Chapter 471
Annabelle finally escaped her suffocating home when she went to college. She shed her past like worn-out skin, undergoing plastic surgery and changing her name—severing every tie to her disgraceful history. She would never let anyone know about it.
Annabelle exhaled deeply, pushing the memories aside. A dull ache pulsed in her lower abdomen, and sweat beaded on her forehead. The urgency sent her rushing to a nearby hospital.
After a thorough examination, the doctor sternly advised her to avoid intense sexual intercourse. Fear washed over Annabelle at the doctor's warning. She hadn't realized the consequences could be so severe. One more such encounter risked losing the baby she was carrying.
She needed this child to secure her status and marry into the Hughes family; she had to protect it at all costs.
Sitting in her car, Annabelle remembered something. She found a photo of Jeremy she had secretly taken at the hot spring resort. Jeremy had strictly forbidden pictures, likely to prevent evidence of their relationship reaching Natalie. He didn't want any evidence of their affair.
She, however, now possessed a weapon: the photo and their chat records, which Jeremy might have deleted. These would be her tools against Natalie.
"Baby, I won't let you wait much longer," she whispered. "Your father will give us both the status we deserve. I will soon deal with the person hindering us, and your daddy will only love us. I told you, the troublemaker is nothing compared to me. Look at your daddy; he can't resist loving me. He just hasn't realized it yet. Sometimes, habits are powerful; he just thinks he loves Natalie."
After saying this, Annabelle exhaled deeply. As her anger dissipated, a sense of satisfaction settled over her. She then sent the photo to Natalie.
Natalie was at a photoshoot studio, accompanying Austin for an advertisement shoot. Soft music played in the car. She hadn't slept well the previous night, and as the car drove steadily, she grew drowsy.
As soon as Natalie closed her eyes, Austin glanced at her. A secret gnawed at his conscience since discovering she was Jeremy's wife. He recalled encountering Jeremy at a Yley City hotel, intimately embracing another woman—clearly not Natalie. They were embracing and kissing passionately before disappearing into the elevator. Austin, ever the gentleman, gave them privacy and entered later.
Despite the evidence, Austin knew Jeremy cared for Natalie. But her reaction to a movie plot suggested she couldn't tolerate betrayal. How would she react to the truth?
A cough from Hank startled Austin. Hank's pointed look silenced his unspoken questions.
"I told you you had malicious intentions," Hank whispered. "Why don't you admit it? If not, let her go. After all, she has a husband. If any scandal breaks out, you'll be finished. Do you understand?"
For ten years, Hank had prided himself on managing Austin's career flawlessly. But recently, his intuition warned him their well-behaved celebrity might be on the verge of rebellion.