Chapter 201

Natalie laughed, "Zoc, I’ve seen the largest jellycrabs in the world. They’re huge. That time, I was nearly freaked out. Deep-sea diving is really dangerous. After that experience, James never let me dive deep again. Not just him, I was also terrified.”

Thinking about it still gave Natalie the chills.

To Zoe, it sounded really dangerous.

Natalie loaded all the seafood into the car and then posted a grid of photos with the caption: [Today’s haul is amazing. Can’t wait to dig into this seafood feast. I saw a leg–sized eel. It totally creeped me out.] Followed by a frightened emoji.

[I’ve laid the traps, keeping my fingers crossed for some octopus action tomorrow.]

After the Instagram post, Natalie quickly changed and set off with Zoe.

Easton waited for four hours before hearing the notification of Natalie’s post.

He quickly picked up the phone to see Natalie’s satisfied smile after gathering lots of seafood.

Easton felt immediately better, knowing she was happy even without him.

Easton sat quietly for a while before getting back to work.

Natalie returned to Zoe’s place and decided to soak in a hot bath.

Afterward, she dried her hair. She felt exhausted, yet completely refreshed.

Zoe was steaming crabs in the kitchen, and Natalie went in to help.

“Zoe, you go sit down and rest. I’ll take care of the rest. After two years with Easton, I’ve spent plenty of time cooking, and I’m quite good at it,” said Natalie.

Zoe’s back was sore, so she was happy to let Natalie handle the cooking.

“Alright, I’ll just wait for the meal you prepare.” Zoe went out to take a break.

Natalie went on to clean a grouper for steaming.

Then she cooked the queen conch she liked, prepared some ingredients, and made a conch salad.

Dinner was very enjoyable for Natalie and Zoe.

Zoe couldn’t eat crab, so Natalie set aside two out of the three big crabs for a late-night snack.

After dinner, Natalie washed the dishes and then she and Zoe went out for a walk.

Gazing out at the vast ocean, Natalie felt the crisp night air on her skin. A smile graced her face as she said, “Zoe, you know what? I spent my first 16 years on a tiny island.

“It was after that milestone that I returned to an impoverished town for a year. And then, when I turned 17, I met Easton. That’s when our dramatic story truly began.”

Zoe knew Natalie wasn’t happy. She understood what Natalie had been through and said, “Natalie, let’s keep looking forward. Let’s let the past stay in the past.”

Natalie nodded with a smile, “Yeah. It’s so beautiful here.”

The sea during the day was calm and blue, and she absolutely loved it.

Natalie spent three days there and managed to catch two tuna with her fishing traps.

She sent them to Maurice that same day, suggesting he enjoy them as sashimi.

Maurice, who had Easton on his Instagram, got the fish that very day.

As soon as Maurice got the fish, he showed it off on Instagram.

Caption: [Natalie caught this tuna and a huge lobster for me. The conchs are stunning. It’s filled with love.]

Easton saw Maurice’s Instagram while scrolling through Natalie’s updates.

When he saw the words “filled with love”, his face turned stormy.

‘Natalie sent Maurice some seafood. What’s Maurice planning?’ wondered Easton.

Easton leaned heavily back in his chair. Natalie had been gone for three days now. She should be back today.

Feeling restless, Easton stood up and looked out the window, his eyes slightly downcast, lost in thought.

Today was the third day, and Natalie was getting ready to head back. After dinner, she planned to return overnight.

She wanted to have dinner with Zoe before heading back.

Zoe was casually eating lobster while scrolling through her phone when she saw that Jennifer was still the lead actress in Midnight.

Zoe was stunned. “Oh, my gosh! Natalie, what did Jennifer do to charm Mr. Wayne? They just announced she was the lead actress, claiming what happened that day was just some sisterly squabble.

“It said that you were in the wrong, and there are some posts accusing you of framing Jennifer. The worst part is your dad did a livestream saying you left because you were seducing men, without specifying any names.”

Natalie chuckled calmly, “Jennifer sure has good luck.”

This was something she had expected.

“Zoe, I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me,” Natalie reassured.

Zoe knew Natalie would fight back, so she wasn’t concerned about her friend. However, Jennifer’s viciousness was another matter. “Natalie, watch your back when you return,” she warned.

Natalie laughed, “Sure.”

She took a bite of the grilled fish. “Wow. It’s so tender.”

Natalie ate with relish, planning to think of a way to handle Jennifer’s situation later.

Zoe pushed her favorite octopus toward her. “This is your favorite. Have some more.” Natalie instructed her, “Zoe, I’ve stocked the fridge with plenty. Make sure you eat every day.” Zoe said, “Natalie, I can’t eat much.” Her appetite had decreased a lot since she got pregnant.

Natalie suggested, “Then when the nanny comes over in a few days, you can leave it for her. I’ve already taken back quite a lot, a whole big box full.”

“Yeah. I don’t want you to leave. With you here, all my worries just fade away,” said Zoe.

Natalie pondered for a moment and then said, “I’ll head back to take care of some company affairs first. I’ll come over the day you go into labor. Just give me a call when you feel it’s time, and I’ll rush right over.”

Zoe said, “Alright. Natalie, you must come, not just for your nephew’s sake, but for my sake. I’m not getting back with your brother, and if I meet someone I like in the future, I might remarry.

“But I’ll love my child even more and won’t let a bad relationship put out my passion for love.”

Natalie felt relieved hearing her say that.

After saying goodbye to Zoe, she caught the last ferry and got home by eleven.

She stored the seafood in the fridge and then headed upstairs to take a shower. After that, she settled into bed. The past few days spent at sea had taken their toll, and she nestled into the plush bedding, listening to the wind wailing outside.

It was getting colder, so she pulled the blanket over her shoulders, feeling warm and cozy.

Her phone buzzed with a message. Natalie picked up her phone to check it.

Murray sent her a message and a video.

Murray: [Natalie, this is how Jennifer managed to keep her lead role. When Mr. Wayne came out, he looked completely satisfied, truly showing that age is just a number.]

Natalie watched the video. Jennifer went in first, and about 10 minutes later, Colin followed her. They stayed in there for most of the day before finally coming out.

Unfortunately, Murray missed the crucial moments because he was late.

Natalie: [A video like this doesn’t prove anything.]

Natalie spent three days pondering over it. Taking a back seat was the only way to get Jennifer to lower her guard, and it also allowed her to investigate Jennifer secretly.

Murray: [Natalie, I showed up late yesterday and didn’t get much good footage, but there’s always a next time. I’ll catch them in the act. No doubt about it.]

Natalie: [Her computer skills are better than yours. She could easily get the upper hand on you.]

Murray: [Natalie, there’s a party in three days. Are you going?]