Deceiving Her Ears: Ignoring Your Call-Chapter 37: Can You Be Gentle?

"Snap!"

Isaac reached out and switched on the bedside lamp. He turned to see Natalie’s pale face but didn’t soften up, "Talk!"

"Ring!"

Of course someone had to make things worse right now.

Isaac grabbed his phone, his voice dark and cold: "Franklin Finch! You’d better have a damn good reason for calling!"

"Isaac, did you swallow gunpowder or what?"

"..."

Hearing Isaac’s heavy breathing on the other end, Franklin swallowed, "It’s just, right now there’s talk everywhere about you and Vivienne Jordan getting back together. I just wanted to ask..."

"What?" Isaac cut Franklin off, his brows knitting tightly. "What’s this about getting back together? Who started that? Where’s it from?"

"The group chat. Didn’t see it? I’ll send it to you."

Isaac received the screenshot Franklin sent him.

Someone had posted a photo of him and Vivienne at the hotel yesterday in the group chat.

After a whole night of gossip churning, in their mouths he and Vivienne had already staged the "Reunion of the Century."

Isaac’s expression turned ugly. He typed a message to Franklin, telling him to find out who’d posted the photo first.

Suddenly, Natalie’s voice came: "You and your ex..."

He looked up at her, eyes cool and assessing.

"You saw the photo too?"

Natalie fell silent again.

Isaac stopped typing, just called Franklin directly and put it on speaker.

"Hey Isaac, you saw it, right?"

Isaac glanced at Natalie, said: "Yeah, I saw it. Do me a favor and find out who took the photo and who put it in the group."

"Alright, I’ll check. But, Isaac, you and Vivienne really getting back together?"

Even though Natalie tried to keep her face calm, at that question a hint of nervousness flickered in her eyes.

Isaac caught it, smirked to himself, but lazily said, "What do you think? Should I get back together?"

"Didn’t you just get married?" Franklin blurted out, but then thought for a second and added, "But you and Natalie are way too unreliable. Isaac, if you really wanted to get back with Vivienne, why bring me along when you took her back to the hotel last night?"

Natalie froze.

So Franklin was there yesterday too?

This was exactly what Isaac was waiting for.

If he’d just come out and asked Franklin to clear things up earlier, she probably wouldn’t have believed him.

"Back together my ass—not happening." Isaac said and then hung up.

He looked at Natalie, who seemed like she wanted to say something but held back.

"I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight. We both need to cool off."

With that said, he walked out and closed the door.

*

Isaac lay with his eyes closed, listening as the guest room door was gently pushed open, followed by the sound of soft footsteps in the dark.

Someone soft and fragrant got into bed, hugging him from behind.

She knew he was awake.

He knew that she knew he was awake.

After a long moment, Isaac clasped the arms wrapped around his waist and stomach, and deliberately moved them away.

But as soon as he moved her hands, she clung to him again.

After repeating this a few times, Isaac chuckled coldly, "What’s up with you? Sneaking in here to bother me without saying a word?"

His voice was thick with accusation, tinged with a hint of grievance: "Who does things like you?"

Natalie was already feeling guilty for misunderstanding him; after hearing that, her ears went bright red and she whispered, "I’m sorry."

"That’s it?"

Isaac flipped over and pinned her beneath him, his dark eyes lit with a dangerous glint.

Relentless: "That’s too easy."

Natalie’s innocent doe eyes stared up at him, making her look both angelic and a little tempting.

Isaac cursed under his breath and lowered his head to bite her lips—hard.

"Ow..."

Her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Yeah, I want you to hurt."

He pinched her chin. "Next time, are you still going to accuse me of cheating without asking me first?"

Natalie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips to make up to him.

Isaac was already burning from her kisses; just as he was about to lose control, she whispered in his ear, "Can we go easy? I went to the hospital this afternoon."

"What happened?" At her words, he looked her up and down in concern.

Natalie caught the worry in his gaze and smiled, satisfied.

"My stomach was bothering me. But I’m fine now."

Isaac lay back on the pillow, pulled her into his arms, and placed a warm palm over her stomach.

"Sleep."

"Not having sex?"

"I’m warning you—don’t push your luck." This line dripped with gritted-teeth restraint.

Natalie just gave an "oh," curling into his arm.

After a while, she whispered, "But, it’s already been eight days. Don’t you want to? Or did someone else already wear you out?"

Isaac couldn’t help but laugh through his exasperation.

Just like he thought—she’s such a little fox!

He was totally right!

Grabbing her up onto his body, he squeezed her waist, voice dangerous: "Damn it, don’t beg for mercy later. I’ll show you if I’m ’worn out’ or not!" 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

——

Natalie was starting to look exhausted again, but this time, she actually seemed to be in a pretty good mood.

Nina originally thought it was because of the thesis and course work, until, by chance, she spotted a reddish mark on the back of Natalie’s neck. Suddenly, she understood exactly what was up.

"Hey, Nat."

"Yeah?" Natalie took a sip of her iced Americano, turning to see Nina’s awkward, hesitant look. "What is it?"

"You know, that kind of thing—you gotta take it easy. Too much of it’s not good for your health." Nina braced herself and said.

Natalie stared right at Nina, and just as Nina worried she’d overstepped, Natalie suddenly asked, "Nina, that movie you recommended last time... got any more like it?"

Nina: "Huh?"

——

Her dad, who she hadn’t heard from in ages, suddenly gave Natalie a call.

Only then did Natalie realize something—without noticing, the day she dreaded most every year was coming up again.

This whole time, being with Isaac, she’d completely pushed it from her mind.

"Can you really take care of yourself? Should I find another housekeeper for you?" her dad asked.

The mention of Granny Peterson stabbed at Natalie’s heart, and she refused firmly, "It’s fine. I can take care of myself."

"You’ve really grown up, Nat." Matthew Beckett laughed. "You’re going to be a bride in just a month or so, and sometimes I can’t even believe how fast time’s gone. When did you get so grown up? I still remember, you used to love those star-shaped candies when you were little."

Back then she was still living with her mother; every time her dad visited, he’d bring her those candies.

Thinking about that, thinking of her real mom...

Natalie gripped her phone tight, her face turning pale.

She lied, saying she still had class, and hurried to hang up.

That night, when Isaac got back, she told him she was going to Janton the next day.

"Is my uncle having you come back?" Isaac held her close, twirling her hair in his fingers.

"No. It’s... something at home."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Four or five days?"

"That long?" Isaac frowned, a bit displeased, and pushed her onto the couch. "Then let’s make tonight count."

Natalie instantly tensed up, struggling as she asked, "Want to watch a movie first? I found a new one."

Isaac laughed low in his throat, his lips brushing hers, "What, is the male lead going to get murdered by the female lead during sex again in this one?"

Natalie: "..."

——

The weathered black iron gate swung open.

Half the wall was crawled over by ivy, the three-story house looming, heavy and suffocating under the inky clouds.

Natalie took a deep breath and stepped inside.