Ch. 871..880
A Cue for Love Chapter 871
The Casino Part Three
Caleb remarked in a nonchalant tone, “Won’t you still be my wife if I end up winning? You’re just the collateral for the time being, so there’s nothing for you to lose.”
“But what if you lose?” Anna asked in disbelief.
“How can you not be confident in me?” Caleb retorted. “As my wife, you should have unconditional trust in me and believe in my absolute victory. Given how you’re filled with doubts now, it’s obvious that your feelings toward me have changed.”
“You…” Anna gritted her teeth as hatred welled up within her. “Caleb, marrying a jerk like you was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made!”
Ignoring whatever Anna said, Caleb kept blinking at Yandel. “Are you betting or not? Do you have three million? Shall I bet my wife?”
Yandel was so outraged that he could feel his blood boil. “You are worse than a f*cking animal! By getting me to bet with you, you’re—”
Before he could finish, Natalie interrupted, “Yandel, bet with him. Let’s put in three million.”
“Boss?” Yandel and Lia were clueless as to what Natalie was up to.
Even Anna was shocked, for she didn’t understand why Natalie would agree to a bet with scum like Caleb.
Nevertheless, Yandel obeyed Natalie’s instruction and nodded. “I’m in.”
The croupier knitted her brows by the side. “Erm…”
Natalie threw her a glance and cracked a faint smile. “Fullmoon has a history of almost a hundred years, and this isn’t the first time such a bet is made. Therefore, don’t worry about your commission as it will be borne by the winner. All you need to do is to bear witness to our game.”
Given that the croupier was someone experienced, her concerns were allayed after hearing Natalie’s words.
Sweeping her gaze across the familiar faces, Anna bit her lip. “I don’t want any part of this!”
“You have to participate, as it’s no longer up to you now. I’m sure you’re aware that I have lost all our money. If we don’t take this gamble, we won’t be able to afford even our daughter’s diapers. If we don’t have enough money to raise her, I’ll have no choice but to give her away,” Caleb remarked cruelly.
As that was Caleb’s way of insinuating that he was going to sell their daughter, Anna felt as if a knife had been plunged into her heart.
He sees his daughter as a product to be sold, while I can be treated as collateral. This man is no different from an animal at all!
Anna froze where she stood.
At that moment, Natalie walked up to Caleb.
“Miss, are you here to gamble against me?” Caleb let out a wry chuckle. “I won’t go soft just because you’re a woman.”
“Hmm.” Natalie shrugged her shoulders languidly.
After Yandel and Lia exchanged glances, they rolled their eyes in unison.
Evidently, Caleb was unaware of how skilled Natalie was and even dared to ridicule her.
In the end, Natalie and Caleb elected to play a game of poker.
As the croupier shuffled the cards and gave them out, Caleb looked tense while Natalie was a sea of calm. After glancing at her cards, her attention remained focused on Anna who had cried her eyes swollen.
Two years ago, Muse was the shining star in the world of design.
Unfortunately, her fall from grace came just as quick as her meteoric rise.
No one knew who caused it. Some speculated that a serious disease had befallen her, while others claimed that she had lost her talent.
Unknown to everyone, she voluntarily retired from the industry and chose to live in seclusion to focus on being a wife and mother.
Unfortunately, the famous Muse ended up being used as collateral by her gambling addict husband.
As if winning or losing didn’t matter to her, Natalie flipped over the first card and gradually said, “I’ll call.”
Ignoring Anna’s condition, Caleb was filled with irrepressible delight when he saw his card.
A Cue for Love Chapter 872
The Casino Part Four
“I’ll call!” Caleb threw out the king of hearts.
“In that case, I’ll continue,” the croupier informed softly.
When Natalie revealed her second card which was obviously better than Caleb’s, his expression drastically changed.
“I’ll call.” Natalie made nothing out of it.
“I’ll call too.” Caleb sounded as if he was seething.
As the game involved betting a lady, a curious crowd began to gather and watch the ridiculous yet exciting game.
When the third card was about to be revealed, Natalie was steady as a rock. As for Caleb, his forehead was already drenched in sweat.
In the midst of watching, Lia whispered to Yandel, “Does he still think that he can beat Ms. Nichols?”
“Probably. This jerk isn’t just heartless but also lacking in the brains department,” Yandel mocked.
Despite his lament, he continued to maintain a sympathetic gaze at Anna.
At the end of the day, Anna grew up in a prominent family. To be treated as collateral by the man she loved, I can’t imagine how heartbroken she is.
Yandel had a vague idea of what Natalie was trying to do when she agreed to the bet with Caleb. Even though her intentions were noble, the impact on Anna was exceedingly harsh.
“Are both of you going to call?” the croupier asked Natalie and Caleb in a professional tone.
Natalie cracked a smile. “I’ll call.”
As for Caleb, he was in a panic. The first card in hand was an extremely good card, but his subsequent cards had no commonalities at all, restricting him from forming any pairs.
On Natalie’s end, she didn’t have big cards, but they were all from the same suit and in consecutive numbers. At the rate she was going, she would easily thrash Caleb.
“Are you calling?” Natalie broke into an elegant smile.
Caleb threw the cards in his hands aside and ranted, “No!”
Subsequently, the croupier declared that he had lost the showdown.
Even though the loss was his fault, Caleb shot Anna a vicious look. “You’re truly a jinx!”
Despite her efforts to murmur a response, no words came out.
Natalie walked up to Caleb with a narrowed gaze and declared, “You have now lost your wife to me. Nevertheless, I’ll give you the option of having her back. All you have to do is write me an IOU for three million. Whenever you pay it back to me, I’ll return her to you.”
No sooner had Natalie’s words rolled off her tongue than Anna’s eyes were filled with emotion.
Leaning closer to Caleb, she looked longingly at him despite not expressing it in words.
In the end, her last hope was nothing but a pipe dream.
Staying true to his heartless character, he waved his hand after weighing his options. “There’s no need to, for she’s nothing but a jinx. Ever since I married her, my days gradually worsened. I wouldn’t pay three million to get her back even if I had the money. Therefore, writing the IOU is nothing but a waste of time.”
His words were so shocking that Anna felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
Every time she held up hope, she would be repaid with despair.
She had assumed that all her sacrifices would be appreciated by Caleb and didn’t expect him to look down upon her.
At that moment, the sound of three crisp slaps rang out at the gambling table.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Caleb was consecutively slapped on his left and right cheeks by Natalie.
Natalie threw every single slap with all her might, causing Caleb’s face to swell like a pig and blood to ooze out from the corner of his lips.
“How dare you hit me?” Caleb looked at Natalie in disbelief.
“You deserved to be slapped!” Stretching her hands, Natalie declared in an authoritative tone, “I didn’t like your face from the very beginning!”
Both Anna and the croupier were speechless.
Lia gushed, “Ms. Nichols, you’re amazing!”
Yandel, too, looked on in admiration, “My boss is the most awesome person in the universe!”
A Cue for Love Chapter 873
The Casino Part Five
Caleb held onto his burning cheeks. “Wh-What gives you the right!”
“What gives me the right?” Natalie widened her eyes in anger and snorted, “Do you want to know? Let me tell you then. The first was for slapping Anna. The second was for you using her as collateral for your bet. The third was for you being an ungrateful jerk!”
Unlike everyone present who only saw Anna as a pitiful woman who fell in love with the wrong man, Natalie was cognizant of what a talented designer the former was.
Two years ago, Anna had given up glory and talent just to keep a low profile as Caleb’s wife.
Her sacrifices deserve a lot more than how that scum had treated her.
As Natalie stared coldly at Caleb, she felt as if no punishment was ever going to be enough for him.
Previously, Caleb was astounded by Natalie’s beauty when he saw her flawless skin and stunning features. But now that his eyes met with her piercing gaze, he felt his hair stand on end and a chill down his spine.
In spite of that, he couldn’t stomach the humiliation of being slapped by a woman.
“That’s a family matter between me and her.” He rebutted sarcastically, “I didn’t force her to do it. She chose to do everything willingly because she loves me so much, to the extent of not minding me using her as collateral. Instead, you should quit feeling indignant for her, as her life is with me, not you!”
Despite being slapped, Caleb’s rage didn’t diminish at all.
In fact, he even felt smug about himself.
He felt that he was everything to her given how much she admired him and was willing to fall out with her own family to be with him.
If he was to leave her, she would have lost everything.
“Darling, can you tell that nosy lady that we’re—”
Before Caleb could finish, his face was hit so hard that it turned sideways.
The forceful slap had cut his face with its fingernails, leaving five cuts on his cheeks with blood oozing out of them.
“D-Darling,” Caleb mumbled. He was a hundred times more shocked now than when he was hit by Natalie.
“Don’t call me that! I’m not your wife anymore!” Anna stared at her gambling addict husband with her bloodshot eyes and roared, “Since you have lost me to someone else, you have no right to call me that! All this while, I was nothing but a fool to assume you would come home after losing all your money. But today, after seeing your true colors, I will stop being blinded by my love for you!”
That was the only time Anna said something like that.
Stunned by her words, Caleb kept repeating, “Darling… Darling…”
While doing so, he attempted to grab her arm but was thwarted by Yandel. “Get lost!”
Natalie held Anna’s arm and suggested softly, “Anna, let’s go.”
Anna nodded with a pale expression before leaving the gambling table with Natalie.
Sensing how downtrodden Anna felt, Natalie and Yandel brought her to the bar.
There, Natalie ordered a glass of juice so that Anna would be rehydrated by the sweet drink.
“I’ve made a mistake.” Anna didn’t receive her juice. Instead, she grabbed Natalie’s wrist and confessed in a disheartened tone. “Back then, I didn’t heed your advice and felt that I have finally found my true love. Even though everything you said to me was for my own good, I assumed that it was sour grapes and you were out to destroy my happiness.”
Even though Anna realized her mistake after two years, she had paid a huge price for it.
Natalie reached out to wipe the tears off Anna’s eyes. “There are no shortcuts in life. Now that you have learned your lesson and know what’s important, isn’t that a wonderful development?”
A Cue for Love Chapter 874
The Casino Part Six
In truth, Natalie felt her experience wasn’t that different.
Over the last two years, she didn’t know what true love was until she experienced it herself. Unfortunately, the happiness she thought she held in her hands was cruelly taken away.
She had also wondered if it would be less painful during separation if she and Samuel never loved each other. Nonetheless, one could never change the past. Whatever regrets one had, one had to just bear with it.
“Natalie.”
“Anna, you have seen for yourself the result of the bet. Thus, you belong to me now.” Lifting Anna’s chin with her fingers, Natalie wiped the former’s tears dry. “Life is short, so I don’t want to see those close to me depressed all the time. We should always look forward to the future, isn’t that right?”
“D-Do I still have a future?”
“I don’t know.” After a brief pause, Natalie continued, “You are in no position to answer in your current condition. As for me, I don’t need your answer yet.”
“Thank you.”
Anna’s emotions weren’t stable yet.
All of a sudden, she thought of something and exclaimed, “The baby! My daughter is still at home. After slapping him, he might vent his anger on her!”
Natalie instructed, “Yandel, accompany Anna home and bring the baby out.”
“No problem, leave it to me.”
“Lia, go with Yandel,” Natalie ordered Lia. “Also, take good care of Anna.”
“Sure.” Even though it was her first time meeting Anna, she sympathized with what the latter had been through.
Before Anna left, Natalie said to her, “I’ll give you three days to get a grip of yourself. After that, I want to see you at Dream.”
Anna was stunned for a fleeting moment before she nodded with conviction.
With that, Yandel and Lia left Fullmoon together with Anna.
Meanwhile, as Natalie remained at the lounge and sipped her cocktail, a pair of predatory eyes was observing her nearby.
“Mr. Stone, which girl managed to catch your eye?” One of Amos Stone’s subordinates asked when he noticed the intensity of Amos’ gaze.
Brushing his fingers across his lips, Amos’ eyes glistened in excitement, for he had just witnessed the episode between Natalie and Caleb.
Even though the gamble was nothing to shout about, she outshines every other scantily dressed lady in the entire casino. The calm look on her face is a testament to the unshakeable conviction she possesses. When she gave the gambler three slaps, she had managed to strike a chord within me. There are plenty of pretty girls, but few have an invigorating soul just like hers.
“Mr. Stone, do you want me to get her to…” the subordinate inquired.
“Mmm-hmm.” Amos nodded. “Tell her to name her price for spending the night with me.”
“Right away!”
Natalie was naturally oblivious to what had just happened and the fact that she had caught the attention of someone vicious.
The only reason she chose to stay back longer was that she had just caught a glimpse of something silver.
She wanted to verify if she had made a mistake or if Xander had coincidentally come to Yaleview at the same time she did.
At that moment, her phone rang.
When she saw that it was Steven on the line, she answered, “Hello?”
“Natalie, have you arrived in Yaleview? Have you settled down already?” Steven asked in concern.
“Yes, I have,” Natalie replied with a smile. “In fact, I’m drinking in Yaleview’s biggest club right now.”
“Don’t forget to mind your drinking while you enjoy yourself.”
“Don’t worry. I know my limits.” As she gently fiddled with her cocktail glass, she feigned a casual tone and asked, “Steven, let me ask you, is your brother in Dellmoor?”
A Cue for Love Chapter 875
The Casino Part Seven
Steven was stumped.
“Is he or is he not?” Natalie pressed on with knitted brows.
“How did you know that he’s not in Dellmoor?” Steven threw the question back at her.
“Answer me first, where did he go?” Natalie felt the answer emerge in her mind. Has he come?
“Samuel has indeed left Dellmoor. Soon after you were gone, he traveled to Greenview.” Steven didn’t feel like revealing it at first, but Natalie’s pressure caused him to be upfront with her. “He has gone there with Luna, as Greenview is her hometown. He wanted to offer condolences over Luna’s recently deceased grandpa, and also to discuss their marriage with the Garcia family.”
Upon hearing Steven’s words, Natalie’s gaze darkened at once.
What am I harboring hopes for? Am I hoping that he can’t bring himself to leave me and then follow me here?
She was certain that Steven wasn’t in cahoots with Samuel. Hence, he wouldn’t hide anything from her nor lie to her on purpose.
There’s only one other explanation. He has really gone to Greenview with Luna.
Sensing how unsettled Natalie was over the line, Steven added in a remorseful tone, “I-I shouldn’t have told you that, should I?”
“No.” Natalie got a grip of her emotions and replied with a smile, “Your words woke me up. Or else, I might still be lost in my dreams.”
“I—”
“Enough.” Natalie’s smile deepened. “It’s a rare occasion for me to ditch the children and have some personal time. So let’s not talk about the sad stuff. Anyway, I want to enjoy now. Bye.”
Just as she spoke, Natalie ended the call before Steven could react.
Heaving a sigh, Natalie raised her cocktail glass and finished it in one gulp.
“Give me another one,” she ordered the young bartender.
“Sure.”
While the bartender was mixing Natalie’s drink, he slipped a white pill inside it when she wasn’t looking.
“Miss, your bloody margarita is ready. Please enjoy.” The bartender pushed the glass toward Natalie.
“Mmm-hmm.”
While she was alone, Natalie couldn’t help but feel jealous when she thought of what Steven had just told her.
Can it be that the ridiculous story Samuel told me was true? That he was infatuated with Luna when he was young, and I was just a replacement? Now that he has realized his desire, is he leaving me to pursue his happiness by getting together with Luna?
“Men, hmph! They’re all nothing but jerks!” Natalie cursed before downing the cocktail that had just been served.
The moment the bartender saw Natalie finish her drink, he lowered his head at once to send out a message.
As a cocktail’s alcohol content wasn’t as high as hard liquor’s, Natalie wasn’t supposed to feel woozy after just two glasses.
However, as time went on, she felt a burning sensation in her body that made her extremely thirsty.
Despite gulping down a lot of water to moisten her throat, it was no help at all to her intensifying thirst and growing heat in her body.
Initially, she assumed it was just the effects of the alcohol. But when she felt a tingling sensation as if millions of ants were crawling on her skin, she was jolted by a sudden realization.
This isn’t alcohol at all! My drink has been spiked!
Supporting herself with her hand on the bar, Natalie planned to leave before the situation got worse. Or else, her safety would be compromised once the person who spiked her drink got to her.
Just as she stood up and turned around, she bumped into a man’s muscular chest.
“Mmm.”
The moment their skin touched, albeit accidentally, she couldn’t help but let out a mesmerizing moan.
A Cue for Love Chapter 876
The Man In The Silver Mask Part One
The moan was so obviously seductive that even Natalie reacted with knitted brows.
The man who was holding her felt his Adam’s apple bob at the sound, while his eyes were suddenly filled with raging passion.
“Excuse me.”
Raising her eyes in a daze, she saw that it was the man in a silver mask.
The mask was custom-made and had unique carvings on it. Natalie instantly recognized it as the one in her memory.
“X-Xander?” Natalie mumbled, “Is it really you?”
When she was making a bet against Caleb, she had caught a glimpse of the silver mask. Thinking that it was her imagination, she didn’t expect him to really be at Fullmoon.
“You have been drugged,” Xander informed her in a raspy voice.
“Mmm-hmm.” Natalie nodded instead of trying to put up a strong front.
Compared to whoever spiked her drink in the shadows, Xander was her last hope of getting to safety since he had rescued her once before.
Before Natalie had time to ask him for help, Xander had already threaded his arm around her waist and swept her off the ground.
“You!” Natalie was caught by surprise by how brazen he was.
“The drug is already taking effect. You won’t be able to get out of here by yourself,” Xander remarked calmly.
With nothing to rebut, Natalie kept her mouth shut.
At that moment, she could feel the burning heat emanating throughout her body with increasing intensity. Thus, she had to rely on whatever rationality she had left to suppress the lust raging in her.
Meanwhile, Xander’s footsteps were strong and steady.
With her head leaning against his chest, she could feel every single heartbeat of his.
In fact, she felt as if she was in Samuel’s arms amidst her grogginess.
Previously, he would carry me in his arms whenever I was in danger as if I meant the world to him. But now, he has left with another woman for her hometown and has abandoned me!
Due to a combination of the drug clouding her mind and the jealousy welling up within her, tears began to stream down the corner of her eyes.
Even though the man who was carrying me is a wonderful person, it doesn’t matter at all, for he isn’t the man I want!
Just like that, Natalie was brought out of the glitzy Fullmoon.
In the midst of her grogginess, Xander’s subordinates were already fighting with the Stone family’s men in an attempt to protect her.
Even though she had done nothing, Natalie had inadvertently become connected with the Stone family on her very first day in Loang. They were a family related to the royal family of Loang.
When they arrived at the car, Xander laid Natalie down in the backseat. Subsequently, Jesper turned around, “Mr. Bowers.”
“What about the Stone family’s men?”
“I’ve sent men to take care of them,” Jesper replied efficiently.
“Send me to my accommodation.”
“Right away.”
As Natalie was feeling the full effects of the drug, she couldn’t hear the conversation between Jesper and Samuel. In fact, she couldn’t even feel his hands around her waist anymore despite all the contact their body was making.
“It’s hot… hot…” Natalie grumbled. “H-Help me.”
Other than expressing her discomfort, Natalie began to unbutton her top to reveal her flawless skin.
With his eyes turning bloodshot, Samuel barked at Jesper, “Raised the screen.”
This is so exciting! Worried that he would be caught in the situation, Jesper said a prayer under his breath and frantically pressed the button to close the screen.
Once the screen was raised, the car’s cabin was separated into two distinct spaces.
It was only then did Jesper heaved a sigh of relief.
However, Samuel wasn’t that lucky. As Natalie’s warm breath blew against his neck, it caused his Adam’s apple to bob involuntarily.
A Cue for Love Chapter 877
The Man In The Silver Mask Part Two
Behind his mask, Samuel could still feel how seductive Natalie was.
Even when she was calm, she was brimming with sex appeal. But with the full effect of the drugs, she had become irresistible.
“You vixen,” Samuel murmured through his gritted teeth.
Unable to clearly hear what he said, Natalie rolled herself over and sat on his lap. “What did you say?”
Samuel stared at her.
Her clothes were unkempt, while her watery eyes glistened in the light. At the same time, she would give her clothes an intermittent tug.
“It’s so hot in here… I feel really uncomfortable… Save me…”
Even though he wasn’t drugged, he could feel the lust welling up in him to the brink of explosion when she kept rubbing herself on him.
“Stop moving.”
“It’s so hot…” Natalie ignored what he said.
Unable to resist her charms, Samuel had no choice but to take out his tie and bind her hands with it.
Only when he made sure she couldn’t free herself did he regain his calm. The next second, Natalie unexpectedly threw her bound hands around Samuel’s neck and pulled him up to her face.
Given the proximity, both of their bodies were tightly pressed against each other.
“Stop moving! I’m burning to death from the heat right now!” With her mind overwhelmed by the drug’s effects, Natalie wasn’t aware of her actions or words. “I beg of you, please help me. The heat is just unbearable.”
Faced with Natalie’s pitiful pleas, Samuel’s unshakeable self-discipline was shattered.
“Who am I?”
“You…”
“Answer me, who am I?” He insisted on getting an answer from her.
Natalie’s vision had become nothing but a blur. All she could make out was the silhouette of a man.
Even though she had lost control of herself, she was still aware that the man with her couldn’t possibly be Samuel. Instead, it was Xander, who had his face disfigured.
“Xander… You’re Xander York.”
“Mmm-hmm, I am he.”
Once Samuel was certain that her senses were dulled, he took off his silver mask to reveal his chiseled face, deep obsidian eyes, distinguished-looking nose bridge, and sensuous lips.
His face showed no signs of burnt wounds nor disfigurement at all.
With his mask off, he could no longer hold back the complex emotions within him as he gave her a passionate kiss, as if her lips were smeared with poisoned honey.
Even though he was well aware of the risk of revealing his identity the longer he lingered, he couldn’t peel himself away after being intoxicated by her lips.
Both of them were extremely familiar with each other’s bodies, while their love knew no depths at all.
Boosted by the drug’s effect, their passion was ignited like fire to dry wood as they ravaged each other relentlessly.
Ten minutes later, their car arrived at Samuel’s accommodation in Yaleview.
Even though Jesper didn’t lower the screen, he was still cognizant of the intense session going on in the backseat.
Figuring that his legs would be numb from sitting if he waited for his employer to finish, Jesper decided to first alight to get a smoke. Just as the thought crossed his mind, the screen in the back seat gradually wound down.
Turning his head around, he saw Samuel with his mask removed.
“Mr. Bowers, your—”
“Do you remember my instructions to you today?”
“I remember.” Jesper nodded. “I should address you as Mr. York in public.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Samuel’s eyes narrowed as a vicious glint flashed in his eye. “She’s someone who’s as sharp and crafty as I am. Therefore, you cannot let down your guard in front of her. If you reveal the secret by mistake, I’ll not show you any mercy despite of how loyal you have been.”
A Cue for Love Chapter 878
The Man In The Silver Mask Part Three
Jesper’s nerves were frayed as he had never been chided so sternly before by his employer. “Yes! Understood!”
Samuel pushed the door open and carried Natalie, who was shrouded in his own coat, off the car.
Jesper approached in an eagerness to help but was stopped by the man. “Head on back and get the business with Fullmoon sorted out. Just make sure you do a tidy job of it.”
“I’d see to it right away!” Nodded Jesper in acknowledgment before he departed.
Samuel carried Natalie all the way inside the mansion and in habituated fashion, laid her out on the vast, plush bed. Then using his slender, cohesive fingers, he worked off the buttons on her clothes, one at a time.
Once liberated from her clothes, her ample curves and silky white skin became wholly exposed, subjecting her body to his scrutiny without the slightest of inhibitions.
He could feel the feral call of his inner beast, rattling precariously at the cages of his faculties of reason.
It is through bedding her that I could best bring pleasure to her, as well as to myself.
Then again, were he to really to give in to that impulse, what would be the purpose of all the quiet forbearance and careful deliberations he had cultivated before?
In the end, Samuel loosened the fingers on his tightly-wrung fists and donned that nipping metal mask next to him anew. Following that, he lifted Natalie off the bed and relocated her to the bathtub inside the washroom.
Without the foggiest idea where she had been taken, Natalie could only feel the chilliness of the walls of the tub that she found so oddly comforting.
In the next second, she was doused by the numbing water, beating down on her from the cold shower.
Hiss!
The quivering she did was not out from the cold but from release.
Opening her groggy eyes, she curled herself up into a ball while she immersed herself inside the icy bathwater, taking in the growing relief it was bringing to her burning body.
After soaking for over two hours, Natalie gradually shook off that gnawing sensation that blighted her and began to revert to her usual sensibilities.
Opening her eyes, she was startled by the fact that she was inside a bathtub full of frigid water.
Natalie clambered up from the tub. There were towels that were dry and clean on the rack, thoughtfully placed there alongside a change of clothing.
Who was it who helped me? Was it Xander?
Natalie narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, absorbed in her own thoughts, and dried herself off before she changed up.
She made a point of examining her own body but found no signs of violation on her own person. That went to show that Xander did not cross the line when attempting to offer her relief, and all that were used were some simple physiological cooling methods.
Silently, she exhaled.
Although she had fallen out with Samuel, it would be improbable that she might so easily give herself physically and emotionally to another man.
“This…” As Natalie regarded her own reflection in the mirror, only to discover her own lips spotted with teeth marks. “What the? Could it be that I bit myself when I was in serious discomfort?”
Or could it be from someone else?
Natalie massaged her own forehead as she tried to recollect that sequence when she lost control of herself, but try as she may, she was only able to conjure up bits and pieces here and there.
In those fragmented memories that featured that man, there was only his blurred profile. Conversely, it was her own wantonness that she had retained a stronger impression of.
Forget it. If I can’t remember anything, then so be it. Natalie straightened out her own attire and stepped outside the washroom, only to see the man standing by the bedroom window.
Samuel’s back was toward her, but even his rear profile could be so alluring to the senses, all on its own.
“Mr. York…” said Natalie apprehensively.
“Sobered up already?” When Samuel turned around, his face was still concealed behind the mask that radiated a gleaming frostiness.
Nodding her head, Natalie continued, “I was fortunate enough to get out of danger in Chanaea because I ran into you that time, and haven’t the chance to properly thank you back then. This time, you have rendered aid to me once more in Loang as well. For that, I truly am grateful!”
Samuel regarded her without speaking,
“Are your word of thanks all I get for having saved you twice?” the man asked.
“Of course not.” Natalie approached the man steadily and extended her own delicate hands. “My name is Natalie Nichols, director of Dream. There is no other way to put it, except that I am in your debt. Please ask whenever you or the York family are in need of me, and I promise to do my utmost as a measure of my own gratitude.”
The sight of the lass’ moisten and reddened eyes broke down his mental defenses and brought out the worst in him.
“What if I were to say that it is you that I want?”
A Cue for Love Chapter 879
The Man In The Silver Mask Part Four
Natalie’s eyes narrowed sharply to a slit the instant his voice trailed off, and it took a while for her to compose herself.
“You have to be kidding me, surely. Am I right, Mr. York?”
“Did I give the game away?” Knowing that that might have exceeded her boundaries, Samuel accepted the opportunity she provided to backpedal.
“Whatever that was, I’m sorry to say that I wasn’t amused.” Natalie’s slender brows bunched up in seriousness. “I am quite sincere about repaying you, but may I ask that you not try to have a laugh at my expense? The affair of the heart is an extravagance that I can neither afford to deal with nor clamor after, ever again.”
Once bitten, twice shy.
That episode with Samuel had stung her so badly that just the very thought of it had her hurting.
Though Natalie’s visage was pretty much bereft of emotion, Samuel was nonetheless able to sense through his silver mask that she was merely putting on a brave front.
He wanted so badly to reach out and caress her lovely face, which made it a massive struggle for him to refrain from doing so.
“If you’ve nothing else for me, Mr. York, I shall like to take my leave.”
After extending a bow toward Samuel, Natalie about-faced and departed.
While Samuel watched her silhouette drift away from view, the knuckles that clung to his sides wound themselves so tightly that they started crackling.
By the time Natalie returned to her own place, it was already five in the morning.
The first thing she did when she got back in was to head upstairs to check on her five children. She could not help but be amused by the haphazard postures they had adopted on their own beds amidst their slumbering and collected herself enough to tuck in their little hands and feet tidily under the blankets.
Whatever frustrations she had endured prior dissipated as soon as she laid her eyes on that adorable quintet.
She could not resist smiling, for in spite of everything, there was the certainty of having a home wherever they were at.
The first light of dawn had already broken beyond the windows by the time she was done attending to the children, and since she was no longer fatigued, she decided to go downstairs to fix them some breakfast.
Though she had not even spent enough time in the kitchen to allow the dough to set, her own face and hair had already been peppered with flour all over.
As capable as Natalie was of many things, the talent for cooking did not count among these.
A careless thought of the disparity between that man’s mastery of the culinary arts and her own lack thereof then snuck up on her. Akin to a fine needle of steel, it stabbed right into her heart.
As much as she had her mind made up about not thinking about him, those intrusive inclinations of hers kept barging in against her will. It was as though they had taken on a life of their own.
Would I be unable to accomplish anything without Samuel? She refused to allow herself to become convinced of that.
Using a pair of scissors, Natalie unsealed a pack of yeast with the intent of emptying its contents into the flour.
At that moment, Emma was in the process of wrapping an apron around herself. When she saw Natalie in action, she immediately called on her to desist, “Oh my, Ms. Nichols. What are you doing there?”
“Uh, adding the yeast?” replied Natalie, whose face had been caked a powdery white.
“What are you planning to make with that? Whatever would you need to pour in an entire bag of yeast for?”
“Bagels!”
“While it is true that you would need to add some yeast to the flour for bagels, you don’t really need to use that much,” Emma explained.
Natalie absolutely loved the bagels Samuel made and refused to entertain the notion that that was something she could not make for herself. Unexpectedly, she had no idea how to even get the dough right.
Damn you, Samuel Bowers! Allowing me to come this far without knowing how to cook to save my own life, only to leave me hanging like this?
Seeing Natalie with her lips tautly pursed, Emma thought that she might have sounded a little too critical. Therefore, she went on to offer up some words of comfort, “Have I misspoken, Ms. Nichols? Don’t mind me. I’m an uncultured woman and don’t know how to express myself well. Please don’t be mad…”
“I’m not mad at you, Emma.”
“Then…”
“Admittedly, I don’t know how to cook very well, but I’d very much like to learn how to make some breakfast for the children. Would you be willing to teach me, or perhaps allow me to assist you?” Natalie was determined to learn what she did not know, even if she lacked the talent for it. She was sure that she should be able to get somewhere so long as she had the will to persevere.
A Cue for Love Chapter 880
Where Is Daddy Part One
When Emma saw how determined Natalie was to make bagels for her kids, despite having flour on her cheeks, her impression of Natalie improved.
“Of course!”
“I’ll learn at the side, Emma.”
Having years of experience as a housekeeper, Emma was extremely skilled at cooking. While kneading the dough, she taught Natalie the authentic way to make bagels.
Under Emma’s guidance, Natalie started getting the hang of it and kneaded the dough into small little bagels.
When she placed the dough into the oven, she smiled in satisfaction.
“Thank you, Emma!”
“There’s no need to thank me. I’m only good at this. When it comes to computers and technology, I know nothing.” Emma felt embarrassed when Natalie kept thanking her.
“If you want to learn how to use computers, ask Xavian to teach you,” offered Natalie proudly. “He’s very good with computers and technology. If you ask him for help, he’ll settle everything for you. As for Clayton, Franklin, Sophia, and Yumi, they know a lot of things too. If you need any help, you can approach them.”
Emma had already been awed by how good-looking the kids were. Upon learning how skilled they were, she was stunned.
“Can I ask you something, Ms. Nichols?” asked Emma.
“Sure! You can ask me anything.” Natalie grinned. “I need your help to take care of the kids for a long time.”
“Well… Ms. Nichols, are all five kids yours?”
“No.” Natalie shook her head.
I knew it! The five kids look like they’re of the same age. They can’t be quintuplets, right?
“The quadruplets are mine,” replied Natalie seriously. “Yumi isn’t my child. Although we aren’t biologically related, I treat her like my daughter.”
“Quadruplets?” Emma was astonished. She actually had four kids at once!
“Yeah! Quadruplets. It was tough giving birth to them.”
While Natalie chatted with Emma, the bagels were done. The oven beeped, signalling that the timer was up.
“Ms. Nichols, our bagels are done! I’ll plate them while you wake the kids up, okay?” suggested Emma with a smile.
“Okay!”
When Natalie went upstairs, the five kids had already woken up and brushed their teeth.
“Good morning!”
When Natalie greeted the kids, they replied simultaneously, “Good morning, Mommy!”
“Emma and I made breakfast for you. Come down and eat!” Not showing any favoritism, Natalie stroked each of their heads.
“Okay!” The five kids followed her down the stairs.
When Emma saw all of them, she was once again shocked by how good-looking the family was. All the kids looked like angels—adorable and lively. No matter how much she looked at them, she would always be filled with happiness.
Now that she had seen the mother and the kids, she was curious about their father’s appearance.
“Good morning, Mrs. Bunton!”
Emma grinned widely when the kids greeted her.
“Morning!”
Emma placed the fragrant bagels in front of them. “Your mommy and I made the bagels together! They’re extremely fluffy. They’re still hot, so be careful when you eat them!”
It was the kids’ first time eating something that Natalie made. Delighted, they took a bite of the bagels.
Xavian and Clayton, who had been with Natalie for five years, knew how good her culinary skills were. Although they did not have high expectations for the bagels, their eyes lit up when they took a bite.
“It’s delicious, Mommy!” exclaimed Clayton, being tactful with his words.
“Mommy, this isn’t as horrible as what you used to cook!” Xavian spoke without any tact at all.
Indeed, Natalie propped her head up with an arm and gazed at him. “Xavian Nichols! Say that one more time!”