《The Otherside Of Love || Sadistic Billionaire》


 Chapter 1 My Husband’s Engagement Party

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I felt uneasy while I was standing among the crowd watching with my very eyes the love of my life getting engaged to someone else!


    The loud apuse of the crowd filled the massive yard of the Mirren House with glee. Amidst this ocean of people, I stood cidly, watching each of them shower praises to Rafael and Debbie__ the newly engaged couple.


    ¡°A toast to the newlyweds¡±, a male voice cheered, coupled with the sound of clinking sses.


    The party was perfect. I made sure by myself to be everything perfect. Food, drinks, decorations, even the white flowers of the bride, were chosen by me!


    Everybody was happy and enjoyed this party, except me.


    I was in much pain, every cell in my body was trembling and hurting. I felt my heart burning and bumping like crazy. Despite all of that, I stood still calmly! No one can guess the raging storm of emotions that was raging badly inside of me.


    I saw Rafael kissing his fiance Debbie and I couldn¡¯t help but feel my gut getting sick. To be honest, I always dreamed of kissing him like that. To be between his domineering solid arms.


    I forced my eyes to watch them. Maybe, in this way, I could get rid of him! Maybe in this way, my stupid heart will give up loving him! Despite the scene in front of me killing me like a sharp knife cutting my veins, I kept staring.


    A minuteter, with his deep masculine voice, I heard him saying while looking around, ¡°Natalie, where are you?¡±


    How pathetic! That poor Natalie was me!


    Attempting to ignore him, I grabbed my ss and quickly hid behind a big tree nearby, then swallowed the ss content lump sum. I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I knew I couldn¡¯t face him right now, and I had to get away or hide at least. I believe if he sees me now, he will figure out my true feelings, and I don¡¯t want to risk that. Long ago I was determined to keep my feelings to myself and not give him the hins of knowing I was affected. I was determined to keep my distance from him and not to stay alone with him ever.


    I took a deep breath trying tofort my heartbeat. I was very tired and psychologically grueling of pretending happiness about what was happening, though. This was my husband¡¯s engagement party. It seems to be weird, right?


    However, no one here ever knew about our virginal marriage. No one. Not his mother, nor our close rtives. Except hiswyer knew. We got married just to be able to get our legacy. The strange condition in his father¡¯smandment stated that we should get married to each other, so we can receive our legacy. Based on this, we kept this marriage secret from everyone to cancel it easilyter!


    Like turning a button off, that was how Rafael felt about the whole marriage-ending situation. I wish I could feel the same.


    Furthermore, the hrious condition was that we could receive our legacy after a year and a half of marriage!!


    We already got married a year ago, and we still have six months to be able to cancel it.


    I loved Rafael for centuries. But it was one-sided love. That¡¯s the reason why I epted that dirty game in the first ce. But I¡¯m regretting this daredevil decision now.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    It wasn¡¯t like I had a chance with him before! I know he sees me as his friend. Or worse, like a little sister, he keeps treating me that way. He always cared about me, as he helped me during my grief on my mother¡¯s death. It was my stupid hormones that tranted this caress into love.


    Rafael is my stepbrother. I was raised by Rafael¡¯s father, Uncle Matt. Uncle Matt treated me as if I were his own daughter. He married my mum after five years of him divorcing Rafael¡¯s mother, Mrs Nicol. Back then, I was only two years old. I do love him more than my biological father indeed.


    Although Rafael lived with his mom, due to her job as an actress, he visited us more often. He was ten years older than I am, but from an early age, I loved to apany him. He used to look after me and y with me when our parents weren¡¯t around. Although the maids were in the house, he used to be the one who took care of me. But I never considered him as a brother.


    He was my hero.


    My savior.


    My idol.


    But not a brother.


    But with time, he changed and began to hate me. I heard him once shouting at his father, telling him that he must feel ashamed, how he loves another man¡¯s child more than his own son!! I was heartbroken. I had loved him so much, but now I felt betrayed. I never understood his change of heart. We never became the same again after that. I tried to forget about him, but the pain stayed with me. I still love him to this day.


    When I became ten years old, he came home less, though. He was about twenty and had no more interest in me! I remember thest time he yed with me when I tried to kiss him under this big tree that I¡¯m standing under right now and told him I wanted to try how to kiss!! That was stupid and childish, but it caused Rafael to move further away from me and stop even sending me messages!


    Later, at the rare family asions he attended, he brought a new girlfriend with him every time!


    I sighed, putting back the empty ss on the table and lifting the bottle. I took a big swallow of champagne and thought while my eyes were cloudy with tears, ¡°I just wanna hug him, kiss his lips¡±


    I felt a lump stuck in my throat, my eyes about to shed tears.


    Although I wish him happiness from the bottom of my heart, it still hurts me to see him with another woman, hugging and kissing her.


    Closed my eyes and imagined, ¡°I wanna have sex with h¡­.¡± Suddenly, I heard my own voice and I got tense.


    Oh, shit!!! I said that out loud. This was embarrassing, especially when I turned around to make sure that no one had heard my wild thoughts just to find Rafael standing in front of me.

 Chapter 2 His Strange Feeling

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I rolled my eyes nonchntly around the ce, I was bored. I felt restricted, and I hate that fucking feeling. I wondered why I hadn¡¯t seen Natalie since the party had started. Although there was a caterer, she insisted on taking care of all the party details by herself. I never could understand women!


    After my father¡¯s death, I moved into Mirren¡¯s mansion as the legal heir. How ironic, I used toe as a guest, and after his death he announced me his damn heir! My eyes darkened when I remembered how the fuck he treated his flesh and blood son.


    Thus, Natalie has be a part of my daily life routine since we are now living under one roof. I hated her most of the time when I was younger, she stool my father¡¯s fucking love from me.


    Even though our rooms were very close, I never stepped into her room, and neither did she. We kept our own space from each other, unlike in the old days when we were too close.


    In the past, when she was a little girl, before I discovered that she ced me in my father¡¯s heart; whenever I came for a visit, she never left my side, until she fell asleep, and I put her in her bed. Butter on, things changed¡­


    For the meantime, I married her in an iplete marriage. An obstacle my father put in my way, as he always does. This marriage was upon his will, and neither of us wanted it. It¡¯s all about how she could get her legacy as a legal member of the Mirren family.


    After Natalie¡¯s mother had gone, no one left for her, just my father. I guess he wanted me to look after her now. Spoiled Natalie. Sometimes, I feel like she was his flesh-blood daughter, not a stepdaughter!


    However, I decided to help her by fulfilling my father¡¯s fucking strangemandment. The marriage. I knew that it would be a hard situation, but I was determined to make it work.


    I was determined to make her feel like a part of the family that she lived with her whole life and to show her that she wasn¡¯t alone. I was determined to give her the home, the wealth and the secure that she needed.


    Or in other words, I was determined to make her need me! And I, Rafael was the real fucking heir for this family.


    However, the legacy has another serious condition. I can¡¯t make any new deals with foreignpanies to expand our branches, other than those which we already have deals with, except after implementing the condition of the will. I think my father knew that I couldn¡¯t be restricted at work, he just realized that I¡¯d do it and marry Natalie if that¡¯s the cost. He calcted everything well.


    At least it was good he didn¡¯t make kids part of the damned conditions. We kept our fake marriage going. Finally, we almost arrived at the end of this shit. After six months, we will be able to move on and be free to cancel it.


    Despite the bitterness I felt every time I saw her, I can¡¯t turn my back to the fact that she was so innocent and young and had no one to count on except me. I had to protect her. As her step brother I feel that I am responsible on her. She doesn¡¯t even know her biological father in person. She had never met him.


    All my friends called me Mr. Heart of Steel, as I have no emotions and have never been in love, but my duty towards Natalie makes me help her and my heart softens for her. But this doesn¡¯t negate my constant feeling that she was an obstacle between me and my father.


    Sometimes, I feel I hate her whenever I remember how she ruined my rtionship with my father!


    I looked around again and at this time my eyes fell on her tall curved figure. She was in the backyard standing alone and seemed tired. She worked hard preparing for this party.


    Her friends were around, but she seemed lonely and tired!


    I let go of Debbie¡¯s waist and with bent steps, I went to see why she wasn¡¯t with us on the stage. After all, she was the backstage star who made this sessful party. And must share with us the joy.


    The moment I stood next to her, she whispered in a soft, deep sound, ¡°I wanna have sex with h¡­¡±


    That was what she just said, and my body warmed instantly. I stood behind her frozen in shock, couldn¡¯t believe what I heard!!


    What the fuck was that?


    We had never talked about sex before. I never imagined her having sex!


    This thought overwhelmed me. I raised an eyebrow, does she have a boyfriend?


    A picture involuntarily flowed into my head imagining me having her in bed, how she would look!


    I shook my head left and right to erase these unwell imaginations. What the fuck was that!! I tightened my jaw and tried with firm determination to control my stupid instinctive response.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She looked in a daze. I guess she was surprised to find me behind her.


    After oveing her shock, she approached me swaysly with a small smile.


    It seemed that she was a little drunk. I smelled her sexy perfume when she got close to kissing my cheek.


    It was a slow, seductive kiss. Her lips were so soft. I felt them as if they were down my body instead of my cheek!


    Other than when she was a child. We had never been in that physical close before!


    Suddenly, she murmured something I couldn¡¯t focus on and moved away. I stood in shock like a virgin girl who got her fucking first kiss!


    I blinked several times and felt at this moment like I was seeing Natalie for the first time. She seemed bold and different. I tried to adjust my trousers to hide that damned erection. I looked like a teenager about to cum in his pants from a cheek kiss!


    I sighed and put on a gloomy expression. Frowning, attempting to conceal the trace of the overwhelming feelings I felt a moment ago. Afterward, I headed to a small group ofmunity business among the guests.


    Unaware, I kept looking at the doorway repeatedly without reason. I couldn¡¯t focus on the surrounding conversation.


    After a while, I looked up at the door leading to the house again for the hundred times, my gaze met Natalie¡¯s gaze finally. We stared at each other without blinking. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of her. She seemed more vignt than before. She was the one who broke the staring moment.


    Her face was blushing. I think she was embarrassed.


    She looked around in a daze, then joined my grandma¡¯s group. I don¡¯t know what a young girl full of energy would find excitement with gaffers at an engagement party!


    Engagement party!! For a moment, I forgot it was my engagement party!


    ¡°What did you say about that, Raf?¡±


    I looked back at the man who was waiting for my reply about something I didn¡¯t know what it was!


    I handed him my ss when I noticed that Natalie was standing alone, ¡°Just a moment and I¡¯ll be back¡±


    Without hesitation, I headed towards her. I felt I had to ask her about her boyfriend. I had to know about him. Who knows? Maybe he was a bad guy and would hurt her!


    I stood behind her sniffing her perfume, let out a deep exhale, and murmured, ¡°Would you like to dance?¡±


    She turned around in a daze, and without giving her a chance to respond, I put a possessive hand on her slim waist and led her onto the dance floor.


    Once I put my hands around her waist, I felt I needed to kiss her deeply. Hug her until she screams and moans my name. To make her kneel on her knees and ¡­


    This was an awkward feeling I hated.


    Despite that, I kept holding her between my arms near my chest. I felt that approaching her in this way was dangerous and wrong, but I didn¡¯t make room between us!


    Her skin was so fucking soft. I felt as if I could feel the blood running through her veins beneath my hands.


    I couldn¡¯t lift my gaze away from her plumpy lips while she opened and closed her mouth several times, struggling to say something.


    I want to kiss her.


    That fact hit me!

 Chapter 3 The Mysterious Lover

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I blinked, and my feet became like jelly. He raised his eyebrow cynically and looked at me with his blue eyes as if I had done a crime.


    I heard the girls behind usughing and gurgling, they think it¡¯s funny when someone hears you saying that you wanna have sex!!


    Although I felt I was a little drunk, promptly I felt his spiraling anger.


    I got close to him trying to reduce his anger by congratting him on his engagement. I contemted his facial features with my eyes, and murmured, ¡°Warm congrattions from the bottom of my heart, Rafael!¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond.


    His facial features looked very seductive to me, or maybe it was the influence of alcohol. I lifted my hand, touching his beard. I felt it slowly with my fingertips. His growing beard had always been attractive to me.


    ¡°You are so handsome!¡± I whispered and kissed him on the cheek, exactly at the corner of his lips. His scent overwhelmed me and made me want more of him. His scent was a mixture of French perfume and his own scent that I had been addicted to since my childhood!


    ¡®Why do I keep doing such crazy things? OMG, people will talk.¡¯ I med myself in despair, it was like not me who was acting and moving. I had never been bold. It seems that frustration and loss have affected me!


    To my good luck, we were standing behind the big tree in the yard. No one could see us, except those gurgling girls, who were none other than Fillo and Rebika. My besties!


    I saw a strange gaze in his eyes, as if he had just gone inside my eyes, reading my soul. He was staring into my deep eyes without blinking. I thought without a doubt that he was furious!


    Maybe kissing him at his engagement party was troublesome for him after all, but it was just an innocent cheek kiss! Wasn¡¯t it? I shook my head to focus and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me, Raf. I don¡¯t like it when you get mad!¡±


    After I murmured that sadly, I moved away feeling shameless.


    In the kitchen, I sipped the cups of coffee one after another. I need caffeine so severely, or I¡¯ll make myself theughingstock of the party. The overwhelming pain in my heart made me drink so much alcohol, but I had to stay focused.


    I have to get rid of my miserable feelings. He had already gotten engaged and became another woman¡¯s man!


    He is still my fake husband, though.


    After a panch of cups of coffee, I felt more rxed and concentrated. I headed to the bathroom to fix my makeup. And as always, coincidences continued to surprise me. I found Debbie there. She was gorgeous in her red, well-tightened dress. She was slim and tall and had exceedingly shining ck hair.


    I never dreamed of dressing in such a dress, my eyes went straight to my big boobs and butt. Although I have a slim figure, I have some extra curves!


    I pushed away these thoughts and smiled to say, ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Hi!¡± Debbie replied in her delicate voice.


    ¡°You look gorgeous!¡± I said with a silly fake smile on my face.


    Although I know she has no guilt about my miserable feelings towards Rafael, I cannot help to be normal with her.


    Debbie¡¯s smile widened, then turned back to the mirror to put on her dark red lipstick and sprayed her perfume. Looking at me in the mirror, she said, ¡°Dear Natalie! My cousin David has a crush on you. Please give him a chance!¡±


    I took a deep inhale and started fixing my makeup.


    When I stood silent and had no intention to respond Debbie added, ¡°He is serious, honey. He¡¯s looking for a wife!¡±


    I rolled my eyes in boredom. She kept trying to convince me about her rtive since she had a rtionship with Raf. Did she think that if she had a rtionship with Raf she could interfere in my personal life?


    I was about to reply when a couple of girls entered the bathroom. I had no intention of discussing this in front of an audience. Rumors will spread like wildfire. So, I took my handbag and murmured, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thister¡± and walked out.


    Her cousin is a widower and has a four-year-old daughter. I guess he needs a mom for his girl, not looking seriously for a wife or love! Moreover, he got engaged twice after his wife¡¯s death and ended up breaking off the engagement because of his young daughter. The poor girl couldn¡¯t ept her mother¡¯s recement.


    Subsequently, when I reached the backyard, the minute I stepped in, my eyes met Rafael¡¯s eyes.


    I looked to the other side immediately. Ashamed, I couldn¡¯t look him in the eye any longer.  Luckily, my grandma and her friends were just a step next to me, so I pretended to speak with them and have an interactive discussion.


    After half an hour, I was alone again. My grandma felt tired, so she apologized and went to sleep.


    I avoided looking at the ce where Rafael was standing and decided to look for Fillo and Rebeka. They were dancing on the stage with their boyfriends.


    ¡°Would you like to dance with me?¡±.


    I turned around puzzled to find Rafael stretching out his hand for me¡­


    His hands were dedicated around my waist, and mine around his neck.


    ¡°I feel like you were avoiding me tonight!¡± He murmured, chasing me with his dark blue eyes. I felt like he was reading my soul.


    I managed to put on a fake smile which I became aptly good at, and hesitantly chuckled with a joyful voice: ¡°W¡­ What? No¡­ Why would I do that?¡±


    Iughed, but myugh choked when he stuck me firmly on his body!


    He whispered behind my ear while his hand was digging hard into my waist.


    ¡°Which one is your paramour, Natalie?¡± He whispered in a dangerous tone.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    My eyes widened and rose to meet his, they were cold and cruel, and he was no doubt angry, although he was still smiling in peace and calm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t deny Nat, I have heard you saying you wanna have sex with him!¡±

 Chapter 4 Sleeping In A Strange Man’s House

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡®What was he angry about!!¡¯ I thought.


    But OMG!!N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    The word sex from his lips had another taste, my whole body trembled, and a shiver went down my spine. Dangerously, I felt like I would be exposed to him! I couldn¡¯t afford the consequences if he knew that I meant no one other than him!


    I looked around pretending to be looking for someone and said, ¡°He is not here, yet!¡±


    Rafael was still silent, he just tightened his grip around me, so I was afraid he didn¡¯t believe me. Ipleted saying with my stupid fake smile, ¡°I will arrange to make you both meet someday¡±. I hoped he would forget about it once he got involved with Debbieter on at the dance stage.


    I should not let him know my feelings, or I would have made a fool of myself.


    ¡°My pleasure!¡± he said with his masculine voice and a strange twinkle in his eyes.


    I saw Debbieing towards us. Swimmingly, I sighed in relief, pulled my hands from his neck, and stepped back.


    Debbie gripped Rafael¡¯s hand, smirked, and demanded, ¡°I guess you should find a man for yourself darling! And keep your hands away from mine!¡±


    Intentionally, she emphasized the word MINE!


    Rafael raised his eyebrow and said with a mean gaze, criticizing me, ¡°Natalie has a secret boyfriend!¡±


    Holly crap!!


    Twinkles and sparks went across my skin, and I saw Debbie¡¯s stunned face, but she rxed and smiled instantly, saying, ¡°Oh dear Natalie, that¡¯s why you hesitate to give David a reply?? You have a secret lover!?¡±


    I screamed in my mind, ¡®Rather, a secret husband¡¯


    I sighed in disbelief when Raf asked with a long face, ¡°David?¡±


    Debbie replied excitedly, ¡°Yeah, he adores her, but she still didn¡¯t give him a chance, and now I know why!¡±


    She finished her sentence by staring at me.


    Rafael raised his eyebrow and eximed, ¡°Just a few hours I had been thinking you were still young and innocent, to figure out you had a secret lover and an adored man!?¡±


    ¡®Why is this happening to me?? Legally, Rafael is mine, but I can¡¯t im this right! Otherwise, I have to pretend that I am in love with someone! What a bad shit I got myself into!!!!¡¯ I eximed in my mind.


    I made a big smile to hide my miserable feelings, then said, ignoring what Rafael just dered, ¡°OK, I hope you be happy ever after, guys¡± and winkled at Debbie to add ¡°Now, I¡¯m gonna take your previous advice and look for my boyfriend¡±


    I rolled my phone screen pretending to make a call while moving away before Rafael could add anything else.


    I went a few steps away, then I heard someone calling my name. I turned to the sound source. It was a tall blond man with a charming Hollywood smile on his handsome face!


    ¡°Hello! Are you Natalie?¡±


    His beautiful smile was contagious, so I smiled back.


    ¡°Hi, yes, it¡¯s me,¡± I replied.


    He reached out his hand and shaked mine.


    ¡°I¡¯m Daniel Roswen, your new neighbor,¡± he introduced himself.


    I took a ss of champagne from the waiter who was passing in front of us holding a drinks¡¯ tray. I felt I needed one so deeply.


    ¡°Nice to meet you Daniel, I hope you liked the neighborhood!¡±


    I drank my ss in one gulp, and sought for another one. I am not good with alcohol though. I get drunk sometimes from the first ss.


    Daniel offered me his untouched yet drink. I epted it forthwith and swallowed it in a second.


    ¡°Yes, I liked it, it¡¯s nice and quiet¡± he assured.


    ¡°Would you like to dance?¡± I said that without thinking once I saw Rafael dancing with Debbie.


    Daniel raised his eyebrows in surprise, then smiled and said, ¡°Yes, sure! It¡¯s my pleasure¡±


    He ced his hand on my back, and we headed to the dance stage.


    Back there, the song was slow, my head was so heavy, and I couldn¡¯t keep up with Daniel¡¯s steps.


    ¡°Just rx, beautiful. I will guide you!¡± he said.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the alcohol effect, I wouldn¡¯t be in that guts to ask someone who I met for the first time to dance with.


    I look like a wild girl!


    ¡°You¡¯re like an angel!¡± I mumbled.


    Unconscious, I put my head on his chest, not knowing that I was making a mess. ¡°Why is your chest not warm like him?¡± I whispered in grief.


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel dazed.


    I saw Rafael ring at me with his dark gaze.


    ¡°He is so handsome. We have been married for a year. Three days ago was our anniversary, but guess what!! He never slept with me!¡±


    I was drunk. Miserable drunk and not realizing what I was saying.


    I uttered a lot of nonsense words, and finally fainted.


    I opened my eyes slowly, feeling a horrible headache that almost tore my head apart.


    ¡°Finally, you woke up!!¡± a masculine voice said.


    What?


    I looked around, it was not my room!


    Have I been kidnapped!!


    I sat in a hurry and eximed with fear, ¡°where am I?¡±


    A blond man smugly replied, ¡°In my house, exactly on my couch¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I snapped.


    I looked at myself with horror. Then,  I sighed in relief, I¡¯m still in my dress.


    I snapped my gaze at him, ¡°How did you get me here?¡±


    He smiled and replied, ¡°On your feet, beautiful. I saved you, you were miserably drunk¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ It¡¯s not funny!!¡± I grumbled and added, ¡°A ¡­. And.. What is your name?¡±


    He shaked my hand and was still smiling, ¡°Meresbi, Daniel Meresbi, Miss Natalie. And I am your new neighbour. I have introduced myself to you for the second time in less than twenty four hours¡±


    Yes! I felt he was familiar!


    Then I remembered him, he is the new neighbor!! But I couldn¡¯t remember why I was in his house.


    ¡°Oh, yes! You¡¯re the new neighbor!¡± I said and rolled my eyes around the ce, then added embarrassedly: ¡°did we¡­?¡±


    ¡°Made love?¡± He chuckled and winked at me, ¡°No, we didn¡¯t, I don¡¯t make love with married women!¡±


    I was shocked¡­


    How the hell does he know about my marriage?


    I squeezed my forehead with my fingers trying to focus and remember what exactly had happenedst night?

 Chapter 5 His Dark Thoughts

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    At the party.


    I was staring at my hand watch repeatedly while dancing with Debbie. I was about to leave the dancing space when I saw Natalie resting her head on some blond guy. I raised an eyebrow. They were dancing intimately.


    I clenched my fists and tensed up as I felt my blood boiling.


    ¡°Look Bebe! They¡¯re so cute, aren¡¯t they? He seems to be her boyfriend,¡± Debbie said, ring at Natalie.


    I don¡¯t know why, but I didn¡¯t like the idea of her having a boyfriend. I always thought that she was lonely. What ridiculous damn thoughts!


    She was a grown woman, and for sure she had a lover!


    I remember when I danced with her earlier. At that time, I ignored my abnormal feelings and instead of thinking about it, I asked her calmly about her boyfriend, trying hard to ignore the strange emotional storm inside my body.


    When she mentioned him, I felt that I needed to cut her lips. I didn¡¯t think about the whole situation before I signed that damn marriage contract. Perhaps I ought to have stipted in the contract that she should not have a rtionship with any man during the period of the contract?


    I really need to tie her hands up and punish her severely. My sadistic tendencies began to take over my mood.


    Should I go and drag her to the nearest room to teach her a lesson? To teach her how to respect a husband? To make her moan and cry for mercy under me?


    I felt my body hardened just from imagining her!


    What the fuck?


    My dark side got over me.


    I badly needed to make her kneel on her knees and beg me to have mercy on her. To see the prints of my whip on her bare skin.


    ¡®Why not? She is already my wife. I already have a marriage contract with her¡¯ my evil side tried to convince me.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡®It¡¯s a marriage contract you idiot, not a ve contract¡¯, Iughed at myself.


    ¡®Then make her sign a ve contract!¡¯ I growled to myself. My eyes darkened.


    Every cell of my body needed to make her my submissive.


    Just at the right time, Debbie talked and hugged me to save me from my intrusive thoughts and from doing something to regret!


    ¡°Do you miss me this much?¡± she said after she felt my hardened body.


    I caressed her cheeks but didn¡¯t reply.


    It is difficult to tell a woman that your cock has hardened for another woman and not for her while she stands between your arms. Even if she doesn¡¯t love you, it is still rude.


    Debbie was an angel, literally.


    Bravely she had offered me to marry her to unite our financial empires. She is the only heiress to her father.


    And she is like me, does not believe in love. An ideal couple, aren¡¯t we?


    But I have to wait six months to cancel my contracted marriage with Natalie before we get married.


    Debbie knows nothing about that contract. I don¡¯t intend to tell her, it¡¯s an unnecessary detail.


    I only believe in numbers! As Debbie does. That¡¯s the only truth in life. Love is useless, that shit makes you dumb, poor, weak and irrational.


    There is no love, it¡¯s just sex!


    Fucking bodies is the only truth. Nothing spiritual.


    ¡°Do you think they will marry?¡± Debbie asked.


    So, this is her man. I kept my eyes on them all the dancing period. I don¡¯t know why I felt uneasy!! I should have expected that she was young and beautiful. It¡¯s normal for her to have a boyfriend, but why am I furious??


    I sighed, thinking of her marrying David or this guy who¡¯s dancing with her. My gaze focused on her back. She was buxom just in the right ces exactly. She always keeps hiding herself in wide hoodies though.


    ¡°I need to go home honey, it was a long day and I feel exhausted¡± Debbie said.


    It was just a moment that I moved my eyes on them, and in the other moment they vanished!


    In the morning, I sat at the breakfast table with grandma and my aunt Tobi. I was thinking about divorce. It should be after six months, then I can marry Debbie and incorporate her father¡¯spanies to be subject to my corporate empire!


    That¡¯s how the sadistic monster always thinks, how to control and subject!


    As the only legitimate heir to Merrin¡¯s fortune that cannot be consumed by fire, I had to be strong and heartless, and I was.


    ¡°The party was legendaryst night. Natalie indeed made a lot of effort¡± aunt Tobe said, sipping her coffee.


    My grandma nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, she did! This girl is plessed¡±


    I heard their conversation in silence. But it made me think about the events ofst night.


    I don¡¯t know what had happened to me back then for doing these strange things. How I felt that way about Natalie, this won¡¯t happen again, never. I see her just like a friend, nothing else. Pretty sure it was the drink effect.


    Natalie is just a friend, stepsister, and good employee. Nothing more!


    She¡¯s younger than I am by ten years, for God¡¯s sake!


    I remembered her tightened dress ofst night that highlighted her feminine curves.


    I felt my cock harden again.


    ¡®Fuck!¡¯ I growled in my mind.


    What the hell is happening to me? Why do I keep thinking about her in that intimate way? She used to be my FRIEND, for God¡¯s sake.


    I pulled out my thoughts when I heard her chuckles. I raised my head to look at her, and a secondter, I froze!


    ¡®Fuck again!!¡¯ I growled between my teeth.


    My hand shook and a little of my coffee sshed onto the table.


    One of the domestic staff started cleaning the sshed coffee.


    I saw her step inside the door, hanging her hand on the man¡¯s of thest night arm.


    ¡®Is he indeed her boyfriend?¡¯


    ¡®Did they spendst night together?¡¯


    This thought made my blood boil.


    I felt a strange and weird feeling. A shock hit me.


    As if a train had run over me. My heart tightened and I clenched my fists.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± her delicate voice came to my ears.


    She smiled while she was getting close to the table with herpanion, avoiding looking directly into my eyes.


    But wait!! What the hell is she wearing?! A man¡¯s clothes??

 Chapter 6 Crossing The Neighborhood

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°I don¡¯t sleep with married women, ma¡¯am. Especially if they were drunk!¡± Daniel exined with his French ent.


    I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. How the hell does he know about the marriage? I don¡¯t even know him!!


    ¡°What? How do you know?¡± I snapped in a daze.


    He raised his eyebrows and looked confused, ¡°It¡¯s just a principle, ma¡¯am. You know, not to touch what¡¯s not mine!¡±


    ¡®How sweet!¡¯ I thought, feeling a headacheing.


    I pressed my fingers on my forehead. The strong headache was banging me while I¡¯m saying, ¡°No, no. I mean, what made you think that I¡¯m married?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re married to Mr Mirren, aren¡¯t you? You shouldn¡¯t let him abuse you¡± He dered, and a sad expression on his handsome face.


    I opened my mouth in shock. No one knew about that except thewyer!


    ¡°A beautiful woman like you shouldn¡¯t let anyone bully her,¡± he added, staring at me with pity.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Every word that came out of his mouth made me feel more confused and more afraid. He made me remember Raf¡¯s words the day we signed our marriage contract. His words still ring in my ears.


    ¡®NO ONE should know about this marriage, Natalie.¡¯ His tone was firm.


    I¡¯m in a dilemma. How the hell did this man know about all this? Raf will think I broke the secret on purpose.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± I asked in anxiety. The feeling of nausea increased inside me.


    Did I mess things upst night!?


    ¡°You told me thatst night!¡± he replied, as if he was reading my mind.


    I walked a step towards him. No one should know about that. If Rafael figured out that I had revealed the secret¡­!


    I shaked my head. I can¡¯t even imagine what he will do or say¡­


    Is it possible that he will think that I¡¯m trying to implicate him and reveal our marriage¡­ Especially after the engagement party?


    I shouldn¡¯t let that happen.


    I have to solve this problem now.


    I wore a fake smile and chuckled, ¡°Me? Married? This must be a hrious joke. Ha ha. I can¡¯t stopughing!¡±


    He stared at me awkwardly, like if I was a crazy woman. I can¡¯t me him, nheless I can¡¯t let him know the truth!


    I added, rolling my eyes in boredom, trying to convince him about my story, ¡°I was drunk as you just said, and when I¡¯m drunk I utter nonsense. Raf is ¡­¡± I hesitated at the end of my sentence. He cut me off smiling and raising his hands in surrender.


    ¡°As you say, beautiful. But the look of his angry eyes while we were dancing intimately, didn¡¯t say that!¡± he teased.


    Suddenly, I realized it waste. Of course, they are looking for me now. I turned to the couch, searching for my phone.


    ¡°Where is my phone?¡± I asked, throwing the pillows aside.


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t a phone with youst night,¡± Daniel said.


    I stared out the window outward. I saw Mirren mansion among the vis, which was literally a castle between those vis. Our neighborhood was vis of rich aristocrats and celebrities.


    Mirren mansion was only one block out of here! That¡¯s great! But when I looked down at my dress, I realized I couldn¡¯t walk around wearing the dress fromst night, people would make their guesses! Or I might even bump into one of the Paparazzi.


    As a Director of the Public Rtions Department of Mirren Group, I shouldn¡¯t appear in the media in such a state. I can¡¯t let everyone think that I had a wild night with a stranger!


    I sighed and turned around. Daniel was standing at his kitchen bar making coffee, ring at me with a grin on his face!


    What a weird man!


    ¡°Listen, I need a dress or feminine jeans and a shirt¡± I said.


    He pointed at himself and said with furrowed eyebrows, ¡°As you see or notice, I don¡¯t wear these things¡±


    ¡°You! You brought me here, and you should help me!¡± I snapped in despair.


    He looked at his watch and said, ¡°Hey, listen. I have to go to work. Why don¡¯t you wear my sports shirt and short pants pretending that you were practicing!¡±


    He nced at my butt and added, ¡°I think it will suit you quite well¡±


    I was surprised by his boldness. I shrugged resentfully, ¡°Hay!¡±


    But after a second of thinking, I found it was the only good way possible. So I asked Daniel to wear his tracksuit as well, and pretend to be my coach, and he was ying sports with me early in the morning.


    He refused at first, but at my insistence, he agreed. I wore his sports shirt and short pants, and to my wonder, it indeed suited me well.


    I guess I need more exercises during the week!


    Even though I have a t belly and a slender waist, I have curves.


    To my good luck, Daniel is new in the neighborhood. I guess no one will recognize him. Nevertheless, I made him wear a big hat and sunsses. I won¡¯t risk.


    I lifted my hair in a ponytail, and finally I was ready. But then I realized that I didn¡¯t have sneakers. For sure, I can¡¯t walk across the neighborhood wearing a sports suit and high heels!


    ¡°You can wear mine!¡± Daniel interrupted my thoughts.


    ¡°What!? Maybe somehow I have a big butt, but I don¡¯t have a bigfoot though!¡± I said.


    ¡°We will fill it with cotton!¡± he suggested.


    Realizing that I didn¡¯t have any other solution, I agreed. Yes, I couldn¡¯t walk well, but there was no other way!


    While we were running slowly, I saw some women in the neighborhood ring at me. They love gossiping. I just gave them a nod and a small smile, trying to make myself seem normal.


    When we reached Mirren¡¯s Vi, I asked Daniel to enter and have a cup of coffee. He had been so nice to me, and I thought I should be more polite with him. I didn¡¯t think he would agree though. I had already made himte for work. But, he agreed!

 Chapter 7 The Strange Breakfast

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I felt awkward once I entered the dining room with Daniel. Everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on us. The anxiety inside me rose, but I reduced the overwhelming feeling and managed to break the silence by greeting them while approaching the table.


    ¡°Good morning, everybody!¡±


    ¡°Good morning, honey,¡± Grandma replied with a tender smile on her face.


    ¡°Daniel, this is my family. Everyone, this is Daniel, our new neighbor.¡± I mumbled, feeling my cheeks burning from embarrassment.


    I wish they wouldn¡¯t notice. It¡¯s hard to exin why he¡¯s here in the early morning.


    ¡°Hi, Daniel. I¡¯m Tobi. Nice to meet you!


    Please sit and have breakfast with us¡± aunt Tobi said cheerfully.


    ¡°No, no. Daniel is in a hurry! We were just doing some morning exercises together. He is alreadyte. He has to go to work!¡± I said in panic, afraid if he stayed he would say something about the marriage.


    My Grandma interrupted, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, Natalie. Ten minutes won¡¯t make himte, isn¡¯t that right, Raf?¡±


    I stared at Rafael who was sipping his coffee and scrolling down his phone screen. I avoided looking at him when I walked in. I can¡¯t meet his gaze. Whenever I remember what I didst night, I feel embarrassed.


    He replied in an indifferent tone, didn¡¯t bother himself to look at us, ¡°We don¡¯t want to disturb him, Grandma!!¡±


    Did he think that I slept with Daniel?


    But why should I worry about what he¡¯ll think?


    I should be happy that he was careless, but I wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°I guess work can wait. The food seems delicious. Gosh, I lost a lot of energyst night.¡±


    Daniel said that and winked at me. I froze. The burning red invaded my face. I¡¯ll smash his teeth, bastard.


    Thereafter, Daniel sat on the chair opposite Rafael. If looks could kill, Raf killed him with his looks.


    I cleared my throat and sat beside Daniel silently. Even though I lost my appetite, I put some food on my te and began to take some small bites, hoping this situation would end quickly.


    ¡°I sent the servant to wake you up, and she told me you didn¡¯t sleep herest night!¡± Grandma said that and my throat shrunk and I started coughing violently.


    Daniel retorted before I could react, ¡°Natalie slept with me!¡±


    Everybody on the table stared at him in shock, including me!


    What the hell!!


    ¡°Daniel!!¡± I snapped in horror. How could he spat such a lia!!?


    When I yelled at him, he realized what he had done, he smiled apologetically and corrected, ¡°Sorry, I mean she slept in my house, pardon me, my English isn¡¯t perfect¡±


    Then his gorgeous smile widened and added, ¡°actually I don¡¯t sleep with marr¡­..¡±


    I closed Danielle¡¯s mouth with my tissue pretending to wipe his mouth and said, ¡°There was a chocte in your mouth corner!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it tasted so good like you do,¡± Daniel said, and I turned dark red.


    The bastard was harassing me! I¡¯ll deal with himter. I have to make him leave now.


    I stood and said earnestly, ¡°Daniel, I¡¯m really sorry, but you have to leave, I¡¯mte for my work! Let me walk you to the door¡±


    But before we could leave, Rafael said in a cold tone, ¡°Natalie, I need you at my study now!¡±


    Then he threw his tissue on the table and walked out of the room.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    The arrogant man, he didn¡¯t even say please or wait for my reply!


    I stared at Daniel. I can¡¯t let him stay here alone with Grandma and aunt Tobi. I can¡¯t trust what he may say.


    As if he was reading my mind, he mumbled with his French ent, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, beautiful. I¡¯m here eating my breakfast with those two gorgeousdies¡±..


    I clenched my fists, the bastard, he made me beg him toe with me, yet now he is reluctant to leave. Didn¡¯t he just tell me he had to go to work?


    That hooligan, he made everybody think that I slept with him.


    I stood before Rafael¡¯s study, sluggish to knock on the door. I took a deep breath, knocked two light knocks and opened the door.


    He was immersed in writing on hisptop, and didn¡¯t raise his head when I entered, yet he said, ¡°Have a seat!¡±.


    I gathered myposure to reduce a shiver. I don¡¯t want to shiver like every time I was alone with him!


    ¡°As you know, it is still six months until the divorce!¡±


    He suddenly said. I blinked. It was the first time he mentioned the situation between us since the day we signed the contract.


    I nodded. It seems this is the only thing I am good attely!


    He raised his face when he didn¡¯t hear my voice. Stupid I am, he didn¡¯t see my reaction.


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± I said.


    He stared at my eyes, his gaze was cold and distant, I didn¡¯t know why!


    He got off his chair and walked towards me. His eyes did not leave mine. He sat on the chair before me, rxing in his chair.


    ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡± He repeated the same question ofst night, knocking his fingers on the edge of the chair.


    So, he thought that I had slept with Daniel!! I have to tell the truth and rify things. I know he is talking about Daniel. I don¡¯t know what the rtionship between our divorce and Daniel is though!?


    I started, ¡°No, I just met himst night, but he¡­¡±


    ¡°And your boyfriend, wouldn¡¯t he refuse?¡± He interrupted me.


    Does he think I had a one-night stand with Daniel? I frowned and added, ¡°No, I ¡­¡±


    I was about to say ¡®no I don¡¯t have a boyfriend at all, and I liedst night¡¯ but he cut me off and held my chin tight, looking straight into my eyes with anger shining in his gaze.


    I put my hands on his hand and stammered hesitantly, ¡°Rafael, you¡¯re hurting me!¡±

 Chapter 8 The Deal

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    My jaw started to hurt, but Rafael did not pull his hand, he kept looking deeply in my eyes. His face hovered so close, his thumb grazed my lower lip, touching it very slowly, and unawares he pushed his finger between my lips!


    I felt as though I had been ensnared, intoxicated by his gaze, his scent, and his proximity.


    How can a woman possibly push away the man she loves when he¡¯s this close, tempting her beyond measure?


    My gaze lingered on his face, while his eyes remained fixated on my lips.


    Suddenly, he sprang to his feet, as though jolted by electricity! He swiftly moved to the farthest point from me and stared out of the window.


    Confusion swept over me, leaving me at a loss for words.


    ¡°You cannot engage in a sexual rtionship until we annul this marriage,¡± he dered, his tonemanding.


    It was the first time he referred to it as marriage. Previously, he had called it the contract, the agreement. Despite hismanding tone, I found myself questioning his authority. After all, he had his life with Debbie. Why should I be the one to halt mine?


    I fixed my gaze on his broad, muscr back and challenged, ¡°Isn¡¯t it my life too? You don¡¯t expect me to put my life on hold, do you?¡±


    He turned around to look at me, raising an arrogant eyebrow and demanded, ¡°You can¡¯t stay without sex for just six months!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t quite grasp why I felt the urge to challenge him.


    ¡°Can you?¡± I retorted, almost as if we were discussing the weather rather than such a sensitive topic!


    His eyes grew darker, but he maintained his distance. After a brief pause, he proposed, ¡°Let¡¯s make it a deal then. I won¡¯t touch any other woman, and you won¡¯t allow any other man to touch you.¡±


    A shiver raced down my spine, and the mes of desire for him intensified within me. I never anticipated we would broach this topic.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Alright, I suppose I can manage without it for six months,¡± I teased him, relieved that he didn¡¯t know I was still a virgin!


    He balled his fists, poised as if to strike. Through gritted teeth, he hissed, ¡°It¡¯s not appropriatefor a youngdy to return home after a night out wearing a man¡¯s trousers.¡±


    I almost forgot that I was still wearing Daniel¡¯s clothes.


    I felt awkward, but I simply replied mockingly, ¡°I just took your fiancee¡¯s advice and looked for a man.¡±


    I was trying to make a joke, but from the expression on his face I can tell that he didn¡¯t take it well!


    He gave me a strange look I couldn¡¯t exin. Yet he said in a neutral tone, ¡°You got tired yesterday, you can take this day off of work¡±


    I didn¡¯t want him to know about my true feelings for him. I need that friendship between us to continue.


    So, I decided to break the ice and headed towards him, caressed his cheek and mumbled, ¡°It was my duty as a friend, Raf. I¡¯m willing to prepare your wedding party too.¡±


    He took my hand off his cheek and kissed it. Then, he said sarcastically, ¡°Okay, dearest friend¡±


    Why do I feel that physical contact has increased between us? We had barely shaken hands since I became an adult!


    When I got back to the dining room, grandma told me that Daniel had left. I let out a sigh of relief.


    I sat down to eat. I didn¡¯t eat well for almost two days.


    Aunt Tobi started asking me, ¡°who is the guy? He seems a good man.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re twenty-two years old honey, you should think of marriage¡± grandma said, patting me tenderly on my hand.


    There is no doubt that Aunt Tobi and Grandma are still thinking like in old days. The woman should find a man for herself before herte twenties or the train of marriage will miss her!


    I stood up and covered my grandmother¡¯s back in a small hug with both hands. I love her so much, it¡¯s true we¡¯re not rted by blood, but I feel like we are.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to bind myself to one man yet, I need to take some freedom and explore the world.¡± I chuckled.


    I can¡¯t say I love someone who doesn¡¯t love me back! Someone who already has a fiance.


    I heard a throat-clearing sound. I turned around to see Rafael leaning on the door frame. He was standing to say goodbye to my grandma. It has been a habit he does every day before he goes out since he moved in.


    I stepped aside to make room for him toe close and kiss my grandma. He kissed her and was about to go out. The space between the wall and my grandmother¡¯s chair was notrge. So we were standing very close together behind her, our shoulders were touching. He ced his palm on the end of my back and the beginning of my butt. I froze, and he said nonchntly to my grandmother, ¡°See you in the evening, Grandma.¡±


    When he came out, he pressed his body against my back. I thought all of this happened identally at first, but when he pped me on my butt, I realized he did it on purpose.


    ¡®Bastard!¡¯ I screamed in my head.


    He didn¡¯t even bother himself to look back at me. Moreover, he ignored me and left in that simple.


    ¡®Bastard¡¯, I yelled again.


    I felt dizzy, and got mad at him.


    But I decided to ignore him back. I know he did that intentionally to make me angry.


    I decided to take this day off from work at the spa. I headed to my room and called Fillo and Rebeka to book an appointment at our favorite SPA together and enjoy rxation.


    But a message was delivered to my phone from a strange number;


    [How about we having dinner tonight?]


    A secondter, I received another message:


    [When I found out that you¡¯re single, I regretted the wasted chance! Daniel]


    How did he get my number?


    I reyed immediately; [Come to pick me up at seven p. m]


    I have to keep the suspicions away from the truth about my marriage, so I will agree.


    An hourter, I picked my things up and went to the spa to meet my friends there¡­

 Chapter 9 His Savage Kiss

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I was extremely bored in this fucking dinner meeting. Although I¡¯m a workaholic person, my mind was full of Natalie. I felt awkward about what I had done earlier that day. How on earth did I touch her in that fucking way!?


    What the fuck will she think about me?


    A pervert!


    But I can¡¯t stop myself, I¡¯m longing to put her on my knees and hit her ass, to punish her severely.


    To punish her for what she said; that she didn¡¯t want to be bound to one man! Yet how many men has she been dating?


    I shook my head to focus on the current meeting. We were discussing awaiting shipment. This was one of the deals that would make the Marrin Group gain more billions of dors. Yet I was reluctant to sign the contract. Something fishy about them made me hesitate.


    The dinner was served, and I was immersed in eating and discussing with the client when I noticed Jack, my personal assistant, pointing to a table in the corner of this deluxe dining restaurant.


    I stopped eating when I saw what Jack was pointing at, and put the fork that was on its way to my mouth back on the te!


    It was Natalie sitting on that table with Daniel who was holding her hands tightly. They looked very intimate.


    Without thinking, I stood up and headed towards their table after I wiped my mouth with a towel.


    Every step I took towards them made the rage increase inside me. The romantic atmosphere, the dim lights and the privacy corner where they were sitting, made them look like lovers.


    When I reached them, I grabbed a chair from a nearby table and ced it next to Natalie. I sat without invitation and pulled her hand from between Daniel¡¯s tight grip.


    It seemed that I surprised them, and that satisfied me a little.


    She red at me wide-eyed, and I red back, raising an eyebrow, anger shed in my eyes. I noticed that somehow she looked different, more attractive, so glorious. Stunning. She indeed made extra effort for her date. And that made me feel uneasy.


    An unpleasant feeling tightened my chest when I realized that she had preened herself for a man.


    I boldly examined her. She was wearing a beige dress with a low cor, her boobs were mostly visible. I never saw her wearing such an indecent dress before.


    When did the little girl grow up?


    Her body figure was very seductive with the showing of her curves.


    Her lips were plump and dyed red. I think the man who¡¯s with her almost loses his mind every time she talks, smiles or moves.


    With a surprised expression on her face she mumbled, ¡°Rafael!¡±


    I leaned towards her and whispered, ¡°I came to remind you that we have a deal!¡±


    She whispered back, leaning near me more, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s the right time to discuss that?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow and took her ss of wine and sipped it. I think Daniel would never let her go if I weren¡¯t here. God only knows what was going to happen then. It¡¯s obvious that the man is infatuated with her.


    ¡°You¡¯re acting like a jealous husband!¡± Daniel chuckled, trying to make a joke.


    That fucker hit the point. A gloomy expression appeared on Natalie¡¯s face!


    Did she like this man so much that she was afraid he would know that we were a husband and a wife?


    Daniel put his ss on the table and asked, ¡°So, you two are step-siblings, right?¡±.


    Without any other words, I got back to the meeting table!


    A feeling of anxiety washed me. I couldn¡¯t understand why I was acting in this way. Well, I can understand that I don¡¯t want her to be involved in a rtionship while we are still considered married. But why do I feel that way in the first ce?


    I pushed these thoughts away and focused on the meeting that had almost finished, then after a little while, I saw Natalie going to thedies washroom.


    Is she nning to go with Daniel to his house?


    Maybe I need to remind her about our deal. And apologize to her as well for what I did this morning.


    I waited for her in the corridor next to the washroom, and as soon as she came out, I pulled her behind the big ornamental tree.


    She gasped from surprise at first, then a sh of anger lit up in her eyes. Crossing her hands on her chest, she eximed, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    I whispered, ¡°Just to remind you, don¡¯t forget our deal¡±


    ¡°Which one? I don¡¯t remember!¡± She said nonchntly.


    I said, gritting my teeth, ¡°No sex, Natalie! No sex for six months!¡±


    She smiled mockingly and with her soft finger she followed the edges of my jaw and said defiantly,


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember that deal, Raf, and six months is a long time. How am I supposed to stay without love, hah?¡±


    She moved away, then added, ¡°I advise you to focus on Debbie, my sexual life is not your conc¡­¡±


    I pulled her furiously and stuck her to the wall, cutting her off from finishing her sentence. She gasped from shock and I swallowed her gasp in a hungry savage kiss. I bent both her hands above her head with one of my hands, and my other hand on her buttocks pushing her towards me, as I pressed my body strongly against her.


    Showing a simple hint of my sadistic side, which I was determined to hide from everyone!


    It was my first time kissing her, she tasted like heaven. I kissed her possessively. She tried to resist me at first but a momentter she was subjected to my dominant kisses. She kissed me back, grabbing my head, leaving my tongue room inside her mouth, taking whatever I wanted.


    I didn¡¯t stop until our breath almost stopped.


    I suddenly pulled away from her, and she staggered. I raised an eyebrow and ordered while rapping her hair, ¡°Don¡¯t challenge me again!¡±


    I went back to the table as if I had done nothing, and watched her go back to Daniel¡¯s table.


    I felt a little guilty. I was supposed to apologize for what I did to her this morning, yet the apology turned into a forced kiss.


    Why can¡¯t I control myself whenever I¡¯m with her?


    She didn¡¯t sit back, but said something to Daniel. He paid the bill and they left together.


    I ended the dinner meeting, apologized to everyone and told them that I had a very important matter. Jack stared at me in shock. I had never ended a meeting before.


    I followed Natalie and Daniel and saw them standing before his car. Daniel was trying to kiss her, and she was asking him to stop!


    Impulsively, I punched him and said, ¡°you heard her, fucker. She said stop!¡±


    Daniel staggered back holding his nose and snapped, ¡°What¡¯s the fucking wrong with you man!!?¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    I ignored him and pushed Natalie towards my car, and instructed her ¡°We¡¯re leaving!¡±


    In the car, the atmosphere was tense. She was so quiet that it made me feel more guilty. So, I decided to talk to her to rify things and apologize, but when I turned to her, she was asleep.


    She was sleeping soundly. My heart did not persuade me to wake her up. I decided not to drive her home. Rather, I¡¯ll take her to my apartment which is not usually used. We have to discuss things in private, and my apartment is the ideal ce.


    I parked my car in front of the tall building. I went around the car and opened the car door on her side. I couldn¡¯t wake her up, she was sleeping like an angel.


    I held her in my arms, looking at her face and her breasts. Her smell was amazing. She mumbled unintelligible words. I smiled, it seemed she was dreaming. We passed the elevator and entered the apartment.


    I put her on my bed and took off her dress to let her sleep in her underwear, which was in, unattractive, and this indicated that she was not nning to sleep with Daniel, perhaps.


    Her soft body and her delicious perfume made me struggle to pull myself out of bed.


    It took me a double effort to ignore the hard reaction under my pants and to control my instinct and not wake her up and make love to her.


    I turned off the lights and went to sleep on the couch in the sitting room. I couldn¡¯t sleep. I spent the night turning and tossing on the couch and my body hurting me from desiring her.


    But I cannot break the agreement on which the marriage is based. I promised her that it would be a marriage just on paper.

 Chapter 10 Chasing Her In The Swimming Pool

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Izily tossed and turned in bed, eventually opening my eyes to check the time. Seeing a ck bed sheet covering my body made me tense up and be fully awake-I had never chosen ck for my room. I stared at the unfamiliar bedroom for a moment before realizing it was Rafael¡¯s apartment. But why am I here?


    I took off the bed cover and discovered that I was wearing only my underwear. A blush spreaded across my skin. I couldn¡¯t remember much, except that Raf and I had gotten into his car. Did he take off my dress?


    I couldn¡¯t believe that Raf might have done that! Did he really take off my dress?


    I remembered being at the spa yesterday when Reba had mocked me, saying, ¡°After this extreme care, you¡¯re supposed to go straight to your boyfriend¡¯s bed.¡±


    She was trying to make fun of me because I refused to be in a sexual rtionship, even a temporary one.


    ¡°You¡¯re missing out on a lot of fun,¡± Fillo assured me.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    But I always dreamed of saving myself for the man who would be my husband. I don¡¯t consider sex to be merely physical lust; rather, it is a profound bond between two people through which their love for each other is expressed.


    A memory ofst night¡¯s kiss crossed my mind. I touched my lips with trembling fingers. It felt like a dream! Did it really happen? The small wound on my lower lip proved that it did.


    Why did he kiss me? And why did I respond and kiss him back?


    I shook my head and grabbed my dress, which was folded on the edge of the bed, trying to avoid dwelling onst night any further.


    Would I ever forget that kiss? I doubted it. It was etched into my mind and heart. I had never been kissed before-it was literally my first kiss. I felt it deeply in my soul.


    I stared at the elegant dress in my hands. I shouldn¡¯t have worn it. I did so under the stubborn insistence of Aunt Tobi. When I got back home after my spa session, I told her I had a date with Daniel. She happily surfed online stores and bought me that revealing dress!


    I ced the dress back on the edge of the bed and removed my underwear. Wrapping my body in arge towel I found in the bathroom suite, I noticed the smooth and shiny skin of my body after the scrape, wax, and the spa treatments.


    I opened the door and nced around, looking for Raf. I spotted him sleeping on the sofa.


    ¡°What a gentleman,¡± I smirked to myself.


    I tiptoed to theundry room and ced my underwear in the washing machine, which also had a dryer.


    I knew I was runningte for work, and Raf was probablyte too, but I still wanted to take a shower before waking him up.


    I stood before the couch where Raf was soundly sleeping. He seemed peaceful. I decided to take a quick swim in the pool. Ten minutes wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    I moved my hand in the air before his face and studied his features for a moment, ensuring he was deeply asleep. I didn¡¯t want him to wake up and catch me naked in his swimming pool.


    I made my way to the veryrge balcony, which boasted a swimming pool and offered breathtaking views of the city from above.


    I nced back at the balcony door, then removed the towel and ced it next to the pool. With a quick breath, I dove into the water. It felt refreshingly cool against my skin.


    I swam in peaceful bliss, enjoying the freshness of the water,pletely unaware of the dark eyes that were watching me from afar.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work?¡± A masculine voice startled me, causing a shiver of shock to run through me. Instantly, I covered my boobs with my hands and screamed, ¡°Go away!¡±


    He snorted, ¡°Why? You¡¯re the one secretly swimming in MY POOL.¡±


    ¡°Hooligan, you were awake the whole time, weren¡¯t you?!¡± I snapped back.


    ¡°Your seductive scent woke me up,¡± he teased, then picked up the towel and added, ¡°And you¡¯ll have to pay for the privilege. I don¡¯t offer services for free!¡±


    ¡°Just leave the towel where it is and go back inside. I¡¯ll get out,¡± I stammered angrily through gritted teeth.


    ¡°We need to talk aboutst night first. Didn¡¯t I ask you to stay away from men?¡± he eximed, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Give me that damn towel first!¡± I furiously shouted.


    He smirked, tossed the towel aside, and winked. ¡°If you want to get out, then do it. I can wait all day long,¡± he taunted.


    What the hell! I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. He had never paid me any attention before, and now he wanted me to walk out naked in front of him!


    He must have lost his mind.


    How do I get myself out of this predicament?


    ¡°I won¡¯t do that even if I freeze to death here!¡±


    I¡¯ve never seen this side of his personality before. I¡¯mpletely shocked. I¡¯ve decided not to give him the chance to intimidate me.


    ¡°You bastard, this is not being a gentleman! Be a man and give me the damn towel,¡± I eximed, my voice firm with determination.


    Heughed in an evil way and said, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m curious to see your body!¡±


    I gasped, wide-eyed. He added calmly, ¡°By the way, if your desires are so strong that you can¡¯t keep our deal for just six months, I can fulfill all your wishes in bed during that time. But it will be exclusively with me. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Damn you, you bastard!¡± I mumbled under my breath.


    He ced his finger to his lips, gesturing for silence, and threatened, ¡°If you won¡¯t obey me, I¡¯ll punish you just like I didst night in the restaurant. Have you forgotten? I can make you remember, though.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams to obey you!¡± I retorted, feeling incredibly ufortable discussing this while standing herepletely naked.


    A pained expression crossed his face, ¡°You¡¯re the one who dressed and acted like a whorest night, Natalie. So you will got what the whore got,¡± he sneered.


    He removed his shirt and cks, standing there in just his boxer shorts.


    I red at his muscr, tall, hairy legs and panicked, blurting out, ¡°What are you doing, you crazy!?¡±


    He looked at me arrogantly and mockingly replied, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to obey!¡±


    He jumped into the pool and swam straight toward me, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.


    Like a predator stalking its prey, he swam towards me. I couldn¡¯t believe that the usually cold and indifferent Rafael was acting like this. What the hell happened to his conscience and pride?


    I began to swim, trying to escape the pool despite my nakedness. He pursued me like a wild shark. I swam frantically, not so much afraid as embarrassed, while he swam leisurely, the joy evident on his handsome, smirking face.


    When I finally reached the edge of the pool, in the blink of an eye, he was behind me, holding my waist firmly.


    Then, he pulled me under the water with him, hugging me tightly, and brought me back to the surface of the water with him.


    I screamed in horror, but my screams were muffled by his mouth in a cruel kiss. His tongue relentlessly explored inside my mouth.


    He paused for a moment, staring into my eyes, and asked, ¡°Did I hurt you? May I continue?¡±


    He held my waist with one hand, while the other squeezed my buttocks. A shiver ran down my spine. His kisses trailed from my ear down to my neck, then further down to my breasts. I felt as if he continued, I would copse at any second.


    When I didn¡¯t reply, he added, ¡°I promise you won¡¯t regret it or need any other man!¡±


    A hint of realization hit me. Did he think I was climbing into any man¡¯s bed I met?


    A wave of rage boiled inside me, followed by a deep sense of dejection. I had hoped he finally felt something for me, but instead, he seemed to view me as easy prey. A tight grip tightened around my heart, and my eyes filled with unshed tears.


    I had to stop him now, or I would find myself begging him to have me. Clenching my fists, I gathered every ounce of my resolve and whispered in a sad tone, ¡°Stop, please! I¡¯m not willing!¡±


    Once I said that, he froze, his gaze piercing into me as if searching for a reason. I could see the silent plea in his eyes, even as I felt his hardened body pressing against my sensitive skin.


    He desired me intensely, and that realization gave me a sense of power over him!


    I was a virgin and scared, while he seemed experienced and impulsive.


    He looked down at my body, his eyes filled with strong lust, and whispered, ¡°Run, Natalie! Run and get out of here, or I won¡¯t be responsible for what I¡¯m going to do to you!¡±


    I was literally about to run when he let go of me, but suddenly we heard a male voice behind us. We froze in shock!


    Raf wrapped hisrge, muscr arms around me, shielding me with his body. I felt like a little puppy seeking refuge in the embrace of a protective, albeit frightening, monster.

 Chapter 11 Protecting Her, Or?

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I couldn¡¯t sleep wellst night; my body was alerted that Natalie was half naked a door away.


    I put my hands under my head while I was leaning on my back on the sofa, staring at the white ceiling. Memories of Natalie as a kid shed through my head. I smiled. She was an adorable little girl. That little girl grew through the years that I spent abroad.


    A sarcastic smile appeared on my lips. I used myself, ¡°You can¡¯t ept that the little girl who was infatuated with you has grown up to be a sexy woman, and you don¡¯t interest her! Rather, she likes other men but you.¡±


    Suddenly, I heard the footsteps of someone walking on tiptoe. I knew it was her from her perfume. I closed my eyes pretending to be asleep. When I heard her steps move away, I opened my eyes. She was wrapping her body in a towel that barely covered her.


    I followed her to the balcony. She was swimming. Why do I keep feeling the need to hold her tightly and be inside her?


    I tried to cover my feelings by teasing her. I was making excuses to get into the pool with her. I was determined to make her willing.


    I needed to make her agree to our deal.


    As the monster inside me needed to make her obey. Her actions and how she stared at me like an obedient girl made me wonder if she had submitted to a man before?


    Had she ever been someone¡¯s ve?


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. I need to know that so badly.


    I was about to have her here and there, inside that pool, but the look of fear in her eyes made me stop. But that was not easy; it required every ounce of determination in my being.


    But I let go of her.


    Everything turned against me once I heard a male sound saying, ¡°Hello!¡±


    I grabbed her between my arms right away, pressing her on my chest. Trying to cover her naked body from my personal assistant¡¯s curious eyes.


    And surely she doesn¡¯t want anyone to see her like that.


    She was shivering between my arms like a wet kitten, tightened her grip on my arms when that bastard asked ¡°Did Ie at the wrong time?¡±


    I hissed, ¡°Go away, Jack!¡±


    He asked boldly, ¡°Who is the chick? Wouldn¡¯t you introduce us?¡±


    I closed my eyes angrily, and growled, ¡°Get lost!!¡±


    This is what happens when you hire your best friend as your personal assistant. I knew what he was thinking. And that made me more angry.


    My back was towards Jack, so he couldn¡¯t see Natalie, who was diving into my chest, almost hiding herself to dissolve inside me. Our bare skins touch intimately.


    She whispered in a bleeding tone, ¡°Please, let him go!¡±


    She made me feel guilty, despicable and angry at myself. What the hell was I thinking of?


    ¡°Jack, get lost, or I¡¯ll smash your fucking teeth.¡± I roared.


    ¡°Hey, man! Why all this for a prostitute? I¡¯ll be waiting in the hall¡± he said, and left.


    I gritted my teeth, stopping myself from exploding.


    I pushed her off my chest a little bit, so I could look into her eyes. She was grabbing me so tight that her head almost pierced my ribs.


    I raised her chin, I stared into her teary eyes, I mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ll be back! Please don¡¯t scare. I¡¯ll just go get something to cover you with¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t, please. You can just give me the towel¡±


    I looked at the towel; I wasn¡¯t convinced. I didn¡¯t like the idea of Jack seeing her in the towel. But I did though; I gave her the towel.


    I was shocked when she came out of the pool totally naked, then she wrapped the towel!


    ¡°I guess you already saw everything!¡± She spat with red eyes.


    ¡°Not everything!¡± I said, trying to lighten her mood.


    She didn¡¯t smile as I expected. She said in a serious tone, ¡°How can I get inside?¡±


    She felt ashamed and angry, especially since Jack called her a whore.


    I preceded her.


    ¡°Jack, go to my study room¡±, I ordered him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your whore man! Just make her leave and sign these documents, please.¡± He said nonchntly.


    ¡°Just fuck off, you idiot¡± I growled and was about to smash his dirty mouth when Natalie surprised me. She skipped me and walked in.


    The shock was written in Jack¡¯s pale face. He nced wide-eyed at her and stammered, ¡°Natalie??¡±


    He stared back at me, his eyes full of questions.


    She stood for a second in her ce, staring defiantly into Jack¡¯s eyes, then said, ¡°Hi, Jack¡± And went inside.


    Jack put both his hands over his head as if a universal disaster had happened.


    I snapped, ¡°What?¡±


    Jack eximed, ¡°Seriously, are you kidding me?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. It was the first time in my life that I didn¡¯t know what to say!This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    I left him and followed Natalie. A lump formed in my throat. I was thinking I¡¯d find her crying, but instead, she was wearing the bath apron andbing her hair.


    ¡°Can you bring me my underwear, please¡± she said coldly.


    The cold anger in her voice was very obvious.


    I blinked. This was an odd thing I never did. I went to get them from theundry room though. I hid them under my shirt, so Jack wouldn¡¯t see.


    I took a quick shower. When I got out of the bathroom, she was wearing her dress and lifting her hair in a bun over her head. Her face was clean from any makeup.


    Yet she was stunning. She was beautiful, her skin radiant, and her neck¡­


    ¡°Will you keep staring at me for a long time?¡± She said, in annoyance.


    I was wrapping a towel around my waist. She averted her eyes away and walked to the door and said, ¡°I will be in the hall¡±


    My gaze fixed on the space in front of me where she was standing.

 Chapter 12 Revealing The Truth

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Being naked between the arms of the man who you loved was an amazing and indescribable feeling. I always dreamed of being in his embrace. But that dream turned into a nightmare, and here I was sitting before Jack after everything he witnessed. I have never been in such an embarrassing situation before.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that it was you. I mean, I never imagined¡­.!¡± Jack stammered.


    I squeezed my forehead, trying to find a suitable reply to his hidden meaning! I knew what he was thinking, and a headache wasing for sure.


    He moved from his ce and sat near me, his eyes were full of worry and anxiety. He mumbled, ¡°listen, Natalie. l really like you. You are indeed a good person. I don¡¯t know what happened to you bothst night to end up doing together¡­¡±


    I closed my eyes. I didn¡¯t want to hear anymore. I know. I know exactly what he was thinking of me. I knew what he was going to say.


    Rafael was an engaged man. Rafael had a fiance. I, by myself, organized their engagement party. And now, I was what?


    How was I supposed to tell him that nothing had happened between Raf and me? Would he believe me? After what he saw, I don¡¯t think so!


    He paused for a bit like he was searching for suitable words to say and mumbled,  ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be satisfied if a year of hard work to control Debbie¡¯s father¡¯spany so that Raf would take over the whole market ended because of just a one-night stand, right?!¡±


    I nodded in agreement, I felt it was easy to end this conversation in that limit, better than telling everything. An unpleasant feeling washed over me, as if I were whore indeed though.


    How he would believe me, we were both naked hugging each other. I was at his apartment. How do I exin things?


    I will let that bastard rify things to his assistant. He created this situation in the first ce. I wouldn¡¯t tolerate Jack¡¯s overwhelming gazes at me all day long at work!


    ¡°If Debbie finds out that he cheated on her with you¡­¡± Jack added, raising his eyebrows, trying to make me understand without uttering the words.


    Maybe Raf had regained consciousness by now and regretted what he was going to do. I cleared my throat, trying to be strong and reassured with a small smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jack. I¡¯ll consider it as if nothing had happened, and I¡¯ll forget this day.¡±


    He held my hands and said in a strange tone, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get involved with him, Natalie. That¡¯s for your sake. You can¡¯t ever afford what Raf needs. No heart for Raf to have mercy on you. You can¡¯t expect anything from him!¡±


    My eyes were full of tears. Am I this little in their opinion? It is true that my father is a simple man, as my mother told me before, but I consider myself Marrin¡¯s.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    However, I understood every word Jack said in the wrong way. I thought he was saying that I am not quite fit for Rafael. That he deserves someone who has a great family background like Debbie. But only days will make me realize what he ment.


    Rafael¡¯s sarcastic voice came from behind us saying, ¡°We are married!¡±


    Silence filled the ce. I was shocked. Did he really say that or was it my imagination ying tricks on me!!?


    The different expressions that appeared on Jack¡¯s face made me confirm what I had just heard. He frowned, smiled, and looked between us. Then his eyes were about to pop out of his eyeballs!!


    I think the tense atmosphere between Rafael and I made him believe what Rafael said.


    I was more shocked than Jack though. Did he really break one of the contract rules just now?


    Jack wiped his face with his hands and dered, ¡°My mind blew out! Won¡¯t you guys exin or say something?¡±


    Rafael sat next to us, extended his legs on the table and said nonchntly, ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin anything, and neither does she!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know what you put yourself into, didn¡¯t you?¡± Jack said to me with a frown, ring at Rafael.


    He sniffed when neither of us replied, ¡°Does she know your truth!? She doesn¡¯t know what she got herself into, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    I thought he was talking about our situation as step-siblings. So, I decided to clear out everything for him.


    Jack wasn¡¯t merely a friend or personal assistant to Rafael. Their rtionship was more than that by huge stages. They have been close since childhood. Brothers from the same flesh and blood won¡¯t be as close as them.


    He attends almost all our family asions. As his wife, Anastasia, became our family¡¯s friend with her adorable little twins.


    So I felt it was convenient to tell him about themandment and everything. I even told him that Rafael did me a favor by filling themandment. I knew he wouldn¡¯t spread the news if we asked him not to.


    Rafael was staring at me silently, fixing his gaze on my face. That made me feel ufortable.


    When I finished, Jack snorted and said ¡°And what is the price for this service? To have sex with you whenever he wants? To be his ve?¡±


    ¡°Nah!¡± I screamed, and the red spread on my face. I stared at Rafael to support, but he kept looking at me in a strange way. I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking.


    ¡°Say something!¡± I demanded.


    ¡°We never had sex!¡± He said in an indifferent tone.


    ¡°Then I came here at the right time!¡± Jack said while pulling his ringing phone from his pocket. When he saw the caller ID, he tensed up, his face darkened and said, ¡°It¡¯s Debbie. She called me in the morning asking why your phone was off!¡±


    Jack answered the call. Rafael and I kept staring at each other silently! It was like he was trying to read my mind.


    ¡°Debbie is here. She will park her car ande up¡±, Jack said after he hung up the call.


    The three of us stared at each other in a daze.

 Chapter 13 Heart Breaking

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I felt awkward while both men stared at me nkly. What did they expect me to say?


    Rafael broke the short silence, gazing at Jack furiously and demanded with gritted teeth, ¡°Why did you tell her that I¡¯m here?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. She thinks that maybe you¡¯re cheating on her. I swear you¡¯re not though¡±, Jack said sarcastically.


    I felt so bad. Why am I in this situation in the first ce? I didn¡¯te by myself? I found myself here, and I don¡¯t even know the reason.


    I hated Rafael in this instance. He put me in this humiliating situation, yet he acts indifferent! Like if he doesn¡¯t give a shit to all of this. He was quiet and cold, he seemed like he didn¡¯t care that his fiance was minutes away!!


    His dominore was so calm that it provoked me.


    With an injured expression I couldn¡¯t control, I stood up, grabbed my bag and walked to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Raf said, holding my shoulders.


    I clenched my fists trying to reduce the anxiety and despair I was feeling now. I didn¡¯t want to seem weak or broken. I didn¡¯t want him to know about my true feelings for him.


    He turned me around to face him and mumbled in a soft voice, ¡°We have to talk. We need to rify things. How about we meet here tonight!¡±


    I red deep into his eyes, and said with a clear determination in my tone, ¡°I¡¯ll nevere back here, Raf.¡±


    I sensed his tension, but I didn¡¯t care. Why would I care? Did he care about my feelings, about my reputation, my embarrassing situation? No, he didn¡¯t give a shit.


    ¡°She has almost arrived,¡± Jack said, rushing us.


    ¡°Would you take her home?¡± Rafael said in an ice tone.


    My heart smashed into little pieces. I didn¡¯t know why I felt that way?, Maybe I had a little hope!?


    ¡®Hope of what, you stupid!? STOP DREAMING¡¯ my mind screamed at me.


    Jack grabbed me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I didn¡¯t look back at Rafael, but I felt his gaze on back.


    We used the emergencydder, so Debbie wouldn¡¯t see me!


    Iughed inside my heart. He had just admitted that we were married and forbade me to have sex with any man, yet now he chose his fiancee who would be between his arms now.


    The way back home was deadly silent. Jack tried to talk, but I wasn¡¯t very responsive. I just nodded and answered with one word. At the end, he gave up asking me and drove in silence.


    Finally, we went home. I opened the door and was about to get out of the car when Jack mumbled in a calm voice, ¡°If you need any help, Anastasia and I are avable at any time!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the ride¡±, I stammered with a small smile and walked away.


    Once I entered from the home¡¯s main door, Grandma and Tobi greeted me enthusiastically. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk, so I nodded and went straight upstairs. I could feel their eagerness to pull details from me. I didn¡¯t give them the chance to ask me where I spent the night though.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I put my phone in charge. I turned it on and found a lot of missed calls and DMs from Rose, my secretary.


    I called her back. She reminded me of an important meeting with a client today. I was nning for this meeting for two months. I can¡¯t let what happened earlier distract me.


    [I¡¯m on my way] I texted her.


    Then, I sorted all the DMs. I really was surprised when I didn¡¯t find any DM from Danial. Was he disappointed? I should apologize and make it up to him someday.


    I changed my clothes into a tight brown skirt and a white blouse. I stared at my reflection, feeling a little indecisive. I¡¯d never worn such a short skirt before, but it was Rose who picked it for this important meeting. I was busy organising Rafael¡¯s engagement, so I didn¡¯t have the time to prepare. My assistant was a very helpful person. She took care of every small detail I didn¡¯t care about.


    I stared at my reflection for one more time. I used to be ashamed of my butt size. I never wore a skirt that short.


    I thought twice before I finally decided to attend the meeting wearing these clothes. I have no time to pick up another set of clothes. I got into my car and headed straight to thepany.


    On the way, I started thinking of why Raf was acting like that. His way of action scared me. I felt like I no longer knew him?


    When I remembered the pool, I blushed. How would I face him and Jack in the future?


    I still can feel his kiss on my lips. How would I forget that!! I can even sense his arms possessively around my waist.


    ¡®You have to forget. You have to Natalie, you have to. You¡¯re nothing to him but an orphan girl who needed his help!¡¯ one tear ran on my cheek and I wiped it immediately.


    I parked my car and headed straight to the conference hall, where I asked the secretary to set up the presentation screen for me.


    The meeting will be about a n of how we could invade the market using propaganda. By focusing on the CEO¡¯s social life, we will grab the attention of thepany¡¯s products and services.


    I didn¡¯t know if I would be able to go with the n that I hadid down. It requires me to be with Raf on most of his special asions with Debbie. It would be like torture for me.


    I stood before the meeting hall door. Now I feel like it was a bad idea to wear this.


    But I had no solution now, so I pushed the door and got in.

 Chapter 14 The Meeting Hall

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    My heart tightened and became full of guilt when I saw the misery and disappointment on Natalie¡¯s face, although she tried to hide them. I knew I was the one who created this situation and generated this ado.


    I knew that she felt the same I felt, and wanted the thing I wanted. I sensed that when she was in my arms.


    However, at least I don¡¯t have to exin to Debbie why Natalie slept herest night. I couldn¡¯t risk it. If news like this spread, it would affect our arranged uing marriage. And as a result, The Nefson Holdings Group will not be merged with Marine Empire Trading.


    Once Natalie disappeared from my sight, Debbie appeared. She frowned slightly when she found me standing on the doorstep and wondered, ¡°Why are you standing here?¡±


    I turned and entered the apartment without a word. Her question was answered by silence.


    She followed me inside, wrapped her arms around my waist and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls? I was worried about you!¡±


    I let her arms from my waist and said, ¡°Worried? Why?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t pick up my calls, so I¡­.¡± she mumbled.


    I cut her off feeling bored, ¡°Stop pretending, Debbie! You know the truth about our rtionship. So, no need for that now!¡±


    She smiled but didn¡¯t say anything further. After a short pause while I was wearing my jacket, Debbie cleared her throat and said, ¡°My father arranged for a dinner party to introduce you to the family.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± I said nonchntly while I was grabbing my car keys from the coffee table.


    I had always hated these kinds of asions, but I had to agree. As long as it sustains my empire to stay in control of the market, I¡¯ll do it.


    Her smile widened, ¡°I promise you will enjoy it.¡±


    As we reached the car park, Debbie got into her car and left after she confirmed the date of the party. Why did I start feeling heavy when I¡¯m with her? I never felt like this before!


    I got in my car. Instead of starting the engine, I sat on the driver¡¯s seat staring nkly into space. Couldn¡¯t help but ask myself; what exactly did I want from Natalie? Why did I feel jealous when I saw her at the restaurant with Daniel? Why did I kiss her?


    ¡®You need her to be your new ve, monster!¡¯ my conscience smirked at me.


    Yes. That was exactly what I needed from her. Her gazes. How she bit her lips. The way she speaks. All of this made me want to have her as a ve in my bed.


    ¡°Would she agree to this?¡± I asked with hope.


    To be in my bed for only six months. Until the marriage contract ends!


    It was good that my rtionship with Debbie was not physical in any way.


    Thus, it is not considered cheating. I am just having sex with my wife!


    I knew she wanted this as I did. And we will have it and pleasure ourselves.


    I let out a deep sigh and started the engine. I drove straight to thepany. Jack preceded me there after he drove Natalie home. I guess she won¡¯t work today. After what had all happened, there was no chance she would go to work. I can¡¯t me her.


    I smiled when I remembered her amazing reactions to my touches. I remembered how she looked when she got out of the pool. I felt my body getting warm! My body¡¯s response to her is mythical.


    This woman continues to surprise me though.


    When I got to my office, I found Jack was sitting there waiting for me.


    ¡°What is wrong?¡± I asked as I saw the confused look on his face.


    ¡°Do you remember ourtest meeting with the Moni Agency?¡± he asked hesitantly.


    I frowned, while I was browsing the file before me, ¡°What about them?¡±


    It was the same agency that I met when I identally crashed Natalie and Daniel¡¯s date.


    ¡°They spread a news that you promised to give them the exclusive agency for promotion.


    I haven¡¯t stopped receiving calls since I arrived.


    ¡°Then, cancel the deal with them. From the very beginning, I felt something fishy about them.¡±


    I ordered.


    ¡°Their offer is still the best for now, though¡± Jack replied, hesitant to cancel the deal.


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± I asked him in a wry tone.


    He waved his hand and retorted, ¡°Forget it!¡±


    ¡°So, did Natalie say something in the car?¡± I asked, trying to make it seem a casual question.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you both are married, man. It just seems more fancy than reality!¡± he said nkly.


    He paused for a second then added, ¡°She¡¯s in the conference hall with the promotion agent.¡±


    I leaned my back on my chair. Natalie was one of the hardworking employees, she deserved her position. Suddenly, I straightened up in my seat. I remembered the guy. He was Markus, the womanizer. His tongue is sweet with flowery words. He loved all women, and no woman could escape his flirtation.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    My heart sank, and my blood boiled. I won¡¯t let anyone flirt with her, not when she¡¯s still my wife.


    I stood suddenly. Jack blinked and asked in confusion, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to attend the meeting!¡± I said indifferently.


    He raised an eyebrow and inquired, ¡°Why? Natalie is doing her work well!¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer though. I had no answer.


    So, I ignored his question and went straight to the conference room while Jack was walking beside me.


    ¡°We have an important meeting with the Marketing Manager and his assistant in seven minutes!¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Make them wait or cancel it¡± I ordered.


    I opened the door and walked in. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to us. Suddenly, they stood up and started greeting me, ¡°Mr. Mirren. Nice to see you!¡±


    My gaze was fixed on one person, Natalie.


    I walked slowly and skipped her, then I sat on the head chair at the table. I could see the wonder and confusion on her face. I liked that! A side smile appeared on my lips.

 Chapter 15 What If We Made A Slight Change In The Contract, Wify?

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I fixed my eyes on Natalie who was Indulged, disying the presentation on the big screen behind her. This was the first time I attended a preparatory side meeting. I saw the astonishment on my employees¡¯ faces, but I didn¡¯t care.


    She impressed me. She was discussing her presentation in proficiency. Her confidence,  presence and eye contact while negotiating was really impressive. Even the sudden entrance of Jack and I did not affect her performance.


    I was surprised when she came out from behind the table to grab some more maps for the presentation.


    ¡®For God¡¯s sake! What is she wearing? Or not wearing!?¡¯ I wondered in disbelief mixed with a hint of anger.


    ¡°In fact, Mr Merrin, I think the idea that gorgeous Natalie presents is genius. People love gossip, so we will give him that with a great show. They¡¯ll gossip and your products will be the most wanted and searched through the inte database¡± Markus said with a voice filled with admiration, grabbing me from my thoughts.


    The presentation was about an advertising project. I never imagined that I would be the advertising material!


    I stared back at Natalie and asked with interjection while narrowing my eyes, ¡°Could you exin more, Natalie, please? This matter is very important to thepany, and I didn¡¯t understand how it would be important to interfere with my private life for the sess of the promotions?¡±


    She nodded patiently, moved towards the presentation screen, and started to exin her point of view. She was evading from staring at my eyes though.


    Clearly she was still angry with me!


    Spontaneously, I red at her movements. Every time she moved, her butt was moving. I think none of the men were looking at the screen! That made me clench my fists and tighten my jaw.


    I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes away from her butt though.


    Her legs were tall, and her skirt was too short. I think if she just leaned forward a little bit, her underwear would appear.


    When she moved in front of the presentation screen, giving her back to us, the light of the screen made her ass more clear.


    I shook my head trying to keep up with what she was saying.


    Jack was staring at me. He kicked my leg, and gestured to me with his eyes to leave. Mentioning that we had another meeting in thirteen minutes, other than that, I canceled.


    ¡°Miss Natalie, I¡¯m interested in attending this meeting, but I have a meeting in less than twelve minutes¡± I said.


    This was the first time she had stared at me since I entered the meeting hall. She said in an ice tone, ¡°OK, Mister Rafael. I¡¯ll make my secretary give you the results of this meeting soon!¡±


    I red at her nkly and thought, ¡®I will make you ride it.¡¯


    She prevented her gaze as if she was reading my mind.


    I kept acting like a teenager. This woman made me feel like a young guy in high school. This was a bad sign!


    I have to have her to get rid of this feeling. Once I have her, I¡¯ll feel morefortable and regain myposure.


    ¡°I need to discuss this matter in private with you!¡± I said in a neutral tone.


    ¡°What? But which matter? I¡­¡± she asked in confusion.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°I need you in my office now!¡± I ordered. I felt the urge to put dots on letters and rify things between us.


    I left the meeting hall without any other words. I reached the elevator and smelled her sexy perfume behind me. I smiled a side victory smile. I nced at her through the corner of my eye. She was standing still with an icy expression on her face. Before we talked, the elevator door opened.


    ¡°After you!¡± I told her and I put my hand on the end of her back, trying to push her to get into the elevator.


    The elevator was empty, but once we entered, a group of employees entered behind us! Natalie and I stood next to each other in the back of the elevator.


    One of the employees looked at me, and before he asked his question, I said, ¡°Press the button for your floor first. I am not in a hurry¡±


    Natalie stared at me, raised one eyebrow and used, ¡°I thought you were in a hurry. You canceled my important meeting¡±


    I put my hand on her waist. I made her body stick to mine. She tried to grab my hand off, but I insisted. All the employees were looking at the elevator door.


    ¡°What are you doing? Did you go crazy?¡± she whispered in anxiety.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m just touching my wife!¡± I said.


    Her eyes sparkled and lit at first, then, a secondter, a dim light covered the sparks in her eyes.


    When she gave up trying to take my hand off her waist, she leaned her body on me and whispered in my ears, ¡°Please, stop, someone will see us!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ready for me, right?!¡± It was a statement not a question.


    We were talking in a low whispered voice and staring at the elevator door.


    Tinnn¡­.


    The elevator stop sound.


    I pulled my hand away from her waist. All the employees got out of the elevator, except us.


    I went to the control panel and put the elevator in stop mode.


    ¡°Crazy, what have you done!¡± Natalie snapped.


    I approached her slowly, and she retreated in her steps until her back hit the elevator wall.


    I put my hands on either side of the wall behind her head, preventing her from moving.


    ¡°What if we made a slight change in our contract, wify?¡± I asked, whispering in her ear.


    I felt her shiver.


    She gasped for air and then asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    I stared deeply into her eyes and confessed, ¡°I want to have sex with you, Natalie!¡±


    She looked at me in shock.


    I put my hands on her shoulders, glued my hard body to her sensitive area, pushing her to the wall.


    I want her to feel how much I wanted her.


    ¡°You know that we have a strong chemistry between us!¡± I said and washed her face with gentle kisses.

 Chapter 16 Meeting At The Elevator

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I gasped for air. Did he really say what he said?


    His kisses went from my face through my neck. A shiver crossed my body to be evident that my body was fully active with him.


    He whispered behind my ear while sucking my earlobe, ¡°What did you say? Instead of having a rtionship with strangers, we are married, so let¡¯s take advantage of the remaining six months and fill our sexual desires with each other!¡±


    I blinked. I couldn¡¯t think clearly. I couldn¡¯t believe his boldness. This was what I always dreamed of though. This was my dream the whole time!


    Should I take the dangerous offer or reject it? I was totally confused.


    Brushing my thighs with his yful tall fingers causing sparks and twinkles to explode inside my veins, he added, ¡°Let¡¯s satisfy our desires and respect the so-called marriage between us¡±


    I tried to think clearly. Although it was hard to do so in this position. Maybe this was my only chance to be with him! After the six months ended, every one of us will move on in his life, and he will be a married man to Debbie. Should I take the risk? What do I have to lose?


    ¡®Your virginity!¡¯ my conscience snapped.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    But I am willing to lose my virginity for him. He was the one I wanted him to take my virginity. I want him to be my first.


    ¡°Ha! What did you say?¡± he urged me with eyes full of desire.


    I shifted my gaze, avoiding eye contact with him, then nodded positively.


    ¡°Say it!¡± hemanded, tightening his grip on my thighs.


    ¡°Look at my eyes and say it¡± he whispered this time.


    I swallowed what was in my throat, and red into his seductive eyes. Why did he make things difficult for me?


    He raised my chin with his tall finger, and ordered, ¡°Say it, Natalie. I want to hear it from you. Say you want me to fuck you!¡±


    My cheeks blushed, and my heart skipped a beat. I let out the air I was holding in my lungs and whispered shyly, ¡°Yes, Rafael. I want you to make love to me!¡±


    His eyes darkened. Then he captured my lips in a passionate kiss. After a while, he let go of my swollen lips and held my head between his hands and bent over to kiss me on my forehead.


    He moved away from me a little and pressed the elevator start button. A sudden wave of cold hit me. I was craving for his warm embrace, but I maintained myself. I didn¡¯t want to seem so fallen to him. I hid my feelings so well before, and I will do the same now.


    ¡°I will arrange for our first meeting soon!¡± he said before the elevator door was opened.


    Once the elevator door was opened, a number of pairs of eyes were staring at us with anticipation.


    I hope no one will notice my swollen lips and flushed cheeks. I spontaneously put my hand on my head andbed my messy hair.


    Once we stepped out of the elevator, Jack approached and wrapped Rafael¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Good, it looks like the elevator has been fixed.¡±


    I can tell from the look on his face, he guessed what we were doing in the elevator. He was just covering for us.


    Then he added, looking at the small crowd of employees standing there, ¡°Everyone was worried about you. They noticed that the elevator had stopped for almost a quarter an hour!¡±


    I felt embarrassed. Unlike Rafael, who was confident and steady. His personality changed in an instant. He became that serious cold CEO again.


    ¡°A minor malfunction has been fixed, no need to worry¡± he said in a cold tone like he wasn¡¯t the same man who was kissing me passionately a moment ago!


    ¡°Everyone, go back to your work, instantly¡± he ordered with an icy tone.


    Then he looked at me and said with a neutral and emotionless tone, ¡°Natalie, we¡¯ve talked enough about what I want you to consider during the promotion process for the uing party. Since we agreed, you can return to your office, there is no need for you to go to my office now.¡±


    I didn¡¯t reply. I didn¡¯t know what I should say!


    Which party was he talking about?


    ¡°Follow me!¡± hemanded, and gestured to Jack to follow him and headed again to the elevator. He was acting so fast, I almost came to believe that what happened a moment ago was a fictional creation from my brain.


    But before the elevator door closed, he winked at me with a side smile, then the door shuttered.


    I was standing in a daze like an idiot, until the elevator door was closed. I looked around me, everyone was back to work and was busy.


    The serious and cold way Rafael spoke, left no one doubting anything.


    My secretary, Tess, came to me in a hurry, saying with a worried expression on her face, ¡°Natalie! Honey. You look so pale, are you good?¡±


    I blinked a few times, staring at her face nkly without saying a word. My brain couldn¡¯t tolerate how he acted so fast like we weren¡¯t in an intimate situation. He didn¡¯t shiver even for a bit.


    Tess waved her hand before my face with concern, then said, ¡°You must have been freaked out! Do you have a phobia of closed spaces or being stuck in a closed ce? I¡¯m going to call the doctor.¡±


    When I heard her words, I regained myposure and held her hand before she could go and replied, ¡°No, no. I¡¯m totally fine. Do we have something urgent?¡±


    It was just too much I had been today. The morning situation, and now this! All of that made my brain stuck.


    Tess replied while we were heading to the office, ¡°Debbie called while you were at the meeting. She said they are having a party at her house next week, and she wanted to know what we have ns for the social coverage of the event.¡±


    ¡®So, this is the party that Rafael mentioned¡¯ I guessed.

 Chapter 17 Debbie’s Visit

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    The workload was so much this week, I could barely take a breath. I contacted several news agencies to cover the news in order to spread some gossip about Rafael and Debbie during the uing party. Our goal was to highlight some excerpts from Raphael¡¯s life to arouse the curiosity of the public to attract more attention to thepanies¡¯ products.


    Rafael was one of the country¡¯s biggest capitalists, and also ranked among the world¡¯s richest men. But he has to keep up with the world, trends and fame though.


    This event was not an ordinary party, it was made to announce the cooperation between the two industrial andmercial empires. Merrin and Nefson Groups.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want any faults, we have to make this event the news of the week. It should explode through the inte like a wildfire¡± I said firmly to my team.


    However, I saw them smiling, shifting gazes and winking at each other. Tess mentioned by shaking her eyebrows towards the door. I frowned and stared behind in confusion.


    My cheeks flushed, it was the same delivery guy with a big red bouquet!


    ¡°I¡¯m eager to know who the mysterious lover is?¡± Ava, the youngest team member, giggled.


    ¡°He sends flowers regrly. The poor man is desperate for your attention!¡± Matilda chuckled.


    I rolled my eyes, they found something to gossip about. It was Rafael, he was the mysterious man who had been sending me flowers every day since ourst meeting at the elevator.


    We hadn¡¯t met since then though. The day after our conversation, he flew for a business trip. It had been six days, and he was supposed to arrive by tomorrow to attend the party.


    I can¡¯t figure out what he was up to. He didn¡¯t even make a call, yet he sends me those flowers with cards every day.


    What? Are we in the eighteenth century? He cannot make a video call?


    I do like flowers. It was just an odd thing from him!


    I picked up the small card that was hanging on the bouquet, eager to know what he wrote this time.


    One word was written; SOON.


    I bit my lower lip and sighed. I knew the hidden meaning under this one-word message.


    Suddenly, the door swung open, and the office room went deadly silent. I innately raised my head to meet Debbie¡¯s bizarre gaze. She was ring at me or the bouquet, I didn¡¯t know!


    She spoke first to break the eerie atmosphere. She said with a big smile, ¡°Such a wonderful bouquet! I think your boyfriend has good taste¡±


    I stammered, ¡°Oh, Debbie! Hi! You didn¡¯t mention you would pass by!¡±


    She sat on the sofa crossing her legs arrogantly and smirked, emphasizing every word, ¡°I am the CEO¡¯s fiancee, so technically, this is mypany, right!?¡±


    I felt awkward, but I didn¡¯t argue. I knew that her attitude was different when Rafael was around and when I was alone. I learned she didn¡¯t like me from the very first day we met.


    I simply didn¡¯t care. I smiled and asked Tess to serve Debbie.


    But she blew air boredly and sniffed, ¡°You don¡¯t need this formality dear. Just give me the n you prepared for hosting the event informatively¡±


    I knew I couldn¡¯t please her, and I didn¡¯t try. In the end, she was my husband¡¯s fiance, and I just couldn¡¯t like her as much as she couldn¡¯t like me.


    The contrast was that I knew her rtionship with Rafe while she had her own ulterior motives for disliking me.


    ¡°I¡¯m so nervous. I just wished that Raf had given this task to someone more professional!¡± she said, then covered her mouth saying, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Nat. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you or your team.¡±


    I sensed her bad temper, but I didn¡¯tment. I ignored her and faced this with silence as I always did.


    Doubts exploded inside me though. Did she know something about Raf and I? I felt her offends grew on before!


    I felt low and I hated that feeling. Although the matter does not involve any betrayal against her. Rafael had never fucked her up, ording to his words.


    Why should a wife feel low about her rtionship with her husband? ¡®Because you¡¯re not a real wife!¡¯ my brain mocked me.


    ¡®But I am his legal wife¡¯ I stammered, not sure of myself.


    After she made up her suggestions, she asked me once we were alone at the office, ¡°Did Rafael call you? He hasn¡¯t called me nor replied to my calls since he went on his trip!¡±


    I coughed. I hate lying. He called me once, telling me he wouldn¡¯t bete.


    And for my fortune, Jack barged in saying, ¡°Natalie, give me yourtest report¡±


    He tensed up once he saw Debbie. He gained hisposure quickly though. He smiled and asked, ¡°Debbie! Long time no see!¡±


    She smiled at him and stood up. She acted with him differently. Not as cold and arrogant as she was with me.


    ¡°I came by to check on how the work is going,¡± she said with a broad smile.


    ¡°Everything is going great, Natalie is doing well with the preparations¡± Jack said sincerely, finishing his sentence with a pat on my shoulder.


    She stared at the flowers once more, then excused herself and left.


    Following her gaze, Jack stared at the flowers too, then left.


    The news that I had a boyfriend who sent me red flowers had spread within thepany like wildfire.


    I didn¡¯t know how I should feel about those flowers. I didn¡¯t want to love him more than I did, and he doesn¡¯t make it easy for me.


    ¡°You will hook up with him just for six months, Natalie¡± I kept telling myself.


    Just six months and then I will let go. I will forget about him, as he will forget about me.


    I sighed in despair, maybe I should step back and reject his offer. I didn¡¯t want to lose him, and once we fucked up, everything between us would change.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    [Ding. Ding]


    The sound of receiving a message came out of my phone indicating the arrival of a new message via WhatsApp.


    It was Rafael¡¯s selfie, standing before his private ne and smiling presumptuously.


    I didn¡¯t know why I smiled back.


    He sent another message, [Finally, I¡¯m on my way home!]

 Chapter 18 Kiss Her!

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    The party day;


    I dressed in bright sticky red leather pants, and a silver top that showed my t stomach. I lifted my hair in a ponytail and put on red lipstick simr to the color of my pants.


    I didn¡¯t wear much makeup and I didn¡¯t want to wear a gown that would impede my movement as I was here for work, not for fun.


    The venue was teeming with celebrities and the businessmunity. The first idea of the party was that it would be somehow limited to a certain number of the closest guests from Debbie¡¯s rtives and friends. Nevertheless, her father changed the n, intending to announce the business cooperation between hispany and Merrin Group.


    However, my job was to cover and reflect the romantic rtionship between Rafael and Debbie to the world. To focus on the personal side of Rafael¡¯s life. This was what the audience liked to see and hear. Everybody likes gossip.


    I was a little anxious though. I didn¡¯t know how I¡¯d ask Rafael to do and take intimate positions with Debbie for the shooting.


    ¡®Why did I suggest that kind of promotion, for God¡¯s sake!?¡¯ I med myself.


    I took a selfie and posted it on my Instagram ount, trying to focus on something else rather than just standing here and waiting.


    I stared at my picture and wondered how a man could make a woman change! I had never worn such bold colours and revealing clothes.


    And here I am. When Rafael showed his interest in me, I started to love showing my feminine side. I guess the woman begins highlighting her charm to attract and capture the attention of the man she loves.


    ¡°You look stunning. I¡¯m sure you will make a lot of heads turn and many eyes will be green with envy¡± aunt Tobi teased me. We were waiting for Rafael and Debbie to arrive.


    Iughed, ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate, aunty! Look at all these women with branded gowns!¡±


    Four cameramen were standing next to us ready for my instructions at any minute. They were from various international news agencies, and came to cover the event. They had the freedom to photograph anything at the party, except for shooting Rafael and Debbie. They must be under my guidance.


    Grandma didn¡¯t attend the event, she apologized to Debbie and her parents. Her blood pressure suddenly increased.


    The party was crowded with Debbie¡¯s rtives and friends, all of whom were from the wealthy ss!


    I was holding a ss of champagne, trying tofort myself and reduce the anxiety I was feeling. I sighed and sipped from my ss when I felt his warm breath behind my ear and his deep whispering tone saying, ¡°Don¡¯t get drunk! I want you to be aware of everything I will do to you in bed tonight, wify¡±


    Goosebumps ran through my veins. I turned around right away, and saw him passing behind me holding Debbie¡¯s hand.


    My heart jumped violently inside my heart. Butterflies were raving and dancing in my stomach. It had been a week since thest time I saw him. Now I realized how much I missed him.


    I stared at both of them in a daze while they were walking slowly, stopping here and there greeting the guests.


    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of him. He was literally charming. His gray suit and the white shirt contrasted with his bronze skin, which he acquired from the sun¡¯s rays. Makes him look like he was straight out of a Greek mythology book.


    As he walked, you would notice his back and arm muscles. His long muscr legs. I can¡¯t believe all of this will be mine after a few hours!


    A shiver ran down my spine.


    A high aura of masculinity surrounds him makes any woman feel her feminine energy. Makes any woman want to taste his lips. To be under his muscr body.


    And here we have the proof, all women¡¯s eyes fixed on him in admiration. Yes, I can feel their pain though.


    Who was thinking that such a sessful handsome gentleman was hiding a monster under his skin?


    ¡°Miss Natalie!¡± Dave, one of the cameramen said, grabbing me from my fancy thoughts.


    ¡°I think we should follow them, so we could take vivid pictures,¡± he added when I looked back at him.


    I cleared my throat while my cheeks flushed, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go¡±


    We headed to where Rafael and Debbie were standing. I filled my lungs with air and let it out slowly in order to take over my feelings.


    The cameramen started their work instantly in proficiency, and I started directing them to take the kind of photos we needed. I didn¡¯t bring the rest of my team because I didn¡¯t want to be hindered by ourrge number. Tess was one call away. I alerted her before to be ready in case I needed her by any means.


    Whatever I imagined, I didn¡¯t realize before how difficult my job today was until now! I had to ask Rafael to touch or hold Debbie intimately.


    ¡°Put your arms around her shoulders and hold her near your chest¡± I said in a neutral tone, although I guess it was a little harsh. Whenever my gaze meets Rafael¡¯s gaze, I see a sarcastic smile on his lips.


    He raised an eyebrow and stared at me. But eventually, without dy, he did everything I asked him to do.


    This situation was killing me. The whole situation was awkward and overwhelming for us.


    Except for Debbie though. She was leaning her body all the time on Rafael¡¯s, trying to emphasize to each woman that Rafael was hers. I could tell that from the possessiveness way she was acting towards him.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    And this made me pissed off. The overwhelming feeling increased inside me.


    ¡°I want the pictures to tell that we are in deep love with each other¡± Debbie said, wrapping her arms around Rafael¡¯s neck.


    I hardly held myself from rolling my eyes on her.


    Ignoring her endless requests, I moved a step forward and grabbed Rafael¡¯s hand from his pocket and ced it on Debbie¡¯s slender waist.


    ¡°Kiss her!¡± I said in a cold tone, and he stared at me with dark eyes.

 Chapter 19 The Heartache

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Rafael didn¡¯t act or move for a moment. Just staring at me nking. Then, without hesitation, he ced his tightened lips on Debbie¡¯s while his furious gaze studied my face.


    The shooting cameras sound washed over the ce. And I felt my heart shattered into pieces.


    I was on the edge of copse. My heart was bleeding. But I deserved it. I was the one who entered myself in the middle of this hell.


    I was like a snowball from outside, but the volcano inside me was about to erupt. I helped them in several positions while Debbie¡¯s friends gathered around to shower her with their blessings.


    Among this small crowd, Rafael¡¯s hands and mine identally collided several times. But I ignored him as he stalked me with his eyes the whole time.


    When we finally finished, I was emotionally exhausted, so, without a word, I went straight to aunt Tobi. My tears were threatening to fall. I was on the verge of a breakdown. Why did all this happen to me!?


    ¡®Don¡¯t y the victim now. You knew from the beginning that he was engaged to her!¡¯ I held back my tears, preventing them from falling as I forced myself to be strong.


    But this feeling of jealousy was burning me and killing me. Like a sharp knife cutting me from the inside. The pain was all over my body. It was a physical pain, literally physical.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong dear?¡± Aunt Tobi asked with a motherly voice.


    ¡°I want to go home¡± I stammered.


    She held my hand and said with a tender voice, ¡°my dear, don¡¯t let anyone spoil your mood. You look gorgeous tonight. Look at all of those handsome guys over there! Have a good time. Enjoy yourself dear. If I were your age, I would meet someone¡±


    Meet someone? I didn¡¯t do that even once. I¡¯ve never dated. My eyes didn¡¯t see any men but Rafael my whole life.


    ¡°Hellodies¡±


    A handsome man appeared before us. He smiled cocksly, extended his hand and added while staring at my face, ¡°I¡¯m Okberj. David Okberj. Debbie¡¯s cousin.¡±


    I just stared at his outstretched hand without any reaction, thinking that it must be Debbie who encouraged him toe over and introduce himself. Ever since she met Raf, she had been trying to find me a boyfriend.


    A light red color tinted his cheeks and he was about to take back his outstretched hand when aunt Tobi reached out her hand and said politely, ¡°Hello, Mr. Okbej. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Tobi and this is Natalie¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard about you both. Debbie has told me a lot about Natalie¡± he replied, saying my first name as if he knew me before. Then he looked at me and added, while his eyes examined me boldly, ¡°But she is more beautiful than I had imagined¡±


    I didn¡¯t like the way he was staring at me, but I smiled and nodded politely at his ttery.


    Raf¡¯s gruff voice came from behind us, saying, ¡°David, David! Are you still searching for a wife?¡± He was wrapping one hand around Debbie¡¯s waist, and with his other hand, he tightened his grip on David¡¯s shoulder. He was pretending that his movement was spontaneous, but I could see the glimpse of pain crossing David¡¯s face.


    Thetter avoided Rafael¡¯s hand, stared at me with shiny eyes and confessed,


    ¡°If Natalie takes pity on me, I will please her by all means. She is a beautiful and delicate woman who deserves to be satisfied and pampered.¡±


    David¡¯s words were padded, and had other ttering meanings.


    His boastful tone changed when he noticed myck of interest in him.


    I stared at Rafael¡¯s burning gaze. He was clenching his fists and tightening his jaw, warning me with his eyes.


    It felt good, though. He deserved it. It¡¯s his turn to suffer and feel what I felt a few minutes ago.


    Debbie pped her hands and cheered, cutting the tension, ¡°How romantic! You¡¯re so lucky, Nat! David is a great man¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that you would like to meet the Minister of Economy? Come, I¡¯ll introduce you to him¡± Rafael said, urging David to follow him.


    When the two men left, Debbie whispered to me, so aunt Tobi couldn¡¯t hear, ¡°No man can satisfy a woman more than Raf.¡± she was pretending that she was just having a little chat with me.


    She blushed and opened her phone, showing me some photos of lingeries, ¡°Raf bought them for me. He wants me to wear them tonight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long, wild night,¡± she added with a long, dreamy breath. ¡°By the way, thank you for the great pictures. They¡¯ve made us feel even more excited about tonight.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at first. Then, I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t blink. Her words burned me. My legs were like jelly. A shiver of pain ran through my cells. They have an affair? He told me he never touched her! Was he lying to me? He nned for tonight to be our first night together! Did he abandon me for the sake of her?


    I felt insulted. I loved him for a long time, yet I never hinted about it!! He was the one who asked for the physical rtionship.


    It¡¯s true I was the wife, but a temporary wife. He wouldn¡¯t rece a billionaire¡¯s daughter with a poor girl that he married for pity.


    But I never asked him to make things permanent between us. I knew it was going to be an in-bed rtionship for just six months.


    A sh of knowledge hit my head. Was she lying to me?


    Yes, that is still an option until he proves the opposite. I will confront him and ask him about it. I have the right to know.


    For the rest of the time at the party, I avoided meeting with them. I decided I would ask him when I found him alone.


    I was chatting with some clients when I heard amotion. I turned back and saw Raf hugging Debbie and her friends pping and asking him to kiss her: ¡°kiss her, kiss her¡­.¡±


    Like a dagger lodged in my ribs, the pain had spread there.


    I didn¡¯t have the nerve to witness their intimate actions any longer. I took my purse and left immediately. My heart was hurting.


    My phone started ringing while I was driving. Through my foggy eyes, I saw Rafael¡¯s name. I hung up on him. I didn¡¯t want him to hear my sops.


    I didn¡¯t know where I was going, I just couldn¡¯t stay there any longer. I was driving without any specific destination.


    I wiped off my tears with my palm and wrote a message, I didn¡¯t want him to feel that I was insulted. I will keep my wound to myself.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    [Sorry Raf, I take my words back. I¡¯m going to meet my boyfriend at a hotel. You can cancel the marriage if you want]


    My phone never stopped ringing though, and I didn¡¯t answer at all.


    Ding, Ding.


    A new message received!


    [Please don¡¯t] he sent.


    [Let¡¯s talk first. Where are you?] He sent again.


    Then, he called again and again and again¡­.


    I didn¡¯t answer his calls even once. I was weak. Broken. I didn¡¯t want him to see me in this state.


    I was sobbing and whining loudly. The pain was unbearable.


    Another message received:


    [Just watch Nat. I¡¯ll make you pay, I swear!]

 Chapter 20 A Glimpse Of His Childhood

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    ** Warning


    There is content about children in this chapter that may be disturbing to some readers.


    I was driving like crazy. I didn¡¯t even know how I was stomping the brakes or how I drove across the roads. All I saw before me was ck, anger and frustration.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I left everything behind once I received her message. We had not even announced the deration of the cooperation between Mirren Groups and Nefson Group yet. I was pulling myself out of Debbie¡¯s sudden embrace when her friends shouted at me to kiss her.


    Then I saw her leaving!


    I called her several times to ask her to go to my apartment and I will follow her once the party finishes. But she didn¡¯t pick up my calls. Rather, she sent that message. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes at first. Natalie would never do such a thing to me!


    My heart bumped insanely inside my ribs. I had to read the message twice to really understand what was written. I pushed Debbie away from my way and without a word I picked Jack¡¯s car keys from his pocket. I saw the confusion in his face, but I didn¡¯t have time to exin. I can¡¯t reach her quickly with my Limo.


    I couldn¡¯t absorb why she did that. We had a deal, and yet she let me down without any exnation!!


    My phone rang. It was the head of my security team, ¡°What did you find? Where is she?¡± I asked impatiently.


    He immediately replied, ¡°Mr Merrin, I¡¯ll send you her location now. Just follow the Google map¡±


    All Mirren¡¯s cars were equipped with a tracking device. It was a part of our security system. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t difficult to locate her car.


    The map indicates that she was in a small hotel. I hit the steering wheel with both hands in sheer rage, struggling with myself whether to go there or not. She abandoned me for another man for God¡¯s sake, and I¡¯m still pursuing her?


    What am I going to do there?


    Beg her not to let him fuck her? This was in no way like me. I never beg. I never give a shit to a woman. Why did she have the upper hand on me?


    My heart tightened. I didn¡¯t like this feeling. As a sadistic person, I couldn¡¯t tolerate this feeling.


    She was an adult. She was doing everything ording to her will. Why would I follow her as if I was going to save her?


    Yet, she is your wife, you idiot! Even though it was a contracted marriage, she was still your fucking wife.


    I suddenly hit the brakes. The brakes screeched loudly. I parked the damned car two hundred metres from the damned hotel.


    Why the fuck am I here? I¡¯m not a real husband. I¡¯m not her fucking lover!

 Chapter 21 Virgin?

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I knocked on the door. Her delicate voice rang out, asking, ¡°Who is this?¡±


    I clenched my fists. Ready to punch the bastard who¡¯s with her.


    I knocked again. She opened the door slightly, stretched her head out, and opened her eyes wide. I could tell from the look on her face that she was surprised to see me standing here. I immediately pushed her to the side and barged in.


    She mmed shut the door and followed me. My eyes wandered around the room. I asked in disdain, ¡°Where¡¯s he?¡±


    She crossed her arms over her chest, raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Why do you ask? He hasn¡¯te yet, and please leave before he sees you here!¡±


    There was something different about her, but I couldn¡¯t put my hands on it. I examined her from top to toe. She was wearing a bathrobe and her hair was wet.


    I cannot describe my feelings at that moment. I raised the corner of my lips with a sarcastic smile and asked, ¡°Is this your value to him? To bring you to a lowly hotel like this?¡±


    I can see her cheeks tinted red. She raised her chin in pride and retorted, ¡°Why are you here Raf? Go to your dearest fiancee. I don¡¯t care about the hotel as much as I care about the one whose I¡¯ll be in his arms! So please leave.¡±


    I bit my lower lip until I tasted blood. I growled, ¡°Watch your words, woman!¡±


    ¡°Or what!?¡± she challenged.


    She was certainly ying with fire!


    I stood before her, gripping her hair. She screamed and I closed her mouth with mine.


    I invaded her delicious mouth without mercy, roaming my tongue inside and taking whatever I wanted. She tasted so good. But I wasn¡¯t kissing for pleasure, I was going to torture her with that kiss! I kept kissing her ordingly. She tried to say something, but I wouldn¡¯t let go.


    I kept kissing, or let¡¯s say I kept biting. Holding her head between my hands, prevented her from moving. I bit her lips to wipe the traces of any other man from her lips. I want her to be mine.


    Just for me.


    She is only mine.


    I pushed her out of my embrace. She staggered a little. Our breathing was heavy.


    She red at me furiously, raised her hand to wipe her mouth sorely and snapped, ¡°You¡¯re disgusting. I hate you!¡±


    Although her words hurt me, Iughed. I didn¡¯t know why Iughed, but I did. Maybe to pretend that her words meant nothing to me!!


    I wanted her so badly, but I didn¡¯t want her to know that.


    ¡°Get out of here. I don¡¯t want him to see you!¡± she said.


    I saw red. How could she be that mean?


    I couldn¡¯t understand. She had never been this cruelty.


    She sat on the edge of the bed and said, ¡°Okay, you can stay! If you wish to see us making love! Consider it a short show before the divorce.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t tolerate this. She pushed me over the edge. I grabbed her by the hand to make her stand up and took off her bathrobe. She screamed and tried to cover her body. I held her hands behind her back and turned her to the wall. I pped her butt. My ps were strong, and she tried to escape, but I tightened her well.


    She screamed, but I didn¡¯t care, she would get punished.


    After her butt became like a red tomato, I pulled her from her hand and pushed her on the bed. She was struggling to free herself.


    ¡°You will have me in your bed tonight, Natalie. And no one will help you!¡± I whispered next to her ear.


    I can feel her shivers beneath me. She was as ready as I was. She wanted this. But she kept struggling.


    ¡°Please! Stop!¡± She begged.


    I couldn¡¯t control myself seeing her naked beneath me. I want to fuck her now. I took off my pants, she closed her eyes.


    I held her chin tightly, and whispered, my voice was hoarse from desire, ¡°Open your eyes Natalie. It will be in you, and you will bay for leaving me for another man¡±


    I tried to open her legs while she was closing them tightly. I kissed her belly, wanting her to rx. But she yelled in a terrified voice and tears drowning her face, ¡°I have never been with a man. I.  I lied ¡­ I don¡¯t have a boyfriend. I¡¯m not waiting for anyone¡±


    I frowned, ¡°You have never been with a man?¡±


    As if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over my head.


    ¡°Virgin. You¡¯re a virgin??¡± I asked in horror.


    She nodded while she was trying to cover herself with the bedsheets.


    I stood in a daze. Memories of how I had treated her flooded into my head, squeezing my heart.


    I put on  my pants and sat on the edge of the bed holding my head. Feeling my hard body still pulsing from desiring her.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Why did you make use to this point? I was going to hurt you!¡± I asked, staring nkly.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    She didn¡¯t answer, so I added, ¡°I thought you were¡­., OK, this doesn¡¯t matter now¡±. I shaked my head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I thought you wouldn¡¯t like a virgin girl. Your women were always professional. I witnessed all your rtionships!¡± She stammered.


    I smiled tenderly, extended my hand to her, e here.¡±


    I sensed that she was afraid, so I approached her and pulled her into my embrace and kissed her forehead, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I hurt you?¡±


    She stared down at her hands in herp. I said, ¡°Bad experience, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She nodded and said from between her sops, ¡°Kind of!¡±


    I wiped her tears and said, ¡°We will fix this mistake.¡±


    ¡°Which mistake?¡± she asked sincerely.


    ¡°Will you let me take your virginity? Will you let me make you mine?¡± I stared at her beautiful face, silently praying that she would say yes.

 Chapter 22 Having Her

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I never expected that Raf would follow me!


    When he appeared in front of the hotel room door, I was surprised. After I gained myposure, I attempted to make him leave. I can¡¯t make him wait for a man who will never show up.


    I was upset with him. How dare hee after me after what he did at the party? What does he want from me now?


    However, he barged in as if it was his property and his actions surprised me. The more I push him away and hurt him, the more he sticks and touches me.


    The impudent dared to take off my bathrobe!


    I was acting strong even though my heart was shaking with fear. I wasn¡¯t really afraid of him, but I¡¯d never seen him act in such a savage way. Rafael was always a reasonable person who never acted rashly. And now, it seemed like it wasn¡¯t him anymore.


    However, Isted in that way of acting until he took off his pants!! This was the act that changed everything.


    Oh God! This was really happening. He pushed me onto the bed without hesitation. Even though I was hoping for that moment with him and here I am naked beneath him, I banked. I wasn¡¯t ready. I don¡¯t want things to happen in that way. And a lot of questions were scrambled inside my head. Like, why was he here? Why wasn¡¯t he with Debbie?


    Out of fear, I told him the truth.


    He froze.


    ¡°Virgin?¡± he asked.


    If the situation wasn¡¯t the way it was, I would haveughed at his facial expressions.


    I can sense his tension though. He stared at me nkly, his storm of emotions stopped. He was studying my experience, then pulled himself out of bed. I quickly covered my body.


    After he calmed himself down, he kissed my head, and started stroking my hair. I think he was trying to calm me down.


    He sniffed my hair then lifted my face. Staring into my eyes, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I hurt you?¡±


    After a short while, we started kissing again. It was a soft kiss. Little by little we deepened our kiss. He leaned me back on the bed. The only thing separating our naked bodies was the thin bedsheet.


    I felt his desire. His need. All the logic was blocked away at those moments. I couldn¡¯t think of anything just our bodies needs.


    But he stopped suddenly. He stopped kissing and touching me. I felt cold even though he was still covering my body with hisrge muscr body.


    ¡°Are you going to retreat now?¡± I asked, trying to make my voice neutral.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been with a virgin, Natalie,¡± he said nervously, looking into my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to be gentle. I don¡¯t do gentle.¡±


    Iughed at him, trying to ease the awkwardness, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re nervous about making love. Who¡¯s the virgin, me or you!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point. I don¡¯t make love. I just fuck. I do it in severe ways¡± he said.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    At that moment, as a girl ignorant of sex matters, I thought he was exaggerating. I didn¡¯t think he was telling a hint of the whole truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I will hurt you, and you will never forgive me!¡±


    I sighed. I felt awkward. Isn¡¯t he supposed to be the one reassuring me and not the other way around? Aren¡¯t I the virgin here?


    ¡°So, what do you suggest? Skip this moment and postpone it until I be no longer a virgin!?¡± I teased him.


    I was supposed to be the one who was afraid, especially after what he had done a little while ago. But it doesn¡¯t seem like that!


    He narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°And how do you n to make yourself not a virgin?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. He grabbed my chin tightly and stared into my eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t even try to think of it again! You are MINE. YOUR VIRGINITY IS MINE¡±


    I was just teasing him, so I nodded.


    ¡°Will you bear me?¡± he asked again.


    I raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°This is getting boring!¡±


    Heughed, ¡°You can¡¯t wait any longer? So, what do you want? What do you want me to do, Natalie?¡±


    When he whispered hisst sentence, a chill ran down my spine.


    He was on top of me on the bed, looking charming. His attractive scent made me melt.


    ¡°I will do my best to be gentle this time. If you get hurt just say stop, okay?¡± he said and kissed my forehead.


    He made me feel as if he was going to war. Not just making love.


    He caressed my cheek and said, ¡°Mrs. Merrin, would you allow your husband to have sex with you? To finally fuck you?¡±


    His words got to my soul. It¡¯s just I wished he had said love not sex, but for now I don¡¯t care.


    ¡°Hmm¡­. You are polite¡±, I mumbled.


    He raised an eyebrow and said,


    ¡°I could be not, if you said no though!¡±


    Our eyes met with intense looks full of passion. Then he took me to another world, another world that I had never been in before. He kissed every inch of my body and made me fly into a dream world.


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever been able to feel my body more than I do now.


    His professional touch invaded every part of my body. I tried to keep up with him and kiss him back, but I lost myself in the middle of the lust.


    I couldn¡¯t control the gasps that escaped my mouth. Every cell of my body was trembling.


    He whispered in my ear, ¡°Are you ready for me? Would you let me in, wify? I promise I won¡¯t hurt you¡±


    Once he thrust, I felt the pain and my body cramped, but it was a temporary pain. With his care and passionate kisses, he erased the pain.


    There was no sound in the room except our panting breaths.

 Chapter 23 New Decision

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    Am I in heaven?


    She was delicious. The fresh smell of her fragrance made me want to stick to her even more. Her bare skin sense under my hands and her perfect response to my intimate touches made me want to fuck her so badly. But I had to control myself, and that was so fucking difficult.


    I never did it in a gentle way. That was really a test of my patience.


    If I wasn¡¯t afraid on her, because of her newly removed virginity, I would have kept fucking her all night long.


    The pleasure on her face was magnificent.


    But I had to stop. I pulled out of her andid next to her. Our breaths were heavy. There were a few drops of blood on the white sheet. The feeling that I was her first made me want to make her only mine. I really needed to rethink about us. I kissed her on the head and went to the bathroom. If I stayed here besides her, staring at her tempting body, I couldn¡¯t help to fuck her again.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    -Ring Ring!


    Before I reached the bathroom door, my phone rang, it was Debbie. This wasn¡¯t the right time, but I had to pick up the call. I left things messed up behind me. At least I have to inform them that I am not going back to the party.


    ¡°It¡¯s Debbie!¡± I told Natalie with spontaneity.


    She stared at me calmly and then lowered her gaze to herp and pulled the bedsheet tight over her body. That made me go back to bed and sit next to her. I pulled her into my embrace, then I answered the call.


    I don¡¯t know why I did that, but the look in her eyes when I said it was Debbie made me sit and hug her while I was taking the call!


    I never thought I would be sleeping with Natalie. She was there all the time during my life. I liked and loved her as a member of my family, even though I always felt that she had stolen the care and security of my father that I had been deprived of.


    But I couldn¡¯t tolerate or imagine her with another man. Once I thought she was having an affair, I went crazy. Since that night at the party, everything had changed.


    Tonight will be our new beginning.


    Debbie¡¯s voice rang through the call, ¡°Raf, you made us worried. What¡¯s going on? My father is waiting for you.¡±


    I heard her father¡¯s voice through the line mumbling something I didn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going back to the party. I¡¯m busy¡± I said, kissing Natalie¡¯s bare shoulder.


    ¡°Make Jack cover my ce at the announcement.¡± I said nonchntly, caressing Natalie¡¯s cold cheek.


    ¡°But you¡¯re the groom and the new partner of Nefson Group. No one¡­.¡±


    ¡°No, Debbie¡± I cut her off. ¡°I¡¯m the groom at the engagement party, at this one I¡¯m a business partner, so don¡¯t wait up for me. I¡¯m not going back tonight. My confidential Personal Assistant will professionally cover my ce¡±


    She let out a long sigh and added, ¡°Okay! Can we at least have ate private party?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know why Debbie was acting this waytely. She knows there¡¯s nothing special or private between us. This was a business. From the first day when she offered me to marry her, I told her I hated emotions and rtionships. She said she hated them too.


    I assured her that my private life was My Private Life, and it had nothing to do with her. Unless the wedding day came, then she would have the right.


    So I said impatiently, ¡°I said no!¡±


    ¡°Are you with a client?¡± she added.


    ¡°Yes¡± I replied and hung up on her, preventing her from asking more.


    Debbie was work, and I didn¡¯t like to mix up work and fun.


    ¡°You¡¯re so quiet!¡± I said to Natalie while I wasbing her hair with my fingers.


    She didn¡¯t reply, she just smiled a small smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a quick shower, and we will talk after that. Okay?¡± I said.


    She nodded and I went to the bathroom. I decided to spend our night here, at this cheap hotel that I had never imagined using before! A whole new experience, Virgin, a night in a cheap hotel.


    The tycoon spends his first night with his virgin wife at a cheap hotel. Such a title if the Paparazzi found out about us. I thought sarcastically.


    I wanted to ask her to share the shower, but my intense desire for her prevented me. I was afraid of hurting her.


    I could barely hold back the sadistic monster inside me. I¡¯ll soon make her my submissive.


    I took a quick shower while my mind was all with her. I was seriously thinking, what decision should I make? Was the engagement announcement a hasty decision? How should I fix that now without losing billions? And, also, thepany¡¯s reputation in the market will be affected.


    Maybe I have to discuss this with Natalie first. And tell her about what I think about our situation.


    I wrapped a towel around my waist and got out of the bathroom. The bed was empty. I looked around the room and saw no sign of Natalie being here in the room.


    I saw a piece of paper on my clothes that was thrown on the edge of the bed. I grabbed the paper.


    {Forget this night, Raf. Like if it never happened ¡­ It was a mistake!}


    I blinked several times, staring at the paper.


    Did she dump me!!? Just the moment I got out of bed!? How dare she?


    All that happened between us minutes ago didn¡¯t mean anything to her!


    There must be something wrong.


    I called her, but her phone was out of service.


    If she thinks she can walk away that easily, I¡¯ll make her rethink.


    I crumpled the paper in fury. Stared at my reflection in the huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Then I lifted it and smashed it to the ground with all my might. Pieces of broken mirror spread across the room and the sound of smashing became louder.


    Blood flowed from my injured hand, but


    I didn¡¯t care, I broke anything that was in front of my eyes.


    It was fucking painful insult!

 Chapter 24 The Flee

    Natalie¡¯s POV     I almost choked with tears while I was driving home. The pain was less than it had been earlier that night, but it still hurt.


    How did I do that!? I was the other woman, the woman he was cheating on his fiancee with!


    When I heard him talking and lying to her, I realized that we were not going anywhere with this, and it hurt me so badly.


    ¡®What were you hoping for, idiot Natalie!?¡¯ A sarcastic voice warbled in my head.


    I wiped my eyes. It must be that he saw the note now. I have to stand up for myself and never let him use me again.


    I got home and went straight up to my room.


    After I left the party tonight, I booked into the hotel to be able to stay alone. I didn¡¯t want to go back home, so I didn¡¯t have to meet him.  I was on the verge of cutting all ties with him and even filing for divorce. But, when I found him standing before the hotel room door, and the way he acted like a jealous husband let down my defenses.


    Like an idiot, I thought he might have felt special feelings for me. Why would he follow me if he didn¡¯t? But his conversation with Debbie made everything clear, and destroyed all of my stupid dreams.


    He just wanted to enjoy sex with me, and then go back to the woman he cares about! The woman he needs. I know I epted that I would be in a physical rtionship with him for the next six months, but when he talked to her on the phone right after our first, I realized that this was how it would be all the time.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    He didn¡¯t even exin himself to me. I was still injured by what I witnessed at the party.


    Maybe seeing me naked at the pool was what made him act like that. However, I had to leave with what was left of my dignity before he hurt me further.


    I reached my room, the house was immersed in silence. It seemed that Tobi and Grandma were asleep.


    I went straight to the bathroom, took a quick warm shower, scratched my body with the shower sponge, hardly trying to erase his touches on my body, but how I¡¯ll delete them from my memory.


    I decided to stay away for two days. Tomorrow and the day after is the weekend, so I can go somewhere away.


    I wrapped a towel around my body and picked up my phone, and called the car rental agency.


    ¡°Hello, sir,¡± I said. ¡°I need a car in five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Aha! Yes, yes. I¡¯ll send you my location right away¡±, I added.


    I hung up and started picking up my clothes. I packed a small bag. I stood in front of my room¡¯s door and made sure that there was no one in the corridor, then I started walking on my tiptoes towards the stairs.


    I won¡¯t use my car. The Mirren family enjoys a certain kind of security. All Mirren family cars have a tracking system. They can find my car easily, and I won¡¯t let them find me.


    Being a tycoon means having all kinds of security.


    After reaching the stairs with my bag, I tiptoed downstairs. It was around 3:00 AM. I had to get past the guards and get to the rental car.


    I hid behind one of the cars, and watched carefully. I found that both guards were asleep while sitting in their chairs.


    I opened the gate with my fingerprint while I was looking around, afraid that one of the security men would see me, and I took a few steps away. Thank God they were in a deep sleep. I even heard one of them snoring.


    I felt sorry for them. I knew they would suffer a hard time when Rafael found out that I was gone. I know how cruel Rafael can be.


    The rented car was parked at the right corner of the street at an angle. I held my bag tightly and headed towards her with quick steps.


    I asked the rental car employee to park a few metres away from the vi¡¯s gate. I knew this spot was outside the security camera area, so, Raf and his men couldn¡¯t see the car nor the te number of the car.


    I gave the man the required documents and started driving the car. I decided to go to Fillo¡¯s cottage. She didn¡¯t usually use it. It was about two hours away.


    I turned on my phone and texted Aunt Toby, [Honey, I¡¯m on a trip with a friend for two or more days. Do not worry about me. I will contact youter. Love you!]


    I scrolled through missed calls and a slew of messages from Rafael. I sighed and turned off my phone again.


    A memory of our childhood passed through my mind while I drove the long road ahead.


    They were happy days, happy memories, and I have to let go. They should stay happy memories and nothing more.


    I have to forget about this love. He was not for me.


    At dawn, I arrived at the cottage. Once I got out of the car, I felt peaceful and calm. It was very quiet, and you could hear nothing but the birds chirping. The cottage was secluded on the edge of the vige and had a wonderful view.


    I knew that she always keeps the key under the green pot in the left corner of the small balcony, so I opened the door and entered. It was small butfortable and intimate. You can feel the peace inside it.


    The harmony of the ce was incredible.


    I didn¡¯t even ask her if I was going to use her cottage. I know she and Reba are the first on Rafael¡¯s list of sear


    I headed towards the bedroom and fell asleep while my phone was still off.


    I needed to be alone. Just me and myself, without even amunication method.

 chapter 25 Sneaking Out!

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    Even though I was so fucking angry with Natalie, I was very worried about her. I don¡¯t know why she acted that way. Did I hurt her during the intercourse without me realizing it?


    Before I left the room, my gaze fell on the small drops of blood on the bed sheet and my heart sank. Maybe I really hurt her.


    As soon as I arrived at the reception, I saw Jack standing there and his expression was grim. He came once I called him.


    The receptionist asked, ¡°Sir, how can I help you?¡±


    I ordered in a firm tone, ¡°Extend the reservation of Miss Natalie for one week.¡±


    ¡°Okay sir. Do I keep the reservation under the same name?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Do not allow anyone to enter, even the cleaning workers.¡±


    He stared at me for a second in confusion, then mumbled, ¡°Noted.¡±


    Jack asked me while we were going out of the hotel, ¡°What was all this about? And where is she?¡±


    I got in Jack¡¯s car and replied with frustration, ¡°I don¡¯t know, she is gone.¡±


    ¡°Gone? What happened?¡± He asked again.


    I hit the driving wheel before him and growled, ¡°Shut the f**k up, you damn. Can¡¯t you just swallow your tongue?¡±


    He blinked in shock, then eximed, ¡°Woow! What¡¯s happening with you man!?¡±


    I red at him without saying anything, but the anger and depression on my face told him he¡¯d better keep his mouth shut. So he did.


    Before Jack could park the car before the vi gate, I opened the car door and got off. I headed straight towards her room. I was angry and was going to quarrel with her. But when I opened her room door and heard the sound of running water in the bathroom, I calmed down a little and wished I could join her.


    I felt reassured. I was hesitant to get into her room though. I had never run after a woman who dumped me immediately after we fucked up.


    In fact, no woman had left me before.


    So, that was the feeling of abandonment!!? It really hurts.


    Finally, after a long hesitation, I decided to go to my room, and give her the space to think until morning. I closed her room door quietly and headed to mine.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep, so Iy on bed and started working on myptop. It was my way of keeping my personal issues out of my mind. I used to run from frustration and anxiety to working overtime.


    I didn¡¯t know when I fell asleep, but I woke up with a constant small knock on my door.


    ¡°Come in¡± I said in a harsh voice.


    Aunt Tobi rushed in, she looked nervous.


    ¡°Do you know where Natalie is!? She acted in a strange way this night. Suddenly, she left the party. I thought I would find her at home, but I couldn¡¯t find her in her room or at any ce in the house. Then she texted me and said she was going with a friend for a trip. Did she tell you about this friend?¡±


    I jumped out of bed.


    ¡°What!?¡± I snapped.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Then rushed towards her room, ¡°Maybe she is still around. Have you searched in her room?¡± I eximed.


    Tobi became more agitated. Shebed her hair with her fingers trying to reduce her stress and said, ¡°Yes, I thought that before, but the security man showed me the records of the camera, she snuck out of the house after midnight while carrying a middle-sized bag with her¡±


    She stared at my eyes and added, ¡°The way she snuck out seemed abnormal. Why would she sneak out in that way? That is what made me suspicious, especially because she didn¡¯t mention this trip before.¡±


    I was speechless, confused and shocked by the news. Tobi was ring at my face and waiting for me to say something.


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I heard, so I took my phone to call her.


    ¡°I called her, but her phone was off,¡± Tobi said before I dialed.


    I clenched my fists ready to punch anything. I couldn¡¯t believe it was all just because we had sex¡­. I couldn¡¯t understand why this overreaction.


    ¡°What should we do, son? Her safety is your father¡¯sst guardianship. I¡¯m afraid someone might hurt her¡±, Tobi begged.


    I rushed to the security office next to the gate.


    Sam, the head security guard, was sitting at his desk intently examining with high focus the records of the security camera on the screen before him.


    ¡°How did she go out and no one noticed? Do I have a guard or a sleeping bag? Why am I even paying you money!!? To sleep!!¡± I roared.


    Sam and the other men stood. Sam looked at me with a guilty expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr Merrin. I had no idea how that happened. We weren¡¯t used to actions like that. I will take full responsibility though, and make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°Who was guarding the gate this night?¡± I snapped.


    Two of my guards, Azora and Fred, took a step forward, bowing down. I growled, ¡°Where were you at that time?¡±


    They stared at each other. Fred stammered while he was wiping the sweat on his forehead, ¡°We are really sorry Mr. Merrin. We ¡­¡±


    I grabbed him by the cor of his shirt and hissed from between my gritted teeth, ¡°Are you trying to tell me that you two were falling asleep at work?¡±


    Sam quickly said: ¡°Calm down, sir. Please. We will get to the bottom of this and investigate further.¡±


    I was furious, and ready to smash their fucking faces. I don¡¯t know if I was angry because of their neglect or about feeling insulted though!!


    But it was not the right time now. I took a deep breath, trying to control my anger.


    ¡°You better find her as soon as possible!¡± I threatened.


    ¡°Noted, sir¡±, he bowed his head.


    When I watched the camera footage, I noticed that she had nned everything. She intended that we would not be able to see where she was going or who took her.


    Fuck, Fuck, Fuck.


    I mmed my palm on the desk table in frustration and fury.

 chapter 26 New Decisions

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Two days had passed, and I felt more rxed andfortable. I decided to go back home with a new spirit. The morning running made my mind clearer.  I took a deep breath and smiled. I was ready to start a new chapter in my life. I opened the door and walked in, feeling a sense of hope.


    I grabbed my phone and called Grandma. I haven¡¯t called here since I arrived, even though I called Tobi every day. Yesterday, when we were talking on the phone, Rafael snatched the phone from her ear and roared, ¡°Where damn are you?¡±


    When I heard his voice, every cell in my body trembled, and my heart beats raced. I hung up on him immediately. I didn¡¯t want to talk to him nor hear his voice at that time. But today, I felt more stronger and more determined. His love is a folded page for me.


    Grandma was surprised and happy to hear from me. We talked for a while, and she told me that the house was boring without me and Rafael.


    ¡°He¡¯s preparing for the anniversary of thepany. I didn¡¯t see him much¡± she said with her hoarse voice.


    ¡°Working on the weekend?¡± I asked, trying to make my tone neutral.


    She coughed and replied, ¡°Yes. If you were her, you would have helped him as you both always do.¡±


    I bit my lower lip. Did she sense something or was she speaking spontaneously? She stopped talking, waiting for me to say something. I remained silent, not sure what to say.


    I cleared my throat and said, ¡°Yep, Grandma. But don¡¯t worry, we have good employees. My ce won¡¯t differ much!¡±


    After we chatted about various things, I hung up and started searching through my phone log. Searching for a certain number.


    I was hesitant for a bit about whether to call or not. Then I decided I had to call and take this step. If I want to let go of Rafael, I have to take this step.


    I took a deep breath and dialed. After two seconds, the other side of the line connected and Daniel¡¯s French ent rang through the phone, ¡°Hey beautiful! What made you remember this poor man?¡±


    I smiled at the way he always addressed me.


    ¡°Did I call at the wrong time?¡± I asked when I heard some noises through the call.


    ¡°No, no beautiful. These are my sister¡¯s kids ying.¡±


    I smiled. It seemed he loved kids. I never saw Rafael ying with kids.


    I shaked my head. Why am I evenparing between them?


    ¡°Danial, I know you¡¯re upset with me about ourst meeting, but I need your help!¡± I said, feeling agitated.


    Heughed and mumbled, ¡°Okay, but it shouldn¡¯t be about that assassin!¡±


    Iughed, ¡°Assassin?¡±


    ¡°He must be one of them. Like hell, he¡¯s barbarous,¡± he added.


    ¡°Listen! I need you to apany me at an event and ¡­..¡± We talked about it for an hour, discussing details and convincing him to agree.


    ¡°And, on which day this event is?¡± he asked, not yet fully convinced.


    I sighed, ¡°Tonight!¡±


    He was silent for a while and then said, ¡°You have no one but me to apany you, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep!¡± I muttered, not sure of what he would say.


    ¡°Then, you have me for this event!¡± he said resignedly.


    ¡°Yes!¡± I shouted in excitement. ¡°Thank you so much, I promise I will return the favor¡±


    ¡°That is, if your monster man doesn¡¯t kill me,¡± he snorted.


    After I hung up, I picked up my things, cleaned the cottage and wrote a note to Reba thanking her.


    Whenever I think about what I¡¯m going to do at the event, I feel nervous. But I had to do it. It¡¯s the best solution for everyone.


    Deep in my heart, I was wondering why Rafael didn¡¯t call me today? The past two days, whenever I turned on my phone, I found missed calls from him.


    I tried not to think of this any further to reduce the anxiety. I have to focus on my goal.


    I stared at my reflection in the mirror at the beauty center. The long dark green dress was sticking to my body like a second skin. My golden hair was flowing in folds along my neck and shoulders. I nced at the green ne which I inherited from my mother.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I sighed and called Daniel to pick me up. I was determined to make my decision and take this step. I knew that it was the right thing to do. I had to do it. I have nothing to lose more than I already lost!


    I waited for Daniel to arrive. I was ready. I had to take this action, I kept saying to myself. My heart was trembling whenever I thought about what Rafael might do then though.


    ¡°Are you sure of what you¡¯re going to do?¡± Daniel asked once we sat in his car. It was the first time I heard his serious tone of voice.


    I nodded but I didn¡¯t reply. Even if I wasn¡¯t ready, I had to do this, and there was no ce to retreat.


    I am a new woman. I am not the same naive girl that I was before the past few days.


    The ride to the hotel where the anniversary was held was silence. Every one of us was immersed in his thoughts. Once we parked before the huge building of the hotel, Daniel held my hand and asked, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    His concern moved my heart. He didn¡¯t know me well, yet he agreed to help me.


    I smiled a small smile, nodded and stared at the huge number of Paparazzi and their mics and cameras.


    Daniel squeezed my hand to reassure me.


    Once we got out of the car, the camera shes of Paparazzi showered us.

 Chapter 27 Daniel’s Identity

    Natalie¡¯s POV     With steady steps, cing my hand on Daniel¡¯s arm, I walked by his side. When we entered the hall, I saw a lot of familiar faces ring at us while we were walking. He whispered in my ear, ¡°You are already starting to get the attention you need, beautiful.¡±


    I noticed that the ce became quieter and everyone was staring at us with curiosity.


    ¡°This is making me nervous!¡± I replied.


    A young beautiful woman stood before us smiling, approached her hand towards Daniel and mumbled with clear excitement in her voice, ¡°Mr. Morris. It¡¯s a pleasure seeing you here in the country¡±


    An icy male voice came from behind upheld her, ¡°Yes, Mr. Morris. You didn¡¯t introduce yourself well that morning!¡±


    Once I heard his voice, I trembled. I looked in the direction of the sound immediately. He was handsome like sin. My eyes met Rafael¡¯s cold, distant gaze.


    I felt like I was going to fall on the ground. My feet can¡¯t carry me. This was the first time we met after our night together.


    He raised an eyebrow and asked me in disdain, ¡°Is this the friend you were with?¡±


    I tried to regain myposure. I was literally shaking. But before I could say anything, Daniel held me to his chest, supporting me from falling. Then he said, ¡°Yes, we have been together. There was a family gathering party for my family and Natalie was one of the honored guests.¡±


    Then he lifted my hand and ced a soft kiss on the shining ring. He stared into Rafael¡¯s eyes defiantly and added, ¡°We have a happy announcement to maketer¡±. He returned his gaze to me, staring intermittently into my eyes, hepleted, ¡°As for now, please excuse us, we intend to enjoy the event!¡±


    Then, he ced his hand on my waist and guided me to somewhere far from Rafael.


    I never thought that Daniel could act so powerful as that. He surprised me. He took two sses of drinks from the waiter and handed one of them to me.


    ¡°Cheers!¡± with a smile, he whispered behind my ear.


    ¡°You scare me!¡± I said, taking the ss from his hand.


    Heughed, ¡°Why, beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Are you really Mr. Morris, ourpany¡¯s number onepetitor?¡± I asked in astonishment.


    ¡°With his fat and flesh!¡± he simply said.


    I ced both my hands on my mouth in disbelief, ¡°Oh, God!!! I¡¯m really sorry Mr. Morris. I didn¡¯t know. I got you into my dirty game!¡±


    He whispered, ¡°Your man ring at us, give him the impression that you were seeking, girl.¡±


    I was about to look back at Rafael, but he held my chin and said, ¡°Don¡¯t! Just ignore him!¡±


    ¡°So, Mr. Morris! That¡¯s why we got that attention once we got out of the car? It was because of you!¡± I teased him, trying to focus on something else rather than Rafael.


    Heughed, ¡°First thing, don¡¯t call me Mr. Morris again. I¡¯m just Daniel. Second thing, their attention wasn¡¯t on me personally, but their curiosity to know the identity of the beautiful woman who was with me!¡±


    I blushed. I cleared my throat and asked, ¡°So, have you officially moved here?¡±


    He shaked his head, ¡°Not literally, I can¡¯t live away from France for long, but I¡¯m staying for a while for now¡±


    The anniversary events were interesting. There were many segments based on presentations of thepany¡¯s huge projects and achievements over the decades.


    Rafael didn¡¯te near Daniel and I. I noticed him busy with the guests all the time. It was obvious he didn¡¯t even have time to breathe.


    All thepany employees were staring at me curiously. Consumed by curiosity about my rtionship with Mr. Morris.


    Light taps on the mic made everyone in the hall look towards the podium where Rafael was now standing. Debbie was standing right behind him.


    She was stunning like always.


    ¡°Hello everyone. Me and all the Merrin family are grateful for your presence at the Eighty-sixth anniversary event of establishing the Merrin Group¡±, he said calmly.


    Rafael delivered his speech about Merrin¡¯spanies¡¯ achievements with pride, causing everyone to apud warmly when the speech ended.


    Journalists¡¯ cameras were flying from everywhere, racing to take the best picture of the monster tycoon of global trade.


    Finally, he red at me. My heart raced as if I was eager for his attention. He was neglecting me all the time.


    We stared at each other as if there was no one in the hall except us. He said while his gaze still examining my face, ¡°Natalie, the backstage soldier. I want to take this opportunity, and thank you for your continued efforts in all the difficult tasks entrusted to you¡±


    I blushed. I didn¡¯t expect that from him. He added, ¡°On this asion, I announce your promotion to the position of Deputy Executive Director.¡±


    I gasped. This was a huge step. I was not an experienced employee. I have been working at Merrinpanies since I graduated. That was only a year and a half ago!


    All eyes turned to me. I know they were as shocked by this decision as I was.


    He gestured at me and said, ¡°Come!¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I was numb to this sudden announcement that we had never discussed before. So, I was about to go to him, but Daniel held my hand, preventing me from going.


    He whispered behind my ear while his shiny gaze with a challenge was on Rafael, ¡°Don¡¯t fall into his trap, he is trying to buy you!¡±


    I stared at Rafael and noticed his sudden gloomy expression.


    When Daniel noticed my hesitation, he held my hand and said, ¡°Let me join you on the stage, let¡¯s implement our n now.¡±


    My heart beat hard inside my chest. This was the decisive moment. Thank god Daniel was with me. I didn¡¯t think he had such a strong, leadership personality.


    We got on the stage. Rafael shook my hand and said, ¡°Congrattions!¡±


    He squeezed my hand tightly, his squeezing hurt me. But I did not show it. The cameras were filming every movement.


    Daniel grabbed me by the shoulder and extended his hand to Rafael, ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Merrin. The anniversary was amazing and sessful.¡±


    Debbie stood next to Rafael and wrapped her hand around his arm.


    I let out a deep breath and stood before the mic. Telling my gratitude to the Merrin family, who raised me, made me emotional. I nced at Daniel and avoided Rafael¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Daniel said with a movement of his mouth without a sounding out.¡±


    I nodded in agreement.


    He came beside me and tapped on the mice, said jokingly, ¡°One, two, three. Do you guys hear me?¡±


    The sound ofughter echoed through the hall, making me rx a little.


    He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Oh then you hear me!¡±


    He looked at me and said, ¡°This is a happy asion for dear Natalie. She had been promoted to a great position! But there is other good news for tonight.¡±


    He stared into my eyes and said, ¡°I am officially announcing my engagement to the beautiful Miss Natalie.¡±


    He announced that and apanied his words by cing a kiss on the diamond engagement ring that adorned my finger¡±

 Chapter 28 Secret Marriage And Fake Engagement

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    If a look could kill, Rafael¡¯s terrifying gaze would have killed me. Despite the beauty of his eyes, his gaze was at that moment extremely frightening. I won¡¯t lie and say I didn¡¯t feel afraid. But I ignored him.


    Once Daniel let those words out of his mouth, the hall went silent. All that was heard was the hiss of side conversations. Then journalists who were  allowed into the hall approached and began peppering us with their questions.


    Instinctively, I looked towards Rafael. He was frozen. Staring at us inly. His facial expressions were unreadable.


    When I asked Daniel to pretend to be my fiance, I didn¡¯t expect that he was a well-known businessman, and I didn¡¯t expect this fake engagement to go wild.


    I just wanted him to say it within Rafael¡¯s earshot. It was merely a n to cut all ties with him.


    ¡°Look at his face! You should thank me¡±, Daniel whispered.


    I felt like things had been out of control. I hissed between my teeth, while smiling at the cameras, ¡°This was not our agreement, I did not ask you to announce this to the paparazzi!¡±


    Daniel simply said, ¡°Sorry, I got a little excited.¡±


    I sighed. Didn¡¯t he know what he got us into?


    I saw Rafael from afar, he was staring at me in a scary way that made me shiver. He didn¡¯t even bother to hide his gaze. I looked at the other side.


    ¡°I need to go to thedy¡¯s washroom!¡± I said to Daniel and didn¡¯t wait for his reply. I was angry at the way he announced our fake engagement.


    I entered the washroom and stared at my reflection. Well done Natalie, a secret marriage and a fake engagement. You are managing your life in an incredible way!


    A tall figure leaned on the door frame made me tense.


    ¡°Raf? What are you doing here?¡± I stammered and looked around, afraid that anyone would see him here.


    He mmed the door with his feet and headed towards me, fixing his gaze on me, while I was retreating back until my back hit the wall behind me.


    He held my chin tightly and hissed, ¡°How dare you? How dare you get engaged to someone while you¡¯re already a wife?¡±


    I kept telling myself, ¡®Don¡¯t let him scare you. Don¡¯t let him scare you.¡¯


    I tried to push his hand away, ¡°Let go of me! Someone could see you here¡±


    But he didn¡¯t. He tightened his grip more and mmed his other palm on the wall next to my head.


    He gritted his teeth and snapped, ¡°How dare you?¡±


    I shouted back, ¡°Why not? Aren¡¯t you engaged?¡±.


    ¡°This is different for God¡¯s sake, Natalie!¡± he said, his voice fraught with anger.


    His answer made me hate him. How selfish is he?


    ¡°How¡¯s it different? You are nning to marry Debbie after five months and a half. So Danial and I do¡±


    He wiped his face with both hands and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you got engaged just three nights after our first night!¡±


    Then he grabbed my hand and ordered, while his eyes shining in anger, ¡°Cancel this engagement!¡±.


    His words provoked me. How selfish could he be?


    Without warning, he pressed his lips on mine. I struggled to push him away. I won¡¯t be weak this time. I will not surrender to him.


    I gathered all my strength and pushed him away from me. I don¡¯t know where my audacity came from when I pped him.


    We stared at each other without saying a word. Our voice of breathing was the only voice heard right now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever dare to kiss me again! I do not ept to betray my fiance¡± I knew I was adding fuel to the fire.


    He grabbed my hair and hissed angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t push further, Nat.¡±


    I put my hand on my head trying to relieve the pain of pulling my hair.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end it. Let¡¯s end this marriage here and divorce!¡± I said, trying to sound confident and strong. My voice sounded trembling though.


    His grip tightened more and hissed before my face, ¡°Once it went in, you became officially mine. So, be a good girl and cancel this ridiculous shit!¡±


    Looked at him defiantly and said, ¡°I won¡¯t Raf, ept that.¡±


    I heard knocks on the washroom door. I panicked and whispered, ¡°Look what you have done. Someone is out!¡±


    ¡°Natalie, dear? Are you there?¡± Daniel¡¯s voice came from behind the door.


    Rafael and I stared at each other.


    ¡°Natalie?¡± Daniel said again.


    ¡°I¡¯ming. Just need one minute¡± I said, trying to make my voice normal.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you here!¡± he added.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Rafael pushed me on the wall furiously and bent my hands above my head, invading my mouth, pushing his body against mine.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How would you like to take it? Slow or fast?¡± he asked

 Chapter 29 My fiancé is waiting for me, and your fiancée must be searching for you everywhere.

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Rafael stared into my eyes, waiting for my reply, yfully brushing his fingertips against my swollen lips.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I resented being under his mercy. Not after I decided to get rid of him. Not after I decided to be stronger.


    I met his gaze and offered a faint smile, he raised an eyebrow, thinking I agreed with his provocative query. However, while still locked in his stare, I swiftly raised my knee and delivered a forceful blow between his legs.


    He released my hands and eximed painfully, ¡°What the fuck, Natalie?¡±


    ¡°You need to be more cautious with your actions around me in the future.¡± I taunted him, disregarding the voice of sanity and logic urging me to flee.


    He regained hisposure quicker than I anticipated. Tilting his head to the side, he narrowed his eyes and gently grasped my chin between hisrge fingers, he said, ¡°Something different about you! I wasn¡¯t really going to do this right here. I was just teasing you!¡±


    I don¡¯t know where I found the courage, but I pressed my lips against his, relishing the surprise on his face, I said, ¡°This will be ourst kiss, Rafael. You can take it or reject it!¡±


    He peered deeply into my gaze and inquired, ¡°Are you trying to manipte me?¡±


    I enjoyed observing the bewilderment in his eyes. In fact, he hadn¡¯t witnessed anything yet.


    I won¡¯t reveal my intentions to him.


    I¡¯m going to lead him to the sea, and make him back thirsty.


    ¡°Natalie? Are you alright?¡± Daniel asked again.


    I traced the strong edge of Rafael¡¯s jaw with my finger and replied to Daniel¡¯s question, ¡°Honey, just a second, I¡¯min..!¡±


    Before I finished speaking, Rafael captured my lips with his dominant lips once more, exploring every inner corner with his tongue..


    ¡°Okay, beautiful. I can wait for you my entire life. Take as long a time as you need¡±, Daniel said from behind the door while Rafael was upying my mouth. I heard the melodic sound of Daniel¡¯s whistle. I¡¯m sure he knew that Rafael was with me.


    This was the embrace I had longed for my entire life, but he didn¡¯t belong to me. I had epted that fact from a young age.


    I pushed him away from his muscr chest and remarked, ¡°My fiance is waiting for me, and your fiancee must be searching for you everywhere.¡±


    He cupped my face in his hands and murmured, ¡°I may seem patient with your actions, but this patience has its limits. You are my wife. Let¡¯s discuss all the obstacles hindering our marriage.¡±


    I swallowed hard, meeting his gaze intensely and searching into his eyes.


    ¡°We can¡¯t discuss this here in the washroom. What if Ie to your room at night?¡± he added.


    Discussing things in my room was a double-edged weapon, but I agreed.


    After agreeing to meet in my room once we returned home, I exited the washroom. Daniel whispered in my ear, ¡°Is doing smut in a hotel washroom worth the risk?¡±


    I red at him wide-eyed, then yfully I punched him on his shoulder, ¡°Rude!¡±


    I walked ahead, and he followed in long strides, snapping, ¡°Come on! I deserve to know. I watched over the ce for you to ensure no one caught you!¡±


    I shook my head in disbelief.


    I was unaware of the malicious gaze that was observing me.


    However, the event eventually ended. Daniel insisted on driving me home, which was normal considering he was our neighbor.


    He started the engine of his Ferrari and teased me, ¡°Are you worried?¡±


    I rolled my eyes, knowing he was trying to make me feel awkward. I scoffed, ¡°Why would I be worried!?¡±


    Heughed as we passed the hotel¡¯s massive gate, ¡°You didn¡¯t see Rafael¡¯s face when I announced our engagement, did you? I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with just what happened in the washroom.¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°To answer your first question, I didn¡¯t. And to your second question, I don¡¯t care!¡±


    I lied. I did see his gaze, and what I saw frightened me to the core. However, I was mentally prepared. Tonight, during our meeting in my room, I¡¯ll show him who Natalie truly is. I am no longer the naive young girl he left behind long ago.


    Even if I gave him my virginity, it was nothing more than a one-night stand. I know he will bring up our marriage situation and propose that I be his temporary-in-bed-wife.


    ¡°Come on, Natalie! He must have meant something significant in your life for you to tell such a big lie for him!¡± he concluded, interrupting my thoughts.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s not!¡± I said firmly, mming the car door as I got out.


    I waved my hand at Daniel and said, ¡°thank you for the ride!¡± Then I entered the vi.


    Rafael no longer means anything to me other than being a stepbrother, nothing more. I promised myself.


    His love will crush me and I will have to save myself.


    I aimed to head straight to my room. I knew that news of my sudden engagement would spread, and Grandma and Tobi would investigate me.


    As I suspected, they were seated facing each other on the sofa in the living room. Once I entered, Tobi rushed towards me. She grabbed my right hand, which bore the diamond-encrusted ring, and asked excitedly, ¡°Is what we heard true?¡±


    I smiled but remained silent. I hated lying to them.


    ¡°Wow! The ring is very elegant. He has great taste!¡± she added.


    I chuckled inwardly; I had bought this ring myself.


    ¡°Thank you aunty!¡± I mumbled.


    Grandma wasn¡¯t as excited as Tobi; she smiled a small smile and said, ¡°It looks good.¡±


    I sat next to her and hugged her from behind, resting my head on her shoulder. Even though she wasn¡¯t my biological grandmother, she was the only grandmother I knew and had. She became my loving grandmother when my mother married her son. She never treated me as anything less than her own granddaughter.


    She stroked my hair tenderly and said, ¡°I will not ept anything for my girl that is not of her caliber. This ring means nothing to me if that sycophant does not sit with me and Rafael and ask for your hand from us.¡±


    ¡°Mother, why do youplicate things? It¡¯s obvious that the man is in love with her,¡± Aunt Tobi said.


    ¡°¡±You hush. If you were an expert in men, you wouldn¡¯t have been divorced three times, thinking each one was the love of your life,¡± Grandma snapped.


    Aunt Tobi rolled her eyes.


    I unlocked my phone screen when I heard a new message notification.


    [I want to meet you tomorrow morning for an important matter. Don¡¯t tell Raf. I will send you the address via WhatsApp]


    It was from Debbie.

 Chapter 30 Visitor In My Room

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I remained in theforting embrace of the shower¡¯s warmth for twenty minutes, thinking about how I should face Rafael and make him agree on the divorce and reach mutual agreement.


    I wrapped the white towel and stepped out of the shower. I applied moisturizer to my body before putting on my pajamas.


    As I finished, a WhatsApp notification chimed, revealing a message from Debbie containing a location.


    I let out a sigh, uncertain of Debbie¡¯s intentions. However, I¡¯ll tackle it tomorrow and see what she wants.


    Suddenly, the room door swung open. I turned just to see Rafael standing before me. I raised an eyebrow, ready to speak, but before I could, he cupped my face with his hands and kissed me passionately.


    I pushed him away and snapped, ¡°Hey!! We agreed to just talk!¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t control myself!¡± he said, his hand gently caressing my cheeks.


    I took a few steps back and sat on the edge of my bed, and grumbled, ¡°Were you careful not to be seen entering my room? Maybe one of the domestic staff saw you!¡±


    He sat beside me, delicately tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear, and murmured, ¡°I crept like a teenage boy sneaking into his girlfriend¡¯s room in the middle of the night¡±


    Iughed, ¡°Have you ever done that before?¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°No! Just you who made me feel like a teenager in my thirties.¡±


    Then, he gently pushed me onto the bed and hovered over me, asking, ¡°Am I too old for you? We have a ten-year age gap between us.¡±


    Feeling overwhelmed, I struggled to keep controlling my pure response beneath him. My betrayal body yearns for his touch, despite the turmoil in my mind.


    Without thinking, I hollered, ¡°Yes, and that¡¯s why I want a divorce!¡±


    He tensed up initially, but then he regained hisposure and mumbled, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    My heart raced wildly, each beat echoing the tumultuous journey of our rtionship.


    So, he had finally decided to agree to the divorce.


    It felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted, yet a pang of sorrow lingered beneath the surface. Mixed emotions swirled within me ¨C relief, sadness, uncertainty. It was a moment of both liberation and heartache, as the reality of our impending separation settled in as I was thinking.


    Despite the pain gripping my heart, I stifled it and forced the words past my dry throat, saying, ¡°You¡¯re not bound by the divorce use in the contract.¡±


    The condition set by his father was that if he chose to divorce before a year and a half had psed, he would be obligated to pay me two billion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you ten times this amount just to make our marriage real, Natalie!¡± he whispered softly behind my ear.


    I blinked, uncertain if he truly meant the words he had just uttered.


    ¡°Please say yes!¡± he pleaded, his voice filled with hope.


    My lips went dry, a flicker of doubt igniting within me. Was he ying me for a fool, or was there sincerity in his plea?


    ¡°You can ask me whatever you want. I¡¯m ready to do whatever it takes, just say yes!¡±


    I pushed him and sat straight. This is a serious matter; I need to think rationally.


    ¡°Do you truly mean what you just said?¡± I inquired, searching his eyes for any hint of deception.


    ¡°Sure, I do. Please take time to think before responding.¡±


    He caught me off guard with this sudden proposal. I stuttered, ¡°But why? And what about Debbie?¡±


    ¡°Give me just two months, and I¡¯ll end things with her. I can¡¯t do it right now because we¡¯re in the midst ofunching the new series of trading offices worldwide,¡± he exined, his tone calm, yet I could sense the underlying anxiety.


    I shook my head, fearful of his proposition, uncertain whether it would only lead to more hurt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Rafael. This is a huge decision. I can¡¯t just make it without thinking¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°Yes, Nat. Take your time. I¡¯ll wait for your reply. But please don¡¯t say no!¡± he retorted. His tone was insistent, like he was already tired of the back-and-forth. His words were firm, but there was a clear undertone of frustration and irritability.


    Then, he got up and started taking off his clothes. My eyes widened in disbelief. I was astonished, and couldn¡¯t help but snap, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    With a smirk, he teased me, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the imagination. I¡¯m just getting ready for bed, nothing more!¡±


    Confused, I blinked and asked, ¡°What? Sleep? Where exactly?¡±


    Nonchntly, he replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower first,¡± while casually making his way to my bathroom in nothing but his boxers.


    ¡°My shampoo with strawberry perfume! You won¡¯t be happy if you smell like strawberries!¡± I crowed.


    ¡°Who cares!¡± he shouted back from the bathroom, his voice blending with the sound of the running water.


    ¡°Just dress up before youe out!¡± I snapped back.


    He intruded on my personal space without even asking for permission.


    After a few minutes, he came out of the bathroom, wrapped a towel around his waist. Meanwhile, I was standing before the mirror, applying my nightly skincare routine.


    After he sat on the bed, he pulled me onto hisp. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything, just want to hug you and sleep,¡± he assured me.


    I resisted him, hitting his broad chest with my fists, and snapped, ¡°Let go of me! Go sleep in your own room!¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. You¡¯re my wife, and it¡¯s normal for us to sleep together,¡± he teased, gently holding both of my fists in his palms.


    ¡°Hooligan! I said I¡¯ll think about it. I haven¡¯t said yes yet!¡± I eximed, asserting my boundaries.


    He gave me a gentle kiss and said, ¡°I have a long meeting tomorrow, and tonight¡¯s event has worn me out. Let¡¯s just sleep peacefully, okay?¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m the one who¡¯s making a fuss here, right?¡±


    He smiled angelically and nodded in agreement.


    I raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Let you sleep in peace, huh!?¡±


    As I was about to kick him in the stomach with my elbow, hey down on the bed and pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me. My back nestled into his warm chest.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Shh, let¡¯s just sleep. I¡¯m too exhausted to argue,¡± he whispered softly behind my ear.


    ¡°What if Grandma or Tobi saw you here?¡± I asked, feeling anxious about the potential consequences.


    He licked my earlobe and smirked in an evil tone, ¡°I locked the door!¡±


    Despite his actions making me shiver, I rolled my eyes. Then, after a few seconds, I didn¡¯t know how I slept that fast, feeling warm and safe even though he was the one who stole my joy and smile.


    The repeated knocks on my room door pulled me out of my sleepy state, causing me to stretch my body. As I did, I froze when I felt something hard behind me.


    I quickly sat up, shaking Rafael¡¯s shoulder, and whispered urgently, ¡°Wake up! Someone¡¯s at the door!¡±


    Hezily opened his eyes, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice how effortlessly sexy he looked even when he was sleepy.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked in a husky voice, still groggy from sleep.


    I whispered again, ¡°There¡¯s someone at my door!¡±


    As the door was knocked once more, Tobi¡¯s gentle voice rang out, ¡°Natalie, my dear? Are you awake? And why is your door locked?¡±

 Chapter 31 Do You Love Your Fiance?

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°Oh God!¡± I eximed in a low voice and tugged him by the hand.


    ¡°Come on! You have to hide,¡± I urged, ushering him towards the bathroom.


    ¡°I¡¯ming!¡±  I responded to Tobi, attempting to stall for more time.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    We stood before the bathroom door, and I pushed him inside. ¡°Stay here until she leaves. Stay quiet,¡± I instructed softly.


    He was only in his boxers and seemed half asleep. I wasn¡¯t sure if he even heard me clearly.


    Returning to the room, I noticed Rafael¡¯s clothes scattered on the floor. Quickly, I bent down and slid them under the bed to keep them out of Tobi¡¯s sight.


    ¡°Natalie? Are you okay? I¡¯m starting to worry!¡± she mumbled in an anxious tone.


    ¡°Just a moment, aunty!¡± I replied, quickly straightening my pajamas and hair before opening the door.


    Once I opened the door, she looked at me with a concerned expression. ¡°Are you alright, dear? You seem panting!¡±


    I slipped my hands into my pajama pockets to conceal the sweat on my palms. Toby was well aware that I get sweaty palms when I am nervous.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I was just toozy to get out of bed,¡± I replied with a smile. I knew it was an obvious lie, but that was all I could think to say at that moment.


    She raised an eyebrow, surveyed the room with curious eyes, then let out a sigh of relief and joked, ¡°For a moment there, I thought you had a man here!¡±


    My blood ran cold in my veins. I forced a chuckle to ease the tension and anxiety.


    She chuckled back, waving her hand, and said, ¡°I¡¯m ridiculous! Anyway, I want you toe with me to pick out a new gown. I have a cocktail party the day after tomorrow!¡±


    Tobi was in her forties, yet she exuded youthfulness and stunning beauty. You would never guess her age from her appearance alone. I smiled and agreed, ¡°Okay, but I have to go to work first¡­¡± My smile froze as my eyes fell onto Rafael¡¯s tie under the sofa, right beside Tobi¡¯s feet.


    I blinked, gulped the saliva that informed in my throat. My heart was pounding in my chest and I slowly stepped back. Then, I promptly grasped her arm and escorted her to the door, apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m terribly behind on work, my dear.¡±


    I attempted to usher her out before she noticed the tie. Only divine intervention could predict the consequences if she did. They see us as siblings. How do I even begin to exin it? How do I confess that we¡¯re having a physical rtionship?


    She resisted me a little and mumbled, ¡°But, I¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call youter, I promise. I have a meeting I can¡¯t afford to bete for.¡± I gently guided her out, kissed her cheek, then closed the door.


    ¡°God, Natalie! What¡¯s gotten into you this morning?¡± I heard her exim before her footsteps faded away.


    I leaned against the door and released a sigh of relief.


    I fixed my gaze on my bathroom door. He is the one who makes me suffer all the time.


    I flung open the bathroom door and red at him furiously. He shed his charming smile and spoke with a husky voice, ¡°I¡¯m truly an old teenager now!¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest, raised an eyebrow, and scoffed, ¡°And that¡¯s what makes me? ying around with my brother?¡±


    Rafael¡¯s eyes darkened. Suddenly, he seized me and pulled me close, wrapping his arm around my waist, pressing me against his sturdy chest. He growled, ¡°You¡¯re not a sister! We¡¯re not siblings. We¡¯re not even blood rtives, and I¡¯ll announce our marriage to the world soon.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and sniffed, ¡°What makes you think I¡¯ll agree? I¡¯m still thinking, don¡¯t forget that I have a fiance who loves me!¡±


    ¡°What about you, Natalie? Do you love him?¡± he asked, tightening his grip on my waist.


    ¡°And if I do? What does that have to do with you?¡± I retorted.


    He bit his lip, ring furiously at me, then pushed me against the wall, trapping me between his arms. He roared, ¡°You are mine! Only mine. Do you understand? And you will break off that fucking engagement!¡±


    Then he captured my lips in a fierce kiss. I didn¡¯t resist him, though I was torn. Should I ept his proposal for marriage and give him a chance, or should I simply walk away?


    As if he was reading my mind, he rested his forehead against mine and murmured, ¡°Please, Natalie. Let¡¯s give it a try. I know we can make it work. I promise I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    I caressed his cheek gently and said, ¡°Shh, please! Don¡¯t push me. I need time to think. Not just for myself, but for both of us.¡±


    He remained silent, his eyes speaking volumes. I understood his thoughts, but I couldn¡¯t simply agree. The absence of any mention of love troubled me deeply. I feared that agreeing would only bring more heartache and suffering.


    ¡°Come on, let me help you slip away without being noticed,¡± I whispered, sensing his longing gaze on my body. Ignoring his stare, I turned around, but he grasped me from behind and whispered in my ear, ¡°You¡¯re torturing me, Natalie.¡±


    I tensed up, feeling the weight of his words. ¡°I need to take my time. Please don¡¯t push me further,¡± I murmured softly, my voice carrying a plea for understanding.


    He turned me to face him, his eyes filled with intensity. ¡°Take your time, Nat. Take all the time you need. But don¡¯t even think about being with another man,¡± he dered firmly, his words tinged with a hint of possessiveness.


    I sighed, a mixture of frustration and longing swirling within me. Why couldn¡¯t he understand me? It was as if we were speaking differentnguages, unable to bridge the gap between us.


    ¡°Come on, let me help you out. One of the domestic staff will surelye looking for you for breakfast¡± I said, holding his hand and attempting to lead him out.


    He locked eyes with me, confusion evident in his gaze, yet he offered a gentle smile and followed me in silence.


    Once he was dressed, we quietly positioned ourselves behind my room¡¯s door. With a serious tone, I said, ¡°Let me quickly check the way for you. If it¡¯s clear, go straight to your room.¡±


    Fortunately, our rooms were close. I opened my door and peeked out, ncing down the hallway. In the distance, I spotted the housekeeper approaching. As she noticed me, a gentle smile graced her lips. ¡°Good morning, Miss Natalie,¡± she greeted me warmly. ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    Returning her smile, I replied, ¡°Good morning, Laura. Yes, I do need something. Could you bring me the blue blouse from Tobi¡¯s closet, please?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said, smiling, and turned to leave. As soon as she was out of sight, I motioned for Rafael to quickly sneak towards his room. He kissed my cheek and headed straight to his room, giving me a wink before closing the door behind him.


    I never imagined seeing Rafael sneaking around like that. Smiling to myself, I gazed at his closed door, feeling a warmth spread through me at the thought of our little ndestine encounter.


    ¡°Miss Natalie?¡± Laura asked, a confused look in her eyes. Great! Now she probably thinks I¡¯ve gone crazy.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I replied, feigning confidence and keeping my voice low, hoping Laura wouldn¡¯t notice my nerves.


    She nced at Rafael¡¯s room door, then back at me, and inquired, ¡°You didn¡¯t specify which blouse? Madam Tobi has two blue blouses, an inky blue one and a sky blue one.¡±


    ¡°The inky one,¡± I replied casually, hoping my nonchnt tone would mask any hint of nervousness.

 Chapter 32 You Have To Help Him?

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    The burden on my heart felt immensely heavy. I hadn¡¯t liked Debbie from the very first day we met, and I knew she felt the same about me. I could clearly remember her first visit with Rafael; she was arrogant and tried to bully me under the guise of joking.


    She said that I¡¯m lucky a family like the Mirren epted a stranger like me into their midst. Even though Rafael intervened, rebuking her and defending me, her words made me certain that once she became a Mirren, she would attempt to exclude me from the family.


    I was truly anticipating inheriting my legacy and leaving the Merrins¡¯ vi. It was my initial n after my stepfather passed; I never expected to develop a rtionship with Rafael.


    His offer from this morning kept echoing in my mind. I was torn about whether to ept it or not, but I was likely going to refuse.


    What if his interest in me was purely driven by desire? He had never expressed love or even liking towards me, and I found it hard to ceplete trust in him.


    Due to myck of trust in him, I ended up going to the address Debbie sent me without informing him. My curiosity got the better of me, and I wanted to hear what she had to say.


    As I traced the location on Google Maps, I didn¡¯t anticipate it would lead me here. It turned out to be one of Nefson¡¯s recent residential developments backed by the Mirren Group.


    It was a towering structure in an affluent neighborhood, where finding parking was never a struggle. The area was lined with rows of buildings, all featuring the same luxurious design.


    However, here I was, standing before the apartment door, which was on the fourth floor.


    It was the exact apartment number she had sent me. I pressed the doorbell, and within less than a minute, the door was deftly opened.


    Debbie¡¯s broad smile made her seem like an angel; she had angelic facial features. I was taken aback by her sudden kindness. I was not ustomed to her smiling when we were alone.


    She grabbed me by the hand and cheered, ¡°Oh, Natalie. I¡¯m so happy you came. Pleasee in, I want you to meet someone!¡±


    I was stunned to find her father and hiswyer sitting in the living room. His presence always made me tense up, but I was determined not to let them notice my feelings. So, I remained still, with a neutral expression on my face, trying my best to maintainposure despite his unexpected presence.


    Once her father spotted me, he rose from his seat, wearing a smile, and greeted, ¡°Hey, Natalie. Nice to see you this morning!¡±


    I smiled back with a gentle smile and replied, ¡°Nice to meet you too, Mr. Nefson.¡±


    I remained suspicious, but I concentrated on controlling my bodynguage. I was resolute not to let him or any of them detect my thoughts. Thus, I feigned rxation and confidence.


    ¡°Have a seat, please,¡± he said, gesturing to one of the sofas after shaking my hand.


    Despite my decision to sit, crossing my legs one above the other, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was amiss. I fixed a re on the three of them and asked directly, ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to discuss?¡±


    Initially, I presumed Debbie wanted to discuss something possibly rted to Rafael, especially given her insistence that I shouldn¡¯t inform him about our meeting. However, with the unexpected presence of her father and hiswyer, I sensed a more serious matter was at hand.


    ¡°We won¡¯t take much of your time. You must be wondering why my dear Debbie called you!¡± he said, lighting his cigarette.


    I didn¡¯t deny it. Instead, I raised an eyebrow and replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m genuinely curious!¡±


    Behind the smoke cloud before him, he gestured with his finger to hiswyer. Thetter opened his ck bag and ced a file before me on the coffee table.


    ¡°Please, read this!¡± Mr. Mackenzie said, a strange gleam in his narrow, green eyes.


    I lifted the file and began reading it. My eyes widened as I absorbed its contents, then narrowed in suspicion. I shifted my gaze between Debbie and Mr. Mackenzie, and demanded, ¡°What on earth is this?¡±


    Debbie sighed in despair, wearing a sad expression. She mumbled, ¡°As you read, bebe. We couldn¡¯t inform Raf about this. We thought that as you are his sister, and you own shares in thepany, you must know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    I eximed, ¡°But this is insane!¡±


    ¡°Merrin¡¯s Group is threatened to go bankrupt due to this issue!¡± Mr. Mackenzie said in a calm but sad tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible! This can¡¯t be true. There must be something wrong!¡± I snapped.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, I can feel you. We thought the same at first. But when my father and I investigated the issue, we became convinced of it,¡± Debbie expressed, tears welling in her eyes.


    I asked in suspicion, ¡°How did you manage to know all of this when Rafael didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Rafael had lived abroad all his life with his mother. Despite being a prominent businessman with trading ventures worldwide, hecked the deep understanding of the local market here. He only assumed control of the Merrin family affairs just a year ago. This vulnerability allowed his father¡¯s enemies to manipte and frame him,¡± thewyer elucidated, leaving me stunned.


    Despite his billionaire status and management of separate businesses, Rafael¡¯s inability to ept failure was closely tied to the long-standing reputation of the Merrin Group, a formidable name among aristocratic families across generations.


    I pulled out my phone from my handbag, trying not to stammer as I said, ¡°We have to inform Rafael as soon as possible. He would have acted and saved thepany.¡±


    Just as I was about to dial, Mr. Mackenzie intercepted, grasping my hand, and cautioned, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t rmend it. Rafael is currently immersed in a significant project, and this news could disrupt his focus.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your suggestion then? Stand by silently and watch thepany sink?¡± I eximed in disbelief.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you one of the family members, as you always im? It¡¯s your responsibility to defend thepany and make sacrifices!¡± Debbie interjected amidst her sobs and tears.


    I raised an eyebrow and inquired, ¡°Then what do you suggest? I¡¯m listening!¡±


    Mr. Mackenzie leaned forward from his seat and countered, ¡°We¡¯re working on the case from behind the scenes. Debbie has a friend who will help us; she just needs your support and presence. And I guess this is the least you can give to the family who raised you!¡±

 Chapter 33 Family Ties

    Daniel¡¯s POV


    The confusion overwhelmed me and filled my heart when Natalie called to inform me that the Merrin Group might be facing bankruptcy. From a technical perspective, that scenario seemed imusible.


    The Merrin Group had deep roots in the industrial world, with countless industries andpanies relying on them. Their shareholders included some of the most renowned brands globally, and they even owned original brands that had been established for over a century. If the group were to face bankruptcy, it would have far-reaching consequences, potentially leading to the downfall of thousands of businesses.


    Even though I wasn¡¯t a fan of Rafael, I feltpelled to step in and address this issue for Natalie¡¯s sake. I knew that it would affect her in some way. But first, I needed to delve into the root of the problem and understand it fully.


    Over a year ago, when I received thatte-night call from Merrin¡¯s familywyer and learned about her marriage, I assumed she would end up with Rafael as his rightful legal wife. On the rare asions I saw her, I couldn¡¯t help but notice her striking beauty and allure. I believed Rafael wouldn¡¯t be able to resist such pure beauty. However, news of his engagement party made me reconsider and feelpelled to intervene to protect her.


    I can still remember her stepfather¡¯s words when I visited him in the hospital before he passed away, ¡°Natalie is alone. I can¡¯t rest in my grave unless she marries my son Rafael. He will protect her; I know he will.¡±


    I sighed back then and mumbled, ¡°Why won¡¯t you let me take her back to my family? Maybe her father was a jerk and an asshole, but she¡¯s still my cousin and a member of the family. I¡¯ll do my best to give her the good life she deserves.¡±


    He coughed violently and struggled to speak betweenbored breaths, ¡°No, please. I must honor Serein¡¯s wish. Just assist them in making this marriage sessful.¡±


    ¡°What if they don¡¯t get married?¡± I asked him, filled with uncertainty.


    ¡°They will. He loves her. I know my son. But I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll realize that toote,¡± Matt said, struggling to breathe.


    ¡°I promise to do my best. If I have to give him a good smack to wake him up, I will,¡± I said, attempting to lighten the mood and make him smile. But his face remained pale, his lips dry and tightly drawn.


    He looked at me with pleading eyes and stuttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know this might affect your rtionship with your girlfriend.¡±


    I looked over at Maya, my love, who was standing beside me. She smiled warmly and reassured me, ¡°I trust this fool man, and I¡¯ll do my best to keep my jealousy in check for now.¡±


    A knock on my office door brought me back to reality. The door swung open, and my secretary entered, saying, ¡°Mr. Morris, Miss Natalie has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Let here in!¡± I instructed.


    Natalie hurried into my office room and promptly took a seat at my desk. ¡°What should I do?¡± she asked, her voice trembling slightly.


    I smiled, trying to reassure her, and said, ¡°Please, tell me everything they told you from the beginning, in as much detail as possible.¡±


    She squeezed her trembling fingers on her forehead, as if trying to recall every detail and ensure she didn¡¯t miss anything.


    ¡°Customs has been informed of the seizure of the next shipment on its way to the port, which will take a few weeks to arrive, and they suspect that it contains heroin,¡± Natalie began, her voice wavering slightly. ¡°Mr. Mackenzie informed me that The Red Wine Mafia orchestrated this to frame the Merrin Group, as part of an old vendetta between my stepfather Matt and them.¡±


    Something was fishy, and I had a gut feeling that something didn¡¯t add up in this story. It struck me as odd that Rafael wouldn¡¯t be aware of such a significant issue. The thought added to my suspicion that there might be more to the story than what Natalie was telling me.


    However, I knew some members of this Mafia, and they were known for their straightforward approach; they wouldn¡¯t orchestrate such a scheme behind someone¡¯s back. This discrepancy only deepened my sense of skepticism about the situation.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Mr. Mackenzie and his daughter inform Rafael about this? He needs to know before the government takes action against him and thepany,¡± I asked genuinely, puzzled by their decision to keep him in the dark. It seemed odd that they would withhold such crucial information, especially considering the potential consequences for him and thepany if the government took action.


    ¡°¡±They im it¡¯s not to his benefit if he knows,¡± Natalie said, her tone betraying herck of conviction in their reasoning.


    I frowned, sensing that there was more to the situation than met the eye. With a sigh, I inquired, ¡°And what do they want from you?¡±


    She rolled her eyes and sniffed, expressing her frustration. ¡°That¡¯s what confuses me,¡± she continued. ¡°Mr. Mackenzie had already promised to take care of the issue himself. He said he has strong connections with the Mafia leader and will do his best to resolve it, especially since Rafael is his son-inw.¡±


    She sighed, her frustration obvious. ¡°He asked me to encourage Rafael to proceed with the marriage before the agreed-upon date in exchange,¡± she added, her voice tinged with disappointment.


    I raised an eyebrow and replied, ¡°Well, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely convinced about that. I believe it¡¯s best if you talk to Rafael and tell him what¡¯s going on. Something doesn¡¯t seem right about all of this.¡±


    Natalie nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, I agree with you. I have a feeling they¡¯re up to something,¡± she said, her voice reflecting her growing suspicion.


    She nervously ran her fingers through her hair as she confessed, ¡°I need more time before I can inform him. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here-I need to uncover what they¡¯re hiding, and I need your help with that,¡± her voice tinged with uncertainty.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I feel the same way. So, I¡¯ll help you, and I suggest you should go along with their n for now and see what unfolds,¡± I suggested, considering our options carefully.


    At moments like this, I wish I could reveal the truth about our family ties to her. I¡¯ve often wondered why Serein, Natalie¡¯s mother, chose to change Natalie¡¯sst name to her family surname instead of keeping our family name. Perhaps it was because my uncle was involved and posed a threat, which led her to make that decision.


    Once Natalie left my office, I called my personal assistant and tasked him to investigate this matter. Could it be that the Nefson family was aware of Natalie and Rafael¡¯s secret marriage? However, that seemed imusible, given Rafael¡¯s extraordinary ability to keep his secrets hidden.


    I exhaled deeply, pondering the strangeness of the situation, determined to unravel the mystery.


    My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of my phone, disying Tobi¡¯s name on the screen. Without hesitation, I answered the call.


    ¡°Hello!¡± I answered.


    I was taken aback when I heard her request. She invited me to dinner, and hinted that I should seek Natalie¡¯s hand in marriage from them! Who still does that? Are we living in the eighteenth century?


    Nevertheless, I epted the invitation, anticipating enjoying Rafael¡¯s suffering. I was genuinely eager for the dinner, expecting it to be quite entertaining. This saga involving Natalie is bing increasingly gripping.


    I have to call Maya and update her on thetest developments in this drama, though. I¡¯m certain she¡¯ll find it amusing.

 Chapter 34 Betrothed but ….

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I gazed around the table, sensing a palpable unease in the air. Instead of sitting next to Daniel, I found myself beside Rafael, which puzzled everyone present. As we moved from the sitting room to the dining area, Rafael took hold of my arm, guiding me to my seat before settling next to me. I silently hoped that no one had noticed his possessive demeanor.


    In an attempt to ease the tension, I shed a smile at Grandma and whispered, ¡°You see, Grandma. Daniel and Rafael are rivals in the business realm.¡± Rafael and Daniel exchanged hostile nces, each emanating an intense desire to best the other.


    Grandma smiled tenderly and replied, ¡°They need to set aside their rivalry for your sake. They have to find a way to build a friendly rtionship.¡±


    Daniel smiled back at her before turning his gaze to me, dering, ¡°I¡¯m willing to do whatever it takes to win her over. I¡¯d spare no expense, fortune and money to make her my wife. Natalie, I hope you¡¯ll grant me this privilege.¡±


    Rafael¡¯s tightening grip on my thigh beneath the table sent a shiver down my spine. His proximity, his scent, and his touch blurred my vision, leaving me feeling intoxicated with desire.


    Despite Daniel, Grandma, and Tobi were waiting for my response, I found myself rendered speechless. With Rafael¡¯s bold fingers creeping closer, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say a word.


    I froze, cing my hand on his, halting his movements. Stammering, I managed to utter, ¡°I, I¡­¡±


    But Rafael interrupted me, still touching me from beneath the table while his intense gaze fixed on my flushed face as he turned to address Daniel. ¡°Offering your fortune?¡± he questioned. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need your money. What else do you have to offer besides wealth?¡±


    His confidence seemed unwavering as he spoke, as if he weren¡¯t engaged in anything under the table at all. Unable to remove his hand from between my legs, I kept my gaze fixed on my te, praying that no one would notice the crimson hue flooding my cheeks. While he carried on conversing with the others, his nces towards me betrayed a cold anger in his eyes. I understood that he was punishing me, tormenting me in this manner.


    ¡°Sure I have. I have my heart to offer on a te of gold!¡± Daniel retorted with theatrical ir. His performance was convincing; if I hadn¡¯t known about our arrangement, I might have believed him.


    ¡°That¡¯s very romantic!¡± Tobi eximed, smiling dreamily.


    I couldn¡¯t suppress the shiver that coursed through my body any longer, causing my thighs to tremble and bump against the underside of the table. All eyes turned towards me, and I could discern the smirk ying on Rafael¡¯s lips. ¡°Bastard! I¡¯ll make you pay,¡± I vowed silently, all the while maintaining aposed smile on my face.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    I cleared my throat and forced a smile. ¡°Sorry, my shoe feels a bit tight. Excuse me, I¡¯ll go upstairs and change,¡± I said, hoping to conceal my difort.


    I didn¡¯t wait for their response and swiftly exited the dining room. Once in my room, I leaned against the door, gasping for air. What just happened? Did he really do that to me right there? And my body responded? This traitorous body! I could feel the dampness beneath me.


    I rolled my eyes in disbelief, knowing this dinner wouldn¡¯t end well. Unlocking my phone screen, I intended to send a text to Daniel, asking him toe up with any excuse to leave now.


    Before I could send the text message, my room door swung open, and Rafael barged in, a smirk ying on his face. I shot him a look full of hatred. He stood before me like a towering figure, his muscr body leaning in close as he whispered in my ear, ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡±


    I pushed him forcefully on the chest and snapped, ¡°I hate you!¡±


    He didn¡¯t budge. Instead, he grasped my fists and asserted, ¡°No, you don¡¯t. I know you enjoyed it. Why deny it?¡±


    His voice retained its calm and tender tone, a stark contrast to his cold gaze. He gently caressed my cheek and ran his fingers through my hair, lulling me into a false sense of security. I wasn¡¯t prepared for his next action. Suddenly, he gripped my hair tightly, eliciting a scream of shock from me. But my screams were muffled as he captured my lips with his own.


    Realizing that resisting him was futile, I stood there without any reaction, simply waiting for him to finish. When he noticed my cold demeanor, he stopped kissing me and locked eyes with mine. ¡°Didn¡¯t we have an agreement? Didn¡¯t I tell you to break up with him?¡± he questioned. ¡°I truly want to make you my wife. Why do you insist on making me resort to illegitimate means to win you over?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow and interrupted firmly, ¡°I didn¡¯t promise you anything. I said I would think about it. And since you¡¯re asking now, I¡¯ll give you my decision. I¡¯m not going to-¡±


    He silenced me with another kiss, begging me with his eyes. We kept kissing, our eyes wide open. It was a peculiar sensation, but we continued staring at each other while kissing.


    Finally, he ended the kiss and rested his forehead against mine. The only sound breaking the silence was ourbored breathing. Suddenly, we burst intoughterughter without reason,ughter that continued until tears filled my eyes. Tears of frustration and sadness. I knew he wouldn¡¯t be mine. He didn¡¯t love me. I knew he didn¡¯t love Debbie, but he didn¡¯t love me either.


    He gently wiped the hot tears from my cheeks, but the more he wiped, the more they flowed. It felt as if my tears were tearing me apart. Then he bent down and licked my tears, his expression slightly furrowed. ¡°Too salty,¡± he murmured.


    I yfully hit him on the shoulder and chuckled. He cupped my face in his hands and whispered, ¡°Please, don¡¯t cry again. If I¡¯m the reason for your tears, then I¡¯ll kick my own ass.¡±


    Amidst myughter, my sobs escaped. He pulled me into a tight embrace and spoke in a serious tone, ¡°I want to meet you tomorrow at my office. I have a new contract to offer between us.¡±


    I frowned. A new contract? What does that mean? Weren¡¯t we done with contracts?


    As if he could read my mind, he brushed my hair with his fingers and exined, ¡°It¡¯s a contract to safeguard your rights in the future, in case I treat you unfairly in any way.¡±

 Chapter 35 Obsessed Touches

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    After Rafael left my room, I stood before the mirror, staring into my own eyes with confusion. I sighed, knowing I had to decide quickly. It wasn¡¯t easy to make a decision, but I had to think clearly. Should I ept Rafael¡¯s offer or stick to my n and leave after the marriage period ended? It was a tough choice, but I needed to make it.


    I need the money from my stepfather¡¯s will to fulfill my lifelong dream of opening a fashion house. I¡¯ve been obsessed with fashion design since high school,pletely devoted to it, and have even won manypetitions.


    But Mom didn¡¯t agree with that dream back then, telling me it was childish and impractical. She insisted I consider working at the Merrin Group as a member of the family. However, what I never told her was that I never felt I belonged at Merrin, even though my stepfather Matt was a great father to me. Grandma and Aunt Tobi were the best family anyone could have, but the rest of the family didn¡¯t like me. I remember how they intentionally treated me as a stranger at family gatherings.


    For now, focusing on establishing my own fashion house is my ultimate goal, as it always has been. The financial support from my stepfather¡¯s will could make that dream a reality.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Despite noting from a prestigious family rooted in aristocratic society, I am confident that I will carve out my own reputation and achieve my goals. I vividly recall the day I tearfully asked my mother about my father and his lineage, only to be met with refusal and a warning to steer clear of his influence. Later, when she discovered my attempts to find him, she insisted it would be futile, as he is not from our country and is unaware of my existence.


    Don¡¯t get me wrong, Mom was the most incredibly loving and tender mother in the world, but her demeanor changed when it came to discussing my biological father. She became stern and unsympathetic, insisting that I only had one father, and that was Dad Matt.


    However, despite my inner turmoil, I straightened my blue dress, which was one of my designs, fixed my makeup, and went back downstairs. The dinner hadn¡¯t finished yet. When I returned to the dining room, Rafael and Daniel were chatting calmly about business, which surprised me. Was this the calm before the storm?


    Rafael smiled once he saw me and offered me a seat.


    ¡°Here you are, dear. I was about to follow you,¡± Tobi said, smiling and winking at Daniel, who sent me a kiss through the air.


    Blushing slightly, I offered a casual apology, saying, ¡°Sorry for keeping you waiting.¡±


    Rafael¡¯s hand found its way back to my thigh. I didn¡¯t look at him, but I could feel the mischievous grin ying on his lips. My eyes darkened, and I kicked his feet with my sharp high heel, raising an eyebrow as I turned to stare into his eyes and smiling mockingly at him. In that moment, a sense of triumph gleamed in my eyes.


    Rafael¡¯s hand found its way back to my thigh. I didn¡¯t look at him, but I could feel the mischievous grin ying on his lips. My eyes darkened, and I kicked his feet with my sharp high heel, raising an eyebrow as I turned to stare into his eyes and smiling mockingly at him. In that moment, a sense of triumph gleamed in my eyes.


    ¡°In your dreams¡± I retorted whisperingly right away.


    ¡°We were asking Daniel about his life in France,¡± Grandma said, staring at us alternately.


    ¡°Owo!¡± that was all I said.


    However, the atmosphere was a little tense, especially when Grandma and Tobi delved into Daniel¡¯s life and family. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of awkwardness; he was caught in the middle because of me.


    While Grandma, Tobi, and Daniel were immersed in their conversation about life in France, Rafael was calmly sipping his drink. His attitude seemed a little awkward to me. I didn¡¯t expect his reaction to be so civilized, though I was happy that he did.


    But my wonder didn¡¯tst long, as I heard Rafael interject smoothly, ¡°So, Daniel, let¡¯s stop talking about how amazing life in France can be and tell us about yourtest business venture.¡±


    His voiceced with a subtle edge that sent a shiver down my spine, so I ced my fork back on my te and stared at poor Daniel, waiting for his reply.


    Daniel shifted ufortably, his eyes darting between Rafael and me. I understood his apprehension; he was avoiding discussing business until he could assist me with our previous conversation.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid of Rafael, but I knew he was eager to assist me. However, discussing business now would be premature. He preferred to wait until we had evidence of what Debbie and her father were nning.


    ¡°Well, mytest business is still in the early stages, but I¡¯m confident it¡¯ll be a sess. My heart is telling me so,¡± he replied briefly, attempting to maintain hisposure despite the sudden palpable tension in the air.


    Rafael¡¯s lips curled into a knowing smile as he reached across the table, his handing to rest possessively on my lower back. I stiffened at his touch, my eyes flickering with a mixture of apprehension and desire.


    Rafael¡¯s keen perception hinted that something was amiss, noticing Daniel¡¯s avoidance of discussing business.


    ¡°Confidence is the key, isn¡¯t it, Natalie?¡± Rafael murmured, his voice low and intimate. ¡°Especially when ites to matters of the heart.¡±


    I swallowed hard, my cheeks flushing with color as I nced nervously at Rafael.


    ¡®What the hell does he mean? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in love!¡¯ I snapped in my head.


    Or could it be that he knows something about what Debbie and I discussed?


    That was impossible though!!


    My jaw clenched in response, silently acknowledging the unspoken rivalry that simmered beneath the surface. I was afraid if anyone at the table noticed the tension between us, though. And then they start asking questions.


    However, the tension at the table grew thicker, each passing moment fraught with unspoken words. To diffuse the atmosphere, I smiled and said to Grandma, ¡°Shall we go to the sitting room for dessert now, Grandma?¡±


    Sitting for dessert didn¡¯t alleviate the tension. When Rafael and Daniel finished their conversation about work, Grandma and Tobi started asking him about what the next step would be.


    OMG!


    I felt sorry for the man.


    I was lucky that Daniel wasn¡¯t an actual groom, or I¡¯d be utterly embarrassed!

 Chapter 36 The Submission Contract

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I flipped through the pages of the file before me absent-minded. It¡¯s the first time in all my life I feel stress and tension while thinking of someone¡¯s reaction. I carefully reviewed the terms of the contract multiple times.


    ¡°Sir, this is thest document that needs your confirmation¡± the secretary mumbled while staring at my face. She has been working for thispany for almost a decade now, and she was a confidential employee when my father was the CEO. Therefore, I didn¡¯t think of recing her.


    I nced at my handwatch for almost a hundred times in thest fifteen minutes. I asked in a harsh tone, ¡°When will the next meeting begin?¡±


    She smiled and replied calmly even though I asked her that question for the tenth time now, ¡°Your next meeting is with Miss Natalie, and it will be starting after three minutes.¡±


    I knocked with my fingers on the ssy table before me impatiently.


    The secretary cleared her throat and said, ¡°The document, sir.¡±


    ¡°Just leave it there and go look for Miss Natalie and see why she iste?¡± I urged her, ying with the pen between my fingers.


    ¡°Yes, sir¡± she replied and left the meeting hall. I know she was wondering inside her mind about my impatient, but she can¡¯t say that out loud.


    Ten minutes passed and there was no trace of Natalie. Just before I went and found her by myself, the door opened slightly, and she walked in with hesitant steps.


    I examined her figure with my eyes. That¡¯s why I was keen to make her my submissive. Her bodynguage and reactions tell me to make her my ve. To subdue her. She avoided looking into my eyes. I can¡¯t remember a time she stared directly into my eyes, and on the rare asions she did, she averted her gaze immediately after a second or two.


    ¡°Have a seat!¡± I ordered. ring deeply at her eyes, my voice was calm andmandant. And as I thought, she submitted and did what I ordered right away.


    ¡°Youte!¡± I eximed.


    She stared at the carpet before her, then at her handwatch and finally took a quick nce at my face and reyed with a smile raising an eyebrow, ¡°I forgot about the meeting! You should have reminded me!¡±


    It was her way to cover up her longing for me. Even though she was submissive by nature, she resisted involuntary submission. She had a strong personality, and when the female doesn¡¯t find the secure and the man who deserves her submission she resisted it and maybe even took over it for the rest of her life without realizing she was like that at all.


    As a child raised by a monster, I am an expert of all of this and can discover the submissive female, no matter how strong she pretends to be on the outside. I know exactly what to do to make her agree. To submit and obey me. I know how to lure her in and then take control of the situation.


    I smiled and stared into her eyes. She avoided my stare by holding the ss of water before her and swallowing its content. I said, ¡°I was waiting for our meeting all day long.¡±


    Sheughed and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate. We¡¯re still in morning¡±


    I leaned forward and mumbled, ¡°Yes, we are¡±. Then I held her soft hand in my gentle grip. I kissed her hand back. She looked at me and a light blush covered her round cheeks. ¡°I missed you, though.¡±


    She immediately pulled her hand from mine, and stammered, ¡°Stop ying around and get straight to the point!¡±


    ¡°I want you in my bed!¡± I confessed.


    She opened her mouth and gasped in shock, then stared around us and hissed, ¡°are you crazy? Someone will hear you.¡±


    She leaned back on the chair and said nonchntly, ¡°Who cares? I told you I¡¯d announce our marriage¡±.


    I narrowed my eyes and added, ¡°I have given you a chance to break up with Daniel, or I¡¯ll deal with him myself.¡±


    ¡°But I ¡­¡± she stammered, but I didn¡¯t give her a chance to talk. I got up out of my chair, walked around the table and stood before her.


    I grabbed her by her waist, making her small curvy body crushed into my body. I cupped her face with my hands and captured her lips. I nipped on her delicious puffy rosy dyed lips.


    She held her hands around my neck and opened her mouth, letting me take whatever I wanted. I stopped kissing her, she remained closing her eyes waiting for me to invade her lips again. I caressed her cheeks andmanded, ¡°Open your eyes!¡±


    She opened her eyes slowly, her gaze was full of unhidden desire.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kiss you again. Don¡¯t close your eyes¡±, I ordered her and captured her lips before she could say anything.


    We kissed, staring at each other¡¯s eyes. I could see the desire grow more and more in her eyes. While we were kissing and staring at each other¡¯s eyes, I ran my hands around her back and buttocks. I raised her body and sat her on the conference room. I coudn¡¯t control myself. All what was in my mind was to have her right here. I unbuttoned her silk creamy blouse to release her bumpy breast. I gasped and bent down to dive my face between her full breast. She held my head between her hands and pressed my face more.


    ¡°Raf, please!¡± she begged. I knew she missed me as I was. She rolled her tall legs around my waist, offering me what I was longing for.


    But I took a step back. This step cost me a huge effort. It wasn¡¯t easy to pull yourself out of heaven. I caressed her cheek and whispered, ¡°We can¡¯t do that yet, not before we discuss.¡±


    She put her hand on the high erection under my trousers and teased, ¡°Why we cannot?¡±


    God help me. I was about to cum in my pants. I let out a loud growl, pushed her to lean over the conference table and tied her hands up her head.


    I kissed every space in her face, her earlopes, her neck, her breast and down to her t stomach. Her moans and groans made me cry.


    I said from between our breaths, ¡°Be my ve in my bed at night. And I¡¯ll make you my queen during the day, whole my life¡±, I begged her, praying she would agree.


    My thirsty desire for her cannot be quenched except by having her in a way that satisfies my instinct. Even though my n to control and lead the situation to convince her to agree failed, I still would try my chance.


    She plinked several times as if she was interpreting what I had just said in her head.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    But I didn¡¯t give her the chance to think. I held her by her waist and guided her towards her seat.


    ¡°A ..¡± She started, but I put my finger on her swollen lips and hushed, ¡°Hsh¡±


    After she sat on the seat, I cupped her face and searched into her seductive eyes that filled with desire. I whispered, ¡°Read this carefully, please.¡±

 Chapter 37 Block Him

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Every time Rafael touched me, I felt weak. Even though I felt that I was holding the world in between my hands. That I touched the stars, touched the happiness itself.


    How can a person be your weakness and powerness at the same time? That was exactly what I was feeling for him.


    I was drawning in him, melted by his touches and kisses. His tounge was drawing a map on my body. I forgot I was on the conference table and it might be someone barge in at any minute.


    All I was thinking was that this wasn¡¯t enough. I wanted more. More of him. I wanted him to dive inside me. To feel him in. My hands volunteraly started trying to take off his trousers belt. Ignoring his whispers about we cannot do that now.


    As I touched his belt, he froze. He held my hands tightly above my head and kissed me violently. I liked his possessive way of kissing me. His domineering actions while touching me. I loved the way he controlled and guided me during our Intimacy.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Without warning he stopped kissing me, stared into my eyes and begged me, ¡°Be my ve in my bed at night. And I¡¯ll make you my queen during the day whole my life¡±


    A ve!?


    What does he mean?


    I blinked several times, ring into his eyes. I smiled, frowned then smiled again and asked, ¡°W¡­?¡±


    I was about to ask him about his meaning when he ced his finger on my lips and mumbled, ¡°Hsh¡±


    He held my waist and pulled me down of the conference table, guided me to my seat. Once I took my ce, he cupped my face andmanded in a hoarse tone, ¡°Read this carefully!¡±


    I eyed the direction of his gaze. It was the first time I noticed the document before me. I looked back at him so he gestured with an eyebrow towards the file and went to his seat at the head of the table. I can feel his eyes ring and studying my face.


    The curiosity increased inside me, I opened the file while ncing at his face. The look on his face was telling me that something series was going on. He said before that this was about our marriage. But it could be?


    I surfed the paper before me. While my eyesbing the printed lines before me, my heart skipped a beat, my eyes widened and my head spinned. I blinked, gasped then looked at his face.


    I kept looking alternately between him and the decument in front of me. The heat increased inside me, my cheeks blushed and I stammered, ¡°You are crazy!¡±


    ¡°Please, keep reading!¡± He said.


    How could he be that calm while suggesting such a pervert thing!


    I stood up immedietaly, every cell in my body was trembling with anger and something I couldn¡¯t describe. I snapped furiously, ¡°I¡¯m not ganna read such a crazy thing!¡±


    He wiped his face with his hands. I grabbed my purse and shouted, ¡°hooligan!¡±


    Once I turned intended to leave,rge strong hand held my arm pulling my back so my back crashed into a solid chest. I resisted him though, but he didn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I snapped trying to break myself free.


    He embraced me tightly from the back preventing me from moving. He puried his head in my hair and mumbled, ¡°I won¡¯t let you go unless you continued reading the contract!¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s insane. I¡¯m not gonna read it¡± I replied.


    ¡°You have to understand it first!¡± He insisted.


    I let out a deep sigh and stood still in my ce. He turned me slowly to face him. He caressed my cheek while I was avoiding to look him in the eye.


    I don¡¯t want him to feel my weakness.


    ¡°Finish reading, Okay?¡± He said.


    When he took off his hands of my shoulders, I quickly left the ss of water that was beside me on the table and without thinking threw its contect on his face and ran out of the meetings conference.


    I didn¡¯t dare to look back at him, all I know was that he was acting strangely, and I¡¯m not going to sign on that contract.


    I arrived to my office breathless. I was thrilled when I didn¡¯t find my assistant in her desk. I need some privacy, and thanks God I¡¯m going to have it.


    Or I thought I was going to have it. As my phone started ringing. Rafael¡¯s name shed on the screen. I was surprised but grateful that he didn¡¯t follow me.


    However, I put him in the ck list of my phone. I blocked him from reaching out to me then after few hours I left thepany building.

 Chapter 38 She Black Listed You

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I listened to the busy tone repeatedly yed on my phone as I wasying on the bigther sofa in my office. I made three consecutive calls and all of them were rejected. I let out a ragged breath filled with rage. As for the seventh call I  failed to get through. The tenth call, the eleventh call, the twelfth call. Every time I made a call I hear the disconnected tone.


    I gritted my teeth and hissed, ¡°Why her phone is busy all this time?¡±


    Jack, my personal assistant, and Norm, my secretary, exchanged looks. They were discussing some details about the uing deal and when they heard me raved angrily, they focused with me and carefully observed my expression for a bit.


    I saw a yful excepressin on their faces, whereas Norm was trying to hide his amusement, Jack said with a chuckle, ¡°Rafael, in this situation, when you hear the busy tone repeatedly, usually means that your number had been ck listed!¡±


    I red at his without understanding and roared, ¡°ck listed? What the hell that ck Listed mean? Has my mobile SIM card been blocked?¡±


    ¡°No, boss. In fact that there¡¯s a call block list in every mobile phone. It used when someone Bothers you and you don¡¯t want to contact with that person again, so he or she cannot call you ever again!¡±


    Jack raised his eye brows and asked, ¡°So, you never been ck listed before? I wounder who dare to balck list you, boss?¡±


    I hit the mug of coffee before me in fury to ssh the coffee on the ground while the mug turned into small pieces of ss.


    I growled, ¡°ck listed?¡±


    I stared at them in a cold gaze, the atmosphere in the room grow tense, and I yelled in a sharp tone ordering Norm, ¡°Call Natalie through my office cordless phone right now!¡±


    He went promptly to my desk and grabbed the phone, dialed her number.


    ¡°Put it on the speaker!¡± I ordered.


    The same busy tone rang out through the speaker. I gustered to him to try again. He tried for the third time and the same tone repeated frecuently.


    At that time, a knocks on my office door distructed us. Then Debbie opened the door and extended her head oplogtically through the door and said, ¡°Hey, I hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything¡±


    ¡°Why you are here?¡± I asked impatient.


    She blinked several times, and stammered, ¡°I.. I was near by and thought of visiting you.¡±


    I ignored her as I lost myst drop of patience and grumbled to Jack after I stacked my phone on the table, ¡°Give me your damn phone!¡±


    He handed it over and begged, ¡°It¡¯s thetest version and a gift from Anastasia. Don¡¯t smash it, man.¡±


    After receiving Jack¡¯s phone, furiously I entered her number and pressed dial. The sound of the series of the ringing tone went through the speaker. Jack¡¯s number wasn¡¯t ck list.


    Everybody at the office room was staring at me waiting for Natalie to pick up the call. After a few seconds passed, Natalie¡¯s polite greeting was heard, ¡°Hello, Jack!¡±


    Debbies expression was dimed.


    I snapped furiously, ¡°Why did you ck listed me?¡±


    After a long silence, she said in a t tone, ¡°Are you alone?¡±


    I raised my eyes to meet the three pairs of eyes that was staring at me ciouriesly, and they shifted their gazes once they heard Natali¡¯s question.


    I nonchntly answered, ¡°No,¡± thest thing I was worrying about was these. I was afraid that she would misunderstand me, as we had not finished reading the contract.


    She gave me a casual answer, ¡°Yep, I ck listed your number¡±


    My face darkened and I saw red. Did she dared to provok me? Inded a kick on the side coffee table and smash it on the wall before it. I growled through the phone, ¡°Provide me with a reasonable exnation!¡±


    ¡°Exination? Who should exin things to the other?¡± she sniffed.


    I said furiously, ¡°You didn¡¯t give me the chance to exin!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy. I¡¯m hanging up¡± as soon as she ended her sentence, she hung up the phone without waiting for my response.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I roared.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I dialed her number again, but all I heard was the same busy tone I heard before. She ck listed Jack¡¯s number also!


    I was afried if she misunderstood the contract. Why I felt before that I can easly control her? I really misjudged her. She wasn¡¯t easy as much I thought.


    Debbie stammered with her delicate voice, ¡°Rafael? Is there something wrong going on with your sister, Natalie? I can¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost! All of you, get the hell out of here!¡± I growled trempling with fury.


    Without hesitation, the three of them raced to the door. It was the first time they saw me loosing control on my temper.


    However, before they went out of the office, Imanded, ¡°Jack, Norm. wait!¡±


    Debbie stared back at me, and with a sad expression, she left the office. I felt sad for her. I know I¡¯ll never feel anything for her. Our engagment was a huge mistake. The thing I was feeling with Natalie, I never experienced before.


    But things between me and Debbie are notplicated. She will respect my decision after all and we will call off the engagement in the right time.


    ¡°Yes, boss?¡± Norm said.


    ¡°Find her location¡± I ordered.


    Norm promptly bowed his head and took his way to leave. I growled at Jack while leaving the office, ¡°Follow me!¡±


    As we entered the elevator he asked, ¡°What happened? Why Natalie blocked your number?¡±


    I pressed the first floor bottom, put my hands in my pockets and leaned on the elevator wall crossing my feets. I mumbled with frustration, ¡°I asked her to sign the contract!¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Jack said in shock.


    I raised an eyebrow and eximed, ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you made anastasia sign that contract with you before marriage?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia and I loved each other, Raf! Your case is different. You guys even didn¡¯t had a real marriage!¡± He argued trying to convince me. But I was stubborn.


    I stepped out of the elevator once it stopped. Thinking of the word LOVE that Jack


    mentioned. Is this what weck?


    LOVE!!


    ¡°Love!¡± I tested the word in my tongue several times.

 Chapter 39 Give Me A Chance To Explain

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    After driving for an hour without a determined destination, thinking about what I had read in the contract that Rafael showed me, I found myself standing before the door of the ce I liked the most ¨C the gathering of amateur painters. Even though I wasn¡¯t a professional painter yet, I felt rxed whenever I started painting.


    I stood before the nk drawing board, and all I could see was Rafael¡¯s face. An amusing thought suddenly popped into my head. I smiled a small smile and started drawing lines on the board. Every line I drew was a release of frustration and anger towards Rafael. His thick eyebrows were knit together, his sharp gaze was gleamed with evil, and his tightened lips curved into a yful smirk. That was how I imagined his facial features at that moment. Then I painted him holding a whip, poised like an executioner.


    Finally, after almost three hours, I finished my initial draft and stared at the board with satisfaction. He deserves it. A hasty idea came to my mind and I smirked while still gazing at the board.


    Without any dy, afraid that if I waited longer I would change my mind, I hastened my steps straight to the receptionist.


    He smiled at me and said, ¡°How can I help you, ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I want to send this painting to someone,¡± I said, feeling awkward. The receptionist will see the painting I painted.


    ¡°Sure, ma¡¯am. Please give me the address,¡± he replied, then added, while entering some data on the desktop before him, ¡°would you like to pay now or upon receipt?¡±


    ¡°Now, please,¡± I mumbled, handing him my credit card.


    But when I parked my car outside Merrin Vi, I began to doubt what I had done. ¡°Should I call them and cancel it?¡±


    I knew provoking Rafael wasn¡¯t going to pass that easily, so hesitantly, I decided to undo it. However, I went straight to my room, intending to call the receptionist at the gathering of the amateur painters. Before I reached my room, I heard Laura, the housekeeper, saying, ¡°Hello, Miss Natalie.¡±


    I turned around and smiled, ¡°Hello, Laura. Is my grandma asleep? She must have been waiting for me for dinner!¡±


    I turned off my phone after Rafael called me via Jack¡¯s phone. I knew he would try to call me from other phones, so I turned it off.


    But my eyebrows rose slightly when Laura said with a smile on her face, ¡°Mrs. Merrin and her daughter are not home. They went to visit Mr. Jeverson,¡±


    Mr. Jeverson was Grandma¡¯s brother. I asked with confusion, ¡°Why didn¡¯t they tell me?¡±


    ¡°They tried to call, but your phone was off,¡± she said.


    I nodded and then asked again, ¡°Didn¡¯t they say when they would be back?¡±


    ¡°They said they would stay for just a couple of days,¡± she replied.


    I nodded and turned around to go to my room, but she added promptly, ¡°Miss Natalie, should we serve dinner now?¡±


    I stared back at her, thinking that I didn¡¯t want to see Rafael, so I lied and said, ¡°I already ate.¡±


    Then, I headed to my room. I opened the door and was totally shocked. I blinked several times. Is this really my room? I took a few steps forward, eyeing the amazing flowers that covered the bed and the flickering candles around the room. The flowers and candles were arranged beautifully, with a path of flowers and candles leading to the bed. The bed itself was adorned with flowers spelling out the words, ¡°LEMME EXPLAIN.¡±


    As I took more steps forward, the room door was closed behind me. I turned around immediately to find Rafael standing before me,zily leaning on the closed door, and his hands in his pockets nonchntly.


    The corner of his lips curled into a smirk as he raised an eyebrow and said in amanding tone, ¡°Come here!¡±


    I was about to move my legs and go to him, but fortunately, I regained myposure and stayed in my ce. I crossed my arms over my chest and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Look at the bed!¡± he said, fixing his gaze on my face.


    I stared at the bed and red at the written sentence with flowers, LEMME EXPLAIN.


    Even though this gesture moved my heart, I rolled my eyes, trying to seem indifferent. I sneered, ¡°This meant nothing, Raf. I don¡¯t want to hear anything from you.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    He took a few steps forward, his tall figure standing before me, and mumbled, ¡°You didn¡¯t even continue reading the contract!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna read it, Raf. It meant nothing to me. I believed that you wanted to give us a chance, but I was wrong,¡± I said with contempt.


    ¡°Could you at least finish reading it?¡± he retorted with a t tone, but I could notice the frustration in his eyes.


    However, I ignored his request and turned around the room, taking in the effort he had made for this romantic gesture. It wasn¡¯t the most borate romantic decoration a woman could have, but his effort was clear.


    I lifted a flower, yed with it between my fingers and said, ¡°I never imagined you as a romantic man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. But here I¡¯m trying my best to please you,¡± he smiled patiently.


    ¡°So, the master wants to please his ve. Isn¡¯t that odd?¡± I smirked skeptically, unconvinced.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t look high at me, did you?¡± He asked with a gloomy expression.


    ¡°You urged me to. Is there a man with his full brain asking his wife to be his ve?¡± I asked, genuinely wanting to know.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, Natalie. The contract is meant to serve and protect you, not me. I¡¯m afraid I might hurt you, so I wanted you to secure your rights under any circumstances,¡± he exined.


    ¡°So, let me take this straight. You want to protect my rights by making me a ve?¡± I asked, my eyes welling up with tears.


    ¡°This will go nowhere, Natalie, if you haven¡¯t read the contract,¡± he insisted.


    I surprised myself when I heard me saying, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll just read it, Raf. Don¡¯t expect anything¡±


    His face lit up, and he smiled. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all I want you to do, just read it.¡±


    He handed me a paper from his pocket, and despite the tension, I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Do you walk around with contracts in your pockets all the time?¡± I teased him.

 Chapter 40 I Won’t Leave Him For Her

    Debbie¡¯s POV


    Electric pleasure surged through my veins as his touch caressed my most sensitive areas. Arching my head back, I couldn¡¯t help but release a symphony of moans and groans.


    ¡°Yeah. Push harder!¡± I moaned, shivering with pleasure.


    The man pped my buttocks and then growled, releasing his sperm into the condom inside me. Weid on the bed, panting heavily.


    I gazed into his eyes with satisfaction. We¡¯ve been having an affair for two months now. Did Rafael really think that I¡¯d just be waiting for him? Living the life of a nun?


    No matter how many times I tried to seduce him and invited him to my bed, he insisted that we should wait! He didn¡¯t even kiss me except at our engagement party. His continuous rejection of me and my desires was painful.


    Sometimes I feel like he doesn¡¯t even see me as a woman. I remember once when I joined him on a business trip, I wore lingerie andy in his bed waiting for him to finish his meeting. All he did was wish me a good night and send me to my room.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Jad asked, patting my hair.


    I pushed his hand aside and sat down. I said with resentment, ¡°Nothing! Do you need more money?¡±


    He smiled and shook his head, sniffing my perfume. ¡°No, I need to spend more time with you,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°I stood silent for a moment, then took out a pack of cigarettes from my handbag. Holding the long cigarette between my fingers, I ced it between my lips. Jad leaned towards me and lit it for me. He started kissing my neck, moving down to my breast, but I rolled my eyes at him, thenughed and said, ¡®I have a mission for you. If you seed, I¡¯ll reward you with a good prize.¡±


    His eyes shined, then he said, ¡°I¡¯m all yours!¡±


    I want you to scheme against Natalie and catch her red-handed in a situation that will embarrass Rafael and his family!


    He thought for a second then sniffed, ¡°Why? She is not your enemy. Why don¡¯t you try to make her your ally instead of scheming her?¡±


    I got off the bed totally naked. I let out a deep breath of smoke, causing a cloud of smoke before me. Then, I squeezed the cigarette into the ashtray, grabbing my dress and started wearing it before the mirror and then, with disdain, ¡°I won¡¯t leave Rafael for her, I¡¯ll destroy her little by little. I will make her lose everything.¡±


    Jad got off the bed and stood behind me, stroking my shoulders. He hissed, ¡°Yet I don¡¯t understand why you hate her?¡±


    My eyes shined when our gazes met in the reflection of the mirror, ¡°She loves him. I saw that in her eyes from the first time I met her. However, it was just suspicious until I saw them at the anniversary party. They were together in the hotel washroom for twenty minutes! What do you think they were doing, huh?¡±


    I can remember the look of jealousy in his eyes when Daniel announced his engagement to Natalie, even though heter managed to hide it.


    Jad raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Do you think they are having an affair?¡±


    I shook my head in denial and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m not going to let him leave me for that bitch. I am the one who will be the mistress of the Merrin family, and the one who will give birth to the heir.¡±


    A moan of contentment came from between my swollen lips when Jad started nipping my earlope. Then he said, ¡°When you marry him what will happen to us?¡±


    I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck and confessed, ¡°What does my marriage have to do with us? Of course, we will continue our rtionship. He¡¯s the money and the power, and you¡¯re the pleasure.¡±


    He took off my dress again, leading me to the bed and saying with a husky voice, ¡°Why don¡¯t we get married? I promise I¡¯ll do my best to make you happy.¡±


    Iughed mockingly, ¡°Me marrying you? Why? As I¡¯m the heir of Nefson impaire, what do you have special to make me agree?¡± He stared away feeling awkward.


    ¡°Your sry isn¡¯t enough even for my hairdresser¡¯s bill, Jad¡±


    He was an employee in the ounting department of Nefson Group.


    However, after half an hourter, the smell of sex was overwhelming. Even though Jad was not rich but he was a good fucker. Despite knowing him since three years ago, we started our sexual rtionship two months ago.


    Suddenly, my phone rang. I grabbed it from the bedside table to find my father¡¯s name on the screen. I sighed impatiently and snapped, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Where are you? Why didn¡¯t you pick up my calls earlier?¡± he asked in a tone tinged with anger.


    ¡°I was busy¡± I replied indifferently, while Jad kept licking my other ear.


    I can hear my father¡¯s gritted teeth, but this was thest thing I cared about. He lost my respect once I found him years ago in my mother¡¯s bed with two girls. Back then, mum was traveling, and he didn¡¯t expect me toe home from boarding school so early for the summer holiday. However, since then, I no longer consider him anything but a money bank.


    ¡°Come back home, I need you, it¡¯s urgent,¡± he growled.


    ¡°I need money.¡± I said nonchntly, ignoring his request and staring at my well-bolished nails.


    ¡°For what, Debbie? Yesterday I transferred fifty hundred thousand to your ount!¡± He snabbed.


    ¡°I have a n to set up Natalie, and I need that money,¡± I exined, looking back at Jad with a grin.


    My father went silent for a moment, then he said, ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t do something rashonal.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m your daughter, Dad.¡± I sneered.


    After I received a message that two hundred thousand had been deposited into my ount, Jad¡¯s eyes lit up when I showed him the message and suggested, ¡°If you have done a good job by scheming Natalie and making a fool out of her that brings shamelessness to the Merrins, all of this money will be yours.¡±


    ¡°Do you have suggestions?¡± He asked with excitme5nt.


    ¡°Just make it a scandal thatnds her in prison for a couple of days,¡± I said in a tone full of hatred. I¡¯ll show her what happens when she tries to offend her masters.


    When I remembered how Rafael kicked me out of his office earlier, the hatred towards Natalie increased inside me. I, the heiress of Nefson Impair, was treated such a way because of that nobody? The way she was talking to Rafael through the phone speaker and how crazy he was about her stuck a dagger of envy and hatred into my chest.


    She cklisted and rejected him, and yet he was seeking her satisfaction while neglecting me, his fiancee!


    I have always been the center of attention. Everyone around me was trying to please me. I had never been offended until that bitch did that. First in the parking area, then, in the way she stole Rafael¡¯s attention from me.


    After I left the hotel, I sent a message while driving my car, [What¡¯s new about the drug deal?]


    My father and I made a huge n to make Rafael feel grateful to us and at the same time send that bitch to life imprisonment. But for now, I will keep ying simple games with her until the timees to implement our n.


    A reply came promptly, [Soon you will be hearing good news].This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    My eyes sparkled with a spree.


    ¡°Rafael is mine. And no one tries to offend me and can go with it, bitch Natalie!¡± Iughed with joy.

 Chapter 41 A Wife Or A Slave?

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    The more I read, the more interested I became in what was written in that contract. I made sure to sit apart from Rafael and instructed him to take a seat away from me, ensuring that his presence wouldn¡¯t influence my decision.


    However, his aura was affecting me even though he was sitting on the sofa in the corner of my room while I remained perched on the edge of my bed.


    I cleared my throat and mumbled, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying in this use that I should ask you about every detail of my daily life? Does that mean I should ask you which pad size I should use during my period?¡± I mocked him.


    Sure I wouldn¡¯t agree to that crazy contract, but I was curious what limit he would push this domineering thing, that¡¯s why I asked.


    He raised an eyebrow, staring into my eyes. Then, a slight smile crept onto his lips as he said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind even if you asked me to change them for you, if that¡¯s what you wanted!¡±


    I shouted in disbelief, ¡°NO! Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I thought,¡± he chuckled and added, ¡°However, what I meant was, even if a friend asked you for a cup of coffee, you¡¯d have to seek my permission first.¡±


    I blinked several times, then rolled my eyes, ¡°Oh, helping me change my pads is easier than this!¡¯ I quipped!¡±


    He tilted his head and teased, ¡°So, are you considering the rules?¡±


    I promptly opened my mouth to say something, but the realization hit me. I narrowed my eyes and asked, ¡°Are you trying to set me up?¡±


    I saw a ghost of a smile waver on his lips. Then, he gestured with his finger and said, ¡°Keep reading, please!¡±


    I rolled my eyes and looked back at the paper. The more I read, the more this thing shocked me. The next uses were about my daily expenses, specifying that I couldn¡¯t spend even a penny on myself. Everything from my clothes and makeup to medical examinations and other details was included. He even mentioned that he was responsible for my security.


    Was it a ve contract or a princess contract? However, I kept my reaction unreadable, I wouldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction. After all, I was going to refuse all of this pampering, so there was no need to show him my reaction.


    Non the le43ss, my eyes widened when I read the next use. A thousand millions aspensation if he harmed me physically or psychologically!!


    The sentence  kept running through my head. Why would he want to hurt me?Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I raised my head and red at him. I saw the tension and the guilt written on his face, and that made me ask in suspicion, ¡°What the hell do you mean by hurting me physically and psychologically?¡±


    He bit his lower lip and said, ¡°Can you keep reading, please?¡±


    It was the first time I saw Rafael showing signs of anxiety, and that made me more anxious.


    I did as asked. It was the final use of that nonsense contract.


    While I was reading, words in the text shed red in my eyes even though the text was all written in ck. The terms that captured my sight were: ropes, whips, restraints, safety words, sex toys, submission, violence, punishment, and much more, until I couldn¡¯t count anymore.


    The blood froze and stopped from recycling through my veins. My face paled. Did he really mention he would torture me? How could he?


    I stared at his face in shock and whispered, ¡°How could you think of torturing me? I¡¯m Natalie. You¡¯re my family. My idol. The one who I rely on if anything happens. You are my only family, do you know that?¡± I ended my question in a screaming voice.


    He stood up to reach me, but I was faster than him. I moved away and snapped, ¡°Stop! Don¡¯te any closer!¡±


    He stood in his ce. I held the contract in my hands and tore it up in front of his eyes, thinking that he would be pissed off. But he didn¡¯t, rather he smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°Get out of here, now!¡± I yelled at him.


    He wiped his face with both hands, then asked, ¡°How about we negotiate like adults? If anything bothers you, I can change it.¡±


    ¡°Like adults? Do you hear what you¡¯re saying? I¡¯m not a toy, Rafael!¡±


    I waited for him to exin himself, but he didn¡¯t. He just kept staring at me. So, I hissed, ¡°Get ou¡­.¡±


    But before I finished my sentence, he was standing before me. He hugged me so tightly that he almost broke my ribs in his strong arms. Burying his face in my neck, he mumbled, ¡°I tried. I know it¡¯s wrong. But I want you. I need you.¡±


    If he had just said I love you, I would have agreed on whatever he asked for. But he didn¡¯t, and he would never say it, because he didn¡¯t feel it. So, I shocked my head and stammered in a shaky voice, ¡°No.¡±


    He buried his face in my neck even more. At that moment, I felt as if he was a broken child seeking tenderness from his mother. But I can¡¯t hurt myself any longer. This love made me sad and miserable.


    I said in a soft voice while the tears started rolling down my cheeks, ¡°I thought ¡­ I believed we ganna be a family as you promised. But it turned out that all you wanted was to make me your toy.¡±


    He raised his head and stared deeply into my eyes, then cupped my face and said, ¡°We¡¯re going to be a family.¡±


    I said from between my sops, ¡°Do you want me to be your wife or your ve?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he kissed me. A gentle kiss.


    Then , heughed without joy and said, ¡°I never kiss gently, I never kiss with feelings. But with you, I do,¡± he kissed me one more, but on my forehead this time, then added, ¡°You¡¯re going to be my wife, a real wife. I¡¯ll announce our marriage after two months. And I apologized that you have to wait for two months.¡±


    I converted my gaze away from him. I didn¡¯t want him to see the disappointment in my eyes. I was afraid that he saw more than I wanted him to see in my gaze.


    ¡°You will be my wife, my precious wife, and my sex ve just in bed!¡±


    I was spechless. He was talking about it as if it was an easy thing.


    ¡°Anastasia is a ve to Jack. They had that kind of rtionship even before they got married. They loved each other, had the kind of rtionship they wanted and finally married. You can ask her before you agree and sign the contract.¡±


    Hope surged inside me. Does that mean he had feelings for me? That¡¯s why he ¡­ I asked without thinking, ¡°Why did you choose me? You could have chosen any other girl!¡±


    He blinked several times and I could see the confusion in his eyes. After a brief hesitation, he replied, ¡°My instinct, I want to possess you.¡±


    Once he finished his sentence, I pushed him, trying to distance myself, but he was like a mountain, I couldn¡¯t move him even insh. ¡°I¡¯m not going to sign that crap. Go and find a whore for your shit and send me my divorce contract!¡±


    He let out a deep sigh, then said in a despairing tone, ¡°Could you at least just try before you reject? How could you reject something you didn¡¯t even try?¡±


    ¡°Try what?¡± I asked, genuinely confused.


    ¡°Try that sadism thing. Me subjugate you!¡± He whispered.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but this got my at


    tention. What if I tried this thing for one time?


    He stared at my face, waiting for my reply.

 Chapter 42 Let Me Possess You, Bebe.

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears when Natalie said yes and agreed to give it a try just once, so she could make her decision. I felt grateful, nheless.


    She bit her lower lip, waiting for my next move. I enjoyed the intensity of her gaze as she anticipated my touch. I knew then that the chemistry between us was undeniable.


    ¡°Take off your clothes!¡± I started, in amand tone.


    She stared at me nkly without giving any reaction. All I saw on her face was confusion.


    ¡°Take them off, Natalie!¡± I ordered again, firmly, with a more insistent tone this time.


    The flush of red on her cheeks heightened her allure, making her seem even more attractive, as if inviting possession. She averted her gaze from mine as she slowly removed her shirt.


    ¡°Look me in the eye and keep taking off the rest,¡± I murmured softly, attempting to ease her evident embarrassment.


    She bit her lip and ced her hands on her trousers, unbuttoning them as she locked eyes with me. I felt my body tense with desire, but I restrained myself. I didn¡¯t want to spoil this moment. I needed to be patient.


    Completely naked, she stared at me expectantly. I swallowed hard and began to slowly remove my clothes. Her eyes widened as each piece came off. With a deep breath, my heart racing, I reached for her. Despite my experience of such encounters, I found myself stunned by her beauty. The sense of anticipation was entirely novel to me. Never before had I longed for a woman as intensely as I did at that moment.


    I stood before her, my chest bare, d only in my jeans. With her wide eyes, she scrutinized my physique before reaching out to touch my chest. My heart fluttered as her fingers traced my muscles. Closing my eyes, I leaned in to kiss her, gently pushing her back against the wall. She stumbled, her breath catching as I pressed her firmly. Our lips met, and I could feel my heart pounding with anticipation.


    As her fingers brushed against my back muscles, I felt overwhelmed. This wasn¡¯t how things were supposed to unfold; I should be the one in control, not her. With a sudden surge of determination, I grasped her hands firmly above her head and took a step back, freeing myself from the intoxicating embrace that threatened to consume me.


    She looked at me quizzically, then reached her hand toward my chest once more. Though reluctant, I knew I had to stop her. As I tightened my grip on her hands, she gazed at me with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to touch me until I give you permission!¡± I said firmly, struggling to maintain a controlled and natural tone.


    She blinked several times, as if she was interpreting what I had just said. Understanding that all of this was new to her, I gave her the time toprehend. However, after a few seconds, she nodded with agreement.


    I retrieved my tie from where I had dropped it by the side of the bed. Grabbed her hands and I secured them to the window handle. She asked, her voice a mixture of concern and excitement, ¡°What are you doing, Raf?¡±


    ¡°Just preparing you,¡± I murmured, leaning in close to whisper in her ear. ¡°Call me Master. Just Master. No other names.¡±


    I took a step back, surveying her with satisfaction. Locking eyes with her, I spoke in a clear tone, emphasizing one of the most crucial rules. ¡°Choose a safety word.¡±


    She smiled a small, uncertain smile, betraying the confusion she felt. ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯s a safety word?¡±


    I lifted her chin gently, meeting her gaze as I rified, ¡°You understand that I¡¯ll be employing some force and intensity, as outlined in the contract, right?¡±


    She swallowed and nodded, so I proceeded, ¡°When you reach your limits and feel that you can¡¯t take it anymore. You can¡¯t bear the pain or the pleasure. Say the safe word which we will agree on now,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± she said with an awkward smile. After a brief pause, she added, ¡°Rafy. The safe word is Rafy.¡± Her smile widened as she dered it.


    I frowned in confusion. Why would she choose my name as a safe word? I raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Why would you pick my name?¡±


    She shrugged her shoulders nonchntly and replied casually, ¡°When we were little kids, you always saved and protected me from other kids¡¯ bullying. Back then, I used to call you Rafy. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    She shocked me, and a pang of guilt washed over me. In our childhood, I had been her protector, but now I found myself pulling her into my dark world.


    ¡°Are you sure you want this?¡± I asked, feeling hesitant to proceed further.


    She blinked several times, her long eyshes fluttering, and gazed at me expectantly with her big eyes. My lower body grew increasingly tense as I nced at her lower body. Never before had I felt such an intense desire to possess a woman.


    ¡°Let me possess you, bebe,¡± I whispered, barely hearing my own voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m yours, Master,¡± she obediently replied, surprising me.


    I patted her head and said in a satisfied tone, ¡°Good girl.¡± Then, I added, ¡°One more thing, as an incentive for you, my ve: the more you endure, the more valuable your prize will be.¡±


    A worry briefly flickered in her eyes, but she supressed it immediately.


    I turned around and walked toward her wardrobe, picking up a scarf hanging inside it. Returning to her, I dered, ¡°I¡¯m going to cover your eyes.¡±


    With her cheeks flushed, I continued to caress her bare skin, sending a small shiver through her delicate, smooth body. I whispered, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    She nodded and replied, ¡°It¡¯s like a tickling.¡±


    My equipment was primary, so I wasn¡¯t expecting to do much tonight. Nevertheless, I was determined to possess her in every possible way.


    I ran the brush down her body, causing her to gasp as a shiver ran through her entire being. Now, the game would begin.


    I refrained from touching her, instead continuing to brush her skin with the soft, long brush slowly, teasing her body and testing the limits of her self-control for long minutes.


    ¡°Ra..,¡± she began, then corrected herself, ¡°Master, please!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not quite ready to start. Just ying around, dear,¡± I said, relishing the awkwardness in her facial expression.


    I brushed every single part of her body with the brush, causing her to writhe and squeeze her legs together from desire. Her body was on fire, ready for me. But I wasn¡¯t even considering starting yet.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to make more effort to convince me to fuck you, not just by rolling your body, ve,¡± I said, relishing the shock on her face. I really enjoyed her facial expressions. She was naive andcked sexual knowledge.


    All the ves before her meant nothing to me; they were merely tools to satisfy my dark desires. However, they were professionals seeking their own pleasure. With Natalie, everything was different. I needed immense effort to control myself, resisting the urge to throw her onto the bed and plunge deeply inside her.


    She pressed her legs tightly together and pleaded, ¡°Master, fuck me!¡± leaning towards me, her heated body yearning for contact. I took a step back to avoid any physical contact and replied, ¡°No touching, my ve.¡±


    She swallowed hard and mumbled, ¡°Why?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Kneel on your knees and put your hands behind your back. I¡¯m just training you now, Natalie, so be patient. We¡¯ve only just begun.¡±


    I untied her hands but kept her eyes covered, then ordered, ¡°Get down on your knees.¡±


    She obeyed without discussion or argument, and I was grateful for that.


    ¡°Put your hands behind your neck and beg me to fuck you!¡± I felt her body stiffen once I ordered her to do so.


    I bent down behind her, started to braid her long hair, and whispered gently, ¡°Come on, say it!¡±


    She hesitated for a moment, then finally whispered, ¡°Please fuck me, Master.¡± I smiled and whispered back, ¡°Good girl.¡± After finishing braiding her hair, I kissed her neck and guided her to the sofa.

 Chapter 43 I’ll Cook For You

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    My heart pounded inside my chest. ¡®Is he going to torture me?¡¯ I wondered. Despite feeling a bit anxious, curiosity drove me to allow him to guide me and take control. In the end, I was certain he would never hurt me, at least not physically, as he had already hurt me emotionally before.


    My hands were tied above my head with his tie, and my eyes were covered, leaving mepletely blinded. His husky voice sent shivers down my spine as he whispered, ¡°Blindness will boost your sensation to my touch.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but untie my hands. I want to feel you,¡± I mumbled with anticipation.


    ¡°No touching. You¡¯re not allowed to touch me,¡± he said, his voice a little harsh. I sensed he was in a sadistic mood. So, anxiety and expectation surged within me. I wouldn¡¯t lie and say that I was sturdy. I was anxious but yearning for the experiment as well.


    I was lying on the sofa, my hands tied above my head and my eyespletely blinded. Despite my inability to see, I could sense his presence from his aura and the familiar fragrance that I had been addicted to since childhood. Knowing exactly where he stood, I wrapped my legs around his slim waist. As my legs made contact with his body, he tensed up and growled with a warning tone, ¡°Don¡¯t ever do anything I haven¡¯t allowed you to do previously!!¡±


    Then he pulled himself out of my leg¡¯s embrace. I didn¡¯t reply for a moment. I didn¡¯t know what to say; his rules were a little strict.


    I cleared my throat and inquired, ¡°How would we make love without touching?¡±


    I heard him pulling something before he answered me, and I assumed it was his trouser belt. Suddenly, he held my chin tightly between his tall fingers and grunted, ¡°I touch you where you¡¯re not allowed to until I give you my permission,¡± his grip tightened on my chin once he added, ¡°Besides, we¡¯re not making love. We¡¯re fucking.¡±


    He released my chin just to boldly pass his fingers over my breasts, then down to my thighs and in between them. I let out a small moan once he stopped his fingers there.


    ¡°Mine. All of this is mine,¡± he mumbled, tweaking me on my body. I fidgeted a little on the sofa, feeling some pain.


    ¡°You have to remember the safe word, Natalie. Use it once you feel you need it,¡± he confirmed, and I nodded.


    Without warning or preamble, I felt a small pummel on my skin. My body stiffened from surprise. I sensed what he was using to pummel my body. Was it my silicon pen?


    He kept using strange methods to touch me, torturing and teasing me in a bittersweet way. I could no longer bear the feeling of desire that would explode within me at any moment.


    I begged him in a breathy tone, ¡°Raf, please!¡±


    He removed the cover from my eyes, making my vision hazy. I blinked several times to adjust to the sudden light. When my gaze fell on him, I saw pure anger shing in his eyes. I wondered, ¡®What was he angry about?¡¯


    Bang, I realized that I called him by his name, so I corrected myself promptly and stammered, ¡°Master, P¡­ Please!¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    His lips curled into a smile, but it was devoid of joy. ¡°We¡¯re not finished, darling. We¡¯re only halfway there,¡± he pressed his lips robustly against mine and added, ¡°I¡¯ll allow you a little trace. But don¡¯t reach your orgasm until I permit it.¡±


    I was stunned. Is he serious? And from the look on his face, I knew he was.


    Is that even possible? How will I control myself?


    ¡°Spread your legs,¡± he said in the samemanding tone.


    The momentster were the strangest moments of my life. How could anyone enjoy the pain?


    Anyway, he was literally diving into me, not a metaphor. He bit and licked every inch of my body, sniffing my skin like a heroin addict. With a hoarse tone, he whispered, ¡°You¡¯re so delicious. More delicious than I ever imagined a woman could be!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if I shouldugh with joy at hispliment or hit him forparing me with other women while we were in this intimate.


    ¡°I¡¯m addicted to you, my whore,¡± he whispered, and I was shocked.


    ¡®Whore?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe he really called me a whore!


    He started sucking my neck so ruffly. I was sure there would be bruises and love bites on my neck in the morning.


    I couldn¡¯t control my body shivers as he fucked me roughly. The pain merged with the pleasure, making me moan loudly. He covered my mouth with his lips to stifle my loud moans. I was about to reach my orgasm when he stopped; his kisses became even more cruel. I even tasted blood.


    But all I craved was to release my orgasm. I didn¡¯t care about my loud moans that might be heard by the domestic staff, or about the love bites that started to hurt me.


    I raised my lower body up towards his, inciting him to continue. But he kept stopping moving each time I was about to reach my orgasm. I begged in a low voice, ¡°Please.¡±


    He pped me forcefully on the side of my thighs, then pushed his body harder and harder. Harder to the limit where I felt he would cut me in half.


    ¡°Gentler, gentler please,¡± I moaned.


    I retreated to the back, trying to distance myself from him. But as I did, he grabbed my pelvis from the side, while his other hand held his trousers belt. I gasped when I saw the belt.


    He didn¡¯t give me any time to think. In one fell swoop, he flogged my thigh. Even though the pain was bearable and mild, my mind couldn¡¯t tolerate it. Why did he have to hit me?


    My head was spinning. Should I let him finish what he was doing? Or should I stop him?


    At a loss, obediently, I submitted to him. I decided to fully experience the experiment, in all its facets, to determine whether I wanted to sign the contract or not. And that thought shocked me. Was I unconsciously considering signing the contract? I knew I was willing to take any risk just to gain his love. But this wasn¡¯t love, though.


    Thank God!


    He didn¡¯tst long in this. He threw the belt away and started to fuck me. Our eyes met, and I saw a gleam in his eyes, which increased the hope inside me.


    A shiver ran through every inch of my body. I knew I was about to reach my orgasm, so I shouted between heavy breaths, ¡°Let me have my orgasm, please!¡±


    Surprisingly, he ordered in a husky tone, ¡°Have your orgasm now, my ve!¡±


    My body shivered immediately. I closed my eyes and felt my body quiver with pleasure. I let out a loud moan as I climaxed, and my body shuddered with pleasure. At the same time, he growled in a raspy voice.


    Suddenly, the storm of emotions stopped. He pulled away and stepped back, a wicked smile on his face.


    He went straight to the bathroom attached to my room. I sat, trying to stand, but my knees were like jelly. They were shivering and trembling, so I leaned back. After a few seconds, I opened my eyes, only to see Rafael staring at me with an amused smile.


    My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and I tried to cover my body, even though everything had happened between us moments ago. He chuckled and then lifted me into his arms. I eximed, ¡°What are you doing? Put me down!¡±


    He kissed me on my forehead and replied nonchantly, ¡°No, I¡¯m going to take care of you!¡±


    I raised an eyebrow and wondered, ¡°Take care of me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll bathe you and feed you.¡±


    I stared at him as he headed towards my bathroom, holding me between his solid arms.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked, amusement obvious on his face.


    ¡°Feed me!¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I¡¯m a good chef?¡±

 Chapter 44 Don’t Fall In Love With Me.

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    In the dim light of the corridors, we sneaked downstairs. I was walking ahead while holding Natalie¡¯s hand as she followed behind me.


    ¡°What if we find Laura in the kitchen?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°So what? I don¡¯t care!¡± I whispered back.


    She hit me on my shoulder and mumbled through gritted teeth, ¡°But I do!¡±


    She insisted that we shouldn¡¯t let any of the domestic staff see us sneaking after midnight towards the kitchen.


    The house was immersed in silence and darkness, indicating that all of its residents were asleep.


    Once we barged into the kitchen, we broke intoughter. She promptly lifted her hand to cover my mouth and ced her other hand¡¯s finger on her cherry lips, and hissed, ¡°Shsh¡±


    I sucked her fingers on my lips. I was addicted to every small touch from her. She pushed me and yelled without a sound, just moving her lips, ¡°Hogine.¡±


    I mocked her and said loudly, ¡°Laur¡­¡±


    She covered my mouth with both of her hands. I chuckled and mumbled from beneath them, ¡°Why are you so afraid of her?¡±


    She punched me in the stomach, like a little kid scribbling, which made me hold back myughter. Then, she turned to leave after tossing out her words, ¡°It¡¯s my fault I followed you!¡±


    ¡°Woo, woo, wait,¡± I mumbled as I grabbed her elbow and turned her to face me. Then, I lifted her into my arms, and she eximed, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll feed you first,¡± I replied as I ced her on the counter. She rolled her eyes and sneered, ¡°Do you really know how to cook?¡±


    I nodded, winked at her, and started putting the ingredients together. I could sense her eyes following each movement I made. As I began cutting the onion at a fast pace, she blinked and asked with curiosity, ¡°How did you learn to cook? I mean, as the heir of the Merrin family, I guess you could have the most professional chef in the country if you wanted!¡±


    I could give her a simple answer, the one she was expecting to hear-the ideal answer. That I learned cooking as a hobby or at boarding school.


    But the answer was bitter. It was something that I couldn¡¯t tell her. How would I tell her that, by the age of eight, I learned to cook because of my stepfather, who forced me to serve his mistresses. My mother was a famous actress, who stayed out of home for several days every month, and I stayed in her husband¡¯s care during this period. She loved him more than her son.


    Moreover, my stepfather took this chance to bring over whomever he wanted. He didn¡¯t respect my innocence and childhood, and what made things worse, he was beating me and insulting me before them just for their pleasure. All the women he brought home were sick, sick and drug-addicted. Sometimes, they even fucked in front of my innocent eyes.


    They kicked me with their high heels and called my mother the most horrific, obscene words, just to fulfill their sick desires.


    I hated myself, I hated my life. Especially when he was forcing me to prepare food for them when they were fucking. I was hearing their voices, their moans. Voices that hurt my ears as a child. As a little kid, I couldn¡¯t do anything. I couldn¡¯t even tell my mother. He threatened me if I told her, he would kill us both.


    The most beautiful moments of my life were when I visited my father one time, and he told me that I had a stepsister. She was two years old when we met. And I was ten years old. She made me love going to my father¡¯s house. I adored her. But I was a broken child who never experienced love, even from the most two close to him, the so-called parents.


    Love is a big joke.


    Even though my stepfather died from a drug overdose when I was fourteen, the consequences of this vition of my childhood affected my personality. I hated women. I hated them the most and loved torturing them.


    But what surprised me earlier was that I couldn¡¯t treat Natalie as I did with the others. I couldn¡¯t bear to see her in pain. I didn¡¯t even use a quarter of my usual methods.


    What was her fault for being stuck in an unhealthy marriage with me?


    All the submissive women in my life came of their own volition, but in Natalie¡¯s case, I tried to force her to do so, knowing that she had no experience.


    I looked at her and smiled a bitter smile. I wouldn¡¯t let her sign that contract, as I¡¯d cancel our marriage if she wanted.


    ¡°So, is it a secret?¡± She raised an eyebrow and asked.


    I was flipping the meat steak in the pan and nced at her once in a while. I wrinkled my nose and answered, ¡°I learned that in boarding school.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Gosh. And how didn¡¯t I know about it?¡± she asked in surprise.


    I went near her to grab another frying pan, pinched her cheek, and said nonchntly, ¡°There are a lot of things you don¡¯t know about me, Natalie. And cooking is the least of them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she hummed thoughtfully, then asked, ¡°So, you pamper and feed every one of them?¡±


    I stared at her, not understanding what she meant. ¡°Everyone of them?¡± I inquired.


    She rolled her eyes, sighed, then cleared her throat and said, ¡°Your submissives!¡±


    I eximed with disgust, ¡°NO. Of course not. I didn¡¯t even sleep with them in the same bed.¡±


    Her facial expression changed several times in a moment. I guessed she was turning my answer over and over in her head. But I couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking.


    ¡°Why? Why are you treating me differently?¡± she asked with anticipation.


    I paused for a moment. The question was hard to answer. Indeed, why did I treat her differently? Why? But I couldn¡¯t answer. She kept ring at me with her big eyes, waiting for the answer, so I shrugged my shoulders, pretending to be calm, and simply answered, ¡°You¡¯re my wife, so why would I treat you like the rest?¡±


    She blinked with her long eyshes, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    I started preparing the kitchen table for our small meal.


    ¡°Mmm, the smell is so good,¡± she inhaled and said.


    I didn¡¯t notice when she got off the counter, so I was taken aback when I felt her arms wrap around me from the back. I froze. I had never been hugged with such tenderness as she was doing now. I was fighting my inner conflict, trying not to push her away.


    I turned around and gave a small smile. Her face was flushed, so I realized that she had taken this step with embarrassment. I caressed her cheek and guided her towards the table, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s eat before it gets cold.¡±


    I fed her bite by bite, just like when we were kids.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mmm, delicious. You¡¯re indeed a good cook,¡± she mumbled between bites.


    I winked at her, saying, ¡°Am I only good at cooking? I can show you my other qualifications if you want!¡±


    She blushed. I filled a spoon with sd and fed her. Sheughed and said, ¡°I warn you, don¡¯t spoil me. If I get used to it, you¡¯ll suffer a lot.¡±


    ¡°Get spoiled as much as you want. We have the money and the power,¡± I said, then I stared into her eyes and added in a serious tone, ¡°But don¡¯t ever fall in love with me, Natalie. Love for me is just an illusion and a disease of weakness.¡±


    I sensed her trying to conceal the looks of shock and sadness from her face. She remained silent for a moment, then looked away. I got up from the table and stood behind her chair, gently squeezing her shoulders to help her rx.


    After we loaded the washing machine, we went upstairs. We stood before her room. When I remained standing before the door, she asked, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Can I sleep in your room?¡± That¡¯s what I asked, but I was going to sleep in her room by any means. ¡°I don¡¯t take ¡®no¡¯ as an answer!¡± I added, emphasizing the word No, and teasing her before she could speak.

 Chapter 45 The Hickies.

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I slowly tried to open my eyelids as a strong light struck them. I closed them again and stretched my hand to touch Rafael¡¯s body, who insisted on sleeping in my roomst night. But his ce was empty despite his scent lingering in the air. I opened my eyes and sat up, only to see Rosy, one of the domestic staff. As soon as she saw me wake up, she smiled softly and said, ¡°Good morning, Miss Natalie.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    It was strange to wake up and find one of the domestic staff in my room. It had never happened before. They can¡¯t just walk into my personal space so casually without asking.


    It seemed like she realized what I was thinking, so she smiled again and rified, ¡°Mr. Merrin asked me to bring your breakfast to your room. I hope I didn¡¯t bother you, though.¡±


    I scanned the room with my eyes, making sure there was nothing suspicious or odd left fromst night. I sighed in relief when everything seemed normal. I smiled, cleared my throat, and said in a clumsy tone, ¡°Okay, thank you, Rosy.¡±


    She said, ¡°If you need anything, just ring the bell,¡± then turned to leave.


    Panicked, I eximed wide-eyed, ¡°Which bell?¡±


    Rosy red back at me, pointed to the bedside, and said with an amused smile, ¡°Mr. Merrin installed a chime next to your bedside drawer connected to the kitchen chime,¡± and from the look on her face, I could tell that she also found the arrangement odd.


    I tucked my hair behind my ears, sat up straight on the bed, and said, ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. Why would I need a bell beside my bed?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t, Miss Natalie. You can ask him,¡± she stammered, then stared at my bare neck with a hint of genuine shock on her face. I furrowed my brows, wondering what she was ring at. Unconsciously, I ced my palm on my neck, only to feel a little pain. ¡®The hickeys!¡¯ the realization hit me.


    My face flushed red like hers. I felt awkward. What the hell was Rafael thinking of sending her to my room?


    ¡°Is he downstairs?¡± I asked, my tone tinged with anger.


    She shook her head and said, ¡°No, he asked me to bring breakfast to your room because you workedtest night and might be tired.¡± She stole a nce towards my neck again as she finished her sentence.


    ¡°Why would he ask you that?¡± I yelled at her. It was the first time I had ever yelled at one of the domestic staff, so she blinked in stunned silence, not knowing how to reply.


    She thought I was yelling and asking her. I was just so angry and thinking aloud. I let out a deep sigh and said with a soft tone, ¡°Never mind, Rosy. Go to your work. I¡¯ll talk to himter.¡±


    She nodded and left.


    What would the domestic staff think of this? Surely they would wonder why Rafael is suddenly so concerned about me. What if they told Grandma and Tobi about this? They would ask me a lot of questions.


    I stood up and headed to the tall mirror, only to see my neck was covered with blue and green love bites.


    I pushed my body back to lie on the bed, flipped onto my stomach, buried my face into my pillow, and screamed loudly, ¡°Raf!! I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    As I walked downstairs, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the strange gazes from all the domestic staff directed towards me. I felt awkward. Did they notice or hear somethingst night? But they weren¡¯t allowed to be in the sleeping suite.


    Ignoring their stolen nces, I headed to the main door. Once I stepped outside, I saw a yellow Bugatti parked in the middle of the front yard. I knew all of Rafael¡¯s cars-he had more than twenty. Even though he had two Bugattis, this wasn¡¯t one of them. I had never seen him using a yellow car before.


    I saw the driver who was standing beside the car heading towards me with a big smile on his face. ¡°Good morning, Miss Natalie. Congrats. It¡¯s a good car,¡± he said, passing a car key towards me. I blinked several times, not giving any reaction.


    I lifted my gaze from the key and stared at the man¡¯s face. I raised an eyebrow and asked with astonishment, ¡°What do you mean? What car?¡±


    He turned towards the Bugatti and answered, ¡°This Bugatti. Mr. Rafael asked me to hand you the keys.¡±


    I paused for a moment, staring at the car that cost more than ten million dors in amazement. Then, I shook my head in disbelief. Even though I lived with the Merrins as one of them, I had never been blessed with such an amount of money. Without saying a word, I turned around and headed towards the garage.


    The driver ran after me and said, ¡°Miss Natalie, please wait!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alreadyte for work. I¡¯ll use my car. Tell Rafael that I didn¡¯t ept his ¡®present¡¯,''¡± I said, speeding up my steps towards the garage, trying to avoid further embarrassment.


    ¡°But,¡± he stammered, then followed me inside the garage and added, ¡°But, Miss Natalie. Mr. Rafael used your car to go to thepany.¡±


    My jaw dropped to the ground. I snapped, ¡°Why did he do that, for God¡¯s sake!¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait for the driver¡¯s reply. I turned around, seeing red. He had done enough for one day. With steady steps, my high heels digging loudly into the ground, I headed to the gate.


    The driver asked with panic, ¡°Where are you going, Miss Natalie?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not using this car. I¡¯ll take a cab,¡± I said, not looking back at him.


    He followed me with fast steps. ¡°Please, Miss. You will cause me trouble if you take a taxi.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, knowing that Rafael must have threatened him. I knew how cruel he was with his workers. They trembled just if he furrowed his eyebrows at them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not using that damned car,¡± I snapped, realizing that I had yelled at the domestic workers twice in one day. It was all because of him.


    I didn¡¯t want to use it because I knew it would attract attention in thepany, and they would start asking questions and focusing on Rafael and me. I didn¡¯t want us to be the focus of their gossip, especially not when he was still engaged to someone else.


    I stood for ten minutes, but no taxi passed by. The neighborhood was filled with famous and rich people, and they mostly used their own vehicles.


    I stared at Daniel¡¯s house and wondered if I should call him to take me to thepany. When I grabbed my phone from my handbag and nced at the watch, I found it was already ten thirty, and he must be in his office now.


    I thought of calling a cab agency, but I pushed that thought away and stared back at the driver, who was standing behind me with a gloomy expression on his face. I let out a deep sigh and said, ¡°Give me the key, I¡¯m going to use that car!¡±


    His face lit up, and he smiled a broad smile. ¡°Here it is, Miss,¡± he said happily.


    I passed him after I took the key, with a determined look on my face, ready to make Rafael pay for the awkwardness he caused me.


    I took my seat and started the engine, only to be stunned by the sounding from the car. ¡°Hello, good morning!¡± The voice said. It was the car system.


    One could feel the luxury of the car as soon as they stepped in. ¡°Hello,¡± I replied, and added, ¡°What are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Sirri. Please, give me your destination,¡± the system said, and a map appeared on the screen before me.


    I smiled but chose the option of turning the map off. Sirri added, ¡°Drive safe!¡±


    I smirked, ¡°He didn¡¯t even consider choosing a feminine car for me.¡±


    I stopped the car before the tall building of Merrin Group and tried to cover the hickies on my neck with a scarf before going out in public.

 Chapter 46 The Only Thing I Can Give You Is Safety.

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    As I expected, all the gazes of the security guards were on the car. Its shiny color easily caught their attention. I was d that I was alreadyte for work and that all the employees were now in their offices.


    After I parked the car, I headed straight to Rafael¡¯s office inside the building, hoping to catch him before he got immersed in the day¡¯s endless meetings. I tightened the scarf around my neck as a group of employees joined me in the elevator. I greeted them with a small smile, and they returned the greeting, continuing their conversation.


    ¡°Is Rafael in his office?¡± I asked the secretary once I stood before her desk.


    She smiled broadly and replied, ¡°Yes, Miss Natalie. And he¡¯s waiting for you.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows slightly in astonishment, then narrowed my eyes at the realization that he knew I woulde to him. So, he was doing all this on purpose.


    Suddenly, a harsh voice from the speaker on the secretary¡¯s desk rang out loudly, saying, ¡°Hasn¡¯t Miss Natalie arrived yet?¡±


    The secretary replied promptly, ¡°She¡¯s here, Mr. Merrin.¡±


    A sound signaling the end of the call crackled from the speaker. I don¡¯t know why my legs turned to jelly. I adjusted my stance and opened his office door. Our eyes met as I closed the door and turned to him. He was sitting at his desk, tapping his fingers on the surface, crossing his legs, and wearing a small, sidelong smile. He resembled one of the Hollywood celebrities.


    His sidelong smile fueled my anger. I realized he was mocking me. I stormed towards his desk, mmed my palms down on it, and snapped, ¡°What the hell are you doing, Raf?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow calmly and asked, ¡°What did I do wrong? Thest time I remember, you were totally satisfied! Is it because I didn¡¯t give you a morning kiss?¡±


    I pointed my finger at him and eximed, ¡°You!¡±


    He stood up from his seat, circled around the desk, and loomed over me like a tall model. I took a defensive step back, but he didn¡¯t let me. He cupped my face with his hand and kissed me. It was a soft and gentle kiss, not likest night.


    Then, he rested his forehead against mine and mumbled, ¡°I missed you.¡±


    Before I could reply, he kissed me again. This time, I pulled away, but he let out a sound of refusal, refusing to let go. I punched him lightly on his chest and whispered, ncing towards the door, ¡°Stop! Someone could see us.¡±


    He let go of my cheeks and asked while staring into my eyes, ¡°Are you afraid to this limit if anyone sees us?¡±


    I distanced myself from him and stammered, ¡°It¡¯s kind of odd, what¡¯s between us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! It¡¯s only a matter of time before we announce our marriage,¡± he said, trying to hold me in his embrace. But I avoided his touch and walked to sit on the big sofa. I couldn¡¯t stand on my feet any longer. I wasn¡¯t ready to face the world about our marriage. I didn¡¯t want to be seen as the woman who took someone else¡¯s fiance. Having an affair like step-siblings wasn¡¯t socially eptable.


    ¡°But I care, Raf. And everything you did this morning is not eptable to me,¡± I said in a soft, sad tone.


    He knelt before my chair, cing his palms on my thighs, and asked, ¡°Do you mean the car? It¡¯s safer than yours. I drove yours, and it doesn¡¯t have as good of a safety system.¡±


    ¡°But it costs a fortune!¡± I snapped, feeling his soft touch on my thighs.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you for the price!¡± he said.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t ept it, though,¡± I said with a determined tone.


    ¡°Nat, I want you to be safe. I can¡¯t let you drive a car with less safety,¡± he mumbled, his touch growing higher.


    I put my hands firmly on his hands, raised an eyebrow, and said, ¡°And the bell? Is that for my safety too?¡±


    ¡°¡±It¡¯s for yourfort if you need anything,¡± he replied.


    I shook his hands off my thighs and cried out, ¡°This is too much, Raf! You didn¡¯t even consider that the maid, Rosy, might see the hickeys on my neck. You just sent her to my room without thinking!¡±


    He raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Did she see them?¡±


    The realization hit me, so I narrowed my eyes at him and asked, ¡°Did you send her on purpose? You wanted her to see!¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply, so I asked again in confusion, ¡°But why?¡±


    He stood up, walked towards the big window, put his hands in his pockets, and said with a cold tone, ¡°I have something to discuss with you.¡±


    I flinched at the sudden change in his mood. He turned to face me and added, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Daniel? You didn¡¯t even break up with him. What¡¯s your n for that?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t thinking about Daniel because we didn¡¯t have a rtionship in the first ce. I swallowed and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t break up with him because we don¡¯t have anything to break. He¡¯s not my fiance or even a boyfriend.¡±


    A quick hint of relief went through his gaze, then he asked, ¡°Then, he wouldn¡¯t affect your decision regarding what I¡¯m going to say.¡±


    ¡°No, of course not,¡± I eximed.


    ¡°The first decision I make about us is that I don¡¯t want you to sign the contract,¡± he said, locking eyes with me, trying to read my reaction closely.


    I blinked in shock. I couldn¡¯t understand why he changed his mind now, especially after we spent the night together as his ve. Could it be that I didn¡¯t satisfy him enough? This thought overwhelmed me, and I felt a little disappointed.


    Even though I cleared my throat and said, ¡°And the second?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°We can cancel the marriage agreement if you¡¯d like. As you know, I have my own wealth; I don¡¯t rely on the Merrins. So I can pay you the amount that was dered in the agreement, even if we don¡¯tply with the terms.¡±


    Every word he said felt like a dagger cutting into my veins. I couldn¡¯t hide my shock any longer, nor my anger.


    I said with a disdainful tone, ¡°Let me get this right. After you slept with me and did whatever you wanted, now you¡¯re looking for excuses to end everything!¡±


    He stared at my face nkly, studying my words, I guess. However, I didn¡¯t wait for his reply and snapped, ¡°You¡¯re such a jerk. Don¡¯t ever be in my way again.¡± Then, I dropped the Bugatti key on his desk and left the office.


    Before I reached the door handle, he pulled me back into his embrace, wrapping his strong arms around my body. I struggled to free myself, but I couldn¡¯t. So, I yelled at him between my sobs, ¡°Let go of me, you bastard.¡±


    He buried his nose in my neck, sniffed, and whispered, ¡°Please, let me exin!¡±


    I heard my heart pounding loudly. I tried to calm myself. I didn¡¯t want him to hear my miserable, crazy heartbeat, but wait, this wasn¡¯t my heart; it was Rafael¡¯s heartbeat.


    He turned me around to face him and said, ¡°I¡¯m not letting you down; I¡¯m just trying to save you from myself.¡± He cupped my face between his palms and added, ¡°I¡¯m a sick man, Natalie. If you bind yourself to me, you will suffer a lot of pain from what you feel now. I can¡¯t promise you love. I know you¡¯re seeking it, but I can¡¯t give it to you. The wrong is not in you; it¡¯s in me. I love torturing women.¡± He finished his sentence with a red face; I knew he had just confessed something he didn¡¯t really feel proud of.


    ¡°The only thing I can give you is safety,¡± he whispered in a barely audible tone, as if he was ashamed of this confession.

 Chapter 47 Reduce Your Possessiveness.

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I raised my chin defiantly and retorted, ¡°So, how do you n to satisfy your sadistic urges?¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply, but I knew the answer. He was addicted to what he had been doing all these years. My body stiffened as I grappled with a dilemma: should I let go of this futile rtionship?


    He felt my body tense, so he tapped my shoulders and said in a sad tone, ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee your safety if we go through with this.¡±


    I closed my eyes to hide my despair, and when I opened them again I inquired, ¡°Then, why did you buy me that car? Why did you care to send breakfast to my room? Is thatpensation for using me? Should I be grateful for that?¡±


    He eximed in shock, ¡°No, for God¡¯s sake, Natalie. I did that because I wanted to. Because our rtionship will never be over. You¡¯re my family. I¡¯ll take care of you and shower you with care even if you refuse,¡± he paused for a second, then added calmly, ¡°Even if our rtionship doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll keep taking care of you as I did before.¡±


    I stared deeply into his eyes with a challenge and said, in a firm tone, ¡°But I want to sign that contract.¡±


    He was taken aback, tilted his head to the side, and said in disbelief, ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    The determination in my eyes made him chuckle. He shook his head and said in a soft tone, ¡°In this, there¡¯s no going back.¡±


    I put my hands on his chest and said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to go back.¡±


    He hugged me tightly in his embrace and whispered, ¡°Thank God!¡±


    I took a step back and said, ¡°But I have conditions too.¡±


    When he didn¡¯t speak, I continued, ¡°We both know that what we have isn¡¯t an ordinary marriage, right?¡±


    Rafael stared at me with an unreadable expression. His eyes studied my face with doubt and darkness.


    ¡°Yes, we do. And if we started we wouldn¡¯t back off,¡± snapped his words, as if he was trying to make me think well about this huge step.


    ¡°I never heard a Master asking his ve not to back off the rtionship. Isn¡¯t it you who¡¯s taking control?¡± I teased him.


    He furrowed his eyebrows as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t use that word.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, ¡°Which word?¡±


    He crossed his arms over his chest and said, ¡°ve. It¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I am in this rtionship? You even called me a whorest night,¡± I snapped in confusion.


    ¡°Natalie, be quiet and let me finish,¡± he growled. ¡°We use these terms just when we fuck; other than that, I wouldn¡¯t call you a ve or anything like that. You¡¯re my wife in public once we announce our marriage; the other things stay in our room.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, despite the butterflies that erupted in my stomach. I cleared my throat, preparing myself for what I was going to say next.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I rolled my eyes, despite the butterflies that erupted in my stomach. I cleared my throat, preparing myself for what I was going to say next.


    I knew I loved him, and I was totally aware it was a forbidden love. But I kept this love locked within my heart¡¯s walls for years, not knowing that there woulde a day when this love would transform into everything: marriage, sex, contracted ve. Everything but not love though.


    I didn¡¯t try to reveal my true feelings for him, I didn¡¯t seduce him, yet, here we were trapped in this situation. But the one thing I knew, I wasn¡¯t ready to announce this marriage yet.


    Rafael¡¯s expression crumpled. It was obvious he didn¡¯t like what I said. ¡°So what if we¡¯re step-siblings? We don¡¯t share any gics. Our rtionship is not abominable, Natalie.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make it socially eptable!¡± I dered.


    He furrowed his eyebrows and said with a disapproving tone, ¡°Stop thinking of what other people would think, Natalie, ¡± then he kissed me a soft kiss on my lips and added, ¡°Just think of what we both want.¡±


    The future I envisioned with him was shady and unclear. All I could see was danger and heartbreak. Despite all of this, I still craved to go on and try. I didn¡¯t want to y it safe this time, so I decided to rebel against the girl I used to be.


    I let out a deep sigh and mumbled after I took a few steps back, ¡°I¡¯ll sign the contract, Rafael, but I have a few terms you must oblige to.¡±


    His eyes lit up with hope and a hint of astonishment. He said, ¡°And what are they?¡±


    I gathered all my strength and said with determination, ¡°No one can ever find out about us. I mean, our marriage must stay secret as it began.¡±


    ¡°But, Nat¡­¡± he interrupted. But I put my finger on his lips and said, ¡°Let me finish. I know you said you¡¯d be ready to announce our marriage to the world after a few times, but I¡¯m not ready yet. When I¡¯m ready, I¡¯ll ask you to. As you know, I¡¯m not Merrin. People will think I seduced you and snatched you from your fiancee, and don¡¯t tell me I shouldn¡¯t care about what people will think. I live in a society, Raf, and people always judge me because I still live within the Merrins even after my mother¡¯s death.¡±


    Rafael clenched his fists and stared hard at me. He lived all his life pampered and cared for, while I was always the girl whom the Merrins favored with a favor. I couldn¡¯t just walk around and announce my rtionship with Raf. I had to fortify myself against any negativements. I wasn¡¯t like him; he had the self-confidence of a hundred men, regardless of what he was doing.


    I caressed his cheek and asked, ¡°So?¡±


    He tightened his lips and dropped his head back, but in the end, he said, ¡°Fine,¡± with a deep sigh, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to be ready.¡±


    I gulped down saliva, took advantage, and added promptly, ¡°I want you to give me my freedom and space. Reduce your possessiveness and trust me.¡±


    He stared at me silently. I realized he was going to refuse.

 Chapter 48 Are These Love Bites?

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Before Rafael could reply, knocks on the door made him frown. He nced at his wristwatch and roared, ¡°Come in.¡±


    His secretary entered and closed the door behind her. A look of trouble on her face, she cleared her throat and stammered, ¡°Sir, I know you ordered me not to interrupt you or let anyone through. But Miss Debbie is here, and she insisted on seeing you now. Even though I told her that you¡¯re in a close meeting with Miss Natalie. I could barely hold her back from barging in.¡±


    ¡°What did she want?¡± he asked.


    Before the secretary could reply, the office door swung open, and Debbie walked in. She stared at each one of us with a broad smile, then stepped towards me and hugged me, saying, ¡°Hey, Natalie. Long time no see. I missed you.¡±


    Then she held my hands and added, ¡°We should make sisters day together one day.¡±


    She looked at Rafael and added, ¡°Your sister will be my sister once we marry.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you here?¡± Rafael ignored her statement and asked her with a sharp tone.


    She let go of my hands and walked towards Rafael. Touching his arm, she cheered, ¡°I missed you. Can¡¯t a girl miss her future husband? Right, Natalie?¡±


    I blinked, not knowing what to say. Overwhelming emotions showered me. I felt the urge to leave; her fake soft voice made me sick. Thank God my phone rang at that particr moment. I saw my friend Reba¡¯s name on the screen. I picked up the call promptly and walked away from them towards the office¡¯s big window. I didn¡¯t want to hear their conversation.


    ¡°Hey, Nat!¡± Reba¡¯s voice rang through the phone.


    I smiled at her cheerful voice; she was always happy.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked, ncing at Rafael. I expected to find him immersed in conversation with Debbie, but instead, I found him ring at me while Debbie was trying to capture his attention.


    ¡°We have a party tonight and no excuses. Fello and I haven¡¯t seen you for a while. We missed you, girl,¡± she mumbled with a hint ofint.


    Indeed, I missed them a lot. Sitting and chatting with my friends was like a therapy session.


    ¡°Okay, send me the address, I¡¯lle,¡± I said, ncing back at Rafael. He was still looking at me but sitting at his desk.


    I ended the call and stood before the desk, where Debbie was sitting on the opposite seat, crossing her legs.


    She stared at me with disdain and hatred. Why wouldn¡¯t she? Certainly, she would look at me that way, knowing that Rafael wasn¡¯t paying attention to her at that moment.


    ¡°Who was on the phone?¡± Rafael questioned me.


    I raised an eyebrow and replied, ¡°It¡¯s Reba. She¡¯s asking me to meet her after work.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± he asked again.


    ¡°Why are you asking? Are you willing to apany us?¡± I teased him, knowing he couldn¡¯t reveal his true intentions before Debbie and his secretary.


    He leaned back in his seat and said, ¡°If I had time, why not?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I felt the burning gaze that Debbie was shooting me with, but I ignored her.


    I looked at my wristwatch and said, ¡°Excuse me now. I have a meeting I need to prepare for in thirty minutes.¡±


    Before I turned around to leave, Debbie lifted her head from her phone. It seemed she was typing a text message. She said, ¡°It¡¯s the first time I saw you wearing a scarf around your neck; it suits you. Is it a new look for the meeting? Is it that important?¡±


    Unconsciously, I touched the scarf and tightened it around my neck. I had totally forgotten that I was wearing it.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just for a change, nothing more,¡± I said and turned around to leave. Once I extended my hand to hold the door handle, the door swung open, and Jack barged in. We crashed into each other, and I fell to the ground. A small scream escaped my mouth from surprise, but no harm had happened.


    Rafael rushed towards me, swiftly pushing Jack aside, and asked with concern, ¡°Did you get injured?¡± He extended his hand to help me.


    I pushed his hand away and chuckled when I saw the concern on Rafael and Jack¡¯s faces. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± I reassured them. I didn¡¯t want to cause awkwardness.


    I stood up, unaware of the fallen scarf on the ground, and shook hands with Jack.


    He chuckled and jokingly stared at Rafael, using him, ¡°It¡¯s because of you, man.¡±


    Rafael raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Because of me, what? Did I tell you to barge in like a bull without even knocking?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I saw your Bugatti, it¡¯s twenty, twenty-four. How much did it cost you? When I saw it in the parking area, I was astonished.¡± Jack said with joy.


    ¡°Take it easy, man, it¡¯s not mine!¡± Rafael calmly said, ncing at me.


    Jack¡¯s eyes furrowed as he asked, ¡°Then whose is it? No one in thepany can afford it,¡± then he looked at Debbie with the realization, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s yours?¡±


    Rafael looked at me. I shook my head, not wanting him to say it, but his smile widened, and he said, ¡°It¡¯s Natalie¡¯s.¡±


    Jack paused for a second, staring at my face. Then, as if he realized something, he smiled, winked at me, and said, ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    Damn it.


    I red at Rafael with fury, then looked at Jack and smiled, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Debbie stood beside us with a broad smile and said, ¡°Congrattions, Natalie. Finally, your hard work at the Merrins Group has borne fruit.¡±


    I felt as if she knew something. I don¡¯t care if she does, but I have to learn more about the suspected shipment she told me about. She shouldn¡¯t know anything about me and Rafael now. Sometimes I feel sorry for her. She thinks she¡¯s going to marry Rafael, but I know they don¡¯t love each other. Their engagement was based on personal benefits, not love.


    Even though I see her acting sweetly now, pretending to care and be happy for me, I¡¯ve known the truth for a while: Debbie can¡¯t love anyone other than herself.


    I smiled a small smile and replied, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Then I turned towards Rafael and said, ¡°I have got to go. No time left for the meeting.¡±


    Before I opened the door, Debbie said, ¡°You forgot this.¡±


    I turned to her just to see the scarf between her hands. With a genuine reaction, I touched my bare neck.


    She handed it to me and whispered, ¡°Are these love bites? After all, it seems you¡¯re having fun with Daniel. Or maybe someone else?¡± she finished her sentence with a vicious low tone.

 Chapter 49 Friends Time

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable!¡± I eximed amidst tears andughter.


    Ourughter echoed to the folks beside us. It was incredible how my friends and I transformed into reservoirs of jokes whenever we gathered. Even in the darkest moments of our lives, we couldn¡¯t resist bursting intoughter when we were together.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see how Fello acted when the man caught her red-handed,¡± Reba recounted amidst her chuckles, struggling to keep her tears at bay.


    The waiter brought over our orders. Reba and Fello opted for wine, while I chose orange juice.


    ¡°Come on, Natalie. We haven¡¯t seen each other for a while now. One ss wouldn¡¯t do any harm,¡± Fello urged, attempting to persuade me to join them in drinking.


    I shook my head firmly and replied, ¡°No.¡±


    Reba gulped her ss in one shot and asked with curiosity shining in her green eyes, ¡°So, tell us about the Bugatti. Did ite from that Frenchman?¡±


    Fello sighed in a dreamy tone, ¡°Oh, how romantic! Is he really that wealthy?¡±


    ¡°How is it to be in a rtionship with such a wealthy man?¡± Reba inquired. She had always been the one among us who enjoyed dating affluent men.


    I tightened my lips, suppressing augh, and swirled the orange liquid inside my ss, teasing them with my silence.


    ¡°Is he generous?¡± Fello asked.


    ¡°Of course he is. The man bought her a Bugatti!¡± Reba replied confidently.


    ¡°You, shut up, I¡¯m not asking you,¡± Fello snapped, then turned to me and added, ¡°Why did he gift you a car? Why didn¡¯t he just give you a piece of jewelry like other men do?¡±


    I ced my ss on the table before me and said with gleaming eyes, ¡°The car isn¡¯t from Daniel.¡±


    They blinked, and a surge of curiosity lit up their eyes. Simultaneously, they asked, ¡°Then who?¡±


    ¡°Rafael!¡± I said.


    Reba retorted with impatience, ¡°What about your cruel stepbrother? Just tell us who gifted you the¡­¡± Then, her eyes widened, and she asked, ¡°Is it him?¡±


    I nodded, chuckling at their reaction.


    ¡°Oh my Lord,¡± Reba eximed in wonder.


    ¡°Has he started being nice to youtely?¡± Fello asked, sounding concerned.


    ¡°Rafael has always been kind to me,¡± I replied, not fond of my friend¡¯s opinion of him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try,e on!¡± Reba eximed as she rose from her seat.


    ¡°Try what?¡± I asked in confusion as she began pulling me out of my seat.


    ¡°Your Bugatti!¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± I asked, ncing at my wristwatch. ¡°We¡¯re yet to go home.¡±


    ¡°Come on, please. Just one ride, and then we¡¯lle right back. I want to do an Instagram live for my followers,¡± she begged me. And she didn¡¯t need much effort to convince me; I couldn¡¯t say no to my friends.


    I started the engine, and their screams of anticipation and joy filled the air.


    Fello sat in the front seat while Reba upied the back. I increased the speed, and the two girls shouted with joy as the music red inside the car. The wind tousled our hair yfully.


    ¡°You never told us, why did Rafael gift you this car though?¡± Fello asked again.


    I knew she wouldn¡¯t stop asking until I gave her an answer. As I hated lying to my friends, I decided to be truthful, yet neutral, in my response.


    ¡°He said I¡¯m a family to him, and he¡¯ll provide me with everything I need and everything he can,¡± I answered with satisfaction, thinking that my answer is clever.


    Fello narrowed her eyes and asked, ¡°And what¡¯s all of that about?¡±


    Reba entered her head from the car window and settled back into her seat, running her fingers through her hair, trying to tame her curly strands that had be frizzy from the wind.


    She extended her head from between the two car seats and said with excitement, ¡°What if we tested how generous your stepbrother can be?¡±


    I nced back at her and noticed the excitement in her eyes. Then, I returned my gaze to the road and firmly refused, ¡°No, Reba. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    Before I could finish my sentence, I heard the ringing tone emanating from her phone speaker. I stared at Fello and snapped, ¡°Stop her!¡± But she smirked and replied, ¡°No, hun. We need to know the truth. No man gives a woman such a gift without a reason.¡±


    I attempted to snatch the phone from Reba¡¯s hand, but it was toote. Rafael¡¯s husky voice rang out of the speaker, ¡°Hello!¡±


    I shot Reba a furious look while she smirked. Clearing her throat, she mumbled, ¡°Hello, Rafael. It¡¯s Reba.¡±


    ¡°How are you, Reba? Is everything okay? Is Natalie with you?¡± he asked, his concern evident in his voice.


    Reba raised her eyebrows yfully at me, insinuating that Rafael¡¯s tone of concern seemed to exceed that of an ordinary person.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I stopped the car at the nearest stop. I couldn¡¯t concentrate on driving any longer.


    ¡°Yes, she is with us, we¡¯re trying the Bugatti. You can see us on the live feed on my Instagramter,¡± then, she paused for a moment then added, ¡°It¡¯s just we bet who¡¯s of us her boyfriend is more generous and send her now thergest amount of money. Since Natalie doesn¡¯t have one, I thought about putting you in this position temporarily until we find her one.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe what Reba had just said. I tried to snatch the phone from her hands, but Fello started pulling me, preventing me from doing so.


    ¡°Stop¡­¡± I tried to say, but Fello covered my mouth, and Reba moved to sit at the farthest spot on the back seat.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rafael replied, then said, ¡°I¡¯m honored to take this position.¡±


    My friends narrowed their eyes at me with suspicion, and they began interrogating me after Rafael hung up.


    ¡°So? Don¡¯t you have anything to confess to us?¡± Fello asked.


    My phone buzzed, indicating that I had received a new message.


    Under their curious gazes, I pulled out my phone from my handbag and read the message. I was astonished. It was a notification from the bank, indicating that fifty thousand dors had been deposited into my bank ount from Rafael¡¯s ount.


    ¡°Are you still insisting that there¡¯s nothing between you?¡± Fello asked with a grin.

 Chapter 50 Bumping Into A Strange Man

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I shot my friends a furious look, still simmering with anger over what they had done earlier. However, I couldn¡¯t maintain my facade for long; soon, we burst intoughter.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you did that, you crazy ones,¡± I said amidst my giggles.


    Reba replied with excitement, ¡°I can¡¯t believe he sent you that amount of money already. Is there any way to push his fiancee aside and make him engage me?¡±


    ¡°What about your fiance?¡± Fello asked her, his tone dripping with fake disdain.


    She rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Dev is a wealthy man, but he¡¯s not as rich as Rafael.¡±


    I stared at her with amusement. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of love before?¡±


    ¡°Love is for weak people,¡± she replied, lifting her chin defiantly.


    Her reply reminded me of Rafael¡¯s opinion about love; they shared the same perspective.


    But there was a difference between their reasons for that opinion. As much as I understood Reba¡¯s love for money, I also knew the extent of her suffering due to her mother¡¯s rtionships. She had moved from one man to another for financial security. While some of her mother¡¯s boyfriends treated her well, others subjected her to harassment and mistreatment.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Fello asked as I got up from the booth where we were sitting after returning from our short ride.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fix my makeup,¡± I said, intending to call Rafael and rify things with him.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    I think Fello guessed what I was going to do. She patted me on the shoulder and said cheerfully, ¡°Yes, go girl!¡±


    I headed to thedies¡¯ room without looking back. There were a few girls there, so I had to wait for a little bit before making my call.


    I washed my hands and patted my hot neck with my wet, cold hands. When the girls exited the restroom, I dialed Rafael¡¯s number. The phone rang and rang, but he didn¡¯t pick up. Could it be that he was still at thepany until now? I nced at the watch on my phone screen. It indicated eleven thirty, making it impossible for him to still be at the office.


    I decided to make onest try before returning to my friends. This time, he picked up the call on the fourth ring, just before I was about to surrender and end the call.


    I froze when I heard her voice. She sounded out of breath as she said, ¡°Hello!¡±


    I blinked several times, then nced back at the screen. Rafael¡¯s name was disyed on the screen, confirming that I hadn¡¯t identally dialed the wrong number.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Debbie said again, her voice soundingzy this time.


    I gritted my teeth and pulled the phone away from my ear, my heart pounding crazily. But before I pressed the end button, she said again, ¡°Natalie, are you there?¡±


    I forged ahead, asking, ¡°Where¡¯s Rafael?¡±


    ¡°In the bathroom, taking a shower,¡± Debbie replied with a t tone, as if it were a normal thing.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to hear anymore. I didn¡¯t want to hear her voice anymore.


    I hung up the call.


    What the hell was Rafael doing with her?


    Are they¡­?


    That was impossible.


    But what¡¯s impossible, you idiot? He knows you were with your friends, and you wouldn¡¯t be home soon!


    The tears wouldn¡¯te out of my eyes, but a big lump formed in my throat. My heart tightened, and every cell of my body was hurting. With trembling fingers, I called Rafael¡¯s number again. But this time, neither Rafael nor Debbie picked up.


    I emerged from the washroom in a daze, my knees trembling. Even though I wasn¡¯t sure if they were together, as the way my mind was forming pictures, I felt ufortable.


    The vision was a little foggy because of the unshed tears, so I bumped into a tall man. He held me by my waist and asked with concern, ¡°Are you okay, Miss?¡±


    I pushed his hands away from me, forced a pale smile, and replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I hurt you with my high heel?¡±


    He examined me with his eyes, and though I wasn¡¯tfortable, I felt the need to be polite. After all, I was the one who had bumped into him.


    He shook his head and said, ¡°Never mind. You canpensate me with one ss.¡±


    Though I knew I couldn¡¯t drink, I feltpelled to agree. Still, I nodded and gestured towards a corner, saying, ¡°Okay, you can find me in that booth.¡±


    He nodded, and I straightened my stance, took a deep breath, then walked towards my friends.


    ¡°What happened? Why is your face pale? And who is that guy? Do you know him?¡± Fello showered me with questions once I sat back down.


    Reba rolled her eyes and retorted, ¡°Why are you acting like a nanny? Let the girl enjoy herself.¡±


    ¡°Hi, hot girls,¡± said the man who I bumped into moments ago, holding two sses of wine in his hands.


    Fello eyed him from top to toe, then whispered to me, ¡°Are you going to drink?¡±


    I nodded and said, ¡°Just one ss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Jad,¡± the man said as he sat beside me.


    I smiled politely and replied, ¡°I¡¯m Natalie.¡±


    He handed me a ss of red wine and mumbled, ¡°Just one ss, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡±


    Reba was engaged in conversation with her followers through an Instagram live feed, while Fello silently scrolled through her phone.


    Even though I wasn¡¯t good with alcohol, I drank the wine as quickly as I could, just to get rid of this guy. I don¡¯t like guys who try to impose themselves, thinking it¡¯s cool, and that girls will love it.


    The strange thing was, the man left once I finished drinking my ss. I watched him walk away after he said goodbye politely. He didn¡¯t even try to put his hand on me like others might have, trying to take advantage of the situation. He avoided Reba¡¯s camera when she tried to focus it on him.


    However, I felt relieved he didn¡¯t try anything. It spared me the need to defend myself.


    After a short while, I found myself craving more drink, something stronger. A heat surged through my veins, and an overwhelming feeling invaded my body. Even though I was weak when it came to alcohol, it had never caused me this kind of sensation before.


    Images of Rafael with Debbie kept reying in my head, even though, deep down, I felt it wasn¡¯t like my mind was telling me. It was like I was hallucinating, trapped in a bubble of confusion.


    ¡°Nat? Dear, are you okay?¡± Fello asked me with a worried expression when she saw me asking the waiter for another ss.


    I waved my hand at her, signaling not to worry.


    I drank. I drank a lot, to the point where I lost count. Every time I told myself it would be thest drink, I found myself craving more.


    I asked the waiter for another ss, but this time Fello held my hand, stopping me from drinking more. I yelled at her, ¡°Stop interfering! I¡¯m not a kid.¡±


    I drank the ss in one gulp and left the booth, heading to the dance floor. I started dancing with whoever stood before me. I felt their hands touching my body. I felt disgusted, but I couldn¡¯t stop them.


    I didn¡¯t understand what was happening to me. I felt a wave of heat surging through my veins, and I needed to calm it down. And for some reason, I couldn¡¯t calm it down except with a man.


    Amidst the loud music, with trembling hands, I called Rafael. Surprisingly, he picked up the call from the first ring this time. ¡°Hey, Nat,¡± he greeted.


    My tears rolled down my cheeks uncontrobly. From between my sobs, I managed to say, ¡°I hate you!¡±


    He snapped promptly, ¡°Natalie? What¡¯s all this noise?¡±


    I snapped back, ¡°I said I hate you, didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Natalie, tell me where you are, and I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± he said firmly.


    ¡°Don¡¯te. I don¡¯t want to see your ugly fucking face. I hate you. Don¡¯t you understand?¡± I snapped and hung up on him.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± shouted the man who was dancing with me, handing me another ss.


    My phone didn¡¯t stop ringing, but I didn¡¯t pick up. I didn¡¯t even bother to check the caller ID.


    My friends tried to pull me off the dance floor, but I refused.


    After a short while, the man asked me, whispering in his disgusting voice while licking my neck, ¡°Let¡¯s go to a room.¡±

 Chapter 51 Natalie’s Shows

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked Natalie¡¯s friend, Fello, over the phone, attempting to suppress the furious tone in my voice as I drove recklessly.


    Fello replied amid her sobs, fear evident in her trembling voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know. She started acting strangely, and now we couldn¡¯t make her leave the dance floor. And¡­ and¡­¡± She hesitated, as if she was in a dilemma.


    I yelled impatiently, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Fello? What happened again?¡±


    ¡°Some¡­ there are some men trying to pull her to one of the rooms,¡± she said, and I cursed, ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°We tried to talk to the security men, but they weren¡¯t very helpful. They said they can¡¯t interfere while the girl is doing this on her own,¡± Fello said, breaking down into loud sobs.


    ¡°Please, Rafael. Come as soon as you can,¡± Reba¡¯s terrified voice came through the speaker. She paused for a second, then added with a broken voice, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be toote if you don¡¯t.¡±


    Her words spurred me to increase my speed. I couldn¡¯tprehend why Natalie would do such a thing. There must be a reason. Who was that man? My eyes darkened as I considered the possibility of her having any kind of rtionship with him.


    ¡°Rafael, watch out!¡± Debbie eximed as I pushed the speed to the extreme. She had been in my study room when Natalie called moments ago. Debbie hade to inform me that her father¡¯s employees, who were responsible for thest shipment of medical equipment we imported as a joint deal, had informed her that customs had found heroin powder tucked into packages inside the baby milk cans. They suspected an employee from mypany was behind this. She came to inform me before the police started investigating the case.


    ¡°Is it possible that she had an affair with the guy that Fello mentioned?¡± Debbie asked, then she stared at my face and added, ¡°Oh God, Daniel doesn¡¯t deserve that. He¡¯s a good guy, and he adores her.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± I growled at her, mming the steering wheel with my fists. Despite appreciating her good heart and honest concern for Natalie, which drove her insistence oning with me, I couldn¡¯t tolerate her logic right now.


    However, she didn¡¯t speak after that for the rest of the journey, and I appreciated her silence.


    I was on the verge of copse. Why the hell was everything falling apart at once? The speed at which I reached the bar was incredible. I was certain the police would be at my door in the morning.


    I stepped out of the car, and Debbie followed, pleading, ¡°Rafael, please wait. Don¡¯t do anything reckless.¡±


    I passed through the main door of the nightclub after the guard checked my identity card, though I was impatient with such procedures.


    I froze the moment I stepped inside that damn nightclub. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. My blood froze in my veins for a second, then it started boiling like a wild volcano.


    Natalie was the star of the party tonight, seemingly determined to entertain every man in the venue at the expense of her own dignity. She danced in the middle of the floor, nearly naked, wearing only her underwear. The drunken men surrounded her like flies drawn to honey, while others, sober enough to handle their phones, filmed her and posted the spectacle on social media.


    ¡°Yeah, bitch! Take that bra off,¡± a man shouted, while another rushed to her, eximing, ¡°Let me help you take it off for a better view, slut.¡±


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to forget that scene for the rest of my life. Those words will be etched in my mind forever.


    I dashed forward and smashed that fucker¡¯s face. He tumbled to the ground like a ball, his screams muffled by the loud music. I quickly took off my jacket and covered her body with it, shielding her from the leering eyes and the phone cameras that were now focused on us.


    She blinked as she saw me, her lips curling downward as if she was about to cry.


    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± she stammered, reaching out to touch my beard.


    I skipped her touch and bent down to lift her into my arms.


    ¡°Do you think she will be okay?¡± Fello asked, walking quickly to catch up with my fast steps, while the crowd gathering around the dance floor continued to film the whole scene from afar.


    ¡°I tried to talk to the security men to get the camera records to identify who the man was, but they refused,¡± Reba mumbled.


    Yes, the cameras! I should get the records.


    Natalie was struggling in my arms, trying to make me put her down.


    I turned my head towards the three women who were walking behind me: Reba, Fello, and Debbie.


    ¡°Which booth were you sitting in?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°That one,¡± Reba replied, pointing to a booth in the right corner of the ce. It was still empty, reserved under their names for tonight.


    I walked over and seated Natalie down. She grabbed me by the neck and whispered in a pleading tone, ¡°Please help me, I¡¯m suffering. It hurts.¡±


    She was pulling my head down and raising her body desperately in need. My eyes darkened. How could she try to do such a thing in public?


    I raised my head towards the girls and ordered, ¡°Fello, Reba,e with me to the security office and show me the man in the camera record. Debbie, could you look after her until I finish? Jack is on his way here.¡± She nodded and assured me, ¡°Sure, go and don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of her until youe back.¡± Then she gentlybed Natalie¡¯s hair with her fingers and added with a tender voice, ¡°Natalie is like my younger sister.¡±


    I felt pangs of remorse. Debbie had always been by my side, supporting me, yet here I was intending to let her down. The man who would marry her would truly be lucky to have such a considerate girl. She didn¡¯t evenin when Natalie tried to kiss me moments ago.


    I smiled at her gratefully and walked towards the security office. However, we didn¡¯t find much. The man was careful; he avoided showing his face clearly in the camera footage.


    I mmed my hands onto the table in frustration. I hated the feeling of helplessness.


    ¡°He was avoiding my camera the entire time when I was on the live feed. I tried to engage him on my Instagram live to gain more views and followers, but he avoided showing his face,¡± Reba concluded.


    With every passing minute, I became more convinced that the man had framed Natalie.


    ¡°I want the names of every guy in his twenties or thirties who entered this club tonight,¡± I growled at the security officer.


    He nodded, his voice trembling, ¡°But you need permission from the club owner, sir.¡±


    I grabbed him by his shirt and roared between clenched teeth, ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit! Give me the damn list now, or I¡¯ll burn this whole building down on your heads.¡±


    He hastily uploaded the list of today¡¯s visitors onto a sh drive. Once he finished, I stormed back to the booth where I left Natalie and Debbie. My heart sank when I saw a crowd of people gathering around the booth.


    I hurriedly pushed some people aside to reach the booth. My eyes widened when I saw the two girls; Natalie and Debbie, on the floor. Natalie was on top of Debbie, hitting her and pulling her hair, while Debbie was trying to get Natalie off of her. However, Natalie was kicking and punching endlessly.


    I could hardly believe my eyes. Was that really my Natalie? What the hell happened to her?This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I promptly pulled Natalie up. She was half-naked, which made the scene even more shameful.


    Debbie looked at me with a bleeding look and said in a shaky voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rafael. I tried to make her calm down, but she insisted on going with a stranger. When I tried to prevent her, she made a scene and hit me.¡±


    Debbie started crying, her face full of scratches.


    ¡°Liar, she¡¯s lying. She pped me,¡± Natalie said, her voice shaky from the alcohol.


    ¡°I yelled at her, ¡°Stop, Natalie! You¡¯ve done enough for one night,¡± it was the first time I yelled like that at her.


    She stared at me in a daze, then at Debbie. Before I could react, she pped Debbie across the face.

 Chapter 52 The Red Room

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Intense pain surged through my body like a relentless wave of torment. I felt as though I were trapped in a bubble of agony. Struggling to open my eyes, I sensed the pain between my legs intensifying.


    I moaned, tossing and turning with difort. The red light surrounding me only intensified the feeling of unease.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake?¡± I heard his deep voice say.


    I tried to turn my head to see him, but I couldn¡¯t move my body. My hands and legs were tied up tightly.


    ¡°Raf? Please, I need you!¡± I said, overwhelmed by the feeling between my legs. I tried to squeeze them together, but they were tied firmly.


    ¡°Raf? Why are you tying me?¡± I asked anxiously. The feeling inside me was increasing, and I couldn¡¯t tolerate it any longer. I needed him. I wanted him to fuck me.


    ¡°Rafael, please!¡± I begged this time.


    Was I dreaming?


    The uncertainty gnawed at me.


    But the answer came swiftly when a sudden impact struck between my legs.


    I screamed in pain, and then I saw him standing before me. He was wearing jeans, his muscr chest exposed. In one hand, he held a long whip with a tall leather brush at its end, and in the other hand, he held a red silk rope.


    A grin stretched across his face, his eyes like two pools of ice.


    The eerie red light made him seem even more menacing.


    I stretched my hand towards him, craving his touch. At that moment, I didn¡¯t care that I was tied up or where I was. All I wanted was to quell the overwhelming sensation consuming my body.


    But he didn¡¯t move. He just kept staring at me. I tried to move, to resist the ties, but it felt like I was stuck in ce. I waspletely helpless.


    ¡°This is mine. Only mine, ve,¡± I heard him say in a cold tone, tapping his whip gently on my bussy.


    I nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    He struck my bussy more violently this time, causing me to tense up from the pain.


    ¡°But you offered it to other men,¡± he said in a sharp tone. Then, he held my chin firmly and added, ¡°Do you hear me? Men, not just one!¡±


    I didn¡¯t care about anything he was saying. All that mattered to me at that moment was to feel his touch. It was as if a superpower of desire, unlike anything I had ever experienced before, invaded my body.


    I started trying to push my body towards him as he bent down, holding my chin.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Not yet. You¡¯re being punished. You have to take your punishment for behaving badly, ve,¡± he said, then he bit my lips as if he was nibbling a fruit. I tried to kiss him, but he held my chin more tightly and hissed between his gritted teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    He let go of my chin and walked behind me. I tried to follow his steps with my eyes, but I couldn¡¯t. He stood directly behind me, then put the red silk rope around my eyes and tied it.


    ¡°You know I respect you, don¡¯t you?¡± he said gruffly.


    I nodded in response.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hear you!¡± he said sharply.


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± I reassured, my lips were swollen and sensitive.


    Even though my mind wasn¡¯t understanding everything at the moment.


    ¡°Good. Because in a few seconds, you¡¯ll feel like I don¡¯t,¡± he said nonchntly.


    I swallowed hard, a knot of apprehension forming in my throat.


    And yes, it was indeed a punishment.


    The thing was not far away from making love only, it was far away from sex itself. Sex is a fancy thing besides what he did to me. Even I was in that state, drugged, I felt the pain, the harm, the insults. Things I couldn¡¯t believe that my Rafy could ever do. He was a monster. He wasn¡¯t Rafael I always knew. He treated me literally like a ve, a bitch ve.


    I begged him to stop countless times, but he didn¡¯t. He kept repeating one word: ¡°You¡¯re punished!¡±


    Even though it wasn¡¯t much physical harm, he did make me feel extreme pain. On the other hand, I have had my orgasm blenty of times.


    After three hours, he untied me. He stared at my body, then rested his forehead on mine and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use the safe word?¡±


    I didn¡¯t reply. My memory was foggy. All I wanted was to sleep, and that¡¯s exactly what I did.


    I didn¡¯t know how much time I slept, but when I woke up, I found myself in a different room from the previous one. I surveyed the room with curiosity, but I couldn¡¯t recognize the ce. It was a luxurious room with white bedsheets and curtains.


    I looked down at my body and noticed I was wearing white pajamas. Pain and foggy memories throbbed in my head, but nothing was clear. A dancing floor, Debbie grabbing my hair and pping me¡­ Then, I paused for a second. Images of Rafael half-naked in a red room started to appear and disappear in my pulsing head.


    I gasped as I walked towards the tall mirror in one of the room corners. Staring at my face, I noticed it was a little pale. I began to touch the small bruises on my jawline, and as the long pajama sleeve rose slightly, it revealed a thick blue line on my wrist. Frowning, I lifted my sleeve higher to find more bruises. The more I revealed of my body, the more bruises I found.


    Now, I stood almost naked before the mirror, wearing only my underwear. My body was covered with bruises.


    When I say covered, I mean it, literally covered with blue and green bruises.


    My eyes widened in disbelief. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing.


    I remembered everything that happenedst time as unbearable pain surged in my head.


    I was still in a daze when the door swung open and Rafael walked in.


    He stared at my body for a moment, then said in an icy tone, ¡°Have you checked social media?¡±

 Chapter 53 I Want A Divorce

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Social media? Who cares about social media? How could he stand here and ask me about social media while my body is in this state?


    How could he do this to me? After his private time with Debbie, he dared to touch me? To treat me like trash? I couldn¡¯t tolerate looking into his eyes, not after seeing those ugly bruises that covered my skin, evident from his upation of my body.


    He mmed the door with the t heel of his shoe, his cold eyes piercing into me, emanating a dark aura that seemed to fill the room. After a quick nce, sizing him up, I averted my gaze, not wanting to see his face. Wrapping my arms protectively around my chest, I snapped, ¡°Where am I?¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply. Even though I wasn¡¯t looking at him, I could feel his movements as he approached me with steady steps. When he came closer, I defensively took a few steps back, retreating until my back touched the cold surface of the mirror behind me. The look in his eyes was strange, something odd I had never seen before.


    His silence frightened me. I swallowed the saliva that had formed in my throat and asked again, this time with anger, ¡°Where the hell am I? And why are you asking me about social media?¡± I tried to appear strong and confident while shouting at him.


    ¡°Hell?¡± he asked in a dangerously t tone, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re going to see hell soon.¡±


    How dare he?


    Still threatening me while he was hooking up with his so-called fiancee?


    I don¡¯t know where I got the audacity to p him-maybe from the thought of him ttering another woman?


    However, I raised my hand high and pped him with all my might. I wanted him to feel my pain. The loud sound of the p echoed in the spacious room. The shock on his face showed he didn¡¯t see thating. I felt satisfied.


    He needed just half a second to regain hisposure and clench my chin tightly in his grip. The dark, gloomy gaze in his eyes made me feel anxious. A cold sweat formed on my back despite the cold mirror behind me.


    The considerate man who pampered me and showered me with gifts and care days ago no longer existed. I could feel it. I wanted to ask him about Debbie and why she was with him then, and why she answered his phone in the first ce, but my dignity prevented me from doing so-especially now, when he was acting like an asshole.


    ¡°Let go of me. You don¡¯t have the right to threaten me or even touch me,¡± I said, timing my sentence by pulling his grip from my jaw.


    He bit his lower lip, the anger obvious in his gaze. He held my nape with one hand, while his other hand boldly surfed my body. ¡°What did you say? I don¡¯t have the right to touch you?¡± he said.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t have the right, then who does?¡± he shouted, pulling my hair, making me tense from the pain.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I eximed in pain, trying to pry his hand off my hair.


    ¡°Not before you answer,¡± he eximed back, his grip tightening.


    ¡°Answer what?¡± I asked, still trying to pull his hand out of my hair.


    He finally let go of my hair, then pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to me after surfing it for seconds. ¡°See the whore you became,¡± he spat out bitterly.


    A whore!


    His words hurt me, but I still took his phone and red at the video that was disyed. My eyes widened, and I froze. What was disyed in front of me was not a dream after all; it had happened in reality.


    He held my chin tightly again, squeezing my jaw, and roared, ¡°The whole world saw you, Natalie.¡±


    One tear rolled down my cheek, hot with humiliation. How did I let this happen? I was almost naked, men were touching me in a disgusting way, I was dancing like a whore.


    The tears flowed down my burning cheeks. I felt utterly ruined.


    I felt like it was all over.


    My reputation was trampled underfoot.


    My legs could no longer support me, and I sank to the ground, mming my body onto the cold marble floor. A heavy weight pressed down on my chest, and through tear-filled eyes, I looked up at Rafael, seekingfort, but his disarrayed, cold gaze offered none.


    Five days had passed, and I was still confined to the small vi where I found myself after that ominous night. Carefully, I slipped out of bed, making an effort not to wake Rafael. Heading downstairs, I was d only in his shirt. I didn¡¯t have any clothes of my own, except for the underwear I had on when he brought me here, and he hadn¡¯t offered to buy me any. In fact, he hadn¡¯t even left the vi once. I found myself constantly changing between his shirts, until his scent lingered on my skin.


    I stood before the swimming pool, cradling a mug of coffee between my hands, my gaze fixed on the serene blue water. Memories flooded back of the day I swam naked in his apartment pool, as if it were a century ago. So much had changed between us since then.


    I sighed heavily, my eyes drawn to the bruises that marred my body. We had been intimate these past five days, in various ces-the bed, the red room. I examined my body, my heart weighed down with regret. I knew I had made a mistake, one I couldn¡¯t undo. Even though it was unintentional, I had to bear the consequences.


    But who was the man from that night?


    Suddenly, the atmosphere tensed as I caught a whiff of his perfume, my heartbeat quickening. The mug between my hands shook ever so slightly.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He had been punishing me for the past two days. The red room served as his chosen location for these punishments. During this time, we didn¡¯t exchange many words; our interactions were limited to eating, engaging in intimacy, showering, and sleeping. It was a routine we followed, just like that.


    The tense silence was broken by a single sentence.


    ¡°I want a divorce.¡±

 Chapter 54 Back home

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°I want a divorce,¡± I said, without looking at him.


    I was just releasing him from the consequences. Moreover, I didn¡¯t forget that night when Debbie answered his phone. I was done with all of this.


    The doorbell rang. I was surprised; it was the first time we had a visitor since we arrived. He was the one who cooked and cleaned, and he hadn¡¯t brought any assistance with him.


    I remained rooted to my spot as I heard his footsteps approach the main door. After a few minutes, he returned and uttered just one word, ¡°We¡¯re going back to Vi Merrin.¡±


    His cold demeanor provoked me, pushing me to the brink of anger and frustration. I detested that silence.


    Once more, I snapped, ¡°I want a divorce.¡±


    He stood in his ce for a split second, then replied nonchntly, ¡°No,¡± before continuing to walk towards the door. At this point, his coldness fueled my rage. I was livid. I hurled the mug into the pool and, after standing and grabbing his arm, I snapped, ¡°I said I want a divorce!¡±


    He turned abruptly, his eyes zing with anger, and growled, ¡°And I said NO.¡±


    I struck him on his chest and yelled, ¡°I hate you. I hate you. Do you hear me? I. HATE. YOU.¡±


    A hint of pain flickered in his eyes, but vanished quickly. Without warning, he captured my lips in a ruthless kiss. I felt nothing but pain, a sweet bitter of agony.


    Tears rolled down my cheeks, so I sniffed. He halted the kiss and locked eyes with me, then spoke with a firm, emotionless tone, ¡°We will not divorce until death do us part.¡±


    Without another word, he turned to enter the vi.


    I closed my eyes to suppress my anger, then fixed my gaze on his back and asked, ¡°And what if I said I hate you? What if I can¡¯t tolerate your touches?¡±


    He stopped and replied without turning back, ¡°I won¡¯t divorce you, Natalie. You¡¯re stuck with me forever. Familiarize yourself with this.¡±


    ¡°What if I cheated on you, slept with another man?¡± I asked, eager to know his answer.


    He turned slowly to me, hissing between gritted teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience, Natalie.¡±


    I gave him a sly smile and retorted, ¡°It¡¯s good to know that I can y around while you¡¯re still keeping my bed warm.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    In a split second, unexpectedly, he rushed towards me without giving me a chance to react. He grabbed me by the waist and threw us both into the pool.


    Diving into the pool, our bodies entwined, he captured my lips. His hands tightened on my hips as he pulled me towards the surface of the water without breaking our kiss. As I began to feel unable to breathe, I hit his chest with my hands in protest.


    He pulled me slightly away from his chest and said sarcastically, ¡°That¡¯s what will happen, you¡¯ll kill us both.¡±


    Without another word, he turned and swam to the edge of the pool. Once he got out, he said without looking back, ¡°There¡¯s no way out, Natalie. Deal with it.¡±


    Part of me loathed him at that moment, despised his arrogance and possessiveness. Yet another part of me felt a warmth knowing that he desired us to be together for the rest of our lives.


    In the room we had upied for thest five days, I stepped out of the shower as Rafael walked in. I was wrapping a towel around myself, pondering what I would wear for the journey home.


    He stood before me, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear, and muttered in a husky voice, ¡°Hurry up and get dressed. I can¡¯t stop fucking you, and I know you enjoy it.¡±


    Memories of our intimacy flooded my mind, turning my cheeks red. I remembered how before a few hours ago, I melted into his embrace, my heart pounding. Even though he was vicious and hard, I enjoyed it. I knew I would never forget those moments.


    Before I said anything, he took a step back, tossed a summer dress onto the edge of the bed andmanded, ¡°Wear this!¡±


    I realized that it must have been whoever knocked on the door earlier who brought it.


    I spared him a nce, then retorted, ¡°Just so you know, I didn¡¯t sign up for your contract, so you don¡¯t have the right to dictate what I should or shouldn¡¯t wear.¡±


    He smiled a small, almost amused smile, as if I had cracked a joke. Then, he gently caressed my cheek and whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t need that damn contract, Natalie. You¡¯re my wife. I touch wherever I want, kiss whatever I want, and make love whenever I want. Deal with that reality.¡±


    ¡°Including your clothes. I decide when you wear them and when you don¡¯t,¡± he added before turning.


    He left promptly, mming the door behind him. I shouted, ¡°I hate you, Rafael! Do you hear me? I hate your damn ugly face!¡±


    He shouted back from behind the door, ¡°Then why do you keep staring at this ugly face all night and stealing kisses from my innocent lips while I¡¯m sleeping?¡±


    Embarrassment flooded my cheeks as I shouted even louder this time, ¡°I hate you, Rafael Merrin!¡±


    The drive to the Merrin mansion wasn¡¯t too long. As we drew closer, I felt increasingly nervous. It had been five days since that incident. How would I face Grandma and Tobi?


    As if Rafael was reading my mind, he spoke once he crossed the mansion gate, ¡°Grandma and Tobi areing back this evening. You don¡¯t have to exin anything; I already did.¡±


    I stared at the side of his face, noticing the tightness in his jaw. I sensed that something was amiss.


    I sighed but didn¡¯t respond. Once I entered the mansion, I went straight to my room, avoiding any interaction with the domestic staff. However, as soon as I stepped in, Laura ran towards me and wrapped her arms tightly around my shoulders.


    ¡°Thank God you came finally,¡± she said.


    She took a step back and said, ¡°The paparazzi were camped in front of the mansion gate for several days.¡± Then she turned towards Rafael and added, ¡°Thanks to Mr. Rafael, he kept you away until he forced them with his power to leave us alone.¡±


    So, Rafael was keeping me there despite the usations I hurled at him all the time? But that wouldn¡¯t make me forgive him.


    I turned around without saying another word and headed to my room.


    I was browsing social media on myptop, trying to find videos from that night at the nightclub, when Rosy entered my room after knocking on the door, holding a box between her hands. I wanted to readments.


    With a smile, she said, ¡°Mr. Merrin sent you this, and he asked me to inform you that he won¡¯t be home until midnight.¡±


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Was he trying to y the part of a real husband?


    Instead, I smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, Rosy.¡±


    She nodded respectfully and then left the room.


    I opened the box. Inside was a new branded phone with a small note that read, (This is in ce of your lost phone.)


    I lost my phone at that night.


    There was a knock on the door. I said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door opened, and Lauren entered with a worried expression. ¡°Miss Debbie is here. She wants to see you,¡± she said.


    I wasn¡¯t in the mood to see anyone, and I¡¯m sure it showed on my face. Lauren added, ¡°I can tell her that you¡¯re tired and¡­¡±


    ¡°No, tell her I¡¯ming,¡± I replied firmly.

 Chapter 55 Evil Intentions

    Debbie¡¯s POV


    The hatred I felt was eating me from the inside. It had been five days since that bitch disappeared. Why was he so protective of her? He even abandoned all his work just to hide her from the paparazzi. My efforts to have them besiege the mansion and disturb the Merrin family went to waste.


    I was sure they were having a rtionship, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before I made him leave her and marry me. She had seduced him, making him neglect me, his fiancee, but in the end, he would marry me and dump her for her foolishness.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Jad asked through the Skype camera.


    I rolled my eyes and replied, ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t fully seed in your mission, I¡¯m thinking of a good way to reward you.¡±


    ¡°You know how to reward me; I did my best,¡± he said, smiling smugly.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ruin herpletely. The n was to film her having sex with three or four men at once, but all we got was her dancing,¡± Iined.


    Heughed loudly and replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t filming her half-naked enough?¡±


    When I rolled my eyes, unsatisfied, he added, ¡°The drug I gave her was supposed to make her fuck all the men in the nightclub, but your man was so protective, he rushed in like a knight in shining armor.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll send you the money,¡± I said, feeling anxious. I added in a warning tone, ¡°You have to be careful. They are looking for you everywhere. Don¡¯t let them catch you, and if they do, you have to stick to our story!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t forget that day in his office when I noticed the hickeys on her neck and the Bugatti Rafael had bought her. Even their gazes weren¡¯t innocent. He looked at her in a way he never used to look at me. His eyes sparkled whenever he nced at her.


    Back then, I texted Jad promptly and instructed him to execute our n to ruin her. I informed him that she was going to meet her friends tonight at a nightclub. He followed her there and did what he had to do.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for them to find me, even if I walked right before them. I¡¯ve taken care of every detail. I even managed to delete my name from the visitor records of that night,¡± he snorted, interrupting my thoughts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Natalie and her friends saw you! They might remember you,¡± I suggested, urging him to be more cautious.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I left the city the next morning promptly,¡± he replied, taking a sip of his wine.


    I felt a chill of relief ran down my spine. I knew that his n was foolproof. He was going to get away with this.


    I am going to be the future young mistress of the Merrins, and I wouldn¡¯t relinquish this title so easily for a clown like her. I was determined to make him marry me. I devised a n topel him to do so, without even realizing that he was being manipted.


    A tycoon like Rafael was destined to be mine, and I wasn¡¯t going to relinquish that right to an unknown girl with no family roots or background.


    I was determined to make this marriage happen no matter what.


    A buzzing notification indicating a new text message distracted me from my video call. My eyes widened slightly as I read, ¡°[Natalie home].¡±


    My eyes sparkled with anticipation. Finally.


    Jad noticed the joy on my face and asked with curiosity, ¡°What?¡±


    I positioned my phone opposite theptop camera and sniffed, ¡°They¡¯re finally back.¡±


    He chucked and said, ¡°Just made sure she doesn¡¯t have his heir in her womb already.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if she did. My next n will finish her for good,¡± I said with determination.


    Did Rafael think he was clever by dealing with the dark web to delete every single video of her dancing at the nightclub from all websites? This time, I¡¯ll make sure he won¡¯t have the ability or desire to save her.


    He won¡¯t be able to save her this time. I¡¯m going to ensure that.


    I¡¯ming for you, bitch Natalie. I¡¯m going to erase you from my path. A new chapter, with just me and Rafael, will begin, and you won¡¯t even exist.


    ¡­


    I wore a wide smile as I pressed the main doorbell of the Merrin Mansion. I gazed at the elegant door before me and thought, ¡®One day, I¡¯ll have control over who enters and who gets expelled through this door. And without a doubt, Natalie will be at the top of the list for expulsion.¡¯


    The door opened, and the housekeeper Laura stood there, smiling politely. However, as soon as her eyesnded on me, her smile froze, and her demeanor changed. It was as if she had seen a ghost.


    ¡°Yes, Miss Debbie? Mr. Rafael isn¡¯t home,¡± she said firmly. Even though her tone remained polite, her gaze betrayed a hint of suspicion, as if silently questioning my presence: Why are you here?


    I smiled, pushed her aside, and strode into the mansion with my chin held high. With calm assurance, I remarked, ¡°I believe I have to educate you on the proper behavior expected of maids and how an experienced maid should conduct herself in the presence of her mistress when Rafael and I get married.¡±


    A strange smile appeared on her lips, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, fueling my rage even further.


    However, I ignored her and went straight to the sitting room, with the housekeeper following closely behind. Taking a seat and crossing my legs, I ordered her, ¡°Inform Natalie that I want to see her.¡±


    She stood still in her ce, seeming reluctant to go. Raising an eyebrow, I stared at her defiantly until she finally nodded and mumbled, ¡°Okay, Miss.¡±


    Once she left, I rose from the sofa and moved to stand behind therge window overlooking the front yard. Thinking that this was my chance; I wouldpel her to do what I wanted.


    I unlocked my phone screen, after a notification sound caught my attention. It read, (The mission done, now is your turn.)


    A smirk of satisfaction crossed my lips as I absorbed the message from my father.


    I heard footsteps approaching the sitting room door. Turning around, I met her piercing gaze head-on.

 Chapter 56 Those Are The Symptoms, Man.

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    ¡°We even checked the street cameras; the man was very cautious. He made sure to cover his face and used a taxi instead of a private vehicle,¡± the officer investigating the matter said.


    I let out a frustrated sigh. Despite all the efforts and resources I invested in this case, we didn¡¯t get any good results. The perpetrator was incredibly adept at concealing his identity.


    ¡°So? Does that mean the case will be closed?¡± I asked in a furious tone.


    The officer squeezed the area between his brows in frustration and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m still working on the case, but I have something in mind.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jack inquired.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that the man was a messenger; he wasn¡¯t acting rationally. His goal was to ruin Natalie,¡± he stated, staring into my eyes. ¡°I think they wille back to achieve their goal.¡±


    When he mentioned that night, rage boiled inside me. How could I ever forget what I saw that night? Even the punishment I had inflicted on her for the past six nights and five days hadn¡¯t made me feel any better.


    I knew she was a victim, and here I am trying to fight for her rights, but why did she ept his drink in the first ce?


    I asked her several times, but she refused to exin, insisting that as I did what I wanted, she would do the same. And what she meant by this, only God knows.


    However, I had to find a way to make them pay for what they did. I was determined to make them pay, no matter the cost. I had to make them pay.


    After a lengthy discussion with the officer about our next steps, he departed, assuring me that he would give his utmost effort in this case.


    As I flipped through numerous documents before me, Jack upied the chair in front of my desk and eximed, ¡°So? How¡¯s it going?¡± I could sense a peak of curiosity in his tone.


    I replied nonchntly, ¡°About what?¡± without raising my eyes from the documents. My focus was onpleting my work as swiftly as possible and attending to other matters at hand, including returning home to Natalie.


    ¡°Have you two been alone all these five days?¡± he asked.


    I crossed my arms over my chest, raised an eyebrow, and inquired, ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Did she sign the contract?¡± he asked again, a look of confusion on his face.


    I leaned forward and grumbled, ¡°Nope! And I¡¯m not going to discuss my private life with you.¡±


    He let out a deep sigh and mumbled, ¡°Just don¡¯t hurt her. Always remember she didn¡¯t choose this; you pushed her into it.¡±


    ¡°No, Jack. Thest person I would ever think of hurting is Natalie,¡± I countered.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Then, you have to end your engagement. From the start, I wasn¡¯t in agreement with it, but you were so stubborn,¡± he urged.


    ¡°I intend to meet Debbie and her father soon and inform them of my decision,¡± I exined, feeling guilty about Debbie.


    ¡°Then, you have to pause coption with Natalie temporarely. Sex alwaysplicates things,¡± he sighed sadly. ¡°It¡¯s a bit toote for advice though.¡±


    I tapped my fingers on the table as if ying a piano and whispered in an almost inaudible voice, ¡°I know that. But I can¡¯t stop. I¡¯m bing addicted to her. More obsessed.¡± I sighed sadly. ¡°I just can¡¯t stop myself.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you feel like you want to be around her all the time, shower her with gifts, look after her, protect her, and even mean to vanish any male who dares to even put a single finger on her?¡± he asked with amusement.


    I stared at him coldly, but inside, my thoughts were in turmoil. What he just said perfectly described every single feeling I had for her.


    He smirked and chimed, ¡°Those are the symptoms, man.¡±


    ¡°Symptoms?¡± I asked. ¡°Which symptoms?¡±


    The echo of my private secretary¡¯s voice through the inte interrupted, ¡°Sir, Mr. Nefson is here,¡± her voice sounding a bit tense.


    Jack and I locked eyes. It was the opportune moment to inform him that I was calling off the engagement.


    ¡°Let him in,¡± I ordered.


    The office door swung open, and Mr. Nefson stormed in, his expression somewhat gloomy. He grumbled, ¡°Here you are, finally.¡±


    I was seated at my desk, crossing my legs and tapping my fingers. Ignoring his tone of voice, I nced behind him and said calmly, ¡°See what Mr. Nefson would like to drink.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Nefson,¡± the secretary began, but he cut her off, yelling, ¡°I¡¯m not here to drink anything!¡± He scanned the office room and demanded, ¡°I want to talk in private.¡±


    I gestured with my finger to the secretary, who promptly left and pulled the door shut behind her. I then turned my attention to the man before me, who, despite being in his fifties, appeared to be aged beyond his years.


    ¡°Please, have a seat, Mr. Nefson,¡± said Jack, pulling out a chair for the man.


    ¡°So, Mackenzie, what brought you here to mypany in person?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You have to marry Debbie within two weeks!¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Aha,¡± I narrowed my eyes at him and inquired, ¡°And why is that?¡±


    He cleared his throat and exined, ¡°After that video of your stepsister pping Debbie, my daughter faced humiliation from everybody, and the elders in our family demanded that your wedding take ce within two weeks. If not, they will arrange for her to marry another groom.¡±


    My eyes darkened with anger, but despite my rage, I spoke calmly, ¡°Then let¡¯s call off the engagement. No one mistreats a member of the Merrin family. And you, the Nefsons, are trying to mess with the wrong person.¡±


    He wiped the small drop of sweat that appeared on his forehead and pleaded, ¡°Rafael, son. I can¡¯t afford to offend the family. We¡¯ve had business deals together, and if we don¡¯tply with their demands, they will force me to cancel all the ongoing deals with you, costing both of us trillions of dors.¡±


    ¡°Is this another threat?¡± I murmured, taking a sip from my coffee.


    His face went pale, and he eximed, ¡°No, no, no. They¡¯re threatening me. I¡¯m here asking for your help.¡±


    I sniffed, then leaned forward and said calmly, ¡°Look, Mackenzie. We built this engagement on the basis of our mutual benefits. Now, we have different goals. I suggest we call off the engagement.¡±


    Mackenzie¡¯s eyes became bloodshot with rage. He hissed from between gritted teeth, ¡°But this wasn¡¯t our deal!¡±


    ¡°As my deal was with you and your daughter, not the rest of your family,¡± I said calmly.


    He pressed his thumb on the area between his brows and said, ¡°So, did Debbie tell you about thetest news regarding the suspected shipment of yours? She mentioned to me that she had been trying to call you for the past few days about this matter, but your phone was off!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not protecting any of my employees. If any of them betrayed my trust and were involved in this matter,¡± I said nonchntly, not willing to give him the chance to negotiate any further.


    ¡°Even if that person was your stepsister?¡± he asked with a smirk.


    I furrowed my brow. How dare he insinuate such a thing about my wife? I might doubt myself, but I would never doubt her doing such a thing!


    ¡°Have you gone crazy?¡± Jack snapped from where he was listening to our dialogue, seated in one of the corner chairs.


    I grabbed Mackenzie by his shirt cor and hissed in a dangerous tone, ¡°How dare you? If you even mention a letter of her name in this case, I¡¯ll destroy you, Mackenzie!¡±


    He pulled himself from my grip and stammeringly exined, ¡°Hold on, guys. I didn¡¯t believe this about her at first, but unfortunately, our men have proof. So, I suggest we try to resolve the problem with a sum of money before the matter reaches the police!¡±


    I red at Jack furiously and growled, ¡°Where are our men? Where their fucking reports? Go and check the damn matter!¡±


    Jack dashed out of the office, while I grabbed Mackenzie¡¯s cor and pinned him to his chair after storming over to his seat.


    ¡°It¡¯s better for you to tell the truth and what you are up to now before it¡¯s toote to regret,¡± I warned him, my tone dripping with danger.


    ¡°I know, I know. And I¡¯m not stupid enough to offend or lie to you,¡± he stammered, trying to free himself. ¡°I even intend to help Natalie. She did wrong, that¡¯s right, but that will affect the Merrins¡¯ reputation, especially after herst incident.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow and let go of his shirt cor. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe that nonsense in the first ce, let alone ept your offer of help!¡±


    ¡°Fine, after you investigate the matter, you may need my help, and I¡¯ll help you. But on one condition: marry Debbie within two weeks,¡± he stated.


    When I ignored his offer, turning my back and heading to therge window, he added, ¡°After two days, go to this address. She will be there. Then you can learn the truth for yourself!¡± He ced a small piece of paper on the coffee table before him and then got up and left.

 Chapter 57 Tell The Man You’re Flirting With To Take It A Little Easy On You

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°Hello!¡± I said into the phone.


    ¡°Hey! Where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere!¡± chimed Daniel¡¯s voice.


    I smiled. He recognized me just from my voice since I had lost my previous phone number.


    I felt little embarrassed. He might have seen those videos. I swallowed hard and tried to steady my voice as I said, ¡°I¡­ I lost my phone and¡­ and,¡± but I kept stammering instead.


    He interrupted, ¡°I was worried about you to death. And that bastard Rafael disappeared too!¡±


    I felt warmth from the genuine concern in his voice. Sometimes I felt Daniel was more than just a neighbor from abroad; he felt like a real friend, even though I hadn¡¯t known him for long.


    ¡°I had to, Daniel. I¡¯m sure you heard what had happened,¡± I said with a sad smile, even though I knew he couldn¡¯t see it.


    He let out a deep sigh and said, ¡°Yeah, and I wish I was there to support you.¡±


    My sad smile widened. I wished Rafael would say those words to me, but he was cold and distant.


    ¡°Thank you, Daniel,¡± I said genuinely, then asked the question I had been longing to ask, ¡°Have you found anything regarding the drugs matter?¡±


    He sighed, ¡°The only thing I found is that the shipment arrived at the port two days ago, and the authorities consider it suspicious. But nothing is certain. The news of the existence of prohibited items was strictly concealed by all parties involved.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Debbie is here to see me, so I thought I¡¯d ask you if you found anything new before I see her,¡± I said as I stood up from my bed.


    He paused for a second, then said, ¡°Natalie, listen. This woman is not as she appears. She¡¯s mysterious. I think the biggest mistake Rafael ever made was contracting with them and trusting them to manage this shipment.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying this? Do you know something you haven¡¯t told me?¡± I asked, feeling worried.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t trust her, okay? I¡¯lle this evening to pick you up. I missed you and want you to meet someone,¡± he said with a soft tone.


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯m hanging up now,¡± I said.


    ¡°Hey, Natalie, wait!¡± he added just before I pressed the end button.


    ¡°Can you keep the call open while you¡¯re talking with her? I¡¯m curious about what she has to say,¡± he asked.


    I raised an eyebrow, then smiled. I went downstairs while keeping the line open. Once I entered the sitting room where she was sitting, she turned to me. Her gaze ran over me from top to toe, flicking with scrutiny.


    ¡°Oh, dear Natalie, I missed you so much,¡± she said promptly, then went straight to where I was standing and took me by surprise, hugging me tightly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how worried I¡¯ve been about you!¡± she said, taking a step back, her hands on my shoulders.


    I raised an eyebrow in confusion, then scanned the room with my gaze. Perhaps there was someone else here, which would exin why she was acting so friendly now.


    I took a step back from her and said, ¡°Thank you! Please, have a seat.¡±


    Her smile grew wider, and she added, ¡°I¡¯m really so happy that you¡¯re doing well and staying strong. I thought after the scandal that happened, you would be depressed.¡±


    ¡°Owe,¡± was all I managed to say. I didn¡¯t have any intention of discussing that with her, especially not when I knew she was scheming something.


    I turned to Laura, who was still standing at the doorway, and said with a smile, ¡°Laura, dear. Please bring something fresh to drink for Miss Debbie,¡± then looked back at Debbie. ¡°To help calm her nerves, it seems she was too worried about me.¡±


    A quick look of disdain flickered through Debbie¡¯s eyes, then she waved her hand andughed, ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Natalie. I¡¯m not a guest here; very soon I¡¯ll be living here.¡±


    I stared at her with amusement, then said, ¡°I insist. Rafael will be mad if we don¡¯t hospitality his guests well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear Rafael, he¡¯s very considerate,¡± she said in a dreamy tone that made me force myself not to roll my eyes. Then she looked at Laura, ¡°A ss of cold water, please.¡±


    When we were alone, she said, ¡°How are you handling it, dear? It must be tough with all the social media buzz about your videos. Thankfully, Rafael managed to destroy those videos within twenty-four hours, or you might have really struggled with thoughts of suicide from all the derogatoryments.¡±


    So, that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t find any videos? I felt reassured; in the end, he really cared.


    I nced at my phone to make sure Daniel was still on the line.


    I was taken aback when I saw tears in Debbie¡¯s eyes. She wiped her tears and said in a teary tone, ¡°Rafael is an amazing man. He¡¯s trying his best to help others. He really loves you as his sister.¡±


    Suddenly, she held my hands and said, ¡°Dear, you have to help him back. He¡¯s suffering in silence.¡±


    ¡°And how do you suggest I do that?¡± I asked, wondering about her true intentions.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to meet a friend who will help me find out who¡¯s behind the big scheme to frame Rafael. As a member of this family, I want you toe with me. We need to support him,¡± she insisted.


    My phone vibrated, indicating I had received a message, It was from Daniel. It read, (Tell her okay.)


    ¡°When?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°After two days, at the same apartment we met before. But please, don¡¯t tell Rafael. He still doesn¡¯t know anything about this matter. You can repay him for standing up for you all this time by helping me solve your problem before it goes further public,¡± she said, standing and stretching out a hand to shake mine, then turned to leave.


    But she turned back to me and added with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes, ¡°Tell the man you¡¯re flirting with to take it a little easy on you, dear.¡± Then tapped my shoulder where there was a pale blue bruise. ¡°It seems he¡¯s using you. I know these kinds of men.¡±


    I pulled her hand off my shoulder and brushed away her hand as if I were wiping off dust, then mumbled, ¡°I really appreciate your sincere advice.¡±

 chapter 58 Two Men Fighting

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I stared at Debbie gotten out of the main door, feeling little duzzy and my stomach sick.


    Once Debbie left the house, I put the phone on my ear, heading towards the stairs and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Daniel¡¯s voice came husky and hoursh after the long silence, ¡°She¡¯s absolutely up to something!¡±


    I felt the sickness rising in my stomach, nearly throwing up right there on the stairs. I managed to mumble, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter,¡± and hung up the phone before rushing to my bedroom toilet.


    I emptied my stomach and, after finishing, stared at my pale face in the mirror. Suspicion reflected in my gaze as the question flowed through my mind: could it be that I¡­


    I unlocked my phone screen and checked the app I use to track my period dates. It was more than two monthste! My suspicion grew even stronger.


    Without further dy, I stormed downstairs.


    ¡°Miss Natalie! Do you need something?¡± Laura asked just before I opened the main door.


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m just going to the pharmacy,¡± I replied.


    She followed me to the main entrance and said, ¡°Oh, do you want me to send the driver?¡±


    ¡°No need!¡± I said, waiving my hand in refusal.


    My phone started vibrating-it was a call from Rafael. I ignored it and went straight to the garage. Unable to find my previous car key, I started the engine of the Bugatti and headed to the nearest pharmacy.


    After fifteen minutes, I was standing in the bathroom, staring at the pregnancy test in my hand. The two pink lines were stark and unyielding.


    I covered my mouth to suppress a loud scream and thought, ¡°This can¡¯t be happening. No, no, no¡­¡±


    I sank to the bathroom floor, my breathing in shallow, ragged gasps.


    How could this happen? We were careful. I thought we were careful enough.


    What am I going to do?


    The question reverberated through my mind, echoing off the walls of my growing panic. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen.


    Not now.


    Not like this.


    My thoughts shed to Rafael. I can¡¯t be pregnant from my stepbrother-my secret husband. What would people say?


    The thought of society¡¯s reaction brought a fresh wave of anxiety crashing over me, especially after the nightclub incident. People will be judging me for good.


    And¡­ What about Rafael? Is he going to be angry? Frustrated? What if he med me? I took contraceptive pills regrly, I didn¡¯t miss one!


    Our first night, we didn¡¯t use protection. I was a virgin and didn¡¯t think this could happen from the first time. After that night I started taking the pills.


    I hugged my knees to my chest, rocking slightly as I tried to calm the storm inside me.


    How would we keep this secret now?


    The delicate bnce we had maintained suddenly felt like it was teetering on the edge of a precipice.


    If our Grandma and Tobi found out¡­


    ¡°Ahkk¡­¡± I screamed in frustration.


    The implications were too painful to even consider.


    And the baby¡­


    I ced a trembling hand on my stomach, the reality of the life growing inside me sinking in.


    I¡¯m not ready for this.


    We¡¯re not ready for this.


    The future seemed to stretch out before me, a vast, uncertain expanse filled with more questions than answers.


    What would happen?


    How is it even possible to hide a baby, a pregnant belly?


    Abortion is out of the question, not an option, and impossible.


    The other option was ¡­ facing theunity.


    Everything I¡¯d worked on to hide my rtionship with him¡­ It all seemed to hang in the bnce now, the weight of my new reality pressing down on me.


    I can¡¯t do this.


    I didn¡¯t even know how to start dealing with this.


    Tears blurred my vision, my chest tightening with the sobs I was trying to hold back.


    Why now?


    Why us?


    The helplessness of it all stung, a bitter taste in the back of my throat.


    We were struggling with all of this so-called ve and master rtionship to figure things out. How were we supposed to handle a baby on top of everything else?


    I had to talk to him. He had to know.


    The thought of confronting Rafael filled me with dread.


    What if he didn¡¯t want this baby?


    What if he wanted¡­


    I couldn¡¯t even finish the thought.


    The possibilities were too overwhelming, too terrifying.


    But I had to figure this out.


    I had to.


    I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to summon some semnce of calm.


    One step at a time, Natalie.


    One step at a time.


    Maybe I should call Rafael and brainstorm a solution with him. I shook my head, refusing to entertain the thought. What if he forced me to have an abortion?


    I stood up from the bathroom floor and headed straight to my bed. I threw myself onto it with a thud. Suddenly, I realized I shouldn¡¯t do that. I ced my hand on my belly protectively, then fell asleep.


    I don¡¯t know how long I slept, but it must have been a while. Suddenly, I heard a loudmotion, as if someone was arguing. I slipped my feet into my slippers and headed straight to the source of the sound. When I reached the stairs, my eyes widened.


    Rafael and Daniel were holding each other¡¯s shirt cors.


    But why?


    ¡°You bastard! You didn¡¯t know how to protect her. You don¡¯t deserve her in this family! How could you give them the chance to film her in that state?¡± Daniel growled.


    They were moving all around the entrance hall, hitting each other¡¯s faces.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, you fucker,¡± Rafael roared back, then rammed his head into Daniel¡¯s like bulls butting horns.


    I screamed when they fell to the ground, covering my mouth in shock. They were acting like cavemen.


    ¡°What the hell is happening here?¡± I eximed.


    The two men nced in my direction for a second, then resumed their fight.


    I hurried downstairs. ¡°What are you two crazies doing?¡± I asked, but they ignored me and continued hitting each other.


    ¡°Stop this craziness, now!¡± I roared.


    ¡°You! Stay out of this,¡± Rafael roared furiously, without sparing me a nce.


    ¡°Yeah, stay out of this,¡± Daniel echoed.


    I frowned.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    What the hell was happening between these two hooligans?


    They fell to the ground once again, this time with a resounding crash as they shattered the coffee table into countless pieces.


    All the domestic staff peered cautiously from behind partially opened doors, their curious eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them.


    ¡°I shouted furiously, ¡®You two are acting shamelessly!''¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re acting shamelessly bying here to take a girl who didn¡¯t want you on a date,¡± Rafael snarled, throwing a punch towards Daniel, but thetter dodged it skillfully.


    ¡°She told me everything; you don¡¯t have any rtionship with her,¡± Rafael added, aiming to provoke him further.


    Danielughed, devoid of amusement, and dered, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what my rtionship with her¡­¡±

 Chapter 59 Overprotective

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°Rafael! What¡¯s going on here?¡± The furious question made all of us turn our gazes towards the main door, where Grandma and Aunt Tobi were standing.


    ¡°Grandma! Aunt Tobi!¡± I eximed, my voice a mix of surprise and happiness. ¡°You came back!¡±


    ¡°Yes. And I left for just a few days only to hear bad news ande home to this childish scene of two grown men. How disappointed I am,¡± she said furiously.


    ¡°Did I leave responsible adults in the mansion, or just careless children?¡±


    Then she fixed her gaze on Daniel and said sharply, ¡°And you, Mr. Morris. I thought you were a good neighbor, only to find you fighting with my grandson in the middle of my house?¡±


    I was shocked. I was used to her scolding me and Rafael, but it wasn¡¯t her habit to do so with strangers.


    Daniel tilted his head as he stood up and straightened his clothes a little. He mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Merrin. I didn¡¯t mean to be rude or act like that,¡± then he turned his gaze towards Rafael. ¡°But your grandson offended me in the middle of your house. Do you ept that?¡±


    ¡°Good job, little boy,¡± Rafael smirked. ¡°Are you satisfied now, after snitching on me to my grandmother? Shame on you, big man with a beard.¡±


    ¡°Shame on you, Rafael! How can you speak to our guests like this?¡± Grandma shouted, hitting her stick on the ground.


    ¡°Mom, please. Don¡¯t be angry; it¡¯s not good for your diabetes,¡± Tobi said, trying to calm her mother. Then she looked at Rafael and added, ¡°Rafael didn¡¯t mean to do this. It must be a misunderstanding, right, Rafael?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandma,¡± he said in an apologetic tone, sitting on the sofa. Then he red at Daniel. ¡°It¡¯s just a small misunderstanding between me and Mr. Morris, and we¡¯ll solve it outsideter, shall we?¡± He finished his sentence with a question directed at Daniel.


    ¡°No!¡± Grandma shouted. ¡°You won¡¯t be solving anything outside. We¡¯ve had enough scandals on social media.¡± Then she scanned the ce with her eyes and added, ¡°A small misunderstanding, indeed.¡±


    She red at me and asked, ¡°Are they fighting over you?¡±


    I blinked in shock and stammered, ¡°I.. I¡­ No! I was asleep and came downstairs after overhearing a loudmotion.¡±


    Grandma, Tobi and I flickered our gazes between the two men questioningly.


    Rafael sat stubbornly on the sofa, crossing his hands over his chest, refusing to say anything, while Daniel¡¯s gaze softened as he said, ¡°I¡¯m here to take Natalie out for dinner. I want her to meet my friend.¡± Then he spared a nce at Rafael and added, ¡°My friend is a girl, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Ow,¡± Aunt Tobi muttered, her expression unreadable.


    ¡°So?¡± Grandma inquired, ¡°Why did you end up fighting?¡±


    Daniel smirked, ¡°Rafael refused to let me take her out.¡±


    All our gazes fixed on Rafael, who was sitting there on the sofa staring back at us nonchntly.


    ¡°Go get dressed and have fun with your friend,¡± Grandma said, smiling tenderly.


    Rafael¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot, and he growled, ¡°No! I said NO.¡±


    Grandma walked over to him and sat beside him, gently caressing his hand. She said softly, ¡°She¡¯s not the young girl you used to protect in the past. She¡¯s a grown woman now, with her own life and friends, just like you have.¡±


    Rafael lifted his gaze at me, and I felt he was about to say something. A chill ran down my spine, and sweat covered my palms. Could it be that he might say something about us?


    ¡°I have a say in all of this, don¡¯t I?¡± I interjected, causing all the gazes to turn to me. ¡°Why are you guys trying to decide on my behalf?¡± I finished my sentence with an amused smile, attempting to alleviate the tension hanging in the air. I stared at Rafael with a pleading look, silently urging him not to disclose anything about our rtionship.


    Aunt Tobi hugged me from behind and said, ¡°Yeah, dear. But as you know, Rafael is always overprotective!¡±


    Daniel rolled his eyes.


    I smiled faintly, then walked over to him and sat on the other side, touching his hand gently. ¡°I¡¯m just hanging out with Daniel. He wants me to meet a friend of his,¡± I said calmly, locking eyes with him. ¡°I¡¯m not the same little girl you think I am.¡±


    Rafael stared into my eyes, seeming to struggle with what to say. I pleaded with him silently, squeezing his hand. Finally, he spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°Fine.¡±


    Then he fixed his gaze on Daniel, ¡°Hey, you idiot, be aware of the paparazzi. If they saw her, they¡­¡± Then, he paused for a second, turned his gaze to me, and asked, ¡°Why did you go to the pharmacy?¡± He ced hisrge palm on my forehead and added, ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    He surprised me. How did he know? So, I blinked, then stammered, ¡°Oh, the pharmacy! I¡­ I just had a headache and¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so careless, what if one of them saw you and got in your way,¡± he scolded me.


    Tobi unintentionally interfered at exactly the right time. ¡°I bought a big hat and sunsses that I think will help you hide from the paparazzi,¡± she said, gripping my hand and gesturing for me to follow her.


    ¡­


    I stared at my reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing myself. I smiled a small smile and turned to Tobi, mumbling, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    She waved her hand, and said, ¡°Have fun, dear. Don¡¯t listen to the fossilized stubborn head of my nephew.¡±


    Even though she was much older than Rafael, he always scolded her because of her many rtionships.


    ¡°If Matt was alive, he would encourage you to go and hang out with your friends. I don¡¯t know where Rafael inherited these traits from,¡± she added.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I smiled warmly. Yes, my stepfather was exceptionally supportive, especially after my mother¡¯s passing.


    I went downstairs. Grandma, Daniel, and Rafael were still sitting in the entrance hall, while some of the domestic staff were busy cleaning up the mess.


    The atmosphere was tense, and I believe if Grandma hadn¡¯t been there, the two men would have killed each other.


    They were like two hawks, poised to eliminate each other.


    Once Daniel saw me, he stood up smiling and took my arm in his. Turning to face grandma, he countered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, It¡¯s just a dinner with a friend, then I¡¯ll drive her home immediately.¡±


    I dared to spare a nce in Rafael¡¯s direction once we reached the main door. He seemed like a caged wolf, his hawk-like gaze fixed on me, while he furiously bit his lower lip.


    I knew what would be waiting for me when I got back-so I ced a protective hand on my belly, instinctively.


    Shielding myself and the little life growing within me from the impending emotional storm.

 Chapter 60 Meeting Maya

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°Gosh! As if I pulled you out of the lion¡¯s den, Natalie. What a man of yours is he?¡± Daniel eximed.


    I smiled faintly and stared out of the car window. All I could think about was the life growing inside my womb. Everything else seemed pale and easy to solvepared to this dilemma.


    I had to think things through clearly. I had to study all the possibilities and consider the consequences of every decision carefully. Facing the family with this wasn¡¯t a good option, but it was the only right option. If Rafael didn¡¯t want this child, I could raise him by myself.


    I ced my hand protectively on my t stomach. Whatever happened, abortion was not an option at all.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Daniel asked, ncing at me from time to time as he drove. ¡°Why are you so quiet?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Nothing important,¡± I lied. ¡°So, tell me, who is this friend you want me to meet?¡±


    He smiled, his eyes shining, and said, ¡°Maya. Her name is Maya.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, noticing his shining gaze, and teased, ¡°Oh, Maya. I see. So, is that silly smile on your face for her? Is Maya just a friend?¡±


    His smile widened. ¡°I intend to propose to her next month.¡±


    I smiled and eximed, ¡°You have a girlfriend! I¡¯m surprised. Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± How wonderful to see lovers engaged and nning for marriage. It¡¯s just that the man I fell for doesn¡¯t seem to know how to love.


    He smiled tenderly as he stopped the car in front of a French restaurant. The ce wasn¡¯t famous, but it was elegant and quiet.


    Once we entered, a beautiful woman waved at us with her hand. Her smile was brilliant and radiant. When she stood to kiss Daniel, I noticed her height-she was tall, very tall.


    ¡°Hey! You must be Natalie,¡± she said, offering her hand.


    I promptly took her hand, returning her smile before responding, ¡°And you must be Maya, am I correct?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Her eyes twinkled with warmth, exuding kindness. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m delighted to finally meet you.¡±


    Her enthusiasm caught me off guard. After all, I was merely Daniel¡¯s neighbor and newfound friend. Nevertheless, I returned her excitement with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m also pleased to meet you, Maya.¡±


    She nced at Daniel with a slight frown. ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± she remarked, then scrutinized him from head to toe. ¡°What happened? You look like you¡¯ve been in a fight.¡±


    As the waiter arrived to take our orders, so Daniel didn¡¯t respond. Once the waiter had left, Maya pressed him again, her curiosity evident. ¡°What happened?¡±


    He cast me an using nce, then shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Her man did,¡± he muttered, his tone tinged with resignation.


    Maya¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she covered her mouth with both hands. ¡°Mr. Merrin?¡± she eximed, disbelief evident in her voice. ¡°But why?¡±


    I blinked in surprise at her response, still processing Daniel¡¯s earlier reply.


    ¡°He thinks that I¡¯m a treat,¡± he answered with an amusment grin, sipping from his ss.


    Maya nced at me and chuckled.


    I raised an eyebrow and objected, ¡°It¡¯s not like that! He¡¯s just¡­¡± But Daniel cut me off, ¡°Stop defending him, Natalie. He has to learn to respect your choices!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not defending him, Daniel. It¡¯s¡­¡± I began to exin, but he cut me off again with a sneer. ¡°Don¡¯t even try, Natalie,¡± he leaned forward and added, ¡°The man is obsessed with you, his actions prove that. You have to force him to make himself clear and¡­¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t just impose herself on the man! She can¡¯t just walk up to him and tell him to be with her and break off his engagement!¡± Maya snapped.


    My mouth dropped open. Were they really discussing my life?


    ¡°When they¡¯re having sex, she has every right to expectmitment from him. He can¡¯t just use her body!¡± Daniel snapped back furiously.


    At this point, I began to feel ufortable and fidgety.


    ¡°God, Daniel! You can¡¯t just throw usations at the man. We can¡¯t judge him for good,¡± Maya countered.


    Their conversation caught me off guard. What on earth were they arguing about?


    I raised an eyebrow and asked in a serious, t tone, ¡°May I ask what you¡¯re talking about?¡± I alternated my gaze between them. ¡°I¡¯m a little confused here!¡±


    It¡¯s true that I considered Daniel a friend, but his interference in my personal life was absolutely uneptable to me! Additionally, discussing it with his girlfriend as if I didn¡¯t exist was beyond tolerable.


    They exchanged looks, then focused their gazes on me with guilty expressions.


    Maya was the first to speak. She reached out and gently patted my hand, then mumbled, ¡°Sorry if we upset you. I¡¯m just trying to convince Daniel that every rtionship has its own circumstances.¡±


    ¡°What on earth!¡± I thought to myself, feeling frustrated and bewildered.


    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t discuss this. It was nice to meet you, Maya, but I¡¯m leaving,¡± I said firmly. I stood up, my chair scraping against the floor, and grabbed my handbag. The atmosphere was tense, and I could feel their eyes on me, filled with a mix of surprise and guilt. The dim lighting of the cafe cast long shadows on the table, and the murmur of other patrons seemed to fade into the background as I prepared to leave.


    Just as I turned to go, Daniel reached out and held my arm, preventing me from leaving. His grip was gentle but firm, and I could see a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. ¡°I have something I need to confess to you, Natalie,¡± he said, his voice wavering slightly. ¡°And I hope you can understand me.¡±


    I paused, looking down at his hand on my arm, then back up to his face. The room seemed to hold its breath, and even the background noise of the cafe seemed to quiet in anticipation of his next words.


    I closed my eyes tightly to suppress my anger, then opened them and said, ¡°Sorry, Daniel. I¡¯m not willing to talk about my personal life with anyone. If you¡¯re willing to help me reveal Debbie¡¯s n as a friend, then I appreciate it. Other than that, no, I¡¯m not ready to.¡±


    He sighed deeply, his expression fraught with inner conflict or deep contemtion. Then, locking eyes with me, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know anything about your biological father?¡±


    I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. ncing at Maya, I returned to my seat, the weight of Daniel¡¯s question hanging heavy in the air. Without uttering a word, I fixed my gaze on him, silently urging him to continue.


    He cleared his throat, his French ent adding a certain gravitas to his words. ¡°Natalie, I know who your real father is.¡±


    What?


    What did he just say?


    The blood froze in my veins. The shock washed over me so suddenly that I stared at his face in a daze.


    ¡°What?¡± That¡¯s all I managed to say.


    ¡°I said, I. Know. Your. Real. Father,¡± he repeated, each word deliberate and weighted with significance.

 chapter 61 Her Cousin

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I felt like I had difficulty understanding right now.


    With a frown, I stammered, ¡°Wh¡­ What do you mean?¡±


    He smiled patiently and replied apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Natalie. I should have told you earlier.¡±


    ¡°My father is alive? Where is he? Where does he live?¡± Questions flooded my mind like a rushing river, as I knew nothing about him. Mum never mentioned him, and on the rare asions she did, it was only after I insisted and cried for her to tell me. All she would say was that he wasn¡¯t a good man, not someone I should be proud to know, and that he didn¡¯t deserve me. He didn¡¯t even know I existed!


    ¡°Yes, he is. But he¡¯s living in an addiction treatment clinic. He married once after your mother left him, but his second wife dumped him for the same reason-his addiction,¡± he mumbled, sadness all over his face.


    I opened my mouth slightly, trying to digest the heavy information I had just learned.


    From the corner of my eye, I saw Maya patting Daniel¡¯s shoulder, as if she was encouraging him.


    ¡°And how do you know all of this?¡± I questioned him, my voice filled with suspicion.


    With a sad smile and a guilty expression, he confessed, ¡°He¡¯s my uncle. I¡¯m his nephew.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t blink. I couldn¡¯t close my open mouth. I couldn¡¯t hear anything else happening around us.


    I read the honesty in Daniel¡¯s eyes. He was telling the truth. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and, with a trembling voice, I countered, ¡°You¡¯re his nephew? You¡¯re French? Then my father is a Frenchman?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question; it was a statement as reality hit me.


    ¡°Yes!¡± That was all he said, locking eyes with mine.


    I grabbed the ss of water and swallowed its contents in one gulp.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this!¡± I eximed, mming the ss down on the table. I was French? Had I not been who I thought I was all this time? This was hard to believe.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°I know. I really know it¡¯s hard to believe,¡± he said, pulling a small box from his pocket and cing it on the table before me. ¡°This is a hair from my uncle, Albert¡¯s, head. You can do a DNA test. You can even go to the clinic yourself, ask for a blood sample from him, and do the test.¡±


    I opened the small box and found three or four blond hair strands inside. My hair was blond too. My mother had always told me that I inherited nothing from my father except the color and the beautiful thickness of his hair.


    I covered my face with my hands, struggling to process my emotions. Was it normal to feel nothing at a moment like this?


    I felt warm, soft hands wrapping around my shoulders, and Maya¡¯s gentle voice saying, ¡°Take your time, dear. No one is forcing you on anything here.¡±


    I frowned, raising my head to look at Daniel. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± I inquired.


    Daniel sighed. ¡°I preferred to let you get to know me better before revealing anything to you.¡±


    Feeling nauseous, I pressed my thumb between my brows and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, guys. I need to go. I¡¯m not feeling well. I need to be alone for a while.¡±


    ¡°I understand this new information is overwhelming, and you need some private time to think, but I do need to know what you¡¯ve decided regarding Debbie¡¯s ns,¡± Daniel said gently.


    I gazed into his eyes, a realization dawning upon me. For the first time in my life, I admitted to myself that Icked experience. My mother, and then my stepfather, had sheltered me to the point where I had lived a sheltered life. I had never faced the kinds of challenges and hardships that most people experience.


    I hadn¡¯t suspected Daniel¡¯s intentions towards me at all. But why had I trusted him so easily? Even though he didn¡¯t intend to harm me, he was still approaching me with his own intentions.


    I ced my hand on my abdomen beneath the table, silently promising the life growing inside me that I would change. I would be stronger to protect us both.


    I smiled a small, reassuring smile, concealing the frustration and sorrow I was feeling. ¡°I¡¯m going to expose her scheme,¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± he dered promptly, without a second thought.


    I refused sharply and decisively. ¡°Of course not! I have to make her think that I trust her. If she saw you, she wouldn¡¯t expose her ns,¡± I exined firmly.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t go into the snake pit all alone without any backup!¡± Daniel protested, concern evident in his voice.


    I checked my phone as its screen lit up, revealing a message that popped up. ¡°Didn¡¯t that damn dinner end yet?¡±


    It was from Rafael.


    Maya supported Daniel¡¯s protestation. ¡°Let him help you, Natalie,¡± she urged. ¡°The case, as Daniel told me, is veryplicated and dangerous.¡±


    The feeling of nausea intensified inside me to an unbearable level.


    ¡°Sorry, I need to use the bathroom,¡± I said, quickly excusing myself as I headed towards the door marked with a women¡¯s restroom sign.


    I rushed inside and emptied the contents of my stomach, the sweat covering my forehead as I leaned over the sink. A wave of sadness washed over me, and I felt the urge to cry. I wanted to cry so badly. Wiping away the tears that formed in my eyes, I managed a sad smile at my reflection in the mirror.


    ¡°Sadistic husband. Secret marriage to a stepbrother. Addicted father. Unwanted pregnancy¡­ What else is hidden in my fate?¡± I whispered to myself, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of my circumstances. ¡°I have to face all of this, starting with my marital status.¡±


    I returned to the table where I had left Daniel and Maya. The atmosphere was still tense, heavy with unspoken emotions.


    I grabbed my handbag and forced a smile. ¡°I have to go. I¡¯ll call you tomorrow, okay?¡± I said to Daniel. Then, turning to Maya, I mumbled, ¡°It was nice meeting you, Maya. I hope we meet again soon.¡±


    Daniel offered to drive me home, but I insisted on taking a cab. All the way home, I was absent-minded, lost in my thoughts. I didn¡¯t even notice when the car stopped in front of the Merrin mansion until the driver said, ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    I paid the driver and stepped out of the car. The mansion was enveloped in silence, indicating that Grandma and Aunt Tobi were likely tired and had already fallen asleep.


    I was walking through the dimly lit corridor between the rooms when suddenly, arge hand grabbed me and pulled me into a darkened room. Before I could react, I was engulfed in a fierce kiss.


    His scent enveloped me, making me feel a sense of belonging and safety that I hadn¡¯t realized I was craving.


    It was a fierce, almost cruel kiss, and I returned it with equal intensity. I wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him closer, and gripped his head tightly. In that kiss, I poured out all my frustration and pent-up emotions.


    Rafael deftly shut the door with his foot, his hands working to remove my shirt. Despite my lingering frustration with him over Debbie¡¯s answering his phone, I couldn¡¯t deny the overwhelming need I felt for him this night. I wanted him more than anything.


    But..


    I want to be the master this time, not the ve.


    I wanted to be the one in control this time, not the one being controlled.


    I wanted to feel like I was in control of something in my life, even if it was just a small thing like this between us.


    But instead of telling him so, I said with determination, ¡°You told me you want to announce our marriage to the world when I am ready.¡±


    He paused in his movements, his gaze locking with mine.


    ¡°I want you to announce our marriage!¡± I dered firmly, my voice leaving no room for doubt.

 Chapter 62 I Want To Be In Control

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to face society,¡± I reassured him when he remained silent.


    I saw the confusion in his eyes caused by my sudden decision. He didn¡¯t understand the reason behind it-his flesh and blood growing inside me.


    His features softened as he cupped my face and whispered between our lips, ¡°As I told you before, I need some time to end things with Debbie.¡± Then, as if he was reading my expression, he searched my face with his gaze and added something that shocked me, ¡°We¡¯re facing a big problem with ourst shipment. Some of my employees are involved in a drug deal.¡±


    I frowned. So he knows! Why was Debbie insisting that Rafael didn¡¯t know anything yet? I hesitated, unsure whether I should tell him about my uing meeting with Debbie and her friend or not.


    He stayed silent, just ring at my face, but I felt the change in his aura-a cold, furious glint in his eyes.


    I thought he was angry because of the shipment and the betrayal by his employees.


    He cupped my face again and kissed me so furiously that my back hit the wall. After a little while, he rested his forehead on mine and, with his eyes closed, mumbled, ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, I promise. If you did something wrong, I¡¯ll protect you as always, Natalie.¡±


    I was confused. What was he talking about?


    However, I didn¡¯t pay too much attention to what he said. I undid his pajama bottoms and whispered, ¡°I want to take control tonight.¡±


    He froze, frowned, and then asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nning to sleep with me, aren¡¯t you?¡± I asked, scanning his room with my eyes, noticing the materials he had prepared.


    He raised an eyebrow, crossed his arms over his bare chest, and asked, ¡°And?¡±


    I traced lines with my finger from his crossed arms down to his abdomen, stopping at the edge of his trousers.


    ¡°I am saying, I want to take control this time,¡± I whispered near his ear.


    He caught my hand, which was on the edge of his trousers, and said, ¡°You know that¡¯s not allowed!¡± His voice trembled a little.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked. ¡°I want to try.¡±


    ¡°No way, Natalie!¡± he stubbornly refused. ¡°We¡¯re not going to do this!¡±


    I fixed my gaze on his face. He seemed a little nervous, which made me smirk at him. Without warning, I pushed him away.


    The confusion was obvious on his face. I said, ¡°Then, you won¡¯t have me tonight!¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, took steps forward, and caged me between his solid arms and the wall behind me.


    He teased, ¡°If I want to take you right now, right here, I will. And you will be screaming just from pleasure.¡± His strong aura was sending dangerous waves through the air.


    The temperature increased instantly inside my body. I squeezed my legs together to reduce it. I won¡¯t surrender to him that easily.


    ¡°What you¡¯re asking is beyond my tolerance. I can¡¯t do it, Natalie. Ask me anything else,¡± he said, his voice tinged with desperation.


    I sighed, then bent down and slipped out of his cage as quickly as I could.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to my room!¡± I said and opened the door.


    Before I could step out of the room, he grabbed me into his embrace, my back facing his warm chest. He whispered, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s going on with you? Why are you so frustrated and sad?¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect he would feel me. My eyes welled up with tears, but I stayed silent. He hugged me more tightly and said gently, ¡°You can trust me, Natalie. Tell me whatever¡¯s frustrating you.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I sighed heavily and said, ¡°It¡¯s about one of my friends.¡± He picked me up and cradled me against his chest, then sat on the bed and ced me in hisp, saying, ¡°Go on, I¡¯m here to listen.¡±


    I avoided his curious gaze and mumbled, ¡°She got pregnant by ident, and her husband is forcing her to have an abortion.¡±


    I lifted my gaze at him to read his expression. He asked nonchntly, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he want his WIFE to get pregnant?¡± Focusing on the word ¡°wife.¡±


    I swallowed, wrapped my arms around his neck and replied, ¡°He told her they¡¯re not ready for kids.¡±


    ¡°Emm. Did they agree on that from the start?¡± he asked, gentlybing my hair with his hands.


    ¡°No, I mean yes. But she forgot to take her pills,¡± I exined.


    ¡°She should be more careful,¡± he said, then ced his hand on my belly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to take your pills regrly. We don¡¯t want to face that now.¡±


    To cover my expression, I pushed his hands off me and stood.


    I stared at his face with a fake smile and said, ¡°I want to take control this night, please.¡±


    He sighed, ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t know, Natalie, if I can do this.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to do what you asked me to do before, Rafael, but I did it just to please you,¡± I said.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the monster that I am, Natalie. You¡¯re sweet, adorable. You can¡¯t harm an ant,¡± he said, standing and caressing my cheek.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to turn you into a monster. You¡¯re so innocent,¡± he added.


    I rolled my eyes, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. When I feel I¡¯m ready to be under your control, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    ¡°No, wait! If you need this so badly¡­¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± When I turned towards him, my eyes widened, and I stopped breathing.


    He was on his knees, his hands on his thighs, and his head down.


    I blinked, unable to believe it. Even though I asked him to, deep in my heart, I didn¡¯t expect he would agree.


    ¡°Rafael! What are you doing?¡± I asked in a low voice tinged with disbelief.


    He didn¡¯t lift his head. He stayed staring down at his knees and said, ¡°I am ready for you, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Oh no!


    Iughed nervously. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m¡­ Raf, I¡­¡± I stammered, not knowing what to say.


    Suddenly, he stood up, went to one of the drawers, and grabbed a whip. Then he got back, sat down on his knees again in the same previous position, bare-chested, with the whip beside him. He said, ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡±

 chapter 63 Her Love, His Suffer

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I wasn¡¯t ready.


    Suddenly, I felt I didn¡¯t want to do this. I couldn¡¯t.


    I stared at him wide-eyed as he waited for me to move or act. The atmosphere in the room was heavy and full of desperation.


    ¡°Raf!¡± This was the tenth time I called him, but he didn¡¯t respond, as if he were in another world, unable to hear me.


    ¡°Raf! Stand up, please!¡± All he replied was, ¡°I¡¯m ready for my punishment, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°What punishment, for God¡¯s sake?!¡±


    The silence continued, lifting the tension even higher.


    I gulped, feeling very hesitant. Why did I even ask him to do this? Yes, I wanted to control our rtionship, but not in this way!


    But what if I made him understand my feelings during our intimate time in the way he treated me, just this once?


    This wicked thought shined in my eyes.


    However, as much as I called him, he didn¡¯t move. He stayed in the same position.


    My eyes fell on the whip. I lifted it with trembling hands, staring at it for a little while, unable to summon the courage to do what I should do.


    I took a deep, long breath, then raised my hand, holding the whip high. As it began to descend toward Rafael¡¯s back, I diverted it at thest moment!


    I couldn¡¯t do it!


    This wasn¡¯t what I wanted.


    I threw the whip from my hand as if it was a snake or some dangerous material.


    I bent down quickly next to him, hugged him from the side, and said, ¡°Raf, I¡¯m sorry! I don¡¯t want this!¡±


    Hot liquid dropped on my arm, and I lifted my gaze to his face to see tears in his eyes. I blinked, then panicked. This was the first time in my life I had seen Rafael cry; even at his father¡¯s funeral, he hadn¡¯t shed a tear.


    I cupped his face and mumbled, ¡°Raf!¡±


    Even though I was staring right into his eyes, I could tell he wasn¡¯t really looking back at me. His eyes were fixed on mine, but his gaze was distant, as if he was locked inside memories.


    His body was so cold, and his heart was beating crazily. I felt a surge of worry. What was going on?


    ¡°Raf, bebe, please answer me. You¡¯re terrifying me!¡± I said in a soft voice.


    But there were no signs that he was listening to me.


    ¡°Raf, please, answer me,¡± I begged him, but still, he didn¡¯t respond.


    I embraced him tightly, trying to make him feel my presence, but still, there was no response. His tears welled in his eyes but didn¡¯t fall.


    I was scared to the core.


    My head raced to find a solution.


    ¡°Why the fuck did I ask him to change roles?¡± I med myself.


    This was thest try I would make. If he didn¡¯t respond, I¡¯d call an ambnce, especially when I noticed his heartbeat racing under my hand.


    I cupped his face and kissed him, but he didn¡¯t respond. Still, I kept kissing him, pressing my body closer to his, hoping that somehow he would feel me and snap back to his senses.


    He was in pain, even though I hadn¡¯t done anything. From his facial expressions, I could tell he was suffering. My tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrobly. What had happened to him to put him in this state? I was certain that Rafael had some psychological issues.


    I kissed him forcefully this time, knowing it might be ourst kiss before seeking help. But to my relief, he responded and kissed me back. I felt his hot breath mingling with mine. Our tears met, making our kiss taste rather salty. Our gazes intertwined, locking us together in that moment.


    He took control of the kiss, exploring my mouth with his tongue, and I surrendered, letting him take whatever he wanted.


    Without either of us uttering a word, he lifted me up in his embrace and headed to the bed. Gently, he ced me down and continued kissing my jaw and neck. However, I stopped him. He met my eyes questioningly. I smiled and whispered, ¡°Will you let me take control tonight? I want to show you my skills! To make love¡­ I mean, have sex, in my way.¡± I ended my sentence with a wink.


    He raised an eyebrow, then raised his hands in surrender, saying, ¡°I¡¯m all yours. What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Justy on the bed!¡± I ordered him, then stood up.


    He obeyed without saying a word. I almost chuckled at the way he stared at me, as if I was about to ravish him. Sitting on the bed beside him, I began to remove the rest of his clothes.


    ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? You¡¯re making me nervous,¡± I teased him, a yful smile on my lips.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll close my eyes!¡± He teased back and closed his eyelids.


    I eximed, ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to rape you!¡±


    Heughed this time, despite his somber mood moments ago. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s allowed to ¡®rape¡¯ me if you want to!¡± He said, stressing the word rape.


    I hit him lightly on the chest and snapped, ¡°I¡¯m the only one allowed to touch you!¡±


    His gaze softened, and he said with shining eyes, ¡°Yes, and you¡¯re the only one in many things.¡±


    The redness invaded my cheeks, so I jumped to my feet and grabbed the rope he had prepared for tying me up. I then tied his hands above his head to the bed edges and covered his eyes.


    My heart raced as I stared at his muscr body. Sitting beside him, I savored every inch of his skin, and I could tell he was enjoying it. Then, without warning, I straddled him, feeling him under my control, watching his face reflect his pleasure.


    Every move I made was apanied by his heavy breathing. I moved slowly, savoring every sensation.


    The feeling I experienced in that moment surpassed any other encounter we had before.


    However, I couldn¡¯t maintain control as I increased the pace. I needed him to move so I could reach my orgasm.


    I shouted, ¡°Fuck me, bebe, please!¡±


    ¡°You get what you wish for,¡± he whispered in a hoarse tone.


    We moved together at the same pace. Then, I lost control and let him take overpletely.


    Once I had my orgasm, he wasted no time. With one swift motion, he untied his hands, removed his blindfold, leaving me stunned. Then, he turned me onto my back and took control, continuing our passionate encounter.


    After a few minutes, he fell back on the bed, pulling me with him so my head rested on his chest. He kissed me on my forehead and said, ¡°Thank you for bing a part of my life.¡±


    I smiled, feeling happier than ever before. It was as if my dreams had finallye true.


    I felt encouraged to ask him if he loved me, so I locked eyes with him and said, ¡°Raf! Can I ask you a question?¡±

 Chapter 64 Do You Love Me?

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    ¡°Raf! Can I ask you a question?¡± Natalie said, her voice stammering a little.


    I patted her head and smiled. ¡°Sure!¡±


    She stared at my face, hesitant about whether to ask or not. So, I encouraged her, ¡°You can ask me whatever you want.¡±


    However, I thought she might ask me about the drug deal. Her previous reaction when I mentioned it suggested she knew about the issue and was somehow involved. But she shocked me by asking apletely different question than what I had in mind.


    She asked with a faint smile, ¡°Why did you choose to be sadistic? Is there any chance you could be normal¡­ I mean, do things in a normal way without all this punishment stuff?¡± Her voice was tinged with curiosity and anxiety.


    I let out a deep sigh. Even though I didn¡¯t like talking about this and disliked anyone interfering in my ways, she, as a partner, had the right to know.


    ¡°If I tell you the truth, won¡¯t your view of me change? Wouldn¡¯t you hate me?¡± I asked, staring into her eyes while a surge of anxiety grew inside me.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Of course not!¡± she eximed. ¡°I really want to know,¡± she added in a gentle tone.


    I rested my head on the pillow behind me while she rested her head on my chest. Our bodies were close in an intimate way, covered by the bedsheet.


    I stared into space and cleared my throat. ¡°When I became a teenager, I didn¡¯t feel the same way as other teenagers do. I hated kissing, hugging, and many other intimate things. I hated everything in my life,¡± I said, recalling every detail of my adolescence.


    ¡°One girl at my school was like me, avoiding every boy and any intimate actions. The other girls started bullying her, but no one dared to do the same to me. As the son of a famous actor, they thought I was just eclectic and arrogant. However, one night¡­¡± I paused, unsure if I should share that part of the story with her.


    She lifted her head towards me, gave a reassuring smile, and mumbled, ¡°Go ahead, I know you weren¡¯t a virgin!¡± Even though her voice was tinged with amusement and sarcasm, I knew she was just covering up her true feelings.


    I kissed her on the head and closed my eyes as I continued, ¡°She offered to be my ve. At first, I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted that, but my hatred for women made me agree in the end. She was my first, and she allowed me to do whatever violence I wanted. She loved it and needed it. Wepleted each other.¡±


    I stared at Natalie¡¯s face, studying her reaction. She gulped and asked, ¡°Did your rtionship with herst long, or was it just once?¡±


    ¡°Three years. We stayed in that dynamic for three years until we graduated,¡± I said, aware that my words might be disturbing for her, but I had to tell her the whole truth or nothing at all. As my wife, she had the right to know.


    She closed her eyes, sighed, then mumbled, ¡°But¡­ every time you came for a visit, you had a different girl with you. Which one was she?¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t any one of them. She couldn¡¯t attend with me; her stepfather prevented her from visiting friends,¡± I exined.


    Suddenly, her body became colder as she asked, ¡°Did you love her?¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°Neither of us were seeking love. I told you, we hated intimacy.¡±


    She bit her lower lip, then inquired, ¡°You said you hated women. Can I know why?¡±


    I said, with all the hatred in my heart for the women who were with my stepfather, ¡°They were the reason I became sadistic. When I was a little kid, they tied me up and hit me if I didn¡¯t obey them!¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°Women? Which women? And where were your parents during that?¡±


    I sighed, ¡°My mother was always on a business trip filming a movie or a series. My father built his own family, and I wasn¡¯t a part of it. He decided to neglect his own son and raise another man¡¯s child.¡± As I spat out thest few words, I regretted saying them.


    I hugged her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m not ming you, Nat. Maybe I did when I was younger, but now I¡¯m d that Dad was a good father, at least for you.¡±


    Her eyes welled with tears and she mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rafael. Maybe if Mom and I were¡­¡±


    I cut her off with a tender kiss. I didn¡¯t want her to feel guilty or sorry. She was the light in my dim life, my savior from myself. She did what other women couldn¡¯t.


    She pulled me out of my darkness. Since my stepfather¡¯s death, I had never been under anyone¡¯s control. I didn¡¯t allow anyone to control me or my life. But she asked for that, and despite my phobia, I was eager to please her.


    However, once I knelt down on my knees for the first time in many long years, my head swirled with memories of the punishment I endured. Back then, they made me kneel on my knees and beg for mercy while their whip fell on my back. I felt every pain as if it were real. Tears streamed down my face, and they didn¡¯t stop. The pain didn¡¯t stop until Natalie¡¯s soft lips touched mine, her scent rxed me, and her tender touches snapped me back.


    I adore this woman deep in my heart. But I cannot give her more than that, and I¡¯m too selfish to let her go.


    I gently pushed her onto her back, burying my face in her neck. ¡°I want you again,¡± I mumbled.


    She chuckled, ¡°Gosh, Raf, it¡¯s five in the morning and we haven¡¯t slept yet.¡±


    ¡°So what? It¡¯s not like we can¡¯t bete for work!¡± I whispered, my body already responding eagerly.


    She raised an eyebrow and smirked. ¡°I have a difficult boss to get along with. If I werete, maybe he would punish me.¡±


    ¡°And did you like his punishment?¡± I teased her.


    She ran her fingers on my chest and whispered, ¡°Depends on the kind of punishment.¡±


    Iughed and took advantage of the moment, tasting her delicious lips. From between our breaths, I murmured, ¡°You can ask me whatever you want, Natalie, and I promise I¡¯ll give you! Money, properties, cars, and whatever elsees to your mind.¡±


    ¡°Can you give me love?¡± she asked, her tone tinged with a mix of uncertainty and determination.


    My body tensed up at her question, which came out of the blue.


    ¡°Do you love me, Raf?¡± she asked, her voice soft yet filled with anticipation.

 Chapter 65 The Visitor

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    My heart was racing uncontrobly inside my chest, almost bursting out of my ribs.


    All his words and actions showed me he loved me, but I needed to hear it from his lips.


    I needed to hear it to believe it. I didn¡¯t want to live in a delusion.


    However, it seemed too surreal to be true. All my dreams shattered before my eyes when he said in a sharp tone, ¡°I told you from the beginning, Nat, I don¡¯t believe in something called love.¡±


    Against my will, my eyes welled with hot tears. I lowered my head to avoid letting him see my misery. He gently lifted my chin and mumbled with a softer tone and a faint smile, ¡°Natalie, I¡¯m an inpatient man. Don¡¯t be fooled by my outwardly shiny appearance; inside, I¡¯m a distorted person. If a mother doesn¡¯t love her own son and considers him an obstacle to her sess, how could that child grow up to give love?¡±


    ¡°But I loved you and still love you,¡± I said desperately, tears streaming down my face.


    I never expected to confess my feelings to him, but I wanted him to know that I had loved him all along, that he wasn¡¯t as alone as he thought.


    He cupped my face, a pained expression in his eyes, and pleaded, ¡°Please don¡¯t. I don¡¯t deserve these feelings. I treated you badly, and I still will. I can¡¯t promise you that I¡¯ll stop being sadistic. I can¡¯t-this is who I am.¡±


    I tried to push his hands away from my face, but he hugged me tightly and said, ¡°How much? How much money do you want to stay with me? Name a number! I¡¯ll deposit money into your ount regrly.¡±


    I was shocked. Was he trying to buy me? All I craved was a family. Money is indeed important, and it was the initial reason for our marriage, but now I have a baby growing in my womb. I couldn¡¯t think selfishly. The baby needs a real family.


    I cleared my throat, raised my head, and stared into his eyes. ¡°What if I get pregnant in the future? If you can¡¯t give love, how are you supposed to love our kids?¡±


    His face darkened, and he said with a gloomy expression, ¡°Do you think a sadistic man can raise a kid, Natalie? I¡¯m not nning to have children in the near future. We¡¯re still young, and we can consider it after five or six years.¡±


    My heart sank. I ced my hand protectively over my abdomen. If I told him, he would force me to have an abortion!


    I love him. I really do. But I couldn¡¯t sacrifice the life that God has gifted me in my womb. A piece of Rafael was the most precious gift in my life.


    I lowered my gaze and said in a trembling voice, ¡°I want five billion in my bank ount.¡±


    Here is the revised version of your text:


    I had to secure my child¡¯s future. I couldn¡¯t keep the pregnancy a secret for long, and I didn¡¯t know what the future would hold for this child. If his father didn¡¯t want him, I did. At the very least, I could ensure he enjoyed the benefits of his billionaire father¡¯s money.


    If Rafael forced me to have an abortion, I would leave him and protect my child with that money.


    ¡°Five billion?¡± Rafael asked in astonishment. Then he grinned, ¡°Fine. But you¡¯ll never leave me.¡±


    ¡°Never,¡± I lied.


    He pulled me into his embrace, closed his eyes, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get a little sleep before the sun rises. I¡¯ll ask Jack to find a good doctor to prescribe a contraceptive injection for you, to avoid any pregnancy issues in the future.¡±


    In the morning, I sneaked out of Rafael¡¯s room, took a shower, and started dressing. After a week of absence, I didn¡¯t want to bete for work, so I hurried to get ready. I wore a cream blouse, blue trousers, and high heels.


    ¡°I need to go see a doctor after work,¡± I said, patting gently my abdomen and smiling sadly.


    Once I left my room, I smelled the delicious aroma of pancakes that Laura always prepares when there¡¯s a guest for breakfast.


    ¡°Emm, it seems you like the smell,¡± I chuckled softly, cing my hand on my belly.


    Rafael¡¯s room door swung open, and he stepped out. My heart skipped a beat; his effect on me was as strong as ever. He was tall, his hairbed back, and he was wearing a grey suit. His masculine fragrance reached me where I was standing, making my heartbeat quicken.


    When his eyes fell on me, he grinned, walked towards me, and kissed my cheek.


    I froze, then pushed him away and whispered urgently, ¡°What are you doing? Are you insane? Someone might see us!¡±


    He smiledzily and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m addicted. It¡¯s your fault.¡±


    Before I could scold him, my stomach growled. My cheeks reddened, and he chuckled, ¡°Hungry?¡±


    ¡°Did you smell that? It¡¯s Laura¡¯s pancakes. Looks like someone is joining us for breakfast!¡± I said.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I know her. If there¡¯s a guest, she¡¯ll make her secret recipe,¡± I chuckled yfully.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then and find out who the guest is,¡± he urged me.


    I noticed his positive energy today, and it made me happy for him. How could he still smile after all he had suffered as a child?


    How could a mother treat her only child the way his mother did?


    Once we entered the dining room, Grandma smiled and greeted cheerfully, ¡°Good morning, my dearest grandchildren.¡±


    I smiled at Grandma as I walked to the table, noticing the brown-haired woman sitting with her back to us.


    I nced at Rafael when he stopped walking suddenly. His eyes were two balls of ice, and his hands balled into fists. Tension instantly filled the air. The smiling, joyful man from moments ago was gone, reced by a ruthless expression.


    The woman turned her face, smiling, and said, ¡°Hey!¡±


    She was Nicol, Rafael¡¯s mother.

 Chapter 66 Twins?

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Rafael growled.


    ¡°Hey, son. Is that how you wee your mother after so long?¡± Nicol retorted with a smile and a hint of pain in her expression.


    Rafael gently guided me to a chair beside him after I froze upon seeing his mother. After sitting down, he said, ¡°It¡¯s not like you were trying to reach out all these months, Mom.¡±


    Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but she smiled confidently. ¡°Oh, Raf, you know how busy I am,¡± she said, lifting a strand of her stunning hair with her carefully polished hand.


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± he replied simply, sipping his coffee nonchntly.


    Silence filled the room. Even Grandma and Tobi were quiet.


    I felt sorry for her; after all, she was a guest here. Even though I knew she didn¡¯t like me or my mother in the past, I still smiled at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you here, Nicol.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t been here since Dad Matt¡¯s funeral.


    She nced at me, raised an eyebrow, and said, ¡°Oh, sorry, I didn¡¯t notice you before, dear. Are you still living here with the Merrins? I thought you might have left after Matt passed away!¡±


    Her reply shocked me, and before I could say anything, Rafael mmed his cup of coffee on the table and eximed, ¡°Left to where? This is her house.¡±


    ¡°Maybe searching for her biological father!¡± she said.


    ¡°Dad Matt is my father, and I don¡¯t want to know any other father,¡± I replied with a smile, not willing to show her my true expression.


    She rolled her eyes, smiled with closed lips, and said, ¡°I see.¡± With a hint of amusement in her eyes, she added, ¡°I heard about that night in the nightclub, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± Rafael growled, cutting her off.


    She turned to him and said, ¡°Raf, honey, can I have a word with you in private?¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply for a long moment, making me feel as if he hadn¡¯t heard her. Finally, in a hoarse voice, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t have much time. You have ten minutes to tell me what you want.¡±


    After they left the table for Rafael¡¯s study, I stared at the pancake, feeling like I had lost my appetite. I put down my fork and knife, and as I was about to stand up, Grandma said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eat your breakfast, dear?¡±


    Tobi sniffed, ¡°That evil woman must have made her lose her appetite!¡±


    I smiled at them and said, ¡°I¡¯m alreadyte for work. See you this evening.¡±


    I shook my head after I sat in the car, unwilling to think about what Nicol had said. However, the thoughts of how I would face the employees at thepany after the nightclub incident kept ying in my head.


    Once I entered the vast building of Merrin Group, I felt all eyes on me. I even heard some whispers, but I raised my chin high, not bothering to give them my attention.


    ¡°Hey, happy to see you,¡± Rosalinda, my personal assistant, cheered as soon as I entered my office.


    I smiled at her, nodded, and said, ¡°I hope everything has been going well these past few days.¡± Flipping through the huge number of files before me, I noticed her silence.


    I snapped my head up and asked, ¡°Rose? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    An awkward expression crossed her face as she replied, ¡°Most of our agencies have sent warning notifications. They¡¯re saying that as the person responsible for thepany¡¯s social rtions, your involvement in the nightclub incident has made them doubt your professionalism. They¡¯re thinking of cutting ongoing work with us, iming it could affect their reputation as advertising agencies.¡±


    I let out a deep sigh of frustration and said, ¡°Set up an internal meeting for our team.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    She nodded and turned to leave, but before she exited the door, I asked, ¡°Is this matter spreading among the employees?¡±


    If it is, that would exin a lot.


    She turned back, an awkward expression on her face, she replied, ¡°Yes, boss.¡±


    I waved my hand, signaling her to go.


    That man from that night disappeared, vanishing like salt in water. Who was behind him? Could it be Debbie? Is she trying to set me up? But why? Does she know about my rtionship with Rafael?


    When I went through the files before me, I noticed that Raf had closed the propaganda campaign n that was supposed to focus on his personal life.


    That propaganda campaign was where everything started to beplicated between us.


    The meeting wasn¡¯t good; all the statistics indicated that most of the projects had failed recently due to that incident. It was the first time something like this had happened to me. My team¡¯s projects had been crowned with sess over the two and a half years I had been head of this department.


    ¡°Rosalinda, I have to step out for thirty minutes. Please answer all the calls,¡± I said, then rushed out of the office without another word. I felt suffocated and needed some fresh air. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was due to the pregnancy or the work problems.


    I took a cab, not willing to drive, and headed straight to the hospital.


    On the examination bed, Iy on my back, following the doctor with my eyes as she examined my abdomen with the tool connected to the screen after applying the cold gel to my skin.


    With eager eyes, I scanned the screen as the doctor moved the tool over my stomach, but I couldn¡¯t make sense of anything. The doctor smiled at me and instructed, ¡°Miss Natalie, please stay lying on your back.¡±


    ¡°Your pregnancy is still in its early stages. Everything seems normal, but you have to take extra care of yourself. Two pregnancy sacs mean double the care,¡± she exined.


    My eyes widened, and I eximed, ¡°Two?¡±


    She smiled, ¡°Yes, new mommy, there are two.¡±


    ¡°Twins?¡± I asked in astonishment.


    ¡°Yes, but in separate sacs.¡±


    ¡°Non-identical twins?¡± I asked again.


    Awe, happiness, and fear all filled my heart.


    All the bad news and events that had happened to me recently vanished from my mind. All that was important now were the two lives growing inside me.


    I wished I could run to Rafael and tell him. I wished we were a normal couple. I wished he could be happy about the twins.


    But he made it clearst night. He didn¡¯t want even one child, let alone if I told him I have two.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to write you some instructions and supplements. You have to eat healthily and avoid anything that requires physical exertion or pushing,¡± she said, writing on the prescription. Then she lifted her head, staring at the bruises covering various visible parts of my body, and added, ¡°No rough sex, okay!¡±

 chapter 67 Meeting With Friends

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Once I got back to the office, Rosalinda ran up to me, eximing, ¡°Miss Natalie, the CEO almost demolished thepany over our heads.¡± Her voice was shaking.


    ¡°Why? What happened?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°He was looking for you. He tried to call you, but your phone was off. He called the office phone almost every three minutes,¡± she said, and then the office phone rang.


    In horror, she picked up the handset and, with a shaky voice, answered, ¡°Hello, this is The R¡­¡±


    A growl I could hear cut her off. She looked at me and said, ¡°Yes, sir. She¡¯s here.¡± Then she handed me the phone handset as if it were a piece of hell.


    ¡°Where the fuck have you been, and why was your damn phone off?¡± he roared through the phone, forcing me to move it away from my ear a little.


    Without waiting for my reply, he ordered, ¡°Come to my office, NOW!¡± and hung up.


    I blinked, staring at the phone handset in my hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± I thought.


    With a faint smile, Rosalinda took the handset from me and, motioning to the door with her eyebrows, said, ¡°It¡¯s better you don¡¯t let him wait.¡±


    I shook my head in disbelief as I took the elevator. ¡°This man is unbelievable. Who¡¯s dealing with a pregnancy and hormonal fluctuations-me or him?¡±


    Once I exited the elevator and went directly to his office door, his secretary stood in my way with a troubled expression on her face. ¡°You can¡¯t go in. The boss is angry and¡­¡±


    Rafael¡¯s office door swung open, and his secretary froze in ce. She stammered, ¡°Boss, I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°What the hell were you thinking, not letting her in immediately?¡± he growled at the frozen woman.


    He walked toward me in two steps and grabbed my arm. Before shutting the door, he turned to his secretary andmanded, ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone disturb us; we have a closed meeting!¡± Then he shut the door.


    Once he shut the door, he pushed me against it and kissed me furiously. He rested his forehead on mine and said, ¡°Where have you been? I almost went crazy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s obvious,¡± I chuckled.


    He held my chin firmly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again! I was scared to the core.¡±


    I felt his reaction wasn¡¯t normal. Why would he be so scared on me to that extent?


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Your phone was off, and I needed you. That¡¯s all,¡± he said, caressing my cheek.


    ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± I said, running my fingers over his chest. ¡°Then, what¡¯s the closed meeting we have?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We can discuss thatter, after we grab a small snack,¡± he whispered and kissed my neck.


    The small snack turned into a hot intimacy on the couch. He took off my blouse and bra, licking every part.


    Suddenly, the door opened and closed.


    I froze, and Rafael growled, ¡°What the fuck are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, for God¡¯s sake. Don¡¯t you have a bed at home?¡± Jack sniffed.


    Rafael covered me with his body and roared, ¡°Get lost, Jack!¡±


    Thetter took a long breath and said, ¡°Believe me, I want to. I don¡¯t want my innocent eyes to see this, but a couple of employees are here. It¡¯s not convenient to let them go after they¡¯ve gathered all the information you need and craved for.¡± He cleared his throat and added, ¡°You can finish this at home!¡±


    Rafael threw the small pillow from the couch at him and snapped, ¡°Go to the bathroom, don¡¯te out until I tell you.¡±


    Jack rolled his eyes. ¡°Just don¡¯t keep me waiting for long!¡±


    My cheeks were burning. Why did Jack always catch us red-handed?


    Rafael helped me put my clothes back on, then he kissed me on the forehead and said, ¡°Once I finish this meeting, I¡¯ll call you. Charge your phone.¡±


    After three hours, it was the end of the working day, and yet Rafael hadn¡¯t finished his meeting nor called me as he promised. I waited for another hour, but it seemed like the meeting wouldn¡¯t end soon.


    I scrolled through my social media and saw Reba running a live stream from a nearby cafe. I drove to the cafe and found her sitting with Fello. I joined their table, but they didn¡¯t recognize me as I was wearing a big hat and sunsses to avoid any paparazzi. Once I took off my sunsses, they screamed in happiness, and Reba turned off the live stream.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Where have you been? After that night, we tried to call you several times, but your phone was off,¡± Fello asked, with a worried tone.


    ¡°I even went to your house several times, but the maids told me you weren¡¯t home,¡± Reba added.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I should have called you, but I lost my phone that night,¡± I said apologetically.


    ¡°So, where have you been?¡± Fello asked eagerly.


    Her question made the ce feel hotter as memories of Rafael and me rolled through my head, and the hat I was wearing only made me warmer. I opened the front buttons of my blouse to cool down.


    Reba asked with amusement, ¡°Do you finally have a boyfriend?¡± She stared at my neck.


    My eyes widened. ¡°A boyfriend? Why would you say that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Your love bites,¡± she said, gesturing toward the edge of my breasts.


    Oh.


    ¡°Love bites?¡± I said, my cheeks growing warmer.


    ¡°What love bites?¡± I asked, acting dumb and feeling hesitant about whether I should tell them now or not.


    Reba raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t y coy. Those marks are unmistakable.¡±


    Fello unlocked her phone screen. ¡°Let¡¯s see what love bites mean,¡± she said with a grin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± I said.


    She ignored my protest, cleared her throat, and read, ¡°Typically, a ¡®love bite¡¯ refers to a mark on the skin caused by biting, sucking, or kissing, often on the neck or other areas, usually during passionate moments between romantic partners. It¡¯s also known colloquially as a hickey.¡±


    Reba leaned her head closer to Fello¡¯s phone and read, ¡°It¡¯s a sign of affection, usually between two people in a rtionship. It can also be a sign of dominance and used as a form of control. In some cases, it can be a sign of violence.¡±


    Fello put her phone on the table, raised an eyebrow, and questioned, ¡°Won¡¯t you confess?¡±


    I hesitated, ncing at Fello. ¡°It¡¯splicated. Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve been seeing someone, but I¡¯m not ready to talk about it yet.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s he? Is he Rafael?¡± Fello asked, holding my hands.

 Chapter 68 She’s Not A Merrin

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    My friends stared at my face in anticipation, eagerly waiting for my reply.


    I nodded.


    Reba¡¯s eyes widened, and she eximed, ¡°I knew it!¡±


    ¡°But dear, he has a fiancee. I hope he wouldn¡¯t hurt you,¡± Fello countered, her expression a little worried.


    How could I tell them that we are married and that I already have his babies in my womb?


    Fello lifted her phone again, handed it to me, and said, ¡°Look, here¡¯s an announcement of their marriage on the official website of Merrin Group. They are getting married in ten days, Natalie.¡±


    My heart sank as I searched for the date of the post on the webpage. The news was posted yesterday! How could that be possible? I felt the ce spinning around, and nausea rose to my throat.


    I grabbed the ss of water in front of me and gulped it down in one go.


    Reba held my arm. ¡°Hun, what¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re so pale.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, I¡¯m going home,¡± I murmured, my voice barely audible.


    Once I stood, I felt a little dizzy. Fello held me and said, ¡°Are you okay, dear? Let me drive you home.¡±


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll call youter,¡± I said, rushing out. I wanted to be alone to call him and ask him what was going on.


    Before I started the car engine, I called him several times, but his phone was out of service.


    Didn¡¯t he finish his meeting yet?


    The sun was starting to set as I parked in front of the Merrin mansion. Noticing the number of cars already parked there, I felt that something was strange. Did we have guests?


    The front door was open slightly, so I pushed it and entered, hearing a loudmotion. I recognized the voices; they belonged to members of the Merrin family.


    How could I not recognize them, considering I had heard these voices bullying me and my mother all my life?


    ¡°We will not ept what she did to be attributed to our family,¡± Melissa said, one of Rafael¡¯s rtives who harbored feelings for Dad Matt.


    Rafael growled, ¡°Who attributed it to the family? It was a misunderstanding, and we¡¯ve resolved it.¡±


    I knew they were talking about me.


    From the space at the edge of the door, I could see five of Rafael¡¯s rtives, his mother, my grandmother, Aunt Tobi, and him.


    ¡°How did you solve it? By taking down the video using the dark web?¡± said one of them.


    ¡°Your father insisted that she be integrated into our family as one of us after her mother¡¯s death, but now nothing links us to her!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, kick her out of here and stop giving her our family privileges,¡± eximed another.


    I put my hand over my mouth, thinking that Rafael would announce that I am one of thedies of this family as his wife.


    But he didn¡¯t!


    He stayed silent, and the headline announcing his uing marriage on the Merrin official website disyed in my head.


    ¡°I am the CEO of Merrin Group, and everything is under my control, so no one has the right to tell me what I should or shouldn¡¯t do,¡± he growled.


    ¡°We will demand a family meeting, Rafael. And we¡¯ll vote on who still wants you as the CEO,¡± Melissa¡¯s son said.


    Rafael sneered mockingly, ¡°And who will run for this position? You? The drunkard who can¡¯t sober up at all?¡±


    Then he turned to Melissa and scolded, ¡°Go and cover up your husband¡¯s and son¡¯s scandals published by the paparazzi daily.¡±


    She lifted her chin high and retorted, ¡°At least their social background is known, unlike some other people.¡± She ended her sentence by staring hatefully at me as I stepped inside.


    Everybody turned to me with different expressions-some with hatred, some with pity, and some with awkwardness.


    I passed them and headed toward the stairs without sparing any of them a nce or saying a word.


    ¡°Where are you going? Leave our family,¡± Melissa shouted, and Grandma pped her immediately.


    ¡°I stayed and listened to your nonsense, but don¡¯t you dare talk to my granddaughter like that,¡± Grandma roared.


    Tobi ran towards me when she saw me shivering uncontrobly. I felt my blood pressure drop, and I feared I would faint at any moment. So, I gently pushed her hand away and climbed the stairs. Their voices still reached my ears even as I sat on my bed.


    I rushed towards the door and mmed it closed, unable to bear hearing their voices any longer.


    ¡°Mom! Why did you do that to me?¡± I eximed. But deep in my heart, I knew it wasn¡¯t her fault. She had given me an amazing stepfather.


    I found myself calling Daniel.


    He picked up on the second ring. As soon as he said, ¡°Hello,¡± my tears started falling uncontrobly. The humiliating scene felt like a heavy hammer pounding on my head.


    Between my sobs, I told him everything that had happened.


    He sighed and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe with me? Our family would love and cherish you, Natalie.¡±


    He paused for a second. ¡°I¡¯lle pick you up now if you want. With my private ne, in just two hours, you¡¯ll find yourself in France,¡± he offered.


    Through my sobs, I said, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, Daniel. I can¡¯t just leave.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Rafael¡¯s child, isn¡¯t it?¡± he stated.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed.


    ¡°Does he know?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, not yet,¡± I sighed, feeling the heavy burden.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t tell him. Leave with me and start a new life,¡± he suggested calmly.


    ¡°If he loves you, he will look for you,¡± he added, trying to convince me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want my children to grow up not knowing who their father is. I don¡¯t want them to live a life like mine,¡± I said.


    ¡°Children? Are they twins?¡± he asked, his French ent bing clearer due to the surprise.


    Even in my current emotional state, Iughed at his genuine reaction.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ll make me an uncle for two at once?¡±

 Chapter 69 The Apartment

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    Two days had passed since thest time I saw Natalie. I hadn¡¯t gone back home even once. I had to find the schemers who were trying to set her up.


    My men and I spent day and night searching for any evidence. I didn¡¯t have much time left. The shipment would be soon in the port, and the investigation would be official then.


    All fingers pointed to her, and I started to believe them. Even her signature was on one of the invoices. My father had given her many powers within thepany that I had not taken away from her.


    But why would she do such a thing?


    I remembered her asking for the 5 million. The number was huge, but at that moment I didn¡¯t care, thinking she just wanted to secure herself.


    Suddenly, a thought jumped into my head. I grabbed my phone from the table and called the bank.


    ¡°This is Rafael Merrin. I transferred an amount of money to an ount under the name of Natalie Steel. Could you check if the amount is still in the ount?¡± I said.


    ¡°Hold on for one minute, Mr. Merrin, please,¡± the bank employee said.


    ¡°Sir, the amount is no longer in that ount,¡± the employee said.


    I pressed my fingers to my forehead. I didn¡¯t want to ask her. I wanted to see if that Mackenzie was lying to force me into marrying his daughter. As I started to believe he was behind the nightclub incident.


    Today was the day he imed that Natalie would meet up someone who was helping her all the time. I called the fast number that was on my phone screen.


    ¡°Hey,¡± her voice chimed in.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said, her voice making me realize how much I missed her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I inquired, hoping for thest time she would tell me the truth.


    She paused for a long moment. I even nced at the screen, thinking the call had ended, but it was still running.


    I murmured in a gentle voice, ¡°Nat? Are you still there?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± she answered promptly. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet with my friends after work.¡±


    It was a short, awkward call, and it was obvious she was hiding something. After we hung up, the door swung open, and Jack barged in, a gloomy expression on his face as he said, ¡°We¡¯re ready!¡±


    I stood up and walked out of my office. Without turning toward the secretary, I ordered, ¡°Cancel all today¡¯s meetings.¡± Then I stepped inside the elevator, with Jack beside me.


    ¡°The investigator is waiting for us outside the building,¡± Jack said. ¡°He informed me that a man in his twenties entered with aputer bag in his hand, went to the building, and then to the apartment on the fourth floor.¡±


    The elevator door opened as I said, ¡°Good!¡±


    I started the engine and headed to the same exact location. Mackenzie tried to call me all day long, but I avoided taking his calls. I had one mission today, and it had to be done.


    Even though I looked calm on the outside, my heart was pounding violently. It wasn¡¯t an easy situation to see my wife in this position. But I needed to know the truth, the whole truth.


    After fifteen minutes of parking there, I saw her getting out of a cab. Even though she was wearing a hat and sunsses, I recognized her immediately.


    In a sharp tone, I said to Jack, ¡°Here she is.¡±


    He looked at her walking towards the gate of the building, then at me, as he asked, ¡°Why do you think she chose one of Nefson¡¯s buildings?¡±


    His voice was tinged with a hint of certainty that she was guilty.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think she did,¡± I replied.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked in confusion.


    I opened the car door and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and figure it out.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for her being involved in this case, I would have appointed some of my men to deal with it. But since she was involved, it was imperative for me to control the specificity of this problem and stop it from spreading.


    I stood before the required apartment on the fourth floor. My hand trembled a little before I knocked on the door. Jack sensed my tension and patted my shoulder, supporting me.


    The door swung open after two knocks, and Natalie said in a slightly sharp tone, ¡°Why are youte? I was¡­¡± Then her words froze on her lips as she stared at me wide-eyed.


    She took a defensive step back, her expression seeming guilty, and that pained me. I couldn¡¯t believe that Natalie could betray the family that raised her and trusted her.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    She stammered, ¡°Raf¡­ I¡­ I.¡±


    A male voice said from inside, ¡°Nat, babe. Is it the pizza delivery guy?¡±


    Her face paled as she eximed, ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡±


    I held myself back from smashing his fucking face. How dare he call her babe?


    ¡°Come on, our deal is on its way. The shipment will arrive at the port very soon, and I¡¯ve figured out a surefire way for us to smuggle it off the ship,¡± the man said from the room.


    I held Natalie by the arm and dragged her with me. Once we entered the room where the guy was sitting, he gazed at us and jumped from his seat, eximing, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am the one who will take your soul,¡± I growled.


    ¡°Raf, please listen. I don¡¯t know this guy,¡± Natalie pleaded.


    ¡°Honey? Who is this man? Why are you denying me for him?¡± The guy said.


    I growled. But not now, he would suffer soon.


    She slipped herself from my grasp and attacked the guy, trying to kick him and scratch his face.


    ¡°You liar! How much did she pay you, huh?¡± She snapped.


    Then she turned to me when I tried to pull her off the guy. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she begged, ¡°Debbie told me she would meet me here. She¡­ she said she has a friend who would help us figure out a way to find out those involved in the drug operation. You can call her now and ask her.¡±


    I asked the question that I was dying to ask her, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    She lowered her gaze and said, ¡°Maybe this isn¡¯t the most convenient answer, but it¡¯s the truth, Raf. I wanted to help you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but get angry with her. Why did she get herself involved in issues bigger than her?


    I looked away from her, and my gaze fell on the guy¡¯sptop. On its screen was a map of the ship, and he was drawing signs on it.


    I looked back at Jack and the investigator and ordered after I motioned with my head towards the guy, ¡°Take care of this trash.¡±


    I snatched theptop from its ce and guided Natalie outside the apartment.

 Chapter 70 New Evidence

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I pushed her into the car and mmed the door. I was on the verge of exploding from rage.


    Without uttering a word, I started the engine and sped away. I was driving over the speed limit. She whispered in a low voice, ¡°Raf, please. Slow down!¡±


    I mmed the steering wheel with my fists and roared, ¡°What the hell were you thinking, Natalie, huh?¡±


    She touched my arm and whispered, ¡°Raf, please. Believe me, it wasn¡¯t me, it¡¯s Debbie¡¯s¡­.¡±


    I pushed her hand away furiously and shouted, ¡°No! It was you!¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    It was she who made me almost lose my mind. It was she who made me feel betrayed. I don¡¯t give a shit about Debbie. She was the one I cared for, the one I waited for to be honest with me.


    She didn¡¯t argue after that. When I nced at her, her face was very pale, with one hand on her stomach and the other on her mouth. Realizing she was about to vomit, I reduced my speed, and we didn¡¯t speak again until I parked in front of the vi.


    The high-pitched squeal of the brakes made the security guard at the gatee out to check.


    I ordered in an icy tone, ¡°Get out of the car!¡±


    She looked at me and pleaded, ¡°Raf, please. I need to exin!¡±


    My eyes shed with anger as I scoffed, ¡°After what, Natalie? I asked before, and you lied!¡±


    She lowered her gaze and was about to say something when I added in a cold tone, ¡°Get out of the car, Natalie. We¡¯ll talk when I get back.¡±


    She got out of the car without another word, and I drove away without looking back at her.


    I was so mad at her; I was about to cancel the engagement and announce our marriage. Why did she do that? Why didn¡¯t she turn to me and tell me everything? Did she really think she could stand up to people like those? She was a victim of her own ignorance.


    I parked in front of our factory¡¯s supply store. Hearing a man¡¯s screams, I smirked. The guy from the apartment was tied to a chair, and Jack was hitting him.


    Once Jack saw me, he stepped back and said, ¡°I was just warming him up for you.¡± I had known Jack for almost all my life; he had an evil tendency. His childhood wasn¡¯t better than mine.


    Without a word, I took off my jacket, which one of my men immediately held for me. Then I rolled up my sleeves and grabbed the guy¡¯s cor. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked in a t voice.


    ¡°Lio, sir,¡± he answered between heavy breaths.


    ¡°Okay, Lio. Will you tell me the truth and everything, or¡­¡± I said, my voice still t.


    ¡°What truth? I¡­¡± he started to stammer, but I cut him off with a punch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t spit out anything but the truth,¡± I growled as I lifted him by his cor after he fell to the ground from my punch.


    ¡°I swear, sir. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± he pleaded.


    ¡°Aaaaw, wrong answer!¡± I mmed his face.


    This young man was indeed stubborn! But to his misfortune, I was even more stubborn when it came to anything concerning my wife.


    ___


    I was seated on my chair when Alfredo, the man responsible for difficult tasks in my security staff, began his interrogation session with Lio.


    I relished every punch and blow thatnded on his body as I watched from within the smoke cloud of my cigarette. This man was part of the gang that had tried to set up my wife and send her behind bars for the rest of her life.


    From my sources, I knew that the real estatepany, which I first encountered at that restaurant where I kissed Natalie for the first time, when I saw her with Daniel, was involved in aiding the mastermind of this conspiracy to discredit me in the market.


    The mastermind behind it all became very obvious to me, even before Lio confessed. However, the reason behind her intentions wasn¡¯t clear. Why did she scheme to push Natalie to the brink of jail? But I know how to protect my wife from her.


    First of all, I shouldn¡¯t reveal my intentions. I have to make her believe that I hated Natalie and fell for the bait. I have to go to the extent of treating Natalie poorly in front of her, until I got my hands on the proof that would vindicate my wife¡¯s innocence.


    The proof should be in my hands very soon, before the shipment arrives and before the responsible authorities intervene.


    I got up from my seat, stamped out the cigarette with my shoe, and ordered, ¡°Keep him out of sight for several days!¡± Without another word, I left.


    ¨C


    For almost an hour, aputer hardware expert and I sat in my office trying to find any evidence on Lio¡¯sptop. I started to feel hopeless; that damn Lio was very careful. Even though Jack called me and informed me that he confessed and they recorded his statement, I needed to find concrete evidence.


    A loudmotion made me snap out of my focus on theputer before me.


    I pressed the button on the internal speaker between me and my secretary to ask her what was going on, but before I could speak, my office door swung open and Daniel barged in.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± I roared. I don¡¯t have time for his bullshit.


    He walked towards me and attempted to punch me, but one of my security guards grabbed his arm from behind.


    He struggled to free himself as he said, ¡°I have proof of Natalie¡¯s innocence.¡±


    I stared into his eyes, then motioned to the security guard to release him.


    ¡°Speak!¡± I demanded.


    He looked around and said, ¡°alone.¡± I took a deep breath and then ordered everyone to leave.


    ¡°So, here we are alone. What proof do you have?¡± I said in an icy tone.


    He unlocked his phone screen, then looked back at me and said, ¡°Check your WhatsApp!¡±


    A sound indicating a message on the app rang. I nced at my phone, but before I could unlock it, he added, ¡°Before you see the evidence, I want you to know one thing! A scumbag like you doesn¡¯t deserve her. I wish she could be brave enough to leave you!¡±


    Then, without further argument, he stormed out just as abruptly as he had barged in.


    I¡¯m going to deal with that fucker and show him his limits, but not now. I needed to focus on the issue at hand first.


    I stared at the audio file that he sent me. With a deep breath, I yed the audio file. The recorded voice was unclear, but I could understand it. My eyes darkened when I heard Debbie¡¯s voice and what she was saying to Natalie.


    So, my suspicions were confirmed.


    She was trying to convince her to meet at the apartment.


    But why that apartment? Why did she use one of her father¡¯s apartments? She¡¯s clever enough not to use her father¡¯s apartment and pretend that Natalie just rented it. They were hiding something, and I need to find out what it is. The only solution to make her trust and believe that I fell for her trap is to officially announce that our marriage is soon.


    It seemed that the announcement on the Merrin official website didn¡¯t make her lower her guard, so I had to take a bolder step.


    How was I so blind not to see her true colors? She harmed the dearest person in my life and crossed the line, and my revenge wouldn¡¯te easily!

 Chapter 71 the Evil Trio

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    My cells were still trembling from what happened in the apartment when I got out of Rafael¡¯s car and headed inside the vi. A wave of pain was cutting through my abdomen.


    I was scared and shocked to the core when I saw Rafael standing in front of the apartment door. Could this affect my babies?


    I shook my head to erase these thoughts as my mind was full of ovepping ideas. I inserted my key into the lock, turned it, and opened the door. Once I entered, I heard voicesing from the living room.


    I thought it was Grandma and Tobi, so I headed there, craving Grandma¡¯s tender embrace. Even though my lower abdomen was killing me, I wanted to hug her a little before going to sleep.


    But once I stepped inside the living room, three heads turned towards me, and none of them were Grandma or Tobi.


    ¡°Wow, see who¡¯s home!¡± said Nicol.


    I ignored her, fixing my gaze on one face; Debbie. She seeded in framing me. Rage rose inside me as I headed straight towards her and snapped, ¡°You dare toe here? Leave, now!¡±


    She didn¡¯t even flinch. She stared at the two other women, Nicol and Melissa, as if asking them for backup.


    She hissed, ¡°If anyone is going to leave, it will be you, bitch!¡±


    Without hesitation, I raised my hand to p her, fueled by all the frustration in my heart caused by her evilness. But just before my handnded on her face, my wrist was grabbed and held back.


    I stared back at the person holding my hand and wasn¡¯t too surprised to see that it was Nicol, Rafael¡¯s mother.


    She eximed, ¡°How dare you try to p our precious Debbie?¡±


    ¡°How dare she talk to her like that and try to kick her out of the house?¡± Melissa intervened, walking towards me with an ugly expression on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t you know your ce here? Debbie is going to be thedy of this house soon, and you¡­¡± Sheughed mockingly, sizing me up from head to toe, and added with disdain, ¡°You¡¯re nothing! Once Debbie and Rafael get married in a few days, you¡¯ll be kicked out of here.¡±


    I furiously pulled my hand out of Nicol¡¯s grip and retorted through gritted teeth, ¡°In your dreams!¡± Then, looking at Debbie, I added, ¡°I¡¯ve figured out your scheme. Believe me, you will be exposed soon.¡±


    Debbie stared at the two women with watery eyes and stammered, ¡°I don¡¯t know why¡­ why Natalie hates me. I¡­ I considered her a sister from the first day, and here she is, trying to scheme against me!¡±


    I was stunned. How could she act like that? If I didn¡¯t know the truth about her, I would have believed her.


    Nicol said, ¡°She¡¯s just like her mother. Like mother, like daughter-evil and vicious.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not worth my time and energy,¡± I said to them, turning to leave.


    Before I reached the stairs, Nicol shouted, ¡°Leave my son¡¯s life! You¡¯re making him remember his miserable childhood with his father.¡±


    ¡°Leave our family,¡± Melissa assured.


    Upon reaching the upstairs, I was met by the pitiful gazes of the domestic staff.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear. I couldn¡¯t defend you, but Grandma and Tobi will be home soon,¡± Laura said.


    I waved my hand as the pain in my lower abdomen increased. I couldn¡¯t focus on anything; I just headed to my bedroom. I was relieved when I didn¡¯t find any blood. The pain made me fear I would lose my kids.


    I ced my hand on my t stomach. ¡°I¡¯ll call Fello toe and take me to see my doctor. Everything will be okay, my babies,¡± I reassured myself, trying to findfort.


    Once I got out of the bathroom, I found Debbie standing in the middle of my room with an ugly smile on her face.


    ¡°Get out of my room!¡± I roared.


    Sheughed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who will be kicked out of here very soon, so leave with your dignity, bitch.¡±


    Iughed back confidently and said, ¡°You! You¡¯ll never marry Rafael, I promise you that.¡±


    She approached me with steady steps and said, ¡°Why? Because you¡¯re carrying his child? That¡¯s not a problem. We can get rid of this little bastard Illegitimate child easily while you¡¯re in prison. For example, a drunk guard could rape you after you seduce him, slut.¡±


    I was taken aback. How did she know about my pregnancy? No one knows!!


    ¡°No one would believe you. Rafael would never let down his flesh and blood,¡± I hissed.


    She handed me her phone and said, ¡°Watch, he will never want this child after he sees this.¡±


    It was a short film cuts of a girl having sex with a different man every time, she was exactly like me. Her hair, body, but her facial features weren¡¯t clear. The location was the same apartment where Rafael found me this morning.


    ¡°You¡¯re the devil himself,¡± I said, barely able to breathe.


    She bowed and said, ¡°Thank you. You haven¡¯t seen anything yet. Did you think you can take what¡¯s mine so easily?.¡±


    Then she snatched her phone from between my hands and said, ¡°Let me make you hear something else.¡±


    She called a number and put it on speaker. After a few rings, Rafael¡¯s voice came over the phone, ¡°Yes?¡±


    My heartbeat quickened.


    ¡°Hey, Rafael!¡± Debbie said, and a grip tightened on my heart.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked nonchntly.


    ¡°You were going to announce the date of our marriage today, right?¡± she asked, fixing her gaze on me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied without hesitation.


    My heart shattered into a million pieces. How could he? Was he ying with my feelings? I told him that I loved him. And what did he do?


    ¡°Good, just like I told Natalie, and she didn¡¯t believe me. I guess after she heard it from you with her own ears, she¡¯ll start preparing herself for our wedding party.¡±


    Rafael paused for a moment, then said, ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± He then hung up the call.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I stood frozen in ce. He promised he would announce our marriage soon after he called off his engagement. But now, was he going to do the opposite-divorce me and marry Debbie? After what happened in the apartment, did Rafael no longer want me? Did he believe I was behind that suspicious shipment?


    The shock left me unaware of what was happening around me until a vicious hitnded on my stomach, making me curl up in pain.


    I lost my bnce and staggered a few steps back. I felt dizzy, as if the whole room was spinning. When I raised my gaze, I met Debbie¡¯s hateful eyes. She said, ¡°Let¡¯s get rid of this child now.¡±


    Did she just hit me in the stomach? Was she trying to harm my babies?


    Before I could react, she pushed me to the ground and hit me in the stomach again, this time with her high heels. I protected my stomach with my arms, but her heels left bruises and scratches all over them.


    ¡°Debbie, stop, please. If you want Rafael, take him. I don¡¯t care. This is an innocent child; he has no fault in what¡¯s happening,¡± I begged her.


    ¡°NO!¡± she growled. ¡°I must eliminate the point of contact between you and him for good.¡±

 Chapter 72 It’s The End Of Our Story

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°Miss Natalie! Are you okay?¡± Laura¡¯s voice came from behind the door, making Debbie stop kicking my stomach.


    She promptly bent down, covered my mouth with her hand, and whispered, ¡°Say you¡¯re okay, or I¡¯ll publish that video on social media. Everyone will believe it¡¯s you!¡±


    She slowly removed her hand from my mouth. All that mattered to me now was saving my babies, so I did exactly what she said to make her leave.


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± I said in a heavy voice.


    She paused for a moment, then asked again with concern, ¡°Are you sure? If you are-¡± I cut her off, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Laura!¡± as Debbie pulled me by my hair.


    I couldn¡¯t resist her. I felt dizzy, and my heartbeat quickened so much that it felt like I was about to faint as the pain in my stomach became unbearable.


    After a few minutes, Debbie left my room, sneaking out after Laura had gone.


    I wanted to take my phone and call Rafael, to ask him why he did this to me and to tell him what Debbie had just done. But I didn¡¯t have the energy. My head was spinning uncontrobly. I preferred to sleep before doing anything else. I felt my eyelids closing uncontrobly.


    I fell into a deep sleep, maybe for six or seven hours. What woke me up were slight knocks on my door. When I opened my eyes, I found myself with my hands protectively around my abdomen.


    The door knocked again, louder this time. I raised my head and answered, ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Miss Natalie, you haven¡¯t eaten all day. I brought you some food,¡± said Laura.


    I sat on my bed and mumbled, ¡°Come in.¡±


    As soon as the door opened and the aroma of food wafted in, my stomach growled.


    Rosy chuckled as she ced the food before me and said, ¡°It seems we came at the right time!¡±


    I smiled at her and asked Laura, who was still standing at the door, ¡°Did Rafaele home?¡±


    She shook her head and said, ¡°No, Miss.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know why, but my heart tightened. I felt as if I didn¡¯t mean anything to him. He didn¡¯t even try to exin himself to me!


    ¡°Did he call?¡± I asked, trying to make my voice sound neutral.


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± Laura replied in a tender voice.


    When they left my room, I picked up my phone in hopes of finding missed calls from him, but there weren¡¯t any. There were plenty of messages from Fello and Reba asking how I was. Then, one message from Daniel asked me to call him for something urgent. But there was nothing from Rafael.


    I let out a deep sigh, feeling frustrated. I called Daniel, and he picked up the call on the first ring.


    ¡°Nat! Where have you been? Why was your phone off?¡± he asked anxiously.


    Even though he couldn¡¯t see me, I managed a small smile, but my eyes welled up with tears. I wished this concern was from Rafael. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to shake off the hurt. ¡°You have to wake up, Natalie. He chose someone else.¡± I thought.


    ¡°I have to move on,¡± I whispered to myself, determination strengthening my resolve.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he dumped me in such a way,¡± I muttered, disbelief still lingering in my heart.


    ¡°But he did, Natalie. You heard it with your own ears,¡± I reminded myself, the reality sinking in with a heavy weight.


    ¡°Natalie? Are you still there?¡± Daniel asked, his voice calm but concerned.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I pressed my fingers to my forehead to ease the headache, cleared my throat, and said with a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡± he asked, his concern palpable even through the phone.


    ¡°Home,¡± I replied, heading to the balconyafter hearing some strange voices outside.


    ¡°At Merrin?¡± he stated, sounding surprised. ¡°Did you see the news? Have you heard what¡¯s going to happen?¡±


    I reached the balcony door of my room and opened it, only to see a group of people with their cameras in the front yard. I was shocked. What were the paparazzi doing here?


    Then, my gaze fell on Rafael and Debbie standing close together, their expressions happy and seeminglypatible. A crowd of paparazzi surrounded them, capturing every moment.


    My husband stood among a crowd of paparazzi, publicly dering the date of his marriage to his fiancee, whom he made me believe he didn¡¯t love.


    He neglected me because of that suspicious deal of the shipment, without even hearing my side of the story. He just judged me and now chose that evil woman?


    ¡°Natalie, please, answer me,¡± Daniel said, his voice drawing me back to the present. I had forgotten he was still on the line.


    ¡°Daniel, I¡¯ll call youter,¡± I said in a cold tone, though my heart felt shattered and broken, and I knew it would never fully heal.


    ¡°Wait, please!¡± he said urgently. ¡°If you need me, just call, and I¡¯ll take you out of the country immediately.¡±


    I didn¡¯t reply. I just hung up as Rafael began addressing the crowd. I could see his mother standing behind him, along with grandma and Tobi.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± he started, his voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd.


    The crowd started taking photos of the couple, their camera shes exploding around the venue like wildfire. Every journalist was eager to cover the announcement and capture the best photo of the couple.


    Suddenly, he raised his eyes to my balcony as if he knew I was standing there. My heart tightened as our gazes met. The strange thing was that he smiled a sad smile before returning his gaze to the crowd, proceeding to announce the date of the wedding.


    With every word he uttered, a hot tear rolled down my cheek, searing my broken heart instead of my cheeks.


    I met Debbie¡¯s gloating gaze as she held Rafael¡¯s arm, silently dering her victory.


    I wiped my tears away harshly, determined not to shed any more. ¡°No more tears, Natalie. No more tears,¡± I whispered to myself. cing my hand on my belly, I made a solemn promise, ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be the strong mother you deserve. I promise to make sure he never hurts us again.¡±


    I lifted my gaze and found him staring back at me. Despite the distance between us-I on my balcony and he in the yard-I could still feel the weight of his sad gaze. Did he feel pity for me?


    I looked at him onest time before turning around and stepping back into my room.


    ¡°It¡¯s the end of this story. It¡¯s the end of us, Rafael,¡± I whispered to myself, a mix of resignation and determination in my voice.

 Chapter 73 The Miscarriage

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I had to leave here soon. I didn¡¯t want to see him, her, or anyone.


    I rushed to my room and grabbed my suitcase. Despite the ache in my abdomen, I moved quickly. I didn¡¯t want to stay here for another second.


    This was no longer my home. I should have moved out when my father, Matt, died.


    I was throwing my clothes into my suitcase without even concentrating on what I was putting in. Suddenly, the room door swung open and Rafael stormed in. Without a word, he hugged me tightly.


    He hugged me tightly, almost to the point where I couldn¡¯t breathe. Then, he kissed my forehead and said, ¡°Please, forgive me!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bear it. Was he here to break up with me? He really didn¡¯t have to do this. I already knew everything was over between us. It was over before it even started.


    I hated self-pity, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to hear his nonsense apologies after he had let me down.


    If I lost my love, I wasn¡¯t going to lose my freedom so easily. And if I couldn¡¯t rely on him to protect me, I would protect myself and my babies from now on.


    I pushed him away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± I snapped, my voice trembling with anger and hurt.


    His gazended on my suitcase, and I could see the panic on his face. Then he eximed, ¡°No, no, no! Don¡¯t leave me. I¡¯ll exin everything. Just give me more time, please.¡±


    ¡°Exin what? And why? It¡¯s just a matter of time, and I won¡¯t be your wife any longer,¡± I said, each word dripping with bitterness.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine! You¡¯re my wife, Natalie!¡± he said, gripping my shoulders tightly.


    ¡°No!¡± I snapped back. ¡°I¡¯m not. It¡¯s just a silly contract! Let me go for good.¡±


    His eyes darkened. ¡°You¡¯re fucking MINE,¡± he roared furiously as he pushed me towards the wall.


    I lowered my hand to protect my belly. He didn¡¯t know that I¡¯m pregnant yet, and I wasn¡¯t nning to tell him.


    ¡°I will never leave you. I will never let you go. I¡¯m drowning without you,¡± he whispered desperately, this time leaning his forehead against mine.


    My eyes were cloudy as I lifted my other hand and caressed his cheek. I was touching him for thest time, trying to imprint his features in my memory.


    However, I knew that he needed me, wanted me, but not as a wife. He just needed my body-it was always about my body and sex, and it would always be just about them.


    He needed me to be his submissive, his sex ve.


    ¡°Divorce me to marry her and make me the mistress!¡± I thought, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks.


    With a trembling voice, I mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m not, Raf. I¡¯m not yours. We can¡¯t be together. We¡¯vee to the end of this useless marriage. I¡¯m letting you go, so do the same for me.¡±


    His phone rang. It was Debbie, the other woman. It always seemed to be about her. She had seeded in taking him away.


    He tightened his jaw, clenched his fists, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take this call and get back to finish our talk. Don¡¯t make any rash decisions. I¡¯ll exin everything once I finish what I¡¯m working on.¡±


    Once he left the room, my tears flowed like a river down my burning cheeks. I knew it, he would always choose her.


    I wiped my tears harshly and made a phone call. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Can you take me to the airport?¡±


    Trembling, I took a step towards my closet to put something on to hide the bruises on my body.


    I left my suitcase on the bed and ran out of my room. It felt like a cage, not a room anymore-not the room I had used since I was two years old.


    While all the house residents were busy with what was happening in the front yard, I sneaked out using the domestic staff back door. I didn¡¯t take anything with me except my passport. I found Daniel in his car, waiting for me.


    Once I got into the car, I heard the sound of police sirens. ¡°Were they here to arrest me?¡± I thought, then shook off the thought with a shake of my head.


    Daniel didn¡¯t say anything all the way to the airport. He just touched my hand from time to time, offering silent support.


    But suddenly, I felt the pain in my stomach return, and a hot flood between my legs. Panicked, I reached down, only to find my hand covered in blood¡­


    ¡°Oh God!¡± I screamed, overwhelmed with fear and distress.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Daniel asked, his confusion obvious in his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m losing my babies!¡± I cried out, feeling a mix of pain and horror overwhelming me.


    ¡°Take me to the hospital!¡± I yelled, terrified at the thought of losing my children.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m losing them already,¡± I whispered, overwhelmed by a sense of despair.


    ¡°Hold on, we¡¯re almost at the hospital,¡± Daniel reassured me, his voice steady despite the urgency of the situation.


    Once we reached the hospital, Daniel lifted me into his embrace and rushed into the emergency department.


    ¡°Help!¡± he screamed. ¡°Emergency pregnancy situation, the woman is losing her baby!¡±


    They rushed me to the operating theater.


    After that, I was no longer conscious of anything around me.


    I opened my eyes in a white room, the strong smell of medical alcohol filling my senses.


    I nced around the room and saw Daniel standing beside the window with his girlfriend.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± I whispered, my voice barely audible.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    They turned to me, and Daniel came over, eximing, ¡°Natalie, you¡¯re finally awake.¡±


    ¡°My babies,¡± I whispered, feeling utterly exhausted. ¡°What happened to my babies?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.


    Daniel and Maya exchanged a nce, then he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go call the doctor.¡± Then he rushed out of the room.


    I sensed that something bad had happened, so I turned to Maya and asked, ¡°How are my babies? Please, tell me they¡¯re okay!¡±


    Suddenly, the doctor came in, smiling as she examined my pulse. ¡°I see you¡¯re a strong woman, Natalie,¡± she said reassuringly.


    I managed a faint smile at her, then asked eagerly, ¡°How are my¡­¡± My voice trailed off as I gestured toward my stomach, unable to speak from fear.


    She replied with a sad expression, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you lost the baby.¡±

 Chapter 74 Go Abroad

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we did our best,¡± the doctor said sadly.


    I stared at Daniel, breathing heavily, and mumbled, ¡°Daniel, tell me this is a lie and everything is okay.¡± My face was etched with shock.


    When I didn¡¯t get a response from him, I red at Maya, my eyes welling up with tears, and added in a broken voice, ¡°I can¡¯t bear to lose them. I can¡¯t. They¡¯re the only family I have left.¡±


    I saw tears flowing down Maya¡¯s face before she looked away.


    I stared back at Daniel as he held my hand and said softly, ¡°Natalie, you need to calm down. Your health is good now, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    Tears flowed uncontrobly down my cheeks, and I shook my head in refusal, crying out between my sobs, ¡°No, no, no, no!¡±


    I pulled my hand away from Daniel¡¯s and wept, ¡°That can¡¯t be true. My babies! Please tell me my babies are okay!¡±


    I felt pain not just in my body, but deep in my soul, as if my very essence was about to leave me.


    Daniel embraced me and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Natalie.¡±


    ¡°The baby¡¯s heartbeat had already stopped by the time you got here,¡± the doctor dered. She paused for a second, then asked, ¡°The miscarriage was due to severe trauma and stress, or even violence. Have you been attacked or beaten?¡±


    I broke down crying, and Daniel tightened his embrace around me, whispering in a gentle tone, ¡°Shh, everything is going to be okay, I promise.¡±


    I looked up at the doctor with bloodshot eyes and asked, ¡°Did you say the miscarriage was because of violence?¡±


    She nodded and said, ¡°Yes, and we need to file a report with the police.¡±


    I wiped my tears and sniffed between my sobs, ¡°Rafael¡­ I need to tell Rafael. He has to do something; they¡¯re his babies too.¡±


    I looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my phone?¡±


    Maya promptly handed it to me. ¡°Here it is!¡± she said, handing it over.


    With trembling hands, I called his number. He picked up immediately and said before I could even speak, ¡°I don¡¯t have time right now, Natalie. I¡¯m busy. I¡¯ll call youter.¡± Then he simply hung up, amidst the sound of many voices beside him.


    I threw my phone onto the bed in frustration.


    What was I thinking? To leave everything behind ande to me?


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I need to put you on a feeding tube and help you change,¡± a nurse said after entering the room.


    Daniel looked at me with a reassuring smile and said, ¡°We will wait outside.¡±


    Once they cleared the room, the nurse helped me change and injected some medicine into my feeding tube, which was connected to a vein in my hand.


    When she finished, Daniel and Maya returned to the room, but they weren¡¯t alone; two officers were joining them.


    ¡°These officers are here to take your statement about the circumstances of your miscarriage,¡± Daniel dered.


    I nodded, then I gave my full statement about how Debbie attacked me. She ckmailed me with a fabricated porn video, making me the female lead after luring me to the apartment where the clips were filmed.


    ¡°Sir, can I have a word with you in private?¡± the officer said to Daniel after he finished taking all my statements.


    Maya helped mey back on the bed and turned on the television to distract me from thinking about the miscarriage issue.


    I closed my eyes, and the only sound echoing in the room was the TV.


    Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice, so I opened my eyes promptly, my heart beating quicker.


    It was Rafael on TV, featured in the celebrity news section.


    My eyes welled up with tears. How was I supposed to handle this? While I was losing our children and suffering in pain here, he was dering his loyalty to another woman.


    The woman who caused me this pain.


    As I thought of that, and how he made me believe in him, I felt frustration, anger, and disappointment.


    I can¡¯t bear to stay in the same city as them and meet them on asions.


    ¡°Take me out of here!¡± I said quietly to Maya.


    She stared at me, confused, and questioned, ¡°What happened? Are you in pain?¡±


    I tightened my grip on my chest, near my heart, and replied, ¡°My heart is in so much pain.¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear. Let me¡­¡± she started.


    I cried out furiously when I saw Debbie kissing Rafael on the cheek. ¡°Take me out of here, now. I can¡¯t stay here!¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    At my loud outburst, Daniel rushed in, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡±


    _____


    I insisted on leaving the country immediately.


    Daniel took care of all the details and prepared all the necessary papers for me to travel in record time.


    One of the necessary documents I insisted on was signing a divorce letter. I knew Rafael was going to ask me to sign it soon, and I no longer wanted to deal with him or see him. So, I took this step to end our rtionship once and for all.


    I stood on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea. The strong wind stirred my hair violently.


    ¡°Strong winds are not good for your health, Natalie,¡± Maya said.


    I stared at the huge, angry waves crashing against the pointed rocks with all their force. They were much like my heart right now.


    Without lifting my gaze from the sea, I murmured, ¡°Can I stay alone for a minute?¡±


    Daniel and Maya exchanged nces, then Daniel nodded and left with Maya, his arm around her shoulders.


    I grabbed the marriage contract, the document that led me to all of this. It was invalid now.


    I stared at it for a moment, then started tearing it up. With every tear, I felt a part of my heart tear up. Hot, bitter tears rolled down my cheeks.


    After I finished, I mumbled as I threw the pieces of paper into the sea, ¡°I release you from this toxic love, my heart.¡±


    I picked up my phone from my pocket, the one Rafael bought for me. I stared at his photo, touched it with my finger, and whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you did this to me, Rafael. I can¡¯t. But you did.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Raf,¡± I said and threw it into the sea, unwilling to give him a way to contact me.


    As the phone flew through the air, just before it smashed into the rocks, I heard the ringtone assigned to Rafael¡¯s number.


    I smiled bitterly. He called, but it was toote.


    ¡°Goodbye,¡± I whispered, staring out of the private ne window as it headed to France.

 Chapter 75 Figure Out The Truth

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    [Consider it done!¡¯] Jack responded through WhatsApp, when I instructed him to call the police after receiving a call from Debbie.


    I left Natalie¡¯s room and went back to Debbie. As soon as she saw me, the thoughtful expression on her face vanished, reced by a broad smile and shining eyes. She ced her hands on my chest, blinked her eyshes coquettishly, and said in a low voice, ¡°Finally, Rafael, we will be together and unite our financial empires.¡±


    The look in her eyes made me grin. ¡°Yes, Debbie. Finally,¡± I affirmed, but little did she know that I didn¡¯t agree with what she thought I did.


    ¡°Just two days! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± she eximed happily, kissing me on the cheek. I felt a pang of difort and gently pushed her away. ¡°Could youe to my study? I¡¯d like a bit of private time before we head out to celebrate.¡±


    Her eyes widened, then she blinked and murmured, ¡°Oh, Rafael! I¡¯m so happy.¡±


    She wrapped her hand around my arm as we passed some photographers and headed to the study on the first floor. Once inside, I closed the door behind us and pressed her against the wall. She gasped, meeting my gaze with anticipation. I leaned in, and she closed her eyes, parting her lips slightly, expecting a kiss.


    But all I felt now was disgust and resentment. A wry smile twisted my lips. What had I been thinking, choosing to marry someone like her?


    When she waited too long for my next move, she opened her eyes questioningly.


    ¡°How pathetic,¡± I whispered to myself under my breath.


    I cleared my throat and said wearily, ¡°Ukh, Debbie. You have no idea how happy I am right now. There¡¯s just one thing bothering me and making me sad.¡±


    She ced her hand on my cheek and asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m shocked at Natalie. I despise her. As you can see, I didn¡¯t even invite her to the announcement; she¡¯s no longer part of the Merrin. I can¡¯t believe she betrayed us the way she did!¡±


    Debbie finally pulled her disgusting hand from my face, stared at me in disbelief, and asked, ¡°Why? I thought she had a special ce in your heart?¡±


    I let out a deep sigh. ¡°Yes, she did have a special ce in my heart. But I found out that she was dealing with gangsters to sabotage thepany and tarnish our reputation with suspicious deals.¡±


    Debbie pretended to be shocked. ¡°Do you mean that you made sure she was behind that deal?¡±


    I nodded and confirmed, ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    To make my story more convincing, as I knew she still had her doubts, I added, ¡°She deceived me as well. One night, I was drunk, and she seduced me and¡­¡±


    I guess it worked, because she red at me and then smiled. ¡°You slept with her?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know what I did was wrong, and you have the right to¡­¡±


    She cut me off as I was thinking and said, ¡°How about we leave all of this behind and start over? Once we get married, none of that will matter.¡±


    I sighed and smiled. ¡°Thank you, Debbie. You have a big heart. There¡¯s just one thing I can¡¯t solve. My father legally gave her the right to be a Merrin and inherit like anyone in the family. I want to force her to leave the family and not demand anything! A criminal and a betrayer like her cannot be in this family.¡±


    She paused for a moment, then cleared her throat and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to tell you before, but since you know the truth about her, I should show you this.¡± She pulled her phone from her purse and yed a video before handing it over to me. ¡°A camera in our new building filmed this, and I was shocked when I saw her. She was using the apartment in¡­¡±


    My eyes darkened as I watched the video. There was no mistaking my wife ¨C the woman in the video wasn¡¯t Natalie. Despite having the same figure, hairstyle, and color, she was definitely not Natalie.


    However, I put on a shocked expression and gasped, ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    Debbie mumbled with a sad expression, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be the one who showed you this, but I guess you should know.¡±


    I stood from my seat and headed to the big window, eximing, ¡°I have to kick her out of the family before our wedding. I don¡¯t want her problems to ruin our wedding.¡±


    I heard her footsteps approaching me. She stopped right behind me and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you force her to sign a waiver on her shares in thepany?¡±


    Natalie doesn¡¯t have many shares, but Debbie thought otherwise.


    My eyes flickered as I turned to her and countered with anticipation, ¡°How so?¡±


    She hissed with a sparkling gaze, ¡°I know someone who can help you forge her signature. He¡¯s a professional, and I assure you, even if she ims it¡¯s not her signature, no one would believe her.¡±


    I ced my hand on the back of her neck, pulled her closer to me, and whispered, ¡°Hmm, then who¡¯s the guy? I can¡¯t wait to solve this problem¡­¡± I sized her up and down, then leaned down as if I was about to kiss her.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She stammered, ¡°Kholio. Jevani Kholio. He doesn¡¯t work with just anyone, but he¡¯s trustworthy¡­¡±


    My heart filled with rage, but I continued my y and said, ¡°Is he trustworthy? What if he exposes us one day or tries to ckmail us? You know how greedy people can be.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯ve dealt with him several times. Just pay him well, and he¡¯ll never expose you!¡±


    I whispered next to her ear, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Before she could reply, I grabbed her forcefully by her hair, and she gasped with a scream.


    ¡°Come in!¡± I shouted.


    Jack swung open the door. He entered, followed by two officers and three of my men, pushing Jad, Lio, and Jevani before them.

 Chapter 76 The Pregnant Woman

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I stared at her face, feeling satisfied by the expression I saw.


    Shock was written all over her face when my guards forced her three men to their knees. I pulled the phone from my pocket and turned off the recording.


    She blinked several times as she red at the three men before her, speechless and unable to do anything but blink at them as if she were seeing ghosts.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± she shouted, staring at me as she tried to pull her hair from my grip.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t these your men? The ones who do the dirty work for you?¡± I said in a t tone, tightening my grip on her hair. I wished she was a man so I could smash her fucking face.


    Her face turned as pale as a sheet, then reddened with anger as she growled, ¡°I don¡¯t know any of them!¡±


    Iughed, a joyless sound. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just rmend Jevani to me a moment ago?¡± I roared, then pushed her away. She stumbled but regained her bnce by grabbing the arm of a chair.


    ¡°You!¡± she eximed, pointing her finger at me. ¡°Did you set me up?¡±


    My eyes turned to ice as I remembered how she had nned to send Natalie to prison.


    ¡°Your dirty work did, not me, sow,¡± I mumbled in disgust.


    We confronted her with all the schemes she had orchestrated against Natalie. Her men confessed everything they knew and admitted to what they had done for her.


    This woman was truly deceptive. At first nce, you might think she was an angel, her expression as innocent as a sweet girl. If it hadn¡¯t been for the sketch I found in Natalie¡¯s office that day, I would never have found the man named Jad. When I went to Natalie¡¯s office looking for her, I discovered a drawing of this man¡¯s face on her desk. I was curious. Who was this man?


    I took the drawing with me and handed it to Jack to investigate the matter. That¡¯s how we discovered everything¡­


    However, once we finished interrogating Debbie, I stepped back and gestured to the officer. ¡°Do your job, officer. Please take this trash out of my house immediately!¡±


    As the officer was pushing her out of my study, she shouted, ¡°This is not the end, Rafael! Tell your precious slut I will take her baby!¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Baby!!


    I looked at her as if she were crazy. I knew it was just another one of her schemes, so I didn¡¯t pay much attention to what she had just said.


    I grabbed my phone and tried to call Natalie¡¯s, but it was out of service! She had called me three hour ago, but I had been busy interrogating that bitch.


    I wanted to tell Natalie the good news, to let her know that I had believed in her from the very beginning of that case and that I had been protecting her.


    I wanted to tell her that I wanted us to be a real family. I was willing to learn how to love for her. She was the one who deserved my feelings and to learn love from.


    I smiled when I remembered her confession about loving me! How did I not notice that before?


    ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs to see Natalie before I follow you to the police station,¡± I told Jack as I turned to head upstairs. But he grabbed my hand and said urgently, ¡°We have to go now, Rafael. We don¡¯t know what her father might do! We shouldn¡¯t give them the chance to act.¡±


    He was absolutely right.


    I let out a deep sigh and headed towards my car.


    The paparazzi were surrounding Debbie as the officers took her to their car. Her face was pale as a sheet, trembling, with tears rolling down her cheeks.


    I smiled. This was just the beginning. I¡¯ll make sure she gets the punishment she deserves.


    At the police station, I tried to call Natalie several times again, but her phone was still out of service.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t she charge her phone?¡± I wondered, feeling increasingly anxious.


    I can¡¯t wait to go home, hug her, and proudly dere to the world that she is my wife.


    However, as I was reflecting on the apparent sess of my n while sitting in the officer¡¯s office, a cop informed me about a report from one of the hospitals.


    That report will make me realise that I hadn¡¯t seededpletely after all.


    ¡°Mr. Merrin, we¡¯ve received another report regarding your ex-fiancee, Miss Nefson. She is used of attacking a pregnant woman and causing her to lose her child,¡± said the officer.


    ¡°How evil could this woman be?¡± asked Jack incredulously.


    ¡°Good, this strengthens our case! It¡¯ll make sure she rots in prison for a long time,¡± I spat with disgust.


    Where was my mind to get engaged to such a whore?!


    ¡°What did you do to my daughter?¡± Mechenzi barged in, eximing, and the cop had to pull him back.


    I didn¡¯t move or even blink; I just smirked and ignored him.


    ¡°Your daughter is a criminal, Mr. Nefson, and shemitted several crimes punishable byw,¡± the officer dered.


    Mechenzi looked around with mixed emotions-shock, fear, and anger. ¡°I¡¯ll hire awyer, we¡¯ll win this case, and then I¡¯ll sue you, Rafael!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Do the best you can, Mechenzi!¡± I mumbled calmly.


    He turned to face the officer. ¡°I want to see my daughter,¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Have a seat, Mr. Nefson. Your daughter is on her way here. Someone else reported her,¡± the officer replied.


    ¡°Can you imagine? Your daughter attacked a pregnant woman and caused her to lose her baby!¡± Jack stated in disdain.


    Mechenzi¡¯s face paled, and he was about to say something when the door opened and Debbie walked in with her hands in handcuffs.


    Once she saw her father, she ran towards him and cried, ¡°Dad, please help me! I don¡¯t want to go to jail.¡±


    He hugged his daughter but didn¡¯t say anything.


    She stared at me and begged, ¡°Rafael, please, I loved you. Please don¡¯t do this to me!¡±


    I looked at her with disdain and said, ¡°And I never felt anything for you.¡±


    ¡°No! That¡¯s not true. If it weren¡¯t for that bitch, we would be together now!¡± she said through gritted teeth.


    I got up from my seat, stood before her, and said firmly, ¡°Never! Even if it weren¡¯t for Natalie, I would never marry someone like you, Debbie. You¡¯re a heartless woman. How could you attack a pregnant woman and kill her child?¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply. I continued, ¡°By the way, the wedding date will stay the same, in two days.¡±


    Her eyes widened with hope. I added, ¡°Natalie and I are getting married on that date!¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± she growled. ¡°I¡¯ll get revenge, Rafael. Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve gotten rid of me!¡± She hissed like a snake.


    I shook my head in disdain and turned to leave the office. But as I reached the door, she said, ¡°She lost her baby then! Do you know who the woman is?¡±


    I turned around and froze in my ce when she added, ¡°It¡¯s Natalie, and the baby was yours!¡±

 Chapter 77 Divorce

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I felt a wave of dizziness.


    Natalie was pregnant?


    As if Debbie was reading my mind, she smirked. ¡°Yes, Rafael. She was, and it¡¯s obvious she didn¡¯t trust you enough to tell you!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t control myself; I had the urge to kill that snake standing before me. Without a second thought, I attacked her. I ced my hands on her neck, trying to strangle her. She had pushed me to the utmost degree, provoking the bitterness within me.


    ¡°Ek¡­ Emm,¡± she coughed and stammered, trying to breathe. Her eyes rolled back, and her face turned red.


    Jack, Mechenzi, and the officer were desperately trying to free her from my tightening grip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Mr. Merrin. Let thew handle this. Don¡¯t dirty your hands,¡± the officer said.


    ¡°Rafael, please. Let the officer handle this!¡± Jack pleaded.


    I tightened my grip on her neck even more and roared, ¡°How could you ask me this? She killed my child and harmed my wife! She manipted us. How can you ask me to be calm?¡±


    ¡°Natalie needs you, Rafael. She must be broken and sad!¡± he argued.


    I fixed my eyes on Debbie¡¯s pale face and growled, ¡°I¡¯m gonna show you hell, Debbie. Believe me, I will!¡± Then I pushed her until her back mmed into the sofa behind her.


    I stormed out of the police station. I couldn¡¯t believe I was going to be a father-Natalie¡¯s child. But that bitch Debbie, I swear I¡¯ll make her pay!


    I started the engine and headed straight to the hospital, hoping to see Natalie, hug her, andfort her. She must be sad and alone.


    She must be waiting for me to stand by her and support her. We will face all of this together and stay together for the rest of our lives.


    However, all my dreams and hopes were shattered when I heard the words, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Merrin. Miss Steel has left the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Left? To where?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She just signed the discharge papers and left,¡± the receptionist answered.


    ¡°Are you a rtive of Miss Steel?¡± a female voice asked from behind.


    I turned to see a doctor standing before me. Clearing my throat, I replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m her fiance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss, Mr. ¡­¡± she mumbled with a sad expression.


    ¡°Merrin. I¡¯m Rafael Merrin,¡± I replied, extending my hand to her.


    She shook my hand and continued, ¡°I¡¯m the doctor who treated your fiancee. She was subjected to severe physical assault. It¡¯s not just her physical safety at risk; she¡¯s also psychologically damaged. She needs all the psychological support that can be provided by those around her.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Her arms were full of scratches and deep cuts as she tried to protect her stomach,¡± the doctor sighed, as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she saw.


    But when did Debbie do this to her? Why didn¡¯t she tell me? I remembered thest time I saw her in her room; she was very sad. I thought¡­ I¡­ Oh God! What did I do?


    ¡°She tried to contact you because she needed you. Please try to make it up to her,¡± the doctor added before leaving, leaving me in a daze.


    I wiped my face with both hands and headed back to my car. Once inside, I called my men to track Natalie¡¯s phone, as I had equipped it with a tracker.


    Once I finished giving my instructions to my men, I mmed the steering wheel furiously. Where is she? Why is her phone off?


    I ran my hands through my hair hundreds of times, trying to focus on my next step. I started the engine and began driving along the roads, thinking of the ces she might be. I knew she didn¡¯t have rtives or friends except for Fello and Reba, and both of them said they hadn¡¯t seen her!


    Where could she be?


    I sighed in frustration, ¡°Where are you, Natalie?¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I sped up, remembering the sadness and desperation in her eyes when Ist saw her in her room.


    How did I not notice?


    I was so focused on my n that I unintentionally neglected her.


    Suddenly, I stopped the car, causing a loud car horn to beep around me.


    ¡°Jerk,¡± someone shouted.


    ¡°Quit driving if you¡¯re a dumdum!¡± yelled another.


    I didn¡¯t even bother to look at them; I was so immersed in my thoughts that I forgot I was stopped in the middle of the road.


    How did I not realize that earlier?


    That night in my room, she kept talking about pregnancy and children. Why didn¡¯t my stupid brain think of that possibility?


    Why?


    Why, damn it!?


    Did she leave me?


    I¡¯ll never let that happen!


    I can¡¯t live without her.


    I unlocked my phone screen and called her number again, but the same cylinder was repeated over and over.


    I stared at the photo on my phone¡¯s background. It was Natalie¡¯s photo, where she was smiling happily. She looked so beautiful and gorgeous. I remember this photo; I had taken it from her Instagram, where she had posted it from my so-called engagement party.


    How much pain did she feel that night?


    How much did I hurt her?


    Even our first night was so stupid.


    A tear rolled down my cheek. I tasted its saltiness and bitterness in my mouth. It had been a decade since Ist tasted my tears!


    Tears continued to flow uncontrobly down my cheek. I traced her picture with my finger and murmured, ¡°Sorry, Natalie.¡±


    Her sweet smile provoked me, as if she was saying, ¡®You don¡¯t deserve me!¡¯


    I hit my head on the steering wheel and growled between heavy breaths, ¡°I ruined this smile. I ruined us!¡±


    With all the frustration and helplessness I was feeling, I hit the steering wheel again with both hands and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    I ignored the inquisitive eyes staring at me from passing cars as I remained stopped in the middle of the road. Resting my head on the steering wheel, I started weeping.


    I knew she wouldn¡¯t forgive me easily after losing the baby. I just knew it!


    ¡°I love you, Natalie. I¡¯ve always loved you. I realize that now,¡± I confessed softly, as if she were standing before me.


    In the evening, I returned home and headed straight to my study before anyone could shower me with questions.


    To my surprise, once I entered, I found thepanywyer waiting for me there. He was the samewyer who had drafted the marriage contract between me and Natalie.


    Without saying a word, he handed me a file.


    My instinct told me that it wasn¡¯t a file I wanted to read.


    However, as I flipped through it, a bold red font shed before my eyes: ¡°Divorce Agreement¡±. My heart quickened. This wasn¡¯t what I expected.


    This couldn¡¯t be right.


    But when I saw her signature under her name at the bottom of the document, I realized it was real!

 Chapter 78 New woman, new start

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Seven monthster¡­


    ¡°Hun, are you ready?¡± Lucas shouted from the living room.


    ¡°Coming!¡± I shouted back.


    I stared at my reflection in the mirror with admiration. The haircut and the makeup were amazing; I could barely recognize myself.


    I turned to the hairdresser with a broad, happy smile. ¡°Thank you! I love it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy you do,¡± Isabe, the hairdresser, replied with a smile.


    Once I entered the living room, Lucas whistled admiringly and mumbled, ¡°Wow, you look amazing!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± I smiled and walked past him to grab my purse, which was on the sofa.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I moaned as I bent down. I felt a strong kick from inside. My stomach had been growing bigger thesest few weeks, and my child¡¯s kicks were getting stronger.


    Lucas ran towards me, grabbed my waist, and eximed, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I gently pushed him away and teased him with a smile, ¡°No need to panic over every ¡®ouch¡¯ I utter, Lucas! I¡¯m a pregnant woman about to give birth, it¡¯s normal for me to feel some difort in my belly.¡±


    He awkwardly wiped the back of his neck and said with his charming smile, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m afraid if anything bad happened while I¡¯m with you, Daniel would kill me.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°Come on, nothing bad will happen, unless you make mete for my fashion design show!¡±


    Today was my first fashion design show in Paris. I had worked hard for six months to achieve what I did. My new collection was set to be disyed in a prestigious international fashion house, with Olivia Robinson, the international supermodel, as the main model for the show.


    I never dreamed that my collection would be showcased in an international fashion exhibition, let alone feature an international model. The Rowsen Group financed my work, which gave them the confidence to coborate with me. This sess was all thanks to Daniel, who supported and believed in me every step of the way.


    Once I reached the venue, I felt a little worried. This was my first time, and my dream was finallying true.


    I took a deep breath and stepped inside the building with Lucas by my side.


    Even though I was confident in my work, a mix of emotions coursed through me; excitement, anxiety, and fear.


    All my designs expressed happiness, freedom, and power-the three things I didn¡¯t have in my past life, but was now determined to attain.


    One of the reasons I worked day and night to achieve my dream was my desire to build a new life where I was stronger and independent. However, I wouldn¡¯t deny that most of the sleepless nights weren¡¯t just because of work.


    ¡°Miss Natalie, everything is ready. The show will start now,¡± said my assistant.


    I swallowed and smiled, trying to reduce the anxiety and tension I was feeling.


    All the models were ready, wearing their dresses. I checked every detail, making sure everything was perfect.


    This was the show that would determine my ce in the world of fashion. Many celebrities and high-ss women were in attendance.


    Even though my huge belly prevented me from moving smoothly, it didn¡¯t stop me from giving instructions and guidance, especially to the makeup artist assigned to supermodel Olivia Robinson. She was an icon of beauty and perfection, even though she was cold and arrogant. The girl barely said a word or replied with a full sentence.


    I stood behind the stage, checking each model¡¯s dress just seconds before she walked out. My legs were aching from standing all day, even though I was wearing t shoes.


    ¡°Take it easy, Natalie,¡± Lucas murmured, patting my shoulder. ¡°The show is going smoothly, and it¡¯s making a good impression on the audience.¡±


    I let out a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding. I was confident in my abilities and designs, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling a little anxious. I was grateful that Lucas was here, supporting me every single moment with his charming,forting smile.


    I hugged him tightly and said, ¡°Thank you so much for being here with me!¡±


    He hugged me back tightly, patting my head, and said, ¡°I will always be here for you, Natalie.¡±


    ¡°Miss, in fifteen minutes you should be on stage to greet the audience and say a few words,¡± dy, my personal assistant, said. ¡°You should be ready; the makeup artist is waiting for you.¡±


    I took a step back from Lucas¡¯s embrace. He said with a broad smile, ¡°Go get ¡¯em, girl. Astonish them.¡±


    Iughed and sat down at the makeup table. My makeup was already perfect, thanks to Isabe¡¯s excellent work on my face. The makeup artists didn¡¯t have to do much; they just made a few adjustments.


    I spared myself ast nce before heading to the stage¡¯s internal door. I had gained some weight; my breasts and buttocks wererger, and my pregnancy had given me a rounded figure. My dress was short, white with small ck circles, fully covered from above, tight around the chest, and flowing out from below. I changed my t shoes for red high heels.


    ¡°You will enter the stage on the count of one,¡± the organizer said, giving instructions to me and Olivia, who would enter the stage with me. The other models woulde after us and stand at the edges behind us.


    I nodded my head with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.


    ¡°Three, two, one. Go!¡± the organiser said.


    With my chin held high, I walked alongside the supermodel who was the most popr in the fashion show world. My steps were steady, and despite myrge belly and short stature next to the model, I was filled with confidence in myself, my hard work, and my designs. Finally, I was beginning to reap the fruits of mybor, and that was all that mattered to me.


    As I walked in, the venue exploded with warm apuse and joy. My smile was broad, expressing my happiness. I raised a hand and waved to the cheerful audience, while my other hand rested on my belly, reassuring my child in the womb that mommy had achieved one of her dreams.


    The cameras shed lightning from everywhere.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    The presenter of the show said excitedly, ¡°Hello, Natalie Rowsen. Congrattions on the sess of your fashion show. Would you like to say a few words?¡±


    Yes. I changed myst name to my father¡¯sst name! This is how I started my new life. New identity, new career, new home. The man I once loved was now my past, behind me. I¡¯d moved onpletely.


    Daniel informed me several times that Rafael had been searching for me in France, but using my newst name made it difficult for him to find me.


    The presenter promptly handed me the microphone. I took it, cleared my throat, and said, ¡°Thank you everyone foring to this show. I¡¯m so happy.¡±


    My eyes fell on Daniel and Maya in the front row of seats. They were staring at me with happiness, waving once our eyes met. Next to them were some of Rowsen¡¯s family members who came to support me. It was a big, supportive family.


    I didn¡¯t know what made me turn to the opposite side of the seats, only to meet the eyes of thest person in the world I thought I¡¯d see tonight.


    His cold gaze made me shiver.


    I blinked, momentarily forgetting that I should be giving a speech now.


    What the hell was Rafael doing here?

 Chapter 79 I Want My Wife

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    Finally, after months of searching, I found Natalie by ident. She was in France, just as I had suspected.


    Seven months ago, when I discovered her pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage, I tracked her mobile phone signal to some rocks under a cliff. Initially, I was devastated, fearing she might havemitted suicide. I descended the cliff myself, searching for her body. It was an incredibly difficult time, and I felt like I was losing my mind.


    After five hours of searching with expert divers, I received a call from airport authorities informing me that Natalie had taken a private ne to France. I was shocked. I felt a mix of emotions: relief that she was alive and anger at why she would go to France with Daniel. But she was like a solved puzzle; no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t find a trace of her.


    I even met with Daniel several times. He denied seeing her after they arrived in France, iming he was just doing a favor for a friend. I didn¡¯t believe him. Determined to find her, I was willing to do anything to uncover the truth. I began investigating Daniel¡¯s life while searching for her.


    But I found nothing. Either she wasn¡¯t part of Daniel¡¯s life, or he was very careful, knowing I was watching him.


    Last night, I received a call from Jack. His wife, Anastasia, saw an article about Natalie on a local French website. She was a fashion designer now. I couldn¡¯t believe my ears or eyes when I opened the website and read the article. There was a photo of her beautiful face. Without wasting a moment, I scheduled the first flight to Paris on my private ne.


    During the flight, I stared at her photo in the article. I smiled when I noticed her plump red cheeks, a sign she had gained weight. Did that mean she was okay?


    I didn¡¯t realize how much I missed her until my heart started pounding and my fingers trembled.


    A few hourster, I was excitedly seated at a fashion show venue, waiting for her to appear. Her collection was incredible. She never told me she liked design.


    I watched every piece with extreme attention, feeling proud of her.


    Then she entered the stage, and my body trembled from head to toe. Every cell in my body came back to life. But¡­


    But¡­


    My eyes almost popped out of my head.


    She had a big belly.


    She was pregnant!


    I stared at her belly in astonishment. I didn¡¯t hear a word of her speech.


    Was that my child?


    But¡­ the hospital told me she lost the baby! They even showed me her medical file!


    Did this mean she had been in a rtionship?


    Her belly was too big. Did she get into a rtionship immediately after leaving me?


    That fast?


    I had to know the truth!


    Our eyes met, and I saw shock written all over her face. She blinked several times as if making sure it was me.


    I stared at her coldly despite the longing in my heart. But seeing her with that belly¡­


    We locked eyes as if no one else was around us. In those few seconds, all emotions were reflected in our gazes. I saw shock, longing, sadness, disappointment, me, and hate in her beautiful eyes.


    What was she ming me for? She was the one who dumped me, the one who left without a word. Even though the Merrin Group was in deep trouble because of the drug issue that demanded my full attention, I never stopped looking for her.


    Suddenly, she murmured something apologetically and left the stage immediately.


    I whispered to Jack, who was beside me, ¡°Order our men to watch all the building doors. Tell them not to lose sight of her for a second.¡±


    My head was full of questions, and she had to give answers.


    ¡°One of our men overheard that the Rowsens are hosting a party honoring Natalie¡¯s sess,¡± Jack told me after hanging up the call.


    I stood up immediately.


    Jack followed, asking, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To their party!¡± I answered nonchntly.


    ¡°But we¡¯re not invited!¡± he said, confused.


    I turned to him, raising an eyebrow. ¡°So what? I don¡¯t need any fucking invitation.¡±


    I even used the dark web to search for her and couldn¡¯t find a trace. And now, I wasn¡¯t going to back off until I heard her exnations.


    Our five ck cars parked in front of the Rowsens¡¯ mansion, situated in a very ssy neighborhood in Paris. Their bodyguards and security men gathered around us.


    My car was in the middle of the row. I nodded to Jack to talk with them, but it seemed the Rowsens¡¯ security was either very strong or they were expecting us.


    I opened my car door, threw out my cigarette, and crushed it under my shoe. ¡°Hey, boy! Why don¡¯t you call your boss and see if he¡¯ll let us in, or¡­¡± I trailed off, ncing at my men as a hint of threat.


    Nothing would stop me from going inside to see her, even if I had to use force or break the rules.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Merrin?¡± Daniel¡¯s voice chimed in from behind.


    I turned and met his gaze. He was walking lightly toward me. Standing before me, he asked again, ¡°To what do we owe the honor of your visit?¡±


    ¡°My wife!¡± I growled. ¡°I want to see my wife and leave.¡±


    He shook his head, pretending to be confused. ¡°What wife? There are no wives inside this mansion except for my grandma and my mother!¡±


    I gritted my teeth, wiped my face, and roared, ¡°Don¡¯t y tricks with me, Daniel!¡± I grabbed him by the cor, causing his men to surround us, but he waved them off. ¡°Take it easy, guys. Mr. Merrin is a friend.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°I want to see my wife, and now!¡± I hissed before releasing his cor.


    ¡°Wife? I thought she divorced you!¡± he countered. ¡°However, fine! But I warn you, you¡¯ll have to deal with her fiance. He¡¯s very jealous.¡±

 Chapter 80 Daniel’s plan

    Daniel¡¯s POV


    ¡°No way in hell!¡± Lucas panicked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just for a couple of hours, Lucas. Just stand beside her and pretend to be her fiance!¡± I tried to convince him.


    ¡°You said the man is her husband. How on earth can I stand before him and im her as my fiancee? I¡¯m not going to do it, and let me out of here,¡± he argued. I understood his point, but I didn¡¯t have another solution. I had toplete my n.


    ¡°Be a man, Lucas!¡± I shouted at him. ¡°Listen, he can¡¯t do anything to you. He¡¯s just a normal guy. Maybe he has influence and power, but don¡¯t forget who we are!¡± I stated calmly, trying to manipte him, as I knew for sure that Rafael wouldn¡¯t let the matter go easily.


    ¡°No means no. I¡¯m not going to do such a perverse thing! She¡¯s my sister, for God¡¯s sake!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°She¡¯s your cousin!¡± I corrected.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference? She¡¯s still my sister!¡± he eximed.


    ¡°You know, in other cultures, a man can marry his cousin,¡± I said.


    He raised an eyebrow, crossed his arms, and scoffed, ¡°So what? Are we arguing about cultural differences now?¡±


    I sat on the sofa, feeling frustrated. ¡°Is it normal for you to let your brother seem like a liar before this man?¡±


    ¡°Who told you to lie to him? You even want me to im his child as mine,¡± he said in disgust. ¡°This is insane!¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t tell Natalie. She doesn¡¯t need to know. You just stand beside her and don¡¯t say a word,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°No!¡± he refused for the tenth time.


    He didn¡¯t understand my point of view. The day Natalie miscarried one of her babies, I felt uneasy. I felt responsible for her, as if she were a little sister. Without hesitation, I brought her to France. Although I didn¡¯t stay much in Paris, my work took me around the world. I made sure she lived the peaceful life she deserved, at least for a while, until she forgot what had happened to her.


    From the moment she decided to live here, I knew Rafael would search for her. I was aware of all his efforts to find her, but she wasn¡¯t living in the Rowsen mansion. She insisted on having her own private ce. She wanted to rely on herself, and I didn¡¯t try to stop her. She needed to figure out her goals and priorities.


    I knew one day she would return to Rafael, but I wanted him to suffer first, so he would appreciate her. That¡¯s why I paid the doctor at the hospital not to tell Rafael about the other child. I wanted him to search for her, herself, not because of the child.


    Rafael is the type of man who likes to chase, not to be chased. He¡¯s a hunter, so let¡¯s give him something to hunt.


    I stared at Lucas and grinned. He would be the bait.


    ¡°What if I gave you a two-week vacation in Hawaii?¡± I offered.


    His eyes flickered. ¡°Make it three, and I¡¯m in!¡± he said promptly.


    Despite being my brother, he was still training for thepany, as per our familyw. Every family member must train as a normal employee before taking a good position in thepany. I did the same before bing the CEO.


    ¡°No, and it¡¯s an offer for one. Take it or leave it,¡± I said. ¡°And if you refuse, your right to the annual vacation will be canceled this year.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t fair!¡± he objected. I knew how much he liked vacations and having fun. He had just graduated from college and wanted to enjoy his life. Despite his young age, his masculine body made him look like a man in histe twenties.


    The room door swung open, and Natalie walked in, smiling and looking stunning. ¡°What are you doing here? The party has started, and the guests are arriving.¡±


    ¡°Did hee¡­?¡± Lucas asked. But I cut him off, not wanting to panic her. ¡°Rafael is at the party. He insisted oning,¡± I said, trying to gauge her reaction.


    But she shocked me by shrugging her shoulders nonchntly and saying, ¡°That¡¯s okay!¡±


    There was no trace of emotion on her face. She turned around and said, ¡°Don¡¯t keep the guests waiting too long. I¡¯m going ahead. Don¡¯t bete!¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± I said.


    She turned back, and I added, ¡°Lucas will go with you to introduce you to the guests. You need to make good connections in this society and gain fans for your work. Most of this industry depends on connections after talent.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said simply and turned away. Lucas red at me, and I red back, gesturing for him to keep silent.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Once I entered the party hall, I locked eyes with Rafael, who was leaning against the wall nonchntly, holding a ss of wine, surrounded by his personal assistant and a bunch of girls. They saw this tycoon as a big shot, not knowing that his heart was already taken despite the heartless facade he intentionally showed.


    ¡°You¡¯rete, dear,¡± Maya said as she hugged me.


    I kissed her and mumbled, ¡°Sorry, I had to solve an issue.¡±


    ¡°Did you see? He came for her. I just hope they finally get along,¡± she said, referring to Rafael.


    I sighed. I knew if I told Maya about my n, she wouldn¡¯t agree, so I didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Mom?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s with the senator¡¯s wife. The senator¡¯s wife adores Natalie and I can guess she wants to introduce her to her son,¡± she said excitedly. ¡°Even though her son is divorced with two boys, he¡¯s handsome, generous, and¡­¡±


    I stared at her, questioningly, ¡°Hey! I thought you liked Rafael to be Natalie¡¯s man!¡±


    She just shrugged her shoulders with a smile.


    ¡°You women, no one should trust you!¡±


    She hit me on the shoulder, ¡°Just shut up and watch. Natalie¡¯s here. Let¡¯s see how they will act!¡±

 A word with you

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    I was leaning against the wall nonchntly, holding a ss of wine in my hand when she walked in, her hand wrapped intimately around a young man¡¯s arm.


    I stood straight and growled as my heart skipped a beat. I didn¡¯t know she had that effect on me.


    They walked side by side through the guests. She was smiling and chatting happily. There was something different about her, but I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it.


    When our eyes met for the first time, there was nothing in them-no longing, no fear, nothing. Even the shock I had seen in them when she saw me at the show house was gone.


    She keptughing and chatting for ten minutes from the moment she entered, not sparing me another nce.


    She was stunning. Her face was more radiant. Did she cut her hair? It looked somehow different. Her curves had grown more seductive.


    And her belly¡­


    Now, fifteen minutes had passed since she walked in, and she still hadn¡¯t looked at me. As if I didn¡¯t exist.


    I couldn¡¯t take it any longer. I mmed my ss on the table and was about to walk to her when Jack held my arm and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly. The ce is crowded with photographers, and you don¡¯t want to make a scene and ruin her budding career.¡±


    The bastard had a point.


    I bit my lower lip and stood in ce as if I were standing on a fire.


    One of the girls standing nearby approached me and asked, ¡°So, Mr. Merrin. Did youe to visit some friends or for work?¡±


    Natalie¡¯s eyes met mine for just a second before she averted her gaze as if she hadn¡¯t seen me. I gritted my teeth. The more she acted like this, the more I felt the need to punish her. I was watching her like a hawk.


    She leaned toward the man beside her and whispered in his ear. He looked at her face, then ced his hand on her belly with concern.


    A cold anger crawled through my veins.


    ¡°Mr. Merrin?¡± the girl inquired, waiting for my reply.


    I pushed her aside and said to Jack, ¡°I¡¯m not taking this any longer.¡± I headed toward the couple.


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± Jack mumbled as he followed me.


    Every step toward them fueled my anger, especially as the man tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.


    ¡°Can I have a word with you?¡± I asked, standing behind them.


    The man jumped a little, while Natalie turned around, smiling faintly as she said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Merrin. How may I help you?¡±


    Mr. Merrin?


    May I?


    I nodded, my lips pressed tightly together, and said between gritted teeth, ¡°I want to talk to you.¡±


    The same faint smile remained on her lips as she replied, ¡°As you see, Sir, I¡¯m busy. Once I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Then, just like that, she turned around and resumed her conversation.


    I could feel the eyes of some guests on my reddening face and hear their whispers.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she know who he is?¡±


    ¡°She knows him. She called him by his name.¡±


    ¡°How could anyone talk to Mr. Merrin like that?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so rude.¡±


    I didn¡¯t care about them, but I was shocked. Was this really the Natalie I knew?


    Jack whispered, ¡°Please, don¡¯t make a scene. You can talk to herter.¡±


    I sized him up and down, then said to her, ¡°Now! I need to talk to you now!¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She turned to me again, seeming annoyed, nced at her watch, and replied arrogantly, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mister.¡± After a little hesitation, she continued, ¡°Okay, but just for ten minutes. I don¡¯t want to bete for the guests.¡±


    Without waiting for my response, she turned and started walking. I clenched my fists into balls and followed her like a little puppy.


    I knew she was embarrassing me on purpose.


    The mansion was so big, I had to keep up with her fast steps to avoid getting lost in its wings. But how did she know all its doors and corridors so well? As far as I knew, she didn¡¯t live here.


    Finally, she opened one of the doors and walked in.


    I followed her and closed the door.


    Shemanded, as if I worked for her, ¡°Don¡¯t! Leave the door open.¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you afraid of me?¡± I sneered.


    She crossed her arms on her chest and said arrogantly, ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin to you, but I don¡¯t want anyone to think anything is wrong.¡±


    I took small steps toward her and asked, ¡°Why? Are you afraid your fiance will misunderstand?¡±


    She raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯tment. I took her silence as agreement, and that made me want to scream, to release the lump stuck in my throat.


    I stared at her belly, then gestured to it with my head and asked the question that was torturing me, ¡°Is he the father?¡±


    A pained expression crossed her face, as if she were disappointed, then sheughed.


    I didn¡¯t respond. The pain in my heart was unbearable, rendering me silent.


    Did she mean the child was her fiance¡¯s?


    ¡°What do you want, Rafael? Why did youe?¡± she asked in a dead serious tone.


    ¡°You!¡± I replied, pained. I knew we couldn¡¯t be together.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s toote?¡± she said sarcastically.


    Then, in a softer voice, she added, ¡°We ended a long time ago, Rafael.¡±


    I whispered, ¡°I loved you, Natalie. I was a fool to realize it toote, but I did love you.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I advise you to go back to the USA. I¡¯m not interested in anything you have to say.¡±


    I moved closer to her, unable to take it any longer. I wanted to hug her, to breathe in her scent.

 Chapter 82 No Turning Back

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± I roared.


    I felt disgusted. How could he ask me who the father was and then try to hug me? What the hell?


    ¡°Stop!¡± I repeated as he kept walking towards me.


    He hesitated for a second, then without further hesitation, he hugged me. I stood frozen in ce. I couldn¡¯t describe my feelings, but one thing I knew was that I didn¡¯t feel anything. There was no heat, no trembling, no butterflies, and no longing.


    I was truly released from him. From his control over me.


    My hand flew through the air,nding on his cheek with a loud p.


    ¡°I told you to stop!¡± I mumbled furiously.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were pregnant back then?¡± he asked after regaining hisposure and putting his hands into his pockets. I could see the tension in his actions.


    But did he deserve my pity? My concern? Of course not.


    I was in so much pain when I lost one of the babies. I hoped he would search for me, for our other child. I was sure Rafael would search for us. But he never did.


    I became depressed in the first month after moving to France. I even thought about aborting the baby. But Maya and Lucas were with me; they never left my side. But I hated relying on others for all my life. I decided to stand up for myself and for my other child.


    I started my journey in the fashion design industry, fueled by the will to seed and self-actualization. I worked day and night. And here I was, putting my first step on my way.


    I survived those seven months, and I¡¯d survive the rest.


    ¡°Would a sadistic person like you want to have a baby and family? The answer is no. And I don¡¯t trust a sick man like you to raise kids,¡± I answered, meaning every word to wound him, to see him in pain, to insult him.


    And yes, I did. I saw the pain in his eyes. He didn¡¯t say anything; he just closed in on himself as he used to.


    I smirked, turned to leave without feeling any pity for him or a pang of conscience, and said, ¡°I¡¯m done here. I have to go back to my guests.¡±


    I knew he had more to say, more to ask about, and more to discuss. But I had to leave the room as soon as I could; I couldn¡¯t let my heart soften.


    When I turned the door handle, he mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m seeing a therapist. I¡¯m undergoing treatment for sadism. I wanted to be the husband you deserve. You were my only reason to seek treatment and try to improve!¡±


    I raised my head high, preventing my tears from falling. I said, ¡°You died to me, Rafael. The moment our child died because of your fiancee, your love died in my heart.¡±


    When I opened the door, I found Daniel and Lucas waiting for me. One tear, just one tear ran down my cheek, and I swore to myself it would be thest tear I shed for him.


    I smiled and asked, ¡°What are you doing here? Why did you leave the party?¡±


    ¡°Come with me,¡± said Lucas as Daniel entered the room where Rafael was still in.


    Lucas held my hand and instead of going back to the party, he headed to the mansion garden, where the fresh air made me feel less stressed.


    We sat on the green ground silently, just staring at the stars in the ck sky.


    After a long pause of silence, he asked me, ¡°The man loves you, I can tell.¡±


    I sniffed and rolled my eyes but didn¡¯t say anything.


    He cleared his throat and added, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give him another chance? As I heard from Daniel, he rescued you from prison!¡±


    I let out a deep sigh and said, ¡°I can¡¯t go back to square one after all I did, Lucas. It¡¯s not about me only.¡± I touched my belly tenderly and smiled bitterly as I continued, ¡°The decision includes a life growing inside me, and I¡¯m responsible for it.¡±


    He put his palm on my belly and asked with concern, ¡°Oh yes, how¡¯s the pain you felt before?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m not going to give birth yet,¡± I mocked him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think your decision is a little selfish? At least he has the right to know he was the father,¡± he argued, trying to convince me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him it wasn¡¯t his, he jumped to conclusions. Then let it be,¡± I said nonchntly.


    Lucas was about to say something, but he stopped.


    ¡°I still think you should sit with him and try to find a solution,¡± he insisted, and that annoyed me.


    I was trying to survive the traces of the toxic rtionship we had, and I wasn¡¯t going to let anyone defend him.


    I shouted, ¡°I loved him, Lucas. I loved my husband with all of my heart.¡± One tear betrayed me andnded on my cheek as I said, ¡°Even though he was dark, vicious, and sadistic, I loved him.¡±


    I hit my chest with my fist, ¡°This stupid heart loved him more than life.¡±


    ¡°I was just a little dirty secret in his life,¡± I continued with sobs.


    Then I stared into his eyes, ¡°Do you know how we got married? We married because of money and benefits, because of a stupid will and no one ever knew about that marriage.¡±


    Lucas didn¡¯tment; he just grabbed me into his embrace and patted my head with a whisper of, ¡°Shush.¡±


    I whispered with closed eyes, ¡°I made my decision. I¡¯ll never go back to him. I¡¯ll never let him treat me as his submissive again. Or even let him harm my child. NEVER!¡±


    Lucas kissed the top of my head and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m with you whatever decision you make, I promise.¡±


    His words touched me even though I was going through with my decision with or without anyone.


    (Where are you? Some guests are asking for you.) A text message chimed in from Ca, Daniel¡¯s and Lucas¡¯s mother.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I wiped the traces of the tears, smiled, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the party. Your mum is looking for us.¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°She must find you a new groom.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. Since I came to France, Ca had been trying to find me a husband.


    Once we entered the party, Ca said happily, ¡°Here¡¯s our beautiful girl.¡±


    A lot of heads turned towards me. I wasn¡¯t someone who got shy easily, but the theatrical way she said that made me feel awkward.


    As I walked to her, my eyes met Rafael¡¯s. What was he still doing here? I thought he must have left.

 Chapter 83 A Tangle of Hearts

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see some friends,¡± Lucas said once we stood before his mother and the senator¡¯s wife. I was surprised he had stayed with me for so much of the party. I knew he liked meeting new girls and having fun.


    I nodded to him, and he promptly left.


    I owed this family a lot of respect and gratitude. Even though they didn¡¯t know me well, they weed me from the very first moment we met. They showered me with concern and love. They took the blood bond seriously.


    I felt so proud to be one of that gteat big family. Even though my biological father didn¡¯t support me by any means, he gave me the most precious thing in life. Family. Loving, supportive family.


    ¡°Hey, Ca!¡± I said with a smile, ignoring the piercing gaze Rafael shot me.


    ¡°Oh, darling! Mrs. Relbson loved your designs so much,¡± Ca eximed happily.


    I stretched out my hand and shook hands with the woman. ¡°Hey, Mrs. Relbson, it¡¯s nice to see you again.¡±


    I had met Mrs. Relbson several times at Roswen family asions, and she was always very nice and kind.


    ¡°Oh dear, look at you. You¡¯re stunning and gorgeous despite your situation,¡± Mrs. Relbson said, staring at my belly.


    I knew exactly what she meant, and I wasn¡¯t bothered though. After all, Daniel had made it clear to their social circle that I was a divorced woman.


    The ironic thing was that in my home country, no one knew about my marriage despite knowing Rafael. But here, everyone knew about my marriage, but no one knew Rafael in person.


    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Relbson, for attending, and I¡¯m d you liked my designs,¡± I said with sincere gratitude.


    ¡°Mrs. Relbson wants to invite you to dinner with her and her son,¡± Ca stated.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t met William yet, right? I¡¯m sure you both will get along well. Even though he has two kids, he will provide you with all the love and care you and your child need,¡± she said, then added with pride, ¡°He¡¯s nothing like the jerk you were married to.¡±


    I tightened my lips, trying to stifle myughter, knowing that Rafael was listening to our conversation.


    It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t deserve that, though.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    But when I nced at him, I saw something different. His eyes were shining, and a small smile appeared at the corner of his lips. I averted my gaze and frowned, thinking, ¡°What? Has he healed from sadism to be masochistic and now enjoys being insulted?¡±


    I looked back at Mrs. Relbson and mumbled softly, ¡°Oh, I would love to, Mrs. Relbson. But, at the moment, I¡¯m very busy. Once I have free time, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± I finished my sentence with an apologetic smile, trying to be polite as I declined.


    I wasn¡¯t ready for a new rtionship. I wasn¡¯t going to do anything that would prevent me from giving my child all the attention and love he needs.


    And who needs men, anyway? They are jerks. It¡¯s just me and my child.


    She smiled, ¡°Okay, dear. I know this isn¡¯t the right time. I hope in the future you give this a chance.¡±


    I smiled gently and mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be happy to make new friends, though.¡±


    That jerk Rafael was walking around smiling stupidly near where I was standing, like a stalker. What the hell is wrong with him? Why does he keep smiling like a mentally retarded person?


    Maya approached me, saying she wanted me to meet some friends of hers. I knew she did that to save me from embarrassment.


    ¡°Thank you, Maya,¡± I thanked her as she pulled me toward the dance floor.


    ¡°Come on, if she wants you to be her daughter-inw, her son has to make a lot of effort. Not just send his mother to invite you,¡± she said, winking at me.


    I rolled my eyes. It wasn¡¯t like I was going to agree or have any rtionship in the meantime.


    ¡°Let¡¯s dance!¡± she said excitedly.


    I pulled my hand from hers and refused, ¡°No. I have some pain in my belly. It¡¯s not wise for me to dance now.¡±


    Her eyes widened, ¡°Do you have childbirth pain?¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°No! It¡¯s just due to the stress and hard work of thest few days, I guess.¡±


    She chuckled back, ¡°Few days! Say weeks, months! You¡¯re the hardest-working woman I¡¯ve ever known.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate!¡± I said with augh and urged her to go and have fun with Daniel.


    I sighed as I leaned against the wall behind me, small itches of pain pulsing in my lower abdomen.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m back,¡± said Lucas.


    Noticing the pain on my face, he asked with concern, ¡°Nat? Are you okay? Should I call Mum for you?¡±


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m fine. Go and have fun,¡± I assured him, trying not to panic. It was still ten days until my due date, as my doctor had reassured me.


    ¡°Are you sure? You seem unwell.¡±


    ¡°No, really. I¡¯m fine. Go and have some fun!¡± I insisted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just go and dance a little. If you need anything, call me,¡± he said, his eyes on a girl on the dance floor.


    I smiled, ¡°Go and get her, soldier!¡±


    He grinned, then stormed toward the dance floor.


    I leaned back against the wall, patted my belly, and whispered softly, ¡°Hold on, little baby, don¡¯te now, please! Not when your father is around.¡±


    Then I frowned, ¡°Or¡­ Are you betraying me and honoring your stupid dad?¡±


    Suddenly, I jumped when I heard Rafael¡¯s voice saying, ¡°So, he¡¯s not your fiance after all,¡± his voice rxed and joyful.


    I turned my head and saw him leaning against the wall beside me, a cigarette in his lips.


    A cloud of smoke spread in the air before him. He seemed so happy as if he had won a billion dors.


    ¡°When did he start smoking?¡± I wondered.


    But who the hell cares, he can take poison if he would like to.

 Chapter 84 Lines of Love and Hate

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± I asked furiously as the pain became more frequent.


    ¡°So, that guy, Lucas, isn¡¯t your fiance?¡± Rafael asked, his smile growing bigger with every word he uttered.


    He stared at my belly and continued, ¡°And this is my child. So, were they twins, or did you never have an abortion in the first ce?¡±


    I gritted my teeth and said, ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t have to exin anything to you. Second, who the hell told you that Lucas is my fiance?¡±


    ¡°Daniel told me so,¡± he jumped in, cutting me off.


    We turned our gazes towards Daniel, who was staring at us from afar with his fiancee. When we looked at him, he smiled and raised his ss of wine. I understood now; he told Rafael that to keep him away.


    I looked back at Rafael and said, ¡°That doesn¡¯t change anything,¡± then started walking away from him.


    He held my arm and asked, ¡°Why, Natalie? I love you!¡±


    I gave a small, bitter smile and replied, ¡°Love alone isn¡¯t enough, Rafael. I realized that toote.¡±


    He insisted, ¡°Maybe one of the children died, but I¡¯m still the father¡­¡±


    I pulled my hand from his and said through gritted teeth, ¡°The biological father, and nothing more.¡±


    He held my waist and pleaded, ¡°Please, Nat. Why do you hate me so suddenly? What did I do to make you hate me this much?¡±


    I was embarrassed as I saw some people looking at us. I didn¡¯t want anyone to know that Rafael was the father.


    ¡°Let go of me. I despise your touch. Please just leave and go back where you came from. Just forget me,¡± I finished my sentence with a moan.


    ¡°Nat? What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked with concern as I bent forward in pain, holding my lower abdomen.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m giving birth,¡± I said in panic.


    He tensed up and froze in ce.


    Suddenly, I heard Maya¡¯s voice as she asked, ¡°Natalie, dear. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s giving birth! Take her to the hospital, now!¡± Maya instructed urgently.


    I was lifted between solid arms, and from the scent, I knew who it was. How addicted to that scent I once was.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m taking you to the hospital,¡± Rafael mumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can go myself. Put me down,¡± I said, struggling in his embrace.


    ¡°We¡¯ll follow you in our car,¡± said Daniel to Rafael.


    I shouted, ¡°Put me down!¡±


    But when he put me down, it was in the back seat of his car. ¡°You drive, Jack, and I¡¯ll stay with her in the back seat,¡± he ordered.


    As if my child was irritated and annoyed by the noise outside, the pain suddenly stopped, and he started kicking gently.


    Rafael noticed the wave of movements in my belly and asked in shock, ¡°Why is your stomach moving like this? Is that the child?¡±


    I rolled my eyes and tried to push him away. ¡°Get off me. Why are you so close? Don¡¯t cross my personal boundaries!¡±


    ¡°Personal boundaries? I¡¯m the one who put the child in you!¡± he mocked.


    I pushed away his bold hand and sniffed. ¡°That was when I was your little wifey, your stupid doll. But now I¡¯m free. We¡¯re divorced, have you forgotten?¡±


    Heughed as if I had said a joke. Why does he keep acting so strangely? I frowned and asked, ¡°Did I say something funny?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t sign the divorce papers!¡± said Jack, staring at us with amusement from the rearview mirror.


    ¡°Stop the car!¡± I said angrily.


    Jack didn¡¯t respond.


    Rafael frowned, and I insisted, ¡°Stop the damn car!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice, my lovely wife, that your tongue has be very dirtytely? It needs taming!¡± he said with a grin. Before I could guess his intention, he pressed his lips to mine.


    I struggled in his embrace, trying to untangle myself. But the more I tried, the deeper his kiss became. When I attempted to speak and curse him, he took advantage of the moment and slipped his tongue into my mouth.


    After a moment, the car stopped and Jack said, ¡°Sorry for interrupting, but we¡¯re at the hospital.¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait for another second and rushed out of the car, hearing Rafael¡¯s steps following me.


    I shouted at him when I reached the hospital door, ¡°Back off! Stay away of me.¡±


    He paused, his eyes filled with a mixture of hurt and determination. ¡°Natalie, please, let me help you,¡± he pleaded, taking a cautious step forward.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help,¡± I snapped, clutching my abdomen as a sudden wave of pain hit me. ¡°I can do this on my own.¡±


    Just then, a nurse noticed my distress and hurried over with a wheelchair. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you inbor?¡± she asked, her voice calm and professional.


    I nodded, struggling to catch my breath. ¡°Yes, I think so.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you inside,¡± she said, helping me into the wheelchair. As she began to wheel me through the hospital doors, I nced back at Rafael, who stood frozen, his face a mask of helplessness and sadness.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here, Nat,¡± he called out. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±


    I wanted to tell him to leave, to get out of my life for good, but the words caught in my throat.


    In the examination room, Freda, my doctor, smiled as she examined my belly with an ultrasound machine and asked, ¡°Are you still not wanting to know the child¡¯s gender?¡±


    Before I could reply, there was a series of urgent knocks on the door.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She frowned and went to open it. A nurse, breathing heavily, said, ¡°Doctor, we¡¯re struggling with her husband outside. He¡¯s causing a hugemotion.¡± Then she looked at me and continued, ¡°Please let him in; the other patients areining.¡±


    I raised my face and stared off to the side, pretending not to understand what she was saying, as she spoke in French.


    Freda said, ¡°Just call security!¡±


    ¡°God! I tried, security tried. The man made one call, and it¡¯s as if he owns the hospital. No one dares to say a word to him.¡±


    I knew how stubborn he was.


    I said, ¡°Tell him to enter, but he must stay at the back of the room and note near me¡­¡±


    Before I could finish my words, he poked his head in and chuckled with happiness, ¡°Okay, I promise!¡±


    ¡°Crazy!¡± I mumbled under my breath.

 Chapter 85 Uninvited Guest

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    ¡°The pain stopped, right?¡± Freda asked as she continued examining my belly.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. What does that mean? Is there something wrong with my child?¡± I asked, my voice full of concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the symptoms beforebor. They are normal and beneficial for the mother; ny percent of women experience them,¡± she exined. ¡°These small waves of pain help the womb prepare forbor.¡±


    I nced at Rafael and stifled augh at his expression. He was staring wide-eyed at my bloated, naked belly.


    When our eyes met, I let out a sigh of annoyance, ignored him, and looked away.


    ¡°So, do you want to know the child¡¯s gender?¡± Freda asked.


    ¡°Yes! Please,¡± Rafael suddenly snapped.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Freda and I both stared at him. I questioned, ¡°What does this have to do with you?¡±


    He approached, and I tried to sit up. Freda gently pushed me back onto the bed and said, ¡°Natalie, please. Don¡¯t move.¡±


    I red at him furiously and snapped in a warning tone, ¡°Stay away from me and my child!¡±


    As if he were deaf, he said, ¡°Please, doctor. I want to know the baby¡¯s sex.¡±


    She looked at me hesitantly, then at the screen before her, and asked with a grin, ¡°As you¡¯re the father, do you prefer a boy or a girl?¡±


    He smiled happily. I couldn¡¯t deny the genuine happiness in his eyes and voice when he said, ¡°A girl. I would love to have a girl just like her mom.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at this trite dialogue. The same sentence every husband says to his pregnant wife.


    At the mention of the word ¡°wife,¡± I tensed up. How can I force him to sign the divorce papers?


    ¡°Natalie!¡± Freda said with a tone of concern.


    I raised my eyes and looked at her. ¡°What?¡± I said as I blinked.


    ¡°I called you several times, and you didn¡¯t reply. Are you ready to know the baby¡¯s gender?¡± she asked, indirectly seeking my confirmation.


    I let out a sigh and nodded. ¡°Yes!¡±


    I hadn¡¯t thought Rafael would be with me when I found out the gender or when I gave birth. I had deleted him from my life; why was he back?


    Freda¡¯s words snapped me out of my thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s a boy!¡±


    I smiled tenderly, touched my bare belly gently, and whispered, ¡°Hey, little boy.¡±


    ¡°Can I touch?¡± Rafael asked, fixing his gaze on my belly.


    ¡°No!¡± I snapped instantly.


    I sat up as I asked, ¡°Are we done here, doctor? I need to go home!¡±


    She helped me wipe the cold blue jelly off my stomach, and I left the room without dy.


    I didn¡¯t want to be with him under the same roof. I couldn¡¯t repeat the same story over and over. He was a page in my life, and I had turned that page full of sadness and pain for good.


    Rafael tried to follow. ¡°Nat, please wait,¡± but I shot him a warning re. ¡°You have no right to be here. Out of pity, I let you in. Just go away!¡±


    I said that, hoping he would leave me alone, but I knew him too well to believe he would.


    I opened the door and saw Maya and Daniel. Once they saw me, they rushed in, their faces etched with concern. ¡°What happened? Was everything okay?¡± asked Maya.


    ¡°Yes, take me home, please,¡± I said, feeling exhausted.


    I didn¡¯t look back, but I could feel his gaze on my back.


    Once I entered my apartment, I threw away my high heels, and they cracked on the floor. I felt the apartment cold and depressing. No matter how hard I tried to make it warm, I couldn¡¯t. I smiled sadly,forting myself that once I gave birth to my boy, the ce would feel more weing.


    I took off my clothes and sat in the bathtub filled with hot water. I needed this to rx after all the tension and incidents.


    I closed my eyes, and a wave of undesirable memories of intimate times with Rafael flooded my head. I shook my head to erase these memories.


    I can¡¯t rest until I take my revenge on Debbie. I stared at my arms, looking at the bruises caused by her attack. Even though the wounds had healed, leaving only traces, my heart and soul still felt the pain of losing my child and the fear and sorrow I felt when I saw the blood that night.


    All her schemes to take Rafael didn¡¯t affect me, but hurting me in such a way and leading to my miscarriage made my heart hold a grudge against her.


    I wrapped a towel around myself and went straight to my room. After I put on my pajamas, I heard my phone ringing.


    It was Rafael, so I ignored the call and went to sleep.


    Five days have passed since Ist saw Rafael at the hospital. It seemed he finally listened to me and went back to the USA.


    I had just finished work, and before I got into my car, a blue car was parked nearby. I didn¡¯t pay attention until I heard a voice behind me saying, ¡°Mademoiselle Natalie?¡±


    I turned around to see a handsome tall man in histe thirties. When I stared at him in confusion, he smiled apologetically and mumbled, ¡°Pardon me, I¡¯m William Relbson!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Relbson!¡± I greeted him politely.


    He didn¡¯tment or move, so I frowned and inquired, ¡°Mr. Relbson?¡±


    He blinked, wiped the back of his neck, and said with embarrassment, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so beautiful!¡±


    His words made me stare at him in confusion. Heughed, his face as red as a tomato, and said, ¡°Oh, God! I ruined everything from the first second.¡±


    I held myugh. He didn¡¯t seem like a stalker or yboy, though.


    ¡°Can we start from the beginning?¡± he asked awkwardly.


    ¡°Okay!¡± I replied with a gentle smile.


    He offered his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m William Relbson. I¡¯m so happy to meet you.¡±


    I shook his hand and mumbled, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Relbson. I¡¯m Natalie Roswen.¡±


    He cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Can I invite you for a cup of coffee?¡±


    Even though I didn¡¯t like hanging out with strangers, I thought one cup wouldn¡¯t be a big deal, especially since he seemed to suffer from embarrassment.


    He opened his car door for me, and before I refused, he said, ¡°Please, let me take you in my car.¡±


    I smiled a tight-lipped smile and got into the car.


    The ce he took me wasn¡¯t just a normal cafe serving afternoon coffees; it had a view of the top of Paris. The view was incredible, with games and activities avable.


    Once we entered, a waiter approached us immediately and said politely, ¡°Mr. Relbson, please follow me. Your table is ready.¡±


    He offered me his arm, and at that point, I didn¡¯t feelfortable. It was supposed to be a cup of coffee in an ordinary ce. Now it looked like a date. A blind date, maybe?


    As we walked behind the waiter, William said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it seems you didn¡¯t like the ce!¡±


    I didn¡¯t look up at his face; all I gave was a small, tight-lipped smile.


    William was a big shot; any woman would dream of him, but not me. I didn¡¯t know why he and his mother chose me in the first ce. Maybe because I was pregnant, they considered me the ideal person to y the mother role for his kids.


    And as I expected, the man adored his kids; he genuinely loved children.


    All our conversation was about his kids and their lives. What they loved, hated, and everything in between. I felt jealous for my child. Would Rafael be a good father?


    Rafael and I didn¡¯t feel the love of our fathers. Could we still give our child the love he needs?


    I sighed and ced my hand on my belly, frustrated by the thought that Rafael shouldn¡¯t be in my life, yet his son would need him.


    ¡°Are you bored?¡± William asked, snapping me out of my negative thoughts.


    ¡°No! I like hearing you talk about your kids; you¡¯re a great father,¡± I said honestly.


    ¡°Do you think so? I feel otherwise,¡± he sighed. ¡°Being a father isn¡¯t easy!¡±


    I patted his hand gently and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure your kids love you very much!¡±


    ¡°Would you like to try some games?¡± he asked.


    I blinked. Was he serious?


    I shook my head withughter. ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid if I did, I¡¯d give birth here!¡±


    But that didn¡¯t stop him from insisting on taking a tour around the ce and buying me some baby boy¡¯s clothes.


    After three hours, I got out of his car before going to my apartment. He opened the door for me and smiled. ¡°It was an incredible night.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was. Thank you for everything,¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you take these boxes inside,¡± he offered.


    He held them and said, ¡°I insist!¡±


    I waved my hand in surrender, knowing he wouldn¡¯t stop until I said okay.


    We took the elevator, and I unlocked my apartment door. I stood beside the door and said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Relbson, for all of this.¡±


    He ced the small boxes on the table, turned to me, and said in a low voice, ¡°Please, call me William.¡±


    Then he bent down, and without warning, he kissed me.


    The moment he ced his lips on mine, I froze. Not because of his kiss, but because of the familiar tall figure and the cold eyes that met mine.


    Rafael was here!

 Chapter 86 He’s Begging Me!

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    William noticed that I was stunned and distracted. He took half a step back and stared into my eyes, then followed my gaze to something behind him. There stood a man leaning on the wall, legs crossed, hands in his pockets, with a cornered smile on his lips.


    ¡°Surprise!¡± Rafael trifled, his gaze full of disdain.


    William stepped back in shock and snapped, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    I closed my eyes tightly, took a deep breath, ced my hands on my hips, and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I came to see my son!¡± he answered nonchntly.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I could see the confusion on William¡¯s face as he asked, ¡°Your son?¡±


    Rafael walked towards me in steady steps, boldly and possessively wrapped his arm around my shoulder, locked eyes with me, and replied to William, ¡°My wife!¡±


    Williamughed. ¡°Is that a joke?¡±


    Rafael raised his eyebrows and replied, ¡°For your misfortune, it¡¯s not!¡±


    I pushed his arm off my shoulder and roared, ¡°How the hell did you get into my apartment?¡±


    The look on his face made me realize what he had just done. I shook my head in disbelief and mumbled, ¡°Did you be a gangster now?¡±


    He had opened my apartment door like a criminal!! I wasn¡¯t surprised though. With his power, he could have taken all my apartment¡¯s belongings and no one would dare to talk.


    ¡°Is he really your husband?¡± William asked. Why did his tone sound like I had just betrayed him?


    ¡°No!¡± I snapped. ¡°I mean yes, but we are about to sign the divorce papers.¡±


    Rafael sneered, ¡°Who said so, my love?¡±


    I shot him a furious look. It wasn¡¯t like I wanted to justify my actions to William or anybody, but I didn¡¯t want Rafael to take advantage of the moment.


    ¡°Okay, Natalie. I¡¯ll leave you to solve your problems. Please call me when you¡¯re free,¡± William mumbled and left immediately.


    Once the door closed, I turned my gaze to Rafael and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Leave my house now, or I will call the police!¡±


    He walked towards me. I didn¡¯t move or shake for even a second. I was determined to show him that I was no longer affected by him.


    He gritted his teeth. ¡°Who¡¯s that man? And why did he kiss you?¡± he demanded, standing before me like a mountain, his gaze shining with anger.


    I took a step forward, raised my head, and said challengingly, as I pointed my finger at his chest, ¡°It¡¯s. Not. Your. Business! Mind your life and don¡¯t interfere with mine.¡±


    He held both my hands before my chest and growled, ¡°Do I need to remind you that you¡¯re my wife?¡±


    ¡°How? By forcing me to bed, for example?¡± I spat with hatred.


    He red into my eyes as if he was confused, then said with fury, ¡°Yes, if I have to!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re as ever-vicious and ruthless. Can¡¯t you understand that I hate you?¡± I screamed at him, my chest heaving with anger.


    I pulled my hands from his grip and turned to open the door for him when my gaze fell on shopping bags and boxes.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked with disdain.


    He didn¡¯t answer. I made my way to the bags and when I opened them, I saw tons of baby boy¡¯s stuff. Iughed at first. Then, opening the others, myughter turned hysterical.


    I shouted, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply. So I walked to him like a cheetah, pushed him with both hands, and cried, ¡°I said what are these? Can¡¯t you understand? I don¡¯t want you in my life.¡±


    He startled, took a few steps back, then gained hisposure and said, ¡°Stop, please. I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    I went back to the bags, starting to throw them at him as I shouted with all my might, ¡°Take all of this with you. We don¡¯t want them, we don¡¯t want you. Leave me alone.¡±


    The pain, the sorrow, the bitterness-they all surged inside me. I didn¡¯t know why I was acting like that to him. The truth hit me: I still love him. I missed him. I loved him more than I expected. I felt disgusted with myself.


    He didn¡¯t protect me, my baby, or our love.


    I won¡¯t forget that day. It stuck in my head when the Merrins family humiliated me.


    After the huge wave of anger, I fell on the couch with a thud. Silence filled the ce and he didn¡¯t leave.


    After a short while, he said, ¡°Natalie, you can tell me whatever you want. Insult me as much as your heart needs. But¡­¡±


    I raised my eyes when he paused. He continued, ¡°I can¡¯t leave. Please, let me stay. I love you!¡± his voice tinged with pain.


    I rolled my eyes and asked with a sneer, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever wonder why I hated you?¡±


    He searched into my eyes for a moment then said softly, ¡°You don¡¯t hate me, Natalie.¡±


    His words provoked me, so I said through gritted teeth, ¡°I hate you, Rafael. More than you think. And you don¡¯t have a ce in my life or my child¡¯s life.¡±


    He wiped his face with his hands and said, ¡°What should I do to make you forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing! Just leave for good.¡±


    ¡°Natalie, I wasn¡¯t responsible for the miscarriage. And at least we still have one of them,¡± he said the most stupid sentence I had ever heard.


    ¡°How can you talk about our child like that? It¡¯s your child who died. How can you be so heartless? At least we still have one? What do you think of them? Toys?¡± I knew what I was saying didn¡¯t make sense. He didn¡¯t even know about the children¡¯s existence before the miscarriage, but I needed him to hug me as much as I didn¡¯t want him to touch me.


    I felt free when I got rid of this love. I didn¡¯t want to go back to the same story.


    My eyes filled with tears, and they made their way down my cheeks uncontrobly. I said between sobs, ¡°Just leave.¡±


    He did thest thing I thought he would do. He sat on the floor before my feet and held my knees as he pleaded, ¡°Please don¡¯t. I can¡¯t live without you, Natalie. I can¡¯t. I want to be with you every single minute of my life.¡± Then he hit his chest where his heart was and added, ¡°I feel unbearable pain every time you push me away.¡±


    ¡°Give me a chance to correct my mistakes!¡± he begged.


    I touched his beard that I always admired and said softly, ¡°I know. But no, I don¡¯t want to be with you. Your love makes me weak. And I don¡¯t like to be weak.¡±


    He sighed, his eyes searching mine. ¡°Why, Natalie? Why have you be so heartless?¡±


    ¡°I am your student.¡±


    He nodded and said bitterly, ¡°Then I did a good job. You have outdone me.¡±


    I started to feel sorry for him, so I pushed him aside and stood up.


    I entered my room and didn¡¯t look back at him. I locked my room with the key and slept.


    In the morning, I thought that he must have leftst night, that he must have understood there was no hope.


    Even though I felt a little disappointed, I smiled, touching my belly and whispered, ¡°We have each other, honey.¡±


    I opened the bathroom door to take my morning shower when I found Rafael in the bathroom, wrapping a towel around his waist, his hair wet.


    I screamed in panic.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± I roared.


    ¡°As you see, taking my shower!¡± he grinned.


    How stubborn could he be?


    I rolled my eyes and said, ¡°Clean the bathroom. We don¡¯t have a maid here! And I want to take a shower.¡±


    He smiled with hope, ¡°We?¡±


    He ced a soft, quick kiss on my cheek and said, ¡°Sure. Give me just ten minutes and the bathroom will be cleaned!¡±


    I sized him up and down with suspicion. I doubted he could clean a dish, let alone a bathroom!


    However, I waited on the couch, and after ten minutes he said in a dramatic way, ¡°My queen! Your highness. The bathroom is ready for you!¡±


    I held back myughter. This man couldn¡¯t be normal. Something must have happened to his brain.


    ¡°Are you on drugs?¡± I asked.


    He nodded, ¡°Yes, the drug of your love, my queen!¡±


    I ignored him and headed towards the bathroom, shocked by what I saw.


    I looked back at him, but he wasn¡¯t looking at me; he was in the kitchen. He said, ¡°Do you like eggs for breakfast? What does my child want?¡±


    I stared back to the bathroom. There were candles and flowers everywhere. Was he trying to seduce me?


    I ignored his intentions, locked the bathroom door, and started taking my shower.


    I heard my phone ringing, and when I saw the caller ID, I remembered today¡¯s meeting and felt little nervous about it.


    I didn¡¯t want Rafael to know anything about the man I was meeting today, so I had to make him leave.

 Chapter 87 What should I do to make you give me another chance

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    When I got out of the bathroom, the smell of fried eggs made my stomach growl. I was starving; I hadn¡¯t eaten anything yesterday.


    I headed towards my room, ignoring Rafael. I didn¡¯t want him here, and I wasn¡¯t going to give him any attention. I knew being around him was dangerous.


    Why couldn¡¯t I just pick one of myfortable summer dresses like always? Why was this so difficult now? I red at my reflection in the mirror and sneered, ¡°Do you really have to ask? It¡¯s all because of the distraction in your kitchen.¡±


    I sighed.


    The blue dress was the ideal choice for me. It wasn¡¯t too much, and it fit the ce I intended to go.


    Thinking about today¡¯s meeting made me anxious.


    I lifted my hair into a ponytail, applied sunscreen, mascara, and pink gloss. After spraying my perfume and putting on my high heels, I went to the kitchen, only to find Rafael still there, wearing just a towel! His back was to me as he washed something in the sink.


    I couldn¡¯t help but stare at his muscr back, watching his muscles move with every action. Sensing my presence, he suddenly turned around. Our gazes met in silence.


    He looked me up and down and whistled in admiration. ¡°Wow, amazing!¡±


    Then he came close to me. I didn¡¯t budge. He stood before me and whispered, ¡°Why do you be more beautiful every day? You¡¯re making it difficult for me.¡±


    I raised my hand, traced lines on his bare chest, and said in a deliberately seductive tone, ¡°Your bad, Rafael. We cannot be together. You can¡¯t touch me. This body isn¡¯t yours anymore. You lost your chance!¡±


    He closed his eyes tightly, pained with every touch of my finger on his chest. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was full of lust. I could sense his erection.


    I stared down at his erection, then into his eyes, and asked, ¡°Why are you still in the towel?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he bent down, desperate lust in his eyes as he tried to kiss me. I sneered, quickly moving under his arm and heading straight to the table where he had set breakfast.


    I saw him tighten his grip and clench his fists.


    ¡°You made a lot of effort here,¡± I mocked.


    He didn¡¯t reply, eyes still shut. I continued, ¡°As I recall, you were a good cook!¡±


    He stared into my eyes. I knew he remembered, as I did, that night when he promised he would always protect me, when I confessed my love to him, and he asked me not to love him.


    ¡°What should I do to make you give me another chance?¡± he asked, his tone a mix of despair and fury.


    I sat at the table and asked, ¡°How did you take my revenge on Debbie?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in jail,¡± he answered promptly.


    I started eating the eggs, which were delicious.


    ¡°Is that it? Just in jail?¡± I questioned.


    He looked at me in confusion, so I exined, ¡°I thought you were more powerful!¡±


    Before he could reply, the doorbell rang. I looked at him with disappointment and said, ¡°For thest time, we don¡¯t have any future together. You lived without me for the past seven months, and you can live the rest.¡±


    I passed him and reached the door. Before I opened it, I said, ¡°Daniel¡¯s at the door, in case you want to wear your clothes.¡±


    I was sure Rafael had never been told what to do. I knew he felt desperate. Even if I wasn¡¯t being fair with him, I wasn¡¯t going to let my heart soften again.


    When he turned and entered the bathroom, I felt the desire to cry. This was the man I had loved since childhood. Getting rid of him wasn¡¯t easy.


    I cleared my throat and opened the door.


    ¡°What took you so long to open the door?¡± Daniel asked impatiently as I swung it open.


    He didn¡¯t wait for my reply. Instead, he entered, saying, ¡°Are you sure you want to go to this meeting?¡±


    I gestured for him to keep silent. He looked at me in confusion, then noticed the food for two people on the table. Then he looked around to see a man¡¯s shoes and a wristwatch.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± he asked. Then, a hint of surprise shone in his eyes as he stated, ¡°Rafael!¡±


    I sighed and said, ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s a long story.¡± I hesitated for a second, then added, ¡°I don¡¯t want him to know about my father.¡±


    He nodded in understanding and replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Rafael came out of the bathroom, dressed, exchanged greetings with Daniel, then said in a sarcastic tone, ¡°Why did you lie and tell me she was engaged and the child wasn¡¯t mine?¡±


    His tone was calm but strong. From the way he looked and acted, anyone would know that if he wasn¡¯t strong enough, he wouldn¡¯t be a match for this man.


    Daniel raised an eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve her. She deserves a better man!¡±


    Rafael bit his lower lip, then pounced on Daniel, grabbing him by the cor and hissing through gritted teeth, ¡°Repeat what you just said!¡±


    ¡°What? Does the truth hurt?¡± Daniel added.


    ¡°Why do I feel Daniel is always adding fuel to the fire?¡± I thought.


    Rafael pushed Daniel onto the couch, gripped his jacket, and left without a word!


    Had he left for good?


    My heart tightened at the thought.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said, not wanting my heart to think more about that love.


    Daniel raised his head and said, ¡°You still love him, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I answered promptly, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do, Nat. Why don¡¯t you just give him a chance? The man loves you, I can tell,¡± he said softly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. I just can¡¯t,¡± I said and grabbed my purse before turning to leave.


    When Daniel and I entered the garage, I found Rafael there, leaning on his car.


    I pretended I didn¡¯t see him. But he said, ¡°Here!¡±


    I looked at him and asked, annoyed, ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you where you want to go,¡± he offered.


    My car was still at my work garage, as William had brought me here yesterday. Did Rafael notice that my car wasn¡¯t here?


    ¡°No, thanks,¡± I said.


    ¡°I insist,¡± he replied.


    Daniel and I exchanged nces, but before I could say anything, a feminine voice chimed in, ¡°Rafael? Is that really you?¡±


    I turned to the source of the voice to see a beautiful girl getting out of her car. She said in a happy voice, ¡°Oh my God, it¡¯s really you!!¡±


    Then, the girl ran towards him and hugged him tightly. Furthermore, she kissed him on the cheek.


    He didn¡¯t push her away!!


    The fucker didn¡¯t push her away!!!


    ¡°I hate you, Rafael. I hate you because I can¡¯t hate you!¡± I screamed in my head.


    But outwardly, I stayed calm as I heard him calling her name in surprise, ¡°Julia!¡±


    Why do I feel bad about that girl?


    She untangled her arms from his neck, blinking coquettishly with her thickly mascaraed eyshes, and said, ¡°Oh God, Rafael, I¡¯m so happy to see you! Can I invite you for breakfast?¡±


    At that point, I turned to Daniel and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re alreadyte!¡±


    Before we could take our steps towards Daniel¡¯s car, Rafael said, ¡°Wait, let me take you, Natalie.¡±


    The girl named Julia said, ¡°Are these your friends?¡±


    Rafael stared into my eyes and said, ¡°This is my wife and her friend.¡±


    The woman blinked several times as she stared at my belly, then stammered in shock, ¡°Oh, your wife? And you¡¯re going to be a father!¡±


    The poor girl, it was obvious she was shocked as she added, ¡°That was fast; I heard you called off your engagement recently!¡±


    No one replied to her. I thought at first she felt awkward, but when she smiled and added, ¡°Sorry for jumping on your husband like this. In fact, we have a long romantic intimate history together, so I couldn¡¯t help just to hug him!¡± I knew I was wrong.

 Chapter 88 Who Is The girl?

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I didn¡¯t reply to her because I knew exactly what kind of history Rafael had with women.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I turned around again and was about to enter Daniel¡¯s car when arge hand held my arm. ¡°I said, I¡¯ll drive you.¡±


    I pulled my hand away and said with a smile, ¡°No need. Stay with your friend and reminisce about your precious history together.¡±


    He wiped his face with both hands and then lifted me into his embrace. I gasped in shock and yelled, ¡°Put me down!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said calmly. Walking towards his car, he asked Daniel, ¡°You can join us.¡±


    Daniel didn¡¯t hesitate and entered Rafael¡¯s car, sitting in the front seat as Rafael ced me in the back. I rolled my eyes when he put the seatbelt on me.


    When he started the engine, Julia said through the window, ¡°I¡¯ll message you through IG, Rafael!¡±


    I hate that kind of women who knew the man was married and still tried to grab his attention desperately.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Rafael asked me through the rearview mirror. I didn¡¯t want him to know about my father, but did I have a choice now? The man who arranged this meeting just sent me a message ten minutes ago saying I had thirteen minutes left.


    I cleared my throat and said, ¡°To the Rehabilitation Center.¡±


    Rafael stared at me through the rearview mirror with confusion and repeated, ¡°The Rehabilitation Center?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. Then, after a short pause, I added, ¡°To see my father.¡±


    Daniel didn¡¯t say a word. He wasn¡¯t in favor of this meeting, saying it wasn¡¯t safe for me as a pregnant woman. His actions were unpredictable.


    The rest of the ride was silent except for Daniel giving Rafael directions.


    Before we arrived, Rafael asked in a calm voice, as if he had been pondering this, ¡°How did you know about him? How did you find him?¡±


    ¡°Natalie is my cousin. Her father is my uncle,¡± Daniel said.


    I could see the shock in Rafael¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t speak for a while, then he asked, ¡°Was that why you lived next to us? But why didn¡¯t you tell us before?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking too much, Rafael,¡± Daniel replied. I could see that his reply irritated Rafael, who growled, ¡°Asking too much? Do you know who we¡¯re talking about? She¡¯s never been just a stepsister to me. She has always been and still is my life. And now you say I¡¯m asking too much?¡±


    I can¡¯t say that Rafael was lying about his feelings because I felt the same. The difference was that when I needed this love, he wasn¡¯t ready, and now that I wanted to move on, he wanted me back.


    ¡°Is that how you managed to keep the investigators from finding her?¡±


    Investigators? Did he hire investigators to find me? I looked at Daniel, waiting for his reply. All this time I thought Rafael wasn¡¯t been searching for me.


    Daniel sighed, ¡°I just helped her change herst name to her original family name and deleted all the records from the airport.¡±


    My mouth dropped to the ground. Rafael searched for me; he didn¡¯t neglect me!


    ¡°Why?¡± Rafael growled, hitting the steering wheel. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    Daniel shouted back, ¡°I¡¯m not the bad guy here, Rafael. I just wanted to give her some space, to make you feel how it could be if you lost her. Your father asked me to help you both make your marriage seed.¡±


    ¡°Dad Matt!¡± I asked.


    ¡°My father?¡± Rafael asked.


    We both asked in shock.


    ¡°You mean you knew about our marriage all the time?¡± Rafael asked.


    ¡°Of course I did!¡±


    I remember the first time I met Daniel at the engagement party. I remember how I instantly feltfortable with him.


    ¡°This didn¡¯t give you the right to do what you did,¡± Rafael mumbled in disbelief.


    We arrived at the Rehabilitation Center. I was very nervous. I didn¡¯t think I would be this nervous.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± said the doctor.


    Rafael, Daniel, and I followed the doctor silently.


    I could hear my heartbeat from the tension.


    ¡°Please, only one of you can enter,¡± the doctor said as he was typing a number on the door¡¯s automatic lock.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll be the one to enter, doctor,¡± I stammered.


    ¡°I¡¯m her husband. I want to go with her. My wife is pregnant; I can¡¯t let her enter alone,¡± Rafael said firmly.


    The doctor sized him up and down, then nodded in agreement.


    All the times I saw Rafael use his power to convince people or force them to do what he wanted, I now realized he truly had amanding presence and a persuasive way of speaking that didn¡¯t rely on power or money.


    ¡°Stop admiring him, you fool,¡± I snapped at myself in my head.


    I didn¡¯t refuse Rafael¡¯s suggestion as I really needed support at that moment.


    We walked side by side. A white door opened, and the doctor said, ¡°You have fifteen minutes, but as I said before, his state is not stable, so please be careful.¡±


    I took a deep breath and entered, with Rafael walking exactly behind me.


    There was a man sitting in his chair, his head down, and there was a ss wall separating him from us.


    The doctor said, ¡°He hears you clearly. If you need anything, press the bell.¡± Then he left the room.


    I stood still in my ce, staring at him wide-eyed. He looked very exhausted.


    I smiled when I noticed his white hair mixed with yellow, remembering my mother always told me I had my father¡¯s hair.


    He didn¡¯t look at us, and I didn¡¯t know what to say. All I knew was that I felt pity for him.


    This was my father. The father who never asked about me.


    I felt Rafael¡¯s hand around my shoulder. When I lifted my gaze at him, he smiled and whispered, ¡°Let me support you, please. Even as an old friend.¡±


    Didn¡¯t he know he could never be just a friend to me?


    I said in a low voice after taking a few steps forward, ¡°We have the same hair color.¡±


    One tear rolled down my cheek, and Rafael wiped it instantly.


    My father didn¡¯t raise his head; he kept staring at the floor.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have anything inmon except our hair color. Did you know that?¡±


    I kept talking, but he didn¡¯t even raise his head.


    I felt depressed and shouted, ¡°Why? Why didn¡¯t you look for me? Did you know I loved him more than you?¡±


    ¡°He was a real father, not like you who threw away his flesh and blood.¡±


    I noticed his chest rise and fall.


    He was crying!


    He mumbled in a low voice, ¡°Get out of here!¡±


    I was shocked.


    I pushed Rafael¡¯s arm away from me, hit the ss with my palms, and shouted, ¡°Do you know how old I am? I am twenty-three, and we¡¯ve never met. I¡¯m your daughter.¡±


    He finally raised his head. But there wasn¡¯t any trace of longing in his eyes; all I saw was sadness and sorrow.


    He said one word, ¡°I don¡¯t have daughters,¡± and got up from his chair, turned around, and started walking away.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I said.


    He stood for a second, then repeated, ¡°I don¡¯t have daughters.¡±


    I realized he rejected me. He didn¡¯t want me. He knew I was his daughter, but he didn¡¯t want me.


    Once he was out of my sight, my tears streamed down my face, releasing the feelings I had from a young age, that I didn¡¯t have a father.


    Rafael pulled me into his embrace, and I buried my head in his chest, sobbing and crying.


    He patted my head patiently.


    I heard Daniel asking, ¡°What happened?¡± as we exited the room.


    Daniel drove while Rafael sat beside me in the back seat. I ced my head on hisp as he massaged my hair.


    ¡°The family is having a gathering, and they are waiting for you,¡± Daniel said.


    I sighed, ¡°Can I not go?¡±


    He smiled tenderly, ¡°You know you can¡¯t.¡±


    Daniel drove straight to the family mansion. I thought Rafael would leave, maybe to see Julia, but he didn¡¯t. Once we arrived, he asked Daniel if he could attend.


    Daniel hesitated at first, then said, ¡°I warn you. Maybe you won¡¯t like this.¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait for their conversation. I just opened the door and entered the mansion.


    All the family was there.


    Daniel¡¯s parents, grandparents, and other rtives.


    ¡°Come,¡± Uncle Peno, Daniel¡¯s father, said.


    I hugged him as he caressed my cheek. I saw Rafael entering the hallway. Everybody stared at Rafael and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s this, Daniel? Is he your friend?¡±


    ¡°I saw him at Natalie¡¯s design show party,¡± said Ca, staring in my direction.


    ¡°I know him. This is Mr. Merrin, right?¡± said one of the girls with a hint of admiration.


    Daniel stared at me, then said, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s Mr. Merrin, my neighbor in the USA.¡±


    Then his smile widened, and he added, ¡°Natalie¡¯s husband.¡±


    When everybody looked at me, I rified, ¡°Ex-husband, you mean.¡±

 Chapter 89 Meet The Roswens

    Rafael¡¯s POV


    Standing beside Daniel at the Roswen mansion, I suddenly found myself the target of intense stares from several women.


    Natalie¡¯s voice was determined when she said, ¡°Ex husband.¡±


    I kept staring at her face even though she ignored me and walked away.


    I felt a little ufortable that all these eyes were staring at me. One of the older women stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she asked, ¡°Are you the father of the child?¡±


    I nodded with a smile, replying cheerfully, ¡°Yes.¡± Pride swelled within me at the acknowledgment.


    However, her expression remained stern. To my astonishment, she raised her wrinkled hand, grabbed my ear, and pinched it as if I were a misbehaving child. ¡°So it¡¯s you? What are you doing here then?¡± she demanded.


    I was too stunned to respond. What could I say to a woman who could easily be my grandmother¡¯s age?


    ¡°Grandma, he¡¯s a guest here, please take it easy on him,¡± Daniel interjected, his tone pleading.


    I gazed at her with a desperate look, hoping she would release my ear. Her unexpected behavior left me at a loss. She scrutinized my face, then grinned and dered, ¡°I see. The stupid girl fell for your charming face!¡±


    Laughter erupted around us. She turned to Daniel, her voice carrying authority, ¡°He¡¯s our son-inw, so he¡¯s not a guest.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know whether to feel happy or angry. This woman treating me like a misbehaving child certainly wasn¡¯t what I had expected from being their son-inw.


    She finally let go of one ear, but only to grab the other. ¡°Natalie? Should I let him go yet?¡± she called out.


    I saw Ca, Daniel¡¯s mother, whispering to the olddy, ¡°Mom, do you know who this man is? He¡¯s Mr. Merrin, the famous tycoon. You can¡¯t just grab his ear like that.¡±


    ¡°Holy crap! I don¡¯t care if he was the president himself; he hurt my precious granddaughter,¡± she retorted.


    An old man, presumably her husband, wrapped his arm around her and mumbled, ¡°Honey, let them solve their problems.¡± Then, extending his hand to me, he said politely, ¡°Hello, Mr. Merrin! It¡¯s nice to meet you. I apologize for my wife¡¯s behavior. It¡¯s just out of her love for our granddaughter, Natalie. We¡¯re happy that we finally met our son¡¯s daughter. At least she covered her father¡¯s ce in the family!¡±


    His sincere apology took me by surprise. From the olddy¡¯s behavior, I had begun to think they would all be hostile.


    I discovered that the Roswens were treating Natalie so nicely. They cherished her and loved her unconditionally. I wished that Merrin did the same.


    Every member of the Roswen family came to greet me, except for Natalie though. She didn¡¯te near me or even nce in my direction.


    ¡°I warned you! I told you that you might not like the ce!¡± Daniel whispered, trying to tease me.


    Ignoring him, I walked towards Natalie, who was chatting with some girls. ¡°Natalie!¡± I called.


    She turned to me, her eyes indifferent. ¡°Yes?¡±


    I stared at her, words failing me. Suddenly, she took my hand and led me to a door that opened to the mansion¡¯s backyard. Once we were out of earshot, she sighed, her expression confused. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you keep chasing me, Rafael. But one thing I can assure you of is that I¡¯m not for love.¡±


    I replied promptly, ¡°I agree!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t ept the idea of us living separate lives. The only thing I was certain of was that I was nothing without her. She was my lifeline.


    ¡°Agree on what?¡± she asked in confusion.


    ¡°I agree to love you all my life without you loving me back!¡± I said with determination.


    Frustration clouded her eyes as she sighed deeply, pressing her fingers to her forehead. ¡°Do you really love me?¡±


    Wasn¡¯t that already obvious!!?This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Hope flickered within me, only to be shattered by her next words. ¡°Then leave me alone. Wish me happiness and let me live the life I want. I promise this child will be yours forever. You can visit him whenever you want, but you should move on and find yourself another life and another love.¡±


    She turned to leave, and my heart couldn¡¯t ept it. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around her from behind. She didn¡¯t move.


    When she didn¡¯t react, I turned her to face me, eager to see some emotion. But there was nothing-no love, no warmth.


    ¡°Just tell me what I should do,¡± I asked in despair.


    Why couldn¡¯t she feel my love? Wasn¡¯t it obvious how much I cared for her? Did she really think I would surrender so easily? Should I just give up?


    Out of frustration, I bent down and captured her lips with mine. She didn¡¯t resist or kiss back; she just stood there, emotionless. It hurt deeply, but I didn¡¯t stop, kissing her lips as if I were an addict.


    Suddenly, a sharp hit on my shoulder made me let go of her. I turned to see the same olddy standing behind me. ¡°How dare you? You can¡¯te to people¡¯s houses and kiss their daughters,¡± she scolded.


    Oh God, where did thisdye from? I saw Natalie trying hard to hold back herughter.


    ¡°You¡¯re a beautifuldy, Granny. Why don¡¯t you help me regain my wife¡¯s trust?¡± I said, attempting to charm her.


    She hummed, sizing me up and down, then said, ¡°So, you want your wife back, young man?¡±


    I nodded. Then she said, ¡°I should test how experienced you are in grilling meat first. Come with me!¡±


    Even though I didn¡¯t know what grilling meat had to do with Natalie and me, I followed her.


    ¡°Good luck!¡± Daniel called from afar, his voice tinged with amusement.

 Chapter 90 Her Feelings

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    I was standing among the lively chatter of the family gathering, my eyes inevitably drifted towards Rafael. He was standing beside Daniel, surrounded by a group of curious women. There was something maic about his presence, a quiet confidence that seemed to draw everyone in. Our eyes met once a while and I could see the amusement into his eyes, as if he was telling me that he was happy to be here.


    How he didn¡¯t feel annoyed about what granny did to him?


    On the contrary, he handled their probing questions with a charming smile, his eyes twinkling with a mix of amusement and pride. I even heard him saying that I was the core of his life. I really started to feel the ice around my heart melted.


    My heart bounding as if I love him for the first time!


    After our kiss at the back yard, I felt I need more of him. What if I forget the past and started over?


    ¡°The man indeed in love!¡± Maya grinned.


    I rolled my eyes, pretending that I didn¡¯t care. Even though my heart was soften for him. I saw him getting along with the family men, Grandpa, uncle, Daniel, Lucas and the others, as they were grilling the meat in this family gathering.


    I couldn¡¯t help but admire how he carried himself. Despite the unexpected and rather harsh greeting from Grandma, he didn¡¯t lose hisposure. When she pinched his ear, Rafael¡¯s face registered surprise, but he quickly recovered, his smile never faltering. He even managed to look dignified, despite the undignified situation. It was as if he knew that every pair of eyes in the ce was on him, judging him, and he was determined to meet their scrutiny head-on.


    His self confident made him take control there as he started guiding the men and gave everyone one of them a mission.


    To be honest, he surprised me! Where was the cold, ruthless man? His interaction with the family was nothing short of remarkable. He greeted and smiled to each person in the family warmly, his deep voice resonating with sincerity. Even Grandpa, who was usually quite reserved, seemed to warm up to Rafael¡¯s easy charm. I could see the genuine respect growing in the eyes of my rtives as they spoke to him, each handshake and polite nod serving as a testament to his character.


    Sure I wouldn¡¯t deny that the family basically was warm and genuinely kind.


    The time passed quickly and I wasn¡¯t surprised when at the end of the family gathering Rafael made a friendship with them!


    ¡°Can I drive you home?¡± he asked.


    I was busy talking with Maya when I heard his question. I turned around and with small smile replied, ¡°Okay!¡±


    He stared at me in shock. He stammered, ¡°Are you sure?¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    His reaction made me hold myughter. ¡°Then, why you asked if you wasn¡¯t sure?¡±


    He whipped his back neck with hand in nervousness and mumbled, ¡°I was trying my luck though!¡±


    I rised my eyebrows and teased, ¡°then It seems you have a good luck tonight!¡± Once I uttered these word I regretted saying them. Afraid he would interpret them to the wrong meaning.


    So , I rolled my eyes and said, ¡°Whatever!¡±


    After I said goodnight to everyone, I entered Rafael¡¯s car.


    The car was filled with a tense silence. I was sitting in the passenger seat, my hands clenched tightly in myp. I could feel the warmth of his presence beside me, a stark contrast to the cool leather of the seat. The rhythmic hum of the engine and the faint sound of the tires on the asphalt should have been soothing, but my mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.


    I stole a nce at his face. He was was calm, his eyes focused on the road ahead. There was an unshakable determination in his expression, a confidence that seemed to radiate from him. It was both infuriating and intoxicating. How could he be soposed, so sure of himself, after everything I told him, and the bad way I treated him?


    The evening reyed in my mind. His proud smile as he acknowledged being the father of my child, the way he handled Grandma¡¯s aggressive interrogation with grace and humor, his unwavering gaze as he dered his love for me in front of everyone. It was as if he had taken every challenge and turned it into an opportunity to prove himself.


    Prove himself to me? I felt ttered as I felt a pang of admiration for him, despite my attempts to keep my distance and to keep hurting him.


    There was something undeniably attractive about his confidence, his refusal to back down. He had faced my family head-on, enduring their scrutiny and emerging with their reluctant respect. And then there was the way he looked at me, his eyes filled with a mix of longing and determination, as if I were the only thing that mattered in the world.


    But alongside that admiration was a deep-rooted fear. Rafael was a force of nature, and I wasn¡¯t sure I could withstand the storm he brought with him. His love was intense, all-consuming, and I wasn¡¯t sure I could give him what he wanted any more.


    What if he asked me to be his submissive again?


    I had built walls around my heart to protect myself, and the thought of letting him in, of allowing myself to be vulnerable again, was terrifying.


    As we approached my house, the reality of the situation settled heavily on my shoulders. This wasn¡¯t just about me anymore. There was a child to consider, a future that seemed uncertain and fraught with challenges. Rafael¡¯s presenceplicated everything, stirring emotions I wasn¡¯t ready to confront.


    Weeks ago, I was determined about my future. Once he reappeared, I felt confused again.


    The car came to a stop in front of my house, and Rafael turned to look at me. His eyes were soft, filled with an unspoken question. I knew he was thinking all along the road as I was.


    For a moment, I felt the urge to reach out to him, to let him in. But the fear was stronger. I couldn¡¯t afford to lose myself in him, not when so much was at stake.


    From the look into his eyes I knew he wanted me even more than I did. He wanted to spend the night inside.


    ¡°Thank you for driving me home,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I avoided his gaze, focusing instead on the familiar sight of my front door.


    He nodded, his expression unreadable. ¡°Anytime, Natalie,¡± he replied softly.


    I stepped out of the car, the cool night air a stark contrast to the warmth of his presence. As I walked to my door, I felt his eyes on me, a silent promise lingering in the air between us. I didn¡¯t look back. I couldn¡¯t. I needed to hold on to my resolve, to keep the walls around my heart intact. But as I closed the door behind me, a part of me couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I was making a mistake, if pushing Rafael away was truly the right thing to do.


    I leaned on the door, confused whether I should let him in or not?

 Chapter 91 Wedding

    Natalie¡¯s POV


    Eventually, 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 exined.


    I immediately got out of bed and said with a terrified look, ¡°Was the man tall, handsome, with blue eyes?¡± I grabbed my nail file, hid it behind my back, and walked slowly to the front door.


    ¡°Yeah, and his smile is charming,¡± she said with admiration. ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡±


    Once I reached the front door, I saw Rafael¡¯s back. He was holding a screwdriver and doing something to the door lock.


    I threw the nail file on the couch and said, ¡°I¡¯ll call youter.¡±


    I stood behind Rafael, crossing my arms over my chest, raising an eyebrow, and asked with fury, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    He raised his head, a smile of satisfaction on his face as he said, ¡°I¡¯m done!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing to my door lock, and how did you get in without me hearing you?¡±


    He grinned. ¡°It didn¡¯t take much effort to unlock your door, so I decided it wasn¡¯t safe. You need a better lock, a safer one.¡±


    God, this man is as possessive as ever!


    I sized him up and down, seeing the happiness on his face. ¡°What are you smiling for? Give me my door key! My neighbor called me, thinking you were a thief!¡±


    He took a few steps towards me, staring down into my face and whispered, ¡°And what did you tell her? Did you tell her I¡¯m your beloved husband?¡±


    I took a step back defensively and teased, ¡°I asked her to call the police.¡±


    He walked more steps, his eyes shining with desire.


    ¡°Give me my keys and go!¡± My voice sounded low, almost a whisper, and I cursed inside my heart for that.


    He smiled a sly smile and handed me the keys. ¡°Here they are.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the other copy?¡± I asked when he handed me one.


    ¡°It¡¯s with me, that¡¯s why I changed the lock in the first ce. I needed a copy,¡± he teased as he leaned on the door frame.


    ¡°And why do you need a copy? This is my private ce,¡± I snapped, his actions making me angry and upset. Why does he keep crossing my boundaries?


    ¡°To enter whenever I want. And if I asked you for a copy, you wouldn¡¯t give me,¡± he mumbled, his eyes flickering with challenge.


    I waved my hand dismissively. ¡°Whatever!¡± I entered the apartment, hearing the door close behind me. I turned to him with a warning look. ¡°If you¡¯re nning to live here, I warn you, I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    He cut me off nonchntly, ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Then he flopped onto the couch, leaned back, and said as he closed his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now. I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night.¡±


    Did he sleep outst night? I was curious, but I didn¡¯t ask him.


    I changed to go to work, mming the door purposefully to wake him up after I saw him sleeping soundly on the couch. Am I bing evil? I grinned at the thought.


    Days passed, and Rafael kepting to my apartment at different times. Sometimes I woke up to find him making breakfast, and other times he was sleeping on the couch. But he never tried to touch me, even though every time he looked into my eyes, I saw the desire in them.


    Today was Daniel¡¯s and Maya¡¯s wedding. I was so happy for them, and she picked one of my designs for her wedding dress.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The ten days for mybor had already passed, and I was about to give birth at any moment, but this didn¡¯t prevent me from helping Maya with every detail.


    I wore a red gown that showed off my swollen belly. My belly was so big it prevented me from walking properly.


    I was standing with some of the family girls, gossiping a little as guests started to arrive. However, my eyes were on the door, waiting for one person, Rafael. I don¡¯t know why I felt nostalgic about seeing him tonight. Maybe it was the intimate atmosphere of the wedding, or maybe because I had a feeling that I would give birth tonight.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s here!¡± one of the girls said, poking me with her elbow.


    I turned just to see Rafael walking inside the hall with Julie wrapping her hand around his arm.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the girl with him?¡± one of the girls asked.


    Rafael¡¯s eyes and I met for a second. I turned my eyes to the other side immediately.


    I couldn¡¯t believe he came with that girl wrapping her hand around his arm possessively!!


    ¡°Natalie!¡± I heard him saying. I closed my eyes for a moment, then wore a smile and turned to face him, ¡°Yes? What do you want?¡± I asked in disdain.


    Was that man insane for bringing that girl with him? Or does he just get bored from chasing after me? I couldn¡¯t tell.


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