Ch. 421..430
Chapter 421 Azure Lazuli
The housekeeper served Christina a bowl of hot soup
“What is this Christins & brows were knitted together as she regarded the inky-black soup in front of her in aversio
“Mrs Hadley specially sent this over for your negishment Youll feel better after drinking it, and you might even be able to give Mr. Hadley a baby soon. My Christina” the housekeeper replied, grinning from ea to rai
Immediately. Christina’s face flushed bright red. For my nourishment? More like prepping me for prepmency?
“I don’t want to drink this Give me something else she declined
A conflicted look showed on the housekeeper’s face Trm afraid that isn’t possible. Mr. Hadley has drunk a bowl, and this is yours. Mrs. Hadley gave the orders to watch you finish it. Why don’t you play along since she means well. Ms Christina?”
At that, Christina heaved a sigh. “Leave it here, then Make me a bowl of oatmeal, please.”
Acquiescing smilingly, the housekeeper whirled around and went into the kitchen.
The moment she left. Christina hastily slid the concoction before her over to Nathaniel with light movements. “Drink it for me.”
Nathaniel threw her a sidelong glance. “It’s not bitter. Try it.”
I feel sick from the smell alone, yet he’s claiming that it isn’t bitter? What a blatant lie!
Christina gazed at him with teary eyes like a lost lamb seeking help. “I’ll throw up after drinking it since it’s so bitter”
Nathaniel went silent.
“Pretty please?”
That whiny voice rendered the man defenseless.
Since he did not turn her down, Christina quickly took off after bidding him farewell.
As soon as Christina stepped into the office, Rayne hurried over. “You’ve got an appointment with a premier VIP today, and it’s almost time, Christina. Do make the necessary preparations.”
“Okay. Buy me some breakfast, please.” While saying that, Christina walked into the office.
A moment later, Rayne returned with breakfast.
Just when Christina had finished eating, the client arrived.
She straightened herself up before getting to her feet and going to meet the client.
In the conference room sat an elderly lady in a gown with her hair combed neatly and a rare emerald necklace on her neck.
She held a portfolio of Christina’s past works in her hand, and an assistant stood beside her.
Swinging open the door, Christina entered the room. Good morning. I’m the designer, Christina Steele”
She wore a chiffon shirt with frill sleeves that day, the low-cut design accentuating her long and slender neck. Her fair and exquisite skin gave others a sense of detachment.
“Good morning. This is Mrs Azure Lazuli. She would like to commission a gown for her seventieth birthday,” the assistant beside the elderly woman answered.
The instant Christina heard that name, she knew that it was a fake moniker.
From the way the elderly woman in front of her dressed, Christina could tell that the woman was either rich or influential. Well, I guess she doesn’t want to use her real name for fear that outsiders would ingratiate themselves with her.
“What kind of style would you like?” She promptly went into work mode.
“Something simple It can be in blue magenta, sepia, or any plain color. The pattern will be ink orchid with simplicity being the theme.” Still, it was the assistant who responded.
Azure turned a calm gaze on Christina, her eyes fixed on the emerald necklace on the latter’s neck.
While discussing the details with the assistant, Christina suddenly sensed someone staring at her. her eyes, she met Azure’s unfathomable gaze.
Lifting
The look in the latter’s eyes was kind and gentle. It was as though she was looking at her own child.
A sense of unease swamped Christina at being regarded with such a look from a stranger.
“The emerald on your necklace is really unique, Ms. Steele. May I know where you bought it?” Azure asked, her raspy voice carrying a sense of solemnity.
Christina instinctively glanced at the necklace on her neck. “It’s from my mother, who said it’s a family heirloom. I’m not sure about it either.”
In truth, she had never scrutinized the carving on the pendant, so she felt that it was nothing special.
“You have distinctive looks and a regal aura, Ms. Steele. Wearing such emerald suits you perfectly,” Azure remarked, her voice soft and composed.
“Thank you for the compliment.” Christina felt very much flattered.
At the same time, she lamented inwardly. This elderly lady is rather strange. Instead of talking about clothing at the first meeting, she’s concerned about the emerald I’m wearing.
“Shall I take your measurements?” Subsequently, she changed the subject.
Next to Azure, her assistant interjected, “Mrs. Lazuli is in a hurry. Please schedule another appointment. and make a house call for that. I hope to see your draft design drawing the next time we meet.”
Honestly, Christina was not keen on making house calls. Alas, the client before her offered no room for demurral.
Anyway, Rayne will be sure to charge a “reasonable” fee if I were to personally make a house call.
Following that thought, she relented, “Sure. I’ll make another appointment later.”
Azure flashed her a smile before leaving the conference room with her assistant.
ng until the two of them had gone a distance away, Christina turned to Rayne slightly. “Don’t you think that Mrs. Lazuli seemed to be looking at me strangely earlier?”
“You’re graceful and demure with looks favored by the elderly, so it’s only natural that she eyeballed you.” Rayne replied, finding nothing amiss.
At her reasoning, mirth bubbled within Christina. Well, perhaps it was out of curiosity that she studied me closely.
She then compiled all the information discussed just now. Before getting off work, she went to the factory to check on the situation.
After suffering a loss due to her carelessness back then, she was determined to keep a close eye on the factory this time.
The worst part was that Yerek managed to take advantage of the situation, and they presently had to give him dividends from the money they made from their operations.
No matter how she thought about it, she found it a huge loss.
At that precise moment, the phone rang. Christina answered it.
“I’m at Redolent House. Come over right now.” Yerek’s voice drifted out of the phone.
Planning to seek him out to discuss terminating the collaboration, Christina agreed. “Okay.”
Twenty minutes later, she entered the restaurant according to the location given.
With a server leading the way, she stepped into a private room.
A feast was laid out on the table. Dressed in a white shirt and a fitted black vest, Yerek held a bottle of red wine. “You came at the perfect time. I’m just about to open a bottle of red wine.”
Not there to drink with him, Christina stated indifferently with a dark expression, “What do you want before you’d pull out?”
Yerek threw her a meaningful look. “Look, this place is pretty good, huh? I bought some shares here with money from you and Nathaniel. The brand is doing well now, and it’s going to be listed soon. I’m waiting to make money, so why would I possibly pull out?”
Gritting her teeth, Christina snarled coldly. “How cunning and despicable!”
Half of the investment came from Yerek, but the money embezzled by the factory manager was already more than half the entire sum.
Even then, he refused to divulge the money’s whereabouts. As such, Christina could not get the money back.
Yerek was unperturbed and seemingly gave up since he could not gain her favor. “Thank you for the compliment.”.
“Are you deaf? That’s an insult!” After barking that in a harsh tone, Christina made to leave.
“Didn’t you say back then you didn’t want to know what exactly Nathaniel is hiding from you?” Yerek drawled with a smirk.
Christina stopped in her tracks “He’s not hiding anything from me”
“He’s hiding your true identity, deliberately keeping you in the dark!”
Chapter 422 Who Is She
Christina treated Yerek’s words as if they were a joke. “How could you, an outsider, claim to know my identity better than I do?”
Yerek responded with an amused look and countered, “What if it’s something that has been kept from you?”
Christina’s e eyes narrowed, and it felt as if time stood still, even though only a few seconds had passed.
She had never questioned her identity before this moment.
In her mind, she simply had a despicable father figure and had no desire to delve into her past ever again. It was enough for her to live peacefully with her mother for the rest of her days.
“You can’t possibly know more about me than I do, especially if it’s something I’m completely unaware of. so drop it,” Christina firmly stated, refusing to entertain Yerek’s claims. She turned around, intending to leave.
“Your last name isn’t Steele, and you’re not the daughter of Gideon and Sharon. You are the eldest. daughter of the Gibson family from Hallsbay.” Yerek revealed through gritted teeth.
Though reluctant, Yerek saw this as the best way to break her and Nathaniel apart.
Christina halted in her tracks and narrowed her eyes as she processed Yerek’s words.
Noticing Christina’s hesitation, Yerek handed her a folder he had prepared earlier.
“Take a look at these documents. If you find them incomplete, perhaps Nathaniel’s study holds the information you’re seeking,” he suggested.
With a mix of speculation and doubt swirling in her mind. Christina accepted the folder.
She left the hotel and drove back to Scenic Garden Manor.
Upon entering her room, Christina wasted no time opening the folder, causing its contents to spill onto
the surface before her.
However, instead of directly addressing her background and identity, she discovered a newspaper cutting. The article recounted an incident that had taken place over twenty years ago. It described the collapse of a real estate site owned by Hadley Corporation, resulting in a trapped car and the death of one passenger, as well as severe injuries to another.
Charlie, who had still been the CEO of Hadley Corporation at that time, had publicly apologized for the
tragic event.
Confusion washed over Christina as she tried to connect the dots between this incident and her own life, but Yerek’s words lingered in her mind, urging her to delve deeper.
Intrigued and driven by her growing curiosity, Christina decided to seek answers in Nathaniel’s study.
In the spacious study, the table displayed neatly stacked folders and a sleek pen holder housing an expensive pen.
Despite her thorough search for clues on the study table, Christina found nothing of relevance. Frustrated, she shifted her attention to the bookshelves, meticulously scanning the books in hopes of stumbling upon
something that would shed light on her identity.
However, her efforts proved fruitless, leaving her to question if Yerek had once again deceived her.
“What are you doing?” A deep, husky voice startled Christina out of her reverie, causing her to jump in fright.
Swiftly regaining her composure, she turned around to face Nathaniel. “I thought I could help organize your shelves since I have some free time,” she explained.
“Just leave it to the housekeeper,” Nathaniel insisted, firmly grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward the nearby couch.
“Why are your hands so cold?” he asked.
“I’m feeling a bit cold,” Christina instinctively replied, pulling her hand away. Unaware that Nathaniel had entered the study while she was engrossed in her search, she had broken into a nervous sweat, causing her palms to grow cold.
Nathaniel glanced around and noticed that the air conditioner was turned off while a refreshing summer breeze filled the room. Perplexed, he couldn’t understand why Christina’s hands were so cold despite the comfortable temperature,
“Maybe it’s the chilling wind since it’s getting dark.” Nathaniel got up and closed the windows.
Just then, two small figures-Lucas and Camila-burst into the room. They joyfully ran toward Christina and wrapped their tiny arms around her legs. “Mommy, Grandma had the driver send a huge cake for us,” Camila exclaimed, her head tilted to the side.
She looked at Christina with innocent eyes and added, “Mommy, let’s go downstairs and have some cake, okay?”
“All right, let’s go have some cake. But we should get Daddy to come along too,” Christina replied, reaching down to hold Lucas’ hand.
Sensing the plan, Camila tactfully ran over to Nathaniel and grabbed his hand. She looked up at him with wide eyes. “How could we let Daddy miss out on something so good? Right?” she said, punctuating her words with a playful wink.
Nathaniel, despite not having a sweet tooth, couldn’t resist his daughter’s adorable persuasion.
He scooped Camila up into his arms, and all four of them happily headed downstairs for cake.
After enjoying the snack together, Christina took Lucas and Camila back upstairs, bathed them, and
tucked them into bed.
The following day. Nathaniel left early for work, even though it was a weekend.
Meanwhile, Christina engrossed herself in her design draft, basking in the gentle morning light that streamed through the windows.
Despite being on holiday. Lucas and Camila chose to stay by their mother’s side rather than venturing out to play.
As their restlessness grew, the two siblings began a spirited game of soccer right in the study. Before long, the room echoed with the sound of documents and books toppling off the shelves.
Startled, Christina looked up from her work, her face etched with worry. “Are you two hurt?” she asked anxiously.
Lucas quickly shook his head. With a sheepish smile, he admitted, “No, but all the books are on the ground now.”
Camila, assuming a grown-up demeanor, scolded Lucas, “I told you not to play soccer in the study.”
Christina approached them to make sure they were unhurt. She then instructed, “Go out and play. I’ll clean up in here.”
Lucas’s head drooped as he pouted. “I’m sorry. Mommy. I won’t do it again,” he promised.
Camila, taking charge, seized Lucas’s hand and pulled him out of the room. “You’re always making Mommy work, Lucas. That’s not good. Don’t worry, Mommy, I’ll teach Lucas a good lesson.”
A smile crept onto Christina’s face as she watched her kids running off. She bent down to pick up the folders scattered all over the floor.
As she did so, one of the folders slipped out of her grasp, causing the papers inside it to scatter all over the floor.
Christina berated herself for being clumsy as she reached out to retrieve the folder. As the papers settled, Christina’s eyes focused on the words printed on the papers, illuminated by the bright light in the room.
It detailed a grave mistake that had occurred at the hospital where she was born. A mix-up had resulted in several babies being taken to the wrong homes, a shocking revelation that had been extensively covered by the news media for several days.
Amidst the scattered papers, she discovered a document containing a patient’s information, with her mother’s name prominently displayed.
However, it bore the devastating news that Sharon’s premature child had tragically passed away.
A rush of realization washed over Christina as her mind began swirling with a whirlwind of questions.
If Sharon’s child had died over twenty years ago, then who was she?
The very foundation of her identity seemed to crumble before her eyes, leaving her in a state of profound confusion.
Overwhelmed by the weight of these revelations, Christina sank onto the couch, desperately attempting to gather her thoughts and make sense of this unsettling discovery.
Feeling lethargic, she leaned on the couch and eventually drifted off to sleep.
After some time, she dazedly became aware that someone had draped a blanket over her. The gesture woke her up, as she was a light sleeper.
“Did I wake you?” Nathaniel had returned during her slumber, and the study now appeared clean and tidy once again.
Christina sat up and shook her head. “No. Are you done with work?”
“Yes.” Nathaniel’s gaze turned icy as he locked eyes with her. “Did you go through my folders?”
A chill ran down Christina’s spine as she was at a loss for words.
She hoped he hadn’t noticed as she had tidied up the scattered folders just now.
Just then, Lucas ran into the room. “Daddy, don’t blame Mommy! It was my fault I accidentally knocked
the folders off your shelves while I was playing soccer in here earlier.”
Chapter 423 Bad Mood
Perturbation brimmed in Lucas’ doe-like eyes.
It’s all my fault. I caused Mommy to be scolded.
Dabbing off the sweat on the child’s head with a handkerchief, Nathaniel reminded the former, “Don’t do it again. It’s fine if you had just broken the shelf, but what if the books had hit your head?”
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” said Lucas with a pout.
“You’re all sweaty. Come on. I’ll give you a shower.” Christina got to her feet and pulled Lucas along to the bathroom.
After the door closed, Nathaniel’s gaze moved up until it found the shelf’s topmost level.
The books were arranged neatly, but the sequence was incorrect.
Christina did not sleep well because of what she learned. Hence, she drove to the hospital early the next day.
Sharon looked much better compared to the last time Christina saw her. Clearly, the former had rested well.
“Mom, I’m here. Do you want some grapes?” Christina approached the hospital bed and opened up the container filled with cleaned fruits.
Sharon was delighted to see her daughter, and a smile tugged at her lips. “Okay.”
Hearing Sharon’s response, Christina peeled the fruit’s skin and popped them into the former’s mouth. The bond between the two was strong after having to depend on each other for so many years. Hence, the news that the woman in front of her was not her biological mother put Christina at a loss.
She had no idea how to handle it.
“Christina, you dropped a grape. What are you thinking so deeply about?” asked Sharon with concern..
Only then did Christina realize the grape had slipped from her fingers.
“My hands slipped,” explained Christina awkwardly. She then picked up the grape with a piece of tissue and tossed it into the bin.
Christina’s strange behavior worried Sharon. “What’s wrong? Did you and Nathaniel get into a fight?”
Christina’s eyelids drooped to avoid her mother’s gaze. For a moment, she did not know how to answer the latter’s question. “No…”
Sensing the young lady’s hesitance, Sharon gently patted the former’s hand to comfort her. “Is Nathaniel giving you less attention because he’s usually swamped at work? It’s normal since men are the breadwinners. As a wife-”
“That’s not it, Mom,” Christina interrupted, still wondering where she should begin.
Will Mom get upset if I go straight to the point? I mean, no mother would want their daughter, whom they raised for over twenty years, to ask if they’re related by blood.
“What is it, then Tell me. Don’t keep it to yourself. Sharon grew more concerned the longer Christina kept her silence
Christina fiddled with her fingers and took in a deep breath. Maybe I should just ask her instead of making wild
guesses on my oten.
“Mom, was … adopted?”
Christina locked a nervous gaze on her mother as complex feelings like worry and suspicion sprouted in her heart, making her feel slightly overwhelmed.
Sharon was stunned by the unexpected question, and her pupils constricted.
“H-How did you know?” She subconsciously clenched her fists, her heart beating like a drum.
When Christina saw Sharon’s reaction, a guess formed in her mind, roughly confirming the suspicions she had been having for a while.
After a moment of silence, Christina took Sharon’s hand and stared at the latter intently. “Mom, no matter what happened in the past, you’re still the mom I love the most.”
Hearing that, Sharon could no longer hold back her tears. After all, she thought she could bring the secret. she had been hiding for many years to her grave.
“It’s been so many years. I can’t believe you found out about it so soon. I didn’t mean to hide it from you.
Christina felt her heart tighten at her mother’s words. It was as if the blood in her vessels had solidified from all the anxiety she was feeling. “Mom, what exactly happened?”
A complex frown formed between Sharon’s brows as she recalled the past. It was something she did not want to face. “Back then, my child died, but the nurse misunderstood the information and gave you to me. I tried looking for your parents after realizing what had happened, but they were nowhere to be found. At that time, all you had was a necklace. I was sure it was from your family, so I kept it, thinking you’ll have a token when you decide to look for your real parents one day. I’m sorry, Christina. I was too heartbroken at that time, so I brought you back to the Steele residence…”
Bewilderment and confusion flooded Christina’s gaze, which was partially concealed by her lowered eyelids. It was taking her some time to process all the information that was dumped on her.
Why didn’t my parents want me? Why did they give me a token and leave just like that? Why did they do this?
Christina was too overwhelmed by her emotions that she could not comfort her crying mother. All she could manage was, “Rest well, Mom. I don’t blame you for it…”
Maybe Mom kept the truth from me for so many years because she feared I might get angry when I found out about it.
Soon, visitation hours were over. Hence, Christina left the hospital and traveled home, feeling as though. her mind was going to explode from all the thoughts running through it.
Just then, her phone rang.
She took one glance at the caller ID and answered it. “Bailey, I feel horrible today. Can you spend some time with me?”
“What a coincidence! I happened to find a great place today to have some fun. Let’s go there!”
Once the call ended, Christma received a text from Badley containing the address.
She entered the information into the navigation system and soon arrived at the club-the one Nathaniel had brought her to two days ago.
As soon as Christina stepped into the building. Bailey leil her into a VIP room
It was rather crowded, and everyone was enjoying themselves. No one realized Christina had entered!
An carsplitting combo of blasting music and loud laughter filled the venue.
“Why would a proper lady like you come to a place like this to have fun?” The noise was giving Christina a splitting headache.
However, Bailey seemed unperturbed. “What’s wrong with this place? It’s quite fun. Besides, the servers here are more good-looking compared to other clubs.”
“How are we going to talk in such a noisy place?” Christina was regretting it. I should’ve asked before coming. I wouldn’t have come if I knew it’d be so crowded
A helpless sigh escaped Bailey’s throat. “I’ve been cooped up at home for many days, and my mother pressures me to get married every day. Believe it or not, she has more documents on blind dates than a king!”
Ihat’s so great about getting married? It’s better to be single and free.
“There are too many people here. It’s too noisy.” Christina was in an equally bad mood. She needed someone to analyze the situation for her or even just hear her out.
“The lobby’s quieter. Let’s talk out there.” With that, Bailey took Christina’s hand and walked out.
Sure enough, it was quieter outside. The two women sat by the bar and ordered two glasses of whiskey.
Christina took a sip of the hard liquor and coughed violently, for it stung her throat. “Is this even for humans?”
The two had just taken their seats when several rich, fashionably-dressed men approached to strike
conversation with them.
up
Christina was in no mood to entertain strangers. All she wanted was to rant to her friend. Bailey, on the contrary, turned into a chatterbox after having a few glasses of alcohol.
Just then, Christina’s phone pinged with a text from Nathaniel. It read: Where are you?
Christina stared at the text for some time before replying: I’m meeting a client. I’ll be home a little late.
She made up a random excuse so as to avoid any misunderstandings from happening.
Alas, her phone vibrated again with a message from Nathaniel: Look up. Forty-five degrees to your right.
The text caused Christina’s brows to tighten into a puzzled frown. Regardless, she slowly lifted her head and did as told..
Her eyes went wide the moment they met a familiar pair of eyes.
Chapter 424 Different Species.
Standing by the full-length windows of a private room on the second floor was Nathaniel. His hands were in his pockets, and he stared at her with such intensity as if he was a devil in the abyss.
Christina felt a chill run down her spine.
At that moment, she felt like an unfortunate rabbit that was spotted by the hunter after escaping his trap. Serious consequences awaited her.
“Bailey. I’m going to the second floor.”
“What for?” asked Bailey quizzically.
“Look for yourself.” Christina jerked her chin in the direction of the room so her friend knew where to look.
Bailey got the shock of her life when she looked up and met Nathaniel’s fiery gaze. She felt as if her heart almost exploded. “I-I’ll go with you.”
The two braced themselves as if they were about to confront a fearsome enemy and made their way to the room on the second floor-its door was already open.
Other than Nathaniel, there was another tall figure sitting on the couch in the room.
It was Julian; he flashed Christina a polite smile.
Christina gave Julian a nod of acknowledgment and slowly walked over to Nathaniel like a little girl who had made a mistake, hanging her head and waiting to be scolded.
“So, you were working overtime here?” Nathaniel interrogated.
As any loyal friend would, Bailey stepped forward and pulled Christina closer as if to protect the latter. “It’s not her fault. I was the one who brought her here. If you’re going to harm her, you should do it to me instead.”
Nathaniel twitched his brow, half amused and half baffled. Harm her? Just what exactly does Christina say to others about me?
Christina tugged at Bailey’s sleeve discreetly, hinting at the latter to shut up.
However, her friend flashed her a look that seemed to say. “Don’t worry. I’m here.”
To make herself look more domineering and confident, Bailey placed her hands on her hips and snorted. “Did you bully her? She was in a bad mood and came to me for a chat.”
Nathaniel’s prominent brows wrinkled in confusion as he studied Christina even more intently. “You’re upset?”
Why didn’t she tell me? Why did she come to a bar with a friend to vent instead?
Christina had yet to arrange her thoughts to tell Nathaniel of her troubles, but Bailey had already poured all of her secrets.
And before Christina could even speak, Bailey scoffed, “Don’t be so bossy. What makes you think you’re the only one who can come out to enjoy yourself? Christina can, too!”
Nathaniel eyed Christina in amusement “Of course, she can You can do whatever you want”
The corners of Christina’s lips twitched when she heard that.
I never meant that.
Nonetheless. Nathaniel’s answer pleased Bailey, Grinning mischievously, she called for the server “Ill get your most expensive set meal”
“All right. Ill make the arrangements now,” responded the server with a subtle nod.
Soon, five bottles of premium whiskey, wine, and delectable dishes were laid out on the table until there was no space left.
Christina twitched her lips, baffled by the absurd amount of food before her. “Why order so much alcohol? How are we going to finish it?”
“That’s
‘s a different matter. I ordered it to maintain an impression,” Bailey declared proudly. As Christina’s friend, the former would not let Christina be humiliated.
Following that, Bailey picked the largest bottle of hard liquor and was about to uncork it when a deep, rich voice sounded. “Kids shouldn’t be drinking alcohol.”
The voice made Bailey turn around, only to find a man in a retro-style suit and a burgundy tie that added. a hint of mysteriousness to him. His dark, solemn eyes were like an endless sea, leaving Bailey breathless when their gazes met.
This man’s simply too ravishing!
Fortunately, the room’s dim lighting caused her blushing face to be unnoticeable.
“Who says I’m a child? I’m an adult, mister!” Bailey refuted defiantly.
Julian chuckled. The woman standing in front of him behaved like a teen going through a rebellious. phase, slightly arrogant and gutsy. She was the most interesting woman he had met so far.
Right then, Christina picked out a bottle of white wine that had lower alcohol content. “Let’s drink this instead.”
Subsequently, the server uncorked it and poured the clear liquid into four glasses.
Christina picked one up and took a sip, allowing the sweet and mellow taste to flow down her throat.
It took only a few glasses for the alcohol to get to her head.
“Bailey, it’s late. We should go back.” Christina put down the glass and massaged her temples. The alcohol’s aftereffects were surprisingly strong.
Waving her hand in disagreement, Bailey said, “I’m not going back. It wasn’t easy for me to get out of
there.”
Although it was clear that Bailey would not leave, Christina did not trust leaving her friend alone at a place like that. “You can’t keep being upset at your mother. Come on. I’ll send you home, okay?”
With a look of utter reluctance, Bailey gave Christina a push into Nathaniel’s arms. “You two can leave first. I’ll get home on my own in a while. The driver’s waiting right outside the bar.”
Chapter 425 Different Species
Bailey’s words did not help ease Christina of her worry. “What if you encounter some bad people here
With that, Christina reached out to grab Bailey’s hand. It would not harm anyone to let the latter stay the rught at Scenic Garden Manor if she did not want to go home
“Go on home. I’ll take her home.” Julian piped up.
That suggestion sounded feasible to Nathaniel. “Take good care of her. Just make sure she doesn’t go missing
While Christina hesitated, Bailey swatted the former’s hand away and groaned. “I’m a grown woman. What’s there to worry about?”
Despite getting rejected, Christina reminded Bailey before leaving, “Remember to call me.”
Bailey waved her hand impatiently and urged Christina to leave.
Even so, the arrangement left Christina slightly uneasy. “Mr. Forrester won’t do anything to Bailey, right?”
Bailey was a woman with a sweet-looking appearance, while Julian had a calm and composed demeanor. Regardless, a book should not be judged by its cover. What if he’s a playboy?
As if reading her mind, Nathaniel assured her. “He came back to the country this time to get married. Don’t worry. He won’t be interested in your friend.”
Julian was a reliable person.
Hence, Christina felt much relieved after hearing his answer.
When the two were finally out of Bailey’s sight, she turned around to head to the restroom.
She splashed cold water onto her face, for she often fluctuated from sobriety to grogginess when she was tipsy. That was when her phone rang.
When she saw the caller ID was “Queen Mother,” she ignored it and stuffed the phone into her pocket.
Then, she stepped out into the hallway and accidentally bumped into a passerby.
The two recognized each other after exchanging gazes. The passerby was one of her many blind dates.
Sizing her up, the man sneered, “Why did you block my number after our date?”
“There was no need for us to continue talking to each other,” she answered plainly and ignored him.
She had only taken a few steps when he grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the wall. “I thought you were a goody two shoes. Who would’ve thought you were this wild? I think we’re quite suited for each other.”
Bailey scoffed. “Humans and animals are completely different species. How could we be suitable for each other?”
The man’s face flushed red with anger. “Who are you calling an animal? What’s with the act? From what I can see, you’re the type to fool around.”
With a smack, Bailey slapped the man, followed by a kick.
<
Chapter 421 Different Species
The pain was so intense that the man stumbled to the ground with a cry, his face flushed bright red. “B*tch, how dare you hit me? You’re so dead!”
“That’s what you get for being so foul-mouthed. Looks like no one taught you manners, so let me teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents.”
With that, Bailey gave him another kick.
Merciless, Bailey kicked hard as she cursed, “Do you think you can scold me as you like? Do you ever look in a mirror at yourself?”
Bailey was already drunk, so she wasn’t aware of her strength and how many times she had kicked. Suddenly, she was lifted into the air.
She was picked up and placed over a man’s shoulder. Shocked, Bailey turned her head and realized it was the man from the private room.
As Bailey threw punches into the air, she exclaimed, “What are you doing? I’m not done!”
“Children shouldn’t fight. Beware of getting punished.” Julian spoke softly and sounded pleasant.
Bailey struggled to break free. Since she was being taken further away, she warned the person lying on the floor, “Walk away when you see me next time, or I’ll kick your ass!”
After she was carried out, she was thrown into the passenger seat of a Jaguar.
Without delay, Julian started his car and asked, “What’s your address?”
“I’m not going home.” Bailey had gotten too agitated earlier, so now she felt dizzy, like the world was spinning around her. She leaned back in her seat, looking completely inebriated.
Julian felt like he was tending to a rebellious child. Exasperated and left with no choice, he brought her back to his mansion.
He planned to let her stay overnight at his mansion before he sent her home the next day after she regained her senses.
As Julian drove, he suddenly felt a warm touch on his chest. He lowered his head and saw Bailey boldly putting her hand on his shirt.
Then, she took it a step further and groped him.
Taken aback. Julian instinctively stepped on the brake and swerved to the side of the road, stopping the car completely.
With a frosty gaze, he shoved her hand off. “What do you think you are doing, girl?”
In distress, Bailey rubbed her reddened hand and muttered indistinctively, “Didn’t you get buff so that people would touch you?”
Julian took a deep breath and decided not to take offense from the young lady.
However, he was worried she would act recklessly again, so he said solemnly, “Stop messing around. I won’t shrug it off just because you’re young. If you continue this. I’ll throw you out of the car.”
“What? You’re getting off the car, mister? If that’s the case. I’ll take the wheel.”
Mishearing Julian’s words, Bailey got up and tried to climb into the driver’s seat.
Julian’s temples began to throb, and he stretched out his hands, wanting to stop her. However, Bailey was too swift and was already sitting in his embrace in no time.
“You smell so good, mister.”
Bailey leaned in and took a sniff of Julian’s scent.
They were so close that Bailey’s faint fragrance, mixed with the smell of alcohol, rushed into Julian’s nostrils. At that moment, her vision was blurry.
Still, Bailey stared at the handsome face before her and couldn’t help but lean in to kiss him as if she had just seen a tasty dessert.
The woody scent that Julian gave off captivated her. Inevitably, she was charmed by him.
Inside the car, under the dim streetlights, their breaths filled the cramped space.
Meanwhile, it was already late at night when Christina returned to Scenic Garden Manor.
The two kids were fast asleep. She dared not enter their room since she reeked of alcohol.
Once she took a shower, the smell of alcohol from her body dissipated tremendously.
Sitting on the couch, she dried her hair while sorting out her thoughts.
If I’m not Mom’s biological daughter, who are my birth parents? Does the collapse of Hadley Corporation have something to do with my identity? Why didn’t Nathaniel say anything when he’s known my identity all along? What exactly happened? Who can answer my questions?
“What’s bothering you?” Nathaniel approached Christina when she was in a daze. He took the hairdryer. from her and gently dried her hair.
“N-Nothing” Christina’s mind was buzzing. Her thoughts were jumbled up as she listened to the sound of the hairdryer.
After Nathaniel turned off the hairdryer, he picked her up from the couch. Compared to Nathaniel, Christina had a petite body frame. Hence, it was somewhat easy for him to carry her.
Nathaniel placed Christina gently on the bed and said softly, “Get some rest. I have a video conference at the study later. Go ahead and sleep without me.”
With that, he planted a kiss on her forehead and got up to leave.
Christina was finally able to relax after hearing the door shut. She turned on her side, wrapping herself in the quilt tightly. Her thoughts were like a ball of hemp rope, unorganized and chaotic.
After she got tired of thinking, she dozed off.
The morning sun bathed the bedroom in a warm glow. As the sunlight landed on Christina’s body, she
woke up.
She could feel a lingering warmth on the other side of the bed, but Nathaniel had already left.
Climbing out of bed, she washed up. While having breakfast, she sent a text to Bailey.
She texted: Bailey, did you go home last night? Nothing happened between you and Mr. Forrester, right? I heard from Nathaniel that he came back to get married, so don’t get involved with him.
However, she didn’t get any replies after sending the text.
On her way to work after breakfast, Christina finally received a reply.
Bailey replied. I’m fine. Don’t be silly. I wouldn’t like a guy much older than me. Don’t worry.
Christma felt relieved when she saw the reply.
After Christina arrived at the studio, she started working non-stop. When it was about time to clock out, Rayne pushed open the door and entered her office.
“Christina, Mrs. Lazuli said she’s available now and asked if you have time to take her measurements now?”
Christina checked her schedule and decided it wouldn’t take long to take measurements. Thus, she replied. “Sure, please make the arrangements. I’ll show her my draft too.”
“Okay. I’ll make the arrangements right away.”
At three in the afternoon, Azure arranged a car to pick up Christina from her studio. After packing the necessaries, Christina went down.
The car drove away from the urban area and gradually headed toward the affluent neighborhood.
Passing through an open area, the car stopped at the door of a spacious mansion.
Christina subsequently got off the car and walked into the house.
Various famous paintings were hung on the wall in the brightly-lit living room. A faint fragrance of Earl Grey tea came from the coffee table, lending a grandeur vibe to the whole atmosphere.
Azure was in a gown and had her hair up in a bun, looking elegant. “Please, have a seat
“Should we take your measurements now?” Christina asked as she put down her bag of tools.
“Yes, sure. By the way, I’d like to invite you to my birthday banquet next month,” Azure said with a faint. grin. Christina could see tranquility on the lady’s face.
“Are you sure?” It was not in Christina’s blood to socialize.
Christina knew clearly that the people invited to Azure’s birthday banquet would be of high social status, and it would be the perfect opportunity for her to make connections. However, social events were a bane
to her.
“Please don’t refuse Mrs. Lazuli’s invitation. Ms. Steele.” The assistant on the side appeared with an invitation card.
Given the circumstances. Christina could only accept the invitation card after glancing at it. “Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Lazuli.”
A gentle glint appeared in Azure’s eyes when she saw that Christina had accepted the invitation card.
After Christina took Azure’s body measurements, she showed the latter her design drawing,
“It looks good. I love it. Please make three sets of this,” Azure said softly.
Chapter 426 Ulterior Motive
After taking the measurements. Christina asked Azure some questions about the design details and clearly noted the requested specifications
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now.”
Azure flashed a faint smile. “Okay. The driver is waiting at the entrance.”
“Thank you.” That place was relatively remote, so cars would rarely show up there. Christina got to her feet, nodded slightly, and turned to leave.
Following her departure, the assistant off to the side took out a transparent bag and placed the cup. Christina had drunk from inside it. “Once we conduct a DNA test, we’ll be able to confirm Ms. Steele’s identity.”
Azure rested her gaze on the cup. It’s necessary to clarify the matter of her identity before I acknowledge her to avoid encountering someone harboring ulterior motives.
After arriving downtown, Christina asked the driver to stop the car and took a taxi back to Scenic Garden Manor.
She entered the study and sorted out the documents in her hands,
The sun outside the window gradually set. Exhausted, she rested her head on the table and took a nap.
A while later, she was abruptly woken up by a phone call.
“Ms. Steele, I know you’re very busy, but don’t forget you’re still under contract with my company.” Francis’ deep and magnetic voice sounded from the other end of the line.
Christina had been swamped with work recently and hadn’t been to Francis’ place much. Sometimes, he would send her some selected sets of clothes to ask which ones he should wear.
After she gave her opinion, he would heed her decision without hesitation.
“Is there any important event? If not, I’m hanging up.” Christina sounded groggy as she had just woken up.
Francis feared she would end the call, so he hurriedly said, “There’s a very important red carpet event tomorrow, so you must come in person.”
“What time?”
“Come over at five in the afternoon for preparations.”
Christina muttered an acknowledgment before hanging up the phone.
She massaged her temples and glanced at the time. The kids should be coming back from school soon.
With that thought in mind, she went downstairs to wait for them. Not long after, the driver escorted the two children to the front door.
Lucas and Camila were dressed in their kindergarten uniforms. One wore a little suit while the other a dress. She thought their faces looked adorable no matter how she looked at them.
“Mommy, look. This is the flower I drew for you. Do you like it?” Camila impatiently took out her
masterpiece from her bag.
She inherited Christina’s drawing talent, and her skills surpassed that of her peers despite her young age.
“Of course. I’ll get it framed later.” Christina kissed her daughter.
“Mommy, I want a kiss too.”
Christina gave Lucas’ handsome face a peck as well. Holding the two kids in her arms, she felt utterly
contented.
“It’s time to wash your hands and have your dinner.” She brought them into the dining room.
Then, the housekeeper led them to the sink to wash their hands.
Nathaniel didn’t come home for dinner every night. He would only return when he wasn’t busy. When he was occupied by work, Christina didn’t want to disturb him either.
Under normal circumstances, if he didn’t come home for dinner by mealtime, Christina would eat with her children first.
At night, Christina told the two kids bedtime stories and sang them nursery rhymes. Only when she saw they were sound asleep did she get up to leave the children’s room.
Just as she was closing the door, she came face to face with Nathaniel, who was walking up the stairs.
The corridor was dimly lit, partially illuminating his exquisite countenance. His slender figure cast a long shadow on the floor as he exuded an authoritative aura.
“You’re back,” Christina remarked indifferently.
Her nonchalant attitude caused him to feel a sense of estrangement. He hummed softly in acknowledgment.
Whenever Christina saw him now, she couldn’t help but be reminded of the document in his study. Did Nathaniel find out something? If so, why hasn’t he mentioned anything to me?
That feeling made her uncomfortable. She couldn’t shake the sensation that a vast gulf now stood between them.
“Rest early.” With that, she strode toward the bedroom.
Nathaniel was worried that talking in the hallway would wake the children, so he followed her into the bedroom.
Pin-drop silence ensued after the sound of the door closing reverberated. Even their breathing seemed to turn shallower.
Hearing his approaching footsteps, Christina hastily moved to the bed as if a vicious ghost was chasing her. Before she could lie down, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder.
“What’s wrong with you? Are you not feeling well?” Nathaniel asked with a slight frown.
“No, that’s not it. I’m just a little tired from work.” She gave a perfunctory response.
Seeing that, Nathaniel didn’t press further. Instead, he took out two tickets for an art exhibition from his
pocket. “This emerging artist has become quite popular recently. He has an exhibition tomorrow night at eight Let’s go together”
He wasn’t asking her to go with him-he was telling her she was going
Christina looked at the two tickets and hesitated briefly before saying. “I have work tomorrow afternoon. I’m not sure if I can make it in time.”
“It’s fine. I’ll wait for you. You can come over after you’re done with work. Give me a call if you can’t make it. His voice was laced with a hint of gloominess.
Given the circumstances, she had no reason to refuse. “Okay.”
Nathaniel placed the tickets on the table and motioned for her to lie down. “Go to sleep.”
As Christina lay down, Nathaniel switched off the bedside lamp. Subsequently, her surroundings turned quiet, and she drifted off to sleep soon after.
The next afternoon, Christina packed her tools and went to Francis’ company.
When she entered, the staff present regarded her with distant expressions. It was understandable since she had been missing in action for days on end, even though she was a highly paid stylist. Therefore, it was only natural for others to be unfamiliar with her..
Striding inward, she spotted Francis lounging on the couch. His shirt was sloppily worn, with only one button fastened, revealing a swath of fair skin on his chest and firm abdominal muscles.
His shoulder-length hair hung loosely on either side. His feather-like eyelashes were long and dense, and his prominent nose and thin lips were so exquisite that it was hard to distinguish his gender. No wonder he holds the title of the most handsome man in the entertainment industry. This is indeed a well-deserved title.
Christina walked over. Taking in his lazy appearance, as if he had just woken up, she let out a sigh. “Why haven’t you changed yet?”
He looked up at her and smirked. “I’m waiting for you to decide what I should wear. The clothes at the back were provided by the sponsors. You need to pick out two sets of outfits,”
“Two sets?” she asked.
“That’s what the sponsor requested. I’ll be entering with their representative later,” he uttered casually.
Francis was already used to that kind of thing since it was part of his job.
That night’s red carpet show had been organized by a collaboration of various clothing brands. Christina figured most of the major brands probably invited celebrities.
She moved toward the two long rows of clothing racks and examined the available options. Her expression darkened the longer she inspected the garments. “What brand is this?”
“You don’t know Parf?”
Francis ambled over as well and stood behind Christina. He used his slender finger to lift a lock of her long hair, brought it up to his nose, and took a whiff. “Smells nice.”
She looked at the clothes and contemplated briefly before saying. “Half of these designs are plagiarized from a well-known brand. Are you sure you won’t be called out for wearing these?”
Christina disdained those designs that lacked genuineness.
“Who is badmouthing my company’s clothes!” A shrill voice rang out as a figure appeared in everyone’s sight.
Chapter 427 Out Of The Frying Pan
Surprise flitted across their faces when the two locked gazes.
Christina had not expected to meet Elizabeth under such circumstances. Not bothering to conceal the disdain in her eyes, she said, “It was me.”
“What do you know? I was the one who made the designs. Moreover, I’ve won an award for fashion design before. What right do you, a designer who hasn’t seen much of the world, have to critique my work?” Elizabeth retorted.
Anger simmered in the depths of Elizabeth’s eyes. She had chosen this path precisely because Christina. was a designer. She wanted to beat the latter at her own game.
it was the most brutal method she could think of to exact retribution.
Elizabeth wanted to shame Christina so badly that the latter would be too afraid to show her face in public again!
tanistina scoffed and replied. “You should have some self-awareness. You can’t just use someone else’s De designs and try to pass them off as your own. Moreover, adding retro elements to a punk design is akin to
mising random elements and turning them into a chimera. It has no sense of cohesiveness at all
fer my word was seathing and disdainful.
When in the staff around them caught wind of the commotion, they abandoned their tasks at hand and rotected daround to watch the show.
Truth be textuld, they had thought the clothing bizarre when they were hanging them up earlier. However, heyako tu mard that the sponsor had invested a large sum in Francis’ new show. Thus, they
had not dared o vote cocinarovonons,
Inexpectedin Christa had uttered the words that they had kept in their hearts.
Rendered specios os be the scathing remark, Elizabeth felt as if her self-esteem was under attack. Thristmas destens eneseta big deal. Why does she get to be so critical and picky?
Elizabeth went of er to be franas and attempted to throw her weight around. “Francis, can you please control our staff better: intmentres to apologize to me!”
nstantly, the room: pi menden u to stience
The staff who had gathered to watch the commotion instinctively held their breaths. Everyone knew that heir opinions qui i otter on in the tice of the sponsor. After all, the sponsor got to have the final say.
Otherwise, why would celebrities comometeres be caught in ludeous clothes on camera? It was a choice that was out of their hands.
Without waiting for Francis to reply
christni declared coldly. “I will not apologize f
peaking the truth.” You expect me to apoolseite Dream on
Elizabeth’s expression instantly darkened a and she had to resist the urge to stomp her fee ponsor! Watch your words, or cive I conner er conceding the contract!” I don’t believe there’s
fraid that the sponsor will withdraw the
item, it
Christina looked as if she had just heart a joke uit, then Withdraw your investment. It’s not like I’m
nt
the one on the receiving end,”
Even if Elizabeth wanted to invest in her, she had no intentions of working with such a tasteless brand.
Elizabeth was so livid that she could barely breathe. She tugged at Francis’ clothes, demanding. “Fire this stylist immediately! I’ll leave if you refuse to do so!”
She did not invest a hundred million only to be insulted like this.
Christina arched her brow coolly. “Agreed. Sacking me to keep the investment is a wise decision.”
Languidly, Francis clasped his hands before his chest. “I wasted a lot of effort to hire Christina. I am not going to fire her.”
“Francis, do you understand what you’re saying?” Elizabeth thought her ears were playing tricks on her.
Francis’ eyes were calm as he responded, “Yes. My stylist deemed your clothing unfit for me to wear. Hence, this is where our cooperation ends. Please leave.”
He had just rejected an investment of a hundred million!
The staff was flabbergasted. Although they knew what the investment meant to Francis, it was a completely different matter whether he rejected it for personal reasons or if he rejected it because of Christina.
Elizabeth clenched her fists tightly, imagining crushing Christina between her hands. She would not feel. appeased until she had utterly crushed the latter. “Previously, it was Mr. Hadley, and now it’s Francis. Christina, you’re quite a willy one. Just you wait!”
After shooting Christina one last glare, she turned around and flounced out angrily.
Francis reached out and gently cupped Christina’s jaw, his fingertips massaging her tender skin playfully. Shocked, Christina instinctively slapped the man’s inappropriate touch away.
“Since you drove my female companion away, shouldn’t you compensate me by taking her place?” Francis smiled faintly.
Christina’s lips twitched faintly as she belatedly realized his motives. So that’s why Francis stood on my side. Out of the frying pan into the fire… “Your new female companion is only a phone call away. It doesn’t have to be me.”
Francis stared at her with mesmerizing yet cold eyes. It was as if he intended to completely submerge her into his gaze. “The show is about to start. If you can convince Ms. Bennett to come back, I’ll let you off.”
Christina knew that was a futile endeavor. There’s no way I would beg Elizabeth for anything.
“The event begins in two hours. Hurry, get your outfit and makeup on.” Without giving her time to think it over, Francis dragged her into the dressing room.
Inside, the racks were filled with the season’s latest designs. It was not difficult to come up with two looks from the selection available.
Christina sighed softly, feeling as if she was being forced into a corner.
What had appeared to be a simple job took way more time than it looked. Christina’s head spun as she hurried to get ready her makeup and clothing.
Meanwhile, the sound of a Maybach could be heard outside the exhibition’s entrance at eight o’clock.
The temperature in the car was cold as its air conditioning was blasting at full power. With a tablet in his hand, Nathaniel sat in the backseat while going over some work documents. Since he knew that Christina was currently at work, he made no attempt to call her.
Prior to this, they had agreed that she would call him if she could not make it.
Seated in the passenger seat, Sebastian went over Nathaniel’s schedule on his own tablet. The next thing he knew, half an hour had passed.
It was the first time Sebastian had seen Nathaniel waiting for someone so patiently.
What on earth is Mrs. Hadley doing? Why isn’t she calling if she can’t make it?
All of a sudden, several headlines popped up on the tablet screen. They all discussed Francis’ matching outfit with his companion on the red carpet. Many of the consecutive comments were all about the same topic.
Sebastian tapped in, and the images that caught his eye immediately made him feel as if he had seen a ghost.
Christina and Francis were photographed together, and they both wore outfits that had similar colors and designs. It was no wonder the headlines were hailing them as matching outfits.
The two of them were similar in age, and their auras complimented each other. Hence, they looked good together.
Sebastian sucked in a cold breath. So, Mrs. Hadley is currently with Francis, and yet poor Mr. Hadley is here, waiting for her like a fool. How can she do such an awful thing?
After composing his emotions, Sebastian turned around and stammered, “Mr. Hadley, Mrs. Hadley may be swamped with work. Should we go back?”
Pausing the work at hand, Nathaniel checked the time and saw that it was already nine o’clock at night.
He checked his phone again, but there were no new messages.
Sebastian hesitated for a moment before adding. “The exhibition will still be on tomorrow. Shall I book two new tickets?”
Without bothering to reply, Nathaniel immediately called Christina. The phone rang twice, but no one picked up.
As Nathaniel put away his phone, his gaze was attracted by the trending headlines, thus prompting him to tap in.
Instantly, the expression on that handsome face turned thunderous. Through gritted teeth, he uttered. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 428 A Terrible Sensation
Christina only accompanied Francis to the event as a mere formality. She left the place not long after she entered.
She only realized that it was almost ten at night when she was on the way home.
She quickly dialed Nathaniel’s number, but there was no answer. She breathed a heavy sigh before. returning to Scenic Garden Manor.
The lights in the living room were switched off. The place was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. However, there was an overwhelming pressure emanating from the room.
Christina jumped in shock when she saw the tall figure seated on the couch. “Why didn’t you turn on the lights?”
She immediately noticed Nathaniel’s angry expression when the lights were switched on. There was a murderous look in his eyes. It looked like he was a predator in the mountains waiting to attack.
Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. Through clenched teeth, he asked, “You looked beautiful with the makeup on. Why did you remove it?”
The makeup….
Christina left after showing up for appearance purposes. Before she went home, she removed her makeup and changed out of her outfit.
Biting the bullet, she explained, “Please don’t misunderstand. I only accompanied him to go through the motions. I tried calling you on the way home, but you didn’t answer.”
Nathaniel’s aura was terrifying, causing Christina to break out in a cold sweat.
He stood up and made his way toward her. “Is it your job to accompany Francis?”
With an authoritative voice and eyes reddened with anger, it was evident that Nathaniel was livid. Just his aura alone caused Christina to feel a strong sense of suffocation.
Nathaniel wrapped his hands around her neck and tightened them with just enough pressure so that she wouldn’t choke. “I was waiting for you, but you were with Francis.”
That was something he could not accept.
He hated other people touching his things. He especially hated it when Francis was the one who did it.
“I was working. If I didn’t come, don’t you know how to go back first? Are you stupid?” Christina never expected that Nathaniel would be this patient.
“Christina! Won’t you return to how you were no matter how much I accommodate or try to please you?” Nathaniel asked, his voice slightly trembling.
He did not want the version of Christina before him. She was cold and emotionless, and he could not figure out what she was thinking. He wanted her to return to the version of herself that was gentle and would act cute in his arms.
Christina felt her heart break into two when she heard that. “You were accommodating to me? You were trying to please me?”
He was just temporarily hiding his true nature. If a problem arose, he would return to his usual unreasonable and possessive self.
Christina pushed away his hands and coughed. “Don’t act all affectionate with me. What’s inside the file in your study? What secrets are you hiding from me? Have you told me about them?“
The secrets in my study… Nathaniel widened his eyes. Did she see them?
Anger danced behind their eyes as they glared at each other. Nathaniel coldly said, “You will regret angering me.”
With that, he turned and walked out the door. A few moments later, the sound of a car driving away could be heard from outside.
It was only after he left that Christina finally relaxed. It felt like all the energy had left her body as she stumbled backward, her knees weak from pretending to be strong.
Perhaps Christina’s emotions were unstable because she woke up early the following day.
She washed up and changed before sending Lucas and Camila to kindergarten.
The two children were in the backseat of the car. They stared at their mother through the rearview mirror and noticed her gloomy look. Lucas pursed his lips and asked, “Mommy, did you argue with Daddy?”
Christina tensed up. Were we too loud in the living room last night? Did the children hear us?
She did not want their familial matters to affect the children. She scolded herself inwardly before flashing them a smile and said, “No, we didn’t.”
Camila innocently asked, “Why is your neck red?”
Christina reached up to adjust the rearview mirror so she could see herself. Only then did she notice the red handprint marks around her neck. She did not expect it to be such a dark shade of red,
She touched her neck guiltily before explaining, “I accidentally scratched it.”
Lucas and Camila exchanged glances. If Mommy doesn’t want to tell us, it’s no use if we keep asking her.
However, the children were confident that Christina had not scratched herself. The markings were long. It looks like Daddy’s handprints.
Soon, they reached the kindergarten. Christina placed a kiss on each of the children’s foreheads. “Be good and study hard. I’ll come early to pick you up!”
“Okay, Mommy!”
The children kissed her cheeks before trotting off to kindergarten.
Christina went back into the car and took a scarf from her bag. She wrapped it around her neck to cover the markings on her neck before she started the car and drove to the company.
Throughout the day, she could not focus on her work. When it was time to get off work, a deliveryman.
came.
Rayne signed to accept the parcel before bringing it to Christina’s office. “Christina, you have a parcel. Do you want me to open it for you?”
“Sure,” Christina replied nonchalantly as she twirled her pen between her fingers.
“It’s a lipstick. There’s also a card with a message saying that this color suits you best,” Rayne read off the card before handing it over to her, along with the lipstick.
Christina glanced at the lipstick. Isn’t this the lipstick I took an interest to last night? She immediately knew who had sent her the lipstick.
She rearranged the things on her table, grabbed her bag, and stood up to leave. “Throw it away.”
Rayne hurried after her. She was confused. “But this is a limited edition lipstick. It’s such a pity to throw it
away.
While Christina was not paying attention, Rayne quickly stuffed the lipstick and card into Christina’s bag.
Christina overlooked her actions as she walked out of her office.
The elevator doors opened. Christina was about to enter when she noticed Nathaniel and Sebastian were inside. The atmosphere immediately tensed up.
She hesitated to enter. Just last night, their conversation had ended on a bad note. Neither of them was in a good mood.
Sebastian broke the silence and said, “What a coincidence, Mrs. Hadley. Let’s take the elevator together,
Christina hummed a reply before walking in.
Soon, they arrived at the underground parking lot. Christina and Nathaniel sat on different ends in the car. It seemed like there was an invisible border separating them.
Christina rested her hands atop her knees, looking like an obedient child.
Nathaniel caught sight of her neck from the corners of his eyes. The scarf moved when she gulped, and he noticed the red marks that the scarf covered. I was agitated last night. Was I too rough when I grabbed her?
He felt his heart soften as he glanced at her delicate appearance.
All of a sudden, the car swerved. The duo seated in the back could not help but lean sideways to stabilize themselves.
After stabilizing the car, the driver turned to explain, “My apologies. Mr. Hadley. Just now, a car cut to our lane without any signals.”
Nathaniel scrunched his eyebrows in annoyance, but he remained silent.
Suddenly a tiny tube-like item rolled to the side of his leg. There was also a card beside it.
Christina immediately recognized what those things were. Isn’t that the lipstick I asked Rayne to thr Why was it in my bag?
She reached forward to grab the things, but Nathaniel beat her to it.
A frown appeared on his handsome face. His tone was icy as he asked. “What? He couldn’t wait to send you his token of love?”
“I asked my assistant to throw it away. I have no idea how it ended up in my bag.” Christina explained. unhappily.
Nathaniel grabbed Christina’s wrist and dragged her closer to him. He questioned her. “Do you think T11 believe such a stupid expe
It was useless for Christma to explain further. When she heard the words “roken of love” from Nathaniel. she knew he would not accept any more explanation from her
It feels terrible to be misunderstood.
Chapter 429 Leaving With The Children.
The atmosphere in the car immediately tensed. A knife could not even cut through it
Christina felt like she was about to combust. “If you don’t want to believe me, then don’t ask me. Think whatever you like. As long as you’re satished-”
Before she could finish, Nathaniel roughly gripped her chin and pushed her backward, causing her head to hit the window. She felt a stinging pain on her lip and tasted the metallic taste of blood.
She had difficulty breathing, with Nathaniel’s lips pressed tight against hers,
Instead of saying that it was a kiss, it felt more like a punishment,
It felt like he was punishing her because she went to meet Francis. It also felt like a punishment for doing many things without first getting his opinion.
Christina furrowed her brows and endured the pain. She did not know how much time had passed before Nathaniel finally let go of her. Their breathings were uneven as they stared at each other heatedly like opponents in a fighting ring, neither willing to let the other win.
Christina’s gaze was locked onto Nathaniel’s. His lips were painted red with blood, and his eyes were sharp, looking like a hungry wolf staring at its prey.
“Nathaniel! What do you take me for? Your pet? Or an emotionless robot? Or perhaps you think I’m the kind of woman who would engage in sexual acts with any man? You keep saying you would respect me and my space, but look at what you’ve been doing. When have you ever shown me respect?”
The car fell into silence. Each sentence Christina said felt like knives stabbing into Nathaniel’s heart.
They were looking at the faces they were most familiar with, yet they seemed more like strangers than lovers at that moment.
Christina regretted ever meeting him.
After so many years, she thought Nathaniel would change, but reality proved her wrong.
Why would a high and mighty CEO that has people flocking to him understand what respect means? I don’t ask for much. He should at least trust me. The way he got angry over such a small matter makes it seem like Francis and I are in some sort of forbidden relationship.
The car came to a stop at the entrance of Scenic Garden Manor.
Christina got off first and entered the manor.
Lucas and Camila ran from the second floor excitedly when they heard the sound of the car. “Mommy. are you back? We’ve missed you!”
“I’ve missed you too.” Christina bent down to wrap her arms around Lucas and Camila before kissing their checks.
She breathed a sigh of relief when the faint yet familiar scent of her children wafted through her nose.
Despite that, she did not want to stay in a place that made her uneasy.
Christina softly asked, “Lucas, Camila, I want to stay at the apartment. Do you want to go with me? Or do
Leaving With The Children
you want to stay here with Daddy?”
Lucas and Camila widened their eyes in surprise.
Sure enough, they had guessed correctly. Daddy and Mommy are fighting!
The children were silent. Not wanting them to sense the emotional turmoil she was going through. Christina asked in a gentle tone. “Don’t think of any nonsense. I just want a change of environment for work and stay there for the time being.”
“Just for the time being?” Lucas pretended to be surprised.
“We’ll stay with Mommy at the apartment!”
Although the two children spoke simultaneously, Nathaniel clearly heard what they said since he stood
close to them.
His expression turned grim, and he felt his mood turn sour when he saw the three of them in a hug.
She’s running away from home just because she’s angry?
Christina could not be more sure of her decision when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching them from behind. “I’ll go upstairs to pack our things. Wait for me here.”
“Okay!” Lucas answered.
“Mommy, don’t forget my kitty doll. I want to hug it to sleep.”
Christina was touched to see the two children were on her side. The long hours of pain and labor to give birth to them were worth it. Theyll stand by me no matter what.
Christina had just gone upstairs when the two children hurried to Nathaniel and asked, “Daddy, how did you make Mommy angry?”
Faced with the accusation from the two, Nathaniel wanted to say, “I was wronged.”
He frowned and bent down to instead ask them, “Why didn’t you stop Mommy from leaving?”
Lucas crossed his arms across his chest and scoffed. “Mommy asked us to choose. Of course, we would choose Mommy. She gave birth to us and brought us up. We’re not that heartless to betray her!”
Camila nodded in agreement.
She took a step forward and whispered in Nathaniel’s ear, “Don’t worry. Daddy. If I follow Mommy, I can tell you everything about her.”
After all, she did not want Nathaniel and Christina to separate.
Nathaniel felt a sense of comfort when he heard that. He gently patted her head. “Then you must keep telling me about Mommy. I’ll reward you with delicious food when you come home.”
Camila giggled. “Deal!”
Lucas was worried that Camila would be easily swayed and believed Nathaniel’s words when he saw them. huddling close and whispering to one another.
“Camila, whose side are you on?” Lucas asked as he pulled Camila to stand behind him. He stared at Nathaniel warily and said, “Daddy. I really like you, but if you bully Mommy, I won’t like you anymore!”
“I didn’t.” Nathaniel sighed in exasperation. He wanted nothing more but to teach the little brat a lesson.
“I saw the red marks on Mommy’s neck! I won’t forgive anyone who bullies Mommy!” Lucas exclaimed in
a firm tone.
There was nothing Nathaniel could do to persuade the young boy. Trying to explain to him would be useless too. He was silent momentarily before saying. “Take good care of your mommy.”
Just then, Christina came down the stairs after packing her and the children’s belongings. On her back was a large-sized limited edition backpack that was filled to the brim.
Nathaniel narrowed his eyes at her. Is she planning on never coming back?
Christina was fuming when she approached them. “You told me before that you won’t fight for custody of the kids, so I’ll take them with me today. Besides, they also agreed to follow me.”
Her assertive statement rendered Nathaniel speechless.
His expression darkened. I indeed told her that. However, since I can’t go back on my words, I have no choice but to agree with her.
Christina was satisfied with his silence. She grabbed the children’s hands and said, “Let’s go!”
The three of them walked out the door. After some time, the sound of a car engine starting and driving off could be heard.
It did not take them long to reach the apartment. Christina had been there to clean the place not too long ago. Hence, everything was prepared, and the furniture was complete. It would not be a problem for them to stay there for some time.
As for Lucas and Camila, they quickly took an interest in the change of environment.
They placed their school bags in the living room and started playing hide-and-seek.
Christina put down her bag and went into the kitchen to cook them some pasta. When she was done, she yelled, “Come and eat! You need to sleep early after dinner.”
The children were very obedient. They immediately stopped chasing each other and went to the dining room to have their meal.
“Mommy, the pasta you make smells delicious!” Lucas complimented before eating.
Camila took a bite and tried to imitate an adult sighing in exasperation. “What a pity that Daddy isn’t here. He can’t taste the yummy food Mommy made.”
She turned to look at Christina with her big doe-like eyes after that.
She knew her mother was soft-hearted and won’t really be angry with her father.
Lucas playfully smacked Camila’s head. “We’re eating right now. Why are you talking about Daddy?”
Chapter 430 Deliberate
The atmosphere was initially tense, but Christina broke into laughter after hearing Lucas’ words.
“Lucas is right. Don’t mention that ever again.”
As Christina didn’t want to talk, Camila fell silent.
After finishing the meal, the kids brushed their teeth and washed their faces before going to bed.
The next morning, Christina rose early and dressed in a stunning pink tweed ensemble. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she looked gorgeous as ever.
“Wow, Mommy! You look so pretty!”
The kids had already put on their uniforms. They poked their heads into her room and gazed at her in awe.
“Thank you, my darlings,” Christina replied with a smile, feeling uplifted by the early morning praise.
Lucas glanced at the clock and urged, “Mommy, hurry up. It’s getting late!”
Christina put on some pale mauve lipstick and grabbed her bag. “Let’s go!”
She dropped the kids off at the kindergarten before heading to work.
At the office, as Christina approached the elevator, its doors opened to reveal Nathaniel standing inside.
His expression was impassive, resembling a statue. There were dark circles framing his eyes, a clear sign that he hadn’t been getting much sleep.
As they didn’t move an inch, Sebastian felt like he was about to suffocate in the elevator.
Right then, Christina’s phone began to ring. “You can head upstairs first,” she told them calmly.
She then turned on her heels to answer the call.
After the elevator doors slid shut, she got into another elevator to head upstairs.
When she walked into the office, Rayne lunged at her happily. “Good news, Christina! Good news!”
Christina was taken aback by how eager she was. “Can you talk after calming down?”
She couldn’t help but wonder why Sebastian could remain composed at all times while her own assistant was often jumpy.
Rayne swiftly regained composure and clarified, “I became overly enthusiastic when Mr. Hadley called me to announce that Mr. Midas would be collaborating with you for the upcoming collection!”
“Midas? I can’t believe he was able to contact Midas this soon!” Christina was elated.
Back when they signed the contract, one of the conditions was to invite Midas for a collaboration.
Collaborating with a renowned designer in the industry was a dream come true for every designer.
A half smile nudged Christina’s lips. “Hurry, prepare the stuff needed for the meeting.”
She left the office hurriedly, clearly m a good mood.
At ten sharp, Christina and Rayne showed up at the conference room.
“Hello, Mr. Midas. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to work with you,” Christina greeted Midas in fluent Anglandurn.
Midas’ lips curled into a smile. “I’ve heard about you. You’re a designer with a unique style.”
“Thanks for the compliment.” Christina was delighted to hear that.
A series of footsteps sounded behind her. Christina turned over her shoulder to see Nathaniel coming into the room with Sebastian.
“Can we begin the meeting now?” Nathaniel asked, his voice deep and hoarse.
“Sure. Midas, please have a seat.”
They took their seats, with Nathaniel intentionally choosing one closest to Christina, positioning them closer to each other than anyone else in the room.
Christina’s gaze was fixed on Midas the entire time, and she didn’t look at Nathaniel.
Midas was an Ustranasion with well-defined features and a square jaw. He had a great sense of humor, but when it came to discussing design, he was completely focused.
As Christina engaged in conversation with Midas, diligently taking notes in her notebook, an unexpected surge of heat emanated from her thigh, threatening to scorch her skin.
Her heart skipped a beat as she glanced down, only to find Nathaniel’s hand resting on her thigh.
Christina gave him a warning look.
What is he doing? We’re in the middle of a meeting, and people are staring at me!
Nathaniel remained unfazed, his gaze fixed on the document in front of him.
No one would expect Nathaniel to pinch Christina’s thigh with a nonchalant expression in the middle of a meeting.
Christina’s warning gaze was futile.
Feeling exasperated, she tried to shove him away but was no match for his strength.
“Ow!” Christina let out a sudden scream when Nathaniel pinched her thigh forcefully.
The conference room fell into complete silence as everyone turned to look at her.
At once, Christina’s cheeks burned in embarrassment. She wanted nothing more than to bury herself in a hole.
Everyone seemed to be waiting for her explanation, but she couldn’t tell them that it was Nathaniel who pinched her leg, could she?
Christina cleared her throat, attempting to alleviate the awkwardness of the situation, and swiftly composed herself. “Oh, I apologize. There was a bug that startled me momentarily, but it was nothing to
worry about. Let’s continue our discussion.”
Everyone shared a look and chuckled lightly before they continued with the topic they were discussing carlier.
Christina’s back was drenched in sweat as she whirled around to glare at the culprit.
Nathaniel seemed unfazed despite what he did and even shot her an amused look.
Christina was seething at his actions. Ugh, I can’t believe he did this to me in public!
Bonus
The meeting went on without any hiccups, and after two hours of discussion, they reached a consensus on the tentative proposal.
Christina and Midas agreed to discuss the next step after completing their design drawing, as it would usually take a long time to come out with designs for an entire collection.
After the meeting ended, Rayne was tasked with sending Midas off.
“Mr. Hadley, I’ll go upstairs to prepare the files needed for the next meeting. Sebastian said and left in haste.
When the door clicked shut behind him, Christina’s expression turned as cold as ice. “Can you move your hand now?”
Nathaniel retracted his hand slowly, not bothering to explain his actions. He rose to his feet and declared, “I’d like to return to my office to work now.”
Christina arched a brow. Is he planning on leaving after teasing me just now?
She chased after him and embraced him tightly, drawing herself closer to him.
Her delicate complexion, petite nose, radiant eyes, and stunning visage entranced him completely. As her fragrance wafted through his senses, he found himself momentarily lost in a haze.
As Christina inched nearer to him, she whispered in his car, “If you touch me without warning next time, I’ll poke you with a pen.”
With that, she spun on her heels and stalked out of the room.
Nathaniel snapped out of his reverie as his lips curved into a smile. Her prickly demeanor, like that of a cactus, added an intriguing layer to her personality, piquing his curiosity even further.
He strode out of the conference room and returned to his office.
Sebastian soon came in with a cup of coffee. “Mr. Hadley, I’ll leave your coffee here.”
Taken aback by the sight that greeted him, he put the coffee down wordlessly and walked out of the office.
Nathaniel took a sip of the coffee and read some documents.
When it was time, he switched on his computer to start the conference call
As the call connected, the managers from the overseas branch were prepared to greet Nathaniel. However, what they saw on the screen left them speechless, their jaws dropping in disbelief.
At the same time, Nathaniel noticed a red lipstick stain on the collar of his white shirt through the camera.
The color was the same color as Christina’s lipstick today.
It turns out she approached me on purpose earlier.