Chapter 485
Natalie looked at him with a puzzled expression, a habit she'd picked up lately to remain silent whenever possible.
Oliver felt as if his chest was filled with straw that had been piling up over time, now set ablaze by a fierce fire, leaving him with a rage that had nowhere to go and ultimately transformed into a deep sense of heartache.
He knew better than anyone how much Natalie loved the spotlight and pursued her dreams. Yet, she risked her legs in a calculated gamble against Susan.
"You don't trust me to stand up for you, so you used yourself as a pawn in your game with Susan."
'Trust issues?' Natalie realized she'd never really considered the question.
"I just... wanted to be absolutely sure," Natalie said, her gaze dropping to her toes. "Oliver, I don't know much about your past with Susan. I've heard all sorts of rumors, versions, and speculations…"
"Natalie, just admit it. You don't trust me!" Oliver interrupted with a cold fury, his piercing gaze as if trying to burn her with the intensity of his anger.
Beneath the anger, there seemed to be a hint of hurt feelings. She could have simply leaned on him.
"Oliver, you and Susan have a long history together since your youth, she saved you, and the bond you share over the years... I can't just risk that," Natalie empathized. "Just like Jane and Flora, who've stood by me through thick and thin over the years, they're a part of me I cannot bear to cut off."
Natalie knew Oliver was affluent and powerful, yet had intimate friends, and Susan was one of the few women close to him. She held a unique place in his life.
Oliver watched Natalie in silence, his gaze profound, speechless for a long time.
This wasn't like the Rosewood Estate, devoid of sprawling greenery and rustling wind. Instead, a neighbor's kitten meowed somewhere in the background.
"Take off your clothes," Oliver suddenly said.
Natalie's heart tightened, about to question his intentions when she saw him holding her scar treatment ointment.
He intended to treat her wounds.
"I can do it myself," she said.
"Natalie, if you truly want to ruin your leg, I can help you," Oliver gritted his teeth, holding back his anger.
He used to tend to her wounds multiple times while they were living at the Rosewood Estate. Afterward, she'd take care of it herself whenever he was out, or she'd ask the house staff for assistance. Now, Natalie's leg wasn't healing as well as they'd hoped, and Oliver felt apprehensive every time she turned around too quickly.
He worried she might strain her leg further whenever she twisted her body.
"Your leg belongs to you," Oliver reminded her.
Natalie pursed her lips in acknowledgment. Yes, it was her leg, her problem to deal with, and her diminished chances of returning to the catwalk...
As she undressed, the chill in the air grazed her skin, causing an involuntary shiver.
Oliver adjusted the thermostat to warm up the room.
The ointment's scent began to permeate the air as he applied it, his brow furrowing. He disliked the medicinal smell on her, covering her natural scent and reminding both of them of her injury.
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