Natalie’s POVI unconsciously dropped my phone to the floor, my hands trembling at the unexpected heartbreaking news. No, no. it was impossible. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t have possibly been in an accident. But it was real. Every cell in me paused for as long as I could remember. I could no longer control my breathing and everything around me seemed to be spinning. No, it couldn’t be possible. Untried to over but remained stagnant. Oh, how I feared death. It was almost the same hang that happened to my father ND how. Shit, I couldn’t be thinking negatively. I hadn’t even gotten a chance to see to know if he was dead or alive. I balled my sweaty palms into a fist. I shifted my eyes to Iris who just stood there. I saw the perplexion in her eyes. I felt it, but she tried to hide it. She wanted to ask what the matter was and who was in the accident, but our relationship didn’t permit it. Plus, it was none of her business to know who was in an accident or who was not. She could go meet h
Sebastian's POV.My vision was blurry, all I could see were rainbow-like, unclear colors that almost blinded me. The whole room smells like death, cold and heavy, making the air feel thick around me. I felt like I was dying all over again, like the grim reaper was close. Then suddenly, I felt something wet drop on the top of my hand, soft but startling.I reacted with a slight jolt, my muscles weak and stiff. I tried to force my eyes open, but they felt so heavy. It was like they were glued shut, more than I could control. My body was aching, my mind foggy. Slowly, the realization hit me—I was in a hospital. The beeping machines, the sterile smell, it all made sense now.I finally managed to open my eyes, and there she was—Natalie. She was sitting at the edge of the bed, her face wet with tears. My kitten, my strong, fiery Natalie, is now sitting there, crying for me. When did she start caring this much about me? It wasn’t like she knew me that well. We were still strangers in so man
Natalia’s POVI didn’t move an inch. I felt my feet stuck on the floor and my knees were too tired to move. And there he was, his hand beating up down, up down. And I couldn’t do anything about it other than just watch him on the verge of dying. I couldn’t fucking save him. I couldn’t utter a word either. I was frozen. Tears welled up my eyes, as they trickled down my cheeks to the side of my mouth. No, this couldn’t be. “Do something for god’s sake” a voice screamed in my head, but I still didn’t do anything. If I’m asked why, I wouldn’t be able to give a reasonable explanation. It was as though I was glued to that spot and did nothing but cry like some three years old. “Somebody help. Call the doctors and the nurses.” Mother yelled as loud as she could. I could see the fear in her eyes. She wanted to save her son, but she couldn’t do anything. She was helpless and hopeless. Immediately, she turned to me. Her eyes filled with tears and anger. It was obvious she was surprised I jus
Natalie’s POVI stared at the doctor, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would break through my chest. He said Sebastian was awake. Could it be true? Was he really going to live?For a moment, I couldn’t move. My legs felt heavy like they were stuck to the floor. I stood there, unsure of what to do. Should I go in and see him, or stay back? My head was spinning, my thoughts all tangled up. But then, I felt Mother’s eyes on me again, burning with anger.“You see what I’ve been saying?” she spat, pointing a shaking finger at me. “You were just standing there like a statue. Useless!”I wanted to say something, anything to defend myself, but the words didn’t come. My mouth felt dry, and my chest tightened. I knew no matter what I said, she wouldn’t believe me. She had already made up her mind about me. To her, I was the villain, the evil girl who came into their lives and brought nothing but trouble.“I swear, I didn’t want any of this to happen,” I whispered, but my voice was too sof
Sebastian's POV I have always been careful. Careful of my life, the decisions I made and the aftermath of each and everyone of it, but today seemed different. I had destroyed my life in a twinkle of an eye. This event still made me doubt that I was ever serious.Just take a look, my life was on a pause. Everyone bringing me flowers, wishing for a better health and quick recovery, mother blaming me for not being careful while driving, the media spreading the news like wildfire that the billionaire CEO had been in an accident.Shit. Just then I knew my life would be over if I spend another minute herre. It's been two weeks since I was admitted. The workaholic part of me slowly died and I had started to feel like a piece of a wood who did nothing but just like around waiting for help. Plus, I never knew this accident of a thing would escalate into this big mess. No, I needed to move. I needed to something. I needed to get my ass up and do some work. I got up from the bed, taking off t
Natalie's POV.What would he think of me? The one he was trying to help went away without telling him…I should have protested against leaving. I should have stood my ground that day. It'd been two weeks now since he was admitted and I don't know if he's doing okay or not.The least I could do was hope for the best. He'd be fine, that was what was sure. I had gone to Iris's apartment to question her on the statement she had made the other day. This wasn't about any romantic feeling. This was about her. If I didn't show this much interest in the statement, she might doubt the authenticity of our “relationship.” I wasn't in for that. Come to think of it, I was clueless of where this too much care came from. For crying out loud, this marriage of a thing wasn't real. I need his help. It was high time I stuck to it.Yeah, I'd charge my strategies. Something better would do. Love wasn't for me and anything close to love would be out of the box for now.And where am I living since I've be
Natalie's POV It was the 26th of August. Oh,this day. It was the day my father died. I forced the tears back, holding tightly to the rail as I headed a great sigh, leaving all my burden and heartache on nature. I was too young to be facing these kinds of problems. If someone had told me all my problems would begin that very day I saw Iris with my boyfriend, I would have laughed and concluded they were joking.I inhaled and exhaled, practicing the mediation technique I had started incorporating into my life. I had been gradually losing my mind, my life was in a mess, I had even started going into debts. Shit, no one ever told me life was this hard. No one.It was past ten already. I needed to visit the cemetery. I took a bus there and on my way, got flowers. Dad was lonely. But I was lonelier. He never knew he'd raise his kids to be rivals. I'm sure he had never thought to that extent but here we are.Tears welled in my eyes. ***Flashback (16 years ago) ***“Come here, Natalie!” Fat
Sebastian's POV Her mouth gaped open. She wanted to hide her surprise, but fate was against her. “Where have you been?” I whispered, not believing she was standing right in front of me. She had been gone for months. I tried calling her line and meeting people she knew but all was to no avail.“Away from you.” She swallowed hard and went to the sink, the tap gushing out water. “Why did you leave? You do know you faltered part of our agreement. You're my wife and you have no right to leave my house!” “Like you own me. I hate this sense of entitlement you men have. And so that I may remind you, we're not legally married. All this isn't real, did you forget that?” “Of course not. I…just missed you.” “Get the hell out of here.” She pushed me aside, almost making her way out. “I won't accept you pushing me away with that tiny body of yours. Get back here.” I held her by the wrist.“What do you want from me?” “I want you. I want you back as my wife. As my friend. Look, I should even b
The cold night air hit my face as I stepped outside the hospital. The chaos from earlier had faded, leaving behind an eerie quiet. My body felt heavy, my mind even heavier.I should have felt relief.Iris and Samantha were in police custody. They wouldn’t be able to hurt Natalie again. The nightmare should have been over.But it wasn’t.Something inside me wouldn’t rest.I stood near the entrance, watching as the police officers led the two women to the waiting patrol car. Samantha fought against their grip, her wild eyes burning with rage."You think this is over?!" she screamed, twisting in the officer’s hold. "You think you’ve won, Sebastian?! You have no idea what’s coming!"Iris, on the other hand, didn’t say a word. She simply walked forward, her face blank. But I knew better.She was calculating.Planning.Waiting for the right moment.The officers shoved them into the car and s
Sebastian’s POVThe second I stepped into that place, I knew something was wrong.The air was damp, thick with the smell of dust and something metallic - blood. My fists clenched at my sides as my eyes swept across the dimly lit space. A warehouse. Abandoned, judging by the broken crates and rusted chains hanging from the ceiling. My pulse pounded in my ears, louder than my own footsteps as I moved forward.Natalie was here.She had to be.And if they had touched her -God help them.A low, taunting laugh echoed through the space. I froze.Then, a voice. Smooth. Cold. Familiar.“I was wondering when you’d get here.”I turned sharply, my muscles coiled, ready to strike. From the shadows, a figure stepped forward - Iris.She looked at me with suprise, arms folded, eyes gleaming with something dark. Like she had been expecting me. Like she was enjoying this.“Where is she?” My voice came o
The first thing I noticed was the cold.It wrapped around me, heavy and unforgiving. The air smelled damp, thick with dust and something metallic. My body ached, my head pounding like a hammer was inside it. When I tried to move, my arms wouldn’t even budge.Panic crawled up my throat.I forced my eyes open.Darkness.A single dim light flickered above, its glow barely reaching the corners of the room. The walls were made of concrete, cracked and stained with things I didn’t want to think about. My breath came out in short, shallow gasps, fogging up the cold air.I tried to move again, but something tugged at my wrists.Tied.My arms were pulled behind me, thick ropes digging into my skin. My ankles were bound too, tight enough that I could feel the circulation slowing.I swallowed hard. My mouth was dry, my throat sore.The last thing I remembered was answering Sebastian’s call. Then the door
The moment Natalie hung up, I was already moving.My car roared to life as I slammed my foot on the gas, gripping the wheel so hard that my knuckles turned white. The city lights blurred past me, streaks of yellow and red against the night. My mind raced faster than the car, faster than the panic crawling up my throat.What could possibly had gone wrong?Who was there?Did Samantha and Iris get to find where we stay? Shit.She had whispered, "They're here."Now, she wasn’t picking up.I dialed her number again. One ring. Two. Straight to voicemail.A curse slipped from my lips - fuck. I pressed harder on the gas, ignoring the honks of angry drivers as I weaved through traffic. The streets felt endless, stretching longer than they should, as if the universe was playing a cruel trick on me. But I kept going.The apartment we had rented came into view - a small, old building at the cor
Chapter 85 – Natalie’s POVI walked fast, my heartbeat pounding too loud in my ears. It was like my heart was screaming, "Be afraid! Be afraid!" The streetlights flickered above me, casting long, fearful shadows on the empty pavement. Every few seconds, I glanced nervously over my shoulder. He was still there. The man. The one who had been following me for the last ten minutes.At first, I thought it was just my imagination. But now, I was sure. He was following me. His slow steps matched mine, always keeping a distance. I couldn't see his face clearly, but his eyes seemed to gleam in the dark. My skin crawled with fear.So women weren't safe walking alone on the streets anymore?I quickened my pace, my breath catching in my throat. The streets were deserted, and the only sound was the echo of our footsteps. I felt trapped, alone, and scared. Why was he following me? What did he want?I took a sharp turn into a side alley, hoping to
I knew what I had to do. Sebastian had done his part. He had backed them into a corner. But it wasn’t over. There were still two people left. Iris and Samantha. They were careful. Too careful. But I had learned something important. Even the smartest people slip when they are afraid. I took a deep breath and checked my phone. Iris first. --- Iris I chose the café on purpose. Public. Bright. Safe. People talked here, laughed here. But behind the smiles and clinking cups, things could get ugly. Iris walked in exactly three minutes late. Always controlled. Always polished. She wore a beige blazer, matching heels, and sunglasses she didn’t need. She spotted me and walked over, her steps sharp. "Natalie," she greeted, sitting across from me. Her lips curled into a small, fake smile. "It’s been a while." I sipped my coffee. "It has." She
I sat at the table, my fingers tapping lightly against the wood. The room was small and smelled of dust. A single bulb flickered over on the floor, casting weak shadows on the walls. The air felt thick, like something heavy was pressing down on my chest.Natalie stood by the window, her arms crossed tight. She didn’t say a word, but I could feel her eyes on me. The room was quiet, too quiet. Outside, cars passed, their lights flashing through the glass. She looked like she wanted to speak but held back. Her fingers gripped her sleeves, and her lips pressed into a thin line. The air between us felt heavy, full of things unsaid. I tapped my fingers on the desk, waiting. Finally, I sighed. “Just say it, Natalie.”"You don’t have to do this," she said at last. Her voice was calm, but there was something tight in it.I didn’t look at her. Instead, I stared at the black folder on the table. Inside it was everything. Every secret. Every lie. Every crime they had
The weight of everything sat heavy on my shoulders. My mother’s betrayal, my stepfather’s schemes, and the way my entire world had crumbled right in front of me -it was too much.But I wasn’t going to sit back and do nothing.I sat at my desk, staring at the dim glow of the lamp. The room felt suffocating, as if the walls were closing in on me. Natalie sat across from me, her eyes filled with worry, but she didn’t say anything. She just watched, waiting for me to speak.I finally exhaled, tapping my fingers against the desk. “I can’t let this go.”Natalie frowned. “Sebastian—”“No,” I cut in. “Don’t tell me to let it go, Natalie. You heard what she said. She did this to me. She ruined me. And she doesn’t even care.” My jaw tightened as anger surged through me again.Natalie sighed, shifting in her chair. “I know. I know how much this hurts you. But revenge-”“This isn’t just revenge,” I said sharply. “This is justice.”
The room was silent, except for the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.I stood frozen at the doorway, gripping the wooden frame for support. My breath hitched, and my stomach twisted as I tried to process everything I had just heard.Sebastian’s mother-his own mother -had betrayed him. She had admitted it without a trace of guilt, without even flinching. She had planned his downfall, worked with the very man who had tried to destroy him, and she had done it because of me.I swallowed hard, my throat dry.Sebastian sat behind his desk, his head in his hands, his shoulders stiff. He hadn’t noticed me yet. Or maybe he had, and he was just too overwhelmed to acknowledge my presence. I had never seen him like this before—so broken, so defeated.I took a shaky step forward. “Sebastian?”His body jerked slightly at the sound of my voice. He lifted his head, and when our eyes met, my heart clenched. His gaze was filled with something I couldn’t quite define—anger, pain, disbelief.