Chapter 518 No Need To Meet Again

“So, what is it that you want to tell me?” Christina went straight to the point when they arrived at the distant corner.

“I’m here to bid you farewell. I’m leaving,” answered Francis forthrightly.

Upon hearing that, Christina was stunned and slightly confounded. “You’re leaving? To go where?”

After all, it was normal for movie stars to travel overseas for filming.

When Francis peered at Christina’s expression, he instantly knew she didn’t understand what he truly meant. However, he didn’t provide further clarification either.

Turning around, he pressed his palms on a waist-high metal railing and gazed at the sea.

“I want to ask you a question, Christina,” asked Francis slowly and solemnly as the waves crashed into the beach.

Christina detected the melancholy in his tone and turned to him, puzzled.

Seeing that she didn’t respond, Francis grew silent for a few seconds before asking, “If I had met you before Nathaniel did, would you have fallen for me?”

He had kept that question suppressed in his heart for a long time, to the point he couldn’t even recall if he had asked her that question before.

Maybe he had but refused to give up. Thus, he wished to ask Christina that question again before he departed.

Christina frowned, not expecting Francis to invite her to a secluded location for that purpose.

The sound of crashing waves traveled into their ears as Francis quietly waited for Christina’s answer, as though he wouldn’t leave until he obtained it.

In response, Christina sighed. “There are no ifs in life. Besides, if not for Nathaniel, I wouldn’t have met you.” Since I wouldn’t have encountered you, why do we even need to speculate about the possibility of us falling in love?

That sentence thoroughly killed Francis’ hope as he lowered his head with a bitter smile. “You two really are a couple.”

Unbeknownst to her, he had asked Nathaniel the same question in the same spot ten minutes ago.

Nathaniel had retorted his hypothesis in a similar manner.

“You met Nathaniel earlier?” Christina was sharp enough to catch the implication in Francis’ words. In response, Francis nodded.

“He was just here, yes.”

Christina was taken aback. Just here? Then why didn’t he answer my calls?

“I’ll be leaving now.” Pursing her lips, she raised the hem of her dress before searching for Nathaniel.

Francis wished to speak further, but Christina had already left, so he abandoned that idea.

Meanwhile, she called Nathaniel twice, but he still didn’t answer the phone. Hence, she used the GPS tracking software she had installed on her mobile device to locate his phone.

Both of them had willingly installed that app on their own phone for their safety.

They would only use it if they couldn’t locate each other in an emergency.

According to the software, Nathaniel wasn’t far from Christina’s position.

After analyzing his location, she headed off in search of him.

Concurrently. Nathaniel followed a waiter to an isolated lounge near the sea.

“Ms. Steele is inside. Mr. Hadley.” The waiter stopped at the entrance.

Nathaniel tried peering into the building, but the tulle at the entrance blocked his sight.

The only thing he could barely recognize through the fabric was the hairstyle and figure of a person, which resembled Christina’s.

“Mhm.” Nathaniel didn’t suspect the waiter. After the latter left, the former raised the thin fabric and sauntered into the building.

The moment he stepped in, he picked up the scent of sandalwood.

He had always disliked that scent, so he grimaced and searched for its origin. Nearby, he saw a lit incense.

As it was typical for a beach to have many mosquitoes buzzing around, it wasn’t unusual for someone to prepare anti-mosquito incense. Hence, Nathaniel didn’t pay it too much attention.

“Christina,” he called out to the figure in the distance.

It was as though the figure didn’t hear anything as they kept facing the ocean without replying.

Without any choice, Nathaniel endured the discomfort and rapidly approached the figure.

Madison’s heart was pounding when she felt someone standing behind her.

However, she didn’t have the nerve to turn around as she waited for him to hug her.

After a while, she couldn’t resist the urge to turn around when Nathaniel didn’t do anything.

When she did, she discovered Nathaniel glaring at her coldly, the intensity sending a shiver down her spine.

Madison bit her lip and uttered softly, “Nathaniel...”

“What are you trying to do this time?” interrogated Nathaniel ruthlessly.

Right before he mistook Madison for Christina again, he noticed the trick and avoided making the same mistake twice.

Seeing that Nathaniel wouldn’t fall for her scheme, Madison elected not to beat around the bush. “To meet you, of course!”

“Do you know how much I missed you, Nathaniel?” Agitatedly, she attempted to hug Nathaniel, but he shoved her away before she could close the gap between them.

Nathaniel’s impression of Madison was that she was a dignified, collected, strong, independent woman.

Hence, her crazy demeanor today astonished him slightly.

However, he didn’t spare any sympathy for her. “Today’s your engagement with Mr. Lesley, Madison. Don’t embarrass both families.”

In response, Madison snorted. “Engagement? Did you know I organized this banquet for you, Nathaniel?”

For me? Nathaniel narrowed his eyes.

Believing that it was meaningless to hide her plan any longer, she revealed the scheme she had devised over the course of the past three months.

Back then, the Taggart family couldn’t stand how obsessed she was with Nathaniel. Consequently, they locked her up in the residence and established an arranged marriage for her.

Initially, she objected to the marriage, but she gradually realized the banquet might be her only way to meet Nathaniel.

Therefore, she promised to follow her family’s decision and thusly regained her freedom.

The first thing Madison did after she was freed was ask Christina to design gowns for her as an excuse to lure the latter to the banquet.

In that case, even if Nathaniel weren’t invited, he’d still follow Christina to the venue because he’d be worried about her.

Clearly, everything so far had proceeded exactly according to Madison’s plan.

“You’re insane,” spat Nathaniel instead of being touched.

Madison was moved by her efforts when she heard his reproach, which upset her. “How can you say that? I did this all for you. I love you, Nathaniel. There’s no one else in this world who loves you more than me.” I wish I could carve my heart out for him to see how sincere I am.

Then, she exclaimed, “That Christina doesn’t deserve to be with you!”

Nathaniel couldn’t stand anyone badmouthing Christina, so he rebutted. “You don’t get to decide whether she deserves me or not.”

Jealousy further festered in Madison’s heart when she saw how vehemently he defended Christina. “What’s so good about her?

She doesn’t love you! Don’t you know how many men she-”

“Shut your mouth!” roared Nathaniel as he glowered at Madison. “My patience is limited, Madison. We’re through! I don’t want to see you again!”

That merciless statement pierced her heart.

Just as Nathaniel was about to leave, he suddenly felt dizzy, and his limbs turned weak, which astonished him. Not good’ I was too careless. There’s something wrong with the incense!