“If you knew that, why did you bother thanking me? Are you just rubbing it in my face?” Jacqueline broke in. “Are you trying to show off to me that you’re together with Shane?”
“I’m not!” Natalie retorted.
Jacqueline refused to believe her. Quivering, Jacqueline said, “Natalie, I’ve really been mistaken about you. Do you think you’re being fair to me?”
“What?” Natalie’s mouth twitched. Jacqueline’s harsh accusations left Natalie rather confounded.
Jacqueline turned to Natalie with a look of absolute loathing. “Don’t tell me you don’t remember what I told you before about staying away from Shane?”
Natalie nodded uncertainly. “I remember.”
That had occurred when Stanley was first admitted to the hospital following his accident. Jacqueline had come to visit Stanley and bumped into Natalie instead. Jacqueline had issued that warning to Natalie then.
Jacqueline’s voice rose. “If you remember, then why aren’t you doing it? You’re not being fair to me. I love Shane. I’d loved him ever since we were little. You knew this for a fact, yet you still went ahead and got together with him! You’re really adamant about being a third party, aren’t you?”
Upon hearing the charges that Jacqueline had flung to her, Natalie felt a twinge of guilt. Lowering her eyes, she said, “I’m sorry, Ms. Graham. I never had the intention to do this, but things happened along the way. Besides, I don’t think I’ve ruined any relationship between Mr. Shane and you.”
“Really?” Jacqueline almost choked with anger. “Are you trying to say that you don’t think you’ve snatched Shane away from me?”
“That’s right,” Natalie raised her head and met Jacqueline’s glare defiantly. “Mr. Shane told me that he’d never loved you. He’s always treated you like a sister, and you’ve never been in a romantic relationship with him. Mr. Shane was single when I met him. Therefore, I didn’t snatch him away from anyone.”
Even if Jacqueline has any place in Shane’s heart at all, it’s definitely only a small corner! Shane would never date her. Natalie thought triumphantly.
“You… you…” Jacqueline pointed a shaky finger at Natalie. She was evidently overcome with rage.
After a moment’s pause, Jacqueline’s hand fell. “Get out. I don’t want to see you anymore. Get out!” she shrieked.
Natalie’s mouth curled. She turned and left.
She walked out of the room under the watchful eye of both Shane and Jackson. When Natalie saw them, she shook her head and marched towards the lift.
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