10.04
Chapter 179
Nathalie was taken aback. After being cast aside by both her birth family and in–laws for two lifetimes, she never imagined someone could still care for her. This unexpected revelation made her all the more curious about the person who reached out. “Send me the address, and I’ll head over right away.”
By the time Nathalie arrived at the bar, the clock had struck midnight. The place was almost deserted, with just a few weary souls draped over the tables, lost in their own world. Her eyes scanned the room, searching for a familiar face, but she found none, leaving her puzzled and frowning.
Just then, a waiter approached her with a gentle smile. “Are you Ms. Nathalie?” She nodded, prompting him to softly say, “Your guest is in the booth over there.”
Following his gaze, Nathalie realized she had indeed spotted him earlier but failed to recognize him in his current state. It took seeing the well–known features of her ex–husband for the pieces to click into place.
There he was, drunk and disheveled, clutching a bottle as he gulped down its contents. With a heavy thud, he slammed the bottle on the table, slurring, “Nel…”
Back in the day, seeing Cameron so vulnerable and sincere would have pulled at Nathalie’s heartstrings. She would have made him hangover breakfast, stayed up all night caring for him, and shed tears over his misery–things she used to do without a second thought.
But now, she was no longer the same Nellie. She had let go of that pitiful, sad sympathy. Instead, she stood there, quietly observing him as if watching a spectacle.
Suddenly, Cameron grimaced, sliding off the chair like a deflated balloon, clutching his stomach tightly. Nathalie knew it was his chronic stomach issue flaring up. He had a severe condition, and there were times he drank to the point of bleeding. She had once carried him to the hospital, saving his life by a whisker.
Now, her heart felt nothing for his suffering. She simply watched him in silence, and after what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke, “Cameron, you’re really something else. If you could go a lifetime without loving me or respecting me, I’d tip my hat to you as a man of unwavering resolve. But this act right now? It’s just pathetic.”
Cameron’s eyes were half–shut, perhaps from the alcohol. His gaze was unfocused and empty, but, the hand tucked in his sleeve was subtly clenched.
Nathalie pondered for a moment before saying, “Alright, since I’m here, I’ll do you this one last favor.”
She took out her phone, recording Cameron’s drunken state, and sent the video to Greta, as well as another number.
POOL
When Greta received the message and saw Cameron sprawled on the bar floor, mumbling Nellie’s name, her heart sank like a stone. She dashed out without hesitation, grabbing the first cab she could find and speeding towards the bar.
“Nellie, you homewrecker, how dare you try to steal my husband?” Greta stormed into the bar, her voice shaking with rage.
Nathalie stood with her arms crossed, smirking at Cameron, “See, Cameron? I was way more understanding of her affair with you back then than she is of me now. And yet, you thought I was the unreasonable one…”
