Chapter528 It Will Get Better
Finally heaving a great sigh of relief, Natalie slumped to the floor, hugging her knees and burying her face in her arms.
“Mmm...” Her sobs came in waves, muffled against her arms.
It was hardly a shock to Natalie when Jane and Flora came storming into Maple Villa. Jane had been in Japan on a photographing trip, out of touch with local news. Only when she heard about the situation did she rush back. Meanwhile, Flora had been buried in her study, consumed by preparations for her debut solo fashion show after her recent competition win, virtually cut off from the outside world.
They couldn't have imagined the scale of trouble that brewed in just those few days.
The real problem was, Natalie hadn't breathed a word to them!
"Do you even consider us best friends anymore?" Jane's face was a mask of cold fury laced with concern.
"Sorry," Natalie apologized with her usual good temper, swinging the door open wider. "Come in and take a seat."
Jane, red-hot with anger, suddenly noticed how Natalie was walking. Her rage and frustration evaporated in an instant, replaced by a deep, aching empathy.
"Natalie..." Her gaze fixed on Natalie's legs. She had heard the rumors, but it was only now, seeing it firsthand, that she truly believed walking had become such a struggle for Natalie.
Jane and Flora locked eyes, having initially believed the news to be false—a gossip.
"You've probably heard what's going around. It seems like everyone knows," Natalie said with a casual shrug.
"What's Lucas's take?" Jane asked. Knowing him, if he found out what happened to his sister, he wouldn't want Natalie to be alone.
"He's doing an exchange at Oxford University. Busy, probably hasn't caught wind of this mess," Natalie admitted, a touch of guilt in her voice.
Jane gave a bitter smile and let out a resigned sigh.
"What will you have to drink?" Natalie asked, opening the fridge.
Luckily, she had ordered home delivery earlier that morning, stocking up on food and drinks.
"Wine," Jane replied tersely.
"There’s no wine."
Natalie grabbed her phone, "I'll order delivery. How about some pizza to go with it?"
"Nice job, big shot designer!" Natalie quipped with a laugh.
The red wine and pizza showed up in no time, and the three friends chatted as they ate.
"Where's Tina?" Natalie asked Flora.
"She's with Arthur for now. And no changing the subject, Natalie—we're here to talk about you today!"
Flora wasn’t up for discussing her own matters that day. With a child caught in the mix between her and Arthur, things weren’t so straightforward to untangle.
Flora fixed her with a cool expression.
"You see," Natalie said with a resigned smile, standing tall not far from her best friends, "my legs are actually fine. It's my heart that's hurt."
Those long, pale legs were stunning, nearly healed from the wounds on her shins, barely noticeable unless you looked closely.
"Jane, Flora, I'll get better. Don't worry about me," Natalie reassured them.
"So what happened with you and Oliver... Why the sudden divorce?" Jane asked, "Did he ask for the divorce because of your leg?"
Even when a socialite falls from grace, her spirit and pride stay unbroken.
Natalie shook her head, "I'm the one who filed for divorce."
Jane nodded, "Well, Oliver deserved to be dumped then. Men are no good, anyway!"
"Natalie, remember you've still got me, Jane, Lucas, Tina..." Then Flora embraced Natalie.
Flora had always been perceptive. She recalled during Paris Fashion Week, Oliver had shown up to see Natalie at the big show.
Flora hadn't made a public appearance that night, but her best friend, decked out in her own designer gown, wouldn’t miss the chance to grace the prestigious stage. Oliver had stood in the back row of the audience, watching from a distance.
Flora saw a shine in Natalie’s eyes—the same kind of tenderness and aspiration she had once seen when she looked at Arthur.
The look in someone's eyes doesn't lie—Natalie had loved Oliver, at least at some point.
"Jane, Flora, with my leg the way it is, I've been dropped by a bunch of brands and studios. Guess I'm staring at a fresh start," Natalie quipped, swirling her drink to change the subject. She smirked, "You two better keep up the good work—you might have to support me down the line!"
"I'm not subsidizing your life—I've got my daughter's future to fund!" Flora said with a playful tone.
She executed a gracious, aristocratic bow before Natalie, her smile gentle and inviting. "Miss Watson, when the time comes for your grand return, might I have the honor of featuring you as the opening and closing model for my debut solo show?"
"My savings are earmarked for my brother's hospital bills!" Jane deftly shifted the conversation, lifting an eyebrow mischievously. "But I will forever be Miss Watson's go-to photographer, pro bono!"
Jane had risen to prominence among her photography peers, and despite some in the domestic industry trying to stigmatize her with The Watkins’ bankruptcy rumors, blocking collaborations, her international demand was soaring. High-profile magazines and celebrities eagerly sought her out.
Yet, Jane’s passion was capturing landscapes; her portrait work was in high demand.
"What if my leg doesn't heal anytime soon?" Natalie's eyes welled up with tears.
It felt like the industry had moved on without her. In this fast-paced world, her star had been eclipsed, her halo passed on. Rivals didn’t hesitate to tarnish her reputation to secure their own standing.
"How can it not get better?" Flora said, "Even if it doesn't get better, the runway and show clothes that belong to you won't be given to anyone else."
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