Chapter 67

Easton found himself growing more intrigued by Natalie. Ryan stood quietly by his side, too afraid to speak. Both he and Xavier knew about Natalie, whom Easton kept hidden away. They had heard that she came from an impoverished town, didn’t even finish high school, and when she was first found, she was covered in dust. They had seen her when she returned–tanned, thin, and plain. Little did they know that Natalie had finished her studies two years earlier and was growing herbs there. They were shocked to learn she was a fashion designer and had become the design director. To them, she seemed like an untapped talent with more to offer.

“Mr. Garcia, should I look into it? Just to make sure there’s no mistake?” Ryan offered cautiously. Easton raised an eyebrow, his voice cold and sharp as he asked, “Are you questioning my wife’s abilities?”

That startled Ryan. It was the first time he’d heard Easton openly acknowledge Natalie as his wife.

“But wasn’t Ms. Shawn from a poor village? I heard she didn’t even finish high school…” said Ryan.

“Have you ever seen someone who didn’t graduate from high school speak Ardonian as fluently as a native while also being a designer and a highly skilled medical expert? Have you ever heard of such a person?” Easton asked casually.

Ryan was taken aback; it was the first time Easton had stood up for Natalie. He knew Jennifer was the woman Easton loved and couldn’t help but wonder what had prompted his unusual behavior today. Knowing that real skills were essential to becoming the design director at Fashion Fusion–especially since Natalie had been appointed from outside the company–Ryan believed that her looks, rather than her abilities, were the reason for her hiring. But that reasoning didn’t quite convince even him.

A spark of curiosity flickered in Easton’s eyes, tinged with amusement as he thought, ‘It seems I really don’t know my wife.’ In a cold tone, he said, “You can leave.”

“Got it, Mr. Garcia.” Ryan left, still a bit skeptical.

Easton pulled out his phone and called Natalie. The call still didn’t go through. He thought, ‘Damn woman. How long is she planning to keep this up? I have to see her today!’

Wendy had left for a business trip to Galewind early that morning. She only sent a message to Nick. When Nick saw the message, he furrowed his brows, wondering why she had made such a sudden trip. Then he considered it a good arrangement; with her gone, he wouldn’t have to return home for the next few days. So he texted: [Wendy, take care of yourself. Stay safe out there.]

At that moment, Wendy was sitting in a hospital, waiting for both the lab results and the paternity test results. Seeing Nick’s message, she felt nothing but disgust. She suspected that the detective she had hired last time was in cahoots with Nick, so this time, she decided to investigate on her own. Her four sons were unreliable, so she had to do it herself. After waiting for four hours, she finally got the results. The only doctor she trusted was her college classmate, Nicolas Hardy.

“Wendy, the results are out. Have you been waiting long?” Nicholas, dressed in a white coat, was still in great shape. His deep- set features were striking, and he smiled warmly at Wendy.

Wendy smiled and shook her head. “Not at all. I was working while waiting, so the time passed quickly. Were you able to analyze the ingredients of the medicine I gave you?”

Nicolas’s expression turned cold. “Wendy, who’s been taking this medicine?”

Wendy’s eyes flickered. “You don’t need to know who it’s for. Just tell me, what’s in it?”

Nicolas didn’t press the issue. “It contains a slow–acting poison. Prolonged use can lead to dementia. After taking it for more than a month, the person will experience hair loss, memory loss, and begin to lose track of people.”

Wendy was stunned, tears welling up in her eyes. She thought, ‘Why is Nick treating me like this? That damned bastard.’ She looked at Nicolas’s still–handsome face and pleaded, “Nicholas, please, don’t tell anyone about my visit today.”

They had been good friends for years, and she trusted him. That was why she’d come to him.

Nicolas looked at her deeply. “Wendy, we’ve been friends for so long. If you ever need anything, promise me you’ll tell me.”

Wendy forced a smile and left the hospital after bidding him goodbye. She didn’t look at the results on the way back, afraid she would feel heartbroken. It wasn’t until she returned to her hotel room that she opened the paternity test results. The moment she saw that Jennifer was indeed Nick’s daughter, she couldn’t help but break down in tears.

She thought, ‘How could I be so foolish? How did this happen? That scumbag’s been deceiving me for over twenty years. I’ll make his life a living hell. Why didn’t I believe Natalie when she warned me? Natalie, I’m so sorry. I’ve failed you….’ Wendy was consumed with grief and regret. Thinking back to the harsh words she had spoken last night, she felt utterly unworthy of being a mother. She thought, ‘How could I say such cruel things to my own daughter? The truly vicious ones are Jennifer and Nick. And Natalie has always been innocent. Nick, if you think you can take my fortune, dream on. You deceived my daughter and now want to marry Jennifer? I’ll make sure you two get what you want. There is no way I am going to let Natalie be with someone like you. All the blame rests on me. Easton and Jennifer have treated Natalie poorly for an entire year, and so have I. My beloved daughter has endured so much. No wonder she was so furious. It was all my fault. How could I do that to my daughter?’

After taking several deep breaths to calm herself, Wendy tried calling Natalie, but the call wouldn’t go through. Tears fell from her eyes as she realized that her daughter had already blocked her. She recalled Natalie’s mention of severing ties yesterday and was heartbroken that Natalie was keeping her promise. Wendy collapsed onto the bed, crying her heart out.

Natalie didn’t work on any designs today. Instead, she focused on company matters. The design team had too many people, and several of them had gotten in through connections. After sorting out the key personnel in the company, Natalie sent a list to Carl. She texted: [Carl, investigate these people. Fire anyone unnecessary or taking kickbacks. The company won’t support freeloaders.]

Carl replied: [Got it!]

Natalie glanced at her phone. It was already eight in the evening, but she still hadn’t had dinner. She and Luna left work, planning to grab a bite nearby. As they stepped outside, the cool night breeze felt refreshing. Natalie stretched and said, “Luna, working in the office just isn’t for me. Once I’ve cleared out the dead weight in the company, I’ll work from home and focus on my designs.”

Luna looked at her tired face and said, “Ms. Shawn, it’s because your health hasn’t been good, and you haven’t taken proper care of yourself these past few years.”

Natalie replied, “I was young and foolish, almost losing my life trying to save someone who wasn’t worth it. Let’s not bring up the past. I don’t want to dwell on it. After all the pain I’ve been through, I truly value my freedom and life now.” As the night breeze tousled her hair, Natalie gave a smile as bright as the stars.

When Luna heard that Natalie had moved on, her cool expression softened into a rare smile. “Let’s go, Ms. Shawn.”

Natalie replied, “Okay.” Just as they stepped out, Natalie saw a tall, upright figure ahead. Her steps faltered, and she stopped in her tracks.