The Otherside Of Love || Sadistic Billionaire

Natalie’s POV

“Gosh! As if I pulled you out of the lion’s den, Natalie. What a man of yours is he?” Daniel exclaimed.

I smiled faintly and stared out of the car window. All I could think about was the life growing inside my womb. Everything else seemed pale and easy to solve compared to this dilemma.

I had to think things through clearly. I had to study all the possibilities and consider the consequences of every decision carefully. Facing the family with this wasn’t a good option, but it was the only right option. If Rafael didn’t want this child, I could raise him by myself.

I placed my hand protectively on my flat stomach. Whatever happened, abortion was not an option at all.

“What are you thinking about?” Daniel asked, glancing at me from time to time as he drove. “Why are you so quiet?”

I sighed. “Nothing important,” I lied. “So, tell me, who is this friend you want me to meet?”

He smiled, his eyes shining, and said, “Maya. Her name is Maya.”

I raised an eyebrow, noticing his shining gaze, and teased, “Oh, Maya. I see. So, is that silly smile on your face for her? Is Maya just a friend?”

His smile widened. “I intend to propose to her next month.”

I smiled and exclaimed, “You have a girlfriend! I’m surprised. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” How wonderful to see lovers engaged and planning for marriage. It’s just that the man I fell for doesn’t seem to know how to love.

He smiled tenderly as he stopped the car in front of a French restaurant. The place wasn’t famous, but it was elegant and quiet.

Once we entered, a beautiful woman waved at us with her hand. Her smile was brilliant and radiant. When she stood to kiss Daniel, I noticed her height-she was tall, very tall.

“Hey! You must be Natalie,” she said, offering her hand.

I promptly took her hand, returning her smile before responding, “And you must be Maya, am I correct?”

Her eyes twinkled with warmth, exuding kindness. “Yes, I’m delighted to finally meet you.”

Her enthusiasm caught me off guard. After all, I was merely Daniel’s neighbor and newfound friend. Nevertheless, I returned her excitement with a smile. “I’m also pleased to meet you, Maya.”

She glanced at Daniel with a slight frown. “You’re late,” she remarked, then scrutinized him from head to toe. “What happened? You look like you’ve been in a fight.”

As the waiter arrived to take our orders, so Daniel didn’t respond. Once the waiter had left, Maya pressed him again, her curiosity evident. “What happened?”

He cast me an accusing glance, then shrugged his shoulders. “Her man did,” he muttered, his tone tinged with resignation.

Maya’s eyes widened in shock as she covered her mouth with both hands. “Mr. Merrin?” she exclaimed, disbelief evident in her voice. “But why?”

I blinked in surprise at her response, still processing Daniel’s earlier reply.

“He thinks that I’m a treat,” he answered with an amusment grin, sipping from his glass.

Maya glanced at me and chuckled.

I raised an eyebrow and objected, “It’s not like that! He’s just…” But Daniel cut me off, “Stop defending him, Natalie. He has to learn to respect your choices!”

“I’m not defending him, Daniel. It’s…” I began to explain, but he cut me off again with a sneer. “Don’t even try, Natalie,” he leaned forward and added, “The man is obsessed with you, his actions prove that. You have to force him to make himself clear and…”

“She can’t just impose herself on the man! She can’t just walk up to him and tell him to be with her and break off his engagement!” Maya snapped.

My mouth dropped open. Were they really discussing my life?

“When they’re having sex, she has every right to expect commitment from him. He can’t just use her body!” Daniel snapped back furiously.

At this point, I began to feel uncomfortable and fidgety.

“God, Daniel! You can’t just throw accusations at the man. We can’t judge him for good,” Maya countered.

Their conversation caught me off guard. What on earth were they arguing about?

I raised an eyebrow and asked in a serious, flat tone, “May I ask what you’re talking about?” I alternated my gaze between them. “I’m a little confused here!”

It’s true that I considered Daniel a friend, but his interference in my personal life was absolutely unacceptable to me! Additionally, discussing it with his girlfriend as if I didn’t exist was beyond tolerable.

They exchanged looks, then focused their gazes on me with guilty expressions.

Maya was the first to speak. She reached out and gently patted my hand, then mumbled, “Sorry if we upset you. I’m just trying to convince Daniel that every relationship has its own circumstances.”Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

“What on earth!” I thought to myself, feeling frustrated and bewildered.

“Sorry, I can’t discuss this. It was nice to meet you, Maya, but I’m leaving,” I said firmly. I stood up, my chair scraping against the floor, and grabbed my handbag. The atmosphere was tense, and I could feel their eyes on me, filled with a mix of surprise and guilt. The dim lighting of the cafe cast long shadows on the table, and the murmur of other patrons seemed to fade into the background as I prepared to leave.

Just as I turned to go, Daniel reached out and held my arm, preventing me from leaving. His grip was gentle but firm, and I could see a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. “I have something I need to confess to you, Natalie,” he said, his voice wavering slightly. “And I hope you can understand me.”

I paused, looking down at his hand on my arm, then back up to his face. The room seemed to hold its breath, and even the background noise of the cafe seemed to quiet in anticipation of his next words.

I closed my eyes tightly to suppress my anger, then opened them and said, “Sorry, Daniel. I’m not willing to talk about my personal life with anyone. If you’re willing to help me reveal Debbie’s plan as a friend, then I appreciate it. Other than that, no, I’m not ready to.”

He sighed deeply, his expression fraught with inner conflict or deep contemplation. Then, locking eyes with me, he said, “Don’t you want to know anything about your biological father?”

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Glancing at Maya, I returned to my seat, the weight of Daniel’s question hanging heavy in the air. Without uttering a word, I fixed my gaze on him, silently urging him to continue.

He cleared his throat, his French accent adding a certain gravitas to his words. “Natalie, I know who your real father is.”

What?

What did he just say?

The blood froze in my veins. The shock washed over me so suddenly that I stared at his face in a daze.

“What?” That’s all I managed to say.

“I said, I. Know. Your. Real. Father,” he repeated, each word deliberate and weighted with significance.