After Natalie whispered to William, she turned toward Marcus, who was sitting still. "Mr. Holden, it''s time to rest."


    "Ms. Walker, I''d like to talk to you for a moment." Marcus stood up. "Let''s go to the balcony we were at earlier. The view is nice there, and the air''s fresh."


    "Alright."


    Natalie agreed without hesitation. Their rtionship wasplicated


    neither


    fully friends nor entirely strangers. They cooperated well on certain things, though.


    They made their way to the small balcony, and Mason seemed like he wanted to follow. However, Marcus turned and gave him a look-sharp andmanding. Mason stopped dead in his tracks.


    "Uh... Nat, Marcus, I''m going to rest now. Don''t stay up toote talking. It''s been a long day."


    Mason shed a wink at Natalie, and she returned a reassuring nce. Only then did he leave.


    "Mr. Holden, please sit." Natalie gestured to the chair, and Marcus sat down.


    He then told Natalie, "You should take a seat, too"


    "I''ll make some tea," she said, standing up.


    Since some ill-intentioned people were still in Walker Estate, she wasn''tfortable letting the helper handle things. Tea could easily be tampered with.


    Soon, Natalie returned with a pot of tea. She poured two cups-one for Marcus and one for herself, then sat down. "What did you want to talk about? Oh, the helpers on this floor have all been sent away. We can speak freely now."


    Marcus didn''t answer right away. Instead, he called out, "Noah."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden?" Noah immediately appeared and took out a small device, beginning to scan around them.


    Natalie raised an eyebrow but didn''tment.


    Noah reached the umbre tree on the balcony, and the device emitted a series of beeps. He pulled a small listening device from behind the tree and handed it to Marcus.


    Marcus didn''t speak immediately. He simply ced the device in front of him. Natalie and Marcus exchanged a nce. Both understood the situation.


    Neither made a move to touch the listening device. The atmosphere grew tense and quiet.


    Marcus finally lifted his teacup, took a few sips, and then spoke in a low voice. "Natalie, the reason I broke off the engagement before was because I was drunk. That wasn''t my true intention. Please, don''t go to Amberton."


    The listening device flickered as Marcus spoke, signaling that someone was eavesdropping.


    Natalie signaled with her eyes for him to continue.


    Marcus'' voice deepened, a bit more urgent now. "If you go to Amberton, what will happen to me? I can''t bear to let you go. Could you ask your father to send someone else in your ce?"


    Natalie remained stoic, not reacting to Marcus'' words. She knew these were just lines an act for the person listening in.


    The fact that the device was still picking up sounds confirmed that it wasn''t Emma listening the authorities had already taken her away. If she had orchestrated this, she wouldn''t be able to hear what was being said.


    This meant Emma had someone helping her.


    Could it be Sky?


    "Nat, maybe should go talk to Mr. and Mrs. Walker. We could restore our engagement." Marcus'' eyes were fixed on Natalie, asionally ncing at the device. "I really can''t bear the thought of you going to Amberton."  s?novel


    Natalie sighed, finally breaking her silence. "Marcus, stop being so clingy. You were the one who called off the engagement. Now you regret it? Things don''t work like that.


    "You called off the engagement when you wanted, and now you want to restore it? Do you think life is that simple? Do you think I''m someone you can summon and dismiss whenever you feel like it? Dream on!"


    She exchanged another nce with Marcus, stood up, and walked toward the door. "I''m tired. I''m going to bed. If you want to stay the night, you''re wee to. If not, you should leave."


    "Wait, Nat." Marcus quickly stood up, grabbing her wrist. "I''m sorry. The way I called off the engagement was rash."


    "Let go of Nat."


    Mason suddenly rushed in, pushing Marcus away. "You can talk all you want, but keep your hands to yourself."


    "Mason!" Natalie said, pulling Mason aside and pointing at the listening device on the coffee table.


    Mason quickly nodded, understanding the situation.


    "Don''t forgive him so easily, Nat," Mason added, giving a wink. Natalie couldn''t help but smile faintly, then turned to Marcus. "Well, Mr. Holden, that''s enough. I''m going to rest now."


    "Please, Nat, don''t go to Amberton," Marcus said, stepping forward and grabbing her wrist again. "If you go to Amberton, I won''t be able to see you."


    Marcus was so serious, his words almost convincing. Natalie nearly lost herposure. How had she not noticed before how skilled he was at acting? He delivered those lines without even a hint of O hesitation.


    swnovel


    "I''m serious," Marcus said, his eyes intense. "Don''t go to Amberton."


    Natalie turned to look at the listening device on the coffee table, then pushed Marcus'' hand away. "We''ll see. You''re merely my ex-fiancé. What I do doesn''t need your approval."


    Without another word, she and Mason left.


    Once they were gone, Marcus


    walked back to the balcony and sat down, looking at the device. He gave Noah a look, and Noah nodded,


    understanding. He ced the listening device back behind the umbre tree.  swnovel


    Marcus took out his phone and sent a message to William. With the listening device still active, it would be too risky to make a phone call.


    After sending the message, Marcus didn''t rush to rest. He took another sip of the


    tea Natalie made, noting that it was much better than what the helpers usually made.


    Once he finished the cup, Marcus stood up. "Noah, let''s go."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Five minutester, Marcus'' car drove out of Walker Estate.


    Natalie stood by the window on the fifth floor, watching as Marcus'' car disappeared into the night. She turned the diamond bracelet on her wrist, lost in thought about what to do next.


    The Walker family, aside from Sky, didn''t want Emma to keep the Walker family name. So now, Emma didn''t have a surname and was just "Emma". Natalie was moved, deeply touched. Having grown up with the Langleys, it was rare for anyone to support her so wholeheartedly.


    William asking her to investigate Emma''s biological parents was, in a way, a request to uncover the truth about the child swap all those years ago. Natilie, Selena, and Emma—the three babies had been swapped on the same day. It was all too much of a coincidence.