Before getting into the car, Johanna turned to her daughter and reiterated, “I’ve said this before. But if you are wronged in any way, you must tell us.”
“I know, Mom. Stop nagging, okay? Call me when you get home.” Natalie basked in the warmth of her parents affections. It was wonderful to have a family.
When the car finally disappeared into the distance, she let out a sigh of relief. The smile disappeared from her face. She looked at Brandon in the eye and asked, “Are you keeping something from me? Something to do with your condition?”
Brandon stiffened, but he was able to maintain his composure. “You know it’s just memory loss.”
Natalie’s frown deepened. “You seemed hesitant when you were asked about the side effects. It’s making me uneasy. I’m worried.”
Brandon’s mind raced as he thought of a way to dodge her questions. After a while, he raised his eyebrow and tilted his head provocatively. “You can see for yourself later whether something is wrong with me or not.”
Then, before Natalie could retort, he picked her up and carried her over his shoulder before striding back into the living room. He tossed her gently on the sofa and p**ssed his b*ody against hers.
Natalie struggled halfheartedly. Her cheeks had turned a delectable shade of pink, and a playful smile was dancing on her l*ps. “Stop fooling around. All right, I trust you.”
She refrained from prying any further and focused on her parents instead. “Honey, we need to deal with this matter as soon as possible. The rumor has spread all over. My parents are worried and itching to do something about it. Dalores must be punished.”
Brandon plopped down beside her and nuzzled her hair, his eyes turning dark and unfathomable. His next words were spoken in a clear, blunt manner. “Don’t worry. Dalores cannot escape.”
That night, a black car sped along the exp**ssway in Barnes.
Dalores looked utterly worn out. Every so often, she would glance at the rearview mirror, her eyes wide and a little crazed. She clutched her phone with one hand while the other took hold of the steering wheel. She didn’t know where to go.
Dalores left W Marks Studio two days ago.
At the time, Tasha was busy taking care of the design drafts.
Dalores sorted out the projects she had been handling and handed them over. “Tasha,” she said with some reluctance. “Is it possible for me to enter the clothing room for the last time? I just want to take one last look at the dresses. I don’t think I will be returning to W Marks again.”
After a brief moment’s hesitation, Tasha agreed to let her in.
Once inside, Dalores shut the door behind her and went on a rampage on Estella’s dress, cutting it up to bits and pieces.
“Tasha!” she cackled like a madwoman. “Natalie! I’d like to see how you b*tches explain this to Estella later!”
Dalores then waited for Estella to appear and make a scene at the studio, just as Mrs. Fuller had done last time. To her dismay, she waited and waited, but W Marks remained as peaceful as could be. Estella didn’t kick up a fuss at all.
In the end, Dalores was unable to contain her anxiety and called Estella.
“How dare you call me! I had no idea that you resigned until I went to get my dress earlier.” Estella was obviously in a foul mood, and she was about to hang up when Dalores quickly stopped her.
“Before I left W Marks, I heard that some clumsy designer damaged your dress. Did the studio compensate you for it?”
“The evening dress you designed for me was too gaudy. I don’t really like it. Natalie will design a new ensemble for me, as well as a backup choice. She is responsible and very capable, and I am satisfied with her. You, on the other hand, Dalores… You didn’t even notify me that you intended to resign! How negligent of you. With that kind of attitude, who do you think is going to hire you as their designer in the future?” Estella was notorious for her sharp t***ue. She made sure to berate Dalores before ending the call, which left the latter rightly outraged.
Things were not going her way at all. Why was it that Natalie always managed to wheedle her way out of danger? And so, when rumors about Natalie and Draco’s relationship reached Dalores, she wasted no time bribing several sketchy reporters to expose this supposed affair. She wanted to ruin Natalie’s reputation once and for all.
Unfortunately, the tabloids were quickly supp**ssed by the Larson Group. Not only that, but Dalores received lawyer’s letters shortly after, both from the Larson Group and W Marks Studio.
With the likelihood of a jail sentence looming over her head, Dalores packed up her things and drove out of the city.
She had heard of Brandon, of course. He was known for his ruthlessness, and was often likened to Satan himself. Needless to say, Dalores found herself regretting everything she had done. She shouldn’t have tried to sabotage Natalie!
Dalores was still fuming about her circumstances as she glanced at the rearview mirror again. This time, she saw a number of cars tailing her at an alarming speed. In fact, they were about to overtake her.
“Where did all these people come from?” Dalores wasn’t sure who had sent them. She might be fond of gossiping, but she had never provoked anyone to their face.
In the next second, her phone rang. An unknown number was calling.
Dalores p**ssed the answer b**ton with a healthy amount of trepidation. “Who is this?”
A sharp female voice came through the line. It was Mrs. Fuller. “Hello, Dalores. How does it feel to be public enemy number one? Do you remember what I told you? The moment you leave W Marks Studio, I’ll be out to get you. Now that you have offended both the Larson family and the White family, you are doomed. It disgusts me that I have to dispose of you myself, b*tch. You know what? I’m not gonna do that. I’ll just hand you over to Brandon, and once I do, you will know—”
Dalores felt a chill race down her spine, and she hurriedly hung up.
“You’re the b*tch! You’re all b*tches!” She screamed inside the car and stepped hard on the gas.
In an attempt to get rid of her pursuers, she changed lanes and drove on the wrong side of the road. Before she could even gain some distance, she was blinded by a beam of light coming from her left. She turned in surprise and saw a truck rounding a corner and speeding toward her.
Dalores had no time to get out of the way.
The truck rammed into her car, sending it toppling a few meters away.
The oil tank was punctured in the process, and gasoline steadily flowed out of the vehicle and onto the road. In the next second, a loud explosion occurred, and the car was ablaze. Dark smoke billowed into the night sky as the pungent smell of burning spread in the air.
The other cars screeched to a halt, and several burly men in black suits approached the scene to assess the situation. Dalores was stuck inside the car and her head was bleeding. She lay in a coma, surrounded by raging flames.
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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