Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

Chapter 69

The private room was a complete mess, with everything that could be smashed now lying in ruins,

Refusing to be defeated, Mia retrieved her phone and swiftly dialed Natalie’s number With a

mischievous glint, she could not resist yelling. “Aren’t you curious to know who was behind the incident

where you were drugged at the Foster family?”

There was silence on the other end, indicating that Natalie was listening. Mia felt a sense of triumph

and continued to provoke her, “It was me. Aren’t you surprised? Do you want to know if Mr. Wilson is

aware of it? Well, let me tell you, not only does he know, but he even had someone send me the

information to keep it safe. You see, he didn’t want you to find out. Why do you think you have the right

to compete with me? Just because you think you’re Mr. Wilson’s woman? Would he allow me to drug

you if he truly liked you?”

With her objective achieved, Mia felt great satisfaction, and her mood significantly lifted.

As the call ended, Natalie’s complexion turned ashen, a wave of unease washing over her. Her chest

tightened, making it difficult to draw a steady breath. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, and she

fought to hold them back.

Sensing Natalie’s distress, Sherri swiftly located a nearby parking spot and unfastened her seatbelt.

Leaning closer, she looked at Natalie with genuine concern and asked, “Natalie, what happened? Who

was on the phone?”

Sherri pondered, “Natalie is a strong woman. Besides Mr. Foster’s passing, no one had made Natalie

lose her cool like this. She is clearly trying her best to suppress her emotions!”

After a moment of silence, Natalie turned her head and looked at Sherri with her bloodshot eyes as she

asked, “Sherri… do you know who is responsible for drugging us at the Foster family?”

Sherri shook her head; she genuinely did not know. It would have caused a major rift if she had known,

especially considering her

involvement with Hackett Blackwell.

In a trembling voice, Natalie whispered, “It was Mia Blackwell”

“That woman is utterly despicable! Is she completely unhinged? I am going to find her,” Sherri

exclaimed as fury surged through her veins. She unlocked the car, readying herself to step out, but

Natalie swiftly grasped her arm, preventing her from leaving.

In a muted voice, Natalie pleaded, “Don’t go. Trevon Wilson is determined to protect her. What could

you possibly do to her?”

Sherri rose her voice, “What? Trevon Wilson not only knows about it but is actively protecting her. This

is unacceptable! I don’t care if he’s Mr. Wilson or Mr. Theo. We cannot simply let this go. We must hold

that woman accountable. Natalie, you wouldn’t let her escape unscathed, will you?”

Sherri never viewed her best friend as someone who would back down in the face of bullies.

Throughout their lives, she recognized Natalie as a person who would never hesitate to seek retribution

for any wrongdoing inflicted upon her.

Natalie gathered her composure, carefully navigating her delicate emotions. She shifted her gaze to the

tranquil scenery outside, drawing solace from its calming presence. Returning to Sherri, she asked,

“Does Mia happen to be Trevon’s love interest?”

Instead of offering an immediate response to Natalie’s question, Sherri countered with her own.

Sensing Natalie’s somber mood, Sherri observed that it was particularly pronounced that day. She

responded, “I can’t say whether Mia is considered a romantic interest, but… she happens to be Mr.

Wilson’s ex-girlfriend.”

Natalie nodded understanding and pondered, “No wonder he’s fiercely protective of her. That explains

how she accessed Trevon’s phone and effortlessly examined the chat history. It also clarifies how she

could send me a screenshot of my message!”

At this moment, the weight of heartache settled upon Natalie. The realization pierced through her as

she comprehended the depth of the betrayal. Her supposedly devoted husband had been aware of his

ex-girlfriend’s role in the drugging incident, yet he willingly relinquished the evidence into her hands.

Natalie contemplated, “What is there for him to fear? Is he concerned that I will bully his precious

darling? How devoted is he!”

Sherri looked at her dejected friend and asked carefully, “Natalie, are you… in love with Mr. Wilson?”

That seemed to be the sole explanation that Sherri could fathom for her friend’s deep distress.

Otherwise, why would Natalie be so upset by Trevon’s betrayal? Natalie would not have reacted if she

were not concerned about Trevon’s relationship with another woman. She might have stated, “It’s none

of my business.”

In matters of love, it is often said that the one who falls first is the one who suffers the loss.

Natalie knew that she had lost her cool. However, the profound sense of heartbreak and distress was

inevitable as this marriage had

been chosen for her by her grandfather.

She felt like a complete failure. Despite mentally bracing for an amicable divorce, she never anticipated

the profound devastation coursing through her veins. It seemed as though her husband, in

collaboration with his mistress, had orchestrated a cruel conspiracy against her. It felt surreal as if her

life had been transplanted into a dramatic television series unfolding before her bewildered eyes.

Natalie went over everything in her mind with a wry smile and mused, “How absurd. I never anticipated

developing any feelings for him. Perhaps it’s because I lack much experience with men.”

Noticing Sherri’s surprise, Natalie continued with her self-deprecation. “Don’t give me that look. Please,

don’t worry. I’m perfectly fine,” she assured, masking any hint of vulnerability. “I haven’t fallen in love

with him. At most, it’s just a fleeting fondness. Now that I see things clearly, I can cut my losses in time.

I’m not at a complete loss. The only aspect that troubles me is that my grandfather arranged this

marriage. He had only wanted me to find happiness, but it seems this union is shaping up to be an

even greater disappointment than my mother’s. I can only apologize to my grandfather for failing to live

up to his well-intentioned efforts.”

Sherri, overcome with empathy for her dearest friend, felt her eyes welling up with tears. Unsure of how

to offer solace, she leaned in and enveloped Natalie in a heartfelt embrace and sincerely consoled, “It’s

alright. Our lives don’t have to revolve around men. I am here with you, and we should never settle for

any scumbag. Natalie, you deserve someone far better. Your world will be imbued with beauty once

you distance yourself from these toxic relationships. In just over a month, you will blossom into a

radiant flower once more, and the men who truly appreciate you will go to extraordinary lengths for you,

even if it means circling the entire city of Athana.”

Natalie laughed lightheartedly at the flattering words, playfully patting Sherri on the shoulder. Stepping

out of Sherri’s embrace, she teased, “What’s gotten into you? Do you think I’m some beauty wandering

around Athana in endless circles? Why not claim I’ve circled the entire Earth while you’re at it?

Besides, aren’t you the one getting married? If you decide to become a nun because of me, I can

already picture your mother hunting me down in the dead of night!”

Sherri playfully scratched her head, a warm smile gracing her face, “Isn’t that just stating the obvious

truth? If you truly decide not to marry, I’ll be right by your side. I’ll stand by my best friend no matter

what, even if it means putting my life on the line.”

“Let’s go for pizza!” Natalie laughed.

Sherri glanced at her best friend and, seeing that Natalie’s emotions had calmed down, she started to

move forward.

Sherri was not surprised that her best friend, Natalie, had developed feelings for Trevon. It was hardly

surprising, considering his handsome appearance and well-built physique aligned perfectly with a

woman’s aesthetic. This allure proved irresistible for Natalie, who had not been exposed to many men

before. Moreover, the significant amount of time they spent together day after day only deepened and

intensified those feelings.

The length of time spent together does not necessarily determine the development of feelings. Some

individuals can spend years. together without forming any emotional connection, while others can

instantly and profoundly bond from their first encounter.

Love and emotions cannot be quantified by time or constrained to a linear progression. They are

deeply personal and subjective, transcending rigid timelines or predetermined sequences. Guided by

the desires and inclinations of the heart, they are often ignited by a profound sense of connection and

attraction between individuals,

Although Sherri had not been in any romantic relationship, she had watched numerous TV dramas that

depicted various types of love, and she had learned many lessons from these shows.

Furthermore, Trevon played a significant role in Natalie’s life. He had been involved in moments of

intimacy, including assisting Natalie with changing clothes and sharing meals, and recently, they even

engaged in a physical relationship. The first time is important for a woman, and Mr. Wilson can be

regarded as Natalie’s first intimate partner.

“Oh, he is not a good person,” Sherri quietly sighed while carefully analyzing the reasons for Natalie’s

attraction to Trevon.

At this moment, the unsuspecting man sat in his chair, scrolling through his phone.

He thought to himself, “No messages all morning. By now, this woman should be awake. Hasn’t she

seen the news?”

Opening the chat interface, he discovered it still displayed the last received payment information.

Revealing a glimmer of coldness, the man’s deep pupils shifted towards Jim, who sat across from him.

He inquired, “Is the news still trending?”

“Are you referring to the trending topics about you and Miss Mia? Yes, they’re still trending. Do you

want them taken down?” Jim

carefully asked.

After a minute had passed, Trevon cleared his throat and posed the question, “Has she sent you any

messages?”

A little confused, Jim clarified, “Who?”

Trevon chose not to dignify the foolish question with a response. Instead, he cast a disdainful glance,

leaving the other person to interpret it for themselves.

Fortunately, Jim was not oblivious and swiftly grasped the underlying significance of the look. “Ah,

you’re referring to Mrs. Wilson? Let me check,” he promptly offered.

Muttering to himself, he unlocked his phone to check. “No, she hasn’t. Mrs. Wilson didn’t send me any

messages today,” he confirmed.

The man’s face darkened, and he cast an unfriendly gaze upon Jim. “Do you frequently exchange

messages with her?” he inquired.

Jim quickly replied, “No, absolutely not. How could that be? I always seek your approval before

responding to Mrs. Wilson.”

With a softened tone, the man instructed, “Alright, you may leave.”

Jim Hawk pondered silently, “So Mr. Wilson is waiting for a message from Mrs. Wilson? He’s quite

stubborn. Why doesn’t he take the initiative and message her himself? Does it always have to be Mrs.

Wilson initiating the conversation?”

As Jim was about to depart, the man interjected, “Remove the trending topics. Clear them entirely.”

“Okay,” Jim replied. However, this time he intentionally delayed action, purposefully taking half an hour

to remove the news