Chapter 345
Half an hour later, the coffee shop felt unusually quiet. Natalie and Alexander sat across from each other, tension pressing in from all sides.
Natalie clung to her coffee cup, her fingers almost trembling. She kept her eyes locked on Alexander. “What is it you really want?” Her voice came out tight, wary.
Alexander took a slow sip of his coffee, looking calm. “I’m trying to find out the truth about the Billy Firth counterfeit mess p>
Natalie blinked in surprise. “You mean you weren’t behind it p>
He set his cup down and looked her straight in the eyes. “Did you really think I’d go after Billy Firth p>
“At the auction, you were clearly blocking things,” she shot back.
“That was only because I didn’t want Camila White to figure out what was happening p>
Natalie stared at him, not sure she’d heard right. “What did you just say p>
“I know everything,” Alexander said, his voice steady. “It was Camila. She orchestrated all of it. Except the counterfeits, though I’m starting to think she’s involved there too. That’s why I’ve been investigating on my own.” ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ.net
He paused for a moment before adding, “Nicholas told me he was threatened. Someone promised to cover his child’s medical bills if he swapped out the real enamel vase and left Cabinda right away. He did it for his kid. The only reason he came back was because he got a call saying you’d gone to his hometown. That person then stopped the child’s treatment for now, so the hospital had no records of them p>
So that’s what really happened.
“Who did he meet?” Natalie pressed.
Alexander shook his head. “Nicholas never saw his face. He only knows it was a middle-aged man with a deep voice, always wearing a hat and a mask p>
Natalie went quiet, searching Alexander’s face. After a moment, she spoke in a low voice. “That night at the winery, I didn’t push Camila She grabbed me and we both fell. The miscarriage it had nothing to do with me. And you you knew that, didn’t you p>
Sunlight drifted through the window, casting soft light over the nearly empty café. Calm music played in the background, but between them, the air felt heavy and close.
Alexander didn’t answer right away. He traced the edge of his cup, eyes never leaving Natalie. His voice was low when he finally spoke. “I knew p>
Natalie’s grip on her cup tightened even more, her eyes filling with disbelief. “You knew? And you still let me take all the blame p>
She remembered how lost she’d felt that night. Everyone had pointed fingers, everyone had doubted her, and he hadn’t said a word to defend her.
Her heart twisted painfully.
“It’s not that simple,” Alexander said softly, seeing the hurt in her reddening eyes. “I can’t tell you everything yet. I need real proof to reveal who Camila really is p>
“So you just let me be the scapegoat? Let me take every accusation and every insult p>
Natalie’s eyes shimmered with tears. She let out a hollow laugh.
“I never meant for you to be hurt,” Alexander said, guilt shadowing his features. He sounded almost frantic. “I just wanted to fix everything first- before explaining it at I never wanted to give you up. I never
wanted you to be hurt p>
“That’s enough.” Natalie dropped her gaze, tears slipping quietly down her cheek.
She bit her lip, trying to hold herself together.
After a long pause, she looked up again, her eyes cold and set. “You don’t need to get involved with the counterfeit case. I’ll find out who’s behind it myself. This is my fightst has nothing to do with you