Chapter 054 An Impossible Recognition
He strode toward the liquor cabinet, pouring himself a half glass of potent spirits, which he promptly downed in a single, forceful gulp. The alcohol was harsh, burning a trail down his throat. In a fit of frustration, his fist collided with the wall, the pain a stark reminder of his earlier loss of control.
He had allowed himself to be swayed by a woman driven by greed and vanity, a woman who had attempted to drug him in a desperate bid to reclaim her place in his bed.
As dawn broke the following morning, Natalie departed. Sleep had eluded her throughout the long, restless night. As she made her way out of Bayview Villa, Adrian observed her from the vantage point of his second-floor study window. He found himself wondering why she was so eager to leave.
He shrugged it off. Her manipulative tactics no longer held sway over him.
Adrian shut the window, reminding himself that Natalie was nothing more than a maid, and he had no reason to concern himself with her. Yet, his hands slowly clenched into fists, as if he could still detect the faint scent of cherry blossoms that had once bewitched him. It was Natalie's scent, a scent he had once detected on Alice. But they were not the same person...
The aftermath of her miscarriage had taken a toll on Natalie's health. She spent several days bedridden at home before she began to feel a semblance of improvement. She knew she couldn't afford to be ill; Rosalie still needed her.
Following a check-up at the hospital, Natalie wandered to the small garden situated behind the inpatient unit. It was a place she and Rosalie had frequented almost daily. She found herself wondering about Rosalie's wellbeing.
Avery had informed her that Rosalie's kidney transplant surgery was scheduled for the following day, but she had refused to allow Natalie to visit her mother. With a heavy heart, Natalie ambled along the edge of the artificial lake.
Suddenly, she noticed a figure nearly walking into the lake. "Careful!" she exclaimed.
Rushing over, Natalie steadied the person. "There's an artificial lake in front of you..."
"Thank you..." came the gentle response.
To Natalie's surprise, it was Claire. She hadn't anticipated running into Claire here.
Claire, leaning on Natalie for support, failed to recognize her. With a sigh of relief, she explained, "Thank you. I had an eye surgery a few days ago, and my vision hasn't fully recovered; I can't see clearly. The hospital room was so dull, I wanted to take a walk. If it weren't for you, I might have fallen into the lake."
"Are your eyes feeling better?" Natalie asked, her voice unusually hoarse for reasons she couldn't comprehend.
"Much better. In a few days, I should regain my sight," Claire replied, her smile reaching her voice. She found the wrist she was holding oddly familiar. With her sight compromised, her hearing had become incredibly acute. Tentatively, she asked, "Are you Alice?"
Natalie struggled to hold back her tears. They had only met once, and Claire remembered her voice. But Natalie couldn't reveal her true identity to Claire.
"My name is Natalie. I'll take you back to your room; it's not safe for you to be out here alone."
"Natalie..." Claire repeated, confusion clouding her voice. She was certain she hadn't mistaken the voice. Yet, if it were Alice, she would have recognized her.
Choosing not to dwell on it, she smiled, "Thank you, but I'm going to stay outside a bit longer. It's too boring in the hospital room. If I go back now, I'll definitely not be able to come out again."
Hearing Claire's words, Natalie found herself thinking of Adrian. Given Adrian’s character, he would never allow Claire to do something so risky. She hesitated for a moment before taking Claire's arm. "I'll stay with you then. Otherwise, it's too dangerous."
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