MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

Once they were alone, Nathan examined Crystal from head to toe. "Are you sure that you are okay?"

"I'm fine," Crystal said. "I think I'd like to go for a walk, though."

Nathan scooped up her hand and said that he would join her. She pushed him away, though, and told him that she wanted to be alone.

"But it's not safe," Nathan argued.

Crystal: "I don't care. This villa feels like a prison, and it's not like I'm any safer in here than I would be out there, as today has shown us."

"Why do you feel like this place is a prison?" Nathan asked.

Crystal sighed and wordlessly turned away. She had thought that once she was a permanent resident of the villa, everything would be fine. But then Helen and Elma moved in, and now that she had Christine to contend with and the death traps, she felt overwhelmed - and if she couldn't leave, then was it any different from a Hellish prison? She didn't think so.

Crystal opened her mouth, and she was just about to explain all of this to him, but then the doctor interrupted them. He gave her a full examination, and then he said, "Other than the scrapes on your knees, it looks like you're fine. Young lady, I hope you know how lucky you are."

Crystal nodded sheepishly. She knew that things could have ended much worse for her, but she definitely didn't feel lucky.

Meanwhile, Helen and Christine were sitting at the dining room table, and servants were standing all around them. The two girls were like old friends who had reunited after being apart for a long time. They were holding each other's hands, gossiping, laughing, and whispering.

Christine: "I know a brilliant Chinese doctor. I can ask him to look into your eyes. He is also a licensed acupuncturist, and he is famous for his skills. He even fixed my mother's lumbar disc, so she didn't need to have surgery."

Hellen: "Really? That's great! Thank you,

Christine."

Christine laughed and said, "Don't worry. My grandpa told me to take care of you, and the ingredients that I gave you - the Vitamin C, Cinnamon, Dong Quai, and Parsley - they were in such a low dose that your baby was never in any danger-and anybody suspected that you were the one that poisoned the cookies!"

Hellen touched Christine's arm and said, "You are such a good friend. But let's never talk about that again. After all, loose lips sink ships. Am I right?"

"You're right," Christine said. She blushed and asked, "Can you feel the baby moving yet?"

Hellen: "Not yet. The fetus is only a month old..."

Christine: "What will the baby call me?" 

Hellen: "Aunt, of course!"

Christine pursed her lips, smiled, and said, "I like that."

Hellen: "Do you truly believe that I will get Nathan in the end?"

Christine: "It's hard for me to imagine him choosing Crystal, but it is impossible to guess who he'll choose. There's something about Crystal that only men can see. Even Eric, who is typically difficult to deal with, fell in love with her at first sight. I don't get it..."

Hellen covered her mouth, nodded in the direction of the hallway, and whispered, "Speak of the devil..."

Christine turned, and they watched as Nathan and Crystal emerged. They came into the dining room and sat at the table with them - and much to their surprise, he put her at the head of the table, in the seat that was typically reserved for him. In this way, he confirmed her status as Queen of the Castle.

I should report this to my Grandfather - thought Christine - Not only is this man crazy, but he is acting like he's on drugs. She gave Nathan a dirty look, but either he didn't notice, or he didn't care.

Nathan sat down next to Crystal and spread a napkin on her lap. "What do you want to eat?" he asked her.

"I want to eat the noodles that you make," Crystal replied. As she was saying this, she noticed Christine watching them, but she wasn't concerned. She didn't know Christine's relationship with Nathan, but it seemed that she was not a rival. After all, if she were a rival, she would not be a friend of Helen.

When Christine saw that Nathan was about to stand up and make noodles for Crystal, she chuckled. "Do you even know how to make noodles?" she asked. "Why don't we make them?"

Crystal' face sank, and she grabbed Nathan's arm. "I don't want to eat now," she said.

Nathan sighed and said, "I will ask the maid to prepare the noodles." He knew why she had changed her mind. She didn't want others to share the noodles he made for her.

Christine looked at Crystal and asked, "When do you want to eat?"

Crystal's cheeks turned pink. She didn't know how to answer the question. Luckily, Nathan spoke up for her. He scowled at Christine and said, "You are too noisy."

"That is because I'm jealous on Helen's behalf," Christine explained. "I didn't expect that you would put your mistress above the Mother of your child..."

"I don't need this bullshit," Nathan hissed. "And neither does Crystal." He nodded to one of his bodyguards and said, "Get Miss Laurent out of here."

Christine: "Are you trying to drive me away?" 

Nathan: "If you can't keep quiet, then there is no place for you at this table. If you want to eat, you need to shut up."

Christine was angry and wanted to argue, but Helen held her hand. "Keep your peace," she whispered.

Christine nodded and bit her lower lip. 

Helen was afraid that Nathan was unhappy, so she quickly changed the topic. She smiled and said, "I heard that Christine's mother played in a drama recently and won more than a dozen nominations. She is an excellent actress."

Christine: "I can show you the movie after we finish eating."

The room went silent after that, and Christine glared at Crystal. This is all your fault - she thought. Somehow, though, she still couldn't figure out how Crystal had managed to wrap Nathan around her finger. It was a real mystery to her, and she hated mysteries.

Crystal felt Christine looking at her, and it made her feel uncomfortable. Finally, she gave her a dirty look and said, "It's rude to stare!". 

Christine chuckled wickedly. "So what?" she scoffed, "You were rude, first!

Crystal: "How dare you talk to me like that?!?!"

Christine looked at Nathan and asked, "Can you control such an unruly woman?" Nathan stroked Crystal's hair and said, "ignore her. You have my permission to do whatever you want while you're here."

Christine was taken aback. If Nathan wanted to spoil a woman, who could stop him? At first, she thought the situation was hopeless, but then she remembered who had sent her here in the first place.

As coincidence would have it, the moment Christine thought of her Grandfather, her phone rang, and he was the one calling.. She passed the handy to Helen and said, "It's Grandpa."