Chapter 183

Chapter 183

Sadie held Nate close, brushing the dust off his clothes as she checked for injuries. Finding none, she hugged him tightly and whispered soothingly, “It’s okay now! Don’t cry! Nate, you’re a brave boy.”

A few steps behind, Madelyn had followed them down in a bit of a panic. But seeing from a distance that Sadie had confirmed Nate was okay, she stopped and composed herself.

Exhaling a sigh of relief, she called out to Sadie with an aloof detachment. “Sadie, since he’s fine, bring him up here, will you?”

She disliked children, and she disliked Natalie’s child even more.

If it weren’t for the fear of Brian questioning her, perhaps even blaming her, she wouldn’t want to lay her eyes on the kid.

Natalie watched Madelyn turn and walk back, tightening her grip around Nate.

Madelyn’s indifference toward Nate was disturbing. Regardless of her feelings, he was her own flesh and blood.

Silent for a moment, Natalie rose from the ground, carrying Nate back up to the room. She gently set him down and cleaned his tears at the doorstep, softly saying, “No more crying, okay? I’ll come to see you whenever I can, okay?”

Nate understood Natalie’s implication that she had to leave. His eyes locked onto hers as he tried to hold back sobs, staying silent.

Behind them, Madelyn glanced over with a frown, irritated, “Jesus, can he just stop crying a bit? It’s so annoying!”

“You’re so mean!” Nate suddenly turned and shouted at Madelyn.

Sadie had never seen Nate react this way. Nate was usually polite and emotionally intelligent, not prone to tantrums like other three or four–year–old kids.

“What are you babbling about?” Madelyn was shocked, her eyebrows knitting together.

“You got people to hit Natalie!” Nate continued loudly.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Madelyn’s memory flashed. She had asked Sofia during their last call to give Natalie a hard time on set, maybe even a slap or two, hoping it would make Natalie suffer. Nate must have overheard.

Natalie’s gaze fixed on her.

Nate wouldn’t lie, and Sofia did slap her on set that day. If the scene hadn’t passed in one take, Sofia might have hit her more.

Chapter 181

No wonder Brian had arrived just in time to see her and Arlen’s kissing scene. It was all Madelyn’s doing.

Natalie had suspicions about Madelyn, and with Nate providing evidence, there was no need to play dumb.

Letting go of Nate, Natalie said to Madelyn quietly, “It’s not good to argue in front of a child, but since he already knows, there’s no point in hiding it.”

“I did not.” Madelyn retorted coldly, “He’s making it up.”

“Is that so?” Natalie asked, a smile playing on her lips. She gently patted Nate’s head, speaking softly, “Nate, let me teach you something else today. If you don’t want to get bullied, you must be strong. If someone bullies you, hitting back is the right thing to do.”

Last time, it was in preschool when she had confronted that chubby kid’s dad,

No one had taught Natalie this lesson before. She had to learn it herself.

Even if this person was Nate’s birth mother, Natalie had no intention of being lenient.

Listening to Natalie’s words, Madelyn felt panic rising inside, her brow furrowing. “This is the Howard residence! I warn you not to…‘

Before she could finish her sentence, Natalie’s icy gaze had fixed on her.

“Not to what?” Natalie’s lips curled into a cold smirk.

Madelyn hadn’t had the chance to respond when she suddenly saw stars. Natalle’s blow knocked her off her feet and onto the ground.