"Natalie, Briena didn’t an to do it," Lily interjected. "We know you’re just trying to squeeze money out of this incident. Just state your price and let’s be done with it."
"Don’t worry, that’s exactly what I plan to do," Natalie replied coldly. "You’ll soon understand the cost of the ntal damage you caused my grandma."
"Two hundred million—is that enough?" Ivan asked, thinking Natalie was being excessively greedy.
Natalie scoffed. "Not even close to what I want."
"State your price. I’ll pay you right away."
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Natalie asked, and just then John returned with two baseball bats in his hands. He handed one to Natalie. "Will this be enough?"
"More than enough," Natalie sneered as she cracked her neck and flexed her wrist, holding the bat as if she were warming up for sothing.
"What are you doing?" Ivan asked, alard.
Natalie gave him an evil smirk and turned towards Briena’s car. "You’re not that clueless, are you?"
The next mont, the loud sound of shattering glass echoed through the parking lot as Natalie and John swung their bats, smashing all the windows of the car. They didn’t stop until every piece of glass was broken, and every part of the car bore the marks of their rage.
Briena watched in disbelief, tears streaming down her cheeks. "That was a birthday gift Grandma gave ..."
Ivan could do nothing to stop the two furious people. John’s tall, muscular fra and Natalie’s fiery determination made it clear that no one would dare intervene.
Once they were done, Natalie walked over to John. "Mind giving a hand?"
John extended his hand, and she climbed onto the car’s roof, standing tall with the baseball bat in her hand. She looked down at Briena, a wicked smirk plastered on her lips, appearing like the most malevolent person in the world.
Ivan stared up at Natalie, stunned. He felt as if he’d never truly known her. The obedient woman who once had eyes only for him, the one he thought he understood, was gone. She had transford into soone he barely recognized.
"Briena Ford," Natalie called out, her voice cold and commanding. "This is your compensation for the damage. Oh, and I’m not talking about the car’s cost. I’m referring to the ntal damage you must feel right now, watching your favorite car get destroyed in front of you while you could do nothing at all."
Briena’s tiers could not stop as it was truly hurting to see her car being crashed.
Natalie continued, "An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth—this is what I learned in Xyros City. So you better think before pulling out any of such stunt ever again. And, if you ever dare cross my bottom line, I’ll step on you just as I’ve stepped on this car of yours and crush you under my feet in worse way possible. Don’t force to unleash what I left behind in Xyros City. I guarantee, you would regret it for the rest of your life."
Briena’s entire body trembled at the threat. She had never imagined that Natalie would act this way in front of Ivan, especially when she had always tried to maintain her best image.
’Does she not love Ivan anymore? But why?’ Is that gigolo that special to made her forget her love for Ivan?
Natalie jumped down from the car as John offered his hand once more. She stood right in front of Briena, who was trembling in Ivan’s arms.
"What I said just now—don’t you dare take it as an empty threat."
Briena couldn’t muster a response, but Ivan spoke up. "If you’re done, then stop it already. She’s scared enough."
Natalie scoffed. "Yeah, so delicate! Hold her tight, or she might just spill out of your arms," she mocked before turning to leave.
"Does your husband know you’re this kind of person?" Ivan spat out.
Natalie paused mid-step and turned to look at him. "Why? Are you shocked to see like this?"
"If I knew you were like this..."
"Then what?" she interrupted, her tone icy. "You would have left even before we made it to our wedding day?"
Ivan was shocked to her talk without any hesitation.
She stepped closer, glaring straight into his eyes. "You ask if my husband knows about this side of ? No, he doesn’t. But if he did, trust , he’d reward for what I did today. He’d be proud of but would probably complain—wondering why I left this bitch alive and didn’t smash the car with her sitting inside it. Leaving her alive is already, I, disappointing my husband." She raised a brow, "Do you get it now?"
John stood there, looking at Natalie in amazent. She was clearly referring to Justin as her husband, even though they were just pretending. What she said about Justin’s reaction about this incident was entirely accurate.
In just a few days, Natalie had co to understand his boss remarkably well.
’Only a woman like her suits my boss. Sly, roguish, foul-mouthed, courageous, and extrely smart.’
"The more I get to know you, the more you disgust ," Ivan said through gritted teeth.
Natalie scoffed. "You truly don’t know what I’m like. The only reason I restrained myself and behaved the way you liked was because I thought I loved you so much. I was trying to be the person you wanted because I was grateful for your presence in my miserable life. And that’s why I’m still being reasonable with you—just for the sake of those days when you comforted in my worst monts."
Ivan could only look at her in disbelief. She had never spoken to him like this before—ever.
John stepped forward, sensing it was ti to intervene. He knew his boss wouldn’t like knowing that Natalie was still breathing the sa air as this man, Ivan Brown.
"If only you knew who you’re talking about," John sneered at Ivan and then turned to Natalie. "Shall we?"
Natalie glanced at Briena one last ti before turning to leave. John escorted both Natalie and Julia back to his car, while Briena, still in Ivan’s arms, fainted.
"Briena?" Ivan called out in panic. He imdiately lifted her into his arms and carried her to his car, rushing her to the hospital.
In the hospital room, when Briena regained consciousness and felt better, she looked at Ivan, her expression filled with confusion.
"Why does she always say that you’re the reason she survived in Xyros City? And that you were the only one who comforted her? Didn’t your parents stop you from having any connection with her?"
Ivan, puzzled, shook his head. "I don’t know either. Ever since she returned from Xyros City, she’s ntioned it many tis. Maybe she was already in love with and spent her days there with the thought of returning to one day."
"Do you love her?" Briena asked softly.
Ivan stared at Briena’s beautiful face, which didn’t show a hint of anger or resentnt, and replied, "Not anymore."
Briena leaned closer to him and hugged him. "I’m happy to hear that."
Ivan hugged her, but his thoughts were conflicted.
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