Midnight Bride The CEO’s Temptation

Nathan grabbed Crystal by the shoulders and shook her. "If you didn't poison Helen," he shouted, "then prove it!"

"Okay!" Crystal cried. "And if I cannot, then I will apologize. There. Are you happy?"

Nathan: "I am. But how will you prove it?"

Crystal: "By reviewing all of the security footage."

Nathan nodded to Vic and said, "Make it so."

Vic wasn't gone long, and when he returned, he had an unhappy expression on his face. He looked at Nathan and said, "I'm sorry, sir, but for various reasons, certain rooms - such as the servants' quarters - cannot be displayed..."

"What a coincidence!" Crystal sneered. "Don't you think it's strange that these monitors cannot be displayed at the moment when we most need them?"

Nathan: "No surveillance equals no evidence. So, why don't you just apologize? Sooner begun, sooner done - right?"

Crystal sighed as she nodded. Then she walked over to Helen's bed, looked her in the eyes, and said, "Helen, I am sorry for trying to kill your baby... even though I didn't."

Helen: "How can you expect me to believe you without proof? We all know that you don't like me, that you're afraid of the baby, and that you resent having me in your house."

Crystal: "I said it wasn't me. Believe me or don't, I don't care. It's a free world."

Helen turned to Nathan. "Is this matter concluded?" she asked. "Or will Crystal be held accountable for trying to kill my baby?"

Nathan: "What do you want me to do?"

Helen blinked her eyes innocently, and after thinking for a moment, she lowered her head and said, "Don't worry about punishing her, but let me move into the manor early."

"So be it," Nathan growled. "Now, I don't want to hear another word about this!"

Crystal's face turned white when she heard Nathan's proclamation. Suddenly all of the pieces fell into place. Helen had poisoned the cookies, then blamed her, and all to ensure a place for her in the manor. She opened her mouth to argue with Nathan, but he shut her up with a look, and then he led her to the living room.

Crystal thought her situation was hopeless. Thus, she was surprised when Nathan said, "You said you didn't do it, and I believe you. I'll send someone to spy on Helen. Give it some time. The truth will come out, you'll see. I love you, and I will not allow you to be wronged!"

Nathan sat down on the sofa and folded his legs, and it seemed to Crystal that he had more to say, but then his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket, looked at the screen, hesitated for a moment, and finally accepted the call. He said hello, and after a second, he covered the microphone and whispered to Crystal: "Can you give me some privacy?"

Crystal nodded and went into the kitchen to get something to eat. Then, once she was gone, Nathan pulled his hand away and said, "Barret, what is it?"

Barret: "I heard from Vic that you have been suffering from frequent headaches lately?"

Nathan: "Yes... And...?"

Barret: "Have you been taking your medication? Is it still working, or is HE emerging again?"

Nathan smiled bitterly and said, "I've been taking my meds, but I'm afraid..." He couldn't figure out why, but HE would insert himself into the equation every time the Old Davis wanted something from him.

It first happened when he was nine years old. While hunting, the old Davis had forced him to shoot a boar several times his size. He had been so frightened, and he'd wanted to pretend to be dead. He hadn't wanted to kill the animal. Instead, he had wanted to get away from it. The old Davis had forced him to stand his ground, though, and he had refused to take the shot for him. But Nathan had been so scared that he'd peed his trousers and completely forgotten why he was there.

When the boar smelled the acrid scent of Nathan's urine, he opened his mouth and charged toward them. As it approached, the old Davis began to curse him for his cowardice until he finally lifted the rifle and fired.

The boar dropped dead, but Nathan was not pleased. He glared at the old Davis and stuck out his tongue, but this amused the old man, and Nathan never forgave him.

In the future, the old Davis tried countless times to train Nathan into the best soldier, but his cowardice hindered the young man's progress. He showed great potential and was skilled, but his natural instinct was to run from danger.

The old Davis worried that Nathan suffered from PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, so he asked the doctor to examine him. The doctor could not explain what the problem was, but he discovered that if there were no way to evade conflict, the side of Nathan that had killed the bear would take over, and it would've done whatever needed doing. "It is like two people are living inside of him," the doctor had suggested. "The coward and the warrior."

Nathan was the coward, but HE was a warrior.

The second time that HE had emerged was just after Helen's suicide. The old Davis had taken him to a boxing ring and pitted him against ten men, all of whom had been specially trained. In the beginning, he was beaten badly, but then one of the blows hit him in the forehead. Suddenly, the pain went away. His body went numb, and the pained expression on his face was replaced by utter calm, and within minutes, he had beaten all ten men to within an inch of their lives. Almost immediately after that, he passed out, and when he came to, he had no recollection of what had happened.

That was when Nathan had first begun to suspect that there was something seriously wrong with him. Later, when the doctor explained about PTSD, he thought that there was more to it. He thought he had an MPD -a Multiple Personality Disorder. Thankfully, with medication, he was able to suppress the warrior, HE.

There was a lot of stress in Nathan's life now, though, and he knew that the headaches were a sure sign that HE was trying to emerge once more, and he felt like Bruce Banner was trying to contain the Incredible Hulk.

Barrett: "Are you still there?"

Nathan blinked twice and took a deep breath before answering. For a second, he had been so lost in thought that he'd forgotten where he was. "I'm here," he replied.

"It sounds like something's wrong," Barret said. "Have you considered increasing the dosage of your medication?" He was one of the few people qualified to make such an assessment.

Nathan hadn't thought about increasing his dosage, and he said so. Then: "Barret, where are you now? When will you be back?" "I'm on Vancouver Island," Barret replied.

"I have a beautiful woman in my arms, so I don't plan on returning any time soon."

Nathan: "Forget that. My health is more important than your sex life!"