Chapter 811 Natalie, Give Me Another Chance!
Natalie finished speaking and glanced outside.
Her eyes met Clayton's, as he was looking at her.
Natalie only held his gaze for a couple of seconds before looking away, continuing her conversation with Sienna and the other women about their private matters.
Clayton kept his eyes on her.
Kingsley tossed a few skewers of fish into Clayton's hands and snorted, "No free meals here! If you don't work, you don't eat! Not just you, but also Natalie and Haven's food—you gotta grill it all!"
Clayton smiled lightly and sat down to grill the fish.
Gavin and Kingsley were discussing business, while Johnny carried little Stella over.
The few-year-old Stella sat obediently in Johnny's arms, enjoying the delicious grilled meat.
All the meat was grilled by Clayton.
Johnny tried to comfort him, "Don't sweat it! That's just how it is. The one being watched always has to work harder. When Gavin and Kingsley team up to mess with someone... it's best not to fight it! Resisting won't do you any good; those two have more tricks up their sleeves than you can imagine!"
Clayton had already experienced this.
Johnny still kept his distance from him, as he had only recently started enjoying a better life himself.
He tricked Clayton into grilling a lot of meat.
But lately, Natalie had been having stomach issues and couldn't eat greasy food. Haven was too young to eat much, so Johnny ended up benefiting from it all.
Clayton didn't get angry.
He made a special meal for Natalie and Haven, using a fine king crab to prepare a set meal.
As he walked out of the kitchen, the yard was already enveloped in twilight.
But Natalie and Haven were nowhere to be seen.
Having been married to Natalie for over half a year and being very familiar with the Devereux family, Clayton knew the place well. He went to the hall to look for them.
He found Haven in the bathroom.
Haven stood there, her little face flushed red. She needed to use the bathroom, but there was no toilet paper downstairs.
Natalie had gone upstairs to get some, but Haven couldn't hold it any longer.
Seeing Clayton, Haven started to cry, "I need to go potty!"
Clayton found it both funny and a bit heartbreaking.
He quickly picked her up, pulled down her little pants with one hand, and placed her on the toilet... the smell was a bit unpleasant.
Haven felt shy and didn't know how to express it, so she covered her face with her small hands, as if that would block out the smell.
Clayton gently pulled her hands down.
He comforted her, "It doesn't smell bad."
Haven looked at him with her big, curious eyes.
At that moment, Clayton's heart trembled.
He realized he owed not just Natalie, but also Haven.
He had once eagerly awaited her birth!
At the door, Natalie stood for a moment before turning to lean against the wall.
After a while, she walked in and softly said, "I'll take over."
Without thinking, Clayton replied, "I'll clean her up."
Natalie looked up at him.
She repeated, "I can take care of her. There's no need to trouble you, Mr. Percy."
Clayton's fingers curled slightly. He restrained himself before gently patting Haven's little head, "I will step out now."
Haven watched him.
After Clayton left, Natalie cleaned Haven up and washed her. While washing her, Haven suddenly said, "I like that uncle. Isn't he... Daddy?"
Natalie didn't know how to explain it to her.
Haven was too young to understand even if she tried to explain.
After some thought, Natalie kissed her, "You'll understand when you grow up."
Haven kept looking at Natalie.
Children naturally want to be loved by those they like.
When they went outside, a servant approached and said, "Mr. Percy made a big meal. The kids are all very happy!"
Natalie saw the king crab dish and the seven or eight kids around the table. She didn't want to spoil the fun.
She handed Haven to the servant, "Make sure she doesn't eat anything raw."
The servant took Haven, looking very pleased, clearly relieved that Natalie agreed.
Natalie smiled faintly and said nothing more.
It was lively outside, but she didn't feel like joining in. She wrapped her shawl around herself and walked to the backyard, thinking... Clayton might have something to say to her.
Sure enough, after a short walk in the backyard, Clayton followed her and softly called, "Natalie."
Natalie stopped and slowly turned around.
In the pale moonlight, Clayton stood about ten feet away. He looked much thinner than before, almost unrecognizable as the mixed-race man he once was.
Natalie waited a few seconds before he walked up to her.
They walked side by side, calmly, like an ordinary couple taking an evening stroll.
But they both knew they weren't.
They were distant and unfamiliar.
Natalie looked at the distant scenery and said, "Clayton, when you were with me, you thought I needed you. Now... you can see, I can live just fine without you."
Clayton stopped and looked at her.
Natalie lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, "I told you before, our problem was never about Grant."
It was that he didn't want her anymore!
Anyone with a bit of self-respect would pack up and stay far away from him.
Clayton stared at her.
After a long time, he finally spoke with difficulty, "Natalie, I regret it."
Natalie still smiled faintly, "Do you regret it because Grant doesn't want me? Because he's engaged, so you think I'm a pitiful person with no one to want me, and Haven too?"
"Clayton, put away your pity. Love is never about charity or pity, nor is it about settling."
Their time together was over.
She had a child now and didn't even have the courage or confidence to win back a man. One word from him had pushed her into the abyss.
She couldn't trust him again.
Trusting him again... to never leave her, to always love her.
Natalie didn't want to say much more. They had already said everything that needed to be said.
Finally, she softly said, "Clayton, don't come back again."
Clayton looked at her.
He felt that Natalie had changed. It wasn't about whether she loved him or not, but she had changed completely...
In the past, even after being hurt by Grant, she still loved life. She would still laugh and cry.
Now, it seemed Natalie didn't know how to laugh or cry anymore.
She was always calm, always rational.
She had grown up, become mature, but she was no longer the Natalie he remembered.
Natalie saw his expression and guessed what he was thinking. She just smiled faintly, "This is probably the price of growing up."
She finished speaking and was about to leave.
But Clayton grabbed her wrist, and the next second, Natalie was trapped in his arms.
Actually, Clayton was deeply conflicted inside.
The backyard wasn't a good place; servants could come by at any moment.
Besides, their relationship was not only illegal now, but she also hated him. How could she be willing...
But his mind was filled with only one thought... to kiss her.
He held her waist tightly, lowered his head, and kissed her. Natalie naturally resisted, moving her head back and forth, unwilling to let him succeed.
Clayton, determined, used some force, pinching her chin to make her open her lips... When he captured her lips, his tongue invaded, sweeping back and forth.
Natalie pushed against his shoulder, her voice breaking, "Clayton... you're crazy!"
"I am crazy!"
His voice trembled, mixed with his masculine scent, enough to make a woman's legs weak...
Natalie was trapped in his arms, feeling his hand slip under her silk dress.
He made her feel good, just like he used to.
The sky was tinged with light.
Their breaths were restrained yet provocative. Even though they had been legally married and were now both single, there was a sense of forbidden affair...
Natalie resisted but also succumbed to his skilled lovemaking.
She tilted her head slightly.
Her slender legs trembled lightly.
Clayton's forehead was also sweaty. He leaned against her neck, his voice hoarse, "Does it feel good?"
Natalie didn't answer him.
She hadn't recovered yet and felt ashamed... Of course, she didn't have the strength or the mood to slap him, leaving a mark... It would only embarrass her.
She just leaned against his shoulder, waiting for their heartbeats to return to normal before softly saying, "Clayton, what you can give me, other men can too."
She pushed him away and started to fix her clothes.
She was in a mess.
Her stockings were torn, so Natalie simply took them off.
Clayton grabbed her, took the stockings, and wiped her clean. He said softly, "Give me a chance! I want to take care of you and Haven."
Natalie lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, but she didn't agree.
She was a mature woman now. A brief physical encounter didn't mean much... It didn't make her think Clayton was someone she could trust her life with again.
She refused Clayton and returned to the villa alone.
Later, she stayed upstairs and didn't come down again.
At ten o'clock at night, the sound of a car engine came from downstairs.
Molly came up and knocked on the door, "Everyone's gone! Clayton left too! How did your talk go today?"
Natalie had already taken a bath and was leaning against the bed reading a book.
In her arms was Haven, sleeping soundly.
Natalie, afraid of waking Haven, got up quietly, "Let's talk in the living room."
Molly felt a bit guilty because she had invited Clayton.
In the living room, Natalie smiled faintly, "It was Gavin's idea, wasn't it?"
Molly stared at her for a long time before guiltily asking, "How did you know?"
Natalie, always close to her, didn't hide anything, "Because only you would fall for his tricks ten times over! Everyone in the family knows."
Molly lowered her head, saying nothing.
Natalie gently nudged her, "Gavin likes you just the way you are."
Molly finally smiled.
Natalie thought of Clayton and smiled bitterly, "In Clayton's eyes, I was the same!"
"But Molly, I am a Devereux. I have the blood of the Devereux and the Hawkins families. How could I remain innocent forever?"
She had Gavin above her, bearing the Devereux family responsibilities.
If it weren't for Gavin, Natalie would have been forced to grow up and take on family responsibilities.
Just like before, when she was pampered by Clayton, living without a care in the world.
It was also Clayton who abandoned her, forcing her to become who she was now.
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