Chapter 280
A fleeting look of disgust crossed Aiden’s face, especially when Natalie looked at him with eyes as soft and alluring as silk. Once his impulsive emotions had subsided and his physical desires had been briefly satisfied, he absolutely did not want to look at Natalie again.
He thought, ‘This is by no means the pure and innocent Natalie I have imagined. Her conduct is no different from that of a prostitute soliciting customers outside a brothel. It is equally unpresentable.’
Aiden’s mind inexplicably flashed with Zoey’s face. Unlike Josie, who was an orphan, the Harding family, though not involved in the medical industry, had an equally distinguished family background. In Aloville, the Harding family’s status was on par with that of the Kinberg family. Zoey was likewise an heiress, and compared to Natalie, she was at least equally accomplished, if not more so.
He thought, ‘Upon further reflection, each time I encountered her, her demeanor was invariably natural, confident, appropriate, and dignified. Even her smile was fresh and clean, without any hint of seductive allure.'
Aiden suddenly regretted having become involved with Natalie. He felt this petty, small-minded woman was simply unworthy of him. He cast a resentful glare at Natalie. “I’ll leave first in a moment. Wait a bit before you go. Don’t let anyone see us together.”
“Aiden, what do you mean by that?” Natalie, who was about to move closer again, froze instantly, staring at Aiden in disbelief.
She thought, ‘Wasn’t it said that Aiden is the most conservative, and that if he ever got involved with me, he would take full responsibility? What does this situation mean now?’
Aiden did not look at her again. “After all, this is a research institute. Our research has only just begun, so we must be mindful of the impact. Let us discuss our personal matters after the research is complete.”
Natalie couldn’t help but laugh out of anger. “So, what you’re saying is that you don’t intend to take responsibility?”
A trace of shame flickered across Aiden’s face. He said, “That is not my intention. I do not deny that you are my girlfriend. Just please don’t do inappropriate things in public again.”
“You…” Natalie had intended to argue with him, but when she met his cold, unfeeling gaze, she suddenly found it pointless. At an age characterized by abundant energy, even the slightest hint of flirtation from her was enough for Aiden to lose control. Their passion quickly escalated beyond restraint. She felt that it was unfair for him to put all the blame on her afterwards. If he really had the guts, she believed that he shouldn’t touch her in the first place.
She thought, ‘This man is utterly hypocritical. He is wholly undeserving of even the slightest sincerity from me.'
Natalie clenched her fist, suppressing the resentment within her. “I understand. I will be careful in the future. You go ahead.” If not for the Brown family’s prominent status in the medical field, she would not have had to do this to herself. All she wanted was the status of being Mrs. Brown. Once she had obtained everything she desired, Aiden would be nothing more than a stepping stone for her! Therefore, she absolutely must endure this at the moment.
Aiden noticed that she was still reasonably obedient, and much of the resentment in his heart dissipated. If she continued to behave this way, he felt that it wouldn’t be impossible for him to marry her. He said, “Take care.”
It was only after he left that Natalie pressed the corner of her eye and stood up. As she exited the research institute building, she did not notice a figure steadily approaching from behind. By the time she realized, her mouth had already been covered by the other person, and she was dragged into the adjacent alley.
Natalie was overwhelmed by fear. Her legs grew weak, and she could not make a sound at all.
“You bitch!” Kyle embraced her from behind, opened his mouth, and bit down on her ear.
Natalie suddenly burst into tears and cried out, “Kyle, why did you only just arrive? I was…”
That night, Natalie accompanied Kyle to his apartment and did not return to the Kinberg family until it was almost dawn.
Josie yawned and, still groggy, stepped out of the vehicle. She said, “You can go back now. I’ll go in by myself.”
“Are you sure you can walk?” Sean looked at her, noticing that she seemed about to fall asleep at any moment. With a helpless smile, he stepped forward, took her by the hand, and escorted her to the dormitory building of Aloville Traditional Medicine Hospital.