Deceiving Her Ears: Ignoring Your Call-Chapter 109: Contraception

Isaac Vaughn let out a breath, his voice hoarse and muted: "What a coincidence."

Ansel Vaughn passed him by with a cold face and strode forward.

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looked back to see Isaac hadn’t followed, and said in a deep voice, "Why are you dawdling! Get home!"

——

The Vaughn Residence.

The housekeeper brought over some soup.

Vanessa took it, wanting to feed him personally.

Isaac couldn’t help laughing, "Am I a child?"

"You worry me more than a child does." Vanessa’s eyes were red with distress. "What kind of people are they! Treating you like this!"

A mouthful of hot soup warmed Isaac’s chilled stomach. He replied, "No one’s bullying me."

He’d barely finished speaking when a mocking, cold snort sounded.

Ansel Vaughn gritted his teeth, "Stubborn mouth!"

Isaac quietly finished the soup and placed the empty bowl on the coffee table.

"It’s getting late, I’m heading out."

"Where are you going?" Vanessa grabbed his arm to keep him from leaving. "Tomorrow, I’ll have someone make you more soup."

Isaac was just about to speak when Ansel interjected, "Tomorrow I’ll have the stock transfer papers ready. Ten percent shares for you, if you come work for Vaughn Group."

Vanessa’s eyes lit up instantly; her suppressed excitement spilled over: "Baby!"

But Isaac only smiled faintly, his tone careless: "That’s a little too little, isn’t it?"

Ansel’s eyes flashed with anger: "How much do you want! You’re outrageous!"

"Baby! Are you out of your mind!" Vanessa was nearly frantic, wanting to rush over and shut him up. "Don’t challenge your father! What did you promise me before? Can’t you just listen for once?"

"If you come back to Vaughn Group, no one will bully you again. Do you have any idea how ugly the rumors are out there?"

Just then, the rhythmic "tap tap tap" of a cane sounded, approaching from afar.

Ethan Vaughn appeared, his gaze passing over everyone before landing on Isaac.

"I thought with Beckett’s backing, Isaac would be too good for the little things our family has left."

"What did you say!"

Isaac stared at Ethan, his expression dark and clouded, more terrifying by the second.

Ethan chuckled, "Isaac, what’s with the reaction? Did I say anything wrong?"

"Or is it that you and Old Mr. Beckett don’t have some kind of deal? Then why would you willingly go to Beckett Group as a VP, letting people call you a freeloader?"

After a pause, his tone turned mocking: "Or maybe it’s true love for Natalie Kendall?"

Isaac stepped up to Ethan, fixing him with a cold stare, emphasizing each word: "What exactly do you know?"

Ethan snorted, "Scared now? Are you afraid of what I know, or... of her knowing?"

"So you know." Isaac enunciated the words harshly, like he was chewing them out from between his teeth. "How do you know."

Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Ethan by the throat, wild and out of control, as if he wanted to kill him on the spot.

"Bastard! Let go of him right now!"

"Baby! What are you doing!"

Ansel and Vanessa rushed to intervene.

With great difficulty, they managed to pull the two apart, and Ansel landed a heavy slap across Isaac’s face.

"You little shit!"

"Baby!"

Vanessa shielded Isaac behind her, glaring at her husband, "What is wrong with you!"

Ansel raged, "Vanessa, didn’t you see just now what this brat did to his brother!"

"He..." Vanessa bit her lip, but as a mother, of course she defended her son.

She turned to Isaac, "Baby, what’s wrong with you?"

But Isaac was still glaring death at Ethan.

He had no idea how Ethan found out about his agreement with Old Mr. Beckett, nor how much Ethan actually knew.

It felt like a ticking time bomb, ready to go off at any moment and blow him to pieces!

Ethan watched Isaac and smiled.

Like a victor.

But, facing Isaac, deep inside Ethan was actually deeply self-conscious.

Not just because of his disability.

But because, more than anyone, he knew he couldn’t compare to Isaac.

In every way.

Even though he was nearly ten years older than Isaac, he’d been overshadowed by him since they were kids.

He was obsessed with getting Isaac under his heel.

Now, as long as he got his hands on the agreement between Isaac and Old Mr. Beckett, Isaac and Natalie Kendall would be finished.

Without Beckett Group’s support, Isaac’s chance of causing any waves would be slim to none.

——

Lucas Lowell kept saying he couldn’t sign the contract, but a few days later he still showed up on their doorstep, eager as ever.

After signing, he tossed the pen aside and flopped down heavily on the sofa.

Mia walked over and picked up the pen, placing it on the table, and offered Natalie an apologetic smile.

"Shouldn’t we celebrate a little?" Lucas cocked his head at Natalie, "Your treat or mine?"

"I’ll treat you." Natalie closed the file and looked up. "You pick the place."

*

Inside the private room.

Natalie hadn’t expected Mia, who always seemed so prim and proper, to completely let loose like this.

Still in her strict black uniform, black-rimmed glasses, and a sleek low ponytail, but now she was singing and dancing on the coffee table...

Natalie couldn’t help but smile and shake her head, sipping her drink in small mouthfuls.

Mia danced on the coffee table, Lucas danced around it; the two sang in perfect harmony, remarkably in sync.

When the upbeat song finished, Lucas leaned close to Natalie, smugly asking her how he’d done.

"Not bad. You and Assistant Woods are quite the pair."

"Pair with her? What I really want is—"

Lucas swallowed his words at the last second.

Chasing married women wasn’t something this upstanding young man could bring himself to do.

He’d already decided to quietly stay by Natalie’s side as a friend, ready to step up the moment she and Isaac split.

Just after ten.

Isaac called.

Natalie said goodbye to a still-energized Lucas and headed out; Isaac was already leaning against the car, waiting for her.

As soon as they entered the house, Isaac hugged Natalie tight and kissed her.

Natalie instinctively hesitated for a moment, but quickly gave in to him.

Their first round ended right there in the entryway.

Then they moved to the bedroom and collapsed into the soft bed.

When Natalie was finally drained and let go, Isaac hugged her from behind and kissed her ear. "Sleep."

——

1:30 a.m.

The 24-hour pharmacy downstairs.

Natalie walked in.

Though they always used protection, she felt taking the pill was an extra safety net.

It happened that she’d run out.

She couldn’t wait till morning.

She slipped out while Isaac slept to buy it.

"Miss, your birth control pills."

Natalie took it, tore it open, and, with no water at hand, popped it into her mouth and swallowed it down with her own saliva.

The clerk stared at her in surprise, quickly fetching her a cup of drinking water. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Natalie thanked her, taking the water.

By then, the medicine was already down.

She hadn’t given it much thought—just wanted to get it done fast.

At this hour, there was no one in the pharmacy but her and the girl at the counter.

She was about to leave when, suddenly, a chill ran up her spine.

She turned instinctively to look out the front of the store.

And locked eyes with a pair of dark, unfathomable eyes not too far away.