Chapter 617
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“You can’t just go like this!” Ruth grabbed her arm and tried to stop Natalie from stepping out of the door.
However, Natalie had already made up her mind and she turned to Ruth with determination, “No one can know that I gave birth to her here. When Edward comes for her, tell him to run as far as he can. Tell him to never look for me because I’m not coming back. I can’t put both of them in danger, no, he should tell my baby that I died in childbirth,” That way her daughter wouldn’t come searching for her when she comes of age. Natalie was giving her closure.
If by chance Natalie survived what she had in mind – she doubted it though – that meant she ended up as Daniel’s prisoner and she wouldn’t want her daughter coming to risk her life in search and rescue of her. Her baby girl deserved to live her life to the fullest and enjoy the privilege she was denied of all because of her unfortunate encounter with Daniel.
“Tell Edward to give all of the affection he has for me to our daughter. Tell him that I love him and I never stopped loving him. Perhaps, we will have much better luck as a couple in our next life....” Natalie swallowed down the lump in her throat as she said, “Tell him that my last wish is for him to keep our baby girl safe and to give her a good life.”
Natalie knew those promises were the only way to keep Edward from coming after her. Unfortunately, her baby girl just lost one parent, she can’t lose another. And with those words being said, Natalie stepped out of the changing room without looking back.
Like a lamb to the slaughter, Natalie walked around the hallway confidently even though she knew that she was in danger. It wasn’t long before she caught one of them talking to one of the doctors and like in slow motion, he turn to her.
The instant their eyes connected, Natalie took off, having fulfilled her objective. She intended to draw their attention from the hospital having known that Edward was on his way here – and to stop them from finding information about her baby.
.....
It was a hot chase but Natalie knew the hospital like the back of her hand, thus she had an advantage over them. She got into an empty elevator and pressed the button leading downstairs. Knowing the others were waiting for her in the lobby , Natalie took off the nurse scrub she wore, revealing the ordinary clothe she wore beneath, and pulled her hair into a rough bun.
As soon as the elevator opened, she stepped out slowly to not rouse the attention of the two policemen she spotted communicating through the radio.
It seems they didn’t recognize her as she walked past them and was about to reach for the revolving doors only for the man to step out of the elevator, shouting, “Stop her!”
And that was it!
Natalie pushed the door with all of her might and ran outside. As if the lord of the universe was on her side, a young guy stepped out of his bike when Natalie approached him.
“Give me your bike, please!” She begged.
“Of course, not!” He refused, clutching the key to his chest protectively.
“I begged nicely,” Natalie reminded him right before she punched him in the face and snatched the key from him. She hopped on the bike, turned the ignition, and drove off before Daniel’s men could get to her.
As sorry as she was towards the bike owner for stealing his bike and punching him in the face, she was a desperate mother and she would do anything to save her daughter.
Thanks to Edward, Natalie was able to make the right choice of a ride that helped her veer across the traffic successfully unlike her opponent’s cars that got blocked at a point. In one word, Natalie was able to successfully escape from them. But that doesn’t mean that Victory was hers. If anything, she lost the most.
Natalie couldn’t go back to her family. She had no idea if Edward had left the city with their daughter and couldn’t risk going back to their place and bringing danger to them. The city was already crawling with Daniel’s spies and Natalie knew it was only a matter of time till they caught her.
Once, Natalie was tempted to call on Ruth and get news of her family through her – she seemed like a pretty dependable person. However, Natalie couldn’t trust anybody, nor could she put the woman in danger.
So she hopped from place to place, sleeping in brothels and when her money ran out, Natalie ended up in the street and dragging space with other homeless people. Looking at herself now, Natalie wondered how she got to this point. Her life was so miserable she contemplated committed suicide one of the days.
But the thought of her daughter kept her going.
For two weeks, Natalie successfully evaded Daniel and his men until one fateful night. She was so hungry that she couldn’t help eyeing the bakery store out front. Natalie hadn’t eaten for two days and was so hungry.
As a woman who gave birth, she needed balanced food to replenish the blood she lost during childbirth, but that wasn’t the case for her. Just two weeks under the streets, Natalie looked so frail and sick.
Thanks to Daniel on her heels, she couldn’t stay in the same place the same day, so she couldn’t work exactly or even beg for alms in fear that someone might recognize her – not that anyone would recognize her now looking like a church rat.
So she went to the store and tried to steal the bread out front only for the owner to come out from nowhere and grabbed her arm in the process. Natalie might be a fighter, but she was no thief having been raised in a rich family where she lacked nothing, until now.
“You thief!” The man hollered, “This is why scum like you should be wiped out from this earth! I’ll report you to the police and make sure you rot in there,” He threatened her.
“Fine, take the bread,” Natalie let go of it, “I’ve returned your bread, now let me go. You’re hurting me!” She cried, weak from hunger to defend herself.
However, the man wasn’t listening and placed the phone on his ears, intent on calling the police on her. Annoying thieves!
“If you want to live after this, I’ll advice you to let go of that hand.” A voice said from behind and Natalie’s world come crashing down.