Chapter 319
The bright, sterile light made Natalie squint until her eyes watered. She tried to get her bearings, blinking away the blurriness. By the window, Alexander stood tall and silent. He looked like he’d been carved from stone, completely untouched by the warmth of the morning.
Natalie remembered the last thing she’d heard before she passed out. Arianna’s voice, calm and worried. But now, the room was empty except for Alexander. Her throat burned when she spoke. “Where’s Arianna p>
She winced at how rough her voice sounded. It felt like she’d swallowed sandpaper.
Alexander didn’t move from his spot, the sunlight behind him making it impossible to read his face. “There was an emergency at work. She had to go handle it,” he said, his tone flat.
Natalie recalled Arianna mentioning a big project. She’d been running herself
ragged lately, and Natalie knew she’d already taken up too much of Arianna’s time. If the office called, it had to be about the project.
“Oh,” Natalie said, the word coming out small. She lay there quietly for a moment before she managed, “Thank you for bringing me to the hospital p>
Arianna wasn’t here. The first person Natalie saw when she woke up was Alexander. She didn’t need to ask how she’d gotten here. He must have brought her and waited until she came around.
The realization left her with a tangle of emotions she couldn’t quite sort out.
Alexander turned away from the window and walked to the end of her bed. His voice was as cold as ever. “Don’t thank me. I only stayed because I have something else to say p>
Natalie’s breath caught. She looked up at him, searching his eyes for any sign of warmth, but all she found was distance.
“What is it?” she asked quietly.
He slipped his hands into the pockets of his suit pants, his lips barely moving. “Your penance isn’t over. I’ve changed my mind. The White Group is opening an auction house. You’re going to handover all your contacts and resources to
Camila. After that, I’ll leave Billy Firth alone p>
His words hit her like a sheet of ice, each one colder than the last.
Natalie gripped the bedsheet so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her voice shook.
“You want me to give everything I’ve built to Camila White p>
Billy Firth was famous worldwide,
ve
but in Asia, they were nobodies. The buyers here loved old Chinese antiques. As the new branch, they couldn’t count on the parent company for much. Every single connection, whether with collectors or buyers, Natalie had chased down herself, sometimes dragging her team along for endless meetings and introductions.
No one knew how many doors had slammed in her face, or how many sellers had sneered at her just for being a woman. They doubted she could and the big deals, laughed at her behind her back, and treated her like she’d never succeed. Only
Natalie knew how he’d worked
to prove them wrong, to earn their trust, to make them see her as an equal.
Now Alexander wanted her to just hand it all over to Camila, like it was nothing.
He stepped closer, looming over her. His eyes were still as cold as ever. “Give it all to Camila. That’s what you owe her p>
“I don’t owe her anything p>
Natalie glared up at him, the pain in her chest making it hard to breathe. She fought to keep her voice steady, but her words came out sharp. “Alexander Ramirez, is there anything you wouldn’t do to make Camila White happy? If she wanted my life, would you give that to her too p>
For a moment, something flickered in Alexander’s eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. He laughed quietly, his voice full of contempt.
“Your life? Natalie Watson, you give yourself too much credit. Your life means nothing.” ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ.net