Novel-novel oleh Julia Rain

Brent and his colleagues gathered evidence of Natalie’s crimes in three days. They handed it over to the police, and an arrest was made.Beverley participated in the arrest. Brent forbade her at first, but she insisted on going. She wanted to see if Natalie would confess to her crime.“She had every intention of harming you, honey,” Brent said as they arrived at Natalie’s apartment. He looked at his wife tenderly. “Don’t let her do it again.”“Don’t worry, Brent. She won’t because we’re coming with the police officers.”Brent kissed her forehead lovingly. “All right. Let’s go out.” He opened the door and led Beverley out of the car.Beverley chuckled. Since learning of her pregnancy, Brent’s demeanor had become gentler towards her. He would also grant her whatever she wanted. He was so sweet and loving.The police officers preceded them into the apartment building. Brent and Beverley followed. Jace, Ryan, Logan, and Jax were behind them. The four men didn’t want to miss the spectacle.

Chris’s death was a heavy blow to Brent and Michael. Chris had harmed them greatly and caused much trouble for the Oliver family. However, they didn’t want him to die at all.In the days following the funeral, Brent became very busy. He struggled to investigate who had masterminded the accident. The police were investigating, but he couldn’t rely solely on them.That problem caused a significant reduction in his time with Beverley. She understood that. However, she wondered how serious the matter was.It was almost midnight, and Brent hadn’t gone upstairs to bed even though he was home from work. Beverley stepped down the stairs carefully. No one seemed to be hanging around the mansion. The servants had already rested.Beverley peered out into the courtyard and saw Ryan’s car parked there. ‘They’re still here,’ she thought.She cautiously stepped closer to the rarely used reading room. It was on the west side of the mansion. Lately, Brent often gathered with some strangers there until

Tears fell on Brent’s face. He immediately turned around and hugged Beverley. His body trembled, and he cried silently.Beverley hugged him tightly. She understood his grief. Brent usually seemed to hate Chris so much. However, he had always protected him.As angry as Brent was, he never went cruel or too far with Chris. The threats that came out of his mouth were just words he didn’t mean. The man had always secretly loved Chris. Or he never realized it.“All this time, I was in no hurry to reconcile with him. I thought... we had more time,” Brent whispered with his eyes closed.“I shouldn’t have gone to New York. That should have been a sign.”Beverley stroked Brent’s back. Her palm felt the traces of fabric across his back. Her brow furrowed deeply. Was what Chris said true? She tried to put that aside for the moment.“Brent, even if you don’t go to New York, you can’t change fate,” Beverley whispered. “You have to let him go.”Brent said nothing. He let go of his embrace and then

Chris’ body was lying in the middle of the road. Fresh blood was flowing from his head. His face was covered in blood. He was silent and motionless.Beverley trembled at what had just happened. Her face was deathly pale. “No, no, no. Chris, are you okay?!”She tried to stand up, but her legs were sore and weak. Her stomach and head hurt, too. Frantically, she crawled over to the man.Chris was choking and out of breath. Beverley burst into tears immediately after seeing how bad his condition was. She immediately held his hand.“Chris, I’ll call for help. Please hold on,” she pleaded in a trembling voice. She quickly grabbed her cell phone, but Chris gripped her hand.“Beverley...” Chris called out weakly.“Don’t say anything, please!” Beverley tearfully tried to control her trembling hands. She dialed 911 in a panic.“I’m sorry... Bev,” Chris whispered with difficulty. He felt his body floating higher and higher. His chest was tight. Pain shot from his head to his toes.“No, Chris. Do

Emma’s funeral was a quick affair. James and Beverley agreed to keep things simple and inconspicuous. They didn’t invite many people either.The funeral took place a day later. At the cemetery, Beverley stood behind her father, who crouched by the tombstone. The funeral ceremony was over. Some people who had come had left.Michael approached Beverley. The old man tapped her shoulder and whispered, “Brent should be arriving in Los Angeles soon. That boy is really...”Beverley shook her head and smiled. “He ran into some obstacles that delayed him. That’s okay. He’s in another state, after all. Going home will take hours.”Yesterday, Brent had said he would return home as soon as the meeting was over. However, the man admitted that he found a serious problem that was impossible to leave behind. In the end, he could only return today.“I’m glad that you understand. After Brent arrives at the mansion later, I’ll immediately ask him to come to James’ house.”“Thank you, Dad.”Michael smile

The next day, something surprising happened. Beverley had just arrived at Katy’s cafe that morning. Her cell phone suddenly rang. There was an incoming call from James.“It’s so rare that James calls me,” she muttered and answered the phone immediately. “Hello, Dad.”The sound of James crying suddenly entered Beverley’s ears. The man didn’t say anything, and that worried her. “Dad, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”James sobbed. “Emma....”“What about Emma?” Beverley immediately stood up from the chair. She felt uneasy. Did something bad happen?“She’s taken so many drugs. She overdosed, Bev,” James whispered in a weak voice.Beverley widened her eyes in disbelief. “How... how is that possible?”The sound of James’ sobs could be heard again, along with the noise of several people. There were many people in the place where the man was. And that worried Beverley even more.“Dad, where are you right now? I’ll be right there.”“Come to the house, Bev. They’re taking care of her body,” Ja

Brent dan rekan-rekannya berhasil mengumpulkan bukti-bukti kejahatan Natalie dalam waktu tiga hari yang singkat. Mereka menyerahkannya kepada pihak kepolisian hingga akhirnya penangkapan pun dilakukan.Beverley ikut dalam penangkapan itu. Pada awalnya Brent melarangnya, tapi dia bersikeras ingin ikut. Dia ingin melihat apakah Natalie akan mengakui kejahatannya.“Dia memiliki niat untuk mencelakaimu, Sayang,” ucap Brent saat mobil yang mereka tumpangi sampai di apartemen Natalie. Dia menatap istrinya itu dengan lembut. “Jangan sampai dia melakukannya lagi.”“Jangan khawatir, Brent. Dia tidak akan melakukannya karena kita datang bersama petugas polisi.”Brent akhirnya mencium keningnya dengan penuh cinta. “Baiklah. Ayo turun.” Dia membuka pintu lalu menuntun Beverley keluar dari mobil.Beverley tertawa kecil. Sejak mengetahui kehamilannya, sikap Brent menjadi lebih lembut padanya. Pria itu juga akan mengabulkan apa pun keinginannya. Dia begitu manis dan penuh kasih sayang.Para petugas

Kematian Chris merupakan pukulan berat untuk Brent dan Michael. Chris telah banyak merugikan mereka dan menyebabkan banyak masalah untuk keluarga. Namun, mereka sama sekali tidak menginginkan kematiannya.Berhari-hari setelah proses pemakaman dilakukan, Brent menjadi sangat sibuk. Dia berjuang untuk menyelidiki siapa yang telah mendalangi kecelakaan itu. Pihak kepolisian melakukan penyelidikan, tapi dia tidak bisa hanya mengandalkan mereka.Karena masalah itu, waktunya untuk Beverley juga berkurang banyak. Wanita itu memakluminya. Namun, dia menjadi penasaran seserius apa masalahnya.Hampir tengah malam, Brent belum naik ke kamar tidur padahal dia sudah pulang dari kantor. Beverley menuruni tangga dengan hati-hati. Tidak ada seorang pun yang terlihat di mansion itu. Para pelayan sudah beristirahat.Dia mengintip ke luar halaman dan melihat mobil Ryan parkir di sana. ‘Mereka masih ada di sini,’ batin Beverley.Dengan hati-hati dia melangkah mendekati ruang baca yang jarang digunakan. I

Air mata menetes di wajah Brent. Dia langsung berbalik lalu memeluk Beverley. Tubuhnya gemetar dan dia menangis dalam diam.Beverley memeluk pria itu dengan erat. Dia mengerti kesedihannya. Brent biasanya terlihat begitu membenci Chris. Namun, pria itu selalu melindunginya.Semarah apa pun Brent, dia tidak pernah bertindak kejam atau terlalu jauh pada Chris. Ancaman-ancaman yang keluar dari mulutnya hanya kata-kata yang tidak sungguh-sungguh dia lakukan. Pria itu diam-diam selalu menyayangi saudaranya. Atau dia tidak pernah menyadarinya.“Aku tidak buru-buru untuk berdamai dengan dia. Kupikir … masih ada banyak waktu yang tersisa,” bisik Brent dengan mata terpejam.“Seharusnya aku tidak pergi ke New York. Itu pastilah tanda-tandanya," gumamnya.Beverley mengusap punggung Brent dengan lembut. Telapak tangannya merasakan jejak kain melintang di punggungnya. Keningnya berkerut dalam. Apakah yang Chris katakan benar? Dia mencoba mengesampingkan hal itu sementara.“Brent, bahkan jika kau t

Tubuh Chris tergeletak di tengah jalan. Darah segar mengalir dari kepalanya. Wajahnya bersimbah darah. Dia berdiam dan tak bergerak.Beverley gemetaran melihat apa yang baru saja terjadi. Wajahnya pucat pasi. “Tidak. Tidak. Chris, apa kau baik-baik saja?!”Dia mencoba berdiri, tapi kakinya sakit dan lemah. Perut dan kepalanya juga sakit. Dengan panik dia merangkak mendekati pria itu.Chris tersedak dan kehabisan napas. Beverley langsung menangis setelah melihat betapa buruknya kondisinya. Dia segera memegang tangannya.“Chris, aku akan memanggil bantuan. Tolong bertahanlah,” pintanya dengan suara bergetar. Dia segera mengambil ponselnya tapi Chris mencengkeram tangannya.“Beverley ….” Chris memanggilnya dengan lemah.“Jangan katakan sesuatu dulu, kumohon.” Beverley sambil menangis mencoba mengendalikan tangannya yang gemetar. Dia menekan nomor 911 dengan panik.“Maafkan aku … Bev,” bisik Chris dengan susah payah. Dia merasa tubuhnya melayang semakin tinggi. Dadanya sesak. Rasa sakit m

Upacara pemakaman untuk Emma dilakukan dengan cepat. James dan Beverley sepakat untuk membuat semuanya sederhana dan tidak mencolok. Mereka juga tidak mengundang banyak orang.Pemakaman itu dilakukan sehari kemudian. Beverley berdiri di belakang ayahnya yang berjongkok di dekat batu nisan. Upacara pemakaman itu sudah selesai. Orang-orang yang datang sebagian sudah pergi.Michael menghampiri Beverley. Pria tua itu menepuk pundaknya dan berbisik, “Brent seharusnya akan segera tiba di LA. Anak itu benar-benar ….”Beverley menggeleng dan tersenyum. “Dia mengalami beberapa kendala yang membuatnya tertunda. Tidak apa-apa. Lagi pula dia berada di negara bagian lain. Perjalanan pulang akan memakan waktu berjam-jam.”Kemarin Brent bilang akan segera pulang setelah rapat selesai. Namun, pria itu mengaku menemukan masalah serius yang mustahil untuk ditinggalkan. Akhirnya dia baru bisa kembali hari ini.“Aku senang karena kau memakluminya. Setelah Brent tiba di mansion nanti, aku akan langsung me

Keesokan harinya, sesuatu yang mengejutkan tiba-tiba terjadi. Pagi itu Beverley baru sampai di kafe Katy. Ponselnya berdering. Ada panggilan masuk dari James.“Sangat jarang James meneleponku,” gumamnya. Dia segera menjawab telepon itu. “Halo, Ayah.”Suara tangisan James tiba-tiba memasuki telinga Beverley. Pria itu tidak mengatakan apa-apa dan itu membuatnya khawatir. “Ayah, ada apa? Kenapa kau menangis?”James terisak. “Emma ….”“Kenapa dengan Emma?” Beverley segera berdiri dari kursi. Perasaannya menjadi tidak tenang. Apa sesuatu yang buruk telah terjadi?“Dia mengonsumsi begitu banyak obat-obatan terlarang. Dia overdosis, Bev,” bisik James dengan suara lemah.Beverley menggeleng tidak percaya. “Bagaimana … bagaimana mungkin?”Suara isak tangis James kembali terdengar bersama dengan suara keributan beberapa orang. Ada banyak orang di tempat di mana pria itu berada. Dan itu semakin membuat Beverley khwatir.“Ayah, di mana Ayah sekarang? Aku akan segera ke sana.”“Datanglah ke rumah,

The situation at the Wentworth family's mansion became chaotic. After learning that a group of people had harmed Caroline and kidnapped Natalie, Nelson rushed home. He was furious that no one had called an ambulance or the police.“What’s wrong with all of you? Absolutely useless!” Nelson scolded the servants while holding his cell phone to his ear.“Don’t call the police,” Caroline whispered weakly. She looked very pale as if she could faint at any moment.“No, I’m not. I’m calling an ambulance,” Nelson said soothingly.A few minutes later, the ambulance finally arrived. They immediately took Caroline to the hospital. Nelson did not accompany his wife, but let the head maid take his place.Afterward, Nelson immediately had his assistant check the surveillance camera footage to see what had happened. After watching it for a while, he finally understood what had happened.“What kind of person is targeting Natalie?” Nelson muttered to himself. He felt worried and uneasy.“Sir, maybe we

Natalie’s life in Preston for the next few days was very relaxed and quiet. The Wentworth family didn’t mind her staying longer, but she also felt uncomfortable living for free like that for too long.After the new year and the holiday period ended, many members of the Wentworth family returned to normal activities and left the main mansion. They also had their own houses or residences with their respective families.Britia also returned to Nine Elms, leaving Natalie with only Grandpa Nelson’s family occupying the main mansion. The mansion quickly became deserted.Nelson was busy overseeing the silk factory left behind by the Wentworth family’s ancestors, who had lost their glory days. His frail wife just relaxed at home while their children had their own businesses, like restaurants and boutiques, in the city center.Natalie helped with some factory work because she felt uncomfortable living for free. Nelson, who was aware of her actions, went to see her.“My dear, why are you here?

Alex knocked on Dante’s bedroom door several times, but there was no response from inside. He grew uneasy. “Dante, open the door!” he shouted.“What’s wrong?” James, standing guard in front of the hotel room, became curious because he saw Alex worried. “Is there any urgent business?”“Hurry and ask the hotel staff for a spare key!” Alex ordered seriously.James felt confused but didn’t dare ask more questions. He hurried away and came back with a hotel staff a few moments later. Alex immediately asked the staff to open Dante’s room.Moments later, the door finally opened. “Let me in,” Alex said, as he hurried inside. He closed the door again and saw Dante crouched on the floor, busy doing something.“What are you doing?” Alex asked.“Stay right there! Don’t come any closer!” Dante ordered coldly.Alex was confused. Dante had his back to him, so he could only see his back. Shards of glass were on the floor, along with blood splatters. That worried him.“Are you okay?” Alex asked as he

Natalie finally met the Wentworth family. They didn’t recognize her and quietly asked Britia. “Is she your friend? Why didn’t you say you were coming with a friend?”Britia smiled awkwardly while looking at Natalie. They sat at the dining table with the rest of the Wentworth family, but the atmosphere was awkward and strange. They felt unfamiliar with Natalie’s presence.“Everyone, listen to me!” Britia finally shouted and stood up while holding a wine glass. “She’s not my friend. She’s Natalie, Aunt Minerva’s granddaughter in America. Don’t you all recognize her?”They were surprised to hear that. Minerva’s granddaughter?They all immediately looked at Natalie with appraisal and investigation. The change in her appearance had indeed puzzled them. Meanwhile, the observed person could only smile while putting on a friendly face.“Are you really Minerva’s granddaughter?” Nelson Wentworth, Minerva’s elder brother, the first child of that generation, asked in confusion.Natalie nodded. “I

Britia was still unsure of Natalie’s identity. However, she couldn’t bear to let her faint just like that. Finally, she asked the security guards to help take Natalie to her apartment unit.Natalie fainted for three hours. When she woke up, the sky was already bright. Britia, who had been pacing back and forth waiting for her, immediately sighed and offered her warm water.“Oh, you really confused me. It’s Christmas, you know?!” the beautiful curly-haired and blue-eyed woman grumbled.Natalie tried to sit up even though her body felt weak. Her head was throbbing, but she didn’t care. She took the glass of warm water and looked down. “I’m sorry I bothered you,” she said guiltily.“What exactly happened? Are you really Aunt Minerva’s granddaughter?” Britia asked.“Yes, I’m Natalie. After I got out of prison, I did have plastic surgery to change my identity so that others wouldn’t know who I really am. You know, I don’t want to hold that popularity anymore,” Natalie said weakly.Britia s

Nicolo and his two subordinates hid in front of his bulletproof car, using the car as a shield and hiding place. Meanwhile, Dante’s soldiers advanced closer and closer. They were full of preparations and overwhelmed Nicolo.“Son of a bitch! I don’t think we can survive here, boss!” shouted Nicolo’s driver, who had run out of bullets.“Find a place to hide! This commotion is bound to attract the police. If they come, Dante won’t be able to catch up with us,” Nicolo said as he looked around. He gave the code to his two subordinates. After that, they immediately ran away.Dante, who saw that, immediately told his subordinates to chase Nicolo. That was a good opportunity to catch them. Next time, he probably wouldn’t have the chance.James and some men dressed in black went after Nicolo. Meanwhile, Dante approached Nicolo’s car, which was riddled with gunshot marks. He opened the door and saw Natalie crouched in fear on the floor of the vehicle, crying shakily.“Go! Find a place to hide!”