Third Person’s POV
NATHALIA still couldn’t believe what she saw in the photo. So, she picked up the fallen photo album once again, and with trembling hands, she looked at the pictures inside one by one.
She felt as though her breath was being taken away when she saw that she was included in all the photos. Even though she couldn’t remember the children she was with there, she was certain that Stephen and his friends were among them.
She bit her lower lip as she noticed that the young Mads, Damon, Harold, and Albert were also with them in the pictures. She had visited their house a few times and seen some of their childhood photos. Thus, she couldn’t be mistaken.
“What the hell? What’s their connection to a past I can’t remember?” she quietly questioned in her mind.
She blinked and tried to hold back the tears from escaping her eyes. She quickly closed the photo album and held it tightly.
She needs to hide this one until Stephen comes back. That way, he won’t have a chance to avoid her questions.
As she was about to leave, she passed by some paintings hanging on the wall. Somehow, the paintings looked familiar to her.
She carefully approached each painting, taking cautious steps. Until her gaze lowered to the name written at the bottom.
Natasha Fuentes.
She gasped. Her eyes widened as her left hand covered her mouth.
Yes, her biological mother is a good painter. But she had never sold any of her works. All of her pieces were made solely for her personal collection.
So how did the Anderson family come to possess some of her creations?
Nathalia’s mind was in turmoil. She didn’t know what to think or whom to trust anymore. She wondered if the people around her were allies or enemies.
Nathalia didn’t know how she managed to make it to their room despite her trembling legs. She immediately sat on the edge of the bed because she felt like she could collapse at any moment. Then she took her cellphone out of her pocket. She hesitated about whether she should call Stephen and ask him about it right away.
But in the end, she decided to place it on the table. She was sure that they wouldn’t understand each other properly if they just talked on the phone.
She looked at the photo album in her hands again. She needed to ensure that no one would ever see it until Stephen arrived. So, she decided to hide it under the bed for now.
But before she finally placed it there, she took a photo of all of them and put it in her pocket.
Nathalia stood up and took a deep breath. She really wanted to know the whole truth. But only Stephen could tell her all of that.
“Who are you in my life?” she asked herself again.
She’s now pacing back and forth. She doesn’t know if she can face her friends outside, as if she hasn’t discovered anything. She never realized that they had known her for a long time.
But Nathalia’s pacing and thoughts came to a halt when the sound of their security alarm echoed throughout the mansion. Following this were the consecutive sounds of gunfire from outside.
She held her breath and quickly retrieved the gun hidden under the bed, then peeked through the curtains from the window in their room.
She froze in place when she saw armed men entering the mansion, all wearing masks to conceal their faces. Stephen’s men were engaged in struggles and gunfights with them.
Nathalia couldn’t believe what she was seeing. If there was a place where she felt somewhat safe, it was inside the mansion itself.
“Madame! Are you in there?”
She almost jumped in surprise when she heard Cole’s loud shout and knocking from outside the room. She quickly covered the distance to the door and opened it.
“What’s happening? Who are they?” she immediately asked. Now, she could clearly hear the gunshots.
“We don’t have much time, Madame! The enemies are surrounding the entire mansion, even the outside. They managed to breach the security system. You need to leave here!” Cole panted as if he had just been running.
Before Nathalia could speak again, Cole pulled her out. She held onto the gun tightly. All of her training would be meaningless if fear were to take control of her.
As they descended the stairs, Nathalia couldn’t help but tear up due to what she saw.
There was blood and bodies scattered everywhere. Each remaining individual was fighting relentlessly due to their respective duties.
But who among them was fighting for the right cause?
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Nathalia unintentionally let go of Cole and grasped her senses when she suddenly winced in pain. The memory of the night her true parents attacked them came rushing back. It happened just like this.
She shook her head repeatedly. No. Please, not again!
“Lower your head, Madame!”
Nathalia snapped back to reality as Cole suddenly yelled. She immediately lowered her head before he shielded her. She tried her best not to break down in tears.
Stephen, where are you? She silently prayed for her husband’s sudden arrival.
She wiped the dried tears from her cheeks and scanned the surroundings attentively. There, she spotted her friends, all engaged in battle. When they noticed her, they rushed towards her, forming a protective circle.
“Cole, we will escort you and Nathalia, so that the two of you can get out of this place safely. You need to get her away from here as soon as possible and inform Stephen about what’s happening,” Mads ordered with authority.
Nathalia looked at her friend in surprise. “No! I won’t leave you!”
She wouldn’t allow her friends to be in danger while they protected her. She wasn’t the eleven-year-old child who had no choice but to depend on those close to her.
“They’re after you, Thalia! Because they’ll use you against Stephen. That’s why you need to get out of here safely,” Harold said seriously before hurling two daggers at approaching enemies.
“But I can fight! Maybe not as skillfully as you all, but I can defend myself!” Nathalia persisted with her friends.
“We can’t take the risk, Madame. Aside from it being our job to protect you until our last breath, we’re also doing this because you’re our friend,” they said with determination.
She couldn’t say anything further. When they noticed that there were no more enemies around, they quickly ran out of the mansion.
However, before they could fully exit, Nathalia caught sight of Belen in the kitchen, holding a sword. Her mouth hung open as she witnessed the elderly woman’s remarkable combat skills. She had never expected her to be so skilled at fighting.
“Wait!”
She swiftly left her friends’ side and approached the elderly woman, who had been kind to her since her arrival at the mansion.
“Nathalia! Come back here!”
However, she ignored her friends’ calls and continued running towards the old lady.
Cole, Mads, and Damon exchanged a glance before closing their eyes briefly and then swiftly following her.
“Belen!”
Startled, the elderly woman turned to Nathalia, which caused her to not notice an enemy who had entered from the kitchen door.
Out of fear for the old lady’s safety, Nathalia raised the gun in her hand without hesitation and fired at the enemy. She froze when she realized that she had hit the enemy in the head.
I did it!
“This child! What are you doing here? You need to leave! We’ll handle things here.” Belen tried to shoo her away.
But Nathalia paid no attention to that and tightly held onto the kind housekeeper’s arm. “I won’t leave unless I’m with you!”
“Madame, we need to move!”
Belen couldn’t even protest as Nathalia firmly gripped her hand, and they left together. The enemy seemed endless, continuously infiltrating the mansion.
But Cole and the reaper’s reflexes are way too fast for them. Before the enemies could even fire their guns, they fell to the ground, bleeding.
However, they were met by a larger number of foes as they exited the mansion. Damon, Mads, and Cole were handling the long-range fight since they were all using guns.
Nathalia almost felt nauseous when Albert’s katana struck one of the enemies, nearly severing them. She averted her gaze as Harold repeatedly plunged his dagger into another enemy's heart.
She felt like her friends’ hands were getting dirtier because of her. Even Belen was protecting her.
“I didn’t know you knew how to fight and wield a sword.” Nathalia marveled at the old woman.
Belen chuckled. “I forgot to mention that I used to be an assassin before I retired and decided to become the mansion’s housekeeper.”
Nathalia was dumbfounded by what she said. She had never once considered that!
They were all so engrossed in fighting the enemies around them that they didn’t notice a sniper positioned in a tree. The sniper was aiming at Nathalia.
But before the sniper could fire the rifle, Belen’s gaze shifted in its direction.
The pace of events seemed to slow as Belen suddenly pushed Nathalia. As Nathalia stumbled, Belen’s body hit the ground.