As Natalie watched Jeremy disappear into a car, a wave of nausea washed over her, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. Her mind reeled, struggling to grasp the reality before her.
The driver had to call out to her several times before she finally snapped back to reality, her face pale.
The car Jeremy was in disappeared from her sight.
“Sorry. Let’s go,” Natalie mumbled.
The driver noticed Natalie’s pale face. She had been so lively and cheerful when she got into the car. He then remembered her phone call. Putting two and two together, a flicker of understanding crossed his
face.
Experienced and a man himself, he kindly said, “You’ve recently gotten married, haven’t you? Don’t be too heartbroken. Take some time for yourself to explore. Sometimes, you need to focus on yourself more. Don’t lose yourself in a relationship.”
The driver privately remarked that losing oneself didn’t always signify being loved more. He viewed men as generally practical and realistic in matters like these.
The driver saw no need to elaborate further, sensing Natalie’s Intelligence.
Natalie felt adrift, her mind a tangled mess. The driver’s words, though kind, seemed distant and
irrelevant. She moved mechanically through the motions of returning home, and before she knew it, she had finished her bowl of pasta.
A sudden ring from her phone startled her. It was Austin. “Are you home?”
“Yeah, I’m home,” Natalie replied, her voice muffled. Only then did she realize she had been crying Into fier paste just moments ago.
Her voice was thick with emotion.
Austin paused briefly before asking, “Are you crying?”
“Uh… I. I just watched a show,” Natalie stammered. “The male lead deceived the female lead. She
trusted him so much, but he still lied to her. Are there no good men left in this world?”
The words tumbled out, a desperate plea for reassurance that contradicted a belief that seemed to be crumbling around her.
Austin could sense that something was off. “Natalie, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing… Nothing’s wrong. I’ll talk to you later. I need to go. See you tomorrow, Mr. Powell.” Natalie hurriedly terminated the call.
With her still trembling hand, she called Skylar.
Chapter 412
Natalie’s facade crumbled the moment the call connected. “Jeremy lied to me! He lied to me!” she cried, her voice cracking. She knew all too well the sting of deception. This wasn’t the first time Jeremy had betrayed her trust.
Skylar had just returned to Galaxy Villa when the sound of Natalie’s distraught words drifted through the receiver, sending a jolt of worry through her. An Image of Annabelle Inexplicably flashed in her mind.
“Nath, where are you? I’ll go to you.” Skylar grabbed her shoes, ready to dash out the door.
Just then, Joe returned. He raised an eyebrow, surprised to see Skylar about to leave in such a hurry.
“My friend needs me urgently,” Skylar explained after confirming Natalie was home. “I won’t be back tonight.”
Without waiting for a response, she hurried out.
Joe stared at the empty doorway, a cold mutter escaping his lips. “A friend?”
What kind of friend, he wondered, could whisk Skylar away so abruptly after a phone call? She hadn’t even acknowledged him.
A hint of coldness flickered in Joe’s eyes as he clenched his jaw.
Natalie had stopped crying by the time Skylar arrived at Hughes Residence. However, she’d managed to unearth a few bottles of alcohol, one of which was already half–empty. The strong scent of liquor hung
heavy in the air.
As soon as she saw Skylar, tears welled up in Natalie’s eyes again. “He deceived me, Skylar! Jeremy
deceived me!”
“He could have just told me he didn’t want to come home anymore, that he didn’t want to be with me,” Natalie sobbed. “I would have let him go. But lying to me? How could he do that? I trusted him completely!
Skylar took the bottle from Natalie. “What exactly did he lie to you about?”
Through her tears, Natalie recounted the events that had transpired earlier.
“Are you sure it was him?” Skylar asked.
Natalie nodded forcefully. “I’m absolutely sure. I know him and his driver, Lucas. When he said he was on a business trip, he sounded normal. But I’m sure he’s been lying about all these trips lately. Maybe…. Maybe he’s fallen for another woman.”
The thought sent a fresh wave of pain crashing over her, making it hard for her to breathe.
Skylar’s expression turned serious. “All we know is that he lied this time. We shouldn’t jump to other
conclusions about him.
2/2
“Nath, I know little about your relationship. And I don’t know your husband as well as you do or what changes he might be going through. You need to calm down and think carefully about what to do next.”
Earlier, Natalie had felt utterly lost. But as the alcohol wore off, a sense of clarity began to return. She
sank onto the couch, burying her face in her knees.
“You’re right. We’ve known each other for so long. I understand him better than anyone. I remember the way he used to look at me, the admiration in his eyes.
“That’s why his recent behavior, coldness, and distance make me question myself and wonder if I’m imagining things. I need to know the truth, why he lied to me.”
Seeing a flicker of determination return to Natalie’s eyes, Skylar offered her unwavering support. “No matter what you discover, even if it’s just a misunderstanding, I’ll be here for you.”
Natalie stopped crying. A strong intuition gnawed at her, whispering that Jeremy’s deception was more
than a simple misunderstanding.
Chapter 413
Two days of unlamad passion unfolded at the hot spring resort Jeremy and Annabelle remained secluded, indulging in their desires and having meals delivered to their room. It was as if they had unleashed their inner wildness.
Annabelle reveled in Jeremy’s unrestrained ardor, which fueled her belief that his feelings for her had deepened. After all, his past flings had never reached this level of intensity.
As their departure after lunch approached, a pang of reluctance settled in Annabelle’s heart. Her affection for Jeremy had blossomed further during their seclusion.
“Mr. Hughes,” she pleaded, her voice tinged with vulnerability she couldn’t quite conceal, “I can’t bear the thought of being apart from you. Couldn’t we delay our departure until tonight?”
The immensity of the future stretched before her, yet all she craved was the present, every moment spent by his side.
Jeremy declared in a cold, emotionless voice, “Starting today, you’re leaving Jipsburg City. You can’t return without my permission.”
Annabelle was taken aback. She thought she must have misheard. “Leave Jipsburg City?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Why do you want me to leave Jipsburg City? Where would I go? Mr. Hughes, I can’t just leave without you!” Annabelle panicked.
His abrupt demand fueled a storm of questions in her mind. What triggered this sudden change? All her efforts, almost on the verge of fruition, were met with such callous indifference. It clashed with their recent intimacy. She refused to leave.
Memories surfaced. He’d forced his previous secretary to resign. Now, it was her turn to be banished. from Jipsburg City.
Did Natalie mean so much to him that he could readily abandon her?
Jeremy then handed her a bank card. “Leave Jipsburg City. If there’s a need, I’ll go to you. You can marry someone else or do whatever else you want. There’s five million dollars in this card.”
Despite succumbing to his desires with Annabelle, his heart harbored a gnawing fear. The call from Natalie two days ago served as a stark reminder. He couldn’t lose her.
Annabelle stared at the card, taking a deep breath. “Didn’t you promise I could stay as long as I behaved? Haven’t I been compliant? I cater to your every whim, and when you lose interest, I’m simply your secretary again. Haven’t I been flawless at work? Is this still not enough?”
Her fists clenched, her heart a constricted knot. It had to be Natalie. This ordinary woman threatened to unravel all her meticulously laid plans.
“No,” Jeremy replied curtly.
He rose, methodically putting on his clothes. The finality in his demeanor brooked no argument.
Annabelle’s face drained of color. “Since starting college in Jipsburg City, I vowed never to leave the city. Mr. Hughes, you can’t be this selfish. I can resign, disappear from your sight entirely.” Her voice trembled
with forced resolve.
But a silent vow echoed in her mind. She wouldn’t leave. She was determined to be his wife. She wouldn’t
let anything tear them apart.
Jeremy studied Annabelle. He acknowledged her recent impeccable behavior and the promises she kept. With a curt nod, he conceded, “Okay.”
Later that evening, after finishing work, Skylar received a call from Joe. He mentioned being nearby and offered to pick her up. She readily accepted since she hadn’t driven that day, and he’d dropped her off
earlier.
When work was done, she wasted no time heading to the curb, where Joe’s car awaited conspicuously
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: My Flash Romance With the Richest Mogul