Chapter 2

Natalie said nothing.

That silence was soon broken by the ringing of her phone. However, she looked at the screen and did not pick up. Then, it was my phone’s turn to ring.

It was an unknown number.

I accepted the call, and Yarden’s voice came through, sounding calm, gentle, but weak.

“Mr. Jenkins, this is Yarden. I know you’re with Natalie right now. Can I… explain something to you?”

I put the sound on speaker and set the phone on the table.

“Mr. Jenkins, it’s all my fault.”

Yarden spoke politely, with the meek, helpless tone of an educated man.

“I’m a failure. I couldn’t provide for Xeno. That is why I had to swallow my pride and come back to ask Natalie for help.

“She is loyal and kind, and she only felt sorry for the child. Please don’t blame her.

“If you can’t tolerate us, I’ll leave with Xeno immediately.

“Even if we have nowhere to go, I’ll never make trouble for you.”

Suddenly, the phone carried the sound of a child coughing, and Yarden’s panicked voice followed, trying to calm him.

Natalie’s face paled.

She grabbed my phone and shouted into it.

“Yarden, is Xeno having another attack?

“Don’t move! The medicine is in the cabinet! I’ll be there right away!”

She hung up and gave me a pleading look, panic written all over her face.

“Zayden, Xeno’s heart condition is acting up. He could die. I have to go! We can deal with everything else when we get home, okay?”

I looked at her.

One moment, she was confessing to me. The next, she heard Xeno coughing on the other end and could think of nothing else.

I knew Natalie too well.

Yarden only needed to show a little helplessness, a bit of fatherly concern, and he could completely control her.

“Go.”

I leaned back into my chair, and my expression turned cold.

“Natalie, once you leave, we’re done.”

She froze.

She stared at me, full of doubt. Finally, she spoke through clenched teeth, “Zayden, a life is at stake. I can’t just stand by.”

Without another word, she turned around and left.

I watched her walk away before picking up the cold coffee in front of me to pour it onto the floor. It felt like something lost that could never be recovered.

Then, I pulled out my phone and called Julian.

“Mr. Moore, I’m in the neighboring city. I’ll visit you later.”

I went straight to Moore Corp’s branch in that city.

Julian was inspecting the office. When he saw me, he did not look surprised.

The office cleared out, leaving only me and him inside.

“Zayden, why do you look so grim?”

Julian raised his coffee cup and studied me with sharp eyes.

“Mr. Moore, you already know, don’t you?” I lost no time asking. “Yarden has been back in the country for three years. He is still living in a Moore Corp apartment and is spending Natalie’s money. You have people everywhere in the company. There’s no way you didn’t know.”

Julian paused his sipping and sighed. “Natalie is foolish and soft-hearted.” He set down the cup. “I remember that child. He is an illegitimate son, yes, but he carries Moore blood. He is not healthy. It’s natural for Natalie to take care of him.”