Chapter 608

chapter608

An hour later, Natalie’s ears were still ringing. The harsh reality lay bare before her—a truth she had never imagined. Annabelle had orchestrated a calculated scheme against Jeremy. If it hadn't been for the similar, bizarre stories Skylar had shared, Natalie might not have believed a single word.

Overwhelmed and dazed, her mind raced, unable to find a single point of focus. Jeremy remained silent, his eyes intently tracing every shift in her expression.

“So, Jeremy, you want me to know you’re the victim, right? Yes, you are indeed the victim,” Natalie said, finally rising to her feet. But because he was the victim of a setup, her heart ached even more deeply than it had before.

Jeremy’s gaze remained fixed on her, noting her inner turmoil and the way her fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles were white. If he could, he would never have wanted to see her struggle like this.

“I’m sorry, Nath,” Jeremy apologized, his voice hoarse and strained.

That apology only deepened Natalie’s anguish. It felt as though the air was being squeezed out of her lungs, her throat burning as if scorched by a dry heat.

“I need time to digest this,” Natalie managed to say. She needed to escape; the walls of the Hughes residence felt like they were closing in on her. This time, Jeremy didn’t move to stop her from leaving.

As Natalie stumbled away, Jeremy felt as if his own heart were being torn apart. He glanced at the evidence on the table—reminders of a betrayal that was as unwanted as it was devastating. Picking up his phone, his voice turned ice-cold as he made a call.

“Has Annabelle’s stepfather arrived?”

The voice on the other end responded immediately, “He arrived in Jipsburg City this morning, sir.”

“Hand Annabelle over to him,” Jeremy instructed, his tone devoid of mercy.

“Yes, Mr. Hughes.”

Natalie fled the house and hailed a cab, her mind a blur of static. As if sensing her distress, Kate called her.

“Nath, I’ve heard about everything that’s happened,” Kate said gently, her tone filled with maternal concern.

Both Natalie and Jeremy were suffering deeply—one forced into a devastating mistake, the other forced to endure the fallout of a betrayal. Seeing them in this position made Kate’s heart ache. On her own way home, she felt a tight clenching in her chest for her daughter.

Natalie finally broke, bursting into tears as the taxi sped through the city.

“Nath, I know you’re hurting right now. Jeremy didn’t explain everything before because he feared this exact reaction, but he is suffering too,” Kate said softly. She understood how harsh that might sound to someone who had been betrayed, but the reality of the situation was undeniably complex.

Natalie stifled her sobs, staring at the darkening sky through the car window. “Mom, I just need some time to think.”

“Take all the time you need. If living alone is too hard, come back home for a while. Nath, promise me you’ll talk to me if anything comes up, okay?” Kate’s voice was laden with worry.

Natalie could sense that Kate hoped for a reconciliation. Perhaps many would advise her to forgive him if they knew the full story—that Jeremy still loved her deeply and was consumed by remorse. His suffering mirrored her own. However, she couldn’t simply erase the images from her mind. She couldn't forget the sight of Jeremy with a stranger, a memory that made him feel like someone she no longer knew.

With those images etched into her mind, returning to him seemed like an impossible mountain to climb. Natalie remained lost in the turmoil, searching for an answer that wasn't there.