Chatper 49


    Chapter 49


    Natalic slipped through the door, ready to gently wake up Nate when the teacher pulled her aside and


    whispered, “Nate had a bit of a fever this afternoon. We couldn’t reach you, so I gave him some fever


    reducer.”


    Natalie paused, surprised, “He was fine this morning, what happened?”


    “It might’ve been during the after–school activities. The kids were ying with water guns, and Nate


    didn’t have a change of clothes. The caretaker didn’t get to him in time to switch into dry clothes and he


    caught a chill,” the teacher said with a hint of guilt in her voice. “But after the medicine, he’s been


    better. We’ve checked his temperature three times and the fever’s gone.”


    Natalie reached out cautiously and felt Nate’s forehead. It wasn’t as hot as before.


    “Thanks for taking care of him,” she said gratefully.


    Nate was sleeping deeply. With the medicine having taken effect, it didn’t stir as Natalie carried him to


    the car.


    Arriving at Prestige Penthouses, Natalie discovered a power outage.


    “What’s going on?” she asked the security guard.


    “I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” the guard expressed with regret, “Due to urgent repairs that began at


    five and are still underway, we’ve lost power. It may be at least another half an hour before it can be


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    restored. You may have to take the stairs in the meantime.”


    Natalie frowned involuntarily, ncing back at Nate, whose cheeks seemed to be getting redder. There


    was nothing in the car to cover him with and waiting was out of the question.


    After a moment of thought, she decided to take the emergency stairs. They lived on the tenth floor,


    which wasn’t too high.


    Nate’s body was warm against hers, but not overly so.


    By the fifth floor, Nate managed to open his eyes and shed a weak smile. “Lady… we’re home…”


    He mumbled something else before settling back into sleep against Natalie’s shoulder.


    Natalie guessed that Nate feared being neglected again.


    Born into the Howard family, envied by all of Streamville, Natalie felt that Nate’s life was somehow


    the care he needed.


    As they neared the ninth floor, Natalie heard a sound from one of the stairwell doors above. Just a


    noise, then silence.


    The dim light in the stairwell gave Natalie an uneasy feeling, prompting her to halt.


    Her identity made her a target, and her instincts told her something upstairs might be amiss.


    Deciding quickly, she turned to head back down. Every three floors there was a utility room. The sixth


    might have maintenance or security staff.


    But as she turned, a hand suddenly grabbed her from behind. Startled, she reacted instantly, grabbing


    and twisting the intruder’s hand with enough force to send an adult man tumbling down the stairs,


    especially with the disadvantage of the higher ground.


    In the next second, however, she was pushed hard against the wall.


    Before she could cry out, a hand mped firmly over her mouth.


    “It’s me!” the man behind her said, turning her in his arms.


    Natalie broke out in a cold sweat. It wasn’t until she saw it was Brian that her heart settled.


    Brian had somehow taken Nate into his arms and bnced him effortlessly on one shoulder, with his


    other hand still covering Natalie’s mouth, signaling her to keep quiet.


    They were very close as Brian furrowed his brows to give Natalie a stern look.


    So something was indeed wrong upstairs.


    Natalie quieted down, her breathing steadied, and she silently looked into the eyes of Brian, who was


    holding her against the wall. Brian nced upstairs again and when he looked back, locking eyes with


    Natalie, a silent understanding passed between them.