Ch. 361..370
Chapter 361 Doubt Me
“Are you being good children back at home?” Christina asked, her voice gentle.
Both Lucas and Camila missed her a lot, so they began whining. “Mommy, we miss you a lot! Since you’re not at home, no one can put us to bed.”
Christina frowned upon hearing that. “What about your daddy? Didn’t he put you to bed?”
Before departing the country, she agreed that Nathaniel’s bodyguard would accompany her on the condition that Nathaniel would remain at home to care for their children. Yet, to her confusion, it seemed that he hadn’t made much effort to fulfill his parental responsibilities.
Lucas and Camila suddenly realized that they had unintentionally revealed the truth, despite their promise to their father that they would keep it a secret.
Nathaniel felt a surge of panic as he realized how close the kids had come to exposing the truth.
If Christina discovers that I’m here in place of the Hadley family’s bodyguard. I’m doomed.
“No, Mommy, Daddy is always busy. He works late into the night in his study. It must be tiring for him.” Camila explained softly.
In an attempt to disguise their guilt, Lucas quickly added, “Mommy, don’t worry. Daddy is taking great care of us!”
“I’ll be back soon. Be good, and I’ll bring you your favorite chocolate as souvenirs,” Christina told them.
Lucas and Camila were afraid of making more slips. “Okay, Mommy. We’re looking forward to your return! Bye!”
Christina was about to bid them goodbye, but before she could utter a word, the children ended the call hurriedly.
She stared at the dark screen, utterly confused.
The children are usually talkative. Why did they hang up so quickly this time?
Christina was still worried. She pondered about it for a while before giving Nathaniel a call.
It took a while for the call to be answered.
“What’s wrong, Christina?” The familiar charming voice rang out, albeit sounding a little hoarse.
“Why is your voice hoarse?” she asked. Did he catch a cold from working late every day?
Nathaniel walked to the lawn outside the hospital, where it was quiet. Worried that Christina might recognize his voice, he intentionally spoke in a hoarse tone.
He clenched his fist and brought it close to his mouth, clearing his throat. “I’m doing okay.”
Christina fell silent. She held her phone, not knowing what to say next.
Nathaniel informed her, “I have investigated the issue you mentioned. Yosef’s parents are safe in the country. They are not facing any immediate danger.”
It was obvious that Yosef had lied to her.
Christina frowned and said nothing. She seemed to be deep in thought.
Nathaniel paused, allowing her to process the information. “Regarding the imitation at your studio, I have discovered that the assistant was bribed by Yosef, not by me. She colluded with him to falsely implicate me in the situation.”
Christina’s earlier suspicions were confirmed by Nathaniel’s revelation.
His words provided her with a clear understanding of the situation.
A short silence later, Christina said calmly, “I understand now. Thank you.”
Nathaniel had no idea she would sound this calm. She came all the way here for Yosef. Will she seriously believe me?
“Don’t you doubt me?”
Christina’s voice remained icy as she replied, “I don’t need to doubt you.”
A wealth of warmth suffused Nathaniel when he heard her reply.
He marveled at Christina’s unwavering trust in him, realizing that his efforts to show his affection had not been in vain.
Before ending the call. Christina added, “I’m not like you. You have little trust in everyone.”
With that, she ended the call.
Nathaniel’s expression turned cold. When have I not trusted others?
He pocketed his phone and put on his mask before entering the hospital.
When he returned to the ward, Christina had already fallen asleep.
Her long black hair cascaded to the side, framing her delicate face. The soft glow of the lights accentuated her porcelain skin, giving it a translucent quality. Shadows formed beneath her captivating eyes, and she appeared as though she had stepped out of a fine painting.
Right then, the nurse came in with some medicinal oil to rub Christina’s ankle.
Nathaniel was worried that her force would hurt Christina and got the medicinal oil from her, intending to apply it himself.
After giving him the once-over, the nurse handed the medication to him and left.
Nathaniel’s gaze fell upon the medication, realizing that it was modern medicine rather than traditional remedies. While it could provide temporary relief for her swelling, he knew that its effects would be short-lived.
He carefully rolled up the hem of Christina’s pants, revealing her red and swollen ankle. As he examined the injury, a flicker of anger and determination flashed across his eyes.
The following day, Christina woke up and realized the bodyguard wasn’t in the ward.
He must we returned to the hotel as there toas nowhere for him to sleep here.
She sat up in bed and tried moving her leg Her ankle felt much better.
Right at that moment, the nurse walked into the room and commended in fluent Ferropenian. “Your boyfriend has been incredibly considerate. He applied a hot water bottle to your ankle and massaged your leg throughout the entire night. You’re a lucky girl, huh?”
Christma was stunned to hear that. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth and gratitude toward the bodyguard for his considerate actions.
No wonder my leg healed this quickly.
After examining her condition, the nurse helped her with the discharge procedures.
Right after the nurse left, Nathaniel came in with her breakfast.
Christina lifted her head to gaze at him adorably. “Mr. Bodyguard, thank you for your help last night.”
*I was just doing my job,” Nathaniel replied calmly.
He placed the breakfast he had bought, consisting of oatmeal and milk, on the table to serve to fier.
Christina spoke in a tiny voice. “Thank you.”
Nathaniel grunted in acknowledgment and left the ward to take care of her discharge procedures.
After Christina finished breakfast, she was able to walk on the ground.
Just in case, Nathaniel bandaged her wounded ankle to cut down its external pressure.
After leaving the hospital, Christina received a few phone calls from several magazine outlets requesting a collaboration.
Having watched the live stream last night, they now had their eyes set on several designs, aiming to feature them prominently on their magazine covers.
Excited by the news, Christina wasted no time in calling Yosef to share the positive update.
Yosef’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing the news, yet his gaze revealed a mixture of emotions.
He felt a sense of helplessness as the very thing he had intended to discard was returned to him, safe and sound.
Gripping his phone, he said softly, “Christina, thank you. Actually, I-”
“Yosef. I need to tell you something. The studio is back on track, and the children are waiting for me at Scenic Garden Manor. I can’t stay here for long,” Christina cut in.
She knew some words had to be said sooner or later.
Her lips curled as she continued, “Back when you established the studio, you were driven by the ambition. to make a name for yourself and rise to the pinnacle of the fashion industry. Have you forgotten all about that?”
A dark look appeared in Yosef’s gaze as he muttered, “But you’re no longer here…”
After spending time with Christina, he knew how important the studio was to her.
“I’m not withdrawing my shares. I’m just working elsewhere,” Christina clarified. She had dedicated her time and effort to building the studio and had no intention of completely abandoning it
Yosef chuckled bitterly. “All right, then. As long as you’re willing to stay, there will always be a place for you here.”
Chapter 362 A Call From Francis.
Christina hung up, feeling beyond relaxed.
She assigned the remaining tasks to Ginny, entrusting her with the responsibility of handling the subsequent arrangements.
“Can we head back now?” Nathaniel asked when they arrived at the hotel.
Christina nodded. “My work here is done, so it’s time to leave.”
As they stepped into the elevator, two guests with a considerable amount of luggage joined them. struggling to maneuver the trolley inside.
The elevator was quite spacious, but with the arrival of the newcomers and their luggage, it became packed.
Afraid that the others would bump into Christina, Nathaniel opened his arms wide to protect her.
Before the doors slid shut, two tall men hurried into the elevator, making it jampacked.
They were standing so close to each other that they could sense each other’s breath.
A subtle blend of floral and woody fragrances emanated from the bodyguard’s figure, intriguing Christina’s senses.
Knowing that he had no interest in women, she felt more at ease in his presence.
She lifted her gaze and locked eyes with him, only to be met with the enigmatic allure of his sunglasses and black mask. He looked really mysterious.
We’ve spent some time together, but I still haven’t seen Mr. Bodyguard’s real face. Won’t it be strange if I bump into him at the Hadley residence one day but fail to recognize him? I was initially weary of him
and never got to observe him carefully.
Now, she finally got a chance to take a closer look and realized he resembled Nathaniel. Their scents were also similar, so she couldn’t help but wonder if it was a coincidence.
She took a look at the bodyguard’s blond hair. Nathaniel will never dye his hair this color, right?
With that thought in mind, Christina reached out discreetly to pull his mask away.
Before she could touch his mask, the bodyguard grabbed her hand.
Caught off guard, Christina couldn’t help but flash an awkward smile. “Mr. Bodyguard, I’m afraid I won’t be able to recognize you if we happen to meet again. Could I please take a look at you? I promise not to laugh, even if you’re ugly. Pretty please?” Her plea carried a soft, earnest tone.
That was the second time she called him ugly. Feeling a sting to his pride, Nathaniel bit his lip and snapped, “There’s no need for that. We won’t cross paths again.”
He then released his grip on her.
Christina was taken aback by his response. Initially, she had wanted to maintain some distance from the bodyguard, but as she spent more time with him, she realized he was a kind-hearted person.
He would always be the first to step forward and protect her in times of danger.
The elevator doors opened, and someone stepped out,
Nathaniel instinctively distanced himself from Christina. This time, it was his turn to be wary of Christina.
When the elevator arrived at the top floor, they stepped out of the elevator.
Nathaniel barely had to pack as he only brought a small suitcase with him.
After packing up, he went to Christina’s room.
“Mr. Bodyguard, please find out the next available flight back to our country,” Christina told him.
Christina didn’t bring a lot of stuff with her. With a fresh change of clothes in hand, she headed to the bathroom for a shower since she hadn’t had a chance to shower after getting drunk the previous night.
Nathaniel could see her figure through the frosted glass of the bathroom door and felt his heart racing at the sight..
He averted his gaze and pulled out his phone to arrange for his private jet.
After sending the time, he received a reply: Mr. Hadley, I’ll arrange for it right away.
Standing before the window, Nathaniel gazed out at the bustling city below, lost in his thoughts. Despite spending a few days with Christina, he came to the realization that he still didn’t know her very well.
No matter how far apart they were, he would close the distance until there was no gap between them.
Suddenly, the phone on the table began vibrating.
Nathaniel strode over to realize it was a call from an unknown number.
It stopped vibrating after a while.
When Christina stepped out of the shower, the phone began vibrating once again.
She glanced at the incoming call number and then at Nathaniel before stepping aside to answer the call.
“Christina,” a charming but indifferent voice greeted her.
Even though Christina last heard the voice four years ago, she immediately recognized that it was Francis.
“I said, don’t bother me ever again.” Her voice was icy cold.
It had been four years, but Francis had never stopped trying to find Christina.
However, she was deliberately avoiding him.
Francis let out a soft sigh. “I know you’re at Ferropene. I’m nearby, so let’s meet up.”
He had watched Christina’s fashion show through the live stream the previous night and had made some effort to obtain her number through a model from the event.
“I don’t want to see you ever again or keep in touch with you. That’s it,” Christina snapped harshly, about to hang up.
Francis was scared that she would cut off all communication once the call ended, so he quickly said. “Do you want to know who leaked the classified information about Hadley Corporation’s project four years ago
He was ready to go all out in order to meet Christina.
Christina halted in her actions of ending the call.
Narrowing her gaze, she asked, “Do you know who it was?”
“Let’s meet up at the cafe on 87th Street. Come alone. Il be waiting for you there.” With that, Francis ended the call as though he was afraid she’d refuse to meet him.
Christina placed her phone down and stared ahead, her gaze frosty. Her thoughts remained a mystery to the others.
A short while later, Nathaniel picked up her luggage and went to her. “We should leave now.”
Christina ignored him as her gaze turned dark.
She had made numerous attempts to investigate the incident surrounding the classified file leak at Hadley Corporation four years ago.
However, the case had been tightly sealed, leaving little trace to follow. Only a select few individuals were involved, and one of them happened to be Madison.
Madison was one of Nathaniel’s most trusted subordinates. If she had betrayed Hadley Corporation, she might end up threatening Nathaniel one day.
Christina knew Francis was aware of who the culprit was, so she felt compelled to meet up with him.
After regaining her senses, she said calmly. “Mr. Bodyguard, I have to meet a friend. I can’t leave just yet.”
“Is this person that important until you’re willing to reschedule your flight?”
Nathaniel didn’t know who she talked to on the phone, but there was only one person capable of influencing her emotions so dramatically.
Christina looked away. “He isn’t that important, but there’s something important that I’d like him to tell me.”
Her vague answer merely served to confirm Nathaniel’s suspicion that it was Francis.
“I’ve already reserved the flight tickets, and they cannot be rescheduled. Otherwise, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to leave,” Nathaniel said as he reached out to take her hand, intending to lead her out.
A frown creased Christina’s forehead, and her tone grew icy. “Mr. Bodyguard, it’s quite annoying how you insist on dictating my actions”
Nathaniel froze in shock.
It was extremely hurtful to hear her say that he was annoying.
“You can either wait for me here or fly back without me.”
With that, Christina tied her hair up in a ponytail quickly and donned an orange jacket. The vibrant color accentuated her already translucent complexion.
A few loose strands of hair delicately framed her face, lending an air of effortless beauty.
Without hesitation, she then marched out of the room
Chapter 363 Whistleblower
Nathaniel watched as her slender figure disappeared from his vision. Who is this person she has to meet?
Without spending much time pondering, he followed her.
The cafe on 87th Street served only members, so ordinary people couldn’t enter.
Upon arrival, Christina mentioned Francis name, and the waiter led her to a table by the window.
A soft glow illuminated the cafe’s interior space. The man dressed in cool-toned casual attire to obscure his exceptional presence. His gray-blue hair and chiseled, profound facial features gave him an aloof and mysterious vibe.
When Francis looked up, his sparkling dark eyes shimmered slightly. “Christina.”
Reunited after four years, he found her radiant and captivating as ever.
Christina sat down. A cold and distant expression filled her amber eyes as she held his gaze,
“Who leaked the information back then?” She cut to the chase.
Francis’ heart ached slightly as he stared at her. “Christina, can’t we just chat like old friends, as we used
“That’s not necessary. I just want to know who the whistleblower was,” Christina responded indifferently.
Her body emanated a faint floral fragrance, which smelled refreshing and pleasing, like the morning air.
His heart skipped a beat when he met her gaze. “Are you still mad at me for what happened back then?”
Scenes from the past flashed across Christina’s mind, prompting a prickling pain to creep into her chest. Nathaniel held her captive in the past, but Francis posting those photos on Twitter was no different from pushing her to the brink of desperation.
“Would being angry allow me to see my granny one last time? Will staying mad make up for anything?” Her tone was heartbreakingly calm.
No one knew how devastated she felt at that time. It was as if she had fallen into a bottomless abyss where only darkness reigned.
It was only later that Francis learned about the death of Christina’s grandmother.
He was merely focused on provoking Nathaniel during that time and neglected Christina’s situation. He regretted it afterward and wanted to find a chance to make amends with her.
They were supposed to leave according to the plan, but halfway through, she vanished without a trace.
Time ticked by.
Meanwhile, outside the café, Nathaniel stood under a street lamp.
His eyes were fixated on the window.
The sunlight at noon was dazzling. He narrowed his pensive, dark gaze, standing rooted to his spot expressionlessly like a perfectly sculpted ice statue. It turns out the person Christina has to meet is Francis! So, he’s the unimportant person she has to discuss an important matter with? What exactly is the matter? I’ve yet to settle the score with him for helping Christina escape from me!
Nathaniel clenched his jaw. If it weren’t for his current status, he’d have rushed in to teach Francis a lesson.
His eyes darkened as he quietly observed the situation inside.
At the same time, inside the shop, the waiter served a cup of cold brew coffee on the table. Christina took a sip before uttering. “If you don’t want to reveal who the whistleblower is, I think we have nothing more to say.”
She placed down her cup of coffee and was about to leave.
“I know who that person is, of course.” Francis stopped her.
Taking in her fair, flawless countenance and overly impassive gaze, he felt a great distance between them.
Realizing Christina was there to meet with him because she wanted to help Nathaniel, Francis had to admit he was jealous of Nathaniel at that moment.
Instead of responding, she bored her eyes into his impeccable handsome face, waiting for him to finish his sentence.
She had deliberately delayed her flight to acquire that information, so she hoped her effort wouldn’t be in vain.
He furrowed his brows and hesitated briefly before saying, “It was Madison.”
Christina’s pupils constricted. As I expected, it was her! “Why? Doesn’t she like Nathaniel a lot?” She speaks of how much she loves him, yet why did she mercilessly stab him in the back?
Francis sighed. “She wanted to cause trouble back then to keep Nathaniel from finding you, so she leaked the company’s confidential information.”
At that time, Nathaniel was indeed unable to divert his attention elsewhere because of that predicament, providing Christina the chance to escape.
Therefore, when he knew what Madison was planning to do, Francis chose to stand by and watch.
Christina had her suspicions, but she just needed confirmation.
When she got to her feet to leave, someone grasped her wrist.
Unlike Nathaniel’s warmth, Francis’ touch was cold. The latter was like a chilled child with no clothes to wear, causing his body to be always cool..
“Are you leaving already? We’ll meet again, won’t we?” Francis’ initially calm emotions were stirred, and his amber pupils constricted slightly.
He grabbed her slender wrist tightly as if fearing he would lose her if he relaxed his grip.
Christina cast him a sidelong glance. “We don’t need to meet again if there isn’t a necessity.”
She tried pulling her hand free, but he held her tighter.
Christina looked him in the eyes and sensed his dejection.
The exquisite countenance, which was usually filled with confidence and pride when featured on screens. now showed a never-before-seen vulnerability before her.
“Christina, why are you so biased?” Disappointment laced his hoarse voice.
Christina frowned, not understanding what he was talking about.
He questioned her resentfully, “Why can you forgive Nathaniel but not me?”
Francis had already found out that Christina had returned to Scenic Garden Manor.
He thought she would never set foot in that mansion for the rest of her life.
Christina gazed downward, concealing the expression in her eyes. “That’s my freedom. I don’t need to explain it to anyone.”
At that point, the people around them were all looking in their direction.
Those who weren’t aware of the circumstances might think they were a couple having an argument.
Christina didn’t like others regarding her with peculiar gazes. She warned Francis in an undertone, “Let go. You’re hurting me.”
Francis hesitated and was about to loosen his grip when a shadow suddenly showed up in front of him in at flash.
By the time he regained his senses, he had already been punched.
A loud crash reverberated, startling Christina. Isn’t this Mr. Bodyguard standing before me? Why is he here?
Francis steadied himself by holding onto the table, shaking his head to regain his bearings. The metallic scent of blood filled his oral cavity.
He glowered at the man with bright blonde hair. Even with his facial features hidden from view, that man’s aura and height somewhat overlapped with Nathaniel’s regal image in Francis’ mind.
Nathaniel glared at Francis with sunglasses on. Clearly, he wasn’t able to vent his anger with that single punch. Is Francis trying to incite Christina to leave me again?
An eerie atmosphere spread inside the café as the trio stared at each other.
Francis asked frostily. “Who is he?”
“His identity isn’t important.” Christina grabbed Nathaniel’s wrist, pulling hard to get him moving.
The two hastily exited the café.
She finally let go of him when they were outside. I seriously suspect that Mr. Bodyguard is possessed by Nathaniel. Why must he throw punches at any men who came close to me?
Chapter 364 Played A Bodyguard Well
“Didn’t I tell you not to follow me?” Christina knitted her brows. The reddened mark left by the tight grip on her porcelain-white wrist was easily noticeable.
When Nathaniel held up her hand to take a closer look, his eyes-hidden behind his sunglasses- brimmed with sympathy
As one of her fringes fell to her cheeks from behind her ear, she looked like a lost pet that was perpetually in need of protection.
Faced with his silence, Christina couldn’t bring herself to reprimand him any further.
Thus, she retracted her hand and remarked, “I’m fine. Let’s head back now.”
She was worried that Nathaniel would go off and confront Francis instead.
However, before they could get far, Francis came up from behind and yelled for them to stop.
He then grabbed Christina by the wrist. “Christina, we aren’t done talking yet.”
“I don’t think there’s anything more for us to talk about. I just want to go home.” When Christina struggled to free her hand, she felt another painful sting on her wrist.
Meanwhile, Francis glared at the towering figure in front of him. He somehow found the aura exuded by: the young man to be familiar.
“Christina, how can you accept Nathaniel’s repeated lies yet be unwilling to forgive me?” Raging jealousy had caused Francis’ blood to boil.
If Christina refuses to forgive me, what makes Nathaniel, who started all this, deserving of her forgiveness? If that’s the case, I’ll make all of us suffer together.
Underneath the light, his pale white complexion made him look sickly, while the amber tint in his seemed to be burning through the last of his rational mind.
Christina gave him a puzzled look. “Why do you say that Nathaniel has lied to me repeatedly?”
At that moment, Nathaniel figured that Francis had seen through his disguise.
Under those circumstances, it made sense for Francis to probe further, even if the bodyguard wasn’t Nathaniel.
Hidden behind his sunglasses, Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed. His palm subsequently balled into fists while his biceps tensed up as if he was ready for battle at any moment.
As memories of the past played through his mind like a rolling tape, Francis was reminded that both of them would always like the same thing and fight each other for it.
Neither was ever willing to back down.
The winner would always leave with the spoils; the loser could only watch on helplessly.
Upon regaining his senses, Francis pointed at the tall figure. “He’s Nathaniel, not some bodyguard at all.”
Christina’s heart skipped a beat as she gave Nathaniel a suspicious look. “He isn’t. He just resembles him.”
After spending time with each other over the last few days, she never managed to confirm it despite her suspicions.
Amidst a sudden silence, a gust of wind brought a chilly sensation to the scene.
It was then that Francis broke into an abrupt smile. As the corner of his mouth was cut during the violent beating carlier, any slight movement would cause blood to ooze out of the wound. “Christina, you don’t understand Nathaniel at all. Ever since he was a child, he has been possessive. He would rob me of anything I fancy or destroy it if he couldn’t have it. In the past, he kept you by his side out of lust, but now…”
Francis gaze shifted to the black figure before declaring in a mocking tone. “He wants to have you simply because of my feelings for you.”
Francis’ words were like a knife that cut through the beautiful facade of Christina’s world, forcing her to face the cruel reality behind it.
Blinking her eyes, she was unable to stay calm, as if her heart was suspended in mid-air.
Having struck an emotional chord, Francis grabbed Christina’s hand again as he peered into her eyes with all the sincerity he could muster. “Leave him, Christina He doesn’t know how to love someone Other than hurting you, he can’t give you anything else!
The moment he finished, the towering figure lunged at him..
Nathaniel pinned him to the ground and rained blows upon him again and again.
Unlike in the café where he was holding back, he went all out this time.
The two figures descended into a brawl where both parties seemed adamant about killing the other.
The stench of blood saturated the air while the sound of pounding fists echoed in the surroundings.
Shocked by the brutality of the scene, Christina screamed, “Stop fighting, both of you. Stop!”
Her cries fell on deaf ears as both men fought with increased intensity.
When it came to physical strength and battle experience. Francis was no match for Nathaniel. The former started out with the ability to counterattack, but toward the end, he lost the ability to fight back.
After absorbing consecutive punches, he seized upon an opening to rip Nathaniel’s mask off.
When his solemn-looking face was suddenly exposed, Nathaniel’s fist froze in the air.
Having seized the initiative, Francis didn’t waste it as he slapped aside his opponent’s sunglasses.
Finally, Nathaniel’s face was fully revealed to Christina.
“Mr. Bodyguard… Nathaniel?”
The rude awakening Christina experienced almost caused her to lose her balance.
Now that the answer to her suspicions was clear, everything clicked in her mind.
When she didn’t allow him to tag along, he ended up disguising himself as a bodyguard.
The realization triggered a self-deprecating laugh from Christina. Despite knowing Nathaniel for such a long time, she felt as if she had never understood him at all.
Standing still and watching both men quietly, she felt as if her heart was a piece of paper that was inserted. into a shredder. All that was left of it were unrecognizable pieces.
The sight of Christina’s disappointed expression brought a smirk to Francis’ face. He then gloated victoriously, “Nathaniel, the blond hair suits you. It looks so much better than your gentlemanly facade.”
Without further hesitation. Nathaniel’s suspended fist continued its downward trajectory toward Francis face.
The sound on fists smashing against bodies rang out again.
As a listless look descended upon Christina’s eyes, she turned around and walked in the other direction. Her footsteps were floaty as if she was walking on clouds, putting her at risk of falling onto the ground at any given moment.
It finally dawned upon her that she had been made to look like a fool.
If things hadn’t turned out the way they did that day, she might have never known the true identity of
Bodyguard,” as Nathaniel would definitely keep it from her perpetually.
Thereafter, Nathaniel caught up from behind and grabbed her hand. “Christina, let me explain.”
Despite the gentle look in her eyes, the disappointment that culminated in them was unmistakable. She looked just like a fragile glass doll that would shatter upon a single touch.
Christina flashed a mocking smile at him. “Nathaniel, I never knew you had a fetish for roleplaying.”
He understood the reason behind Christina’s anger, but he was left with no choice back then.
“I just wanted to protect you.”
However, the matter was worsened by a series of unfortunate coincidences.
His plan was to keep the matter of his disguise a secret. Little did he expect to be found out in the end.
An icy glint flashed across Christina’s moistened eyes. “You were really convincing as a bodyguard. The next time you plan on disguising as someone else, do tell me, as I have no interest in playing along!
Chapter 365 Turbulence On The Plane
The worried Nathaniel ran up to her. “Christina, listen to me.”
“I don’t want to! Your actions speak louder than your words.”
As Christina glowered at him, the look in her eyes resembled a shattered mirror where a whole reflection would never form.
Nathaniel had never felt so pathetic before, as he didn’t know what to say to assuage her anger.
The few seconds of silence felt like an eternity to him.
With an expression that was as icy as a frozen lake in winter, Christina turned around and stormed off to the hotel.
She couldn’t believe how she was played by Nathaniel like an idiot.
As Nathaniel followed quietly behind her, he maintained a cold yet intent stare on her slender silhouette.
Once Christina returned to the hotel and walked into her room, she slammed the door shut behind her.
Inside, she took out two bottles of cold mineral water and finally calmed herself down after gulping them down.
Even though the current situation simply felt awful to her, Lucas and Camila were still waiting for her return at Scenic Garden Manor. Not wanting to waste any more time. Christina packed her bags and opened the door.
Standing there was a towering figure whose muscular chest was so wide that it blocked the entire entrance.
Nathaniel had put his face mask back on, leaving only his eyes exposed. He stood there motionless, just like a statue.
In fact, he didn’t dare move aside for fear that Christina would disappear in an instant, a repeat of what happened four years ago.
The fleetingness of how she came and went was a bane to his sense of security.
When Christina noticed his empty hands, she figured that he didn’t return to his room to pack. Even if I were a prisoner, there’s no need to watch me so closely.
From her perspective, she was treated worse than one.
With her luggage in tow, Christina walked past Nathaniel and ran the wheels of her bag over his shoe as if to demonstrate the dissatisfaction within her.
Upon arriving at the airport, both of them boarded the plane after going through the security check.
Each of them took seats as far from each other as possible-one in the extreme front and the other in the last row behind.
Christina always stood out from the crowd wherever she went.
Having secured a window seat, she looked out at the clouds that dotted the clear blue sky. The manner in which she gazed out the window had a therapeutic effect on anyone who saw her.
As the rolling clouds were only separated from her by a glass window, she felt as if she could touch their softness simply by reaching out with her hand.
Once she had enough of the scenery, Christina closed her eyes to get some sleep.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel had his eye on her the entire time. After watching her fall asleep, he got the flight attendant to get him a blanket.
Subsequently, he walked over and gently covered her with it.
With her head tilted to the side while she was sleeping soundly, her disarming beauty was accentuated by the sunlight that illuminated her face. The slight curl on her lips would melt the hearts of anyone who saw her.
However, if one were to assume she didn’t have a temper just from her demure appearance, one would be making a big mistake.
When it came to it, she could be as stubborn as a mule.
The thought of how their recent reconciliation was now ruined filled Nathaniel with frustration.
Instead of returning to his seat, he sat down beside Christina, separated by the aisle.
It wasn’t until a long while later that Nathaniel closed his eyes after going through a document on his phone.
All of a sudden, both of them were jolted awake by the air turbulence the flight went through.
After having her head smashed onto her seat repeatedly. Christina caught her breath to steel herself through the pain.
For someone who didn’t fly often, her first reaction was panic.
Just as she stood up from her seat, air turbulence caused her to lose her balance and fall to the ground. A stinging pain shot through her palm, which she had used to break her fall.
“Don’t be scared.”
Upon realizing what had happened, Nathaniel hurried to her side to help her up. “The plane might have flown into an air pocket. I’ll help you back to your seat”
When Christina felt his warm palm on her hips, she turned around to be greeted by an attentive gaze, one that brought a sense of comfort to her.
At that moment, the flight attendant’s voice rang out from the public announcement system. “The plane is currently experiencing turbulence. Please return to your seats and put on your safety belts.”
Feeling terrified, Christina leaned against Nathaniel’s arm and didn’t resist him helping her up.
Just as both of them managed to steady themselves, a second jolt that was more forceful than the first struck the plane.
Christina was once again thrown off-balance, causing her heart to skip a beat as she fell backward. In the midst of her screams, she crashed onto the aisle butt-first.
Before she could regain her senses, her body began to slide backward due to the plane’s sloping gradient.
At the same time, the drinks cart had also dislodged itself from the ground and was crashing toward her. Given the cart’s weight and speed, severe injuries would result from the impact.
The moment the cart started rolling. Nathaniel lunged in Christina’s direction.
Upon shielding her with his body, the cart smashed right onto his back.
The powerful crash triggered a groan from Nathaniel, who furrowed his brows and began to breathe heavily.
Christina was shocked by the harrowing scene.
Wrapping her arms around Nathaniel’s waist by reflex, she could feel her vision fog up with tears. “Nathaniel, are you all right?”
The frown on his face remained. “I’m fine.”
Even if he had to redo it a hundred times, Nathaniel would still dive toward Christina to protect her. He was not going to allow her to come into any harm.
Christina’s eyes reddened as the danger of what just happened wasn’t lost upon her.
Camila and Lucas are still waiting for me at Scenic Garden Manor. What if something happens to me and I don’t make it back?
The more she thought about it, the more fearful she became. As her fingers balled into fists, she felt a burning sensation in her eyes and blinked when her eyelashes were finally moistened.
Lowering his head, Nathaniel was greeted by her misty eyes. She looked like a deer that had lost her way.
“Don’t be afraid. Everything will be fine.” Just as he spoke, he tightened his arm and shielded her within his embrace.
In the meantime, the plane continued to shake violently amidst the turbulence, one tremor more frightening than the other.
Both of them hugged each other tightly as if they were dolls that were glued together.
Christina tried to distract herself by counting along with Nathaniel’s heartbeat. When she felt the warmth of his chest, the fear within her gradually dissipated.
After an indeterminate period of time, the plane finally steadied itself once the turbulence was over.
Upon emerging from the cabin, the flight attendant almost had a heart attack when she saw the toppled cart and the two of them locked in a tight embrace on the ground.
“Mr. Hadley, are you all right? Were you hurt?”
The flight attendant hurried over to help Christina back to her feet.
Looking up, Christina made eye contact with Nathaniel’s abyss-like gaze. When she attempted to show him some concern, she realized that the words just wouldn’t come out.
Nathaniel’s frosty demeanor subsequently returned. “I’m fine.”
He was a sea of calm as if the turbulent episode never happened.
His gaze fell upon Christina as he instructed the attendant, “Bring her a glass of warm water.”
“Yes, Mr. Hadley.” The flight attendant turned around and left.
Thereafter, Nathaniel held Christina’s hand and led her back to her seat
Chapter 366 Dye His Hair Back
Christina sat in her seat, her vacant gaze fixated on the space ahead of her. It seemed that she had yet to regain her composure fully from the earlier shocking events.
Nathaniel gently tapped her on the shoulder. “Everything’s fine now. Don’t worry.”
As he could sense her uneasiness, he attempted to say more things to console her. “It’s inevitable for a plane to encounter strong air currents. Sometimes, one can experience two or three episodes of turbulence in a single flight.”
Fluttering her long eyelashes, Christina watched him with the curiosity of a child listening to an exciting story.
Once Nathaniel noticed her interest had been piqued, he continued, “There was another time when I was flying overseas with Sebastian for a business trip and the plane we were in encountered strong air currents, more severe than the one we experienced earlier. I remember there was a problem with the plane’s engine, and Sebastian held my hand tightly, asking me what we should do. While going through a document, I told him an airplane has two engines, and the captain would choose to dump fuel and then descend. Normally, there would be a fifty-percent chance of a safe outcome. His face turned pale after hearing what I said. It was Sebastian’s first encounter with such a critical aviation situation, and he was so frightened that he vowed that if we landed safely, he would immediately get a wife.”
Christina chuckled. “It’s truly hard to imagine someone as serious as Sebastian being in a state of panic.”
Nathaniel was relieved to see the smile on her face.
He gently stroked her head. “Get some rest. We should be arriving shortly.”
Christina was slightly resistant to his intimate gesture. She instinctively pulled back, tucking her neck and averting her gaze to the other side.
The weight of her earlier emotions had somewhat lifted, and she took the opportunity to close her eyes and rest.
Observing Christina turning her head away, Nathaniel could not help but feel a twinge of disappointment. However, he understood that rebuilding trust would require patience and time.
Being able to remain by her side and accompany her was all that mattered to him.
Half an hour later, the plane landed safely.
Nathaniel and Christina exited the aircraft together through the VIP lane and soon spotted Sebastian waiting at the gate.
Sebastian approached the duo and assisted them with their luggage, and the three of them walked out of the airport together. At the exit, Christina noticed that Nathaniel had arranged for two cars to pick them. up.
“I’ll get Raymond to send you home first. I’ll head back later, Nathaniel said flatly.
Puzzled, Christina asked, “Why don’t we return together? The kids knew we left together, so they would be suspicious of us if we returned separately.”
Having gone through the incident where one of their children ran away from home, Christina promised. the children that she would no longer argue with Nathaniel.
He did not want to appear in front of his children with his hipsterish hairstyle, as it would undermine his. image as a father.
Christina darted a glance at Nathaniel’s blonde hair, and she could not help but draw a comparison to the lively and fashionable boys she had seen on television. His usual composed and rigid demeanor seemed to be replaced by a newfound sense of freshness.
If he had not been wearing a mask, his appearance alone would have caused a sensation among the crowd.
Christina could not help but cuss inwardly. Serves him right for going through the trouble of dyeing his hair to hide his identity.
She did not want to return to Scenic Garden Manor and be bombarded with questions from the children. about their father’s whereabouts. “I’ll go with you. We’ll return to Scenic Garden Manor after your hair is. dyed.”
The joy in Nathaniel’s eyes could not be masked. “Okay.”
He walked over and opened the car door for Christina before getting into the back seat with her.
Sebastian noticed how Nathaniel’s face lit up from Christina’s words, which made him realize that Nathaniel’s feelings for her had deepened during their trip.
He took the driver’s seat and immediately drove off.
After half an hour, they arrived at a high-end hair salon. The salon looked spacious and bright, resembling more of an upscale lounge than a typical hair salon.
A stylish male hairstylist approached them and asked respectfully, “Mr. Hadley, we’re dyeing your hair back to black, right?”
Nathaniel grunted an acknowledgment in response.
He turned to Christina and asked, “Do you want to have your hair washed? I heard the service here is not bad.”
Christina, thinking that she would be sitting there waiting anyway, accepted his suggestion. “Sure.”
The hairstylist assigned a young lady to attend to her.
“Hello, miss. This way, please,” said the young lady, who seemed somewhat inexperienced and appeared to be in her early twenties.
Christina followed her to a separate room for hair washing.
After preparing Christina for the hair wash, the young lady began gently washing her hair, periodically checking if the water temperature was to her liking and if the pressure was just right.
Once the session was completed, Christina returned to the main salon area and immediately noticed Nathaniel sitting in front of a mirror.
With his short hair dyed back to black, Nathaniel’s clean and fair skin seemed to radiate under the lights, showcasing his impeccable complexion an attribane that Christina greatly admired.
While the blonde hair gave him a somewhat ethereal allure, Christina still found his natural black hair to be more pleasing to the eve
Under his well-defined eyebrows, his deep and mesmerizing eyes sparkled like shining stars Lucas and Camila had mherited those same captivatingly deep and enchanting eyes, leaving an indelible impression on anyone who looked into them
After a brief moment of eye contact, Christina was the first to look away.
Knowing that they came together, the young lady casually arranged for them to sit in neighboring seats
“Miss, please take a look at the magazine for a moment. I will get the hairstylist to come and blow-dry your hair. The young lady handed her a magazine that showcased different hairstyles before leaving.
Christina found herself intrigued by the makeup and hairstyles presented in the book and began flipping through the pages, completely absorbed in her world.
The female hairstylist, who had a somewhat androgynous appearance, walked up and inquired. “Miss, is this your first visit? Do you have a particular hairstyle in mind?”
Christina, who usually sported long black hair with soft air bangs, responded, “No, just a simple trim of the ends and bangs will do.”
“All right.” The hairstylist smiled gently and proceeded to take out a comb, attentively trimming Christina’s hair.
The sociable hairstylist struck up a conversation with Christina about various hairstyles.
Christina pointed to a photo of a male celebrity in the magazine and analyzed his hairstyle, saying. “I think this hairstyle looks fantastic. It can be styled up or left with some bangs; it looks great from any angle.”
“I completely agree with you. You have great taste! Can I ask for your opinion on something?” The hairstylist quickly turned into an enthusiastic fangirl upon learning about Christina’s profession.
She told Christina she would be participating in a styling competition next month and was desperate for professional advice to refine her completed design drawing.
“Of course, I’d be delighted to help.” Christina responded, readily offering her expertise to a fellow enthusiast.
Once the hairstylist finished trimming Christina’s hair, she invited her to her office to review her design. drawing.
“Mr. Hadley, we’re done,” the hairstylist informed Nathaniel after complying with his customary request for a short haircut.
Nathaniel did not reply to him. Instead, his indifferent gaze was fixed on the magazine Christina had flipped through earlier.
The male celebrity in the magazine was indeed good-looking but with a good touch of femininity. That did not align with Nathaniel’s preference. Does this hairstyle really look good?
Chapter 367 Pull Your Weight
When Christina left the hairstylist’s office, Nathaniel was already done with his haircut.
Usually, Nathamel would have lus bangs cut short, but he intentionally kept them slightly longer that time. The hairstylist combed up the left half of Nathaniel’s bangs, leaving the other half down where his eyebrow was visible. With his fair skin, his features looked refreshing yet solemn.
The current Nathaniel gave off a different feeling to Christina.
Why did he suddenly change his hairstyle? Don’t tell me he heard what I said to the hairstylist earlier about this type of short hairstyle would look nice.
When their gazes met, Christina broke the silence. “Let’s go. We should head back now.”
Nathaniel followed her out of the salon.
By the time they reached Scenic Garden Manor, it was already close to ten.
Lucas and Camila knew their parents were coming back that night, so they refused to return to their room despite it being bedtime.
With her favorite doll in her arm, Camila rested her head on her brother’s lean shoulder. Her eyelids fought to stay open.
Then, the sound of a car engine echoed outside.
As footsteps neared, Lucas’ and Camila’s eyes snapped wide open at the sight of Christina and Nathaniel. The children then hurriedly got up and skipped toward them like rabbits.
“Daddy, Mommy, we miss you both so much!”
“Why did you only get back now? I almost fell asleep waiting for you,” Camila complained.
The children clung to Christina and Nathaniel like little koala cubs.
Christina ruffled the children’s heads and gently said, “It’s late. Both of you should be in bed now. I’ll prepare breakfast for you tomorrow morning. How about that?”
“Okay, Mommy, can you carry me upstairs?” Lucas wrapped his arms tightly around his mother’s neck, burying his face into her nape. A sense of security washed over him as he breathed the familiar scent.
I really miss Mommy, but I’m also sleepy….
Christina carried him up the stairs while Nathaniel followed them with Camila in his arms.
“Daddy, you changed your hairstyle! You look so handsome!” Beaming at her father, Camila looked like the purest gem.
With such an adorable daughter, Nathaniel felt that he would do anything for her. Even if she asked for the stars, he would fly up into the sky to get them for her.
He pressed his lips against her forehead and said, “Thank you for your praise, Camila.”
She blinked cheekily at him in return. “Daddy, did you protect Mommy properly? Was she surprised?”
“Of course I did. I protected her like how I protect you.” He pecked Camila on the cheek again and gazed at her lovingly.
Camila smiled sweetly at him, then rested her head on her father’s strong shoulder.
I really like Daddy. He smells nice and is the most handsome dad in the whole wide world.
After the family of four entered the children’s bedroom, both children were tucked into bed.
Christina was ready to lie down next to Lucas, but he stopped her with his small hands. “Mommy, shouldn’t you sleep with Daddy in your room?”
She was taken aback by his remark. Don’t they usually love it when I sleep by their side?
“I want to sleep here with you two,” she said.
Camila sat up in her bed and blinked at Christina. “Did you two get into another fight?”
The smiles on the twins’ faces immediately dropped as they stared at their parents with worry evident in their innocent, big eyes.
Christina flashed them a troubled smile and explained. “Of course not. Then… you two should go to sleep. now since you have to wake up early tomorrow for breakfast.”
The children’s mood instantly brightened at the sound of their mother’s affirmative answer. “Okay, Mommy! Good night!”
“Good night, Daddy!” the twins then said to Nathaniel.
Lucas blinked his eyes at his father and whispered in his ear, “I already helped you this much. You have to pull your weight too!”
Nathaniel chuckled at Lucas’ words and pulled the covers up around them. “Good night, kids.”
Christina only left the room after the children had fallen asleep.
One after another, the two adults made their way back to their bedroom.
After the door was closed, their gazes met amid the awkward silence. Christina immediately turned around, took her clothes, and went into the bathroom to shower.
She did not want to speak to him since she was still mad.
While they were in front of the twins, she would do her best to put on an act, but there was no need to do so when it was just her and Nathaniel.
She was no actress, after all.
In the bathroom, hot water rained from the shower head, relieving the accumulated fatigue in Christina’s body.
After her shower, she stood in front of the mirror and carelessly blow-dried her hair with a hairdryer.
Too many things had happened that day, so her senses began to dull as she winded down. Lacking the
patience to blow-dry her hair completely, she set the hairdryer down.
Like an exhausted rabbit, she pulled the covers back and slid into bed.
Nathaniel watched her climb into bed and fall asleep the minute her head touched the pillow.
Her thick long hair was spread across the pillow, and her long lashes lined her eyelids as she slept soundly.
He then walked over and whispered in her ear, Christina, your hair isn’t dry yet. How about you go to sleep after you blow-dry it?”
Christina had that habit from way back. She would sleep before her hair was completely dry and woke up with a cold the next day.
“Hmm……. Got it…..” she mumbled before continuing to doze off.
Nathaniel reached for the hairdryer and set it to the lowest speed, helping her blow-dry her hair without waking her up.
His fingers brushed her hair in gentle strokes as though he was caring for a baby.
Once her hair was dry, he pulled the covers up around her and went to take a shower.
After the shower, he changed into loose pajamas, got into bed, and wrapped his arms around Christina’s slim waist from behind. With his cheek pressed against her head, he fell asleep to her scent.
The sun was shining brightly the next day.
Christina could feel how bright the rays were the minute she opened her eyes.
It was the weekend, so Nathaniel did not have to work in the morning. Usually, he would be up on the dot, but shockingly, he slept in that day.
When Christina looked up, his handsome yet aloof face came into view. She wanted to get up before he woke.
Just as she moved, those gem-like eyes snapped open.
Their gazes met, and Christina could feel a hot flush spreading from her ears to her cheeks.
With their faces only inches away, they could feel each other’s breath on their faces.
Christina got the sense of being a fierce monster’s prey.
At that moment, a series of knocks sounded on the door.
“Daddy, Mommy, are you guys sleeping in?” Lucas and Camila were the ones who rapped on the door.
Christina tensed up. The next second, she shoved Nathaniel away and got up from bed to open the door.
The children had already freshened up and were standing in the doorway with clean faces.
“Mommy, let’s go have breakfast.”
“Okay.”
Camila craned her neck to look into the room and was relieved to see that Nathaniel was still asleep in bed.
She and Lucas were worried that their father would get thrown out of bed by their mother again.
The tro then went downstairs for breakfast.
Sebastian stepped into the dining room with an overstuffed briefcase. After greeting Christina, he went up to the second floor.
Noting his heavy briefcase, Christina reckened Nathaniel would have another busy day ahead of him.
A few minutes later, Raymond carried a tray of food to the second floor.
Chapter 368 Happiness
Christina played with the children in the front yard. Then, she drew pictures with them
Acnoon drew close Lucas and Camila grew tired of playing. Hence, Christina instructed the nanny to take them back to their room for an afternoon nap.
Later, Nathaniel worked in the study, Sebastian arranged some documents, and Christina lounged on the couch, drawing on her tablet
A knock on the door interrupted the quiet atmosphere of the room. The door swung open, and Madison walked in
The women’s eyes met, and Christina recalled what Francis said the day before yesterday.
It was Madison who had leaked the secret back then.
However, without any evidence, it was just her word against Madison’s. She would achieve nothing and just put Madison on her guard if she were to confront her.
Then, a thought suddenly crossed Christina’s mind. She looked at Sebastian and asked, “Hey, Sebastian, you told me before that you still have the computer that was hacked four years ago, right?”
Yes, that’s right. Mr. Lucas said he would help me restore the data and identify the thief,” replied Sebastian in a serious tone.
He had kept the computer in good condition with that hope in his heart.
Madison tensed up. Why did Christina bring up this matter all of a sudden? No, I must not let her bring up this matter!
“It’s been so long. Back then, the best hackers were hired to crack it, and all had failed,” countered Madison in a deliberately calm voice.
“No harm trying again.” Christina’s steely gaze pierced right through Madison. “What are you scared of?”
“I… No, what I meant was, the virus was very powerful. I’m just afraid that an information leak might happen again.” Madison looked away to hide her guilt.
The corners of Christina’s lip lifted in a small smirk. She gave Madison a loaded look but said nothing.
Ever since Sebastian had asked Lucas for help without prior authorization, Nathaniel had been worried about Lucas’ safety, so he had forbidden anyone from mentioning Lucas’ skills.
Sebastian glanced at Nathaniel, seeking his input.
“Bring the computer over tomorrow,” said Nathaniel casually.
“Yes, Mr. Hadley.”
Madison’s heart dropped to her stomach. Although she was unaware of Lucas’ abilities, she knew that she would be at risk of being exposed if the matter were to be investigated.
She had to figure out a way to stop any investigation.
A silence descended over the study once again, and Madison left after handing over her work.
She bumped into Christina in the corridor
In fact, Christina had been waiting for her.
Christina wore a long chiffon dress which she had cinched at the waist with a belt to show off her figure.
Standing there quietly, she looked beautiful in an ethereal and otherworldly way.
Madison had never really bothered with thoughts of Christina, “Mrs. Hadley, are you waiting for me?”
“Hand in your resignation, Madison, and I’ll consider not exposing what you’ve done to Nathaniel. I’ll allow you to leave with your dignity intact,” said Christina in a calm and measured voice.
In just a few seconds, Madison had been judged and punished for her evil deeds.
Madison felt as if Christina had stripped her bare. “There’s nothing for you to expose! Do not simply accuse me!”
“Nathanic] has never even touched you. That child is not his! How long are you going to keep this up?”
Christina did not allow Madison the chance to defend herself. Her voice turned icy as she added, “If you still refuse to admit it, we can go confront Nathaniel now. How about that?”
There was only one wall separating the corridor where they were standing and the study where Nathaniel was working. Although the women were not speaking loudly, every word still felt like bullets shooting through Madison’s ears.
If Nathaniel knew what she was doing behind his back, he would be angry, and he would definitely cut her off.
“What do you want from me?” Madison clenched her fists, glaring at Christina angrily,
Madison was becoming agitated while Christina had become more relaxed and confident.
She crossed her arms and drawled, “What I want is simple. I want you to slap yourself twice. Then, I won’t say a word to Nathaniel.”
What? Slap myself twice?
Rage darkened Madison’s eyes. “Christina, you’re asking for too much. Who do you think you are?”
“Well, I’m nobody. There’s nothing special about me, but…” Christina narrowed her eyes at Madison and continued, “Nathaniel listens to me now. Even if I told him to fire you without any reason, he would do exactly as I say without any hesitation.”
Christina had spoken the truth. She truly had Nathaniel wrapped around her finger.
There was no need for her to struggle for anything. Whatever Nathaniel had was as good as hers.
She was not angry with Madison’s deceit, but she did want to be bullied so easily. She could not just let it happen without fighting back.
Madison’s eyes were wide with disbelief and fear. She knew she had no choice.
If all her lies were to be exposed, she would face dire consequences.
Madison felt her throat tighten She choked, “Okay, you’d better keep your word.”
Christina smirked and leaned back to watch Madison carry out her part of the bargain.
Before Madison had even started, she added, “If you slap yourself too lightly, I will help you out.”
Madison gasped. She was boiling with rage.
She had never before been humiliated in such a way.
She bit her lips and raised her hand to slap herself hard on the cheek.
Smack!
A sharp snap sounded.
The imprint of Madison’s own palm could be seen clearly on her check. Her body was shaking, and her face was burning with pain.
She stared directly at Christina with bloodshot eyes. All her anger and resentment were burning within her.
Christina admired Madison’s ruthlessness. She felt no remorse at watching the woman in pain. After all, this was no more than what Madison deserved.
“Doesn’t this hurt your conscience, Christina?” Madison felt like a silly clown performing for Christina. Her confidence crashed to the ground.
Christina sneered, “Why should it hurt? I feel righteous. It is completely justified for me to watch you atone for your sins.”
Madison drew in a deep breath and slapped herself one more time.
The slap was hard enough to knock the breath out of her. The iron taste of blood flooded her mouth, and every cell in her body exploded with rage.
Madison gritted her teeth and said. “There! I’ve done as you asked. You’d better hold on to your promise.”
Christina shrugged. “Of course. I’m satisfied with those two slaps. Thank you for punishing yourself! You may go now.”
Nevertheless, Madison would be fired from Hadley Corporation for sure.
She had done a terrible thing and betrayed the company. Nathaniel would never let her get away with it.
What Christina wanted was to recover all the profits before Madison left the company.
Madison’s right cheek had swollen to twice its size. Her face was now completely out of shape.
It even hurt for her to draw in a breath.
She shielded her face with her hands and ran downstairs.
Christina watched her leave with a gleam in her eyes.
The lies had been repeating in her mind like a bad, broken record, causing her many nightmares.
Chapter 369 Madison Exposed
There was only a wall separating the two groups of people, so, of course, those inside the study could hear the conversation between the two and the slaps.
Sebastian was slightly stunned. Mrs. Hadley sure is a ruthless woman. She intentionally said those things in the corridor so Mr. Hadley would know about it. At the same time, she hinted at the fact that she had solved the issue by herself
Meanwhile, Nathaniel didn’t expect Madison to instigate Christina behind his back.
A cold look swirled in his dark eyes.
Sebastian stated, “I think Madison might’ve cared too much about you, Mr. Hadley-
“Bring me all of Madison’s work-related information from four years ago, demanded Nathaniel.
“Roger.” Sebastian immediately knew Nathaniel had started to suspect Madison.
Madison left in a car with a swelling cheek.
On her way back, she parked the car at the side of the road. Then, she turned on her phone and search for the number of a hacker, who she had contacted before. “I want to buy a virus that can erase all data on a computer but doesn’t destroy it.” If I destroy the computer, it’ll only rouse more suspicions. I only need to wipe away all data and traces of use.
The hacker spoke with a voice modulator. “I don’t have that kind of software, but I know a skilled hacker who may be able to help you.”
Madison lifted her eyebrow. “Give me their contact number.”
“Okay.”
The moment she ended the call, she received the contact number.
Not long after, she chatted with the new hacker and bought a Trojan program worth five hundred thousand.
Once installed in a computer, it would scrub all data inside its target clean.
If I strike first tomorrow, no one will be able to restore the data, even if they have a god by their side! A grin settled on Madison’s countenance.
The next day, Sebastian exited the condominium with a laptop.
When he spotted Madison at the entrance, he suggested. “Get in the car. We’ll go together.”
Upon entering the vehicle, he placed the computer beside his leg.
Madison started the engine and casually asked, “Have you have breakfast yet?”
“No.”
“I haven’t either. Why don’t you buy some for us?”
“Yeah”
For people like them, who were so busy that they couldn’t stick to a routine meal schedule, breakfast was very important.
Madison parked next to a diner.
“What do you want to eat?” asked Sebastian.
“I’m fine with anything.”
Thus, Sebastian left the car and sauntered toward the diner.
Once he was far enough from the vehicle, Madison expeditiously brought out the laptop, turned it on, and installed the virus into the device.
Less than three minutes later, her plan was successfully executed.
Slickly, she turned off the device and returned it to its original position.
Minutes later, Sebastian returned with two sets of breakfast.
Madison ate a little before driving to Scenic Garden Manor.
Inside the study, Lucas, in casual attire, combed his short, tidy hair.
He then sat on the couch with his arms folded. A look of maturity beyond his age was present in his eyes.
“Just do your best later,” encouraged Christina softly
“No need to worry, Mommy. This is just a minor restoration task. It’s easier compared to Camila’s toy blocks,” Lucas assured.
Camila loved stacking toy blocks. Whenever the castle she built with them was destroyed, she would ask her brother to put it back together.
Moments later, they heard a car arriving in the courtyard. Then, Sebastian entered the building with at laptop.
“Here’s the computer, Mr. Lucas. The last time I turned it on was years ago,” informed Sebastian.
Lucas nodded as his fingers danced on the black keyboard. The sound of his typing echoed in the quiet
“It’s been years. It won’t be surprising if the data can’t be found,” Madison remarked.
“How would you know about that? Feeling guilty, are you?” spat Christina coldly while staring at Madison.
The handprint on Madison’s cheek was still visible. While she successfully covered the red mark with a thick layer of liquid foundation, one side of her face was still swollen.
Stifling her emotions, she squeezed out a fake smile. “You sure know how to crack jokes, Mrs. Hadley.”
While sitting at the disk, Lucas continued to work his magic on the laptop skillfully.
The others stood behind him and gazed at the screen with anticipation.
Promptly, Nathaniel pulled up a record of all the login attempts. The company’s confidential documents could only be accessed by logging in with one’s account. So, he only needed to check the last name on the list to discover who the culprit was.
Seconds later, a name appeared on the screen.
Nathaniel glowered at Madison coldly. “What do you have to say about this, Madison?”
When Madison saw her name, she sweated profusely. Her face twitched slightly as she suppressed her guilt. How did this happen? The hacker told me the program would wipe all data on the laptop, so how is it restored? Ugh, it doesn’t matter. I don’t have time to think about that right now.
Her eyes reddened as she spoke chokingly. “I don’t know what’s going on, too. I’ve been working by your side for years. There’s no reason for me to do this.”
Sebastian commented, “I think there may be something else going on, Mr. Hadley. This doesn’t definitively prove that Madison is-
Christina couldn’t listen any longer and interrupted. “Don’t let your biases blind you, Mr. Taggart.”
Her words spurred him to stay silent.
With a frigid expression, Nathaniel ordered, “You’ll be temporarily suspended starting tomorrow.”
“Mr. Hadley!” Madison teared up. While she wanted to clear herself of suspicions, she couldn’t come up with any reasonable explanation.
An eerie atmosphere settled inside the study.
“Everyone out,” stated Nathaniel expressionlessly.
“Understood.” Sebastian hastily pulled Madison out of the room.
Christina was carrying her children toward the exit when Nathaniel exclaimed, “Lucas, Camila, leave the room first. I have something I want to speak about with Mommy.”
“Roger, Daddy.” The children obediently left their mother’s embrace and scampered away.
They also didn’t forget to close the door, signifying they paid attention to their etiquette class.
“What’s the matter?” Christina spoke with her back facing him.
“Did you already know Madison was responsible for the leak?” questioned Nathaniel in a deep voice.
“Does it matter? It’s only a minor mistake committed by an excellent employee. She deserves to be forgiven,” she replied plainly. I thought he would fire Madison on the spot, yet he only temporarily suspended her. Then again, it’s to be expected that she’d only receive a warning at most. Madison has stayed by Nathaniel’s side for years, after all.
Nathaniel wrapped his arms around her slender waist and pressed his chin on her head: “This matter will be dealt with by professional staff from the company. Once Madison is confirmed to have leaked the secrets, I’ll fire her.”
Chapter 370 Mysterious Message
The edges of Nathaniel’s lips curved upward as he kissed her hair. “You’re jealous.”
Christina remained silent as he continued to hug her. I’m not jealous. I just think Madison’s a cunning woman. She was willing to leak important company secrets to keep Nathaniel around. Who knows what other crazy thing shell do next!
“Have you hugged me enough? I’m heading downstairs.” Upon removing his arms from her waist, she left. the study.
Displeased, Nathaniel watched her cold, stubborn figure leave.
The couple scarcely interacted in the following days.
Christina would appear gentle when the children were around, but she would keep herself busy if Nathaniel didn’t talk to her.
Soon, the weekend arrived in a blink of an eye.
Julia showed up at Scenic Garden Manor so she could bring the children to the Hadley residence to play there.
-When the kids heard play time was waiting for them, they delightfully went upstairs to pack their clothes.
“You should sit first, Mom. I’ll help the children pack their clothes.” Christina followed behind Lucas and Camila.
Meanwhile, Julia turned to her son. “How are you and Christina recently?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary,” replied Nathaniel casually while he read an email on his tablet.
The edges of Julia’s lips curved upward. She quickly noticed the couple had relationship issues because she had been through that before.
Moments later, the children returned downstairs with a backpack full of their daily necessities.
Like adorable rabbits, they hopped toward Julia. “We’re ready, Grandma!”
“All right, my darlings.” She beamed.
After she asked Raymond to bring the kids out, she delivered two invitations to her son. “A friend opened an amusement park recently, and they sent me these invitations. Your father and I aren’t interested, so you can have these. If you have the time, you should bring Christina there to check it out.”
Nathaniel accepted the invitations. “Thank you, Mom.”
Christina blushed slightly, knowing Julia was trying to improve her relationship with Nathaniel.
“You two have fun, okay?” Upon patting the back of Christina’s hand, Julia returned to the Hadley residence with the children.
Nathaniel glanced at the time on the invitation. “It opens tomorrow at ten. Do you have the time for it?”
“I do.” Christina didn’t want to waste Julia’s effort.
Upon ending her sentence, she returned upstairs.
The next day, at ten in the morning. Christina put on a white dress with flower prints. The sunlight was intense, so she wore additional thin, sun-protective clothing over her short-sleeved dress.
She braided her hair, though a few strands remained at the side of her face. Under the sunlight, she seemed exceptionally gentle.
After descending the stairs, she saw Nathaniel in a suit, His expression was cold and somber.
“You’re not wearing that to an amusement park, are you?” Christina arched her eyebrow.
“Is there a problem?” That was how he was usually dressed.
“If you think it’s fine, then it’s fine.”
Without further delay, they headed to their destination in a car.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the amusement park entrance.
Nathaniel frowned after exiting the car because he saw a sea of people.
“How lively! It must be fun inside.” Christina’s eyes glinted. It’s been a long time since I have a vacation. “Let’s head inside, then.” Nathaniel resisted the urge to leave immediately and stood in line behind her. Christina felt her cheeks burning after standing under the scorching sunlight for a while.
There were plenty of umbrella chairs at the side of the entrance that came with large fans. Hence, many people sat there.
“You should rest at that spot. I’ll stay here. You can join me when we’re about to enter.” Nathaniel pushed Christina out of the line.
It feels weird to have the CEO of Hadley Corporation stand in line for me. “I think I should do it,” replied
Christina.
“Just go.” As he spoke, he shoved the ticket into his pocket.
Hence, Christina sat in the nearest chair and gazed at the long line.
Everyone there wore casual outfits except for Nathaniel. His expensive suit made him stick out like a sore thumb. While the people in front and behind him waited nonchalantly, he stood straight, exuding a prideful vibe.
More than ten minutes later, it was finally Nathaniel’s turn to enter.
Christina approached him before he gestured for her to join him. Once their tickets were scanned, the couple entered the amusement park.
The amusement park was brimming with a joyous and romantic atmosphere, further enhanced by lighthearted tunes.
Like a curious child, Christina scanned her surrounding. “We should grab an information pamphlet so we don’t get lost.”
What’s that Nathaniel followed her into a shop.
Upon seeing the free pamphlet on the counter’s shelf, Christina picked one up and flipped through it to see where to go first.
This is the first time I’ve seen Christina this attentive, aside from when she’s working or taking care of the children. It looks like bringing her here is the correct choice. Meanwhile, Nathaniel noticed a pair of female tourists strolling into the shop and putting on cartoon hairbands. Interesting.
He swept his gaze past the colorful hairbands before spotting one with cat ears on it.
Meanwhile, Christina had finished planning their route. We’ll end the day by watching fireworks at the castle entrance at seven in the evening! Perfect!
Just as she lifted her head, she saw a hairband with cat ears atop her head in the mirror. “This is…”
“It looks great. You should keep it,” uttered Nathaniel before he ambled toward the cashier to pay for it.
The couple then exited the store and followed Christina’s route.
She tried everything she laid her eyes on in the motorized zone while Nathaniel accompanied her.
However, he disliked partaking in exciting activities like those because he’d get dizzy. To prevent that, he asked Sebastian to buy a bottle of motion sickness drugs for him beforehand.
He didn’t want to ruin the mood as it was rare for him to spend time with her outside.
After they tired themselves playing, they rested in a mushroom-shaped chair. Christina bought two bottles of water and handed one to him.
Subconsciously, Christina leaned on Nathaniel’s shoulder. With a soft tone, she proposed, “I’m exhausted. Let’s rest for a bit before we head to the big stage over there. The pamphlet says there’ll be performances and even fireworks at the end.”
“Okay.” Nathaniel sipped while letting her rest on his body.
Once the tourists heard the announcement of the performance starting, they strode toward the big stage. Nathaniel held Christina’s hand tightly as they traveled through the crowd, worried she might get lost.
Abruptly, Christina received a text message on her phone: If you want to know why your home was set ablaze four years ago, look for me behind the stage.