Emild brightly as she looked at Natale. Mr. Langley, you''ll be there, right?


    Natalie didn''t answer only slightly lifting her chin. "Marem is behind you"


    Emma was startled and quickly turned around to look, but the space behind her was empty, and Marcus was nowhere to be seen.


    Emma was angry. Jest as she was about


    nound and sold her, Natalie had already disappeared by the time she looked back


    Emma blinked in confusion. Wait Was she really that fast? How could she vanish in the blink of an eye?


    Emma''s boasting and attempts to assert control delt utterly pointless. The frustration that had been simmering inside her now burned even botter.


    Just because Marron was showing himwer now, did Nathaniel dare think he could really get away with making their rtionship public?


    Bring the male sidechick" was even more disgraceful than being the female one


    Unless Marcely did tease about his own reputation or that of the Holden family.


    However, Charist was desperate to reim her biological dughter, so the needed to speed things up. She had to make sure that Marcus and she were forced into a situation where they had no choice but to many.


    Tonight''s dinner, with both the Holden and Walker families present, was the perfect opportunity.


    Everyone would witness her and Marcus together in the same bed. Even if Marcus didn''t like het, he''d have no choice but to marry her to take responsibility.


    She wouldn''t even need to wait for her birthday party and could have the engagement party right away.


    With sky on her side, she knew she couldcount on him to keepereating opportunities for her to be close to Marcos


    Emmaeshaled a deep breath, stood on the bridge for a moment, then cally walked away


    At 2:00 pm, luxury cars from the walker family rolled one after another into the Holden Residence


    Connie and Natalie stood by therge floor-to-ceiling windows on the third floor of the Holden Residence, gazing down.


    "Wow, Mr. Holden''s fiancée''s family really is rich!" Connie remarked in awe. "Let see what cars they have


    "I see a Lamborghini, a Ferrari, a Rolls-Royce, a Bentley, a Maserati, a Maybach, a Range Rover it''s like a car show down there. Do they have so many people they can''t fit in just


    Natalie''s expression remained cold, and she didn''t respond to Connie''s remarks. Didn''t Marcus say that the Waller family was always low-profile and mysterions?


    There was nothing remotely low-key or mysterious about this was as if they were trying to make sure everyone knew they were the richest Camily in the country.


    Outside the entrance, Emma stood by the door, her eyes lighting up as the Walker family''s car pulled up


    As soon as the passengers stepped out, she dashed forward experly


    "Dad Sky, Hector, Timothy, Mason. Where''s Lincoln and Mo


    Emma knew the answer to her question. She had already called Lincoln eurbes, but his manager had picked up, exining that Lincoln was on set and couldn''t go anywhere.


    As for Charlotte, she didn''t answer the phone or reply to her messages.


    Despite the unease growing at her, Emma kept a bright smile


    She was still acting cute as always,


    William potted Emma''s arm gently. "We''re at Mr. Holden Senior''s house. Stop clinging to me like a little girl, or people might say you''re naive,”


    "I don''t need to be mature when I''m with you, Dad" Emma stuck out her tongue mischievously, then turned to loop her arm through sky''s. “Right, sky


    “That''s right. You don''t have to be mature as long as you''re happy and healthy,” Sky said. His gaze softened, filled with affection for Emma.


    "You just keep spoiling her," William teased. At that moment, Marcus stepped forward to greet the family. “Uncle William, Sky, Hector, Timothy, Mason this way, please.”


    Mascus greeted each member of the Walker family warmly. "Aunt Charlotte and Lincoln didn''e "Lincoln''s still busy filming on set, and my mom had something to take care of. She probably won''t be back until tomartove


    From the side, Mason chimed in eagerly, “Marcus, can intern at yourpany after I graduate?


    Mason had always looked up to Marcus. Growing up, while his tour elder brothers adored Emma, Mason often found himself being neglected.


    There were countless times when he joined the others to y, only to realize that his brothers'' attention was entuely on Emma. If he got left behind, no one seemed to notion


    It was always Marcus who watched out for him, making sure he wasn''t left feeling isted or forgotten


    Unlike his brothers, who dotted endinsly on Emma, Marcus treated her with coolerence. He rarely even spared her an extra nce.


    To Mason, this made Marcus all the more admirable. He felt that Marcus treated him better than he treated Emma, which only deepened Mason''s admiration for him


    Stil, the Walker family had always been close knit, with no room for petty realnies or grudges. Even if Mason asionally felt a pang of dissatisfaction, he never voiced t


    Being naturally easygoing, Mason quickly got over any fleetingstrations.


    truth, he cared deeply for Emma, just like the rest of his family.


    Now that Mason had learned his biological sister was someone else, he naturally began to put some distance between himself and Emma


    "If you inter at mypany, I''m afraid Sky mighte after me,” Marcus joked, which was unusual. He hadn''t forgotten how Sky once asked Emma to deliver medicine to him, agesture he still appreciated. Marcus burned to Sky with a smile.


    "Sky, let''s have a dink togetherter."


    Chapter 27 Mar


    (Is Drugged at the Dinner


    "Yeah, for sure!"


    Marcus led the Walkers into the house, where Sheklon had already ensured everything was prepared.


    The kitchen stall was ready to serve them as soon as the guests were seated.


    "I''ll go help out," Emma said as she let go of Sky''s arm. After that, she followed Sheldon into the kitchen.


    "Ms. Walker, you''re a guest, you should take a seat and rx," Sheldon politely declined Emma''s offer to help


    However, Emma wouldn''t take no for an answer. Although she was smiling, she said firmly, “It''s alright, Sheldon. I was helping out earlier this afternoon, and Grandpa Charles


    gave me his full approval."


    Momentarily taken aback, Sheldon had no choice but to nod in agreement. However, he quietly instructed the staff to ensure Emma wasn''t given any real tasks


    Emma wasn''t exactly the type to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty. Her ceal motive wasn''t to lend a hand in the kitchen_.


    She actually nned to spike Marcus'' drink


    She had spent the entire afternoon in the Holden residence, observing the kitchen workflow and memorizing every detail.


    As the statt began ting dishes and sending them to the dining room, Emma made her way to the wine counter.


    The wine was to be decanted and poured fresh into each guest''s ss. However, tampering with the wine was impractical because it was too risky and public.


    Instead, Emma-chose a more discreet option. She nned to drug the dish that was specially prepared for Marcus


    Marcus was notoriously particr about his meals, and the kitchen had gone all out to cater to his tastes


    Tonight, his entrée was a delicate cream-based seafood bisque, made with fish sourced from a carefully selected artisan fishery


    The dish was rich, velvety, and subtly sweet-an indulgent blend of tresh ingredients and precise culinary


    techniques.


    Seizing her chance while the staff were busy and the security cameras faced away, Emma carefully added the substance she''d brought with her into the bisque.


    Once the task was done, she signaled one of the servers to bring the dish to the dining from


    Then, Emma herself carried Charles te and walked toward the dining room