Chapter 5

Caroline was lying in bed, hooked up to an IV and with an oxygen mask over her face. Hearing the sound of footsteps, her voice trembled as she asked, "Is Natalie here? Is she?" "Caroline." Natalie quickly rushed to her bedside, taking Caroline's hand. "It's me. I came to see you." The cloudiness in Caroline's eyes slowly cleared, and a gentle smile spread across her face. "Just seeing you makes me feel at peace." "Caroline, I'm always here. Whenever you need me, I'll come," Natalie replied softly. "You need to take care of yourself and live a long, happy life." Caroline sighed. "If I can live to see you have your baby and hold my great-grandchild, that will be enough for me." Natalie's eyelids trembled at that. "It's been five years. There should be some signs of pregnancy by now. What do you say, Jeffrey?" Caroline remarked, glancing at Jeffrey. Jeffrey didn't answer. "I'm asking you a question!" Caroline's voice grew louder before she broke into a series of heavy coughs, her face flushing red. Natalie quickly patted her back to help her breathe easier. Should she tell Caroline the truth? If Caroline knew that they were already divorced and were just waiting for the procedure to be completed, would it send her into another emergency? While she was lost in thought, she suddenly felt a familiar warmth at her shoulder. The scent of mint filled the air as Jeffrey's hand slid over her shoulder, pulling her gently against him. "We're in the process of trying for a baby. If all goes well, we'll have some good news soon." Caroline's face lit up, as if she had taken a vitality pill. "Really?" "Really." Jeffrey smiled and lowered his lips near Natalie's ear. "If you don't believe me, ask Nat." Caroline grinned from ear to ear. "I've known you two are a perfect match for ten years. I arranged everything early on. See? I have good taste." Smiling, Natalie agreed, "Yes, Caroline. Without you, there'd be no us." Caroline laughed heartily and nodded. "Well, it looks like I was right about making you two consummate your marriage. This kind of love is better nurtured at night. Sure, my methods weren't entirely proper. But hey, it worked out!" Natalie could hear Jeffrey's barely audible scoff. He still thought the whole thing was Natalie's idea, even if Caroline was the one who ordered it. All this while, he thought that Natalie was simply pretending to be innocent. She used to explain herself over and over to him, but he never believed her. Now, she didn't care to explain anymore. She didn't care about what he thought of her, either. Caroline suddenly shifted her focus. "By the way, Jeffrey, is that girl, Abigail, back in Caspia City?" "I think so." It was Natalie's turn to scoff at his response. It was clear that Jeffrey had gone to the airport to pick Abigail up last night and hadn't come home at all. They must have spent the whole night together. Natalie forced herself not to think too deeply about it and lowered her gaze. Caroline spoke sternly. "You need to keep your distance from her. You're a married man now. She saved your life, yes, but it's time to move on. She's already gotten enough benefits from our family, anyway." She continued, "You'd better not be messing around, Jeffrey. As long as I'm alive, she'll never get into our family. You and Natalie need to live your life together well. Don't get yourself caught up with other women." Jeffrey replied, "Mm. I've got nothing to do with her." Caroline nodded, pleased. She rambled on for a while, then took her medicine and fell asleep. Outside the hospital ward, Jeffrey and Natalie stood facing each other. They were husband and wife, but now, they were like complete strangers. Jeffrey began, "Grandma's heart can't handle the stress, so we can't let her know about the divorce yet." "How long do you plan to keep this up?" "It depends on the situation." Natalie raised an eyebrow. "You can't hide the truth forever." Jeffrey's patience wore thin as he frowned. "Are you teaching me how to handle things now?" "Jeffrey, why should I always bend to your will? Do you expect me to just follow you unconditionally? You tell me to do something, and I'm supposed to just obey?" Jeffrey grew even more impatient. "Isn't that how it's always been between us?" From the moment they met, everything had been done his way. It had been like that for 17 years. She was just ten years old when she met him, and now, she was a grown woman at 27, while Jeffrey was 30. It had always been like this between them. So, why was she going up against him now? Naturally, it unsettled Jeffrey. Natalie let out a dry laugh. "Just because it's been like this all this time doesn't mean it's right. Jeffrey, I'm a human with feelings and not your puppet." "Why didn't you say all this before?" "Because I loved you. But I don't love you anymore," she answered quietly. Natalie was ready to take control of her own life. She wasn't the Mrs. Foster who revolved around him anymore. Instead, she was Natalie Bennett. An unfamiliar sensation washed over Jeffrey. She said she didn't love him anymore. So what? He didn't care about her love. Jeffrey suppressed his unease and spoke coldly. "Whether you love me or not, you still have to listen to me, Natalie." "What if I don't?" He chuckled indifferently, reaching up to lift her chin. "You're not even close to being able to go up against me." "What do you mean?" Jeffrey raised an eyebrow. "I know everything you've been up to lately. With just one word from me, no one in Caspia City would dare do business with you. Do you believe me?" She believed him. Of course, she did. Jeffrey was a powerful figure in Caspia City, and no one would dare cross him. To be honest, Natalie wouldn't tell Caroline about the divorce because she cared about her health. But she hated Jeffrey's arrogance. She had obeyed him for far too long. It was time to break free. She gritted her teeth. "You can try to shut me down, but I'll take this to the Foster family. I'll make a scene at Foster Group. I've got nothing to lose. Let's see who ends up more humiliated and embarrassed." Jeffrey warned her in a low voice, "Don't push it, Natalie." She had always been so obedient, but now, she was like a rose with thorns. He wasn't used to it. How was he supposed to deal with her fiery side? This loss of control unsettled him. Natalie shoved his hand away and turned her head. As she did, she noticed something odd—Jeffrey's shirt and tie didn't match. He wore a gray shirt, which should have been paired with a dark tie, but today, he wore a light blue tie. Moreover, his suit jacket was black. Natalie furrowed her brow. Who picked his clothes for him? Without her, had he been dressing sloppily like this? All these years, she had taken care of his every detail. Now, could he not even match his outfit after just a few days without her?