Turning Of The Tide (Natalie and Trevon) novel Chapter 83

In the evening, upon returning to Evergreen Gardens,

Natalie swiftly made her way into the kitchen. Sherri typically refrained from making onion soup due to Juana's fear of kitchen disasters. Natalie was pregnant and shouldn't be burdened with all the cooking responsibilities, relying solely on her.

Spotting Natalie's entrance into the kitchen, Sherri instinctively grabbed an apron and asked, as she tied it around herself, "What can I do to help?"

Natalie, who was busy washing vegetables, looked at her, puzzled. "What are you up to?"

With an earnest gaze, Sherri replied, "I'll be your sous chef."

Having washed and dried her hands, Natalie gently ushered her out of the kitchen door. "I don't need you in the kitchen. Go and catch up on your drama. I'll manage just fine. Your presence in the kitchen would only distract me."

Sherri felt awkward and said, "So, I guess I'll just settle for a ready-made meal? I'd feel utterly embarrassed."

Natalie rolled her eyes at Sherri, who leaned against the kitchen doorway. "Now you're concerned about feeling embarrassed? When did you become so considerate? Come on, hurry up and get out of here. Close the door behind you, and don't disrupt my cooking process."

"Alright," Sherri glanced at Natalie, who was busy washing her hands and preparing the soup in the kitchen. She truly admired Natalie. Why did someone as hardworking and deserving of happiness as she have to endure so much hardship? If only fate would show some kindness.

Before he left, Mr. Foster had hoped to find reliable support, a lifelong companion for Natalie. But things didn't go as planned, and now everything had turned into a mess.

If Mr. Wilson found out, he would probably force Natalie to have an abortion. No wonder Natalie insisted so strongly on keeping it a secret.

But what about herself? Before, she believed that Juana would push her to have an abortion, but now, upon reflection, she realizes that if Joy were to find out about this, it could lead to an entirely different outcome.

There was a high probability that Hackett would have been pressured into marrying her, so it was an absolute secret that could not be revealed. A loveless marriage would have meant simply settling for a life of convenience and compromise.

Even though it was often said that love was a luxury in life, and one could manage without it, she couldn't settle for that.

Having severed ties with Hackett, she had to bear the relentless scolding from Juana, who didn't hold back in pointing out her flaws, both overtly and subtly. Meanwhile, Joy was marketing her son, subtly conveying that their chances were slim.

In essence, the prospective future son-in-law she had envisioned had fled.

Sitting on the sofa, she savored a few bites of avocado, her mind drifting far away.

The sudden ringtone rudely interrupted her, and upon glancing at the caller ID, she grew slightly anxious. It was Edward on the line. Inhaling deeply, she answered, feigning a fragile tone, "Edward."

Sensing the heaviness in her voice, Edward restrained his impulse to unleash his frustrations and swallowed his words instead. "What's the matter? Are you feeling unwell?"

Sherri continued with her charade, "Hmm, I'm tired but not sure what's wrong. I've been feeling a bit off since this afternoon."

Meanwhile, Natalie continued cooking in the kitchen, blissfully unaware of the theatrical performance unfolding in the living room.

After exchanging words on the call, he couldn't ignore that she was his sister. Edward decided to visit her. Sherri, playing the role of the meek one, politely requested his presence for dinner, emphasizing Natalie's culinary skills.

Because Edward sincerely appreciated Natalie's culinary skills, using this approach seemed the only way to alleviate his anger, even a little bit.

A good meal might help improve the overall mood.

That was a certainty in her mind.

With that in mind, she rose from her seat and headed toward the kitchen, pushing open the swinging door. Approaching Natalie, who was earnestly cooking, she asked, "How much macaroni did you put in?"

Natalie, puzzled, responded, "Hmm? Is someone coming?"

"Yes, Edward is coming."

Natalie contemplated her preparations and nodded. "It should be sufficient. I made some extra macaroni and cheese, originally planning it for dinner. So, I'll whip up a few more dishes."

An hour later, a spread of delicious food adorned the table, covered to keep it warm.

Natalie hastily removed her apron, hanging it behind the door, and headed straight to her room, where she promptly turned on her computer.

Sherri was a bit perplexed but followed her into the room. She watched Natalie, wholly engrossed in typing at the computer, and asked, "What are you up to? Do you have some hospital documents to attend to?"