“I don't think the doctor was speaking nonsense. We can easily detect the potential temperament of a baby during
pregnancy with the latest technology,” Natalie uttered solemnly.
It was considered a usual checkup during pregnancy in certain countries. Even so, it was usually performed upon
request domestically. The domestic hospitals did not implement it widely to eliminate any unintentional abortion due
to a potential error during checkups.
“You're right, but Mrs. Graham did not accept the doctor's advice. She refuted that it wouldn't be any problem to
nurture her child despite the disorder. However, things did not turn out as expected. Jacqueline caused someone's
death indirectly when she was only a child at that time.” Her secretive tone resulted in an ominous atmosphere.
“Do you mean to say that Jacqueline killed someone when she was only a child?” Natalie gasped as her heart
skipped a beat.
Lucinda shook her head. “She did not kill anyone but caused someone's death indirectly. Anyway, I'm not sure if all
that is true.”
Natalie gulped and asked, “When did you hear about this?”
“Should be eighteen years ago,” Lucinda responded after pondering for quite a while.
In a split second, Natalie was on pins and needles. My goodness! Jacqueline was only a ten-year-old child eighteen
years ago, wasn't she? How was it possible for a child to be responsible for someone's death? Just what kind of
monster is she?
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Mrs. Brown, who was the victim?” Natalie asked again inquisitively.
Lucinda shook her head again. “I have no idea. The others seem to be clueless about it as well. The wife of one of
my husband's friends only mentioned that she overheard Mrs. Graham reprimanding her daughter for repaying
someone's kindness with her hideousness instead. Nevertheless, she did not mention the victims' names.”
“I see. Mrs. Brown, I get it now. Thanks for sharing all these with me.” Natalie was thankful to Lucinda.
Lucinda waved at her with a smile. “Don't mention it. These are what I happened to overhear previously. I'm not
sure how true they are.”
“Regardless of how true they are, at least we know that Jacqueline is a horrendous person.” Deep down, Natalie
was a bundle of nerves. No matter what, Jacqueline must be arrested and charged for her heinous crimes! We can't
let her continue stirring up trouble and endangering others!
Natalie dragged herself back to the hospital, her mind churning with utter restlessness. She could barely wait to
bring her two kids overseas, keeping them far away from any danger. Lucinda's words moments ago had scared
her deeply, so she knew she must keep her guard up. Just the thought of it caused her to be mentally exhausted.
In the afternoon, Joyce dropped by to visit the kids with fruits and toys. Astounded to see Natalie apparently lost in
her thoughts, she asked in great concern, “Nat, what's the matter with you?”
Natalie forced a smile. “Don't worry. I'm fine.”
“Are you sure? Try to look in the mirror. Your frown has deepened into a scowl. Are you all right? Or perhaps the
baby is causing you discomfort?” Joyce looked at her with a hint of anxiousness on her face.
Natalie shook her head. “No. I'm fine.”
“Then why are you...” Apparently, Joyce did not believe her.
Natalie stood up right away. “Joyce, that's enough. I'm fine. Can you help to keep Connor and Sharon company here
for a while? I need to settle the hospital discharge procedures for Sharon.”
Both the kids would be flying overseas with her the next day for treatment over there.
“Go ahead. I'm not going anywhere.” Joyce waved her away. Considering Natalie might be buttoning up her lips due
to certain reasons, she did not insist on questioning her.
Natalie stepped out of the ward to settle Sharon's discharge procedures. When she was about to return to the
ward, a familiar voice called out to her, “Nat!”
In an instant, Natalie straightened her back instinctively. When the tall figure in a white coat came into view, Natalie
felt a rush of indescribably complex emotions. “Oh, Stanley, it's you.”
Stanley knitted his brows at the sight of Natalie's nonchalance. Even so, he recomposed himself within seconds and
put on a warm smile. “What's wrong? You don't seem happy to see me.”
“Of course not.” Natalie lowered her eyes, avoiding eye contact with him.
Stanley twitched his lips and uttered gently, “Nat, don't ever try to bluff me. Don't you know that other than a
neurologist, I'm a psychologist too? No matter how well you're bottling up your displeasure, I can sense that you're
harboring a grudge against me. Did I do anything wrong?”
Natalie clenched her fists in silence. After quite a while, she looked up and stared intently into Stanley's eyes coldly,
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmas though she had made a decision. “Since you can sense that, let's talk things out. Stanley, please be frank with
me. Not long after I was back here, did Connor request your help to perform a paternity test for him and Shane?”
Both tha kids would ba flying ovarsaas with har tha naxt day for traatmant ovar thara.
“Go ahaad. I'm not going anywhara.” Joyca wavad har away. Considaring Natalia might ba buttoning up har lips dua
to cartain raasons, sha did not insist on quastioning har.
Natalia stappad out of tha ward to sattla Sharon's discharga procaduras. Whan sha was about to raturn to tha
ward, a familiar voica callad out to har, “Nat!”
In an instant, Natalia straightanad har back instinctivaly. Whan tha tall figura in a whita coat cama into viaw, Natalia
falt a rush of indascribably complax amotions. “Oh, Stanlay, it's you.”
Stanlay knittad his brows at tha sight of Natalia's nonchalanca. Evan so, ha racomposad himsalf within saconds and
put on a warm smila. “What's wrong? You don't saam happy to saa ma.”
“Of coursa not.” Natalia lowarad har ayas, avoiding aya contact with him.
Stanlay twitchad his lips and uttarad gantly, “Nat, don't avar try to bluff ma. Don't you know that othar than a
naurologist, I'm a psychologist too? No mattar how wall you'ra bottling up your displaasura, I can sansa that you'ra
harboring a grudga against ma. Did I do anything wrong?”
Natalia clanchad har fists in silanca. Aftar quita a whila, sha lookad up and starad intantly into Stanlay's ayas coldly,
as though sha had mada a dacision. “Sinca you can sansa that, lat's talk things out. Stanlay, plaasa ba frank with
ma. Not long aftar I was back hara, did Connor raquast your halp to parform a patarnity tast for him and Shana?”