The next morning, Elizabeth woke up with a pounding headache. She found herself in an unfamiliar guest room. Vague memories of the previous night slowly resurfaced as she made her way downstairs.
Natalie and Brandon were having breakfast in the dining room. “Look who’s awake! Come and have some breakfast before you leave,” Natalie greeted Elizabeth cheerfully. Holding her coat, Elizabeth politely bowed to them, intending to leave as soon as possible. The humiliation from the previous night lingered. However, upon seeing the pained expression on Elizabeth’s face, Natalie stood up and stopped her, sighing heavily.
“Elizabeth, I know it’s your life, but I consider you a good friend. Even if you might hate me for saying this, I have to tell you that Jorge is a jerk, and you should break up with him.”
Chewing on a sandwich, Brandon chimed in, “I’ve encountered many men like him. He won’t let go that easily.”
“Thanks for the advice, but I can handle it myself,” Elizabeth replied softly, avoiding eye contact.
Natalie couldn’t decipher Elizabeth’s true thoughts. After Elizabeth left, Brandon tried to console Natalie. “There’s nothing we can do. Only she can help herself at this point.”
Gazing in the direction Elizabeth had departed, Natalie simply sighed, unsure of what else to say. Just then, her phone screen lit up with a message from Allie, Charis’s former assistant, whom she had reached out to previously. Natalie was surprised since she had assumed Allie wouldn’t respond after trying to call her a week ago. What had prompted Allie to change her mind?
Natalie couldn’t contain her excitement when she received a reply from Allie. She quickly responded to set up a meeting with her. Brandon, noticing Natalie’s elation, became suspicious and questioned her with a hint of jealousy.
“What’s making you so happy? Did Draco text you?” Brandon asked, his eyes narrowing.
Natalie thought to herself, “What a jealous bastard!” She swiftly deleted the message and stuck out her tongue at him. Trying to divert his attention, she tapped on an unimportant message and showed it to him.
“This store I’m interested in is having a sale. Now I can buy their clothes at a discount, so of course I’m happy!” she lied, flashing a smile.
Lately, Brandon had been overwhelmed with work due to Charis’s death and Garrett’s sudden resignation. Natalie didn’t want to burden him further. To lighten the mood, Brandon chuckled and playfully ruffled her hair. He trusted her completely.
Before leaving for work, Brandon even handed Natalie a credit card, encouraging her to go shopping to her heart’s content.
Later that afternoon, Natalie arrived at a restaurant owned by the Larson Group, where she was scheduled to meet Allie. Having experienced hardships, Natalie had learned to be cautious when meeting people she didn’t trust. Fortunately, this restaurant was familiar to her, and some of the employees recognized her. Even if Allie had ill intentions, it would be challenging for her to harm Natalie without consequences.
Half an hour later, Allie cautiously peeked into the private room. As soon as she entered, Natalie noticed that Allie seemed troubled.
“Mrs. Larson, why did you choose this restaurant?” Allie asked, her voice carrying a faint trace of anger.
While maintaining her composure, Natalie poured Allie a cup of tea and calmly replied, “Allie, you worked for Charis, so you know our history. When you suddenly asked to meet, it’s only natural for me to be cautious. Can you blame me?”
Embarrassed, Allie lowered her head and remained silent. Natalie’s patience prevailed; she had learned the importance of self-protection. Charis’s actions had set a precedent, making Natalie vigilant even when faced with strangers.
Allie realized that dealing with Natalie would be challenging, but she had no choice at the moment. Since she was already there, she needed to achieve her objective.
Pouring herself some tea, Natalie sat back down and got straight to the point. “Why did you agree to meet me?” she inquired. Natalie had anticipated that Allie might refuse to see her, considering their complicated history. Allie had a close relationship with Charis and was fired from the Larson Group after Charis’s demise. Naturally, she should hold a grudge against the company’s CEO and his wife.
“I’m in dire need of money. I can’t find a job, and my parents and two younger brothers rely on me for support,” Allie confessed in a low voice. “After reading the message you sent me, I hesitated for a long time. Despite Miss Turner’s passing, I never wanted to betray her. But…”
Natalie carefully observed Allie as she spoke. It didn’t seem like she was lying.
“I can help you with the money,” Natalie stated calmly, taking a sip of her tea. “But it depends on whether you can help me or not.”
Allie remained unfazed, raising her head confidently. “I know you’re looking for her computer, although I don’t know what you’ll do with it. But she had a spare laptop, and I used to keep it for her. After… the incident, I secretly took it with me when the Turners weren’t looking. I can give it to you if you want. Would that be enough?”
Allie was well aware that convincing Natalie would be a challenge, so she had come prepared. She confidently placed the computer bag on the table, knowing it held the key to her claims.
“Everything you need is in this laptop. I’ll give it to you in exchange for the money I need,” Allie stated, her eyes fixed on Natalie.
Natalie’s gaze immediately fell upon the laptop, sensing that there might be something substantial inside. She hesitated for a moment before asking, “Alright. How much do you want?”
Allie gestured towards the computer bag protectively and replied, “Give me the money first. Give me two million in cash, or no deal.”
Natalie had her doubts about Allie, but the anxious look on her face made her consider the possibility. However, two million was a significant amount, and she had been living off her modest salary, never touching the wealth of the Whites or her husband, Brandon.
“Well… Could I pay you in installments?” Natalie asked, feeling somewhat ashamed.
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Allie was taken aback by Natalie’s words. She couldn’t believe that the wife of the Larson Group’s CEO and the daughter of the White family would propose such a ridiculous idea. Clutching the laptop even tighter, Allie scoffed, “You don’t have two million on hand? Stop kidding me!”
Natalie explained, “I don’t use my parents’ money, nor do I rely on my husband’s wealth. I only spend what I earn on my own.”
Allie snorted in disbelief, rolling her eyes mockingly. “You’re from a wealthy family and married to a CEO, yet you’re still so poor. It seems your family isn’t treating you well.”
Ignoring Allie’s mockery, Natalie focused her attention on the computer bag. “Since you claim that all the information I need is in that laptop, can you show it to me first? If you’re telling the truth, I’m willing to pay the cash upfront.”
Allie hesitated, realizing that she wouldn’t get a penny from Natalie without some proof. After contemplating for a while, she finally agreed, knowing that two million dollars were at stake.