scenarios of her children being kidnapped flashed through her mind.
All of a sudden, the sound of a car stopping in the courtyard could be heard.
The sound of heavy footsteps walking down the hall echoed through the manor. The cold aura emanating. from Nathaniel’s body instantly caused the atmosphere in the room to tense up.
He approached Christina and asked, “How did the children go missing?”
All the emotions Christina had tried to suppress suddenly erupted as she grabbed the collar of Nathaniel’s shirt and questioned him. “Was it you? Did you take the kids away? Just because I don’t want to be with you anymore, it doesn’t mean you can use such a dirty method to take my kids away from me!”
Take the kids away?
Nathaniel was taken aback by her sudden outburst of anger. He tried to understand how she felt as he explained patiently. “Why would I kidnap my own children for no reason?”
Am I such an unscrupulous person in her eyes?
He felt aggrieved by Christina’s doubts. However, he felt more hurt by her distrust.
Christina noticed how serious Nathaniel was and felt her doubts slowly dissipate.
She was silent for some time before she muttered to herself, “Could it be Madison?”
“What does this have anything to do with Madison?” Nathaniel stared at her in confusion.
Christina looked up at him, her eyes filled with anger. How dare he take her side when things have come down to this?
She had been trying her best not to discuss with him about his shameful actions. After all, her heart had been shattered to pieces by him. There was no need for her to add to those scars. However, she could no longer control herself at that moment as she exclaimed. “Isn’t she always worried that I would
steal you away from her and that my two kids would threaten her and Norman’s position? There’s a good chance she could have done something to Lucas and Camila! Please! I beg of you! Bring my kids back. I promise to keep my distance from you, Madison, and Norman.”
Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. Because this matter concerned the safety of the two children, Christina, who had always been calm and collected, was in a panic.
“Christina, stop panicking. Let’s calm down and wait patiently. The bodyguard has gone to check the surveillance footage. We’ll know what happened soon.”
Nathaniel took her hand as they went to the children’s room. He switched on the lights before stepping inside.
“The blankets are folded neatly, and the decor in the room doesn’t look like they’ve been messed with. There’s a huge possibility that the children could’ve left the manor themselves. There are also bodyguards situated at every corner of Scenic Garden Manor. Outsiders cannot enter that easily. It’s unlikely that they were kidnapped.”
Christina slowly calmed down. They weren’t kidnapped? They left on their own? Why would Lucas and Camila run away from home? They were all right before they went to bed. They even told me they wanted to eat breakfast I prepared later in the morning. It’s raining right now. What if they’re met with danger…
Just then, a bodyguard approached them and reported, Mr. Hadley, the surveillance footage shows that Mr. Lucas and Ms. Camila left through the side gate at three in the morning”.
All the side gates of the manor had locks on them, and there would always be people standing guard. There was a possibility that the children had taken advantage of the time when the guards changed shifts to escape.
“Check the surveillance outside immediately. I want to know where they went.”
“Yes, Mr. Hadley.”
Christina felt her heart sink when she heard the news. “Why would they suddenly run away from home in the middle of the night?”
She suddenly felt very incompetent as a mother. I can’t even figure out what my children are thinking…
Chapter 342 I Will Never Leave You
Nathaniel wrapped his arms around Christina and said softly. “Perhaps they left the manor because they were being playful. I’m sure nothing will happen to them. Let’s go check the surveillance footage.”
Christina forced herself to stay calm. Perhaps they really were being playful. The most important thing right now is to look for them. If I keep panicking. I can’t concentrate, and it’ll be more challenging for us to find them,
After leaving the gates of the manor. Nathaniel took off his suit jacket and placed them around Christina’s shoulders. “Don’t catch a cold.”
The deep voice ringing in her ears snapped her out of her daze. She nodded and got into the car.
They hurried to the police station. After thoroughly explaining the situation, the police brought them to check the surveillance footage.
Fortunately, surveillance cameras were placed everywhere on the street past the manor. The police adjusted the time to when the children left the manor, and two small figures appeared on the screen before them.
Even though it was late at night and no people were around, Lucas and Camila obediently followed traffic rules and walked on the right side of the road. They traveled from the gates of Scenic Garden Manor to the bus stop before heading north.
Christina felt her heart clench as she stared at the two figures on the screen. Nathaniel grabbed her cold hand and assured her. “Don’t worry.”
At that moment, words of assurance to Christina did not have much effect, but at least they could calm her down.
The two children on the screen understood traffic rules well. Even if there weren’t any cars, they waited. for the light to turn green before they crossed the road.
There were no dangers along the way, but the children seemed to have stopped beside the road at some point.
They watched as Camila sat on the floor and stared up at Lucas cutely.
The surveillance camera was too far away, so it could not catch the children’s words.
After the children drank some water, Lucas had Camila climb onto his back before they continued their journey.
The two figures looked tiny compared to the long and wide road. The people watching the footage unknowingly felt touched by the children’s determination.
After that, the footage showed the two children entering a church. All footage after that showed no signs of them leaving the place.
“Why did they go to a church?” Suspicion filled Christina.
Nathaniel held Christina’s hand and said, “Let’s head over now.”
It was already daybreak when Lucas and Camila arrived at the entrance of the church.
The bright morning light hit their backs as they entered the church. Because of the rain, their hair was stuck to their faces, making them look smaller than they actually were.
“Lucas! Put me down! We’re here! Yay!” Camila exclaimed excitedly as she tried to jump off her brother’s back.
Lucas was exhausted. He bent down to let Camila climb down before he sank to the floor, panting as he sat cross-legged.
Camila had rested for some time and was now more energetic. She pulled Lucas’ arm and urged. “Lucas, come on! We need to say our prayers!”
Seeing that Lucas was tired and did not want to move, Camila took a bottle from her backpack and gave it to him.
Lucas drank some water before getting up and staring at the cross. His heart thumped in excitement as he turned to look at Camila and said, “Let’s go and say our prayers, Camila.”
It was early in the morning, so there were not many people. Those in the church were busy with their own things and could not be bothered by the presence of the two children.
The children watched and learned from the people who prayed before them. They kneeled before the cross and clasped their hands. Sincerity was written all over their faces as they stared up at the cross.
Camila was about to say something when she stopped and turned to look at Lucas. “Lucas, what should we say?”
Lucas pondered over it momentarily before replying. “Just say what you want. I’m sure God will hear our prayers!”
Camila nodded despite not understanding what Lucas said. She was silent for some time before saying, “I want to eat a lifetime of chocolates. I also want many pretty dolls…”
Lucas held his forehead, then reached over and flicked hers. “Ask Him for the important things. Stop talking about food.”
“Can’t He make my wishes for food come true?” Camila pouted.
“You can make one wish. Don’t ask for more.” Lucas was speechless. They didn’t travel far to pray for good food.
Camila rubbed her forehead. It wasn’t easy for us to find Him. I can’t waste this chance. Of course, I would try to ask for everything I want.
“If that’s so, dear God, I wish Daddy and Mommy will be together forever!”
Lucas clasped his hands together. His eyes were filled with sincerity, and his voice was loud and clear as he said, “Dear God, Camila and I have never had a daddy would always be bullied by Peter from next door. He would always laugh at us and call us orphans. It
since we were born. When we were younger, we wasn’t easy for us to have a daddy, but Daddy is stupid. He always likes to make Mommy angry.”
Camila nodded earnestly in agreement. “Lucas is right. Since young, we only had Mommy’s love. Mommy is always tired from taking care of us. We don’t want Mommy to be angry, but we also don’t want to lose Daddy.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she said that.
Lucas sniffled as he continued, “Dear God, Mr. Patel told us that You would make our wishes come true. Please make sure that Daddy and Mommy stay together. In exchange for that, I’ll give you my favorite toy.”
Tears fell from Camila’s eyes as she pleaded. “Please, God, I wish Daddy and Mommy would stop arguing. I’ll give you my favorite chocolate and dolls in exchange. If Daddy and Mommy break up, we’ll become pitiful orphans. Don’t You think we’re pitiful?”
Camila could not control her emotions as she leaned against Lucas and started crying.
Lucas wrapped his arms around Camila and hugged her as tears streamed down his face. He did not forget. to comfort Camila despite crying himself. “Don’t worry, Camila. I’ll always be by your side.”
The two children were wrapped in a tight embrace. The sounds of their sniffling and crying echoed across the hall.
Christina had arrived at the church not too long ago. She could not help but burst into tears herself as she watched the scene unfold before her.
The rollercoaster of emotions she had felt since she woke up hit her like a truck as tears fell from her eyes.
She and Nathaniel had arrived just a few moments ago and seen the children enter the church and followed after them.
Christina wanted to know the reason for the children’s difficult journey to the church. Instead of confronting them immediately, she stood behind the door and eavesdrop on their conversation.
It turned out the children had overheard her and Nathaniel fighting. To them, the overwhelming fear of hearing their parents arguing was far scarier than watching the monsters and witches on TV.
How can I bear to put them under such pressure at their young age…
Christina rushed forward. She hugged Lucas and Camila, apologizing. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”
It’s all my fault for not taking good care of my two babies.
Nathaniel hurried over and joined in on the hug. At that moment, the four of them were wrapped in a tight embrace.
“Good boy, Lucas. Good girl, Camila. I promise you. I will never leave you!”
Lucas and Camila immediately stopped crying. When did Daddy and Mommy arrive?
Chapter 343 Regret
“Daddy, Mommy, we…” Lucas was at a loss for words as she stared at them both blankly.
Camila looked up, her lashes wet with tears. “Daddy, Mommy, have you made up? You won’t fight anymore, right?”
It took Christina a while to calm down and stop crying. She gazed at her daughter’s innocent expression and patted her head gently. “Yes, we’ve stopped fighting. We will never fight again.”
“Daddy and Mommy won’t be apart,” Nathaniel said, his voice firm.
Camila’s eyes lit up. “Wow! Look, Lucas. God is amazing. Daddy and Mommy aren’t fighting anymore!”
Mr. Patel really didn’t lie to us!
Lucas broke into a grin. “Yes, Camila. We did it!”
Christina was left speechless as she felt a surge of emotions upon realizing that her children had prayed for her.
Feeling bad, she gazed at them both and said, “Your hair and clothes are wet. Let me bring you home.”
The children had been caught in the rain and were completely drenched.
They were oblivious to their soaked state until Christina pointed it out to them. A sudden chill ran down their spines as they became aware of their sopping-wet clothes.
“Achoo!” Camila rubbed her nose and threw herself into Nathaniel’s arms. “Daddy, hold me. Mommy is going to hit our butts soon!”
Lucas and I loved playing in the rain. Every time, Mommy would scold us and make us stand as a punishment, warning us about catching a cold from being drenched. It had been some time since I had
done that, but today I had no choice but to do so.
Nathaniel pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Good girl, Mommy won’t hit your butt today. Let’s head home.”
Christina cradled Lucas in her arms, while Nathaniel held Camila close as they walked out of the church together.
Back at Scenic Garden Manor, Christina gave Lucas and Camila a shower. The children, exhausted from their long walk, quickly succumbed to sleep.
They had drained their energy from walking for hours and fell into a deep slumber.
Christina kissed their foreheads lightly before leaving their bedroom.
In the corridor, Nathaniel seemed to be waiting for her.
They locked gazes, and his tall figure was as intimidating as usual.
“Let’s talk.”
Instead of replying to him, Christina walked into the bedroom and left the door ajar, a clear signal that he should come in.
Nathaniel strode into the room and closed the door.
“I want to talk about Madison and Norman,” he started. Due to the emergency earlier, he didn’t have the chance to explain things to Christina.
Christina lowered her head, her eyelashes shielding her emotions. “I don’t want the children to experience any more heartbreak. Whatever you decide to do with Madison is up to you, but I won’t allow their actions to affect me and our children-”
Before she could finish, Nathaniel abruptly pulled her toward him with force. His eyes glinted with an icy intensity as he declared, “I am not in a relationship with Madison. She has always been my assistant, and nothing more!”
The atmosphere at the scene grew tense as Nathaniel felt his anger building.
He was furious as Christina didn’t even care about him at all.
-Who would sleep in the same bed with their assistant? If you insist, then tell me who Norman is. If you want to lie to me, at least make up a logical lie!” Christina snapped.
Every questioning word she uttered felt like a stab of a knife, tearing apart her dignity and pride and leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable.
She deeply regretted her decision of coming back as she was now forced to face the memories that filled her with frustration.
A deep line appeared between Nathaniel’s brows as he pulled out his phone to call Sebastian, ordering the latter to show up right away.
Upon receiving the order, Sebastian quickly ran into the house.
He pushed the door open and immediately sense the tension in the air.
“Mr. Hadley, what can I do for you?” he asked, his heart pounding in his chest. His palms were growing sweaty…
Nathaniel’s face was dark as he commanded coldly. “Tell her who Norman is.”
Unaware of the situation, Sebastian responded honestly, “Mrs. Hadley, Norman is an orphan whom Mr. Hadley sponsors. He is quite introverted, so Mr. Hadley often asks Madison to take him out for walks
and ensures he receives a good education.”
“Orphan?” Christina’s heart sank to the bottom of her stomach. Her voice was filled with disbelief as she responded, “Madison told me Norman is her child. Norman even claimed that Nathaniel is his father.”
Sebastian wore an awkward expression as he explained, “Norman adores Mr. Hadley, so he often tells others that Mr. Hadley is his daddy. If you don’t believe me, I can show you his file.”
He pulled out his phone and clicked into a folder containing photos of Norman at the orphanage, along with evidence of Nathaniel’s sponsorship of the orphanage.
Nathaniel had signed a sponsorship agreement, committing to providing Norman with the best living arrangements and ensuring regular outings for fun. This was the reason he had agreed to Madison’s suggestion of sending Norman to an expensive kindergarten.
Alas, his kind intention had allowed Madison to twist the truth.
“Mrs. Hadley, I swear Madison and Mr. Hadley are not in a romantic relationship.” Sebastian added.
Christina furrowed her brows. “What if you’re lying to me?”
Sebastian was speechless. “Uh, if that’s a lie, I will never find a wife this lifetime. I’ll be single forever.” Christina couldn’t believe he was bold enough to make that vow.
Nathaniel shot Sebastian a look. I didn’t treat him well over the years for nothing. Look how he proves himself useful now.
“All right, you can leave now,”
“Yes, Mr. Hadley.” Sebastian hastily made his exit, relieved that he had spoken the truth. The thought of being single forever was indeed a daunting prospect.
Nathaniel fixed his eyes on Christina as though he wanted to burn two holes right through her with his penetrating eyes.
“What else do I have to do to explain my innocence? A pity I cannot dig my heart out to show you that you’re the only person in my heart.”
Christina belatedly realized that Madison had been fooling her all this time.
If she had a knife, she would use it to stab Madison’s mouth without hesitation.
They stared at each other for some time before Christina broke the silence. “I’m tired. I need to rest.”
She needed some time to calm down.
Nathaniel went over and picked her up. “I’ll keep you company when you rest.
Christina’s attempts to free herself only seemed to exacerbate the intensity of Nathaniel’s grip. The pressure on her shoulders intensified, causing pain to radiate through her body.
Her slender figure seemed to embody the agility of a nimble squirrel as if it could slip away unnoticed at any given moment.
“Be good and stay put, Nathaniel said softly.
As they lay in bed, Christina felt her body molding against his muscular body.
Chapter 344 Careless
The room was so quiet that even the breathing in the ensuing silence was amplified.
Christina could feel the rhythmic pounding of her heart, synchronized with Nathaniel’s steady breathing. His palms, warm and intense as always, seemed to be burning against her waist.
She nestled into a slightly curled position, her gaze cast downward. The tension and exhaustion of the day finally caught up with her, lulling her to deep sleep.
It was already noon when she woke up.
Christina realized she was alone in bed, the empty space beside her holding only a fading hint of warmth.
Rayne had sent her a few concerned texts reminding her of the upcoming deadline end of this month. She didn’t have a lot of time left.
Christina had been busy with Karen’s gown recently, so she would always make sure to carry her reliable sewing kit wherever she went.
She walked into the study and bumped into Nathaniel, who was working there.
When their gazes met, Christina felt like a rabbit barging into a wolf’s den by mistake. She pointed at her tool kit aside and explained, “I’m here to work.”
She behaved as if she was afraid Nathaniel would misunderstand she was there for Him.
Nathaniel merely grunted in acknowledgment and returned his attention to the files in his hands.
Christina settled on the couch and got her needle and gold threads. With focused determination, she began sewing intricate phoenix motifs onto the waist of the gown skillfully.
Her fingers flew across the fabric deftly. Suddenly, the needle pricked into the tip of her finger, causing her to gasp in pain.
Even though she was pretty familiar with sewing, she would occasionally get pricked sometimes when she wasn’t paying any attention.
Christina pur the needle aside and was carefully observing her wound when someone grabbed her wrist.
It was Nathaniel, who had made his way over without her realizing it. “Why are you so careless? Does it hurt?” His voice was tinged with concern.
Christina shook her head softly and watched as he placed her finger into his mouth and sucked on it lightly.
Right then, the door was pushed open, and in came the kids.
Camila’s eyes widened in curiosity as she asked, “Mommy, did you give Daddy candy in secret? I want some, too!”
Christina’s cheeks turned pink in embarrassment as she quickly pulled her finger out. “Your daddy finished all the candy.”
Lucas tilted his head to stare at Nathaniel. “Daddy, is the candy delicious? What flavor is it?”
The blush on Christina’s cheeks deepened.
Nathaniel shot her a pointed look. “It’s a sweet strawberry flavor.”
Both kids squeezed into Christina’s arms and whined, “Mommy, I want some candy, too!”
Christina’s cheeks flushed even more as she hoisted them up and hurried to the door. “Okay. Let’s go downstairs to get some candy.
Nathaniel chuckled softly when he saw how shy she got.
After what happened at the kindergarten, Christina made it clear that they wouldn’t attend it anymore. For the next few days, Lucas and Camila didn’t have to attend any classes.
Christina and Nathaniel barely went out and spent all their time at home with the kids.
The head of the kindergarten, Kitty Parkins, soon learned about the incident and paid them a visit.
Raymond knew nothing about the incident, so he led her into the house.
Christina was clad in casual clothes, playing football with Lucas and Camila in the courtyard.
Prior to her arrival, Kitty had perused the file containing information about the twins. She discovered that their surname was Steele and that the Steele family had faced bankruptcy some time ago. Currently, there were no prominent figures associated with the Steele name.
Their mother looks attractive, so she must be some rich man’s sugar baby, making the twins illegitimate children. I’ve never seen their father pick them up from school. If the chairman hadn’t insisted that I apologize to her, I wouldn’t have come to her house.
“Are you Lucas Steele and Camila Steele’s mother?” Kitty asked. Her voice had an unsettling quality that evoked discomfort in those who heard it.
Christina halted in her tracks to gaze at the middle-aged woman curiously. “Who are you?”
“I’m the head of the kindergarten, Kitty Parkins. I’m here to talk about the children’s suspension,” Kitty explained.
Christina told Raymond to bring the kids into the house. When they left, her smile that was directed at the kids quickly faded away, giving way to a stern and serious expression.
*Please be mindful of your words. We chose to withdraw, so it was not you who suspended us,” she stated, expressing her frustration with the haughty behavior of the kindergarten.
Kitty had shown up to apologize, albeit reluctantly, so she couldn’t contain her response upon hearing Christina’s mocking words. “Our kindergarten is the most prestigious kindergarten in this city. Only those born into wealthy and influential families have the privilege to enroll here. People like you should seize the opportunity to ingratiate yourselves,”
Christina immediately understood the underlying meaning of her words. The presence of such elitist and materialistic educators is exactly why the education industry has become chaotic.
As she refused to budge, Kitty declared, “If you insist on pulling out, we won’t stop you.”
“You can get lost now,” Christina snapped.
The parents had always sucked up to Kitty. It was the first time she had met someone who didn’t bother showing her any respect.
Infuriated, she taunted, “You must have used your looks to find a wealthy sugar daddy, didn’t you? It’s unbelievable how arrogant you can be. You look down on us when you’re using the same tactics!”
Thud!
Christina kicked the football in Kitty’s direction. Anyone who had the guts to insult her would have to face the consequences.
“You crazy b*tch! I’ll kill you!” Kitty promptly forgot the reason for her visit and rushed toward Christina like a mad woman.
The plump Kitty easily grabbed hold of Christina’s shoulders, preparing to push her to the ground. However, before she could execute her plan, a tall figure emerged and swiftly intervened by supporting Christina’s waist.
“Nathaniel Christina blinked in surprise.
Nathaniel’s icy gaze landed on Kitty. “How dare you hurt her?”
“You are… Mr. Hadley?” Kitty was dumbfounded.
She had only encountered Nathaniel once at a charity event, but his commanding presence had left an indelible impression on her.
Did I just call Mr. Hadley’s wife a sugar baby? Don’t tell me the kids are his. No wonder the chairman tasked me with the mission of convincing her to reconsider and allow the children to return to our kindergarten.
Nathaniel shot his bodyguard a look, not wanting to waste time with her.
The bodyguard immediately knew his intention and stepped forward. “Ma’am, please leave right now.”
Kitty panicked and quickly pleaded, “Ms. Steele, that wasn’t what I meant. It was a misunderstanding. I’m sincere in inviting the kids back to our kindergarten! We can offer you a fifty percent discount on the fees!”
Christina’s face was dark as she responded coolly, “Even if you offer to take them in for free, I still won’t agree!”
Chapter 345 Made Nathaniel Come Personally
The bodyguard quickened his pace and dragged the principal out. Only then did the noise finally die down.
When Christina came to her senses, she noticed that Nathaniel’s hand was still on her waist. Blushing, she jumped away like a little rabbit.
Without waiting for him to speak, she turned around and walked into the house.
Lucas and Camila had already changed into clean clothes, their innocent and cute faces filled with joy. “Mommy, can you take us out to play tomorrow?” asked Camila in a soft and adorable voice.
Lucas agreed from the side, “We’re kids! We naturally like to run around and explore new things. It wouldn’t be good to confine us like this, right?”
After the incident, Christina scolded them for sneaking out and punished them by grounding them in
Scenic Garden Manor.
“I’ve chosen a new kindergarten. You’ll start school tomorrow. Without any hesitation, Christina punctured the children’s hopes of going out to play.
She brought the two of them to the study, turned on the computer, and logged into the kindergarten’s website.
The form teacher had contacted her earlier, informing her that each new student had to log in to the website and fill in their details.
The two kids stood at the side and watched their mother fill in the information. The last section was to upload a photo.
Christina connected her phone to the computer’s Bluetooth. She had close-up photos of the kids in her photo album.
There was also an option to choose if they were a single-parent family. If they were, they would just need to upload a photo of the guardian. Otherwise, a photo of the child’s parents would be required.
Since it was a regular kindergarten, most parents came to pick up their children. The photos helped the teachers recognize each parent’s appearance to avoid any confusion during drop-offs and pick-ups.
Without any hesitation, Christina ticked the option for the single-parent family.
“But we aren’t a single-parent family, Mommy!” Camila’s face scrunched up in an aggrieved look when she saw Christina’s choice.
Christina smiled awkwardly. “What does it matter? We’ve always chosen that option.”
The key issue was that she did not have a photo of Nathaniel, but she did not want to take one with hinr either…
Pouting, Lucas explained to Christina, “That’s different. We thought that we didn’t have a dad previously. Now that we do, we don’t want to be mocked for being fatherless by our new classmates!”
They had a particularly strong aversion to that word.
Before Christina could react, Camila dashed out and quickly dragged Nathaniel into the study.
“Daddy, we need your photo to fill in the kindergarten application. Can we have your photo?” Camila clasped her hands together, her watery eyes full of anticipation.
Nathaniel ruffled her hair. “Okay.”
Feeling like she was being pushed into a corner, Christina had no choice but to sit on the couch with Nathaniel. Lucas held her phone and took a picture of them together.
Lucas glanced mischievously at Camila, who immediately understood. “Oh no, the light’s behind you here. Mommy, Daddy, why don’t you sit on the single-seater couch over there where the lighting is better?”
Christina was currently sitting on a double-seater sofa, on which she could maintain some distance between her and Nathaniel.
How can two people fit on a single-seater couch? Doesn’t this mean that we’ll practically be in each other’s lap?
Christina looked up, thinking that the light was indeed a bit glaring.
“Hurry up, Mommy! Sit over there,” urged Lucas softly.
Nathaniel sat on the single-seater couch first. Since he was naturally tall and muscular, he already took up two-thirds of the already cramped space.
“Scoot over!” whispered Christina.
Nathaniel ignored her words. Instead, he directly pulled her wrist and made her sit on his lap.
“This is good enough,” he said.
Christina’s ears felt warm as a feeling of nervousness and anger surfaced within her. However, she could not possibly lose her temper in front of the two children.
With her back pressed against Nathaniel’s chest, she could feel the rhythm of his heartbeat even through their clothes.
Lucas took several photos with her phone. After reviewing them and still feeling dissatisfied, he remarked, “Mommy and Daddy, you’re sitting too far apart. Move closer. Otherwise, the teacher might mistakenly think that both of you are on bad terms.”
Camila walked over and pushed Christina’s head closer to Nathaniel’s. She only felt grisfied after seeing their heads leaning against each other.
“That’s much better.” Camila shot Nathaniel a subtle glance, to which he responded with a wink.
What a thoughtful daughter!
Christina clenched her fists tightly. Hurry up and take the photo!
Lucas aimed the camera at them and pressed the shutter a few times. He then handed the phone to Christina. “Done!”
Christina heaved a sigh of relief, as if a burden had been lifted off her shoulders. She quickly stood up left with her phone to upload the photos. Soon, she completed the kindergarten enrolment procedures and for both children.
After breakfast the next morning. Christina planned to take the two children out.
During her time overseas, she had obtained a driver’s license to make it more convenient to travel around.
When Nathaniel came downstairs from the study and saw that the three of them were about to leave, he said. “I’ll send you all there.”
Since he was used to settling urgent documents first thing in the morning, he still had not eaten anything.
“You need to have breakfast, don’t you? Besides, we’re going to be late.” In other words, Christina was implying that she could not wait for him.
Straightening his suit, Nathaniel walked over and picked up Camila’s school bag. “It’s fine. I’ll eat at the office.”
He bent down slightly and carried the kids. “Besides, it’s the kids’ first day of school. Naturally, I have to send them there personally.”
Since he had not sent them to school before, the kindergarten teachers did not recognize him.
Hence, he would have to make time to send the kids whenever he was free in the future.
That day, Lucas and Camila walked proudly with their heads held high.
Watching the two kids holding the teacher’s hand and entering the kindergarten, Christina felt relieved and headed off to work.
When it was around noon, Christina had already completed most of the dress Karen had commissioned.
After instructing Rayne to invite Karen to the office to try on the dress, she went downstairs to buy coffee.
The owner of the cafe, who had seen her a few times, said with a smile, “Sorry, but the staff from the security department ordered seven cups of coffee. You’ll have to wait a bit.”
Returning a smile, Christina stood at the counter and used her phone to pass the time.
The security guards were wearing navy uniforms. As large companies always had the best quality uniforms, they looked extremely smart wearing them.
Probably on their lunch break, they were standing in a circle and laughing.
“Ms. Taggart is really nice. We helped her upgrade the system and turn on the air-conditioning to remove the odor the previous time. It wasn’t much work, but she treated us to coffee for a month.”
“Yeah. Mr. Hadley rushed back in the middle of the night that day. I heard that a colleague was trapped inside the office.”
“I wonder who’s so important that Mr. Hadley personally came back.”
Christina froze in the middle of scrolling through her phone.
Recalling the elevator maintenance the night before, she wondered if the increase in air-conditioning strength was actually not a coincidence. Could it be someone did it on purpose?
Christina walked over. “Does the Ms. Taggart you all are talking about refer to Madison?”
The security guards recognized her. However, since they were newcomers, they did not know Christina’s true identity.
They only knew that she had exceptional privileges and that Nathaniel had deliberately cleared a floor for her to have her office there.
“Yes, it was Madison who treated us to coffee.
Chapter 346 Only Christina
It was really Madison’s doing! Christina discreetly bit her lip as anger surged within her.
Only when the barista finished making her coffee and called her over did she snap out of her thoughts.
Christina paid for her coffee, received the beverage, and left.
Meanwhile, Madison had just learned from the kindergarten teacher that Christina had withdrawn the two children from school.
Feeling triumphant, she praised Norman for doing a good job.
“Mommy, when will you take me out to play next time?” Norman spoke meekly.
Madison had told him to address her as Mommy and Nathaniel as Daddy, and since he yearned for parental affection, he felt their relationship was real the more he called them in that manner.
“I’m very busy with work, so I don’t have time to take you out to play. Don’t we have a nanny at home?” Madison sounded a little impatient.
Norman’s voice grew more obsequious. “The nanny isn’t Mommy.”
“All right, fine. I’ll take you out this weekend.” Madison figured Norman still had some value to her, so she wanted to appease him to prevent him from being disobedient in the future.
Madison had to go to the warehouse to check on a batch of materials. Hence, she hung up the call after saying that.
There were several warehouses, mainly for the storage of goods.
Wearing high heels, she strode inward. After checking the materials and preparing to leave, she found the door she had left open upon entry was now locked.
Madison knocked on the door. Usually, no one would come to the warehouse.
Since the warehouse door was locked with a code and generally inaccessible to outsiders, no one was tasked to guard it.
At that moment, the air conditioning suddenly turned colder.
Chilly air continuously blew out from the vents like water gushing out from a broken dam, spreading- throughout the warehouse.
The temperature swiftly dropped, causing Madison to shiver. Realizing something was wrong, she quickly pulled out her phone to call Sebastian for help.
Upon unlocking the device, she noticed there was no signal.
Madison cursed and banged on the door a few times in frustration. Unfortunately, only pin-drop silence. ensued.
Initially, she still had some energy left, but after knocking a few times, she lost her strength and could only curl up in a corner.
Warmth gradually dissipated from her limbs, and her hands and feet eventually turned stiff.
An indeterminate time passed before the tightly shut door was slowly opened.
A slender figure walked in. Christina gazed coldly and disdainfully at the almost frozen Madison, revealing a meaningful smile.
“It’s you! You did this on purpose…” Madison’s voice trembled as she spoke.
She wanted to get up and slap Christina, but she couldn’t move.
Christina had used a signal jammer to block the communication signal of the warehouse to prevent Madison from establishing contact with the outside world.
That night, she had endured the biting air-conditioning for over half an hour. Now, she merely let Madison suffer the same way she did for an hour. Just the thought of that prompted Christina to feel she was being benevolent.
Christina strode up to Madison and regarded the latter with a frosty expression. “It doesn’t feel good being trapped someplace with the freezing air, does it?”
She wanted Madison to have a taste of her own medicine.
Madison widened her eyes in astonishment. How did she find out?
“Madison, it’s been five years, yet your tricks haven’t improved.” The look in Christina’s eyes turned icier. “Whatever harm you try to bring to me in the future, I’ll repay you in folds! I hope you don’t commit such foolish actions again!”
With that, Christina turned around and exited the warehouse.
Madison’s eyes reddened as she watched Christina’s retreating figure..
When Christina entered the elevator, she ran into Sebastian, who appeared troubled and was carrying a takeout bag.
“You’re having your meal so late?” Christina had a good impression of Sebastian, so she made a polite. inquiry.
Sebastian replied, “It’s not for me. This food is for Mr. Hadley. He didn’t have breakfast this morning, and now he’s having gastric pain, so he can only eat some oatmeal.”
Christina remembered that Nathaniel had skipped breakfast that morning to send the kids to kindergarten.
She slightly lowered her eyes. I didn’t forbid him from having his breakfast, so his gastric pain is none of my
Sebastian scratched his nose. “Actually, after you left five years ago, Mrs. Hadley, the company’s confidential information was leaked. It was during that period that Mr. Hadley started having health issues for constantly pulling all-nighters.”
After moving abroad, Christina had stopped following domestic news, so she was naturally unaware of Hadley Corporation’s situation.
She wondered what classified information related to Hadley Corporation was disclosed-five years ago.
Sensing her indifference, Sebastian added. “The doctor mentioned he had been overworking and enduring too much stress, and along with his long-term inconsistent mealtimes, he developed a gastric condition.”
Christina didn’t know what to say. She merely tapped her fingertips and uttered, “In that case, you should hurry up and deliver him his meal.”
At that moment, Sebastian’s phone rang. “Madison? You passed out in the warehouse? Okay. I’m coming right now.”
At the same time, the elevator arrived at Christina’s office floor. Sebastian was worried about Madison’s condition, but he was still holding the oatmeal.
“I’ll help you to deliver this.” Christina reached out to grab the takeaway.
Sebastian was extremely grateful. “Thank you, Mrs. Hadley. I’ll take another elevator to check on Madison.”
“Go on.”
After Sebastian exited the elevator, Christina stayed inside and continued moving upward.
Meanwhile, inside the CEO’s office, sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling window, illuminating a tall man’s figure and casting long shadows on the floor.
Christina entered. Her movements were so gentle that it seemed she had materialized from thin air.
She scooped a small bowl of oatmeal and set it in front of Nathaniel. “Have some food first.”
Nathaniel’s gaze remained fixated as he focused on his work on hand. “I’ll eat later.”
She pouted. Does he think his body is robust? It’s almost afternoon, and he hasn’t even had lunch.
She replied with a commanding tone, “No. The oatmeal will get cold later.”
The air conditioning in the office was set at a low temperature. Hence, the food would turn cold in no time.
Only then did Nathaniel put down the document in his hand and gaze at her in amusement. “It’s rare for you to care about me.”
Christina’s ears flushed as she stammered. “Sebastian is busy, so I’m just helping him out.”
His intense stare unnerved her. She turned around to leave.
“Since you’ve brought the food here, why don’t you feed me too?” Nathaniel grasped her wrist, not only stopping her from walking away but also pulling her into his arms.
The faint fragrance wafting into his nose made him feel relaxed.
Christina blushed. Ever since she showed less resistance toward him in front of the kids, he had been pushing his luck further around her.
“When did your hands become crippled? How come I know nothing about it?”
He held her tighter and uttered hoarsely. “If you’re willing to take care of me, I don’t mind having my arms crippled.
Christina’s checks turned a few shades redder. She struggled to free herself but to no avail. Having no other choice, she bit his arm mercilessly and broke free.
“It seems you’ve gotten into plenty of relationships with other women in the years we haven’t seen each other, Mr. Hadley. Even your flirting skills have improved.” She rolled her eyes at him in annoyance. “Unfortunately, your sweet talk is not effective on me. If you don’t want to eat, just starve to death for all 1 care. This may even work in my favor since no one will compete with me for the children.”
With that, she left the room, leaving him with the sight of her retreating figure,
Nathaniel grimaced slightly. Even though he had recovered from his aversion to women, he had never fallen for any other woman in all those years.
Christina was the only woman he loved.
Just like before, his feelings for her remained unchanged.
Chapter 347 Give Daddy A Kiss
After Christina returned home from work, Lucas and Camila ran to her. “Mommy, Daddy fetched us today! You should kiss Daddy as a reward!”
Whenever the two children did something praiseworthy, Christina would reward them with a kiss.
Christina glanced at Nathaniel awkwardly. “Daddy is an adult. He doesn’t like this kind of reward.”
The two kids turned to look at Nathaniel in confusion, hoping to get a definite answer.
“I want the reward, but if your mommy is unwilling, we can’t force her, okay?”
Christina harrumphed inwardly upon hearing his words. This pitiful approach will only fool children.
Lucas and Camila looked at Christina expectantly and uttered in unison, “Mommy, please give Daddy a reward. Don’t be so stingy.”
Christina’s ears flushed. Nathaniel is threatening me now that he has the kids’ support.
She quickly kissed Nathaniel on the check before she fled from the scene, rushing to the second floor.
Nathaniel patted the kids’ heads. “I’ll fetch you guys from school every day from now on. In return, you guys have to get Mommy to reward me, okay?”
Lucas narrowed his eyes, exuding a maturity that surpassed those of his peers. “Daddy, will you bring lollipops for me and Camila?”
“Of course!”
Camila and Lucas cheered joyfully and gave Nathaniel a high-five. “It’s a deal!”
In the study upstairs, Karen’s gown was finished. Karen was satisfied with the piece and wanted to order an even grander one next time.
Christina’s work progress exceeded her expectations, so she had an extra day to set up her preparations.
The theme of Coco’s photoshoot this time was vintage style.
Christina opened her tablet to look at relevant information and carefully analyzed the fashion styles and characteristics of the eighties.
She felt that the vintage style had both an elegant and trendy appeal.
Two hours passed by in a flash.
After Nathaniel put the children to bed and walked into the study, he found her asleep on the couch.
The tablet in her hands had dropped to the side. Her long eyelashes rested delicately on her lower eyelids, giving her a doll-like demeanor.
Nathaniel walked over and carried her in his sturdy arms.
She’s still as light and soft as before. If only she would let me hug her when she’s awake.
During the weekend, Christina followed Coco to a photoshoot outside the city.
Thus, Nathaniel was in charge of looking after Camila and Lucas.
The photoshoot was a success. However, there were many things to do, from setting up equipment to preparing the outfits. The team only managed to finish half of their work when night arrived.
Due to poor lighting conditions at night, the photographer suggested continuing the next day. In such circumstances, the team would have to stay overnight at this place.
Christina was busy the whole day. The first thing she did was to shower when she reached the hotel.
The hot shower washed off her fatigue. When she walked out of the bathroom, her phone started ringing.
She could hear Nathaniel teaching the two kids to speak. “Quick. Ask Mommy when she’s coming back. It’s getting late, and it’s dangerous outside.”
Camila followed Nathaniel’s words and uttered them to Christina in an adorable tone.
Upon hearing her kids’ voices, Christina finally relaxed. She explained that she might only be able to return home the next day due to her work.
She had occasionally stayed overnight outside due to her work, so her children were used to it.
After bidding farewell to them, she hung up the call.
Nathaniel’s body took up much space in the small bed, but the two children were willing to squeeze together to sleep with their father.
Suddenly, lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a loud boom. The two kids instinctively burrowed. themselves into Nathaniel’s embrace.
“It’s thundering outside, and we aren’t beside Mommy to keep her company. What should we do?” Camila looked outside the window anxiously.
“Is your mommy very scared of thunder?” Christina’s scared expression flashed across Nathaniel’s mind.
Lucas nodded his head fervently. “We heard it from Mr. Gunther. When Mommy gave birth to us, there was lightning and thunder. She even fell down and almost lost us. From then on, she became terrified of thunder.”
“Daddy, can you go and find Mommy? She definitely needs your hug more than us!” Camila said firmly. Nathaniel’s heart sank. He found it hard to breathe, as though someone was suffocating him.
After he put Manor. the two children to sleep, he headed downstairs, started the car, and left Scenic Garden
Christina curled into a ball near the edge of the bed as she listened to the rumbling thunder. She hugged her knees tightly, and her pale face was drenched in cold sweat.
The frequencies of the thunder and lightning were too similar to the night four years ago. The image of her driving to the hospital with a big belly flashed across her mind.
Fresh red blood slid down from the base of her thigh, and the waves of pain kept getting worse.
She clenched her palms tightly, leaving five red marks on her knees.
Suddenly, there was an urgent knock on the door. However, no one answered the door.
Then, the sound of the door being opened was heard.
Nathaniel walked into the room. He saw a familiar figure curled in a ball on the bed, a terrified expression. on her face.
She looks so weak and fragile, as if she needs someone to protect her.
He walked over to her side quickly and hugged her. “Christina, don’t be scared. I’m here.”
Christina didn’t say anything, merely gripping his shirt tightly.
The hotel staff asked in concern. “Is he your husband, ma’am?”
As the man had just stated that his wife might have had an accident in the hotel room, the staff opened the door without consent to prevent dangerous circumstances from occurring.
Christina nodded and thanked her.
Satisfied that nothing was amiss, the staff left.
The two didn’t speak a word that night. Nathaniel hugged Christina silently so that she could sleep in his embrace peacefully.
Eventually, the thunder faded away, and the exhausted Christina finally fell asleep in his embrace.
Early in the morning, Christina woke up and found herself covered with a blanket on the bed. There was still a hint of warmth beside her.
If she hadn’t woken up several times in the middle of the night and seen Nathaniel’s handsome face, she would have wondered if last night was a dream.
She got up and changed her clothes. Then, the hotel staff came in with a luxurious breakfast.
“I don’t recall ordering breakfast service?” The hotel breakfast was usually much more expensive. Although Christina wasn’t short of money, she didn’t like to splurge.
The hotel staff pushed a cart in and set the breakfast on the coffee table. “Mr. Hadley ordered this, and the bill has already been settled.”
After placing everything down, the hotel staff left.
Christina walked over and realized there was a note on the table. The elegant handwriting wrote: Remember to eat breakfast. I’ve gone home to send our kids to school.
Chapter 348 Official Business
After breakfast, Christina went to the shooting location to get ready for work.
Since it had rained the day before, the amount of sunlight was perfect for the shoot. Hence, the job was completed right before noon.
Coco took a few selfies with her and uploaded the photos online to let everyone know that Christina was her stylist.
The two had known each other since they were at the bottom of the corporate hierarchy, and they had been working hard to prove themselves. Therefore, Coco was more than willing to share her connections with Christina.
Christina, on the other hand, would also make time to personally tailor new gowns for Coco.
Although they were both established individuals in the industry now, they were still eager to help each other out.
Christina finally arrived downtown when it was close to the afternoon.
Having worked for the past couple of days, Christina went back to Scenic Garden Manor to freshen up.
She then went downstairs after showering and changing into a new set of clothes.
Raymond saw her coming down the stairs and asked, “Have you had lunch, Mrs. Hadley?”
“No. Is Mr. Hadley coming back to eat?” she asked. Nathaniel isn’t used to eating out, so he’ll normally either come back to Scenic Garden Manor to eat or get Sebastian to pack food from home.
“Mr. Taggart informed me Mr. Hadley has to attend to some clients, so he told me not to prepare food for Mr. Hadley,” Raymond reported.
“All right, then. You may go back to work,” Christina answered. If that’s the case, Nathaniel is most probably skipping lunch and drinking wine on an empty stomach. Does he not know how bad that is for his stomach? Since he drove over an hour for my sake last night, I should return the favor.
With that in mind, Christina went to the kitchen and started cooking.
Around ten minutes later, she packed up the food she made and drove to the office.
Upon arriving at the office, Christina took the elevator to the CEO’s office on the top floor.
At that moment, Nathaniel was in the middle of a meeting with the executives from several departments.
Christina didn’t know what they were talking about in the conference room, but she saw how solemn their expressions were. In fact, she could even feel the tense atmosphere despite standing on the other side of the glass panel.
Indeed, the atmosphere in the conference room couldn’t be any more tense. Due to a mistake, someone almost leaked the latest technology the company was developing.
Thus, the executives from the three major departments had to explain themselves.
At the moment, those experienced executives were going through their apology letters repeatedly to make sure they got everything right before submitting them.
The senior executive of the research department was seen wiping the sweat off his forehead repeatedly after giving a lengthy explanation.
Just then, Nathaniel lifted his gaze and saw Christina standing by the door.
Upon noticing the lunchbox in her hand, Nathaniel knew what she was there for.
“Let’s take a half an hour break,” Nathaniel uttered.
“Mr. Hadley, this is an important meeting. We can’t afford to take breaks.” Madison’s expression changed slightly. Nathaniel is pausing the meeting because of Christina! That woman is disrupting Nathaniel’s work! Does she do anything else apart from eating and pleasing Nathaniel?
Nathaniel rose to his feet and uttered coldly, “I know what I’m doing. You should worry about yourself.”
Madison clenched her fists and teared up a little as she watched Nathaniel leave the conference room, bring Christina to his office, and lock the door behind them.
Initially, Christina wanted to leave after giving Nathaniel the lunchbox.
However, he had already locked the door, so she put the lunchbox on the coffee table and opened it. “Have you had your lunch?”
“No.” Nathaniel answered.
Hearing that, Christina poured him a bowl of soup and asked, “Don’t you know you have gastric problems? Why are you doing this to yourself?”
“Well, no one is reminding me to eat.” Nathaniel took the bowl from her and unintentionally touched the back of her hand.
“I’m sure Sebastian is more capable than anyone to remind you to eat on time.”
Everyone in the company knew how committed Sebastian was to his job. As a matter of fact, he was a meticulous assistant who would pay the utmost attention to every single detail.
Nathaniel couldn’t complain about Sebastian’s efficiency, so he merely lowered his head and drank his soup.
After drinking a few mouthfuls of the hot soup, Nathaniel looked a lot more at ease. “Do we have a new chef at home?”
“No” Christina sat opposite him.
“The taste is different from usual. Nathaniel arched a brow and looked at her.
Christina blushed and admitted, “I cooked.”
Nathaniel flashed her a smile and continued drinking his soup.
Evidently, his appetite was good that day, and although he couldn’t finish all the food Christina brought over, he finished the soup.
Christina cleared the table and walked toward the door with the lunchbox in her hand. “Don’t misunderstand any intentions. The meal was merely a token of appreciation for your company last night.”
With that, she left in a hurry,
Nathaniel broke into a smile as he watched her leave. This means she has finally acknowledged my feelings for her.
Camila and Lucas were waiting at the entrance for Nathaniel to return home from work that evening, and they rushed out immediately when they saw a black Maybach pulling up into the driveway.
Nathaniel saw the kids running toward the car and instantly ordered the driver to stop the vehicle.
He picked the kids up immediately after exiting the car while uttering. “Don’t ever do this again. It’s dangerous.”
Camila and Lucas couldn’t wait to see Nathaniel because they had something important to tell him.
“Daddy, go upstairs right this instant! Mommy is leaving to look for Mr. Gunther!” Camila yelled.
Nathaniel furrowed his brows in response. Wasn’t everything all right at noon? She even sent me lunch! That was only a few hours ago. Why is she leaving all of a sudden?
Seeing that Nathaniel was in a daze, Lucas shook his father violently. “Daddy! Talk to Mommy!”
Nathaniel carried the kids into the house and assured them. “Don’t worry. I’ll go upstairs to check things. out.”
“Okay!”
In the master bedroom upstairs, Christina had just finished packing lightly. She then grabbed her passport. and was about to leave.
As soon as she stepped out of the bedroom with her luggage, she bumped into Nathaniel.
“Where are you going?” Nathaniel asked in a deep voice.
Christina bit her lip and answered, “I need to go back to the studio abroad. It’s urgent.”
She was in a rush, so she didn’t have time to chat.
Therefore, she wanted to walk past Nathaniel after pushing him aside.
Nathaniel grabbed her wrist and asked in an even colder voice, “Are you going there for business or to see someone?”
Prior to that, Nathaniel had already gotten Sebastian to do some digging. Apparently, Francis was taking part in an exhibition abroad, so Nathaniel thought Christina could be meeting up with him to run
off together again.
After going through what happened the last time around, Nathaniel was determined to keep Christina by his side.
Christina’s face turned grim when she heard those words. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. If I’m leaving the kids here, doesn’t that mean I’m surely coming back? Why are you so worried?” she refuted in annoyance.
Nothing in the world was more important to her than Camila and Lucas. Hence, it was clear that she had an urgent matter to deal with and would return as soon as she could.
However, Nathaniel was still gripping her wrist tightly. “All right, then. Where are you going? I’ll tag along!”
Chapter 350 He Would Never Do That
In the blink of an eye, a tall figure had stepped between Christina and Yosef.
“Please keep your distance,” growled Nathaniel in a deep voice.
Yosef was shocked as he did not recognize the tall, blonde man standing in front of him. “Who are you?
Embarrassed, Christina stepped forward and pulled the bodyguard away. “He was sent by Nathaniel. Don’t worry about it.”
Her expression darkened. The bodyguard was clearly trained by the Hadley family since his mannerisms reminded her of Nathaniel.
Yosef had been surprised to hear that Christina was allowed to go abroad. From what he had heard about Nathaniel, it seemed unlikely that he would have agreed to it.
It turns out that he has sent a bodyguard with her instead.
Seeing the bodyguard’s unfriendly and rather hostile demeanor. Yosef did not want to create a conflict, so he changed the subject. “I’ve booked a hotel for us. Let’s go check in.”
He walked over to Christina, intending to offer his help, but the bodyguard was one step ahead of him.
The bodyguard even threw him a warning glance.
Yosef was taken aback by his hostility. Isn’t he a bit too much?
The atmosphere turned awkward. At that moment, the bodyguard said in a cold voice, “Mr. Hadley has already booked a hotel. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself.”
Yosef could not recognize Nathaniel because the latter had deliberately lowered his voice.
Christina looked mortified. Again, she stepped between the two men to break their stare and said, “Let’s go then.”
When the three of them exited the airport, the hotel staff were already waiting for them at the gate, and they hurried over when they saw the three of them appear.
Soon, they arrived at the hotel and got themselves checked in.
“Mr. Bodyguard, could you help me carry my luggage up to my room? I’d like to have a chat with Yosef,” said Christina.
Nathaniel frowned. I followed her all the way here, and now, she wants me to leave so she can have a private chat with Yoseff
He lowered his voice and replied, “Mr. Hadley ordered me to stay by your side at all times, Mrs. Hadley.”
What he really meant was that there was no way he would agree to leave the two of them alone to talk.
His words confirmed to Christina that the bodyguard had been sent by Nathaniel to keep an eye on her. The thought filled her with disdain.
However, she could not berate the bodyguard out in public. Sighing, she resigned herself to her fate.
The three of them walked over to the hotel’s restaurant to have a meal.
Christina was concerned about the situation at the studio. As soon as she sat down, she asked, “Our designs have been kept strictly confidential. How can there be so many imitations?”
There were several types of imitation goods. Currently, the ones in the market were high quality and had copied every little detail, save for the manual needle embroidery.
Yosef’s brows furrowed. “I checked the design drawing, and it was indeed stolen. That’s how the imitators managed to make such a close replica.”
“Who stole it? Did you manage to catch the culprit?” Christina asked.
Just as Yosef was about to reply, a waiter approached their table bearing platters of food.
“Eat,” said Nathaniel in a commanding tone.
She hasn’t rested or eaten anything after getting off the plane and has been busy with Yosef up until now. What right does this punk have to cause Christina so much concern?
Christina frowned. “Mr. Bodyguard, if you’re hungry, you’re welcome to start eating first.”
Didn’t he see that I was in the middle of an important conversation? How rude of him to interrupt!
Nathaniel ignored Christina’s protest. He piled a plate with food and set it down in front of her.
He did not say a word and merely angled his head toward the plate, urging her to take a bite. Even through his dark sunglasses, Christina could feel his sharp gaze boring into her.
In truth, she had been on the plane all day and had not eaten in the last six hours, so her stomach was beginning to grumble,
Thus, she picked up her fork and fed herself a bite.
Nathaniel watched her eat and breathed a sigh of relief.
At the quiet table, only Yosef noticed that all the dishes ordered were Christina’s favorite foods. How could a mere bodyguard know what she likes to eat?
Nathaniel scooped an extra helping for Christina, filling up her plate to the brim.
Christina looked at the mountain of food in front of her and complained, “Mr. Bodyguard, this is too much food. I can’t finish it all! Stop giving me more!”
She had a simple rule when it came to food-she did not like wasting food.
“It’s Mr. Hadley’s orders,” the bodyguard said simply as an explanation.
Hearing that name, Christina choked on her food.
After a moment of silence, she looked at Yosef. “So, has the design thief been found?”
Yosef paused for a moment and glanced at the bodyguard by Christina’s side, directly in front of him. The man’s bright blonde hair stood out. However, he wore dark sunglasses and a face mask, so his facial features were hidden away.
There’s no way Nathaniel would dye his hair this bright color, right? The thought comforted Yosef.
He dropped his eyes to meet Christina’s. “Yes, it was Laura who stole the drawings.”
Laura was Yosef’s secretary. She did not know anything about fashion design.
Christina’s heart sank. “Could Laura have done it for money? Ah, it really is impossible to be on guard against everyone.”
Yosef hesitated and thought for a moment before saying, “Although it is terrible of Laura to steal the design drawing for the sake of money, it’s even more terrible that someone bribed her to do it.”
Bribery?
Christina raised her eyebrows and asked in a puzzled tone, “Someone else is behind this theft?”
Is it one of our competitors? These things happen in our line of business, but I didn’t expect it to happen to us!
Yosef’s eyes turned icy, “When Laura was arrested, she tried to plead with me. She said that someone had given her a big sum of money to steal the design drawing and sell it to the garment factory.”
“Who offered the money?” Christina said. A feeling of dread settled over her.
“Nathaniel Hadley, Yosef replied.
Christina was stunned. She felt as if she had been slapped. Nathaniel is behind this?
A silence descended over the table. The three of them were caught up in their own thoughts.
Nathaniel gripped the handle of his knife so tightly that his knuckles turned white. This Yosef is becoming more and more daring! How dare he slander my name in front of me? Who does he think he is? How dare he move against me?
He shot a sideways glance at Christina. Her delicate skin was silky smooth, and her long hair, tucked behind her ears, shone in the light. Her thick eyelashes shaded her eyes as she delved deep into her thoughts.
Noting her reaction, Nathaniel tensed up. He did not care about Yosef’s accusation, but he cared deeply about what Christina would think of him.
Will she believe his words? She has never had a good impression of me. What can I do about it if she really does believe him? It’s not like I can cover her ears and insist that it’s all lies, can I?
The longer the silence dragged on, the more awkward the atmosphere at the table became.
“Nathaniel would never do that,” said Christina calmly, breaking the silence.
Yosef’s eyes narrowed. If it were not for Nathaniel’s absence, he would have suspected that Nathaniel was controlling Christina.
“Yosef, you may think that I’m saying this to defend or protect Nathaniel, but I’m very sure that he would never do such a thing”