Turning Of The Tide (Natalie and Trevon) novel Chapter 68

The heavy rain was accompanied by a subtle touch of snow, resulting in a bone-chilling coldness that permeated the atmosphere, penetrating every cell in the body and sending a shiver down the spine.

Growing increasingly impatient as Sherri Landor continued to take an eternity to arrive, Natalie headed upstairs to fetch a cigarette and a lighter.

Perched on the sofa, Natalie delicately cradled a cigarette between her slender fingers, igniting it with the flicker of a lighter. The swirling smoke wistfully concealed the complexity of her emotions. Despite finishing a cigarette, her inner turmoil refused to dissipate. Retrieving another from the box, she lifted it to her lips, poised to light it anew. At that very moment, the blare of Sherri incessantly honking the car horn outside could be heard.

Natalie extinguished the half-smoked cigarette and rose to her feet, making her way toward the door. As she moved, her hand instinctively picked up a conveniently positioned black umbrella before entering Sherri's Mercedes-Benz passenger side.

The rain poured relentlessly, drenching the seat. Sherri inquired, her voice laced with curiosity, "Please, do tell me, what is the reason behind summoning me to pick you up? And where exactly are we headed in this weather?"

Sherri knew Natalie well enough to know that her friend would not go out of her way to request assistance unless necessary. The fact that Natalie had asked for her to pick her up from Adare Manor, Trevon's residence, indicated a compelling and crucial reason behind her presence there.

Natalie playfully quipped, "Let's go to Lovers' Cafe to meet Trevon's awful lover."

Sherri turned around in shock and asked, "What do you mean?"

Observing Sherri's perplexed expression, it became clear that she did not grasp the underlying meaning of Natalie's remark. "Don't zone out. Come on, take me there. Once we arrive, everything will become clear," Natalie urged.

As Natalie's words resonated, Sherri slowly met Natalie's eyes before shifting back to face forward. She ignited the engine, stealing another glance at Natalie before focusing on the road ahead.

Natalie was dumbfounded and wondered, "Is she going for a confrontation?"

This time, Sherri drove relatively quickly while Natalie navigated from the passenger seat.

Following the instructions provided by the unfamiliar individual, Natalia pushed the door open and entered the private room with Sherri trailing closely behind her.

As they entered the private room, their attention was drawn to the presence of a woman with flowing, milk tea-colored curly hair. She exuded an air of elegance, adorned in a limited-edition Chanel suit that accentuated her style. Her white down jacket hung gracefully on the coat rack near the entrance.

With graceful poise, the woman elegantly stirred her coffee. Her nails, meticulously adorned with black sugar caramel tea-inspired nail art, shimmered and glimmered, capturing attention effortlessly. Clearly, she had invested considerable effort into her appearance, perhaps intending to overshadow Natalie.

In contrast to the woman's lavish presence, Natalie's down jacket, valued at a few hundred dollars, appeared relatively modest and inexpensive.

When Sherri entered the room, she was visibly taken aback by the sight of the woman seated within. She exclaimed in surprise, "Mia, what brings you here?"

Maintaining her composed demeanor, Mia responded amusedly, "Miss Landor, I see you're also here. Did Miss Foster bring a protector because you perceive me to be ?"

The remark did not sit well with Sherri, and she took a step forward, "You..."

Sensing the need to intervene, Natalie gently placed her hand on Sherri's arm, leaning closer to whisper in her ear. "Sherri, wait for me downstairs. Your presence here might restrict her actions. I want to assess her capabilities," she murmured.

Sherri was hesitant as she was apprehensive about leaving Natalie alone in the presence of Trevon's ex-girlfriend. Uncertain of Natalie's feelings towards Trevon, the unexpected arrival of his former partner stirred unease and discomfort within Sherri.

Noticing Sherri's lingering reluctance, Natalie gently pushed Sherri, urging her friend to leave. Sherri finally relented and stepped out.

After the door closed, Natalie chose not to order coffee, opting for a simple glass of plain water. She held the glass in her hands, feeling the warmth radiate through her palms.

Natalie did not immediately acknowledge Mia. She paused before speaking slowly, "May I know how you want to be addressed?"

Mia, displaying a hint of displeasure at Natalie's perceived aloofness, responded with an air of arrogance, "You may address me as Miss Mia."