Natasha sat alone on the freezing floor, hugging her knees for warmth.The cold was unbearable. At first, she was crouching down, but she lost energy quickly. Eventually, she had no choice but to sit on the dirty floor.Then, she noticed a window high up in the ceiling, letting in the cold wind. Sadly, it was too high for her to reach. So, she stayed low to avoid the wind hitting her directly.Besides the chilly wind, there was nothing and no one around. She didn't even have her phone.Peering out the window, she saw the dark sky with a few twinkling stars. It felt as though Jacob was right there with her. Those stars gave her the strength to carry on.Lost in memories, she thought about her past with Jacob.He would take her out to play with sparklers to ring in the new year. Jacob would dash ahead while Natasha followed, holding her sparkler and smiling. Now and then, colorful fireworks would light up the night sky.When Natasha got tired, she'd walk instead of run. Even thoug
Underneath the fireworks, Jacob and Natasha shared their first kiss. It was a moment Natasha would never forget.…Natasha sat on the cold ground, gazing up at the stars while lost in thoughts of the past. However, dwelling on memories only deepened her sadness, so she made an effort to push them aside.As the night went on and the stars multiplied, Natasha felt more and more alone. She worried nobody realized she was missing and feared being stuck in the changing room for days.Carly seemed to have had a loving upbringing, shielded from harsh experiences, so Natasha was shocked when Carly cruelly locked her in the changing room.A headache crept in as she started feeling hopeless. She thought she might freeze to death tonight.Slowly, her head grew heavier, and her body felt warmer. Her thoughts became chaotic, and she couldn't control them anymore.The image of Jacob faded from her mind. She felt her temperature rise as though she was being thrown into a furnace.She wished s
The floor was freezing, but Natasha's fever had her burning up. Despite feeling dizzy, she felt relieved knowing someone had come to rescue her.Raindrops continued to fall from the window, landing on Joshua and Natasha.Joshua came over and took off his coat to cover her. His gentleness reminded her of how Jacob used to treat her. Finally, Natasha started to feel a bit warmer."Natasha?" Joshua spoke softly as if he was afraid of startling her.Natasha was almost unconscious, so she just hummed in reply.Natasha's face was flushed but her lips pale. Joshua noticed she seemed ill and reached out to feel her temperature, only to find that she had a high fever.Concern filled Joshua. He quickly set his torch on the washbasin and crouched down.Fearing Natasha might be uncomfortable, Joshua carefully lifted her. Then, he bent down and grabbed the flashlight.Lying in Joshua's arms, Natasha fought to keep her eyes open. She wanted to confirm if the man she saw was Jacob or if someo
Joshua came out of the changing room with steady steps. A sudden burst of bright light greeted both him and Natasha.Having been in the dim room too long, Natasha couldn't adjust to the sudden brightness. She hid her face in Joshua's arms to shield herself from the light.As soon as Joshua emerged, he found himself surrounded by armed bodyguards who looked at him suspiciously as if they might shoot him at any moment.Joshua remained calm. He had expected this."She's running a fever and needs to go to the hospital now," Joshua said.However, the bodyguards hesitated to let Joshua leave without Daniel's approval. They knew Daniel wouldn't allow anyone to leave until Natasha was found."Why are you all still standing here?" Joshua's voice was strong. He seemed very worried about Natasha, who was in his arms.None of the bodyguards budge.Joshua looked at them with disbelief and added, "The person I'm holding is the one you're looking for. She has a fever. Tell Daniel to get a doc
Natasha had passed out from the fever while Joshua held her.Joshua glanced up when he heard Natalie's gentle voice. He noticed her standing nearby on the steps. She appeared confused and sad, though Joshua couldn't discern her feelings.Natalie seemed to be saying something, but Joshua couldn't make out her words. They were close by, but a few bodyguards stood between them.Even though Natalie was only a few steps away, she felt like she couldn't reconnect with Joshua as easily as she had in the past.A wave of emotions washed over her, as she had never felt so distant from him. She stayed still in her place as she watched Natasha cuddle in Joshua's arms.Jealousy surged within her, and she got furious. She couldn't believe Natasha was flirting with Joshua, especially after Natalie locked her in the changing room.Natalie thought it was unbelievable how Natasha could act so flirty and shameless.Natalie hated women like Natasha, who always tried to get guys' attention and prete
"A fever?" Daniel's eyes twitched, and he quickly became agitated. He turned to the bodyguards and said, "Get a doctor here quickly."The bodyguards acted fast. Daniel approached Joshua and reached out. "Give Natty to me."Joshua didn't budge. Without looking up, he replied casually, "I'll look after her."Daniel's anger surged at Joshua's impudence. He demanded, "Hand her over to me."But Joshua remained resolute. "Natasha's my wife," he declared, implying his role as her husband made him the most suitable person to hold her.Seeing Daniel as only Natasha's acquaintance, Joshua felt it would be improper for Daniel to carry her. Moreover, he couldn't shake off a sense of aversion at the mere thought of it.Daniel was livid. He exclaimed, "You! What does it matter if she's your wife? I'm her—"But before Daniel could say "uncle", Joshua brushed past him without a word."Hey!" Daniel seethed as he saw how Joshua disregarded him.The Sullivan family's bodyguards weren't ones to b
Daniel trailed behind Joshua and watched Natasha the whole time. His nervous demeanor was apparent as he followed.Meanwhile, Joshua strode ahead, his tall stature and athletic build allowing him to move swiftly although he was carrying Natasha.Daniel was a doctor used to spending a lot of time in surgery and dealing with a lot of work. Besides his hospital duties, he managed a lab that utilized traditional and modern medicines, which kept him busy all day.Due to his demanding schedule, Daniel wasn't in great physical shape and had to jog to keep up with Joshua's fast pace.Suddenly, Daniel noticed that Joshua was walking slower, which confused him. He hesitantly shifted his focus from Natasha to Joshua.Joshua appeared serious, with a tight jaw and a distant, thoughtful gaze. Daniel felt frustrated seeing Joshua distracted while Natasha was suffering from a dangerously high fever.Typically, a fever could be managed with shots and medication, but Natasha's fever was severe.W
Carly was baffled when she spotted Joshua. She wondered if he was holding Natasha and how he managed to find her.She suspected Daniel might have found Natasha, but Joshua insisted on carrying her.Carly was disgusted by Joshua's behavior since he was ignoring Natalie instead.She frowned and walked faster, hoping to see more clearly. But when she got to them, Joshua had already carried Natasha into the vehicle. Daniel followed closely behind and vanished from her view.Only a group of bodyguards were left, forming a tight circle around the vehicle to block anyone from getting through.Carly had no choice but to return to the hall, wondering whether the person she had seen was indeed Joshua.Lost in thought, she walked slowly and accidentally bumped into Natalie. Natalie seemed distracted and distressed, her eyes puffy and red as if she had been crying."Ms. Lovelace?" Carly called out, realizing that only the scoundrel Joshua could upset Natalie so much. "Ms. Lovelace, were you