Natasha was set on marrying into the Grayson family, so she believed it was her fault from the beginning. She felt too ashamed to reconnect with her relatives."Please, make some time soon to come with me to visit your mom at the Sullivan residence. She's been wanting to see you," Daniel urged.Natasha took a sip of her drink quietly, lost in thought."Even if you're unsure about seeing your mom, you should at least visit your grandfather. He misses you badly, and he's not getting any younger…" Daniel trailed off.Suddenly, Natasha was reminded of Philip lying in a hospital bed. The fragility of life stirred up emotions within her.After a moment, she nodded and responded with a soft sound of agreement.Daniel smiled and reached out to gently pat Natasha's head. "That's more like it."They stood near the staircase, chatting for a while.Meanwhile, Ryan was occupied in the kitchen. Once he finished preparing dinner, he carried the dishes to the table.Spotting Natasha and Danie
Daniel looked furious. His eyes were wide with anger, veins popping on his temples, and his cheeks trembling slightly. It was clear he was very upset about what Natasha had done.Ryan hung his head even lower. The atmosphere at the dinner table immediately became tense.Natasha remained quiet as Daniel looked at her, waiting for a response.Daniel's anger grew stronger. "Natasha, I'm asking—"Suddenly, he realized he wasn't addressing a subordinate at the hospital, but his niece whom he hadn't seen in years. He recognized that his tone had been too harsh.Swiftly, he softened his approach and asked, "Natasha, could you please tell me? Was the patient you operated on this afternoon a Grayson?"Natasha tightened her lips, served more meatloaf for Daniel, and responded, "Uncle Daniel, let's eat. It's not the right time to discuss this during dinner."Daniel noticed Natasha's attempt to change the subject. He was familiar with her stubbornness, which had been apparent from her insis
"I don't cook much because I live alone. But if you're staying here, I'll get someone to cook for us from tomorrow on," Natasha said."Why get someone? Can't Ryan cook for us?" Daniel asked.Ryan's face lit up immediately. He nodded eagerly and said, "Absolutely, professor. I'd be happy to help with cooking.""No, you're busy every day. It would be too much trouble for you."Ryan didn't say anything after Natasha refused. Daniel understood it was Natasha's house, so he didn't push the issue further.Even though he had spoken up for Ryan, he respected Natasha's decision. He gave Ryan's shoulder a comforting pat."I'm here to do some research, mainly on patients with heart conditions," Daniel said.Natasha couldn't help but feel a bit inadequate when comparing herself to Daniel's medical expertise.She knew he was very skilled and often traveled for research on difficult cases nationwide. It was just a coincidence that he was here this time."Heart conditions?" Natasha asked."
Natalie looked at Philip's calm face. Mike had recently given him some medication, so he still appeared a bit tense from its effects.Inside, Natalie felt worried, her eyes squinting with uncertainty. She had asked Mark earlier about possible side effects or the chances of the medication not working.Mark had given her firm reassurance, shaking his head confidently and stating that the medication had never failed. Once it was given, it guaranteed that the person would be completely vegetative.Natalie's expression remained neutral.She was aware of the inevitable agony Philip would face. Despite Mike's attempts to help him, she understood that the intense pain would soon overwhelm him and death would be his only escape.At that instant, Natalie made a firm decision to quicken Philip's end. It would save her from the trouble of searching for the Sullivan family's secret remedy and the discomfort of fulfilling her obligations.Furthermore, the obstacle of marrying into the Grayson
"Are you trying to tell me what to do?" Natalie asked. She stood behind Mark, trying to remove the ventilator mask from Philip's face."Ms. Lovelace, you can't do that! It's murder!" Mark exclaimed anxiously. He didn't want Philip dead. He still had a conscience."Murder?" Natalie scoffed.Mark firmly kept the ventilator mask in place. He wouldn't allow Natalie to take it off. "This is a crime. You'll go to jail!"Natalie snickered. "A crime? How convenient that you suddenly see it that way."But let me ask you this. Do you not consider giving me that drug, which transformed Philip into his current state, to be a crime as well?"Shouldn't you be the one facing jail time? How many years do you think you'll serve? Three years? Five? Life imprisonment, or maybe even the death penalty?"Her words sliced through the air, leaving Mark unable to respond."There's no going back once the arrow is released. Do you understand? Now that we've administered the drug, there's no space for reg
Natalie's harsh words reverberated in Mark's mind, leaving him feeling trapped in a freezing dungeon. He asked, "Are you… trying to kick down the ladder?"Natalie found Mark's reaction amusing. Walking in her pristine white heels, she slowly moved toward Mark, who looked tense.He looked at her with a touch of defiance as he asked, "Are you trying to threaten me?"Standing in front of Mark, Natalie lowered her head and gently shook it as she whispered into his ear, "You've got it wrong. I'm not threatening you. This is a decision."Keeping her head down, she adjusted the collar of Mark's white coat and added, "I trust you to make the right choice."Mark's hands trembled uncontrollably.Natalie smirked as she returned to where she was before. She glanced at him sideways, patiently awaiting his reaction.However, Mark remained stoic, and Natalie's frustration grew.She couldn't comprehend why someone would risk their own future for someone completely unrelated to them.Anger boi
Eventually, Natasha stayed outside the villa to see Ryan off. The cold wind tousled her hair. She wore a camel-colored coat.After Ryan's car disappeared from sight, she hugged her coat tighter and went back inside where it was warm.Back inside, Natasha took off her coat. She felt exhausted after performing surgery for a few hours.With weary steps, she made her way to her bedroom but found Daniel still in the living room. He was sitting on the couch, completely absorbed in something.Natasha yawned a few times as she approached Daniel, who was sitting in front of the coffee table wearing glasses. He was casually flipping through some of the experimental data she had collected over the years."Uncle Daniel, aren't you going to bed?" Natasha asked.Daniel set down the data and said solemnly, "Natty, come here.""What's wrong?" Natasha placed her coat on the couch.Before she could reach Daniel, she heard him asking, "How's Mr. Grayson Senior?""Huh?" Natasha was briefly surpri
Natasha lifted the note and raised an eyebrow, murmuring, "Errands to run?"She promptly went for her phone to call Daniel. However, she couldn't find his number even after looking through her contacts several times. She blinked, feeling puzzled.Then, she remembered that she had changed her phone number after leaving the Sullivan residence. The Sullivan family's numbers were lost along with her old one. Natasha scratched her head helplessly.Daniel had stayed up late the night before, leaving Natasha wondering about his early morning rush. Additionally, he had never been to Oceanville before, and Natasha hadn't had the chance to show him around.Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Natasha set her phone down and shuffled to answer it in her slippers. As she swung the door open, a chilly breeze blew in.Standing on the doorstep was a woman who appeared to be around 40 years old. Even though her tiredness showed in the wrinkles on her face, she was dressed perfectly and exuded
He didn't know where this sense of loss came from, but it hung over Joshua like a low-pressure system and seemed impossible to dispel. His expression visibly darkened. Yet, he seemed to want to maintain his dignity and didn't want Natasha to discern his sense of loss. So Joshua pursed his lips, forcefully suppressing the feeling and putting on a blank expression. He seemed indifferent to Natasha's proposed condition."How about it? Does Mr. Grayson need more time to consider?" Natasha sat calmly in her chair, tilting her head slightly. She was confident this time that Joshua would definitely agree. Although she felt a bit uneasy about using Philip's life as leverage against Joshua, she believed it was the best option at the moment. Given Joshua's personality, using trivial things as leverage wouldn't pose any threat to him. Besides family members' lives, everything else was insignificant to him. She had no other choice.As Natasha spoke, her eyebrows furrowed lightly, and her
As soon as Joshua heard Natasha mention there were conditions, he instantly had a bad feeling. Although Natasha didn't explicitly state the conditions, Joshua understood that they definitely wouldn't be easy."What conditions are you talking about?" He propped his chin up with his hand, looking at Natasha seriously.Natasha smiled and raised her lips. "What are the conditions? You should know."Joshua was slightly stunned. He knew what the conditions were?He furrowed his brows earnestly, trying hard to figure out what conditions Natasha was talking about.Could it be…"Are you trying to make it a condition to drive Natalie away from the Grayson Villa?" Joshua raised an eyebrow. Considering recent events, Joshua couldn't think of any other conditions.As soon as this was said, Natasha was momentarily dumbfounded.What was he talking about?Natasha tried to find a word to describe Joshua's thoughts, but after a long time, she couldn't bring herself to say it. Joshua's train of
Natasha blinked her eyes. It seemed that Joshua was anticipating her rejection in advance."Since you can enter the Sullivan residence, your relationship with them must be extraordinary."It's not like people with Joshua's and Natalie's status could enter. But Natasha could, which undoubtedly indicated that she still had something to hide from him."Since you have this relationship with the Sullivans, helping Grandfather should be a simple matter."As soon as these words came out, Natasha sneered, "Simple matter?""Although I do have some connection with the Sullivans, it's not to the extent where I can freely arrange the Sullivans miracle worker's schedule."The position of the Sullivan's miracle worker is well-known. Since you are aware of it, you shouldn't say such things. You're overestimating me."Natasha was blatantly lying and trying to deceive Joshua."Someone with the status of the Sullivan's miracle worker would only save someone if he wanted to. If he doesn't have th
As soon as Joshua said the name "Jacob", Natasha felt like her throat was being choked, and was unable to breathe properly.Her breathing became somewhat erratic."What's wrong? Do you know him or not?" Joshua spoke, narrowing his eyes. His pupils contracted, and he looked sharp and almost menacing.It seemed like any slight movement from Natasha couldn't escape his gaze."I…" Natasha began.She seemed a bit hesitant but also seemed not at all. Finally, she calmly spoke, "I don't know him.""Don't know him?" Joshua raised an eyebrow.He seemed somewhat incredulous, repeatedly confirming, "You really don't know him?"Natasha nodded, her expression very firm. "I don't know him."She looked somewhat puzzled, her tone confused as she asked, "Who is Jacob? Is he also from the Graysons?"Joshua stared at Natasha motionlessly, as if trying to find a flaw on her face.But Natasha remained calm. Her expression was very normal and without any flaws.Joshua stared for a long time. Eve
"Please help us remove all these dishes and replace them with some new ones." Natasha pointed to the dishes on the table.The waitress was startled, instinctively asking, "Is there any problem with these dishes? Please point them out, and we will correct them immediately."Natasha smiled gracefully. "No, there's nothing wrong."It was just that these dishes accidentally touched Joshua's nerve."Is it because the dishes don't suit your taste?" the waitress continued to inquire."Not really." Natasha shook her head.Although, she hadn't even taken a bite. She didn't even know if these dishes were good or not.If Joshua's gaze hadn't been so intimidating, she would have tried them so as not to waste them.Next time, she had to bring Austin to try the dishes at this restaurant."So what's wrong with these dishes? We can convey your feedback to the kitchen, or we can replace them with new dishes for you free of charge. Would that be acceptable to you?" the waitress asked.The wait
Joshua had been the president for a long time, and his whole demeanor was daunting, seemingly suffocating others with his pressure.Natasha sat in her seat. Even if she deliberately avoided looking up at Joshua, she could still feel the scalp-tingling sensation.His gaze was just too sharp. She couldn't ignore it even if she wanted to."Uh… Didn't you just say you don't like these dishes? Do you want them all removed?" Natasha awkwardly changed the subject."I'll listen and remove it now. I'll call the waiter in to take them away." After saying that, Natasha lowered her gaze and pressed the button on the table to call the waiter outside on standby.Joshua remained silent. His gaze fixed on Natasha without wavering.It made Natasha feel even more trapped.Her mind was already in a mess at the moment. She regretted that she had spoken too hastily earlier without thinking.She had never let slip of anything during her time in the Grayson Villa.What was happening now? Just a few
She was trying hard to change the subject.But Joshua looked at the dish, his mind filled with the image of Jacob's face and the various rejections he had faced during his youth.This made him very uncomfortable."I won't eat it. Take it away," Joshua said coldly with disdain."This dish… actually tastes very good. You can try it. Don't have a prejudice against it." Natasha tried to calm Joshua's mood.But he clearly had little patience. He roared angrily, "Take it away!""I don't want to see this dish!"The sound made Natasha's hand tremble as she held the plate."Alright, alright, I'll take it away. Why are you so fierce?" Natasha bit her lip, took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her rising anger, and then withdrew the dish of delicious cheese curds."Then have some other dishes." She gestured to the several dishes on the table.But unexpectedly, Joshua's face turned even worse. His gaze swept over the dishes on the table, his brows deeply furrowed, looking very dissati
Joshua's tone sounded casual and his expression indifferent, as if discussing something unrelated to him. Yet, it gave the impression that he was talking about his own affairs."Is it worth it?" Natasha murmured, repeating the question.Perhaps because Joshua exuded a melancholic air, Natasha stopped in her tracks and earnestly answered the question. "If this mother is willing to do it, then it must be worth it."Upon hearing this, Joshua looked at her, his melancholy seeming to deepen."Is that so? Do you also think that everything this mother does is worth it?"The sorrowful expression in his eyes seemed so thick that it was unbreakable.Natasha was surprised to see Joshua like this. She didn't understand why Joshua had suddenly changed."A parent's love for their child involves careful planning. Every mother who selflessly sacrifices for her child is great…"Natasha considered her tone carefully. "A mother who wholeheartedly loves her child would do this, wouldn't she?"Bef
They were different people.In a flash, Natasha instinctively pushed him away.She stood up straight, her tone serious as she said, "Joshua, please behave yourself." Her gentle fingers brushed against Joshua's shirt, seemingly carrying her fresh fragrance with it.The sudden push caught Joshua off guard.Looking up, he found Natasha wanting to keep her distance from him as if he were a ferocious beast.This look even made Joshua doubt himself. Was he that bad to warrant such a reaction from her?Before he could come to a conclusion, Natasha had already picked up her bag, seemingly ready to leave."If Mr. Grayson has nothing else to do today, I'll be taking my leave first."Joshua's behavior just now caught her off guard.Anyway, from the looks of it, he probably wouldn't agree to a divorce.Since Joshua had made up his mind, it was pointless for her to linger here. It was better to go home and avoid hearing any more of Joshua's "seductive" words."Wait," Joshua called out