Norwan went to his car and dialed Natalie’s number; he kept on calling her until no one answered his call. He is worried now, and there is some part of him that he has a bad feeling that something is happening to Natalie now. “Fuck! Where are you?” He asked and tried to call Natalie again, but still no one answered him. He started to drive his car and went to Natalie’s office. He can’t stop himself not to worry for some reason.“Is Natalie here?” He asks as soon as he gets to the building reception. The woman in charge there looks for Natalie’s schedule before she looks up to Norwan again.“Ms Natalie is not here and she hasn’t arrived yet. She also doesn’t have any meetings now since she canceled all of it.” The woman said, so Norwan close his eyes because of disappointment. He doesn’t know what to do and where to find Natalie. Norwan grabbed his phone again and tried to call Natalie, but there was no one to answer so, he thought of something where he thought Natalie had gone. He fr
Natalie opened her eyes and saw the dark surroundings. She was about to scratch her face when something was tied in her hands, and she couldn’t make it move. She frowned and started to look around, but she saw nothing but darkness.“Where am I?” she asked herself while trying to remember what had happened earlier. She frowned as she saw something not far from her. “Finally, you already woke up.” She looked at the one who spoke and saw Cora; she turned on the lights, and that’s why Natalie suddenly closed her eyes. She slowly opens her eyes and frowns as soon as she remembers what happened earlier. It was Cora who hit her a hard thing earlier, which caused her to lose consciousness. Natalie looks around and seems like she’s in a tree house. She look to Cora who is smiling at her watching her while it’s arms are cross.“What the fuck are you going to do with me?!” She shouted, which caused Cora to laugh and walk closer to her; she grabbed one plastic chair and sat in front of her.“Not
Natalie went under one large track tree to hide and chase her breath, sensing if the man following her was still there. It’s been ten minutes since she left the tree house and since she ran, but still, she doesn’t know where to go. She can’t find the way out of the forest and thinks she won’t get it before the sun sets. But hope for her is still there. She must find a way, or else the man who chases her will find her and get her back to the tree house again.“Fuck.” She whispered as soon as she sensed that the man was near her. She held her breath and tried not to make any noise until she saw the man going in a different direction. She took the opportunity to run from that place, but the man saw her again, which caused her to curse again while running.“I fucking need to see the end of this forest.” She said while running in a werewolf form of her. She then went to the left side of the forest and ran again until she stopped as soon as she sensed danger from that direction.“Traps.” Sh
“Well, well, well. Where are you both going now?” Cora asks with a smirk on her lips while holding a gun; she’s looking at Natalie and Norwan. Norwan swallows, knowing that they’re in a bad situation right now because Cora has a weapon. She will surely hurt Natalie or even him if they do something that makes Cora mad. Natalie, on the other hand, sees this as an opportunity to tell Norwan what she knows about Cora.“Natalie, are we not having fun earlier? That’s why you left me behind?” Cora asked; Natalie just looked at her and didn’t answer her. She’s looking for a way to open up about the real reason why Norwan’s brother died.“You make me so very offended, even you, Norwan,” Cora said and looked at Norwan.“Stop this shit, Cora,” Norwan said, so Cora frowned and laughed sarcastically; she played with the gun she was holding and looked in Natalie’s direction.“Do you want me to end this, Natalie?’ She asked, but Natalie once again didn’t answer her. Somehow, Cora found it very offen
Norwan was filled with anger. His system had been eaten by anger for Cora. Upon watching Natalie lose consciousness, anger exploded in his whole system, causing him to transform into his wolf form.Norwan turned to look in Cora’s direction, who was now slowly crawling away from him. In one blink of an eye, Norwan was already in front of Cora, choking her in the air.“Norwan.. Please… you’re hurting me!” Cora said, trying her own best to remove from Norwan’s hand. Norwan throws her not far from him, which causes Cora to suffer back pain after his back bumps into the ground. Cora was about to stand, but Norwan didn’t let that happen when he suddenly kicked her back, which caused her to lay on the ground.“PLEASE…. NORWAN STOP!” Cora begs while looking at Norwan, who is now out of control. Norwan aggressively pulled her hair and pointed her his sharp claws.“Tell me what Natalie means about her words,” Norwan said, so Cora shook her head while crying, scared of what Norwan could do to he
“Norwan.” Norwan looks to the one who calls him Drixie. She went straight to the hospital after learning that Norwan was there. “What happened? Where is Cora?” Drixie asked, so Norwan didn’t answer her. He looks in the operating door where Natalie is, and he’s been waiting for almost three hours outside. Norwan didn’t even expect that Drixie would go here to the hospital where he was, and he doesn’t even know what news she heard and how she knew that he was there.“Norwan, I am asking you. Is she okay?” Drixie asked once again, so Norwan looked at her, this time with his blank aura.“She’s dead,” Norwan said, which caused Drixie to be shocked. She even holds to the wall to gain support and avoid collapsing because of his news. Drixie was shocked, knowing that Cora was dead.“Who… who did that to her?” Drixie said, starting to feel angry because Cora was dead.“Did Natalie do that?” She asks with her mad voice, so Norwan looks at her once more while frowning. “Where is that bitch? I’m
Norwan is sitting in a coffee shop waiting for someone to arrive; he grabs his coffee and sips it before looking at his wristwatch again and looking to the window. He sighed and leaned into his chair; he didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t think straight at this point. He is desperate to do something that could help and save Natalie from the risk of death. He doesn’t know what to do if something happens to Natalie. He will not forgive himself for not protecting her.“Hey, sorry I am late.” Norwan looked up and saw Chad. He patted his shoulder before it sat down in front of him. Norwan gave him a small smile. He had called him yesterday to seek help, and he didn’t know where he could ask for help but from her and Chad.“How is she?” Chad asks while looking at Norwan. “She’s in a critical situation,” Norwan answered, looking at his first watch again.“Are we waiting for someone?” Chad asks, so Norwan nods at him and sighs once more. “I called her,” Norwan said, so Chad frowned. He did
Norwan looks around as soon as they arrive at Don Grego’s house. Lynn heard that Grego had already arrived from his trip to the south and was currently staying in his mansion. Lynn is with Norwan now, and they both stand in front of Grego’s mansion. Norwan didn’t know that Grego was a mighty man, that Natalie was a daughter of a powerful man. Based on his mansion’s front appearance, Norwan already knew that Grego was rich and that Natalie was mighty. He couldn’t believe he belittled Natalie’s power when they were still together.“We are looking for Don Grego. Is he here?” Lynn asks the guard. The guard looks at them and puts down the phone that he’s holding.“May I ask what your agenda with the Don is, and who are you?” the guard asked, so Lynn looked to Norwan and gave him a signal.“I am Norwan, Natalie’s ex-husband. This is Lynn, Natalie’s friend, and we are here to seek help from the Don.” Norwan answers, so the guards look at them for a minute before he gets the phone again.“Hel
The cliffs were quieter now. The wind had lost its bite, and the sky hung in a heavy kind of hush, thick with the weight of words unspoken.Norwan walked beside Drixie, his shoulders hunched, hands shoved into his coat pockets. They hadn’t spoken since leaving the garden—just the crunch of gravel underfoot and the low murmur of distant waves.He didn’t know what to say.Or maybe, he was just afraid of what would come out if he tried.Drixie glanced at him sideways, her steps slowing to match his. “So… we just gonna keep walking until the sun explodes or do you want to talk about it?”Norwan exhaled through his nose. “I don’t know what to say.”“That’s funny. You used to have so much to say when you were telling me I was overreacting about Natalie.”He winced. “Drix…”“I’m not trying to rub salt,” she said, holding up a hand. “I’m trying to remind you that you weren’t exactly a saint either.”His mouth opened, then closed.Drixie stopped walking and leaned against a lichen-covered boul
The morning breeze was cool, laced with the scent of sea salt and honeyed flowers. Natalie sat on the stone ledge just outside the estate garden, barefoot, her wrap slipping from one shoulder. The sky was still pale with morning light, the world slow to wake—except for Norwan.He stood behind her, arms loose around her waist, chin resting lightly on her shoulder. They weren’t speaking, not really. Just… being.There was something sacred in that quiet. A peace she hadn’t expected to find so soon.“I forgot what this felt like,” he murmured, breath warm against her skin. “Just… existing with you.”“You never really existed with me,” she said, not cruelly—just honest. “You stood beside me. But you were always somewhere else.”Norwan tensed slightly, then nodded. “You’re right.”She reached up, her fingers brushing the side of his hand. “You’re here now.”“I am.”He pressed a kiss to the curve of her neck. It was soft. Unhurried. She didn’t move away.Natalie leaned back against him, and
The wind had quieted by the time they walked back toward the estate. The path curved gently through wild grass and dune flowers, and though they walked close, their hands didn’t touch. Not yet.Natalie had always been the one who forgave too easily. Who filled the silence between heartbreak and healing with hope. But this time, she needed more than words. More than promises spoken through the haze of guilt and longing.This time, she would test him.They reached the guest suite just as the sun began casting golden light across the windows. Natalie stopped at the threshold and turned to face Norwan, studying the lines of his face.“I’m not inviting you in,” she said evenly. “Not yet.”“I wasn’t expecting you to,” Norwan replied, voice calm but rough.She nodded, her gaze searching. “I want to believe you. But belief isn’t trust. And trust…” She exhaled. “Trust is earned.”“I understand,” he said.Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Then prove it.”Norwan lifted his chin. “How?”She considered
The wind pressed soft against them, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Natalie stayed wrapped in Norwan’s arms a moment longer, grounding herself in the truth of his presence. The weight of him. The warmth. The subtle, quiet tremble in his chest.When she finally pulled back, it was not with anger or accusation, but with a kind of clarity that only came after everything else had burned away.“I need to ask you something,” she said.Norwan nodded, gaze steady.Natalie’s voice was low, but firm. “Do you really love me? Or was Cora right?”The name hit like a stone between them. Norwan’s jaw tightened, and he exhaled, ragged and slow.“She told me you never did,” Natalie continued, heart thudding. “That I was just… a choice. Strategic. Convenient. That you only wanted me for what I represented.”His eyes didn’t leave hers. “She lied.”“You’re sure?”“I’m sure.” He stepped back just enough to frame her face gently with his hands, thumbs brushing her cheekbones. “Natalie, Cora
The morning after the wedding was softer than the one before. The sun rose gently through sheer curtains, birdsong drifting in through the open window of Natalie’s guest suite. The scent of saltwater hung faint in the air, and for the first time in days, Lisanne was quiet.Natalie stood in the middle of the room, staring at the small suitcase she’d packed with practiced precision. Folded dresses, her journal, the shell necklace Lynn had given her years ago, and the lavender wrap she wore to the ceremony—all tucked away with a sense of finality.She wasn’t running. At least, not in the way she once had. This time, she was simply… leaving. Ready to return home. Or something close to it.But even as she zipped the bag closed, her chest ached.He didn’t come.That thought had rooted itself in her bones, playing on a loop since last night. She hadn’t expected a grand apology. Not a scene or a speech. But part of her, the part that still dreamed, had hoped Norwan might appear. That he’d wal
Lisanne’s gardens were bursting with color—sun-drenched and vibrant beneath the clear spring sky. Wild roses danced on trellises, and soft ribbons fluttered in the breeze, tied with care around every chair and bouquet. It was the kind of day stories were written about, with sunlight painting the world gold and laughter hanging in the air like music.Natalie stood among the crowd, smiling as the guests turned toward the aisle. She wasn’t dressed to stand out—simple, elegant, quiet in lavender silk—but something about her presence still drew eyes. Maybe it was the way she carried herself: not like someone trying to blend in, but like someone who had learned how to exist, even with ghosts whispering at her heels.When the music swelled, and everyone rose to their feet, Natalie’s breath caught.There, at the end of the aisle, stood Chad.His suit was a sharp slate gray, tailored to perfection, but his composure was anything but. His shoulders trembled. His lips parted like he couldn’t bel
Norwan stood on the balcony of his family’s estate, high above the rugged cliffs of Darien Bay, the wind whipping through his dark hair like a restless spirit. The sky was low and brooding, pregnant with the promise of rain. Below, the sea churned violently, crashing into the rocks with a rhythm that matched the storm inside his chest.It had been weeks since he’d heard from Drixie, but her last message echoed in his head more persistently than any memory.“She’s in Lisanne. For the wedding.”Natalie.Even now, her name struck him like a blade, swift and unforgiving. It lingered on his tongue like a secret, unsaid. She was a ghost in his every room, in every corner of his mind. Since the day she left, everything had dimmed. The estate that once buzzed with activity now felt hollow, echoing with absence instead of laughter. He no longer visited the garden, the kitchen remained untouched, and the bed felt too large, too cold.And yet—he hadn’t followed her. He hadn’t gone after the only
The wedding was only a week away, and Lisanne’s seaside charm seemed to buzz with anticipation. Colorful streamers adorned the winding streets, laughter spilled from the cafes, and the scent of fresh flowers drifted through the air like a promise of something new. Natalie, though still battling waves of uncertainty, was slowly letting herself be carried by the tide of change. There were moments—quiet ones—where she almost felt like herself again.She was helping Lynn organize some last-minute decorations in the garden behind the café where they first met as teenagers when the subject came up.“By the way,” Lynn said casually, fluffing a white hydrangea centerpiece, “Drixie’s coming.”Natalie’s hands stilled over a stack of place cards. “Drixie?” she repeated, heart skipping. “As in… Norwan’s sister?”Lynn nodded, a wary glance flickering in Natalie’s direction. “Yeah. I hope that’s okay. I know it’s… complicated. But we’ve kept in touch, and she reached out after she heard about the w
Natalie stared out at the vast ocean, her feet sinking into the soft sand beneath her. The early morning sky was painted with shades of pale lavender and pink, and the distant horizon seemed to stretch endlessly, the line between sky and sea almost imperceptible. It was a view that should’ve brought peace to her frayed nerves, but instead, it only deepened the knot in her stomach.The flight from the seaside town had been smooth, and as soon as she’d arrived in Lisanne, a wave of nostalgia had hit her. She hadn’t been back here since… well, since everything had unraveled. But now, as she walked through the bustling streets lined with cafes and boutiques, she felt like an outsider in her own life.Lynn was waiting for her at a quaint café by the waterfront, a place they used to visit all the time back when life had been simpler, when their biggest worries had been late-night study sessions and the latest gossip. Now, Lynn’s smile was warmer, more radiant—though there was a softness in