Chapter 2

The man was delighted and indicated that they would come to get Natalie after some time. After agreeing, Natalie quietly ended the call and returned to her ward as if she hadn't heard anything. In the days that followed, Logan and Jayden treated her with endless care and affection until the day she was discharged. … That day, Logan went down on his knee as he helped Natalie put on a pair of cotton socks. His fingers carefully avoided the wounds on her legs, moving gently as if he were handling a fragile porcelain. "Does it hurt?" He looked up, eyes filled with heartbreak. Natalie shook her head numbly. "The discharge is all set." Jayden walked in with a brand-new coat. "It's windy outside. You should bundle up, Natalie." As he bent down to drape the coat over Natalie, she caught a whiff of a familiar cologne. It was the gift she'd given him on his 18th birthday. A sudden wave of nausea surged within her. She had to bite down on her lips to stop herself from vomiting on the spot. The wheelchair rolled over the smooth floor of the hospital lobby, and Natalie could feel the weight of everyone's gaze on her. The catheter hung from the side of the wheelchair, making a soft rustling sound with each movement. A passerby's curious glance landed longer than necessary on her. Jayden's face instantly turned cold. "What are you looking at?" Logan's palm covered her eyes. "Don't be afraid now." His voice was beyond gentle as he said, "We'll protect you." Natalie was shaking—she wasn't sure if it was out of fury or sadness. If she hadn't heard it with her own ears, she wouldn't have believed that the two people who protected her like this were the ones who'd pushed her into the hell she was living in now. "Wait for us here, Natalie." Logan pushed her toward the shaded area by the entrance. "We'll go get the car." Natalie watched as they walked away before suddenly spinning her wheelchair away. She would rather crawl away than continue taking in their fake kindness. The moment her wheelchair rounded the corner of the hospital, a familiar voice drifted over from a corner of the parking lot. "Have all of Natalie's scandals been leaked?" Jayden's voice was cold. "Yes." Logan replied hesitantly, "Natalie's condition is already bad enough. Is it really necessary for us to make up those scandals to humiliate her?" "Of course it's necessary!" Jayden barked, "She needs to be completely ruined in the dance industry—it's the only way to make sure she never poses a threat to Clara again." The wheelchair slammed hard into the wall. Natalie covered her mouth, tasting blood across her tongue. She was shocked to find that they not only wanted to destroy her life but also wanted to tarnish her reputation. Natalie frantically spun her wheelchair around, desperate to leave—only to crash into the crowd of reporters waiting outside the hospital. "Ms. Carter! Is it true that you're in this condition because you were having relations with multiple partners?" "Can you explain your relationship with those men?" "Aren't you ashamed of living so promiscuously as a dancer?" At that moment, a group of crazed fans suddenly surged forward, shoving through the crowd. They began hurling insults at Natalie as they beat her up. "I must have been blind to have adored you, Natalie. You're so fucking disgusting!" "Since you're willing to be with those people, does that mean you'll sleep with us too?" Before Natalie knew it, countless hands were violently tearing at her clothes. "No… don't touch me!" she screamed fearfully, pushing away the grabbing hands but to no avail. She fell to the ground with the sound of fabric ripping. Her body, covered in gruesome wounds, was now laid bare for everyone to see. A wave of overwhelming shame washed over her as she struggled to breathe, the pain making it hard for her to catch her breath. "Oh, that's so disgusting! She's even using a urine bag!" "Oh my god, hurry and take photos! Let's show the Internet how dirty their dance fairy is in private!" After a moment of silence, the voices of disgust and contempt poured in, each like a loud slap which made Natalie's ears ring. She couldn't hear anything else. Salty tears fell uncontrollably, seeping into her wounds and stinging her painfully. "Move away, all of you!" Logan snapped as he rushed past the crowd and pulled Natalie into his arms, shielding her with his body. Meanwhile, Jayden forcefully shoved the reporters away. His expression darkened as he barked, "Security! Where's the damn security?" They played their parts so well that Natalie couldn't find a single fault. She was the only one who knew they'd orchestrated the whole thing from the start. They wanted to ruin her completely, destroy her reputation, and paint her as a promiscuous woman who could never see the light again. Meanwhile, Clara, whom they'd pampered dearly, would take her place on the brightest stage, basking in the love and adoration of the world. Clearly, they had succeeded.