Chapter 201
"What–what are you doing?" Natalie abruptly sat up, pulled her clothes around herself, and stared at Kyle with a wary expression.
She just realized that he was actually kissing her back!
Kyle knelt by the bedside, his eyes filled with emotion, and his heart stirred as he gazed at her.
"I–I just couldn’t hold back, Natalie. I like you–really. Seeing you hurt like this, my heart aches."
"You care about me, so you bully me? How could you do that?" Natalie dragged a pillow over and threw it at Kyle.
Kyle pulled the pillow aside and said, "It’s not like that. I didn’t mean to bully you. I just didn’t want you to be in so much pain. Please believe me. I really like you very much. That’s why I couldn’t hold back for a moment."
He grasped Natalie’s hand, pulled her into his embrace, and kissed her face and neck wildly.
"Natalie, I like you. Let me kiss you, okay? If I kiss you, your wound won’t hurt anymore. Trust me, really, I’ll make you feel comfortable. Once you’re comfortable, it won’t hurt anymore. Be good…"
He was speaking the most moving words of love, coaxing Natalie in his arms with utmost gentleness.
Natalie was about to go crazy, struggling to push him away. She shouted, "Kyle, let go of me! Let go! If you keep this up, I’ll scream. I’ll report you."
"No, no, no." Kyle released her, knelt by the bed, and placed his hands on either side of her waist.
"Natalie, I know you like Aiden and look down on me, someone who has climbed up from adversity. But have you ever thought that we are actually the same kind of people?
"When I saw the densely clustered scars on your back, it reinforced my conviction, because I bear the same marks."
Kyle pulled open his clothes, revealing the scars on his body. "Since childhood, my father had believed that strict discipline was essential for my success, and he often resorted to corporal punishment. I was frequently beaten."
Natalie mused, 'No wonder he tries to please everyone, always speaking with honeyed words and keeping his eyes fixed only on people and matters that benefit him. So that’s the reason.'
In that instant, when Natalie touched the scars covering his body, she suddenly empathized with him.
She reached out and gently touched his scars, a trace of tender pity flickering in her heart. She couldn’t tell whether she felt sorry for Kyle or for herself, who had grown up enduring beatings.
Noticing the pain and tenderness in her eyes, Kyle knew he had made the right choice. He turned his head and gently kissed Natalie’s hand.
Natalie merely trembled slightly and didn’t evade.
Her response emboldened him, and he traced kisses upward along the back of her hand…
Approximately an hour passed.
Natalie, feigning resistance but ultimately giving in, did everything she should and shouldn’t have with Kyle.
Nevertheless, she ultimately retained her rationality and didn’t take the final step. She couldn’t lose her chastity, as this was the reason she felt justified in marrying Aiden.
Aiden, being a traditional and upright man, was likely to attach significant importance to a woman’s virginity. Natalie didn’t dare to take that risk.
Even so, Kyle was already quite satisfied.
He knew that one thing led to another. Given time, sooner or later, Natalie would be his. This was the key to whether he could remain in Aloville.
In a private dining room of a nearby restaurant, Josie and her group were enjoying a lively meal.
Josie picked up her coffee cup and said, "Ian, I’m really sorry for dragging you into this twice. I honestly don’t know what got into Jaden. He just had to go and say all that nonsense. Please don’t take it to heart."
"No, no, not at all. They’re just talking nonsense. You shouldn’t take it to heart." Ian raised his coffee cup and tapped it against Josie’s. As he drank, he used the cup to hide the guilt in his eyes.
To be honest, he developed a favorable impression of Josie the first time he met her.
She was a sweet–looking girl who was both capable and articulate, and had a radiant smile. It was truly hard not to like her.