Deceiving Her Ears: Ignoring Your Call-Chapter 110: Like a Bucket of Cold Water Poured Down
"Miss."
At this moment, the shop assistant walked over, gently tapped Natalie on the shoulder, and whispered to her, "That person outside has been watching you for a long time. Why don’t you call a friend to pick you up?"
Natalie smiled at the kind shop assistant and said, "Thank you. It’s alright."
As she spoke, she walked toward the door.
Isaac draped the jacket he held over Natalie’s shoulders, pulled the two sides of the coat toward the middle to ensure she was wrapped up nicely, and said softly, "It’s still cool tonight, why didn’t you wear more?"
Natalie shrugged her shoulders, "It’s fine, I don’t feel cold."
"Mm, let’s go home."
"Okay."
Isaac held her close.
Natalie walked a few steps with him, then thought of something and looked back into the pharmacy.
Sure enough, the shop assistant was still watching her.
It was out of concern that she was observing her every move.
The kindness of a stranger made her feel warm, and she nodded to the shop assistant.
The shop assistant looked a bit awkward.
She hadn’t expected they knew each other.
Back home.
Isaac heated a cup of milk.
"Can’t sleep? Have some, it might help."
Natalie took a couple of sips and lay down.
Isaac turned off the lights and held her from behind.
For a while.
They both knew neither of them was asleep.
Natalie turned to face him.
"I went to buy birth control pills."
She was straightforward.
Isaac had guessed it.
But hearing her say it still pricked his heart.
They were both too young and not planning to become parents, so they had always used contraception.
But going out to buy pills in the middle of the night, and the look on her face when she took them lingered in his mind, like a cloud casting a shadow over his heart.
He was afraid of something.
"Are you angry?"
"How could I be?" Isaac hugged her tighter, resting his chin on top of her head, "It’s my fault."
*
The next day, as soon as Natalie entered, she smelled the aroma of food and felt surprised.
"You’re back."
Isaac appeared wearing an apron.
Natalie walked in, "What are you doing? Cooking?"
"Yes."
"I thought you could only make spaghetti."
She stood at the kitchen doorway, curiously peeking inside.
Just as she was about to enter, he quickly blocked her.
"Ah, it’s not ready yet. Go watch TV in the living room, be good."
"Alright then."
Seeing her leave, Isaac sighed and continued to busy himself in the kitchen.
Two hours later.
He brought the last dish to the table and called her to dinner.
On the dining table, there were four dishes and a soup, looking quite nice.
Natalie tasted a bite.
He cautiously and expectantly asked, "How is it?"
"Not bad."
"Then I’ll cook for you every day, okay?"
Natalie’s hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly, a shadow flickered in her eyes, then she lifted her gaze, smiled and asked, "Why? Are you planning to become a house husband?"
"Well, what if I quit my job at Beckett Group and just stay home as a house husband, is that good?"
"Would you really?" Natalie’s tone was indifferent.
Isaac tightened his grip on the chopsticks, "If I said I would?"
Natalie lifted her eyes to look at him upon hearing this.
They locked eyes.
She placed a piece of meat in his bowl, "What do we do after dinner?"
And so, the topic changed.
Isaac sighed lightly, "What do you want to do?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
"Hmm, haven’t gone to the movies in a while."
"Go out to watch?"
"Too lazy to move."
"Then let’s watch at home."
"Okay."
After dinner, Isaac cut some fruit for her to eat while waiting in the living room.
He cleaned up the dishes and went to find her.
Natalie chose a classic old movie, and the two of them cuddled on the sofa to watch.
At first, they chatted a bit, then became immersed in the movie.
Until the passionate scene between the male and female leads.
Holding Natalie, Isaac noticeably breathed heavily.
Natalie tilted her head to look at him, her slender fingers brushed past his Adam’s apple.
That was an obvious tease.
Isaac looked down, his gaze unfathomable deep, and sealed her lips with a kiss just as she seemed about to say something.
No one cared about the movie anymore.
On the sofa.
Passion was ignited, spreading like wildfire, enveloping everything.
Clothes were thrown piece by piece onto the carpet.
But just before crossing the threshold, the scene of her swallowing the pill flashed inexplicably in Isaac’s mind...
Like being splashed with cold water.
He panted heavily, pulled back, and held her tight.
Natalie leaned against his chest and asked puzzled, "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing, next time." Isaac lied.
Clearly, there were several boxes in the drawer under the coffee table.
But she didn’t expose him, just hugged his waist.
With tender warmth in his arms, he demanded himself to act like Galahad.
Endured to the point where veins bulged on his temple.
He gritted his teeth and pushed her away, his voice husky, "I’ll go take a shower."
He rose and walked swiftly into the bedroom.
Natalie watched his back, her expression cold.
——
A week later was Cynthia’s birthday.
She didn’t like being lively, so the celebration was always simple at home.
Every year in the past, Natalie would cook two or three dishes herself.
But this year, dinner was almost ready before she finally arrived.
"Sorry I’m late. Mom, happy birthday."
She gave her gift.
It was a necklace.
Cynthia received it and laid it aside casually, not seeming to appreciate it much.
In the past, Natalie might have felt sad.
But now, she sat at the dining table with a calm expression.
Matthew said, "Alright, everyone is here, let’s eat."
The birthday dinner was especially silent.
"It’s mom’s birthday today, stay the night."
Natalie glanced at Cynthia who went upstairs indifferently and nodded to her brother.
Her room was cleaned very well.
She lay on her bed playing with her phone for a while, and feeling sleepy, put down her phone to sleep.
In a daze, Natalie felt as if someone was touching her face.
She opened her eyes in surprise and saw a blurry figure sitting by her bed. Before a scream could escape her throat, she recognized who it was.
"Mom?"
Cynthia’s hand slipped into the quilt and held Natalie’s hand.
"Why is it so cold?"
Cynthia frowned, pulled Natalie’s hand into her palms and rubbed it.
Natalie felt a stir in her heart.
She looked at Cynthia, wanting to pull her hand back.
Cynthia sensed her resistance, gazed at her puzzled, and asked, "What’s wrong, honey?"
From childhood to now, Cynthia had never called her so intimately.
Natalie’s heart suddenly felt sour and swollen, her eyes moist, she could no longer maintain her composure.
Cynthia lay down beside her, pulled her close, gently patting her back, her voice soothing, "Honey, sleep."
Natalie smelled Cynthia’s scent, unable to resist closing her eyes.
It was what she had always longed for, her mother’s scent.
Perhaps it was a dream.
If it really was, she hoped to wake up later.
Under Cynthia’s soothing, Natalie gradually fell asleep.
Thus, she didn’t hear when Cynthia called her again.
Not "honey" nor her name, but Annie.
Anne Beckett.
Evidently, Cynthia mistook her for Anne Beckett.
——
The next day when Natalie woke up, Cynthia was already gone.
She went downstairs, finding Julian and Matthew in the dining room, but Cynthia was nowhere to be seen.
"Where’s mom? Why isn’t she here for breakfast?"
Julian said, "Mom left early, seems she’s meeting someone."
