Natalie blinked her eyes open as she tried to pull herself off the bed. Her body was weak. The room was filled with silence and she saw her baby girl sleeping peacefully on a cot.
But she needed to pee.
Just as she was about to push open the door, she heard the familiar voice of the doctor.
"We need to take her back to the facility. She's in no position to care for a child, not to talk of two."
"Yes, arrangements have been made. One of the babies has been adopted by the couple," he said, " I will take care of the other right away before she wakes up."
Natalie gasped, her hand covering her mouth instantly.
She was surprised and almost fell on her heels.
The doctor immediately looked towards the door and quickly walked over to check who was there.
But Natalie skipped through the door, waiting, in silence. After a few seconds, she rushed towards her baby and picked her up.
She slipped through the door and walked along the halls cradling her child in her arms willing her to stop crying.
She saw a room labeled 'children's ward', and went in, her eyes darting left and right. The room led her towards an exit and walked quickly towards it.
* * * *
NATHAN PRESCOTT
Prescott stood in the living room of their mansion, his wife Claire stood beside him,
"I know you don't love me but don't blame me for this predicament we're in right now."
Nathan scoffed, his eyes turning dark. "Then you should also know that the reason I married you was to have leverage over this business. All this while I had thought you were the sole inheritor of the company."
Claire walked closer to him and stared into his eyes
"It belonged to that bitch, Natalie. Her mother had left it in her name before she passed, but Dad had been the one managing it until now," Claire smirked,
"I know your intentions from day one. You are a greedy man. You had thought it belonged to me." She laughed maliciously.
"I'm sorry my dear husband that you feel disappointed. But you don't have a choice because we're stuck."
Nathan grabbed her arms,
"The only thing that fills the head of you and your stupid mother is evil."
"I know I am evil but right now I feel I am better than you."
"What makes you feel you're better, Nathan? You betrayed your wife. The only woman who has done everything in her power to please you. You are one ungrateful bastard. Trust me, I know how to handle you better."
"How dare you!?" Nathan roars at Claire, angrily piercing his eyes on her like he wants to devour her...
"Mummy," A little voice interrupted. Their heads snapped to the direction of the voice and they saw Ethan as he stood at the edge of the staircase.
Nathan immediately let go of her wrist.
"Get back to your room, Ethan!" He commanded, causing the little boy to step back in fear.
Claire giggled, "It's funny how you pour your frustration on a little child. You weak man."
"How dare you call me weak, Claire?" He roared at her. "Besides, I can take my anger out on anyone or anything if it so pleases me."
"He is your son, Nathan. Not anybody's."
"Adopted son." He retorted, "I was never in support of this, but you insisted."
"Well, it's not my fault I couldn't conceive, right?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"You were married to Natalie for how long, One... Oh no, two years? Did she ever conceive?"
"No, my sweet husband, she did not," She laughed, scornfully, "Don't make it seem like I have a problem or something. You should get yourself checked."
Nathan clenched his fists in anger. He looked at Claire, standing before him, and couldn't help but revel at the thought that he had once found her attractive. She had seduced and lured him, and now he regretted every decision he made.
Natalie would never speak to him this way. In the two years of their marriage, she'd always been so calm and cool-headed and never for once complained about not having a child of her own. He could tell by the way she acted and smiled so lovingly at other kids, that she always loved children.
Back then, she often visited the park and would always drag him along with her.
Deep down within him,
"I wish we had a child together."
"Maybe it could have prevented the divorce?" He said to himself.
Looking at the woman before him, his regret increased. Claire had seduced him and lured him into her web and he'd fallen right into her trap
It's been four years, already.
* * * *
NATALIE
"Mummy, mummy, can I come with you?" A little voice asked, tugging at Natalie's hands as she made to open the door.
Four years ago, after the horrifying episode she'd gone through in her hometown, she'd found solace in this city, miles and miles away from home, and started a new life.
Her life after that hadn't been easy as she focused on taking care of her child, giving her all necessary attention. She also furthered her education and obtained a medical degree.
She was immediately employed at the prestigious Eagles Hospital where she worked as a junior doctor.
Even after birth, Natalie still maintained her beauty as a lot of men still find her attractive.
Natalie bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead, "Not today, Betty. Mummy has some patients to attend to, some other time okay?" Natalie smiled at Betty.
Betty pouted but nodded her head in agreement. Betty was like a ray of Sunshine in Natalie's life ever since her birth. But she couldn't help but think of her other child whenever she looked at her. She wondered where he could be.
"Love you mummy," Her daughter's voice snapped her out of her thoughts as she felt a warm kiss on her cheeks.
Natalie kissed her back, "I love you more, sweetie, be a good girl, and don't give your nanny trouble."
"Okay mummy, bye."
And with that, Natalie left the house.
On getting to the hospital, Natalie's phone suddenly rang, and as she picked up, a loud feminine voice sounded at the other end, "Natalie! Where are you?"
The voice belonged to Natalie's close friend who is a nurse at the hospital.
"Calm down, Lisa. I'm already here. What's all the fuss about?" She asked.
"The director wants to see you. He specifically asked for you, Natalie."
Natalie frowned. The director of Eagles Hospital was a mystery as no one had ever seen his face. She was surprised that he would want to see her.
"What is going on?" She wondered.
"Lisa, any idea why the director wants to see me?"
"I can't tell, Natalie. But you need to be here as fast as possible." She said and ended the call.
Confused, Natalie placed her phone back into her purse just as it rang again.
Her brows furrowed as she saw the caller ID. It was the same number again, the same strange number that always called her and whenever she answered, all she could hear was silence.
She wondered who had been frequently playing such a trick with her. But not in the mood for it, Natalie placed her phone back in her purse just as she bumped into a hard rocky muscle.
"Ouch," She cried, rubbing her nose, "you should watch..." She froze as she looked up
at the face of the person standing before her.
"What is he doing here?" She thought, her eyes widening in shock.