Natalie looked at him with hopeful eyes.
"But first, you have to listen to . You trust , don’t you?" Justin asked softly.
She nodded. "Then take to her."
"Soon. I will, but first, let take you back to the room," Justin insisted, lifting her gently into his arms.
Helpless and weak, she allowed him to carry her, closing her teary eyes as the tears continued to fall. On the way back, Justin noticed Aiden Shaw watching them from a distance. Aiden shook his head slightly, silently warning Justin not to be reckless and not to do anything that might endanger Caryn’s health.
Justin didn’t react and silently carried Natalie back to the suite. He placed her carefully on the bed, ensuring she was comfortable.
Feeling the strain and pain in her back, Natalie didn’t resist. She knew she shouldn’t have walked, and now she was paying the price for it.
Before Justin could call for help, the doctor arrived, clearly sent by Aiden Shaw to check on her.
The doctor examined Natalie carefully, paying particular attention to the procedure site on her back. He frowned and asked, "Are you feeling much pain?"
She shook her head, but Justin quickly interjected. "She’s in pain."
The nurse prepared a shot of painkillers and administered it gently. "This will ease your pain and also help you sleep," the nurse assured her.
The doctor spoke next, his tone serious. "Ms. Natalie, you weren’t supposed to walk tonight, at least. Please rest properly and follow our instructions. The site of the procedure is delicate, and we don’t want any complications later."
Natalie nodded quietly, seeing the doctor’s stern expression.
Leo, who was present, approached Justin and handed over both Natalie’s and Justin’s cellphones, which had been confiscated earlier. Aiden Shaw had evidently decided there was no longer a need to hold onto their phones, given how the situation had shifted entirely.
As Leo handed Justin his phone, a ssage notification popped up. It was from Aiden Shaw. Justin glanced at it briefly before setting the phone aside.
Once the doctor and Leo left, Natalie turned her gaze toward Justin. He was sitting at the edge of the bed, holding her hand and gently caressing it. "Is the pain easing now?" he asked softly.
She took a deep breath, grateful for the quick relief the dication provided. The pain, which had been unbearable monts ago, was now finally subsiding, allowing her to breathe more easily.
"I saw a woman today," Natalie began in a weak voice. "She looked exactly like my mother. The woman I suppose is the patient I donated my bone marrow to."
Justin nodded quietly, listening as she continued. "You knew, didn’t you?"
"Today, I confird it for sure," Justin replied. "But I had my suspicions even before. That’s why I agreed to the bone marrow donation—because it was for your mother. If it had been for anyone else, I’d have let them die before letting you endure this pain."
"How did you know?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"There are various reasons—a collection of clues I noticed from the start until we arrived at this hospital," Justin began. "First, the procedure they’re carrying out requires the donor to be genetically close to the recipient—usually their child, parent, or sibling. Then, the patient is a woman in her late forties. If you consider the circumstances surrounding your mother’s supposed death, there was never any clear evidence of her passing. The evidence they did present could have been faked."
He paused before continuing, "Also, think about the man who approached you. He had been living abroad, yet out of millions of people worldwide, he sohow singled you out as the donor, even though you had never undergone any tests that would indicate compatibility. And even if he did choose you, why all the secrecy? Instead of coming directly to you for help, he concealed everything—unless he had sothing important to hide."
Natalie listened silently, her eyes wide with disbelief as she processed his words.
"And most importantly," Justin added with a faint smile, "your husband is far too smart and powerful for anyone to keep him from discovering the truth."
Natalie could not deny it anymore. Even his narcism was couldn’t be faulted out.
He reached out, gently caressing her cheek. "The list of clues is long, but I can see the dicine is starting to take effect. You should close your eyes and rest. We can talk more when you’re awake."
She shook her head weakly, her voice trembling as she asked, "Why didn’t you tell before?"
"I needed to be certain," Justin replied. "I didn’t want to disappoint you in case I was wrong."
Natalie took a deep breath, her expression softening. "I don’t know what to do now. Should I be shocked or happy to see her alive? Should I hate her for leaving all alone when she was alive? Or should I go to her and demand answers about what all of this ans?"
"For now, all you need to do is rest," Justin said softly. "Later, you’ll have the strength to deal with everything. How about I stay with you until you fall asleep?"
She nodded imdiately, her eyes glistening as she gazed at him.
"Let freshen up properly. I can’t sleep with a patient just like this," Justin said, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Natalie nodded lightly, her eyelids heavy with sleep, but her gaze remained fixed on him.
Justin removed his jacket, hung it on the stand, and grabbed so clothes to take with him for a shower. Noticing her eyes on him, he smirked and teased, "Are you waiting for to get naked in front of you, darling?"
Natalie smiled faintly and nodded, her sleepy eyes still observing him.
"Even in this situation, you’re lusting after your husband," Justin teased further, unbuttoning his shirt. "And here I was worried you’d be crying buckets after seeing your mother. But no, all you can think about is ." He paused, his tone playful. "I’ll spare you tonight from seeing my irresistible naked body. I don’t want to seduce you when you can’t even move a muscle."
Natalie chuckled softly, her smile lingering as sleep began to overtake her. She closed her eyes, her breathing evening out.
Reviews
All reviews (0)