Chapter 405 Taught by Natalie
He held Natalie in his arms as he wore a cold and heartless expression, tinged with vengeful satisfaction. Proud that he stood up for his wife.
He had never seen Natalie like this before.
Oliver never thought he was wrong before nor did he regret past actions or methods he used in his defense. No one could’ve predicted the future. But he was still afraid. Fearing that Natalie would find out about what happened back then, discovering what he had truly done.
Even though he had never thought it would escalate to that level.
“Agh”…"
Arthur suddenly bent over and started vomiting, in pain and unable to stand or squat steadily. He was shaking, as if trying to expel all the bitterness from his gall bladder. His face turned pale; tears kept streaming from his eyes“
"Take him to the hospital," Oliver said, considering Arthur's alcohol intake.
Isaac and Wyatt nodded in agreement, sympathetically looking at Arthur.
After Oliver left with Natalie, Isaac touched his cold back with lingering fear as he thought aloud, "Mrs. Windsor looked like the grim reaper wielding a scythe just now, so terrifying!"
"A scythe that physically kills, but she will aim straight for the heart," Wyatt worried that Oliver would also change into someone like her.
Arthur had several dreams. The scenes in his dreams kept changing.
"Arthur, if one day I fall in love with you..." shortly after they started dating, Flora asked curiously.
He held a glass of wine, held her waist, and fed her a sip of wine while saying, "Then we can break up."
At that time, Flora was not very good at drinking and choked on the alcohol, coughing incessantly. Her face was red, but she still forced herself to swallow it.
After coughing, she smiled and said, "Luckily, I don't. I know you're attracted to my good nature."
Arthur nodded in agreement.
He took her out to play, and he had left her alone for a while to have some fun himself. When he came back, he found out that she had been slapped on the left cheek, with a red swollen handprint.
Arthur ordered her to slap back; she had no choice. Gentle Flora hesitated but eventually slapped the person and started crying. She has always been gentle and could not insult others.
Once, in desperation caused by lust, he didn't use protection, and she looked at him with anxious eyes.
Arthur asked her, "Afraid of getting pregnant?"
Flora playfully asked, "Do you like children?"
Arthur said he didn't. Shortly after, Flora's period came as expected.
Later on, they argued. Flora said that she didn't want to be treated like a pet anymore and suggested breaking up. He refused without hesitation and threatened her with a contract, leading them into a cold war.
In the end, the scene stops at an endless beach, with the sea stretching far away. The waves surged like the gaping maw of a ferocious beast, devouring souls in the blink of an eye.
He received a call that said Flora had committed suicide by jumping into the sea.
In his foggy consciousness, Arthur pondered.
Teaching her to drink was his way of protecting her in his absence. Encouraging her to fight back was his hope that she would learn to be both cherished and delicate, not being submissive to everyone and easily taken advantage of.
She didn't know, but he felt somewhat disappointed when he learned that she got her period as planned. He even thought that having a child wouldn't be a bad idea; Flora would surely be a gentle and responsible mother.
Why did they argue?
Arthur couldn't understand why Flora, who had always been gentle in nature, suddenly decided to leave him with such determination. He always thought they got along well, without any major conflicts, until Natalie appeared, and her words struck him like a slap - maybe their beginning was a mistake.
Natalie was right, he had always been too self-assured.
He only focused on giving Flora what he believed was good, suitable, and what he wanted to give, never bothering to understand what Flora wanted or needed.
He remembered Flora saying she didn't want to be treated like a pet. He couldn't understand what was wrong with being someone's pet, being cared for and protected. What else did she want?
Perhaps she wanted equality. A girl who grew up with people like Jane and Natalie, how could she not have a sense of pride? But then, if she was proud, why did Flora agree to be his lover?
Arthur couldn't understand. Perhaps only that woman who plunged into the sea could provide him with the answer. Unfortunately, there no longer was a chance to clarify things.
"I want to see Natalie," Arthur dialed Oliver's number. “She’s not at home.”
“Where did she go?” Arthur was eager to see Natalie.
Oliver sat on the couch, closed his eyes, and rubbed his nose bridge to ease the stress, feeling a bit weary. "The cemetery, for Flora's death anniversary."
Arthur was stunned for several seconds. He thought that after the turmoil of last night, nothing could stir his emotions anymore, as if his heart had already been riddled with holes. Left him feeling hollow and empty.
But it turns out there's always room for another cut. All these years, he couldn't believe Flora was dead without seeing her body. Was he wrong all along?
"Where? Today?" Arthur heard himself asking softly.
"The death anniversary was yesterday." Oliver thought of his past defense of Susan. "Sorry, Arthur."
Arthur felt surreal, and for a moment, he thought he must've misheard. Half self-mockery, half ridicule, he said, "You're actually apologizing?"
His older brother is such an arrogant person, and he knows it best. Even his own arrogance and self-centeredness are inherited from his brother.
"Taught by Natalie," Oliver couldn't help but laugh when he remembered how he couldn't reconcile with her without apologizing.
"If it wasn't for Natalie's words yesterday, I would probably still hate you," Arthur looked outside the ward and said, "But I've probably been wrong these past few years. It's my fault that things turned out this way between me and Flora. I'm sorry, brother."
For the past two years, Natalie and Jane have both come to visit Flora, and after paying their respects, they drove to Paykston High School to visit Flora's father.
Meanwhile, Arthur had to register at the security booth before entering the cemetery.
The security guard looked at the name and exclaimed, "You're here to see Flora? You're the third person in these few years to visit her. Two people just left an hour ago. Who is Flora to you?"
"...A friend," Arthur's voice had a subtle trace of choking, and after a pause, he asked, "Were her parents the ones who came to visit her?"
Right after Arthur asked, he felt something was off. Didn't Natalie come too?
"No, it was two young girls, friends of Flora's," the security guard said, "That poor girl in the tomb, she drowned. They couldn't retrieve the body. I heard she was pregnant when she died. Those two girls wanted to erect a monument for the child, but there was no such rule. You can't erect a monument for an unborn baby."
The security guard continued, "I also heard that Flora's mother fell seriously ill shortly after she received the news and followed suit. Only those two young girls have been coming to visit the grave these past two years. The girl even gave me a tip, saying that this girl liked daisies and if the flowers in front of the tomb withered, they should be replaced."
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