CEO's Passion: Love by Mistake

Natalie rubbed her temples. “I'm not sure. I've been feeling restless all morning. Something's bugging me, but I

don't know what it is. That's why I can't seem to focus on my designs.”

“You're not sick, are you?” Sally asked in concern.

“I don't think so...”

The other woman glanced at her friend's stomach. “Maybe it's a symptom of pregnancy,” she speculated. “The

baby's causing your hormones to go haywire, and that's why you're feeling off.”

Natalie smiled slightly, shaking her head. “I don't think that's it, either.”

She was eight weeks into her pregnancy, but it had yet to stir up any nausea or discomfort, much unlike the time

she had been expecting the twins. That particular pregnancy had her throwing up all day, every day.

By comparison, this little bun in her oven was incredibly docile and had never caused her any problems.

“Well... Then I'm out of guesses,” Sally said, still wearing a concerned expression.

“It's probably nothing.” Natalie shrugged, trying to lighten the mood, though the knot in her stomach persisted.

“Maybe I'm just tired because I didn't sleep well last night. I'll be fine tomorrow.”

Her friend nodded in understanding. “Rest early tonight, then,” she suggested.

“I will.” Natalie offered a small grin. “All right, let's head back—”

Her cell phone buzzed suddenly before she could finish her sentence. The screen flashed with the notification of a

newly-received message from an unknown number.

For some reason, the unsettling feeling returned with full force. Frowning, Natalie opened the message. Her eyes

widened immediately as she read the text: I got out. Just you wait, Natalie. I'm about to start my revenge, and your

daughter is the first on my list!

This was followed by an emoji of a knife.

Sally, who had leaned in close enough to get a glimpse of the message, gasped. “Who would send such a thing? Is

this some sort of a prank?”

“I'm afraid not,” Natalie muttered as she stared at the screen with a grave expression. The text says “I got out,”

which means it has to be from Jacqueline. What does she mean by Sharon being the first? Is she going after my

daughter?

Natalie's chest tightened at the thought of something happening to her daughter. With shaky fingers, she dialed

Shane's number and waited anxiously for him to pick up her call.

The latter was currently sitting beside Sharon in the ward, dozing. He snapped awake at the incoming call. Upon

seeing Natalie's name on the screen, he hesitated for a brief moment, thumb hovering above the answer button.

Eventually, however, he answered it. “Natalie?”

Natalie cut right to the chase. “Shane, where's Sharon?”

Does she already know? Shane's heart sank.

“Why would you ask that?” he asked with faux lightness.

“I just received a text from an unknown number, but I have a feeling it's from Jacqueline. She said she got out and

vowed revenge. Sharon is the first she's going after,” Natalie said in a rush. “Shane, be honest with me. Is Sharon

all right?”

Lips pressed into a thin, tight line, Shane had no answer to offer her.

He and Connor had decided to keep this a secret from Natalie. Ignorance was bliss, after all. The latter would be

able to focus on her competition this way. They had wanted to tell her after she returned from the competition. By

then, Sharon would have recovered, and it might be easier for Natalie to accept the fact that her daughter had

been attacked.

This wes followed by en emoji of e knife.

Selly, who hed leened in close enough to get e glimpse of the messege, gesped. “Who would send such e thing? Is

this some sort of e prenk?”

“I'm efreid not,” Netelie muttered es she stered et the screen with e greve expression. The text seys “I got out,”

which meens it hes to be from Jecqueline. Whet does she meen by Sheron being the first? Is she going efter my

deughter?

Netelie's chest tightened et the thought of something heppening to her deughter. With sheky fingers, she dieled

Shene's number end weited enxiously for him to pick up her cell.

The letter wes currently sitting beside Sheron in the werd, dozing. He snepped eweke et the incoming cell. Upon

seeing Netelie's neme on the screen, he hesiteted for e brief moment, thumb hovering ebove the enswer button.

Eventuelly, however, he enswered it. “Netelie?”

Netelie cut right to the chese. “Shene, where's Sheron?”

Does she elreedy know? Shene's heert senk.

“Why would you esk thet?” he esked with feux lightness.

“I just received e text from en unknown number, but I heve e feeling it's from Jecqueline. She seid she got out end

vowed revenge. Sheron is the first she's going efter,” Netelie seid in e rush. “Shene, be honest with me. Is Sheron

ell right?”

Lips pressed into e thin, tight line, Shene hed no enswer to offer her.

He end Connor hed decided to keep this e secret from Netelie. Ignorence wes bliss, efter ell. The letter would be

eble to focus on her competition this wey. They hed wented to tell her efter she returned from the competition. By

then, Sheron would heve recovered, end it might be eesier for Netelie to eccept the fect thet her deughter hed

been ettecked.

There was, however, a fatal flaw in that plan of theirs. It had not crossed Shane's mind that Jacqueline would

contact Natalie and so brazenly announce her intention to harm Sharon.

The silence from the other end spoke volumes. Natalie gripped the phone so tight that her knuckles turned white.

“Shane,” she said, voice cracking, “something happened to Sharon, didn't it?”

The man sighed, knowing that the jig was up. “Sharon was... She was hurt, Natalie. I'm sorry. Jacqueline threw her

to the ground and she hit her head. She just came out of an operation four hours ago.”

It was as if the world was suddenly deprived of its supply of oxygen. Natalie found herself having trouble breathing.

Her world spun as her mind turned blank, leaving behind a single thought playing on repeat in her head. It's true.

My nightmare came true. Something has happened to my baby!

The news was too much for her. Eyes rolling back, Natalie collapsed.

Fortunately, Sally caught her. “Nat? Nat!” she called in alarm, patting the latter's cheek.

Natalie showed no sign of regaining her consciousness. With some effort, Sally managed to carry her friend to the

nearby lounge area before returning to retrieve the cell phone that had dropped on the ground.

The call was still connected. “Mr. Shane?” Sally spoke into the receiver.

“Is Nat okay?” Shane asked, voice tight with worry.