The Year She Stopped Being Crazy for Him novel Chapter 291

Natalie paused for a moment, insisting on heading toward Jude.

The man forcefully grabbed her hand. "Did you have plans with him?"

Natalie looked at him, a mocking smile on her lips. "Isn't that the same excuse you just used to pull me away?"

"If I didn't pull you away, what else were you going to say?"

"I was just telling the truth." Natalie shrugged.

Someone nearby greeted him, "Mr. Carlson."

Hassan gave a faint nod in response.

Sensing the tension, the man didn't linger and gave the couple some space.

Natalie stared at Hassan's hand, which was gripping hers tightly, and narrowed her eyes. "Let go of me."

Hassan leaned in close, his head slightly lowered, his breathing heavy. "Behave."

Natalie's eyes curved into a smile. "I've always been well-behaved."

"You're coming up on stage with me later," Hassan told her.

Natalie hummed in agreement. "I know. You don't need to remind me."

The host was currently on stage going over the arrangements.

It wasn't quite time for Hassan and Natalie to make their appearance yet.

Hassan was pulled aside by some board members, leaving Natalie to find a place to sit by herself.

Grabbing a glass of red wine, she sat on a sofa and watched the center of the banquet. Gardenia was walking toward Hassan, laughing and chatting with the people around him.

The physical distance between them was closer than it was with her, his actual wife.

Natalie looked away, picked up a chocolate mousse dessert, and started eating it with a small fork.

Suddenly, someone walked past and knocked the dessert right out of her hand.

The rich, creamy chocolate splattered all over Natalie's evening gown.

She looked up. It was an unfamiliar face.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Carlson. I-I didn't mean it, I'm truly sorry." The woman crouched down cautiously in front of her, trying to wipe the dress with a napkin.

But the chocolate stain quickly spread into the fabric; there was no wiping it away.

Natalie gently patted the woman's hand. "It's fine. I'll go change."

She lifted the hem of her dress and headed toward the nearby dressing room.

"I'll come with you." The young woman who bumped into her had red rimmed eyes, looking terrified that Natalie might do something drastic because her dress was ruined.

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