Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Natalie and King walked along the corridor of the hospital, the sterile scent of antiseptics mingling with the distant laughter of children playing outside. The Truth Group’s anonymity protocol was a fortress of secrets, with every employee, from the janitors to the CEO, donning masks and uniforms, distinguishable only by the name tags pinned to their chests. Even the enigmatic King, the mastermind behind the organization, was a faceless legend within the company’s walls.

But those who worked closely with King often caught wind of his whereabouts.

Despite King’s silence on the matter, Natalie’s intuition had been piqued on her way back. “I think it’s one of the eight from the office,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “It can’t be Uriah or his family. After all, they’re the guards you brought over from back home. They’ve been loyal to you for years.”

King nodded, and his voice was equally subdued. “That’s why I need you to swing by the office. I want you to check something out for me.”

“Understood,” Natalie replied, her tone confident.

As they conversed, a realization dawned on Natalie. Her mind had been so preoccupied with the urgency of King’s accident that she had overlooked a significant date, the eighth of August. It was the anniversary of her miscarriage, the day she lost Zephyr.

The dream she’d had on the plane suddenly became clear to her. It was as if Zephyr’s spirit had reached out to her, pulling her into a dream on the exact day she lost him three years ago.

“I’ll go and visit him myself and take Nina with me,” Natalie said softly. “Once I’ve sorted this out for you, I’ll return to the set. I’ve just joined the cast. I can’t disrupt their schedule.”

King’s gaze lingered on her, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. He knew about her meeting with Brian, and he wished she’d return right after Matthew passed away instead of staying in Country Solara, a place of heartache where the Howard family would only bring her endless pain.

“You and him…” King began, but before he could finish, a nurse spotted Natalie from a distance and called out her name excitedly.

Natalie turned, smiling, as the nurse approached eagerly. “Natalie, I love your shows! Could I get your autograph? Maybe on my scrubs?”

With a gracious smile, Natalie took the pen and scrawled her signature across the nurse’s uniform.

Even though she wasn’t the lead, her breakout role in a campus series hadn’t slipped under the radar. Her exquisite features and stellar performances quickly garnered a devoted fan base. This year, she had landed the lead role in an indie film. While its arthouse nature limited box office numbers, it received high praise online, with Natalie’s acting skills earning rave reviews.

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Chapter 76

With a prestigious film festival on the horizon, Natalie’s film was among those submitted by Bluestar, and there was a buzz of anticipation for it in the awards circuit. Natalie was lauded as Bluestar’s brightest new star, a source of pride for her school and mentor.

King watched her interact with the fan, a gentle smile creeping to his lips as she posed for a selfie. To the world, she was a glamorous icon adorned with fame. But to him, she was still his sweet girl.

Catching King’s gaze, Natalie felt a flush of self–consciousness. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, her voice soft and tinged with embarrassment.