Chapter 2

Natalie had just stepped outside when her hand was suddenly yanked harshly from behind. The grip was so strong that her body staggered, and her small suitcase almost slipped from her grasp.

“You can’t leave!” Cristian’s voice rang out sharply, filled with pressure. “Don’t even think about it!”

Natalie turned around. Her eyes met Cristian’s directly, without fear.

“Let go of me,” she said coldly.

Cristian did not loosen his grip. His gaze darkened. “What if you’re pregnant? Do you think I would allow that? You were the first woman I slept with, Natalie. So you are the one who must give birth to my child.”

The tone of his voice made her skin crawl. It was not a request, but an order.

Natalie yanked her hand away forcefully, then slapped Cristian’s hand aside until his grip broke free.

Smack!

The slap landed on Cristian’s cheek again, harder than before.

“Don’t touch me again,” Natalie said firmly.

Cristian froze for a moment, shocked. “You’ve really gone crazy!”

Natalie instead let out a soft laugh. It sounded bitter, empty of emotion.

“Relax, Mr. Cristian,” she said while lightly clapping her own hands. “You don’t need to worry about me being pregnant.”

Cristian narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Natalie smiled faintly, this time with a sneer. “Every time after being intimate with you, I took birth control pills.”

“What?” Cristian’s voice rose. “What did you just say?”

“I’m not stupid,” Natalie replied calmly. “I was just too in love with you back then.”

Cristian’s face flushed. His jaw tightened. “How dare you deceive me!”

“Deceive you?” Natalie scoffed. “Weren’t you the one who did it first?”

Cristian lost control. He shoved Natalie roughly. Her body was pushed backward, but she quickly steadied herself by gripping the table near the door.

“Get out of this house!” Cristian shouted. “Leave right now!”

Natalie stood upright. “I was going to leave anyway.”

“And never come back!” Cristian yelled. “Tomorrow we go to the civil registry office. I don’t want to see your face again!”

Natalie nodded lightly. “Good. I don’t want to delay it either.”

She grabbed her suitcase and walked toward the door. But before leaving, she turned around.

“And one more thing,” Natalie said softly. “I will be the one to file for divorce first.”

Cristian laughed mockingly. “Don’t dream. Do you think I’ll lose to you?”

Natalie looked at him sharply. “We’ll see.”

As Natalie opened the door, Jennifer suddenly appeared from the direction of the stairs. Her face was full of mockery.

“You shameless servant,” Jennifer said without restraint. “You’ll regret wasting this golden opportunity.”

Natalie stopped. She slowly turned her head, looking Jennifer up and down.

“A golden opportunity?” Natalie repeated. “Being a baby-making tool?”

Jennifer snorted. “At least that’s a good position for someone like you.”

Natalie smiled faintly. “That’s your opinion, not mine.”

She stepped closer, just one step, close enough for Jennifer to clearly see the look in her eyes.

“We’ll see,” Natalie continued calmly. “Who will truly regret it.”

Natalie turned back to Cristian. “Oh, one last thing,” she said expressionlessly. “I regret loving you for five years.”

Cristian froze.

Natalie opened the door and stepped outside. “See you at the civil registry office,” she said shortly.

The door closed.

The sound was firm, as if sealing an entire chapter of Natalie’s life in that house.

Outside, the night air felt cold. Natalie stood still for a moment, gripping the handle of her suitcase. Her chest rose and fell—not because of sadness, but because of the anger that still lingered.

She took out her phone and stared at the blank screen for a long time. Then she took a deep breath and dialed a number.

“Hello?” the voice on the other end sounded surprised.

“This is Natalie,” she said briefly. “I need a place to stay temporarily.”

“Is this really Young Miss Natalie? Of course,” the voice replied without hesitation. “I will prepare everything.”

Natalie ended the call. She glanced once more at the large house behind her. There was no regret on her face.

“I didn’t lose anything,” she murmured. “I only took myself back.”

She walked away, pulling her suitcase along the path. Each step felt heavy, yet light at the same time.

Inside the house, Cristian stood stiffly. His hands clenched into fists. Anger and a sense of loss mixed into one.

“She thinks she can live peacefully?” he muttered coldly.

Jennifer walked over and wrapped her arm around his. “Relax. She’s just a servant. She won’t last long out there.”

Cristian did not respond. His mind was filled with one sentence from Natalie that kept echoing.

I regret loving you for five years.

“She loved me for five years?” Cristian muttered inwardly. “Didn’t she only come and become a servant in this house a year ago?”