Chapter 5
it
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Natalie lay unconscious in a hospital bed, burning with fever.
In her dream, she kept switching between burning flames and cold water. The nightmare jolt- ed her awake, and her pillow was soaked with sweat.
“You’re finally awake.”
The man who had thrown Eddie into the pool sat not far away.
It took her a moment to realize it was Blake.
She hadn’t seen him in years, and his sharp features seemed even more intimidating. She in- stinctively shrank back.
“Why are you here? Don’t tell Liam. I’ll head home in two days after I end the deal with the jeweler.”
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Blake frowned slightly, and frustration welled up inside him for no clear reason.
“You had five stitches on your head and got a mild concussion. You think you’ll be okay to leave in two days?”
Natalie had always been scared of him. She bit her lip and stayed silent.
After a while, she used the excuse of going to the restroom to slip away and return home.
Her phone showed two missed calls from Felix and a few unread texts from Mabel.
“Even though I looked fine, Felix still took me to the hospital and called in doctors from ev- ery department. He was overreacting.
“Natalie, you’re pathetic. Don’t you see who he truly cares about?”
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Chapter 5
There was a photo of Felix rushing around the hospital for her.
His anxiousness and care were clearly shown.
Natalie stared at each photo until the emotions in her heart slowly calmed down.
Then, the doorbell rang. Felix’s assistant appeared, holding a fancy shoe box.
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“Ms. Shaw, this was designed by Mr. Harrison and crafted by Ms. Deborah. Please have a look.”
The shoes sparkled with diamonds and had detailed embroidery. It was so stunning that she couldn’t look away.
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Besides designing jewelry, Natalie had a passion for collecting shoes. If she had gotten this earlier, she would’ve been overjoyed.
She carried the shoes to the custom shoe wall Felix had made for her and placed them inside a crystal box.
That pair filled the last empty spot.
When she got her first pair, Felix said that once the wall was full, he’d build her a whole shoe room in their future home.
Now the wall was complete, but he had forgotten that promise.
So, she no longer wanted the gift, including him.
Natalie didn’t want to stay any longer. She packed up and went to the jeweler to return the deposit and cancel the deal.
When the jeweler saw her, he covered his mouth in shock.
He carefully asked about her connection to Blake, ripped the contract, and refused to take the deposit.
After Natalie still insisted on giving back the deposit, he shared a story, trying to win her
over.
“Mr. Harrison is always kind to Mabel, but you probably don’t know why.”
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Chapter 5
288 Vouchers
Years ago, Felix’s mother, Anna Todd, got caught in a fire at an art exhibition and ended up developing asthma.
A little girl had helped her find her purse and medicine, then ran around shouting for help until firefighters came.
The girl breathed in a lot of smoke and dust from running around and yelling for help.
By the time someone saved the girl, she was barely holding on. All she left behind was a sunflower–shaped diamond hairpin.
Two years later, Anna passed away due to illness. Before dying, she told Felix to find that girl and repay her kindness.
“It’s a coincidence. At his mother’s funeral, Mabel saw the hairpin and claimed it was hers.
“She didn’t just save his mother’s life but also helped him get through losing his mother. Do you get it?”
Natalie listened quietly, her chest feeling tight.
The fire that haunted her dreams for years also took place at the art exhibition.
The sunflower–shaped diamond hairpin was the first thing she ever designed as a child. It came in a pair, and she still had the matching one.
Could something like that truly happen by chance?
Natalie walked home slowly, feeling lost.
She only realized that Felix had mistaken someone else to repay his kindness when she found Anna’s photo.
But it had nothing to do with her anymore.
She smiled bitterly and bought a ticket to fly home the next day.
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Chapter 6
