The Year She Stopped Being Crazy for Him novel Chapter 10

After running through the entire routine a few times, it was almost six o'clock. Zeke texted her: [We're here.]

Natalie got up, headed to the locker room to change, and took the elevator down to the lobby. She immediately noticed several young girls from the studios hiding behind the massive pillars, casting blushing glances toward the entrance.

The man was tall, his lean figure standing quietly by the door as he waited. With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his long legs were perfectly tailored into dress pants. His gaze was cast slightly downward, his posture relaxed but carrying an undeniable, innate elegance.

The girls at the arts center were notoriously picky and rarely gave ordinary men the time of day, but right now, they were buzzing with excitement.

"He is gorgeous. Who is he waiting for? If nobody claims him, I'm making a move."

"I want to make a move too, but looking at him from the back... doesn't he kind of look like Natalie's husband?"

"Oh, please. If she actually had a husband that hot, do you really think she'd only ever post one picture of his back? It's definitely a stock photo."

It suddenly hit Natalie—this was the first time Hassan had ever actually stepped inside to wait for her. He usually just sat in the car. She had never complained about the lack of effort. As long as he came to pick her up, she would always happily hop into the passenger seat and cling to him affectionately.

Ignoring the whispers, she walked straight up to Hassan.

"It really is Natalie... No way."

The crowd instantly recognized the tall, curvy silhouette approaching the man.

Four years ago, when Natalie first joined the arts center, her luminous skin and stunning bone structure had countless male dancers sneaking into her rehearsals just to catch a glimpse of her.

Back then, she was like the midsummer sun—blazing and impossible to ignore. But she had casually dropped that she was married, immediately shutting down any romantic prospects.

Everyone assumed that someone as breathtaking as her, marrying so young, must have found an incredibly happy marriage.

But slowly, they noticed the cracks. Her husband never came to watch her perform. No one ever heard her on the phone with him, and whenever she got drunk at company dinners, it was always a friend who picked her up.

A lot of people started whispering that she must have married some ugly, short old man just for his money.

Just then, a little boy came running down the hall chasing a butterfly, completely focused. Gardenia followed right behind him with a warm smile. The two of them naturally walked right up to Hassan. "You got here so fast."

"Yes, I'm sure." She didn't hesitate for a second.

In the past, if a woman even breathed in his general direction, she would be desperately eager to stake her claim.

Now, she truly didn't care. They were getting divorced anyway. From now on, they'd go their separate ways, and he could sleep with whoever he wanted.

"As long as you're sure," he said, lowering his eyes. Without a ripple of emotion, he turned and walked away.

Natalie stood there and ordered a cab on her phone. She didn't want to go to the estate, but until Dr. Weston was confirmed, she had to play along for her grandmother's sake.

When she finally arrived at the Carlson estate, Hassan was sitting with Cecily, listening to her lecture.

"...You're not getting any younger, and you've been married for four years. Where is my great-grandchild? If Natalie doesn't get pregnant soon, your uncle Cormac's family is going to have a field day with this."

The Carlson family was a massive, sprawling dynasty. Hassan had dozens of cousins in his generation alone, but practically none of them had reached thirty without producing an heir. The matriarch had been pressuring him relentlessly.