<h4>Chapter 120: Shocked Julia</h4>


    The next morning Natalie woke up, she was alone in the bed. She realized she had slept for quite a long time.


    <i>’That man seemed to have magic or something to put me to sleep like this. Sleeping next to him is ... .wait...grandma..."</i> she sprang out of the bed and the room, only to hear Julia talking to Justin.


    "....after so long I am fortunate to eat the breakfast you made."


    Natalie stood there, shocked. She was supposed to wake up early and sneak back to her own room, but she had continued to sleep in the guest room. Now, Julia must know she was sleeping with Justin. Her entire self felt guilty and embarrassed and she wished to bury herself somewhere.


    Justin, who was setting the breakfast table, noticed her standing by the doorway. "Good morning, Natalie."


    She could only stare at him, her eyes silently ming him. <i>Why didn’t he wake me up earlier? How am I going to exin this to Grandma?</i> And why did he look so calm, as if nothing was wrong?


    "Natalie," Julia called out, smiling warmly at her. "Did you sleep well?"


    Natalie nodded hesitantly, unsure how to handle the situation. <i>What can I even say? That your precious grandson, who’s been helping me with my Grandpa, is now being used as my personalfort pillow so I can sleep better?</i><i></i>


    "Justin told me you’re not used to sharing your bed, so he let you sleep in the guest room while he slept on the sofa out here," Julia exined, her expression turning sympathetic. "You should have told me earlier, dear. I didn’t mean to be an inconvenience to you."


    Natalie nced at the long sofa and noticed a pillow and folded sheets ced neatly on one side. She understood—Justin had set up everything to make it look like he had slept there. She let out a sigh of relief.


    "I’m sorry, Grandma. But it’s alright. Tonight, I’ll sleep with you," she offered sincerely.


    "I’m afraid I can’t trouble you any longer," Julia said with a gentle smile. "I’ve decided to return home to the Imperial City."


    "Are you leaving already?" Natalie asked, moving over to the sofa to sit beside her.


    "Yes, but before that, I’ll stay at Andrew’s ce since he insists. After that, I’ll leave for the Imperial City. My son, James, needs some attention from his mother as well. That brat is just like Justin—stubborn and always worrying me. But don’t worry, I’ll trouble you with something before I go."


    "What is it, Grandma?" Natalie asked softly.


    Justin nced at the two of them. He liked that Natalie was always respectful and caring towards elders. Julia was important to him, and he wanted everyone around her to treat her well.


    "I want you toe shopping with me. Will you?" Julia asked.


    "Of course. Just let me know when."


    "Hmm, maybe in the afternoon. Will you be busy?"


    "It’s fine for me."


    "Good."


    "Breakfast is ready," they heard Justin say.


    Natalie stood up. "You two start. I’ll be back in a moment," she said before heading to her bedroom.


    -----


    After breakfast, Justin and Julia left early since Justin needed to drop her off at Andrew’s home.


    Natalie went to her office, where someone was already waiting for her—Victor Reid.


    He was loungingzily on the couch inside her office, rolling a paperweight back and forth on the table. His manager stood beside him.


    Seeing her, he stopped rolling the paperweight. "Morning, beautiful."


    Natalie didn’t react to his presence and calmly sat in her chair behind the desk. "Good morning."


    "I thought I’d be seeing you at noon, considering how things were going with your husband," Victor remarked with a yful smirk. "Seems like you didn’t let him eat you entirely. You look all fine."


    "Shut up," she snapped, ring at him as she pulled a file from the drawer.


    "Why are you getting angry? If he can’t do a good job, I’m always avable," he teased, his grin widening.


    Natalie clenched her teeth. "One more word, and I’ll smack this on your head."


    He leaned back with a smirk. "Why don’t you smack yourself on me instead?"


    "This asshole..." she muttered angrily and stood up, file in hand. She marched over to him and tossed the file onto the table in front of him. "This is your first project as an artist under thispany."


    Before Victor could respond, his assistant, Ron, picked up the file and began reading through it while Natalie continued exining.


    "You’re going to be the face of a new perfume line beingunched by a startup cosmeticspany. It’s their first time venturing into fragrances," Natalie exined.


    "First project, and it’s a perfume by some small, no-namepany?" Victor sneered. "Do you even know my worth?"


    "I’m very well aware of your worth," Natalie retorted sharply. "But you should remember the contract you signed. You agreed to ept every project assigned by thispany. The right to select or decline lies with thepany—not with you."


    Unfazed, Victor leaned backzily, a yful smile on his lips. "Ron, check what the penalty is. I’m sure there’s nothing I can’t pay."


    Natalie raised a brow. "Do you really want to go down this road just as we’re starting?"


    "I do things the way I want, and you know that," Victor replied, his tone turning mockingly serious. "But if you want things to go your way, there should be a catch."


    Natalie sighed helplessly and then spoke, "I’m the one who created that perfume."


    His lips curved into a wide smirk. "Ron, no need to look into the penalty cost. I’m doing it."


    Ron was used to Victor’s mood swings and simply closed the file, remaining unfazed.


    Natalie almost rolled her eyes. "You’re such an annoyance."


    "And you’re just in dumb," Victor shot back. "The simplest way to get me to agree was to say, ’I created a perfume, and I want you to be the face of it.’ As simple as that. But, as usual, you like to make things too difficult for yourself. Silly woman. Don’t you know I already told you—I’d do anything for you?"


    "Shut that mouth of yours and get to work," Natalie said as she stood up. "You have a photoshoot at noon for the uing productunch. Your assistant will get all the details, and you have to follow them."


    "You’re my manager, so you have to be there with me," he dered firmly.


    "I never agreed to be your manager, and I have more important work to do," she retorted.


    he scoffed. "Other than your husband, what important work you can have?"


    "I promised to take his grandmother shopping, and I intend to keep my promise."


    "Then finish shopping and be there. I’ll wait for you," he said and stood up. "And that’s final. Unless you’re there, I won’t shoot a single picture."


    With that, he turned and walked out of the office.


    -----


    Meanwhile, Justin and Julia arrived at her brother’s home. Justin stepped out of the car and helped Julia out.


    "I won’t be around, but I’m sure you can take care of Natalie," Juliamented.


    Justin hummed in agreement, only to hear her speak again, "Now you know she’s not what the rumors said. She’s a good child, just like her mother."


    "I know," he replied.


    Julia opened her mouth to say something more, but then decided against it. "Alright, go back to work. Don’t bete."


    Justin nodded and left in the car. A servant came to take Julia’s bags, but she continued to watch the car disappear from sight.


    A memory from earlier that morning shed in her mind.


    At the crack of dawn, she had woken up to find the ce beside her in the bed empty. <i>Is this child still working?</i> Feeling worried, Julia had stepped out of the room to look for Natalie, but couldn’t find her anywhere. <i>I should ask Justin.</i>


    She made her way to the guest room and opened the door, only to find them sleeping together in the same bed. Utterly shocked, she closed the door quietly and returned to her room, not knowing what to think.


    She wanted to talk to Justin about it, but for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to ask him.