When Natalie had confronted him previously, no one truly understood the turmoil raging within Irwin.He was outwardly calm, yet in reality...!The instant Natalie turned away, it felt as though a crucial part of his world collapsed. Now, if reconnecting with her meant being used, he would willingly accept such manipulation.With a stern face, Cedric approached the two. His gaze was chilling as it fixed upon Natalie. The icy glint in his eyes mirrored the coldness of a glacial peak, sending shivers down one's spine."Nat, come with me," he demanded, extending his hand with a forceful undertone.Finally, Natalie met his eyes. The coldness reflected in her gaze was equally visible. She looked at the hand he offered—a hand that once felt warm and promised a journey towards a liberated future. Back then, it was a hand she once trusted implicitly. He made it possible for her to trust him, even unconsciously.But now?When did it start?Everything had changed!The atmosphere was
Just as she was about to get into the car, someone forcefully gripped Natalie's wrist—it was Cedric! Suddenly, her vision spun. Before she could react, she was shoved into the car.Then came Cedric's chilling voice, "Stop them!"Natalie was speechless and struggled to sit up. She peered through the rear window and immediately saw Irwin and Cedric's men clashing.A dangerous atmosphere filled the confined space, and the car sped off like an arrow released from its bow!The scene behind them grew distant and smaller, fading completely after a turn.Smack!The crisp sound of a slap echoed as it landed fiercely on Cedric's face.The already tense atmosphere grew even colder!The driver sensed the imminent danger, and his hands on the steering wheel trembled momentarily. However, he quickly regained control, aiming to reach their destination as swiftly as possible.In the backseat, Natalie stared icily at Cedric, who returned her gaze. However, there was an unmistakable pain deep
When Natalie had seen that photograph in Stephen's study, she knew... there was more than met the eye between Cedric and Irwin.Back then, due to her indifference towards Cedric, Natalie didn't dwell on it.However, today at the airport, she witnessed the deep-seated resentment in Cedric's eyes towards Irwin! And she could detect the underlying bitterness Irwin harbored towards Cedric behind his smiles.Such hatred… such resentment! To say there was no connection between them was impossible! Perhaps the photograph she'd seen in the study held similar truths.Initially, their relationship seemed harmonious. But somewhere along the line, things irreparably fractured.Indeed!When Natalie probed further, she distinctly noticed the fleeting pain that flashed across Cedric's eyes.But it was short-lived."There was nothing between us!" Cedric's voice was icy and thick with barely concealed animosity.Natalie was silent.Nothing between them? Clearly, things weren't as Cedric
When Cedric spoke in such a manner, Natalie was left speechless, unsure of how to respond.So, that must be why he was accustomed to the local flavors here.After a few more bites, Natalie found the food too overwhelming. She attempted to have some soup, but it, too, was saturated with sweetness.She didn't appreciate such a flavor."Should I ask the kitchen to prepare noodles for you?" Seeing how Natalie was unable to stomach anything, Cedric frowned."No need," Natalie replied curtly.She could already imagine the noodles would also be sweet. The chef that prepared the food would be local, after all. Even if they attempted to mimic the tastes of Simeria or Verde City, she was certain it wouldn't be to her liking.However, his casual remark about being unprepared made Natalie's heart grow colder. He had never been prepared when it came to her, had he?If it were Kayla or Isabella, undoubtedly... everything would always be ready and to their preference.Just then, her phon
Every time the topic resurfaced, it felt like tearing open an old wound.It was raw and painful!"Nat," Cedric began.What should he say? What could he possibly say at this moment? That his words were merely outbursts? Though he spoke in anger, he never truly intended for Isabella to have Natalie's eyes."You never believed in me, so why ask?" Natalie's voice was tinged with bitterness."I just wanted to-""Why bother putting on such an act?!" she interrupted.Stunned, Cedric could only wonder...Was this the image he held in Natalie's heart now? "Whether you believe me or not, I never truly intended-""Regardless of your intentions, everything went to Isabella back then. As for me, I was blind and trapped. I couldn't even escape the fire."Did it hurt?Confronted with these painful memories, Cedric felt as though his heart was being crushed. The pain was overwhelming and despairing. At that moment, he even wished that the one who perished in the fire was him instead.
Indeed, he was undeserving! At what point had Cedric become unworthy? Cedric had once claimed that Isabella had given everything in her final moments, sacrificing all for Natalie. As for him, he had endured immense hardships to reach this point."Cedric, neither of you deserve forgiveness! This... is your retribution, do you understand?"Even if Isabella had paid the ultimate price for her in the end, Natalie felt no gratitude. Instead, she believed it was the price Isabella owed. And for all the despair Cedric had endured to get here, he was also undeserving of forgiveness in Natalie's eyes. This was the pain and despair he was meant to endure!"Nat!"Hearing Natalie utter these cold words, Cedric felt a crushing pain in his chest. It was almost suffocating, and it felt like he couldn't even hear his own voice.The pain was intense, and the weight of it was overwhelming!The pain stemmed from knowing she had endured so much anguish and despair…!"I'm now Irwin's fiancee
"A vivid existence?Before she could fully grasp the implications, Cedric continued, "But right now, Nat... I truly wish this were just a dream."Indeed.Just a dream.In their past life, despite everything that transpired between them, they only had each other in the end.She didn't have Irwin!In Cedric's world, Isabella wasn’t what Natalie had imagined her to be. But it didn't matter anymore. Natalie seemed utterly indifferent to all of this.She didn’t want to hear anymore and had no desire to explore what these truths meant in her world.She just didn't care anymore.She didn’t care about the truth, about the significance of everything, all because... she didn’t care about him anymore.In her world, there was Irwin, and in his... there was Kayla, whom he couldn’t simply abandon.The path they were on now felt like a dead end. Cedric truly wished... that this was merely his dream, longing to return to the world that was solely theirs…When it was just the two of them.
Shortly after, Irwin arrived!Cedric's men forcefully stopped him. The tension between them was obvious, as if they were on the brink of a major confrontation. "Make him leave!" Cedric's voice dripped with icy disdain and anger.At that moment, Natalie caught a fleeting emotion in his eyes. It seemed like... sorrow. Yes, it was a momentary glimpse of pain.She clearly saw those emotions in his eyes.Could it be that Cedric felt pain concerning Irwin? But why? "Yes, Your Excellency," the butler nodded in acknowledgment and departed.Natalie shifted her gaze away from Cedric's profile to the window. Rain pelted down, hitting the banana leaves. It made a rhythmic sound that felt suffocating, mirroring her emotions.When had Natalie started disliking the rain? Back when she was with Cedric, she used to adore it. Cedric had a peculiar habit. Rainy days were his days off, which was more sacred than Sundays. Whenever it rained, he'd prefer to be at Scarlet Villa with her.