Chapter 2

EP.2What did you think of me

“Nats, what are you doing here?” Shayne asked.

Natalie, who couldn’t control herself anymore burst out crying. She didn’t know what to do. Nora, who had her eyebrows raised in anger was about to push Natalie away, but when she saw Shayne, she immediately softened her voice and completely changed, showing off a delicate and pitiful expression, “Sis, I know I was wrong, if you want to beat and scold someone, then do it to me, don’t blame Shayne.”

Natalie froze and then the next second, she saw Nora suddenly fall to the ground. That pose was as if she had pushed her. This woman was trying to frame Natalie.

“Natalie, what did you do?” Shayne shouted at Natalie.

Natalie turned in surprise and saw Shayne with a cold expression. Shayne brushed past her and helped Nora up.

“Nora, are you okay?”

Nora was practically hanging her entire body on Shayne and completely out of character, she said, “ Shayne, I didn’t do it on purpose. I know am on the wrong. I’m the one who should be sorry for causing my sister all this.”

“That’s enough. I’ll settle everything,” Shayne patted Nora’s shoulders, letting her into the car, and continued, “I’ll explain everything to Natalie.”

Natalie’s mind was completely blank. She watched Shayne walk towards her, and watched his mind open and close. He talked for what felt like hours. He spoke of their time together as childhood sweethearts, of his struggle when he fell in love with Nora, of his anger when he found out that Nora had plotted against her, of his shock and guilt when he found out that Natalie was pregnant and continued with how he had accepted Nora’s apology. In the end, he concluded the conversation by saying Natalie, “I'm sorry, I can't marry you. It's not because of the matter of night or this child. But it's because I can't let Nora down. And I don't want to deceive myself and my feelings.”

The past few months he had been taking Nora with him overseas and after getting along together day and night, it was even harder for him to separate. Even though he had admitted that he was the one who had relations with Natalie that night, it was only for the sake of covering up her pain. But in his heart, he had already chosen Nora. So after knowing that Natalie was pregnant, he could not bear it any longer and immediately went to the Brown family to explain everything to their parents, and to reveal the truth to Natalie.

Natalie, who had finally recovered her voice, looked at the cool and calm Shayne as if her soul had escaped from her body and sat with a trembling voice, “Then, Shayne, you knew all along that it was Nora who drugged me to ruin my innocence, for the sake of protecting her, you told me that it was you that night?”

“ Natalie, she did not do it on purpose. She's still young and impulsive,” he tried to explain being blinded by love.

“And what about me?” Natalie raised her head to look at Shayne, face full of despair, “Did you ever think of me. Not even for a little bit.”

Shayne did not speak, and after a long while of silence. He reached out to Natalie, “ Let's go inside.”

“ Don't touch me,” Natalie pushed away Shayne's hands and suddenly started laughing loudly. Living till now, Natalie felt that her life was like a joke. In order to live in the same city as Shayne. She had put tremendous effort into her studies to get into a good university. In order to please chain she had given up her long-lasting dream of acting. In order to match his upbringing and family background. She had abandoned her adoptive parents to return to the Brown family clumsily trying to please those so-called distinguished figures. In the end, what she received in return was one sentence, I can't let Nora down. Nora had stolen not only her identity and her biological parents, but now she had even stolen her one and only sweetheart. Nora was still young, so her mistakes could be forgiven? Then who would take responsibility for her life? She didn't even know who the man from that night was.

She was bombarded with so many frightening thoughts. Natalie covered her face, body shaking fiercely. She was already in the depths of despair. Shame watched Natalie walk towards the road unthinkingly as if in a trance. He threw away the cigarette who was grasping between his fingers and was about to chase after her, but Nora, who held on to his sleeve from behind stopped him.

“ Shayne, where are you going?”

And in the instant, Shayne was hesitating when bang, a loud noise was heard. Natalie, who had been walking on the zebra crossing was thrown into the air and landed heavily on the ground.

“Help! Help! She got hit by the car,” a voice exclaimed. In the glaring light, Natalie saw shaking silhouettes and the two faces that made her nauseous. The cramping pain that came from her belly caused her to lose consciousness bit by bit. She only blinked her eyes once and the fresh blood on her forehead flowed into her eyes. The world fell it to darkness.

Episode 3

The Scared Little Guy

Five years after the accident in the Eaton bar in a corner on the empty top floor. Natalie had been drinking for the entire night to accompany some investors. Due to the intense headache, she felt her head was about to split into two. She wanted to find somewhere clean and quiet to sober up. But she had not expected that Lilly Cooper would follow her. She could only gather up her spirit to deal with her and said with an annoying tone, “Miss Cooper, is there something you want to say?”

“ Natalie Brown, let me ask you, did you register to audition for the female lead in the Land Under Heaven?” she inquired.

“Yes. Why?” Natalie replied.

“You're not allowed to go tomorrow.”

Although Lily was her manager, she was stopping her from auditioning for this role that all the major entertainment companies were jostling for. Natalie was not at all surprised by this and only raised her brows and asked, “Reason?”

Lily was quick to reply, “You went by my back and acted by yourself and you still there to ask me for the reason. Didn't you know that the company has already arranged for Nora Brown to audition?”

“This doesn't seem to conflict with the company's arrangements,” Natalie replied with a faint smile, “Nora made you come find me. Don't tell me she's afraid that I, a small-time actress whose name isn't even known, will snatch her role.”

Lily continue to argue saying, “You think you have the ability to snatch Nora's role. You're still talking in your dreams. Let me tell you don't waste your efforts. The Brown family has invested 30 million into this movie. Nora is already sitting securely in this role.”

“Then why are you anxious?” Natalie replied in a canning tone.

Since you are my artist, you have to listen to my arrangements,” Lily said is if that was how it ought to be.

“So Miss Cooper still knows that I'm an artist under you?” Natalie said as if trying to taunt Lily.

With a threatening tone, Lily said, “Natalie. I don't have the time to picker with you. And since you're refusing to comply, don't blame me for resorting to force.”

As she finished speaking, Natalie was caught off guard and felt a strong blow from behind. She didn't have any time to react. She was pushed into the store room in the corner and her phone was also taken away. With a bang, the door was heavily shot. The footsteps outside the door slowly drifted away.

Knowing that shouting was useless, Natalie remained silent. Leaning against the door she slid down to the floor with an indifferent expression. When she had first entered the company, nor was still able to restrain herself, and only ordered Lily Cooper to arrange for some villain roles at her most. However, she was growing bolder, and was starting to go too far. She was even willing to stoop that low to throw such a tactic.

If she failed to get the role this time, which already seemed impossible, then she had to find a way to leave North Star Entertainment. Amidst her mixed thoughts, a little sound came from the other side of the storeroom. A mouse?

Natalie followed the sound and looked at the other corner of the room, and was stunned. She saw a little boy behind a stack of boxes. That little guy looked to be around four or five. He looked like a finely curved jade piece, white, soft, like a little bun. He was currently shivering and hiding in a corner, his dark eyes filled with fear and precaution.

“Why would there be a child in a storeroom of a bar? There shouldn’t be a customer so crazy so as to bring their child to a bar, right?” Natalie thought. She tried to start up a conversation.

“Hey little guy, who are you? How did you get in here? Did you sneak in?” And getting no response from the child she tried again, “Were you also shut in here by someone? Do you eat sweets?”

After questioning him for half the day. The child remained silent but started shaking even more as if you were a frightened little beast.

Finally, Natalie did not bother continuing to speak. It had nothing to do with her anyway. The two of them adult and child thus peacefully occupied a corner each. At this moment, the light bulb above them flashed brightly then went out. In the darkness Natalie vaguely heard chattering sound. After carefully listening for a bit. She realized that it was similar to the sound of teeth chattering. Natalie laughed in spite of herself and turned towards the little kid to say, “Scared of the dark, huh?”

The chattering sound paused for a second before increasing in volume.

“Oh Why is he so cowardly?” she thought to herself. Natalie stood up and patted her bottom then walked towards the little guy.