Marcus'' lips curved into a slight smile. His deep, maic voice softened just a touch as he spoke.


    Sitting next to him, Natalie looked stunning. Throughout the evening, she''d changed into several elegant evening gowns, yet none of them were the ones he''d bought for her.


    The diamond tiara his grandfather had gifted her paired beautifully with the shimmering gown she had chosen to wear tonight, giving her an ethereal glow.


    Right now, Natalie was dressed in a pure white backless evening gown. The halter neck wrapped snugly around her corbone, with two thin straps connecting the neckline to her lower back.


    The design left much of her smooth, porcin skin exposed, showing off the delicate curve of her shoulder des and the slight dip at the base of her back.


    She leaned back casually in her chair, surrounded by vibrant red roses. Against the vivid backdrop, her pristine white dress made her look even more pure and striking, like something out of a dream.


    Marcus'' gaze lingered on her wless, radiant face. For a fleeting moment, an image of crimson shed through his mind, unbidden. His throat tightened as he swallowed hard, forcing himself to look away.


    But when he lowered his eyes, theynded on her feet. She wasn''t wearing the high heels that came with her outfit. Instead, she had on the fluffy white slippers he''d picked out for her. The slippers had soft pink flowers embroidered on the tops, a yful touch that somehowplemented her elegant dress.


    Though unconventional, her wearing slippers instead of heels gave her an added air of charm. It made her seem less like an untouchable beauty and more like the sweet girl next door.


    Natalie''s feet were only half inside the slippers. She''d kicked them off slightly to let her feet rx. Her bare skin was smooth and fair, her feet delicate and perfectly shaped. On her heel was a pink cartoon band-aid he''d just given her to cover a small blister.


    The sight of her in that moment—a mix of casual, cute, and breathtakingly beautiful-was enough to make Marcus unconsciously clench his fists at his sides. The woman sitting next to him was mesmerizing, almost unreal.


    Unaware of his thoughts, Natalie stretched out her legs to ease the tension in her calves. She finally looked morefortable after rubbing them for a while and massaging a few pressure points.


    Sliding her feet back into the slippers, she turned her head and asked, "Marcus, you''ve had Emma''s contact info before, haven''t you?"


    Marcus gave a brief nod. "Yeah, I added her once. But I blocked her thest time she caused trouble."


    "Unblock her," Natalie said, a small smile tugging at her lips. Her eyes shone with a yful glimmer, like the sea under the sun, carrying a hint of mischief. "I know exactly what''ll get under her skin."


    Marcus raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" He had a feeling he knew where this was going. Was she nning to take some flirty photos with him and send them to Emma directly?


    Natalie''s smile deepened. "Emma''s in a new hospital now. Hector made sure of that, and I heard he even borrowed some people from you for security.


    "Anyway, the reporters tonight are going to take a ton of pictures. The press releases will have to go through my parents for approval before anything goes public. But before that, we could take some private photos-ones that look, well, ambiguous—and make sure Emma gets a good look at them.


    "She''s obsessed with you, so if you want to hurt her, it''ll be easy." Natalie''s voice carried a sharp edge, though her smile remained dazzling. "If Emma''s so dead set on ruining me, I can''t just sit back and let her have her way, can I? What do you think, Marcus?"


    Her smile was radiant, her expression so stunning it almost felt dangerous. Even though her words carried an obvious malice, it was impossible to feel any dislike for her. In fact, they made perfect sense.


    "You''re right," Marcus said without hesitation. His throat felt dry, and he loosened his tie as the room suddenly felt warmer. "Let''s do it."


    Natalie stood up, snapping her fingers. Olivia, holding a professional camera, popped up from behind the rose bushes. She grinned, "Hey, I''m ready!"


    "Got everything set?" Natalie asked.


    Olivia nodded enthusiastically, gesturing with her camera. "Alright, Mr. Holden, lean in closer to Natalie. Natalie, rest your head on his shoulder. Look rxed, like you''ve had just a little too much to drink."


    She was no amateur when it came to posing. As a professional model, she''d shot countless couple photos and knew exactly how to create a romantic, intimate vibe.


    Following Olivia''s instructions, Natalie shifted closer to Marcus.


    "Mr. Holden, put your arm around her, like you''re holding her close. Natalie, close


    your eyes and pretend you''re napping."


    Olivia tilted her head, considering the


    scene. "Mr. Holden, when the breeze


    catches her hair, reach out like you''re brushing it back. But be


    gentle you don''t want to actually


    pull it. If you need help, I''ve got a clip from a show that''ll give you the idea."  swnovel


    Marcus was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Alright."


    Olivia quickly pulled up a clip on her


    phone. In the video, Shawn and Celeste were starring in a popr drama. In the drama, the male lead, yed by Shawn, loved and hated the female lead at the same time due to a grudge between their parents.


    swnovel


    In this scene, the male lead asked the female lead to stay with him for three days, promising to let her go afterward.


    The two of them arrived at the seaside, where the sea breeze began to pick up. The female lead watched the seagulls soaring in the distance while the male lead watched her.


    As the wind blew, the female lead''s long hair flew in the breeze, and the male


    lead, with restrained emotion, gently reached out to brush her hair. The love in his eyes almost couldn''t be hidden.


    After the clip ended, Olivia looked at Marcus. "Got it?"


    Marcus nodded. "Got it."


    "Alright, let''s roll!"


    Olivia moved back behind the roses


    and raised her camera. "Okay,


    Natalie, lean on his shoulder and close your eyes. Mr. Holden, brush her hair back gently, and-wait for it-lightly touch her earlobe, like you''re savoring the moment."  swnovel


    Natalie abruptly sat upright. "Hold up, Olivia! That wasn''t in the n!"


    Olivia waved her off. "I added itst minute. If we''re going to make Emma lose her mind, we need to sell it. Don''t worry. These photos won''t go anywhere else. I''ll delete them right after Emma sees them," Olivia assured her.


    She added, "Nat, trust me-going easy on your enemy only sets you up for more troubleter. You''ve got to hit where it hurts."


    Then, she gave them a thumbs-up. "Listen to me, I know what I''m doing." "Mrs. Thatcher got a point," Marcus said unexpectedly. His tone was calm, but his gaze was intense. "Ms. Walker, you don''t have to overthink things. It''s all just for show."


    Olivia chimed in again. "Exactly! And if you''re going to act, you''ve got tomit. Otherwise, it''ll look fake, and we''ll never fool Emma."


    Marcus nodded. "Right. No half-measures. If we''re going to break her spirit, we''ve got to make sure it''s convincing, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie nced at Marcus, studying his sharp features and serious expression. For a moment, she felt like she was seeing a side of him she didn''t recognize.


    "Are we doing this or not, Ms. Walker?" Marcus asked when she hesitated, his tone firm. "If not, I''m heading out."


    Marcus noticed Natalie studying him intently, a probing look in her eyes. His brow furrowed slightly.


    She was the one who came up with the idea-so why was she hesitating now that he was going along with it?