Chapter 36 Strapped to the Operating Table 

An hour later, Natalie lay on a hospital bed. She was drenched in cold sweat, and her head ached. Her face was scrunched up in pain as her right arm had been dislocated again. 

“You need to rest properly. It’s easy to dislocate your arm again if you’re not careful,” the doctor advised 

while carefully bandaging her. 

Natalie was in too much pain to respond. Cedric stood nearby, his demeanor far from comforting. He 

watched Natalie, but his gaze lacked warmth. 

Once the doctor had finished, he left with the nurse, leaving Natalie and Cedric alone in the room. Natalie turned her head away, refusing to look at him. 

Cedric’s tone was domineering as he scolded her, “You are not allowed to drive anymore. 

Natalie had been lucky she had only knocked into another car. If it had been a truck, she would have probably lost her life. 

Natalie didn’t respond. 

This man had yet to understand what had happened between them. How could he still feel entitled to dictate her life? 

Seeing how she remained silent, Cedric’s anger flared. “Did you hear me?” 

Natalie finally looked at him and retorted, “Why does it concern you?” 

Cedric seethed. “You…!” 

This woman was acting completely insolent! She was nearly driving him to madness! 

He swallowed his anger. But just as he was about to say more, Yuvan called. 

Answering the phone, Cedric said, “What is it?” 

“Sir, it’s impossible to find a live donor. The rules in Verde City are very strict. Even donations from the deceased are not possible,” Yuvan explained, referring to the problem with Isabella’s eyes. 

Natalle felt her breath catch. She stared at Cedric silently. Upon hearing Yuvan’s words, Cedric subconsciously glanced at her, 

his eyes, there was a complex mix of emotions that only Natalie could decipher. 

the phone and continued 

Blanca had taken good care of Natalie during this time. Meanwhile, Cedric had lost weight since her retum, a testament to the constant challenges he had faced from those around him. 

Natalie had an inkling of what was going on in Cedric’s mind right now. She waited for him to speak. 

In her previous life…. 

She felt like she had forgotten what Cedric looked like when he first suggested she donate her eyes to 

Isabella. 

This time, she needed to see it clearly. She didn’t want to miss a single change in his expression. 

For a long time, they locked eyes and remained in a silent confrontation. 

In the end, Cedric silently stood and said, “You should rest here for now. The doctor said you need to stay 

in the hospital for a few days.” 

Having said that, he walked away without waiting for Natalie’s response. His departing figure looked as if he were fleeing from some formidable threat. 

He didn’t say it in the end. 

Natalie closed her eyes, recalling the events of her previous life. At that time, she didn’t have a protective uncle, and she hadn’t been injured. 

That day, Cedric had been smoking excessively in Scarlet Villa. When he said the words that made her hysterical and desperate, it was with a coldness he had never directed at her before. 

He had said, “Natalie, you brought this upon yourself. You did those malicious acts. Since you owe her, you should pay her back.” 

She remembered it even now. 

Every word Cedric had spoken at that moment was hard and cold. Each word broke her heart further as he spoke. She had explained countless times, desperately pleading that it wasn’t her, but Cedric never believed her. He threw her into a devastating situation without listening. 

He was convinced that she had destroyed Isabella with her own hands. Therefore, giving her back what she deserved was only fair. 

Hatalie’s suffering was seen as retribution.. 

phone call interrupted her thoughts, causing Natalie to snap back to reality. It was a call from Kadina. 

She answered, “Sorry, I’m in the hospital right now.” 

“It’s okay, I already know,” Karina replied. 

Her calm response took Natalie aback. She hadn’t expected Karina to be informed about the situation. Clearly, Stephen’s people were exceptionally thorough and sharp. 

Before Natalie could say anything, Karina continued, “Is it serious? Do you need me to come over?” 

“No, I’m fine. I’ll head over to you now.” 

“No need, you should focus on recovering. I’ll handle things here.” 

“I’m really fine,” Natalie insisted stubbornly. 

Since Stephen had identified her shortcomings over the years, she needed to be better as soon as 

possible. It would be a waste of Karina’s assistance if she didn’t. Karina’s time was precious. Now that 

she was in Verde City, she was receiving her salary from Natalie, which was quite expensive. 

Natalie got up, dressed, and prepared to leave. 

Just as she left the room, she bumped into Cedric, who had turned back. 

“Where are you going?” His voice was cold. 

The doctor had just left, and she was already heading out? 

“I need to speak to you,‘ Cedric said without waiting for Natalie to respond and forcefully pushed her back into the room. 

Since there was no way for Natalie to leave now, she glared at the man before her and said, “What is it?” 

She took a seat on the edge of the hospital bed and waited. 

Cedric pulled a chair out and sat down opposite her. He looked at Natalie, and he appeared to be struggling with words. There was inner turmoil in his eyes, which Natalie didn’t miss. 

Her heart chilled at the sight. 

She had a rough idea of what Cedric was going to tell her. She knew it would be something she despised. 

Rising from the bed, she said, “If you don’t want to talk, I’ll leave. 

Finally, Cedric blurted urgently, There’s a surgery… 

Natelle quivered, revealing her unstable emotional state. She turned around. In her eyes, there was 

He finally said it. 

Unlike in their previous life, there was at least a trace of inner conflict in his eyes this time. 

However, the scales still tipped in favor of Isabella, 

Natalie took a deep breath and asked, “What kind of surgery?” 

Cedric got up and approached her. He looked down at the petite woman before him, the one who had 

been under his protective wings since they met. 

He had protected her before, and now… he still felt the need. 

“Isabella needs to undergo surgery on her eyes. Nat, this is your debt to her! You have to repay it!” 

The words and tone were different, but the intent and meaning behind them were the same. 

Regardless, the outcome was the same for Natalie. She looked up at the man before her with a smile on her lips. 

Her tone was sarcastic as she said, “I don’t owe her anything.” 

“Nat!” 

Her words made Cedric’s expression turn cold. 

Seeing him like this, Natalie grew even colder. 

“What? If I don’t agree, are you going to strap me to the operating table again?” 

Hadn’t he done the same in her previous life? 

He had pressured her into signing a surgical consent form and forcibly placed her on the operating table. That experience had made her intimately acquainted with the depths of despair, and she would never forget the darkness she had woken up to. She also remembered the fire she couldn’t escape due to her blindness 

In her final moments of consciousness, all she had heard was the roaring sound of the flames tearing through the air, along with the grim realization of her impending fate. 

Natalie looked at the man before her, her hatred growing stronger in her eyes.