Natalie's POVEventually, I decided not to let him in. I didn’t want my decision to be rushed and based on a moment of emotional weakness. I had been there before with him, and if I decided to go back, it needed to be based on a well-considered decision.My phone rang at six in the morning, and I was surprised to see it was from my next-door neighbor."Hello!" I answered.“Natalie?” she asked, her voice a little nervous. “Are you at home? Are you okay?”With confusion obvious in my tone, I mumbled, “Yes! What’s wrong?”She let out a deep sigh of relief and said, “Oh, thank God!”“Hey, what’s wrong? You’re scaring me,” I said, sitting up in bed with an anxious look.“I was passing by your apartment door, taking the kids to school, and I saw a man, a handsome man, changing your front door lock. I was afraid he was a gangster or a thief. I was about to call the cops but hesitated because he didn’t seem like one,” she explained.I immediately got out of bed and said with a terrified look,
Natalie's POVRafael smiled at my question but didn’t reply. He kissed me on the cheek, surprising me. He didn’t hide his affection for me in front of Julie. Instead, he said in a harsh tone, “You look amazing!”I looked at Julie and asked, “You wouldn’t introduce us?”The woman wore a purple dress that revealed and highlighted all her body curves, suggesting she was vying for attention. Yet, she seemed quiet and elegant, holding Rafael’s arm as if he was her savior.Was this the type Rafael liked? Women who relied on him, submissive and obedient like a kitten? She seemed she would drown in an inch of water.Before Rafael could say anything, Lucas grabbed his arm and said, “You’re finally here, man. Come, Grandpa wants you!”What was that? Why did Grandpa need him?Shaking my head, I turned to go back to the girls, not wanting to spend another second with Julie. But before I could leave, she grabbed my arm and said, “Wait!”I stared at her questioningly. “Yes?”She smiled, narrowed her
Natalie's POVI let out a long sigh as I placed my hand on my belly. The persistent stomach acidity overwhelmed me, making every meal a challenge. In this last month of my pregnancy, it had worsened to the point where sometimes I had to stop eating altogether. The pressure on my stomach was intense, and the relentless heartburn felt like a fiery serpent coiling in my chest.I reached into my purse and found a mint sweet, a small relief that helped soothe the symptoms. As the cool mint flavor spread in my mouth, I felt a slight reprieve. The sweetness mingled with the refreshing mint, momentarily distracting me from the discomfort. I leaned back in my chair, savoring the fleeting relief.Afterward, I took some photos with the girls and posted them on my I*******m account. I hadn't been active for a while, wary of Rafael finding me. The comments came pouring in like wildfire as soon as my big belly appeared on their feeds. My friends Rebecca and Fello weren't surprised, though. Whereas a
Natalie’s POVRafael stared at my face, his eyes softening as he zipped up his trousers. “This was…” he chuckled with a warm sound that made my heart flutter, “wild!”Even though I felt a little awkward, I rolled my eyes, trying to mask the smile tugging at my lips. “You have to go back to the hall before they notice we're missing.”“Aren’t you going back to the hall?” he asked, adjusting his shirt, the fabric brushing against his toned chest.“Sure, I just need to fix my makeup,” I replied, but his attention had already shifted. He was staring at his phone, fingers flying over the screen.I frowned, a knot of irritation and curiosity tightening in my chest. “Who are you talking to?”Rafael’s eyes met mine, a flicker of anxiety darkening his gaze. “Lucas is texting me,” he stammered, the words tumbling out awkwardly. My frown grew deeper.Something felt off. I could sense it in the way his shoulders tensed, the way his eyes darted back to his phone. And the must important how he acted
Natalie’s POV“Oh God,” I exclaimed with a shaky voice mixed with fear and excitement. “I’m giving birth to our child, Rafael!”The noises around us were chaotic, and the whole venue turned into a mess.“Her water broke! She’s giving birth,” I heard Granny say.Rafael held me tightly for a moment before rushing to his car, yelling at his driver, “To the hospital, hurry!”The pain was unbearable. I squeezed Rafael’s hand as another surge of pain went through me. I was sitting in the back seat, and Rafael tried to support me by caressing my back. My loud moans filled the car. The pain came in waves, each one more intense than the last.When the pain lessened for a moment, I breathed heavily and leaned my head on Rafael’s shoulder. I noticed Rafael taking deep breaths and letting them out softly. I was confused. What was he doing?“What are you doing?” I asked in a puzzled tone.He stared at me blankly before explaining, “I saw it on YouTube. The woman should take long breaths and let the
Natalie’s POVThe room door swung open, and the Rowsens filed in one by one until the space was filled with their lively presence.“Hey, new mother!” Carla exclaimed, balancing a box of gifts in her hands, as the other family members held their own presents.“Oh, look at the little boy. He’s a spitting image of the charming Lucas, which is me,” Lucas mumbled, bending down to get a closer look at my child.“Move away!” Rafael snapped, shoving Lucas aside. “Don’t touch him. He’s still weak and could get infected easily!”I stifled a chuckle. Rafael’s overprotectiveness was one of his most endearing traits.“Hey, man! What’s wrong with you? I was just trying to see the boy! Don’t tell me you’re one of those overprotective fathers!” Lucas teased, prompting laughter from everyone in the room.I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me. The Rowsens had supported me when I was at my lowest, and they had become my real family. But now, with Rafael and our son, I had my own family. I loved them a
Natalie’s POVThe afternoon crowd was stifling as I wrapped up the meeting for the upcoming fashion show and made my way home. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the bustling streets, a stark contrast to my serene thoughts.It had been three months since we returned to the USA, and I had already launched my new fashion design company. My heart swelled with happiness at the thought. Living with my husband and our nearly four-month-old son was a dream come true, and every day felt like a step closer to my ambitions as a fashion designer.I couldn't help but smile as I imagined Rafael at home, sitting beside Matt’s crib, watching him sleep or feeding him his bottle. The mere thought of our little family filled me with warmth.My phone rang, jolting me from my reverie. I glanced at the screen and pressed the reply button, Laura's voice echoing through the car speaker. “Natalie, are you on your way home?” she asked, her tone edged with urgency.“Yes, what's wrong, Laur
The room spun around me, and I had to grip the back of the chair to steady myself when Natalie told me that Matt had been kidnapped.“Matt is kidnapped,” her words echoed endlessly in my mind.“Matt is gone, Raf! You have to bring my son back to me!” she wailed through the phone, her words barely understandable through her loud sobs.Every passing minute was crucial, every second a potential danger. The guilt was overwhelming. Was I the reason danger had found my family? Why did I ever get engaged to that witch in the first place?Documents and everything else on my desk scattered to the floor as I shoved the table over in a fit of rage and frustration. The chaos mirrored the turmoil inside me.The office door swung open, and Jack and several employees rushed in. “What’s going on?” Jack asked, staring around the wrecked room in shock.“She kidnapped Matt!” I roared, my voice raw with desperation.Earlier that afternoon, I had received a call from the main city police station warning m