Natalie's POV“I want a divorce,” I said, without looking at him. I was just releasing him from the consequences. Moreover, I didn’t forget that night when Debbie answered his phone. I was done with all of this. The doorbell rang. I was surprised; it was the first time we had a visitor since we arrived. He was the one who cooked and cleaned, and he hadn't brought any assistance with him.I remained rooted to my spot as I heard his footsteps approach the main door. After a few minutes, he returned and uttered just one word, "We're going back to Villa Merrin."His cold demeanor provoked me, pushing me to the brink of anger and frustration. I detested that silence.Once more, I snapped, "I want a divorce."He stood in his place for a split second, then replied nonchalantly, "No," before continuing to walk towards the door. At this point, his coldness fueled my rage. I was livid. I hurled the mug into the pool and, after standing and grabbing his arm, I snapped, "I said I want a divorce!
Debbie’s POVThe hatred I felt was eating me from the inside. It had been five days since that bitch disappeared. Why was he so protective of her? He even abandoned all his work just to hide her from the paparazzi. My efforts to have them besiege the mansion and disturb the Merrin family went to waste.I was sure they were having a relationship, and it’s only a matter of time before I made him leave her and marry me. She had seduced him, making him neglect me, his fiancée, but in the end, he would marry me and dump her for her foolishness."What are you thinking about?" Jad asked through the Skype camera.I rolled my eyes and replied, "Even though you didn't fully succeed in your mission, I'm thinking of a good way to reward you.""You know how to reward me; I did my best," he said, smiling smugly."You didn't ruin her completely. The plan was to film her having sex with three or four men at once, but all we got was her dancing," I complained.He laughed loudly and replied, "Isn't fil
Rafael's POV “We even checked the street cameras; the man was very cautious. He made sure to cover his face and used a taxi instead of a private vehicle,” the officer investigating the matter said.I let out a frustrated sigh. Despite all the efforts and resources I invested in this case, we didn’t get any good results. The perpetrator was incredibly adept at concealing his identity.“So? Does that mean the case will be closed?” I asked in a furious tone.The officer squeezed the area between his brows in frustration and mumbled, “I’m still working on the case, but I have something in mind.”“What?” Jack inquired.“It’s obvious that the man was a messenger; he wasn’t acting rationally. His goal was to ruin Natalie,” he stated, staring into my eyes. “I think they will come back to achieve their goal.”When he mentioned that night, rage boiled inside me. How could I ever forget what I saw that night? Even the punishment I had inflicted on her for the past six nights and five days hadn'
Natalie’s POV"Hello!" I said into the phone."Hey! Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!" chimed Daniel's voice.I smiled. He recognized me just from my voice since I had lost my previous phone number.I felt little embarrassed. He might have seen those videos. I swallowed hard and tried to steady my voice as I said, “I... I lost my phone and... and,” but I kept stammering instead.He interrupted, “I was worried about you to death. And that bastard Rafael disappeared too!”I felt warmth from the genuine concern in his voice. Sometimes I felt Daniel was more than just a neighbor from abroad; he felt like a real friend, even though I hadn’t known him for long.“I had to, Daniel. I'm sure you heard what had happened,” I said with a sad smile, even though I knew he couldn't see it.He let out a deep sigh and said, “Yeah, and I wish I was there to support you.”My sad smile widened. I wished Rafael would say those words to me, but he was cold and distant.“Thank you,
Natalie’s POVI stared at Debbie gotten out of the main door, feeling little duzzy and my stomach sick.Once Debbie left the house, I put the phone on my ear, heading towards the stairs and asked, “What do you think?” Daniel's voice came husky and hoursh after the long silence, “She’s absolutely up to something!”I felt the sickness rising in my stomach, nearly throwing up right there on the stairs. I managed to mumble, “I’ll talk to you later,” and hung up the phone before rushing to my bedroom toilet.I emptied my stomach and, after finishing, stared at my pale face in the mirror. Suspicion reflected in my gaze as the question flowed through my mind: could it be that I...I unlocked my phone screen and checked the app I use to track my period dates. It was more than two months late! My suspicion grew even stronger.Without further delay, I stormed downstairs."Miss Natalie! Do you need something?" Laura asked just before I opened the main door.“No, no. I’m just going to the pharma
Natalie's POV “Rafael! What's going on here?” The furious question made all of us turn our gazes towards the main door, where Grandma and Aunt Tobi were standing.“Grandma! Aunt Tobi!” I exclaimed, my voice a mix of surprise and happiness. “You came back!”“Yes. And I left for just a few days only to hear bad news and come home to this childish scene of two grown men. How disappointed I am,” she said furiously. “Did I leave responsible adults in the mansion, or just careless children?” Then she fixed her gaze on Daniel and said sharply, “And you, Mr. Morris. I thought you were a good neighbor, only to find you fighting with my grandson in the middle of my house?”I was shocked. I was used to her scolding me and Rafael, but it wasn't her habit to do so with strangers.Daniel tilted his head as he stood up and straightened his clothes a little. He mumbled, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Merrin. I didn't mean to be rude or act like that,” then he turned his gaze towards Rafael. “But your grandson o
Natalie's POV“Gosh! As if I pulled you out of the lion's den, Natalie. What a man of yours is he?” Daniel exclaimed.I smiled faintly and stared out of the car window. All I could think about was the life growing inside my womb. Everything else seemed pale and easy to solve compared to this dilemma.I had to think things through clearly. I had to study all the possibilities and consider the consequences of every decision carefully. Facing the family with this wasn’t a good option, but it was the only right option. If Rafael didn’t want this child, I could raise him by myself. I placed my hand protectively on my flat stomach. Whatever happened, abortion was not an option at all.“What are you thinking about?” Daniel asked, glancing at me from time to time as he drove. “Why are you so quiet?”I sighed. “Nothing important,” I lied. “So, tell me, who is this friend you want me to meet?”He smiled, his eyes shining, and said, “Maya. Her name is Maya.”I raised an eyebrow, noticing his shi
Natalie’s POVI felt like I had difficulty understanding right now.With a frown, I stammered, “Wh... What do you mean?”He smiled patiently and replied apologetically, “I’m sorry, Natalie. I should have told you earlier.”“My father is alive? Where is he? Where does he live?” Questions flooded my mind like a rushing river, as I knew nothing about him. Mum never mentioned him, and on the rare occasions she did, it was only after I insisted and cried for her to tell me. All she would say was that he wasn’t a good man, not someone I should be proud to know, and that he didn’t deserve me. He didn’t even know I existed!“Yes, he is. But he’s living in an addiction treatment clinic. He married once after your mother left him, but his second wife dumped him for the same reason—his addiction,” he mumbled, sadness all over his face.I opened my mouth slightly, trying to digest the heavy information I had just learned.From the corner of my eye, I saw Maya patting Daniel’s shoulder, as if she w