Chapter 5

Natalie Xu's POV

He pulled out his phone and glanced at the screen, his expression shifting immediately.

He answered the call, and whatever was said on the other end made his voice tighten sharply. "Where are you? Stay right there, I'm coming now!"

Hanging up, he grabbed his coat and rushed toward the door.

"Natalie, something urgent came up at the company. I need to go handle it. Call a cab on your phone to get home, and stay safe."

I stood where I was, watching his hurried figure retreat.

I didn't take a cab straight home.

I walked to the curb, hailed a taxi, and told the driver to follow Julian's car.

The drive ended near a secluded alley, where his car pulled over.

I got out and followed quietly, softening my footsteps.

Under the dim light at the alley entrance, Julian stood shielding Brenda Gu behind him, facing down several men armed with clubs all by himself.

His moves were vicious and decisive, devoid of his usual corporate composure.

In the brawl, one of the men suddenly pulled out a switchblade and lunged straight at Brenda.

Without a second thought, Julian threw himself forward, using his own chest to block the blade.

Steel tore into flesh, and blood instantly soaked through his white dress shirt.

He collapsed into Brenda's arms, his breath faint, yet his grip remained locked onto her wrist.

"Don't be afraid... I promised you... I'd protect you for the rest of my life..."

Standing in the shadows, my fingernails dug deep into my palms.

Outside the operating room at the hospital, Brenda sat on a bench wiping away tears, intermittently recounting things from the past.

She said years ago, Julian had raced on a motorcycle through pouring rain to chase her down at the airport, crashing into the guardrail and suffering massive hemorrhaging, barely surviving.

I sat beside her, listening in silence.

Only then did I realize that this usually calm, restrained man could also throw his life away for someone.

It was just that the person worth dying for had never been me.

The operating room doors swung open, and a nurse walked out holding a clipboard, saying the blade had barely missed his heart and that a family member needed to sign.

Handing over the pen, the nurse added offhandedly, "While he was unconscious, he kept calling for Brenda. Family members should stay by his side and talk to him more."

I took the pen and signed my name on the consent form.

As soon as I turned to walk down the hallway, I ran straight into Julian's assistant.

The assistant clutched a thick stack of documents, hurriedly explaining that Mr. He had just signed an amendment to his will this morning, demanding it be delivered to the law firm today.

On the cover of the document, neatly printed under the beneficiary line, was Brenda Gu's name.

Only after he finished speaking did he realize it was me standing in front of him, and his face instantly drained of color.

There wasn't a ripple of emotion on my face; I didn't even break my stride.

Brenda chased after me from behind. "Natalie, are... aren't you staying to take care of him?"

I stopped walking, without turning around.

"I really did love him once, but now I've come to my senses."

"You're the one who's always been in his heart. I'm stepping aside for the two of you."

With that, I walked out of the hospital doors and plunged straight into the night outside.

He had never loved me.

And I should no longer occupy a place that belonged to someone else.

It was finally coming to an end between us.