Chapter 361 Mental Burden
She stepped in front of her and intercepted the attack, sustaining a wound in the process. As she lay in her arms, blood seeped out. In the hospital room, she hugged Oliver with tears streaming down her face...
The nights in Paykston were always alive with brilliant neon lights and the hustle of crowds.
For many, the night signaled the start of celebration. However, for Natalie, it was a lonely torment.
Her phone, lying on the desktop, buzzed intermittently, primarily with text messages from Lilian.
Lilian was asleep during the incident, and by the time she was aware of the events, Natalie had already returned to Paykston. She attempted to contact Natalie, but Natalie did not respond. On one hand, Natalie was not in the mood to talk, and on the other, she was confident that Oliver would inform Lilian of everything she needed to know.
Natalie knew that Lilian and Susan had a good relationship, so she did not read the messages. She did not know what to do if Lilian wanted to talk to Susan.
Natalie was afraid. In such circumstances, she was uncertain whether to align herself with the principles of morality and conscience and speak for Susan or be selfish and remain silent.
It was only when her phone's vibration shifted to a ringtone that Natalie was jolted back to the present - it was the unique ringtone she had assigned to Oliver.
"Hello," she said, answering the call.
Oliver was stationed at the far end of the hospital corridor, gazing at the tranquil scenery outside the window, bathed in moonlight.
After her soft greeting, Natalie remained silent, an unusual behavior for her.
"Natalie."
"Yes?"
"Have you received the results?" Oliver inquired.
The results could not have been ready in less than five hours; Oliver was surely aware of this.
Natalie realized he was merely attempting to find something to say.
The carefulness in Oliver's voice caused Natalie's heart to experience a mixture of emotions - not pain, but a deep sense of melancholy. She wondered when he had last treated anyone with such caution. She empathized with his situation, yet she also felt hurt by the events that had unfolded.
"Not yet," Natalie responded, her fingers tightening around the edge of the desktop as she asked, "How’s Susan doing?"
"The doctor said that she only needed to rest. There aren’t any significant issues," Oliver replied, pausing slightly at the mention of Susan.
The events involving Susan had somewhat strained his relationship with Susan, leading him to question the time they had spent together in the past.
"Natalie, Jamie is in Paykston now; call him if you need help. I’ve sent someone to look into Hailey's whereabouts. Emily is coordinating with the production team on my behalf. And, I plan to return tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? So soon? What about Susan?" Natalie expressed her surprise.
"Susan is scheduled to depart for Tycoon City tomorrow. I’ve arranged for a private plane and medical personnel to escort her."
Even if he did not like Susan, she had ‘saved’ him after all.
Natalie asked worriedly, “Is it safe for her to travel with her injuries?”
"Her injuries are not as severe as you think," Oliver replied somewhat helplessly, "You’re not responsible for her injury, understand?"
The differing accounts from Susan and Barrett had planted seeds of doubt in Oliver's mind about Susan.
To be completely honest, Oliver’s current care for Susan was more rooted in gratitude for her protection of Natalie. If Natalie had been injured, his response would have been drastically different. The thought of any harm coming to Natalie was unbearable to him.
Natalie lowered her gaze and bit her lip. How could she not feel responsible? The memory of the attack, the cold blade, and the warmth of the blood lingered in her mind. However, Oliver’s soothing words seemed to imply that she held a heavier height in heart compared to Susan. This notion alone seemed to dispel the clouds of gloom that had enveloped her for so long.
"Baby..."
His voice, coming through the receiver, sounded even more tender and resonant, enveloping her in a sense of warmth.
Natalie's heart fluttered. "Hmm?"
After a brief pause, with a hint of mockery hidden in his voice, he said, “It’s nothing.”
‘I just miss you a little, and I’m worried that you’re still angry…’
However, Oliver's pride and stubbornness barred him from voicing these sentiments directly, despite his mind swirling with these thoughts.
"Make sure you rest well. Don’t stay up to wait for the results.”
"Okay," Natalie responded, but she had no intention of heeding his advice. After all, in his absence, he had no way of knowing.
Oliver playfully warned, as if he could read her mind, "Baby, if I see dark circles under your eyes tomorrow, just see how I deal with you…"
‘It’s fine. He probably doesn’t know the magic of concealer!’
…
Meanwhile, Susan was lying on the hospital bed, gazing blankly at the ceiling. Tears trickled from her eyes, weaving through her hair and soaking the pillow beneath.
Since Oliver's departure three hours earlier, he had only returned once briefly when the doctor visited to examine her. Aside from that, he had avoided entering the room.
She could not understand why Oliver did not want to stay by her side and accompany her when she had gotten injured to save Natalie. Not only that, but he also did not give her any extra comfort.
Susan, bracing herself against the pain, took up her crutches and made her way out of bed to look for Oliver.
The VIP ward was quiet with few people. Susan immediately found Oliver standing at the end of the corridor, his voice, which was warm unlike the usual indifference, carried over. She heard him say, “Baby, if I see dark circles under your eyes, just see how I deal with you.”
Although Susan could not hear the person on the other end of the line, she had no doubt that it was Natalie. His indulgent tone tore at her heart, hurting her. It also filled her with extreme jealousy.
Although Oliver had always been accommodating to her, he had never spoken to her in such a tone. Although she was the only woman who was close to him, he had never addressed her with any terms of endearment.
‘It’s all Natalie’s fault! Her best friend, Flora, took Arthur away, and now, she’s taking Oliver away from me! Why must they do this to me?’
Susan gritted her teeth and clenched her hands tightly, trying to calm down with all her might.
‘It’s fine. I haven’t lost yet. I still have Hailey, that crazy woman, to do my bidding. I still have my family to support me. Apart from Oliver’s temporary affections, Natalie has nothing!’
Suddenly, a thought flashed in Susan’s mind, and a smile gradually appeared on her face.
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