Ch. 1191..1200
Chapter 1191 I Will Never Leave Her
King narrowed his eyes at Bastien’s words and shot Mikhail a look, curling his lips into a sneer. “I thought your son was like you, Mikhail, but I was mistaken. On the contrary, he has more guts than you!”
Mikhail shot to his feet. “Whether you’re Geert or not, the target of your revenge is me, so leave Bastien and the others out of this,” he asserted loudly. “I will not give you the throne, but I will offer you my life.”
King scoffed at that. “How much is your life worth?” He laughed maliciously. “I can make you wish you were dead.” “You—”
“You should know, Mikhail, that Jennie did not perish in that fire back then.” “What did you say?”
A look of alarm dawned on Mikhail’s face, and he seemed more panicked than when he was informed there would be a change in the monarchy. “Jen… She isn’t dead… Where is she now if she isn’t dead?”
“I found out later that she used the fire as a cover to escape Loang. She then moved to live under a false name in Chanaea,” King replied expressionlessly. Mikhail let out an ill-timed laugh. My Jen is still alive. She did not die in that fire!
No one knows this—Yes, I eliminated all obstacles during my climb to the coveted throne and fulfilled what I wanted, but it’s lonely at the top, and I have spent many nights regretting my decision in the past.
I never wanted the throne in the first place. I only wanted the female doctor gathering herbs in the mountains. Her coy smile and expressiveness made her beautiful like a fairy.
She had a righteous streak and would stand up against injustice to the best of her ability without a word of complaint. My Jen is still alive! Thank God she is still alive. I will do everything in my power to make it up to her.
“Tell me where she is now. Is she okay? How can I find her?” Mikhail’s eyes reddened, and he abandoned any notion of having the Loang crown. All he wanted was to be an ordinary man and be with the woman he loved.
At this point, the country and its citizens were the last things on his mind.
“Well, Mikhail, I am sorry to say this, but Jennie died eight years ago from an illness in Chanaea,” King said with mournful eyes. “How disappointing could you have been that she chose to leave her birthplace, hide her real name for more than ten years, and never once looked for you before her death?”
Died… Eight years ago?
Mikhail looked like he had been struck by thunder, the whites of his eyes colored blood-red with burst vessels.
What little hope he had allowed himself to feel—thinking he had been given another chance—was unceremoniously crushed into nothing.
Natalie, who was close by listening in on the conversation, was stunned.
Eight years ago.
Is that not the year Mom passed away?
There was a glint in her eyes, and a sense of foreboding crept into her senses, lurking in the shadows as if something was about to break free from under the obscured surface.
Samuel felt her small body slowly tensing until every muscle was drawn taut like a bow.
“Don’t think about it,” his low voice murmured in her ear. “He could be playing a trick, or it could just be a coincidence.”
However, the disquiet still lingered in her heart.
The feeling was as if countless claws were scratching at her chest, hurting and itching her.
Samuel tightened his arms around Natalie, knowing his words of comfort did not help alleviate her anxiety. Never in his life would he let her go, no matter who she was or her identity.
Chapter 1192 How Is This Not Possible
Mikhail’s eyes got redder, and he looked like he was descending into a hellish madness. “Why did you not tell me sooner? I would have given you anything, even the throne, if you had told me earlier!” Having lost all dignity and rationality, Mikhail looked like a pitiful middle-aged man who had lost the love of his life.
The crowd went slack-jawed at the exchange between their king and King, wondering who this woman named Jennie was to cause such a stir in the Loang royal family and make the level-headed king utter such words.
Vindictive glee filled King at Mikhail’s torment, and he cackled evilly. “Do you want to know what happened next?” Mikhail’s head snapped up, and he looked at King in disbelief.
“I’ll tell you even if you don’t want to hear it. I’ve kept this a secret for far too long, and now I finally have a chance to say it aloud!” King continued without waiting for an answer.
Then, he flicked his gaze from Mikhail to Bastien and snickered. “Thank goodness you didn’t marry Natalie. She’s your half-sister who shares the same father and is related to you by blood. Both of you can never be together.”
Bastien’s pupils constricted, and he was completely blindsided as if someone had doused him with cold water.
“T-That’s not possible…” The resolve in his gaze melted away, leaving behind uncertainty. “Bullsh*t! That’s impossible! Natalie can’t be my sister. Her last name is Nichols, and she is Chanaean. How could she and I be blood relatives?”
“How can you be so sure you aren’t related? Furthermore, you’re unaware how closely Natalie resembles Jennie, but your father knows better than anyone that they look like they were made out of the same mold.” King laughed.
Mikhail did have a sneaking suspicion before that day, and King’s words just confirmed his hunch.
He had not tried to verify it himself, fearing that he would be disappointed. After all, how could Jen have given birth to a daughter if she had died in the fire? Hence, he never tried to do a DNA test with Natalie despite her resemblance to Jennie.
“She… She’s really my daughter!”
With that, Mikhail lost the ability to hold himself upright as his legs buckled.
“Why… Why was I not brave enough to try…”
“Do you still remember how Natalie died, Mikhail?” King began ruthlessly. “I deliberately stayed silent because I was curious about what you would do after meeting someone who bore such a close resemblance to Jennie. But you let things be, tortured her, and even killed her by mistake in the end! Did you think Lady Cynthia was the one who murdered Natalie? No, it was you, her biological father, who did it! Your carelessness and indulgence of those around you led to her demise.”
Mikhail squeezed his eyes shut, tears streaking down his face incessantly.
Presumptuous!
I am still too presumptuous!
I missed out on my chance with Jen and then again with my daughter!
I could have saved Natalie. I know I could have, yet I did nothing and let this happen.
My daughter… I have failed to protect both Jen and my daughter!
Meanwhile, Natalie stood frozen as though someone had nailed her feet to the ground.
So this is who I really am!
She had long since been aware that Thomas was not her birth father, but she never imagined it would be the king of Loang.
“How could this be?” A small laugh escaped her while tears spilled from her eyes, and she sighed softly. “Then again, how is this not possible?”
Chapter 1193 The Truth Of Her Background
It turns out that Arnold isn’t my real grandfather either. Mom was just an adopted daughter! Natalie bawled her eyes out. In her memories, her mother’s surgical skills were excellent.
Although Natalie was born in Chanaea, her mother often sang songs from Loang and kept telling her that Loang was a wonderful country.
Jennie would also often suggest that Natalie visit Loang and experience their different culture if she had the chance when she grew up.
Hence, after the fire, Natalie chose to go to Loang, where she had the opportunity to meet Yandel. Even when she was preparing to expand Dream, the first place she could think of was Loang, and not Irethiel, where Diane resided.
She always thought that her mother simply liked Loang, but she had never expected that Jennie was not born and raised in Chanaea. As it turned out, Loang was actually the latter’s hometown.
When she thought of that, Natalie subconsciously clenched her fists as she stared blankly at Mikhail, who was not far from her.
Now… I finally understand why Mother left me those last words. She wanted me to continue living remotely and give up on past grudges.
She had always thought her mother wanted her to forgive Thomas, that b*stard. However, she did not know that the thing her mother wanted her to give up on was not even the grudge between her and Thomas.
Thomas was greedy and cunning, but he and Yvonne were nothing compared to the royal family and the king of Loang.
If her investigation had not gone well, she might not have been able to meet Mikhail before she was killed and dumped in a ditch somewhere. Hence, her mother wished she did not get hung up on her background. The more she knew, the more danger she would be in.
Now, she realized that the many things she thought she had previously understood and interpreted were all information on a surface level.
Natalie recalled the last moments before Jennie passed. Her mother kept muttering that she wanted to meet “that man.”
She had always assumed that the person her mother wanted to meet was Thomas.
Hence, on that rainy night, with thunder booming and lightning flashing, she was on her knees at the Nichols residence, begging and hoping that Thomas would remember his past relationship with Jennie and visit her for the last time…
Yet, Thomas refused to visit her. His determination made it seem like he did not love her.
She could not get Thomas to budge, no matter how hard she begged. When she went home, she cried and told her mother that Thomas was unwilling to come. However, Jennie gently caressed her face and made her stop looking for Thomas. The dying woman understood clearly that she would never be able to meet “that man” again before she passed away.
As it turns out, the person Mom wanted to meet wasn’t even Thomas. The person she wanted to see was the king of Loang, the most respected man in all of Loang.
Jennie knew better than anyone that the reason she tried to hide her identity was to escape from him, so there was no way they could meet even though she dearly wanted to.
When Natalie watched her mother leave the world with regret, she placed all her blame on Thomas, not knowing that even if he did come to see Jennie, he would not be able to ease her regret.
All misunderstandings were finally resolved.
“Mom…” Natalie could not stop crying. She never knew that her mother carried so many burdens nor how much Jennie had sacrificed to protect her. Why am I only realizing all her efforts now? If I had known, I wouldn’t have complained about why she liked an irresponsible b*stard like Thomas whenever I saw other kids having fatherly love!
“I’m sorry…”
Natalie did not feel happy after knowing her background.
On the contrary, she could only feel guilt and heartbreak toward her mother after knowing the truth.
Samuel had also investigated for some time and could guess the truth through the clues left behind. He initially wanted to wait for everything to be over before telling Natalie, but he did not expect that something would happen and that she would learn the truth without any mental preparations.
“These are all grievances from the past…” Samuel gently patted Natalie’s back and said in a low voice, “No matter who you are, you’re still mine. I’ll always be by your side and protect you.”
Chapter 1194 Excited To Get Her Back
“Samuel, the person you’re hugging…” Just then, Jerome, Daniel, Patricia, Yandel, Billy, and the others walked in to see Samuel hugging a woman tightly.
Although they could not see her face, they could identify her as the bride of today’s wedding ceremony from the bridal gown she was wearing.
Daniel and Patricia did not know that the Lunetta before them was not the real Lunetta. They frowned, and their expressions were grim as they said, “T-This ridiculous! Natalie passed not long ago, yet you’re here taking advantage of someone else already!”
Samuel was suddenly accused and scolded for no reason. Natalie was about to stand up to them for Samuel when Jerome said, “Father, Mother, it’s not ridiculous for Samuel to do that! There’s no one else in the world more qualified to hug her!”
Daniel scolded, “Nonsense! How can that be possible?” “Father, she’s Natalie.” “What?” “What!” Daniel and Patricia were taken aback. They could not believe what they had just heard.
They had attended Natalie’s funeral and saw her body in the casket for themselves. Although they did not see her being cremated, they were confident that she was no longer in this world.
Patricia was worried that Jerome might have gone crazy, so she hesitated for a moment before she said, “Jerome, I know Natalie’s death affected you greatly, but the dead cannot be revived. It’s impossible that she’s…”
If Natalie did not clarify this matter, Daniel and Patricia would definitely think that Jerome was hallucinating. She shrugged out of Samuel’s embrace and slowly walked toward Daniel and Patricia.
“Uncle Daniel, Aunt Patricia, I didn’t die. It’s me, Natalie!”
“A-Aren’t you Lunetta?” Patricia was stunned for a few seconds before returning to her senses and muttering, “Natalie is dead. Don’t you dare impersonate her and use her name to trick us!” “I’m really…”
Previously, Natalie had no choice but to cooperate with Bastien and acted as Lunetta with the hyper-realistic mask since he was threatening and monitoring her.
Now, however, Bastien was too busy taking care of himself. Naturally, she had nothing to worry about anymore. Her fingers moved along her jawline to find the tiny seam. With a tug, she took off the mask.
“Uncle Daniel, Aunt Patricia, look at me… I’m really Natalie!” Natalie smiled as she held out her arms.
When Patricia saw that it really was Natalie, she got excited and hugged the latter. “Natalie, it’s you! It truly is you! You scared me! Did you know? Your uncle and I thought you were really dead! We regret and blame ourselves for not protecting you well!”
Natalie knew of Daniel and Patricia’s care and love for herself. They treated her the same as they treated Jerome.
Various emotions filled her heart as she nodded vigorously.
Previously, Jerome and Yandel had also found out that the person that looked like Lunetta was actually Natalie.
Finding out about it was one thing. When the two saw Natalie take off the mask and reveal her true self, tears started brimming in the corners of their eyes.
Staring at Natalie’s face, Jerome wept. However, after a moment, he also started smiling. Even though he could not stand beside her as her lover, at least she was alive. He was content to be just her friend or brother.
On the other hand, Yandel had burst into tears. A guy like him was crying his heart out like a girl who just got her heart broken.
His feelings for Natalie were complicated. They were so complicated that he had no idea what she meant to him. Seeing her “alive” again, Yandel felt like his whole world had been destroyed previously and revived again in a matter of seconds. He did not care about his pride now that she was back and was going to cry until he was satisfied.
The way he was crying was even more spectacular than a middle-aged woman like Patricia.
Natalie’s attention also could not help but divert from Patricia to Yandel.
She let go of Patricia and patted Yandel’s shoulder. Then, she turned to glance at Jerome before looking at Samuel. “I’m curious… Was his crying worse than this when he was at my funeral?”
Chapter 1195 I Will Not Be Tricked
“No,” Jerome and Samuel answered unanimously. Yandel immediately stopped crying, and a conflicted expression appeared on his face.
Natalie cocked an eyebrow at him. “What’s wrong? You were just crying so mournfully for me, but now you seem disappointed to see that I’m alive. Are you afraid that I’ll steal your CEO position now that I’m back?”
“What are you saying, Boss? You will always be my beloved Boss. I will follow you in life and death!” Yandel defended himself in a small voice. “Don’t worry. I won’t die that easily,” Natalie replied in a mocking tone. Meanwhile, the standoff had reached its peak.
Daniel briefly analyzed the situation and couldn’t spend too much time celebrating Natalie’s return. His expression darkened once again as he said, “Jerome, you must hold your position at all costs! It’s natural for a lot of bloodsheds to occur whenever there is a change in power, and history demonstrated this..
However, no matter if this man really is King as he claimed or if he is Geert, he’s definitely no ordinary person. Even if Blaze were to develop a powerful drug capable of getting rid of Geert, it would not erase the fact that he is mentally ill! If we were to let someone like him govern Loang, not only will we lose our lives, the entire country is doomed to fall.”
Jerome nodded solemnly. “I understand, Father.” He couldn’t agree more with what Daniel said. He wasn’t fighting for Mikhail’s sake but searching for someone more suitable to swear his loyalty to.
From his previous battles with King and Blaze, he concluded that Blaze was just an incredibly evil organization. They were willing to murder people and traffick drugs for their own benefit. It would be entirely irresponsible to let them rule Loang. Some members of Jerome’s squad were still waiting outside.
Just then, Samuel piped up, “What a coincidence! I had arranged for five hundred men to standby around Luna Palace when I saved Nat previously. Billy, you will be following Major General Sutton. Our men and weapons will be at his disposal.”
With that, shock appeared on everyone’s faces. This was where the Loang’s royal family lived. How did Samuel, a foreign merchant from Chanaea, manage to achieve that?
Natalie couldn’t stop herself from blurting, “How did you do all this, Samuel?”
He looked at her with an impassive expression. “There are a lot of things I wanted to say to you but never had the chance to. Once all of this is over, I’ll tell you everything.”
Natalie was rendered speechless.
I thought I was the only one who was keeping secrets from Samuel. I didn’t expect him to have other identities apart from the CEO of Centurion Corporation. It never crossed my mind, but now that I think about Master Malcolm and how Sarah was able to secretly follow someone without arousing suspicion, it’s not possible for Samuel to just be a simple merchant.
“All right.”
Jerome and Daniel left, with Billy and Samuel following behind them.
Yandel remained where he was with Natalie and Patricia.
Just then, they heard a gunshot not too far away, and their hearts leaped to their throats.
The danger had not been dealt with yet.
The dark shadow of death was still lingering in the large hall.
After finding out what happened to Jennie, Mikhail’s emotions went on a rollercoaster ride. He wasn’t in the twilight years yet, but now it was as if he had aged at least ten years. Within a short amount of time, he had gained a lot more white hairs.
Bastien was a lot more terrifying than his father. His eyes were shockingly as red as blood, and it looked as if the blood vessels would burst at any given time, sending blood spraying everywhere.
The wedding attire he was wearing was like a physical reminder that he was the world’s biggest joke.
I fell in love with my… half-sister. She’s my younger sister from another mother…
“N-No! It’s impossible!” Disbelief was written clear as day on his face. “Lies! It’s all lies! This has to be a ploy. You must have spun this tale in an attempt to defeat my father and me. I’m not going to fall for your tricks!”
Chapter 1196 This Is A Ploy
Bastien seemed to have figured something out. Hostility burned brightly in his eyes. “There’s no way you’re able to say anything good after all the evil you’ve committed! You must be lying to me. You’re just trying to trick me!”
The next moment, King fired his gun at Bastien’s right leg. Bang! Bastien hissed in pain as his right leg collapsed under him. He glared at King furiously.
“You’ll know if I’m telling the truth when you see your father,” King mocked him coldly. “Back then, she had already accepted your request to dance, but she didn’t want to marry you.
If it were another woman, do you think she’ll be able to back out? And you think she did that to protect you? It’s merely because Natalie looks like Jennie! It’s normal that you don’t believe it, Bastien. But I don’t need you to because you will never be with Natalie!”
“Y-You!” Bastien’s leg was throbbing with pain, and he felt like his heart had been shattered to pieces.
However, Helma remained steadfast in her loyalty to Bastien. She walked over to his side and tried to talk some sense into him. “Why are you doing this to yourself, Bastien? You two can’t be together! And she’s already dead! Look at me.
We were meant to be together. Will you please be mine? I will help you plead for leniency and protect you. I will give you everything I have, and you will receive nothing but the best. As long as you remain by my side and spend the rest of our lives together hand in hand…”
Helma’s love for him had no bounds, and it was evident in every word she spoke. She loved him so much that she even abandoned her dignity. She was willing to do anything for him, even if it was listening to a madman’s father!
However, Bastien had once again trampled all over her sincerity. His leg was injured, but he pushed Helma away, who had been holding him up. “Go away! I don’t need your pity! You’re the daughter of that crazy man. There’s no way I’m going to love you!” he spat coldly.
Helma sobbed uncontrollably. “I-I’m not pitying you. Bastien, I really love you from the bottom of my heart.”
“F*ck off! Stay the f*ck away from me!” Bastien repeatedly swatted at Helma like he had gone crazy. “You’re disgusting, Helma! Don’t touch me. I don’t want to see you ever again! I will never be with you!”
His words were like knives stabbing her heart relentlessly.
I never thought that he wouldn’t even look me in the eyes despite being in such dire straits. I’m clearly the most suitable woman for him, yet he chooses to obsess over a woman he will never have a future with.
Helma stood aside, absolutely heartbroken. She could only watch as the person she loved most turned into the person that hated her the most. Death would be better than enduring this pain.
King had watched as the entire scene descended into chaos. He looked at how pathetic Mikhail was and how insane Bastien was acting, and his lips curled into a smile. “Jen, I’m sure you’re watching this from heaven. I finally avenged you! If you had known that Mikhail was such a person, would you have chosen me back then?”
He let out a heavy sigh.
Now that I’ve said everything I wanted to, there’s no need for any more mercy.
King turned to the side and ordered, “Allen, capture every single member of Loang’s royal family. Those who cooperate will be spared, and those who resist will die.”
“Got it, King!”
Although King and Blaze were very powerful, they had not sent that many of their people to infiltrate the royal family’s guards. Therefore, they were not that weak.
However, Mikhail was too absorbed in reliving his painful memories. Unable to pull himself out of his sorrow, the guards had lost their core member, and the entire situation became disadvantageous for them. They were no different from lambs awaiting slaughter.
Mikhail sat on the throne with tears streaming down his face. “Jen… Jen…”
As Natalie watched him go through emotional turmoil from a distance, a whirlpool of emotions surged within her.
Even though she found out Thomas wasn’t her biological father after his death, she never expected someone like Mikhail to be her dad.
Now that she knew, the truth was a little too much to bear.
Following Natalie’s line of sight, Patricia saw what she was looking at and couldn’t stop herself from taking Natalie’s hand in hers. “I’ll tell you something, Natalie. Back then, Daniel and I had run away to a small village in Chanaea due to a misunderstanding and saw your mother there. To be honest, I could tell that she was a skilled doctor. She also carried herself with a regal aura. There was no way she was just an ordinary village woman.”
Chapter 1197 Skin You Alive
Hearing that, Natalie shifted her eyes. Patricia went on. “If your mother did not encounter an obstacle she could not cross, why would she be willing to stay in a remote backwater? We’re good friends, and I heard some of her stories before.
I used to feel bad for her when I saw how hard life was for you and her. I was disgusted with that man. But Jennie said she never regretted anything—that she never regretted falling for that man and giving birth to you. She asked me not to think of her in that way.
I don’t know what happened between the king and your mother, but what I’m certain is that he’s definitely not as terrible as that man has described him to be. Perhaps it’s true that he had wronged your mother in some ways; he must have been someone worth your mother’s love for your mother to have said that she never regretted falling for him.”
Natalie did not know her history in the past. After hearing Patricia’s words, she found herself relieved. If he wasn’t the one my mother truly loved, why would my mother yearn for him? In the end… Mother still ended up leaving this world with regret.
“Aunt Patricia, thank you for telling me these,” Natalie said in gratitude. “I think I have an answer now.”
Patricia nodded. “I have trust in you, Natalie.”
Right as Natalie turned to leave, Yandel stopped her.
“Boss, are you…” …going to knock on the grim reaper’s door, was what Yandel was about to say, but when he saw Natalie’s determined gaze, he swallowed his words.
“Yandel, my mother wasn’t the issue, but she was the cause of this,” Natalie said. “I used to think that I knew my mother well, but I did not. I even resented her, but now, I finally understand her silent endurance throughout these years. I believe that my mother won’t just sit on her hands if she’s still around, so I can’t just sit back either.”
Yandel furrowed his brows, but he did not voice his protest anymore. He knew that nothing he or anyone said would be able to change Natalie’s mind. Instead of being wishy-washy, he would be better off thinking about how he could help her best.
“Boss, what do you need me to do?” Yandel asked, lifting his head to look at Natalie once more. After a moment of contemplation, Natalie asked, “Do you have a pen and paper?” “Pen and paper?”
“Mhm.” Yandel had the habit of carrying a pen and paper with him. Although he did not understand why Natalie needed them, he still handed them to her. “Boss, what are you—”
“I’m buying time for Samuel and Jerome.” With that said, Natalie bit off the pen cap and began writing lines of words on the paper.
Natalie was no fool; she was well aware of her limits.
She knew not to assume she would be able to turn the tables by herself.
Samuel and Jerome had been making arrangements to save her, but the sudden turn of events meant that they needed to adjust their plans. They needed time to redo their arrangements, and the only thing she could do was buy more time so that they could minimize the loss of lives.
Mayhem had erupted everywhere in the palace, but the crystal chandeliers above remained bright and still as ever.
The light from those chandeliers landed on Natalie, and Yandel instinctively gazed at her.
Everything around him was in disorder—both the situation and the people.
Yet, she was like the eye of the storm, calm despite being in the middle of chaos.
Yandel could not help but curl his lips at her. He was glad to have a leader like her, and it was his fortune to have her still living in this world.
Natalie’s lashes fluttered as she wrapped up her writing.
Yandel made to follow her when she turned to leave, but she stopped him. “Don’t come with me, Yandel. Stay here and protect Aunt Patricia. If she gets hurt, I’m going to skin you alive.”
Yandel was worried about Natalie’s safety too, but after mulling over the matter, he relented. “Boss, don’t worry. Leave this to me.”
“Okay.” Natalie gave him a grim nod. “I’ll leave this to you then, Yandel.”
Chapter 1198 Protect Her At All Cost
Meanwhile, the fight between the men of King and Mikhail began to intensify. Mikhail’s guards did everything they could to protect the safety of the royal family. However, the Blaze team that was set up by King was well-trained. As such, they started to gain the upper hand in the fight.
In order to protect his mother, Bastien quickly became King’s target. Furthermore, his left leg had been shot by King in the past. Therefore, his combat skill was no longer sharp as before.
King pointed his gun at Bastien’s right leg before raising his eyebrow leisurely. There was an arrogant smile on his face. “Your left leg doesn’t look good. If your right leg gets shot, it may make you whole again.”
Frieda was worried about her son, so she stood in front of Bastien and cried out to Helma, “Helma, this man is your father after all! Please ask him to stop! Bastien may lose the use of one of his legs. If he loses the other, he will really become a cripple! Now, you are the only one who can get your father to change his mind! Please! I beg of you!”
Helma’s eyes reddened. A melancholic smile appeared on her face as she glanced at Frieda. “Lady Frieda, isn’t it great if Bastien becomes a cripple?” Frieda was aghast. “H-How can you say something like this?”
“Am I wrong to say that?” With her disheveled hair, Helma looked terrifying. “Even if Bastien becomes disabled, I will still take care of him. Furthermore, he can never go anywhere else if he loses both his legs. This way, he will stay by my side forever.”
Frieda gasped, and a thought popped up in her mind. Helma has gone crazy.
King loomed over them and said gleefully, “Helma has been kind enough to give all of you a chance. However, no one appreciated her! Since that’s the case, you shouldn’t expect her to beg for you! I will cripple him today!”
Ever since Bastien found out about Natalie’s background, he had given up hope completely.
In fact, he was so deep in his thoughts that he did not sense the impending danger.
Just as King was about to pull the trigger, a bright red figure suddenly appeared and shielded Bastien in the midst of the chaos.
“Stop!”
The bright red figure was very jarring amidst the chaotic scene.
What was even more eye-catching was that shocking, small face of hers.
Huh!
Some of them saw that it was Natalie, while others thought it was Jennie.
Before that, everyone had accepted that Natalie was dead. They fought hard against one another, and there was not a moment when they turned their focus on Natalie.
Everyone could not believe their eyes when they saw her once again.
How can a dead person become alive again?
Helma narrowed her gaze and was the first one to exclaim, “N-Natalie? Why are you still alive? Aren’t you already dead?”
King also paused in his movement and stared at Natalie as if she was his beloved.
“W-Where have you gone to?”
Complicated emotions engulfed Bastien as he laid eyes on Natalie once more. It was obvious he still had feelings for her.
He wanted so very much to protect her, but Frieda was hanging on to his arm very tightly. All he saw was her back view.
Mikhail had already accepted the fragility of life. However, Natalie’s appearance had ignited hope in his aged eyes again.
Our daughter is still alive!
Natalie is still alive!
Mikhail was feeling emotional. Yet, at the same time, he made a swift decision.
He did not mind losing his life or giving Loang up to someone else. However, he would do anything to protect the descendant of Jennie and him.
Chapter 1199 Except For Her
Mikhail immediately ordered his guards, “Protect her at all cost! Everyone here can die except for her!” The guards were taken aback. However, they were also aware of how important Natalie was to Mikhail.
When King saw the way Mikhail was teeming with energy again, he began to fight back in earnest. He exchanged a glance with Allen and started fighting again.
However, ten minutes later, bullets were flying everywhere. The stench of blood and the smoky smell of gunpowder filled the air. Despite having their bulletproof vests on, there were several bodies lying on the ground.
A bullet grazed King’s arm, and blood was gushing out from his wound. All in all, Blaze was still at an advantage. King eyed Natalie who was holding a gun.
Both her hands were gripping the gun, and her face was splattered with countless blood droplets. Then again, it was still impossible to conceal that unparalleled beautiful face of hers. More than a decade had passed. It was as if nothing had changed.
“Why? Natalie, tell me why.” King narrowed his eyes and questioned her coldly. “This man has caused so much suffering to your mother. Why do you still insist on protecting him? He’s the one who has hurt your mother!” “What about you?”
“What?” “You call yourself King. What are you good at?” mocked Natalie.
“Mikhail may be your biological father, but he has let your mother down nevertheless. As for us, we don’t have any blood relations. But I’m the one who likes you the most in this world. Before this, it was my goal to destroy Geert. Now that I have fulfilled my goal, I can give you the best of everything.”
With his hand holding his injured arm, King kept his eyes on Natalie without even blinking once. Natalie, on the other hand, snorted. “Natalie, what are you laughing about?”
“What am I laughing about? Don’t you know?” Natalie chuckled coldly before continuing, “Am I so stupid in your eyes? Both Yara and I are twin sisters. Yet, you were the one who encouraged us to hurt one another. She might have made her mistake, but that was all your doing. You have done all this just to gain control of Dexmed Pharmaceutical so that you can develop the medicine you want!”
In the past, she used to think that her fallout with Yara resulted from the instigation of Thomas and Yvonne.
Right now, she realized that they were not the main culprits. Instead, it was the man in front of her.
At the end of the day, Thomas and Yvonne were just his puppets.
“Arnold might not be my biological granddad, but he still managed to get my mother legal citizenship in Chanaea back then. He treated my mother like his own daughter. As for you, you caused my granddad to die of an ‘accident’ for your own benefit! Perhaps, you didn’t realize that Jennie Bayer was Jennie Shamrock back then. But everything that you have done hurt my mother, no?”
Just as she finished talking, King looked at Natalie’s face, and it began to overlap with Jennie’s face all of a sudden.
“Natalie, listen to me,” King tried his best to explain himself. “You and Yara may be twin sisters. But Yara resembled Mikhail, whereas you are more like your mother! Join me! For someone as intelligent as you, you can do better than manage a company like Dream. I can give you status and power. In fact, I can give you anything you want!”
When King was telling Natalie his offer, one could sense his possessiveness.
At that moment, it felt as if King was talking to Jennie.
Natalie chuckled. “I’m not interested!”
King was humiliated by her reply and became furious. “Fine. Since I cannot have you, I will destroy you.”
During the fight, Mikhail was injured too. However, he rushed forward to Natalie with his best soldiers without any regard for his own safety and said in a deep voice to King, “I will never allow you to hurt my daughter again!”
Chapter 1200 Listen Carefully
Natalie noticed how protective Mikhail was over her from the corner of her eyes. At that instant, indescribable emotions churned within her. Despite being a little late, she had finally acquired the thing she yearned for the most after such a long wait.
The fact that Natalie was still alive invigorated Mikhail like an adrenaline shot. He pulled himself together and significantly turned the tides in the blink of an eye. As time passed, Jerome and Samuel’s subordinates arrived and subdued the riot in the main hall.
King and Blaze’s men never expected their meticulously-planned insurrection would be ruined by an external force that joined in at a later time. Those newcomers’ combat skills weren’t inferior to their highly-trained personnel, turning the battle into a one-sided subjugation.
Blaze’s subordinates were defeated one after the other. Even King’s trusted most trusted lieutenant, Allen, suffered a gunshot in his chest. The latter was enduring the pain and putting up a desperate resistance.
Helma panicked. She covered her head with both hands and repeatedly questioned King, “What should we do? A-Are we going to lose?” He glared at her. “Shut up!”
Helma was frightened. She was afraid of getting hurt and dying. Sensing King could no longer safeguard her, the idea of fleeing surfaced in her mind.
However, before she could run very far while dressed in an evening gown, a misfired bullet hit her in the chest.
Feeling intense pain in her upper body, she looked down and saw the hole in her torso. The wound was tiny, but the bullet had entirely pierced through her body. Blood spewed out from her injury, splattering her face with blood.
“Ah!” She slumped to the ground. The site of her wound was very close to where she had stabbed Heidi to death with the fruit knife.
At that moment, she finally understood the agony and terror Heidi had experienced on the brink of her death. Helma wanted to beg for someone to save her, but similar to how Heidi’s pleas for help were for naught, Helma faced the same predicament.
Helma laughed. Blood gushed out of her mouth as she sighed. “Retribution… This is my retribution.”
The deed she had done to her sister from another mother had now befallen her.
Moments away from expiring, Helma was already drained of strength. She gazed in Bastien’s direction with her eyes filled with affection, resentment, and grievances.
She didn’t shut her eyes even until she had taken her final breath.
King noticed Helma was dead. Still, he couldn’t care less. He only knew he had achieved that point in his life after enduring so many hardships, and there was no turning back for him.
I must succeed. I will become Loang’s ruler!
He scanned his surroundings and suddenly fixated his eyes on a figure dressed in a red outfit.
That’s right! Only by seizing her can I turn the situation around.
King steeled his resolution and focused all his attention on Natalie. He fired numerous shots in succession and was even hit twice on his shoulders. In the end, he successfully took down the guards nearby Natalie.
He strode forward and captured her from behind, forcefully strangling her while aiming the gun at her temple.
“Stop right there!” King took a deep breath and bellowed, “If any of you dares to take another step forward, I’ll pull the trigger and kill her! A bullet fired at her temple will make a hole in her brain. No one can save her then.”
Right after he finished his sentence, Samuel, Jerome, Daniel, Mikhail, Bastien, Yandel, and Billy immediately stopped moving.
Even King couldn’t help but be impressed by the effect his action had accomplished. “Hahaha! As I expected, taking you captive is the right decision. I think I wouldn’t be able to achieve such an outcome if I had seized another person present aside from you. Natalie… Jennie… I see now. Our fates have been predetermined all along.”
Natalie could sense the deprivation of air in her lungs and the scorching gunpoint stuck to her temple.
She stared ahead and took in the concerned faces in front of her.
Her family members, lover, and friends were regarding her with apprehensive looks.
“I want you to listen carefully!” Mikhail, eyes reddened, uttered, “Do not harm my daughter. I can give you anything you want as long as you don’t hurt her!”