Chapter 340 He Would Be Happy
"Of course."
Roger extinguished his cigarette. When he smelled the smoke on his coat, he took it off and draped it over a chair nearby, worried that the smell would put Natalie off.
"Natalie!" Oliver exclaimed, grabbing Natalie's hand. He was clearly unhappy about her proximity to Roger.
It was no secret that Roger had feelings for Natalie.
"Let go," Natalie demanded, her expression turning icy.
Oliver pursed his lips and stared at her, reluctant to let go. When he saw the bruise on her face again, he felt a sharp twinge of pain. After a brief hesitation, he gently coaxed her, "Will you come home with me later? Hmm?"
Natalie shook off his grip and walked to the side with Roger.
Roger threw a glance back at Oliver, his eyes brimming with undisguised mockery.
Since Natalie did not respond to Oliver, it meant she had yet to make up her mind. This brought a little comfort to Oliver, easing his expression slightly.
Susan observed the exchange and felt as though she had been hit on the head. At the same time, she could not believe that Oliver indulged Natalie to this extent. For a moment, she felt like her actions today were absurd and pathetic. She had to cooperate with people like Hailey just to tarnish Natalie’s reputation in the eyes of the public.
Driven by jealousy, she schemed against Oliver. It had required considerable effort on her part to orchestrate a scenario where she would be struck by the shelf. She acted as though she was in great pain just so Oliver would rush to her side. Since this concerned her well-being, he would naturally come over. However, what was the result?
Natalie caused a scene, as Susan had hoped. However, Oliver’s usual impatience was nowhere to be seen. He did not even seem angered by Natalie’s cold treatment. This realization made Susan, who always prided herself on her composure, feel a sense of crisis.
…
Two rows of seats lined the walls of the corridor. At the end of the corridor, there was a floor-to-ceiling window. Through the window, one could see the bustling streets.
"Natalie, look here. If we change the scene, doesn't it resemble a cliff or a deep valley?" Roger asked.
Natalie frowned, looking at him quizzically, unsure of his meaning.
"I first arrived in this city around six or seven years ago. You were probably still attending high school at that time…"
Roger's voice differed from Oliver's deep voice. When he was not aloof, it carried a hint of playfulness. As he gazed downward, he continued to say, as though he was telling a story, “At that time, there was an accident involving a student falling off a cliff. Unfortunately, when I arrived, the student had already… died.”
"You..."
Natalie finally realized it was not a story.
"I’m sorry, Natalie. I misled you before. Roger is my younger brother," Roger admitted, avoiding her gaze.
Natalie was taken aback. She covered her mouth, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
From the outset, she had been suspicious about Roger's identity, but the two men looked too much alike. Her initial decision to help him was also influenced by his resemblance to the real Roger, hoping to repay the debt.
Natalie was at a loss, unsure of how to feel. Feeling guilty, she averted her eyes and asked, “Do you know that Roger fell… because he was searching for me?”
"Do you truly believe that?"
"Huh?"
Roger stepped closer, tenderly stroking Natalie's head as he said, "Natalie, his death was not your fault. I’m the one to blame…”
"But..." Natalie felt that Roger was only saying that to console her.
“I mean it," Roger said with a sorrowful expression, “When we were young, our father sent us to live with separate families due to family turmoil. Later, I returned to resolve our family’s issue. However, I wasn’t strong enough. My enemies somehow found out about my brother and tried to use him to threaten me. However, my brother refused to let that happen.”
Natalie was shocked to find out that the real Roger chose to leap off the cliff.
"Natalie," Roger said, gazing into her eyes with a gentle look, "You were the person he wanted to protect most. He sacrificed himself for me, so will you allow me to take over and protect you from now on?”
Natalie felt a sharp pain, accompanied by a fluttering sensation in her heart. At the same time, tears welled up in her eyes. She said, “Your brother showed me kindness beyond what I deserved. I already owed him a great deal. There’s no need for you to do anything for me. If anything, I’m the one who’s indebted to him.”
Roger shook his head gently. "In his heart, you were not a burden, but a companion. It was his wish to stay by your side and protect you."
Fearing she might refuse him, Roger added, "Natalie, I have already shared with you my reasoning. Don’t refuse me. Moreover, we’re also friends, right?”
"Of course, we’re friends," Natalie said, unable to refute Roger’s words.
"That settles it then," Roger declared with a warm smile, looking handsome under the winter sun, "Is there anything else you want to know?"
"No," Natalie responded, shaking her head, "Thanks… to both you and your brother.”
"He would have been very happy."
Roger could not, and dared not, reveal to Natalie his true feelings — that he was aloof and that his younger brother's influence alone was not sufficient for him to care so much about another person.
Most importantly, he could not share with her the harsh realities of his past — a time when he was battered, unable to afford food, and resembled a beggar in alleyways. If it were within his power, he would spare her the memory of that bleak time.
Additionally, the mystery of Natalie's lost memory and her transformation from the Hastings family's beloved daughter to the Watson family's illegitimate daughter remained unsolved.
Even if Natalie was indeed Robert's illegitimate daughter, it puzzled Roger how the Hastings, who had nurtured her for many years, could so readily abandon her to the Watsons. Could it be that, with Susan, they felt justified in discarding Natalie?
The Hastings were among the most discreet and prestigious families, their secrets well-guarded from the public eye.
Roger thought about his initial visit to Paykston to retrieve his younger brother's remains. After the fall, his brother had not perished immediately.
When Roger arrived by helicopter, his brother was critically injured, beyond the reach of salvation. In his final moments, he entrusted Roger with his last wishes.
“I know I won’t be able to hold on. I only have one request. There’s this girl I like. I don’t expect you to care for her, but I ask that you protect her and keep her safe, okay?”
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