"I refuse to believe that you are incapable or foolish enough to neglect checking with the bank, correct? And furthermore, I am not one to fear the loss of wealth as much as you seem to fear the prospect of poverty or death!" She stated calmly, her tone icy.
The room was filled with gasps of astonishment once again. Was this the same naive and submissive Natasha they knew? Why did she seem so different after signing the divorce papers?
Ignoring the reactions of the others, Natasha eyes fixed upon Ariel, who appeared weak and pale in Stephen arms. Natasha was taken aback when she saw a faint smirk play across Ariels face. She was certain she saw it.
This woman is truly cruel! How could she deceive and frame her just to secure a divorce her from Stephen?
Fueled with rage, Natasha balled her fist.
Ariel moved away from Stephen. She held her clutches tightly as she walked briskly to Natasha.
“Don’t go Natasha. I know you’re an orphan and don’t have anywhere else to go. I don’t wanna be the reason for your department. You can stay here until you’ve secured an apartment for yourself. I’m sure the Williams family wouldn’t mind. Please don’t just go!” Gwen burst into tears and hugged Natasha.
Then she whispered into Natasha ears.
“You may have married Stephen, but he and I grew up together. Did you really think you could replace me? Know your place and crawl back to the street where you came from. That's where you belong. Do you understand, Natasha? To Stephen, you had only be my substitute."
Her substitute... ?
“I was the woman his grandfather chose to be his wife! I was no one's substitute and beside, I don't want him anymore. He's all yours now. But don't rush into marrying him too quickly, or people might see you as the other woman who ruined our marriage." Natasha whispered back with a smile.
"Stephen and I love each other deeply. If it weren't for you, we would have been together long ago. You're the other woman in our relationship who deserves to be hated!"
Natasha moved back from her.
She cast a scornful look at her.
“Miss Andrew, I have one final question for you. Did I or did I not push you?" Natasha asked, her voice dripping with ice as if she wanted nothing more than to tear Ariel apart.
“W…what do you mean?” Ariel wiled.
“I don’t expect you to answer that”
With that, Natasha started walking away, but her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
She turned and saw Ariel wearing a pitiful expression, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Natasha, don’t go…..” she cried.
"Are you feigning innocence here?"
Natasha snorted and was about to free herself from her grasp. But she unexpectedly fell to the floor and let out a scream.
From behind, one would think that Natasha had shoved her to the floor.
Interesting.
As expected, Stephen masculine frantic voice came from behind me
"Natasha, what's wrong with you?"
Stephen hurried over to help Ariel up.
Then he turned to Natasha, disappointed.
"I thought you'd have more self-control after the divorce. I never expected you to still be so cruel and heartless.
This was the same woman you hurt. She was ready to let you stay here till you find an apartment. I can’t believe you could be this inhuman to push her to the floor. Haven’t you done more damage to her already!”
"Don't blame her, Step. It was my fault. I must have said something that made her angry and she pushed me. I'm sure she didn't mean it," Ariel said, leaning into Stephen arms, sobbing and looking pitiful. But she secretly shot Natasha a smug look.
Stephen face hardened. "Apologize to her right now," he ordered, staring at me.
Natasha was livid.
He wanted her to apologize?
Natasha looked at the two lovebirds and burst out laughing, but there was no mirth in the sound, only pain and heartache.
After a few moments of laughter, she abruptly stopped and pulled Ariel away from Stephen, before anyone could react, a loud slap echoed through the room.
Mouths hung open in shock as everyone gasped in disbelief. Ariel clutched her burning cheek and stared at Natasha with wide eyes.
She even forgot to continue her act, staring at Natasha in shock.
"Natasha Dickson!" Stephen bellowed, rising from his seat and glaring fiercely at his now ex-wife. His jaw was tightly clenched and his fist was balled up in anger. He was barely holding back from acting impulsively.
Before Stephen could reprimand her again, Natasha raised her hand and delivered a sharp slap to his face.
The rest of the family gasped in shock as they stood up from their seats. No one, not even Stephen parents, had ever dared to lay a hand on him. And yet, here was Natasha, a woman he had once called his wife, defying him with a single slap.
"Miss Andrew, you accused me of bullying you, so I might as well confirm your accusations and that’s slap is for falsely accusing me of a crime I did not commit. If I had known that you were planning to frame me, I would have pushed you down the stairs myself. I would not have allowed you to continue with this charade just to convince Stephen to divorce me." Natasha voice was calm, but there was a faint yet dangerous smile on her face.
She turned to face Stephen, who was now seething with rage, and taunted him.
“What? Does your heart ache because I hit your childhood sweetheart? Well, imagine how I feel right now. As my husband, you not only chose her over me, but you even conspired with her to frame me! Well, we used to be couples after all, so this is just my parting gift for you two.
"I, Natasha, may be poor. But I know what it means to be 'human'. I am not as evil as your lover, who would go to such extreme lengths just to drive me out of this house. In fact, the two of you deserve each other. I wish you both the worst in life!" Natasha taunted him painfully.
She wanted to scream at Stephen for all the hurtful things he had said and done to her. But instead, she turned her bloodshot eyes to the rest of the family, causing them to shrink back in fear.
" I will not seek revenge on all the wrongful you’ve cause me to ruin my life. Whatever has happened between us ever since I entered this house ends now.
Don't forget, i finally agreed to walked away from you and that’s because, I no longer want you, and frankly, you don't deserve me!
From this moment on, we are strangers. And I hope our paths never cross again in the future. Because if they do, I will not hesitate to destroy you, even if it means destroying myself in the process!" Natasha declared, her voice trembling with emotion of anger and pain.
She desperately hoped that her future would have nothing to do with the name Steels. From now on, she was going to make a fresh start and leave this toxic family behind.
In the coming times, she shall strive ardently for her aspirations, having forsaken them for a man who never valued her worth.
With a composed demeanor, Natasha walked away from the house, though her heart bled with indignation.
Upon reaching the exit, she turned to gaze icily at Stephen, tears streaming down her face... "I cannot say if such a day will ever arrive. But I can promise you, I will never forgive you, no matter how much you plead!"
And with that, she opened the door, stepping out into the stormy night, leaving behind the stunned expressions of the Steels family.
Gazing up at the sky, rain assaulting her face, Natasha could not help but mock herself... "Oh Natasha, after all you have done for them, this is your end. Can your life be any more of a farce?"
After this display of self-ridicule, she retrieved her phone and dialed her best friend, Liam, to come pick her up.
"******
Inside the Steels mansion, Stephen excused himself, retreating to his bedroom, while his family tried to calm Ariel down.
Looking out his window, he saw Natasha squatting in front of their gate, as if waiting for someone while the rain poured down heavily on her.
Clutching his fists and gritting his teeth, he stared at her. An unfamiliar tightness weighed on his chest, causing him discomfort. Why did he feel guilty seeing her like this? And her last promise... As soon as he heard it, something heavy settled in his heart, suffocating him.
Soon, a white car pulled up in front of his house, and a tall, handsome man stepped out, umbrella in his hand, rushing to Natasha side.
Of course, Natasha recognized him as Liam, Natasha best friend. If he weren't into boys, Stephen would have thought he had feelings for Natasha, considering how well he treated her.
Before long, the car drove off from the Steels mansion.
Watching it depart, Stephen felt as though something precious was leaving him. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm his turbulent emotions.
As he turned away from his chambers, Stephen felt an overwhelming sense of solitude. For many nights, he hadn't shared a bed with Natasha, but when they did, he felt at ease and content in her presence.
But that night, two weeks before Ariel’s accident, their passion had been undeniable and... Stephen shut his eyes, trying to block out the memories. After their divorce, everything else seemed insignificant.
The only woman he had ever truly loved was Ariel; she was the only one who could stir up such intense emotions within him. Yet, something felt off. Why was he feeling this way towards his ex wife.
Stephen sank into his couch, his mind wandering back to the first time Natasha had entered their home. She had been shy, with an infectious zest for life. Without any effort, she could lift anyone's spirits.
His own grandfather, who had nearly passed out while walking in the park, had been saved by Natasha and taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, this meant Natasha had to miss her exams.
Despite the unfortunate circumstance, Natasha still made it a priority to visit his grandfather every day in the hospital. Her kind heart had made his grandfather believe she was the perfect wife for Stephen.
Initially, both he and Natasha had rejected the idea, but Old Sir Steel had used his health to blackmail them into marriage. And so, for the past four years, Natasha had tried her best to make their marriage work, even giving up on her own dreams at Stephen’s request. But he had always pushed her away. She was not the woman he loved.
Despite their differences, their marriage had been somewhat peaceful until a month ago when Ariel returned from her studies overseas. Everything had turned upside down, leading to the accident that had landed them in their current situation.
Even though Stephen should have been relieved to finally be rid of a marriage he never wanted, why did something feel off? And why did his heart ache at the sight of tears in Natasha’s eyes? Did he truly did the right thing by divorcing her?