Chapter 802 Clayton's Back 2
Natalie finally broke free from Grant.
Under the neon lights, they both emerged from the party, dressed to the nines.
They looked like the perfect couple, the kind people would call a match made in heaven if they hadn't split up years ago.
But to Natalie, that was ancient history.
She lowered her gaze, refusing to look at him.
Grant stared at her, remembering how beautiful Natalie used to look when she smiled.
Now, all of that was gone.
Just then, a black limousine slowly pulled up. It was Natalie's ride.
As soon as the car stopped, her assistant, Dorinda Gray, got out. "Mrs. Percy, let me help you."
Dorinda was someone Clayton had trusted, so Natalie hadn't replaced her.
Dorinda looked at Grant with a protective and wary gaze.
Natalie said calmly, "I'm fine, no need."
With that, she got into the back seat of the car.
Dorinda quickly closed the door for her, then turned to Grant with a forced smile. "Goodbye, Mr. McCall."
The night was cool and quiet as Grant stood there.
He and Natalie were separated by just a pane of glass. She could see him, but he couldn't see her.
After a long moment, he softly said, "Goodbye."
Dorinda got into the car.
A moment later, the car slowly started to move.
The luxurious black vehicle shimmered under the neon lights, catching the eyes of many passersby.
Natalie leaned back in the seat, staring out into the night.
Dorinda noticed her mood and tried to make conversation. "Mrs. Percy, your dress today is a limited edition, right? I heard it was only shown on the runway. This is its first time being worn."
Natalie didn't hear her at first.
After a while, Dorinda awkwardly repeated, "I mean, the dress is beautiful."
Natalie came back to herself and gave a faint smile, about to say something when she caught sight of a tall figure on the street.
The person was dressed in black and wore a baseball cap.
Although the person was fully covered, the silhouette looked remarkably familiar.
He... looked a lot like Clayton.
Natalie's lips trembled, and she sat up, pressing her hand against the car window.
She wanted to call out to Clayton, but her mouth moved without making a sound.
She wanted to tell the driver to stop, but her throat could only produce a faint gasp.
'Clayton... Clayton... is that you?'
Natalie started tapping on the window, making a weak sound.
"Clayton."
The driver and Dorinda were both startled.
Dorinda saw the man too. His profile looked a lot like Clayton.
But Clayton... was already dead.
How could it be Clayton?
But she didn't dare say that, because Natalie had always believed Clayton wasn't dead. No one wanted to shatter that hope.
If that hope was broken, Natalie would have an even harder time.
Dorinda, with tears in her eyes, told the driver, "Stop the car! Stop now!"
The driver hit the brakes.
The car stopped abruptly, and as soon as it did, Natalie quickly got out.
She ran towards the figure on the neon-lit street, forgetting she was wearing high heels.
Natalie could hear her own heartbeat, racing.
Her palms were sweaty.
Finally, she reached the person and softly called out, "Clayton."
The person froze.
Natalie's fingers clenched and unclenched. She gathered her courage and called out again, "Clayton..."
The person finally turned around.
It was a young face, handsome but not Clayton.
He looked at Natalie.
Seeing the elegantly dressed woman adorned with expensive jewelry in front of him, his eyes showed both astonishment and confusion. He said, "I'm sorry, miss, you have the wrong person."
Natalie just stared at him.
The streetlight illuminated her face, but no amount of makeup could hide her pallor. The only color was the tear at the corner of her eye, reflecting the neon lights of the street.
The young man hesitated, apologized again, and then turned to leave.
Natalie remained standing there.
Dorinda called out to her from behind a fence, but she didn't hear.
She just stood there, murmuring, "I clearly saw Clayton! It was clearly Clayton... how could it not be?"
Dorinda, wearing a knee-length skirt, found it difficult to move.
She tore her skirt and climbed over the fence to reach Natalie. She gently said, "Maybe you saw wrong. Maybe next time, it really will be Mr. Percy."
Saying this, Dorinda felt sad too.
She knew her words were just to comfort Natalie. No one believed Clayton could come back... from such a high place, and the scene was so tragic.
Natalie seemed not to hear.
She stubbornly stood there for a long time... until she couldn't stand anymore. She slowly crouched down, hugging herself, and cried softly on the street.
In the quiet of the night, on a bustling street.
Dorinda stayed by her side, accompanying her...
In the past, Dorinda had envied Natalie. She had the best background, the most outstanding looks... whatever she did, someone would back her up.
Even Clayton's company, she dared to take over despite knowing nothing.
Why? Just because her last name was Devereux.
But now, seeing Natalie crying on the street, disregarding her dignity because she missed Clayton, Dorinda realized she no longer envied her.
Because wealth could be accumulated, but those who left would never return.
The night deepened.
In the distance, Grant's car was parked. He sat inside, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
He watched Natalie cry.
He watched her break down for Clayton, saw her unprecedented sorrow.
Even he, Grant, had never made her feel this way.
Never had he felt so acutely Natalie's forgetfulness of him and her love for Clayton... even though Clayton was the one who left, even though he, Grant, had been by her side for over a year.
Maybe some things, even time couldn't fix.
He suddenly became curious about what Natalie loved about Clayton... he was really curious.
Was it the long companionship?
But now, Clayton could no longer be with her!
So, Grant couldn't understand.
From that day on, Natalie habitually looked out the window whenever she was in the car.
She saw many people whose backs looked like Clayton's.
But none of them were him!
Gradually, she became more and more anxious, slowly realizing... maybe Clayton would never come back.
Grant still came to see Haven.
Alvina also visited a few times. She wasn't stupid. Grant kept coming here, and if that child wasn't his, she wouldn't believe it.
She even went to Copenhagen to find Andrew.
Andrew met with her.
He said that the children's matters should be resolved by the children themselves, and it wasn't appropriate for the elders to interfere...
Alvina tried everything but couldn't help.
As time went on, she became anxious and came up with a plan.
She contacted the newspapers, not daring to reveal Haven's parentage, but she spread a rumor that Grant and Natalie were getting married.
She spent $200,000, and within half a day, the news was all over Seattle.
Andrew also got the news, and he couldn't tolerate it. He called Grant directly.
He told him to control his mother.
"Mr. McCall, can such rumors be spread recklessly? If Natalie were still single, people might laugh it off, but she's been married and has a child. What your mother did is unfair."
Grant was also troubled.
He hadn't expected his mother to do such a thing.
At that moment, Alvina was in his office, avoiding his gaze.
Grant respectfully dealt with Andrew.
After hanging up, he looked at Alvina on the couch, feeling helpless. "Mom, I told you, that child isn't mine and Natalie's. Why don't you believe me and do something so ridiculous?"
Alvina was somewhat guilty.
After a long time, she forced herself to say, "I'm doing this for you. You keep going there, and she doesn't give in... maybe this will give you an excuse, and you can get back together."
Alvina had thought it through, doing what she thought was best.
But Grant didn't understand her intentions.
He smiled bitterly. "Mom, can such things be forced? Natalie and I... we're over. Please stop worrying."
Alvina thought for a moment and then spoke.
Some words were harsh but true, and she decided to be the bad guy.
She said, "The child is clearly yours, Clayton is clearly dead, and you and she can clearly get back together. Grant, what are you hesitating for?"
Grant remained silent.
Alvina thought he was wavering and added, "Grant, don't worry. If you want to be together, it's not a problem."
Grant didn't take her words to heart.
He was busy dealing with the rumors in the newspapers and had no time for her.
Five minutes later, Alvina left the building.
She didn't take the driver's car but walked alone to a nearby park.
After sitting for a long time, she took out a medical report with trembling fingers.
She had liver cancer, late stage, and the doctor said she had less than six months to live.
Alvina looked down at the report.
Tears fell silently.
She had no regrets. She deserved the illness. If she hadn't insisted on doing what she did back then... the McCall family would have been full of children and grandchildren by now.
Alvina's fingers trembled as she tore the report into pieces.
She didn't plan to let Grant know, nor did she plan to seek treatment... she intended to end her life, as her final act for Grant.
At dusk, the sunset was redder than usual.
Alvina, dressed in black, slowly walked to the roadside.
She was afraid of death... but she thought if she died, the feud between the Devereux and McCall families would end. Grant wouldn't have any psychological burden as the Devereux family's son-in-law.
And she wanted to see her granddaughter one last time. Natalie was soft-hearted and wouldn't refuse.
Seeing each other would create a bond, Alvina knew that well.
The traffic was heavy.
Alvina clenched her hands, using all her courage to throw herself in front of a car... moments later, the sound of screeching brakes filled the air.
The scene was covered in blood.
The car's windshield was splattered with it.
Alvina fell, her twitching hand weakly opening... in her palm was a note with two phone numbers.
One was Grant's.
The other was Natalie's.
As bystanders gathered, she muttered through the blood, "My son... and daughter-in-law... I want to see... see my granddaughter."
It wasn't just Clayton who needed to come back, but also her son... Grant's happiness, Grant's smile, the life Grant should have had.
'Grant, this is the last thing I can do for you.'
'I wasn't smart, never liked by others.'
'After your father had his accident, we were bullied... I didn't treat you well, and my heart was punished, my body too.'
'Grant, I want to see you happy.'
These thoughts ran through Alvina's mind before she lost consciousness.
Grant arrived at the scene.
He was stunned. Just half an hour ago, his mother had been in his office... unreasonably demanding he marry Natalie.
Half an hour later, she was on the brink of death.
The ambulance had arrived, and the doctors were trying to save her, but it seemed futile.
"Mr. McCall, say your goodbyes."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
