Chapter 191 I Lost the Ring
Natalie and Mia walked back into the room, and the chatter and laughter picked up again, like nothing had happened. Everyone knew Natalie's status, so no one dared to push her to drink. After some small talk, they left.
Feeling a bit tired, Natalie headed to the balcony. It was quiet and elegant there. Through the window, she could see the shimmering lake in the distance and smell the flowers.
Just as she started to relax, she heard footsteps. "Natalie, what are you doing here?"
It was Leo.
Her relaxed expression turned into a glare. "Do I need your permission to be here?"
Why was he so nosy?
Leo took a deep breath and decided to speak up for Gabriel. "That's not what I meant. I wanted to ask, Natalie, why didn't you give that watch to Gabriel? He waited for you all night on his birthday, and you never showed up."
Natalie sneered and looked at him silently.
"When did she ever say the watch was for Gabriel? Ridiculous!" Natalie shot back. "Leo, where do you get your confidence from? Why should I go to someone else's birthday party? Why should I give a gift to someone I hate?"
Didn't they get it?
Leo was about to respond when he noticed a shadow behind the curtain. The familiar height and build—it was Gabriel.
Leo's mouth dropped open, his eyes flashing with shock and regret.
Gabriel asked, "Do you hate me?"
With that one sentence, Natalie's body stiffened, and she looked back in surprise.
Gabriel stood silently beside her, hidden by the large curtain, making her completely unaware of his presence.
Gabriel looked at her with a complex expression, his voice unexpectedly calm.
Natalie turned her gaze away, slightly curling her lips. "I thought my dislike was pretty obvious. Seems like Mr. Kensington didn't notice?"
Since he had already heard, there was no point in hiding it. She might as well admit it. At least they'd both be clear about it.
Leo stood there, feeling extremely embarrassed. He regretted coming over to ask these questions. How great it would be if none of this had happened. He coughed, closed his eyes silently, and left the scene. This was a nightmare!
Gabriel stared intently at Natalie's profile, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Did she hate him? The thought was truly agonizing. And did she have no grounds for such feelings? No, she undoubtedly had reasons to harbor resentment towards him. Gabriel was starting to hate himself, too.
There were no outsiders around, and no one would deliberately eavesdrop on their conversation. Gabriel curled his lips in a self-deprecating smile. "Natalie, no matter what I do, you probably won't forgive me, right?"
Natalie glanced at him, slightly surprised. She seemed to catch a hint of sadness in his eyes. She must have been mistaken. How could Gabriel be sad because of her? She shouldn't hope for that.
She scoffed, "Mr. Kensington, we can never be friends. You want my forgiveness to make yourself feel better, but why should you do this to me?"
Natalie smiled, her smile tinged with coldness. "Why should you feel better? You need to feel as miserable as I did for it to count as an apology!"
Could a simple apology erase all her pain from the past three years? That was too ridiculous! She wouldn't give him any chance, and she didn't want to wish him well. Natalie selfishly thought he should be destitute!
Gabriel's jaw tightened instantly, his gaze deep as the ocean, with a darkness that seemed impenetrable. The apology stuck in his throat felt too cheap to say. He was silent for a few seconds, his eyes flickering, his voice hoarse and deep. "Natalie, I'm sorry I lost the ring."
He was deeply sorry; that was the beginning of her despair. Natalie paused slightly, realizing he was talking about losing the ring, her face darkening. She glanced at him, her lips curling into a cold, piercing smile. "I know, you lost it on purpose."
