Ch. 41..50

A Cue for Love Chapter 41

The Inexplicable Jealousy

Samuel’s calm breath started to turn heavy, and he withdrew his arm. Then, he turned to leave.

Looking at his back, Natalie was baffled by his weird attitude.

Didn’t he want to punch me in the face? Why hasn’t he said anything and just walked away?

She racked her brain for a long time but still could not figure it out. What did I do to anger him again?

After she had used the restroom, Natalie walked back to the restaurant. She noticed that Ross was the only one sitting at the table, and Xavian was nowhere to be found.

“Where is Xavian?”

“He said he wanted to use the restroom urgently.”

“But, I didn’t see him on my way back here.”

Afraid that she would be worried, Ross offered, “Why don’t I go to the men’s restroom and look for him? After all, he is still a small kid.”

“There’s no need for that.” Natalie then took a gulp of her drink and smiled wryly. “You won’t find him in there. He must have wanted to go somewhere else but was afraid that you would be worried and decided to lie to you. Don’t treat him as a mere five-year-old kid; he’s more cunning than most adults.”

Upon mentioning Xavian, the corner of her lips lifted into a smile. He could feel that there was a sense of pride coming from her.

She knew that if the enticing night and the events that followed thereafter six years ago were a nightmare, then Clayton and Xavian were the light that chased away the darkness that the heavens had given her.

If it were not for them, she would not use all her final strength to jump down her window and run away.

Narrowing his eyes, Ross said slowly, “I’m curious as to what you have been through. Why do you say things that feel as if whatever that happened to me had happened to you as well?”

“It must be something very similar.” Natalie’s smile disappeared, and then, her eyes turned cold. “It so happens that I had been treated highly by my closest and beloved family and then thrown into the deepest, never-ending abyss in an instant.”

It was easy for Ross to guess it correctly, but hearing it personally from her was a different story.

Looking at her from the side, he thought that even though she was talking about it casually, there was a possibility that what she had gone through was more challenging and a thousand times more painful than what he had experienced.

Meanwhile, Samuel was standing outside of the restaurant.

His gaze was fixed on the table near the window at the man staring at Natalie, seemingly lost in thought.

He could not hear what they were discussing. However, Samuel could clearly feel that she was letting her guard down in front of the man and allowed him to see her in her most fragile state.

Who is this man? How could he make Natalie look like this?

With his deep eyes turning dark and grim, his face became rigid, and the aura exuded from him turned the surrounding temperature down a few notches.

Samuel was frustrated, and his perfectly long fingers took out a stick of cigarette from its box. Suddenly, a crisp tiny voice sounded next to him.

“I look so much like you, sir!”

Narrowing his eyes, Samuel turned to look at the young kid standing in front of him.

The young kid was very adorable. Furthermore, his cherubic face was red, and his eyes glinted energetically.

As the kid was still very young, he did not have sharp features on his face. One look at them would not let anyone think that the two looked similar. However, once he looked at the young kid closely, Samuel could definitely say that he could find some similarities between them.

Surprisingly, the similarities between them exceeded the similarities between him and Franklin.

“Yeah.”

Even though he did not deny it, Samuel’s face remained expressionless.

So what if we look similar? I don’t think this young kid is my son.

He knew that he had only been tricked once. Moreover, he had only slept with a woman once, and it resulted in Yara bringing Franklin and Sophia into the Bowers residence.

If there were more children, I don’t think Yara would pass on the excellent opportunity.

As he lighted his cigarette up, the blue flame flickered around Samuel’s fingers.

The young kid furrowed his eyebrows slightly. “Sir, Mommy doesn’t like the smell of cigarettes. Can you stop smoking for the sake of Mommy?”

Samuel’s lips twitched. He glanced at the young kid and asked, “Why would I do that?”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 42

Wanting To See Her

“Are you single, sir?”

Samuel was rendered speechless.

“If you don’t say anything, I will assume that it is true.” The young kid blinked his clear eyes once and tilted up his chubby face. “Mommy is also single. You are compatible with each other.”

Looking at the young kid, he thought the boy looked as old as Franklin and Sophia and that would mean he was either four or five years old. However, the tone of his voice was mature.

Samuel stubbed out his cigarette and asked lightly, “Did your mother teach you to say that?”

“I did not tell her that I’m here to see you.”

“You lied to her?”

“She doesn’t think that you can be my stepfather and keeps telling me to give it up.”

Upon saying that, Xavian shook his head dramatically. It’s really tough for me as a son to keep track of Mommy’s personal affairs. She really worries me.

“Really?” With disdainful eyes, Samuel snorted in disbelief.

“Sir, I’ve investigated your background. As the head of the Bowers family, you are an excellent man. But Mommy is pretty good too. She is a woman who has the looks and the brain. If you don’t want to pursue Mommy, there are many others who want to pursue her. I can find someone else for her.”

Xavian spoke with a serious note. However, Samuel merely leaned down and ruffled his hair unhurriedly.

“You can find another person for your mommy.”

Xavian did not think that Samuel would reject his proposal. Therefore, when he heard the reply, he was stunned and looked at Samuel in disbelief.

“Y-You…”

“There’s a woman that I want.” Samuel narrowed his eyes and continued, “Therefore, I’m not interested in other women.”

It was Xavian’s turn to be speechless.

Stunned once again, he clenched his fingers into tiny fists.

“Since you don’t like Mommy, you will regret it sooner or later.”

Samuel withdrew his hand and did not respond. Then, the corner of his mouth lifted into an ambiguous smirk.

He did not like children except Franklin and Sophia. Moreover, he did not like a self-righteous kid.

However, even though the young kid had said things that he did not like to hear, there were no feelings of hatred toward him. It could very well be because Xavian looked very similar to him.

Regardless, that was all.

Samuel then turned to leave the place. Meanwhile, Xavian’s chubby face was getting rounder as frustration grew in him, and there was a frustrating look in his eyes.

“You will regret it sooner or later for liking another woman and not Mommy. If you come running to me crying, I will not help you. We’ll just wait and see!”

After paying for their meal, Natalie and Ross came out from the restaurant and saw Xavian looking angry.

“Sweetheart, did somebody bully you?”

“I’ve met a self-righteous man.” Then, Xavian looked at Natalie and smiled sweetly. “The man had made a bold statement to me, but he will regret it soon.”

“Man? What man?”

“Mommy, you don’t know him. I’ve only met him just now.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Meanwhile, after taking his car out of the parking lot, Ross gave them a ride home.

Xavian sat at the back seat, and Natalie occupied the passenger seat. After they had settled down, Ross started the car.

At that moment, three men came out of the restaurant.

Steven and Yohan did not notice the car, but Samuel’s gaze was fixed on Natalie and Ross sitting inside it.

The car passed the three of them quickly, and Samuel continued to stare at it. As he was giving them his full attention, he did not notice the small head at the back seat leaning on the window.

On the way to the Bowers residence, Samuel did not say a word and was feeling down.

Upon reaching home, he looked at Gavin and asked, “Where are Franklin and Sophia?”

“Inside their room. They aren’t asleep yet.”

“Thanks.”

After getting the reply, Samuel walked upstairs and knocked on their bedroom door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

Once they heard Samuel’s voice, Franklin rushed to open the door.

In the Bowers residence, Franklin was not afraid of anyone except for Samuel.

He was well-known for being a mischievous little brat by other people. However, he did not dare to do the same when Samuel was around. Standing in front of him, Franklin crossed his barefooted legs with confusion and restlessness on his face.

“Daddy, it’s late. Is there a reason why you’re looking for me?”

Does he know about my fight with the rotund kid and the fact that I’ve made him cry?

When he thought about it, Franklin turned intimidated at once. He was afraid that Samuel would start scolding him.

While Franklin was waiting for the interrogation to start, Samuel’s low voice was heard above his head.

“Franklin, do you want to see Natalie now?”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 43

This Is Considered Lying

Upon hearing Natalie’s name being mentioned, Sophia walked up to Samuel and nodded vigorously.

Although we have been contacting Natalie on the internet, a meeting in person will be so much better.

Franklin glanced at his sister briefly and nodded his head as well. “Of course, we want to!”

Even though he wanted to see Natalie as well, his tiny eyebrows were furrowed by the thought of it. Then, his clear eyes looked at Samuel warily.

“But, it’s not right. Didn’t you disapprove of me being with Natalie, Daddy?” His eyebrows knitted more tightly as he continued to recall more things. “Are you trying to trick her into coming so you can bully her because I like Natalie very much?”

“Can you stop calling her that affectionately?”

“Why can’t I call her that way? She agreed to it.”

“Even if she had agreed to it, I don’t agree to it.”

“Daddy, you…”

Franklin was pissed off as he would never have thought that Samuel would stop him from pursuing a girl he really liked.

Meanwhile, Samuel was in no better situation than Franklin was. If he did not confirm that Franklin was his son, he would have thrown the young kid out of the Bowers residence.

“Do the two of you want to see her or not?”

Franklin and Sophia exchanged looks and nodded in unison.

“Franklin, you have to do this. I will give her a call later…”

After listening to Samuel’s plan, doubt appeared on Franklin’s chubby face. “Daddy, t-this is lying to Natalie, isn’t it? If she finds out, won’t she think that I’m not innocent anymore?”

“Then should we not?” Narrowing his eyes, there was a glint of subtle softness in Samuel’s eyes.

For a while, Franklin had an internal conflict within himself. Finally, he could not refuse the temptation of meeting Natalie and spoke in a serious tone.

“Daddy, let’s lie.”

Meanwhile, Ross had sent Natalie and Xavian home safely.

After cleaning himself up, Xavian went back to his bedroom to play on the computer. Natalie, on the other hand, went back to her bedroom and looked at the financial reports that Yandel had sent to her.

It was rare for her to show up in Dream, but she was still the one who decided on the management strategy from afar.

After she had finished reading the reports, Natalie took off her hyper-realistic mask and was planning to take a bath to release her stress.

At that time, her phone suddenly rang.

Glancing at the number, it was from the Bowers residence. Could it be Franklin?

“Hello…”

“It’s me, Samuel.” The deep, magnetic male voice came out from the other end of the phone.

Natalie was stunned. “You?”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m currently…” Natalie glanced at her mask and continued subconsciously, “Getting ready to take a bath.”

“With your sweetheart?”

“He has finished showering. We are going to call it a night soon.”

After answering his question, Natalie finally realized that she did not have to answer him. This has nothing to do with him, right?

However, her answer made him more frustrated. With a grim look, he said, “I need you to come to the Bowers residence now.”

“Samuel, it’s nearly ten o’clock!”

“Franklin has an upset stomach, but he doesn’t want to see the doctor. He wants to see you.” He added in a heavy tone, “I don’t know whether it’s real or not. But, I remember someone telling me previously to treat the children more gently.”

As long as it has something to do with the two children, she will be willing to help me.

She bit her lip and could not retort back.

Even though she was suspicious about Franklin having an upset stomach, she knew that it could also be true.

As such, won’t Franklin be waiting for me?

“Got it. I’ll go.”

Samuel’s cold eyes turned warm, and his lip curled up into a smile. “I will reach your house in fifteen minutes.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 44

Used To Sleep Alone

Natalie came out of her house and spotted the car parked under a street lamp.

The yellow light under the street lamp stretched a man’s already long silhouette even longer.

Just his back alone was enough to make people assume that he could be a handsome gentleman, and Natalie was no exception. She looked at the figure while lost in thought.

When he heard the sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs, Samuel slowly turned around and fixed her with a stare.

As Natalie was worried about Franklin’s health, the first question that came out of her mouth when she approached Samuel was about him. “How is Franklin?”

“Not so good.”

Biting her lips, Natalie could not hide the look of concern in her eyes.

Samuel opened the passenger door for her, and Natalie entered the car worriedly.

On their way to the house, Samuel started to speak.

“You may not be able to go back home tonight,” he said with a smirk.

“I know.”

“Won’t your sweetheart be bothered about it?”

Upon hearing the question, Natalie was dumbstruck. She cast a look at the man driving next to her.

“I went to check on him before I left the house. He is already asleep. He won’t be bothered by it.”

Samuel caught on to her words quickly. “You and him… Aren’t you sleeping together in the same room?”

“No, I’m used to sleeping alone.”

Her answer made his gaze turn gentle. Then, he smiled.

She had noticed his smile and furrowed. “Samuel, it seems like you are very concerned about my sweetheart.”

“Yes.” Samuel snorted and glanced at her briefly. “If there is an opportunity, I would like to meet him.”

She could not find any fault in his statement.

However, Natalie gave it a deep thought, and she could feel the presence of jealousy in it.

Is this… jealousy toward a love rival? But, it can’t be. My face is full of freckles, and even I’m not too fond of it. Could it be that Samuel can see through it and has noticed my inner beauty?

With both of them lost in their thoughts, they did not speak anymore.

Upon reaching the Bowers residence, Natalie followed Samuel in.

Gavin saw her and waved. “Ms. Nichols, it is fortunate that you are here. Why don’t you hurry upstairs and check on Mr. Franklin? He has an upset stomach and doesn’t want to see a doctor. He only wants to see you.”

Natalie and Samuel exchanged a brief look, and her heart tightened.

She quickly put on indoor slippers but did not realize she had worn them incorrectly. Then, she went straight to the bedroom on the second floor.

Gavin wanted to see the situation as well but was stopped by Samuel.

“Gavin, it’s late. Get some rest.”

“But, what about Mr. Franklin?”

Samuel answered lightly, “I’m here with her; Franklin will be all right.”

Gavin was still worried about other matters, but he knew that his concerns were too much when he looked into Samuel’s determined eyes.

“Gavin, we’ve made you worry too much tonight.”

“It’s my responsibility.”

Watching Samuel walking up the stairs, a sudden thought formed in his mind.

Evidently, Ms. Nichols looks more like a mother to Mr. Franklin and Ms. Sophia than Yara. The concerned look on her face for her own children… I’ve never seen a similar expression on Yara’s face. Anyhow, I do understand why the picky Mr. Franklin and Ms. Sophia like Ms. Nichols so much even though she is not beautiful now.

Meanwhile, in the children’s room, Franklin could hear the sounds of urgent footsteps. He started to think hard and act quickly.

“Sophia, Natalie is here. I’m going to my bed.”

Sophia knew that Franklin needed to act sick. Hence, she nodded obediently to inform him not to worry.

Upon reaching the room, Natalie saw Franklin lying on the bed and covering his stomach. She could hear him groaning softly.

“It hurts… Am I dying? I want to see Natalie… Before I die from pain, I wish that I could see Natalie once.”

The others did not say anything.

At first, Franklin wanted to act dramatically and yell in pain. However, during their rehearsal for the situation, Samuel had stopped him from doing it.

In the end, Samuel had to demonstrate and instruct him to follow how it should be done exactly.

As such, what Natalie would see was Franklin curling up into a ball on the bed. She did not concern herself about other matters and approached him quickly. “Franklin, how long have you been in pain? What are the symptoms? Did you eat anything weird?”

His only intention was to see her, and when she had appeared in front of him, Franklin was satisfied.

However, when he saw that Natalie had believed his acting, Franklin could not do anything other than continuing the act.

“Natalie, I-I… I don’t know how long it has been. But, it hurts a lot.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 45

That Woman Is Not Our Mommy

Natalie was so concerned and anxious that she failed to catch the guilt that flashed through Franklin’s eyes.

“Lift your shirt,” she ordered.

Franklin’s eyebrows furrowed. He was hesitant as he was unsure why Natalie wanted him to do that. Moreover, he did not know whether he should obey or not.

The boy glanced toward Samuel, silently pleading him to give an order.

Samuel narrowed his eyes. “Didn’t you hear what Ms. Nichols said, Franklin?”

Without further hesitation, Franklin gritted his teeth and did as he was told.

After feeling around his stomach, Natalie realized that the child in front of her was faking his stomachache

She looked into his eyes and maintained eye contact for a few seconds until he lowered his head and averted his gaze.

How could he fake his sickness just to see me? He would get accused of crying wolf if he repeatedly does this. What will happen if he actually falls sick, and the Bowers family ignores him?

Franklin was not sure what to do. The sight of Natalie remaining silent made him even more anxious than he was before.

“Natalie, I… I think I’m fine now,” he stuttered. “You’re really my medicine! Just the sight of you made my stomachache go away.”

Natalie could see through the boy easily, yet she chose not to expose him. “It might be a mental stomachache. Drinking more water should help soothe it.”

Both Franklin and Sophia released breaths of relief after hearing what Natalie said.

Natalie caressed Franklin’s cheek before turning around to Samuel. “Mr. Bowers, could you kindly get Franklin a glass of warm water?”

Samuel, who was leaning on the doorframe, nodded slightly and went downstairs to get the water.

At that moment, the only people remaining in the children’s bedroom were Natalie and the siblings.

Natalie furrowed her brows. “Franklin, lying is not the right thing to do.”

Her words made Franklin nervous all over again. “Natalie, I-”

She cut him off before he could even finish his sentence. “I’m glad that you wanted to see me, but this isn’t the right way,” she said, her tone serious. “I’m not mad, but I’m definitely disappointed. I care a lot about you, which was why I came in such a hurry. But knowing that you lied to me made me feel as if my worries earlier were useless and ridiculous.”

After hearing that, Franklin’s expression immediately fell. He could not even think of anything to refute her.

Sophia, too, with her head hung low, stood obediently and listened to Natalie’s scolding.

“I’m sorry, Natalie,” Franklin apologized.

Natalie was glad. “Learning from your mistakes is what I admire from a boy.”

“But…” Franklin hesitated. After mustering up all his courage, he continued, “Sophia and I would like to see you every day. Could you move in with us?”

Though Sophia was unable to speak, her lively eyes were filled with anticipation.

Natalie, on the receiving end, was shocked by Franklin’s words.

Move in? With what justification?

She already had her two sweethearts, Xavian and Clayton.

No matter how much she liked Franklin and Sophia, they were ultimately not biologically related to her.

Even if there were various reasons behind the separation of Samuel and their mom, they still had their own mom. It was not her duty to move in and take care of them.

“I can’t,” she refused.

“Why?”

“There’s no reason to that,” Natalie stated with a smile. “You and Sophia have your daddy. Naturally, you also have your mommy. If I move in with you guys, your mommy will be very sad,” she explained patiently.

Upon the mention of their mom, Franklin and Sophia’s expressions darkened.

There was a hint of fear on Sophia’s face as she started rubbing her hands together.

“That woman who only tries to butter us up?” Franklin questioned, his expression livid. “She’s not our mommy!”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 46

He Wants To See Her

The siblings’ reactions were out of Natalie’s expectations.

“Don’t say that. What if your mommy has her reasons?” Natalie tried. “There’s no mother in this world who does not love her child. She would feel extremely hurt if she heard what you just said.”

Franklin and Sophia liked Natalie a lot, but they had to disagree with her.

Franklin turned his head to the side and sneered. “That woman does not love us at all! She just wants to fulfill her celebrity dream. She’s using me and Sophia to gain favor with Daddy!”

Even Sophia, being the soft girl she was, disliked Yara.

Soon, Natalie figured out what was going on.

The mother of the children treated them as bargaining chips to marry into the Bowers family. No wonder they resented her so much.

“I could stay in contact with you guys. I can even promise to visit as frequently as I can.” This was Natalie’s first time appearing so determined in front of the children. “But I can’t promise the rest,” she concluded.

Although she adored the twins from the Bowers family, she could not just take care of them because of her liking toward them.

Not only would their mother oppose, but their father, Samuel, would do the same as well.

The atmosphere in the room immediately took a turn. The originally cheerful children looked like deflated balloons.

Just then, Samuel returned with a glass of warm water in his hands. Natalie asked Franklin to drink a few sips. After that, she put the two children to bed with the reasoning that Franklin needed more rest.

Despite her decision not to move in, the children still adored Natalie.

Natalie’s words were like law to them.

They obediently went to bed, accompanied by the lullaby sung by Natalie.

Soon, it was midnight.

Feeling tired, Natalie massaged her stiff neck as she exited the children’s bedroom.

Samuel had stayed with her the entire time while she was pacifying the children.

“Thanks,” he stated as soon as they were face to face.

Without the presence of the two children, Natalie’s attitude changed. “Mr. Bowers, it’s unlike you to call for me even when you knew that the children were faking it.”

“How did you know that I’ve known all along?”

“You’re always putting up a front in front of Franklin. You actually care for him a lot. Yet, you appeared to be unusually calm when he was supposedly sick today,” Natalie explained. She lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. “I told you that Franklin only needed to drink warm water to soothe his stomachache, and you didn’t question it at all.”

Samuel hummed in response.

Natalie thought that he would at least try to explain himself. She did not expect him to admit it so easily.

A thought flashed through her mind. She bit her lips and asked, “You did it on purpose?”

“The children wanted to see you, and I wanted to see you, too,” Samuel answered. His eyes were unreadable. “If you think that I did it on purpose, then I won’t deny it.”

Natalie’s eyes widened. Why do these words sound so misleading?

Deep inside, she kept telling herself that she was just imagining things.

Since when did he start speaking like this to me? I must be imagining things!

“You sure are a jokester, Mr. Bowers,” Natalie remarked with a sneer on her face. “I won’t beat around the bushes. I understand Franklin and Sophia wanting to see me, but what do you mean when you said you wanted to see me?”

As their eyes met, Samuel strode toward Natalie with his long legs.

He was much taller than her. Their height difference made her feel small.

Natalie did not want to move, but as he got closer to her, she could not help but back up.

In no time, she was backed into a corner.

“Tell me,” Samuel huskily prompted. “What do you think a man desires when he wants to meet a woman?”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 47

I Have Children

The distance between them was too close. Moreover, Samuel’s exquisite facial features were very alluring.

Natalie had to tell herself repeatedly to keep it together. Yet, she could feel her face burning up as the blood rushed to her cheeks.

I don’t like him. I definitely do not like him.

No matter what the twins’ mother was like, Samuel had children with her. That meant they had a special relationship.

Furthermore, Samuel was close to Yara. It was possible that they had an unspeakable relationship.

Aside from that, no man would find Natalie’s freckled face charming.

She placed her hand against Samuel’s chest. “Your jokes are getting out of hand. You could easily get any woman you want. Don’t tell me you like women like me? My freckles are hereditary. They will get worse as I age. Are you sure you won’t get disgusted by them?”

She was not trying to mock herself. Instead, she was trying to annoy Samuel.

“I won’t,” he deadpanned.

Natalie’s eyes widened as she raged, “Are you blind?”

“What do you think?” Samuel retorted, his gaze locked on her face. “Beauties get hit on by too many people. It’s better to be slightly ugly. That way, no one would hit on you.”

“You-” Natalie could not even finish her sentence. She was utterly defeated by his logic.

Did he damage his head or something? Or is it because he has seen too many beauties that he finds my hyper-realistic mask fresh and unique?

“But do you know…” Natalie paused halfway through her sentence.

“What?”

“Do you know that I’m a mother?” Natalie asked. She moistened her lips and glared at him provokingly. “It seems like you don’t know. Well, I have not only one, but two sons.”

A glint of anger flashed through Samuel’s eyes when he heard her words.

“You don’t even know me well, and you know nothing about my past,” she stated, taking the chance to push him away. “So don’t try to use the children’s liking toward me to make me their new mommy and give them a complete family. Blood is irreplaceable. I’m not their mom. Moreover, I have my own children that need my care.”

Samuel was irritated. Natalie, on the other hand, was nonchalant.

Sure, he could bear with ugliness.

However, she did not believe that he could bear with the fact that she was the mother of two children.

“When did this happen?” he questioned.

“Does that matter?” Natalie questioned back. “What matters is that I did not lie. I have, in fact, given birth to children.”

“Natalie.”

She poked him on the chest. “Samuel, I advise that you get rid of the thought of building a family with me. If you want to let Franklin and Sophia grow up in a complete family, you should go and reconcile with their mother. I have to borrow your guest room again tonight. Good night.”

With that, she turned away without even looking at him.

Samuel could still smell the faint scent of herbs even after she left.

Maybe she had a reason to behave like this. Even if she changed her looks, I would never misidentify her. Scents do not change. Especially her sweet scent that made me fall so hard.

Samuel’s eyes burned. He clenched his fists so hard that his veins were visible on his forearms.

He did not expect Natalie to have two children.

Well… So what? Even if there were forty of them, I can afford to take care of them.

Natalie took a hot bath the moment she got back to the guest room.

Wearing the hyper-realistic mask was stifling and suffocating. After throwing it in the basin, she then entered the bathtub.

She never imagined that Samuel would be willing to use his good looks to charm an ugly woman just for the sake of his children.

She once thought that Samuel’s love for Franklin and Sophia was too rigid. Now that she thought about it again, she felt that she had misunderstood him.

However, the incident earlier made her even more curious.

Who is Franklin and Sophia’s mother?

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 48

Cry If It Hurts

The next day, Natalie was woken up by the sound of knocking on the door.

“Who’s there?” she called out.

“Natalie, it’s me and Sophia.” The owner of the voice was Franklin. “You’re awake? Can we come in?” he asked.

“Sure!”

Just as Franklin was twisting the doorknob, Natalie suddenly remembered the hyper-realistic mask that she had left in the bathroom. Hurriedly, she went to collect it and put it on.

She was greeted by the twins just as soon as she exited the bathroom.

Franklin lifted his head and greeted Natalie energetically. “Good morning, Natalie.”

Sophia, on the other hand, showed her a piece of paper. The words good morning was written on the paper using crayons. There were even pink petals drawn on the sides.

The twins were really something.

Franklin was domineering yet endearing. He was the embodiment of a young master.

Sophia, on the other hand, was adorable and smart. Her cuteness made everyone’s hearts melt.

Although Natalie had rejected their suggestion for her to move in, she could not deny her desire to get closer to them.

“Good morning, Franklin and Sophia.”

She bent down and stroked each of their heads. However, she soon realized that the action was too natural.

It was as if her lost pair of twins were right before her.

The pain she felt in her heart was excruciating.

She realized that this was why she wanted to give Franklin and Sophia the best love and care she could. She wanted to make up for her past regrets.

As Natalie brought the two to the dining room for breakfast, she bumped into Samuel.

She sat down and smiled at Samuel. “Good morning, Mr. Bowers.”

Memories from the night before flashed through her mind.

She did not care whether Samuel was doing it for his children or whether he was trying to flirt with her out of boredom.

She had made herself clear.

She was convinced that Samuel could forego her ugliness, but she would not believe that he could also endure the fact that she had given birth.

Samuel took a sip of his coffee as his gaze met Natalie’s. “Good morning,” he greeted indifferently.

After seeing his attitude toward her, Natalie felt relieved.

She came back after five years to get back at the Nichols family. Getting into any unwanted business was not part of her plan.

Halfway through their breakfast, Gavin came to report to Samuel after receiving a phone call. “Mr. Samuel, Ms. Yara called to inform that her film crew has let her off for half a day. She said that she’ll arrive half an hour later.”

Natalie, who was cutting a slice of cake for Sophia, accidentally exerted too much force and broke the plate into two.

The sharp end of the plate grazed the back of Natalie’s hand as it rebounded.

Immediately, blood seeped out from the fresh wound and started flowing down her hand.

Natalie was still dumbfounded as everything happened too suddenly.

She did not feel the pain from her wound. Instead, she was contemplating whether her clumsiness seemed too out of the norm.

She bit her lip as she proceeded to force a slight smile. “I… My hand slipped.”

Seeing the blood from Natalie’s wound, the twins sat frozen in shock.

Samuel, on the other hand, took Natalie’s hand in his and turned to Gavin. “Bring the first aid kit right now.”

Gavin hurriedly obeyed and went to look for the kit.

Samuel glanced at Natalie coldly. His voice was unusually hostile as he said, “Why are you so careless?”

“It’s not that painful,” Natalie retorted.

“What do you mean it’s not painful?” Samuel asked, his eyes filled with tenderness. “I feel pained just by looking at it.”

Samuel’s words successfully made Natalie’s heart skip a beat. She stared at the man before her in a daze.

Why do his words sound as if they have an alternate meaning? Is he worried for me? That can’t be, right? I look hideous. On top of that, I have two sons. Why is he still so sweet to me?

At that moment, Gavin brought the first aid kit and handed a bandage to Samuel.

Samuel took it and pressed it onto Natalie’s wound. “Is it so painful that you’re spacing out now? You can cry if it hurts,” he said with his gaze fixed on her.

Pain?

To be honest, Natalie wasn’t so sensitive to pain.

She grew up in the countryside, and since she didn’t have a father, she was often bullied by others.

Soon, she grew numb to it.

She used to have a mother who was worried for her. However, after her mother’s death, no one cared for her anymore.

Yet, at the moment, she could see the adoration that Samuel had for her.

She almost allowed herself to be drowned in the affection. However, the thought of Yara’s relationship with him pulled her back to reality.

“I’m not as weak as you think I am, Mr. Bowers.”

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 49

The First Meeting After Five Years

With that, Natalie pulled her hand away from Samuel.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” she said as she took the bandage and pressed it onto her wound. “I’m still equipped with medical knowledge despite being a coroner. I know the state of my injury very well.”

Samuel narrowed his eyes as he could sense that Natalie was trying to draw a line between them.

As soon as he approached her, she would distance herself from him.

His concern for her irritated her.

Just how much does this woman dislike me?

If it were not for the presence of Franklin and Sophia, he would like to ask Natalie what was going on in her mind.

The two children did not understand what was happening between the adults. They misinterpreted it as Samuel hurting Natalie while cleaning her wound earlier.

Thus, they proceeded to surrounded Natalie.

“Are you okay, Natalie?” Franklin asked, shooting a resentful look toward Samuel. “He’s a thirty-year-old man, so he acts too presumptuous at times. Don’t let it bother you.”

Sophia could not say anything. However, her eyes were visibly red. She looked like a vulnerable and pitiful bunny.

Natalie was touched by the actions of the children. Slowly, she shook off the mixed emotions she had because of Yara and Samuel.

“Don’t worry, Franklin and Sophia. I’m fine,” she reassured.

Witnessing the change in Natalie’s attitude toward the children, Samuel felt baffled.

She could be as gentle as a lamb when she was with the children. Yet, she always acted like a puffed-up pufferfish in front of him.

The bleeding finally stopped.

Skillfully, Natalie applied some antibiotic cream to her wound.

Soon enough, a feminine voice was heard from the porch.

“Gavin, is Samuel at home?” the voice asked.

“Yes, Mr. Samuel is having his breakfast in the dining room now.”

“I finally got a half-day off, so I rushed here from the filming set. I haven’t had my breakfast yet.”

“Would you like to have it with Mr. Samuel?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Natalie knew the voice very well. It was basically ingrained into her brain.

In the past five years, whenever she had a nightmare about the fire, she would hear every word that Yara had told her before burning her to death.

They were twin sisters. Yet, Yara only wanted Natalie to disappear from this world.

Yara hated her to the core.

Nevertheless, Natalie felt the same toward Yara.

This would be her first time seeing Yara after escaping from the fire.

She bit her lip so hard that it started to bleed.

The footsteps were getting closer.

Expectantly, Yara walked into the dining room She immediately noticed that there was another person there other than her beloved Samuel and the two little devils.

It’s a woman! She’s even sitting on Samuel’s left.

Yara could not see the woman’s face as the latter wasn’t facing her.

Who is she? I’ve never met her before! Why is she having breakfast with Samuel?

The alarm in Yara went off. Yet, she still managed to put on an elegant smile. “Samuel, who’s this?” she asked.

“I’m Natalie Nichols,” Natalie introduced with a cold voice.

Natalie? Yara felt as if she just got struck by lightning.

This voice… This name… It’s her!

Five years ago, that woman had been burnt to crisps in the accident she had plotted.

Yara knew that the dead could not be resurrected, so there was no way the woman before her was the same Natalie. However, hearing the name and that similar voice still shook her to the core.

Her smile froze. Unknowingly, her breathing, too, turned rapid.

On the other hand, Natalie, whose back was facing Yara, had a mocking smile on her face.

She turned around slowly, her eyes filled with sinister delight as she looked at Yara.

 

A Cue for Love Chapter 50

The Dead Cannot Be Resurrected

Natalie did not want to reveal her identity to Yara so soon.

There was no fun in doing so.

After all, Yara was still in the process of climbing to the top. Natalie wanted to bring her to the peak first before pushing her down.

With her freckled hyper-realistic mask, Natalie faced Yara.

The tension that was building up within Yara finally eased upon seeing the woman’s flawed face.

As a matter of fact, her deceased twin sister was prettier than herself.

The ugly woman before her was nothing like her sister.

A dead person remains dead. The only similarity between them is the name.

Yara then proceeded to put on a thousand-watt smile as she held her hand out to Natalie. “Hello, Ms. Nichols. I’m Yara Nichols. It’s such a coincidence that we share the same last name.”

Truthfully, Yara could not care less about Natalie. She just wanted to leave a good impression on Samuel, so she tried to act nice.

Yet, Natalie ignored Yara’s extended hand.

“Ms. Nichols, what are you-”

Franklin interjected impatiently before Natalie could reply. “Can’t you see that Natalie’s hand is wounded?”

“Franklin, you-”

“What?” Franklin retorted with a roll of his eyes. “I’m a five-year-old, and even I could see the bandage on her hand. How bad is your eyesight?”

Yara knew that Franklin was difficult to deal with.

Although he was rude to her, she didn’t dare to scold him. Instead, she turned expectantly to Samuel.

In the past, Samuel would say something to defend her whenever Franklin was acting up.

While Franklin and Sophia did not care about her, they still respected Samuel.

Yara waited for Samuel to tell off Franklin just like before. Yet, this time, things were different.

“If your eyesight is bad, I can refer a doctor to you.”

Samuel’s tone was nonchalant, but Yara’s face turned pale.

“Samuel.” She continued to put up an act. “I have something to tell you in private. Do you have time now?”

Natalie was uninterested in the conversation between Yara and Samuel. She interrupted, “I still have to get back to the Major Crimes Unit for an autopsy. I’ll take my leave now.”

Yara nodded slightly in response, but deep down, she was utterly disgusted.

She has a face full of freckles. And now, she’s telling me she performs autopsies? I guess what Gavin said was true – only Franklin and Sophia like her. Not even a beauty like me can sway Samuel’s heart, so there is no way he would come to like an ugly woman like her.

After Natalie’s departure, Franklin and Sophia, too, left the dining room.

Now, Samuel and Yara were the only ones left in the dining room.

Samuel took a sip of his unfinished coffee, not even bothering to glance at Yara.

Yara sat on the seat that was originally Natalie’s and inched closer to him. “Samuel, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

Samuel remained indifferent.

Since there was no reply, she continued, “My dad is having his sixtieth birthday in a week. Can you bring the twins along and accompany me back to the Nichols residence?”

“You want me to publicize that you’re Franklin and Sophia’s biological mother?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Yara said. She bit her lip before continuing, “My dad hasn’t seen the children ever since they were brought here. He really wants to see them on his sixtieth birthday.”