Natalie''s mind was a mess. Could it be that Marcus liked her only because he found out she was the one who saved him when they were little? So, he wanted to repay his debt by marrying her?


    But if that were the case, shouldn''t he have married Sophia long ago?


    Natalie got more confused the more she thought about it. Marcus'' sudden kiss hadpletely rattled her, leaving her unable to think straight.


    "Nat, I''m sorry," Marcus said in a hushed voice. "I... couldn''t hold back just now."


    Hearing her say she preferred Tyler, he really couldn''t restrain that jealousy boiling inside him.


    The truth was he''d wanted to kiss her for a long time. Back when she saved him from the drug, she was willing to help him but wouldn''t let him touch her. It gave him an indescribable sadness and left him feeling insecure.


    Natalie turned her head to look at him and noticed that not only were his ears bright red, but his cheeks and nose were as well.


    "Marcus, was that your first kiss?" she asked without thinking.


    "What?" He didn''t catch it for a moment, but then he quickly realized what she meant. His lips curved slightly. "Yes."


    He had never liked Emma, so he did everything he could to avoid her. Let alone kissing someone; he had never even held a woman''s hand before.


    At social events that required a femalepanion, he always showed up alone. He was the president of the Holden Group and the wealthiest man in the world. No one daredment on how he behaved.


    Any woman who tried getting close would be stopped by Elijah or Noah. So, all these years, the only glimpse he''d had of a woman''s body was that time he rescued Natalie.


    Looking at his face, red as a tomato, Natalie tilted her head and asked, "Marcus, do you like me?"


    "Yes," he answered simply. On the surface, he looked calm and distant, but his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel told another story.


    "Natalie, I''m sorry. I just... lost control," he apologized again. "Are you going to hit me?"


    "No." Natalie let out a faintugh.


    If this was his first kiss, then she hadn''t really lost anything. She never liked men who yed around, like Tyler.


    She couldn''t remember exactly when Tyler changed. She only recalled a time she went to the school equipment room and saw him kissing another girl there.


    After that, shepletely distanced herself from him and stopped viewing him as any kind of savior. If not for the engagement arranged by their families, she wouldn''t have bothered to acknowledge him at all.


    Fortunately, she wasn''t actually the daughter of the Langley family. Otherwise, Grace would have forced her to marry Tyler.


    She was lost in her own muddled thoughts and didn''t notice that Marcus had parked the car again.


    He reached into his pocket and pulled out a chocte bar. After unwrapping it, he handed it to her. "Want some?"


    Natalie took it and started nibbling.


    They both fell silent again.


    The quiet didn''tst long. Not far away, the vi''s main gate swung open. Julia and Wendy came out with big bags and stuffed them into a car waiting outside.


    They looked nervous, scanning the area to see if anyone was watching. "That''s... the Sinir residence?" Natalie asked, finishing the chocte. Marcus immediately opened a bottle of water and passed it to her.


    "Yes. Ivan will arrive soon," he replied. He adjusted the temperature in the car. "Are you cold?"


    "No."


    "So you brought me here just to watch the show?"


    "Yes."


    Natalie tried to think of something else to talk about. It was surprising how she could remain so calm after Marcus forcefully kissed her.


    He rolled down the window a little to hear the sounds outside. "Take this," he said, pulling a small box from his pocket and handing it to her.


    "What is it?" Natalie opened it for a nce, then snapped it shut and tossed it back at him. "I don''t want it. Marcus, don''t just give me stuff."


    He looked at the little box she had thrown back, and his face darkened. But he didn''t get angry. He only pressed his lips together.


    Natalie opened the car door and got out. She hid in the shadows, where she saw a Benz approach and stop.


    The door opened, and Ivan jumped out. He rushed up to Julia and pped her across the face.


    "You wretch! How dare you betray me and try to run off with my belongings!" he shouted angrily.


    "Ah!" Julia let out a sharp cry, then started coughing violently.


    Natalie could hear the coughing fit from where she stood and worried Julia might hack up a lung.


    Ivan yanked open the car door and spotted the bags stuffed inside. He turned and grabbed a suitcase from Wendy. When he flipped it open, gold and jewels spilled out onto the ground.


    "Great! Just great!" Ivan let out a shortugh of anger. He pointed at Wendy and pped her too.


    "So this is how it is, huh? You two worthless rats! After all these years of giving you a good life, this is how you repay me?


    "Last time at Goodwill Pharmacy, Marcus'' people told me I was raising someone else''s child. I didn''t believe them. Turns out I really am the cuckold!"


    Rage burned in his eyes. "Tell me the truth, who is Ruby''s father?"


    Juliay sprawled on the ground, coughing and shivering. She looked startled at first, then pitiful. "Honey, what are you talking about? Who''s been filling your head with rumors? Ruby is obviously our daughter!"


    Julia coughed, looking hurt. "I was so worried about you. I was just about to take these things and go to your office to find you, but as soon as you got home, youshed out at me.


    "Honey, I heard what happened at


    thepany, so I packed up some of my luxury items. I was going to ask you if you wanted me to sell them to help thepany. But you pped me the moment you got out of the car."


    She coughed and began to cry.


    Natalie watched from a distance, silently giving Julia a thumbs-up for her quick


    thinking. No wonder Sophia and Samantha were never a match for her.