Natalie paced anxiously outside Ivan's study, her worry growing with each passing moment. It had been hours since he had returned from his meeting with heavens knew who. Taking a deep breath, Natalie raised her hand and knocked softly on the door, hoping for a response. "Ivan, please...open the door," she called out, her voice filled with fear. But there was no response. Ivan was intentionally trying to avoid her. He was ignoring her.She could not remember having done anything wrong recently. Why did it look like he was mad at her and did not to see her. Feeling more scared, Natalie reached for her phone and dialed Ivan's number. She held her breath as the phone rang. She wanted to hear hod voice to confirm that he was fine. But the call went straight to voicemail, leaving her heart sinking further into her chest.With trembling hands, she typed out a message. "Ivan, please, talk to me. I'm worried. I need to know you're okay." She hit send, her eyes glued to the screen, waiting for
Abruptly, Ivan turned to face her, his eyes filled with a a very unfamiliar look. His voice cut through the air as he spoke. He was so distant. "You're right, Natalie," he declared, the words landing like a dagger to her heart. "You have hurt me, time and time again. And yes, I have been a coward, hiding away from you in this room. Perhaps it's best if we end everything."The room seemed to spin around Natalie, her breath catching in her throat. The pain within her intensified, tearing at her heart. She searched Ivan's face, seeking to see the man she had trusted so deeply, only to find a stranger in his place."No," she whispered, her voice filled with determination. "Ivan, this isn't you. We can't let everything crumble like this. Please, talk to me. Tell me what's going on."Ivan's gaze wavered, the walls he had built around himself showing signs of cracks. He paused, battling with his emotions. His eyes seemed to soften for a while, and Natalie began having hopes again. She just di
Alex's laughter echoed through the phone, his amusement evident. "I got you this time," he taunted, enjoying the few moments that he could make fun of his friend.Ivan felt a little ashamed, but he restrained himself, aware of the prying eyes of the cameras. His voice turned cold as he questioned, "Who are you?" He had to pretend like he did not know who the caller was so that Black did not find out about Alex.Alex continued to laugh, his voice filled with mischief. "Keep it low, man," he replied. "I managed to cut off Black. You'll have power after at least the next two hours."Ivan furrowed his brow, his mind struggling to process the unexpected turn of events. "You did that?" he asked, flicking the light switch, only to be met with darkness."Yeah, man. Why wouldn't I help you out?" Alex retorted, his amusement evident in his voice. "Why would I be your friend if I couldn't do that?""I should have known," Ivan muttered, glancing briefly at Natalie, his voice filled with gratitude.
Ivan woke up with Natalie in his hands, a broad smile appearing on his face as he looked at her sleeping face. He brought his hands to her face and gently caressed her, feeling the sense of peace that he had missed for days.Natalie's eyes fluttered when something kept moving on her face. Slowly, she opened her eyes and met a man's warm gaze. She snuggled closer to him, a smile on her face. "Good morning, beast," she greeted him jokingly.Ivan smiled and pinched her nose. "You look so happy today. Did that mean that I satisfied you well last night?" He joked back.Natalie buried her face into his chest to hide away her embarrassment. "Can't you just talk like a normal person?" She asked and pinched his waist playfully.Ivan hurriedly held her hand. "Stop messing around unless you want to awaken the beast again," he said, and kissed her lips lovingly.Natalie smiled, her cheeks flushed. She seemed to have thought of something and sat up. "Um... Black will be taking me today, right?" She
Natalie tried to sit up, her concern immediately shifting to the boy who had accidentally knocked her off her feet. "The boy who just knocked me off... Is he okay?" she asked, showing her compassionate nature even in her own moment of distress.Ivan scanned the crowd and locked eyes with the worried boy. He noticed the blood on the boy's hand and pursed his lips. "Someone check up on the boy," he instructed, and the people around quickly rushed to help him.Still feeling disoriented, Natalie held onto Ivan's hand. "Can you help me up?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly."Of course," Ivan replied hurriedly, carefully assisting her to her feet. He guided her away from the gathering crowd and led her towards the car, where they could have some privacy.As they distanced themselves from the scene, Ivan noticed Natalie's expression changing. Her eyes turned red, and sadness enveloped her face. He gently helped her into the car, his heart aching for her."Are you feeling hurt anywhere?
…Natalie's eyes widened when she woke up on an unfamiliar bed, her mind finally connecting the dots. The room she found herself in was lavish and spacious, a real contrast to the small, cramped space she had been forced to inhabit in the past in this house. The memories of the mistreatment she endured flooded her mind, making her feel annoyed and anger about those two people that called themselves parents.She moved, and her body ached. She could not help but wince in pain. She had expected to be taken away by Black, but the fact that they had sedated her before bringing her here spoke volumes about their intentions. It was as if they didn't even want to give her the chance to fight back or escape.Her thoughts were interrupted as the door was pushed open, and a woman around forty years old stepped inside the room. The woman's eyes widened in disbelief as they landed on Natalie, and she let out a horrified scream."Aaaah!" the woman shrieked, her hands flying to her mouth as if to st
When Black came back to the room, Natalie wanted to keep her distance from him. If this man could send his wife away without blinking, what was he not capable of?Black sighed seeing her action. “Daughter, I sent her away to make up for what we caused you to go through in the past,” he spoke up. “Please, forgive me…”Still, Natalie could not fully understand if the man had changed or he was just pretending. “Why did you bring me back?“ She asked at last. She wanted to end things as fast as possible. She wanted to go back to Ivan and Carter.Black took a seat beside her. “I heard about your break up with Ivan… that man has wronged you. I am your father. I had to come for you. I will help you carry out revenge if you want to…”Natalie pretended to be really heartbroken. “But… why are you two fighting?“ She asked. She was still mad that the man had pretended that the break up had nothing to do with him.Black was silent for a while. “ We were fighting in the past, not anymore. I won't li
Carter opened his eyes when he heard Natalie's voice. “Mommy…” he called between cries as he struggled. His mommy was finally there to save him.Natalie hurriedly untied him and pulled him into his hands. “You are fine now…”“Mommy…. Save great grandma. She is in the backyard. Auntie June has a gun…” Carter said the moment he remembered what had happened.Natalie shook. “It's okay,” she said and carried Carter to the room where she had locked Melan. “She will protect you,” Natalie whispered to Carter.She handed Carter to Melan. “Melan, don't open the door until I come back. Don't make any noise,” she said while trembling.“Sister… will you be safe?“ Melan asked in fear. Natalie hurriedly nodded and locked the door behind her, leaving.She ran upstairs to Ivan's room and took out her phone. Luckily, Ivan hurriedly picked him up when she called him.“Natalie…” Ivan called. “Did something happen? I am done here. I am taking the plane soon…”“Ivan… hurry up! Grandma is in danger!“ Natal
Black and Ivan looked at each other before turning to Natalie. Ivan cleared his throat. “Honey, I recently found out that Black wasn't the person that killed my family. It was June and her accomplices!“Five years ago, Black really did have intentions of killing Ivan and the whole of his family. But his first aim was Ivan, and that was the reason why he sent Natalie to kill him. His family, back in the country, were out for a night. Black was prepared to attack, because Ivan was away and he would not be there to protect them. But an hour earlier, he received information that they were already killed.After gathering information, Ivan had recently realized that June was behind everything. Despite being around and pretending to be a naive and innocent girl, she had caused more havoc.She had killed, thinking that the company belonged to Ivan's dad. To her shock, it was Ivan who owned it. So she lost. She was not able to put her hands on the company.Luckily, she was now behind doors. I
The old lady chuckled. “I was so stupid! How could I not differentiate between someone with a good heart like you from those full of bad intentions? Instead of protecting him, I exposed all of us to danger. Please forgive me…”Natalie, who had never had any experience of an elderly person apologizing, did not know what she was supposed to say. She pursed her lips in fear.The old lady sighed. “I am not saying all this because you saved my life. I just think I was too blind in the past not to see the good in you. Please, take good care of my grandson, and my great grandchildren!“Natalie was just so shocked. She had not expected that things would be this easy after so much struggle. That meant that the old lady was blessing her marriage with Ivan, right?She lifted her eyes to look at Ivan, and seeing the broad smile on his face, Natalie relaxed. Everything was fine. They were finally going to be together without any difficulties.Ivan winked at her, and Natalie could not help but roll
The doctor sighed with disappointment. “You don't know it? That thing that healed you!“ He was not sure if the girl was just pretending or she really knew nothing about it.Natalie shook her head. “Wait… I think I was wounded! What happened? What is that Gello you are talking about?“ She asked.The doctor sighed. “When you were brought here, we all thought you were going to die! You had wounds, you had lost a lot of blood and you were almost losing your child. But… that thing they gave you… it healed you in less than ten minutes…”Even though Natalie was pretending not to know anything about Gello, she was shocked to hear that she was healed like that. “Doctor, are you sure about what you are talking about?“ “Yes… it happened… He just wrapped it around your hand…” The doctor had begun speaking when the door was pulled open and two men walked in. Trevor went directly to the doctor and held his hand. “Doctor, would you mind us having a small talk?“ He asked while pulling him out, not
Natalie froze up. She waited for the excruciating pain, then maybe, death. She had been so sure that June had shot her straight in the chest. She would be dead in just a few seconds.However, after a few seconds, nothing happened. She did not get any pain either. Confused, she opened her eyes.“Natalie…” Someone called her. All she could hear and see were the movements of people here and there.But her eyes caught one person who was running towards her direction. “Natalie… are you okay?“ Ivan asked as he pulled her into his arms.Due to the pressure he applied, Natalie winced in pain. Her body was covered in several wounds due to the torture that these people had inflicted on her. She saw June lying on the ground, her gun some distance away from her.“You are hurt! Quickly, call an ambulance!“ Ivan ordered as he tried to untie her. Trevor and a few other men were checking up on the old lady.“Ivan… you came…” Natalie said in shock. She had not expected him to be back that quickly. But
Carter opened his eyes when he heard Natalie's voice. “Mommy…” he called between cries as he struggled. His mommy was finally there to save him.Natalie hurriedly untied him and pulled him into his hands. “You are fine now…”“Mommy…. Save great grandma. She is in the backyard. Auntie June has a gun…” Carter said the moment he remembered what had happened.Natalie shook. “It's okay,” she said and carried Carter to the room where she had locked Melan. “She will protect you,” Natalie whispered to Carter.She handed Carter to Melan. “Melan, don't open the door until I come back. Don't make any noise,” she said while trembling.“Sister… will you be safe?“ Melan asked in fear. Natalie hurriedly nodded and locked the door behind her, leaving.She ran upstairs to Ivan's room and took out her phone. Luckily, Ivan hurriedly picked him up when she called him.“Natalie…” Ivan called. “Did something happen? I am done here. I am taking the plane soon…”“Ivan… hurry up! Grandma is in danger!“ Natal
When Black came back to the room, Natalie wanted to keep her distance from him. If this man could send his wife away without blinking, what was he not capable of?Black sighed seeing her action. “Daughter, I sent her away to make up for what we caused you to go through in the past,” he spoke up. “Please, forgive me…”Still, Natalie could not fully understand if the man had changed or he was just pretending. “Why did you bring me back?“ She asked at last. She wanted to end things as fast as possible. She wanted to go back to Ivan and Carter.Black took a seat beside her. “I heard about your break up with Ivan… that man has wronged you. I am your father. I had to come for you. I will help you carry out revenge if you want to…”Natalie pretended to be really heartbroken. “But… why are you two fighting?“ She asked. She was still mad that the man had pretended that the break up had nothing to do with him.Black was silent for a while. “ We were fighting in the past, not anymore. I won't li
…Natalie's eyes widened when she woke up on an unfamiliar bed, her mind finally connecting the dots. The room she found herself in was lavish and spacious, a real contrast to the small, cramped space she had been forced to inhabit in the past in this house. The memories of the mistreatment she endured flooded her mind, making her feel annoyed and anger about those two people that called themselves parents.She moved, and her body ached. She could not help but wince in pain. She had expected to be taken away by Black, but the fact that they had sedated her before bringing her here spoke volumes about their intentions. It was as if they didn't even want to give her the chance to fight back or escape.Her thoughts were interrupted as the door was pushed open, and a woman around forty years old stepped inside the room. The woman's eyes widened in disbelief as they landed on Natalie, and she let out a horrified scream."Aaaah!" the woman shrieked, her hands flying to her mouth as if to st
Natalie tried to sit up, her concern immediately shifting to the boy who had accidentally knocked her off her feet. "The boy who just knocked me off... Is he okay?" she asked, showing her compassionate nature even in her own moment of distress.Ivan scanned the crowd and locked eyes with the worried boy. He noticed the blood on the boy's hand and pursed his lips. "Someone check up on the boy," he instructed, and the people around quickly rushed to help him.Still feeling disoriented, Natalie held onto Ivan's hand. "Can you help me up?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly."Of course," Ivan replied hurriedly, carefully assisting her to her feet. He guided her away from the gathering crowd and led her towards the car, where they could have some privacy.As they distanced themselves from the scene, Ivan noticed Natalie's expression changing. Her eyes turned red, and sadness enveloped her face. He gently helped her into the car, his heart aching for her."Are you feeling hurt anywhere?
Ivan woke up with Natalie in his hands, a broad smile appearing on his face as he looked at her sleeping face. He brought his hands to her face and gently caressed her, feeling the sense of peace that he had missed for days.Natalie's eyes fluttered when something kept moving on her face. Slowly, she opened her eyes and met a man's warm gaze. She snuggled closer to him, a smile on her face. "Good morning, beast," she greeted him jokingly.Ivan smiled and pinched her nose. "You look so happy today. Did that mean that I satisfied you well last night?" He joked back.Natalie buried her face into his chest to hide away her embarrassment. "Can't you just talk like a normal person?" She asked and pinched his waist playfully.Ivan hurriedly held her hand. "Stop messing around unless you want to awaken the beast again," he said, and kissed her lips lovingly.Natalie smiled, her cheeks flushed. She seemed to have thought of something and sat up. "Um... Black will be taking me today, right?" She