Chapter 433

Natalie, having exited Daniela's office, loitered near the door, waiting for news of Daniela's sudden demise.

Ten minutes ticked by.

An hour crawled past.

Two hours drifted into the night, yet all remained eerily quiet within.

Natalie's brow furrowed, she shot daggers at Linden with her eyes, and, her patience finally snapping like a twig, she barged back into the CEO's office.

Daniela, seemingly unfazed, sat reviewing new project proposals, not even looking up.

"What's the matter?" Daniela's voice was cool, detached.

Natalie scrutinized Daniela's face, still radiating health."Daniela,how are you feeling now?"

"Quite well, actually. After taking the medicine, I feel much better!" Daniela picked up a document beside her, signing it as she spoke. "Inform Enzo in the project department that this multi-million-dollar project can proceed."

With a frustrated "Hmm," Natalie stormed out of the office. Once outside, she fixed Linden with a withering glare. "Have you been playing me for a fool all this time? What exactly did you give Daniela? Huh?"

Linden's eyes darted around nervously. "Medicine,"

Natalie's lips curled into a sneer. "You can't rely on men for anything!"

With that, she turned on her heel to leave.

Linden reached out and grabbed her hand, his voice suddenly turning syrupy sweet. "Come on. Don't be like that. You guessed it, didn't you? | didn't give Daniela a full dose. I did it for our future, for you. If I'd been caught and sent to jail, you'd be left high and dry."

Natalie snatched her hand away as if it had been burned. "I think you've fallen for that bitch Daniela,haven't you?"

Linden chuckled, a sleazy sound that grated on Natalie's ears. "You're cousins. Do you really need to be so mean?"

Natalie's sneer deepened. "So, what are you getting at?"

"Don't be angry, sweetheart. You're theone I truly care about. Trust me. I just want to play with Daniela for a while. Once I'm bored, I'll definitely take care of her for you. I reduced the dosage to make her dependent on me. This drug will cloud her judgment, soften her resolve. Isn't it Elite Lux you want? By then, you can have her transfer it to you."

Natalie looked at Linden, searching his eyes for a hint of truth. "Really?"

Linden smiled. "Of course."

Natalie's eyes narrowed, her mind replaying the image of Daniela she had just seen in the office. She hadn't seemed like someone whose mind was clouded.

"How will you prove Daniela is under your thumb?" she asked.

Linden was brimming with self-assurance. "When Daniela leaves work and heads to the parking lot, I'll give you a demonstration. With the current dosage, I can control her consciousness for about a minute."

Linden grinned, his grip on Natalie's hand tightening possessively. "Honey, don't be jealous. You know you're the only one in my heart. It's just that all men will stray a little. You'll forgive me, won't you?"

Natalie looked at Linden's face, a face that only a mother could love as a wave of nausea washed over her.

She let out a brittle laugh, pulled her hand free from his grasp, and strutted back towards the office.

That day, Daniela left for home at 9 PM as usual.

By the time she reached the underground parking lot, Natalie and Linden were already lurking outside.

Daniela detected a strange, cloying fragrance in the air. Wth a flourish, Linden snapped his fingers near her ear.

The next second, he commanded, "Daniela, stand still andbe quiet for a minute."

Daniela froze in her tracks.

Linden turned to Natalie, a smug grin plastered across his face. "See? The drug's working, isn't it?"

Natalie tilted her head, waved a hand in front of Daniela's face, and then peered intently into her eyes,calling,"Daniela?"

Only silence answered her.

The underground parking lot was as quiet as a tomb.

Linden's smugness intensified, and he reached for Natalie's hand. "See? | told you.1-"

Before he could finish his sentence, they both watched as Daniela blinked.

Danielalooked at them blankly, her gaze lingering on their clasped hands. "Are you dating?"

Natalie, already battling a rising tide of disgust, had been struggling to contain her revulsion. She hadn't expected Daniela to snap out of it so suddenly.

"No. We... It's just..." Natalie was desperate to distance herself from Linden. "My hands were cold, and he was just being a gentleman, warming them for me."

Daniela seemed unconcerned.

Linden, however, turned to Natalie.

Daniela began to walk away, then paused and turned back to Natalie. "Linden is a good man. There's no rule against colleagues dating in the company. If you truly admire each other, I support you being together."

Linden's face was about to split into a triumphant grin when Natalie quickly interjected, "No. Really. There's nothing between us. I have someone I like, and it's not Linden."

Daniela nodded knowingly, glanced at Linden with a hint of pity, and then shook her head regretfully. As Daniela's car pulled away, Linden rounded on Natalie. "Natalie, what was that all about? Why didn't you acknowledge our relationship just now? Are you saying you don't plan to be with me?"

That could explain her strange behavior.

Natalie's patience had worn thin, stretched to its absolute limit. She almost rolled her eyes at him.

She wanted to tell Linden to take a long, hard look at himself in the mirror.

He was daydreaming.

"No, I'm just focusing on my career right now. I don't want my personal life to interfere with my professional development."

Linden's face was a mask of disbelief. "Natalie, if I find out you're deceiving me, I won't take it lightly."