"Seems like you, Mr. Clarkson, are totally unaware that two days ago, Kendra had my wife kidnapped and whisked off to England. In the process, she was intercepted by the police and my wife was pushed into the ocean! Are you telling me that you, as her father, had no idea about any of this?"
"What? Natalia fell into the sea? Is she... alright?" Kyler shot up from his seat. His hands started to shake. Natalia couldn't be in any danger!
"If she were, I would've done more than just invite you here today!" Magnus lifted his head, his icy gaze laced with a wild, hostile air.
"I could send Kendra to jail today with the evidence I have, and let her rot in there for a decade or more. But, I am considering the respect I have for you, Mr. Clarkson. That's why I have asked you to handle this matter. I hope you can offer me a satisfactory response. And one more thing, I want to put an end to this absurd marriage with Kendra! I hope you will expedite the divorce proceedings between Kendra and me! Should you continue to delay, I can't guarantee whether I will become a widower or get a divorce first!"
His steely gaze bore into Kyler, and the unfathomable coldness in his eyes made Kyler shiver to the core.
"Rest assured, Mr. Andersen, I will discipline Kendra this time. Thank you for your mercy. I will provide you with an answer." Kyler rose to leave.
"Mr. Clarkson!" Magnus called after him.
He stopped at the door and turned to face Magnus.
"Natalia is my woman, and I won't allow anyone to bully her!" Magnus' gaze was surging with a hidden storm.
Kyler nodded and quickly exited, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the murderous intent radiating off Magnus.
At the Clarkson's mansion, Kyler stormed in, with the servants lowering their heads in deference. "Sir."
"Call Kendra down here!" His voice was laced with an indescribable rage.
"Yes, sir!" The servant could sense the brewing storm within the house.
Upon hearing her father wanted to see her, Kendra nervously descended the staircase. "Father!" She walked over to the couch, looking at the furious Kyler, a sense of fear creeping over her.
"Slap!" Kyler stood up and landed a heavy slap on her face before she could react. Her perfect skin instantly bore the mark of his palm. Kendra looked at Kyler in disbelief. She had never seen her father hit her before.
"Father! Why did you hit me?" She cried out loudly.
The commotion brought Addison out of her room. "What's going on?"
"What's going on? Ask her what she's done! She dared to kidnap Natalia and even threw her into the sea! Is this the daughter you raised? She even tried to harm her own sister!" Kyler pointed at Kendra, his hand trembling.
Addison widened her eyes at Kyler. "What nonsense are you spouting? Kendra wouldn't even hurt a fly, how could she possibly kidnap Natalia!"
Kyler glared at Addison. "Ask her yourself. If it weren't for my intervention today, Magnus would have already sent her to jail!"
Addison turned to Kendra. "Kendra, is this true? Did you really do this?" She couldn't believe her precious daughter could do such a thing. It must have been that wretched Natalia who framed her!
"Yes! It was me, I wanted her dead!" Kendra covered her face, glaring at Kyler fiercely.
Lucius finished his drink in one gulp, threw the glass away, and leaned down and kissed the woman's chest. The booth was soon filled with the sounds of a man's low growl and a woman's soft moans.
Kendra repeatedly dialed Lucius' number, but no one answered. Meanwhile, Lucius was in the throes of passion with another woman, oblivious to Kendra's calls. She threw her phone against the wall in frustration.
The next day, Natalia went to school and saw Lexi. "Lexi, where's Sabrina?"
"She left, off to France, with tears in her eyes. Natalia, why are both of you like this? She didn't want to go to France, but her grandfather is a man of his word!" Lexi lamented, tugging at Natalia's arm.
Natalia, gazing at the gradually rising sun, comforted Lexi by patting her shoulder. "Let's go, off to class. Everyone has their own destiny. She'll be okay. Don't worry."
"Okay." Lexi nodded, gripping Natalia's hand tightly. "You're alright after the kidnapping the other day, right? The whole school knows about it. The wheelchair-bound hunk even came to school to see the principal."
"I'm fine. I'm back safe and sound, aren't I?" Natalia replied, puzzled as to why Magnus would come to see the principal.
A week later, Natalia and Lexi began their final exams. For the intense three days of testing, Magnus didn't disturb her, driving her to school every morning and picking her up every night, even giving up his study for her use.
But inevitably, the wheelchair would roll in from time to time, the man capturing her petite figure for a lingering kiss. Natalia had already grown accustomed to Magnus' overbearing and unreasonable behavior.
After completing her exams, Natalia began her summer vacation. Kendra had been unusually quiet during this period, not causing any trouble.
Meanwhile, Magnus' company was thriving under his leadership, signing contracts with several European countries and boosting economic exchanges, inching the company closer to prosperity. At this point, Lucius was growing more agitated. He hadn't expected the cripple to turn the company around, and, even more surprisingly, to make it more successful than before. A sense of fear and unease began to creep into his heart.
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