Chapter 75

Easton gave a mocking chuckle and replied, “Natalie, you’re overthinking it. I’m not here because of anything romantic. We haven’t divorced, so you are still my wife. It’s only natural that you come home with me.”

“I refuse to stay in this loveless marriage. I’m not going back with you,” Natalie declared. She would rather die than be with Easton in this lifetime.

Easton narrowed his eyes, his patience running out. He suddenly opened the car door and walked up to Natalie.

Natalie cautiously stepped back, but Easton swiftly scooped her up into his arms.

Natalie was startled–Easton had never touched her before.

“What are you doing? Put me down!” Natalie demanded.

Easton tightened his grip on her legs and warned, “Natalie, if you want Fashion Fusion to disappear, keep struggling. I can make a small company like that go bankrupt overnight.”

“You…” Natalie had never imagined Easton would threaten her like this. Fortunately, she hadn’t revealed her true identity yet.

Seeing that his threat had worked, Easton contentedly carried Natalie into the car.

It was probably her earlier comment, that Maurice was the most outstanding man in her eyes, that had provoked Easton, prompting this forceful approach.

After sitting down, Natalie brushed off the spot where Easton had held her.

Just seeing him made her feel disgusted.

Easton noticed her action, and his eyes darkened.

He realized that Natalie hated his touch.

“Natalie, you-” he said.

Natalie interrupted him. “Don’t talk. I don’t want to hear anything from you. If you’re so desperate for a woman, I’ll have Jennifer come over to keep you company.”

Then she picked up her phone to call Jennifer.

Easton’s face immediately clouded with displeasure. He grabbed her phone and said, “What does this have to do with Jennifer? Why are you calling her? Have you lost your mind, Natalie?”

His furious voice shocked Natalie. She said, “If your childhood sweetheart, Jennifer, finds out I went back with you tonight, she’ll definitely try to scheme against me tomorrow. You two really are awful! Is torturing me the only way you find pleasure?”

“Natalie!” Easton shouted angrily. “Do you have to be so harsh with your words?”

Natalie retorted, “Do you have to be so despicable with your actions? Over and over again, you’ve set me up. I’m your wife in name, yet you’ve never once stood by me. Every single time, you’ve been the one to hurt me.

“What right do you have to even show up in front of me?

“Oh, I get it. From the look on your face, it seems like your stomach’s troubled again, right? So now you want to drag me back to be your unpaid caregiver. I’ve been your caregiver for two years, and you haven’t given me a single penny.”

“We-” Easton tried to explain.

“Don’t give me that ‘we’re married‘ nonsense. You’ve never once acknowledged me as your wife. So don’t you dare say you don’t have to pay me because we’re married,” Natalie said coldly.

Easton frowned, thinking, ‘She has a sharp tongue, and her words cut deep!

He stared at her beautiful face, now filled with unfamiliar emotions. Today’s Natalie felt so strange to him that his eyes narrowed slightly.

Natalie’s phone rang–it was Luna.

She said, “Luna, go back first. Tell my grandfather I’m fine and that I’ll be back later.”

Luna said anxiously, “Ms. Shawn, I saw Easton take you away.”

“Yes, but don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Just tell my grandfather that something came up at work and I’m dealing with it. Don’t tell my brother,” replied Natalie.

Luna replied, “Got it!”

As soon as Natalie hung up, Easton said coldly, “You have a grandfather and a brother. Why didn’t you ever mention them to me?”

Natalie gave a slight smile. “Did you ever care? If it weren’t for the things that happened recently, I doubt you’d even remember what I look like.”

Easton was upset by her spiky, defensive posture, and his voice grew colder. “Natalie, if you keep this up, we won’t be able to talk.”

“Why should I talk to you? When you and the others framed me and I wanted to talk, did you ever give me a chance? Did you ever give me an opportunity to explain?” Natalie barked.

Easton suddenly turned and reached out to forcefully pull Natalie into his arms.

Natalie yelled, “Don’t touch me! You’ve hugged the filthy Jennifer! Don’t touch me!”

Easton was stunned by her shout.

Exuding an impressive aura, he warned, “Natalie, you’re being unreasonable. What right do you have to insult Jennifer? Do you even look at yourself? You’ve got some nerve to despise me. Let me tell you, if you so much as think about being with another man before we’re divorced, don’t blame me for what I’ll do.”

Natalie’s heart twisted with sudden pain.

She lowered her head, feeling as if his words had drained all the strength from her.

She thought, ‘I was right–I mean nothing to him. All those years spent loving him were wasted.’

A mocking smile played on her lips. She didn’t argue or try to explain.

No matter what she said, she’d always be wrong. She had neither the strength nor the reason to argue.

Easton noticed she had gone quiet, her eyes lowered as she leaned against the car window, keeping as much distance from him as possible, enveloped in loneliness.

He recalled how she’d been over the past two years by his side–quiet and pure.

Now, she was vibrant and sincere, exactly the type that men found charming.

Frustration gnawed at Easton. All he wanted was for Natalie to be obedient.

Xavier glanced at Natalie in the rearview mirror, feeling sympathy for her for marrying such a terrible man.

Easton wasn’t capable of love. For his family’s interests, he’d never let go of anything or anyone useful to him, and Natalie probably still held some value to him.

Jennifer was the only one he treated differently.

So it was strange that he refused to agree to the divorce while Natalie was willing to go through with it.

When they arrived at the villa, Easton got out of the car first.

Not wanting Easton to carry her again, Natalie quietly stepped out of the car.

She didn’t throw a tantrum or call him names.

She appeared quiet and reserved, content with her life as she had been a few months ago.

But what Easton didn’t know was that Natalie was never the quiet type.

Before, she had merely held herself back to fit the role of his wife.

Now, with the divorce in progress, she was like a bird freed from a cage, happily living her life every day.

Easton couldn’t stand her silent demeanor and hated even more how she pushed him toward another woman.

After they came inside, Natalie prepared to go straight upstairs.

Easton took off his suit jacket and handed it to Natalie.

But no one took it, and he stood there, stunned for a moment.

In the past, when Natalie still lived here, she would greet him at the door with a smile, then dutifully take his jacket and put it away.

Afterward, she’d head to the kitchen to prepare something for him.

His stomach wasn’t in the best shape, and every night, she’d make a special tea for him that eased his discomfort, leaving him feeling light and relaxed.

But now, even though Natalie had come back, she wouldn’t even look at him.

Watching her head upstairs, he finally couldn’t hold back and coldly said, “Natalie, I haven’t eaten yet. Go make me dinner.”