Ch. 1201..1210

Chapter 1201 Tacit Understanding

King’s eyes darted from side to side as he leaned close to Natalie and whispered beside her ear, “You are my most useful bargaining chip, but you’re also the person I’m most reluctant to hurt. You are much more significant to me than that Helma.”

Natalie, eyes gleaming, pursed her lips. The man behind me is really not Geert. There wasn’t a hint of care in his voice when he mentioned Helma. It’s as if he was talking about a random stranger whose life and death have nothing to do with him.

King continued, “Cooperate with me. I’m taking you away and leaving this place. We’ll go somewhere new where no one knows us. Since you’re interested in herbs, we’ll go to all the remote mountainous areas with herbal plants.”

Rendered speechless, Natalie remained quiet. He won’t let go of me even if I speak up. More importantly, he’s caught up in his own persistence. Telling him anything that goes against his wish will only provoke him. If I do that, I may put myself at a higher risk of getting harmed. This man deserves to die, but I’m different. I have many people who cherish me dearly. I have a man who I’m deeply in love with and things I’m passionate about. I cannot hand over the fate of my life to this lunatic!

Sensing reluctance to respond, King asked, “Why aren’t you speaking? Say something!”

She answered calmly, “What do you want me to say?”

“Say that you’re willing to cooperate with me!” He seemed to be very determined to hear her reply.

Eyes glinting coldly, Natalie smiled faintly and said, “Okay. I’ll cooperate with you.”

Upon hearing that, King revealed a contented smile. Then, he glowered maliciously at the others in front of him and shouted, “If you want to save her, prepare the best medical resources and a helicopter for Allen and me. Otherwise, I’ll drag her to hell with me!”

As Natalie was being held as a hostage, even if the others at the scene realized it was a bad idea to let go of King, none of them dared to take the risk of losing Natalie.

As a result, everyone achieved mutual consensus almost instantaneously.

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

Frieda was at a loss for words.

Listening to everyone’s unison response, she furrowed her brows in utter astonishment. Even after she was made aware of the past, which had remained unknown for so many years, she still couldn’t understand how no one cared about her survival despite her status as the king’s wife and the prince’s mother.

Yet, a child without any title like Natalie was worthy of prompting so many people to ditch their principles in making the decision to save her.

Am I going crazy, or are these people losing their minds?

Frieda was utterly baffled. Still, her perplexity didn’t have the slightest impact on the tacit agreement between the others.

Mikhail waved his hand and instructed his attendant, “Do as he said. Go and make the preparations. Get it done as soon as possible.”

Samuel bore his eyes into Natalie with a worried expression spread across his face.

Simultaneously, she held his gaze. A faint smile twinkled in her eyes as she looked at him. Subsequently, she gave him an almost imperceptible, promising nod, silently telling him not to worry about her.

After all that they had experienced together in the past, Samuel and Natalie could figure out each other’s thoughts even without exchanging words.

Grasping her message, he quit frowning and concentrated his attention on the ongoing situation. After all, not only did he have to protect Natalie, but he also needed to look after the country and the home that she loved.

Jerome, Yandel, Bastien, and the others couldn’t recollect themselves the way Samuel did. All of them knitted their brows in anxiousness.

Soon after, the door to the main hall was pushed open again.

Those members of the royalty and guests, who barely survived the uprising, hastily escaped like monkeys scattering when the tree fell.

The helicopter and medical supplies requested by King were prepared. After Mikhail received an update from his subordinate, he said to King, “We’ve brought everything you asked for. When will you return my daughter to me?”

King continued to shuffle toward the exit while holding Natalie hostage. He uttered coldly, “Don’t worry. As long as I can leave this place unscathed, I’ll certainly let her go.”

 

Chapter 1202 Hand It Over

King left Luna Palace’s premises with Natalie. Allen, who was gravely injured, followed behind them. Mikhail, Samuel, and the rest maintained an appropriate distance as they followed King to where the helicopter was.

Natalie lowered her gaze. “You won’t kill me, right?” “No. You’re her daughter, so I won’t kill you.” As King whispered to Natalie, his breath tingled in her ear. “I would protect you even if it would cost me my life.”

“Okay, I trust you.” Despite the grim look Natalie had in her eyes, her tone sounded much gentler compared to before. Her compliance seemed to have lessened the tremendous pressure King had.

For a moment, he was in confusion, wondering if he was perhaps holding Jennie hostage instead of Natalie.

“Why is God so unfair to me? I wouldn’t have lost if I had a healthy body like a normal person from the moment I gained self-awareness. I wouldn’t have needed to spend half my life just doing my best to survive…” King muttered to himself. “This is unfair… It’s unreasonable… She would’ve fallen for me instead if things weren’t how they were!”

Natalie glanced at the helicopter near them, determined not to board it with the madman. Given the tight space on the helicopter, it would be dangerous if they were to engage in combat up there.

The helicopter would likely crash due to the smallest of accidents. As Natalie gazed around her, she subconsciously turned to check on Samuel. He had his gaze fixated on her, and she smiled the moment they locked eyes with each other.

I see… We’re of the same mind. There were certain feats that she couldn’t pull off on her own. However, Samuel’s presence made possible a lot of things that were previously impossible.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” King urged beside her. “I was far more superior than Geert, only to face various limitations due to my physicality! Would Jen have chosen me in the beginning if I were someone normal? I’m asking you, so can’t you give me an answer?”

“I do not know.” “Why would you not know when you’re her daughter?”

Natalie had no idea indeed. While her mother had mentioned to her a certain man, she was certain that her mother was talking about Mikhail and not Geert aka King.

While her mother might be a ray of light that illuminated the darkness within King, he, unfortunately, held no such significance to her. Nonetheless, King’s question had saved Natalie the trouble of setting the stage.

“My mother had written a letter when she was on her deathbed,” Natalie tempted him carefully. “The letter mentioned two men. At first, I couldn’t understand it, but… I think I can understand what she meant now…”

“A letter?” Her words struck a nerve in King, and his voice was seeping with anxiousness. “What letter? What letter did Jen write? Did she mention me in it?”

“I know not what happened between my parent’s generation, but I’ve always carried the letter with me by special means.”

“Give it to me,” King urged, for he wished to know what the letter wrote. Allen glanced at King from beside him before advising, “King, this isn’t the time for reading letters. We ought to—”

Before he could finish his sentence, King silenced him harshly. “Shut up!” “King—”

“What else could be more important than Jen’s heartfelt words?” After chiding Allen, King continued to usher Natalie, “Take it out. Show me the letter.”

Although the letter was rather insignificant, it was King’s weak spot. Using Natalie as a hostage to threaten Samuel and Mikhail was a tried-and-true method for King.

Similarly, she would never fail to wrap King around her little finger using her mother’s last words.

Natalie reached her hand out from within the wide sleeves of her gown to hand a creased and wrinkly piece of paper to King.

“Here you go…”

 

Chapter 1203 Falling In His Arms

King couldn’t take the letter from Natalie while still holding her hostage. Thus, he pulled his lips into a thin line and ushered, “Quick! Unfold it and show it to me! I want to read what Jen wrote!”

Natalie muffled a grunt before doing as told. The creased piece of paper was unfolded gradually before the man. “This is the letter my mother left for me before passing away…”

“Sure.” King scanned the letter eagerly, taking in its contents greedily.

Jen’s letter must be intended for me! The fact that she left her hometown, married a scum like Thomas, and never got in touch with Mikhail, must’ve meant she had never fancied Mikhail. She must’ve wished to get in touch with me, right? However, she couldn’t get in touch with me because I was sharing a body with Geert, which lead to consecutive misunderstandings that resulted in the two of us missing out on each other again and again. That’s it! That must be how it was!

King’s eyes darted around as he browsed the letter, only to be stunned by its content.

“This can’t be… This is impossible! Haha, this letter is fabricated! You’re lying to me! She couldn’t possibly have thought of me like this! She must have loved me! She loved me! She must be so confounded by Mikhail’s power and status that she complied with him… Ah! This can’t be! This isn’t real! This letter… Did she really hand it to you before she passed away?”

He had a crazed look in his eyes as he uttered contradictory words. Bloodstained tears rolled off the corner of his eyes.

“This letter must be my mother’s heartfelt words for you.” Natalie provoked King despite knowing that he was on the verge of losing his sanity. “This is real. What is your reluctance to admit the truth? You should know better than I do how my mother was when she was young.”

“You’re lying! You deceived me!”

The harsh provocation seemed to have caused him to have a mental breakdown.

“You can’t escape! Killing me will not solve this!”

“Shut up! Geert, it’s all your fault, you coward!”

“I am the real Geert! We’ll both die if you defy the will of God by taking over this body!”

“So what if I do? Trash like you would’ve been long dead due to your stepmother and stepbrother’s mistreatment if I hadn’t separated from you when you were young!”

The bickering went on as King murmured, switching between his two personalities.

At the same time, Samuel looked down as a flash of bloodlust fleeted across his gaze.

By the next instant, he retrieved a small handgun from his pocket and fired a shot at the crazy man.

The handgun which was equipped with a silencer didn’t make a sound.

The only audible noise was produced when the bullet hit King in between his brows, bore into his skull, and mashed up his brain tissues.

Pffft!

The bullet hit him square in the head.

While it didn’t make a sound, it was fast and deadly.

As blood oozed out of the wound on his head, King opened his eyes wide, taking in Natalie’s figure for one final time.

Death befell him instantaneously.

Natalie swatted the gun he held with ease and turned to face the crazy man.

All the while, he was admiring her lovingly and even tried to touch her face. When he was about to reach her, she darted away swiftly.

He couldn’t reach his first crush even during the final moments of his life.

He took one last breath before succumbing to his demise.

Meanwhile, Allen was already gravely wounded, so he no longer posed a threat.

All of the dramatic ups and downs finally reached their end at that moment.

Then, Jerome shot Allen dead on the spot.

Natalie was both physically and mentally exhausted. It wasn’t until the dust had settled that she noticed that her legs were wobbling and on the verge of giving out.

By then, a pair of sturdy arms supported her petite build and pulled her into an embrace.

“It has finally ended, Samuel…” Natalie smiled. “I-I’m good…”

Her eyes fluttered close as soon as she uttered the last syllable, and she fell face-up into Samuel’s arms.

 

Chapter 1204 An Unknowing Change

Knitting his brows, Samuel felt his chest tighten. “Nat, Nat!” he shouted. The volume of Samuel’s voice was not low, but the woman in his arms did not open her eyes. They remained tightly shut and her face was so deathly pale that it set him on the edge.

He knew that her life was not in danger, but it was hard not to worry when she suddenly fainted. Samuel trusted Natalie completely, and even went along with her plan to scam the king. However, that did not mean that he was not afraid of the dangers that could befall them at any time.

On the other hand, Mikhail utterly disregarded his image as a monarch and ran to Samuel and Natalie. Staring intently at his unconscious daughter, a wave of bitter feelings coalesced in his heart.

In the past, Mikhail had only thought that Natalie resembled Jennie in passing. Now that he knew that Natalie was actually his and Jennie’s daughter, he could no longer suppress the concern and care he felt toward the former. He was even willing to risk his life in exchange for his daughter’s safety.

“Give her to me!” Mikhail reached for Natalie. Pursing his thin lips, Samuel shot Mikhail an icy glare.

Mikhail was the king of Loang, and he felt it was his right to demand Samuel return his daughter to him. However, the cold look Samuel gave him made him feel inexplicably pressured.

Hmph! I’ll let it slide this once since your feelings for her seem to be sincere. Mikhail withdrew his hand and said to the attendant who stood by his side. “What are you dawdling for? Send for the best royal physicians from Luna Palace!”

Upon receiving the orders, the attendant immediately ran to get the royal physician.

Just then, Bastien, who was also badly hurt, wanted to check out Natalie’s condition.

However, before he could even step forward, he was blocked by Jerome. “Prince Jonathan, you’ve hurt your leg. You mustn’t move around.”

“I only wanted to check her condition…” Bastien’s lips were pressed in a straight line.

“If I may be so bold to ask, which persona are you asking as?”

Flummoxed, Bastien found himself unable to say anything.

“We’re not likely…” Bastien glanced at Jerome, enunciating each word through gritted teeth.

Jerome replied calmly, “Maybe you are, or maybe you aren’t. You don’t have to come up with an answer right this moment. His Majesty seems to have recognized her as his daughter, so blood tests will certainly be carried out. Everything will be made clear then.”

Bastien’s eyes dimmed, but he was unable to refute Jerome’s words.

With so many clues pieced together, the answer was obvious. In fact, it wasn’t that hard to see the full picture, he merely did not want to admit it.

Samuel and Mikhail hurriedly brought Natalie to the nearest bedroom.

Patricia looked at Mikhail’s and Samuel’s protective stances with tears in her eyes. Unbidden, her lips curled into a smile.

“Natalie returning to Loang and reunited with Mikhail… If Jennie could see this all from heaven, she would surely be ecstatic.” Patricia blotted her eyes, tears still leaking out despite her smile. “It was a long and arduous journey for Natalie, but she finally made it!”

Moved by Patricia’s sentiment, Daniel felt a bittersweet pang in his heart as well.

He patted her back and said brightly, “Everything will be all right! Natalie has already front-loaded all of life’s hardships, so she will only have good things from now onward. She currently has so many people who love and cherish her.”

Patricia nodded fervently. “Yes. You are right!”

The setting sun dyed the sky red. It was as if someone had hung up a rich maroon brocade in the sky.

There were many things in life that could not be expressed with words.

The people there were the same ones from earlier that morning. However, their identities, statuses, and relationships had changed unknowingly.

 

Chapter 1205 Refusing To Back Away

Meanwhile, inside a bedroom at Luna Palace, the palace’s best royal physician stood next to Natalie, frowning as he took her pulse. Mikhail began to worry when he saw the physician’s expression. A formidable pressure began to build up.

“Dr. Dalton, what’s the matter? Is she all right?” Although the physician was unlikely to declare Natalie dead and tell him to make preparations for her funeral, he felt an ominous feeling looming over them.

Lucien was unaware of the relationship between Natalie and Mikhail, but he had never seen the latter so anxious before. Thus, he hurriedly replied, “The girl is severely malnourished, and she lost a lot of blood from being shot in the shoulder and passed out due to that. However, her life is not in danger. I will do my best to treat her.”

Shoulder injury? Samuel immediately turned his sharp gaze to Natalie’s shoulder. Her shoulder was injured, and she had lost a lot of blood. But it had not been obvious on her red clothing.

She pretended to be fine? Samuel was furious, but when he stared at Natalie, he felt his anger give way to heartache and admiration.

He wanted to protect her, but she was not some damsel in distress. She was more akin to a sturdy tree that could proudly hold her ground.

I love her so much. Mikhail declared, “Dr. Dalton, spare no expense and use the best medicine. You must heal her no matter what!”

With a serious expression, Lucien nodded. “I will.”

Mikhail and Samuel left the room temporarily to let the physician take care of Natalie’s wounds.

After Lucien had finished stitching and bandaging Natalie’s wounds, Samuel and Mikhail returned to her side.

Just before he left, Lucien reminded them that Natalie needed to rest quietly and informed them that the earliest she would wake up was likely the next morning.

Samuel and Mikhail both remained in the room.

Exchanging a glance, the two men seized each other up and knew that they both wanted to stay with Natalie.

Mikhail said, “She’s my daughter, so I should stay with her.”

Samuel replied, “It’s my right to stay with my wife”

One was her father and monarch, while the other was her husband and heir of a prominent family.

The two of them refused to step back, adamantly refusing to back away. Thus, it resulted in a stalemate and both of them remained in the room.

Glancing between the two, Yandel felt delighted.

He had assumed that he would be declared a hindrance and kicked out. Seeing that Mikhail and Samuel were both staying, he wanted to remain in the room as well. Hehe, I can watch over Boss even though I’m not her father or husband.

Natalie was dead to the world, completely unaware of the people who loitered around her bedside.

The next day, it was already noon when Natalie’s eyelids fluttered. She had slept through the entire night and morning. She felt the pain in her shoulder flare up the moment she woke, causing her to suck in several breaths.

Ouch! What’s happening? Is my shoulder wounded?

Natalie could no longer continue to sleep after feeling the pain.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself looking at two men who looked unkempt guarding the bed she lay on. One sprawled at the head of the bed, while the other was at the end—they were Samuel and Mikhail.

Samuel was the first to wake up when she made a slight movement under the sheets.

Opening his eyes, Samuel’s gaze lingered on Natalie’s face for a long moment. Finally, he murmured, “You’re awake.”

There were many things he wanted to say, but he could only utter these two words.

Natalie smiled. “Yes.”

She shared Samuel’s sentiment, but at the same time, she could only reply with one word.

 

Chapter 1206 I Want To Go Home

At that moment, Samuel wanted very much to hug Natalie. However, he was mindful that she still had an injury on her shoulder and resisted the urge to do so. Instead, he raised his hand and gently stroked her head as though he were petting a kitten or rabbit.

She smiled at him in response. Not long after that, Mikhail also stirred.

When he opened his eyes and caught sight of Natalie, he practically sprang out of bed and strode over to the latter. “How are you feeling, Natalie? Does it hurt? Why don’t I summon the royal physician to come and take a look at you?”

Mikhail was exhausted, and the grey hairs that sprouted the previous day were dazzlingly bright around his temples.

Nonetheless, his concern for her was evident. Natalie was at a loss when she noticed his behavior. Her lips moved, but she did not know what to say or where to begin.

Although it has been confirmed that he’s my biological father, I don’t know how I should feel about him.

To her, the word “father” had once referred to a family member she longed for the most. At the same time, however, it was also someone who had caused her the deepest heartache.

Mikhail was a master at discerning one’s thoughts, and when he saw the look on his daughter’s face, he could roughly guess her uneasiness. Hence, he turned and said to a maid, “Bring some oatmeal porridge and fruits.”

“Yes, of course.”

Soon, the maid returned with a bowl of warm oatmeal porridge and some fruits.

Natalie was feeling hungry indeed. In fact, she was starving.

While she had been locked up by Bastien previously, she had gone on hunger strikes to threaten him. At the same time, she had also experienced a loss of appetite. Now that the dust had settled, her appetite had returned.

She held the bowl with one hand while using her uninjured hand to hold the spoon. Then, she proceeded to eat. Although she had an injured shoulder, it did not affect her speed of eating in any way. With just a few quick gulps, she polished off all the food.

Meanwhile, Mikhail and Samuel watched her with anxious expressions, worrying the whole time that she was eating with too much gusto. What if her movements tug at her wound, and it splits open?

After she had finished eating, she held out the empty bowl.

“Do you want more?” Mikhail asked.

As she shook her head, Samuel reached for a piece of tissue and gently helped her wipe away some food stains on the corner of her mouth.

Mikhail nodded in response. Now, he was the one who was at a loss for words.

I’m filled with remorse toward Jennie and more so toward Natalie. I long to acknowledge Natalie as my darling daughter. However, the more I want it to happen, the more confused I am about how I should interact with her. I’m afraid she won’t accept me. Besides, I’m also worried about being too bold and incurring her displeasure.

At that moment, he had lost his demeanor as a monarch and was completely a nervous father.

Having eaten to her heart’s content, Natalie decided to get down to business.

“I want to go home, Your Majesty,” she said to Mikhail, addressing him as “Your Majesty” and not “Dad.”

He stiffened, dismayed by how she addressed him, but even more so to discover that she wished to leave Luna Palace as soon as she regained consciousness.

Frowning, he replied, “Don’t you like the palace? We have royal physicians here, so it’s more convenient for you to receive treatment and have your wound dressing changed. Furthermore, the environment and facilities here are top-notch. You can stay here as long as you want!”

However, she shook her head. “I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Nonetheless, no matter how good the facilities and skilled the physicians are, it’s still not what I’m used to. I wish to return to where I lived before. I miss the place, and I want to see my children. I haven’t seen them in a long time.”

I wonder how Xavian, Clayton, Franklin, Sophia, and Yumi are doing. I genuinely miss them so much!

 

Chapter 1207 She Means Everything To Him

Mikhail felt upset when he heard Natalie’s response. Over the years of being in his position at the very top, he had thoroughly experienced the unbearable feeling of loneliness.

Natalie was his daughter with Jennie, and he wanted her to stay so that he could make up for the fatherly love he owed her. Even so, he did not do so. Instead, he clenched and loosened his fists repeatedly before finally patting Samuel’s shoulder. “Take good care of her, and don’t let her suffer any injustice.”

Mikhail’s gaze was half threatening and half pleading. He could only ask Samuel to do what he could not do himself. “Don’t worry. I will,” Samuel replied, his gaze reflecting his firm resolve.

He contacted Billy, and the latter took swift action. Soon, Billy had arranged for a car. Samuel lifted the thin covers and carried Natalie down from the bed.

Yearning for his warmth and smell, she wrapped her small, soft hands around his neck on her own accord, obediently allowing him to carry her.

It was a rather blatant display of affection, but Samuel paid no mind to the gazes of the others in the palace. Carrying my woman isn’t something I ever try to hide from anyone.

Although Billy’s eyes stung with tears and felt hot upon seeing Natalie again, he was all smiles. His grin was so broad that it revealed his pearly white teeth.

“Good day, Mrs. Bowers!” Overjoyed, he greeted Natalie so loudly that she felt somewhat embarrassed.

After some thought, she could not help but suggest, “Billy, I get your enthusiasm, but perhaps you could keep your voice down?”

However, all she got in return was an emphatic reply. “No problem, Mrs. Bowers!”

Err… She was rendered speechless.

In the end, her remark merely remained a suggestion, and Billy did not act on it at all.

Instead, he smiled brightly, feeling utterly happy.

Mrs. Bowers means everything to Mr. Bowers. If everything is well with her, that means everything is well with him. Now that she has returned safe and sound, his life will return to normal. As a subordinate, there’s nothing I hope for other than that.

Billy opened the rear passenger door, and Samuel carefully carried Natalie into the car. Then, Samuel took the woolen blanket a maid handed him and draped it over Natalie before tenderly drawing her close.

After the car door shut, the vehicle slowly drove out of Luna Palace.

Curling up in Samuel’s arms, Natalie could not help thinking with a sigh about how useless yet happy she was.

Despite Bastien lavishing her with the best of everything, she had passed that time in a state of heightened tension. Leaning against Samuel’s chest, her mind and body finally relaxed completely, and she soon dozed off.

When Samuel looked down, he saw that Natalie had fallen asleep with her head resting on his shoulder.

She was in deep slumber, and her thick eyelashes quivered gently as she breathed.

His eyes lit up with a smile, and his lips curved upward.

To me, she’s my everything. Now, I’m actually hugging the person who means the world to me. There’s nothing else on this earth that could make me happier than this.

From time to time, Billy would glance in the rearview mirror, and he also broke into a smile when he thought of how amazing things had turned out that way.

When they arrived, Natalie still had not woken up. Samuel sat as still as a stone, holding her and letting her continue to sleep.

By the time she was awake and realized they were back home, she had already been asleep in his arms for a long time.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked, shooting him a reproachful look.

He brushed the stray hair from her cheek and answered in a low voice, “I didn’t have the heart to do so. Besides, there’s no hurry.”

“Well, okay.”

After opening the car door, he wanted to carry her out of the car but she refused.

“You don’t have to—”

He fixed his gaze on her and said, “Yes, I want to.”

 

Chapter 1208 Ghost of Mommy Is Back

Natalie punched Samuel’s chest lightly. With her almond-shaped eyes full of determination, she insisted, “I only hurt my shoulders, not my legs… I’m able to walk on my own. In the event that I can’t, I’m certain you will ensure I’m safe and sound!”

If one read between the lines, one could tell that Natalie’s words were full of praise for Samuel. Although Samuel knew that Natalie intentionally did so, he was still taken in by her sweet talk. He gave in to her, stopped carrying her, and let her walk back by herself.

Upon reaching home, Emma answered the door. “Who is it? Is that Mr. Bowers?”

Emma thought Samuel had returned, so she opened the door to receive him. But after looking clearly at the person at the door, she shrieked in shock, “G-Ghost… Ghost!”

Natalie felt a little sheepish by Emma’s reaction. She tried to explain, “Emma, I-I am not…”

Before Emma could hear what Natalie had to say, she blacked out and fainted due to shock.

Natalie wanted to catch Emma, but Billy acted faster than her. He managed to grab Emma before she collapsed to the ground.

Natalie turned around to look at Samuel before breaking into an awkward smile.

“Oh dear. I seem to have frighten Emma.”

“It’s all right. She will regain consciousness soon. We’ll just have to explain when she wakes up,” Samuel comforted her. “Emma is a reliable housekeeper. When you were not around, she was the one who made sure the house and the children were all well taken care of.”

As Natalie listened to Samuel’s comforting words, she glanced at Emma. A warm fuzzy feeling filled her heart.

Emma remained loyal to Natalie by keeping the house in check and selflessly looking after the children, even though her master was no longer around. Emma’s steadfast loyalty touched Natalie deeply.

“When she’s awake, I must reward her handsomely.” Natalie smiled.

Meanwhile, Emma’s shriek could be heard loud and clear throughout the house. The five children upstairs wondered what had happened to make Emma scream that way. Filled with curiosity, they began to make their way down.

Soon after, the hurried footsteps of five children could be heard from the stairs.

“Mrs. Bunton, what happened? Where’s the ghost?” Franklin was the first one who came down. His little face was filled with concern.

As the one leading the pack, naturally, he would be the first to see Natalie. Upon first look, Franklin’s entire body froze as if he was nailed to the ground. He stared at Natalie perplexedly while mumbling, “Are my eyes playing a trick on me? Or am I dreaming?”

The other four children became confused when they saw Franklin standing there, still as a statue.

But as the four of them noticed Natalie, they stood dumbfounded too. They stared at her with their eyes and mouths wide open.

I’m sure I saw Mommy’s dead body—it was cold like ice. After that, Daddy brought a small box home. Mrs. Bunton said that Mommy was inside the box. But now… Mommy is standing in front of us? The same thoughts ran through the little children’s confused minds.

Natalie had not fully recovered from her injuries, so she still looked quite pale and frail. Moreover, the earlier commotion caused by Emma made the five of them believe the Natalie standing in front of them was their mother’s spirit!

Mommy must have missed us so much that she returned to see us in her spirit form! Boohoo… That must be it! Each of them was overwhelmed with emotions, being able to see their mother again.

“Mommy’s ghost is back!” Sophia wailed loudly in between broken sobs.

Oh goodness, what am I to do now? Natalie felt absolutely helpless at that moment. Well, it looks like Emma is not the only one who treats me as a ghost, even the children think I’m one too!

Just as Natalie was in a dilemma deciding whether to rush over and hug the children but risk frightening them, the five little ones ran to her without hesitation. They clung tightly onto her legs like tiny accessories hanging from a Christmas tree.

Natalie’s heart melted as she watched their adorable faces and actions.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 1209 Rest Well--The five kids bawled their eyes out with their noses dripping and tears sliding down their faces. “So what if this were a dream? I wish this dream would last longer,” Franklin declared.

“I miss you so much, Mommy!” Clayton cried. Xavian chimed in. “Mommy… Mommy, do you know how much I missed you?”

“I’m scared of ghosts, but a ghost that looks like Mommy must be a good ghost!” Yumi shouted. “Exactly! It’s okay, even if she’s a ghost! I will never let go of such a nice ghost! If Mommy dies, I’ll die with her!” Sophia sobbed, gasping for air.

The five children said those childish words amid their tears, and upon hearing them, Natalie did not know whether to laugh or cry.

She wanted to laugh at their childish words, but she also felt like crying as she was touched by their love for her.

In her absence, all of them had lost quite a lot of weight, especially Sophia. Their once plump face had lost their roundness, and their chins had become more defined.

Being the five children’s mother, Natalie felt her heart clench painfully, and a lump grew in her throat.

“I’m sorry. I promise I will never leave you all again,” Natalie declared, her voice hoarse.

Only then did the five of them raise their heads in unison to gaze at her upon hearing her words.

Blinking her watery eyes, Sophia said, “S-She isn’t a ghost! Ghosts have no feet, but this mommy has feet, which means that this mommy is not a ghost. Mommy is still alive!”

Natalie stroked Sophia’s head, smiled, and nodded. “Yes, I’m not a ghost. I’m human. I’m back!”

As they touched Natalie’s warm hands and saw her familiar face, the five kids were so exuberant that they almost danced with joy.

“Yay!”

“I knew it! Our mommy is the best! There’s no way the bad people can kill her so easily!”

“Mommy, welcome back!”

“Mommy, you promised! You can’t leave us for so long next time!”

“I love you, Mommy! I’m glad nothing happened to you!”

The kids surrounded Natalie and told her their longing to see her.

Natalie also basked in the joy of being reunited with her children. Just like how they missed her, she also missed them very much.

Just then, Emma was also awakened by the kids’ clamoring. Seeing how they interact with Natalie, she felt a shiver run down her spine. “Oh my god! What’s happening?” she stuttered.

Billy chuckled. “Emma, do you still not understand?”

“What?” Emma asked, still confused.

Clayton ran to Emma and grabbed her weathered hands. “Mrs. Bunton, you’re so dumb! This is not Mommy’s ghost! This is Mommy! She’s back alive!” he shouted excitedly.

Although Emma did not know what exactly had happened, she was still reduced to tears, emotional to see Natalie alive and well before her. “Ms. Nichols, it’s good to see you return safely! I can eat more today!”

Samuel did not disturb their reunion and let Natalie do whatever she wanted, but upon seeing cold sweat build up on her forehead, he interrupted, “Let’s continue tomorrow. It’s getting late, and your mommy needs rest.”

Reluctant to part with Natalie, the children said hesitantly, “C-Can we…”

Before they could complete their sentence, Samuel threw them a cold glare, and they fell silent. In the end, the five uttered in unison, “Mommy, rest well,” before quickly returning to their bedrooms.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 1210

A Cue for Love Chapter 1210--Cannot Resist--Just like how the five were reluctant to part with Natalie, she was also reluctant to part with them. After the kids left, Natalie glared at Samuel and whined, “Why are you so strict with the kids?”

“You are injured, and you need rest without them disturbing you.” “But—”

“You can do whatever you want once you’re healed. “I—”

Natalie still wanted to argue, but suddenly, Samuel swept her off the floor into his arms. “Samuel, Mrs. Bunton and Billy are watching!”

“They’re not outsiders anyway.” “Why are you…”

Samuel’s dark eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. “It has been so long, yet you’re still shy?”

How am I shy? I am becoming less shy, but you’re getting increasingly daring! Awkward, Natalie pushed Samuel, but he had no sign of putting her down.

His embrace was domineering yet gentle, his chest wide and warm. Seeing her rejection yielded no effect, Natalie decided to just snuggle in his arms and enjoy his service of carrying her upstairs.

Samuel walked steadily, and upon entering the bedroom, he placed her gently on the bed as if she was his priceless treasure.

Natalie’s heart skipped a beat when she felt his love for her, and she didn’t retract her hands from him. Instead, she curled her arms around his neck to bring him closer.

Supporting himself with one hand, Samuel stared at Natalie intently as his brows slightly furrowed.

“Don’t mess around, Nat. Rest well.”

Natalie gazed at him, bemused.

Mess around? How am I messing around? Why don’t I know I’m messing around?

Amid her confusion, Samuel had already lowered himself before kissing her domineeringly and passionately.

I know she’s still injured, and I shouldn’t do this to her, but when she wrapped her soft hands around me and stopped me from leaving, my self-control is out of pocket. I tried controlling myself, but I failed.

Desire coursed through him as he threw caution to the wind.

Usually, Natalie did not indulge in bodily pleasures but seeing Samuel’s gorgeous face and him being bedazzled by her, she could not help but lose herself in the kiss.

Samuel was skilled, so she let him lead her like a good student.

Rationale gradually left them as they lost themselves in the kiss.

When Samuel finally let go of Natalie, his breathing was still ragged. If he did not let her go, things would not end with just a kiss.

No matter how much he desired it, there was a limit to certain things.

“Go to sleep. You will have some delicious food when you wake up,” Samuel cooed as he stroked her face.

“I look forward to it!” Natalie smiled and lightly grabbed the corner of his shirt. “Samuel, I want to see you when I wake up.”

“Of course.”

Upon hearing his response, Natalie let herself fall asleep feeling reassured.

Only after he saw she was asleep and helped tuck her in did he leave.

…

Meanwhile, the bullet in Bastien’s leg had been removed, and his wound was now wrapped in layers of gauze.

He lay in bed, dispirited as if he had fallen from the heavens to the ground. His energy and confidence when he was a prince had vanished. Now, he was more like a zombie.

As Frieda did not trust that the servants could take care of Bastien well, she took care of him herself. Seeing her son in such a state made her heart ache. “Bastien, pull yourself together.”

He made no reply and only stared blankly at the top of the bed.

Frieda could only look at him with mixed feelings of disappointment, frustration, and sorrow.

Just then, Lucien came to check on Bastien’s leg wound.

Bastien knew Lucien was one of the royal physicians who treated Natalie, so he could not help but ask anxiously, “Dr. Dalton, how’s Natalie? Is she recovering well?”