Reluctantly, Natalie nodded. “Okay, fine. I won’t go to the Turners.”
Brandon smiled at her obedience and couldn’t resist kissing her passionately. Natalie reciprocated, wrapping her arms around his neck. However, her rebellious nature wouldn’t let her give up so easily. She couldn’t simply abandon the idea; there was still hope. Although she promised Brandon not to approach Charis’s parents, she believed she could do something.
Over the next few days, Natalie began gathering information about the Turner family. She discovered that Catherine and Luke had neglected their family business due to Charis’s illness and subsequent death. Now, they were pouring all their efforts into making up for lost time.
With a glimmer of hope, Natalie decided to try her luck at the Turner Group.
Since Vivian moved into the Turner family home, she quickly became adored by the Turners. Her sweet and delightful way of talking brought joy to Catherine’s heart, easing the pain of losing their daughter, Charis. Both Catherine and Luke showed kindness towards Vivian and encouraged her to stay longer.
Over the past few days, Vivian had been driving Luke and Catherine to work. One morning during the ride, Catherine struck up a casual conversation with Vivian.
“Are you planning to come back and work here after you graduate?” Catherine asked, her voice filled with genuine interest. “I’m sure your career will thrive here. Besides, it would be wonderful if you visited us often. I love having you around, Vivian.”
Vivian, who reminded them so much of Charis, smiled and replied, “My graduation is still far off, but I’ll definitely come back when the time comes.”
Catherine grinned happily and turned to Luke, saying, “If you can’t find a job you like after graduation, you can always work for us. We have a media company and an energy company. There must be a suitable position for you, right, Luke?”
Surprised and delighted by the offer, Vivian couldn’t believe how smoothly things were going. She didn’t expect Catherine to ask her to work in the Turner Group so easily.
As the car pulled up in front of the Turner Group’s building, Vivian noticed a beautiful woman with long hair and light makeup standing at the entrance. It took her a moment to realize that it was Natalie, and she couldn’t help but smile faintly. Running into Natalie so soon was unexpected.
Luke and Catherine got out of the car, and Natalie quickly approached them. Catherine felt a sense of displeasure upon seeing Natalie, but she didn’t want to cause a scene in public.
“What can I do for you, Mrs. Larson?” Catherine asked politely, trying to maintain her composure.
“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Turner. I came to see you because I need your help,” Natalie said honestly, her voice filled with sincerity. “Brandon’s memory loss might have something to do with Charis… So I was wondering, Mrs. Turner, if I may visit your house? I want to take a look at your daughter’s phone and computer. I’m hoping to find some clues that’ll help Brandon regain his memory.”
Natalie bowed her head respectfully as she spoke, fully aware that coming to the Turners for help was not an easy decision for her. She wouldn’t have done it if she had any other option.
Catherine sneered, feeling anger rise within her. How dare Natalie come to them and ask such a foolish question? In Catherine’s eyes, Charis had died because of Natalie. Still grieving the loss of her daughter, Catherine couldn’t fathom why Natalie would approach her at a time like this.
“I don’t think we can do anything to help,” Catherine replied indifferently. “You should leave now. Sorry, but we can’t assist you.”
Catherine glanced at Luke, both of them seething with rage. Without wasting their breath on Natalie, they walked past her and entered the Turner Group’s office building.
“Mrs. Turner, I know you believe that I killed your daughter, so you have every right to be angry at me. But my husband did nothing wrong. Please help him, not me,” Natalie pleaded anxiously, following them.
Catherine looked back over her shoulder, sneering in disgust. “It’s good that you know you’re the one who killed my daughter. Because of you, she’ll never come back. Someday you’ll pay for what you’ve done, Natalie.”
Hearing Catherine’s words, Natalie sighed and backed off. She knew it was futile to continue begging them. Vivian, who had been observing the situation from the car, recognized Natalie but chose not to intervene. She only got out of the car once Natalie had left.
Following the Turners into the building, Vivian pretended to be unaware and asked tentatively, “Mr. and Mrs. Turner, who was that woman?”
Catherine’s anger flared up again at the mention of Natalie. “Natalie Larson,” she replied, her voice filled with disdain. Vivian looked in the direction Natalie had gone and gasped in feigned surprise.
“Oh, that was her? How dare she come to you!” Vivian exclaimed, playing along with Catherine’s emotions.
Catherine sneered indignantly. “She said she wanted to go to our house to check Charis’s things. I don’t know what she was up to. That woman is very scheming. If you ever meet her, be careful, okay?”
“Okay, Mrs. Turner,” Vivian nodded solemnly, knowing exactly what the Turners wanted to hear.
“The audacity of that girl! She killed Charis and then came to you for help? She’ll pay sooner or later!” She spoke with such disdain, knowing that this was exactly what the Turners wanted to hear.
Catherine’s trust in Vivian deepened as she listened to her words. It was clear that they shared the same goal – to bring Natalie, the murderer, to justice. Vivian knew that with each passing day, she was steadily earning the Turners’ trust. It was only a matter of time before she could take the next step in their plan.
“Natalie doesn’t deserve to live such a happy life after what she’s done,” Vivian stated firmly, her voice laced with determination. “We won’t rest until she pays for her crimes.”
Vivian vividly remembered her conversation with Charis, where she learned about Natalie’s desperate efforts to make Brandon fall in love with her. Determined to help Brandon regain his memory and seeking justice for Charis, Vivian knew she had to stay one step ahead of Natalie. She pondered on who Natalie might approach next and suddenly recalled a person Charis had mentioned before.
When Vivian spotted Allie Olson working at a coffee shop far from downtown, she decided to approach her. Ordering a latte, Vivian sat near the window, waiting for Allie to serve her. With a sweet smile, Vivian asked, “Excuse me, are you Allie Olson? Miss Turner often spoke about you to me.”
Allie’s face immediately tensed upon hearing Charis’s surname. Without uttering a word, she placed the coffee cup down, intending to leave. However, Vivian swiftly intervened, standing up and stopping her. Resting her cheek on her hand, Vivian maintained an approachable demeanor.
Having worked as Charis’s assistant for three years, Allie had been one of her trusted subordinates. Charis’s death had turned her life upside down, leaving her unemployed and constantly questioned about Charis wherever she went. Finding herself in this obscure coffee shop, encountering someone inquiring about Charis was highly suspicious.
“Don’t leave. Why don’t you sit down?” Vivian urged, noticing Allie’s intention to depart. Allie’s grip on the tray tightened, her knuckles turning white. Eventually, she turned to face Vivian, gritting her teeth and saying, “I don’t know her.”
Anticipating Allie’s guarded response, Vivian retrieved a credit card from her bag. Smiling brightly, she reassured, “Please calm down. I came here on behalf of Charis’s parents. They wanted to compensate you for your loyalty to Charis and apologize for the incident that led to your job loss.” Allie’s gaze fixated on the card on the table, her heart stirred. Awkwardly, she walked over to Vivian and sat opposite her, reaching for the card. Her expression softened, and her lower lip trembled slightly.
New Book: Beginning with a Daring Encounter
Celsie was tired of being labeled as an introvert, workaholic, and dull virgin by her friends. Determined to prove them wrong, she made a bet that she would do something daring on her 25th birthday. Now that the day had arrived, it was time to fulfill her promise. On her daring to-do list, there was one task: a one-night stand with someone.
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