Chapter 257
Chapter 257
Natalie jerked in shock at his severe tone and shied away from his interrogative glare. “What do you mean, Stanley?”
He raised her chin and forced her to look right into his eyes. “Don’t play dumb, Nat. You know what I mean.”
Natalie did not like how Stanley was treating her. An irritated frown spread across her brows, and she pushed him away.
However, Stanley wasn’t going to give her a chance. He increased the pressure and pressed his fingers against her chin, preventing her from moving at all.
“What are you doing? You’re hurting me!” Natalie cried out in pain.
But Stanley was relentless. He moved closer to her, and his exasperated breaths beat against her cheeks. “Why, Nat? Why? Why must it be Shane Thompson? Why can’t it be me?”
Natalie looked up at him in complete shock. “Stanley…”
“I’ve waited for you for five years, Nat. I’ve always thought you’d fall for me one day. I was there by your side, waiting for you to realize how I feel. That’s why I’ve never forced my feelings on you. But what did I get in return? You fell for him just two months after you got back…” Stanley buried his head into her shoulder as he vented.
Natalie’s lips quivered at his confession. Her emotions were a mess, and she did not know how she should respond to Stanley. “I’m so sorry, Stanley. I really have no idea about how you feel towards me.”
All Natalie could do was apologize. She had always taken Stanley as her best friend—nothing more than that.
Besides, she knew Joyce had feelings for Stanley. She would never trade their friendship for a man!
“How would you’ve known? I’ve never told you anything. I thought one day you’d come to realize that I have loved you all this while. I waited for five good years—and all for nothing. You end up falling for Shane. Nat, do you know how much this pains me?” Stanley finally lifted his head and looked at her in anger.
Natalie let out a gasp and bit her lips without another word. She had never seen Stanley like this before. The veins on his temples bulged and pulsated as his indignant glare bored through her.
For a moment, Natalie felt like the man standing before her was a complete stranger. Stanley had always been an elegant and well-mannered young man. She almost couldn’t recognize him in this manner.
“Are you afraid of me?” Stanley asked, toying with a lock of her hair. His tone had softened, yet it was coldly provocative.
A shudder went down Natalie’s spine as his chilly voice echoed in her ears. She forced a smile and replied, “Stanley, can you let me go? You’re drunk.”
But Stanley did not move an inch. “I’m not, Nat. I know exactly what I’m doing.”
His fingers rubbed across her lips as his gaze wandered and finally stopped on her lips.
“Nat, I’ve stayed by your side for so many years. And yet, you end up loving someone else. I’ll not give up now. I’ll make sure you taste my agony!”
Before Natalie could say anything, Stanley forced his lips on hers and kissed her crudely.
Natalie stopped dead in utter shock.
She struggled to free herself from Stanley when she finally came around. Yet, his grip only tightened around her as his kiss intensified.
He moved his tongue brutally between her lips, making his way into her mouth. But just as Natalie almost burst out in tears, a solid punch landed on Stanley’s jaw, sending him flying away from her. Losing his balance, Stanley faltered before he fell and passed out.
“Stanley!” Natalie quickly reacted and dashed towards him.
But Shane tugged her by the wrist and held her back. “Why do you still care for him after what he did to you?”
Natalie looked back at him and swallowed her words.
Shane’s blood boiled when he saw her raw and reddened lips. His hand unconsciously tightened around her wrist as he raged. “Let’s go!” he bellowed as he pulled her away.
The sound of Natalie’s high heels echoed rapidly through the hallway as she hastened her steps, trying hard to keep up with Shane.
“Mr. Shane, we can’t just leave Stanley back there,” she said as she looked back anxiously. Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.
Although Natalie was angry with Stanley for what he did, he was still the person who saved her whole family. She could not leave him there alone.
“Silas will take care of him,” Shane replied apathetically with his gaze fixed ahead.
Just as Natalie was about to heave a sigh of relief, she suddenly realized that she was actually jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. “Mr. Shane, may I know where are we heading?”