Chapter 834 Natalie's Moment of Fear
The security guards of the Windsor family have always maintained a specific protocol. Regardless of how many individuals were in their party, only two guards would accompany their charge into an elevator to prevent overcrowding.
"Let's go to the parking lot," Natalie suggested. She was visibly anxious.
"Natalie, what's wrong?" one of the bodyguards asked as she pressed the button for the basement floor.
Before Natalie could reply, the elevator, which had been descending steadily, jerked unexpectedly. The lights inside flickered twice, casting eerie shadows.
The bodyguards exchanged a swift glance and positioned themselves protectively around Natalie. As they did so, the lights went out completely, and the elevator began to drop at a terrifying speed!
Natalie's scream echoed in the enclosed space, her voice filled with terror as she clutched at her stomach.
"Natalie, kneel down! Bow your head!"
The bodyguards shouted instructions, one shielding her body, the other her head.
At that moment, realization dawned on Natalie—the phone call from the so-called hospital had been a hoax. This was all a setup. If there had truly been an incident involving Lucas at school, his teacher would have contacted her first, not the hospital. Her realization, however, came too late, filling her with a cold dread.
As the elevator neared the bottom, it decelerated sharply, an overwhelming force slowing its fall.
Natalie felt as if the weight of the world was pressing down on her as she stumbled forward. Fortunately, she was protected by her bodyguards.
With a loud bang, the elevator struck the bottom and halted. The sudden deceleration had prevented a catastrophic fall, but the impact was still severe. Even in a kneeling position, Natalie felt her legs grow numb from the force of the impact.
"Natalie, are you okay?" one of the bodyguards asked worriedly.
"I'm all right," she replied after a moment, her voice low and tinged with fear, "I was just frightened."
She gulped. Her throat was parched from the ordeal, and her heart was still racing. After a beat, she asked, "Are any of you injured?"
"No," both bodyguards responded in unison.
The sudden deceleration they experienced was likely due to the emergency braking system, a feature designed to activate protective measures if the elevator moved too fast. This detail underscored the difference between high-quality elevators and standard ones.
The constructors of the building, aware that their target clientele included wealthy people, had invested heavily in the purchase, installation, and maintenance of these elevators to avoid potential accidents and costly compensation claims. Today, that investment had saved Natalie and the bodyguards's lives.
Natalie had fallen from the seventh floor. Although she was miraculously uninjured, it was uncertain if the baby was affected.
One of the bodyguards pressed the emergency call button.
As Natalie regained her composure, her first thought was to contact Oliver, but she realized that the elevator had also blocked the mobile signal.
"Natalie, whom would you like to call?" the bodyguard asked, offering a communicator, "We can reach Jamie and Collin through this."
"Just call Oliver," Natalie said.
The bodyguard swiftly relayed the message.
"Collin, this is 027. Natalie needs to speak with Oliver."
Seconds later, the bodyguard adjusted his wrist communicator and removed his earpiece to allow the sound to fill the space, making it easier for Natalie to hear.
"Natalie?"
Oliver's deep and resonant voice, which carried a hint of tenderness that was exclusive to her, rang in the air.
The sound of his voice, usually a comfort, now brought tears to her eyes. She hesitated, afraid that speaking might reveal her fear and worry Oliver unnecessarily. She knew that she only needed to wait for rescue.
"Why are you using this to contact me? Where is your phone?" Oliver asked.
"No signal," Natalie managed to say, keeping her reply brief to maintain her composure.
"Aren't you supposed to be doing a shoot now? Why is there no signal?" Oliver asked again, perplexed.
"I don't know. There's just no signal," she insisted quickly, "I'm nearly done with work, I'll be back soon."
After her words, silence fell, leaving Natalie to wonder if the call had dropped or if there was a power issue.
The bodyguard checked the communicator. It was functioning perfectly. Their signals were internal and exclusive, designed to never fail.
"Natalie, where are you?" Oliver asked again. This time, he sounded worried. Not receiving a reply, he barked urgently, "Natalie, speak!"
At that moment, voices echoed from above the elevator.
"Natalie! Are you guys inside?"
"Natalie! If you hear me, please reply!"
"Natalie! Speak up!"
"Natalie! Don't scare me."
Hearing the commotion, the female bodyguard responded. "Yes, we're inside... Natalie is okay for now, but she's not looking too well... Hurry up."
At this moment, Oliver had already been informed of what had happened. It was clear he had been informed during the minutes of silence earlier. Perhaps Lilian, Emily, or other bodyguards had notified him.
"I... I'm in the elevator," Natalie managed to say, her voice weak. She heard a voice calling out to Oliver on the other end of the line.
"Oliver, don't worry, I'm fine, I'm safe, I..." she began, attempting to reassure him.
"Why are you crying?" Oliver interjected.
Stunned, Natalie realized that her vision was blurred and her cheeks were damp.
"I'm a bit scared," she confessed, lowering her gaze and awkwardly smiling, "Oliver, I'm really afraid that something might happen to our baby."
"Wait for me," he replied.
Oliver did not end the call until Natalie calmed down. Then, she instructed the bodyguards to update Emily and Lilian about their situation.
"Natalie, are you really okay?" the bodyguard asked, looking at her with concern.
"I didn't lie, you can rest assured," Natalie replied. Despite her fatigue, she maintained a semblance of composure, knowing that showing discomfort could add stress to those around her.
The bodyguard nodded but still relayed a request to the male bodyguards outside to make preparations to go to the hospital, just in case.
As they spoke, the elevator began to move slowly upward again, swaying slightly as it reached a certain height before coming to a stop.
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