Chapter 288: Chapter 288

"Who’s there?" an older man’s voice suddenly called out, causing Natasha to halt immediately. She hesitated for a moment, then bolted towards the nearest exit. Natasha gritted her teeth and did not look back even for a second.

Natasha may be one of the hottest and most popular girls in school, at the highest point of the social pyramid, and her father was pretty well-to-do, but the last thing she wanted was to get caught there.

’Dad will kill me if I am caught in another scandal or trouble again!’ She mused and dashed out of the exit just as one of the teachers rounded a corner and appeared in the hallway that she had just exited.

Natasha did not break her speed until she spotted her driver. Her mind was already off Raye when she approached her waiting car.

"What are you waiting for?!" she snapped just as she got to the car. Her driver, a young man in his thirties, ran to open the door for her. He bowed low and waited for her to sit before running to the driver’s side. He started the car and hesitated as if contemplating something.

"Erm, Miss Natasha, I know it’s not my place to say this..." He bit his lip and met her gaze through the review mirror,

"You should be careful with those bruises on your neck and ahem.... It’ll tell your father and the maids what you have been up to-"

Natasha knew the driver would not rat her out, but she brought a small hand mirror and turned her neck sideways to see the glaring hickeys.

’Damn you! Raye!’ She cussed and brought out concealers, expertly applying them to the obvious red marks. Her hands moved expertly and soon, she looked as good as new and ’untouched.’

She did not bother the driver anymore because she knew he was right. Her father wanted her chastity intact for her upcoming arranged marriage match, but Natasha wanted nothing of that.

’Daddy thinks that this is the 1890s to talk about virginity! Crap! I must enjoy my life while I can!’

In the utility room, Samantha curled up in a fetal position on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. She cupped her hands over her mouth at the approaching footsteps but fortunately for her, the teacher did not come into her direction.

Samantha was deeply hurt and felt utterly lost. The tears ran down her face with no signs of stopping, and her small frame trembled with the intense emotions that seemed to be too much for her to bear. Each sob let out a heartfelt anguish that stemmed from deep inside her and showed her pain. Pain that seemed too big for a child like that to bear.

This was not the first time she had witnessed Raye with another girl, but maybe it was because they had started dating that she had some expectations. Expectations that were broken down before they even stood their ground. She thought he liked her for her but it turns out it was only because of the Thornston that was attached to her surname.

With no one to call, no one to turn to, and no friend’s shoulder to cry on, she felt utterly alone, which only increased her misery. Her quiet sniffles went unnoticed by the teacher patrolling the hallway, who soon left the area.

"Why?! Why?! Why?!?!" Samantha cried out, reflecting on her life.

’Should I just...?’ a dark thought began to take shape in her mind....

"Why do you ask of her?" Ian inquired. He was unhappy with that question his wife had asked. Unfortunately, the few interactions Ian had with Samantha were quite hostile and unfriendly, and he had little tolerance for that.

Ian still stood by his words, and he was wholly devoted to the three kids. He cherished them from the bottom of his heart, but some people did not know what favour and opportunity were, and a classic example was Samantha.

"She’s just a child who has lost her way. My mother was not there for me, and I do not want any child to walk such a path. I may not be her mother, but I want her to grow right."

Ian sighed, knowing he was fighting a losing battle. He slowly pushed Shelby’s wheelchair back to her room, then lifted her and placed her gently on the bed.

"You know I am okay, right?"

"I know, but that will not prevent me from pampering my sweet wife."

Shelby blushed to her roots at that and couldn’t help but pull him down for a hug.

"I don’t feel okay leaving Samantha out like that when we are all here."

"I understand, my Elfin. Let me get Suzie to check on her."

Shelby shook her head, "I must do this myself. I have never made much effort with her, and I feel a strong urge to do that now."

"... but you just woke up today," Ian insisted, holding her intense gaze, but Shelby did not budge. After a while, Ian relented. He couldn’t understand why Shelby was so insistent on their eldest, but he knew from the stubborn set of her chin that he had already lost. His shoulders sagged, and Shelby gave him a big, wet kiss as thanks.

"Suzie! Murray!" Shelby called out softly and the two swiftly entered

"Where is Samantha?" Shelby directed the question at Suzie.

"Ermm... Miss, it’s been a while since I saw her."

Even though this was expected, Shelby was disappointed with the response.

"Keep a closer eye on her from now on..."

Shelby directed the following question at Murray, and he nodded, "Yes, Milady!"

He disappeared from his spot immediately after, allowing Shelby to relax on the bed. Throughout all of this, Ian remained a bystander and refrained from interrupting.

"I can’t shake off the feeling that something may be wrong with her."

Ian moved around and then pulled her into his embrace again.

"Take the children to go rest...."

"I want to stay with Mama...." Gabriel interrupted, and from Ingrid’s demeanour, she was of the same mind.

Shelby opened her arms, and the two kids quickly crawled over. They wrapped their small arms around her, and she hugged them tightly.

’I missed this!’ She though, willing her mind not to think about the dreams that had plunged her in her comatose state.

She still found it hard to believe that she had been knocked out for days! However, the good thing was that she was still very much alive and could experience the love and warmth of her husband and adopted children. That was more than Shelby could ever ask for.

"It’s okay, my loves. The good doctors and your father are here and will take good care of me tonight. I’ll be thinking of you and dreaming of when we’re all back home together, but for now, I want you to get some much-needed rest at home, okay?"

Ingrid was the first to nod, and she shyly reached up and pecked Shelby clumsily, making her laugh. She climbed off the bed and pulled Gabriel off.

Gabriel swallowed his words and then reluctantly got off, too. He waved as if he was going on a long trip, making Shelby laugh again. She looked at Suzie and without giving any commands, Suzie knew what to do. Suzie took the kids by either hand, and then bowed,

"I’ll take them back, Miss and then com-"

"Stay with them and make sure that they are okay. Do not worry about me for now."

Soon, only she and Ian remained in the room, plunging it back into its quietness yet again.

"Can we go home too, Ian? I feel much better.... And I-"

"Hey! You didn’t even listen to my reasons...." Ian helped her up and then turned to face her directly,

"I almost lost you!" Shelby was taken aback with the heartfelt emotion that accompanied these words,

"I refuse to take that risk again. Let the health workers certify that all is well with you, first."

Shelby acquiesced. She did not want Ian to look and feel that way because of her. She could feel all his turbulent emotions and that made her guilty.

’My life is not my own anymore! I must look after myself well and not dwell on irrelevant people,’

Even though Ian ’heard’ these thoughts, he gave no indication of it. It did not take long for the doctor to return and re-check on Shelby. The results were the same, she was as healthy as a fiddle and her health stats did not seem like someone who had just awoken from a coma.

After they fussed around her for a while, they agreed to monitor her for a few more days before leaving the room.

It was later that evening that Murray returned and gave his report,

"Yes! Milady!, She is...."

He went on to explain all his findings, which were basically the state he had found her in. Murray had done nothing but observe and then come back to report.

Currey had returned from dropping Rocky off at this time and was in the room with them. Before Shelby could ask, he pressed a few keys on his keyboard and then,

Shelby was clearly surprised but accepted the tablet. She viewed the hallway CCTV footage from Highlander’s academy and understood the situation. "I want to go see her," she said quietly after taking a moment to process the information.

Samantha, at her young age, was experiencing the nightmare of most adults: a broken heart, and Shelby wanted to try to be that one shoulder the girl could lean on. At the back of her mind, Shelby hoped that this might repair the broken relationship between them or at least help form one.

"Take me to her.... please?"

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