Chapter 455
Chapter 454 Ruby’s Rage Loading Fast
Chapter 454 Ruby’s Rage Loading Fast
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Waylon went on, “So, Natalic, don’t blame your mother. If you have to blame someone, blame me. I was the father who never checked that child in the first place; I was the father who didn’t notice something was wrong afterward; I was the father who caused your mother’s illness. All of this–every bit of it–is my fault.”
He ran his hands through his hair in agony, his expression twisted with regret.
Natalie felt a tight, heavy ache in her chest.
She didn’t know what to say. Was what Waylon did right or wrong? For any woman, it was definitely wrong—cruel, even. But as the head of the Stone family, he had fulfilled his duty.
She couldn’t pass judgment either way.
“Dad,” she asked quietly, “can I ask… how’s my brother now?” Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn.net
At the mention of his eldest son, Waylon’s voice softened. “Your brother’s doing well–better than well. Not long ago, he and your aunt finally broke through that scientific bottleneck. They succeeded in creating what they’d been working toward, and it’s supposed to bring major progress to the country. I don’t know the technical details; since it’s classified, even the Stone family has to follow confidentiality rules.”
Hearing that, a surge of pride rose in Natalie’s chest. Something that could bring great progress to the country … my brother’s incredible.
Then something clicked in her mind.
“Dad, do you think the people who kidnapped me—and those who’ve been targeting the Stone family–might actually be after my brother?”
Flynn immediately raised a thumb in approval.
“Exactly.”
He took over the explanation. “Your brother cracked that research problem just recently and developed something groundbreaking. Right after that, you were kidnapped and taken to the Ocevaris auction, where every elite family gathered. That emptied out Ocean City; during that chaos, a strange man broke into our home and kidnapped me and Dad, planning to use us to force our brother to hand over his research results. Luckily, someone rescued us.”
He turned to her with a grin. “Natalie, remember that guy we met at the airport–Payne?”
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8:33 Thu, Oct 16
Chapter 454 Ruby’s Rage Loading Fast
“I remember.”
Natalie nodded.
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Flynn smiled. “He’s the head of the confidential research department–the only one who can actually reach oru brother. He and his team, along with those two little rascals of ours, were the ones who saved me and Dad. The man in black still managed to escape, though. That’s how we confirmed it–this whole thing was aimed at our brother. You were just their bait to draw everyone’s attention.”
Everything finally fell into place for Natalie.
“So that’s what happened… then, is it possible my baby–swap incident back then was connected to those same people?”
Waylon shook his head. “I don’t know. If those people were behind your being switched at birth, what would they gain from it? You were just a baby–no threat to anyone. And if they really wanted to use you to get to me or your brother, wouldn’t it have been easier to just take you outright? Why go to the trouble of letting the Summers family raise you for eighteen years?”
Natalie had to admit, that made sense.
But if it wasn’t them–then who could’ve orchestrated that entire switch?
“Dad, did Uncle know about my brother back then?”
She suddenly thought of Xenon–the one who’d died in that car crash. He had been one of the key people involved in her being switched at birth. Now that she thought about it, his involvement seemed… suspicious.
Waylon looked confused by the question but answered after a moment. “He probably didn’t know. Your aunt told everyone her baby had died, and at that time, Xenon hadn’t even been born yet. How could he possibly know?”
Natalie, however, wasn’t convinced.
“Not necessarily. If he had any connection with whoever was behind all this, it’s not impossible that he knew about the family rule. But what I can’t figure out is–if he did know about my brother, why would he be part of switching me at birth? Was it to protect me?”
Her words stunned both Waylon and Flynn.
They had never once considered that possibility.
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8:33 Thu, Oct 16
Chapter 454 Ruby’s Rage Loading Fast
“Maybe… maybe you’re right,” Flynn murmured.
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Just as Natalie and the two men exchanged uneasy looks, a cold, familiar voice suddenly cut through the air.
“Maybe she is.”
Ruby’s voice.
Waylon jumped up from the couch, startled out of his skin. “Honey? What are you doing down here?”
In that instant, there was nothing left of his usual powerful, composed demeanor; he looked like a man caught doing something terribly wrong.
Ruby let out a sharp, bitter scoff as she descended the stairs.
Natalie stared in shock. Mom had been asleep just moments ago … hasn’t she? How is she here now? Is she pretending to sleep?
If so, then she’d heard everything her father just confessed.
The realization hit Natalie like a stone. She could only bow her head in silent pity for Waylon.
After all, a woman finding out the death of her child had been orchestrated by the man sleeping beside her. Who on earth could bear that?
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