Natalie grew up in an orphanage in Zurich. When she got out, she was determined to make a name for herself. After attending boarding schools in Britain and Switzerland, she attended college in the U.S. Being only interested in being a brilliant coder and hacker, she had no friends or boyfriends.

Computer hacker and Genoa City police department Internet sleuth, Kevin Fisher returned from Geneva excited about a young woman he had met named Natalie, described as a genius whose ideas (including a failsafe way to keep out hackers, later called Pass Key) were going to change the world. Kevin taunted his roommate Mariah that her reaction to Natalie was jealousy, which she denied. Billy Abbott overheard them discussing the project, and wanted to invest, but Kevin turned him down. Then when Natalie finally contacted Kevin, needing a million dollars to finance the project, on enterprising Mariah's suggestion, Kevin asked Billy to invest two million. Billy tried to win the money by betting on a horse but lost. When the bookie could not get his money out of Billy, he beat him up and left him passed out in the parking garage New Years Eve, and he later went into a coma. Both millionaire business moguls Victor Newman and Jack Abbott approached Kevin about investing in his project, but he turned them both down. Victor tried to sway Kevin with a champagne lunch. But he told Victor that what he really wanted to become was a man who could say no to a bully like Victor Newman. And he did. But after Billy was taken off life support and expected to die, Kevin gave in and made a deal with Victor.

Then Natalie arrived, admitting she had already taken money from another investor, who was having her followed, asking Kevin to hide her out. Kevin commented on the irony of them hacking her computer being how they knew that her security software was not working and now they were after her. Kevin told Natalie that Victor's son Adam was being held for ransom to be exchanged for "the girl", so Natalie went to Victor, telling him that she was the girl they wanted. Natalie inadvertently disclosed that Kevin had bilked Victor out of an extra million dollars for himself, so Victor informed Kevin that he was no longer part of the deal. Kevin manned up and told Billy, who had come out his coma, that he had made a deal with Victor but it had backfired on him.

Victor did not trust Natalie, and made her move in with his granddaughter Summer so she could keep an eye on her. Kevin realized that Natalie had sabotaged her own program to fail for Victor. After Victor found out and fired Natalie, she disclosed to Kevin that the second investor had been Phyllis Abbott, and that she had actually been working for her and Billy all along.

Natalie was front and center with Billy and Phyllis as they announced to the press the launch of Pass Key as Jabot's latest product, touting that the product would make all files, emails, and pictures 100% un-hackable. Newman CEO Victoria slapped her ex-husband Billy, calling him a liar and a thief for stealing Pass Key from Newman. Billy proclaimed they owned it legitimately, saying, "We won you lost." Victoria retorted that she was not a loser, and if the Abbotts wanted a war, it was on! Newman sued Jabot, and Summer was pressured by Kevin, Mariah, and Natalie to not testify that they had conspired to double deal Pass Key between Billy and Victor. Summer lied to the police, but later felt guilty and told Victoria the truth, which led to Jack and Victoria agreeing to share profits from Pass Key. Kevin and Natalie made a killing, but Mariah was left out. Mariah became resentful and jealous as Natalie got a makeover and Kevin became interested in Natalie. Kevin bought a suit and a 1968 Stingray, and put the rest of his money into a hedge fund. Natalie invited Kevin to live it up on champagne and caviar, they began enjoying each other and kissed. Natalie got drunk, so Kevin helped her to her room, where she tried but failed to seduce him. But they later became lovers, and Natalie moved in with Kevin. Natalie booked an African safari, but after Jack experienced identity theft, Pass Key's future was threatened unless she fixed it.

Another oil spill occurred due to a valve being opened remotely. Victoria hired Kevin to hack into her computer, and he found evidence that the intruder had been Natalie. Natalie was affronted that Kevin would believe that, and everyone agreed that this had also been a setup by Victor. Kevin and Natalie hacked into the prison security cameras and discovered a woman with a long dark wig had been working with Victor. They ended up sleuthing on all of Victor's machinations while in prison working for Adam and the police, who were turning a blind eye.

Kevin's ex-wife Chloe showed back up in town. Instantly jealous, Natalie went to Mariah to hear their history. Chloe had just gotten out of a mental institution, and was known to lie and was filled with revenge. On finding out that Chloe had a daughter, Bella, whose age made it possible to be Kevin's, Kevin insisted on a paternity test. But when a DNA test showed that Kevin was not Bella's father, Kevin broke up with Natalie, convinced he could win Chloe back.

Natalie went to work as Victor Newman's executive assistant, but more for her computer hacking skills. When Newman's poor financial status and Victor's manipulations to keep it secret were exposed by GC Buzz, Natalie was expected to wipe the Newman server of any incriminating evidence.