Marcus'' voice carried unwavering conviction, and his gaze was earnest. Without a second thought, Timothy chose to believe him.


    One was from the Langleys, who had manipted and mistreated his sister for years, and the other was a childhood friend he had known all his life.


    Hence, the choice of whom to trust was obvious.


    "What else did Mrs. Langley Senior say?" Timothy asked, clenching his jaw. "Don''t keep this from me. I need to know exactly what that old hag has been filling my sister''s head with."


    Marcus went quiet for a brief moment. Then, he repeated every single word he had heard back then to Timothy without leaving out a single detail.


    When he finished, he took a quick pause before he continued, "Timothy, I only misunderstood Nat because of what Mrs. Langley Senior said. And since Nat didn''t say anything about it back then, I assumed it was true.


    "But Timothy, you know I''ve never been involved in any improper rtionships with a woman all these years."


    He had no interest in Emma or any other woman. In their social circle, he was the very definition of self-restraint when it came to women.


    Timothy couldn''t deny it either.


    "I know."


    Timothy stood up. "It''s not your fault. If I were you, I wouldn''t have liked someone who plotted against me and used me either."


    Marcus was utterly touched. "Thank you for understanding, Timothy. Thank you."


    "Hold off on thanking me. I don''t me you for calling off the engagement, but let me warn you if you ever hurt my sister or make her cry, I''ll make sure you learn a lesson you won''t forget."


    Timothy went on, "Nat has four brothers backing her up. We may not be as rich as the Holdens, but we have strength in numbers."


    Marcus nodded. "Don''t worry, Timothy. What you''re afraid of will never happen."


    "It better not."


    Timothy grabbed his phone and earphones from the chair and said, "I''ll head back to my room."


    Marcus gave a slight nod. "Okay. See you, Timothy."


    On his way back to the main estate, Timothy bumped into Natalie, who had juste back after getting a few bottles of water. He looked at his sister with overwhelming heartache.


    Grace, that vile old woman, had filled his sister''s head with nonsense.


    His sister was a perfectly good youngdy. Just what had Grace done to her?


    "What''s wrong, Timothy?"


    Natalie could tell that something was off with him. "Did Marcus tell you something?"


    Timothy didn''t utter a single word. He walked up to Natalie and wrapped her in an embrace. The ache in his heart threatened to spill over.


    The daughter of the Walkers was meant to be a strong, independent woman who was showered with endless love-not raised to seduce men at someone else''s bidding.


    With all the scheming and maniption, he''d want nothing to do with it either if he were in Marcus'' shoes.


    At that moment, Timothy''s resentment toward Marcus for breaking off the engagementpletely shifted to Grace''s vile scheming.


    "Just forget everything that happened when you were with the Langleys, Nat.


    From now on, don''t show them-especially Grace-any mercy."


    Timothy held Natalie tightly, torn between sorrow and fury.


    "What''s the matter, Timothy?"


    Natalie held two bottles of water in hand. One was for Timothy, and the other was for Marcus.


    She was a little confused at Timothy''s sudden surge of pain and anger.


    To her, the Langleys no longer had a ce in her life. Past events and her


    grievances with the Langleys felt like they belonged to another era.


    Hence, she found it weird for Timothy to bring it up out of nowhere.


    "I know everything now."


    Timothy let go of Natalie, his eyes glistening with emotions. "When you were with


    the Langleys, you weren''t happy... and you weren''t free, were you?"


    Upon hearing that, Natalie pondered for a moment and spoke up slowly. "So, Marcus told you."


    She continued, "He told you that Mrs. Langley Senior wanted me to seduce him to


    get back at Selena and Tyler, didn''t he?"


    Timothy nodded. "Yes, he did."


    Natalie sighed. "I knew it."


    "Is what Marcus said really true, Nat?"


    "It''s true." She dipped her chin.


    "I''m not sure how much he actually heard, but the things Mrs. Langley Senior made me do were beyond uneptable. Yet I never


    questioned her because I genuinely believed she was the only Langley who cared about me. So I just went along with everything she wanted, agreeing to all her demands."


    Then, she smiled wryly. "I never expected Marcus to hear all that. He must''ve looked terribly upon me, being the person caught in the


    middle. Well, I don''t me himel"


    stranger had been told to seduce me just to use me as a tool for revenge, I''d be disgusted too. Honestly,


    Marcus breaking off the


    engagement was what I wanted as well."


    The moment his sister confirmed that Marcus had been telling the truth, all of


    Timothy''s resentment toward Marcus vanished.


    Besides, Marcus had received a good beating from Lincoln.


    "Do you like Marcus, Nat?"


    With that, Natalie started blushing uncontrobly. Now that she was with Marcus,


    she''d admit it without hesitation.


    "Yes, I do. I agreed to give us a chance."


    She continued, "Just... to be in a real rtionship, spend time together, and put aside past misunderstandings and prejudices to truly start over."


    Timothy extended his hand to


    caress her hair. He took the bottle of water from her and said, "You have my support, then. I know Marcus well; he''s a decent man. But if he ever hurts or mistreats you, don''t hesitate to tell us."


    "Okay!" Natalie smiled. "Thank you, Timothy. If Marcus ever makes me cry, we''ll sack him up and give him a friendly ''chat'' with our fists!"


    Timothy chuckled, picturing the scene in his head. "Alright then, I''m going to see Father and Mother now. They deserve to know the truth."


    "Great! Thanks a bunch, Timothy."


    "Don''t be silly, Nat. You never have to thank me. It''s my job as your brother."


    Timothy ruffled Natalie''s hair gently. "Marcus is waiting for you over there. Go on!"


    "Alright. See you, Timothy."


    Timothy smiled as he watched Natalie go to where Marcus was. As soon as he turned around, his face fell.


    Who knew that old crone, Grace, was still livingfortably?


    Timothy returned to the main estate and went straight to William and Charlotte. In the study, he recounted everything Marcus had told him in detail.


    He hesitated briefly before adding, "I''ve asked Nat, and she confirmed it. Marcus was telling the truth."


    Both Charlotte and William looked furious. That despicable old woman! How could she have raised her granddaughter that way?


    "Let Lincoln and Hector know, and inform Mason too. Since Grace was behind all this, we can''t me Marcus too much."


    Charlotte added, "Grace might be up to something else, I''m afraid. Timothy, tell


    Lincoln to keep a close watch on the Langleys."


    "Yes, Mother."