Chapter 605 Natalie, You Don't Trust Me
Thus, the events of today unfolded.
Susan was plotting against someone, anxious not to become the Norton family's public enemy number one. That's why she orchestrated today's complex series of events.
"The first attempt was on the mountain," Natalie explained, unprompted. "She aimed to use a 'natural disaster,' a rockslide, to make sure Lucas was beyond recognition. But the driver's quick reflexes foiled her plan."
"Just now was the third attempt; she tried to induce a relapse in Lucas's leukemia with drugs. A relapse can be deadly, and we're miles from any hospital—if something happened, it'd be too late."
"There was even a second attempt in between—catching a cold from getting drenched could've increased Lucas's risk, given his condition."
Natalie looked up at Oliver and asked, "Oliver, you know who I'm talking about, right?"
"I do. Susan."
Her gaze fixed on him, Natalie said deliberately, "If she dares target Lucas again, I won't let her off easily."
"Why are you telling me this?" Oliver asked, lifting his hand to caress her face. "Natalie, after all this time, you still don't trust me."
“You should know by now, between you and Susan, I chose you.”
“From the beginning, it's always been you.”
Lilian sat on the bed, stunned, her eyes wide with fear.
"Scared?" Lucas walked over and patted her head.
It took a couple of seconds, but Lilian nodded honestly, "Aren't you scared? Someone's trying to kill you!"
Lucas was at a loss for words, unsure how to explain.
Having been through several rounds at death's door, especially during chemotherapy, with two critical condition notices already under his belt, surviving leukemia was like walking away from a death sentence.
Frankly, being targeted like this only highlighted his frail health.
If he hadn't been sick, would he have even been vulnerable to this opening?
"See, you're scared, and there's no shame in that. We're tight. You don't need to act tough for me," Lilian said with understanding, patting Lucas on the shoulder for comfort.
A question mark might as well have been floating above Lucas's head.
"Lilian, have you been working on your English? Getting cocky, aren't you?"
Lilian didn't catch the subtext, though she did think her English was improving.
"You hit the bed. I'll just catch some sleep at the desk," Lucas told her.
There was no couch here, but they had a new comforter because the landlady wanted to show the foreign girl that they lived just as well as anyone overseas, pulling out all the stops to impress.
"I just can't sleep," mused Lilian, a lightbulb going off in her head. She opened her bedroom door and called out to the bodyguard outside, "Could you check next door to see if Mr. Johnson has any booze?"
"Booze?" echoed the bodyguard.
"Yeah! Lucas and I could use a drink."
The bodyguard nodded in agreement.
A little while later, he returned with a bowl of apple cider and a bottle of whiskey
"We've got this apple cider and some whiskey. Which one do you want, Miss Lilian?"
"What in the world is this apple cider?" Lilian eyed it curiously, then waved her hand dismissively, "Bring them both in!"
The bodyguard set the items down and stepped out, closing the door behind him.
Lucas shot Lilian a skeptical glance. "You drink?"
"Don't underestimate me!"
"Alright, I respect you."
Lucas thought she must be shaken up. He remembered his own sister turning to alcohol after a dangerous encounter one night with Oliver. He figured maybe it was a thing with girls, seeking comfort in alcohol when scared.
Unscrewing the cap of the whiskey, Lucas took a whiff; the strong aroma hit him—this stuff must be potent.
He decided to serve Lilian a bowl of the apple cider, saying, "Stick with this."
"This is alcohol, too? It’s plainly apple juicy!" Lilian suspected Lucas was pulling her leg.
Half in doubt, she took a tentative spoonful, paused, and then closed her eyes as her eyebrows shot up.
"Delicious!" And she went in for more.
Lucas watched, amused, as her cheeks puffed up like a little hamster enjoying her snack.
She was getting more enthusiastic by the bite.
Less than half an hour later, Lucas's amusement had vanished.
The young girl drew out the syllables of his name, staggering on the concrete floor toward him.
Lucas sat in a wicker chair and just as he noticed something off about Lilian, she approached close enough for him to see her cheeks tinted a delicate pink, her eyes gleaming as if moist, radiantly staring at him.
A quick skip in his heart, Lucas asked, "Are you... are you drunk?"
Wasn’t she supposed to handle her liquor?
Lilian stopped a meter away, furrowing her brow in deep thought. "Am I drunk...?"
Lucas really wanted to reply with a "Yes."
"Maybe," Lilian nodded earnestly, acknowledging her state. Pointing at the apple cider near Lucas, she accused, "It's poisoned!"
Reading the teasing glint in Lucas's eyes, she pointed at his nose as if to challenge him.
But before she could make her case, her balance betrayed her. Stumbling forward, she pitched right towards Lucas.
Lucas sprang to his feet to catch her, the young girl appeared thin, but the force with which she bumped into him was no joke. Unbalanced, Lucas fell back into the wicker chair with her in his arms.
"Lily, are you alright? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?"
The person in his arms continued to sob quietly, her head still buried in his chest.
Lucas felt his eyelid twitch, as he hoisted her up and placed her to sit on his lap, his voice edged with concern, "Are you injured?"
He tried to remember if she had hit or bumped into anything.
"It! It tripped me!" Lily, pointing an accusing finger at the concrete floor, exclaimed righteously, "This ugly floor, it tripped me!"
Lucas couldn't help but think that this was perhaps the most undeserved blame a floor had ever received.
"You're just drunk, it didn't trip you," Lucas said, a hint of exasperation in his voice.
Her sobs amplified, no tears, just the sound of a child's whimpering. Her accusatory finger swung from the floor to Lucas. "Luc—Lucas, have you changed your heart? You don't like me anymore..."
"You...what are you talking about?" Lucas's smile froze, his heart skipped a beat, nervously locking eyes with Lily.
Could she have known about his feelings for her?
When had she realized?
What would her reaction be?
"You don't like me anymore, you like that stinking thing that tripped me! I fell and you blame me!" Lily said, sadly.
Lucas's emotions had been a rollercoaster ride in that short minute, leaving him almost speechless and in self-imposed isolation.
He had thought too much, assuming Lily could sense his feelings.
She's just so silly.
Lucas opened his mouth but couldn't find the words to comfort Lily, who insisted the floor was to blame. He soothed her the only way he could, "Yes, it's the floor's fault, it's naughty for tripping you."
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