Ch. 51..60
Chapter 51
Nathan froze instantly. Suzanne was drenched in cold sweat as she
shivered.
Maybe he had done it out of pity, but Nathan didn’t resist her touch nor hesitate to cover her hands over her ears again..
The next second, he seemed to hear the faint sound of crying. –
The soft sobbing sounds were coming from the woman in his arms. It was shaky and frightened, like a wounded kitten alone in the wild.
Nathan could sense that Suzanne really was scared of such terrible weather and the loud sounds of thunder.
It was the first time Nathan had been embraced in such a way by a woman. Suzanne’s body was soft and supple. She exuded a faint fragrance too.
Nathan could feel his heart and his body react to this touch. He knew he shouldn’t have such inappropriate thoughts. Yet he couldn’t control his body. The desire he felt was unbearable.
It was the first time Nathan heard Suzanne cry. The sounds she made were too similar to Sally’s when she was a child.
The protective urge Nathan had hidden within him for ten years. suddenly arose.
After Sally returned earlier this year, she often cried and threw little tantrums. Nathan found himself feeling irritated whenever he was consoling her.
Nathan had thought it was because he’d grown more distant now that he was older. He no longer had those innocent feelings he had when he was a child.
But who knew Nathan would find those feelings again now from
Suzanne?
The room was so dark they couldn’t see anything. Outside, the thunderstorm didn’t seem to want to stop anytime soon.
The warm air in the room was accompanied by the two’s slightly quickened breathing and heartbeats.
Suzanne slowly calmed down. She rested her head on Nathan’s chest, hearing his heartbeat.
She slowly stiffened when she realized her behavior was out of line. She wasn’t letting go of his waist and was even curling up in his
embrace.
Nathan didn’t push her away and even helped cover her ears because he was being a gentleman, probably
Suzanne slowly let go of him.
A sense of emptiness grew in Nathan’s chest when he felt the softness disappear from his waist. He put his hands down and said in a hoarse tone, “Are you okay now?”
Suzanne couldn’t see his expression, but he didn’t sound angry.
“I need to look for my earphones. Thunder will strike again.”
“Why are you afraid of the thunder?””
Suzanne’s voice trembled. “I don’t know. I always get nightmares of someone shoving my head into the ocean to drown me while a
thunderstorm goes on. It’s really scary. I get terrified.”
Nathan took out his phone and switched on the light. He then helped Suzanne search for the earphones near the bed.
Nathan spotted a pair of earphones with good soundproof
technology on the other side of a pillow.
He knelt on the bed and helped Suzanne put the earphones on.
Suzanne felt much more relaxed with the earphones on. She quickly took her phone and put on some music, dialing the volume up to the
max.
Suzanne curled up by the edge of the bed, wiping her tears.
Nathan used his phone light to look at the lightbulbs. He said slowly,” I’ll help you check the circuit board and see what caused the blackout.
Suzanne couldn’t hear him with her earphones on.
Nathan used the phone to light his way as he walked out the door.
Suzanne rushed over, grabbing his clothes. Her voice grew louder while wearing the earphones, “Don’t go, Nathan!”
GET IT NOW
Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Nathan froze in place. When he felt his clothes being clutched tightly, he turned around to look at Suzanne in the dark.
A flash of lightning echoed the skies outside, lighting up everything. It lit up Suzanne’s tearful, desperate eyes. It was a pitiful sight indeed.
That split second when their eyes met made Nathan soften immediately. It felt like his heartstrings had been tugged at.
Nathan took Suzanne’s earphones and leaned in to whisper by her ear, “I’m not leaving. I’m going to check the circuit board.”
Suzanne could scent his fragrance and feel his warm breath on her face. She blushed.
Nathan’s voice was magnetic and pleasant to the ears, making her heart tremble. She slowly released her grip on Nathan’s clothes.
Nathan saw how frightened she was and caressed her head. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll be back right away.”
He then left the house.
Unbeknownst to Nathan, his small gesture had stunned Suzanne to
her core.
She stayed frozen in place like an idiot, slowly touching where Nathan. had caressed her on the head.
Her heart pounded like a deer running through the woods, unable to stop. A sense of sadness then followed.
Suzanne realized she was growing more and more in love with
Nathan.
What could she do? She didn’t want to get divorced.
Suzanne knew Nathan had set his mind on a woman already, yet she couldn’t stop her feelings from growing for him.
The door then opened again. Nathan walked in while talking to
someone on the phone.
“You can bring the flowers back to the building to sell. See who has a wife or girlfriend at home they want to buy some flowers for. Whoever buys a flower can get a day off tomorrow.
“You don’t need to pick me up. I won’t be coming back tonight.”
Nathan hung up the call after he finished speaking. He then closed the door behind him and walked inside.
“The entire building has a blackout. The main circuit board must have been fried after the lightning struck. The electricity provider should be sending a representative over in the morning to fix it,” Nathan said.
Suzanne had heard every single thing he said because she’d taken out her earphones when he walked in.
Her mood gradually eased. A hidden emotional burden was slowly unfolding from within her heart.
Suzanne asked in a soft voice, “Did you ever think you might
accidentally kill me when you pointed the gun at the man who hel me hostage?”
Nathan didn’t expect Suzanne to still be contemplating this after so long. Suzanne’s sudden question in such a circumstance surprised him.
Suzanne still cared about it because Nathan held an important place in her heart.
Nathan switched off her phone light and sat down on the couch. He said leisurely, “They don’t call me Hawkeye for nothing. Plus, that
man was a head taller and stood much closer to you. He was basically a living target. I would never have misfired.”
Suzanne didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Nathan’s explanation.
So, Nathan was both confident and arrogant.
“You know Sally plotted to harm me, don’t you?” Suzanne asked.
Nathan paused slightly. He was silent for a moment before replying flatly, “Yes.”
Suzanne felt an unbearable emotion churning in her heart.
So what if Nathan knew? He was so devoted to Sally that he would definitely be accepting of all her flaws and shortcomings.
Sally was the only woman who’d ever had a place in Nathan’s heart. An unimportant woman like Suzanne was bound to be a mere
passerby in his life.
Nathan coughed gently and cleared his throat before saying, “I’m sorry for accidentally hurting you that day.”
It was just a misunderstanding.
Suzanne smiled faintly. She shook her head. “It’s okay. It was jus scratch. I healed up fast too.”
Both of them grew silent for some time. Heat filled the room.
Nathan looked at what time it was on his phone. It was only 9:00 pm.
“Do you want to rest soon?” he asked.
Suzanne panicked, “What about you?”
“I’ll stay here with you until the thunderstorm ends.” Nathan’s tone was strong and sturdy, like he was Suzanne’s big brother. “Don’t turn the volume of your music up too much. It’ll damage your eardrums.”
“Are you going to sit there all night?”
A tough man like Nathan could handle this bit of exhaustion, but Suzanne still worried about him.
Nathan said, “Don’t worry. Go to sleep.”
Suzanne thought about it some more before asking tentatively, “If you
don’t mind, why don’t you sleep in the bed? It’s wide enough for two people.”
www
Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Nathan grew silent.
Suzanne was slightly panicked. She hurriedly explained, “I promise I won’t lay on you while sleeping like last time. I can tie my hands if it helps.”
While Suzanne was still anxious, Nathan got up and walked over to
her.
She hurriedly tucked her feet up and rolled to the other side of the bed.
Nathan wordlessly took off his shoes and lay down without
-hesitation.
Suzanne remained sitting on one end of the table.
She was the one who invited Nathan to come to bed, yet here she was, being all timid.
Suzanne felt uncomfortable with how contradictory she was being.
Nathan said quietly, “Lay down. Let’s have a chat.”
How could a man’s voice be so magnetic and attractive?
Suzanne’s heart skipped a beat. She laid down obediently, not darin to move a finger. “What do we talk about?”
“Have you taken out your earphones?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you tired?”
“No. I usually sleep past 11:00 pm.”
Nathan continued asking in a calm tone, “How did you meet my
Grandma?”
Suzanne didn’t hesitate to tell him the truth. “I was pretty lost after waking up without any of my memories. I didn’t know what I could do, so I went to become a caretaker at an old folks’ home. Grandma met me one day while she was visiting her friend at the center.
“She was incredibly fond of me from the start, and I liked her a lot too. We got along really well. I soon became her personal caretaker.”
Nathan grew silent for some time before asking, “You were Grandma’s caretaker for three years, yet we barely met one another and got to chat. Why would you believe her when she said I liked you and wanted to marry you?”
The question made Suzanne grow silent.
She wasn’t someone who lacked self-awareness. So, why did she
believe Vera?
In the end, Suzanne was still too fond of Nathan. She had fallen in love with him at first sight, then heard of all his great deeds from Vera. Just like that, she fell hopelessly in love with him.
How could she have reacted logically when she heard she could marry Nathan?
Suzanne even thought she could attract Nathan with her looks.
Who knew Nathan had been forced by his grandmother to marry? Suzanne hadn’t even been aware that her ignorance had ruined relationship with Sally.
Suzanne felt guiltier the more she thought about it. She said weakly I’m sorry, Nathan.”
Though she truly loved him, she wished more than anyone else that he could find happiness, that he could be with the woman he loved and have a happy marriage together
“There’s still a chance, you know?” Suzanne’s voice was incredibly soft, laced with some sadness. “We can get divorced tomorrow. I know Sally has been waiting for you all this while.”
Maybe it was because of the weather or how dim the room was right now. It created the perfect atmosphere for saying these things.
This was the first time Nathan had opened up to Suzanne. He said calmly, “I won’t deny it-I’ve always liked Sally. She was 14 the year
she left me. I was 18 then.
“I really was in love with her, but she was too young, so I never told her. She was my first love and my first heartbreak. It was a terrible feeling.”
Suzanne quietly listened to Nathan’s and Sally’s love story. Tears
secretly fell down her cheeks, landing on the pillow. She bit her lip to stop from making any sound. She didn’t want Nathan to hear her cry.
Suzanne both envied and admired Sally. How could Sally be so lucky
to be so loved by such a fine man? For so many years too.
Nathan continued saying, “Sally came back two years ago. She’d change so much both in appearance and personality. My feelings her haven’t progressed since ten years ago. It may have been because of her upbringing and education, but the person she is no is so strange to me, and disappointing, too.
“I’m not sure if I still love her. I don’t owe her anything. But I do owe you something.”
Suzanne was stunned to hear his words. She secretly wiped her tears away and cleared her throat. “What do you owe me?”
Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Nathan changed his posture, so he was laying on his side and facing
Suzanne.
His voice was especially attractive in the pitch-black room, like some midnight radio host. Even his breathing was alluring.
L
“I married you even though I didn’t like you all because Grandma wanted me to. It was very disrespectful and irresponsible of me.”
It was rare to meet a man who could self-reflect, be responsible, and respect women in the world these days. What was more, a man who had both power and wealth, like Nathan.
Suzanne couldn’t resist lying on her side to face him. She rested her head on her hand and asked gently, “You must have a lot of admirers,
Nathan.”
“I don’t know. No one’s ever confessed their feelings to me,” Nathan said lightly. “What about you? Is there someone you like?”
“Yes,” Suzanne said decidedly. Oh, how she wanted to co
him.
it to
But she wasn’t brave enough.
Nathan was always so cold and reserved. His domineering most women tremble when approaching him. Who would dare
confess to him?
Nathan was taken aback for a few moments. “Does he like you
“No. His heart belongs to another. It’s impossible for us to be together in this life.”
Nathan concluded, “So that’s why you wanted to marry me?”
Suzanne smiled weakly. The atmosphere between them had lightened up some. She teased, “What kind of logic is that?”
“Marriage isn’t child’s play, Suzanne. Why don’t we try to make this work?” Nathan suggested lightly.
Suzanne was stunned by his words. Her blood was rushing through her veins, her heart pounding in her chest as if it might explode.
Suzanne wondered if she was hallucinating.
Her nervousness showed in how her voice trembled. “What… What did
you say?
Nathan remained calm as ever. “Grandma doesn’t want us to divorce.
We should spend some time together and try to make it work. We can separate when we find this relationship unsuitable.”
“Don’t… don’t you mind my background and past?” Suzanne was so excited her words weren’t coming out smoothly.
“Who doesn’t have a past they don’t want to face? People grow. I think you’re pretty okay right now, not too much of an issue.”
“What about Sally?”
Nathan grew silent at that.
Tension hung in the air, and his silence made sweat bead nervously Suzanne’s hands..
After several long moments, he said slowly, “If I still feel like I love Sally one day, I’ll let you know.”
Suzanne clearly knew that Nathan was only delaying their divorce in order to fulfill Vera’s wish. How could he not love Sally?
Even so, Suzanne couldn’t contain how excited she was. She turned so her back was facing him and wiped her tears away without him
looking.
Nathan may not love her, yet he was still giving them a chance to nurture their relationship so this marriage wouldn’t solely be made of
regret.
Suzanne knew that if she didn’t divorce Nathan now, she’d only fall deeper in love with him. But she was willing to put herself at risk like.
a moth to a flame, all for Nathan.
Even if Suzanne didn’t win his heart in the end, she would still have
tried her best.
“Are you okay?” Nathan asked softly
Suzanne couldn’t continue talking anymore. Her voice choked slightly. “I want to sleep now, Nathan. Could you stay quiet, please?”
“Okay.”
The room then grew quiet. Its atmosphere remained sullen.
The sounds of thunder weren’t so scary anymore that night.
Suzanne wasn’t sure when she fell asleep. When she woke up, the sun was shining brightly outside.
Nathan was nowhere to be found.
Suzanne curled her knees to her chest. She knocked herse head when she recalled her conversation with Nathan last nig
She had forgotten whether or not she agreed to Nathan’s sugg
How could she not have agreed to something so important?
Suzanne worried over it the entire morning, up until she looked at phone to find that Nathan had sent her a text.
“I’m taking your silence as agreement. I’m usually busy with work s won’t be able to spend much time with you. But I’ll do my best to
come home to see you.”
Suzanne felt like she was on cloud nine after reading Nathan’s text message. She felt indescribably happy.
She held her phone and rolled on the bed like a fool, the smile on her face never disappearing.
After rolling for some time, Suzanne read the message again.
Though Nathan hadn’t said anything too sweet, Suzanne still felt like she’d just eaten the sweetest candy.
Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Suzanne lay on the side of the bed where Nathan had slept last night. She closed her eyes, reminiscing all that had happened with him last night.
Suzanne ate instant noodles for lunch. When the doorbell rang, she set her fork down and went to open the door.
Cole was standing outside with some vases of flowers around him. He handed Suzanne some cash and said respectfully, “Good afternoon, Madam. Here’s the money from the flowers.”
Suzanne stared at the money and asked curiously, “Wasn’t there a thunderstorm last night? How did it all sell out?”
“General Morrison had me go sell them at the workers’ dormitories.”
Suzanne recalled Nathan’s phone call last night and smiled. She happily accepted the cash. “Thank you.”
Cole then said, “General Morrison also asked me to drive you home
Madam.”
Suzanne was taken aback.
With Sally in mind, she didn’t want to step into Sudvilla again.
After some thought, Suzanne asked “Does Nathan want me to return to Sudvilla?”
“Yes, Madam. But he respects your decision. If you choose not to go. back, you can rent a larger house to live in.”
Suzanne hesitated for some time before saying, “Let’s go back, but not to Sudvilla.”
Cole was surprised. “Where then, Madam?”
“Morrison Residence,” Suzanne said firmly.
If Nathan was willing to try things out with her, she would definitely do the same with him. She was going to stay at Morrison Residence and spend some time getting his family’s approval.
Suzanne packed her things up and left the house. She then followed
Cole back to the Morrison Residence.
A battle was awaiting her. But for Nathan’s sake, she was no longer going to retreat.
When Suzanne stepped into Morrison Residence, she thought they would look down on her and criticize her like they used to.
But it was quite the opposite. Wendy, who looked down on her the most, was incredibly enthusiastic to see her. It was clear she was trying to suck up to Suzanne.
“Are you coming back to stay, Suzanne?”.
Suzanne replied politely, “Yes, Wendy. I hope we can get along well
All Wendy saw when she looked at Suzanne was money. Wendy w opportunistic by nature. Now that she knew Suzanne was a famou artist who could create artworks worth millions, she couldn’t wait t
kiss up to her.
“You don’t have to be so polite. Edgar, hurry and clean up Mrs.
Morrison’s room.”
Suzanne smiled politely and went upstairs with her things.
Dim light flickered in the humid, dark storage room, revealing two figures standing in the corner.
A man’s voice asked, “How is the Foghunt?”
“Still ongoing,” a delicate woman’s voice answered.
The man chastised, “You’ve had two years of training and one year of searching. Have you been fucking around all this while?”
“Sir, Nathan Morrison is on the lookout too. Once he has any news
about them, I’ll be able to reach them before he does.”
“Isn’t that woman you swapped with just some ordinary heiress? How did she end up being some secret charity artist?” the man asked.
“I was shocked too. I didn’t expect her to be so famous.”
“Kill her if she gets in your way.”
“It’ll be difficult. She’s Nathan’s wife right now.”
The man turned and slapped the woman right in the face. The noise echoed throughout the room.
The woman fell onto the floor from the force but quickly got back up to her feet again.
“You useless piece of shit! We spent a ton of resources to help y steal this heiress’ identity just so you could get close to Nathan. Morrison. But you kept her alive, and now she’s a liability! You still haven’t managed to marry Nathan. Instead, she became his wife,” th man growled.
“I’ll kill her as soon as possible and marry Nathan Morrison, sir. That way, I’ll get more confidential information about Norvania and
complete Project Foghunt.”
“That engineer, the only person who knew our target’s identity, is now dead. No one in this world knows what they look like now nor whether they’re male or female,” the man quipped. “It’s like searching for a needle in a haystack.”
The woman replied, “Don’t worry, sir. I’ll definitely complete my mission. I won’t let you down.”
Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Fog and mist covered the air the next morning. The spring sun had yet to peek out from the clouds.
Suzanne was woken up by some noise outside her bedroom. She put on her sweater and got out of the room.
Some servants were moving a bunch of furniture and other items. down from the second floor.
Florence and Gary were in the living room downstairs, still dressed in their pajamas.
“Why are you leaving all of a sudden, Dukie? You know your father and I like it when our family is living together. Why don’t you just continue living here?”
Suzanne looked down from the railing, vaguely understanding what was going on.
Wendy soon arrived in the living room, nosy as ever. She didn’t hesitate to get straight to the point. “Dukie, Suzanne only just m back in yesterday, yet you guys are already moving out today two clearly don’t like her. We’re all family here. Why do you ha behave so cruelly?”
Duke Morrison and his wife Layla Unvine no longer wanted to keep their act upon hearing that question.
Layla said glumly, “You’re a saint, Wendy. You’re capable of living wi anyone. Not me, though. I was born into a respectable family. My father is a college professor, and my mother is a musician. I was raised with proper education from a young age and never mingled with the rabble.”
She continued, “My husband is a software company’s CEO, which makes me the CEO’s wife. We can’t possibly lower our status and live with someone like Suzanne. It makes me sick.”
After Layla made her stance clear, she proudly walked out of the
house, her high heels clicking on the floor.
Duke was a meek young man. He quickly left the house with his tail tucked between his legs after bidding farewell to his parents.
Suzanne’s expression turned gloomy. Her hands balled into fists as sadness and grievance gathered in her heart.
Mingle with the rabble?
Those words hurt Suzanne deeply.
Florence watched her son leave the house and slowly wiped away her
tears.
“Nathan barely comes home because of his work. Dan is still missing after running away five years ago, and we still don’t know if he’s still alive or not. Now, Dukie and his wife moved out. Oh, my dear fami it’s all coming apart…”
Gary held Florence up, consoling her, “Don’t cry, dear. You can’t some things from happening. Just let them go.”
Florence sobbed, “Will Dukie never come back to live here if Suzan
stays?”
The couple didn’t notice Suzanne standing right upstairs. Gary sai without hesitation, “He’ll be back soon. Nathan likes Sally, after all He’s bound to divorce Suzanne soon.”
Florence was anxious. “How long do we have to wait?”
Wendy tugged at her shirt, eyes glancing upward. “Mom… ”
When Florence looked up and saw Suzanne, she grew silent.
Gary saw his daughter-in-law too and coughed awkwardly before saying, “Sorry, Suzanne. Your mom isn’t in the best mood now that Dukie and Layla moved out. I was just saying it to console her. I hope you don’t take it to heart.”
Suzanne pretended like everything was fine. “It’s okay,” she said. gently.
She then returned to her room and shut the door.
Suzanne leaned weakly against the door, feeling like she might break down at any time. Tears filled her eyes.
She wasn’t sure if her determination was even worth it right now.
Florence and Gary were polite to Suzanne in the following days. Wendy and her husband, Taylor, treated her decently too-for their own benefit, of course.
A week later, Wendy invited Suzanne to an event her friend was
hosting.
Suzanne rejected the offer at first.
But Wendy then used Nathan as a reason to urge her, “You need out and meet people in high society, Suzanne! How would you ev able to stand by Nathan’s side then? His friends are joining this e too. Don’t you want to get to meet them?”
Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Suzanne was convinced. Wendy helped her dress up before the event
Only when they arrived did Suzanne realize it was no ordinary event
It was a world-class rare collectors’ items sales event held on an extravagant cruise ship. Countless illegal artifacts were being put up for sale.
Suzanne noticed the painting she had reproduced during Vera’s birthday was also on sale.
She pointed at the painting and asked Wendy. “What is the meaning of this, Wendy?”
Wendy’s eyes glinted in excitement. She pointed around her and said Look, Suzanne. All the guests here tonight are from high society. They spend hundreds of thousands every time they buy something. It our painting sells, we’re bound to earn a lot.”
Suzanne said unhappily, “Let me ask you this how did you get this painting here?”
Wendy smiled awkwardly and said in a hushed voice. “Granda
received so many presents on her birthday. One present less won) matter. Plus, she accepted Sally’s injitation too.”
Suzanne’s hands clenched into fists by her sides. “So you just took it when no one noticed?” she asked, enunciating each word
Wendy shook her hands and explained, “Not me. I wouldn’t dare do that. It was my husband who took it
Suzanne was incredibly furious. She understood the situation now
This wasn’t some event Wendy’s friend organized. It was a saless
event for rich folks to buy illegal collector’s items.
Wendy saw how upset Suzanne looked and said in an attempt to appease her, “Why don’t we split the profits after selling this, hm? 60- 40 between you and me?”
Suzanne’s gaze was steadfast and unblinking as she remained silent.
“70-30. I can’t go any lower.”
Suzanne said in a cold, stern voice, If I’m Inkwell, then all the money made from selling this painting would be donated to charity. If I’m not, then this is a fake, and you’re committing fraud.”
Wendy furrowed her brow and said, “You’re already so poor, yet you’re still reluctant when it comes to money. You want to do charity? Fine, at least you can set a good reputation for yourself. But you’re not even going to show yourself in person or leave a name when you do it. Are you out of your mind?”
Wendy couldn’t hold back her tongue at this point. “Are you some kind of angel? A savior? You use your body to save all the men in the world. and use your money to save the poor, yet you end up with nothing good for yourself. You even end up ruining your reputation.”
Suzanne’s expression darkened. She was wounded by Wendy’s w
She didn’t even know who she was, so how could she have known identity from the past?
Suzanne then began packing up the painting without another wo
Wendy went to grab Suzanne’s arm in a panic. “What are you doing Suzanne? You can’t take this away. I already paid the deposit. I won’ be able to get the deposit back if you take the painting away.”
One of the salesmen present saw that Suzanne was taking the painting and walked over, overjoyed. He thought she was going to buy the painting.
“Are you interested in buying this painting by the great artist Inkwell,
miss?”
Suzanne said coldly, “This painting is a reproduction by my own hand. It’s no longer for sale.”
The moment she said this, the people around them crowded over to see what was going on.
Wendy’s plan had been ruined. She cried angrily to Suzanne, “This
painting has been certified as authentic by experts. I’ve already paid. the deposit so it must be sold. Or else you have to pay all my losses.”
Chapter 58
Chapter 58
The people around them started gossiping after hearing that.
Suzanne gripped the painting tightly in her hands and glowered at Wendy. Wendy was truly materialistic. She worshiped nothing but money and status.
However, Suzanne didn’t waver. She held her ground and said firmly, Wendy, your loss has nothing to do with me. I drew this for Grandma. You can explain yourself to the cops as to why my work appeared here.”
Wendy paled the moment the police were brought up. She froze, not knowing what to do.
Just then, a man with a gentle voice interrupted them, “Once this ship sails into the high seas, no country’s government nor its authorities has the right to interfere with the transactions made here.”
Everyone turned to the source of the voice. The person who spoke was a man in his mid-thirties. He wore a white suit and a pair of golden-rimmed glasses. He carried himself in a sophisticated ar elegant air.
A shiver ran up Suzanne’s spine the moment her gaze landed on hi handsome face. A wave of anxiety enveloped her heart.
He was a stranger to her. Why was she afraid of him?
Unsettled, Suzanne took a step backward.
Wendy, on the other hand, beamed when she saw the man.
“It’s you, Dr. Hoffis! Did you accompany Sally here?” Wendy asked smilingly.
The doctor, Oliver Hoffis, was polite enough to shake hands with Wendy before telling her, “Yes. Sally’s taking a look at the jewelry.”
“I see,” said Wendy as she turned to look in the direction where the jewelry was displayed.
After that, Oliver started walking toward Suzanne.
Suzanne’s breathing turned a little rapid when he approached her. She stared uneasily at the pair of piercing eyes underneath the glasses and felt her heart jump into her throat.
“We meet again, Suzanne,” Oliver said, his voice gentle as if he was speaking to a child he pampered.
“Do we know each other?” Suzanne exclaimed, shocked.
Oliver smiled helplessly at her. When he spoke again, his voice was still as soft as ever. “I’m your ex- boyfriend, Oliver. Are you purposely pretending not to know me?”
Her ex-boyfriend? Oliver Hoffis? Suzanne was in so much disbelief that she couldn’t respond.
She heard that she had dated plenty of men in the past. Who kn that she’d bump into one like this?
A chance to gossip arose, and Wendy wasn’t the kind of person to such an opportunity slip by. She asked, “Dr. Hoffis, did you date Suzanne before this?”
Oliver’s piercing gaze was still locked on Suzanne when he smiled softly and nodded in response to the question.
Wendy grinned as she teased, “You’re Nathan’s friend, Suzanne’s ex- boyfriend, and also Sally’s uncle? How cliché!”
Suzanne froze. Her hair stood on ends. A while later, she told Oliver, ” I’m married.”
Oliver adjusted his glasses and smiled softly at her.
“I know. You’re married to my friend, Nathan,” he said. “I’ll take it as you taking revenge on me.”
Suzanne shook her head. “No. I lost my memories. I don’t remember
you.”
But Oliver didn’t buy it. “I won’t believe such a ridiculous excuse.”
Wendy was in no mood to listen to them reminisce, so she planned to wait until Suzanne wasn’t watching to grab the painting.
They were so close to each other now. Wendy reached out to grab it, but Suzanne noticed what she was doing and put the painting behind her, all the while glaring at Wendy.
“Suzanne, give it to me,” Wendy said. “I don’t want you to ruin it.”
“It’s not for sale.” Suzanne’s tone was grave.
Wendy gritted her teeth. She looked like she could eat Suzanne alive.
Suddenly, they heard a gunshot, and everyone began to panic. Some started running around while others crouched low and covered th heads with their arms to protect themselves.
Oliver instinctively rushed over to Suzanne and covered her head. They crouched together on the floor.
Wendy yelped in fright and dropped into a defensive crouch too.
When Suzanne raised her eyes to scan the surroundings, she caugh a glimpse of a few armed pirates walking in from the entrance.
They wore masks that resembled the faces of animals, and they held rifles of the latest models. Their presence was overbearing.
“If you want to live, you’d better be good by crouching and putting your hands on your heads,” said one of the pirates.
He spoke in Dorzanian, so most of the people on the ship couldn’t understand him.
One of the women in the crowd stood up hastily. With a trembling voice, she said, “Sorry, I-”
Chapter 59
Chapter 59
The woman’s words were cut short because some of the pirates already had their rifles aimed at her.
The next instant, gunshots punctured the air, terrifying everyone. except for the pirates. They fired several times, and the woman collapsed in a mushy puddle of blood and flesh.
Screams filled the air. No one had the guts to move.
Terrified, Suzanne felt that her palms had turned clammy. Feeling Oliver’s hand on her shoulder, she gently pushed his hand away from
her.
“Don’t move,” Oliver said under his breath, his tone anxious.
Gingerly, Suzanne raised her eyes to look at the pirate who spoke.
Just like the other pirates, he wore a mask. He was pacing around as he looked carefully at all of the antiques that were on display.
A moment later, he spoke slowly in Dorzanian. “The waters are mi Everything you have here belongs to me now. Your money, jewe and antiques are all mine.”
He added, “But these aren’t that important. What I want is a gram hydronium. Who has it? Give it to me.”
Suzanne was even more shocked to hear the pirate say that he wanted hydronium.
“If you can give it to me, I’ll provide you a speedboat to get you out of here safely. If you can’t give me what I want, I’ll kill a person for every minute I spend here until all of you die.”
The longer Suzanne listened to him the more unsettled she became.
13
Just then, she heard Oliver mutter, “What’s he saying?”
She glanced at him in astonishment. How did he know that she could understand the pirate?
Judging from her expression, Oliver knew that she was confused, so he explained, “You have had a knack for languages since you were young. When you left me back then, you’d already grasped all the eight major languages.”
Suzanne was even more surprised after hearing his explanation.” When I was young? Eight languages?”
Stunned by her reply, Oliver took a moment to respond.
“You were twenty-two,” he told her. “You were quite young.”
Suzanne didn’t even know this fact about herself, yet Oliver knew it fairly well. She was about to sink into her thoughts when a gun was
fired.
The pirates actually kept to their word and started killing a person for every minute that passed. Screams filled the air once more.
After the third gunshot, Suzanne couldn’t take it anymore. In Dorzanian, she said, “Stop it. They don’t understand Dorzanian.”
The head of the pirates glanced around but couldn’t find the pers who spoke. He asked, “Oh, really? I thought Dorzanian was well- known. Well then, why don’t you stand up and help me translate wh I say?”
As Suzanne slowly stood up, Oliver grabbed her hand to stop her from doing so out of fear that her life might be in danger. However, she yanked her hand away from him.
The moment she stood up, the head of the pirates was taken by surprise by her beauty. The smile under his mask was rather
intriguing as he said, “Ah, it’s a sensible woman with courage and beauty.”
He rested the gun against his shoulder and stood in a pose that he deemed would make him appear more suave. “Hey, pretty, translate what I just said to them. If you do a good job at it and help me get the hydronium I want, I can spare your life.”
Suzanne glanced around. She saw the corpses lying on the ground in pools of blood amidst the crowd. The people crouched, their bodies trembling with fear. Some covered their hands over their mouths as they sobbed in horror at the bloody sight.
It was both gruesome and chaotic.
Suzanne mustered the courage to come up with words of comfort. Don’t be afraid. Don’t move. They’re pirates, and they want to find…
Her voice trailed off when she noticed the shadows stealthily approaching several pirates from behind them. Those shadows were armed with daggers. Judging from their posture, they seemed like professional fighters.
In the blink of an eye, a fighter appeared behind each and every pir standing in the crowd. Their daggers swiftly sliced the pirates’ throats, ending them all for good.
All those pirates fell to the ground instantly.
The only pirate left standing was the head of the pirates. Oblivious
it all, he snapped at Suzanne for being silent.
“Why did you stop?”
Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Sensing that something was off, the head of the pirates turned to scan his surroundings.
But two guns were pressed against his temples before he could even steady his rifle. Startled, he froze.
Just then, a large group of armed men in black armor barged in. The air they exuded was nothing short of formidable and imposing.
Among them, Suzanne could make out a man who seemed especially intimidating compared to the others.
Now, she knew who they were. They were the Norvanian military. Nathan had come here with them.
Overwhelmed by emotions, Suzanne’s heart raced at the sight of him.” Nathan would always appear whenever she was in danger.
And although he didn’t come for her, she still felt rather touched to
see him.
Just then, Sally stood up from the ground and yelled, “Nate! You
here! I’m saved!”
Suzanne froze when she heard the voice. The gleam in her eyes fad as an excited Sally rushed over to Nathan.
However, Nathan stopped her. His eyes were solemn when he tol
her to back off.
Sally refused to listen, though. She stubbornly made her way over to him and started pouting.
“Nate, you finally came to save me!” she sobbed as she rushed over
to Nathan.
When she moved past the head of the pirates, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to his chest. Before anyone could blink, he had already unsheathed his dagger and pressed it against her neck.
Everyone was flabbergasted at how idiotic Sally was. At the same time, they couldn’t help but panic at the sight of her being held hostage.
The dagger dug into Sally’s skin, and she started bleeding. She was in so much fright that her face turned as white as a sheet, and she started crying.
“Nate… help me…” she wept. “Kill him…”
The head of the pirates gritted his teeth and, in Dorzanian, demanded, “Let me go.”
Nathan’s gaze darkened as he took a step forward in the pirate’s
direction.
“What do you mean?” he asked, unable to understand Dorzanian.
The head of the pirates blabbered, but Nathan frowned, still unable
understand his words.
Nathan looked at Cole and asked, “What is he saying?”
Cole shook his head, so Nathan turned to Lucas instead. Lucas
shook his head too.
Nathan then looked around. A look of astonishment flashed acro his eyes when he saw Suzanne.
He never thought that she’d be here. She even dressed up so beautifully that he was enchanted by her beauty for a brief moment
However, he needed to do his job. There was no time for him to deal with his personal matters, so he tore his eyes away from her.
“Does anyone understand what he’s saying? Please come out and translate it for me.”
The crowd silently turned to look at Suzanne.
The head of the pirates pressed the dagger deeper into Sally’s skin. and said something in Dorzanian again.
Sally was in so much pain that she cried even more. “Nate! Help me! I’m going to die! Shoot him!”
Suzanne glanced at Nathan. Her heart broke at how he hesitated to shoot the pirate.
Sally was held hostage, but the head of the pirates was a head taller than her. He was so close, so Nathan wouldn’t miss if he made the
shot.
But why didn’t he shoot the pirate? Was he afraid of hurting Sally accidentally if he did so? How deep was his love for her that he’d swallow his urge to kill the pirate right away?
If Suzanne didn’t translate what the head of the pirates said, he’d start panicking and kill Sally right then and there.
Suzanne would benefit from it, but she couldn’t make herself do something so inhumane.
Pushing away the uneasiness in her heart, Suzanne eventually sa The pirate says that if you let him leave this ship, he’ll give you all t treasure here and let Sally go. He’ll even give you a gram of-” Suzanne abruptly stopped speaking.