Chapter 76 She Doesn't Care
Gabriel's gaze was icy, his voice matching the chill as he lifted his head slightly. "Your actions are not easily forgotten," he said, his tone devoid of warmth. "I have no authority to accept your apology on Natalie's behalf. She doesn't care for your apology."
Alyssa's expression of shock did not go unnoticed by Gabriel, but he chose to ignore it. "What are you waiting for?" he demanded, his voice clipped. "Drive!"
"Yes, Mr. Kensington," the driver responded promptly, not daring to hesitate. The car roared to life and pulled away, leaving Alyssa standing rigidly on the spot.
As she watched the vehicle recede into the distance, the hurt in her eyes slowly gave way to a simmering anger. 'I've only been away for a short while,' she thought bitterly. 'Why has Gabriel become so cold towards me? He even defended Natalie. That woman must be quite something.'
In a fit of anger, Alyssa whipped out her phone, dialed a number, and spoke in a gentle voice. "Is Angela there? I'm back."
Meanwhile, Ulysses was overseas, Victor was on a business trip, and Yves had insisted on accompanying Natalie home.
The two walked hand in hand to the door, Natalie voicing her reluctance. "The housekeeper has already cleaned your house in anticipation of your return. Why do you insist on staying with me?"
Yves gave her ear a playful pinch, wishing he could lift her up as he used to when she was a child. "Resistance is futile. It's been so long since I've stayed in my own house that it feels strange. I'm staying here with you."
With a sigh of resignation, Natalie opened the door and input Yves's fingerprint. Yves strode in, nodding in satisfaction at the understated elegance of the decor. The diamond starlight lamp overhead cast a warm glow, perfectly complementing Natalie's preferred Moresque style.
"This is impressive," he remarked. "It's clearly the work of the renowned interior designer Eric Baylor. No wonder you've ignored Dad's pleas to return home."
Ignoring Yves's last comment, Natalie poured herself a glass of water and retorted, "Of course, I chose the best designer. I can afford it."
Yves snorted in response, dismissing her comment. He moved to undress, intent on taking a bath. "Don't disturb me while I'm soaking," he warned. Suddenly, he let out a startled yell. "Damn! Starshadow!"
Natalie hesitated for a moment before rushing in. Starshadow was frolicking in the pool, clearly enjoying himself. Yves's shouts seemed to have no effect on the creature.
Upon seeing Natalie, Starshadow's eyes lit up. He bounded out of the water and pounced towards her, his demeanor completely transformed.
"Mommy, I missed you," Starshadow said.
Natalie took a step back, holding up a hand. "Stop!"
Starshadow froze, suddenly aware of his wet state. He shook off the water droplets and trotted over to Natalie. "I smell good," he declared.
Yves stood in shock, struggling to find words. "Why isn't it in the zoo? Did you buy the zoo?" After a moment of silence, he asked, "Can your Starshadow talk?"
Natalie couldn't help but laugh at his confusion. 'If someone says Yves is the dumbest person, that person really isn't wrong about Yves,' she thought. Yves frowned, pondering for a few seconds before realization dawned.
Pointing at Starshadow, he exclaimed, "It's fake!"
Starshadow wagged its tail indignantly. "I'm a real Starshadow!" it protested.
Natalie squatted down and stroked Starshadow. It was completely dry - was this a feature of its built-in intelligence system?
She picked up Starshadow, turned to Yves, and raised her eyebrows in a triumphant smirk. "This is Starshadow, my beloved pet. It's a one-of-a-kind, so don't provoke it, or it might bite you."
As Natalie walked away, Starshadow made a biting motion towards Yves from her shoulder. It thought it looked fierce and intimidating, but Yves found it too cute.
"Natalie, you're amazing," he said. "Others keep cats, dogs, or even monkeys, but you dare to keep a Starshadow. And such a cute one at that."
Natalie placed Starshadow on the sofa. It slowly made its way to a pile of scarves, curled up on one, and looked at her. "That man looks handsome, but his IQ is too low," it commented.
Natalie suppressed a smile, thinking, 'Even a Starshadow can see through Yves's IQ. He's such a failure, isn't he?'
"Do you like this scarf?" Natalie asked Yves, noticing its preference for the fabric. "I can buy more for you to sleep on."
With that, she took out her phone and dialed the number of a brand store. "Do you have any new Hermes scarves in stock?" she asked.
The sales assistant, not having heard from Natalie in a while, momentarily forgot who was on the line. "Yes, we have ten of the latest limited editions and thirteen collector's items. They are all very popular and classic, but they're quite pricey. Where do you plan to use them?"
Natalie thought for a moment before responding decisively, "I need all the styles. Please deliver them directly to my house. My pet likes to sleep on them."
