Chapter 194 Natalie Is Angry

Chapter 194 Natalie Is Angry

Erwin's POV

After my mother was rushed to the hospital, the doctors fought like hell to pull her back from the brink.

But she convulsed all night, trapped in nightmares, drifting in and out of consciousness until dawn.

My father and I stayed by her bedside. Neither of us slept.

The doctor said that after she fell into the pond, she'd gotten waterlogged. Flower stems tangled around her while she thrashed to break free, leaving her covered in scrapes—shallow and deep cuts that were hard to look at.

The moment I heard the word 'pond,' I braced myself for the worst.

Thank God my mother, timid as she was, had an iron will to survive.

My father was beside himself. The woman he'd always protected, who'd never had so much as a scratch on her, had been laughing at a party just hours ago. Now she was here, like this.

Eyes bloodshot, he roared threats—swore he'd grind Mrs. Ashby into paste, strip her skin, erase the Ashby name from this city entirely.

Exhausted, I told him to drop the mob-boss act.

No crying.

…No crying.

It wasn't until five in the morning that he finally went quiet.

Now, before the anesthesia had even fully worn off, my mother started calling for me.

My father leaned close. "I'm right here."

"Move." She pushed him weakly. "I need to talk to my son."

He looked deflated as he stepped aside. I moved forward and asked softly, "Mom, what is it?"

"Erwin, you need to know—yesterday, I only got out because of a beautiful, kind girl. Without her, I… I really wouldn't have made it back…"

Her voice broke, still caught in last night's terror. "You have to find her. Invite her to dinner at our house. I want to thank her myself."

I saw right through her. She wanted me standing in front of this stranger, gauging whether I liked her, then dropping Natalie.

"Mom."

"Promise me!"

"Who is she?"

"I don't know her name." Frustration flickered in her eyes. "I asked, but she wouldn't tell me. She just pushed me toward the window and told me to run."

My father jumped in, trying to lighten the mood. "Of course we should thank her. I'll send a gift today—I'll handle everything."

"No." My mother's voice, though strained by the IV, came out sharp. "I want Erwin to invite her personally. To dinner at our house. Erwin, do you hear me?"

She wouldn't let this go. She'd bring it up every single day until I caved.

I weighed my options. She'd just woken from a coma. Refusing her now might push her over the edge.

"Fine. I'll find her and invite her."

Her expression softened. She thought she'd won. But she hadn't.

If I actually found the person who saved her, I'd bring Natalie along. Natalie would sit right beside me. My mother would see exactly where I stood, and whatever little scheme she had would die before it even sprouted.

"Good." She sank back into the pillow. "Find her quickly."

"Rest," I said. "Stay home the next few days. If anyone comes to visit, don't see them."

I checked my watch. "Stella and Jasper will be here later tonight. I've already made sure they cleared their schedules."

"All right." She closed her eyes. "Go take care of your work. Look after yourself."

My father waved me off. "Go on. Get out of here."

Fletcher and I left the VIP room together. At the elevator, I pulled him aside.

"Find out who saved my mother last night. Pull the guest list, security footage—I want her name."

If I had to meet the girl who saved my mother, Natalie would be standing right beside me.

Fletcher nodded.

"Also, cancel the London trip for now."

"Yes, sir. I'll notify the team."

On the drive back to the penthouse, I called Natalie the moment I got in the car.

I pressed the phone to my ear, closed my eyes, and rubbed the bridge of my nose, exhausted.

She picked up quickly. That familiar voice came through. "Hello, sir. What do you need?"

"Come to the penthouse and wait for me. I'm on my way back."

"Okay."

I didn't hang up. Neither did she. When I stayed silent, she asked, "Is there something else, sir?"

Her voice carried a distinct distance.

"Natalie…"

She cut me off gently. "You sound fine, sir. I'll hang up now."

The line went dead. I pulled the phone from my ear. She was clearly angry, and I didn't even need to guess why. Because I didn't pick her up first last night.

"Cole." I called toward the back seat.

He had his earbuds in, absorbed in a game. Fletcher reached over and snatched the phone from his hands. "The boss is talking to you."

Cole whipped around. "What's up, boss?"

"When you drove Natalie home last night, how was she?"

"Oh, she was great! Totally fine. She even told me to go take a shower. Pretty friendly, right?"

I stared at him. He caved fast.

"Okay, I lied! She was quiet. Really quiet the whole way. When I told her you were staying at the hospital, she said, 'Good. That's where he should be.'"

He grimaced. "I think she was in a bad mood, boss."

I sighed, pressed my fingers to my temples, then pulled out my phone and opened yesterday's messages.

I thought things were already complicated. Turns out, they were far worse than that.

Because yesterday, Natalie's message had read: [This is a trap. Come now. Hurry!!]

The timestamp lined up almost exactly with when my mother had called me.

…I was losing my mind.

When I rushed back to the penthouse, Natalie was crouched on the floor playing with the cat, looking completely absorbed.

She didn't turn around until she heard my footsteps.

Our eyes met.

She'd been so gentle with Burger, but the moment she looked at me, the temperature dropped to freezing.

I walked over, picked up Burger, and said quietly, "Come sit with me in my study for a minute."

"Sir, the flight leaves at nine. It's almost eight now." She smiled at me, her tone still soft. "I think you need to shower and change, and then we can leave. We don't have time to sit."

I wanted to explain, but she wouldn't give me the chance.

Cole, oblivious as ever, glanced between us like nothing was wrong.

Natalie stood, took Burger from my arms. "Let's go. Time waits for no one."

Her tone was firm, not giving me a second to tell her the trip had been canceled.

I was about to mention the dinner, but when I looked again, Natalie was already back on the floor with the cat.

Then my phone rang. Fletcher's name lit up the screen.

I answered. "What is it?"

"Sir, I found the woman who saved Mrs. Davis." Fletcher's voice was careful. "I pulled the security footage from Ashby Estate and cross-referenced it with the guest list."

"So, who is she?"

"The woman who got Mrs. Davis out of that locked room, opened the window, and helped her escape." He took a deep breath. "It's Natalie, sir."

I froze. My grip tightened around the phone.

The girl my mother wanted me to find.

The one she wanted me to invite to dinner, to sit across from, to fall for, to choose instead of Natalie.

—It was Natalie.