Chapter 211 Have a Child with Me
Oliver's expression suddenly turned cold, and he felt suffocated. He turned away, clearly sulking.
Jamie pressed his lips together, struggling to contain his laughter. He was almost certain that Oliver expected Natalie to be jealous of Hailey's attempt to kiss Oliver. Alas, the reality was that Natalie was worried that Hailey would attack Oliver.
Earlier, Natalie had heard that Hailey was causing a commotion at the security checkpoint. She turned to look at Hailey and asked, “What brings you here, Hailey?”
Disregarding Natalie, Hailey fixed her gaze on Oliver. "Oliver, do you truly feel nothing for me?"
"I do," Oliver replied with a frown, "I feel that you’re annoying."
Oliver’s words were like a slap to the face to Hailey. She said, trembling, “You’ll regret rejecting me, Oliver!”
Natalie was so used to Hailey pretending to be gentle and kind that she was stunned that Hailey would utter villainous words.
Hailey turned to glare at Natalie fiercely. Her eyes were filled with paranoia and malice as she said, “I really underestimated you. Enjoy your happiness for now, laugh at me. There’ll come a day when you’ll fall lower than I have!”
Natalie rolled her eyes. “Crazy!”
“Kick her out,” Oliver ordered.
“Yes!”
The guards proceeded to ‘escort’ Hailey away.
With that, Natalie and Oliver returned.
"Are you certain it's okay that Hailey saw your face? She’s… she’s not as kind as she appears to be…” Natalie voiced her lingering concerns.
Oliver appeared puzzled. "I never thought she was kind…”
Natalie asked, “Wow, so you’ve already seen through her?”
Oliver explained briefly, “People like her will always show their true colors eventually…”
“Oh…”
After a moment, she asked, “Then, you’ve known all along, right?”
“What?”
"The one originally engaged to you wasn't me, but Hailey. I overheard her mention it earlier," Natalie confessed, her gaze lowered, fearful of his reaction. Since her arrival at Rosewood Estate, the dread of this secret being unveiled loomed over her.
Oliver gently lifted her chin. "Yes. Why are you lowering your head?"
"Aren't you upset?" Natalie queried.
"Why would I be upset?" he countered.
Natalie regarded him quizzically. "Don’t you feel offended that the Watson family replaced Hailey with me to marry you?”
Oliver tenderly kissed her and said, “No, I would’ve been more offended if Hailey were to move into Rosewood Estate.”
Had Hailey been the one to marry into the family, Oliver would likely have locked her away, repulsed by their first encounter.
"Really?" A sense of relief washed over Natalie now that the secret was out in the open, and she could not help but laugh. Her genuine laughter softened her features, making her appear sweet and endearing.
"Natalie, do you know why I didn’t kick you out in the beginning?”
"Because you wanted me as your cook?" Natalie retorted, half-joking.
"No."
"Then why?" Natalie was puzzled, unable to fathom why Oliver would keep her close, given his nature, if not for her culinary skills.
His engagement held no sway over him; he was known for his whims and independence.
"Because..." Oliver leaned in, pausing momentarily as he hugged her. Then, he continued in a low voice, “My grandmother told me she wants a great-grandchild…”
Natalie’s smile froze immediately. “You… Don’t joke about something like that…”
"I’m serious. Liam is also aware of this," Oliver said, caressing her cheek.
Natalie was overwhelmed by this revelation. When she recovered, she realized they were still in the car, and Jamie and the driver were sitting up front. Her cheeks turned a deep shade of red as she leaned against Oliver's chest, resisting his advance with a gentle push. Her actions betrayed an attempt to hide her overwhelming embarrassment and bashfulness.
"No, no, I-I… can’t have a child at this time,” Natalie stammered.
“Mrs. Windsor, why are you stammering?” Oliver teased, his fingers dancing along her sensitively ticklish waist. A rare and captivating smile appeared on his face, and his eyes glinted mischievously.
“Oliver, please, there are others in the car,” Natalie said, torn between embarrassment at Oliver’s boldness and stunned at the notion of motherhood, “I’m just starting out in my career, and I’m still young…”
“Okay, if you make me happy, we won’t have a child now,” Oliver suggested, seizing the moment. In fact, he had no immediate desire for Natalie to bear a child now. After all, what benefit did rushing into parenthood offer? The ordeal of a pregnancy and the requisite abstinence seemed more a burden than a blessing.
…
That night, Oliver went to bed with Natalie.
In her dazed state, Natalie made a mental note to be diligent about contraception in the future. It was imperative. She recalled a few times when Oliver did not use contraceptives, and the thought of becoming pregnant frightened her.
The prospect of marrying without love was bearable, but the idea of having children when there was no love between her and husband was intolerable. Having a child in such an environment would definitely not be conducive to the child.
She acknowledged Oliver's kindness but recognized that kindness did not equate to love. It might stem from possession, affection akin to that for a pet, or perhaps pity.
Natalie’s thoughts inadvertently drifted to Susan and the design draft.
As a child, Natalie was deprived of paternal affection, and as an adult, she was exploited for profit by her father.
She understood all too well that love was not merely an emotion; sometimes, it served as a sanctuary.
In Oliver's embrace, Natalie found her respite, quickly succumbing to sleep after their tumultuous encounter.
Oliver tenderly caressed her face as she slept; in slumber, she would slightly pout, appearing even more vulnerable. Initially, Oliver had been determined not to let Natalie have his child, but over time, this determination softened.
The thought of a daughter as gentle as Natalie became increasingly appealing.
However, if Natalie was not ready, he was ready to wait.
…
Hailey's descent from the mountain was a blur. Her tears flowed freely at first, each step away from the estate was a stab to her heart, leaving her breathless. She did not understand how things had come to this. Eventually, her tears ceased, leaving only marks on her cheeks. Her heart was numb as she dialed a string of numbers.
“Edwin, I have something to tell you.”
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