Chapter 191
The driver gently pressed the gas pedal, navigating the Lincoln Town Car through the garden paths at
Hampton Court.
Ms. Clarkson had recently won an award and was in high spirits. She was seeing beauty in everything
around her. She looked out the window and pointed to the manicured hedges and flower beds they
drove by, remarking, “These are absolutely stunning.”
Callum, however, didn’t share her appreciation for the gardens. He poured two glasses of Cabernet
Sauvignon, and handed one to Ms. Clarkson. “These geometric gardens are best seen from the sky. I’ll
take you up next time,” he promised.
She accepted the wine and nodded in thanks. “Thank you, Callum, but I feel like I’m imposing on you.”
“What are you talking about, Buttercup?” Callum objected. “You’re my fiancée, there’s no such thing as
imposing. Anything I do for you, I do willingly.”
Indeed, the woman sharing a drink with Callum was Natalia, who had supposedly drowned in a boating
accident.
Five years prior, Natalia had driven her car off a cliff into the ocean, coincidentally when Callum was
visiting Melfort. His yacht crew spotted her floating body in the water. They rescued her, but she was
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtunconscious and barely alive.
Callum immediately flew back to England with Natalia, enlisting the best doctors to save her. This
explained why Magnus‘ search parties never found any trace of her after the accident.
After six months in a coma, Natalia slowly woke up. Those six months were agonizing for Callum, who
feared every day that the doctors would tell him Natalia was beyond saving. Fortunately, Natalia
survived, although it took over half a year. The doctors said her memory loss was a result of her
traumatic accident. Callum was relieved – he hoped Natalia would forget about Magnus, her former
lover.
Natalia sipped her wine, looking uncertain. “Callum, am I really your fiancée? Why do I keep dreaming
of another man?”
Over the years, Natalia had noticed Callum’s dedication. He supported her in everything she wanted to
do. Whether it was designing or painting, he was always the first to encourage her.
With his support, Natalia had grown from a novice to an internationally recognized designer. She knew
Callum loved her deeply. However, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a man from her past
that she couldn’t remember.
Hearing this, Callum’s heart dropped. “What man? What does he look like?” He asked
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nervously.
Natalia noticed his anxiety and looked even more confused. “Callum, does this man really exist? I can’t
see his face in my dreams, but every time I dream of him, my heart aches, as if it’s been stabbed.”
Callum took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady. “Buttercup, you must have been
traumatized by the accident. There’s no such man, don’t worry about it.”
“Are you sure?” Natalia looked down, half–believing him. She felt a strong connection to this man in her
dreams, and she suspected Callum was hiding something from her.
After a moment of silence, Callum sighed in relief. If Natalia had pressed further, he wasn’t sure he
could have kept the truth from her. He didn’t want Natalia to remember anything about Magnus, the
man who had caused her so much pain.
Natalia, lost in thought, gazed out the window at the clear skies and lush trees. She decided to live in
the present and let the past stay in the past.
Callum watched Natalia as she stared out the window. A gentle smile played on his lips. This scene
reminded him of a line from a poem he had once read, “You stand on the bridge admiring the view,
while someone in a high tower is admiring you.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThis was exactly how he felt about Natalia. To him, she was the view, the dream, and the beauty in his
life. Her spirit, her resilience, and her courage were like a fragrant flower, attracting him and keeping
him close.
The car grew quiet and warm. Even the driver didn’t want to disrupt this peaceful moment, as he drove
them silently back to Callum’s castle – the ancestral home of the family.
The car came to a gentle stop, as Callum, always the gentleman, opened the door to welcome Natalia
out.
Natalia lived on the third floor of this castle, and her room was boasting an exceptionally large balcony
that offered panoramic views of the entire estate.
In her spare time, Natalia would lean by the window, soaking in the scenery, and sketching. The
endless greenery always managed to bring her a sense of peace and tranquility. Moreover, she always
found this scene oddly familiar, as if she, in some distant past, had also leaned against the door frame,
gazing aimlessly into the distance out of sheer boredom.
Only, what she used to gaze at back then was not the pleasing greenery, but the deep blue tranquility
of the sea.
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