Chapter 354 Natalie, You're an Illegitimate Child
Hailey accused Natalie, “You’re just an illegitimate child with unknown origin! You don’t even know who your parents are!”
"What else do you know?"
Natalie navigated the broken stones on the ground, her calmness becoming more pronounced in the face of crisis.
"No, the real question is, how did you find out? Or who told you? It certainly was not from the test results back then."
Understanding Hailey's character, if she had discovered that Natalie was not Lucas' biological sister, she would have already used the information to her advantage. For her, it would have been preferable if Natalie was not Robert's daughter, as it would provide her with more grounds and justification to demean her.
Thus, it was likely that Hailey had only recently come across this information.
"Stay back."
Hailey seized the opportune moment and suddenly brandished a knife. The knife was aimed at Natalie, its blade shimmering with a menacing chill.
"You couldn’t kill me with one stab previously. Do you think you can succeed now using the same tactic?" Natalie challenged, "Hailey, in a direct confrontation between the two of us, you wouldn’t have a chance."
Hailey appeared unconcerned. She was aware that she stood no chance against Natalie when Natalie was on guard.
‘Did I say I was going to hurt her? Moreover, I likely won’t be able to kill her… How boring!’
Hailey's expression hardened as she advanced with the knife in hand.
"Natalie, just you wait!"
…
The moment Susan caught sight of the knife, a thought appeared in her mind.
‘Did Hailey lose her mind?’
She was torn between two conflicting desires.
One part of her hoped and longed for Natalie to meet her end at Hailey's hands, eliminating a rival for Oliver's affection.
The other part was filled with horror and panic, hoping Hailey would stop!
In an instant, Susan's and Hailey's eyes met.
Hailey’s expression was twisted into one of madness and excitement.
In that moment, Susan understood Hailey's intention. She rushed forward without a second thought.
Quickening her steps, Susan rushed forward.
"Ah!"
In the quiet of the night, a wet squelching sound rang in the air as the knife made contact with flesh.
Natalie was stunned. The knife had not struck her; instead, it had found its mark in the woman who had unexpectedly thrown herself at her.
"Susan!"
Susan wobbled weakly, and Natalie swiftly caught her, providing support. Natalie felt the warm wetness in her hands as the air grew thick with the scent of blood.
Hailey's speed was leisurely, allowing Natalie to sidestep her with ease. However, Susan's sudden appearance was unforeseen.
"Good luck!"
Hailey smirked now that her plan had succeeded. She abandoned the knife and fled, soon vanishing into the darkness. She did not specify to whom the ‘good luck’ was for.
However, Susan naturally knew it was directed at her.
"Are you... alright?" Susan grimaced in agony, her gaze filled with concern for Natalie. Apart from relief, she felt a little satisfaction as well, thinking that Natalie owed her a life-saving debt.
Earlier, Susan understood Hailey’s motives when their eyes met. If she had not intercepted the knife for Natalie, Hailey would have implicated her. But now, having protected Natalie, Susan had placed Natalie in her debt.
Gratitude is the most challenging debt to settle!
"Susan, don’t talk. Save your energy," Natalie urged, her entire body trembling. Then, she called out, “Casey! Casey!”
Casey appeared immediately. “Do you want me to chase after her?”
She had been concealed behind a nearby reef, garbed entirely in black, melding seamlessly into the night. Her skill in concealment was unparalleled; neither Natalie, Hailey, nor Susan had detected her presence.
Had Susan not intervened and placed herself in harm's way, Casey would have emerged first, swiftly moving Natalie out of danger before dealing with the assailant.
"... I... It’s so painful..." Susan said as she clutched at Natalie’s shirt weakly.
At this moment, Susan felt even more relieved that she had taken action. Otherwise, it would have been over for her and Hailey. With Casey in the picture, they did not stand a chance at all.
Natalie cast a lingering glance in the direction Hailey had disappeared. Closing her eyes tightly, she said solemnly, "No, prioritize finding help. Hurry up!"
The island only had a modest clinic, and the medical personnel accompanying the production team were likely ill-equipped to manage such a grave injury.
Natalie gently positioned Susan on the ground and, with one hand, dialed Oliver's number.
Oliver, who required less sleep than the average person, was still awake and promptly answered the call.
"Honey, can you send a medical team over? It’s urgent. Please hurry!” Natalie said tremblingly. If she were not calm, she would have muddled her speech.
"Are you hurt?"
Oliver sprang from his desk chair, seized his coat, and made for the door. He was like an approaching violent storm.
“No, it’s Susan. She was stabbed. Please hurry up…”
Natalie bit her lip, worried that something would happen to Susan.
Relief washed over Oliver upon learning that Natalie was unharmed.
Sensing the anxiety in Natalie's voice, he said reassuringly, "Don’t worry, baby. I’ll send people over immediately. You should administer first aid for now.”
"Okay," Natalie responded with a nod, though Oliver could not see it.
"Do you know how to administer first aid?"
"Yes."
Natalie had acquired an array of skills due to Lucas's medical condition, including certification in first aid. What often seemed like trivial knowledge invariably proved invaluable in crises.
Given the proximity, Susan could overhear the exchange between Natalie and Oliver, stirring a whirlwind of emotions within her.
Utilizing her phone's flashlight, Natalie inspected Susan's injury. The knife was embedded in her leg, from which blood flowed unceasingly. The light gray fabric of Susan's leggings was now saturated with dark, spreading stains.
A wave of relief passed through Natalie, acknowledging that a leg wound, though serious, was preferable to an abdominal injury, where damage to internal organs could lead to dire consequences.
Natalie removed her coat and used its belt to fashion a tourniquet around Susan's thigh, aiming to stem the bleeding.
"Am I... going to die?" Susan's face was pale from the blood loss, and her voice was weak.
"No, you’re not."
Natalie wrestled with her feelings. Despite her lack of fondness for Susan, she recognized that Susan's current plight was because of her. She could not stay indifferent.
"Are you still... angry with me?"
Natalie hesitated before responding, "Save your energy, and stay awake. Casey will arrive shortly with help.”
Susan, however, dismissed the advice to save her energy, seizing this moment to dismantle Natalie's defenses.
“I’m… really sorry for what happened before… I didn’t mean to upset you… I have no intention of ruining your relationship… with Oliver…”
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