Chapter 593 Caring for You
With suspicion in her heart, Natalie returned to her room wanting to see if Oliver was as fixated on her as Lilian had claimed, "like he couldn't take his eyes off her."
But from the moment she got out of the car, Oliver hadn’t said a word to her, his gaze was nowhere to be found.
Natalie didn’t catch even a single direct look from Oliver!
Before entering the bathroom, Natalie’s peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the perfume she had sprayed that day, feeling an unexpected sense of loss.
The morning had started with such a good atmosphere between them, but now...
Natalie cast a glance toward the balcony, where she could only catch a glimpse of Oliver's right side from where she stood. He leaned against the railing, one knee bent, a cigarette nestled between his fingers, his silhouette tinged with a hint of melancholy.
A ring of smoke escaped his lips, diffusing into the air.
Natalie knew Oliver wasn't actually addicted to smoking; it was more of a response to fatigue and frustration.
She felt anxious and at a loss for how to defuse the current situation. She decided to take a shower, hoping it might help her gather her thoughts.
Only after she finished did she realize...
She had forgotten to bring a change of clothes.
The bathroom offered only towels, no robe. Her robe was still hanging in the closet in the bedroom.
"Oliver" She caught herself before saying more, remembering the tiff she was in with Oliver. It didn't seem right to ask him for her clothes, least of all her undergarments.
And she just... couldn't bring herself to do it.
Wrapped in a towel, Natalie cracked the bathroom door open, peeking out cautiously.
After looking around a few times, she saw no sign of Oliver and heard no sound in the room.
She guessed he might still be on the balcony smoking or he might have left the room. She could make a dash for it, grab her clothes, and hurry back to the safety of the bathroom.
With this plan in mind, Natalie took a deep breath and bolted out!
She froze mid-step.
Oliver looked at her with a questioning expression, and Natalie was silent.
There he sat, on the armchair working through his emails, perfectly positioned in her blind spot earlier.
Still in his day's suit, a pair of blue light-blocking glasses perched on his nose, his right hand resting on his laptop's trackpad, he looked up at her.
He gave her a quick, almost imperceptible, raise of an eyebrow.
Natalie shuffled uncomfortably, adjusting her towel.
Even wrapped in a towel, she felt awkwardly exposed, especially compared to Oliver's well-dressed, disheveled elegance. She wished she could just disappear.
"Um... I... I forgot to bring my clothes into the bathroom, and there's no robe... It wasn't, I didn't mean to just come out like this..."
She fiddled with her fingers quietly, and without waiting for Oliver to respond, she walked swiftly towards her suitcase to grab some clothes.
Behind her, she heard footsteps.
"Why didn't you ask me to help you fetch them?" Oliver asked from a short distance away.
In the past, whenever Natalie had forgotten clothes while showering, Oliver would always be the one to get them for her.
Natalie's movements paused momentarily, wordless as she gathered her fresh clothes and stood up, striding quickly back into the bathroom.
Oliver's expression turned serious.
By the time Natalie emerged, freshly dressed, Oliver was nowhere to be found in the suite.
She found herself inexplicably walking to the balcony.
The air on the balcony was clear; the smell of smoke had dissipated, but she noticed seven or eight cigarette butts in the ashtray nearby.
All smoked by him just a while ago.
Oliver didn't return by the time she fell asleep.
Worried about his safety, Natalie couldn't fall asleep until the man returned to the room. She finally relaxed, sleepiness washing over her.
Mocking herself for worrying about Oliver's safety when there were so many vigilant security guards from the Windsor family around, she realized she was being overly anxious.
Her last coherent thought before fully succumbing to sleep was:
Did he not want to share a bed with her anymore? Was that why he hadn't returned? Maybe he went out to ask for another room. But that would mean he wouldn't have come back, right?
She felt inexplicably frustrated and slightly wronged, knowing full well she had no reason or right to feel that way.
And with that, she drifted off to sleep.
The woman's breathing softened and evened out as she lay in bed.
Putting aside his tablet, Oliver changed into his pajamas and quietly slipped back into bed.
The night was cool.
In the previous days, Natalie had grown accustomed to sharing a bed with Oliver; her body now instinctively seeking warmth.
Seeing Natalie's tendency to snuggle closer, Oliver, who had been sullen for hours, finally brightened a bit. He opened his arms, waiting for her to cuddle into his embrace.
A slight smile curled at the corner of his lips.
The next morning...
Barrett saw Natalie and Oliver at the breakfast nook and, while Oliver was away, he sidled up to her and whispered, "Natalie, did you and Oliver really have a fight?"
Natalie gave him a cool glance.
Barrett felt like he was being scrutinized as if he were a gossip.
He hurriedly explained, "Don't get me wrong, it’s not that I'm nosy... Okay, maybe a little, but everyone else is super curious too. I was just pushed to the frontline to ask."
Mr. Barrett didn't hesitate to throw his buddies under the bus.
"If you're already cannon fodder, how could you expect to get an answer?" Natalie played along with his metaphor.
Barrett had a dejected expression, "Come on, Natalie, lay it on me if you have to, but at least give me a chance to make my case, right?"
Natalie swept a quick glance around the room, catching several people off-guard. They began fumbling to avert their eyes, pretending to be engrossed in their meals, chatting with their companions, or absorbed in their smartphones—a couple even feigned picking at their nails.
"Everyone saw what happened. Their assumptions are probably correct," Natalie said nonchalantly.
Barrett smirked, "A few months back we all thought you and Oliver were done for good. But here we are at this couples' retreat, and not only are you sharing a bed, but you're also publicly displaying your affection with kisses... Tell me, does that sound like a divorced couple to you?"
"Is there such a thing as a fake divorce?"
Natalie was at a loss for how to explain her current relationship with Oliver—it was a mess.
Barrett mumbled to himself, "I don't know if it's real or not, but you two sure don't look like you're divorced."
But Barrett was a coward at heart and he dared not voice his thoughts, fearing Natalie's reprimand.
"So what did you do to tick off Oliver?" Barrett persisted.
Natalie rolled her eyes, "Why do you assume I'm the one who angered him? Oliver has always been hot-tempered, who knows what set him off this time."
That's where Barrett had to disagree, "I'll admit Oliver's not the easiest guy to get along with, but he rarely loses his temper without a good reason. It's undignified. I've known him for years, and he only ever gets really angry with you."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"What else? Because he cares about you!"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
