Their eyes t.
"I’m going to sleep."
Natalie suddenly bowed her head and buried it in his chest, her slender arms tightly wrapping around his waist. "I’m so tired. Whatever it is, let’s talk about it later."
She was rejecting him.
Isaac fixed his gaze on the crown of her fluffy hair, his tone laced with pleading: "Little Ear."
"I’m really sleepy." She kept resisting, burrowing even deeper into his embrace. "Don’t bother ."
Isaac regretted it terribly.
It turned out that the night on the mountain, watching stars, was the last chance she’d given him.
But he hadn’t chosen to co clean.
Now, she wouldn’t give him another chance.
No matter what bitter consequences awaited, he could only bear them alone, swallow them on his own.
"Alright, sleep."
He placed his hand on her back, chin resting on her head, his voice hoarse and obscure: "We’ll talk later."
Though he didn’t know how long this "later" would be, nor could he predict what that "later" might look like.
——
Vivienne Jordan called Tristan Jordan when he was already on his way to the airport.
The two t up sowhere along the way.
As soon as they sat down, Vivienne complained, "You’re sothing else, bro. You ca to Rhovan and didn’t even tell . If Mom hadn’t ntioned it, I wouldn’t have known."
Tristan rubbed his brow with his hand, "I’m leaving soon, didn’t see the point in telling you."
"Yeah, you’ve been here for days and haven’t even reached out... Wait." Vivienne suddenly thought of sothing, narrowing her eyes at her brother. "You ca to Rhovan for Natalie, didn’t you? I thought it was weird, how fast you hung up that video call."
"Once you heard I said she was in the hospital, you must’ve freaked out, right? So Natalie’s better now? Otherwise, how could you bear to leave?"
Tristan frowned.
She wasn’t better, just didn’t need him anymore.
He glanced at the ti and stood up. "I have to get to the airport, won’t see you off."
"I’ll go by myself." Vivienne replied, then hesitated before speaking again: "Bro, if you really care that much about Natalie, why don’t you just tell her about that agreent?"
Tristan’s gaze darkened.
He wanted to—she simply refused to listen.
But now, it wasn’t all that important anymore.
"Bro, if Natalie knew about the existence of that agreent, she probably wouldn’t still be with Isaac Vaughn, right?" Then maybe you’d have a chance.
The last part, Vivienne only thought to herself.
"Even without that agreent, she won’t stay with Isaac Vaughn for long."
"Why?"
If before Tristan hadn’t been sure, after knowing she aborted the child with Isaac Vaughn, he was certain.
Natalie was more clear-headed than he’d imagined.
——
That afternoon, Nina Abbott ca with Julian Beckett to visit Natalie.
Natalie noticed Nina walked a bit oddly, as if uncomfortable.
She wasn’t so clueless girl herself and instantly realized what was up.
But the real kicker was realizing that the one who’d done this to Nina was her brother, the one always playing the abstinent saint—no matter how she looked at Julian now, she just felt awkward.
Julian happened to notice her evasive gaze and deliberately ca over, leaning down and asking in a low voice: "Nat, what’s wrong? Want to say sothing to ?"
Natalie gave a quick, awkward cough, her face turning red. "No."
Julian looked at her curiously.
Nina saw this and leaned over too, worried. "Nat, what’s... ah!"
But she accidentally tugged herself,
the spot that had been overused burning hot.
She couldn’t help but cry out softly.
Julian frowned, steadying her arm, his voice deep: "Careful."
Nina snapped back without thinking: "Oh, like this is my fault! Who do you think made this happen? It was you! I told you not to—"
"Shut up!" Julian gritted his teeth.
Nina realized what she’d just blurted out and instantly wished she could crawl into a hole and disappear.
And Julian—if you looked closely—his ears were suspiciously pink too.
Just then, Isaac walked in.
The atmosphere in the hospital room was suddenly weird.
Julian and Nina left the bedside, each heading in opposite directions, not even looking at one another.
Isaac walked to the bed and spoke to Natalie. "I checked with the doctor, and I’ll go get the discharge papers soon."
"Mm, okay." Getting discharged made Natalie happy.
She really didn’t want to stay in the hospital any longer.
But she wasn’t up for anything too taxing yet, so she couldn’t go back to Janton right away.
So she and Isaac planned to stay at the house they used to live in here in Rhovan.
*
Once the discharge paperwork was done, Isaac brought Natalie back to the house.
Pushing open the gate to the little courtyard, the familiar scene unfolded before them.
But though the place was the sa, people had changed.
She was still Natalie Kendall, but she wasn’t the Natalie who used to live here, who only had him in her heart and her eyes.
"Isaac, what are you thinking about?"
Isaac snapped out of it and t Natalie’s eyes as she cuddled in his arms.
"Nothing, really. Just rembered those months back."
"You an when you kept locked up in here?" Natalie pinched his earlobe.
Isaac carried her inside.
The cleaning lady had tidied up every corner; the place was spotless, the air carrying a faint citrus scent from the air freshener.
The cook heard them and ca out of the kitchen.
"Young master, young lady is back."
Natalie was surprised to realize this was the sa lady who’d co with Vanessa Grant that ti, the one who’d taught Isaac how to make soup.
"Mrs. Watson’s amazing at making soup, and you need so good nourishing food right now."
So he’d especially brought Mrs. Watson to Rhovan, keeping it from Vanessa.
Isaac set Natalie down on the couch.
"Mrs. Watson, is the soup ready?"
"Ready, ready."
Mrs. Watson hurried back to the kitchen and brought out a small tureen of soup.
"I kept it simring on low heat, just right for drinking now."
Isaac picked up the soup, intending to feed Natalie.
Mrs. Watson was still around, so Natalie waved him off, taking the bowl and sipping on her own.
"It’s delicious," she told Mrs. Watson.
Mrs. Watson smiled, "Glad you like it, miss, glad you like it. Tomorrow I’ll buy a black-bone chicken and make longan and ginseng chicken soup."
Dinner was rich and well-balanced, all made by Mrs. Watson.
Natalie finished a bowl of soup, half a bowl of rice, and couldn’t manage the rest; Isaac naturally scooped up what was left and emptied it into his own bowl.
Watching him eat her leftovers, Natalie propped up her chin and asked, "You don’t mind?"
"Why would I?" Isaac looked up at her.
Natalie shook her head.
She wasn’t fit to sit for long.
Isaac hurriedly finished eating, then carried her upstairs to rest.
Downstairs, Mrs. Watson was tidying up the table when her phone rang.
It was the lady of the house calling.
Mrs. Watson had just answered when Vanessa Grant’s voice ca complaining: "Mrs. Watson, when are you coming back? I just can’t eat without your food, everything tastes bland!"
"Ma’am, I—I’ve still got sothing to take care of back ho."
The young master had asked her not to let Vanessa know she was in Rhovan.
"So when are you coming back? Are you having so sort of trouble? Mrs. Watson, if you’re having a hard ti, don’t hide it from , let help."
"No, ma’am, it’s fine, I promise."
"Mrs. Watson, what about Nat’s soup tomorrow..."
Isaac didn’t know Mrs. Watson was on the phone, and spoke as he ca in.
Mrs. Watson hurried to cover the phone, but too late—the lady had already heard.
"What? Mrs. Watson, I thought you went ho? Why are you with Isaac? And Nat, too?"
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