Chapter 2 He Is The Prince Charming

It was not until then did Natalie realize that she had subconsciously called out the nickname she had always secretly used for him. Her face turned beet red at the realization.

Even though she knew that it was impossible for him to see her blush in such a dark place, she couldn't help but lower her head even more. After hesitating for a long time, she slowly shook her head. "I– I just call handsome people that way. Don't..."

Before she could finish her words, she saw the man in front of her fall heavily onto the ground.

"Shit!" Natalie gaped at the sight as she felt a lump rising up her throat. It was as if she had just swallowed a fishbone that rendered her unable to speak.

This was ridiculous! She had been in love with him for three years, but she still didn't have the courage to ask for his name.

She had always regarded him as 'Prince Charming'. Even her roommates back in her dorm had grown accustomed to calling him that way for four years.

Suddenly, memories of the past started pouring in like an uncontrollable flood. Natalie shook her head and stopped herself. This wasn't the time to reminisce the past. She quickly bent down to help him up.

"What's wrong with you? Don't scare me like that! Ah! You're so heavy," she grunted out. Natalie pulled his arm and placed it around her shoulder before helping him up.

Carter was strong. Given that he was unconscious, all his dead weight fell onto Natalie. She just couldn't bear it all. Before she could step forward, they fell onto the ground together.

The riverbank was filled with stones and twigs. As soon as she fell down, her bare knees pressed against the sharp surface and one of them cut across her palm.

"Shit!" she hissed.

Natalie looked around her. Suddenly, she felt helpless. "Prince Charming, you can't do this to me," she groaned out.

As she spoke, she shook Carter's body again, but he was still motionless.

She reached out to feel his temperature. Sure enough, he was burning. But after what had happened, she couldn't send him back to the hospital.

"What the hell should I do?" Natalie asked worriedly.

She glanced at the riverside only to see a beam of light. It was already approaching their location.

It wasn't a park. No one would drive into such a remote place unless... Unless they had finally caught up to them!

Natalie straightened her back as she started to shake Carter's body in panic. The men had came back.

"Prince Charming, those people are coming back." Seeing that he was still motionless, she had no choice but to lift him up and move him towards the nearby bushes. Hopefully, they wouldn't see them there.

The bright light moved closer towards them, and she could already hear dozens of footsteps, which meant that they'd arrived. And it seemed that they'd also brought themselves some backup.

"Go look over there while the others look at the other side," a man gave the orders. Startled, Natalie held her breath and peered at the small opening as she observed what was happening.

Perhaps it was due to her closeness to Carter's body that it made her feel like her own skin was burning. Her heart started to beat rapidly that a part of her thought that it was about to jump right out of her chest.

Natalie had always seen these scenes in the movies. She just didn't expect that this could also happen in real life, but she didn't know if she was the heroine in the movie plot or the girl who was about to die to save the hero next to her.

Carter suddenly coughed, and she turned over. He must've woken up.

Although his cough was weak, in Natalie's ears, it was like a thunderclap. Any sound he made was like a siren that could attract everyone in their vicinity.

Fortunately, these people were far away and didn't notice such a weak sound. Although it was a false alarm, her heart still continued beating violently. The adrenaline that rushed through her veins was slowly retreating that she was ready to fall down at the next second.

Suddenly, a big hand pulled her back.

She was about to scream in shock, but fortunately, Carter placed another hand on her mouth right in time as well.

His bright eyes were luminous under the dark. At the same time, light passed through the place where she had just been.

"Not here either. Let's go back and report." The footsteps gradually faded away.

Still in a daze, Natalie gazed at Carter. They were in the same compromising position they had been back in the riverbank. She didn't know if it was because of Carter's temperature that she suddenly felt ten times hotter.

The two of them stared at each other for a long time without saying a word. They breathed in and out under the moonlight. Right then and there, it was as if they were the only two people in the area.

He moved towards her as if he was about to kiss her, but Natalie immediately backed away. She suddenly stood up from his lap and stammered, "Th–th–they must've left."

Carter frowned and shrugged as if nothing had happened. "Help me up."

"Okay," she answered, but when her fingertips grazed against his hand, she couldn't help but withdraw them.

Carter placed his hand around her shoulder and lifted himself up. Her thin body stunned him into silence. It was hard to believe that she was the one who had dragged him all the way into the bushes.

"Where are we going?" Natalie asked as she helped him up.

"Your home," Carter answered without hesitation.

She was so surprised that she almost fell down. It took her a long time to process what he had just said before she widened her eyes. "My home?"

How the hell could she take him back? Wouldn't that ruin her reputation? At the thought of this, she couldn't help but remember how messy her house looked before she had gone out that morning.

There was no way in hell that she was going to take him there! She clenched her fists.

"I don't have any cash with me. Where else can I go?" He waved his hands around exasperatedly. Besides, these men would search out any hotel as long as they were alerted of his presence. There was no way that he would risk something like this.

"But I..." Natalie hesitated for a while. "Wait. I have money. I could lend you some."

However, even as she rummaged her pockets, she found absolutely nothing. She shrugged helplessly. "My money's all in my bag. I forgot to take it with me just then."

"Let's go." Carter loosened his grip on her and walked ahead.

In a hurry, she finally caught up to him. "Prince Charming, I don't think it's convenient for you to live in my house... Um, I have a dog! It's a very ferocious beast. In fact, it bites anyone it sees."

"I like dogs. I don't mind."

"Well, I have a friend who lives with me. We've agreed that we would not take a stranger back to the house."

"I'll help you persuade her."

"A single man and a single woman under the same roof might ruin your reputation."

"I don't mind."

Fuck. At this point, Natalie couldn't think of any other reason. She ran behind Carter as her mind swam with different thoughts.

No way! Absolutely no way! In just a day of meeting her Prince Charming, there was no way in hell that she would take him back to her house! Her image...her reputation...all of it would go down the drain!

She tried to rack her mind for a better solution for both of them.

"Address?" he suddenly asked.

Natalie was too absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't think too much of his question. "Don't disturb me. It's Unit 5, Sunshine Garden, Peace Road."

"Driver, let's go," he cut in.

What? Driver? All of a sudden, Natalie snapped out of her daze. It seemed that she was taken into a cab while she was busy trying to come up with a solution that could benefit them. She quickly corrected herself. "No! You got it wrong. Sir, don't go!"

It was as if he was kidnapping her into her own house! The driver turned around suspiciously only to see that Carter was wearing his hospital gown. "Forget it. Get out of my car," he snapped.

Natalie sighed in relief. She opened her door and was about to get out when Carter pulled her back in.

"My girlfriend's run away from home. I just caught her and wanted to take her back. Her family is incredibly worried," Carter said softly.

"Nonsense!" Natalie tried to push him away.

Obviously, the driver didn't believe his words. "You'd better get out of my car."

Seeing as he had no other choice, Carter pinched her chin and kissed her right on the lips.

Natalie froze and her mind went blank. Did Prince Charming just kiss her?

"Go," Carter said impatiently. If it was his driver, then he would've already asked him to pack up and leave for disobeying him like that.

The driver didn't expect that he would be greeted by such a sweet scene. He sighed. "It's good to be young," he mused. Then he turned around and started the car. His suspicion faded almost immediately.

Carter finally let her go. Her lips were incredibly soft. In fact, he even liked kissing her. The woman had saved him...but why? What was her purpose? Did they know each other? However, no matter how much Carter tried, he just couldn't recall her.

He needed to find out who she was immediately. After all, he couldn't bear the risk of being betrayed right now.