Natalie placated Johanna and Beal for a long time until the two calmed down.Holding Natalie’s hand,they walked her to the door of the examination room.It was only when Frank told them that they couldn’t be there that they left.
Brandon was waiting outside with them as Natalie was having the check-up.Beal pulled him aside,holding his gaze with a grave expression as he said,”I have something to ask you.”
Brandon’s brows furrowed.”What is it,Beal?
Beal qlanced at the closed door of the examination room.His voice was low as he answered,”We want to know how you found Natalie.”
Johanna was beside them,wiping her tears and nodding to her husband’s words.”How could she have changed so much?
She’s lost so much weight.This is all my fault….My poor child …
I should have taken better care of her.”
It was difficult to watch the couple’s distress.Brandon knew it was up to him to comfort them,and they had the right to know the truth.Taking a deep breath,he recounted the events of their escape.
As he narrated how he and Natalie fled from the casino, Johanna’s face turned pale.”Thank God you both made it out.I dont know what we would do if something terrible happened.”
At this moment,Beal’s assistant went closer to him and whispered,”Sir,Miss White’s appearance has changed quite a lot.She must have gone through a lot of hardship that we don’t know about.You were quick to recognize her as your daughter,but I think having a paternity test would be a wise step.”
The heavy silence that hung over the corridor turned cold, Johanna’s and Beal’s faces stiffening.Brandon narrowed his eyes at the assistant’s outrageous words and said,”And just what do you mean by that?
The assistant instinctively took a step back,fear running through him at Brandon’s cold gaze.He lowered his head in a show of submission and answered carefully,”I apologize for saying this when you have just reunited.However,this matter is not just personal.The White Group’s interests are also at stake.There are many people in the company who would not think twice about using Miss White’s missing for their own benefit.One could never be too careful about these things.”
Beal and Johanna mirrored each other’s gloom on their faces, but they saw the sensibility of the assistant’s words.
As the CEO of the Larsen Group,Brandon also understood the complexity of the situation.There was a hush as the gravity of the situation sunk in.It was Brandon who broke the silence.
his fingers rubbing his temples as he spoke.”Tll tell Frank to keep some DNA samples in secret.If we take some of Natalie’s blood,we can do the paternity test to make sure.But for the time being,we shouldn’t let her know about it.”
Beal nodded in agreement.”I understand.Natalie had lost her memory,and she’s probably very confused.If she found out that we are going to have a DNA test to confirm her identity, it would only aggravate her condition.We should keep it from [her.”
With this consensus,Brandon immediately sent a message to Frank,giving him instructions to keep some of Natalie’s blood.
Brandon gave him strict orders to keep it under wraps.
However,Brandon did not consider the possibility of Frank not seeing the message at all.
Frank was doing a physical examination for Natalie when he received the message.He had left his phone on a bench outside the examination room.
When the screen lit up with Brandon’s text,two nurses happened to be passing by.Upon seeing the message by accident,their eyes flashed with contempt.
They had really thought that the White family had finally found their daughter,but if Mr.Larson was asking for a paternity test secretly,the woman right now must be an imposter.
The belief that the woman who was put under their care was a fraud filled them with disdain.In silent retribution,they did their work perfunctorily.
Con artists didn’t deserve to be treated well.There was no reason for them to be nice to her when she would be thrown out later on.
Soon after,the rumor that Natalie was an imposter spread among the other nurses in the hospital.All of them had a similar response-they despised the woman who dared to take the place of the real daughter.
But Natalie was none the wiser about everything.After the examination,she went to the lounge to change clothes.Just as she was about to go out,she heard a sneer outside the door.
“I really thought she was the daughter of the White family.I
can’t believe she’s a fake.It’s unbelievable.People like her should know her place.Does she think no one would fiqure it out?Not just anyone can be the heiress of the White family.”
“And to think we had to stay up late to take care of her.I
wasted my energy on someone who wasn’t even worth it.”
“Stop thinking about it.It’ll only make you feel worse.”
“If the test results come out negative,would we still get compensated?
“I’m not sure,but I won’t be surprised if we don’t..”
A paternity test?
An imposter?
The clothes in Natalie’s grasp gradually fell to the floor as shock consumed her.Her mind buzzed,paralyzing her in place.
The nurses’persistent chatter and gossip pricked at her, every word piercing her heart like a sharpsword,leaving her heart in shreds.
Yes…What if she wasn’t truly part of the White family?What would be the outcome?
Would they disown her without a second thought?Would the affectionate parents and Brandon,who had put his life on the line to save her,vanish from her life?
This thought constricted Natalie’s chest,robbina her of breath.
She slumped helplessly to the floor,hugging her knees,her shoulders shakina with silent sobs.
She was terrified …
She was consumed with dread …
If it all turned out to be an illusion,she wished that the revelation could be delayed,so she could bask in the fleeting warmth of a family she might never have. …
Unaware that the nurses had viewed the contents of the message,Frank busied himself tidying up the documents and equipment before rushing to update Brandon.
Leaning against his bed,Brandon drummed his slender fingers against the bed’s edge.He shot Frank a fleeting glance and asked,”What’s the result?
Frank replied,”Mrs.Larson seems to be in good health.As for the precise result,we’ll need to wait a few hours.”
Brandon nodded.”Inform me immediately once the results are in,”
Relief swept over Johanna and Beal,who had been anxiously anticipating the outcome,upon hearing that no issues were detected.
However.Brandon’s brows furrowed as he gazed at the dark night bevond the window.A flicker of worry crossed his eyes.
“Since the examination is over,why hasn’t Natalie returned yet?
Where could she be?”
Having experienced the anguish of losing her daughter, Johanna was particularly sensitive to anything involving Natalie.Hearing Brandon’s question,she turned to Frank with a look of worry,asking,’Where is Natalie?Why hasn’t she returned yet?Is anything amiss?Did you see her earlier?”
Frank appeared puzzled.”Mrs.Larson left the examination room quite a while ago.Has she not returned yet?”
Johanna and Beal exchanged a glance,panic flickering in their eyes.They couldn’t bear the agony of losing their daughter once more.
Brandon’s face abruptly turned stormy,a fierce look in his eyes.”Search for her!Go find her now!”
Johanna and Beal were thrown into a frenzy.Beal pulled out his phone,saying,Tll try calling Natalie.”
Shaking his head,Brandon said in an icy tone,”No need to call.She doesn’t have a phone yet.”
Johanna looked startled.”How can that be …”
Striding out of the room,Brandon clarified,”I haven’t purchased a phone for her yet.Ill go find her myself.”
Brandon’s sudden movement aqitated his waist wound.Blood oozed out,rapidly staining his shirt crimson.Yet,he seemed oblivious to the pain,his mind consumed with thoughts of Natalie.
Observing this,Beal tried to restrain Brandon,his expression conflicted.”You’re hurt.Rest here.We’ll go and find Natalie.”
However.Brandon brushed him off and promptly vanished from the room.
On the brink of tears,Johanna urged,”Let’s hasten our search for Natalie as well.We can’t let anything unfortunate befall her again.”
Alerted by the commotion,Laney rushed over and halted the frantic Brandon.”I don’t believe Natalie has left the building.”
Hearing this,Brandon halted in his tracks,directing his dark gaze towards Laney.
Speaking softly,Laney stated,”Ive been monitoring the security situation.Im confident that Natalie hasn’t left.She should still be within the building.”
When Brandon found that Natalie was still in the buildina and hadn’t been abducted,he breathed a sigh of relief.
Nevertheless,he was still anxious.
Even though Natalie had lost her memory,she had always been sensible and obedient.She wouldn’t disappear for no reason,knowing it would only stir up worry and concern among those who cared for her.Hence,something must have happened to her that made her hide and not want to appear.
Thinking that the examination room was the last place Natalie showed up,Brandon told others to continue looking for her while he headed over there.
However,to his disappointment,Natalie was nowhere to be seen.
“Damn it!”Frowning,Brandon was in a fit of panic.”Natalie, where the hell did you go?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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