Ch. 221..230

A Cue for Love Chapter 221

An Eye For An Eye

When Jacyntha saw Natalie’s pathetic state, her fury subsided a little.

“You and Chris belong in two completely different worlds! If you have dignity, you should take the initiative and stay away from him. Don’t obstruct his path!”

Staring at the young woman in front of her, Natalie smirked. A cold glint flashed across her eyes.

She shot a cold glance at the motionless sales associates and demanded, “Pass me a bottle of water.”

Even though she was being bullied, she still exuded a charismatic and cold aura. Her eyes were crystal-clear and bright.

When the sales associate met her gaze, she felt an inexplicable sense of intimidation. Hence, she subconsciously passed a bottle of water and a piece of tissue to Natalie.

Instead of taking the tissue, she grabbed the bottle of water instead.

She twisted the cap open, placed the opening over Jacyntha’s head, and emptied the bottle on her.

As the bottle of water had just been retrieved from the fridge, it was quite chilly. Not only did Jacyntha become drenched, but she also shivered from the cold.

At that moment, everyone, including Jacyntha, was stunned.

She watched helplessly as Natalie poured the entire bottle of water over her. Still immersed in shock, she did not move a single inch.

It took a while before Jacyntha finally returned to her senses.

Widening her eyes, she screamed, “W-Who do you think you are? How dare you splash water over me?”

Natalie capped the bottle slowly. Her eyelashes fluttered as she glanced at Jacyntha. “Your brain’s heating up, so you need to cool down. Do you think that any woman who’s by Christopher’s side is your enemy? Can you please figure out the situation before targeting everyone?”

“Are you saying that—”

“I’m not trying to say anything,” interrupted Natalie coldly. “If this happens again, things will end uglier than this.”

“Y-You…”

Right then, Jacyntha was completely drenched, looking as pathetic as Natalie.

Ignoring her furious glare, Natalie strode out of the jewelry store.

She was just an innocent bystander who had been implicated for no reason.

Previously, she even assumed that the heavens were so kind to her that she got a snakeblood fruit for free.

As expected, the snakeblood fruit came at a price.

When Natalie walked out, she bumped into Christopher.

He noticed the coffee stains on her clothes and the cold expression on her face. “What happened to you? Who bullied you?”

Shooting him a chilly glance, Natalie uttered, “Now that I’ve eaten and chosen a gift with you, don’t forget to ask Nicholas to send the snakeblood fruit that you’ve promised me.”

When Christopher saw how distant she was acting, he grabbed her wrist. “I’m asking you a question! Who bullied you?”

Natalie was still fuming mad about it. Now that Christopher kept interrogating her, she glared at him and yelled, “You…”

“What?”

“It’s you!” Natalie smirked coldly. “Let go of me! Aren’t you bullying me right now?”

Christopher released her subconsciously. Once the opportunity arose, Natalie spun around and left unhesitatingly.

When Christopher returned to the jewelry store, he saw Jacyntha bursting into tears.

“Chris…” When Jacyntha saw Christopher, she became even more upset. She pounced into his arms and complained through sobs, “That woman poured water all over me. I’m so cold now!”

“Were you the one who splashed coffee on her?”

Christopher’s gaze was so sharp that Jacyntha felt a chill run down her spine. She could sense that he was extremely angry now.

“Jacyntha, I’m asking you this. Were you the one who splashed coffee on her?” Before she could reply, Christopher repeated his question.

She vented all her grievances onto him immediately. “So what if I was the one who splashed her with coffee? You’re my fiancé, so who is she to stay by your side? Why can she enter your mother’s room? Why do you treat her so specially?”

A Cue for Love Chapter 222

Her Fragility

Christopher’s gaze was filled with indifference when he gazed at Jacyntha.

“Jacyntha, since when did you become my fiancée? Why don’t I know about it?”

Jacyntha was sobbing so much that she could hardly catch her breath. “Of course I am! The Smith family and the Collins family think that we’re a perfect match. There has never been any woman by your side other than me. With all that, can’t I be considered your fiancée?”

Christopher closed his eyes and emphasized, “Jacyntha, you’re not. You’ll never be my wife—be it in the past, present, or future. I allow you to stay by my side because I treat you as my younger sister. I have no romantic feelings for you.”

Jacyntha was merely upset at Natalie’s words.

However, when she heard Christopher’s words, she felt like a bomb had just exploded in her heart.

“You can’t treat me like this, Chris!” Ignoring the sales associates staring at her, she burst into tears and wailed, “I like you so much that I’m dead set on marrying you! Do you think that I’m evil because I bullied that woman? Is that why you said all that? I can apologize to her and seek her forgiveness, but please don’t say something like that!”

“Jacyntha, is it possible for you to stop liking me?”

“I… I can’t do it.” Jacyntha’s tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Similarly…” Christopher continued coldly, “I can’t make myself fall in love with you. I’ve already got my eyes set on someone else, and that person isn’t you.”

Jacyntha bit her lips. Despite her devastation, she kept clutching Christopher’s shirt.

However, Christopher pried her fingers away expressionlessly, not even sparing her a single word of consolation.

Watching as he left ruthlessly, Jacyntha burst into a crying fit.

It’s all that woman’s fault! That freckled woman has stolen Christopher’s heart!

Ever since young, my biggest wish is to marry Chris. To me, he’s my entire world. However, this woman just made me lose everything I have.

Still crying, Jacyntha swore that if she could not secure Christopher for herself, Natalie would not either.

Since she could not bear to harm Christopher, she would make life a living hell for Natalie.

The wind was exceptionally cold that night.

After being drenched in the rain and splashed by coffee, Natalie wrapped her arms around herself. She was tired and mentally exhausted.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

When she saw that it was a call from Xavian, she forced herself to become more energetic.

“Hello, Sweetheart!”

“Mommy, I’m in Mr. Morin’s car now. Franklin and Sophia are here too!”

“What?” Natalie frowned. Although it was normal for Franklin and Sophia to be fetched back to the Bowers residence, it was absurd that they had brought Xavian away too.

“Mr. Bowers wants me to live with Franklin and Sophia for a while.” After a slight pause, Xavian continued carefully, “Also, Mommy, I… I want to live with them for a while too.”

When Natalie heard that, she felt like her heart had just been ripped into pieces. A sad feeling engulfed her.

Since Clayton was out filming a show, she only had Xavian with her.

Yet, Xavian was gone as well, having been snatched away by Samuel so easily.

“Are you unhappy, Mommy?”

“No…” Natalie pursed her lips. “Okay, I understand.”

After ending the call, Natalie bit onto her lips. Tears started welling up in her eyes.

She did not know why, but she suddenly felt very aggrieved.

First, she could not cure Yana without the dragonblood fruit. After that, she was splashed with coffee for no reason. Then, Xavian moved to the Bowers residence. With all these added up, she could not contain her emotions any longer.

Once she returned home, she did not turn on the lights.

Instead, she sat onto the ground in the dark.

At that moment, a man walked toward her slowly and stopped.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 223

You Are The Truth In My Eyes

“Who is it?”

Natalie looked up tearfully.

Click! Samuel appeared before her eyes as the corridor lit up.

He had defined cheekbones, a chiseled jaw, deep-set eyes, and exuded elegance in a chic black dress shirt.

Natalie quickly picked herself up from the ground as she wasn’t used to exposing her weakness to others.

“You!”

Natalie wanted to hide her weakness but figured he had probably seen her crying in the dark.

She felt as if she had been stripped bare in front of him.

“Samuel, what are you doing in my house? And why didn’t you turn the lights on? Is it fun to watch me cry in the dark like that?”

Natalie didn’t know why she poured her heart out to Samuel just like that.

Even though life wasn’t easy in the last five years, she had never made herself vulnerable to anyone before.

Her mind was in a mess at the moment as she laid her feelings bare for him.

“Samuel, I hate you so much! I don’t want to see anyone at the moment. Why do you have to be here?”

Fck it! I don’t give a dmn anymore.

Natalie vented out her anger and frustration at him.

He’s probably going to want to eat me up alive for being so rude to him.

Just as she thought Samuel was about to slam the door and leave, he suddenly pulled her in for a warm hug.

“Yes, it’s horrible of me to see you in such a state, but I don’t think it’s fun at all. My heart is aching for you. You can tell me if you’re sad and angry, or you can hit me, bite me, or even vent your anger out at me if you don’t want to talk. Just don’t hide yourself up in a corner and cry…” Samuel muttered.

Natalie’s heart skipped a beat.

But this has nothing to do with him. Is he not aware of it?

Why is he still trying to comfort me when I’m doing this to him?

“Samuel, can you differentiate right from wrong?” Natalie scowled.

“Differentiating right from wrong?” He squeezed her tight and took a deep whiff of her herbal scent. “You may be wrong in the eyes of the world, but you will always be right in mine. I don’t care what others think of me, I only care about how you think of me.”

Natalie went beet red upon his words.

She couldn’t handle his sweet confession.

“Samuel, how many romance novels did you read to come up with that?”

“Nat, I’m speaking from the bottom of my heart.” Samuel hugged her tight and stroked her hair. He said in a firm tone, “I know you have your goals. You yearn to become stronger, and I won’t stop you from doing so. In fact, I will be supporting you from behind. You can come to me whenever you’re hurt or tired. I will be a shoulder for you to lean on. I will have your back no matter what happens.”

Natalie’s eyes glistened with tears at that.

She had never felt so pampered in her life. The warmth she felt caused her defenses to crumble.

“Samuel, I want to have my revenge…” Natalie cried her heart out in Samuel’s arms as if she was a wounded beast. “They took away things that mattered to me most in my life… I have to get my revenge!”

For me, my mother, and my granddad.

It had been five years since she bottled up her anger and resentment.

This was the first time Samuel ever heard Natalie talk about her past hurts.

Even though he knew her heart was in tatters, his heart still ached for her when he heard her say it out loud.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 224

The Smile Of The Devil CEO

Just as Samuel thought Natalie would lay her emotions bare in front of him, she pulled away from his embrace.

“I’ve made a fool of myself today…” Natalie croaked.

Samuel felt utterly defeated as her gaze turned cold and distant.

Looks like the pain and hatred in her heart are stronger than her love for me.

Natalie was being too rational for her own good. In fact, she was even more rational than Samuel. She didn’t want this relationship to turn into a weakness of hers.

Okay. I will respect her decision.

The more distant she acts, the more I will pamper her. I will pamper her till she only has eyes for me.

“Nat, everything I’ve said to you today is my promise toward you.” Samuel stared at her as he spoke in all seriousness. “You can do whatever you want, but you can only belong to me. No one else can lay a finger on you.”

Natalie looked him in the eye and was surprised to see the determination in them.

She was able to control her feelings around him this time around.

But what about next time?

Can I really hold back my feelings for him?

The next day.

Natalie received a message from Christopher telling her to come down to Collins Corporation personally to collect the snakeblood fruit.

She arrived at Collins Corporation and registered herself at the reception.

“Hello, I’m looking for Christopher.”

The receptionist, who had on heavy makeup, couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but I have a message from him.” Natalie handed her phone over to the receptionist.

However, the receptionist didn’t even spare her phone a glance. “Tch, you call this evidence? All you did was find someone to send this message to you and name that contact after our CEO. Do you really think I will believe you?” the receptionist said coldly.

Natalie frowned. “Your CEO really is the sender.”

“Then why don’t you give him a call?”

Natalie called the number without another word.

It went through but nobody picked up.

The receptionist gave Natalie a sidelong glance. Hah! I knew it.

“Can’t get through? I knew it. You’re a liar. How did you even know our CEO with that face of yours? Do you really think insignificant people like you can meet our CEO?”

Natalie smirked as her aura suddenly turned icy.

“I’ll give you another chance. Can you please give your CEO a call? Tell them a Ms. Natalie is looking for him.”

The receptionist was taken aback by her aura. However, she refused to take her seriously as she thought Natalie was probably just putting up a show. Hence, she continued speaking to her in a nonchalant attitude.

“Hello, do you not understand what I just said? You can’t meet our CEO without an appointment. I’m going to get the guards to drag you out if you keep up with this!”

Natalie turned around and was about to take her leave.

Just then, Nicholas walked out from the VIP elevator.

He quickly walked over to Natalie the moment he saw her. “Ms. Natalie, you’re here,” he said respectfully.

Nicholas had a complete change of attitude toward Natalie after Christopher’s recovery. They went from being at each other’s throats to him treating her with the utmost respect as if she was the medicinal herb goddess.

The receptionist parted her lips in surprise when she saw how polite Nicholas was toward Natalie.

This woman…

She’s not really here to meet the CEO, is she?

Before the receptionist could even register what was going on, Christopher entered the office building. He made his way toward Natalie the moment he laid eyes on her.

“Brat, you’re making such a big fuss about these medicinal herbs, and yet, you don’t give a d*mn about me. Are these herbs more precious than me?” Christopher smiled from the bottom of his heart when he saw Natalie.

Uhh…

The receptionist was stunned.

Did the devil CEO just smile? Is he directing his smile at the woman I just offended earlier?

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 225

Offended His Lover

Natalie gave him a look and replied matter-of-factly, “Mr. Collins, these medicinal herbs have everything to do with me, but you don’t.”

Christopher knew Natalie’s response was going to burn. Hence, he wasn’t the least bit offended by it. On the contrary, his gaze never left her as he observed all the subtle expressions on her face.

“Let’s move our conversation somewhere else, shall we? Let’s go to my office instead.”

Natalie gave the receptionist a meaningful glance. “Do I have the right to go up there without an appointment with Christopher?”

The receptionist, who was dressed to the nines, trembled in fear as Natalie fixed her with an icy stare.

“Y-Yes! Yes, of course!”

Christopher’s eyes glinted coldly. How dare she try to make life difficult for my Natalie? Does she have a death wish?

Before leaving for the CEO’s office with Natalie, Christopher shot Nicholas a look. The latter immediately nodded his head in acknowledgment.

After Christopher and Natalie left, the receptionist’s legs gave way. She fell to the ground and begged, “I’m so sorry, Mr. Collins… I didn’t know she was a good friend of the CEO… I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, can you please give me another chance? I won’t do it again!”

Nicholas crouched down in front of her and replied coldly, “It’s no use apologizing to me. You’ve offended the most important person to Mr. Christopher.”

“M-Most important person?” The receptionist couldn’t believe her ears. How did that ugly woman steal the CEO’s heart?

“Since you’ve offended the most important person to Mr. Christopher. Hence, you, and everyone you’ve referred into this company, will pay the price.”

Nicholas then whispered something to her in a low voice. The receptionist passed out after learning the consequences even though one could barely hear what Nicholas was saying.

Meanwhile, everyone else in the CEO office stared at Natalie with varying looks of curiosity and respect as she arrived at the top floor with Christopher in tow.

Natalie frowned. “You could have just passed the snakeblood fruit over to Nicholas. You don’t really have to do all this since you’re such a busy man.”

Anyone else would have been thrilled to be greeted personally by me, but she’s keeping her distance instead. Christopher smiled bitterly and replied, “I owe it to you to be able to have many more years after this. What is it to me if I were to spend the rest of my time with you?”

This…

Natalie wasn’t the only one who heard it. In fact, every employee who had passed by the CEO’s office heard it loud and clear. They were stunned.

What a lunatic!

Natalie felt justified calling Christopher a lunatic.

All I did was cure him of his illness. Why does he have to make it sound so wrong? People will misunderstand.

“Mr. Collins, can you please talk sense?” Natalie couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“I am talking sense. I mean every single word I just said.”

“Whatever.”

Natalie pursed her lips and followed Christopher into his office.

His office included the most modern furniture, the most sophisticated art, and the most luxurious decoration. It was tasteful, refined, and simple. However, the atmosphere of the room felt a little tense mainly because of its dark interior design.

Christopher’s secretary served Natalie a cup of coffee and two pieces of butter cookies.

The female secretary was dressed in a super short office skirt that showed off her beautiful curves and had her delicate features enhanced with clever cosmetics.

Natalie could feel the hostility emanating off of her as she met eyes with the female secretary. It was as if she wanted to eat Natalie up alive.

Natalie couldn’t help but sigh. Why are women still envious of me when I’ve already put on such an ugly hyper-realistic mask?

“Please enjoy.” The female secretary smiled sweetly at Christopher and left.

Christopher spoke up the moment she left. “You don’t like my secretary?”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 226

I Dare

Natalie took a bite of the butter cookie and commented, “She’s quite pretty, just not very friendly.”

Christopher drummed his finger on the table. “Nicholas, please fire Cherry,” he instructed the moment Nicholas entered the room.

Nicholas stared at him in disbelief. However, he immediately caught on as he turned to face Natalie and nodded in acknowledgment.

“Understood.”

Natalie couldn’t be bothered to comment after Nicholas left. She simply stared at Christopher as if he was crazy.

He’s crazy, so I shouldn’t be too surprised.

She had no desire to know Christopher, nor get herself involved with him.

In fact, she would keep her distance and stay as far away from Christopher as she could the moment she got her hands on the snakeblood fruit.

Christopher thought Natalie had a really unique character as she glared at him. She would never go along with the crowd nor ingratiate herself with the rich and powerful. On the contrary, she had a strong sense of self and was always level-headed.

Christopher reached out in an attempt to remove her hyper-realistic mask. It was as if he had been bewitched by her.

He couldn’t forget her real face ever since he saw what she really looks like when she passed out last time.

However, Natalie stood up before he could even lay a finger on her face.

A red-orange glow outlined her form as the sun’s late evening rays shone on her. “I’ve kept my promise to you. Isn’t it time for you to hand the snakeblood fruit you promised over to me?” Natalie said coolly.

Christopher froze in midair. He stared at his hand for a moment, burst into laughter, and put his hand down.

He then retrieved a wooden box from his drawer before handing it over to Natalie.

Natalie opened the box excitedly. Sure enough, there was a glowing bright red fruit in the box. There was even a faint scent of herbal wafting from it as she drew closer.

It was the snakeblood fruit.

Moreover, this snakeblood fruit had a stronger medicinal effect than the other three fruits she used on Yana.

Yana can have more time now. Natalie smiled from the bottom of her heart upon the thought, and her eyes shone in happiness.

“Thank you.”

Natalie closed the wooden box and thanked Christopher.

“I’ll be getting out of your way, then.”

Christopher knew Natalie was going to chuck him aside the moment she got her hands on the snakeblood fruit. However, instead of getting angry, he mentioned something that would pique her interest.

“Brat, you’re already so happy with one snakeblood fruit. I can’t imagine just how much happier you will be if I gift you the dragonblood fruit.”

Natalie paused when she heard him mention the dragonblood fruit.

“Do you know where it is now?”

“One of my doctors suggested that I use the dragonblood fruit to manage my pulmonary disease. Hence, I’ve been looking for it ever since.” Christopher walked over to Natalie. “The dragonblood fruit is of no use to me anymore now that I’ve recovered, thanks to you. However, I’ve recently received news of the whereabouts of the dragonblood fruit…”

“Really? So, where is it?”

Christopher smiled devilishly as he watched Natalie’s eyes lit up. “Brat, I only promised you the snakeblood fruit. Why should I tell you the whereabouts of the dragonblood fruit for no reason?”

Natalie saw this coming. However, she couldn’t help but try again for Yana’s sake.

“Then, tell me what you want me to do in order for you to disclose the whereabouts of the dragonblood fruit.”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? It’d mean the world to me if I could get my hands on the dragonblood fruit. The medicinal effect can help cure a good friend of mine.” Natalie narrowed her eyes and said coldly, “I promised her she would live with her husband to a ripe old age. So, I’m not in the mood to joke around with you.”

“I’m not joking around with you either. I just haven’t figured out what I want from you.” Christopher’s eyes lit up. “I can tell you the whereabouts of the dragonblood fruit first, but you’ll owe me one wish from now on. I will come to you the moment I figure out what I want. Do you still have the guts to carry on?”

Christopher thought Natalie would need some time to think about it. However, she replied without missing a beat, “Bring it on, Christopher.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 227

Darling Is Back

A peculiar glint flashed past Christopher’s eyes upon Natalie’s words.

He knew how merciless Natalie was on herself. Nevertheless, he never thought she would agree to his terms without even knowing what it was.

“Aren’t you worried that I’ll ask you to do some heinous crime?”

“Since you’re willing to tell me the fruit’s whereabouts before I even fulfill your wish, I reckoned that just proves you have a kind heart.” Natalie grinned mischievously. “Hence, you’re not as bad of a person as you look. There’s no way you’re going to ask me to commit a heinous crime.”

“You’re the first person ever to say that to me.” Christopher paused and changed the subject. “Nonetheless, you will have a hefty consequence to pay should you decide to renege on your words in the future.”

No matter. This is for Yana’s sake, after all. There’s no turning back now, was the thought that popped into Natalie’s mind.

“All right.”

“I will get my subordinate to prepare the message and email it to you by tonight,” Christopher said.

“Christopher.” Natalie’s eyes curved into a crescent shape as she smiled. “Thank you.”

In response, Christopher looked away and directed his gaze to the scenery outside.

Of course, Natalie didn’t know that Christopher shifted his gaze away because of her mesmerizing smile. She simply thought that her ugly hyper-realistic mask was an eyesore for him. Nevertheless, she wasn’t the least bit affected by it as she left Christopher’s office with a bright smile on her face.

Yana and Hans will live to a ripe old age once I cure Yana of her illness with the dragonblood fruit.

Back home.

Natalie immediately called Hans to tell him of the good news. She assured him that everything was going to be fine once she gets her hands on The dragonblood fruit.

She could tell that Hans’ eyes were brimming with tears of joy upon the news through the phone.

Yana’s illness was tormenting his heart as much as it was tormenting Yana’s body.

One could even say that Hans might be the happiest if Yana recovers, instead of Yana herself.

Natalie heaved a sigh of relief after hanging up the phone.

She then took out a tub of strawberry-flavored ice cream from the freezer, sat down on the sofa, and began to dig in.

After a few bites, the door to her house swung open.

Natalie placed her tub of ice cream down and turned to face the corridor. She saw a young boy with a baseball cap holding on to a small luggage bag standing in the doorway.

“Clayton?”

Clayton removed his baseball cap and made his way toward Natalie.

“Mommy, I’m home.”

“Clayton, you should have told me you were coming back.” Natalie’s eyes reddened when she saw him. After all, it had been a long time since she last saw her son.

She adored both Xavian and Clayton. However, she rarely had the chance to see Clayton ever since he started shooting dramas and commercials. Natalie couldn’t help but pinch the boy’s chubby cheeks the moment she saw him.

“Mommy… Stop… I’m a celebrity, you know…” However, he gave up the fight and allowed Natalie to do whatever she wanted with him.

“Well, I’m your mother.”

“Okay, fine, my Queen.”

Clayton may appear nonchalant, but he really missed Natalie’s presence.

He purposely kept it a secret that he was going home because he wanted to give Natalie a surprise.

“Darling, are you done filming?” Natalie asked after she was done pinching his cheeks.

“Yes, I’m done.” Clayton took out another tub of strawberry ice cream from the fridge as he spoke. “Yara never came on set ever since the rumor of the pre-recorded music. The director and producer were so pissed off that they got the screenwriter to turn the second female lead to the female lead. Hence, we finish filming my part early.”

A Cue for Love Chapter 228

Firewall Was Destroyed

Natalie nodded. “Very smart of your producer to cut off his losses like that, or else this drama would have been a flop. It wouldn’t be fair for the other actors and actresses if they had to pay for Yara’s mistakes like that.”

Natalie removed her hyper-realistic mask the moment she got home because it was too uncomfortable.

Clayton couldn’t help but gape when he saw Natalie.

“Mommy, she really looks exactly like you,” he exclaimed.

“Then, are you able to tell us apart?”

“Of course, I can.” Clayton nodded profusely. “You guys might have the same facial features, but the two of you carry yourselves very differently from one another. There’s no way I would mistake you for her.”

Indeed, Yara looked very pretty. However, her beauty was nothing compared to Natalie’s.

“Mommy, you should have joined the entertainment industry. You could have easily beaten Yara with your looks and acting skills.” Clayton’s eyes sparkled with admiration as he spoke.

“I’m not interested.” Natalie smiled faintly.

This was the biggest difference between her and Yara.

Yara liked to be in the limelight, whereas Natalie wasn’t the least bit interested at all.

Natalie felt much better now that Clayton was back by her side since Samuel had whisked Xavian away.

That night, she was waiting for Christopher to email her the whereabouts of the dragonblood fruit.

However, she received a call from Xavian instead.

Xavian’s panicky voice sounded from the other end the moment she picked up the phone.

“Mommy, bad news! The firewall that I’ve built has been hacked. All your personal information has been stolen.”

“What?” Natalie exclaimed. She never expected this to happen.

Even though Xavian was only five years old, he was way ahead in his hacking skills compared to many other adults out there. By this fact alone, it was obvious just how good the other hacker was.

“Xavian, do you know who it is?” Natalie frowned as she tried to calm herself down. “Do you know who stole my personal data?”

Xavian tapped on his keyboard before getting back to Natalie.

“It might be the Todds. They’re already tracking you down with the IP address and will probably find out who the anonymous female doctor is soon.”

“Julian?”

“Yes.”

Natalie remembered that name.

Just a few months ago, Julian offered her one hundred million if she would attend to him, but was rejected by her. She never thought that he would be so ruthless as to track her down like that when he was at the brink of death.

Natalie had mixed feelings about it.

If Julian was willing to go through all that trouble just for her treatment, she figured she would probably be buried alive if she refused to or failed to cure him.

Now that her identity had been revealed, she was in danger.

I don’t care much about myself, but what if they drag Clayton and Xavian into the picture as well?

“Xavian, just pretend this never happened. You mustn’t tell anyone about this.” Natalie narrowed her eyes and said coldly, “Not the Bowers, and especially not your brother…”

“G-Got it,” Xavian replied obediently as he was aware of how dire the situation was.

Not long after she hung up the phone, Clayton saw that Natalie had already packed his bags when he emerged from the bathroom.

“Mommy, w-what is the meaning of this?”

“Weren’t you and Xavian planning to get Samuel to become your stepfather behind my back?” Natalie smiled. “I’m going to take you there now so that you can get to know him better.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 229

In A Relationship

Clayton clenched his fists as tears brimmed in his eyes upon Natalie’s words.

“Mommy, are you sure?”

Natalie was completely distraught after her phone call with Xavian. However, she was able to keep her cool in front of Clayton.

“Do you and Xavian really want me to date that badly?”

“Mommy, our biological father is a b*stard. He doesn’t deserve you even if he’s still alive,” Clayton said matter-of-factly. “Samuel, on the other hand, is handsome, has a good figure, and is the head of the Bowers. Xavian also said he’s very good to you. So of course, he’s a man worth marrying. We’re not that naive to insist that our biological parents must be together. We only have your best interest at heart.”

All along, Natalie thought that her sons only got close with Samuel because they were yearning for a father’s love.

Turns out they just wanted her to be happy instead of enjoying a father’s love.

They wanted to pamper her even though they were only five years old.

I’m so lucky to be their mother.

“Clayton, remember this.” Natalie caressed his head and smiled fondly. “It would make Mommy happiest to see you and Xavian grow up happy and healthy. I don’t need you to make a name for yourselves because all I want is for the two of you to be healthy.”

After they left the apartment, Natalie hailed a cab and headed toward the Bowers residence with Clayton.

She received Christopher’s email on her way there.

Natalie felt her heart skip a beat when she saw his email.

The dragonblood fruit is with Julian?

What a twist of events!

Back then, Julian contacted her online to seek treatment. She rejected him for two reasons. The first one being she considered him a heartless businessman that didn’t deserve to be saved. The second reason was that there was no cure for his illness.

She learned TCM, not witchcraft. She was able to treat some of the illnesses that seemed severe because it still wasn’t life-threatening. However, there was nothing she could do for terminally ill patients. The acupuncture skills and medicinal books passed down by her grandad were of no help either.

Julian didn’t get enough rest during his early stage of illness and consumed a lot of illegal drugs. He had been running on empty for the past few years now since illegal drugs couldn’t help him anymore. When he finally realized he was on the brink of death, he began hunting for skilled doctors and famous medicines to treat himself.

The power to defy the laws of heaven and change fate only exists in novels.

It could never happen in real life.

Could it be that I’m destined to face Julian?

Clayton noticed how pale Natalie had become. He reached out and squeezed her hand. “Mommy, what is it? Why are your hands so cold?”

“It’s nothing.” Natalie smiled. “It’s just the wind.”

At the Bowers residence.

Gavin saw Natalie holding on to a little boy’s hand when he opened the door. There was even a small luggage bag in the boy’s free hand.

Gavin had seen a lot of good-looking children.

The Bowers’ fraternal twins inherited the Bowers’ superb genes, and they command attention wherever they go. Moreover, the little boy that followed Franklin and Sophia back a few days ago looked exactly like Samuel, so naturally, he too had superb looks.

However, the little boy standing before him at the moment outshone them all.

He had a pair of eyes that shone like black pearls, an upturned nose, and a grin that hung on his lips. His features were way more exquisite than any of the three kids combined.

“Ms. Natalie, this is…” Gavin asked.

“Gavin, this is my oldest son, Clayton.” Natalie turned to Clayton after her brief introduction. “You can call him Mr. Gavin, Clayton.”

Clayton was way more mature as compared to Xavian. “Hello, Mr. Gavin.” He bowed.

Gavin nodded and quickly let Natalie and Clayton in.

“Ms. Natalie, Mr. Samuel isn’t home yet. He’s still in the office…”

“It’s okay. I’ll wait.”

Natalie and Clayton could hear footsteps running down the stairs not long after they step foot into Bowers’ residence.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 230

Reunited

“Mommy!”

Xavian, Franklin, and Sophia ran downstairs, with Xavian taking the lead.

He clung onto Natalie’s leg the moment he saw her and looked up at her worriedly.

Natalie bent down and cupped Xavian’s cheeks. She then locked eyes with him to signal him to keep quiet about the incident.

A son knows his mother by instinct. So naturally, Xavian understood what she was implying.

He kept quiet even though he had a lot to say to her.

This was because he knew how much effort Julian had spent to locate her. She wanted him to keep it a secret not only because she didn’t want the others to worry, but also because of how dangerous the situation was.

Natalie didn’t want her kids to be involved in this mess. She was planning to handle it all on her own.

A veil of sadness shrouded his eyes even though he understood her intentions.

“I sent Clayton over since you’re all alone in the Bowers residence.” Natalie stood up and introduced Clayton to Franklin and Sophia. “This is Xavian’s big brother, Clayton.”

The four kids sized each other up.

Instead of hating on one another, the four of them felt as if they had been long-lost siblings even though they had different last names.

That was especially the case for Sophia. She quickly became the center of attention.

Sophia’s eyes shone brightly as she took in Clayton, Franklin, and Xavian. They were really gentle even though all three of them had different personality types. A sweet smile appeared on her face.

“I have three big brothers now besides Franklin. Welcome to the family, Clayton, and Xavian.”

Clayton and Xavian had always wanted to have a baby sister. As such, they clenched their fists tight as their hearts burst with excitement when Sophia referred to them as her brother. They swore to themselves that they would pamper Natalie and Sophia from this day onward even though Sophia wasn’t their biological sister.

After settling down, Franklin brought Clayton around the Bowers residence while Sophia followed behind with a teddy bear in her arms.

Meanwhile, Xavian stayed behind.

He frowned and turned to face Natalie. “Mommy, can I tell Mr. Bowers about the incident?”

“No.” Natalie shook her head and smiled. “I’m already knee-deep in this mess. It’s best if fewer people know about this.”

“But—”

“No buts, Xavian. Listen to me.”

Clayton’s room was soon ready under the instructions of Gavin.

At nine in the evening.

Natalie thought all four of the kids would go straight to bed after she bathed them.

However, much to her surprise, Sophia tugged the corner of her shirt with one hand while holding on to her teddy with the other. Her eyes were glistening as she looked up.

“C-Can you tell us a bedtime story? Daddy promised he would, but he never did. Franklin has always been the one to tell me bedtime stories.”

Sophia had recovered from aphasia and would no longer stutter when she speaks.

She had a sweet and soft voice ever since then.

Natalie probably wouldn’t have agreed to it if the request came from the three boys.

However, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse Sophia. It felt as if she was her beloved child.

“Yes, of course!”

Natalie was surrounded by Sophia and the three boys when she read them their bedtime story.

She didn’t know why, but it reminded her of the fraternal twins she had lost.

If they’re still alive right now, can I tell them bedtime stories and put them to bed like what I’m doing right now?

Natalie suppressed her emotions and started reading them a fairytale.

The kids listened to her with gusto even though her storytelling tone was flat.

They only returned to their rooms reluctantly to sleep when she declared that she was tired.

After the four kids fell asleep, Gavin walked over to Natalie and said, “I don’t know when Mr. Samuel will get back. I’ve already prepared a room for you. Do you want to get some rest first?”

Natalie planned to leave first thing tomorrow. Hence, she must meet Samuel that night.

“Gavin, you should get some rest. I’ll wait for him in the living room.”