Chapter 24 Hunger Strike
Natalie was surprised and worried at the same time. “Gavin, how long has it been since they went on the hunger strike?”
“They started yesterday afternoon and didn’t have dinner. It’s almost been a whole day now. They haven’t had a bite to eat. They didn’t even drink much water…” Gavin’s voice was filled with worry.
How could they go a whole day without eating?
Natalie furrowed her brows and asked, “How about Samuel? How did he react to his children refusing to eat?”
“Mr. Samuel is aware, but he…”
“What is it?”
Gavin said helplessly, “He said they have a standing appointment to see you once a month, so they have to follow that agreement. Since he doesn’t want to spoil the children, he’s letting them go on hunger strike. He thinks that they will eat when they get too hungry. If they faint from hunger, he will get a doctor to give them some nutritional shots.”
Natalie was dumbfounded. All she could think of was how cold-blooded Samuel was.
Franklin and Sophia are still so young. How could they go a whole day without eating? He even plans to give them shots only after they’ve fainted? I have no words. How can a father like him exist in this world?
“Gavin, I’m coming over now.”
After hanging up the phone, Natalie turned around and looked at Yandel and Ross.
“Something came up. I have to go. Yandel, Ross just joined Dream Company. Give him the support he needs to begin his research.”
Without waiting for Yandel’s reply, Natalie rushed off and left the office building. She hailed a taxi and headed straight toward the Bowers residence.
After arriving, Natalie paid for the fare and got out of the car. She had barely got to the ornamental gate when she saw Gavin pacing back and forth with an anxious expression.
When he saw that Natalie was finally there, his face lit up.
“Ms. Nichols, I’m so glad you’re here. I was afraid that you wouldn’t come after a phone call from a butler like me…”
“Don’t worry about it. Bring me to the children and ask the kitchen to prepare some oatmeal porridge that is easy to digest.”
“I got it.”
In a bedroom on the second floor, Franklin’s stomach was growling with hunger.
Sophia was not doing any better. Her little belly was now hard and tight with hunger. Even her expression had become sullen.
“Sophia, hang in there. We are Daddy’s children. I’m sure he won’t let us starve to death.”
Sophia nodded in agreement.
“We need to let Daddy know how determined we are to see that woman. If we give up now, our efforts will go to waste.”
Sophia nodded once more.
“But, Sophia… I’m starving…”
Sophia could not talk, but she rubbed her stomach with her little hands as tears welled up in her eyes.
The two children were having a hard time, but as they looked into each other’s eyes, none of them wanted to be the first to give up on the hunger strike.
In each other’s eyes, they found the strength and determination to keep it going.
Just when the two children were about to faint from hunger, there was a knock on the door.
Franklin knew it was Gavin trying to get them to eat again, so he began whining, “We’re not going to eat. Don’t you dare bring food in here to sway me and Sophia. We won’t eat a bite! We’ll only eat when you let us see that woman!”
At first, Natalie was still doubtful of what Gavin had told her on the phone. After hearing how determined Franklin sounded, she knew that Gavin was not exaggerating earlier.
At that moment, she felt a knot in her heart.
She did not know why those kids were so attached to her, but she felt the exact same way about them.
After hearing about their hunger strike, she dropped everything and left Yandel and Ross to come here.
Perhaps, she had started to think of them as the pair of twins she had lost long ago.
After gathering her thoughts, she knocked on the door again.
“Are you really not going to open it? I’ll leave then.”
