Ch. 111..120

A Cue for Love Chapter 111

An Inch Away

Natalie lost her balance and stumbled.

Much to her dismay, she fell right into Samuel’s embrace.

The force caused Samuel to stagger backward and sit onto the toilet seat’s cover. Meanwhile, Natalie landed right onto his sturdy thighs.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

Natalie’s heart pounded so fast as though it was going to shoot up and out of her mouth.

What the hell is wrong with him? Why did he have to open the door all of a sudden? What’s worse is that this position I’m in is just too embarrassing! I’m only an inch away from his family jewels!

“Don’t move. I’ll get up on my own,” Natalie ordered in a soft tone while biting back how flustered she felt.

Just as she was about to stand, Samuel’s arms wrapped around her slender waist and forced her to remain in that intimate position.

Unable to retaliate against his overwhelming strength, Natalie had no choice but to remain seated on his thighs while her face was inches away from his.

If things were not already bad enough, she could also sense his gradually hardening member jutting against her thigh.

Natalie’s trembling voice bellowed, “Y-You’re crossing the line, Samuel!”

“Crossing the line? You’re the one who threw yourself at me…”

A fierce expression flashed on Natalie’s bright red face. “N-Nonsense. I did no such thing!”

“So you’re saying that I’m the one who placed you on my thighs? That I forcefully pressed your body against mine in this provocative position?” Samuel taunted as his narrow gaze observed her.

Natalie could not argue with him face to face. Thus, she used the only excuse to escape that she could think of – She brought up her injury. “Your arm is touching my wound…”

Surprisingly, Samuel did not give in to her. “Since you’re awake, let’s continue our conversation about that childhood sweetheart of yours.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh, so you’re not going to tell me about this boy you grew up with?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Samuel did not get angry with Natalie for playing dumb. Instead, his lips curled into a sly smile.

In the next second, his arms tightened around her, pulling her closer to his body.

This action caused her bodily curves to press tautly against him with no gap in between. The two fit perfectly like a puzzle.

This hot and heavy intimacy was a foreign sensation for Natalie.

She had not experienced anything like this, except for that night from six years ago.

Natalie was now really scared.

“So, are you going to tell me about him?” Samuel asked again.

Natalie’s gaze lifted to meet his domineering and mischievous stare.

She frowned inwardly. That jerk is doing this on purpose! I can’t believe he is using this tension between us as a method to question me!

Unfortunately, Natalie could not take her chances in this cramped restroom.

If she were to continue resisting him, she worried he would go wild and take advantage of her without caring about the injury on her arm.

“Hmm?” The man’s patience was running thin.

Natalie lowered her head like a deflated balloon as she answered, “That guy is two years younger than me. We grew up together in the same neighborhood. He’s a righteous young man who only sees me as an elder sister, nothing more. Besides, I have a two sons…”

“What about you?”

“Well, what about me?”

Samuel went on. “What do you think of him?”

“I see him as my younger brother.” Natalie paused before getting straight to the point. “Trust me. If I harbored any romantic feelings for him, I would’ve become his girlfriend a long time ago instead of remaining as his elder sister all this while.”

Jerome was a perfect young man.

Ever since losing her virginity six years ago, Natalie felt she had no right to become Jerome’s life partner.

A smile tugged at Samuel’s lips now that he was finally satisfied with Natalie’s answer.

“What’s got you in such a good mood, Samuel?”

“I’m happy.” Samuel lovingly looked at Natalie and elaborated, “Because although you haven’t fallen for me, you also don’t have feelings for other men.”

Why would he say such a thing to me? Why would he act as if he’s deeply in love with me, like I’m the only woman he’ll ever have eyes for in his lifetime?

Knock! Knock!

Suddenly, a series of eager knocks sounded from the ward’s door.

“Mommy, are you there? Clayton and I are here to pay you a visit! We’re coming in!”

Natalie cursed under her breath as she shot out of Samuel’s lap.

She mentally remarked, Great. Not one, but two of my kids have conveniently shown up when I’m stuck in this embarrassing position! Ugh!

A Cue for Love Chapter 112

Your Darling And Sweetheart

The door opened as Natalie’s two little ones walked in.

“Mommy…” Xavian and Clayton murmured.

Their gazes locked onto Natalie, who lay on the bed with her face flushed bright red from embarrassment.

Clayton had been traveling to different locations for filming jobs ever since he got discovered by a talent scout at a young age.

After receiving news of Natalie’s injury, he instantly dropped his filming schedule and rushed over.

“Mommy, are you hurt?” Clayton took off his sunglasses and asked frantically, “Do you have a fever, Mommy? Why is your face so red?”

Xavian chimed in, “Clayton’s right, Mommy. Your face looks awfully red!”

Natalie was dumbfounded. She sheepishly held her flushed cheeks while remaining silent.

I don’t have a fever, but I can’t tell them why I’m blushing…

Thankfully, Samuel walked out of the restroom right then and rescued her from the awkward situation.

“Your mommy is not down with a fever.” Samuel rolled up his sleeves and glanced at Natalie while explaining, “She’s… Well, her body is probably heating up slightly because she’s not used to being in the hospital.”

Natalie’s eyes widened in shock, incredulous that Samuel could lie to the boys without even batting an eyelid.

Why that little… My cheeks wouldn’t be bright red like a baboon’s ass right now if he hadn’t touched my thighs earlier!

Nonetheless, she could not reveal the truth. Natalie swallowed her steaming rage and nodded at his explanation.

“Is this our stepfath-” Clayton realized that he had made a rash conclusion and quickly corrected, “Oh, my bad… I meant to ask if he is Mr. Bowers.”

“That’s right, Clayton! He’s the man that I’ve been telling you about when you were away for work.” Mischief flashed past Xavian’s eyes as he elaborated, “What perfect timing! You can finally meet him in person today.”

Upon hearing that, Clayton began sizing up Samuel, who did the same to the former.

Clayton and Xavian were brothers but not twins; as the older brother, Clayton’s features appeared way more defined than Xavian’s.

“You guys…” Natalie looked at Samuel before turning back to Xavian and Clayton.

She had always felt that Xavian bore a striking resemblance to Samuel. Now, Clayton’s shared similarity with the other two only served to confirm her thoughts.

Despite that confirmation, she refused to believe the bold theory behind the three’s resemblance was reality.

Did Samuel and I…? No way! That’s ridiculous! There’s no way that he’s the man who took my virginity. It could be any living, breathing male on this earth, but it would never be Samuel.

“Hmm? You were saying?” Samuel raised an eyebrow while prompting, “Is there something wrong with me and the boys?”

“I… was only asking if you guys wanted to eat anything.” Natalie decided not to voice her doubts. Instead, she rubbed her tummy while grumbling, “I’m famished.”

Samuel turned to the boys and asked, “What would you two like to eat?”

“I want some chicken.”

“Fish for me, please.”

“Alright. I’ll have that arranged,” Samuel said with a nod before turning to leave the ward.

Natalie frowned as her scowling voice spoke up at once. “Why didn’t you ask me what I wanted to have?”

Samuel had not bothered to turn around. He merely replied, “You will have an oatmeal porridge, and that’s final.”

Once Samuel left, Xavian and Clayton bolted over to each side of Natalie’s bed.

“Mommy, Mommy!” Xavian anxiously said. He was still worried as he had noticed Natalie’s profuse bleeding. “Are you really okay?”

“It hurt so much at first,” Natalie explained but quickly flashed a cheery smile. “However, I feel so much better now that I get to see you two, my precious darling and sweetheart.”

Sadly, her words failed to reassure her sons.

Xavian shot a solemn look and stated, “Mommy, we’re not little three-year-olds anymore. You can’t lie to us now that we’ve turned five.”

“We know that your pain tolerance is not the best,” Clayton added. “Please don’t try to act all tough in front of us. You can tell us the truth. After all, we’re your darling and sweetheart…”

Natalie felt a lump form at the back of her throat and a warm feeling in her chest upon hearing those words.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 113

Our Biological Father

I’m supposed to be their mommy, but these two little ones are always looking out for me. There have been so many times when I almost gave up during these past five years. Thankfully, motherhood and having these two by my side have helped me overcome my circumstances and transform into who I am today.

“Darling… Sweetheart…”

Natalie kissed Xavian and Clayton’s cheeks while silently thanking the heavens for blessing her with such perfect children.

It pained the boys to see their mother’s injury. Hence, they proceeded to bombard her with the information they gathered after searching up tips and advice to heal wounds online.

“Hang on. Clayton, shouldn’t you be at the filming set?” Natalie asked.

“I told my manager, Ms. Craig, that I needed to come back immediately when I heard about your injury. She helped rearrange my schedule so I could make a quick visit. Don’t worry. All I have to do is return to the set before eleven o’clock tonight. I’ll be able to complete everything tomorrow.”

Just then, Clayton seemed to recall something and hastily went on. “Mommy, my absence is no big deal! You should see how Yara is behaving at the filming set. She was somewhat passionate about the job when she first joined. However, these days, she’s been slacking. Can you believe it? Yara hired stunt doubles for both her fighting and normal scenes. What’s worse, she didn’t even show up for the past few days! Apart from her close-up scenes, she’s always using a body double or relying on post-editing.”

Xavian snorted, “What a waste… She doesn’t deserve to share the same face as Mommy.”

The boys had a feeling that Yara was their mother’s twin, especially after seeing the two women’s identical faces.

Despite the curiosity and suspicion they felt, the two dared not ask their mother about the matter.

“Xavian, Clayton.” Natalie’s gaze shifted between both of them as she held their little hands tightly. Her firm tone instructed, “You must stay away from her. Don’t ever assume that woman would behave like me just because she and I share an identical face.”

“Mommy…” the boys murmured.

It was the first time they saw their mother with a cold and ruthless look, almost as if her face had hardened to stone.

She then shocked them by stating, “Clayton, it seems like your drama won’t do too well.”

“What do you mean?” Clayton replied.

“I doubt the show will air.” Darkness flickered in Natalie’s gaze as she explained, “Yara will pay dearly for everything that she has done.”

Later on, Samuel returned with some delicious cuisine from Acapella.

Chicken and fish dishes were specially prepared for Xavian and Clayton, while Natalie had an oatmeal porridge.

She held her spoon, stirring aimlessly at her porridge with a begrudged look.

Eventually, Natalie spoke with a sweet and loving tone at her children. “Boys, how about you let me try some of your foo-”

Samuel shot a glare at her.

He snapped at lightning speed, “Don’t tell me that you intend to trick your children into giving you their food.”

Natalie’s lips pursed into a thin line when he exposed her intentions. She immediately defended herself by saying, “Nonsense! I’m their mommy. How can I do something as horrible as poach from my children? I would never!”

She then sighed internally and started eating the bland oatmeal porridge before her.

At that, Xavian and Clayton exchanged approving looks as Samuel had given them a good impression.

After dinner, Samuel tasked his assistant, Billy, to send Xavian home and drive Clayton back to the latter’s manager.

The boys started whispering to each other while Billy was driving the car over to them.

“Xavian, are you sure that Mr. Bowers has never seen Mommy’s true looks?” Clayton asked.

“Nope,” Xavian answered. “Mommy always wears the hyper-realistic mask when she goes out. I don’t think Mr. Bowers can figure out her identity even if he is someone with high intelligence levels.”

“In that case, I’m pretty sure he’s head over heels in love with Mommy, despite the blemishes all over her face. That must be why he’s always hanging out with her!” Clayton added.

“I agree.” Xavian nodded enthusiastically. He then remarked, “Plus, we look nearly identical to Samuel. I’m pretty sure people will believe us if we claim to be his sons.”

“That’s true…” Clayton said.

Right then, a lightbulb lit up with the brightest idea in his head.

He hurriedly looked at his brother and asked, “Xavian, do you think that Samuel could be our biological father?”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 114

Vile Brats

Daddy!

A glint of hope appeared in Xavian’s eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

He then muttered, “No, Clayton. It’s impossible…”

“Xavian, how can you give up hope before we’ve even done a paternity test?” Clayton’s brows furrowed as he continued, “Think about it. Since both of us look alike with Mr. Bowers, it’s possible that he’s our father.”

“But Mr. Bowers has children of his own.” Xavian added solemnly, “He has a pair of twins. A boy and a girl. Plus, they’re also five-year-olds like us.”

Just like that, the flame of hope in Clayton’s heart became extinguished.

“D-Didn’t you mention that Mr. Bowers is single?”

“Yes. Mr. Bowers is single, but he has children…” Xavian patted his brother’s shoulder and added, “Mommy would have slipped up and eventually told us if he is actually our biological father. And, according to my observation, they just met recently. There is no way they knew each other before we were even born.”

A solemn look shrouded over the boys’ faces.

While the two loved their mother dearly, they secretly yearned to have a father to complete their family.

Unfortunately, they never managed to track their biological father down, despite searching for a long time.

Although they knew Samuel was unlikely their father, they could not help but want him to be.

At that moment, a voice spoke from behind them. “Clayton, shouldn’t you be at the filming set in Xenhall? What are you doing here?”

Xavian and Clayton turned around right away. With that, they saw Yara dressed in a white lace gown with her face covered in elegant makeup.

Since Clayton had worked alongside Yara for a month on the filming set, he had gotten accustomed to Yara’s face that greatly resembled his mother.

Contrarily, Xavian widened his eyes in bewilderment because he didn’t expect Yara to bear such a striking similarity to Natalie.

“My mom got admitted to this hospital. I’m heading back to Xenhall now that I’ve paid her a visit,” Clayton explained. He then nudged Xavian with his elbow to snap the latter out of his thoughts.

“I see.” Yara glanced at Xavian as she asked, “And this person standing next to you is…”

“He’s my younger brother.” Clayton added coldly, “What a coincidence. I’m surprised that you’re here and not working in Xenhall. It must be nice to go out and about. Unlike you, I’ve been rehearsing my lines with a middle-aged actor all week on set.”

Clayton was remarkably sly, despite being a young boy.

He intentionally provoked Yara because he knew that she was Natalie’s enemy.

Yara stiffened because everyone in the film crew had always pampered her. Even the director and the producers had to agree with her requests.

The only exception was Clayton, who would always behave disrespectfully and snarkily toward her.

There were times when Yara wanted to punish him but couldn’t because her manager advised against it, saying that she would seem petty for getting all worked up over a child’s mindless actions.

“What are you implying?” Yara glared at him.

“I’m merely telling the truth.” Clayton’s eyes narrowed as he asked, “Why? Is there something wrong with what I said?”

“Here’s a word of advice for you. The ‘I’m an innocent child’ act won’t protect you forever.”

“Protect me?” Clayton raised a brow and boldly retorted, “So, are you suggesting that you’re a scary monster who’s out to get me? Is that why I need protecting from you?”

“You…” Rage boiled under Yara’s skin.

Her earlier encounter with Sophia and Franklin had already put her in a foul mood. Now, she had not expected Clayton and Xavian to ruin her day by ridiculing her in public.

Is this how five-year-old kids behave nowadays? They’re like a bunch of unhinged, vile brats!

All of them were so skilled at arguing and making side comments that there was nothing Yara could do.

Right then, Billy’s Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of Xavian and Clayton.

The two boys opened the car door and hopped into the backseat.

Then, Billy departed the hospital with the boys.

Although Billy didn’t get out of the car, he saw Yara from the rearview mirror and decided to ask, “Was that Ms. Yara that you guys were talking to?”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 115

Clean Her Body

“Please don’t tell me you’re a fan of hers.” Clayton scoffed before saying calmly, “Then again, you do look like someone with bad taste when it comes to fangirling over celebrities.”

Xavian chimed in, “Clayton is right, Mr. Morin. If you are indeed her fan, you should know that she can get canceled anytime in the future, so don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

Despite the children’s advice, Billy knew the Bowers family would still provide financial support for Yara even if her career failed.

After all, she was still the mother of the Bowers family’s great-grandchildren, Franklin and Sophia.

“Cancelled? You guys are overthinking things.” Billy grinned and continued, “That will never happen…”

“We’ll see, Mr. Morin,” Clayton replied nonchalantly. “I believe that nothing is impossible.”

He was confident that the tables could turn for anyone at a moment’s notice because his mother told him so, and she was a woman of her words.

At the hospital entrance, Yara glanced at the plate number of the Rolls-Royce. She felt a sense of familiarity washing over her but couldn’t figure out why.

However, her mind kept recalling Samuel’s heartless tone as he kicked her out of Natalie’s ward earlier.

Even though he had ordered her to leave, she found herself returning to the hospital again.

Throughout these years, she treated Samuel as though he was her husband because all she ever wanted was to become his wife.

Although their relationship never developed into a romantic one, Samuel remained aloof toward other women. Thus, Yara believed she could someday win his heart and become the Bowers family’s lady of the house.

Unfortunately, Natalie’s sudden appearance thwarted things; she caused Samuel and the children to treat Yara differently.

As Yara approached Natalie’s ward, she overheard two nurses conversing.

“I bet the woman from room 1802 did a lot of good deeds in her previous life to be blessed with such a loving man.”

“Exactly! I can’t believe he even helped clean her body.”

“To think that lady has such an average-looking face… I now know that having a good marriage depends on one’s fate, and not something superficial like appearance.”

Room 1802? That’s Natalie’s ward.

A bitter feeling prickled in Yara’s chest upon learning that Samuel had helped Natalie wash up.

Not once has Samuel treated me with the care he willingly gives to Natalie, not even when I got sick or hurt in the past years. No matter how much I pouted or coquettishly asked for his attention, he would only ever give me a cold response like, “Go see a doctor or something.”

As Yara thought about Samuel’s boundless affection and patience for Natalie, a raging hurricane broke out in her chest. Her nails then clawed on the hospital walls.

Ugh, that Natalie! She’s like a stubborn old stain that’s impossible to erase! This won’t do. I can’t just sit idly by and wait for things to turn in my favor. I have to take action before Natalie becomes the Bowers family’s lady of the house. If that happens, then everything will be over for me!

With that, Yara spun on her heel and left the hospital.

Since the Bowers family believed that she was the biological mother of Sophia and Franklin, she decided to use it to her advantage.

Yara got into her minivan and quickly made a phone call.

Subsequently, she prepared her most lethal weapon – tears – to put on an act.

Yara’s eyes were already red and swollen when Kenneth answered the phone. On top of that, her voice became unsteady, as if she was about to cry.

“Yara?” Kenneth greeted.

“Grandpa…” she muttered, and in no time, tears rolled down her cheeks.

“What’s wrong, Yara? Has someone picked on you?”

“N-No…” Yara intentionally sobbed even harder. “Grandpa, I think I dialed the wrong number…”

“Hang on. Since we’re already talking, tell me who upset you.” Kenneth added in a fierce tone, “You’re just too nice of a person. How could you not speak up even after getting picked on? Come on. You can tell me everything about it.”

Although Yara’s eyes continued to fill up with tears, a faint smile played on her lips since she had successfully achieved her goal.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 116

Freshen Up

Inside ward 1802, Samuel stared at a sleeping Natalie who lay on the hospital bed.

Natalie would never lower her guard down around him. Perhaps the only exception was when she slept—like right now.

It was a rare moment as she was in her most defenseless and sincere form before Samuel.

Just then, his phone rang.

Not wanting to wake Natalie up, he instantly left the ward to answer the call.

“Sir, we’ve found him,” Billy stated.

“Send me the location, and I’ll go over there right now.”

After Billy texted the location, Samuel drove to a massive container next to a port.

He saw a line of people kneeling as soon as he opened the rusty metal door.

While walking in, Samuel loosened the first two buttons on his top. A grim aura then exuded into the space around him. Meanwhile, everyone at the scene felt a shiver down their spines.

“Sir. Jeffrey Cook from Yates Real Estate is the one who gave the orders to kidnap Ms. Sophia,” Billy explained as he kicked a middle-aged man who wore glasses. “Jeffrey here bribed Ms. Sophia’s private driver to give him updates on where Ms. Sophia went when she snuck out.”

Laying on the ground was a petrified Jeffrey, who stared wide-eyed at Samuel.

Jeffrey regretted planning Sophia’s kidnapping as soon as he looked into Samuel’s dark and murderous gaze.

“M-Mr. Bowers…” Jeffrey stuttered. “I-I only wanted to abduct your daughter because I needed more time to pay off my debt to you. I never actually intended to hurt her! Besides, as far as I know, she didn’t suffer from any injuries during the kidnapping attempt at all. Mr. Bowers! Please! Spare me!”

Not a trace of hesitation showed on Samuel’s face as his hand mercilessly tightened around Jeffrey’s neck.

The latter paled at once.

Just as Jeffrey thought he was about to die, Samuel’s hand suddenly loosened from his neck.

Jeffrey quickly sucked in multiple deep breaths, feeling relieved.

Immediately after, Samuel gave orders to his subordinates while casting a vicious glare at Jeffrey. “I want 30 knife slashes on all of their arms.”

All color drained from the faces of those who knelt on the ground.

The next moment, several men in black approached with knives and began slashing the former’s arms.

Jeffrey closed his eyes to brace himself for the knife slashes he would soon feel.

However, Samuel suddenly spoke up. “Wait.”

Billy’s brows knitted close. “Sir…?”

While fixating on Jeffrey, Samuel’s eyes narrowed to slits as he added, “The others will receive 30 slashes each. As for him, I want 300 slashes on his arms. If he’s still alive by the end of it, then you guys can let him go.”

A dense metallic smell of blood soon permeated the room.

All of this was Samuel’s promise to Natalie.

He wanted those who hurt Natalie to suffer a hundred times more.

That night seemed to go on forever.

By 5 a.m. the next day, Samuel sat inside the Hummer and wiped some blood off his hands with a tissue.

Billy, who sat on the driver’s seat, looked over at Samuel. “Where to now, Sir?”

“The hospi-” Samuel froze mid-sentence as he caught a whiff of blood from his clothes. Since he didn’t want Natalie to find out, he quickly changed his mind. “Billy, stop by Centurion Corporation before heading to the hospital. I need to freshen up.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Nevertheless, Billy kept a professional countenance and did his job as usual. He reported, “Old Mr. Bowers stayed at the Bowers residence last night.”

“I see,” Samuel said. “Get Steven to look after Franklin and Sophia for the next few days. As for work, please forward all the important documents to me through email, and I’ll deal with them in the hospital.”

“Understood.”

It was 8 o’clock when Kenneth and Steven were having breakfast in the Bowers residence.

Seconds passed as Kenneth’s expression grew darker. “Where is Samuel? I’ve stayed over for two days, and I still haven’t seen him around. Where is he?”

“Grandpa, Sam is still at the hospital. He’ll probably be there for the next few days…”

“That little punk!” Kenneth’s face reddened furiously. Seething with rage, he smacked the table and thundered, “How dare the eldest son of the Bowers family dedicate all his time to pointlessly caring for a random woman!”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 117

Usual Way Of Doing Things

Steven jolted backward before quickly explaining, “Grandpa, Natalie is injured because she saved Sophia. I’m pretty sure it’s okay for Sam to care for his daughter’s savior.”

“I know she saved Sophia.” A deep frown shrouded Kenneth’s face as he grimly added, “However, there are doctors and nurses in the hospital. Why does Natalie insist on having the head of the Bowers family to care for her? What if that woman takes advantage of Samuel’s kindness and decides she wants him to marry her as compensation?”

Steven had only met Natalie a few times. However, he deeply trusted that she was not the kind of scheming woman that Kenneth suggested.

Thus, he quickly tried to explain, “Grandpa, you’ve misunderstood Natalie… She never asked Sam to take care of her. In fact, Sam was the one who insisted on staying there because he was worried sick about her.”

Samuel had always been aloof and stubborn; No one could force him to do things that he did not want to.

However, Kenneth was far too upset to remember that now.

His murderous tone boomed, “Steven! How dare you take Natalie’s side?”

Yara told him earlier about Natalie being a sly woman. Therefore, he suspected that Natalie had somehow brainwashed Steven into backing her up.

Kenneth fully believed that Natalie was a horrible woman who would wreak havoc if she continued to get close to the Bowers family.

“Grandpa-”

Before Steven could finish speaking, Kenneth snapped, “My God! Has that woman bewitched all of you? What a sly and scheming woman! She’s a demon!”

Just then, a voice came out of nowhere. “Great-grandpa! Don’t say that about Natalie!”

When Kenneth and Steven lifted their heads, they saw Franklin and Sophia walking down the stairs.

Franklin was livid as he exclaimed, “Great-grandpa, don’t you know how kind Natalie is? How can you insult her like that? Don’t you know she’s the most important woman in my entire life, apart from Sophia?”

Even his little sister, Sophia’s, face flushed with rage at Kenneth. She mustered all her strength and spat, “Y-You… No…”

It seemed like she had a lot to say but didn’t know how to express herself. In the end, she only managed to utter, “I-I… hate you…”

Kenneth cared about Sophia and Franklin more than he did for Steven.

Hence, it broke his heart to see both his great-grandchildren so upset and disappointed in him.

Kenneth muttered, “Sophia, Franklin…”

However, Franklin’s frown only deepened. “Great-grandpa, I won’t be joining you for breakfast anymore! I’ve lost my appetite!”

Sophia bit back her tears and chimed in, “M-Me… too!”

The two children then spun on their heels and left without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Steven wasn’t bothered by the fight between the kids and his grandpa. He continued to eat his breakfast in an amused mood.

Pfft! Those two little ones sure do love Natalie. She means the world to them.

Forget the kids ditching Grandpa for Natalie. I won’t be surprised if they choose Natalie over their own father. Poor Sam.

“Is eating the only thing you’re good at?” Kenneth threw a chestnut on Steven’s head. “You’re such an idiot! How can you still be this relaxed when Sophia and Franklin are upset?”

“Grandpa, this is their usual way of doing things.”

“Usual? Their overprotectiveness for Natalie is normal?” Kenneth’s eyes widened in shock as he questioned, “Tell me… what do Franklin and Sophia think about Yara?”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 118

Taking Charge

Steven said nonchalantly, “As usual, giving people the cold shoulder…”

Although Kenneth remained silent, his dissatisfaction toward Natalie grew stronger.

Even though Samuel did not marry Yara, Kenneth had long considered her his granddaughter-in-law.

Yet, his great-grandchildren grew closer to an outsider instead of their biological mother.

In fact, they were so close to Natalie that they got mad at him and even went on a hunger strike after he criticized Natalie.

It seemed like he had to make a trip to meet her in person.

Meanwhile, Natalie woke up in a daze in the hospital.

“Thirsty… Water…” She propped her body up, barely opening her eyes as she felt for a cup on the bedside table.

After feeling around for a while, she did not find what she was looking for. Instead, she felt a bottle against her lips and a hand supporting the back of her head.

She instinctively parted her lips and held onto the bottle with both hands, gulping the water down.

She looked just like an adorable baby drinking milk.

Samuel smiled as he quietly watched her drink.

After Natalie emptied the bottle of water, she passed it to the man beside her with a satisfied smile.

Just then, she realized that something was amiss. She was still in the hospital, and Xavian was not with her.

Her eyes shot open, and she finally noticed that the person who had fed her water was Samuel.

Natalie furrowed her eyebrows and asked, “Why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be at work at this hour?”

“I took the day off.” Since Samuel did not have tissue with him, he used his finger to wipe the stray droplets of water from her lips. “I will be staying with you in the hospital for the next few days as well.”

“Huh?” Natalie widened her eyes, unable to believe her ears.

“You heard me right,” Samuel reassured as he turned to look at her.

His tone was domineering and arrogant.

“My arm injury is nothing serious…” Natalie pondered for a moment and decided there was no need for him to stay with her. “You don’t have to take care of me personally.”

“You got hurt because of Sophia. As her father, I have to do everything I can to repay your kindness.”

“That’s not necessary.”

Natalie regained her composure as she did not want to indulge herself in his warmth.

“Samuel, I’ve already accepted the ten million.” Her eyes flickered as she continued, “As you’ve mentioned, meeting me may not be a breach of the contract, but I hope that we can still respect the contract terms and keep a distance from each other.”

Samuel threw the empty bottle on the ground and leaped onto the bed, pinning her beneath him.

“Keep a distance?” he asked as he stared at her intently. “You mean a distance like this?”

Natalie’s heart skipped a beat as she felt him inching closer.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Samuel. You know what I mean!”

“Then I shall give you a proper answer.” His tone was possessive. “In your dreams, Natalie.”

“You-”

Before she could say anything, Samuel leaned in and nipped on her lips.

He bit on her lower lip just enough to make her feel aroused yet a bit uncomfortable.

She could feel his fingers lifting the bottom of her hospital gown and his coarse fingertips tracing her thighs.

In the past, the most Samuel would do was kiss her. However, it seemed like a mere kiss could no longer satisfy him this time.

“Samuel… I-I’m injured…”

“Weren’t you the one who said that your injury is nothing serious?” Samuel asked with his deep and alluring voice. “Just let the man take the lead in things like this.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 119

Opened Wound

Samuel was very seductive.

Like what he said, he did not let Natalie make a move. Instead, he began to unbutton his shirt, revealing his sexy collarbones.

His flawlessly gorgeous face and chiseled body made Natalie’s blood rush.

It was the first time she felt so captivated by a man. She only came back to her senses when she felt her lips being nipped by him once again.

“No… We can’t…”

Does he really like me?

Then what about Franklin and Sophia’s biological mother? And Yara?

Natalie finally regained her senses and placed her hand against his chest. “M-my injury… My arm hurts…”

Samuel stopped reluctantly and stared at her as he tried to catch his breath.

“I’m serious,” Natalie said as she fixed the hospital gown that he almost removed. “You’re hurting me! I lied about the injury being nothing serious so that you won’t have to stay. If you don’t believe me, let me show you the wound. It has reopened.”

With that, she rolled up her sleeve and revealed her wound.

Indeed, there was blood seeping through the bandages.

Natalie was not lying.

Samuel stood up and buttoned his shirt with a darkened expression. “I will call for the doctor.”

After he left, Natalie heaved a sigh of relief.

The truth was, Samuel’s advances were not too rough, nor did he accidentally press on her wound.

Natalie had torn her wound on purpose because she was worried that she would fall for Samuel’s seduction. She had to maintain her sanity.

She knew she could never win against Samuel’s advances.

Luckily, she had always been brave enough to be brutal to herself.

Samuel finally found a doctor to tend to Natalie’s wound.

The doctor changed the bandage on her arm as she lectured Samuel and Natalie.

“Young people… It is understandable that you have the urge to fulfill your desires, but you should at least make sure that your bodies are fit to do so. Look at the price you have to pay for your short-term enjoyment. Now, you probably have to stay in the hospital for another day and wait for the wound to recover. You should learn to restrain yourselves. Don’t do this again!”

Both of them remained silent.

After being chided by the doctor, Natalie began to blush.

She looked in Samuel’s direction and realized he was staring intently at the wound on her arm. It seemed like he did not hear a single word that the doctor had said.

After the doctor left, Natalie gently stroked the bandage on her arm.

Deep inside, she felt happy. She was finally safe from Samuel’s advances.

“Don’t let me hear you mention something like keeping a distance again,” Samuel warned as he stared at her with his burning gaze. “If you ever say that again, no injury or wound would stop me.”

Natalie’s heart skipped a beat when her eyes met his.

She felt like his prey. His possessiveness was overbearing.

Taking a deep breath, she made a mental note to recuperate in the shortest time possible so that she could be discharged from the hospital sooner.

While he was keeping Natalie company at the hospital, Samuel received a call.

After he exchanged a few sentences with the caller, his facial expression changed. Hanging up the call, he looked in Natalie’s direction and informed her, “I have some work to do. I will come back at night.”

“Okay.”

The moment Samuel left, Natalie felt a sense of liberation.

Just like him, she had some work to finish as well.

Aside from Dream Pharmaceutical, Dream Entertainment had also begun its recruitment.

Her inbox was filled with resumes sent in by Yandel. They belonged to potential candidates for important positions in the company. Earlier, she did not have the opportunity to look at them because Samuel was around.

While she was engrossed with reading the emails, someone knocked on the door.

Knock! Knock!

Natalie thought Samuel had returned, so she quickly hid her tablet under the blanket and lay down casually.

“Come in.”

When the door opened, a white-haired elderly in a dark green suit entered the room.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 120

Three Handsome Men

Who is this old man?

Natalie frowned as she glanced at the elderly with a confused look.

Before Kenneth came to look for her, he had thought that a woman who was capable of bewitching Samuel into staying at the hospital all the time must be an absolute beauty.

However, when he saw Natalie’s freckled face, his body stiffened.

“Are… Are you Natalie Nichols?” he muttered, wondering if he had made a mistake.

“Yes, it’s me.” Natalie asked him in return, “How about you? Who are you?”

Kenneth was rendered speechless.

He finally understood why Steven previously said that Natalie was ugly.

He even thought Steven was spouting nonsense and could not distinguish between beautiful and ugly.

Now that he had seen her with his own eyes, he realized that he had wronged Steven.

Kenneth was still puzzled by how Natalie was able to manipulate Samuel, but he put on an authoritative and composed front as he replied, “I am Samuel’s grandfather, Kenneth Bowers.”

“O-Old Mr. Bowers? What can I do for you?”

“Ms. Nichols, I’m here to thank you for saving my great-granddaughter.” Kenneth pulled out a black card from his pocket and threw it on the bed. “There’s twenty million in this card. Consider it as an expression of gratitude from the Bowers family and me.”

Wealthy people usually wouldn’t hand out their money willingly without any conditions.

Just as Natalie expected, Kenneth began to speak again.

In a condescending tone, he said, “I believe this is enough as a gift of appreciation on behalf of Samuel. I hope you are sensible enough to know that you’re not special just because you saved Sophia.”

Kenneth thought that Natalie would be over the moon after receiving the money.

To his surprise, she snorted disdainfully in response.

“Old man, I don’t want your money.”

“How dare you call me old man? Do you know who I am?” Kenneth frowned, his wrinkles becoming more visible. “Is twenty million not enough? Are you trying to negotiate with me? Or are you so ambitious that you are planning to become Samuel’s wife?”

Natalie burst out laughing upon hearing his words.

“I am not interested in becoming Samuel’s wife,” Natalie replied. “It is him who keeps clinging onto me and giving me a headache. As his grandfather, if you could persuade him to leave me alone, I would be genuinely grateful to you.”

“S-Samuel would never do that!”

“You should check with him, not me.” Natalie then let out a long sigh and added, “Also, I saved Sophia because I genuinely wanted to do it. I did not do it for the Bowers family’s gratitude. No matter how dangerous the situation is, as long as she needs me, I would save her without hesitation.”

Perhaps it was because she had lost a daughter before, or because she felt a connection with Sophia. As long as she could protect Sophia, she was willing to sacrifice her life for the girl.

With his many years of experience, Kenneth could see the sincerity in Natalie’s eyes.

Her love for Sophia touched him, but he still could not approve of her as his granddaughter-in-law.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Just then, someone began knocking on the door anxiously.

After a few knocks, three men entered the room.

The visitors were Yandel, Ross, and Jerome, who was in military fatigue.

The ward that was originally spacious became crowded with the sudden appearance of three tall men.

Yandel was about to call Natalie “Boss” when he had eye contact with Kenneth, who exuded an imposing aura.

“Sir,” Yandel quickly corrected himself.

Kenneth knitted his eyebrows even tighter as he observed the three men.

It’s only been a while since I managed to make Samuel leave. Now, there are three handsome men visiting her at the same time?