Ch. 361..370
A Cue for Love Chapter 361
Nichols Everywhere
“Got it, Clayton.”
After nodding with conviction, Xavian ran to the telephone poll and made the emergency call.
“Hello? Miss? I’m now at a telephone pole with serial number L-109X. There’s an old man here holding his chest in pain as if he is having a heart attack…”
While Xavian was making the emergency call, Clayton looked around for a public defibrillator.
Previously, he was intrigued to see them and had asked Natalie about their usage.
Given his interest, Natalie not only told him on how to use it but also demonstrated it once for him.
Even though Clayton had only seen it used once, the steps were clearly seared into his mind.
“Mister, the ambulance will be here anytime soon.” Pasting the metal strips of the defibrillator on Kenneth’s chest, Clayton reassured him, “Hang in there. My mom told me before that the will to live is extremely important. I know you’re in terrible pain, but I beg of you. You have to endure it!”
Despite how Clayton was trying his best to stay calm, his heart was already pounding furiously.
After all, he was aware that Kenneth’s life was in danger.
For the sake of saving a life, Clayton had no choice but to steel himself and get it done.
Glancing at the child by his side, Kenneth could see the concern in his eyes.
At that moment, Kenneth put all his hopes of survival on the two children.
Despite being amused by it, Kenneth was invigorated by the children’s motivational words.
Just when Clayton pressed the “shock” button on the defibrillator, it sent a current through Kenneth, causing his body and limbs to shake.
Five minutes later, the ambulance and medical staff arrived.
Sprawling on the ground, the medic checked Kenneth’s condition and found that his heart rate was recovering. When he turned and saw the children with the used defibrillator, he couldn’t help but gape in shock.
“Were you the ones who defibrillated the old man?”
After exchanging glances, Xavian and Clayton nodded in unison.
Having confirmed it with his own eyes, the medic was stunned on his feet.
Still worried about Kenneth’s condition, Clayton reminded him, “Mister, quick! Although I have defibrillated him, you had better send him to the hospital to be examined as soon as possible.”
Regaining their senses, the medics loaded Kenneth onto a stretcher and carried him into the ambulance.
“Clayton, shall we go with them?”
“Yes.” Clayton nodded. “Xavian, what about you?”
“My sentiments exactly.”
Having reached a consensus, the children got into the ambulance together with the medics.
Even though there was professional medical staff present, the children were still worried about Kenneth.
To them, their concerns would only be allayed when they were sure Kenneth was safe. In fact, they were surprised at how much they cared and couldn’t explain why.
Amidst his grogginess, Kenneth’s heart warmed when he saw the two children looking at him anxiously.
If not for them, he knew he would have lost his life by the street.
Soon, the ambulance arrived at the hospital where the doctors gave Kenneth a full-body check-up.
Fortunately, the children had used the defibrillator correctly and called the ambulance in time. Hence, the doctor declared that Kenneth was in a stable condition.
Shortly after, Kenneth regained his consciousness.
“Ahem, ahem!”
With his hand connected to a drip, Kenneth struggled to sit up before looking at the two children.
“Both of you, what are your names?” he asked.
“Xavian Nichols.”
“Clayton Nichols.”
Nichols again?
Kenneth furrowed his brows, as he was surprised at the number of Nichols that appeared in his life recently.
A Cue for Love Chapter 362
I Can Make Wishes Come True
Yara Nichols, Natalie Nichols… And now, these two children too? Given how mediocre Natalie looks, these beautiful kids are probably not hers. Besides, sharing a surname doesn’t necessarily mean that they are related.
When he saw Kenneth deep in thought, Clayton asked, “Mister, what are you thinking about?”
Obviously, Kenneth wasn’t going to tell the children what was on his mind.
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “Considering how young you boys are, where did you learn how to save someone suffering from a heart attack?”
“Mommy taught us,” Clayton declared proudly with his brows raised. “Our mommy is an excellent doctor. She can cure diseases that ordinary doctors can’t. Thus, I have picked up a thing or two from her.”
Since Clayton was singing the praises of their mommy, Xavian chimed in, “Mister, my brother isn’t exaggerating at all. Mommy’s skills are truly a sight to behold. Many rich patients have to even queue to be treated by her.”
These two looks to be the same age as Franklin and Sophia.
Having seen how the brothers saved him in a manner even professionals couldn’t, Kenneth could imagine how skillful their mother was in medicine.
“Since you saved me,” Kenneth gradually remarked, “I owe you a debt of gratitude. Thus, I’ll grant you whatever you wish for.”
Xavian and Clayton exchanged glances at each other.
They had saved Kenneth solely because it was the right thing to do. It had never crossed their mind that they would be rewarded for it.
When he didn’t get a response, Kenneth assumed that they were too scared to tell him about it. Hence, he gently persuaded, “I can fulfill any wish you can think of. To be honest, I’m a rich and powerful man. Whatever you want, I’ll definitely be able to make it happen.”
After hearing Kenneth’s offer, the children huddled in a corner and started discussing.
Kenneth couldn’t help but laugh.
Children will always be children. How could they not be tempted by having a wish granted?
Since fate had brought them together, Kenneth took a liking to the children. Thus, he was ready to grant them whatever they ask.
Once the brothers completed their discussion, they returned to Kenneth’s side.
Feeling curious, Kenneth asked, “Have you made up your mind? What do you wish for?”
The brothers answered in unison, “Mister, we don’t want anything from you. Just a word of thanks will suffice.”
Kenneth couldn’t believe his ears.
“Erm…”
He had allowed them to ask for anything they wanted. Thus, he was surprised by their request.
“Is a word of thanks all that you want?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Yup.”
The brothers nodded at the same time while their eyes glistened with sincerity.
Due to his influential position, Kenneth always had people willing to serve him. Even when he owed someone something, he would quickly repay it with expensive gifts. Therefore, he realized that he had never thanked anyone in decades.
Hence, he was taken by surprise when the children only asked for a word of thanks instead of gifts.
Clearing his throat, Kenneth gathered himself and remarked with a struggle, “Th-Thank you.”
Clayton and Xavian replied with a smile, “Mister, don’t mention it. Mommy has taught us to always do good and not expect anything in return. After all, happiness derives from the simple things in life.”
Do good and not expect anything in return.
Pondering upon the children’s words, Kenneth figured that their mother was likely someone exceptional to have raised them up this way.
A Cue for Love Chapter 363
Getting Close
“It seems your mommy has taught both of you very well,” Kenneth exclaimed.
The brothers naturally agreed.
That goes without saying! Our mommy is the best in the world!
“Mister, since you are fine now, my brother and I will take our leave.” Clayton bowed at Kenneth and advised, “As the weather has suddenly turned cold today, it could cause your blood vessels to shrink. Therefore, remember to keep yourself warm. Lastly, we wish you a speedy recovery.”
Following in the footsteps of his brother, Xavian added, “Mister, get well soon.”
Kenneth nodded in acknowledgment.
He had always liked children and was naturally fond of Franklin and Sophia.
Now that he had met the brothers, he adored them even more. In fact, he even wished that they were his great-grandchildren.
“Boys, wait.”
“Hmm?” The brothers stopped in their tracks and turned to look at Kenneth.
Picking up a pen and a piece of paper, Kenneth wrote down a string of numbers and handed it to them.
“Xavian, Clayton, this is my number. When you go home, you have to add me on WhatsApp. I like you boys very much and hope we can be friends.”
Kenneth’s fondness for the boys was actually mutual. For some reason, the brothers felt a sense of familiarity with him.
Receiving the piece of paper, Xavian replied with a smile, “We will keep in touch.”
“All right.” Kenneth grinned in relief.
After bidding Kenneth farewell, the brothers left the ward.
Sitting on his bed, Kenneth reminisced his encounter with the brothers in detail.
After all, he truly adored them.
Even though they didn’t ask for anything, he felt the urge to pamper them.
In fact, he even planned to meet their mother to ask her permission for them to be his god great-grandchildren.
After the brothers exited the ward, they proceeded to leave the hospital.
Upon reaching the ground floor lobby, they heard the footsteps of stilettos striking the marble floor. It sounded especially jarring to their ears.
When they raised their gazes, they were greeted by the sight of Yara dressed in a white jacket and rushing into the hospital.
As she was in a hurry, she didn’t notice the brothers.
“Clayton, why is she here?”
“Beats me.” Frowning, Clayton added, “She is someone that always pretends to be a damsel in distress. She even put up a convincing show in front of the investors. Although she resembles Mommy in terms of looks, her character is the exact opposite. Thus, it’s better that we don’t make contact.”
“I understand.” Xavian nodded. “Clayton, let’s hurry back to the kindergarten. The driver will be anxious if he doesn’t pick us up.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Meanwhile, back in the ward, Yara knocked on the door and rushed in.
“Grandpa, are you all right?”
“Yara, calm down. I’m fine.”
Kenneth couldn’t resist relating to her about how two five-year-old boys saved him. However, Yara wasn’t paying attention as her gaze kept drifting out of the ward.
Given that an outsider like her was there, she expected Samuel to arrive anytime considering how serious the matter was.
With her mind distracted by the wait, she didn’t catch Kenneth when he mentioned that the boys were also Nichols.
After finishing his story, Kenneth couldn’t help but feel awed by the coincidence.
Nevertheless, Yara didn’t respond to him as she was engrossed in her own plan. She suggested, “Grandpa, given how serious your chest pain was today, shall I inform Mr. Coleman and get Samuel and Steven to visit you?”
A Cue for Love Chapter 364
The Heir
In response, Kenneth shook his head. “It’s just an old ailment of mine acting up. Just drop a note to Mr. Coleman will do. There’s no need to tell Samuel and the others.”
Realizing that her plan had failed, Yara grew anxious.
“Grandpa, shouldn’t you tell Steven and the others? Or else, they will be even more worried when they find out you are hiding it from them.”
“Just do as I say. Samuel and Steven are busy enough with work.” Kenneth shot Yara a glance and gradually added, “Besides, don’t I have you here? With you, the miracle doctor, by my side. I’m sure this old bag of bones will be fine.”
Yara’s expression darkened.
Da*n it, how dare he orders me around.
She was just pretending to be concerned and didn’t expect him to take her seriously. Is he really making me responsible for caring for him in his old age?
Even though she cursed Kenneth to die early, she was still reliant on his support. Therefore, she couldn’t afford to offend him.
Despite her exasperation, she forced herself to eke out a smile.
“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely take good care of you.”
“Thank you, Yara.”
Lying in bed, Kenneth couldn’t help but think about the brothers. Just the thought of them caused him to smile.
The next time he saw them, he planned to buy them the most expensive toys and reward their mother with a huge sum of money. It was to thank her for raising such good children.
Lost in thought, he didn’t notice the grumpy expression Yara had when she served him water.
After leaving the hospital, Clayton and Xavian rushed back to the Kindergarten.
“Where did the two of you run off to behind our backs?” Franklin demanded when he saw them return.
“Did you sneak out for some delicious snacks without telling us?” Sophia fumed.
Clayton and Xavian told them about their plan for hacking Johnson Group’s financial systems, causing Franklin and Sophia’s ears to prick in interest.
That night, they were taken to dinner alongside Samuel and Natalie, while Xavian and Clayton stayed at home. As a result, they saw with their own eyes how Natalie was accused and ridiculed in public.
Since they were powerless to help, they felt comforted that the brothers had vented their frustration on their behalf.
However, Clayton and Xavian only told them about the hacking incident but not the part where they saved Kenneth.
After all, Natalie had always taught them not to brag about such deeds, as that was how things were supposed to be. In fact, not helping would actually go against their conscience.
Consequently, the brothers didn’t think too much of the matter and didn’t see the need to bring it up.
After chatting for a while, the four of them were picked up by the driver and sent home.
Under Gavin’s watchful eye, the children finished their food obediently.
It wasn’t until eight in the evening that Natalie came home.
Subsequently, Clayton and Xavian knocked on the door to her study.
“Mommy.”
“Mommy.”
They then entered with a paper and pen.
“Does the kindergarten need me to sign your homework?” Natalie supported her chin with one hand. “Haha, if you’re in a rush, you can let Clayton forge my signature. Given how good he is at it, it shouldn’t pose any problems.”
Speechless, Clayton rolled his eyes at her. “Since when does a mother teach her children to commit such deeds?”
Natalie rubbed his chubby cheeks. “That’s because all of you are so smart that there’s nothing for me to worry about.”
When Clayton’s face was pinched by Natalie, Xavian asked innocently, “Mommy, the reason we’re here is to ask you what medication should an elderly man with heart problems take?”
The moment she heard the question, Natalie let go of Clayton’s face and raised her eyebrows in delight. “Have both of you finally taken an interest in medicine? Your great-grandfather will be proud to know that he now has heirs to the Bayer family’s century-old medical techniques.”
A Cue for Love Chapter 365
Yara Is Exposed
Clayton and Xavian could only laugh wryly in response.
“Mommy, you know I’m more interested in computer systems.” Xavian put two of his fingers together awkwardly.
“I… I’m cool with learning medicine,” Clayton mumbled with a shrug, “but I don’t want to do it as a career.”
“In that case, why are you asking me such a question all of a sudden?” Natalie was slightly shocked.
Clayton and Xavian then pulled each other’s sleeves.
Clayton chuckled. “Mommy, Xavian and I have a friend whose grandpa’s heart isn’t doing well, causing him to suddenly collapse on the street. If not for the fact that he was treated in time, he would have ended up losing his life. Hence, we are seeking your advice, as we intend to help him. Given that you have a good heart and insanely good medical skills, I’m sure you can prescribe something for him that no one else can.”
Nodding in acknowledgment, Natalie took the pen and paper from Xavian’s hands and began writing.
Despite doing so, she sighed in disappointment.
The Bayer family’s medical techniques are only allowed to be taught within the family. At this rate, is it going to end with my generation?
Once she was done, the brothers quickly slipped back to their room.
There, they whipped out their phone excitedly and sent the prescription to Kenneth.
After that, they reminded him with a smiley emoticon: Sir, please get well soon.
Meanwhile, Kenneth put on his reading glasses and checked his phone upon hearing a notification sound.
He saw the prescription first and then the brothers’ warm message.
Growing up in the Bowers family, Kenneth always had to behave like an elder. Furthermore, he was surrounded by cunning figures all the time. He wasn’t trusted by everyone and neither did he trust anyone easily, even if they were related by blood.
As time went on, he began to grow aloof and distant from everyone.
However, the concern the brothers showed for him melted his heart considerably.
Adjusting his spectacles, Kenneth burst into a wave of hearty laughter.
Coincidentally, Yara walked in and was shocked to see him laughing while looking at his phone.
“Grandpa, what are you watching? Why are you laughing so happily?”
“Hmm?”
Waving his hand, Kenneth gestured for Yara to go over.
He showed Yara the prescription and asked, “Yara, come and take a look at this. Do you think it will help to improve my blood circulation and heart condition?”
When she saw the prescription, Yara was stunned.
The ingredients on the list were what she had been memorizing recently. After being questioned by Kenneth, the knowledge from her studies suddenly flooded her mind.
“Grandpa, did you find this prescription on the internet?”
“No, the two children who saved me sent it to me,” Kenneth replied without reservation, as he wasn’t trying to test Yara.
The moment she heard that two children had sent it to Kenneth, she pondered upon it.
Even someone as smart as I am finds learning traditional medicine difficult. Therefore, there’s no way two five-year-olds can be that intelligent. They must’ve copied it from the internet just to ingratiate themselves with Grandpa.
“Yara, what do you think?” Kenneth asked again.
“Grandpa, could the kids have copied it from the internet?” Yara smiled gently. “Hence, we can’t really be sure if it’s real or fake. Perhaps, you can acknowledge their good intentions, but it’s better not to try it.”
Nodding, Kenneth didn’t suspect Yara at all. “That’s true. It was really thoughtful of them still.”
After Yara left, Kenneth kept tossing around in bed, unable to sleep. For some reason, the prescription kept occupying his mind.
He then turned on his bedside lamp and put on his reading glasses. After that, he sent the prescription to an old friend who was knowledgeable about medicine.
A Cue for Love Chapter 366
Delightful Pregnancy
A few days passed since the controversy at the banquet. As a result, everyone had heard about Lia’s poisoning at the event.
Some speculated that Lia had an affair with Samuel, causing Natalie to poison her out of jealousy. Subsequently, the Bowers family covered it up to keep the peace. Others claimed that Lia had an insidious agenda. She planned to drive a wedge between Samuel and Natalie by poisoning herself and then creating an opportunity to step in.
Inside a bar, Yana was describing the rumors in high society about the event while Natalie was snacking away on chicken wings, leaving a pile of bones in front of her.
When she saw that Natalie barely reacted, Yana grew anxious on her behalf.
“Natalie, aren’t you bothered by the baseless accusations?”
“Of course I am.” Natalie grinned. “But that’s nothing I can do about it. The next time a new controversy breaks, they will naturally forget about what happened between me and the Johnson family. I won’t be the first victim and neither will I be the last.”
Upon hearing Natalie’s words, Yana’s serious expression was replaced by hearty laughter.
“If you were a man, I would get a divorce and be with you.”
Smiling wryly, Hans commented, “Yana, come on. I’m sitting right here.”
Just as he spoke, everyone else guffawed.
Instead, Natalie barely joined in and glanced at Hans. “Hans, now that she is pregnant, there’s no way she can leave with me even if I’m a man.”
“Pregnant?” Hans was stunned.
“I’m pregnant?” Yana gasped with her mouth agape.
Natalie nodded with a smile. “Yana, when I took your pulse just now, I noticed that you’re recovering well. At the same time, I have discovered signs of pregnancy. After a week, I expect the hospital to detect it during your check-up.”
Yana and Hans shifted from being shocked to crying tears of joy.
After all, no one else but them knew how it truly felt.
Consequently, the Becker and Weiss families were greatly indebted to Natalie.
None of them had expected Yana to not only have a long life in front of her but also become pregnant with a second child.
“Natalie, I really don’t know how to thank you.” Hans’ eyes reddened. “The Becker family and I will never forget what you have done for us.”
“Natalie, thank you.” Yana’s eyes were filled with tears.
Faced with the teary-eyed couple, Natalie panicked briefly before handing a tissue to Yana.
“Yana, since I’ve acknowledged Mr. Weiss as my godfather, you’re naturally my godsister,” Natalie explained. “Other than my mom and Granddad, I barely have any other relatives. It’s you, Hans, Godfather, and Godmother who have treated me like family. Therefore, there’s no need to be so courteous among family.”
Wiping away her tears, Yana nodded.
Watching the episode unfold, Yandel and Ross didn’t say a word. Other than being surprised, they soon realized that it made sense after all.
Natalie had always been that way. As a beacon of light, she had always moved others into following her.
Other than Yana changing her drink to fruit juice, everyone else raised their wine glasses in celebration.
Toward the end of the gathering, Natalie quietly went to get the check.
Just when she took a few steps, Natalie noticed that Yandel had followed her out.
“Boss, let me get it.”
“Since I’m the boss, how can I let you pay?” Raising her brows, Natalie asserted, “It’s settled then. Whoever is the boss pays.”
With that, Yandel didn’t insist and stayed behind Natalie in a servile manner.
After paying the bill, Natalie heard a woman’s drunken voice.
“Get lost! Don’t touch me… Take your filthy hands off me!”
A Cue for Love Chapter 367
She Had It Coming
Subsequently, Natalie and Yandel turned to look.
They saw Lia staggering forward while holding onto the wall for support. Beside her was a fat man constantly trying to put his arm around her shoulder.
Despite her struggles, the fat man kept trying to shamelessly pull her into his embrace.
Considering how common such a scene was in a bar, most of the patrons and the staff were numb to it and didn’t intend to intervene.
Natalie knitted her brows.
Lia had almost lost her life after ingesting poison. And now, she’s here getting herself drunk. Does she have a death wish?
When Yandel saw Natalie looking at Lia with a grim expression, he couldn’t resist asking, “Boss, do you know her? Do you want me to step in?”
“Yes, I do.” Natalie nodded. “Yandel, please help her.”
Recalling Lia’s apology before she threw up blood, Natalie figured that she wasn’t truly wicked.
She must have done it because Yara tempted her with something or is blackmailing her. No matter what, it doesn’t hurt to have her on my side.
Stepping forward with a devilish smile, Yandel grabbed the fat man’s arm.
“Let go,” he barked in a commanding tone.
The fat man scowled in response. However, after he felt the pain on his arm, his flabby cheeks began to tremble as he let Lia go in fear.
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again,” the fat man pleaded before turning around to flee.
Trying to find her balance, Lia looked up in a daze and pointed at Natalie.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“Ms. Johnson, it’s me indeed.” Natalie grinned. “I’m sure the last memory you have of me was when you puked blood and collapsed into Lionel’s arms, right?”
Yandel had extended his hand to support the drunken Lia in a chivalric manner.
Upon hearing Natalie’s words, he retracted them at once.
“Boss, that’s Lia?” Furrowing his brows, Yandel snapped, “Since you recognize her, why did you ask me to save her? Even if something happens to her, she is just reaping what she sowed.”
Yandel was never one to be sympathetic.
The fact that he managed to hold himself back from punching Lia was an achievement.
Releasing his grip, Yandel allowed Lia to tumble onto the ground. However, Natalie stepped forward to hold her up instead.
Yandel protested with a frown, “Boss, she’s not worth…”
“Yandel.” After Natalie gave him a look, he held his tongue knowingly.
“Ms. Johnson.”
Feeling conflicted, Lia closed her eyes and resigned herself to face Natalie’s revenge.
“Given that you have just been discharged from the hospital, you should take better care of yourself. Now, call your brother to pick you up.” Natalie plainly added, “All of us have only one life. The reason I helped you today is that I don’t want to see someone I have painstakingly saved throw her life away again. If you are really sick of living, I suggest you sign an organ donor form to donate your organs to those who want to live on.”
Natalie words were both candid and pragmatic.
Although she was cognizant of Lia’s sorrow, there were many others in the world who were suffering more than her. In fact, those people didn’t even have the ability to hurt themselves indiscriminately like her.
Having said her piece, Natalie turned to leave but had her arm grabbed by Lia instead.
“I’m sorry.” With tears streaming down her cheeks, Lia dropped to her knees in front of Natalie. “Ms. Nichols, I confess that I was out to frame you, but I had no other choice. That woman knows an important secret of mine. And because of that, I was forced to do what I did to you.”
A Cue for Love Chapter 368
Just The Beginning
With an innocent expression, Lia knelt in front of Natalie without warning.
Meanwhile, passersby at the bar began looking at them and eyed Natalie with disdain.
Natalie cleared her throat awkwardly. “Get up now.”
Biting her lips in guilt, Lia replied, “Lionel told me that you saved my life despite what I did to you. If it wasn’t for you, the Grim Reaper would’ve taken me.”
Her words stunned Yandel who was standing beside Natalie.
He hated Lia, as he only heard about how she framed Natalie. Thus, he didn’t expect her to express her remorse to Natalie. At that moment, it dawned upon him why Natalie, who wasn’t particularly merciful, had asked him to help.
Considering how drunk Lia was, Natalie pulled her back up from the ground.
“Yandel, go get a room and ask for a hangover remedy and hot towel,” Natalie instructed.
“Yes, Boss.”
With great efficiency, Yandel arranged for a VIP room where everything Natalie had requested was prepared.
After laying Lia down on the sofa, she handed her a bowl of the hangover remedy.
“You’ll feel a lot better after drinking this,” Natalie suggested indifferently.
Even though she didn’t hate Lia, it was still too much to expect Natalie not to feel wary.
Receiving the bowl, Lia began to sip gradually.
“Ms. Nichols.” Lia didn’t dare look Natalie in the eye.
“What is this secret of yours that’s so important?” Natalie asked.
“I… I…”
“Considering neither of us died in the end, I figure that your secret is still safe.” Natalie ran her fingers across the sofa and casually remarked, “That woman won’t let you off easily and is likely to blackmail you into hurting me again. Even if I died one day, do you think that would be the end? As long as she wants something and you are afraid of the secret being exposed, she will always have you by the throat; then, trapped you for as long as she lives.”
Lia had obviously thought about it. However, due to the immense fear she felt, she had never delved into it properly.
As a result, Natalie’s words jolted her into realizing that the banquet wasn’t the end of it. In fact, it was just the beginning.
Subsequently, Lia fell silent.
Giving her some space, Natalie allowed Lia to struggle through her own thoughts.
It took some time before Lia finally divulged her secret with tears welling up in her eyes.
Not long after her mother gave birth to her, she suffered from ovarian cancer and had her ovaries removed.
It wouldn’t have been a problem if they were an ordinary family. However, Lia’s grandparents, who were gender-biased toward males, wouldn’t accept the fact that her mother could no longer bear any children.
Given how close her parents were, her father refused to remarry. Therefore, they adopted Lionel from the orphanage and faked his birth certificate to show that he was a long-lost illegitimate child of his.
Now that the Johnson family had a son, the elders stopped pressuring Lia’s parents to break up.
As time went by, Lionel took over as the head of the Johnson family despite having no blood relations with them.
In conclusion, that was the massive secret protected by the Johnson family.
“On top of that, what else is there?” Natalie pressed on.
Taken aback, Lia stared at Natalie in disbelief.
Even Yandel reacted the same way. Isn’t what she said shocking enough? Is there something that’s even more explosive?
“Considering that you are the true daughter of the Johnson family, you would stand to benefit greatly if Lionel is exposed as an orphan.” Natalie continued, “Consequently, he should be the one that should feel threatened, not you. In fact, if his secret is revealed, the elders of the Johnson family would rally behind you to seize control of the family. So, isn’t that good for you?”
A Cue for Love Chapter 369
Condemned
That was the crux of the matter.
Initially, Lia had no intention to divulge that secret, but given Natalie’s keen observation, she knew that it was something she couldn’t avoid.
“Yup.” Lia sighed. “I like Lionel… I really don’t care whether or not I will lose my foothold in the Johnson family, but I don’t want Lionel to get affected. He works extremely hard and is a proud man. I can’t let anyone destroy him…”
After Lia finished speaking, Yandel took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
He put the cigarette between his lips and drew a deep breath.
Even if they were not blood-related, as long as a man and a woman were accused of incest, there would be nothing they could do even if they loved each other deeply.
Natalie took a glance at Yandel and was aware that Lia’s situation reminded him of Amelia and himself.
He had raised Amelia himself and treated her better than anyone else. However, they were also accused of incest and were condemned by the rest of the world.
Lia felt like a burden was lifted off her shoulders after saying that.
“I… I’m not afraid that she’ll hurt me. I’m just scared that she’ll hurt Lionel.” Lia sobbed. “Actually, when I first regained consciousness, Lionel had told me that you were the one who saved my life. I wasn’t grateful to you then as I didn’t understand why you did that. I thought I was better off dead… However, I realized that if I had died and Yara threatens Lionel, I wouldn’t be able to help him. As such, I decided that it was better for me to be alive so that she can just threaten me and leave Lionel alone. I’m so sorry… I have been living in regret every day… I’ve been thinking a lot but I’m still unable to come up with a solution…”
Suddenly, Natalie could feel her heart aching for the young lady in front of her and held Lia’s hands tightly.
“There’s nothing wrong with liking someone,” Natalie said softly. “If anyone has to be blamed, it would be Yara.”
“Am I going to continue living like this for the rest of my life?”
“Nope, you won’t,” Natalie replied, her eyes gleaming brightly. “You were shouldering this heavy burden all by yourself previously. Naturally, you’ll be tired. Since you’re willing to trust me with your secret, we will carry this burden together from now on. I won’t give her another chance to hurt you… Just promise me that you won’t make any hasty decisions. I’ll tell you what to do instead. You just have to follow my instructions.”
In fact, Lia was not exactly sure of Natalie’s background.
However, she could feel a surge of warmth in her heart just by looking at Natalie’s clear bright eyes.
It turned out that confiding in someone wasn’t as difficult as she had previously thought!
“Yes, Ms. Nichols. I will!”
“I’m just a little older than you. You can call me Natalie when it’s just the two of us.”
“Sure, Natalie.”
Lia flashed a rare smile. It was a beautiful and gentle smile that extended to her eyes.
A short while later, Lionel arrived at the bar to pick Lia up.
He caught a whiff of alcohol from her and chided with worry, “You shouldn’t be drinking right after you got discharged!”
“Lionel, I’m sorry…” Lia stood in front of Lionel and tugged at the hem of his shirt. “I… I won’t do it again,” she said sweetly.
“Are you already thinking of an ‘again’? I’ll teach you a lesson when we get back,” Lionel said to Lia in a stern manner before turning to Natalie. “Ms. Nichols, I’m really sorry that Lia has bothered you again tonight.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Natalie replied with a smile.
After that, Lionel helped Lia out of the bar.
Yandel looked at the pair as they walked away and said, “Boss, have you already noticed that something didn’t seem right?”
“Yup.” Natalie did not deny that. “I only got to hear about the Johnson family’s secret in its entirety today. However, during the banquet that night, I’ve already noticed that Lionel and Lia care a lot about each other. After all, it’s very difficult to hide your feelings for someone…”
“So what if they like each other?”
“Yandel, shall we make a bet?”
“What do you want to bet on, Boss?”
“If Lia and Lionel end up together, I hope that you will also give it a shot with Amelia,” Natalie said.
A Cue for Love Chapter 370
An Aloof and Elegant Wild Beast
Lionel wasn’t the only one who went to the bar to get someone.
Shortly after Natalie and Yandel returned to the private room where Yana, Hans and the rest were at, Samuel arrived.
The moment Samuel entered the room, all eyes fell on him.
“I’m here to pick Nat up.”
Natalie turned around when she heard that.
The man was dressed in a black coat.
Even though the design and cutting of the coat were simple, it perfectly accentuated Samuel’s well-sculpted features, enhancing his elegance and charisma. It was almost unbelievable that such a good-looking man existed.
Although no one spoke, everyone was well-aware of the relationship between him and Natalie.
Err… Did he just call her Nat?
No one would have believed that the head of the Bowers family had such a tender side to him, if they had not heard it with their own ears.
Indeed, everyone had an Achilles’ heel. It was obvious to everyone present that not only was Natalie Samuel’s Achilles’ heel, Samuel was also head over heels in love with her.
Natalie was already used to the man addressing her that way, but it was the first time he had called her that in public.
A blush of embarrassment spread across her cheeks as she stood up and bade farewell to Hans and his wife, Yandel and Ross.
“I’ll take my leave first then.”
Everyone smiled as they said goodbye to Natalie.
Once the woman walked out of the private room, she asked, “Why did you suddenly decide to come and pick me up?”
“Just because I miss you,” Samuel replied, fixing his deep-set gaze on Natalie. “Actually, I’m constantly missing you. It’s just that I have to work and can’t keep you by my side all the time. I did think of recruiting you into the company so that I can see you whenever I want to but after second thought, I decided to drop the idea.”
“Why?” Natalie asked. “Were you worried that I would reject you?”
“Nope.” Samuel smiled gently and continued, “I’m worried that I’ll be too distracted at work.”
“I’m glad you realized that.”
Natalie followed Samuel to his Hummer and got into the car.
Right after she fastened her seat belt, the man leaned over and pulled her into his arms.
“Samuel, you…”
“How much did you drink?” Samuel questioned, narrowing his eyes.”
“Samuel, I didn’t drink much today,” Natalie touched her heart and replied sincerely. “I’m telling the truth!”
“I’ll know after I check.”
Check?
How’s he going to check?
Did he really spend money on a breathalyzer just to make sure I don’t get drunk?
While Natalie was still deep in thought, Samuel pressed his lips against hers domineeringly.
“Mmph…”
Natalie’s lips parted slightly and the man took the chance to force his tongue into her mouth, exploring every inch of it.
As the action was too intense for Natalie, she moved backward instinctively. However, since she was sitting in the passenger seat with her seat belt fastened, she was stuck with nowhere to go. As such, she could only succumb to Samuel’s advances.
The woman had once thought that Samuel was a cold and restrained man.
However, after getting to know him better, she realized that it was just a facade that he had put on.
Underneath that aloof and elegant surface, he was simply an insatiable wild beast who was always yearning for her body.
Samuel gradually made his way downward with his lips. After unbuttoning Natalie’s blouse, his kiss reached her…
The man was behaving like a dehydrated traveler who had suddenly discovered an oasis in a desert, sucking on her thirstily.
Natalie’s body tensed up instantly and she tugged at Samuel’s hair. At that moment, she was unable to decide if she should pull him closer or push him away.
In the end, they did not go all the way.
Samuel suddenly stopped his movements and covered the woman’s body with his coat.
As he had ripped off her blouse rather forcefully earlier on, Natalie’s buttons had popped off to some corner of the car.
“Nat, just three more days… and it’ll be my birthday…” Samuel whispered into her ears.
Natalie looked away shyly and did not reply.
Awoo!
Does it mean that it’s just three more days before… he eats me up?