Deceiving Her Ears: Ignoring Your Call-Chapter 38: He Has Arrived

Bar.

"Isaac, what are you thinking about?"

Franklin Finch sat down next to Isaac Vaughn with his drink. "Is the booze bad or are the chicks not hot enough?"

Isaac’s long fingers fiddled with his phone, not even lifting his eyelids.

Natalie Kendall had been gone for three days, sending a total of just three messages.

She finally called once, but it lasted less than a minute before she hung up.

This afternoon he texted her, and now it was night—she still hadn’t replied.

Thinking of this, Isaac dialed her number again.

As expected, no one answered.

His face darkened as he suddenly stood up, startling Franklin Finch next to him.

His hand shook, spilling liquor down his pants.

"Shit! Isaac Vaughn, why the hell are you so jumpy? Hey! Where are you going, Isaac?"

Isaac walked out of the private room without looking back.

——

Natalie was feverish and confused.

She didn’t know how long she’d slept, only that she kept going from hot to cold, with no strength left in her body.

Later, in a daze, she woke up thirsty.

The cup was on her bedside table, but after trying several times, she couldn’t get up to drink from it.

Her lips were cracked and peeling, her throat burning like fire.

Her eyes glazed with unshed tears, and a name rose in her heart.

That person told her, if you need someone, call whoever is next to you. Call him.

But right now, he wasn’t by her side either.

Still, she wanted to call for him.

The next day, Natalie finally broke her fever.

But the high temperature left her throat inflamed, unable to make a sound.

Her phone was broken—it barely charged. After an entire night, it was at ten percent.

Seeing Isaac had called her, she instinctively wanted to call back, then remembered she couldn’t speak, so she had to send a message instead.

[Family stuff’s not finished yet. I’ll come back the day after tomorrow.]

At the same time—

Isaac was drinking tea on the sofa in the Beckett family’s living room.

Seeing her message, his expression turned cold as he turned off his phone screen.

When he had arrived, he’d already gotten word from a servant that Natalie hadn’t actually gone home at all.

Matthew Beckett heard he was here and specially rushed back.

"Isaac, how’s your uncle doing? I heard he was transferred back to Janton? I’ve been busy lately and haven’t had time to visit."

"My uncle’s doing well. Thanks for asking."

"We’ll be family soon, it’s only right."

Matthew asked again, "How’s the tea? Young people these days don’t really drink tea, do they?"

"It’s good." Isaac set down his cup.

Suddenly, Matthew’s phone rang.

"Sit tight, Isaac. I’ll take this call."

"Sure, go ahead."

Matthew walked away, and shortly after that, Julian Beckett came home.

"Isaac?"

Seeing him in the Beckett house, surprise flickered in Julian’s eyes, but it quickly faded to an icy chill.

"What are you doing here?"

Isaac stood up, meeting Julian’s gaze head-on, not backing down, "Looking for someone."

Julian’s glare sharpened as he walked forward.

"You come to the Beckett house to find someone? Who?"

Isaac’s lips curled slightly, his voice languid as he uttered three words:

"Natalie Kendall."

At that, Julian’s face turned utterly stormy and dark.

Scott Quinn had been shipped abroad by the Quinn family, and anyone with sense knew the Beckett family was behind it.

Scott had nothing to do with the Becketts—he hadn’t crossed them.

The only way to explain it was Natalie Kendall.

Scott had given Natalie trouble more than once or twice.

The Beckett family sending Scott abroad for Natalie made sense.

And the only one likely to do it was Julian Beckett.

So did Julian hear something from Scott? 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Whether he did or not, right now, Isaac was basically outing his relationship with Natalie right in front of Julian’s face.

Outing everything between himself and Natalie.

Compared to Isaac’s casual air, Julian looked absolutely livid.

"Isaac Vaughn, do you have any idea what you’re doing?"

The veins at Julian’s temples bulged dangerously.

But this was the Beckett home.

He couldn’t make a scene.

Household scandal can’t be aired in public.

Especially not this kind of catastrophe.

Isaac glanced behind Julian, lowering his voice so only the two of them could hear, "Uncle Beckett’s stepped out to take a call, he’ll probably be back soon. Before he gets back, you’d better tell me: Where’s Natalie Kendall?"

Julian snorted coldly, "Why would I tell you my sister’s whereabouts?"

"If you can’t find her, it means she doesn’t want to be found. So let it go. Don’t look for her, don’t contact her, just cut it off—for good!"

Isaac also smiled, but his lips only—his eyes stayed cold as ice.

"Cutting it off isn’t up to you. If you won’t tell me, I’ll just ask Uncle Beckett face to face."

"You—!" Julian seized Isaac by the collar, the ever-composed, steady Eldest Young Master Beckett looking absolutely furious for once.

——

Outside, the sunlight was gentle and brilliant, but it still couldn’t reach that room.

The curtains were drawn tight, not a single ray breaking through.

But on closer look, even with the curtains open, sunlight wouldn’t get in.

Because the windows were completely sealed shut.

And if you turned on the lights, you’d see: this wasn’t a grown-up’s room but a child’s—a little girl’s.

On the wall stood a princess bed draped with white lace. From pillow to sheets to comforter, everything was white lace.

The nearby vanity was covered with all kinds of princess hair accessories, and every jeweled piece was genuine.

The wardrobe was filled with custom-made princess dresses for all four seasons.

You could imagine the young owner of this room was a deeply cherished little princess.

Except now, curled up on that princess bed, was a grown woman.

She didn’t move an inch—you’d have to listen closely to even hear her faint breathing.

Listen closer, and you’d notice: her breath was threaded with the tiniest whimpers of pain.

*

"Who’s there?"

The door opened. The housekeeper saw a strange man at the door and frowned, "Who are you looking for?"

The words "Natalie Kendall" rolled in Isaac’s throat, but he said, "Julian Beckett sent me."

"Eldest Young Master?" The moment she heard Julian’s name, the maid showed him in.

Isaac entered, and as soon as he stepped into the living room, he saw someone coming down the stairs carrying two pieces of clothing.

He recognized them instantly—those were the clothes Natalie had worn five days ago when she left home.

He strode over, yanking the garments away.

"Hey! What do you think you’re doing!"

The clothes were torn, and stained with blood.

Isaac’s face went dark in an instant. He didn’t stop to think—he raced upstairs, ignoring the servants’ anxious cries behind him.

"Stop right there! How can you just barge in like this!"

On the second floor, Isaac glanced left and right, not sure which room she might be in.

So he started kicking open doors one by one.

Finally, when he kicked the third door open—

"Natalie?"

His hoarse voice called out.

But Natalie was oblivious.

In her world right then, everything was quiet. No sound at all.

Isaac stepped into the room, approaching the bed.

In the light from the hall, he saw her curled up, fists clenched tight against her chest.

Her cheeks were swollen, her lips split and scabbed with dried blood.

"Natalie."

He called her name again.