Not far away, Marcus sat at the dining table, sipping his coffee while scrolling his iPad.


    His phone rested on the table beside him, silent and still.


    Natalie subtly adjusted herpact mirror, angling it just right to catch the reflection of Marcus''s phone. The screen remained dark-no notifications, no iing calls.


    She waited a little longer, but Marcus remained asposed and elegant as ever, exuding quiet confidence.


    Had she been wrong?


    "Nat?"


    Connie approached, her gazending on the mirror in Natalie''s hand. It was an unusual sight, Natalie had never done anything like this before.


    "Connie, do you think this lipstick shade suits me?" Natalie asked casually, tucking the mirror away as if nothing had happened.


    Connie leaned in to examine her lips. The color was a soft pink, subtle yet ttering, but she couldn''t quite ce the shade.


    "Nat, which lipstick are you wearing?"


    "Can''t tell? It''s a lip tint," Natalie smiled. "I''ll try a different color next time."


    "Sounds good!"


    "By the way, is Grandpa Charles''s medicine ready?"


    "Yeah, it''s done."


    Natalie smoothly shifted the conversation and led Connie toward thetest batch of medicine to check its effects.


    Lately, Charles had been turning in early and rising with the sun. In the mornings, he even had enough energy to step outside for some light exercise in the courtyard.


    After his morning exercise, Charles would take a shower, change into fresh clothes, have breakfast, and take his medicine.


    After resting for a while, Natalie would perform acupuncture on him.


    With a bnced diet, better sleep quality, and a more structured daily routine, his life had be much more regted than before.


    Thebination of treatment and moderate exercise significantly improved his health.


    Once Natalie finished checking the new batch of medicine, she took Charles''s pulse. After he drank his medicine, she performed acupuncture on him as usual.


    This time, however, Charles seemed noticeably more energetic after the session. He no longer dozed off immediately like he used to.


    "Nattie, your parents'' wee party for you ising up soon, right?" Charles asked with a smile as he finished getting dressed.


    "Yeah, just a few more days to go."


    Natalie packed up her acupuncture kit. "Grandpa Charles, will you and Mr. Holden be attending?"


    "Of course! We wouldn''t miss it." Charles chuckled, then added, "Oh, I prepared a gift for you. Sheldon, bring it over."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    A momentter, Sheldon returned with arge, beautifully wrapped box. "Mr. Holden Senior, here''s the gift."


    "Give it to Natalie."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior. Ms. Walker, this is for you."


    Natalie epted the box. "Thank you, Grandpa Charles."


    "Go on, open it."


    Charles watched her with warmth in his eyes, but beneath that kindness, a trace of guilt lingered.


    He had never imagined that the godsister he once recognized could be so two- faced.


    After conducting a secret investigation, Charles uncovered everything Grace had done-one betrayal after another, allid bare before him.


    Charles felt deeply unsettled.


    He had always trusted and cared for Grace, treating her like a true godsister, only


    to realize he had been deceived for years.


    When it came to Natalie, he felt both guilty and protective.


    He wanted to do something for her, but now that she had reunited with her


    biological parents, there wasn''t much he could offer as an outsider.


    After all, Marcus had been so quick to call off their engagement not long ago.


    Still, Charles wanted to treat Natalie well.


    "Nattie, open it and take a look."


    Natalie nodded. "Thank you, Grandpa Charles."


    She set the box on the coffee table, carefully untied the elegant silk ribbon, and lifted the lid. Inside was a shimmering evening gown.


    Resting atop the gown was a diamond tiara.


    The gown was crafted from the finest silk, its wless design a testament to the skill of a top-tier designer. But the most breathtaking piece was the tiara itself.


    Natalie didn''t count the stones, but at a nce, she estimated there were about 365 diamonds. Thergest one, positioned at the center, was roughly eight carats.


    The surrounding diamonds were arranged in a delicate, radiant pattern, each one catching the light in a dazzling disy.


    With its masterful cut and intricate design, the tiara looked almost too exquisite to belong to this world.


    "Try it on," Charles said warmly.


    "Nattie, I know your parents have prepared plenty of expensive jewelry and gowns for your wee party, but you saved my life. I wanted to give this to you."


    What he didn''t tell her was that this tiara had once been a token of love for histe wife.


    If Natalie and Marcus had ended up together, he would have shared its significance. But now that the engagement had been called off, there was no need to say anything.


    Charles didn''t want Natalie to feel any pressure.


    There was no pre-destined bond between her and his grandson, but he believed


    histe wife would have been happy to see Natalie wear the tiara.


    "Grandpa Charles, this is too valuable." Without a second thought, Natalie ced the gift box back in front of him.


    "If I remember currently, this tiara


    was auctioned off years ago for 200 million to a mysterious buyer.


    Rumor had it that the buyer


    I.ne


    purchased it as an engagement gift,


    a token of love for his fiancée."


    Charles was momentarily stunned. He hadn''t expected Natalie to know about this.


    Even Wesley and Marcus weren''t aware of that detail.


    "Nattie, you''re overthinking it." Charles sighed.


    "If it was worth 200 million, why would I give it to you? Sure, you saved this old man''s life, but if it." were truly an engagement token, do you think I''d just hand it over?"


    "Huh?" Natalie hesitated, suddenly uncertain.


    Had she mistaken it for something else? Was this not the Evermore Tiara she had seen before?


    "Nattie, I like you, but not enough to give you a 200 million-dor love token of the past."


    Seeing that he had sessfully distracted her, he chuckled again. "Kiddo, let me be blunt. You''re overthinking this."


    Instead of feeling offended, Natalie felt relieved.


    To be honest, she had always been cautious about epting expensive gifts from Charles. Small tokens were fine as she could always find a way to return the favorter.


    But something this valuable? That would require an equivalent return.


    The price itself wasn''t the real issue, it was the significance behind the gift that made it impossible for her to ept.


    "Just keep it. It''s not worth as much as you think," Charles said with a warm smile. "But it''s not cheap either. Take it with peace of mind. You deserve it."


    Natalie thought for a moment before finally nodding. "Then... thank you, Grandpa Charles."


    He wasn''t rted to her by blood, but perhaps he was simply giving her this gift


    out of respect for the long-standing friendship between the Walkers and the Holdens.