Chapter 252
Natalie sat trembling, her breath coming in quick, uneven bursts. The room was so quiet, she could almost hear the pounding of her own heart.
Alexander pulled away from their kiss. He touched her shoulder, his hand gentle, his eyes filled with a kind of sadness that hurt to see. “Tomorrow, I’ll make sure you have the best bodyguards with you,” he said quietly.
He hadn’t arranged them openly before, worried she’d protest. Instead, he’d had Bruce send someone to watch over her from the shadows. And look where that had led them.
Regret and fear flickered across his face. If Benjamin had been even more twisted, or if Alexander hadn’t made it in time… If anything truly awful had happened to Natalie, he didn’t even want to imagine it.
She understood right away. He was scared.
“Benjamin’s been caught, but… will he get out?” she asked softly, glancing over her shoulder.
Alexander finished smoothing ointment onto her back, then tugged her robe gently into place. His voice was cold, sharp enough to send a chill down her spine. “He’s only getting out in a body bag p>
Benjamin White was never going to see the light of day again.
Natalie stared at him for a moment. “Since I’m safe now, do we really need the bodyguards?” It would be so obvious, and even if they tried to keep it low-key, she hated the feeling of being watched.
Alexander recapped the ointment and set it aside. “Alright. In that case, I’ll drive you to work myself every day. That way, I’ll know you’re safe p>
She just stared at him, speechless. That was definitely not going to happen. What would people think if he showed up at her office every day?
“Actually… maybe the bodyguards are better,” she said quickly. A hidden security detail was way less embarrassing than Alexander making an appearance at her job every morning.
Alexander smiled, just a little. “Good.” He bent down to tie the belt at her waist, then looked up, noticing her damp hair. “Let me dry your hair p>
“I can do it myself,” she said, her face still burning.
He just shrugged and smiled.
Natalie glanced at her reflection and winced at how red her cheeks looked. Sitting there in nothing but a bathrobe just fert too exposed hurried to dry her hair and thought about calling Arianna to bring her some clothes.
But when she stepped out, there was already a fresh set of clothes laid out neatly on the bed. Everything was there, from underwear to pajamas. She picked them up and realized the fit her perfectly Alexander really did move fast. He’d even picked out styles she actually liked.
After getting dressed, she went downstairs to find Alexander waiting in the dining room. The table was set with a few simple, light dishes.
“You have wounds. You shouldn’t eat anything spicy,” he said, pulling out her chair for her.
Natalie realized she was actually starving. She wasn’t picky about food, and she could eat just about anything, but tonight she didn’t care about flavor—she just wanted to eat.
Alexander barely touched his own meal, spending most of the dinner putting food on her plate and making sure she was comfortable.
Later that night, Natalie started towards the guest room, but Alexander stopped her. “I’ll be busy tonight. I won’t come into the master bedroom. You can sleep, don’t worry p>
He had meetings and reports to go through, and she knew he’d be working late. She didn’t argue.
In the middle of the night, she woke alone in the huge bed, feeling thirsty. She sat up, planning to get a drink, but then noticed a glass of water on the nightstand. She picked it up—it was still warm.
Natalie just sat there, holding the
glass, lost in thought. They’d moved
into this villa a year after their Fınd the newest release on
wedding, at a time when things
between them were already cold. All
her memories here were
tinged with
sadness, right up until she left for England. But now, with Alexander’s quiet care and all the little things he did for her, those dark memories started to feel distant, almost like someone else’s life.
She couldn’t deny it any longer. Deep down, she still loved him.
But she wondered, could she really trust him again?