《The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus)》


 Coming 1

    Victor Langley was sitting on the couch at the Langley residence when he shoved a credit card into Natalie''s face.


    "Go back to the Walkers, and let''s stop contacting each other. You can keep the card; it has 200,000 dors in it. Consider this thest gesture of affection from Mom and me after raising you all these years.


    "Natalie, please don''t me us for this. Selena suffered in the streets for many years. You''ve lived 20 years of her life and enjoyed 20 years of wealth and splendor that was rightfully hers. We can''t keep you here if it''ll upset Selena."


    A month ago, the Langleys found their long-lost daughter, Selena Langley. After running a DNA test and confirming the fact, they decided to kick Natalie Walker out.


    Victor felt slightly reluctant. After all, he had raised Natalie for 20 years. Hence, he decided to give her 200,000 dors as he kicked her out of the house.


    Natalie appeared calm. She carried only a backpack filled with her belongings, leaving everything that belonged to the Langleys behind.


    "That won''t be necessary, Mr. Langley. Thank you. The Langleys have taken care of me all these years. I''ve given my blood to Mrs. Langley countless times before. Let''s call it even. I wish the three of you all the happiness in the world."


    Natalie got up and headed out without turning back.


    Guilt floated in Victor''s eyes as he watched Natalie leave, remembering everything that happened over the years.


    When Natalie transfused her blood to Diana Ashcroft for the first time, Victor found out that Natalie wasn''t their biological daughter.


    From that moment on, Victor and Diana had been secretly searching for their real daughter while taking care of Natalie.


    On one hand, they were reluctant to do so because of the rtionship they had built over the years. On the other, Diana wasn''t in good health and needed periodic blood transfusions.


    The hospital had run countless tests on potential blood donors, but Diana was afraid they weren''t clean enough. She would have been devastated if she caught a disease from epting donations from just anyone.


    As such, they took care of Natalie well, allowing her to periodically transfuse her blood to Diana, considering this act a way to repay the Langleys for raising her.


    Natalie had donated her blood for many years. A thousand times was an appropriate estimation.


    In other words, Natalie had been Diana''s living blood bag since she was a child.


    Later, Diana''s body was nursed back to health and didn''t require blood transfusions anymore. Coincidentally, they found their real daughter around the same time.


    Their real daughter, Selena Langley, was kidnapped at birth by a hospital maternity nurse and sold off for a few thousand dors. Then, the family who purchased Selena as a newborn had a son when she was three. So, they despised Selena and sold her off once again.


    Just like that, Selena was sold multiple times and experienced living in countless households. She suffered maltreatment and had gone through a lot of pain.


    When she found out she was supposedly born of money and could have grown up with her parents'' love and wealth, she went ballistic.


    She wailed and screamed, unwilling to even look at the recement daughter who took 20 years of her life. Selena went as far as to swear that the Langleys had to choose either her or Natalie.


    Why did she have to suffer so much on Natalie''s behalf, only to end up living with the person who had stolen her identity?


    Victor and Diana ached for their real daughter dearly, so without hesitation, they abandoned Natalie, whom they had raised for 20 years.


    Even before Selena officially returned home, they quickly removed Natalie''sst name, Langley.


    Victor thought Natalie would cause a scene and be unwilling to leave. After all, they may have found Selena, but Natalie''s birth parents were still nowhere to be found.


    Victor had posted Natalie''s information and contact number on the family searchwork. If Natalie''s parents were looking for her, they would have contacted her by now.


    That said, Victor was worried Natalie wouldn''t leave if her parents had not found her, so he lied and said she was from the Walker family in Amberton.


    To his surprise, Natalie did not take his bank card and left swiftly.


    Now, it was up to fate to determine if anyone would contact Natalie through the family searchwork.


    Natalie exited the Langley residence and headed toward thepound''s main entrance. As therge gate opened, a ck Bentley entered.


    Natalie stepped aside and quietly waited for the car to drive past her.


    However, the car slowed down before her and eventually stopped.


    The car window rolled down, and Selena''s darkened face appeared in view.


    Natalie quietly stood there and met Selena''s gaze.


    In all fairness, Selena did notck in the looks department. However, she must have suffered tremendously, making her face appear harsh and etched with resentment.


    Selena opened the car door and exited, looking Natalie up and down. Natalie wore a ck jacket, jeans, and white sneakers. She carried a backpack, and her hair was tied in a ponytail. She didn''t have any makeup on. Her beautiful doll-like eyes stared at Selena indifferently.


    Natalie was dressed simply, with nothing branded on her person. Yet, she managed to look like she was wearing high-end pieces.


    The features on her petite face were exquisite. She was gorgeous, even without any makeup. However, her doll-like eyes appeared indifferent and had a cold glint in them.


    Most importantly, Natalie''s skin was as smooth as porcin, not a blemish in sight. She could stand anywhere and still be the center of attention in a crowd.


    On the other hand, Selena wore all the designer goods Diana had just bought for her. She had Chanti''stest designer bag and had gone through several facial and hair treatments. Still, it would take time for her to make a full recovery.


    Victor and Diana didn''t look bad to begin with. On the contrary, they had beautiful, defined features. As such, Selena''s features were also naturally great.


    That said, Selena''s eyes appeared too harsh. Jealousy was written all over her face, making her darkened face appear fierce.


    One looked like a sinister, dark queen, while the other resembled an ice princess, untouchable and immortal. The difference in theirplexions was enough to make Selena jealous, let alone the difference in education they received.


    "Empty your bag," Selena arrogantly ordered. "If you''ve taken anything that belonged to the Langleys, you''re dead meat. Dirty thief, you''ve stolen my life. Don''t think you can steal anything else from the Langleys."


    Natalie lightly nced her way but chose to ignore her. She carried her bag and walked away.


    "Stop right there."


    Selena extended her hand and pulled on Natalie''s bag. The zip opened, and everything fell to the floor.


    Selena looked at the contents of the bag and immediately fumed.


    "Bitch, you took my engagement ring from the Millers."


    Natalie quirked her eyebrow. She was unsure when an item that didn''t belong to her appeared in her backpack. It was the engagement ring Tyler Miller, the eldest son of the Millers, had given her.


    The Millers and the Langleys had a marriage agreement. When Tyler was 18, he came to the Langleys and gave Natalie this engagement ring.


    Once Natalie turned 20 years old, they would register their marriage and host the wedding.


    Now, Natalie was three months away from turning 20. Selena, the real Langley daughter, had returned at such


    a time. The marriage agreement was therefore rightfully hers.


    Natalie was sure she didn''t bring the engagement ring with her when she left, so someone in the Langley residence had to have framed her.

 Coming 2

    A sharp yet impatient glint flickered in Natalie''s eyes. She didn''t want to pick a fight with Selena over something like this. It wasn''t that she was afraid to; she simply felt it was unnecessary and didn''t want to waste their time.


    However, Selena didn''t want to let her go.


    "Mom, look! The daughter you raised for 20 years turned out to be a traitor and a thief."


    Diana exited the car at this moment. She looked at Natalie, then at the ring on the floor. She had raised Natalie for the past 20 years and had epted Natalie''s many blood transfusions, but she hated Natalie for taking away her biological daughter''s life.


    "Natalie, why did you steal the ring Mr. Miller gave to Selena?" Diana didn''t seek to rify the situation and immediately assumed it was Natalie''s fault.


    "I didn''t take it." Natalie calmly added, "I didn''t take this ring. It''s inappropriate to assume I stole it, Mrs. Langley."


    Diana retorted, "You said you didn''t take it, but why is the ring in your backpack? What you''re wearing and using were bought with the Langleys'' money, even this backpack."


    Diana was disappointed. "I know you''re unhappy that we asked you to leave since Selena is back. You''re resentful, but don''t me us for it. Our daughter was stranded on the streets and suffered years of pain because of you. Don''t you think you shouldpensate us for this?"


    Natalie looked at Diana as if she were looking at an idiot. The nurse had been the one to take Selena away. At that time, she was still a baby¡ªwhat would she have known?


    Plus, when the nurse took Selena away, the hospital was afraid of taking full responsibility and acquired Natalie from God-knows-where to give the Langleys. The hospital and the nurse were the ones at fault. It had nothing to do with Natalie.


    Even if the Langleys had raised her for 20 years, she had repeatedly transfused her blood to Diana and helped Victor strategize to make more money this whole time. When the Langleys'' business was about to go bankrupt, she''d secretly saved them.


    She never owed the Langleys anything, let alone Selena.


    In truth, Natalie was also a victim. Anyone would want to be raised by their birth parents. Who would want to abandon their real family to be raised by another for no reason?


    "Let me say it again¡ªI didn''t take the ring." Natalie didn''t want to argue with Diana. Arguing with an idiot would only lower her standards.


    "Don''t think about leaving this ce before you exin yourself."


    Selena stomped her feet on the ground, destroying everything that belonged to Natalie except that ring.


    "Ty, look. Natalie stole the ring you gave me."


    After Selena stomped on everything, she waved at the door. A tall and slender figure emerged from the entrance.


    The man looked handsome but expressionless. It was Tyler Miller, the Langley daughter''s fianc¨¦.


    He had been Natalie''s before. Now, he was Selena''s.


    Tyler came closer. He looked at everything on the floor, his gaze finallynding on the ring in Selena''s hand. "Natalie, did you steal the Langley family''s ring?"


    The corner of Natalie''s mouth twitched. Tyler had personally handed this ring to her. Even if she returned the marriage arrangement to Selena, she still had the right to handle the ring as she saw fit.


    Plus, when Natalie knew she wasn''t a Langley, she immediately told Tyler the truth. She made it clear she wouldn''t fight for the marriage arrangement or the ring.


    "You presume I stole the ring, right, Mr. Miller?" Natalie looked at Tyler calmly. Her eyes appeared cold, and her attitude was indifferent.


    That attitude and cold and distant gesture of calling him "Mr. Miller" inexplicably angered Tyler.


    Tyler had always liked Natalie. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have gotten engaged to her when he was 18 or waited for Natalie to turn 20 before marrying her.


    However, after Natalie found out she wasn''t a Langley, she invalidated their marriage agreement without hesitation.


    "Show us the evidence that you didn''t do it." Selena tugged Tyler''s arm. "Ty, she''s acting suspiciously because she knows she''s about to get kicked out of the Langley family."


    "Natalie, you''ve never been this way." Tyler looked at Natalie with disappointment seeping through his eyes. Selena started, "Natalie, I know you like Ty, but what isn''t yours will never be yours."


    "Natalie, we treated you so kindly as a family. Yet, you became a thief before you even stepped out the door. You''ve disappointed me."


    Selena and Diana finished each other''s sentences, practically stamping the word "thief" on Natalie''s forehead. Natalie, who wanted to leave quietly, startedughing in rage.


    Anger gathered in her eyes as she stared at both Selena and Diana. "You want evidence, huh? Sure."


    The next second, Natalie forcefully grabbed Selena''s wrist and dragged her into the Langley residence. "Ouch, it hurts! Let go of me. Mom, help me!"


    Selena''s wrist was beginning to hurt from Natalie''s firm hold. Natalie turned out to be strong. Selena''s wrist hurt so much that it felt like it was about to break.


    A chilly air emanated from Natalie''s body. Without allowing anyone else''s defiance, she dragged Selena into the residence. Then, she took her phone, turned on the TV, and cast the surveince footage from her room onto therge screen.


    Selena widened her eyes when she saw the surveince footage of Natalie''s room on therge screen. She wondered when the bitch ced a surveince camera in her room.


    Natalie tapped on her phone several times, and the surveince footage fromst night started ying.


    Victor had asked to speak with her at the study. The Langley family''s helper, Meredith Coleman, inconspicuously entered her room while she was away. After searching the ce, she ced the ring in the innerpartment of Natalie''s backpack.


    The footage fast-forwarded to the next morning. Natalie had gotten out of bed, packed her things, and went downstairs. She didn''t touch anything the Langleys had given her.


    Other than the surveince in Natalie''s room, she had surveince cameras ced at the door of her room as well.


    After Meredith ced the ring in Natalie''s backpack, Selena handed her a stack of cash outside the room. The surveince footage clearly recorded the audio of their conversation.


    "Meredith, let me know once the bitch leaves tomorrow. I''lle back and give her a piece of my mind then." "Yes, Ms. Langley. Don''t worry. I''ll see to it."


    The surveince footage ended there. There was no need for further exnation.


    Tyler looked at Selena in shock. Then, he turned to look at Natalie.


    Natalie didn''t bring much with her this time and strode off with both hands in her pocket.


    "Take good care of your daughter, Mr. Langley. If things turn ugly, I''ll throw away 20 years of our rtionship down the drain and cause a scene. It won''t look good for anyone."


    Natalie''s voice sounded after she walked out.


    "Also, Mr. Miller, I don''t want someone else''s fianc¨¦, let alone a ring. I may not have parents, nor do I have power or authority, but I have my hands, my legs, and my brain. I''m not someone who believes the world owes her for the years she suffered."

 Coming 3

    Natalie coldly turned around and left empty-handed with her hands in her pocket.


    Selena bit her bottom lip, and she couldn''t hide the expression on her face. After a long while, she stomped her feet while gritting her teeth.


    "Mom, Dad, just look at her. What''s the meaning of this? Is she making an enemy out of us? The Langleys have raised her for so long. She had the life that was supposed to be mine for 20 years. What right does she have to speak this way? She made it sound like the Langleys owed her something."


    Diana ached for her daughter after Natalie exposed her in front of Tyler. She could no longer maintain theposed expression on her face.


    Diana murmured as she watched Natalie''s back, "What a traitor! We wasted so many years of our lives raising her."


    "Ty, this is a misunderstanding." Selena bit her bottom lip and cautiously looked at Tyler. When she first returned to the Langley family and saw Tyler at the reunion banquet, it was love at first sight for her.


    Knowing that Natalie and Tyler grew up together like childhood sweethearts, Selena was distraught that Tyler liked Natalie and was unwilling to rescind his marriage proposal.


    As such, Selena asked Meredith to put on this spectacle for her. She nned tobel Natalie as a thief when she left the Langleys, hoping to show Tyler that Natalie was an orphan and a bad person.


    However, she never expected Natalie to ce a surveince camera in her room and at the entrance of her room.


    It would be a lie to say Tyler wasn''t disappointed. However, he was aware that Selena, as the real Langley daughter, would do something drastic to retaliate. This was given her suffering andck of security on the streets.


    Selena''s hatred and jealousy, fueled by the fact that Natalie had taken 20 years of her life, made it understandable for her to be angry.


    "Don''t worry. It was merely a misunderstanding. It''s alright as long as Natalie did not steal anything from the Langleys."


    The corner of Tyler''s lips curled into a smile. "Selena, Mr. and Mrs. Langley, I have matters to attend to. I''ll take my leave."


    Selena wanted to say something, but Diana quickly grabbed Selena''s hand, stopping her. She smiled at Tyler and said, "Okay, go ahead. Be sure toe back for dinner."


    "Okay." Tyler agreed and left the Langley residence.


    Tyler had only driven briefly before he noticed Natalie walking by the street with both hands in her pockets. Natalie was tall and slim with an outstanding figure. Her features were so gorgeous that she looked terrific, even when bare-faced. When she applied a full face of makeup, she looked even more breathtaking.


    Tyler''s mother, Mariah Fisherman, had previously mentioned that Natalie didn''t resemble Victor and Diana. The better parts of Victor''s and Diana''s featuresbined didn''te close to Natalie''s beautiful facial features.


    At that time, Tyler hadughed and said that genes were a mysterious thing. As long as his future wife was good-looking, it would be enough for him.


    As it turned out, however, Natalie wasn''t the true Langley daughter he was to marry.


    Tyler felt a difort in his chest that he couldn''t exin.


    "Where are you going, Natalie? Let me drive you there," Tyler said to Natalie with his car window down. Natalie looked at Tyler and immediately shook her head gently. "That won''t be necessary."


    Since she wasn''t the daughter of the Langley family, her marriage arrangement with Tyler became obsolete. Even if they grew up together, Natalie wasn''t in the business ofpeting with other women for a man.


    "Are we no longer friends because you''re not a Langley anymore?"


    Tyler looked at her, slightly upset. "Was the rtionship we built together growing up not real? Get in the car. I''ll drive you. It''s hard to hail a cab here."


    Natalie thought about it. Hailing a cab would indeed take a long time on such a quiet street. As such, she simply opened the car door and climbed inside.


    "Drop me off where it''s more convenient to hail a cab."


    Tyler wasn''t having any of it. "Where are you going? I''ll drive you there."


    "That''s okay. You''re Selena''s fianc¨¦ now, so you should keep your distance from me." Natalie rejected Tyler''s kindness indifferently.


    Tyler felt an indescribable frustration welling inside of him. His heart was burning with rage when he noticed how nonchnt Natalie appeared.


    In spite of this, he drove in silence. When he reached a convenient ce to hail a cab, he stomped on the brakes, unlocked the car doors, and stared at the road ahead of him without expression.


    "Thank you."


    Natalie exited the car, pulled her phone out, and transferred 20 dors to Tyler''s bank ount, indicating "fare" as the transfer reference.


    She then shoved the phone back into her pocket and stood by the roadside with both hands in her pockets. Once she noticed a cab driving by, she extended her arm out to hail the cab.


    "Cedar Hill Nursing Home," she told the driver.


    After half an hour, the cab arrived at Cedar Hill Nursing Home. Natalie exited the car, greeted the guard, and strode inside.


    "Hey Natalie, you''re here to visit Mrs. Langley Senior?"


    "Yeah."


    During her walk there, the nurses and doctors greeted her as she passed.


    Natalie was a regr visitor at Cedar Hill Nursing Home. She often visited Grace Langley, the elder of the Langley family. Victor and Diana, on the other hand, hardly visited themselves.


    Natalie went straight to Grace''s ward.


    Grace was sat by the window sill. A few dolls were ced on the adjacent table. She had one in her hand and pointed at another, giggling.


    "I''ve caught you, Nattie. Don''t you run, or I''ll tickle you! Hahaha!"


    Grace was ying with the dolls, acting out both Natalie and herself. She sat there, enjoying the game of her own creation.


    Natalie felt a pang of sadness in her heart as she walked forward. Grace hadn''t always been like this. After all, she was the only one in the Langley family who cared for Natalie.


    Grace had an average IQ, but when she tried to save the 16-year-old Natalie, she was hit by a car. Now, her IQ was equal to that of a six-year-old''s.


    When Grace''s IQ regressed to a child''s, Victor and Diana often got impatient with her. Even the helpers caring for Grace would often be frustrated.


    Diana couldn''t handle Grace calling her "Mom" and Victor "Dad." After she did that a few times, Victor admitted Grace into Cedar Hill Nursing Home and never looked back.


    Over the past four years, only Natalie ever visited Grace frequently. In the beginning, Victor and Diana periodically visited her a few times, but they eventually stopped and were unwilling to pay for Grace''s medical


    bills.


    They imed that Natalie should be responsible for paying Grace''s bills since Grace lost her IQ while saving Natalie.


    Natalie didn''t care about the money. She would do anything for Grace''s recovery.


    To begin with, the Langleys only became the wealthiest family in Amberton because of Natalie''s discreet help.


    That said, Amberton was merely a tiny city in Dithoria. It was insignificantpared to Dithoria State.


    Without Natalie, the Langleys would have gone bankrupt in the financial crisis five years ago.


    Victor and Diana didn''t know Natalie had rescued them. They assumed themselves to be geniuses, thinking that the challenges at the time were nothing to them.


    Grace was why Natalie wanted to avoid making enemies of the Langleys.


    She watched Grace by the door for a while. After a few minutes, Grace seemed to have noticed her gaze. She ced the doll down, happily got up, and ran toward Natalie.


    "Nattie is here. Nattie, I have some tasty snacks for you. The nurses don''t know I hid them. Come!"


    Grace pulled Natalie into the ward, brought her to the bedside, and asked Natalie to sit down. Then, she rummaged under the bed.

 Coming 4

    Grace rummaged under the bed for a while before emerging with a box in her hands.


    She then went to quietly close the ward door. After locking it, she turned and opened the box before Natalie as if presenting a piece of treasure.


    "Eat, Nattie."


    In the box were a few pieces of mini fruit tarts.


    Natalie felt a searing heat in her eyes. As a child, she loved desserts, especially mini fruit tarts. Thus, Grace had the helpers to grow fruit trees in the Langley family''s backyard. Once the harvesting season arrived, Grace would bring her to harvest the fruits and make mini fruit tarts together.


    Grace currently had the IQ of a six-year-old, but she remembered to save her favorite mini fruit tarts for Natalie.


    "Eat, Nattie." Grace urged Natalie. Thetter nodded and ced a mini fruit tart into her mouth.


    The tarts had a rotten, sour taste to it. Who knew how long Grace had kept them hidden under the bed? Still, Natalie put all of them into her mouth without hesitation.


    "Nattie, I have something else to show you."


    Grace then pulled a photo out and handed it to Natalie. In the picture, a man with strikingly handsome features was dressed in a sleek suit.


    "This is the husband I selected for you, Nattie. Do you like him? Tyler is not great, so don''t pick him, Nattie." Natalie couldn''t contain herughter. "Grandma, I''m not looking for a boyfriend now."


    Needless to say, Natalie did not tell Grace that the Langleys had kicked her out. Grace loved her and would never let her suffer. If Grace had been aware, she would have made an enormous scene.


    Had that happened, Victor and Diana would have thought that Natalie didn''t want to leave the Langley family and tattled on them to Grace.


    Having said that, Natalie never expected Grace''s expression to sink. Grace appeared furious and wronged, hugging Natalie as she slowly patted the back of her head.


    "I know that they don''t want you anymore, Nattie. Don''t cry, okay? I''ll find you a better husband. The man in the picture ising here soon."


    Natalie was shocked. She couldn''t be bothered about the picture and asked anxiously, "Grandma, what do you know?"


    Grace pouted and immediately cried. "Selena returned home, and she snatched Tyler from you. It''s okay, Nattie. I''ll find a better one for you.


    "Look at the picture. The man''s name is Marcus Holden, the grandson of my godbrother. He''s rich, handsome, and definitely better than Tyler by a hundredfold. Marry him and piss Selena and Tyler off, Nattie."


    Most importantly, Marcus could protect her beloved Nattie and ensure the Langleys couldn''t mistreat her.


    The three from the Langley family were good-for-nothing, ungrateful traitors. Natalie had been gentle and kind since she was a child. If no one protected her, she would be ripped apart by the Langleys with nothing to spare.


    "Marcus ising to see me soon. Remember to be on your best behavior, Nattie. You''re so beautiful and have such an amazing personality. Marcus would be mesmerized by you even if you just blinked. Marry him, and you''ll be Mrs. Holden."


    Grace added sternly, "The Langleys and Tyler will be nothing to you if you marry Marcus. Then, you''ll be able to look down on them from the top of the world, Nattie! After you marry Marcus, you can bring him back to the Langleys and give them a piece of your mind."


    Natalie was taken aback by what she heard and took some time to regain her senses. Grace had selected a husband for her without her knowledge.


    Grace thought about Marcus'' perfectly handsome face, significantly reducing her displeasure toward the Langleys. She happily said, "Marcus is really rich, Nattie."


    A tall and slender man stood at the entrance of Grace''s room.


    The man, with strikingly sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes, exuded elegance. He was a living embodiment of grace and regality.


    He was Marcus Holden, the man Grace had mentioned.


    Upon his grandfather''s orders, Marcus hade to the nursing home to visit his grandfather''s godsister, Grace Langley. He never expected to overhear their conversation as soon as he arrived.


    Marcus couldn''t help but think that a woman who would marry a better man she had never met before to spite her ex-fianc¨¦ was simply selfish and cheap.


    Did they take him for a fool? Grace''s granddaughter was abandoned as a marriage prospect, and Marcus was expected to pick up the pieces.


    What did Grace mean by a beautiful woman with an amazing character who could mesmerize him just by blinking? Did they think he had never seen a woman before, that he was desperate enough to take in just anyone?


    Marcus threw the gifts in his hand into the trash can and left. A woman so superficial deserved to be dumped. He intended to tell his grandfather just how ridiculous his godsister was. If his godsister was like this, her granddaughter wouldn''t be much different.


    Marcus left the nursing home and called Charles Holden, his grandfather.


    "Grandpa, I can''t fulfill my duty in visiting Grandma Grace. Find someone else. I have important matters to attend to at the branch office, so I need to head there now."


    "Punk, what are you talking about? Say it one more time."


    Marcus pulled the phone away from his ear, hearing Charles'' booming voice on the other end before firmly hanging up. He then walked to the car and opened the door.


    "Ethan, start the car."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    As Ethan Carter, Marcus'' assistant, was about to start the car, Charles called.


    "Mr. Holden, it''s Mr. Holden Senior," said Ethan.


    "Answer it."


    "Yes, sir." Ethan quickly answered, "Hello, Mr. Holden Senior. It''s Ethan."


    Charles began to speak. "Ethan, is Marc being defiant and refusing to visit my godsister?" Sitting in the back seat, Marcus'' expression sank, and the atmosphere grew significantly heavy. Ethan carefully turned to Marcus. He only dared to respond to Charles after Marcus nodded slightly.


    "Mr. Holden has an urgent matter to attend to and just left. That said, I''m currently at the nursing home. I''ll visit Mrs. Langley Senior in his ce."


    Ethan had worked for Marcus for many years as his assistant. He knew how to go about matters like this with just one look from his boss.


    Charles wasn''t in good health. Marcus would always try not to anger him whenever he could.


    The godsister of Charles he agreed to visit was Grace Langley, who had stayed in the nursing home for many years after damaging her IQ from an ident years ago.


    Marcus had stood at the entrance to her room bearing gifts. For some unknown reason, he didn''t knock and lingered by the door for a while.


    Then, his expression darkened, and his lips curled into a mocking smile. Without hesitation, he threw the gifts into the trash can and left.


    However, if this task wasn''tpleted, Charles would never let it go.


    As such, Ethan visiting Grace would save Marcus from trouble whilepleting Charles'' task. It was essentially killing three birds with one stone.

 The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming 5

    After Ethan ended the call, Marcus had him leave the car and visit Grace. Then, he drove off.


    As Ethan walked toward the nursing home, Victor''s car entered the premises. Three people emerged from the vehicle, wearing matching outfits as if they were afraid people would not be able to tell they were a family.


    Selena held Diana''s arm andmented how Grace was biased toward Natalie as they walked.


    "Mom, when we meet Grandmater, you must make her give me the shares that she gave to Natalie."


    "Don''t worry. You''re the true daughter of the Langley family. Natalie is a mere imposter. Your grandma was not aware of this, so she adored that substitute. Since you''re back, what belonged to Natalie will rightfully be yours."


    Diana patted Selena''s hand andined to Victor. "Darling, just look at Mom! She chose to care for that imposter rather than her own granddaughter. She even transferred so many of her shares to Natalie.


    "When we came to discuss this matter with her previously, she was angry and scolded us. She said she wouldn''t recognize Selena as her granddaughter and only wanted Natalie. She dares call herself a grandmother?


    "Selena has suffered in the streets for many years. Now that she''s back, Mom still chooses not to love andpensate for the years she lost. She even discriminates against her."


    Selena heard Diana''s rant and nodded in agreement. Grace was nothing but a stubborn, old relic. She saved Natalie and turned herself into a dim-witted olddy, spending so much of the Langley family''s money every year to keep her alive.


    It would have been better to give her the money instead of paying the nursing home to keep Grace alive.


    Victor nced at Diana and Selena before saying, "Mom singlehandedly raised Natalie. There must be strong feelings involved.


    "Selena just returned home and missed her golden opportunity to develop a rtionship with Mom, but it''s not toote. Natalie has left the Langley family. Selena, from now on, you should visit Grandma more often and show her your best self.


    "Once Grandma learns you''re an obedient granddaughter, she will naturally be kind and pay you more attention. We''re a family with the same blood in our veins, while Natalie is an outsider. It doesn''t matter how much Grandma loves her; Natalie is no longer here. So, Selena, you''re the ultimate winner here."


    Selena immediately felt unhappy when she heard she had to appease Grace. She had just returned to the Langleys and was enjoying her life as a wealthy man''s daughter. She was unwilling to frequent the nursing home.


    Seeing the look on her face, Diana tugged at her. Selena didn''t say anything in response.


    The Langleys went into the building where Grace lived.


    Before arriving at the ward, they noticed from a distance that Natalie and Grace were taking a stroll. Grace held her hand, murmuring something to her.


    The expressions on Victor''s and Diana''s faces sank.


    "Oh, great! Darling, didn''t she leave home and said she didn''t want your money? She didn''t take anything from the Langley residence, but now she''s sucking up to Mom. She was aiming for the biggest slice of the pie all along!"


    Diana said furiously, "When we spoke to Mom before, she was unwilling to give her shares to Selena. It turns out the bitch, Natalie, got in the way and managed to gain the upper hand.


    Victor had a ghastly look on his face. He thought he had been kind enough to Natalie. He knew she wasn''t his daughter, yet he raised her and gave her 200,000 dors before she left. He even put her information up on the family searchwork.


    When Natalie humiliated Selena in Tyler''s presence, Victor had said nothing. However, she should not have ever eyed thepany''s shares.


    "Let''s go."


    "Okay."


    Victor, Diana, and Selena furiously headed toward Natalie and Grace. At this moment, Grace was persuading Natalie to agree to her request.


    "Nattie, you have to guard the shares I gave you with your life. It doesn''t matter who asks you for it. You can never give the shares to them. If you don''t agree to this, I''ll take my life before your eyes."


    Grace seemed to choke on her emotions as a tense look appeared on her wrinkled face. "Nattie, please promise me you will take care of my shares."


    "Grandma."


    "Promise me. Please, promise me." Grace threw a tantrum like a child, going so far as to thrash about on the ground.


    "Nattie, if you don''t say yes, this is thest time you''ll ever see me."


    Natalie felt helpless. She had no choice but to agree as she helped Grace to her feet.


    "Okay, okay. I promise you that no one will snatch your shares away, Grandma. I will guard them well. Can you get up now?"


    Grace was overjoyed. She grabbed Natalie''s hand and slowly got up. "Nattie, you can''t give my shares to anyone else. It doesn''t matter if it''s Victor, Diana, or that Selena girl. I never cared about them. I only care about you. The shares I gave you are yours alone. They can''t take them away from you-no one can."


    As long as Natalie did not willingly give the shares away, Grace would never give the shares to the three Langleys.


    The Langleys had kicked out her beloved Natalie, after all. Overnight, Natalie lost the people whom she had seen as her parents for years, while her real parents were nowhere to be found. Natalie would lose the money she needed for her future wedding if these shares were snatched away.


    "These shares are my wedding gift to you. You can never give them to anyone, Nattie."


    Grace was afraid Natalie was merely appeasing her and added thoughtfully, "They''re to ensure you''re set for a lifetime of wealth andfort.


    Natalie''s heart ached terribly. Grace had the IQ of a six-year-old, yet she still remembered to ensure that Natalie was well taken care of.


    They may have been merepany shares, but to Natalie, they represented Grace''s unconditional love and unwavering courage toward her.


    With Grace''s love, Natalie knew she would not feel lonely and discouraged even if she lived alone for the rest of her life.


    "Look at you go, Natalie. You previously made a promise to us at the Langley residence, yet look at what you''re doing now."


    Diana''s furious voice echoed as Natalie helped Grace stabilize her footing.


    Natalie looked over and noticed Diana''s sunken face, staring at her with vicious eyes.


    Behind her were Victor and Selena, who followed closely after her.


    The family of three wore outfits in the same style and color, so anyone could tell they were a matching set.


    "Natalie, you''ve left the Langley family. You have nothing to do with us anymore, so what are you doing visiting my mother? Are you trying to get someone to support you?


    "Also, you righteously dered that you wouldn''t take anything that belonged to the Langleys. Are you now visiting my mother to take her shares from her?" Victor questioned her aggressively. The gaze with which he looked at Natalie was chilling and devoid of any warmth.


    Selena mocked, "You''re truly a pathetic impostor. You''re afraid you won''t live a life of wealth andfort anymore after leaving the Langleys. So here you are, taking advantage of Grandma''s poor IQ and cheating her of her money. Natalie, you''re such a cheap bitch."

 The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming 6

    The Langleys seemed toplete each other''s sentences, refusing to give Natalie an opportunity to speak. They immediately painted her as the viin.


    That said, Natalie couldn''t be bothered to exin herself.


    Throughout her years with the Langley family, Natalie only ever cared about Grace.


    Natalie knew Victor''s and Diana''s characters all too well. As for Selena, who had just returned home, Natalie had no intention of dealing with her¡ªunless she crossed the line.


    However, Selena couldn''t help it and went looking for trouble herself. Since that was the case, Natalie would never let Selena walk all over her.


    But before Natalie could say anything, Grace stood before her and stretched her arms out protectively.


    "Get lost! I don''t want to see you. You''ve ganged up to bully my Nattie. Get the hell away from me! Don''t worry, Nattie. I''ll protect you!"


    Grace had lived in the nursing home for two to three years now, and Natalie always visited her. Natalie even handpicked the helpers who cared for Grace, ensuring she remained healthy and in good spirits.


    Grace''s voice was loud and crisp now that she was putting up a fight.


    However, looking at how Grace tantly protected Natalie, Selena lost it altogether.


    After her return to the Langley family, Diana and Victor satisfied her every need and showered her with love. Selena was now treated like a precious treasure-too delicate to speak harshly with and too fragile to hold tightly.


    Only Grace, her biological grandmother on paper, was unamused by Selena when she had visited for the first time with Victor and Diana.


    Selena was infuriated. She was Grace''s rightful granddaughter, not some two-bit substitute.


    "Grandma, I''m your real granddaughter, the one with the same blood flowing through your veins. Why are you protecting an imposter? If it weren''t for her, I wouldn''t have needed to suffer so much pain and endure so many hardships. I wouldn''t have been separated from you, Dad, and Mom for so many years!"


    Selena shouted at Grace as she cried helplessly. "We''re here to visit you, yet you show such an attitude toward us. Natalie is the apple of your eye. Then, am I not?


    "Of course not," Grace answered firmly. "I don''t know you. How could you be the apple of my eye?"


    Diana couldn''t bear the thought of anyone mistreating Selena, not even Grace, who had stayed in the nursing home for the past few years.


    "Natalie, you''re the embodiment of bad luck. You''ve torn our family apart," she spat.


    Not only did Diana convince Victor not to pay the nursing home fees, but she also forbade him from visiting her.


    Diana and Victor were aware that Natalie had been paying for Grace''s nursing home fees since they wouldn''t.


    Diana had repeatedlyined to Victor, expressing her uncertainty about how much money Grace had given Natalie. She couldn''t understand how Natalie had the money to pay Grace''s nursing home fees otherwise.


    Victor remained silent. After all, someone had to take care of his mother. If Natalie refused to pay, he would have had to.


    The Langleys were the wealthiest family in Amberton, and this sum of money was nothing to Victor. However, Diana forbade him from paying the fees since she was under the assumption that the money Natalie used was Grace''s to begin with.


    Diana pushed Selena forward. She then pointed at Grace''s nose, yelling, "Mom, take a good look. Selena is your real granddaughter.


    "You''ve damaged your brain from the ident. Did you lose your sight too? Did you be so dumb that you can''t understand us anymore? I''m asking you to give Selena the shares you gave to Natalie. Did you hear me?"


    Diana reached forward as she tried to grab Grace.


    Natalie''s eyes instantly became colder. Before Diana couldy a hand on Grace, Natalie interfered and grabbed Diana''s wrist. She pushed her, and Diana staggered backward.


    Natalie then turned around, grabbed Grace''s hand, and took a step back. "Ms. Foster, please bring my grandmother back to her room."


    Sarah, the nurse, immediately came over, held Grace''s hand, and attempted to bring her back to her room.


    "I don''t want to go back." Grace refused to leave. If she left, the Langleys would outnumber Natalie and surely mistreat her. She added, "Don''t worry, Nattie. I''ll protect you."


    "I''m not scared, Grandma. I won''t let them run all over me. Listen to me and go back to your room with Ms. Foster. I''lle and see youter."


    Natalie immediately softened the look on her face as she spoke to Grace. Her tone sounded immensely gentler.


    Grave responded better to a softer approach than a harsh one. She was like a child who needed cajoling. "Thanks for your help, Ms. Foster." Natalie gave Sarah a knowing look.


    Understanding what that look meant, Sarah coaxed Grace, gently prompting and nudging her. Eventually, she left with Grace in tow.


    Once Grace left, Natalie''s eyes instantly turned cold. Her face was expressionless, and her doll-like eyes scrutinized the Langleys one by one.


    Eventually, her gaze fell on Diana. Earlier, Diana had humiliated Grace and even tried toy a hand on her.


    Natalie''s gaze was extremely chilly, akin to an iceberg. Her gaze seemed so piercing that it was sharp enough to rip someone to shreds.


    Diana had never seen this intimidating and heartless side of Natalie before. She staggered backward in terror.


    However, Natalie never intended to let her go. She stepped forward, closing in on Diana. Her cold and crisp voice enunciated each word like dripping venom.


    "Diana Ashcroft, repeat what you just said."


    Diana widened her eyes in disbelief. Natalie had called her "Mom" for 20 years. Even when they found Selena and were about to kick her out, Natalie addressed her as "Mrs. Langley" out of respect.


    That said, Natalie now addressed her by her full name.


    "I am your mother!" Diana shrieked in anger. "I''ve raised you for 20 years. How could you call me by my name?"


    Natalie spat, "The moment you found your daughter and kicked me out of the family, you were no longer my mother."


    Natalie stared at Diana coldly, then turned to look at Victor. "Victor Langley, you allowed your wife to mistreat your own mother. I hope you know you''re a good-for-nothing.


    "Unfortunately, you raised me, and I followed in your footsteps. Since you don''t respect your mother, why should I respect you, who aren''t even my birth parents? Diana, kneel before Grandma and apologize. And Victor, if you can''t support Grandma, leave her to me. If you don''t want to care for her, I will."


    "Natalie, it''s bad enough you''ve torn this family apart. I can''t believe you would say something so despicable and ungrateful!"


    Victor felt he couldn''t hold onto his pride anymore. He raised his hand and was about to p Natalie''s face, but Natalie grabbed his wrist first. With a snap of her wrist, Victor fell to the ground.


    "I''m warning you don''t bother Grandma again. And forget about getting the Langley family''s shares. Since Grandma gave them to me, you won''t get them unless it''s over my dead body."


    Natalie''s voice was crisp and cold, indifference written all over her delicate face. She stared at the Langley family with her doll-like eyes, devoid of warmth.


    She never intended to fight for the Langley family''s shares. However, Grace had threatened to end her life, forcing Natalie to agree. While her measures were extreme, Grace was merely worried Natalie would suffer without any support.


    Conversely, Natalie didn''t care about the Langley family''s shares in the slightest. She was only concerned about Grace''s love and care toward her.


    As for the tension it would create amongst the Langleys, it had nothing to do with her.


    Natalie would never go easy on anyone who mistreated Grace.

 The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming 7

    Natalie stood facing the Langleys. They stared each other down, and the atmosphere was so tense that no one in the nursing home dared get close to them.


    "How dare you, Natalie! Those shares belong to our family. We''re Mrs. Langley Senior''s real family, and Selena is her real granddaughter. You''re just an outsider. What right do you have to keep them from us?" Natalie snapped, "Grandma gave them to me, so they''re mine. If you have what it takes, sue me for them!" Natalie looked at Diana coldly. "What''s the matter? Now, I''m an outsider once more, and you''re no longer my mother, huh? Mrs. Langley, you switch sides so quickly that it''s hard to keep up. I''m appalled by this talent of yours."


    "You little "


    "Stop this nonsense now." Victor straightened and stared Natalie down. This was the first time he truly felt how aggressive and foreign this daughter he had raised for 20 years had be.


    "Natalie, how much money do you want? Name your price! We''ve taken care of you for many years. Now that Selena is back, we had no choice but to ask you to leave our family."


    Victor softened his tone as he continued, "Selena suffered a lot on the streets. All these years, you''ve taken her ce in our home, indulging in a life of wealth andfort. What you enjoyed should have been Selena''s.


    "You''ve now left the Langley family and have nothing to do with us. Don''t you think you should return the shares that are rightfully Selena''s?"


    "Mr. Langley, like I said, Grandma gave me these shares some time ago. Since Grandma forbade me from giving them to anyone else, I can''t fulfill your request."


    Victor''s eyebrow twitched. "So, are you dead set on keeping the shares?"


    "Yes," Natalie answered without hesitation.


    Victor''s chest rose and fell sharply, his anger palpable.


    "Then, go. From now on, our family forbids you from visiting my mother. We''ll immediately have her discharged."


    When Natalie heard him, she smirked coldly. "Mr. Langley, if you have Grandma discharged from here, don''t me me for taking action."


    "What do you mean?"


    Natalie scoffed and looked at Diana. "Mrs. Langley is in good health now, but should I just treat everything as water under the bridge? From the start, you knew I was not your daughter, so you were willing to make me a living blood bank.


    "You allowed me to transfuse blood to you throughout my childhood despite knowing that I wasn''t your daughter."


    Victor and Diana were shocked by Natalie''s words. They looked at each other and saw the terror in each other''s eyes.


    Natalie knew all along.


    She was aware of the truth from the start, yet still treated them as her parents for 20 years.


    At this moment, Victor and Diana knew their pretense would never match up to Natalie''s.


    "Grandma has to stay at the nursing home," Natalie said, emphasizing each word. "If I find out you''ve secretly taken her away, don''t me me for exposing your despicable act of using your adoptive daughter as a living blood bank."


    For many years, Victor and Diana painted themselves as phnthropists. They would asionally bring Natalie to banquets, portraying themselves as kind parents who loved their daughter greatly.


    After all, The Langleys were the wealthiest family in Amberton. They needed to project an image of a happy and healthy family with charitable hearts to guard thepany''s reputation.


    If Natalie exposed their cruel use of a little girl as Diana''s living blood bank while knowing she wasn''t their daughter, it would cause significant damage to their and thepany''s reputation.


    To them, Grace was not worth the trouble.


    "And as for you, Mrs. Langley, apologize to Grandma." Natalie raised her chin slightly, her piercing gaze was cold and indifferent. She was worried she would frighten Grace, so she asked Sarah to escort the olddy back to her room.


    Diana had been disrespectful toward Grace. Natalie simply couldn''t let the matter slide.


    Diana was so furious that she started cussing at Natalie. Without expression, Natalie listened to her profanity with mild boredom. After Diana was done, Natalie pulled her phone out and yed the recording she had just saved.


    Diana''s foulnguage could be hearding from the device.


    "Fuck you. You recorded everything," Selena cursed and lunged forward, attempting to snatch Natalie''s phone.


    However, Natalie was quicker. She grabbed Selena''s hand with practiced ease. With a forceful snap, the sickening crack of bones resounded in the empty hall.


    "Ah! It hurts. My arm is broken."


    The next second, Natalie started tugging again. Selena was in so much pain that her face turned pale. Natalie mercilessly shoved her away, and her finger nearly jabbed into Selena''s face. "I''m warning you. Don''t mess with me."


    "You fucking..."


    A crisp p sounded. Natalie had pped Selena before she could even get the words out.


    "Since you don''t seem to be teaching your daughter manners, Mr. and Mrs. Langley, let me, her adoptive sister, teach her a good lesson.


    "You should be mindful of your manners. Don''t scream over petty things. Also, don''t cuss all the time. If people in the social circles find out, they won''t want anything to do with you, Ms. Langley. Remember, it doesn''t matter that you''re the real daughter of the Langley family. If you have no manners, no one would want to be around you."


    Natalie patted Selena''s cheek. Then, she turned to look at Diana. "Mrs. Langley, if you don''t kneel before Grandma and ask for forgiveness, I''ll upload the video and voice recording of your precious daughter''s mad behavior online."


    "You-"


    "Time is ticking," Natalie interrupted Diana. "Like I told you, if things got ugly between us, it''ll look bad for everyone. Yet, you still used Grandma to force my hand."


    "Go and apologize." Victor pushed Diana forward and shot her a look. Based on what happened today, it seemed like they could no longer appease Natalie.


    Unfazed, Natalie turned around and left. The Langleys had no choice but to follow after her.


    Unbeknownst to the group, Ethan stood not too far away and had witnessed the entire thing. Though he''d witnessed the action firsthand, he didn''t hear their conversation.


    Nevertheless, he could tell that Grace Langley''s granddaughter was not someone to be trifled with.


    Ethan thought about how his boss had arrived at the ward but left after throwing the gifts away. It probably had something to do with thisdy.


    Ethan contemted this and walked toward Grace''s room with the gifts in his hands.


    When Ethan arrived, he saw Diana kneeling before Grace, prostrating herself while apologizing.


    Victor had a dark look on his face while Selena gritted her teeth, secretly uttering curses under her breath. Only Natalie looked calm as sheforted Grace.


    "Grandma, Mrs. Langley has apologized to you. From now on, no one will ever mistreat you again. You don''t have to worry about staying here alone. I''ll visit you whenever I can."


    Natalie sounded extremely gentle. She then removed a bracelet from her wrist and ced it on Grace''s.


    "I went to Sacred Peak Cathedral and asked the priest to bless this. It will keep you safe, almost like having me by your side every time you wear it, Grandma."


    Grace looked at the bracelet on her wrist. She held Natalie''s hand and said, "Nattie, I''ve spoken to your god- grandfather. You can temporarily stay at his ce."


    Natalie was rendered speechless. Had Grace made her living arrangements when she was left alone after returning to her room?

 The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming 8

    "Nattie." Grace clutched Natalie''s hand, her eyes red with emotion.


    She leaned closer, her voice barely a whisper that was meant for Natalie alone. "None of the Langleys can be trusted. Their grudge runs deep. Nattie, open attacks are easy to avoid; it''s the hidden ones you need to fear. Please, trust me on this."


    Grace''s voice broke slightly. "If you can''t do it for yourself, please do it for me. I''m begging you, Nattie.


    "With no one to look out for you, how could I ever feel at ease? Even in the nursing home, I''d be restless. I''d lose my appetite, struggle to sleep, and before long, I''d likely fade away, consumed by despair."


    Grace''s voice trembled as she begged Natalie, her eyes red and glistening with unshed tears. She looked so fragile, as though a single word might cause her to break down.


    Natalie hadn''t said a word, but Grace was aware of everything.


    Natalie had already fought with the Langley family once, all three members uniting against her. Without someone to shield her, their revenge was inevitable.


    Grace couldn''t bear the thought of her sweet granddaughter enduring even a moment of hardship. Though her mind often teetered on the edge of rity, her rare lucid moments were devoted to securing Natalie''s future.


    "Nattie, you wouldn''t want me to waste away in despair, would you? To spend my final days filled with nothing but regret?" Grace broke into sobs, her voice trembling with anguish.


    As Grace spoke, her emotions overwhelmed her, and she burst into tears. Natalie had no choice but to wrap her arms around her, soothing her with gentle reassurance.


    No matter how much Natalie tried, Grace couldn''t stop crying. Natalie felt powerless as Grace''s sobs grew louder. In the end, she gave in and agreed to stay at Charles'' ce.


    As soon as Natalie agreed, Grace''s tears stopped almost instantly. She pulled out her phone, slid on her reading sses, and leaned in close before dialing a number.


    The sound of a phone ringing echoed from the doorway. In the next instant, Ethan answered the call and stepped into Grace''s room.


    Ethan offered a polite smile. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I''m Ethan Carter. Mr. Holden Senior recently called, asking me to pick your granddaughter up."


    "Ms. Walker," Ethan said, his tone carrying a hint of professionalism.


    Was he Grandpa Charles'' man?" Natalie narrowed her eyes slightly. A call was made just two minutes earlier, and he was already standing at Grace''s door. Such speed could put even superheroes to shame.


    Ethan remained calm as he exined, "Yes, I came with Mr. Holden today to visit Mrs. Langley Senior. However, Mr. Holden had to leave early due to an urgent matter, so I stayed behind. It just so happened that Mr. Holden Senior''s call came through at that moment."


    "It''s... quite a remarkable coincidence," Ethan added.


    As Ethan exined, his gaze subtly shifted to Natalie. From a distance, he had only caught a vague impression of her, but now, standing this close, he realized she was far more beautiful than he had imagined.


    Natalie''s delicate face was framed by baster skin. Her striking almond-shaped eyes carried a distant, icy charm, their beauty undeniable yet unapproachable. Her nose was petite and elegantly high-bridged, while her lips remained lightly pressed together, betraying no hint of emotion.


    Natalie wore a simple windbreaker and track pants. Her slim figure and neatly tied bun framed her young, beautiful face. Yet her detached expression, as if nothing truly mattered, made her seem far older than she actually was.


    No, there was someone who could melt her cold exterior. Whenever Natalie looked at Grace, her gaze would soften subconsciously, and her tone would take on a gentle warmth.


    Ethan cast another nce at Diana, who was kneeling on the floor in apology. If he remembered correctly, Victor and Diana had only risen as Amberton''s wealthiest couple in the past two years.


    For her to force the wife of the city''s wealthiest man to kneel and apologize, Natalie was clearly no ordinary woman. She was a force to be reckoned with.


    Ethan withdrew his gaze and set the gift he''d brought on the table. "Mrs. Langley Senior, shall I take Ms. Walker now, or would you prefer I wait a little longer?"


    "Wait, just wait a moment," Grace said.


    Grace held her phone, opening her chat history with Charles. She leaned in to scrutinize the photo, confirming that it was indeed Ethan. The call she''d made had been answered by the young man standing before her, and everything he said matched perfectly.


    Grace let out a breath of relief. Although she was disappointed that Marcus hadn''te, she consoled herself with the thought that once Natalie moved into Holden Residence, there would be plenty of chances for her to meet and get to know Marcus.


    "Natalie, I''ve already apologized to Grace. Can I get up now?" Diana said, her tone strained, each word forced through clenched teeth. The presence of an outsider only deepened the resentment simmering within her, intensifying the sharp edge in her gaze toward Natalie and Grace.


    Natalie turned to Grace. "Grandma, are you willing to forgive Mrs. Langley?


    Grace nced at Diana, then Victor. After a moment''s thought, she gave a slight nod. "I forgive them."


    "But Nattie, I don''t want to see them. Please ask them to leave," Grace said, her tone soft but resolute. "Okay," Natalie replied. She soothed Grace with a soft smile and a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Then, she turned to Victor and his family, her voice steady but firm. "Mr. Langley, Mrs. Langley, please take Ms. Langley and leave."


    "Natalie, don''t forget the agreement we made," Victor reminded her. Earlier, Natalie had used recordings and videos to threaten them into apologizing to Grace. Victor had agreed but insisted she delete the evidence once they had apologized.


    "Fine." Natalie pulled out her phone, her movements deliberate. With everyone watching, she deleted the recordings and videos without a word.


    Given the hatred Selena and Diana harbored toward her, it was clear they wouldn''t let her off so easily in the future. As for the recordings and videos, backups had already been secured in an encrypted email.


    Even if the files were deleted, Natalie had already made backups, ensuring she wouldn''t be caught off guard.


    Had the Langley family been respectful toward Grace and refrained from causing her trouble, Natalie wouldn''t have considered making them her enemy. Those files would have stayed buried forever, never seeing the light of day.


    Natalie was well aware of the Langley family''s tactics, which was why she had to stay vignt.


    Victor and Diana hovered over her shoulder as she deleted the files, but that wasn''t enough. Victor grabbed her phone andbed through it thoroughly, making sure nothing was left behind.


    "Grace, by backing Natalie, you''re basically saying you don''t see Selena as your granddaughter," Diana said, her voice cutting.


    Diana still wasn''t pleased, but with Ethan present, she didn''t dare let her words run wild.


    "Leave. Selena? Never heard of her," Grace said, her voice cold.


    Grace never indulged Diana. After Grace''s mind started failing, Diana had been downright cruel to her.


    Grace''s mental abilities were akin to those of a six-year-old, but she was neither foolish nor dull. Her memory, while imperfect, remained mostly intact.


    Diana seemed ready to say more, but Victor grabbed her by the arm and, along with Selena, ushered her out of the hospital room without another word.


    "Mom is shielding Natalie, and there''s no way we cane to an agreement like this."


    Once they were out of the room, Victor lowered his voice and added, "But Natalie can''t stay by Mom''s side forever. Mom''s going to die sooner orter, and she won''t be able to protect her for the rest of her life.


    "Mom has more than just shares in her possession, but ever since the ident, her damaged intellect has kept her from remembering what they are."


    "We''ll head back and focus on finding those valuables she hid away. We''ll give them to Selena first," Victor said.


    Diana and Selena''s eyes lit up at the words. Without sparing another nce at Natalie or Grace, they promptly left the nursing home with a newfound sense of purpose.


    After Victor and his family left, only Natalie, Grace, and Ethan remained in the room.


    Grace picked up her phone and made a video call to Charles. The call connected quickly, and his kind, affectionate face appeared on the screen, apanied by his gentle tone.


    "Grace, has Ethan picked Nattie up yet? Let me see her," Charles said, his voice carrying an eager tenderness.


    Grace immediately held the phone up to Natalie. "Nattie, say hello to Grandpa Charles," she said with a gentle smile.


    Natalie didn''t hesitate. Her tone was sweet and obedient as she said, "Hello, Grandpa Charles." "Aww, Nattie is such a sweetheart," Charles said, gazing at her image on the screen. She was so pretty, her voice soft and sweet, radiating charm and innocence. In that instant, the old man''s heart meltedpletely. Natalie was such an adorable and beautiful little girl, yet she had to face the misfortune of being switched at birth. The Langley family was Amberton''s wealthiest. It was obvious they wouldn''t have trouble housing her. Yet they still chose to cast her out, unable to tolerate even a young girl. Natalie was the very person they had raised as their daughter for 20 years.


    The cruelty was unbearable, a level of ruthlessness that left no room for empathy.


    For Grace''s sake, Natalie had crossed the Langleys, making enemies of the family.


    Grace was right. Without a powerful supporter, Natalie would be devoured by those three and left with


    nothing.

 The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming 9

    After Natalie exchanged pleasantries with Charles, she turned to Grace and spoke a few more words. Once everything was settled, Grace finally allowed Natalie to leave with Ethan.


    Grace apanied them to the entrance of the nursing home, her eyes brimming with tears as she held Natalie''s hand tightly.


    "Nattie, you''ll stay at Holden Residence for a while. During this time, make sure to build a good rtionship with Marcus," Grace urged, her voice filled with concern. She seemedpletely unaware of Ethan, who was quietly listening nearby.


    Grace continued softly, "Marcus may have a fianc¨¦e, but Charles told me there isn''t much affection between them. Engagements break off all the time, and divorces are even moremon. It''s nothing to worry about."


    "Grandma," Natalie interrupted gently, casting a quick nce at Ethan. He stood nearby, his expression calm and detached, as though their conversation did not concern him at all.


    Natalie wasn''t fooled. From the moment she first saw him, she had guessed he was Marcus'' personal assistant. Someone with his sharp eyes andposed demeanor would never miss a single detail.


    "Alright, alright, I''ll stop." Grace relented with a small sigh. "But remember, dear, if you can win Marcus over, Selena and Tyler will be furious."


    "Grandma, please go back inside, listen to the nurses, eat on time, and rest well. I''lle see you again soon," Natalie said warmly, pulling Grace into an affectionate hug.


    After saying her goodbyes, Natalie informed Sarah of her departure and then followed Ethan out of the building.


    As they stepped outside, the cab Natalie had called for earlier arrived at the curb. It was a sleek ck G- Wagon, gleaming under the sunlight.


    "Mr. Carter," Natalie called calmly. "You don''t need to take my grandmother''s words too seriously. I won''t be staying at Holden Residence. As for my grandmother, I''d appreciate it if you could help me keep this between us."


    Ethan''s polite smile did not falter. " Ms. Walker, if you''re not nning to stay, I think it would be best if you exined that directly to Mr. Holden Senior. I''m just an employee, and following his orders isn''t something I can avoid."


    Ethan reflected on Charles'' unwavering instructions. If Ethan failed to bring Natalie to Holden Residence, he might as well prepare his resignation.


    Natalie furrowed her brow slightly, but before she could respond, Ethan stepped forward and opened the car door with practiced precision. "Ms Walker, please get in."


    He added softly, "It''s clear that Mrs. Langley Senior genuinely cares about you. It''ll only upset her if she finds out you''re not doing what she asked."


    Hearing her grandmother''s name made Natalie pause. After a brief moment of hesitation, she canceled the cab she had called earlier and stepped into Ethan''s car.


    An hourter, Ethan brought Natalie to the grand gates of Holden Residence.


    Inside, every detail had been carefully arranged. Charles had instructed the butler and maid to prepare the guest room next to Marcus'' bedroom.


    Grace had suggested arranging a match between Natalie and Marcus, but Charles hadn''t dared to agree outright. After all, Marcus already had a fianc¨¦e in Dithoria State.


    That said, Marcus'' apparentck of interest in his fianc¨¦e gave Charles some room to maneuver.


    His n was simple. Let Natalie stay close enough to Marcus and see if a bond could naturally form between them. If it did, Grace would be delighted. If it didn''t, he would provide her with a reasonable exnation.


    "Nattie, if there''s anything about this room that doesn''t suit you, just tell me," Charles said with a kind smile. He rested his hand lightly on hers as he guided her through the space, his voice full of grandfatherly affection. Seeing Natalie in person, Charles was struck by how much more charming she was than in the video call earlier. Her gentle demeanor, sweet nature, and innocence made her all the more endearing.


    Natalie let her eyes wander across the elegantly furnished guest room. It was nothing like her modest quarters at the Langley residence, where she had grown used to living with the bare essentials.


    Victor and Diana had always been clear that she shouldn''t expect luxury or let herself dream of being treated like a privileged youngdy.


    Conversely, Grace had always been her support andfort. Whatever Victor and Diana withheld, Grace found a quiet way to provide.


    Living with the Holden family and relying on their kindness, Natalie was only grateful. She couldn''t possiblyin.


    "Grandpa Charles, I love it," Natalie said with a soft, sincere smile. "Thank you."


    "I noticed you didn''t bring much with you," Charles said, his brow furrowing slightly. "Don''t tell me the Langley family didn''t let you take an ing."


    Natalie came with nothing but a backpack, and after Charles had heard Grace talk about Victor and Diana''s behavior, he felt even more sorry for her.


    Natalie nodded. It was true, after all. Her bag held nothing of value-only an old iPad and a few design sketches.


    The iPad had been broken when Selena threw it out of her bag and stepped on it, and she had not repaired it yet. As for the sketches, she had kept them neatly tucked away.


    "When Marcus gets back, I''ll have him take you shopping for anything you need," Charles said, his tone filled with concern and kindness.


    "That''s very kind of you, Grandpa Charles, but it''s not necessary," Natalie replied with a gentle smile. "I''ve already ordered a few things online. They should arrive tomorrow."


    Charles chuckled softly. "Alright, if that''s what you prefer. For now, get some rest and settle in. Dinner will be ready soon," he said before leaving the room.


    Charles didn''t insist. Natalie was a young girl, shy and reserved. She needed time to settle herself in.


    "Thank you, Grandpa Charles," Natalie said softly.


    Once the door closed, Natalie set her bag down and carefully inspected the room. She allowed herself to rx only after confirming there were no cameras or hidden devices.


    Natalie went to the adjoining bathroom and washed her face. When she returned to the bedroom, she sat on the edge of the bed and checked her phone.


    An email from Connie Sterling, her apprentice, awaited her attention.


    "Ms. Walker, the Holden family in Dithoria State is offering a significant amount for your assistance in treating a patient."


    Natalie saw the words "Holden family" and instantly thought of Charles'' family. Her fingers hovered over the screen briefly before she typed her reply.


    "Take it."


    Connie responded almost right away. "Got it, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie put her phone away. There was nothing more for her to handle. Connie would take care of the time, ce, and other details. She would just show up to see the patient when the time came.


    Meanwhile, Ethan delivered a meticulous report to Marcus at the Holden Group branch in Amberton, recounting every detail of his encounter with Natalie. He included the conversation between Grace and Natalie, leaving nothing to the imagination.


    Marcus sat in silence, his expression growing darker with every word. What started as mild disdain for Natalie had hardened into unmasked contempt.


    To Marcus, this woman and her grandmother had crossed an unspoken boundary. They saw him as a convenient solution, a pawn to be used at will. She had schemed her way into Holden Residence, all while feigning innocence.


    "Mr. Holden, it seems Mr. Holden Senior has taken quite a liking to Ms. Walker," Ethan ventured cautiously. "He even arranged for her room to be set up right next to yours. I believe he''s hoping that proximity might foster a closer bond between the two of you."


    Marcus'' voice turned cold and sharp. "Ethan, tell my grandfather I''ll be away on business for the next few days. I won''t be returning to Hilltop Vi.


    He picked up his phone and scrolled through recent messages. One immediately caught his attention, sent just five minutes earlier by an unknown sender.


    Opening it, Marcus found a short but significant note.


    "Mr. Holden, Dr. Elim has epted your request. The meeting is scheduled for July 20, 10:00 am, at Quinton Hospital in Balford."


    A flicker of satisfaction softened his features. Looking up, he addressed Ethan. "Clear my schedule for July 20. I''ll be taking my grandfather to Balford that day."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Ethan replied.


    Relief tempered Marcus'' irritation. The real reason he had brought Charles to Amberton was to secure an appointment with Dr. Elim, the elusive yet renowned physician.


    Dr. Elim''s reply gave Marcus the perfect excuse to move forward with his n. He would take Charles to Balford for his checkup while conveniently avoiding the need to deal with Natalie.


    "Ethan, go to Hilltop Vi, pack my things, and let Grandpa know I''ll take him to Balford early tomorrow morning," Marcus instructed.


    He intended to leave a day early, ensuring Charles wasfortably settled at the hospital while taking the opportunity to visit the Holden Group branch in Balford, one of their key locations.


    As for Grace''s granddaughter, with her insatiable vanity and shallow ambition, she could remain at Hilltop Vi entirely on her own. Without their presence, any effort she might have made to curry favor would inevitably fall short, leaving her schemes to crumble in their absence.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Ethan replied with his usualposure. "Will you be staying at a hotel tonight?"


    "Yes, Reserve a suite for me at The Ashbourne Hotel."


    "Understood, Mr. Holden."


    Ethan exited promptly, wasting no time in carrying out Marcus'' instructions.


    At Hilltop Vi, Natalie strolled alongside Charles as he guided her through the estate and introduced her to


    the surroundings.


    "Nattie, you can settle in herefortably," Charles said warmly, his toneced with paternal kindness.


    "Your grandmother shared with me some things the Langley family had put you through. It''s simply uneptable!"


    His voice softened as he added, "I''ll make sure Marcus helps you find your biological parents."


    "Thank you, Grandpa Charles," Natalie replied, her voice gentle yet sincere. "I feel bad imposing on you like this. Once the semester starts, I''ll move back to my dorm."


    Natalie was still in college and had yet to graduate, but Victor and Diana had never treated her kindly. During her first year at university, they insisted she live on campus, leaving her to fend for herself most of the time.


    They only contacted her when Diana needed a blood transfusion. Whenever that happened, Natalie was expected to rush to the hospital immediately to donate, no matter the circumstances.


    Grace initially opposed the idea of dorm life, but Natalie eventually convinced her. She argued that it would help her build independence and foster friendships. Natalie promised to visit every weekend and call Grace daily. Only then did Grace reluctantly agree.


    "Grandpa Charles, I know how much you and Grandma care for me, and I''ll always keep that in mind," Natalie said with a sweet smile, her tone soft andforting.


    Natalie knew exactly how to present herself in a way that earned their trust. While fiercely independent, she also understood the importance of appearingposed and dependable. Moreover, while Charles was kind, staying at Holden Residence still meant living under someone else''s roof.


    It reminded her of the 20 years she had spent under Victor and Diana''s authority, constantly at their mercy.


    If not for Grace, Natalie would never have agreed to depend on anyone again. Relying on others went against everything she had worked to build for herself. However, Grace''s unwavering love left her with no room to


    refuse.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, Mr. Holden is on the line," the butler announced as he approached, holding out the phone.


    "He says it''s urgent."


    "Give it here," Charles said, taking the phone without hesitation. He made no effort to excuse himself from


    Natalie''s presence.


    "Hello?"


    "Grandpa, I won''t being home tonight. Have the butler pack your things. Tomorrow morning, I''ll take you


    to Balford for a trip," Marcus said without preamble.


    "What?" Charles asked, his surprise evident. "You''re noting back? Do you not know that Grace''s granddaughter just arrived? You''re not even going to meet her, and now you''re nning to take me out of


    town on her second day here?


    "Marcus, have I not taught you the basic manners of how to treat others?"


    "Grandpa, this isn''t something I can discuss over the phone. Ethan will pick you up tomorrow, and we can talk


    on the way," Marcus replied curtly.


    Before Charles could respond, the call ended abruptly.


    Though the phone hadn''t been on speaker, Natalie was close enough to hear every word exchanged between


    them.

 Coming 10

    Charles ended the call with a frustrated sigh, muttering under his breath about Marcus. The trip wasn''t urgent. Why couldn''t Marcuse home and exin himself in person?


    Natalie had just arrived at Holden Residence, barely spending a night there, and they were already nning to leave her behind. It seemed inconsiderate.


    "Nattie, Marcus has been quite busytely," Charles said, his tone carrying a hint of guilt. "It might take him a little longer before he can properly meet you."


    "That''s perfectly fine, Grandpa Charles," Natalie replied reassuringly. "I already feel bad enough for imposing on you. I wouldn''t want Mr. Holden to take time away from his work just to meet me. I''m sure there will be plenty of opportunities when he''s less busy."


    Natalie then asked calmly, "Grandpa Charles, I heard Mr. Holden mention he''s taking you on a trip tomorrow. Is that right?"


    Natalie wasn''t upset at all. In fact, she felt relieved. Marcus'' absence was actually a good thing for her.


    Natalie had already instructed Connie to take on the medical request from the Holden family who came from Dithoria State. With her own ns to leave Amberton soon, Charles being away would make things simpler, eliminating the need for her toe up with an excuse.


    "Yes, though I have no idea what''s gotten into Marcus, suddenly deciding to take me on a trip," Charles said, shaking his head with mild irritation.


    "Nattie, why don''t youe with us tomorrow?" Charles continued, his tone softening. "I doubt you''ve ever been to Balford before."


    Natalie shook her head. "Thank you, Grandpa Charles, but I''ve promised my mentor to assist with some work. It''s a great chance to learn more during the summer break. You and Mr. Holden should enjoy your trip without worrying about me."


    Charles sighed but managed a small smile. "You''re such a thoughtful girl, Nattie. Alright, but make sure youe back to Hilltop Vi at night."


    "I promise, Grandpa Charles. Don''t worry about me," Natalie said warmly.


    Relieved, Charles smiled and led her to dinner.


    After dinner, Natalie excused herself, saying she felt tired, and returned to her room.


    Once there, Natalie video-called Sarah to confirm that Victor and his family had left Ceder Hill Nursing Home. She also checked that Grace had eaten, taken her evening walk, and was resting peacefully before ending the call.


    The following day, Natalie woke up early. She had asked the butler about Charles'' schedule the night before and learned he was an early riser who didn''t sleep much.


    Natalie left a handwritten note on the table thanking him for his kindness and stepped out of Hilltop Vi. Not long after Natalie left, a sleek ck G-Wagon appeared on the driveway and stopped in front of her. Natalie opened the door, set her bag down, and settled into the modified rear seat, which had been converted into a foldable bed.


    "Ms. Walker, have some breakfast before you rest," Connie suggested, holding out a neatly packed meal. Natalie waved a hand dismissively and pulled the nket over herself. "Not yet. Maybeter," she murmured, her voice soft.


    Connie adjusted the nket carefully, her movements gentle. Years of blood donations to Diana had left Natalie''s body weaker than it should have been. Proper nutrition and rest were critical, and Connie was responsible for ensuring Natalie''s well-being.


    "Let''s get moving," Connie instructed the driver. "Make sure the temperature staysfortable."


    The drive from Amberton to Balford would take 16 hours. Natalie barely stirred during the journey, waking only once for a sip of water and a brief restroom stop before falling back asleep.


    Connie kept a close watch on Natalie, asionally cing a hand near her nose to check her breathing. Only when she felt reassured did she rx.


    It wasn''t without reason that Connie worried so much. Natalie had once performed a 24-hour-long surgery on an elderly woman, an exhausting feat that had pushed her body beyond its limits. The moment she stepped out of the operating room, she copsed.


    Connie had been the one to care for her then, cleaning her up, dressing her in fresh clothes, and giving her an intravenous drip. It had taken hours of uninterrupted sleep for Natalie to recover even a fraction of her strength.


    Since that incident, Connie had been vignt, determined not to let Natalie overwork herself again.


    When the Holden family from Dithoria State approached Natalie with an exorbitant offer, Natalie initially refused. She and Connie believed the patient''s condition wasn''t as dire as they imed. ording to their reports, the heart issue could be managed with proper care and a stress-free lifestyle.


    But the Holden family''s persistence wore her down. Their sincerity had seemed genuine, and in the end, Natalie agreed to take the case.


    An arduous 16-hour journeyter, the G-Wagon stopped in front of Quinton Hospital in Balford. With over a day left until the appointment, Natalie stepped out with her bag over her shoulder and headed into the hospital director''s office.


    In recent years, Quinton Hospital had transformed from a small, obscure facility into Balford''s most renowned private hospital. Its rise to fame was due to one miraculous event, a heart surgery deemed impossible by every top cardiac specialist.


    The patient had been sent home without hope of recovery, but Quinton Hospital had taken on the case and achieved what others wouldn''t dare attempt. That patient, once on the brink of death, was now thriving and healthier than ever.


    Connie followed Natalie into the office, walking a few steps behind her. The hospital director, Peter Bundit stood up immediately upon seeing them, his respect evident in his demeanor.


    "Dr. Elim, you''re here," Peter greeted her warmly. "I''ve reviewed the case, and honestly, I don''t think it requires your attention."


    Peter felt it was unnecessary to trouble someone of Natalie''s caliber with what seemed like a minor issue. Natalie gave him a calm, assessing nce. "Take another look. Are you certain it''s just a minor issue?"


    Natalie had reviewed the case details after waking from her sleep earlier that day. At first nce, the condition seemed straightforward, but further analysis revealed subtle yet significant risks, including hiddenplications that required careful attention.


    Peter''s expression shifted. He reopened the file, his focus sharpening as he examined the details more closely.


    "When the patient arrives, perform a cardiac CT and vascr imaging," Natalie instructed. "Run all additional tests and bring me the results."


    "Yes, Dr. Elim," Peter replied, his tone serious.


    Natalie turned to Connie. "Let''s grab something to eat. I''m starving."


    Natalie had gone almost 16 hours without food, and her hunger was catching up with her. Peter quickly led them to the hospital cafeteria.


    As they exited the office, Ethan appeared in the hallway, his eyes widening when he spotted Natalie. For a moment, he froze, doubting what he had seen.


    But before he could confirm it, Peter opened a side door. Natalie and Connie followed him through it, and they vanished from sight.


    Ethan rubbed his eyes in confusion. He was certain it had been her.


    "Ethan, who did you see?" Marcus'' voice came from behind as he helped Charles down the hall.


    Charles grumbled incessantly, scolding Marcus for refusing to go home and meet Grace''s granddaughter. "You''re making me look bad," Charles huffed.


    Marcus clenched his jaw, suppressing his irritation. He wanted to exin that Grace and her granddaughter were merely opportunists, using this as a way to secure wealth and connections. But as soon as he opened his mouth, Charles covered his ears dramatically.


    "I don''t want to hear it!" Charles dered.


    Marcus sighed and let it go. There was no reasoning with Charles when he was in this mood.


    "Mr. Holden," Ethan said cautiously, his voice low. "I think I saw Ms. Walker. I can''t be sure, but it really looked like her."


    Marcus'' brow furrowed sharply, his expression darkening. That woman was here? It couldn''t possibly be a coincidence.


    She must have learned about his grandfather''s ns and followed them deliberately. Marcus'' jaw tightened. A woman like her didn''t leave things to chance. Every move she made was calcted, and he was certain this was no exception.

 Coming 11

    Marcus'' disdain for Natalie had reached its peak. Although they had never formally met, he had already sentenced her to damnation in his mind.


    To him, she was a vain, vindictive woman, shamelessly self-serving and willing to do whatever it took to marry into wealth.


    "Ethan, confirm if it''s her. If it is, bring her to me," Marcus said, his voice cold andmanding. His expression darkened, but he refrained from mentioning Natalie''s name in front of Charles.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden." Ethan hurried toward the small door. His eyes scanned the surroundings until he spotted Natalie through a window, sitting at a table.


    She wasn''t alone. Sitting across from her was a strikingly beautiful woman with delicate, exotic features, likely of mixed heritage. The two seemed to be enjoying their meal.


    Ethan frowned, his emotions conflicted. Ms. Walker was truly persistent, following Mr. Holden all the way from Amberton to Balford. Her determination was unsettling.


    Ethan approached the table and stopped in front of Natalie. "Ms. Walker, we meet again."


    Natalie looked up, her expression calm yet slightly surprised. Swallowing her food, she asked, "Mr. Carter, what brings you here?"


    Ethan blinked, caught off guard by her question. Was she serious? She had followed them here yet acted as though his presence was the odd coincidence.


    He cleared his throat and replied politely, "Ms. Walker, my boss, Mr. Holden, wishes to see you."


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. "Let me finish eating first." She gestured toward the table and added, "Would you care to join me, Mr. Carter? My treat."


    Ethan shook his head quickly. "No, thank you, Ms. Walker. Please, take your time. I''ll wait."


    With a nod, Natalie resumed her meal. Dining at Quinton Hospital often came with special care from the director. While she was indifferent to most luxuries, good food was one indulgence she appreciated.


    Natalie ate with grace, savoring each bite with haste. Just like that, 20 minutes passed before she rose, her demeanor asposed as ever. Ethan immediately stood.


    "Ms. Walker, this way, please," Ethan said.


    "Nat." Connie stood as well, her tone hesitant. Natalie had reminded her not to call her "Ms. Walker" so politely in public.


    "I''ll go with you," Connie offered.


    "No need," Natalie replied casually, then turned to Ethan. "Shall we, Mr. Carter?"


    Connie stopped in her tracks. Ethan led Natalie along the same path they had taken earlier, guiding her back to their previous spot. Marcus had instructed the bodyguards to take Charles to the room arranged by the


    director. Meanwhile, he stood nearby, leaning against a wall as he spoke on the phone.


    "Mr. Holden is over there," Ethan said, pointing ahead. Natalie looked over and saw a tall man, around six- foot-three, in a perfectly tailored ck suit. Even from behind, he radiated elegance and authority.


    Natalie nced at him briefly, recalling Grace''s words. It made sense why Grace had suggested him as a potential match. She had always admired those with charm and presence.


    But why did Marcus want to meet her?


    "Ms. Walker, this way," Ethan said.


    "Alright."


    Natalie followed Ethan, but they barely made it halfway when Marcus suddenly turned and strode briskly toward the hospital entrance.


    "Mr. Holden! Mr. Holden!" Ethan called after him.


    "Don''t bother," Natalie said calmly. Though she hadn''t seen Marcus'' face, his abrupt departure without a word only reinforced her impression of him¡ªa man utterly devoid of manners.


    "If Mr. Holden is busy, we can arrange another time," Natalie added coolly, turning away. She had patients to attend to and no tolerance for trivial games.


    "Ms. Walker! Ms. Walker!" Ethan called out in frustration, his gaze darting between Natalie''s and Marcus'' retreating figures. After a brief hesitation, he let out a resigned sigh and quickly followed after Marcus.


    Back in the director''s office, Connie and Peter were waiting.


    Natalie soon stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and drew the curtains shut. Without a word, Peter walked to a bookshelf and pressed a concealed button. The shelf slid aside, revealing a hidden passage. Natalie stepped in without hesitation.


    It wasn''t long before Natalie reappeared, transformed into a spirited older woman with gray-streaked hair, faint wrinkles on her face, and a pair of sses perched on her nose. Connie handed her ab coat and mask, which she wore toplete the disguise.


    "Ms. Walker, the test results of the patient from the Holden family are in." Peter handed over the examination results, and Natalie carefully reviewed each page. By the time she finished, the diagnosis was clear in her mind.


    "Ms. Walker, you were right. There''s indeed an issue with the blood vessel near the patient''s heart," Peter said, wiping sweat from his forehead.


    Without Dr. Elim''s insight, Peter admitted silently, he never would have spotted the tiny aneurysm beneath the heart.


    Natalie nodded slightly. "Next time, be more thorough. A case serious enough for the Holden family from Dithoria State to seek a specialist won''t be simple."


    If the tiny aneurysm went unnoticed, it could causeplications during surgery. For an elderly patient, such an oversight could lead to cardiac arrest and eventually death. Natalie always took her work seriously. If she epted a case, she wouldn''t let the patient die under her care.


    "Ms. Walker, there''s a message for you," Connie said, handing her the phone.


    During work, Natalie left her phone with Connie, who handled her calls and messages unless she was in surgery.


    After all, Natalie had multiple identities. While Connie managed tasks rted to Dr. Elim, other personnel handled her remaining roles.


    Natalie took the phone and opened the message. It was from an unknown number.


    "Ms. Walker, I''m warning you. Stop using my grandfather to find out where I am. As a woman, you should have some self-respect."


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. What''s wrong with this guy?


    Without hesitation, Natalie blocked the unknown number.


    "From now on, if you see messages from lunatics like this, block them immediately," she said, tossing the phone back to Connie. "And nt a virus in their phone while you''re at it. Make every message they send turn into Penny Porcine stickers."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker," Connie replied, taking the phone and stepping over to herputer. She began typing as soon as she sat down.


    Meanwhile, Marcus grew increasingly annoyed when Natalie didn''t reply to his message.


    Earlier, Marcus had left abruptly due to an unexpected situation and his concern over his grandfather''s ongoing tests. The thought of a woman trying to dig into his whereabouts or preferences just to get closer to him was unbearable. Thus, he had sent the message to warn her off.


    To his surprise, the vain, scheming woman¡ªwho he believed was trying to marry him out of spite against the Langley family and her ex-fianc¨¦-didn''t even bother to respond.

 The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming 12

    Marcus gripped his phone tightly, and his brow furrowed as he typed another message to Natalie.


    "Ms. Walker, I''ll let this incident slide, but if it happens again, I won''t be so lenient."


    As Marcus sent the message, an animated character resembling a piglet holding a megaphone suddenly popped up on his screen. The cartoon character started shouting loudly.


    "Hi, I''m Penny Porcine! This is my brother Phil, and you are..... a lunatic! A lunatic, lunatic, you''re a lunatic! Oink, oink, oink!"


    Marcus froze, staring at the screen in disbelief. What was this nonsense?


    "Ethan," hemanded, his tone cold and firm, "stay close to my grandfather and double the security. Make sure Natalie Walker doesn''te anywhere near him."


    "Yes, Mr. Marcus," Ethan responded respectfully.


    Marcus jabbed at his phone furiously, but the animated Penny Porcine refused to disappear from the screen. Instead, she stuck out her tongue at him and kept shouting that he was a lunatic.


    His face darkened further. He spent a long time trying to get rid of the mocking cartoon, but the animated piglet refused to disappear. In the end, the animation vanished on its own.


    Fuming, he grabbed hisptop, connected it to his phone, and began typing furiously. He had figured it out. The other party had nted a program on his phone. It was time to strike back.


    Marcusunched his counterattack while Connie struggled to keep up. Realizing that Natalie''s phone was about to be breached, she rushed to her side.


    "Ms. Walker, they''re pushing back," she said, her voice tight with urgency.


    Natalie nced at the screen, took the phone with ease, and made a few swift adjustments. A momentter, she tossed it back to Connie. "Done."


    "Thank you, Ms. Walker." Connie sighed in relief.


    "Let''s go see the Holden family''s patient," Natalie said.


    She and Peter had already discussed a treatment n, but a thorough examination was necessary before confirming the details.


    "They''re waiting in the VIP suite," Connie added.


    Natalie nodded. "Good."


    The VIP suite at Quinton Hospital was a fully equipped facility with both an operating room and a recovery area. Outside the recovery room was apact residential space,plete with everything a patient and their family might need.


    The suite featured three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen with a dining area, and a bathroom with shower facilities. It was spacious enough to amodate not only the patient but their entire family.


    Patients could move directly from the operating room to the suite, ensuring a smooth andfortable recovery process.


    These suites were typically reserved for the wealthy and influential.


    However, Natalie never chose her patients based on status or wealth. She cared only about the severity of their condition and their character.


    If someone was kind but couldn''t afford treatment for a serious illness, she would take the case after Connie verified their circumstances. But if the patient was cruel or malicious, no amount of money could persuade her to help.


    For Natalie, the idea of a "doctor''s benevolence" or "equality before life" didn''t always apply. Saving the life of someone cruel and malicious only to let them harm others again wasn''t an act of kindness. It was another form of evil.


    In most cases, those who were truly wicked didn''t have much time to live. However, knowing they had been denied treatment often filled them with a dangerous mix of hatred and vengeance.


    They wouldn''t hesitate to drag down the person who refused to save them, regardless of whether that person was a doctor or someone who had saved countless lives.


    Because of this, Natalie never revealed her true identity. Over the years, she had treated patients under various disguises and never appeared as herself.


    Sometimes she posed as an elderly male doctor. Other times, she became a middle-aged female physician. asionally, she disguised herself as a young man or woman, adapting to the situation as needed.


    This time, she was disguised as a middle-aged doctor with a bright and energetic demeanor.


    Natalie and Peter left the office and headed to the VIP suite.


    Inside, Marcus sat quietly by the bed. Meanwhile Charles, dressed in a hospital gown, perched on the edge, muttering under his breath.


    Natalie paused when her gazended on Charles, then turned to Connie. "Is this the Holden family''s patient from Dithoria?"


    Connie nodded slightly and lowered her voice. "Yes, Dr. Elim."


    Before Natalie adopted her disguise, Connie had always addressed her as "Nat". But with the disguise in ce, addressing her as "Dr. Elim" felt natural.


    Natalie gave a slight nod, immediately understanding. The man beside Charles had to be Marcus.


    Marcus was far more striking in person than in the photos Grace had shared. He had sharp eyebrows, striking eyes, a perfectly shaped nose, and slightly tense yet attractive lips. Everything about him spoke of elegance, paired with a quiet, detached charm.


    Natalie thought of the mysterious message she had received earlier. Could it have been from Marcus?


    But this was their first meeting. They hadn''t spoken before. There was no way he''d think she was interested in him, right?


    She shook her head, dismissing the idea. It seemed absurd.


    As Natalie entered with Peter and Connie, Marcus was already on his feet. He stepped forward, extending a hand to Peter.


    "Hello, Dr. Elim. I''m the family member of the patient seeking treatment."


    Peter froze for a moment before hastily shaking his hand. "Oh, hello, hello."


    "The patient is my grandfather," Marcus said.


    Marcus stepped back, giving Peter a once-over. He hadn''t expected the internationally renowned Dr. Elim to be none other than the director of Quinton Hospital.


    But after sizing up Peter, Marcus'' gaze shifted to the older woman standing behind him. Her hair was streaked with gray, yet she radiated energy and vitality.


    "And this is...?" Marcus asked.


    "This is my mentor," Peter exined. "She''s the real Dr. Elim."


    "I see," Marcus replied, his tone immediately taking on a respectful note as he turned to Natalie.


    Natalie offered a faint nod in acknowledgment, her expression calm. She caught a subtle whiff of sandalwood from Marcus, a scent she personally disliked because it reminded her of the diffuser sticks the maid at Langley''s Residency used in the bathrooms.


    "Mr. Holden, you might want to consider changing your cologne," Natalie remarked, stepping back to avoid the scent.


    Marcus blinked in confusion. He sniffed his sleeve but found nothing unpleasant other than a faint sandalwood aroma.


    "Dr. Elim, I don''t use cologne," Marcus exined. "Perhaps I picked it up while stepping outside earlier. I''ll go change clothes right away."


    Natalie didn''t respond. Instead, she walked over to Charles, ready to begin her examination.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, let me see your hand," she said, her voice deliberately raspier than usual.


    Without hesitation, Charles responded, "Doctor, we''re about the same age. No need for all this formality. Just call me Charles."


    He chuckled. "I have a godsister from the Langley family about your age. How about we make it official and be godsiblings ourselves?"


    "Grandpa," Marcus interjected from the side. "This is Dr. Elim. She''s here to treat you."


    Turning toward Natalie, he said, "My apologies, Dr. Elim. My grandfather enjoys making connections. Please


    don''t take him seriously."


    Natalie nodded. "It''s fine. Mr. Holden Senior is quite charming."


    Marcus stared at her, incredulous.


    Charming? His grandfather yells like a thunderstorm when angry.

 Coming 13

    After checking Charles'' pulse, Natalie called Marcus over and spoke to him in a low voice about Charles'' condition.


    Charles'' heart wasn''t in critical condition, but there was a small tumor. Though currently benign, it had the potential to grow or spread.


    "There are two options," Natalie exined. "One is surgery to remove the tumor and have it tested to confirm whether it''s benign or malignant. The second is a more conservative approach,bining herbal medicine and acupuncture."


    Natalie paused briefly, then added," Conservative treatment will take longer, while surgery offers quicker results."


    Marcus frowned slightly, his handsome features tense with thought. After a moment, he asked, "Dr. Elim, with herbal medicine and acupuncture, can the tumor bepletely eliminated?"


    "Yes," Natalie replied with a nod. "But the process takes time, about three months. During this period, I will ensure Mr. Holden Senior''s heart is stable, but he must cooperate by keeping his emotions in check."


    Natalie''s tone grew more serious as she continued, "Family support is also crucial. Progress won''t be immediate, and some side effects during the treatment are normal. After acupuncture, there may be pain, and the family will need to keep him calm."


    "I''ll discuss this with my grandfather," Marcus said, his voice steady.


    "Good. Please let me know as soon as you''ve made a decision." Natalie handed Marcus the test result and left the VIP suite with Connie.


    Marcus stayed behind, flipping through the reports. Most of the findings were ones he had already seen. Hospitals had initially reassured them that Charles'' condition wasn''t serious, only to backtrack after deeper examinations. No one dared to take on such a risky case.


    As Natalie had mentioned, the tumor''s location was dangerously delicate. Few surgeons would even consider attempting the operation, except for someone like the internationally renowned Dr. Elim.


    Before meeting her, Marcus had been cautiously optimistic. But seeing that the doctor was an older woman, roughly his grandfather''s age, doubts began to creep in. Could she handle such a lengthy, high-stakes surgery?


    And the reading sses? What if her hand slipped during the operation? The potential consequences were too dire to imagine.


    Still, if he couldn''t trust Dr. Elim, who else could he trust with this surgery?


    "Marc,e here," Charles called out, snapping him from his thoughts.


    Marcus walked over, his expression clouded with worry. "Grandpa, what is it?"


    "You look like the sky''s falling. What''s going on? Am I dying?" Charles asked with a chuckle.


    "Of course not, Grandpa. Don''t say things like that."


    "Well then, tell me. What did that olddy doctor say to you?"


    Mascus hesitated but ultimately decided to share the truth.


    "Then we''ll do the surgery!" Charles said matter-of-factly.


    "That''s it? I thought it was something serious," he added with a grin. "Thatdy might look older, but her eyes are sharp and youthful."


    Charles gestured and exined, "Her hands are smooth, without a single wrinkle. Definitely not the hands of an old person."


    "Huh?" Marcus blinked. He hadn''t thought to make an observation like Charles.


    "You might be smart, but sometimes you''re as dense as a rock," Charles teased, knocking Marcus lightly on the head. "Next time you see Dr. Elim, pay attention to her hands.''


    Rxed and confident, Charles leaned back against the pillows. Someone as reputable as Dr. Elim wouldn''t be careless about their public appearance.


    Charles''ments lingered in Marcus'' mind. He had been so focused on his worries that he hadn''t considered the bigger picture. Hearing Charles'' insight suddenly made everything click.


    "Alright, we''ll go ahead with the surgery," Charles said decisively. "Three months of herbal medicine is too long. I don''t have the patience for that."


    He chuckled. "If Dr. Elim is confident enough to suggest three months of treatment, that tumor must be benign. She just didn''t want to say it outright."


    Marcus nodded. "I understand, Grandpa. I''ll speak with Dr. Elim."


    "Go on, then!" Charles waved him off with a smile.


    Three months in the hospital didn''t suit Charles, especially with Natalie to consider. He''d promised Grace to look after her granddaughter, and leaving for so long would send the wrong message.


    Picking up his phone, Charles called Natalie.


    "Hello, Grandpa Charles," Natalie answered warmly after a few rings.


    "Nattie, have you eaten? How''s your internship going? Remember to stay at Hilltop Vi. Okay?"


    He continued, "I''m really sorry! Something urgent came up, and I had to leave Amberton suddenly. I didn''t even get a chance to properly host you!" Charles'' voice was gentle and affectionate.


    "Don''t worry, Grandpa Charles, I''m doing well, and I''ll head back to Hilltop Vi after work," Natalie replied softly. "Take care of yourself. When you return, I''ll make mini fruit tarts for you."


    "Sounds wonderful! You take care, too. Don''t overwork yourself, and if you need money, just let me know," Charles said with a chuckle.


    "I''m fine, Grandpa Charles, but thank you."


    "Ms. Walker, someone''s here," Connie whispered.


    Natalie nced over her shoulder and saw Marcus approaching. Lowering her voice, she quickly ended the call and tucked her phone into her pocket. Thankfully, she hadn''t yet changed out of her disguise.


    Marcus entered, his gaze settling on her with an unreadable intensity.


    "Mr. Holden, have you reached a decision with your family?" Natalie asked calmly.


    "I still have some questions that I''d like you to exin further, Dr. Elim," Marcus said, handing over Charles'' test results.


    Natalie reached for the paper, but Marcus didn''t release them right away. She looked up, tugging lightly before he let go.


    In that brief moment, Marcus noticed what Charles had mentioned. Her hands were smooth and delicate, entirely unlike those of an older person.


    "Mr. Holden, what would you like me to exin?" Natalie asked, her professional tone unwavering. "It''s important that everything is clear to the family."


    "It''s about the tumor," Marcus replied, pointing to a specific section of the report. "If surgery is chosen, will the recovery be faster than with herbal medicine and acupuncture?"


    Natalie nodded. "Let me exin it to you in detail."


    Picking up a pen, she carefully walked him through the reports.


    Marcus appeared attentive, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He couldn''t stop watching her hands.

 Coming 14

    Marcus listened quietly as Natalie exined the details, but his eyes kept drifting to her hand.


    "Mr. Holden, do you understand?" Natalie asked, looking up at him.


    Caught off guard, Marcus quickly pulled his gaze back and nodded. "Yes, I understand. But I still want to ask. If you were in my position, which treatment would you choose for my grandfather?"


    Natalie raised her eyebrows slightly. This wasn''t the first time someone had asked her that question, but she hadn''t expected it toe from someone like Marcus.


    "I''m genuinely asking you this question, Dr. Elim," Marcus said sincerely. His tone was calm, his words heartfelt. "As a family, we value the doctor''s opinion. To be honest, my grandfather has been to many hospitals, but no one has dared to operate on him."


    Natalie nodded. She already knew this much.


    What she hadn''t anticipated was that the Holden family from Dithoria had sought treatment without revealing their identity or names. It hadn''t been clear to her that the patient was Charles Holden.


    If Natalie had known earlier, she could have treated him in Amberton with herbal medicine and acupuncture instead of making the trip to Balford.


    "My suggestion would be conservative treatment," Natalie said. "I''m confident I can treat Mr. Holden Senior''s tumor."


    Her tone was calm, but as she nced at Marcus, she noticed something was off. His gaze, though respectful, carried a subtle intensity as if he were studying her.


    From the moment he walked in, his attention had felt strange. He seemed focused on her words, yet his eyes continuously assessed her in silent scrutiny.


    Behind her sses, Natalie''s sharp eyes narrowed slightly, her eyebrows knitting together. Marcus broke the silence. "Three months feels like a long time. Wouldn''t that dy things?"


    "Are you worried about the cost, Mr. Holden?" Natalie asked coolly.


    "No," Marcus replied with a polite smile. Money wasn''t an issue for him. His concerny elsewhere.


    Marcus had done his research. Dr. Elim''s consultations were famously brief, usually no more than a week. Patients were typically evaluated within two days, their treatment n was set, and the follow-up care was handed over to Quinton Hospital.


    But this time, Dr. Elim had proposed a three-month treatment n for Charles. It seemed unusual.


    As the sole heir to the Dithoria State Holden family, Marcus had to tread carefully. Many were watching, waiting for him to make a mistake.


    If Charles'' condition worsened under his care, those waiting in the shadows would seize the chance to strip him of his position.


    Dr. Elim''s previous reluctance to take on Charles'' case only added to his suspicions. Why had she changed her mind?


    And why the disguise? Was she even the real Dr. Elim?


    "Mr. Holden," Natalie said suddenly, her tone calm, " if you have doubts, just say it. What exactly are you questioning?"


    She closed Charles'' file and looked directly at Marcus through her sses. Her gaze, sharp and unwavering, seemed to pierce through him.


    Marcus hesitated, feeling the weight of her scrutiny. Though her mask and sses hid her expressions, he could sense her irritation.


    Finally, he said sincerely, "I''m just concerned. If other patients need treatment during this time, will you leave my grandfather''s case unfinished to help them?"


    "Mr. Holden, you should already know my rules," Natalie said evenly. "I never take a new patient until I''ve finished treating the current one."


    Her tone grew colder. "If you''ve already made your decision, why ask unnecessary questions?"


    Natalie continued, her calm eyes fixed on him, "Mr. Holden Senior''s heart is stable enough to give him another decade. The tumor won''t be a problem unless it spreads. But no one can guarantee it won''t spread, right?"


    Marcus knew she was right. Every hospital he consulted gave the same response that no one could guarantee the tumor wouldn''t spread, nor were they willing to risk operating on it.


    The tumor''s location posed significant dangers. One moment, Charles could appear perfectly fine; the next, he might copse and never wake up.


    After exhausting every other option, Marcus had finally managed to secure a response from Dr. Elim. He couldn''t waste this chance.


    "My grandfather means everything to me," Marcus said earnestly, his tone growing more serious. "Please, Dr. Elim, I trust you. Do whatever it takes to save him."


    Natalie didn''t respond immediately. She simply gestured for Connie to escort him out.


    "Mr. Holden, this way, please," Connie said, opening the door. "Dr. Elim needs to consult with the director on the surgical n."


    The message was clear that he was no longer needed here.


    Marcus nodded slightly. "Thank you, Dr. Elim. I''ll leave it in your hand."


    Natalie didn''t reply, focusing instead on the tumor beneath Charles'' heart. Its location was so dangerous that even the smallest mistake could lead to catastrophic bleeding or cardiac arrest. She had to be fully prepared before proceeding.


    Outside the office, Ethan leaned toward Marcus and spoke in a low voice. "Mr. Holden, I''m sure Ms. Walker was with the woman we just saw."


    "And?" Marcus asked, his tone indifferent.


    "Well, it''s odd," Ethan said, scratching his head. "I haven''t seen Ms. Walker leave the hospital, but I also can''t find her anywhere."


    "Maybe she took my warning seriously and left quietly," Marcus replied dismissively. "Don''t mention her to my grandfather."


    "Yes, Mr. Marcus."


    In the office, Natalie finalized the two treatment ns, waiting for Marcus and Charles to decide.


    Still, Marcus'' gaze lingered in her mind. It had been unsettling, almost invasive. If it weren''t for Charles'' kindness, she might have refused the surgery based on Marcus'' behavior alone.


    "Connie, buy a gift and send it to Mr. Holden Senior," Natalie instructed. "Make sure it''s from Natalie Walker."


    She added, "Ethan saw me earlier."


    Natalie hadn''t had the chance to formally meet Marcus since his abrupt departure. To prevent Charles from misunderstanding her absence, she wanted to ensure he knew she was aware of his hospitalization and looking out for him.


    She valued kindness. For every bit of goodwill shown to her, she sought to repay it tenfold. Charles had treated her well, and she would never forget it.

 Coming 15

    Connie went to buy the gift, while Natalie stayed at Quinton Hospital to continue treating Charles. For the time being, she kept her elderly disguise.


    Behind the hospital was a pair of semi-detached vis. Natalie preferred quiet, so whenever she came to treat patients, she and Connie stayed in one vi. The other vi belonged to Peter and his wife, Rita Olson.


    Rita was a ssic homemaker who was kind, nurturing and family-oriented. She and Peter had raised two children who were well-employed, responsible, and loving. They regrly sent money home, brought gifts, and often visited to spend time with their parents.


    This gave Rita a peaceful, fulfilling life. She spent her days baking, arranging flowers, and enjoying her hobbies.


    Rita was curious about the asional guests who stayed in the neighboring vi. The visitors were always different, but they all had one thing inmon and requestedplete privacy. She often wanted to visit, but Peter always warned her not to disturb them.


    That afternoon, Natalie came over to the vi and began entering the door keycode.


    From the second-floor balcony, Rita called out cheerfully, "Hello there, ma''am! I''m Rita, thedy of the house next door."


    Natalie paused and looked up. She gave a polite nod and replied, "Hello."


    Without another word, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.


    Rita frowned slightly at the cool response. "How cold," she muttered as she headed back downstairs to prepare dinner. It was family day, and her children wereing over, so she had a lot to cook.


    Inside the vi, Natalie went to the third floor, entered the hidden room, and removed her disguise. After changing into her usual attire, she checked her phone. Another message from the same unknown number had arrived.


    "Ms. Walker, stop using my grandfather to get close to me. I will never fall for a shallow woman like you, and you''ll never seed in marrying into my family."


    Natalie frowned.


    Seriously? She had asked Connie to send Penny Porcine to the other party. After the counterattack, she sessfully defended herself and didn''t bother with it anymore.


    But how, in just the time she spent talking to Marcus about Charles'' condition, had this lunatic started pestering her all over again?


    Unwilling to waste time on pointless drama, Natalie blocked the number and moved on. She opened her video call app and contacted Grace.


    Grace answered quickly, her expression warm and cheerful. "Nattie, how''s your stay at Marcus'' ce? Are youfortable there?" she asked with a smile, unaware of Charles'' treatment in Balford.


    "I''m doing fine, Grandma," Natalie replied softly. "Don''t worry about me. I''m working hard during my internship, and when I get my first paycheck, I''ll buy you mini fruit tarts."


    Her gaze softened as she looked at Grace. Grace was her only family, the one person she truly cared about.


    Though Grace appeared in good spirits, Natalie couldn''t ignore the signs of her declining health. She had been searching tirelessly for rare medicinal herbs that might restore Grace''s strength and even extend her life by several more years.


    "Don''t push yourself so hard, Nattie," Grace said gently. "You have shares in the business, and the dividends are more than enough. You don''t need to work so much."


    Natalie smiled. Despite what others thought, Grace understood everything perfectly.


    "I know, Grandma, but I want to earn my own money and spend it on you," she replied.


    "Alright, I''ll listen to Ms. Foster. Take care of yourself. Come back and visit once your internship ends," Grace said.


    "I will. It''s just three months. Can you wait for me?"


    "I''ll wait," Grace promised with augh.


    They talked a little longer before ending the call. Natalie then turned to her iPad to handle emails but was interrupted by a message from Connie.


    Connie: "Ms. Walker, Rita just went to Mr. Holden. She''s iming you''re not the real Dr. Elim and brought someone she says is."


    Natalie: "Where''s Peter?"


    Connie: "The director left earlier after taking a call. Rita arrived suddenly with the so-called Dr. Elim."


    Natalie''s expression darkened. Just earlier, Rita had greeted her warmly. How had things changed so quickly?


    Natalie: "Do Marcus and Charles believe her?"


    Connie: "You''d bettere see for yourself."


    Natalie didn''t waste any time. She put on her disguise once again and left the vi. She nced briefly at Peter''s home as she passed, her expression calm but her mind racing.


    Peter had always ensured his family respected the vi''s privacy. Yet Rita had gone against his wishes, openly challenging her.


    As Natalie approached Charles'' VIP suite, she noticed Rita standing confidently inside beside a striking young woman dressed in a sharp ck dress and high heels.


    Marcus sat calmly on the couch, his expression unreadable. Charles was seated on the bed, scrolling through his phone, while Connie and Ethan stood to one side, observing quietly.


    Natalie stepped into the room, her whiteb coat, mask, and sses concealing her identity as usual. She walked forward, her tone steady but carrying a hint of coldness as she addressed the group.


    "I hear someone has used me of being a fake Dr. Elim. Is that correct?"


    Rita turned to her, her expression firm. "That''s right. You''re an impostor. Thisdy here is the real Dr. Elim!"

 Coming 16

    Rita''s expression was firm as she spoke, her disdainful gaze sweeping over Natalie''s elderly appearance. Her attitude made it clear that she believed Natalie was an impostor.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, Mr. Holden, this here is the real Dr. Elim," Rita dered confidently.


    The elegant woman standing beside her stepped forward. Her sharp ck dress and poised demeanor exuded confidence. For a brief moment, admiration shed in her eyes as she looked at Marcus, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.


    "Yes," the woman said firmly. "I am the real Dr. Elim. Mr. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior''s condition is critical and requires immediate treatment. Dying any further would be dangerous."


    She turned toward Natalie, her tone sharp. "Leaving him in the hands of someone unqualified could be fatal." Her gaze hardened as she continued, "If you im to be Dr. Elim, prove it."


    Natalie smirked faintly. Behind the lenses of her sses, her eyes glinted with sarcasm. "Why should I prove anything?"


    "If you can''t, what gives you the right to treat Mr. Holden Senior?" the woman shot back.


    Connie, standing off to the side, couldn''t hold back any longer. "And what proof do you have that you''re Dr. Elim?"


    "I have plenty," the woman said confidently. She pulled out her phone, opened her email, and showed a thread of messages.


    "These are emails between Mr. Holden and me," she said, handing the phone to Marcus. "Every detail about Mr. Holden Senior''s case is in here."


    Her voice softened as she added, "My real name is Jessy Maine. I graduated from Dithoria State School of Medicine. I''ve spent years saving lives as Dr. Elim, but due to time constraints, I can''t take on every patient.


    "When I first saw Mr. Holden Senior''s case, I declined because I hadn''t reviewed it thoroughly. But after receiving Mr. Holden''s repeated requests, I was moved by his sincerity and decided to take it on."


    Jessy''s voice became warmer as she spoke, and her gaze lingered on Marcus with unmistakable admiration. Marcus sat on the couch, his face impassive. His long legs were crossed elegantly as he reviewed the emails. The content, timestamps, and details were all correct.


    After a moment, Marcus looked up and turned to Natalie. "Dr. Elim, what do you have to say?"


    Natalie noted that he still addressed her as "Dr. Elim", which meant he hadn''t truly doubted her. If he believed in her, there was no need to prove herself. If he didn''t, proof wouldn''t change his mind.


    "I''ll say this once. I am Dr. Elim. That''s all there is to it," Natalie said evenly.


    She shifted her gaze to Jessy. "You im to have graduated from Dithoria State School of Medicine? Funny, I don''t recall a Jessy Maine among the alumni."


    Jessy sneered. "An impostor like you wouldn''t know anything about my alma mater. You should leave before Mr. Holden loses his patience."


    She turned to Marcus, her tone growing sweeter. "Mr. Holden, if this impostor can''t prove herself, just send her away."


    Natalieughed softly, her amusement clear. The idea of being called an impostor was almost too absurd. Before she could respond, Marcus spoke. "Since there are doubts, let''s settle this properly. Both of you should provide proof."


    He nced briefly at Jessy. "Ms. Maine has already shown some evidence. Dr. Elim, it''s your turn." Marcus'' gaze lingered on Natalie''s hand. Her pale, slender fingers were perfectly manicured, exuding a natural elegance. He couldn''t help but imagine how graceful they would look holding a scalpel.


    Natalie raised an eyebrow, her tone calm but edged with mockery. "So, Mr. Holden, you don''t believe me?" At first, she had actually believed that Marcus trusted her.


    Marcus'' expression remained unchanged. "I want to believe you, but Mrs. Bundit brought Ms. Maine here, and she has already presented evidence. Surely you can provide something to prove your identity and put everyone''s doubts to rest."


    Natalie narrowed her eyes slightly, studying Marcus. She couldn''t shake the feeling that his request had a deeper motive.


    Marcus was the sole heir of Holden Group, the wealthiest corporation in Dithoria State. At 16, he entered the family business. By 18, his sharp decisiveness and ruthless strategies had purged internal opposition, elevating Holden Group to the nation''s top conglomerate.


    Rumors described him as cold-hearted, merciless, and entirely self-disciplined. He avoided romantic entanglements and disyed no weaknesses. Anyone who betrayed or challenged him faced inevitable ruin.


    But Natalie knew the truth. Marcus'' weakness was Charles.


    This man, despite his fearsome reputation, was deeply devoted to his grandfather. If Marcus had truly doubted her, he would have investigated her from the start. The fact that he hadn''t meant he had already verified her identity as the real Dr. Elim.


    And yet, here he was, ying along with Rita and Jessy, demanding proof of her identity.


    Natalie found it absurd. Dr. Elim was just her professional persona. What truly mattered was her as an individual.


    "Very well," Natalie said with a faint smile. "It seems Mr. Holden has his doubts."


    Marcus leaned forward slightly, his voice steady andposed. "This is about my grandfather''s life. I must be thorough. I hope you understand."


    He paused before adding, "Dr. Elim has performed countless renowned surgeries. Either of you could simply recount the details of a few life-saving procedures."


    Natalie''s tone turned cold. "If you''re so interested in surgeries, why not watch one in person instead of listening to stories?"


    She shifted her attention to Jessy. "But before that, let''s confirm Ms. Maine''s identity."


    Without hesitation, Natalie took out her phone and dialed the number for the dean of Dithoria State School of Medicine.


    After a few rings, the call connected, and an excited voice came through. "Dr. Elim! You finally decided to call me," said the dean, Eddie Brooks, his tone brimming with excitement. "I''ve been waiting ages to hear from you!"


    "Mr. Brooks," Natalie said evenly, "I have a quick question. Is there a graduate from your medical school named Jessy Maine?"

 Coming 17

    "Jessy? Hmm, I think I remember a student like that," Eddie said.


    After a moment of thought, he added, "She graduated early and went abroad for further studies. Afterward, she returned to work at Dithoria City Hospital. She was quite an exceptional student!"


    "I see," Natalie replied tly. "She says she''s Dr. Elim. Do you know her?"


    "What?" Eddie was stunned. "If she''s Dr. Elim, then who are you? Jessy might be talented, but she''s nowhere close to your level. Why on earth would she pretend to be you?"


    He went on, "Does she really think no one would notice, or does she just have no shame? Our school teaches medical skills, not deception! I''ll find out who her mentor is and call them right away. Of all people to pretend to be, why pick you? What a joke!"


    Natalie put the phone on speaker, so everyone in the room heard Eddie''s words.


    Marcus remained calm as he shifted his gaze from Jessy to Rita. "Mrs. Bundit, what do you think?"


    Rita''s confidence wavered for a moment.


    After regaining herposure, she firmly said, "Who''s to say she didn''t arrange this in advance with someone posing as Eddie?


    "Ms. Maine is an outstanding graduate of Dithoria State School of Medicine. She went abroad for advanced studies, and after returning, she''s been working as a doctor at Dithoria City Hospital."


    Rita''s confidence grew with every word. She nudged Jessy forward, and Jessy took the cue to settle herself beside Marcus.


    "Mr. Holden, I''m Dr. Elim. How could this elderly woman handle a scalpel properly with her poor eyesight? Just because she found someone to cover for her and made a call doesn''t mean she can perform surgery on Mr. Holden Senior," Jessy said, turning to Natalie.


    Though her words were firm, a sense of unease settled in her heart. The phone call earlier had definitelye from Eddie, and everything he said could be verified.


    She had graduated early and gone abroad for further studies, but she wasn''t Dr. Elim. Her decision toe here was driven by Marcus'' aunt, Cassie Holden.


    There was no turning back now. Even though they had brought Eddie into the mix, Jessy had no choice but to stick to her story. She had to insist that she was Dr. Elim.


    "Mr. Holden, please believe me. I really am Dr. Elim," she confidently said.


    Raising an eyebrow at Natalie, she added, "Since she dares to impersonate me, she must''ve done her homework. She knows my background, so that''s no surprise."


    Natalie was uninterested in arguing with Jessy. She pushed her sses up the bridge of her nose and turned to Connie instead. "Has Petere back yet?"


    Connie nodded. "I''ve already called him. He''s on his way back."


    "Good," Natalie said coldly. "Inform Peter that he''s no longer the director of Quinton Hospital. Once he arrives, have him pack his things and leave immediately. We''ll promote a young, capable male doctor to take his ce."


    "Yes, Dr. Elim," Connie responded respectfully. She followed Natalie''s lead and asked, "Dr. Elim, shall we head back now?"


    "Alright, let''s go. Reject the Holden family''s request. They''ve found someone else, so there''s no point in wasting our time," Natalie said coldly.


    Her gaze behind her sses turned icy as she nced at Marcus.


    When she first agreed to treat the Holden family, she didn''t know their true identities. She had epted because Charles was Grace''s good friend and had genuinely cared for her. They shared the samest name, which had made her trust them.


    Now that Marcus didn''t trust her, she wasn''t going to chase after this any longer. Charles was one thing, but Marcus was another. Natalie wouldn''t take her frustration out on the elderly man.


    Instead, she decided to treat Charles privately, as a way of repaying him for letting her stay with the Holden family and allowing Grace to feel at ease.


    "Connie, let''s go," she said, turning to leave.


    Connie quickly followed her.


    Meanwhile, Charles lowered his phone from his bed and waved for Ethan toe over. "Ethan,e here. Pack my belongings. I''m not going to continue with the treatment. I''m heading back to Amberton."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, you can''t dy your treatment any longer," Jessy urged.


    She quickly stood up and walked toward Charles, trying to make a good impression. After all, Cassie had told her that if she wanted Marcus to look at her differently, she needed to impress Charles.


    Charles slowly raised his eyes to nce at her. "Sweetie, do all the doctors at your hospital wear four-inch heels? Your legs are quite nice, but I don''t like women taller than me, nor those younger or slimmer. I''ll have to reject your treatment."


    Charles'' words practically screamed that he preferred Natalie.


    Feeling somewhat wronged, Jessy replied, "Mr. Holden Senior, you can''t judge someone by their appearance. Although I''m young, I am a good doctor."


    Charles nced at her again. "I understand. I''m the patient, and I have the right to choose my doctor. I don''t like the way you look. What can you do about it?"


    Jessy fell silent.


    "Ethan, let''s go find that olddy from before," Charles said, turning to Ethan.


    Charles motioned for Ethan to help him up, then nced at Marcus sitting on the couch. "Some people are just useless. They can''t get anything done and only cause more problems. I guess it''s up to me to save my own old life."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, something''s wrong," Ethan said, supporting Charles as he pulled out his phone to check thetest news. "Dr. Elim''s assistant just sent an email-Dr. Elim canceled the appointment. The deposit and cancetion fee have been refunded."


    When Ethan finished speaking, Marcus'' expression changed. He stood up suddenly. "Ethan, say that again." "Mr. Holden, Dr. Elim canceled the appointment and sent back the deposit and cancetion fee," Ethan replied.


    Then, he showed Marcus his phone. "Mr. Holden, I''ve been in contact with Dr. Elim''s assistant. I''m sure I''ve got the right person."


    Marcus'' gazended on Jessy''s face. "So, you''re the fake one."


    Jessy''s heart missed a beat, and her face went pale for a moment. "Mr. Holden, I''m not."


    "Then exin this," Marcus said, his voice cold. "If you''re the real Dr. Elim, why would your assistant send a cancetion email when you haven''t even contacted her?"


    Marcus red at Jessy with a look full of venom. "Ethan, help me keep an eye on my grandfather. I''m going to find out what''s going on."


    With that, he quickly left the VIP suite.


    As soon as Dr. Elim left with Connie, Ethan received the cancetion notice. It was clear that Marcus'' distrust hadpletely angered her.

 Coming 18

    Marcus stormed out of the VIP suite, but Connie and Dr. Elim were nowhere to be seen down the long hallway. The elevator doors opened, and Peter hurried toward him.


    "Did you see Dr. Elim and Connie?" Marcus asked. He quickly stepped forward and grabbed Peter by the arm.


    Peter shook his head. "I didn''t see them on my way here. Mr. Holden, what happened? Why is Dr. Elim so angry?"


    "Go ask your wife," Marcus said coldly.


    He let go of Peter and walked toward the elevator, taking out his phone to make several calls.


    Within two minutes, the entrances of Quinton Hospital were surrounded by security guards dressed in ck, forming a tight blockade. Not a single person could get in or out.


    Meanwhile, Natalie and Connie had already returned to the vi. Natalie entered the secret room, removed her disguise and changed into her regr clothes.


    "Ms. Walker, Marcus'' men are guarding the hospital entrances," Connie reported as she checked the surveince footage.


    "We''ll leave through the basement," Natalie replied calmly. She had designed the vi so that the secret room led directly to the basement, which in turn connected to a warehouse at the foot of the mountain near Quinton Hospital.


    Marcus had blocked the hospital entrance, but she would simply take another route.


    "Got it, Ms. Walker. I''ve also informed Peter, and he''s heading back to the VIP suite. I''ve sent people to keep an eye on their move out of the other vi," Connie said as she finished taking care of everything on her phone.


    Yet, a hint of doubt lingered. "Ms. Walker, why was there a medical request email from the Holdens on Jessy''s phone? I''m certain I didn''t leak any information."


    Natalie walked over to the window and nced outside, recalling the sandalwood scent she had smelled earlier on Marcus. No one used sandalwood at Quinton Hospital, and Marcus had imed he didn''t wear any perfume. That scent must havee from elsewhere.


    Charles'' identity was special. While outsiders wouldn''t know, the Holden family certainly did. They knew Marcus had been taking Charles around for medical treatment.


    Natalie had another assistant look into it and discovered that Cassie was known for her deep religious devotion.


    When Ethan had taken her to see Marcus earlier, he had quickly left. Later, when Natalie reviewed the surveince footage, she discovered that Marcus had gone to meet with Cassie.


    "Connie, if I didn''t trust you, you wouldn''t still be here. I believe it''s not your fault," Natalie said calmly.


    She didn''t share her suspicions with Connie. "Stay here and keep an eye on Peter''s family as they leave the hospital. I''ll leave first."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker. I''ll make sure everything is done right and won''t disappoint you," Connie replied. "Alright." Natalie grabbed her canvas bag, stuffing her phone and iPad inside. She didn''t take Charles'' medical records with her, as she had already memorized the details.


    "I''m leaving now," she said.


    "Got it, Ms. Walker," Connie answered.


    "If Marcus asks about me, can you handle it?"


    "Don''t worry, Ms. Walker. I can manage."


    "Then, I''m off." Natalie nodded at her.


    "Take care, Ms. Walker."


    "Mhm." Natalie slung her bag over her shoulder and entered the basement through the secret room. She made her way out of Quinton Hospital swiftly.


    Meanwhile, Marcus had reached the hospital''s entrance. He asked his men, but they hadn''t seen Dr. Elim and Connie leave. No cars had left in thest few minutes either.


    Marcus frowned and headed back to the VIP suite. Just as he reached the inpatient floor, he saw Peter storming out, dragging Rita by the arm.


    "Let go of me," Rita said with a sob. "I didn''t mean to cause any trouble. I was just trying to help you, darling!" Frustrated, Peter turned and pped Rita hard across the face.


    "How did I end up marrying such a fool? Not only did you mess things up for me, but you''ll also cause trouble for J and Jenny. Do you think it''s your ce to question the person I brought back?


    "Someone sends you a message iming Dr. Elim is fake, and you didn''t even think to call me and check? Instead, you run to the VIP suite and cause a scene."


    Peter''s voice cracked with frustration. "Rita, why don''t you use your brain? Have you gotten sofortable that you''ve lost itpletely?


    "Do you know how hard I worked to get Dr. Elim''s attention and be promoted? Do you think I''d be where I am without Dr. Elim? Do you think you''d be Mrs. Bundit of Quinton Hospital?"


    Peter''s eyes were red with frustration. "I''ve told you a thousand times to focus on being a good wife and mother and leave my work alone. Why couldn''t you just trust me like before? Why did you have to believe a random text message this time?"


    By the end, Peter was sobbing. "Now look, we''ve lost everything."


    After releasing Rita, Peter covered his face and sank to the floor in front of the hospital''s entrance, breaking down in tears.


    Soon, the announcement of the new director''s appointment would be circted throughout the hospital, and Peter Bundit would leave in disgrace.


    "Mr. Bundit," Marcus said, his voice deep and maic, as he stepped forward, "Can I have a word?"


    Peter looked up at Marcus with a bitter expression. "If this is about Dr. Elim, I have nothing to say. The moment Dr. Elim revoked my position as director, I lost the right to speak about them. You''d best seek answers elsewhere."


    "Mr. Bundit, you must have seen Dr. Elim''s real face," Marcus said as he bent down and pulled Peter aside. "I''ve sealed off all the hospital exits. Dr. Elim is still here. I need to find her."


    "Sorry," Peter replied, his face showing a bitter expression. "I''ve never seen Dr. Elim''s real face."


    Even if he had, he wouldn''t tell anyone.


    Dr. Elim had only stripped him of his position as the director of Quinton Hospital and ordered them to leave. They hadn''t taken back all the money he had earned or the future he had secured for his children.


    This was hisst bit of dignity, but also a warning.


    Dr. Elim had always used a mix of kindness and strictness to win people''s loyalty.


    Peter''s savings were now enough for him and Rita to livefortably for the rest of their lives, even if he never worked again¡ªprovided they didn''t continue making foolish decisions.


    Since Dr. Elim had the power to grant him hope, they could just as easily plunge him into despair.


    "Mr. Holden, I haven''t seen Dr. Elim''s real face, so I don''t know whether they''re a man or a woman. Since Dr. Elim rejected your request for treatment, it means they won''t take you on.


    "They never epts the same patient twice. You should take this time to find another doctor who can operate on Mr. Holden Senior."


    With that, Peter stood up, pulling Rita along as they stumbled away.


    In the short span of time, it was as if he had aged ten years.


    Marcus frowned, still not believing he couldn''t find Dr. Elim in such a short time.


    He was fast, but Dr. Elim was clearly even faster. It had been a long time since Marcus had encountered someone who was faster than him.


    He narrowed his eyes and made another call. "Block all exits in Balford. Search for an elderly woman with gray hair. She''s bundled up, wearing reading sses and a mask."

 Coming 19

    After Marcus issued the order, all traffic routes in Balford were immediately blocked. He followed Peter and Rita to the duplex vi behind the hospital.


    Tears streamed down Rita''s pale face as she tried to exin. "Darling, I saw that old woman enter the neighboring vi. I didn''t realize she was the one treating Mr. Holden Senior.


    "You''ve always told me not to visit the neighbors, but I was curious! Look at the message I received it says it''s true."


    Rita quickly pulled out her phone and showed Peter the message. He didn''t bother to look. At this point, nothing mattered anymore.


    "Give it up."


    After the initial shock, disbelief, and anger, Peter''s emotions had calmed. He felt neither sad nor happy, just numb-like a walking corpse.


    "Mr. Holden, please believe me," Rita said, turning to Marcus. "You''ve seen the messages and the evidence Ms. Maine provided. Even if Ms. Maine isn''t Dr. Elim, she''s still excellent, isn''t she? Now that Dr. Elim has refused to treat Mr. Holden Senior, why not let Ms. Maine try?"


    Marcus''s eyes shifted to the neighboring vi.


    Connie stood on the second-floor balcony, holding a cup of coffee and watching them. When Rita''s voice reached her, she sneered. She took a sip of her coffee before silently going back inside.


    A momentter, the doorbell rang, and Marcus''s voice came through the inte.


    "Ms. Sterling, can we meet? I want to apologize to Dr. Elim. Is that possible?" Marcus continued sincerely, "We don''t want the deposit or the cancetion fee back. We just ask for one more chance."


    "Mr. Holden, since you doubt us and trust Ms. Maine, there''s no need to continue this conversation," Connie replied indifferently. "Dr. Elim has already left. She refunded the money and won''t treat him again. I suggest you give up."


    "Ms. Sterling, the person who offended Dr. Elim was me, not my grandfather," Marcus insisted. "I sincerely apologize and want to make amends. I''m willing to do whatever I can topensate.


    "All I ask is for Dr. Elim to give me one more chance. I''ve already thought through the treatment n Dr. Elim proposed."


    Connie went downstairs and opened the door to find Marcus standing there. While he had been arrogant and distant before, there was now a hint of humility in him. However, since Dr. Elim had made her decision, there was no room for negotiation.


    "I''m very sorry," Connie said as she stepped aside to let Marcus into the vi. "Dr. Elim has already left. I can''t contact her now."


    "What''s this?" Marcus walked over to the coffee table and noticed a fruit basket with a card inside. The card contained a handwritten note signed by Natalie.


    Connie stepped forward and moved the basket aside.


    "It''s nothing to do with you, Mr. Holden," she replied coldly.


    "Do you know Natalie?" Marcus asked with a frown.


    He suddenly remembered how Natalie had disappeared after Ethan was supposed to bring her to meet him. Natalie was supposed to be a fake Langley, so how could she know someone like Connie?


    "Yes," Connie replied with a smile. Since Marcus had already seen the card, there was no point in denying it.


    Connie continued, "Natalie and I are good friends. When she found out I wasing to Balford, she made a special trip to see me. Later, she learned that Mr. Holden Senior was hospitalized here, so she bought the fruit basket to visit him. However, she got an urgent call and had to leave suddenly, so she asked me to visit on her behalf."


    "Is that so?" Marcus curled his lips into a faint sneer. He suspected Natalie had left after receiving his message and realizing she wasn''t wee. Yet, she still managed to leave a good impression on Charles.


    To Marcus, she was just another woman scheming to climb the socialdder and win over Charles.


    "Mr. Holden, it seems you don''t think very highly of Natalie," Connie remarked, noticing the brief flicker of disdain in his expression.


    She didn''t like it. Natalie was second to none, and Marcus had no business looking down on her.


    "Not at all," Marcus replied.


    He didn''t want to waste any more time discussing a woman he considered shallow and maniptive. He quickly redirected, "Ms. Sterling, I beg you to plead with Dr. Elim on my behalf."


    "I''m sorry, but I can''t help you with that," Connie said firmly. "Mr. Holden, instead of wasting time here, you''d be better off finding another doctor for Mr. Holden Senior."


    "I''m willing to pay more," Marcus said.


    "Mr. Holden, trust is hard to rebuild once broken. You didn''t trust Dr. Elim, and now Dr. Elim won''t trust you. Who''s to say you won''t doubt her again if someone questions her identity? It''s better to leave things as they are. Please leave, Mr. Holden," Connie insisted.


    Marcus looked around the vi before standing up. "I''m sorry. I''ll ask Dr. Elim for forgiveness," he said.


    Connie remained silent.


    As Marcus was about to leave, Connie couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Holden, are you close with Natalie?"


    At the question, Marcus paused and slightly turned around. "Not really," he replied.


    Connie nodded. "I see."


    He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Ms. Sterling, is that question important?"


    Connie smirked lightly. "Not at all. I was just curious."


    After a brief silence, Marcus rified, "I didn''t know Natalie before, so there''s no real rtionship to speak of."


    "Got it." Connie smiled faintly and let the matter drop.


    "Ms. Sterling, I''m asking you sincerely¡ªplease help me plead my case to Dr. Elim again," Marcus insisted.


    "Mr. Holden, I''m also advising you sincerely¡ªjust give up," Connie replied firmly.


    "I won''t," Marcus said. With that, he gave a slight nod and walked out of the vi.


    Peter and Rita had finished packing and were about to leave when they noticed Marcus emerging from the neighboring vi. Their expressions turnedplicated, but neither said a word. They simply got into their car and drove off.


    Marcus watched Peter''s car disappear into the distance. When he turned back, he noticed Connie stepping out of the vi with a fruit basket in hand, seemingly on her way to visit Charles.


    "Mr. Holden, I''m going to visit Mr. Holden Senior on behalf of Natalie. Would you like to join me?" Connie called out.


    After a moment of thought, Marcus nodded in agreement.


    Connie walked ahead, carrying the fruit basket, while Marcus trailed behind, scrolling through his phone. Updates poured in from his men, but none of the checkpoints had spotted the elderly woman he described.


    Aside from Peter and Rita, no one had exited the hospital grounds.


    All cars were thoroughly inspected by his bodyguards to ensure no one was hiding inside before being allowed to pass.


    Marcus frowned deeply. How could a living person simply vanish into thin air?

 Coming 20

    Marcus frowned as he watched Connie walking farther away. Frustrated, he shoved his phone into his pocket. If Dr. Elim truly refused to treat Charles again, he would have no choice but to go with n B, which is to find another surgeon for his grandfather''s operation.


    Dr. Elim had only mentioned conservative treatment with herbal medicine and acupuncture. She didn''t specify what kind of herbs or how the acupuncture should be done. If they were to change doctors, that conservative treatment n would clearly no longer be an option.


    "Marcus." Cassie suddenly appeared and stopped him. Earlier, Marcus had hurried out to meet her.


    "I heard your grandfather wants to leave and go back to Amberton. Is it true that Grandma Grace is taking over his care there?" she asked.


    Although Cassie was in her forties, she looked stunning. Her wless, fair skin, meticulous makeup, and perfectly tailored designer outfit exuded an aura of sophistication and elegance that came with wealth.


    Her soothing voice and graceful demeanor only added to her refined presence. She was always kind and gentle with Marcus, and he had always respected her.


    "Yes, Grandpa just called Ethan and said he doesn''t want to stay here. He also refuses to let anyone else take over his treatment," Marcus replied. "Aunt Cassie, you''ve just returned from Westville Church. You must be tired from the long journey. Why don''t you rest at the hotel? I''ll take care of things here with Grandpa."


    "No need," Cassie smiled gently. "Let''s go see your grandfather together. He''s getting old, so it''s normal for him to act stubbornly. You''ve done so much for him over the years. It must have been hard."


    "It wasn''t hard. It''s my duty," Marcus said.


    He told Cassie about Charles'' health. When she learned that Dr. Elim had left and refused to treat Charles, a deep frown formed on her delicate face.


    "If that''s the case, what do you think about the doctor that Mrs. Bundit brought in? Her credentials seem good. Maybe we could give her a try?" Cassie suggested.


    Marcus had already had Ethan investigate Jessy thoroughly. Aside from her impersonation of Dr. Elim, everything about her seemed legitimate. However, the fact that she had pretended to be someone else showed ack of integrity. Marcus didn''t want to deal with someone like that.


    Seeing Marcus frown without saying anything, Cassie knew he wasn''t keen on giving Jessy a chance.


    "Marcus, I know Jessy made a mistake by pretending to be Dr. Elim, but right now, we don''t have any other options, do we?"


    Cassie continued calmly, "I think Dr. Elim is too proud. You''ve offended her before. If she''s still upset, she might not give her best for Grandpa''s treatment, or worse-she could sabotage it. If something happens to him, we''ll regret it."


    Cassie''s words held some weight. After a long pause, Marcus sighed.


    "Aunt Cassie, I''ll look for a few more doctors," Marcus replied.


    He didn''t immediately agree or refuse. A world-ss expert like Dr. Elim would be hard to find, but there were plenty of doctors like Jessy he could find.


    "Alright, I''ll also keep an eye out and try to bring in a few more doctors for consultation," Cassie said.


    "Good," Marcus agreed. Cassie and Marcus continued their conversation as they walked back to the VIP suite.


    Cassie, who was in her forties and never got married, was a devout Christian. She had once dered that she would never marry and instead dedicated her life to the church.


    When Jessy saw Cassie, she respectfully addressed her as "Ms. Holden" without any other formalities.


    "Mr. Holden, I''ve performed several sessful heart surgeries. My mentor, who is a well-known heart specialist abroad, has been fully briefed on Mr. Holden Senior''s condition.


    "He''s willing toe to Dithoria to assist with the surgery," Jessy said, her fingers nervously twisting together as she carefully watched Marcus''s expression.


    She was here because Cassie had called her, and Cassie would vouch for her. The key was Marcus''s attitude.


    "I have experience with several sessful heart surgeries. I''ve thoroughly studied Mr. Holden Senior''s case beforeing here. I''m confident. Mr. Holden, please give me a chance," Jessy added.


    Marcus gave her a quick nce. Jessy, standing in front of him, wore a figure-hugging office skirt and four- inch heels. As Charles had mentioned, she didn''t look like a doctor at all.


    "I''ll make the decision. Let''s keep Dr. Maine for now. As for the rest, we''ll wait until Dr. Maine''s mentor arrives to discuss it further. Marcus, what do you think?" Cassie asked gently.


    Marcus thought for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Alright, let''s go with this n for now."


    "Thank you, Mr. Holden. I''ll do my best to treat Mr. Holden Senior," Jessy said eagerly. As long as she was allowed to stay, she would have more opportunities to approach Marcus.


    Cassie had told her that while Marcus had a fiancee, their rtionship was far from good. He didn''t even like her. With Cassie''s support, Jessy believed she could win Marcus over and be the future Mrs. Holden.


    Marcus gave Jessy a cold nce before turning to find Charles. At that moment, Charles had already left Quinton Hospital with Ethan. He had asked Ethan to take him to the biggest shopping mall in Balford.


    "Ethan, what kind of gifts does Nattie like?" Charles asked, casually browsing the shops. "We just invited her to stay at the vi, and now she''s alone there. Even with the butler and maids, I know she''ll feel lonely. I should buy her something to show I care."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, is that girl over there, Ms. Walker?" Ethan asked, pointing toward a figure in the distance. Natalie was wearing a ck jacket, ck sweatpants, and white sneakers and carrying a backpack. Ethan wasn''t entirely sure if it was her.


    "Where is she?"


    Charles followed Ethan''s gesture and spotted Natalie in the distance. "It really is Natalie!"


    "Nattie, Nattie¡ª" Charles called out.


    Thinking she had misheard, Natalie turned around and was surprised to see Charles grinning excitedly. She was speechless at how everything could be so coincidental. She had nned to avoid the Holden family and secretly treat Charles after he returned to Amberton.


    Now that she had been spotted, there was no point in hiding. Natalie waved at Charles and started walking toward them. As she got closer, her phone rang. It was Connie calling.


    Natalie lowered her head and answered the call, "Hello, Connie."


    Connie''s voice came through in a hushed tone. "Mr. Holden and his aunt have agreed to let Jessy treat Mr. Holden Senior, Mr. Walker."

 Coming 21

    Chapter 21 Charles'' Sudden Crisis


    Natalie raised an eyebrow at Connie''s words. Marcus had actually let someone as questionable as Jessy treat Charles. What was he thinking?


    "Ms. Walker, I''ve looked into Jessy''s background. She''s performed a few heart surgeries, but none of them were particrlyplex. However, her mentor is Professor Mn from Emberfield,¡± Connie added.


    Professor Mn was a renowned cardiology expert with a global reputation. He had sessfully treated several patients deemed incurable by the medicalmunity. His groundbreaking papers on heart diseases had earned him a ce as one of the top cardiologists in the world.


    The only person who could rival him was Natalie, who was known internationally by her alias, Dr. Elim.


    Professor Mn had once tried to contact Connie to arrange a meeting with Natalie, but she had declined. Natalie preferred contributing to her own country over catering to wealthy international clients.


    "Ms. Walker, if Professor Mnes to Dithoria, will Mr. Holden Senior''s chances of a sessful surgery improve?" Connie asked.


    Natalie nced at Charles, who was waiting nearby. His kind and gentle demeanor made him seem like a loving grandfather. He treated Natalie as if she were his own granddaughter, and she hoped he could live a long, healthy life.


    ¡°If the Holdens have brought Professor Mn in, we''ll wait for his diagnosis first,¡± Natalie replied calmly. "Connie, stay close to Marcus and keep me updated on any developments."


    ¡°Alright, Ms. Walker," Connie responded.


    ¡°By the way, I ran into Mr. Holden Senior at the mall,¡± Natalie added.


    "Ah!" Connie was momentarily stunned. "It was no wonder why I didn''t find Mr. Holden Senior in the VIP suite. Marcus came looking for Him. He just left the hospital."


    "Got it," Natalie replied before hanging up.


    After ending the call, Natalie walked over to Charles. Ethan stood respectfully to the side, but his gaze carried a hint ofplexity as he looked at her.


    Natalie pretended not to notice and went straight to Charles. "Mr. Holden Senior, I have some inatters to attend to. I need to leave now," she sail.


    "Wait, let me buy you a gift,¡± Charles said. He felt guilty for leaving Natalie alone at Hilltop Vi while he and Marcus came to Balford, so he wanted to make it up to her.


    ¡°Nattie, don''t be so formal with me. Your grandmother is my good friend, and you''re her granddaughter, which makes you like my granddaughter, too."


    Charles led her into a boutique that had gained poprity in the past two years-Nouvelle Zara. The brand had made a name for itself with exquisite designs, strict manufacturing processes, and top-notch materials.


    Nouvelle Zara focused on high-end fashion, promoting. Dithoria''s own original creations. In other words, it didn''t cater to themon folk.


    Charles waved grandly. "Wrap up all the dresses in here that are suitable for Nattie."


    ¡°Mr. Holden Senior!¡± Natalie hurriedly grabbed his hand. "You don''t have to spend so much. I already have clothes!"


    ''You shouldn''t wear that dark jacket,¡± Charles said. ¡°You''re a young girl. You should be full of energy, bright, and beautiful. You need to show off all your best qualities. Here, try this dress


    1. on.


    Charles handed Natalie a light blue, ruffled, form-fitting dress and shoved it into her hands.


    "Don''t refuse,¡± he added with a yful threat. ¡°have a heart condition. If you say no, my heart might just give out.


    Natalie sighed helplessly. Unable to reject his well-meaning gesture, she took the dress and headed to the fitting room. However, buying clothes from her own brand''s store was a first


    for her.


    Soon, Natalie emerged from the fitting room.


    Her deep-colored jacket and pants were reced by the light blue dress. Her slender figure was now on full disy, and her fair skin glowed under the lights. The salesperson had even let down her long hair, which she had previously kept tied up.


    Natalie''s delicate and radiant features were undeniable. Although she usually dressed down to avoid standing out, her transformation was striking.


    Back when she lived with the Langley family, Diana couldn''t stand her being too beautiful. The prettier Natalie looked, the more obvious it was that she didn''t resemble Diana or Victor.


    Since Natalie wasn''t Diana''s biological daughter, her beauty only fueled Diana''s dissatisfaction and jealousy.


    As Natalie gazed at her reflection, she saw a vision of elegance. Her delicate features, slender figure, and naturally wavy hair framed her petite face and por skin, hig ghting her refined beauty.


    ¡°See? You look beautiful!¡± Charles said excitedly. Even Ethan, who had been quietly¡± observing, looked impressed.


    Chapter 21 Charles Sudden Crisis


    It was amazing how different she seemed just from a change of clothes.


    ¡°Nattie, now try on this pink one," Charles said, immediately pulling out another dress and urging her to change again.


    Natalie didn''t want to disappoint him, so she took the pink dress and went back to the fitting


    room.


    Charles continued picking out clothes for Natalie with Ethan in the store. He didn''t have a granddaughter, and Marcus was his only grandson.


    Yet, Marcus had never been in sync with Charles when it came to matters of the heart.


    Marcus had an engagement, yet he showed no interest in building a rtionship with his fiancee. They barely even saw each other.


    Coincidentally, Marcus''s fiancee was also a Walker.


    Emma Walker was the eldest daughter of the Walker family. She was the only girl among five siblings, born after William and Charlotte had five sons. As the sole daughter, Emma was cherished beyond measure by her parents and doted on by her overprotective brothers.


    Surprisingly, growing up in such a pampered environment hadn''t spoiled Emma. She was poised, polite, and diligent. Her academic performance was outstanding, and she actively participated in various university activities, earning a ster reputation even before graduation.


    Charles was quite pleased with Emma. However, Marcus didn''t seem to like her at all. He never showed up at family gatherings, and when Emma invited him, he always refused.


    Thinking about it made Charles sigh. He had no idea what kind of girl Marcus liked.


    "Ethan, my chest hurts," Charles suddenly said, clutching his chest.


    For some reason, his heart ached at that moment!


    "Mr. Holden Senior, we need to get you back to the hospital immediately," Ethan said as he rushed to support Charles.


    Ethan was ready to take Charles away right then without waiting for Natalie to finish changing in the fitting room. Just as Ethan was about to escort Charles out, a voice called from the


    -store''s entrance.


    "Mr. Holden Senior is here!"


    A momentter, Jessy appeared, followed by Marcus. Charles''s pallor and strained breath immediately caught their attention.


    "What''s wrong, Mr. Holden Senior?" Jessy rushed over, and before anyone could react, she shouted, "Quick, we need to find somewhere toy him down!!


    Chap 21 Charles Sudden Crisis


    Marcus quickly stepped forward and took Charles from Ethan''s hands.


    "Grandpa, are you okay?" Marcus asked.


    "My chest hurts," Charles gasped, his lips drained of color.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, find a t surface for Mr. Holden Senior to lie down on!" Jessy urgently


    instructed.


    Marcus carried Charles to a nearby couch in the Nouvelle Zara store and gently set him down. Before Jessy could perform chestpressions on Charles, a slender hand firmly gripped her wrist.


    ¡°What do you think you''re doing?¡± a cold, detached voice questioned.


    Jessy looked up and saw a stunning young woman with natural beauty. Though she wore no makeup, her sharp features exuded amanding presence. Yet, her gaze was as sharp as a cold de, carrying an intensity that seemed capable of piercing straight through her. Caught off guard, Jessy instinctively wanted to step back, but her determination to impress Marcus anchored her. She couldn''t let this woman undermine her


    chance.


    ¡°I''m trying to save him! Can''t you see he''s in danger? If something happens to Mr. Holden Senior, can you take responsibility?¡± Jessy snapped, ring at Natalie. ¡°Let go!"

 Coming 22

    Chapter 22 Handling the Responsibility


    Jessy was eager to impress Marcus, but when Natalie suddenly appeared, a wave of intense unease washed over her.


    "I can handle it,¡± Natalie replied coolly. With a firm pull, she swiftly moved Jessy aside. As she looked up, her gaze locked with Marcus''s deep, obsidian eyes.


    Marcus''s eyes were striking-dark, deep, andmanding. The subtle downward curve of his eyes exuded an aura of authority that was almost tangible.


    His tailored suit highlighted his tall, perfect frame, and his handsome face looked like it belonged to a model. He exuded an enigmatic presence, one that could easily pull anyone into his orbit with just a nce. Although Natalie had seen Marcus''s photos before, seeing him in person left her momentarily stunned by his allure.


    ¡°You can''t perform heartpressions on Mr. Holden Senior right now,¡± Natalie said coldly. Without hesitation, she pulled out a box of medication from her bag and gently ced two pills into Charles''s mouth. Jessy snapped, "What are you giving Mr. Holden Senior? Do you even know his medical history enough to give him random medication


    Having been interrupted and lost the chance to prove herself, Jessy grew even more frustrated by


    Natalie''s sudden appearance, which clearly outshone her own. When womenpeted with each other, they would always start from the looks and figure. Other aspects wouldeter


    Jessy was a graduate of Dithoria State School of Medicine and had studied abroad under the mentorship of the renowned Professor Mn. She prided herself on her qualifications, believing they made her superior to Natalie.


    In contrast, Natalie appeared much younger. Her outfit made it seem like she was still in college, which Jessy immediately dismissed as overly girly and shallow. Jessy''s usual approach to women like this was to crush thempletely


    She raised her voice, angrily using, ¡°Mr. Holden, get this woman away! Let me save Mr. Holden Senior!" Marcus ignored Jessy. Natalie had acted so quickly that before he could stop her, she had. already administered the medication.


    In just a few short moments, Charles''s color returned, and his breathing steadied. Charles''s sudden heart condition had been a terrifying moment for Marcus.


    As Jessy continued to shout, Marcus felt a deep frustration. Natalie''s calm and decisive approach was far more impressive.


    Chap 22 Handing the Responsibilty


    "How are you feeling; Mr. Holden Senior?" Natalie asked. Seeing as Charles was in a more stable condition, she gently helped him sit up. "Mr. Carter, could you please bring a cup of warm water over?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Ms. Walker,¡± Ethan replied, immediately turning to fetch the water. Marcus narrowed his eyes when he heard Ethan address her as "Ms. Walker."


    Could this be the same Natalie who had been trying to get close to him on purpose? Was she the fake Langley heiress who had caused a stir with Selena?


    "Nattie, thank you so much! I feel much better, Charles said. Once he felt better, he patted her hand kindly; then, he turned to re at Marcus. ¡°You brat, what are you doing here? I don''t need you, so get lost!"


    Marcus fell silent.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, you mustn''t get too worked up," Natalie said softly, gently patting Charles'' back. "Your heart isn''t well, so you need to stay calm."


    "Alright, alright, I''ll stay calm," Charles said with a smile.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, I suggest you take Mr. Holden Senior to Dithoria City Hospital for a thorough check-up," Jessy interrupted. She wasn''t willing to be ignored and stepped forward to make her


    presence known.


    ¡°Miss, are you a doctor?¡± Jessy questioned sharply. ¡°What kind of medication did you give Mr. Holden Senior? Are you aware that he has a heart condition? If something happens because of your actions, are you ready to take responsibility?"


    ¡°I''m ready,¡± Natalie replied coolly, cutting Jessy off. "As a cardiologist, you should know that Mr. Holden Senior has a diagnosed aortic dissection. Performing chestpressions could worsen the condition.¡±


    She paused for a moment, then asked, "Why did you continue with CPR, knowing it could make things worse? What were you thinking?"


    Jessy was taken aback. She had been so eager to show off in front of Marcus that she had overlooked Charles''s prior medical history. 1


    "You''re talking nonsense," Jessy snapped, unwilling to admit any fault. ¡°I''m a doctor; I know exactly when and how to perform the right kind of emergency care."


    Then, she turned to Marcus and said, "Please trust me, Mr. Holden. I''m an excellent student from Dithoria State School of Medicine. I''ve even studied abroad, and my mentor is Professor


    Mn.


    ¡°I''ve reviewed Mr. Holden Senior''s previous test results, and unlike thisdy, who has only. just appeared and is now randomly administering medication, I understand what''s going on. Some medications might seem to help in the short term, but they can worsen the condition


    Jessy continued, ¡°My rmendation is for Mr. Holden Senior to be transferred to Dithoria City Hospital for proper treatment."


    She shot a challenging look at Natalie. "Are you a graduate of a medical school? Do you have a medical license? Do you have the right to prescribe medicine?"


    Natalie gave a small, mocking smile. "I''m not a doctor. Why does it matter?"


    Jessy felt a surge of confidence at Natalie''s admission. She raised her voice and said, "Mr. Holden, we should call the police and have her arrested."


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Marcus replied coldly, his piercing gaze sweeping over Jessy. His voice was low, but there was an undeniable weight to it that demanded attention. And as his eyes turned toward Natalie, a hint of curiosity appeared in his


    gaze.


    ¡°Ms. Walker, may I ask what kind of medication you gave my grandfather?¡± Marcus asked.


    Charles had been in such distress earlier that Marcus couldn''t help but be thankful for Natalie''s quick action. Regardless of whether she was a doctor, she had identified Charles''s condition and prevented Jessy from performing dangerous chestpressions. That alone earned her some respect from Marcus,


    Natalie tilted her head slightly. "Mr. Holden, don''t you trust me?¡±


    A faint, mocking smile tugged at her lips. She had already sensed Marcus''s suspicion before,, and now it had resurfaced. Yet, he hadn''t questioned Jessy despite her clear mistake. It seemed Marcus wasn''t as sharp as she thought.


    Grace had hoped Natalie would marry Marcus and use him as support. But now, she couldn''t help but think Grace was wrong-Marcus was a fool.


    Marcus noticed the slight, fleeting look of mockery on Natalie''s face. Though it was brief, he caught it with sharp eyes.


    ¡°Nattie, Marcus,e, let me introduce you properly," Charles said, feeling better as the pain in his chest subsided.


    ¡°Nattie, this is my grandson, Marcus. Marcus, this is Nattie, your Grandma Grace''s granddaughter." "Hello, Mr. Holden,¡± Natalie said, extending her hand to formally'' greet Marcus.


    Marcus''s gaze shifted down to her hand. He noticed her fingers were fair and slender, unadorned with any jewelry or nail polish. The clean look was pleasing to the eye.


    It reminded him of a pair of hands he had seen before at Quinton Hospital... Was it Dr. Elim''s hands?


    pp 3 4 Hunkanna piena to Jenna

 Coming 23

    Chapter 23 A Humiliating Blow to Jessy


    Marcus''s expression remained unchanged as he reached out and gently touched Natalie''s hand.


    "Hello, Ms. Walker."


    Their hands only touched for a brief moment before Marcus quickly pulled away.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior''s condition isn''t critical for now, but you must keep an eye on his emotional state. He should avoid stress or emotional swings. Here''s a bottle of medication


    for him.


    "If he feels difort in his chest, he should take one pill. If the pain gets worse and he has trouble breathing, like today, he should take two,¡± Natalie exined, handing the bottle to Marcus. ¡°If you''re unsure, I can take one first to show you.


    Since Marcus didn''t believe her, Natalie decided to be straightforward. This medicine was something she had specially created for sudden cardiac events.


    It worked well in emergencies and didn''t burden the patient, but the ingredients were rare and hard to find. She had worked hard to make even this small bottle. If Charles weren''t Grace''s good friend and someone she genuinely cared for, she wouldn''t have handed it over so easily.


    Without waiting for Marcus to respond, Natalie took a pill and swallowed it herself. Marcus wanted to stop her, realizing that doing so would mean one less pill for Charles. He had already seen the effect of the medication after Charles had taken it.


    After a brief moment of silence, Marcus said, "Ms. Walker, I never said I didn''t trust you."


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Natalie didn''t respond further. She had already taken the pill, and if Marcus still didn''t trust her, she wouldn''t argue any longer.


    "Mr. Holden, don''t trust her," Jessy said as she stepped forward and showed Marcus her


    phone,


    "Mr. Holden, I''ve already sent the details of Mr. Holden Senior''s condition to Professor Mn. He confirmed that my emergency treatment was correct. Meanwhile, thisdy here is giving Mr. Holden Senior some unknown medicine, which is actually irresponsible."


    Marcus nced at Jessy''s phone. It showed a long series of chat messages with a note from Professor Mn, iming that Dr. Elim was unreliable and irresponsible. It also detailed how Natalie had prevented Jessy from performing CPR and gave Mr. Holden Senior the medicine.


    Marcus''s expression darkened, and he coldly said, ¡°Ms. Maine, I only allowed you to treat my grandfather because of my aunt''s request. If it weren''t for you pretending to be Dr. Elim and causing me to fall out with him, my grandfather wouldn''t have had this emergency in the first ce.


    "You''re the one with ill intentions here. What kind of doctor are you to criticize others?¡± He


    Chude 211


    continued, ¡°Ms. Walker may not be a doctor, but she knew my grandfather couldn''t have CPR,


    unlike you.


    ¡°You im to be an outstanding student from Dithoria State School of Medicine and have studied abroad under Professor Mn, but your actions make me wonder if you''re here to harm my grandfather. Tell me, who''s really behind you?


    Marcus''s aura was powerful, and his sharp words left Jessy stunned. This wasn''t how things were supposed to go. She hade with Marcus to impress Charles and make him see her in a new light


    Cassie had told her that if she performed well in front of Marcus and saved Charles, he would certainly take a liking to her. As for Marcus''s fiancee in Dithoria, she was no threat.


    However, she never expected Marcus to defend a woman who wasn''t even a doctor and give her such a hard time. The situation was spiraling out of her control.


    Marcus shot Ethan a look, and Ethan immediately stepped forward.


    ¡°Ms: Maine, please leave. We will thoroughly recheck your credentials and medical history. We strongly suspect that Dithoria State School of Medicine may have been lenient in your case."


    "What?" Jessy''s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Ethan. ¡°All my experience is genuine! What gives you the right to say that about me?"


    "How about this?¡± Natalie waved her phone. "Professor Mn just messaged me saying his ount was hacked. The IP address of the hacker seems to match yours. Ms. Maine."


    Jessy froze. Natalie smiled faintly and turned to Marcus. "Mr. Holden, who do you trust now?"


    Marcus''s dark eyes locked onto her. The woman in front of him was strikingly beautiful. Her delicate features werepelling. She wore a soft pink dress, and her curly hair flowed naturally.


    When she smiled, it gave off an innocent air. Yet, there was no warmth in her eyes. Instead, they held a cold, detached look


    Moreover, Natalie''s words had an underlying meaning-she was making him choose.


    If he said he believed Natalie, she would have more opportunities to get closer to him. If he chose Jessy, he would be lying. That thought felt more ufortable than eating a fly.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Marcus said, "I trust Ms. Walker


    The simple five words hit Jessy like a p across the face


    66


    ¡°Ms Walker saved my grandfather, and I am deeply grateful. As for the medicine, I can''t ept it for free. How about 5 million dors Marcus coutimest


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. She had spent countless rare and expensive materials and conducted numerous trials to create that special medicine. It was unbelievable that Marcus


    offered only 5 million dors.


    Yet, Marcus''s expression was sincere, and his gratitude was genuine. He was deeply devoted to his grandfather, much like Natalie was to Grace. In a way, Marcus''s dedication to his grandfather earned a slight bit of admiration from Natalie.


    ¡°After I was kicked out by the Langleys, Mr. Holden Senior took me in. He sheltered me from the trouble caused by my foster family. I''m already grateful to him for that.


    "Connie gave me the medicine. I never expected it would save Mr. Holden Senior. If you want to thank anyone, you can thank Connie.¡±


    Natalie didn''t hide the fact that she was the Langleys'' fake daughter. She knew that if she didn''t speak up, the Langleys would eventually expose it themselves.


    After all, Selena hated her. She resented her for living the life of the Langleys'' cherished daughter for 20 years.


    However, that life had never appealed to Natalie. Others saw her as the prestigious heiress of the Langleys, but they didn''t know that she had been nothing more than Diana''s pawn since childhood.


    Now that Selena had returned, Victor and Diana were pressuring Grace to take back the shares they had given her. If she refused, there would likely be more schemes waiting for her from the Langleys.


    Natalie smiled faintly and said with sarcasm, "Connie and I are good friends, the kind who can vouch for each other in person, not the kind who steal ounts and fabricate fake emails and chat records."


    As she spoke, she pointedly nced at the pale-faced Jessy, who was ring at her.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Coming 24

    Chapter 24 Charles''s Order to Repay His Savior


    Jessy''s murderous re at Natalie was impossible to conceal.


    Natalie sneered. She hadn''t nned to pay much attention to Jessy, but the fact that Jessy was


    a doctor who had seen all of Charles''s medical reports and still made such a basic mistake was something Natalie couldn''t let slide.


    Natalie hadn''t confronted Jessy about impersonating Dr. Elim yet, but now she had made another critical mistake.


    If Natalie hadn''t seen it, she would have let it go, but now that she had, she would never allow her to make the wrong call in treating Charles.


    Jessy''s eagerness to impress Marcus wasn''t the issue for Natalie, but Charles''s life was.


    Natalie


    innocence,¡± your ¡°Ms. Maine, if you''re not convinced, feel free to provide evidence of said. ¡°Your credentials might be real, and Professor Mn may indeed be your mentor, but surely you haven''t forgotten what you did while you were abroad."


    She continued coldly, "You threatened Professor Mn with suicide, and the Maine family had to spend a fortune to cover up your mistakes. That''s the only reason you were able to return and work at Dithoria City Hospital.


    "As for the heart surgeries you performed-they were basic procedures. Yet, you''ve been exaggerating their difficulty and sess. Did you really think no one would dig deeper?"


    Though dressed in a soft pink gown, Natalie exuded anything but softness. Her entire demeanor radiated a subtle chill. Even Charles, who had just started to recover, silently shrank


    into the corner.


    It seemed that Grace''s granddaughter wasn''t someone to be underestimated.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, I''ve already taken the medication. If you trust it, you can give it to Mr. Holden. Senior. If not, feel free to consult a more specialized doctor,¡± Natalie said, shifting her focus.


    back to Marcus.


    After delivering a sharp retort to Jessy, Natalie met Marcus''s gaze. Their gazes met, and for a brief moment, the air grew heavy with an inexplicable tension.


    Marcus''s gaze was dark and intense. When Natalie locked eyes with him, it felt as though she was being pulled into a dangerous but alluring ck hole.


    Startled, Natalie quickly looked away andposed herself. She cleared her throat and said, If there''s nothing else, Mr. Holden, I''ll take my leave now."


    Then, she turned to Charles and added, ¡°I still have some things to do, Mr. Holden Senior. I won''t be trying on any clothes."


    happe+ 24 Ghan


    rger to Hepay Hi Savior


    Just as Natalie was about to head toward the fitting room to change back into her own clothes, Charles reached out and grabbed her hand. ¡°Nattie, don''t rush off! I''m not feeling too well. Let Marcus apany you to try on clothes and pick out a gift, alright?¡±


    Charles shot a sharp look at Marcus. "Nattie saved my life. Shouldn''t you treat her to dinner and get her a special gift? Do you really think 5 million dors is enough to repay someone who saved me? Marcus, I''m telling you to make sure she''s well taken care of!¡±


    Charles gently patted Natalie''s hand. "Nattie, you saved my life, so don''t be polite with this brat. He''s rich- spend enough to make him poor!""


    Natalie fell silent. Charles truly cared for her, and Natalie knew it well. Because of this, she was even more determined not to repay his kindness with ingratitude.


    Marcus added, ¡°Grandpa is right. I shouldn''t have insulted Ms. Walker with money. She saved. you, so I should be thanking her properly."


    Unexpectedly, Marcus didn''t get angry. Instead, he agreed to Charles''s request.


    He


    med to Natalie and said, ¡°Ms. Walker, take a look and see if there''s anything else you like. I''ll buy it all for you, and then I''ll take you out for a meal."


    Natalie frowned slightly. She had no desire to be entangled with Marcus. Grace had. always urged her to use any means necessary to get close to him, hoping she could eventually marry into the Holden family. If that happened, neither the Langleys nor the Millers would dare to look down on her anymore.


    However, Natalie wasn''t that kind of person. If Grace learned she had saved Charles and had now started interacting with Marcus, she would likely use this life-saving favor to pressure Marcus into marrying her.


    Moreover, Marcus already had a fianc¨¦e. Regardless of how his rtionship with his fianc¨¦e stood, knowingly pursuing someone in amitted rtionship was something Natalie


    couldn''t ept.


    She had saved Charles for Grace and because Charles genuinely cared for her. There was no real connection between her and Marcus.


    "Mr. Holden Senior," Natalie started.


    "Nattie!" Charles interjected dramatically. "When you were at Hilltop Vi, you called me Grandpa Charles. How did that turn into Mr. Holden Senior now? Are you upset with me?"


    He put on a saddened expression and ced a hand over his chest. "I''m old and forgotten now All I want is for my grandson to spend some time with the person who saved my life. Why can''t my savior grant me this simple request?¡±


    As if that wasn''t enough, Charles covered his eyes with his hands and pretended to cry, yet he sneaked peeks at the pair through the gaps in his fingers. Natalie and Marcus both fell silent..


    Despite his age, Charles was acting like a mischievous child.


    "Alright, Grandpa Charles, I''ll go with Mr. Holden to dinner and ept your thanks, okay?" Natalie softened her voice, agreeing to Charles''s request. She would just have to be careful with her interactions with Marcus.


    "That''s better,¡± Charles said. ¡°Ethan, let''s go."


    Charles grabbed Ethan''s arm and hurried out of Nouvelle Zara as though there was a rabid dog chasing them. Once Charles had left, Marcus turned his cold gaze to Jessy. "You can leave, too." Jessy was stunned. A mix of frustration, anger, and resentment shed across her face, but she didn''t dare speak. Instead, she shot Natalie a venomous look before turning to leave.


    As soon as Jessy was gone, she immediately called Cassie to report everything that had happened at the mall. Cassie''s voice was gentle when she replied, "You''re more likely to make things worse than better."


    After a brief she added, ¡°However, I''ll still continue to help you."


    pause,


    With Jessy gone, only Marcus and Natalie remained in Nouvelle Zara. Without Charles there, Natalie''s attitude noticeably grew colder.


    "Mr. Holden, I only did that to put Mr. Holden Senior at ease. I don''t need your gratitude," she


    said.


    "Ms. Walker, since I''ve agreed to Grandpa''s request, I won''t go back on my word," Marcus interrupted. He could tell Natalie wanted to use him as a tool for her revenge against the Langleys and her former fianc¨¦.


    Yet, she seemed to think he might have developed an interest in her.


    Since she was friends with Connie and had the medicine that saved his grandfather, Marcus had no choice but to amodate her, even though he wasn''t happy about it.


    ¡°If Grandpa finds out, he''ll be upset,¡± Marcus said in his deep,manding voice. ¡°Besides, I have a few things I want to ask you, Ms. Walker."

 Coming 25

    Chapter 25 Begging Her for Help


    After Marcus finished speaking, he gestured for Natalie to go ahead. ¡°Ms. Walker, please.¡±


    Natalie hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. Grace had often asked her about her progress with Marcus while she stayed at the Holden residence.


    Natalie had been lying, telling Grace everything was fine: She thought about finding a photo of Marcus online to show Grace, but Marcus was very private, and there were no photos of him


    avable.


    Helping Marcus now would give her leverage for when she needed his help in the future.


    "Mr. Holden, please wait while I change back into my clothes," Natalie said.


    She didn''t particrly like wearing dresses. When she was with the Langley family, Diana couldn''t stand her looking good.


    On one of her birthdays, Grace had given her an evening gown. Natalie wore it for less than half an hour before Diana dragged her into a room and forcibly made her take it off.


    Diana pointed a finger at her and scolded, "How dare you dress like this at your age? Are you trying to seduce men because you''re afraid you won''t get married?¡±


    After that, she even pinched Natalie''s waist hard in a fit of rage.


    Every time Natalie dressed up, strangers wouldpliment her, but she would often hear whispers that she didn''t look like Diana or Victor. While Victor never said anything, Diana''s jealousy would re up, and she would take out her frustration on Natalie. It was impossible for her not to feel hurt.


    Eventually, Natalie stopped wearing dresses altogether.


    As a child, she didn''t understand, but as she grew older and began to notice the subtle details, she realized that Diana didn''t love her. Victor had some affection for her, but not much. Most of the time, he chose to turn a blind eye to Diana''s abuse.


    However, when the couple needed blood donations, they would try to guilt-trip her into


    helping.


    Now that the adult Natalie had the means to buy beautiful dresses and even run her own designpany, she still didn''t wear them.


    As she walked toward the fitting room, Marcus watched her from behind. Her slim, tall figure was framed by silky ck curls that cascaded down her back. Her long, elegant legs extended beneath the hem of her dress, and her skin was as fair as snow.


    Marcus turned his gaze away, reluctantly acknowledging that Natalle was stunning. With her looks and figure, she could pull off any outfit.


    It was no wonder Grace had spoken so highly of her when he overheard. Appearance-wise, Natalie certainly had the right assets. However, that was far from enough to seduce him.


    He had seen countless beautiful women, but none of thempared to Natalie. Yet, he would never be interested in a woman who was vain or scheming. His contact with her was purely to ask her to speak well of him in front of Connie so that Dr. Elim would reconsider treating Charles.


    After waiting for a while, Natalie emerged from the fitting room, wearing her own jacket. Her previously loose hair was tied up, and she appeared much more sharp andposed.


    ¡°Wrap up everything she tried on,¡± Marcus instructed the sales assistant.


    "Yes, sir,¡± the sales assistant replied. "Mr. Holden Senior has already had many items wrapped up. If you provide an address, we can have them delivered to your


    your home."


    Marcus paused for a moment, then turned to Natalie. ¡°Ms. Walker, where are you staying? I can have someone deliver the clothes to your hotel."


    "No need,¡± Natalie replied coolly. "I''ll take the first blue dress I tried on. Return the rest,


    "Sir, but-" the sales assistant began.


    ¡°Do as she says,¡± Marcus interrupted. He didn''t want to waste any more time on this. If Charles askedter, he would simply say he offered, but Natalie refused.


    "Alright,¡± the sales assistant replied.


    After their shopping trip, Natalie and Marcus headed to a five-star hotel restaurant in Balford. Marcus ced their order, and as they waited, Natalie asionally replied to messages on her phone. She maintained an aloof demeanor and not once looked at Marcus.


    Marcus remained silent but subtly observed her hands as she typed: her fingers were slender and delicate, with wless, fair skin untouched by scars. She wore no jewelry.


    Even so, her typing was quick, and her movements were smooth and elegant. There was something oddly satisfying about watching her Yet, what stood out most to Marcus was the uncanny resemnce of her hands to those of Dr. Elim.


    Marcus''s intense gaze seemed to catch Natalie''s attention. She put down her phone and gave him an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry, I had to reply to something about my studies."


    "It''s fine,¡± Marcus replied. He pulled his gaze from her hands, taking a sip from his water cup. ¡°Ms. Walker, I''d like to ask you a favor."


    "Go ahead," Natalie said.


    Marcus remained silent for a moment before finally saying, ¡°You''re good friends with Connie, so you must know she''s Dr. Elim''s assistant."


    Chang-


    egging ther for Help:


    Natalie blinked in surprise, then smiled. ¡°To be precise, Connie isn''t just Dr. Elim''s assistant. She''s her prot¨¦g¨¦. Connie handles a lot of Dr. Elim''s affairs. Why do you ask, Mr. Holden?"


    He set his ss down and leaned forward slightly, sping his hands on the table. His expression grew serious as he said, "I had finally managed to contact Dr. Elim and convinced them to treat my grandfather, but for some reason, they withdrew the offer."


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. It was her decision to refuse, but she didn''t feel she had done


    anything wrong.


    With genuine sincerity, Marcus pleaded, "Ms. Walker, I''d like to ask if you could speak to Ms. Sterling on my behalf and ask Dr. Elim to reconsider."


    Natalie gave him an apologetic smile. ¡°Mr. Holden, while I do have a good rtionship with Connie and know she''s Dr. Elim''s prot¨¦g¨¦, I''m not sure how much help I can be. You know Dr. Elim''s rules.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, and that''s why I regret my actions so much,¡± Marcus admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No matter what, I want to try again."


    He looked at her with a weight in his voice. "You''ve seen my grandfather''s condition. Without treatment, I''m afraid one day he''ll copse and never wake up again.¡±


    His tone grew heavier as he went on. "Please, Ms. Walker. I''m begging you."


    Marcus''s plea was earnest. He knew Dr. Elim''s rules were strict, but if Connie could provide Natalie with such life-saving medicine, there was a chance she could help again. Even if Dr. Elim wouldn''t change her mind, perhaps Natalie could persuade Connie to supply another round of medicine for his grandfather.

 Coming 26

    After Marcus spoke, his intense gaze locked onto Natalie, holding her captive with his stare. His sharp, mesmerizing eyes,bined with an aura of subtle dominance, made him seem both noble and aloof.


    In that moment, his focus on Natalie was so intense that she couldn''t avoid meeting his gaze As she looked deeper beyond his captivating eyes, Marcus''s features were perfect each one stunning on its own,ing together to form an extraordinarily handsome face.


    Even though Natalie wasn''t usually drawn to good looks, she was momentarily stunned by his wless appearance. His aloof, refined manner exuded cool indifference, even though he was asking Natalie for help.


    Natalie had a feeling that if she refused to help him, Marcus wouldn''t let it go. Should she let him keep pestering her, or agree and make him owe her a favor?


    When their eyes met, she found herself fascinated by his strikingly handsome face. His gaze carried an invisible pressure that made it hard to say no.


    intense


    Natalie quickly looked away. After a long pause, she lowered her eyes and said softly, ¡°Alright


    I''ll try."


    ¡°Great, thank you,¡± Marcus said, the tension in his face easing instantly. He leaned back in his chair, and as the server set their food down, he gestured for Natalie to start eating.


    The two of them ate in silence, with only the asional clink of their utensils. Natalie wasn''t the type to be overly social, but she wasn''t reserved either. However, with Marcus, she knew it was best to keep her distance.


    As for Marcus, he was only asking for Natalie''s help because of his grandfather''s illness. He had to stay on guard, making sure this vain woman, who wanted to use him as a tool for revenge, didn''t get her way.


    excused


    With their thoughts on other matters, they finished their dinner. Natalie quickly herself, eager to escape the ufortable atmosphere. Marcus didn''t try to stop her from leaving and instead offered to drive her home. "Ms. Walker, where are you staying? I can give you a ride,¡± he said, his voice calm and genuinely polite. ¡°No, thanks,¡± Natalie replied, ncing at her phone. "Connie''sing to pick me up." Hearing her response, Marcus fell silent for a moment before taking out his business card and handing it to Natalie. "Here''s my card with my number. You can reach me anytum


    Natalie took the card and casually slipped it into her bag "Alright, I''ll keep that in mind.


    She paused for a moment, then offered him a brief smile ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Holden.¡±


    Chapter 26 Stay On Guard Can''t Let Her Get Her Way


    After Marcus spoke, his intense gaze locked onto Natalie, holding her captive with his stare. His sharp, mesmerizing eyes,bined with an aura of subtle dominance, made him seem both noble and aloof.


    In that moment, his focus on Natalie was so intense that she couldn''t avoid meeting his gaze. As she looked deeper beyond his captivating eyes, Marcus''s features were perfect stunning on its own,ing together to form an extraordinarily handsome face.


    each one


    Even though Natalie wasn''t usually drawn to good looks, she was momentarily stunned by his wless appearance. His aloof, refined manner exuded cool indifference, even though he was asking Natalie for help.


    Natalie had a feeling that if she refused to help him, Marcus wouldn''t let it go. Should she let him keep pestering her, or agree and make him owe her a favor?


    When their eyes met, she found herself fascinated by his strikingly handsome face. His intense gaze carried an invisible pressure that made it hard to say no.


    Natalie quickly looked away. After a long pause, she lowered her eyes and said softly,


    I''ll try


    ''Alright


    Great, thank you," Marcus said, the tension in his face easing instantly. He leaned back in his


    and as the server set their food down, he gestured for Natalie to start eating.


    The two of them ate in silence, with only the asional clink of their utensils. Natalie wasn''t type to be overly social, but she wasn''t reserved either. However, with Marcus, she knew it was best to keep her distance.


    As for Marcus, he was only asking for Natalie''s help because of his grandfather''s illness. He had to stay on guard, making sure this vain woman, who wanted to use him as a tool for revenge, didn''t get her way. With their thoughts on other matters, they finished their dinner. Natalie quickly excused berwell, eager to escape the ufortable atmosphere Marcus didn''t try to stop her from learing and instead offered to drive her home


    "Ms Walker, whese are you staying I can give you a ride," he said, his voice calm and porty povine ¡°Sas, thanks.¡± Natale replied, cking at his  "Connie''sing to pick me up.


    Jeti


    antennaval


    Hearing her sepse, Mascus fell for before taking out his business card and banelling at malice''s my and with syrer. You can real me anytime.¡± ?sasteng.


    Satar took the can excusatly stipped or bag "Atigt, hep that in mind.


    to de


    See tutan seg


    paased tur a aroitusit, fire, oldvicod


    ban, Mc Holden.


    "Goodbye, Ms. Walker,¡± he replied, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he turned


    away.


    A short while after Natalie left, Ethan approached Marcus. "Mr. Holden," Ethan said. "Mr. Holden Senior has been transferred back to Quinton Hospital."


    "The new director is Dr. Gerard ckwood. He is the young doctor whom Connie promoted, with Dr. Elim''s support," he added.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Marcus''s expression remained indifferent, his voice low and powerful. "What about Jessy? Have you handled her?" he asked.


    "Ms. Holden stepped in and shielded Jessy. She took Jessy away before I could stop them," Ethan exined.


    "However, the Dithoria City Hospital and the Dithoria State School of Medicine have both issued statements," he continued. "Jessy''s been fired from the hospital, and the medical school has revoked all the honors she received. From won, no hospital in Dithoria State will ept her."


    Marcus nodded slightly. "Make sure the screenshots of her misusing Professor Mn''s ount and fabricating chat logs are released to the public."


    With that, even with the Maines''s wealth and Cassie''s protection, Jessy''s career was basically over. She would be an outcast, shunned by everyone. No one who messed with Mr.


    Holden would ever end well.


    ¡°And Natalie,¡± Marcus added, his voice calm but firm. "Treat her with respect."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Ethan responded.


    Natalie waited by the roadside for a moment before Connie''s G-Wagon pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down, and Connie shed her a bright smile. "Nat, hop in."


    Natalie opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. Once she was settled in, Natalie


    turned to Connie.


    ¡°Marcus asked me toe and request a favor. He hopes you can convince Dr. Elim to continue treating Mr. Holden Senior."


    Connie, steering with one hand, handed Natalie a small carton of milk. ¡°So, Ms. Walker, are you going to take-on Mr. Holden Senior''s case again?¡± she asked with a yful tone.


    Natalie squinted her eyes, deep in thought. "Connie, tell me: what''s the hardest debt to repay in this world?" she asked, her tone steady.


    A debt of gratitude," Connie replied without hesitation. ¡°But it depends on who you''re dealing with. If the person values what you''ve done for them, they''ll be eager to repay you maybe even more than you deserve. That''s when it''s worth it."


    Cluppi 26 Stay On Guard Can''t Let Her Get Her Way


    She paused, then added, ¡°But if the person''s ungrateful, gratitude means nothing to them."


    Natalie pondered her words for a while, then asked again, "So, what do you think of Marcus''s, sense of


    gratitude?"


    Connie thought for a moment. "Marcus definitely isn''t the ungrateful type. With his status, his reputation matters to him. If you can get him to owe you, that''s a good thing, too."


    Natalie smirked. "Exactly. That''s what I was thinking."


    ¡°But Dr. Elim has set rules,¡± she continued, her tone calm. "Since I turned down Mr. Holden Senior''s case from the start, I''m not going to back on that decision."


    "However, you can treat him," she added.


    "What?" Connie''s eyes widened in shock, and she shook her head vigorously. "Ms. Walker, I


    can''t do that."


    She could handle the routine tasks for Natalie, her mentor. However, performing surgeries and treating serious illnesses were beyond her capabilities.


    "I''ll go into the operating room with you and perform the surgery myself," Natalie said, her voice unwavering.


    She had already decided to disguise herself as Connie''s assistant. With everyone masked and capped, no one will recognize her. She would take control and handle the surgery herself.


    "Alright, Ms. Walker," Connie replied, a hint of hesitation in her voice.


    Connie drove into Brookleford, a prime residential area in Balford City. Natalie often visited Balford for surgeries, so she owned a house here. However, when treating patients, she usually stayed at Quinton


    Hospital.


    After entering the residential area and arriving at her house, Natalie took out Marcus''s business card. It was a simple white card with ck lettering¡ªit was just the name "Marcus" with a phone number. She entered the number into her phone and saved the contact as Marcus.¡±


    As she stared at his name on the screen, memories of his strikingly handsome face and those deep, prating eyes came rushing back. His gaze was always piercing, as if it could see right through her.


    "Connie, call Marcuster and tell him about my decision," Natalie said as she casually tossed her dress and bag onto the couch before heading to the bathroom.


    "Got it, Ms. Walker," Connie replied, settling down on the couch. But instead of dialing Marcus''s number, she contacted Ethan, After all she didn''t have either Marcus''s personal or work number.


    "Hello, Mr. Carter. This is Connie Sterling," Confle sald casually.


    Chapp+ 26 Stay Un Guard Can''t Let Her Get Her Way


    ¡°Hi, Ms. Sterling,¡± Ethan replied, quickly putting the phone on speaker.


    ¡°Natalie mentioned Mr. Holden to me," Connie went on. "I spoke to Dr. Elim again about Mr. Holden Senior,


    but unfortunately, Dr. Elim''s rules are strict. However, Dr. Elim has agreed to let me perform the surgery on Mr.


    Holden Senior"


    As soon as Connie''s voice came through the phone, Marcus''s eyes lit up. He grabbed the phone, his voice deep and eager. ¡°Ms. Sterling, is this really true?"


    "Yes," Connie replied, her tone firm. ¡°If it weren''t for Natalie, I wouldn''t be doing this for


    Mr. Holden." She wanted to make sure Marcus knew it was Natalie who had pulled this


    favor for him.


    you,


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Coming 27

    Chapter 27 Tracking Her Best Friend to Find Her


    Marcus could hear the impatience and reluctance in Connie''s voice over the phone. She made it clear that she was only doing this for Natalie''s sake. He spoke gently and humbly, expressing his gratitude.


    ¡°Yes, I understand. I apol or doubting Dr. Elim earlier,¡± Marcus said sincerely. ¡°I''m


    truly grateful you''re willing to perform the surgery for my grandpa.


    ¡°And I really appreciate Ms. Walker for putting in a good word for me. When my grandpa gets better, I''ll be sure to thank you and Ms. Walker properly," Marcus promised.


    "I''ll send you the details and scheduleter," Connie said tly. "If there''s nothing else, I''ll hang up now." ¡°Okay, thank you, Ms. Sterling. Goodbye,¡± Marcus replied.


    After ending the call, Connie opened herptop and checked her emails. She then continued handling patients who had contacted her through special channels.


    A momentter, Natalie finished her shower and changed into a simple T-shirt and jeans. Her hair was casually wrapped in a hair towel. She grabbed her phone, sat on the couch, and noticed that her best friend, Olivia Thatcher, had texted her three minutes earlier.


    ¡°Natalie, why didn''t you tell me you were kicked out of the Langley family? Do I still matter to you? If Selena hadn''t caused a scene at thepany, I''d still have no idea what happened. Give me your address. I''ming over."


    A second message appeared. It read: ¡°I just transferred 20 thousand dors to your ount."


    And then another: "You''re out of the Langley family now, so take this money for the time. being. I''m really pissed, Natalie. Why didn''t you tell me this?¡±


    After reading the messages, Natalie sighed and quickly transferred the money back to Olivia. Then, she dialed Olivia''s number, and it was picked up after just three rings.


    "Natalie, do you know how mad I am?" Olivia''s angry voice came through the phone, but Natalie could hear the underlying worry in her tone.


    "You better tell me where you are right now. I''ming to find you," Olivia demanded.


    ¡°I''m in Balford,¡°¡ªNatalie replied, her usual cold tone softening slightly. ¡°I''ve got something to take care of. You don''t have toe if you''re busy. I''ll find you when I''m done here.¡±


    "Cut the crap. I''ming over right now," Olivia snapped. ¡°Be honest with me: did the Langleys bully you in Amberton? Is that why you ran off to Balford to hide and cry by yourself?


    "It''s really not,¡± Natalie replied with resignation "I''ve got a lot going on here. Even if you


    Chap 12 Tracking Her Best Friend


    Natalie was scheduled to perform surgery on Charles. The preoperative and postoperative procedures would take about a week.


    She''d need to stay at Quinton Hospital the entire time. On top of that, she had to keep her identity as Dr. Elim a secret.


    She''d already met with Charles, so she couldn''t avoid visiting him. Figuring out how to keep the Holdens from discovering she was Dr. Elim would be a challenge. If Olivia came over, Natalie worried she wouldn''t have enough time for her.


    "I don''t need you to keep mepany. You can focus on your own stuff, and I''ll be there for you," Olivia said, her tone firm and leaving no room for argument.


    "Unless you don''t see me as your best friend anymore. You''ve already hidden things from me. once, and now you''re going to drop me again?" Olivia''s voice was tinged with hurt.


    Natalie stayed silent for a long moment before finally replying, "Fine, then;e. I''ll send you the address."


    ¡°That''s better,¡± Olivia said. ¡°And the money-don''t even think about sending it back. If you do, I''ll never forgive you."


    Before Natalie could respond, Olivia ended the call. In the next moment, Natalie received a notification that Olivia had transferred 20 thousand dors to her ount once again.


    "If you don''t take this, I''ll make you regret it.¡± Olivia''s message popped up on Natalie''s phone, along with an angry face emoji. A warm feeling filled Natalie''s heart, and she finally epted the money.


    Olivia had been her best friend since kindergarten. They yed together, bullied other kids, and got bullied in return. From elementary school to high school and even through college, they''d always been by each other''s side.


    However, after they got into university, Natalie chose to study design while Olivia pursued her dreams of acting.


    Even before graduating, Olivia''s striking looks and tall figure caught the attention of a


    modeling agency. Over the past four years, she''d worked tirelessly to bnce her studies with her modeling career. By the time she received her degree, she had already achieved financial independence.


    Olivia didn''te from a wealthy family. But her parents adored her and worked hard to give her the best they could. Because of their efforts, she was able to attend the same school as wealthy kids like Natalie.


    However, some kids could tell the difference between wealth and poverty even at a young age. They looked down on Olivia foring from an ordinary family and treated her with hostility.


    Chapter 27 Tracking Her Best Friend to Find Her


    Natalie was different, though: she never cared about Olivia''s family background. Whenever Olivia was bullied, Natalie always stood up for her without hesitation. That''s how their friendship began, and it only grew stronger over the years.


    Now that the real Langley heiress had returned, Natalie found herself in the awkward position of beingbeled the ¡°fake¡± daughter. Selena stormed into thepany where she was interning, causing a scene and making sure everyone knew Natalie wasn''t the real Langley


    heiress.


    When Selena started using Natalie, Olivia was the first to defend her. It wasn''t Natalie''s fault that the nurses had switched them at birth. She hadn''t tried to rece Selena in the Langley family on purpose. How could Selena call Natalie a scheming bitch when she hadn''t done anything wrong?


    Olivia got into a physical fight with Selena at thepany. Furious and heartbroken, she contacted Natalie immediately. Natalie had no idea about the fight between Olivia and Selena, but one thing was certain-when Olivia showed up, she''d better be ready for a lecture.


    At Amberton Airport, Olivia booked the quickest flight to Balford. She wore her sunsses and headed straight to the departure lounge. Not far behind, Selena and Diana followed closely both disguised with sunsses and hats.


    Selena and Diana followed Olivia because they had no other choice. After several failed attempts to reach Natalie by phone, they decided to visit the sanatorium to look for Grace. However, Grace refused to see them.


    To make matters worse, Natalie had paid the sanatorium to hire a team of burly bodyguards to protect Grace around the clock. Diana and Selena had no way to get anywhere near her.


    The mother and daughter spent an entire day and night cursing Natalie, finally hatching a n to cause a scene at her internship. They aimed to ruin her reputation, expose her as the fake Langley heiress, and get her fired. However, they didn''t anticipate running into Natalie''s best friend, Olivia, right in the middle of their scheme.


    As her best friend, Olivia immediately stepped in to defend Natalie. She pped Selena twice. The verbal confrontation quickly escted into a physical brawl between the two.


    After the fight, Olivia, furious and anxious, immediately contacted Natalie. Meanwhile, Selena came up with a new n to track down Natalie-by following Olivia.


    Selena was furious, her mind racing with anger and determination. That bitch, Natalie, thought she could hide, but Selena wasn''t going to stop until she tracked her down. Those Langley Group shares rightfully belonged to the true heirs, and Natalie had to return them. Without wasting a second, Selena called Diana, and the mother-and-daughter duo began tailing Olivia. When they saw Olivia heading to the airport, they followed her there. After figuring out which flight she''d booked, they bought tickets for the same flight. Selena was certain that by trailing Natalie''s closest friend, they''d eventually find her.

 Coming 28

    Chapter 28 How Can They Not Worry When They Care So Much?


    Selena and Diana followed Olivia closely. After the nended in Balford, Olivia exited the airport and quickly headed toward a ck G-Wagon. Natalie was waiting by the car, a warm smile on her face as she watched Olivia approach.


    Olivia''s eyes welled up with tears. She rushed over, hugged Natalie tightly, and then gave her two hard punches on her back.


    ¡°You idiot, Natalie! Why didn''t you tell me about any of this?¡± Olivia''s voice wavered with a mix of frustration and me. "Do you know how shocked everyone was when that so-called real Langley heiress, Selena, caused a scene at thepany?"


    Emotion overwhelmed Olivia. She hadn''t been there when Natalie was kicked out of the Langley family, leaving herpletely alone. Grace, the only one in the Langley family who genuinely cared for Natalie, was now in a sanatorium. Natalie had been left vulnerable and bullied by others.


    "I''m fine now,¡± Natalie said softly, gently patting Olivia''s shoulder. "Look, I''m doing just fine.


    frowned, concern etched on her face. "Selena stirred up trouble at thepany,


    using you of being dishonest," Olivia continued.


    ¡°She imed that you know you''re not a real Langley, yet you refuse to give up the Langley Group shares that rightfully belong to her. Thepany doesn''t want to offend the Langleys, so the boss is suggesting you resign on your own," Olivia added.


    Olivia and Natalie held each other for a moment before pulling apart. In her rush to get there, Olivia hadn''t brought any luggage with her.


    Natalie opened the car door, helped Olivia in, and then slid into the driver''s seat. She started the car and drove away from Balford Airport.


    "Natalie, what are you going to do about this?" olivia asked.


    Natalie''s expression remained calm. ¡°The Langley Group shares were a wedding gift from Grandma," she replied softly. "She made me swear I''d never let them fall into the hands of the Langleys."


    "I promised her," she added.


    Olivia felt a huge weight lift off her chest after Natalie promised not to return the shares to the Langleys. After all these years, as Natalie''s closest confidante, Olivia knew better than anyone what she''d endured in that family.


    Victor and Diana had never been kind to Natalie When they were younger, every time Diana called, Natalie had to leave school and rush to the hospital for a blood transfusion. She''d


    Chapy 28 How Can They Slot Worry When


    return pale andpletely exhausted..


    There was a time when Diana''s health was so poor that Natalie had to give her frequent blood transfusions. One day, Natalie suddenly fainted during ss. Olivia was with her when she was rushed to the hospital.


    That was when Olivia found out that Natalie had been donating blood to her mother since she was a little girl. Overwhelmed, Olivia hugged Natalie, unable to hold back her tears. Even at their young age, they both understood the toll it had taken on Natalie to constantly give blood.


    Now that Natalie had cut ties with the Langleys, it was a relief. At least she no longer had to be on call to give Diana a blood transfusion.


    As for the Langley Group shares Grace gave to Natalie, Olivia thought she deserved them. After all, Natalie had been Diana''s personal blood donor for years, saving her life countless times. No amount of money could ever repay such a debt.


    "I''ve met the Langley''s real daughter, Selena,¡± Olivia said with disgust. "She''s ugly, rude, and mean-she''s so full of herself."


    Olivia''s tone sharpened as she continued, ¡°And then there''s Diana, who is just as nasty. Despite you calling her "mom? all these years, she sides with Selena and badmouths you, making you look selfish and worthless."


    Natalie wasn''t surprised by what had happened. After all, Diana had never liked her from the beginning. If Diana hadn''t needed her as a blood donor, she wouldn''t have bothered raising


    her.


    Although Natalie grew up in the Langley family, Diana never acted like a mother. Instead, Grace raised her. Grace was strongly opposed to Natalie giving Diana blood transfusions, insisting they should buy blood from a blood bank instead. But Diana argued that, as her daughter, it was Natalie''s duty to give her blood. Diana worried about the quality of blood from the bank, fearing an infectious disease could ruin her life. To make her point, she even asked Grace if it would be eptable for Victor to abandon her if she ever fell ill.


    Caught between Grace and Diana, Natalie tried to mediate the situation. Knowing Grace felt sympathy for her, Natalie secretly continued giving Diana blood transfusions behind her back. Many times, a kind heart wouldn''t receive kindness in return. Despite all of Natalie''s sacrifices, Diana was never grateful. When her biological daughter, Selena, returned, Diana promptly kicked Natalie out.


    ¡°Olivia, don''t be angry,¡± Natalie sald as she drove ¡°Selena''s been through a lot over the years,


    Chory 28 How Can They Hot Worry When They Care Sin Madhir


    and she mes me for it. She thinks everything that happened to her is my fault, so she''s taking it out on me."


    Olivia frowned. ¡°Diana wants to make up for her biological daughter, but she refuses to admit. that Selena being switched at birth was partly due to their negligence. So, now, she needs. someone to me," she replied.


    "She thinks it''s only right to put all the me one because she raised me," Natalie said.


    ¡°But this has nothing to do with you!" Olivia eximed, her voice rising. ¡°And Tyler-your childhood best friend-doesn''t believe you either. As soon as Selena came back, the Millers immediately called off the engagement."


    ¡°So, being the true Langley really means that much to him? Did he have no feelings for all?¡± Olivia asked, her voice breaking with emotion..


    you at


    Natalie shrugged it off and gently squeezed Olivia''s hand. "I don''t like Tyler. I never have,"


    she said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Olivia asked, skeptical.


    "Yes, it''s true. I swear,¡± Natalie replied, her expression soft but her tone serious. She meant what she said. Olivia sighed in relief. ¡°Okay, let''s forget about Tyler. We''ll find someone a thousand timest better and leave Selena and Tyler fuming with jealousy."


    Natalie chuckled. "You sound just like my grandma."


    Olivia pressed her lips together and went silent. Natalie might not care, but Olivia and Grace did. They worried for her because they cared so much for her.


    ¡°Alright, I''m staying at Quinton Hospital now. Let''s head back," Natalie said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Olivia replied.


    ¡°Olivia, thank you," Natalie said earnestly, her eyes sincere. "I didn''t tell you before because I didn''t want you to feel sad or worried about me. But honestly, I really don''t care about it."


    ¡°Don''t say things like that,¡± Olivia interrupted, wiping her eyes. ¡°I''ve got money now. I can take care of you."


    ¡°Great! Then I''ll just kick back and rx and let Ms. Moneybags Thatcher support me,¡± Natalie joked, a yful grin spreading across her face.


    "Of course!¡± Olivia said with a yful smirk. They exchanged a nce and burst intoughter, the tension finally casing as the atmosphere lightened.


    Natalie drove back to Quinton Hospital and parked the car. As soon as she got out, she saw Marcus and Charles strolling. Olivia, who had encountered countless handsome men in the modeling world, was stunned by Marcus at first sight.


    Chapter 28 How Can They Not Worry When They Come Sig


    ¡°Natalie, look at that guy,¡± Olivia eximed, her voice filled with surprise. ¡°He''s gorgeous."


    He


    e was fitted in a custom-tailored ck suit, and Marcus''s tall, upright frame exuded sophistication and elegance. His striking features, which were almost like a work of art, radiated an aura of aloof, cold charm. While there were many handsome men, only a few could capture attention at first nce to the point of making people hesitate to approach them.


    Olivia, captivated by Marcus''s appearance, grabbed Natalie''s arm. ¡°Natalie, pursue him. If you get him, Tyler and Selena will burn with envy," she urged.


    Natalie stared at her, momentarily speechless. Chopp¨¦ 29 Natalie Wont Be the Other Woman.

 The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming 29

    Chapter 29 Natalie Won''t Be the Other Woman


    Natalie quickly covered Olivia''s mouth to stop her from blurting out anything further in public.


    "Don''t say it," Natalie warned.


    "Why not?" Olivia asked, puzzled. "Can''t I admire a handsome guy? Seriously, Natalie. I''ve seen plenty of guys in the modeling world, and none of them coulde close to that one


    over there."


    "He''s Marcus Holden," Natalie said calmly. "From the Holdens in Dithoria State."


    Olivia was stunned for a moment before reacting. "Wait, who? Who are you talking about?¡± she asked, confusion etched on her face.


    ¨C Natalie patiently repeated, "Marcus Holden, from the Holdens in Dithoria State. Marcus


    Holden."


    Olivia''s eyes widened in shock. "What?" she eximed.


    Marcus was a big shot¡ªa living, breathing big shot. It was no wonder she''d never seen him in entertainment magazines or heard about him in the industry.


    Marcus Holden, who was the heir to the Holdens in Dithoria State, was so low-profile that very few people had seen him. There were hardly any photos of him circting online.


    asionally, he would appear in financial magazines. However, those issues were quickly bought up and never made it to the public; they were practically collector''s items.


    This only deepened Olivia''s awe of Marcus. A man like him was way out of their league.


    Seeing the change in Olivia''s expression, Natalie''s eyes sparkled with mischief. She looped her arm through Olivia''s and started walking to ward Marcus and Charles.


    ¡°Natalie, what are you doing? I was just kidding! Why are you going over there?" Olivia asked, her eyes widening in panic.


    Olivia might have talked tough, but now that she knew who Marcus really was, she was a bundle of nerves.


    Marcus was the richest man in the world. The Holden Group''s empire spanned the globe, and he controlled 90% of Dithoria''s economy.


    People said he was ruthless, emotionless, andpletely indifferent to women. They imed he had no weakness. A man like that was practically a myth-someone to read about, not to ever meet. Girls like Olivia wouldn''t even get a chance to be near him.


    The Langleys might be the wealthiest in Amberton, butpared to the Holdens, they were nothing.


    Chang 29 Natale int the the Other Woman


    Olivia dreamed big, but she never got lost in her fantasies. If Marcus were just an ordinary


    guy,


    Olivia would have pushed Natalie to go for it. But he was the heir to the Holdens and the richest man in the world, which made thingsplicated.


    Now, Olivia was scared. Crossing someone like Marcus, who was at the top of the hierarchy, could lead to serious trouble. She wouldn''t even know what hit her.


    "Natalie, don''t go," Olivia said, her voice urgent)


    "Grandpa Charles,¡± Natalie called out, her voice filled with excitement.


    ¡°Natalie, seriously, listen to me," Olivia pleaded.


    "Hm?" Natalie responded, ncing at her.


    Olivia was still trying to stop Natalie when she heard her call out, "Grandpa Charles." But it was toote. Instantly, both Marcus and the elderly man turned to look at them.


    ¡°Nattie! You''re here,¡± Charles''s face lit up with genuine affection as he weed her warmly.


    ¡°Grandpa Charles, how are you? Feeling any better?¡± Natalie asked, her voice filled with


    concern.


    Charles nodded with a reassuring smile. With a sweet, polite smile, Natalie took arm and introduced her to Charles.


    Olivia by the


    "Grandpa Charles, this is my best friend, Olivia Thatcher. Olivia, this is Mr. Holden Senior," she said, then gestured toward Marcus. "And this is Marcus Holden.¡±


    Natalie gave Olivia a yful wink, hinting that now she''d get to meet the amazing man she''d been talking about.


    Olivia was shocked. She couldn''t believe it. She''d been worrying about her future, only to find out that Natalie already knew the big shot.


    Nervously, Olivia pinched Natalie''s arm and managed to greet Marcus, "Hi, Mr. Holden."


    ¡°Hi, Ms. Thatcher,¡± Marcus replied, his tone gentle and polite.


    It was nothing like what Olivia had imagined. Marcus didn''t seem like the ruthless, distant, and cold-hearted man she''d expected.


    ¡°Hi, Ms. Walker,¡± Marcus said. ¡°Thanks for your help. Ms. Sterling had already gone over all the details of Grandpa''s surgery with me."


    Connie had agreed to perform the surgery on Charles. Even though Marcus wasn''t fond of Natalie, he genuinely appreciated her help.


    ¡°Good to hear that,¡± Natalie said warmly, her usually cool tone softening. ¡°I''m sure Grandpa''s surgery will go smoothly. He''s in good hands."


    be the other Worn an


    "Yeah, it''ll definitely be sessful,¡± Marcus replied with confidence.


    Noticing Marcus talking to Natalie, Charles quickly turned to Olivia. ¡°You''re Olivia, right?¡± he asked. "Youngdy, would you take a walk with me and tell me more about Nattie?"


    Charles winked at Olivia. Though she didn''t understand why, she agreed. Besides, she wasn''t keen on staying around someone like Marcus,


    Marcus was polite, but his eyes held a cold indifference. His impable manners made him courteous toward her, yet Olivia couldn''t shake the unease she felt. He seemed to evoke an inexplicable fear that made her want to keep her distance.


    When Charles invited her, Olivia didn''t hesitate to leave Natalie behind. She took Charles''s arm as they walked away.


    "I''ll catch up with youter, Natalie!¡± Olivia shouted, waving. As they moved further, she couldn''t help but steal onest nce at Marcus, who was standing thereposed and confident.


    Marcus stood there quietly, his perfect posture and long legs giving him an imposing presence. His strikingly handsome face was devoid of emotions as he calmly watched Olivia help Charles walk away. His cool, confident demeanor made Olivia so nervous she quickly looked away.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, I''m going to head back,¡± Natalie said, not wanting to be alone with Marcus. She gave a slight nod and turned to leave.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Marcus replied quickly, eager to be alone.


    As Marcus and Natalie parted ways, Charles, who hadn''t walked very far, frowned in confusion.


    but


    What was happening? He had sent Olivia away to give Marcus and Natalie some alone time, but now they were heading in opposite directions.


    ¡°So frustrating!¡± Charles muttered under his breath.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, why are you upset?" Olivia asked, puzzled.


    "Can''t you see? I was trying to give my grandson and Nattie some alone time together," Charles replied, looking at Olivia as if she were clueless.


    ¡°Aren''t you Natalie''s good friend? Don''t you think she and my grandson make a good match? ¡°He paused, then sighed deeply. ¡°But Marcus is already engaged."


    "What?" Olivia eximed, stunned. Marcus had a fianc¨¦e, yet the grandfather was trying to y matchmaker with another woman? Was Charles trying to get Marcus a mistress?


    "Mr. Holden Senior, this isn''t right," Olivia said, her expression hardening. "Natalie won''t want to be the other woman. If Mr. Holden wants a mistress, he should look elsewhere!" she added firmly.


    Chapp?) 29 Natalie Wont eu the Other Woman


    Olivia''s earlier thought of encouraging Natalie to go after Marcus just to make Tyler and Selena jealous vanished instantly. Even if Natalie was just a fake heiress, she''d never lower herself to being the other


    woman.


    Act Fast Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming 30

    Chapter 30 The New Recement


    Olivia''s face darkened, her voice sharp as anger surged within her. But she couldn''t afford to offend the Holdens. Without Natalie introducing her, she probably would have never met Charles and Marcus.


    Still, no matter how wealthy or powerful they were, they had no right to treat Natalie like this and suggest she be a mistress. Only people who werepletely out of touch would say that.


    All the admiration and attraction Olivia had felt for Marcus disappeared in an instant. Her anger bubbled up inside, but she knew she couldn''t make a scene with Charles, especially given his age and status. Even though she was angry, she held herself back.


    ¡°Mr. Holden Senior, is there anything else? If not, I''ll go look for Natalie," Olivia said, keeping her tone steady.


    She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. She needed to tell Natalie about this as soon as possible.


    Charles had clearly called her away to give Natalie and Marcus some alone time, obviously trying to y matchmaker. If Marcus were single, Olivia might have thought it was perfect) but he had a fianc¨¦e.


    Flirting with other women while he was engaged was a betrayal¨Cnot just to the rtionship, but to his fianc¨¦e. A man who couldn''t be faithful wasn''t worth it.


    An unfaithful man was like spoiled milk. There was no point in keeping him around.


    Charles stared at Olivia. Just a moment ago, this girl had been all smiles, but now her face wast stormy. The change in her attitude was so sudden. Natalie''s good friend seemed to be filled with a strong sense of justice.


    Before Charles could say more, Olivia had already started drawing a line, clearly bothered by the fact that Marcus had a fianc¨¦e.


    "Youngdy, my grandson, and his fianc¨¦e-" Charles began, trying to exin.


    ¡°Mr. Holden Senior, I''m leaving,¡± Olivia interrupted, cutting him off.


    Olivia didn''t want to listen to him anymore. She let go of Charles''s arm and nced around. Upon spotting Marcus standing nearby, she waved him over.


    "Mr. Holden, could youe here for a moment?" she called.


    Marcus, who had been watching closely, quickly joined them.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, I''ll leave Mr. Holden Senior with you. I need to look for Natalie,¡± Olivia said politely, hiding her annoyance. Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.


    Charles was left speechless. The girl had cut him off! It was clearly rude, but for some reason,


    Chapje: 30 the New Roplocenunt


    Charles found it hard to stay angry.


    Marcus, however, didn''t care about Olivia. His focus was on Charles''s health and the uing


    surgery.


    "Grandpa, let''s go rest," Marcus suggested.


    "Alright,¡± Charles agreed.


    After parting ways with Marcus, Natalie didn''t stray far. She stood beneath a grand oak tree and soon spotted Olivia storming toward her.


    "Natalie!" Olivia called.


    "Over here," Natalie replied, waving.


    Olivia jogged a few steps and quickly reached Natalie. ¡°Nat, listen up," Olivia said sternly, her expression serious. Her demeanor was so earnest that it made Natalie uneasy.


    ''Ollie, what''s going on?¡± Natalie asked, swallowing hard. Whenever Olivia called her ¡°Nat,¡± it meant she was in for a scolding.


    "You can''t fall for Marcus, okay? And don''t even think about getting too close to him. Forget what I said about chasing him just to mess with Tyler and Selena. I''m serious, Nat,¡± Olivia warned, her tone unwavering.


    Natalie looked at Olivia, curious. In such a short time, Olivia hadpletely changed her mind. After all, Ms. Thatcher, a top model with extremely high standards when it came to men, rarely found someone she liked enough to encourage Natalie to pursue.


    "What made you change your mind so suddenly?" Natalie asked.


    Olivia red at her. ¡°Marcus has a fianc¨¦e, you know that, right?"


    Natalie nodded. ¡°I know.¡±


    "If he has a fianc¨¦e, we have to stay away. No matter how much you like him, he''s off-limits," Olivia said firmly.


    Liking someone who was already taken was painful. Even a secret crush could be torturous. Natalie was too good to be stuck on just one person.


    "Nat, there''s someone better out there for you, Olivia said, hugging her tightly. "Even if it takes time, we''ll wait for the right one together, okay?"


    ¡°Okay,¡± Natalie replied, her voice soft.


    Natalie hugged Olivia gently. The two had grown up together, sharing the same values and moralpass. When it came to rtionships, they always held firm to their principles, which were, "No dating someone already in a rtionship. No overly friendly guys. No selfish or arrogant


    Chapter 30 The New Recement


    types. No one with a temper or violent tendencies, and definitely no one from a family with twisted views." With such strict criteria, Natalie at least had her childhood friend, Tyler, while Olivia had remained single all this time. But now, even Tyler was no longer an option.


    He had once been Natalie''s fianc¨¦, but since she wasn''t the Langleys'' biological daughter, the engagement had been given to the true heiress, Selena.


    Now, Natalie wouldn''t even nce at him.


    But Olivia and Grace felt deeply for Natalie. They couldn''t stand the injustice of it all. How could such a wonderful girl be cast aside simply for being the ¡°wrong¡± child, forced to surrender everything she had, and endure the humiliation from Selena and Tyler?


    If Tyler cared only for the true heiress, then Olivia and Grace wanted Natalie to find someone far better. They were determined to make the Langleys and Tyler see that Natalie deserved


    better.


    ¡°Nat, we''re definitely going to find someone amazing for you," Olivia reassured her, giving her aforting smile.


    ¡°Yeah, we will,¡± Natalie replied.


    As for the engagement, Natalie wasn''t worried. She had more important things to focus on now that she had left the Langleys.


    "Let''s go rest," Natalie suggested.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Olivia agreed.


    Natalie and Olivia walked away together, unaware that Selena and Diana were watching from behind arge tree just a short distance away. Selena gripped her mother''s hand tightly, her


    locked on Marcus in the distance.


    eyes


    "Mom, did you see that? That guy is way more gorgeous than Ty," Selena said, her heart racing. She knew, without a doubt, that she had fallen for him at first sight.


    Diana narrowed her eyes, recalling how she had seen Natalie and Marcus talking alone earlier.


    That little bitch... It was no wonder she had left the Langleys so decisively; she had already found someone else.


    Diana''s anger red. How could Natalie, who had taken her daughter''s ce for 20 years, end up with such a great guy after being rejected by the Millers?


    "Mom, I have to get his attention," Selena said excitedly. "Natalie doesn''t deserve such an amazing man."


    ¡°Alright.¡± Diana nodded, malice and hatred shing in her eyes.


    Natalie, who had lived her daughter''s life for 20


    "Mom,


    I''m going to tell him the truth about Na


    Selena''s cheeks flushed, her heart pounding wil made her pulse race.


    Chapter 30 The New Recement


    Natalie, who had lived her daughter''s life for 20


    "Mom, I''m going to tell him the truth about Na


    Selena''s cheeks flushed, her heart pounding wil made her pulse race.


    Chap 3 The New Recement


    Natalie, who had lived her daughter''s life for 20 years, deserved to fall into ruin.


    "Mom, I''m going to tell him the truth about Natalie,¡± Selena said determinedly.


    Selena''s cheeks flushed, her heart pounding wildly. Just watching Marcus from a distance made her pulse


    race.

 Coming 31

    Chapter 30 The New Recement


    Olivia''s face darkened, her voice sharp as anger surged within her. But she couldn''t afford to offend the Holdens. Without Natalie introducing her, she probably would have never met Charles and Marcus.


    Still, no matter how wealthy or powerful they were, they had no right to treat Natalie like this and suggest she be a mistress. Only people who werepletely out of touch would say that.


    All the admiration and attraction Olivia had felt for Marcus disappeared in an instant. Her anger bubbled up inside, but she knew she couldn''t make a scene with Charles, especially given his age and status. Even though she was angry, she held herself back.


    ¡°Mr. Holden Senior, is there anything else? If not, I''ll go look for Natalie," Olivia said, keeping her tone steady.


    She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. She needed to tell Natalie about this as soon as possible.


    Charles had clearly called her away to give Natalie and Marcus some alone time, obviously trying to y matchmaker. If Marcus were single, Olivia might have thought it was perfect) but he had a fianc¨¦e.


    Flirting with other women while he was engaged was a betrayal¨Cnot just to the rtionship, but to his fianc¨¦e. A man who couldn''t be faithful wasn''t worth it.


    An unfaithful man was like spoiled milk. There was no point in keeping him around.


    Charles stared at Olivia. Just a moment ago, this girl had been all smiles, but now her face wast stormy. The change in her attitude was so sudden. Natalie''s good friend seemed to be filled with a strong sense of justice.


    Before Charles could say more, Olivia had already started drawing a line, clearly bothered by the fact that Marcus had a fianc¨¦e.


    "Youngdy, my grandson, and his fianc¨¦e-" Charles began, trying to exin.


    ¡°Mr. Holden Senior, I''m leaving,¡± Olivia interrupted, cutting him off.


    Olivia didn''t want to listen to him anymore. She let go of Charles''s arm and nced around. Upon spotting Marcus standing nearby, she waved him over.


    "Mr. Holden, could youe here for a moment?" she called.


    Marcus, who had been watching closely, quickly joined them.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, I''ll leave Mr. Holden Senior with you. I need to look for Natalie,¡± Olivia said politely, hiding her annoyance. Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.


    Charles was left speechless. The girl had cut him off! It was clearly rude, but for some reason,


    Chapje: 30 the New Roplocenunt


    Charles found it hard to stay angry.


    Marcus, however, didn''t care about Olivia. His focus was on Charles''s health and the uing


    surgery.


    "Grandpa, let''s go rest," Marcus suggested.


    "Alright,¡± Charles agreed.


    After parting ways with Marcus, Natalie didn''t stray far. She stood beneath a grand oak tree and soon spotted Olivia storming toward her.


    "Natalie!" Olivia called.


    "Over here," Natalie replied, waving.


    Olivia jogged a few steps and quickly reached Natalie. ¡°Nat, listen up," Olivia said sternly, her expression serious. Her demeanor was so earnest that it made Natalie uneasy.


    ''Ollie, what''s going on?¡± Natalie asked, swallowing hard. Whenever Olivia called her ¡°Nat,¡± it meant she was in for a scolding.


    "You can''t fall for Marcus, okay? And don''t even think about getting too close to him. Forget what I said about chasing him just to mess with Tyler and Selena. I''m serious, Nat,¡± Olivia warned, her tone unwavering.


    Natalie looked at Olivia, curious. In such a short time, Olivia hadpletely changed her mind. After all, Ms. Thatcher, a top model with extremely high standards when it came to men, rarely found someone she liked enough to encourage Natalie to pursue.


    "What made you change your mind so suddenly?" Natalie asked.


    Olivia red at her. ¡°Marcus has a fianc¨¦e, you know that, right?"


    Natalie nodded. ¡°I know.¡±


    "If he has a fianc¨¦e, we have to stay away. No matter how much you like him, he''s off-limits," Olivia said firmly.


    Liking someone who was already taken was painful. Even a secret crush could be torturous. Natalie was too good to be stuck on just one person.


    "Nat, there''s someone better out there for you, Olivia said, hugging her tightly. "Even if it takes time, we''ll wait for the right one together, okay?"


    ¡°Okay,¡± Natalie replied, her voice soft.


    Natalie hugged Olivia gently. The two had grown up together, sharing the same values and moralpass. When it came to rtionships, they always held firm to their principles, which were, "No dating someone already in a rtionship. No overly friendly guys. No selfish or arrogant


    Chapter 30 The New Recement


    types. No one with a temper or violent tendencies, and definitely no one from a family with twisted views." With such strict criteria, Natalie at least had her childhood friend, Tyler, while Olivia had remained single all this time. But now, even Tyler was no longer an option.


    He had once been Natalie''s fianc¨¦, but since she wasn''t the Langleys'' biological daughter, the engagement had been given to the true heiress, Selena.


    Now, Natalie wouldn''t even nce at him.


    But Olivia and Grace felt deeply for Natalie. They couldn''t stand the injustice of it all. How could such a wonderful girl be cast aside simply for being the ¡°wrong¡± child, forced to surrender everything she had, and endure the humiliation from Selena and Tyler?


    If Tyler cared only for the true heiress, then Olivia and Grace wanted Natalie to find someone far better. They were determined to make the Langleys and Tyler see that Natalie deserved


    better.


    ¡°Nat, we''re definitely going to find someone amazing for you," Olivia reassured her, giving her aforting smile.


    ¡°Yeah, we will,¡± Natalie replied.


    As for the engagement, Natalie wasn''t worried. She had more important things to focus on now that she had left the Langleys.


    "Let''s go rest," Natalie suggested.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Olivia agreed.


    Natalie and Olivia walked away together, unaware that Selena and Diana were watching from behind arge tree just a short distance away. Selena gripped her mother''s hand tightly, her


    locked on Marcus in the distance.


    eyes


    "Mom, did you see that? That guy is way more gorgeous than Ty," Selena said, her heart racing. She knew, without a doubt, that she had fallen for him at first sight.


    Diana narrowed her eyes, recalling how she had seen Natalie and Marcus talking alone earlier.


    That little bitch... It was no wonder she had left the Langleys so decisively; she had already found someone else.


    Diana''s anger red. How could Natalie, who had taken her daughter''s ce for 20 years, end up with such a great guy after being rejected by the Millers?


    "Mom, I have to get his attention," Selena said excitedly. "Natalie doesn''t deserve such an amazing man."


    ¡°Alright.¡± Diana nodded, malice and hatred shing in her eyes.


    Natalie, who had lived her daughter''s life for 20


    "Mom,


    I''m going to tell him the truth about Na


    Selena''s cheeks flushed, her heart pounding wil made her pulse race.


    Chapter 30 The New Recement


    Natalie, who had lived her daughter''s life for 20


    "Mom, I''m going to tell him the truth about Na


    Selena''s cheeks flushed, her heart pounding wil made her pulse race.


    Chap 3 The New Recement


    Natalie, who had lived her daughter''s life for 20 years, deserved to fall into ruin.


    "Mom, I''m going to tell him the truth about Natalie,¡± Selena said determinedly.


    Selena''s cheeks flushed, her heart pounding wildly. Just watching Marcus from a distance made her pulse


    race.

 Coming 32

    Chapter 32 Stealing Natalie''s Man


    Diana looked at Rita and said, ¡°Mrs. Bundit, I''m not sure what caused you to leave Quinton Hospital, but now that you''re no longer part of it, why don''t you use those old connections to earn a little something for yourself? Quinton Hospital has chased you out, so why are you worried on their behalf? It''s time to think about yourself for a change."


    Seeing Rita remain silent, Diana decided not to press her further. She noticed that Selena was about to speak, so she gently squeezed her hand and shook her head. Selena had no choice but to keep quiet.


    Diana gestured for Selena to drink her coffee while giving Rita time to think.


    After a long pause, Rita seemed to have made up her mind. She nodded and said, "I know several people at the hospital. I can make the rmendation, but it''s beyond my control whether you''ll be able to work there as a nurse."


    "That''s fine. You''ll be a great help as the director''s wife.¡±


    "My husband isn''t the director anymore. Please just call me Mrs. Bundit."


    Rita paused then, her mind briefly drifting. Peter was always overlooked, but Elim had helped him rise. Elim was a part of Quinton Hospital, but no one knew Elim''s real identity as they were so secretive.


    Rita deeply admired Elim and felt a strong sense of gratitude toward them. Therefore, she couldn''t stand seeing someone impersonate Elim


    what she had solid evidence to expose the imposter. Rita had aimed to build a good


    Believing rtionship with Jessy, who had imed to be Elim at that time. However, she hadn''t realized how foolish she was being.


    Rita wiped her eyes and then wrote down several phone numbers for Diana and Selena. After epting a money transfer from Diana, she left.


    Using the phone number that Rita had provided, Diana and Selena quickly contacted Daniel Moore, the person in charge of managing the nurses at Quinton Hospital.


    Diana then utilized her financial powers to secure Selena a nursing position. However, Daniel only gave them a brief tour of the hospital and did not assign any actual work to Selena.


    He made it clear that Selena could only remain in the hospital under the guise of a nurse and that she wasn''t allowed to engage in any other activities. If Selena caused any trouble while in the hospital, it would reflect poorly on him, and he would not hesitate to take action.


    Selena shouted angrily, ¡°You took our money, and this is how you handle things? You can''t even manage something so simple! Just give us our money back, you worthless fool! How dare you still ask for money? Why don''t you rob someone instead?"


    Chapter 12 Straling Natalie''s Man


    ¡°Selena.¡± Diana quickly reached out to pull Selena back before apologizing to Daniel, ¡°I''m sorry. My daughter is just a bit anxious. She didn''t mean any harm."


    Daniel shot a cold nce at Selena. He was tempted to throw the money that Diana had just given him back at them. However, he couldn''t bring himself to part with such arge sum.


    ¡°I''ve made myself clear. If you two don''t follow the rules and something goes wrong, you''ll be responsible for the consequences,¡± he stated before turning on his heel and leaving.


    The amount of money that Diana had given him was enough for him to livefortably for several years. Although he had a stable job working at Quinton Hospital, there was little opportunity for advancement in his position.


    Since someone was willing to pay, Daniel had decided to ept the money, thinking that he could simply leave before anything was discovered. He dismissed Diana and Selena before leaving to handle his resignation paperwork.


    Selena was furious, and she was about to explode with anger when Diana grabbed her hand. We''re in the hospital right now. You need to be mindful of your image. Generally, a distinguished older gentleman wouldn''t appreciate a woman being fierce and aggressive. need to be gentle.¡±


    We


    Selena felt offended. "Are you saying that I''m fierce and aggressive? That guy just took the money without doing any real work. What''s wrong with me saying a few words to him?


    ¡°And what about that director''s wife who introduced us to this guy? Why did you give her 200 thousand dors and then give this man 500 thousand dors? Why didn''t you just give me the 700 thousand dors?"


    As she spoke, Selena felt a wave of injustice wash over her. Having been sold around since childhood, she had endured countless hardships.


    In the past, it didn''t matter if Selena was bullied as she didn''t have her parents'' support. But now, with her mother right beside her, she felt even more frustrated when she stood up for herself, only to be stopped by Diana.


    ¡°If 700 thousand dors can help you steal Natalie''s man, then it''s worth it," Diana reassured her quickly when she noticed tears welling up in Selena''s eyes.


    "Charles and Marcus are clearly not from an ordinary family. If you can steal Marcus from Natalie, he''ll definitely be worth more than 700 thousand dors. Sometimes, money is meant to be spent. You can''t catch a wolf without sacrificing any bait."


    Selena bit her lip in frustration. After a while, she managed to get her emotions under control. She said, "I got


    it."


    "Then, let''s go. We need to find a chance to run into that old man."


    After Diana calmed Selena down, the two of them began to stroll through the inpatient


    32 Stealing Natalia''s Man


    department of the hospital.


    Based on the impressive attire and remarkable presence of Charles and Marcus, Diana was certain that Charles would be staying in a VIP suite. She instructed Selena to search the VIP floor while she contacted Victor to ensure that Natalie wasn''t in the hospital.


    Diana and Selena split up the work, determined to steal Marcus from Natalie.


    Meanwhile, Natalie was unaware that Diana and Selena had followed Olivia to Balford and were


    currently in Quinton Hospital.


    After bringing Olivia back to the vi and letting her rest, Natalie went to Connie''s room.


    Connie had already discussed the surgery details for Charles with Marcus, and Natalie needed to prepare everything for the operation.


    In the days leading up to the surgery, Natalie also nned to improve Charles'' health. Hence, she entered one of the vi''s secret rooms, which contained various rare and precious medicinal herbs.


    Natalie had gone to great lengths to obtain many herbs that were either unavable in the market or only appeared asionally in the market. Rows of herbs were neatly arranged in specially crafted wooden boxes. Natalie selected several items and weighed them precisely before putting them into medicine bags and securely tying them up. Then, she left the secret room.


    "Connie, you''ll need to brew the medicine yourself. Once it cools down, ensure that Mr. Holden Senior consumes it."


    "Alright, Dr. Elim."


    "My friend is here, so just call me Nat."


    Connie quickly corrected herself, "Got it, Nat."


    Natalie nced at her bedroom where Olivia was resting. The soundproofing in her room was exceptional, so she wasn''t worried that Olivia had heard Connie calling her Dr. Elim. However, she knew that she needed to be cautious in the future.


    As Connie went off to brew the medicine, Natalie headed to her study. She noticed several missed calls from Victor on her phone.


    After sitting down, she called him back. Having severed ties with the Langley family, she knew that Victor was likely contacting her regarding the shares in the Langley Group. However, since she had promised Grace, she would never go back on her word.


    Chacje: 53 Unf


    Chapter 33 Unfilial and Ungrateful

 Coming 33

    Chapter 33 Unfilial and Ungrateful


    Natalie redialed the number. The phone rang three times before Victor answered.


    "Hello, Mr. Langley. I''m not sure why you''ve called, but I assume that you have something to discuss," she said coldly.


    Victor''s tone was stern and impatient as he said, "Your grandma is very ill. You''d bettere back now, or I can''t guarantee that you''ll get to see her onest time.¡±


    Without waiting for Natalie to respond, he ended the call.


    Diana had warned Victor that Natalie was overly suspicious and always cautious. If she asked too many questions, Victor might slip up.


    So, the best way to handle things was to deliver the message and then hang up quickly, pretending to be irritated and dismissive. That way, Natalie wouldn''t suspect anything.


    Natalie held her phone tightly after Victor ended the call, her brows furrowing in concern. She immediately dialed Grace''s number, but it went unanswered.


    A wave of anxiety washed over Natalie. Ever since Grace''s mental faculties had declined, she had kept her phone close at all times¡ªeven taking it with her to the bathroom and shower in a waterproof case.


    Grace had always immediately answered Natalie''s calls. Feeling worried, Natalie stood up and then took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. She reminded herself not to panic, worry often led to confusion.


    25


    After regaining herposure, Natalie decided to call Sarah. Unfortunately, Sarah''s phone also went unanswered. With no luck in reaching Sarah, Natalie then called the bodyguard. This time, the call connected quickly.


    "Hello, boss."


    "Where''s my grandma?"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior is in the garden ying games with the others."


    Even after hearing this, Natalie didn''t fully rx. Her voice was cold and authoritative as she said, "I''m going to video call you right now. You need to answer immediately."


    "Yes, boss."


    Natalie hung up the phone and initiated a video call with the bodyguard. The call was answered immediately, and the camera switched to show Grace ying a game with the other elderly residents in the nursing home.


    Seeing her spirited grandmother being so full of life andughter made Natalie''s earlier anxiety dissipate. The video was live, so there was no chance of deception.


    Chopi?: Uncal Doqrateful


    2/


    Feeling relieved, Natalie then instructed the bodyguard to ensure that no members of the Langley family approached Grace. He also needed to report any developments to her immediately.


    The bodyguard respectfully acknowledged her instructions and assured her that he would protect Grace. Only then did Natalie end the call.


    Shortly after that, Sarah''s call came through. Natalie quickly answered, "Hello."


    "I''m so sorry, Natalie! I just went to wash my hands and left my phone in the ward."


    "It''s alright. How is my grandma doing?"


    Having seen Grace earlier and confirming that she was well, Natalie didn''t feel the need to me Sarah for not answering her call sooner.


    ¡°Everything is great. You don''t have to worry."


    ¡°Has anyone from the Langley family caused any trouble?¡±


    ¡°They''vee by a few times, but with your assigned bodyguard present, they couldn''t get close to Mrs. Langley Senior. Besides, she doesn''t want to see them. After they didn''t manage to get anywhere close to her, they stoppeding. Now, they just asionally send messages


    to insult me."


    As Grace''s dedicated caregiver, Sarah was fullymitted to her well-being. Since Natalie paid a high fee to the nursing home and also provided Sarah with a separate sry, Sarah took great care of the elderlydy.


    Although Grace''s mental capacity had declined to that of a six-year-old child, she was easier to manage than a child. As long as Sarah cared for her properly, Grace could live for several more years. It would greatly benefit Sarah too.


    So, Grace was not simply a patient. She was also Sarah''s answer to a better life.


    ¡°I''m not affected by the Langleys'' scolding. Rest assured, Natalie. If anything happens here, I will notify you immediately.¡±


    "Okay."


    ¡°Sarah, please send me screenshots of the Langley family''s insults. I''llpensate you for your emotional distress."


    ¡°There''s no need for that.¡± Sarah was surprised at the idea of receivingpensation for emotional distress, but she felt that she couldn''t ept it since Natalie already paid her well and provided her with job stability.


    It was rare to find such a devoted and easygoing employer. The Langley family often imed to love and honor Grace, but over the years, it had only been Natalie who truly cared for and supported her.


    Chapter 22 Unital and Ungrateful


    The Langley family had said that Natalie was unfilial and ungrateful. However, Sarah would argue that the Langley family was the despicable one.


    ¡°It''s fine,¡± Natalie said firmly, her voice cold and resolute. "Caring for my grandmother is your job, but enduring insults is not part of your responsibilities. I willpensate you where it''s due.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I''ll send it to youter. Mrs. Langley Senior is outside ying games, so I''ll be joining her now.¡±


    "Okay."


    Natalie hung up the phone, her previously anxious heart finally settling. She didn''t care what kind of people Victor and Diana were. After Selena returned, everything she once had had be Selena''s, but that didn''t bother her at all


    The only thing that truly mattered to Natalie was Grace. No matter who it was, be it the members of the Langley family or anyone else, she would never allow them to harm Grace in


    any way.


    Just as Natalie finished her conversation with Sarah, another call came in. She nced at the


    unfamiliar number and answered the call.


    "Hello, Natalie. Why did you block my number?"


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. The voice was unmistakably Diana''s. Ever since she was kicked out of the Langley family and then falsely used of stealing by Selena, she had blocked Diana''s number without a second thought.


    As for Victor''s number, she had initially blocked it too, but she hadter unblocked it after some consideration. After all, he was Grace''s biological son.


    Although Natalie had been raised by Grace, they didn''t share any blood ties. If the day ever came when Grace was no longer around, she would need Victor''s consent to attend the funeral.


    As for Diana, she didn''t belong to the Langley family and had no respect or affection for Grace. Not only would Diana likely refuse to honor Grace''s memory during the funeral, but she would also probably even resent having to pretend to care.


    If someone were to take her ce, Diana would dly ept it. However, if that someone happened to be Natalie, she would make things difficult for her. Having been Diana''s daughter for 20 years, Natalie knew exactly what kind of person she was.


    ¡°You ungrateful wretch! If I''d raised a dog, even it would know how to wag its tail at its master. How dare you have the audacity to enjoy the good life that belonged to Selena for 20 years while still clinging to Grace''s shares?¡± Diana sneered.


    ¡°Grace is practically on her deathbed, but you don''t even bother to check on her! How can you live your life being so carefree while ignoring her? You''re such an ungrateful wretch. You need


    Chop: 13 Untal and ungrateful


    to go


    back right now and visit Grace."


    Chanz

 Coming 34

    Chapter 34 Trick Her to Amberton


    Diana''s furious voice echoed in Natalie''s ears. However, Natalie remained expressionless as she moved to end the call.


    "Natalie, did you hear me


    The line went dead with a series of beeps..


    "Little brat," Diana hissed, her anger boiling over. She handed the phone back to the passerby, who had witnessed the entire call. The passerby''s gaze was filled with a mix of confusion and judgment.


    Despite Diana''s expensive attire that suggested wealth, the words that hade out of her mouth were far from refined.


    The passerby took their phone back without a word and walked away, leaving Diana to steady her emotions alone. She then quickly dialed Victor''s number. "Have you contacted Natalie? What did she say? Does she believe you?"


    "You told me to hang up once I was done speaking. I don''t know if she believes me or not," Victor replied, his brows furrowed with confusion and disapproval.


    He continued, "Why did you and Selena suddenly go to Balford? Selena has just returned, but we haven''t even held a family dinner yet. Besides, she needs to spend time with the Miller family and build rtions with Tyler.


    "When Selena framed Natalie previously, it was exposed right away. Since then, Tyler hasn''te to our house. You should encourage Selena to spend more time with him to help restore her image."


    ¡°Why should we care about Tyler?¡± Diana scoffed, her mind drifting to the elegant and refined man that she had seen not long ago. Instantly, she dismissed any regard for Tyler.


    "Selena will find someone even better and more impressive! Once we''re back, I promise you''ll be amazed. All you need to do now is bring Natalie back. The rest is up to Selena and me."


    Diana''s confidence was swelling. She believed that she and Selena were able to deal with


    Marcus and Charles.


    "What are you talking about? I don''t understand. What exactly are you and Selena up to?¡± Victor felt uneasy as he listened to Diana''s words. Instead of feeling reassured, he was struck by an unsettling feeling.


    ¡°Darling, you don''t need to worry. Just wait for the good news from me and Selena.


    Remember. We have to lure Natalie to Amberton. If she stays here, she will interfere with what we are nning to do," Diana said.


    you guys up to?"


    "What exactly are you guys up


    Chaop 31 Trick Her to Amberton


    ¡°That''s enough. Let''s leave it at that. Goodbye."


    With that, Diana ended the call. As she turned around, she was startled to find Natalie standing


    behind her.


    Natalie was dressed in the ck windbreaker, ck sweatpants, and white sneakers that she had worn when she left the Langley family. Her long hair was tied up, and her gaze was cold and intense as she fixed it on Diana.


    Diana had no idea when Natalie had arrived and how much of her conversation with Victor she


    had overheard.


    ¡°Are you nning to trick me to go to Amberton? You and Selena must have followed Olivia


    here," Natalie said with a smirk.


    From the moment Natalie had seen Diana at Quinton Hospital, she had suspected that they were tracking Olivia.


    Even though Diana had been exposed, she refused to admit it. ¡°So? Just because you''re here, Selena and I can''t be here too?"!


    Diana held her phone and red at Natalie. ¡°Didn''t I teach you when you were a child that it''s very rude to eavesdrop on other people''s phone calls?"


    Natalie stepped forward with a t expression. ¡°I don''t remember you ever teaching me that." She then smirked and continued coldly, ¡°Did you ever care for me even for a day? You''re so shameless to say such things.


    "Grandma taught me to always be upright, honest, and to never resort to underhanded tactics. If you do too many immoral things, you should be careful of ghosts haunting you."


    "You-"


    Natalie interrupted Diana, "What? Did I say something wrong? You appeared at the hospital and then Mr. Langley used the fake news of Grandma being critically ill to try and trick me to go to Amberton. Am I disrupting your and Selena''s evil ns?"


    Natalie had overheard the entire conversation between Diana and Victor.


    The moment Natalie had ended the call with Diana, she had immediately traced the unfamiliar number and was surprised to find that it was located inside Quinton Hospital. Hence, she had managed to overhear their conversation.


    ¡°It''s a coincidence that I''d overheard your conversation with Mr. Langley. But it''s impossible to get me to leave."


    After Natalie spoke, she smirked and turned to leave. Since Diana was here, Selena had to be present too. However, Natalie didn''t know why Diana and Selena had followed Olivia to the hospital.


    Chaty 14 fuck Her to Amberton


    ¡°Stop right there, Natalie. Give the Langley Group''s shares back to Selena.¡±


    ¡°Grandma gave me those shares. I don''t need to repeat myself. Since Grandma gave them to me, they''re mine. If you want the shares back, you should start by figuring out how to get Grandma to admit Selena''s identity."


    "You bitch! You''re not even part of the Langley family. How dare you steal my daughter''s shares? You''ve enjoyed a luxurious life staying with the Langleys all these years.


    "When you left, you stole Selena''s ring. You said all those righteous things before, but your won''t even return the Langley family''s shares. You''re the only one capable of doing something so shameless," Diana bellowed.


    Natalie remained calm and unruffled. ¡°That''s right. I''ve no shame, and I doubt you''re in any better position. After all, you''ve taken so much blood from me."


    With that, Natalie turned and walked away, ignoring the furious expression on Diana''s face. As she made her way out, she sent a message to Connie.


    "Have the new director arrange for someone to chase Diana and Selena out of the hospital.¡±


    Seeing them had only put Natalie in a bad mood.


    Connie quickly replied, "Understood, Ms. Walker


    After walking a short distance, Natalie heard Diana''s voice calling out behind her. ¡°Let go of me! Why can''t I


    be in the hospital? I''m here to see a doctor. You have no right to refuse patients. Let me go!"


    Diana continued to shout desperately, but Natalie merely smirked and continued on her way. After Natalie left, Marcus and Ethan stepped out from the shadows.


    Marcus''


    gaze was deep and inscrutable, his face betraying no emotion. Earlier, he had heard Ethan mention that Natalie had stood her ground against the Langley family for the shares.


    After witnessing it firsthand, Marcus realized that Natalie was indeed sharp-tongued and utterly shameless. Despite not being part of the Langley family, Natalie refused to hand over the shares because of pure greed. However, Natalie had persuaded Connie to help with Charles'' surgery. Without her


    intervention, Connie would not have agreed to perform the operation. This left Marcus feeling conflicted.

 Coming 35

    Chapter 35 A Heiress as a Fake Nurse


    "Mr. Holden, shall we head back to Mr. Holden Senior''s room?" Ethan asked cautiously. This was the second time he had witnessed Natalie confront Diana.


    Whenever Natalie dealt with Diana, her entire demeanor would change. She would no longer be the obedient and gentle presence she was in front of Charles.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Marcus replied, offering no furtherments as he led Ethan away.


    In just a few days, Charles would be undergoing surgery. Hence, Marcus wanted to avoid any unnecessaryplications during this period.


    When they returned to the VIP suite, they found a woman in the nurse''s attire standing at the entrance. She was speaking with a bodyguard, who was firmly refusing her entry.


    "What''s going on?¡± Ethan approached and quietly asked the bodyguard.


    "Mr. Carter, this youngdy insists that she''s the new caregiver and ims that she will be responsible for taking care of Mr. Holden Senior''s daily needs. However, we haven''t seen her before, so we can''t allow her in.


    "She''s also not on the employee list from Quinton Hospital, but she has her employment information. After checking, we''ve found that she was indeed recruited by the head nurse just recently. However, that person resigned an hour ago," the bodyguard exined.


    Selena felt an uneasy premonition upon hearing that Daniel had resigned just an hour ago. However, she knew that she couldn''t show any signs of weakness at this moment.


    The original n was for Selena to approach Charles while he was out for a walk. However, her impatience had gotten the better of her.


    After finding out which floor and room Charles was in, she hurried over, only to discover that there were bodyguards stationed at the entrance of the VIP suite, preventing her from entering.


    The bodyguard questioned Selena for a long time and checked her various credentials. In the end, he remained firm in his decision that she was not allowed inside.


    When Selena saw Marcus, her heart raced uncontrobly. Her gaze instinctively fell on his face. He had sharp brows, striking eyes, a high nose bridge, and beautifully shaped lips.


    His dark eyes held an intense depth, and when he looked down at her, an unspoken pressure enveloped her. His jawline was distinctly defined, and his Adam''s apple was both attractive. and enticing. Selena couldn''t help but imagine how alluring he must look when he swallowed.


    The thought that such a perfect man was Natalie''s boyfriend made Selena seethe with jealousy. After calming herself down, Selena adopted a gentle tone.


    "Although I''m new here, I graduated from a professional nursing school and have worked in a specialized hospital for quite some time. Every patient I''ve cared for has spoken highly of me."


    Selena tried to speak as sweetly as possible but with tenacity. She was determined to impress Marcus, hoping that he would fall for her at first sight.


    "Mr. Holden, I know this woman. She''s not a nurse. She''s the real daughter of the Langley family."


    Marcus furrowed his brows slightly at this revtion and shot Ethan a knowing nce before stepping into the hospital room. Ethan immediately understood what needed to be done.


    ¡°Ms. Langley, this way please,¡± Ethan said while gesturing politely at Selena. He had a deep impression of her after witnessing Natalie confront the Langley family while in Amberton. Selena, who had been lost to the world for 20 years,cked both the looks and grace of the fake daughter, Natalie. Moreover, she didn''t show any respect to Grace.


    While Natalie had been vain and greedy about keeping the Langley family''s shares, her concern for Grace was genuine. In this regard, Ethan felt that Selena fell shortpared to Natalie.


    Ultimately, this was a matter concerning the Langley family in Amberton. It didn''t involve the Holdens and was merely gossip for light conversation. However, they were displeased about Selena approaching them under the guise of a nurse.


    Selena''s eyes widened in disbelief as she processed Ethan''s words. "You know me?"


    "Yes. You''re Victor Langley''s daughter, Selena Langley. Am I right?¡± Ethan''s tone was polite, but his demeanor was resolute.


    "Since you''re the daughter of the Langley family, we don''t need you to be the nurse. So, I must ask you to leave."


    Selena became slightly hopeful about the prospect of getting closer to Charles when she realized that Ethan recognized her.


    "Since you know I''m the real daughter of the Langley family, why don''t we step aside for a moment to talk?" she suggested, shing him a bright smile.


    "I''m sorry,


    but I have nothing to discuss with you. Please leave. If you refuse, I''ll have to ask someone to escort you out,¡± Ethan replied while giving a discreet hod to the bodyguard.


    "Understood,¡± the bodyguard affirmed.


    As Ethan entered the VIP suite, the bodyguard swiftly moved to restrain Selena. He then escorted her away from the VIP floor.


    "Mr. Holden, she has left."


    Chapp¨¦r 35 A Hertess as a Fake Nurse!


    Marcus nodded, while Charles looked over with curiosity. "Who was just kicked out?"


    Ethan exined respectfully, ¡°Ms. Selena Langley is the real daughter of the Langley family. She''s pretending to be a nurse in the hospital to get close to you.


    After a moment of contemtion, Charles finally recalled who she was. He said, "Oh, she''s the one who recently returned to the Langley family and caused Natalie to be kicked out, right?¡±


    "Yes, that''s her."


    "Does Natalie know about this?" Charles'' expression turned serious.


    During his phone call with Grace, she had tearfully recounted how their family had bullied Natalie after Selena returned. Now that Natalie was at Quinton Hospital and Selena had appeared as well, it was likely that she was there to make things difficult for Natalie.


    Charles might have been unaware before, but now that he knew, he would not allow Natalie to be mistreated under his watch.


    "Ms. Walker should be aware of it," Ethan replied cautiously.


    Marcus maintained his usual expression, showing no emotion as he poured a ss of water for Charles. He also didn''t participate in their conversation.


    ¡°Marcus, bring Natalie here. I have something to discuss with her," Charlesmanded, looking directly at his silent grandson. ¡°Call Natalie and arrange a time to pick her up.¡±


    "Grandpa, Ms. Walker isn''t as weak as you think,¡± Marcus said as he handed the ss of warm water to Charles. "Besides, this is the Langley family''s matter. It''s not appropriate for us outsiders to intervene too much."


    "What are you talking about?¡± Charles replied, visibly displeased. "When Natalie saved me at the mall, did you consider her an outsider then? Was it inappropriate for her to intervene with my life?


    "Since Grace has asked us to look after Natalie, what''s wrong with helping her out? She''s been cast out of her home after 20 years. The moment the real daughter returned, she''s burdened with the title of a fake


    daughter.


    "What has she done wrong? Being switched at birth wasn''t her fault! And while Selena can return to her biological parents, we have no idea where Natalie''s real parents are.


    "I''m telling you to go pick her up. Just do it without any more arguments," Charles insisted, growing more agitated.


    He pressed a hand against his chest and continued, "If you don''t listen to me, I might as well cancel my heart surgery. After all, I''ll be driven to my grave by your stubbornness."


    Ethan stood by quietly as the tension in the room escted.


    Raving the Role of the Domineering

 Coming 36

    Chapter 36 ying the Role of the Domineering President


    Seeing that Charles was truly angry, Marcus quickly responded, ¡°Grandpa, I''ll bring Ms. Walker here right away. Don''t worry. I won''t let the Langley family bully her."


    Charles'' health wasn''t great as he had just suffered from an illness not long ago. Marcus was afraid that Charles might not be with him now if it weren''t for Natalie''s medicine and her stopping Jessy from giving him first aid.


    He didn''t care about Natalie''s past issues with the Langley family, but he couldn''t tolerate being used by them as a tool for revenge or as a pawn in a wealthy marriage.


    However, since she had saved Charles'' life, Marcus, though reluctant, had to listen to his wishes. He would go pick her up.


    ''Grandpa, don''t be angry. I''ll bring Ms. Walker over right now." He gently patted Charles'' back to calm him down, then instructed Ethan to stay with Charles before leaving the VIP suite.


    As soon as he stepped into the hallway, he called Natalie, "Hello, Ms. Walker. My grandfather wants to see you. Would it be convenient for you toe and spend some time with him? If it''s convenient, I cane pick you up now.


    "There''s no need for that. I''ll head over there right now," Natalie said, her voice sounding cold and distant over the phone. ¡°Connie has also prepared some medicine for Mr. Holden Senior to take before the surgery, so I''ll bring it with me."


    ¡°No, Ms. Walker. Just stay where you are. I''lle pick you up." Marcus'' voice was deep and maic. He spoke slightly faster than usual, and his voice carried a tone that brooked no refusal as he said, "Stay where you are."


    Natalie was speechless.


    What was Marcus doing? Was he trying to sound like a domineering president?


    ¡°Ms. Walker, please understand that this is my grandfather''s order.¡±


    Though he was domineering, there was an air of helplessness in his exnation.


    Then, she understood. He didn''t want to pick her up, but he had no choice, as it was Charles


    request.


    ¡°Fine. I''m at the vi behind the hospital. Come here,¡± she said before hanging up. She then took the medicine prepared by Connie and put it in a small jar before heading to the vi.


    Before long, Marcus'' tall and lean figure appeared. Natalie stood up and took in his handsome and refined figure from head to toe.


    He was dressed in a well-tailored suit, and his handsome features were sharp and defined. His lips were pressed into a straight line, and his deep, dark eyes seemed to ignore everything


    Chapp¨¦e 36 Papeg the Role of the Domineering President


    around him, as if nothing could catch his attention.


    He appeared indifferent yet still captivating.


    As he approached, she walked down the steps and made her way to him with the jar in her hand. Soon, they stood face to face.


    "Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Holden."


    "No worries. It''s the least I can do. Thank you for cooperating, Ms. Walker,¡± he said.


    One was cold and distant, while the other was aloof and noble. Their words were polite, yet neither of them were truly behaving like friends.


    Natalie intentionally kept her distance, while Marcus seemed to want to avoid being entangled with her. With this atmosphere, their interaction felt particrly strange, but neither of them pointed it out.


    carry


    Marcus extended his hand in a gentlemanly manner and said, ¡°Ms. Walker, let me carry that." "Thank you."


    She handed him the jar, and their fingers briefly brushed against each other''s. She quickly pulled her hand back and furrowed her brows involuntarily.


    Although it was just a fleeting touch, his disdain for her grew more profound. She was intentionally seducing him while acting and ying hard to get.


    Marcus'' expression didn''t change as he said, "Ms. Walker, after you."


    The two of them walked in silence after exchanging those polite words. No one spoke for the


    rest of the way.


    When they reached Charles VIP suite, Natalie finally gave a gentle smile. As for Marcus, his expression remained unchanged.


    an usual.


    "Grandpa Charles, I heard that you wanted to see me," she said, her voice softer than


    "Come here, Nattie," Charles said.


    He then looked at Ethan, who immediately stepped aside to make space.


    She walked over obediently and sat down. ¡°Grandpa Charles, how are you? Are you feeling better? Connie''s made you some medicine. When she heard that Mr. Holden wasing to pick me up, she asked me to bring it. The medicine is currently with Mr. Holden.¡±


    Marcus had carried the jar all the way here. Although it wasn''t heavy, details like this often revealed a person''s character.


    ¡°Yeah... He did what he should." Charles grabbed Natalie''s hand and gave Marcus no extra attention as he said, "I heard that the Langley family is here. Have they caused you any trouble?"


    Chay 15 Maying the Role of the Domineering President


    ¡°Fortunately, they haven''t been too troublesome.¡± She didn''t want to dwell on the grievances with the Langley family. Since Charles cared about her, she wanted to only share the good news with him.


    "Has the Langley family said anything about your biological parents?" Charles sighed and continued, "The Langley family has found their biological daughter, so they should help you. find your biological parents too. ¡°After all, they''ve raised you for 20 years. They should have some attachment to you, which would be the case even if they had raised pets. Besides, they aren''t poor. Taking in another daughter wouldn''t be a burden to them."


    But the way Victor and Diana had handled everything was disheartening. Now that their biological daughter had returned, they wanted to send away the daughter they had raised for 20 years, simply out of fear that their biological daughter might be sad.


    Such callousness was hard toprehend, especially from someone like Victor, who had managed to be the richest man in Amberton.


    "Grandpa Charles, I''m fine. I''m not their biological daughter, so it''s only right for them to ask me to leave."


    Natalie smiled gently and added, "As for my real parents, I''ll leave it to fate. They''ve never looked for me, so I guess they already have another daughter."


    Charles'' heart grew heavier when he heard this. He feared that Grace had already anticipated this, so she had left her shares to Natalie, not wanting her to ever give them away.


    Natalie''s biological parents were nowhere to be found, and now, her adoptive parents didn''t, want her. Without any financial support, she would likely face even more troubles in the future following the Langley family''s treatment.


    Luckily, although Grace was now mentally like a six-year-old child, she had loved Natalie. enough to leave her some support and a way out. Otherwise, Natalie would truly be pitiful.


    ¡°It''s okay. From now on, you''ll live with me. I''ll help you find your biological parents.¡±


    ¡°No, it''s alright.¡± Her voice was gentle and soft, but her tone was firm. ¡°Grandpa Charles, don''t trouble yourself. Maybe I just don''t have the fortune to have parents. I have my grandmother, and that''s enough."


    "That won''t do."


    "It''s really not necessary," she insisted. ¡°I don''t want to find my biological parents."


    If she found them and they only wanted to keep the daughter they had raised while rejecting her, it would be


    humiliating.


    Natalie didn''t want to fight for parental love with Selena, nor did she want topete with her biological parents. She could live well on her own.


    Chapter 36 Paying toe Role of the Domineering President


    "Marcus, go ahead and release the news. Help Nattie find her biological parents." Charles looked at Marcus.


    "I''m entrusting this matter to you. Make sure it''s done properly. Understood?"

 Coming 37

    Chapter 37 Putting Marcus in a Difficult Position


    Charles'' tone was stern, forcing Marcus toply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you then, Mr. Holden,¡± Natalie said, knowing that refusing was pointless. She would exin to Marcuster that she didn''t need his help in finding her biological parents.


    ''Grandpa Charles, it''s time to take your medicine," she said as she took the jar from Marcus. She took a small bowl and poured the medicine into it before bringing it slowly to Charles'' lips.


    "Before I came here, Connie specifically told me that you must finish this medicine. After three days of body conditioning and two days of rest, you''ll be ready to undergo the surgery. This medicine is a bit bitter, but you''re brave, right?"


    Her voice was soft, and she spoke as if she was coaxing a child. She wasn''t deliberately pretending. Ever since Grace had a car ident while saving her, she had cared for Grace, who had be more mentally frail.


    Natalie had patiently attended to her to help her regain some stability. So, when it came to caring for elderly people, her soft approach came naturally.


    Charles epted the medicine. He pinched his nose and quickly drank it all in one go.


    ¡°Grandpa Charles, good job!¡± Natalie praised him generously, then flipped her palm to reveal a mini fruit tart. "Here''s a treat for being so brave."


    Charles burst intoughter. After a moment, he said, ¡°That''s a trick you use on your grandmother, isn''t it?¡± She froze, then realized her subconscious actions. Embarrassed, she rubbed her nose and replied, "Yes. I forgot you''re not like her."


    He took the fruit tart and unwrapped it before eating it slowly. He then turned to Marcus and said, "Marc, should learn from her.¡±


    You


    Marcus remained silent. He had to admit that Natalie was quick-witted. She was able to fool Charles with her natural acting-


    However, her scheming was something only Charles would buy. After all, she wouldn''t have had such a public falling out with the Langley family if she were truly filial.


    But he replied, ¡°Grandpa, I''m a man. I''m not as detail-oriented as Ms. Walker, but I''ll learn.¡±


    ¡°That''s good. You should spend more time talking to her. By the way, Natalie, you haven''t graduated yet, have you?"


    "Not yet. But I''vepleted all the courses and attained all the credits. Recently, I''ve been interning at apany. But I''ll probably lose the job now that Selena has caused such a scene.


    Posdion


    there,¡± Natalie replied frankly as she acknowledged the situation that she was in.


    After Selena had caused such a scene, thepany would naturally choose to fire Natalie-the fake heiress who had lived as the real one for 20 years to not offend the Langley family while showing their stance and allegiance to them.


    "Since the Langley family is always targeting you, don''t go back. Marcus, arrange for Natalie to join thepany! I think..... She can be your personal assistant.


    "Pay her well and offer her the full benefits. Ensure that she only works nine-to-five with weekends off. She shouldn''t work overtime, but if there''s a need for overtime, pay her triple the sry.¡±


    Charles set the terms firmly and continued, ¡°Once I''ve recovered from the surgery, you''lle with us to Dithoria."


    Marcus was speechless. He realized that Charles was not only hiring a personal assistant but also inviting a disaster into his life.


    Natalie had already nned to use him to get revenge on Selena and her former fianc¨¦. Now, Charles was putting him in a difficult position.


    Marcus furrowed his brows. His gaze was cold as he nced at Natalie. She was likely secretly enjoying this, and she was probably already dancing with victory in her mind.


    ¡°Grandpa Charles, that''s not necessary. I''ve already found a new job. My good friend, Olivia, is a rising supermodel, and she has hired me as her assistant.¡±


    Natalie smiled faintly and said, ¡°Thank you for thinking about me, but I don''t meet Holden Group''s hiring standards. I don''t want to trouble Mr. Holden."


    Marcus'' expression remained unchanged, though a sh of derision crossed his eyes.


    What a hypocrite. If she truly didn''t want to join Holden Group, she wouldn''t have mentioned how Selena had disrupted her job at thepany.


    Charles had been enchanted by Natalie, and he treated her even better than his own grandson.


    Marcus was convinced that she was just saying no for now, but he believed that she would eventually agree to be his personal assistant.


    Being a personal assistant was very different from being a work assistant. But with Charles backing her, she was practically untouchable. If she made a mistake, no one would dare to reprimand her.


    It was irritating


    "I''ll work with Olivia for a bit longer and improve my skills before maybe considering troubling Mr. Holden." Natalie didn''tpletely shut the door on the offer. Charles'' nature was like Grace''s-kind Chaoyuting data Diun oution


    and protective. He only wanted to pave the way for her.


    But she knew the difference. Grace had raised her, while Charles was only helping her because of the favors owed to Grace.


    She understood his good intentions, but she couldn''t ept the arrangement.


    Grace had always intended for her to seduce Marcus and marry into the Holden family just to spite Selena and Tyler. For this reason, she absolutely could not have too much contact with


    Marcus.


    ¡°Grandpa Charles, right now, your priority is to take your medicine and stay calm while preparing for your surgery in a few days. Once the surgery is a sess, you can shout and curse as much as you want. When that timees, I''d like to see you raging like a mighty


    storm."


    She winked yfully at Charles, her demeanor cute and yful,pletely different from the aloofness that she had shown the Langley family


    "You''re always so shy. I''ve taken the medicine, so you should go back and rest now. Let Marcus take you home. Also, stop calling him ''Mr. Holden. Since you call me ''Grandpa,'' you should treat Marcus as your


    brother."


    He sighed internally. He had hoped to bring Natalie and Marcus closer, but they seemed as distant as strangers. He had tried his best to create opportunities for them, but nothing seemed to spark between them.


    If they couldn''t be lovers, then at least they could be siblings.


    In a fit of pique, he muttered a curse under his breath, "May all lovers in the world turn out to be siblings."


    Natalie was speechless. Treating Marcus as a brother was simply unthinkable.


    Chapj¨¦r 30 Are You Taedul Pretending

 Coming 38

    Chapter 38 Aren''t You Tired of Pretending


    "Grandpa Charles, please rest well. I''ll be heading back now."


    Natalie avoided addressing Charles'' previous words directly and stood up.


    She nced at Marcus, who nodded slightly and said, "Grandpa, I''ll escort Ms. Walker back."


    "Don''t call her Ms. Walker. It sounds too distant. Either call her Nattie or Natalie."


    Charles felt ufortable hearing them address each other so formally.


    Marcus didn''t like Emma, and to him, no woman was worth mentioning. Charles wasn''t sure if he''d ever get to hold a great-grandson.


    "You''re right, Grandpa,¡± Marcus said, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips as his gaze on Natalie grew more meaningful. ¡°Natalie, I''ll walk you home.¡±


    Natalie was speechless. Hearing him say her name made her skin crawl.


    But in front of Charles, she could only nod lightly and respond, "Okay. Thank you."


    Marcus and Natalie left the hospital and headed toward the vi. Neither spoke as they walked, but Natalie suddenly stopped walking as they neared their destination.


    "Mr. Holden, I have something to say. Grandpa Charles is concerned about me, and I appreciate his care. But please rest assured. I won''t be working as your personal assistant or joining anypany under Holden Group.


    "And as for his suggestion for us to treat each other as siblings, that''s really too much of an honor for me. Once his surgery is over, I''ll leave Balford. At that point, you won''t be troubled


    anymore.


    ¡°But for now, we might need to act for a few days. Mr. Holden, do you agree?¡±


    Her expression had turned cold and distant. The softness she had shown in front of Charles. was no longer there. She regarded Marcus with a neutral, almost detached gaze, clearly keeping him at arm''s length.


    His lips curled up slightly, and his expression was cold as his gaze sharpened. He stared at her with a piercing intensity.


    "Ms. Walker, aren''t you tired of pretending?"


    His voice was deep and maic. It was as smooth as that of a professional voice actor. For fans of soothing voices, it was like a feast for the ears. Yet, there was a clear frost in his tone aimed squarely at her.


    Chapp¨¦r 38 Aron You Tired of Pretending


    Natalie frowned, and her previously indifferent expression darkened.


    "What do you mean, Mr. Holden?"


    "Don''t you get it?¡± Marcus'' lips curled up into a mocking smile. ¡°Ms. Walker, I''m grateful that you''ve saved my grandfather, but let me remind you not to get any ideas about him."


    Sheughe


    in anger, her eyes turning colder by the second. She fixed her gaze on him and stared at him intensely. "Mr. Holden, don''t worry. I don''t have any ulterior motives regarding Mr. Holden Senior. I helped him because he''s my grandmother''s godbrother."


    ????


    She enunciated each word clearly, her voice unwavering. Then, she added, ¡°Once his surgery is over, leave immediately. I won''t be in your way. And as for what he said, you can rest assured that I won''t trouble you in any way.


    me up in


    "Mr. Holden, you don''t need to escort me anymore, and you don''t need toe pick me


    the future."


    With that, she turned and walked briskly into the vi.


    Marcus stood there and watched as she walked away.


    The distance to the vi was not far; it was just a few steps away. Natalie entered the vi in no time, and the heavy door mmed shut behind her.


    He then turned and stormed off in frustration. She was just a pretentious woman who put on airs and even had a temper.


    Had he said anything wrong? Although he had only warned her, she had insulted him, called him crazy, and even blocked him.


    Fortunately, he had two phone numbers.


    His mind was simmering with anger, and he had barely walked a few steps when Selena appeared in front of him and blocked his way.


    "Hello, Mr. Holden. I''m Selena Langley, Natalie''s sister."


    She looked at him with soft, gentle eyes. Eager to confront him, she had gone to track him down after finding out the patient''s name in the VIP suite.


    When she saw Marcus walking with Natalie earlier, she had felt a surge of anger. For the past 20 years, Natalie had taken her ce, and now that she knew the truth, Selena was determined not to let that imposter surpass her.


    Whether it was her parents, her boyfriend, or her fianc¨¦, she wouldn''t let Natalie beat her again. She didn''t care whether Natalie was trulynd or not. If she could ruin Natalie''s rtionship with Marcus, she would.


    Chang¨¦e 40 Arent you Tind of Pretendam


    Marcus nced at Selena, his distaste evident. He didn''t like Natalie, but he felt no better about Selena.


    "Ma aside."


    His tone was frigid, and he radiated a powerful, cold demeanor that pushed her away with a nce. Selena involuntarily shrank back, but she quickly regained herposure. The more he acted this way, the more her desire to conquer him grew.


    "Mr. Holden, Natalie is my sister. I have something important about her that I want to discuss with you."


    Her voice was filled with a shy and hesitant charm as she looked at him and said, "I promise I won''t take up too much of your time. But if you miss this chance to hear me out, you''ll regret


    it."


    "Elijah,¡± Marcus coldly called out, not sparing her a second nce. Instantly, a bodyguard appeared from the shadows.


    "Mr. Holden."


    "Make sure thisdy stays at least ten meters away from me."


    "Understood."


    Elijah approached Selena and covered her mouth with one hand while gripping her neck with the other as he dragged her away.


    Selena struggled, but all she could do was make a few muffled sounds.


    Once she was dragged ten meters away from Marcus, Elijah released her with a forceful shove. "Stay away from Mr. Holden. If you don''t, I won''t just escort you away like this next time."


    Elijah was tall and imposing, and his face was fierce. When he raised his fist in a gesture, it looked like it could crush her entire face.


    "How dare you show up in front of Mr. Holden with such an ugly face? Who gave you the nerve?" He sneered at her appearance and added, "You''re no match for Ms. Walker."


    He didn''t mention the fact that Marcus already had a fianc¨¦e-the youngdy of the Walker family in Dithori?. She was aplished in everything-ying musical instruments, painting, and cooking. Yet, she still couldn''t catch his eye.


    And now, this ugly woman was trying to flirt with him? It was ridiculous.


    Elijah couldn''t resist kicking Selena one more time while saying, "You''re so hideous that it''s terrifying. Being ugly isn''t your fault, but scaring people is. Go away, ugly bitch!¡±


    Chapjersa Men You Tired of Pretending


    He finished his tirade and gave her the finger before walking off.


    Selena stood there in shock, her eyes wide and her mind seething with rage. After returning to the Langley family, she had been pampered and adored, so this humiliating experience was something that she never had to endure before.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Coming 39

    Chapter 39 The Fight Between Selena and Elijah


    Selena stood up and immediately bent forward before charging at Elijah with her head aimed


    at his stomach.


    Since she had been sold and traded multiple times, she had encountered many people, and she had learned how to deal with those she couldn''t overpower. As long as her opponent didn''t kill her, she would make sure to injure them in the process, even if it meant going down with


    them.


    Her experiences had taught her one thing-the poor had nothing to lose.


    She didn''t care about being mistreated when she didn''t know her real identity, but now that she had returned to the Langley family, with her father being the richest man in Amberton, she wouldn''t tolerate any more bullying or humiliation.


    With a burning fury in her heart, Selena didn''t hesitate to m her head into Elijah''s stomach, surprising even the professional bodyguard with her speed.


    Just as he began to pull back, her head collided hard with his stomach, and she quickly reached for the most vulnerable part of any man-his groin.


    For her, brute force was out of the question, but she could still target a man''s weakness.


    "Ah!" Elijah screamed in pain.


    Damn! This crazy woman was fast, urate, and ruthless.


    After a moment, he forced himself to endure the pain and grabbed her by the hair before yanking her away with force and tossing her aside.


    Selena spat at him angrily, her face full of malice. As she got up, her eyes were filled with a dangerous glint. She quickly grabbed a brick from the ground and charged at Elijah again.


    His expression changed, as the brick was aimed at the same vulnerable spot.


    How could this uncouth woman even dare to try and flirt with his boss?


    At first, he hadn''t been on guard and hadn''t taken her seriously, but he would never let her seed again after the first hit.


    As she raised the brick to strike, intending to disable him, he kicked out swiftly without allowing her to reach him.


    He was tall and powerfully built. With his immense strength, he sent her flying with a single


    kick.


    Selena flew through the air in an arc and crashed heavily onto the ground with a loud thud.


    Elijah''s kick had hit her in the chest, and the pain made her curl up. However, she was still Chapter 3) The Fight Between


    clutching the brick tightly in her hand.


    It took him a moment to steady himself. Though he had fought many times before, he had never been taken down so viciously, especially by a woman.


    His disgust and contempt for her peaked at that moment. He walked over to her, and even though he had never hit a woman before, his anger just then made him want to kill her.


    "Shrew!" Elijah shouted. "You''re just a shrew!"


    Selena curled up on the ground. She felt an intense pain in her chest, and she was unsure if Elijah''s kick had ruptured something inside.


    With a malicious look, she red at him and discreetly dialed Diana''s number.


    When the call connected, she shouted, "Mom, help me! A man is trying to take advantage of me!"


    Elijah''s eyes widened in shock.


    This woman was a shameless lunatic!


    "Shrew! Didn''t you bother taking a look at yourself before stepping out? Do you actually think that I want to take advantage of you? Your waist is like a barrel, your butt is as t as a sheet of paper, your face is full of pimples, your eyes are like a cow''s, your mouth is like a dog''s, and you look like a pig.


    "What man would be blind enough to want to take advantage of you? Calling you a beast. would be insulting them."


    He stepped back and kept a vast distance from Selena. The moment she imed that he was trying to take advantage of her, all the hairs on his body stood on end.


    Even if he was guilty, he prayed for the heavens to punish him, as long as he wasn''t caught up with this shameless woman.


    After Selena''s shout, Diana panicked and immediately tracked Selena''s location. She rushed to the scene as fast as she could.


    Selena was still curled up on the ground when Diana arrived, but the man who had supposedly tried to take advantage of her was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Selena!¡± Concerned, Diana rushed over and reached out to help her up. ¡°Selena, what happened? Don''t scare me! I just found you, and you haven''t even gotten the chance to enjoy this life yet. Don''t scare me!¡±


    After lying there for a while, Selena slowly recovered. ¡°Mom, my chest hurts. Get a doctor. Don''t touch me. Go get a professional doctor and nurse."


    Chapter 39 The Fight Between Selena and Elgati


    "Okay. I''ll do that right now." Diana hurriedly stood up before running to find a doctor and


    nurse.


    "Doctor! I need a doctor!" Diana''s voice echoed through Quinton Hospital.


    Soon, a few doctors and nurses followed her to where Selenay. They lifted her onto a stretcher and brought her to an operating room.


    Diana had no idea who had hurt Selena. While anxiously awaiting the results, she took out her phone and called for help.


    Selena was the daughter of the wealthiest family in Amberton, yet she was bullied in Balford. It would be a huge scandal if word got out about this.


    Did they think that the Langley family could be pushed around in Balford?


    Diana quickly called in arge group of bodyguards, and in no time, Quinton Hospital was surrounded by hundreds of bodyguards. She was determined to find out who had hurt Selena. News of themotion quickly spread, and it also reached Natalie''s ears back at the vi.


    At that moment, Natalie, Olivia, and Connie were on the third-floor terrace of the vi, enjoying a barbecue. The skewers of meat sizzled on the grill, and the smell of the sizzling meat filled the air, making everyone''s mouths water.


    Connie swallowed her saliva as she watched Natalie skillfully turn the skewers while asionally brushing them with some sauce.


    Olivia, who was standing nearby, was also salivating. Since bing a model, she hadn''t had a good barbecue in a long time.


    Moreover, Natalie''s cooking skills were top-notch. Even the simplest ingredients, like cabbages and potatoes, became incredibly delicious when she cooked them.


    As the scent of the grilled meat filled the air, Olivia forgot about her modeling career and just.


    wanted to eat.


    Seeing the two women''s eager faces, Natalie chuckled. ¡°You two look like greedy little kittens.¡±


    ¡°Nat, my abyssal stomach is starving! I can eat a whole cow right now," Connie said, swallowing again. "I don''t even care about gossip right now."


    Speaking of gossip, Natalie thought of Selena and Diana. ¡°What''s going on with Selena now?"


    "I''ve just asked in the group, and it seems like she and someone from Mr. Holden''s side got into a fight for some reason. They almost killed her," Connie answered quickly, her eyes still


    on the meat.


    "They aren''t sure if it was a man or a woman from Mr. Holden''s side, but they left her half-dead. However, people suspect that it was a man because someone overheard her using him.


    Chapter 39 The Fight Between Selma and Fab


    of trying to take advantage of her."


    Olivia and Natalie exchanged a surprised look.


    Someone had wanted to take advantage of Selena? Was Marcus'' men really that desperate?

 Coming 40

    0


    Chapter 40 Messing With the Wrong People


    Diana brought a group of people to Quinton Hospital, shouting incessantly for the man who had ¡°bullied¡± Selena toe out and face his doom.


    Themotion grew so loud that it began disturbing the other patients in the hospital.


    Gerard had just been promoted as the new director. Although he was young, he was brimming with ambition and always waiting for an opportunity to prove himself and perhaps catch Dr. Elim''s attention.


    When Diana stirred up trouble, his blood surged with excitement. Dressed in his white coat, he led his team out of the building and quickly issued orders.


    ¡°All staff on each floor are to ensure that the patients are safe and reassured. Make sure no one panics or runs around outside. The security team should be stationed at all the building''s entrances to keep unauthorized people out, especially this group that''s causing trouble.


    ¡°Call for reinforcements from the securitypany. We need more people than the ones creating this chaos. Remember not to strike unless they do. We won''t provoke conflict, but we must remain justified in case the situation esctes. Understood?"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Leading his team outside, Gerard faced Diana and her group. Selena had been taken for treatment, so she wasn''t present.


    When she spotted him, she stepped forward arrogantly. "Bring out your director and hand over the scumbag who bullied my daughter. Today, he''s going to pay with his life!"


    "I''m the director," Gerard replied coolly. "Madam, you im someone bullied your daughter. Do you have evidence? Just because she says she was mistreated doesn''t make it true."


    Demanding someone''s life? Who did she think she was, the Grim Reaper?


    "She''s being treated right now! Isn''t that proof enough?¡± Her anger red even more. ¡°Are all of you blind? My daughter was beaten to the point she couldn''t stand up. What more evidence do you need? Are you trying to cover up for that scumbag? If you don''t hand him over today, I''ll demolish this hospital!¡±


    He burst outughing. ¡°Madam, I''m curious to see you try demolishing Quinton Hospital. Alright. Everyone, start your live streams. Let''s see how this ''mighty''dy demolishes a hospital. You''re nothing but a coward if you don''t make good on your words today."


    Gerard''s tone turned icy, and any semnce of diplomacy evaporated.


    Initially, he had nned to have the security team bring over surveince footage to rify who got into a fight with Selena. But after hearing Diana''s threats, he felt it wasn''t worth the effort.


    With a mother like this, what kind of person could her daughter be?


    This so-called "Amberton''s top tycoon''s wife¡± seemed more like a thug or bandit.


    She imed that a scumbag had bullied her daughter, but it was more likely that her daughter had tried to seduce someone and gotten rejected, thenshed out in retaliation.


    Quinton Hospital had never been challenged since its inception.


    If this woman wanted a showdown, they wouldn''t back down.


    As Gerard finished speaking, his assistant promptly started a live stream. Not just the assistant, but all the staff from various floors who were eager for drama also pulled out their phones to record videos, post updates, and start live streams.


    Stepping closer, Gerard fixed his stern gaze on Diana. ¡°Madam Diana Ashcroft, you''ve messed with the wrong people."


    Meanwhile, themotion outside was so loud, coupled with the live streams initiated by the hospital staff, that even Charles in his VIP suite caught wind of the situation.


    Despite his advanced age, he still had a young-at-heart enthusiasm for gossip and drama.


    Calling Marcus over, he said, ¡°Marc, take me out to have a look!"


    Marcus remained silent before saying, ¡°Grandpa, your health isn''t great. It''s better if you don''t join themotion. If anything happens, it won''t be good. We can just watch the live stream here in the room.¡±


    "You don''t understand. "Charles held up his phone that was showing a livestream. ¡°A live stream is nothingpared to being on-site. Look, that''s Diana. She''s Natalie''s former stepmother.¡±


    Marcus was puzzled. Former stepmother?


    "That woman is cold and ruthless! The moment her biological daughter came back, she tried to kick Natalie out of the house. But while she''s heartless to Natalie, she truly dotes on her own daughter. s, human nature is such a perplexing thing.


    Charles sighed and got out of bed, determined to watch the drama unfold in person.


    "I''m curious to see just how stunning her biological daughter is that someone in the hospital would feelpelled to harass her."


    "Mr. Holden.¡± Elijah cautiously stepped forward ¡°The person she''s using of harassing her daughter might be me. The woman was following you earlier, so you called me. After I took her away, we got into a fight.¡±


    "Hmmm79


    Chapter 40 Mensing With the Wrong Pesple


    Marcus turned to Elijah with narrowed eyes. He had been annoyed by Selena tailing him earlier and had asked Elijah to block her. But after he left, what exactly had transpired between Elijah and Selena?


    Before Marcus could ask, Charles interjected, "So the ''scumbag Diana is looking for


    Elijah''s voice grew softer. "I think so."


    is you?"


    "I have even more reason to go then." Charles pped his thigh. "If this didn''t involve the Holden family, Lcould ignore it. But now that it does, I must step in. Let me call Natalie and invite her to join us for the drama.


    He immediately took out his phone to call Natalie, seizing yet another opportunity to create some time for her and Marcus.


    Marcus was speechless.


    Elijah scratched his nose awkwardly. "Mr. Holden, should I step forward?"


    Marcus nced at him. ¡°Elijah, did you really harass Selena and bully her?¡±


    "Absolutely not! She insulted me first. Because she tried to seduce you, I said that that''s just wishful thinking. Then, she suddenly attacked me and grabbed me in..... my most vulnerable spot. I acted purely in self- defense!"


    He hastily added, "Mr. Holden, you know me. I rarely ever hit women. If I do, there''s definitely a good reason."


    "The Holden family doesn''t tolerate such baseless usations and injustices. Since Mrs. Langley insists on handing you over, we''ll confront her directly."


    Marcus'' voice was icy butcked any trace of me toward Elijah.


    His first impression of Selena had already been terrible, and Elijah wasn''t the type to lie. The mere thought of her scheming against him left him feeling like he had swallowed a fly. How dare the wife and daughter of some small-town tycoon cause trouble for the Holden family? Did they really think that he was somemonmodity anyone could trifle with?

 Coming 41

    Chapter 41 using Natalie


    Marcus, apanied by Elijah, carefully escorted Charles down to the hospital entrance from


    the VIP suite.


    At the same time, Diana had just brought Selena over after thetter hadpleted her checkup. There was nothing seriously wrong with her, except that the kick to her chest had caused intense pain, leaving her unable to recover quickly.


    However, to appear even more fragile and pitiful, she insisted on using a wheelchair to look as if she were on the verge of copsing.


    Meanwhile, on the third-floor terrace where Natalie had been enjoying a barbecue, she had just finished her call with Charles. Though elderly, he had a youthful heart, and his love for gossip matched that of any young person. He wasn''t about to miss out on the drama.


    She didn''t want to get involved in Diana and Selena''s feud, but given Charles'' heart condition, she felt obligated to go to the scene and keep an eye on things, ensuring nothing went wrong during his critical period before surgery.


    "Connie, you''reing with me," she said.


    ¡°I''ming too!¡± Olivia immediately raised her hand. ¡°I need to see who''s bold and blind enough to try and take advantage of Selena. That person needs to get his eyes checked."


    Connie couldn''t help butugh. She really liked Olivia. As Natalie''s close friend, she had be her friend too. Of course, Olivia didn''t mind. Sometimes, the bond between women was just that pure.


    "Nat, let''s go together!"


    "Let''s go,¡± Natalie replied, extinguishing the charcoal fire and dividing the grilled meat before quickly finishing it and heading downstairs with the others.


    Soon, they arrived at the scene.


    When Gerard saw Connie, his eyes immediately lit up. He quickly ran over to her.


    "Connie, don''t worry. I''ll handle this situation. Amberton''s wealthiest family isn''t all that impressive. My dad is the richest in Balford! That old hag may have more people at her disposal, but I have even more people backing me"


    He gestured toward the entrance where his people surrounded Diana and her group. He was confident that Diana''s side wouldn''t stand a chance if things came to blows.


    ¡°I''ve also activated my connections. The gifts in he livestream are pouring in, and some people even bought trending toples. I must make sure Diana and Selena get famous!


    Connie turned to Natalie, who gave a slight smile, clearly satisfied. They understood each other without saying a word.


    Connie smiled and said, "Well done."


    He beamed. ¡°Thank you, Connie. I''ll keep up the good work.¡±


    "Mm."


    ¡°Connie, if I handle this well, could you praise me in front of Dr. Elim?¡± Gerard''s ears turned. red as he nervously avoided eye contact with Connie. He felt embarrassed asking for praise.


    ¡°Sure. No problem,¡± she replied with a smile. She didn''t need to tell Dr. Elim this because she was right before him. It was just that no one else knew about it.


    "Nattie, over here!"


    When Charles saw Natalie, he immediately called out to her, then red at Marcus. He scolded, "Didn''t you see Natalie? Why didn''t you greet her?"


    ¡°Grandpa, she''s with her friends. Let''s not disturb them. Women don''t want to be disturbed when they''re with each other,¡± Marcus replied, clearly not interested in greeting her.


    Charles looked at Olivia and remembered her sharply rebuking him, telling him that Natalie wouldn''t be a third party. Olivia was a woman of strong principles and would definitely prevent Natalie from being alone with Marcus.


    But since he was also there, he didn''t want Natalie to feel like she had to abandon normal socializing just because of him.


    ¡°Why not invite all three of them over?¡± he asked unhappily. ¡°You need to be flexible. Natalie isn''t just anyone, and you can''t offend Connie. So what''s the harm in inviting Ms. Thatcher, too? Go!"


    Marcus had no choice but to head toward them. He greeted them politely and invited, "Ms. Walker, Ms. Sterling, Ms. Thatcher, my grandfather would like to invite you over."


    Olivia pulled Natalie back a step, looking at her with a warning look as if saying, ¡°This man has a fianc¨¦e. Stay away."


    Natalie returned a reassuring look that said, ¡°Don''t worry. I wouldn''t like him even if I were a


    dog"


    Connie watched the two of them curiously, but since Natalie wasn''t speaking, she didn''t ask. She would follow wherever Natalie went.


    Marcus remained patient, maintaining his gentlemanlyposure as he stood there.


    "Since Grandpa Charles Invited us to watch the drama, let''s go and say hello." Natalie said with a slight smile. ¡°We would''ve gone anyway, Even without your invitation, Mr Holden


    Chapter


    Natalie had always made it clear that Marcus and Charles were separate entities. She had no illusions about that.


    She then tugged at Olivia''s hand, prompting her to smile faintly and nod.


    "This way, please,dies."


    Marcus'' deep, maic voice was polite, with a gentlemanly demeanor that left no room forints.


    Olivia thought to herself that if Marcus didn''t have a fianc¨¦e and wasn''t trying to make Natalie his lover, she might actually appreciate him and support Natalie''s development with him.


    But they had met toote. Fate had already decided that there would be no future between


    them.


    The three of them went to Charles, who immediately had them sit down. He was eager for the drama, and Marcus had chairs brought over while Ethan thoughtfully prepared cashew nuts, peanuts, and bottled water.


    Marcus stayed by their side, closely watching over Charles.


    Having spotted Elijah, Selena whispered something to Diana, then shot a venomous re at them. She had seen how Marcus had invited Natalie and her friends in.


    She was boiling with jealousy. She threw aside all dignity and rushed over to Marcus, but he didn''t even spare her a nce. Instead, he let Elijah, that ugly and fierce bodyguard, drag her off and bully her instead.


    This humiliation finally erupted when she saw the exchanged looks between Natalie and


    Marcus.


    Selena and Diana made a pact to ensure Natalie could never lift her head again. Their goal was to crush herpletely and send her to jail as a form of revenge for the humiliation Selena had suffered.


    "Mom, it was that man. Natalie sent him to assault me.


    She suddenly shouted, pointing at Elijah, but her gaze was fixed fiercely on Natalie. ¡°Natalie, why do you hate me so much? Are you willing to go so far as to have a man assault me and ruin my life?"


    As her tragic and furious shout echoed, everyone''s gaze immediately turned toward Natalie.

 Coming 42

    Chapter 42 The fake heiress Expelled From the Langley Family


    Selena''s sharp, heartbreaking usation directed all attention to Natalie, and phones with live streams were immediately pointed at her face.


    Marcus'' expression changed instantly, and he quickly stepped forward to shield Natalie and Charles, not out of a desire to protect her but because he didn''t want Charles to be filmed.


    "Ethan, handle it."


    His cold voice sent a chill through the air as his eyes turned icy, focused on Selena and Diana.


    Both Selena and Diana involuntarily shivered, ncing at each other with fear.


    Until now, they still didn''t know Marcus'' true identity, only that he was Charles'' grandson and hade to the hospital because of Charles'' condition.


    Selena had always dreamt of this man and, at first sight, wanted to take him for herself.


    But his powerful, cold aura made both women uneasy, and they felt a sense of fear even from a distance.


    They instinctively took a step back but then regained theirposure. Their target was Natalie, not Marcus. If he were really Natalie''s boyfriend, they wouldn''t need to hold back when dealing with him.


    ¡°Natalie, is this all you''re capable of? You do something wrong but are too afraid to admit it, hiding behind a man instead.


    "Everyone, take note. The woman behind this is Natalie Walker, the fake heiress of the Langley family who was kicked out. She''s skilled at seducing men to do her bidding. Don''t be fooled by her face.¡±


    Diana''s voice rang out but was already full of hollow threats.


    "How impertinent,¡± Marcus muttered coldly, his low voice carrying a chilling tone.


    "Ethan."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Ethan quickly followed orders, and in no time, all live streams from Quinton Hospital were


    shut down.


    The bodyguards from the Holden family emerged, led by Elijah, and they formed a protective line in front of Charles and Natalic.


    Marcus then looked at Elijah, signaling him to move forward. Elijah stepped up, his steps. purposeful, as he approached Selena, who was in wheelchair.


    ¡°Did you say that Ms. Natalie has instructed me to assault you?"


    His clenched fists shook with barely contained rage. He had seen shameless people before, but this level of audacity was beyond him.


    Selena actually had the nerve to use someone else. She was so thick-skinned.


    Selena''s face twisted with anger. Her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. as she red venomously at him.


    "Yes, that''s right. She''s the one.¡± She pointed at Natalie and said, ¡°It''s this bitch, Natalie! This fake heiress got kicked out because I returned to the Langley family, and she''s been jealous ever since."


    Selena''s sharp usations continued, ¡°Natalie, I know I took your parents, so you hate me. But those were my biological parents, to begin with. You''re a nobody who spent 20 years living off my parents, enjoying a life of luxury and riches.


    "Now that they''ve brought me back to my rightful ce, you want to destroy me, don''t you? Natalie, how can you be so vicious?"


    She screamed with fury, her voice echoing through the halls of Quinton Hospital.


    Patients and staff heard her usations.


    n every 1


    The crowd had already been looking in Natalie''s direction, but with Marcus stepping forward to shield her and the bodyguards taking position, they could no longer see her clearly.


    At first, the only thing visible was a tall, strikingly handsome figure. Marcus'' face was just a blur before he was quickly hidden behind the bodyguards.


    The crowd envied Natalie for having someone to protect her-not just anyone, but a


    handsome, wealthy man.


    When people couldn''t have something, they would often grow envious or jealous, and now they were eagerly jumping on the bandwagon of gossip.


    ¡°Natalie is truly malicious! The Langley family raised her, and now the biological daughter is back. She should give up her ce. Why must she hold grudges?"


    ¡°Exactly. A child with no clear origin shouldn''t have been raised. Who knows what kind of ungrateful person they might be?"


    ¡°She''s really malicious.¡±


    "To send men to attack the biological daughter? That''s just too vicious."


    "A fake heiress will always be inferior to a biological one."


    ¡°I''ve heard it all before, but we don''t even know where she came from. Maybe her biological parents were criminals or something!"


    Whispers of malicious spection filled the air, growing louder as time passed.


    Diana and Selena listened to the crowd''s chatter, all ming Natalie.


    They exchanged a look, satisfaction written across their faces. This was exactly what they wanted-for Natalie''s reputation to be destroyed.


    Diana despised Grace, the old hag who favored this stranger over her granddaughter. Despite all the evidence, she wouldn''t budge and refused to return the shares to Selena.


    Diana wanted Natalie publicly shamed and exposed as a fake heiress. That way, even if Grace didn''t give up the shares, public opinion would turn against her, and she would have no choice but to co


    She didn''t believe Natalie could be so thick-skinned, unaffected by the insults, and continue living off the shares easily.


    ¡°Natalie, how dare you!" Diana''s voice wasced with fury as she shouted. ¡°I raised you for 20 years, and this


    is how you repay me? Why can''t you stand my biological daughter? Natalie,e out here and exin why to assault my biological daughter!


    you instructed this man


    "Stop hiding behind a man. Come out and face me!"


    At this moment, Marcus turned to nce at Natalie.


    Her expression was calm, and her gaze was indifferent, showing no signs of emotional


    fluctuation.


    Charles, visibly worried, reached out to pat her shoulder as if to reassure her.


    "Don''t be afraid, Nattie! I believe in you. You''re not that kind of person."


    He had a weak heart. Upon hearing the first sentence from Selena, he hurriedly took out the medicine Natalie


    had previously given him and swallowed two pills.


    "I''m fine, Grandpa Charles,¡± Natalie said calmly. ''I''ll step out for a moment."


    "I''ming with you."


    "I''ll go too, Nat."


    Olivia and Connie stood up at the same time, their eyes filled with both sympathy and anger.


    They felt sorry for her and were furious at Diana and Selena.


    "We''ll help you."


    "Don''t be afraid, Nat."


    Olivia and Connie spoke in unison, each standing on one side of Natalie, protecting her.


    ¡°Since Diana and Selena want to smear your name, we don''t have to tolerate it. And since they''re so eager to use you, let''s show them what happens when they cross the line."


    At this point, all past affection was gone.


    Natalie nodded. "I understand. I won''t let them nder me. Mr. Holden, thank you for protecting me earlier."


    She looked at Marcus, who was still watching her. His gaze was deep and inscrutable, and though his face was calm, she sensed a slight coldness in his eyes.


    The coldness soon faded as he spoke again. ¡°Ms. Walker, please don''t worry. Elijah is my bodyguard. I''ve already made arrangements to get the truth."


    His voice was low and soothing, and the earlier chill disappeared with those words.


    She nodded. She had already ordered the hospital to retrieve the surveince footage in the director''s name.


    ?


    Selena was too careless, as she never checked for cameras around her. It was the same at the Langley residence. She was so naive, yet somehow, she thought that she was clever.


    "Thank you, Mr. Holden," Natalie said softly, then loosened the arms of Olivia and Connie, Olivia, Connie, stay here. Don''te out."


    Olivia was a popr model, and her career was thriving. Natalie didn''t want her to get caught up in the mess with the Langley family.


    Connie was her assistant who handled matters rted to Dr. Elim. She also needed to maintain her mysterious role.


    "Natalie."


    "Nat."


    "Listen to me,¡± Natalie cut off the words Olivia and Connie were about to say. Her tone was gentle but firm, leaving no room for resistance.


    When she was this cold, an unspoken pressure made people feel they had to obey. Both Olivia and Connie immediately sat back down.


    Natalie nced at Marcus, then turned to reassure the concerned Charles. ¡°Grandpa Charles, don''t worry. I won''t let the Langley family bully me."


    After speaking, she turned and walked forward as Marcus signaled the bodyguards to make way. She made her way out calmly and steadily.

 Coming 43

    Chapter 43 Expose Selena and Diana Part 1


    Natalie walked out step by step after the bodyguards cleared the way. She was still dressed in a ck tactical jacket and sports pants. Her hair was casually tied up, and she wore no makeup, her small face glowing with natural beauty.


    Natalie''s appearance and skin left Selena envious the moment she saw it.


    She firmly believed that she would have grown up to look just like Natalie if she had never left. the Langley family.


    Selena dug her nails into her palms as she watched Natalie approach her under everyone''s


    gaze, stepping with indifference and a cold demeanor. Her blood boiled with anger


    This time, she was determined to ruin Natalie''s reputation in front of everyone and, hopefully, show that handsome, perfect man how treacherous and promiscuous Natalie was.


    After all, Natalie had once been betrothed to Tyler, and the two had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. Who could say whether they had ever crossed boundaries during those years of growing up together?


    Gossip spread easily, and once repeated enough, who could distinguish fact from fiction? Moreover, the truth often didn''t matter; satisfying people''s curiosity and gossip was enough. As Natalie slowly walked over, Selena suddenly stood up from her wheelchair. She pointed at Natalie but directed her gaze at Marcus.


    ¡°Everyone, look at this woman. Her name is Natalie Walker. She grew up in the Langley family, pretending to be me, and reced my identity, enjoying 20 years of a rich and morous life as the Langley family''s heiress."


    Her voice was loud, almost like she feared someone in the hospital might miss it.


    ¡°My parents searched for me for years and finally brought me back when I turned 20. But she was unhappy. She thought that with my return, she would lose her parents, even though they were mine in the first ce!


    ¡°Natalie couldn''t stand being called a fake heiress, so she targeted me in every possible way. When I was at home with my parents, I begged them to keep her there because, after all, being swapped at birth wasn''t her fault.


    "But what did she do?"


    She began to cry, her voice choked with emotion, showing all the signs of deep pain and injustice.


    "She used her position in the Langley family to make many friends and had them bully me. She was a fake heiress, but she went after my fiance instead as the engagement our family


    arranged was meant for the real heiress. She even drugged him and forced herself on him.


    "And that''s not all. When she found out my mother and I were in Balford on business, she hired that man, ordered him to assault me, and tried to ruin my lifepletely."


    Selena spoke tearfully, her eyes burning with hatred as she red at Natalie.


    "Even though she has done so much to hurt me, I still hope she can live well. But my mother was heartbroken and couldn''t stand seeing the fake daughter she raised treat her biological daughter like this.


    ¡°That''s why she called everyone here¡ªto give me justice. Natalie, admit your mistake! As long as you


    apologize, I will ask my mother to let go of everything and not hold it against you.


    As she tearfully used Natalie, Natalie remained silent, standing calmly and detachedly, listening to her words.


    ¡°Natalie, you can''t make this mistake anymore.¡±


    Seeing that Natalie didn''t speak, Selena quickly continued, "You''ve taken my identity, the shares Grandma intended for me, and all those things don''t belong to you.


    "The Langley family has already raised you for 20 years. They''ve done enough. You can''t be ungrateful by repaying kindness with enmity.


    "As long as


    will forgiveu apologize to me and my mother and return the shares Grandma gave you, I


    will forgive you and let this matter go."


    ¡°Are you done?" Natalie asked coldly, her tone as calm as ever. "If you''re done, it''s my turn.


    Compared to Selena''s emotional outburst, her voice was eerily calm, devoid of warmth or any emotion, and her facial expression was unreadable.


    ¡°Gerard, turn on the big screen in the hospital building."


    "Alright, Natalie."


    Gerard immediately instructed someone to turn on the big screen. As soon as it lit up, Natalie spoke again. "y the full surveince footage.


    "Okay."


    In the next second, Selena''s figure appeared on the screen. She was sneaking around, ncing about before Marcus appeared in the footage.


    Soon after, she ran toward Marcus. When she reached him, she said, "Hello, Mr. Holden, my name is Selena Langley. I''m Natalie Walker''s sister."


    She looked at Marcus with a soft, seductive look, but he looked at her coldly and responded


    Chap 4 Expoce Selena and Diana Part 1


    indifferently, "Move aside."


    In the footage, she hesitated and stepped back but then spoke again. ¡°Mr. Holden, Natalie is my sister. I have something important about her want to discuss with you."


    Her voice was filled with shy and hesitant charm as she looked at him and said, ¡°I promise I won''t take up much of your time. But if you miss this chance to hear me out, you''ll regret it."


    tify


    "Elijah."


    He didn''t even nce at her this time.


    "Mr. Holden."


    "Keep thisdy at least ten meters away from me."


    "Understood."


    Elijah approached, covering Selena''s mouth with one hand and gripping her neck with the other as he dragged her away.


    She struggled, but all she could do was make muffled sounds.


    After dragging her away, he threatened, "Stay away from Mr. Holden. I won''t just escort you away like this if you don''t.


    "How dare you show up in front of Mr. Holden with such an ugly face? Who gave you the


    nerve?"


    He continued, kicking her as he mocked, "You''re so hideous it''s terrifying. Being ugly isn''t your fault, but scaring people is. Go away, ugly bitch!"


    Suddenly, Selena lunged at him, aiming to headbutt Elijah in the stomach.


    He was about to step back when her head collided with his abdomen.


    ¡°Ah!" He cried out in pain, grabbing her by the hair and yanking her away, throwing her aside with great force.


    Selena spat, her face twisted with fury as she stood up, ring fiercely at Elijah. She quickly scanned the surroundings, picked up a brick from the ground, and charged toward him.


    But before she could evene close, he kicked her away.


    "Thud!"


    Shended on the ground, curled up in pain.


    "Shrew!" He walked over to her and shouted, "Shrew! Shrew! Shrew!"


    Selena red at him viciously, then secretly dialed Diana''s number.


    As soon as the call connected, she screamed, ¡°Mom, help me! A man is trying to take


    Chunger 43 Expuse sterlena jens


    advantage of me!"


    Elijah cursed loudly, "Shrew! Didn''t you bother to take a look at yourself before stepping out? Me, take advantage of you? Your waist is like a barrel, your butt is as t as a sheet of paper,


    your


    face is full of pimples, your eyes are like a cow''s, your mouth is like a dog''s, and you like a pig.


    "What man would be blind enough to want to take advantage of you? Calling you a beast would be insulting


    them."


    After he finished scolding, he walked away.


    Not long after, Diana arrived.


    look


    ¡°Selena! Selena, what happened? Don''t scare me! I just found you and haven''t let you enjoy life yet. Don''t


    scare me!"


    Lying on the ground, Selena whispered, ¡°Mom my chest hurts. Please get a doctor quickly. Don''t touch me. Go get a doctor and nurse."


    ¡°Okay, okay. I''ll go right now." Diana hurriedly stood up and ran off to find the doctor and


    nurse.


    "Doctor! Doctor!"


    Her sharp and piercing voice rang out, and soon, doctors and nurses arrived to take Selena into the operating


    room.


    Diana then took out her phone and called to gather more people.


    Everyone knew what happened after that.


    After the surveince was finished ying, Natalie looked at Selena, whose face had turned pale. Before


    Selena could speak, Elijah stepped forward.

 Coming 44

    Chapter 44 Expose Selena and Diana Part 2


    Elijah''s gruff voice echoed, "Everyone saw that, right? I''m the one in the surveince footage who Ms. Langley imed I assaulted her.


    ¡°I just want to say that anyone with normal eyesight wouldn''t find her attractive. What does it matter if she''s the heiress? A person''s character and upbringing have nothing to do with their status or family but everything to do with their manners.


    "Ms. Selena Langley, the heiress of the Langley family, has been lying through her teeth, behaving poorly, and even acting inappropriately around Mr. Holden. I''m sure everyone heard the insults I threw at her in the footage. I admit cursing was wrong, but I had to speak my mind even if it was wrong.


    His gaze remained fixed on Selena as he continued, "Ms. Langley is far from innocent. Everyone saw how she attacked me. Any man in the room would likely have acted the same. way I did if faced with such an assault.


    "I did not assault her, but she is willing to smear my name just to discredit me. That''s quite the gamble."


    Elijah, a loyal bodyguard trained by the Holden family, had seen many women approach Marcus, but Selena was the first one to disgust him so much.


    ¡°Also, Mrs. Langley, don''t you even realize what kind of person your daughter is? Instead of taking a good, hard look at herself, she dares to dream of seducing Mr. Holden.


    ¡°She said she can''t bear to send Ms. Walker away, but she tries to tarnish Ms. Walker''s reputation by flirting with Mr. Holden."


    He sneered at Diana. ¡°Mrs. Langley, has your family gone bankrupt and can''t afford to raise two daughters? Kicking out the daughter you raised for 20 years without hesitation-it''s really hard to believe how ''good'' you im to have been to Ms. Walker!"


    "I have another video." Natalie''s cold, indifferent voice cut through. ¡°Mrs. Langley and Ms. Langley have been saying that I shamelessly kept the shares left to me by Mrs. Langley Senior.


    "Mrs. Langley, I''d like to ask you how you and your husband treated Mrs. Langley Senior after she fell ill. Will you tell the truth, or shall I show the evidence?"


    Diana''s heart sank, her face darkened, and her lips twitched uncontrobly.


    Natalie loved using surveince footage to expose Selena.


    Once the footage was released, Selena would never have a chance to approach-the refined and elegant Marcus.


    And if the Miller family saw the live broadcast, how would Tyler feel?


    As for Grace, that old hag, Diana had never been close to her and had never been filial to her. After Grace''s Incident, she and Victorpletely neglected her, not even paying for her medical expenses, let alone taking care of her.


    These facts were all recorded at the sanatorium, and many people close to the Langley family


    knew it.


    If Natalie had revealed these details now, Diana and Selena would have been in a terrible


    situation.


    At that moment, she suddenly regretted everything.


    "Grandma always favored you. No m


    what you say, Grandma will always stand by you."


    Before Diana cok, Selena spoke again, her mental fortitude intact. Despite the situation, she refused to admit defeat.


    ¡°Selena, don''t speak.¡± Diana stopped her, fearing that the more they spoke, the more evidence Natalie would reveal.


    "Mom, why don''t you want me to speak?" Selena''s eyes widened in defiance. Who was the biological daughter here? Why was her mother protecting Natalie at a time like this?


    She was furious, her chest rising and falling. "Am I wrong? That old hag always protected that bitch. I''m her biological granddaughter, but she gave all the good things to that bitch. Now, even you are protecting her?"


    She pointed at Natalie, feeling overwhelmed. ¡°I know, it''s because I wasn''t raised by you. That''s why you still have feelings for the daughter you raised for 20 years.


    Tears streamed down her face as she stared intensely at him. "You think I''ve embarrassed you, don''t you? Just because Natalie revealed the surveince footage, you think I''ve brought


    shame to you.


    "Mom, if you think I''m not worthy of being your daughter, you should have left me outside to suffer and not ruined your rtionship with her.


    "The old hag never admitted I was her granddaughter, and Dad gave her 200,000 when she left home. Now, you want me to shut up? I''m the outsider, aren''t I? Even though I''m your biological daughter, I''m nothingpared to the child you''ve lived with for 20 years."


    Selena, her eyes red and filled with tears, cried out in bitter usation. She stood up from the wheelchair, clutching the spot over her chest with trembling hands.


    "My heart hurts. Since I''m so unwee, why should I even live? I''ll just die now. If I die, you''ll all be satisfied."


    With those words, she suddenly pulled a knife from her bag, holding it to her wrist.


    ¡°Natalie, you win. Grandma is yours, and my parents are yours too." She red at Natalie." Even if I die, I''ll never let you go."


    Nataliezily lifted her eyelids, speaking slowly. Selena, stop throwing usations and. ndering me. Everyone knows what the truth is. Do you think you can escape it by creating a scene?


    "If you want to die, just die. We''re in a hospital. If you don''t diepletely, they''ll save you. Don''t y moral ckmail with me. I won''t fall for it. Wait. You have no morals, so you''re not afraid of being ckmailed.¡±


    Selena shed the knife across her wrist, and blood immediately began to flow.


    ¡°Selena!¡± Diana cried out in rm, her face filled with rage. She red at Natalie, who remained unfazed, her expression as cold as ice.


    To Natalie, Selena was nothing more than a clown.


    She couldn''t care less about Selena''s life or death. In fact, if Selena died, she would probably feel even more pleased.


    Diana''s hatred for Natalie deepened. She rushed to Selena''s side, softening her voice to


    ¡°Selena, you''re my beloved daughter. How could you say such things? It''s like you''re stabbing me in the heart."


    She approached Selena, cautiously trying to take the knife from her hands.


    Suddenly, Selena pushed her away, charging at Natalie with the knife.


    In that instant, she had already decided that her past mental health history could help her kill Natalie without facing the consequences.


    "Ms. Walker, watch out!" Elijah shouted urgently, but someone moved faster.


    Marcus, appearing out of nowhere, suddenly grabbed Natalie''s wrist and pulled her into his arms. Without hesitation, he kicked Selena''s knee, sending her flying several meters away before shended hard, copsing onto the ground.


    Natalie was safely held in his arms, hisrge hand protecting her head. His face was filled with cold fury.


    Charles had earlier pushed him out, but seeing Diana and Selena''s actions, he couldn''t help but


    act on his instincts.


    "Ms. Walker, are you alright?"


    Marcus'' deep, emotionless voice sounded in Natalie''s ear. She nodded slightly, pulling herself out of his arms without saying much.


    "I''m fine. Thank you, Mr. Holden. I owe you one


    "You don''t owe me anything, Ms. Walker. If anyone owes, it''s me to you.


    "Selena, don''t scare me!"


    "Mrs. Langley, if you really love me, tell me then, would you let your child be a blood donor for over ten years?¡± Natalie''s cold voice rang out again.


    Diana turned and red at her. ¡°Natalie, enough! Shut up!"


    "Mrs. Langley, since you''re making such a big deal about things, let me tell everyone how much you''ve loved and cared for me all these years to prevent Ms. Langley from thinking I''ve taken anything away from her.


    "For 20 years, I was the child who had to go to the hospital every few days to donate blood for


    fake mother, and even when my body hadn''t fully recovered, I was forced to go again.


    my


    was pinched and scolded by my fake mother for wearing a beautiful dress, so much so that I never had a single dress in my wardrobe by the time I turned 20. Every time I made friends, I was called a slut, a cheap woman, or a vixen by her or used of being aroused by every man.


    ¡°I had to leave the Langley family but was used of stealing and then med for it. I annulled the engagement that originally belonged to the heiress, but she used me of clinging to my ex-fiance, and she used every vicious and degrading term to describe me in front of others.


    ¡°Because Mrs. Langley Senior liked me, I had to pay for her medical bills and hire a caregiver when she fell ill, while Mrs. Langley never cared for her anymore.


    ¡°May I ask, Mrs. Langley, have you or Mr. Langley ever cared for Mrs. Langley Senior for a single day? Your biological daughter, Selena, constantly insults her, calling her an old hag. Not only her but you and Mr. Langley use the same words to address Mrs. Langley Senior.


    "I''d like to ask everyone here¡ªif you were Mrs. Langley Senior, would you recognize such a granddaughter and give her the shares? If this is the so-called good life that Mrs. Langley and Ms. Langley talk about, I wonder if anyone here would want it.


    "Mrs. Langley, don''t refute me. I have enough evidence to prove that everything I''ve said is true. On the other hand, can you and Ms. Langley provide evidence for everything you''ve imed?"


    alie''s cold voice was calm and unhurried as she rolled up the sleeves of her jacket, revealing the numerous needle marks on her arms.


    "These are the scars left from when I was forced to donate blood for Mrs. Langley. "The Langley family is the richest in Amberton-can''t you afford blood? No, it''s just because I''m not your biological daughter, so you


    torture me.


    Marcus, who had been standing close to Natalie, hadn''t paid much attention to her the day she tried on dresses at Nouvelle Zara. But now, his scalp tingled when he saw the countless needle marks on her arms.


    such a condition? No wonder she always wore jackets.


    Suddenly, he felt a pang of guilt for her.


    "Mrs. Langley, ask yourself honestly, would you dare say in front of everyone that you would let Ms. Langley


    donate blood for you once?"


    Natalie nced around, and the crowd was utterly silent at that moment.


    Although no one had witnessed Selena and Diana''s past deeds, after hearing Selena''s recent insults toward Grace, they had already started to believe Natalie''s words.


    Natalie lowered her sleeves and looked around again. Connie and Olivia, who were standing by Charles, were already moved to tears.


    Connie felt heartbroken for her, who had suffered so much throughout her life. She wondered how Natalie had


    made it through alone.


    Olivia''s pain ran even deeper. Natalie had always appeared cheerful and optimistic in front of her, but there


    had been a time when Natalie seemed unhappy, disappearing for a few holidays and iming she was just


    going for a break.


    Now, it seemed like she had been recovering in the hospital from excessive blood donations by


    Diana.


    "Mrs. Langley, do you need more evidence?"


    Seeing Diana holding Selena silently, Natalie took a step forward. Her voice was soft but clear enough for


    everyone to hear. "Ms. Langley falsely used me of ordering a man to assault her? Doesn''t she owe me an


    apology?"


    "Natalie, enough!" Diana screamed at her in a fit of rage. "Selena is almost dead because of you. What more


    do you want?¡±


    "Heh..." Natalie scoffed. ¡°Do you think I can kill someone as powerful as Ms. Langley? Mrs. Langley, it seems you''ve never really raised your biological daughter. You don''t understand her at all.¡±


    Natalie snapped her fingers, and Gerard immediately switched to a video from the surveince footage.


    It was the day she left the Langley residence, showing the entire process of Selena using her of stealing the ring.


    As soon as Diana and Selena saw the footage, their facial expressions changed drastically.


    This was the day I left the Langley residence, the day that Ms. Langley said Mr. Langley gave me 200,000," Natalie said leisurely. ¡°I only took what belonged to me, but Ms. Langley destroyed my things without asking


    and falsely used me of stealing the ring.


    Chapter 44 Expose Selena and Diana Part 2


    "Ms. Langley, you have such good manners!"


    ¡°Enough!" Diana shouted angrily. "Turn it off!


    "Heh..." Natalieughed coldly. She snapped h big screen.


    "Mrs. Langley, you should act ordingly."


    She finished speaking and turned to walk towar


    Diana raised her head to look at the onlookers f crowd in the open space downstairs. Gritting he


    ¡°Selena, let''s go. We lost this time. Since we c bitterly. "I will make sure this bitch goes to hell


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!


    Chuiser 44 Drouse Selena and Diana Part 2


    ¡°Ms. Langley, you have such good manners!"


    ¡°Enough!¡± Diana shouted angrily. ¡°Turn it off! Turn it off now!¡±


    ¡°Heh...¡± Natalieughed coldly. She snapped her fingers, and Gerard turned off the hospital''s big screen.


    "Mrs. Langley, you should act ordingly."


    She finished speaking and turned to walk toward Olivia and Connie.


    Diana raised her head to look at the onlookers from the hospital floor, then nced at the crowd in the open


    space downstairs. Gritting her teeth, she pulled Selena along.


    ¡°Selena, let''s go. We lost this time. Since we can''t win openly, we''ll do it covertly," she said. bitterly. ¡°I will


    make sure this bitch goes to hell."


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming 45

    Chapter 45 Begging Her To Reveal Biological Parents'' Information


    Diana and Selena fled in a panic from Quinton Hospital.


    However, Diana was determined not to let this go. She contacted Victor and recounted everything that had happened in Balford.


    Upon hearing the details, he gasped in shock and scolded her furiously, ¡°Diana, do you have no brains? Selena has never received a proper education. She acts impulsively and doesn''t consider the consequences. Did you ever consider that?


    ¡°You made such a big scene, and Natalie exposed the truth in front of many people. How are outsiders going to view the Langley family now? As for Selena, she used Natalie of stealing the ring when she left, but the surveince footage proved her wrong. Why didn''t you learn


    from that lesson?


    "We made a fussst time because there were no outsiders at home, and Tyler didn''t want to embarrass us since Selena just returned. But after that, he hasn''t been to our house or invited


    Selena out.


    "The surveince has exposed you again, and there are so many live broadcasts. If the Miller family sees this, Tyler might call off the engagement. What will you do then?¡±


    He was so angry that he was out of breath as he spoke.


    ¡°Diana, I''m warning you. Take Selena back immediately and stop causing trouble in Balford. I''ve already told you not to treat Natalie like a blood bank when she was young, but you didn''t listen. Do you think the public won''t attack us if this gets exposed?


    ¡°Even though she grew up in the Langley family, you would still face public bacsh.¡±


    "You''ve gone too far, Victor," Diana snapped back, irritated. ¡°Why are you not helping your biological daughter but helping someone else? Natalie is just an illegitimate child. Am I wrong? If the Langley family hadn''t taken pity on her, she wouldn''t have lived to 20. I should have killed her back then.¡±


    "Didn''t you try? If Mom hadn''t stopped you, you would have been a murderer 20 years a


    years ago.


    Victor raised his voice. ¡°Diana, don''t forget how you''ve treated Natalie all these years. I suggest you be careful. I will contact her now and beg her not to worsen this."


    "Victor, don''t you dare beg Natalie! I''ll divorce you if you do."


    ¡°Shut up!¡± he yelled into the phone. "If you want to ruin Selena''s life and make it impossible for her to hold her head up or marry into the Miller family, you can continue acting like this.¡±


    With that, he hung up.


    He took deep breaths to calm down, then dialed Natalie''s number.


    The phone rang for a long time before it was answered.


    "Hello, Mr. Langley."


    Natalie''s cold, distant voice came through the phone, and Victor was disoriented as if time had stopped. He could almost see the image of a delicate, adorable little girl, arms outstretched, calling, "Daddy, hug me."


    "Mr. Langley, if you won''t speak, I''ll hang up."


    "Wait," he quickly called out, his voice filled with urgency. "Nattie, don''t you even want to call me Dad?" "Mr. Langley, please don''t try to y emotional games with me," she responded. "Since your biological daughter came home and you asked me to leave the Langley family, you''ve already made your decision, haven''t you?


    ¡°You''re calling me about what happened with your wife and daughter,


    right?"


    He felt embarrassed, but he had to speak up.


    ¡°Nattie, Diana and Selena were in the wrong this time. I''m apologizing on their behalf. Can you please delete the surveince footage?


    "I''ll handle the live broadcast, and it won''t spread further. Please do this for my sake. Let''s just pretend this never happened. Also, can we not make how Diana treated you as a blood donor public?¡±


    Victor''s voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, and he realized how careless he had been all those years. He had always thought of Natalie as just a child who wouldn''t remember these things.


    They had raised her. Even if she wasn''t their biological daughter, he thought it was natural for a daughter to donate blood for her mother.


    But Natalie was not their biological daughter.


    ¡°Mr. Langley, let me ask you this. If I hadn''t been switched at birth and Selena had grown up in your family, would you have treated her like a blood donor for over ten years?"


    Her calm, indifferent voice continued, ¡°Grandma raised me. You and your wife never really took responsibility as my parents. Did you ever give me fatherly or motherly love?¡±


    Victor was left speechless.


    Her voice grew even colder as she continued, ¡°But I''ve said it before¡ªI don''t hate you. I don''t want the Langley family''s assets. The only thing I care about is the shares Grandma left me. You''d better not have any ideas about them.


    "I''ve said before, those shares are mine. I won''t hand them over.


    Chapter 45 begging Her To Reveal Hickigital Parental information


    "I won''t cause trouble for the Langley family as long as your wife and daughter don''t provoke me. After all, you raised me. I''ll consider the years I spent as your ¡®blood donor'' paid in full. No. one owes anyone anything.


    "As for today''s events, they started it. Selena falsely used me of trying to vite her. Mr. Langley, I''m also a woman. I''m not someone who would resort to such disgusting, lowly tactics to ruin another woman''s life."


    ¡°Natalie, I know Diana and Selena were wrong this time. I''m apologizing on their behalf. When you return, we can have a meal together, and they will apologize to you in person. How about it? If you don''t pursue this further, I''ll ensure the online news is suppressed.¡±


    Victor spoke in a pleading, submissive tone. He thought for a moment and then added, "About the shares, I''ll make it clear to them. Mom gave them to you, so they are yours. We''ll never try


    to take them from you.


    ¡°Selena has suffered a lot outside and never had a proper education. After returning, she''s been anxious, worried that we''d love you more than her. Diana has been indulgent toward her because of guilt, and that''s why she''s been so lenient."


    Natalie remained silent, but a mocking smile curled on her lips.


    He waited for a long time but heard nothing from her. After a while, he decided to y his final card.


    "I won''t make you angry or escte this any further. I''ll tell you who your biological parents are. I know


    who they are, who they are, and I know where they are. You can find them. I also have things that they left for you.


    ¡°If you agree, I''ll return those things to you immediately.¡±


    Cliajyer di Look for Marnis il 1 Don''t Retur

 Coming 46

    Chapter 46 Look for Marcus if I Don''t Return


    After Victor said those words, Natalie remained silent for a long time.


    Perhaps because she had not spoken for so long, his voice sounded again. ¡°Natalie, I didn''t lie to you. After we found out you weren''t our biological daughter, we went to that hospital.


    "The


    ho hospital, fearing the matter would blow up, reviewed the surveince footage and found that the nurse had taken your belongings. They then gave us the items.


    ¡°The things were ced in your baby crib, and we kept them without giving them to you! simply because we didn''t want you to know that you weren''t our biological daughter.


    "Natalie, asking you to donate blood to Diana was wrong on our part, but that''s in the past. It''s been so long, and even if you hate us, I still want to return what your biological parents left you.


    ¡°Natalie, pleasee back. Come back, and I''ll give you the things.¡±


    "I''ll think about it," she replied nonchntly before hanging up.


    After hanging up, Olivia and Connie both looked at her with concern.


    Natalie, you''re n


    really going back, are you?¡± Olivia couldn''t hold back. "The Langley family has no good intentions, and your so-called father doesn''t seem like a good person either."


    "Nat." Connie stepped forward, wanting to ask how Natalie was doing. She hadn''t realized that Natalie had actually suffered a lot in the Langley residence.


    ¡°I''m fine.¡± Natalie snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at the two of them. "I need to think carefully about what Victor said. Actually, I don''t believe them.¡±


    But Victor and Diana had never been affectionate toward her, especially Diana, who didn''t even bother to act.


    If they hadn''t known from the start that she wasn''t their biological daughter, how could they have been so cruel to her?


    That was why she partly believed his words.


    She was just wondering if Grace knew about this,


    Grace had raised her, with Victor only asionally expressing his "concern" and "fatherly love." But those tiny gestures of care were nothingpared to a normal family.


    Grace knew Victor and Diana didn''t love her, so she gave her more love. Behind her back, Grace had even scolded them more than once, saying that if they didn''t love their children, they shouldn''t have had them; having children and being irresponsible was nothing but harmful to


    them.


    Chopper de Look for Marcus ift Don''t Retur


    Natalie had known all this since she was very young.


    ¡°I''ve decided to go back this once.¡± She made up her mind. ¡°Connie,e to the study with me. I have something to tell you."


    "Okay."


    They went into the study. Natalie gave instructions on the precautions for Charles. She would return as quickly as possible and wouldn''t dy Charles'' surgery.


    After giving her instructions, she paused and spoke again. ¡°If I''m not back by the agreed time, go find Marcus and have him go to the Langley residence to get me. If he doesn''t agree, threaten him by withholding Charles'' surgery."


    ¡°Alright. Ms. Walker, I want to go with you."


    -Connie''s eyes were red, her heart aching for Natalie, and she worried about Natalie.


    "If you go, we won''t be able to assure the Holden family." Natalie reached out and ruffled Connie''s head. ¡°I''ll have Olivia apany me back. Don''t worry. I''ll be fine."


    "Ms. Walker."


    ¡°Don''t cry; stay strong.¡± Her face hardened, and her voice grew stern. Connie immediately straightened her back and stood tall.


    ¡°Alright, Ms. Walker," she said loudly.


    Natalie was satisfied. She turned and left the study, quickly packing her things. She didn''t have much to bring, just a ck backpack. Once everything was packed, she was ready.


    Olivia had also packed her things. As Natalie''s long-time friend, she knew Natalie had decided to return when she called Connie to the room.


    "Natalie, let''s go."


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They left the vi and saw Marcus and Elijah standing under a streetlight not far away.


    Marcus'' tall and straight figure was bathed in the light, his handsome face softened from the coldness of the day. When his gaze shifted, his eyes, as ck as ink, were calm and steady, like an unfathomable ck hole that could unknowingly draw people in.


    The invisible pressure became even stronger, especially when he fixed his gaze on someone. It made people want to get closer yet feel a sense of fear.


    Elijah was tall and imposing, with a fierce appearance, but standing behind Marcus, he suddenly seemed less intimidating-


    It was because Marcus'' aura was overwhelming.


    Charge to Look for Marcus if I Don''t Retum


    "What''s Marcus doing here?"


    Natalie shook her head. "I don''t know."


    "Let''s go."


    ¡°He has a fiancee. Don''t let yourself get distracted by him." Olivia lowered her voice and subtly reminded Natalie.


    "I know. Don''t worry! I promise I won''t nce at him for a second," Natalie said, and sure enough, she walked past Marcus without looking at him.


    However, he spoke. "Ms. Walker, please wait."


    "Mm?" She tilted her head slightly. "Is there something?


    ¡°Yes.¡± He turned to Elijah, who hurriedly presented a box hidden behind him.


    "Mr. Holden, here."


    Marcus frowned slightly, clearly puzzled by what Elijah was doing. It wasn''t something shameful.


    "We caused today''s incident, and we owe you an apology. This is a small token. Please ept it, Ms.


    Walker."


    Marcus'' voice was deep and maic, his tone calm butmanding, leaving no room for refusal.


    "It was Elijah''s mishandling that allowed Selena to nder you."


    ¡°Selena has always been making a fuss, but it has nothing to do with you."


    Natalie spoke coldly. "Mr. Holden, there''s no need to worry about it. Besides, Selena didn''t gain anything from


    me.¡±


    "Ms. Walker, please, I beg you to ept it. Otherwise, I''ll feel guilty. It''s just a small gift, not anything valuable.


    ¡°When I left, my grandfather ordered me to make sure you ept it. If you don''t, I''ll no longer be his grandson. Let this be a favor I ask from you. I don''t want to lose my position as his grandson at such a young


    age.


    I


    She was a bit surprised. She looked at him several times. His expression was serious, not joking at all.


    But his words made her feel somewhat amused.


    ¡°Ms. Walker, please ept it. If you don''t, my grandfather will be upset.¡±


    Marcus used Charles as leverage, and she felt she couldn''t refuse without seeming heartless


    Chap 46 Look for Marcus if I Don''t Return


    She reached out to take it. "Thank you, Mr. Holden. Please thank Grandpa Charles too."


    ¡°You''re wee. It''s the least we could do. My grandfather says that you cane to me if you encounter any difficulties with the Langley family. If there''s anything I can help with, I''ll definitely assist."


    Marcus had overheard the confrontation between Natalie, Diana, and Selena. That was when he realized that Natalie had never had the good life the Langley family had presented to the


    outside world.


    Especially when he heard that she had been used as Diana''s blood bag since she was young. At that


    moment, he felt a surge of anger and sympathy.


    It didn''t matter whether that child was Natalie. It was the fact that they could treat a child this way. It spoke volumes about the character of Victor and Diana.

 Coming 47

    Chapter 47 Giving the Dress As A Show of Sympathy


    After sending the gift, Marcus left with Elijah.


    He only felt sympathy and pity for the young Natalie, whom the Langley family had mistreated. However, that wouldn''t change his view of her as a woman driven by vanity.


    At least Natalie had Grace to protect her when she was young, so her life wasn''t too miserable. But that didn''t give her the right to use him as a tool for revenge.


    "Mr. Holden, why did you give Ms. Walker a dress?" Elijah, who had been following along, asked innocently. ¡°Did you hear that Mrs. Langley would hit Natalie whenever she wore a dress as a child, and now you feel sorry for her?¡±


    Marcus fell silent. He didn''t pity Natalie. Even though she had a hard childhood, that didn''t change the fact that she was a woman who sought vanity and dreamed of entering a wealthy family.


    "Sometimes, it''s better to keep your mouth shut," he said coldly. "You can handle the Langley family issues yourself."


    "I''m sorry." Elijah quickly apologized.


    Although he had been harsh when speaking to Selena earlier, he was like a meek housewife in


    front of Marcus.


    Marcus ignored him and returned to the VIP suite where Charles was waiting.


    Meanwhile, Natalie, holding Marcus'' gift, got into a modified G-Wagon parked outside Quinton Hospital with Olivia.


    After getting into the car, she handed the box to Olivia. ¡°Open it and prepare a thank-you gift for Marcus." ¡°Okay,¡± Olivia replied.


    She drove while Olivia opened the box. Inside, there was a pearl white evening gown.


    The fabric was smooth and soft, with a luxurious feel. Olivia lifted it and examined it. It was a ssic design with white gloves to match. The skirt was draped elegantly, and the waist was embroidered with a small jasmine flower.


    It was a high-end evening gown from Nouvelle Zara.


    Though designed for evening wear, the dress was versatile enough for everyday life. Marcus added the gloves to cover Natalie''s wrists'' needle marks and scars.


    ¡°Marcus'' taste isn''t great," Olivia said, cing the dress aside. She had worn many high-end


    Carving the bress As A Show of Sympathy


    custom gowns as a model, so her standards were high. Her low opinion of the dress was also influenced by the fact that it was a gift from Marcus.


    Natalie didn''t speak, focusing on driving, though a strange feeling grew inside her..


    Was Marcus'' gesture of sending her the gown the result of hearing her say she never had at dress in her wardrobe growing up?


    She didn''t want to overthink it. Too many thoughts would only be a burden to her. If it weren''t for Grace and Charles, she and Marcus would have had no reason to cross paths.


    Even if he had once controlled her for several seconds with a single nce.


    Natalie steadied her thoughts and decided not to dwell on why Marcus sent her the dress. Perhaps it was just a gift with no deeper meaning


    By the time Natalie and Olivia returned to the Langley residence, it was already 5:00 am. Selena and Diana had returned earlier.


    The Langley family of three sat on therge sofa in the living room, all staring intently at Natalie as she walked


    in.


    Olivia, following behind Natalie, was stopped by the Langley family''s security guard.


    "Ms. Thatcher, you can''t enter.¡±


    "Why not?"


    ¡°Olivia, wait in the car for me,¡± Natalie said, turning to her. ¡°I''ll be back in a moment.¡±


    "Natalie..."


    "Don''t worry. They won''t take advantage of me.¡±


    Natalie gave


    her a reassuring look. Olivia still wanted to say something, but Natalie gestured for her to leave. Eventually, she turned and went back to the car.


    After watching Olivia leave, she locked the car and walked toward the Langley residence.


    The doors were open. She walked in, and the three members of the Langley family, seated on the sofa, all turned to face her. Victor was the first to stand.


    With a smile, he walked toward her.


    ¡°You''re back. Come sit. August, bring water and breakfast. You must be tired and hungry from the journey. Sit down, rest a bit, and have some breakfast. Then, I''ll have Diana and Selena apologize to you.


    "I''ve also brought out what your parents left for you as a baby."


    He smiled warmly, his expression one of indulgence and obsequiousness.


    Chapter 47 Going the Dress As A Show of Sympathy


    Natalie walked up and sat across from Diana and Selena. ¡°Mr. Langley, just give me the things. my parents I


    left for me. I''ll delete all the surveince videos about Ms. Langley. I don''t need an apology from Ms. Langley or Mrs. Langley."


    ¡°Diana, Selena, quickly apologize to Natalie,¡± he instructed them. "When you both came back, we agreed on this. You two have made one mistake after another, and it can''t continue. Natalie is part of our family. We should try to get along well with her.


    "Natalie, I''ve spoken to your grandmother. From now on, you''ll return to the Langley family and still be our daughter. Selena will just have another older sister. How does that sound?" "Mr. Langley, there''s no need for this," she interrupted coldly. "We agreed from the beginning - -once I left, there would be no more contact. It''s better to stick to that promise.


    "I don''t need apologies from Mrs. Langleys. Langley, so please just give me the things my parents left." "Mr. Langley, Ms. Natalie, breakfast is ready."


    August brought milk and breakfast, setting it respectfully in front of Natalie.


    ¡°Ms. Natalie, you''ve had a long journey. Please eat some breakfast and drink the milk. This is an instruction from Mrs. Langley Senior."


    Natalie''s cold gaze softened slightly when she heard this. She had suspected that Victor couldn''t have been so kind-hearted, and it turned out that Grace had indeed instructed August.


    August nced at Diana and Selena before speaking cautiously again, ¡°Ms. Natalie, Mrs. you should eat, then take the things and visit her at the nursing Langley Senior said


    home.


    "That old hag is still giving orders even from the nursing home. August, what a traitor you are. ¡°Diana scornfully mocked, rolling her eyes to the ceiling.


    ¡°Victor, you can apologize, but Selena and I won''t. She''s just an illegitimate child, and you should be grateful we raised you.


    "What''s so wrong with making her a blood donor? She should thank her lucky stars. She should be grateful for being part of the family. Who does she think she is, acting so wrong? Without the Langley family, she wouldn''t even know where she would have ended up."


    ¡°Diana, shut up," Victor scolded. He stepped forward and pped her. "Do you think you''ve been good enough as my wife? Are you done with that role?


    "Stop being careless, and don''t ruin Selena''s future. She''s just back, and she''s supposed to marry Tyler. Do you want to make the Miller family call off the engagement?"

 Coming 48

    Chapter 48 The Dark Side of Human Nature


    Victor


    was really angry. Even if he despised Natalie, Diana and Selena had provoked her first.


    They had no reason to smear Natalie''s name, so they had iting when she retaliated.


    Even though Natalie had taken away 20 years of Selena''s life, she had grown up with them. She had lost so much blood for Diana, and when she left, he gave her 200,000, which wasn''t much.


    Besides, she didn''t even ept it.


    If the situation between Diana and Selena weren''t handled properly, the Langley family would. quickly fall from its position as the wealthiest family in Amberton.


    Victor and Diana were not good at business, but he was more rational. The Langley family was -doing well recently, but many people had their eyes on them.


    When Diana and Selena returned home in disgrace, he told them that they had to y along with Natalie even if they didn''t feel like it.


    They had to get Natalie to delete the surveince footage and pretend everything was fine. If the Langley family''s reputation were ruined because of them, no one would want to cooperate with them in business anymore.


    At that point, they might lose their position as the wealthiest family.


    Thus, Victor hit Diana hard.


    After Diana received the p and heard his scolding, she was about to explode, but Selena suddenly pulled her hand.


    "Mom, Dad is right. We''ve already promised him we would apologize to Natalie."


    Selena looked at Natalie as they argued. Natalie quietly sat there, with delicate features, her eyes gentle like a painting. She appeared as though she waspletely detached from the conflict, just coldly watching everything unfold.


    Selena stood up and walked to Natalie, bowing deeply. ¡°Natalie, I''m sorry. What happened before was my fault."


    She bent low, her voice reluctant. ¡°Natalie, can you forgive me? When I first returned home, I was jealous of the 20 years you spent in this family. I was petty and strongly jealous, and 1 knew I was wrong.


    ¡°Natalie, I swear I won''t target you anymore. Please forgive me. On the way back, I realized I should be getting along with you instead of opposing you.


    "Having an older sister who loves me is much better than having an enemy. I really know my mistake. Can you forgive me and allow me to make up for it?"


    Clup 48 The Dark Side of Human Nature


    She raised her head again. The jealousy and unwillingness on her face were reced with sincerity and pleading. ¡°Natalie, I''m begging you."


    Natalie looked at her, whose face was full of sincerity, and marveled at how quickly her attitude had changed.


    It was said that one shouldn''t strike someone who offered a smile. Natalie''s main goal wasn''t to start a conflict.


    "Ms. Langley, Mr. Langley and Mrs. Langley only have one daughter, and that''s you. I''m just an unknown illegitimate child. I don''t deserve to be your sister."


    She added calmly, "I ept your apology. If Mr. Langley keeps his word and gives me what my parents left behind, I''ll delete all your surveince footage."


    ¡°Natalie, what my mother said before was wrong. She was just worried about me, and I apologize on her behalf."


    Selena''s attitude had softened a lot. No longer confrontational, she handed Natalie the milk. " Natalie, have some milk to soothe your throat.


    "Honestly, I was upset because Grandma treated you so well. But I''ve thought it over. If I do well and treat you like family, she won''t have to worry so much.¡±


    Her face was sincere and she sounded just as earnest. ¡°I''ve decided to stop my petty thoughts


    instead." and get along well with you


    ¡°Selena, I''m relieved you''re thinking like this,¡± Victor said, breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°Natalie, just give Selena a chance for the sake of the 20 years we spent together."


    Natalie set the milk down on the coffee table, where August had just ced a bowl of spaghetti. The spaghetti and warm milk had been part of her breakfast every day when Grace was healthy. After Gracended in trouble for saving Natalie, the older woman no longer had the chance to have thatbination for breakfast.


    Her heart softened when she heard August say that this breakfast was specifically made ording to Grace''s wishes.


    Grace''s kindness shouldn''t go to waste, so Natalie picked up her cutleries and elegantly ate the spaghetti, barely making a sound.


    After finishing, she drank the milk, one sip at a time.


    ¡°Mr. Langley, I''m done with my meal. Now, can you give me what my parents left for me?"


    "Nattie, follow me to the study to get it. I''ve locked it in the safe.¡±


    Natalie stood up and followed Victor to the study


    Chaper


    The Dark Side of Human Nature


    He walked to the safe but didn''t hurry to open if Instead, he turned to look at her. "Natalie, delete the footage of Selena first."


    ¡°Okay.¡± She took out her phone and deleted all the footage of Selena in front of Victor.


    "Is it done?"


    "Yes, it''s done."


    He nodded and turned to open the safe, taking out a white cloth bag. He walked toward her and raised his hand, suddenly causing a white powder to appear in front of her.


    His action was too sudden, and she didn''t notice in time, inhaling arge amount of the powder. When she held her breath and swiped away the powder, Victor''s face became blurry before her


    eyes.


    "Natalie, don''t me me. We owe too much to Selena,¡± he exined, walking closer to her and shaking his hand in front of her. "I know Mom favors you, but she''s old, and her mind is failing. She can''t protect you forever.


    "No matter how good outsiders are, they can''tpare to a blood-rted granddaughter, can they? Natalie, don''t me me. I didn''t want this either. It wouldn''t havee to this if you didn''t force things so much."


    He murmured as he motioned to the door. Diana and Selena walked in.


    With a thud, Natalie fell to the ground.


    Selena stepped forward and kicked her in the chest. ¡°Bitch, you want me to apologize? Dream on. Dad, Mom, leave Natalie to me! I''ll make her obediently give up the old hag''s shares.¡±


    "Darling, didn''t Mr. Mills say he liked this bitch? Let''s send her to him in exchange for the cruise ship deal. You''re smart, darling. You knew to use Mom to lower her guard. The medicine in the spaghetti and milk doesn''t work fast, but this powder works in three seconds."


    The powder Victor had thrown at Natalie worked almost instantly.


    Her vision blurred, but the pain from biting her tongue allowed her to hear the conversation of the Langley family clearly.


    Chopper 40 Crashing the Langley Residence''s Gate

 Coming 49

    Chapter 49 Crashing the Langley Residence''s Gate


    "She''s a woman; don''t be so harsh." Victor looked at Natalie lying on the floor, feeling a bit guilty. "We agreed that we would just use her to pressure Mom into giving back the shares. Nothing else; don''t go too far."


    ¡°Darling, you just pped me because of her. I can''t swallow this insult," Diana retorted. "If you


    don''t want me to divorce you, di interfere with how Selena and I deal with it.¡±


    "Don''t worry, Dad. We won''t kill her," Selena added in a faked sweet tone.


    "We''ll just give her a small lesson, nothing too extreme. We won''t hand her over to anyone.


    "Is that true?¡± Victor frowned. He didn''t trust their words fully.


    "Dad, I''m your biological daughter! Mom''s been with you all this time! You don''t trust us, you''ll believe Natalie, a fake heiress?" Selena was clearly upset.


    but


    She continued, "We never thought of hurting her. Even if we did, so what? She owes me. A fake heiress should know her ce."


    Her words wereced with malice. A fake heiress like Natalie should be punished for living thefortable life of a biological daughter for so many years.


    "Exactly. Darling, you should trust us."


    Diana reached out and pulled Victor away, heading out of the study. "Leave the rest to Selena


    and I.¡±


    Natalie, still lying on the ground, had already fallen into a deepa. The drug had taken effect during their conversation. They had no choice but to call August to send her upstairs.


    "The woman who came with Natalie is still waiting in the car. We need to deal with her first," Diana said, walking to the window and looking outside. A ck G-Wagon was parked in front of the Langley residence.


    Earlier, Natalie had sent Olivia into the car and locked the doors.


    "Go search the bitch''s body and get the car keys. I''ll go down to meet Olivia."


    "Okay, Mom."


    Selena quickly searched Natalie''s body and handed over the car keys to Diana. Diana smirked, took the keys, and went downstairs.


    Soon after, she unlocked the car, opened the door, and tossed the keys to Olivia.


    ¡°Natalie said she''ll be staying here tonight. You can go home now.


    She turned to leave, but Olivia grabbed her arm. don''t believe you. Get Natalie to tell me


    Chap 40 Crashing the Langley Residences Gate


    herself."


    "It''s


    le up to you to believe it or not." Diana shoved Olivia away. ¡°Who do you think you are,


    interfering in the Langley family''s matters? Better be careful; I''ll have someone threaten your parents."


    "You-"


    ¡°Lea, close the door," Diana said coldly,


    The Langley family''s security guard stepped forward and forcibly kicked Olivia out. The ornate gate was mmed shut behind her.


    She immediately pulled out her phone to call Natalie, but Natalie''s phone was turned off.


    This was odd.


    Natalie was always on her phone, 24/7, in case the sanatorium or Grace couldn''t reach her. Biting her lip, she started her car engine and quickly reversed out. Shifting to drive, she mmed the gas pedal as the car propelled toward the Langley residence gate.


    ¡°Bang!¡± A loud crash echoed as the Langley residence gate was knocked off its hinges.


    Olivia didn''t flinch. She kept her foot on the pedal and continued to elerate against the broken gate.


    ¡°Olivia, are you crazy?¡± Diana screamed from the vi. Olivia grinned maliciously and continued to press the elerator in Diana''s direction.


    Who could be crazier than Diana and Selena?


    ¡°Olivia, do you think I won''t sue you?¡± Diana screamed. ¡°Help!"


    The Langley family''s security guards wanted to approach but were intimidated by Olivia''s crazy actions.


    She had just knocked down the gate¡ªwhat could they, with their small stature, possibly do to stop her? "Diana, hand Natalie over."


    Olivia remained in the car. The Langley residence gate and vi doors were destroyed, but the car''s front end remained unaffected. She hadn''t suffered any injuries either.


    Diana and Selena hated Natalie. If Natalie fell into their hands, she wouldn''te out of it unscathed.


    Olivia was risking her life to save Natalie.


    ¡°Diana, you can try. Let''s see if I care!" Olivia shouted. "If anything happens to Natalie, you''ll be responsible for collecting Selena''s body. I''m serious."


    Chapy: 49 Craching the Langley Residence''s Gate


    Diana was trembling with rage. "How dare you! Natalie is my daughter. What''s wrong with letting her stay here for one night?"


    "You''re letting her stay one night?" Olivia sneered in response. "Don''t think I don''t know what you guys are up to."


    "Mom, call the authorities." Selena came downstairs in a pink dress, soft slippers, and full makeup. She looked nothing like the frazzled woman from Balford.


    ¡°Ms. Thatcher, you impress me.¡°. Selena smiled lightly. ¡°Natalie is asleep in my room. You barge into our house without knowing anything, and you think we won''t call the authorities?¡±


    "Hand Natalie over," Olivia demanded, refusing to leave without seeing Natalie.


    "Who are you to Natalie?" Selena replied with a shallow smile. "My parents have raised her for 20 years. I''m the Langley family''s biological daughter and Natalie is an adopted one. We''re sisters. You, an outsider,e to our home demanding we hand her over? Ridiculous.


    ¡°Mom, call the authorities." Selena spoke calmly sitting on the couch as ifpletely unconcerned about Olivia.


    "Alright."


    After a brief moment of contemtion, Diana called the authorities.


    Natalie was still upstairs, unconscious. They could easily im she had been tired from traveling all night and had fallen asleep.


    As for Olivia, she had knocked down the Langley residence''s gates and vi doors. They wouldn''t let this go easily.


    Not only would she have to pay for the damages, but she would also be detained for at least ten to 15 days. After Diana made the call, Olivia immediately called Connie, asking her to seek help from the Holden family. The phone call connected, and Olivia spoke urgently, "Connie, Natalie is being


    the Langley family. Go to Mr. Holden Senior for help right now.


    ¡°Connie, hurry. I might be in trouble here. You have to be quick."


    eld captive by


    ¡°Okay, I understand. Olivia, you take care too." Connie hung up. Without even bothering to change her shoes, she rushed to find Marcus.

 Coming 50

    Chapter 50 Olivia Is Arrested


    Olivia hung up and was about to reverse the car when Selena pped her hands. The Langley family''s security immediately surrounded her car, blocking her from leaving.


    "Olivia, wait to be detained!" Selena said, a smug smile curling at the corners of her lips. Her made-up face betrayed her pride.


    ¡°Natalie is my family. You''re just her friend. If she had to choose, do you think family or friends would matter more?"


    Olivia sat in the car, looking around. The Langley family''s security surrounded her vehicle. If she tried to reverse, she might injure someone. She didn''t want to hurt innocent people.


    She took a deep breath and said to Selena, ¡°Selena, stop pretending. I know exactly what you and Diana are up to. Just hand Natalie over, and I''llpensate for the damaged gate.¡±


    ¡°That gate is ruined. How can we feel safe living in this house?" Selenaughed as if hearing a funny joke. "You thinkpensating for one gate is enough?


    "Olivia, your modeling career is going well, right? Do you think your agency will still support you after they find out what you''ve done? They''ll probably drop you for someone else. Your penalty fees must be substantial. Do you have enough to cover it?"


    Selena barely concealed her smugness as she continued, ¡°Olivia, get out of the car and surrender!¡±


    "The enforcement officers are almost here," Diana said to Selena. "We can''t let her go before they arrive." "Got it, Mom."


    The car door was locked, and no


    one dared approach it. Olivia wanted to drive forward, but she


    feared crashing into the house and injuring Natalie.


    The standoff continued for half an hour until the enforcement officers arrived.


    Selena immediately greeted them and recounted how Olivia had crashed through the Langley residence''s gate and the vi''s door.


    The officers approached and knocked on the car window, showing their credentials and instructing Olivia to step out.


    With no other choice, she opened the door and got out.


    "I was trying to rescue my friend. I acted out of desperation," she exined. "My friend Natalie is the original daughter of the Langley family, but then their biological daughter returned and they kicked her out. She returned to take something important regarding her biological parents.


    Chap 30 Cavod Is Arrested


    "But since Natalie entered, she hasn''t left. Her phone is turned off, and I''m really worried


    about her."


    Diana spoke up. ¡°Officer, we saw Nataliee back exhausted. We gave her something to eat and some milk before she went to sleep.


    "As for what Ms. Thatcher is saying, I exined it to her and asked her to leave, but she wouldn''t listen. Instead, she crashed through our gate. Officer, I believe she has violent tendencies. You should arrest her for investigation.


    "As for the damage she caused, we will ask the relevant authorities to assess it and demand shepensate for it."


    Diana nced at Olivia. ¡°If you''re still worried about Natalie, you can see her upstairs. Officer, we don''t want to be wrongfully used or bear any me. It would be better if you alle take a look."


    With that, Diana and Selena led the way upstairs.


    "The gate has been damaged so badly that we can''t continue living here. We will require Ms. Thatcher to pay for all the losses during this period."


    The enforcement officers followed Diana and Selena, with Olivia rushing to keep up.


    When they reached the third floor, Diana opened one of the doors. Inside was a well-decorated/ bedroom with expensive furniture.


    Natalie was lying on arge bed, covered by a nket, and sound asleep.


    "Officers, this is Natalie, our former daughter. Olivia says we''re holding her hostage, but I raised Natalie for 20 years, and even though she''s not my biological daughter, I still have feelings for her.¡±


    She approached and adjusted Natalie''s nket. ¡°If you''re still not convinced, go ahead and check.¡±


    Olivia stepped forward and gently shook Natalie, calling her name. ¡°Natalie, wake up. Wake up.


    ¡°What are you doing, Ms. Thatcher?¡± Diana shoved Olivia aside. ¡°My daughter is tired, and she wants to sleep. Don''t disturb her. Now that you''ve seen her, shouldn''t you go with the officers for further investigation?"


    ¡°Natalie, Natalie!" Olivia shouted, but Natalie remained deeply asleep.


    "This isn''t right. How can someone sleep so deeply? They must have drugged Natalie. Officer, please have a doctore and check Natalie."


    ¡°Ms. Thatcher, you''re really sick,¡± Selena snapped. ¡°Our family is the wealthiest in Amberton. My parents have done so much charity work. They are kind-hearted and would never drug


    Shupper 50 Olivia is Arrested


    their daughter of 20 years, no matter what."


    One of the officers said, "There''s no need for a doctor. Lane, wake Ms. Walker up."


    "Yes, sir."


    Lane Knapp approached and said, ¡°Ms. Walker, wake up."


    He gently pushed Natalie, and after a moment, Natalie slowly opened her eyes.


    She looked around, confused. "Who are you?


    "I''m from the enforcement office."


    you Lane asked, ¡°Ms. Walker, did your mother and sister drug you and abuse you? Or did asleep because you were too tired?"


    d you fall


    Natalie massaged her temples and slowly sat up. Her mind shed with memories of when she fell to the ground, hearing Diana and Selena''s words. Then, she was taken into Selena''s room, where Victor came in, woke her up, and threatened her.


    If she didn''t cooperate, he would harm Grace. She could only defend Grace for the sanatorium


    After the threats, Victor had caused her to fall unconscious again.


    r so long within


    From the moment she entered the Langley residence, everything had been nned. Even their/ strategy for dealing with Olivia''s return had already been prepared.


    Natalie looked at Olivia, who was clearly relieved to see her awake, but her next words sent Olivia into despair.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51 Saving Olivia


    usty mom and sister didn''t drug me mistreat me. I was just too tired and went upstairs to sleep after dinner. I''m not acquainted with Ms. Thatcher," Natalie said


    "Natalie!" Olsa''s eyes widened in disbelief after bearing Natalie''s words. "Natalie, are you being threatened? If you''re being threatened, just tell me


    "Don''t worry. No matter what happens. I''ll help you."


    "M. Thatcher, I don''t know you that well." Natalie interrupted livia. Her gaze was firmas she continued, "Please leave now. Ito


    Onda''s heart sank, her hope fading Natalie''s expression was cal. Her one was steady, and she didn''t appear to be joking.


    ¡°Fine, understand,¡± Olivia red, nodding slightly. She didn''t say anything me.


    "Serves you right, Olivia. Selena sneered from the side. "Youthought to highly of yourself, didn''t you? How does it feel to be rejected?"


    Oliva red at her but said nothing, allowing the officers to take her away


    After she was arrested, Selena sat down next to Natalie. "You really have a cold heart, don''t you? Olivia did all this for you, but you just turned your back on her?


    Natale felt weak, and her head still throbbed from the effects of the drug. The pruder Victor had used on her caused a rapid, almost instantaneous copse, leaving her exhausted and disoriented for a long time.


    She needed a rare ingredient she had once researched to reverse the effectspletely. The mysterious Walker family from Dithoria currently possessed in


    Right now, Natale couldn''t afford to keep fighting Selena and Diana. If they wanted to see her turn against olida, she would give them exactly what they wanted. She only regretted that this would probably be stock at the enforcement office for awhile


    ¡°Nababe, why aren''t you saying anything¡± Selena grinned. ¡°Oh, that''s right! You''ce drugged, so you can''t be all high and mighty now.¡±


    She then took Natalie''s phone and named it on. Rest at home. I''ll take care of grandma for you. Natalie, do you really think you can fight me with alousy little video?


    She stood up, long down at her triumphantly. ¡°You have to pay back every bit of what you owe me.¡°


    6699


    Natalie ignored her andy back down, closing her yes to sleep. Rest was the tastest way to ease the drug''s effects without an antidote.


    "Natalie, I''ll have a lower handle Olivia''s case." Selena threatened her onest time before leaving


    Luckily, she and Diana had retumed just in time. Under Victor''s instructions, they had already prepared several strategies for what to do when Natalie returned to confront them. They had not anticipated Olivia crashing through the door, but that didn''t matter. They had already predicted Natalie would bring someone with her


    Selena mmed the door behind her, making a loud noise. Diana was on the phone, already instructing theyer to go after Olivia. The damaged vi gate was evidence, and the Law enforcement hadn''t deed to move thecar


    The G-Wagon outside the house was now propping up the vi. What was once a line vi was now structurally unstable, and the Langleys, the wealthiest family in Amberton, couldn''t afford to let it stay in such state.


    Diana had already contacted a movingpany, awyer, the enforcement office, and the property damages center. The vi was no longer habitable, and they would demand that  pay for all the damages- preferably for the rest of her life, making her work for the Langley Tamily


    This time, they were going to crush olmapletely.


    In Balford, Connie hurried to find Charles and Marcus. After exining everything in a rush, she tumed to Marcus pleadingly. "Mr. Halden, please go to Amberton and se Natalie."


    ¡°do, Marcus,¡± Charles said with a serious expression and amandingne. ¡°Torder you to bring Natalie out of the Langley residence safely.¡±


    es, Grandpa,¡± Marcus agreed, then motioned for Connie to follow him out of the VIP suite


    "As Sterling, I''ll have Ethan go to Amberton. Dean''t leave my grandpa right now! "But if Natalie doesn''t return, who will perform the surgery for Mr. Holden Senior


    Connie blurted out in her panic.


    ¡°Him? What did you say?¡± He narrowed his eyes. "Aren''t you the one performing the surgery on my grandfather?""


    "Connie''s gaze shifted uneasily. After along pause, she cautiously spoke up. "I''m just handling some affairs for Dr. Elim Pm not the one doing the surgery.


    ¡°Exn yourself clearly" Marcus tone darkmed "Ms. Sterling, my grandfather''s health is not a joke."


    Connie unvoluntarily shivered. The pressure from Marcos'' presence was overwhelming, his icy gaze making her instinctively want to flee-but she couldn''t.


    Natalie was trapped in the Langley residence, and with Diana and Selena''s hatred for tier, Connie had no idea what they might do to her. Natale instructed her to find Marcus she didn''t return by the agreed-upon time.


    "Natalie is Dr. Elim," Connie finally confessed, her voice tiem


    She looked up at him ¡°Please keep this a secret. Natalie''s identity must not be revealed to anyone. if she doesn''t retum, no one will perform the surgery for Mr. Holden Senior Its cold, frosty demetibsided slightly as he nodded. "understand"


    His swill agernut made her uncertain.


    ne, do you want me


    want me to believe you or not?!


    "why wouldn''t believe you?" Marcus responded, his tone sharp, "Ms.Sterling, do Connell silent.


    "Do you think I would go to such lengths to rescue Ms. Walker if I didn''t believe you


    Connie immediately shook her head. ¡°I would never lie about Ms. Walker.¡±


    "It''s settled then.¡±


    Marcus took out his phone and called Ethan to instruct him to stay behind and care for Charles. Meanwhile, he and Elijah prepared to leave Quinton Hospital.


    1r 21 sawng diwa


    Connie didn''t dare to follow. She needed to stay behind and take care of Charles,


    Marcus and Elijah boarded the Holden family''s helicopter in Balford and rushed to Amberton as quickly as possible.


    "Mr. Holden, are you in such a hurry to save Natalie because you''ve developed feelings for her? Elijah asked as they exited the helicopter.


    Marcus nced coldly at Elijah, his lips curling into a sneer. "Noah, go buy a gag for Elijah."

 Chapter 52

    This man kan Marcia''ziber fructed bodypanda


    jumper brothery, Noah Holdem


    walked forward and grabbed Eljub ?s peck "From now on, I don''t want to be another word from you


    The Lady Blush was Kekadens in his brother''s grasp and was pulled away to the back of the belle optet.


    They


    y firstnded on a botel a roodtop and then


    Hijd and fod entered the vi Marin funk out his phone and trinfralling fatale, but her phone was turned off


    Frowning, he thought, "Il Natalebindylir Elm, sherent be litt is danger." He had to bring her back


    beforethu''uuremy


    "Mi Holden, Ms. Walkernu


    1. d. Noah teported after quickly retuming


    "Mr Holden, Eye copand thei ince Jontage from the Langley residence." Niuh, more meticulous than Ejah, adjusted his sses. "Twe found out aberr


    An hour ago, V?rtor and his family took than unconscious Natalie to another


    This vi was in dedon the sutskirts, far from the city center by the time Marcus and the others finally reached, no hours had passed.


    Mtanding in front of the Langley Manor, Marcin nced inside. The surveince footage showed that Katalie had been carried away unconscious


    So much telud passed, and he didn''t know what state shewn in now.


    Blijd stepped forward to knock on the door.


    Soon, Aurust appeard "May Help you?


    Dijh announced, "We''re here to see Mu. Selena Langley"


    Apost looked at the burly hijab and nced outside, where he saw the tall, handsome, and imposing Marru


    He stood there, looking strikingly handsome. He seemed like the protagonist of a movie, insa elevating the surmunding atmosphere


    Aapest win secently surprised. When did the Langley family be acquainted with such an extraordinary and elegant man?


    "Why are you staring at my boss??


    Elijah took a step forward, blocking Aupist''s par


    Aspist hurried inside to inform Seknu Soon, she appeared. As soon as she i ? Marcus, her face immediately darkened.


    She turned to lene, but foal stepped forward and stopped her. Calmly, he said, ¡°Ms. Langley, nice to meet you. We''re line to see 3. Natalie Walker"


    Why are you looking for Natalie? She''s not here"


    "Mu Langley, I''m certain Ms. Walker in with you." His too remained calm. ¡°We are from the Holden family of Dithoria, here to take Ms. Walker back. We''vee straight here.


    When Selena hinand the words ¡°Holden family of athora,¡± her already grimace became even more so. At Quinton Hospital, she had seen the well-trained boshguards of the


    not at that time, she hadn''t connected that of the matte was rested in to the Holden family of Dithora The Holden Lasily was the world''s richest fastly. They had enterprises speral across the country and were led by the ruthless and decisive Marcus. They were elite tamdy that people like her could never hope to berper


    Since returning to the Langley family, she hathead Victor mention than once that if they could connect with even alde bat of the Halden family''s influence, they would no


    The stess and sockilstanding would take a massive leap as well.


    Selena''s buttal shock turned to indication as anew n formed in herwind


    She nced at Elijah, who was behind Noah, and alien at Marcus, who made her heart race


    or just standing there


    She stealist herself, flen opened the door. ¡°Natale haft here. But Fran invite you all inside for acupoftra. "Lolky, that some i understandings with this gentleman. There was a bit of a scene at the Quinton Hospital, but since you''re from the Haldens, I''ll let it go." "Win lulled you'' The


    (martial, alright?¡± (lijah immediately resorted. ¡°I''ve seen shameless people, but I''ve never seen someone as shameless as you. How can you say you


    ¡°Tajali¡± Marcus'' low, maple voice rang out coldly without warmth. "Ginside and finder ce you indher, bring her out imidiately


    Chapter 52 Escorting Natal Bock.


    Yes, Mr. Holden"


    Elijah red at Selena, then pushed her aside and boldly walked into the vi.


    ¡°Sorry, Ms. Langley." Noah followed carefully, unlike the brash and forceful Elijah,


    The two entered the vi while Selena remained frozen, her gaze fixed on Marcus, Slowly, she stepped toward him


    "Mr. Holden, the previous matter was a misunderstanding, I didn''t know that you vanquished evil." Marcus gave her a cold look. "Ms. Langley, there''s no misunderstanding. I''m here to deal with the endl He was implying that Selena was an evil person


    She dared to say that Elijah was ruthless, but she didn''t see how much of a seductress she was, almost unable to hide her vixen charm.


    Saying she was a viven


    avixen was an insult to other vivens. Vixens were beautiful and had great figures, but Selena was just a low- quality imitation.


    Selena froze for a moment, then understood what Marcus meant. Her face turned pale


    But soon, she bit her lip and pretended not to understand his words, continuing, ¡°Mr. Holden, since you''re here, why note in and rest abit? Natale isn''t here. If you don''t believe me, you cane in and check."


    She took a step back, clearing the way.


    But he only gave her a cold nce before turning and getting into the car, mming the door shut.

 Chapter 53

    Selena was left standing in the same spot,pletely ignored


    From the moment she tried to approach Marcus, it was clear that he disliked her, even showing disdain. However, she couldn''t let go of the idea that sach am exceptional man shouldn''t be with Natalie.


    She stood there for awhile before returning to the vi


    Noah had already berus searching the permises Diana and Victor were gagged with towels and tied to chairs. Agest and Meredith were ale tied up and thrown into er.


    jah sat causally on the s, staring at Data and Victor. It was clear he was the one who had tied them up...


    In the past. Selena had dismissed them as she didn''t know they were from the prestigious Halden family But now, knowing who they were, she was too scared to speakout ¡°Mr.Holden, you don''t up my parents even if you''re looking for someone," Selena said, approaching Elijah. "It''s really hard to believe that the Holdens have this kind- of behavior."


    "Respect for people, not animals, What kind of respect can I show toward animas?¡± he retorted harshly.


    Elijah ceted to mock her, The heness of the Langley family is really something! You''ve really powerhif just hearing about you makes everyone shiver in Bear! so scared "How der you" Selena''s cured red with anger.


    presence.


    Before she could speak, Elijah contured, "How dare Your face is huge, and your waist is ick. You''re so beautiful that anyone uglier would cry and feel inferior in your p Who in this world canpare to you?"


    Her faceted an even darker shade of pimple


    "This is my house! Get out, or report you to the authorities!


    "Go ahead,¡± he said as he grabbed Diana''s phone from the coffee table and dialed the authorities'' number. Do you want me to help you call them?


    She was so angry her teeth almost cracked from clenching her low sa hand


    "Elijah, sound Ms. Walker" Noah''s voice came from upstairs. "You watch them go find. Holdon''


    "Alright. You go. Leave them to me."


    *Stop talking nonsense,¡± Noah said as he nced at Selena belelewing the vi


    So, he was back in the car, quietly reporting to Marcos,


    "Mr. Holden, Ma Walker has been pooned with The Second Prison by Victor. I''ve checked and there''s made at the Langley Manor Ms. Waller said Connie can make the antidate but shecks one ingredient Only the Walker Tamy in Ditheria have


    * Waker also said she would be too weak to hold anything if the poison isn''t cured interrogated Victor. He bought the poison through a special contact, but that contact doesn''t sell the antidote The and one is definitelynot here."


    Marcas listened quieth, then opened the car door and stepped out. "Til bring Naralle back?


    "Understood."


    Noah walked altavad, leading the way.


    Soon, Marcus arrived in front of Natale, but she had fallen into a deep sleep again.


    "Walker sald the Three-Second Poison causes fatigue,¡± Nach exined respectfully. "She told us not to worry. If


    cake the antidote."


    Marcas didn''t respond, his gaze cold. The person who could make the antidote wasn''t connie-it was Natale herself. The There Second Poison made the victim too weak to hold anything, which meant she couldn''t hold a surgical scalpel. without the scalpel, she couldn''t perform the surgery for charles.


    pet that ingredient from the Walker family, Conne


    So, Natalie had been certain that it something happened to her at the Langley residence, Connie would seek him out, and he would have to rescue her Mack brows furrowed This woman always knew how to use him when the opportunity arose. This time, he was forced to let himself be used


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Holden, Noah replied, carrying Natalie and her nket


    Natalie remained deeply asleep, unawer of everything happening around her


    "Mr. Holden, My. Walker also asked me tomyher request for your help in saving Olivi,¡± Noah added as he carried her. ¡°Ms.Thatcher crashed through the Langley residence''s gate and was taken away by the authorities"


    Marces headed downstairs. She certainly had a good frand.


    "Yes, Mr Holden "Noah breathed a sigh of relet, knowing that since Marcus had agreed, he would have something to report once Natalie woke up


    es will be on you two. Amberton''s richest His deep, maic voice was chilling


    Downstairs, Marcus approached Victor and Diana I Natalie doesn''t recover, the consequences will be on and his dark eyes were slurp and intimidating.


    After speaking, he left, not giving them any chance to respond


    Although Marcus'' group of three seemed few, their overwhelming presence was enough to silence the Langley Tamly


    selena''s anger baded as Natalie was taken away, but she dared not approach.


    She had an inking of Marcus identity and states.


    oke Cant Hold the Scalpel


    After Marcus left with Natalie, Selena approached her parents, untangling the ropes and unbinding them.


    "Dad, Mom, they''re from the Holden family in Dithoria." She bit her lip. "They have taken Natalie away, I''m afraid we won''t get another chance like this."


    "No, there''s still a chance,¡± Victor said darkly, his voice low. "I left Natalie''s number on the website, but then Ichanged it to my own on the third day. We can find her biological parents and go after them."


    Diana and Selena''s eyes brightened when they heard this


    ¡°Darling, you''re really something. I thought you actually cared for that bitch, Natalie.¡±


    "I don''t want to go too far, but given the situation now, we can''t coexist peacefully with her," he said helplessly, "We''re a family, and Selena hasn''t been with us for 20 years We''ve already wronged her


    "As for Natalie, she wasn''t our biological daughter. After we made her work as a blood donor for so many years, she must be full of resentment toward us. Since we''ve already made her suffer, we''ll finish the job


    Dana didn''t argue further after hearing this.


    Marcus, along with Elijah and Noah, brought Natalie back to attend as fast as they could.


    Upon arriving at Quinton Hospital, Connie rushed ov

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54 Asing for a Herb From the Walker Family


    Connie ruched forward, wrapping her arms round Natalie as panir filled her voice


    "Mr. Holden, what happened to her Why she unconscious? Did the Langley family do something to her


    1. Walker has been poisoned by Three-Second Poise, Marcus eplied, voice low, she said she was missing one key ingredient, and as with the water family in Debora


    Ms. Sterling, if tean procure the herbs, can you prepare the antidote topletely neutralize the Three- Second Poison


    Connie hesitated for a mommt, then nodded slowly. She had no idea how to make the antidote, but since he had led otherwise to Marcus, she could only y along wi


    I can prepare in. Did Natalie say what herb de


    "t''s called Dead of Night"


    Connie froze the bad never heard of such athing ¡°Are you surel


    "Yes, Dead of Night,¡± Marcus sod, noting her ignorance.


    Natalie wasn''t always enconscious. She had exined earlier that the antidote was made, sleep was the most effective way to suppress the effects of the poison process was too time consuming Shenor Charles could afford to love any more time.


    Hence, Mare had to get the herb she needed.


    However, the


    The thought of visiting the Walker familycased his brow to crease. The Walken eldest daughter, Emma, was his fianc¨¦e she was betrothed to him since before his birth However, he receby spoke to her. Whenew there were family gatherings or business events were Em was presente avoided attending if possible on the rare asions be couldn''t inoid it, Eis brothers acted as buffers, ensuring Emma couldn''te near himi


    Even when forced to interact, Marcus kept a courteous but distant demeanor, careful never to give her any on to misunderstand.


    Now, however, he had no choice but to go. For Charles'' sake, this was a trip he had to make.


    "Ms. Sterling, stay here and take care of Natalie head to phoria and get the herb as quickly as possible


    "Thank you, Mr. Holden," Cannae replied


    After lewing the


    Marrus pulled out his phone and called Sky Walker, the eldest son of the Walker family.


    The call connected quickly, and sky''s cheerful voice came through. "Matrus, what''s the asion? it''s rare to get a call from you." Marcus''s tone was calm, and he didn''t beat around the bush. ¡°Sky, I need your help with something"


    ¡°I''ve heard the Walker family has a herb called Dead of Night. I''d like to buy it from you could you part with some?" Marcas asked


    The Holden and Walker families were long-time allies, and Maren had grown up with sky and his brothers Despite their camaraderie, Marcus had always kept his distance from their cherished younger sister, Emma. This had subtly strained his rtionship with the family, Inning! suncertain about Sky''s response.


    Night Sky''s tone turned serious "Marcus, how did you learn that we have it?


    The herb was extremely rare, ince its price, bloomed only once y decade on the night of july 15th. Its flowerssted a mere 30 minutes and had to be harvested at the height of its bloom, stems and all Then, one had to store it properly therwise, it would render the eras ordinary as any wildflower.


    Sky, that''s not important. I need it sprilly Gan you help me?!


    "Sorry, Marcus" After abret pense, Sky''s reply was firm. "Our fandy doesn''t have Dead at Night"


    "Are you sude!


    Marcus didn''t believe him Natalie was Dr. Elin She wouldn''t have lied about this.


    Last time, his doubts about her led to unnecessaryplications with Charles" sirgery. This time, he decided to forego is prejudices and chose to tristher


    "I''ll help you look for it," sky said, his tone lightening. "But don''t you think you owe medier for this Lavor?!


    When I''m burk in tarhonia, Fin


    "Deal I''ll update you soon." As die call ended, Marcus''s expression darkened.


    He could see through Sky''s Butritious, but for Chules'' sake, he had nechoice but to endure.


    Alter Sky ended his call with Marcin, h?r insattendiatri alled Emma. ¡°Earna, I''ve arranged a meeting for you


    with Marcus Heal home and ask Mom for a beth called Dead of Night


    ally?¡± Emma''s ware was filled with joy. "sky, you actually made it happen?"


    ¡°Of course. When have Lever let you down ?" Sky said after tionately. ¡°But terteiler, don''t conse on too strong. You''re a Walker family princess - don''t make it seem like you''re


    17, what are you talking about?" Emma retorted yfully. "I''ll go ask Mom right now."


    After she hang up, shelved assage from thy with Mars" location, indicating that he


    Heartfilled with excitement. She had been in love with.


    for years. Despite their engagement, he had always kept her at angi¨®s length.


    Chapter 54 Asking for a Hadi. From the Wicker Family


    ry time she wanted to get close to him, he would turn around and leave without hesitation. He didn''t give her a chance at all.


    Every


    was for him to treat her as his


    Emma had always been doted on at home, so she was prideful. However, she was willing to set aside her pride and dignity for him. All she wanted w fianc¨¦e, not a stranger.


    She hurried home, feeling delighted. When she arrived, she overheard her mother, Charlotte, speaking on the phone. "Hello, is this Natalie?*


    "Yes, I saw the information on the website. Could you tell me more?"


    "Yes, I believe she might be my daughter."


    Emma was stunned by what she had just heard.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55 The Walker Family Found Their Daughter


    Charlotte was self on the phone, entirely unmate et finna''s presence


    ¡°Yes, I''ll arrange for someone toe over as soon as possible. Thank you,¡± Charlotte said before hanging


    19.


    Timmaquckle stepped back, het naik digging into her palms as she forced hemelt to stay calm


    Atandby facing website. A person believesd to be theit daughter. Natale.


    The wend willed in her mind, torming a possibiling that she didn''t want to consider


    she paced to gather her thoughts betone walking into the room as it nothing hat happened "ti, Mons."


    ¡°Emma, we''re back¡± charlene had just put down her phone. Het expression shifted, a trace ofplexity Haching through her gaze as she looked at Ema


    Moments, eagles, she hade across a post on a tanih seach website. The Lay''s me, details, and even her photo boce an uncanny resemnce to Charlotte''s younger self.


    The post also mentioned that thedy had been been in a hospital in Amberton¡ªthe same hospital stiere Charlotte had given birth doing a trip with her husband, Wiliam


    One nce at Natalie''s photo was enough to convince Charlotte She died DNA test to know that this person was het doighter


    The embler was striking, so much so that anyone could tell at a nce that Natalie belonged to her and William.


    "Mom,¡± Emma said seth, perting not to nonce the subtle change in Charlotte''s expression. She walked over and slipped her arm around her mother''s as usual.


    "sky just called me. He asked ise to get the Dead at Right from you,¡± Enuma said. "Mom, could you give it to me? 1 want to surprise Marcus."


    Despite her earlier mood, charlotte couldn''t help but smile. After all, famma was the baby the mase hat handed her at birth, and the child she had loved and pampered ever


    "Did your brother send you to get it?


    "Mm-hmm" Ermanodded enthusiastically. "Mom, please?


    ¡°Alright, Wat here. Il get for you."


    Charlotte didn''t ask a futher questions Sky had instructed it, whether the medicine was for Marcus of someone else, she trusted his judgment.


    Emma waited downstars Beer long, Charlotte returned with an exquisitely crafted wooden boxere you go, Emma"


    "Thank you Mom! Ike you so much!!!


    Emmaexpressed her alertien spent, kissing her mother''s cheek before taking the bes and leaving in high


    spirit


    Alter she was gone, Charlottes expression named serious in her hand, she held two strands of hair. She had discreetly plucked them from Emma during their embrace. "orgehere," she called


    When Gorge actived, Charlotte handed him three hair samples - -one from Emma, one from hell, and one from William


    ¡°Secretly arrange for a DNA ¡°sheinstructed ¡°Do not let anyone know about this¡±


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker" Gerge took the samples and left the house immediately


    Cherepened the family search website and stared at Natalie''s photo again. The more she looked, the more centon she became


    Amberton The Langley family_Natalie


    This had to be her daughter


    In Amberton, at the Langley residenor, Victor hung up the phone


    "I was right,¡± he said smugly, addressing Duna and Selma. ¡°Natalie''s biological parents have contacted us. They said they''ll send someone soon they turn out to be wealthy


    powertil, we''ll have Selena pese as their daughter.¡±


    ¡°But, dear, the photo you posted was of that little wench Natalie, not Selena,¡± Dunasnapped. "How will they believe it when the photo and person don''t match?"


    "Selenacan be made to look like Natalie," Victor said dismissedly "We know plenty of makeup artist. Their transformations are practically magical By the time they''re done, Selena will look exactly like her¡±


    "But what if they''re poor? Selena parsed her lips. She had fought hard to reim her ce in the Langley family and wasn''t about to give up her life of


    "it the poor, we''ll manipte them and force Natalie toply," Victor replied, already formting a n.


    He sighed. "I didn''t want things toe to this, but I''ve already poisoned Natalie with the Three-Second Poison She probably hates me by now."


    Since there was notumingback, he decided to double down. Even so, a tint sense of unease gnawed at him. He didn''t know if it was guilt or fear.


    Artrithecutenes with Natalie. Then, he did things to harm her. His actions toward Natalie had gone far beyond what he had originally intended. It was unlikely that they would ever return to the peaceful rtionship they once had with Natalie.


    He turned to look at Selena and said, ¡°Selena, focus on building a rtionship with Tyler Forget about that man from the Helden family. They''re out of our league.


    "you win over Tyler, the Miller family will join forces with us, and we can secure our status as Amberton''s wealthiest for another century."


    "Yes, Dad," Selena replied obediently, though she was clearlysning


    Victor, westled with her response, finally rxed


    To him, Tyler was already an excellent much. Though the Langley family was prominent in Amberton, they were world apart from the Holden family Therefore, there was no point in aspiring to something unattainable.


    "Let''s prepare Someone from Natalie''s biological family will be here can


    Chapter 25 The Walker Frey y Found Ther Daughte


    That evening, Gorge armed at the Langley residence.


    A contining through a DNA test that Emma was not their biological daughter, Charlotte had immediately dispatched him on the family''s private helicopter to Amberton. Meanwhile, she and Wilum stayed home, preparing a new room for their daughter and gathering gifts to make up for all her missed birthdays. God and Dinawith a polite smile. Mr. and Mrs Langley, may see Ms. Natalie?


    "And how are yourled to her crashed, his tone friendly as he subtly scrutinized the visitor.


    His attire was in, his dem unassuming, and his vehicle modest. There was no sign of wealth or status.


    Tmhmuck," Gorge replied.


    Duna couldy''t help but ask, "Why aren''t her parents here to take her home?


    They''re busy with movations and can''t make it,¡± he exined ¡°May meet Ms. Natalie


    Victor and Dana enchanged a nce her parents wereborers struggling with renovations, they must be poor In that case, there was no need to send Selena to endure such hardship


    "Ant you going to conduct actor asked


    "There''s no need," Gorge said with a smile. He had seen Natalie''s photo. Her resemnce to both Warm and Charlotte when they were young was striking, especially Charlotte.


    So, the Lavaly didn''t do a TA, test. They had no doubt the Natalie was their biological daughter. As for Emma, it was now certain that she shared no blood rtion with the Walker

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56 Just the Thought of Natalen Hardships Delighted Sra.


    Chapter 56 Just the Thought of Natalie''s Hardships Delighted Selena


    "Me and Mrs Langley can you let meneet Ms. Natalie?


    No male how long Gorge spoke for and Diana, the emple refused to let him Natale.


    She''s out," Selena interjected with a smirk. ¡°Honestly, she''s been clear about not wanting to reconnect with her biological parents.


    "My dad was just being kind when he posted about her on the family search website. She didn''t even want to leave her own contact information. It was my dad who left his


    umber of the goodness of his heart. Otherwise, she''d probably spend her whole life aiding her real parents" Gorgy''s heart sank as he toned. For years, William and Charlotte had remained unwee that their biological daughter had been Ihing elsewhere, while the family showered their love on the wrong child¡ªErimi


    Though the Langley family''s financial standing couldn''tpare to that of the Walker family, they were still the wealthiest family in Amberton. They, too, had only recently found their biological daughter. Sure, they had to how cherished Natalie just as much as the Walker family had adored Emma


    In that light, it was understandable why Natalie might hesitate to roct with her biological family


    Selena continued, "Still, you can rest assured, sir. As the sing goes, no dog dislikes its master, and no child rejects their parent. I consince my sister to return to her real family


    Just imagining Natalie''s line deteriorating once she returned to what else was destitute family bought a glimmer of schadenfreude to selena''s eyes


    ¡°Sir, leave your contact information, and I''ll make sureince her. Or better yet, give me your address. Once she''s ready, Till send her to you."


    Then, Selena stood up and gestured toward the door "Thank you foring, sir


    Gorge knew he couldn''t overstay his wee, sobe rase, offered his thanks, and left t Langley residence. The moment he stepped outside, he called Charlotte. "Mrs. Walker, Tinned the Langley family, but I wasn''t able to see Ms. Nataille. They said she''s smiling to acknowleder her biological parents of een meet them."


    His voice cared a mode of secrow Mrs. Walker, do you think Ms. Natalie resents us format looking for her all these years?"


    On the other end of the line, Charlotte''s previnely hopeful expression fahered. Her heart sank, and a wave of ancholy swept over her


    ¡°Gorge, I''ll ask William to take care of the renovations before heading Charlotte quickly pulled herself tape. "Wewe Natale 20 years of love and care it the mes, it''s only fair


    ¡°Bar I''ll do everything in my power to make amends and emerges Gorge, wall forme. I''ll be there soon.¡±


    After ending the call, Charlotte grabbed her bag and prepared to leave


    Dear, I''m going to bring our daughter home. While one, make sure her room is ready, and arrange all the gifts we owe her for these years. If you don''t have everything done betheme Treturn, you''ll get it,¡± she said.


    Wiliam quickly raised his hand in surrender. ¡°Yes, yes. Don''t worry, I''ll take care of everything.¡±


    As Charloma walked out the door, William couldn''t help but reflect on what he had learned just a short while ago, Charlotte had shown him the DNA test results and the photo of Natale posted on the family such website. Only then did he find out that Emma, whom they had cherished all these years, was not their biological daughter.


    The moment he saw al''s photo, he, The Charlotte instinctively recognized her as their chil.A DNA test would be redundant as there was no doubt in his heart


    While Charlotte was on her way to find their daughter, William stayed busy at home. He created a groupchat with their five sons al Charlotte


    William tested, ¡°Everyone, have an important announcement


    *


    Sky replied, "Huh? Is this a new group? Why isn''t Emma in here?adder"


    William replied, "Don''t add her."


    Skrresponded with a few question marks


    when your


    Charlottetested, "Erma is not our biological daughter. Our daughter is named Natalie Years ago, father and I were in Amberton, I went into premaninebor during tip. At the hospital, our child was alentaly switched with another baby"


    Lincoln replied, "Mom, Dad, are you jaking"


    Hector tested, "So, the DNA tesorge secretly had me do was for Emma and you two?


    Timothy replied, ¡°50, Emma really isn''t our biological sister?"


    Mantested, "Then, where is our real ser


    Charlotte responded, "ge is on his way to find her, and I''m heading there too, I wanted to informed all beforehand Emma hasn''t been told you"


    Charlotte sent another meg ¡°Listen carefully, you time brand. I won''t tolerate any of you favoring Emma just because she grew up with us while Natalie didn''t. I forbid anyone from hurting Natalie because of Emma?


    Skyrepindhanais.


    Lincoln plied, "Don''t worry, Mom. I''ll cherish my sister


    Hector responded, "Same here. I''ll treat her even better than make up for the years she didn''t have us. Timothy wrote, "Meto??"


    Mason asked, "Has she graduated yet? She can attend my school I look out for her."


    Lincolnted, "Sky, you''re being aspiciously quiet. You''ve only sent some elipses. What''s that supposed to man? Are you not going to wee our real sister


    weki


    Sky defended hamid Thurst Don''t jump to conclusions"


    William texted, ¡°Alright, I''ve informed you all. Now, it''s up to you sure that Natale feels the warmth and love of our family when shees home. Whoever fails will be kicked


    Chapter 56 Just the Thought of Natalie''s Hardships Delighted Selena


    Mason asked, "Dad, if our real sisteres home, will Emma still live with us?


    He was still a student, untainted by theplexities of adult rtionships. Although his question was natural, it hit a nerve. Once their real sister came back, wouldn''t Emma''s position in the family be awkward? The question left Sky unsettled. As the eldest, he had been there for each of his brothers births and had always yearned for a younger sister. When Emma finally arrived, he had adored her to no end.


    Among all the siblings, no one could rival his devotion to Emma. In many ways, he had practically raised her himself.


    Sky texted, ¡°The Walker family isn''t so poor that we can''t amodate one more person. Emma will continue to stay here. Once our real sisteres home, the two of them can kepeach otherpany. It''ll help her adjust to our family faster."


    Lincoln wrote, ¡°I disagree. Since our real sister is back, it''s only right for Emma to return to her own family."


    Timothy added, "I did some digging. When the real daughter of the Langley family returned, Natalie was kicked out. Natalie has already been called a take daughter and thrown out once If she finds out there''s still a "take" in our home, she might feel hurt."


    Sky replied, ¡°If our real sister is that petty, then we can temporarily arrange for Emma to live elsewhere. Once our sister epts her, we can bring Emma back"

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57 Fiance


    After Sky sent the stage in the group chat, the conversation abruptly ceased. Moments Later, anonication popped up which read, ¡°Sky has been moved from the group


    chat"


    Sky was stunned What did he say wrong? Why would his father kick him out of the grap)


    sayanmediate messaged Hector privately. Hector, who was a doctor, had mentioned in the group that Gorge had secretly asked him to conduct a test between Emma and their parents.


    Sky texted, "Dorge asked you to numa DNA tes, right?


    Hector replied, "Yes. You were just removed from the group. Most then it was Emma''s and our parents'' best. IL TUT Hit that Emma isn''t their biological daughter."


    Hector send another message. "They think you''ve been too biased toward Emma, Also, did you know that our rester was with the Langley family? She hasn''t had an easy life." Hector wrote, "Bulk to youter. I need to prepare a wee for our real sister."


    With that, Hector stopped replying to Sky''s messages.


    Charlotte felt a wove of relet seeing her sons ept the truth¡ªt their real sister was not Emma, the person they''d raised, but instead a person they''d never met called Natalie They were even enthusiastically nning how to wee Muralle home.


    As for sky''s superstion that Emmaemain with the family, Charlotte had her concerns.


    The Walker family had indeed pampered Emma, raising her with every luxury. As the wealthiest family in Dilborks, taking care of one more child was no burden.


    However, Charlotte word about how Natalie might teel, especially since she had shown no interest in meeting Gorged searching for her biological parents. Charlotte couldn''t shake beeNE


    While waiting for Charlotte''s arrival in Amberton, Gorge livestigated Natalie''s life with the Langley family. The findings were unsettling. Natalie had spent more than a decade as little more than a blood bank for Diana Worse still, after the Langley family''s biological daughter retumed, Natale wins kicked out.


    Furious, Gorge had wanted to storm over to confront Victor and Diama, but Charlotte stopped him.


    Confronting the Langley family could wait. Right now, the priority was to find Natalie and being her home que that was done, they could settle ounts with the Langley family.


    As Charlotte travelled to Amberton, her mind niced with thoughts of how she would introduce herself to her daughter


    Meanwhile, in Balford at Quinton Hospital, Emma arched with the Dead of Night herb. After stepping ook of the car, she dialed Marces'' number.


    The call connected, but it was than who answered. He said, "Hello, Ms. Walker. This is


    Emmafrowned Ethan always answered Marcus'' phone. Dad Marcas not have his own?


    66


    Still, she maintained a sweet and gentle one "Hello, Mr. Carter. I''m looking for Marcus. Thave something very important to give him I''mourrently at the entrance of Quinton Hospital. This is something crucial for Marcus. I hope to hand it to him personally"


    The implication was clear. She wanted Marcus, toe to the entrancel?miether.


    Echan replied politely, "Mr. Holden in there. He''s just retumed to Dabaria"


    Why had Marcus suddenly gone back to Dahoria? Skyhad told her to bring this item as a surprise for Marcus, thinking that it would change how he saw her. But now that Marcus was gone, what was the point of beefforts?


    Grinding her teeth in frustration, Emma maintained her serene expression, and her voice was still calm as she said, ¡°Then, I''ll wait for him here until he returns. Thank you, Mr


    ¡°You''re wee, Ms. Walker. Goodbye.¡± Ethan then ended the call.


    Marcus, who had been resting his eyes nearby, was fully aware of the conversation as Ethan had put the call on speaker mode. He never took call from Emma, and Etham als. Handled them


    ** Ethan began cautiously.


    "Call her back and ask what she''s brought "Marcus instructed, opening his eyes slightly. He was cold and distant


    Than called Emma back. The moment she saw Marcus name on the screen, she answered immediately. Sky often reminded her to act reserved around Marcus, i Insisting men


    valed what they couldn''t easily oban.


    However, Emma knew that Marcus wasn''t like other men ying hard to get with him scald only ruin her chances


    Marcus was rold, about, and impossible to approach caly Winning he was nearly impossible, but she believed that once she did, his loyalty would be unwering


    As the most died-upon youngdy of the Walker family, Emma mjoyed not only the unconditional love of her parents but also the adoration of live overprotective brothers.


    Having been surrounded by exceptional people since childhood-her Evesutstanding brothers being prime examples ¨C ordinary men had never managed to catch her interest The only exertion was Maces, the one she had admired and yearned for since she was a child.


    "Ms. Walker, Fume


    Hearing Ethan''s Camille, umwelewice, Emma''s face ell, but her home remained steady, il a little sweet. "Oh, Mr. Carter, It''s you. What''s the matter?"


    "I wanted to ask... What did you bring for Mr. Holden?


    ¡°It''s a medicinal herb called "Dead of Night Sky asked me to bring it over to surprise Marcin." Emma didn''t try to hide it.


    ¡°Driver, turn around. Head back to Cinton Hospital¡± Marcus suddenly ordered


    Chapter 57 Fanor


    The driver immediately tamed the car around.


    Marcus nced at Ethan, who promptly handed him the phone. ¡°Sir.¡±


    Marcus took the phone and said in his deep, maic voice, ¡°Ms. Walker, please head inside the hospital and hand the Dead of N


    voman named Connie Sterling?


    Night herb to a woman nar


    ¡°Okay, Marcus," Emma replied, her heart fluttering at the sound of his baritone voice that was richer and more captivating than any voice actors.


    ¡°Are youing back now?¡± she asked, having overheard his earliermand to the driver.


    "Yes," Marcus replied, his tone indifferent. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Walker, for delivering the herb."


    ¡°You''re wee, Marcus. As your fianc¨¦e, it''s my pleasure to assist you.¡±


    "Thank you


    With that, Marens hung up.


    Hearing the disconnected tone, Emma wasn''t upset. Compared to the past, when Marcus wouldn''t even take


    her calls, this was progress.


    Feeling pleased, Emma carried the herb into Quinton Hospital


    Before long, she found Connie.


    "Are you Ms. Sterling?" Emma asked with a bright smile. "I''m Emma Walker, Marcus'' fa


    fianc¨¦e. He''s asked me to deliver this herb to you."

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58 A Bit of yfulness Between Loven


    masmed gracefully, her demeanor elegant and pound as she gaped in conversation with con


    thewan also trying to surprise me bying to meet me


    Mu Sterling Emma''s tone was sweet and bush (I


    I''ve delivered the eb. Now, I''m off to see Marrus. I came secretly, hoping to surprise him. Who would we passed


    ¡°As a result, we missed each other. But just that just a bit of yfulness between lovers? Don''t you.


    Connie, who was now holding the herb, was eager to leave, but tamma kept talking, lewing her nochoter but to stay and Inten. Walking away immediately after receiving the hech would seem ungrateful, given the effort that that made to deliver it..


    "Marcus loves me, and I love him. If it weren''t for our age, we might already be married, Emad shyly while observing Connie''s reaction.


    However, Connie''s expression remuined one of contusion, with a growing impatience that was bing evident.


    Natalie urgently needed the antidote to the Three-Second Poison Connie had no time toten in Maruy fianc¨¦e push about their rtionship


    To Emma, though. Connie''s demeanor suggested heartbreak. I was that of a woman devintand to learn chat Marcus was already taken


    Trima felt the need to assert her ch¨¦m Marcus was her fiance, and no other worsan woulde between then


    "Ms. Walker, if there''s nothing the, Thave some things to take care of. I''ll love you to it," Connie said briskly Clutching the Dead of Night, she turned to lone.


    Natale was still staying in the small vi behind the private hospital rather than in a mand.


    Connie tetumed to the vicli and entered Natalie''s bedroom. On the bed, Natalie was fast asleep. She had inhaled a significant dose of the Three-Second Poison Victor spread.and the more potent the dose, the more severe the aftereffects.


    Connie approached Natalie and gently pinched her nose as she called out softly by her car, "Ms. Walker, wake up. Ms. Walker"


    It took a long moment, but Natalie''s eyes finally flutteredopen. Her gaze was bloodshot and her eyes were darkened. Eveni


    "Tim got the Dead of Night," Connie uid urgently, presenting the box. "Marcus'' Banc¨¦e brought=" atalie was so weak that she could be ely lift her arms. "Open it. Let me see,¡± she said in a hoarsenice


    Her voice was so strained that every word seemed to scrape painfully out of her throu


    Connie opened the box, revealing a carefully preserved herb inside.


    "Continue, take me to the pharmacy,¡± Natalie said.


    sleep, the poison''s effects lingered.


    ¡°Tes, Mi Waker ¡°Connie put the box enide quickly and moved to help Natalie up. Yet, as soon as Natalie''s text touched the ground, she copsed.


    "Ms. Walke, Fil carry you," Connie offered.


    effects were even more


    "No. Get a wheek hair,¡± Natalie replied, her voice weary as she closed her eyes. The polson''s effects were much more debilitating than she had anticipated


    Connie dashed out and soon returned with a wheelchair She carefully helped Natale into it and wheeled her to the pharmacy.


    ¡°Connie, you''ll need to prepare the medicine,¡± Norlesuit


    "Yes, Ms. Walker


    "Take the box from the second column, third from the top. Then, the middle box in the fourth column and the best bor in the first column. Finally, the first book in the column. Weigh out three grams of each ingredient and grind them into powder. Next, boil the Dead of Night herb in hot water. Add the powder to the bouing water and let it cool. Then, bring it to me


    After giving the instructions, Natale started coughing violently. She tried to lift her hand to cover her mouth but was too weak to da pa


    If she didn''t take the antidote soon, her condition would worsen Forget performing surgery on charles¡ªeven basic self-care world be impossible.


    "Ms. Walker, are you okay? Don''t scare me like this!


    Connie''s eyes reddened when she beard Natalie cough. Natalie had saved her lid, taken her in, and even taught her about medicine. To her, Natalie''s life was more precious than herowi


    **Ms. Walker, should we ask for Gerard''s help?"


    Natalie spat out a mouth til of blood and shit her eyes as she tried to steady her breathing. ¡°Don''t panir. Do an I said. If you don''t want me to die sooner, hurry up.


    ¡°Connie, can''t tack much as it drains my energy. Push me to the couch ¡°Natalie fell silent after saying those words


    Connie hurriedly wheeled her to the living room and gently helped her into the couch before covering her with a blinket. She then rushed back to the pharmacy to prepare the


    Before long, the vi was filled with the aromaofboling herbs.


    thewhere in the hospital, tumma learned that charles was also a patient at quinton Hospital. Seizing the opportunity, she went to visit him in his VIP site and even apanied him a walk downstairs.


    When Marcus returned to the private hospital with than, Emma rushed to greet him.


    "Marcos, you''re back Ewalready delivered the herb M. Sterling


    Sering Marcus again filled her with happiness, but Emma maintained her poise. She couldn''t appear to date, lest herritated him, ne could she appear too distant, which might make her seemeold


    be was still his fianc¨¦e There, which had bee


    She wasn''t what kind of woman Marcused as he had never given her the chance toe close to him, but she was arranged since childhood, ensured that she would be is wideneday This was already mough


    Hence, Marcus Leck of affection didn''t worry her. After all, feelings could glow over time.


    time with her. However, she had to me that he wouldn''t call in


    Emma was confident and patient. She refused to believe that Marcus wouldn''t fall for her after spending more time Jove with another woman while she put her n to work.


    Cluster 50 A Bit of yfulness Betweenton


    She needed to be wary of any woman who appeared in Marcus" Ele, especialle since she had recently overheard Charlotte''s conversation over the phone. If she truly wasn''t Charlotte and William''s biological daughter, her engagement might be at risk once the real daughter returned.


    Emma was determined to win Marcus'' love before the Walker family''s real daughter returned. Ideally, they would marry beforehand.


    Emma could give up everything except Marcus, whom she had hiked ever since she was a child


    "Marcus, why didn''t you tell me that Grandpa was here for treatment?" she asked, hiding the affection in her eyes, Marcus had always been aloot. If she appeared too enthusiastic, Marcus would be repelled.


    Before Marcus could answer, his phone rang He nced at the screen and picked it up immediately.


    "Hello, Ms Sterling," he said.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, I''ve given My Walker the antidote. I need you toe over right now," Connie replied. "I''ll be there right away." Marcus ended the call and walked toward the vi without hesitation.


    ¡°Marcus, wait for me?¡± Emma called out, hurrying to follow him.


    "Ms. Walker, please stay here," Marcus said, his stride unbroken. His voice carried back to her. "I thank you properlyter for delivering the herb. Right now, I don''t have time to


    chat.¡± When Emma tried to follow, Ethan stepped in and blocked her path. He said, ¡°Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden has asked you to stay."

 Chapter 59

    Emma hated the sudden appearance of h, but she didn''t let it show, Growing up in the Walker family, she had not only been showered with love but also recebed the finest education.


    Among the many instilled in her, emotional control win key


    No matter how much she detested someone, she would never let it spin public. Instead, she would greet them with a smile.


    However, this wasn''t something she extended to everyone.


    The Walkers were the wealthiest family in the nation, untouchable in Duthoria state. Anyone who knew Emma would try to curry favor with her, bending over backward to please


    If someone dared offend her, her brothers would step in to teach them a lesson without her litting a finger. Emma''s only experience of humiliation were only in her interactions with Marcus,


    Marcus wouldn''t let her get close. Although his subordinates were polite, they were far from obsequious. Some even disyed a faint hint of disdain toward her.


    Despite this, Emma had to maintain her image as a graceful and kind-hearted youngdy and couldn''t love her temper around Marcus" min.


    ¡°Elijah, I''m Marcus fianc¨¦e. It''s perfectly normal for me to follow him, don''t you think?¡± a spoke in a sweet, even tone, ¡°it''s been so long since Ist saw him, and I miss him dearly"


    ¡°But Mr. Holden has asked you to stay behind." Elijah replied coolly


    As a loyal follower of Marcus, Elijah followed one unwavering principle-d his boss dalked someone, Elijah would ensure they stayed away


    Whether it was Selena, who had popped up out of nowhere, or Emma, who was a fianc¨¦e, it made no dicence to him


    Interestingly, Elijah found Natalie was quite diferent. Unlike Emma, Natale didn''t cling to Marcus In fact, she seemed to hold him in mild contempt After dealing with so many worsen trying to throw themselves at Marcus, Natalie''s indiference struck Elijah as unique.


    ¡°Elijah, I heard that too,¡± Emma said, pressing her lips together beter regaining her smile,


    "Marcus asked me to stay back because he''s worried about me. He knows I must be exhausted from delivering the herb and wants me to rest without waiting for a response, she walked to a nearby bench. She adjusted her dress and sat down quietly to wait. "Eh, why don''t you tell me what M


    Marcus has been up to


    Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Elijah replied bluntly, "I''m sorry, Ms. Emma, but I''m quite busy. Like you, who seem to here all the time in the world." With that, Elijah turned and walked away. He had no intention of entertaining Emen''s questions.


    As Marcus¡± bodyguard, his duty was to protect him. What right did Emma have to demand he share details about Marcus?


    Marcus didn''t like her, then she was nothing in his mes


    Behind him, Emma watched his retreating figure, her als digging into her palms. It took a long moment before she finally unclenched her lists. Rising from the bench, she began to follow him


    Marcus wasted no time getting to Natalie''s small vi. Connie opened the door for him.


    int herbal scent watted from the vi, intensifying as he stepped inside.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, Dr. Elim wishes to speak with you," Connies.


    Marcus nodded "Alright"


    He approached the living room, where Nataley on the couch. Having taken her medicine, she was slowly regaining her strength


    Connie had already informed er that Marcus now knew she was Dr. Em.


    When Marcus entered, Natalie immediately sat up. She had been contemting how to politely decline Charles'' offer so she could leave the Hold Residence But now that Marcus knew the truth, she felt there was no need to hide.


    "Mr. Holden, I heard from Connie that the Dead of Night was brought over by your fiance, Natalie said, her voice still hoarse but steadier than before. "Connie, please bring the gift," Natalie instructed.


    "Yes, Dr. Em." Connie handed Marcus a box containing a precious herb


    Mr. Hukden, this is a token af appreciation for your fianc¨¦e''s herb,¡± Natalie exined.


    Marcus'' brows furrowed. "Ms. Walker, I didn''t help you for your sake but for my grandfather''s. You don''t need to be so formal After all, you''re the one performing the surgery on


    ¡°Moreover, I was the one who asked Emma to deliver the heal This favor is mine no repay, not yours. If that''s all you wanted to say, there''s no need for further discussion. I''ll personally perpare a thank you gift for Emma.


    ¡°All you need to focus on is recovering and being ready for my grandfather''s surgery at the appointed time.¡±


    Natalie said, ¡°Since you already know I''m Dr. Elm, does my earlier suggestion still stand? Are you still willing to let your grandfather stick to the treatment n for three months? "I''ve taken the antidote, but my very will take time. I can''t guarantee I''ll be in the right condition to perform the surgery safely¡±


    alle''s eyes reflected an apologetic look as she faced Mateus and said, ¡°I''m really sorry I do want him to cover. Since I''ve taken on this job, I''ll do my best to treat him. ¡°Once your grandfather recovers, move out of Hilltop vi During this time, I hope you can be patient and understanding."


    Marcus considered her palleplexion, bloodshot eyes, and the dark circles beneath them. She clearly wasn''t in a state to perform ach a risky operation anytime soon.


    While Charles Turner was small, it was situated in a tricky spot that most doctors wouldn''t dare touch. Only Dr. E had the sk to operate, but under these circumstances,


    Chapter Tin Disemd Him:


    couldn''t force her


    "Very well, we''ll proceed with the treatment n," Marcos agreed after a batet silence,


    ¡°One more thing." Natalie added, ¡°I''d like you to keep now identity as Dr. Elins a secret. Let Connie continue in represent me."


    ¡°Okay,¡± Marcus replied without hesitation.


    "Thank you, Mr. Holden."


    "Don''t mention if ¡°


    "That''s all I want to say. Connie, please see Mr. Holden out" Natalie said.


    "Yes, Dr. Elim.¡± Connie gestured toward the door. "This way, Mr. Holden"


    Marcus lips twitched slightly. Natalie was something che-a woman who would use him when needed and discard hunjost as quickly.


    Marcus'' expression remained unchanged, but he felt somewhat displeased.


    ¡°Ms. Walker, take good care of yourself. I hope you recover soun.


    He stood up and looked intently at Natalie, who was leaning against the s


    Her face was pale as snow, her eyes veiled with an abnormal redness, and her expression exuded cold indifference-almost as i


    Natalie nodded and responded in a hoarse, emotionless voice, "Thank you for your concem, Mr. Holden."


    "Then I won''t disturb your rest any further." Marcus turned and followed Connie out of the vi. The moment he stepped outside, his expression instantly turned cold.


    she was tired of the world

 Chapter 60

    Marcus strede away, feeling inexplicably annoyed the what Natalie had said. It was as if she was done using hims


    Her deliberate ellost to keep a distance Emm him should have been something he appreciated


    Arhivist she hadn''t tried tause her favor to sesface him or take advantage of sumring Charles to push him into mariage.


    she was clearly a van woman who only wanted to use him to retaliate against the Langleys and Tyler, yet she acted so aloof. She was probally changing her tactics after hearing


    about Emma showing up


    O Lest in thought, Marcus hadn''Dwalked to when he noticed trumantting en a bench by the roadside.


    The moment Envasam him, she immediately stood up


    "Marcos, you''re back. My brother wanted in to check youneeded Dead of Night because you ran into some trouble We love plenty of race herbs at home, Next time, juste to me if you need something


    "My brother couldn''t get it directly for parents, so this time, he had to ask me to talk to our other for help, Emma spoke with concern, her demeanor elegant andposed, every word expressing came and worry Marcus


    She knew he didn''t like talking to her, so she immediately brought up sky and Dead of Night


    First, to make it clear that delivering the herbas Sky''s idea, and she was just lielping ¨C not trying to forer an encounter with Marcus.


    Second, to subtly suggest that since the Walkers had the rare herbs heneeded, he could reach out to her in the future. After all, if Skycouldn''t obtain them, it would eventually tal to her to step in


    Marcus subtly distanced set from Emma added slightly. ¡°I deeply appreciate your help this time, Ms. Emma¡±


    "Marcus, I''m your fianc¨¦e Calling me Ms. Emma te so distant.¡± Emas replied gently. "You can just call me Emma, like my brother does."


    "I''ve already visited your grandpa Hold him I came to visit han, and he was very happy. He asked me to stay for a Jew days, and agreed,¡± she added with a smile.


    As soon as the finishell, Marcus'' brows frowed. Although he was clearly displeased, his impable upbringing kept his emotions in check.


    ¡°Grandpa is about to have surgery soon, and every boy I won''t be able to look alter you, Ms. Emma.


    "I''m grateful for your help in delivering the herb, and I''ll repay you once Grandpa cecovers," he said, hinting to her that she had to lea


    Emma understood what he meant, but after putting in so much effort to create an opportunity Marcus to her a cover, the wasn''t about to let it go easily. Pretending n


    not to understand his hint, she smiled and said softly, ¡°Marcus, I''m not a child. I don''t need you to take care of me.n the contrary, can help you take care of your


    "Don''t worry, I won''t cause you any trouble."


    reassured him.


    "My brother told me toe and help you out. I go back now, he''ll scold me. As your fiance, if I can''t help you when you''re in need, what kind of fance would the ¡°you must be tired, Marcus. Go rest early. I already promised your grandpa that I''d y chess with her have to go.""


    With that, she turned and quickly walked away bore Marcus could say anything else


    Standing in ce, Marcus'' brows burrowed deeply.


    Charles had always hoped to see him marry and start a family. Even though he kaww Marcus had no feelings for Enima, he had tried to matchmake the two.


    This marriage arrangement slemmed from a promise between Laura and Charlotte As best friends, they had discussed their children''s future en before they were born.


    both had boys, they''d be sworn brothers. it both had girls, they''d be long sisters. But if one had aboy and the offer a girl, they''d arrange for them to marry. That joke had turned into an engagement.


    When Marcus and Emma were born, their families formalized the arrangement. From childhood to adulthood, Marcus had been unable to shake off Enuma as his fianc¨¦e Thinking about it gave Marcin al


    aheadache.


    His responsible parents had let him with Charles alter he was bom and retired to travel the world.


    Over the years, they had visited countless ces. Sometimes they remembered to call and ask about him,


    but more often than not, they went a whole year without contacting him. What bailed Marcus was that Charles never seemed to mind the behavior


    Instead, he had wholeheartedly raised Marcus, providing him with a stable and happy upbringing while equipping him with exceptional skills and abilities:


    Under Marcus'' leadership, Heldery Group had reached unprecedented rights, far surpassing what it was in the past.


    After handing over the family business, Churles had retired in peace. Over the years, Marcus had been incredibly by


    Apart from work and Charles, no one else had much influence over him, especially not Eruma, whom he had disliked since childhood.


    Now that Emma had delivered the herb and charles had asked her to stay, Marcus couldn''t drive her away for the time bring


    ¡°Sir Noah suddenly appeared out of nowhere.


    "I''ve just checked. While you were out, Ms. Emma informed everyone at Quinton Hospital that she''s your fianc¨¦e.


    "Also, she had a private conversation with Ms. Sterling Every weed she said was about unting her rtionship with you and warning Ms. Sterling to stay away,¡± Noah added beloce disappearing again.


    Elijah stepped out from the shadows, having


    er possessiveness is off the charts. If


    heard everything "Sir, M. Emma deres herself your fan¨¦to every woman she meets


    Sterling''s mood to treat Mr. Holden Seniorjah trailed off, hesitating to say more as he looked at Marcus


    Marcus pinched the bridge at his noon. The person irrating Charles wasn''t Connie¨Cit was Natalie.


    judging by Natal''s behavior of using him and then discarding him, eager to draw a line between them, Emma''s arrival might actually amuse her. Still, Marcus had a nagging feeling that things weren''t so simple.


    chapter da Not Wanting to Cause Trouble


    Marcus turned to the VIP site and found Fruma in the middle of a game of chess with Charles.


    Emma sat with perfect posture, a result of the daner lessons she had taken since childhood. Her figurewas graceful, and her demeanor exided the elegance of a refined soung


    maddition to her poise, Emina was aplished in various arts-music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She was beautiful, sophisticated, and carried herself with the grace of someone taxed in a wealthy tamil.


    When it came to interacting with others, Emma maintained an impable bnce, knowing exactly when to abonceer referat.


    Despiteing from the wealthiest family in thetry, Emma exhibited none of the arrogance or undesirable traits often associated with privilege


    The Walker family had raised Emma exceptionally well. This was por of the resons Charles was satisfied with Emma


    Moreover, Grace was a good friend of Charles, almost like a sister to him She hatentented him with looking after Emma Naturally, Charles took this responsibility seriously


    arlinst Charles thought that since Marcus didn''t like Emma, nube hecould consider Natalie instead. Building a rtionship with her seemed like a good idea


    But based on the current situation, Marcus didri Lierra to the anyone.


    In fact, Charles couldn''t help but wonder if Marcus might not like women at all and perhaps preferred men


    After all, wasn''t there a popr saving online? It went along the lines of, ¡°Same sex love is true love. Straight rtionships are just for reproduction.¡±


    Despite his age, Charles prided himself on being tech-savvy and keeping up with modern trends. He liked to think there wasn''t much of a generational gap between him and


    Emma was focused on the game, her well¨Cmanicured fingers holding chess piece as she deliberated heat


    move.


    Charles, soping tes from his themes, nced toward the door when he heard it open. His pended on the stoic,posed Marcus


    Charles looked at Marcus, then at Emma, who was deeply engrossed in the game. A sudden thought struck him- Stacus truly liked men, should be stop trying to match Marcua with Emma?.


    The dilemma Charles feeling utterly conflicted


    Marrus had no idea what charles was thinking, but the way Charles looked at himent chill down his spine Marcus cleared his throat and stepped forward "Grandpa, how are you feeling today? Are you doing okay?" Churles continued to scrutinize him thoughtfully, as if he were using X-vision to see right through hir Marcus even fel as though his grandfather''s gaze was stripping him loper byyer. Unconsciously, he rubbed his arms and asked cautious, ¡°Grandpa, why are you looking at me


    Because you''re handsome,¡± Charles replied expressionlessly.


    Marcus was speechless.


    Hearing their exchange, Emma seemed to snap out of her thoughts and tumed to look at Marcus


    He stood tall and straight, his features finesculpted with cold elegance, his dear distant and aloof, et,


    Every time Emma looked into his eyes, she felt as though she were being drawn in.


    1, his eyes held a captivating allure.


    Her heart rated, but the maintained herposure, offering Marrus apolite smile. ¡°Marcus, you''re here I was


    just ying chess with Grandpa Charles. He''s so good that dis


    standa chance"


    Emma smiled sweetly, her tone full of admiration and respect. "Deandpa Charles is amazing I don''t know how many years it''ll take for me to learn a fraction of his skills Luckily, I''m your fancle, so he''s been merciful to


    me


    The moment Marcus heard Emma referring to herself as his fianc¨¦e, he felt as though he had swallowed a fly. He realised he needed to break the engagement sooner rather than


    Emma stood up and smiled brightly. "Marcus, please, have a seat. I can''t beat Grandpa Chartes. Can you help me?" she asked expectantly


    While ying chess earlier, Emma had subtly mentioned that she was tuming 30 this year, hinting that her age was perfect for marriage


    As Curls grow older, the sooner she and Marcus got married, the sooner hecould have a grandchild. This had been Charles hope for many years.


    Her words had struck a chord with Charles, who had long hoped to see Marces settle down and have a child while he was still in good health. That way, even if he were to die, he


    Charlesughed warmly, ¡°You''ve done very well, Emma Few of the younger generation canst ten moves against me. You''re just being modest,


    "I''m feeling abit fired now Marcus, why don''t you take Emma to grab something to eat? The hospital cafeteria line is pretty good. Their head is especially soft and futh, with a touch of sweetness Emma, you should give it


    a try."


    "That sounds great love broad," Exuma replied with a smile. She turned to Marcus, her gaze so "Marcus, would you mind taking me to try the bread Grandpa Charles


    Marcus thought for a moment before modding "Alright, Ms. Enima?


    ¡°Just calline Enima,¡± she sai


    "Ms. Emma, this way," Marcus replied, his deep sole devoid of emotion, as if he hadn''t heard her request.


    This time, his tone carried a hint of impatience


    Emma d''t date press further, with a smile, she excused hersell to Charles and followed Maria out of the


    VIP ulte


    After they left, Charles stared thoughtfully at the chessboard for a long moment. Finally, heard


    "Yes, sir.¡± Ehm responded i


    d respectfully and let to find Natalie


    and said, ¡°Erhan, bring Katalie here.¡±


    Half an hourter, Natale appeared before Charles, dressed as a man..


    gito Crane Irmable


    She had heard from Connie about Emma''s earlier conversation with her and immediately understood that


    Emma was trying to assert her status as Marcus fianc¨¦e


    Not wanting to cause trouble, Natalie had chosen to disguise hersel


    Her long hair was hidden under a wig. The short hairstyle gave her a neat and refined look, With no makeup,


    her face looked fresh and radiant.


    d in a ck tracksuit, she didn''t resemble a woman at all¡ªmore like a refined and captivating young man. charles was stunned "Nattie, did you get a gender transition surgery?" he asked.


    Natalie was lett speechless. She had to admit, his imagination was quite creative


    ¡°No, Grandpa Charles,¡± she exined patiently. ¡°I''ve been interning recently, and one of the tasks requires


    me to dress as a man


    "As for what I''m doing, it''s confidential I''ve signed a non-disclosure agreement with thepany, so this is all


    I can tell you


    ¡°Grandpa Charles, you have to keep this a secret. Don''t let anyone know I''m actually a woman.¡±


    Natalie made up a random excuse, as long as it was enough to pacity Charles.


    Chapter 2 Entertain His Panche


    Chapter


    Entertain His Fianc¨¦e


    Natale disgused herself as a man, not only changing her appearance but also adjusting her voice. It no longer


    had less sel, feminine tone, but was now deeper and more


    Charles was momentarily stained, taking a while to process what he was seeing. He nced at tihan, who kept a calm expression and avoided meeting his questioning e nah an hour earlier, when Ethan had gone to invite Natalie, she had stilbeen lying on the rich, testing and wring for her strength to peten


    Upen evening that Charles wanted to see her, Natalie had thought der amement before decking in disguise


    herself as a man


    Suce Emma was there, she was likely visiting charles, which meant Natalie might run into het.

 Chapter 61

    Ethan mentioned that Emma had followed Marcus to the hospital cafeteria and world beirturning to Charley site anytime soon. Even so, Natale stuck with her decision she had used the fastest speed to disguise herself as a When she came me, than was momentarily shunned.


    As a woman, Natalie was stunningly bential and cool. Asam, she appeared clean-cut and charming. Her androgynous features made her captivating regardless of gender.


    Os the way to charles'' site, Ethan couldn''t help but steal nces at her. Natalie would nce back each time, and Ethan would instantly look away.


    .que baffling


    "Nattie, what kind of ridiculous demands does yourpany make? Chaites asked.


    ¡°Grandpacharles, you can''t call me the right now. I''m going by Nathaniel Langley,¡± she replied with a smile, borrowing Geare''s summe to create h


    "Grandpudhurin, you can call me Nath."


    Chalsqu


    Natake, Nathaniel...


    Why did she choose such simr


    Did she really not want anyone to figurt she was in disguise


    "Fine, Nathaniel, Nath," Charles said with chocde "called you over because thought introduce you to Marcus hanc¨¦e, but since you''re in disguise, there''s no newed for that


    DOW


    ¡°There is a need."Erhan suddenly interjected after silently observing for some time.


    "Mr. Holden has been working himself to the bone taking care of your health, sir. Now that your treatment n has been finalized, he can finally get somerest "With Ms. Emma here, Nath can take over and entertain her for now. Even though Nith is dressed as a man, she''s still a woman. Both you and Mr. Holden can rest assured


    Nath, don''t you agree than tomed to Natalie and asked


    Natalie looked up at Ethan, who stood upright with an expression ofplete sincerity, not feeling that there was anything wrong with what he had said.


    Sering this, Natalie''s lips twitched slightly. Her one grew colder as she replied, "I don''t know Ms. Emma Compared to me, you''re far more familiar with her, so I think the task of entertaining her should all to you"


    Charles nced between than and Natalie beer finally saying,


    ?Ethan has a lotot work to do, and he''s Mars'' assistan


    There are certam boundaries between men and women, in wouldn''t be appropriate for him to entertain Emma How about you take on this task? Don''t worry, I''ll pay you." "Grandpa Charles, I have work to do as well, Natalie replied without hesitation, immediately rejecting the request.


    Why should she entertan Emma? If it weren''t for Charles being so close to Grace and her entrusting him to look after her, Natale wouldn''t have had anything to do with the Halden family.


    she wouldn''t bother trying to gratiate herself with the Holdens, even though they were the prestigious family of Ditoria State.


    "Sorry, Grand Charles, but tean''t help you with this." Natalie stood up "I''m not deeling well I''ll head back now With that, she turned and left the VIP suite Connie was waiting for her outside


    Despite take the antidote, Natilia''s body still needed time to recover.


    Moreover, Charles'' treatment n had been revised repeatedly, While she could dy, Charles'' condition couldn''t afford to wall. Marcus should understand that.


    As soon as Notale came out of the suite, Connie rushed to support her, "Ms. Walker, are you alright?*


    Natalie, pale and weak, Iraned heely on Connie "Not really. Let''s hurry back."


    Contrariedly supported her. Fortunately, Natalie was slim, and Connie wasn''t weak, so she was able to help Natalie back to the vi


    Once inside, Natalie clutched her chest, her heart aching terribly. Still, she endured the pain and said, "Connie, go ask Marcus why does he want me to entertain his fiance Marcus knew verymell that abe hadn''t recovered yet, and she was focusing on preparing for Charles'' treatment. Why would he ask her to entertain his fianc¨¦e


    Natalie had directly refused Charles, but to prevent this from happening again, she needed to make things clear with Marcus


    "Yes, My Waker," Connie replied. She helped Natalie to the cach, posted her dose of medicine, and then dialed Marcus'' number


    "Hell, Ms Sirring":


    When the call contested, be put it on speaker Marcos deep, maic voice came through clearly


    "M. Haldeu, why are you asking My Walker to entertain your fiance? Can''t you take care of your fianc¨¦e yourself?


    "You know Ms. Walker is steering from Three Second son, yet you''r making such an unreasonable dead. Mr Holden, what do you mean by that?" connie snapped, barely containing heranger


    ¡°At first, Jerry pretended to be Dr. Elim, and you refused to believe Walker. Now that the master has been exposed, you''re back asking for our help


    ¡°Ms. Walker has already agreed to treat your grandfather, yet you''or still asking her to entertain your vedel ¡°Mr. Halden, 1 seriously doubt you respects. Are you deliberately making it hard for us?¡± Chapter 62 Entertainitis ante


    Natale disguised herself as a man, not only changing her appearance but also adjusting fiet voice. It no longer had its assalcool, feminine tone, but son now deeper and in


    charles was momentarily stunned, taking a while to peness what he was seeing. He nced at Ethan, who kept a calm expression and avoided meeting his questioning pe


    Half an hour earlier, when an had gone to te Natalie, she had still been lying on the couch, resting and waiting for her strength to return.


    Upen leaming that Charles wanted to see her, Natalie had thought for a moment before deciding to disguise herself as a mon


    Since Emma was there, she was bely victing Charles, which meat Natalie might rum into her


    Ehan mentioned that Emmahad followed Marcus to the hospital cafeteria and wouldn''t be retuning to Charles'' suite argtime soon. Even so, Natalie stuck with her derision


    She had used the fastest speed to disguise herself as a man. When she came out, was momentarily stunned.


    As a woman, Natalie was stunningh beautiful and cool. As a man, the appeared clean-cut and charming. Her andengymous i


    s features made her captivating regardless of gender.


    On the way to Charles" suite, Ethan couldn''t help but steal nces at her. Natalie would nce back each time, and than would instantly look away.


    It was quite battling


    ¡°Katie, what kinder ridiculous demands does yourpany make? Charles asked.


    ¡°Grandpa Charles, you can''t call me Natalie right now I''m going by Nathaniel Langley,¡± she replied with a smile, borrowing Grace''s sumame to create her alias

 Chapter 62

    ¡°Grandpa Charles, you can call me Nath


    Natalie, Natharki


    why did she choose such simr names? Did she really not want anyone to figure out she was in disguise


    "Hine, Nathaniel, Nath," Charles said with a chuckk. ¡°Icalled you over because I thought I''d introduce you to Marcus fianc¨¦e, but since you''re in disguise, there''s no need for that


    ¡°There is a need.¡± Ethan suddenly interjected after silently observing for some time.


    "Mr. Holden has been working himself to the bone taking care of your health, sir. Now that your treatment n has been finalized, he can finally get some rest.


    ¡°With Ms. Emma here, Nath can take over and entertain her for now. Even though Nath is dressed as a man, she''s su woman. Both you and Mr. Holden can rest assured.


    ¡°Nath, don''t you agree?¡± Ethan turned to Natale and asked.


    Natalie looked up at Erhan, who stood upright with an expression ofplete sincerity, not feeling that there was anything wrong with what he had said.


    Seeing this, Natale''s ips twitched slightly. Her tone grew colder as she replied, "I don''t know Ms. Emina Compared to me, you''re far more familiar with her, so I think the task of entertaining her should tall to you"


    Charles nced between Ethan and Neale before finally saying, ¡°Nath, Eshan has a lot of work to do, and he''s Marcus'' assistant.


    ¡°There are certain boundaries between men and women. It wouldn''t be appropriate for him to entertain Emma How about you take on this task? Don''t worry, I''ll pay you."


    ¡°Grandpa Charles, The work to do as well,¡± Nataliereplied without hesitation, immediately rejecting the request.


    Why should she entertain Emma? If it weren''t for Charles being so close to Grace and her entrusting him to look after her, Natalie wouldn''t have had anything to do with the Holden Lamily


    She wouldn''t bother trying to ingratiate hersell with the Holdens, even though they were the prestigious family of thithra State


    ¡°Sorry, Grandpa Charles, but I can''t help you with this.¡± Natalle stood up. I''m not feeling well I''ll head back now."


    With that, she nimed and let the VIP sulle, Connie was waiting for her outside.


    Despite taking the antidote, Natalie''s body still needed time to recover.


    Mocower, Curles treatment n had been reed repeatedly. While she could dy, Charles'' condition codidn''t afford to wat. Marcus should understand that.


    As soon as Natalie care out of the suite, Connie rushed to support her. Walker, are you alright?"


    Natalie, pale and weak, leaned heavily on Connie. "Not really. Let''s hurry back."


    Condeburrindly supported her Fortunately, Natalie was slim, and Connie wasn''t weak, so she was able to help Natalie back to the vi


    e inside, Natalie clutched in chest, her beartaching terribly. Still, he endured the pain and said, "Connie, go ask Marcus why does he want me to entertain hist Marcus know very well that she hadn''t recovered yet, and stir was focusing on preparing for Charles'' treatment. Why would he ask her to entertain his famebel Natale had dicectly refined Charles, but to prevent this from happening again, she needed to make things clear with Marcus.


    ?Ms. Walker,¡± Connie replied. She helped Natalie to the couch, poured her a dose of medicine, and then dialed Marceat number.


    "Hello, Ms. Merling"


    When


    calls led, she put it an speaker. Marcus'' deep, maic volce came through clearly


    "Mr. Holden, why are you asking My Walker in mtertain your nche? Can''t you take care of your fianc¨¦e yourself?


    "You know Ms. Walker is still ring from Three-Second Pan, yet you''re making nach an unreasonabile douand Mr. Holden, what do you mean by that Connie snapped, barely containing her anger.


    ¡°At first, Jessy pretended to be Dr Elm, and you refused to believe Ms. Walker. Now that the imposter has been exposed, you''re back asking for our help.


    "Ma Walker has already agreed to treat your grandfather, yet you''re still asking her to entertain your Hanc¨¦e? "Mr.Holden, I seriously doubt you respect us. Are you deliberately making it hard for us?"


    Chapter 42 Eptakan Hs Francen


    On the other end, Marcus paused before replying. ¡°I wasn''t aware of this request, Ms. Sterling Inever instructed anyone to ask Ms. Walker to entertain my fianc¨¦e."


    Histone grew more solemn. ¡°I''ll investigate this and make sure both you and Ms. Walker get a proper exnation."


    "You''d better stick to your word," Connie snapped.


    ¡°Ms. Walker was still recovering from the poison. If you want her to treat your grandfather, stop causing unnecessary problems.


    "just because you''re part of the Holden family in Dihoria doesn''t mean we''re afraid of you. We''ve already paid your breach-of-contract penalty. "


    Money wasn''t an issue-they had plenty of it


    As the internationally renowned doctor, Natalie had saved countless wealthy individuals over the years, not to mention other sources of ie she had


    They were far fromcking money.


    But Marcus was the first person to show such tant disrespect toward Natalie,


    After finishing her rant, Connie didn''t give Marcus a chance to exin further. She hung up the phone immediately.


    "Ms. Walker, how did I do?" she asked proudly.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Natalie replied, pressing a hand to her chest ¡°Connie, bring me my acupuncture kit.¡±


    Her heart was in terrible pain. The effects of Three-Second Poison were too strong. Although Dead of hight had neutralized the poison, her recovery would still take time. Natalie needed to perform acupuncture on herself to relieve the difort.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63 Expel the Toms Thoroughly


    the Quinton Hospital cafeteria, Marcus held his phone, his brows furrowed in a shadow of gloom.


    He nced and the dining area, white Emma was eating the bread charles had rmended. When she noticed his gaze, the smiled at him warm


    Marcus looked away indiferently, his thoughts Ingering


    Connie''s words. What did she move by that?


    Since being the VIP suite with Emma, she hadn''t made anyralls ne send any messages. There was a way the suggestion for Natalie to apany her could havee from


    How Connie wasn''t the type to fabricate things either.


    Marcus decided he needed to see Natalie. If there had been a misunderstanding, it was best inclear it up quickly in an any impact on Charles'' treatment.


    Although alle would never let personal emotions affect her work with patients, her intentions tornay up to him and marry him to get back at Tyler and the Langleys made her treat him dily


    Who''s to sure she wouldn''t entertain other mappropriate ideas upon finding out Emmawa ber?


    Marcus walked back to the cafeteria and said to Firma, ¡°ts Emma, Lapologize, but I have an urgent matter to attend to.


    *Please take your time eating. I''ve instracted Fn to arrange a hotel for you lie will escort you there once you''ve finished"


    *Marcus, can¡¯11 stay at the hospital? Emma put down her bread:


    ¡°Grandpa Charles said the feels lonely staying hereby himself and hoped I could stay to keep hanpany. I may not be able to help with your work, but I can share the burden of looking after Grandpathares."


    "Thank you, Ms. Walker, but that won''t be necessary" Marcus declined without hesaation. ¡°The urgent matters to attend to and must leave now.


    With that, he turned and walked away Emma sat at the table, her grip on her lock tightening until her krackles jured white. Finally, she mmed the lock onto the table


    Her face dickened as she stared at the food and bread in front other. A surgeofanger made her want to sweep the dishes to the floor But she restrained herself.


    From the moment Marcus had entered the cafeteria with her, they had attracted envious nces and whispers of admiration.


    Manchadmented on how well-matched they board. They were both depent and refined.


    They stood out in the casual setting of the cafeteria but carried themselves naturally and wlessly, leaving no for criticism


    Marcus had taken care of every detail of the meal¨Cserving her food, pouring her soup, sanding the cutlery, and even wiping down the table and chair with napkins..


    His attentiveness had been impable, eaming Emma admiring nces from those around them, which had billedher with jo


    Yet now, Marcus had left her behind without a second thought


    umma was sething. She had traveled so far to deliver herb to him, earning his care for the first time. But it wasn''t enough.


    Emv took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Slowly and elegantly, she picked up her fork and resumed rating withposure.


    After all, the food anal bread had been served by Marcus himself wouldn''t do to let them go to waste Marcus left the cafeteria and headed straight for the vi where Natalie and Connie were staying. Certon matters were better addressed in person dum over the phone,


    Meanwhile, inade the vi, Connie had returned with the acupuncture kit.


    Natalie took out the needles and divantected them. Then, she unbuttoned her shirt to perform acupunchrean herself.


    She picked up the first needle and skilfully inserted it into the center of her chest. Then, she grabbed a second needle and ced it at another location.


    Connie stood to the side, watching as Natalie methodically inserted more than a dozen silver needles into her chest.


    Once the procedure wasplete, Natalie closed her eyes and regted her breathing


    "Connie, po prepare themedicite," she instructed


    "Yes Ms Walker"


    Connie went to the pharmay room. To avoid disturbing Natalie''s rest, she closed the door behind het as she faced on the decoction.


    Natale silently counted the time in her mind. As with spread across her chest, the residual effects of Three- Second Poison wet gradually being expelled from her body.


    As the toxins were slowly expelled, Natalie''s thoughts became muddied, and her eyelids grem hray. But the timing wasn''t right yet. She couldn''t remove the needles premature


    Althat moment, Marcus arrived at the vi. He knocked on the door.


    Natalie, in herded state, couldn''t register the sound.


    Meanwhile, Connie, absorbed in maniloring the heat for the medicine, didn''t hear the mark either.


    "Ms. Sterling, are you inside? Marcas called out


    Marcus reached for his phone to call Connie, culy to


    Hit had shut down due to a low battery.


    The fronted. Of all times, this had to happen now


    He had already arrived and didn''t want to turn back. So he knocked again ¡°Ms. Sterling, are you there?¡±


    ¡°Come in,¡± a faint, hose voice replied from inside


    Marstated before pushing the door open


    Inside, Moodar was clinging in herst shred of consciousness. She had called out to Connie several times, but there had been sponse


    ? The needles needed to be removed, but her vision was Hurred, and shecked the strength to do it herself theneedles weren''t taken out soen,!


    "Could you help me remove the needles? Natalie murmured before closing her eyes.


    an, she would ulocate


    Marens stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene.


    The man before him had his chest exposed, filled with silver needles. It was a man''s face and voice, but the body bore distinctly feminine features. What stood nut most was a small, bright red mole in the center of the chest, stark against the pale skin.


    "Hurry, or I''ll die ¡°Natalie urged weakly.


    Natalie didn''t have the time to think too much. Her vision was bly, and all she could make out was a beautiful, tall woman staring down at her.


    Since they were both women, it wasn''t a big deal to offer a little help.


    Marcus swallowed hand. He was momentarily throw oft by the sight, but quickly figured out that this person was likely here to seek treatment. Somehow, Natalie wasn''t around.


    "Are you sure? Where are Natalie and Ms. Sterling?


    ¡°There''s no time. Remove them now. If I could do it myself, I wouldn''t ask you. Hurry!¡± Natalie demanded breathlessly.


    Marcus clenched his jaw and began removing the needles one by one, following her instructions


    After pulling out thest needle, he quickly grabbed a nket from the cooch and wrapped it around het.


    "Are you okay?" he asked.


    "I''m fine. Thank you,¡± Natalie replied weakly before coughing up a mouthful of dark blood.


    After spilling the blood, Natalie''s body finally rxed.


    The residual toxins of Three-Second Poison had been thoroughly expelled from her body.

 Chapter 64

    Natale spat out a mouthful of ck blood. After resting on the couch for a while, het vision gradually cleared, and she saw the tall, beautiful woman who had just been a blurry


    §±§â§Ú§Ö


    Instantly, Natalie froze in shock at the sight before her -The woman had timed out to be Marcus. Her give shot down to her chest.


    Marcus had just coveted her with a nket, wrapping it tightly around her. But the silver needles were still in her chest, and she remembered that she had unbuttoned her shim to ce them.


    That meant Marcus might have seen her body.


    Natalie''s expression shifted for a moment before she regained herposure. No matter what, Marcus had saved her.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Marcus asked, his voice soft with coorm


    Natalie paused, them remembered her dispose. She was pretending to be a man.


    She lowered her voice, deliberately shitting it into a sultry, smoky bone. Thank you for saving me,


    Mus seemed to rx, though a flicker of doubt remained. "Are you here to see De Elim for treatment?


    Natalie nodded. "Yes"


    Marcus''s tone grew colder as he said, "She''s rather responsable, isn''t she? Learning a patient alone after acupunctures caress."


    His thoughts tuned to Charles-he suddenly worried about letting Natalie une acupuncture treatment o Natalie blinked, contused. How did her aciquncture treatment be a matter of inresponsibdity?


    ¡°Dr. Elim is very cesponsible,¡± Natalie said firmly as she turned away to adjust her clothes under the nket, "And today''s incident has nothing to do with her.


    ¡°It seems Eke you have quite a strong opinion of her¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± Marcus replied, settling into the couch opposite her. He watched intensely as the man meticulously packed away the silver needles.


    The man''s hands were long and delicate, almost too cefined for a young man. They reminded him strangely of Natalie''s hands.


    ¡°May I ask your name?¡± Mareusingained, his gaze lingering on the boy''s face,


    Natalie ersitated for a brief moment before responding slowly, "Nathaniel¡±


    Marcus''s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Nathaniel? Wait, was this Natalie?


    Natalie stood up, carefully packed away the acupuncture kit, and walked into the pharmacy room, pushing open the door


    Comidir wax muttering to herself while brewing medicine. Seeing Natalie, she quickly rose to her teet Before Connie could say anything more, Natalie coward her mouth with her hand. ¡°Is the medicine ready? From now un, call me Nath. I''m your distant rtive, Nath Got it?


    Connie was about to scream in lear when Natalie interrupted her again.


    "No screaming.¡± Natale''s voice was sharp, her face devoid of warmth. Her cold gaze silenced Connie immediately


    Connie trembled slightly. It had been a long time since she had seen her this angr


    "Yes, Naich," Connie said carefully. "The medicine is ready. It just needs to coolbete it can be taken.


    ¡°Nath, can you tell me what''s going on? You''ve just done acupuncture. How''s your body? Are you feeling better now?


    Connie had no idea what she had done wrong, but she could tell from Natalie''s icy demeanor that she was furious


    Without responding, Natale walked to the counter, put on heat-resistant gloves, poured the brewed medicine into a bowl, and carried it out of the mom


    ¡°Nath, why aren''t you saying anything? Did 1 do something wrong


    Connie chased after Natale and was stunned to see an unexpected guest sitting on the couch. She wandered when did Marcus arche


    ¡°Ms. Sterling¡± Marcus stood up as soon as he saw Connie, his gaze falling on Natalie, who was holding the medicine. His eyes darkened with each passing moment


    Ms. Sterling, earlier on the phone, you said I asked Ms. Walker to rain my fianc¨¦e I want to exin in person that I''ve never said nor done such things."


    Marcus spoke to Connie, but his eyes were fixed on Natale.


    The acupuncture, the medicine, ber delicate, slender fingers, her pale skin, and those sneakers with insoles that made her appear taller...


    Marcus''s mind, a conclusion was forming


    "So what?" Connie stepped forward, her tone firm. "The words came from your assistant and your grandfather, not from you. Do you really believe they would have made such a Inquest without reason?


    "Str. Holden, an exnation is just a cover up, and a cow-up is a truth."


    "Don Mr Langley feel the same?"


    Marcus''s deep, prating gaze never leti Natalie. His eyes were intense, almost usatory, sending a chill down her spine.


    "I don''t understand what you''re talking about." Natalie yed dumb, trying to keep herposure.


    *is that so?¡± Marcus smirked slightly, his gaze shitting away. He stopped pressing her.


    "Ms. Sterling, please let Ms. Walker know that truly had no knowledge of this matter. I will rity things with Ethan and my grandfather. I''ll make sure they apologize to Ms.


    ¡°As for my fianc¨¦e, whether it''s M. Walker or Ms. Sterling, neither of you need to concern yourselves with IL" With that, Marcos nodded and turned to leave.


    Chapter 64 The Way He Looks at Her


    But just as he reached the door, he paused, turned back, and fixedhis gaze on Natalie


    His lips parted, and his deep, maic voice echoed through the rooms as he said, "In the future, it''s best to lock the doors when you''re at home"


    With that, Marcus turned and left. This time, he trule left, without a second nce.


    "Nath, what does Marcus mean by that?"


    Natalie''s face turned red with anger. Marcus had figured out that she was disguised as a mun


    She closed her eyes, drank the medicine from the bowl, and headed upstairs.


    Once upstairs, Natalie ran a bath. Standing before the mirror, she undressed, revealing her wless skin, a


    small red mole, and several noticeable acupuncture needle marks...


    Marcus''s gaze, when he stood at the door watching her, had been for from innocent


    Natalie felt a wave of anxiety wash over her.


    now


    She couldn''t me Connie. She had overestimated herself. Nor could she me Marcus-without his timely intervention, she would probably be dead or severely harmed by no


    All she could do now was hope that Marcus would pretend not to notice her disguise


    Just as she was about to step into the bath, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She hadn''t set a custom ringtone just the default one.


    It was the same ringtone she had when she was with Marcus.


    Natalie froze and stared at her reflection in the mirror. ¡°Stop. Natalie, not everything is connected to Marcus.


    "What happened earlier was just an ident. And when you were doing acupuncture, Marcus has a fianc¨¦e. He wouldn''t have been staring at your body,"


    She spoke to herself, slow and deliberate, before exhaling deeply. ¡°Right. I''m overthinking it.¡±


    Her phone continued to ring from her pocket


    Natale took a deep breath, grabbed a towel, wrapped it around herself, and pulled the phone from her


    pocket.


    The caller ID showed it was Marcus

 Chapter 65

    Sering Marcus''s name sh on the screen, Natalie frote, her hand hesitating over the phone


    Her phone continued to ring persistently. Each chime of the ringtone amplified her unease. His name felt ring, almost usatory, on the screen


    She let the phone ring on, exhaling a shaky breath as it finally stopped. But the reliet was short-lived, as Marcos called again almost immediately.


    It was clear he wouldn''t stop until she answered


    Steeling herself, Natalie epted the call and brought the phone to her ear. "Hello, Mr. Holden, What''s the matter?"


    "wanted to check if you''re feeling better, Ms. Walker. Don''t get the wrong idea, I''m not concerned about you. I just need to ensure your health won''t let with my grandfather''s treatment.¡±


    His voice was smooth, deep, and maic, yet his tone carried bace of mine cae


    "I''m fine,¡± Natalie replied evenly. "You don''t need to worry about Grandpa Charles''s treatment.¡± Her voice remained calm, devoid of emotion. "there''s nothing else, Mr Hollen, I''ll hang up now."


    ¡°Regarding Ethan and my grandfather asking you to entertain my "Marcus continued, ignoring her dismissal, ¡°I won''t awared it. I''ve already spoken to them


    ¡°Ethan has been reassigned to our sia branch, and my grandfather won''t make unreasonable requests of you again. As for Emma,¡± he paused briefly, ¡°You can feel free to athenber."


    "Is there anything else?" sur asked coolly


    "Then I''ll hang up" without waiting for a response, Natalie ended the call and set the phone aside.


    Letting out a breath, she slipped off her towel and stepped into the bath


    The warm water embraced her, but as she closed her eyes, memories of earlier resurfaced-the moment she mistook Marcus for a woman, his hands removing the needles from her bod


    His parting words reyed in her mind, as clear and printed as ever


    Natalie submerged her head underwater, holding her breath in the hopes of drowning out her thoughts. When she resurfaced, her mind was racing


    to force him was taking responsibility and marrying


    Did Marcus see her body? If he did, how much? Would he think she was trying to seduce han? Would he suspect she wanted to fo hee?


    Her stomach twisted at the thoughts clouding her mind.


    This incident could never prach Grace she found out, she would undoubtedly urge Marcus to take responsibility and insist on marriage.


    This incident had to be buried-known only to herself and Mar


    That was the only way forward


    Beassured by her resolve, Natale pushed the thoughts aside a


    le and allowed herself to rx in the bath


    After finishing, she dried off, dressed in her pajamas, and headed to the pharmacy with her phone.


    As she prepared some medicine, she dialed Connie''s number.


    "Connie,¡± she said as the line connected, "Olivia''s been taken byw enforcement in Amberton Find awyer and get heraut


    "Also, track down the person who sold medicine to Victor and have them meet me at the fishing port in three days."


    "Understood, Ms. Walker"


    Natalie ended the call and began preparing jodoins of medicine for Charles.


    The acupuncture treatment would span three months, and the medication would need to be taken consistently for the entire duration.


    Maintaining Charles''s emotional stability during this period was crucial. Though this treatment n was slower, it would spare the elderly Charles unnecessary suffering


    After carefully packing the medicine into a dedicated bag, Natalie called Marcus. "Hello, Mr. Holden. I''ve prepared to doses of medicine for Grandpa Charles. Pleasee to pick then up


    "I''ll exin how to prepare and administer them."


    "Understood Thank you, Ms. Walker appreciate your efforts. Natalie offered acut acknowledgment before hanging up. She ced the medicine bug on the coteerable and went back to her room to change


    It wasn''t long bone Marcus arched.


    Three firm knocks echoed through the room, Natale opened the door


    "Mr. Holden, pleasee


    Marcus stepped inside, his gaze naturally falling on Natalie,


    Natalie seemed freshly bathed, her faint gardenia tragrance lingering in the air. Her long, naturally wavy hair cascaded to her waist, glossy and untouched by dye, with no s


    mds in sight


    Her face was Ine of makeup, her fatplexion smooth and luminous. Her ears were pierced but bare of earrings.


    She wore a simple white shirt paired with jeans, the hem of the shirt casually tacked into entuate her slender waist.


    Her long legs were straight and elegant, and instead of heels, she wore light blue bunny slippers. Her petite teet peeked out, nals painted a striking red that further highlighted their delicate beauty


    Martin''s gaze lingeved on the red polish for a moment before an image shed in his mind-atiny, blood red mole he had noticed on Natale daring the previous menuS¨®PT The urgency of that moment hadn''t allowed him to dwell on it, but now, the deltoodu vividly


    Chapter 65 An Actor Worthy of an Award

 Chapter 66

    As Natalie walked ahead, Marcus''s eyes followed. Her slim figure and perfect proportions held his attention. Her waist looked so slender, he felt his hands could encircle itpletely


    Suddenly, Natalie stopped short, her body tensing.


    The weight of his gaze had be too oppressive.


    Caught off guard, Marcus bumped into her, their bodies making brief contact


    In that fleeting moment, her soft warmth and the subtle gardenia scent enveloped h


    him


    Startled, Natalie quickly stepped away, spinning around to re at him with wary eyes. Her defensive posture was as if Marcus were some dangerous predator


    "I didn''t do it on purpose,¡± Marcus muttered, his expression neutral but his tone apologetic.


    "Mr. Holden, I would appreciate it if you behaved yourself "Natalie''s face darkened, her tone sharp with warning. His gaze was growing increasingly unsettling.


    "My apologies,¡± Marcus said, withdrawing his gaze. His Adam''s apple bobbed involuntarily as he spoke, ¡°Ms. Walker, you mentioned the medicine. Where is it?"


    "There." Natalie pointed to the bag on the coffee table.


    ¡°I''ve pre¡ªportioned everything. Brew one packet at a time, three times a day. Once it cools to a suitable temperature, have Grandpa Charles drink it


    ¡°During the treatment, avoid spicy or greasy foods. Stick to light, nutritious meals. If you''re unsure about what''s suitable, message me for confirmation


    ¡°Also, don''t discard the leftover herbs after brewing: Collect them all and bring them back to me,"


    "Understood. Anything else, Ms. Walker?¡±


    Natalie paused in thought before adding, "When I perform acupuncture on Grandpa Charles, I don''t want anyone present. That includes your close associates."


    "Understood."


    "May I ask if his own grandson is allowed to be present?" Marcus asked, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.


    Natalie shot him a pointed look. "No exceptions."


    endly for Dr. Elim''s treatment? Are you aware


    Marcus nodded, grabbing the medicine bag. His eyes swept over the room casually before he asked, ¡°Did a young mane here recently for Dr. of it, Ms. Walker".


    Natalie froze, her expression faltering for just a moment before shechose not to respond.


    Seeing her reaction, Marcus''s lips curved into a sly smile. ¡°Don''t misunderstand, Ms. Walker. I''m just asking "


    Marcus was typically cold and stole, but when he smiled, the chill in his eyes dissipated, making his strongly handsome features even more captivating


    Natalie clenched her teeth, resisting the urge to snap at him. Admitting anything now would be tantamount to confessing that she had disguised herself as the young man in question.


    He clearly knew everything yet continued to feign ignorance.


    When it came to acting, Marcus was nothing short of an actor worthy of an award.


    Chapter 66 Mamis the Scoundrel


    Natalie turned and casually made a cop of tea in a disposable cup, setting it down in front of Marcus. "Mr. Holden, have sometes," she said.


    Marcus''s eyes fell on the rp Inside, the tea leaves flowed gracefully in the clear water-at


    Yet, she had brewed it in a disposable cep


    it


    green, unmistakably high-quality


    ¡°Holden, are you looking down on disposable cups Batalie asked, sitting down with her own water bottle She took a casual sig, her tone light as she continued, "Disposable cigs are clean and hygienic. Use them once, toss them, and no need to worry about gems spreading." Marrus pir kad up the cup brought to his lips, and blew on pently. After testing the temperature, he set it down, "it''s too hot Fillet it cool"


    Natale smirked tonth, but her pare said nothing more.


    Marcus shifted his attention to the media bag, pulling at the packets. He counted them our by one go doses, jet as she''d said Each packet was carefullybeled, indicating the dosage of the times a day, enough for ten days.


    "Ms Natalie,¡± Marcus began, his tone cales and measured, "My goalber''s treatment is supposed tost three months. This bag covers jest ten days. Does that men need


    Natalie nodded. ¡°The prescription will need to be adjusted after tenders. I''ll perpare for you when the timees."


    "Understood," Marcus replied, setting the medicine back in the bag. He kured back on the couch, evading nonchnce, and his long legs crossing gracefully. "Mx. Natalie, given the length of this treatment, I''d like to take my grandfather back to Dittoria State. Would you be willing toe aking?"


    Marcus''s elegant posture belied the underlying intensity in his ice. He held one packet between his fingers, bringing it close to his nose for a thoughthi sniff.


    sincerely invite you to the Holden Residence in Dharia State." He continued smoothly, "Your presence would are Grandpa receives the best care possible. Name your price. Before Natale could respond, Marco''s voice took on a darker undertone. If you decline, I''ll have no choice but to separately invite Ms. Sling and her cousin Nathaniel instead." Though his demeanor seemed rxed, the oppressive weight of his words left no room for argument.


    Notr''s jew tightened. It seemed that they were still ying this little game of pretend


    Marcus clearly knew that Nathaniel was in fact Natalia


    It seemed she had to go along the w


    "Mr. Holden, why are you suddenly addossing me as Ms. Natalie?¡± she asked, attempting to detect


    "No particr reason," Marcus replied, his doop voice smooth and unwavering "Ms. Natale, all I need is your answer Will you apany us?"


    Natalie''s patience wore thin. "And if syno


    Marcus rose to his feet, his sharp gaze smeeping her from head to toe. His towering presence made the room feel smaller.


    "Toucan''t," he said simply, his tone firmy polite "Then it''s devided, Ms. Natalie. I''ll make the arrangementh." Hermed toward the door but passed, adding with a faint, knowing smile, ¡°I''m especially looking forward to M. Sterling''s cousin joining us.¡± Natalie clenched her fits in Istration. Marcus, you scoundrel!


    Without another word, Maris picked up the medicine, grabbed the tea she had made, and offered her a polite nod before leaving


    The moment the door closed, Natalie red after him and delivered aswi kick to the couch, yelping in pain. The couch remained unscathed, but Natalie''s to throbbed painfully. She bent down, clutching her foot and blowing onto ease the pain


    Not far down the hall, Marcus stopped, having heard themotion. He turned his head, his sharp eyes catching Natalie''s small figure hunched over, nursing her foot


    The two locked eyes. A flicker of awkwardness and annoyance broke through Natalie''s usually calm, emotionless face.


    Hugging her injured foot, she tumed and hopped toward the door, her small face cold with a loud bang, she mmed it shut.


    Marcus froze in ce.


    A momentter, the corners of his lips twitched upward involuntarily, a faint smile glimmering in his eyes, so subtle that even he didn''t notice


    ¡°Marcus?¡°Er''s voice suddenly cut through the quiet as she appeared seemingly out of nowhere


    "Mars, what are you smiling about? Did something good happen? Her curious page shifted toward the duplex


    vill not far away


    She''d noticed Marcus visiting that vi several times recently.


    After one visit, his expression sed different. Not long after, he''d found yet another excuse to t


    Lama''s curiosity was barning, ¡°Who could be thing in that vi?¡±


    Marcus shot her a sidelong nce Whatever trace of amusement on his face vanished, reced by his usual


    cold indifference


    ¡°M. Emma, why are you still here?¡±


    "I''w already thanked you, Mr. Emma. You should go home," Marcus said curtly, turning on his heel to leave.


    Emma hurried to catch up ¡°odpa asked me to stay and keep himpany. You know that, Marcus¡±


    ¡°And Marcos, can you stopcalling me Ms. Emma? I''m your fianc¨¦e Once For 20, we''re supposed to get


    married. "


    ¡°Apologies, but I won''t be marrying you. Marcus came to stop, his sharp gaze slicing through her like a de "When I return to Ditheria State, personally visit the Walker family to anndour engagement."


    Emma froze, stunned. Her lips trembled as she bit down on them, words of protest caught in her throat. Before she could say anything, Marcus turned and walked away.


    "Ms. Emma, you should head home,¡± Elijah sad, stepping forward to block her path as she made to chase


    aller Marcos.


    -Mi Halden donen 1 Pike you Can''t you say tha


    Emma''s ture empted. "AU


    Hidn''t say that himselt,


    ¡°I he doesn''t like me, he can say it himself! Why are you here, acting like his spokesperson?


    ¡ªyou''re fest his bodyguard, not a mind reader! How can you be so sure he doesn''


    Her re could have burned through steel "We''re engaged brangement! Maybe there''s no love now, but that doesn''t mean there won''t be after we''re married! Don''t you


    Her words spilled out in a rush of anger With one list furious re at Elijah, she stomped off in the direction Marcus had gone.


    Einish blinked, wide-eved, muttering under his breath. "The Walker family''s little princess is this fierce! The moon must be turning blue today!"


    From the shadows, Noah stepped forward, adjusting his sses. ¡°Serves you right for running your mouth. Got chewed out, didn''t you?"


    ¡°Did you not hear what Mr. Holden said about breaking off the engagement?


    "I''m not dead." Noah replied, drazzing Elijah along as they tra?ed Marces from a distance, staying hidden.


    Emma followed Marcus at a distance, her vision blurred by tears that refused to fall


    She''de all this way to deliver the herb, hoping it would bring her closer to him.


    But instead, after a polite thank you, Marcus had coldly dered his intent to annul their engagement.


    Since she was a child, everyone had called her "Marcus''s little fianc¨¦e", their engagement arranged before they were even bom


    She had grown up believing it was her destiny to marry him, to be his wife.


    For years, Emma had worked tirelessly to better herself, striving to be someone worthy of Marcus


    She was the Walker family''s most cherished daughter, born into privilege, and had rarely encountered


    setbacks in her life.


    Her only defeat was Marcus,


    She refused to ept this. Not now, not ever.

 Chapter 67

    im


    Chapter 67 Who Would Have Known


    Emma followed Marcus for a while, but he knew she was trailing him and made no effort to look back


    He had long intended to annullis engagement with Emma. But out of consideration for Charles''s health, he had dyed bringing it up


    Back in the VIP suite, Marcos instructed his subreddinates to pack his things, preparing for his discharge and the journey to puberia State


    As Joe Natale, she would undoubtedly agree to go.


    However, Marcus was curious about how she would manage her dul identities,


    movide the vi, Natalie sulked for a while. When the pain in her fret finally subsided, she began parking her things.


    Marcus had made his intentions clear, whether she liked it me not, she would be going to bitharia State: Comme, of course, would be apanying her


    Amer minutes, Natalie had transformed once again Into Nathaniel, 1


    She sling a backpack over her shoulder. Her short hair was neatly stylest, and she were a ck tracksuit paired with bright boosting sneakers, making her appear taller than


    Carrell, the packed the necessary medicinal herbs into a specially designed tease and called for Conniets leave the wit with her


    ¡°N¨CNath,¡± Connie stammered, gazing at Natalie''s cool, almost unapproachable face. She wondered hour someone could be perfectly androgynous


    Natalie''s icy demeanor,bined with her striking beauty, seemed to silently broadcast, ¡°Stay away." "If you have something to say, say it." Natalie said, her voice t


    Connie hesitated. If she were short-tempered she might have snapped not a sharp remark. But her upbringing kept her in check


    ¡°Are we really going to Dubra State Conne asked, her voice cautious. She had sensed that something had shitted after Natalie''s acupuncture treatment, and now her cold towed her was palpable.


    "Are we really staying at the Holden Residence


    ***. Walker, are you upset?


    Natalie nced at Connie, habesharp. *1 thought I was making that obvious enough


    "From now on, don''t speak,¡± Natalie said cuntly, pulling her suitcase and striding ahead


    Five minutes earlier, Marcus had sent a message instructing her to meet him at the entrance of Quinton Hospital


    When Natalie arrived, Charles was already in the car, and Marcus stood beside it, one hand in his pocket, speaking on the phone.


    Standing next to him was a woman in a light blue dress, white high heels, and carrying a limited-edition handbag from a luxury brand.


    Her face was mostly obscured by oversized sunsses, covering nearly two-thirds of her features, so Natale couldn''t make out her exact look


    sell, from her graceful posture and refined aura, Natalie immediately recognized her as Marcas''s fianc¨¦e. Natale stepped forward, her deep, masculine voice cutting through


    Marcus took her in with a swift nce


    Her soft, glossy ck curls were gone, reced by a sharp, short hairstyle.


    "Mr. Holden, I''m ready. We can leave whenever you are."


    Her once delicate and serene features now seemed more defined, with a more prominent nose and deeper- set eyes


    Her pale skin em unchanged, but the refined features now carried a more striking, masculine appeal


    That blend of elegance and ruggedness,bined with her altered voice and gare, made her seem not only more attractive but resolute and assertive.


    Natalie''s slender figure, enhanced by the ck outfit and height boosting shoes, made it look taller and more delicate


    It was the kind of appearance that instinctively invoked a sense of protectiveness


    Marcus''s panelingered on her, noting her male attire. He couldn''t help but wonder if binding her chest made her feel ufortabile.


    Natalie, feeling the weight of Marcus''s intense state, instinctively covered her chest, howing her brows. She quickly turned and walked toward the car behind her


    "Mr. Langley, you should ride with me,¡± Marcus suddenly spoke, halting her in her tracks.


    She turned back, her expression already tense.


    "Mr. Holden has a high status," a teplied coolly, her voice low and maic, yet clearly tinged with frustration. "I wouldn''t want to risk ''diming Mr. Halden''s car."


    Marcus stepped forward. ¡°Mr. Langley, you''re Ms. Sterling''s cousin, a valued guest at itolden Residence. It I don''t treat you well, Ms. Sterling will be upset¡±


    He extended his hand toward her "Please, Mr. Langley."


    Natalie couldn''t believe it. She wondered if Marcus was rally this deluded? bo''t he see tamna standing right there, her fists clenched in fury?


    "Mr. Halden, Iperder to sit with Connie,she said tly


    "I don''t like sitting with strangers".


    "Marcus, Nathaniel, get in the car charles''s voice called from the car behind Marcus, a grin spreading across his Lace as he wired.


    Chizzler 67 When Weild How known


    He had been watching her from the window, clearly entertained by the situation.


    Charles was thrilled to see his earlier suspicion confirmed Marcus didn''t like women. From the way he was looking at the male version of Natalie, it was obvious.


    But Charles was secretly relieved. At least, for new, Nathaniel was still just Natalie in disguise.


    He eagerly awaited the day when Marcus would discover that the Nathaniel he was so interested in was actually a woman. He was certain that day wasn''t far off


    "Nath, you can''t refuse me,¡± charles said, raising his voice. "Thave a secret want to discuss with you."


    Natalie just stared at him, silently. It seemed Charles had a knack for causing trouble.


    "Mr. Langley, this way, please,¡± Marcus repeated, gestating for her to follow.


    Reluctantly, Natale wheeled her suitcase over,


    "I''ll take it" Without a second thought, Marcus stepped in, taking the suitcase from Natalie''s hand and casually falling half a step behind her.


    Natalie frowned. She was confused with what Marcus was doing. Emma was right there, yet he was being overly polite to her.


    Emma, standing nearby, couldn''t hide her anger any longer. Despite her careful nning, she hadn''t expected Marcus to be interested in men.


    Her eyes, hidden behind her oversized sunsses, seemed to burn with fury.


    Although Nathaniel was handsome and appeared refined, his slender, fragile build made it clear that he was no match for her.


    Emma clenched her fists and stepped forward a few paces before pausing as Marcus''s gaze shifted toward


    her.


    ¡°Nath, Mr. Langleywill ride with Grandpa. We''ll take the car behind,¡± Emma said, her tone sharp.


    Natalie forced a smile, maintaining the image of a gentle, amodating persona.


    ¡°Ms. Emma, I''m sorry, but Grandpa and I have things to discuss. Marcus didn''t even look at Emma as he


    spoke, i


    Nath, I also want to apany Grandpa," I time with Grandpa.¡± 1


    his focus solely on Natalie.


    ¡°Emma insisted, this time with a more demanding tone. "My brother asked me to bring you some medicine.


    He hopes I can spend more


    By bringing up the medicine, Emma was subtly reminding Marcus that he owed her a favor.

 Chapter 68

    Chizzler 67 When Weild How known


    He had been watching her from the window, clearly entertained by the situation.


    Charles was thrilled to see his earlier suspicion confirmed Marcus didn''t like women. From the way he was looking at the male version of Natalie, it was obvious.


    But Charles was secretly relieved. At least, for new, Nathaniel was still just Natalie in disguise.


    He eagerly awaited the day when Marcus would discover that the Nathaniel he was so interested in was actually a woman. He was certain that day wasn''t far off


    "Nath, you can''t refuse me," charles said, raising his voice. "Thave a secret want to discuss with you." Natalie just stared at him, silently. It seemed Charles had a knack for causing trouble.


    ¡°Mr. Langley, this way, please,¡± Marcus repeated, gestating for her to follow.


    Reluctantly, Natale wheeled her suitcase over,


    ¡°I''ll take it¡± Without a second thought, Marcus stepped in, taking the suitcase from Natalie''s hand and casually falling half a step behind her.


    Natalie frowned. She was confused with what Marcus was doing. Emma was right there, yet he was being overly polite to her.


    Emma, standing nearby, couldn''t hide her anger any longer. Despite her careful nning, she hadn''t expected Marcus to be interested in men.


    Her eyes, hidden behind her oversized sunsses, seemed to burn with fury.


    Although Nathaniel was handsome and appeared refined, his slender, fragile build made it clear that he was no match for her.


    Emma clenched her fists and stepped forward a few paces before pausing as Marcus''s gaze shifted toward her.


    "Nath, Mr. Langleywill ride with Grandpa. We''ll take the car behind,¡± Emma said, her tone sharp.


    Natalie forced a smile, maintaining the image of a gentle, amodating persona.


    ¡°Ms. Emma, I''m sorry, but Grandpa and I have things to discuss. Marcus didn''t even look at Emma as he spoke, i


    Nath, I also want to apany Grandpa," I time with Grandpa." 1


    his focus solely on Natalie.


    ¡°Emma insisted, this time with a more demanding tone. "My brother asked me to bring you some medicine. He hopes I can spend more


    By bringing up the medicine, Emma was subtly reminding Marcus that he owed her a favor.


    Chupter 6 He Did It on Purpose


    Ema smiled faintly, removed her sunsses, and nced at the car


    The elegant and handsome man was already sitting next to Charles.


    She had just heard Charles call him Nath, Nathaniel. It was anke name. But he wasn''t worth of Marcus, a man who already had a fianc¨¦e. ¡°Grandpa, may sit in the same car as you? Emma asked pently, offering a soft smil


    She then tamed her attention to the silent mum beside her, speaking in a warmione ¡°Mr. Langley, hello, I''m Emma, Marcus''s dance


    "Marcus, my brother said he''ll wait for you toe back and have a meal with you." Emma added, hoping to prevent Marcus from publicly bringing up the ideothekingoft their engagement


    She had to mention Sky it she wanted to prevent Marcus from talking about canceling the engagement. Even if Marcus wanted to cancel the engagement, he would have to consider the sally dispard that


    Sure enough, after Emmamentioned sky, Marcus stepped rejecting her


    Emma had done by delivering the medicine. It hade from sky''s, and Marcus couldn''t


    ¡°Since Ms. Emma insists on joining my Grandpa''s car, please, go ahead,¡± Marcus said with anod, then


    turned to Natale. "Nath, out of the car and ride with me Natalie was confused


    What was going on?What was Marcus up to? Why should Natalie ride with him? Was he trying to give Emma more reason to pressure her?


    "Mr.Holden, I''d rather not-


    *About what happened before.. Marcus interrupted, his voice firm ¡°Kath,e here.¡±


    Natalie thought to herself silently, "What a jerk


    "Nath, since Marcus noods you, god and sit in his car," Charles said with a knowing smile, watching the interaction Honestly, he was starting to enjoy the drama unfolding between them


    Immanced at Charles in disbelief


    Could hot see Marcus''s attitude? Did he not mind that his only grandson preleted men over fianc¨¦e "Nathaniel, go ahead," Charles continued, pushing Natalie gently. "Don''t worry about me Three Marcus''s fianc¨¦ehere to keep mepany, I won''t be bored "


    He secretly thought that Marcus preferred me, he wasn''t going to oppost- though they''d need a good excuse to cancel the engagement


    With no choice but toply, Natalie stepped out of the car. As soon as she did, Marcus gestured for Emmato grin


    *Ms. Emma, please get in, Marcus said


    Emma was speechless, she didn''t want to get in at all.


    "Hurry up.¡± Marcus''s expression darked as he saw Emma hesitate. His deep voice carried an unmistakable impatience.


    Reluctantly, Emma climbed into the car.


    Wah aloud bang, the car door mmed shun


    Through the window, Emma watched as Marcus grabbed Nathaniel''s wrist and pulled her into another ?ar


    Once inside, Natalie immediately spoke, her dice cold, ¡°Let go


    rus celeased her wrot "sorry"


    §Ô§Ñ§ä.


    Mr. Holden, you did that on purpose,¡± Natalie said it. She pulled out a wet wipe and, with deliberate precisam, began wiping her waist that Marcus had just held. Starrus hurtowed his brow slightly ¡°Mr. Langley, don''t have any infectious diseases."


    "But you''re nude," Natalie petorted without hesitation. "Touching another man in front of yournc¨¦e, Mr. Holden, you''re acting like a loose, flirtatious man.


    He admitted that he did it on purpose, but he didn''t expect her to be so harsh about it. He was sure that with his actions, she might even secretly be pleased


    He thought she was trying to find an opportunity to seduce him. Now that he had created a chance for them to be alone, she was ghing him the cold shoulder. Mucus lowered his gaze, watching as Natalie wiped the spot on her wrist that he had touched


    After carefully folding the wet wipe, she tossed it into the trash bin in the ear, crossing her arms and closing her eyes


    Her body Language clearly indicated that she was upset and didn''t want to gain conversation with him.


    Heated his gaze. Though Natalie was dressed conservatively, other images kept resurfacing in his mind, uncontrobly.


    He quickly shot his eyes and tagged at his fie, feeling a bit suffocated


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Elijah, the driver, immediately adjusted the air conditioning


    "Headin Diharu State


    "Yes, su


    The car started and soon left Hospital


    Not long after Marcus''s car left the hospital, Charlotte and Gorge and at Quinton Hospital, one after the other.


    As soon as they met up, Charlotte rushed to the hospital


    ¡°Gorge, die you vurther information you found is urate?"

 Chapter 69

    Chapter en He Did it on Nepose


    "It''s confirmed," Gorge replied timly "Ma Holden Senior is here for


    "She shouldn''t have left yet," Charlotte sall impatiently.


    Ms. Natalie came to visit him."


    ¡°Then let''s hurry and meet with Charles, then look for my daughter,¡± Charlotte urged, her eyes red as she thought about their reunion.


    She couldn''t help but imagine what she would say when she met Natale. How would her daughter react to seeing her biological mother?


    Charlotte and Gorge moved quickly, but when they arthold and inquired, they learned that Charles had just been discharged and left the hospital


    ording to the stall, the timing wasn''t too far off. If they acted quickly, they might still be able to catch up with him.


    However, repanding Natalie, the hospital confirmed that she had onlye once and left without returning,


    In the end, Natalie wasn''t at Quinton Hospital, and their search was in vain


    Charlotte and Gorge exchanged a stunned nce, both clearly taken aback.


    ¡°It''s impossible! How could my information be wrong?¡± Charlotte mattered, clearly frustrated.


    Gorge whispered, "The information I receives clearly stated that Ms. Natalie was here!"


    Forget about that for now." Charlotte snapped back to reality. "I''ll contact Marcus! I''ll ask him.


    Gorge replied, "Okay, madam "


    Charlotte stepped aside and made acall, once it connected, she wasted no time.


    ¡°Marcus, it''s me, Mrs. Walker, I need to ask you something. When you were at Quinton Hospital with Grandpa, did you happen to see a youngdy named Natalie?


    On the other end, Marcus nced at Natalie, who was resting with her eyes closed, then responded, ¡°Yes, I saw her."


    "Do you know where she is now?"


    Marcus paused for a moment before replying, his voice deliberately lowered, Aurst Charlotte, is there something you need fromber?"


    Charlotte hesitated briefly, then spoke slowly, "11''s important. If you know where she is, could you tell me?"


    ¡°I don''t know where she is,¡± Marcus replied, his tone cool ¡°I''m on my way back to Dihoria State with Grandps. Once we retum, I''d like to inte both families for a meal.¡± He added, his voice tim. "As for my engagement to Ms. Emma, I don''t think it''s appropriate."


    Chapter 9 How Much Hardship and injustion Has She Suffered


    Cupter 69 How Much Hardship and Injustice Has She Suffered


    Markword ha wake as he spoke. He fixedhis pane on Natalie, who was resting with her eyecsed


    Connie had exined to him that the Three Second Prison Natalie had been exposed to required significant sleep for her body to heal. Even after taking the antidote and eliminating selects, she still needed adequate erst


    That exined why she had slept the entire way back when he brought her from Amberton''s Langley residence. She seemed to trust him and his people implicitly


    Marcus had guessed correctly, hatalie was sound asleep at the moment Shestel worldn''t have heard him if he hadn''t purposely lowered his voice


    He said, "tes Walker, I''m deeply gratefultos. Emma for delivering the medicine this time. I owe her my life, and I won''t forget it. If the Walker family or Ms. Ever needs myhelp the future, Edo whatever it takes to a?L¡°


    Hearing tut Charlotte was somewhat purred. She was focused on finding her Mological daughter and couldn''t spare time to talk with Marcos about that. "Marcus, I''m busy ar the moment, whatever it is, let''s discuss itter. Alright That''s it"


    Cended the call before Marcus could respond. She and Gorge mu?ked around the hospital and talked to several patients.


    Eventually, those patients shared gossip about a recent incident at Quinton Hospital,


    "Wended video at the time. The hospitaleven streamed it live, That Langley family''s real heiress was so arrogant


    "The rral his and her mom tried to frame that youngdy, but they got a taste of their man medicine" "The surveince footage exposed everything"


    "The only pity is that the man involved is someone posthil Those scary bodyguards of his forced us to delete every video and photo we had"


    Charlotte and deepest in one of the wards, lining to the patients recount the events bit by bit. They quickly pieced together what had happened.


    Charlotte was sommige her hands trembled


    Gorge hurried to calm her down, saying, ¡°Mrs. Waller, 1 just asked around. The hospital director has theplete surveince footage from that day. Let''s go take a look! He wanted to see exactly how Natalie had bem balled before confronting the Langley family


    After calming down, Charlotte nodded and followed Gorge to the director''s oflice


    Gerard, who had recently been promoted to director, was known for his diligent work ethic. He prioritized Connie and Natalie in everything, ensuring they were informed about


    every malles


    When he heard that Charlotte and Gorge wanted to view the surveince footage from that day, his demeaner and gorded. "I''m sorry, but our hospital''s surveince booge isn''t something weraudly share with outsiders I''m atradictply with your request"


    "am Natale''s biological mother "Charlotte''s voice choked slightly as she spoke "She was swapped at birth, and I lost her for two decades. Treshed here this time to take her home, but what I found put instead was she had been mistreated. My heart is filled with pain and anger. I just want to see what happened that day and seek justice for her."


    and looked at Charlotte, who appeared genuinely indignant and heartbroken. It didn''t seem like she was acting. Besides, no one would im a stranger as their daughter for


    ¡°This is a photo of medium when I was young¡± Seeing that Gerard still didn''t believe her, Charlotte took out a photo from her youth.


    Although she had aged, her appearance was still remarkably well-maintained and didn''t differ much from her younger self. However, the photo from her younger years looked much more Natalie


    Gerard nced at the photo. At that moment, he was convinced she was Natalie''s biological moder


    They looked eerily simr Even Charlotte''s older appearance now had a striking resemnce to Natalie''s


    ¡°I still can''t show you the surveince fostage Gerard returned the photo to Charlote. ¡°However, I can tell you that the Langley family treated Natalie poorly. Mrs. Langley made Nather living blood dance for paren when she was just achid"


    After a brief pause, be continued, "And as soon as the real daughter of the Langley family retumed, they immediately kicked Natalie out of the Langley residence. Everything Natalie once had was taken back by the Langley family and given to Selena"


    "Selma kept detaining Natale, using her of being a fraud who had enjoyed 30 years of the life meant for her. She evenised a scat Natalie''s internshippany and snatched away hatalie''s former dance" Gerard''s anger was rident as he spoke.


    Judging by Charlene and Gorge''s attire and demeanor, he guessed they came from a wealthy family. However, he wasn''t sure if their wealth could rival that of the Langley family,


    the rice in Aberson


    ¡°The Langley family is nothing but a pack of scoundrels, and there''s not a single good person among them. Aren''t they afraid of betribution blurted out "As for the surveince footage, I can''t let you see it." Gerard fel a


    bit frustrated.


    ''s involvement, the stream was


    The live stream that night could have revealed to the whole nation just how awal selesa and Diana really were, but due to the Holden family''s in Ibly shut down. Subsequently, all the videos and photos from that night we deleted by the Holden family


    The Halden Family had inidly demanded that Gerard delete theveince footage, but he stood his ground and adamantly refused. In the end, it was only after Connie intervened that the Holden family reluctantly agreed to let the footage main.


    However, they imposed one condition. The footage must never be leaked as it contained Marcus and


    Charles.

 Chapter 70

    Naturally, Gerard couldn''t mention that to Charlotte and urge


    Listening to Gerard, Charlotte found that his ount aligned with what Gorge had discovered. The first time she heard it from Gorge, she was already so furious she felt like spitting blood. Hearing it once more from Gerard now made her whole body tremble with anger.


    "The Langley family. They deser to die! make them pay Charlotte gritted her teeth and eximed. Her once refined and graceful beatures were twisted with fury. ¡°Mr. ckwood, could you tell me whime Natale is now?¡± she asked.


    Gerard shook his head. "I don''t know, but I can show you the footage of Natalie when he was alone


    Chapter 18 How Much Hardship and Invitice Has She Suffered


    "Hurry up and show me," Charlotte urged


    Gerard pulled up the surveince footage of Natalie alone in the hospital...


    Charlotte and Gorge immediately rushed to theputer. Their eyes fixed on the screen as they watched Natalie


    As Charlotte watched, her eyes slowly started to redden. That was her biological daughter, the one she hadn''t known for 20 years.


    ¡°Gorge, that''s Nat, my daughter."Charlotte''s voice choked with emotion


    The surveince footage showed Natalie wearing a ck windbreaker, ck sports pants, and in white sneakers, with a backpack on her back. She walked with her head slightly lowered, and her face was expressionless. Her whole demeanor seemed shrouded in an intangible sorrow.


    Charlotte was filled with heartache and griet. She had showered love and care on someone else''s child, raising her like a treasure, while her own daughter had suffered animaginable hardships and injustices in the Langley family


    She couldn''t help but wonder what kind of torment Natalie had suffered to be let so solitary and forsaken


    312


    Chapter 70 How Dare Diana, That Vile Woman, Do This


    Charlotte''s eyes were bloodshot. Her fingerprinted into lists, liching tond a blow on Diana and Victor. She couldn''t Imagine they forced such a young child to donate blood for


    SABEL


    She thought of how mess hal grown up in the Walker family, surrounded by bury and pampered with rudens love Therood te someone else''s child so tenderly, pet and Diana couldn''t bring themschers to rate in Natale properly


    "Mtr Wales, let''s find McNalle fint, and then we head bu


    (with that despicable Langley couple


    ? "dorpe was equally escaped. He thought Victor and Dana mere


    "light"Chalette took a deep berath She tried to rein in her lyi vand the Langley couple. The prioritno.finding talle.


    the winch Natmint be tand," she instructed firmly.


    Being the wealthiest in the nation, the Walker tardly of Duhosia State should have had no trouble finding person et despite their resources, Gorge still couldn''t trace Natalie''s whereabouts.


    twas as if Natalie had vamished into thin it after leaving quieton Hospit


    Charlotte was both anxious and hon, and norge kept trying incander down ¡°hites. Walker, don''t worry. Ms. Natale managed to unrvive these 10 years under Victor and Duna''s abuse, which shows she''s a tough person. The fact that we can''t find her means she''s taking shops to protect herself. If we can''t locate her, neither can the Langley family


    ¡°Gerpt, I think I''ll pay the Langley family a visit,¡± Charlotte said. She also wanted to sr the opportunity to strike back at Victor and Dean


    ¡°Of course, Mas, Walker, "Gorge replied.


    "Make sure to bring more people along "she order


    Cutthe car. Herence elegant and stunning face was echird with key insolve


    Since Natalie''s whereabouts remained unknown, she would deal with the Langley family used. Victor and Diana had spoled Selena and discarded Natalie as though the were worthless, all because they thought Natalie had no parents to back her up.


    Once again, Charlotte and Gorge headed to Amberton


    Meanwhile, Victor and his family of three were surely enjoying their dinner.


    The dishes on the table were all Selena''s favorites. Before returning to the Langley residence, she had lived a hard life and missed out on many delicacies. After her return, Diana and Victor seemed eager to make up for everything she had hard in onegn. As a residt, in just a short period, Selena had gained nearly ten pounds.


    "Dad, Mom, can we got the aldag out of the sanatorium or not?" Selena asked impatiently as she munched on a Blo wing "Natalie is just a nobody, and you''re her son, Dout How can she has theright to restrict the old hag''s freedom?


    ¡°Selena, that''s your grandma." Victor''s face darkened. He was displeased with Selene''s Lack of respect for Grace. "How many times have I told you? she''s your grandma ti you keep calling her theold hag, how you ever outdo Hate!


    Selena posted in dissatisfaction. "Tine I petit Bad, you''re just sed. You raised Natale for 10 years, so your feelings for her a deeper than fer me


    Victor helt utterly helpless. ¡°Selena, if I were biased toward Natalie, I wouldn''t have given her Thine-Second Poison IfThain''t stepped in to cover for you and your mom in Balford, do you think you''d be able to sit here now and enjoy this grand meal without any worries:


    "That''s enough," Duna said with dissatisfaction, "Selena hasn''t been back for long. Doporeally need to criticize her? If it were for alle taking away Selena''s good life for 20 yes, how could she be so distant from Grace?


    ¡°Go ahead and spoil her Victor couldn''t be bothered to argue with Diana anymore. If the conversation continued, the mother and daughter would only me him for being partial to Natale and not wanting her to leave.


    While the Langley family of three were having dinner, Charlotte and Gorge arrived at their residence. However, they didn''t rush to get out of the car and were talking inside instead.


    "By the way, Mrs. Walker, came across some information earlier. M. Natal''s close friend was reported to the authorities by the Langley family and taken away after attempting to save her," Gorged.


    Charlotte replied without a second thought, ¡°Then we must rescue her


    ¡°Before us, amper had already ireed Ms. Natalie''s friend. Her name is Othda, and she''s the most in- demand supermodel." Gorge handed over livia''s information to Charlotte, saying "Mrs. Walker, take a look." Charlotte looked at Olivia''s profile. The youngdy had smooth skin, stunning features, long legs, and a perfect figure She was indeed made to be a supermodel.


    "Ms. Thatcher crashed her car into the vi where the Langley family used to live. The Langley family has demanded a one hundred milion dorpensation and a public apology Ms Thuncher is now preparing to take the Langley Family to count," Gorgesald


    had made a good ie as amodel, it was nowhere


    After reading through the details officia crashing her car into the Langley Lily''s vi, Charlotte frowned. Though Olivia had made a Trough to pay one hundred million dolls ipensation.


    Moreover, while the Langley fandy''s vi was well-located, it wasn''t worth that amount, It was obvious that the Langley family was trying to take advantage otami.


    "Ms. Walker, should we step in to hulp Ma. Thatcher Gorgrasked.


    "Of course, whirly," Chuailte said without hesitation, just because they were the richest family in Amberton, they acted spamgantly if someone didn''t know better, they might think the Langley family was the richest in


    the world.


    mer for achange at the


    Afterward, Charlotte told Countact Olivia. The Walker family had the best legal team, and they would send Victor and Duana straight to jail. It was time for


    pin Amberton


    While talking to Gorge, Charlone grabbed her phone and started messaging in the group chat for the Walker family, Frustrated with typing, the recorded a long voice message exining the abuse and injustice her biological daughter had endured at the hands of the Langley family


    by the md Charlotte''s voice beske with, emotion, ¡°I won''t let this slide. How dare the Langley family mistreat my daughter? just because their daughter has suffered, they want to Take it out on Nat? We don''t want to be given to them either. Who do they think they are to abuse my daughter like this?"


    Hema Mare Duna, That Voe Wonnan, Da §ä§í§ñ


    As Charlotte spoke, she couldn''t hold back and started crying. "My poor Nat. She was used as a living blood bank by the Langley family for over ten years! Der ten years! How many needles must she have been pricked with, and how much blood has she been drained at Home dare buna, that vile woman, do this!!!


    The Walker family members in the group chat were silent after listening to Charlotte. The first to break the silence was Mason


    Mason typed, "Mom, I''ming over right now. I swear I''ll beat the Langley couple to death"


    Lincoln replied, "Mason, don''t act impulsively. The most important thing right now is to find Natalie. The Langley family may have treated her bally, but they raised her until she was 20. We should ask her what she thinks about the Langley couple first"


    Hector added, ¡°Lincoln is right. Even with pets like cats or dogs, there''s a bond alter so many years. We don''t know Natalie''s thoughts, so if we rush to punish the Langleycople, it wouldn''t be good if she disagrees." Mason replied, "Are these people even human? They used Natalie as a living blood bank! The Langley tanily in tacking in money. They''re the richest in Ambertan. Ther obviously know Natalie isn''t their real daughter, and that''s why they''ve been tormenting her."


    Mason immediately added, "No, I can''t swallow this! I''m going to teach that couple a lesson"

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71 A Simple Yet Brutal Revenge From Charlotte


    Timothy "Mason, calm down You''re asked, and your job to lose your codes."


    Mason, a student in sports, was ill at fiery spirit. Even though Emma wasn''t his biological sister, he showered her with affection, not to mention Natale, who wasn''t raked in


    the Camil


    At that moment, he was so angry that his fists were clenched, making acracking sound.


    Masoneel very for Natalie"


    Charlotte: ¡°I n to teach the Langley family a lesson first they dre bully my daughter, I''ll never let them get away wi


    Walian ¡°I¡¯math you, honey We shall let the Langley family know that Nat has her real parents backing her up Charlotte exited the groupchat She turned her par toward the Langley family''s house, and she squinted slightly. In an instant, her gaze became cold and determined. No one was poing to stand in her way as she sought justice for her daughter


    "Gorge, let''s go," she said.


    Get replied."Yes, Mrs Walker"


    With that, Gorge and Charlotte got out of the car. The private bodyguards they brought with them stepped forward and rang the doorbell


    After awhile, Meredith, the Langley family''s helpes, came out. "What wer you doing here again?" She looked at Gorge with clear contempt as Selena had mentioned that the


    vtive searching for Natalie was poor and not someone to be taken seriously.


    "I''m here to see Victor and Diana¡± Charlotte stepped forward. Her es examined Meredith from head to toe. "Go Inform them. Tell them toe out and meet me


    ¡°ch¡°¡± Meredith sneered ¡°How arrogant. Do you even know who they we? Who are you, and where did youe from?


    Gorge took a step forward, and in an instant, he pointed a gun attendith''s head. "Out the crap and do as you''re told."


    The moved the cold steel of the pumn touched her head, Meredith was let in shock.


    ¡°Are you going or not? Gorge asked once more.


    "Yes, yes.¡± Meredith''s legs wobbled. She cautiously stepped back, fearing that Gorge might identally pull the trigger


    Aher taking a dew steps back, she turned and ran into the vi. As she ran, she shouted, "Mr. and Mrs. Langley, Ms. Langley, that lime slut Matalie''s rtive is back, and he has got apun! Her voice was deadening


    Charlotte and Gorge exchanged nces at the front door. Thetter then pressed the inger switch of the gun, and a series of beeping sounds echoed


    Meredith who had just been shouting and running back, was instantly stunned. She thought Gorge was crazy. He actually scared her out of her wits with a toy gun!


    Charlotte walked to the residence, with urge following closely behind After the Walker family''s bodyguards entered, they immediately shut the door and stationed someone di


    the cance


    Gorgere Meredith a slight smile and made a shooting gesture at her with his gan


    Just as Meredith was about to start casing, Victor appeared with Thana and Selena


    What''s all this noise about Victor asked as he red at Meredith before his eyesnded on Charlestanding before Gorge


    Victor was taken aback The woman before him sled elegance and noblty. Her stunning features bore a striking resemnce to Natalie''s


    "I''m Natalie''s biological mother." Charlotte stepped forward and get straight to the point, "Theard that you gays used my daughter as Diana''s blood donor for years," she stated Her voice was firmand retain


    Upon hearing that, Diana stepped forward and looked down at Charlotte with a condescending game. "Making Natalie my blood donor was an honor for her. She should consider herself lucky that she was of any use to me. Otherwise, I would''ve drowned her the moment she was brought into the Langley family.¡±


    It seemed that Diana didn''t take Charlotte seriously at all. When they''d first met dorp, the Langley family quickly determined that Natalie''s biological parents were nothing more than constriction workers. To them, these people were no threat at all.


    On the contrary, if Natalie and her parents knew their ce and worked to please the Langley family, perhaps e even enduring Selma''s bullying, as the amberton''s richest, they might graciously toss them a new crumbs in the format construction deals.


    Charlotte couldn''t tolerate Diana''s words any longer. She rolled up her sleeves and shot a nce at Gorge Gorge pped his hands, and the Walker family''s bodyguards inmediately rushed forward, pinning down Victor and his family.


    Diana was yanked over to Charlotte, and without hesitation, thetter slipped her across the face several times. "You wertched woman! How dare you bully my daughter!¡±


    Charlottended six consecutive ps on Diana. The crisp sound of each pechoed loudly, and Diana''s face swelled up instantly. Though her hand stung with pain, it couldn''t extinguish the deep hatred burning in her heart for Victor and Diana.


    "Mis Waker there''s him too." Gorge motioned for the bodyguards to drag Victor in front of Charlotte.


    Without besion, charlene raised her other hand and struck Victor across the tace just as harshly.


    The sex slips echoed once again. They were just as crisp and resounding, leaving Victor''s cheeks as swollen as Diana''s


    Bath Victor and Dana were lett utterly stunned


    ¡°Victor, Diana, for all these yes of hurting and mistreating my daughter, I won''t let you off so easily. These ps are merely a s Selena, who instinctively timed to ren


    However, the Walker family''s bodyguards blocked her loving her no chance to escape


    Charlotte said coldly. Her eyes tell on


    "W-What right do you have to hit my parents? Selena mustered the courage to question Charlotte. "My parents raised Natalie! Instead of thanking them, your me bere himing people. Your entire family is despicable. If Natalie is despicable, so are you both of you are ungrateful ingrates.


    ¡°Is that so, Selena?¡± Charlotte asked coldly. ¡°I know full well everything you''ve done to my daughter we''re talking about ungratefulness, you and your mom are the readingrates


    (Chapter 11 W. Simple yet prutal Revenge From Chotte


    She then added, "Without my daughter donating blood to Diana, she''d have been dead long ago. As for you, you were switched by the nurse. How is that Natalie''s fault? What right do you have to pin the muse''s mistake on her?"


    Charlotte pressed on, "Il you ask me, it''s your family that deserves to suffer. Your daughter was taken by mistake, so you took mine instead. Just wait. I''ll make you beg Natalie for


    ghness The richest family in Amberton? Hal


    ber


    With that, she shot a look at Gorge, who immediately caught on and polled out his phone to contact Sky. "Hello, Mr. Walker. It''s time for Amberton''s richest family to be reced. The Thatcher family seems like a great choice." The Thatcher family was none other than Olivia''s family.


    "How dare you" Victor struggled to stand up, but the bodyguards pressed him down firmly, leaving him powerless.


    ¡°Mr. Langley, your good days are over,¡± Charlotte said coldly as she signaled the bodyguards to drag Victor and his family into the vi

 Chapter 72

    Charlotte entered the vind began scanning the surroundings. Their were many family portraits of the Langley family, as wes several artistic photos of Selena. However, there wasn''t asingle photo al Natalie Inha


    Gorge harealcimesticated, and it turned it that after obvia crashed into the Langley family''s horse, Vietse''s family moved from their previous vii


    They hadn''t been living hone kong, but the vi was already filled with family portraits of the Langley family and war artistic photos of Selena


    to the current one


    The contrast between love and indifference was striking. The Langhy family clict even be bothered to pretend otherwise


    However, then for the best Inovat charlotte didn''t need to worry as mich


    ¡°Tour sweetheart is calling Your sweetheart calling -"Charlotte''s phone suddenly g


    She snapped back to reality and took met her phone. It was hereldest son, Sky, coding


    Culturiped and answered the call. "Speak What''s the matter? Het wire was sinewhat impatient. She had already been irried by Sky''s words in the groupchat.


    Natalie hadn''t even returned home art, and Sy was already defending Emmaal every inn.


    Charlotte was very fond of Emma She wouldn''t actually tell Timma to leave the Walker residence put because Natalie came home. If she did, she would be no different from Victor


    The Waller and had more than mough manns. The pocket money and gifts Emmahal received since she was little were enough for her to the off for generations.


    If Imma behaved well, sincere weed Natalie home, and treated her like a beloved sister, Charlife wouldn''t have made her leave. She would continue to treat her as she


    says had, only with even more career Natalie


    Aberal, people were naturally biased


    Natalie had suffered so much while living with the Langley family. There was no reason for her to retum to her biological parents and continue living a hard life and enduring mistreatment


    "Mom, are you still in Ambertion? I''ve already started to put pressure on the Langley family''s business dealings. Soon, all sorts of issues wille to light about them. From now en, Amberton''s wealthiest family willing ger be the Langleys." Sensing Charlotte''s impatience, Sky lowered his tone.


    After briet pause, he connued, "Mom, I''m not against Natalieing home. Please don''t be upset. However, I discovered that Natale holds a significant amount of shares in Langley Group¡±


    Natalie was thergest shareholder of Langley Group if thepany went bankrupt, she''d face signicant financial losses. Besides, she''d have to manage debe obligations, endure rmshed business reputation, adamapod credit record, and colerabile mental pressure from reevaluating her decisions.


    How, sky wasn''t worried about her future prospects. As a real heiress at the Walker family, if she wanted to start pany, they could easily provide her with a few to try her


    Bring the eldest brother and then asked with ensuring the Langley family was no longer Amberton''s richest, Sky naturally conducted a detailed investigation. While be bound Victor and Dan despicable and deserving of punishment, he wouldn''t involve rent people, especially when so many Langley Group shares were still in Natalie''s hands. ¡°Mom, what do you think? Should we discuss this matter with Natale first? Although Sky was decisive andmanding outside, he was nothing more than a humble son in


    "Tako found out that the Langley family has been pressuring Natalie to hand over the shares Mrs. Langley Senior let her, but she has refused there might be something we''re not aware of bnd this Mom, my suggestion in to locate Natalie fint, or perhaps go directly to Mrs. Langley Senior, Sky sald


    Hearing that, Charlotte gave Victor and Diana acontemtive look. Selena had her sis, but they paledpared to the cold-heartedness of Victor and Diana.


    "We''ll report you to the authorities for breaking into our home and asculting us!" Diana shouted angrily, "Let gouts! Natale said she''d only ever acknowledges as her parents You, her so-called biological mother, nothing! If you dare harm m, Natalie will make sure you pay for it when she retums!¡±


    Charlotte''s expression remainedposed upon hearing Diana''s remarks. She even curled her lips into a fait smile. ¡°Is that so? Then call Natale and bring her here. I can''t war to you get thoroughly embarrassed by my daughter."


    She was more than happy for Diana to make the call the Langley family could bring Natale back, Charlotte might entertain the idea of showing a bit of mercy when it came time top Diana again.


    "You" Diana .utterly speechless


    Visst, call that hat and get her back here," she shouted furiously at Victor. She couldn''t believe that Natalie, an outsider, would we be able to take Grace''s guardianship from


    Victor caught the meaning behind Diana''s nce.


    Natalie''s biggest concem was Grare. While she had Mocked Diana''s number, she had deliberately left his number unblocked, it showed that she was still willing to discuss Grace


    Victor nodded slightly and male the call to Natalie


    After a few tings, the call connected. "Hello, Mr. Langley?


    Hervicing Natalie''s yoke, Victor took a deep breath topose l?nsell. ¡°Nataliee to Amberton immediately."


    "Trubany," she replied b¨¢ntly


    ¡°Are you abandoning your grandma? Come back and we''discuss it. She''ll be yours to take care of from nowen Victor had intended to lower his voice, but with the bodygunds bolding him down and Charlotte towering over him, he could only make the call from his kneeling position.


    Hectly what Natalie cared about Gracewasher weakness.


    "Mr. Langley, get straight to the point. What do you want from ine? Natalie asked


    ¡°The shares, and for yosto sever alles with the Langley family. From nowen, whether it''s your family or ampene rted to you, they are not to trouble anyone from the Langley (family," Victor sad lustily.


    He added, ¡°Also, haver your family apologize to


    "Mr. Langley, po see a doctor if there''s something wrong with you. Stop yelling at me. If you''re not serious about this conversation, don''t bother calling me," she stated,


    ¡°Natale, your biological mother is here with me," Victor shouted anxiously, desperate te stopher from hanging


    up


    i''ll make up any lie to get my shares, won''t you?¡± With that, she hung up without hesitation


    ¡°Hello? Hello? Hello!" Victor called out repeatedly, but all he got in return was the cold, unterling berpingtone


    Charlotte, who had been watching Victor with.


    ¡°She doesn''t believe it¡± Victor struggled forcefully. ¡°Nataber


    Charlotte''s face turned pole, and she stumbled back a few steps.


    Gorge humidly stepped forward to support her.


    sed, "Well? is Natalieing?"


    n''t believe she has a biological mother."


    "Now, will you let us go Victor sneered at Charlotte. "Where were you earlier? Now that the child has grown up, you want to act like a loving mother? It''s too bad! Na intention of acknowledging you "


    Act Fast Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73 Diana Would Say Something Like That to Avoid Being Hit


    Victor''s was made Charlotte''sce for even palet.


    Momentster, her fury angled uncontrobly she shoved Gorge aside, swept her gaze across the room, and stormed into the kitchen. Returning with a rolling pin, she unleashed et strikes on Victor, battering him relentlessly


    When was enli? Back then, my daughter was taken away by your family What right do you have to mock me if it weren''t for you wile, shameless people taking my daught away, would she have been separated from me for two decades? Would she now refuse to acknowleder me as her mom? After all the farment you''ve inflicted on her, you still dare tort men it. You must be tired of Extng" she eximed


    As aresidi, Victor was left bruised and yelling in pain as Charlotte struck him without mercy.


    Maschile, Garge stood frozen in shock. Known for her elegance, beauty, and dignified demeanor, Charlotte had been provoked by Victor into cursing and resorting to physical


    Frankl, Victor deserved every How, and beating him to death wouldn''t be excessive.


    Nearby, Diana and Selena quivered in terror. They were utterly unprepared for Charlotte''s suddettoutburst.


    Just then, the riding pin in Charlotte''s handbooke from the force of her strikes.


    Worried the situation might escte into something fatal, Gerge stepped in to hold her back. "Mrs. Walker, take abreather. Have some water," he offered, handing her a bottle of mineral water they had bought along.


    Charlotte took a few sips and tinadycalmed her breathing


    Menahale, Victor was culed up on the floor, groaning in any


    ¡°As for you, Diana, you''ve taken so much of my daughter''s blood. But to me now! Charlotte med her fury toward Dina


    Diana screamed in pank, ¡°Stop You''ve already hit my husband You can''t hit me too!


    "Heh.¡± Charlotte let not a coldugh. ¡°Do I need anyone''s permission to beat up the two of you


    Afraid for her own safety, Dana blurted out, ¡°I know what Natalie cares about."


    Diana had finally realized charlotte wasn''t someone to mess with Earlier, when Gorge had shown up by himself, they had assumed Natalie''s birth parents had no real power Hower, she no longer dared to make such assumptions


    The board they brought along were well-trained and highly skilled. Moreover, though Charlotte''s clothes didn''t disy any logos, they were clearly from a luxury brand The way she brazenly best Victor and boldly dered that Amberton''s wealth lest family would soon be reced suggested she had some serious backing.


    Knowing it was foolish to provoke her further, Diana resolved to avoid a beating for herself and Selena. "I know what Natalie cares about she stared at Charlotte''s delicate, beautiful face, which bore an uncanny resemnce to Natalie''s She then nced at her daughter, Selena, and was ovee with a maddening wave of jealousy.


    Nacdie''s life with her wasn''t easy, get with her good pets and are looking out for her, she blossomed into a stunningly beaul woman.


    In contrast, her daughter, Selena, had be far less attractive after years of being neglected. After returning, Diana did everything she could to restore her appearance, even peting detalemmt.Ho, whenpared to Natalie, she still looked far less attractive


    Artist, they thought Natalie''s birth parents were just construction workers, so theypletely ignored them. But now, Diana understood just how mistaken she had been. When that went wild, she went all the way! Not to mention, she had so many pehate bodyguards. It she really lost control and stabbed them, despite being in a vi area, it would be hard for anyone to nation. Amer all, it was quite secluded there.


    What worried Diana most was the possibility that he might be a mentalithess diagnoss, and if thetter killed them, it would be pointless. As the wife of the richest man and having just found her biological daughter, she was enjoying Ide. She couldn''t let the mentally suble Chakterierything


    Another thing en Duna''s mind was that now that Natalie had founder el parents, it was time force to the shares to Selena After all, when Natalie hadn''t found her biological parents, Grace had an excuse to protect her


    Since Charlottehade to their doorstep, Grace should consider Selena. Natalie was an outsider and would eventually return to her own family. In the end, Grace would still have torn them Grace refused to return the shares Diana would use this chance to get Charlee to take Grace Mar


    Diana''s eyes kept shitting, and she refused to say more.


    Sering that, Charlotte grew increasingly impatient, with a sharp motion, she mmed the rolling pin down. Her voice ose sharply as she shouted with authority, "What does my daughter care about? Tell me!


    Diana pursed her lips and reluctantly replied, "She cares most about Grace, my mother-in-low


    she added, ¡°Mymother-inw loves Natalie the most. She had an ident while trying to save Natalie, and as a result, her intelligence was impaired. For the past few years, she has been living at Ordu Hill Sanatorium Natale antanged for someone to take care of her. The person shtes to the most is Grace. She may not believe us, but she will definitely belie Grace."


    "Googe, very," Charlotte instructed


    "Yes, Max Walker,¡± Gorge inmediately began his investigation, and after a while, he nodded at Charlona. ¡°Mrs. Walker, she''s selling the truth."


    "Then let''s go de Sanatorium


    the rest of your life.¡±


    pesce


    ¡°Charlotte tossed the roling pin aside and spoke to Diana with a menacing tone. ¡°I can''t get my daughter back, you''ll never have


    ¡°Gorge, let''s go.¡± Charlotte motioned as she walked out confidently with core. She wasn''t win at all that Diana and Victor would dare report them in the


    Once Charlotte and her group left in full stride, Diana and Selena hurried to support Victor. "Darling how are you?"


    "Dad, are you okay?" Selenaked


    Victor red at Diana fiercely. He finally understood bow partners may abandon each other when faced with serious chalenges. He never thought that Diana would say something like that to avoid being hit.


    ¡°Divia, that''s my mom ty biologeal mother with that, Victor showed Diana aside. "You even said that if she hit me, he could hit you too. Today, I''ve finally seen your true face


    "Victor, what do you mean by that? Did I say thing wrong? You''ve already been hit, so why should suffer the same? Diana''s darkened as well. "You supposed to be the


    kather


    w you protect your


    richest man in Amberton! Vet people barged in and attacked us, and we couldn''t even fightback Look at how Selena and I have been bullied is this how you a husband and dad ?


    After a pause, she continued, "You can''t even protect your wife and daughter, and now you won''t let us protect ourselves? It''s bad enough that one of us got hit. Do you need the entire Lamik to take a beating to feel content?


    "Mom, Dad, please stop arguing." Selena interjected, "We''ve just reunited as a family. If we start fighting among ourselves, wouldn''t that be exactly what Natalie wants? I suspect Natalie purposely had her biological mothere here to stir things up

 Chapter 74

    Chapter


    Demanding the Patemity Test


    Selena gently helped Victor to his feet and said, ¡°Dal, don''t be mad at Mon. She''s not afraid of being hit. It''s just that there''s no need for all three of us to endure the same punishment in prove out bend as a family."


    Despite her soothing reds, Victor''s frustration lingered, Diana''s earlier behander had left a sour taste in his heart.


    "Tuling," Punabegan, selleming her tone, "I was just shaken by Natalie''s crazy biological mother Hease forgive my slip of the tongue"


    "And think about it," she continust "Natalie cares so much about Grace, Grace might be your mother, but has she ever shown you or me the kind of affection she wishes on that


    Now that Selena is back, Grace doesn''t even space her a nce. Selena is her real granddaughter¡±


    "Since Grace insists on favoring Natalie, and Natalie clearly cares about hen, let Natalie''s hielogical mother take care of her Grace is just a sede old woman with the mind of a six year-old. The older she gets, the more of a burden she libe


    Dona''s voice tumed calenting "II Natalie''s hological motherinces Grace other identity, we''ll have the perfect excuse to demand that Natalie hand Selenaback the shares Bordesn''t blow her, we can tell Natale that her biological mother tried to harm Ginace."


    H


    way, then rtionship will be fractured before it even begits. There''s no way they''ll have a happy reunion,¡± the concluded, her tone deceptively gentle as she shared her


    Semanded provingly. This was no time to internal discon


    Natalie, after all, had once been an insignificant nobody, someone they had no reason to take seriously, if not for her stubborn refusal to relinquish Grace''s shares, Diana would have cast her out without a second thought


    But Selena''s deep-seated hatred for Natalie only fueled Diana''s own loathing.


    To them, Natalie''s very existence, especially her happiness, was a threat to Selena''s interests.


    Grace''s unwavering favoritism toward Natale onlrintensified their animosity. Grace, they felt, had even forsaken Selene, her biological granddaughter, in favor of Natale. For Diana, such a biased and ungratefold woman had no ce in their lives anymore


    Victor, however, wasn''t so easily swayed. Despite years of keeping his distance at Diana''s insistence, he could never fully sever ties with Grace, his biological mother


    Darlingthink back to when Natalie was young. How many times did Mom scolds because of her? Dimapressed


    "She could be me all she wanted, but you''re her son! Yet she still cursed you as if you weren''t even hers. Sometimes, I wonder if Natalie is her red child while you''re the one


    ¡°Enough.¡°Victor in.apped impatiently. ¡°just take me to the hospital¡±


    ¡°Wright,¡± Diana replied quickly, exchanging a nce with selena


    Together, they helped Victor into the car and drove him to the hospital.


    Meanwhile, after leaving The Langleys, Charlotte and Gorge headed straight to Cedar Hill Sanatorium with their entourage.


    Upon arrival, they met the director. After introducing berset, Charlotte exined why she was there.


    ¡°Hello, I''m Natalie''s biological mother. Mrs. Langley mentioned that Natalie and Grace are very close. Since Natalie isn''t in Amberton right now, I thought I''de to visit Mrs. Langley Senior


    The director adjusted his sses and asked curiously. ¡°You''re iming to be Natalie''s biological mother? Have you done a paternity test


    Victor''s fanly had already caused a scene at the sanatorium, so the stel were well aware that Natalie wasn''t biologically rted to the Langleys,


    Additionally, Natalie had made significant donations to the sanatorium and had explicitly instructed them to protect Grace from harm removal. This included ensuring no interference from Victor''s family-ornyelse


    At the sanatorium, Natalie was regarded as a benefactor-golden goose who ensured nothing but the best for Grace,


    Knowing how deeply Natalie cared for her grandmother, the storm shaft prioritized trace''s care, ettering unparalleled attention and protection.


    So, when Charlotte arrived, iming to be Natalie''s biological mother, the staff didn''t immediately allow her to meet Grace. They couldn''t rule out the possibility that Victor and Dana had sent her as part of a scheme to pressure Grace inte relinquishing Natale''s shares


    The director, cautious but professional, exined, ¡°If you can provide a paternity test confirming your rtionship with Natalie, and Natalie ges her consent, we can arrange a meeting


    Charlotte sighed. "Thawen''t had the chance to meet at yet, so 1 haven''t done a paternity test. But I truly amber mother. We found her through a post on a family reunion website, and I''m certain she''s my daughter."


    This is a photo of me when I was png. To support her m, Charlotte produced a photograph of hell from her youth and handed it to the director, who examined in carefully be picking up the inte.


    ¡°Sarah, pleasee to my lion. There''s ady here iming to be Natalie''s biological mother. Contact Ms. Natalie to verify this," he instructed.


    *Understood, sir,¡± Sarah replied


    At that moment, Sarah was in Grace''s room, keeping herpany as they watched a movie. Unfortunately, Grace overheard the conversation.


    ¡°Sarah ¡°Grace spoke up curiously. ¡°Did the ductor just say someone was iming to be Nattle''s biological mother?


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Langley Senior,¡± Sarah replied.


    "I want to go see her "Gerald


    "Ie too," she added, pausing the show and standing up. "Noe''s mother, I want to meet her myself." ¡°Mrs. Langley Senior, please wait.¡± Sarah said gently. ¡°Let me confirm with Natale first. Don''t rush." Calming Grace, Sarah quickly dialed Natalie''s private number. The call was answered almost immediately.


    Charmer


    Denunding the Totencji. Text


    "Hello, Sarah,¡± Natalie''s tamiliar voice came through: "How''s me granschmiedieri


    "Notabe, the davcter just intermed me that a won an eliming to be your biological mother hasme to visit Mrs. Langley Senior,¡± Sarah exined. ¡°She Insists on meeting lies,


    grandmother evnhoud and now wants to meet ha too. I''m vontiel about the situation¡±


    ncing out the window at the rows of sharply dressed bodyguards stationed below, Saral? added, "1


    Natalie''s voice tuned tum. "Nut nw grandmother on the phone"


    1. "There are several men with her clearly private security


    2. This feels serious."


    Sarah handed the phone to Grace. ¡°Nathie wants to speak with you?


    llo, Nattle,¡± Grace said warmly, her voice ininediately softening. ¡°Don''t worry about nie. L''in perfectly line¡°. "I''ve saved some sweets for you. When are youing to see me? I will share them with you when you do ¡°Oh, and I''ve kept sonse apples and berries Sarah gave me. I have a whole bag saved just for you." "Grandma" Natalie''s voice turned aftection ate but firm. "I''ll visit you soon, but for now, please stay in your room and let Sarah handle this. And stop hoarding food, it might spoi


    "I''d be much happier it you ate it yourselt. Please take care of yourself, eat well, drink plenty, and stay active. Remember, we promised you''d live to a hundred, and I''m going to throw you a huge birthday party when you


    do.


    ¡°And if you keep hiding food and not eating properly, I''ll be upset,¡± Natalie added teasingly.


    Grace quickly relented. ¡°I eat well,¡± she promised, eager to reassure her granddaughter.


    "I''ve already eaten very well today," she added quickly, just in case

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75 Coaxing Little Ones in Kindergarten


    "trandma, my boss, has been very kind to me and arranged for me to go on a business trip. I''ll take about three months, but when I return, I''ll bring you agit. Cheard Dirbaria State is famous for its delicious food, so I''ll make sure tobring back plenty of treats for you!


    Natalie''s tone was warm, andher expression was gentle. As she spoke to Grace, the usual eldness she carried seemed in melt away entirely.


    ¡°Also, Kattie has the shares you pee, Grandma. They bring a lot of dividends every year, so there''s no need for you to se money former hide things forme


    *11 food spoils, it won''t taste pood, and rating it might make you sick (


    Her vice was set almost like she wasforting young child


    Marr sat beside her, keeping some distance between them. Since they had gotten in the car, Natalie hadelosed her eyes, making it clear she had no intention of interacting


    Lalit, she had taken another call-probably from Victor. Her one had been ry, and her answers shart. Thus, the conversation ended within moments


    now, she spoke to Grace, she was apletely different person. Her voice was gentle, and her demeanor was so tender it was almost unreal, as if all the coldness had praporated


    11 was like a sprang bercermelting auythecbillet winter Terry smile and every word radiated a verse of warmth andfort.


    Marcusfinaly?nderstood why she was so adored by his grandfather


    Still, a thought lingered in his mind,¡± Katalie was Elim, why couldn''t she cure Grace? Did she not want to?

 Chapter 76

    *Mm, Tl be going to Duhoria State soon, Grandma, Don''t worry about me ¨C I''ll take good care of myself. My boss in a good prison i


    "He''s nothing like that miserly Mr. Olson. He''s considerate and takes care of his team."


    son and treats his employees well


    Natalie''s smile was faint but gemine. She never shared her struggles with race, choosing to shoulder them alone. No matter how hard things got or how much she suffered, she kept those burdens hidden, ensuring Grace only ever heard good nem.


    ¡°I picked out a man den you, didn''t I? Since you''re staying at Holden Residence, youmat ve met him by now,¡± Grace said, steering theeration in a nedirection


    Hearing that Natalie''s work was going well, she didn''t waste a moment before bringing up Marru


    in him gos, go for a


    "Nattie, Mr. Holden Senior''s grandson is way capable. You should seize the opportunity you have with him. If you can win


    "While I''m still young and healthy, I''d love to help take care of your kids after you get married and have them."


    Nell silent, her expression unreadable.


    Marrus, sitting, just a short distancey could help but overheat. Despite the space between them, the confines of the car made privacy impossible.


    ame, you need to leam how to sedere Marcus," Grace continued eagerly. "When he''s not prong attention, had his hand or kis him on the lips. And if that doesn''t work, just dr him!


    ¡°Chase him if you can. If you can''t take him it that doesn''t work, dragging him will do the trick. You have him in nome!


    "irds should be bold Fortunevors the bold!


    "Next time you whit me, hope you''l be pregnant and holding Marcus'' handi


    She really needed to have a word with Sarah and ask her to cut back on Grace''s dramatic romance shows.


    ¡°Grandma, my boss is calling me. I need to get back to work."


    ¡°Anight, alright, go focus on work. But don''t forget what i said¡ªmake suretown Marcus meer!


    "Twill, Grandma.Goodbye"


    Natalie walled force to hang up before ending the call. For a moment, she held the phone in her hand, stating at it, belope finally slipping it into her pocket.


    Despre herself, she couldn''t resist ncing at Stances, sitting a dently beside her.


    The min bat his eyes closed, his breathing steady and even. Clearly, he was asleep


    In slumber, Marcus" kung, thickshes tested lightly against his skin. His slightly hooded eyes softened the sharpness of his p -definedlips.


    F-


    paze His high, elegant nose led down to sensual, well


    Every feature seemed drawn with meticulous perchion, and has scalpted f?rresided an effortless nobility enum in repose. Despite his rxed posture, his refined, aristocratic mira


    He was the marble statue figure walking through the mortal world a gentleman without equal


    Whenever looked at him, she couldn''t help but feel as though he''d stepped straight out of a painting


    Grace, who adored beauty in all its forms, had been captivated the moment she saw Marcus'' photo. It was enough to push her into suggesting Natalie pursue him. If Grace ever met Marcus in person, she might genuinely resort to locking the heal them in a room together


    Asleep, Marcus'' usually sharp demeaner softened, his entire being taking on an air of gentleness.


    Natalie verted her gaze, her thoughts driting to the other car, where Emmasat Emma-Marcus''


    Grace was well aware at Marcas'' engagement but still urged Natalie to go aher him.


    Grace, who had always taught Natalie to be kind, principled, and resilient, was now asking her to abandon her integrity for the sake of a handsome, powertal man


    Abitter ache rose in Natalie''s heart. She understood Grace''s good intentions and couldn''t me her. But toply with such a request was out of the question.


    In this life, she would rather die than besume someone''s mistress.


    Besides, her happiness didn''t hinge on aman. She had far more pressing matters¡ªemringe''s well-being, finding the herbs to creber, and giving a peaceful, krytull old age. That was what mattered now.


    As for her biological parents, they weren''t a priority. Her attachment to them had long since faded


    Chapter 75 Coins Little One in Kindergarten


    Natalie shook off her thoughts and pulled out her phone, typing a quick message to Sarah


    Natalie, ¡°Sarah, how is my grandmother doing?"


    The reply didn''te via text. Instead, Sarah called Natalie immediately answered.


    "Hello, Sarah."


    ¡°Natalie, something has happened! Sarah''s voice was shaky. ¡°Mrs. Langley Senior has been taken by a woman iming to be your biological mother."


    "She brought a group of people,¡± sarah stammered. ¡°Neither the nursing home''s security nor the bodyguards you hired could stop them. They''ve taken Mrs. Langley Senior away.


    Sarah''s voice cracked. ¡°Natalie, what do we do? The woman said her name was Charlotte, and she was from the Walker family of Dithoria State. She left a message: ¡°if you want to see Mrs. Langley Senior again, you have to go to her.""


    Natalie''s expression hardened.


    ¡°Was Mrs. Langley Senior hurt during the ordeal?¡±


    *No,"


    ¡°Sarah replied quickly. ¡°Mrs. Langley Senior wasn''t harmed."


    But the woman_She was so forceful. I saw her in the director''s office when she arrived. At first, she was calm and polite. I was about to call you, as instructed, when Mrs. Langley senior appeared. The moment she saw her, everything changed.¡±


    ¡°she ordered her people to subdue everyone and left with her immediately?


    "Natalie, I''m so sorry,¡± Sarah sobbed "We failed you. We couldn''t protect her!"


    Natalie ended the call without a word, he nd racing She swiftly pulled out her tablet to research the Walker family.


    Before she could begin, Marcus" calm voice interrupted her thoughts.


    ¡°Charlotte is Emma''s mother,¡± he said, his eyes now open and steady. ¡°Tean take you to the Walker Tamily ¡°

 Chapter 77

    Natalie, with her andingmous features and Nathaniel''s rich, resonant male voice, faced Marcus head-on, het toe steady andposed


    Since Marcus showed no intention of exposing her as Natalie, she saw no need to reveal her identity, choosing to remain Nathaniel in this exchange.


    "Mr. Holden, I truly need your help, ¡°Natalie said earnestly, "Tim sincerely asking for your assistance."


    She emphasized her plea, her tone unwavering Marcus'' roprevion, Initially unreadable, shifted to calm indifference. He gave aslight mod "Alright"


    ¡°Then I must thank you in advance, Mr. Holden ¡°Natalie pressedlier lips trigether, suppressing the urgeebhling within as she turned her attention back to her tablet. neouring for information on the mignati Walker family of Duthoria State:


    The family had always been cloaked in mystery, its affalis kept meticukmaly private. Hours of research yielded only one notable figure-Lincoln Walker.


    Lincoln''s Fame stemmed mom his status samme star. He was arguably the brightest in the entertainment industry. In three short years, he had headlined three blockbuster dramas, each achieving revend-breaking viewership. His meteoric rise brought in tens of millions of fans, with his following now exceeding to millian


    At 6''2¡°, Lincoln was the epitome of masculine allore His sharp eyebrows, chiseled features, and piercing eyes made for a striking visage, while his soul gaze seemed to hold an


    herent depth of emotion


    Lincoln''s career had been scandal-tree, an extraordinary feat in the entertainment world. Any attempt to stir dating tumors was met with immediate, unequivocal denial. His devoted fanbase was equally relentless, sweatly dismantling any gossip and forcing detractors into public apologies.


    Interestingly, Lincoln''s off-screen habits stoked curiosity He often bought items tailored to women''s tastes during his travels, furling spections about a secret girlfriend. Yet, despite the rendesserts of the paparazzi, no trace of this serious partner had ever surfaced.


    As Natale examined Lincoln''s photo, she couldn''t help but notice an uncanny resemnce between his features and her malediguse.


    Lincoln is Aunt Charlene''s second son," Macus remarked, ncing at her screen.


    Heconnued, "She has five sons and one daughter."


    "You met the daughter, Emma not long ago."


    "Yes, your fiance" Natalie replied coolly


    Aflickeret imation coed Marcusce. He had no attachment to Emma and hadn''t yet found the opportunity to end the engagement, especially after Charlotte''s abrupt and force actions ding Grace


    "stes. Walker and her husband must have an excellent rtionship,¡± Natale remarked, hero ng "Having six children? Mrs. Walker''s physical health must be remarkable.¡± Marcus was speechless, he silently thought, ¡°ts this woman serious? I''m dealing the Walkers family structure, and her take was Charlotte''s childbearing staminal Natale didn''t do on his silence, instead closing her eyes briefly to centers. Whether or not Charlotte was het biological mother. Natalie couldn''t forge herba methods in taking draceway


    ¡°Str. Holden,¡± she said, her voice steady as she put down her tablet. May ask you something?


    ¡°Emma in your fianc¨¦e, and Mrs. Walker would then be your future mother-in-lose were to have a conflict with them, would helping me put you in a difficult position? Marcus genoeply. ¡°Emma, a fianc¨¦e? Hardly. He was already preparing to end that arrangement


    As for Charlotte, while he addressed her as Aunt Charlotte and acknowledged her as his mother''s old friend, his mother had been away from Duhoria State for years. Whateve connection once existed between the two women had likely faded over time.


    ¡°Mr. Holden, I''ve thought it over, asking for your help as a mistake I shouldn''t drag you in this or put you in a difficult position. Once you drop me off in Ditoria State, just leave me there. take a tad to meet ex. Walker myself,¡± Natalie saidtimly


    She had initudy sought Marcus¡± assistance but quickly regretted Grace''s constant peseta punue Marcus going so far as to suggest drastic measures the seduction or even sping his drink, weighed howly on her mind. If Grace mere to see them together, she might act on her inspulsive, misguided ideas Natale couldn''t it that happen. Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Are you always than fickle, even as a man?


    "Then call me fickk, Mr. Halden!" Natalie shot hack, deliberately keeping her distance. "And next time, don''t spy on my every move."


    Marcus raised an eyebrow. He hadn''t been spying-he''d merely ced by ident.


    "This is like feeding adog that bites you", he thought barely "She doesn''t appreciate a good deed when it''s done for her."


    ¡°Since Me Langley no linger needs my help, I naturally won''t get imehed,¡± Mus said indifferently before closing his eyes


    "Elijah, pull over up ahead," he ordered.


    "Yes, sur,¡± Elijah replied.


    The car showed to stop at the roadside. Macus stepped out without a word, striding toward another vehicle parked ahead, Charles'' car. Once there, be motioned for the bodyguard in the front passenger seat to get out, and he took the seat for himmel.


    The bodyguard didn''t return to Natalie''s car, instead moving to yet another vehicle in the convoy. The reshuffling took only a few minutes, and soon all the cars were back on the


    Natale didn''tment on Marcus'' behavior the only noted that with him gone, the oppressive tension that had filled the car vanished.


    Finally able to breathe freely, Natalie felt more at ease. Concerned to Grace, she pickedupher phone and initiated video call


    The ralcocted quickly, and Grace''s war, amihar face appeared on the scree


    ¡°Grandesa, are youckay Dnd the people who took you treat you well? Natalie asked.


    "Don''t worry about me, Name! I''m fine. I went with your mother willingh," Grace replied cheerfully, her smile bright


    Before are could respond, bumed the camera, revealing another etwas Charlotte.


    "Nattie, look! 1 found your mother!" Grace eximet


    Charlotte''s face appested suddenly, catching talle uitguard Fortunately, camera was aimed at the car seat, higher sale disguise.


    Charlotte, unable to see Natalie, felt a minge et disappointment. However, she had been meticulously and thoughtfully taking care of Grace. Noticing how much Charlotte resembled Natalie, Grace had lowered her guard entirely


    Grace even shared many stories about Natalie''s childhood with her. At Grace''s residence, where numerous childhood photos of Natalie were stored, Charlotte had expressed a desire to see them Moved by the request, Grace brought her to her home in Amberton.


    Meanwhile, Charlotte was in the room Natalie had lived in as a child, sitting on the princess bed where she had once slept.


    ¡°Nattie, hello! I''m... your mother,¡± Charlotte greeted nervously, her tone filled with hesitation. ¡°Please, believe me. I haven''t harmed your grandma. I just couldn''t find you


    ¡°Nuttie, I''m sorry for taking your grandma without your permission. That was wrong of the. But I swear, I haven''t hurt her," she added earnestly.


    Throughout their journey, Charlotte had listened as Grace shared many stories about Natalie''s childhood. However, she also noticed something unusual. Grace''s memory seemed to be jumbled, and some of her statementscked logic, resembling the thoughts of achiki.

 Vol. The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming Chapter 78 Chapter 78

    Dance''s moods were muddled, but charlotte listened intently, as though absorbing every detall could somehow make up for the years he had missed in Natalie''s life. The more Gowespoke, the move Charlotte becamediced that Opace truly keel NatGe


    n!


    Charlone had no intentions. After taking are away, she had male every effort in care for her. Grace cling to her hand and insisted that charlette looked like talle''s real mother-dat she was indeed Natalie''s Holipkalnom


    trace ako mentioned that after Victor and Diana found Natalie, they had teamed up to bullyi Tanily Everyword Grace spoke reflected her love and fierce protection of Natale,


    bully Natalie, and Charlotte, as her biological mother, should be the one to contron Victor''s


    Chucktte was deeplemoved, and her respect for Grace grew even mote


    However, an charlotte exined herselt, Natalie remained silent A sense of malety and impatience began to creep in.


    "Nabe, DraketTV Are you angry with Money?


    ¡°Grandma, let me see WAL?


    Finally, Natalie spoke, but she didn''t respond to charlotte''s words, instead, she asked to seetirace.


    charlotte quickly adjusted the phone to show dare. "Nattle, lock, Freally baren''t hurt cirandina. I''m at your and your grandma''s house-in your room."


    Grace chimed in cheerhilly, "Nattie, don''t worry I''m line. Your moosh so perity Theber."


    charlotte mowed the phone in all directions so Natalie could get a better look. Natale studied the screen carefully, ensuring Grace had not been harmed. Seeing Grace''s cheerful face, unbothered and centent, reassured het.


    Still, Natalie didn''t know how to address Charlotte. Without a paternity test, and only relying on the resemnce,


    "Nattic, your mom is so beautiful! Her photos from when she was young lock just like you!"


    Grace took the phone from Charlotte''s hands. ¡°Nattle, why can''t I see you?¡±


    "switched the camera"


    Once Charlotte moved away from the phone''s camera, Natale spoke gently.


    "Grandma, are you at home?


    her "mom" felt impossible.


    "Yes! Your mom wanted to see where you lived when you were little, so I brought her here I even showed her your childhood photos and videos. I don''t know what''s going on. She was watching the videos and crying kept measuring her that i hadn''t hurt you, but she couldn''t stop crying it took a lot of effort to calm her down, but now she''s crying.


    "Grandma, don''t go with strangers, and don''t bring strangers home."


    Natalie''s voice was soft but firm. "She might not be my real mom. There are probably seven people in the world who look exactly like me


    ¡°Ah!¡± dece traze, trying to make sense of Natale''s words.


    Beside her, Charlotte silently wept, struck motionless by the statement.


    From the moment she saw Natalie''s photo on the adoption website, Charlotte had been certain it was her biological daughter. There was no doubt in her mind


    But now, bearing Natalie''s words, Charlotte suddenly began to question everything,


    There was a saying, ¡°A mother and daughter share a natural bend. It is an unspoken connection". She wondered why her daughter didn''t feel that way. Not only that, but she referred to her as a stranger.


    Although Natalie said "maybe", Charlotte could tell she was merely trying tofort Grace. Deep down, Natale didn''t believe she was her biological mother. And even if she were it was clear that Natale might never ept it


    ¡°Grandma, I''m going to call Sarah toe take you back to the nursing home. It''s not safe for you here. Okay?


    "I won''t go back!" Grace suddenly grew agitated. "I don''t want to go back. I want to stay at home,"


    ¡°Then I''ll have Sarahe to your house and take care of you.¡±


    "I don''t want Sarah. I can take care of myself. I''m old, not stupid. I want to go home and find my mom."


    Grace turned to leave, but after taking a few steps, she stopped. ¡°My mom doesn''t want me anymore. I can''t find my home..."


    Suddenly, Grace burst into tears. Charlotte rushed over tolet her. "Don''t cry! This is your home!!


    "What about my mom? Grace looked at Charlotte, tears in her eyes


    "Where is my mom Why doesn''t shee andderme when cry


    Chackatte was at a loss forwards.


    "Mrs. Walker,¡± Natalie''s we cut through the silence, "Please take my grandma back to the nursing home."


    "Mrs. Walker, don''t call me that." Natalie''s voice was firm, interrupting Charlotte. "We haven''t done a pateity test Just because we look alike doesn''t mean we''re mother and daughter. That''s absurd. Besides, Mrs. Walker, you have a daughter, don''t you?


    "Mrs. Walker, please take my grandma back to the nursing home"


    Natalie''s one grew more fortal, leaving no room for disagreement.


    Charlotte led deeply, reluctantly aging "Okay, I''ll take her back to the nursing home."


    "Grandma, be good and go back to the nursing home. Once I''m done, I''lle visit you" orace didn''t respond, just nodded with a look of deep sorrow


    Nattie, you go ahead. I''ll be pood?


    With that, Grace ended the video call and then turned to Charlotte with bright eyes. "Charlotte, take me to find Nattiel I miss Nattle. I want to go find her. I''ve saved so many sweets for Nattie. I want to take them to her.¡±


    Charlotte hesitated. She had just promised Natalie she''d take race back to the nursing home.


    ¡°If you don''t take me, I won''t go to first grade. I''ll bully the other kids at kindergarten every day and make the teacher call my parents, then I''ll spank you.


    Charlotte trope


    Before she could respond, Grace plopped onto the floor, kicking her legs and crying loudly.


    Charlotte rubbed her temples, bent down, and tried to help Grace up, but Grace pped her hand away.


    I won''t get up unless you take me to find Nattie.¡±


    Gorge, who had been standing nearby, offered a suggestion. "Mrs. Walker, why don''t we take Mrs. Langley Senior to Ditoria State? Alter all, Ms. Natalle will be going home soon


    "But she''s already angry with us for taking Mrs. Langley Senior out of the nursing home," Charlotte hesitated. "If we take Mrs. Langley Senior to Dihoria State, I''m afraid she''ll


    "But Mrs. Langley Senior''s condition isn''t good. If she stays in Amberton, Victor''s family will be a problem. They''re like wolves, waiting to pounce. It''s easy to avoid direct attacks, but the hidden ones are harder to defend against. Ms. Natalie can''t always be with Mrs. Langley Senior, and with Victor and Dana''s ruthlessness, we can''t take any chances, "Mrs. Walker, we''re doing this for Mrs. Langley Senior''s well-being When Ms. Natalie finds out, she''ll understand."


    Charlotte felt conflicted she had seen Victor and Diana''s true nature, and she had witnessed Grace''s wavering love and care for Natalie. Gorge''s argument waspelling, but the reality was that her firstconversation with her dughter had gone disastrously wrong

 Chapter 79

    Sdenly Regretting Making Him Angry


    donge noticed that charlotte was still hesitant, so he decided not tapers the matter hather. That then Grace suddenly began crying again.


    "If you won''t take me, I''ll go by myself.


    ¡°I''m not going back to the musing home. I''m not going back to kindergarten!


    As soon as ditace began crying, Charlotte roshettofort her. ¡°Theme don''t cry. Flcall N How aboud we get a call?


    Gespoke


    "Ms Walker, Mrs Langley Senior lists finding Ms. Natalie. Stayer we should just take her along, and do her ador


    He added, "With Mrs. Langley Senior''s ont tent condition, sendag het back to the nursing home might not be the best option."


    ¡°We could take her to Dubenia State and leave a few people in Aberton to keep an eye on things thrice Ms. Natalie returns, we can inform her, or we can call her and exin the sinuation, reassuring her that Mrs Langley Senior has been well taken care of and that we''ll keepher updated. This would also give you more opportunities tomunicate with


    Ms. Natalie?


    Gorge hesitated before continuing. "This couldabsabe a chance to make amends. We''ve already upset M. Natalie by taking Mrs. Langley Senior out of the nursing home. Il we don''t make it right now, the rtionship could be even harder to repair"


    Grace had always been fond of Charlotte, and the case she had shown along the way hard earned Charlotte her toust. Even if Natalie voiced objectionster, with Grace speaking in their tower, the mistake wouldct seem as serious


    Charlotte understood what Gorge was suggesting. Anser a long pase, she nodded decisively and took Grace''s hand. "Wright, Grandma, don''t cry. I''ll take you to find Nattie."


    "tothe?" Graer stopped erring instantly, her eyes red and filled with doubt. "You really will kemeto find Nattle you''re not ling, right?


    "Yes, really. I''m nothing to you." Chame spoke softly and patiently, her voice soothing and full of warmth. "Tad We''re going to find Nattie, we'' or going to find atte


    chi, let''s get ready. We''re taking Mes. Langley Senise back to Duthoris State


    "Make sure you leave some people in Amberton to watch the Langley family and keep an eye on Ms. Thatcher''s situation. Be ready to help her if needed"


    "Te, Mr. Walker"


    Gorge nodded in agreement and tumed to organize everything before they let


    Chulotte Book Grace''s hand, leading her to wash up and change into fresh clothes. She made ster there was plenty of food prepared for the journey.


    Oncemerything was set, Charlotte Book Grace back to Dithonia State


    Meanwhile, the Holden Family''s convoy was sell en route to Duhana Star.


    Natalie at anxiously in the rar, feeling every passing second streich endlessly. Her thoughts were consumed by worry for Grace


    she considered asking Marcus if she could return to Amberton for a while, but Charles'' treatment n had already been established, and he had been taking traditional medicine.


    With the needle treatment scheduled to begin soon, leaving now would be irresponsible toward Charles Grace was her only family. The love Natalie had never received from her parents, Grace gave her twofold. get suddenly surped in Natalie''s chest. She shouldn''ther provoked Marcus and made him get out of the car


    Charlotte was still in Amberton, but sooner orter, Natalie knew she would have to return to Duthoria State. Vaiting the Walker family was unavoidable


    The sharp sound of her phone ringing pulled her out of her thoughts. The caller ID disyed an unfamiliar mumber from Amberton


    Natale heated bede answering "Hello, who is th¨¬ ?


    "It''s me You blocked me,¡± said Tyler''s familiar voice. ¡°Theard from Selena that you found your biological parents.""


    ¡°And you even let your biological mother stom into the Langley family to confront Selena, Uncle Victor, and Aunt Dima,¡± he added usingly.


    ¡°Tyler, if you''re sick in the head, go get treated,¡± Natale snapped, ending the call immediacy and blocking the number


    In her mind, a proper ex should behave as though they were dead. She prided herself on being the epitome of a ¡°warm corpse to both Tyler and Selena II Tyler insisted on tekarrecting himself to bother her, he couldn''t me her forshing out.


    Her mood was already toul, and Tyler''s sudden intrusion only darkened it further


    lie, it''s Tyler. I don''t mean to cause trouble or question you about Selma I just want to talk about it. The Langley family is suing her and demanding she pay 100 million. 1 know she only crashed into their pate to save you."


    Despite Natalie''s harsh words, Tyler seemed unfazed instead, he switched to another number and continued sending a flurry of messages.


    "Even dough we''re no longer engaged, we go up together. We were childhood friends. I just want to help you when you''re in trouble. You''re at in Auberton now, and ''s parents are simple, honest people. Even though she''s made decent money as a model''s nowhere near enough to pay the Langley family"


    "Le talk to Selena and convince them to drop thest. If it can''t cover the fullpensation, Tean lend her the manry"


    "You don''t want Olivia to have a criminal record, do you? i would ruin her career and at her future, her chances at marriage, starting a family, everything."


    The rapidninges betrayed Tyler''s anxiety that talle might block him aga


    No matter what, Olivia is my friend too. Even if we can''t be lovers or close friends amore, all think helping a friend in need is the right thing to do."


    Chapter

 Chapter 80

    Natalie, please don''t block me again. I''m not your enemy."


    Natalie stared at the barrage of messages on her phone. Her brews knitted together, and her finger hovered over the block button, but she hesitated.


    She, Tyler, and Olivia had shared happy and carefree moments in their youth.


    Tyler wasn''t wrong. Olina was his friend too, and helping a friend in need was the right thing to do.


    Letting out a heavy sigh, Natalie decided to respond


    "Thank you, but it''s not necessary. I''ve already found someone more capable to help Olivia, Mr. Miller, I think it''s best for us to maintain our distance. Even though there''s nothing improper between us, your fianc¨¦e might misunderstand. I don''t want to be targeted by her orbeled as a homewrecker over baseless assumptions."


    ¡°If you truly care about my well-being, Mr. Miller, please stop contacting me. Consider me dead".


    Natalie had alreadyowed Marcus more than enough favors.


    Tyler was part of her past, and she was determined to keep the break n and final


    After sending her message, Natalie didn''t hesitate to block the number again.


    This time, Tyler didn''t try to reach her through another new number,


    He had his pride. After such a decisive rejection, he wouldn''t stoop to pestering her further.


    Besides, the Millers valued status above all else. Once they learned Natalie wasn''t the Langley family''s real daughter but merely an imposter, Tyler''s parents, John and Mariah, wasted no time in demanding that she stop clinging to their son.


    To the Millers, only Selena¨Ctheme Langley daughter, was worthy of Tyler.


    Dupter No Patenilly Test


    All Tyler''s hartage of messages, Natalie''s already restless mood toured further


    She dialed Marin mumber "Hello, Mr. Holden Coldyou share Mrs. Walker''s phone number


    thachittebat called rather though tipser''s phone, leaving Natalie without adiectway to contact hier Marcos'' volerate after a bolet passe. ¡°Sa Adimen WhatsApp, and I''ll send it to you


    My WhatsApp is Inked to this private number!


    Nataliemdeditfiecall,copied the number, and searched for on WhatsApp. Starci¡± profile appeared


    with the initials "MIL" and aplich-ck square as his profile picture


    Coincidentally, Natalie''s own problemas simdathy minimalist -herinitials, ¡°MA,¡± with a small, perr white gardenia flower as her profile picture.


    The stark contrast of ck and white created a strangely harmonious and sivually striking effect on the scre Once Maross epted her friemal request, she termed his contact. Moments Lair, he sent over the phone number.


    Nale "Thank you."


    Marcus: "No probk


    Wasting no time, Naude called Charlotte, who answered almost immediately


    "Hello, as this Nat?" Charlotte''s wice was tentative. She had gotten Natalie''s number from Grace but hadcked the courage to call Now that Natalie was reaching out, she answered without hesitation


    "Ms. Walker, be,¡± Natalie greeted, her tone even "Can I ask if you''ve taken my grandmother back to the parsing h


    There was a moment of hesitation before Charlotte admitted the truth. "No."


    ¡°Grandna insisted oning with me to find you. Lead calm her down, so I promised to bring her along" "Nat, where are you?ll bring Grandma to you."


    watake good care other and make sure she''s safe,¡± Charlotte added, her voice trembling "Nat, I really am your mother."


    Bring Grandma Duchoria State,¡± Natalieinstated.


    "Every 20 minutes, send me a video of her Every jominutes, call me on video so I can see her clearly"


    ¡°Of course, of course," Charlone agreed quickly. ¡°Not, can we add each other on WhatsApp"


    "Sure"


    After ending the call, Natalie epted Charlotte''s friend request


    Charlotte immediately sent a video of Grace, who was seated in the car, cheerfully


    lyrating a restard tart while watching cartoons Thesight reassured Natale somewhat


    She didn''t know it she would cetum to the Walker family charlotte truly was her biological mother.


    Emma, Charlotte''s daughter, had been by Wiliam and Charlotte''s side for the 20 years Natalie had been absent. She wondered how they would treat her and Emma now. But, Natale won''t overly concemel. Without expectations, there could be no disapponunt.


    the Walker family wanted to recognize her, she would ept it


    With the Walker family as powerful backing, Grar could finally rx and stop pressuring her to pursue Marcus Over the next hours, Charlotte diligently kept Natalie updated on Geare''s condition, sending videos every 20 minutes and video-calling every half hour,


    After two hours of constant updates, Natale finally felt reassured and sent Charlotte a message.


    Natalie ¡°Mrs. Walker, thank you for taking such thoughtful care of my grandmother.cice you arrive at Ditheoria State and we met, Titherback.¡±


    Charlotte: ¡°Nat, there''s no need to thank me. It''s my honor to care for your grandma hat, I really want to see you


    Charlotte was determined to meet Natalie in person. She believed that once they met and conducted a palemilytest, Natale would no longer deny her as her mother. However, die didn''t reply. She hesitated, unsure of how to respond


    Growing up, Diana had never been affectionate toward her. Most interactions wereced with scolding or even physical punishment. The care looks Diana gave her were filled with resentment, not ke


    Yet, whenever thana needed a blood transfusion, her attitude softened just enough to offer fleeting moments of kindness. Those briet glimpses of warmth let the younger Natale yearning for affection and confused about her worth


    As a child, Natalie had desperately sought her parents approval When their love was absent, she questioned if it was her fault, it she wasn''t obedient enough or good enough.


    Shemed herself that if she tried harder or behaved better, Diana would eventually love her.


    But as she grew older, Grace''s wisdora began to guide her.


    ¡°You don''t need to be overly obedient,¡± Grace had told her. ¡°It''s okay to say no to things you don''t want to do. Don''t force yourself to meet impossible expectations. And if you don''t like what someone says, just pretend you didn''t hear it. Your life isn''t meant to revolve around pleasing others-it''s about treating yourself with kindness. Affection is about eptance. Lamer is about support."


    At the time, Natale didn''t bully understand those words, but they gradually took root as she matured


    She came to ept her role as a "living blood bank" for Victor and Duns without resentment. Tober, it was a way to square the debt-filling her duties without wing them anything more.


    In her heart, shed at peace. She had done right by her grandmother, by Victor and Duma, and most importantly, by hersel

 Chapter 81

    Chapter eti Budenty


    Meanwhile, Charlotte noticed Natalie''sck of response. Rather than monning the risk of making Natalie ufor caring for Grace even more attentively


    , the chose to leave her be and channeled her emerity ints


    Marcus drove his car into the Holden residence estate in D¨¹tho State.


    As Marcus" car entered the sprawling estate, Gorge and several staff embers gathered outside to get them


    "Wee home, Mr. Holden Senior Wee home, Mr. Holden!!


    Seated in the car, Natalie watched the pomp and ceremony unfold with disinterest. To her, it seemed tedious and wasteful.


    Still it wasn''t her ce toment.


    As long as Marcus was happy, she had noints.


    The car finally came to a stop in front of the mansion''s grand entrance


    The driver stepped out, assisting charles first, then Enima, who stayed close by.


    During the journey, Emma had gone to great lengths to charm Charles, keeping him in high spirits.


    "Grandpa, how about letting Marcus take me hometer?" she said sweetly. "My brother mentioned how much he missed Marcus when I delivered his medicine. This time, we


    could have Marcus over for dinner."


    ¡°Sure! Marcus agrees, I certainly don''t mind,¡± Charles replied with a heartyugh. His gaze then shifted to Natalie, still in her male disguise, stepping out of the car.


    "Nath,e here"


    Natalie approached without hesitation. "What is it, Grandpa


    "Later, I want you and Marcus to send Emma back to the Walkermily?


    Tuming to Emusa, Charles added, "You don''t mind it Nath tags along, do you?!


    Emma forced a smile. "Of course not, Grandpa"


    ¡°Good, it''s settled, then. I''m exhausted after the long trip and need some rest. You young folks enjoy yourselves,¡± Charles said before dismissing them.


    Mr. Holden Senior, you should take your medicine before resting, "Connie reminded him as she stepped forward. She had meticulously managed his medication schedule during the journey, ensuring they stopped at intervals to prepare his herbal remedies.


    ¡°Ah, right Connie, if you need anything, just ask Gorge, I''ll freshen up first, then take the medicine¡±


    Before leaving. Charles turned back to Marcus. "Take good care of Emma and Nath-especially Nath. Nath is Connie''s cousin, and we want him to feel at home. Understood?"


    Marcus nodded, and Charles left with Connie, heading into the mansion


    The Holden residence estate in Ditoria State spanned hundreds of acres. Its castle-like mansion boasted hundreds of rooms and was surrounded by exquisitely designed gardens, featuring rare flora, artificial hills, flowing streams, pavilions, and gazebos. The estate blended grandeur with elegance, every corner a testament to wealth and sophistication.


    Walking beside Charles, Connie couldn''t help but marvel at the luxury surrounding her, feeling like a country bumpkin out of her depth.


    She wanted to share her amazement with Natalie, but Natalie had already been tasked with apanying Marcus to escort Linm?

 Chapter 82

    Natalie and William exchanged a brief nce before quickly looking away.


    "Then let''s have some tea," William suggested.


    "Sorry to trouble you," Natalie replied politely.


    "No trouble at all," William assured her, smiling kindly as he directed the servants to prepare tea.


    "Daddy, I''m going to change. You entertain Marcus and Mr. Langley."


    "Marcus, Mr. Langley, please wait for me. I''ll be right back."


    Emma shed a charming smile. Back at the Walker residence, she had be even more yful, and she was able to act spoiled in front of her family.


    "Go ahead," William said, giving Emma a gentle pat on the head as he guided Marcus and Natalie into the house.


    The Walker residence was grand. The living room had a ceiling nearly 20 feet high, with a stunning crystal chandelier that sparkled in the light.


    The decor was both luxurious and elegant, with furniture imported from renowned letalian designers. The floor gleamed so brightly it reflected the light like a mirror. A world-ss piano sat in one corner of the room, and beneath it was a thick, plush letalian rug.


    The living room extended into a long hallway, lined with numerous rooms. In another corner, a spiral staircase led to the upper floors, designed with intricate detail.


    Servants moved gracefully through the space, immediately greeting the guests and family with respect.


    Natalie casually took in her surroundings, immediately recognizing the Walker residence as the home of a very wealthy family.


    "This is the Walker residence in Dithoria State, home to the richest family in the country," Marcus whispered as they walked side by side.


    "Before the children of the Walker family marry, they all live here. Once married, they move into their own homes."


    Natalie looked up at Marcus. "I''d like to meet Mrs. Walker."


    "Why do you call her Mrs. Walker now?"


    "The point isn''t that." Natalie took a deep breath. "Mr. Holden, you know."


    On the way here, they had shared a car, and Marcus had overheard her conversation with Sarah. He had then volunteered information about Charlotte.


    Marcus knew Natalie wasn''t Nathaniel, yet he continued ying along. Even now, he was still pretending.


    "Mr. Langley, I need a favor," Marcus said, offering a slight smile. "I want to break off Emma''s engagement with me."


    Natalie blinked in confusion. "Hmm? Why are you telling me this? What does it have to do with me?"


    "I need a valid reason," Marcus continued, suddenly draping his arm around her shoulders. "Be my boyfriend, hmm?"


    Natalie''s eyes widened. "Is Marcus losing his mind?" she thought.


    His deep, maic voice continued to ring in her ears: "By now, I''m sure you''ve figured it out. I don''t like Emma."


    Natalie was speechless. She thought to herself, "Whether he likes her or not, it had nothing to do with me!" Marcus followed up with an even more shocking deration. "Actually, I like men. So, Mr. Langley, help me out, hmm?"


    "Oh, please. I''m not really a man." Marcus was taking his act way too far.


    Natalie elbowed Marcus, forcefully knocking his arm off her shoulder. Her voice was cold. "Mr. Holden, if you''re sick, go get treated. I don''t have time for your childish games."


    "Marcus, Mr. Langley, why are you two so far behind? Hurry up!"


    Ahead, William had walked on, but after calling out a few times with no response, he finally noticed they had fallen behind.


    He was leading them to the tea room, which was a short distance from the living room.


    "Mr. Walker, sorry, we''ll be right there," Natalie called, quickening her pace to catch up.


    Marcus pressed a hand to his stomach, wincing in pain. That hit really stung. This woman didn''t hold back. "Marcus, hurry up!" William called cheerfully, unaware of the tension between them.


    Marcus withdrew his hand, regaining his usual indifferent expression, and quickened his pace to follow.


    As they reached a corner, Marcus nced sideways, catching a brief sh of movement. He smiled. "Perfect," he thought to himself. He needed everything that happened in the Walker residence to go ording to n.


    But Natalie wasn''t cooperating. The next part was going to be tricky.


    Marcus eyed Natalie as she walked beside William, then discreetly pulled out his phone to send a message. Marcus: "Ms. Natalie, have you seen a red rosebud?"


    Natalie, walking beside William, took out her phone and nced at the message. She froze for a moment, her body stiffening visibly.


    Marcus: "Ms. Natalie, would you mind having Connie''s cousin, Nathaniel, join me in this act?"


    Natalie gritted her teeth. In her eyes, Marcus was truly insufferable, a man without limits.


    Marcus: "This favor is easy to do. Just help me act in front of the Walker family, and I''ll get out of my engagement with Emma."


    Marcus: "You won''t refuse, will you, Ms. Natalie?"


    Natalie didn''t respond, and Marcus didn''t move forward. They were locked in a silent standoff, waiting for one of them to break.


    Marcus'' gaze lingered on Natalie''s back. She was slender and delicate, her height making her seem even thinner.


    Her hair, once long and flowing, was now cut into a neat and short style,pletely hiding any remnants of her past look.


    Her posture was straight, her graceful, long neck like that of a swan. She appeared to be a dancer, though Marcus suspected she wasn''t.


    She was Elim, the internationally renowned medical genius. Her studies must have been intense, years of hard work¡ªand she was only 20. She had likely started her medical journey at a young age.


    To reach a level where she could master both Eastern and Western medicine was beyond most people''sprehension.


    Unless, of course, she was a prodigy.


    As Marcus continued to observe her, his phone suddenly rang. He unlocked it and saw a new message from Natalie.


    Natalie: "Okay, I''ve already spoken to Nathaniel. He will cooperate with you!!!"


    The message, with the three exmation marks, made Marcus grin. He could practically hear Natalie''s teeth grinding in frustration.


    Marcus quickly typed a reply. "Thank you, Ms. Natalie, and Mr. Langley, in advance."


    After sending the message, Marcus took a few quick steps forward. He reached out, sliding his arm around Natalie''s waist with a smile that was both charming and dangerous.


    "Nathaniel, wait for me," he said, his voice smooth.


    Natalie turned her head to look at him, her expression unreadable. "Take your hand off me."


    His hand lingered on her waist. She wore a jacket with a T-shirt underneath, but the warmth of his touch still seeped through the fabric.


    Natalie had never been this close to a man before. Tyler, her former fianc¨¦, had always respected her space, keeping an innocent distance.


    It wasn''t that Tyler didn''t want to be closer; it was just that Natalie had long known she wasn''t the biological daughter of the Langleys. The deeper her connection to Tyler, the moreplicated it would be to sever


    things cleanly.

 Chapter 83

    Natalie attempted to push Marcus away, but he swiftly seized her wrist instead. "Mr. Langley, just endure it for a moment," he said coolly.


    Her patience snapped, and she raised her hand to p him. She couldn''t tolerate his antics any longer.


    But Marcus, faster than her fury, caught her wrist mid-air. "Don''t be impulsive," he said, his voice low but firm. "Remember, Mrs. Langley Senior is still in Aunt Charlotte''s hands."


    Natalie exhaled deeply, her mind spinning with frustration and restraint. After a beat, she finally relented. "Fine, then let go of me."


    Marcus loosened his grip, though his hand lingered lightly around her waist. "Rx. I''m not even touching you. You''re just overly tense."


    Natalie nced down, noticing that his hand barely grazed her clothing. Yet earlier, she could have sworn she felt the warmth of his palm.


    She wondered if she was imagining things and truly that on edge.


    "What are you two... doing?"


    The voice startled them. William, who had walked ahead, turned back after realizing they had fallen behind. His eyes widened as he took in the scene, a mixture of surprise and bemusement flickering across his face.


    "Nothing," Marcus replied smoothly, withdrawing his hand as if nothing had happened.


    Standing together, Marcus'' height and Natalie''s disguised form created an oddly harmonious image, a juxtaposition that was difficult to ignore.


    William''s gaze lingered on them, his expression inscrutable, as though he was holding back a knowing smile.


    Natalie rubbed her arms uneasily, feeling ufortably exposed under his scrutiny.


    Marcus'' sudden whims and threats were infuriating, and yet she couldn''t outright defy him.


    This wasn''t her territory. In Dithoria State, Marcus was the unchallenged kingpin, and the Walker family''s influence was both elusive and immense. She had no desire to stir up trouble; her only goal was to rescue her grandmother from Charlotte''s clutches unharmed.


    If Charlotte used Grace to threaten her further, Natalie knew she might need to rely on Marcus. It was a reluctant but necessary option, a favor she could bargain for with the debt Charles owed her.


    "Uncle William, Nathaniel, let''s go!"


    Marcus nodded and casually brushed his finger against Natalie''s.


    Natalie stared nkly, her mind briefly nk with disbelief.


    William chuckled knowingly. "Emma should being down soon."


    "Uncle William, I need to discuss something privately with you. Could Mason take Nathaniel outside for a stroll in the meantime?" Marcus asked smoothly.


    As he spoke, he reached out to adjust Natalie''s cor. "Go wait outside. It won''t take long." Natalie nodded. "Alright," she replied. Without a second nce, she turned and bolted. Being forced to act out this charade of ambiguous intimacy was utterly exhausting. Distracted, she dashed out the vi door and collided directly into someone''s chest. Before she could stumble back, strong hands steadied her. "You okay?" the man asked.


    Natalie rubbed her forehead, scowling slightly. "Why is his chest so solid?" she thought to herself. "I''m fine."


    The man replied, "I''m Mason. Marcus asked me to show you around. Come on, let''s take a look around the ce."


    Before she could react, Mason slung an arm around her shoulders with easy familiarity. "So, are you the school heartthrob or something?"


    "Mason, let go of Mr. Langley," came Timothy''s sharp voice from behind them.


    He walked over, his gaze fixed on Natalie''s face. "Mr. Langley is not someone you can casually touch."


    "Ah! Why not?" Mason ruffled his hair, grinning. "We''re all guys here. Putting an arm around each other is normal, isn''t it?"


    "Trust me."


    Natalie seized the opportunity to slip out from under Mason''s arm. She couldn''t help but notice that the Walker brothers were exceptionally tall. The two in front of her, along with the movie star Lincoln, were all towering at around 6''2" or even taller.


    At 5''6", even with height-boosting insoles, Natalie fell far short of Marcus and the Walker brothers.


    And she was a woman, with a petite frame that only made her look more delicate inparison. Mason, of course, had no idea.


    But Timothy had noticed the subtle, ambiguous interactions between Marcus and her. Timothy knew Marcus, although engaged to Emma in name, had never liked her.


    Marrying a man who didn''t love her would only lead to a lifetime of misery.


    Even though Emma wasn''t his biological sister, Timothy still saw her as someone who had grown up cherished and spoiled by her brothers. If Marcus didn''t love Emma but seemed to care for Nathaniel, Timothy couldn''t allow anyone to touch the person Marcus favored.


    "Mr. Langley, let me show you around," Timothy said.


    "Mason, go check on Emma and ask her toe down quickly," he added without looking back.


    "Sure thing, Timothy." Mason left. Timothy turned back to Natalie, offering a faint smile. "This way, Mr. Langley."


    "Thank you," Natalie said quietly.


    She gave Timothy only a brief nce before averting her gaze. He was undeniably handsome, his features sharp and refined, but his eyes were cold as they regarded her.


    "Mason''s a sports academy student-outgoing and a bit rough around the edges. If he offended you, Mr. Langley, I apologize on his behalf."


    Timothy led her toward the estate''s back garden. "How about horseback riding? There''s a stable just ahead." "That won''t be necessary," Natalie replied curtly.


    She wasn''t the type to get close to people. The only reason she agreed to Timothy''s suggestion was the faint possibility that he might be her brother.


    Having grown up without parental love or siblings, Natalie couldn''t help but feel a pang of longing when she saw Emma with her family. The warmth in their interactions and the unhidden affection her brothers had for Emma stirred a quiet ache in her heart.


    They walked in silence for a while before Timothy finally broke it. "May I ask how you and Marcus met?"


    "If you''re curious, Timothy, why not ask me directly?"


    The voice, deep and authoritative, came from behind. Marcus emerged, his silhouette illuminated by the sunlight as he strode toward Natalie.


    Emma hurried after him, clutching the hem of her dress. "Marcus, wait for me!"


    But Marcus ignored her, extending a hand toward Natalie. "We''re leaving."


    Natalie pped his hand away without hesitation, nodding briefly at the Walker siblings before briskly putting distance between herself and Marcus.


    Marcus sighed, letting his hand fall to his side. "He''s in a mood. I''ll go cheer him up."


    Without another word, Marcus walked away, chasing after Natalie''s retreating figure.


    Emma stood frozen, her mind spinning. After a long pause, she turned to Timothy. "Timothy, is Marcus...?"


    "Exactly what you''re thinking," Timothy replied with a sigh, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Emma, have you considered choosing someone who truly loves you?"


    "No, I won''t." Emma bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears.


    She had loved Marcus for so many years. She was his fianc¨¦e. Even if he liked men, she wasn''t willing to give up.


    "But Marcus has already asked Dad to annul the engagement," Timothy said heavily. The message he had received earlier from their father confirmed it. Marcus'' private conversation had been about breaking off the


    engagement.


    "Marcus doesn''t get to decide that," Emma said firmly. She blinked back her tears and forced a smile. "Timothy, the Holdens won''t ept a man."


    "I''m confident."


    "But didn''t you see how Marcus and that boy interacted earlier?"


    "They didn''t do anything inappropriate," Emma replied.


    "And that''s exactly why it''s even more ambiguous," Timothy said.


    She took a step closer to Timothy, her gaze locking with his. "Timothy, have you ever truly loved someone? Loved them so much it seeped into your bones? So much that every little thing they did was etched into your memory, staying with you no matter how hard you tried to forget?"


    Her eyes glistened with tears, yet she smiled faintly, as if trying to hold on to herposure.


    "Even if you knew they didn''t love you, you couldn''t help but love them. Even knowing it was like a moth flying into a me, you couldn''t stop yourself."

 Chapter 84

    "Emma, this isn''t right." Timothy frowned. There was something unsettling about Emma''s feelings for Marcus... He thought Emma was being obsessive toward Marcus.


    "Timothy, do you really think Mr. Holden Senior would approve of Marcus being with some unknown man? Or do you think he would prefer me, the eldest daughter of the Walker family, as his fianc¨¦e?"


    Emma smiled confidently as she continued, "Just wait and see. I''ll be Marcus'' wife, no matter what."


    She was determined. If her rival were a woman, things might be trickier, but a man? That didn''t faze her at all.


    A glimmer of tears appeared in Emma''s eyes as she quickly wiped them away. With a smile, she said happily, "Timothy, I''m nning to talk to Mom and Dad. I''ll suggest they discuss with Mr. Holden Senior aboutbining my birthday party and engagement banquet into one event. What do you think?"


    Timothy fell silent. The family group chat had already revealed that Emma wasn''t their biological sister. Their real sister was Natalie Walker, who had been abused for 20 years by the Langley family.


    If not for Grace''s protection, Natalie might not have survived.


    That despicable couple, Victor and Diana, had treated her as nothing more than a living blood bank for nearly two decades. The Walker family would never let them get away with it.


    "Timothy?" Emma called out anxiously, noticing his unusual silence. His expression had turned distant, making her uneasy.


    "What''s wrong, Timothy?"


    "Nothing." Timothy snapped back to reality, masking his thoughts. Their real sister hadn''t been reunited with them yet, so they had agreed not to reveal the truth to Emma just yet.


    20 years was a long time. Even with a pet, bonds would form, let alone with a living, breathing person who had been showered with their family''s unwavering love and care.


    The feelings they had invested weren''t something that could be taken back so easily.


    Yet, Emma''s position in the Walker family was a result of this mistaken identity.


    She had only received their affection because they believed she was their biological sister.


    Once Natalie was back, things would change.


    While they could continue to provide for Emma, she could no longer hold the ce that rightfully belonged to Natalie.


    "Emma, Marcus doesn''t have feelings for you. Maybe it''s time for you to consider moving on," Timothy said. He knew he couldn''t tell her the truth, that she wasn''t truly a Walker, and that Marcus'' supposed fianc¨¦e was meant to be Natalie, not her.


    It was fortunate that Marcus didn''t like her, he thought. Otherwise, this entire situation would have been even messier.


    Emma''s cheerful demeanor faltered, her smile dimming as a flicker of uncertainty crossed her face. Timothy had always supported her pursuit of Marcus, but now he was urging her to give up.


    Could it be that Timothy already knew she wasn''t the Walker family''s real daughter?


    "Timothy, didn''t you all support me loving Marcus before?" Emma asked as she bit her lips, looking up at him with teary eyes.


    "If chasing Marcus makes you unhappy or causes you pain, then I would rather see you find joy and fulfillment elsewhere. Emma, your life shouldn''t revolve around one man."


    Timothy gently ruffled Emma''s hair, just like he always did. No matter what, even if she wasn''t his biological sister, she was still the little girl he had watched grow up.


    "I understand, thanks, Timothy." Emma didn''t argue further. Instead, she returned to her usual sweet and obedient demeanor. "I''ll go check on Dad."


    "By the way, where''s Mom?"


    "She''s out and hasn''te back yet."


    "Where did she go? I tried calling and messaging her earlier, but she didn''t respond. I''m really worried about her!"


    Emma''s expression showed concern, though deep down, she knew exactly where Charlotte had gone. She''d gone to find her real daughter, Natalie.


    Emma couldn''t shake the feeling that her ce in the family would soon be at risk.


    She had to act fast.


    Fortunately, her recent trip to Balford to deliver medicine and spend time with Charles had gone exceptionally well. In just a few days, she had managed to win Charles'' favor.


    Charles had even promised that once his health improved, he would personally arrange her engagement to Marcus.


    "Don''t worry about Mom. She''s just out running errands. She''ll be back soon. Oh right, Emma. I''ll be having a match the day after tomorrow, do you want to watch it? I can save you a ticket."


    "Sure!" Emma replied with a beaming smile, "I want a VIP ticket!"


    "Of course, it''s not a problem!"


    Timot patted her on the head again and said, "Alright, go get some rest."


    "Alright, thanks, Timothy."


    Emma left. Timothy, as a professional esports yer, always reserved the best VIP tickets for her at his matches.


    As the youngest sibling, Emma never missed the chance to cheer him on.


    The Walker family had five sons and one daughter. That alone was enough to give anyone a glimpse into the kind of life Emma must have led growing up.


    Timothy went back into the house. Emma stood outside for a moment longer before following him into the estate.


    She grabbed her car keys and purse and then headed to the storage room.


    Inside, she carefully selected a rare, premium-grade truffle the family had acquired at an exorbitant auction price, as well as a bottle of vintage Roman¨¦e-Conti.


    Emma packed the truffle and wine into an elegant, handcrafted mahogany gift box before heading out.


    Emma''s red sports car had just rolled out of the Walker residences when William sent a message in the family group chat.


    William: "Emma just left with a gift. Honey, when will you be home?"


    Charlotte: "Soon, probably around 8:00 pm. Have you finished setting up the new room for our daughter like I asked?"


    William: "I haven''t had time to make it perfect yet... It was all sost-minute..."


    Charlotte: "Everyone, have you all prepared your gifts for your sister? When I bring Mrs. Langley Senior back home, your sister will definitelye to see us. You guys had better behave. If she feels let down by us and refuses to stay, none of you will be spared."


    William was the first to respond: "Understood! You can count on me, so don''t worry, honey."


    Lincoln was still on set filming, so he didn''t reply to the messages.


    Meanwhile, Hector, Timothy, and Mason replied at the same time: "Understood. We''ll make sure not to disappoint her or make her upset."


    Charlotte was pleased with the responses. As she scrolled through the messages, she suddenly remembered her eldest son, Sky, had been kicked out of the group chat and hadn''t been added back yet.


    She then screenshotted the conversation and sent it to him directly.


    Charlotte typed, "Ungrateful son, take a good look at this."


    Sky read the message. He had a lot to say but knew better than to argue.


    Sky responded, "Mom, please add me back to the group chat."


    "Charlotte added Sky to the group chat."


    "Charlotte added NZ to the group chat."


    "Nz has left the group chat"


    Everyone in the Walker family group chat was dumbfounded.


    Charlotte typed, "NZ is your sister, Natalie Walker."


    Natalie had joined but left within a second... perhaps she hadn''t noticed at first.


    Mason: "Natalie just left..."


    Charlotte: "It''s fine. Nat just needs some time to adjust. That''spletely understandable. We need to be


    patient and confident."


    Although Charlotte said this tofort the group, a part of her couldn''t help but feel a little hurt.

 Chapter 85

    Closer We Rie


    Timothy led her toward the estate''s back garden. "How about horseback riding? There''s a stable just ahead "That won''t be necessary,¡± Natalie replied cuntly.


    She wasn''t the type to get close to people. The only reason she agreed to Timothy''s suggestion was the faint possibility that he might be her brother.


    me and the


    Having grown up without parental love or siblings, Natalie couldn''t help but feel a pang of longing when she saw Emma with her family. The warmth in their interactions unhidden affection her brothers had for Emina stirred a quiet ache in her heart.


    They walked in silence for a while before Timothy finally broke it. ¡°May I ask how you and Marcus mat?"


    "If you''re curious, Timothy, why not ask me directly?"


    The voice, deep and authoritative, came from behind. Marcus emerged, his silhouette illuminated by the sunlight as he strode toward Natalle


    Emma hurried after him, clutching the hem of her dress. "Marcus, wait for me!"


    But Marcus ignored her, extending a hand toward Natalie. "We''re leaving."


    Natalie pped his hand away without hesitation, nodding briefly at the Walker siblings before briskly putting distance between herself and Marcus


    Marcus sighed, letting his hand fall to his side. "He''s in a mood. I''ll go cheer him up¡±


    Without another word, Marcus walked away, chasing after Natalie''s retreating figure


    Emma stood frozen, her mind spinning. After a long pause, she turned to Timothy ¡°Timothy, is Marcus...?


    ¡°Exactly what you''re thinking.¡± Timothy replied with a sigh, teaching out to ruffle her hair. ¡°Enma, have you considered choosing someone who truly loves you?


    "No, I won''t." Emma bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears


    She had loved Marcus for so many years. She was his fianc¨¦e Even if he liked men, she wasn''t willing to give up


    ¡°But Marcus has already asked Dad to annul the engagement,¡± Timothy said heavily. The message he had received earlier from their father confirmed it. Marcus'' private conversation had been about breaking off the engagement


    is won''t ept a man.


    "Marcus doesn''t get to decide that,¡± Emma said firmly. She blinked back her tears and forced a smile. "Timothy, the Holdenst


    "I''m confident"


    "But didn''t you see how Marcus and that boy interacted earlier?¡±


    "They didn''t do anything inappropriate," Emma replied.


    ¡°And that''s exactly why it''s even more ambiguous,¡°Timothy said.


    She took a step closer to Timothy, her gaze locking with his. Timothy, have you ever truly loved someone? Loved them so much it seeped into your bones? So much that every little thing they did was etched into your memory, staying with you no matter how hard you tried to forget?¡±


    Her eyes glistened with tears, yet she smiled faintly, as if trying to hold on to herposure


    ¡°Even if you knew they didn''t love you, you couldn''t help but love them. Even knowing it was like a moth flying into a me, you couldn''t stop yourself."


    ¡°Enuma, this isn''t right." Timothy frowned. There was something onschtling about Emma''s feelings for Margin. He thought Emma was being obsessive toward Marcus.


    "Timothy, do you really think Mr. Holden Senior would approve of Marcus being with some unknown man? do you think he would prefer me, the eldest daughter of the Waker family, as his fianc¨¦e¡±


    Erma smiled condently as she


    or continued, ¡°Just wall and see. I''ll be Marcus'' wife, no matter what."


    She was determined. 11 her sical verte a weman, things might be trickier, bir aman?That didn''t fare her at all.


    A glimmer et tears appeared in Emma''s eyes as she quickly wiped them away with a smile, she said happily, "Timothy, I''m nning to talk to Mom and Dad. I''ll suggesti disc with Mr. Holden Senior aboutbining my birthday party and engagement banquet into one event. What do you think?*


    Timoth fell silent. Thend gimp chat had already revealed that Emina want their biological sister.


    The real sister was Male Walker, who had been abused for 20 years by the Langley family.


    I not for Grace''s protection, Natalie might not have survived.


    That despicable couple, Victor and Diana, had treated her nothing more than living blood bank for nearly derades. The Walker family would never let them get away with it. "Timothy Emesacalled out ansiously, noticing his unusual silence. His expression had tumed itant, making her may


    "What''s wrong, Timothy


    "Nothing." Tamothy prapped back to reality, making his thoughts. Their real sister hadn''t been united with them yet, so they had agreed not to real the truth to timma just


    20 years was a long time. Even with a pet, bonds would form, let alone with a living, breathing person who had been showered with their family''s uenering love and care.


    The feelings they had invested worm''t something that could be taken back so easily.


    Yet, Emma''s position in the Walker family was a result of this mistaken identity.


    She had only received their affection because they believed she was their biological sister


    Once Natale was back, things worldchange


    While they could continue to provide for Em, she could no longer hold the ce that rightfully belonged to Natalie.


    ¡°Emma, Marcus doesn''t have feelings for you. Maybe it''s time for you to consider moving on "Timothy sald He knew he couldn''t tell her the truth, that she wasn''t truly a Walker, and that Marcus supposed fiance was meant to be Natale, mother.


    sole that Mascus didn''t like her he thought otherwise, this entire situation would have been even messins. Emma''s cheerful demeanor faltered, her smile dimming as a flickerotuncertainty crossed her face. Today had always supported her pursuit of Marcus, but now he was urging


    Could it be that Timothy already!


    eshewasn''t the Walker fly''s real daughter?


    "Timothy, didn''t you all support me loving Marcus before Emma asked as she bither lips, looking up at him with teary eyes.


    ¡°If chasing Marcus makes you unhappy or causes you pain, then would rather see you find joy and finiment elsewhere. Emma, your life shouldn''t revole around one man." Timothy gently ruffled Emma''s hair, just ke he always did. No matter what, even if she wasn''t his biological sister, she was still there girl he had watched grow up **Tunderstand, thanks, Timothy Emma didn''t argue further instead, she returned to her us sweet and obedient demeanor. "I''ll go check on Dal "By the way, wher''s Mom?


    "She''s out and hasn''te back yet."


    "Where did she go? Jedcaling and messaging her earlier, but she didn''t respoed I''m really worried about ber Emma''s expression showed concem, though deep down, she knew exactly where Charlottehad gone.


    She''d gone to find her real daughter, Natalie.


    toon be at risk.


    Emma couldn''t shake the feeling that her ce in the family would soon


    She had to act fast


    Fortunately, her recent trip to Balled to deliver medicine and spend time with Charles had gone exceptionally well is just a few days, she had managed to win Charles"vor Charles had even promised that once his health improved, he would personally arrange her engagement to Marcus.


    "Don''t worry about Mom She''s just outing errands. She back soon of right, Enmal behaving a match the day after tomorrow, do you want to watch it can save


    ¡°Sure!¡± Emma replied with a bearing smile, ¡°I want a VIP ticket!"


    ¡°Of course, it''s not a problemini


    Timothy patted in the head again and said, "Alright, go get some rest.?


    ¡°Alright, thanks, Timothy."


    Erema left. Timothy, as a professional esports yer, always reserved the best VIP tickets for her at his


    matches


    As the youngest bling, Emmanever missed the chance to cheer him on.


    The Walker family had five sons and one daughter. That alone was enough to give anyone aglimpse into the kind of life Emma must have led


    Timothy went back into the house. Emma stood outside for a moment longer before allowing him into the


    estate.


    She grabbed her car keys and purse and then headed to the storage room


    growingup


    Inside, she carefully selected a rare, premium¨Cgrade truffle the family had acquired at an exorbitant auction price, as well as a bone vintage Romane-Con


    Cuerder


    Esma packed the muttle and wine into an elegant, handcrafted mahogany gift box before heading out.


    Emma''s red sports car had post rolled out of ker residences when William sent a message in the family


    groupchat.


    Wim: ¡°Emma past left with a gift. Honey, when will you be home?


    Charlotte ¡°Soon, probably around 8:00 pm. Have you finished setting up


    in the new room for our daughter like I asked?"


    witam: ¡°I haven''t had time to make it perfect vel. It was all sost-minute.


    Charlotte: "Everyone, have you all prepared your gifts for your sister ?When 1 hring Mrs. Langley Senior hack home, your sister will definitelye to see us. You guys had better behave it the tools let down bens and


    refuses to sta, none of you will be spared."


    William was the first to respond; "Understood! You can count on me, so don''t worry, honey"


    Lincoln was still on sel filming, so he didn''t reply to the messages.


    Meanwhile, Hector, Timothy, and Mason replied at the same time: "Understood. We''ll make sure not to


    disappoint her or make her upset."


    Charlotte was pleased with the responses. As she scrolled through the messages, she suddenly remembered


    her eldest son, Sky, had been kicked out of the group chat and hadn''t been added back yet


    She then screenshotted the conversation and sent it to him directly.


    Charlotte typed, "Ungrateful son, take a good look at this.


    sky read the message. He had a lot to say but knew better than to argue.


    sky responded, "Mom, please add me back to the groupchat."


    ¡°Charlotte added sky to the group chat.¡±


    "Charlotte added NZ to the groupchat."


    "Nz has left the groupchat


    Everyone in the Walker family group chat was dumbfounded.


    Charlotte typed, "NZ is your sister, Natalie Walker."


    Natalie had joined bur left within a second perhaps she hadn''t noticed list


    Mason: "Natalie just left.."


    Charlotte: "It''s fine Nat justi


    it needs some time to adjust That''spletely understandable. We need to be patient and confident


    Although Charlotte said this tofort the group, a part of her couldn''t help but feel a little hart.


    Meanwhile, renovations at the Walker Manor were still in full swing


    william had instructed the renovationpany inpletely remodel the ith floor. The floor originally had several separate rooms, but William had the designerbined of them into onerge space


    Hall of it was transformed walk-in closet and jewelry room.


    Once the remodeling was finished, the space underwent air purification to remove any chemical odors.


    Only after that would they begin stocking the room with Natalie''s clothes, shoes, handbags, and jewelry,


    The room was spacious and beautifully designed, with a soft blend of pastel blue and pink tones. It was both cozy and elegant, a reflection of a top-tier designer''s touch.


    When Emma hadst visited, she had only been on the second floor Coupled with the estate''s exceptional soundproofing, she had no idea the family was preparing for Matale''s


    William had already contacted all the methoxy brand boutiques, arranging for them in deliver thetest collections stelothing, shoes, and bags for each season Jewelry and essories were also part of the n. As for the Walker brothers, each of them had carefully prepared gifts in wee Natalie home, William and Timothy were in the team, watching as Emma di away from the estate. Afterward, they left the tea


    room and took the leator up to the filth floor. ¡°Dad, seriously, how are we supposed to exin this to Emma? Truly asked, recounting his earlier conversation with her in full.


    "Emma is determined to win Marcus'' heart, but it''s clear that Marcus doesn''t like her. He didn''t ke her before,


    a intimate with other men in front of jest to force into barak of the engagement "


    "It''s obvious that Marcus is putting on an act


    stil doesn''t now. He''s even gone as far a


    "I know Marcus has already spoken to me about it, and he''stent on canceling the engagement with Emma. I


    discussed it with Charlotte, and her stancels that the engagement was originally for Natale. It was never meant for Emma,¡±


    Wim monitored the workers as he continued, ¡°Eruma has been benefiting from that wasn''t hers to begin


    with, it''s one thing if we didn''t know back then, but now that the truth is out, we can''t allow this mistake to


    contine


    "It Marcus and Emma were childhood friends with deep feelings for each other, then when Natured, we would exin the situation to her and find someone even better for he.


    "However, Marcus doesn''t like Emma Charlotte told me that Mrs. Langley Senior believes Marcus should


    marry Not install the said Nat has feelings for Marcus


    "Wait, what? Timely was confused. "Has Natalie met Marcus before?!


    yes. ording to Mrs. Langley Senior, they crossed paths back when Natale was in Amberton


    To be precise, Natalie had learned about Marcus'' existence during her time in Amberton.


    ace had encouraged her to find a way to chama ham, hoping she''d eventually marry him and be the


    future Mrs. Holden of the prestigious Holden family


    Of course, Grace had conveniently left out these details when speaking to Charlotte.


    ¡°Well, if Natale genuinely likes Marcus, we can''t let him break off the engagement."


    "Exactly"


    Satisfied after a final inspection of the renovations, William instructed the team to maintain their high


    standards before heading downstairs with Timothy


    The two had barely reached the ground floor when Wim received a call from the Holden family


    "Hello, William! Why don''t you bring your family over to the Holden residence for dinner tonight?''s been a


    while since our families shared a meal. With Marcus free thi evening, it''s the perfect opportunity,¡± Charles suggested as heughed happily.


    William quickly agreed to his suggestion. "Of course, Mr. Holden Senior. We there tonight."


    "Great!''s settled, then?


    After hanging up, Charles tumed to Emma, who sat elegantly across from him. ¡°Emma, your Dad and the rest


    of your Landy will join us for dinner tonight. You might as well stay here.¡±


    "Thanks, Grandpa Charles Emma''s demeanor was poised and polite. Not only was she elegant, but her


    radiant smeeded warmth and charm


    Being back in Duthoria State Telt keteburning to her element.


    She had brought premium-grade truffles and an exceptional bottle of wine as gifts. Then, she spent the afternoon ying chess with Charles, entertaining him with her wit and pleasant coversation


    Heased with herpany, Charles decided on the spot to invite the Walker family for dinner.


    When it came to the younger generation, Charles preferend to stay out of their affairs. That said, his desire to have great-grandchildren was genuine


    Since Marcus clearly had no feelings for Emma and Instead showed an unusual level of care and protectiveness toward the cross-dressing Natalie, Charles saw tonight''s dinner as an oppomnity to gauge where everyone stood


    Initially, both families had agreed that when Emma turned 20, a joint celebration would double as her engagement party with Marcus, fubtiling the long-standing childhood betrothal between the two families


    That milestone was only three months away. I everything went as nned, the entire region''s elite and major


    media outlet would be in attendance to witness Emma''s grand birthday and engagement celebration.


    However, things clywent as nned.


    Disguised as a young man, Natalie was the unexpected heist of this tale


    Marcus wasn''t exactly like most people.


    still, Charles looked forward to the revtion. He couldn''t help but anticipate Marcus reaction when the truth


    finally came to light.


    Charles couldn''t deny that he had a mischievous side. After all, Marcus always wore that frosty expression,


    Marcus showed no interest in women, carried himself with an air of rigid discipline, mudcked even the slightest hint of a lively young man''s charm.


    He couldn''t help but wonder what it would be like to see hisler-cold grandson finally melt and reveal a more


    human


    ¡°Grandpa Charles, you''ve won again,¡± Emma remarked, holding achess piece in her hand. Her delicate features twisted in mock frustration. ¡°You''re too good at this. I never win when I y against you.¡±


    "You''re still young. Loving to an old man like me is only natural," Charles replied with a warm chuckle "Let Marcus send you off after he gets backter.¡±


    "Mr. Holden Senior, Mr. Marcus and Mr. Langley are back."


    The butler, Sheldon Phelps, informed Charles respecthally, Marcus was making his way over,


    apanied by Natalie,


    ¡°Alright. Tell the kitchen to prepare the dinner. The Walker family will be joining us, so make sure it''s a feast."


    understand, Mr Holden Senior"


    Sheldon stepped back to handle the dinner arrangements but passed when he noticed Marcus and Natalie


    approaching. He offered a respectful greeting


    ¡°Good evening, Mr. Marcus. Mr. Langley."


    Marcas gave a slight nod and replied, "Go ahead"


    "Yes, sir."


    With that, Sheldon left to oversee the preparations while Marcus led Natalie into the lounge.


    "Hi, Grandpa Charles."


    Emma stood up and greeted them, ¡°Hi Marcus. Hi Mr. Langley.


    ¡°Grandpa Charles, there''s something I need to discuss with you.¡±


    With that, Marcus cast a brief nce at Emma, ¡°Nathaniel, could you escort Ms. Walker to the living room for


    a moment?"


    Natalie wanted to refuse his request, but the sharp look Marcus gave her left no room for argument. Reluctantly, she nodded.


    "Ms. Walker, this way, please."


    Natalie''s voice was calm andposed


    Emma Bodded with a polite smile. ¡°Thanks, Nathaniel,¡±


    She then turned to Marcus and said, "Don''t worry, Marcus. Your friend is my friend. I''ll make sure Nathaniel


    feels at home"


    Marcus sharp brows furrowed slightly. Before he could respond, Emma spoke again.


    ¡°sky mentioned that if you still need more of the Dead of Night, can bring you another batch."


    Her tone was warm and sincere, and her elegant demeanor

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86 iming Authority


    Emma brought up the Dead of Night on purpose to remind Marcus that he owed her a tower. She wanted him to uphold her dignity as his fianc¨¦e in front of ever


    However, Marcus ignited her intentions. He said indifferently, ¡°Ms. Walker is our guest. Nathaniel is my friend, so let him show you around. As for the Dead of Night, make sure to properly thank sky for it.¡±


    Afiers, Marcus shamed his gaze Natalie. His deep,manding voice left no room for argument. "Nathaniel, take M. Walker outside for a


    Natalie was speechless. She thought to herself, "Seriously? Why do these crazy couples have to drag me into their mess?


    Seeing her hesitation, Marcos bone sharpened. ¡°Nathaniel.¡±


    Natalie took a deep breath and forced a smile. She said, ¡°Ms. Walker, this way, please?¡±


    Emma clenched her fists, though she kept wearing a bright smile "starcas, there''s no need for so much formalry between os. I''m yournc¨¦e, and helping you is something I''m happy to do Voudon''t need to go out of your way to thank Sky


    "Soon, we''ll be Lamby. Helping each other is onbe natural, isn''t it? Don''t you agree, Nathaniel?¡±


    Expressimless, Natalie replied, "I wouldn''t know. Don''t ask me. As Walker, are you going outside or not? if you''re not, I''m heading off to rese


    She hade all this ww, and while exhaustions weighed heavily on her, there were still other matters she needed to attend to


    ¡°Of course, let''s go, but I know the Holden residence quite well. This is your first time here, int, Nathaniel Let me show you around instead


    With that she smiled before turning around. ¡°Nathaniel, this way, please."


    Natalie didn''t bother going. Instead, she quickened her pace and stende out without a word


    After giving Marcus a light nod, Emma followed Natalie.


    After the two women had het, Marcus usedtert wipes to clean the chat Emma had been sitting on


    Charles was speechless by Marcus'' retion. He thought to hunser "He really doesn''t like his fianc¨¦e, does he?"


    ¡°Grandpa, your medicine is ready,¡± Marcus reminded Charles,


    Charles picked up the bowl of ck, bitter medicine. Pinching his nose, be downed it all in one go.


    egave it a final spray with disinfectant


    "You really dislike that girl, don''t you? Charles asked ather drinking his medicine. The medicine was so botter that it made his face twisted.


    ¡°you already know the answer to that?" He said Indifferently as he sat down, ¡°I n to annul the engagement with the Walkers.""


    "You''ve made up your mind?"


    "This engagement was dr


    ent was arranged by your mother and Emma''s mother before you we even bom. Your parents are not here now, but before you end it, shouldn''t you at least discuss it with her?!


    At the mention of his parents, Marcus fell silent. Wesley and Laura had rarely been present in his life, ew from the time he could remember


    He had been raised almost entirely by Charles. Over the years, Charles had be the closest person to him instead of his parents.


    Marcus had lime memory of his parenti.


    "Marcas, don''t hold anything against your parents,¡± Charles said. Looking at him not wanting to say anything he sighed. ¡°They had their reasons for being away."


    "Grandpa, I''ve never med them."


    Picking up a chess piece, Marcus ced it on the board. The game, which Emma had lost earlier, suddenly showed signs of a turnaround.


    Charles then picked up his own piece and ced it beside Marcus¡°.


    "Why don''t you give your parents a call and let them know about i


    ¡°Alright, Grandpa."


    Marcus didn''t make another move. Instead, he pulled out his phone and scrolled to the contactbeled "Mother", Hebesitated for a bit before pressing the call button.


    The call connected almost immediately, but no one picked up. The ringing continued, looping the automated hold music, until the system eventually cut off with a mechanical


    "Sorry, the number you dialed has not responded. Please try againter."


    Marcus ended the call. "No one answered."


    "Then try againter. The Walkers will bing for dinner tonight. You ca talk to them after the meal.


    Charles picked up the empty medicine bowl and said, "Connie mentioned that after two more days of this bitter medicine, I''ll need to start acupuncture. She told me to mentally prepare for a. When the acupuncture starts, don''t you daree in to match!"


    "Grandp


    ¡°Enough. I''ve been drinking i


    ng this medicine for days, and I actually feel much better. I don''t want to hear any nonsense from you


    With that charles stood up and said, "I''m going in rest for a bit. Go check on Emma Make sure she isn''t ping Nath a hard time"


    was prour


    Natalie was sweet-natured and soft-spoken. She was the type of woman who endured mistreatment withoutining. The way the Langley family had treated her was


    ough at that.


    If it hadn''t been for care entrusting Natalie to him as her godbrother, she might have been bullied by the Langleys:


    On the other hand, Emma always wore a polite smile and spoke with a gentle, measured tone.


    Yet every word she uttered seemed to as set her im to Marcus as her fianc¨¦, as if she feared the world might forget


    At Charles'' age, his greatest wish was to Marus settle down and get married everything went well, it would be perfect it he had great-grandchildren


    Chapter is rining Authority


    Emma understood this perfectly and used it to her advantage, keeping the old man in high spirits with her charm and attentivenessE


    Even so, Charles wasn''t someone who could be easily swayed by sweet work.


    While he hoped to see Marcus settle down, he respected his wishes.


    It Marcus didn''t like Emma, he wouldn''t force the manage


    The Holden and Walker families had always had a good rtionship. If the engagement were to be called off,


    it would need to be handled with care, ensuring everything was resolved smoothl


    As for his god-sister, Grace, she had asked him to help create some opportunities for Natalie and Marcus to spend time together. Marcus just needed to go with the flow when the moment felt right.


    However, people were biased. Charles couldn''t help but feel a


    Il it came down to choosing one of the two as his granddaughter-inw, he would pick Natalie over Emma


    He couldn''t help it because that was what he wanted all along. At his age, all he wanted was to follow his


    desires.


    After Charles lett, Marcus went outside as well.


    The Holden residence wasrge, but its design was quite different from the Walker family''s residence.


    There were pavilions and towers, artificial hills and flowing streams, and impably clean stone paths winding in all duections, all surrounded by ancient-style buildings at the


    back


    Emma led Natalie across an arch bridge, where the water flowed gently beneath them. Goldfish swam, and water blies floated on the water''s surface, blooming into vibrant red


    blossoms.


    Emma held some fish food in her hand, tossing it into the stream piece by piece. The goldfish swarmed eagerly, happily devouring the food.


    "Mr. Langley, Marcus is my fianc¨¦e,¡± Emma said with a polite smile, Her tone was also gentle and graceful.


    She continued, "I really like Marcus, and he likes me too."


    Forcing a faint smile, Natalie didn''t respond. To be honest, she couldn''t see any signs that Marcus liked


    Emma


    "In three months, it will be my birthday, and my birthday party will also serve as our engagement celebration."


    Emma turned to look at Natalie and continued, ¡°Mr. Langley, I sincerely invite you to attend our engagement


    party"

 Chapter 87

    Emild brightly as she looked at Natale. Mr. Langley, you''ll be there, right?


    Natalie didn''t answer only slightly lifting her chin. "Marem is behind you"


    Emma was startled and quickly turned around to look, but the space behind her was empty, and Marcus was nowhere to be seen.


    Emma was angry. Jest as she was about


    nound and sold her, Natalie had already disappeared by the time she looked back


    Emma blinked in confusion. Wait Was she really that fast? How could she vanish in the blink of an eye?


    Emma''s boasting and attempts to assert control delt utterly pointless. The frustration that had been simmering inside her now burned even botter.


    Just because Marron was showing himwer now, did Nathaniel dare think he could really get away with making their rtionship public?


    Bring the male sidechick" was even more disgraceful than being the female one


    Unless Marcely did tease about his own reputation or that of the Holden family.


    However, Charist was desperate to reim her biological dughter, so the needed to speed things up. She had to make sure that Marcus and she were forced into a situation where they had no choice but to many.


    Tonight''s dinner, with both the Holden and Walker families present, was the perfect opportunity.


    Everyone would witness her and Marcus together in the same bed. Even if Marcus didn''t like het, he''d have no choice but to marry her to take responsibility.


    She wouldn''t even need to wait for her birthday party and could have the engagement party right away.


    With sky on her side, she knew she couldcount on him to keepereating opportunities for her to be close to Marcos


    Emmaeshaled a deep breath, stood on the bridge for a moment, then cally walked away


    At 2:00 pm, luxury cars from the walker family rolled one after another into the Holden Residence


    Connie and Natalie stood by therge floor-to-ceiling windows on the third floor of the Holden Residence, gazing down.


    "Wow, Mr. Holden''s fianc¨¦e''s family really is rich!" Connie remarked in awe. "Let see what cars they have


    "I see a Lamborghini, a Ferrari, a Rolls-Royce, a Bentley, a Maserati, a Maybach, a Range Rover it''s like a car show down there. Do they have so many people they can''t fit in just


    Natalie''s expression remained cold, and she didn''t respond to Connie''s remarks. Didn''t Marcus say that the Waller family was always low-profile and mysterions?


    There was nothing remotely low-key or mysterious about this was as if they were trying to make sure everyone knew they were the richest Camily in the country.


    Outside the entrance, Emma stood by the door, her eyes lighting up as the Walker family''s car pulled up


    As soon as the passengers stepped out, she dashed forward experly


    "Dad Sky, Hector, Timothy, Mason. Where''s Lincoln and Mo


    Emma knew the answer to her question. She had already called Lincoln eurbes, but his manager had picked up, exining that Lincoln was on set and couldn''t go anywhere.


    As for Charlotte, she didn''t answer the phone or reply to her messages.


    Despite the unease growing at her, Emma kept a bright smile


    She was still acting cute as always,


    William potted Emma''s arm gently. "We''re at Mr. Holden Senior''s house. Stop clinging to me like a little girl, or people might say you''re naive,¡±


    "I don''t need to be mature when I''m with you, Dad" Emma stuck out her tongue mischievously, then turned to loop her arm through sky''s. ¡°Right, sky


    ¡°That''s right. You don''t have to be mature as long as you''re happy and healthy,¡± Sky said. His gaze softened, filled with affection for Emma.


    "You just keep spoiling her," William teased. At that moment, Marcus stepped forward to greet the family. ¡°Uncle William, Sky, Hector, Timothy, Mason this way, please.¡±


    Mascus greeted each member of the Walker family warmly. "Aunt Charlotte and Lincoln didn''e "Lincoln''s still busy filming on set, and my mom had something to take care of. She probably won''t be back until tomartove


    From the side, Mason chimed in eagerly, ¡°Marcus, can intern at yourpany after I graduate?


    Mason had always looked up to Marcus. Growing up, while his tour elder brothers adored Emma, Mason often found himself being neglected.


    There were countless times when he joined the others to y, only to realize that his brothers'' attention was entuely on Emma. If he got left behind, no one seemed to notion


    It was always Marcus who watched out for him, making sure he wasn''t left feeling isted or forgotten


    Unlike his brothers, who dotted endinsly on Emma, Marcus treated her with coolerence. He rarely even spared her an extra nce.


    To Mason, this made Marcus all the more admirable. He felt that Marcus treated him better than he treated Emma, which only deepened Mason''s admiration for him


    Stil, the Walker family had always been close knit, with no room for petty realnies or grudges. Even if Mason asionally felt a pang of dissatisfaction, he never voiced t


    Being naturally easygoing, Mason quickly got over any fleetingstrations.


    truth, he cared deeply for Emma, just like the rest of his family.


    Now that Mason had learned his biological sister was someone else, he naturally began to put some distance between himself and Emma


    "If you inter at mypany, I''m afraid Sky mighte after me,¡± Marcus joked, which was unusual. He hadn''t forgotten how Sky once asked Emma to deliver medicine to him, agesture he still appreciated. Marcus burned to Sky with a smile.


    "Sky, let''s have a dink togetherter."


    Chapter 27 Mar


    (Is Drugged at the Dinner


    "Yeah, for sure!"


    Marcus led the Walkers into the house, where Sheklon had already ensured everything was prepared.


    The kitchen stall was ready to serve them as soon as the guests were seated.


    "I''ll go help out," Emma said as she let go of Sky''s arm. After that, she followed Sheldon into the kitchen.


    "Ms. Walker, you''re a guest, you should take a seat and rx," Sheldon politely declined Emma''s offer to help


    However, Emma wouldn''t take no for an answer. Although she was smiling, she said firmly, ¡°It''s alright, Sheldon. I was helping out earlier this afternoon, and Grandpa Charles


    gave me his full approval."


    Momentarily taken aback, Sheldon had no choice but to nod in agreement. However, he quietly instructed the staff to ensure Emma wasn''t given any real tasks


    Emma wasn''t exactly the type to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty. Her ceal motive wasn''t to lend a hand in the kitchen_.


    She actually nned to spike Marcus'' drink


    She had spent the entire afternoon in the Holden residence, observing the kitchen workflow and memorizing every detail.


    As the statt began ting dishes and sending them to the dining room, Emma made her way to the wine counter.


    The wine was to be decanted and poured fresh into each guest''s ss. However, tampering with the wine was impractical because it was too risky and public.


    Instead, Emma-chose a more discreet option. She nned to drug the dish that was specially prepared for Marcus


    Marcus was notoriously particr about his meals, and the kitchen had gone all out to cater to his tastes


    Tonight, his entr¨¦e was a delicate cream-based seafood bisque, made with fish sourced from a carefully selected artisan fishery


    The dish was rich, velvety, and subtly sweet-an indulgent blend of tresh ingredients and precise culinary


    techniques.


    Seizing her chance while the staff were busy and the security cameras faced away, Emma carefully added the substance she''d brought with her into the bisque.


    Once the task was done, she signaled one of the servers to bring the dish to the dining from


    Then, Emma herself carried Charles te and walked toward the dining room

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88 A Calm Question Veiled With Threats


    In the dining room of the Holden residence, Charles invited everyone to take their seats around the intricately carved mahogany table.


    With a quick turn, he instructed a maid, ¡°Go and bring Ms. Sterling and her cousin, Mr. Langley.¡±


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior,¡± the maid replied before leaving to carry out the request.


    As Charles settled into his seat, he engaged William in a conversation about recent developments in the business world.


    Although William had retired and handed over management of Walker Group to Sky, he still kept a sharp eye on the market and remained well-informed about various matters.


    On the other hand, Charles no longer involved himself in the daily operations of Holden Group. However, Marcus would provide quarterly updates. Besides, Charles had never broken his habit of watching the financial news every day, so he was still highly attuned to market trends,


    Their conversation flowed naturally, creating a pleasant and lively atmosphere.


    Emma approached the table, carrying a bowl of tomato soup. She then ced it in front of Charles. ¡°Grandpa Charles, here''s your tomato soup."


    "Thanks, Emma, but these kinds of tasks should be left to the maids. You''re a youngdy of high status, and those hands of yours shouldn''t be doing such work." Charles teased her as he chuckled. "Your father must have thought you came to the Holden residence just to help out."


    William burst intoughter. ¡°Mr. Holden Senior, you must be joking. Emma''s very diligent at home as well. She often cooks for Charlotte and me, and she even prepares lunch boxes for her brothers. Her cooking skills are quite impressive, so Charlotte and I are both very proud of her.¡±


    As William spoke favorably about Emma, Natalie and Connie entered the room, following the maid.


    Every word William said about Emma was heard clearly by Natalie.


    Natalie maintained a calm demeanor, showing no change in expression, but Connie couldn''t help sneaking a few nces at William.


    "I''m my dad''s daughter, so no matter what I do, he always thinks the best of me,¡± Emma said as she pursed her lips. "But I still have a lot to learn."


    "You''re too modest," Charles responded,ughing heartily. Then, his eyesnded on Connie and Natalie, still disguised as a young man. He immediately waved them over.


    "Nathaniel, Connie,e sit by me."


    ¡°We''ll take the guest seats,¡± Natalie replied, guiding Connie to the spots reserved for guests.


    On Charles'' side of the table, William had already seated himself. The person sitting across from him would be Marcus.


    As for Emma, she was meant to sit beside Marcus.


    However, just as Natalie sat down, Marcus pulled out the chair next to her and sat down.


    A brief sh of tension appeared on Emma''s smiling face, but she quickly regained herposure. She continued to chat with Charles with a smile.


    ¡°Emma, sit next to me," Charles called out, seeing Marcus seated beside Natalie. The seat next to him was several ces away from Marcus and Natalie, ensuring there would be no interruption.


    Perfect!


    Knowing she couldn''t refuse Charles'' request or cause a scene bypeting with Natalie for the seat, Emma smiled politely and sat down.


    Soon, the maids ced individual bowls of specialty soups in front of everyone, and Marcus'' bowl of seafood bisque was set in front of him.


    ¡°Tonight, we''re just having a casual family dinner, so let''s not worry about formalities. Just enjoy the food and drinks, and we''ll all stay here tonight. Tomorrow morning, we''ll each go about our business as usual. I''m an old man, and I love a bit of noise. Tonight, you''ll all take turns ying poker with me."


    Charles said as he chuckled, "William, try some of my family''s five-star chef''s cooking."


    William said, ¡°Sky, you''re the oldest, so you take care of your younger brothers. I''ll just enjoy my food.¡±


    Charles said, ¡°Marcus, look after Mr. Langley and Connie. They are guests, and we can''t let them feel neglected.¡±


    "Yes, Grandpa."


    Charles didn''t mention anything about Emma and Marcus being engaged, as it would have been too forward for her to bring it up herself.


    However, once Marcus finished his seafood bisque, Emma nned to find a way to excuse him, and then everything would fall into ce.


    With her gaze lowered, Emma took a sip of soup, the corner of her lips lifting in a subtle smile.


    She was determined to seed tonight.


    Using his cutlery, Marcus asionally served Natalie some dishes, but when it came to Connie, he had the maids attend to her. He barely spared Emma a nce. The difference in treatment was undeniable.


    The Walker family quickly noticed the subtle shift, but Marcus had already discussed his ns to break off the engagement with Emma with William.


    William had shared this with the rest of the family, and they had all tacitly epted Marcus'' decision.


    Once the engagement with Emma was called off, they would arrange for Marcus to meet with Natalie once she returned.


    However, given Marcus'' clear preference for men, the Walkers had already discussed in the group chat that if Natalie had feelings for Marcus, they wouldn''t push her into what they saw as a potentially disastrous situation.


    So, when Marcus showed attention to Nathaniel, the Walker family simply chose to ignore it.


    Marcus served Natalie a full te of food. As Natalie stared at the towering pile of dishes on her te, she pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.


    Did he really need to act so repulsive to break off Emma''s engagement?


    "I''m full,¡± Natalie said, setting her cutlery down. She gave a small nod toward Charles and the Walker family. "Grandpa Charles, I''m not feeling well, so I''ll take my leave and get some medicine."


    "Of course, go ahead. Marcus, please see Nath off," Charles said. After that, he continued his conversation with William.


    Chapter 88 A Calm Question Veiled With Threats


    Marcus put down his cutlery and stood up gracefully. "Yes, Grandpa."


    "Nathaniel, let me escort you to your room."


    Emma immediately set down her cutlery too. "Marcus, let me send Mr. Langley to his room."


    "You are a guest,¡± Marcus said coldly. "It''s not the guest''s ce to see someone off. Ms. Walker, just enjoy your meal."


    With that, Marcus made a polite "after you? gesture toward Natalie.


    Natalie had no choice but to endure the varying looks of the Walker family as she followed Marcus out.


    At that moment, Emma gripped her cutlery tightly. The bowl of seafood bisque was already empty.


    ¡°I''m finished too. I''m just going to step outside for some air,¡± Emma said as she stood up. ¡°Grandpa Charles, is that alright?"


    ¡°Of course, go ahead! The young ones should do what they want. I''ve already said this dinner doesn''t need all the formalities and rules."


    Charles waved his hand, clearly eager for the uing confrontation.


    He chuckled softly, anticipating the drama toe.


    Emma left, following Marcus and Natalie.


    As Natalie approached the guest room on the second floor, Marcus showed no intention of stopping.


    Unable to hold herself back, she turned around. "Mr. Holden, you should know when to stop."


    "I''ll finish what I start, no matter what,¡± Marcus said with a deep voice. Then, he gripped Natalie''s wrist and said, "Come to my room."


    "No!"


    "Emma''s watching."


    "I don''t care if she watches."


    "Mr. Langley, are you sure?¡± Marcus'' tone grew slightly deeper, his handsome face betraying no emotion. What seemed like a calm question was actuallyced with a subtle threat.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89 p


    Natalie''s wrist was gripped tightly by Marcus, and she could feel his palm radiating a searing heat as though it could scorch her skin.


    Marcus raised his other hand to press against his temples, his body seemingly consumed by a raging fire, wreaking havoc within him.


    "Come to my room.¡± His grip on Natalie''s hand tightened, and as he closed his eyes, his mind was flooded with a vivid memory-the glimpse of soft, wless skin from when he''d removed her IV drip at Quinton Hospital.


    The image suddenly became startlingly clear, making his Adam''s apple bob. This strange reaction left no doubt in his mind. ¡°Nathaniel, I''ve been drugged."


    His voice, low and gravelly, carried a roughness that hadn''t been there before.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Natalie immediately straightened up, her demeanor turning serious. She ced her free hand on Marcus'' wrist to check his pulse. Her sharp brows furrowed deeply.


    "Let''s go to your room."


    She pinched a spot on his hand, sending a jolt of pain through him to keep him conscious while he quickly led her to his room.


    His room was massive. Upon entering, the first sight was an oversized bookshelf dividing the space into two sections. In front of the shelf was a deep gray desk with a matching office chair. Papers and office supplies were neatly arranged on top of the desk.


    The entire room was decorated in pure ck and white, which looked minimalistic, elegant, and spotless. Behind the bookshelf was the sleeping area. Therge bed faced a floor-to-ceiling window, beyond whichy a modest terrace, clean and empty without any decorations.


    The bedroom floor was covered in plush carpeting. Toward the back of the room were the bathroom and a walk-in closet, filled with racks of bespoke suits. The drawers held an array of luxury watches and essories. Everything was meticulously organized. It was a dream of anyone with a taste for refinement.


    As soon as they entered, the door mmed shut behind them with a loud bang.


    Natalie shoved Marcus away and raised her hand, pping him hard across the face.


    Marcus'' head turned to the side from the force of the p with a fiery red handprint instantly blooming on his chiseled face.


    She flexed her wrist. Her hand hurt just as much as his face did.


    Marcus barely had time to feel offended. The drug coursing through his veins had taken full effect.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Outside the door, Emma pounded on it with urgency. "Marcus, open the door!"


    She kept knocking relentlessly, expecting Marcus to return to her room after escorting Nathaniel back. But to her shock, he had pulled Nathaniel into his bedroom instead.


    The drug she got was designed for quick results for a swift and decisive conquest.


    And now, Marcus was locked inside with someone else.


    Even if Nathaniel was a man, his delicate, handsome features carried an almost feminine allure. Combined with Marcus'' past acts of care and concern, she was utterly panicked.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    "Marcus, open the door!"


    "Nathaniel, open the door!"


    "I know you''re in there. Open up


    now!"


    Natalie smirked inside the room. She pulled out her phone and yed a specific video clip aloud.


    "Open the door! Open the door! I know you''re inside! If you''ve got the guts to steal someone''s man, you''ve got the guts to open the door!"


    Marcus was speechless.


    "Oh, by the way, the soundproofing in your house is excellent. Hand me your phone,¡± Natalie said with a raised eyebrow. She held out her hand to Marcus. After all, what fun was a show if Emma couldn''t hear it?


    "You already know who drugged you, don''t you?"


    He remained silent as he knew it was Emma without having to guess.


    After all, she was the only one who had entered the kitchen that afternoon under the pretense of helping out, even ignoring the housekeeper''s protests. Though she hadn''t personally brought out the soup, he had no doubts that she''d tampered with it.


    He retrieved his phone and dialed Emma''s number, tossing it to Natalie afterward.


    She caught it effortlessly, and as soon as the call connected, she ced his phone next to hers.


    Outside the door, Emma suddenly heard a maddeningly familiar voice.


    "Open the door! Open the door! I know you''re inside! If you''ve got the guts to steal someone''s man, you''ve got the guts to open the door!"


    "Open the door! Open the door! I know you''re inside! If you''ve got the guts to steal someone''s man, you''ve got the guts to open the door!"


    Her words sounded over and over, echoing in her ears. She pounded on the door furiously again with all her strength. This time, after her pounding, she heard not just the infuriating clip but also a cacophony of crashing sounds from inside the room.


    However, there were no sounds of Marcus or Nathaniel speaking.


    Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Natalie and Marcus were fighting


    Yes, fighting


    The drug had overtaken Marcuspletely. Desperate, he lunged toward Natalie for help, but she mistook his actions as an attempt to take advantage of her. Without hesitation, she kicked him.


    Chapter 89 p


    He caught her ankle in mid-air. His bloodshot eyes deepened to an almost terrifying crimson as his hand gripped her slender ankle.


    She looked down at him silently, curling a finger in a e here¡± gesture. It was so condescending that it was almost like she was calling over a dog.


    He shut his eyes, forcing himself to suppress the thoughts racing through his head.


    With a sweeping motion, he sent everything on his desk crashing to the floor, including both phones. Then, he lunged at her again, starting a physical brawl.


    After another loudmotion, the call was disconnected. She managed to drag him by the hair into the bathroom.


    Ssh!


    Cold water rained down on him from the showerhead. He shuddered violently, instinctively attempting to push


    her away, but she retaliated with another p to his face.


    This time, both sides of his face were symmetrically red.


    "Marcus, don''t make me keep pping you. Cooperate if you want my help.¡± Her voice was as icy as her gaze, devoid of any warmth.


    He panted heavily under the freezing water as the fiery heat in his body gradually subsided.


    ¡°Feeling any better now?" Seeing his erratic breathing steady, her tone remained cold.


    "Take off your shirt now. I''m going to perform acupuncture."


    Marcus'' lips pressed into a thin line. Facing away from her, he obediently stripped off his soaked shirt.


    The cold water continued to pour over him as she took out a small case from her pocket, opening it to reveal a set of needles.


    His broad back was a masterpiece of lean, taut muscle.


    Her fingers brushed against him lightly as she located the right pressure points. His body tensed immediately, but he endured it and stayed still.


    "Don''t move! If I misce the needle, I''m not responsible for the consequences."


    Her tone wasmanding and unyielding. He gritted his teeth and remained still. Defying her was thest thing he wanted to do.


    She skillfully inserted the needles one by one. After a while, she finished, and he felt the fire within him dissipatepletely, leaving him utterly drained.


    ¡°You''re good now. Take a cold shower and change into clean clothes.¡± She removed the needles and packed them back into her case.


    Bang!


    A loud crash from outside was followed by a piercing scream from Emma.


    The bedroom was inplete disarray, a chaotic mess that made the situation all too clear to anyone who


    walked in.


    Emma''s heart plummeted into the abyss.


    In the bathroom, Natalie narrowed her eyes at Marcus as she said in a mocking tone, "Your fianc¨¦e just brought people to catch you cheating."


    2

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90 On What Grounds Are You Trying to Catch Me Red-Handed


    The drug''s effects on Marcus dissipated almostpletely. The heat subsided, but his face still carried a faint flush. His skin, dampened with water droplets, radiated an unspoken allure.


    He remained silent after hearing Natalie''s mockery.


    Moments ago, their skirmish outside had left the room inplete disarray. Hearing Emma''s shrill, grating scream, he could easily guess what everyone else would think.


    "Stay inside and don''te out." His deep, maic voice was still a bit hoarse. He exuded an icy authority as he grabbed a towel and casually wiped his upper body before wearing a bathrobe.


    "Hide in the bathtub."


    ¡°What? Am I that unsightly?¡± Natalie arched a brow. ¡°Nothing happened between us, but if you make me hide, it''ll only worsen things."


    He coldly retorted, "If you want my grandfather forcing us to fly abroad to register our marriage, then by all means, step out."


    Natalie was speechless.


    Fine. She wouldn''t go out. She had no desire to witness how the Walkers would defend Emma.


    But she wasn''t about to crawl into a bathtub, let alone stifle herself in water. ncing around, she stepped into the wardrobe, closing the door behind her.


    When Marcus emerged from the bathroom, Charles and the Walkers were examining the chaos in his room.


    Seeing him, Charles was the first to speak. ¡°Marcus, Emma said a thief broke into your room. Where''s the thief?"


    Marcus'' gaze immediately shifted to Emma. His eyes, as cold as ice, swept her from head to toe, sharp and prating.


    "Is that what Ms. Walker told you?"


    "Otherwise?" Charles raised a brow at him. ¡°Did you go for a shower after fighting the thief? You''re so efficient!"


    The Walkers were speechless.


    Emma had told them that Marcus had been drugged and that someone tried to take advantage of him. Out of desperation, as his fianc¨¦e, she had gathered everyone to break in and catch them in the act.


    Now Charles was iming there had been a thief.


    Was he trying to cover for the person who drugged him? Or was he just protecting Marcus'' reputation?


    Marcus would likely wee an excuse to end this engagement. If something like this had happened, he probably wouldn''t care about his dignity.


    Marcus had politely and firmly discussed breaking off the engagement with William back at the Walker residence, even offeringpensation to the Walker family and Emma.


    William declinedpensation, stating that as long as Emma willingly epted the breakup, the engagement would be null and void. Regardless of whether Marcus and Emma became a couple, the rtionship between the two families would remain unchanged.


    William was supportive of ending the engagement. However, Emma, who had been spoiled her entire life, was unwilling to let go. Her obsessive love for Marcus had be clear to the Walker family after what she told Timothy.


    Earlier, when they had entered the room, Emma''s screams had shaken William to his core.


    ¡°Mr. Holden Senior,¡± Emma said with red eyes. She swayed slightly, digging her nails into her palms to steady herself and forcing herself to stay calm.


    "It''s good to see that Marcus is okay. I was being impulsive."


    She forced a smile, maintaining her poise. "I apologize for overreacting earlier. I heard noises and became overly worried about Marcus.


    "Marcus, I''m sorry. I knocked and rang the bell, but no one answered. I was afraid something had happened to you."


    ¡°But Emma, didn''t you say we were here to catch them red-handed?" Mason asked, scratching his head in confusion. ¡°Mr. Holden Senior knows the reason we''re here, why did he say there''s a thief?¡±


    The moment Mason''s wordsnded, the room fell into a dead silence, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.


    Even Charles looked a little embarrassed.


    After a long pause, Marcus'' low, maic voice broke the silence,manding and oppressive. ¡°Catching us red-handed? Hmm?"


    "Ms. Walker, may I know on what grounds you are trying to catch me red-handed?


    ¡°Have I ever officially established a rtionship with you? Did we ever hold an engagement banquet? Have I ever dered to anyone that you are my fianc¨¦e or girlfriend?


    ¡°You are nothing to me. What right do you have to catch me in the act?"


    Emma''s already pale face drained of itsst shred of color. ¡°Marcus, I''ve known since I was a child that I''m your fianc¨¦e, who''s destined to marry you someday. I admit that using the term ''catching you red-handed'' was wrong, but I was only worried about you."


    She struggled to maintain herposure, clinging to her grace and elegance. "Mr. Holden Senior also acknowledges my status as his granddaughter-inw.


    "Wesley and Laura have said countless times that I''m meant to marry you."


    Marcus interrupted her bluntly. "That''s what they said. Did they ever ask me?


    "Ms. Walker, have I ever done anything to make you believe I like you?


    "No."


    His tone was indifferent and cold. Like Emma, Marcus had also heard countless times since childhood that he was destined to marry her.


    She was called his "wife", and he was told to treat her well from a young age, but he didn''t like her.


    Emma wasn''t born in Dithoria State. When Charlotte and William brought her back for her one-month birthday celebration, many people came to see her.


    Chapter 90 On What Grounds Are You Trying to Catch Me Red Handed


    212


    Her five older brothers adored their only little sister, but not Marcus. He had taken one nce at her from a distance and walked away after thinking that she was ugly.


    Marcus couldn''t understand why her brothers seemed blind. She wasn''t pretty, yet they insisted she was the most beautiful little princess. Still, he respected their opinion.


    As a child, he often attended school with Sky, who constantly talked about Emma. After school, he''d rush home to be with her.


    Hearing it repeatedly irritated him. He wanted to tell Sky to keep his obsession to himself. But his good manners kept him quiet. Instead, he gradually distanced himself from Sky. He hadn''t wanted to escte things to this point. He had already discussed the engagement with William, who said the marriage could be called off if Emma willingly agreed.


    Emma usually had little interaction with him. He had nned to address the matter openly once Charles recovered.


    Emma had followed Sky''s advice and delivered rare medicinal herbs to him in Balford. Out of consideration and gratitude, he had dyed bringing it up.


    Now, after being drugged by Emma and humiliated in front of Natalie, he had reached his limit. The mess in the room was the result of Natalie misunderstanding his intentions and the ensuing fight


    He only discovered just how skilled Natalie was earlier on. Under the influence of the drug, he nearly got himself beaten half to death.


    Fortunately, she had a shred of mercy and reason, sparing his life¡ªand even helping him neutralize the drug.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91 Emma''s Dream of Being Marcus'' Wife Was Shattered


    Marcus had long been dissatisfied with Natalie''s attempts to seduce him in order to marry him and take revenge on her ex-fianc¨¦ and Selena, the biological daughter of the Langley family. However, after this incident, his opinion of her changed slightly.


    After all, if she wanted to take advantage of him and marry him, all she had to do was seize the opportunity while he was drugged.


    But she didn''t. Instead, she showed nothing but contempt for him. In that fleeting moment, his mind had shamefully been filled with the image of that lone red mark on her body.


    Yet she had pped him awake from those thoughts.


    Just thinking about it left a strange, unsettled feeling in his chest. He owed Natalie a favor.


    His face was dark, and his voice was cold and cutting. Every word he directed at Emma further humiliated her.


    Even Charles had silently taken two steps back.


    Even Charles had silently taken two steps back. ording to Emma''s story, someone was hiding in Marcus'' room. When he came upstairs, he had specifically knocked on the guest room door, but no one answered. He had also called Natalie, but she hadn''t picked up.


    So, he was certain Marcus had hidden Natalie inside his bedroom. His eyes roamed around the space. The bedroom was sorge-where could Marcus have hidden her?


    The bed was immactely made without a single wrinkle in the sheets. And judging by the two palm prints on Marcus'' face, it was clear that things hadn''t gone smoothly in whatever happened. Who would p the other party during moments of passion, after all?


    Judging from the force of those handprints, it seemed more like she had pped him as if avenging her parents'' death. And yet, Marcus didn''t seem to find anything unusual about it. He simply walked out of the room and started questioning Emma word by word about what right she had to barge into his room using him of infidelity.


    He felt no love for Emma, and therefore, no pity. If she had maintained her usual demeanor-polite, disinterested, and graceful-he wouldn''t have spoken so harshly.


    But Emma had crossed the line herself, and he had no reason to hold back.


    ¡°Ms. Walker, our so-called engagement was nothing more than a joke between our mothers when they were both pregnant. I''m an independent person, and I will not let one casualment dictate my life,¡± Marcus said coldly.


    "Marrying a woman I don''t love? I''d rather be a priest. I think that you wouldn''t want to spend your life in a marriage like that either-one where you are left alone every night, childless and unloved."


    His lips barely moved as he spoke, his deep, maic voicending like a hammer on Emma''s heart, each word making her blood run colder and colder.


    Sky, standing to the side, couldn''t take it anymore. He stepped forward and pulled Emma into his arms. "Marcus, aren''t you being too harsh?"


    He frowned, his sharp features imposing. He had the look of a natural leader, refined through years of experience since he took over William''s position at Walker Group at only 18 before graduating. His presence was impossible to ignore when he questioned Marcus.


    ¡°Sky, the agreement when I asked you for medicine back in Balford was that I would pick it up myself. Yet you decided to have Ms. Walker deliver it instead, forcing me to turn around halfway. I appreciate her saving me time, but could you please inform me first next time?


    "I did not need Ms. Walker to deliver the medicine. Others may not know this, but surely you do, right?"


    Marcus'' sharp gaze locked with Sky''s. Everyone in Dithoria State knew that Sky was fiercely protective of Emma. He knew that Marcus had no feelings for Emma but had continued to create opportunities for them to be alone together.


    "Emma is my sister. What difference does it make whether you owe me or her a favor?"


    "There is a difference," Marcus replied coldly. "If it''s Ms. Walker''s favor, I''d rather not owe it. I asked for medicine from the Walker family-not from Ms. Emma herself."


    ¡°You-¡± Sky clenched his jaw in frustration. ¡°Are you determined to burn bridges today?"


    Marcus smirked faintly, his words slow yet absolute. ¡°I''m merely pointing out that a forced union won''t work. Ms. Walker is beautiful and talented. There''s no need to waste her time on me. As for the matter of me being drugged tonight, I will investigate thoroughly.


    ¡°Sky, you had better hope this has nothing to do with the Walker family."


    ¡°You were drugged?¡± Sky''s expression darkened, his frustration giving way to shock. ¡°Who would dare drug you in your own home?"


    "That''s a question for Ms. Walker." Marcus'' gaze fell sharply on Emma. "The maids in my household are carefully trained and vetted. In over 20 years, no one has ever dared to pull such a stunt. Yet, after Ms. Walker spent just one afternoon in my kitchen, I ended up drugged."


    ¡°Marcus!¡± Emma snapped, her voice trembling with fear and rage. ¡°Are you using me of drugging you?" ¡°Do you dare deny it?"


    ¡°I didn''t! I didn''t do it! You''re ndering me!¡± Emma''sposure finally cracked. Her nails dug into her palms as she desperately fought back tears. She knew that no matter how vehemently she denied it, Marcus already knew it was her.


    But she absolutely couldn''t admit it. Her life would be ruined if she did.


    Charlotte had already found her biological daughter, leaving her with little leverage as it was. She couldn''t afford to let this incident tarnish her reputation any further.


    ¡°I admit that I''ve always liked you.¡± She forced herself to lift her head, maintaining an air of poise and dignity.


    ¡°I wanted Charles to formalize our engagement, so I''ve been trying to make a good impression.


    "Yes, I went to the kitchen, but only to help. The housekeeper and the maids can all vouch for me. No matter how much I like you, I''d never stoop so low to do something like drugging you."


    "Is that so?" Marcus'' response was brief, but it hit her like a knife.


    "Yes!" She clenched her fists tightly, her pale face unwavering. "If you don''t like me and want to break off the engagement, just say so. There''s no need to frame me like this."


    ¡°Ms. Walker, you seem awfully defensive. I only got Sky to ask you, and you imed that I said you''re the one who drugged me."


    Marcus'' lips curled into a mocking smile as he turned to Sky. "Sky, can''t she take even a question?"


    Sky felt his chest tighten. Of course, Marcus could ask anything he wanted-it wasn''t like anyone could stop him.


    Chapter 91 Frama''s Dream of Being Marcus Wife Was Shattered


    But even he couldn''t deny that Emma''s reaction was overly dramatic,


    "Fanma? Timothy stepped forward, pulling her aside. "It this is how it is, there''s no point in dragging this out. You and Marcus were never formally engaged. The rumors are just that tumors. There''s no official rtionship between you two,"


    Emma''s eyes reddened as tears spilled over. "Timothy, do you think I''ve done something wrong too?"


    ¡°It''s not about right or wrong it''s that Marcus doesn''t like you,¡± Timothy replied. He''d advised her before, but her words only worried him.


    It seemed that what he was worried about came true today.


    Emma couldn''t control her tears as she bit her lip. The sentence "Marcus doesn''t like you¡± was a crushing blow for her.


    She wiped away her tears, then nodded slightly toward Marcus. "I apologize for misunderstanding and for overstepping. Rest assured, I won''t bother you again." With that, she straightened her back and walked out of the room step by step.


    But the moment she turned away, her face twisted with rage, her eyes bloodshot and filled with hatred. How dare Marcus humiliate her like this in front of both families?


    She would never let this go.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92 Where Did He Hide Her


    Emma straightened her back, maintaining her elegant and proud demeanor, and walked away with graceful steps. As soon as she left, William immediately called his sons to leave


    as well.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, Marcus, we''ll head down now. Emma is upset. We''ll take her home first,¡± William said.


    He exchanged a polite nod with Charles and cast a nce at the icy, indifferent Marcus before leaving his bedroom.


    ¡°1


    ¡°William, let''s gather another day. I''m sorry about tonight. As for the engagement between Marcus and Emma, I think we should call everyone together soon to formally call it off.


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Holden Senior. We''ll follow your lead," William replied, agreeing without hesitation before the entire Walker family took their leave.


    Charles didn''t leave. He shut the door behind them and began searching the bedroom without saying a word to Marcus. He checked under the desk, inside the bookshelves, under the bed, on the balcony, in the walk-in closet-everywhere in the room he could think of.


    Finally, only the bathroom remained.


    ¡°Grandpa, please step out,¡± Marcus said immediately, realizing what Charles intended to do. He blocked the door before Charles opened it.


    ¡°Move aside. I''m just going to use the restroom,¡± Charles replied stubbornly. ¡°Can''t I use it?¡±


    Marcus pursed his lips. The restroom and the bathroom were in the same space, separated only by a ss partition. Charles would see Natalie if he went in, and it would be hard to exin by then.


    ¡°Grandpa, you can use the bathroom in the guest room.¡±


    ¡°No. I insist on using this one," Charles snapped, ring at him. He wanted to see if Marcus would tell him the truth or not.


    ¡°You should be happy that I''ve agreed to cancel your engagement with Emma. I''ve already done things ording to your wish, tell me where you hid her."


    He teased as he looked at Marcus before knocking on the door of the restroom. "Is she inside? She must be inside."


    Marcus rubbed his forehead helplessly. Knowing how much Charles wanted to have a great-grandchild, he would want him to be with another woman now that Emma was out of the picture.


    Hence, he couldn''t let Charles find out that he had hidden someone in the bathroom.


    ¡°Grandpa, it''s time for your medicine,¡± Marcus reminded, trying to redirect him.


    ¡°Ms. Sterling asked you to focus on recuperating and preparing for the acupuncture treatment.¡±


    "Don''t change the subject. I know you''re hiding someone," Charles said.


    ¡°When Emma couldn''t get the door open and came to ask me to get the butler for the key, her face was pale as a sheet.


    "I also know that she drugged you,¡± Charles added with a cold snort. "I can''t believe it. The Walker family, a prestigious family for generations, brought up a daughter who resorts to drugging others.


    ¡°Emma outright denied it, but if not for the rtionship between our families, and for the sake of taking care of William''s pride, I would''ve exposed that wretched woman on the spot. Appearance doesn''t matter, but bad character? That''s something the Holden family cannot ept."


    Marcus wanted to ask if he knew about his so-called god-sister, Grace, plotting to have her granddaughter seduce him, marry him, and take revenge on her ex-fianc¨¦ and Selena.


    But knowing Charles'' favoritism, he''d likely respond by scolding him and saying, "Grace has already suffered so much, and Natalie has been bullied by the Langley family to the point she doesn''t even know her own name. Why can''t you help them?"


    And if he dared argue back, Charles would probably say, "Marcus, did I raise you to be this cold-blooded and heartless? If you have no sympathy, don''t call yourself my grandson. I don''t want a grandson like you.¡±


    Imagining this conversation in his head, he gave up on arguing altogether.


    ¡°Grandpa, go take your medicine," he urged again, taking hold of Charles'' arm and trying to lead him toward the door.


    "No." Charles'' stubborn streak red as he nted his feet. "If you don''t let me check, I''m not leaving."


    "Grandpa."


    "Marcus!" His loud voice cut off Marcus'' protest.


    ¡°Fine. Take a look.¡± Marcus finally relented, stepping forward and opening the bathroom door.


    Charles immediately leaned in for a look. The bathroom was empty-no signs of anyone hiding there, no trace of life, Before he could search further, Marcus pulled him back and mmed the door shut with a loud bang. ¡°Grandpa, you''ve seen for yourself. There''s no one here."


    ¡°I dealt with the drug Emma used on me by taking a cold shower,¡± Marcus said tly before promptly escorting Charles out.


    "But-"


    "No buts." Before Charles could say another word, Marcus closed the door behind him.


    Outside, Charles stood staring at the closed door, deep in thought. He was absolutely certain someone was hiding in Marcus'' room.


    But where?


    The bathroom was a straightforwardyout-he''d seen the whole space at a nce, and there was clearly no one inside.


    If only he could have searched more carefully. Then, he''d have caught them red-handed and made Marcus take responsibility for the woman.


    ¡°Ah...¡± He sighed and was finally called away by Connie to take his medicine after standing there for a moment.


    Inside, separated by the closed door, Marcus locked it again and walked back into the bathroom.


    "Nathaniel,e out," he called.


    Chapter 92 Where Did He Hide Her


    Natalie pushed open the cab door and stepped out.


    "I''ll go out and draw everyone away. Then you can return to your room," he instructed, ncing at her.


    Her cheeks were slightly flushed, likely from the stifling air inside the cab.


    "No need," Natalie said calmly.


    "You''re not worried about stepping out now and finding my grandfather waiting right at the door?"


    Natalie hesitated briefly before sighing. ¡°Fine. Just hurry.¡±


    She had no desire to stay in this confined space with him any longer.


    Though the room was soundproof to the outside, the walls within weren''t. She''d heard everything that had been said outside from her hiding spot.


    He handed her their damaged phones from earlier, saying, ¡°See if yours still works.¡±


    she pressed the power button. The phone turned on, and the screen was undamaged.


    "It''s fine," she said.


    "Good. I''ll send you a messageter."


    Marcus'' phone, like hers, was custom-made and still functional.


    "You don''t have to hide in here anymore,¡± he said before turning and walking into the walk-in closet.


    She left the bathroom and sat casually on the couch.


    It wasn''t long before he returned, now dressed in a sleek, tailored ck suit. The minimalist design came without any logos, paired with a matching ck shirt beneath. His long legs looked elegant. If it weren''t for the perfectly symmetrical p marks on both sides of his face, he would have appearedposed, aloof, and entirely untouchable.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93 Reunion


    Before leaving, Marcus turned back to nce at Natalie. Due to their earlier scuffle, her wig was askew, though she clearly hadn''t noticed.


    Her cor had also loosened slightly, revealing a delicate, fair corbone. There was a small ck mole on it, which added an unexpected touch of allure.


    Marcus'' Adam''s apple involuntarily bobbed as he swallowed. He silently chastised himself¡ªwhen had he be so much of a pervert?


    His rationality screamed at him to stop thinking, but the images in his head refused to dissipate. Hurriedly averting his gaze, he steadied his slightly unsteady steps and left the


    room.


    Natalie frowned, thinking he was acting strangely. It was as though he had some sort of mental problem.


    After he left, she grabbed her phone and started ying a matching game. She was midway through it when a video call suddenly popped up.


    Seeing it was from Grace, her lips curved into a smile. She quickly tugged off her wig, freeing her long hair, then removed her makeup as fast as she could. After straightening her clothes, she swiped to ept the call.


    "Hello, Grandma."


    "Nattie, look at this! The Walker residence is enormous!" Grace held up the phone, spinning it around to show her the surroundings. ¡°Look, there''s such a huge garden! And a swimming pool!"


    Natalie had already been to the Walker residence, so she was well aware of howrge and luxurious it was. Although the Langley family was the wealthiest in Amberton, they were nothingpared to the Walker family in Dithoria State.


    Like a delighted child, Grace ran around the massive estate, while Charlotte stood close by, carefully attending to her.


    "Slow down, Grace, be careful not to fall,¡± Charlotte said gently from behind.


    "Nattie, look! What a beautiful big house," Grace said excitedly. "Your mom told me they''ve remodeled a lovely, spacious bedroom just for you. They''ll show it to meter.¡±


    She was overjoyed. ¡°Nattie, you have a new home now.¡±


    Charlotte had video-called William multiple times, making sure Grace could see how much the Walker family valued and cared about Natalie, their biological daughter.


    After arriving at the Walker residence, Charlotte personally attended to Grace, sharing ns about how she would make up for the 20 years of lost maternal love and take care of Natalie wholeheartedly once she moved back in.


    Grace, who had been well cared for by Charlotte throughout the journey, was already quite fond of beautiful people, and Charlotte''s graceful and gentle demeanor won her overpletely. Each affectionate call from Charlotte filled her heart with joy.


    Charlotte even suggested that if she didn''t mind, she''d like to formally acknowledge her as a godmother after she and Natalie officially reunited.


    Over the years, if it weren''t for Grace''s protection, Natalie might not have survived the cruelty of Victor and Diana, who had treated her so heartlessly.


    When it came to the fact that Grace hadn''t been able to stop Victor and Diana from using Natalie as a living blood donor, Charlotte and William had discussed the situation thoroughly. They both agreed that the me shouldn''t fall on her.


    Given her age and the authority of Victor and Diana as parents, there was little she could do. If she had made too much of a fuss, the family''s already fragile harmony would have shattered, and Natalie''s life might have be even more unbearable-or even unsafe.


    Charlotte couldn''t help but feel deep gratitude toward Grace for protecting and loving Natalie in her absence. The thought of how Grace had stepped in to shield and care for Natalie over the years filled her with warmth.


    She had already discussed with William that they would immediately arrange for the best doctors in Dithoria to examine her after bringing Grace back.


    But Grace declined, insisting that she was in good health. She imed that if she were unwell, Natalie would have already sent her to a hospital instead of arranging for her to stay at Cedar Hill Nursing Home.


    Charlotte didn''t argue, deciding to revisit the matter after reuniting with Natalie.


    On the other side of the video call, Natalie watched as Grace beamed like a happy child. Her eyes stung with emotion.


    Grace seemed to adapt well under Charlotte''s care. Her patience and gentleness toward Grace weren''t something that could be faked.


    "Nattie, look at this! Your new parents and brothers have all prepared gifts for you!"


    Grace ran to a door and pushed it open. Charlotte exined that this room was specially prepared to wee Natalie home.


    Inside was a room nearly 2,000 square feet in size, filled with presents. They had prepared gifts for every age, from when she was one year old to 20.


    "Nattie, your new mom is so beautiful, and she speaks so softly and kindly. Please ept her, Nattie. After all, she is your biological mother.


    ¡°She''s so much better than that shrew, Diana. Nattie, ept your mom, and let her help you deal with that horrible woman."


    Watching Grace''s joyful expression as she moved through the room filled with gifts, Natalie''s eyes grew slightly misty. She seemed so genuinely happy.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Natalie said with a smile. ¡°I''ll reunite with my biological mother."


    ith you


    ¡°Really?¡± Grace turned to Charlotte with excitement. ¡°Charlotte, Nattie says she''s willing to ept you! Charlotte,e here quickly. Nattie says she''ll reunite with you!"


    Charlotte''s


    ''s eyes reddened instantly. She had been carefully following behind Grace, afraid she might stumble. Naturally, she heard Natalie''s words clearly.


    "Nattie, thank you," Charlotte said, her voice trembling as she couldn''t hold back her tears.


    Seeing Charlotte tearing up over her agreement, Natalie was momentarily at a loss for words.


    She had only agreed to ease Grace''s worries-that she wouldn''t have a ce to belong after leaving the Langley residence. She also didn''t want Grace to continue shing with Victor and Diana on her behalf at her advanced age.


    She was no longer a child who needed her biological parents'' protection. But if epting her biological family could put Grace''s mind at ease, it didn''t seem like such a big deal. ¡°Nattie, where are you right now? I''lle and get you.¡± Charlotte was still crying as she spoke. ¡°I miss you so much."


    "How''s my friend doing?¡± Natalie suddenly asked, referring to Olivia. ¡°I know you helped her when you went to Amberton."


    Charlotte quickly wiped her tears and reported, ¡°Ms. Thatcher is fine now. The Langley family didn''t gain any advantage from the situation. Moreover, I''ve arranged for her


    Chapter 93 Reunion


    212


    parents toe to Dithoria for their retirement. As for Ms. Thatcher''s career, we''ve also made the necessary arrangements.


    "When Ms. Thatcher heard that you would be staying in Dithoria, she agreed to move here as well.¡± Natalie nodded. Charlotte''s words matched what she had found out through her own investigation.


    Because of her, Olivia had been taken into custody. There was no way she could ignore the situation.


    She had only nned to rely on Marcus'' help, but Charlotte had also stepped in. Once Marcus'' team received reports from Charlotte''s side, they joined forces to confront the Langley family.


    "Nattie, when will youe back? Grace misses you so much. She''s been talking nonstop about wanting to see you."


    "I''lle over now," Natalie replied. "But I have one condition."


    "What is it?"


    "I want a paternity test done first after I return. Only after confirming I''m truly your daughter will I officially reunite with you. Also, if I really am your biological daughter, I don''t want you to make a big public announcement about it."

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94 They Owed Her Way Too Much


    After Natalie finished speaking, Charlotte fell silent on the other end of the call. She had already nned to host a grand banquet to introduce Natalie to everyone.


    If Natalie didn''t want a big announcement, that meant she wasn''t too keen on returning to the Walker residence in a high-profile way.


    She thought for a moment and spoke again with tears in her eyes, ¡°Nat, I promise you. I''m sorry that your father and I missed out on 20 years of your life. We realized it toote and came toote, causing you to suffer all these years."


    She wanted to add that they would make up for tenfold of everything Victor and Diana didn''t give her.


    Love always carried with it a sense of guilt. They owed her way too much.


    Natalie remained silent. She was 20 now, not 12, and had already outgrown the age of yearning for parental love. Moreover, she didn''t feel like shecked love in her life.


    She didn''t hate Victor and Diana and bore no grudge toward Selena. As long as they didn''t provoke her, all was well. But if they did, she would never let them trample on her.


    Charlotte said again in a cautious tone, ¡°Nattie, I''lle to pick you up, okay?¡±


    "No need, I''lle myself," she quickly refused the offer.


    "Do you know the house address?"


    "Yes," Natalie said. Not long ago, Marcus had taken her along to drop off Emma at the Walker residence.


    Since she was Charlotte''s and William''s biological daughter, that meant Emma was the one who had been switched.


    Fate had truly been "kind¡± to her in its own peculiar way. Not long ago, the Langley family had used her of stealing 20 years of a true heiress''s privileged life as a fake daughter. Now, she had be the real heiress whose 20 years of privilege had been stolen by a fake daughter.


    The Walker family was the wealthiest in Dithoria. They far surpassed the Langley family in Amberton in power and influence.


    Emma had grown up cherished by the Walker family, earning a ster reputation. It was worlds apart from Selena, who had been taken and sold by a nurse, living two decades of hardship.


    The scales of fate never seemed to tip in her favor, but she didn''t care. Her destiny was hers to control-not the heavens. It had been this way before; it was this way now, and it would remain so in the future.


    ¡°Let me pick you up, okay?¡± Charlotte desperately wanted to see her, hold her close, and shower her with love.


    Natalie refused again. ¡°No need. Mrs. Walker, just take good care of my grandmother."


    "Nattie, don''t worry. I''ll take great care of Grace. You have my word."


    "Then..." Natalie paused, her emotions suddenly bingplicated. "See you soon."


    ¡°Okay, okay! See you soon. Nattie, we''ll see you soon!"


    Tears uncontrobly rolled down Charlotte''s cheeks. Grace curiously observed her. "Charlotte, why are you crying? Nattie will be here soon.


    "You''re her new mom. You shouldn''t cry! If you cry, what will happen if someone bullies Nattie? All you''ll do is cry-how is that going to help?"


    ¡°These are tears of joy because I''m about to see my daughter. I''m too emotional to control myself.¡± Charlotte''s voice choked as she tightly hugged Grace. "Thank you, Grace. Thank you for protecting Nattie and letting her grow up safe and sound."


    ¡°Okay, let go of me!" Grace struggled in her arms, nearly out of breath. She gave Charlotte a push, and Charlotte immediately released her.


    ¡°Nattie, I''m going to inspect your new home first to see if it''s up to standard. If it isn''t, we don''t want this new home. I''ll find you another one.¡± Grace let out a sly chuckle. She seemed to recall that Charles also lived in Dithoria and was quite wealthy¨Cno less than Natalie''s new parents.


    If William and Charlotte weren''t good to her, she''d have Natalie move into Marcus'' ce. After all, Marcus was the grandson-inw she had her eyes on. None of those other riffraff were worthy of Natalie.


    ¡°Alright, Grandma. Be careful not to fall." Natalie''s tone softened as she watched Grace''s happy demeanor. If staying at the Walker residence meant she could bring Grace along, it would be ideal. Otherwise, she wouldn''t reunite with William and Charlotte.


    ¡°Okay, okay! I''m not a six-year-old child-I won''t fall!" After speaking, Grace turned and headed toward the room filled with gifts. "I''m going to take a look inside and see what''s there."


    She added, "Nattie, I''m going to hang up now. Come quickly."


    ¡°Alright.¡± Natalie waited for Grace to hang up before walking to the mirror. She adjusted herself back into Nathaniel''s look, then sent a message to Marcus. Natalie: "Mr. Holden, are you done? Can I return to my room now?"


    Marcus: "Yes."


    She immediately left Marcus'' room and returned to her own. She grabbed her ck canvas bag and headed out the door.


    "Nathaniel.¡± As she was heading downstairs, Connie hurriedly approached her. ¡°Are you leaving with your bag? Where are you going?¡±


    "I''m going to the Walker residence,¡± she replied indifferently. ¡°I''ll begin Grandpa Charles'' first acupuncture treatment when I return."


    "Got it. Um... When do you think you''ll be back?" Connie asked cautiously. ¡°Mr. Holden was taken away by Mr. Holden Senior. He has to kneel as punishment.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Connie nced around. For some unknown reason, all the Holden family maids had been sent away. Now, the living room was empty.


    "I don''t know the details, but Mr. Holden didn''t resist and just kneel.¡±


    "Mind your own business,¡± Natalie said calmly. "If you have nothing else to do, get back to work. Don''t ept any patients for the next five months."


    "Yes. I understand." Connie obediently agreed.


    Natalie nodded slightly and walked out of the Holden residence.


    Chapter 94 They Owed Her Way Too Much


    She made a call outside the residence. A ck Mercedes G-ss pulled up soon after to pick her up.


    The driver was Ophelia Zuckerson, the head of Nouvelle Zara''s branch in Dithoria. With her short hair, bold makeup, and all-ck leather outfit, she exuded a fierce and stylish


    aura.


    Most of Nouvelle Zara''s senior executives didn''t know the true identity of the mastermind behind thepany, but Ophelia did.


    "Boss, where to?" she asked.


    "The Walker residence in Dithoria,¡± Natalie replied. "Do you know the location?"


    "Yes. The Walker family reached out to us six months ago. They ordered Flux Couture''s collection for Ms. Walker''s birthday party. There were eighteen gowns in total to be delivered a week before her birthday.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Natalie''s lips curled into a mocking smile.


    Flux Couture was inspired by fresh flowers. It was a series of evening gowns and wedding dresses she had personally designed. The Walker family had gone all out, purchasing the entire set, which demonstrated just how much they cherished and adored Emma.


    Not long ago, she and Marcus had visited the Walker family for the first time, where Emma had thrown herself into William''s arms. That disy of father-daughter affection was something Victor had never given her.


    But she couldn''t say Victor was a bad father. He simply didn''t love her, the fake daughter. Hevished love and care on Selena, his biological child, no less than William did on


    Emma.


    ¡°Boss, you don''t look too happy. Is it because of the Walker family''s order?"


    Though Ophelia was cool and confident, she was also highly perceptive. In an instant, she could sense that Natalie''s mood had soured.


    harlotte''s Arms

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95 Saw The Scene of Emma Throwing Herself into Charlotte''s Arms


    ¡°It''s nothing, as long as it makes money," Natalie replied indifferently. Flux Couture''s series of evening gowns was costly, and the Walker family had bought out the entirety of it for Emma.


    In other words, it was a custom order exclusively for Emma.


    Natalie said nothing more after that. She took out her phone and looked for the medicinal herbs she needed.


    Noticing her mood, Ophelia wisely refrained from saying anything further to disturb her.


    The car ride was silent. When they were about a mile from the Walker residence, they could go no further. Security stopped them at the gate, asking for a pass to proceed. This was the Walker family''s private estate, and outsiders were strictly prohibited from entering without permission.


    Natalie didn''t say a word. Instead, she dialed Charlotte. "Hello, Mrs. Walker, I''m at the gate."


    ¡°I''lle get you right away.¡± Charlotte''s voice was filled with barely contained excitement. She didn''t even hang up the phone, nor did she bother changing her shoes before running directly toward the gate.


    "Mom!"


    Just as Charlotte stepped out of the gate, Emma came rushing over. Her eyes reddened as soon as she saw Charlotte. All the grievances she had endured at the Holden residence, particrly with Marcus, seemed to have found a ce to pour out.


    "Mom!" Emma flung herself into Charlotte''s arms. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she sobbed as though she''d been wronged beyond measure.


    ¡°Mom, Marcus doesn''t like me. He wants to break off our engagement. I''m so heartbroken.¡±


    As she spoke, she couldn''t help but cry aloud.


    Charlotte felt torn between frustration and anxiety as Emma held her. This was her cherished daughter, whom she had doted on for years. Watching her cry so bitterly stirred a pang of sadness.


    "Emma, I know you''re upset, but you need to calm down." Charlotte patted Emma''s back, trying to steady her voice. ¡°There''s something I hadn''t nned to tell you yet, but now I


    must.


    ¡°You''re not my biological daughter. My biological daughter is at the gate right now, and I need to go get her. Do you want toe with me?"


    Emma froze. She pulled away from Charlotte''s embrace, her worst fears realized in that instant.


    Her eyes were red and swollen, and there were still tears on her face. She looked utterly pitiful, with her shoulders trembling uncontrobly.


    "Mom, you must be joking, right?" she forced out augh as she asked in a trembling tone that betrayed the panic in her heart. "How could I not be your daughter? Have I done something wrong? Did I upset you? Tell me, and I''ll change."


    ¡°Emma, you haven''t done anything wrong. It''s just that we don''t share a blood rtion. But don''t worry, you''ll always be a daughter of the Walker family even though your sister is back. You''ll always be my daughter. You''ve just gained a sister, that''s all."


    Charlotte held Emma''s hand reassuringly. ¡°Would you like toe with me to meet your sister?¡±


    Emma desperately wanted to say no, to shout that one daughter in the Walker family was more than enough. Why did they need two? But she didn''t dare to do so.


    Her face turned pale, and she nodded weakly. Ever since overhearing Charlotte''s phone call earlier, she had known that the Walker family would inevitably reim their biological daughter.


    Her n to marry Marcus before the biological daughter returned had already fallen apart. Now, she could no longer afford to do anything that might upset the Walker family. She would be nothing without them.


    "I''lle with you, Mom," she said softly. "But what if she doesn''t like me?"


    Her voice was filled with unease. Her previously tear-streaked face made her look all the more pitiful.


    "She won''t dislike you.¡± Charlotte quickened her pace. ¡°She isn''t that narrow-minded. Come on, Emma, hurry up.¡±


    With that, she started running. She could hardly wait to see her biological daughter.


    Watching Charlotte''s rapidly retreating figure, Emma dug her nails into her palms. In the past, whenever she was upset, Charlotte would patientlyfort her and even stand for her no matter who had upset her.


    But now, even as she cried her heart out in front of her, Charlotte barely bothered to respond.


    So, this was what it meant to not be rted by blood.


    Emma took a deep breath. Fine. She would see for herself what this so-called biological daughter looked like. If she wasn''t exceptional, there was no way she would believe she couldn''t surpass her.


    up


    At the gates of the Walker residence, Natalie remained seated in the car. She had changed her clothes on the way there, opting for a simple ck windbreaker. Her hair was tied up in a casual high ponytail, and she wasn''t wearing any makeup. Her demeanor appeared cold and detached.


    From the moment she hung up Charlotte''s call, she had been silently counting the time. The outer gate of the Walker residence was about a mile from the inner gate.


    Charlotte could arrive quickly if she drove or rode a car. It shouldn''t take too long, even on foot.


    Yet, over 30 minutes had passed, and there was still no sign of her. Nor had she instructed the guards to let them through.


    Feeling bored from waiting, Natalie grabbed a pair of binocrs from Ophelia''s car to pass the time. When she looked through them, her gaze gradually grew colder.


    Ophelia, seated beside her, suddenly felt the temperature in the car drop. The chill emanated from Natalie.


    "Boss, the Walker family is seriously underestimating you," Ophelia said indignantly. "How can they make someone like you wait for so long?"


    "Watch your words,¡± Natalie replied, setting down the binocrs. Her fingers lightly tapped against the car window. ¡°The Walker family is the wealthiest in the country. Offending them won''t do us any good."


    Chapter 5 Saw The Scene of Emma Throwing Herself into Charlotte''s Arms


    212


    "Yes, boss"


    Although Ophelia was dissatisfied, she swallowed her resentment. She wouldn''t say another word. If Natalie wanted to make money off the Walker family, then she would hold back her temper.


    The customer was always right. She would endure this dy from the "esteemed customer" who made Natalie wait.


    Charlotte had been dyed significantly by Emma, and it was alreadyte when she got there.


    "Nattie!" Charlotte called out as she ran. "Nattie!"


    Her voice was choked with emotion, and her eyes were red-rimmed. Her excitement stood in stark contrast to Natalie''s indifference.


    "Mrs. Walker, where is my grandmother?¡± Natalie asked.


    ¡°She got tired from ying and went to rest,¡± Charlotte answered.


    She then asked cautiously, ¡°Nattie, have you eaten? You must be tired from the journey. I''m sorry. It''s my fault. I was so excited when I heard you were at the gate that I forgot to instruct the guards to let you in. Please don''t be upset with me, okay?"


    Ophelia, sitting off to the side, was stunned. She couldn''t believe what she was hearing. Was Natalie from the Walker family?


    "The DNA test hasn''t been done yet. Let''s not be overly excited, Mrs. Walker,¡± Natalie said coolly. "I''m here to take my grandmother with me."


    She opened the car door and stepped out. Her expression remained calm, her tone indifferent, revealing not even a trace of excitement or joy.


    Her vision was sharp, and while waiting in the car earlier, she had picked up the binocrs to casually observe the surroundings. That was when she had seen the scene of Emma throwing herself into Charlotte''s arms, crying and whining like a spoiled child.


    Fraying As A Wine Gels Gra

 Chapter 96

    Chapter galeaving As Su As She Osis (hace


    Narabe how the shoubin''t feed jealous, but she couldn''t help feeding batter


    Thest thing the Langley family wanted was to make Selena feel uneasy when they weed her for k home. They rushed to push Hardie out of the house, even todding her Rom using thest name


    sheble''pare in betons when she was at the Langley residence, and now, she couldn''tpare to Emma, the daughter the Walker couple had releed


    No wie ehe in the world seemned to fassor her except for trace, who had always loved her wholeheartedly she found it all a lite fronte


    Charbate had personally gone to Amberton to find her, reprimanded the Langley family, and even helped olivia she seemed to be treating her with utmost sincerity, but her love for Emma was clearly greater she had hed Natalie waiting at the gate for over half an hour tofort Emma


    Natalie simicked in welt mockery Forgotten? No, she just wasn''t important enough to be remembered


    "Mrs Walker, Iwant to see my grandmother, then take her with ine when I leave,¡± she said again


    Charlotte''s eyes immediately reddened "Nattle, I''m sorry Are you upset with me? I didn''t do it on purpose I was just overly excited. Are you mad at me?


    ¡°No¡± Natalie''s tone remained cold and distant "you''re overthinking it, Mrs Walker, Fimight not even be your biologic al daughter. Maybe you''ve made a mistake"


    "No, that''s impossible. You look exactly like me when I was younger. From the moment I saw your photo, I knew you were my daughter,¡± Charlotte said anxiously "Let''s goin quickly


    "Pll call the butler to drive a car over," she hurriedly dialed Gorge''s number. In just a moment, Gorge drove up to them.


    ¡°Nattie, Grace just fell asleep not long ago. She might be grumpy from being disturbed if we wake her up now." Charlotte tried to reason with her.


    She wanted Natalie to stay, but Natalie''s altitude remained cold and distant, and her politeness tinged with an unmistakable sense of boundaries,


    "Mrs. Walker, is this Ms. Natalie? She does look exactly like you when you were younger,¡± Gorge eximed as he opened the car door.


    ¡°Ms. Natalie, please get in. We went to the Langley residence in Amberton to look for you but couldn''t find you,¡± he said with undisguised excitement. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Walker have been eagerly waiting for you toe home."


    He added, "You look more like Mrs. Walker in real life."


    "May I ask how you address the adopted daughter of the Walker family?¡± Natalie asked,


    Gorge paused, somewhat confused as to why Natalie was suddenly asking this. However, he still replied respectfully and honestly, "We call her Ms. Walker"


    Although Famma was the youngest daughter of the Walker family, she was also the only daughter, so she had always been pampered and adored like a treasure.


    Natalie nodded slightly, "Got it."


    They called Emma "Ms. Walker" but called her "Ms. Natalie". The distinction between close and distant was instantly clear. T


    So what if she was the biological daughter? Not every parent was like Victor and Diana.


    ¡°Lia, wait for me here. I''ll go get Grandma, and we''ll leave right away,¡± Natalie instructed. "Got it, boss."


    Natalie got into the car driven by Gorge. Emma stood on the side, her face pale.


    Charlotte quickly realized that Natalie might not be willing to go through with a DNA test anymore. ¡°Nat, it was my fault. Please give me another chance, okay?"


    She hurriedly followed her into the car, trying to hold her hand to exin, but Natalie subtly avoided her. "Mrs. Walker, aren''t you going to let Ms. Walker get in the car?"


    Natalie nced out the window at Emma, who stood there looking uneasy. Emma drugging Marcus and being rejected by him wasn''t exactly being mistreated by him.


    But after everything, she could still go to Charlotte to cry andin, throwing herself into her arms and acting spoiled,


    Meanwhile, Charlotte had left her own biological daughter standing at the gate for over half an hour just tofort her and make her feel better.


    Was she upset? Yes, a little.


    Jealous? Maybe, maybe not.


    She didn''t feel upset or jealous when Selena returned home. All she felt was relief. She had finally escaped from being a living blood bank for Diana after more than a decade.


    But after seeing Charlotteforting Emma, her emotions became a bit hard to define.


    ¡°Ms. Walker looks quite upset. Aren''t you worried something might happen to her? She must feel scared and uneasy after learning she''s not your biological daughter. Mrs. Walker, you shouldfort her."


    Natalie watched Charlotte''s face turn increasingly pale. She was simply offering a kind reminder. How Charlotte chose to handle it was up to her.


    If Charlotte hadn''t taken Grace away without her permission, she wouldn''t have been coerced like this in the first ce. Naturally, she wouldn''t have cared how Charlotte felt.


    Grace hadn''t only taught her to be kind and generous but also resilient. She had always believed that just because she had suffered in the rain didn''t mean she had to tear apart someone else''s umbre.


    They kicked her out when Selena returned to the Langley residence. She didn''t care how the Walker family handled things, but she didn''t want anything to be affected because of


    her.


    Besides, after seeing how Charlotte treated Emma just now, she no longer felt any concern. Emma''s umbre wouldn''t be torn apart because of her.


    ¡°Nattie.....¡± Charlotte''s eyes reddened further. She wanted to exin, but she knew that for someone as perceptive as Natalie, there was nothing she could say that would matter.


    ¡°Mrs. Walker, I just want to see my grandmother right now. I''m grateful to you for taking care of her, but if you hadn''t forcibly taken her away while I wasn''t there, she wouldn''t have needed your care in the first ce. And I wouldn''t have spent these past days in constant worry."


    Natalie''s voice turned colder as she spoke to Charlotte.


    ¡°I''m already being kind by not holding you ountable for this. Please don''t think that just because the Walker family is wealthy and powerful, you can bully those of us who are


    weaker."


    Chapter 96 Leaving As Soon As She Gets Grace


    Charlotte''s face drained of color at her words. She opened her mouth in disbelief. "But you said you''d reunite with me on the phone earlier."


    Natalie said indifferently, "I only said that to keep Grandma from worrying."


    Or rather, she had thought about epting Charlotte, but that thought hadpletely disappeared the moment she saw Charlotteforting It just wasn''t necessary anymore.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97 Appearing Genuine


    Natalie''s words drained all the color from Charlotte''s face. However, outside the car, Emma, who had been nervous, finally began to feel relief.


    Since Natalie didn''t want to ept Charlotte as her biological mother, all she needed to do was continue being even more thoughtful, obedient, and outstanding than before. Eventually, Charlotte would see that she was still the most considerate one.


    She stepped forward and got into the car, deliberately taking the front passenger seat and leaving the back seat for Charlotte and Natalie.


    "Gorge, drive," she ordered.


    ¡°Natalie, don''t misunderstand me. I never thought of fighting you for Mom''s affection." Emma bit her lip as she turned her pale face to Natalie. "I''m upset because I was dumped, not because I found out I''m not rted to the Walkers, nor because I''m worried you''ll steal her love now that you''re back."


    As she spoke, tears welled up and began streaming down her face. She turned away, steadying her emotions. ¡°I''m really happy you''re home. I just couldn''t control my emotions because of my heartbreak. I hope you don''t me me."


    She lowered her head and dabbed at her tears with a tissue.


    Natalie knew about Emma''s heartbreak, of course-after all, she''d witnessed it firsthand.


    Her scheme to drug Marcus had failed. Instead, she''d been rejected and humiliated on the spot. She''d narrowly avoided her true intentions being exposed.


    If not for Charles'' concern for the two families'' reputations, Natalie was certain Marcus would''ve exposed evidence of Emma''s actions rather than letting her dismiss it with a few words of denial.


    She said nothing, turning her attention to the passing scenery outside the window.


    Charlotte didn''t know what to say. One was her long-lost biological daughter, cold and unwilling to ept her. The other was the daughter she had doted on and cherished like a treasure since childhood.


    Emma had adored Marcus for years and worked tirelessly to earn his affection. She was talented and beautiful, but Marcus simply didn''t feel the same.


    The marriage arrangement was meant for her biological daughter. Emma had only been a stand-in.


    Now that Natalie was back, even if Marcus hadn''t broken off the engagement, Charlotte and William would have made sure the arrangement was voided.


    Gorge didn''t dare say anything, knowing that even well-meaning words could backfire in such situations.


    Charlotte remained silent, and Natalie spoke up. "Drive."


    She added, ¡°My grandmother may throw a tantrum when she wakes up, but if I go wake her myself, she won''t. I''ll need your helpter to take me to her, Mrs. Walker.¡±


    ¡°Nattie,¡± Charlotte''s voice trembled. She had been overwhelmed with anticipation ever since she had seen Natalie''s photo on the adoption website.


    It was her mistake. When Natalie was with the Langley family, she had been driven out as soon as the real daughter returned. Now that she hade to her own home, what had she been met with?


    The sight of Emma hugging her and crying forfort.


    She had been left outside the gate for over half an hour. It was obvious that she wasn''t wee here. How could she possibly feel like she was home?


    ¡°Nattie, I''m sorry. It''s my fault. Whether you believe me or not, I didn''t mean to leave you outside the gate for so long."


    She took a deep breath and slid closer to Natalie, grabbing her hand without giving her a chance to refuse. "Let''s do a DNA test."


    ¡°I refuse.¡± Natalie pulled her hand away. "You already have a daughter, Mrs. Walker. You don''t need to force a daughter who doesn''t fit into your family."


    "But you are my daughter." Charlotte was as stubborn as she was emotional. She had been determined enough to bring Grace to Dithoria from Amberton, all to ensure Natalie wouldn''t resist.


    "Nattie, I won''t mince words anymore. If you don''t agree to a DNA test, I won''t let you see your grandmother, let alone take her away.


    ¡°I know the only person you care about is your grandmother. You said yourself earlier that the Walkers have power and influence. If we want to make things difficult for you, it would be effortless."


    ¡°Mrs. Walker, are you threatening me?¡± Natalie asked, narrowing her eyes.


    "Nattie, I''d never bear to threaten you,¡± Charlotte said bitterly. "I just want to keep you here so I can make up for everything I owe you."


    ¡°I''m past the age where anything needs making up for.¡± Natalie sighed. ¡°Mrs. Walker, if you want to make it up to me, please don''t make things difficult for me, alright?¡±


    She had grown up. The love she needed had been given to her by Grace. Sure, sometimes she envied other girls for having their parents'' love, but now, she no longer yearned for it.


    Charlotte fell silent, her sadness and disappointment etched on her face. She''d messed up. She''d used the wrong methods and upset Natalie.


    Her eyes reddened, but she controlled her emotions. At least she''d managed to see Natalie today.


    The rest of the car ride was silent.


    Gorge pulled up in front of the residence and hurriedly got out to open the door. ¡°Mrs. Walker, Ms. Walker.¡±


    He wasn''t sure how to address Natalie and Emma anymore, He said the wrong things earlier, and it was toote to make up for it now.


    "Nattie, get out of the car. Emma, you too,¡± Charlotte said, stepping out first.


    Emma nodded and got out from the front passenger seat, then walked over to wait for Natalie to exit.


    ¡°Natalie, let''s go inside together.¡± Emma had regained herposure. She smiled warmly, and her voice was soft and sweet. "I may have lost a boyfriend, but I gained a sister, so I guess fate hasn''t been too unkind to me. Right, Mom?"


    She then looked at Natalie. "Natalie, you won''t mind having me as your younger sister, will you?"


    Natalie evaded Emma without a word. Women who liked Marcus were better left unprovoked as it only brought trouble.


    Selena had been a prime example. The moment she met Marcus, she abandoned her fianc¨¦, Tyler. She''d even insulted and demeaned Natalie just to gain Marcus'' attention. Women who targeted others for the sake of a man were terrifying.


    Chapter v7 Appearing Genuine


    212


    Emma had gone as far as drugging Marcus, so Natalie knew she wasn''t as easy-going and kind-hearted as she appeared. The image of the perfect, pampered daughter of the Walker family only made it easier for her to hide her dark side.


    Natalie didn''t want unnecessary trouble for herself. Moreover, Emma''s seemingly warm wee didn''t mean she was genuinely happy to have her back.


    ¡°Ms. Walker, there''s no need to be so polite,¡± Natalie said coolly. ¡°I''m only here to pick up my grandmother. Mrs. Walker''s words shouldn''t concern you."


    "Don''t say that. I''m certain you must be Mom''s biological daughter since you look so much like her when she was young.


    "I was wrong before. I shouldn''t have cried on Mom''s shoulder because of my heartbreak and made you wait so long at the gate. I honestly didn''t know you''d being home today. If I''d known, I wouldn''t have cared about any man.


    ¡°I''m sorry. Please forgive me just this once. Mom and Dad have been looking forward to your return for so long. Please give us all a chance."


    Emma looked at Natalie with sincerity and warmth, her soft voicepletely devoid of any apparent falsehood.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98 Sending Emma Away If She Doesn''t Like Her


    "Yes, Nattie, we''ve been searching for you ever since we found out about your existence," Charlotte said, her voice choking up.


    Her eyes once again reddened uncontrobly as she added, "I know I''ve done some things wrong, that I''ve used the wrong approach, but my love for you is real." "Natalie, why don''t you do a DNA test to see if you''re rted to the Walkers?¡± Emma chimed in again. ¡°Regardless of the results, Mom will be happy."


    Natalie nced at Emma with a faint look. The words sounded harmless, but they carried an insinuation, suggesting she might not necessarily be rted to the Walkers. Now that she kept refusing, it made her look as if she had something to hide.


    She curved her lips slightly and decisively pulled a few strands of hair from her head. "Ms. Walker, you''re right. I should do a DNA test. The same goes to you. In case I''m not Mrs. Walker''s biological daughter, and you turn out to be one, then this misunderstanding should be resolved properly."


    She then handed the strands of hair to Charlotte. "Mrs. Walker, here you go."


    Charlotte hurriedly and carefully took the strands of hair she handed over before turning to look at Emma. ¡°Emma, Nattie is right. You should give me some of your hair as well."


    Emma nodded. "Okay, Mom.¡±


    She then pulled a few strands from her own head.


    "But wouldn''t that risk mixing them up?" Emma handed the hair to Charlotte, watching as she held the strands separately in her palms. ¡°Mom, maybe you should hand mine to


    Gorge."


    "It won''t get mixed up," Charlotte replied without hesitation. She held onto both sets of hair while looking at Natalie with a loving smile. "Nattie, let me take you to see Grace now."


    ¡°Emma, you should be feeling down after what happened. Go back to rest first. I''ll call you again after I get the DNA test results."


    It was obvious that she didn''t want Emma to be there when she took Natalie to see Grace.


    Emma nodded obediently. ¡°Sure, Mom. I''ll go and rest first. Natalie, please just stay here before the resultes out.


    ¡°I have five brothers but no sisters. I''ve always wished for an older or younger sister. Would you please stay here?"


    She pleaded with Natalie, but Natalie just curled her lips slightly and said, ¡°Ms. Walker, your status is


    too distinguished. I wouldn''t dare to overreach."


    Emma replied with reddened eyes. "Please don''t say that. In fact, I''m not rted to the Walkers. I''ll always be grateful and open-minded with whatever the oue is."


    ¡°Emma, go and rest," Charlotte said in a lower voice. The more Emma talked, the longer things would be dragged on.


    Her words didn''t sound right if one were to think deeper. They didn''t tell Emma about the truth before this to avoid her from thinking too much.


    Now that Natalie was here, Charlotte didn''t mention anything about letting Emma stay or leave. However, Emma kept trying to please Natalie.


    Emma looked at Charlotte in disbelief and only regained her senses after a while. She tried to hold back her tears as she sniffed while saying, "Mommy, don''t be angry. I''ll go back to my room right away.


    ¡°I''m sorry for not behaving well today. My words might not be pleasant to hear as I''m still recovering from my heartbreak. Please don''t mind me if I''ve offended you."


    After that, she nodded at Charlotte and Natalie before saying, ¡°I''ll take my leave now. It''s my fault if I''ve upset you."


    After that, she turned and hurried upstairs. Yet, her gaze grewpletely icy at the brief moment she turned around. Charlotte''s attitude toward her changed as soon as Natalie was back.


    In the past, she had never spoken harshly to her, not even once. But now, she had outright scolded her.


    She dug her nails into her palms. Even if she wasn''t the biological daughter, she wouldn''t let Natalie sessfully stay in the Walker residence. Otherwise, she wouldn''t let her live a good life.


    She could pretend to be nice to Natalie since that was what Charlotte wanted to see.


    Charlotte''s expression became better after Emma went upstairs. ¡°Nattie, I''ll take you to Grace''s room now." "Then please lead the way, Mrs. Walker."


    "No problem."


    She led Natalie to one of the guest rooms, gently opened the door, and ushered her in.


    The guest room wasid with a thick carpet, and all the furniture was wrapped in protective padding. The walls were painted in bright, cheerful colors that children would like.


    Everywhere in the room was filled with stuffed animals and other toys girls would enjoy, along with some fruits and snacks ced neatly on the table. On the nightstand, a big panda plushie sat on one side.


    "On the way here, I had a long chat with Grace. She told me how she wanted the room set up, so I asked your father to get it ready," Charlotte said, lowering her voice so as not to wake Grace.


    "Nattie, if you don''t like Emma, we can send her away."


    Natalie was surprised by the offer but quickly declined. "That''s unnecessary. You''ve taken care of Ms. Walker for 20 years, so you must have deep feelings for her.


    "You''re not like Diana. You don''t need to do such a thing for my sake. I was chased out of the Langley residence, but it doesn''t mean that I want the same thing to happen to Ms. Walker."


    She thought it was better to make things clear beforehand. ¡°I don''t want your rtionship with Ms. Walker to be ruined because of me."


    Although Emma was unrted to the Walkers, she stayed by their side for more than 20 years.


    Before the Langleys kicked her out, Victor offered her 200,000 dors. Diana was the one who was rude to her.


    Everyone was different. She was different from Emma, and Charlotte was also different from Diana.


    Charlotte''s face softened. "Nattie, thank you. You''re such a good child. But as your mother, I don''t want you to suffer-not even a little.¡±


    "I''m not suffering,¡± Natalie said as she stepped forward to look at Grace, whose face looked peaceful. She seemed to be in the middle of a happy dream.


    ¡°Grandma, wake up," Natalie called softly. "Grandma, wake up. Your Nattie hase to take you home." Chapter 98 Sending Emma Away If She Doesn''t Like Her


    77


    As she spoke, she brushed a strand of Grace''s hair away from her cheek.


    After a moment, Grace''s eyes fluttered open. ¡°Nattie, you''re here.¡±


    The moment she saw Natalie, she sat up and hugged her tightly. ¡°My sweet Nattie, you''ve finallye!


    "Did you meet your mom? Isn''t she beautiful? She has such a great figure too! You''d never think she''s had six kids."


    Her words left Charlotte a little embarrassed as she stood behind Natalie. She had indeed taken good care of herself after giving birth, and she looked much younger than her age. But was Grace really only as sharp as a six-year-old?

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99 Chances of Letting Their Daughter Stay


    Grace''s words left Natalie speechless, but she quickly returned to her usual calm demeanor.


    She leaned close to Grace and whispered, "Grandma, although it''s apliment, let''s not say things like that."


    ¡°Oh, oh, okay,¡± Grace responded.


    ¡°Natalie, have you done the DNA test?" Grace didn''t seem to be grumpy after waking up. She immediately threw back the covers and got out of bed. ¡°Are you hungry? I''ll get you something to eat.¡±


    Before Natalie could reply, she rushed to the cab, opened it, and rummaged around for a while before pulling out a bulging canvas bag.


    Charlotte froze when she saw the canvas bag. When she forcefully took Grace from Cedar Hill Nursing Home, Grace only brought a bag and her phone and didn''t ask for anything else.


    Grace would ask her to buy all kinds of snacks, especially mini fruit tarts, on the way back home.


    Charlotte thought that Grace was just a child at heart and liked to eat snacks, but now she realized Grace had been hiding those snacks and mini fruit tarts in the bag all along.


    Looking at this contrast, Charlotte suddenly felt that she, as a biological mother, hadn''t done enough.


    "Nattie,e and eat." Grace opened the canvas bag, took out the mini fruit tarts, and handed them to Natalie. "Have a taste."


    Natalie''s eyes reddened. She had nevercked money and had never been short of anything from Grace. But Grace always thought of her.


    Whenever there was something good to eat or drink, Grace never indulged herself but saved it for when Natalie visited the nursing home.


    Natalie had instructed Sarah to make sure Grace didn''t eat expired food, so Sarah would asionally check and dispose of anything that had gone bad.


    Over time, Grace became more secretive about where she hid the snacks, but sometimes, she forgot where she had hidden them. This led to some of the mini fruit tarts and snacks Natalie received being spoiled.


    But Natalie would still happily eat them. If necessary, she would just take some medicine afterward to treat her upset stomach.


    "Natalie, hurry up and eat." Seeing that Natalie had spaced out for a moment, Grace urged her again. ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± Natalie returned to her senses, took the mini fruit tarts, and ate them slowly. Grace stood by, watching her with a satisfied smile, her face full of wrinkles.


    ¡°Charlotte, hurry up and get the DNA test done!" Grace suddenly remembered something and turned to Charlotte after watching Natalie eat. ¡°Quickly, get it done! We''ll stay if you really are Nattie''s birth mother."


    "Alright, I''ll go right away." Charlotte was reluctant to leave Natalie, but Natalie was indifferent and didn''t want to stay.


    Once the DNA test results came back and confirmed that they were rted, the chance of her keeping Natalie would likely increase with Grace supporting her.


    ¡°Nattie, don''t take Grace away yet. Wait for me to finish the DNA test, okay?" She carefully pleaded as she feared that Natalie might immediately take Grace away once she left.


    "I won''t take too long."


    Before Natalie could respond, Grace waved her hand and said, ¡°Hurry up. We won''t leave."


    "Okay."


    Charlotte finally turned and left, walking briskly before breaking into a run. As she reached the vi door, she saw William and several of her sons returning.


    "Honey!"


    "Mom!"


    Charlotte didn''t have time to greet them. She red at William in frustration. ¡°I told you to be ready to wee Natalie home. Why did you just get back after Emma has been home for a while?"


    "Huh?¡± William was stunned. "What does weing Natalie have to do with Emma?"


    Charlotte was so angry that she nearly pped William across the face.


    "Forget it. It''s pointless to exin things to you. Natalie and Grace are in the guest room. Go and meet her. Make sure you keep her here no matter what."


    "Honey, where are you going?"


    "I''m going to do a DNA test." As she spoke, Charlotte snatched a few strands of hair from William''s head. She moved so quickly that William had no time to react and cried out in pain.


    She didn''t care about William''s difort and dragged him by his hair as she ran.


    "Honey, I''ll go with you!" William called out, trying to follow her, but Charlotte had already gotten into the car.


    "Stay here andfort Natalie. Wait for me toe back."


    Before William could respond, Charlotte stepped on the gas and sped off.


    "Mom''s getting flustered," Sky remarked. ¡°She forgot that we could have someonee to collect the samples for the test."


    "I''m going to see Natalie.¡± Mason rushed toward the guest room and shouted as he ran. ¡°Natalie, I''m here.¡± Behind him, the other Walkers all looked at each other, speechless.


    "I wonder how Emma is doing," Sky said with a frown, massaging his temples. ¡°Mom said she came back earlier, so she probably already knows she''s not our biological sister." Timothy looked up at the second floor. "If you''re worried about Emma, you can go check on her."


    ¡°And you?"


    "I won''t go." Timothy smiled. ¡°Emma has had our love for 20 years. Now, it''s time for me to shower my real sister with some love."


    Sky was speechless.


    Chapter 99 Chances of Letting Their Daughter Stay


    ¡°Hector, are you going to see Emma or Natalie?¡± Sky asked, turning to Hector. He was a little concerned that Emma might feel sad if everyone went to check on Natalie.


    "Sky, Emma is closest to you, so I''ll go see Natalie."


    After saying that, Hector also headed toward the guest room.


    William quickly answered before he was questioned, "I''m going to see my daughter as per your mother''s instructions."


    Sky was left speechless. At this point, except for Lincoln, who was filming and hadn''t returned, he was the only one left still concerned about Emma.


    After hesitating for a moment, he looked up at the second floor again, pondering for a while, and eventually headed toward the guest room.


    Because of his favoritism toward Emma, he had been kicked out of the family''s small group once. He couldn''t afford to make the same mistake again.


    Before Mason even reached the guest room, his loud, boisterous voice could already be heard. He came running and stopped abruptly at the door, then raised his hand to knock politely.


    "Natalie, Grace, are you inside? Can Ie in?" he asked. "By the way, I''m Mason, the fifth brother."


    As he introduced himself politely, he gently pushed the door open and peeked inside.


    Natalie had seen all the five brothers before. Mason was a student, sunny and straightforward, with no scheming intentions.


    She walked up and opened the door.


    Mason failed to steady himself and stumbled in, falling t on the carpet.


    Natalie smiled faintly. "Mr. Walker, be careful."


    "I''m Mason. Don''t call me Mr. Walker. It sounds awkward." Mason clumsily scrambled to his feet. The room was covered in thick carpet, so he was fine even after such a tumble.


    Natalie responded calmly, "The DNA test results haven''te out yet. I''m not necessarily your sister."


    "You are, you definitely are."


    Mason stepped forward and stared intently at Natalie. ¡°Look at how much we resemble each other! Emma and I didn''t look alike at all when we were young. Back then, I told Dad and Mom she might not be my biological sister. They didn''t believe me. Now, look, I was right!"


    ¡°Ahem.....¡± William stepped forward, pulling Mason aside. A long-buried memory flooded back at his words. It seemed that Mason had said something like that before.


    Chapter 100 Something


    vason Did That the Walkers Were Unaware of

 Chapter 100

    ""


    Chapter 100 Something Mason Did That the Walkers Were Unaware of


    Mason was pulled away. He became displeased the moment his gaze shifted from Natalie. However, he reluctantly stepped aside when William shot him a sharp nce.


    William was a bit embarrassed and rubbed his nose. "Mason did mention that when he was younger, but we didn''t take it seriously, thinking that he was just biased against Emma.


    Who knew what he said back would turn out to be the truth?


    Natalie hadn''t expected that someone had been concerned about her when she was little without her knowing. She looked at Mason with a gaze that was no longer as cold, softening slightly with warmth.


    ¡°Natalie, I''m your eldest brother, Sky." Sky stepped forward. The woman before him had a cold expression, and her facial features bore some resemnce to theirs, though they were more delicate and beautiful.


    "Natalie, I''m your third brother, Hector." Hector was quick to introduce himself, eager to establish a connection.


    ¡°Natalie, I''m your fourth brother, Timothy." Timothy followed suit and stepped forward with a smile. ¡°I''ve prepared a gift for you, and I''ve been waiting for you toe home so I can give it to you. Come with me, okay?"


    ¡°Natalie, I''ve also prepared a gift.¡± Mason rushed forward. ¡°Come quickly."


    Before Natalie could respond, Mason grabbed her wrist and dragged her upstairs. He moved so quickly that Natalie didn''t have time to react. The rest of the Walkers were equally unprepared.


    Grace looked curiously from one person to another before suddenly pping her hands. ¡°Hooray! Nattie has brothers now, Nattie has brothers!


    "She won''t be bullied by Selena and Tyler anymore. Her brothers will surely be able to beat up the disgusting couple."


    After hearing Grace''s words, the Walkers exchanged nces, and their eyes darkened with a shared anger. They had thoroughly investigated Selena and Tyler after Charlotte and Gorge went to Amberton.


    After Charlotte and Gorge taught the Langley family a lesson, Sky and the others had privately discussed the matter. They nned to bring Natalie home first before seeking revenge for her.


    Now that Natalie was back, although the situation wasn''t as perfect as they had imagined, they were still determined to take action against Selena and Tyler, who had bullied her.


    Especially Diana, who had dared to use Natalie as a blood donor at such a young


    Grace spoke without thinking and waspletely unaware of her manners. She only knew that her precious Natalie had brothers now, and one of her brothers, Mason, had known about her existence since childhood. So, he was someone they could trust.


    She looked curiously at the other men in the room. Every one of them was strikingly handsome.


    One of them was Natalie''s father, and the others were her brothers. Natalie had no one to care for her except for Grace, but now she had I so many family members, all of whom loved and cared for her. Even if she was no longer around one day, she didn''t need to worry about Natalie being bullied anymore.


    Especially with that cold-hearted Langley family and that snobbish Tyler. Was status really that important? Was bloodline really that important?


    He ignored Natalie in the past but was no match for her now.


    "Mason is good. Mason has good taste." Grace giggled. "He will definitely take care of Nattie."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, we will also take care of Natalie."


    William''s eyes reddened slightly. They were all just waiting for Charlotte to bring back the results of the DNA test. No matter what, they had to keep their daughter.


    Not just their daughter-Grace had to stay as well.


    "We will also protect and love Natalie," Sky, Hector, and Timothy said in unison. "Mrs. Langley Senior, don''t worry. If anyone dares to bully her, we will never let them off lightly.¡±


    Grace narrowed her eyes, ncing at the three brothers, before arrogantly snorting without responding.


    "Let''s go check on Mason and Natalie," Hector suggested. "Natalie has been used as a blood donor for so many years for that poisonous woman from the Langley family. I''ll check her pulse and see how her health


    is."


    William nodded in agreement. ¡°That''s a must. It would be best to take Natalie to your hospital and give her a thorough check-up."


    Sky thought for a moment and said, ¡°Then I''ll prepare a house and car for Natalie. If she wants to have some fun, I''ll get apany for her to y with."


    Timothy, an esports professional, frowned slightly. "Then, should I take her to y games?"


    "As long as Nattie likes it, take her to y," William, a liberal head of the family, said. Since Sky had already taken over the family business, he allowed his four other children to pursue what they liked.


    Sky, as the eldest brother, had always been groomed to be the sessor. With him at the top, the four younger brothers and Emma had always been free to live their lives as they pleased.


    The Walker family was harmonious, and there was never any infighting for power,


    Sky cherished his younger siblings, and they respected and loved him in return. Even when they had disagreements, it was always up to him to make the final decision.


    Lincoln was in the entertainment industry and wasn''t home as he was filming. Once he finished and saw the messages in the family group, he would probably call as well.


    William agreed with the brothers'' opinions and waved his hand for them to take Grace upstairs to find Mason and Natalie.


    Thus, the three brothers took Grace to the third floor.


    All of their rooms were on the third floor, while Emma, William and Charlotte stayed on the second floor. The first floor was for guest rooms and the housekeeper''s room, with the maid''s quarters on another floor.


    The group took the elevator up to the third floor and went straight to Mason''s room. They knocked on the door.


    "Mason, open the door."


    Mason opened the door from the inside. "What are you all doing here? Don''t disturb me bonding with Natalie."


    Chapter 100 Something Mason Did That the Walkers Were Unaware of


    212


    He was clearly displeased. He had just started talking to Natalie, and she had finally smiled at him. He didn''t want anyone to spoil this moment.


    "We want to spend time with her too." Sky pushed past Mason and walked into the room.


    Natalie was sitting on a small couch by the window. In front of her was an open box with a white crystal ball inside.


    Inside the crystal ball, a little girl wearing a princess dress was dancing with her hand raised. The little girl''s face was almost identical to hers.


    Mason had told her that this was the image of her which had appeared in his dream before, and he had it drawn and specially made by a designer. He had been waiting for the day to pass her the gift.


    His words moved Natalie. She had never met him when she was young, and this crystal ball was at least eight years old.


    He believed that his biological sister was someone else even after being doubted by William and Charlotte when he mentioned that Emma was not rted to the Walkers.


    But he hadn''t hated Emma for it; he had always treated her well. However, that kindness had been reserved. After he dreamt of her appearance, he quietly did something that the entire Walker family was unaware of.

 Chapter 101 A Match

    Natalie took the crystal ball Mason had given her and somewhat affectionately called out, "Mason." At that, Mason immediately jumped up with joy and bounced around a few times in front of her.


    However, before he could fully revel in his happiness, Sky came knocking on the door along with others. This only upset him.


    "Natalie."


    "Nat."


    "Hey, Natalie."


    Sky, Hector, and Timothy entered the room one after the other, all calling out to her simultaneously. They looked at Natalie with gentle and affectionate gazes.


    Natalie had not lived a good life with the Langleys. Fortunately, Grace had been there to protect her.


    "Nat, I''ve also prepared gifts for you," Sky stepped forward and said softly. "In addition to the gifts in the room, there are some others I got separately. Would you like to go see them with me?"


    Natalie shook her head. "There''s no need. I''ll wait for the results of the paternity test."


    Sky looked slightly disappointed but didn''t insist any further. Instead, he sat across from Natalie.


    When Hector and Timothy saw that Sky hadn''t been able to move her heart, they also stayed silent and sat down quietly to wait.


    "Nattie." Grace happily entered the room at this moment, holding a bag full of snacks and mini fruit tarts that she had hidden away. She decided she had to keep them safe for Natalie.


    "Grandma." Natalie stood up and helped Grace into a seat beside her before taking the bag from her hands. "You don''t have to hold on to it all the time. The Walkers won''t take it from you."


    "It''s Nattie''s." Grace repeated with a protective tone, "It''s Nattie''s."


    "Yeah. It''s mine and also Grandma''s," Natalie said to Grace with a gentle tone and expression. She coaxed Grace as if she were a child.


    It was then that the Walkers instantly understood; in order to keep Natalie there, the most important thing was to keep Grace there too.


    "Grandma, I know how to cook. Next time, when Nates home to stay, I''ll cook for the both of you every day. How''s that?" Hector plopped down beside Grace, casually sneaking in a hint of ttery.


    He continued, "Plus, I''m a doctor and own a private hospital. The Langleys didn''t treat Nat well and neglected her health. How about allowing me to care for her health from now on?"


    When Grace heard this, she thought it sounded good to her. She immediately grabbed Hector''s hand, tears and snot streaming down her face as she began to recount everything that happened.


    "That evil couple from the Langleys-they abused my Nattie! She was such a small child, and they used such long needles to draw her blood!


    "I wouldn''t allow them to draw it, so they beat me, scolded me, and locked me up. I wanted to protect Nattie, but they said if I didn''t obey, they''d have someone run her over and kill her.


    "They even threatened to throw Nattie into the water and drown her.


    "My poor Nattie! It''s my fault for being useless and not protecting you."


    Then, Grace suddenly burst into tears, pounding at her chest as she cried. "It''s my fault! I deserve to die! I should die! That evil couple from the Langleys¡ªthey''re so vicious!"


    Just then, four different ringtones suddenly rang out, interrupting Grace''s crying.


    The four Walker brothers simultaneously pulled out their phones and answered the call.


    "The results of the paternity test are out."


    As soon as the call connected, Charlotte''s trembling, choked-up voice came through. "Nat, she... Her DNA match with me and your dad is 99.99%.


    "She is my biological daughter and your biological sister."


    As Charlotte spoke, she couldn''t help but choke out a sob. "I''ve already sent the test results over WhatsApp. Show it to Nat and make sure to keep her at home. I''ll head back right now.


    "Nat, please give me a chance. Don''t leave, okay?"


    Charlotte assumed that Natalie was there, so she directly pleaded with her to stay through the voice call. When Natalie heard the news, she was momentarily stunned. Her prior spections were one thing, but having them confirmed stirred up an entirely different set of emotions within her.


    "Nat, let''s wait for Mom toe back, okay?" Mason gently and sincerely pleaded. "Mom wasn''t aware before, but when she saw your photo on the family searchwork, she was certain that you''re our sister. "Please give us a chance, Nat. And also, give yourself and Mrs. Langley Senior a chance, okay?"


    Natalie didn''t say a word but looked at the crystal ball in her hand. Inside the crystal ball was a little girl who danced gracefully whenever the switch was pressed or when the ball was manually turned.


    Since her childhood, Natalie had grown proportionately the same till now. In some way, the little girl in the crystal ball was a miniature version of her, reflecting how she looked as a child.


    This gift of Mason''s made it impossible for her to deny the familial ties, which seemed to have been written in the stars.


    When faced with Mason''s pleading yet gentle gaze, Natalie finally nodded lightly. "Okay."


    "Mom, Nat agreed!" Mason immediately joyfully reported back to Charlotte. "Mom, don''t worry. Nat agreed to stay and wait for you toe back."


    "Good, good!" Charlotte replied excitedly. "I''ll be back soon."


    After the call ended, Sky, Hector, and Timothy realized they had been a step toote and lost to Mason in this matter.


    Still, it didn''t matter. As long as Natalie was willing to stay, they could get her to eventually ept them too. But why didn''t Mason, when he was younger, tell them when he had dreamed of Natalie''s appearance? If he had, perhaps they could have brought her home earlier.


    "Thank you, Mason." Natalie ced the crystal ball back into its box and gently closed its lid. "I really like this gift."


    "It''s good that you like it. That''s enough for me." Mason ran his fingers through his buzz-cut hair. "I''ve been keeping it hidden all the time."


    He had kept it hidden because he was afraid that when Emma saw it, she would want to take it away.


    "I see." Natalie smiled slightly, revealing her first sincere and rxed smile since stepping into the Walker residence.


    Meanwhile, in Emma''s bedroom on the second floor, William sat across from her. He looked at her teary, red- rimmed eyes. She was also pouting silently with an aggrieved expression.


    He couldn''t help but feel some sympathy for her.


    But no matter how sympathetic William felt, he couldn''t wrong his biological daughter at a time like this. "Emma, the test results for you, us, and Nat are out. You are indeed not our biological daughter. Natalie is." Emma''s eyes instantly reddened even more, and tears streamed down in big drops. Still, she bit her lips tightly, refusing to let herself cry out loud.


    "Don''t cry, Emma. Even though you''re not our biological daughter, your mom and I won''t make you leave. "Your sister is different from the real daughter of the Langleys. We won''t kick you out just because she''s back."


    William lovingly and patientlyforted Emma. To say he felt no feelings for Emma would be a lie. After all, he had earnestly doted on Emma for 20 years.


    She was with them from when she was a babbling toddler, growing up to sweetly throwing herself into their arms and calling out to them. How could they bear to kick her out?


    However, the condition for her to stay was that Emma had to behave and not provoke or antagonize their biological daughter.


    If she couldn''t do that, then no matter how reluctant they were, he and Charlotte would undoubtedly send her out the doors.

 Chapter 102 Avoiding Suspicion

    William watched as Emma cried. At that moment, he couldn''t bear to say everything he had prepared to say. Fortunately, Emma only cried for a short while before stopping herself. She grabbed a tissue and wiped away her tears.


    "Dad, I''ll go wash my face first."


    William nodded. "Sure."


    Then, he added, "Don''t feel upset. We''re going to acknowledge your sister and bring her back, but that doesn''t mean we''ll abandon you."


    William stood up and lightly hugged Emma. Now that he knew she wasn''t his biological daughter, his actions couldn''t be as intimate as they previously were.


    Emma returned his hug lightly as well. Although her voice was choked with emotion, it was clear she had regained control over her feelings.


    "Dad, I''m not upset because Natalie is back. I''m upset about Marcus wanting to cancel the engagement."


    She tried her best to calmly exin, "I''m happier than anyone now that Natalie is back. I had your and Mom''s love and my brothers'' protection. I often thought that if I had a sister or younger sibling, that would be even better.


    "But I was the youngest in the family. And after I was born, Mom didn''t have any more children. Thus, I wished I could have an older sister.


    "I''m not yours biologically, but since you said you won''t abandon me, I''m still part of the Walker family, right?" William nodded. "Of course."


    Emma continued, "So, I''m still part of the Walkers. This means I''ve gained a sister, and my childhood wish has finallye true. I''m happy for Mom and Dad, and for Natalie.


    "When I went to Balford to deliver the medicine, I overheard some people at the hospital gossiping about something that involved Natalie. But at the time, I didn''t know the person they were talking about was my sister."


    Emma lightly furrowed her brows. "Because I didn''t know then, I asked out of curiosity. That''s when I learned the mother-daughter duo from the Langleys had truly gone overboard with some things.


    "Selena wanted to seduce Marcus, so she went to him to badmouth my sister."


    As Emma spoke, she lowered her head slightly. "Because it involved Marcus, I was even more concerned and asked about the matter in more detail.


    "Dad, will you me me for caring too much about Marcus? Although I usually actposed, deep down, I really like him."


    When William heard what Emma said, he wasn''t all that surprised. Still, he was somewhat caught off guard.


    After all, despite the engagement between their two families, Emma and Marcus rarely interacted in public, let alone in private.


    Whenever the engagement was mentioned, Emma would always appear calm and slightly shy, saying she would leave the matter to her parents.


    Thus, William and Charlotte always assumed that Emma didn''t really like Marcus all that much.


    Now, upon hearing her heartfelt words, he felt a bit guilty as a father for not understanding his daughter''s feelings better.


    "Dad, it''s my fault." Emma raised her head to apologize as her eyes started to redden again.


    "When I learned in Balford that Selena was trying to seduce Marcus, I got a little anxious. That''s why I thought about returning and fostering a rtionship with Marcus, hoping to finalize the engagement.


    "But what I didn''t expect was for Marcus to not actually like me at all.


    "I didn''t drug him."


    William became even more shocked the more he heard her exnation. ording to the Holdens'' recounting of the facts, Marcus was certain that the drug he was given was administered by Emma.


    "Dad, do you believe me?"


    Emma looked at William, who remained silent. Once again, she spoke humbly. "When I came back, I was feeling upset and didn''t know yet that I wasn''t your biological daughter. Just like before, I wanted to seekfort from Mom when I saw her.


    "I didn''t expect that it would dy Mom from picking Natalie up, making her angry and unwilling to reunite with you.


    "It''s all my fault. Dad, I can talk to Natalie. If she''s angry with me, I''ll move out today. I won''t appear in front of her anymore to trouble her.


    "I want to gracefully leave too, but I can''t bear to part with you, Mom, and my brothers."


    As Emma spoke, she slumped her shoulders and covered her face with her hands, crying out, "I can''t bear to part with you, Mom, and my brothers!


    "But I also know that I''m not a daughter of the Walkers. I''ve enjoyed a good life that should''ve been my sister''s for so many years. It''s time to give you, Mom, and my brothers back to her."


    After she was done, she choked back her sobs, took a deep breath, and suddenly kneeled down, respectfully saying, "Dad, thank you and Mom for raising me over the past 20 years. You''ve loved and protected me, and I can never repay this kindness.


    "I only ask that after I leave, you and Mom don''t sever ties with me. I will keep working hard to be an excellent person and continue to show my respect to you both.


    "If Natalie is unwilling, I won''t force it. I''ll always keep you and Mom in the deepest parts of my heart." William stopped her. "What are you saying all these for? Your sister hasn''t even decided to acknowledge us yet. Even if she does, she''s not Selena. Your mom and I are nothing like the evil couple from the Langleys." He pulled Emma up and continued, "The Walkers aren''t so poor that we can''t afford to have one more daughter. Natalie hasn''t said she wants to kick you out, either. Emma, don''t overthink it."


    "I''m just worried that Natalie, after suffering so much with the Langleys, will feel it''s unfair when shees back and sees that you and Mom didn''t send me away." Emma bit her bottom lip, and her voice was very soft as she added, "Dad, I''m not saying that my sister is petty. That''s not what I mean."


    "I understand. You''ve been rejected by Marcus, so it''s normal to feel hurt and unable to let it go. But Emma, there are plenty of good men in this world besides Marcus. Since he has rejected you, don''t dwell on him anymore.


    "Daughters of the Walker family must always upkeep their dignity and pride."


    Emma nodded. "Yes, Dad. I''ll remember that."


    Her eyes reddened further as she obediently and demurely acknowledged what William was saying, just like she always had.


    "Dad, my sister might still be upset about what happened before. I should avoid her for now! For the next few days, I''ll move out of the house. When Natalie is willing to ept me, I''lle back then.


    "What do you think, Dad?"


    Emma had spoken so sensibly about this that it seemed to truly show her maturity.


    Even if William wanted to find fault with her, he couldn''t.


    "Emma, you don''t need to be in a rush to move out." William patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Your brothers are all with Nat right now. I was just worried that you''d think about it differently, so I came to check on you.


    "Don''t overthink things. Marcus doesn''t like you, so just consider this engagement annulled. There are plenty of talented young men in Dithoria State. Once you''ve readjusted your mindset, your mom, your brothers, and I will definitely find someone better than Marcus for you."


    Upon hearing this, Emma couldn''t resist letting out a chuckle. But soon after that, her expression was filled with bitterness once more.

 Chapter 103 Everyone Is Crying

    "Dad, you should go check on Natalie! I''m nning to pack my bags and go on a trip for now. Is that okay?" Emma asked. She looked at William pleadingly as she cautiously made her request.


    She had thought it over herself. At this moment, William''s and Charlotte''s attention wouldn''t be focused on her.


    If she stayed and Natalie reflected on her own experiences with the Langleys, Emma would truly have no chance left if Natalie decided to vent her anger and drive her out.


    Natalie didn''t live a good life with the Langleys. Once their real daughter returned, the fake daughter had been immediately kicked out.


    And now, Natalie was found to be the real daughter of the Walkers, while Emma had be the fake daughter.


    Emma was afraid that after Natalie returned as the real daughter, she would repress her just like Selena had. Thus, avoiding the matter was the best choice.


    Besides, now that the Walkers had found their real daughter, they would surely want to spend some time bonding with her and making amends.


    Emma''s staying would mean she had to watch them shower Natalie with love, resulting in her feeling stabbed in the heart. So, it was better not to see it at all.


    However, if she took the initiative to leave and not fight for anything, Natalie wouldn''t have a valid reason to target her.


    Emma even felt fortunate that Marcus had broken off the engagement at this time. The scene that happened at Holden Residence was a good enough reason for her to appear heartbroken in front of William and Charlotte.


    She was the doted-on eldest daughter who was raised carefully by the Walkers. How could she have done something as disgraceful as drugging someone?


    As long as Marcus didn''t provide concrete evidence, she could firmly and resolutely deny it.


    Her im that she was heartbroken and wanted to travel to clear her mind after being rejected and ndered by the man she liked was a perfectly valid excuse.


    Although William wasforting Emma at that moment, she knew he was eager to go and bond with his biological daughter.


    Thus, rather than being asked to leave by the Walkers, it was better to take the initiative to leave first. "Dad, is that fine?" Emma asked again.


    She watched as William remained silent for a moment, and her voice became even more choked up as she made her request once more. "Dad, please help me exin things to Mom and my brothers.


    "As for my sister..." Emma paused before carefully speaking again. "If Natalie epts me, I''ll be her most loyal follower for the rest of my life."


    By referring to herself as a "follower" rather than a sister, Emma implied that she would never overstep Natalie in the Walker family.


    When William looked at Emma''s humble and ttering demeanor, he couldn''t help but feel pity and guilt toward her.


    "Emma, you don''t need to act like this," he said.


    "Dad, I want to leave to clear my mind, okay? Besides, Natalie is back, and the engagement was originally meant for her. Since Marcus doesn''t like me, why not have my sister get engaged to him?"


    Emma lowered her head as her tears started to fall again. She quietly wiped them away and turned to her closet to start packing.


    In the end, William didn''t say anything further. He simply took out his phone and transferred some money to Emma.


    "Emma, I''ve sent you some money. If you''re going traveling, bring a friend with you. If you need anything, call me anytime.


    "Also, your brothers will always be your brothers. Mom and Dad will always be your parents."


    Emma choked up with emotion and nodded. "Thank you, Dad."


    With that, she urged William, "Dad, you should hurry to my sister''s side! Otherwise, she might get upset again."


    William wanted to say that Natalie wasn''t such a petty person, but it was true that he had spent quite some time here with Emma. Moreover, Charlotte had already shared the paternity test results in their group chat.


    William didn''t stay any longer, nodding to Emma before leaving her room.


    As soon as he left, Emma dug her nails into her palms. The pitiful, sorrowful expression on her face vanished, reced by an indescribable hatred instead.


    The brothers who had doted on her didn''te tofort her. Now, the whole family was focused on Natalie. Emma took a deep breath, quickly packed her luggage, and walked out the door with her suitcase in hand.


    At the same time, Charlotte had just arrived back home. While holding a few reports in her hand, she quickly ran into the house.


    "Hey, Mom," Emma greeted Charlotte while at the front door. Upon seeing her swollen and red-rimmed eyes, Charlotte paused for a moment before nodding slightly.


    "Emma, you have a suitcase with you. What are you nning to do with it?" Charlotte asked.


    "Mom, I''ve already exined everything to Dad. You should quickly go and see my sister! Dad will talk to you about itter."


    Emma had a bitter tone as she said, " Mom, I know everything now. I won''t interfere or disrupt your reunion with Natalie.


    "I previously suffered some grievances while at Marcus'' ce, and by clinging to you, I dyed you from picking Natalie up. That was my fault.


    "Mom, I''m leaving for a bit to clear my mind. You should quickly go in! My sister is waiting for you."


    With that, Emma forced back her tears and quickly left with her suitcase.


    Charlotte felt a twinge of difort in her heart. She didn''t feel good about seeing Emma cry, but she would never give up her biological daughter just because Emma was upset or in tears.


    Then, Charlotte quickly ran into the house and headed straight for the third floor where Mason''s bedroom


    was.


    Meanwhile, William emerged from the elevator. "Honey," he began.


    "Talkter," Charlotte hurriedly interrupted him. Nothing was more important now than reuniting with her daughter.


    "Nat," she called as she rushed into Mason''s bedroom.


    Natalie stood by the bedroom window as she wordlessly withdrew her gaze from the outside. She had seen Emma leaving with a suitcase.


    "Nat." Charlotte approached her with the paternity test results. Her voice trembled with uncontroble excitement as she said, "Nat, I''m your mother. Look, these are the paternity test results."


    Natalie had already found out about the results before Charlotte returned because she had overheard it during the phone call.


    After all, the Walker brothers hadn''t tried hiding it from her when they received the call.


    This document merely confirmed what she already knew.


    "Nat..." Charlotte''s voice was choked up as her eyes reddened with tears. "Can I hug you, my daughter?"


    Before Natalie could respond, Grace stepped forward and pushed her into Charlotte''s arms. "Hug her! Why are you hesitating? Nattie also has a mom now."


    Grace pped her hands joyfully as she repeated, "My Nattie has a mom now. Let''s see how Victor and Diana will bully my Nattie from now on."


    When Natalie was hugged by Charlotte, she felt her body stiffen up. She just... wasn''t used to such intimacy with others.


    "Nat!" Charlotte suddenly burst into tears. "My daughter, my daughter!"


    As Charlotte cried, William''s eyes reddened as well. He stepped forward and cautiously hugged the two of them in his embrace.


    However, as he was worried about Natalie''s resistance, he didn''t dare hug them too tightly.


    Grace had been pping her hands with joy, but when she saw Charlotte crying, William''s reddened eyes, and the Walker brothers on the verge of tears...


    She started crying too.

 Chapter 104 Not Everything Needs to Be Ranked

    Grace''s crying was the loudest, but her tears were more for show than anything else. After all, it was a good thing that Natalie had found her biological parents.


    From now on, Natalie would have a strong backing. Neither the scheming Langleys nor the snobbish Miller family would dare bully Natalie anymore.


    Grace was only crying because everyone else was crying, and she felt awkward if she didn''t join in.


    Natalie, however, genuinely couldn''t shed a single tear. She could only stand there awkwardly, letting Charlotte and William hug her as they wept. She didn''t even know where to begin if she were tofort them.


    In the end, Sky stepped forward after all the crying had subsided and said, "Mother, Father, reuniting with our sister is a happy asion. We''ve also cried enough. Now, it''s time to smile andugh.


    "If you keep crying like this, Nat will also feel nervous and upset."


    Sky kept his gaze on Natalie as he spoke. Her expression hadn''t changed from the beginning till now, showing absolutely no signs of happiness.


    Still, at the very least, she didn''t push Charlotte and William away from the embrace.


    "Right. We''ve cried enough. We can''t cry anymore," Charlotte said as she sniffled and held back her tears.


    She took Natalie''s hand and said, "Come, let me show you to your room. When I went to the Langleys in Amberton to look for you, I had your dad stay home to supervise the renovations. Since we didn''t know what you liked, we had the designer take care of it.


    "The room is newly renovated. Although the best and most expensive materials were used, and we had professionalse in to remove the formaldehyde, I''m still a bit worried. So, I nned to ventte it for a while.


    "During this time, you''ll stay in the guest room on the fourth floor. Nat, do you think this a suitable arrangement?"


    Charlotte walked forward while holding Natalie''s hand. She didn''t forget to turn back to instruct Sky, "Sky, hold on to Mrs. Langley Senior''s hand.


    "Everyone else, follow along."


    "Yes, Mother."


    When Natalie heard the Walker family''s sons address Charlotte as "Mother", she recalled how Emma had called her "Mom" before. It then became clear that the daughters of the Walkers were held in higher regard than the sons.


    Still, Natalie couldn''t bring herself to affectionately call out "Mom" like Emma did in such a sweet and soft tone.


    "Nat, from now on, the entire fifth floor will be yours alone."


    Charlotte looked at Natalie with tenderness. The more she looked at her, the more her daughter truly seemed to resemble her. It was almost as if they were cut from the same cloth.


    However, Natalie had a much colder demeanor and was more indifferent than Charlotte.


    Natalie''s beautiful and delicate features, whenbined with her cont refined temperament, resembled a snowdrop¡ªnoble yet emitting a sense of coldness. Her emotionless, icy expression only softened into a gentle smile when she was with Grace.


    Charlotte wanted to get emotionally closer to Natalie, but she knew that this couldn''t be achieved overnight. She had missed out on 20 years of her life, during which Natalie had suffered too much abuse and neglect at the hands of the Langleys.


    Healing this sort of emotional damage would not be an easy task.


    However, Charlotte was patient. Now that her daughter returned, she would make sure she lived the best life and make her the happiest daughter in the world.


    This wasn''t just the case with Charlotte. Everyone in the Walker family had to treat Natalie well.


    As they spoke, the elevator arrived on the fifth floor. The doors slid open with a ding, and Charlotte shifted from holding Natalie''s hand to linking their arms together.


    "Nat, I''ve also prepared Mrs. Langley Senior''s room. It''s right inside your room," Charlotte said gently. "I know you''re close to her, and I''m also worried about her, so I thought it would be best if she stayed in your room with you.


    "Your room is very spacious. It can house more than just two people, perhaps even seven or eight others." The Walker brothers, who were following behind, all had the same thought. Of course the entire fifth floor was spacious. It had been renovated and redesigned, after all.


    But they didn''t feel jealous about this, nor did they think their parents were being biased. On the contrary, if they could, they would also want to personally design Natalie''s room.


    Regardless, they had already contributed funds and worked hard on many other items in Natalie''s room, so they didn''t have any regrets about this matter.


    Suddenly, Natalie spoke up. "I''d like to ask, where does Emma stay?"


    She wouldn''t have minded if the Walkers had arranged for her to stay on the same floor as Emma, but she was concerned that Emma might feel ufortable.


    When Emma heard Charlotte reveal that Natalie was their biological daughter, her expression had clearly shifted.


    "Emma has always lived on the second floor, while your brothers live on the third. We also stay on the second floor with Emma," Charlotte exined carefully. "Nat, if you don''t like it, we can have Emma move out."


    "No, there''s no need," Natalie replied calmly, her tone disying no emotion. "Don''t chase Emma away just because I''m your daughter. I''m not Selena."


    Natalie had made her stance clear with those words. She had gone to the Walkers only because Charlotte had forcefully taken Grace away from Amberton. Victor had drugged her, and Marcus had threatened her. She had no choice but to cooperate with Charlotte.


    Who would have thought she really turned out to be Charlotte''s biological daughter?


    Plus, Grace had always wished for her to be loved and cared for, even going so far as to have her try to seduce Marcus for this reason.


    Grace now had the mental capacity of a six-year-old. She might not have known what seducing Marcus implied, but if Natalie had actually gone through with it, the situation would have been very different.


    Natalie felt no affection for Marcus whatsoever, and simrly, Marcus also had no feelings for her.


    She thought Marcus had decent looks and a good physique at most, but beyond that, he wasn''t all that great.


    "I won''t be staying in the Walker residence either," Natalie said indifferently. "I have my own things to do. In the meantime, I''ll have to trouble you to please take care of Grandma for me."


    "Nat, what do you need to do?" Charlotte asked, somewhat upset. "You can do whatever you like, but it would be best if you stayed at home."


    "That''s right!" William also stepped forward. "Emma has already left for a trip and won''t be home for a while." "I''m not concerned because of Emma," Natalie interrupted William. "The situation between you and her doesn''t matter to me.


    "All humans have feelings. You''ve raised Emma for 20 years and surely hold a deep affection for her. You might be able to give her up for me, but I won''t make such an unreasonable request."


    Natalie didn''t care about how the Walkers treated Emma. She believed that Charlotte, William, and her brothers genuinely wanted to treat her well, and that this also didn''t conflict with their affection for Emma. She wasn''t Selena, while Charlotte and William weren''t Diana and Victor.


    There were many things in life that didn''t necessarily need to be ranked. It wasn''t that difficult for everyone to get along peacefully with each other.


    Emma liked Marcus, but he coldly broke off their engagement in front of so many people, even almost openly saying she had drugged him.


    Emma had felt ashamed and angry. She soughtfort and protection from her parents, but little did she know that Natalie had arrived at that moment.


    Simultaneously, Natalie revealed to Emma that she was not the Walker family''s biological daughter. For Emma, this was likely the equivalent of the sky falling.


    She didn''t want to face it and chose to avoid it altogether. In fact, Emma''s decision to go on a trip at that moment waspletely understandable.

 Chapter 105 Keep It a Secret

    "I''ve seen the room, but I won''t be staying at the Walker residence for the next three months," Natalie informed them. She took a quick nce around the bedroom on the fifth floor.


    Honestly, she couldn''t live in such arge room by herself.


    Although the room wasn''t extravagantly decorated, it exuded warmth and understated luxury with its ambiance.


    Once Natalie had confirmed that Grace was safe, she would return to Holden Residence. After all, Charles'' illness still required her treatment.


    "Even though I''m your daughter, I''ve told you before that I don''t want you to make a big deal out of it. It would be best if no one knows I''m the Walker family''s biological daughter."


    "Why, Nat?" Charlotte asked, feeling a little saddened. She had nned to host a banquet to introduce her daughter to the entirety of Dithoria State.


    "There''s no reason. I simply don''t want to," Natalie replied indifferently. She also didn''t want to exin further to Charlotte.


    Although Charlotte was her biological mother, it had taken 20 years for them to know about this. Natalie also wasn''t the kind of person who warmed up easily to others.


    On the contrary, she was slow to warm up to someone and hard to approach. It took time for her to consider others as part of her true inner circle.


    "Grandma, do you want to stay at the Walker residence ore with me?" Natalie turned around and took Grace''s hand from Sky''s to support her.


    Grace nced at Charlotte, Natalie, then at William and the Walker family''s sons.


    She liked good-looking people, whether they were men, women, or children. As long as they were beautiful, handsome, or attractive, she liked them all.


    During the journey here with Charlotte, Grace was well cared for and treated with respect and thoughtfulness. These were things she had never received from her son, Victor, or her daughter-inw, Diana.


    She was an elderly woman, but because her mental capabilities were not fully matured, she subconsciously relied on whoever treated her well.


    While Grace was at Cedar Hill Nursing Home, Natalie could only visit her every few days. She would apany Grace while talking to her and showering her.


    Although Sarah was meticulous in caring for her, Grace still preferred a lively atmosphere and her own freedom.


    The small space in the nursing home couldn''tpare to the vast estate of the Walker residence. After a long while, Grace finally said to Natalie, "Nattie, I want to stay here."


    Natalie was hesitant about the idea. Leaving Grace here would mean she eventually had to return to the Walkers.


    "Don''t worry, Nattie. We have already retired and will take good care of Mrs. Langley Senior," Charlotte immediately said when she saw Natalie''s hesitation.


    "Yeah! Nattie, don''t worry. We will definitely take good care of Mrs. Langley Senior," William added.


    He spoke up to persuade her. "Didn''t you just say you had things to do and won''t be staying at home for the next three months? This is perfect, then. We''ll help care for Mrs. Langley Senior, and you can focus on your own matters without worries.


    "Hector is a doctor, and the medical facilities in Dithoria State are obviously much better than in a small ce like Amberton. The residence also has a small infirmaryplete with emergency medical equipment.


    "Of course, we do not wish any illness to befall Mrs. Langley Senior. We''re just saying that the conditions here are definitely better."


    Grace then pulled at Natalie''s hand and softly begged, "Nattie, I want to stay here. There''s a big garden and a swimming pool. It''s very beautiful."


    "Alright. Grandma, you stay here, and I''lle visit you every few days," Natalie agreed. The Walkers hadpensated her, after all, so they wouldn''t mistreat Grace either.


    Natalie added, "I still have something to do. I''ll take my leave first."


    "Don''t reveal to others that I''m the Walker family''s biological daughter, even if our rtionship improves." She didn''t forget to remind them one more time about this issue.


    Charlotte wanted to ask why, but William stopped her and shook his head at her.


    Their daughter wasn''t ready to open up to them yet, so they shouldn''t rush her.


    There would be plenty of time in the future. One day, Natalie would call them "Mom and Dad" of her own will.


    "Mason, can you give me a ride?" Natalie turned to look at Mason. She still held the crystal ball he had given her.


    "Of course I can." As he was singled out, Mason had a grin so wide that his teeth were on full disy. "Wherever you need to go, I''ll take you."


    "Just to the gates. My friend is waiting for me there."


    She turned to Grace, hugging her. "Grandma, I have to take care of something first. I''lle back to see you once I''m done."


    Grace had gotten used to Natalie being busy. While she did feel disappointed about it, she felt more heartbroken than anything else.


    "Nattie, make sure you rest and take care of yourself. Don''t let yourself get sick," Grace said.


    "I will. Don''t worry."


    Natalie let go of Grace and turned to Charlotte. "Then... I''ll have to trouble you."


    "Nattie, you''ve already acknowledged Mason. Call me ''Mom,'' won''t you?"


    Natalie hesitated for a moment. The word "Mom" rose up in her throat several times, but she couldn''t bring herself to say it. Finally, she softly uttered, "Mother."


    Charlotte was momentarily stunned, and she couldn''t help but hug her tightly. Calling her "Mother" was good enough! That was fine!


    If Natalie could call her "Mother", then calling her "Mom" wouldn''t be too far off, right?


    Natalie, who was hugged tightly again, felt her body stiffen up awkwardly. Her originally emotionless expression now revealed some cracks in herposure.


    Since she was young, Diana hadn''t liked her and never hugged her like this. Grace often hugged her like this, but not with such unrestrained enthusiasm like Charlotte.


    When he saw Natalie''s difort, Mason braved the risk of getting reprimanded and stepped forward to rescue her. "Mom, Nat can hardly breathe! Give her some time to adjust. Don''t scare her."


    Mason pulled Natalie behind him and turned to wink at her. His gaze seemed to say, "Don''t be afraid. I''ll protect you."


    Natalie was stunned for a moment. She felt an indescribable sensation-one that was both bittersweet and carried warmth.


    The reason why she didn''t want others to know she was the Walker family''s biological daughter was because she didn''t n on staying. What she was doing right now was just to ease up Grace''s worries and reassure


    her.


    But Mason''s crystal ball and his protective actions allowed her to experience, for the first time, what it felt like to have a brother''s care and love. She couldn''t help but marvel at this new feeling.


    "I''ll send you out." When he saw Natalie''s slightly dazed look, Mason couldn''t help butugh. Her somewhat silly appearance suddenly became even more endearing to him.


    Of course, it also made him feel more heartbroken.


    "Let''s go." Mason grabbed her wrist and led her out of the fifth-floor room.


    Once in the elevator, Mason looked at his reflection alongside his sister''s. "Nat, can I give you a hug? I swear -since that dream I had as a kid, I haven''t hugged Emma even once.


    "The one who dotes on Emma the most in the family is Sky. You could say he''s somewhat of a father figure to


    her."


    Mason pursed his lips and nced up at the elevator camera. He then typed something on his phone and showed it to Natalie.


    Natalie looked at it and saw the words on the screen that read, "Nat, you''re right to keep your identity a secret and remain low-profile. Also, be cautious around Sky in the future."

 Chapter 106 He Saw It Through the Cameras

    Natalie looked up at Mason. He then retracted his phone and immediately deleted what he just typed.


    At that moment, the elevator arrived at the first floor. The doors opened with a ding.


    Mason smiled and asked, "Nat, do you have your driver''s license? I''ll give you my car. Or I could take you to buy a new one. You can pick whichever you like."


    "There''s no need. I already have a car," Natalie replied. She shook her head, refusing Mason''s offer. "Mason, you can just send me to the gates."


    "Alright, then. Wait here for a moment." Mason ran off and soon returned on a motorcycle. "Get on, Nat. I''ll take you to the gates."


    When Mason got there, he noticed a G-Wagon parked at the gate. He recognized the person inside¡ªthe head of the renowned women''s clothing brand Nouvelle Zara. The head had recently visited the Walker residence to design a custom gown for Emma''s 20th birthday banquet.


    Upon thinking of Emma''s birthday banquet, Mason immediately realized Natalie''s birthday had to be on the same day.


    "Nat, is your birthday in three months?"


    "Yeah. But I don''t n on making a big deal out of it."


    Natalie knew the Walkers wanted to make it up to her, and they would undoubtedly ce great importance on an asion as significant as a birthday.


    However, her birthday was also Emma''s birthday. Ophelia had mentioned that the Walkers ordered the Flux Couture evening gown series for Emma and nned to invite all the elites of Dithoria State for the celebration.


    In the past, every one of Emma''s birthday banquets was grandly celebrated by the Walkers, showering her with love and attention.


    As for Natalie''s birthdays, Diana never threw her a party. Victor would get her a gift but never a birthday cake.


    Only Grace bought her a birthday cake, took her to the amusement park, and gave her pretty dresses and other toys as gifts.


    However, those pretty dresses¡ªthough Diana never said anything in front of Grace wereter cut up with scissors. She would also insult Natalie as she did it.


    Diana even threatened Natalie not to tell anyone, especially Grace.


    When she thought of dresses, Natalie suddenly recalled that Marcus had once gotten her a gift of a very beautiful dress. She just hadn''t worn it.


    "Nat, don''t be afraid of Emma." While on the way to the gate, Mason noticed that Natalie was silent, so he tried to start a conversation.


    "To me, you are the most important sister. If Emma dares to go against you or put on a two-faced act, just tell me.


    "As for Sky, let me know if he gives you a hard time. I might still be studying and not have as much money, status, or influence as he does, but I have pretty strong fists."


    "I understand. Thank you, Mason."


    Natalie reeled her thoughts back in. Having only recently reunited with the Walkers, she wasn''t familiar with anyone yet, but her first impression of Sky wasn''t bad.


    Still, since Mason had warned her to be cautious of Sky, it wouldn''t hurt for her to be more on guard. Among the Walker brothers, Natalie had to admit that Mason had given her the most favorable impression. First of all, it was because they were close in age. Secondly, he had given her a sincere impression.


    Sky did indeed also look at her with a gaze full of care and protection. However, the way he looked at Masoncked that care, revealing instead aplex mix of emotions.


    Though it was subtle, Natalie could sense it.


    Mason drove the motorcycle at a slow pace because he wanted to spend more time with Natalie. However, riding a motorcycle was still faster than walking.


    Soon, they reached the front gate.


    Ophelia had remained seated in the car but immediately stepped out and opened the door upon seeing Natalie get off Mason''s motorcycle.


    "Mason, I''ll be heading out now."


    She soon added, "Oh, right. Ophelia is my good friend."


    Before Ophelia could reply, Natalie quickly introduced them, " Ophelia, this is Mason. You''re probably already familiar with him."


    Ophelia instantly understood what Natalie was trying to imply. She smiled and nodded. "Of course, I''m familiar with him. Hello, Mr. Walker."


    "Hello, Ms. Zuckerson. I didn''t expect you to be a good friend of my sister." Mason grinned widely. "I''ll have to trouble you to take good care of her, then."


    "There''s no need to tell me that, Mr. Walker. I''ll take good care of Nat."


    After exchanging some pleasantries with Mason, Ophelia left the Walker residence with Natalie.


    Once they drove off in the car, Natalie''s expression returned to its usual indifference. She calmly said, "Keep my rtionship with the Walker family a secret."


    "Understood, boss." Ophelia didn''t ask questions and simply focused on driving back to Holden Residence.


    While in the car, Natalie changed her clothes and applied some makeup, transforming back into her Nathaniel persona.


    Ophelia wasn''t surprised by any of this since Natalie always visited Nouvelle Zara''s headquarters as Nathaniel.


    When they arrived at Holden Residence, Ophelia had just pulled up to the entrance when she noticed a man standing there.


    The man stood tall and upright. He was dressed in a ck suit and had a stern expression on his face. If it weren''t for the bright red handprints on both his cheeks, he would have truly looked like the embodiment of elegance and refinement.


    "Ophelia, stop the car," Natalie instructed lightly. Ophelia immediately stepped on the brakes.


    Natalie opened the door and got out of the car. After casually grabbing her bag, she said, "You can go back now."


    "Yes, boss."


    Ophelia turned the car around and drove off without a hint of curiosity.


    Natalie walked up step by step to Marcus, opened her bag, and handed him a tube of ointment. Marcus epted it, and Natalie withdrew her hand before walking inside without saying a word. "Nathaniel, Grandpa asked me if I liked you." Marcus'' deep, maic voice sounded from behind. Natalie spun around abruptly, her expression shifting wildly before settling into calmness.


    "And what did you reply to Mr. Holden Senior?"


    Marcus tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I told him that I don''t like you."


    Natalie felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Good. You don''t seem like someone who spouts nonsense. It''s best to watch what you say. We''re both men, and I don''t have a thing for those of the same gender."


    Marcus didn''t expose her and simply smiled. "But I need your help, Mr. Langley. Even though I answered Grandpa as such, do you think he believed me?"


    Natalie almost cursed aloud. Charles knew her true identity as a woman. What she worried about the most was that after Marcus annulled his engagement with Emma, Charles might try to set them up. "Marcus, don''t push your luck. You''ve already used me to call off your engagement with Emma. If you n to use me for anything else, believe me, I''ll leave right now," Natalie threatened him through gritted teeth.


    When Marcus saw how red up Natalie was, he couldn''t help but curve his lips into a slight smile, though it quickly returned to calmness again.


    "I''m not that bored," Marcus replied with his usual indifferent attitude. "Grandpa punished me by making me kneel for two hours."


    Natalie scoffed. "Oh? And what does that have to do with me?"


    Marcus'' deep, pleasant voice sounded calm as he said, "When you left my room back then, Grandpa saw it through the surveince cameras."

 Chapter 107 The Holdens Value Discipline

    After Marcus spoke, Natalie stopped in her tracks. She turned around and stared at him with an icy, sharp gaze. "Marcus, did you say something nonsensical to Mr. Holden Senior?"


    "What do you think I could have said?" Marcus retorted with a question instead of answering. His gaze locked onto Natalie''s. "With these two obvious p marks on my face, did you think my grandfather would not notice?"


    Their gazes bore into each other, seemingly shing in the air around them. It was as if they were fighting some kind of invisible battle, with imaginary sparks flying until one of them conceded.


    The look in Natalie''s eyes grew colder, as if it was encased in ice, while Marcus remained as calm as a stillke without a ripple in sight.


    The surrounding temperature seemed to plummet. Passing staff members felt an inexplicable chill, and they cautiously nced at the two before quickly withdrawing their gazes in fear.


    It really felt like there was an invisible battle taking ce. Though there were no real sparks, they could almost hear the sounds of swords shing.


    The staff got so frightened that they quickly fled far away.


    Both of them continued their stare-off, neither willing to back down. That was until Connie ran out and pulled Natalie aside.


    "Nath, why did you only just get here? Mr. Holden Senior has been waiting for you," she said.


    Connie was also frightened, but she had no choice except to summon her courage to check if Natalie had returned. It was almost time for Charles'' acupuncture session.


    At that, Natalie withdrew her gaze. "Alright. Is everything ready?"


    "Everything had been prepared."


    Connie and Natalie left, leaving Marcus standing there for a moment. He then lowered his head and chuckled softly.


    Just now, Natalie looked like a small leopard¡ªangry yet extremely calm. She looked ready to seize an opportunity and rip his throat open.


    This woman clearly had no intention of marrying him. However, it was also possible that she was deliberately trying to catch his attention with such behavior.


    Just then, Sheldon approached him, cautiously delivering Charles''mand, "Mr. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior has ordered you to go back and continue kneeling."


    In an instant, the smile that had just appeared on Marcus'' face disappeared.


    He had to kneel again? He had already exined everything clearly. Although Marcus had been drugged, he hadn''t done anything inappropriate.


    But Charles didn''t believe him, saying that the sight of Marcus walking out in a bathrobe was disgraceful.


    Plus, if he really hadn''t done anything inappropriate, why would someone p him? He must have done something.


    When he saw that Marcus wasn''t moving, Sheldon tried persuading him again, "Mr. Holden, you should hurry and kneel. The sooner you kneel, the sooner it''ll be over."


    Sheldon was the long-serving butler of the Holden family, having devoted his life to Charles. Since Marcus had been raised by Charles, Sheldon had also devoted himself wholeheartedly to caring for him.


    It could even be said that Sheldon cared for Marcus more than his parents did.


    Although Marcus regarded Sheldon as an employee, he also respected and cared for thetter. "I got it."


    Marcus walked back into the memorial hall without expression before kneeling silently. He kneeled with an upright and straight posture, his ck suit not showing even a single crease. Even in such a servile position, he exuded a noble bearing.


    In Charles'' bedroom, he had already bathed and changed into loose pajamas. He followed Connie''s instructions andy t on the bed.


    Connie also lit herbal candles specifically prepared for him. She then ced a ck eye mask over his eyes and yed soothing, rxing music.


    When Connie had asked Marcus to rescue Natalie, she had identally let slip some details. However, he agreed to keep it a secret, so neither Charles nor anyone else knew that Natalie was actually Elim.


    Now, she disguised herself as a man, bing Connie''s "cousin", Nathaniel. This made it even less likely for anyone to find out her true identity.


    Natalie said nothing the entire time and went to wash her hands. When she returned, Charles was already fully rxed.


    After opening the acupuncture kit, she carefully prepped the silver needles. She meticulously went through each step before selecting the acupuncture points and inserting the needles one by one.


    Charlesy there quietly, feeling no pain¡ªjust a tingling, numbing sensation. While listening to the soothing music and inhaling the faint herbal aroma, he feltpletely rxed.


    Soon, Natalie was finished with the acupuncture process. She checked the time, tidied up the kit, and began organizing her tools.


    Connie was holding tissues nearby. She would asionally wipe away the fine beads of sweat from Natalie''s forehead.


    Although acupuncture seemed simple, it required intense focus and precision to ensure sess on the first attempt, especially considering Charles'' advanced age-calling for extra caution.


    Some acupuncture points were ones most traditional medicine practitioners wouldn''t dare attempt on someone of his age, but Natalie was confident enough.


    When the time was up, Natalie carefully removed the silver needles, cleaned them, then returned them to the


    kit.


    By then, Charles had already fallen asleep.


    This was exactly why Natalie instructed Connie to light the herbal candles and y rxing music. It was so that after the acupuncture, Charles would get sufficient and good quality of sleep.


    Natalie stood up and checked on Charles'' condition. She took his pulse to ensure everything was fine before taking her acupuncture kit and leaving the bedroom with Connie.


    "Connie, get some rest."


    Natalie then headed toward the second floor. She wanted to return to the guest room to shower and rest. "Nath, Olivia hase to Dithoria State and is waiting to meet up with you." Connie followed closely behind Natalie, saying, "Olivia said she couldn''t reach you and ended up calling me."


    Upon hearing this, Natalie took out her phone and checked it. Sure enough, there were missed calls and messages from Olivia. It seemed she had unknowingly set her phone to silent mode at some point, which was why she hadn''t picked up.


    "I''ll call her back."


    "Right, there''s one more thing." Connie hesitated, unsure whether she should continue.


    Natalie nced at her with a slight frown. Her tone remained cool and indifferent as she asked, "Why are you hesitating?"


    "Just now, when Mr. Holden Senior punished Mr. Holden by making him kneel, he had me stay and listen." Connie gritted her teeth. If she didn''t say it now, Charles would bring it up with Natalie in the morning anyway.


    "Mr. Holden Senior said the Holdens value strict discipline. Since Mr. Holden hid someone in his room, then he must take responsibility for that person.


    "It doesn''t matter if the person in the room was a man or a woman. Since Mr. Holden is unwilling to marry Emma, then Mr. Holden Senior would support him in pursuing his true love.


    "Mr. Holden was told that he absolutely mustn''t disappoint the person he hid in his room.


    "Nath, weren''t you the person hiding in Mr. Holden''s room?" Connie asked cautiously. Her gaze darted around nervously, but it was clear she was certain the person Marcus hid was Natalie.


    Natalie was at a loss for words.


    "Mr. Holden Senior is asleep right now, but by morning, he''s sure to bring this up with you," Connie said.


    Once she had started speaking, she no longer felt hesitant and continued to babble on.


    "Earlier, when Mr. Holden went to the main gate to wait for you, it was on Mr. Holden Senior''s orders. I have a feeling he knows everything but is choosing not to reveal it.


    "What does he mean by all this? Does he want Marcus to marry a man or a woman?"

 Chapter 108 She Has Her Own Reasons

    Before Connie could finish what she was saying, Natalie stopped in her tracks and turned around to stare at her. Her gaze looked so cold that it made Connie inexplicably shiver all over.


    She had forgotten that Natalie''s personality was actually a cold and aloof one.


    "I''m sorry, Nath. I overstepped."


    Connie didn''t hesitate to apologize, but Natalie remained silent as she emanated an air of displeasure and cold indifference.


    She returned to the guest room prepared for her at Holden Residence and took out her phone to call Olivia. The phone rang three times before Olivia answered. "Hey, Natalie."


    "How are you, Olivia? I''m sorry for dragging you into trouble back in Amberton."


    "We don''t need to talk about that. As long as you''re fine, that''s good enough for me," Olivia replied. She was only relieved after hearing Natalie''s calm and gentle voice.


    She continued, "I''ve been worried since I didn''t manage to bring you out from the Langleys'' grasp, but I''m d you''re okay."


    "It was my fault. I burdened you." Natalie paused, then she added, "I found people to deal with the Langleys, you know that."


    "I do. The Langleys are busy dealing with their own problems now, but the people who are dealing with them haven''t gone all out. It''s like they''re hesitating about something," Olivia replied.


    "Natalie, where are you now? A man iming to be an assistant to Walker Group''s CEO brought me to Dithoria State, bringing even my parents along. They''ve been so kind to us that it makes me feel uneasy." Olivia spoke with a sense of nervousness. She always believed that there was no such thing as a free lunch. No one would do something good for no reason. If they did, there was definitely an ulterior motive.


    Of course, this didn''t apply to her and Natalie. They had been close friends since childhood, so their friendship was such that they would sacrifice for each other without hesitation.


    But such a strong bond was rare and hard toe by. In today''s society, the term "best friend" was no longer always something positive.


    "I asked the Walkers for help." Natalie immediately thought of Sky, who was the eldest son of the Walkers and the current CEO of Walker Group. It wasn''t surprising that he sent his assistant to Amberton to deal with the issues there.


    After all, Charlotte and Gorge had personally gone there to look for her. As a son and an elder brother, it was only right that Sky do something for his sister.


    "Olivia, you and your parents can just settle in. I have some things to take care of today, but I''lle meet you tomorrow at 2:00 pm," Natalie said.


    "Okay. I''m relieved to know that you''re fine." Olivia heaved a sigh of relief. Her worries about Victor and Diana, the evil couple¡ªand whether they would do something irreversible to Natalie¡ªfinally eased.


    The human heart was the most fragile when under pressure. This was especially true given how Selena med Natalie for all the suffering she endured.


    Olive had met Selena before. Selena had a sharp, mean-looking face, a petty and malicious personality, and a jealous nature as venomous as a snake. To make matters worse, she was also constantly harassing Natalie.


    Diana felt that her biological daughter had suffered outside while Natalie livedfortably in Selena''s ce, so she med Natalie for the misery.


    They favored their own kin over reason. They not only allowed Selena to mistreat Natalie, but they even enabled her.


    Under such circumstances, it was easy for Olivia to imagine what kind of mistreatment Natalie had to endure in the Langleys.


    That was why she had been constantly worried. Even if she was taken away by the authorities, she couldn''t stop worrying whether the Langleys would hurt Natalie.


    "Nat, I won''t let the Langleys get away with it." Olivia exhaled a sigh.


    This situation also made her realize that even though she was a famous supermodel, she was still no match for Amberton''s richest man.


    If it weren''t for Natalie sending people to rescue her¡ªand if the Langleys had continued their operations in Amberton¡ªshe feared she would have been disgraced by now and stayed in the enforcement office for a long time.


    The Langleys had asked for apensation of 100 million dors, a figure she could never pay.


    In the end, even if she didn''t have to cough up thepensation, she still would have suffered terribly.


    This grudge was something Olivia couldn''t bury.


    "Olivia, what do you n to do now?" Natalie asked while walking into her room. She moved to sit next to the coffee table by the window.


    On the table were a fruit tter, pastries, unopened bottles of red wine, and juice. These were probably brought over by the staff while she wasn''t in the room.


    Aside from the food, there were some books on a nearby shelf. Atop the booksy a basket filled with various imported snacks, with chocte being the most abundant item.


    Natalie reached for a chocte piece, tore open the wrapper, and took a bite. The chocte, rich and sweet, melted in her mouth without a trace of bitterness.


    Although the chocte was sweet, it wasn''t overwhelmingly so. It was the exact taste Natalie loved.


    "I n to develop my career in Dithoria State," Olivia replied with a light chuckle. "Walker Group''s CEO''s assistant had already approached me, asking me to sign with theirrgest modeling agency and promising to give me their full support.


    "I didn''t agree to them right away. But after I can confirm it''s someone you sent over, I''ll agree then.


    "Nat, I want to be stronger so that when you''re in danger, I can rush to your side and protect you without hesitation."


    "Olivia, sign it," Natalie said. She stood up and gazed out the window. "I''m the biological daughter of the Walkers. Go ahead and sign the contract. I''ll protect you and help you rise to the top of the modeling industry."


    "Nat, are you really... the Walker family''s biological daughter?" Olivia asked in disbelief. "You''re not just lying to me and saying that to reassure me, are you?"


    "When have I ever lied to you?" Natalie chuckled lightly. "Surprised, huh? I''m the fake daughter of the Langleys, but I''m actually the real daughter of the Walkers.


    "I found my biological parents. Among the people who helped you in Amberton, some of them were arranged by my biological mother."


    "The person I first contacted was Marcus."


    Natalie had initially asked Marcus to help rescue Olivia, but then the Walkers also intervened. With an additional helping hand, Olivia could get rescued sooner, though this was just a small effort on Marcus'' part.


    Still, Natalie couldn''t bear to allow Olivia to suffer any longer.


    "Nat, do your biological parents treat you well?" Olivia asked with a trembling voice. "I''m afraid... they might turn out like Victor and Diana."


    "No. They''re very good to me." Natalie''s tone softened slightly. "Especially my mother. She even brought Grandma over. She takes great care of her, and Grandma really likes her.


    "However, I asked the Walkers to keep this a secret, so not many people know that I''m their biological daughter. It''s a good thing you''re in Dithoria State now, and we can be together again.


    "You must also keep the fact that I''m the Walker family''s biological daughter a secret. Don''t let anyone else know."


    Olivia was somewhat confused as to why Natalie wanted the Walkers to keep her identity as their biological daughter a secret, but she knew Natalie always had her own reasons.


    She just needed to listen to Natalie and follow her.

 Chapter 109 Gastric Disease

    Olivia agreed to Natalie''s request. The two of them continued to talk for a while more before setting the time and ce for their meeting tomorrow. It was only after that they hung up.


    Natalie ate another piece of chocte. The chocte prepared by the Holdens was even better than the ones she had bought herself.


    She took a photo of the packaging, intending to buy some online. But after searching the inte with the photo, she found it wasn''t avable for sale.


    Suddenly, the sound of knocking came from the door.


    "Mr. Langley, are you asleep? If not, could I trouble you for a moment?" Sheldon''s voice sounded through the inte.


    Natalie put down the chocte and went to open the door. "I''m not asleep yet. Is there something you need, Sheldon?"


    "Mr. Holden has been punished by Mr. Holden Senior and is still kneeling. I was hoping you could bring him some food." Sheldon looked somewhat embarrassed to ask this favor. "Mr. Holden only drank some wine at the banquet and didn''t eat much.


    "Then, that incident happened, so I''m really worried about Mr. Holden.


    "Mr. Langley might not know this, but Mr. Holden has gastric disease. If he goes too long without food, he can also get hypoglycemia.


    "But since this is Mr. Holder Senior''s punishment for him, we as staff members can''t go against his orders despite feeling sorry for Mr. Holden. So, I wanted to ask Mr. Langley for help in delivering food to him.


    "Since you''re Ms. Sterling''s cousin, and Ms. Sterling is Mr. Holden Senior''s savior, he probably won''t get angry even if he finds out."


    "Then, you should have Connie deliver it." Natalie outright rejected Sheldon''s request. "Besides, even if you delivered it to him, Mr. Holden Senior won''t find out if you and Mr. Holden don''t say anything.


    "Moreover, Mr. Holden is his most cherished grandson. Even if Mr. Holden Senior finds out, he''ll just turn a blind eye and pretend he doesn''t know. Your concerns will note to pass."


    When he heard this, Sheldon''s expression froze for a moment, and he forced an awkward smile. "Mr. Langley, we dare not do so."


    "I, too, dare not," Natalie said in a deliberately chilly and hoarse tone. "I''m just a guest who''s here to apany Connie. I know Mr. Holden Senior is punishing Mr. Holden, so if I deliver food, it feels like I''m disregarding Mr. Holden Senior''s orders. I can''t do something so disrespectful to the host family."


    Sheldon responded, "But wasn''t it Mr. Holden who saved Ms. Sterling in Balford that time?"


    "Huh?" Natalie narrowed her eyes at Sheldon. When did Marcus rescue Connie? Why didn''t she know about it?


    "Ms. Sterling came to Mr. Holden that day, crying uncontrobly," Sheldon recalled the scene of Connie begging Marcus. "Mr. Holden was in a hurry to leave and extremely anxious. He even owed Ms. Emma a favor after getting the herbs Ms. Sterling needed.


    "Mr. Langley, I did ask Ms. Sterling to deliver the food, but she refused. She said that men and women shouldn''t have physical contact, and that as a young woman, she didn''t want to be misunderstood by others before she even had a boyfriend."


    Natalie was at a loss for words. Connie''s reason really was well thought out.


    However, what Sheldon said reminded Natalie of the Dead of Night herb that Marcus had brought over. Without it, she wouldn''t be standing here right now.


    So, strictly speaking, she did indeed owe Marcus a favor.


    Although Marcus had only found the herb for her because Natalie intended to treat Charles, he still ended up saving her life in front of Charles.


    Natalie agreed to thepromise and said, "I''ll deliver the food."


    "Ah! Okay then. Thank you, Mr. Langley," Sheldon immediately expressed his gratitude. "The food and drinks are ready downstairs. I''ll take you to get them.


    "The memorial hall is located in the old wing. I''ll take you there after. It''s easy to get lost if you''re unfamiliar with the ce."


    Natalie said nothing and merely allowed Sheldon to lead the way.


    Holden Residence''s estate was vast. Sheldon led her from the front to the back using long hallways, passing rock structures, and water features. They took a series of turns before finally reaching the memorial hall where Marcus was still kneeling as punishment.


    During all this, Sheldon held the insted lunch boxes in his hands. When they reached the doors of the memorial hall, he stopped and handed the boxes over to Natalie.


    "Mr. Langley, Mr. Holden is inside. I''ll leave it to you, then."


    Sheldon repeatedly thanked her, and Natalie gave him a slight nod before taking the lunch boxes into the memorial hall.


    The hall was just as big as the rest of the estate. Only a fewmps were lit inside, and the altars were neatly arranged in rows, with oil burners lit up before them. Upon entering, Natalie was immediately enveloped by the fragrance of sandalwood.


    In front of the altars was a table of offerings with items ced on it, and Marcus was kneeling before the table. His legs were slightly bent apart as he kneeled straight and tall. His ck suit highlighted his physique, and from behind, it was easy to tell he was someone who exercised regrly.


    Natalie stared at his back for a while. She coughed lightly, and Marcus immediately turned around to see that it was her. His gaze darkened with a hint of displeasure when he saw her.


    "What are you doing here?" Marcus'' deep, maic voice was filled with a displeased tone. "This is not somewhere you should be."


    "I didn''t want toe either, but Sheldon begged me to bring you some food."


    Natalie ced the insted lunch boxes in front of Marcus and turned to leave immediately.


    When Marcus watched her leave so quickly, he unwittingly called out to her. "Stop. Wait until I finish eating, then take the boxes away," he said.


    "Marcus, I''m not your maid."


    "Think of it as me begging you." Marcus'' tone remained unchanged as he spoke. "I''ve been kneeling for too long. My knees hurt."


    "Huh?" Natalie was confused. Why should she care if his knees hurt?


    Marcus reached his hand out to her. "Help me up."


    Natalie was rendered speechless. "Mr. Holden, I don''t think we''re that familiar with each other just yet." Marcus'' expression darkened, but he didn''t say anything further. He stood up on his own and walked to a nearby table before sitting down.


    His long, bony fingers deftly opened up the lunch box that had four tiers¡ªone with beef meatballs in tomato sauce, another with stir-fried broli, one with corn soup, and finally a serving of pasta.


    "Mr. Langley, please sit and have some."


    "No need." Natalie refused Marcus and just stood aside, watching him as he picked up a fork and took a bite. Each bite of food seemed to be taken with a calcted number of chews, and he ate quietly without making a sound.


    He ate with elegance, though he didn''t do so slowly. She watched as he took bite after bite. He made simple food seem even more tempting.


    Whenbined with his unmatched handsome appearance and his graceful movements, even eating became pleasant to look at.


    Natalie''s gaze lingered on him for a while, and it was only when Marcus'' indifferent gaze turned toward her that she realized she had been staring at him for a long time.


    She couldn''t help but silently regret her choices. She shouldn''t have gotten morally pressured by Sheldon. She and Marcus should maintain their distance.

 Chapter 110 Charles Supports Him Pursuing Nathaniel

    Natalie withdrew her gaze and looked away, but Marcus continued to stare at her.


    He sat before the small table. Given his tall stature and long legs, the table was clearly not designed for someone like him, making his posture while dining somewhat ufortable.


    But at a time like this, having someone bring him food was already considered a blessing. Beggars couldn''t be choosers, after all.


    Natalie was still disguised in her male persona. Her good-looking face had been intentionally darkened slightly with the use of makeup, but her delicate facial features remained unaffected. Even all that makeup couldn''t diminish her beauty.


    The neatly trimmed short hair was casuallybed, and a few strands of hair naturally fell over her eyes as she lowered her head.


    From Marcus'' angle, he could clearly see her defined facial contours and her delicate, high-bridged nose. Her pretty lips, unmarked by lipstick, were slightly pursed. It made her look somewhat indifferent and stern.


    Natalie was dressed in a ck tracksuit that concealed her figure. She had intentionally made herself appear taller, which also made her seem even slimmer.


    Marcus'' gaze unknowingly drifted to her chest. She had bound herself, but he had already seen the real thing when he had helped her remove the acupuncture needles before.


    He had always kept his distance from women and never spared them much attention. In fact, he was known for his abstinence and indifference.


    Yet, after one nce, he found himself constantly recalling that particr moment.


    Marcus held his fork, but as he resumed eating, he suddenly found the food to be tasteless.


    Natalie had no idea what he was thinking. She was focused on her phone and checking news about the Langleys in Amberton.


    Olivia had mentioned that someone was targeting the Langleys and Langley Group, but for some reason, they hadn''t dealt a fatal blow.


    Victor was ipetent and arrogant, believing that Langley Group''s sess in Amberton was his own achievement. The reality was that it was thanks to the foundation Grace had built in its early years.


    Later on, Grace took Natalie under her wing, teaching her business skills from a young age. As she grew older, she disyed a natural talent for business, prompting Grace to confidently transfer her shares to her. After that, she instructed Natalie to secretly support Langley Group and ensure it wouldn''t copse.


    Before Grace became mentally handicapped due to the ident that saved Natalie, she told her that Victor and Diana were unreliable. Langley Group was her lifelong effort, and as long as those two didn''t destroy thepany, the dividends from the shares alone would allow them to livefortably.


    By transferring the majority of thepany''s share to Natalie, Grace ensured that even if Victor made irrational decisions, Natalie would have the power to overrule him.


    Grace had also said the shares weren''t just a foothold for Natalie to establish herself in thepany. They were also meant as her wedding gift.


    Since the Langleys had be the richest family in Amberton, future marriages would have to inevitably involve business alliances. They would join forces with strong partners rather than dole out "charity" marriages.


    No matter how much a couple loved each other, if they weren''t well-matched in status, then the weaker party would likely suffer after getting married.


    Plus, Grace couldn''t bear to see Natalie suffer.


    Now that Grace''s mental capabilities were that of a six-year-old, she no longer remembered any of these conversations. Her thoughts had be much simpler¡ªwhoever was good-looking, powerful, and capable of protecting Natalie was good enough.


    And among all the potential candidates, she had singled out Marcus.


    While reviewing the report sent by Victor''s assistant, Natalie pondered over Grace''s words.


    At this moment, she sensed something amiss. She suddenly lifted her gaze, only to catch Marcus staring at her before he could avert his gaze elsewhere.


    However, he remained calm and nodded slightly at her. "Mr. Langley, I''m done eating. I''ll have to trouble you to take the lunch boxes back."


    He sounded polite and courteous as he said that. Marcus carefully packed up the tiers and handed the box to Natalie as he stood up.


    "Thanks, I appreciate it," he added.


    Natalie replied, "You''re too polite, Mr. Holden. If you want to thank someone, thank Sheldon. He was the one who asked me to bring this."


    After taking the lunch boxes from him, she spoke indifferently before walking away without hesitation.


    Marcus stood behind, watching her figure disappear into the distance.


    Just as Natalie left, Sheldon suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Mr. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior said that if you like Mr. Langley, you should just go ahead and boldly pursue him."


    Sheldon sighed internally, amazed at how open-minded Charles was despite his age. His support of Marcus breaking off the engagement with Emma was one thing, but to even encourage him in pursuing a young man like Nathaniel?


    How many elders in other elite families would be able to ept and permit such a thing?


    "Mr. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior treats you really well."


    Marcus was at a loss for words. Fortunately, he knew that Nathaniel was actually Natalie. Otherwise, hearing this would have sickened him.


    "Sheldon, are you very free?" Marcus coldly continued, "Since you have nothing to do, how about you go feed the horses?"


    Sheldon immediately waved his hands in a panic. "I''m not free! I''m very busy. Mr. Holden, I''m going to busy myself now!"


    With that, Sheldon dashed off, leaving a sneering Marcus behind.


    Just as he was about to kneel again, Elijah, who had been standing guard in the shadows, suddenly appeared.


    "Mr. Holden, Sheldon isn''t wrong. Women are too troublesome. You might as well pursue Mr. Langley instead. He''s handsome and dashing. He''s even better-looking than Emma. You should really consider what Mr. Holden Senior said."


    Marcus shot a sharp, cold re at Elijah. Noah immediately rushed out, covered Elijah''s mouth, and dragged him away without another word.


    "Please calm down, Mr. Holden. I''ll make sure Elijah keeps his mouth shut."


    Noah smacked Elijah on the back of the head. "Shut up."


    Elijah pouted pitifully, keeping quiet as Noah dragged him away. Although he was the older sibling, his younger brother, Noah, always had himpletely under his control.


    Plus, he couldn''t even fight back. How much more unfair was this going to get?


    Noah and Elijah''s antics were just them nonsensically fooling around, so Marcus didn''t take it to heart.


    Charles had made him kneel in the memorial hall to self-reflect and purify his heart and mind.


    Despite Marcus'' outward obedience, he wasn''t convinced on the inside. His heart was already very calm and clean. He didn''t need to purify it.


    However, the fact that Charles had gotten Sheldon to tell him to pursue Nathaniel... Now that made him feel uneasy.


    Could it be that Charles already knew Nathaniel was actually Natalie in disguise?


    Marcus'' expression darkened slightly. It seemed he needed to find someone to confirm this.


    At 7:00 am the next day, Connie woke Charles up on time and made him drink his herbal medicine.


    Half an hourter, Natalie went upstairs to administer acupuncture on him.


    As Natalie walked down the stairs, she saw Marcus striding in. He emanated a chilly air, and his expression looked dark and stormy.


    Their gazes met, and Marcus''s gaze suddenly became even sharper.

 Chapter 111 Find That Mystery Man

    Marcus'' gaze was cold and piercing as he scanned Natalie from head to toe. It was as if he was trying to see through her.


    Natalie found his reaction odd but remained calm. She hade to Dithoria State solely to treat Charles'' illness. Once her job was done, she nned to leave and never cross paths with this handsome but clearly troubled man again.


    She gave Marcus a slight nod as a greeting. Then, she called Connie to join her as they headed to Charles'' bedroom.


    Connie had already set everything up, and after a good night''s rest, Charles was feeling quite refreshed. When they entered, Charles patted the spot next to him with a smile.


    He asked warmly, "Connie and Nath, did you both sleep wellst night? You two have really worked hard, especially you, Nath. I know this hasn''t been easy for you!"


    Charles chuckled as he praised them. "Connie''s acupuncture technique was amazing. I didn''t feel any pain at all. And before I knew it, the session was over."


    Connie smiled shyly and instinctively nced at Natalie. Since Natalie was disguised as a man, they were not sharing the same room. Connie could not help but wonder how Natalie managed to bind her chest so tightly that it left no trace.


    "We rested well, thank you for asking, Grandpa Charles," Natalie replied as she sat on the bed. "How are you feeling today?"


    "I''m feeling great," Charles said with a sigh of relief. "As long as I stay calm and don''t stress, things should be fine. Marcus told me that in three months, the little tumor near my heart should bepletely cured."


    He sighed again, his expression tinged with nostalgia. "I don''t know how much longer I have, but I''ve lived a good life¡ªeating and drinking well, thoroughly enjoying myself. I really can''tin."


    He continued, "The only thing I regret is not living long enough to see Marcus get married and have kids." Charles nced at Natalie with a meaningful look. "Nath, don''t let Marcus'' polished, unfriendly image fool you. Sure, everyone treats him with respect and calls him Mr. Holden, but he''s had a tough life."


    Natalie raised a skeptical brow. If someone like Marcus, born with every advantage, was suffering, then there probably was not anyone truly struggling in this world.


    Charles seemed to catch her doubt and quickly added, "I don''t mean material hardships. I''m talking about emotional burdens. Sometimes, the higher you stand, the heavier the weight you carry. My precious grandson lives such a disciplined life that he''s practically a monk!"


    Natalie found it hard to believe that Marcus was anything like a monk. After all, the way he had looked at her after being drugged definitely did not feel like the gaze of someone disinterested in such things. Still, she had to admit, his self-control was impressive.


    Charles sighed again and continued, "I have no idea what kind of person Marcus likes, but I did make an interesting discoveryst night."


    He paused, carefully observing Natalie''s reaction. "I saw a maning out of his room."


    Charles leaned in as if sharing a juicy secret. "That man kept his head down, so I couldn''t see his face. When I asked Sheldon about it, he said the man must''ve been someone Marcus snuck in and was hiding in his room!"


    Natalie was left speechless. Charles had put her in a tough spot, and she had no idea how to respond to something like that.


    Charles said earnestly, "Nath, since you''re a man too, I want you to help me keep an eye on Marcus. I need to figure out who this mystery man is!"


    Natalie froze. The man Charles saw leaving Marcus'' roomst night was actually her.


    She took a deep breath and decided toe clean. "Grandpa Charles, the man you saw leaving Marcus'' roomst night was me."


    Charles immediately chuckled as if she had told a joke. "Don''t kid around, Nath. Marcus may not know who you are, but I do. There''s no way it was you! Anyone could''ve been in that brat''s room but definitely not you." "It really was me," Natalie insisted, her expression serious.


    Charles waved her off with augh. "I know you''re trying to cover for Marcus, but you don''t need to go that far."


    Then, as if dismissing the topic entirely, he added, "Anyway, isn''t it time for the acupuncture, Connie?" "Yes, Grandpa Charles," Connie replied, already preparing the tools.


    Charles sighed andy back, pulling on an eye mask to rx. "Nath, make sure you help me find out who Marcus is hiding. I need to know!"


    With that, he closed his eyes and waited for the session to begin.


    Just then, there was a knock at the door, followed by Marcus'' deep,manding voice. "May Ie in?"


    Still wearing his eye mask, Charles answered calmly, "Come in."


    Marcus stepped inside, dressed in a sleek ck lounge set with matching slippers. His cold, stern expression andmanding presence filled the room, making it impossible to ignore him.


    Charles remained rxed, motioning toward Connie. "Connie, you can start now."


    "Yes, Grandpa Charles," Connie replied, pulling out her acupuncture kit. She nced at Natalie, who gave her a slight nod, signaling her to proceed without minding Marcus.


    Natalie focused entirely on the task as she picked up the silver needles, her pale, slender fingers moving gracefully. She ced each needle precisely on the designated points on Charles'' back, twisting them in gently.


    Marcus stood silently, watching her every move. The way her hands worked¡ªcalm, confident, and precise¡ª- made the scene feel less like a medical procedure and more like an elegant performance.


    Soon, Charles'' back was covered with silver needles, and the soothing scent of herbal medicine filled the air. Gentle instrumental music yed softly in the background, adding to the serene atmosphere.


    After finishing, Natalie checked the timer on the table and waited patiently. When the time was up, she carefully removed each needle, then applied a small amount of ointment to Charles'' back using her fingertips. Once the procedure wasplete, Natalie packed up her tools and signaled Connie to handle the cleanup. Then, she stood and gave Marcus a slight nod before leaving the room without saying a word.


    Marcus'' gaze followed her as she walked out. In a much softer tone, he asked, "Grandpa, how are you feeling?"


    Charles, still wearing the eye mask, nodded slightly. "I feel great."


    Marcus exhaled a breath of relief. Given Charles''s age, Marcus had been worried that the three-month acupuncture treatment might be too much for him. However, things seemed to be going well so far. Natalie''s skills were undeniably impressive.


    "Good. Then get some rest," Marcus said. "If you need anything, let me know."


    Charles waved him off. "I don''t need you for that. Sheldon will take care of me. What you should do is take Nath out to explore Dithoria State today."


    "No excuses," Charles added quickly. "Connie will stay here to continue my treatment, but you need to make sure her cousin enjoys his time here. Be a good host."


    "Yes, Grandpa," Marcus finally relented, though his tone was reluctant. He turned to Connie and gave her a polite nod. "Ms. Sterling, thank you for your hard work."


    Connie quickly smiled back. "It''s nothing. I''m just doing my job."


    Without another word, Marcus left the room.


    Meanwhile, Natalie had finished washing her hands after the acupuncture session and was now sitting in the dining room, enjoying a quiet breakfast. Behind her, Sheldon lingered, looking like he wanted to start a conversation but was not sure how.


    Marcus, however, had a storm brewing inside him. He remembered the report Ethan had given himst night, and it changed the way he saw Natalie entirely. The disdain and suspicion from before crept back into his


    expression.


    This woman had dared to disguise herself as a man and appear in front of Charles back in Balford. Charles must have known all along that Nathaniel was actually Natalie, and they had both kept him in the dark.


    If Marcus had not investigated and confronted Ethan, he might have believed Charles had genuinely epted him liking men.

 Chapter 112 Inevitably Entangled

    Perhaps it was the piercingly cold and sharp look in Marcus'' eyes, but Natalie felt an immediate sense of difort. She nced up questioningly, but Marcus turned and walked away without a word before she could say anything.


    Natalie frowned slightly. She could not help but think this man was so unpredictable, as if he was battling some kind of internal storm.


    "Mr. Langley, Mr. Holden Senior asked me to give you this card," Sheldon said, stepping forward and cing a sleek ck card on the table.


    He continued, "There''s no PIN, and it''s linked to Marcus'' ount. All your expenses in Dithoria State can be charged to it."


    Natalie replied politely, "Thank you, but that won''t be necessary. I have my own money, and I don''t really have anything I need to buy."


    "Please take it, Mr. Langley," Sheldon insisted with a pleading look. "If you don''t, I''ll be in big trouble. Mr. Holden Senior made it very clear that if you refused, my career as his butler mighte to an end.


    "Have pity on me¡ªI''ve been with Mr. Holden Senior since I was young. I don''t want to face unemployment at my age. If you really don''t want it, you can return it to Mr. Holden or Mr. Holden Senior yourself."


    Without waiting for Natalie''s response, Sheldon turned and practically sprinted out of the room. His surprising speed belying his age.


    Natalie sighed and looked at the card. She decided to ept it for now and nned to return it to Marcus as soon as possible. After finishing her breakfast, she headed back to her room and called Yvonne Langley, Victor''s assistant.


    Yvonne was a distant rtive from Grace''s side of the family and technically Victor''s distant cousin. She was about the same age as Diana but never acted superior around Natalie.


    When Yvonne picked up, Natalie got straight to the point and asked, "Do you know whichpany has been intercepting Langley Group''s orders recently?"


    Yvonne replied in a hushed tone, "Yes, Ms. Langley. It''s apany called EM Legacy. They focus on cosmetics exports, which shouldn''t conflict with Langley Group''s core business. But for some reason, they''ve been targeting several of our key projects."


    Yvonne paused, then added with frustration, "This morning, Mr. Langley arrived at the office furious, and¡ª well, he brought Selena with him. He made her the project department''s general manager, even though she knows absolutely nothing about the job."


    Natalie''s grip tightened on her phone as Yvonne continued, her voice filled with outrage, "The first thing Selena did was fire both Mandy and Cynthia Olson, the two sisters you personally mentored. Her only reason? She heard they were close to you."


    Yvonne took a deep breath before continuing, clearly upset, "Ms. Langley, Mandy and Cynthia worked so hard to secure their projects. When you were here, you always protected your team. You never let them go to extreme lengths like drinking with clients or doing anything degrading.


    "But now that Selena''s here, everything''s changed. She told Mandy and Cynthia they had to entertain Kenny Winston andn Lambert at dinner. She even threatened that they would lose their jobs if they didn''t ''do it well.""


    Everyone knew that Kenny andn were notorious predators, abusing their power and position to pressure countless women. Sending Mandy and Cynthia to entertain them was nothing short of leadingmbs to the ughter.


    Naturally, Mandy and Cynthia refused. They tried to call Natalie for help, but Victor intervened, iming that Natalie was a fraud and not a true heiress. He reminded everyone that the Langley Group belonged to the Langley family, not the Walkers, and anyone defying Selena''s authority would be fired on the spot.


    Faced with such hostility, the sisters submitted their resignation letters. However,pany policy required a 30-day notice period, which meant they had to endure Selena''s tyranny for another month.


    During that time, they could not avoid her constant humiliation and verbal abuse. While they managed to dodge some of her outrageous demands, other unavoidable work matters left them with no choice but to endure.


    Yvonne sighed and said, "Ms. Langley, Langley Group''s projects have been intercepted, and Mr. Langley is furious. He''s demanding that the team approach the president of EM Legacy to get the projects back.


    "But when EM Legacy''s president told him to confront them directly, Mr. Langley backed off and ordered his staff to demand an apology from them instead."


    Yvonne let out a bitterugh. "Then, Mr. Langley assigned Mandy and Cynthia the impossible task of reiming the stolen projects. He even threatened to cklist them if they failed."


    Natalie listened in stunned silence,pletely at a loss for words. After all, Yvonne, who had worked for Victor for years, was a seasoned professional and someone Grace had personally mentored. She was known for her bnced and pragmatic approach to both work and life.


    The fact that even Yvonne was this exasperated spoke volumes about Victor''s ipetence in handling the situation.


    "And then there''s Selena," Yvonne added with a frustrated sigh. She tried to calm herself before continuing, "Since she arrived, she''s turned the entire project department upside down.


    "She took over your office, threw all your belongings in the trash, and even started openly bringing selecting male escorts to the office."


    Baffled, Natalie asked, "Male escorts? Are you sure?"


    "Yes," Yvonne replied, her voice trembling with frustration. "She''s been bringing in tons of male escorts every day, treating the office like her personal runway. It''s like some kind of reality show where she ys the emperor selecting concubines."


    Natalie''s expression turned colder, and she said tly, "If she wants to pick escorts, let her. As long as it doesn''t disrupt the actual work."


    Yvonne hesitated, her voice wavering as she responded. "That would be fine, but Selena doesn''t stop there. She uses every opportunity to create chaos, either forcing people to quit or transferring them out of the department. The project team has be aplete circus."


    Natalie''s tone hardened. "And Mr. Langley? He''s just letting this happen?"


    Yvonne scoffed bitterly. "He doesn''t care. He keeps saying Selena is his daughter, and since Langley Group will eventually be hers, we should all treat her with respect.


    "He even warned us that if anyone has a problem with Selena, they should leave because no otherpany would dare hire someone who defied the Langley family."


    Taking a deep breath, Yvonne continued, "Ms. Langley, this department was built from the ground up under your leadership. Selena''s actions have been beyond uneptable. Many of us are outraged, but there''s nothing we can do."


    "Ms. Langley, pleasee back as soon as you can," Yvonne pleaded.


    Natalie frowned deeply. "I can''te back for at least three months," she replied firmly.


    Her mind raced as she pieced things together. EM Legacy, thepany intercepting Langley Group''s projects, was likely connected to the Walker family.


    EM Legacy was probably Emma''spany. The name itself reflected Emma''s spoiled, cherished status as the Walker family''s golden child. But knowing Emma, who always maintained an air of understanding while harboring veiled hostility, Natalie doubted she was the one pulling the strings.


    If it was not Emma, then the culprit was likely Sky. This seemed like something Sky would do to retaliate against Victor and Diana on Natalie''s behalf, though it was clear they were not going all-out.


    Natalie guessed Sky''s restraint stemmed from the fact that she held a majority of Langley Group''s shares. If thepany took a severe hit, as itsrgest shareholder, she would inevitably suffer the consequences.

 Chapter 113 No Chance for Resistance or Refusal

    Natalie had to focus on treating Charles, so there was no way she could return to Amberton. However, if Victor and Selena were allowed to continue their reckless behavior, Langley Group would copse from their ipetence, even without outside interference.


    Yvonne had been at Langley Group for many years and was someone Grace had personally mentored. She was loyal to both Langley Group and Natalie.


    Nheless, as Victor''s distant cousin, she could not openly challenge his decisions or criticize his actions¡ª even if she disagreed with them. Her only option was to seek help from Natalie or Grace to step in and rein in Victor and Selena.


    "Ms. Langley, if Mrs. Langley Senior saw how chaotic things have be at thepany, she''d be deeply disappointed and angry," Yvonne said, her voice hushed yet urgent.


    She added, "Everyone at thepany knows that Mr. Langley forced you out of the Langley family, but many senior staff still respect your leadership. Even if you''re not a Langley by blood, you''re still thergest shareholder in Langley Group."


    She pleaded, "Pleasee back, Ms. Langley. Thepany needs you."


    Natalie nced at her watch. "I won''t be able to return for the next three months. Make sure that any major decisions Victor tries to make require an online meeting with the shareholders.


    "I''ll be calling the other shareholders shortly. If he makes another reckless move behind my back, he''ll be removed from his position."


    She continued decisively, "We''ll appoint someone else as chairman. Langley Group is Grandma''s legacy, and I won''t let it fall apart because of Victor."


    Yvonne breathed a small sigh of relief. She hesitated, then asked carefully, "But you really aren''ting back, Ms. Langley?"


    Natalie replied firmly, "I''ll attend the online meetings. If there''s anything urgent at thepany, notify me immediately. As for EM Legacy, I''ll investigate it myself. I n to meet with their representative soon."


    Natalie suspected that Sky was the one behind EM Legacy, but she needed to confirm it.


    "Understood," Yvonne said.


    "And one more thing," Natalie continued, her tone as sharp and cold as ever. "I''m not a Langley anymore, so don''t call me Ms. Langley. From now on, it''s Ms. Walker."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker," Yvonne said.


    "Go ahead and inform all the shareholders. I want an online meeting in one hour."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker," Yvonne agreed before hanging up and hurrying to carry out Natalie''s instructions.


    With that settled, Natalie prepared to use the next hour to track down Sky. Last night at the Walker residence, she had not stayed long and had only exchanged contact information with Mason. To get in touch with Sky, she would need to ask Mason for his number.


    Natalie quickly dialed Mason''s number. "Hey, Mason. I need to get in touch with Sky. Could you send me his number?"


    "No problem," Mason replied easily. "I''ll send it right over. But is there something specific you''re looking for? Maybe I can help you out first."


    "It''s just some business matters," Natalie said, keeping her exnation brief. "Just send me the number, and that''ll do."


    "Sure!" Mason did not press Natalie when she avoided exining further. After hanging up, he sent her Sky''s number, and unexpectedly, transferred her some money.


    Mason texted, "Take it. It''s your allowance from me. I only get 2,000 dors a month as pocket money, so don''t think it''s too little. I''ll give you more once I start working and earning my own money."


    Natalie stared at the 2,000 dors he sent her, feeling a wave of warmth. Mason was still a student, and while the Walker family did not deprive him of materialfort, they did not exactly spoil him with unlimited funds either.


    The older siblings who were already working did not receive allowances anymore, so Mason''s gesture of giving her everything he had spoke volumes about how much she meant to him. She epted the transfer and messaged him back, "Thank you, Mason."


    Mason replied quickly, "Haha, as long as you don''t think it''s too little! I''ll earn more for you soon." Natalie smiled faintly and texted back, "It''s more than enough."


    Growing up, aside from Grace asionally giving her spending money, this was the first time someone else had given her an allowance. For the first time in her life, Natalie felt like having a brother was not so bad after all.


    The amount was not much, but it was significant-something she would remember. After receiving Mason''s allowance, Natalie immediately called Sky.


    The phone rang a few times before Sky picked up, and his cautious voice came through. "Hello? Is this Natalie?"


    Natalie was caught off guard but quickly replied, "Yes, it''s me."


    "I know! I asked Mason for your number yesterday," Sky admitted sheepishly, clearly worried she might not have wanted him to have it. "Nat, I''m d you called me."


    "I need to talk to you about something. Do you have time?" she asked.


    "Of course, anytime," Sky replied almost too quickly. "Where are you? I cane to you."


    "There''s no need. I''ll go to you instead," Natalie said firmly.


    "Sure! Come to the Walker Group headquarters. I''m at the main office on the 73rd floor," Sky said eagerly.


    "Got it," Natalie agreed before hanging up. She grabbed her bag and headed out.


    Since she did not have her own car in Dithoria State, getting around was inconvenient. Hence, she decided to borrow a car from Sheldon.


    As she reached the ground floor, she spotted Marcus standing outside. His expression was icy, and he was on the phone, exuding an intimidating, no-nonsense air.


    From the faint sound of the conversation, someone on the other end of his call seemed to have frustrated him, as he coldly muttered, "Useless."


    Natalie needed to get past him, so she tried to walk around, but the oppressive energy radiating from him made it clear he was in no mood to be disturbed. Even Sheldon and the helpers were keeping their distance, not daring to approach him.


    Yet Natalie was not afraid. She approached him and politely said, "Mr. Holden, could you please move aside?"


    Marcus'' sharp gazended on her, his face dark and frosty. Natalie did not flinch and repeated, "Mr. Holden, could you let me through, please?"


    Marcus ended his call, took a step back, and asked bluntly, "Where are you going?"


    "I have something to take care of," Natalie replied, her tone neutral.


    "Grandpa asked me to show you around," Marcus said tly, sliding his phone into his pocket. "Tell me where you want to go, and I''ll take you."


    "That won''t be necessary," Natalie answered, noticing his sour expression. He made it appear as if she owed him a life-saving debt. "I can manage on my own. I''ll just take a cab."


    Marcus'' tone grew colder. "Ms. Sterling, your cousin, is my grandpa''s savior, and you, Mr. Langley, are quite capable yourself. Naturally, I wouldn''t dare mistreat you."


    Without waiting for her response, Marcus grabbed her wrist firmly. "Let''s go."


    Before Natalie could protest, Marcus pulled her toward his car. He opened the passenger door and practically shoved her inside with a strong push. Without saying a word, he reached over, buckled her seatbelt in one swift motion, and mmed the door shut.


    Then, Marcus walked around to the driver''s side, got in, and started the engine. The car sped off, leaving Natalie no time or opportunity to resist his forceful actions.

 Chapter 114 How You Treat Your Savior

    Marcus mmed on the gas pedal, and the car sped forward. Natalie instinctively gripped the seatbelt and nced at him.


    "Mr. Holden, you seem a little on edge," she remarked in her usual calm, detached tone. It was not a question, just a statement of fact.


    Marcus cast her a cold, sideways nce and stepped on the gas again, making the car elerate even faster. Natalie sighed internally as he thought this moody man was clearly not someone to provoke.


    After a stretch of tense silence, Marcus finally spoke, his sharp profile tight with annoyance. "Where are you heading?"


    "Walker Group headquarters," Natalie replied without further boration.


    Marcus said nothing more and kept driving. The scenery outside the window blurred as they sped past, but Natalie kept her focus on the view.


    She had visited Dithoria State before, but her trips had always been rushed, leaving her no time to appreciate the city. Since there was nothing to say between her and Marcus, she let herself enjoy the passing sights. The silencested until Marcus pulled up in front of the towering Walker Group building. With the press of a button, he unlocked the car doors and leaned back in his seat.


    "I''ll wait here for you and take you sightseeing once you''re done," he said curtly.


    "There''s no need," Natalie replied. "You can take care of your own business. I don''t need an escort."


    Marcus let out a cold, mockingugh. "Grandpa asked me to take good care of you. Surely, you wouldn''t want to make things difficult for me."


    His irritation was palpable. To him, this woman acted as though she did not want to be around him but still managed to manipte situations to get his attention.


    Even Charles''ment about checking the surveince footage at his door seemed like a setup, likely orchestrated by Natalie herself to push them together.


    In Marcus'' view, Charles'' open-minded attitude toward "new ideas" was a thinly veiled attempt to matchmake. In truth, he had figured out that Nathaniel was really Natalie and that this supposed "man" was actually a


    woman.


    After Marcus broke off his engagement to Emma, Charles seemingly decided to shove Natalie into his life instead. For a brief moment, he started to see Natalie in a new light.


    Nheless, Marcus was eventually convinced she was still the same woman he had thought her to be- vain, opportunistic, and willing to feign innocence to climb her way up. To Marcus, Natalie was using her rtionship with Charles to not only humiliate her ex-fianc¨¦ and Selena but also to get close to him.


    What made it worse was that she was Dr. Elim, the one person holding Charles'' life in her hands. For the next three months, he could not afford to offend her, no matter how much she irritated him.


    The more Marcus thought about it, the darker his expression grew. Meanwhile, Natalie was not someone to tolerate unwarranted hostility.


    She was not the type to start trouble, but she certainly would not sit back and take it either. She opened the car door and mmed it shut.


    Through the closed window, she said coldly, "Mr. Holden, if this is such a burden for you, why not simply refuse Mr. Holden Senior? There''s no need for this passive-aggressive attitude. I''ll make it clear to him myself that I don''t need you to show me around, nor do I want you wasting your ''precious'' time."


    She continued, her tone sharp, "If you''re going to begrudgingly do someone a favor, only to throw a tantrum and act like you''re owed something, then don''t bother doing it at all."


    Natalie''s voice dropped a fraction as she delivered her final words. "In three months, once Mr. Holden Senior is healthy, we''ll leave the Holden family. Until then, no matter how ''unhappy'' you are, I suggest you keep it to yourself."


    Without giving Marcus a chance to respond, Natalie turned and walked away, her posture straight and determined. Her calm yet firm demeanor gave no room for argument, leaving Marcus in silence as he stared after her retreating figure.


    To Natalie, there was no debt between them, nor was there a reason for one to act superior to the other. They were equals, in and simple, and she intended to remind him of that every step of the way.


    Marcus froze for a moment, watching Natalie''s retreating figure. Then, with a loud smack of his palm against the steering wheel, the car horn red sharply in the quiet parking area.


    Natalie did not even flinch. Without looking back, she strode confidently into the Walker Group building.


    "Fine with me," Marcus muttered to himself, his jaw clenched as he red at her back. "Well yed, Natalie. This is how you treat the person who''s supposed to be your savior?"


    Marcus let out a bitterugh, his tongue pressing against his mrs as anger simmered under his cool demeanor. Leaning back against the seat, he checked the time on his watch.


    Charles had made it clear that he was to take Natalie on a full tour of Dithoria State''sndmarks and had even given Marcus a few days off for this very purpose.


    Charles'' intentions could not have been more obvious, but there was no way Marcus was going to humor them. Letting out a frustrated scoff, he decided he had no obligation to cater to this vain woman''s whims. Without hesitation, he started the car, turned it around, and drove off in the opposite direction.


    After entering the Walker Group building, Natalie did not head directly upstairs. She took a quickp around the first floor, then left to visit a nearby mall.


    Once there, she made sure to return to her original appearance before heading back to the Walker Group headquarters. As soon as she walked through the front doors again, the receptionist approached her with a bright smile.


    "Excuse me, are you Ms. Natalie Walker?"


    "Yes, that''s me," Natalie replied politely.


    "Right this way, Ms. Walker. Mr. Walker asked me to take you directly to the top floor," the receptionist said, guiding her to the private elevator reserved for the CEO.


    After swiping a keycard, she pressed the button for the 73rd floor. As the elevator ascended, the breathtaking view of Dithoria State unfolded through the spotless ss panels.


    "This ss is specially designed," the receptionist exined, standing to the side. "You can see out from inside, but no one can see in. It''s also bulletproof."


    "Sounds expensive," Natalie remarked casually.


    "It is," the receptionist admitted. She then added with a smile, "But the most expensive one is still the Holden Group building. I hear the president of Holden Group is Ms. Walker''s fianc¨¦."


    Natalie''s lips twitched slightly, but she said nothing.


    The receptionist hesitated, wanting to ask if Natalie was Sky''s biological sister, but she did not dare.


    Natalie''s resemnce to a younger Charlotte was uncanny, and with her sharing the samest name as the Walkers¡ªa name that carried significant weight in Dithoria State-there was little room for doubt.


    The elevator chimed softly as it reached the top floor. When the doors slid open, Sky was already waiting at the entrance.


    "Mr. Walker, Ms. Walker has arrived," the receptionist announced.


    "Thank you. You can head back now," Sky said with a nod.


    "Of course, Mr. Walker."


    The receptionist left, and as soon as the elevator doors closed, Sky''s cool and formal demeanor melted away. He greeted Natalie with a warm smile.


    "Nat, you''re here!" Sky said happily, walking ahead to lead her inside. "I had the team prepare some food when I heard you wereing. I wasn''t sure what you''d like, so I asked them to get a variety of things."


    Sky added as they entered his spacious office, "I also prepared some gifts for you. I can show youter if you''d like."


    Then, his tone softened. "The gifts at home¡ªthey''ve been piling up since your first birthday all the way to your 19th. This year, for your 20th birthday, we can finally celebrate together."


    He guided Natalie into a cozy, private lounge area within his office. The room was neatly arranged with a couch, an assortment of snacks, and drinks. There were evenics and crafting supplies, clearly tailored to appeal to a young woman''s tastes.


    Not knowing what Natalie liked, Sky had tried to match Emma''s preferences, hoping they might ovep. "Sky, I need to ask you something," Natalie said as she sat down, wasting no time. "There''s apany called EM Legacy that''s been intercepting Langley Group''s projects. Does thispany belong to Emma?"

 Chapter 115 As Family, We Have Your Back

    Natalie''s question caught Sky off guard, his expression flickering with surprise. However, he quickly rxed and let out a softugh. "It seems nothing can be kept from you."


    He exined, "You''re right. EM Legacy is under Emma''s name, but since she''s still in school, it''s just a practice project for her. As for the decision to have EM Legacy intercept Langley Group''s projects¡ªthat was entirely my call."


    Sky''s tone turned more serious as he continued, "Nat, we were furious when we found out how Victor and Diana treated you in the Langley family-using you like a pawn and subjecting you to endless abuse."


    He added, "Langley Group may be Amberton''s wealthiestpany, but Victor isn''t apetent businessman. I investigated and found that Langley Group only exists because of Mrs. Langley Senior. She built thatpany, and it survived several crises solely because of her efforts.


    "The shares you hold were given to you by her, making you thergest shareholder in Langley Group. Originally, I wanted to drive the Langley family into bankruptcy, but I held back because of your stake in thepany."


    Sky sighed and leaned back slightly. "Honestly, I was nning to discuss this with you. I didn''t expect you to confront me about it so soon."


    His tone softened as he looked at Natalie with a mix of guilt and affection. "You suffered so much in the Langley family, and none of us knew. Now that you''re back with us, there''s no way we''ll let you be bullied again."


    Sky''s gaze became more earnest as he asked, "Nat, do you want Langley Group to survive?"


    "Langley Group is Grandma''s legacy," Natalie said calmly, reclining on the couch. Her posture was rxed, but her eyes were distant. "I promised her I wouldn''t let anything happen to it."


    Sky nodded in understanding. "Got it. I''ll make sure my people stop targeting Langley Group. But Nat, people like Victor and Diana aren''t worth your protection."


    He added thoughtfully, "From what I''ve seen, Mrs. Langley Senior genuinely cares about you. I''m sure she would support us standing up for you."


    "When Grandma gave me her shares, she said they were my wedding gifts," Natalie replied, her voice softening slightly. "She wanted me to have the security to live well, even after leaving Victor and Diana."


    Her eyes grew misty, though she quickly tried to mask it. Natalie was not one to wear her heart on her sleeve, but when it came to Grace¡ªthe person who loved her the most¡ªit was hard to control her emotions.


    Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Natalie continued, "I owe Victor and Diana nothing, and I certainly owe Selena nothing. But Langley Group is Grandma''s life''s work. She once told me that Victor couldn''t protect it, but as his mother, she couldn''t bear to let him fail."


    Sky nodded solemnly, fully understanding her sentiment. After all, parents, no matter how disappointed they were, often found it hard to let go of their love for their children.


    "Now that I''m here in Dithoria State, there''s not much Victor or Diana can do to touch me," Natalie added, her tone turning sharper. "As for Selena¡ªif she stays out of my way, I''ll let her be. But if she dares to provoke me, I won''t let her off easily."


    Sky leaned forward slightly. "The projects EM Legacy intercepted were handled by my team. I''ll return them to you."


    Natalie smirked and replied, "There''s no need. I''m going to use this situation to remove Victor from his position as president. Even if I''m not there in person, I won''t allow him and Selena to wreak havoc in Langley Group."


    Sky''s expression softened into a proud smile as he ruffled her hair. His tone was warm as he said, "Alright. I''ll support you in whatever you decide to do."


    "Now that Mrs. Langley Senior is staying with us, Victor and Diana have no leverage over you. So go ahead and do what you need to do with confidence," Sky assured her.


    He continued, "Nat, you have a father, a mother, and brothers now. Remember, family is here to have your back. You don''t have to solely rely on Mrs. Langley Senior-you also have us.


    "As your family, we''ll always stand up for you. We won''t waste time reasoning with people like the Langleys."


    Sky''s voice grew colder as he added, "What Victor and Diana did to you was unforgivable. They''re unworthy of being parents. Honestly, when Mom pped all three of themst time, we thought she went too easy on them. They should have been made to beg for your forgiveness."


    Natalie blinked in surprise. She had not known that Charlotte had pped Victor, Diana, and Selena.


    Sky noticed her reaction and could not help but smile as he reached out to ruffle her hair again. Compared to Emma, who was lively, emotional, and relied on the family for everything, Natalie was far moreposed and reserved.


    Natalie always carried a cool and distant expression, even during the DNA test to confirm her identity. At the time, she had treated the family as though they were strangers.


    Seeing her genuinely surprised expression now was unexpected for Sky, who had grown used to her detached demeanor. Deep down, he hoped Natalie would grow closer to the family and depend on them like Emma did, instead of wrapping herself in a protective shell that kept everyone at arm''s length.


    "Nat, whatever you decide to do about Langley Group, I''ll support youpletely," Sky said gently.


    Natalie tilted her head slightly to avoid his hand as he reached out again. Sky froze for a moment before withdrawing his hand with a small, natural smile.


    "Wait here for a second," he said, walking over to his desk. He opened a drawer and pulled out a file folder, which he ced in front of Natalie. "This is my gift to you. Go ahead and open it."


    "Thank you, but it''s unnecessary," Natalie replied after ncing at the folder, declining it immediately.


    "Nat, are you really going to treat me like a stranger?" Sky asked, feigning hurt. "You epted Mason''s gift, so why not mine?"


    "Do you have an issue with me, Nat?" he asked, his tone soft but probing.


    "No, you''ve misunderstood," Natalie replied calmly, standing up.


    She remembered Mason''s warning to be cautious around Sky. Though Sky seemed genuinely affectionate and supportive now, Natalie trusted that Mason would not have warned her for no reason.


    "Sky, I have something to take care of. I''ll be leaving now," she said, stepping toward the door.


    Sky stood up as well and firmly ced the folder into her hands. "This is my gift to you. You have to ept it.


    If you don''t want it, then toss it somewhere, but don''t give it back to me."


    He exhaled softly before continuing. "From the moment we found out about you, your other brothers and I have each been preparing gifts to wee you home. Missing out on your childhood is our fault. But Nat, we truly didn''t know you existed."


    "I know," Natalie muttered quietly, cutting him off. "I didn''t know about you all either."


    Her voice remained steady as she added, "So this isn''t about me¡ªit''s just how things are."

 Chapter 116 His Gifts

    Natalie''s words carried a calm but merciless indifference. After hearing her response, Sky remained silent for a long moment.


    When he finally spoke, a helpless smile touched his lips. Letting out a soft sigh, he chose not to press further.


    Finally, he said, "Nat, I''ll cooperate with you regarding Langley Group. "


    "Alright. Thank you in advance, Sky."


    As Natalie finished speaking, she turned to leave, but Sky quickly offered, "Let me give you a ride."


    "There''s no need, Sky. You''re busy."


    ncing at her wrist, Natalie checked the time on her ssic Patek Philippe women''s watch, a gift from Grace for her 15th birthday.


    On her 16th birthday, Grace''s gift had been saving her life.


    After that, Grace''s birthday presents to her were always mini fruit tarts.


    Grace, with the mind of a six-year-old child, only remembered the tasty and fun things.


    To Natalie, no matter how rare or expensive the Walker family''s gifts to her were, they could neverpare to the love and care Grace had shown her.


    Victor and Diana might have treated her poorly, but Grace''s kindness far outweighed that. Grace had treated her even better than she did Victor, her biological son.


    If the Walker family wanted to take her side by targeting Victor and Diana, Natalie had no objections.


    But Langley Group was Grace''s life work. And Victor, wed as he was, was still Grace''s only son by blood. For Grace''s sake, Natalie couldn''t bring herself to destroy Victor and his familypletely.


    Sky noticed Natalie''s subtle movement as she raised her wrist, his eyes immediately catching sight of her watch.


    "Nat, do you like Patek Philippe watches?" he asked casually.


    Natalie paused for a moment, then smiled faintly, choosing not to answer. "I''m heading out now."


    "Alright, I''ll walk you out," Sky offered.


    He escorted Natalie toward the office door. Just as they reached it, however, his phone began to ring. Sky pulled it out, ncing at the screen. It was a call from Emma.


    He let the phone ring, choosing not to answer. Instead, he continued walking Natalie to the elevator.


    Once they reached it, and she stepped inside, Sky said, "Nat, I won''te down with you. But feel free to stop by anytime. I''ve already spoken to the front desk. Whenever you visit, they''ll swipe you in."


    "Got it. Thanks, Sky."


    Natalie thanked him politely, not bothering to question why he hadn''t taken the call.


    As the elevator doors slid shut, Sky finally pulled out his phone and answered.


    "Hello, Emma," he said.


    "Sky, do you even want me as your sister anymore?" Emma''s voice was thick with emotion, her wordsced with fresh tears. It was clear she had been crying.


    "What are you talking about? Of course, you''re still my sister," Sky replied gently, his tone softening immediately at the sound of her distress.


    "Dad told me you went traveling. How''s it going? Are you having fun?"


    "Sky, I''ve been gone for two days, and you finally think to ask me that? If I hadn''t called you, would you have just forgotten about me?" Emma''s frustration spilled over as her tears returned in full force.


    "Sky, I may have left, but I feel horrible. I''m so scared. What if you all stop wanting me now that you have a real sister?"


    "That''s never going to happen," Sky said firmly, his voice filled with a quiet reassurance. "You''ll always be my most cherished little sister."


    Emma''s sobs gradually subsided. Her voice trembled with uncertainty as she asked, "Really?"


    "Really," Sky confirmed without hesitation.


    He knew Emma was feeling vulnerable, and he did his best tofort her.


    "Emma, don''t overthink it. Even though Nat''s back, you''ll always be Dad and Mom''s daughter and our little sister. Nat isn''t the type to hold grudges. You two will get along just fine."


    "Okay, I understand," Emma replied, her voice a little calmer now.


    "Sky, I''m sorry. These past couple of days, I''ve just been overthinking everything. I want to treat Natalie like my real sister, but I''m scared she won''t ept me."


    "She won''t reject you. Don''t worry about it," Sky assured her patiently. "Once you spend some time with Nat, you''ll see she''s a nice person. And Emma, you''re a good girl, too. The two of you will be fine."


    "I understand. Thank you, Sky," Emma said, her voice finally steadying as if she''d stopped crying. "Sky... do you think I''m being petty?"


    "Not at all. It''s on us for not preparing you beforehand. Finding out so suddenly and feeling like this¡ªanyone would need time to process it," Sky said firmly.


    "Sky, I promise I''ll do my best to get along with Natalie. While I was traveling, I even bought her a gift. But I''m worried she won''t ept it. That''s why I wanted to let you know ahead of time. If she doesn''t, you have to help me convince her, okay?"


    "Alright. Emma, just focus on enjoying yourself while you''re away. And if you run out of money, let me know," Sky agreed easily.


    "Sky, I have enough money," Emma said, finallyughing. "Thank you, Sky. I feel so much better now."


    "Good. Don''t overthink things anymore. You''re on a trip, so have fun and enjoy it. Don''t stress about anything else," Sky said with a warm tone.


    "Okay, I got it. Sky, you take care of yourself, too. Don''t push yourself too hard. Make sure you''re staying healthy while working. And could you say a few good things to Dad and Mom for me?


    "I''m worried they''ll think I''m being immature by running off on a trip to avoid Natalie instead of staying home to get along with her," Emma replied.


    "They won''t think that. Don''t worry," Sky reassured her again.


    "Alright. Thank you, Sky."


    "You don''t have to thank me," Sky replied with a smile.


    "Sky, can I ask you a question?" Emma''s voice sounded nervous, a slight tremor in her words.


    "Go ahead."


    Emma rehearsed the question in her mind several times, but in the end, she couldn''t summon the courage to say it out loud. "Never mind. It''s nothing. Sky, I''m going to keep exploring now."


    "Alright. If you ever feel like asking, just ask me then," Sky said gently, his voice full of patience.


    He''d always had a soft spot for Emma, the little sister he''d practically raised himself. To him, she had always been more endearing than Natalie.


    "Okay! Bye, Sky."


    "Have fun, and call me if you need anything."


    "Got it!"


    Emma''s voice at the end sounded bright again, as though the brief moment of hesitation had never happened. After the call ended, Sky chuckled softly to himself.


    His two younger sisters couldn''t have been more different.


    He had always assumed that Emma, having grown up pampered and adored, would be full of confidence and security.


    Meanwhile, Natalie, who hadn''t grown up in the Walker family, should have been the one eager to ingratiate herself with them.


    After all, Natalie had only recently discovered that her parents and brothers came from a family far more powerful and influential than the Langleys she once knew.


    But the reality was theplete opposite.


    Now, it was Emma who trod carefully, trying to win their approval. And Natalie? She was distant, indifferent, and seemingly uninterested in forming close bonds with them.


    Sky returned to his office, walked behind his desk, and sank into his chair.


    His gaze swept across the room, and that''s when he noticed the folder he had handed Natalie earlier sitting neatly on his desk once again.


    In other words, Natalie hadn''t epted the gift he''d given her.


    The faint smile lingering on Sky''s handsome face instantly disappeared, reced by a deep, somber


    expression.

 Chapter 117 Everyone Recognizes Her

    Sky sat in his executive chair, his expression dark as his displeased gaze lingered on the folder in front of him. Natalie had epted the crystal ball Mason gave her, but the gift he''d carefully prepared? She didn''t want it.


    The difference in how she treated them couldn''t have been more obvious.


    Sky pressed the inte button and called in his secretary, Ka Parham. "Ms. Parham, take this folder to the Walker residence and give it to the housekeeper. Tell him it''s a gift for Emma."


    "Yes, Mr. Walker," Ka replied respectfully, picking up the folder and leaving the room.


    Sky''s fingers tapped lightly on the desk as his gaze shifted to a framed photo sitting nearby.


    In the photo, he and Emma were smiling, a snapshot of a simpler time.


    If his biological sister, Natalie, didn''t want his gift, then he''d give it to Emma, the sister he had cherished and spoiled since they were children.


    After leaving the Walker Group headquarters, Natalie immediately called Yvonne.


    "Hey, Ms. Langley. Notify all the shareholders and have them prepare for a meeting," Natalie instructed.


    "Yes, Ms. Walker. Should I notify Mr. Langleyst?" Yvonne asked respectfully.


    "Yes, notify himst."


    "Understood, Ms. Walker. Also, Ms. Walker, have you found out who''s behind EM Legacy?"


    "Yes, I''ve figured it out. EM Legacy won''t be stealing any more of Langley Group''s orders. As for the orders they''ve already poached, have Mandy and Cynthia follow up on those.


    "Once they recover those orders, ask them if they''d be willing to relocate to Dithoria State to work directly under me."


    She had already made up her mind. Natalie was going to gradually shift the focus of her career to Dithoria State.


    With Grace now living with her in Dithoria State, there was nothing left in Amberton that Natalie couldn''t leave behind.


    "Ms. Walker, are you nning to develop your business in Dithoria State?" Yvonne asked, her surprise evident. "Is thepany going to relocate there?"


    "No. Ms. Langley, keep this under wraps for now. Just discuss it privately with Mandy and Cynthia," Natalie replied simply.


    "Understood, Ms. Walker," Yvonne said.


    After a brief hesitation, she asked cautiously, "Ms. Walker, if Mandy and Cynthia go to Dithoria State to work with you, would I be able to follow you there as well?"


    Compared to working under Victor and Selena, Yvonne much preferred working with Natalie.


    "Aunt Yvonne, you''re almost at retirement age. When you retire, you should just enjoy life. But I appreciate that you''d even considering to help me," Natalie said, her tone softening as she spoke and switching to a more affectionate address.


    Natalie respected Yvonne deeply but was also aware that her absence in Amberton might make life at Langley Group harder for Yvonne.


    Still, Natalie hadn''t forgotten what Yvonne had once confided to her: her dream after retirement was to return to her hometown and open a flower shop.


    Yvonne had always loved flowers of all kinds, but a busy life of work and responsibilities had never given her the time to pursue gardening.


    Retirement, she''d said, would finally allow her to spend her days surrounded by blooms.


    With just two years left until Yvonne''s retirement, Natalie didn''t want to uproot her and force her to start over somewhere unfamiliar at this stage in her life.


    More importantly, Natalie believed that Yvonne''s diligence and years of hard work at Langley Group,bined with the mentorship she''d received from Grace, had secured her ce there.


    Even though Victor was unreliable and Selena could be difficult, Natalie was confident they wouldn''t go out of their way to make trouble for Yvonne.


    "Aunt Yvonne, two years will fly by in the blink of an eye. When you retire, I''ll take you out for a nice meal to celebrate," Natalie said with a smile.


    Yvonne could hear the thoughtfulness in Natalie''s words and nodded, smiling back. "I just wish I were a little younger so I could keep working with you and help you build something great."


    "Don''t even think about it." Natalie chuckled lightly. "You''ve worked hard enough to finally reach retirement and enjoy your pension. Don''t do something crazy like giving that up."


    Yvonne burst outughing at Natalie''s words. When herughter finally subsided, she felt noticeably lighter, and her mood visibly improved.


    "Nattie, you''ve had a tough time all these years too," Yvonne said warmly.


    Hearing Natalie call her "Aunt Yvonne" had softened something in her.


    Deciding to drop the formalities herself, Yvonne addressed her as "Nattie", momentarily setting aside the superior-subordinate dynamic of their work rtionship.


    "Nattie, don''t worry. I''ll keep a close eye on Selena for you while I''m still at thepany."


    "Aunt Yvonne, your happiness and sess at work are what matter most. Everything else isn''t important," Natalie replied, her tone sincere.


    "Alright, I''ll listen to you," Yvonne said. Catching the deeper meaning behind Natalie''s words, she chose not to insist further.


    "I''ll notify the shareholders to prepare for the meeting," Yvonne said with a determined nod.


    "Good," Natalie replied with a smile.


    After the call ended, Natalie found a quiet cafe nearby and rented a private room.


    Taking out her sleek, custom-designedptop from her backpack, she powered it on and logged into her work ount.


    With practiced efficiency, she set up the meeting and sent out invitations for the online conference.


    On her end, everything was ready. Meanwhile, Yvonne had already contacted all the shareholders.


    The shareholders, who had grown increasingly dissatisfied with Victor''s recent actions, didn''t need much persuasion.


    As soon as they heard Natalie was calling for a meeting, they wasted no time logging into their ounts. Within minutes, the virtual conference room began to fill up.


    Once the shareholders joined in from where they were at Langley Group''s conference room, they greeted Natalie warmly before immediately airing their grievances.


    "Ms. Natalie, even though we all know Selena is the real daughter of the Langley family, it was you who helped us weather the crisis years ago. As far as we''re concerned, you''re the only one we recognize as part of the Langley family."


    One of the shareholders, Kevin Zeller, spoke up first. "We''re all people who worked alongside Mrs. Langley Senior to build thispany. But even though we''re the old guard, none of us have ever used our seniority or experience to throw our weight around."


    Another shareholder, Jack Lewis, quickly followed. "Exactly. Ms. Natalie, even though you don''t carry the Langley name anymore and aren''t officially listed as part of the family, all of us still recognize you as one of our own."


    With Kevin and Jack leading the way, the other shareholders soon chimed in, each voicing their support for Natalie.


    ttering remarks and words of indignation on her behalf flowed freely as one shareholder after another spoke up.


    Natalie listened calmly, offering a few words of thanks and reassurance in return. But her focus shifted when she noticed Victor finally entering the meeting roomte, as always.


    Almost immediately after his arrival, Victor called Selena into the meeting room as well.


    The moment Victor stepped into the room, he didn''t hesitate. His tone was sharp and usatory as he began speaking.


    "Natalie, when are you nning to return Mom''s shares to Selena? You''re not even part of the Langley family anymore. How can you justify holding on to my daughter''s shares? Everyone here, let''s be fair, what decent person behaves like this?


    "Natalie lived the life of a wealthy daughter for 20 years, stealing Selena''s rightful ce. And now that we''ve found our real daughter, this fake is still clinging to the shares that belong to Selena.


    "Not only that, but she''s been humiliating and abusing the parents who raised her. Sure, we''re not your biological parents, but we raised you! Doesn''t that make us your foster parents at the very least?"


    Victor''s tirade plunged the meeting room into an ufortable silence.


    There''s an old teaching that said family scandals shouldn''t be aired in public. But Victor and Diana didn''t care


    about that.


    Instead, they openly smeared Natalie''s reputation, painting her as a greedy, ungrateful "fake daughter".


    As for Selena, Victor portrayed her as the helpless, pitiful victim, bullied and suppressed by Natalie.


    In truth, everyone in the room could see through Victor and Diana''s narrative. They weren''t so easily fooled by one-sided usations.


    When Victor finally finished his speech, not a single person in the meeting room spoke up to support him.


    Victor wanted the shareholders to "judge fairly", but they had no interest in getting involved in the Langley family''s messy drama.

 Chapter 118 The Langleys Accuse Her of Kidnapping

    After Victor''s angry tirade, the meeting room fell into a silence so deep you could hear a pin drop.


    On her end of the video call, Natalie sat quietly, her expression calm as she watched Victor''s face twist with rage.


    At one point, Victor still cared about the years they had spent as father and daughter. When he forced her to leave the Langley family, he''d even given her 200 thousand dors.


    The 200 thousand dors might have been a drop in the bucket for the Langleys, but for many ordinary families, it was more than they could earn in a year.


    Back then, Victor had probably felt some lingering guilt or pity toward her. But in such a short time, everything had changed. Victor had be just like Diana and Selena, cold and calcting.


    It was true what people said, nothing changed faster than the human heart.


    Selena, meanwhile, didn''t even need to lift a finger. With Victor taking the lead in attacking Natalie, all she had to do was sit back and watch.


    She sat in her chair with perfect posture, her demeanor calm and poised. An air of superiority radiated from her as she gazed at Natalie, her expression filled with undisguised disgust and contempt.


    With that condescending attitude of hers, it was as if she genuinely believed she was the rightful chairwoman of Langley Group and Grace''s most beloved granddaughter.


    "Mr. Langley, have you finished?"


    Natalie''s voice cut through the tension in the room, calm and unwavering.


    She ignored Selena entirely, her gaze cold and indifferent, exuding an invisible sense of authority and an icy pressure that silenced the room.


    "If you''re done, it''s my turn to speak now. As the head of the project department, when exactly was I removed from my position without my knowledge?


    "Ms. Langley barges into my department, harrasses my team, and causes us to lose projects we had already secured. And you, Mr. Langley, just turn a blind eye?


    "As thergest shareholder of Langley Group, don''t you think you should at least inform me before making major decisions?


    "And regarding Langley Group''s recent financial reports, I believe everyone here has already seen them. Mr. Langley, your poor decisions have caused significant losses for thepany. Shouldn''t you be held ountable for them?"


    One by one, Natalie''s questions cut through the silence, directly cing Victor''s failures on the table for everyone to see.


    Victor might currently hold the title of Langley Group''s CEO, but in apany like this, it wasn''t the title that mattered, it was the shares. And the person holding thergest number of shares wielded the true power.


    "Natalie, stop trying to distract from the issue! The shares in your hands belong to our family¡ªthe Langleys!" At the mention of the shares, Victor''s temper finally erupted.


    Over the past few days, Diana and Selena had relentlessly fed him their grievances andints, slowly but surely erasing the faint traces of guilt he once felt toward Natalie.


    Now, Victor was fully convinced¡ªjust like Diana and Selena¡ªthat Natalie was the root of all their family''s misfortunes.


    If it weren''t for Natalie stirring up trouble, Selena wouldn''t have been stolen by a nurse and sold, forced to endure years of suffering.


    Grace wouldn''t have rejected Selena, instead pouring all her care and protection into Natalie¡ªa fake, an imposter.


    In their minds, everything that had gone wrong in the Langley family¡ªthe broken rtionship, the fractured bonds-was all because of Natalie.


    "You''ve taken advantage of the fact that Mom''s mental capacity is that of a six-year-old and tricked her into giving you all her shares. And when we weren''t paying attention, you even went so far as to hire people to kidnap her! Natalie, you''ve got some nerve and absolutely no shame.


    "Someone like you has no right to be a Langley Group shareholder. Hand over the shares to Selena right now and get out of Langley Group. Otherwise, I''ll make you pay for it."


    Victor''s sharp re swept across the room, briefly resting on the shareholders. He then continued, "As for the decisions I''ve made,e on, running apany isn''t without mistakes.


    "None of you are children. There''s always risk in business, isn''t there? You can''t just celebrate the profits and throw tantrums over the losses.


    "If that''s the way you think, maybe you shouldn''t even be shareholders. Go run your own businesses instead, so I don''t have to break my back for thispany and still end up unappreciated."


    "Exactly!" Selena chimed in, eager to align herself with her father.


    "You just want to make money but don''t want to take on any risk? Then why even bother investing? Maybe my dad should just hand out cash to all of you directly."


    Her words caused the shareholders'' expression to darken immediately. Their faces turned cold, their gazes heavy with disdain and irritation.


    But Selena,pletely oblivious to the change in mood, mistook their silence for shame.


    Believing she''d struck a nerve, she stood up with her chin held high, her lips curling into a smug smile. Her arrogance was on full disy.


    "Gentlemen, my dad works tirelessly for thispany. You should be grateful to him instead ofining. Do you even realize how much he sacrifices?


    "He hardly gets a few hours of sleep because he''s so busy with thepany''s affairs. So what if he made a couple of mistakes or lost a few projects? Langley Group has plenty of other profitable ventures.


    "I think Natalie is just deliberately targeting my dad. She''s unting the shares Grandma gave her, using them to throw her weight around in front of us.


    "But the truth is, she tricked Grandma into giving her those shares. And now, to gain full control of Grandma, she even hired people to kidnap her!"


    "Selena, spreading false usations and ndering someonees with legal consequences," Natalie''s voice was cold and sharp.


    Some people were so foolish that they didn''t even realize it themselves. In truth, Natalie hadn''t even bothered to n any specific moves against Selena.


    Selena''s reckless words were already enough to disgust every shareholder in the room.


    As for Victor, Natalie knew Grace had long since lost all hope in him.


    That was precisely why Grace had transferred her shares to Natalie early on, pleading with her to protect Langley Group and ensure it wouldn''t be ruined under Victor''s leadership.


    "Natalie, what lies am I spreading? What nder? Are you saying I''m not telling the truth? Where is my Grandma right now? Who took her away? Can you honestly say it wasn''t someone acting on your orders?" Selena shot back.


    Leaning forward aggressively, her posture brimming with hostility, Selena continued, "Langley Group belongs to the Langley family. And you, Natalie, what are you?


    "You''re nothing. Just a dog my parents were kind enough to raise. No, you''re worse than a dog. At least a dog knows how to wag its tail in gratitude. But you?


    "You don''t wag your tail. You bite the hand that feeds you! I can''t believe how heartless you are. After my parents spent 20 years raising you, all they got in return was a thankless wolf.


    "Natalie, I''ve already reported you to the authorities. You''re a kidnapper, a criminal who kidnapped my Grandma."


    Selena spat the usation through clenched teeth, emphasizing every word as her re bore into the


    screen.


    When she finished, she leaned back in her chair, exuding arrogance. Her expression was filled with malice, her eyes sharp with a hatred that burned like fire.


    If looks could kill, she would''ve shredded Natalie''s wless, stunning face right then and there.


    After returning to the Langley residence, Diana had spent a small fortune on skincare treatments and cosmetic procedures for Selena, determined to enhance her appearance.


    But no matter how much they spent or how many treatments she underwent, Selena''s face could neverpare to Natalie''s natural beauty.


    Selena''s hatred for Natalie had long since seeped into her very bones.


    Natalie''s project department? That was her pride and joy, wasn''t it? Fine. Selena was determined to destroy all of it. She wanted to ruin every person in that department and dismantle every project Natalie had painstakingly worked to secure.


    Grace didn''t recognize her as a granddaughter? Fine. Since that was the case, Selena would destroy the Langley Group entirely.


    After all, Natalie held the majority of thepany''s shares. If Langley Group went bankrupt, Natalie would suffer the greatest loss.


    If Grace wouldn''t give her recognition, then none of them deserved peace.


    If Selena couldn''t live a good life, then Natalie and Grace shouldn''t even think about living well either.


    "Gentlemen, are you going to side with a kidnapper and go against my dad?"


    Selena''s gaze swept over the shareholders, brimming with disdain as if she were staring at piles of garbage.

 Chapter 119 He Will Teach Her

    Kevin let out a sharpugh, more out of anger than amusement. Rubbing his hands together, he stood up and walked over to Selena.


    "Well, Ms. Langley sure has some nerve, doesn''t she?" he said.


    The room stilled as Kevin raised his hand and pped Selena across the face.


    "Since Mr. Langley doesn''t seem capable of teaching his daughter, I guess I''ll do it for him," Kevin said coldly.


    The smack was loud and crisp, echoing in the tense silence.


    His expression darkened as his sharp, icy gaze locked onto Selena. "Who do you think you are, yelling at us like that?


    "Back when we were helping Mrs. Langley Senior build thispany from scratch, you were still swimming around in amniotic fluid.


    "What''s the matter? Did Diana drink too much alcohol while she was pregnant with you and mess up your brain development? It''s no wonder Mrs. Langley Senior didn''t give you any shares.


    "Look at yourself. Don''t they have mirrors in your house? Or if you don''t have a mirror, surely you can find a puddle somewhere to check your reflection.


    "You have time to doll yourself up beforeing here, but not the self-awareness to see what kind of clown you look like right now?"


    Kevin''s fiery temper had always been well-known. He had been by Grace''s side from the very beginning, even back when Langley Group was just a small, strugglingpany.


    Unlike others who made lofty promises, Grace had always been honest with him. She hadid out the risks clearly, making no guarantees of sess.


    Her integrity and straightforwardness had left asting impression on Kevin, so he decided to throw his lot in with her.


    Over the years, Langley Group had grown from a fledgling business to Amberton''s top corporation. That sess wasn''t just Grace''s, it was the result of the tireless efforts of countless people.


    As the secondrgest shareholder in thepany after Grace, Kevin had earned his ce through hard work and loyalty.


    Over the years, Kevin hadn''t visited Langley Group often, but he had never stopped caring about thepany.


    At his age, he could have retired and enjoyed a quiet, peaceful life, but Langley Group was like a child to him. He was willing to let it grow and thrive on its own, yet he couldn''t resist asionally checking in, just to make sure everything was on the right track.


    A few years ago, when Langley Group faced a major crisis, Grace had arranged a private meeting with Kevin and the other key shareholders.


    To everyone''s surprise, she had brought Natalie with her. It was during that time that Natalie took the lead, working alongside them to steer thepany out of trouble.


    Later, the truth came to light.


    While it seemed as though Victor was running Langley Group, with Grace making decisions behind the scenes, many of thepany''s key strategies and sesses had actuallye from Natalie.


    Grace and Natalie had deliberately kept this a secret, never allowing anyone to give Natalie the credit she deserved.


    Because of this, Victor foolishly believed that Langley Group''s sess was entirely his doing and that thepany had flourished under his management.


    During that private meeting, Grace had been direct with Kevin and the other shareholders.


    She warned them that Langley Group would eventually be ruined if it remained in Victor''s hands. She made it clear that Natalie was the true heir to thepany.


    Grace had instructed them to follow Natalie''s leadership when needed.


    However, if Natalie ever failed to meet their expectations and thepany began to decline, they, as shareholders, had the authority to hold a meeting and appoint someone with real ability to take charge.


    As for Victor, Grace had advised them to treat him as nothing more than a figurehead¡ªa joke, even.


    For the past few years, the shareholders had yed along, ttering Victor on the surface to avoid conflict. But in truth, none of them took him seriously.


    Recently, however, Victor''s behavior had be increasingly erratic.


    He began making unteral decisions, pushing through his ideas without consulting anyone else. Even worse, he kept these actions hidden from the other shareholders.


    It was only after his orders had been carried out that the shareholders learned what had happened.


    Strictly speaking, Victor had been the one to vitepany policies first.


    As for Selena, her position in thepany was entirely arranged by Victor.


    When HR initially raised objections, Victor hadshed out, yelling at them to either do their jobs or leave. After that, no one in HR dared to speak up again.


    Having been shuffled around so much in her life, Selena hadn''t evenpleted her schooling. Forget a college degree, she didn''t even have a middle school diploma.


    Yet Victor dared to appoint her as the general manager of the project department, recing Natalie.


    How could that department possibly function after such a move?


    After finishing his scolding of Selena, Kevin turned his fury on Victor. His finger jabbed sharply in Victor''s direction as his voice thundered through the room.


    "And you, Victor. Are youpletely brainless, or is your head full of crap? Are your eyes stered shut too? What makes you think she has any right to be here at this meeting?


    "And that filthy mouth of hers, running off as if she''s got the authority to say anything. What, are you and your daughterpeting to see who can make the biggest fool of themselves?


    "How could Mrs. Langley Senior have given birth to someone as useless as you? If Langley Group stays in your hands, it wouldn''t take a year for you to run it into the ground, one month would do the job!


    "Victor, right now-this very moment-get your brainless daughter out of here. If you don''t, don''t me me for pping you both into next week.


    "I swear, Mrs. Langley Senior was far too kind to you. That''s the only reason you grew up to be such a waste of space. It''s bad enough that you''re a failure, but you don''t even realize it.


    "And now, here you are, a big useless thing, dragging along a little useless thing, treating thispany like your yground. Do you think Langley Group belongs to you just because it has the Langley name?


    "You''re dead wrong. Since you don''t know how to teach your daughter, I don''t mind stepping in and teaching her myself."


    Victor waspletely stunned. In all his years at Langley Group, no one had ever dared to speak to him like this.


    While he wasn''t the most admired leader, people had always ttered him, treating him as if he were untouchable.


    Selena, too, was frozen in shock after Kevin''s p. She sat there, holding her stinging cheek, unable to react as Kevinunched into his verbal barrage.


    When Victor and Selena finally snapped out of it, their expressions darkened simultaneously.


    Victor, in particr, was trembling with rage. His hand shook as he raised a finger toward Kevin, sputtering, "You... you... you..."


    But despite his anger, he couldn''t string together a single coherent sentence.


    "I what?" Kevin snapped, smacking Victor''s hand down with a sharp p. "Point at me again, and I''ll chop that


    finger off."


    "You hit my dad!" Selena finally found her voice and let out a shrill scream.


    "How dare you hit my dad? Do you even know who my dad is? What gives you the right to hit him?"


    Kevin spat in Selena''s direction, and that glob of spitnded perfectly in her open, screaming mouth.


    And then...


    Selena''s scream cut off abruptly. The room froze in absolute silence.


    Time ticked by, second by second, in deafening stillness.


    It was impossible to say how long itsted, but eventually, Selena was the first to snap out of it.


    She bent over suddenly, gagging and spitting furiously onto the floor. Violent retching followed, and soon enough, she emptied the entire contents of her stomach.


    Everything she''d eaten that morning was now a vile, disgusting mess on the floor, spreading a foul, sour stench throughout the entire conference room.


    Kevin, who hadn''t expected his spit to hit its mark so precisely, froze for a brief moment. A flicker of awkwardness crossed his furious expression, and he didn''t know what to say.


    On the other end of the video call, Natalie silently observed the chaotic scene unfold, her face unreadable. In the conference room, no one dared to speak a word.


    When Selena finally stopped vomiting, she raised her head, her eyes red and watery. Victor, who had been frozen in shock, finally snapped out of his stupor.


    Furious, Victor mmed his hand down on the table with a loud bang. "Kevin, you''ve gone too far!"


    Kevin didn''t deny that the p earlier had been intentional, but even he had to admit-spitting into Selena''s mouth, whether idental or not, was crossing a line.


    Selena might have been insufferable, but at the end of the day, she was still a young woman, and this was humiliating beyond words.


    Still, there was no way Kevin was going to admit he was wrong¡ªnot in front of everyone here.


    So instead, he doubled down, his voice louder and angrier than Victor''s. "Victor, what the hell are you yelling


    for?"

 Chapter 120 The Disguise Falls Apart

    Kevin had been one of Grace''s closest allies when she was building Langley Group from the ground up. Having spent decades at the top, he carried themanding presence of someone deeply ustomed to power.


    To Kevin, Victor was nothing more than an upstart, a junior who wasn''t worth taking seriously.


    Selena and Victor had been the first to speak rudely, and Kevin felt fully justified in teaching them a lesson.


    While he admitted that spitting into Selena''s mouth had been excessive, he wasn''t about to let Victor''s yelling intimidate him.


    Guilt or no guilt, Kevin was determined to assert his authority.


    After all, he was around the same age as Grace, and if Selena could act like a spoiled brat, he could certainly pull rank as an elder.


    "Dad, I don''t want to live anymore!"


    Suddenly, Selena screamed hysterically. Before anyone could react, she bolted toward the window, making as if to jump.


    "Selena!" Victor''s voice cracked as he lunged forward, grabbing her just in time.


    "Selena, don''t do anything foolish!" he shouted, his arms locking tightly around her.


    "Dad, I don''t want to live! Let me die! Just let me die!" Selena wailed, her sobs uncontroble as she struggled against Victor''s grip, desperately trying to throw herself toward the window.


    Victor clung to her as if his life depended on it. His voice trembled with rage as he turned toward Kevin.


    "Kevin, you hurt my daughter! This isn''t over. I''ll make you pay for this!"


    Kevin remained silent.


    The tension in the room was suffocating. The other people in the conference room exchanged uneasy nces, clearly unsure of how to respond.


    Eventually, all eyes turned toward Natalie, still on the video call.


    After a brief pause, Jack hesitated before speaking. "Ms. Natalie, given how things have turned out, do you think we should postpone this meeting for now?"


    Natalie, seated on the other end of the video call, hadn''t anticipated the situation spiraling so far out of control.


    "Let''s adjourn the meeting for now. I''ll make time toe back to Amberton soon," she said, pressing her fingers to her temple in frustration.


    The n had been to stay away for another three months, but clearly, that was no longer an option.


    "Understood. We''ll end the online meeting here and pick up the discussionter."


    Jack exchanged a nce with Kevin, and then with the other shareholders. Without a word, they all seemed to grasp the same unspoken message and moved in unison to intervene.


    They stepped forward, surrounding Victor and Selena, gently but firmly pulling them away from the window to ensure no further chaos could erupt.


    Natalie wasn''t the least bit concerned that Selena would try to kill herself.


    After all, Selena had endured far worse over the years, and now that she''d finally secured thevish life of a wealthy heiress, there was no chance she''d give it all up so easily.


    This was nothing more than a ploy¡ªeither to negotiate terms with Kevin or, more likely, to deal directly with Natalie herself.


    Closing theptop, Natalie exited the meeting.


    She nced at the cup of coffee on the table, now cold and untouched, and downed it in one swift gulp. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she walked out of the cafe.


    The moment she stepped outside, a sleek ck Bentley pulled up to the curb in front of her. The tinted window lowered, revealing Marcus'' tense, stone-faced expression.


    "Get in," he said curtly.


    Natalie frowned, momentarily thrown.


    Hadn''t this young master stormed off in a huff earlier? What was he doing here now, showing up so conveniently?


    "Get in. You can''t park here," Marcus repeated when she didn''t immediately move.


    Natalie cast a nce around, then sighed and opened the car door, slipping into the passenger seat. "Take this." Marcus shoved a box into her hands, his jaw tight as he shifted the car into drive. Natalie stared at the box, baffled. "Wait a second, Mr. Holden. What''s the meaning of this?" "Grandpa ordered me to go shopping with you. If I don''t buy you something, he''ll chew me out when I get back," Marcus said tly, his voice clipped and serious. "When you return to the residence, I trust you''ll know what to say."


    Natalie sat in silence for a moment, still holding the box.


    If Marcus was this reluctant about giving her the gift, she didn''t see the point in forcing the issue.


    He could have simply exined the situation, and she''d have dly cleared things up with Charles herself.


    "Don''t refuse," he said firmly, his piercing gaze flicking toward her for a brief moment as if he could read her every thought.


    "There are more gifts in the back seat," he added.


    Natalie turned her head toward the back seat and was immediately struck by the sight of boxes stacked high, in various sizes and shapes.


    Several of the boxes were unmistakably branded with the iconic NZ logo.


    In other words, Marcus had gone shopping for Nouvelle Zara women''s clothing for her.


    "Mr. Holden, don''t tell me those women''s clothes in the back are meant for me too," she said.


    "Is there a problem?" Marcus'' lips pressed into a tight line. He didn''t look at her, nor did he offer any exnation.


    Natalie inhaled deeply, deciding it was pointless to continue the charade. After all, she was wearing women''s clothing right now, yet Marcus was still addressing her as Mr. Langley.


    The whole "disguise as a man" thing was already blown. There was no fun in dragging it out any further.


    "Mr. Holden, are you done pretending not to know?" she asked bluntly.


    Marcus gave her a sidelong nce. "Isn''t Ms. Walker done pretending too? Dressing as a man must''ve been exhausting."


    As the words left his mouth, his gaze swept over her chest-quick and casual, but deliberate enough to make its point.


    Natalie''s jaw tightened. The memory of Marcus seeing her chest resurfaced, sending a surge of frustration through her.


    It was as if a lump of air had lodged itself in her throat-too stubborn to swallow, yet impossible to expel.


    "Mr. Holden, kindly show some respect," she snapped, her usualposure cracking as she gritted her teeth.


    "What did I do to make Ms. Walker misunderstand me like this?"


    "You¡ª" Natalie''s retort faltered mid-sentence. It wasn''t like she could blurt out that back when she was in her male disguise, Marcus had helped her remove a needle from her chest.


    Seeing her obvious frustration, Marcus'' mood suddenly lightened. Truthfully, he had to admit, this woman was far more stunning in her natural state than in her disguise.


    Her delicate face was a marvel of perfect proportions. Her skin was fair and smooth, translucent like fine porcin or the soft sheen of a freshly peeled egg.


    Her jawline was precise and defined, yet her face shape wasn''t sharp or overly angr. Her almond-shaped eyes were naturally alluring.


    When she lifted her gaze, her dark pupils gleamed like polished obsidian. Framed by thick, curlingshes, her gaze had a maic pull.


    Her nose, straight and refined, lent an elegant symmetry to her face, while her naturally pink, full lips looked soft and inviting, untouched by lipstick yet effortlessly striking.


    Her waist-length, naturally wavy hair tumbled loosely over her shoulders, the rich waves framing her small face and drawing even more attention to her wlessplexion.


    The gentle cascade of hair only served to make her skin appear even fairer, almost glowing under the soft


    light.


    Marcus had seen countless beautiful women in his life, but Natalie was a rare kind-delicately stunning, with an aloof elegance that set her apart.


    She was like a rose with thorns or a rare blossom blooming high in the mountains, breathtakingly beautiful, yet seemingly untouchable.


    There was something about her that drew people in, only for her icy demeanor to make them hesitate.


    Tearing his gaze away from her, Marcus'' right hand instinctively reached for a chocte bar. Without a word, he handed it to Natalie. "Here."


    "Hm?" Natalie nced at him, puzzled. Marcus'' cold, imposing air seemed muted, his presence less stifling


    than usual.


    "You like it, don''t you?" Marcus said, casting her a nce before returning his attention to the road.


    Sheldon had mentioned that when the house staff cleaned Nathaniel''s room, they noticed only the chocte among the snacks had been touched.


    From that, Marcus had deduced that Natalie must have a particr fondness for it.


    With that in mind, he''d deliberately ced a box of choctes in the car before heading out.


    Though he still felt annoyed and resentful that Natalie had used Charles to engineer opportunities to spend time with him, seeing her now, dressed elegantly in her naturally stunning feminine style, he felt...


    Perhaps he could let it slide.


    Natalie took the chocte from his hand but examined it skeptically. "You didn''t poison it, did you?"


    The car came to a sudden halt as Marcus mmed on the brakes, turning sharply toward her.


    This woman... His good intentions were wasted!


    Natalie met his piercing gaze with a raised brow. "What''s with the guilty reaction?"


    Marcus didn''t dignify herment with a response.


    Ungrateful! It was like throwing a bone to a dog who refused to eat. If she wanted to, she should eat it. If not,


    she shouldn''t.


    Before he could say anything, Natalie unwrapped the chocte bar, broke off a piece, and popped it into her


    mouth.


    "It''s good," she said.


    Marcus'' silence deepened.

 Chapter 121 Lets See How Long He Can Pretend

    "Eyes on the road, Mr. Holden."


    Natalie broke off another piece of chocte, letting it melt on her tongue. She loved the velvety smoothness of it.


    Marcus was going to say something. But as he noticed how satisfied Natalie was with the chocte, he remained silent.


    The ck Bentley drove back to Holden Residence. When they were about to arrive, Marcus suddenly stopped driving. "Do you want to dress up as a man again, Ms. Walker?"


    "Huh?" Natalie was slightly taken aback by his words. "You know I''m Nathaniel, so it doesn''t really matter if I dress up as a man or not, right?"


    Instead of replying, Marcus fixed his gaze on her intently. The woman before him was a vision of beauty. Her skin was soft and pale, perfectlyplemented by her long legs. However, she always wore a windbreaker, hiding her wlessly sculpted figure beneath its loose fabric.


    Especially when...


    Marcus thought of the time when he helped Natalie with the needle withdrawal. He quickly shut his eyes, trying to block out the memory.


    "Well, it''s your decision." Marcus started the car and drove to Holden Residence''s main gate straight away. "When is Grandpa Charles'' next acupuncture session?"


    "It''s at 2:00 pm. He has to take his medicine at noon." Natalie got out of the car.


    Hesitating for a moment, she asked Marcus in a low voice, "Is Grandpa Charles aware of the fact that you know I dressed up as a man?"


    Marcus smirked. "Is this some sort of secret you need to keep under wraps?"


    Well, it made sense to Natalie. After all, Ethan was the one who went to her when she first dressed up as a man, and he was Marcus'' assistant. It was only natural for them to know.


    "Why did you keep this from me, Ms. Walker?"


    Marcus was eyeing Natalie closely.


    "I didn''t mean to keep it from you on purpose." Natalie furrowed her brows. After pondering for a while, she decided to exin to Marcus. "I mistook you for Connie at first. You helped me afterward, but I was dressed as a man. It was just... hard to exin then.


    "I wasn''t fully conscious at that time, though. I was wondering, Mr. Holden, if you happened to see anything you weren''t supposed to back then?"


    Natalie was gazing at Marcus as well. She didn''t know why he would mention the rosebud birthmark while threatening her.


    She felt a sense of suffocation as she thought of the birthmark.


    After being silent for a while, Marcus uttered, "I didn''t see anything."


    As if he was worried that Natalie wouldn''t believe in him, he added, "I was focused on saving your life at the time. I was afraid that you''d die if I removed the needle toote. So, all my attention was on the silver needle, and I didn''t notice anything else."


    Natalie nodded, signaling that she believed his words.


    "Okay, then. Let''s just move on from this and never bring it up again."


    "Alright."


    Natalie then entered the vi. Marcus, on the contrary, stood there nkly, watching her as she ascended the stairs.


    "Mr. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior is waiting for you in the dining room," said Sheldon respectfully as he walked up to Marcus, following thetter''s gaze.


    "Okay."


    Marcus went to the dining room.


    Charles was sitting there, making coffee. He even threw pieces of chocte into the coffee.


    When he saw Marcus walking in, he grinned. "You''re here, Marc. Come, sit with me."


    Marcus sat across Charles. "Grandpa."


    "Why the long face?" Charles switched off the coffee machine and poured Marcus a cup. "Are you still mad?


    "It''s my fault for lying to you, but this has nothing to do with Natalie at all. You see, Ethan didn''t tell you right away either, did he?"


    Charles exined patiently to Marcus, "I admit that I was a bit too yful. But if you hadn''t been so harsh on Natalie, she wouldn''t have had to disguise herself as a man just to follow us."


    "Huh?" Marcus sighed. "So I was the one at fault?"


    "I didn''t say that." Charles smiled in response. "I just thought that Natalie has it tough. She must have her reasons for dressing up as a man. It''s not that easy for a youngdy like her, you know?"


    Marcus lowered his head. He didn''tment further when he recalled how Natalie bound her chest.


    "The mark from the p on your face has faded, and Natalie didn''t harm you. There''s no need to wear such a grim expression when you talk to her."


    Charles went on, "I want you to thank her for saving my life, which is why I asked you to bring her out and buy some presents for her.


    "Connie is too timid. She told me everything after I scared her into it. Besides, I knew from the start that Nathaniel was Natalie in disguise, but I didn''t know that she was actually Elim. Now that we know they''re the same person, tell her not to disguise herself as a man again. It''s tough on her."


    After pausing for a quick moment, Charles continued, "Natalie didn''t have a great time growing up in the Langleys. If Grace hadn''t been there to protect her, she might not have made it to 18."


    Charles sighed. "Be good to Natalie, Marcus, at least during these three months she''s treating me. After all, she had transfused blood to Diana for over ten years when she owed the heartless couple nothing.


    "Not to mention that Natalie had no debt to their real daughter, thus Selena''s hatred toward her makes no sense at all."


    Upon hearing Charles'' words, Marcus'' expression softened a little. "Okay, Grandpa. I understand."


    "Great, try to get along with Natalie." Charles beamed. "I promised Grace that I''ll take care of Natalie. I would like to have her as my goddaughter too if possible."


    "You can try asking her about it, Grandpa. I don''t think she''ll reject you."


    "Well, that''s not certain." Charles gave him a meaningful smile. "Feel free to get back to work! Oh, wait. Drink this coffee before you go. It''ll perk you right up."


    Marcus picked up the coffee Charles had brewed, blew on it to cool it down, and sipped it slowly until it was finished.


    He wasn''t sure what Charles had added to the coffee other than chocte. It tasted extremely weird with a nd taste.


    After Marcus had finished the coffee, Charles waved him off in satisfaction.


    Just as Marcus left the dining room, Sheldon immediately went up to Charles. "Mr. Holden Senior, Mr. Holden bought Ms. Walker a lot of clothes from Nouvelle Zara! Many of them were dresses. Other than the clothes, he asked me to purchase some chocte Ms. Walker likes!"


    "Great, he''s finally taken a liking to her." Charles let out a chuckle. "Let''s see how long he can pretend for. Oh, and I added some broth fromst night into his coffee."


    "Are you talking about the broth Emma drugged?" Sheldon eximed.


    Charles nodded. "Yes, but I only added a little. It shouldn''t be a problem."


    Sheldon was still taken aback at what Charles had just said. That day, Emma had decided to take matters into her own hands, pushing Marcus into something that''d be hard for him to back out of.


    Charles had instructed Sheldon to test the broth, and the results showed that the medicinal effects were quite powerful.

 Chapter 122 Marcus Was Drugged Again

    "Sheldon, can you guess how many ps Marc would have to take this time?" Charles chuckled as if he felt no guilt for setting Marcus up.


    Sheldon went speechless. It was just as expected from a grandfather like Charles-he did care for Marcus, though only a little.


    In the guest room on the second floor, Connie requested to stay in the same room as Natalie when she saw how thetter reverted to her usual feminine attire.


    However, Natalie rejected Connie without hesitation, for she disliked living in the same room with others.


    "Ms. Walker, I¡ª"


    "Shush."


    Before Connie could say anything, Natalie cut her off. As she noticed the hint of warning in Natalie''s icy stare, she hurriedly corrected herself.


    "Nat, please. Let me stay with you! I promise I''ll be very quiet. I won''t disturb you."


    "No."


    Still, Natalie rejected her without any second thoughts. "If you have nothing better to do, go brew Mr. Holden Senior his medicine."


    "Nat..."


    "Go."


    Natalie''s voice was cold and authoritative, her delicate face wearing an expression of indifference.


    Immediately, Connie held back from being cheeky. She politely said, "Okay, I''ll go and brew his medicine now."


    After Connie finished her sentence, she went downstairs to make the medicine.


    As Natalie was about to close the door, she saw Marcus walking up the stairs.


    Marcus noticed her too. Before Natalie closed the door, he stepped forward and blocked it. "Wait, I asked the helpers to bring up your presents."


    His deep voice was music to the ears. Marcus turned his body aside, allowing the helpers to bring the boxes he ced in the back seat of his car into Natalie''s room one by one.


    Marcus was standing aside. He tugged his cor lightly as he felt an unknown agitation rising within his body.


    Natalie yielded space for the helpers. When they had ced everything in the room, she stood up to close the door.


    Just then, she saw Marcus pressing a hand to his forehead. His incredibly handsome face was covered with an abnormal flush of redness.


    Natalie''s heart dropped for a second. The unfortunate man before her was drugged again.


    Yet, she didn''t want to stick her nose in.


    After all, it was very clear that Marcus didn''t like her.


    Natalie then turned to close the door, shutting Marcus out.


    Marcus began to feel warmth spreading across his body. It wasn''t as obvious as before, but it still made him realize something.


    He gritted his teeth. "So this is what you call a real grandfather, huh..." he thought.


    Marcus cast an eye on the door Natalie had closed. Before the drug kicked in, he forced himself back to his room.


    As soon as he arrived, he went straight into the bathroom to take a cold shower. Even so, the agitation inside him only grew stronger instead of fading.


    Marcus closed his eyes,ining about Charles inwardly. It was no wonder why Charles put chocte into the coffee, and even after adding it, the coffee still tasted weird.


    So Charles was like another Emma who tried to make him lose his dignity then.


    Fortunately, Charles wasn''t as vicious as Emma since the dosage he added to the coffee was not too much¡ª probably.


    Marcus spent a while in the cold shower. After suppressing his agitation, he changed into loungewear and walked out of the bathroom. Then, he called Charles.


    The call went through, but Charles hung up instantly.


    Marcus scoffed in disbelief. He called Sheldon next as he believed Sheldon was also aware of this situation.


    Sheldon picked up the call within seconds. "Yes, Mr. Holden?"


    "Come to my room, Sheldon. I have something to ask you."


    Before getting a reply, Marcus hung up right after he finished his sentence.


    Sheldon, who was standing in front of Charles, asked, "What do I do now, Mr. Holden Senior? I told you Mr. Holden is a clever man, and he would definitely know you were the one who drugged him."


    "Is it really that hard?" Charles took a sip of water and continued, "Just have Natalie check it out for him."


    He sighed. "I can''t drink any tea ever since I started taking medicine. Gosh, my body feels like it''s missing something."


    "Ah!" Sheldon interrupted.


    "What?" Charles looked at Sheldon in frustration. "You''ve been serving me forever, Sheldon. How could you still not understand what I meant? Do you really think you''re the one Marcus wants to see? He actually wants you to tell me, and have me send Natalie to his room!"


    "Really?" Sheldon responded, though he didn''t believe that was what Marcus meant.


    But if Charles said it, it was settled.


    "Take the antidote to Natalie. Tell her that it''s my request, and she''ll go."


    Charles took out a small packet and handed it to Sheldon. "Since Marcus called off the marriage with Emma, it''s only natural for him to consider other women. Don''t you agree?"


    "Mr. Holden Senior, I still think that both sides have to be on the same page when ites to rtionships. You see, we didn''t ask for Ms. Walker''s opinion. What if she dislikes Mr. Holden? Wouldn''t that make things worse for them?"


    Sheldon still felt like it wasn''t the best thing to do. He had been serving Charles for so long, and their bond went beyond that of just employer and employee. As a result, he could sometimes speak his mind.


    He could tell that whether it was Natalie or Nathaniel, they both kept their distance from Marcus. Charles thought for a moment and spoke, "Ask Marcus to send things to Natalie, then. Oh,e on, Sheldon! I don''t have much time left to live. I just want to see Marc get married and start a family before I''m gone." Charles then let out a sigh. "You know what Marcus'' parents are like. I raised him, and all I wished was for him to be healthy and happy. He''s a good child, but he never really cares about settling down.


    "At first, I was worried that he might not be into women, which would exin why he dislikes Emma. I even thought he might like men, but I didn''t worry too much since Nath was Natalie in disguise. I have to admit, I''m being a bit too cheeky, but I just wanted to see his reaction after knowing Nath was a woman."


    He went on, "And now I know-he''s upset with me!"


    Sheldon remained silent. He recalled how Marcus'' usuallyposed expression instantly darkened when he realized Charles knew Nathaniel''s true identity during the call with Ethan.


    It didn''t really surprise Sheldon when Marcus got upset. Marcus was such a clever man, after all. He could figure out the whole story from the slightest hint.


    Sheldon couldn''t tell what Marcus was thinking because thetter hadn''t exposed Natalie''s disguise as a man before.


    Maybe Marcus was worried that Charles was still oblivious about it. But who could''ve thought that Charles would find out even before he did?


    Hence, Marcus was upset for how Charles and the others had lied to him.


    In this case, Sheldon didn''t know who to me. He was just a butler, after all.


    His mission was to carry out Charles'' and Marcus'' orders. As for the rest, all he could do was to stay out of it and watch the drama unfold.

 Chapter 123 Never Been Slapped So Many Times

    Charles heaved a long sigh. "Sheldon, when Grace asked me to take care of Natalie, it was like I was entrusted to her care. Growing up in the Langleys, she had a difficult time, and I sympathized with her.


    "Besides, Grace told me that with Natalie''s soft and kind nature, the Langleys had always taken advantage of her. She would be relieved if I were there to protect Natalie.


    "But I''m much older than Grace! Just how many more years can I protect Natalie like this? So I thought of having Marcus look after Natalie when I''m gone. The problem is that Marcus only respects me; everyone else is just insignificant to him. However, if he and Natalie fall for each other and get married, wouldn''t everything fall into ce?


    "Still, you do have a point there. They have to be on the same page in this case," Charles agreed.


    He then exhaled deeply. "Even though Natalie was in his room when Emma drugged Marcus, she still pped Marcus. I''ve never once pped Marcus before, and no one else has ever gotten close to him either. But, Natalie did. She pped him, and he never held her ountable for it. So I thought Natalie was somewhat special to Marcus.


    "You see, Natalie was dressed up as a man back then, and she was Nathaniel to the others. I couldn''t say anything about it! I could only wait until Marcus found out for himself. And when he did, he became upset with me. Being a grandpa is tough, you know!"


    Sheldon replied, "Indeed..."


    "Whatever, let''s just leave them be and see how things go!"


    Charles kept away the antidote. "If they''re meant to be, they''ll end up together. If not, they''ll stay single forever!"


    Sheldon remained silent. "His temper is all over the ce, really," he thought.


    "I''m tired, Sheldon."


    "Let me help you get some rest, Mr. Holden Senior."


    At the same time, Marcus had been waiting for a while for Sheldon, but thetter never showed up. Momentster, he called Sheldon again.


    "Why haven''t youe to my room, Sheldon? Are you ignoring my orders?"


    There was a noticeable shift in Marcus'' tone, and he was clearly upset.


    "No, Mr. Holden. I wouldn''t dare to. Mr. Holden Senior was tired, and I was helping him to get some rest," Sheldon replied respectfully and cautiously. "Do you need something from me urgently, Mr. Holden?"


    "Come to my room immediately after you''re done."


    Marcus hung up as soon as he finished the sentence. The agitation he''d just suppressed rose within his body again.


    When he was drugged by Emma, Natalie was the one who had helped him neutralize the effect of the drug. He wasn''t sure if the drug Charles added to the coffee was the same as the drug Emma had used, but the difort was just as bad.


    He might as well just let Natalie help him with it.


    Marcus drank two sses of cold water. After rubbing his temples and gathering hisposure, he walked to Natalie''s room.


    Marcus pressed on the doorbell. Secondster, he heard Natalie''s voice.


    "Who''s there? What''s the matter?"


    "It''s me, Marcus." He paused for a moment, pressing his forehead against the door. "I need your help."


    Natalie saw Marcus through the inte. His condition seemed to be worse now.


    She initially wanted to ignore him, but as she saw the pile of shopping bags and gifts on her couch, she opened the door for him.


    Marcus was leaning against the door. So when Natalie opened it, he toppled inside the room.


    "Watch out!" Natalie subconsciously reached out to steady Marcus. She could feel the intense heat seeping through the fabric and into her fingertips as she touched him.


    "I''m sorry." Marcus tried to steady himself. However, at this moment, the drug''s effect seemed to hit him all at once. His vision became blurry. Secondster, his legs went weak, and he toppled over onto Natalie. Natalie quickly took a step backward and pushed him away,nding a p on Marcus'' face. Marcus'' face jolted to the side from the p. His body hit the carpet hard too. For a moment, the pain snapped him back to his senses. Instantly, he becamepletely flustered. "You''re going too far, Natalie." Natalie crossed her arms, staring coldly at Marcus. "Get out of my room, Marcus, or you''ll get another p from me."


    Marcus let out a sneer in disbelief. "I''ve never had anyone p me over and over like that in my whole life." "Really?" Natalie clenched her teeth, smirking devilishly. "Congrattions, then! You can finally experience it." "Huh?" Before Marcus could react, Natalie stepped forward and gave him another p.


    A crisp, loud p echoed in the room.


    She then said, "Don''t move, I''ll give you the antidote."


    As Marcus was going to strike back, Natalie grabbed his wrist and pressed it to his head.


    Then, she reached for a Nouvelle Zara bag on the couch, took out a silk scarf, and tied Marcus'' hands in a special knot¡ªthe kind that tightened the more he tried to pull away.


    "Wait here while I get the antidote for you."


    Natalie left Marcus on the floor. She turned around, rummaging through her bag for the antidote. She took out two pills from a small bottle and went back to where Marcus was, bringing the pills to his lips.


    "Open your mouth."


    Despite burning with heat, he still obediently opened his mouth. The dark green pill went into his mouth, and an intense sourness hit him like a jolt to the brain.


    The taste of the pill was so strong that Marcus'' eyes welled up with tears uncontrobly.


    Fortunately, his body temperature gradually went down.


    Even so, Marcus still felt ufortable. Natalie stood up and poured him a ss of warm water.


    "Here, drink it. Why do you always get drugged, Marcus?"


    Natalie gave him a straw as she stared at him nkly. "It''ll help neutralize the drug effect."


    Marcus struggled a little, and the silk scarf on his wrist tightened immediately.


    "Stay still," Nataliemanded in a cold voice. "You owe me once again, Marcus."


    "You pped me just now." Marcus gritted his teeth. "Is that how you help people?"


    "Could you keep your head clear if I didn''t p you?" She chuckled and said, "Sorry, I just had to. You were too arrogant just now."


    He even imed no one would dare to p him twice in a row. Well, she did just that. What was he going to do about it?


    "You!" Marcus was irritated, but he decided not to say another word.


    Momentster, he remarked weakly in his deep voice, "I wasn''t in the right state of mind today after being drugged. Forget what I said."


    Now that he thought about it, he did sound very smug when he said that.


    He must have lost his mind then.

 Chapter 124 Selena Causes a Huge Scene

    Natalie was slightly taken aback when Marcus unexpectedly acknowledged his mistake.


    As she noticed how the drug''s effects had fadedpletely, she untied Marcus and helped him up.


    Then, they both went silent. They were at a loss for how to interact suddenly.


    Momentster, Natalie broke the silence.


    "Here, take this."


    Natalie took out a fragrant sachet and handed it to Marcus. "I made this after Victor drugged mest time. This can help prevent powder substances like sedatives."


    "And this, too," Natalie said as she passed the small dark green bottle to him. "Should the drug be in your food or drink and you catch on, take one."


    Marcus silently took the things Natalie handed him. He ced the fragrant sachet near his nose and sniffed. It carried a hint of gardenia''s fragrance,plemented by a faint osmanthus scent.


    "What''s inside?"


    "Herbals," Natalie replied concisely. "You wouldn''t know even if I told you."


    "What are you going to use then, after giving this to me?"


    "You don''t have to worry about me," she responded coldly as she sat on the couch.


    Marcus'' face was pale, and there was a thin film of sweat on his forehead. He mped his lips together, looking up at Natalie from his ce on the carpet.


    This was already the second time.


    It was the second time he was drugged, and Natalie didn''t take the opportunity to seduce him. Instead, she pped him and gave him the antidote.


    Marcus felt a sharp pain the moment he ced his fingers on his cheek, and the corner of his lips twitched a little. Her p was no different fromst time. It was swift, sharp, and merciless.


    On top of that, she felt no guilt at all after pping him.


    But he couldn''t say anything about it, nor could he me her in the slightest. Natalie was expressionless, staring at him indifferently with her arms crossed. Marcus pursed his lips. He took the medicine she gave him and stood up.


    "You can consider the medicine a token of appreciation for your gifts, Mr. Holden."


    Natalie stood up as well. She cast a nce at the boxes on the couch and said, "Thank you for the gifts."


    Marcus didn''t say anything. He gripped the medicine in his hand and gave Natalie a quick nod. Then, he left her room, shutting the door behind him as he left.


    Natalie rested for a while in the room before she opened the gifts. The majority of the clothes were women''s wear from Nouvelle Zara, mostly consisting of dresses.


    There were all sorts of beautiful dresses, and Natalie was the one who had designed them. She measured one of them against herself and realized it fitted her just right.


    She stared at the other dresses on the couch. Most of them were familiar to her, but she never thought that someday, someone would buy them and give them to her as a present.


    And they bought a lot at once. Even if she wore a different dress every day, she wouldn''t repeat a single one in 30 days.


    Marcus seemed to have good taste. The dresses he chose perfectly matched her physique and style. Natalie put away the dresses and went to unbox the other gifts. Inside the remaining boxes were some jewelry pieces.


    Among the jewelry pieces, a lovely silver bracelet stood out. It caught Natalie''s eyes right away.


    There was a tiny crescent dangling on the thin chain with a small white pearl embedded in the sp. It was handcrafted with pure silver.


    The sp had an ingenious design. When the chain was ced into the white pearl, it sped shut automatically with no visible trace of the closure on the outside.


    Natalie cast an eye on the price tag. It was 3000 dors, the cheapest among all the other jewelry pieces.


    She picked up the bracelet and slipped it onto her wrist. She took a photo of it and sent it to Grace with a text that read, "Grandma, is this pretty?"


    Immediately, Grace replied, "Yes, Nattie''s hand is always pretty."


    Natalie chuckled as she typed, "I''m talking about the bracelet, Grandma."


    Grace responded secondster, "The bracelet is pretty, but Nattie''s hand is prettier."


    Natalie''s expression softened a little as she read Grace''s texts. She forwarded the photo to Marcus.


    Having received the gift and liking it so much, it was only polite for her to express her gratitude to him. She texted, "Mr. Holden, thank you for the gift. It''s very beautiful, and I like it a lot."


    Soon, Marcus replied, "You''re wee. You saved my grandpa. I should be the one to thank you."


    Natalie soon closed the chat box with Marcus.


    As she was going to tidy up her things, she received a call.


    It was a call from Kevin Zeller.


    She answered right away. "Yes, Mr. Zeller?"


    "Selena is causing a huge scene at Langley Group, and she said she''s going to jump down from the rooftop! Pleasee back, Ms. Natalie!"


    There was an audible tremor in Kevin''s voice, given his old age.


    "Selena is causing a huge scene?"


    "Yes, she is! Do you remember how I identally spat and it went straight into her mouth during our meeting back then? So she..."


    Kevin was too embarrassed to continue because he knew he was at fault. He never imagined he''d spit so urately.


    Thus, Selena took the opportunity to create amotion in the meeting room, and she persisted. She seized the chance to threaten Kevin, asking him to pass on his shares in thepany to her or she wouldmit suicide.


    Selena was making such a huge fuss, dragging herself across the ground in the meeting room.


    In the end, Kevin called for security. After they yanked Selena away, she ran outside while shrieking and climbed to the rooftop. Her hair was a total mess. With a face full of tears and snot, she screamed and waved her arms frantically, shouting about how she was going to jump off the building.


    Kevin had never seen someone so crazy before. He was so shocked at that time that he almost got a heart attack.


    Seeing the situation escte, the other shareholders immediately excused themselves to avoid getting involved.


    Jack was the only one who stayed. At the same time, he was also scared of Selena who had gone mad that he instinctively grabbed Kevin and ran.


    However, Victor had instructed people to guard the rooftop elevator. He even threatened Kevin that he would kill his entire family and hang them in front of his house if Kevin dared to leave.


    Kevin doubted Victor would dare to do something like that. He was just worried that he had to carry the guilt of a life taken for the rest of his days.


    As Victor was begging for Selena toe back down, she took advantage of the moment, asking Kevin to pass on hispany shares to her aspensation for emotional distress.


    If Kevin refused to, she''d jump off the building.


    Feeling frightened, Kevin retold everything to Natalie in a low voice. After thetter had understood the whole story, she became speechless.


    Selena sure knew how to make the most of an opportunity. Knowing that she couldn''t get Natalie''s shares in thepany yet, she shifted her target to the other shareholders.


    "Selena said she wants to see you, Ms. Natalie. If she doesn''t get to see you, she''ll jump off the building and haunt you in your dream every night."


    Noticing how Natalie had been quiet all this time, Kevin could only deliver Selena''s message once again.


    "She also said that she''ll haunt basically every single person who''s rted and kind to you, especially Mrs. Langley Senior. So, Ms. Natalie, do you think you cane over now?"

 Chapter 125 Natalie Threatens Victor

    After Kevin finished speaking, Natalie, who was on the other end of the phone, chuckled in disbelief. What Kevin had told her earlier really sounded like something Selena would say.


    Selena was sold off numerous times. Thus, she was emotionally resilient. She wouldn''t dwell on minor issues or exhaust herself over them.


    Even if she were the one at fault, she would justify her actions.


    It was hard to reason with people like her because she''d act like a jerk; if someone stooped to her level, she''d escte things to the extreme.


    Sometimes, even the brave were afraid of those who had nothing to lose, which was why Kevin didn''t know how to act in front of a reckless woman like Selena.


    Kevin regretted it so much. Of all the people he could have messed with, why did he choose to mess with such a difficult person like Selena?


    That little spit really had more consequences than he had expected.


    "Please, can you help me think of a way to get out of this, Ms. Natalie? I should be enjoying my old age with dignity now, not caught up in all this trouble."


    Kevin uttered with remorse, "Selena is going to ruin Langley Group''s reputation by causing a scene like this. Is she not afraid of affecting thepany''s share prices?"


    "She has no stake in Langley Group; of course, she''s not afraid of it."


    Feeling troubled, Natalie rubbed her forehead.


    "I''ll send someone to thepany. But before that, I''ll have to discuss it with Grandma. Also, I''ll call Selena and Mr. Langley to stop her from making a scene for now."


    "Thank you, Ms. Natalie. I''m counting on you for this." Kevin continued, "With Selena throwing such a huge tantrum here and Victor refusing to let me leave, it''s honestly pretty frightening. I''ve never seen such a shrew in my life before."


    Natalie was a little upset, but she found it amusing at the same time. Hence, she decided not toment further.


    "I''ll give Victor a call now."


    "Okay."


    As soon as Natalie hung up Kevin''s call, she dialed Victor''s number immediately. There was a long pause after the call was connected, and then a voice came through.


    "Hello, Mr. Langley," Natalie said in a cold voice. "You can tell Selena to stop messing around now."


    "How could you say that, Natalie? Selena was so humiliated that she was on the verge of a mental breakdown. She even wanted to end her life! How could you not be on your family''s side, using Selena of making a fuss?"


    Natalie could hear the anger and disgust in Victor''s voice as he said, "Even though you were upset at how we asked you to leave the Langleys, you shouldn''t go against your sister like this."


    "We cut ties a long time ago, Mr. Langley. I now use ''Walker'' instead of ''Langley'' as myst name. You''re not my father, and Selena isn''t my sister either."


    Natalie went on, "I''m giving you this order as the principal shareholder-control your daughter and put an end to this drama. Don''t try to pull that sympathy act on me, Mr. Langley. I''m giving you an order now, not having a discussion or begging you.


    "If you keep letting Selena stir things up, and it impacts thepany''s stock, I''ll tell Grandma about it and reim the shares you hold."


    Victor''s expression twisted with anger. "You think you can do that, Natalie?"


    "You can try and see if I can, Mr. Langley."


    Natalie''s voice grew icier as she spoke. "Selena was the one being rude at first, and Mr. Zeller only taught her a lesson as an elder. What''s wrong with that? Can''t apany veteran teach a person who bypassed the formal procedures a lesson?"


    She continued, "You as well, Mr. Langley. I''m not done with you yet. You appointed Selena to a high-level position without following the proper channels. Do you really think the wholepany belongs to you? Mr. Langley, don''t make me take things too far."


    Victor was seething with anger upon hearing Natalie''s words. Before he could retort, Natalie spoke again.


    "Forgive me for being frank, Mr. Langley. If you do not wish to let the public know about all the nasty stuff you and Mrs. Langley did, take Selena away now."


    "You!" Victor gasped. Momentster, he gritted his teeth and replied, "Okay, I''ll take Selena away and stop her from messing around. As for the humiliation she received from Kevin, I''m not going to let that slide easily. He mustpensate for Selena''s emotional harm with the shares in his hand.


    "We''ve raised you for 20 years, Natalie, and is this how you repay us? No matter how you put it, Selena is still your sister. How could you help someone else instead of your sister? Gosh, I raised an ungrateful person."


    "Quit fooling yourself, Mr. Langley. Repeating those words doesn''t make them true," Natalie sneered. "You said you''ve raised me for 20 years, really? Wasn''t I just a tool to the family?


    "Do I have to remind you of the times when I almost died while transfusing blood to Diana? In this case, aren''t you and Mrs. Langley the ungrateful ones here?"


    "Natalie, you..."


    Victor was going to reprimand her, but Natalie hung up the call before he could.


    "Oh Natalie, Diana and Selena were right about you¡ªyou''re just an ungrateful snake and a nasty little thing! You should be proud of being the one who had transfused blood to your mother."


    Victor cursed under his breath in frustration. In the end, he was still afraid that Natalie would really make all the things he and Diana did public. Thus, he stepped forward and grabbed Selena, who was still crying and screaming.


    "Enough, Selena. Quit messing around."


    Selena was struggling with all her might. However, out of everyone''s sight, she whispered to Victor, "But Dad, how would I get that old man''spany shares if I don''t cause a scene here? There''s no ''next time'' if I don''t do it now!"


    "Natalie called to threaten me." Victor clenched his teeth furiously. "You can''t mess around here anymore, Selena. Listen, you have to act like you''ve fainted now, and I''ll take you to the hospital. Getting her upset will only bring us trouble."


    Selena was reluctant to give in, but as she caught the faint impatience in Victor''s gaze, she obediently feigned unconsciousness.


    Shouting Selena''s name, Victor carried her in his arms and left the rooftop.


    Kevin and Jack, standing aside and watching, exchanged a nce before leaving the rooftop.


    Meanwhile, in Dithoria, Natalie knocked on Marcus'' door after hanging up the phone.


    He opened the door. "Do you need anything from me?"


    His face was still pale, yet the handprint from the p was much less visible now. Although Natalie had pped him, she still showed a hint of care, giving him some ointment for it.


    Natalie was staring at him. Momentster, she asked hesitantly, "Can you help me, Mr. Holden?"


    Marcus didn''t think that she''de to him for help. "With what?"


    Pursing her lips, Natalie replied, "Mr. Holden, I need you to act as my boyfriend to see my grandma."

 Chapter 126 Pretending to Be Her Boyfriend

    "Huh?" Marcus'' expression darkened immediately after hearing what Natalie had just said.


    "Acting as your boyfriend to see your grandmother?" he rified.


    "Yes." Natalie was furrowing her brows. She honestly didn''t want to do this, but she had thought about it thoroughly just now.


    Her rtionship with the Langleys had fallen apartpletely, and she would never go back to Amberton anymore. She also wasn''t joking when she threatened Victor over the phone.


    It was just that Langley Group was Grace''s lifeblood. Since thergest amount of shares were in Natalie''s hands, the Langleys were hounding her relentlessly. Moreover, if Langley Group continued under Victor''s leadership, it was only a matter of time before it copsed.


    The reason why Grace had always wanted Natalie to marry Marcus wasn''t just to get revenge on Selena and Tyler; she also wanted her to enjoy a worry-free life in the years toe.


    She hoped no one would bully Natalie ever again.


    Hence, if Grace knew how Natalie was dating Marcus, she wouldn''t care so much about the shares.


    Grace''s thinking had be childlike. No matter how much Natalie reasoned with her, Grace didn''t get it and would only stick to her original intentions.


    No one could change her mind, regardless of how hard they tried.


    For instance, after Grace met Marcus, she wanted Natalie to win him over. She was determined to have Natalie marry Marcus, securing her ce in the Holden family.


    And ever since the idea entered Grace''s mind, she was never once swayed.


    Natalie could only y along rather than challenge Grace. However, she couldn''t keep putting this off.


    So, Natalie thought she could make use of this incident-where Selena was causing a huge fuss about how she''dmit suicide¡ªtopletely cut ties with the Langleys.


    The Langleys were after the shares of Grace that Natalie controlled, while Natalie was after Grace''s legal guardianship.


    Natalie knew what Grace was thinking. The shares Grace had given her worked as her final safety. If Natalie married Marcus and stayed in Dithoria, Langley Group''s stakes in Amberton wouldn''t matter much to her.


    Conversely, if something happened to thepany, she would have to take on a greater responsibility.


    Thus, what Natalie had to do now was to bring Marcus to meet Grace, letting her know that Natalie had sessfully captured Marcus'' heart.


    At that point, she would be a part of the Holdens, and Marcus wouldn''t want her to get involved with Langley Group''s problems. As for thepany stakes, they meant nothing to him.


    Natalie only needed a green light from Grace. Then, she could resolve the issues with the Langleys immediately.


    So she came to Marcus, asking him for his help directly.


    "Can you help me with it, Mr. Holden?"


    Marcus'' gaze was filled with doubt as he remained silent for a while. Thus, Natalie said, "I know this seems a bit too irrational, but I can assure you that after we persuade my grandmother and finish the things I nned, I''ll tell her the truth.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Holden. We''re just putting on a show to deceive my grandmother. I won''t let anyone know about this."


    Marcus'' brows were drawn together. Momentster, he asked calmly, "Why do you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend all of a sudden, Ms. Walker?"


    If Marcus remembered correctly, Grace had taken a liking to him from the very beginning. She even wanted Natalie to be his girlfriend.


    At that time, he and Emma were still technically engaged, for they hadn''t called off the marriage.


    Though Grace was aware of it, she still allowed Natalie to insert herself into their rtionship, which was why Marcus didn''t like them initially.


    Then, he found out Natalie was Dr. Elim and requested her to treat Charles. When Marcus was drugged, Natalie didn''t take advantage of his vulnerability. Since then, his attitude toward Natalie changed.


    Despite being upset at how Charles knew Natalie''s disguise as a man, Marcus wasn''t really mad at Natalie. Yet here Natalie was, asking him to pretend to be her boyfriend to deceive Grace. From the outside, Grace appeared to have the cognitive abilities of a six-year-old, but her words and actions could sometimes seem far too mature for a child that age.


    "Grandma gave me a notable portion of Langley Group''s shares." Natalie looked at Marcus sincerely. After all, he had the right to know why she needed his help.


    "The Langleys have been coveting the shares under my name. But I''m not Grandma''s biological granddaughter, so I wanted to get her legal guardianship. That way, Grandma could cut ties with the Langleyspletely.


    "Grandma''s original intention was to back me up, and the shares were my wedding gift as well. Even if I wasn''t a part of the Langleys anymore, I can still live afortable life."


    Natalie paused. She couldn''t bring herself to mention how Grace wanted him to be Natalie''s husband because Grace had liked him a lot.


    She then said hesitantly, "If I want Grandma to believe that I can live well without the shares, I need to bring a boyfriend with me to meet her first."


    "So your future is tied to a man, is it, Ms. Walker?"


    "Of course not. We''re just putting on a show." Natalie furrowed her brows. "Just tell me if you''re willing to help or not!"


    The corner of Marcus'' lips twitched a little. The woman before him sounded like she was asking for his help, but to be fair, she was very forceful about it.


    "Sure, I can help."


    Marcus agreed to help. "Just let me know when you''d like to meet Mrs. Langley Senior. But if we were to act as a couple, do you think you have to go with a different style?"


    "Huh?" Natalie nced at the outfit she was wearing. "What''s with my style?"


    Rubbing his brows, Marcus replied, "We look like a pair of good friends instead of a couple when we walk together. Do you think Mrs. Langley Senior would believe us? Since we''re a couple, don''t you think we should dress alike?"


    Natalie was speechless. He wasn''t insulting her, was he?


    "When will you see Mrs. Langley Senior, Ms. Walker?"


    "Around 10:00 pm, after I finish the acupuncture session for Grandpa Charles. I''ll bring you to meet my Grandma."


    "Okay."


    "Alright, it''s settled then."


    "Yep."


    Aftering to an agreement, Natalie turned around and went back to her room.


    Marcus, too, went back to his room. He went to the desk and sat down, then had Ethan investigate everything about Natalie''s life, from childhood to the present.


    After looking into it, Ethan couldn''t help but feel sympathy for Natalie.


    There was a long list of detailed blood transfusion history, one time after another. It felt as though they were transfusing not blood, but the life of young Natalie.


    Marcus was shocked after reading the records. Amidst his shock, he began to have doubts.


    Grace was injured when she tried to save the 16-year-old Natalie. Why didn''t she stop Victor and Diana from transfusing Natalie''s blood before then?


    Didn''t Grace love Natalie the most? Besides, the Langleys were rich. If Diana needed a blood transfusion, they could always pay for it.


    Moreover, blood transfusions were prohibited between immediate family members, but Natalie had been transfusing blood to Diana ever since she was a kid. This meant that not only did Victor and Diana know that Natalie wasn''t their biological daughter, but Grace must have also known it.

 Chapter 127 Marcus Suspects Grace

    Marcus was flipping through the pages, reading the documents before him. Natalie''s life experiences were simple. She went to school, became an intern, and transfused blood to Diana. That was all.


    There were no records regarding how she became Dr. Elim, though. Ethan looked into it but couldn''t find anything.


    The document also contained a collection of Natalie''s photos throughout her life. Even as a child, Natalie was already a stunning beauty. Her smooth and fair skinplemented her attractive facial features. However, she bore no resemnce to Victor or Diana. Thus, naturally, she didn''t look like Grace either.


    Natalie''s appearance didn''t change much after turning 20. She just became more distant.


    She barely had smiled as a child, and as an adult now, she hardly ever did anymore.


    Grace was the household leader in the Langleys. She was also the person who loved Natalie the most, as written in the document. Hence, she must have treated Natalie well, both materially and emotionally. But when it came to how Victor and Diana had Natalie to transfuse her blood, Grace was tolerant of it.


    Marcus couldn''t understand at all.


    If Grace had cherished Natalie that much, why would she let such a young kid transfuse her blood? Didn''t she know it was dangerous for a child?


    The hospital, too, would have informed them of all the risks involved. Aside from Victor and Diana, why would Grace still agree to it after knowing the risks?


    Natalie didn''t know as a child, but as she got older, wouldn''t she have fought back?


    Marcus put the documents away. After pondering for a long while, he decided to meet Grace with Natalie first.


    He had to figure out whether Natalie''s request for him was her ying hard to get or if, as she imed, it was just to reassure Grace and break ties with the Langleys with the shares in exchange for Grace''s legal guardianship.


    After Natalie returned to her room, she gave Mason a call. Among the Walkers, Mason was the only person she could somewhat trust.


    "Hi, Natalie!" Mason''s cheerful voice came through the phone. "You finally called me! I bought some snacks for you, but I don''t know where you''re staying now."


    "Mason, can you bring Grandma to Nouvelle Zara Boutique in the city center at 10:00 pm?"


    "Sure, I''ll bring her there tonight," Mason agreed immediately without asking for the reason.


    "Oh, right, Natalie, let me update you on something. Hector brought Mrs. Langley Senior to the hospital for a whole-body checkup, and the doctor said she was very healthy. She could live on for another ten years if properly cared for.


    "Hector and Timothy really wanted to catch up with you and take you out for a day of fun, but they were worried that you might reject them. Should I bring them over as well tonight? We can have a small gathering then."


    "Maybe sometimeter?" Without any hesitation, Natalie rejected his suggestion. "I have something to take care of tonight, though. I''ll get in touch when I''m free."


    "I''ll create a group chat for you to join, okay? Don''t worry, I won''t add Sky, Dad, and Mom into it. Lincoln is a nice person as well. I can vouch for that! He was just busy on set, so he couldn''te to see you."


    "Sure thing, you can go ahead then!"


    Although Natalie agreed to join the group chat, she didn''t n to talk in it. After all, with five brothers in the Walkers, Emma, William, and Charlotte, they could create multiple group chats.


    As soon as Mason hung up the call, he created the group chat immediately and added Natalie to it.


    Mason: "Let''s wee our prettiest, kindest, and most wonderful sister in the world!"


    Hector: "Hi, Nat!"


    Hector: "I sent you some allowance on Venmo."


    Timothy: "Wee to the chat, Nat. I gave you some allowance on Venmo as well."


    Natalie appreciated their kindness and expressed her gratitude in the group chat.


    Since Hector was a doctor, Natalie then thanked him for bringing Grace to get a body checkup.


    Natalie: "Thank you for the allowances! Also, thank you for bringing my grandma to the hospital, Hector. I''ll treat you guys to a meal someday."


    Timothy: "Do you y games, Natalie? I can y with you!"


    Natalie: "I''ve been quite busy recently, though."


    Timothy: "No worries. If you feel like ying anytime, let me know, and I''ll y with you."


    Natalie: "I will. Thank you, Hector."


    Hector: "When will you move back home, Nat? It''s okay if you don''t feel like it, though. I have a few other properties. Pick whichever you like, I''ll give it to you!"


    Hector: "They''re all new houses and haven''t been renovated yet. I''ll hire a professional designer to customize it for you, okay?"


    Seeing how Hector had started to offer gifts, Timothy quickly replied in the group chat.


    Timothy: "Natalie, I have a few sports cars I haven''t driven before. You can pick one you like! I can buy one for you if none of them catches your eye. Just let me know which car you''d like."


    Mason: "Don''t hold back with Hector and Timothy, Natalie. They''re loaded, so let''s just mooch off them from now on."


    Then, Mason sent a bunch of smug stickers into the group chat.


    Hector: "No spamming allowed, Mason."


    Mason replied with another sticker with "Sorry, my bad!" written on it.


    Hector: "...It''s fine."


    Natalie silently watched as they chatted. Lincoln was the only one who hadn''t replied. She heard that he was filming on set, so she wasn''t sure how long it would take for him to see the messages.


    Lincoln was the only one Natalie hadn''t met in the Walkers. She wondered if he would be easy to get along with.


    After replying with an emoji in the group chat, Natalie didn''t bother checking the messages anymore.


    She hung up all the clothes Marcus had gifted her into the closet. Initially, she didn''t n to hang them all up. Upon realizing that she would be staying in Holden Residence for three months, she might as well tidy them


    up.


    Marcus subtly suggested that she wasn''t feminine enough to say they looked like good friends walking together.


    Natalie didn''t care what others thought of her. However, if she still dressed in a gender-neutral style after she had a boyfriend, Grace would surely nag her.


    Hence, she epted Marcus'' suggestion.


    She went through everything in her closet and picked out a white fitted dress atst.


    She changed into the dress and let her long hair cascade down her back. Then, she went to the vanity and put on a light makeup.


    With her natural beauty, she looked stunning even without makeup on. But once she applied makeup, she was absolutely radiant.


    After finishing her makeup, she took out a pair of white heels in size six, which were just the right fit for her.


    Once she got all dolled up, Natalie looked at herself in the mirror. Then, she took a selfie and sent it to Marcus, followed by a short text. "Do I look okay, Mr. Holden?"

 Chapter 128 Marcus Suspicion of Grace

    After sending the message, Natalie felt a sense of unease. She had never done anything like this before and had no idea how Marcus would react. However, she couldn''t skip the step of practicing with him in advance.


    Grace might have the mentality of a six-year-old, but she had watched countless movies and TV shows. She could easily distinguish between real and fake interactions between the male and female leads, and nothing escaped her sharp eyes.


    Natalie had suggested to Sarah that Grace should watch fewer romantic dramas. However, with limited activities in the nursing home, TV was one of the few forms of entertainment avable to her.


    Grace had never been fond of ying cards, and after her injury, she avoided such activities altogether. Without much else to do, she often sat alone, appearing especially pitiful.


    Sarah couldn''t bear it, so she spent more time with her and gave in to Grace''s love for TV.


    Natalie brought up the matter on several asions, but Sarah always sided with Grace. Eventually, Natalie stopped saying anything. After all, she was swamped and didn''t have enough time to keep Gracepany herself.


    As a result, Grace had developed a keen eye for romantic rtionships.


    Natalie worried Marcus might misunderstand her intentions, but she had no choice. After sending the message, she waited anxiously. It was a while before Marcus finally replied, "Sure, it looks beautiful."


    Only then did Natalie breathe a sigh of relief. As long as Marcus approved, she probably wouldn''t slip up in front of Grace.


    At that moment, Marcus was seated at his desk, holding his phone and staring at the photo of Natalie in a white dress.


    Gone were the loose ck windbreaker and sweatpants. Her slender, perfectly proportioned figure was on full disy, and her fair skin seemed to glow. He had noticed scars on her arms before, but they were invisible in this photo, likely covered with makeup.


    The hem of the dress reached her knees, revealing her delicate, graceful legs. The white heels entuated her figure, giving her an even taller and more elegant appearance. Her naturally exquisite features were enhanced with light makeup, while her deep, mesmerizing eyes were framed by curledshes, adding a touch of irresistible charm.


    Compared to her previously somber ck attire, Natalie in this white dress radiated a vibrant, feminine charm. The dresses Marcus had sent her were all personally selected. Despite his anger at Charles and Natalie for keeping him in the dark and making him feel like a fool, he couldn''t help but think of the hardships Natalie had endured at Diana''s hands.


    Without really thinking, he bought her many dresses.


    He had roughly estimated her size after their physical interactions, and surprisingly, the clothes fit her perfectly. Marcus didn''t just pick white dresses; he chose various styles and colors. With her fair skin and stunning looks, Natalie would look beautiful in anything.


    Marcus closed his eyes, trying not to look at her photo. The more he looked, the harder it was to suppress the memory of the day he had helped her remove the needle.


    He shouldn''t think about it. The more he did, the more he felt like a perverse old man with shameful thoughts.


    Marcus took a deep breath, exhaling the frustration building inside him. Annoyed, he stood up and walked over to the window, staring out into the distance. Despite having taken the medicine, the restlessness in his body lingered, and instead of subsiding, it seemed to intensify with each passing moment.


    He decided he should just forget about it. Tonight, he would go with Natalie to see Grace and try to think of himself as nothing more than a tool for the job.


    At 7:00 pm, Natalie had dinner with Connie, Marcus, and Charles. Afterward, they rested for half an hour while Charles took his medicine. Once he finished, they waited another half hour before Natalie began his acupuncture session.


    Familiar with the process by now, Natalie finished the session smoothly, and Charles fell asleep soon after. She carefully removed the needles and left the room.


    Marcus had changed his outfit and was waiting for her. When Natalie first saw him, she froze for a moment.


    The Marcus she knew always wore perfectly tailored ck suits. His hair was meticulously styled, and his expression was cold and distant, giving off an intimidating aura.


    However, he wore a white hoodie, ck casual pants, and white sneakers tonight. His hair was casuallybed back, and the usual oppressive air of authority he carried during the day was reced by the warm charm of a handsome, approachable neighborhood guy.


    With a face like his, he could make any outfit look effortlessly stunning.


    When he saw Natalie''s dazed expression, Marcus raised an eyebrow. "What are you staring at?"


    His voice jolted her back to reality. She shook her head quickly. "It''s nothing."


    Then, she quickly added, "Mr. Holden, please wait for me a moment."


    "Alright," he replied, feeling slightly amused.


    Natalie returned to her room and reappeared shortly after, wearing the dress and heels she had tried on earlier that day. While she typically dressed casually and understatedly, she was no stranger to high heels.


    In fact, when she walked in them, her every step exuded confidence and power, giving her the air of a queen.


    Natalie carried a bag that wasn''t the usual canvas one she often used, but thetest Chave Levon bucket bag that Marcus had gifted to her.


    Although Marcus had seen a photo of Natalie wearing the dress earlier in the day, seeing her in person still surprised him.


    She was even more stunning in person. As she walked toward him in her heels, she emanated a lively, graceful air.


    When she reached him, Natalie shed a sweet smile at Marcus, one she had practiced in front of the mirror. After all, a woman in love always wore that sugary, contented smile, surrounded by a halo of pink, bubbly happiness. At least, that was what Grace had said.


    If Natalie wanted to fool Grace, she needed to show that same blissful, sweet aura.


    "Mr. Holden, do I look alright?" Natalie asked, offering him another bright smile. When she set her mind on something, she always strove for perfection. Even if it were just pretending to be in love, she would go all in to make it as convincing as possible.


    Marcus blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her smile. The Natalie who once cloaked herself in dark, somber tones now shone like a bright star, and the striking contrast left him unexpectedly taken aback.


    "Yes, you look fine."


    Marcus snapped out of his surprise. "Let''s go."


    "Okay."


    Natalie followed Marcus to the car, where Elijah was behind the wheel. He had always been blunt and unkind


    to Cassie and Selena, but to her surprise, Elijah greeted her with a respectful smile. "Good evening, Ms. Walker. You look stunning today."


    He was careful not to add anything about how well she and Marcus matched as he didn''t want to risk any


    reprimands.


    "Drive," Marcus said coldly.


    Elijah quickly dropped his smile. "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    At exactly 10:00 pm, Marcus and Natalie arrived at the Nouvelle Zara Boutique in Dithoria.


    Mason had already arrived with Grace, who was sipping on bubble tea while browsing the clothes in the store.


    "Grandma, Mason," Natalie called out when she spotted them.


    Grace''s face lit up with joy as she turned at the sound of her name. "Nattie, you''re here!"


    She hurried over to Natalie, spinning her around to inspect her from every angle. Then, her gaze shifted to Marcus, who stood just behind her.


    "Marcus, you''re here too! You two are wearing matching outfits!" Grace eximed, beaming with joy.


    Suddenly, she covered her mouth as if realizing something, then pulled Natalie aside. Leaning in, she whispered mischievously, "Nattie, did you finally win Marcus over?"


    Natalie nced at Marcus. His dark eyes were locked on them, but instead of looking at her, his intense gaze was focused on Grace.

 Chapter 129 What He Talked About with Grace

    Natalie couldn''t ignore Marcus'' intense gaze. She walked over to him with a frown. "Mr. Holden¡ª" "Natalie," Marcus interrupted her. His eyes silently reminded her of their current roles.


    He was her boyfriend now, and "Mr. Holden" wasn''t an appropriate address.


    Natalie reacted quickly and immediately corrected herself, "Marcus."


    Marcus responded smoothly with a hum.


    Though the new dynamic felt unnatural, Natalie knew she had to y along. Since Marcus had agreed to help, she couldn''t let the opportunity slip away.


    "Why are you staring at my grandmother like that?" she asked, her tone curious.


    "I''d like to chat with her. Would that be alright?" Marcus replied, his lips curling into a smile that carried a hint of warmth and indulgence.


    "Nattie, why don''t you pick out a few outfits for Grandma? I''ll keep herpany," he added casually.


    Natalie found his suggestion odd, but Marcus guided her toward the sales assistant before she could respond. "Show my girlfriend around," Marcus instructed.


    "Of course, sir," the sales assistant replied enthusiastically, unaware that Natalie was actually the owner of the Nouvelle Zara brand.


    As the assistant led Natalie away to browse thetest designs, Marcus made his way to Grace. He sat beside her and said, "Grandma Grace, do you remember me? I''m Marcus. My grandfather was your godbrother¡ª Charles Holden. Does that ring a bell?"


    Taking out his phone, Marcus disyed a picture of his grandfather.


    Grace squinted at the screen, then burst into heartyughter, pping her hands in delight. "Oh, yes! I remember! That''s my godbrother-Charles! This was him when he was young. Charles was so handsome back then. You look a lot like him."


    Marcus put his phone away and nodded slightly. "Grandma Grace, I''m with Nattie now. I''m her boyfriend." "Really? Nattie didn''t tell me!" Grace eximed.


    "It''s true," Marcus said, smiling slightly. "Are you happy about it?"


    Grace''s grin stretched wide. "Happy? Of course, I''m overjoyed! I always hoped Nattie would marry you. Now that you''re her boyfriend, it''s perfect!"


    "Nattie also told me that you''re the one who loves and protects her the most. While the Langleys don''t care about her, you''ve always been the one to cherish and shield her," Marcus said, bing more probing. "But if you love her so much, why did you let Victor and Diana treat her like a blood bank?"


    "Ah!" Grace froze, her expression nk as if she couldn''tprehend what he had just said.


    "Were the Langleys so bankrupt that Mrs. Langley couldn''t donate a little of her own blood? Did they really have to rely on Natalie instead?"


    Marcus''s deep, maic voice carried a chilling edge, and his sharp, hawk-like gaze bore into Grace, leaving no room for escape. "And the shares you gave Natalie¡ªwas that truly for her benefit?"


    Grace remained frozen, staring nkly as Marcus''s piercing gaze stayed locked on her, scrutinizing every subtle change in her expression.


    "The shares are for Nattie as a wedding gift..." Grace stammered.


    Suddenly, she grabbed Marcus''s hand, her expression twisting with fear. "What do you mean by ''blood bank''? Who''s using my Nattie as a blood bank? I''ll fight them to the death! I''ll fight them! You''re Nattie''s boyfriend; you should protect her! Protect her!"


    Grace''s emotions spiraled out of control. Her sudden outburst startled Natalie, who rushed over upon hearing themotion.


    "Grandma, what''s wrong?"


    Natalie wrapped her arms around the distressed Grace and then turned to Marcus. "What did you say to her?"


    "Nothing," Marcus replied indifferently. "We were just chatting about your childhood memories. I''m not sure why Grandma Grace suddenly got so worked up."


    "Really?"


    Natalie clearly didn''t believe him, but Marcus''s detached demeanor made it obvious he wasn''t in the mood to lie.


    Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Ms. Walker, are you doubting me?"


    All he did was test Grace, nothing more.


    "Nattie, Nattie!" Grace cried out, clinging to Natalie with an intensity that almost stole her breath away. "Grandma, it''s okay. I''m here. I''m fine; don''t worry," Natalie reassured her, gently holding her. "I''ve grown up. I can take care of myself now. Besides, I have a boyfriend now, and he''s Marcus!"


    As Grace settled down, Natalie quickly pulled Marcus toward her.


    "Yes, I''m Nattie''s boyfriend," Marcus said.


    His dark, intense eyes were like a bottomless pit-calm, mysterious, yet radiating an undeniable danger.


    Despite hisposed tone, Grace shrank back, hiding behind Natalie. "Nattie, I''m scared."


    Natalie frowned in confusion. She looked at Marcus, silently questioning what he had said to make her grandmother so fearful. Grace had always beenpletely fond of Marcus before.


    Marcus smirked. It was ironic. Even with the mental capacity of a six-year-old, Grace could still recognize that the idea of being used as a "blood bank" was terrifying. She knew it was something worth fighting against, and she had asked him to protect Natalie.


    Yet, when Natalie was younger, Grace was far from having the mentality of a child.


    "Grandma, are you afraid of Marcus?" Natalie asked softly, guiding her away from Marcus''s gaze.


    Once they were out of sight, Natalie lowered her voice. "It''s okay now. Marcus is gone for a moment. You don''t have to be scared. Tell me, what did Marcus say to you?"


    Grace looked around nervously, as though she feared someone might be listening.


    Natalie felt her heart sink. This wasn''t the reaction she had expected. She had never imagined Grace would be afraid of Marcus. If that was the case, her entire n might be in jeopardy.


    "Grandma, didn''t you always like Marcus?" she asked, trying to reassure Grace. "You even told me to be his girlfriend and marry him. Don''t you remember?"


    She gently patted Grace''s shoulder, speaking to her in a calm, reassuring tone, like she had so many times before when she was younger.


    "Do you think Marcus will hurt me, Nattie?" Grace clutched Natalie''s hand tightly, her eyes darting nervously around. "Will he hurt you?"


    "No, Grandma. Marcus may seem cold, but he''s very good to me," Natalie replied, forcing a bright smile.


    It was a smile so sweet and genuine that it felt almost out of ce¡ªa smile she hadn''t given much since her time with the Langley family or since Grace had gotten hurt protecting her.


    Seeing her smile, Grace seemed to calm down. She held Natalie''s hands tightly and stared at her, studying her face intently.


    "Grandma, what is it?" Natalie asked, puzzled by Grace''s sudden stillness.


    "Nattie, you just smiled," Grace said.


    Natalie nodded, smiling again. "I did! I''m in a rtionship now! I have a boyfriend who cares for and protects me. Selena and her family can''t bully me anymore. Besides, Marcus is even better than Tyler. He''s the one you wanted for me, Grandma. Don''t you remember?"


    For a moment, Grace seemed lost in thought, as if she couldn''t quite recall what Natalie was talking about.


    "Grandma, don''t you remember?" Natalie asked again, her smile fading as concern reced it.


    Grace''s confused reaction only deepened her worry.

 Chapter 130 Trading Shares for Guardianship

    Natalie slightly frowned as Grace held her hand.


    Hector had confirmed that Grace was physically healthy, having undergone a thorough check-up. As for her mental state, Grace was content, and everyone had agreed there was no need to push her to regain full cognitive abilities.


    Natalie shared the same sentiment-knowing the truth about Victor and Diana''s actions would only cause Grace more distress.


    "No, I remember," Grace said, still holding Natalie tightly.


    She still seemed a little fearful, but slowly, she calmed herself.


    "Nattie, are you really with Marcus?" Grace asked.


    "Yes," Natalie replied, offering a warm, practiced smile.


    Her gaze softened slightly, radiating the joy of being in love. "Grandma, you don''t need to worry anymore. The Langley family can''t hurt me, and Selena and Tyler have no power over me."


    "Nattie, does Marcus treat you well?" Grace asked.


    The happy smile that had once graced her features had faded.


    "Marcus treats me very well," Natalie assured her, spinning around in the white dress Marcus had bought for her.


    Natalie had never worn skirts before. She usually stuck to ck athletic wear or rugged outdoor jackets and cargo pants. The dark colors highlighted her pale, almost translucent skin. As a girl, she always felt like the somber attire made her seem distant and unapproachable.


    In the white dress, everything was different. The color contrasted beautifully with her fair skin, and her long hair flowed naturally down to her waist. Her delicate face was lightly made up, with her eyes and smile exuding warmth and happiness.


    After having a boyfriend, she seemed to radiate a new energy that was far from the girl she used to be. When Grace saw her, her eyes suddenly filled with tears. Before Natalie could react, they began to fall uncontrobly, leaving her startled.


    "Grandma, what''s wrong?" Natalie asked. "Did Marcus hurt you?"


    She remembered how Marcus had pulled her aside earlier and spoke with Grace. After their conversation, Grace''s mood had changed drastically.


    "If Marcus hurt you, tell me, and I''ll go take care of him," Natalie said firmly.


    "No, Marcus didn''t hurt me," Grace replied, wiping her eyes.


    After a while, she looked at Natalie and smiled. "Nattie, you look beautiful."


    Grace reached into her pocket, pulled out a mini fruit tart, and ced it in Natalie''s hand. "Here, eat."


    Natalie smiled, taking the fruit tart from her. "You eat too, Grandma."


    She broke the tart in half, offering one piece to Grace and taking the other for herself.


    Grace smiled as she took a bite. "It''s delicious."


    "Mmm, delicious," Natalie agreed with a smile.


    After making sure Grace felt better, Natalie decided to bring up a more serious topic.


    "Grandma, how about we go for ate-night snack? We''ll go to a barbecue restaurant. Your future grandson- inw is treating us," she said.


    Grace''s expression lit up at the idea. She seemed to have forgotten her earlier concerns and allowed Natalie to lead her back to Marcus.


    "Marcus," Natalie called out with a bright smile. "We''re taking Grandma for ate-night snack! Let''s go!"


    "Sounds good," Marcus agreed, having no objections.


    He had promised to support Natalie''s n, and he was determined to follow through.


    Soon, the three of them were seated at the restaurant.


    After ordering, Natalie turned to Grace with a more serious expression. "Grandma, I have a boyfriend now. I''m nning to settle in Dithoria. I want to talk to you about transferring the shares to the Langley family in exchange for Victor giving up his guardianship over you."


    Grace''s expression fell at once. "No, Nattie, don''t do it," she protested, shaking her head. "The shares are yours, and no one can take them from you. I don''t want to live with Victor, either. I only want to be with you, Nattie."


    "I have Marcus now," Natalie said gently, trying to reassure Grace. "Marcus is more valuable than the Langley family''s shares. We won''t be staying in Amberton. If I keep the shares, I''ll have to split my time between two ces."


    Langley Group was in Victor and Selena''s hands, and it could copse at any moment. Natalie could prevent the Walkers from tar ing Langley Group, but even so, with Victor and Selena''s tactics, thepany would eventually crumble on its own.


    Natalie could save Langley Group, but doing so would mean staying entangled with Victor''s family forever. She knew that even though they were practically useless, they could cling to her like a shadow, making her life unbearable.


    Natalie didn''t want to waste her time with the Langley family''s drama. The simplest and quickest solution was to exchange the shares for Victor and his family to sever ties with Grace.


    Even though Tyler and her had grown up together, Natalie had never had feelings for him. Their engagement was something their parents had arranged. For Natalie, letting Selena have Tyler was exactly what she wanted.


    Grace shook her head stubbornly. "I don''t want that."


    She pouted like a child and turned away. "No one gets the shares. They''re for you."


    Natalie continued, "Victor is your biological son, and you and I don''t share blood ties. If Victor demands I return you to him, you''ll have to leave me."


    "You could make sure Victor is kicked out, just like we did at Cedar Hill Nursing Home," Grace suggested, avoiding eye contact with Natalie.


    "This n would only work for a while," Natalie exined. "If Victor sues me, I won''t win."


    She calmly added, "The Langley family hasn''t caused a fuss since you came to Dithoria because Mrs. Walker brought you here."


    Grace refused to look at Natalie and replied stubbornly, "Then have Mrs. Walker teach Victor and Diana a lesson. But I won''t agree to you using the shares to trade for the guardianship. If worsees to worst, I''ll just go back and live with the Langleys."


    "You can''t go back," Natalie said softly but firmly.


    She knew Grace couldn''t go back to the Langley family. Although Victor had somepassion, hecked the will to care for his mother. With Diana and Selena around, he would dly abandon Grace.


    Natalie understood Victor and Diana''s personalities well from her years in the Langley family, and with Selena now involved, things were even more apparent.

 Chapter 131 Their Plan to Set Him Up From the Beginning

    "Grandma, if Victor and Diana had been responsible, I wouldn''t have had to send you to the nursing home in the first ce," Natalie said softly. "If you go back, it might be better to stay at the nursing home."


    She continued, "I probably won''t return to Amberton. Let''s give up on the Langleys, okay?"


    Grace stubbornly shook her head. "I don''t want to stay in Dithoria. I want to go back to Amberton, where my home is."


    Grace begged, "Nattie, please take me back home."


    Grace grabbed Natalie''s hand tightly, the joy she had before vanishingpletely. "Why don''t you marry Marcus right now? If you marry him, I can live with you both."


    She then turned to Marcus and asked, "Marcus, what do you think? You''re Nattie''s boyfriend. Would you marry her?"


    Marcus'' expression didn''t change. He simply nced at Natalie, then gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile. He picked up his water cup and took a sip.


    First, he was asked to pretend to be her boyfriend, and now Grace was pushing him to marry her. The speed of it all was almost unbelievable.


    At this point, Marcus was sure that Grace and Natalie had set him up from the beginning. First, Natalie asked him to pretend to be her boyfriend, and now Grace was pushing him to marry her. Their n hadn''t changed from the start.


    Marcus stood up and said to Natalie, "Ms. Walker, I''m sorry, but I have to leave for something urgent."


    Turning to Grace, he continued, "I need to rify¡ªI''m not Natalie''s boyfriend, and I won''t marry her. I''m just helping her out by pretending to be her boyfriend. However, when ites to marriage, it''s better to be clear." Marcus''s expression remained as calm andposed as ever, with no extra expression. He finished his words without a hint of emotion, then gave Natalie a slight nod. Ignoring the growing tension on her face, he walked away.


    Grace watched Marcus leave, then looked back at Natalie. "Nattie, didn''t you say he was good to you? Aren''t you two a couple? Why did he say it''s all fake?"


    The smile on Natalie''s face faded, and she picked up her cup of water, taking a sip. The cold water jolted her back to reality, and she managed to force a smile. "Yes, Marcus is helping me by pretending to be my boyfriend to reassure you, Grandma."


    Now that Marcus had exposed the truth, Natalie saw no point in continuing the act. Pretending to be happy and in love was exhausting.


    Her expression turned cool and indifferent again. "Grandma, I just want you to feel at ease. I don''t need Langley Group''s shares to live well. Besides, I''ve already found my biological parents and reconnected with them."


    She continued, "I''ve thought it through. You gave me Langley Group''s shares because you were worried that I would be alone and unable to support myself. However, Selena is threatening suicide, and Langley Group is no longer thepany it once was.


    "Grandma, I don''t know if you understand¡ªI can help you protect Langley Group, but I don''t think it''s worth it." Langley Group had be Amberton''s leading enterprise, but it wasn''t solely her doing. Internal conflict was the greatest threat in argepany where the family held the majority of the shares.


    Victor''s family was clearly trying to stir up trouble within.


    "I asked Marcus to pretend to be my boyfriend because you once said Marcus was the grandson-inw you picked for me. If he were my fianc¨¦, he would be a better match than Selena or Tyler," she added.


    Although Natalie''s voice remained calm and gentle, she no longer treated Grace like a child. Instead, she looked at her seriously and tenderly.


    Grace''s eyes suddenly reddened. "Nattie, don''t you want me anymore? You promised me, don''t you remember?"


    "I haven''t forgotten, Grandma," Natalie said.


    Natalie watched as Grace''s tears fell, and she sighed quietly in her heart. This situation wasn''t going as she had hoped.


    "Then, Nattie, don''t give the shares to them." Grace sobbed, her tears falling in streams.


    She cried pitifully like a small child, leaving Natalie at a loss for how tofort her.


    Grace had always been strong all these years, but this was the first time she had seen her cry like this.


    "Grandma, please don''t cry! It was wrong of me to lie to you," Natalie said apologetically. "I won''t trade the shares for guardianship. I won''t let the Langleys take you away."


    Grace cried even harder. "Why is your rtionship with Marcus fake? Why won''t he marry you? Is he ashamed of me? Does he think I''m a burden?"


    Grace''s voice cracked with desperation as she said, "Nattie, maybe I should just go back to Cedar Hill Nursing Home. You''ve found your birth parents, and who am I to stay at your house? The shares can''t go to Victor and Diana. I don''t ept Selena. You''re the only granddaughter I recognize."


    She sniffled and asked, "Nattie, does Marcus not like me? Does he think I''m a burden? Did you not win him over yet? Have you tried the methods I taught you? Did you use them on him?"


    Natalie fell silent. Grace had taught her that if she couldn''t win over a man, she should take drastic measures. However, that was something Natalie couldn''t bring herself to do.


    Marcus had been drugged twice, and she had the chance to be with him both times. Yet, she didn''t like him, and she would never take advantage of him.


    Grace''s words were simply things Natalie pretended to agree with, but she couldn''t follow them all.


    Marcus had refused to continue ying along halfway through, and Natalie understood Grace''s intentions. Whether she had the support of Marcus or the Holden family, Grace would never let her trade the Langley Group shares for guardianship.


    In the end, the Langley Group''s shares in Natalie''s hands had be a ticking time bomb.


    For now, she would keep a steady course with Victor and Selena, focus on Charles''s treatment, and then return to Amberton.


    "Grandma, let''s not talk about Marcus anymore. The food''s here. Let''s eat!" Natalie said, trying to distract Grace.


    She ced some beef skewers on the grill, making sure to keep some away from the spicier marinades since Grace couldn''t handle the heat. As the meat sizzled, she carefully moved the skewers to a te. "Grandma, wait a bit for them to cool down before you eat."


    "Okay," Grace replied, nodding obediently.


    Just as Natalie wasn''t paying attention, Grace suddenly stood up and dashed outside.


    "Grandma, where are you going?" Natalie called out, quickly getting to her feet to follow.


    Grace ran straight toward the busy road without looking at the oing traffic.


    "Grandma!" Natalie shouted.


    Before she could reach her, Grace was struck by a car, sending her tumbling several feet away from the impact.

 Chapter 132 The Accident Part One

    "Grandma!" Natalie screamed.


    Her mind went nk, and she instinctively rushed toward Grace.


    Cars on the road were still moving normally, but she didn''t see any of it. All she could focus on was Grace, who had been thrown from the impact.


    As Natalie ran forward, a car sped toward her. At thest possible second, Marcus lunged and tightly grabbed her.


    "Ms. Walker, calm down," Marcus said coldly. "Elijah, Noah, call an ambnce."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Elijah and Noah, who had been lurking nearby, swiftly appeared. They immediately called for an ambnce, blocked the oing cars, and efficiently managed the emergency.


    They didn''t approach Grace, nor did they move her. Given Grace''s age and the impact, they knew it was dangerous to move her carelessly. Any sudden movement could cause further injury.


    The priority now was to wait for the ambnce.


    Marcus hadn''t left after leaving the restaurant; he had stayed in a car parked on the side of the road. From the car window, he watched Natalie and Grace while they sat near the restaurant window.


    Grace''s reaction was nothing like what his grandfather had described.


    Her behavior was far more telling than just a simple test. Grace was hiding something.


    Marcus wasn''t sure why he was so invested in this situation, but he acted on it without hesitation once the thought crossed his mind.


    He reasoned that since Natalie was Charles'' attending doctor, caring for her would help her stay involved in his treatment. Hence, showing concern for Grace and inquiring about Natalie''s past made sense.


    Yet, Marcus hadn''t anticipated Grace''s extreme reaction.


    When Grace suddenly rushed out of the restaurant, Marcus immediately acted on instinct. He quickly left the car, but still, his timing was off. He managed to grab Natalie, but he was toote to stop Grace.


    Natalie''s legs gave waypletely as Marcus held her in his arms, and she lost all strength. Her usually calm andposed face was drained of color.


    Her limbs were weak, and her mind went nk. If Marcus hadn''t been there to hold her, she would have copsed to the ground.


    When the one closest to her was in danger, all rationality, strength, and calmness vanished. Only panic, fear, regret, and self-me remained in their ce. Her mind became a void, hearing nothing and seeing nothing.


    "Ms. Walker, are you alright?" Marcus asked softly, lifting Natalie into his arms.


    He noticed her face was ghostly pale, her eyes unfocused, and her body shaking uncontrobly as if all her energy had been drained.


    "Ms. Walker, don''t be afraid. Grandma Grace will be fine."


    When Marcus saw Natalie like this, he put aside his frustration with her and Grace''s demands for a fake rtionship and forced marriage, choosing to focus entirely onforting her.


    It was only after hearing Marcus''s deep, calming voice that Natalie began to regain someposure. Her heart pounded in her chest, and a metallic taste lingered in her mouth.


    She struggled to suppress the panic, desperately trying to regain control and calm the chaotic thoughts racing in her mind.


    Marcus noticed Natalie''s fear as he held her, and he frowned slightly. He gently said, "Breathe in, breathe out. Take a deep breath and rx."


    With Marcus''s calm yetmanding voice guiding her, Natalie instinctively followed his instructions. After several breaths, she finally began to regain control.


    "I''m okay now. Thank you. You can put me down now," she said.


    Marcus gently lowered her to the ground, and she immediately rushed to Grace''s side. Just then, the ambnce arrived with its sirens ring.


    "Grandma!" Natalie cried out.


    Though she was a doctor and knew how to handle emergencies, seeing the woman who had always cared for her lying on the ground made her hands tremble uncontrobly, and she feltpletely drained of strength.


    "Make way, clear the area," the paramedics instructed, quickly but carefully transferring Grace into the ambnce.


    Natalie hurried to follow them.


    Marcus turned to Elijah and Noah. "Elijah,e with me. Noah, stay and handle the aftermath." "Yes, Mr. Holden," they replied, quickly going their separate ways toplete their respective tasks.


    Marcus followed the ambnce to the nearest hospital, which was part of Holden Group''swork. As soon as the ambnce arrived, he made a quick call to the hospital director. Medical staff were already waiting, and they rushed Grace into the emergency room as soon as she arrived.


    Natalie tried to follow, but the director quickly instructed her to change into surgical scrubs. Once inside the emergency room, Marcus and Elijah also arrived.


    Marcus had already informed Charles about the ident. It couldn''t be hidden for long, and there was no need to.


    "Mr. Holden, how is Ms. Walker?" Elijah asked, his stern face clearly showing concern.


    "Why don''t you ask about Mrs. Langley Senior instead?" Marcus shot Elijah a nce. "Have you informed Victor?"


    "Yes, Mr. Holden, I''ve already notified him. Do you think Mrs. Langley Senior will be okay? She was struck by the car, and I thought for sure her bones would have been broken."


    Then, with a sigh, he added, "I bet the driver was just driving along normally when she ran out. It''s impossible to avoid something like that. Mrs. Langley Senior really shouldn''t drag innocent people into this, even if she wanted to die. I wonder if the driver has insurance..."


    Elijah continued grumbling. Although he felt bad for Grace, he felt more sympathy for the driver, who had been following the rules and now had to face the consequences.


    "Elijah, shut up!" Marcus snapped, and Elijah immediately fell silent.


    Although Elijah was stating facts, now wasn''t the right time for suchments.


    "Understood, Mr. Holden. Mrs. Langley Senior will be fine," Elijah said after a pause.


    "Mm." Marcus nodded, signaling Elijah to return to the shadows to continue his protection duties. Marcus then waited alone outside the emergency room.


    After a while, he remembered that Charlotte had brought Grace to Dithoria, so he decided to call her. "Hello, Aunt Charlotte. Grandma Grace had an ident and is in critical care at Statenfield Hospital." "What?" Charlotte gasped. "How did she get into an ident? Is it serious?"


    "She''s in the emergency room now," Marcus replied. "Don''t worry, Aunt Charlotte, she should be fine." Charlotte paused for a moment and then said, "I''m on my way now. By the way, does Nattie know?"


    "Ms. Walker is here too," he replied.


    "Okay, Marcus. Can you do me a favor andfort Nattie? " Charlotte asked.


    "Aunt Charlotte, you really care about Ms. Walker," Marcus replied slightly teasingly.


    Charlotte almost blurted out that Natalie was her biological daughter. Yet, she quickly held back, remembering Natalie''s request to keep her identity as her daughter a secret.

 Chapter 133 The Accident Part Two

    Charlotte swallowed the words she was about to say. "Yes, I really like Nat, and since Mrs. Langley Senior was brought to Dithoria State by me, I naturally have to take responsibility for her.


    "Marcus, you''re at the hospital, right? Please reassure Nat; I''ll be there immediately." Without waiting for Marcus to respond, Charlotte hung up the phone.


    He put his phone back in his pocket and waited quietly outside the emergency room.


    Marcus wasn''t sure how much time had passed when the emergency room door finally opened, and the hospital director, Rayden Cote, walked out.


    "Mr. Holden, Mrs. Langley Senior is fine."


    Rayden reported the situation with great respect. He had followed the case closely since Marcus had called him before Grace was brought in. He came out to report as soon as the emergency treatment was over.


    Marcus nodded slightly. "Who performed the surgery?"


    "It was Dr. Frost from our hospital."


    "Good." Marcus waved his hand. "You may go now."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    After Rayden left, Grace was taken to the Intensive Care Unit for 24-hour observation. She would be moved to a high-end ward once she was stable.


    Dressed in surgical scrubs, Natalie walked out. Her legs felt weak. She hadn''t entirely understood before why some doctors couldn''t operate on their own family members. The moment Grace had been hit and sent to the hospital, lying on the operating table, she understood.


    It was impossible to stay calm. Her hands and feet were limp, her vision blurred, and all she could feel was panic and the urge to cry.


    Natalie had never imagined that she wouldn''t know what to do if something really happened to Grace.


    "Ms. Walker, don''t worry. Mrs. Langley Senior will be fine."


    Just as she was in a state of panic, she heard Marcus'' voice. She slowly looked up, and his handsome face and sharp features came into focus. Although he looked cold, he gave her a sense of stability at this moment.


    He extended a clean, long finger to offer her a tissue. Natalie stared at his hand for a moment before slowly taking it.


    "Thank you."


    "Don''t worry. Mrs. Langley Senior will be fine. I''ve notified Grandpa and Mrs. Walker."


    Natalie suddenly looked up. "You notified Charlotte?"


    "Yes." Marcus''s gaze was calm and distant. "Mrs. Langley Senior was brought to Dithoria State by Mrs. Walker."


    "Since she''s involved with Mrs. Langley Senior, she has the right to know." He didn''t say the next part¡ªshe also needed to take responsibility.


    Natalie slowly calmed down. She knew she had overreacted earlier. When Charlotte forcefully took Grace from Amberton, she was frantic and worried that Charlotte might do something terrible to Grace. That was when she had asked Marcus about Charlotte and the Walker family.


    "Mr. Holden, thank you for today." Her hands were still trembling as she spoke. She was still in her surgical scrubs but had only been standing by the whole time.


    "I''m going to change clothes. Could you entertain Mrs. Walker when she arrives? I''m a little shaken," she asked.


    "Yes, of course," Marcus agreed, and she went to change.


    About 20 minutester, Charlotte rushed in, apanied by William and Mason.


    Mason was on vacation, and when he heard that Grace had been in an ident, he was scared out of his wits.


    Grace was entrusted to him and Natalie, and just when he had left for a short while, the ident happened. If their parents found out, they would probably break his legs!


    Also, Natalie must have been terrified. He hadn''t been there tofort or help handle the situation. What if she was left with psychological trauma?


    "Nat, I¡ª" Mason started to say but was pped by Charlotte. Upon seeing her warning gaze, he quickly changed his words.


    "Nat, how''s Mrs. Langley Senior? How could she suddenly have an ident? If I had known, I wouldn''t have left."


    "It has nothing to do with you." Natalie''s face remained pale. She nced at Marcus, who remained silent. His cold, sharp features gave off an air of disdain as his eyes scanned them.


    Grace running out and having the identpletely disrupted her ns.


    Natalie dug her nails into her palms, trying to calm herself. The next moment, Charlotte embraced her. "Don''t worry. Mrs. Langley Senior will be fine. Once she''s stable, we''ll transfer her to the hospital where Hector is working. Don''t worry. They have the best medical resources and equipment."


    Charlotte gently yet firmly reassured her, "Don''t be afraid. We''re here for you."


    "Thank you," Natalie whispered, her deep concern for Grace overwhelming her emotions.


    "Ms. Walker, may I have a word?" Marcus waited until she had calmed down before giving a slight nod to Charlotte and William. "Mr. Walker, Mrs. Walker, I need to borrow Ms. Walker for a few minutes."


    "We heard about what you did today when we arrived. Marcus, thank you so much. Thank you for saving Nat." Charlotte sincerely expressed her gratitude and bowed to him.


    He quickly reached out to help her up. "Mrs. Walker, there''s no need for that. Anyone would have done the same in this situation."


    "Still, we must thank you."


    "Mr. Holden, let''s go somewhere to talk," Natalie said.


    Once Natalie hadposed herself, she needed to thank Marcus personally.


    They walked to a stairwell, with him ncing around to ensure no one was nearby before lowering his voice.


    "Ms. Walker, will you still be able to treat my grandfather on schedule?"


    "Mr. Holden, don''t worry." She had regained her calmposure and spoke in her usual detached manner. "I wouldn''t joke around with your grandfather''s health."


    The treatment n for Charles had been carefully devised from the start, and once it began, it couldn''t be interrupted.


    "I lost myposure when my grandmother had the ident, but I''m fine now. Please don''t worry. Mr. Holden Senior''s treatment won''t stop, and there won''t be any issues.


    "Also, Mr. Holden, I''m very grateful to you for saving me today. Thank you."


    She bowed deeply. If Marcus hadn''t caught her, she might have been thrown into the path of an oing car.


    "Ms. Walker, you don''t have to thank me. Even if it weren''t you, I would have helped anyone."


    "I know." She forced a small smile. "But I still want to thank you."


    "You''re wee. Ms. Walker, you have saved me twice, so we''re even now.''


    Natalie nodded. She had no objection if Marcus wanted to look at it that way.


    "Alright. We''re even."


    "1


    After their conversation, she returned to the emergency room and spoke to Charlotte. The group then waited outside the Intensive Care Unit.


    Meanwhile, Charles, apanied by Sheldon and Connie, had also arrived at the hospital. On the way, Marcus had briefed Charles on the details of the situation.


    After Charles heard the report, his heart clenched.


    Upon arriving at the hospital, Charles called out from a distance, "Nattie."


    Natalie heard his voice and hurried over. "Grandpa Charles, you''re not well. Why did youe?"


    "I have my medicine with me. I took it on the way here."


    "How''s Mrs. Langley Senior? Is she out of danger?"


    "The doctor says she''s fine, but just to be cautious, they''re observing her in the Intensive Care Unit for 24


    hours.


    "Grandpa Charles, you shouldn''t havee. You should be resting at home."


    Natalie felt deeply touched by Charles'' concern, and her eyes involuntarily reddened. Neither she nor Grace had ever received such care from Victor or Diana in the Langley family.


    But sinceing to Dithoria State, Charlotte and William had been the first to arrive andfort her, taking care of everything in a way that made her feel cared for.


    People were different from one another.


    Just as Natalie felt moved, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps growing closer. In no time, Victor, Diana, and


    Selena appeared before her.


    Before Natalie could speak, Victor rushed over and pped her hard across the face.

 Chapter 134 Payback Time

    Diana and Selena quickly followed behind Victor. The malicious glee in their eyes was hard to hide.


    However, that look of schadenfreude quickly disappeared, especially considering the uncertainty of Grace''s condition after the ident. They couldn''t afford to look too pleased; that would make them seem ungrateful. "Natalie, you''re too reckless. You allowed an outsider to take your grandmother away, and now she has been in an ident here. Even if she wasn''t your biological grandmother, she has been kind to you all these years. Is this how you care for her?"


    Diana spoke with sarcasm. "Your grandmother was already in poor health and had some cognitive issues. When she was at the nursing home, you didn''t let us visit, but at least we knew she was healthy then."


    "Exactly," Selena added. "Natalie, I know you resent me for taking Mom and Dad''s love away, so you probably feared I might take Grandma from you too, which is why you had someone take her away."


    Selena stood beside Diana, but her gaze was fixed on Marcus. Since she first met him in Balford, she had been unable to forget him. However, his overwhelming presence had left her too intimidated to approach him directly.


    "You allowed someone to take Grandma away, but at least you should have taken care of her! She had been fine at the nursing home for all those years, but the moment someone took her away, she got into an ident. I wonder if there''s some kind of conspiracy behind this!"


    She spoke softly, blinking her eyes rapidly before they began reddening. "Mom, Dad, Grandma will be fine, right? I just got home. I didn''t have time to repay Grandma''s kindness. If something happens to her, I''ll be heartbroken."


    "Shut up." Charlotte took a step forward and exchanged a nce with William. Without hesitation, William stepped up, grabbed Victor, and delivered a heavy p across his face.


    How dare Victor hit Natalie? He clearly showed no respect to William.


    "Victor, Diana, and Selena, it seems the lesson I gave you that day was too light. Who gave you the audacity to harm Natalie?" Charlotte''s voice was cold and unyielding.


    She didn''t care much for the Langley family back in Amberton, let alone now that they were in Dithoria State.


    William red at Victor with an expression that could kill. "Victor, if youy another hand on Natalie, I''ll chop off your hand."


    Mason stepped forward and pulled Natalie behind him. He lowered his voice to reassure her. "Nat, don''t be afraid. With us here, no one can bully you."


    He then turned to Selena. "You''re Selena, right?"


    Selena was momentarily stunned when she saw the handsome young man. She was about to respond shyly, but he pped her hard across the face before she could.


    He had considered pping Victor, but since William had already done so, he decided to deal with Selena- the one who had been bullying Natalie.


    Mason pped Selena again, this time with more force. The sound of the p echoed loudly, leaving her dazed.


    When she regained her senses, her face twisted in anger. "How dare you hit me?"


    Her previously soft voice turned sharp, and her re toward Mason could have killed him.


    "I have no grievances with you. Why did you hit me?"


    "Why not? Do I need to ask for your permission to p you?" Mason replied coldly, gazing at Diana and pping her without hesitation.


    The p sent her head snapping to the side.


    His gaze was ice-cold. Diana was the one who had made Natalie endure so many years of hardship.


    She might be the one to spoil Selena, but the Walker family cared deeply for Natalie.


    They didn''t know about Natalie''s existence before because they hadn''t been around her. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have allowed the Langley family to bully her for so long.


    They hadn''t even gone looking for trouble with the Langley family yet, and now the Langleys hade straight to them, offering up the perfect opportunity. They couldn''t let this chance slip by.


    After all, the Langleys had practically presented their faces for them to strike-if they didn''t take this


    opportunity to give them a proper lesson, what would be the point of theming here?


    "You hit me! How dare you hit me, you bastard!" Diana, who didn''t recognize Mason, immediately screamed in outrage, relying on her status.


    "Men! Get in here and kill this bastard!"


    "Heh!" Mason sneered in disdain. "Do you think you''re the only one with bodyguards? Let me see how capable your Langley family''s bodyguards really are."


    He squared up as though about to strike, but despite Diana shouting for a long time, none of the Langley family''s bodyguards appeared.


    "Where are they? Where did our bodyguards o? Why didn''t they follow in?" Diana turned around, looking for the bodyguards they had brought, but none had entered.


    Charlotteughed coldly. This was a hospital owned by the Holden family-there was no way Marcus would allow any bodyguards toe inside.


    William thought of this as well and gave a knowing coldugh of his own.


    Seeing that none of the bodyguards showed up after Diana''s shouts, Mason pped her several more times.


    The sound of the ps rang out, making the Walkers feel a bit of satisfaction.


    "Natalie, you bitch, why are you standing by and letting them bully the people who raised you?" Diana had taken several ps, and her anger exploded.


    "Natalie, you''re the reason Grandma''s in this ident. Mom and Dad are Grandma''s biological son and daughter-inw, and I''m her granddaughter. Not only are you refusing to exin yourself, but you also let them beat us," Selena used.


    Selena pulled Diana behind her and faced Mason. She stared at him, but her words were directed at Natalie.


    "Natalie, aren''t you afraid Grandma will never wake up? You killed Grandma, and now you''re beating her only family left. Do you have no conscience?"


    "Marcus, please take Nat and leave for now."


    Charlotte nced at Marcus in the distance. "It''s time we get justice for her. In the past, we weren''t around to protect her, which is why she suffered so much pain and hardship. Since we''re settling ounts today, let''s do it thoroughly.


    "Today is the perfect day to settle the debt we left unsettled in Amberton."


    Her voice was as cold as ice, and her usual elegance was reced by a ruthless sharpness. She rarely showed such a fierce side.


    The Langley family had exploited Natalie for years, and that was something that needed to be reckoned with.

 Chapter 135 Raging Accusation

    "Marcus, please take Nat and step out for a moment," Charlotte said to Marcus after exchanging harsh words with Diana.


    Marcus nodded slightly and stepped forward, offering his hand to Natalie. "Ms. Walker, let me take you somewhere safer."


    Natalie looked at his hand-elegant, with long fingers and clean lines, almost resembling something from aic. She quietly shook her head and didn''t take his hand. "I don''t need to step away. Grandma was in the ident while she was with me. I take responsibility for that."


    "Nat, what do you mean you''re taking responsibility?" Charlotte was a little irritated. "We did an investigation on Mrs. Senior Langley. In Amberton, the nursing home she stayed at was the best and most expensive. Yet the Langley family never paid a penny nor visited her once.


    "It was always you taking care of her, financially and physically. They never showed any familial respect. Now that something''s happened, they suddenly want to act like dutiful children.


    "No one wants Mrs. Langley Senior to be in an ident, but since it has happened, there''s no point in ming anyone here. We need to provide the best medical care to help her recover.


    "As for the Langleys¡ªyou either shut up, get lost, or get ready to be beaten."


    Charlotte''s voice was cold and sharp, her expression ice-like. She had no good feelings toward Victor and his family.


    They imed to have raised Natalie for 20 years, but what kind of life had she lived during those years? If it hadn''t been for Grace''s protection, Diana might have drained her of her blood when she was little. Charlotte might never have known Natalie was switched at birth.


    "Mom, stop wasting time with them. Let me bring my men over," Mason said, his handsome face filled with coldness and malice.


    He regretted not going to Amberton with Charlotte earlier to deal with Victor and Diana. He wasn''t about to let this chance slip away now that they had practically walked into his hands.


    "You! You''re the one who kicked Natalie out when you came back." Mason''s icy re shot at Selena. Charlotte had gone to Balford and investigated what Diana and Selena had done at Quinton Hospital, so the Walker brothers knew what Diana and Selena did.


    He suddenly sneered. "Look at you. How dare you have the guts to try and seduce Marcus?


    "But it''s not your fault. Your parents don''t look any better, and that''s why you ended up like this."


    The implication was clear-Victor and Diana were ugly, and they had given birth to an ugly daughter like Selena.


    "Mason, stop running your mouth." William stepped forward. He was the head of the family. Since Victor dared to p Natalie, he didn''t hesitate to return the p.


    "Mr. Langley, Mrs. Langley Senior is not in danger. She''s just being observed in the Intensive Care Unit to ensure her safety. Youe here and hit Natalie before asking any questions. What? Do you think our existence doesn''t matter?


    "My wife is right. The old ounts need to be settled. But since this is a hospital, we should take it outside." William looked at Mason, who immediately understood. He took out his phone and made a call. Soon, three big bodyguards from the Walker family appeared, each grabbing a member of the Langley family like they were small chickens and dragging them out.


    Natalie stayed behind Mason throughout this, and she didn''t take it when Marcus extended his hand again. So, Marcus withdrew his hand without a word.


    Charles witnessed Diana and Selena''s shamelessness back in Balford and saw how Charlotte and William protected Natalie. He noticed the resemnce between Natalie and Charlotte and immediately understood. "Marcus, go help," he said, a glimmer of insight in his eyes. The situation was bing more interesting. "Not bad! A new opportunity has presented itself!" he thought.


    Marcus was puzzled. Why did he need to help Natalie?


    "Go!" Charles snapped. "Can''t I even give you instructions anymore?"


    Marcus was speechless. There were so many people here. Could Charles show him some respect?


    "Mr. Marcus, you should go," Sheldon added. "Mr. Holden Senior''s health isn''t excellent, but he insisted oning here when he heard about Mrs. Langley Senior''s ident.


    "Ms. Walker is Mrs. Langley Senior''s most beloved granddaughter. If she wakes up and finds out Ms. Walker was bullied, she might me Mr. Holden Senior. After all, when we went to Amberton, she asked him to protect Ms. Walker."


    "That''s right," Charles added. "If Natalie gets bullied when Grace is in the hospital, she will scold me to death when she wakes up! I promised her I would protect Natalie and intend to keep that promise. Marc, go quickly. Keep me informed of everything."


    "Let''s go, Sheldon. I''m an old man with poor health. The doctor said my emotions shouldn''t fluctuate too much. Although the medicine Natalie gave me is life-saving, it''s limited! I must check herter to see if more medicine is left."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, you have good fortune. The treatment over the past few days has shown good results. If you keep at it, you''ll be fine."


    As Sheldon and Charles exchanged words, Marcus easily understood the unspoken meaning behind their conversation.


    "Grandpa, I''ll go." Marcus had no choice but to agree as he was the eldest grandson and the most obedient. "I won''t let Ms. Walker be bullied again."


    "That''s the right attitude!" Charles nodded approvingly. "I''ll head back now. Stay in touch and keep me updated."


    "Grandpa, please rest well tonight. I''ll report the details to you tomorrow morning."


    Marcus stepped forward to assist Charles, leading him toward the door. "You need your rest, so just go home and take it easy."


    "I''m fine."


    "Grandpa, please listen."


    Marcus'' tone grew sterner, and Charles immediately relented. "Alright, Marc."


    "Sheldon, after you send him home, ensure he gets enough sleep."


    "Of course, Mr. Marcus. Don''t worry. I''ll take good care of Mr. Holden Senior."


    "Good. You guys can leave now."


    Marcus opened the car door for the two and saw them off before giving instructions to the driver. Only then did he turn and head back.


    Meanwhile, the Walker family bodyguards had escorted Victor and his family out of the hospital and straight to a hotel across the street.


    There were several hotels across from the hospital, three belonging to the Walker family.


    Marcus wasn''t sure which one they went to, so he snapped his fingers, and Elijah appeared immediately.


    "Mr. Holden."


    "Which hotel was the Langleys brought to?"


    "They went to the Grand Court Hotel on the right."


    "Let''s go." Marcus started walking toward the hotel, and Elijah quickly followed.


    At the same time, in a private suite at the Grand Court Hotel, Victor was kicked to the floor by William. Mason stepped before Natalie, shielding her and gently covering her eyes. "Don''t look. It''ll scare you." Without outsiders present, Natalie''s rtionship with the Walkers no longer needed to be hidden. They needed the identity of her biological family to firmly teach Victor and his family a lesson. This wasn''t a negotiation but an act of defending Natalie.


    Lying on the ground in pain, Victor could barely straighten up, but he still shouted angrily, "Natalie, you bitch! What right do you have to take my mother? She''s my mother, not yours. She is also Selena''s grandmother,


    not yours.


    "She got into an ident to save you before. She was fine in Amberton until someone took her away, and she got into another ident right after.


    "Natalie, you bitch! Do you think my mother''s shares will belong to you if she dies? You have no blood rtion to her, so what right do you have to take her shares? What right do you have to keep me from taking care of


    her?


    "Natalie, there''s a limit to how shameless a person can be."

 Chapter 136 Fear of Loss and Self-Blame

    Victor''s angry shouting grew louder and more intense. "My mother treated you so well in the past, and instead of repaying her, you''ve caused her to get into two car idents, one after another. How many lives does she have to give for your disasters?


    "You''re a bad omen, a disaster! The Langley family''s misfortune is all because of you."


    "Victor, shut up." William''s expression had darkenedpletely by then.


    Mason quickly covered Natalie''s ears. "Nat, don''t listen to him."


    Charlotte was trembling with rage. She couldn''t control herself and rushed forward, pping Victor across the face several times.


    "Hit him." After she pped Victor, she issued the cold, terrifying order.


    She had always been elegant andposed, never getting pushed to such an extreme after all these years.


    "Don''t touch my husband!"


    "Don''t hit my father!"


    Diana and Selena rushed forward, shielding Victor with their bodies, but the bodyguards didn''t stop their strikes.


    "Stop it." Natalie''s face was pale as she spoke. She took a deep breath and dug her nails into her palm. "It''s my fault. It''s my fault that Grandma got into two idents."


    The first ident happened when Grace was injured trying to save her, and her mental faculties were reduced to that of a six-year-old child.


    The second ident was this one.


    If Natalie hadn''t wanted to exchange shares for Grace''s guardianship rights, Grace wouldn''t have been triggered and run out, leading to this.


    Natalie closed her eyes, and the image of Grace being hit by a car and thrown several feet away with blood spreading across the ground shed in her mind.


    She was really scared.


    If Marcus hadn''t been there to handle everything quickly, she might have been thrown out and hit.


    "Stop it," Natalie said again, her voice much calmer this time.


    "Nat is instructing you all to stop." Charlotte quickly spoke up, and the bodyguards immediately halted.


    "Remember this from now on-Natalie is the true heiress of the Walker family. Her orders are our orders," Charlottemanded the bodyguards. "Emma is no longer the heiress of the Walker family. If both Emma and Natalie give orders, Natalie''s orders take precedence.


    "There''s no need to listen to Emma."


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker."


    One of the bodyguards in charge snapped a photo of Natalie and immediately sent it to their group chat to inform everyone.


    Natalie stepped forward. "Father, Mother, Mason, I want to speak with the Langleys alone."


    Her gaze was calm as she looked at Victor and his family. The ties between them had always beenplicated because of the shares, and now, due to Grace''s sudden car ident, things escted again. Victor dropped his pretenses, and Diana and Selena had never hidden their hostility toward her from the start. Given the sudden arrival of Victor''s family, when Natalie called out "Father and Mother", William and Charlotte couldn''t hide their surprise.


    They exchanged a nce, and both saw tears in each other''s eyes.


    Natalie had finally acknowledged them as her parents!


    Though itcked the closeness and affection of being called "Dad" and "Mom", there was still plenty of time ahead. They couldn''t push her too hard.


    It would be bad if they scared her off.


    "Nat, don''t be afraid. We are all here. We''ve already notified your other brothers. They''re on their way." Charlotte stepped forward and gently took Natalie''s hand.


    "In the past, it was because we weren''t by your side that we allowed you to be bullied. This woman took the blood from your body, and I will make sure she pays it all back."


    "I don''t want it back." Natalie looked at Charlotte, holding her hand. It was a firm grip, but it was careful, as if Charlotte feared hurting her.


    This feeling of being carefully protected was something only Grace had given her before.


    Now, for the first time, she felt the embodiment of a mother''s love from Charlotte.


    But she was still afraid.


    She was afraid that Grace might never wake up, afraid that even if she did, her health would never be the same, and afraid that she wouldn''t live a long life...


    The guilt, anxiety, and fear of losing Grace had wrapped tightly around Natalie ever since Grace''s ident. She tried to calm herself, but her mind was a mess, and the images in her head only reyed the scene of Grace being hit by the car, followed by the image of her lying lifeless on the operating table.


    Natalie couldn''t even manage a single rebuttal when facing Victor''s usations.


    "Nat."


    "Mom, I''m fine." Natalie forced a smile, though it was clearly strained. "I want to talk to them."


    "Alright." Charlotte was concerned but fully respected Natalie''s decision.


    "Can William, Mason, and I just sit by and stay quiet? We''re just worried they might bully you again when we''re not around."


    She hurried to exin, "We''re not trying to eavesdrop; we''re just worried they might hurt you."


    "It''s fine." Natalie patted Charlotte''s hand. "You can stand by and listen."


    "Okay." Charlotte quickly exchanged a nce with William, who signaled to Mason.


    Mason immediately went to pour water for Natalie while William and Charlotte sat on either side of Natalie.


    "Mr. Langley, Mrs. Langley, Ms. Langley, please sit down." Natalie''s voice was cold and indifferent. She released her nails from her palm, which were now damp with blood.


    Sitting next to her, Charlotte immediately took Natalie''s hand, her eyes tinged red with worry. "Honey, go get the first aid kit. Nat''s hand is bleeding."


    "Right away." William immediately stood up. This was Charlotte''s private suite, and everything, including the first aid kit, was prepared.


    He quickly brought back the medical kit, which Charlotte took. She opened it and gently took Natalie''s hand, carefully treating the wound on her palm.


    "Nat, it might hurt a bit, so bear with it! I will be very gentle and careful."


    As she spoke, she gently blew on Natalie''s palm, then carefully cleaned the wound with alcohol, disinfected it, sprinkled some medicinal powder on it, and finally applied a band-aid.


    "All done. Nat, can you promise you won''t hurt yourself again, no matter what happens?"


    Charlotte''s eyes were red as she blew gently on Natalie''s palm. "I know you''re upset and guilty over Mrs. Langley Senior''s ident, but if you hurt yourself, it will also break my heart."


    As she spoke, her voice became choked up because she noticed the needle marks on Natalie''s wrist. They were numerous in numbers, densely packed, and rming to see.

 Chapter 137 Heartache and Revenge Part One

    Charlotte reached forward and gently took Natalie''s wrist, wiping off the foundation on her skin. The needle marks became even more visible and clearly exposed now.


    Her tears fell uncontrobly.


    Natalie was shocked to see Charlotte cry. Today, she had explicitly used foundation to cover the needle marks on her arm.


    These marks were tiny and weren''t very noticeable after some time.


    But Charlotte was so perceptive, perhaps because of their deep mother-daughter bond, that she immediately noticed.


    While treating Natalie''s palm wound, she spotted them right away.


    "Honey." Charlotte''s voice was choked with emotion. William also noticed, and his expression darkened like storm clouds.


    Without a word, he dialed Hector''s number. "Hector, where are you? Bring the blood extraction tools."


    "Got it, Dad." Hector already had the tools in the car and didn''t ask why. "I''m almost there."


    "Alright." William hung up the phone, stood up, and kicked Diana hard in the face. "You venomous woman! You beast! You despicable excuse for a human being!"


    He never insulted women. On the contrary, he had always been respectful and tolerant toward them. But someone like Diana wasn''t even worthy of being called a woman¡ªshe was no better than a beast. Even if Natalie wasn''t her biological daughter, how could she draw that much blood from Natalie?


    Earlier, they had only heard the term "walking blood bank" and hadn''t truly understood it. But now, seeing the needle marks on Natalie''s wrist, they could finally grasp just how much blood Natalie had been forced to give over the years under Diana and Victor''s control.


    The term "walking blood bank" had now be a horrifying reality.


    William and Charlotte felt their hearts ache intensely.


    As parents, they had spoiled Emma since she was little. They never owed her anything, but in exchange, their biological daughter had suffered so much pain and torment at the hands of Victor and Diana.


    At this moment, Charlotte couldn''t help but me Grace.


    Wasn''t she supposed to love Natalie the most? Why hadn''t she stopped Victor and Diana from draining Natalie''s blood?


    Once or twice might have been bearable, but these needle marks were countless.


    Charlotte gently stroked Natalie''s wrist, and tears fell uncontrobly.


    Seeing her like this, Natalie wanted to say something, but she couldn''t speak.


    She had kept these needle marks as a way to draw a clear line with Victor and Diana when they tried to manipte her emotionally.


    But she hadn''t expected it would make Charlotte so upset.


    "It''s fine," Natalie said, her cold voice softening slightly. Although she didn''t know how tofort Charlotte, she still spoke up. "It doesn''t hurt anymore."


    "Nat, these needle marks... aren''t recent, are they?"


    Charlotte held Natalie''s hand. "Did they make you give blood again before Selena came home?"


    Natalie nodded. "Yes."


    Charlotte closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. "How dare you! Diana, you''re really something!" By the end, her words were filled with biting anger.


    Diana had realized they knew Selena''s whereabouts, and there were still three days before Selena came home. She feared that once she drove Natalie away, no one would be left to give her blood. So, she guilt- tripped Natalie into going to the hospital and drawing a significant amount of blood.


    Even though Diana didn''t need blood transfusions after her condition improved, she still demanded that Natalie donate and store the blood.


    She was afraid that if her illness rpsed and she needed blood, by then Natalie might have already been sent away.


    Upon seeing Charlotte''s furious gaze, Diana instinctively felt guilty and scared.


    "Natalie, Mom is still lying in the hospital. You brought us here because you want her to wake up and find no one by her side, right?" Diana dared not look Charlotte in the eye, even more afraid of William''s phone call.


    What they intended to do by bringing the blood extraction tools was self-evident.


    "The blood you owe Natalie must be repaid." Charlotte stood up. "Stop trying to change the subject, and don''t use Mrs. Langley Senior to manipte her.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior loved Natalie but also turned a blind eye while you and your husband used her as a walking blood bank for years. Did she really love Natalie?"


    Charlotte''s gaze turned cold as she looked at Victor and Diana. "Did the Langley family go bankrupt? Can''t you afford hospital blood anymore? Why does it have to be my daughter''s blood?"


    Her words shocked Victor and Diana. Their faces went from pale to green, and the color drainedpletely.


    "Nat, didn''t you ever have doubts?" Charlotte turned to Natalie. "Didn''t you wonder if Mrs. Langley Senior really couldn''t stop them?"


    Natalie''s expression changed slightly. It was unquestionable that Grace had cared for her.


    When she was younger, Diana and Victor had forced her to give blood to save Diana, and Grace had stopped them. But Natalie couldn''t bear to see her constantly argue with Victor and Diana.


    Back then, she still called Victor and Diana "Dad" and "Mom".


    She couldn''t stand to watch them fight every day, so she had agreed to donate blood willingly.


    Later, as time passed and her health remained fine, Grace had stopped opposing it.


    Meanwhile, Victor and Diana had grown even more relentless. Natalie kept quiet about it because she didn''t want to worry Grace.


    However, Charlotte''s words also reminded Natalie that if Grace truly wanted to stop it, would she have been unable to?


    At worst, she could have just moved out. Diana could have always found blood somewhere if she wanted to save her life.


    If it were a matter of life and death, how could they not use hospital blood?


    But Grace hadn''t done that.


    Natalie didn''t dare to think further. She feared that seeds of doubt would take root in her heart if she did.


    While she was lost in thought, the doorbell rang, and Hector''s voice came from outside. "Father, Mother, I''m here."


    "Mason, go open the door."


    "Yes, Father." Mason hurried to open the door.


    William gently ced his arm around Natalie''s shoulder, his voice firm and filled with pressure. "Nat, don''t be afraid. I''ll make this ck-hearted couple, who took so much blood from you, pay it back double today.


    "Hector is a doctor. He knows how to make someone wish they were dead without killing them. Nat, it''s our fault. We weren''t there by your side. We didn''t know you were switched at birth. If we had known, we would havee for you immediately."


    His eyes reddened as he spoke. "I''m sorry. Your mother and I found out toote. But thankfully, it''s not toote to make things right."


    "Natalie, I posted your information on the family searchwork." At this moment, Victor was truly afraid. He realized that Natalie''s biological parents and her brothers were not people to be trifled with.


    He steadied himself, standing up and looking at Natalie with a heavy gaze. "We raised you. At least we deserve credit for our efforts. Who knows what your fate would have been without the Langley family?


    "Think about what kind of life Selena lived after being sold. She was beaten, insulted, forced to do unspeakable things, and almost didn''t survive.


    "So, Natalie, don''t feel wrong just because you donated some blood for Diana. Without the Langley family, your fate would have been far worse than Selena''s. You might not even have survived to grow up."

 Chapter 138 Heartache and Revenge Part Two

    Victor''s words momentarily startled Charlotte and William, but William quickly let out a coldugh.


    "Don''t make it sound so righteous. Who knows if the Langley family deliberately swapped our daughter all those years ago? You make it sound like Natalie''s stay with you was a great privilege.


    "I''ll get to the bottom of what happened back then. If I find out the Langley family intentionally took her, you''d better be ready to pay the price!"


    He pulled Natalie into his arms, gently patting her back. "Nat, don''t let this scum manipte you. I suspect the Langley family was involved in the swap from the start.


    "And let''s not forget¡ªif you hadn''t been switched, you would''ve been our cherished little princess, growing up carefree, healthy, and loved. Instead, you were treated as nothing more than a blood bank, with no regard for your feelings."


    Natalie had to admit that there was a moment when Victor''s words made a twisted sense to her.


    But William''s firm response quickly brought her back to rity.


    He was right. If she hadn''t been switched, she wouldn''t have ended up in the Langley family, and she certainly wouldn''t have wanted to be Victor and Diana''s daughter.


    She had her own biological parents-she wasn''t an orphan no one wanted.


    "Nat, you owe the Langley family nothing. Don''t let yourself feel guilty because they raised you. And that includes Mrs. Langley Senior as well." William''s steady and robust voice echoed clearly, each word deliberate.


    Natalie nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Father."


    He gently patted her head. "Don''t worry. With us here, we won''t let anyone bully you again. As for Mrs. Langley Senior''s car ident, it has nothing to do with you. We''ve already had Sky pull the surveince footage. Mrs. Langley Senior ran out alone¡ªit wasn''t your fault."


    "Father-"


    "Shh." William raised a finger to her lips, silencing her. "I know you feel guilty, but it''s not your burden to carry. Nat, never take responsibility for mistakes that aren''t yours. Even if someone tries to manipte you, you must stand firm and say no."


    Natalie''s eyes reddened slightly. Growing up in the Langley family, Diana always med Natalie when she was upset.


    While Victor wasn''t as extreme as Diana, he wouldsh out at her with sarcasm and scolding whenever his work didn''t go well.


    Sometimes, Grace would step in and scold them for their behavior. But looking back, Natalie realized it was always just scolding-nothing more.


    The same cycle would repeat, with no absolute protection. They would still take Natalie to the hospital to draw blood the next time.


    No one had ever told her she didn''t have to bear the weight of someone else''s mistakes. No one said she could refuse, even if they tried to manipte her.


    "I understand now. Thank you, Father," Natalie said sincerely. There were some truths she had known deep down, but her consideration for Grace had held her back.


    "Father, Mother, Nat." Hector entered the room carrying a box, followed by Sky and Timothy.


    Timothy walked up to Natalie and handed her a roasted sweet potato. "Here, Nat. Eat this while it''s hot."


    He had made a stop on the way to buy it. After reviewing the surveince footage, he saw Natalie eating at a barbecue restaurant when Grace suddenly ran out.


    Knowing from her profile that she liked roasted sweet potatoes, he bought one for her.


    "And here''s a cup of coffee," Timothy added, pulling a sealed cup from his pocket. He had kept the sweet potato and the coffee warm, ensuring they would still be hot when he arrived.


    "Thank you, Timothy, but I don''t have the appetite right now," Natalie replied.


    She held the warm roasted sweet potato and coffee in her hands, her eyes slightly misting.


    The Walkers'' care for her was so straightforward and sincere.


    "Timothy, Mason, take Natalie out for a moment," Hector instructed as he opened the box and took out the blood extraction tools.


    "I know you well, Diana. You''ve taken plenty of Natalie''s blood over the years. Must have felt great using her as your walking blood bank, didn''t it?"


    He adjusted the sses on his nosebridge, a sinister smile tugging at his lips.


    "I''ve reviewed everything-how much blood you and Victor took from Natalie over the years. Back then, she didn''t have anyone to stand up for her. Now, she does. What you owe her, you''ll pay back double.


    "Don''t worry. We won''t let you die all at once. Draining all your blood in one go would be far too kind."


    He delivered the chilling words with a faint smile, though his eyes were icy and devoid of warmth, hidden behind the lenses of his sses.


    "No! I won''t give my blood!" Diana screamed, her voice shrill. "Natalie, you willingly gave me that blood! I won''t pay it back¡ªI won''t!"


    "That''s not your choice to make." Hector''s lips curled in a cold sneer. Before he could say more, the bodyguards moved swiftly, restraining her without hesitation.


    Holding the vacutainer, Hector inserted the needle into the vein in Diana''s arm. The other end of the line was attached to a blood bag.


    "No, don''t take my blood! Don''t!" Diana shrieked, but Hector remained unfazed, calmly watching.


    Once the blood bag was full, he signaled the bodyguards with a nce. They pinned down her other arm. Hector withdrew the needle from the first vein and inserted it into the other.


    Natalie had endured countless needle marks on her arms, so allowing Diana to escape with only one was too lenient.


    "Rx. You won''t die," he said coolly. "We''re only taking double the amount you first took from Natalie. We''ll do it slowly, bit by bit. There''s no rush."


    Diana''s pupils dted in terror. She couldn''t even remember how much blood they had drawn from Natalie that first time. The more uncertain she was, the greater her fear.


    Hector''s demeanor was cold and menacing, but his tone remained calm and indifferent. This calmness made him all the more terrifying.


    "You raised Natalie, and she once acknowledged you as her parents. Yet, this how you treated her?" He raised his gaze slightly, a mysterious curve on his lips. "You knew she wasn''t your biological daughter¡ªthat''s why you dared to abuse her so. You didn''t care for her, but we do.


    "Victor, Diana, you''d better hold on to your lives. The debt you owe can''t be repaid in just one session."


    Hector''s words sent a shiver down Victor''s spine.


    As for Selena, she stood frozen in shock.


    She couldn''t believe Natalie''s biological family was so powerful and influential.


    As for Natalie''s brothers? It was clear from their words that she didn''t just have one or two brothers¡ªshe had several.


    Selena was seething with jealousy.


    Why wasn''t Natalie''s biological family a pair of strugglingborers? Why did she get to have such outstanding brothers who were all fiercely protective of her?


    Selena noticed how dashing and well-dressed Mason was at the hospital, which had already left her bitter. Now, to see three more men, each more mature and distinguished than thest, was unbearable.


    If she had known that driving Natalie out of the Langley family would lead to such a good life for her, she would have kept Natalie there instead-forcing Natalie to watch her and Tyler''s loving rtionship every day while finding new ways to torment her.


    Selena felt herself burn with regret¡ªeven though Selena had returned to the Langley family and enjoyed the life of a wealthy heiress, Natalie living well made her feel unbearable.


    "Natalie, are you really going to let your family take Mom''s blood?" Selena finally spoke, walking toward her. "Even if they draw it, will you use it?


    "If you''re going to tally up debts like this, what about your life? Doesn''t that mean you owe it to the Langley


    family?"


    Charlotte let out a coldugh and stepped forward, pping Selena across the face. "Who do you think you are? Do you really think you have a say here?"

 Chapter 139

    Charlotte pped Victor''s family of three with increasing ease.


    It wasn''t her fault¡ªthey were always shameless enough to stick their faces out for her to hit.


    Reeling from the p, Selena tried to lunge at Charlotte in retaliation. Before she could act, Natalie stepped forward swiftly, grabbing Selena''s wrist.


    The next moment, Natalie raised her other hand and delivered a hard p to Selena''s face.


    "Selena, do you really think I''ll keep tolerating you and your family?" Natalie said coldly. "Stop pretending to be the picture of familial love. You and I both know why Grandma is in a nursing home instead of living with your family.


    "You think Grandma doesn''t know how you''ve treated her? Just because she''s injured and mentally impaired, you assume she can''t tell right from wrong? You want me to repay this life to Diana? Is she even worthy?"


    Natalie''s expression was as icy as her tone. Any traces of guilt, hesitation, or insecurity she had earlier were gone. She no longer felt warm toward the Langley family.


    "Selena, you''ve repeatedly tried to take what''s mine. What''s the problem now? I''ve left your precious Langley family as you wanted, but seeing me thrive-my parents wealthier than yours, and me with several protective brothers-fuels your resentment, doesn''t it?"


    "Natalie! Grandma won''t forgive you for treating us like this!" Selena shouted, ring at her. Natalie wanted to hit back but didn''t dare move as Mason and Timothy nked her on either side. She knew full well they wouldn''t hesitate to step in.


    Frustrated, Selena resorted to venomous words. "Grandma will never forgive you!"


    Natalie let out a coldugh. "Whether Grandma forgives me or not has nothing to do with you. We''re dealing with the debt between me, Victor, and Diana.


    "Hector, I remember every single time Diana drained my blood. I''ll give you the details when we get back. And as for Victor, while he acted nice to me on the surface, he secretly showed my photos to his business partners, trying to trade me for deals."


    Natalie''s words were deliberate, each one like a knife. Victor thought he had hidden his actions well, but she had known all along. The deals Victor failed to secure were ones Natalie had quietly resolved alone.


    Those business partners, out of respect for her, had told her everything about Victor''s attempts to exploit her. They even offered to teach him a lesson if she wanted.


    But Victor was someone she had once called "Dad". And years ago, Grace had made her promise one thing -no matter what Victor and Diana did, she would let them live as long as her life wasn''t in immediate danger.


    That promise was why Natalie had tolerated them for so long.


    As for Selena, Grace hadn''t said anything about sparing her. After all, by the time Selena returned to the family, Grace''s mental state had already declined.


    Even so, Natalie had no intention of dealing with Selena. She was, after all, Victor and Diana''s biological daughter¡ªand Grace''s granddaughter.


    This blood rtionship was a bond that ran deep.


    However, Selena clearly didn''t feel the same way.


    "If you want Langley Group''s shares, you can have them," Natalie said icily. "I''ll return the shares, but I''m taking full custody of Grandma. From now on, Grandma will have nothing to do with the Langley family."


    "In your dreams!" Victor shouted. "Natalie, you can dream on! That''s my mother. Why would I give up her custody to you?"


    "Because you''re a lousy son. Victor, don''t force me to p you. You and Diana know exactly how you''ve treated Grandma. I''ve tried to save your dignity. Don''t make me take it away."


    Natalie''s voice was ice cold as she turned to look at Hector and then at Sky.


    "Sky," she said, her tone unwavering. "Once I transfer the shares to them, you can do whatever you want with them."


    "Alright." Sky nodded slightly. "Nat, you''ve finally made up your mind."


    "Yes." Her expression was nk. It wasn''t about finally deciding¡ªit was about understanding that some things required sacrifices.


    "I''m heading back to the hospital. Grandma shouldn''t be left alone," she said.


    "Nat, Marcus is waiting at the door. Let him take you back," Hector said, adjusting his sses. "Leave the rest to us. Father, Mother, why don''t you go with her?"


    "No need," Natalie declined the offer for Charlotte and William to apany her. "I want to be alone for a while. Besides, I have a few things to discuss with Mr. Holden."


    "Alright then."


    "I''m leaving."


    "Let me walk you out." Charlotte escorted Natalie to the door. As she opened it, she saw that Marcus and Elijah were indeed waiting outside.


    "Marcus, I''ll have to trouble you to take Nat back to the hospital," Charlotte said.


    Marcus gave a slight nod. "Don''t worry, Mrs. Walker. I''ll ensure Ms. Walker returns to the hospital safely." "Thank you, and sorry for the trouble."


    After expressing her gratitude, Charlotte turned to Natalie with a lingering gaze. "Nat, don''t worry. Mrs. Langley Senior will be alright, and we''ll take care of the rest for you."


    "Mom, let them live."


    "Don''t worry. I know what to do."


    "I''ll head back now."


    Charlotte nodded. "Go on."


    "Mr. Holden, sorry for the trouble," Natalie said to Marcus politely.


    He nodded slightly. "It''s no trouble. Let''s go, Ms. Walker."


    The two walked out together, one following the other. After leaving the hotel, they crossed the street and returned to the hospital.


    Before Natalie reached the Intensive Care Unit, Marcus took off his white sweatshirt and handed it to her.


    "Put it on. It''s cold at night."


    She looked up. Beneath the sweatshirt, he wore a in white T-shirt-starkly contrasting his usualposed and polished image. Yet, his strikingly handsome face remained impossible to ignore.


    "Thank you, but I''m not cold." Natalie didn''t take the sweatshirt. "You should keep it on, Mr. Holden. If I get cold, I''ll ask Connie to bring me something."


    "Ms. Sterling is busy preparing medicine for my grandfather and handling other tasks. At this hour, she''s likely resting. Ms. Walker, you should take care of yourself."


    Natalie caught the underlying meaning in his words. He reminded her that her well-being was essential-no one would treat Charles without her.


    After a brief pause, she nodded, took the sweatshirt, and put it on. Marcus was tall, and the oversized sweatshirt hung on her, reaching past her hips.


    The loose fit made her appear even more delicate, though she was five feet seven inches tall-far from short, especially when wearing heels.


    "Mr. Holden, do you think I did the right thing, trading the Langley Group''s shares for custody of Grandma?" Her voice was tinged with uncertainty. "Selena said that if I go against them, Grandma won''t forgive me.


    "Tell me, Mr. Holden, which is more important-blood ties, or the bond of being raised together?"

 Chapter 140 His Opinion Matters

    For the first time since Marcus had met Natalie, he saw her typically calm and aloof expression take on a look of genuine confusion.


    "I med you at first, wanting to know what you said to my grandmother that frightened her so much," Natalie said softly, lowering her head. A trace of mockery tugged at her lips. Ultimately, whatever Marcus had told Grace didn''t really matter.


    If Grace truly had the mental capacity of a six-year-old, as long as Marcus hadn''t been excessively harsh, nothing he said should have rattled her that deeply.


    After all, he had not threatened or intimidated her. He had spoken calmly, yet her reaction was so extreme.


    Deep down, how could Natalie not have her doubts? The truth was, she just hadn''t been willing to believe them.


    "Ms. Walker, does my opinion even matter?" Marcus'' casual tone interrupted her thoughts. His dark, deep-set eyes were fixed on the Intensive Care Unit door.


    "Don''t you already know the answer?"


    His words only deepened the bitter curve of Natalie''s lips.


    Of course, she knew. She had always known. But she could ignore it as long as no one said it out loud. She could pretend it didn''t exist.


    As long as Grace loved her, that had been enough. She didn''t care how Victor and Diana treated her or about parental love.


    Grace had given her tenfold what she didn''t receive from Victor and Diana.


    Grace''s love was more than enough to rival what the other children had. Natalie never felt envious or pitiful.


    But today, things had changed.


    Today, she saw how Charlotte and William protected and cared for her, and Mason and Hector stepped forward to shield her without a word.


    With them there, Victor and Diana couldn''t hurt her.


    William even told her not to let Victor''s emotional maniption get to her. She had the right to reject any unreasonable attempts to brainwash her.


    Being switched at birth wasn''t her fault. On the contrary, it was her loss-had she been with her biological parents, her life would have been better and happier.


    Charlotte had even said it inly-Grace''s love for her had always had an ulterior motive. Natalie could never surpass Victor in Grace''s heart.


    There had been times when Victor pped her over some trivial matter. While Grace would pull Natalie behind her and scold Victor, she never retaliated against him as fiercely as Charlotte and William had done on her behalf.


    The difference was stark. And with theparison came a deep sense of hurt.


    Now that she had thatparison, doubt had begun to creep in.


    "Even so,


    without Grandma''s protection, I might not have grown up safely," Natalie murmured, lowering her


    head again.


    Draped in Marcus'' oversized white sweatshirt, she looked smaller. The sleeves fell far past her hands. Her fingers peeked out slightly, pale and slender, nervously tugging at the fabric.


    She looked fragile¨Dvulnerable in a way she had never shown before, like a lost youngdy.


    Marcus'' gaze lowered slightly, his sharp brows furrowing. Which version of Natalie was the real one?


    Or was all this still part of an borate act orchestrated by her and Grace?


    Once Grace woke up, would she resort to guilt-tripping again, pressuring him to marry her?


    The possibility seemed all too likely.


    But Marcus was resolute. He would never marry a woman who tried to manipte him, even if Natalie were now revealed to be Charlotte and William''s biological daughter¡ªthe true heiress of the Walker family.


    A sudden realization struck him. When he broke off his engagement to Emma, the Walker family agreed far too readily.


    They must have already known that Emma wasn''t their biological daughter.


    By allowing him to cancel the engagement so quickly, they had been paving the way for their biological daughter-Natalie.


    So, he would eventually need to cancel his engagement to the true heiress as well.


    Marcus'' mind ran through countless scenarios of what could happen, but his expression remainedposed, giving nothing away.


    In the Holden family, Natalie''s identity was Elim, and Charles relied on her for treatment. During this time, Marcus would ensure she remained safe no matter what happened.


    That was why he had been so patient, staying by her side and preemptively handling every issue, even before she asked.


    He wouldn''t bring it up as long as the Walker family didn''t insist on continuing the engagement. But if they did, it didn''t matter if it involved Emma or anyone else he would end it.


    "Ms. Walker, the medical facilities in Dithoria State are far better than those in Amberton. And with Elim here, I believe Mrs. Langley Senior will pull through," Marcus finally said, offering her a few words offort.


    Yet even as he spoke, a thought lingered in his mind-Natalie was Elim. How could it be that Grace''s mental state had regressed to that of a six-year-old?


    "I know several top-notch neurology specialists. I can arrange a consultation to thoroughly examine Mrs. Langley Senior and explore treatment options¡ªperhaps even surgery¡ªto help restore her cognitive function." Natalie shook her head at his suggestion. "I''ve already tried."


    "It didn''t work."


    Years ago, when Grace was injured in a car ident saving her, the subsequent rescue had caused brain damage. After she recovered, her mental capacity regressed to that of a six-year-old, but she suffered no othersting effects.


    The doctors assured them this condition would not affect her quality of life or physical health. If her mind were like a child''s, it would mean fewer worries and more happiness¡ªa more straightforward, carefree life.


    With that, Natalie had stopped pushing for Grace''s recovery.


    "And honestly, there''s nothing wrong with how she is now," Natalie added softly.


    "Ms. Walker, perhaps you''re just avoiding thinking deeply about this," Marcus countered as he sat across from her, his gaze prating. "Are you afraid?"


    "No." Her denial was immediate. "I''m not afraid, and I''m not sure what you mean by that. All I want is for Grandma to wake up safely. That''s it."


    "She will."


    Marcus didn''t press further, leaning back and closing his eyes for rest.


    Natalie said nothing more, sitting quietly by the Intensive Care Unit door as she waited for Grace to pass the critical 24-hour observation period.


    At midnight, Mason returned to the Intensive Care Unit from the hotel.


    Natalie was still sitting in the same chair, staring nkly at a fixed point, while Marcus sat opposite her with his eyes closed as if asleep.


    "Natalie," Mason called softly, lowering his voice. "I''ll take over. You should go rest."


    She snapped out of her daze, ncing at Mason before looking at Marcus, who remained motionless with his eyes shut. After a pause, she shook her head lightly.


    "No, it''s fine. I''ll stay here."


    "Ms. Walker, you should listen to Mason and get some rest." Marcus opened his eyes slowly. "Without a healthy body, you won''t be able to properly care for Mrs. Langley Senior. I''ll escort Ms. Walker back."


    "Mason, stay here and keep watch. If anything happens with Mrs. Langley Senior, notify me immediately," he instructed as he stood up.

 Chapter 141 Forceful Embrace

    Marcus''manding tone left no room for argument. Mason, who had always admired him, immediately stood at attention and replied without hesitation, "Got it."


    He turned to Natalie. "Ms. Walker, let''s go."


    With acupuncture scheduled for Charles early the following day, Marcus worried that if Natalie stayed awake all night, it might affect her performance.


    She lifted her gaze, meeting his steady eyes. The message in them was unmistakable.


    She pressed her lips together but didn''t move. "Mr. Holden, I''ll stay here. I know my own body¡ªI can handle it."


    The next moment, he stepped forward and, without a word, scooped her up in his arms.


    "Marcus, what are you doing? Put me down!" She struggled, but his grip was unyielding. His strength alone immobilized her attempts to break free.


    "Ms. Walker, I promise you that Mrs. Langley Senior will be fine," he said calmly. "Once you''ve rested, you can return tomorrow, and I won''t stop you."


    Marcus lowered his gaze, his sharp, elegant eyes carrying a clear warning.


    Natalie caught the message loud and clear. She eventually stopped struggling, letting him carry her out of the hospital and into the car.


    "Drive back to Holden Residence," Marcus ordered.


    "Got it, Mr. Holden."


    The driver started the car engine and quickly pulled away from the hospital.


    Natalie went to the guest room when they arrived at Holden Residence. After showering and changing clothes, shey down and fell asleep.


    The following day, Natalie woke up on schedule, her internal clock as punctual as ever. She rubbed her temples. Thebination of going to bedte and restless dreams left her feeling inexplicably drained.


    Grabbing her phone, she checked the time before immediately dialing Mason''s number.


    "Hello? Mason, has Grandma woken up? Has she been transferred to a high-end ward?"


    "Yes, she''s already been transferred. Mrs. Langley Senior''s condition is stable. Don''t worry. Are youing over? I can pick you up."


    "No, I have some things to take care of first. I''lle by after I''m done. Thank you, Mason. What about Father and Mother? How are things with the Langley family?"


    "Don''t worry. The Langley family won''t get off easy. Father and Mother are furious after everything they''ve done to you over the years. There''s no way they''ll let them go without consequences," Mason said in a lower voice.


    "By the way, Sky mentioned you should transfer your shares in Langley Group back as soon as possible. Once you''ve cut ties with Langley Group, Sky can proceed with the next phase of his n."


    "I''ll head to the hospitalter¡ªI need to talk to Grandma again."


    "Don''t let your emotions get the better of you," Mason warned, his tone firm. "Natalie, all of us-Father, Mother, Sky, and I¡ªagree that Mrs. Langley Senior''s treatment of you hasn''t been as kind as you think.


    "Of course, we''re not trying to create a rift between you and her," he quickly added, his voice softening. "Please don''t misunderstand," he said cautiously, afraid of upsetting Natalie. "If you think I''m overstepping, just pretend I didn''t say anything."


    "It''s fine," Natalie said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Let''s leave it at that. I''lle over once I''m done." "Alright. Take care. And don''t forget to have breakfast. By the way, where did Marcus take youst night after he brought you away?"


    Mason didn''t mention it explicitly, but it was the first time he had seen Marcus act so assertively toward a


    woman.


    Emma had maintained an air of pride and aloofness in the past, but behind the scenes, she frequently pried into Marcus'' schedule and orchestrated coincidental encounters.


    She would even resort to small tricks like stumbling or fainting in front of him. However, Marcus always kept his distance, avoiding her at every turn.


    Forget about picking her up¡ªeven the slightest physical contact was nonexistent.


    Emma''s falls ultimately benefited Elijah, as Marcus'' gentlemanly demeanor wouldn''t allow him to leave her lying there.


    He would step in just enough to maintain decorum for the sake of appearances and the rtionship between the two families.


    Other than her, there hadn''t been any women by Marcus'' side over the years, let alone anyone who could get close to him.


    This was why Mason had been so surprised and curiousst night. But with no chance to ask them, he couldn''t resist bringing it up over the phone today.


    After all, the way Marcus had carried Natalie so assertively was undeniably striking.


    Yet, what intrigued him most was that Marcus hadn''t taken Natalie back to the Walker residence but had brought her directly to Holden Residence.


    It was enough to set Mason''s imagination running wild.


    "Mr. Holden took me to his home," Natalie admitted as she pinched between her brows, not bothering to hide that she had stayed at Holden Residence.


    "I''ll head to the hospital in a bit," she added before hanging up, not allowing him to probe further.


    Mason''s curiosity was piqued, which wasn''t ideal.


    Still, she inherently trusted him. She believed he wouldn''t speak out of turn.


    After washing her face with cold water, she quicklyposed herself. She changed into a ck tracksuit and tied her hair, looking neat and refreshed.


    The faint dark circles under her eyes were the only telltale sign of her restless night.


    When she went downstairs, she saw Marcus seated at the dining table, eating breakfast.


    "Ms. Walker, pleasee this way for breakfast," Sheldon respectfully said as he approached her. "Mr. Holden Senior is ready and waiting for you."


    Natalie nodded. "Got it."


    She followed Sheldon to the table and sat down. Marcus nced at her, his gaze calm and inscrutable. "Ms. Walker, did you rest wellst night?"


    "It was alright," she replied.


    "That''s good," he said, his deep, maic voice betraying no emotion.


    He set down his cutleries and drank thest of his ck coffee in one gulp.


    "I''ll be waiting for you in Grandpa''s room," he said before rising and leaving. "Sheldon, make sure Ms. Walker


    is well taken care of."


    "Yes, Mr. Marcus."


    "Ms. Walker, take your time. If there''s anything else you''d like, just let me know, and I''ll have the kitchen prepare it immediately."


    "No thanks. This is fine," she said, her tone steady. By now, she had fully adjusted her emotions from the previous night.


    Sheldon stood nearby, watching Natalie calmly finish her meal. Then, she wiped her hands clean and left the dining room.


    When Natalie entered Charles'' room, Connie had everything prepared. Natalie first took his pulse and then began the acupuncture session.


    The room was quieter than usual. As each silver needle was ced, her expression remained focused, her eyes steady and determined, with no trace of the doubt or weariness from the night before.


    Marcus observed in silence. Once the acupuncture session ended, he turned to leave.


    "Mr. Holden, please wait," Natalie called out, stopping him in his tracks. "Take Mr. Holden Senior for a scan


    this afternoon."


    "So soon?" He turned back, his gaze skeptical.


    "Go and see for yourself," she replied evenly. "You''ll know the results once it''s out."

 Chapter 142 Choose Your Son or Her

    Marcus calmed down when he noticed how confident Natalie was.


    After all, she was Dr. Elim, so he should be more confident in her.


    "Thank you, Ms. Walker," he said sincerely. "I''ll send you to Statenfield Hospital."


    "I can go back by myself. Just lend me a car!"


    "No, I''ll send you there. You didn''t rest wellst night," Marcus replied firmly. If he drove her back, she could nap for a while in the car.


    He wouldn''t allow her to drive by herself; she didn''t rest well because she was so focused on treating Charles earlier. Though Marcus didn''t feel bad for her, he still had a conscience.


    Meanwhile, Natalie didn''t want to waste any time fighting with him, so she answered, "Alright. I''ll have to trouble you then, Mr. Holden."


    "Why are the both of you so courteous to one another?"


    As Charlesy in bed, he dered, "Nattie, since I''m your god-grandfather, Marcus is your godbrother.


    "It''s normal for you to order your brother about. Besides, you saved my life and are Marcus'' benefactor. "Don''t be so polite with him. You can order him around as you please."


    Marcus fell silent and thought, "My own grandfather is favoring someone else!"


    At the same time, Natalie kept quiet. She wondered how she should reply.


    "Don''t be shy! Those who are not afraid of embarrassing themselves will gain an advantage in this society!" After saying that, Charles closed his eyes and fell asleep.


    "Let''s go! I''ll send you back!"


    Marcus'' expression remained aloof. He was polite and humble, yet he seemed rather indifferent.


    However, the way he spoke was very domineering and left no room for discussion.


    So, Natalie followed after him. She didn''t have to leave any instructions to Connie because thetter would take good care of Charles.


    She left the gate with Marcus while Noah drove the car over. After Noah got out of the car, Marcus made his way to the driver''s seat.


    "Ms. Walker, please sit behind. You can take a rest."


    After opening the car door for Natalie, Marcus ced a nket in the backseat.


    Nodding, Natalie boarded the car. "Thank you."


    Once she entered the car, she didn''t use the nket. Instead, she closed her eyes and immediately went to sleep.


    The journey from Holden Residence to Statenfield Hospital was pretty far. As such, she could nap on the way there.


    When Marcus realized that Natalie had not used the nket, he remained silent and adjusted the air conditioner''s temperature instead.


    Both of them remained silent on the journey.


    The car arrived at Statenfield Hospital. After parking the car, Marcus looked at Natalie through his rearview mirror.


    She was sleeping soundly, and her face was rather pale. Her hair fell messily around her, and her eyebrows were long and voluminous. This made her look fragile and indifferent.


    After getting out of the car, Marcus checked his watch. He didn''t wake Natalie immediately as they had some time to spare.


    Ten minutester, he opened the car door. "Ms. Walker, please wake up. We''re here."


    Natalie opened her eyes slowly only after Marcus called her a few times. Instinctively, she rubbed her eyes, looking rather endearing.


    She soon snapped out of her groggy state and returned to looking aloof.


    "Thank you," she said quietly. Then, she strode into the hospital.


    "I know which room Mrs. Langley Senior transferred to. Follow me."


    Since Marcus was rather tall, he caught up with Natalie in a few steps and led the way. They entered the lift and went to the 12th floor.


    Following that, Marcus exited the lift, with Natalie hurriedly following behind.


    Both of them walked through the long corridor. At the end of the passageway, they reached the Advanced Care Unit. Grace''s hospital room was next to the nurse station.


    "Room 88 is where Mrs. Langley Senior resides."


    Marcus knocked on the door, and Charlotte replied, "Please enter."


    "I''m not going in, Ms. Walker. I have other matters to attend to in Holden Group. If you require assistance, you may call Noah. I have already sent you his number."


    "Thank you."


    "No problem." Marcus turned to leave.


    However, after checking her phone, Natalie didn''t see Noah''s contact information. She then realized that Marcus had sent her a phone number on WhatsApp.


    After saving that number, she entered the room.


    Apart from the Walkers, Victor was also in the room. His face was bruised, and he was kneeling in front of Grace whileining about how Natalie had hired people to beat him up.


    "Mom, you have to make a choice today. You must choose between Natalie and me.


    "Are you going to choose an outsider or your own son? You have the final say."


    Meanwhile, Gracey in bed. Oxygen tubes were stuck in her body, and she had a cast on her right leg.


    The car ident caused her to break her right leg and injure her internal organs. Thankfully, her wounds weren''t that serious.


    s, she was rather old, so she recovered slower than the average person after the ident.


    "You''re here, Nat." Charlotte approached Natalie and held her shoulder. "Did you sleep wellst night? Are you alright?


    "At first, I wanted to let you stay home, but you didn''t want to tell everyone about our rtionship. So, I didn''t dare to say anything."


    "I''m alright. Thank you, Mom."


    Once Victor saw Natalie, he backed away instinctively. Everywhere on his body hurt, especially the injections on his arm.


    Previously, Hector had drawn blood from Diana, Selena, and him.


    He imed that the entire family had to pay back the debts they owed.


    So, the entire family had to suffer together.


    "Grandma, are you alright?"


    Natalie approached Grace and held thetter''s hand. The moment Grace saw her, she teared up.


    "I''m sorry, Grandma. I couldn''t pull you back in time."


    Shaking her head, Grace looked at Victor and Natalie.


    "Nattie?"


    "I''m here, Grandma." Natalie hurriedly leaned forward.


    After that, Grace patted her head. "Let them go."


    "What?"


    Grace added weakly, "Let my son go."


    Pausing briefly, Natalie looked at Grace before staring at Victor, who was kneeling. Grace wanted Natalie to spare Victor''s family.


    "Mom, you have to choose me this time. I''m your biological son." Meanwhile, Victor was still talking.


    He snatched Grace''s hand from Natalie and said, "Look at me, Mom. I have been beaten up badly by Natalie''s family. We raised an enemy!


    "If you don''t choose me today, I''ll jump off from this building, and you''ll have to attend my funeral." While he spoke, Victor dashed to the window.

 Chapter 143 Same Old Threats

    Victor''s abrupt actions stunned the Langleys. At the same time, Natalie looked grim.


    "Mom, I''m your only son. You have to choose between Natalie and me today."


    Pushing the window open, Victor turned to look at Grace and threatened, "Anyway, you''re willing to give your shares to an outsider instead of your real granddaughter. Though I''m the CEO of Langley Group, my position is lower than Natalie''s."


    He continued, "After sending Selena into thepany, she had to deal with Natalie''s threats and was chased out from thepany. Why is that so? This is Langley Group; it doesn''t belong to Natalie."


    The more he spoke, the angrier Victor became. Pointing at his bruised cheek, he started sobbing.


    "Besides, Natalie told her family to beat me up. How could she do that? I raised her up, but she got someone to draw blood from Diana, Selena, and me.


    "I''m not willing to let this go. How could this happen to me? I won''t ever forgive her!"


    While he spoke, Victor burst into tears. "If you still take her side, I''ll cut off ties with you!


    "But, since you''re my mother, I won''t let Natalie take you away. I''ll have to bring you back no matter what.


    "Natalie, if you want to take Mrs. Langley Senior away, you have to give me your shares! How could you covet what''s not yours?"


    "Are you done speaking?" Natalie asked coldly. "Once you''re done speaking, continue kneeling in front of Grandma."


    "How dare you talk to me like this?" Victor wailed. Just then, a bodyguard from the Walker family lifted him easily and forced him to kneel in front of Grace.


    Pulling a chair over, Mason gestured for Natalie to take a seat. "Sit down, Natalie."


    "Thank you, Mason."


    After sitting down, Natalie looked at Victor. "Mr. Langley, is suicide the only solution your family can think of? Both Selena and you threatened to take your own lives.


    "I have already prepared the shares, and I can transfer them to you anytime."


    As Natalie looked at Grace, she said, "Grandma, I regret it now. I n to give Victor the shares that you gave


    me.


    "Also, I n to resign from my position at Langley Group."


    She spoke slowly so that Grace could hear everything. "Grandma, if you still care for me, why don''t you remain in Dithoria with me? I''ve found my birth parents; not only do I have parents, but I also have brothers. Please trust me. I can let you lead a good life in Dithoria too."


    Natalie''s tone was gentle as she added, "In the past, you gave me your shares to Langley Group because you were worried that I''d have no backing and lead a bad life. However, you don''t have to worry now because my parents and brothers are here to back me up."


    While Natalie spoke, she kept staring at Grace earnestly. There wasn''t any expression on thetter''s face, but her gaze was anxious.


    "Don''t do it, Nattie..."


    "Why not?" Charlotte stepped forward. She had been caring for Grace ever since they went to Dithoria.


    However, she couldn''t think of some things too deeply. The more she thought of it, the more terrifying some things became.


    Natalie was a loyal person, so she didn''t doubt Grace because thetter took care of her for many years.


    At first, both Charlotte and William didn''t doubt Grace, but after Hector''s reminder, they realized that certain things were suspicious.


    "Don''t leave Amberton, Nattie," Grace replied with much difficulty. "You promised to take my shares... No one can snatch them away..."


    "They aren''t snatching it away. I gave it to them," Natalie answered gently. "Grandma, I''ve thought about it. Since my parents and brothers are all in Dithoria, I have no reason to remain in Amberton.


    "You are the most important person in my life, so I want to take you with me. Or, do you prefer staying with Mr. Langley''s family instead?


    "Grandma, Selena found her biological parents and returned home. Since I have found my biological parents, I want to go home as well."


    Natalie spoke gently and softly, her expression unreadable.


    However, her words touched Charlotte and William so much that they teared up. Finally, their daughter was going home.


    "Don''t take revenge..." Grace held Natalie''s hand. "Nattie, tell your family not to take revenge..."


    As Natalie wept, she looked at the kneeling Victor and added, "He''s useless... Let him go!"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I can let your son go, but I won''t let Diana off."


    Meanwhile, William approached Grace and said, "My daughter grew up well under your protection, but your son and daughter-inw kept drawing blood from her. As her parent, I can''t let this matter go.


    "If your son wants to kill himself, we won''t take responsibility for it. If he wants to die, then so be it. We''ll pay for his funeral."


    In the meantime, Natalie looked at William. Thetter looked at her reassuringly and motioned for her to remain silent.


    "We won''t let Diana and Selena off that easily. We''ll only release them when they''ve paid back their sins of stealing Natalie''s blood."


    He added, "Mr. Langley, do you still want to kill yourself? Don''t worry. Even if you jump from here, the doctors will immediatelye over and rescue you."


    When Victor heard that, he was stunned and speechless. William was like a heartless demon!


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I have a suggestion regarding your son''s ultimatum of choosing between him and Natalie." William smiled.


    "In the future, everyone will care for Natalie. We will give her the love that she didn''t receive in the Langley family.


    "Also, I would like to warn you two about something. If I find out that someone intentionally swapped Natalie with another baby at birth, you''d better pray that this issue doesn''t concern both of you."


    Then, William addressed Natalie, "Nat, you have the backing of your parents from now on, so you won''t have to fear anyone else. We won''t pretentiously give you a small reward after treating you harshly."


    Pulling Natalie over, he continued, "I''m d you decided to stay in Dithoria."


    "Nattie..." Grace struggled to speak. She shook her head at Natalie. "I''m... not that kind of person..."

 Chapter 144 Grace Is Not Like That

    Tears welled up in Grace''s eyes as she reached out to hold Natalie''s hand, but William pulled her back. Evidently, he didn''t want Grace to get too close to Natalie.


    Since Natalie was struggling, William released her. As a father, he respected his daughter''s decision.


    Then, Natalie held Grace''s hands. "Grandma, I want to stay in Dithoria. It isn''t a good thing for me to have Langley Group''s shares."


    She continued softly, "It seems that Mr. Langley and his family oppose me having the shares. We always quarrel about it; that isn''t good.


    "Grandma, don''t you want me to stop quarreling with Mr. Langley and his family?"


    Though Natalie''s gaze was gentle, she didn''t agree to Grace''s demands this time. Instead, she was determined to return the shares to Victor.


    After hearing that, Victor lunged at Natalie. "Mom, since Natalie wants to give us the shares, let her do it!


    "We didn''t say much because she was unwilling to give them to us in the past. However, she has now agreed to our requests. Why are you objecting to this?


    "Natalie, as long as you give the shares to Selena, we won''t cause you any trouble. We will let you take revenge on us because we used you as a blood bank for so many years."


    Without thinking, he added, "Just tell us, and we''ll ept whatever punishments you give us!"


    "Natalie won''t need to do that," Charlotte coldly said. "Do you think you''ll be able to escape the consequences even if you don''t admit your mistakes?"


    Her words made Victor fall silent.


    The Walkers had brought him to the hospital, while Diana and Selena were kept in another ce.


    Since they tortured Natalie in the past, the Walkers said that they didn''t deserve to stay in a presidential suite. Though Diana tried fighting back, all was futile.


    On the other hand, Selena was gagged with a dirty sock, thrown into a sack, and carried away. She med all her previous suffering on Natalie, which was ridiculous. The former was simply shameless.


    When Mason and Timothy heard what she said, they were appalled and gave her a few ps.


    They simply didn''t care that Selena was a woman and even thought that their punishment wasn''t severe enough.


    Victor''s bodyguards were also outrageous¡ªonce the Walkers'' trained bodyguards stared at them, they resigned and gave up on the spot.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, why should my daughter take control of your shares? Even if you intended for it to be a wedding gift, that was unnecessary. Since we''re her parents, we''ll prepare it for her.


    "Besides, each of her five brothers will be able to give her more wedding gifts than what your shares are worth."


    When Natalie realized Grace looked rather upset, she hurriedly interrupted Charlotte, "Mother, please stop. Grandma doesn''t look well."


    "You''re too kind, Nat." Charlotte looked at Natalie disapprovingly. They quickly realized that Grace wasn''t as simple as she appeared to be.


    In fact, Marcus had revealed some information to them, which worsened their suspicions.


    So, both Charlotte and William thought that even if Natalie could not cut off all ties with the Langleys at the moment, she would have to do so in the future.


    They could care for Grace out of gratitude, but they wouldn''t allow their daughter to be emotionally ckmailed.


    "Father, Mother, can all of you leave the room for a while? I want to talk to Grandma."


    Though Natalie asked Grace many times, thetter refused to give her shares to Victor''s family.


    Natalie didn''t know why Grace was so stubborn, but she had to tell her what she thought.


    "Oh, yes. Please bring Mr. Langley out as well. I''m going to speak to Grandma alone."


    "Alright. Nat, no matter what decision you make, your family will always have your back unconditionally."


    Patting Natalie''s head, Charlotte nced at the bodyguards. They immediately rushed forward and dragged Victor out of the room.


    Once everyone was out of the hospital room, Natalie started peeling an apple. She was so focused that she didn''t look at Grace.


    Soon, the apple skin was peeled off, exposing its flesh. Natalie cut the apple into pieces, removed the seeds inside, and passed it to Grace.


    "You can take off the oxygen tubes and eat some fruit. Grandma, I saw your health report earlier. Your injuries aren''t very serious. However, we kept you in the Intensive Care Unit earlier as a precaution.


    "Can you tell me why you ran out of the barbecue restaurant? Did you get into a car ident on purpose?


    "In the past, you told me that the shares were my wedding gift, and I had to take care of it. If I don''t want to care for Langley Group anymore, will you forgive me?"


    "Nattie..." On the other hand, Grace was in tears. "Are you suspicious of me?"


    "Grandma, are you conscious now?" Once Natalie heard Grace speak, she teared up. Ever since thetter saved her from getting hit by a car, she kept feeling anxious and guilty.


    So, she remembered what Grace told her and kept trying her best to support Langley Group. Natalie paid for the losses when Victor and Diana illegally embezzled the funds. This was because she had promised Grace that she would take care of Langley Group and prevent it from going bankrupt.


    Although the shares were supposed to be Natalie''s wedding gift, they indirectly shackled her to thepany. "I won''t hurt you, Nattie." While she spoke, Grace started sobbing. "I''m sorry, Nattie. I made you suspicious." After seeing that, Natalie cried as well. However, her tone was filled with anticipation. "Grandma, you know what I''m saying, right?"


    "I don''t know what you''re saying. I just know that you don''t like what I gave you."


    Grace cried harder. "Since you have your parents now, you don''t want me anymore. You won''t listen to me too!


    "Still, I wouldn''t hurt you."

 Chapter 145 Natalie Does Not Want the Shares

    Suddenly, Grace burst into tears, and she seemed very overwhelmed.


    Just then, the heart monitor beside her beeped loudly. Natalie panicked andforted her.


    "Calm down, Grandma. It''s not that I don''t want or trust you. I just hope that you''ll get better. Once you recover, you''ll be able to protect me. I won''t be bullied anymore.


    "Selena keeps bullying me. Grandma, don''t you want to get better so you can protect me?"


    Though Natalie patted Grace''s back tofort her, thetter was very agitated. She pushed Natalie''s hand away and red at her with misty eyes.


    "Nattie, do you want me to die? You''ll only believe in me after I die, right?"


    "No!" Natalie felt her heart sink.


    She didn''t move as Grace gripped her hands tightly. Soon, red marks appeared on her pale wrist.


    "You know that''s not what I meant, Grandma. Why do you misunderstand me?"


    Just then, Grace fainted.


    The doctors and nurses rushed in once Natalie pressed the call button. Breaking free from Grace''s grasp, she walked out of the hospital room grimly.


    Charlotte, William, and Mason were standing outside the hospital room. When they saw Natalie, they immediately approached her.


    "Nat, what did Mrs. Langley Senior say to you? Did she emotionally ckmail you?" Charlotte looked at Natalie sympathetically. "You don''t owe the Langleys anything, Nat. You also don''t owe Mrs. Langley Senior anything."


    "I need some time to think by myself." Natalie sucked in a deep breath and continued, "Still, I''m very sure that I don''t want Langley Group''s shares anymore. I won''t take it, even if it goes against Grandma''s wishes."


    "That''s the right thing to do." Though William felt bad for Natalie, he admired her straightforward attitude. She made up her mind without hesitation.


    Yet, she was a little too loyal.


    "Don''t worry, Nat. We''ll help you take care of Mrs. Langley Senior. When her condition improves, we''ll send her to Hector''s hospital."


    William patted Natalie''s head and added, "Mrs. Langley Senior will live the rest of her days in happiness with Hector''s help."


    "Thank you, Father."


    "Nat, do you want to work in ourpany? If you''re not willing to do so, we can give you apany so that you can work and pass the time."


    Natalie not only held some shares in Langley Group but also held an important position there. After realizing this, Charlotte knew she was a capable person who deeply cared about her career.


    It seemed that Natalie wouldn''t be happy if she yed every day. So, Charlotte decided to give her apany¡ªshe wouldn''t care much about Langley Group then.


    "Please agree to it." Just then, Mason tugged Natalie''s hand. "Our parents weren''t willing to give me apany to practice my skills. If you agree to it, I''ll be able to work at yourpany once I graduate.


    "Natalie, I''ll have to depend on you in the future."


    After that, he winked at her mischievously.


    However, Natalie shook her head after thinking about it deeply. "It''s fine. I''ll consider it after settling the issue with Langley Group''s shares."


    "But Selena kicked up a fuss in thepany you interned at previously! Now, you won''t have an opportunity to intern at Amberton." As Mason spoke, he became angrier. "How dare shee up with tricks like that? Just wait. I''ll get revenge for you."


    "Okay." Hearing that, Natalie couldn''t help but smile. She waved Mason over, and thetter instantly leaned in.


    Though both of them reunited a short while ago, he knew what Natalie wanted him to do at a nce. "Please speak, Natalie."


    Natalie whispered something to Mason. The moment thetter heard that, he burst intoughter. "That''s a great idea. You''re so mean, Natalie! Yet, I like your attitude!"


    "Don''tugh so perversely." On the other hand, Charlotte smacked Mason. "Nat, you''ve never whispered to me before. I want to hear your secret too!"


    Looking at Natalie pitifully, Charlotte wondered why her daughter was closer to Mason than she was to her. Natalie sensed Charlotte''s jealousy.


    "Nat....." Charlotte begged. Her gaze was filled with anticipation.


    Natalie fell silent. She didn''t know what to tell Charlotte about the bad things she was nning to do.


    The first person she became close to in the Walker family was Mason. As such, she trusted him more.


    "Let''s make this quick, Mr. Langley!" Avoiding Charlotte''s gaze, Natalie looked at Victor, who was staring at her venomously.


    She dered, "I''m giving Langley Group''s shares to Selena."


    "Aren''t you afraid that Mrs. Langley Senior will me you for it once she wakes up?" Victor looked a little uneasy. He added, "She treats you better than me, her biological son.


    "She wanted to give all her shares to you no matter how many times I begged for it. Selena is her biological granddaughter, but she wasn''t willing to give them to her. Aren''t you afraid she will me you once she wakes


    up?"


    Upon hearing that, Natalie smiled thinly at him. "Just tell me whether you want the shares or not."


    After a brief pause, Victor silently looked at Grace''s hospital room. He had previously quarreled fiercely over the shares, but he hesitated when Natalie agreed to give them to him.


    "Mr. Langley, why did you hesitate once I agreed to give you the shares? Are you afraid to receive them because it''s problematic?"


    Mockery was evident in Natalie''s tone. "Mr. Langley, I''ll keep the shares if you don''t want them. I don''t have enough time to y around with you. Just tell me what you want.


    "You have one chance. Think wisely before you answer.''


    "1


    Then, she stared at Victor, who was looking around shiftily. Although he evaded her gaze for a moment, his reaction confirmed her suspicions.


    At that moment, she became extremely disheartened.


    However, Natalie was still rather hopeful. Perhaps things weren''t as they seemed.


    "Well..." Victor hesitated and struggled to reply.


    "Forget it. I''ll wait for Mom to wake up first. I''ll take them if she agrees to it."


    Exhaling deeply, Victor seemed to make a difficult decision. "After all, you''re her beloved granddaughter. If she knew that I forced you to give your shares to Selena while she was unconscious, she''d fight us.


    "Ultimately, she''s my biological mother. I can''t make her mad."

 Chapter 146 Laughing Contemptuously

    Natalie heard Victor''s words and felt that it sounded extremely ironic. The corners of her lips curled into a sarcastic smile.


    Though sheughed softly, it seemed very contemptuous.


    Meanwhile, Victor felt a little uneasy after hearing theughter. He evaded her gaze nervously.


    "Mr. Langley Senior, you''re trying to take care of Grandma now, huh?"


    She stared at him sharply. "When she lived in the nursing home, why didn''t you visit her with your family? When Grandma was working hard for Langley Group, why didn''t you share the burden with her?"


    "Natalie, you have no right to criticize me. You kept disappearing sporadically during these few years. Weren''t you trying to avoid taking care of her? I thought you said that Mrs. Langley Senior cared for you the most, and that you''d take care of her forever."


    Since Victor''s true intentions were revealed, he felt humiliated. As such, he changed the topic and shifted the me toward her.


    "Can you always protect her all the time? She kept helping you; did you think we didn''t know that you kept taking her money and went missing from time to time?


    "During your absence, you were going off on your own to enjoy yourself. Did you think we didn''t know about that? Do you dare to tell us where you went back then?"


    Victor continued, "Even though our family used you for your blood, you didn''t let us draw blood from you all the time, right? You kept fighting back and avoiding responsibility."


    Before he could finish speaking, Charlotte angrily gave him a loud p.


    "You''re a monster!" she roared. "How dare you point fingers at my daughter?"


    Meanwhile, Natalie smirked coldly after hearing what Victor said. Why did she have to tell the Langleys where she went?


    She even kept that a secret from Grace.


    However, she always managed her time well. Without Mn''s help, all her blood would have been drained. From the start, he told her not to let anyone know that Natalie was learning medicine from him¡ªshe couldn''t even tell her immediate family.


    When Natalie asked why, Mn smiled mysteriously and told her she would know the reason soon enough.


    Later on, she realized what Mn meant.


    After he taught her all his skills, he gave her his entire career and connections. Then, he started traveling the world.


    He became extremely elusive; it was difficult for Natalie to even meet up with him.


    However, he often sent her pictures and videos of his travels. He shared the beautiful scenery he saw and the fun ces he visited with her.


    Natalie remembered Mn''s words, so she didn''t let anyone, including Grace, find out that she was Elim.


    In the past, Victor didn''t care about her, but at that moment, he finally brought up the issue of her disappearance.


    Natalie didn''t care about them anymore. Even without her intervention, Charlotte and William would still deal with the Langleys.


    "You don''t have to wait for Grandma''s permission, Mr. Langley."


    Natalie then called someone. "Hello, Mr. Watson? Please prepare the equity transfer agreement and deliver it quickly to Dithoria."


    "Alright, Ms. Natalie."


    Once she hung up, Walter messaged her and asked, "Natalie, why do you want the equity transfer agreement?"


    Walter was a student sponsored by Natalie. After graduating fromw school, he joined Langley Group as their legal advisor, handling thepany''s problems with his team.


    Since he was three years older than Natalie, both of them worked well with one another.


    Meanwhile, Natalie didn''t hide the truth from him and replied, "I want to resign from my position in Langley Group and hand back Grace''s shares to their rightful owner."


    Walter answered simply, "Okay."


    Both of them had known each other for many years; though Grace sponsored him, he was particrly grateful to Natalie. She went to the orphanage and chose him, so Grace had agreed to sponsor him.


    As such, both Walter and Natalie maintained a good rtionship. He treated her as a friend and a younger sister.


    Compared to Natalie''s indifferent attitude, Charlotte was furious. The more she interacted with the Langleys, the more she realized how shameless they were.


    They were extremely terrible. She wondered how Victor could be so shameless.


    "Calm down, Mother."


    Natalie held Charlotte''s arm and said, "It isn''t worth getting angry over someone like him. Once Mr. Watson hands me the equity transfer agreement, I''ll pass it on to Victor''s family and resign from Langley Group. After that, I won''t have any connections to them anymore."


    Natalie spoke calmly and she seemed aloof, her expression unreadable.


    Though the Langleys kicked up a fuss and forced her to return the shares earlier, they hesitated the moment she wanted to pass it to them.


    Also, Grace''s behavior was unusual.


    Natalie was bitter and upset. She didn''t believe that Grace had deliberately set their rtionship up.


    At first, she didn''t understand why Mn told her not to tell others that she was Elim. After thinking about it, she guessed that he knew everything from the start.


    So, no matter what Victor did after this, Natalie would ignore him. She paid no mind to the Langleys and waited for Walter to arrive.


    Time passed, and soon, it was time to treat Charles. Natalie made up an excuse to leave.


    She didn''t meet Grace again because she didn''t know how to react when she saw thetter once more.


    At the same time, Marcus brought Charles to Statenfield Hospital for a checkup.


    When Rayden saw the results of Charles'' X-ray, he was stunned. "Mr. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior''s tumor became smaller, and the shadow around his heart has decreased. Though he hasn''t fully recovered, he''s definitely improved from the previous time. Was he treated by a miracle doctor?"


    Rayden was very excited. Back when Charles had his first X-ray, he and Dithoria''s best doctor had treated him. However, since the position of the tumor was deadly, they didn''t dare to perform surgery.


    Charles was recovering without surgery. This made him simply overjoyed.


    "It''s Dr. Elim. His condition is improving, right?" Marcus asked calmly.


    "Dr. Elim?" Rayden was stunned. He felt that everything made sense. "I won''t question it if Dr. Elim helped him."


    He remained bbergasted nontheless. After all, Elim was a miracle doctor with a 100% sess rate. However, this was his first time seeing Charles recover without surgery.

 Chapter 147 Grace Is Lucid

    Marcus asked Rayden more detailed questions. After ensuring that Charles'' condition was improving, he smiled.


    "Mr. Holden, can you introduce me to Dr. Elim? I really admire them, and I want to meet them," Rayden eagerly said.


    Though he didn''t know what Elim looked like, he''d brag about it to his colleagues for a long time if he could meet them.


    "Alright, I''ll let you meet them in the future." Since Marcus was in a good mood, he showed a rare smile.


    "Thank you, Mr. Holden!"


    Rayden saw him off after that. When Charles finished his checkup, Sheldon brought him home.


    Marcus left quickly and called Natalie. "Hello, Ms. Walker. My grandfather just did a checkup."


    "Well, how are the results?"


    "I''ll treat you to a meal sometime."


    There was joy and relief in his voice. He finally quelled some of his worries.


    "Thank you, Ms. Walker," he said sincerely. "I''ll treat you to a meal. Let me pick you up now."


    "It''s fine. I still have other important matters to attend to. You don''t have to thank me, Mr. Holden. You paid me."


    Though Natalie sensed Marcus'' tion, she had to wait for Walter. In fact, she had already handed a resignation letter and was waiting for Victor to approve it.


    Since the Walkers'' bodyguards were monitoring him, he had no choice but to agree to it.


    Thus, Natalie wasn''t worried that she wouldn''t be able to leave Langley Group.


    Besides, she didn''t care for Victor''s threats. It didn''t matter if he died; either way, he would be reluctant to kill himself.


    "Mr. Holden, I have other matters to attend to, so I won''t talk to you anymore. I won''t dy Mr. Holden Senior''s treatment in the afternoon. Please bring him home punctually."


    "Alright," Marcus replied while walking back to his car.


    On the other hand, Natalie hung up and drove Mason''s G-Wagon to Holden Residence.


    She made a rough estimate¡ªeven if he boarded the earliest ne, it would take Walter around three hours to reach Dithoria from Amberton.


    During the three hours, she could treat Charles and return to the hospital again.


    Charlotte and William were left to deal with the issues in the hospital.


    Their sons were all busy, while they were retired. Since they desperately wanted topensate their daughter, they considered everything carefully for her without her asking.


    Everything would be perfectly settled, so she didn''t have to worry.


    At the same time, Walter was in the legal department of Langley Group. He swiftly prepared the documents that Natalie needed and prepared to set off.


    Just then, Grace called him.


    Walter stared at the phone number for a long time until the other party hung up. While holding his documents, he swiftly entered the lift and headed to the first level.


    The phone rang once more; Grace was calling again.


    Frowning, Walter ignored the phone call until it stopped again.


    Yet, Grace kept calling him. It seemed that she was bent on calling him until he picked up.


    As such, when she called for the tenth time, Walter picked up the phone.


    "Hello, Mrs. Langley Senior."


    "Don''te to Dithoria, Walter," Grace said weakly. "You can''te here. I won''t let you help Natalie. I won''t transfer her shares to Selena."


    Walter kept quiet. Though Grace was rather weak, her tone was domineering and left no room for discussion. "Do you hear me?" As Walter remained silent, Grace yelled anxiously again.


    Then, she couldn''t help but cough again.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, Natalie isn''t your family member. Why are you guilt-tripping her? She has done enough for the Langley family, you, Victor, and Diana for so many years."


    While he spoke, Walter remained indifferent. "Mrs. Langley Senior, Natalie is still young. Now, everyone found out that she isn''t your real granddaughter. They also found out that Selena is your biological granddaughter." Grace forced back a cough and spoke again. "Don''t forget this, Walter. I sponsored you. Without me, you wouldn''t be able to be where you''re at today. You have to listen to what I say without talking back to me."


    "But, Mrs. Langley Senior, Natalie was the one who chose me before you decided to sponsor me," Walter replied firmly.


    "You and I know what I''ve done for Langley Group all these years. I think I''ve done enough for you."


    "How dare you say that? You won''t be able to pay me back!"


    Grace instinctively raised her voice. However, she soon lowered it, saying, "Regardless, you won''t be able to pay me back. Don''te to Dithoria. The shares are meant for Natalie. No one is allowed to snatch them away."


    "No one is stealing them. Natalie just wants to return them to their rightful owner."


    While he spoke, Walterughed quietly. "Mrs. Langley Senior, Selena is your real granddaughter. Why don''t you care about her? Did you know she criticized Natalie badly in thepany because of your favoritism?"


    "That isn''t important."


    Grace interrupted Walter, "I know what you want, Walter. Listen to me, and I''ll make sure you get what you want."


    After that, Walter hung up the phone. He wasn''t willing to listen to Grace anymore. His footsteps quickened, and his expression turned grim.


    On the way to the airport, she kept calling him. He was very annoyed and blocked her number.


    After thinking about it, Walter called Natalie. "Hello, Natalie. I need to tell you something."


    "Please speak."


    The former replied seriously, "Mrs. Langley Senior doesn''t have any problems with her intellect. She called


    me just now, and she still sounds the same as before."


    Upon hearing that, Natalie became very quiet.


    After a long period of silence, she answered softly, "I got it. Thank you, Walter."


    "Don''t you want to know what Mrs. Langley Senior told me?"


    "I''ll find out once you reach Dithoria." Natalie smiled. "I have already handed in my resignation letter. Once it''s approved, I''ll officially leave Langley Group. Do you want to resign with me, Walter?"

 Chapter 148 She Is Our Precious Daughter

    Walter fell silent for a while beforeughing softly. "Mrs. Langley Senior told me not to kick up a fuss with you. She also told me not to give your shares to Selena. You''re not allowed to leave Langley Group either."


    "How did you reply to her?" Natalie''s voice was calm, as if she was asking Walter about the weather.


    "I didn''t say anything. I just said that you were still the current president, so I would have to listen to your orders."


    Laughing gently, he added, "Wait for me in Dithoria. You''re still my president, so I''ll follow you if you want me to resign."


    "Alright! Then, I''ll wait for you in Dithoria."


    After hanging up, she stood in the corridor for a long time until William and Charlotte approached her. Then, she turned around and said, "Father, Mother, you can go home if you''re busy."


    "We are already retired, so we have plenty of free time." Charlotte approached Natalie and hugged her.


    She continued, "Mrs. Langley Senior is insisting that you must not give the shares to the Langleys. Since she''s causing a greatmotion, your father and I decided to have you avoid the Langley family in the meantime.


    "Don''t worry about Mrs. Langley Senior. I brought her to Dithoria, so I''ll take care of her.


    "But I can''t bear to see her guilt-trip you again. Nat, maybe we''re being petty, but we don''t want to put you into a difficult situation."


    "I know." Natalie allowed Charlotte to hug her. "Were you being serious when you offered to give me apany earlier?"


    "Of course." Thetter smiled brightly. "Nat, let me brief you about it."


    "Okay."


    As Charlotte pulled Natalie to a corner, William looked at the two gently. After looking at both of them, he realized he no longer missed Emma.


    On the other hand, Emma often contacted him when she was traveling overseas. As usual, she told him about the fun things she enjoyed.


    However, neither Charlotte nor William treated her the same way as before. They didn''t reply to her messages immediately, tell her to y happily, or have zero restrictions on her spending.


    Instead, they replied to her asionally without a lot of enthusiasm.


    Since Emma sensed their indifference, she slowly stopped messaging them and grew distant from the Walkers.


    Looking away from Charlotte and Natalie, William checked the time and entered Grace''s hospital room.


    Grace was sleeping soundly on the bed.


    William woke her up, and Grace opened her eyes.


    She seemed surprised upon seeing him. However, she soon pretended to be dazed and confused again. "Where''s Nattie? Where''s Nattie?" she mumbled. "William, where''s Nattie?"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior," William replied softly. "When will you let my daughter go? I know you''ve recovered now. Natalie isn''t here, and no one is in the room. You don''t have to put on an act."


    Though William''s voice was soft, his tone was sharp.


    "Victor will approve of Natalie''s resignation from Langley Group. You know that Charlotte treated you well on the way here, which means we didn''t abandon our daughter. Besides, she worked tirelessly for Langley Group for so many years. She has already paid you back for your kindness.


    "If you''re willing to stay in Dithoria, my family will take care of you. I''m grateful that you protected Natalie as she grew up. However, I also hate you because you allowed Diana to steal her blood."


    His demeanor turned cold. "Natalie is loyal and kind. However, I can''t watch her be taken advantage of like this."


    William continued, "I know you understand me. You don''t have to put on an act in front of me. It''s fine if you don''t understand me, actually.


    "Because if you''re a fool, you won''t be able to stop Natalie from leaving the Langley family."


    Then, he smirked with contempt while he observed the change in Grace''s expression.


    However, Grace only stared at him in confusion. She kept mumbling, "I want Nattie. I want Nattie."


    "She isn''t Nattie. She''s my beloved daughter."


    William said slowly, "Mrs. Langley Senior, your real granddaughter is Selena! I''ll allow her to take care of you tonight. Don''t worry. Victor, Diana, and Selena will take care of you in the future.


    "Since Natalie is my daughter, I''ll bring her home."


    While he spoke, William adjusted the covers for Grace. "In the future, we''ll take care of you if you wish to stay in Dithoria. If you want to leave, you can go back to Amberton with Victor''s family.


    "Natalie won''t be visiting you for the next few days. Please remain healthy!"


    With that, William walked out of the hospital room. Since Victor was being watched by the bodyguards, he could only nce over fearfully.


    "Come here, Mr. Langley." Once William waved at Victor, the bodyguards immediately dragged thetter over. William smiled. "Natalie has already handed in her resignation letter. Approve it."


    With that, William snapped his fingers, and Timothy passed Victor a tablet. Peeking at it, Victor saw that his email inbox was disyed on the screen. It had thetest email that Natalie sent.


    He widened his eyes and stared at William and Timothy in disbelief. "What are you doing?"


    Both William and Timothy replied at the same time, "Approve Natalie''s resignation."


    Then, they chuckled lowly.


    "Mr. Langley, you thought it wasn''t fair to Selena since Natalie took Grace''s shares. Moreover, you thought it wasn''t fair for Natalie to remain in thepany even though Selena had been fired.


    "Now, let''s make things fair for Selena. What''s your opinion on that?"


    "I can''t make the decisions in Langley Group," Victor answered swiftly. "Natalie was brought into Langley Group by Mrs. Langley Senior, so she can only leave with thetter''s approval."


    William responded domineeringly, "No, you can only agree with us, Mr. Langley."

 Chapter 149 Grace Will Care About Victor

    Although William already retired, he held a high position for many years and still possessed an intimidating bearing. Meanwhile, Victor was a coward and couldn''t stand his ground.


    Besides, a stern Timothy and some fierce bodyguards were standing beside William.


    Victor realized that he had to agree to it no matter what.


    If he agreed obediently, he might be able to suffer less. However, he wouldn''t get any rewards if he continued being stubborn.


    "I can let Natalie leave thepany on one condition." Victor thought about it for a while. He wanted to gain the biggest advantage since he couldn''t defeat the Walkers.


    Upon hearing that, William chuckled derisively. "Victor, did I treat you too politely? How dare you discuss conditions with me?"


    Just then, Timothy replied calmly, "Father, leave it to me. I want to help Natalie too."


    William shook his head. "You''re still young. If you want to help her, you should deal with Selena instead.


    "We''re both fathers. Since Mr. Langley knows how to n for his daughter''s future, how can I fall behind him?"


    Contempt was evident in his tone. When Victor heard that, he knew it was a threat.


    "Mr. Walker, please let my daughter and wife go," Victor said. "Otherwise, I won''t let Natalie go even if you threaten to kill me.


    "Though your family is prosperous, we''re the richest family in Amberton. We aren''t afraid.


    "If we prevent Natalie from transferring her shares to Selena, she''ll be the biggest stakeholder in Langley Group."


    As Victor spoke, he sneered indifferently. "If she really transferred the shares, she''ll let Mrs. Langley Senior down."


    "I''ve never met someone as shameless as him." Meanwhile, William didn''t waste any more time talking to Victor. "Timothy, I''ll leave this to you. I only want to see the results."


    "Yes, Father."


    Timothy gave his bodyguard a look. Thetter dragged Victor into the lift, and then Timothy pressed the button to the basement.


    After that, he called Marcus.


    "Hey, Marcus. It''s Timothy. Can I trouble you with something?"


    "Please speak."


    "Can you help to take care of my sis? I meant, friend. It''s Natalie. I''m going to transfer Mrs. Langley Senior to Hector''s hospital for the next three days.


    Smirking, he added, "We discovered something interesting, so we''ll need three days to deal with it.


    "But, we can''t let Natalie find out about it. This is her first time in Dithoria. Since she doesn''t know anyone else, I''ll have to ask for your help. Most importantly, I don''t trust anyone apart from you."


    Marcus thought briefly and agreed to the request. "Alright. Anyway, I''ll be resting for the next three days. I can take her shopping."


    "Alright. Thank you, Marcus."


    "No problem."


    After hanging up, Timothy held his phone while deep in thought. Marcus seemed to know that Natalie was from the Walker family.


    However, since Natalie wanted to keep it a secret, Marcus didn''t probe further.


    Though Timothy sensed something amiss, he shook his head and came to his senses. There were more important things to do next.


    Once they arrived at the carpark, the bodyguards suddenly ced a ck headpiece over Victor. He stumbled and was dragged to a car.


    Before he could take a seat, the car started moving, causing him to tumble to the floor.


    "Where are you bringing me to?" he yelled in fear. "Stop the car! Let me out!"


    "Shut up," Timothy said coldly, giving Victor a few ps. "You should''ve listened to my father previously. He only wants results and doesn''t care about the process.


    "Coincidentally, my methods are a little ruthless."


    "Let me out of the car! This is illegal!"


    Timothy sneered, "You keep saying we''re doing something illegal to you, but I''m just treating you as a guest. Don''t worry."


    Then, he told the bodyguards, "Gag him."


    "Yes, Mr. Timothy."


    After the bodyguards covered Victor''s mouth, he could only make muffled sounds. Since he couldn''t speak or see anything, his terror intensified.


    The car drove a long while before stopping.


    Victor was forcefully dragged out of the car. After that, he kneeled in pain.


    When the headpiece was lifted off Victor''s head, he saw Timothy ying with a lighter. Thetter lit a me and easily blew it out.


    Once again, he lit the lighter and blew it out.


    Victor almost went crazy because Timothy kept doing that.


    Just when he was about to lose it, Timothy smirked slowly. "Tie him up and put him in a sack with stones tied to it. Then, throw him into the ocean.


    "Before you throw him down, wait for me to call Mason."


    "Yes, Mr. Timothy."


    The bodyguards got to work swiftly. Timothy called Mason and softly discussed a few things with him. Once Mason acknowledged the n, Timothy hung up. Hanging up the phone, he looked meaningfully at his bodyguards. They threw Victor into a sack, tied rocks to it, and prepared to throw him into the ocean.


    Meanwhile, Mason had already started video-calling Timothy. After passing the phone to Grace, Mason leaned in and whispered, "Mrs. Langley Senior, are you going to stop Natalie from leaving your family after this?"


    "You!" Grace''s expression turned grim, her fingernails digging into her palm under the nket. "Why did you do that? I didn''t do anything bad to Nattie. Though Victor and Diana hurt her, I kept protecting Nattie."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I won''t waste time talking about this. I''d like to know if you''ll let Natalie leave Langley Group."


    Timothy continued coldly, "Otherwise, I''ll throw Victor into the ocean."


    "Mom, save me!" Victor shouted in fear. "Save me!"


    "Throw him in," Timothy ordered leisurely, still ying with the lighter.


    "Yes, Mr. Timothy."


    After pushing Victor''s head into a sack, the bodyguards tightened the opening and threw him into the ocean. However, the sack had a string attached. Timothy would order his bodyguards to pull Victor up if Grace said the word.


    He was betting that Grace would care about Victor.

 Chapter 150 Disowned From the Langleys

    Timothy held his phone and looked at the video on the other end. Mason cooperated with him as he pointed the screen at Grace so she could see what had happened to Victor.


    Grace looked very frightened and covered her eyes in fear.


    However, Mason pulled her hands away. "Take a look, Mrs. Langley Senior! This is your son. Can''t you hear him screaming for help?


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, though you raised Nat, you won''t disregard Victor''s safety, right? Actually, I didn''t want to hurt him, but I would like Nat toe home safely!


    "Let''s forget about the past and go our separate ways. We won''t mistreat you."


    Mason smiled mildly. "Mrs. Langley Senior, don''t worry. We''ll take care of you for the rest of your life. You''ll be very peaceful."


    Though Grace wanted to look away, Mason held her head in ce and forced her to look at the screen.


    On the other end of the video call, the sack was fully submerged in the ocean.


    "You''re a mother, so you''ll empathize with my family''s feelings, right? We want Natalie back."


    Mason forced Grace to watch while he spoke. "If he''s submerged for too long, Mr. Langley will die.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, your intellect iscking and you''re old. I don''t know how long you''ll live, but you won''t want to attend your son''s funeral and suffer a terrible end, right?"


    That was a tant threat to Grace.


    William had already told them that thetter was cunning and had been putting on an act. Natalie, who grew up with the Langleys, was fooled.


    Natalie was still young, so how could she see through Grace''s act? However, William was different. He saw through Grace quickly.


    Charlotte had also tried her best and took care of Grace when they went to Dithoria. She believed that Natalie was protected by thetter, which was why she could grow up well.


    However, many things didn''t appear as they seemed.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, time waits for no one." Mason smirked. "Do you really favor Natalie? Are you willing to be ruthless to Victor?"


    "Let him go," Grace replied hoarsely. She looked upset and as if she had aged a few years. She added, "Get Timothy to let him go."


    "Did you hear that, Timothy?"


    "Yes."


    Meanwhile, Timothy was observing his screen. Once he heard Grace give in, he knew the issue was resolved. Of course, Grace cared about Victor.


    However, she had put on an act for too long, so Natalie trusted her too much and was too kind. This resulted in her getting tricked by Grace.


    Timothy looked at his bodyguards, who lifted the sack and pulled it open. Inside, Victor was unconscious because he stayed in the water for too long.


    "Save him."


    "Yes, Mr. Timothy."


    Immediately, the bodyguards performed first aid on him. Soon after, Victor spat out water and regained consciousness.


    All at once, he burst into tears, his sobs clearly heard by Grace.


    "Here, sign this!"


    Mason took out the documents he had prepared in advance and passed them to Grace. "Mrs. Langley Senior, please sign this.


    "Once you do, Victor will be able to go home. Natalie won''t be trapped in your family anymore."


    Grace stared at the documents. Though she understood every word in the contract, she wasn''t willing to sign


    it.


    "I took care of Nattie for so long. Why are you forcing her to leave the Langley family and cut off ties with me?"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, you''re wrong. We didn''t force her to cut off ties with you. We told you that we''ll take good care of youter on. However, Natalie doesn''t want Langley Group''s shares, and she won''t work there again."


    Mason shoved the pen into Grace''s hand and continued, "If you really care for her, you won''t stop her from working in Dithoria. After all, it''s human nature to progress.


    "Don''t you know? Our family is the wealthiest in our country! Won''t Natalie lead a better life once she goes back to her own home?


    "Sign this, Mrs. Langley Senior."


    While he spoke, Mason grew impatient. He stared at Grace and thought she was really pretentious. Things had already turned out this way, yet she kept pretending to treat Natalie well and pretending to be innocent. How disgusting!


    Natalie didn''t know about this because William forbade them from talking about it. If Natalie didn''t end up believing them, she might think that they were getting in the way of her rtionship with Grace.


    William also said that time would prove everything. However, they couldn''t be hasty.


    Since Grace raised Natalie, they didn''t know how much she had been manipted. So, they could only observe and act ordingly.


    William had already hired someone to investigate the switch-up of babies back then, and the truth would be revealed one day.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, Timothy has a nasty temper. Are you going to procrastinate?" Mason frowned.


    He added, "Our time is more precious than your useless son''s. Sign quickly, or I''ll ask Timothy to continue torturing Victor."


    In the meantime, Grace gritted her teeth and forced herself to sign the documents. With that, Victor couldn''t refuse Natalie''s request to return the shares.


    Truthfully, the Walkers were powerful enough to stop the Langleys without the document either way.


    Yet, they wanted to make Natalie realize that Grace had recovered and that she had deliberately nned everything with the Langleys.


    Once Mason kept the signed documents, he smiled at Grace. "From now on, Natalie won''t be obligated to do anything for the Langleys anymore. You can''t force Natalie to keep your shares either.


    "To be honest, we don''t care about your shares; they''re useless. How could you im they''re a wedding gift for Natalie?"

 Chapter 151 Marcus Holds Natalie Back

    Mason''s words were obviously disdainful, and Grace became incensed. After a long while, she exhaled deeply.


    "Don''t be so cynical. I gave those shares to Nattie because I loved her. When I gave them to her, I didn''t know she was from the Walker family.


    "If she wasn''t from your family, then her biological parents would have probably been dirt poor. Then, she could depend on her job and the shares in Langley Group.


    "Mr. Mason, don''t think too lowly of me."


    "Sure. I''m not a good person and thought you were evil. I''ll apologize, alright?" he mocked.


    Mason wasn''t in the mood to continue the conversation because he had reached his intended goal.


    He said, "Timothy, I have the documents with me. You can let Victor go."


    "Alright." Timothy smiled and hung up.


    "I want to see Nattie," Grace told Mason. "She hasn''t visited me in a day."


    "I''m sorry, but Nat won''t be seeing you for the next three days," Mason replied cheerily. "Don''t worry, Mrs. Langley Senior. I''ll take care of you."


    "I want to see Nattie!" Grace remained insistent. She didn''t believe that Natalie would refuse to visit her and take the Walkers'' side.


    "She''s going on a date with Marcus now! She isn''t free to care for you." Keeping his phone, Mason added, "Rest well, and you''ll be discharged soon."


    After that, he left the hospital with his phone.


    Grace wasn''t willing to believe him. She called Natalie a few times, but no one answered. This made her feel rather uneasy.


    She didn''t know how things had turned astray from her original n.


    Since she was the one who raised Natalie, she knew thetter was loyal and caring. However, she was more ruthless than the average person.


    Back then, she gave up on Victor and turned her attention to Natalie because she admired her merciless tactics.


    As expected, Langley Group averted many crises and flourished under thetter''s care.


    When Natalie told Grace that she wanted to resign from her position, she panicked.


    Without Natalie, Langley Group would fall to ruins. Selena was her real granddaughter, but she was spoiled and couldn''t take responsibility for anything.


    Victor and Diana were foolish for sending Selena into Langley Group.


    Since Grace couldn''t get Natalie to pick up the phone, she sent a voice recording. "Nattie, I feel


    ufortable, and I miss you. Please visit me at the hospital."


    Her tone was pitiful, and she sounded scared. In the past, Natalie would immediately visit her in the nursing home once she heard her speak like that.


    Grace hoped that it would work this time as well.


    Meanwhile, Marcus had invited Natalie to thergest park in Dithoria for a walk.


    "Although this is Dithoria''srgest resort, this area isn''t very developed. So, there are many herbs and mushrooms in this part of the forest, Ms. Walker," Marcus exined. "Previously, I saw Ms. Sterling make some medicine. There were a few medicinal ingredients inside that could be plucked here."


    "Is that so?" Natalie was very interested in herbs because Mn had previously given her a manual about them. There were many rare herbs that weren''t avable in the market.


    Mn had told her she''d hit the jackpot if she could find those herbs.


    Though Natalie didn''t care about getting rich, she noticed that Mn''s eyes shone brightly while he talked about it.


    Evidently, he cared deeply about the herbs in that book.


    So, if she had the chance, she would try to find them.


    "Of course." When Marcus saw Natalie''s expression light up, he couldn''t help but smile. Although he sent her many pretty dresses and shoes in the past, she didn''t seem happy at all.


    However, at the mere mention of herbs, her eyes lit up.


    He recalled Timothy telling him to get her attention for three days and added, "I told Elijah to send us tools. I can apany you into the mountains and pick the herbs together."


    "Do you recognize the herbs?"


    "No, but I like to pick mushrooms," Marcus replied calmly. "I like watching influencers pick mushrooms to eat because it''s rxing. I can sell them too, so it''ll be like killing two birds with one stone."


    When she heard that, Natalie was surprised. Then, she burst outughing. "Okay!"


    She didn''t expect the aloof Marcus to have a hobby of picking mushrooms.


    After that, Marcus immediately called Elijah. "Prepare the tools needed to enter the mountains. Ms. Walker and I are going there."


    "Alright, Mr. Holden."


    Half an hourter, Elijah brought tworge bags over. At the same time, Noah, who had been hiding in the shadows, appeared.


    Both of them carried the bags and led the way in the forest.


    "I can carry it myself," Natalie said shyly.


    However, Marcus interrupted her firmly, "Don''t be so polite, Ms. Walker. Instead of wasting your energy, you should save it for more important things."


    He meant that she should look for herbs instead.


    After thinking briefly, she agreed. "Alright. I''ll have to trouble both of you."


    "It isn''t troublesome." Beaming widely, Elijah responded, "Be careful, Ms. Walker."


    "Thank you."


    "Follow me, Ms. Walker." Walking toward Natalie, Marcus passed her a hiking stick. "Take this so you''ll be able to walk better."


    "Thank you."


    "We''ll need to stay here for three days." While he spoke, Marcus whispered to Natalie, "Will it affect my grandfather''s treatment?"


    "Three days?" Suddenly, Natalie stopped in her tracks.


    "That''s not possible. Mr. Holden Senior has to have acupuncture every day." Frowning, she added, "Don''t you consider things carefully before doing it?"


    Marcus apologized sincerely, "I''m sorry. I didn''t consider things properly."


    "Though finding herbs is important, Mr. Holden Senior''s health is crucial." Then, Natalie checked the time.


    "After staying here for three hours, I''ll go back to treat Mr. Holden Senior."


    "Okay, I''ll listen to you, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie was surprised by Marcus'' ready agreement. However, she knew there weren''t many useful things they could find in the forest in three hours.


    "Mr. Holden, let''s mind the time. I still want to enter the forest."


    As Natalie stared inside the forest, she noticed the sunlight shining on the wild nts, which looked rather beautiful.

 Chapter 152 Who Could Have Stopped Her

    When Natalie had stayed with the Langleys, she had often disappeared for a while from time to time.


    During those days away, she had learned medical skills and other abilities from Mn. She had also listened to many stories about his adventures in his younger years.


    Most of those adventures had happened deep the mountains.


    After hearing so many of them, Natalie had started to yearn for such experiences.


    However, Grace had always taught her to focus on the Langley family and Langley Group. Because of that, she could not vanish for too long.


    Grace was the only family member who truly cared about her, so Natalie didn''t want to make things difficult for her.


    More importantly, Natalie had be ustomed to putting the Langleys first because of how Grace had raised her since childhood.


    People often said that those who cried the loudest got the most attention. Yet, Natalie had never cried in the Langley family as she had not wanted Grace to worry.


    Later, when her birth parents and her brother had appeared, they had hoped with all their hearts that she would go back with them.


    They had never forced or pressured her. Instead, they showed through their actions that they truly loved her and sincerely wished for her to return.


    Even if she chose not to go back, they would still respect her choices without question.


    Whenever she found something inconvenient, William and Charlotte would step in to help her handle it. Afterward, they never took credit for it or even let her know what they had done.


    Some of William and Charlotte''s actions made Natalie wonder what real love truly looked like.


    It wasn''t like how Grace had treated her, providing her with plenty of material and emotional support, but then failing to stand her ground against Victor and Diana when they had wanted to take her blood.


    Grace would argue with them for a bit. Then, she would silently shed tears. In the end, Natalie had always been the one topromise.


    After each blood draw, Grace would ask the helpers to make nutritious meals for her. She would curse Victor and Diana while she ate.


    When Natalie was little, she would wipe Grace''s tears and assure her she wasn''t in pain. She would say she had plenty of blood, so it didn''t matter.


    Then, Grace would hug her and speak to her for a long time.


    Yet, when Charlotte and William had learned that Victor and Diana had treated Natalie like a living blood bank, they had been furious. They had refused to ept it.


    Could Grace really not have stopped Victor and Diana from doing that?


    It was just a trick. She acted kind while the others yed the bad guys. They fooled Natalie because she was too young to see through it.


    Diana needed blood, and the Langleys, being the richest family in Amberton, could have easily bought it. If they had issued a notice and offered benefits, many people would have lined up to donate blood.


    Yet, Grace had allowed Victor and Diana to keep drawing Natalie''s blood, and it had gone on for many years.


    Grace had been capable of building Langley Group into the biggest corporation in Amberton. She must have had plenty of strategies and tactics.


    Charlotte and William did not believe for a second that she could not stop it. Everything she said had fooled only the young Natalie of the past.


    Now that Natalie wanted to leave Langley Group, the only reason she still sought Grace''s approval was her lingering sense of gratitude for being raised by her.


    Who could have stopped her if she truly wanted to walk away?


    However, Grace had personally raised her and brought her into Langley Group, guiding her every step forward. If Natalie ignored everything and walked away, she would always feel guilty about leaving Grace behind.


    Natalie sighed inwardly. She knew that William was right. She was not heartless enough.


    Marcus noticed that Natalie was silent. He checked the message Ethan had sent him on his phone.


    "I know a ce rich in medicinal herbs. It was in Mount Thoron. It''s about 30 miles from here. It''s not too far, but the area had never been developed. If we want to enter, we have to be prepared."


    Marcus handed Natalie a file. "Ms. Walker, take a look. My team used drones to capture these images. I don''t know much about medicinal herbs, but Holden Group''s pharmaceutical experts have looked at them. They said we could go and collect them."


    Natalie took out her phone and opened the information Marcus had sent. She looked through it carefully and felt increasingly tempted. "Alright, Mr. Holden, let''s go to Mount Thoron."


    "Don''t rush," Marcus said with a slight smile. "Once we reach Mount Thoron, we might note out for a while. I n to wait until my grandfather finishes his treatment before we head there.


    "In the meantime, I will be your guide and show you around Dithoria State for a few days. Ms. Walker, how about that?"


    Natalie remained silent for a long while.


    Charlotte had told Natalie not to visit Grace in the hospital during those days. She didn''t exin what they were nning, but Natalie understood. That was why she went with Marcus to the park.


    "Is that alright, Ms. Walker?" Marcus asked again, his deep, maic voice sounding calm and unhurried. "If you''d rather not stroll around with me, I can arrange a separate guide for you."


    "Aren''t you busy, Mr. Holden?" Natalie asked, gazing longingly into the deeper part of the park. "There is no need to worry about me. I can find someone else to show me around."


    "That will not do," Marcus rejected her suggestion without hesitation. "You are a guest of the Holdens. I must take care of you properly."


    He nced at his watch. "Let''s head back. It would be better for me to host you for the next few days." "Do you not have business matters to attend to?" Natalie didn''t feel inclined to spend much time with him.


    The Holden family was the richest in the world, and its industries spanned the globe. Marcus, as president of Holden Group, couldn''t possibly have nothing else to do but apany her.


    Besides, Natalie had her own tasks to take care of.


    "No matter how busy I am, I''ll always prioritize you since you saved my grandfather''s life," Marcus said firmly. "Money is never more important than his life. So, don''t worry about me, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie was speechless. She hadn''t been worried about him at all. She just wanted to do her own thing.


    Realizing she could not refuse, Natalie gave up. "Fine."


    "Alright."


    Marcus lowered his gaze and texted Timothy, "I will keep an eye on Ms. Walker these few days. I will not let her go to the hospital."


    Timothy wrote back, "Thanks, Marcus. I will treat you to dinner sometime."


    Marcus replied, "You''re wee."


    After that, he looked up and saw that Natalie had already walked ahead. He quickly caught up, keeping a polite distance between them.


    He had already canceled his engagement to Emma, but the Walkers had not publicly announced that their real daughter had been found.


    Since they had not made it public, he was not about to say anything about breaking off an engagement with their real daughter.

 Chapter 153 Not Answering Graces Call

    Marcus followed behind Natalie.


    Since the Walkers had not announced that Natalie was their real daughter, he pretended he did not know. However, their acting skills were poor.


    "Ms. Walker, allow me to treat you to a meal," he said.


    "Sure."


    Natalie had realized that Marcus was not just showing her around. He was also keeping tabs on her.


    Since he said nothing about it, she did not call him out on it. If Marcus wanted to pretend, she would go along with him.


    The resort had its own hotel, so Marcus took Natalie to the restaurant. He ordered the specialty forest meal. Then, he started using his phone to handle some business.


    Natalie also checked her phone for emails. She dealt with a few important ones before the server began to bring the dishes.


    They served garlic mushrooms, roasted mushrooms, cheesy mushrooms, mushroom soup, and a mushroom sd.


    Natalie looked at the table full of mushroom-based dishes. It seemed like the forest specialty meal was basically a mushroom feast.


    "Please enjoy your meal," the server said.


    "Alright, thank you," Marcus said.


    He put down his phone and handed the cutlery to Natalie. "Please, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie had assumed that Marcus wouldn''t bother with small tasks like passing cutlery, yet he did it so naturally.


    She nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Holden."


    "You are wee, Ms. Walker," he said.


    "Thank you, Mr. Holden," Natalie said again.


    Marcus paused, saying nothing more. Then, using the serving cutlery, he ced some mushrooms on Natalie''s te.


    "This ce specializes in mushrooms. They have developed all kinds of recipes. Although the names sound ordinary, the dishes are quite delicious. Have a taste, Ms. Walker," he said.


    "Thank you."


    Natalie took a bite of the mushrooms Marcus had just ced on her te.


    They tasted tender and vorful. The richness of the seasoning spread through her mouth, and she immediately felt hungrier.


    Marcus looked at her and asked, "How is it?"


    "It is good," Natalie replied, using the serving cutlery to pick up more. "Delicious. This is the best mushroom dish I have tasted."


    Marcus smiled. "If you like it, have more."


    "May I pack some to goter?" Natalie hesitated. "I wanted to take some to the hospital for my grandmother."


    "No way. They don''t allow takeout here," Marcus said immediately.


    Timothy had asked him to keep her busy for three days and ensure she did not visit Grace. He would be failing in his task if Natalie brought the mushrooms to the hospital.


    "Ms. Walker, your grandmother is fine in the hospital. Don''t worry."


    Natalie didn''t point out that he was lying about the no-takeout rule. She just wanted to see if Marcus'' sudden decision to apany her was for the reason she suspected.


    It turned out he was indeed deliberately keeping her away from the hospital, probably because of the Walkers'' request.


    Natalie sighed to herself. She had not been sure how to face Grace anyway. She might as well go along with Marcus'' n.


    "That is really too bad. Since my grandmother can''t eat mushrooms, I thought I could bring some for your grandfather," she said disappointedly. "Last time, he mentioned that he loved mushrooms. He said he used to gather them himself when he was younger. Isn''t that true?"


    Marcus was speechless.


    Of course, everyone in the Holden family knew how much Charles loved mushrooms.


    Marcus also remembered how, when he was a child, his grandfather would have him taste unknown mushroom varieties first to check if they were edible.


    Of course, the doctors from their pharmaceutical team were always standing by.


    Whenever Marcus thought about it, he couldn''t help but feel that his grandfather cared for him, but only a little.


    The restaurant in this resort, known for its signature mushroom dishes, existed because of Charles'' love for mushrooms. It was something Marcus had personally arranged.


    Now, he couldn''t help but wonder if Charles had told Natalie the embarrassing stories from his childhood about eating mushrooms.


    "Mr. Holden, do you think your grandfather might be unhappy if he found out that we are enjoying all these mushrooms without saving any for him?" Natalie asked while eating.


    "I will have the manager change the rules," Marcus said tly.


    He made a call. Soon, the manager arrived to inform Natalie that it was now possible to pack food to go, and they would even provide some new dishes for free.


    Natalie thanked the manager.


    Once the manager left, she looked at Marcus, who stayed as calm as ever. He curved his lips slightly as if he wanted to say something, yet he said nothing at all.


    Just then, Natalie''s phone began to ring. She picked it up and saw that Grace was calling. She hesitated, unsure whether to pick up.


    Grace had called her before, but she had not answered. In the past, she would never have ignored Grace''s


    call.


    "Ms. Walker, are you not going to take that?" Marcus asked when he saw her hesitating. He nced at her phone. "It is Mrs. Langley Senior calling."


    "Mr. Holden, you answer it for me," Natalie said, pushing the phone toward him. "Please."


    "Alright."


    Marcus answered the call and asked in his deep, maic voice, "Hello, who is this?"


    On the other end, Grace seemed confused. She thought she had dialed the wrong number, so she quickly pulled the phone away to check.


    After seeing that it was indeed Natalie''s number, she spoke again. "Hello, I want to ask, is this Natalie''s phone?"


    "No. You have the wrong number," Marcus replied tly. Then, he hung up.


    Natalie let out a breath. But then, the phone rang again. Grace was calling once more.


    "Ms. Walker, shall I answer it again?" Marcus asked.


    "Yes," Natalie said without hesitation.


    Marcus smiled and answered the phone again. "Hello. Who is this?"


    "Why is my granddaughter''s phone with you?" Grace asked hurriedly as if afraid he might hang up again. "Did you take my granddaughter''s phone? I''m sure I didn''t dial the wrong number."


    "Did you not understand? I told you, you dialed the wrong number," Marcus said, sounding more impatient this time. "You don''t even remember your own granddaughter''s phone number. Are you really her grandmother?"

 Chapter 154 You Never Owed Anyone Anything

    Marcus'' voice sounded maic and pleasant, but his words were harsh.


    As he spoke, he looked at Natalie. She pressed her lips together, her gaze turning cold and distant again. It was clear she didn''t like what he said.


    However, she didn''t stop him.


    When Marcus finished talking, he put the phone on speaker and ced it on the table.


    Grace''s voice came through clearly. "This is my granddaughter''s number. I''m sure I didn''t dial the wrong one. No matter who you are, please give my granddaughter her phone."


    Marcus raised his eyebrows and looked at Natalie. She pressed her lips even tighter. She stayed silent and took a sip of tea. Then, she turned to look out the window.


    "You dialed the wrong number," Marcus said.


    He didn''t say any more sarcastic or harsh words. He hung up and slid the phone back over to Natalie.


    "Ms. Walker, why are you not answering the call? Are you afraid of something?"


    "I heard from Mrs. Walker that you reminded her to investigate whether my grandmother really cared about me or was just pretending. Is that true?"


    Marcus slightly smiled and admitted what he had done, "Yes. I reminded Aunt Charlotte."


    "Why?" Natalie looked at Marcus. "Mr. Holden, why would you think of that?"


    "I spoke with Mrs. Langley Senior before, and her reactions felt odd. I can see Aunt Charlotte and Uncle William treat you well. They even said they wanted you to be their goddaughter.


    "I don''t like Emma, but I do respect Aunt Charlotte and Uncle William. The Walkers and the Holdens also have many business partnerships."


    Marcus exined slowly, "Back then, my grandfather wasn''t feeling well but tried to hide it from me. Aunt Charlotte was the first to notice and told me. Out of respect, I felt I should warn them when I realized something wasn''t right."


    Natalie nodded and stayed silent. She hadn''t expected Charlotte to tell Marcus that she wanted Natalie to be her goddaughter.


    She had asked the Walkers not to make a big deal of her identity or acknowledge her in public, and they hadpletely respected her wishes.


    Their kindness and respect grew clearer with time. It stood in stark contrast to how Victor and Diana behaved. "You once asked me what I did to Mrs. Langley Senior that caused such a big reaction from her. Now I can tell you, I didn''t do anything. I just asked her a few questions about your childhood.


    "The Langleys used you as a blood bank, and you agreed because you believed it meant you didn''t owe Victor or Diana anything anymore. But, Ms. Walker, you never owed anyone anything to begin with."


    Marcus spoke in a low, deep voice as he looked straight at Natalie. His gaze was hard to read, yet they seemed sincere. She found herself inclined to believe him.


    Did she really owe no one?


    Natalie lowered her head. For the first time, she could not bring herself to meet his gaze.


    Marcus curled his lips slightly and continued, "Ms. Walker, you don''t owe the Langleys anything. You''re kind and dutiful. You were caught in this situation. Even though you sensed something was wrong, you still avoided looking into it. That''s understandable.


    "If I were you, I might have done the same. Sometimes, people know something is wrong, but they don''t want to expose it. Once the truthes out, there''s no going back."


    Natalie lowered her head, staring at the teacup in front of her. After a pause, she finally spoke. "I didn''t realize you were such a life coach, Mr. Holden."


    "I''m not a life coach. I''m just stating the facts in hopes that it can help you."


    "Mr. Holden, you suddenly seem so kind, and it feels odd to me."


    Marcus let out a faint smile. "So, in your mind, am I usually that cold and heartless?"


    "I''m sorry if I said something wrong," Natalie said, looking up at him. "Thank you, Mr. Holden."


    "Let''s eat," he said.


    "Alright."


    They finished the meal quietly, and Grace did not call again.


    Still, Natalie could not shake a feeling of unease.


    Marcus had seen right through her. She could not stop thinking about Grace.


    It was hard to deny that Grace''s words and care toward her had been genuine all these years. She had to admit that she couldn''t be cold or decisive when it came to Grace.


    She could notpletely reject the kindness she had received just because Grace had not prevented Diana from using her as a walking blood bank.


    Even so, this matter remained like a thorn lodged in her heart, growing more frightening the more she thought about it.


    She decided to give up her shares in Langley Group for good and never go back to work there. She could already foresee what would happen to the Langleys in the future.


    She had called several shareholders who had treated her well. Some of them told her right away they were going to sell their shares.


    Kevin and Jack were especially quick to act. As soon as they heard she was giving up her shares, they said they would do the same.


    They would rather cash out now and invest with Natalie because they believed they could still make a profit elsewhere.


    Natalie kept her head lowered, lost in thought.


    Marcus had said what he needed to and did not speak anymore. He knew she was smart enough to figure things out for herself.


    Sometimes, people felt they owed someone simply because they had received so little in return.


    As a grandfather, Charles considered Marcus'' life more important than anything else, except for the time he had Marcus test unknown mushrooms.


    After they finished eating, Marcus took the special packaged meal with him and left the resort with Natalie.


    "Ms. Walker, let''s go home," he said.


    "Alright."


    Natalie opened the car door and got in.


    Marcus had packed two sets of the same meal. Natalie knew one was intended for Grace, but he never mentioned it. He simply left the choice and decision to her.


    They drove for a while. Eventually, Natalie couldn''t help asking, "Mr. Holden, if you were me, what would you do?"


    Marcus turned his head slightly and nced at her with his dark eyes. "Ms. Walker, do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"


    "Of course, I want the truth."


    "The truth often sounds harsh."


    "I still want to hear it, even if it''s harsh."


    Marcus'' lips curved slightly. After a pause, he spoke again. "If I were you, I would cut my losses in time."

 Chapter 155 Distance Herself From Grace

    Natalie stared at Marcus. His sharp features and bright eyes gave him an air of grace and nobility. When he smiled, the curve of his lips had a wicked yet captivating charm.


    He was handsome, and his voice was just as enchanting. Its low, maic tone sounded like it belonged to a famous voice actor. Every word he spoke, and even the slightest smile, seemed to pull people in.


    Grace was drawn to Marcus'' handsome face and asked Natalie to get close to him. She hoped Natalie could marry into the Holden family and be Marcus'' wife.


    Natalie had not considered it too deeply in the past. She assumed Grace was just worried that she would not have support if she left the Langleys and would be bullied.


    Yet, she had already found her birth parents. The Walker family was much more powerful than the Langleys. Nobody withmon sense would dare to pick on her.


    Still, Grace had insisted she try to attract Marcus and even said she should resort to drugging him if necessary.


    Once a suspicion took root, it tended to grow on its own, eventually turning into something much bigger. That was exactly how Natalie felt now.


    Grace had asked her to seduce Marcus and even drug him. Had she really learned this from a drama, or was there another motive behind it?


    Natalie did not dare tell Marcus about it. She did not know how he would react.


    "Ms. Walker, you''re staring at me. Is there something on my face?" Marcus asked with a slight sideways nce.


    He rested one hand casually on the steering wheel, a seemingly casual move that made Natalie''s heart skip a beat. She felt as if he had seen right through her thoughts.


    She steadied herself and stopped staring at him. It was impolite, but she could not help wanting to see if his words were genuine or just pretenses.


    Marcus drove quietly, and Natalie didn''t speak either. Looking out the window, she didn''t know how much time had passed until they arrived at Holden Residence.


    "We''re here. Ms. Walker, could you please help me take the packaged meal to my grandfather? I have some business to handle in the study."


    "Sure."


    Natalie carried the two boxes of packed food as she exited the car. She nned to give one set to Charles and one to Connie.


    "Thank you, Ms. Walker."


    After thanking her, Marcus went straight to the study.


    Natalie took the boxes and went to find Charles and Connie.


    The Walkers had transferred Grace to a VIP suite in Hector Private Hospital.


    Charlotte continued to meticulously care for her, but Grace looked pale and weak. Her cloudy eyes were devoid of energy.


    She no longer showed any of the excitement she had when she first arrived at Dithoria State.


    "Grace, you don''t have to worry or feel sad," Charlotte said as she tucked the nket around her. "My family and I will take care of Natalie. Nobody would dare to bully her.


    "Our family''s assets are no less than the Langleys''. The shares in Walker Group are worth more than those in Langley Group. You''ve always been the one who loved Natalie most, so you''re surely going to support any choice she makes, right?"


    Charlotte spoke gently. "Natalie worries about you most. She told us that you were the only one who treated her well when she lived with the Langleys. She has no feelings at all for those two selfish parents.


    "Natalie said that nobody could threaten her as long as you stayed by her side. Grace, we all know you love Natalie, so you''ll definitely support her, right?


    "You''ve been to our house before. From your reaction on the first day, it seemed like you were quite satisfied with our conditions. So, feel free to stay at our house.


    "As for Natalie, her father and I have already agreed to give her the shares we have. She can work at the familypany if she wants. Otherwise, we''ll give her apany to manage on her own.


    "If she loses money, it doesn''t matter. After all, she''s a woman, and it''s normal not to be good at business. As long as she''s happy, that''s all that matters.


    "Grace, I''m sure you also think our arrangement is perfect, don''t you?"


    Charlotte and William felt sure that Grace was in a normal state of mind now. They decided not to dwell on her past actions and whether she had been pretending or not.


    From this point on, they would protect their daughter, and nobody could hurt her anymore.


    Natalie cared about Grace, so they treated her with the greatest respect and care. However, if Grace still had other intentions and Natalie was unwilling to take action, they would handle it themselves.


    Grace closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. She smiled and pped her hands like a child. "I support Nattie. If she''s happy, then I''m happy too."


    Her behavior reverted to how it had been when she first arrived at the Walker residence.


    Charlotte nced at Grace and smirked. "I knew you always loved Natalie most."


    "I want to see Nattie," Grace said, pulling out a package of mini fruit tarts from under the nket and showing them to Charlotte. "Mini fruit tarts. Nattie likes these."


    "These are expired, so we''re not eating them. Okay?"


    Charlotte took the mini fruit tarts and threw them in the trash. Her daughter deserved the best in the world, not some expired snacks.


    She felt sad for her daughter. She wondered how many expired snacks Natalie had eaten at the Langleys, foolishly thinking they were treating her with kindness.


    "They''re not expired. They''re new," Grace insisted, grabbing Charlotte''s hand. "I want to see Nattie. I want to see Nattie."


    As she spoke, her eyes turned red, and tears began to fall.


    "Grace, be good. Natalie is busy. She''s young and has many things to do. We''re her real parents. We hadn''t known about her for 20 years, so we missed the chance to love her. We feel guilty and anxious."


    Charlotte wiped Grace''s tears. "Now that we''ve finally reunited, I''m truly grateful to Mr. Langley for posting her details on the family searchwork. Otherwise, we never would''ve found our daughter.


    "So, Grace, you don''t need to worry. We won''t do anything to the Langleys. You cared about Natalie a lot, and Mr. Langley did a great job helping us find her. We appreciate that, and we remember your kindness."


    "I want to see Nattie," Grace repeated, clutching Charlotte''s hand. No matter what Charlotte said, she insisted on seeing Natalie.


    Charlotte had no intention of letting Nataliee to the hospital. She gently but firmly ced Grace''s hand back under the nket.


    "Grace, Natalie is really busy. Listen to me. I''m her mother. Would I ever mistreat you? If you don''t trust me, then you don''t trust Natalie. If she knew that, she''d be upset.


    "Be good. Time to take your medicine and rest."


    Charlotte picked up a bottle of pills from the drawer and poured a few into her hand. She brought them near Grace''s mouth with a ss of water. "Open up. Take your medicine."


    Grace knocked Charlotte''s hand aside like a sulky child. "I''m not taking any medicine."


    Charlotte did not lose her temper. She just picked the pills up from the floor. Her voice turned colder as she said, "If you don''t behave, then you definitely won''t get to see Natalie."


    Grace started wailing. She cried hysterically, but Charlotte only watched with a calm expression. Her eyes were cold, showing no trace of pity.


    There was no chance for Grace to see Natalie right now.


    The moment Natalie chose not to appear, Charlotte knew she was nning to distance herself from Grace.

 Chapter 156 It Would Not Be Strange At All

    Grace cried for a long time. Charlotte stood there with her arms crossed, watching coldly, and showed no sign offorting her.


    In the end, Grace began to hup between sobs and stopped crying. She refused to take her medicine. She turned over and closed her eyes to sleep.


    Charlotte sneered. She thought Grace would cry until it was dark, but clearly, her stamina wascking.


    "Grace, please rest well. When you recover, we will take you back home. Natalie''s room is already prepared, and you have seen it. When Natalie returns, you can stay with her. You two have a deep bond. Nobody can separate you."


    Charlotte spoke softly. She pulled up the nket to cover Grace, then turned and walked out of the hospital room.


    As soon as she stepped into the hallway, her gentle expression vanished and turned cold instead.


    William was on the phone, giving instructions. He had arranged a newpany for his daughter.


    Natalie usually wore a ck jacket and work pants. She tied her long hair up and never wore makeup, but she was still beautiful. Still, she always wore ck, which seemed gloomy.


    So, William and Charlotte decided to give Natalie a fashionpany. Thepany produced new designs every day. Since Natalie was pretty and had a great figure, they wanted her to wear more stylish and colorful clothes.


    The Langleys had acted horribly all these years. As parents, William and Charlotte had not known before, but now that they did, they could not let their daughter endure more mistreatment.


    Charlotte had already given birth to five sons before finally having the daughter she had longed for. She wished she could keep her child protected in the palm of her hand. She definitely would not allow the Langleys to get away with what they had done.


    "The Langleys don''t deserve anything. And Grace deserves nothing either," Charlotte snarled through gritted teeth. "At a time like this, she still wants to see Natalie. How dare she! Shameless!"


    "Calm down," William said. "Thewyer from the Langley Group, Walter Watson, will arrive in Dithoria soon. I''m going to meet him personally."


    He put an arm around Charlotte''s shoulders. "You will have to keep acting with Grace. As for Natalie, Marcus is helping us keep her busy for now, so she won''te to see Grace."


    "Our daughter is too kind and holds onto debts of gratitude too tightly. Even if she suspects Grace''s motives and knows there are many questionable points from the past, she might still pretend not to know and continue listening to Grace."


    Charlotte frowned, her eyes shing with a cold glint. She didn''t mind housing Grace for the rest of her life, but every time she saw her, she remembered the days her daughter had been dragged off to draw blood.


    They imed it was genuine love, but in reality, Grace and the evil couple had put on a good-cop-bad-cop act. While abusing Natalie, they gave her tiny favors so she would feel grateful.


    The more deprived she felt, the more she cherished that small show of affection.


    Human feelings wereplicated, so Charlotte could not say for sure that Grace had not loved Natalie at all. Someone who pretended for so many years without any real emotions would have shown cracks at some point.


    Grace had kept up her good-grandmother act for 20 years. Outsiders could never fully see whaty between them.


    Still, Charlotte and William nned to cut off Natalie''s connection to the Langleys. If their daughter could not make that choice on her own, they would act as the bad guys instead.


    "I believe Natalie won''t do that," William said with certainty. He had a good eye for people. Natalie valued kindness and appreciated favors, but her recent decision to avoid Grace showed she had already made up her mind.


    "I''ll go meet Walter."


    "Alright, I''lle too."


    "No, you can''t. You have to stay here at the hospital and watch over Grace," William said, holding Charlotte''s hand. "Ever since we learned Grace allowed Victor and Diana to draw our daughter''s blood, we lost all respect for her. But we still have to keep up appearances.


    "My dear, you''re a woman, so I''ll leave the task of keeping an eye on Grace to you."


    "Yes, I know." Charlotte let out a breath. "Don''t worry, I''ll pretend to show Grace some respect."


    "Thank you," William said, smiling. "No matter if our daughter epts us fully or not, we need to think of her future. We want her to be happy from now on."


    "That''s a must," Charlotte said, a proud smile on her lips. "My daughter was born to enjoy a good life." "Yes, she was."


    The couple exchanged a smile. Then, William left.


    Charlotte stood in the hallway for a moment, adjusting her mood and her acting. After that, she turned around and walked back into Grace''s hospital room.


    An hourter, Walter walked out of the airport carrying a briefcase.


    William had assigned bodyguards to stand guard at every exit, each holding a sign that said, "Wee, Mr. Watson."


    This way, no matter which exit Walter used, the bodyguards could find him right away.


    Walter thought Natalie had arranged for someone to pick him up, so he went to the nearest bodyguard.


    "Hello, I''m Walter Watson."


    "Hello, Mr. Watson. We''re private security sent by Ms. Walker." The bodyguard spoke respectfully. "This way, please."


    "Thank you."


    "You mentioned Ms. Walker. Is that Natalie?"


    "Yes."


    Walter felt surprised. After Selena returned to the Langley family, Victor and Diana forced Natalie to drop their surname and move out. They no longer acknowledged her as their adopted daughter.


    So why were these bodyguards showing Natalie such respect?


    "Mr. Watson, Mr. Walker is waiting in the car," one of the bodyguards said. He noticed Walter''s doubt and exined, "Once you meet him, you''ll understand everything."


    "Alright." Walter nodded and followed them outside.


    They walked to a ck Maybach in the parking lot. A bodyguard opened the door and politely said, "Mr. Watson, please get in."


    William was sitting in the back seat. He put away his documents and waved. "Hello, Mr. Watson. I''m William Walker, Natalie''s biological father."


    Walter froze for a second. Then, he climbed in without showing much emotion.


    He was not worried it was a trap set by the Langleys because none of them had this kind ofmanding presence.


    Natalie was not the Langleys'' real daughter. Everyone in the family had made a big deal of Selena being the true daughter instead.


    If Natalie had found her birth parents, it would not be strange at all that she wanted to leave the Langleys.

 Chapter 157 William Personally Picked Walter Up

    Walter got into William''s car. As soon as the driver started moving, William took out the paternity test and handed it to Walter.


    "Mr. Watson, please take a look at the test results that show Natalie is our daughter."


    "Alright."


    Walter didn''t hesitate. He carefully reviewed the documents and, after confirming that they were real, returned them to William.


    "Mr. Walker, can I call Natalie? I believe the test is real, but I need to ask about her thoughts."


    "No problem. Go ahead."


    Walter nodded. He dialed Natalie''s number in front of William.


    The phone rang three times before Natalie answered. Her voice came through, saying, "Hello, Walter. Have you arrived in Dithoria?"


    "Yes, I have. Is your biological father Mr. William Walker? He came to the airport to pick me up. Right now, I''m in his car."


    "That''s right."


    Natalie was a bit surprised that William had personallye for Walter, but after thinking about it, she realized it was not that shocking.


    William and Charlotte were extremely concerned about her. They wanted to set everything up for her. They knew she wanted to cut ties with the Langleys, so they knew Walter was a friend who worked with her at Langley Group.


    "He''s my biological father. Since you''ve already met him, go rest at your hotel first. I''lle see youter." "Alright." Walter kept his reply simple. Then, he ended the call.


    "We''ve learned most of what happened to our daughter at the Langleys," William said, handing Walter another file. "This folder shows how many times they took my daughter''s blood over the years.


    "Mr. Watson, you''re smart. I won''t beat around the bush. I''d like to know your opinion of Grace. Of course, we know Grace took you from the orphanage, but the money she spent on you was actually from my daughter."


    William paused and gave Walter another set of documents.


    "We never imagined our biological daughter was someone else''s child all this time. If we had known, we wouldn''t have waited until she was 20 to find her.


    "I''ve been investigating the hospital where my wife gave birth, but it happened so long ago. Many of the staff have disappeared, almost as if someone erased their records. But we can talk about thatter."


    William watched Walter closely. Walter''s expression was grim as he studied the documents. His lips tightened more and more with each page he read. In the end, the veins on the back of his hand stood out from how tightly he gripped the folder.


    William noted Walter''s reaction. Before meeting him, he was unsure if Walter was on Grace''s side, but now that they were face-to-face, he felt certain he was not.


    "Mr. Walker, Natalie is already set on leaving Langley Group. She cut ties with them the moment Selena returned," Walter said, forcing himself to stay calm. He put the files away and handed them back to William.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior chose me because Natalie picked me out from the orphanage. But all these years, I didn''t live at the Langley residence. I''ve known for a while that my sponsor wasn''t really Mrs. Langley Senior, but Natalie.


    "I already made up my mind before I came to Dithoria. I stayed at Langley Group for Natalie, not because I felt grateful to Mrs. Langley Senior.


    "After my graduation, I joined Langley Group. In the years I''ve served it, I''ve repaid the debt from when Mrs. Langley Senior took me from the orphanage.


    "I''ll advise Natalie to leave Langley Group and the Langleys quickly. As for Mrs. Langley Senior, we may need to give her some time."


    William heard the answer he wanted and nodded with satisfaction. "Mr. Watson, I n to give Natalie a fashionpany. You two worked together in Amberton before. Now that you''re in Dithoria, I hope you can continue to work with her."


    Walter agreed without hesitation, "As long as Natalie is fine with it, I have no problem."


    "Great. I''ll take you to the hotel. You can get in touch with Natalieter. We won''t interfere with whatever happens with the Langleys for now. I trust you''ll handle it well."


    William smiled slightly as he looked at Walter with admiration.


    Before Walter came to Dithoria, William had ordered a private investigation into him.


    Walter had grown up in an orphanage. During a charity visit, Natalie noticed him and asked Grace to adopt him.


    After that, he attended good schools supported by the Langleys'' money. He was outstanding. After graduating, he worked at Langley Group as chiefwyer.


    For years, he followed Natalie''s instructions and treated her like a sister.


    William couldn''t be sure if Walter really regarded Natalie as a sister. When Walter finally got close to Natalie, she was already engaged to Tyler.


    When William thought of Tyler, his expression darkened again. As Natalie''s fianc¨¦, Tyler should have stood by her from the start, but instead, he took Selena''s side and bullied Natalie.


    Did all those years of affection mean less than her status as the Langley family''s heiress?


    Besides, the Langleys were hardly an elite family.


    Walter sensed a chill in the car. William had a strong presence, the kind a person gained from being in a high position for a long time.


    Walter couldn''t help feeling amazed. Natalie''s biological father was obviously not ordinary.


    Seeing this, Walter felt relieved. If William were an ordinary man, he might have been manipted by the Langleys. Natalie wanted to leave Langley Group, but Grace might have tried to guilt her.


    "Mr. Watson, get a good rest tonight. Now that you''re here in Dithoria, we can resolve everything one step at a time," William said, pulling back his imposing demeanor and smiling slightly.


    "We''re here. Your room is ready. Once you''re out, someone will guide you. I have other matters to attend to, so I won''t be walking you in."


    "Alright, thank you, Mr. Walker."


    "Oh, by the way, Victor and his wife, along with Selena, are all here in Dithoria. They''ve been pestering Natalie for her shares in Langley Group, so we might as well give them what they want. Tomorrow morning, I''ll have someone bring them to the hotel so you can meet them."


    "Alright, thank you, Mr. Walker. That will make things easier." Walter nodded.


    "Mr. Walker, may I ask one more question? Is Mrs. Langley Senior also in Dithoria? Is she staying with Natalie?"


    "No," William said, smiling. "I won''t let Natalie see Grace for now. You''re a smart man, so you know what to do."


    Walter nodded. "I do."


    "That''s good. You should rest well tonight. Tomorrow morning, I''ll arrange for you and the Langleys to meet. It will be easier to move on once we give the shares back to them," William said with a smile.


    Walter nodded and said goodbye before stepping out of the car.


    As William had said, someone immediately came to greet Walter. He got settled in his hotel room.


    Shortly afterward, Walter received a message from Grace.


    "Walter, I know you''re in Dithoria now. Come to Hector Private Hospital right away and secretly take me


    away."

 Chapter 158 The Best Actress

    Walter looked at the text Grace sent him. The corners of his mouth curved slightly. Then, he took a screenshot and forwarded it to Natalie.


    Walter: "Should I go see Mrs. Langley Senior?"


    Natalie: "Go see her."


    Walter: "Alright."


    Walter put away his phone and messaged Grace, "Mrs. Langley Senior, please share your location."


    Grace sent her location to him right away.


    Walter didn''t reply again. He slipped his phone into his pocket and left the hotel.


    William had told the hotel manager to look after Walter. As soon as Walter left the lobby, the manager handed him a set of car keys.


    "Mr. Watson, Mr. Walker said you can use this car."


    "Thank you."


    Walter took the keys, unlocked the car, and got in. He followed the navigation straight to Hector Private Hospital.


    After searching for a while, he finally arrived at the door of Grace''s hospital room. Then, he pressed the record button on the device in his pocket and knocked on the door.


    "Come in," someone said.


    Walter opened the door and went inside.


    It was a VIP suite with a soft andfortable bed. The headboard was brightly colored, and a wall painting was above it. A vase of vibrant red roses that looked freshly cut was on each side of the bed.


    Red roses were Grace''s favorite flowers.


    Arge television was opposite the bed. The remote control was ced beside the bed, making it easy for Grace to reach.


    The couch held several pillows and a few cute cartoon plush dolls. The coffee table disyed someics and candy. Next to it stood a small snack shelf filled with all kinds of snacks popr with children.


    The curtains were a mix of sky blue and pink. Behind them was ayer of white gauze that fluttered in the wind. The sunlight danced on the fabric, making the whole scene feel lively and energetic.


    This suite looked nothing like a typical VIP hospital room. It resembled a cozy bedroom for a little girl.


    However, Gracey on therge bed with the nket covering her entire head. There was barely any movement underneath.


    Charlotte was seated in front of the bed, peeling an apple.


    Walter didn''t know Charlotte, but Charlotte knew him. She set down the apple and fruit knife when she saw him enter. She stood up and gave him a warm and polite smile.


    "You must be Mr. Watson. Hello, I''m Charlotte Kennedy, Natalie''s biological mother."


    "Hello, Mrs. Walker." Walter hurriedly reached out and shook Charlotte''s hand.


    "Please sit down. Make yourselffortable," Charlotte said with a warm smile. "Mr. Watson, I know about you. You have a very good rtionship with my daughter."


    "Yes. Natalie is my benefactor," Walter replied as he sat down. "What happened to Mrs. Langley Senior?" Walter didn''t mention Grace had texted him. He just stared at her under the nket with curiosity.


    "Grace''s mind is like that of a child. When Natalie took her out, she suddenly ran out and got into a car ident."


    Charlotte sighed. "She''s older now, and her body''s fragile. Thankfully, the ident wasn''t too serious. If it had been, we''d be worried sick, especially Natalie. She might even me me for bringing Grace to Dithoria.


    "I feel sad and guilty, so I''ve been here caring for her. Natalie always says Grace is the only one in the Langley family who truly cares for her. If anything happened to Grace, Natalie might lose her will to live. I just found my daughter. I can''t bear the thought of losing her again.


    "So, I won''t allow anything to happen to Grace, no matter what price I have to pay."


    Charlotte looked worried and remorseful. "This is all my fault. If I hadn''t insisted on bringing Grace from Amberton to Dithoria, she wouldn''t have had the ident. I''m very worried and afraid right now. I''m afraid Natalie will me me for what happened and refuse to acknowledge me as her mother."


    As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly, and tears began streaming down her cheeks.


    "Mr. Watson, you''re like a friend who grew up with Natalie. Could you please speak in front of her on my behalf? Tell her not to me me. As for Grace, I''ll take good care of her so Natalie won''t worry. If anything should happen to Grace, then I''ll die with her."


    Walter felt this was a bit too much. "Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Langley Senior is blessed. She''ll be alright. Natalie has gone so long without her parents'' love. She''ll understand how much you and Mr. Walker cherish and care about her."


    Walter spoke earnestly. He reached out to pull the nket down a little. Grace''s head suddenly appeared before them.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, how are you feeling? Is there any difort? Don''t worry, Dithoria has excellent medical resources. You''ll be fine."


    Walter examined Grace''s expression closely. Her face was somewhat pale, and there was a flicker of resentment in her eyes that disappeared so fast he thought he might have imagined it.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, are you alright?" he asked.


    Grace slowly sat up and looked at Walter. Her lips trembled, and then big teardrops rolled down her cheeks.


    "Nattie won''te to see me. Walter, has she abandoned me? Did I do something wrong that made her hate me?"


    "Grace, Nattie doesn''t hate you."


    Charlotte spoke first before Walter could respond. She took hold of Grace''s hand. Her own eyes were even redder, and tears streamed down her cheeks even faster.


    "Nattie is mad at me. She mes me for bringing you to Dithoria and failing to protect you. She is upset with me now. I feel so sad and miserable.


    "Grace, please don''t me Nattie. It''s all my fault. I was wrong. Please don''t me her.


    "I''ve been worried about your condition day and night. Nattie wouldn''t acknowledge me as her mother if anything happened to you. She values you more than she values me."


    Charlotte burst into sobs. "Mr. Watson, please persuade Grace. Tell her not to me me. I finally found my daughter. We haven''t enjoyed any time together, and I haven''t made amends to her. Am I going to lose my own daughter again because of this?"


    Walter''s expression turned serious. He looked at Grace and said, "Mrs. Langley Senior, you''ve never been unreasonable. It isn''t Mrs. Walker''s fault. Surely you won''t me her, right?"


    Walter had long suspected Grace was faking her illness, but he had never found any proof.


    Last time, she called to insist he note to Dithoria, which confirmed his suspicions. Now, she told him by text toe get her out of the hospital, and her tone sounded perfectly normal.


    "I don''t care. I don''t care. I want Nattie. I want Nattie!" Grace shouted, gripping Walter''s arms so hard that her nails dug into his skin. "I need Nattie to see me right now!"


    "My life is so miserable..." Charlotte wailed even louder as she forcefully pried Grace''s hands off Walter. "Grace, please, give me back my daughter!"


    Charlotte dropped to her knees, bowing her head against the bed and knocking it repeatedly.

 Chapter 159 Lets See Who Outdoes Who

    Charlotte''s sudden move shocked Walter and left Grace stunned.


    Grace''s expression darkened, and she almost lost herposure.


    "Grace, please, I''m begging you, give me back my daughter!" Charlotte broke down, clutching Grace''s hands tightly. Her tears and sniffles smeared all over Grace''s hands as she sobbed uncontrobly.


    "Grace, you''ve kept my daughter for 20 years. Please have pity on me for losing her for so long. My daughter endured so much with the Langley family. I haven''t confronted them because they raised her, but now, all I want is the chance to make it up to her. Please, Grace, let me have my daughter back!"


    Charlotte wept, tears pouring down her face. Then, she gave a high-pitched scream. "Grace, I''m begging you!"


    "Let go of me," Grace said, her hands trembling as she tried to push Charlotte away. Charlotte had never acted like this before.


    "Grace, are you willing to give me back my daughter?" Charlotte asked through her tears, looking at Grace with sorrow. "Grace, my daughter served as a living blood supply for your daughter-inw all these years. Please have some mercy on her.


    "She''s human! She feels pain! Her blood is finite! I''m not even asking you to stand up for her. I only want her back. I''ll pay you anything. I have money. I''ll give you money."


    Charlotte kneeled beside the bed. She pulled out her wallet, took all the bills inside, and ced them in front of Grace.


    "Grace, I''ll pay you. Just give me back my daughter, alright?"


    Grace''s lips twitched involuntarily. She hadn''t expected Charlotte to behave like this so suddenly. She felt lost on how to respond.


    Walter stood by for a moment. Finally, he stepped forward and helped Charlotte stand up.


    "Mrs. Walker, please don''t get so worked up," he said calmly. "Mrs. Langley Senior has always been sensible and broad-minded. She has done countless charitable acts. She wouldn''t steal your daughter from you."


    Grace wanted to tell Walter to keep quiet, but she was afraid Charlotte would scream even louder, so she let Walter continue.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, Mrs. Walker is really pitiful. She was separated from her daughter for 20 years. If Natalie had grown up with her biological parents, Mr. and Mrs. Langley would never have treated her as a living blood bank.


    "Mrs. Walker is a mother who loves her daughter. The fact that she hasn''t med Mr. and Mrs. Langley shows how much she''s endured. Mrs. Langley Senior, please let Natalie go back to her real family.


    "Besides, even if Natalie returns to her birth parents, she''ll still see you as her grandmother. Instead of losing her, you''ll gain a son and daughter-inw as well. Mrs. Walker, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Charlotte immediately nodded. "Yes, yes, Mr. Watson is right. My husband and I will certainly treat you like our mother. After all, if it weren''t for you caring for Natalie all these years, she might have died from excessive blood draws when she was still a child. She wouldn''t even be alive now to reunite with us."


    As soon as Charlotte said this, tears rolled down her cheeks again. She pped her leg and burst into loud sobs.


    "My poor daughter..... It''s my fault. I didn''t know you were swapped at birth and caused you to suffer all those years!"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, just agree to Mrs. Walker''s request!" Walter said firmly. "Are you trying to push Mrs. Walker to the brink? You''re a mother too. Can''t you understand how Mrs. Walker feels?"


    Grace''s fingers trembled. She wanted to curse Walter for speaking nonsense, but she was supposed to have the mind of a six-year-old, so what could she possibly know?


    She threw a tantrum like a child, but Charlotte was crying and wailing so loudly that if Grace carried on, Charlotte''s voice would drown hers out even more.


    "I''m scared, I''m scared," Grace said, grabbing the nket to cover her head and trembling underneath it. "I want Nattie, I want Nattie."


    Walter frowned and was about to lift the nket when Charlotte held down his hand. He looked up and saw that the woman who had been sobbing moments earlier was now calm and distant, with no sign of tears.


    Charlotte silently shook her head at him, so Walter slowly pulled his hand back.


    "Grace, don''t be afraid. I''ll go get Nattie toe see you."


    Charlotte''s voice choked up again the moment she spoke, and the sudden shift surprised Walter. Still, he said nothing, simply watching Charlotte perform.


    Under the nket, Grace kept trembling and whimpering for Natalie.


    Charlotte patted the shaking nket, gave Walter a meaningful look, and left the room first.


    Once in the hallway, Charlotte''s mouth curved into a cold, mocking smile. "Mr. Watson, whose side are you on?"


    Walter answered without thinking, "I''m on Natalie''s side. I already met Mr. Walker when I arrived. I know what he wants."


    Upon hearing this, Charlotte nodded with satisfaction. She brushed her hair back and smiled at Walter. "How was my acting?"


    Walter nodded seriously, not holding back his admiration. "Mrs. Walker, your acting is excellent." Charlotte let out a shortugh. "Grace likes to pretend she''s mentally disabled. In that case, I''ll act like a desperate mother. Let''s see who outdoes who. I don''t believe she can keep acting forever.


    "Natalie is kind and dutiful. She may see the truth, but she might choose to forgive it. But as her mother, I can''t forgive."


    Charlotte''s gaze grew colder with every word. "The Langleys had better pray they had nothing to do with my daughter being switched at birth."


    Walter felt a chill, and then he began to tear up. Over the years, he had often told Natalie to put herself first. Langley Group made a huge profit annually, and Victor and Diana took so many dividends that they had more than enough money to rece all of Diana''s blood.


    Yet, Victor and Diana used Grace''s car ident as an excuse to force Natalie into donating more blood for Diana many times.


    Each time, Natalie''s face would remain pale for days. She would disappear for a while but eventually return, looking better.


    Walter had his doubts, but he never asked. He assumed she went somewhere to recover in private. After all, they were just friends. He couldn''t cross that boundary.


    Now that he saw how Charlotte and William protected Natalie, Walter realized that genuine love was on a whole different level.

 Chapter 160 Are You Just Pretending

    Walter and Charlotte spoke outside the hospital room for a while.


    Charlotte exuded elegance with an undertone of sharpness. It wasn''t overbearing, but it still made people instinctively feel wary. It was the kind of presence that came from years of holding a high position.


    Even Gracecked this kind ofposure, and Diana, being petty, definitely didn''t either.


    Most of all, Charlotte looked almost identical to Natalie. Despite her age, she was well-maintained and seemed at most in her early 30s. Time had barely left its mark on her.


    Walter would have believed it if someone said she was Natalie''s sister.


    "Mr. Watson, you and my daughter have known each other since she was young. Could you tell me about her childhood?" Charlotte asked, turning the topic to Natalie after they finished their discussion.


    She had missed the first 20 years of her precious daughter''s life, and all her wealth and power could not make up for that.


    "When we were kids, I didn''t see Natalie very often. But she''d alwayse at specific times to check on me. She''d bring me some basic necessities and give me my living expenses," Walter said, leaning against the wall.


    Whenever he spoke about her younger days, a gentle look came into his eyes, and a smile appeared on his lips.


    "At the time, I thought the living expenses came from Mrs. Langley Senior. I felt deeply grateful to her, so I always told Natalie that I would study hard and live up to the expectations of Mrs. Langley Senior and her.


    "Every time I said that, Natalie would smile and reach out to pat my head. Because I was taller, I would bend down so she could pat me.


    "Later, when Natalie came again with my living expenses and supplies, she brought a little boy with her. Mrs. Langley Senior came too. She told me the boy was Tyler, Natalie''s childhood friend. She said they''d get married when they grew up."


    Walter''s lips twisted with a tinge of bitterness at the mention of Tyler. "Even though I was a kid, I understood it was her way of warning me not to overreach.


    "That was also when I found out from Mrs. Langley Senior that Natalie had been the one who really sponsored me all along. Mrs. Langley Senior said Natalie chose me, and everything that funded me came from her personally.


    "However, since Victor and Diana never gave Natalie any pocket money, Mrs. Langley Senior provided her with a lot. It was more than enough for both her and me."


    Charlotte listened attentively. She could almost picture her daughter as a soft, chubby little girl, rising up on tiptoe to pat the head of a boy taller than her.


    Charlotte had never met Tyler, so she did not know what he looked like. But if he was her daughter''s childhood friend, she figured Natalie might have had real feelings for her former fianc¨¦.


    Charlotte hesitated. Interrupting was impolite, but her curiosity got the better of her. When Walter paused briefly, she asked, "Did Natalie like Tyler a lot?"


    "Well... I''m not sure," Walter said, lowering his gaze. "From then on, every time she came to see me, Tyler was with her."


    Walter didn''t mention that Natalie no longer patted his head once Tyler appeared.


    As they grew up and became conscious of the differences between boys and girls, that natural closeness they once shared faded. Their rtionship turned more like that of a brother and sister.


    He never forgot that Natalie was Tyler''s fianc¨¦e, and Grace had warned him directly. So, he never dared to develop any improper feelings and kept those emotions deeply hidden.


    He poured all his efforts into his studies, aiming to excel enough to stand by Natalie''s side and support her as a brother.


    "Alright," Charlotte said gently.


    She noticed Walter''s mood sinking and sighed inwardly. It seemed he had feelings for Natalie, but from the way she acted, Natalie likely had no clue.


    "I''ll find an excuse to leave now. Go back in and talk with Grace. I want to know what she''s nning next." Charlotte lowered her voice. "Right now, there''s nobody around Grace. Since she funded you, she''ll likely use that connection to make you do things for her.


    "Mr. Watson, since you''re on Natalie''s side, we trust youpletely. We only hope you won''t let us down." Walter looked up and nodded firmly. "Please be at ease, Mrs. Walker. I''ve been on Natalie''s side from the start. Even if I''m not her biological brother, I see her as more than a real sister could ever be. You can trust me."


    "Alright, then I''ll be off," Charlotte said with a smile. Then, she turned and walked away.


    Walter stayed in the hallway a bit longer. After steadying his emotions, he returned to the hospital room.


    The nket on the bed was still quivering. He moved closer and tapped the headboard. "Mrs. Langley Senior, Mrs. Walker has left."


    After a while, Grace pulled the nket down. She slowly stretched out andy t on the bed.


    "Walter, why isn''t Nattieing to see me? Is something wrong with her?" she asked, sounding worried about Natalie.


    "I''m so worried. Could William and Charlotte have locked her up? She never used to avoid seeing me like this. Last time I had a car ident, she was so scared for me."


    Grace held the phone that Natalie had given her. She had never been in a situation where she could not reach Natalie.


    "Walter, does Nattie think I''m not good?"


    Walter didn''t answer her questions. He said calmly, "Mrs. Langley Senior, other than wanting to see Natalie, do you have anything else in mind? You texted me to take you out of here. Do you still want to leave?"


    "Of course I do. I don''t want to stay in this hospital. The ce smells awful. I want to go back to Cedar Hill Nursing Home. Sarah will keep mepany."


    Grace lowered her head. "Walter, ask Nattie to get me out of here."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, aren''t you tired of pretending all the time?" Walter asked, pouring her a cup of hot water. "When exactly did you regain your senses, or have you been pretending all these years?"


    Grace jerked her head up, staring hard at Walter. "You ungrateful brat! What nonsense are you talking about? Is this how you repay me after all the support I gave you? Do you think you''d be where you are today without me?"

 Chapter 161 Grace Had Recovered

    Grace suddenly flew into a rage, which Walter hadn''t expected. Yet, her outburst confirmed that she had indeed been pretending.


    Walter let out a long sigh. He ced a cup of hot water into Grace''s hand. "Mrs. Langley Senior, you''re mistaken. You weren''t the one who supported me back then. It was Natalie who did.


    "As far as you were concerned, it didn''t matter if it was me or someone else. As long as Natalie chose that person, you were willing to sponsor them.


    "That''s why the first person I''m grateful to is Natalie. But I''m also respectful and thankful to you, Mrs. Langley Senior.


    "Even though you told me not toe to Dithoria, here I am. If you have something you want me to do, I''ll help you. After this, though, our debt is settled. From then on, I''ll only stand with Natalie."


    When he finished, Walter didn''t look again at Grace''s darkened face. He stood and walked to the window, sending Natalie a message.


    Walter: "I have a recording proving Mrs. Langley Senior is of sound mind. When we meet, I''ll y it for you." Natalie: "Alright."


    At this point, Natalie already knew the truth, but she still wanted to hear it. Her heart had to bepletely broken before she could make a firm decision with no regrets.


    "Take me back to Amberton," Grace said coldly, lying on the bed. "You''re not allowed to leave Langley Group. If Natalie wants to leave, so be it, but you can''t go."


    Walter turned around and asked, "Why?"


    "Walter, don''t y dumb," Grace said, her tone turning colder. "If you don''t stay, then I''ll cling to Natalie. I know how deep her sense of duty is."


    She continued, "If she finds out I''ve recovered and I demand she not leave Langley Group, do you think she''ll agree or refuse? If you take me back right now, while I''m still ''disabled,'' I''ll allow her to leave Langley Group."


    "Natalie doesn''t need your permission to leave Langley Group," Walter said, his face turning grim. Grace was threatening him. If he wanted Natalie to leave without trouble, then he had to stay.


    "Yeah, she doesn''t need my permission, but you can ask her yourself. Do you think she''d just leave if I didn''t agree? I raised her. Don''t you think I know her better than anyone?"


    Grace smirked. "She doesn''t want the shares I gave her and wants to hand them over to Selena. If I keep refusing to agree, she won''t be able to say no.


    "Why else is Natalie avoiding me right now? She can''t reject my demands, so she''s steering clear and letting her birth parents handle everything. She might think I don''t see through her, but I know exactly what she''s doing.


    "Walter, whether you believe me or not, I really do want to protect Natalie. I truly have her best interests at heart."


    Walter let out a mockingugh. "Mrs. Langley Senior, save those words for yourself. If you keep repeating them, I might almost believe you.


    "You gave Natalie the shares, and you must know very well how Selena and Diana treat her. Do you really not see any of it?


    "Now Natalie wants to give the shares back to Selena, so all of you can be one big happy family again. She''s just an outsider anyway. She shouldn''t interfere with your family''s harmony. You should be d."


    "Stop talking nonsense." Grace hated the sarcastic smile on Walter''s face. Even if Natalie was the one who provided the money, it was Grace who passed that money on.


    "Walter, I advise you not to spout such defiant words in front of me."


    Grace lifted the nket and got out of bed. She walked into the bathroom and made a few phone calls. If Natalie insisted on separating herself from the Langleys, Grace would have no choice but to return and take charge.


    Victor and Diana were both useless, and Selena was even worse. In their hands, Langley Group might notst three months before copsing.


    That was her life''s work. She would never allow it to fall apart.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, are you feeling all better now?" Walter followed her to the bathroom door. As she went to shut it, he held it open with his hand.


    "Walter, how dare you! Are you trying to spy on me in the bathroom?" Grace''s face fell, and an imposing presence radiated from her.


    At that moment, Walter was reminded of how Grace had run Langley Group in the past. Instinctively, he backed away, letting her m the bathroom door shut.


    He let out a breath. He had felt intimidated just now.


    Inside the locked bathroom, Grace dialed Charles'' number. Natalie was ignoring her calls and messages, but she had her ways.


    Once the call connected, Grace spoke in a calm voice. "Hello, Charles. It''s me, Grace. Thanks to this car ident, I''ve actually recovered. I''m better now."


    Her tone carried barely suppressed excitement and emotion. "Charles, I''m fine. Really fine. I''m so happy. I''m so, so happy!"


    On the other end of the line, Charles almost jumped up from the couch. "Grace, are you serious? You''re not trying to fool me, are you?"


    "Of course not! How could anyone joke about something like this? Charles, I''m ecstatic." Grace began to sob. "I never dreamed I could get better."


    "That''s wonderful, wonderful indeed!" Charles said excitedly. "Your ident turned out to be a blessing in disguise. If you''re healed, that''s great. I''lle to the hospital right away! Nattie is here with me. I''ll tell her too. She''ll be over the moon."


    "Alright. I''ll be here waiting for you."


    Grace wiped her tears and looked at herself in the mirror.


    Over the years, Natalie had taken good care of her. Even though she stayed in the nursing home, Natalie had hired trustworthy, highly responsible staff to help her.


    Grace had always livedfortably and never skipped her regr skincare routine. Even though she was old, she still looked elegant and poised.


    She picked up the toiletries on the sink and carefully tidied herself up. She even put on some makeup. After examining her reflection from several angles, she opened the bathroom door and stepped out. Walter looked over at Grace. Though she still wore a hospital gown, she lookedpletely different. Grace looked disinterestedly at him. "Go buy me two deep green dresses."


    Walter nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Langley Senior."


    As soon as he left, Grace immediately called John. "Hello, John. Tell Tyler to hurry over to Dithoria and bring Selena home."

 Chapter 162 What A Coincidence

    After finishing what she had to say, Grace hung up the phone right away, not giving John a single chance to speak.


    She was certain that he would do as told. After all, years ago, it was she who had personally helped elevate the Miller family. She was also the one who decided on Natalie''s engagement to Tyler.


    Even after she gradually withdrew from the public, she told Natalie to keep supporting the Miller family as before.


    The Langleys and the Millers were partners. They were essentially one entity. If one thrived, the other would benefit. If one fell, the other would suffer too.


    The Miller family clearly understood that. Therefore, Tyler would surelye.


    At the Holden residence, Charles hurriedly went to find Natalie. He also made a phone call to Marcus.


    "Marcus, go to the hospital right away. Grace has recovered. She''s regained her senses! This is amazing news. After all these years, she''s finally recovered."


    On the other end of the line, Marcus was surprised.


    Grace recovered at this particr moment? What a coincidence.


    "Grandpa, I left an important document at home. Could you have Ms. Walker bring it over to me?" Marcus quickly asked. "Once she gets here with the file, I''ll go to the hospital with her."


    He knew Charles had been trying to create chances for him and Natalie to spend time alone. Surely Charles would agree.


    Sure enough, Charles responded without thinking. "Alright, I''ll let Natalie know. I''ll go to the hospital with Sheldon. You twoe quickly, okay? But if you''re busy, it''s fine toeter."


    "Okay, thanks, Grandpa."


    Marcus hung up and immediately called Hector. "Hey, what''s going on? Why did Grace suddenly recover at a time like this?"


    Hector had just stepped out of surgery and felt confused. "Recovered from what?"


    "Her mental state. She''s back to normal," Marcus said in his low, cold voice.


    Hector blurted out a curse. "That old hag must be doing it on purpose!"


    "I''ll try to dy Natalie so she''ll arrive at the hospital aste as possible, but I can''t guarantee how long that''ll be," Marcus said, checking his watch. "Alright, bye."


    With that, Marcus ended the call and dialed Natalie. "Hello, Ms. Walker. I have to trouble you to make a trip." "Grandpa Charles already told me. Which file do you need, and where is it? I''ll bring it to you," Natalie answered calmly, with no hint of emotion. She didn''t mention Grace at all.


    Marcus felt a slight stir inside. He sympathized with Natalie a bit more now. Yet, it was only that¡ªsympathy. Everyone had their own fate. He was helping her only because she had saved Charles.


    "It''s in the study. The first drawer. The topmost file," he replied.


    "Got it. I''ll be there soon."


    After hanging up, Natalie informed Charles. Then, she headed to the study as Marcus had instructed. Before long, she left Holden Residence with the file in hand.


    Marcus had given her a car for convenience. Natalie drove on her own. Throughout the trip, her face remained tense, her gaze frighteningly cold.


    She had taken such careful care of Grace all those years. At first, she thought her medical skills were insufficient, so she found one famous doctor after another. Even her mentor told her to give up and let Grace stay that way.


    Eventually, she stopped trying. Seeing Grace live carefree like a child, she believed her mentor was right.


    Now she realized her mentor must have known long ago but could not reveal it. That was why he persuaded her to let things take their course.


    Of course, she couldn''t possibly treat Grace, who faked her illness.


    Arriving downstairs at the Holden Group''s building, Natalie''s eyes were bloodshot.


    She took several deep breaths and picked up the file from the passenger seat. After putting on a pair of sunsses, she got out of the car. Then, she headed toward the main entrance of Holden Group.


    Noah was waiting at the door. When he saw her, he approached at once. "Ms. Walker, this way, please. Thank you foring."


    Natalie nodded and let him lead her.


    Noah had a refined appearance and didn''t speak much. He was the opposite of his brother Elijah.


    Most of the time, Elijah remained hidden, protecting Marcus in secret. Noah would appear when needed to handle certain tasks.


    Marcus typically only summoned Elijah in the presence of people he deeply disliked. Elijah had a knack for dealing with troublemakers.


    From her few days at Holden Residence, Natalie had more or less figured out the people around Marcus. Noah was quiet and handled things steadily. He had a refined appearance that made him easy to like. Following him, Natalie passed through the lobby and took the private elevator for the president. Noah pressed the button for the 18th floor.


    "Mr. Holden is holding a small meeting on the 18th floor. It''ll take about half an hour. Ms. Walker, I hope you don''t mind waiting for a bit," Noah said politely.


    Natalie wouldn''t make things difficult for him. Besides, she didn''t want to see Grace anyway. "That''s fine."


    When the elevator reached the 18th floor, Noah made a gesture inviting her to step out. "Ms. Walker, after you."


    "Thank you," Natalie said as she stepped out of the elevator.


    Noah guided her down the hall and soon brought her to a small reception room. "Ms. Walker, please wait here for a while. I''ll get you some coffee."


    "Thanks, but no need. Just a bottle of water is fine."


    "Alright. Please wait a moment."


    Before long, Noah returned with a bottle of mineral water for Natalie. She thanked him and indicated that he could go about his own business.


    However, Noah didn''t leave. He simply stayed with her quietly.


    Half an hourter, Marcus arrived right on time. He wore a sleek ck suit with no visible logos. His tall, upright figure and striking features were as cold as ever.


    Natalie was immersed in her own thoughts, so she didn''t notice Marcus'' entrance.


    In the past half hour, Grace had tried calling many times and sent her numerous texts.


    Charlotte, William, and Mason had all contacted her, warning her not to fall for Grace''s scheme.


    "Thank you for waiting, Ms. Walker," Marcus said in a deep voice.


    Natalie snapped back to reality. She looked up at him and quickly got to her feet. "It''s fine. Mr. Holden, here''s the file you requested."


    "Thank you." Marcus took the file. "This is very important. If you hadn''t brought it to me, the losses could have been huge."


    Natalie gave a faint smile but didn''t call out his lie. With so many people at his disposal, he didn''t need her help. Still, she chose to ept his gesture of kindness.


    "I''m d I could help you, Mr. Holden."


    "Alright," Marcus said with a nod. "To show my gratitude for such a big favor, how about I treat you to a meal?


    A seafood buffet, perhaps?"


    Seafood had lots of shells, and it needed to be cooked on the spot. It would buy more time.

 Chapter 163 Stall For Time

    Natalie remained silent for a moment. She knew Marcus wanted to stall for time, and once again, he had to treat her to a meal because of it.


    "Alright," she said, epting his hospitality with a faint smile. "Thank you, Mr. Holden."


    After all, she hadn''t decided how to face Grace yet.


    Marcus handed the file to Noah and led Natalie out of the reception room. When they left the Holden Group building, Elijah immediately drove a car over.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker."


    Wearing white gloves, Elijah opened the car door respectfully. Today, he was the driver.


    Marcus gestured for Natalie to get in first. He followed, and they sat on opposite sides of the back seat, leaving a distance between them as if a great mountainy in the middle.


    Elijah was talkative, loved gossip, and enjoyed pairing people up. He had witnessed plenty of women who tried to throw themselves at Marcus, but this was the first time he saw a woman like Natalie, who seemed eager to keep her distance from him.


    Right away, Elijah felt Natalie and Marcus were a perfect match. Besides, it seemed Natalie was the first woman Marcus didn''t reject outright.


    Looking back on Emma from before or Selena, who had shown up in Balford, Marcus practically wanted to strap on a helicopter rotor and fly away at the mere sight of them.


    Elijah stole several nces in the rearview mirror while he drove, but before he could get a good look, the privacy partition rose.


    "Focus on driving," came Marcus'' deep voice from behind the panel.


    Elijah hurriedly concentrated on the road. However, the car moved at a slow pace. Noah had told him beforehand that Marcus wanted to dy Natalie''s arrival at the hospital. Therefore, he should drive slowly, and if their dining destination was far, that was even better.


    By the time Elijah drove the car all the way to the pier, an hour and ten minutes had passed. Even before Natalie could exit, the car rolled onto a ferry.


    Natalie nced at Marcus. He offered a casual exnation, "We''ll go fishing at sea."


    She was speechless. Did they really need to drive onto a ferry? Were they afraid she would run away the moment she stepped out of the car?


    "Ms. Walker, you don''t mind, right?" Marcus asked.


    "No, I don''t mind," Natalie replied.


    The car was already on the ferry. Saying she minded would be useless anyway.


    "Good," Marcus said with a smile. "I''ve made the arrangements. We''ll go out to sea and catch fresh fish for our meal."


    "Alright," she replied.


    Once the ferry left the dock, Elijah unlocked the car. He got out first, then opened the door for Marcus and Natalie.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, please step out."


    "Okay."


    Marcus and Natalie got out one after the other. Only then did Natalie realize the ferry Marcus had chosen was quiterge, with four decks. They were currently in the basement level, which had an elevator leading to the first deck.


    The first deck had a wide open area too, furnished with a dining table and parasols. Several attendants stood by, ready to serve.


    "The first deck is the dining area. The second deck is for recreation, the third has guest rooms, and the fourth is for private use," Marcus exined, guiding Natalie across the first deck.


    Everything inside gleamed with a luxurious shine, not a speck of dust to be found. There was a public dining space as well as private rooms.


    "So it''s just the two of us and the staff?" Natalie asked, looking at him.


    Marcus nodded. "Yes. You won''t have to worry about anyone disturbing you."


    "Got it."


    Natalie went over and sat in a spot next to a window. "Since we''re here, I guess there''s no need to fish or catch anything ourselves."


    "Of course we still have to," Marcus said with a smile. "We came all this way. would be a waste not to try it." Natalie found it a bit amusing that someone like Marcus, with all his wealth, could still talk about waste. Marcus snapped his fingers, and the chef immediately went off to prepare things.


    "First, let''s have a small bite to settle our stomachs. Then, we''ll go fishing."


    "Alright."


    Natalie let Marcus n it all. She had her phone on vibrate. Throughout the journey, it buzzed against her body, but she hadn''t even looked at it once.


    She hadn''t made up her mind ore to a firm decision yet. In a way, Marcus keeping her busy allowed her space to think.


    "Mr. Holden, thank you," she said genuinely, ncing across at him.


    "You don''t need to thank me, Ms. Walker. If anyone should be grateful, it''s me. You saved my grandfather''s life and helped me twice. I''m the one who owes you thanks."


    Marcus raised his ss of water, his Adam''s apple bobbing as he drank. His dark gaze flicked to Natalie before he looked away.


    "Ms. Walker, would you like to try diving?" he asked. "I can go with you."


    Natalie shook her head. "No, I''m afraid of water."


    "What?" Marcus was somewhat surprised. From everything he had learned about her, there was no mention of a fear of water.


    "When I was eight, Diana threw me into a swimming pool, even though I couldn''t swim," Natalie said calmly. "I almost died that time. After that, I developed a fear of water.


    "When I was 12, Victor and Diana took me to a banquet, and in the garden was another swimming pool. Victor was trying to please a business partner. The partner''s daughter pushed me into the pool and held me under. She pulled me back up only when I nearly drowned.


    "I remember my scalp hurting, I couldn''t breathe, and my throat was full of water. I really thought I was going to die."


    Natalie paused, curving her lips in an ironic smile. "I cried for help, but Diana came over and pped me." Hearing this, Marcus'' expression darkened.


    "Sorry, Mr. Holden. I''m sure you''d rather not hear these things," Natalie said with a faint smile. "I''ll stop."


    Marcus was simply taken aback. He had thoroughly investigated her, yet he hadn''t uncovered the incidents she just mentioned.


    For a moment, he didn''t know how to respond.


    "I''m hungry. Will the food be ready soon?" she asked, changing the subject.


    She thought she had moved on from the past, but those memories suddenly came flooding back. She wasn''t trying to get sympathy from Marcus. They just came to mind, so she spoke naturally.


    "I was raised by my grandfather too," Marcus said softly. "Since I was a child, he never allowed anyone to hurt me, not even my own parents. I''ve never been hit in my entire life."


    He especially couldn''t imagine being pped.


    "Ms. Walker, parents like the Langleys aren''t worth feeling indebted to for raising you. You repaid them a long time ago."


    "Mr. Holden, I owe you an apology," Natalie said seriously, looking him in the eye. "I med you for talking with my grandmother that day. I don''t know your reasons for helping me, but I''m still thankful. I''m sorry for being so impulsive."


    With that, Natalie stood and bowed to Marcus.

 Chapter 164 Grace Moved Into The Holden Residence

    Natalie''s sudden thanks and apology caught Marcus off guard. Seeing her bowing, he quickly stood up and reached out to stop her.


    "Ms. Walker, there''s no need for that. I helped you because you helped me first. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have bothered," he said.


    Natalie smiled and nodded. "Alright, let''s not dwell on anything unpleasant. Since we''re already out at sea, I''ll make the most of it."


    "Sure," Marcus replied.


    As they chatted, the chef had finished cooking, and the servers brought dishes to the table.


    "This king crab is prepared three ways-steamed, salt and pepper, and garlic chili style," one server exined while setting down the tes.


    "We also have steamed lobster, caviar, tuna belly sashimi, shrimp sashimi, prawn sashimi, grilled lobster with ck pepper, baked lobster with cheese, grilled snapper, tender beef ribs, and truffle foie gras."


    When the server finished introducing the dishes, Marcus waved him away. "Ms. Walker, please."


    Natalie looked at the table piled high with seafood. Beyond the windowy the boundless ocean under a clear, vibrant sky. Where the sea met the horizon, it formed a dazzling line of brilliant blue. Her heavy mood lifted in an instant.


    Marcus hadn''t ordered wine, though there were various small desserts, mostly choctes.


    Noticing the familiar packaging, Natalie realized it was the same brand she had found in her room at the Holden residence.


    "Ms. Walker, please."


    "Thank you."


    They began eating. Neither of them spoke during the meal.


    Marcus'' purpose was to dy Natalie''s trip to the hospital. Now that they were adrift at sea, he could decide when they would return.


    When they finished their meal, Marcus asked Elijah to bring over two fishing rods so he and Natalie could fish on the deck.


    She rarely spent so much time alone with Marcus. Most days, he kept his distance.


    Slightly turning her head, she watched him ce bait on the hook and cast his line with an easy, fluid motion ¡ªmaking a simple act look surprisingly elegant.


    Grace had taken her fishing back when she was healthy, so Natalie knew the basic steps. She followed Marcus'' example and baited her hook. Then, she cast the line and sat quietly.


    The ferry moved at a slow pace, so steady that she barely felt it.


    Soon, Marcus'' float bobbed. He pulled up the rod and caught a long, slender pink fish. He removed it and offered it to Natalie. "Ms. Walker, it''s yours."


    Natalie blinked in surprise.


    "You don''t like it?" Marcus asked. He then tossed the fish back into the sea.


    Natalie was speechless. She hadn''t said she didn''t like it. She was just surprised he had offered her his first catch.


    Just then, Marcus'' phone rang. He nced at the screen before answering. "Hello, Grandpa."


    "Why haven''t you brought Natalie to the hospital yet?" Charles asked in clear displeasure. "Grace is fine now. I''m bringing her back home. From now on, she and Natalie will be staying here at our ce."


    Marcus was taken aback. "Grandpa, that might not be the best idea!"


    "What''s wrong with it?" Charles snapped. "Our ce is big enough. Don''t tell me you''re against setting aside a guest room and a few extra meals. Grace is my godsister and your god-grandmother. Even if she weren''t,


    I''d still bring her if I wanted to. I''m still alive, Marcus. You don''t get to decide anything just yet."


    Marcus fell silent for a moment. "Fine, Grandpa. As long as it makes you happy."


    He owned plenty of other houses anyway and could simply move out.


    Besides, he hadn''t forgotten that Grace once encouraged Natalie to seduce him or even drug him. Any sympathy he had begun to feel for Natalie vanished after this call.


    Ending the call, Marcus turned to Natalie. "Ms. Walker, my grandfather took your grandmother back to Holden Residence. She''ll be living there from now on."


    He said calmly, "You didn''t want anyone to know you''re Dr. Elim. Your grandmother probably has no idea, right? My grandfather isn''t the best at keeping secrets."


    He was hinting that Grace might have already learned Natalie was Dr. Elim.


    Natalie''s lips twitched slightly. "It''s fine. I can handle it."


    "Alright. I''ll keep you safe during my grandfather''s treatment."


    Marcus had given his word. For the next three months, while Charles was receiving treatment, he would protect Natalie from harm.


    "Thank you," she replied.


    Natalie didn''t refuse. After all, she had her own residence in Dithoria. If Grace was going to live at Holden Residence, she would just stay elsewhere.


    Charles'' schedule was fixed, so she only had to return for his acupuncture sessions.


    Still, a thought crossed Natalie''s mind, and she frowned a little. She might be unable to move out before Charles'' treatment ended.


    She kept her worries to herself instead of voicing them. She fished quietly with Marcus until he told Elijah to head back at 4:00 pm.


    Marcus timed their arrival at Holden Residence to coincide with Charles'' evening acupuncture session. Stepping into the grand foyer, they heard cheerful voices. Grace and Charles were happily chatting about something, both clearly in a good mood.


    At the sight of Marcus and Natalie, Charles appeared ready to scold them. But Grace gently tugged his hand, then shook her head, so he relented.


    "Alright. For Grace''s sake, I won''t stay mad at you two today," Charles grumbled. "But you can''t eat with us tonight. You like going out anyway, don''t you? Then go have all the fun you want."


    Grace chimed in with a smile. "You''re Marcus, right? Thest time I saw you, you were just a little boy. Look how tall and handsome you are now. I used to hold you in my arms when you were little."


    She sighed at how quickly time had passed. "I remember joking with your grandfather back then, saying I''d marry my granddaughter off to you when you grew up. But he told me your mother had already arranged a fianc¨¦e for you."


    When Grace finished speaking, she turned to Natalie. The moment her eyes fell on her, Grace''s expression and voice suddenly became pitiful. "Nattie, where did you and Marcus go? I waited for so long at the hospital, but you never came."


    Her eyes looked hurt, but then they sparkled with excitement. "I''m all better now. Aren''t you happy?"

 Chapter 165 Have You Ever Done Anything To Harm Me

    As she spoke, Grace walked toward Natalie.


    Under the bright crystal chandeliers, Natalie stood there in her ck jacket and cargo pants, her hair tied back. Her face looked indifferent, and there was not the slightest hint of a smile or joy in her eyes.


    Grace''s expression fell. Her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall. "Nattie, why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Grandma." Natalie stepped forward, fixing her unwavering gaze on Grace. "I have something to ask you. You must answer me truthfully."


    "Nattie, you look so serious. I''m scared." A hint of surprise flickered in Grace''s eyes for a second. She lowered her head, wiping away her tears. She avoided meeting Natalie''s gaze. "Nattie, did I do something wrong? Why do you look so serious?"


    Instead of answering Grace''s questions, Natalie spoke in a cold, steady voice. "Grandma, have you ever done anything to harm me? Have you ever lied to me? Please answer me honestly."


    Natalie''s tone was calm and chilling, her usually pretty, soulful eyes now sharp and probing.


    On the way back, she had been thinking about how she should face Grace. While she appreciated her kindness and felt grateful, she wasn''t naive.


    If Grace had really been deceiving her and taking advantage of her all this time, it would be better to make a decision sooner rather thanter.


    Marcus had told her she didn''t owe anyone anything. That included Victor, Diana, and also Grace.


    Grace lifted her head, tears streaming down her lined cheeks as she gazed at Natalie. "Nattie, why would you ask me such a thing? Did somebody say something to you? I raised you myself. I loved you the most from the time you were little. Do you really not trust me?"


    "I trusted you too much," Natalie said, smiling bitterly.


    She took out her phone and made a call to Charlotte. "Hello, Mrs. Walker. Could you alle to Holden Residence? I need to discuss something with you tonight."


    "Oh, sure. Your dad, your brothers, and I will be there right away," Charlotte answered excitedly.


    Hearing her barely contained joy, Natalie''s lips curled into a warm smile. Perhaps blood ties really were different.


    Momentster, Charlotte arrived with William and Natalie''s brothers. This time, there was a new face among them¡ªa man Natalie had never met but recognized well. It was Lincoln, the famous actor.


    He had fair skin, a buzzcut, and wore a simple T-shirt and ripped jeans. His features were striking and refined, like someone stepped out of aic book.


    As soon as he walked in, Lincoln pulled out a bouquet of lilies from behind his back and handed them to Natalie. Though he looked cool and aloof, his eyes crinkled into a bright smile.


    "Hello, Ms. Walker. I''m Lincoln Walker, the second oldest in our family."


    His cold appearance contrasted sharply with how his eyes crinkled when he smiled. Usually, a buzzcut might make someone look tough or roguish, but not in Lincoln''s case. It only made him look more appealing.


    Besides flowers, Lincoln also offered a gift. It was ced in the center of the lily bouquet. It was a small, exquisite jewelry box.


    "Ms. Walker, please ept this. It''s our first time meeting," he said, smiling brightly.


    Charlotte and William had repeatedly reminded Lincoln that Natalie preferred to keep her identity as their real daughter private. Respecting her wishes, he addressed her as Ms. Walker.


    However, he still brought a gift for her for their first meeting.


    "Ms. Walker, please take it," he said, blinking yfully and giving his buzzed hair a quick pat. "I just finished filming, so my hair hasn''t grown back yet. Once it does, I''ll look even more handsome."


    Natalie smiled and took the gift, quietly noting how considerate the Walkers were of her wishes.


    Everything she asked, they remembered and carried out. Anything she never mentioned, they silently handled for her. Maybe that was what real family was about.


    She put the small box into her pocket. Then, she turned and fixed her gaze on Grace again. "Mrs. Langley Senior, your real granddaughter Selena is already back at the Langleys.


    "You might have made some improper decisions before because you weren''t in your right mind. But now that you''re better, we can correct those mistakes."


    Though Natalie''s tone was gentle, there was a chill in her eyes. She had given Grace a chance, but she continued to y ignorant.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, Walter is in Dithoria. Your son, daughter-inw, and real granddaughter are here too. But since we''re at Mr. Holden''s house, we won''t discuss it here. Let''s find a time to set everything right."


    "Nattie, what are you talking about? I don''t understand. Why are you calling me ''Mrs. Langley Senior'' like I''m a stranger? I''m your grandmother," Grace said, looking hurt. "Nattie, was it something I did in the past when I wasn''t myself? Did I hurt you somehow?"


    "No." Natalie stepped forward and pulled a box of mini fruit tarts from her bag, handing it to Grace. "Mrs. Langley Senior, these are for you. Actually, I don''t like mini fruit tarts at all. I like chocte."


    She then turned to Charles with an apologetic smile. "I''m sorry, Grandpa Charles. I know it''s rude to bring these things up in your home. But I need to go with Mrs. Walker now. We have some matters to attend to."


    Without another nce at Grace, Natalie turned and headed for the door. She had only gone a few steps when Marcus hurried after her, blocking her path. "I apologize. Ms. Walker, may I have a word with you?"


    With that, he grabbed her wrist and steered her a short distance away.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Walker, please stay here," he said, stopping Charlotte and William when they tried to follow. "Marcus, whatever it is, talk it over calmly. Don''t scare her," Charlotte said anxiously.


    She knew how coldly Marcus had treated Emma in the past and how decisively he had canceled their engagement. Who could say if he would do the same if he discovered Natalie was the real daughter of the Walkers?


    Charlotte didn''t want to rush into arranging any marriage. She had only just found her daughter and longed to spend more time with her.


    But if Natalie ended up liking Marcus, she might have to talk it over with Laura so they could rearrange the engagement.


    While Charlotte was thinking this over, Marcus lowered his voice to speak to Natalie. "Ms. Walker, if you leave with the Walkers now, what about my grandfather''s treatment this evening?"


    Natalie answered calmly, "Mr. Holden, I''m not going to live in the same house with Mrs. Langley Senior. Either I stay, or she stays. You can make the choice."

 Chapter 166 Leaving With The Walkers

    Natalie looked at Marcus calmly. Thinking about how he had helped her several times, she decided to speak inly. "Mr. Holden, I find Mrs. Langley Senior very frightening right now. If she stays here, I can''t guarantee your grandfather''s treatment will go smoothly."


    Marcus'' expression changed instantly, and then he nodded. "Alright. You go with Mrs. Walker first. I''lle pick you upter."


    "Okay."


    "Thank you for letting me know, Ms. Walker. Once I sort things out here, I''ll bring you back."


    "Alright," Natalie replied. She pulled her hand free of Marcus'' grip, then turned and walked over to Charlotte. "Mrs. Walker, let''s go."


    "Alright," Charlotte answered happily, stepping up and taking Natalie''s arm. This time, Natalie didn''t resist.


    "Nat..." Charlotte''s voice trembled, her eyes turning red with tears. She was delighted that Natalie allowed her to get close. It seemed that Natalie was slowly epting them.


    "Mrs. Walker, don''t get so emotional." Natalie sighed inwardly and took a tissue to wipe away Charlotte''s tears. "If people see you crying, they''ll think I bullied you."


    "They won''t," Charlotte said, sniffling. "Come on. Let me take you to buy some property."


    "What?" Natalie was puzzled.


    Before she could refuse, Charlotte pulled her along.


    William and his sons quickly followed right behind. Lincoln tugged at his backpack, walking with Mason. "Mason, why won''t Natalie let us acknowledge her publicly?" Lincoln asked in a lowered voice.


    "She has her reasons. We just need to respect her," Mason said quietly. "By the way, did you give her your supplementary card?"


    "Yeah," Lincoln replied. "Once I get to know her better, I''ll switch it to a family card. And guess what, I''ve already canceled Emma''s family card. She called me, crying for three hours straight. It drove me nuts."


    Lincoln''s expression darkened at the mention of Emma. "She''s not really our sister anymore, but she''s still trying to ask me to take part in a variety show with her."


    "What?" Mason gaped. "Didn''t Emma go traveling somewhere? When did she start pestering you again?"


    "She''s got issues," Lincoln said, rolling his eyes.


    Working in the entertainment industry, he had no trouble spotting a maniptive act. He used to tolerate her behavior because he thought Emma was his sister.


    But now that he knew she was just a fake, he had no intention of going along with it anymore. He acted for a living. He had no desire to perform the doting brother routine at home too.


    Realizing he had a real sister elsewhere, Lincoln cut Emma out without hesitation. Still, she had been raised in the Walker family, and not everyone disliked her.


    The Walkers were wealthy, so feeding one more person was no big deal. As long as Emma didn''t cause trouble, they would leave her be.


    But if Emma started ying her usual tricks on Natalie, Lincoln was perfectly prepared to retaliate.


    Lincoln nudged Mason. "Natalie is really beautiful. I''d love to see her in a movie. She''d make a great leadingdy. What do you think?"


    "Don''t," Mason warned. "The entertainment world is a mess. You''ve already fallen far enough yourself. Don''t drag Natalie into it."


    Lincoln smacked Mason on the head. "What nonsense are you talking about? Since when have I fallen? Besides, I''d be there to protect her. How would she ever get tainted?"


    Mason held his head, looking pathetic. "Then why won''t you take me into the industry? I want to act. I want to be the leading man too."


    "You''re too ugly for that."


    "Ah! I can''t live like this."


    They joked around in the back.


    Natalie couldn''t help ncing over her shoulder. Even though they lowered their voices, she could still hear most of their conversation because of her sharp hearing.


    The corners of her mouth quirked up slightly. She had once assumed the five brothers all doted on Emma except for Mason, but it turned out Lincoln disliked Emma even more than Mason did.


    With Charlotte clinging to Natalie''s arm, they left Holden Residence and got into the car.


    "Nat, Lincoln works in the entertainment industry, and things can get pretty busy for him. Don''t mind him," Charlotte said apologetically.


    Natalie was still holding the lilies Lincoln had given her. She picked up the delicate jewelry box in the center. Opening it, she saw a ck bank card instead of jewelry.


    She had thought it might be a piece of jewelry. She never expected it to be a bank supplementary card instead.


    "Lincoln can be generous when he wants to. Emma has asked him for his supplementary card plenty of times, but he always brushed her off. Yet, he gave it to you the first time he met you," Charlotte said with a smile. "I''ll give you my supplementary card too."


    Charlotte then looked at William. "Honey, give yours to her as well."


    "Sure," William said, immediately handing his supplementary card to Natalie with both hands. "Here you go, Nat."


    Charlotte retrieved her own card. "Nat, you took Lincoln''s card. Don''t turn ours down. Take them."


    In an instant, Natalie was holding three new supplementary cards.


    "That''s right, sweetie," William added. "Your mom wants to take you to buy some property, and I''ll take you to buy an ind. Just pick any ind you like, and I''ll pay in full."


    All Natalie could do was blink in silence, thinking how radically the Walkers differed from the Langleys. The Langleys were wealthy too, but Victor and Diana never wanted to spend money on her. Grace did give her plenty of material things, butpared to the Walkers, Natalie realized the Langleys hadn''t been as great as she once thought.


    Grace did treat her well, but she never stopped Victor and Diana from taking her blood for so many years. Natalie still recalled the day her mentor found her. She had just finished donating blood to Diana and was left behind at the hospital. Victor and Diana went off, leaving her to walk home alone.


    Exhausted and hungry, Natalie phoned Grace, who simply coaxed her a bit and said she had an important meeting to attend. She only sent her assistant to pick Natalie up.


    Natalie waited from afternoon until dusk, her body weak from blood loss. She eventually passed out on the sidewalk, which was how her mentor came to rescue her.


    The assistant never arrived, even though the distance from Langley Group to the hospital wasn''t all that far.


    "Nat, since you don''t want outsiders to know we''re rted, we''ll keep it quiet. How''s our acting so far?" Charlotte asked warmly, trying to bond with Natalie. "By the way, could you stay at our ce tonight? I''d love to share a room with you."


    Natalie nodded. "Sure."


    "Really?" Charlotte couldn''t hide her delight and squealed with joy. She turned and grabbed William''s arm. "Honey, our daughter said yes! She agreed to share a room with me. I''m so happy and excited!"


    "Thank you, sweetheart." Charlotte let go of William. Then, she turned to hug Natalie and kissed her cheek.

 Chapter 167 Demanding Grace to Leave

    While Natalie enjoyed a harmonious and joyful time with the Walker family, the atmosphere at Holden Residence was far from pleasant.


    Marcus entered the living room expressionlessly. Charles wasforting Grace, who was weeping in distress.


    "Grace, Natalie has always been sensible. She''s been so worried about you. If she asked you such questions, she must have had a reason. Tell me the truth. Did you do something to harm her?


    "Even if you did, it''s not the end of the world. You had that car ident and weren''t fully in your right mind. Anything you might have done could have been beyond your control. You just need to exin things to her. Crying will only hurt your eyes and ruin your mood. It won''t solve anything."


    Charles saw Grace as a younger sister. Interestingly, their first meeting had been because of a fight.


    When Natalie was only three years old, Grace took her to Dithoria for business. Afterward, she brought Natalie to a theme park.


    Charles happened to be taking Marcus there on the same day. The two children ended up fighting over thest cotton candy.


    Grace and Charles, both protective, jumped into the fray too. In the end, Natalie and Marcus stopped quarreling and tried to break up the scuffle instead.


    Finally, Grace and Charlesughed it off and became like siblings.


    After that, Grace took Natalie back to Amberton. She and Charles kept in touch by phone, but both were busy and never really reunited.


    Charles had liked Natalie from the very start, not just because of the time he met her in Amberton, but since she was little.


    However, as Natalie and Marcus grew older, neither remembered those early events. Wesley and Laura didn''t like him pairing Marcus with other little girls, so he never mentioned it again.


    Still, Charles and Grace remained in contact all these years.


    Seeing her cry made Charles'' heart ache, but he didn''t believe Natalie was the only one at fault. She wouldn''t have asked such questions out of nowhere.


    "We''re not young anymore. Why are you crying like a child?" Charles sighed. "Grace, if we did something wrong, we need to admit it. Being older doesn''t mean we can just ignore it or shut others up. That''s not right." Grace dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. "Charles, do you really think I did something to hurt Nattie?"


    "I didn''t say that. I just told you not to cry. If there''s a misunderstanding between you and Natalie, clear it up. You''re her grandmother, and she''s your most devoted granddaughter. Just talk it through. Don''t you think so?"


    He spoke gently and patiently. "If I make a mistake, I apologize too." He turned to Marcus and asked, "Marcus, haven''t I apologized to you before?"


    Marcus hesitated. He didn''t really remember anything like that.


    "Yes," he replied, ying along with his grandfather.


    Taking a seat opposite Grace, he added, "Grandpa, I''ve already booked a hotel for Mrs. Langley Senior. I''ll arrange to take her there soon. I''ve also asked Sheldon to assign a maid to look after her. It''s not appropriate for Mrs. Langley Senior to stay with us.


    "Grandpa, don''t get upset just yet. Dad and Mom will be back soon," Marcus said, taking out his phone and showing Charles. "If they find out you let Mrs. Langley Senior stay here, they might think all your promises to Grandma were insincere. Grandpa, you wouldn''t want them to resent you, would you?"


    Marcus mentioned his grandmother and said his parents would be back soon. Charles couldn''t refuse even if he wanted to.


    Sure enough, Charles, who was about to say something, fell silent and took a sip of tea.


    Charles had spent his life being faithful to his wife. After her passing, he never remarried and raised his only son alone.


    Wesleyter married Laura, a graceful woman with a schrly background. Charles respected his son''s choice and never forced him into an arranged marriage.


    Laura gave birth to Marcus, but something unfortunate happened, leading Wesley to take her away to seek treatment. Charles stayed behind to raise Marcus, devoting himself to making his grandson into an outstanding young man.


    However, Wesley and Laura didn''t want Marcus to know the truth, telling him only that they were traveling the world. They would rather he resented them than worried about them.


    Grace observed Charles'' silence and slowly stood up, speaking bitterly. "I was thoughtless toe here and trouble you and Marcus. I don''t need Marcus to send me to the hotel. I''ll have my son do it.


    "Charles, what you said makes sense. Over these recent years, my mind was never clear. I honestly have no idea if I did something to Nattie. If I do, and she points it out, I''ll fix it. But she asked me those questions so suddenly. I can''t remember a thing, so I didn''t know how to answer her."


    Tears started welling up in her eyes again. "Charles, don''t worry. I''ll make things right with Nattie. As you said, I''m her grandmother, and she''s my most devoted granddaughter. Nothing can trulye between us. There''s no need to see me off. I''ll head to the hotel on my own."


    Then, she turned to Marcus and said apologetically, "Marcus, I''m really sorry. I just recovered and wasn''t thinking clearly. If I did anything wrong, please don''t mind."


    "He wouldn''t dare!" Charles red at Marcus, grumbling under his breath that Marcus should have spoken to him privately rather than demanding Grace leave in front of her.


    Marcus kept his face nk. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I appreciate your understanding. You''re in Dithoria as our guest, so I''ll make sure you''re well taken care of. You simply won''t be staying here, but it won''t affect your daily life."


    "Why do you keep calling her Mrs. Langley Senior? You should call her Grandma Grace. Where are your manners?" Charles scolded, pulling Marcus aside. "Go back to your room. Is this how I taught you to treat guests?"


    From Grace''s perspective, it looked like Charles was pushing Marcus into the elevator.

 Chapter 168 Who Do You Believe

    Once the elevator doors closed, Charlesnded a p on Marcus'' arm. "You brat, what''s your problem? Do you have an issue with Grace?"


    "Grandpa, what if I told you she once told Natalie to seduce me? She wanted her to marry into the Holden family and be my wife. Would you believe it?" Marcus asked seriously, lowering his voice.


    "She even told Natalie that if she couldn''t win me over, she should just force it or drug me, insisting she had to make me hers."


    Charles was stunned. After a few moments, he finally spoke. "So what? You''re a man. How does that hurt you?"


    Marcus was at a loss. "Grandpa, don''t you think Grace has a problem? When she told Natalie to do all that, I was still engaged to Emma," he reasoned with Charles.


    "She knew I had a fianc¨¦e, yet she still pushed Natalie to go after me. Is that what a grandmother should be teaching her granddaughter? Elders are supposed to set an example, don''t you agree?"


    During their conversation, the elevator reached the second floor, and the doors slid open. Marcus led Charles out of the elevator. "We can talk in the study."


    "In the study? Your room is fine," Charles retorted.


    He disliked going to the study. In his younger days, he had spent too many hours there working. Now that he was retired, he had no desire to relive those memories of working around the clock.


    "Alright."


    They made their way to Marcus'' bedroom. Marcus poured Charles a ss of in water before sitting opposite him. "Grandpa, who do you believe? Me or her?"


    "Of course I believe you!" Charles shot Marcus an exasperated look. "It''s not like I''m blindly trusting Grace. You saw me pressing her to answer truthfully whether she deceived Natalie. But she keeps denying it. What can I do? I do like Natalie a lot. I can''t bear seeing her unhappy.


    "Marcus, just because I''m old doesn''t mean I''m clueless. If you wanted Grace to leave our ce, you saw me agree, right? She''s still a guest, though, so we have to y both good cop and bad cop."


    He let out a weary sigh. "After all, she''s my godsister. Could you show her a bit of respect?"


    Marcus'' lips twitched slightly, and the serious expression on his face softened a bit. "Grandpa, do you feel bad for Natalie?"


    "Of course I do. Isn''t it obvious? But back in Amberton, you didn''t even like her. You avoideding home whenever she was there. Why are you defending her now?" Charles asked, narrowing his eyes at Marcus suspiciously."


    He continued, "Don''t tell me you''ve fallen for her. If you have, don''t drag your feet. A good woman doesn''t stay single forever. You''d better act fast."


    Marcus was speechless. "I''m not joking around, Grandpa. I don''t like Natalie."


    He said it so decisively, with not a trace of hesitation. Yet right after he spoke, he recalled the moment he had helped her remove the needles.


    Something in him stirred, but he forced it back down.


    No, he didn''t like her. She was nothing but a gold digger who tried to get close to him from the start.


    "If you say so." Charles didn''t sound entirely convinced. He waved dismissively. "Anyway, go downstairs and send Grace off. Just tell her I''m feeling under the weather because I''m angry at you. That''s why I''m noting to see her off."


    "And if she tries to stay, saying she wants to look after you?"


    "Are you dumb? Don''t you know how to turn her down? Just tell her she''s not a doctor. Hanging around would only make me feel like I have to entertain her, which won''t help me recover," Charles barked, ring at Marcus.


    "Do I really have to teach you that? Maybe I should have your parents give me another grandson to train properly."


    Marcus was speechless. He was just testing Charles'' reaction.


    "Enough. Get going. You''re hurting my head."


    "Alright, I''m leaving," Marcus said, turning to go downstairs.


    Marcus returned to the first-floor foyer. He saw Grace had already packed her belongings, and she now stood at the front door with a young man.


    Sheldon stood nearby, apparently discussing something with them.


    Marcus recognized the young man at once. It was Tyler, Natalie''s ex-fianc¨¦.


    Back when Marcus found out Grace wanted Natalie to seduce him, he ran a background check and discovered Tyler''s identity.


    After all, the reason Natalie wanted to seduce him was to get revenge on Tyler and Selena.


    Marcus approached them calmly. "Mrs. Langley Senior, you''re leaving now? And this is..."


    "Let me introduce you," Grace said, her tone moreposed now. "This is Tyler Miller. He used to be engaged to Nattie, but now he''s engaged to Selena. Tyler, this is Marcus Holden."


    "Hello," Tyler greeted, reaching out his hand right away.


    Marcus met his hand briefly, then pulled away. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I''ll have someone drive you both."


    "Where''s your grandfather?" Grace nced behind Marcus, looking around for Charles. She was about to leave, but Charles hadn''te to see her off or ask her to stay.


    "My grandfather is still upset with me. He''s not feeling well and is resting upstairs," Marcus replied calmly. "So, he won''t being to see you off. Please don''t mind.


    "Elijah, please take Mrs. Langley Senior and Mr. Tyler to the hotel."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Elijah replied, stepping out of the shadows.


    Elijah inwardly scoffed at Grace. She had been lingering at the door for quite a while. If she really wanted to leave, she would have done so already. It was obvious she was just looking for an excuse to stay.


    "This way, Mrs. Langley Senior, Mr. Miller," Elijah said.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I''ve booked a hotel for you. Elijah will take you there. As for Mr. Miller, he''ll need to arrange his own amodations," Marcus said politely. "My apologies for not being able to host you any longer."


    "It''s fine. I should have thought things through and not shown up uninvited," Grace said apologetically. "Take care of your grandfather, Marcus. He''s not young anymore, and his heart can''t take too much stress."


    "Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Langley Senior," Marcus replied politely. "Elijah, send them to the hotel." "Yes, sir," Elijah said, taking Grace''s suitcase. He nced at Tyler and quipped, "Mr. Miller, are you leaving, or do you need me to carry you?"


    Then, he turned to Grace. "Mrs. Langley Senior, are you leaving or not? You''re not exactly young anymore, and your bones are fragile. I wouldn''t dare carry you. Do you want me to grab you a wheelchair instead?"


    "Elijah," Marcus said with a light cough. "Be respectful."


    "I''m sorry," Elijah apologized immediately. "I''m just ugly and rude. Mrs. Langley Senior, Mr. Miller, please don''t mind me."


    Tyler and Grace were speechless. Neither of them knew how to respond.

 Chapter 169 What An Arrogant And Shameless Servant

    Although Grace was reluctant to leave, Elijah''s remarks left her with no choice but to get in the car.


    From the moment she arrived at the Holden residence until the moment she left, just half a day had passed. Yet, Grace never had the chance to speak to Natalie alone.


    Grace felt angry but couldn''t show it. She regretted following Charlotte to Dithoria, but she had no other option. She had spent so many yearsying her ns, and the final stage had to happen here.


    Seated in the car, Grace watched the scenery of Dithoria passing by in reverse. Gazing upon its prosperity, she realized Amberton was too small after all.


    Tyler sat beside her. Every so often, he asked, "Do you feel alright? Are you ufortable?"


    Grace waved a hand, telling Tyler to keep quiet.


    Tyler obediently went silent, but Elijah spoke up. "Mrs. Langley Senior, were you faking your mental illness before?"


    Grace was taken aback. She found Elijah quite annoying. He had no sense of boundaries or respect.


    Now that she was no longer pretending to have the mind of a six-year-old, her manners stopped her from openly cursing him.


    From the rearview mirror, Elijah saw how dark her face had turned. Inside, he was gleeful.


    He thought, "Silly old hag, you''ve been exposed and feel humiliated, yet you have to act all dignified and tolerant. You''re probably cursing me with every name in the book."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, yourplexion is terrible. Are you not feeling well, or is your mind still not healed? If you''re sick, you should get treatment. If you die, you won''t even get your retirement money''s worth," Elijah said bluntly.


    Tyler''s face went cold. "If you can''t speak politely, then keep quiet. Nobody asked you to talk."


    Elijah refused to take that. He hadn''t nned to scold Tyler, but if Tyler wanted to act tough, Elijah would show no mercy.


    "Mr. Tyler, right? I haven''t mentioned you yet. Aren''t you Selena''s fianc¨¦? Do you know your fianc¨¦e is out there shamelessly flirting with other men?


    "Mr. Tyler, you can''t even control your fianc¨¦e, yet you''re here looking after Mrs. Langley Senior. Are you nning to win over both Selena and Mrs. Langley Senior?"


    "Shut your mouth," Grace said coldly. "You''re just Marcus'' subordinate. To put it bluntly, you''re nothing but a servant. A servant should know their ce. Where did you learn such rude manners? It''ll ruin the Holden family''s reputation if this gets out."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, you''re angry now?" Elijah sneered and pressed the gas pedal. Then, he got out, pulled open the back door, and yanked Tyler and Grace out of the car.


    "People give you an inch, and you''ll take a mile. How I do my job has nothing to do with my boss. What gives you the right to use me of ruining the Holden family''s reputation?


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, what about all those times you forced Ms. Walker to donate blood to your daughter-in-w? Why not talk about how that brought shame to the Langley family? Don''t tell me your family was too poor to afford blood and had to take it from a little girl?


    "Don''t say you didn''t know Ms. Walker wasn''t your real granddaughter. After all, your entire Langley family looks so ugly. Ms. Walker doesn''t even resemble any of you. Didn''t you people ever suspect a thing?


    "Don''t give me that nonsense about gic mutations. If there''s any mutation, it''s Selena''s sour face, not Ms. Walker''s stunning beauty. But you can feed that gic mutation story to fools like the Millers."


    Elijah talked on without pausing for breath, never giving Grace or Tyler a chance to interrupt.


    "Threaten me? Go ahead and try. I''ll make sure everyone knows the Langley family treated a child like a walking blood bank.


    "Tyler, weren''t you supposed to be Ms. Walker''s ex-fianc¨¦? Why didn''t you stand up for her back then when Selena wasn''t around? Are you even a man? Did you ever really love her? How could you just stand by and let them draw her blood without doing something about it?"


    Elijah jabbed a finger at Tyler''s face. "Good thing Ms. Walker isn''t actually part of the Langley family. Otherwise, you''d have ruined her life. You''re a jerk. Absolute trash."


    "You... you..." Grace clutched her chest. She had lived all these years and never been scolded like this.


    "What?" Elijah snapped, ring at Grace. "I scolded Tyler. What does that have to do with you? Don''t even think about faking your illness again.


    "Let me warn you, if you dare pull that stunt, I''ll jump off the top of Langley Group''s building. I''ll haunt you as a ghost forever. Then I''ll go after your son. And after he''s gone, I''ll go after your granddaughter."


    "You... you... you..." Grace trembled.


    "I''m scolding that jerk Tyler. Why are you so worked up? Do you really have an affair with him?" Elijah spat out.


    "Enough," Tyler roared, veins pulsing on his forehead. He swung a fist at Elijah.


    Elijah caught Tyler''s fist effortlessly and gave him a light push, making Tyler stumble backward.


    "You''re so weak. In less than three seconds, you''d be on the ground," Elijah said, looking at him with disdain.


    "How dare you humiliate me!" Tyler snapped, his face darkening with anger.


    He tried to charge at Elijah again, but Grace quickly pulled him back.


    "That''s enough. You can''t beat him. Don''t humiliate yourself," Grace said coldly. "Let''s go."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior." Tyler felt furious. Why should they take this abuse from a random employee of the Holdens and then get thrown out of the car?


    "Is this how the Holden family treats its guests?" Grace glowered at Elijah. "It seems Marcus isn''t so impressive after all."


    "My boss doesn''t need your opinion, old crone," Elijah shot back. "Maybe Selena got her shameless streak from you. The whole Langley family is rotten.


    "And you, Tyler, maybe being a cuckold is just your destiny. Dithoria isn''t your ce. Maybe you belong on some far-off grasnd or deserted ind instead."


    Elijah climbed back into the car and locked the doors. He floored the gas pedal, turning in a neat arc and speeding away. He left Grace and Tyler choking on exhaust fumes as he drove off.


    "What an arrogant and shameless man," Grace spat, pressing her hand to her chest. She would settle this score one day.

 Chapter 170 Grace Slapped Tyler

    Grace''s face turned dark with anger. Tyler looked equally furious.


    They were both infuriated. Neither had expected that even a random Holden family employee like Elijah would dare to insult them like this.


    Tyler was unrted to the Holden family, but Grace was Charles'' godsister. At Holden Residence, everyone had to treat her with respect. Elijah was the first to speak to her so rudely.


    Grace spat angrily. If she were younger and less worried about appearances, she would have pped Elijah.


    "Let''s go to the Walker residence," Grace said, suppressing her anger.


    "Selena and Diana are both in the hands of the Walker family. Natalie is now the Walker family''s real daughter.


    "In the past, the Langley family used her as a blood source, and the Walker family was very upset about it. But even if they''re upset, they''ve already taught them a lesson. They have to hand over Selena and Diana now."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I need to ask you something," Tyler said, staring at her. "Did you really use Natalie as a blood source on purpose?"


    His parents had taught him to respect his elders, especially Grace, from young. His engagement to Natalie had also been arranged by Grace.


    He did have feelings for Natalie, but she always treated him politely yet distantly.


    From an etiquette perspective, Natalie never did anything wrong in how she interacted with him. But from an emotional perspective, he didn''t like that kind of rtionship.


    He and Natalie had never held hands or hugged, let alone kissed.


    After Selena returned home and learned he was Natalie''s fianc¨¦, she immediately showed him the affectionate behavior a fianc¨¦e ought to show.


    Tyler had felt that such closeness on their first meeting was a bit inappropriate. Still, when he thought about the hardships Selena had suffered after being abducted, he found her pitiful.


    She was the real daughter of the Langley family. Strictly speaking, if the nurse had never taken her away to be sold, he and Selena would have been engaged all this time.


    So even though it seemed unfair to Natalie, Tyler epted Selena''s familiarity. He tacitly epted how the Langley family treated Natalie.


    But now, hearing everything Elijah had said, Tyler felt angry. Deep down, he also felt a bit guilty and ashamed.


    He liked Natalie, but she didn''t feel the same about him. So, when she was kicked out of the Langleys, he shamefully hoped she would end up miserable. Then, he could appear like a savior and rescue her from hardship.


    However, Natalie left without a backward nce. She instantly cast him aside as her fianc¨¦. After leaving the Langleys, she never once contacted him.


    Tyler felt infuriated. So, he never tried to contact Natalie either.


    When he suddenly received orders toe to Dithoria and pick up Selena, he rushed over immediately. He wanted to see for himself how heartless Natalie could be.


    When he arrived, he called her a few times and messaged her, only to realize she had blocked him.


    Left with no choice, Tyler stayed at a hotel and waited for Grace''s instructions. He was there for a whole day before Grace called him that night and sent him an address, telling him to pick her up.


    Now, Elijah had left them on the road after insulting them. Tyler''s anger only grew. In his frustration, he finally dared to question Grace.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I think that man had a point," Tyler said, breaking the silence. "If you really saw Natalie as your granddaughter, would your family have used her like she was a blood bag? That''s not how real family treats their own."


    Grace raised her hand and pped Tyler hard across the face. "Others can doubt me, but you dare to doubt me too?"


    Her voice was icy, and her gaze at Tyler looked as if it had been dipped in ice.


    Tyler was startled by the chilling look in her eyes. He instinctively backed down. "Mrs. Langley Senior, you..." "Tyler, all these years, can you honestly say I treated Natalie badly? If we had known she wasn''t our real granddaughter, would we have waited 20 years to find our biological one?


    "If I were truly unkind to Natalie, would I have made sure she received shares in the Langley Group, even after Selena returned? My real granddaughter went through so much, so of course, I want to make it up to her. Why should I favor Natalie over Selena?


    "And about those rumors of us using Natalie for blood transfusions, she was already an adult when that happened. Taking her blood a few times isn''t a big deal. Just look at her now. Does she look like someone who''s been suffering from chronic blood loss?


    "You believe whatever people say. Is that how your parents taught you? You don''t even trust the ones closest to you. Instead, you listen to random gossip. If you end up being the patriarch of the Miller family, you''ll ruin the family''s name all by yourself."


    Tyler clutched his stinging cheek, staring at Grace in shock. Suddenly, he remembered how formidable she used to be in the business world.


    When he was a child, he had asionally followed his father around and watched Grace in her element. Fear and respect from long ago returned to him.


    He lowered his head and admitted he was wrong. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have questioned you."


    Grace nodded, and her expression softened slightly. "Tyler, it doesn''t matter if outsiders have doubts about me. You and Natalie were both children I doted on. Don''t you know how I treat her?


    "Next time something happens, think first. Maybe someone is trying to sow discord or tarnish the Langley family. If even the Miller family doesn''t trust me, how will anyone else trust me?"


    "Yes, I was wrong," Tyler admitted obediently, though deep down, he felt something was off.


    "Alright, let''s call the driver to pick us up."


    Her tone softened, and the sharpness in her expression was gone. She quickly returned to looking like a kind and caring grandmother.

 Chapter 171 Getting Them Back from the Walker Family

    Tyler immediately called for the Miller family''s driver to pick him and Grace up. Grace knew the address of the Walker family and gave it directly to the driver. She closed her eyes and took a moment to rx in the back


    seat.


    The p stung Tyler''s cheek, but he didn''t dare show any pain. He gazed out the car window, lost in thoughts of the past.


    After Selena returned home, John and Mariah urged him to show more love and affection toward her. He also reminded him that Natalie was not a true daughter of the Langley family and that the Miller family would never ept an illegitimate child as their daughter-inw.


    Tyler couldn''t deny the impact their words had on him, but he was hesitant to admit it. Did he truly love Selena? He wasn''t sure.


    The car continued smoothly until they reached the first gate of the Walker Manor, and they were unable to proceed any further from this point.


    The driver brought the car to a halt and turned to face them. "Mr. Miller, Mrs. Langley Senior, we must stop here. The area ahead is private property."


    "Got it." Grace opened her eyes, took out her phone, and dialed Charlotte''s number. It took a while for the call to be answered after it started ringing.


    "Hello, may I ask who''s speaking?" Charlotte''s elegant and proper voice came through.


    Grace smiled as she said, "Charlotte, it''s me, Nattie''s grandmother. We''re at the gate of your house right now. The car has been stopped, and we can''t get in!"


    Charlotte''s voice was filled with regret as she spoke over the phone. "I''m terribly sorry, Mrs. Langley Senior. Our whole family is out and won''t be back for a while. Nat came to stay with us today, so we decided to take her out for a nice meal.


    "After dinner, our family nned to watch a movie, then go to the hot springs, and finally do some skiing on the snow-capped mountains. We also wanted to see the beautiful ice sculptures before having another meal. "And, of course, we''ll make a stop at the hot springs again before heading home. With all these activities nned, it looks like it will be at least ten days to half a month before we can return home."


    Charlotte''s face flushed with embarrassment. "Mrs. Langley Senior, would you be able toe to our home again in two weeks?"


    "Charlotte, I have recovered from my condition. I was wondering if my daughter-inw, Diana, and my granddaughter, Selena, are currently at the Walker Manor. I havee to retrieve them and bring them back home."


    Grace didn''t mince her words and confronted Charlotte about her evasive behavior.


    "During myst visit to the hospital, I saw my son. He mentioned that Diana and Selena were taken in by the Walker family.


    "I appreciate you inviting them into your home. But since you''re taking Nattie on a trip, I can just pick them up myself and not bother you any further.


    "I want to thank you again for taking care of me during our journey to Dithoria State. It means a lot." Charlotte shed a smile as she eximed, "You must be joking, Mrs. Langley Senior! We haven''t even had the pleasure of meeting your daughter-inw and granddaughter yet. How could they possibly be at our ce?"


    She added, "But if you don''t believe me, I can have Gorge take them on a tour of the house. I apologize for not being able to properly entertain you since none of us are home right now,"


    Charlotte continued. "Please forgive Gorge if he doesn''t attend to you as well as we would like."


    Grace''s gaze shifted toward the distant Walker Manor, her expression turning somber. "If that''s the case, we''ll just skip going inside.


    "I believe you, Charlotte. If you say they''re not here, then I trust you. In that case, I''ll start making my way back. Charlotte, could you please ask Nattie to call me? There''s something important I need to tell her."


    As Charlotte spoke, her tone remained calm and collected. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I kindly request that you refrain from calling my daughter ''Nattie.'' That nickname is not preferred by her or our family. We would appreciate it if you addressed her as ''Ms. Natalie'' or simply used her given name."


    She continued, "Over the years, we are grateful for the care and kindness that the Langley family has shown toward her. Our entire family remembers your generosity, Mrs. Langley Senior.


    "Should you require any assistance in the future, Mrs. Langley Senior, please do not hesitate to reach out. The Walker family is more than willing to help in any way possible."


    Grace was at a loss for words. Charlotte''s interference prevented her from getting in touch with Natalie. And to make matters worse, Natalie was avoiding her calls and messages altogether.


    It felt like her previously obedient pet had suddenly turned wild and unruly. This loss of control only added to Grace''s growing agitation.


    "Is there anything else, Mrs. Langley Senior? If not, I should probably hang up now. My family is eagerly waiting for me to join them for dinner," Charlotte''s cheerful voice sounded once again.


    Taking a deep breath and mustering a faint smile, Grace replied, "No, that''s all. Thank you for your time."


    She hung up the phone and her face immediately fell into a somber expression. Tyler sat quietly beside her, afraid to make a sound.


    After a long while, Grace said in a heavy tone, "Go back to the hotel first."


    "Yes, Mrs. Langley Senior," the driver replied respectfully and quickly turned the car around to leave.


    At the same time, on the fifth floor of the Walker family''s vi, Charlotte and Natalie stood side by side, each with a warm cup of coffee in hand. They stared out the window toward the gate in the distance.


    The first time Natalie visited the Walker family was to see Grace, but Charlotte was held up by Emma, who wanted to vent about something. This caused Charlotte to bete in picking up her daughter, leading to an unpleasant first encounter between the two of them.


    Little did Charlotte know that the second time around, her daughter would stand quietly on the fifth floor as she rejected Grace once again.


    Charlotte spoke calmly, "Nat, if you''re not ready to see her, don''t. You don''t have to force yourself into a situation that may cause psychological strain. Sometimes, it takes time for things to be clear."


    Natalie spoke calmly, "Please send Selena and Diana back to their family. I will handle the issues with the Langley family myself."


    Charlotte took a moment to consider before nodding in agreement. "I''ll do as you say."


    After making a brief phone call and giving some instructions, Charlotte ended the conversation. "Okay, once Mrs. Langley Senior arrives, someone will hand Selena and Diana over to her."


    "Thank you." Natalie quickly finished her coffee. "I''m starving. Shall we go grab some dinner?"


    "Okay."


    "Nat, can you call me ''Mom''?" Charlotte reached out and took Natalie''s arm.


    She was happy when her daughter called her "mother", but she felt that it was too formal,cking the intimacy that should exist between a mother and daughter.


    Natalie didn''t know how to respond, so she remained silent.


    "It''s okay, it''s okay." Charlotte couldn''t bear to put her daughter in an awkward position. "You can call me that when you feel like it, Nat. I know I''m being too hasty. I should give you enough time."


    "Thank you." Natalie secretly let out a sigh of relief.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to get close to Charlotte, but since she was a child, she hadn''t received normal motherly love from Diana, nor had she experienced a normal way of getting along.


    "I''m sorry. I need some time."


    Natalie felt a bit sorry and guilty. She could feel Charlotte''s gentle love, but when she thought about the affectionate way Emma and Charlotte got along, she subconsciously wanted to pull back.

 Chapter 172 Invitations from the Miller Family and the Langley Family

    Natalie and Charlotte remained on the fifth floor for a while, watching as Grace''s car disappeared from view.


    Natalie then returned to the room that William and Charlotte had prepared for her. The entire floor belonged to her, a luxurious space with every detail carefully crafted to exude warmth and elegance.


    It was a far cry from theckluster amodations provided by the Langley family during her previous stay. To top it off, Charlotte had even considered Natalie''s rtionship with Grace and reserved a designated area for her.


    But now, as Natalie stood in the opulent room, she couldn''t help but feel that this space would no longer hold any significance for her.


    Suddenly, her phone rang. Natalie picked it up and saw that it was Marcus calling. She swiped her finger across the screen to answer the call.


    "Hello, Mr. Holden. How are you?"


    "Ms. Walker, I''vee to pick you up and take you back to the Holden Residence. I''m at the main gate."


    "Hmm?"


    Natalie was taken aback. She made her way to the window and gazed out toward the main gate, where a ck Rolls-Royce Ghost had suddenly appeared.


    Marcus stepped out of the car as the door swung open. He held his phone in one hand and brushed off the security guard who approached him. He stood at the gate, not moving even when it was opened for him.


    "Ms. Walker, you said only one of you or Mrs. Langley Senior could stay with the Holden family. Now that Mrs. Langley Senior has left, I''m here to take you back." Marcus''s deep, maic voice kept reaching her ears.


    Natalie snapped out of her daze, at a loss for words, before finally responding, "Sure, I''lle over right away. Mr. Holden, please give me a moment."


    "Ms. Walker, there''s no need to hurry. I can wait for you."


    After ending the call, Natalie set down her phone.


    At that moment, there was a gentle tapping at her door, and Charlotte''s voice drifted in. "Nat, I brought you some milk. Are you ready for bed?"


    "Not yet."


    Natalie strode to the door and swung it open, revealing Charlotte standing with a cup of warm milk in her hand. On the tray next to her were half a peeled kiwi and a bowl of yogurt.


    "Nat, I made all of this myself. You should try some. If it''s not to your liking, just let me know, and I''ll make improvements for next time."


    Natalie expressed her gratitude before gulping down the milk and devouring the kiwi in just two bites.


    She then quickly finished off the yogurt with a few swift mouthfuls. "Marcus is here to give me a ride. I have some errands to run and won''t be returning for a while."


    Charlotte''s happy mood instantly turned into disappointment. However, she quickly put on a smile again.


    "That''s fine. I will walk you out."


    "Thank you."


    "Nat, you don''t have to be so polite to me."


    Charlotte''s eyes were a bit red. She didn''t know when her daughter would bepletely healed. The entire Langley family was really heartless.


    Natalie couldn''t help but feel guilty when she noticed Charlotte''s eyes had reddened. She approached her and gave her a gentle hug.


    "Thank you, mom," Charlotte said softly.


    Charlotte''s ears perked up, unsure if she had heard correctly. She was ovee with joy and hugged Natalie''s shoulder tightly with one arm. "You don''t have to be polite, dear."


    Natalie allowed Charlotte to embrace her for a moment before gently pulling away. "I should go now. There''s no need for you to see me off."


    After a brief pause, Natalie added, "This is my home, after all. I cane and go as I please."


    Tears welled up in Charlotte''s eyes, catching her off guard. She quickly covered her mouth and nodded emphatically.


    This was where her daughter lived now, and she coulde and go as she pleased. They weren''t overbearing parents who would stifle their daughter''s independence by keeping her locked up.


    Natalie grinned and took a step toward Charlotte, and wiped away her tears. "It''s okay, stop crying." "I''m not crying; I''m just overwhelmed with happiness." Charlotte''s voice was shaky from the sobs that threatened to overtake her.


    Her daughter had finally called her mom, and it was such a joyful moment that she couldn''t contain her emotions. "Quickly now!"


    "Okay, goodbye, Mom." Natalie''s tone lightened as she hadn''t expected such an emotional response from Charlotte just by saying those words.


    Charlotte, her biological mother, really seemed to have extremely low expectations of her.


    No, to be more precise, the entire Walker family had no demands on her. On the contrary, everyone was going to great lengths to make her feel the warmth of family, hoping that she would soon open up and ept them.


    As Natalie descended the stairs, the corners of her mouth were constantly turned up. It seemed that taking this step wasn''t actually that difficult.


    The disbelief, sadness, and heartbreak caused by Grace''s schemes and exploitation were, at this moment, considerably lessened.


    At the entrance of the Walker Manor, Marcus didn''t have to wait long before he saw Natalie approaching with a smile on her face.


    Since he''d known her, Marcus had rarely seen such a rxed smile on her face. So, was she this happy just because he had chosen her over Grace?


    "Mr. Holden, let''s go!"


    Natalie opened the car door and got in. Then she noticed a cream-colored invitation on the back seat. The names on the invitation were Tyler Miller and Selena Langley.


    Natalie arched an eyebrow. She reached out to pick up the invitation and opened it.


    "Groom: Tyler Miller, Bride: Selena Langley. We sincerely invite you to attend the engagement banquet of the two at 2:00 pm on August 3rd at the Dithoria Four Seasons Hotel. Best regards!"


    They were getting engaged soon, so they were the groom and bride.


    Marcus got into the car and saw Natalie looking at the invitation. "Mrs. Langley Senior had someone deliver this to the Holden family. She said it was a special invitation from the Langley and Miller families. They sent two copies, and I was told to give one to you."


    "This one is for you."


    Natalie nodded. "Got it."


    "Are you going?"


    Natalie curled the corner of her mouth. "Yes, of course, I''m going. Since my grandma has been thinking about


    me all the time, I definitely should go. I''ve also prepared a gift for their engagement."


    Are you going, Mr. Holden?"


    Marcus pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Yes, I will."


    Natalie was Charles'' only hope for treatment, and it was Marcus'' duty to protect her. The consequences would be dire if anything were to happen to Natalie.


    On the surface, Grace may appear kind-hearted, but her true intentions were deep-rooted. Her ability to manipte and gain trust from Charles years ago proved she was not to be underestimated.


    Despite years of reminders from the Walker family, it wasn''t until now that Natalie finally saw Grace''s true nature. Confronting her would only put Natalie at a disadvantage.


    Marcus feared that Grace may have already discovered Natalie''s true identity as Dr. Elim. If so, she wouldn''t simply drain her blood-she would make sure Natalie never left the Langley Group again.


    As long as Natalie remained Charles'' physician, Marcus vowed to keep her safe. But with August 3rd approaching, he knew things could escte quickly.


    After Grace demanded the release of Selena and Diana from the Walker family tomorrow, the invitations for the engagement banquet between the Langley and Miller families were already prepared.


    It was no coincidence that they chose to hold it in Dithoria despite their ties to Amberton. Their ulterior motives were clear.

 Chapter 173 A Grand Gift for Them at the Engagement Banquet Part 1

    On August 3rd, at 2:00 pm at the Dithoria Four Seasons Hotel, Marcus and Natalie arrived on time for the event.


    Grace was elegantly dressed in a dark green dress with her hair styled in a neat bun and adorned with pearl earrings. She had applied makeup suitable for her age. Victor and Diana were by her side, weing the guests as they entered the engagement banquet hall.


    Natalie exuded elegance in her white, figure-hugging, cocktail dress and light-colored heels. Her naturally curly hair was carefully styled and cascaded over her shoulders.


    She had a subtle, nude makeup look that enhanced her already wlessplexion. Her almond-shaped eyes were adorned with long, thickshes that fluttered when she nced at people, giving off a sense of gentle warmth.


    Despite standing next to the incredibly handsome Marcus, Natalie wasn''t overshadowed. With her delicate features, refined facial structure, and slim physique, they made a visually stunning couple-he with his good looks and she with her beauty.


    Everywhere they went, they turned heads and captured attention.


    As Natalie and Marcus stood nearby, Selena and Tyler paled inparison. Natalie''s hand rested gently on Marcus''s arm, exuding elegance and grace.


    When Selena caught sight of them, it was impossible to hide the jealousy and malice in her eyes. Even Tyler was taken aback. He had never seen Natalie so impably dressed before. She outshone any female celebrity he had everid eyes on.


    In the past, Natalie always wore a simple ck windbreaker and sportswear, with her hair tied up in a casual bun. She rarely wore makeup and often donned thick-rimmed ck sses.


    Even at formal events hosted by the prestigious Langley family, Tyler had never seen her in anything other than her usual attire. But here she was, breaking off their engagement and standing beside another man, radiating beauty and charm.


    At that moment, Tyler deeply regretted agreeing to end their rtionship simply because she wasn''t born into the Langley family.


    When Selena noticed Tyler was distracted, she nearly gritted her teeth in anger. She forced a smile, took his hand, and dug her fingernails into his flesh as if to remind him of their engagement.


    Tyler winced in pain, and his eyes instinctively wandered toward Selena.


    She shed him a sweet smile and said, "Ty, Natalie is here. Shouldn''t we go say hi?"


    Tyler quickly regained hisposure and gave a small nod. "Yes, we should."


    Hand in hand, they made their way over to Marcus and Natalie.


    With her signature smile still in ce, Selena kindly addressed them, "Natalie, Mr. Holden, thank you for joining us at our engagement party. I was afraid you wouldn''te after everything that happened.


    Turning toward Tyler, she continued, "Ty, since you were once engaged to Natalie, why don''t you greet her?" Selena''s words cast a shadow over Tyler''s face. It was their engagement party, so why bring up Natalie?


    Selena''s intention was clear. She wanted to tell Marcus, in front of everyone, that Natalie and Tyler had been together before. When a man and woman are in a rtionship and engaged, it''s natural to assume they have been intimate.


    Natalie looked at Selena indifferently. She had warned Selena not to provoke her, but it seemed that lesson hadn''t stuck.


    Selena''s words tumbled out in a rush, her hand flying to her mouth as she said, "Oh no, Natalie, I hope you''re not angry with me. I didn''t mean to bring up your painful past.


    "But don''t worry, even though Ty may not have feelings for you anymore, there''s always a chance that you two can remain friends. And I''ll make sure to be understanding and supportive."


    Natalie chuckled softly and said nonchntly, "Ms. Langley has a habit of befriending trash, but I have no desire to associate with such individuals. There''s no need for Ms. Langley to apologize. This is not a negative situation. In fact, I couldn''t be more content. It''s exactly what I desired."


    Selena went through various emotions before breaking into anger. "Who do you think you''re calling trash? You''re the one who''s been flirting around. You cheated on Ty while you were still together, and now, since he doesn''t want you, you have the nerve to twist things and point the finger at others."


    "Hmm?" Natalie released her light grip on Marcus''s arm and confidently strode toward Selena.


    The smile in her eyes vanished, reced by a sudden coldness and sharpness. As soon as Selena met her gaze, she felt frozen in ce. A chill crept up her body, paralyzing her. She wanted to step back, but her legs refused to budge as if they were made of heavy metal.


    Natalie''s voice was icy as she spoke to Selena. She made sure to grab her chin firmly before looking directly into her eyes. "Selena, I''ve told you not to provoke me. Before you go saying anything, think about whether you can handle the consequences of your actions."


    Selena couldn''t help but feel intimidated by the hostile energy radiating from Natalie. She could feel her legs shaking uncontrobly. "You... you. Let...go of me."


    Natalie gave Selena a nudge, causing her to take a few steps back. Tyler reacted quickly, reaching out to steady her.


    "Selena, say sorry to Ms. Walker," Tyler''s tone revealed his disappointment in Selena''s behavior. "You can put anything in your mouth, but you can''t spout just anything. Ms. Walker and I were once engaged, but we never did anything inappropriate or crossed any lines."


    "Ty!" Selena''s eyes widened in shock as she looked at Tyler.


    What was he trying to say? Did he not see the man standing next to Natalie? Was he trying to reassure Marcus that there was nothing going on between him and Natalie and that she was still innocent?


    Natalie didn''t appreciate Tyler''s attempt to help as he asked Selena, "Do you only see a woman''s value in her sexuality?"


    She took a step closer and red down at Selena, who was stunned by Tyler''s words. "Will you be satisfied if you destroy my reputation?"


    Selena''s instinctive response was to stammer out, "I... I didn''t."


    She nced at Tyler before turning her gaze to Marcus. He regarded her with the usual look of disgust and disdain that always cut her deeply.


    Natalie was determined to hold Selena ountable for her usation of flirtatious behavior. "If you have no evidence to support your im, I won''t go easy on you," she dered.


    She added, "Since Ms. Langley seems to enjoy singling me out, let''s examine the situation from the beginning. I actually had a special present nned for both of you at Ms. Langley and Mr. Miller''s engagement party."

 Chapter 174 A Grand Gift for Them at the Engagement Banquet Part 2

    Tyler looked at Marcus. The man merely gave him an indifferent nce and said, "Mr. Miller, may I have a word with you in private?"


    With that, Marcus took hold of Tyler''s arm and led him to the opposite side, his face remaining stoic. With Marcus and Tyler out of sight, Selena felt a newfound sense of freedom to act as she pleased with the man she loved.


    Selena''s arms were crossed as she said, "You''re just jealous of Ty and I getting engaged, aren''t you?"


    Today was supposed to be Selena and Tyler''s engagement banquet, but Grace had confided in her that it was all just a performance for Natalie''s benefit. The majority of the guests were hired actors paid for by Victor and Diana, using Grace''s money.


    After returning to Amberton, Grace nned to throw an even more extravagant banquet for them.


    Grace also revealed that she had been deceived by Natalie when she gave away her shares due to a head injury. But now that she was well and knew Selena was her biological granddaughter, she intended to reim those shares from Natalie and transfer them to Selena.


    However, Grace made it clear that Selena must follow her rules and not cause any trouble without her permission. Even though they were rted by blood, Grace wouldn''t hesitate to punish Selena if she stepped out of line.


    Grace was a bit annoyed, but Diana managed to soothe her.


    Ignoring any other factors, the ideal situation would be for Grace to take back the shares from Natalie and give them to Selena.


    Grace was advanced in age, and no one knew how much longer she would live. Perhaps Selena could even exploit the tension between Grace and Natalie to convince Natalie to relinquish her shares. Knowing this, Selena agreed to the arrangement.


    But when she saw Natalie and Marcus arrive together, with a certain unspoken closeness between them, Selena''s jealousy boiled over in an instant.


    Marcus was the man she had fallen head over heels for at first sight, while Natalie had been living as the adopted daughter of the Langley family for twenty years. How could she have the audacity to try and im the man Selena had loved from afar?


    Selena leaned in close to Natalie, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "How many times did Tyler sleep with you, Natalie? What tricks did you use to get into Mr. Holden''s bed? Did Tyler train you well to seduce him?


    "ording to him, when you spread your legs, you look positively scandalous. And he also mentioned how you used this tactic to secure partnerships for Langley Group. Does Mr. Holden know the kind of person you truly are?"


    Selena''s face was twisted with malice as she spoke, a triumphant smile on her lips. "And now that my grandmother has recovered from her illness, you can no longer use her support to deceive others."


    Natalie raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Is that right? Ms. Langley must have been raised well. Are you done spewing your nonsense? If so, kindly remove yourself from my presence."


    "Natalie, don''t be so arrogant. When Mr. Holden sees your true nature, you''ll have no one to turn to." "Enough, Ms. Langley. Turn around and see for yourself!" Natalie forcefully pushed Selena away. She had warned her that she would not hold back if provoked again.


    Although Marcus was the only one present on the surface, Mason insisted oning along for added reassurance. However, he chose to enter through a side door rather than make a big entrance like the others. Before leaving, William and Charlotte reminded him to keep an eye out for any bullying from the Langleys toward their sister. They made it clear that if anyone mistreated her, Mason should not hold back in defending her.


    Natalie also assured Mason that she was not someone who could be easily bullied or taken advantage of. She would stand up for herself against the Langley family and ask Mason not to intervene. This was a personal matter between her and the Langleys.


    Selena couldn''t shake off a feeling of unease as she watched Natalie''s lips curl into a mocking smile. When she turned, she saw footage of her own conversation with Natalie being projected onto therge screen on stage.


    Her words were transmitted through the microphone, loud and clear for everyone to hear. Her cruel intentions and fake smiles, when amplified, were clearly disyed before the crowd.


    In an instant, therge screen changed, revealing numerous photos and videos of Selena from her past. Among them were explicit images of her in intimate situations with multiple men.


    She had criticized Natalie''s behavior as scandalous and slutty, but the next moment, her own provocative image was on full disy for all to see.


    Selena let out a terrified scream and ran toward the stage, frantically shouting, "Turn it off, turn it off!"


    She couldn''t understand why those pictures and videos had suddenly appeared in front of her.


    Natalie stood casually, offering a subtle nod to Grace as she approached.


    Grace''s expression turned grim as she walked toward Natalie. When she finally reached her, she took several deep breaths in an attempt to contain her emotions.


    "Nattie, did you have something to do with this?"


    Natalie smiled and handed Grace a document from her bag. "You must be joking! This is the real gift for the newly engaged couple, Ms. Langley and Mr. Miller," she said. "I''ve already signed it. All that''s needed is Ms. Langley''s signature. Mr. Watson will handle all the necessary procedures."


    She then added, "I''ve also resigned from Amberton and Langley Group, with Mrs. Langley Senior''s approval. I won''t be returning to pick up my belongings. Mr. Watson will take care of that for me. I hope there won''t be anyplications for him."


    While Natalie and Marcus had arrived a moment earlier, Walter was just now arriving.


    He hurriedly closed the distance between them and eximed, "I have proof of Ms. Langley''s nderous behavior and spreading of lewd rumors. Natalie, would you like to take legal action against her?"


    Walter turned to acknowledge Grace. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I am relieved to see that you have recovered." "Shut it down, for the love of all that is holy, shut it down immediately!" Grace was rendered speechless as Selena''s high-pitched shriek echoed through the room.


    Selena frantically dashed around the stage, desperately searching for the switch to turn off the device. Despite her efforts, she couldn''t locate either the switch or the source of power that kept it running.


    Victor, Diana, and Tyler were taken aback as they watched Marcus drag them away.


    Meanwhile, the extras hired by the Langley family were all buzzing with excitement. They couldn''t believe their luck¡ªnot only were they getting paid to attend a banquet, but they were also witnessing a real-life drama unfold before their eyes. Being extras for this job was truly a dreame true.


    The Langley family, their employer, was the best they had ever encountered in their careers. They knew they would have to spread the word about this amazing opportunity when they returned home.


    "Turn it off!" Selena''s screams echoed in the room, her perfectly made-up face contorting into a fierce expression as her rage-filled eyes widened.


    Grace''s mood quickly shifted to one of gloom as she realized she had no time left to talk to Natalie and Walter.


    She rushed forward, grasping the hotel manager tightly as she eximed, "What is going on at this hotel?"

 Chapter 175 I Demand Your Entire Family Apologize to My Daughter

    Grace''s furious shout echoed through the hotel lobby, her usual grace and poise reced by raw emotion. "Shut it down, shut it down!" The lobby manager bellowed, and the massive screen on the stage promptly went ck.


    Natalie took a step forward. "Mrs. Langley Senior, please be mindful of your image."


    "Minding your image" was the most frequently repeated lesson given to Natalie by Grace. When Natalie first joined the prestigious Langley Group, she faced targeted attacks from people who underestimated her due to her youth.


    And every time Natalie wanted to retaliate, Grace would remind her to mind her image, emphasizing the importance of remaining calm and poised even in the most serious situations.


    Grace stressed that Natalie must never allow others to see her looking embarrassed or disheveled. Even when Diana and Victor subjected her to physical and verbal abuse while she lived with the Langley family, Grace continued to drill it into her.


    "Mind your image."


    No matter how much they hurt her, Natalie shouldn''t cry, argue, or scream out; she must maintain herposure. As her grandmother, Grace promised to seek justice for any mistreatment Natalie endured.


    Natalie used to trust Gracepletely and never questioned her actions. She believed that Grace loved her more than anyone else in the Langley family. How could someone who loves you so much ever do harm?


    Grace had lived a full life, experiencing more than Natalie ever could imagine. She faced challenges and walked down paths that Natalie could only dream of. It was foolish for Natalie to doubt her own grandmother.


    Even when there were questionable moments, Natalie pushed them aside and refused to dwell on them. She knew she could always trust Grace, no matter what happened.


    Selena and Tyler had chosen this delicate moment to announce their engagement and had extended an invitation for her to attend. Natalie couldn''t fathom what their intentions were.


    But if Selena was trying to provoke her, she wouldn''t hold back in her response. In fact, she had already decided to confront Grace during this visit.


    At Natalie''s reminder, a flicker of emotion crossed Grace''s face. The same advice she had given Natalie years ago to suppress her anger and bear the pain now echoed back at her like a boomerang.


    Natalie gestured for Noah, who appeared instantly, carrying a ss of refreshing water."Please, Mrs. Langley Senior, have a drink to calm your nerves."


    Natalie presented the ice-cold ss of water to Grace with her perfectly poised and proper smile. Her tone was soothing, but her gaze held an icy edge.


    Grace''s already cracked expression fractured further. In the past, whenever Natalie faced difficulties within the Langley family or at Langley Group, Grace would pour her a ss of cold water. She believed it could help Natalie calm down quickly and regte her emotions.


    As the daughter of the Langley family and the sessor of the Langley Group, Grace had always emphasized the importance of controlling one''s emotions to Natalie.


    Looking at Natalie''sposed and indifferent demeanor now, Grace felt another pang in her heart. When her granddaughter was calm, she was truly calm, and when she was ruthless, she was truly ruthless.


    But without that ruthlessness and decisiveness, how could Natalie have helped preserve Langley Group and make it even more sessful?


    Natalie spoke with a casual tone, "Mrs. Langley Senior, you should take care of yourself. You''ve only recently recovered."


    She continued, "By the way, your biological granddaughter has been spreading false information about me; it''s nderous and damaging to my reputation. Don''t you think she owes me an apology?"


    Selena''s scream pierced the air from the stage. "It was you all along, Natalie! You bitch! You did this on purpose," she used. "You couldn''t stand to see me engaged to Ty, so you purposely came here to ruin it. Grandma, Mom, Dad, anyone please teach her a lesson for me."


    Meanwhile, Tyler''s gaze was fixed on the darkened stage screen. Even without any images ying, he could see them clearly in his mind. Selena with different men, looking much less attractive than she does now.


    But her appearance wasn''t the most important detail. What mattered was that she seemed to be enjoying herself. It was hard to ignore the photos and videos of her willingly engaging in these activities with different men and seemingly having a good time.


    An icy sensation shot through Tyler''s body, starting from the soles of his feet. Ever since he discovered that Selena had been taken and sold by a nurse as a child, he couldn''t imagine how difficult her life must have been.


    He had always felt deep sympathy andpassion for her, never considering any other perspectives. Even if there were any ws in Selena, Tyler would make excuses for her without hesitation.


    However, as he faced the stark reality of Selena''s past, Tyler realized he may have underestimated his own tolerance and patience.


    The overwhelming feeling of nausea churned in his stomach, causing him to turn and rush to the nearest restroom. He bent over the sink, retching continuously into the basin.


    As Tyler quickly entered the restroom, he could still hear Selena''s piercing screams. "Natalie, you backstabbing traitor! The Langley family took you in as an orphan, and this is how you repay them? By stealing my identity and trying to ruin my engagement? How could you be so heartless?"


    Diana and Victor rushed onto the stage just momentster. They each held onto Selena, who was now hysterical and struggling to break free in order to confront Natalie.


    Diana''s urgent whisper echoed in Selena''s ear, "Selena, pretend to faint!"


    Following her instructions, Selena shut her eyes and fell limp.


    "Selena! Selena!" Both Diana and Victor cried out in dismay at the same time, "Mom, Selena has fainted."


    Natalie ignored Grace''s presence and strode onto the stage. "Let me see. How could Ms. Langley suddenly faint when she seemed perfectly fine moments ago?"


    "Natalie, stay away from us! You bad omen!" Diana red at her with intense hatred. "Because of you, my daughter went missing and suffered unimaginable horrors."


    As she spoke, Diana''s eyes filled with tears. She genuinely felt empathy for her biological daughter. "Cut the crap!" A clear and sharp female voice suddenly rang out. Charlotte and William entered hand in hand. Charlotte, in a stunning red gown with perfectly coiffed hair and morous makeup, was striding confidently in her three-inch heels. Her red lips added to her already dazzling presence.


    "How is your daughter''s disappearance linked to mine?" she asked assertively, "Mrs. Langley Senior, your daughter-inw has been bullying my daughter, and you haven''t said a single word about it?"


    Charlotte red at Grace, whose expression was now somber. "So this is how Mrs. Langley Senior chooses to express her ''deep love'' for my daughter!"


    Natalie spun around, taken aback by the unexpected arrival of Charlotte and William. She was even more shocked to see Charlotte boldly cursing at the Langley family members.


    Charlotte strode onto the stage, taking Natalie under her wing and protecting her like a mother hen shielding her chicks.


    "Why were you screaming at my daughter, you bitch?" Charlotte stared down at Diana. "Is your daughter dead or something?"


    "Mrs. Walker, why are you being so vicious?" Grace paused topose herself.


    She hadn''t invited William and Charlotte to this gathering, only Natalie and Marcus. But she never anticipated that they would show up uninvited.


    "Vicious?" Charlotte''s head tilted to the side. "Mrs. Langley Senior, didn''t your own family members start being rude first?


    "My daughter told me that you used to protect her above all others, even when you were mentally like a six- year-old child. You always stood by her side.


    "Why is it that now you''ve recovered, you can''t seem to distinguish right from wrong? Or maybe all those things you said to my daughter in the past were just empty words? In any conflicts with the Langley family, you have been silently causing my daughter suffering."


    From the stage, Charlotte red down at Grace with a sense of superiority. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I insist that your entire family apologize to my daughter."

 Chapter 176 A Complete Fallout

    Charlotte''s voice was firm and unyielding. The way she looked at Grace hadpletely changed. It was no longer filled with gratitude and respect but radiated undisguised disdain and hatred.


    Grace stepped forward, her aging face alternated between pallor and a sickly green hue.


    "Mrs. Walker, there seems to be some misunderstanding between us. Whatever it may be, today is my granddaughter''s engagement party. She has fainted, so shouldn''t we prioritize sending her to the hospital?"


    Though Grace''splexion looked terrible, her tone remained calm, and her emotions were clearly under tight control.


    "Victor, Diana, why are you two still standing there? Take Selena to the hospital."


    "Yes, yes, we need to take Selena to the hospital!"


    "There''s no need for that," Hector said as he adjusted his sses and stepped forward, each step deliberate.


    "I''m a doctor myself. Mrs. Langley Senior''s previous illness was treated at my private hospital, so you should trust my skills. If Ms. Langley''s fainting isn''t handled in time, it could be life-threatening. Mr. Langley, Mrs. Langley, please step aside. I''ll take care of the emergency treatment."


    As Hector spoke, Timothy and Mason also stepped forward. Lincoln, the award-winning actor and megastar, chose not to appear openly. Instead, he stood inconspicuously among the crowd, wearing a mask and cap, quietly observing the scene.


    "Don''t be afraid, Nat." Hector smiled warmly at Natalie. "You are no longer a child without a family to rely on."


    Hector''s words stunned Natalie. Her heart began to race uncontrobly. She had previously told Charlotte that she wanted to handle matters with the Langley family herself.


    Charlotte had agreed at the time, yet here they all were. However, not everyone from the Walker family was present. For instance, Sky and Lincoln were absent.


    "Nat, I''m sorry. We made our rtionship public without your permission," William said, patting Natalie''s shoulder.


    Natalie snapped out of her thoughts and nodded lightly. "It''s fine. After all, I had already made up my mind to sever all ties with the Langley family.


    She no longer needed fake familial bonds.


    Charlotte''s protective stance had always been overt, bold, and domineering. She and William would even apologize if they upset her, never once using their parental status to demand submission orpromise. The Walker family''s love and protectiveness were a stark contrast to Grace''s so-called affection.


    Grace''s carefullyposed expression finally broke apart upon hearing Natalie''s words. She looked at her in disbelief.


    "Nattie, what did you just say? You want to cut ties with the Langley family? Nattie, cutting ties with the Langley family means cutting ties with me too?"


    Grace''s face was wounded, tears glistening in her eyes. "Nattie, do you really... hate the Langley family so much? Do you hate me that much?"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, doesn''t my daughter have every reason to hate your family and you?" Charlotte interjected, stepping in to shield Natalie from Grace''s gaze.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, let me make this clear. My husband and I have already begun investigating what happened back then. Why was it that only your granddaughter and my daughter faced issues at that hospital?


    "If this matter turns out to have no connection to the Langley family, so be it. But if we uncover any link to you, don''t me us as parents for pursuing justice for our daughter and ourselves."


    Charlotte''s voice was icy, and each word wasced with frost. Her striking resemnce to Natalie made her cold and menacing presence even more intimidating.


    Natalie felt a warm current flow through her heart. Standing protectively in front of her, Charlotte''s maternal love overshadowed anything Grace could ever offer.


    "Charlotte, you are Nattie''s mother. I know you love her, but don''t I, her grandmother, love her too? I don''t understand why Nattie suddenly doubts my love and sincerity," Grace said, her voice choking with emotion, her face etched with bitterness.


    "Your suspicions hurt me deeply. Nattie, do you also think, like everyone else, that I''m part of some conspiracy?" she asked softly.


    Natalie stepped out from behind Charlotte, her gaze steady as she looked at Grace.


    After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice calm and deliberate. "Mrs. Langley Senior, do you remember? When you visited the Holden family that day, I asked if you had ever hidden something from me or deceived


    me.


    "I wouldn''t have asked you that question unless I already had proof. When I asked, your response left me deeply disappointed."


    Natalie''s tone was steady. She then turned to Selena. "Selena spread rumors about me. Mrs. Langley Senior, how do you n to handle this?"


    "Nattie, whatever you want to do, you have my full support. When Selena was brought back to us, I knew nothing of the situation. At that time, didn''t I protect you at all costs?" Grace responded with hesitation.


    Grace''s eyes reddened. "Nattie, I''ve always remembered the good you''ve done for me. Does the bond we''ve built over the years truly mean less than blood ties?"


    "Is that so? If that''s the case, I suppose there''s no need for me to spare your dignity anymore," Natalie sneered.


    She pped her hands, and the screen on the stage lit up again. Taking out her phone, she tapped a few buttons.


    The screen began ying a video.


    The setting was a hospital. A small girly on a hospital bed, her face pale and devoid of color. Outside the ward, a much younger Grace and Victor stood in the corridor, talking.


    "Why take so much blood this time? Are you nning to drain her dry and kill her?" Even if she''s not your biological daughter, she''s still so young. Don''t you understand the importance of leaving room for the future?"


    Victor sneered dismissively, his tone dripping with indifference. "Mom, weren''t you the one who agreed with the doctor about how much blood should be drawn? Now that it''s been done, you''re ming us.


    "And wasn''t it you who said that Natalie was just some stray from another family? Our family took her in and raised her, which was already a tremendous act of kindness.


    "Letting her donate blood to Diana is a privilege for her. If she couldn''t even do that, what right does she have to remain in our household?"


    Grace pped Victor across the face with full force, her expression cold and furious. "Watch your mouth. I never want to hear you say something like that again."


    "Yes, I understand," Victor replied through gritted teeth. Though heplied, his expression betrayed his lingering resentment.


    Grace turned and walked away. "When Natalie starts waking up, I''lle back. By then, you and Diana better behave yourselves."


    "Yes, I understand," Victor repeated, his tone barely masking his defiance.


    As soon as Grace left, Victorshed out, kicking the wall beside him violently. His face twisted with dissatisfaction as he muttered angrily, "You''re the one who ordered the blood to be drawn, and now you forbid


    it. You''re such an impossible woman to please."


    The video cut off abruptly at this point.

 Chapter 177 The Collapse Of A Benevolent Facade

    The video ended, leaving the entire hall inplete silence. Momentster, the room erupted in a cacophony of shocked whispers.


    Dressed in a dark green dress, Grace stood motionless. Her meticulously maintained figure was stiff, and her wlessly made-up face hadpletely shattered."


    "The olddy in the video... isn''t she the one in the green dress? She looks so elegant, but who would have thought she could be this cruel!"


    The extras hired by the Langley family began whispering among themselves, their voicesced with contempt.


    "Those two parents aren''t any better. Just because she wasn''t their biological child, they treated her like that?"


    "It''s unbelievable! Three bloodsuckers in one family. That girl was fortunate to have survived them. Even as an adult, I wouldn''t be able to handle such constant bloodletting, let alone a child."


    "How could theymit such heartless acts without fearing the consequences?"


    "How shameless! The couple yed the viins while the olddy acted like the benevolent one. That poor girl must have the worst luck in the world to have ended up with such a family."


    "It''s a blessing that he didn''t die in their hands."


    "Heaven truly watches over us. Justice may not be swift, but it alwayses eventually."


    "And now justice is here! That girl found her real family. Let''s see how her family avenges her today!"


    "Today is worth it. Someone paid for us to watch this drama unfold, and it''s quite the show."


    "Look at that olddy! She seems so dignified, but her actions are anything but human."


    "Exactly. She dressed so well, hosting such avish banquet at this expensive hotel, yet she couldn''t spare a little girl. Even my aunt is better than her!"


    "What about your aunt?"


    "She can''t have children, and her family isn''t well-off, but she and my uncle adopted an orphan and treat the child decently, even if they''re not rich."


    "If you say this, aren''t you afraid your aunt will beat you?"


    "She can hit me if she wants, but I''ll run! Unlike the poor kid in the video, I''ve got legs to get away."


    The guests'' voices grew louder, onement following another without pause.


    Grace''s ears burned from the criticism. Victor and Diana stood rooted to the spot, equally stunned.


    Diana had no idea that Grace had approved forcing Natalie to donate blood. From the start, Grace had always opposed the couple exploiting Natalie for blood donations.


    In fact, there were multiple asions when Grace scolded Diana in front of young Natalie. Victor had tried to persuade Diana, saying that while Grace treated Natalie well, she was still a child and couldn''t endure as much as an adult. He insisted they should be careful and not push her too far.


    When he said this, his tone was subtle, almost conflicted, but Diana didn''t notice. She only thought her husband was protecting an illegitimate child. She could tolerate Diana''s scolding, but even her husband didn''t support her.


    As she watched the video, Diana finally understood. Of everyone in the Langley family, Victor might have been the only one with a shred of conscience.


    That was why he gave Natalie a bank card with 200 thousand dors before she was kicked out of the Langley family. He even posted her details on a family search website.


    However, Diana no longer dared to make assumptions. For all she knew, Victor posting Natalie''s information online might have been another of Grace''s schemes.


    Grace had gone to great lengths to maintain the illusion of kindness toward Natalie, even injuring her head to save her. For two decades, no one suspected a thing.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, do you have anything else to say now?" Natalie stepped out from behind Charlotte and walked slowly toward Grace. "I gave you a chance. If you hadn''t chosen to keep deceiving me, perhaps I would still remember the bond we once shared as grandmother and granddaughter."


    Grace''s gaze was vacant as her ears buzzed. She stared at Natalie for a long time before slowly regaining her senses.


    "Nattie, what did you just... say? Grandma didn''t hear you clearly."


    Natalie let out a short, mockingugh. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I asked if you still dare to im that you truly cared for me, loved me, and protected me."


    "That video is fake. I never said those things, nor did I ever do such a thing. Nattie, I don''t know where you saw this video, but I''ll never admit to something I didn''t do," Grace dered firmly.


    "Mr. Langley, do you admit to it?"


    Natalie turned to Victor. He looked stunned, his body stiff, unable to react.


    Hearing Natalie''s question snapped him out of his daze. He tore his eyes away from the screen and opened his mouth to speak, but it felt as though a lump of cotton was stuck in his throat. No words came out.


    When his gaze met Natalie''s, her eyes were cold and indifferent. There was a quiet sense of superiority in her demeanor, as if she had seen through all their pretense and was merely watching them perform.


    At that moment, the Langley family were like clowns before Natalie and everyone else.


    Natalie turned her gaze to Diana. "And you, Mrs. Langley? Do you have anything to say? When I was little, I called you ''Mom,'' but you never loved me."


    Diana''s face turned pale at Natalie''s words. Before she could respond, Natalie''s cold, calm voice rang out again.


    "When I was little, you didn''t love me. Then Mrs. Langley Senior told me it didn''t matter because the love you failed to give me would be doubled by her."


    Natalie spoke slowly and deliberately. "Mrs. Langley Senior, was this love you gave me the kind shown in that video?"


    Grace remained standing upright, but her hands trembled uncontrobly. Though the video had ended, she knew this was just the beginning.


    Facing Natalie''s questions, Grace realized no matter how much she defended herself, it would be useless. Yet, she couldn''t admit it. She mustn''t admit it.


    Tears welled up in Grace''s eyes, streaming down her face as she choked on her sobs. Her expression was one of utter despair, as if the weight of the truth had crushed herpletely.


    In the next moment, she closed her eyes and copsed to the floor.

 Chapter 178 Selena Apologizes

    With a heavy thud, Grace copsed onto the floor.


    "Mom!" Victor cried as he rushed forward to hold her in his arms.


    "Diana, pick up Selena. I''ll take Mom to the hospital first. Hurry up! We''ll drive there together," he said.


    "I''m a doctor," Hector interjected, stepping forward to block Victor''s path.


    "I''ve already examined Ms. Langley. She''s fine, just pretending to faint," he said calmly.


    "Let me check if Mrs. Langley Senior is pretending as well."


    "Get out of my way!" Victor snarled, skirting around Hector. He dared not stay any longer. Their reputation had already beenpletely ruined.


    Victor knew that Natalie had no affection left for their family. If she could obtain a video like that, it meant she had more evidence in her possession, only choosing not to release it at once.


    "Mr. Langley, Mrs. Langley Senior is an elderly, and her health has always been poor. If she suffers a heart attack out of anger and doesn''t receive emergency care, as her son, you''ll bear the responsibility."


    "I don''t trust you. Even if you''re a doctor, we, as family members, have the right to refuse your help," Victor spat, ring at Hector.


    "Wake up," Hector said with a careless smirk. "After all, pretending to faint seems to run in your family. Surely, you''re not truly worried."


    Natalie stepped forward, her hand lightly gripping Grace''s wrist. After silently taking her pulse, a mocking smile curved her lips.


    Hector was right. Grace was indeed pretending to faint.


    Retracting her hand, Natalie spoke coldly, her voice like frost. "Mr. Langley, your family hasn''t apologized to me yet. Especially Ms. Langley. She insulted me time and again, spreading nder and vile rumors. You may take Mrs. Langley Senior to the hospital, but Ms. Langley is not leaving."


    Natalie''s icy gaze turned to Selena. Woken up earlier by Hector''s sharp methods, Selena had initially nned to continue feigning unconsciousness. However, upon seeing the video disyed on the screen, she quickly abandoned the act.


    She couldn''t believe her grandmother had such a double-faced nature. Seeing how Grace treated Natalie, Selena began to doubt her own assumptions. Perhaps her grandmother never loved Natalie, or maybe Grace had a split personality.


    Regardless of the truth, Selena felt a twisted sense of glee.


    But when she heard Natalie say she couldn''t leave, Selena''s smug expression froze. Her face darkened as she considered pretending to faint again, but one look from Hector made her abandon the thought. His "awakening" methods were far too unpleasant.


    Meeting Natalie''s icy gaze, Selena''s eyes darted around, scanning her surroundings. She spotted Tyler standing in the distance, his face pale with disappointment. Meanwhile, Marcus was nowhere to be seen.


    Her initial disappointment turned to relief. As long as Marcus wasn''t here, he wouldn''t see the incriminating videos and photos of her with other men. However, Tyler, with his pale face and despondent expression, made it clear he would no longer trust her.


    Lowering her head, Selena clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. After steadying herself, she looked up at Natalie, her lips curling into a mocking smile.


    "You want me to apologize? Fine. Ms. Walker, I''m sorry."


    Selena swayed unsteadily as she stood. She bowed deeply and loudly dered, "Ms. Walker, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have spread those rumors, insulted you, or ndered you. Please forgive me. Don''t press charges, and don''t make my disgrace public."


    When she straightened up, she fixed her gaze on Natalie. "Ms. Walker, is this enough for you?"


    "That''s your idea of an apology? I''ve never seen someone as shameless as you." Mason stepped forward, his voice dripping with disdain.


    "You asked for an apology, and I gave you one. What more do you want?" Selena snapped, her fear momentarily reced by defiance. She no longer cared about her reputation. She had faced too many humiliations already.


    So what if she had done those things? She only wanted to survive. What fault was there in that?


    Natalie had only been forced to give a little blood while living with the Langley family. Could she evenpare to everything Selena had endured to stay alive, pleasing those who controlled her and being coerced into doing countless things she never wanted to do?


    "Natalie, if you were me, you wouldn''t have survived." Selena sneered. "What hardship did you really endure in the Langley family? You were well-fed, well-dressed, and grew up safely. All you suffered was a little blood loss. What''s there to make such a fuss about?


    "I don''t know how you discovered my past or exposed it to the public. But let me tell you this, as long as I don''t care, you can''t hurt me."


    Her tone was resolute, and the panic from earlier was gone.


    She turned to Tyler, her lips curving into a smile. "Tyler, do you despise me now? It doesn''t matter if you do. It doesn''t matter if you don''t want to marry me. As long as I''m the true daughter of the Langley family, I''ll find a way to turn things around."


    Straightening her posture, Selena walked toward Diana, her eyes filled with determination. "Having my parents is enough."


    Diana''s eyes brimmed with tears. Large droplets fell as she nodded, and she choked up on her words. "Yes, that''s right. I don''t despise you. I only feel sorry for you."


    Pulling Selena into a tight embrace, Diana turned to re at the hired extras. "If any of you dare to spread a word of what happened today, I won''t let you off."


    "Oh, how terrifying."


    "Will she kill us to keep us quiet?"


    "She can try. I just live-streamed the entire event. If anything happens to me, make sure to report it!"


    "If something happens to me, she''s the prime suspect."


    "Just arrest her. Problem solved."


    The onlookers were unfazed by Diana''s threats. If she had approached them politely, they might have been more amodating. But her aggressive stance only fueled their defiance.


    "This family is ridiculous. They act despicably, then try to y the victim."


    "First, the granddaughter pretended to faint, then the grandmother. Is pretending to faint some kind of family tradition?"


    Listening to the mocking voices, Diana was mortified. "You... you..."


    "Mom, don''t waste your breath on these people. As long as we remain unshaken, what can their words do to us," Selena said with a cold smile.


    Turning to Tyler, she asked, "Tyler, will youe with us to check on Grandma?"


    Tyler snapped out of his stupor when Selena called his name.


    "Yes, I''lle," he replied reflexively. At this moment, he truly wished he had nevere to Dithoria.


    "Ms. Walker, I''ve already apologized. Can we leave now?"


    As Selena and Diana approached the door, they found it blocked by private security hired by the Walker family. Turning back to Natalie, Selena sneered. "Ms. Walker, are you nning to use your power to oppress


    us?


    Looking at Charlotte, she said, "Mrs. Walker, you''ve seen the video. You know that apart from some blood donations, the Langley family never truly harmed Natalie. But me? The true daughter of the Langley family? Do you know the kind of life I lived?


    "Mrs. Walker, Mr. Walker, and Ms. Walker''s brothers, if your daughter or sister hadn''t encountered my parents and grandmother, her life might not have been so fortunate."

 Chapter 179 Natalie Slaps Diana And Selena

    Selena gritted her teeth and locked her gaze fiercely onto Natalie. "I''ve already apologized. What now? Does the Walker family n to keep us here by force?"


    Charlotte opened her mouth, ready to retort, but Natalie raised a hand to stop her. "Mom, let me handle this."


    Charlotte froze for a moment, then her eyes turned red. Her daughter had called her "Mom". She felt overwhelming joy, excitement, and a desire tough aloud in celebration.


    But she held it in. This was not the time to lose control of her emotions.


    "Alright, Nat. No matter what you want to do or n to do, your father, brothers, and I will always support you. We''ll always be your strongest support and greatest confidence."


    Natalie nodded slightly. She had always relied on herself as her strongest pir, but she saw no reason to correct Charlotte at this moment. She understood and trusted Charlotte''s love for her.


    Natalie stepped forward until she stood directly before Selena. "Selena, have you ever heard this saying?"


    "What saying?"


    "Wretches are always good at twisting the truth."


    "Who are you calling a wretch?" Selena hissed, her re filled with hatred. If looks could kill, Natalie would have been torn to shreds already.


    "I''m calling you a wretch. Selena, You''re nothing but a wretch." Natalie''s lips curled slightly. And I don''t call you that because of your past experiences. I call you that because you constantly me your misfortunes on me.


    "Do you think your words make any sense at all? In the Langley family, I was treated as nothing more than a blood bank. Diana beat and scolded me whenever she pleased, and Grace manipted and controlled me.


    "When your family lost their biological daughter, they didn''t even try to look for her. Instead, they took out their anger on me. What did I do wrong?"


    Natalie turned her icy gaze to Diana and raised her hand without hesitation. The loud smack reverberated in the hall.


    "This p is for all the times you hit me as a child."


    Diana''s head was turned to the side from the p, and before she could react. Natalie swung her hand back and delivered another fierce p.


    "This p is for starving me after taking my blood, leaving me to faint from hunger.


    "This p is for beating me and leaving scars all over my body after I wore a formal dress.


    "This p is for locking me in the basement when I was 12.


    "These three ps are for arranging for three men to assault me when I was 15.


    "These three ps are for forcing me to pay for Mrs. Langley''s medical expenses alone.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior may have saved me, but I now suspect that her car ident was orchestrated by your family. Diana, you''d better pray that Mrs. Langley''s ident was truly an ident."


    With each p, Natalie listed another instance of Diana''s abuse.


    Diana''s head snapped side to side under the blows, her face swelling like a balloon. As Natalie''s usations continued to pour out, Diana grew increasingly terrified. She knew all too well how cruel she had been to Natalie.


    In that moment, she didn''t even dare to say that she was her mother.


    Meanwhile, the Walker family''s faces turned red with fury as they listened to Natalie recount her suffering.


    Natalie''s relentless ps had turned Diana''s face into a swollen mess.


    "Diana, why was your daughter''s disappearance my fault?"


    Natalie''s voice was cold as ice, her eyes brimming with undisguised hatred as she stared at her.


    "You knew from the start that I wasn''t your daughter. You could have sent me to an orphanage. Instead, you pretended to be my mother and used it as an excuse to abuse me."


    Because of Diana''s cruelty, Natalie had never dared to hope for familial love or trust anyone who imed to be family. After all, how could a child unloved by her own parents expect to be loved by anyone else?


    "And you, Selena," Natalie said, turning to her. She raised her hand and delivered a hard p.


    "This p is for falsely using me of stealing your engagement ring when you first returned to the Langley family."


    Natalie pped her a few more times, listing Selena''s transgressions with each p.


    "This p is for saying I slept with Tyler.


    "This p is for calling me promiscuous and shameless.


    "This p is for spreading lies about me in front of other men.


    "This p is for bullying me at Quinton Hospital."


    She had refrained from retaliating in the past because she believed Grace''s affection for her was genuine. But she had learned that affection was nothing more than poison wrapped in sugar. Revenge was long overdue. Natalie''s cold smile deepened, her delicate features shrouded in frost. "Selena, did you really think I would let you walk away with a simple apology?"


    "Ms. Walker, I was wrong."


    Before Selena could respond, Diana dropped to her knees with a loud thud, kneeling before Natalie.


    "Ms. Walker, it was wrong of me to mistreat you in the past. But you''ve already hit me and scolded me. Please spare my daughter!"


    Diana prostrated, reaching out to grab the hem of Natalie''s dress. Charlotte stormed over, grabbed Diana by the hair, and pped her hard across the face several times.


    When she was done, Charlotte ground her high heel into Diana''s face. "You vile woman! Is this how you abused my daughter? The Langley family is nothing but a family of scoundrels!"


    Furious beyond words, Charlotte turned to the crowd andmanded, "Anyone who joins in will be richly rewarded afterward."


    The onlookers, quick-witted as ever, understood what she wanted them to do immediately. They rushed forward, raining punches and kicks on Diana and Selena.


    "Don''t kill them," Charlotte said coldly as she pulled Natalie aside.


    "Hector," she called.


    "Yes, Mom," Hector responded, bringing over a medical kit.


    "Nat, let others handle things like this in the future. Don''t hurt your hands," he said gently as he began applying medicine to Natalie''s reddened palms.


    Natalie had pped Diana and Selena numerous times, each blow carrying significant force. Her palms were bright red and slightly swollen.


    Mason, his eyes red, held Natalie''s other hand and blew on it gently. "Does it hurt, Nat?"


    Natalie looked at the concern in her family''s eyes. They cared only about whether her hands hurt after hitting someone, whereas the Langley family would have scolded her for disgracing them.


    The difference between love and indifference was ringly clear.

 Chapter 180 When Did Marcus Leave?

    At Charlotte''smand, the extras originally hired by the Langley family to stage a drama turned on Diana and Selena, delivering a relentless beating.


    Diana dared not retaliate. Even if she had the courage, dealing with these extras was no small task. Their behavior during the event made it clear to Charlotte that they were avid gossipers who loved to spread news, whether it was good or bad, as far as possible.


    The Langley family had a habit of portraying themselves as victims, constantly acting as though the world owed them.


    Selena was the worst of all, a rabid dog who pinned every misfortune on Natalie. People like her never admitted their faults or felt any remorse.


    Natalie stood calmly as Hector carefully applied medicine to her reddened palms. At the same time, Mason gently blew on her hands, trying to ease her difort.


    William remained silent, but his icy gaze toward Diana and Selena made it clear that he had already decided their fate in his mind.


    Although Natalie had not spent much time with her family, she was certain of one thing, the most decisive and ruthless person in the Walker family was William.


    While Charlotte was the head of the household, William was the one who executed difficult decisions with quiet efficiency. Yet, because of his deep love for his wife, he often portrayed himself as someone submissive and even dependent on her.


    "Nat, let Mason take you home first, alright? Hector still has work to do here as a doctor," William said gently, his voice warm with fatherly affection.


    "Alright," Natalie agreed. Her gaze drifted toward the corner of the hall where Marcus had earlier pulled Tyler aside.


    That spot held only Tyler. Marcus was nowhere to be seen.


    "Where''s Marcus?" Natalie scanned the room, confirming his absence.


    "Did he leave?"


    "Marcus left. I saw him take a phone call earlier and then step out. He didn''te back after that," Mason said casually, still blowing on her hand.


    "When exactly did he leave?" Natalie felt a twinge of unease. Did Marcus leave before discovering her identity as the Walker family''s biological daughter?


    "Before Mom and Dad arrived," Mason replied, his tone curious.


    "Nat, why are you so concerned about when Marcus left?"


    "Mason, are you sure he left before they arrived? Natalie''s brow furrowed slightly. She recalled being preupied with Selena at the time and hadn''t noticed Marcus leaving after pulling Tyler aside.


    "I''m sure," Mason said confidently. "Nat, I''m a university graduate. My memory is impable." "Alright," Natalie murmured, pressing her lips into a thin line. If Marcus had left without informing her, something urgent must havee up.


    "Nat, let Mason take you home to rest," Charlotte said, her tone gentle and maternal. "Your father and I''l handle everything here."


    "Okay."


    Before leaving, Natalie cast onest nce at Diana and Selena. Both women were crying out in pain, cursing loudly, and spewing profanities.


    Their insults only spurred the extras to hit them harder. The attackers avoided their faces and targeted areas hidden from view, but their blows remained merciless.


    The extras had followed Charlotte''s instructions and ensured they didn''t identally cause fatal injuries to the mother-daughter duo.


    Natalie observed for a moment longer before turning to leave with Mason. As they stepped out of the hotel, Timothy and Lincoln joined them.


    "Nat, let''s take Lincoln''s van," Mason suggested. He had long admired the luxurious custom-designed vehicle. This van was more than just a luxury ride. It was a masterpiece created by a renowned designer over two years, featuring top-tier interior design, privacy, and safety features.


    Before Natalie could decline, Mason eagerly led her to the van parked at the entrance.


    With a soft beep, Lincoln unlocked the car remotely. Mason quickly opened the door, ushering Natalie inside before climbing in himself.


    Shortly after, Lincoln entered wearing a hat and mask, with Timothy following close behind.


    "Nat, we''re heading to the hospital," Lincoln said with a dazzling smile. His charming eyes were filled with warmth.


    "Sorry, Nat. I couldn''t openly step in to deal with those two, but I made sure to kick each of them before I left." Lincoln had always been known for his outstanding looks, impressive physique, superb acting, and a voice that resonated deeply with audiences.


    In many of the films and TV shows he starred in, he sang the theme songs himself. Every time one of his theme songs was released. It became a sensation alongside the production.


    What made him even more remarkable was his reputation. Despite years in the industry, he had no scandals to his name. When certain actresses attempted to spark rumors involving him, he would immediately issue statements to rify the situation.


    However, when he came across young, rtively unknown actresses who were mistreated or bullied, Lincoln would quietly step in to help them.


    As the second son of the wealthiest family in the country, his entertainmentpany operated independently of the Walker Group, making him untouchable in the entertainment industry.


    Those who had benefited from his kindness often found their careers improving significantly afterward. Because of this, Lincoln had a sterling reputation in the industry.


    Yet his profession had its limitations. Maintaining his privacy was a constant challenge. He often disguised himself in public to avoid being swarmed by fans, and every action he took needed to align with his personal andpany image.


    Lincoln understood that no one could truly have it all. He had always embraced this truth. His work brought him immense joy, and he never felt he was missing out on anything.


    For the first time, something seemed to trouble him. The inability to openly confront those who had bullied his sister was beginning to weigh on him.


    "Do you me me, Nat? I''m sorry I couldn''t step in earlier," Lincoln asked apologetically.


    "Of course not," Natalie replied, smiling faintly. "Why would I me you? I quite enjoyed pping them myself.


    "In the past, I held back because I thought I owed them my loyalty. Diana didn''t just verbally abuse me; she would pinch and hit me in private.


    "I used to call her ''Mom,'' and Grace told me no parent is ever truly wrong. She said Diana''s temper came from poor health and the stress of frequent blood transfusions. Now, I don''t have to hold back anymore."


    A cold light flickered in Natalie''s eyes. Grace''s excuses were nothing more than lies. The Langley family had always known she wasn''t their biological daughter, which was why they treated her so cruelly.


    Diana resented Natalie because she didn''t know where her own daughter was or what kind of life she was living. It seemed that only by abusing Natalie and ensuring her misery could Diana find a twisted sense of bnce.

 Chapter 181 She Cant Stay?

    Natalie''s expression turned icy for a fleeting moment before she quickly returned to her usual calm and indifferent demeanor. Taking out her phone, she began scrolling through old photos of herself and Grace.


    "I need to make a trip to the Langley residence. But I''m busy right now and can''t go. Mason, since you''re on break, could you help me with this?


    "Oh, and remember, the Langley family is cunning and malicious. They''ve drugged me before. If you''re going, take extra care and bring a few bodyguards."


    Natalie sent several messages to Mason, detailing the items she needed to retrieve from the Langley residence.


    She hadn''t nned on taking them before because of Grace. Back then, she always thought Grace would eventually recover and return to the Langley residence. Leaving her things there, especially the photos, allowed her to look at them whenever she missed her. It gave her something to remember Natalie by.


    More than that, it gave Natalie an excuse to visit the Langley family, to pick up her belongings and see Grace. But now, it seemed there was no need for any of that.


    "Sure! No problem at all," Mason assured her, thumping her chest confidently. "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of everything."


    "Nat, do you want to visit Timothy''s club to unwind?" Timothy suggested, pulling out his phone and showing Natalie a photo album. "Look, these are some of the yers at the club-fresh faces everywhere. If you like any of them, I will help you set it up."


    Before Natalie could respond, Lincoln pushed Timothy aside. "Stop dragging Nat into trouble," he scolded. "She''s still young. No need to rush into a rtionship."


    Natalie nodded in agreement. "Lincoln is right. I''m in no hurry to date right now."


    She had too many other things to focus on. To her, romance was entirely optional.


    "Here, for you," Timothy said, presenting a sleek,pactptop to Natalie.


    "Open it up. This is theptop bag. These are the matching keyboard, mouse, mouse pad, and headphones."


    Natalie opened theptop. When it booted up, an animated caricature of herself appeared on the screen¡ªa smaller version of Natalie with arge head, a small body, and a pink dress, twirling with red hydrangeas in her hands.


    "Hello, Natalie! I''m Nattie, here to apany you from now on!" The sweet, childlike voice greeted her.


    Natalie looked up at Timothy, who was grinning indulgently.


    "I designed it myself. Do you like it? If not, I can tweak it."


    "I love it." A smile crept onto Natalie''s lips. The animated character was unmistakably modeled after her¡ª cute, adorable, and full of charm.


    "There''s no need to change anything."


    She tested theptop and found it had high specs, running incredibly smoothly. Even running heavy games would be no problem. Natalie carefully shut it down and put it away, her smile growing wider.


    "Thank you, Timothy," she said.


    "It''s great that you like it," Timothy replied, his grin matching hers.


    Lincoln, however, looked less than pleased. He had given Natalie gifts too, yet she hadn''t even swiped the card once.


    If shopping wasn''t her thing, he would just have to get every luxury brand he endorsed and hand them over to her. Whether she liked them or not, those items were valuable. And if he added his autograph, their resale value would skyrocket.


    Women liked money, didn''t they? After all, while money wasn''t everything, life without it was impossible.


    As the siblings chatted, they soon arrived at the hospital.


    From the moment Victor carried Grace away, Lincoln had assigned the Walker family''s bodyguards to follow them. As a result, they knew exactly which hospital and room Grace was in.


    The van parked in the underground lot. Lincoln, still wearing his hat and mask, prepared to get out when Natalie stopped him.


    "Lincoln, you can wait for us in the car. The hospital is crowded."


    Unlike at the hotel, where Selena and Tyler got engaged, Grace had arranged for people to keep watch, and those who attended were just hired extras paid by the Langley family.


    Those actors only cared about their paychecks and wouldn''t have noticed Lincoln at all.


    But a hospital was a public ce. It waspletely different. Natalie didn''t want her personal matters to cause any trouble for Lincoln. She could tell he truly cared for her.


    "Nat, my disguise is wless," Lincoln said.


    "I know, but I''d still prefer if you waited in the car. Please, for me?"


    Since Natalie had asked, how could Lincoln refuse?


    "Alright, alright. I''ll wait here in the car. If anything happens, call me right away. I''ve cleared off my schedule


    for an entire week. Once you''re done, I can take you out for some fun."


    "Sounds great!" Natalie agreed readily. "I''lle find you once I''m finished."


    "Deal."


    "Then we''ll head in now."


    "Go on."


    Natalie, Timothy, and Mason got out of the car. They entered the elevator, pressing the button for the eighth floor.


    After Victor brought Grace to the hospital, she underwent a series of examinations. The doctors said there was no serious issue, but Grace appeared fatigued. Victor had the doctors arrange a private room for her to rest.


    The elevator arrived on the eighth floor with a soft ding. The doors slid open, and Natalie stepped out first, with Timothy and Mason nking her on either side like personal bodyguards.


    However, the three siblings'' striking appearances and elegant demeanor caught the attention of everyone they passed.


    The Walker family bodyguard, who had been tailing Victor and Grace, immediately stepped forward when they saw the trio.


    "Ms. Natalie, Mr. Timothy, Mr. Mason, the Langley family is in thest room down this hall."


    "Lead the way."


    The bodyguard guided them to Grace''s room in no time. Natalie approached the door and knocked three times. Without waiting for a response, she pushed the door open.


    Inside, Gracey on the hospital bed, an IV drip attached to the back of her hand, administering nutrients. The moment she saw Natalie, Grace sat up straight.


    "Nattie, you''re here," she said, her voice choking with emotion as her eyes reddened. "Nattie."


    Natalie walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Her gaze shifted to Victor, her lips curving into a faint, detached smile.


    "Mr. Langley, I assume Mrs. Langley Senior isn''t in any serious condition?"


    Victor looked at her with a bitter expression. "Natalie, now that you''ve found your biological family, must you draw such a clear line with us?


    "You''ve already ruined Selena and Tyler''s engagement. Can''t you just let us go?"


    Natalie''s smile turned mocking. "That''s an interesting choice of words, Mr. Langley. Was it really me who ruined Selena''s engagement?"


    She chuckled, her tone biting. "In the past, I misunderstood you, Mr. Langley. As it turns out, you''re the most conscientious person in the Langley family."


    "Nattie..." Grace''s voice trembled. "Can I no longer keep you with me?"

 Chapter 182 She No Longer Knows Mercy

    Grace choked on her words, and before she could finish, tears began streaming down her face. She reached out, wanting to hold Natalie''s hand, but Natalie quietly moved her hand behind her back.


    Grace''s face filled with hurt, her tears falling silently. In the past, whenever she reached out, Natalie would immediately grasp her hands.


    But now, though Natalie didn''t show any outward rejection, her subtle avoidance was far more painful than an outright refusal.


    Natalie pulled out a tissue and handed it to Grace. "Mrs. Langley Senior, you''ve never truly cared for me, so why keep up the pretense? Aren''t you tired of acting?"


    "Nat, I don''t know where you got that video, but the person in it wasn''t me," Grace said, her voice trembling.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, you can keep lying to yourself if you''d like."


    When Grace didn''t take the tissue, Natalie tossed it into the trash.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I gave you a chance. If there''s one thing I hate most, it''s deceit. I owe nothing to the Langley family. And tell Selena to stop trying to use her shameless tricks to manipte me. I''m not buying it.


    "The shares? I''ll return them. I won''t being back to Langley Group. As for my belongings left at the Langley residence, Mason will retrieve them for me.


    "When the timees, I expect you to cooperate and hand over my things.


    "Also, the losses Langley Group suffered due to Mr. Langley¡ªwhatever gaps I''ve filled, I expectpensation in cash from you."


    "Nattie, do you really have to go this far? Are you truly so heartless? Do you really not trust me at all?" Grace cried, her voice filled with despair.


    "Nattie, I don''t have many years left to live. When I saved you, I got hit by a car. It took me so long to recover, but now... Nattie, how did you be so cold?


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I''m grateful for what you did to save me, but over the years, Victor and Diana neglected you. I was the one who cared for you.


    "My parents are already investigating the hospital switch from back then. They''ve warned me¡ªyou''d better pray the incident had nothing to do with the Langley family or yourself. Otherwise, be prepared to face the consequences."


    Natalie''s expression turned icy, her voice even colder. "You''re the one who raised me, Mrs. Langley Senior. You know better than anyone what I despise most and what I can never forgive."


    Grace''s tears flowed harder. After a long pause, she choked out, "But I''m just an old woman with not many years left.


    "Nattie, all I''ve ever wanted is for you to be happy, for you to live well. I gave you Langley Group''s shares at the beginning without ever intending to take them back.


    "As for the switch at the hospital, I truly didn''t know. If I had, how could I not have searched for my real granddaughter?


    "Nattie, I know you don''t believe anything I say now. But please, just pity me. Don''t cut ties with me, okay? Hearing you call me Mrs. Langley Senior breaks my heart.


    "Nattie, you''ve always been kind. I know you''re angry now, but you wouldn''t really abandon me, would you?" "Sorry," Natalie said. Her tone was calm, devoid of warmth. "Mrs. Langley Senior, let me remind you. I''m no longer soft-hearted, nor do I feel any kindness toward you or the Langley family."


    She continued, "You once taught me this¡ªto those who harm you, repay them tenfold."


    Natalie stood up. When she cared for someone, she gave her all. But once her heart turned cold, she had no hesitation in cutting ties. She would reim everything that belonged to her, leaving nothing behind for the Langley family.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, you''re old now. I won''t seek revenge on you. After all, we were once family, and you''ve been kind to me at times.


    "I''ll only take back what''s mine. Nothing more, nothing less. This is thest bit of dignity I''m offering us both. I hope you won''t disappoint me."


    Natalie''s tone was steady, each word precise and unyielding. She nced at Grace''s tear-streaked face, her heart utterly unmoved.


    With her message now delivered, Natalie turned and left without hesitation.


    As Natalie reached the door, she saw Victor standing there, his gazeplex as it rested on her.


    Her thoughts turned to the video she had received the one capturing the conversation between Victor and Grace. She also recalled how, over the years, Victor, while far from a loving father, had treated her rtively well in private. At least, far better than Diana ever did.


    "Natalie," Victor hesitated before speaking, his tone low. "I''m sorry."


    Natalie had expected anger or usations, but instead, he had apologized.


    "These years... the Langley family ves you an pology," Victor admitted, closing his eyes. His pression was a mix of pain and struggle. "I know Diana was wrong, but I''m not a capable man.


    "In my heart, I''ve always been partial to my biological daughter, Selena. So even though I knew Selena was ndering you, Diana was targeting you, and Grace was deceiving you, I still chose to side with my family." Victor''s eyes were bloodshot, his voice hoarse. "So your family''s retaliation against us, I think we deserve it. But Natalie, could I ask you for one thing? For the sake of the times when I treated you decently, please spare Selena."


    As he finished, he suddenly dropped to his knees before Natalie with a dull thud. "My mother doesn''t have many years left. Her health has been poor for a long time.


    "Selena suffered so much when she was out in the world. She''s not like a normal person mentally. She wasn''t a child raised with love; her mind is twisted.


    "As for Diana, her health was bad in the past. There were times we thought we would lose her. I''m her husband. How could I abandon her?"


    Victor''s voice broke, and his tone choked with emotion. "I know I was wrong to bring Selena to Langley Group, but I lost my daughter for so many years. She endured so much hardship and pain out there.


    "She wanted to enter thepany, so I let her. If it could bring even a little happiness, I would make it happen, even if thepany didn''t belong to us. Let alone the fact that the Langley Group is part of the Langley family.


    "Natalie, if you want to hate someone, hate us adults. Don''t hate Selena. She''s just a pitiful child."


    Before Natalie could respond, Mason stormed over and delivered a solid kick to Victor''s chest, sending him staggering.


    "Pitiful? You piece of trash," Mason spat furiously.


    Grabbing Natalie''s hand, he said, "Don''t listen to him, Nat."


    His voice was as sharp as he directed his words at Victor. "The Langley family must have a long history of ying with swords. Too bad you''ve mastered cutting people down instead of anything honorable.


    "In all my years, I''ve never seen anything as ridiculous as you people. What happened? Were the Langleys hiding in a cave when humans were evolving? Unbelievable. It''s like the world just keeps getting stranger, and you''re the living proof."

 Chapter 183 Worried She Might Have More Evidence

    Mason''s kick sent Victor, who was kneeling on the ground, sprawling onto his back.


    "I''m warning you¡ªstay away from Natalie," Mason snapped. "And you call yourself the richest man in Amberton? If this is what passes for decency, even a beggar could outdo the Langley family."


    Grabbing Natalie''s hand, Mason turned and began to walk away. "Natalie, don''t waste your time on them anymore. If anything happens, let me handle it.


    "Stay happy, do whatever you like, and y however you want. As for these miserable excuses of people, stay as far away from them as possible."


    "Okay. Thank you, Mason," Natalie replied obediently.


    When they reached the elevator, Natalie turned back for a moment. Victor was still watching her with aplicated depression.


    Natalie gave him a faint smile before stepping into the elevator with Mason.


    "Victor,e in," Grace called from the hospital room.


    Victor snapped out of his daze and returned inside.


    "Has Natalie left?" Grace asked.


    "Yes, she''s gone," Victor confirmed.


    Grace let out a long breath, staring at Victor for a while before speaking slowly. "Do you know where that video Natalie showed us came from?"


    "How would I know?" Victor replied, lowering his head. "That was from her childhood, more than ten years ago. Who would''ve thought she could get her hands on something like that?"


    "I''ve told you before, Natalie is no ordinary child. Once she sets her mind to something, there''s nothing she can''t aplish," Grace said, leaning back against the headboard.


    "We can''t stay in Dithoria any longer. We must return to Amberton," she dered. "Contact all the Langley Group shareholders. I need to convene a board meeting. And make sure to bring Kevin to our side. He owes us fromst time, and we need to solidify his support.


    "There''s no keeping Natalie in Langley Group anymore," Grace continued. After a brief pause, she swung her legs off the bed and began putting on her shoes. "Go back to the hotel and check on Diana and Selena."


    She frowned. "Natalie managed to obtain that video from the past, and I''m worried she might have more evidence in her possession. We need to return to Amberton as soon as possible and investigate the hospital where Natalie''s blood was drawn back then.


    "Victor, take Diana and Selena with you and head back to Amberton immediately."


    "What about Tyler?" Victor asked, his worry still centered on Selena. "The engagement might''ve been fake, but the video that aired was real. Do you think the Miller family won''t care about Selena''s past?"


    "If the Miller family dares to care, I''ll make sure they don''t live to regret it," Grace replied, her expression cold and her tone venomous. "The Miller family only rose to prominence because of me. What right do they have to look down on the Langley family?"


    Victor was startled by the icy ruthlessness in Grace''s demeanor and was momentarily speechless.


    "What are you waiting for?" Grace snapped, ring at him.


    "Yes, yes, I''ll go right away!" Victor stammered, hurriedly nodding and leaving the room.


    Grace strode out of the hospital room, entering the elevator and quickly leaving. She didn''t notice, however, that someone had been quietly tailing her the entire way.


    At the Four Seasons Hotel, Diana and Selenay on the floor, bruised and battered, wincing in pain with every breath. The hired extras who had beaten them not only took their money but also collected another payment from Charlotte before leaving.


    Sprawled on the ground, Diana and Selena shouted about calling the authorities to deal with the Walker family. Charlotte, unfazed, even handed them a phone to make the call.


    But when the phone was ced in front of them, Diana angrily pped it away.


    This was Dithoria; she didn''t dare act recklessly here. More importantly, what mattered most right now was figuring out how to erase Selena''s past.


    Diana seethed with hatred. That wretched Natalie¡ªjust how many videos and photos of Selena''s past did she have in her possession?


    "Tyler," Selena turned her tearful eyes toward Tyler, who stood not far away, tears streaming down her face. "Tyler, are you going to abandon me?"


    Tyler remained rooted in ce, unable to move. He wanted to step forward, but it felt as though his legs were weighed down with lead.


    The Walkers turned their eyes toward him, their gazes sharp and unyielding.


    Charlotte and William exchanged a knowing look and smiled. How could they have forgotten? This was Natalie''s ex-fianc¨¦¡ªthe scumbag who had joined the Langley family in bullying her.


    Feeling their eyes on him, Tyler broke out in goosebumps. Instinctively, he wanted to flee.


    However, before he could take even one step forward, Hector appeared in front of him, smiling slightly as he adjusted his rimless sses.


    "Mr. Miller, may I have a word with you?" Hector asked, his tone polite but firm.


    Tyler wanted to refuse, but when he saw Hector, the words caught in his throat. He didn''t dare say no.


    Diana and Selena could only watch helplessly as Tyler was escorted out of the lobby by Hector. "Diana, Selena." Victor arrived just then, barely sparing a nce at the departing Tyler. He rushed forward to help Diana and Selena up. "Mom said we need to return to Amberton immediately."


    "But what about my engagement party?" Selena protested.


    "It was fake from the start," Victor cut her off. "We can''t stay here any longer. If we do, we won''t gain anything from this. Natalie is ruthless when she cuts ties. She''s not someone ordinary people can handle."


    Victor lowered his voice as he addressed them. "Listen to your grandmother. We''re family. Natalie was never truly a part of the Langley family."


    "But, Victor," Diana interjected, "are we just supposed to take this lying down? The Walkers ganged up on us, and now we''re supposed to just let it go?"


    "And what do you n to do?" Victor shot back impatiently. "Are you going to fight them now? Go ahead! "Natalie has videos of us drawing her blood and mistreating her, along with photos and videos of Selena with various men. Why did you have to provoke her in the first ce?


    "I told you when we kicked her out of the house-let her go and live her life. But no, you wouldn''t listen. You had to drive her to the edge and couldn''t bear to see her have even a moment of peace.


    "And now look where we are! This is the bacsh you''ve brought upon yourselves!"


    "Victor Langley!" Diana''s voice rose sharply. "Whose husband are you? Whose father are you?"


    "Diana Ashcroft!" Victor retorted, his voice equally loud. "If I weren''t your husband and Selena''s father, I wouldn''t even be here. You tell me how many messes have you caused because you wouldn''t listen to me? The situation is what it is now, and it''s entirely your fault!"


    "And you''re innocent now?" Diana shot back.


    "Shut up," Victor snapped, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "I''m not arguing with you right now. Selena, talk some sense into your mother! We need to go home. That''s what matters most right now."


    For the first time, Selena saw Victor truly lose his temper. Given the current situation, they couldn''t gain any advantage. Staying longer would only invite more retaliation from the Walkers.


    She weighed the pros and cons in her mind. Finally, she sided with Victor and turned to Diana. "Mom, stop arguing with Dad. Let''s talk about everything once we''re back home."

 Chapter 184 She Was The One Who Called Off the Engagement

    Diana wanted to keep arguing with Victor, but after hearing Selena''s words and zing around, her gazended on Charlotte''s scornful and disdainful expression. She immediately fell silent.


    This was the same Charlotte who had pped them back in Amberton. The way Natalie pped them now was practically identical to Charlotte''s.


    At that moment, Diana felt the sting on her cheeks all over again.


    Charlotte walked forward, making Diana instinctively shrink back in fear.


    "Ha!" Charlotte let out a mockingugh. This wretched woman-wasn''t she so bold when she was draining Natalie''s blood? So aggressive when she was bullying Natalie? But now, she cowered at the mere sight of her.


    Charlotte stopped a few steps away from Diana, saying nothing, only looking down at the Langley family''s trio with a cold, piercing gaze. Though she didn''t utter a word, her expression seemed to say everything.


    Diana no longer dared to cause a scene. Grabbing Selena''s arm and holding on to Victor''s hand, she scrambled to her feet. Without so much as a nce at the Walkers, the three of them slinked out of the hotel, defeated and humiliated.


    "Honey." William approached Charlotte. "Natalie has finally seen the true colors of the Langley family. She won''t feel any attachment to Grace anymore. Should we move on to the next step of our n?"


    "Of course," Charlotte said with a smile. "Natalie is too kind and soft-hearted. As her parents, it''s up to us to seek justice for her! But there''s no need to rush. After all, cornered dogs can be dangerous. We''ll take our time and enjoy this."


    William chuckled indulgently. "Alright, I''ll do whatever you say."


    Charlotte nced at her phone. "Mason took Nat out shopping. Let''s not bother her with minor things. We''re retired parents now, aren''t we? Since we have the time, we should keep ourselves active. It''s better than sitting around and risking dementia, don''t you think?"


    "You''re absolutely right, Honey," William said with a gentle smile.


    If Natalie had grown up surrounded by love, she would be cheerful, lively, and full of warmth someone who wouldn''t hesitate to wear bright, colorful clothes.


    From the day she was born, William had been devoted to Charlotte and his daughter. He loved his daughter, and he adorned his wife even more.


    Emma, who had reced Natalie in their household, had enjoyed 20 years of love and smooth sailing under their care.


    Thinking about all the affection that should have been their daughter''s¡ªwhile Natalie had been suffering abuse and having her blood drained by the Langley family-made William clench his teeth in anger.


    He wouldn''t me Emma, the child who had been switched at birth. But he also wouldn''t let the Langley family get away with mistreating his real daughter.


    Everything owed to her-they would take it all back.


    Charlotte and William shared a knowing smile before leaving the hotel together.


    In a private room at the hotel, Hector sat across from Tyler. From his pocket, Hector pulled out a surgical scalpel and a whetstone, cing them on the table. Slowly, he began sharpening the de.


    The scalpel gleamed coldly, its reflection catching Tyler''s pale face.


    Tyler instinctively gripped his chair, his legs trembling uncontrobly. He couldn''t shake the feeling that the man in front of him, smiling faintly, might calmly slide the scalpel into his chest.


    He imagined the de twisting, peeling back his flesh, and the manughing as he held his heart in his hand. The vivid image made Tyler''s body stiffen, beads of cold sweat streaming down his forehead.


    "Are you nervous, Mr. Miller?" Hector asked, casually picking up a bottle of water from the table. He unscrewed the cap, poured some onto the whetstone, and looked up at Tyler with a slight smile. "How''s your rtionship with the Langley family''s true heiress?"


    "Not much of one," Tyler forced out, his voice shaky. "Sir, we don''t have any grievances between us. Could you let me go?"


    "Did you ever hurt Natalie?" Hector''s voice was calm, his smile unchanging. "Mr. Miller, no need to be so nervous. I just want to chat. I''m Natalie''s third brother.


    "I heard you were once Natalie''s fianc¨¦. But after the Langley family found their real daughter, Selena, you ended the engagement with Natalie. Is that true?"


    "It wasn''t me who ended it," Tyler said, his face pale. "I didn''t want to admit it at the time, but Natalie was the one who called it off first.


    "She never liked me at all. We were childhood sweethearts in name only. She cared more about her friend, Olivia Thatcher, the model, than she ever did about me."


    Tyler''s face twisted with pain. "Back when it was the three of us, she''d always find excuses to bring Olivia along. Sometimes, she didn''t even bother making up an excuse.


    "As soon as she heard the Langley family''s real daughter had been found, Natalie showed up at the Millers'' house. She didn''t hesitate¡ªjust came right out and made everything crystal clear between us.


    "I hadn''t even gone to the Langleys yet, but she''d already made her stance perfectly clear."


    He paused, his voice trembling as his eyes reddened. "It was humiliating. And it made me furious. How could she just throw away everything between us like it meant nothing? We grew up together¡ªwe were childhood sweethearts. Yet, she just let it go."


    "Why? Why does she get to do that?" Tyler''s voice cracked. "It''s not fair. I can''t ept it."


    "Because you wouldn''t ept it, you decided to bully Natalie with Selena, is that it?" Hector asked, his tone still light.


    "I didn''t bully her!" Tyler couldn''t help but raise his voice but immediately shrank back under Hector''s cold, emotionless gaze. Quietly, he added, "I didn''t bully Natalie. I swear."


    "Alright, you can leave," Hector said, putting away the scalpel. His tone was cheerful and apologetic. "It seems I misunderstood you, Mr. Miller. I''m sorry for scaring you."


    Tyler froze in disbelief. "What? You''re letting me off?"


    "Of course," Hector said with a small smile. "Unless, of course, you''d like to stay and share a drink with me?"


    "No, no, no!" Tyler stammered, jumping to his feet. He turned and bolted for the door, knocking over a chair in his haste.


    "Take it easy, Mr. Miller. No one''s chasing you," Hector called after him, his tone pleasant.


    Tyler didn''t respond, stumbling out of the room in panic.


    The moment Tyler was gone, Hector''s smile vanished, reced by a cold, mocking expression. He slipped the scalpel back into his pocket and took out his phone to send a message, "Follow Tyler Miller."


    Grace and her family finally arrived in Amberton at 11:00 pm.


    Diana and Selena kept their faces tightly covered, while Grace sat with her eyes closed, resting. The board meeting she had scheduled earlier in the day would have to wait until morning.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, Mr. and Mrs. Langley, Ms. Selena," Meredith greeted them, holding an envelope in her hand.


    "This was taken from the mailbox at the door earlier. It''s addressed to you, Mrs. Langley Senior." Meredith said, ncing curiously at Grace.


    Grace had been staying at a nursing home for a while-why had she suddenly returned? And judging by her demeanor, she seemed to be doing just fine now.


    "Bring it to me," Grace said, her eyes flickering open. Age was catching up to her, and the hurried trip back to Amberton had been far lessfortable than the luxurious journey Charlotte had arranged to Dithoria.


    "Yes, Mrs. Langley Senior." Meredith handed the envelope to her.


    Grace opened it and quickly scanned the contents. Her eyes widened in shock, and her fingers trembled uncontrobly as she processed what she was reading.

 Chapter 185 The Walker Family Loves Natalie More Than She Thought

    "Mom, what''s wrong?" Victor asked as he noticed Grace''s unusual expression.


    Selena leaned in curiously, trying to sneak a look at the letter.


    Grace, quick to react, folded the letter and tucked it back into the envelope. "Meredith, are you certain no one else saw this after you retrieved it?"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I brought it straight to my room after picking it up from the mailbox. I didn''t look at it, nor did I let anyone else see it," Meredith replied cautiously. "If there''s nothing else, I''ll get back to cleaning."


    "Go ahead," Grace said with a wave of her hand.


    As Meredith turned to leave, she couldn''t help ncing back at Grace, her curiosity piqued by the letter. Though she hadn''t been interested at first, Grace''s reaction made her increasingly curious.


    When Grace''s icy re shot her way, Meredith quickly lowered her head and left without another word. Grace held the envelope tightly as she stood. "I''m heading to my room to rest. Tomorrow morning, I''ll convene the board meeting at thepany. Victor, take Diana and Selena to see a doctor."


    "Yes," Victor agreed without hesitation. Diana and Selena were bruised and battered, their faces unfit to be seen. While they didn''t necessarily need a hospital visit, the next best thing was having the family doctor


    Victor made a call, and not long after, the family doctor, Henry Bet, arrived at the Langley residence with his assistant, ire Harper.


    When ire saw the state Diana and Selena were in, she couldn''t help but gasp. "This.." She hesitated, the words stuck in her throat. It was worse than she had imagined.


    "Thank you foring," Victor said to ire. "If you need anything, let me know. I''ll leave Diana and Selena in your care."


    "You''re too kind, Mr. Langley," ire replied before turning to Diana and Selena. She led them upstairs to Selena''s room, leaving Victor with Henry.


    Victor nced at Henry. "I apologize for the trouble today, but I''d like to request your discretion on this matter." "Don''t worry, Mr. Langley. I''ve been with your family for years. I know what to say and what not to say."


    "Thank you," Victor said, but Henry hesitated before cautiously asking, "So, Ms. Natalie isn''t with the Langley family anymore?"


    "No, she wasn''t our biological daughter. Her real parents found her, and she''s gone back to them now."


    "I see," Henry said with a hint of regret. He had been hoping to ask Natalie about the special cough medicine she had once rmended-it worked wonders within half an hour. But now that she wasn''t part of the Langleys, he let the topic drop.


    Upstairs, Grace entered Natalie''s old room. This wasn''t the Langley family''s main residence, but Grace had insisted that every house they owned include a room for Natalie.


    However, Diana''s dislike of Natalie meant the furnishings given to her were never the best. Grace hadn''t interfered, as long as Natalie''s primary bedroom was properly furnished.


    Stepping into the room, Grace took in the minimalist ck, white, and grey decor. The furniture was simple, and there were barely any personal touches to indicate it belonged to a young woman. Even the wardrobe was empty, with not a single set of pajamas inside.


    Grace took a deep breath and retrieved the letter from the envelope once more.


    "Mystery person investigates Diana Ashcroft''s illness, Natalie''s blood donation, and a defector."


    The signature at the bottom was a single, uppercase letter-K.


    Grace stared at the words, her fingers trembling. After a long pause, she ripped the letter into pieces, walked to the bathroom, and flushed the scraps down the toilet.


    If her guess was correct, this mystery person was one of Charlotte''s agents.


    When Charlotte had escorted her to Dithoria State, she hadn''t shown even the slightest hint of suspicion. Her respect, care, and gentleness had been impable throughout the trip.


    Charlotte was nothing like Diana, who was ipetent and useless.


    Taking another deep breath, Grace realized something unsettling the Walker family loved Natalie far more than she had anticipated.


    Still, Grace wasn''t without her own cards to y.


    She exited the bathroom and slowly washed her hands at the sink. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she reassured herself. Even if the Walker family investigated, the most they could uncover would be the blood transfusions Natalie had given Diana. Anything deeper than that wouldn''t be traceable.


    But deep down, unease gnawed at Grace. She would need to find a way to make Natalie give up on her vengeance against the Langley family.


    At Holden Residence in Dithoria, Natalie finished performing acupuncture on Charles as usual, prescribed a new batch of medicine, and handed it to Connie before returning to her room.


    She had already informed the Walker family that she would be busy for a while and wouldn''t be staying with them during this time. Though reluctant, her family fully respected her decisions.


    After Natalie returned to her room, it wasn''t long before there was a knock at the door.


    "Ms. Walker, are you in there?" Connie''s voice came from outside.


    "Come in," Natalie replied, opening the door. She had changed into light gray cotton pajamas and was popping a piece of chocte into her mouth. "Do you want some?"


    Connie shook her head. "No. Thank you, Ms. Walker."


    "Ms. Walker, this afternoon, Cassie brought a woman to the house. However, Mr. Holder Senior didn''t agree to see her."


    "Cassie? Who''s that?" Natalie frowned.


    From Natalie''s reaction, Connie could tell she hadn''t paid much attention to the events before.


    "She''s Mr. Holden Senior''s daughter. Do you remember the time at Quinton Hospital when someone brought Jessy to impersonate you and attempt to treat Mr. Holden Senior? That was Cassie."


    Mentioning Jessy, the imposter, immediately jogged Natalie''s memory. "So, what now? Cassie brought Jessy back to the Holdens again?"


    "No, not Jessy. This time, it was someone else," Connie said, pulling out her phone and showing Natalie a photo. "I overheard Cassie mentioning Dr. Elim to Mr. Holden Senior, so I took a picture.


    "The woman Cassie brought was from the Sinir family in Dithoria¡ªSophia Sinir. She''s pregnant but doesn''t want the child," Connie exined in a lowered voice. "Cassie came here to ask Mr. Holden Senior for a favor¡ªto have him introduce Sophia to his current attending physician."


    Natalie paused, her brow furrowing. "She''s pregnant, doesn''t want the child, and they''reing to me for help?"


    "That''s what it sounded like," Connie confirmed.


    Natalie''s thoughts wandered, recalling how Marcus had left the hotel unexpectedly.


    "What''s Sophia''s rtionship with Marcus?" she asked.


    Connie shook her head. "I''m not sure. From what I''ve found, Marcus has always kept his distance from women. Even with his former fianc¨¦e, Emma Walker, the eldest daughter of the Walker family, there was no real emotional connection. As for other women, there''s not a single rumor about him. "However, Mr. Holden Senior seems to have a good impression of Sophia. Ms. Walker, if Mr. Holden Senior asks you to perform surgery on Ms. Sinir, will you do it?"


    "No," Natalie replied without hesitation. "I save lives; I don''t take them."


    "Then what if the child wasn''t conceived willingly by Ms. Sinir?" Connie asked cautiously.


    "Connie," Natalie said with a nce, "Sophia Sinir is the eldest daughter of the Sinir family. If her


    pregnancy were idental, there''s no way the Sinir family would stay silent about it. Besides, when did Sophia and Cassie have such a good rtionship?"

 Chapter 186 Stay Still, Itll Be Quick

    After Natalie finished speaking, Connie fell into deep thought. She had no idea whether Cassie and Sophia got along or not.


    From the information she''d gathered, Cassie and Sophia weren''t even close in age. They barely interacted before, essentially maintaining a superficial connection at best.


    The fact that Sophia was pregnant and Cassie somehow knew¡ªwhile the entire Walker family remained in the dark¡ªwas strange. If the two had been close, it wouldn''t have been surprising. But given their distant rtionship, it didn''t make sense.


    "Connie, think carefully," Natalie said, tossing a chocte wrapper into the trash can after finishing her piece. "Back when Cassie was at Quinton Hospital, how did she act toward the doctor in charge of treating Mr. Holden Senior?"


    "She was determined to push for Jessy to treat him," Natalie continued. "If she already knew someone as capable as Jessy, why go out of her way to look elsewhere?


    "And as for Ms. Sinir''s baby, you don''t even know who the father is. Assuming Ms. Sinir was wronged, you''re just taking their word for it. Connie, since when did you stop using your brain?"


    Connie''s cheeks turned red with embarrassment, but she didn''t dare show anger. After a long pause, she mumbled, "I just thought..... Well, since they told Mr. Holden Senior directly, Cassie wouldn''t have the nerve to lie to him."


    "That''s just what you think," Natalie replied, unwrapping another piece of chocte and breaking off half to hand to her. "The information you found on Cassie barely scratches the surface. It''s all just what the Holden family wants outsiders to see."


    Natalie pulled out theptop Timothy had gifted her and opened it. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she thoroughly checked for any issues with the device. Once she was satisfied it was clean, she loaded a program she''d written herself.


    Connie watched Natalie type rapidly, mesmerized by her speed. Before long, Natalie turned the screen toward her.


    "Sophia''s secret boyfriend-Sky."


    "What?" Connie gasped, wide-eyed. "The eldest son of the Walker family? CEO of Walker Group?"


    "Yup," Natalie confirmed, her tone calm. "And he''s... also my older brother."


    Natalie smirked. When she''d first looked into the Walker family, she hadn''te across any mention of Sky having a girlfriend.


    "If Sky is the father of Sophia''s baby, there''s no reason he wouldn''t want the child. That leaves only one possibility-he''s not the father."


    Natalie grabbed herptop again, typing even faster this time. Momentster, she found something even more intriguing.


    "Connie, look at this."


    "Huh?"


    Connie leaned closer, her eyes widening as she read, "Sky and Emma... are way too close!"


    Natalie chuckled softly. Emma being close to Sky didn''t surprise her at all. Emma was the Walker family''s pampered princess, and Sky, as the eldest brother, spoiled her the most.


    The way the Walker family treated her, their biological daughter,pared to Emma, the adopted one, was ringly obvious.


    Sky''s loyalty clearly leaned toward Emma. Of course, he kept his emotions in check and never outright opposed their parents.


    "Ms. Walker, even for siblings, that''s... a little too close, don''t you think?" Connie muttered.


    "It''s none of our business," Natalie replied, closing theptop screen and ruffling Connie''s hair. "Go get some rest.


    "Remember, you''re the only one who should handle Mr. Holden Senior''s medication. Brew it yourself, serve it yourself. Don''t even trust Sheldon."


    "Got it, Ms. Walker." Connie nodded earnestly.


    "And be especially wary of Cassie."


    "I understand, Ms. Walker."


    Connie was tasked with personally preparing Charles'' medication, ensuring he took it on time, and overseeing his meals before he consumed anything. Her vignce was thorough.


    Seeing that Connie took her instructions seriously, Natalie felt satisfied. She said, "Get some sleep." "Goodnight, Ms. Walker."


    "Goodnight."


    After Connie left, Natalie reopened herptop, diving deeper into Cassie''s background.


    Cassie was Charles'' youngest daughter and the heiress of the Holden family. Her older brother was Wesley, Marcus'' father.


    Cassie had dropped out of college to study abroad, majoring in jewelry design. But after returning back home, she didn''t pursue design or join Holden Group.


    Still single to this day, she openly


    stated that she''s in a stable rtionship with her boyfriend but


    insisted she would never get


    married, describing marriageas


    "where love goes to die."


    She rarely returned to Holden Residence and wasn''t close to her father.


    The media portrayed her as an independent, sophisticated heiress. But three years ago, Charles announced that Marcus would be Holden Group''s sole heir.


    From then on, Cassie''s image as a


    self-reliant heiress began to


    crumble. Her boyfriend mysteriously vanished, and she started ying the role of the dutiful daughter.


    Still, Charles didn''t buy it.


    Natalie thought back to their first meeting at Quinton Hospital in Balford. It was clear then that Cassie and Marcus didn''t get along.


    So why would Cassie suddenly bring Sophia to the Holden residence and pry about Elim? It probably wasn''t just about Sophia''s baby.


    Natalie grabbed her phone, sent an email, and then tossed it onto the couch before heading to the kitchen for a ss of water.


    Outside the window, headlights shed. Natalie walked over and saw a ck Rolls-Royce Ghost pulling in.


    The car came to a stop, and Elijah stepped out, opening the door to help Marcus out.


    Marcus, clearly drunk, leaned heavily on Elijah as they made their way toward the house.


    Halfway there, Marcus suddenly stopped, looking up toward the guestroom where Natalie stood. Their eyes


    met.


    Natalie''s expression remained calm, §Ö


    her gaze steady. Meanwhile, Marcus'' strikingly handsome face was flushed, his eyes betraying emotions he couldn''t put into words.


    Natalie calmly pulled the curtains shut, turned off the lights, and climbed into bed.


    Just as she closed her eyes, her phone rang. She picked it up, seeing Marcus'' name on the screen.


    "Hello, Mr. Holden. It''ste. What do you need?" Natalie''s voice was cool and even, free of any unnecessary


    emotion.


    There was no response, just the faint sound of breathing.


    "Mr. Holden, if you''re not going to speak, I''ll hang up."


    "Natalie,e downstairs," Marcus finally said, his deep, maic voice breaking the silence. Then, he hung


    up.


    Annoyed, Natalie cursed him under her breath. What the hell was his problem at this hour?


    She sent him a text saying, "Sorry, I''m already in bed."


    His reply came instantly, "Ms. Walker, don''t you want to know Mrs. Langley Senior''s secret?"


    The mention of Grace piqued her curiosity. Five minutester, she was downstairs, fully dressed. Marcus was sprawled on the couch, his eyes closed, his ck suit slightly undone to reveal his corbone and part of his chest.


    His longshes rested quietly against his flushed, perfect face, the faint scent of alcohol hanging in the air. "Mr. Holden, are you drunk?" Natalie waved a hand in front of his face, asking.


    Suddenly, Marcus'' eyes snapped open. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her down on top of him. In the next instant, he flipped them over, pinning her to the couch.


    "Don''t move,


    Ms. Walker," he murmured, his voice husky and raw. His dark eyes burned with an unnatural


    intensity. "Stay still. It''ll be quick."


    With that, he rested his chin on her shoulder.

 Chapter 187 Seeing His Other Side

    When Marcus rested his chin on Natalie''s shoulder, he didn''t move again.


    Annoyed, Natalie reached up and yanked his hair back hard. "Marcus, get off me."


    "You didn''t... get drugged again, did you?" she asked sharply. It was the only exnation she could think of for why he was acting like this.


    "No," he murmured, his deep, raspy voice tinged with exhaustion. "No one drugged me."


    But something had upset him¡ªthat much was true. Not that he''d admit it. Their rtionship wasn''t close enough for him to share every little detail.


    He wanted to hold her purely because of the alcohol. He was chasing that fleeting memory of the crimson red scarf she''d worn once and theforting scent she always carried.


    As he held her, taking in her soothing fragrance, the unease and irritation swirling in his chest began to calm. But Natalie wasn''t letting up. Her grip on his hair was relentless, as if she were about to yank it all out.


    Marcus finally grabbed her wrist, his strong hand prying her fingers free with ease.


    "Ms. Walker, I apologize."


    "Get off," she snapped, her tone as blunt as ever. "Mr. Holden, we''re not close enough for this kind of behavior."


    That earned a low chuckle from Marcus. He slowly sat up, but his piercing ck eyes never left her face, watching her with an intensity that made her skin prickle.


    Natalie frowned, her frustration clear on her delicate features. "You said you had something to tell me about Mrs. Langley Senior. That''s the only reason I came downstairs. I''m exhausted and need to rest. I don''t have time to deal with your drunken antics."


    Marcus wasn''t offended. Instead, he simply stared at her, his sharp gaze taking in the flush of irritation on her otherwise pale face.


    Natalie looked so much like Charlotte in her youth-it was uncanny.


    When Charlotte had revealed that Natalie was her biological daughter, Marcus had been present. But he''d pretended to take an urgent phone call and left before the conversation could continue. Who would dare confront him if he imed he hadn''t been there?


    What he hadn''t expected was for his estranged mother to call him afterward, saying that now that the Walker family had found their biological daughter, the engagement between their families should resume.


    She''d even gone so far as to say Emma wasn''t good enough for him, but the true Walker heiress was a different story.


    It wasughable. His entire life seemed inextricably tied to the Walker family''s daughters, no matter how hard he tried to break free.


    As Marcus'' expression grew increasinglyplicated, Natalie waved a hand in front of his face. "Mr. Holden, are you okay?"


    "I''m fine," he replied, leaning back into the couch and rubbing his temples.


    His opinion of Natalie had shifted, but the resentment he felt at being forced into this situation remained. His parents, who had ignored him for years, suddenly appeared in his life just to give him orders¡ªto marry their chosen bride.


    If he refused, what could they do? This marriage was out of the question.


    "Ms. Walker, stay with me a little longer," he murmured, his eyes closing as his body rxed. "Or... have a drink with me."


    "You''ve had enough," Natalie said tly. "Should I grab a mirror so you can see what you look like right now?" "That won''t be necessary," Marcus replied with a faint smirk. "I''m perfectly aware of my condition." "I''m just... a little sad."


    As he spoke, a single tear rolled silently down his cheek.


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. Well, this is new. In her entire life, she''d never seen a grown man cry.


    "Mr. Holden, what''s got you so upset? Go ahead, spill it. Maybe it''ll cheer me up."


    Marcus stayed quiet. Being abandoned by his parents-did that count as something sad? But why would he share that with her?


    Sure, Natalie had been switched at birth and spent 20 years as nothing more than a living blood bank for the Langley But once her biological family found her, they showered her with affection. It was clear to anyone with eyes how much her parents and brothers adored her


    Meanwhile, Marcus had grown up in his family''s home, but his parents had handed him off to his grandfather


    and spent their lives traveling the country, never sparing him a second thought.


    Years passed without a single visit, phone call, or even a video chat. And now, the one time they did reach out, it was to order him to marry someone.


    For the first time, Marcus found


    himself wondering who had it worse,


    him or Natalie. He didn''t realize he


    was still crying. All he felt was a crushing weight on his chest, making it hard to breathe.


    Natalie studied him in silence. His perfectly tailored suit was now wrinkled, and his sharp,manding presence had


    softened into something almood


    was


    pitiful. His normally immacte hair disheveled, and his lips were pressed into a tight line.


    This vulnerable side of him was surprising for a man who always carried himself with cold arrogance.


    Without saying a word, Natalie got up and went to the kitchen. She returned with a cup of hot tea. "Mr. Holden, get up and drink this."


    When Marcus didn''t respond, she kicked his leg lightly. Still nothing.


    Annoyed, she grabbed the tea, leaned over, and pinched his cheeks to force his mouth open. Then she poured the warm tea down his throat.


    Marcus sputtered, coughing violently as he opened his eyes to see Natalie staring at him with her usual nk expression.


    "I called you, but you didn''t listen," she said coolly. "Since you''re awake now, drink it yourself." "Natalie!" Marcus'' voice rose in exasperation, a mix of anger and disbelief. He''d never been treated this way, not even when he was sick and on the verge of death.


    "I''m not deaf. No need to yell," Natalie replied, unfazed. She shoved the tea into his hands. "Consider this overtime. Make sure to send me my fee."


    "What did you say?" Marcus frowned, confused.


    "I said, I''m working overtime. Don''t forget to pay me for it," she repeated patiently. "After all, our rtionship


    isn''t close enough for me to do this out of the goodness of my heart."


    Marcus stared at her, speechless. "So... you''re treating this like a job?"


    "Yeah. What do you think?" Natalie said with a smirk. She had always seen work as nothing more than putting


    lipstick on a pig.


    Marcus didn''t know whether tough or cry. She had an answer for everything.


    He stood, taking the tea she''d given him. Tilting his head back, he drank it in one go.


    The hot liquid spilled past the corners of his mouth, running down his sharp jawline, tracing the contours of his throat, and disappearing into the open cor of his shirt.


    Natalie tried not to look, but his presence was overwhelming. Even doing something as simple as drinking tea, he managed to exude an effortless charm that was impossible to ignore.

 Chapter 188 Another Secret About Grace Langley

    Natalie had to admit that Marcus was undeniably attractive¡ªhis graceful demeanorbined with an unconscious, almost effortless charm made him hard to ignore.


    Still, her brothers from the Walkers weren''t too shabby either, especially her second brother, Lincoln. His looks were truly exceptional.


    Pulling her gaze away from Marcus, Natalie walked to the other side of the room and sank into the couch. "Alright, let''s hear it. What''s Grace''s secret?"


    Marcus smiled faintly, his lips curving in a way that softened his sharp features. His reddened eyes and loweredshes made him look heartbreakingly sincere, as if the intensity of his emotions might spill over at any moment.


    "What kind of secret do you want to hear, Ms. Walker?" he asked, his voice low and teasing. "Grace has so many. Which one do you want?"


    He loosened his already unfastened tie further, exposing more of his corbone, before copsing onto the sofa in azy sprawl. Throwing an arm over his eyes, he muttered, "Water. I need water."


    Natalie stared at him in disbelief.


    "Marcus, cut the drunken nonsense!" she snapped, her irritation in. "What happened to all the helpers around here? Normally, you can''t take a step in this house without tripping over someone. Now, suddenly, not a soul in sight."


    And Sheldon, who was usually so omnipresent, was nowhere to be found. She couldn''t shake the feeling that they were purposefully leaving her alone to deal with this mess.


    "Where are your bodyguards?" she demanded.


    She walked around the room, searching for Marcus'' usual entourage. Elijah and Noah, his ever-loyal bodyguards, were always at his side. If he was at the Holden Group, his assistant, Ethan, would take over.


    Earlier, Elijah had helped him inside. But now he was gone.


    "Water. I said I need water," Marcus repeated, ignoring her question.


    "Not until you spill the secret," Natalie retorted, ring down at him. "Marcus, don''t try this drunken act with me."


    "I am trying it," he said, his tone taking on a petnt edge. Suddenly, he lurched upright, but before he could do anything else, Natalie nted her foot firmly on his chest and shoved him back onto the couch.


    "Are you messing with me?" she growled, her patience snapping.


    "No," he replied, shutting his eyes with a pitiful expression. "You''re so bossy... like a drill sergeant. Or maybe just way too intense."


    "You''re such a pain," Natalie hissed through clenched teeth. She cursed herself foring downstairs to deal with his antics instead of enjoying her beauty sleep.


    "Fine, stay here and wallow," she said, removing her foot from his chest and turning to leave.


    But before she could take a step, a firm, burning grip wrapped around her waist, yanking her back. Marcus'' deep, raspy voice murmured in her ear, "Grace''s son, Victor, isn''t her biological child."


    "What?" Natalie froze, the words taking a moment to sink in.


    "I said," he repeated slowly, "Victor Langley isn''t Grace''s real son."


    Natalie blinked, processing his words. "Wait..... are you saying Victor is... your grandfather''s illegitimate son?" Marcus let out a hollowugh. "Why stop there? Maybe he''s the love child of both my grandfather and Grace." "You''re the one who said he''s not her son," Natalie pointed out, shoving him off her. "So, who is Victor''s mother? Why would Grace raise someone else''s child?"


    "How should I know?" Marcus replied with a wry smile, standing up and smoothing his rumpled clothes. His expression shifted into something impossibly charming, his grin almost blinding. "Goodnight, Ms. Walker."


    With that, he turned and headed upstairs.


    Natalie stared after him, dumbfounded. What the hell just happened?


    Halfway up the stairs, Marcus paused at the second-floor railing and leaned over to look down at her.


    Feeling his gaze, Natalie nced up. The moment their eyes met, Marcus quickly ducked out of sight. Natalie responded with a scoff.


    "Ms. Walker," Sheldon suddenly appeared out of nowhere, startling her. "Mr. Holdon, when he''s drunk... isn''t he just adorable?"


    Before she could respond, Sheldon answered his own question, "Hmm, so pitiful. Nobody loves him."


    "Goodnight, Ms. Walker," he added before disappearing as quickly as he came.


    Natalie sighed, feeling as though she was the only sober person in a house full of lunatics.


    Back in her room, shey on her bed, but sleep didn''te. Her mind churned with questions. If Victor wasn''t Grace''s son, then whose child was he? And why would Grace raise him?


    And what was Grace''s endgame in all this?


    The more Natalie thought about it, the more frustrated she became.


    Growing up, Grace had always


    seemed like the perfect


    l.ne


    grandmother, loving and attentive That image had been deeply ingrained in her mind, making¡¢ ichard


    to reconcile these newfound doubts.


    The inconsistencies, the little things she''d overlooked before¡ªthey all felt ringly obvious now. She rolled onto her back with a huff, staring at the ceiling. It irritated her to no end that Marcus could drop such a bombshell on her and then waltz off to bed without a care.


    Sitting up abruptly, she considered storming to his room for answers. But she quickly dismissed the idea. Marcus was clearly drunk, and pressing him now would probably lead nowhere.


    She figured she would let the


    thought slide and then flopped back onto the bed. She took a deep


    white bottle on her nightstand,\" breath and reached for the smallet


    shaking out a pill. She popped it into her mouth, letting it dissolve before Swallowing.


    Within minutes, sleep finally imed her.


    Meanwhile, in Marcus'' bedroom down the hall, the sound of running water filled the ensuite bathroom. Marcus stood under the shower, his eyes closed, letting the water pour over him.


    His phone vibrated non-stop on the counter, messages pouring in one after another. He didn''t need to look to know what they were about.


    After a while, he turned off the water and grabbed a towel, drying off haphazardly before pulling on a robe. Picking up his phone, he nced at the screen.


    The notifications had maxed out, and the same demand repeated over and over: Pursue Natalie, the real Walker daughter. Propose. Marry her.


    Marcus'' lips curled into a bitter smile. His so-called loving parents had ignored him his entire life, but now they wanted to dictate his future.


    Walking over to his liquor cab, he poured himself a ss of whiskey and downed it in one gulp. Fueled by the alcohol, he dialed William''s number.


    The call connected, and Marcus got straight to the point.


    "Mr. Walker," he said coldly, "I''m calling to make it clear whether it''s Emma or Natalie, I''m breaking off the engagement with your family. I won''t be part of some arranged marriage.


    "This ''childhood promise'' thing? I don''t buy it. Tell Mrs. Walker too, if you don''t mind. Thank you."


    On the other end of the line, William sighed. With five sons of his own, he''d long since grown used to their antics. This wasn''t his first rodeo with headstrong young men.


    Marcus had already ended his engagement to Emma, and now, with Natalie in the picture, things were getting


    Still, William couldn''t deny one thing-the image of Natalie and Marcus together, her arm looped through his, had been undeniably striking.

 Chapter 189 The Engagement Must Be Canceled Immediately

    "Marcus, you''re drunk, so I won''t hold this against you," William said calmly. "But don''t go on and on about canceling your engagement to my daughter. You''re not exactly God''s gift to women, you know. My daughter isn''t going to be crying and begging to marry you.


    "If you don''t want her, guess what? She doesn''t want you either!"


    Though William kept hisposure, he was clearly unhappy with Marcus'' repeated attempts to cancel the engagement. Calling off the arrangement with Emma had been one thing-Emma wasn''t their biological daughter, and the promise wasn''t originally hers.


    But canceling the engagement with his real daughter? On what grounds?


    Natalie was gorgeous, practically an angel. She was more than a match for Marcus. If anyone was canceling this engagement, it should be his family doing it.


    "Marcus, what you need to do right now is take a cold shower and sober up. Wash out whatever nonsense is floating in your brain. And let me be clear. If this engagement is going to be canceled, my daughter will be the one calling it off.


    "I''m not talking about Emma. I''m talking about my real daughter."


    With that, William hung up.


    As he set the phone down, Charlotte walked over. She asked, "Was that Marcus, that arrogant little punk?" "Yeah, it was him," William replied with a frown.


    "He has the nerve to look down on our daughter. Does he even know what he looks like? Just because he''s got a decent face, he thinks our girl is desperate to marry him?


    "He doesn''t want our daughter? Well, newssh: she doesn''t want him either!" William sneered. "This engagement will be canceled, and it''ll be on our terms. Let him cancel once with Emma; that''s one thing. But if he thinks he''s in control of this, he''s got another thinging."


    Charlotte couldn''t help butugh. "You say that now, but would you dare say it to Marcus'' face?"


    "Uh..." William hesitated, a flicker of awkwardness crossing his face.


    Truth be told, he wouldn''t dare say such things directly to Marcus. He was all too aware of Marcus'' capabilities and wasn''t eager to provoke him.


    Retired as he was, Timothy was still in the business world. The Walker family might be the nation''s wealthiest, but they were insignificantpared to the Holden family''s global wealth.


    "Alright," Charlotte said, reigning in her amusement. "Let''s talk to Nat. She''s met Marcus before-let''s see what she thinks."


    Her expression turned serious as she added, "By the way, what''s the deal with Emma? She went on vacation ages ago¡ªwhy isn''t she back yet?"


    "She''s been gone for long stretches before. It''s nothing unusual," William replied.


    "I''m not worried about her," Charlotte said, her brow furrowing slightly. "Now that Nat''s part of the family, I want to host a proper wee party for her."


    "If Nat''s fine with Emma staying in the family, then Emma should at least show some respect and formally acknowledge her as her sister. Otherwise, there''s no ce for her here."


    "And," Charlotte added pointedly, "don''t forget to keep looking into Emma''s biological parents."


    "I haven''t forgotten. The investigation is ongoing."


    At the mention of Emma, William''s smile faded as he said, "Honestly, we should just send Emma away."


    "Then send her away," Charlotte said decisively. "I have no issue with that."


    "Her obsession with Marcus is too much. If she stays in the family, who knows what desperate, embarrassing thing she might do for his attention? I won''t let anyone harm Nat."


    "Exactly," William agreed.


    The couple discussed it and came to an agreement¡ªthey would send Emma away. Unbeknownst to them, the Walker family''s maid, Cindy, had overheard every word from her hiding spot.


    Cindy''s hands clenched tightly around the dish towel she was holding, nearly tearing it apart.


    Once William and Charlotte retired to their room, Cindy rushed to her quarters and dialed Emma''s number. "Hello, Ms. Emma," Cindy whispered urgently. "Mr. and Mrs. Walker are nning to send you away." "What?" Emma''s voice screeched through the phone, filled with disbelief. "They''re sending me away because of Natalie?"


    She couldn''t believe it. After living in luxury as the Walker family''s treasured daughter for 20 years, she was being cast aside because of Natalie.


    "Exactly! I heard every word loud and clear," Cindy said, her voice brimming with anger.


    Cindy was equally furious. "Ms.


    Emma, you''re the rightful heiress of


    the Walkers! Why should you be forced to go on a trip just because Natalie returned? But I also heard that Mr. Holden ns to call off his engagement with Natalie," Cindy said, unable to hide her excitement.


    "Ms. Emma, Mr. Holden despises that little tramp, Natalie, too. You still have a chance."


    Emma bit her tip, staying silent for a


    long moment before finally


    speaking. "Cindy, watch your words.


    Words can get you into trouble.


    Natalie is my parents'' biological daughter. If someone hears you calling her a little tramp..."


    She didn''t finish her sentence, but Cindy immediately broke out in a cold sweat. The warning sent a shiver


    down Cindy''s spine. "Y-Yes, thank you for reminding me, Ms. Emma. I understand."


    "Good," Emma said, her voice cooling. "Do your job and keep me informed. Thank you for calling me."


    "Of course, Ms. Emma. Take care."


    Emma hung up the phone and walked to the window, staring out into the night. Her reflection in the ss was twisted with anger and bitterness.


    Natalie''s return had turned her world upside down. After two decades as the Walker family''s beloved daughter, she was discarded like trash.


    Is blood really that important? Emma thought bitterly. She''d been their daughter for 20 years-7300 days. Didn''t that count for anything?


    Even pets earned affection after so many years. So why was she, a human being, worth less to them than Natalie, who''d just returned?


    Emma pressed her finger to the foggy ss, tracing Natalie''s name before crossing it out with two big Xs.


    It was fine if Natalie wanted Marcus and the title of Walker heiress. But Emma wasn''t giving up either without a fight.


    The next morning, Natalie woke up at her usual time. After her morning routine, she went to give Charles his acupuncture treatment.


    Just as she finished, her phone rang. It was Charlotte.


    "Hi, Mom," Natalie answered.


    "Hi, Nat, I have something to tell you," Charlotte said warmly. "Did you sleep wellst night?"


    "Yeah, I slept fine. What''s up?"


    "Well," Charlotte began hesitantly, "when I was pregnant with you, your dad and I made an agreement with an old friend to match you with their son wanted to ask... what do you think about your fianc¨¦?"


    Natalie''s expression didn''t change when she asked. "Who''s the fianc¨¦?"


    "He''s Marcus Holden," Charlotte said.


    "I''m not interested."


    "Really?" Charlotte''s relief was audible. She''d seen Natalie and Marcus together before and had worried they


    might be secretly dating.


    "Really," Natalie confirmed. "What about it?"


    "Marcus called your dadst night," Charlotte exined. "He said he wants to cancel the engagement."


    "Then let him," Natalie said firmly. "I never liked him anyway. Call it off immediately."

 Chapter 190 As He Wished, Returning the Engagement Gifts

    When Charlotte heard Natalie''s firm response, all her doubts disappeared.


    This was perfect¡ªher daughter wasn''t the type to lose herself over some guy, unlike Emma, who hadpletely swallowed her pride for Marcus.


    There were plenty of fish in the sea. If one wasn''t fit, you simply moved on. Marcus wasn''t the be-all and end- all.


    "Alright," Charlotte said, her voice carrying a lightugh. "I''ll talk to your dad, and we''ll return the engagement gifts that the Holden family gave us back then."


    She then said in a teasing tone, "Nat, I know so many great young men. Just pick one, and I''ll set it up for you!"


    "No need. I''m not interested in dating right now," Natalie replied, walking as she spoke.


    She stepped outside the front door just as Marcus descended the stairs. He was dressed sharply in a perfectly tailored ck suit, every detail meticulously in ce, from his crisp shirt to his impably tied tie. His handsome face was as stoic and distant as ever, exuding an aura of cold authority.


    Natalie hung up after she finished speaking to Charlotte. She nced at Marcus and raised her phone, a wordless reminder for him to transfer her overtime pay from the night before.


    Marcus opened his mouth to ask her what she meant, but before he could get a word out, Natalie turned and walked off without looking back.


    "Mr. Holden," Sheldon said, suddenly appearing at Marcus'' side, "do you know you kissed Ms. Walkerst night?"


    "What?" Marcus'' eyes widened in disbelief. "Sheldon, mind your words."


    "I have proof." Sheldon fearlessly pulled out his phone and showed him a photo. The image, taken at an angle, clearly showed Marcus pinning Natalie on the couch, looking for all the world like he was kissing her. Marcus'' face darkened as he reached to snatch the phone, but the butler deftly dodged him.


    "Mr. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior is waiting for you in the study," Sheldon said with a mischievous grin. "Looks like we might be celebrating some good news soon!"


    Marcus red at Sheldon, his mind racing. How did Sheldon even get that photo?


    "Mr. Holden, don''t keep him waiting!" Sheldon called over his shoulder as he turned to leave, utterly unfazed by Marcus'' dark expression.


    Sheldon was practically humming with delight. When Natalie left earlier, she had even waved goodbye to Marcus. To him, this was clearly a sign of mutual affection.


    If it weren''t love, someone as sharp as Natalie would''ve hurled her phone at Marcus without a second thought, probably leaving him with a nasty bruise.


    Still smirking, Sheldon followed Marcus into the study where Charles was waiting.


    Charles had just finished his acupuncture session and entered the room ten minutester. Marcus had been working on some documents in the meantime but immediately stood when Charles walked in.


    "Grandpa," he greeted respectfully.


    "The Walkers called me," Charles began without preamble, his expression serious. "They told me that Emma isn''t their biological daughter. Your previous engagement with her is null and void¡ªwhat''s done is done."


    Although his tone was calm, his face betrayed traces of lingering irritation. Natalie had warned him to stayposed after his treatments, and if he couldn''t manage it, she''d left him some medicine to calm his nerves. He''d already taken one after receiving William''s call earlier.


    "Now," Charles continued, "the Walkers said they''ve found their biological daughter, and there''s no reason to continue this engagement between her and you. They''ll be returning the engagement gifts shortly, and the marriage agreement between our families will be officially canceled."


    Marcus said nothing.


    "You''re happy now, aren''t you?" Charles said, eyeing him. "You didn''t want to marry their daughter, and they''ve made it clear they don''t want you either."


    "You''re right, Grandpa," Marcus replied evenly. "The engagement gifts the Walkers sent me back then-are they still in your possession?"


    Charles raised an eyebrow, but his irritation shifted into a wry chuckte. "Wow, you''re bold. Now that I''m on the mend and you can''t stress me out death, you think you can do


    whatever you want?"


    "Not at all, Grandpa. You''ll live a long and healthy life," Marcus said smoothly.


    "I don''t care about living a long life. I just want to see you settle down and start a family," Charles muttered.


    Marcus remained silent.


    Charles sighed and opened a safe, pulling out several boxes of varying sizes and a stack of document envelopes. He ced them on the desk in front of Marcus.


    "These are the engagement gifts the Walkers sent us."


    "And what did we give them?" Marcus asked as he opened one of the boxes and nced inside.


    "Our gifts to them were more


    extravagant, of course," Charles replied. "Your mother and Mrs. Walker arranged this engagement. If they''re returning the gifts, you should inform your mother, don''t you think?"


    "No need," Marcus said firmly. "I''m an adult. I know what I''m doing."


    Charles studied him carefully. "Are you still holding a grudge against your parents?"


    "I''m not," Marcus said, standing abruptly. "Grandpa, I need to head to the office. If the Walkers return the gifts, please handle it for me."


    Before Charles could respond, Marcus left the study, cutting off the conversation.


    Charles sighed, his unspoken words stuck in his throat.


    "Why didn''t you tell him his parents had their reasons?" Sheldon asked as he stepped forward, massaging Charles'' shoulders. "If the Walkers return the gifts, it''ll create more friction with his parents."


    "I don''t need to exin myself to them," Charles said with a snort. "Marcus is an adult. He can make his own choices. I''m not going to live forever."


    Sheldon nodded and left the study. At the front door, he spotted the Walkers'' cars pulling up in an orderly line.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, the Walkers are here," he called out.


    Charles walked out to greet them, his posture straight despite his age.


    The cars stopped, and William and Charlotte stepped out first. Behind them, the trunks of the other cars opened, and boxes were carried out one by one.


    "Mr. Holden Senior," they greeted in unison, bowing slightly out of respect.


    "These are the engagement gifts your family gave us before the children were born," Charlotte said with a polite smile. "Please, take a moment to check them."


    "We''ve kept them safe all these years," she added. "We''ve also spoken with Natalie about this, and while she''s a bit disappointed, she respects the decision."


    Charles nodded solemnly. "It seems the children weren''t meant to be."


    "Still," Charlotte said gently, "returning these gifts is the right thing to do. Since the engagement is off, we couldn''t possibly keep them."


    She gestured to the gifts they''d brought. "And we''d appreciate it if you could return the engagement gifts your family gave us as well."


    Though the Walkers'' gifts didn''t match the Holdens'' in value, they were determined to ensure everything was returned properly¡ªno loose ends, no misunderstandings.


    Otherwise, Marcus might think the Walker family left those things behind on purpose

 Chapter 191 Feeling a Bit Uneasy

    Charlotte spoke with such humility and politeness that it left Charles with no room for irritation. With a quick nce, he signaled to Sheldon, who promptly headed to the study with the helpers.


    Within moments, Sheldon and the helpers returned, carrying tray after tray with the engagement gifts that the Walkers had given to Marcus back then.


    "All the gifts and the inventory list are here. Please, Mrs. Walker, feel free to check them," Sheldon said, handing over a detailed list.


    Charlotte smiled warmly as she epted the list, carefully going through it item by item.


    Meanwhile, William took out the inventory list from the Holdens and began meticulously reviewing it with Charles.


    "Come on now, no need to be this precise," Charles said, his voice tinged with difort. "Do you really think I''d shortchange you? Or are you worried we''d skim off some of the gifts your family gave us?"


    William chuckled awkwardly. "Of course not, Mr. Holden Senior. That thought would never cross our minds. We owe a lot to you and your family for helping us back when we needed it most."


    He paused, then added sincerely, "We''re being thorough because we don''t want Marcus to get the wrong idea. He made his feelings clear when he canceled his engagement with Emma. We just don''t want him to feel burdened or think we''re taking advantage of your family.


    "To be honest, the gifts we gave you don''t evenpare to what your family gave us. If the kids weren''t meant to be, the least we can do is make sure everything is returned properly."


    He sighed, his expression turning solemn. "The truth is, our daughter just wasn''t good enough for Marcus. That''s on us. Mr. Holden Senior, if there''s anyone to me, it''s our family. Please don''t hold it against us."


    William sounded so genuine and sincere that it was impossible to detect even a hint of pretense. By taking all the me on behalf of his family and refusing to say anything negative about Marcus or the Holdens, he left Charles with no choice but to let it go.


    Charles could only sigh inwardly. What else was there to say? The kids were grown now, and it was only natural for them to have their own preferences when it came to choosing a partner.


    The Holden family didn''t need alliances to solidify their position, and while the Walkers weren''t on the same level globally, they were still the wealthiest family in the country.


    Besides, William and Charlotte were clearly devoted parents. They''d never resort to using their daughter to gain an advantage.


    "It seems like the kids just weren''t meant to be," Charles finally said, shaking his head. "But let''s make sure this doesn''t affect our families'' rtionship."


    "Don''t worry about that," William assured him. "We''re not holding any grudges, and we hope Marcus and your family won''t either. It''s all water under the bridge now."


    "Marcus'' a great man, no doubt about it," Charlotte added quickly. "There''s no one better than him, honestly. Whoever ends up with him will be a hundred times better than our daughter."


    She reached into her bag and pulled out an invitation. "By the way, we''ve recently discovered that Emma isn''t our biological daughter.


    "Our real daughter has been found, and we''re hosting a wee party for her. Here''s the invitation with the details. We''d be honored if you could join us for the event, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Her face lit up with pure joy. Marcus could cancel the engagement if he wanted, but that wouldn''t stop her from celebrating her daughter and inviting every eligible bachelor in Dithoria. There was more than one fish in the sea, and the world didn''t revolve around Marcus.


    Besides, Charlotte wasn''t trying to spite Marcus or the Holden family. She simply wanted her daughter to know her worth-that she didn''t need to settle for someone who didn''t want her.


    If Natalie wanted to fall in love,


    Charlotte would support her. If not, she could live a carefree, happy life. Charlotte had missed out on the first 20 years of Natalie''s life, but now that they''d found each other she wouldn''t let her suffer again.


    Charles studied Charlotte''s radiant smile, feeling a twinge of unease. Marcus had no idea what he wanted, especially when it came to rtionships.


    "Congrattions to you both," he said, epting the invitation. He opened it and froze when he saw the name printed inside. His eyes widened.


    "Natalie Walker is your daughter?"


    "Yes!" Charlotte''s smile grew even brighter. "She''s our biological daughter. Isn''t it wonderful?"


    "Do you know....." Charles hesitated, about to say something, but stopped himself. Natalie had specifically asked him to keep certain things quiet.


    "What is it?" Charlotte asked.


    Charles cleared her throat and said, "I was just wondering if you knew that Natalie was raised by the Langleys in Amberton? Her grandmother was my godsister."


    He decided to leave out the fact that Natalie-under the alias Elim-was the one treating him. If she was Charlotte and William''s biological daughter, they''d learn more about her in time. Besides, with Marcus having canceled the engagement, it wasn''t his ce to meddle further.


    "Of course we know," Charlotte replied with a smile. "And we''re so grateful for everything they did for her. It must''ve been fate that brought her into our lives."


    Charles nodded. "We''ll definitely attend the party. It''s wonderful that you''ve reunited with your daughter."


    As the conversation continued, Charlotte couldn''t help but recall the Langleys'' history with Charles. "Mr. Holden Senior, did you say Natalie''s grandmother was your godsister?"


    "Yes," Charles confirmed. "When I brought Grace back to Holden Residence, didn''t you notice the connection back then?"


    Charlotte''s smile faltered slightly.


    She remembered the


    incident-Grace''s sudden ident x


    and miraculous recovery, followed


    by her request to leave William''s private hospital. At the time, it had been obvious that Grace''s


    our


    rtionship with Charles'' wasn''t ordinary.


    The whole "godsister and godbrother" thing¡ªshe and William had discussed it privately before. Both of them agreed it made no sense.


    One was from Amberton, and the other was from Dithoria State. They were so far removed from each other that there was no way they could have such a rtionship.


    But with Charles involved, they had no choice but to approve Grace''s discharge out of respect for his wishes.


    "Grace has always doted on Natalie," Charles said with a chuckle. "Now that you''ve brought your daughter back home, she didn''t cry, did she?


    Charlotte and William exchanged a nce. It was clear Charles still had no idea what Grace and the Landleys had done to Natalie.

 Chapter 192 Testing Charles Stance

    Charlotte and William exchanged a nce before Charlotte, smiling warmly, said, "We''ve set up a room at home for Grace so she can visit and spend time with Nat whenever she wants. But since her health has improved, she''s already returned home and won''t be staying with us permanently."


    Her tone remained pleasant and polite. Since Grace was Charles'' god-sister, Charlotte and William refrained from making any negative remarks. If Charles ever learned the truth, the Walker couple wanted to ensure their family had no part in disparaging Grace or stirring up drama.


    "Ah, I see," Charles replied with a slight nod, not pressing further.


    Though he felt a certain affection for Grace because of the hardships she''d endured, Marcus'' request to have her leave the Holden residence had nted seeds of doubt. But without concrete evidence, Charles wasn''t about to jump to conclusions or confront her directly.


    At his age, he believed in choosing his battles wisely. Poking into matters that didn''t concern him could only cause unnecessary tension.


    "Natalie''s a good girl," Charles sighed, his voice carrying a note of regret. "Her adoptive parents, Victor and Diana, never appreciated her. Finding her real family was the best thing that could''ve happened to her."


    He leaned back, his expression softening as he reminisced. "When I visited the Langleys in Amberton, Grace was barely coherent. She kept telling me to protect Natalie, calling her ''Nattie.''


    "She said the Langleys were bad people and begged me, as her godbrother, to treat Natalie like my own granddaughter.


    "At the time, it felt like she was giving me her dying wish. The way she spoke, I couldn''t help but get choked up."


    Charles paused for a moment, then continued, "Now that Natalie has reunited with her parents, I''m sure Grace must be truly happy for her. It''s a blessing."


    He gave Charlotte and William a small, encouraging smile. "Don''t worry¡ªI''ll be there for the wee party." "Aright! Thank you, Mr. Holden Senior," Charlotte said sincerely, her expression polite andposed.


    They didn''t argue with anything he''d said, nor did they try to correct him. Charlotte remembered how convincingly Grace had yed the role of the loving grandmother. No one could have guessed the secrets she hid behind that facade.


    "We''ve finished checking the lists, so we''ll head back now," Charlotte said, her tone still warm. "We''re very excited to have Natalie home and want to spend more time with her before the party. There''s still a lot to prepare, so we''ll take our leave."


    With that, Charlotte and William left Holden Residence. Sheldon hesitated before speaking as their convoy of cars disappeared down the driveway.


    "Mr. Holden Senior," he said cautiously, "what do you think the Walkers are up to? They used to call you ''Charles,'' but now they''ve switched to ''Mr. Holden Senior.'' Were they testing you?"


    "You noticed that too, huh?" Charles chuckled dryly. "William and Charlotte are clever. They''re gauging my attitude toward the engagement being called off, switching from ''Holden'' to ''Mr. Holden Senior'' is their way of seeing if I''ll take offense.


    "If I''m fine with the change, it signals that I have no resentment about the engagement ending. If I object, it would mean I''m trying to distance myself from them."


    Charles leaned back thoughtfully. "They''re nothing like the Langleys, though. William and Charlotte are smart and protective of their kids. Even in retirement, they''ve been working hard to secure their children''s futures."


    After a pause, his tone turned serious. "Sheldon, I want you to quietly look into Grace''s behavior since Natalie returned to the Walker family. Be discreet¡ªI don''t want Grace to know we''re investigating her."


    "Yes, Mr. Heldon Senior," Sheldon replied, bowing slightly before stepping out.


    As soon as Charlotte and William left Holden Residence, they called Natalie.


    "Natalie," Charlotte began gently, "we''ve officially canceled the engagement with the Holdens. Also, we''ve finalized the time and ce for your wee party. The invitations are ready, and I''ll send you a copy shortly to review."


    "Got it," Natalie replied.


    She was standing by the


    floor-to-ceiling window of the


    vel.not


    Nouvelle Zara headquarters in Dithoria State, her phone pressed her ear Charlotte had already discussed the party with her beforehand, and Natalie had agreed. She hadn''t expected Charlotte to organize everything so efficiently in such a short time.


    "Are youing home tonight?" Charlotte asked hesitantly. She had been hoping Natalie would stay with them, especially after they''d made ns for her to spend the evening at home.


    "No," Natalie said without hesitation. "I''ve got some things to take care of. Let''s talkter. You can handle all the arrangements for the wee party. I have no objections on my end. Goodbye, Mom."


    "Alright. Bye, Nat," Charlotte said, a hint of disappointment in her voice.


    Natalie hung up and returned to her desk, where a stack of design drafts awaited her. Across from her, Ophelia stood awkwardly, her expression conflicted.


    "Do you have something to say?" Natalie asked as she noticed Ophelia''s hesitation.


    Ophelia took a deep breath. "Boss, now that you''re the Walker family''s real daughter, don''t you think they should cancel the Flux Couture collection that was meant for Emma? Though they''ve already


    ced a new order at a much higher price, you never even wear your own designs."


    Ophelia didn''t mention that the Flux Couture collection was one of Nouvelle Zara''s most high-profile projects, and several pieces were showstoppers. Knowing Emma, she''d undoubtedly use the collection to make a ssh at the wee party.


    Ophelia was fiercely loyal to Natalie, and deep down, she couldn''t help but feel wronged on behalf of Natalie. What kind of biological parents would make their long-lost daughter design a gown for the adopted one?


    With just one nce, Natalie could see exactly what Ophelia was thinking. A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Do you remember why I started Nouvelle Zara in the first ce?"


    "To make money," Ophelia replied immediately.


    "Exactly," Natalie said, twirling a pencil between her fingers. "When the Walkersmissioned Nouvelle Zara to design for Emma, I wasn''t even part of their family yet. They''re paying well, and there''s no reason to turn down good money."


    She gestured with her hand, indicating arge sum. "The profits from this collection will fund our research facility in Quinton. That''s what matters."


    "But, Boss," Ophelia protested, "you''re the real Walker daughter. Even without Emma''s collection, they''d still


    pay you."


    At the end of the day, Ophelia simply couldn''t stand the thought of Emma wearing one of Natalie''s gowns from the Flux Couture collection.


    "Ophelia, I understand how you feel,"


    Natalie said calmly. "But let me tell you something-Selena has always targeted me because she thinks stole the good life she should''ve had in the Langley family. In her eyes, I''m a criminal just for existing.


    "She''s been after me all this time, but tell me¡ªwhat have I ever done to her? Nothing. Not a thing. I may be


    the real daughter of the Walker family, but I''m also the fake daughter of the Langley family."


    Natalie looked at Ophelia, her expression unwavering. She knew Ophelia understood the point she was


    making.


    She had endured the hardships of living with the Langley family so that she wouldn''t take away Emma''s chance at happiness.


    Unless, of course, Emma turned out to be just like Selena.

 Chapter 193 The Walker Group Welcomes Their True Daughter

    Natalie''s words left Ophelia momentarily speechless.


    Since Natalie founded Nouvelle Zara, the luxury fashion brand became a favorite among socialites and wealthy women, known for its stunning and versatile designs.


    As the former "beloved daughter" of the Walker family, Emma had always been personally attended to by Ophelia herself. She knew firsthand how much the Walker family had adored Emma.


    Now, learning that Natalie was the real Walker daughter while Emma was an impostor-and knowing how hard Natalie''s life had been with the Langleys-Ophelia couldn''t help but feel indignant on Natalie''s behalf.


    But Natalie''s calm response made Ophelia feel small-minded. Not everyone was like Serena, driven by jealousy and spite. Natalie was generous and kind.


    The ping of a notification broke the silence. Ophelia nced at her phone and froze. "Boss, look at this." She turned her screen toward Natalie, showing a breaking news alert


    "The Walker Group Wees Their True Daughter! A Grand Wee Party Is Just Around the Corner!"


    Natalie nced at her phone, where the same notification had appeared. She could only imagine how much Charlotte had spent to push the announcement as it shot straight to the top of the trending list. Likes, shares, andments were flooding in at an unbelievable rate.


    "Boss, this wee party is no small affair," Ophelia marveled.


    The Walkers invited the most prominent people in the city, and they were even streaming it live on multiple media tforms.


    In addition to hosting the wee party at an entire hotel, the Walker family nned to hold another, more intimate event at the Walker Manor.


    The party at the Walker Manor would have a much smaller guest list, limited to select attendees.


    For Natalie, the day would be packed from morning to night. From the moment she woke up, Charlotte would pull her along for styling sessions, with dozens of gowns prepared for the asion. However, Natalie had no idea what those gowns looked like just yet.


    What she did notice, though, was a new order request in her email inbox.


    Charlotte was the sender. She requested for a piece that was extremely stunning and a one-of-a-kind.


    Natalie happened to have a new gown design that fit the bill. The concept was inspired by a dazzling starry sky, with every piece designed to be breathtakingly beautiful and utterly unique.


    She sent Charlotte a few sketches for review. It didn''t take long for Charlotte to approve them immediately, even offering to pay extra to ensure the dress waspleted as quickly as possible¡ªideally before the Walker family''s wee party.


    Natalie epted the order. With the event just a week away, it would mean working overtime, but she and her team could pull it off in time.


    "Boss, the Walkers are sparing no expense on publicity," Ophelia remarked. "But they haven''t revealed anything about you. All the headlines just say ''true daughter,'' with no details."


    Natalie smirked faintly. "My parents want to make up for lost time. I''ve been avoiding the spotlight for a while, and now that I''ve finally agreed, they''re taking the chance to celebrate. It''s their way of showing the world how much I mean to them."


    Ophelia thought back to the first time she and Natalie visited the Walker Manor. Her face fell at the memory. "People can really change their tune, huh? Back then, they wouldn''t even let us through the front gate. Now they''re acting all warm and loving."


    Realizing she''d overstepped, Ophelia quickly apologized. "I''m sorry, boss. That was out of line."


    "It''s fine," Natalie said, brushing it off. Ophelia wasn''t wrong.


    When she first visited the Walker Manor, she''d seen Charlotte and Emma together, the picture of a doting mother and daughter. She''d felt nothing for Charlotte then, no connection or warmth.


    But as time passed and they spent more time together, her feelings toward Charlotte had gradually softened. The biggest difference was that Charlotte hadn''t turned cold or dismissive because of Emma. Unlike Grace, who pretended to adore Natalie while secretly exploiting her, Charlotte had shown nothing but sincerity.


    Natalie had once thought Grace truly


    loved her. She hadn''t cared that Serena was the favorite because Grace''s affection had seemed enough. But after seeing a video of Grace and Victor watching as she was being bled for Serena, Natalie''s illusions shattered.


    From that moment on, Natalie had locked away any feelings of affection she might''ve had for Grace.


    She didn''t want love that was fake. She didn''t want favoritism built on lies and maniption.


    And she knew one thing for sure if Charlotte, William, or her brothers ever betrayed or deceived her, she wouldn''t hesitate to cut them off.


    For those who treated her well, she would return the kindness tenfold. But for those who hurt her, she''d make sure they regretted it.


    Call her obsessive, call her cold-hearted-it didn''t matter. That was who she was.


    Ophelia had been with Natalie since the beginning of Nouvelle Zara. She''d handled countless tasks personally when Natalie was unavable and had be someone Natalie could trustpletely.


    Ophelia was more than a subordinate; she was more like a sister. Natalie remembered how Ophelia had cried when Mn brought Natalie home after rescuing her.


    "Boss," Ophelia started hesitantly, "Mrs. Walker-your mom¡ªising to Nouvelle Zara headquarterster to discuss future orders. Do you want her to know you''re the owner?"


    Natalie thought for a moment before shaking her head. "No need."


    "Just handle it like you always do. There''s no reason for her to know I own Nouvelle Zara."


    Though Natalie was both the owner and lead designer of Nouvelle Zara, she rarely worked on designs herself anymore unless the payment was substantial.


    Ironically, many of Emma''s previous gowns had been designed by Natalie herself¡ªWilliam had paid handsomely for them.


    Now that Charlotte wasing to


    discuss future orders, Natalie was certain Ophelia would refuse any new orders for Emma without hesitation. Even if Natalie chose not to target Emma, Charlotte, as her biological mother, shouldn''t allow Emma''s status, position, or treatment to surpass Natalie''s.


    Ophelia''s expression shifted between determination and hesitation, but Natalie didn''tment. Instead, she


    focused on sketching a few more designs.


    "Give these to my mother when she arrives," Natalie said, handing the sketches to Ophelia.


    "Alright, boss," Ophelia replied.


    She then took a look at the sketches


    and gasped. The first design


    featured a strapless gown with purple petals elegantly cascading down a shimmering silver tulle skirt.


    The petals delicately bloomed around the waist, and theyered fabric created a voluminous yet graceful silhouette. Paired with a tiara made of baby''s breath, the dress exuded an ethereal, fairy-like charm.

 Chapter 194 Langley Group is in a Mess Without Her

    Ophelia took one nce at the gown and could already imagine how stunning and elegant it would look on


    someone.


    But this gown-was it meant for Emma? It looked like it was designed with a "Flux Couture" theme in mind.


    "Boss, is this for Emma?"


    "Yeah, the ''Flux Couture'' collection is missing three designs. I''ve handed them all over to you."


    Natalie slung her small handbag over her shoulder and stood up. "There''s only a week left until the Walkers'' wee party. This week, don''t bother me with anything here. You handle it."


    "Got it," Ophelia agreed quickly. She carefully put away the design sketches. Ophelia had to prepare soon since Charlotte was about to arrive, and she needed to make sure everything was ready to wee her.


    Natalie took the CEO''s private elevator down to the lobby just as Charlotte arrived on the top floor using the regr one.


    After missing Charlotte by moments, Natalie sent a message to Connie to check in on Charles'' condition. He was doing much better under her care.


    Thest time she''d asked Marcus to take Charles to the hospital for a scan, the results had been shocking. The tumor had shrunk significantly, and the doctors were in disbelief. The tumor wasn''t only smaller but showed signs of being absorbed into the body.


    The attending doctors had bombarded Marcus with questions, desperate to know who was responsible for the miraculous treatment. But Marcus, of course, didn''t say a word.


    At this rate, Natalie estimated that her treatment n wouldpletely rid Charles of the tumor within three months. Once it was gone, she could leave the rest of his recovery to Connie and wouldn''t need to stay at the Holden Residence anymore.


    Leaving the Nouvelle Zara headquarters, Natalie got into her car and drove off. She had arranged to meet Walter Watson and discuss their ns for the business expansion in Dithoria State.


    Back in Dithoria, Walter was lounging under a sunshade, dressed in a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, sipping on an ice-cold soda at Silver Coast Beach.


    When he saw Natalie arrive, he stood up and waved at her.


    Natalie smiled as she walked over. Their lives had been so much brighter since leaving Langley Group. Without the endless work drama or Selena''s constant antics, everything felt easier and more peaceful.


    Natalie soon joined Walter under the shade. He handed her an ice-cold soda, already prepared with a straw.


    "Guess who called me?" Walter said, grinning. "It was Grace. She said the ce is aplete mess without you."


    Walter leaned back, clearly enjoying himself. "Mrs. Langley Senior held a board meeting the morning after she returned, but guess what happened?"


    Natalie thought for a moment, then smirked. "Let me guess¡ªSelena threw a tantrum, brought up how Mr. Zeller spat in her face and then ckmailed him into handing over his shares."


    Walterughed out loud. "You''ve got cameras in their boardroom, don''t you? How are you this spot-on?" "I don''t need cameras," Natalie said, sipping her soda with a smile. "I know Selena too well."


    For years, Natalie had worked behind the scenes at Langley Group, handling mess after mess caused by Victor. She''d often let him think he was the one solving problems to protect his ego, even when she had to clean up every disaster he left in his wake.


    Those years were exhausting, and she''d never been truly happy at Langley Group. But now, she could enjoy moments like this-sitting on the beach, chatting with Walter, and sipping a soda without a care in the world.


    "Apparently, Mr. Zeller was so mad he smashed a ss in the middle of the meeting. And then Selena stormed off to the rooftop, threatening to jump," Walter continued. "Mrs. Langley Senior was so enraged her face twisted in anger, and her heart acted up so badly she ended up in the hospital."


    Natalie raised an eyebrow but said nothing, imagining the chaotic scene in her head.


    "Mr. Zeller and Mr. Lewis even went to Victor privately, offering to sell their shares back to him. They''re nning to convince the other board members to sell their shares, too," Walter said, shaking his head. "That would leave Langley Group entirely in the Langleys'' hands. That''s not a bad oue, honestly."


    Natalie replied, ying with her soda can. "Sure, but when Mrs. Langley Senior founded thepany, she built it from the ground up, starting with small, scrappy deals."


    Natalie said thoughtfully. "She brought in investorster to expand. Even when her shares grew, she kept Mr. Zeller and Mr. Lindell around out of loyalty. If they leave, it''ll be hard for her to find anyone else willing to stick by her


    "Mrs. Langley Senior is getting on in years," Walter added, lifting his soda in a mock toast. "It''s time for her to step aside."


    "To that," Natalie said, clinking her soda against his with a smile.


    As theyughed and talked, Natalie''s phone buzzed. Seeing the caller ID, she arched a brow before answering.


    "Hello, who''s this?"


    "It''s me, Yvonne," came a frantic voice on the other end. "Ms. Walker, Mrs. Langley Senior''s been hospitalized!"


    "And Selena''s causing chaos at thepany-fighting and screaming like some lunatic. She even tried to hit Mr. Zeller. Please,e back and help us!"


    "Sorry," Natalie said, her tone cold. "I''m not an employee of Langley Group anymore. If you need help, talk to someone in the family."


    "I''m not a Langley. My name is Natalie Walker," she continued firmly. "My parents are hosting a wee party for me in a week. I''d appreciate it if you didn''t call me again."


    "But¡ª"


    Natalie ended the call without waiting for Yvonne to finish her sentence.


    Yvonne stared at her phone in


    disbelief as the call abruptly ended. Looking up at the chaos on the rooftop, she sighed in despair. Selena, disheveled and smeared with makeup, had one leg dangling off the edge, screaming at the security guards to stay back.


    She was determined to let Kevin realize just how serious the consequences were for him to spit in her face. If


    she didn''t show him how ruthless people could be, then she wouldn''t be true to herself.


    "Leave me alone! I''ll jump if youe closer!" she shrieked.


    The guards froze, unsure what to do.


    Meanwhile, Keviny on the ground, staring nkly at the sky, his hands folded over his chest. He looked utterly defeated, refusing to move.


    "Mr. Zeller, please get up," Yvonne begged, feelingpletely overwhelmed.


    Victor had taken Grace to the hospital. Most of the senior staff had already left, finding excuses to avoid the mess. The remaining employees seemed more interested in watching the spectacle than helping.


    Before this, Natalie had stepped in to


    eline


    hold everything together, but this time, she stayed out of it. Victor, left to handle everything on his own, couldn''t manage all the chaos. Senior executives, who already had grievances against thepany leadership, took the opportunity to hand in their resignations.


    As for Kevin, he was utterly helpless. He simplyy on the rooftop,pletely resigned. If Selena decided to


    jump, he''d just die right there with her.


    Meanwhile, Yvonne felt like her head was about to explode. She couldn''t understand how apany that had once run so smoothly had turned into such aplete mess overnight.

 Chapter 195 In the End, Every Last Shred of Dignity Was Lost

    Grace might have personally groomed Yvonne, and she had worked under Natalie for a while, but at the end of the day, she was just a secretary.


    Selena, on the other hand, was the daughter Victor and Diana recently weed back into their lives. Everyone had seen firsthand how much Victor doted on her.


    Yvonne didn''t dare directly confront Selena. Instead, she tried reasoning with Kevin, but he wasn''t about to listen to her.


    Keviny t on the rooftop, hands folded on his chest, exuding an air of calm.


    "Ms. Yvonne, don''t waste your breath on me. Go talk to Selena instead," he said, staring at the sky with a sigh. "I''ve been around long enough to know shamelessness when I see it, but she''s set a new record."


    He continued, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Selling my shares to Victor is already a favor. But now his daughter wants them for free? If she''s so set on it, I''ll die right here with her.


    "She''s got no shame, and apparently, that makes her invincible." Kevin gave a bitterugh. "Looking back, I wish I''d spat on her a few more times."


    Yvonne''s expression froze. She thought Selena''s behavior was also outrageous¡ªtrying to exchange a humiliating moment for Kevin''s shares. How could that ever happen?


    But she couldn''t push Selena too hard. Everyone in thepany had seen how Selena acted when she lost her temper.


    "Ms. Yvonne, just wait for Mrs. Langley Senior toe back and handle this. You''re just an employee. You don''t need to risk your neck for this mess," Kevin advised, ncing at her pale face.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior''s health is failing," Yvonne said, her worry evident. "I''m really concerned about her."


    "For such a bigpany, it''s ridiculous that they couldn''t find someone else to keep things together," Kevin said sarcastically.


    Yvonne didn''t respond. In the past, no matter how bad things got, Natalie always stepped in quietly and handled it. Yvonne had no idea how Natalie got things done or who she relied on, but she always fixed the problems.


    Yvonne shook her head, defeated. Kevin smiled.


    "Well, then, let it be. Selena and I can keep this standoff going. She doesn''t care about her reputation, so why should I care about mine?" he said, his voice calm but pointed.


    "I''ve lived long enough. I''ve had my share of the good life. Selena, on the other hand, is still young. Let''s see if she''ll need that reputation of hers someday."


    He nced at Yvonne and added with a smirk, "Have you heard about her little stunt at her engagement party in Dithoria State? Those photos and videos from her past affairs with other men? All out in the open."


    His words were sharp, filled with mockery. "Grace spent her whole life obsessed with her family''s dignity, and now? Everyst bit of it has been destroyed. Poetic justice, don''t you think?"


    Yvonne stood there, speechless.


    "Listen to me, Ms. Yvonne," Kevin said, his tone softening slightly. "Get out of this mess while you still can. Quit. Don''t let yourself get dragged down with them. It''s not worth it."


    "But... I''m so close to retirement," Yvonne said hesitantly. She felt reluctant to leave, having worked at the Langley Group for so many years and developed a deep attachment to it.


    "What''s the big deal? Resign and go find Mr. Watson. He''ll make sure you get the best deal possible," Kevin said with a faint smile.


    Right now,


    it was only because Natalie and Walter weren''t around. Otherwise, there was no way Selena would dare act this brazenly.


    "Alright." Yvonne gritted her teeth


    and finally gave in. After listening to Kevin''s advice, she realized she''d had enough. Over the past few days, she''d been saddled with every trivial task imaginable-fetching takeout, ordering coffee, taking out the trash. She even had to buy sanitary pads for Selena.


    Yvonne was a secretary, not a personal servant. The simmering frustration inside her was on the verge of boiling over.


    Turning on her heel, she left the


    rooftop and called Walter for help. If she was going to leave, she wasn''t about to let go of the benefits she was owed. With Walter''s assistance, she was confident her


    ¦Ï¦Í


    After Yvonne''s departure, Selena sat at the edge of the rooftop steps, momentarily stunned. Victor wasn''t around, and Diana, who had avoided working at thepany due to her health issues, had long since settled into a life of luxury.


    5


    Now, she simply enjoyed her lifestyle, leaving the daily grind for others. After all, she made money just by sitting back, a world away from Selena''s exhausting, early-morning-tote-night routine.


    Selena nced at the security guards and then at Kevin, who remained lying motionless on the ground. Nearby, a few onlookers whispered among themselves, breaking intoughter now and then as they watched the scene unfold.


    Their gazes were mocking as if watching a spectacle. Selena clenched her fists. Once she got Kevin''s shares, she swore she''d fire every single one of them.


    How dare theyugh at her? A group of nobodies-mere employees-thinking they were better than her, the Langley family''s rightful heiress.


    "Hey, check this out!" someone in the crowd suddenly eximed, holding up their phone. "Ms. Natalie''s parents are throwing her a big wee party!"


    "What? That''s why she hasn''t beening to work? She found her real parents?"


    "Wow, her real family is the Walkers? The richest family in the country?"


    Hearing the murmurs, Selena pulled her leg back and grabbed her phone. Checking the trending news, she saw that stories about Natalie''s wee party hosted by the Walkers were everywhere.


    Her jaw clenched so hard her teeth hurt.


    She''d been back with the Langley family for so long, yet they''d never thrown her a wee party or made any public announcements about her being the true Langley heiress.


    When Natalie had been with the Langleys, Grace had given her all her love and attention. Now, Natalie had found her biological parents, and the Walkers cherished her just as much.


    Selena''s hands shook as she scrolled through the headlines.


    Why was Natalie always so lucky? Why did everyone adore her?


    And why did it feel like she was never enough, no matter what she did?

 Chapter 196 Comparing People Is a Losing Game

    "We gotta stop calling her Ms. Langley from now on. Natalie already said she''s left Langley Group. She doesn''t even go by Langley anymore¡ªherst name is Walker now," someone in the crowd corrected.


    "Honestly, I always felt like Ms. Walker didn''t belong to the Langleys¡ªnot because she was a fake heiress or anything, but because she''s on a whole different level. Her beauty alone sets her apart."


    "Exactly! Ms. Walker is stunning, and even though she wasn''t around much, it was always with good news whenever she showed up at the office."


    "As for Ms. Selena? Well... let''s just say..."


    The sound of three mocking clicks of the tongue echoed, loaded with all the disdain Selena could imagine. That was it for Selena. She jumped down from the railing and stormed toward the crowd, rage written all over her face. "Shut up! All of you, shut your mouths!"


    "Oh my, look at that! Ms. Selena, the great heiress of Langley Group, can''t even let people talk now!"


    "She''s not just bossy-she''s a full-on bully! Word is, she''s had quite the shady past, being passed around and doing whatever jobs she could. This is just another one of her tricks!"


    The crowd''s chatter grew louder, with voices blending and ovepping. Selena couldn''t even pinpoint who was talking.


    "Which department are you all from? Hand over your badges!" Selena screamed. "I''ll fire every single one of you!"


    "Go ahead, fire us! We''ll just get Mr. Watson to get us a sweet severance deal!"


    "Exactly! With Ms. Walker and Mr. Watson gone, does anyone even see a future for Langley Group anymore?"


    "Thispany, under Selena''s management? Forget about the future¡ªthey''re lucky if they even make it through tomorrow."


    The jabs kepting, each one sharper than thest. Selena''s threats didn''t scare anyone. In fact, they only seemed to embolden the crowd.


    They even mentioned Walter¡ªthat "traitor" in Selena''s eyes. Why would he ever help these people?


    "Get out! All of you, get out of here!" Selena screamed, her voice cracking with frustration. The crowd simply chuckled and dispersed, leaving her fuming.


    Meanwhile, the security guards seized the moment to install barriers around the rooftop railing, ensuring Selena couldn''t attempt to jump again.


    Kevin sat up from where he''d been lying on the floor, dusting himself off. "Well, she can''t jump now, so I guess I''ll get up."


    Jack helped him to his feet.


    "Can you believe it? At my age, I''m being bullied by some brat," Kevin muttered, shaking his head in disappointment.


    "I''m done. Let''s go see Mrs. Langley Senior, Jack. I''ll own up to my mistakes, but there''s no way I''m handing over my shares to someone as shameless as her. Worst case, I''ll make her spit back what she took from me."


    "Gross, stop with the mental images," Jack said, pping Kevin on the back. "If it weren''t for Grace''s sake, we could''ve put her in her ce a long time ago."


    The two men exchanged a knowing look. Both had already decided to leave Langley Group, as Natalie had advised. But before they left, they were determined to make the most of their shares.


    And honestly, after what Selena had pulled, Kevin didn''t feel bad about what had happened in the meeting room. She wasn''t even supposed to be there¡ªit was on her.


    "Let''s go see Mrs. Langley Senior," Kevin said, brushing off thest bit of dust from his clothes. The two men headed toward the elevator.


    Realizing they were about to leave, Selena rushed to block their path. "Kevin, you can''t just walk away!"


    "You haven''t resolved what you did to me. If you don''t handle this now, I''ll show up at your house and make a scene!"


    "Go ahead," Kevin said with a sneer. "Do you really think you matter without Grace or Victor here to back you up?"


    His expression turned cold, his disdain unmistakable. "Let me give you some advice, Selena, know your ce. Don''t think for a second that you can control me. You''re not even worth my time."


    Kevin''s voice grew icier with every word. "You think you can rece Natalie? You''re delusional. And let''s face it¡ªyour father''s a failure. So it''s no surprise his daughter turned out the same way. But to be talentless and shameless? That''s just disgusting."


    Without another nce, Kevin and Jack stepped into the elevator. Selena screamed in frustration, running toward them just as the doors closed.


    Kevin called the security department inside the elevator. "From now on, Selena is not allowed to use the elevators. She''s an outsider and has no right to use our facilities."


    "Yes, Mr. Zeller," the security replied.


    As Selena stood fuming on the rooftop, security guards quickly blocked her ess to the elevators. "Ms. Langley, per Mr. Zeller''s orders, you''re not authorized to use the elevators," one of the guards said firmly. Selena exploded with anger, jabbing a manicured finger at the guard''s chest. "Do you know who I am? My grandmother is Grace Langley! My father is Victor Langley! This is mypany!"


    She continued, "I''m the heiress of the Langley family! You''re just a lowly security guard-know your ce."


    The guard remained stoic, unmoved by her tantrum. "If you''re really the Langley heiress, where''s your wee party? Have the Langleys formally acknowledged you in front of us? The truth is, you''re just an outsider."


    He continued, twisting the knife. "Look at Ms. Walker. The moment she found her real family, they started nning a grand wee party for her.


    "And why is the wee party being held a week from now? Because they actually value her and want time to prepare to wee their daughter home properly.


    "And you? You''re not even on her level. People like you can''t evenpare to someone like her."


    The other guard chuckled. "Some people don''t evene close to Ms. Walker''s level."


    The security guards, always on the


    front lines of gossip, had already pieced everything together. From the buzz among the staff and Selena''s explosive reaction, it was clear this woman was seething with jealousy toward Natalie.


    "Please use the stairs immediately," one of the guards said, his expression hardening.


    After exchanging a quick look, the two guards acted without waiting for Selena''s response. One moved to her left, the other to her right, and together, they lifted her and ced her at the stairwell entrance.


    Then, they both stationed themselves at the stairwell doorway, blocking her from essing the elevator.


    One of the guards picked up his walkie-talkie and ryed Kevin''s orders to the rest of the team.


    "Attention, everyone. Mr. Zeller has issued amand-station yourselves on every floor and ensure Ms. Langley does not use the elevator under any circumstances."

 Chapter 197 One Departure After Another

    Selena was livid. Hearing the security guards speak so openly and disrespectfully about her sent her into a frenzy. Grabbing at her own hair, her face twisted in


    rage, she charged at the nearest guard.


    Startled, the guard reflexively kicked out. His footnded squarely in her stomach, sending her tumbling down the staircase.


    One of the other guards couldn''t help but quip, "Well, that''s one way to get downstairs fast. Talk about efficiency!"


    The guard who kicked Selena froze, his face pale with panic. What if this crazy woman actually fell and ended up dead? If she ended up dead, it would be manughter. He''d go to prison for sure.


    Then, from below, Selena''s furious screams echoed back, full of venom and vigor, "You bastard! I''ll kill you!"


    The guard let out a huge sigh of relief, knowing she was fine. Anyone screaming like that wasn''t dying anytime soon.


    He turned to his colleagues. "Make sure she doesn''t get near the elevators."


    "Got it," another guard confirmed.


    Selena hadnded on thending of the staircase, her twisted body hidden from view by the corner. As she sat up, her face contorted with anger, she looked ready to explode.


    Just then, her phone rang. She nced at the screen-it was Diana, her mother. "Hello?" Selena answered, her tone sharp.


    "Selena, get to the hospital right now," Diana said urgently. "Hurry, immediately!"


    Before Selena could ask why, Diana hung up.


    Fuming, Selena cursed under her breath about Diana. Diana wasted years fawning over Natalie, that fake heiress of the Langleys, and now she''s back in the hospital again. Useless, always dragging everyone down.


    Diana followed up with a text message. "Selena, no matter how you feel about her, you need to show up. Just put on a good front. I will help you get justiceter if you have any grievances."


    Selena deleted the message and got to her feet, limping toward the elevators.


    But before she could step inside, the guards blocked her path.


    "Ms. Langley, please use the stairs," one of them said firmly.


    "Move," she barked, ring. "Who does Kevin think he is? What gives him the right to bar me from the elevator?"


    The guard smiled faintly and replied, "Kevin is a shareholder of Langley Group. May I ask what your role is here?"


    Word had already spread throughout the building about Selena''s antics, and her reputation was tatters. Even the personnel Natalie had left behind to handle a critical project had resigned en masse after dealing with her unreasonable demands.


    Oddly, the second time they decided to leave, Natalie hadn''t stopped them.


    The security team, having aligned themselves with Kevin, had decided that standing against Selena was worth the risk. After all, they''d soon be out of jobs anyway, so why not leave with some dignity-and a good rmendation from Kevin?


    One of the guards didn''t hold back. "Ms. Langley, if I may say so, youck the manners and poise expected of an heiress. You''re nothing like ady. Even the female employees here carry themselves better than you do."


    He crossed his arms and added, "With all the money the Langleys have, why didn''t they send you to finish school? Or is it that Mrs. Langley didn''t want to spend the money?


    "If she won''t invest in your education, maybe she could''ve at least taught you herself. Like they say, parents are to me if the child misbehaves. Well, she should take a long, hard look at herself."


    "Shut up!" Selena''s chest heaved with anger. Her re was venomous, as though she could kill the guards with her stare alone. "You worthless dogs, just you wait!"


    Spitting out her threats, Selena turned and stomped toward the staircase.


    At everynding, she was met with two more guards stationed to ensure she didn''t use the elevator. Their disdainful stares made it clear they had no respect for her.


    Limping down the stairs, Selena silently cursed Natalie with every step.


    While lounging on the beach with Walter at Silver Beach Coach in Dithoria State, sipping sodas and chatting, Natalie suddenly sneezed several times in a row.


    Walter handed her a tissue, his brow furrowed. "Are you catching a cold?"


    "No," Natalie said, rubbing her nose. "Ugh, must be the dust."


    She nced at her phone. "While we were chatting, Kevin sent me an update about the situation back in Amberton."


    "Oh? What''s going on now?" Walter asked, intrigued.


    "Well, Yvonne is resigning, and it looks like a lot of other


    3


    employees both executives and staff-are following suit." Natalie held up her phone with a smirk "Kevin has officially reached his limit with Selena. He said he''s done covering for Grace and Victor."


    "You''re going to be busy soon," Natalie added, her smile turning mischievous. "A


    lot of Langley employees will probablye to you and the firm to negotiate severance packages."


    Walter sighed. "Should I help them or not?"


    Natalie didn''t hesitate as she said, "Help them. When I was at Langley Group, everyone worked hard to support me, even though most of the work I did was behind the scenes."


    Natalie had always believed in giving credit where it was due. Whether it was a deal she closed or a problem she solved, she made sure everyone involved received recognition and rewards.


    "Alright," Walter said with a nod. "If theye to me, I''ll help."


    Just as he agreed, his phone buzzed. He nced at the screen and saw Yvonne''s name.


    "It''s Yvonne," he said.


    "Go ahead and take it," Natalie said, slipping off her sandals. She walked barefoot across the soft sand, leaving Walter to his call.


    As she strolled along the beach, she noticed amercial shoot taking ce nearby. A closer look revealed the star Celeste Kennedy, the current "it" girl.


    Celeste''s striking features-bold,


    morous, and meticulously


    polished stood out even from a distance. Dressed in a ck pear gown with vibrant red lipstick and her hair flowing, she exudedo confidence.


    Her high heels dangled from one hand while her bare foot rested provocatively


    against the chest of her co-star, radiating a fierce energy.

 Chapter 198 Celeste Kennedy and Shawn Haines

    The male star paired with Celeste for the shoot wasn''t unfamiliar to Natalie. He was Shawn Haines, an actor under her brother Lincoln''s entertainmentpany.


    Shawn stood at an impressive 6 foot 2 inches, with sharp features, striking eyes, and an effortless charm that had skyrocketed him to fame.


    After debuting, Lincoln had poured resources into promoting him, but Shawn''s talent and hard work had done the rest. Within just two years, he had swept through awards season and secured a spot at the top.


    Shawn and Celeste had be the go-to duo in the entertainment industry. Whether starring in TV dramas, blockbuster films, or walking the red carpet, their partnership was electric.


    Fans always paired them together, creating countless fan edits set to romantic music,plete with pink oveys and dreamy vibes that could make anyone crave love.


    However, Natalie wasn''t here for Shawn. Her attention was entirely on Celeste- she wanted to recruit her as the face of her new bridal collection.


    Standing just outside the filming area, Natalie watched as Celeste and Shawn moved through a series of poses, the photographer snapping away at lightning speed. Half an hourter, the shoot wrapped.


    Celeste, holding her high heels in one hand, hopped gracefully off a rock and headed straight for Natalie.


    "Hey, cutie,e here!" Celeste''s voice was yful, and her almond-shaped eyes sparkled as she waved at Natalie.


    Natalie blinked, confused. Cutie? Was Celeste talking to her?


    "Yes, you," Celeste said with a grin, quickening her pace until she stood in front of Natalie.


    "Hi there, I''m Celeste Kennedy," she introduced herself, extending her hand. Natalie shook it briefly, still slightly taken aback.


    "This area is reserved for the shoot," Celeste said, grabbing Natalie''s hand and pulling her onto the set without hesitation. "Come on, I''ve got something cool to show you."


    Natalie hesitated, unsure. Wasn''t Celeste a huge star? Why was she so approachable?


    "Don''t worry, your mom is my aunt," Celeste said with augh, reaching out to pinch Natalie''s cheek. "My dad is your mom''s older brother, which makes me your first cousin."


    Natalie raised her eyebrows in surprise.


    "I wasn''t nning to tell you so soon, but you looked so wary and clueless that I figured I''d justy it all out," Celeste said, dragging Natalie toward her private lounge.


    Once there, she pulled out her phone and made a call. "Hey, Shawn,e over here for a second."


    A few momentster, Shawn walked into the room.


    Celeste gestured toward Natalie. "This is my cousin, Natalie Walker."


    She gave him a sly wink, but Shawn''s face turned red to her surprise. His


    expression softened as he looked at Natalie, his voice gentle as he said, "It''s nice to meet you, Ms. Walker."


    "Nice to meet you, Mr. Haines," Natalie replied, shaking his hand lightly before letting go.


    "Add your contact info," Celeste said, pulling out her phone. She had Natalie save her number, then made Shawn do the same.


    "Natalie, do you want to try being in an ad?" Celeste asked.


    "No, thank you," Natalie said, shaking her head. Acting wasn''t her thing, though


    she was interested in having Celeste shoot an ad for her.


    "Celeste, is your endorsement fee high?" Natalie asked casually.


    "Of course it is!" Celeste said, puffing out her chest with pride. She pulled out her phone and transferred 520 thousand dors to Natalie to prove her point. "Consider this a wee gift. Don''t thank me."


    Natalie stared at her phone, speechless. She hadn''t been asking for a gift.


    "Celeste, I have a friend who''s a designer. She''s created some stunning bridal gowns and was hoping you could model them. What''s your fee for something like that?"


    "Are you close with this friend?" Celeste asked.


    "Very close."


    "Then just give me whatever you think is fair," Celeste said, shrugging. "But let me be clear-I won''t wear anything that''s not up to par. I''ve got a reputation, you know."


    Celeste had always worked with top-tier brands, but if her cousin


    needed her, she''d do it-even for free. When Charlotte had told


    family about everything Nataliet


    ?? ?


    had


    endured at the Langleys, the Kennedy family had collectively decided to shower her with love and care.


    And now that Celeste had met Natalie in person, she was smitten. Natalie was even prettier than in the photos-a knockout who instantly won her heart.


    "Nat, let me finish the rest of this shoot, then I''ll take you out for dinner!" Celeste said, turning to Shawn. "Shawn, take care of my cousin while I''m busy. If you don''t, you''ll have me to answer to."


    With that, Celeste strutted out of the lounge.


    Shawn picked up a bottle of water and handed it to Natalie. "Can I call you Nat, too?"


    "Sure," Natalie said. To her, names were justbels.


    "Alright, Nat," Shawn said with a


    warm smile. When he smiled, his deep, soulful eyes seemed to radiate tenderness. Online rumors said


    Shawn could charm just abo


    anyone with his gaze, and Natalie was starting to see why.


    "Nat, would it be alright if I attended your wee party?" he asked, his eyes sparkling. "I''m good friends with Celeste, and I''d love to celebrate with you."


    "I''d be happy to have you there," Natalie replied.


    Shawn beamed. "I owe so much to your brother, Mr. Lincoln. He''s the reason I''m where I am today. If you ever need anything, just let me know. I''ll help however I


    can."


    Though Shawn''s words seemed genuine, Natalie couldn''t help but find his enthusiasm odd. They just met¡ªwhat could she possibly need from him?


    Still, it wasn''t a bad idea to keep him in mind. If Nouvelle Zara expanded into menswear, Shawn would make an excellent brand ambassador.


    Natalie wasn''t one to talk much, and Shawn, nervous abouting on too strong, kept his excitement in check. The room grew quiet, and an awkward silence settled between them.


    After a while, Natalie pulled out her phone and sent a message to Charlotte, asking, "Mom, is Celeste Kennedy really my cousin?"


    Charlotte replied almost instantly, "Yes! Celeste''s dad is my older brother, so she''s your first cousin. formally introduce you to her and the rest of the family at the wee party. Why? Did you run into her?"


    "Yeah, I saw her at Silver Coast Beach. She was filming amercial, so I went


    over to check it out. She recognized me right away," Natalie replied.


    "Celeste is wonderful, Nat. She''s a great cousin to have. Don''t worry-she''ll take good care of you." Charlotte assured Natalie.


    "Thanks, Mom."


    "Sweetheart, you never need to thank me."


    Natalie smiled and sent Charlotte a heart emoji. Sometimes, words weren''t


    enough, and emojis could say it all. She decided to use emojis like Connie normally would.

 Chapter 199 No Such Thing as Should or Shouldnt

    After Natalie sent Charlotte a heart emoji, her phone immediately started lighting up with notifications. It was one transfer after another¡ªher mom sending her money over and over again without stopping.


    Sitting across from her, Shawn could hear the constant pinging of her phone. Curiosity got the better of him.


    "Nat, are you texting with a friend?" he asked.


    "It''s my mom," Natalie replied quickly, typing a message asking her mom to stop sending money.


    She already had plenty-Lincoln had given her an additional card tied to his ount, and Mason, despite his modest allowance, gave her everything he had. Hector and Timothy also sent her money regrly, as if worried she''d starve without it.


    When Natalie''s message reached her mom, it finally stopped the barrage. Her mom then sent a voice message instead. "Sweetie, don''t be shy with me. I have plenty of money, and it''s all yours-none of them are for your brothers!"


    Since Shawn was nearby, Natalie didn''t y the voice message out loud. She held her phone to her ear to listen, and a small smile appeared on her lips.


    She thought if her brothers heard that, they''d probably be devastated.


    Still, there was a strange warmth in her heart. It was a new,forting feeling-a mother''s unconditional love.


    Charlotte didn''t expect her topromise, didn''t ask her to trade anything for affection, and didn''t make her endure hardships to earn care. She simply loved and protected her. It was something Natalie had never experienced at the Langleys.


    Without realizing it, Natalie''s initial resistance toward Charlotte had melted away.


    "Nat, do you want to take a walk outside?" Shawn asked, noticing her faint smile. His lips curved into a warm grin. "Celeste will be wrapping up her shoot in about 20 minutes. Do you want to watch her up close?"


    After a moment''s thought, Natalie nodded. "Sure. Let''s go."


    Shawn led her out of Celeste''s private lounge and toward the set. By now, Celeste had changed into a high-end couture gown with a fresh hairstyle and carefully chosen jewelry to match. She stood on the rocks, effortlessly posing as waves crashed around her, sending perfect sprays of water into the air.


    The photographer snapped away, capturing frame after frame of wless shots.


    Thebination of sunlight, sea spray, and Celeste''s elegance was breathtaking ¡ªsimply watching was enough to lift anyone''s mood.


    Shawn''s assistant brought over arge sunshade umbre. He took it and held it over Natalie, shielding her entirely.


    Natalie nced at him, puzzled. Shawn met her gaze with a gentle smile. "You''re Celeste''s cousin. Taking extra care of you is the least I can do-it''s what I should do."


    "Thank you, Mr. Haines, but there''s no such thing as what someone should or shouldn''t do," Natalie replied, reaching out to take the umbre. "I can hold it myself."


    She didn''t mind the sun, though she did prefer not to tan. Her fair skin didn''t tan easily, but she could lighten it again with her herbal baths even if it did.


    "I''ll do it," Shawn insisted, holding the umbre. He maintained a polite distance while holding it over her.


    "Nat, don''t be so polite. If I don''t take care of you, Celeste will kill me when she finds out," he added with a self-deprecating chuckle, his smile softening into a look of gentle pleading. "Please, just let me handle this for my own peace of mind."


    Seeing his earnest expression, Natalie decided not to argue further. She wasn''t the type to overthink or refuse kindness when it was offered sincerely.


    When Celeste finished her shoot, she tossed her high heels aside without care and ran barefoot to Natalie, her face glowing with excitement.


    "All done! Time to eat!" Celeste eximed, throwing an arm around Natalie''s shoulders. "Shawn, you''reing too!"


    "Sure," he replied easily.


    "I came with a friend," Natalie said, trying to distance herself from Celeste''s tight embrace. Celeste, however, only pulled her closer.


    "Stop squirming," Celeste teased, rolling her eyes. "Do you know how many girls would kill to hug me? Come on, stick close!"


    With that, she pressed her cheek against Natalie''s, grinning as she did.


    Wow, Celeste thought Natalie''s skin was ridiculously soft and smooth. It must be those amazing Kennedy family genes.


    The Kennedys were naturally fair. Charlotte and Celeste had enviably paleplexions, but Natalie''s skin was even more wless.


    Except for the one who deliberately tanned himself, the Walker brothers all had fairplexions.


    Celeste finally understood why Emma was so tan. No matter how much foundation or whitening cream she used, it couldn''t change the fact that she had a naturally tanplexion.


    Of course, Celeste kept these thoughts to herself.


    To be fair, setting aside any bias, Emma wasn truly tanned-she just wasn''t as pale as the rest of them. After all, she was a girl carefully raised by the Walker family. With her upbringing, refined tastes, and the elegance money could buy, how bad could she really be?


    "Where''s your friend? Let''s invite them to join us for dinner!" Celeste said cheerfully.


    The ad shoot was taking ce on private property, but Natalie had been able to approach earlier, thanks to Shawn''s intervention. Meanwhile, Walter was waiting in the public area.


    As Celeste and Shawn apanied her to meet Walter, they drew onlookers'' attention. Though the beach wasn''t crowded, two stars of their caliber couldn''t go unnoticed.


    Still, most of the people present were older adults or families with children-not the type to cause a scene.


    What intrigued them most, however, wasn''t the celebrities but Natalie. Standing between Celeste and Shawn, she looked every bit as striking as they did, holding her own effortlessly.


    Walking through the crowd, they undeniably attracted everyone''s attention.


    Celeste and Shawn were long ustomed to being the center of attention, but Natalie always preferred keeping a low profile. She avoided handling things in person whenever possible.


    Now, walking alongside the two stars, she instantly became the focus of all eyes. The attention was so overwhelming that she wanted nothing more than to distance herself from them on the spot.


    By the time they reached Walter, Natalie had subtly freed herself from Celeste''s grip and jogged thest few steps to him.


    "Walter," she called out.


    Walter had just finished his phone call and looked up to see her running toward him. He stood and caught her in a steady embrace.


    "What''s going on? You look like you''ve seen a ghost," he said with a smallugh.


    "Not a ghost," Natalie replied, catching her breath. "My cousin, Celeste Kennedy. And her co-star, Shawn Haines."


    Walter followed her gaze to see Celeste approaching in a striking red gown and Shawn in a white tailored suit.


    Celeste reached him first, her sharp eyes scanning him up and down.


    Though Walter was casually dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, his tall, lean frame and air of quiet authority made him stand out. His frameless


    sses and reserved dampasuly


    added to the sense ofposure that hinted at a powerful, high-ranking professional,

 Chapter 200 Rumors of a Love Quadrangle

    When Walter caught Natalie in his arms, his gaze was warm, his smile soft, and his tone gentle.


    Having starred in countless roles as a couple with Shawn, Celeste didn''t need much to recognize the look in Walter''s eyes-he had feelings for Natalie.


    Her gaze flicked to Shawn, whoseposed demeanor faltered as a hint of disappointment shed through his eyes.


    "Mr. Watson, nice to meet you," Celeste said, extending her hand with a yful grin.


    "Ms. Kennedy, pleasure''s mine," Walter replied, shaking her hand before turning to Shawn. "And you must be Mr. Haines. Good to meet you."


    "Good to meet you too," Shawn said, shaking hands briefly before stepping back, his quiet presence making him almost blend into the background.


    "Alright, let''s grab dinner!" Celeste chirped, her lively voice breaking the tension. She pulled Natalie from Walter''s side, leaning close to whisper, "Is he your boyfriend?"


    Natalie shook her head. "No, he is just a good friend. We grew up together."


    "Oh, childhood friends, huh? Sounds like a ssic love story," Celeste teased with


    a sly smile, but her eyes flicked to Shawn, who was trying hard to keep his emotions in check.


    Shawn tugged at Celeste''s sleeve, giving her a subtle look. Celeste raised an eyebrow and smirked knowingly. She gave him a wink that implied, "I''m setting this up for you. Don''t blow it."


    Shawn sighed silently.


    Their little interaction didn''t escape Walter''s and Natalie''s notice. Natalie frowned slightly, wondering what was happening, but Walter gently took her hand before she could ask.


    "Yes, Natalie and I are childhood friends," Walter said, his voice steady butced with an unexpected softness. "I used to have a crush on her, but the Langleys arranged for her to marry someone else. So, I kept my feelings to myself."


    Natalie looked at him in disbelief. Walter, always calm andposed, now wore an uncharacteristically tender expression. His normally taut lips curved into a rare, warm smile.


    "And now that she''s no longer engaged," Walter continued, his eyes fixed on Natalie, "I think it''s time I pursued her properly."


    "Can I, Natalie?" His voice was gentle, but the intensity in his gaze was undeniable.


    Natalie froze for a moment before responding, "You''re already holding my hand. Doesn''t that mean you''ve already started?"


    Turning toward Shawn and Celeste, she said, "This is Walter, my childhood friend ¡ªand as of now, my boyfriend." Then, she looked at Walter, "And this is my cousin, Celeste, and her friend, Shawn."


    The introductions hung in the air, but Shawn forced a smile. "Congrattions to both of you. I didn''t expect to witness the start of a new romance today."


    His tone was polite, but the strain behind his words was evident.


    "Let''s eat to celebrate!" Celeste interjected, trying to lighten the mood.


    Walter, still holding Natalie''s hand, led the way. "Dinner''s on me."


    ????


    ???.]


    Natalie held his hand just like this when they were kids and brought him out of the orphanage to the Langley residence. However, his time with the Langleys had been brief before Grace sent him away to a specialized school.


    As they walked, Walter gently squeezed Natalie''s hand and gave her a small, reassuring smile. Natalie returned the gesture, their unspoken understanding keeping their facade intact.


    Near Silver Coast Beach, there was amercial street lined with seafood restaurants and shops featuring local delicacies.


    Neither Walter nor Natalie had


    visited Dithoria State often, and even when they did, it was always a quick in-and-out for business. They didn''t know much about the local culture or cuisine.


    As for Celeste, she was the heiress of the Kennedy family, born and raised with every luxury. Others always handled her daily needs, and even when she studied abroad for college, she had housekeepers and attendants to care for her.


    She wasn''t particrly familiar with Dithoria either, especially the coastal areas.


    Celeste turned to Shawn. She asked, "Shawn, I heard you live around here. Do you know any good ces to eat?"


    Shawn replied, "Yeah, there are some nearby."


    "But I didn''t grow up here," Shawn added in a slightly muffled tone. "I was raised in Amberton."


    "Oh, you grew up in Amberton? What a coincidence! Nat was raised in Amberton, too, and so was Mr. Watson," Celeste said with a smile. "I guess it really is fate." Shawn''s expression turned a little bitter as he said, "Yeah, it really is fate."


    Celeste then leaned toward Shawn, whispering, "Don''t worry. I don''t think they''re actually dating. Did you see how calm she was? No spark, no excitement. It''s totally fake."


    Shawn''s eyes lit up, hope flickering back. "Really?"


    "Shawn, we''ve done enough romantic scenes together. You think I can''t tell what''s real and what''s staged?" Celeste replied confidently.


    Relieved, Shawn rxed slightly, though he said nothing more.


    As the group continued walking, Walter suddenly stopped and turned. "Someone''s taking pictures of us," he said quietly, looking at Celeste and Shawn.


    "Two celebrities walking through a public area with a crowd? Yeah, that''ll do it," he added with a faint smile. "We should probably split up."


    Before Celeste or Shawn could respond, Walter tightened his grip on Natalie''s hand and pulled her into a run, weaving through the crowd until they disappeared.


    "Hey! Wait!" Celeste called after them, but it was toote.


    Her phone buzzed just then, and she answered it.


    "Celeste!" her manager''s voice practically screamed through the line. "You and Shawn are trending-again! And this time, it''s for a love quadrangle. What the hell is going on?"

 Chapter 201 Disagree With Her and Walter Getting Together

    Celeste moved her phone a little farther away. "What kind of love square is this?"


    "See for yourself!" Her manager hung up the phone and immediately sent her a link.


    Celeste clicked the link and saw photos of her and Shawn, Shawn with Natalie, her shaking hands with Walter, Natalie and Walter hugging, as well as Shawn smiling gently while holding an umbre for Natalie.


    The photos weren''t in any particr order, and the main emphasis was that there were way too many images.


    Although the photos were taken secretly, one had to admit that every angle was perfect; the photos turned out beautiful and eye-catching.


    At a nce, the handsome men and pretty women looked like they belonged perfectly together.


    "This is me and you. This is Natalie and you. This is you and Walter. This is Walter and me. This is Natalie and me," Celeste pointed out. She couldn''t hold back herughter.


    "What are the paparazzi even writing about? Him with her, she with him, him with the other him, and she with her a four-person cast putting on a grand and tragic y.


    "Why doesn''t this paparazzo try being a screenwriter? They certainly have the talent for it!"


    Celeste wasughing uncontrobly. She paid no attention to the rumors about her being with different men and women.


    "These photos are really beautiful, though. I''m going to download and save them properly," she said.


    "After saving them, send me the ones of Nat and me," Shawn said hesitantly.


    "Okay." Celeste smiled brightly. "But Shawn, don''t say I didn''t warn you. Nat has now acknowledged the Walkers as her family, and your boss is her older brother. If you want to pursue Nat, you''ll have to get past Lincoln!"


    "You''ll help me, won''t you?" Shawn added calmly, "After all, we''re good friends, right?"


    "How could I not help you? You have so much leverage over me!" Celeste responded with a yful chuckle. She downloaded and saved all the photos, sending the ones of Shawn and Natalie to him.


    "That said, Shawn, I''m helping you because I know you''ve been deeply in love with Nat for years. I hope you give it a try so that you won''t regret it for the rest of your life. Don''t end up like me."


    Shawn was silent for a while, then he reached out and gently hugged Celeste. "It''ll get better."


    "Yeah, I know. Everything will get better."


    Heforted Celeste for a while more, and they continued walking forward.


    Meanwhile, Walter took Natalie to a Helianese restaurant. After getting a private room on the second floor, Natalie called Celeste.


    Fortunately, they had saved each other''s contact before, or it would have been impossible to get in touch now.


    Just as Natalie had finished her call with Celeste and sent her the location, she looked up and saw a familiar figure passing through the hallway.


    Why was Marcus here?


    At the next second, someone knocked on their room door three times, and Marcus, who had just walked past, turned back.


    Standing at the door, he could clearly see the people inside the room. "Ms. Walker," he greeted.


    Natalie nodded slightly. "Mr. Holden."


    Marcus had previously investigated Natalie''s background and knew who Walter


    was. He nodded briefly at Walter.


    "Ms. Walker, are you hosting some friends here?" Marcus asked.


    "Yes."


    "Just mention my name when you pay, Ms. Walker."


    Marcus nced at Natalie. Ever since she cut ties with the Langleys, she seemed to have softened up.


    "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Holden, but it''s not necessary," Natalie gently declined.


    Marcus had called off their engagement, and Natalie didn''t bother pursuing it either. Their current rtionship was merely rted to her treating Charles'' illness.


    Once his illness was cured, she would have no further contact with Marcus.


    When Marcus noticed Natalie''s distant attitude, he didn''t insist. He simply gave a slight nod before leaving for the next room.


    "Come, drink some tea." Walter tentatively poured some tea for Natalie then said, "Victor just called me, but I didn''t answer. He sent me a message. Do you want to see it?"


    "There''s no need." Natalie took a sip


    of tea. "Victor must be calling you now just to scold you for being ungrateful. He''s probably demandingpensation for


    helping those who level


    Group."


    "It''s not." Walter smirked. "Just take a look!"


    He unlocked his phone and ced it before her. On the screen was a voice message with a text that read, "Walter, I don''t agree nor allow you to be with Natalie."


    "He sent over a voice message from Mrs. Langley Senior," Walter said.


    He took a sip of his tea before adding, "She doesn''t agree nor allow you and me to be in a rtionship."


    "Ridiculous." Natalie scoffed. "I''ve severed ties with the Langleys, and I''ve made myself clear with her. What right does she have to disagree or forbid anything?


    "I''ll do whatever I want. What does it have to do with Grace?"


    "Natalie, it seems like you really hate Mrs. Langley Senior now."


    "It''s because I''ve always loved her," Natalie said while looking out the window. "It''s precisely because I always loved her and never doubted her. When I learned the truth, the disappointment and pain I felt was inevitable.


    "But it''s okay. What doesn''t kill me makes me stronger."


    Natalie curved her lips into a smile. "Rotting flesh should be cut away. It hurts to remove it, but once the new flesh grows back, everything will be fine. Life is unpredictable, and things rarely go exactly as we hope


    AQUAS


    "Although Mrs. Langley Senior''s name is Grace, this time, I''ll make sure she knows that there are plenty of things in life that require genuine grace."


    "But why would Mrs. Langley Senior use Victor''s phone to send me a message?" Walter suddenly asked.


    "Because I''ve blocked them all." Natalie smiled. "Ever since I blocked the Langleys, I''ve been feeling much lighter.


    "I don''t need to care about those trivial matters anymore. I won''t clean up after Victor. Whether Langley Group survives or falls has nothing to do with me.


    "Walter, do you think I''m too heartless and ungrateful?"


    Shaking his head, Walter replied, "No. If I were you, I''d make the same choice."


    Walter''s gaze was firm. No matter what Natalie did-right or wrong-he would always stand on her side.


    Since he was a child, when Natalie held his hand and led him out of the orphanage, he silently swore that he would dedicate his life to her.


    Grace had told him to study hard and learn everything he could. He obeyed because only then would he have a chance to stand by Natalie''s side.


    However, from the start, Grace had warned him not to harbor any improper thoughts toward Natalie.


    Natalie was Tyler''s fianc¨¦e, and the Langleys and Millers were supposed to have a marriage alliance.


    Walter recalled the condescending gaze Grace had given him when she warned him as such. It was as if she was looking at a beast.


    In fact, Grace had never shown him any respect. The only person who had ever respected him from beginning to end was Natalie.


    "My parents are holding a wee party for me in a week. In the meantime, I''ll have my brother go to Amberton and retrieve all the photos of me when I was with the Langleys."


    Natalie suddenly showed a mischievous smile and said, "Since Mrs. Langley Senior doesn''t agree or allow me to be with you, let''s go and piss her off."

 Chapter 202 If She Was Good to Her

    Walter looked at Natalie''s mischievous smile, which she had never shown before. He was stunned for a moment, thinking that this side of Natalie was both cute and yful.


    "Alright!" Walter smiled. "Then, when are we going back?"


    Natalie replied, "At 9:00 pm. After we piss off Mrs. Langley Senior, we''ll need to rush back."


    She needed to start Charles'' acupuncture treatment before leaving, and the next morning, she had toe back to continue the process. Thus, until Charles'' condition improved, she did not have much free time on her hands.


    "Will we be okay on time?" Walter did a quick mental calction of the time. Rushing to Amberton at 9:00 pm and back would prove to be a very tight schedule. He worried that Natalie wouldn''t get enough rest, which would be bad for her health.


    "The Walkers have a helicopter. I''ll just borrow it from my mom." Natalie pulled out her phone and immediately called Charlotte.


    "Hello? Mom, could I use the family helicopter for a bit? I need to fly to Amberton tonight."


    "Sure! Of course, you can," Charlotte answered right away. "I''ll get it ready for you. You can leave whenever you want.


    "But sweetheart, I have only one request. Even after you get to Amberton, don''t forget toe home! Remember, your home is in Dithoria, your dad''s name is William, and your mom''s is Charlotte.


    "Don''t ever forget the way home, and don''t forget your parents'' names!"


    Natalieughed. "I know. Don''t worry! Since I''ve acknowledged you, I won''t return to the Langleys."


    "Sweetheart, I believe you! Don''t misunderstand anything!"


    "Okay, I won''t misunderstand."


    Charlotte added, "By the way, Celeste called me. She said you didn''t ept the gift she sent you, so she asked me to tell you to ept it."


    "Alright, I got it."


    "Okay. Have a good time with Celeste! I won''t disturb you."


    After hanging up, Natalie removed Grace''s number from her blocked contacts and called her. She turned on the speakerphone so Walter could hear.


    As soon as the call connected, Natalie could immediately hear three coughs. In


    the past, whenever Grace felt even a little unwell, Natalie would quickly grow worried and ask a doctor to check on her.


    But now, Natalie didn''t feel much about it. "Hello, Mrs. Langley Senior. It''s me, Natalie."


    She waited for Grace''s coughing to stop before slowly speaking. "I heard that you won''t allow me to be in a rtionship with Walter?


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, allow me to ask you why can''t I be with Walter?"


    Natalie slowly said, "It''s true that you brought Walter back to the Langleys and sent him to school, but over the years, it''s been me who''s taking care of him! I raised this rose myself, so why can''t I pick it?"


    Walter felt his heart race as he listened to Natalie. Wasn''t she referring to him as a rose right now?


    Natalie continued, "Or does Mrs. Langley Senior think I''m unworthy?"


    She raised an eyebrow as her slender, fair fingers lightly tapped the table. Her tone was calm andposed, speaking in a cold and indifferent voice that sounded questioning but affirmative.


    "Oh, right. I heard that Ms. Langley made you so angry that you ended up in the hospital. Langley Group must be a mess right now.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, you should take care of yourself. After all, Mr. Langley cannot bear the responsibility of Langley Group. As for Ms. Langley and Mrs. Langley, they''re probably even more incapable.


    "You have so many things to worry about, and yet you still care about who I date. It''s hard for me not to believe that you truly care about me."


    Walter listened as Natalie delivered the most sarcastic words in the calmest tone, and he couldn''t help but smile.


    Natalie met Walter''s gaze and smiled at him lightly. He picked up his teacup and softly clinked it against hers.


    Every time Natalie visited Walter when they were young, she would bring him delicious snacks and beverages. Although Walter was technically sponsored by Grace, it was in name only.


    Grace provided him with almost no financial and material support. At school, he only had the basics-enough food and clothes to keep him warm.


    His happiest days were when Natalie came to visit him.


    The two of them would find somewhere to turn into a secret base, and Natalie wouldy down a mat, cing some snacks and drinks on it. Once they both sat down, they would eat together.


    Natalie would tell him many interesting things. When she spoke about them, her eyes seemed to sparkle.


    Later on, her visits became less and less frequent. There was even a time when she didn''te to visit him for two whole months.


    Walter became so worried that he secretly crawled through a small hole in the school fence and snuck out. He had a great memory, so even though he had only been to the Langley residence once, he had memorized the entire route there.


    When he arrived, he didn''t dare knock on the door and could only


    watch from a distance. He waited a long time for one of the helpers f


    the Langley residence toem


    to throw the trash. He then cautiously approached them and asked about Natalie.


    W2


    It was then that Walter found out Natalie had been taken to the hospital to draw blood for Diana.


    Walter was both furious and resentful. Furious at the Langley family''s cruelty, and resented his own weakness and powerlessness.


    If only he had been stronger and more powerful-he could have taken Natalie away from the Langleys and stopped them from taking her to the hospital to draw her blood.


    Seeing that Grace remained silent,


    Natalie leisurely continued, "Mrs. Langley Senior, you''re old now. You should really take care of your health! heard that the shareholders of Langley Group are all selling off their shares. Mrs. Langley Senior, you should be worried about your son being foolish enough to buy those shares!"


    "Nattie,e back to visit me!" Grace''s weary and haggard voice finally came through the phone. "I''m afraid... I don''t have many days left to live."


    Grace let out a long sigh. "Nattie, there are some words and things I''ve thought about carefully, and I''ve finally decided to have an open and honest conversation with you.


    "Nattie, you''ve misunderstood me. I know your family also misunderstands me, and I get why you would. But Nattie, why don''t you trust me?" Natalie interrupted her, asking, "Mrs. Langley Senior, did I treat you well?"


    This time, Grace answered without hesitation, "Yes. You treated me the best."


    "If I was so good to you, then why did you deceive me?" Natalie''s tone remained calm, but her eyes were slightly reddened.


    She had been sincere and devoted to the Langleys without reservation. She never onceined about Diana using her as a blood bank for many years.


    Yet, the grandmother who always imed to love her the most turned out to be the one colluding with Victor and Diana behind her back.


    They beat her with a stick and offered her a carrot. The Langleys had thoroughly yed her like a fool.

 Chapter 203 Seeds of Doubt

    Natalie waited for a moment, but still Grace remained silent. She let out a soft chuckle again. "Mrs. Langley Senior, let me ask you one more time-have you ever hidden anything from me, deceived me, or used me? I''d advise you to think carefully before answering."


    Natalie''s tone remained calm and steady as she lightly tapped the table with her fingers. Since the call was on speaker mode, she could pick up her teacup that Walter had just refilled and took a leisurely sip.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I''ve already given you a chance. This time, if you still can''t grasp it, then there will truly be nothing left between us."


    After saying this, Natalie fell silent.


    Walter looked at her with concern. She gazed up at him and gave a small smile.


    A hint of distress shed in Walter''s gaze, and he wanted to reach out and hug her, but a single look from Natalie stopped him.


    Having to put on an act in front of Celeste and Shawn was one thing, but in private, Natalie didn''t want things to be too ambiguous with Walter.


    Shawn''s subtle reactions all indicated that he held affection for her. However, Natalie was certain-she had never known him before, and they had never crossed paths.


    Conversely, since Walter had grown up with her, publicly portraying them as childhood sweethearts was entirely believable.


    Besides, Walter was one of her own people. If she was going to act, of course, she had to find someone she could trust.


    However, she couldn''t stand in the way of his romantic prospects. So, after ending this call, Natalie nned to make things clear with him.


    If he ever met a girl he truly liked, he could tell her at any time, and they could end this fake rtionship whenever he wanted.


    Walter lowered his gaze, and a trace of disappointment shed in his eyes. Still, he quicklyposed himself and sat quietly beside Natalie, listening as she spoke with Grace.


    The breathing on the other end of the call grew heavier, followed by a series of coughs.


    Natalie remained silent, listening as the coughing continued until it finally subsided with great difficulty.


    Only then did Grace''s weary, haggard voicee through. "Nattie,e to Amberton. Once we meet, I''ll tell you everything you want to know."


    "Alright," Natalie agreed without hesitation. She and Walter were nning to make a trip there anyway.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, take this time to sort things out properly. After this visit, I don''t want to waste any more time with the Langleys."


    With that, Natalie didn''t wait for Grace to respond before hanging up.


    As soon as she ended the call, her expression darkened. She had already witnessed the ruthlessness of the Langleys before. She even suspected that when Victor and the others tricked her into returningst time and drugged her, Grace had yed a part.


    Once a seed of doubt was sown, it would only take root and continue to grow. At this point, Natalie didn''t trust a single word that came out of Grace''s mouth.


    "Don''t overthink it." Walter reached out and gently ruffled Natalie''s hair but quickly withdrew his hand. "The situation with Mrs. Langley Senior is far moreplicated than we think it is."


    "Walter, go see if Celeste has arrived."


    "Okay."


    When Walter stood up and left the private room, Natalie picked up her phone and called Kevin. "Hello, Mr. Zeller. Sell your shares in Langley Group as soon as possible."


    "I know, but that idiot, Victor, suddenly backed out of the deal." Kevin couldn''t help but sound frustrated when he mentioned this. "That bitch, Selena, even tried to use a suicide threat to force me into giving her my shares for free. How ridiculous."


    "Alright. I''m meeting with Mrs. Langley Senior tonight. Mr. Zeller, you can use this time while I''m keeping her upied to sell your shares to Victor. Even if the price is slightly lower, it doesn''t matter. Just cut your losses in time."


    "Understood." Kevin caught the hint in Natalie''s words. "I''ll inform the other shareholders. Whether they sell or not is up to them. But Jack will definitely sell


    his."


    "That''s all. I''m hanging up now," Natalie said before ending the call.


    Once the others sold their shares andpletely withdrew from Langley Group, any future turmoil within thepany would no longer concern them.


    As two longtime supporters who had been working hard with Grace for many years, Kevin and Jack had always supported Natalie ever since Grace made her join Langley Group.


    Since they had always looked out for her like a daughter, she wouldn''t allow them to face unrest in their old age. She wanted them to enjoy the rest of their days peacefully.


    Natalie pulled out her phone again and texted Connie, instructing her to keep an eye on Charles'' condition at home.


    For some reason, Natalie felt an


    inexplicable sense of unease about Charles. Though, that was just her intuition speaking. Without concrete evidence, she wouldn''t voicecher suspicions carelessly.


    Still, being cautious never hurt.


    Since Charles was her patient, she wouldn''t allow anything to happen to him during his treatment period.


    After instructing Connie, Natalie sent another message to Ophelia. Before long,


    she received an email in response.


    Ophelia and Charlotte and already


    discussed it regarding the dresses


    Charlotte ordered for Emma, she would be getting a 20% discount However, for the dresses she


    ordered for Natalie, there would be a


    50% price hike.


    Before Charlotte could object, Ophelia shut her down with a single response. "What''s wrong? Can Mrs. Walker spend generously on her adopted daughter, but not on her own biological daughter?"


    As expected, Charlotte was stung by that usation and immediately raised the price by another 20%.


    In the end, with Ophelia''s markup and Charlotte''s own additional offer, Nouvelle Zara profited 70% more than usual.


    Ophelia exined the situation to


    Natalie. "Boss, your birth mother


    doesn''t give you an allowance to spend but will give some to Emma. If that''s the case, why not take her money for yourself?


    "If Emma turns out to be sensible, you can throw her some scrapster on. But if


    she turns out to be another Selena, you can just get rid of her."


    Natalie read the message and said nothing. As usual, she simply let Ophelia handle things as she saw fit.


    She had always adhered to the principle of trusting those she chose to use. But if someone betrayed her even once, she would never trust them again.


    ...


    Before long, Walter returned with Celeste and Shawn in tow.


    As soon as Celeste spotted Noah in the adjacent room, she immediately ran over


    to greet Marcus.


    "Hi, Mr. Holden!"


    Marcus was in the middle of a conversation with another man when he heard her voice. He looked up toward the doorway, where Celeste was waving enthusiastically at him.


    Marcus gave her a slight nod, indicating he was upied.


    Celeste waved dismissively. "I just wanted to say hi. Go on with your business."


    With that, she turned and entered Natalie''s private room. "Did you guys know that Marcus is right next door?"


    "We did." Natalie, unfazed, calmly sipped her tea. "Celeste, let''s order."


    "You guys can handle spicy food, right?"


    "Of course!"


    Celeste picked up the menu and quickly ordered several dishes. After ordering,


    she rested her chin on her hands and stared directly at Natalie.

 Chapter 204 His Oath Did Not Seem Fake

    Celeste''s gaze was bold and fiery. And although Natalie was calm, she still felt unnerved by the former''s stare.


    "Celeste, is there something on my face?" she asked.


    Celeste nodded. "Yeah! There''s some good looks."


    Natalie was rendered speechless. She served Celeste and Shawn some tea, pushing the cups toward them.


    "After dinner, Walter and I have something to take care of, so we''ll head back first.


    "Celeste, do you and Mr. Haines have work to doter?" Natalie asked.


    "Nope."


    Although Celeste was a famous celebrity, her schedule wasn''t packed. Her manager was her sister-inw, and the Kennedy family didn''t need her to toil to earn money. She didn''tck money herself; she just entered the entertainment industry because she liked it and wanted to have things to do.


    Therefore, when Celeste was done with her schedule for the day, she could rest after. Since her manager was a family member, she never had to worry about anything. Instead, her sister-inw was often worried about her.


    Despite how often her sister-inw scolded her, she still spoiled Celeste plenty.


    "Nat, you''re so pretty. Have you ever thought about joining the entertainment industry?" Celeste grinned. "You can debut under the title of ''Celeste''s cousin,'' and if Lincoln helps you pave the way, you can be a global icon-a top-tier superstar."


    Natalie shook her head. "No thanks. I''m not interested in acting."


    "Then, what are you interested in?"


    Natalie thought about it for a moment. What interested her most was saving lives and the sketchbook of herbs that Federrick had given her.


    If she could find the herbs from that sketchbook, that would be the best thing for her.


    She had originally nned to search for the herbs with Marcus, but they ended up gathering mushrooms instead.


    When Natalie thought about Marcus, her expression turned cold. Since he was so disgusted and repulsed by her, then she wouldn''t bother going herb-hunting with him again.


    "I haven''t thought about it yet. I''ll decideter," Natalie replied.


    Celeste nodded. "That''s fine. You just returned home, so take your time to rest well. You can think about the futureter.


    "Besides, Aunt Charlotte and Uncle William own so manypanies. You can be the boss of any one of them if you want."


    "Yeah, maybe next time."


    While they were chatting, the waiter began serving the dishes. Once all the food was on the table, Celeste suggested having some alcohol, but Natalie declined.


    Shawn also advised Celeste not to drink, saying, "Celeste, it''s best if you don''t drink. If your sister-inw finds out you drank without permission, she''ll get angry."


    Celeste could only nod dejectedly.


    During the meal, Walter was particrly attentive to Natalie-serving her food, pouring her tea, and handing her napkins. He always seemed to know exactly what she needed and did it before she even asked.


    His attentiveness and tacit understanding made Celeste click her tongue in admiration.


    Shawn, watching from the side, smiled andmented, "Mr. Watson, you''re very considerate!"


    Walter smiled back. "Being considerate toward his girlfriend is a boyfriend''s basic duty. Mr. Haines, you also seem like someone who treats his girlfriend very well. She must be very lucky!"


    Taking a sip of his tea, Shawn replied, "I''m single. I don''t have a girlfriend." "Huh?" Walter looked surprised. "Really? I thought Celeste was your girlfriend!" "No, we''re just acting partners."


    Celeste also quickly denied it. "Don''t speak carelessly! I don''t like Shawn. We''re just friends and colleagues."


    "I''m sorry! I made a mistake." Walter hurriedly apologized. "I just saw so many couple edits of you two online and mistakenly assumed... Sorry! I''m really sorry."


    "It''s fine. Fans love shipping couples together. We let them have their fun, but we''ve always been adamant about the truth."


    Celeste and Shawn were close


    friends, each fully aware of the other''s real romantic interests. They had many fans that shipped them as


    a couple, but they never deliberately hyped up their pairing for publicity.


    Lincoln was an open-minded boss, and Shawn''s manager was equally fair-minded: Plus, Lincoln often


    brought Shawn along to film set et


    which made his journey into the entertainment industry quite smooth.


    Neither Shawn nor Celeste relied on their looks to attract fans, so they never had


    to worry about losing poprity because of rtionships.


    From the very beginning, Shawn had stated that if he ever got into a rtionship, he would announce it openly. At the same time, if he wasn''t dating, he would rify rumors immediately.


    "My apologies. I don''t follow entertainment-rted news closely, so I wasn''t aware," Walter sincerely apologized. "I hope Celeste and Mr. Haines can forgive me."


    Celeste smiled and replied, "It''s fine! Walter, make sure you treat Nat well, or I won''t let you off!"


    Walter nodded firmly. "Rest assured, Celeste. I''ll take good care of Nat. If I ever betray her, I''ll kill myself."


    When she heard Walter''s solemn deration, Natalie felt something was off. She turned to look at Walter, who immediately shed her a smile.


    "Nat, I will never betray you in this lifetime. I would never do anything to hurt you." Natalie thought he was being overly dramatic. "Enough of that. We should get going now. Celeste, don''t scare Walter."


    She stood up and pulled Walter along. "Did you pay the bill?" she asked.


    "I paid in advance." Walter had settled the bill beforehand and left some extra just


    in case, ensuring no one else could rush forward to pay the bill.


    "Then, let''s go! Goodbye, Celeste, Mr. Haines."


    "Bye!"


    As Natalie and Walter exited the private dining room and headed downstairs, they


    were blocked by someoneing up-Noah.


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Watson," he respectfully greeted. However, his gaze was fixed on Walter for a while.


    "Hello. Please excuse us."


    "Of course." Noah stepped aside, and Natalie and Walter quickly left.


    When Noah returned to his own party''s private room, only Marcus remained.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker and Mr. Watson have left," he reported.


    "I see." Marcus rose to his feet. "Let''s go."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    As they passed by the private room Natalie had just exited, Celeste suddenly


    reached out to stop Marcus.


    "Mr. Holden, let''s talk," she said.


    Marcus rejected her coldly. "Sorry, no time."


    But Celeste didn''t pay him any mind and quietly said, "Emma isn''t the Walkers'' biological daughter. But she has plenty of your belongings in her hands. Mr. Holden, are you really not interested?"


    Marcus stopped in his tracks. "Are you sure?"


    "Of course, I''m sure." Celeste smiled. "Come in and have a seat!"


    "Fine. Noah, wait outside."


    Noah nodded. "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus and Celeste entered the private room, sitting on the couches at the


    opposite end of the room.


    Shawn, sensing the atmosphere, tactfully excused himself to fetch more tea.


    "Speak. What belongings of mine does Emma have?"


    Marcus took out his phone and checked the time. He had an appointment with a childhood friendter, and in the afternoon, he had to rush back before Natalie performed acupuncture on Charles. Thus, he didn''t have much time to spare.

 Chapter 205 Kindness Wrapped in Poison and Plots

    "Emma has a safe that''s full of your belongings. Honestly, I think she''s a bit of a perverted psycho," Celeste casually said, getting straight to the point.


    "I heard from Aunt Charlotte that you''ve already broken off your engagement with Emma. But since I used to be her cousin, I know just how deeply obsessed she is


    with you.


    "Now, she''s no longer the true heiress of the Walkers, and I don''t want her to drag Aunt Charlotte''s family down with her."


    The Walkers and Kennedys had always maintained a close bond. In fact, the Kennedys once doted on Emma just like the Walkers had.


    However, after discovering that Emma wasn''t Charlotte and William''s biological daughter, the Kennedys held a meeting to discuss their stance.


    Emma had been raised by the Walkers for 20 years, and the rtionship built wasn''t something that could easily be let go of. Still, no one was willing to let her presence harm their true blood rtive.


    "Mr. Holden, you understand what I''m saying, right?"


    Marcus nodded. "I understand."


    "Is there anything else?" He nced at the watch on his wrist. "I have other things to do."


    "There isn''t. I just wanted to give you a heads-up."


    "Thank you for your kind intentions, Ms. Kennedy." Marcus stood up. "I''ll handle


    it."


    "No need to thank me. It''s the right thing to do."


    "Goodbye, Ms. Kennedy."


    "Bye, Mr. Holden."


    After Marcus left, his expression darkened. His disgust toward Emma had reached an all-time high.


    Of course, he understood what Celeste was implying-since he had broken off the engagement with Emma and she wasn''t a biological daughter of the Walkers, anything she did out of her obsession for him was no longer the Walker family''s responsibility.


    The Walkers and Kennedys were deeply intertwined, not just through blood but business ties as well. Thus, they shared onemon principle-neither family would risk offending the Holden family, especially not for someone like Emma.


    "Noah, find someone to approach Emma. If she has hidden anything of mine, destroy it."


    "Understood, Mr. Holden," Noah respectfully said.


    After they exited the Helianese restaurant, Marcus'' expression turned even colder.


    That was because he happened to see Natalie and Walter sitting inside a car, chatting. He didn''t know what they were talking about, but Natalie was smiling brightly with a cheerful expression on her face.


    Whenever she faced him, on the other hand, she was either indifferent and distant, orpletely guarded.


    An ufortable feeling twisted in his chest.


    Marcus knew he hated her. Plus, she had a boyfriend now he should feel relieved. At the very least, she wouldn''t be trying to seduce him anymore and using him to plot her revenge against her ex-fianc¨¦ and Selena.


    And yet... Why did the sight of her smiling with Walter irritate him so much?


    Noah noticed Marcus staring in Natalie''s direction and asked politely, "Mr. Holden, would you like to go over to greet Ms. Walker?"


    "No." Marcus looked away and turned around, getting into his own car.


    Once inside, he pulled out his phone and texted Natalie. "Ms. Walker, don''t forget


    to be on time for my grandpa''s treatment."


    In the other car nearby, Natalie took out her phone and nced at it before


    replying to Marcus, "Don''t worry, Mr. Holden. I''m a professional."


    After he read Natalie''s reply, Marcus put away his phone without expression. "Drive. To Greeke za," he instructed.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Natalie and Walter chatted in the car for a while.


    Walter needed to handle thepensation matter between Langley Group and its departing employees, so this time, he would probably returnter than Natalie.


    "Grace might try to y all sorts of emotional cards with us when negotiating with Langley Group this time round," he warned.


    Natalie started the car and said, "I''ll drop you off at the hotel first. When


    I''m done tonight, I''ll give you a


    meet up


    Or you could just go


    elined


    straight to the Walker residence


    after you pack up your things at the hotel! I''ll let my mom know.


    "Natalie, are you getting used to being with the Walkers now?" Walter asked all of


    a sudden, looking directly at her. "I''ve never asked you this, but after finding your biological parents, are you happy?"


    "There''s no such thing as being happy or unhappy," Natalie answered seriously. "However, they did make me realize that love and protection came in different forms."


    She continued, "Walter, I think I misunderstood some things in the past."


    He nodded. "It''s the same with me. I think I''ve misunderstood these things since childhood, too. Nat, we''ll both get back on the right track."


    "Yeah. That''s a must. You know who I am, right?"


    Walter chuckled. "Of course! You''re the amazing Nat who raised me since I was young!"


    Upon hearing this, Natalie couldn''t help butugh too. "I spent quite a lot of my allowance to support you when we were kids. But still, we should also thank Grace. She gave me enough of an allowance when we were little. That was how I could raise you."


    Walter then said, "But the money we earned for her and Langley Group has more thanpensated for that, hasn''t it?"


    "It''s not the same."


    "It is." Walter looked at Natalie solemnly. "Nat, did Grace raise us out of kindness?


    If that kindness was wrapped in poison and plots, would you still feel grateful?"


    Natalie fell silent. After a long while, she gently shook her head. "No."


    "I will find the proof." Walter reached out and ruffled Natalie''s hair. "Natalie, don''t hold onto hope for Grace anymore. She has deceived you for so many years. Do you really think she ever truly cared about you?"


    Natalie let out a long sigh. "I know."


    "So, let''s go back! When the timees, we''ll return to Amberton."


    "Perfect. I''ve asked Mason to go to Amberton too."


    With Mason there, he would tear apart Grace''s fake facade without hesitation if


    she tried to y the emotional card.


    "Good. Natalie, don''t soften up!"


    She nodded. "I won''t."


    Walter''s biggest worry was that Natalie was too kind and soft-hearted. He worried she still held onto the kindness Grace had shown her in the past, giving the Langleys yet another chance to hurt her again.


    After dropping Walter off at the hotel, Natalie drove to Goodwill Pharmacy in Dithoria.


    Goodwill Pharmacy was founded by Federrick. It had branches in cities all over the country¡ªtherger the city, the more branches there were.


    After he found Natalie, Federrick nursed her back to health, taught her medicine, and gradually transferred his team of talents into her hands.


    It could be said that, although Federrick had no children of his own, he treated


    Natalie even better than he would a biological daughter.


    He often said that rtionships


    between people were all about fate. The moment he first saw the young Natalie, Ke felt that their fated meeting had arrived-that the heavens thought Natalie was pitiful,


    so they sent Federrick to save her life.


    As she entered Goodwill Pharmacy, Natalie instinctively thought of Federrick. That


    old man was so strict when teaching her medicine, yet he acted like a


    mischievous child once lessons were over.


    She had no idea where in the world he had wandered off to now. Did he ever think


    of her?


    "Natalie, you''re here!"


    "Natalie''s here!"


    "Hey, Natalie!"


    Natalie hummed in acknowledgement. "Carry on with your work."


    She went around greeting everyone in Goodwill Pharmacy. She didn''t like being


    referred to as "Boss", so they all just called her Natalie.

 Chapter 206 Sheldon Boldly Speaks Up

    Natalie stayed at Goodwill Pharmacy for half an hour, preparing medicine that Charles would need to consume the next time she met him. She also grabbed some scar removal cream for herself.


    She was about to say her final goodbye to the Langleys, and she also wanted to erase the scars Diana had left behind on her body.


    She didn''t want Charlotte to feel heartbroken and shed tears every time she saw them.


    After gathering her things and saying goodbye to the others, she left Goodwill Pharmacy.


    Back at Holden Residence, Natalie handed the medicine to Connie and carefully exined how to prepare it. Then, she went to see Charles.


    Charles was sitting in the dining room. Ever since he returned, he had enjoyed staying there and brewing tea. However, due to his health, he couldn''t drink the tea himself. Instead, he would brew it for Connie and Sheldon to enjoy.


    When the two of them couldn''t finish it, Charles would leave the teapot there, waiting for Natalie and Marcus to return so they could drink it instead.


    The moment he saw Natalie enter the dining room, Charles immediately chuckled and called her over. "Nattie,e sit! I brewed a new tea today¡ªit''s from letaly! Come, have a taste."


    Natalie sat down and epted the teacup Charles handed her. She had barely taken a sip before she frowned. "Mr. Holden Senior, this isn''t letalian tea! This is Menion tea from Balford!"


    "What?" Charles widened his eyes. "That''s impossible! Thedy who sold it to me even sent me a video of an letalian tea ntation!"


    Natalie chuckled and set down her teacup. "Mr. Holden Senior, I''m sure this is Menion tea from Balford. The security guards at Quinton Hospital all drink this exact kind.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, you really shouldn''t trust those online tea sellers so easily. There are a lot of scammers nowadays, and you''re too kind and soft-hearted. Scammers probably see you as a VIP client. The moment they get a chance, they''ll try to scam you!"


    Charles looked displeased. In other words, the tea he had been brewing all this time wasn''t from letaly, but from Balford?


    "Mr. Holden Senior, does Holden Residence really require you to purchase tea leaves yourself?" Seeing that Charles looked a bit downcast, Natalie quickly changed the topic.


    Charles shook his head. "Of course not! I was just bored and browsing through stuff online when I came across a pitiful but persevering youngdy with a tragic life story.


    "I sent her some virtual gifts and left ament encouraging her to live well, and then she added me.


    "Later, I listened to her full story and felt even more sorry for her."


    "What story?" Natalie''s lips twitched. "Don''t tell me it''s the gambling father, sick mother, depressed younger sister, and the broken-hearted girl trope?"


    Charles smacked his thigh. "Nattie, you''re amazing! That''s exactly it!"


    Natalie was speechless. "Mr. Holden Senior, she''s a scammer. Did you lose a lot of money? Report it to the Federal Trade Commission!"


    "Not much, just a little over 100 thousand dors. But forget it. Perhaps she really has difficulties and had no choice but to lie."


    To Charles, 100 thousand dors was just a drop in the bucket. If thedy truly needed money, then helping her was a good thing.


    Natalie nodded. Since that was how Charles saw it, there was no need for her to try to convince him otherwise.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, it''s about time. Let''s get ready for the acupuncture," she said. "Alright."


    Charles stood up. He looked at the various types of "high-end letalian teas" he had bought, and he suddenly wasn''t sure if he should keep brewing them for everyone.


    "Nattie, help me deal with these tea leaves. Don''t let Marcus find out!" Charles said, feeling a little guilty. "You see, Nattie... While helping people is a good thing, getting scammed is quite embarrassing."


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Holden Senior. I won''t tell anyone," Natalie reassured him. "Come on. Let''s get ready so we can start your acupuncture."


    Charles sighed and quickly agreed. Recently, he had been feeling much better. Even if he asionally felt ufortable, he would take one of the pills Natalie had given him, and the difort would subside immediately.


    Natalie had told him that as long as he cooperated with the acupuncture treatment


    and herbal medication, his health would improve.


    As people grew older, they would inevitably fear death. Charles wanted to live a


    few more years to see Marcus get married and have kids.


    If his health allowed him, he even wanted to help look after Marcus'' children.


    ...


    As usual, Natalie carefully checked Charles'' pulse, made sure he consumed the


    medicine, and proceeded with his acupuncture.


    By the time everything was done, it was already 8:30 pm.


    After cleaning up, Natalie once again gave Connie some final instructions before leaving the vi while Charles was asleep.


    Just as she was about to leave, she noticed Marcus standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows. He had a tall, slender figure and a cold, stern expression. One hand was tucked into his pocket, while the other held a ss of red wine.


    Their gazes briefly locked onto each other''s, and Natalie gave a slight nod in greeting.


    Whenever she performed acupuncture on Charles, Marcus would always be present, no matter how busy he was. Natalie wasn''t sure if this was because he didn''t trust her or if he was simply concerned about Charles.


    She saw Marcus raise his ss slightly in response. She nodded again before turning to get into her car.


    Inside the vi, Sheldon stood beside Marcus. He held back from saying anything for a long time before he finally asked, "Mr. Holden, did you know that Ms. Walker has a boyfriend?"


    "Sheldon, do you have that much free time on your hands?" Marcus downed the rest of his red wine in one gulp, his tone sounding icy as he spoke.


    "No, Mr. Holden. But... That night, when you were drunk, you were all over Ms. Walker, kissing and nibbling at her. Why don''t you have any reaction to that news?"


    Sheldon continued fearlessly, "Mr. Holden, you already gave your first kiss to Ms. Walker. Are you really not considering pursuing her?"


    "Sheldon!" Marcus called out in a booming voice. His gaze instantly turned colder than before. "Watch your words."


    Sheldon could see that Marcus was extremely angry, but he still daringly pressed on. "Mr. Holden, don''t try to act cool, or you''ll end up having to travel a painful road to winning her back!"


    "Sheldon!"


    Before Marcus could yell at him, Sheldon quickly turned and ran.


    Marcus'' expression darkened like a raging storm. Sheldon was getting more and more out of line.


    Back in his own room, Sheldon patted his chest and took deep breaths. Marcus'' angry expression was terrifying!


    But honestly, if he didn''t say it today, he wouldn''t be able to hold it in any longer. Anyway, no matter how angry Marcus got, he wouldn''t actually fire him. Sheldon was doing this for Marcus'' own good. Thetter had never been in a rtionship before, so he didn''t fully understand the circumstances.


    But as someone older, Sheldon had witnessed countless others fall in love, marry, and have children. He knew that Marcus treated Natalie very, very differently.


    It was just that Marcus himself hadn''t realized it yet.


    Sheldon sighed deeply. "Oh, Mr. Holden, I''m just looking out for you! When you regret itter, you''ll


    understand my good intentions. Ms. Walkenis such a good person. If you miss this chance, you won''t find another like her!"

 Chapter 207 Be a Rose With Thorns

    Meanwhile, on her way to pick Walter up, Natalie suddenly sneezed several times in a row.


    Natalie rubbed her nose before adjusting the car''s air conditioning to a higher temperature. She picked Walter up before heading straight to the Walker residence.


    Now that all the Walkers had officially recognized her as their rightful heiress and eldest daughter, the main gate opened immediately the moment her car arrived.


    Along the way, every helper or security personnel who saw her greeted her respectfully as "Ms. Walker".


    Natalie didn''t feel much about this sense of ceremony, but she appreciated Charlotte''s and William''s attentiveness toward her.


    It was only when someone cared about a person did they consider their feelings in every aspect.


    "Sweetheart." Charlotte had been waiting for a long time. The moment she heard the security reporting from the gate, she came out joyfully to wee Natalie.


    "Nat, the helicopter, its pilot, the attendants, and bodyguards you requested-I''ve arranged everything for you."


    "Thanks, Mom." Natalie looked at Charlotte''s smiling face and softly thanked her.


    Having heard Natalie call her "Mom", Charlotte got emotional and immediately hugged her. She also kissed her cheeks twice.


    Charlotte knew her daughter had never received parental love from the Langleys, which made her emotionally reserved. As such, it was not an easy task to truly be regarded in her heart.


    Natalie didn''t know how to express love, but Charlotte did. She would let her daughter know just how much her birth mother loved her.


    "Nat, I''ve prepared a lot of food for you-not just mini fruit tarts but plenty of other delicious things."


    Ever since she found out Grace had manipted and deceived Natalie, Charlotte had stopped calling her "Nattie". She would call her "Sweetheart", "Sweetie", or "Nat". Every nickname was filled with her sincere love.


    Fortunately, Natalie was gradually epting her and had never asked her to change how Charlotte addressed her.


    "Nat, I''ve arranged bodyguards for you. If anyone from the Langleys dares to bully you, have them fight back hard. Don''t be afraid." Charlotte hugged Natalie and whispered in her ear, "Remember, no matter what happens, charge forward bravely. Your dad and I will always have your back.


    "If you''re happy,e home. If you''re unhappy, then all the more reason you muste home. Home is your safe haven, and your parents are your forever support."


    Hearing Charlotte''s gentle words of encouragement and calm manner of speech, Natalie felt an unshakable determination and strength in them.


    "Nat, I wasn''t there before, and that caused you to suffer so much. From now on, you have me. Even if I have to die, I will protect you."


    "Yeah. I know." Natalie gently returned Charlotte''s hug. "Thank you, Mom."


    "You never have to thank me." Charlotte''s voice became choked up, and her gaze gained an uncontroble warmth. Sure enough, Natalie was slowly epting her. "We''re heading off now."


    When Natalie sensed Charlotte''s emotions, she felt momentarily unsure of how to respond.


    "Okay, go ahead! Remember, if anything happens, call me. I''m not fierce about many things, but I''m very fierce when ites to scolding and fighting others. If anyone dares to bully you, tell me. I''ll scold them to death, if not beat them until they''re half dead.


    "Anyone who dares to mess with my daughter must have a death wish."


    Natalie couldn''t help but smile at that, but at the same time, a wave of sadness stirred within her.


    When she was little, she had been bullied too. When she''d told Diana, her response was only, "Why do they only bully you and not others? Maybe you should reflect on yourself. A little girl dressing up so nicely like that¡ªwho are you trying to seduce?"


    Diana had pinched the young Natalie while she spoke. Later on, when Natalie was bullied again, it was Olivia who rushed forward to protect her and got into a fight with the perpetrator.


    After that incident, Olivia brought Natalie back to her house. That was when Natalie found out that parents could also stand on the side of their children.


    When Olivia was bullied, her dad had told her, "If someone bullies you, fight back. If you win, we''ll take you out to celebrate. If you lose, we''ll take you to the hospital.


    "Our family may be poor, but we''re not afraid of causing trouble. At worst, your mom and I will get a divorce, and I''ll walk away with nothing."


    Back then, Natalie and Olivia were too young to understand what her father meant. But as they grew older, they finally did.


    Still, they ultimately never actually caused Olivia''s parents to divorce.


    Now, when Natalie heard Charlotte''s words, she couldn''t help but feel deeply moved.


    "Thank you," she quietly said. "I''m going now."


    "Okay! Go ahead!"


    Charlotte reluctantly hugged Natalie goodbye again and watched her board the helicopter. Suddenly, she took out arose from her pocket and handed it to Natalie, saying, "Nat, don''t be a gentle gardenia that stays out of the world''s fights-be a rose With thorns!"


    Natalie nodded. "I got it."


    "Mr. Watson, you need to help me protect Nat." Charlotte turned to Walter and said, "Don''t let the Langleys bully her. You have to return her to me in the same state you took her in."


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker. Please rest assured that I will ensure Nat''s safe return," Walter replied solemnly.


    They were all grown up now, and their wings were stronger. They no longer needed to be restrained by Grace and the Langleys.


    Charlotte nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I''ll wait for you two toe back."


    She waved, and the helicopter took off at the scheduled time. It gradually ascended out of her sight and into the air.


    "My daughter has epted me!"Charlotte kept looking up, softly murmuring those words. But in the end, her eyes grew hotter, and tears fell.


    "That''s a good thing!" William stepped forward and reached out to embrace


    Charlotte. "I''ve already had Mason wait for her in Amberton.


    "We''ve arranged bodyguards for


    Natalie, and Mason is there. Mr. Watson has also been given a quiet heads-up Don''t worry. This time, whether it''s Mrs. Langley Senior


    Victor, or Diana, none of them will be


    able to bully our daughter in the


    slightest."


    William also looked up at the sky and said, "Honey, don''t just see my calm


    exterior. In fact, I''m already crying up a storm on the inside."


    Charlotte chuckled in amusement. Her inexplicable sense of sadness from just now was instantly soothed I''m just worried Nat will go soft on Grace. After all, they spent 20 years together. Whenever Victor or Djana mistreated her in the past, Grace always stepped in as the good guy."


    As Charlotte spoke, her eyes started to redden. "I''m already deeply grateful that


    Nat has grown into the person she is today."


    Emotions were aplicated thing, especially for someone as kind and soft- hearted as Natalie.


    Charlotte wasn''t afraid of anything, except that Natalie might still have lingeringpassion for Grace.


    "It''s not Nat''s fault. Grace is just a cunning old fox. Didn''t she fool us at the beginning too?" William replied.


    "True. By the way, have you found out who sent us that video yet?"


    The video that Natalie showed at Tyler and Selena''s engagement party had first been sent to Charlotte by a mysterious source, who then sent it to Natalie.

 Chapter 208 So What if It’s on Purpose

    "I haven''t checked yet. The other party is a powerful figure. They probably don''t want us to find out, so there''s not a single trace left behind." William sighed. "However, one thing is certain the other party has no ill intentions toward us or Natalie. On the contrary, they''re helping us."


    Charlotte nodded. "But we still need to be extra cautious."


    "I got it. Don''t worry!"


    As the couple spoke, they looked up into the air. It was only when they were unable to see any trace of the helicopter that they finally went back into the vi.


    In Amberton''s Dithoria City Hospital, Gracey on the hospital bed, while Selena sat in front of her. She kept cursing at Kevin with vulgarnguage. "Why the hell didn''t that old coot give me the shares? He even spat in my mouth!


    "Damn that old, stubborn bastard with one foot in the grave! When I think about it now, it makes me feel so sick to my stomach. It''s not as if I tried to kill him. I only asked for his shares, and even that was already being lenient toward him.


    "Besides, wasn''t Langley Group founded by you, Grandma? They''ve been enjoying the benefits all these years, yet not only are they ungrateful, they even want to use it to threaten our family!"


    She continued, "I''ve never seen someone so utterly shameless and disgraceful. Anyway, I will not allow the grievances Kevin caused me to be settled so easily.


    "Grandma, I''m your biological granddaughter. I''ve endured and suffered so many hardships outside for so many years. You must seek justice for me!"


    "Before, you were muddle-headed and always favored Natalie, the fake heiress, so I could let it go. I could overlook the harm you''ve caused me in the past. But now, you have to stand up for me. You can only ever love me."


    "Shut up!" Grace snapped, unable to bear Selena''s constant rambling, especially when she used that filthynguage-it tarnished her ears.


    "Look at the time. Natalie should be arriving soon. When she does, I want you three to get out," Grace said.


    "But why?" Selena stood up abruptly. "Why do you want us to leave? I won''t do it!


    "Grandma, you''re not thinking of giving your shares to Natalie again, are you? Listen to me! Natalie already transferred her shares to me, and they''re mine now. If you dare to give my shares to her, don''t me me for being impolite to you."


    "And how will you be impolite to me?" Grace was trembling with fury, and her fingers shook as she pointed at Selena. "Tell me, how are you going to be impolite to me?"


    "Selena, stop talking." Victor stepped forward, covering Selena''s mouth with his hand. "Mom, Selena has suffered a lot outside over the years. She''s erratic and doesn''t know how to speak properly. Please don''t take it personally."


    Selena tried to say more, but Victor shot her a look and pulled her out of the room.


    Diana was sitting to the side in silence. She took a bite of the cut-up apple, stood up, and looked at Grace before saying, "Mom, you don''t seriously think Natalie will return to the Langleys and work subserviently, do you?


    "You''re the real mastermind behind everything! All these years, you''ve kept me in the dark and deceived me. I thought you really were against us making Natalie donate her blood to me back then! Who would''ve thought that you''re the one with the evilest heart?"


    Grace red at Diana fiercely. "Shut up, you idiot! What do you know?"


    "Sure. I''m an idiot, and I don''t know anything. But what I do know is that Natalie will never forgive you this time."


    Diana had strong objections to Grace''s tant bias against Selena ever since she came home. In fact, she even thought about quietly getting rid of Grace without anyone noticing.


    "Mom, while Natalie isn''t here yet, could you tell me why you did this?" Diana leaned closer, staring at Grace with a sharp gaze. "I''m really starting to doubt things. Was Natalie really mistakenly taken by the nurse at the hospital? And was Selena really kidnapped and sold by the same nurse?


    Grace reached out to pat her chest with one hand and pped Diana in the face with her other. "Idiot! How dare you think that?"


    "Why wouldn''t I?" Diana braved the p from Grace, but she was unusually calm, not getting angry. She stood up straight, and the corner of her lips curled into a meaningful smile.


    "Mom, tell me. When Natalie arrives, and I tell her you ordered me to abuse her as a child to make her grateful and devoted to you as a grandma, do you think she''ll believe it?"


    "Diana!" Grace abruptly raised her voice. "If you dare mess around, I won''t spare you!"


    "How will you retaliate? Do you think your lifeless body lying in this bed will stop me? Mrs. Langley Senior, I''m not Natalie. I will make sure to return the favor."


    Diana had a sarcastic expression on her face. "Natalie is so unlucky to have met a shameless olddy like you."


    "You-"


    Sneering, Diana turned around and left the ward before Grace could respond again. As soon as she exited the ward, she saw Natalie and Walter standing there with calm expressions.


    Diana didn''t know if they had just arrived or if they had already been there for a while. She nodded slightly at Natalie, smiled at Walter, then turned and left without looking back.


    "Let''s go in," Natalie said.


    Natalie calmly pushed open the door and entered, followed closely by Walter.


    When they arrived earlier, they had just managed to overhear Diana and Grace''s conversation. Diana seemed to have given up on pretending, instead adopting a fearless stance.


    Natalie sat down beside the bed, and Walter quietly closed the door behind him.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior," Natalie greeted with a calm tone while cing the fruit basket and flowers down. "How are you feeling?"


    Grace''s eyes began to redden, and she shook her head. She choked up as she said, "Nattie, I''m not well."


    "Walter,e over for a bit," Natalie said, turning to look at Walter. "Mrs. Langley Senior, let me introduce you two. This is my boyfriend, Walter."


    "Nattie..." Grace''s voice cracked as tears welled up in her eyes. "You can''t be with Walter. You just can''t Walter doesn''t suit you. You need to marry Marcus. I asked you to get together with Marcus. Why didn''t you listen?"


    "Why should be with Marcus?" Natalie asked indifferently. "Mrs. Langley Senior, why do you insist seduce Marcus and then marry him?


    What''s wrong with Walter? What part of him isn''t worthy of me?"


    Natalie calmly said to Grace, "If you were really doing it for my own good, how could you make me seduce Marcus while he still had a fianc¨¦e? You


    ed me to make it happen


    I wanted to or not "


    Natalie then sneered and added, "Mrs. Langley Senior, have you ever done something like this before? Is that why you think this kind of stunt is honorable?"


    "Nattie, don''t be angry with me. Don''t stay together with Walter. Listen to me." Grace reached out to grab Natalie''s hand, but Natalie quickly swatted her away. "I know you''re doing this on purpose," Grace said.


    "On purpose?" Natalie smiled. When she did, her delicate eyebrows curved upward, and her cheeks showed a deep dimple, instantly diminishing her cold demeanor.


    However, her smile didn''t reach her eyes.


    "If you think I''m doing this on purpose, then yes, I did it on purpose. What about


    it? You don''t really think you can control me, do you?"

 Chapter 209 Asking the Truth of the Matter

    Natalie''s lips curved upward, and her eyes seemed to lift, but her gaze was surprisingly cold. When she spoke, she stared intently at Grace, who had once been someone she trusted with her whole heart.


    Because of that trust, no matter what Grace said or did, Natalie never thought of her in the worst light. Even before, Natalie still held out some hope for her and gave her onest chance.


    However, Grace only disappointed her.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I don''t actually remember many details from my childhood. But after some careful reflection, I do have some impressions."


    Natalie stared unblinkingly at Grace and said, "I was truly grateful toward you and respected you."


    "Nattie, you''ve misunderstood me." Grace wiped her tears away, saying, "I don''t know where you got that video clip, but I swear I''ve never done anything like that. Besides, I never said such a thing."


    "Enough," Natalie interrupted Grace. "Mrs. Langley Senior, even your daughter-in-w doesn''t believe what you''re saying.


    "I''m giving you onest chance now. Tell me honestly-when my mom and Mrs. Langley gave birth in the hospital, were the babies intentionally swapped, or was it really the hospital''s mistake, as you said? That it was a case of unfortunate timing and that the Langleys were also victims?


    "I want to hear the honest truth, Mrs. Langley Senior."


    Natalie spoke each word with a sharp tone, and the coldness in her gaze sent a chill down Grace''s spine.


    "Do you know who my parents are? They are currently investigating what happened back then. If they were to uncover the truth..." Natalie smirked. "The consequences will not be something you or the Langleys can bear."


    "Nattie, are you threatening your grandma?"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, don''t call yourself my grandma."


    By this point, Natalie truly felt that Grace was hypocritical. How had she not noticed before that this olddy''s acting skills and shamelessness far exceeded her imagination?


    "I feel disgusted with you," Natalie said bluntly. She no longer wanted to show any affection to Grace. She just wanted to know if Gace had intentionally taken her back to the Langleys.


    Grace''s aged face alternated between turning pale and flushing red. Her lips quivered as tears streamed down the wrinkles on her face.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, the only thing I''m grateful to the Langleys for is that Victor posted my information on the family searchwork.


    "For so many years, you asked me to maintain a low profile in anything I did¡ª never letting me take any ads or magazine shoots. You also told me to stay out of the spotlight at Langley Group. Was it because you were afraid that if my picture got posted, my real parents would recognize me?"


    Grace shook her head. "No, Nattie! It''s not like that!"


    "Then say it!" Natalie suddenly raised her voice. She mmed her hand on the bedside table with a loud bang, making Grace shudder in fear.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, my patience has run thin. Don''t waste thest bit of affection I have for you."


    Natalie''s sudden shift in attitude caught Grace off guard for a moment.


    Grace silently shed tears, and after a while, she said in a choked-up voice, "Nattie, I can tell you for sure that I never knew you and Selena would be swapped. You also can''t me me for the hospital''s mistake.


    "It''s my first time being a grandmother. Perhaps there are many areas where I didn''t do well, but my love for you can never be faked."


    Grace choked up between words, then suddenly covered her face and burst into tears.


    Natalie and Walter exchanged a nce, and Walter understood her intentions. He immediately got up to go outside.


    Inside the ward, Natalie watched in silence as Grace cried. Not long ago, she and Walter had overheard the entirety of Grace and Diana''s conversation while standing at the entrance of the ward.


    Now, while she was here watching Grace, she let Walter get to the things he needed to do.


    ...


    After Walter left the ward, he made a phone call. Soon, Yvonne appeared before him.


    "Mr. Watson, over here, please."


    Yvonne''s face looked a bit haggard, but her overall demeanor was noticeably more rxed.


    "Mr. Zeller, Mr, Lewis, and the other board members have already arranged for Mr. Langley to meet at the hotel next to the hospital," she reported.


    "I see."


    Walter followed Yvonne out of the hospital and quickly arrived at the hotel next door.


    Kevin and Jack took the lead. With the board members providing support, they surrounded Victor in the center.


    Victor felt a twinge of guilt as he faced the numerous people alone. "I don''t want your shares, and you can''t force me to buy them either!"


    "Then, we''ll just sell them to someone else," Kevin replied with a slight smile. "Gaston Corp from next door is quite interested in the shares we hold.


    "But since we''ve always followed Mrs. Langley Senior''s people, we wanted to ask you first. Victor, think carefully If you refuse to take our shares, and we sell them elsewhere,


    wiff


    who knows if the Langleys will still


    have control over Langley Group?


    "They say a new leader always makes bold moves. Your daughter, Selena, has neither education nor talent. Do you really think the new CEO will let you ce an


    ipetent daughter in the el


    Victor didn''t like what Kevin was saying, but some others stood up right before he could refute them.


    "Mr. Watson, you''re here."


    "Yeah." Walter nodded slightly, his expression stern as he took big strides forward. Kevin immediately stood up and offered his seat. "Mr. Watson, I''ll pass it on to you now."


    "Okay." Walter took the document from Kevin and looked at Victor. His cold gaze made Victor instinctively want to flee. The orphan who had once relied on the Langleys had now grown into a formidablewyer, feared by many.


    "Mr. Watson, we''ll also leave the rest to you."


    Everyone handed over their documents to Walter, then stood up one after the other and left the private meeting room without hesitation.


    After they left, Walter opened Kevin''s document folder and asked, "Why doesn''t Mr. Langley want the shares held by the shareholders? Do you think the price is too high? Or does Mrs. Langley Senior not allow you to have it?" Walter''s expression remained calm. Though his words were framed as a question, his tone carried the certainty of a statement. It was as though everything about the Langleys was under his control.


    Without waiting for Victor to


    respond, Walter spoke again. "I know. It''s Mrs. Langley Senior who won''t allow you to acquire them. It''s because she''s never trusted you. She thinks it''s difficult for you to take on such a big responsibility.


    "Mr. Langley, do you really want to be a mama''s boy for the rest of your life? Your talents and abilities¡ªare you really going to suppress your desire to improve just because of one word from Mrs. Langley Senior?


    "Weren''t you the one who solved the crisis faced by Langley Group before, Mr. Langley?"


    Walter pushed up his gold-rimmed sses. His voice was deep and maic, his tone steady and powerful.


    "Natalie is now with Mrs. Langley Senior in her ward. If you don''t seize this opportunity now, it''ll be difficult to say what might happen next, Mr. Langley."

 Chapter 210 Langley Group Is His From Now On

    Walter continued goading Victor, "Right now, Mr. Zeller and the others are giving you the opportunity, Mr. Langley. Will you really not take this chance to seize thepany for yourself?


    "Langley Group is the toppany in Amberton, and the Langleys are the richest family in Amberton. Mr. Langley, you know very well how Langley Group has been operating these past few years.


    "The future prospects and development of Langley Group will only get better, not worse. If Mr. Zeller and the rest really sell their shares to otherpanies, you might not even retain the right to an opinion, Mr. Langley."


    "Walter, are you being sincere?" Victor stared at Walter, who was awyer with words sharper than anyone else''s.


    Still, everything that he said until now was true.


    Victor was tempted, so all he needed was for someone to give him a push.


    "If you want Mr. Zeller''s and the others'' shares, I can help you go through all the documents and procedures," Walter said calmly. "After all, I was brought back from the orphanage and raised by Mrs. Langley Senior."


    "But after Natalie leaves, won''t you also leave with her?" Victor was still hesitant. "You''re helping Yvonne and the employees of Langley Group im theirpensation now. How can I trust you?"


    Walterughed immediately upon hearing this. He took off his gold-rimmed sses and carefully wiped them with a cleaning wipe.


    "Mr. Langley, this is where you''re wrong. Even if I don''t help Yvonne and the others negotiate with you, what if they apply forbor arbitration or expose Ms. Walkers ''great aplishments'' at Langley Group online? Do you really think Langley Group would remain unaffected?"


    Walter smiled faintly. Although Victor was Grace''s son, his methods and decisiveness were far inferior to Grace''s.


    It was just that Grace was getting older, and perhaps knowing what kind of person


    her son was, skipped Victor and raised Natalie under her wing.


    But who would have known that Grace wasn''t being sincere toward Natalie?


    There were probably other hidden schemes at y here.


    Natalie''s interrogation of Grace in the ward was unlikely to yield any answers, but she didn''t care. Her main goal was to stall her while Walter worked on persuading Victor to buy out the shares from the other shareholders.


    Victor, being indecisive, wanted the shares, but Grace had strictly prohibited him from acquiring the shares held by Kevin and the rest. Walter didn''t need to use borate ttery¡ªa little pressure was all it took to convince Victor.


    "The animosity between Mr. Zeller and Ms. Langley has already been formed. To put it bluntly, if Mr. Zeller doesn''t leave, Ms. Langley will never be able to enter Langley Group. Mr. Zeller''s voluntary departure would be a dignified solution for both parties.


    "It''s also out of respect for Mrs. Langley Senior that we''re considering selling the shares to you first. That way, even if Mrs. Langley Senior decides to give her shares to Natalie, the majority of the shares would still be in your hands. In the future, Langley Group will still be under your control."


    After Walter finished speaking, he looked through the documents left by the other shareholders. Theirbined shares weren''t all that significant.


    Grace held thergest number of shares, followed by Kevin and Jack.


    Victor, as Grace''s son, held the least shares. Although his percentage held was small, he received the highest annual dividends.


    This was because Grace''s share of the dividend was also given to Victor and Diana. On paper, Grace gave her shares to Natalie, but in reality, Natalie did not receive any dividends whatsoever.


    This was also the decision Grace had made before she got into the car ident while saving Natalie.


    At that time, Walter disagreed with it, but Natalie herself had no objections, so he couldn''t say anything.


    Perhaps because Walter didn''t live with the Langleys and did not receive as much attention and care from Grace, he was able to see things more clearly-and earlier than Natalie did.


    Grace gave her shares to Natalie,


    having her secretly manage Langley Group. But Natalie only took a basic


    sry, with all the dividends going to Victor and Diana. She even


    said that


    they were a family, and since Victor and Dianacked the abilities,


    Langley Group was to be handed


    over to Natalie in the future.


    Still, as a daughter, it was only natural for Natalie to want her parents to live better lives. She recalled the love and protection Grace had shown her and was deeply grateful. Therefore, she hadn''t raised any objections to Grace''s arrangements.


    But Walter could clearly see that Grace was using Natalie as freebor-she managed thepany, negotiated projects, and earned the money, but she did not receive any dividends. Natalie herself didn''t mind or argue about this because she valued love and loyalty above all else.


    Although Natalie had only begun to uncover a small part of Grace''s true nature, she was slowly peeling back theyers and no longer allowed herself to be used subserviently.


    Moreover, what was most infuriating was how the Langleys had disregarded Natalie''s health and relentlessly forced her to draw blood for Diana over the years.


    "Mr. Langley, think it over for yourself. I''m just the middleman here, analyzing the pros and cons for you," Walter said as he stood up. "I came back this time to help Langley Group''s employees negotiatepensation with Mrs. Langley Senior and the management.


    "Mr. Zeller and the others have no objections and are willing to offer the best treatment to the departing employees. Now, I''m going to talk to Mrs. Langley Senior about thepensation."


    With that, Walter strode out of the hotel''s private meeting room. After he left, he nced at Kevin, who nodded in understanding.


    Kevin walked into the meeting room and took away his equity transfer agreement. Mr. Langley! I''m really sorry, but I can''t sell my shares to you anymore because the CEO of Celestial Group has invited me out. Mr. Lewis and I have thought about it and decided not to sell the shares to you for now."


    Chuckling, Kevin added, "I''m truly sorry about spitting into your daughter''s mouth back then. How about this? I''ll make an apology video and publish it in the press


    to formally apologize to your daughter."


    "No," Victor refused without hesitation.


    If Kevin posted a video and published it, it would make the matter known to everyone. In the future, would Selena and Tyler still even want to kiss?


    "But Victor, your daughter wants me to give up my shares without me taking a single cent¡ªthat''s just impossible." Kevin sighed deeply. "If it were you, would you give up your shares without asking for a single cent just because of a spit?"


    Victor''s expression turned grim. If it were him, not only would he not give up his shares, but he would probably p the person threatening him twice. Thus, Kevin''s temperament could actually be considered quite good.


    "Well, if ites down to it, we''ll justpensate your daughter a bit," Jack responded. "Victor, if the situation esctes and bes ugly, it won''t look good for your daughter''s reputation. Kevin admitted his mistakes, but is your daughterpletely meless?"


    "Enough of that. Let''s go! The CEO of Celestial Group is still waiting for us!" Kevin piped up.


    "Wait." Victor hesitated for a moment before saying, "I''ll buy the shares you hold."


    "You sure?"


    "I am."


    "Then, sign the document!"


    Kevin and Jack exchanged a smile. "We won''t take advantage of you either. We''ll


    sell it to you at the current stock price."


    "Okay." After Victor spoke, he made up his mind.


    The three of them quickly signed the document in the private meeting room. After


    it was signed, Kevin called Walter.


    "Mr. Watson, we have the signed equity transfer agreement, so the subsequent procedures are in your hands now."


    After Walter answered the call, he walked back into the room, giving Victor a slight smile.


    "Congrattions, Mr. Langley. Langley Group is yours from now on."

 Chapter 211 An Eye for an Eye, Langleys

    Walter congratted Victor. Yet, for some reason, instead of feeling ted, Victor felt a strange sense of unease.


    He quickly reassured himself. After all, every crisis Langley Group faced had been resolved by him. Now that thepany was thriving with a bright future ahead, there was nothing to be anxious about.


    Kevin, Jack, and the other shareholders were fools who were too blind to see its real potential. If they wanted to leave, they were free to do so.


    Victor believed that under his leadership, Langley Group would rise to even greater heights. With that, the Langleys would undoubtedly be Amberton''s wealthiest dynasty for generations toe.


    With this thought in mind, a grin spread across Victor''s face. He patted Walter on the shoulder and said, "Thank you, Mr. Watson. I''ll leave the paperwork and following procedures in your hands."


    Walter replied with a polite smile, "Of course, Mr. Langley. It''s my duty. Here''s to continued sess."


    "That''s a given." Victor chuckled confidently. "Rest assured, under my leadership, Langley Group will only get better."


    "Absolutely," Walter agreed with a touch of ttery before excusing himself to handle the rest of the formalities.


    The moment Walter left the hotel, he called Natalie. "Hey, Nat. Victor has signed the papers. The shares Mr. Zeller and the others held have been transferred."


    "Good," Natalie replied before ending the call.


    She turned to look at Grace, whoy on the bed, clutching her chest and crying uncontrobly. Since Natalie had confronted her with the truth, Grace either outright denied everything or diverted the conversation to childhood memories.


    Natalie had to admit that many of those memories showed moments when Grace had genuinely cared for her, which was why she had unquestioningly given blood transfusions to Diana all these years.


    She did not want to hurt Grace and was grateful for her kindness. The truth was, deep down, she had been conditioned to believe that if she kept being obedient, her parents might finally see her worth and love her.


    Nheless, it turned out to be a lie-everything was a lie. As Natalie listened to Grace recount the past, she felt nothing but disgust and bitterness.


    "Nattie, have you forgotten? You had pneumonia once when you were little. You couldn''t cough up the mucus, so I sucked it out of your lungs with my own mouth," Grace mumbled between sobs, her voice hoarse.


    Tears streamed down her face as she continued, "And remember the time you went hiking with your friends and got caught in a mudslide?


    "I didn''t care about the danger-I risked my life to pull you out of there! If I didn''t love you, would I have defied everyone and risked my life to save you?"


    Natalie listened in silence as her chest tightened in pain. It was because of things like this that she had never doubted Grace''s love for her.


    Grace did not stop there, saying, "Nattie, have you forgotten? When you were sick, I stayed up all night caring for you. When your father and mother scolded or ignored you, I was always the first tofort you."


    Grace wiped her tears and added, "I even arranged for you to be engaged to Tyler. The Millers are the best family in Amberton, besides us Langleys. Tyler is tall, handsome, and reliable.


    "Unlike other rich kids, he''s someone we know well. The Millers depend on the Langley family to survive, so if you married him, they''d treat you like a queen. They''d never dare mistreat you."


    She asked, "I considered everything for you. But now, because of some random video, you''ve dismissed all the love and sacrifices I made for you over the years?"


    Grace mmed both hands down


    on the bed, her voice trembling with desperation. "A few years ago, I got hit by a car trying to save you. I ended up with the mind of a child, but still remembered you loved mini fruit tarts."


    She added, "Even when my mind wasn''t right, deep down, I never forgot that I had to be good to you, Nattie. Do you really not care about any of that?"


    Grace''s sobs grew louder as she spoke. Though her voice wavered, there was an undeniable sincerity to her words.


    Natalie suppressed the grief wing at her chest and spoke in a steady tone. "Grandma, I just want to ask you one question."


    She paused, meeting Grace''s tearful gaze. "Where did Victor get that Three- Second Poison from?"


    Grace froze, bewildered by the sudden shift in the conversation. "What''s a Three- Second Poison? I don''t know what you mean."


    Natalie gave a bitter smile. "Not long ago, Victor tricked me into returning to the Langley family and used that on me. You''re telling me you don''t know about it?


    "Come on, Grandma. You were the one who taught me how to recognize it!"


    Her voice sharpened. "That poison was your secret weapon when you started building your empire. Have you forgotten?"


    Grace''s tear-soaked face stiffened, her expression faltering. At that moment, old memories flooded her mind like a tidal wave.


    "Victor inherited your methods and used them against me," Natalie said, standing up. She tried to keep her emotions in check, but her red-rimmed eyes betrayed her pain.


    Her lips curled in a mix of sadness and scorn. "I don''t understand, Grandma. You''ve always been so good to me. I just couldn''t understand why you would actually betray me."


    Natalie''s voice cracked, though she tried to keep it steady. "Since I was a child, I''ve suspected that Victor and Diana weren''t my biological parents. But I never doubted you were my real grandmother."


    She exined, "I didn''t understand


    much when I was little. But as I grew


    older, I learned that direct rtives


    can''t donate blood to each other.


    That''s how I knew I wasn''t Victor and Diana''s daughter.


    "But because of you, I never felt the need to look for my real parents. You loved


    me, protected me, and gave me everything they couldn''t.


    "That''s why it didn''t matter to me that they didn''t love me. Whatever they didn''t give me, you made up for it. That''s why, no matter how many times Diana asked me to give blood or how much I sacrificed for the Langley family, I epted it.


    "I didn''t care. But Grandma..." Natalie''s voice trembled with both anger and


    sorrow. "I can''t ept that all of this was part of some twisted n."


    "I just wanted to know the truth, but you kept evading and denying it. Grandma, I know you. Just like you know me." Natalie wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes.


    "I gave you so many chances toe clean. Why couldn''t you take any of them?" Her voice softened, but there was a sharp edge to her words.


    "It''s fine if you won''t admit it. I don''t care anymore. But understand this, Grandma this is the end for us. We''re done."


    Natalie smirked and said, "An eye for an eye¡ªI''m going to return every dirty trick the Langley family used on me."


    Her gaze hardened as she tilted her head thoughtfully. "Where should I start? How about with the Three-Second Poison Victor used on me?"


    "Nattie, please don''t do this. Don''t take revenge on the Langley family," Grace begged, her heart sinking like a stone. Everything was spiraling out of control, far from the oue she had anticipated.

 Chapter 212 Inherited Graces Ways

    Grace sobbed uncontrobly, her voice hoarse and desperate. "I know you''ve misunderstood me. I know you''re angry at me. me me if you want-just me¡ª but don''t drag the Langley family into this, okay?"


    "Please, Nattie," she continued with a pleading tone. "I''m begging you. Remember all the times I saved your life, how I took care of you when you were sick. Please don''t take revenge on the Langley family.


    "I''m old now. I''ve lived well these past years thanks to you, and honestly, I wouldn''t have any regrets even if I died today," Grace said, her voice trembling. Her tears blurred her vision as she asionally clutched at her chest.


    Natalie said nothing, staring at Grace in silence. The tension in the room grew heavy and oppressive, making Grace increasingly anxious.


    Earlier that day, Kevin and a few other shareholders had visited Grace. They had politely mentioned their ns to sell their shares in Langley Group, saying they wanted to retire and spend their remaining years with their children.


    Grace understood what they meant. In the past, she had Natalie secretly handle Langley Group''s affairs, ensuring the reports always looked impressive. Even during crises, Natalie had managed to keep everything under control.


    But now, Natalie was determined to leave thepany, and Walter had decided to leave with her. The Langley Group''s future looked bleak.


    Grace knew she was too old to raise another Natalie. She had always believed she could manipte her-using her kindness and soft heart to tie her to the Langley family forever.


    After all, Natalie had grown up under her care. She had never expected that Natalie would change, turning colder, more ruthless, and unyielding.


    Grace was getting older, and she knew that once she passed away, Victor would be powerless to hold Langley Group together. Even so, Natalie was not their own blood.


    Whenever Grace was in a bad mood, she would let Victor and Diana treat Natalie like their punching bag. It was a pattern-Victor and Diana would hit her with harsh words or worse, and Grace would offer her some sweetness afterward.


    It had worked for years, with no real issues. But everything began falling apart after Natalie found her biological parents.


    Grace felt a chill deep in her bones as Natalie''s piercing gaze bore into her. Their rtionship, built over so many years, suddenly felt like a cruel joke.


    Natalie''s sacrifices seemed just asughable. However, she was not going to let it continue.


    After a long silence, Natalie finally stepped forward and gently pulled the nket up over Grace. Her voice was calm and emotionless as she whispered, "Take care of yourself, Grandma. I''m the person you raised. You should know that deep down, I inherited some of your ways," she added calmly.


    Grace froze, her mind racing. She had taught Natalie so many things over the years that she could not recall which ways she was referring to.


    Without another word, Natalie turned and walked out of the hospital room. As soon as she stepped out, her phone buzzed with a new message. She opened it and saw a video from an anonymous number, with all zeros.


    The video showed footage from the day she had gone to the mountains to paint and gotten trapped in andslide. Natalie''s eyes widened as the scene unfolded.


    In the video, she was stranded on the mountain. Meanwhile, a man wearing a hat and mask stood behind Grace at the base.


    The man spoke respectfully to Grace and reported, "Mrs. Langley Senior, Ms. Langley is stranded alone on the mountain. As per your instructions, the surrounding scene has been set up."


    "When you head up there, all you need to do is put on a show of risking your life to save her." He paused for a moment before continuing, "Everything is ready. Ms. Langley won''t suspect a thing."


    Grace nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, that''s exactly what I want-Natalie to feel eternally indebted to me, to think she owes me for life."


    The video ended abruptly. Natalie stared at the mysterious number made up


    entirely of zeros. It was the same number that had sent her the footage of Grace


    and Victor arguing in the hospital about the forced blood draws.


    She had tried tracing the sender


    before, but whoever it was had hidden their tracks well. This person seemed to be slowly exposing


    Grace''s true colors. Every time


    Grace used emotional maniption


    against her, the mystery sender would counter with undeniable evidence.


    Natalie wondered who they were. Were they a friend or an enemy?


    "Natalie." Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.


    Diana stood nearby, her expression moreplex than before. The intense hatred that usually filled her eyes was gone, reced by something softer and more conflicted. She asked, "Do you have a moment to talk?"


    ...


    Ten minutester, the two of them sat in a caf¨¦ across the hospital. Diana ordered an iced espresso and got Natalie a cappino.


    As they waited for the drinks, Diana broke the silence. "I''ve known you weren''t my biological daughter since you were very young."


    "I talked to Victor about it, and we secretly did a DNA test to confirm it," Diana


    continued, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. "We were right-you''re not rted to


    us. Blood rtives can''t donate blood directly to one another, after all."


    "Victor knew. Mom definitely knew too," Diana added, her voice hardening slightly. "Mom always opposed me taking blood from you. But I was filled with resentment. Why should my real daughter be missing while you lived a life of luxury in the Langley family?"


    "Mom constantly scolded us for how we treated you. Nothing was ever good enough for her when it came to you," Diana said with a sarcastic chuckle. "You weren''t the only one being lied to all these years, Natalie. I was too."


    Her tone grew sharper. "Victor and I have been married for years, and he''s always known exactly what kind of woman his mother is. But he kept it hidden from me."


    "I was such a fool to think Victor and I were on the same side. Who would''ve thought the Mrs. Langley Senior, who pretended to dote on you, was really a two- faced snake?"


    Dianaughed bitterly. "Honestly, she''s worse than I am."


    Natalie sat quietly, listening without expression. Diana had always worn her cruelty on her sleeve, making it easier to guard against her. On the other hand, Grace had deceived Natalie for years under the guise of love and care. That betrayal cut deeper than anything Diana had done.


    "Natalie, I know you hate me. I ept that," Diana said, her gaze softening


    slightly.


    "But Selena is innocent. She''s suffered so much all these years. She didn''t have a proper education or anyone to guide her. No one taught her basic decency, and it shows."


    "She''s crude, unstable, even vicious. But as her mother, I can''t me her for any of that," Diana remarked with a sigh. "The fact that she survived out there and made it back to me safely is more than I could''ve hoped for."


    "From now on, I just want to make up for all the love and support Selena was deprived of," Diana continued, her voice heavy with emotion.


    "I know Selena has targeted you-ndered and plotted against you and I was the one who allowed and encouraged it. You found your biological family, and I didn''t feel happy for you. I only thought you deserved to suffer the way Selena had."

 Chapter 213 Battlefield Between Mothers

    Diana''s expression twisted as she spoke, her hand tightening around the coffee cup. The server ced their drinks on the table, and Diana''s eyes darkened with hatred as she red at Natalie.


    She suddenly hissed, "Natalie, don''t me me for this. me the hospital for switching you at birth. You took Selena''s ce and lived a life offort with the Langley family for years. I hate you, I resent you, and I want to ruin you.


    "You won''t make it up to Selena until you''re suffering, until the world turns on you. Only then will her pain finally be avenged."


    Natalie stared at Diana with a calm yet unwavering gaze. Diana''s dislike for her had never been a secret.


    As far back as she could remember, Diana had taken every opportunity to punish her. Whether it was yelling, pping, or pinching her, Diana always found a reason tosh out.


    When Natalie was younger, she had no choice but to seek Grace''s protection. Grace would step in when Diana crossed the line, but eventually, Diana found ways to abuse Natalie in private.


    Over time, Natalie noticed Grace growing weary of constantly intervening. As a result, she stopped asking for help and learned how to avoid Diana instead.


    If she could not escape, she endured it. After all, once Diana''s anger subsided, she would have a few peaceful days.


    Hearing Diana''s words now did not shock her. Instead, Natalie calmly lifted the cappino in front of her and sshed it directly onto Diana''s face.


    The coffee was still hot, and Diana screamed in pain. "Natalie, you little bit¡ª" Before she could finish the insult, Natalie''s hand struck her face with a sharp p. The sound echoed through the caf¨¦, cutting off Diana''s words.


    Natalie pulled a packet of wet wipes from her bag and slowly cleaned her hands. Then, she took out her phone, having ced a call on speakerphone without Diana realizing it.


    "Hello? Mom, did you hear that? Diana, this bitch, has been abusing me for years. She mistreated me to avenge her own daughter." Natalie''s voice was cold and emotionless as she stared at Diana.


    On the other end of the call, Charlotte was seething with fury. Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Natalie, I''ll take care of it.


    "I swear to you, if I don''t make Diana pay for what she''s done, I''m not worthy to be your mother."


    "Thank you, Mom," Natalie replied, her voice icy and detached. She ended the call and shed a small smile at Diana.


    "Sorry, Mrs. Langley. I''m no longer the girl who had no one to stand up for her. I have a mother who loves me now," Natalie said with calm authority.


    "You''re willing to sacrifice everything for Selena. Well, my mother is just as willing to do the same for me. This is a battlefield between mothers now."


    Natalie''s smile widened ever so slightly, her tone light but carrying a weight that left no room for doubt.


    "Natalie!" Diana gasped, caught between fear and outrage. She knew all too well what Charlotte was capable of. That woman was anything but ordinary.


    Natalie politely bid Diana goodbye, "Goodbye, Mrs. Langley." Then, she stood and left the caf¨¦ without looking back.


    Once outside, Natalie sent Walter a quick message. He replied that he had to return to Langley Group to handle urgent matters and would not be able to meet her for the time being.


    Natalie then called Mason. He informed her that he had already arrived in Amberton and was waiting at the Langleys'' old estate. She instructed Mason to wait for her before hailing a cab.


    ...


    After Natalie left, Diana sat frozen in the caf¨¦, her face and hair sticky with coffee. However, what truly terrified her was the thought of Charlotte''s retaliation.


    She had always bullied Natalie without fear, openly expressing her hatred for the girl. But Charlotte was a different story.


    Diana shuddered, remembering Charlotte''s son, the doctor, who had once drawn her blood. The needle had been enormous, and the blood bag seemed bottomless. By the time the procedure was over, Diana had felt as though she had barely escaped death.


    Forcing herself to stay calm, she took a deep breath and called Selena. "Hey, Selena. I need you toe home right now. We need to talk."


    "Fine!" Selena was at a high-end mall, indulging in a shopping spree with Grace''s credit card. After buying onest designer coat and swiping the card again, she called for her driver and returned home.


    The moment they were back, Diana


    wasted no time exining the situation. "Selena, that little bitch,


    Natalie, is sending Charlotte to


    retaliate against us. I''ve been


    thinking about it, and our best option


    is to leave the country together."


    While getting cleaned up earlier, Diana had made up her mind. She never used to think much about blood transfusions. However, after experiencing how painful it was, she could not risk anything like that again.


    "If we go somewhere remote where no one knows us, Charlotte won''t be able to find us," Diana suggested.


    Selena, however, did not seem concerned at all. She lounged on the couch,pletely rxed. "Mom, if Charlotte wants toe after you, why not just fight back? What''s there to be afraid of?"


    "Selena, we can''t afford to cross Natalie''s family," Diana replied, frowning. Though she was not deeply involved in thepany, she had attended numerous social events with Victor over the years.


    At those events, Diana had seen the poise and presence of wealthy women far above her status. She knew Selena could notpare to those well-groomed daughters of elite families.


    Selena had spent too many years on her own and missed out on the proper upbringing and training those girls received. Marrying Tyler had been the best match Diana could arrange for Selena.


    Nheless, after the scandalous videos of Selena surfaced¡ªand with Tyler witnessing one firsthand the Millers would not be so easily convinced it was fake.


    A seed of doubt had already been nted in Tyler''s mind. Even if he married Selena out of obligation, Diana knew her daughter''s future happiness would be at risk.


    Despite everything, Diana only wanted Selena to be happy. She exined, "Selena, I''m not afraid of Charlotte. I just think it''s wiser toy low for a while."


    "I''m not going anywhere," Selena said without hesitation. "Mom, the Langley family is the richest in Amberton. Why should you be scared of Charlotte?"


    She continued, "Look, we just won''t go to Dithoria anymore. This is our territory. You don''t have to be afraid of her if she dares toe here.


    "If Natalie wants to pit her mom


    against you, then fine-let them try. I


    believe in you, Mom. You''lle out on top. Dithoria, we were at a disadvantage because it was their home turf. But Amberton is ours-things are different here."


    Selena smirked, her confidence growing. "Oh, and guess what? Dad just bought


    out Kevin''s and Jack''s shares. He''s now thergest shareholder in Langley


    Group. Even Grandma will have to listen to him from now on."


    Diana remained quiet, lost in thought. Despite her fear of Charlotte, Selena''s arrogance and blind faith in the Langley family''s power left her both frustrated and oddlyforted.

 Chapter 214 Someones Watching Her Every Move

    "Mom, I have a n," Selena said, pulling Diana closer and whispering in her ear.


    When Diana heard it, all the color drained from her face. "Selena, no. We can''t do that."


    Selena rolled her eyes. "Why not? We can hold off for now if you''re too scared."


    Stretchingzily, she stood and yawned. "Anyway, I''m not going abroad. I just returned home and haven''t even enjoyed my life yet! Sure, I didn''t manage to get free shares from that old bastard Kevin, but it''s fine since Dad bought them over."


    Selena grinned and waved her phone in front of Diana, saying, "Oh, by the way, I asked Kevin for half a million dors. This time, he handed it over without a fight."


    Diana frowned, feeling uneasy. She found it suspicious since Kevin had always looked down on Victor. Yet, he was treating Natalie with surprising generosity.


    If Kevin had given the money to Natalie, Diana would have believed it. But it did not make sense for him to give even a dime to Selena.


    Still, Kevin had been in the wrong in their previous dispute, so perhaps the money was justpensation. Diana tried to convince herself she was overthinking it.


    "Mom, I''m exhausted from shopping. I''m going to bed," Selena announced. "Oh, have Meredith organize my new clothes."


    "Sure," Diana replied.


    Selena headed upstairs, and Diana called Meredith over to handle the task. Afterward, Meredith carried hundreds of clothing items up to the walk-in closet and began sorting them.


    Diana stayed nearby, watching as Meredith meticulously organized everything. For some reason, her thoughts drifted to Natalie''s years in the Langley family. Natalie had never worn bright colors or dresses. In fact, Diana could not recall ever seeing her in anything extravagant like an evening gown.


    Natalie''s fair skin and elegant figure were features Diana could never have, and that jealousy had always simmered within her. As she watched Selena''s vibrant, morous wardrobe being sorted, she felt an unsettling wave of confusion. She could not even remember thest time Natalie had worn something beautiful.


    When Meredith noticed Diana was staring, she could not help but feel anxious. She quickly tried to reassure Diana and said, "Mrs. Langley, why don''t you take a break? I''ll be careful not to ruin anything."


    "It''s fine. Just keep working," Diana replied absentmindedly. Feeling out of sorts, she left the room and sat on the living room couch.


    She tried to push thoughts of Natalie aside, but Charlotte''s potential retaliation gnawed at her mind. Unable to shake her worry, she grabbed her phone and called Victor.


    As the call was connected, she immediately said, "Hey, darling. Can you hire more bodyguards and upgrade the security system at the house?"


    "I''m busy," Victor answered curtly before hanging up.


    Victor was currently at the Langley family''s old estate, watching as Natalie and Mason packed up her belongings. Natalie was taking personal items she had left behind, including books, art collections, and photo albums.


    She had once hoped Grace would recover and return to the estate. Even after being banished from the family, Natalie had thought it would be enough for Grace to see her photos again someday. But now, that hope hadpletely died.


    "Didn''t you say you wouldn''t take anything that wasn''t yours when you left?" Victor asked bitterly, watching her pack more items with increasing difort.


    Before Natalie could respond, Mason stepped forward, blocking Victor''s path. He snapped, "What''s your problem? Do you seriously think Nat would want the Langleys'' trash? Are you blind or something? Everything she''s taking belongs to her."


    Victor flinched at Mason''s sharp tone and instantly went silent. He did not dare utter another word.


    Natalie ignored Victor and continued organizing her things. Every so often, she nced at her phone. The mysterious number full of zeros seemed to have an eerie awareness of her actions.


    Being watched without knowing the observer''s identity or location was deeply unsettling. Though the person did not appear to have ill intentions-perhaps even helping her¡ªNatalie could not be sure if they were a friend or an enemy.


    "Get out of here!" Mason snapped, throwing a mock punch toward Victor.


    Mason was not particrly bulky, but his punches were known to hurt. Victor had already learned that lesson the hard way back in Dithoria. Now, with Mason and a group of bodyguards present, Victor wisely backed off, unwilling to riska confrontation.


    Natalie packed her belongings into arge box, including several photo albums. She had thought about burning them but decided to keep them, thinking Charlotte might want to see them someday.


    After finishing, Natalie headed to Grace''s room. It was thergest and most luxurious room in the old Langley estate, decorated with many photos of Natalie and Grace together.


    She picked up one from the nightstand and stared at it for a long time. Slowly, her gaze drifted across the room. Finally, she pulled out her phone, took a picture of the room, and sent it to the mysterious contact.


    She added a message, "Can you check if there are any hidden secrets in this room?"


    After sending the text, Natalie


    opened herptop, which had been a gift from Timothy. Her fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard as she initiated a trace on the strange number. The signal led to a neighborhood in Dithoria but then abruptly cut off.


    Natalie frowned as she stared at the screen. That address was familiar-it was the same area where she and Walter had recently dined with Shawn and Celeste at a Helianese restaurant.


    Clearly, the person on the other end was a skilled hacker. They had detected her trace and countered immediately.


    Just then, a notification chimed on her phone. The mysterious contact had sent another photo.


    Natalie''s eyes widened as she opened it. The image showed her at that very moment, sitting on Grace''s bed. The room''s overhead light softly illuminated her figure, casting shadows in the same angles she could see around her now.


    Her heart sank as she realized someone was watching her every move.


    "Ms. Walker, don''t try to trace me," the next message read.


    Natalie typed a response. "Are you a friend or foe?"


    The reply came quickly. "Ms. Walker, what do you think I am?"


    Natalie hesitated but then typed, "A friend?"


    After sending the message, she waited, but there was no response. Minutes passed, and still nothing. Growing frustrated, she walked over to the window and peered outside.


    This estate was a ce Natalie knew intimately. Grace had bought the property years ago, and Natalie had lived there since the day she was brought home from the hospital.


    Every flower, tree, brick, and wall was etched into her memory. If something was out of ce, she was certain she would notice it.

 Chapter 215 Testing the Waters

    Natalie stood at the window for a long time, lost in thought. Her things were already packed, but she made no move to leave.


    Mason waited for a while before stepping forward to get her attention. "Nat, let''s go. This house isn''t safe."


    He nced at the spot where Olivia had crashed her car into the house to save Natalie. The car still stood there, acting as a structural support. If the car were removed, the entire house would likely copse.


    Victor and his family had already taken all their valuables when they moved out, leaving behind anything belonging to Natalie or Grace without a second thought.


    Natalie snapped out of her daze and nodded. "Alright, let''s go."


    Mason carried the box of photo albums while the bodyguards took the rest of the books and clothes. As they stepped outside, Victor followed closely behind.


    Natalie scanned the area and then turned to Mason. "Mason, take everyone outside. I''ll catch up with you soon."


    "What are you going to do?" Mason asked, frowning.


    "I''m going to move that car," Natalie replied, pulling out a set of keys.


    The car had been left untouched after the ident. Victor and his family had not allowed anyone to im or repair it, using it as a way to punish Olivia. Now, that decision yed to Natalie''s advantage.


    As she climbed into the driver''s seat and started the engine, Mason panicked and shouted, "Nat, get out of there!"


    Ignoring him, Natalie shifted into reverse, released the brake, and stepped on the gas. With a loud roar, the car backed out of its spot.


    The moment the car moved, the unstable structure gave way. With a deafening crash, the entire house copsed in a cloud of dust and debris.


    Natalie''s car had reversed a safe distance before the house fell. Dust filled the air, and she waved her hand to clear it. The car''s front end was damaged, but she had no ns to keep it.


    "Mason, handle the cleanup for me," she said calmly as she stepped out of the car. "I have other things to take care of, so I''ll be heading back now."


    "Uh... sure," Mason stammered, still processing what had just happened. Though he did not fully understand Natalie''s intentions, he knew better than to question her orders.


    Natalie needed to return to Dithoria and did not intend to stay in Amberton any longer. She left Diana''s situation in Charlotte''s hands, choosing not to waste any more time on her.


    As for Grace, Natalie''s expression grew cold. She knew exactly what Grace


    valued most. Grace would have to live and watch as the Langley Group-her life''s work-crumbled under Victor''s ipetence.


    ...


    Natalie arrived in Dithoria Statete that night and returned to Holden Residence before Charles woke up.


    After a hot bath, she drank a strong cup of tea, ate a piece of chocte, and rested briefly on the guest room''s couch. Once she felt refreshed, she made her way downstairs.


    The moment she reached the bottom of the stairs, Marcus looked up from his iPad. Their eyes met briefly, and Natalie gave him a polite nod.


    Marcus set the iPad aside and signaled to Noah with a nce. Noah approached with a respectful smile. "Ms. Walker, this way, please. Breakfast is ready."


    "Thank you," Natalie replied calmly. She was not about to skip breakfast just because Marcus had broken off their engagement.


    She sat across from Marcus as Sheldon brought out the meal.


    "Ms. Walker, please enjoy," Sheldon said, cing the dishes in front of her.


    "Thank you," Natalie said with a nod. She took a sip of milk and then spoke slowly. "Mr. Holden, when did you leave Selena and Tyler''s engagement party that day?"


    "I don''t remember," Marcus replied with a nk expression. "Does it matter?"


    "Not really," Natalie said with a slight smile. "I was just worried you might''ve left early and missed some important details about my family. I figured it was best to tell you directly. I''m actually the daughter of the Walker family."


    Marcus raised an eyebrow but said nothing.


    "Yes, that Walker family," Natalie continued. "Emma''s parents, as it turns out, are my biological parents."


    Natalie stared intently at Marcus. She was certain he already knew she was the Walker family''s biological daughter, yet his behavior made it seem like he was pretending otherwise.


    A bold suspicion crept into her mind. The mysterious number-the one full of zeros-had traced back to the same restaurant where she had recently seen Marcus. He had been the only familiar face there that day.


    Natalie wondered if it was a coincidence or something more, and she decided to test him.


    "I already heard that you''re Mr. and Mrs. Walker''s daughter," Marcus said, his expression unreadable.


    He gave a faint smile. "Didn''t the Walker family announce they''ll be throwing you wee party soon? Ms. Walker, I do keep up with the news."


    "Oh, I see," Natalie replied with a small nod. "Guess I was being forgetful. Will you be attending my uing wee party?"


    "Of course. I already have the invitation. I''ll definitely be there," Marcus answered without hesitation.


    "Great. Thank you," Natalie said, then lowered her head to focus on her breakfast.


    Sheldon, who was standing nearby, could not shake a strange feeling.


    He nced at his employer and then


    at Natalie Just a short while ago the two had been embracing and kissing on the couch. Now they were speaking to each other like polite


    strangers.


    At first, their conversation seemed normal, but the more Sheldon thought about it,


    the more suspicious it felt.


    Natalie was William and Charlotte''s


    daughter. With the uing party, Marcus had officially severed ties with both Emma and Natalie. Neither daughter of the Walker family would have any personal connection to him after this.


    That was fine for Emma-she was not a good match for Marcus anyway. However, Natalie was different. She was aplished, intelligent, and kind. So if Marcus did not like her, why had he kissed her?


    Sheldon sighed inwardly. He could not help but feel that Marcus was deeply confused and possibly ill.


    Natalie remained unaware of Sheldon''s thoughts and quietly ate her breakfast. When she was done, she set down her fork and spoke.


    "Mr. Holden, after I perform acupuncture on Grandpa Charlester, I''ll take him to the hospital for a thorough checkup. We''ll finalize the next phase of his treatment n based on the results."


    "Understood. I''ll follow whatever n you rmend," Marcus replied.


    "Thank you for cooperating," ," Natalie said. "Oh, and I''ll be moving out today. I''ll return to my own home ande back regrly to treat Grandpa Charles."


    She rose from her seat. "Thank you, Mr. Holden, and Sheldon as well, for taking care of me these past few days."


    "It was no trouble," Marcus replied, giving a slight nod. "You''ve been helping Grandpa. It''s only right that we treat you well."


    "Are you leaving because of any issue with the Holden family? Have we not provided proper care?" Marcus asked, his gaze sharpening.


    "No, it''s nothing like that," Natalie said with a faint smile. "I stayed here to monitor Grandpa Charles closely. But now his condition has improved significantly. Thest checkup he had showed promising results."


    She added, "Going forward, as long as Connie gives him his medication on time,


    I''ll only need to stop by for acupuncture sessions. Grandpa Charles will recover fully soon. You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Holden."


    "Very well," Marcus said. "I''ll drive you hometer."


    "Thank you, Mr. Holden." With that, Natalie turned and left the dining room.


    Once outside, she sent a message to the mysterious number. "Are you there?"


    After sending the text, she took out apact mirror and pretended to check her reflection. However, her real focus was on Marcus, and she observed him discreetly through the mirror''s reflection to see if he would react.

 Chapter 216 Worthy of the Gift from Charles

    Not far away, Marcus sat at the dining table, sipping his coffee while scrolling his iPad.


    His phone rested on the table beside him, silent and still.


    Natalie subtly adjusted herpact mirror, angling it just right to catch the reflection of Marcus''s phone. The screen remained dark-no notifications, no iing calls.


    She waited a little longer, but Marcus remained asposed and elegant as ever, exuding quiet confidence.


    Had she been wrong?


    "Nat?"


    Connie approached, her gazending on the mirror in Natalie''s hand. It was an unusual sight, Natalie had never done anything like this before.


    "Connie, do you think this lipstick shade suits me?" Natalie asked casually, tucking the mirror away as if nothing had happened.


    Connie leaned in to examine her lips. The color was a soft pink, subtle yet ttering, but she couldn''t quite ce the shade.


    "Nat, which lipstick are you wearing?"


    "Can''t tell? It''s a lip tint," Natalie smiled. "I''ll try a different color next time."


    "Sounds good!"


    "By the way, is Grandpa Charles''s medicine ready?"


    "Yeah, it''s done."


    Natalie smoothly shifted the conversation and led Connie toward thetest batch of medicine to check its effects.


    Lately, Charles had been turning in early and rising with the sun. In the mornings, he even had enough energy to step outside for some light exercise in the courtyard.


    After his morning exercise, Charles would take a shower, change into fresh clothes, have breakfast, and take his medicine.


    After resting for a while, Natalie would perform acupuncture on him.


    With a bnced diet, better sleep quality, and a more structured daily routine, his life had be much more regted than before.


    Thebination of treatment and moderate exercise significantly improved his health.


    Once Natalie finished checking the new batch of medicine, she took Charles''s pulse. After he drank his medicine, she performed acupuncture on him as usual.


    This time, however, Charles seemed noticeably more energetic after the session. He no longer dozed off immediately like he used to.


    "Nattie, your parents'' wee party for you ising up soon, right?" Charles asked with a smile as he finished getting dressed.


    "Yeah, just a few more days to go."


    Natalie packed up her acupuncture kit. "Grandpa Charles, will you and Mr. Holden be attending?"


    "Of course! We wouldn''t miss it." Charles chuckled, then added, "Oh, I prepared a gift for you. Sheldon, bring it over."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    A momentter, Sheldon returned with arge, beautifully wrapped box. "Mr. Holden Senior, here''s the gift."


    "Give it to Natalie."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior. Ms. Walker, this is for you."


    Natalie epted the box. "Thank you, Grandpa Charles."


    "Go on, open it."


    Charles watched her with warmth in his eyes, but beneath that kindness, a trace of guilt lingered.


    He had never imagined that the godsister he once recognized could be so two- faced.


    After conducting a secret investigation, Charles uncovered everything Grace had done-one betrayal after another, allid bare before him.


    Charles felt deeply unsettled.


    He had always trusted and cared for Grace, treating her like a true godsister, only


    to realize he had been deceived for years.


    When it came to Natalie, he felt both guilty and protective.


    He wanted to do something for her, but now that she had reunited with her


    biological parents, there wasn''t much he could offer as an outsider.


    After all, Marcus had been so quick to call off their engagement not long ago.


    Still, Charles wanted to treat Natalie well.


    "Nattie, open it and take a look."


    Natalie nodded. "Thank you, Grandpa Charles."


    She set the box on the coffee table, carefully untied the elegant silk ribbon, and lifted the lid. Inside was a shimmering evening gown.


    Resting atop the gown was a diamond tiara.


    The gown was crafted from the finest silk, its wless design a testament to the skill of a top-tier designer. But the most breathtaking piece was the tiara itself.


    Natalie didn''t count the stones, but at a nce, she estimated there were about 365 diamonds. Thergest one, positioned at the center, was roughly eight carats.


    The surrounding diamonds were arranged in a delicate, radiant pattern, each one catching the light in a dazzling disy.


    With its masterful cut and intricate design, the tiara looked almost too exquisite to belong to this world.


    "Try it on," Charles said warmly.


    "Nattie, I know your parents have prepared plenty of expensive jewelry and gowns for your wee party, but you saved my life. I wanted to give this to you."


    What he didn''t tell her was that this tiara had once been a token of love for histe wife.


    If Natalie and Marcus had ended up together, he would have shared its significance. But now that the engagement had been called off, there was no need to say anything.


    Charles didn''t want Natalie to feel any pressure.


    There was no pre-destined bond between her and his grandson, but he believed


    histe wife would have been happy to see Natalie wear the tiara.


    "Grandpa Charles, this is too valuable." Without a second thought, Natalie ced the gift box back in front of him.


    "If I remember currently, this tiara


    was auctioned off years ago for 200 million to a mysterious buyer.


    Rumor had it that the buyer


    I.ne


    purchased it as an engagement gift,


    a token of love for his fianc¨¦e."


    Charles was momentarily stunned. He hadn''t expected Natalie to know about this.


    Even Wesley and Marcus weren''t aware of that detail.


    "Nattie, you''re overthinking it." Charles sighed.


    "If it was worth 200 million, why would I give it to you? Sure, you saved this old man''s life, but if it." were truly an engagement token, do you think I''d just hand it over?"


    "Huh?" Natalie hesitated, suddenly uncertain.


    Had she mistaken it for something else? Was this not the Evermore Tiara she had seen before?


    "Nattie, I like you, but not enough to give you a 200 million-dor love token of the past."


    Seeing that he had sessfully distracted her, he chuckled again. "Kiddo, let me be blunt. You''re overthinking this."


    Instead of feeling offended, Natalie felt relieved.


    To be honest, she had always been cautious about epting expensive gifts from Charles. Small tokens were fine as she could always find a way to return the favorter.


    But something this valuable? That would require an equivalent return.


    The price itself wasn''t the real issue, it was the significance behind the gift that made it impossible for her to ept.


    "Just keep it. It''s not worth as much as you think," Charles said with a warm smile. "But it''s not cheap either. Take it with peace of mind. You deserve it."


    Natalie thought for a moment before finally nodding. "Then... thank you, Grandpa Charles."


    He wasn''t rted to her by blood, but perhaps he was simply giving her this gift


    out of respect for the long-standing friendship between the Walkers and the Holdens.

 Chapter 217 She Wants to Be Marcus Grandmother

    Natalie epted Charles''s gift and handed it to Connie, asking her to put it away safely.


    "Grandpa Charles, let''s rest for a bit. After that, I''ll take you to the hospital."


    "Alright."


    Charles studied Natalie for a moment before asking, "Nattie, your medical skills are incredible. Why do you go to such lengths to keep your identity hidden?"


    Natalie fell silent.


    There was a reason she kept a low profile-one she couldn''t afford to ignore.


    After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Grandpa Charles, human nature can be cruel. I can''t afford to take that gamble."


    She was young, not like other highly respected, seasoned medical experts.


    More importantly, she was a woman.


    People''s prejudice ran deep. Some couldn''t ept that a woman could surpass them in skill. That kind of resentment often bred sabotage from the shadows.


    To avoid unnecessary trouble and follow the advice of her mentor, Federrick, Natalie had always practiced medicine under the alias, Elim.


    It was a name Federrick had chosen for her.


    By disguising herself¡ªsometimes as a man, sometimes altering her appearance ¡ªshe had cultivated an air of mystery around Elim.


    And with mystery came reverence.


    The more elusive she was, the more unreachable she seemed. That way, when she saved someone, she would be met with respect and awe.


    Charles nodded in understanding.


    Even at Holden Residence, whenever Natalie performed acupuncture on him, no one was allowed near the bedroom except Sheldon, Connie, and asionally Marcus.


    Sheldon was tight-lipped, Connie wouldn''t speak recklessly, and as for Marcus-if he gave his word, he would keep it.


    Even after Natalie had been living at Holden Residence for quite some time, none of the helpers knew what she did.


    Most simply assumed she was destined to be the future Mrs. Holden.


    After all, she was the first woman Marcus had ever brought home.


    As for the young man who had arrived before her? No one knew what had happened to him. He had simply vanished without a trace.


    Rumors swirled among the staff in hushed whispers.


    Some spected that the first guest-the young man-had been Marcus'' true love. And perhaps, unable to escape society''s constraints, he had disappeared... possibly fleeing to Tndia.


    Then, after returning from Tndia, he had somehow transformed into the beautiful young woman now living at the residence.


    Of course, the Holden Residence staff were all professionally trained. Even if they had their suspicions, they would never dare discuss them openly.


    Natalie was discreet and had a pleasant temperament.


    Though she had been living at Holden Residence, she never acted arrogantly or ordered the helpers around.


    Naturally, the entire household had hoped she would officially be the future Mrs. Holden.


    But once they discovered she was the long-lost heiress of the Walkers, all they could do was sigh in disappointment.


    Even Charles and Sheldon had privately discussed the matter a few times.


    And every time, their conversations ended the same way-with a long, silent sigh as they looked at each other.


    No one could tell whether Marcus calling off the engagement was a good thing or bad.


    Charles let out a quiet sigh in his heart, then reached under his pillow, pulled out a business card, and handed it to Natalie.


    "Nattie, this is Sophia Sinir''s card. Last time, Marcus'' aunt¡ªmy daughter, Cassie-brought her here to see me."


    Charles typically avoided meddling in other people''s affairs, but Cassie had dragged Sophia to him and knelt in front of him for a long time.


    She made it clear-unless he agreed to help, she wouldn''t get up.


    After being kicked out of Balford, Cassie behaved herself for a while.


    But now, she had returned and this time, bringing Sophia with her. She was


    convinced that Charles must have found the legendary doctor, Elim.


    As for Jessy, Cassie hadn''t given up on her either. Instead, she had instructed her toy low for now.


    Once enough time had passed for Marcus to forget about her, she would gradually bring Jessy back into y.


    Charles never had much patience for Cassie, but when it came to Sophia, he couldn''t help feeling a twinge of sympathy.


    He had watched the Sinir siblings grow up.


    Every year during the holidays, Ivan Sinir and Samantha ir would visit him with gifts, bringing along their children-Sophia and Samuel-to pay their respects.


    So when Sophia came to him for help, Charles couldn''t help but soften.


    However, without Natalie''s consent, he couldn''t make any promises. He simply told Sophia that if the opportunity arose, he would do what he could.


    Grateful, she had left him her business card.


    Now, as Charles handed the card to Natalie, he watched her closely.


    She didn''t even nce at it, her expression unreadable. For a moment, Charles


    couldn''t tell whether she was upset or simply indifferent.


    "Nattie, if you don''t want to deal with this, you don''t have to," he said with


    a sigh. She came to me for help


    and while I didn''t give her an answer,


    I can''t help but feel sorry for the girl."


    "I understand, Grandpa Charles," Natalie replied, passing the card to Connie. "I''ll


    handle it my way."


    "Alright."


    "Grandpa Charles, now that you''ve had enough rest, let''s head to the hospital." "Alright."


    Natalie took Charles to Hector''s hospital. After the tests werepleted, she didn''t say a word. She simply handed the scans to Hector.


    He examined them carefully before sitting down with them to discuss the results.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, your health is excellent. Your heart is in good condition."


    "Is that so?"


    "Yes," Hector confirmed with certainty.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, may I ask where you found the doctor who treated you?"


    Charles nced at Natalie. Her expression remained calm, showing no intention of admitting anything.


    Thus, Charles let out a chuckle. "Oh, that? You''ll have to ask Marcus. He was the one who found the doctor. I don''t know a thing."


    "I see." Hector sighed, a little disappointed.


    He had a deep appreciation for medical talent and spent a fortune each year


    recruiting top graduates from prestigious universities.


    If he could track down the doctor who had treated Charles, he wouldn''t hesitate to


    offer an enormous sum to bring them into his private hospital.


    But since Charles wasn''t talking, there was no point in pressing the issue. He


    could always ask Marcuster.


    "Since everything looks good, we''ll be heading back now," Charles said.


    "Alright, Mr. Holden Senior. Be careful on your way out."


    As Natalie was about to leave, Hector pulled her aside and lowered his voice.


    "Nat, why are you here with Mr. Holden Senior? Marcus already called off your engagement, yet you''re still hanging around his grandfather. You''re not nning to...


    be Marcus'' grandmothe


    you?"


    are


    Natalie''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Hector, do you even hear yourself right now?"


    Outside, Charles was waiting with Sheldon''s support.


    Hector nced in their direction, then leaned in closer. "I mean, Mr. Holden Senior


    treats you very differently from everyone else."


    Natalie was speechless.


    But Hector wasn''t done. "Look, I''m an open-minded guy. If you do want to be


    Marcus'' grandmother, I fully support you.


    "Think about it, he dumps you, and


    you hit him with supercharged payback by bing his grandma and stripping him of his status as heir. That would be legendary. One day he breaks off the engagement,


    the next, he has to call you Grandma. Just thinking about it is so damn satisfying!"


    Natalie waspletely speechless.

 Chapter 218 A Conversation Cut Short

    Hector burst intoughter at his own joke. Seeing Natalie''s expression of sheer exasperation, he reached out and ruffled her hair.


    "I was just messing with you. But hey, if you think the n is doable, I fully support


    it. Mr. Holden Senior is getting old, so keep him happy. Just his inheritance alone would rake in a fortune."


    Natalie was at a loss for words.


    So now her dear brother was eyeing Charles'' inheritance?


    "Hector, I think... you''d look pretty good dressed as a woman," she said.


    Hector tapped her lightly on the head. "Then, I''ll dress up for you next time- guaranteed to make you fall head over heels."


    Natalie was done.


    Fine. She lost this round.


    "Alright, alright, I was just joking. Look at you taking it so seriously." Hector chuckled, thoroughly amused. Natalie was nothing like Emma in terms of personality.


    But that exasperated look on Natalie''s face? Absolutely adorable.


    Of course, Natalie wasn''t mad. She was alwaysposed, and emotionally steady. She didn''t get worked up over jokes or trivial matters.


    "Alright, Hector. I''m heading out now."


    "Yeah, go ahead! Oh, and Nat, your wee party ising up soon. Mother went to Amberton yesterday, but she''ll be back the day before the event."


    "Got it. Thanks, Hector."


    Natalie knew exactly what that meant. After their phone call, Charlotte must have rushed to Amberton to confront Diana.


    Leaving Hector''s office, Natalie met up with Charles, and they left the hospital together.


    Charles''s recovery had been going well.


    She could end the acupuncture sessions ahead of schedule. From now on, his health could be maintained with medication alone.


    In time, he wouldn''t even need that anymore.


    "Grandpa Charles, you and Sheldon should go on ahead. I need to stop by my ce."


    "Nattie, why don''t you have a meal with us before you go?"


    "There''s no need, Grandpa Charles," Natalie politely declined.


    She nced at her phone to check the time. "I''ll make sure Connie knows the exact dosage and schedule for your medication, so you don''t have to worry."


    "Alright then," Charles said, knowing Natalie was independent by nature. Since she had made up her mind, he didn''t push further.


    "Just be careful on the road."


    "I will. You and Sheldon take care on your way back too."


    "Got it. Now go do what you need to do."


    "Alright. Goodbye, Grandpa Charles."


    "Goodbye, Nattie."


    Natalie parted ways with Charles and took a cab to Walker Group.


    This time, Sky''s assistant, Ka, greeted her.


    Dressed in a sleek business suit, Ka''s heels clicked sharply against the floor as she led Natalie to Sky''s office. She then served a cup of coffee before quietly excusing herself.


    "Nat, what brings you here today?" Sky asked.


    Natalie lifted the coffee cup, took a sniff, and then set it down without drinking. "I just came to let you know that I''vepletely severed ties with Langley Group."


    Hearing this, a smile tugged at Sky''s lips. "Good. Noted."


    After a brief pause, he added, "Nat, let me take you out for lunchter."


    Natalie thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Thanks, Sky."


    "You''re my sister. Taking you out for a meal is the least I can do. Why are you even thanking me? Give me ten minutes to wrap up my work, and then we''ll go."


    He quickly returned to his desk, efficiently finishing up his tasks. Once hisputer was shut down, he stood up.


    "Alright, Nat. Let''s go."


    "Okay."


    Natalie followed Sky out of Walker Group. Once they got into the car, she mentioned she was in the mood for something spicy.


    "Sky, I know a great restaurant. The food is excellent, and the atmosphere is nice too. Can we go there?"


    "Sure, just give me the address, and I''ll have the driver take us."


    Natalie provided the location, and the driver responded respectfully before heading toward Silver Coast Beach.


    On the way, Sky spoke in a gentle tone. "Nat, your wee party is just a few days away. I had a gown custom-made for you. After lunch, let''s go try it on, okay?


    "Father and Mother have already prepared everything, but your brothers, me included, also wanted to give you something. You can rotate between them whenever you like."


    Natalie nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Sky."


    Seeing her ept his gift, Sky


    instantly smiled. "Great! In that case,


    how about you also ept the


    house and car I got you? You turned


    them downst time, and honestly, I was a little disappointed."


    Natalie hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding. "Alright. Thank you, Sky."


    "No need to be so formal with me," Sky chuckled.


    The usual authoritative air he carried disappeared in an instant.


    After a brief pause, he casually added, "By the way, Emma asked for your contact information. Would you be okay with me giving it to her?"


    To Sky, it was a simple matter.


    He had doted on Emma as she grew up, and now that Natalie was back, he figured it wouldn''t hurt to have another little sister to look after.


    Still, he wasn''t sure how Natalie felt about it.


    "Nat, all four of your brothers are men. Emma is a girl, and now that you''re home, having an older sister to keep youpany might not be a bad thing."


    "Sky, you don''t even know Emma''s exact birth date, yet you call her my older


    sister. Don''t you think that''s a bit inappropriate?" Natalie''s calm voice cut through


    the air.


    Sky was momentarily stunned but


    quickly smiled, "You''re right, that was my mistake. But you and Emma


    were born on the same day.


    been


    Otherwise, you wouldn''t have switched at birth. Since you share a


    birthday, if you don''t want to be the


    older sister, let Emma take that role."


    "Sky, I have no issue with Emma continuing to live with the family and I don''t care if you all keep taking


    care of her. But I won''t be forced


    into some picture-perfect sisterly


    bond with her."


    en


    A chill crept into her voice.


    Emma''s previous sweet-but-fake words-Sky might not have noticed them, but Natalie had.


    She wouldn''t expose Emma, nor would she demand that the Walkers abandon


    her. But forcing her to ept Emma as family? That was never going to happen.


    She and Emma were destined never to be close.


    Sky''s smile slowly faded. "Nat, do you refuse to give Emma a chance?"


    "Stop the car."


    Natalie''s suddenmand made the driver immediately pull over.


    "Open the door."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    The driver unlocked the doors, and Natalie stepped out without hesitation. "Sky, I


    don''t think we''re seeing eye to eye. Let''s skip lunch today."


    Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.


    Sky lowered the car window, watching as Natalie''s figure disappeared into the


    distance. His expression darkened by the second.


    His biological sister truly had no room in her heart for Emma.


    But Emma, while on vacation, had seen the Walkers'' wee party for Natalie trending online. She had immediately called him, stressing over what gift to prepare for her long-lost sister.


    Emma genuinely wanted to build a rtionship with Natalie. Yet this was the attitude she was met with.

 Chapter 219 This Restaurant Belonged to His Mother

    Sky watched Natalie''s retreating figure for a long moment before speaking coldly. "Drive back to the office."


    "Yes, Mr. Walker."


    At the next intersection, the driver made a U-turn. Through the window, Sky caught a glimpse of Natalie, who had just crossed the street.


    "Mr. Walker, should we pick up Ms. Walker and take her back?" the driver asked hesitantly.


    "Mind your own business," Sky replied icily. "She''s more than capable of getting home on her own."


    The driver said nothing more and focused on the road.


    ...


    Natalie nced around casually before heading in a certain direction. She wasn''t


    far from the Helianese restaurant she had in mind.


    She had been willing to reconnect with her real family, but Emma? What rtionship did Emma have with her?


    Natalie had already allowed her to stay at the Walker residence, as long as they


    kept out of each other''s way. That was more than enough.


    Whether Emma felt the same way, Natalie had no idea.


    Either way, someone like Emma was never going to be her friend or sister.


    The moment Natalie arrived at the Helianese restaurant, her phone chimed with a notification.


    She pulled it out and saw a photo, a snapshot of her crossing the street just moments ago.


    Along with the image was a message from Code Zero. "That idiot, Sky, just dumped you on the side of the road."


    Natalie was rendered speechless. "Did you nt surveince on me or something?" she replied.


    Code Zero instantly responded, "Take a guess."


    Natalie simply sent back a string of ellipses.


    The number was just a sequence of zeros, so she had saved the contact as Code Zero.


    Now, she was certain-whoever this was had been watching her all along. And it might not even be a single person, it could be an entire organization.


    She sent another message. "Come out and meet me."


    Code Zero''s response was blunt. "No."


    Natalie smirked. "What''s wrong? Too ugly to show your face?"


    Unexpectedly, Code Zero replied, "Yes."


    Natalie wasn''t ready to give up just yet. "You''re not spying on me while I shower or use the bathroom, are you?"


    Code Zero responded calmly, "I''m a person, not an animal."


    Natalie smirked and tapped out another message. "Are you male or female?"


    Code Zero replied, "I can be male or female, straight or gay, dominant or submissive."


    Natalie stared at the screen, utterly speechless, and sent back another string of ellipses.


    Fine. Unless this person wanted to talk, there was no way she was getting any useful information out of them.


    Still, at least for now, they didn''t seem to have any ill intentions toward her.


    Natalie entered the Helianese restaurant and made her way to the same private room she had used before.


    She had just sat down when there was a knock at the door. It was Noah. "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden is in the adjacent room. He invites you to join him."


    Natalie raised an eyebrow.


    Marcus? Here, again?


    That seemed a little too coincidental.


    Seeing her hesitation, Noah politely added, "Ms. Walker, meeting like this must be


    fate. Dining alone can be quite lonely."


    Natalie stood up. "Alright. Please thank Mr. Holden for the invitation."


    Noah immediately smiled. "Ms. Walker, this way, please."


    In the next room, Marcus sat alone by the window, gazing out at the horizon


    where the sea met the sky.


    Without looking away, he asked, "Ms. Walker, dining alone?"


    "Yes. And you, Mr. Holden, seem to be dining alone as well."


    "I am."


    Marcus'' expression remained calm. "You seem to be quite fond of this restaurant." Natalie nodded slightly. "It''s alright. Mr. Holden seems to like it quite a bit, too." "This Helianese restaurant... it belongs to my mother."


    Marcus lowered his gaze, his slender fingers picking up a ss with practiced ease. He poured Natalie a drink, his movements effortlessly refined.


    "I see."


    Natalie fell silent for a moment, unsure how to respond.


    Did Marcus think she had deliberatelye here just to "bump into" him?


    During her stay at Holden Residence, she had never once seen Marcus parents. She had assumed that, just as Grace had raised her, Charles had been the one to raise Marcus.


    The thought of Grace made her mood sink.


    "Ms. Walker, would you like to sign up for a membership here?" Marcus'' voice was low, his mood seemingly just as subdued. Though he spoke to Natalie, he never actually looked at her.


    "Thank you, but there''s no need."


    If she hadn''t just learned this restaurant belonged to Marcus'' mother, she might have considered it. But now that she did, there was no way she could.


    Still, the IP address she had traced for Code Zero had led her here.


    She had already suspected Marcus, and now, she was even more convinced.


    She had originally invited Sky to dine here in hopes of gathering more information. But their disagreement over Emma had cut that n short.


    "Ms. Walker, let''s order." Marcus handed her the menu.


    "Grandpa''s health has improved a lot. I''ve been meaning to thank you, but you''ve been busytely."


    He paused slightly before adding, "Since we happened to meet here, and since you like this restaurant, let me treat you to a meal."


    "Alright, I''m quite hungry."


    Natalie took the menu and ordered a few dishes she liked. "Mr. Holden, I''m done ordering."


    "Alright."


    Marcus took the menu from her, added a few more dishes, then handed it back to Noah. "Tell the kitchen to prepare the food."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    With Noah gone, only Marcus and Natalie remained in the private dining room.


    They had alreadyid everything out in the open.


    Although they sat together, seeming at ease, the atmosphere between them was undeniably strange-a quiet awkwardness lingering in the air.


    They weren''t quite friends as they weren''t close enough for that.


    But they weren''t strangers either, considering they could sit here and hold a conversation without tension ring.


    Natalie had always been remarkably patient. Since Marcus remained silent, she saw no reason to speak either.


    The room was so quiet that even a pin drop would have been audible.


    She simply lowered her head and sipped her drink, her demeanor calm and unbothered.


    Meanwhile, Marcus'' gaze lingered on her.


    Her fair, translucent skin, her dark, silky hair tied up in a neat bun, the effortless simplicity of her ck utility jacket and cargo pants-practical, sharp, yet impossible to ignore.


    ove


    Her almond-shaped eyes-when not masked by an icy gaze-held a natural


    warmth, a quiet depth.


    But she had never once looked at him that way.


    Marcus lifted his cup and took a slow sip.


    They sat across from each other, yet neither spoke. They were even more distant


    than strangers as of this moment.


    Natalie pulled out her phone and sent a message to Code Zero. "Guess where I


    am right now."


    After sending it, she discreetly observed Marcus.


    He sat straight-backed and proper his gaze fixed on her. Yet there was an undeniable mncholy in his expression, an inexplicable sadness that shrouded him.


    Natalie tapped out a few more messages to Code Zero, then waited.


    Marcus didn''t move. His phone didn''t vibrate, didn''t light up¡ªnot even a flicker of


    activity.


    Natalie nced up just as their eyes met. His gaze was calm, unwavering.


    "Something wrong?" Marcus asked.


    Natalie shook her head. "Nothing."


    She lowered her gaze again.


    The number couldn''t be called, yet messages were always delivered and


    responded to.


    After a brief pause, she looked up again. "Mr. Holden, my phone just died. Can I


    borrow yours to make a quick call?"

 Chapter 220 Lincoln Lashes Out at Sky

    Marcus snapped out of his thoughts and gave a slight nod. He unlocked his phone and slid it across the table to Natalie.


    "Mr. Holden, do you have my second brother''s number? Lincoln?"


    "I do. Just search for it in my contacts."


    "Alright, thanks."


    Natalie found Lincoln''s number in Marcus''s contact list and dialed.


    After three rings, the call connected. "Marcus?"


    "Lincoln, it''s me, Natalie." She nced at Marcus before continuing, "My phone died, and I happened to run into Mr. Holden, so I borrowed his phone. I''ll send you my location, so can youe pick me up?"


    "No problem. Stay right there. I''ll be there soon."


    "Alright."


    After hanging up, Natalie returned the phone to Marcus. "Mr. Holden, could you send Lincoln my location?"


    "Sure."


    Marcus pulled up Lincoln''s WhatsApp, sent the location, and received a quick "Got it."


    "Done."


    Just as they finished speaking, three knocks sounded at the door before a waiter entered to serve the food.


    Once the dishes were ced on the table, silence settled between Natalie and Marcus once more. Neither spoke.


    After a long pause, Marcus finally broke the quiet. "Ms. Walker, let''s eat."


    "Alright, thank you."


    Natalie began dishing out the sides for herself and Marcus. "Mr. Holden, here."


    "Thank you."


    Silence settled between them once more.


    Natalie focused on her meal, while Marcus, though not particrly hungry, absentmindedly took a few bites.


    She ate with graceful movements, but her pace wasn''t slow. In just a few minutes, she had finished her meal.


    Setting down her spoon, she spoke calmly, "I''m full. Take your time, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus was momentarily speechless. "At least have some sd. Drink something."


    Natalie shook her head. "No need. I''m already full. I''ll leave once Lincoln arrives." "Alright."


    Marcus didn''t insist. He set down his spoon, and silence fell between them once more.


    The quiet was suffocating. Natalie found it hard to just sit there, so she stood up. "Mr. Holden, would it be alright if I walked around the restaurant?"


    "Of course. I''ll have Noah show you around."


    Marcus turned to the door. "Noah, take Ms. Walker for a tour."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden. Ms. Walker, this way."


    "Alright, thank you."


    As Natalie followed Noah out of the private dining room, she nced back at Marcus. He remained by the window, gazing outside.


    Sunlight streamed in through the ss, casting a soft glow on his face. From her angle, she noticed how long his eyshes were¡ªhis sharp, defined features appeared less intimidating under the warm light.


    Yet, there was an undeniable mncholy surrounding him.


    Since the day she had met Marcus, she had never seen him like this.


    But then again, whatever he was feeling had nothing to do with her.


    Following Noah, Natalie took a tour of the second floor, then the first, and finally


    the third. However, he didn''t take her to the fourth or fifth floor.


    "Can I take a look at the fourth and fifth floors?"


    Natalie nced up toward the fourth floor.


    The Helianese restaurant had five levels.


    Many of the buildings in this area were privately built homes that had been converted into businesses.


    When Silver Coast Beach was developed into a tourist destination, the local government preserved these original structures to maintain a distinct cultural charm, while the coastal area was lined with modern high-rises.


    Thest recorded IP address she had traced for that mysterious number had led her here.


    She had looked into the restaurant''s background, but all she found was surface- level, unhelpful information.


    Had it not been for Marcus casually mentioning that his mother owned this ce, she never would have made the connection.


    "Apologies, Ms. Walker, but the fourth and fifth floors are private areas. I''m not allowed to take you up there," Noah said politely.


    "I see. That''s alright." Natalie smiled. "Thanks for showing me around. I''ve seen enough."


    "If you need anything, just let me know."


    Noah remained respectful and reserved. He wasn''t one for unnecessary conversation-he followed Marcus''s instruction, nothing more.


    Natalie could tell. Unlike his brother, Elijah, Noah wouldn''t let anything slip. If it


    had been Elijah, she might have been able to get some useful information out of


    him.


    "Thanks, but I won''t be going back to Mr. Holden''s private room. I''ll just wait outside for Lincoln. And please thank Mr. Holden for the meal."


    "Of course, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie headed downstairs. Just as she stepped outside, a ck Bentley pulled up in front of the entrance.


    The window rolled down, revealing Lincoln, who waved at her with a grin. "Nat, over here!"


    Natalie quickly walked over, opened the door, and got into the car.


    As Lincoln pulled away from the restaurant, he nced at her. "Have you eaten?"


    "Yeah, I have."


    "Were you on a date with Marcus?"


    Natalie shook her head. "We just happened to run into each other."


    She paused, then asked, "Lincoln, did you know this Helianese restaurant


    belongs to Marcus'' mother?"


    Lincoln frowned slightly. "No, I didn''t. But I do now."


    "I only just found out myself."


    He asked her, "What were you even doing there?"


    "I was supposed to go with Sky, but I got out of the car halfway."


    Natalie didn''t feel like bringing up Emma, so she kept her exnation vague.


    But Lincoln''s expression instantly darkened. Without hesitation, he connected to Bluetooth and called Sky.


    The moment the call connected, he snapped, "Sky, are you out of your damn mind? Why the hell did you leave Nat on the side of the road?"


    "Lincoln, have some respect. I''m your older brother," Sky shot back, irritation clear


    in his voice. "And I didn''t leave her. She got out on her own, alright?"


    "Oh? And when she wanted to get out, you couldn''t have gotten out instead and given her the damn car?" Lincoln fired back coldly.


    "You left her, a woman, alone in the middle of nowhere. What if something had happened to her?


    What are those two legs of yours et


    for? Decoration? Would walking a few steps have killed you? Or is that lump on your neck just there to add a few inches to your height?"


    "Lincoln!" Sky''s furious voice sted through the speakers. "Watch your damn


    mouth!"


    "You don''t even respect Nat, so why the hell should I respect you?" Lincoln retorted icily.


    "Sky, don''t think I don''t know what''s going on in your head. You must''ve said something to piss Nat off. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have left the car. And don''t think you can just brush this off.


    "I''m telling Mother and Father about this. Nat suffered for years in the Langley family, and now that she''s finally home, do you think she should put up with your bullshit too? Why the hell should she?"


    "Lincoln, put Natalie on the phone!" Sky''s anger red, his usual "Nat" reced


    by her full name.


    "Sorry, but Nat doesn''t want to talk to you," Lincoln said bluntly and then hung up.


    Natalie sat there,pletely stunned.


    She had never expected Lincoln to go off on Sky-his brother of over 20 years¡ª all because of her.

 Chapter 221 He Sees Emmas Cunning Side

    Lincoln''s sharp looks still held the same frigid detachment after he hung up the call. But as he turned to Natalie, his expression softened immediately, together with his tone.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll have your back."


    "Lincoln, I..."


    Natalie was at a loss for words.


    "It''s fine, Nat. I can kind of understand what made things tense between you and Sky," said Lincoln as he drove. "It was because of Emma, right?"


    Natalie was stunned again. She nced at Lincoln with a hint of suspicion in her eyes.


    Lincoln couldn''t be Code Zero who had been monitoring her all along, could he?


    "I''m different from Sky, Natalie. I work in the entertainment industry, so I''ve dealt with women far more deceitful than Emma."


    Lincoln reached out his hand, ruffling Natalie''s hair. "I did give Emma a lot of love and affection when she was young. I think it was when she was eight that I discovered her cunning side.


    "There was once when we were all invited to a party held by the Holdens. Sophia and Marcus were ying the piano together. When Emma saw it, she sent a helper to ask Sophia to head to the Holden Residence''s backyard.


    "Then, Emma pushed Sophia into the pool in the backyard."


    Lincoln paused for a brief moment and continued, "I was watching everything unfold before me as it happened. I even heard her threatening Sophia. Ever since then, I couldn''t see her as my sister anymore.


    "Father and Mother still shower Emma with love, and Sky, too, spoils herpletely, so I''m just there to keep the peace. I thought Emma was my biological sister, and it''s always better to have a loving, peaceful home than one full of drama."


    Lincoln forced a bitter smile as he spoke. "Besides, Emma was the only girl in the family. Everyone loves her. Whenever she does something wrong, she just needs to show a little bit of charm, and they''ll forgive her."


    "But it''s different now." The bitter smile on Lincoln''s face turned into a genuine beam. "I''m so d to know that you''re actually my biological sister. Sure, many men might fall for the sweet and innocent act, but not me. Just ignore Sky and Emma, Nat. You only have to keep in mind that in this family, Mason and I are the people you can always trust."


    Natalie clutched her chest lightly as she listened to Lincoln''s words. She felt her heart race, and the grievances she had with Sky vanished in an instant.


    "Thank you, Lincoln."


    Natalie thanked Lincoln sincerely. "I have no interest in getting close to Emma, and I definitely don''t want to be her sister. Sky wants me to get along with her, but I just can''t. I don''t want to sacrifice my well-being for it."


    Natalie spoke frankly with Lincoln about her feelings. "I never thought of getting rid of Emma, but Sky always thought I''d force Emma to leave once I returned to the family like she couldn''t survive unless I treated her as a real sister.


    "You know, I was once treated badly by the real daughter of the Langleys, so I''d never want to do the same to Emma. But we''d just keep to ourselves; there''s no chance of us bing closer."


    Honestly, it was quite impressive for Natalie not to turn psychologically twisted after the constant mistreatment from the Langleys.


    And it was also a wonder for her to ept Emma into the family. Hence, the fact that Sky wanted Natalie to treat Emma like a true sister and dote on her was simply too much to ask.


    "Just ignore Sky, and Emma, too." Lincoln''s stare turned icy cold. "I''ll take care of this for you. But for now, let me just drive you back."


    "Okay. Thank you, Lincoln."


    "Oh, right. Father and Mother nned to give you a clothingpany. I''ll ask someone to gather the documents and send them to you. You can pick one out then. If you don''t feel like working yet, take it easy for some time first. You''ll be graduating next year, yes?"


    "Yes, I''m doing an internship and graduating next year."


    "What are your future ns?"


    "Well, I major in fashion design, and I''m still thinking about my future. By the way, Lincoln, do you think it''s fine to let my good friend joinyour entertainmentpany?


    "She''s signed with thergest modeling agency under Walker Group, but now I think it''d be better for her to work under you, rather than Sky."


    Lincoln agreed to Natalie''s suggestion without any hesitation. "Of course, it''s no big deal! What''s your friend''s name? I''ll let my manager get in touch with her." "Olivia Thatcher. We''ve been friends for many years."


    "Alright." Lincoln made a prompt decision. "Give me her number. I''ll have my manager contact herter."


    "Okay."


    Natalie gave Lincoln Olivia''s number. They both chatted nonstop throughout the journey, and Natalie learned a lot about Emma''s childhood.


    Emma was indeed treated like a princess in the Walker family.


    Other than her calcting side, she was an excellent person.


    Lincoln didn''t deny Emma''s hard work and talent either.


    However, since he had seen how deceptive Emma was, he never really liked her


    no matter how much of an impressive person she was.


    "Were Sophia and Marcus close as children?"


    "They were okay. Despite being the eldest daughter in the Sinir family, Sophia wasn''t treated with much


    affection because of an illegitimate


    daughter Mr. Sinir has."


    Lincoln knew a lot of gossip. He was willing to tell them all to Natalie if she was interested.


    "Mr. Sinir loves that illegitimate


    daughter a lot, and her mother, too. Sophia has a brother called Samuel, and Sophia''s mom adopted a


    daughter as well. Her name is Sierra.


    en


    "I''ll introduce them to you if there''s an opportunity to." Natalie nodded in response. She didn''t mention how she had Sophia''s contact number.


    "One more thing, Lincoln. What''s the rtionship between Sophia and Sky?"


    Upon hearing Natalie''s question, Lincoln''s expression changed for a brief moment, but it returned to its usual state right away.


    "Sophia is Sky''s girlfriend, but they don''t seem like a couple to me."


    "So Sophia is pregnant with Sky''s child, then."


    "Huh?" Lincoln hit the brakes hard. "What did you say?"


    Natalie repeated herself calmly, "I said, Sophia is pregnant with Sky''s child, am I


    right?"


    Lincoln could no longer mask the shock.


    Momentster, he voiced, "How do you know this, Natalie?"


    "I heard it by chance."


    Natalie continued, "We''ve arrived, Lincoln."


    Lincoln pressed down on the gas pedal only then, driving into Walker Estate.

 Chapter 222 He Does Not Care if Anything Happens to Her

    Natalie and Lincoln went back into the vi, only to see Sky sitting on the couch with a dark expression.


    Then, Sky''s gaze shifted to Natalie, and thetter met his gaze fearlessly. In the next instant, Lincoln stepped in front of Natalie.


    "Sky, mind your gaze when you''re looking at your sister."


    Lincoln said in a cold voice, "We don''t care what you think, but you can''t force Natalie to do what she doesn''t want."


    "Did you snitch to Lincoln, Natalie?"


    Sky stood up and then spoke. "What did I force you into? Tell me."


    Natalie stepped aside, facing Sky calmly. "Didn''t you expect me to like Emma just because you like her, Sky?"


    "So you''re going to get rid of Emma now that you''re back, huh? Emma went on a trip to unwind, and she''s not even home all this time. She didn''t do anything to get on your nerves, did she?"


    Sky''s tone became more subdued. "Are you going to do the same to Emma now just because the Langleys kicked you out of their family after Selena came back?"


    Natalie scoffed in disbelief. Before she could speak, William appeared out of nowhere, walking up to Sky and pped his face.


    After the p, William pointed at Sky as he reprimanded, "Who do you think you are, talking to your sister like that, Sky?"


    "Father-"


    "Don''t call me that; I don''t acknowledge a son like you," William interrupted Sky. Then, he grabbed Natalie''s hand and checked it thoroughly. "You aren''t hurt, are you?"


    Natalie shook her head. "No, Mr. Sky and I didn''t get into a fight."


    "Mr. Sky?" Sky''s expression turned sour the moment he heard Natalie''s words. "Father, you caught that, right? How could Natalie address me like that? I''m her eldest brother."


    "You''re not even living up to the role of the eldest brother. She''s already showing you respect by calling you that."


    Secondster, William took out his phone. "Gorge, cancel all of Emma''s cards. Let everyone know that without my authorization, no one is allowed to give her any money."


    "Father, how could Emma live on her own if you do this? She''s still on vacation, and she needs money to spend on her trip."


    Sky''s tone grew a little gentler. "Emma did nothing wrong, Father. You don''t need to be this harsh with her."


    "She did nothing wrong, really?" William refuted in a detached voice. "Sky, don''t think I haven''t seen through your thoughts ever since you found out Emma isn''t our family''s biological daughter.


    "I''m telling you now, the real daughter your mother and I have is Nat. We''ve pampered Emma all her life, but she owes all her blessings to Nat. She would be of no importance if it wasn''t for Nat."


    William was being very blunt. "Nat''s kindness is why we''re still taking care of her instead of kicking her out. We''ve raised her for 20 years and showered her with love and care, and she still wasn''t grateful for it. She even tried to stir up trouble with Nat. Since she doesn''t know how to appreciate things, I won''t care if something happens to her.


    "And you, Sky. You were the only one who wasn''t weing when Nat came back. If you dislike it so much, you can just leave together with Emma. I have another four sons, and I don''t necessarily need you to take over thepany."


    After scolding Sky, William gripped Natalie''s hand as he warmly smiled. Then, he uttered softly, "Don''t worry, sweetie. I have your back."


    William added, "I won''t have any objections even if you decide to kick Emma out of the family."


    Natalie''s eyes welled up with tears uncontrobly. She had even prepared herself to confront Sky.


    However, it seemed like there was no need for that anymore.


    William gently caressed Natalie''s hair and patted her shoulder lightly. Then, he turned to Sky. "Apologize to your sister, Sky."


    William said indifferently, "If you dare abandon your sister like that again, you should break your own leg."


    Sky was breathing heavily in frustration. Still, he apologized to Natalie. "I''m sorry, Nat. It''s my fault for leaving you in the middle of the road. Iwon''t ask you to treat Emma as your own sister anymore. If you distike Emma, I''ll have her move out."


    After pausing for a brief moment, Sky continued, "But Nat, I just wanted to say that Emma had lived with our family for 20 years. Although there isn''t a blood tie between us, the familial bond is still incredibly strong.


    "I can treat you as my sister, but what about Emma? She''s my sister too. So do you think you can be more open-minded, and let Emma stay in the family?"


    "Wait," Natalie cut in. "I never said that I wanted to kick Emma out of the family, have I?"


    "But you won''t even try to get along with her."


    "Why should I?" Natalie retorted aloofly. "You dote on Emma. That''s your choice, and you have no right to ask me to provide the same thing for Emma."


    "I didn''t ask you to care for her." Sky took a deep breath and said, "Emma is very sensible. She''s been feeling so restless ever since you came back because she''s afraid Father and Mother would kick her out. She even asked me about how she could please you, Nat. Emma has always seen you as her real sister."


    "Did Emma tell you these things herself?"


    Natalie let out a soft chuckle. The affection Sky had shown Emma was exactly what Mason had described to her.


    "No, they were not. But I can tell from her hesitation."


    "Don''t waste your time talking to him, Nat," said William as he pulled Natalie over, eyeing Sky disdainfully. "Lincoln, scale back your acting career. Go back to work at thepany."


    "Understood, Father," Lincoln replied immediately. He winked at Natalie as if he was saying, "Look, I told you every man in the family has their heads screwed on right, except for a dumbass like Sky."


    Natalie couldn''t help but grin at Lincoln. It was indeed a nice feeling to have people backing her up.


    She didn''t even have to do a thing; William and Lincoln solved it all for her.


    Sky bit his tongue and decided not to argue further after hearing what William had said. Looking at Natalie, he uttered softly, "I''m sorry, Nat. I wasn''t being considerate. Can you forgive me just this once?"


    Natalie shifted her gaze to William,


    only to find him looking at her


    for


    lovingly. "You don''t need to be doubtful or scared at home, Nat. You can choose to forgive him, not-it''s totally up to you. No one can force you to do anything you dislike, including your mother and I."

 Chapter 223 Her Place in the Walker Family

    What William had just said wasn''t just for Natalie-it was for Sky too.


    Sky''s expression wavered. Atst, he managed to suppress his emotions.


    Lincoln walked over to Natalie, ruffling her hair. "Don''t worry, Nat. I''ll be focusing less on my acting career and go back to working at Walker Group. I''ll need your help taking care of my entertainmentpany. By then, you''ll be the boss of thepany," Lincoln said as he winked at Natalie, making thetter smile.


    To the public, Lincoln was a top-tier actor with an icy demeanor. He was also the definition of an all-round artist for he was good at singing and dancing too.


    His cold persona made it hard for others to approach him. However, he was the total opposite in front of Natalie. He was gentle and kind whenever he talked to her.


    "No way! What about the clothingpany we nned to give Nat if you let her take over your entertainmentpany?"


    William gave Lincoln a knock on his head. "Can''t you take care of bothpanies at the same time?"


    "Taking care of bothpanies at the same time?" Lincoln''s eyes widened in shock. "How could you say something so heartless, Father? I''d be dead on my feet!"


    "Quit joking around." William chuckled. "As a brother, you shouldn''t let your sister overwork herself. Thepany we nned to give Nat was just a thing to keep her upied, and it was nothing too serious. You can take care of your entertainmentpany yourself."


    "Alright, then." Lincoln was slightly disappointed since he really wanted to give the entertainmentpany to Natalie. After all, the yearly ie from thepany''s artists alone was enough to support an ordinary person for decades.


    But William had a point too. Natalie had been absent in their family for the past 20 years. They shouldn''t exhaust her too much when she just came back.


    Giving Natalie apany would keep her entertained, and she could get some hands-on experience too. Additionally, it was better to work for their ownpany instead of someone else''spany.


    William and Charlotte couldn''t bear the thought of having Natalie intern somewhere else and getting ordered around.


    Sky watched quietly as the others chatted before him, especially Natalie. She never said anything about whether she''d forgive him. Thus, Sky voiced again, "Can you forgive me just this once, Nat?"


    Natalie cast a nce at Sky. In just a short amount of time, Sky had regained hisposure. His facial features were simr to Lincoln''s-handsome with a rugged charm.


    She knew that, to Sky, she would never outrank Emma.


    "We''re a family." She smiled a little. "What''s there to forgive, Sky?


    "I understand that you feel bad for Emma, but I''m not jealous of her because I have Lincoln and Dad who care for me. But Sky, can you let Emma know that I''m not her sister? Please tell her not to bother asking about me or my preferences¡ª it''s none of her business.


    "She doesn''t have to do anything to tter me as well because I won''t ept it. I don''t hate her, but I also won''t treat her as my sister.


    "Can you understand what I''m trying to say, Sky? I''ll need to find a trantor for you if you don''t."


    "Yes, I understand." Sky nodded lightly. "I''ll tell Emma not to disturb you from now on."


    "Great."


    "Let me make myself clear again, Sky," William said sternly. "We didn''t know we took the wrong daughter home back then, but now that we found our biological daughter, Nat should be the most loved person in our family.


    "Whether it''s you guys or Emma, none of you are more important than Nat. If anyone has a problem with it, they can leave the Walkers and fend for themselves.


    "Your mother and I will provide everyone with a certain amount of start-up funds. The future will be in your own hands then."


    After a quick pause, William continued, "That includes Emma, too. Your mother and I discussed it, and we would find Emma''s biological parents for her. We went off track before, so let''s steer things right this time."


    Upon hearing that, Sky''s expression turned sour. Before he could speak, William shot him a re. "Got a problem with that?"


    Sky immediately shook his head. "No, Father. I''ll do as you say."


    "I just want a peaceful home. That said, I do hope you all can genuinely care for your biological sister. I can''t deny that raising Emma has created emotional ties. But at the same time, she needs to understand her ce in this family. If she does, then taking care of her won''t be an issue. However, if she dares to stir up any trouble, your mother and I won''t go easy on her. Am I clear?"


    Lincoln answered instantly, "Yes, Father. I understand." "What about you, Sky?"


    "I understand too, Father," Sky replied with a nk expression.


    "Keep in mind that Nat is the only daughter the Walker family has. If Emma is well-behaved, she could remain as the Walker family''s foster daughter. If she steps out of line, we''ll send her back to her biological


    parents once we find them."


    William went on, "Sky, you''ll be in charge of finding Emma''s biological parents. Do you have any objections?"


    William could be very scary if he got mad. Even if Sky had taken over Walker Group, he was still afraid of his own father''s ruthlessness.


    Thus, Sky nodded quickly in response. "No, Father. I don''t have any objections."


    "If I ever find out you left Nat in the middle of nowhere again, you''re out of this family."


    "I understand, Father."


    Then, Sky turned to Natalie. "I''m sorry, Nat."


    "It''s fine," said Natalie.


    After all, she had decided not to take Sky''s car anymore.


    "Natalie, I''ll give you one of my cars to drive," Lincoln added. "Father, I''ll bring


    Natalie to pick a car."


    Lincoln pulled Natalie to him. "I have a lot of new cars that I haven''t driven


    before Go see if there''s any you?


    If there isn''t, I''ll buy you a new one."


    "Go on ahead!" William''s tone softened a little. "I''ll pay for it. Don''t hesitate to spend Lincoln''s money as well. He''s got plenty, you know."


    "Exactly! I''ve got the cash. Feel free to splurge. It''s fine."


    Natalie put on a smile. "Thank you, Lincoln."


    "You''re wee!"


    Lincoln then turned to William. "Father, I''ll bring her to pick a car out now."


    "Alright!"


    William watched as Lincoln brought Natalie away. In the next instant, he turned to Sky. "Come to the study with me."


    "Okay, Father."


    Then, Sky followed William into the study. Just as the door closed, William''s


    now!"

 Chapter 224 On Your Knees Now

    As William''s stern voice rang, Sky fell to his knees right away.


    "Father, I don''t think we''re being fair to Emma."


    "What do you mean?"


    William walked around the desk and stopped in front of Skr.


    "I''m very disappointed in you, Sky. You''re going to be punished."


    "I''d still say this even if I''m going to be punished," Sky responded firmly. "Emma saw you and Mother as her beloved parents for 20 years, always following us brothers around like a little tag-along as she grew up. Did you forget how cute she was when she was still a child, Father?"


    "My daughter was having her blood drawn by the Langleys when Emma was being all sweet and obedient in front of us. That''s the only thing I know."


    William then frowned and pped Sky''s back as punishment.


    "You only feel bad for Emma, but you never empathize with your biological sister. Tell me, what kind of hardships have Emma faced growing up? She was pampered both materially and emotionally in the family!


    "Now think about your biological sister who had been transfusing blood to Diana when she was with the Langleys. Grace even took advantage of her, using Natalie for her own gain. The Langleys sold Natalie out, yet they still want her to clean up their mess!


    "Your biological sister was being abused when Emma was acting all cute,


    charming us. Tell me, Sky, what struggles has Emma gone through?"


    William added, "Are you telling me my daughter can''t evene back to her own home because of Emma now?"


    He scolded as he pped Sky once more.


    Sky was gritting his teeth, suppressing the pain. "That''s not what I meant."


    "Oh, that''s exactly what you meant." William''s face was clouded with fury.


    "Nat didn''t even want toe back to us in the beginning. She waited forever at the front gate when she first arrived at our house, all because of your mother''s oversight. I checked the surveince afterward, and it was Emma who deliberately held your mother back, preventing her from greeting Nat.


    "Didn''t we care about Emma, Sky? Think carefully. Didn''t wefort her after she left the house, crying with her luggage when Nat came home? Did she really treat Nat like her own sister?"


    Numerous loud ps echoed in the room.


    Soon, William was drenched in sweat.


    "I don''t care how you''re going to pamper Emma, but as long as I''m still alive, you''re not going to have a say in the Walker family."


    William then took a step back as he saw blood seeping through Sky''s shirt.


    "Today''s punishment is the first warning for you. If you do anything that hurts Nat for Emma or anyone else, I''m not going to take it easy on you," William remarked aloofly.


    "I understand, Father."


    "Also, I don''t want to hear you speaking up for Emma anymore. She''s struggling, but does Nat have it any easier?"


    "I got it, Father."


    "Get lost!"


    "Okay." Sky stood up, gritting his teeth through the pain, and walked out of the study.


    As soon as he exited the room, he stumbled uncontrobly. Cindy immediately went up to support him. "Mr. Sky, are you okay?


    "Gosh, your back is bleeding, Mr. Sky!"


    Cindy was overwhelmed with worry. "Have a seat, quick. I''ll get the medical kit."


    "Get the family doctor." Sky pinched the bridge of his nose. If only he had known what would happen. He wouldn''t have turned around halfway to the office.


    Cindy was cursing Natalie under her breath as she rushed to get the medical kit.


    Back when Natalie wasn''t home, their family was enjoying a warm and cheerful atmosphere. Everyone loved Emma the most. They were so happy that the vi was filled withughter every single day.


    Ever since Natalie came back, Emma had to take a vacation to unwind, and now


    Sky had been punished by William.


    The blood hadpletely drenched his shirt. Whatevery beneath must have been gruesome.


    Cindy came back with the medical kit in her hand, eyes brimming with tears. "Take off your shirt, Mr. Sky. Let me help you with the wounds."


    Sky took the medical kit over and opened it. "It''s fine, Cindy. I can do it on my


    own. You can get back to what you were doing."


    Cindy was the helper dedicated to taking care of Emma. Thus, she was respected


    enough by the Walkers to have a say in things.


    Sky showed her a lot of courtesy as well. "Remember to clean Emma''s room


    every day so that she cane back anytime."


    "Of course," Cindy said as she rubbed her eyes. "Oh dear, just how much pain are you in, Mr. Sky?"


    "Take the punishment for Sky if you''re so concerned about him."


    Hector came back at this moment. He removed his coat, and the helper nearby immediately took it from him.


    "Cindy, people would assume that you''re Sky''s actual mother if they didn''t know."


    Hector remarked indifferently, "Isn''t being Emma''s helper enough, Cindy? Are you after my job as a doctor now too?"


    "I wouldn''t dare, Mr. Hector. I just feel bad for Mr. Sky."


    Cindy wiped away her tears. "Mr. Sky is very precious to the family. Who knows how long it''ll take for him to recover from these wounds?"


    "Cindy''s saying that you''re weak, Sky."


    Hector walked over to the couch and took the medical kit from Sky. "Take off your shirt. I''ll take care of your wounds.


    "You don''t have to worry too much as well, Cindy. There''s a doctor in the family, and we own a hospital too. As long as Sky''s still breathing, I can pull him through."


    Hector cast a nce at Cindy. "You''re not needed here anymore. Go about your tasks."


    "Alright, Mr. Hector."


    Cindy wiped her tears and walked away. As soon as she left, she took out her phone and gave Emma a call, informing her of the current situation.


    "Ms. Emma? Mr. Walker punished Mr. Sky just now!"


    Emma''s exmations came through the phone. "What? Why? Why did Dad punish Sky?"


    "It''s all because of that damn


    Natalie," Cindy whispered. "Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Sky had an


    argument the moment she caSky


    back. Mr. Walker even gave Mr Sky


    an earful right away when he showed up!


    "Ms. Emma, this bitch is trying to get rid of you!"


    Emma dug her nails into her palm in that instant, suppressing her anger. She thought, "This damn Natalie... How could she kick me out of the family?" Emma was the one who had been living with the Walker family for 20 years.


    If anyone was an outsider here, it was Natalie.


    "This woman has bewitched Mr.


    Walker and your brothers. She''s even got Mrs. Walker on her side. You have to stop with the traveling, Ms. Emma. You''ve got toe back fast and take back what''s yours!"


    "What are you doing, Cindy?"


    "Ah!"


    Cindy was hiding in a corner as she talked to Emma on the phone. As she heard


    a faint voice calling her, she was so frightened that she nearly sprang to her feet.

 Chapter 225 His Presence or Absence Doesnt Matter Much

    Mason had juste back, and he furrowed his brows upon seeing Cindy''s reaction. "What''s the matter, Cindy?"


    "No, Nothing..." Cindy stuttered.


    "Mr. Mason, when did youe back? I didn''t even hear your footsteps!"


    Cindy''s face turned pale from the shock. She prayed that Mason hadn''t overheard


    her conversation with Emma over the phone.


    "I just came back not long ago," he said.


    Mason eyed Cindy doubtfully.


    "Am I that scary? Her face literally turned all pale!" he thought.


    "Oh, I see." Cindy regained herposure. She believed Mason had not overheard her talking to Emma on the phone, so she squeezed out a smile. "I''m chatting with my good friend on the phone. She told me there''s a good short drama series, and she wanted me to watch it with her."


    "Really?" After ncing at Cindy for a while, Mason nodded. "Don''t get too rxed now, although Emma''s not home. You should still do the tasks you''re supposed to do."


    "I understand, Mr. Mason," Cindy replied immediately.


    After Mason left, Cindy ced the phone to her ear again. "Ms. Emma, I''m going to hang up the call now. I almost got caught by Mr. Mason."


    "Okay. Remember to keep me updated at all times since you''re home, Cindy."


    "I will, Ms. Emma. Don''t worry."


    Cindy hung up the call. After taking a few deep breaths, she returned to the vi cautiously.


    Hector had taken care of Sky''s wounds on his back. Sky was still gasping in pain -William didn''t go easy on him at all when he punished Sky.


    "Avoid bathing for now. If you really feel like taking one, use a wet towel to clean your body." Hector put away the medical kit and continued, "By the way, I saw Ms. Sinir during my consultation at another hospital today.


    "I think I saw her heading to the Obstetric and Gynecological Department."


    Hector spoke in a mild tone and left it at that. Then, he stood up and passed the medical kit to Cindy. "Put it back, Cindy."


    "Okay, Mr. Hector."


    "I''m going to find Lincoln and Natalie."


    As Hector walked out of the vi, he bumped into Mason, who had juste back. "I''m going to where Lincoln and Natalie are, Mason. Do you want to tag along?"


    "Sure!" Mason agreed straight away, following Hector to Lincoln''s garage.


    Walker Manor had a total of nine garages. William and Charlotte each had their own, as did the siblings. One of the remaining two garages was designated for the security team and helper vehicles, while the other was reserved for guests during parties.


    Lincoln apanied Natalie as she was choosing a car in his garage.


    He loved the Bentley models a lot, and so most of his cars were Bentleys.


    "What do you think of this car, Nat?" Lincoln pointed at a Bentley Batur. "I think this car suits you well."


    Natalie walked up to the car, reaching out her hand and touching it lightly. "But I like G-Wagons."


    Since she liked G-Wagons, it was the vehicle she used the most whenever she traveled.


    "Sure, I have G-Wagon as well."


    Lincoln signaled Natalie to follow him. "Come on!"


    "What about a Maybach G650?" he asked.


    Natalie grinned as she replied, "A normal car will do, Lincoln. I don''t have such high standards for cars."


    "No way! You''re the sister of Lincoln Walker, the A-List actor and CEO of an entertainmentpany. A normal car doesn''t suit a person like you."


    Lincoln smiled. "You don''t have to be so formal with me, Nat. Pick whichever you like."


    "Hi, Lincoln. Hi, Natalie!" Hector and Mason greeted in unison.


    Then, Mason dashed over and wrapped his arms around a Bentley Arnage. "Lincoln, can you give this car to me? I love it so much."


    "No, buzz off!" Lincoln pulled Mason away and added, "You can make your own money and buy it after you graduate. Or, if you bring back a gold medal, I''ll buy it for you."


    "Nat..." Mason turned to hug Natalie, trying to charm her. "Natalie, can you ask Lincoln to give me a car? Pretty please with a cherry on top? I''ll let you have all my money in the future."


    Natalie still hadn''t gotten used to being so close to them. Hence, her body stiffened up again.


    Luckily, Lincoln yanked Mason off Natalie almost instantly. "Oh, get lost. You can have the one over there."


    Lincoln casually picked a key from the ring of car keys, throwing it to Mason.


    Mason pressed the car lock, and a car in the distance made a sound. He burst into happy cheers.


    "Thank you so much, Lincoln! May you earn billions every year, bing more handsome and sessful!"


    Mason couldn''t contain his excitement after he got the car. He was dancing around, celebrating it. After all, he was still a student, and the Walkers wouldn''t spoil him with anything luxurious.


    Although the Walkers didn''t follow the idea of giving the boys less while spoiling the girls, William and Charlotte didn''t offer the boys overlyvish materialforts. They wanted them to be modest.


    While the family provided them with confidence, they had to be exceptional on their own as well.


    The siblings in the Walker family received top-tier education at a young age. Thus, they were all excellent people, and each was a top figure in their respective fields.


    This was all true except for Mason, who was still a student in a sports academy.


    It was his dream to win a gold medal for his country. Although the training he underwent every day was grueling, he never once whined.


    The only reason he had beening home often recently was because of Natalie.


    Once the semester begins, Mason would have to throw himself back into training. With all the uingpetitions, he would no longer have the luxury of time like this.


    "Sky was punished by Father. Do you both want to go back to see him?" Hector pushed the sses on the bridge of his nose lightly. "I was informed of it on my way back."


    "Well, I''m with Nat," Lincoln said.


    Mason nodded. "Sky deserved it."


    "Still, he''s our eldest brother. Natalie,


    ?.


    you should go and check on him. Sky dotes on Emma more, which is why he may seem like her other parent sometimes," Hector said as he took out a tube of ointment.


    "Emma knows how to tter Sky. She often has deep conversations with him and


    sends him gifts asionally, so Sky likes her more."


    Hector didn''t mention that they had kicked Sky out of their group chat before Natalie had returned.


    "But Natalie, you''re our biological sister. Sky might not get it now, but he will, eventually. Take this ointment, you can bring it to Sky and help him apply it."


    "Hector, Natalie doesn''t have to tter Sky, does she?" Lincoln disagreed. "Sky did something wrong, and that''s why he was punished. Why does Natalie have to go and tter him?


    "Besides, Sky can keep pampering


    Emma if he wants. Natalie has us, right? It''s not like his presence or absence matters much. Natalie doesn''t need to try and please him, nor does she need topete with Emma."


    "Lincoln, I''m not asking Natalie topete with Emma. What I meant was Sky needed an excuse to back


    down," Hector exined with patience. "I''m worried that Sky take his anger out on Natalie too.


    swn&


    "It won''t hurt for Natalie to check on Sky. If he still acts like that, Natalie should


    stay away from Sky and Emma for now."

 Chapter 226 She Doesnt Want Emma Here

    Natalie pondered for a moment. Hector did have a point there, but she wasn''t going to dispute Lincoln just yet.


    After all, Lincoln and Mason genuinely cared for her, and she was extremely grateful for them.


    "She doesn''t have to go." Lincoln pulled Natalie to him. "Sky can vent his anger out on me if he''s upset."


    "Lincoln." Hector sighed. "You wouldn''t want Sky and Father to be at odds, right? Consider it a favor for me, Lincoln. Let Nat go, yeah?"


    Lincoln looked at Natalie. Then, she nodded and answered, "Lincoln, I''ll go check on Sky. Hector has a point there. I should check on Sky, but it''s totally up to Sky to ept me. If he prefers Emma and is biased against me, that''s his problem-not mine. I have you guys with me, anyway."


    Natalie took the ointment and nodded at Lincoln. "I''ll get going now, Lincoln."


    "I''ll go with you."


    Lincoln was still feeling unsure, for he knew how much Sky had protected Emma.


    "I''m fine on my own, Lincoln. Don''t forget that Dad''s in the house, too!"


    Natalie smiled at the two of them with the ointment in her hand. Mason, however, was still hugging and kissing the car at the side Lincoln had just given him.


    "Alright then, call me if anything happens," Lincoln said.


    She nodded. "Will do."


    Natalie then walked toward the elevator and went up to the first floor from the underground garage. Since she didn''t see Sky in the living room, she asked a nearby helper, "Do you know where Sky is?"


    "Mr. Sky went back to his room, Ms. Natalie."


    "Okay, thank you."


    "You''re wee, Ms. Natalie. Let me bring you to his room."


    "Thanks."


    Natalie followed the helper as they led her to Sky''s room. Soon, she arrived at the door to his bedroom.


    "Ms. Natalie, this is Mr. Sky''s room. Please call me if you need anything."


    Natalie nodded, thanking the helper.


    After the helper left, Natalie knocked on the door. Then, she heard Sky''s voice through the door. "Who''s there?"


    "It''s me, Natalie."


    "Come in!"


    Natalie pushed the door open, walking into his room, only to see Sky had changed into a set of loungewear. She could also see the faint traces of bandages on his back.


    "I brought some ointment for you, Sky."


    She walked up to Sky, cing the ointment Hector had given her onto the desk.


    Sky rubbed his temples lightly. "I don''t need it. Hector took care of my wounds already. You can leave now if there''s nothing else."


    "I should probably exin the issue regarding Emma''s stay," Natalie said after hesitating for a moment.


    "I never once said I''d ask Emma to leave the Walkers after I came back. I believe


    I rified that I won''t treat her as my real sister, and she doesn''t have to do so either. Also, I''d rather Emma and I each have our own way of living if we were to live under the same roof."


    "Natalie, I was punished by Father because of you," Sky interrupted her. "You said you brought an ointment? You''re just here to enjoy my misery, aren''t you?


    "Emma wouldn''t cause you any trouble if she''s staying home, and don''t you even think about bullying her. Indeed, you''re the Walkers'' biological daughter, but it was Emma who had been apanying Father and Mother for the past two decades."


    At those words, Natalie knew continuing the conversation with Sky was pointless.


    "If that''s the case, then I suppose there''s nothing more to say." She took the ointment back and chuckled. "Yeah, I don''t want Emma here-got a problem with that?"


    A chilly look crossed Natalie''s face, and her eyes filled with quiet mockery. "Looks like Mr. Sky is willing to drive out his biological sister for Emma."


    "Took you long enough to drop the act." Sky scoffed. "You''re now the darling in the family, Natalie. How could I dare get rid of you? But you better keep in mind that if you hurt Emma, I''ll make you pay."


    "I''ll look forward to how you''ll make me pay then, Mr. Sky."


    As Natalie finished her sentence coldly, she turned to leave.


    "What a hypocrite." Natalie heard Sky''s voice from behind when she reached the


    door. "Emma wouldn''t just give me a tube of ointment if she knew Father punished me."


    After a brief pause, Natalie decided not to say anything and left his room.


    "How did it go, Nat?"


    Hector was already waiting for Natalie at the door.


    Shaking her head, she replied, "Not good. He said I''m a hypocrite."


    Then, she returned the ointment to Hector.


    "Also, Hector, please pass Emma a message for me. Tell her to never, ever cause


    me trouble, or I won''t let her have it easy."


    As soon as Natalie finished her sentence, she turned and left.


    Hector was at a loss for words, gripping the ointment she had thrown to him. He


    decided to let it slide since there was nothing else left to say.


    "I''m sorry, Nat. I got it wrong."


    "It''s not your fault, Hector. I''m going to get some rest now."


    "Alright, see you!"


    Natalie went to the fifth floor. She liked the room William and Charlotte had prepared for her a lot. It was huge, but it was well-designed and cozy. As she sank into the soft bed, the massage function kicked in automatically. Soon, her body was all rxed.


    Charles no longer needed any acupuncture sessions, and Connie just needed to


    oversee the recovery process at Holden Residence.


    Thus, there was nothing left for Natalie to care for now.


    Natalie took her phone, logged in to


    her encrypted email, and checked the new messages. It had been a while since Federrick sent her a message. She didn''t know where the old man was off to now.


    After massaging for a while, she suddenly received an email from Connie.


    "Ms. Walker, the daughter of the Sinir family, Sophia Sinir, contacted me through private connections. Should I ept her request?"


    Connie had told her about Sophia''s situation back at Holden Residence. Charles had given Natalie Sophia''s name card as well.


    However, Sophia was Sky''s girlfriend. Did the baby Sophia was pregnant with belong to Sky? Moreover, was Sky aware of this?


    After hesitating for a while, Natalie sent Connie a reply, "Not for now."


    Connie responded right away, "Okay, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie logged out of the email and switched to another ount. Then, she messaged Olivia.


    "Are you online, Olivia?"


    Olivia replied instantly, "Yup."


    "I''m moving you to another entertainmentpany. You won''t be under Sky''s


    "Okay, I''ll go along with whatever you decide."


    "Oh, I sent you an invitation. Did you receive it? It''s the Walkers'' wee party.


    Join us!"


    In the next instant, Olivia''s call came through.


    Natalie picked up the call. "Yeah?"


    "I''m toozy to type. Let''s just talk over the phone," Olivia said. "Why are you


    suddenly transferring me to a differentpany?"


    "You''ll be moved to Lincoln''s entertainmentpany."


    Natalie sat up. She took out her tablet, connected it to a Bluetooth keyboard, and


    put her phone on speaker.


    "You know Lincoln''s my second


    brother, right? I n to ask him for a modeling agency, focusing on you And my biological parents n to give me a clothingpany. I''m going to try running thepany and see how things go."


    "Wow, is this the power of wealth? I''m so impressed!" Olivia eximed on the


    other side of the call.


    Chuckling, Natalie remarked, "Girl, your career''s about to soar to new heights."

 Chapter 227 She May Really Be Kicked Out

    Olivia was shrieking over the phone. Ever since she had been rescued by the Walkers from the enforcement office in Amberton and brought to Dithoria, she patiently waited for Natalie to contact her. She didn''t want to disturb Natalie.


    All Olivia needed was to know Natalie was safe, and then she could be at peace.


    Olivia''s parents were brought to Dithoria with her, and the Walkers discreetly arranged for bodyguards to protect them. Hence, Olivia didn''t have to worry about the Langleys'' revenge on her.


    When she received Natalie''s text just now, she knew Natalie had taken care of everything and finally found the time to contact her.


    "Can Ie to find you, Natalie?"


    Olivia suppressed her excitement-she was so happy for Natalie. After all, having her parents give herpany was definitely better than being an intern, working hard tond a full-time job, hustling for a whole month, and still barely making any money.


    "Of course, I''ll text you the address! Oh, right. I can introduce you to Lincoln as well."


    "Great! I''ll see youter."


    "See you then."


    As soon as Natalie hung up the call, she sent Olivia the location of the Walker residence. Then, using the inte, she called the security desk.


    After informing the security desk to let Olivia through once she arrived, Natalie took a bath and changed into a fresh set of loungewear.


    While waiting for Olivia, she took out theptop Timothy had given her and went through the emails on the other ount.


    Olivia arrived at the same time Natalie finished going through the emails. She parked her car in the front gate''s lot.


    Then, she texted Natalie, "I''m here, Natalie. Where are you? Your birth parents'' house is so huge! I thought I drove into a castle or something."


    Natalie chuckled as she texted a reply, "Give me a moment. I''lle get you now."


    She took the elevator to the first floor. Soon, she brought Olivia into the manor. "Lincoln," Natalie called out.


    Lincoln stood before the window, making calls. Now that he had decided to return to working at Walker Group, he had to arrange his work ordingly.


    Natalie brought Olivia to Lincoln. Smiling, she said, "Lincoln, this is my best friend, Olivia Thatcher. She''s the one I told you before. You must''ve heard of her too, right?"


    Lincoln gave Olivia a warm smile as he extended his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Thatcher. I''m Natalie''s second brother, Lincoln Walker."


    Olivia stared at Lincoln in a daze. Lincoln was one of those celebrities she had only seen on the screen, and she couldn''t believe he was standing right in front of her now.


    Besides, he was smiling at her.


    "Where''s your mind at, Olivia?"


    Upon seeing how dazed Olivia was, Natalie bit back augh and gave Olivia a yful pinch.


    Olivia came back to her senses and immediately rubbed her hand on her clothes. Then, she carefully shook Lincoln''s hand.


    Lincoln chuckled softly. The corner of his eyes turned up, narrowing into a thin line. Whenever he smiled, all traces of his aloof demeanor toward others disappeared.


    The Walkers all had those alluring almond-shaped eyes, making them look tender and charming when they smiled.


    Moreover, Lincoln''s physique and appearance were both superior. Anyone would fall for him quickly with a simple nce.


    "Thank you for staying by Nat''s side before we found her," Lincoln said gently. "Nat told me about your situation. You can join mypany instead! There''s no need to stay under my older brother''s.


    "I won''t spend that much time at mypany from now on, and I''ll pass some of the work to Nat. She''ll be in charge of you then."


    Lincoln''s baritone voice sounded like music to Olivia''s ears, and it took her a while to snap back to her senses. "Oh, okay. Thank you, thank you..."


    Olivia blurted out her thanks. She was so excited that she didn''t know how to react to Lincoln''s words.


    "Let me introduce you to my other family members," Natalie chuckled softly. Both Mason and Hector are home, but Timothy is at his club now. Mom went to Amberton, and Dad is home. Come on, let''s go!"


    Natalie turned to Lincoln. "Lincoln, I''ll bring Olivia to see everyone first."


    "Okay, I''ll tell the kitchen to prepare dinner," Lincoln beamed as he replied.


    Of course, he had heard of Olivia. She was one of the models who bad done quite well these two years. Her well-proportioned body, fair skin, and chiseled features made her Suitable for any makeup style.


    She was also the exclusive model for Nouvelle Zara, the trending women''s fashion brand in recent years. The brand''s owner must have liked her a lot, obviously.


    Nouvelle Zara focused solely on women''s wear. The female artists under Lincoln''spany had tried to lend the brand''s evening gowns before, but they were rejected right away.


    The owner of Nouvelle Zara had mentioned before that they could either buy or rent it-lending it was not an option.


    Lincoln thought that the owner was quite an interesting person after knowing about this rule. Thus, he had his manager look into the owner, but he never found out who they were.


    Emma, too, loved Nouvelle Zara''s


    evening gowns. She was turning 20


    this year, and the Walker family had


    initially nned to celebrate itvishly, but those ns were


    canceled in the end.


    All that was left now was a wee party for Natalie.


    Lincoln went to sit down on the couch. Momentster, Natalie returned with Olivia, followed by Hector and Mason.


    "Let''s y poker!" Mason suggested. "I''ll team up with Nat. If we win, it''s her


    winnings, but if we lose, it''s my loss."


    "Are you kidding, Mason? Do you even have the money to?" Hector pushed his sses back, grinning, and asked, "Do you need my help?"


    "Of course, I have the money to y!" Mason remarked smugly. "I got cash prizes from my previouspetition, okay?"


    "Wee back, Ms. Emma."


    Suddenly, they heard Cindy''s voice at the front door. Instantly, they turned, their gazes shifting toward the door in unison.


    Raising an eyebrow, Lincoln quietly moved next to Natalie and draped his jacket over her shoulder.


    "Cover up. It''s a bit chilly now."


    "Thanks, Lincoln," Natalie said while adjusting the jacket.


    Emma was at the front door, dragging her luggage. Cindy took the luggage over, looking concerned. "Why did youe back all of a sudden, Ms. Emma?" Emma gave Cindy a tender smile. "I''ve had enough fun already, so I came back."


    She realized her card was frozen when she went to use it at the hotel. She didn''t dare call William or Charlotte, so she called Gorge.


    It was only then she learned that it was William''s order.


    She couldn''t continue traveling without money, so she secretly returned to Dithoria yesterday and stayed in a hotel near the estate.


    After all, her card was frozen, and she had no choice but to return. Otherwise, the Walkers might really expel her from the family.


    "You have to be careful, Ms. Emma," Cindy reminded in a low voice.


    Emma nodded. "I know. Thank you, Cindy."


    Emma entered the house and saw Lincoln sitting beside Natalie. Smiling, she


    hurried over to them.


    "Lincoln, Hector, Mason, and Natalie, hi!"


    "You''re back, Emma." Hector sounded as gentle as before, though there was a


    "Yes, I did!"


    Emma then turned to Cindy. "Can you pass me my luggage, Cindy? I bought souvenirs for my brothers and sister."

 Chapter 228 Emma Kneels Before Natalie

    Cindy hurriedly brought the suitcase forward, but her heart was full of disdain for Natalie. She could understand Emma bringing gifts for William, Charlotte, and their sons, but Natalie didn''t deserve such kindness.


    Natalie had returned to im everything that rightfully belonged to Emma, yet Emma still chose to be considerate, bringing her a gift and treating her kindly.


    To Cindy, this was utterly undeserved. Of course, Cindy didn''t dare voice her thoughts aloud. Whatever Emma instructed her to do, she followed without question.


    "Ms. Emma, here''s your suitcase," Cindy said as she handed it over.


    "Thank you, Cindy," Emma replied with a polite smile.


    She unzipped the suitcase and began to take out the gifts one by one.


    "This is for Dad, this is for Mom, this one is for Sky, this is Lincoln''s, Hector''s, Timothy''s, and Mason''s..."


    Emma picked up thest gift with both hands and respectfully ced it before Natalie. "This is for Nat."


    Emma then turned her attention to Olivia, who was standing nearby. "You must be Natalie''s friend! I''m so sorry¡ªI didn''t know you''d be here today, so I didn''t prepare an extra gift. Please forgive me. Let''s add each other on Instagram, and I''ll make it up to you next time."


    "Thank you, but there''s no need," Olivia replied politely.


    She scrutinized Emma subtly, sizing up the fake daughter of the Walker family, who had taken Natalie''s ce for 20 years. Emma appeared more polite andposed than Selena, but appearances could be deceiving. Olivia wasn''t about to judge Emma''s character based on a few gestures of kindness.


    "By the way, where are Dad, Mom, Sky, and Timothy?"


    Emma noticed that Natalie wasn''t epting her gift. She didn''t get upset but instead patiently ced it in front of her again.


    "Natalie, this is for you," Emma said with a warm smile, pretending it was their first meeting.


    Natalie didn''t bother to expose her act and simply replied, "Thank you, but I''m not your sister. Keep your gift. I don''t want it."


    Emma''s face turned slightly pale. She bit her lip and stood frozen, unsure of how to respond.


    Cindy stepped forward in frustration. "Hey, why are you speaking like that? Ms. Emma is trying to be nice and treat you like family. She even brought you a gift! Instead of being grateful, you''re being rude and dismissive."


    Lincoln''s expression turned stormy. "Cindy, you''re just a helper. Who do you think you are to speak to Natalie like that? You''re fired. Pack your things and get out immediately!"


    When she met Lincoln''s icy stare, Cindy was stunned, and she copsed to her knees, trembling. "Mr. Lincoln, I''m sorry, I was wrong. Please don''t fire me."


    Emma pleaded anxiously, "Lincoln, Cindy didn''t mean it! Please don''t fire her. She''s been with me for so long. Even if she hasn''t contributed much, she''s always been there for me. She never meant to offend Natalie."


    Tears welled up in Emma''s eyes, and she quickly kneeled before Natalie. "Natalie, please don''t me Cindy. If you want to me someone, me me. Please don''t make Lincoln fire her."


    As Emma kneeled, she moved forward to grab Natalie''s hand, but before she could reach it, Lincoln stepped in. He threw her coat in front of her, creating a barrier between Emma''s outstretched hand and Natalie.


    "Step back," Lincolnmanded coldly. "Didn''t you hear Nat refuse your gift? She''s not your sister, so stop trying to forge a connection."


    Emma''s eyes filled with tears as she looked at him in disbelief. "I''m sorry. It was my mistake."


    "Don''t kneel before Natalie," Lincoln said as he stood up.


    He grabbed Emma''s wrist and pulled her to her feet forcefully. "If people who don''t know the situation see this, they''ll think Nat is bullying you."


    Lincoln scanned the room before his gazended on a nearby helper. "You there, bring a jackfruit shell."


    Emma widened her eyes in disbelief. She couldn''t fathom what she had just heard.


    Lincoln had always been the most indifferent of her five brothers. Sky had treated her the best, and Hector and Timothy had spoiled her too. Yet now, Hector, who was sitting on the couch, hadn''t spoken a word


    "Yes, Mr. Lincoln," the helper replied, quickly rushing to the kitchen. Momentster, she returned with a te of jackfruit and a bucket of sharp jackfruit shells.


    "Ms. Natalie, here''s some jackfruit for you," the helper said, cing the te in front of Natalie.


    Then, she ced the jackfruit shells in front of Emma. "Ms. Emma, here are the shells for you to kneel on."


    Emma''s frustration bubbled over as she cursed the helper under her breath. Natalie''s lips twitched slightly as she nced at Olivia, whose eyes gleamed with excitement, clearly enjoying the unfolding spectacle.


    Hector and Mason sat together-Mason was absorbed in his phone game, while Hector meticulously polished his sses. Neither of them showed any reaction to Emma''s re.


    Tears filled Emma''s eyes as she looked at Lincoln, but he remained emotionless, staring back at her "Weren''t you going to plead for Cindy?" he remarked coldly. Then show some sincerity."


    Emma bit her lip, looking utterly pitiful.


    "Ms. Emma, you don''t need to kneel. I''ll leave," Cindy said, standing up and


    wrapping her arms around Emma. "Please take care of yourself."


    "I won''t let you go," Emma murmured, biting her lip again as she nced at the jackfruit shells on the ground. She had worn a white dress today, and her knees


    exposed. There was no way


    could kneel on those shells.


    Emma looked back at Natalie, who casually picked up the jackfruit pieces the helper had brought and handed a piece to Olivia, then Lincoln. "Lincoln, would you like some durian?"


    "Sure," Lincoln replied, his cold expression melting into a rare smile as he epted the fruit.


    "Thank you, Nat," he added.


    "Don''t mention it," Natalie replied.


    She then offered the durian to Hector and Mason, who both responded in unison


    as if on cue.


    "Thank you, Nat."


    "You''re wee," she said.


    After distributing the fruit, Nataliepletely ignored Emma and Cindy. Cindy had harbored an unspoken hostility toward her since the first time she arrived at the Walker residence.


    As a mere helper, Cindy seemed to have forgotten her ce, thinking that years of service gave her the right to act so brazenly toward her.

 Chapter 229 What Do All Those Years of Sibling Bond Mean to You

    Emma stared at Natalie, who remained calm and indifferent, dividing the jackfruit without sparing her a single nce. It was as if everything unfolding had nothing to do with her.


    But this all started because of Natalie!


    Tears welled up in Emma''s eyes as she pursed her lips, cautiously asking, "If I kneel on the shells, will Natalie forgive Cindy?"


    She turned to Lincoln and pleaded, "Lincoln, Cindy only said those things because she was worried about me. She couldn''t stand to see me wronged, and she acted on impulse. She''s spent her entire life serving our family and raising me since I was a child.


    "Now that you''ve fired her, what is she supposed to do? Can''t you talk to Natalie and ask her to forgive Cindy this once? I promise she won''t make the same mistake again."


    When Lincoln didn''t respond, Emma turned to Natalie. She stepped forward carefully, avoiding the jackfruit shells, and kneeled before her. "Natalie, I''m begging you, please forgive Cindy just this once!"


    Natalie stepped back, avoiding Emma''s hand as it reached for her pant leg. "Ms. Emma, if you have a problem with your hearing, I rmend a visit to an ENT specialist," she said coolly.


    "Ms. Natalie," Emma began, swallowing her pride. "It''s my fault. I didn''t manage my helper properly, and Cindy spoke out of turn. Ms. Natalie, please tell me what I need to do to make things right and have Cindy forgiven so Lincoln doesn''t fire her."


    She had lived in the Walker family for 20 years, yet now she found herself reduced to an outsider, begging Natalie like this. The humiliation burned within her, and she silently vowed to make Natalie pay for it.


    Natalie looked at Emma with an unreadable gaze. Emma''s makeup was top- quality¡ªshe had cried so much, yet it hadn''t smudged. Her delicate, tear-streaked look made her seem even more fragile and pitiful.


    "Stop trying to guilt-trip Nat," Lincoln said, taking a few steps forward and grabbing Emma by the arm. "You''re smart enough to avoid the jackfruit shells."


    Emma stomped her foot, ring at him with resentment. "Lincoln, I grew up with you! How can you treat me like this? What do all those years of sibling bond mean to you now?"


    Lincoln sneered, mocking her, "You''ve been taking advantage of me, and I''ve had nothing but bad luck."


    Mason, who had been sitting on the couch ying on his phone, couldn''t hold back augh. Hector gave him a calm nce before pinching his thigh.


    "Ow, that hurts! Hector, why are you pinching me?" Masonined, looking aggrieved. "Lincoln, Hector pinched me!"


    Lincoln frowned slightly. "Mason, what about all those years of sibling bond between you and Emma? Answer me."


    Mason immediately straightened up, sitting perfectly upright like an obedient first- grader. "Lincoln, my answer is the same as yours. She''s taking advantage of me, and I''m having bad luck too. Hector and Timothy feel the same way. On behalf of all of us, I''d say that''s the answer."


    As for Sky, Mason regarded him with bad luck and decided not to mention him. "I''m here. You don''t need to speak on my behalf," Hector said with a slight smile, meeting Emma''s gaze calmly. "Don''t look at me. It''s not going to end well."


    Emma''s body shook as she processed Mason and Hector''s words. She buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrobly. "Lincoln, Hector, Mason, I came back excitedly, bringing gifts for everyone. How could you all suddenly hate me this much?"


    Her voice trembled as she continued, "I''m so happy that Natalie is back. I really want to get along with her I''ve always treated her like a real sister!"


    "Why has everything changed so suddenly?" Emma pleaded, her teary eyes darting between them. "Lincoln, I can''t take this. Hector, say something!"


    Finally, she turned to Hector. "Where''s Sky? I need to talk to Sky."


    Lincoln impatiently interrupted her, "Emma, don''t overestimate yourself. If you want me not to fire Cindy, it''s simple¡ªeither you kneel, or she kneels. You choose."


    The helper standing by smartly ced two jackfruit shells in front of them.


    Lincoln nced at the helper who had ced the jackfruit shells. "Not bad. This month, have Gorge send you your bonus."


    "Thank you, Mr. Lincoln," the helper said before quickly returning to her position.


    ????


    On the surface, it seemed as though Lincoln was venting on behalf of Natalie, who had just returned. In reality, it was an invisible power struggle between the real heiress, Natalie, and the fake adopted daughter, Emma.


    If Emma won today, it would prove that her position in the Walker family was still superior. However, if Natalie won, it would show that the true heiress wasn''t someone to be taken lightly. In that case, Emma would


    have to tread carefully within the


    Walker family from now on.


    Even the helpers could discern the underlying meaning, let alone the people directly involved.


    Emma''s eyes were bloodshot as her emotions spiraled out of control. She red viciously at the helper, and the helper quickly took a step back, avoiding her deathly re.


    Emma''s re was terrifying enough to make people shudder. Everyone whispered that fake heiresses often carried a vicious streak, and Emma seemed to fit the description perfectly.


    The helpers quietly resolved that it was better to side with the real heiress, Natalie.


    "I''ll kneel," Cindy dered abruptly, dropping to her knees on the jackfruit shells without hesitation. The sharp spikes pierced her flesh, causing her to scream in agony.


    As Emma''s personal helper in the Walker family, Cindy had been spared from menial chores over the years. Though still a servant, she had grown ustomed to a life of rtive ease andfort.


    The jackfruit shells were so excruciatingly sharp that gently kneeling down would have been unbearable, let alone mming into them.


    Cindy broke out in cold sweat from the pain. Her body trembled as she bowed repeatedly to Natalie. "Ms. Natalie, I was wrong. I didn''t know my ce, and I was disrespectful. Please forgive me this once!"


    She then turned to Lincoln, pleading desperately. "Mr. Lincoln, please don''t fire me! I promise I''ll never do anything like this again!"


    As Cindy continued to bow and plead for forgiveness, Emma''s nails dug painfully into her palms. Her heart felt as though it was being ripped apart as she saw the woman who had raised her grovel so miserably.


    With a loud thud, Emma dropped to


    her knees on the jagged jackfruit shells. Unlike Cindy, who trembled uncontrobly from the sharp pain, Emma forced herself to stay upright despite the agony piercing her knees.


    "Ms. Natalie, please forgive Cindy this time. Can you also forgive me?" she


    pleaded, raising her tear-filled eyes to meet Natalie''s gaze.


    Though her tears blurred her vision, they could not fully conceal the cold hatred simmering beneath her sorrowful expression.

 Chapter 230 She Wasnt Going to Let Anyone Disrespect Her

    Upon hearing this, Lincoln also looked at Natalie. However, his gaze toward her was filled with love and encouragement, unlike the cold look he gave Emma.


    Natalie instantly understood the unspoken message in Lincoln''s gaze. With him by her side, she had nothing to fear.


    She didn''t need to worry about offending Emma or anyone else in the family daring to challenge her.


    Natalie stood up and looked down at Emma with a small smile. "I''m sorry, but Cindy must go."


    If she was going to return to her biological family''s home, she wasn''t going to let anyone disrespect her.


    "I''m the recently acknowledged daughter of this family," Natalie continued. "If even a helper can treat me like this, how can I retain any authority as the rightful heiress of the Walker family? Emma, you understand that, don''t you?"


    She then took a step closer to help Emma up, fully aware of the hatred Emma held for her.


    She had said she wouldn''t be close like a sister to Emma, but she wouldn''t destroy Emma''s position in the Walker family-as long as Emma didn''t provoke her.


    Firing Cindy served as a warning to Emma.


    "Yes, you''re right, Ms. Natalie. I didn''t think it through," Emma said, forcing a smile despite the pain in her knees. "Cindy, you''ve gone too far. I can''t defend you anymore. It would only upset Ms. Natalie."


    She continued, "You''ve worked here for years, and the Walker family has treated you well. Now that you''re leaving, take care of yourself.


    "It''s a shame. You should''ve been able to retire peacefully and watch me get married and have children. Yet, you couldn''t control your mouth. How dare you raise your voice at Ms. Natalie? If you don''t leave, who will put up with you?"


    Natalie quietly withdrew her hand. Olivia, who had been watching the whole scene, quickly handed her a disinfectant wipe.


    "Nat, here," Olivia said.


    "Thank you," Natalie replied, taking it from her and slowly wiping her hands. It was clear that Emma''s apology was insincere she was only pretending to back down while still holding onto her resentment. The subtle jab at Natalie for forcing Cindy out didn''t escape her notice.


    "Ms. Emma," Cindy sobbed. "I''ll miss you so much."


    "Stop, Cindy," Emma interrupted, pulling her into a hug as tears streamed down her face. "Pack your things and leave as soon as you can."


    Her voice cracked as she continued, "I''ll miss you too! I really will, but what else can I do? I''m not my parents'' real daughter, and I''m not my brothers'' real sister. I''ve always had to rely on others, and I don''t know what the future holds. I''m sorry, Cindy. I''m truly sorry."


    Natalie couldn''t help but smirk at the spectacle. Olivia rolled her eyes and then dramatically pulled Natalie aside.


    "Nat, my poor Nat. You finally found your birth parents, and yet you''re still being bullied! If your parents'' family doesn''t wee you, juste with me!


    "If even a helper can insult and humiliate you like this, how will you survive in the Walker family?" Olivia wailed, though her cries were nothing more than empty sobs.


    She continued, "Poor Nat! You were reced for the first 20 years, and now that you''ve finallye back, the person who took your ce is still bullying you!


    "What''s the point of living like this? You shouldn''t havee back! If you hadn''t, everything would''ve been fine. Now that you''re here, the fake daughter is crying so much that even your brothers'' hearts are breaking..."


    Olivia wasn''t scared of Emma. She''d go so far as to crash a car into the Langley residence for Natalie, so she wasn''t going to let Emma''s passive-aggressivements slide. She wouldn''t be a true friend if she didn''t stand up for Natalie now. C¨®ntent belongs to


    Natalie looked at Olivia in silence, thinking, "If you''re going to pretend to cry, at


    least shed a few real tears."


    Lincoln, Hector, and Mason looked furious. They stepped forward and immediately called for security.


    "Keep an eye on Cindy and make sure she leaves," Lincoln ordered. "Emma, if you think the Walker family isn''t treating you well, then you can leave too."


    "Who dares to make Emma leave?" Sky interrupted as he slowly descended the stairs.


    His face was pale, and he looked weak.


    Sky opened his arms and caught Emma as she flung herself into his embrace.


    "Sky, I heard you were punished. I''m sorry. It''s all my fault," Emma said, looking at him with a tear-streaked face. "I shouldn''t have gone on that trip. I shouldn''t have pleaded for Cindy. I shouldn''t have angered Natalie."


    Sky gently rubbed Emma''s head. "It''s not your fault. Don''t me yourself."


    "Sky, it''s my fault. Please don''t let this cause trouble between you and Natalie or with Lincoln," Emma pleaded. "I''m not really your parents'' daughter. I shouldn''t be in this family."


    Natalie coldly interjected, "Since you know that, then hurry up and pack your things and leave."


    "Natalie!" Sky roared. "Do you even realize what you''re saying?"


    Natalie met Sky''s gaze and smirked. "Of course, I know. Emma said it herself. I didn''t force her. She''s the one who has enough self-awareness to leave for the sake of family harmony. Don''t you support her decision?"


    She paused, then added, "Honestly, I didn''t want toe back either. Now that I have, as the true heiress of the Walker family, why should I let a fake daughter like her bully me?"


    With a sly smile, she continued, "Sky, I won''t let myself be mistreated. If Emma wants to leave, then let her. It''s better for everyone, right?"


    Lincoln stepped in front of Natalie, shielding her. "What''s this, Sky? You''ve already


    been punished. Do you want to anger Father and get punished again?"


    He turned to Natalie and ruffled her hair gently. "Natalie''s right. If Emma wants to leave, we should respect her decision. We don''t want outsiders to think the Walker family is unreasonable. Don''t worry. Nat. I won''t let anyone make you suffer."


    Natalie smiled and whispered, "Well, I''m not scared of Sky either."


    Lincoln chuckled. "That''s my girl. No wonder you''re my sister."


    Natalie grinned. She wouldn''t let Lincoln stand up for her just to turn around and y the forgiving saint for Emma. If Emma wanted to leave, then they should let her go. Neither she nor Lincoln would fall for Emma''s little games.

 Chapter 231 Emmas Oath

    Emma was still in Sky''s embrace. His back still throbbed with pain, and his face looked grim. After a long while, he gently pulled away from Emma.


    "Don''t say that," Sky softly said.


    His previously pale and gloomy expression eased a little. "Emma, don''t cry."


    Emma sobbed uncontrobly. "Sky, I don''t want to leave you. I don''t want to leave Mom and Dad either, but I don''t want to make everyone unhappy. Maybe it''s best if I just leave."


    "No," Sky said. "I''ll handle this. You grew up here. Where else would you go?"


    Emma bit her lip, reaching out to hold Sky''s hand. "Sky, I don''t want to make things hard for you."


    "It won''t be hard," Sky reassured her.


    He stepped forward and cleared his throat, saying, "Nat, Lincoln, Hector, Mason, we''re family. Let''s sit down and talk about this. I admit, I''m biased toward Emma, but that doesn''t mean I''ll let anyone mistreat Nat. Let''s all sit down and have an open conversation."


    Natalie exchanged a nce with Lincoln. He and Hector nodded in agreement.


    "Fine, let''s sit down and talk," Lincoln said.


    Sky led Emma to the dining room. Lincoln and Hector nked Natalie, while Mason stayed with Olivia.


    They all sat at the table. After instructing the helper to prepare some tea, Lincoln waited until the helper left before saying, "Sky, there''s no one else here now. If you want to say something, just speak openly."


    "Emma, apologize to Nat first," Sky said while looking at Emma, whose cheeks were still damp with tears. "Cindy may have taken care of you, but she''s still just a helper. Nat is the Walker family''s eldest daughter. No helper, including Cindy, should disrespect her."


    Emma nodded obediently. She stood up and bowed deeply to Natalie. "Natalie, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have said those things for Cindy''s sake. I hurt you, and I''m truly sorry."


    Natalie took a sip of tea, gently blowing on it before cing the cup back on the table. "As for Cindy''s dismissal, do you have any objections?"


    "No objections," Emma replied, biting her lip. "I''ll leave it all up to you. Since you don''t want me to call you by your name, can I call you Nat instead?"


    "Call me Ms. Natalie," Natalie replied coldly. "We''re not that close."


    "Ms. Natalie, can you be generous and forgive me just this once?" Emma asked hesitantly, knowing this was her only chance.


    She couldn''t afford to go against Natalie any longer.


    William had already punished Sky, and it was clear that William wouldn''t take her side.


    When Emma had thrown herself into Sky''s arms, she had already decided to endure the situation for now. She would stay in the Walker family and figure out how to deal with Natalieter.


    Sky pulled Emma to sit down. "Nat, how about this? I''ll have Emma promise and swear that she''ll never upset you again. The Walker family''s one and only true daughter is you. During the wee party, Mom and Dad will make it clear to everyone that Emma is only their adopted daughter."


    Under the table, Sky patted Emma''s hand to reassure her and silently signaled her to stay quiet.


    He continued, "Here''s what I think. Emma has lived with our family for 20 years. Even when you raise a cat or a dog, you form an attachment, let alone a living person.


    "Besides, harmony in the family is most important. Emma has been by Mom and Dad''s side all these years, as well as ours, and she''s grown close to us. If we just throw her out to live alone, she''ll struggle to adjust."


    Sky nced at Natalie and softly said, "However, I understand what you''re saying too. The Langley family mistreated you, while Emma grew up in luxury. I understand if you''re angry or upset."


    "I don''t have resentment, and I''m not upset," Natalie interrupted coldly. "Sky, don''t put words in my mouth. I''ve said from the start that I wouldn''t kick Emma out just because I returned to the Walker family, but I also won''t pretend to be her sister.


    "We just need to keep our distance and stay out of each other''s way."


    She added, "What happened today was that Emma''s helper offended me first. Lincoln helped me get rid of her. That''s not a problem, is it? Why does Emma make it seem like m trying to destroy her? She ims I''m like a sister, but when her helper insults me, she responds with passive-aggressive remarks.


    "That kind of person? I wouldn''t dare to be her sister. Who knows when she might stab me in the back?"


    "Ms. Natalie, I didn''t mean that," Emma said, biting her lip. She wanted to exin, but Sky gave her a look, signaling her to stay quiet.


    Sky said, "Yes, this matter is Emma''s fault. Cindy will be fired, and Emma is not allowed to beg for her to stay."


    "Yes, Sky, I understand," Emma whispered.


    She dug her nails into her palms under the table, then slowly rxed her grip.


    She hated Natalie''s face. The more she looked at her, the more unbearable it


    was.


    Marcus publicly rejecting her had already been humiliating enough. During her time away on a trip, only Sky had reached out to her. None of her other brothers nor her parents had shown any concern.


    Her mood had been terrible for days. Cindy was the only one left in the Walker family who would report back to her in the Walker household. Now that Cindy had been dismissed in such a humiliating way, who among the household staff would dare help her in the future?


    "I''m going to have Emma swear an oath," Sky said, pulling Emma closer. "Since Nat agreed not to kick you out of the Walker family, you need to behave and not


    upset her again. Emma, you need to swear and promise that now." Emma pursed her lips, cautiously ncing at Natalie. "Alright."


    She straightened up and solemnly said, "I, Emma, swear that I will never upset Ms. Natalie again nor provoke her. I will fully recognize my position as the Walker family''s adopted daughter, behave myself, and stay out of trouble. I promise to abide by my role and never stir up problems."


    She continued, "If I break this vow, may I be struck by thunder and never find


    peace in death."


    Sky turned to Natalie and asked, "Nat, is this eptable?"


    As he listened to Emma''s vow, he couldn''t help but frown, feeling that the oath sounded excessively harsh.


    If even this wasn''t enough to satisfy Natalie, he had nothing more to say.


    Before Natalie could speak, Emma added, "Sky, may I ask for one more thing?"

 Chapter 232 It Was Best Not to Corner Her Completely

    "Go ahead," Sky said.


    "I think calling you Ms. Natalie feels a bit distant. Since we''re living under the same roof, would it be okay if I just called you by your name or Nat?" Emma asked, wiping away her tears.


    She looked at Natalie with a sincere expression. "If you call me Emma, it''ll make it seem like we''re closer. Is that alright?"


    "Nat, I think Emma has a point," Sky chimed in. "We''re all living in the same house. Calling you Ms. Natalie does feel a bit stiff. Just do me a favor, and let''s all use names only, alright?"


    Then, he turned to Emma. "For all we know, you might even be older than Nat. Stop chasing her around like a little kid¡ªit''ll only make her feel old."


    "Okay, Sky. I understand now. I''m sorry I didn''t think about it," Emma said obediently.


    She seemed especiallypliant, nodding to whatever Sky said.


    "Nat, what do you think?" Lincoln asked, holding a teacup in his hand.


    After thinking it through, he felt Sky''s reasoning wasn''t without merit.


    For the first 20 years of her life, Emma had been the cherished daughter of the Walker family.


    Now that Natalie had returned, everything could change drastically. If Emma caused trouble, she would be kicked out without hesitation. However, if she remained well-behaved and docile, there was no reason the Walker family couldn''t continue to keep her.


    After all, they had raised her for so many years. It was impossible to say there were no feelings at all.


    Natalie nodded. "Alright, we''ll do as Sky suggests."


    If Emma were driven out of the Walker family, both Sky and Emma would hate her


    for it. As Federrick had once taught her, it was best not to corner someonepletely.


    Sky sighed with relief. "Alright, then. Thank you for being understanding, Nat."


    "You''re wee, Sky," Natalie replied courteously.


    Sky turned to Hector and Mason. "Hector, Mason, any objections?"


    Hector adjusted his sses and nodded. "No objections from me."


    "None here either," Mason said quickly. "I''ll go keep an eye on Cindy. We can''t let her sneak off with anything from the house."


    Sky nodded. "Alright, go ahead."


    Mason got up and left, and Natalie stood up as well. "Since we''re all done talking, I''ll head back to rest."


    "Sure, go ahead," Sky said.


    "Natalie, I brought you a gift," Emma interrupted. "Please take a look. I''d really like you to have it. I''ve brought it back with good intentions. Would you ept it?"


    Natalie stared at Emma for a long while. Emma met her gaze with an open, sincere expression-there was no hidden agenda in her eyes.


    "Thank you, but it''s not necessary," Natalie said, gently rejecting the gift. "If I ept it, I''ll need to return the favor, and I''d rather not. I hope you understand."


    Emma looked disappointed but nodded. "Alright, Nat. I didn''t expect you to give anything in return. I just wanted to share something with everyone since I brought gifts for everyone else."


    "Thank you, but I really can''t ept it," Natalie said, politely refusing Emma''s gesture.


    She then turned to Olivia and said, "Olivia, let''s go. I''ll show you to my room." "Okay!" Olivia said.


    She quickly finished her tea and reached out to link arms with Natalie. "Let''s go! Take me there."


    Natalie chuckled softly, and together with Olivia, they left the dining room.


    As soon as they left, Sky finished the


    Nat from now on. She just


    returned, and Mom and Dad are spoiling her right now. Over time, they see who''s really the most sensible toward them in this family."


    "Sky, I don''t like hearing that," Lincoln interrupted.


    Lincoln and Hector hadn''t left yet, and both of their expressions immediately


    darkened upon hearing Sky''s words.


    "We don''t care if you want to support Emma, but what''s with stepping on Nat to do it?" Lincoln added coldly.


    "Sky, Lincoln, Hector, please don''t fight because of me," Emma said as tears began to well up in her eyes. "Sky didn''t mean it that way. He''s not trying to put Natalie down. Lincoln, Hector, please don''t misunderstand him."


    Both Lincoln and Hector cast cold nces at Emma before speaking in unison. "He''d better not be."


    With that, they, too, left the dining room.


    "Sky, I''m sorry. It''s my fault that you got into a conflict with Lincoln and Hector," Emma said, reaching out to support Sky. "Sky, does your back hurt? I see some blood soaking through. Let me take you to the hospital!"


    As she spoke, tears began to stream down her face. "If I had known my return would upset Natalie, I wouldn''t havee back at all."


    "Emma, it''s not your fault. Please don''t cry," Sky said, enduring the pain in his back. "Don''t worry about Cindy being fired. I''ll arrange another job for her. It won''t be more tiring than what she was doing at home."


    Emma nodded. "Yes, thank you, Sky."


    "You silly girl, why are you thanking me?" Sky asked.


    He forced a smile and gently wiped Emma''s tears away. "Nat is our biological sister. She''s Mom and Dad''s true daughter. She''s had a rough time in the Langley family, and now that she''s back, it''s understandable that they''re doting on her.


    "Emma, don''t let it bother you. It wasn''t your fault that you were mistakenly swapped at birth. Don''t overthink things."


    "Sky, thank you," Emma said, throwing herself into his arms.


    She carefully avoided his injured back and hugged his waist tightly. "Sky, I don''t know what I would do without you. Mom and Dad haven''t answered my calls recently. When I message them, they just send back short replies.


    "I''m really scared. Marcus broke off our engagement and even used me of drugging him, but I didn''t do it. Cindy''s been fired, and Mason is worried she''ll steal things from the house. I keep feeling like no one loves me anymore."


    Sky gently patted Emma''s back. "Nonsense. You still have me. I''m just worried you''ll overthink things. That''s why I told you to take some time off and note back."


    "But....." Emma hesitated, struggling to find the right words.


    She wanted to stay away and take her time to clear her mind, but the Walker family had frozen all her cards. She couldn''t use them, and even the hotels under the Walker family''s name wouldn''t recognize her as a legitimate member anymore. Despite her unwillingness, she had no choice but to return.


    "Sky, I''m worried about you. I couldn''t rx having fun out there, soing back seemed better," Emma said, forcing a smile as she looked up at Sky. "As long as I have you looking out for me, it doesn''t matter if the other brothers don''t love me."


    "Silly girl," Sky said with a soft chuckle. "Once the novelty wears off and Mom and


    Dad settle down, they''ll love you again."


    Emma smiled. "Thank you, Sky."


    As Emma nuzzled her cheek against Sky''s chest, he felt his heart soften with affection and pain. Emma had always stuck to him since childhood. Whenever she felt wronged, he was the first she would go to forfort.


    Now that Natalie had the love and protection of their parents and several brothers,


    it seemed like she didn''t really care for his affection. She showed him some respect, but it amounted to barely anything.

 Chapter 233 Determined to Stay with the Walker family

    Despite Sky repeatedly sending Natalie gifts, she always declined them. However, she happily epted Mason''s crystal ball on the first go.


    When Lincoln gave her a car, she happily epted that as well. Natalie''s attitude toward Hector was also warmer and more affectionate than toward Sky.


    Sky couldn''t help but feel ufortable.


    Emma was apletely different story. She ced all her trust and reliance on him as her eldest brother. She would ept it with pure joy whenever he gave her a gift. She even made snacks and cooked meals, personally delivering them to his office at Walker Group.


    On the other hand, Natalie had never done anything like that for him. She didn''t even bother to be polite when calling him. Her tone was always distant and cold.


    While holding Emma in his arms and watching her snuggle into him so trustingly, Sky felt both heartache and a growing sense that their parents and younger brothers had handled things unfairly.


    "Emma, you just got back, cried for so long, and even knelt on the jackfruit shells. Your knees must be hurting. Take a bath and change your clothes. I''lle upter to apply some medicine."


    "Sky, I want to see Cindy first." Emma lifted her tear-streaked face from his embrace, her voice choked with emotion. "She''s cared for me for so many years -like family. Now, she''s being fired and forced to leave the Walker family, the only home she''s ever known. Sky, I really don''t want her to go."


    "I''ll arrange for Cindy to stay at the Causeway Bay vi. You can visit her anytime you want."


    Sky gently pinched her cheek. "Don''t be sad. Cindy has worked for our family for many years. She''ll receive her pension, and we''ve always treated her well.


    "She''s had free room and board, and her sry plus bonuses over the years should add up to a few million dors."


    Emma sniffled and nodded. "Yes, but that''s still not enough to buy a good house.


    "Sky, I''m worried that if you arrange for Cindy to stay in Causeway Bay and Lincoln or Natalie finds out, they''ll be upset with you. I don''t want to cause more arguments between you and them."


    "You''re too kindhearted, Emma." Sky''s heart ached for her. "Even now, you''re worrying about me offending others."


    Emma''s eyes were swollen from crying, and her face was pale with exhaustion. She bit her lip, her expression filled with worry.


    "Don''t worry. Just don''t let them find out." He softened his voice to reassure her, "Neither Lincoln nor Hector ever stays in Causeway Bay, and Nat just got back- she doesn''t have a house there either. No one will know."


    "Okay. I''ll go see Cindy off then." Emma reluctantly stepped away. "Sky, I''ll be good. I won''t get into any conflicts with Natalie."


    "Emma, you don''t have to force yourself too much. Natalie said she wouldn''t interfere with you. You''re still our parents'' daughter and our sister."


    The more understanding Emma was, the more Sky felt for her. "Besides, I doubt Natalie will even stay at home much. She''ll return to Amberton to finish her studies once school starts. She hasn''t graduated yet."


    "Really?" A flicker of hope shed in Emma''s eyes, but it quickly dimmed. "I shouldn''t have these thoughts. I''m sorry, Sky."


    "There''s no need to apologize." Sky winced at the pain in his back. "Go say goodbye to Cindy."


    "Thank you, Sky." Emma hesitated before finally stepping away.


    When she left the dining room, she heard Cindy''s desperate cries.


    "Mr. Walker, please, don''t fire me! I''ve served the Walker family my whole life. I can''t leave I can''t leave Emma."


    Cindy was pleading with William. Standing beside him, Mason had already gone through her belongings.


    "Dad." Emma choked out as she looked at William. "Dad, did you just get home? Cindy has been here forever. She raised me. I don''t want her to leave. Can''t you give her another chance?"


    Her voice trembled with emotion as she spoke. Tears welled in her eyes, and she looked vulnerable-almost like she was on the verge of spiralling.


    But William only nced at her with indifference. "Didn''t Cindy already warn you that Sky was punished under my orders?"


    Emma stiffened and turned to Cindy, who was frantically shaking her head. "Mr. Walker, I didn''t say anything!"


    "You know whether you did or not," he said coldly. His voice carried no warmth, his expressionpletely detached. "Since you two are so reluctant to part, why don''t you leave together?"


    "What?" Emma widened her eyes in shock, and she stared at him in disbelief. Tears instantly streamed down her face. "Dad, are you kicking


    me out just because your biological daughter is back? Do you really have no feelings for me at all?"


    She sobbed uncontrobly. "I already kneeled before Natalie. I begged her. She


    already agreed not to kick me out! Why are you doing this?"


    "Natalie won''t kick you out because


    she''s kind. But I won''t allow either of you to stay." His tone was ice-cold his gaze devoid of the affection he


    once had. "A helper like no


    right to speak to Natalie that way.


    "And you the Walker family has never wronged you. If you want to leave a shred


    of dignity for yourself, leave with Cindy.


    "Mason, pack Emma''s things. After that, inform Sky to find her biological parents as soon as possible and have herst name changed."


    "Got it, Dad."


    Emma staggered, falling to the floor.


    She had many ns and things left to do, yet she was being thrown out soon. She refused to ept this and wouldn''t give up. She couldn''t let it end like this.


    Gritting her teeth, she suddenly bolted toward the kitchen. Before anyone could react, she grabbed a sharp fruit knife.


    "Emma, what are you doing?" Mason rushed after Emma, only to see her press the de against her wrist. Tears streamed down her face.


    "Mason, Dad is throwing me out. I won''t go. I grew up here. I''m not leaving. If he really wants me gone, I''d rather die!"


    With that, she shed her wrist.


    She hadn''t held back-the wound was deep, and blood gushed out like a stream. Within moments, her face turned deathly pale.


    "You''re insane," Mason muttered.


    He had never seen anything like this. Emma was truly willing to do anything to


    stay.


    "Go get Hector." William walked over, his tone steady.


    "Yes, Dad."


    Mason rushed off to find Hector. Having a doctor in the family certainly had its advantages-immediate emergency care.

 Chapter 234 Owing a Favor

    Hector had just returned to his bedroom and hadn''t even changed for a shower when an urgent knock on the door pulled him back out.


    Mason grabbed him and rushed him downstairs. "Hector, Emma slit her wrist! Shit! She really went all out! The blood was flowing like a creek. Even when the chickens are ughtered at the butcher''s, their blood doesn''t run that smoothly!"


    Hector was speechless. Emma would probably be furious enough to cut herself again if she heard Mason saying something like this.


    When the two reached the ground floor, Emma was still standing at the kitchen entrance, blood dripping from her wrist.


    William stood nearby, his expression dark and filled with irritation.


    "Father, Hector is here," Mason announced, nudging Hector forward.


    Hector nced at Emma''s wound. Blood gushed from the cut, showing how deep


    it was. She had really gone through with it.


    He greeted William respectfully, "Father."


    "Hector, make sure she doesn''t die in this house," William ordered before turning away to sit on the couch.


    "Understood, Father."


    Hector stepped forward and adjusted his sses. "Emma, give me the knife. Your wound needs to be treated."


    Emma shook her head. "No, Hector. Dad wants to throw me out."


    "Hurting yourself like this is foolish," he said, his calm voice tinged with indifference. "You''re trying to threaten him. You should know he hates threats, especially from his own daughter."


    "If he really saw me as his daughter, he wouldn''t be kicking me out." She sobbed. "Even Natalie agreed not to make me leave."


    "Natalie is Natalie, and Father is Father. Don''t confuse the two." Hector took another step forward. "Come on. Give me the knife."


    "No!" She shook her head.


    "Emma!" At that moment, Sky rushed out of the dining room and froze at the sight.


    His face turned pale. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he grabbed a nearby helper. "Where''s Ms. Walker-Natalie?"


    "She''s resting on the fifth floor with Ms. Thatcher," the helper replied.


    Sky immediately let go and ran to the elevator.


    When he reached the fifth floor, he rang the doorbell.


    It wasn''t long before Natalie opened the door. She had changed into her


    nightwear, draped a long shawl over her shoulders, and let her hair fall naturally¡ª she was clearly ready for bed.


    "Natalie, I need a favor," he said urgently, grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward the elevator. "Emma slit her wrist. She''s losing a lot of blood. Please, talk


    to Father and ask him not to kick her out."


    She raised an eyebrow and nced back at the room. Olivia, who had also changed into sleepwear, poked her head out curiously.


    Catching Natalie''s gaze, she immediately perked up. "Wait for me!"


    She quickly grabbed a long coat, threw it on, and followed. "Natalie, I''ming too!"


    She blinked excitedly at Natalie. Emma had attempted suicide-this was a drama she couldn''t miss out on!


    Natalie chuckled. "Alright. Let''s go."


    Sky was desperate, but seeing them chat and joke along the way only irritated him more. Still, he swallowed his frustration¡ªhe needed Natalie''s help.


    "Natalie, I''m begging you. Just say a few words to Father. If you do, he''ll listen."


    "Sky, what exactly did Emma do to make Dad angry?" Natalie asked tly, making no move to agree immediately.


    "We talked earlier, and Dad wasn''t even there. I barely had time to return to my room before he decided to throw her out. If she didn''t do something to anger him, why would he suddenly make that decision?"


    "I was in the dining room, so I don''t


    know." He admitted, taking a deep


    breath as they stepped into the elevator "Emma had already cut her wrist by the time I came out. Regardless of what happened, this is a life we''re talking about. L''can''t just stand by and let her die."


    Natalie smirked slightly but said nothing.


    Behind her, Olivia rolled her eyes.


    If Emma really wanted to die, she could have done it quietly in her room. But no,


    she had to make a whole spectacle out of it. There was no way she actually wanted to die.


    Olivia couldn''t stand a bitch like Emma.


    And yet, that idiot Sky actually fell for it.


    "Natalie, I beg you. It''s just this once. If you help, Howe you a favor." Releasing Natalie''s wrist, Sky


    softened his tone. "Emma never


    really did anything unforgiv


    swna ver


    you. Please, just do this for


    She thought for a moment, weighing the value of his so-called favor.


    "Natalie," he urged again, his voice growing tense. "We don''t have time. The longer we wait, the worse it gets for Emma."


    Olivia tugged at Natalie''s shawl, shaking her head in warning. She was warning Natalie not to let Sky guilt-trip her.


    Natalie gave it a little more thought before finally nodding. "Alright. I''ll do it."


    But then, her voice turned cool as she said, "Let me rify-I can plead on her


    behalf, but I can''t guarantee Dad will listen."


    "He will," Sky said confidently. "That''s not your concern."


    "Fine, then."


    "Natalie!" Olivia grabbed her arm. Her gaze was filled with frustration.


    Natalie gently patted her hand. "It''s alright."


    Olivia wasn''t happy about being treated like a child, but then she remembered Natalie''s words. She had said, "If I return to the Walker family, I won''t let myself suffer in the slightest."


    Thus, she said nothing more.


    "Let''s go," Natalie said simply, and the three of them walked into the living room. William sat on the couch while Hector tried to get Emma to hand over the knife. However, Emma was a sobbing mess and waspletely hysterical.


    When she saw Sky enter with Natalie, she lost control of her emotions. She suddenly lifted the knife and shed at her wrist again.


    "Emma! Don''t move! Just stay still!" Sky panicked. "Natalie, hurry! Talk to Father!" Natalie nodded. "Alright. I will."


    She walked over and sat beside William. "Dad."


    "Nattie, weren''t you supposed to be resting upstairs?" William''s expression instantly softened when he saw her, and his voice turned gentle.


    "Sky asked me to plead for Emma," she answered bluntly. "He promised that if I helped, he would owe me a favor. And I''d like to collect on that favor."


    "You don''t have to help him. I can make him owe you ten favors if you want." His displeasure toward Sky was obvious. "How dare that bastard pressure you into this!"


    "But if I force it, he won''t owe me willingly," Natalie replied, smiling slightly. "want him to be grateful. Besides, if Emma actually dies here, she could spread rumors outside. That wouldn''t be good for the Walker family.


    "She''s lived here for 20 years. If we''re too ruthless, she might act out of desperation and try to harm you, Mom, or my brothers."


    Federrick had once taught her never to corner a desperate person. When a person lost everything, they lost their humanity, and at that point, there was nothing they wouldn''t do.


    Rather than driving Emma into a situation where she could be a real threat, it was better to keep her within reach, where she could be watched.


    "Emma knows everything about this family," Natalie continued. "We might as well let Sky have his way-just this once."

 Chapter 235 A Gaze Poisoned with Malice

    William listened carefully to Natalie''s words. After a long moment, he nodded.


    "Nat, your mother and I have already missed 20 years of your life. Now that you''re back, we won''t let anyone step over you. Not even Emma, whom we raised for 20 years."


    His firm and unwavering words stirred something deep within her, making her eyes involuntarily redden.


    When Selena returned, the Langleys drove Natalie out without hesitation. At the time, she envied Selena for having parents who loved her unconditionally.


    The first time she came to the Walker family, Charlotte refused to let her in. Instead, she focused onforting a heartbroken Emma, devastated by her broken engagement with Marcus. That night, she had decided she would never acknowledge Charlotte as her mother.


    But at some point, she started to feel the warmth of parental love from Charlotte and William.


    She couldn''t pinpoint exactly when it happened, but she clearly remembered Mason''s words and the crystal ball he gave her when they first met. That was the first time she had felt genuine brotherly affection.


    Charlotte and William repeatedly used their actions to show her they truly wanted to make it up to her.


    From the start, Natalie never intended to drive Emma away, even though she had sensed Emma''s veiled hostility and resentment.


    She had no desire to retaliate against a fake heiress like Selena had, as long as Emma didn''t provoke her.


    But when she first arrived at the Walker family, Emma packed her bags and went on a trip. Was it really just to get over her broken engagement?


    That was only part of it. It was also a protest to determine whether she or Natalie held more importance in Charlotte and William''s hearts.


    However, the answer clearly dissatisfied Emma.


    That was why she had instructed Cindy to keep her updated on everything happening at the Walker residence and even encouraged her to speak disrespectfully to Natalie.


    Emma''s goal had always been to overshadow Natalie-to make it clear that even though Emma was the impostor, she would still be the one most cherished in the Walker family.


    But once again, she had miscalcted.


    William was even more decisive and ruthless than Lincoln.


    Lincoln had been willing to keep Emma for Sky''s sake. But to William, Sky''s opinion was worthless.


    That was why, after seeing Emma attempt suicide, Sky had rushed upstairs to bring Natalie down-because he knew William would listen to her.


    If she could see through it, William undoubtedly could as well.


    No matter how things turned out, at least William had rified that Natalie''s ce


    in the Walker family was unquestionably above Emma''s.


    That alone was enough for her.


    Since Natalie wanted to collect the favor Sky owed her, William had no objections. Still, he would make sure someone kept an eye on Emma.


    Even though he had raised her, and she had always been outstanding, her recent behavior had been disappointing.


    "Nat, don''t let Sky guilt-trip you intopromising. But if this is what you want, I''ll support you.


    "Your mother is still in Amberton but will be back before the wee party. You have to believe us your mother and I truly had no idea we had raised the wrong child," Win said.


    William lowered his voice and nced toward the kitchen. His eyes flickered with irritation before softening again when he turned back to Natalie. "We''re grateful to the heavens for bringing you back to us. Whatever you want to do, we''ll support you."


    "Thank you, Dad," Natalie said, her voice gentler than before. "I''ll go talk to Sky now."


    "Go ahead."


    Natalie stood up and adjusted her shawl as she walked to the kitchen door. After ncing at Emma, who was pale from blood loss, she looked at Hector-who was trying to reason with her-and Sky, who looked genuinely concerned.


    Then, she spoke with a soft sigh. "Sky, tell Emma she doesn''t have to leave. Have her hand over the knife,


    let Hector treat her wound, and then


    take her to the hospital."


    "Alright. Nat, thank you," Sky said, relief washing over his expression as his shoulders rxed.


    "Emma, did you hear that? Dad isn''t making you leave anymore. Come on. Give me the knife."


    Emma stared nkly at Natalie for a moment before suddenlyughing. Then, she handed the knife to Sky and thanked Natalie. "Natalie, thank you. Thank you very much."


    Natalie merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment. "Don''t do this to yourself again. It''s your own body. You''re the one who feels the pain. It doesn''t affect anyone else."


    Upon hearing Natalie''s advice, Emma obediently nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Nat."


    Hearing Emma call her "Nat" made Natalie feel like she had swallowed a fly, but she didn''t bother correcting Emma.


    Right now, the priority was stopping the bleeding.


    With the knife out of the way, Hector immediately stepped in to treat her wound Sky called for someone to bring the medical kit, watching anxiously as the wound was cleaned and bandaged.


    Not far away, William stood from the couch. "I''m going to pick up your mother.


    Stay home, and don''t cause trouble these two days while I''m gone.


    The Walker brothers responded in unison, "Yes, Father."


    Natalie, however, remained silent because she knew William''s warning wasn''t


    directed at her.


    "Nattie, I''ll be back with your mother soon."


    "Alright. Safe travels, Dad."


    "Mm. Don''t worry." He smiled warmly, pleased by her concern.


    With that, he turned and left.


    As soon as he was gone, the suffocating pressure in the vi eased slightly.


    Natalie stifled a yawn and signaled to Olivia that it was time to go.


    "Sky, Hector, Mason, I''m heading to bed," she said.


    "Alright. Goodnight."


    "Nat, thank you for today." For the first time, Sky was sincerely grateful to her.


    "You''re wee, Sky. Just don''t forget your promise," Natalie replied indifferently. "Olivia, let''s go."


    "Coming!" Olivia quickly ran over and linked arms with her as they entered the elevator.


    Just before the doors closed, Natalie caught Emma staring at her.


    Emma''s gaze was filled with gratitude and admiration. But the instant the doors shut, that look turned venomous with malice.

 Chapter 236 Recalling a Secret

    As the elevator doors shut, Natalie furrowed her brows, cutting off Emma''s venomous gaze from view.


    Olivia had noticed that look as well, and her expression darkened. "Natalie, that Emma is clearly trouble."


    "I know." Natalie rxed her brows slightly. "That''s exactly why she needs to stay. She''s lived in the Walker family for 20 years, always carrying the heiress title. Behind the scenes, she''s built her ownwork of connections.


    "Emma isn''t just obsessive-she''spletely unhinged. But most importantly, she''s ruthless with herself. And people who are ruthless with themselves are even more ruthless with others."


    Olivia nodded. "I see that now. But since you''re keeping her around, you must also protect yourself. As for that idiot Sky, I have a feeling Emma is going to be the death of him."


    "Well, they are willing to help each other out. All we can do is respect their choices, give them our blessings, and hope they stay tied together."


    As they chatted, the elevator reached the fifth floor.


    "I like Lincoln. The way he protects you it''s seriously attractive." Olivia''s eyes sparkled as she spoke. "Nat, I finally get why you had me leave Sky''spany and join Lincoln''s."


    "Lincoln will end up at Walker Group eventually. But having youe to hispany was my own selfish decision. After all, it''s better if I can keep an eye on you."


    Natalie reached out and pinched Olivia''s cheek. "I couldn''t bear to let you deal with any sleazy industry rules."


    "Aw..." Olivia flung her arms around Natalie''s waist. "Nat, I love you!"


    "Alright. Get off me." Natalie chuckled, pushing her away.


    They entered the bedroom, washed their hands, and climbed into bed.


    "Alexa, turn off the lights and close the curtains."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker," a soft, adorable voice replied.


    The lights dimmed, and the curtains automatically drew shut.


    Walker Group was a leader in high-tech smart home development, and Alexa was one of its finest products. With Alexa, one could use voicemands to control everything from phones, to home appliances, cars, and even renewable energy devices.


    When William and Charlotte renovated Natalie''s space, they installed Walker Group''s entire smart home system.


    In Dithoria State, the only corporation that could rival Walker Group-or even surpass it was Holden Group.


    However, the Walker and Holden families'' business coborations remained steady given their longstanding alliance, strengthened by their past engagement agreements. There was no cutthroatpetition.


    Even now, despite Marcus canceling his engagement twice with the Walker family, their business ties remained intact. Personal matters hadn''t interfered with corporate interests.


    Lincoln had exined all of this to Natalie. He also told her to let him know if she wanted to date. He would then introduce her to all kinds of high-quality men.


    Whatever type she wanted, he would find for her.


    Lincoln even mentioned his own artist, Shawn, as a great candidate. Though he worked in the entertainment industry, Shawn had always maintained a clean reputation and was incredibly hardworking. Lincoln greatly admired him.


    While lying in bed, Natalie and Olivia chatted and sighed.


    "Natalie, since Marcus broke off his engagement with Emma and then again with you, does that mean you two really have no chance?"


    Natalie didn''t even hesitate to answer. "Of course not. Marcus never liked me from the start. But it works out perfectly because I don''t like him either."


    "But his looks are undeniably gorgeous." Olivia sighed dreamily, picturing Marcus'' devastatingly handsome, wless features. "I don''t want to admit I''m shallow, but I totally am."


    "Yeah, you''re the type who has dirty thoughts but no guts to do anything."


    Natalie smirked in the dark. It had been so long since she had felt this rxed, lying in bed and chatting with her best friend.


    Federrick had left everything to her before heading off to travel the world. Though she had a professional team and a manager handling things, many matters still required her personal oversight.


    In addition, she had been managing Langley Group and treating patients, which left her with little free time.


    "Your birth parents are really good to you," Olivia murmured, hugging Natalie. "Nat, seeing you happy puts my heart at ease."


    "You say that like I wasn''t happy before."


    "You weren''t as happy as you are now." Olivia sighed. "Back when you were with the Langley family, sure, Mrs. Langley Senior seemed to treat you well, always protecting you-but in the end, it was all part of her scheme.


    "Nat, I think your biological parents are genuinely amazing. Aside from Sky, your other brothers seem great too, especially Lincoln-he really spoils you.


    "By the way, your dad went to Amberton to pick up your mom. What''s she doing there?"


    "She went to settle the score with Diana." Natalie''s tone was casual as she replied, "Olivia, my mom seems gentle on the surface, but her tempe is actually pretty fiery. After my first bad impression of her, she''s been good to me.


    "And the craziest part? We look exactly alike. Everyone says that seeing me is like looking at her younger self. That''s why, the


    moment they saw my photo ol


    family search website, they didn''t have a single doubt that I was their daughter.


    "Come to think of it, it''s a strange feeling-never having met me, yet being certain


    I''m her daughter just because of a single photo."


    "That''s not surprising." Olivia tightened her hold on Natalie. "Victor and Diana always knew you weren''t really their daughter. That''s why they never stopped searching for Selena."


    "Oh, right." Natalie suddenly remembered something. "Once, I overheard Marcus say that he knew Mrs. Langley Senior''s secret. Victor isn''t actually her biological son."


    "What?" Olivia''s eyes flew open in the dark. "That''s huge! Why did she raise him? What happened to her biological son?"


    "I don''t know,"Natalie shook her head. "I just suddenly remembered. But now wonder-could it be that Mrs. Langley Senior knew all along that Victor wasn''t really her son? Which means Selena isn''t he biological granddaughter either. C¨®ntent belongs to


    "If that''s the case, it makes sense why she never seemed emotionally attached to Selena. Given her obsession with Langley Group, I suspect that''s all she really cares about."


    "But that doesn''t add up either." Olivia sat up. "Why would someone like Mrs. Langley Senior, who''s so calcting and maniptive, raise another person''s child?"


    Natalie sat up as well. "That''s exactly what I can''t figure out."


    "Maybe Marcus knows more. Natalie, why don''t you try getting close to him to investigate?" Olivia suggested.


    Natalie immediately refused. "No. I''d rather never cross paths with him again. Besides, I''ve left the Langley family. Whatever happens to them now has nothing to do with me."

 Chapter 237 Unforgivable

    Natalie was firm in her decision. No matter what the Langley family''s secret was, she would never get involved with Marcus out of mere curiosity.


    Upon seeing Natalie''s resolute attitude, Olivia stopped pressing the issue. She reached over and hugged Natalie.


    "Let''s sleep," she said softly. "Nat, I''m so d you''ve finally escaped the clutches of the Langley family''s vampires."


    "Yeah."


    "Nat, it hurts knowing how Mrs. Langley Senior deceived and used you, doesn''t it?"


    Natalie fell silent. After a long pause, she gently caressed Olivia''s hair. "What''s there to be hurt about? I''m just relieved. Enough. Let''s sleep."


    "Okay!"


    They settled under the covers, exchanged a few more words, and drifted off to sleep.


    A white Mercedes E300 slowly drove into Holden Residence in the dead of night.


    The door opened after the car stopped at the gate, and Cassie, dressed in high- end luxury fashion, stepped out.


    Behind her, Sophia, wearing a ck trench coat and hooded cloak, also got out of the car.


    "I already called Marcus in advance," Cassie said, ncing at Sophia. "He''s waiting for us in the study. Sophia, don''t be afraid."


    She looked at Sophia with a gentle expression. "Don''t worry! Marcus will definitely help you. You two had a good rtionship before, so he won''t just stand by and let you suffer."


    Sophia''s face was hidden beneath the cloak under the moonlight, but it was still clear how pale and worn out she looked. She seemed frail and uneasy.


    Cassie''s gaze shifted downward, noticing the slight roundness of Sophia''s stomach.


    "Don''t worry."


    "Thank you, Ms. Holden," Sophia said, her voice weak. She instinctively ced her hands on her stomach, her eyes filled with unshed tears.


    She was Sky''s girlfriend, and they dated in an orderly manner. However, she had not spoken to him since bing pregnant.


    He had only been going along with the rtionship to fulfill his duties, not out of love.


    The child in her womb wasn''t Sky''s, and she feared that if the Sinir family found out, they would kill her.


    On Sky''s side, the engagement would most likely be called off. While the families might try to preserve the marriage for their business interests, Sophia feared a loveless marriage and dreaded what would happen next.


    She had no idea what to do and even thought of ending it all. But when she was about to jump into the river, Cassie happened to pass by and saved her.


    Since then, Cassie had stayed by her side,forting and advising her. Cassie even promised to find the best, most reliable doctor to perform an abortion for her. That was when Sophia gave up on her suicidal thoughts and agreed to stay at Cassie''s house, waiting for the procedure to be arranged.


    Sophia was the heiress of the Sinir family, but she was neglected and had little presence in the family. If it weren''t for the marriage contract between Phillip and Isaac and her being Sky''s girlfriend, Ivan would have probably kicked her out by


    now.


    Sophia had hoped to meet Elim for the procedure thest time Cassie took her to meet Charles.


    "Sophia, I won''t go in when we meet Marcuster. You''ll handle it yourself, okay?" Cassie led Sophia into the mansion, which was almost silent at night, with only the on-duty helpers and security personnel around.


    Since Cassie had informed Marcus in advance, their entry was unhindered.


    Elijah, who was guarding outside the study, immediately approached when he saw them.


    "Madam Holden, Ms. Sinir, Mr. Holden is waiting for you inside."


    Cassie was quite displeased with Elijah''s manner of addressing her, but she couldn''t do much about it, so she shot him a look of disdain.


    Noticing her re, he pretended to be concerned. "Madam Holden, why is your eye twitching? Should I rmend an eye doctor?"


    "Shut up." She snapped back at him. "You''re the one who should see an eye doctor, not me!"


    Clearly not backing down, Elijah retorted, "Madam Holden, my vision is 5.0. I have the eyesight of a fighter pilot!"


    "You!" Cassie was about to lose her temper but decided it wasn''t worth it to argue with Elijah.


    "Take Ms. Sinir in," she said with a sigh.


    "Ms. Sinir, this way, please."


    Elijah lightly knocked on the study door three times, and after receiving permission, he opened it for Sophia.


    "Thank you," Sophia politely thanked Elijah before walking in.


    Marcus was sitting behind his desk, rubbing between his eyebrows. A faintyer of exhaustion covered his features. When he saw Sophia enter,


    he raised his chin slightly, signaling Elijah to get some warm milk


    Since she was pregnant, her health was of utmost importance, regardless of her


    wishes.


    "Sophia, have a seat," Marcus said.


    Sophia removed her cloak and sat on the couch.


    "I''m sorry for disturbing you at such ate hour." She sped her fingers


    nervously, feeling out of ce.


    "Who''s the father of the child? Does he know you''re pregnant? What do you n


    to do about Sky?" he asked calmly, his gaze steady.


    Her face grew even paler. "Can I not say?"


    "You can," Marcus replied without pressing further. "But Sophia, have you really thought this through? I just think that since you''re pregnant, it''s not just your business. The father has the right to know."


    "This is my business," she responded without hesitation. "I don''t want this child. The father doesn''t deserve to know. As for Sky, he doesn''t love me, and I don''t love him. We''re just fulfilling a marriage contract made by our grandfathers. When the time is right, we''ll break it off.


    "Marcus, I''m too afraid to undergo the procedure in any hospital in Dithoria State."


    Sophia''s eyes welled up with tears. "I want to minimize the risks. I want to live."


    After hearing this, he paused for a while before giving a slight nod. "I can help you. We won''t do the procedure in Dithoria State, but I can''t guarantee that we''ll be able to get Elim."


    "Okay." She stood up, her gratitude apparent. "Thank you, Marcus."


    Marcus rubbed his be. "You should stay with my aunt tonight. Tomorrow morning, we''ll visit the Walker family."


    "Why go to the Walker family? Are you going to tell Sky?" She grew cautious. "If you''re going to tell him, you can pretend I was never here."


    "Natalie, the heiress of the Walker family, is a good friend of Elim''s." Marcus paused briefly. "She has more say in front of Elim than even


    Elim''s assistant. Since you don''t want Sky to know, I won''t say anything."


    Sophia finally rxed after she heard this. "Sorry, I was being too sensitive just


    now."


    "It''s fine. I''ll have Elijah take you to rest."


    Just then, there was a knock on the door.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Sinir''s milk is here."


    Elijah had just arrived at that moment.

 Chapter 238 Irresponsible Aunt

    Elijah entered the study holding a ss of milk, and Marcus nced up briefly before calmly instructing, "Elijah, after Ms. Sinir finishes her milk, take her to the guest room to rest."


    "Understood, Mr. Holden." Elijah nodded before turning to Sophia. "Ms. Sinir, please drink."


    He handed Sophia the warm milk, but she shook her head. "Thank you, but I really don''t want to drink it."


    "You don''t look well. Please have some." Marcus urged. "My aunt told me you''ve been having a hard timetely."


    Pregnancy already made her feel unwell, and on top of that, she was excessively worried. She had be even thinner than before.


    Yet the baby inside her seemed strong, growing steadily despite her poor eating and sleeping habits.


    Marcus was reminded of his own situation. His parents had left him with Charles since birth. He wondered if Laura had any expectations or joy while carrying him.


    Eventually, Sophia epted Marcus'' kindness. She took the milk from Elijah and drank it slowly.


    "Thank you, Marcus."


    "Go rest now," he replied.


    "Okay," she said. "Get some rest yourself. Good night."


    "Mm. good night."


    She turned to Elijah and said, "Elijah, thank you."


    Elijah replied, "Ms. Sinir, you''re wee."


    He escorted Sophia to the guest room, and Marcus stayed in the study for a while. He only snapped back to reality when Cassie knocked on the door.


    "Marcus, care for a drink with me?" She smiled gently, her tone full of affection. "It''s been a while since we''ve had a proper heart-to-heart talk, hasn''t it?


    "I heard you called off your engagement with Emma."


    He gave her a faint, uninterested nce. "It''ste. You should rest, Aunt Cassie."


    "Don''t be like that! Come out for a drink."


    Cassie stood at the door, hesitating to enter. She knew that if Marcus didn''t invite her in, she wouldn''t dare to enter his study.


    "By the way, your mother called mest time, ming me for not keeping an eye on you and letting you break off your engagement with Ms. Walker.


    "To be honest, your parents are irresponsible. Since you were born, they handed you off to your grandfather and never came back to check on you. They only focused on having you, not raising you. They didn''t even bother to appreciate you."


    "Enough." He suddenly lowered his tone, and his expression turned cold instantly. "If you''re here to sow discord, you can leave now. Elijah, show her out."


    "Understood, Mr. Holden."


    Elijah immediately stepped forward. "Ms. Holden, this way, please."


    "You!" She shot Elijah a vicious re. This damned bodyguard, Elijah, always called her "Ms. Holden" whenever he was being disrespectful.


    She was the second heiress of the Holden family, but he treated her like an outsider.


    "Ms. Holden, should I carry you out?" he said gruffly. "My hands are big and heavy; I might identally snap your waist. For your own safety, you should walk out yourself."


    "You-"


    Before she could finish, Elijah interrupted again. "Ms. Holden, don''t be upset. Staying upte already makes you look older, and if you''re angry, you''ll only get uglier.


    "By then, you''ll be old and ugly and won''t match the status of ''Ms. Holden'' anymore."


    "Marcus, aren''t you going to control your subordinate?" Cassie couldn''t argue with Elijah, so she turned her ire toward Marcus.


    But Marcus paid her no mind, not even ncing at her. "Elijah is right. He''s looking out for you. At your age, you shouldn''t be staying upte like a young person."


    "Just you wait, Marcus! I''m telling your parents you don''t respect me."


    Fuming, Cassie turned to leave. Marcus sat on the couch, his already dark expression deepening.


    "Mr. Holden, I''ll keep an eye on Ms. Holden to prevent her fromining," Elijah offered.


    "Let herin." Marcus stood up, his whole demeanor exuding a chilling air. "I want to see if my dear Aunt Cassie can get my parents to back her up."


    "Understood, Mr. Holden." Elijah stepped back nervously. Marcus rarely got angry, but when he did, it was terrifying.


    Marcus left the study and went upstairs. As he passed the guest room, he stopped for an inexplicable moment.


    Since Charles no longer required acupuncture and only needed medicine, Natalie


    moved out of Holden Residence without hesitation.


    Marcus pushed open the guest


    room door. The room was clean and


    neat, as if no one had ever stayed


    there Even the snacks and choctes he had prepared for Natalie had been returned


    Marcus stepped in, walked to the couch, and sat down. He reached for the snack


    tray, picked a piece of chocte, and unwrapped it before eating it.


    He remembered that Natalie had only eaten the chocte when she stayed here.


    The rich and smooth chocte melted instantly upon contact, and its aroma spread through the mouth, bringing an unexpected sense of delight.


    He sat for a while. Though there were no longer any traces of Natalie''s presence


    in the guest room, it still seemed to carry her lingering essence.


    His previously restless mind, almost miraculously, found a rare sense of peace. After finishing the piece of chocte, Marcus stood up and left the guest room.


    The following morning, Marcus was having breakfast downstairs when Sophia came down from the guest room.


    "Good morning, Marcus," she greeted.


    "Did you sleep wellst night?" He pushed the milk toward Sophia. "Drink the milk after you finish breakfast. Afterward, we''ll go to the Walker family."


    "Okay. Thank you."


    The breakfast Marcus arranged for Sophia was suitable for pregnant women. Though light, it was appetizing and nutritious.


    Sophia didn''t want to refuse his kindness, forcing herself to eat a little more than usual.


    After breakfast, he took her out of the vi. "Have you decided how you''ll face Sky when we arrive?" he asked.


    Her face immediately paled. She hesitated for a long while before murmuring, "Can I stay in the car and not get out?"


    "Hector is a doctor. If he notices your poorplexion and offers to check your pulse, he''ll likely realize you''re pregnant."


    Marcus shielded her head as she got into the car. "Sophia, are you sure? You need to think carefully about the future of this child."


    Sophia''s eyes welled with tears, and her body trembled uncontrobly. She pressed her hands to her face, and the tears fell.


    "I don''t want to. I don''t want to go to the Walker residence. Marcus, can you go for me? I beg you." She suddenly lost control of her emotions and broke down in tears.


    "Marcus, please... I don''t want to see Sky."


    Overwhelmed, she could no longer stand steadily and instinctively leaned against


    Marcus for support.


    Inside the vi, Connie was carrying a bowl of medicine meant for


    Charles when she saw the scene.


    Startled, she quickly hid behin


    Money Tree, pulled out her phone, and snapped several photos of the


    two.

 Chapter 239 The Visit

    After Connie finished taking photos, she turned around and was startled to see Sheldon striking the same pose with his phone.


    She almost dropped her medicine, and he quickly steadied her. "Ms. Sterling, please stay calm. I won''t tell anyone, so don''t worry."


    Seeing that he had frightened Connie, he felt guilty. "I didn''t mean to scare you. It''s just that from this angle, you''re in the perfect spot to take those photos. Sorry about that, Ms. Sterling."


    Connie was left speechless. Why was Sheldon also taking photos?


    "Ms. Sterling, please go deliver the medicine to Mr. Holden Senior." He tucked his phone away and spoke casually, as if taking photos wasn''t something he had just done.


    Connie wondered how Sheldon could be so calm.


    Marcus and Sophia had already gotten into the car and left outside the vi. Connie didn''t know what to say to Sheldon, so she just nodded and went to find Charles.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Natalie and Olivia were fortunate enough to sleep in at the Walker residence until they woke up naturally.


    After getting ready and heading downstairs, they found that the huge Walker residence was empty except for Emma.


    Upon seeing them, Emma smiled and politely greeted them.


    "Good morning, Nat and Olivia. Please have a seat. I''ll tell the kitchen to prepare breakfast.


    "Dad went to pick up Mom, and Sky and Lincoln have gone to work. Mason and I have the day off. Mason stayed upte ying video games, so he''s still asleep." Emma spoke sweetly and looked harmless, humbling herself in front of them.


    Her behavior was so uncharacteristic that Natalie couldn''t maintain her usual cold demeanor.


    Natalie and Olivia exchanged nces. Had Emma really changed overnight? Last night, she was hysterical, but today, she seemed like a refineddy.


    "Have a seat. Breakfast will be ready soon," Emma said softly before heading into the kitchen.


    In the living room, Olivia lowered her voice. "Natalie, do you think Emma is genuinely being kind?"


    "I don''t know." Natalie pulled Olivia to the couch. "As I said, I won''t make it difficult for her. If she behaves herself and stays within her boundaries, it doesn''t matter if the Walker family takes care of her."


    Olivia pressed her lips together. "Alright, then."


    The Walker family was wealthy and powerful. Besides Walker Group, each of the Walker brothers had their own thriving businesses.


    Any of them could easily support Emma-so long as she didn''t provoke Natalie or try to y petty rivalry games with her.


    Natalie and Olivia sat on the couch, watching Emma enter the kitchen. She soon returned with a tray of freshly baked biscuits.


    "Nat, Olivia, I was worried you would be hungry, so I went to get some biscuits for you. I also brought some milk."


    Emma ced the tray on the coffee table and sat upright. "I was wrongst night. After calming down, I really regret not controlling my emotions."


    Natalie''s gaze dropped to Emma''s wrist, which was wrapped in thick bandages. She wore a delicate white dress and pink bunny slippers, exposing her slender legs and toes.


    Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her pale face made her look fragile as if trying to appear firmer than she really was. She was the picture of someone one might pity.


    However, neither Natalie nor Olivia felt pity for her. Neither responded to Emma''s kindness nor touched the biscuits and milk.


    Emma waited a moment, but when they both didn''t move, she picked up a biscuit and ate it.


    After eating three, she drank a sip of milk from each cup.


    "Nat, Olivia, I didn''t poison anything," Emma said.


    "We didn''t think you poisoned it; we just don''t like biscuits and milk,"


    Olivia said with a yful smilelo


    "Thank you, Emma! You don''t look so well. You should eat and drink more. Don''t waste it!"


    "But this is for you two." Emma looked genuinely sad. "I''ll feel sad if you''re not eating."


    "Don''t be sad. Stay strong. After all,


    you''ve grown up in the Walker family. How can the heiress of such


    UT


    a prominent family have no resilience? Besides, if you act this, it would look like Natalie and I are bullying you!" Olivia smiled and added, "Don''t be too sensitive."


    "You''re right." Emma''s smile returned. "I''m sorry. I''ll improve."


    Olivia snorted while Natalie sat silently. When Selena returned to the Langley family, she had targeted Natalie in every possible way, even going so far as to nder and frame Natalie.


    Then, when Natalie returned to the Walker family, Emma immediately went on a trip to clear her mind. Aftering back, she lost control and attempted suicide.


    Neither of them was an easy person to deal with.


    "Ms. Walker, Ms. Emma, Mr. Holden and Ms. Sinir have arrived," a helper reported.


    Natalie stood up. "Let them in. Be sure to treat them well. I''ll go wake Mason."


    Emma''s expression changed instantly upon hearing Marcus'' and Sophia''s names.


    While sitting on the couch, Olivia quietly observed the subtle shift in Emma''s demeanor. Upon catching that fleeting change, Olivia softly scoffed before shifting her gaze toward the entrance.


    Momentster, Marcus and Sophia walked in one after the other.


    At the same time, Natalie dragged Mason into the living room, his hair in aplete mess.


    "Marcus, Sophia, you''re here. Have a seat. Jaelynn, make some tea. Give me a moment. I need to freshen up," Mason said while yawning, clearly still half-asleep.


    "Nat, help me entertain the guests for a bit. I''ll be right back."


    With that, he shoved Natalie forward before hurrying to his room to wash up and change.


    Natalie nced at Marcus, then at Sophia. She had heard of Sophia from Connie andter from Lincoln.


    She knew Sophia was Sky''s girlfriend, but their rtionship didn''t seem particrly close.


    Especially now-Sophia was pregnant, but the child didn''t appear to be Sky''s.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Sinir, please have a seat," Natalie said with a warm, polite smile. "I''ll go tell the chef to prepare lunch."


    Since she and Olivia had woken upte, calling it breakfast seemed inappropriate so they might as well have lunch instead.


    "Emma, help me entertain Mr. Holden and Ms. Sinir," Natalie said, ncing at Emma, who was still seated on the couch.


    Emma quickly stood up. "Alright, Nat."


    She turned to look at the two. "Mr. Holden, Sophia."


    Sophia looked at Emma, then at Natalie.


    Natalie simply smiled and turned toward the kitchen.


    Emma had feelings for Marcus. It was clear from the way she stared at him from


    the couch, practically burning holes into him.


    Thus, Natalie gave her the opportunity since she was eager to get close to him.

 Chapter 240 Make an Appointment

    Once Natalie entered the kitchen, Olivia followed her inside. "Nat, did you notice Emma''s look when she saw Marcus and Sophia?"


    Natalie nodded. "I saw it. That''s why I''m giving her the opportunity."


    Her nonchnt tone confirmed to Olivia that she had no interest in Marcus.


    "Fair enough." Olivia wrapped her arm around Natalie''s, and they stopped talking


    as they entered the kitchen, where the chef and helpers were present.


    In the living room, Emma smiled. "Mr. Holden, Ms. Sinir, have a seat."


    "Jaelynn, make some tea, slice some fruit, and bring some snacks," she instructed.


    "Alright, Ms. Emma."


    Jaelynn''s attitude toward Emma remained respectful, but her title changed from "Ms. Walker" to "Ms. Emma"-a simple change that distinguished her from Natalie.


    After all, Emma had only managed to stay by throwing tantrums and making a scene. The household staff couldn''t express their disdain openly but secretly looked down on her.


    They simply didn''t dare to say it out loud. After all, offending an heiress of her status was not an option.


    Emma gestured for Marcus and Sophia to sit down. Her gaze firstnded on Marcus'' face, and the sight of the man she longed for yet couldn''t have made her heartache.


    "Mr. Holden, Sophia, are you looking for Sky?"


    Neither Marcus nor Sophia responded, so Emma spoke up again.


    "Yes, I''m here to see Sky," Sophia finally replied. "Is he home?"


    "He went to thepany." Emma smiled. "Sophia, you haven''t been to our house in a while. I thought you no longer liked him!"


    Sophia gave a forced smile and didn''t respond to Emma''sment. She never really liked Sky, so it was normal for her not to visit him. Now that she was pregnant with someone else''s child, she could not continue their previous courtship.


    Upon seeing Sophia remain silent, Emma turned to Marcus, who had always kept his distance from her. As expected, he gave her no attention.


    Emma bit her lip, about to say something, when he suddenly stood up. "I''ll go find Natalie."


    "Huh?" Emma was taken aback. Did hee to the Walker residence to look for Natalie?


    Before she could process this, he had already walked toward the kitchen.


    The kitchen in the Walker residence wasrge and divided into various work areas. Natalie and Olivia were chatting while brewing coffee. They were both surprised to see Marcus enter but quicklyposed themselves.


    "Mr. Holden, is there something you need?" Natalie was the first to speak. "You can tell the helpers what you need. I thought I asked Emma to take care of you and Ms. Sinir. Was she not to your satisfaction?"


    "I''m here to see you." Marcus cut to the chase, his tone blunt. "Natalie, I need to talk to you alone for a few minutes. Is that okay?"


    Natalie frowned. "I think it''s better we keep some distance."


    After all, they were once engaged but broke it off¡ªtoo much interaction between them wouldn''t be appropriate.


    "It''s business, Natalie."


    "None of yourpanies employ me, Mr. Holden," Natalie replied, her tone still calm. "If it''s something on my end, you must schedule through my assistant."


    Her assistant was Connie, and Marcus was aware that fact.


    He fell silent. When he saw her vignce and her firm desire to keep her distance, he suddenly regretted his impulsive decision to call William and call off the engagement that day when he was drunk.


    Natalie finished brewing the coffee, poured a cup for Olivia, and then took a tray to prepare a cup of hot milk.


    "Would you like coffee or tea, Mr. Holden?" She saw him standing, so she asked him politely out of courtesy.


    "Coffee, please."


    Marcus exhaled and nced at Sophia, who was sitting on the couch outside. Feeling a headacheing on, he pinched the bridge of his nose.


    Natalie smiled slightly and handed him the cup of coffee. "Be careful. It''s hot."


    She then called to Olivia and left the kitchen.


    Natalie walked over to sit opposite Sophia, noticing that Emma had poured tea for everyone. Without a word, she switched Sophia''s cup to hot milk.


    "Ms. Sinir, Mr. Holden asked me to bring you some hot milk."


    "Thank you." Sophia nced at Marcus and then at Natalie. Her lips moved slightly as if she wanted to say something but ultimately held her tongue.


    "Sophia, have you and Mr. Holden been getting closetely?" Emma asked as she picked up a ss of warm water and took a small sip.


    Sophia''s family had never favored her, and after starting her rtionship with Sky, he wasn''t particrly warm or attentive.


    So, had Sophia intentionally gotten closer to Marcus after hearing about the breakup, hoping to marry into the Holden family?


    Emma''s fingers traced the edge of her cup as she looked steadily at Sophia. "By the way, Natalie is the heiress of the Walker family. It''s


    almost time for her wee party. Sophia, you''ll being, right?


    Sophia nodded. "Yes, I''ve received the invitation. I''ll definitely be there."


    Even though she wasn''t favored in the Sinir family, her status as Sky''s girlfriend meant they couldn''t treat her too harshly. Thus, Ivan gave her the invitation from the Walker family.


    "That''s great. I''ve always liked you,"


    vi


    Emma stood up, reaching for Sophia''s hand. "My mom ordered batch of evening gowns for me. recently. Why don''t youe w me to pick some out? I''ll buy you two, just like before."


    Sophia shook her head. "No thanks."


    "Come on, Sophia. Just apany me. Please?" Emma''s voice was soft as she tried to coax Sophia.


    In the past, whenever Sophia came to the Walker family, Emma would coax her like this, and Sophia would always give in.


    But this time, Emma didn''t genuinely want to buy Sophia anything. She never got any high-end evening gowns from the Walker family, so the ones she "gave" to Sophia were those she didn''t care for.


    This way, she could clear out old stock while appearing kind to Sophia and gain favor from Sky. Sky would consider her a gentle and thoughtful sister and reward her with more gifts.


    "I don''t want to go," Sophia replied, not giving in like before. "I need to talk to Natalie."


    She nced at Marcus and then at Natalie. "Natalie, can we talk privately for a moment?"


    Natalie raised an eyebrow, then looked at Marcus, silently asking if he had shared something with Sophia.


    He immediately shook his head. He had promised not to reveal her secret about being Elim and would keep that promise.

 Chapter 241 Rejected

    "Alright. Let''s go for a walk," Natalie said, standing up. "Olivia, wait here for me."


    She added, "Mr. Holden, would you like to join us?"


    "Sure."


    The three of them left the vi. Emma remained in ce while Olivia chuckled, slowly sipping her coffee.


    Emma dug her nails into her palm but then nonchntly sat back down. "Olivia, I heard you n to join Lincoln''s entertainmentpany. Is that true?" she asked. "Emma, I heard Mr. Sky is looking for your biological parents. Is that true?" Olivia retorted.


    Emma was stunned-Olivia had brought up the one thing she didn''t want to hear. "I''m not feeling well, so I''m going back to my room to rest," she said, standing up quickly and leaving the living room to return to her room.


    Olivia sneered. What was Emma ying at, acting innocent? She had seen that resentful look in Emma''s eyesst night.


    She stood up with her coffee and gazed out at the floor-to-ceiling window.


    ...


    Natalie and Sophia walked side by side, with Marcus a few steps behind them.


    After a short distance, Natalie spoke first. "Ms. Sinir, if you have something to say, just say it."


    "Ms. Walker, may I call you Nat?" Sophia asked, her face pale and her voice barely audible.


    Natalie nodded. "Sure, it''s just a name anyway."


    "I don''t know if Marcus has mentioned my situation to you," Sophia continued, biting her lip and struggling with what to say. Still, she needed help with this and couldn''t hide it.


    "Mr. Holden and I aren''t as close as you might think. He hasn''t mentioned anything about you to me. The thing is, I''m pregnant, but I don''t want this child."


    Sophia took a deep breath and gathered her courage. "I''ve been dating Sky, but we don''t really like each other. Still, I ended up pregnant during our rtionship, and it''s not even his child. To him, it''s a betrayal. I''m afraid to get an abortion at any hospital in Dithoria State."


    She paused, her eyes reddening. "I heard your good friend treated Mr. Holden Senior''s illness. I was wondering if you could help me by asking her to perform the abortion for me. I''ll pay her.


    "Nat, I''m telling you this, and I don''t mind if you tell Sky. After all, I messed up first, so I deserve it if he breaks up with me or calls off the engagement."


    "I''m not that nosy, and I don''t gossip," Natalie said calmly. "But didn''t Marcus tell you? My friend already turned you down. Elim''s assistant should have ryed your request to her. If she agreed, you wouldn''t be here asking me for help.


    "Since she''s already refused, even if I speak to her, I can''t help you. Ms. Sinir, I''m sorry, but I can''t help."


    Natalie was polite, but her attitude left no room for negotiation. Sophia''s request had been reported by Connie, who had received it from an email channel Cassie had found. However, Natalie had refused from the start.


    An abortion might not be a major surgery, but it still involved ending a small life¡ª which, given Natalie''s past as a doctor, felt like killing. She didn''t want to do it, so she rejected the request outright.


    However, she hadn''t expected Marcus to bring Sophia to the Walker residence to ask her.


    "Ms. Sinir, does the father of the child know you''re pregnant and that you don''t want this baby?" Natalie asked.


    Natalie wasn''t one to meddle in others'' business, but seeing Sophia in such a bad state, she thought the child might not even need an abortion if things kept going


    this way.


    Sophia bit her lip for a long while before slowly shaking her head. "No. I don''t know how to tell him. Nat, thank you anyway."


    She turned to look at Marcus. "Marcus, let''s go back."


    "Alright." He looked at Natalie, and their gazes met calmly. Neither showed emotion, so it was impossible to tell what the other was thinking.


    After a while, Natalie was the first to look away. Marcus'' intense gaze felt almost suffocating for her.


    "Let''s go," Sophia said, disappointed. Still, she didn''t want to push Natalie too hard. After all, they didn''t know each other well, and asking for help at the first meeting wasn''t right.


    "Nat, thank you. I hope you can forgive my rashness today." She took a few steps before turning back to approach Natalie again. "I''ll be at your wee party."


    "By the way, be careful of Emma." Sophia nced around, then warned her softly. "I can''t say much, but just a heads up."


    "Okay, I understand. Thank you," Natalie replied, adjusting Sophia''s coat. "Actually, babies can sense things. Some babies know their


    parents don''t want or expect the


    and they will find a way to leave.


    "I don''t know what you''ve been through, Ms. Sinir, and I won''t advise you to keep the baby. But if you do decide on an abortion, please make sure to find a good doctor and hospital and take good care of yourself afterward.


    "Pregnancy isn''t something you can go through alone. The baby''s father should also take on his share of responsibility."


    Sophia''s eyes reddened after hearing that. "What you said is simr to Marcus''


    view."


    "Is the baby really not Sky''s?" Natalie lowered her voice and asked softly, "If it is, don''t be afraid. Tell me, and I''ll have my parents take care of it for you."


    "It''s not Sky''s." Sophia shook her head. Her voice cracked as she said, "I''ll find a


    way to break up with him. But... I have my own difficulties."


    Life had been difficult for her in the Sinir family, and two months ago, something had happened to her.


    "Nat, thank you." Sophia steadied herself. "I''ll go back with Marcus now."


    "I''ll see you off." Natalie walked Sophia and Marcus to their car. He opened the door and helped Sophia inside.


    "Ms. Walker, Grandpa asked me to bring you a gift," he said, walking to the trunk.


    He opened it and took out arge, wrapped box.


    "This is from Grandpa. It''s a gift for your wee party."


    "But Mr. Holden Senior already gave me a gift. Natalie didn''t take the box from Marcus. "He already gave me a beautiful, expensive evening gown and a diamond tiara. I can''t ept another gift from him."


    "Ms. Walker, I''m just following Grandpa''s orders. If you want to refuse, you''ll need


    to speak with him directly, alright?"


    "To be honest, I''m just the messenger." Marcus held the box up. "My hands are sore. Can you ask a helper to take it?"


    Natalie was speechless. Why couldn''t a man like him even carry a box? What a waste of his physique.

 Chapter 242 A Car Accident on the Walker Familys Estate

    Marcus stood before Natalie, holding out a box. His expression remained calm, but she merely stared at him with a cold, indifferent gaze.


    Emma hid behind a pir on the second-floor balcony, biting her lip as she red at the scene below. So, Marcus had called off their engagement because Natalie had gotten involved with him.


    Natalie, that wretched woman! Ever since she came home, she had stolen away the love and affection of their parents, as well as that of Lincoln and Hector. And now, even Marcus was giving her gifts.


    Yet, despite his gestures, Natalie remained indifferent, treating Marcus with a cold and distant attitude.


    Marcus, who was a man of such pride, had never been disregarded like this before.


    Emma was so furious that her face had turned pale.


    Downstairs, Natalie suddenly turned her head sharply, her gaze darting toward the second floor.


    Startled, Emma quickly ducked back into hiding, her heart pounding with fear at the thought of being caught.


    "Ms. Walker, could you please take this? Thank you." Marcus stepped forward and practically ced the box directly into Natalie''s arms.


    Natalie was speechless at his action. "Mr. Holden, are you sure this is from your grandfather?"


    Marcus responded calmly, "You can call and ask him yourself."


    "Alright." Natalie reached out to ept the heavy box. She had no idea what was inside but still said, "Please extend my gratitude to Mr. Holden Senior. I will personally thank him another day."


    "Alright."


    "Goodbye, Ms. Walker."


    Marcus turned and got into the car. Only after the car window was rolled up did Sophia quietly ask, "Marcus, why did you lie to Natalie? That gift wasn''t from Mr. Holden Senior."


    Marcus checked the time on his watch and replied indifferently, "If she knew it was from me, she wouldn''t have epted it."


    "Aren''t you afraid she''ll ask Mr. Holden Senior about it?"


    "No. He won''t expose the truth." In fact, Charles might even go along with the lie.


    Sophia hesitated to say more, but ultimately, it wasn''t her ce toment on someone else''s feelings.


    As the car slowly drove out of the Walker family estate and neared the main gate, a horse suddenly charged out from thewn, galloping wildly straight forward Marcus'' car.


    "Watch out!" the driver shouted, hastily turning the wheel to evade the impact. But in that instant, the horse crashed violently into the vehicle.


    With a loud bang, the car lost control and mmed into the security post at the gate.


    The vehicle flipped onto its side, and the airbags deployed. In the back seat, Marcus and Sophia were trapped in the wreckage.


    "Sophia, are you alright?"


    In the critical moment, Marcus had shielded Sophia with his body.


    "Sophia, can you move?" he asked.


    "Marcus, my stomach hurts."


    Sophia''s abdomen had mmed into the front seat. She tried to clutch her belly, but her hands were trapped, unable to move.


    A sharp pain shot through her lower abdomen, and she could feel warm liquid seeping out.


    "Marcus, am I losing my baby?" Tears streamed down Sophia''s face as she cried out, "It hurts so much!"


    "Don''t be afraid, Sophia. Hold on." Gritting his teeth, Marcus forced open the car door, ignoring his own pain as he crawled out.


    The driver also struggled to escape, while Elijah quickly kicked open his door and rushed over to help.


    "There''s been an ident! Someone, help!" The Walker family guards shouted, and a crowd quickly gathered to assist.


    Sophia was soon carried out. Blood soaked her lower body, and she had already lost consciousness.


    "Quick, get her to the hospital!" Marcus, who was bloodstained and injured, ignored his own wounds. His only concern was Sophia.


    "Elijah, go get Ms. Walker," he ordered.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden!"


    Elijah immediately ran toward the house, but before he could even reach Natalie,


    she had already heard the news.


    Without waiting for Elijah to call for her, she had already rushed outside.


    "Natalie, wait for me!" Olivia hurried after her.


    On the second floor, Emma held her phone, the corners of her lips curling up in delight. Humming a tune, she leisurely returned to her room.


    "Ms. Walker-"


    "Out of my way."


    Elijah had just caught sight of Natalie when she shoved past him, striding forward with urgency.


    Soon, she arrived at the main gate of the Walker estate.


    "Marcus, how is Sophia?"


    Natalie was out of breath, having sprinted over. She hadn''t expected that her


    earlier words would turn out to be prophetic.


    "I''ve already had her sent to the


    hospital." Marcus''s hands were still stained with blood, but he didn''t hesitate to grab Natalie''s wrist. "Please,e with me to the hospital. I don''t want anything to


    happen to Sophia."


    A private car from the Walker family was driven over, and Marcus pulled Natalie


    inside without giving her a chance to refuse.


    "Ms. Walker, please," he begged.


    A life was at stake-Natalie didn''t have time to consider whether Marcus was being too forceful.


    Natalie relented. "Alright. Which hospital was she taken to?"


    "The one closest to Walker Estate."


    In such a critical situation, they couldn''t afford to take her any farther.


    "Alright, drive faster," Natalie instructed.


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    The car sped off, quickly catching up to the vehicle ahead. As soon as Sophia


    arrived at the hospital, she was immediately taken into surgery.


    "Natalie, I''m begging you. Just this once." Marcus suddenly grasped Natalie''s hand. "Everything is arranged. No one will know your identity. Sophia has had a difficult life since she was a kid."


    "You love her," Natalie stated.


    Marcus shook his head. "No."


    Natalie pressed further. "Then does she love you?"


    "No." Marcus exhaled heavily. "Save her first, and I''ll tell you everything you want to know. Please."


    Natalie was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."


    "Thank you."


    Marcus had made the arrangements, and when he said he had, he meant it.


    Natalie followed the doctors to change into surgical attire. Once she was ready, she entered the operating room.


    Outside, Marcus stood rigidly in front of the doors, staring at the glowing "Surgery


    Ongoing" sign.


    "Mr. Holden, you should tend to your


    wounds," Elijah approached


    cautiously. "I will demand an exnation from the Walker family. How Could a perfectly fine horse suddenly go berserk and charge at


    us?


    Moreover, it had headed straight for their car.


    "Mr. Holden," Elijah called out carefully before Marcus finally snapped back to


    reality.


    "Elijah, keep this news sealed. Don''t let the Sinir family know about this."


    "Yes, sir."


    "As for the Walker family, I''ll handle it myself." Marcus exhaled, pulling out his phone to make a call.


    Even after the call, his expression remained grim.


    Sophia had nearly died. Marcus wasn''t doing this because of any favor owed to the Holden family. He knew the truth¡ªSophia''s rtionship with him was just like Natalie''s with Olivia.


    The only difference was that Natalie and Olivia were both women, while he and Sophia were not.


    More importantly, years ago, Sophia had once saved his life.

 Chapter 243 Who He Likes and Who She Likes Has Nothing to Do With Her

    Marcus waited outside for a long time before the doors of the operating room


    finally opened. The doctor walked out and said, "Mr. Holden, the patient is out of danger."


    Natalie had specifically told them not to mention anything of the pregnancy and to just refer to Sophia as the patient. "The family inside has requested a hospital transfer for her. They asked me to let you know."


    Marcus nodded slightly. "Alright, thank you for your hard work."


    "We''re just doing our duty," the doctor said before leaving.


    It wasn''t long before Natalie also came out. This was the first time she had rushed to the hospital without any disguise.


    She had watched the entire procedure to make sure the doctors could handle it. After she ensured that Sophia''s life was not in danger, she didn''t intervene. "Mr. Holden, I want to move Sophia somewhere else. Do you have any objections?" Natalie got straight to the point as soon as she came out. "You were in the Walker family''s territory when this car ident happened. I''ll make sure you two get an exnation. But I''m worried that there''s still someone targeting Ms. Sinir, so I need to move her somewhere else."


    Marcus nodded. "Alright, I have no objections. But you just arrived at Dithoria State. Are you sure you can find somewhere safe?"


    Natalie replied, "You don''t have to worry about that."


    She turned around to change her clothes. Then, she made a call. "Hello? Zane,


    I''m sending you an address. Get an ambnce here to pick someone up. Prepare


    a guest room at South Street''s Goodwill Pharmacy. My acquaintance will be staying there."


    Zane responded eagerly, "Got it! I''ll be right there."


    After hanging up, Natelie sent the address. Marcus had been listening in and couldn''t help but ask, "You know of Goodwill Pharmacy and Zane?"


    Nattalie shot him a cool nce and answered emotionlessly, "Yes, Goodwill Pharmacy belongs to me."


    "What?" Marcus was surprised. Goodwill Pharmacy was thergest traditional medicine pharmacy in Dithoria State, and its owner was rumored to be an extremely mysterious and powerful figure.


    Some of their medicine was so rare that even the wealthy struggled to buy them.


    Yet, Natalie was saying that Goodwill Pharmacy belonged to her.


    Meanwhile, Zane was the youngest son of the Holt family. He was known for being carefree and irresponsible, but he was also the boyfriend of Ivan''s mistress'' daughter, Ruby Sinir.


    Due to Marcus'' close rtionship with Sophia, he never liked Zane. Everyone knew that Zane had done plenty to harm Sophia under Ruby''s influence.


    Yet, he just learned that Zane was associated with Goodwill Pharmacy, and that Goodwill Pharmacy belonged to Natalie. It meant that Zane was one of Natalie''s subordinates.


    After seeing the shift in Marcus'' expression, Natalie raised an eyebrow and asked coldly, "What? You got a problem?"


    "No, but do you know what kind of person Zane is?" Marcus wasn''t one to badmouth others, but this concerned Sophia''s safety.


    He continued, "Zane''s girlfriend is Sophia''s father''s illegitimate daughter, Ruby. In the past, Ruby bullied Sophia often, and it was with Zane''s help."


    Natalie tilted her head slightly. "Is that so? That''ll be easy to handle. I''ll just have Zane break up with Ruby."


    Marcus scoffed. "That''s impossible. Everyone knows how much Zane dotes on Ruby."


    Natalie smirked. "Mr. Holden, don''t be so sure. I didn''t know about this before, but now that I do, Zane has two choices. Either he breaks up with Ruby, or he scrams from Goodwill Pharmacy."


    "You''re choosing to side with Sophia?" Marcus asked.


    Natalie denied, "No, I just simply despise illegitimate children."


    vel


    Natalie nced at her phone. "And don''t tell me nonsense about how the unloved one is the real third party. That''s just shameless garbage people say to justify cheating. As for illegitimate children, don''t tell me they''re innocent. Ruby might be innocent, but her mother sure as hell isn''t."


    Marcus was silent for a moment before he replied in a deep voice, "I agree."


    Then, he said, "You asked me before


    if I liked Sophia and then if Sophia liked me.answered no to both of them. When I was young, I went with my grandfather to the seaside for business. Curiosity almost caused me to be swept away by the waves. Sophia jumped in and saved me."


    Marcus added, "From that moment on, I owed her my life."


    Natalie suddenly interrupted Marcus, saying, "Wait, you''re telling me you were almost washed away by the waves when you were young? Then, it was Sophia who saved you?"


    Marcus nodded. "Yes, she was by my side when I woke up."


    "And then you fell for her?" Natalie''s expression didn''t change. She merely looked at Marcus with a hint of disdain.


    Marcus'' expression darkened slightly. "No, I don''t like her. I wouldn''t fall for her just because she saved me, okay? I don''t believe that you should marry your savior."


    Natalie remarked, "But I guess you took very good care of Sophia since you were young."


    Marcus agreed. "Yes, she was never the favored child in the Sinir


    family and was often bullied. Since she saved my life, it''s only natural that I took care of her and made


    sure she had an easier time there."


    Natalie nodded. "I understand. That''s good."


    But as she said that, there was a self-deprecating smirk on her lips. She knew there was something wrong with Marcus-so it was because sea water got into his head when he was young.


    When Natalie saved Marcus that day, he was still conscious. It was one thing to not recognize your actual savior, but he actually took the first person he saw when he woke up as his savior.


    It was one thing if his eyesight was terrible, but his biggest problem was that his brain was not working too.


    When Natalie saved Marcus, she was still not afraid of water. It was only after years of abuse from Diana, being held underwater until she almost drowned, that she developed her fear.


    However, fate worked in strange ways. She saved Marcus when she was young. Then, the random girl who hadtched onto Marcus turned out to be Sophia. Since Marcus failed to recognize her, Natalie couldn''t be bothered to correct him. After all, when she looked into Sophia''s background, it was true that Sophia had suffered with the Sinir family.


    "So, I don''t like Sophia, and she doesn''t like me either." Marcus saw that Natalie looked disinterested and emphasized again.


    "I understand. Who you like and who she likes has nothing to do with me. You don''t need to go out of your way to exin it to me," Natalie said in amusement. Marcus pursed his lips. "No, it has to be exined. I don''t like being misunderstood."


    Natalie waved it off. "Alright, alright, no misunderstandings. Look, Zane is here."


    As they spoke, the ambnce from Goodwill Pharmacy arrived. Zane jumped out


    of the car, grinning widely when he saw Natalie. "Natalie, I finally get to see you again."


    "Zane, are you still dating Ruby?" Natalie''s expression darkened as she faced Zane''s eager smile.


    Zane was confused but answered honestly, "Yes! She''s my girlfriend. What''s wrong?"


    Natalie continued, "Did you and Ruby use to bully Sophia?"

 Chapter 244 This Was Clearly a Jab at Him for What Had Happened Before

    Zane quickly shook his head. "No way, Natalie! I''m not that kind of person! I didn''t do it!"


    "Then break up with Ruby immediately. Now," Natalie ordered.


    "Huh?" Zane was dumbfounded.


    "What''s the matter? You don''t want to?"


    "I do! Of course, I do!" Zane quickly pulled out his phone, dialed Ruby''s number, and put it on speaker.


    "Hello, Ruby?" Zane said into the phone. "I''m breaking up with you right now. As of this moment, you''re no longer my girlfriend."


    Before Ruby could even respond, Zane ended the call and blocked all of Ruby''s ounts in front of Natalie.


    He then obediently handed his phone to Natalie. "Here, Natalie, check if you want."


    Natalie took Zane''s phone and tapped through it. "Wasn''t Ruby your girlfriend? Yet, the moment I told you to break up, you did it without hesitation? What kind of spineless jerk are you?"


    "She was my girlfriend, yes, but only because my mom liked her I never did!" Zane said, looking aggrieved. "And I swear, I never bullied Ms. Sinir with her.


    He added, "To be honest, Natalie, I knew that Ruby''s mom was a mistress. She got involved with Mr. Sinir knowingly-she wasn''t deceived. And honestly? I never wanted to date the daughter of a mistress.


    "But Ruby''s mom worked hard to please my mother, hoping to secure Ruby a ce in the Holt family. She went all out to win my mother over, and I was just the one being forced toply.


    "So the moment you told me to break up with her, I couldn''t be happier!"


    "Oh?" Natalie nced at Zane, who looked at her with a mix of grievance and ttery.


    "Natalie, I swear I never bullied Ms. Sinir," Zane continued. "If there are rumors about me bullying her, then Ruby must be the one spreading them!


    "Even though Ruby and I have been dating, I''ve never even held her hand, let alone kissed or hugged her. If you don''t believe me, ask Mr. Holden."


    Zane turned to Marcus. "Mr. Holden, you''re good friends with Ms. Sinir-you must know that I''ve never once been to the Sinir residence, right?"


    Marcus stayed silent.


    Natalie''s gazended on Marcus as she slowly said, "But before you arrived, Mr. Holden told me that everyone in our circle knows you dote on Ruby, that Ruby bullies Sophia, and that you''re her aplice."


    Marcus hesitated briefly before admitting, "Yes, that''s what everyone says."


    If he had wronged Zane without knowing the full truth, then he would apologize as he should.


    "I''ve overheard people talking about how you and Ruby bullied Sophia more than once. Would you like me to recount the details?" Marcus'' voice sounded low and sharp as his piercing gaze settled on Zane.


    "That''s not true! I swear I never did!" Zane protested, feeling even more wronged.


    He knew of Marcus and had seen him from afar at certain social gatherings, but he never had the chance to speak with him due to his lower status.


    The reason he had confidently imed that Marcus should know he had never been to the Sinir residence was because Ruby had told him so. ording to Ruby, Sophia was close friends with Marcus, who often visited the Sinir residence. Ruby imed that Sophia was secretly seducing Marcus.


    She even cursed Sophia, calling her shameless. She said that despite knowing Marcus was engaged to Emma, she continued to pursue him while in a rtionship with Sky.


    When Ruby had ranted about Sophia being a homewrecker, her face twisted with rage, and her teeth gnashed together-it was an utterly horrifying sight.


    At that moment, Zane had wanted to remind her that her own mother was a homewrecker too. But under his mother''s pressure, he ultimately held his tongue, though he had been itching to say it.


    That said, he had never set foot in the Sinir residence.


    If Marcus had visited there often, he should have realized that he had never once


    run into Ruby''s so-called boyfriend¡ªhim.


    "Mr. Holden, have you seen me bully


    Sophia with your own eyes? Or personally heard Sophia say that Ruby and bullied her?" Zane asked through gritted teeth. Though he felt deeply wronged, he was determined to clear his name.


    "I have no idea where these rumors about Ruby and me came from, but I''ve always been working diligentlyzat Goodwill Pharmacy. I can call Ruby right now and have here over. Meanwhile, Mr. Holden, you can call whoever told you these rumors here and have theme too?


    "Andstly, let''s bring Sophia here as well. We''ll confront each other face to face. I refuse to carry the weight of a false usation for the rest of my life!" Marcus


    said.


    "That''s enough. Let''s put this matter


    on hold for now," Natalie said,


    casting a smirk of mockery at Marcus. I didn''t take you for a gossip Mr. Holden. Nor did I expect you to be the type to believe every rumor you hear."


    Her words were clearly a jab at Marcus for what had happened before.


    Marcus'' expression shifted slightly. Before he could exin, Natalie continued, "Alright, Zane. Bring some people and help me move Ms. Sinir to Goodwill Pharmacy."


    Zane was a little puzzled. He instinctively asked, "Sophia Sinir?"


    "Who else?" Natalie rolled her eyes.


    "Right away, Natalie!" Zane quickly gathered his people and followed her into the hospital.


    Zane hesitated as they passed Marcus, and his expression shifted. In the end, he couldn''t hold back. "Mr. Holden, you owe me an apology for falsely using me." "You''re right. I apologize," Marcus said without hesitation. "I spoke without verifying the truth. I was wrong. I''m sorry."


    Zane was momentarily stunned. He had expected Marcus to use his status as the notable scion of Dithoria State to pressure him, but instead, he admitted fault outright.


    "If you wantpensation for emotional distress, talk to Ethan." Marcus handed Zane a business card. "He''s my assistant. I''ll let him know."


    "N-No thanks!" Zane frantically waved his hands and bolted toward Natalie.


    "Your apology is enough, Mr. Holden. I don''t need anypensation," he called back as he practically sprinted away.


    Even if Marcus were willing topensate him, Zane wouldn''t dare ept it.


    He had only fought to prove his innocence because he didn''t want Natalie to think he was a jerk.


    Besides, he had truly never bullied Sophia.


    ...


    Soon, Sophia was transferred into a Goodwill Pharmacy vehicle, and Marcus got


    in as well.


    After arriving at Goodwill Pharmacy, Zane sent Sophia to a prearranged room.


    Just as Natalie was about to follow, Marcus suddenly reached out and blocked


    her path.


    "Ms. Walker, I owe you an apology," he said. "I''m sorry."

 Chapter 245 Marcus Sincere Apology

    "Natalie, I''m sorry," Marcus apologized again solemnly when Natalie did not respond.


    Natalie blinked, stunned. His apology threw her off a little.


    "I''m sorry about what happened before. I shouldn''t have jumped to conclusions without knowing the full truth," Marcus added as Natalie continued blinking at him, perplexed. "I am really sorry."


    The first time he came to Amberton, he overheard Natalie and Grace talking through the door. Because of this, he had wrongly perceived Natalie as a vain woman trying to seduce him and use him to get revenge on Selena and Tyler.


    His impression of her was terrible from the start, so he disliked her intensely from their very first meeting.


    Then, he discovered that she was the famous Elim-the very one who had saved Charles.


    He had been grateful to her and reevaluated his opinion of her, until he heard Grace talking about how Natalie should try and pursue him, telling her that she should resort to other means like drugging him if she couldn''t manage to win him


    over.


    Whatever goodwill he had just started to feel toward Natalie vanished instantly at that.


    Now, after hearing Zane''s firm defense of her and what Natalie had said to him earlier, he realized just how deep his prejudice and misunderstanding of her had been.


    He had been wrong, so he should apologize to both Zane and Natalie.


    "Natalie, will you forgive me for my past arrogance?" Marcus was clearly struggling to get the words out, but his expression was serious. He wasn''t joking.


    Instinctively, Natalie reached out and ced her hand against his forehead, feeling for his temperature. "No fever..." she muttered to herself.


    Marcus was speechless. What, was it really that shocking that he would apologize for his mistakes?


    "I am perfectly healthy, Ms. Walker, and in my right mind," he said. Though exasperated, he still sounded earnest. "I''m not apologizing to you because I''m sick."


    Natalie nodded. "Okay then. If that''s all you have to say, I''m going to go check on Sophia.


    "Oh, and Mr. Holden-since Sophia saved your life, you probably should have verified your sources before talking about her behind her back. Honestly, that behavior doesn''t suit your good looks."


    In other words, she was telling him that he should have just shut up and looked pretty.


    With that, she turned and walked into Goodwill Pharmacy.


    Marcus stared after her, speechless.


    He had been wrong, and he had apologized for it. Even though Natalie mocked him, he could do nothing but ept it.


    Soon, he followed Natalie inside as well.


    Goodwill Pharmacy specialized in traditional medicine and offered both consultations and prescriptions. Patients could get their prescribed medication at the counter, or pay extra to have their medicine prepared on-site.


    There were also some rare medicines sold at the pharmacy, but they were strictly regted and needed the owner''s permission before anyone could buy them.


    Marcus had brought Charles here before, hoping to get the rare medication, but Goodwill Pharmacy had turned him down.


    Apparently, the pharmacy had a strict regtory process on who they were allowed to sell the medication to, and only the pharmacy had the right to the final exnation.


    Marcus now suspected that the supposed "regtory process" was nothing more than the owner''s personal judgment.


    He followed Natalie into the courtyard. Sophia had already been moved into a clean guestroom.


    The clinic, which was fully equipped with medical devices, was next to the guest room. Sophia would have a quiet and safe environment to recover from her illness.


    Natalie checked on her while Zane stood by the side, carefully jotting down notes.


    As he did, he muttered, "Natalie, you have to believe me. I''m really not a scumbag. I never bullied Ms. Sinir."


    "I know. You don''t need to exin anything." Lifting her wrist to look at the time, she added, "Have the person in charge here bring me Sophia''s medical report. Since I''m already here, I might as well stay for a while."


    "Sure, Natalie," Zane agreed quickly.


    When he turned around, he saw Marcus.


    "Ms. Sinir is fine now, Mr. Holden. Don''t worry," Zane said. "You look like you''re injured too. You should go and get that checked!"


    "Thanks, but I''m fine," Marcus said, nodding in gratitude. Then, he apologized


    again, "I''m sorry for the misunderstanding earlier. Please ept my apology."


    Zane scratched his head and waved


    it off. "It''s fine. I''m d it''s all cleared up. I will investigate if Ruby has really been bullying Ms. Sinir using my name. If she has, I will not let it slide. Don''t worry, Mr. Holden."


    Naturally, Zane did not dare to press on the issue after Marcus had apologized to him, especially since he was acting so approachable.


    Besides, Zane hadn''t done anything wrong, so he wasn''t afraid of any repercussions. "I''ve already broken up with Ruby. I''ll make it public and let everyone know. If anyone continues spreading rumors ''ll take legal action," he continued.


    "Alright."


    Marcus went up to Sophia''s bed. Natalie was still there, checking her vitals.


    "Ms. Sinir had a miscarriage because of the car ident. Do you really not know who the father of the child is?"


    Natalie gently ced Sophia''s hand back onto the bed. "Her pulse is pretty weak and irregr. She''s overly anxious. She was nine weeks pregnant and badly malnourished. I wonder how she was taking care of herself.


    "While she''s staying here, I will ensure she has the best medicine and is well cared for. You don''t need to worry about her meals and treatments, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus nodded. "Alright, thank you."


    "Hold on, don''t thank me yet." Natalie smiled. "I charge for my services. I''m not running a charity."


    She handed him a slip of paper. "Go and pay at the counter up front."


    Marcus nced at the paper. There were only two things written on it-his name, and a number-two million dors.


    "You wouldn''t want news of Ms.


    Sinir''s pregnancy getting out, would you? So, as far as everyone else knows, you''re the one staying here, not her. Any objections, Holden?" Natalie asked meaningfully. "Ms. Sinir saved your life. You wouldn''t just leave her


    §Õ§à


    to fend for herself, right?"


    Taking a deep breath, Marcus nodded lightly. "Of course not. Thank you for your


    thoroughness. I appreciate it."


    With that, he turned and left to pay at the counter. Even so, he couldn''t quite shake the feeling that Natalie had been unusually cold and disdainful when she


    said that Sophia had saved his life.


    Hopefully, it had just been his imagination.


    Natalie wasn''t a kind person. She always charged him hefty fees for her


    treatments.

 Chapter 246 Ruby Makes a Scene at Goodwill Pharmacy

    Marcus took the slip to the front desk at Goodwill Pharmacy. He handed the paper to the clerk, paid, and received a receipt in return.


    He was just about to return to the courtyard with the receipt in his hand when a shrill voice sounded, "Zane Holt, youe out right this second! Do you really think you can just break up with me like that? What did I do wrong? Why are you breaking up with me for no reason?"


    Marcus stopped and turned to the yelling woman who had just walked in. It was Ruby Sinir-the illegitimate daughter of the Sinir family.


    Ruby scanned the pharmacy as she shouted, and she soon saw Marcus standing not too far away.


    Dressed in a well-tailored suit, Marcus stood tall and confident, a picture of elegance. His striking features and cold, dark eyes carried a powerful sense of authority when he turned his gaze to her.


    Ruby took a step backward instinctively. She knew who Marcus was he was that bitch Sophia''s friend.


    There was a rumor that Marcus did not like women. Not even his fianc¨¦e, Emma, could get close to him, but Sophia had managed to befriend him for some unfathomable reason.


    If it weren''t for Marcus'' frequent visits to the Sinir residence to protect Sophia openly, Ruby and Julia would''ve gotten rid of her by now.


    There was no way she would still be alive and well today.


    Sophia hadn''t returned home for the past few days, and she had been ignoring all calls. If she weren''t dating Sky right now, whose family was powerful enough for the Sinirs to fear, Ruby would''ve used this as an excuse to make Sophia suffer.


    "Ruby, what are you doing here?" Zane ran out from the courtyard. He looked impatient when he saw Ruby. "You can''t make a scene here at the pharmacy. I''ve broken up with you. We don''t serve people like you here. Get out!"


    "Why should I?" Ruby turned her gaze away from Marcus and grabbed Zane''s hand. "You can''t break up with me. I didn''t agree with it. I''m still your girlfriend!"


    "I don''t need your fucking permission to break up with you." Zane pried her hand off and dragged her toward the door.


    Goodwill Pharmacy was a ce of business. He couldn''t let Ruby disrupt things, especially with Natalie there. Even though he didn''t know what happened between Ruby and Natalie, there was one thing he was sure of Natalie did not like Ruby.


    And if Natalie did not like Ruby, then he didn''t like her either.


    Besides, Ruby''s mother, Julia White, was a homewrecker and even unted her affair in front of Samantha, angering her so much that she almost died. She also made Ivan send Samantha away to a faraway convent.


    Even so, as long as Ivan remained married to Samantha, Julia would always be the other woman, no matter how much favor she gained from Ivan. Ruby, in turn, would always be an illegitimate child.


    Zane despised Ivan for abandoning hiswfully wedded wife and favoring another woman instead. Unfortunately, Julia had somehow managed to win over Zane''s mother, Luna Yoder.


    After some careful maneuvering, Julia had managed to convince Luna to arrange a meeting between Ruby and Zane. After just two meetings, Luna insisted that the two of them enter a rtionship.


    Zane, being a good son, did not want to upset his mother and face his family''s wrath, so he had no choice but to agree to date Ruby.


    He had always considered himself her boyfriend in name only. He barely even spoke to Ruby most days; why was she now acting like they were some loving couple?


    "Ruby Sinir, let me make this clear-I don''t owe you anything. We''ve been splitting everything during our rtionship, and I''ve never spent your money!" Zane said.


    Once they were outside, he let go of Ruby immediately and rubbed his hands on his pants.


    His obvious disgust infuriated Ruby. She kicked him in the leg.


    "You fucking crazy bitch!" Zane lost his temper as well and kicked her right back.


    Ruby screamed, "Fuck you, Zane! Is this how you treat your girlfriend? I''ll fight you!"


    She lunged at Zane, who stepped aside quickly. As she stumbled forward, he kicked her right on her butt. "We''re broken up. You''re not my girlfriend anymore."


    Rubynded face-first onto the ground.


    When she had stormed into Goodwill Pharmacy, she had imagined a dramatic confrontation that would end with Zane begging for her forgiveness on his knees.


    Instead, she was the one who ended up on the ground.


    While sprawled on the ground, Ruby''s face twisted in rage.


    Zane stood before her and jabbed a finger at her. "Let me repeat myself, Ruby. We are done. If you harass me again, I won''t be so polite next time. I''ve never epted any gifts from you or spent any of your money-stop trying to extort me."


    With that, he turned to leave. Ruby got to her feet and yelled after him, "Zane Holt, if you dare break up with me, I''ll tell your mother! I''ll get Aunt Luna to help me!"


    "Go ahead!" Zane rolled his eyes. "How old are you that you need your parents to settle your conflicts? Do you need me to call the police and have them lecture me too?"


    "You-" Ruby stomped her foot in anger, chest heaving as she watched Zane disappear into Goodwill Pharmacy.


    She refused to let this go, so she stormed back into the pharmacy Before Zane could stop her, she dered, "I''m here to see a doctor and get some medicine. You can''t throw me out now!"


    "Goodwill will not serve you," Zane said tly. "Please leave."


    "Why not?" Ruby scoffed, her eyes zing with anger. "You don''t want my business, huh? Don''t regret this, Zane."


    With that, she suddenly rushed to a nearby shelf and knocked everything to the knocked.


    "Ruby Sinir, have you lost your fucking mind?" Zane roared as he rushed to stop her.


    However, Ruby was faster. She darted through the counter and ran to the courtyard.


    Natalie was sitting in the courtyard,


    having tea while reviewing


    paperwork, when she heard themotion. Before she could get up and see what happened, Ruby ~ rushed in and tried to swing@ p at her face.


    Natalie narrowed her eyes and quickly raised a hand to block her, but someone


    else moved even faster.


    Marcus appeared suddenly and grabbed Ruby''s hand.


    "So that''s why you suddenly broke up with me, Zane Holt!" Ruby cried. "You''ve


    been hiding a tramp in your pharmacy!"


    Marcus'' grip tightened, making Ruby''s face contort in pain.


    When she rushed in, the first thing she saw was Natalie drinking tea in the


    courtyard. Jealousy and anger clouded her mind.


    In the past, Zane had never allowed her into the courtyard when she visited him at


    work.


    "Ruby Sinir? The illegitimate daughter of the Sinir family? How dare you make a scene at my pharmacy?" Natalie stood up and kicked Ruby''s knee.


    At the same time, Marcus released her wrist.


    Ruby copsed painfully onto her knees with a loud thud.

 Chapter 247 Filthy Eyes See Filth Everywhere

    Ruby winced in pain, and her teeth clenched as she stared at the woman in front of her. There was something oddly familiar about her, almost like they had met before.


    As for Marcus, Ruby knew better than to cross him.


    She quickly searched her memory, trying to ce the woman''s face. When she realized she had never seen her at any high-society events, she immediately dismissed her as unimportant.


    Anyone who had never set foot in an elite social gathering in Dithoria State clearly wasn''t someone of status. Even if this woman was just some mistress Zane was keeping on the side, Ruby wasn''t the least bit intimidated.


    Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself to her feet. "Who the hell do you think you are, kicking me like that?"


    Natalie looked past her and locked eyes with Zane, who had just rushed in. His face had turned pale.


    "Ruby, are you out of your goddamn mind? I was the one who broke up with you, and now you''re running around like a rabid dog, attacking people left and right? Keep it up, and someone''s going to have to put you down!"


    He stormed over, ring at her before quickly bowing toward Natalie and Marcus. "Natalie, I''m sorry. Mr. Holden, I apologize. I didn''t mean for this nonsense to interrupt your evening. I''ll get rid of her right now."


    Then he turned back to Ruby, his expression darkening. "Don''t push me, Ruby. If you keep acting like this, I swear I''ll call the cops."


    "You wouldn''t dare!" Ruby''s eyes welled with tears. "You dumped me out of nowhere! What was I supposed to do? Just sit there and take it?"


    "Zane, you were my boyfriend! Now you''re out here defending another woman? Be honest with me¡ªare you keeping that whore from Goodwill Pharmacy on the side?"


    Zane lost his patience and pped Ruby across the face.


    He could tolerate being insulted himself, but no one¡ªno one¡ªwas going to disrespect Natalie.


    Natalie was on a whole different level-untouchable, out of reach. Putting him in a couple with her was just bringing down her standards.


    "Ruby, just because your mother was a homewrecker doesn''t mean every woman is. Filthy people like you see filth everywhere. You might want to handle your mom''s mess before you start running your mouth."


    "Zane, don''t you dare talk about my mother!" Ruby screamed. If there was one thing she hated most in the world, it was being reminded that she was an illegitimate child.


    "The real homewrecker is the woman who couldn''t keep her husband. me her, not my mother."


    Zane let out a coldugh. "Oh yeah? Then, by that logic, you couldn''t keep me, so who are you ming now? The unloved one is the homewrecker, Ruby. Right now, that''s you. I don''t love you. So as the other woman, why don''t you take your ass out of here?"


    Ruby let out a scream, shaking her head and stomping her feet. That wasn''t what she meant.


    Natalie watched the scene unfold, amused. So this was the same Ruby that Ivan had always treated like a princess? His judgment clearly wasn''t that great.


    "Zane, I''ll give you three minutes to get this lunatic out of here. And before she leaves, she''s paying for everything she just broke. At full price."


    Natalie''s voice was ice-cold. "Also, don''t bothering to work at Goodwill Pharmacy for the next week."


    "Natalie, no! Please!" Zane looked devastated.


    "Get out." Her tone was sharp andmanding, and her gaze was like a de.


    Zane immediately straightened up, yanking Ruby by the wrist and dragging her out of the courtyard.


    Once they were gone, Natalie picked up the report that had fallen to the ground and settled back into her seat under the gazebo.


    "Mr. Holden, thanks for the help earlier."


    She could''ve dodged Ruby''s p on her own, but Marcus had stepped in first. Since he had done her a favor, the least she could do was acknowledge it.


    "Do you want to sit down for some tea?"


    "Sure." Marcus stepped into the gazebo, watching Natalie''s slender, fair hands lift the teapot. Her movements were natural and elegant as she poured him a cup.


    "Did she touch you?" he asked.


    "No."


    "Good." She slid the tea toward him. "Have some."


    "Thanks."


    Marcus took a sip. The tea was fragrant and smooth, leaving a lingering taste on his tongue.


    Neither of them spoke again. They simply sat there, quietly sipping their tea.


    Natalie rang the bell once she finished going through Goodwill Pharmacy''s reports. Soon, someone quickly arrived.


    "Yes, Natalie?"


    "Take these back. Once you''ve finished cleaning up the front hall, gather everyone


    in the back for a meeting."


    "Okay."


    "Oh, and one more thing. From now


    on, I don''t care if it''s someone''s


    boyfriend, girlfriend, or family member-anyone whoes here causing trouble gets thrown out. No exceptions."


    "Understood, Natalie."


    Natalie delivered her orders without an ounce of emotion, her tone crisp and authoritative. Then she turned back to Marcus.


    "Mr. Holden, I have things to do, so I won''t be staying."


    Marcus gave a small nod and rose from his seat. "Alright."


    "I''ll leave Sohpia in your hands," he added. "Do you need me to leave someone here to help care for her?"


    Natalie thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, send Elijah over."


    Among Marcus'' people, Elijah was the one she liked the most. That man had a


    mouth on him-he never backed down from an argument, and he sure as hell never lost one.


    Sophia was weak and timid,


    constantly overthinking and ming


    herself. The fact that she had gotten


    pregnant but still refused to reveal who the father was spoke volumes about the pressure she was under.


    "Got it. I''ll send him over now."


    Marcus made the call right away. He hadn''t brought any security with him when


    he took Sophia to Natalie''s ce. After all, he was just there to ask for help.


    But who could''ve expected a car ident right inside Walker Estate?


    The image of that horse charging out of nowhere shed through his mind, and his gaze darkened.


    "Ms. Walker, I need to go to Walker Estate and investigate what happened with that horse. Are you good with that?"


    "You''re wee to." Natalie didn''t


    hesitate for even a second. "You and Sophia got hurt on my family''s


    property. We owe you an exnation. Even if you didn''t want to look into it, we would''ve handled it ourselves."


    Marcus nodded. "I appreciate it."


    "No need. I should be thanking you for not holding this against us."


    "See you next time, Ms. Walker."


    "See you next time, Mr. Holden."


    With a polite nod, Marcus turned and left.


    Natalie watched him go, staring at his retreating figure for a long moment before


    finally pulling out her phone.


    She dialed Mason''s number. "Hey, Mason. Get all the helpers together. Marcus ising over to investigate the horse situation."


    "Nat, are Marcus and Sophia okay?" Mason sounded shaken. "I just went to change my shirt and brush my teeth, and suddenly there was a damn ident at home?"


    "Marcus is fine. Sophia''s injured, but it''s being kept under wraps. Mason, don''t say


    a word about Sophia''s condition at home. Especially not in front of the helpers." "Got it." He sighed. "Where is she? I want to see her."


    "Don''t. Not right now." Natalie shut him down immediately. "Let''s figure out what the hell happened with that horse first."

 Chapter 248 Apologize

    Natalie''s tone was sharp and unwavering. On the other end of the call, Mason froze. The only other person he''d ever seenmand that kind of presence was their father, William.


    When he didn''t respond, Natalie''s voice cut through the silence, even more direct than before. "Mason, listen to me. Stay home. Don''t go anywhere. Keep an eye on everyone at the estate. This needs to be investigated properly."


    Mason felt the weight of her words. When he finally spoke, his tone was cautious. "Got it. Don''t worry, Nat. I will make sure no one leaves the house."


    "Good. I''ll handle things and head back as soon as I can."


    "Take your time. If you''re busy, focus on what you need to do. I''ll make sure this gets sorted."


    Mason rushed to reassure her. Thest thing he wanted was to Natalie down.


    Technically, this mess was partly his fault. He had been the one responsible for hosting their guests. But who could have predicted that a simple trip to change clothes and brush his teeth would lead to a full-blown ident right inside Walker Estate?


    "Alright, then. I''ll leave it to you for now."


    Natalie ended the call, her mind already set. The meeting at Goodwill Pharmacy could wait. She needed to head back to the estate first.


    She quickly made a call to Goodwill Pharmacy''s person in charge, then stopped by the guest room where Sophia was resting.


    Sophiay motionless on the bed, her face pale as a sheet. Tear tracks had dried at the corners of her eyes. An IV drip was steadily feeding fluids into her fragile body.


    Natalie had assigned people to watch over her. No one would leave Sophia''s side until Elijah arrived.


    Fate had a strange way of circling back. Years ago, on a whim, she had asked Sophia to help keep an eye on Marcus. But instead of telling Marcus the truth about his savior, Sophia had chosen to stay silent.


    And now, Marcus had brought Sophia back to her, asking for help.


    Natalie had not personally operated on Sophia, but she had supervised the entire surgery and ensured it was done correctly. Because of that, Sophia had survived.


    She had stayed true to her original decision-to never im the credit for saving Marcus'' life. But now, Sophia''s child had been lost because of an ident at Walker Estate.


    It was a tangled mess of fate.


    Natalie had no intention of bringing up the past with Marcus, nor did she n to confront Sophia about it.


    Sophia had never had it easy in her own family. Growing up in constant fear, she had clung to any security she could find. That was human nature.


    Natalie understood it well. She had done the same once when she lived with the Langley family. At one point, she had even considered clinging to Tyler as her lifeline. But Tyler had never been as powerful as Marcus. He hadn''t been able to protect her the way Marcus had protected Sophia.


    After everything that had happened, Natalie had long since given up on relying on Tyler. She had distanced herself from himpletely.


    So, if Sophia had imed someone else''s credit to secure her future, Natalie didn''t me her. And she would keep this secret for life because staying far away from Marcus was the best thing for everyone.


    "Natalie, don''t worry. We''ve got this covered. Nothing will happen to Ms. Sinir under our watch."


    Thomas Zachman, one of Goodwill Pharmacy''s elderly volunteers, spoke from behind her. "By the way, is she important to you?"


    "No," Natalie said evenly. "But she got hurt on my family''s property."


    She turned to face him. "Mr. Zachman, I''ll have to trouble you to keep an eye on things here."


    "You got it. Don''t worry."


    Thomas had been with Goodwill Pharmacy for years, long before Natalie took over. He had worked under Federrick and had stayed on even after retirement because of his passion for traditional medicine.


    His daughter, Helena Zachman, had grown up surrounded by medicine and followed in Thomas'' footsteps After graduating from a traditional medicine school, she joined Goodwill Pharmacy to dedicate herself to helping those in need.


    Of course, Goodwill Pharmacy had its own policies on fees and services, and neither Thomas nor Helena could bend the rules. However, under Natalie''s leadership, the ce never had any problems.


    Tonight''s scene-Ruby storming in and causing a scene-was the first major disruption in Goodwill Pharmacy''s history.


    Thomas was familiar with the Sinir sisters. Ever since Phillip Sinir passed and the family business fell into Ivan''s hands, their scandals had been impossible to hide.


    Ivan had treated his wife and daughter terribly. It wasn''t even a secret anymore.


    While looking at Sophia lying weakly in bed, Thomas sighed. Natalie was clearly going to protect her.


    "Mr. Zachman, I''ll leave this to you."


    Natalie stared at Sophia for a moment before turning away. "I was supposed to hold a meeting, but this is more urgent. I''ll reschedule forter."


    "Go do what you need to do. We''ve got it covered."


    Natalie didn''t mind. Federrick had once told her that leadership wasn''t about titles ¡ªit was about trust, respect, and the responsibility that came with it. And she had earned all of those.


    "I''ll be heading out, then."


    "Take care, Natalie."


    "See you next time."


    "See you next time."


    ...


    Natalie left Goodwill Pharmacy and walked toward her car, and just as she reached for the door handle, a hand shot out and blocked her.


    "I heard you kicked my daughter."


    Natalie turned her head and saw a middle-aged man standing there, Ruby clinging to his arm.


    The voice belonged to the man himself.


    Ruby''s features strongly resembled his, so Natalie didn''t need to ask to know who he was. It was Ivan_the current head of the Sinir family, a deadbeat father to Sophia, and a doting one to Ruby.


    The bodyguard standing beside him was the one who had physically blocked her.


    Ivan took his time scanning Natalie


    from head to toe. She stood there,


    calm and indifferent, her face


    stunning yet devoid of emotion. Her


    striking eyes were cold, her sharp features framed by high cheekbones and a strong nose.


    She wore a ck tactical jacket, cargo pants, andbat boots. Her hair was pulled into a neat bun, and her face was bare of makeup. Yet even without it, her natural beauty could rival any actress.


    Natalie smirked slightly, her voicepletely devoid of warmth. "Yeah, that was me."


    Ivan narrowed his eyes. "Which family are you from? Give me your name."


    He let out a chuckle. "You''ve got guts, kid. Do you really think you can get away withying hands on my daughter? You must have a death wish."


    "Damn right!" Ruby straightened her back now that she had her father backing her


    up. "Get down on your knees, bow your head, and apologize. Maybe then I''ll forgive you for your disrespect."


    Natalie looked at the father-daughter duo like they were idiots.


    "What did you say?" Natalie asked in a mocking tone.

 Chapter 249 Embarrase a Hypocritical Father

    "That''s right. You need to get down on your knees and apologize to me right now, and maybe I''ll forgive you," Ruby sneered, stepping forward with her hands on her hips. Her re was filled with malice. "Dad, this little slut is the reason Zane broke up with me!"


    Ivan patted Ruby''s hand reassuringly, giving her a look of fatherly indulgence. "Don''t worry. As long as I''m here, no one can walk all over you."


    Then, his eyesnded on Natalie. "Listen, girl, I don''t care what your rtionship with Zane is or what family youe from. But you better know your ce when you''re standing before me, a Sinir. Otherwise, I can''t guarantee you''ll walk away from this unscathed."


    Before Natalie could respond, a deep, authoritative voice cut through the air. "What exactly are you nning to do to my people, Mr. Sinir?"


    Marcus stepped out of Goodwill Pharmacy, his tall frame moving with effortless dominance. In just a few strides, he closed the distance and stood at Natalie''s side.


    The moment Ivan saw him, his expression shifted.


    "Mr. Holden! So this youngdy is with you?" Ivan immediately forced a smile. "Ah, what a misunderstanding! A case of friendly fire¡ªour own people failing to recognize each other."


    Marcus'' cold gaze swept over the Sinir bodyguards standing near the car. At just that look, they instinctively backed away several steps.


    He reached for the car door and held it open. "Get in."


    "No need."


    Natalie pressed the door shut with one hand. Her expression remained impassive as she looked at Ivan and Ruby. "Even if you hadn''te looking for me, I would''vee to find you."


    She turned to Marcus and said, "This is between me and the Sinirs. There''s no need for you to step in."


    Marcus saw the clear rejection in her eyes. He didn''t push further but didn''t leave either.


    "Mr. Holden," Elijah approached, his voice eager, "if Ms. Walker needs someone to throw a few punches, I''m happy to do the honors."


    Marcus shot him a cold look. "Go inside."


    "But, Mr. Holden-"


    "She made it clear this is her issue. You still don''t get it?"


    Elijah blinked, clearly confused as to why Marcus was suddenly annoyed. He hesitated, trying to figure out what he''d done wrong.


    "Now." Marcus'' tone turned even icier.


    "Yes, sir!" Elijah didn''t dare argue further. He turned and darted back into Goodwill Pharmacy.


    Ivan was still studying Natalie with interest. His smile was calcting. "So, Mr. Holden, what exactly is your rtionship with this youngdy?"


    "None," Natalie answered before Marcus could. "Now, has your daughter paid for the damages she caused at Goodwill Pharmacy?"


    Ivan raised an eyebrow. "Not yet."


    "Then let''s get that settled. If she hasn''t paid, you, her father, can do it."


    Natalie''s voice was calm but firm. "Everything in Goodwill Pharmacy has value, and your daughter came in here like she owned the ce, smashing things left and right. If you want to discusspensation, we''ll start from the moment she stepped inside."


    She nced toward the Goodwill Pharmacy staff. Immediately, one of them stepped forward with a long receipt.


    "Here''s the list, Natalie," the staff member said respectfully.


    "Call Zane out here."


    "Yes, Natalie."


    A momentter, Zane stepped out, took one look at Ruby and Ivan, and blurted, "What the hell? Ruby, are you out of your damn mind? I already told you we''re done, and now you bring your dad into this?"


    "He''s my dad!" Ruby snapped. "Zane, are you doing this on purpose?"


    Natalie took a step forward and pped the bill against Ruby''s face. "Pay up. And while we''re at it, let''s talk about you calling me a homewrecking slut."


    "You-" Natalie turned to Zane.


    Zane shook his head so hard it was almostical. "Natalie, I swear on my life, I have never looked at you that way! You know exactly what kind of guy I am. You are way out of my league. I wouldn''t dare."


    Then he spun toward Ruby. "Ruby, don''t go making up crap! If you wanna insult me, fine. But don''t act like I ever had a shot with Natalie. A guy like me? The best I could get was you!"


    Natalie fell silent.


    Ruby stomped her foot in fury. "Zane, what the hell are you saying?"


    Zane smirked. "I''m telling the truth. My mom must''ve been blind, forcing me to


    date a girl like you. That''s the worst mistake of my life."


    "That''s enough," Natalie cut in. "Ms. Ruby, pay up."


    Ruby scoffed. "Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?"


    "So you''re nning to weasel your way out of this?"


    Ivan reached for the bill. His eyes flicked to the total about 56 million dors.


    His expression darkened. "Are you kidding me? Why don''t you just rob a bank instead? I''d like to see what Ruby did."


    "You''re wee to inspect what your daughter destroyed," Natalie said coolly. "Step inside and take a look."


    She turned and walked into Goodwill Pharmacy.


    Zane followed.


    After a pause, so did Marcus.


    Goodwill Pharmacy had already closed for the night. The staff had cleaned up some of the mess, but


    nothing had been thrown away.


    Everything Ruby had broken was still


    there, neatly collected.


    "Liam," Natalie called. "Walk Mr. Sinir through the damages. We wouldn''t want


    him thinking we''re scamming him."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    Liam stepped forward, picking up a shattered piece of ceramic. "This vase was a 221 BC artifact. Ms. Walker won it at auction for eight million dors.


    "This wooden box is made of camphorwood¡ªnot that expensive, just about two thousand dors. But what was inside it were Heart Pills.


    "You should be familiar with those, Mr. Sinir. Goodwill Pharmacy sells them at 20 thousand dors per pitt-limited supply. The market price? 50 thousand dors a pop.


    "But we''re fair. Our price is our price."


    IMS


    Before Ivan could protest, Liam picked up a small bundle of dried nts.


    "This is a millennium emberbloom from the peaks of the Rockies. Extremely rare. We waited a hundred


    years to get our hands on it. And your daughter destroyed it. If we were being reasonable, we''d ask for a hundred million dors in damages.


    "But since our boss is merciful, we''re only asking for 40 million dors."


    Ivan swayed slightly on his feet. His eyes locked onto the ruined emberbloom, his face full of disbelief.


    "You expect me to pay 40 million dors for that worthless thing?"


    "If you refuse," Natalie said tly, "we''ll call the authorities. Liam, dial them up."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    "Wait." Ivan took a deep breath. His gaze shifted to Ruby, filled with barely concealed rage.


    She shrank back, lowering her head in silence.


    "Fine. I want to speak to the person in charge here."


    "Are you suggesting we made all this up?" Natalie tilted her head.


    "If you don''t believe your daughter did this, let''s check the security footage."


    She gave Liam a look. He immediately turned theputer screen toward Ivan and yed the recording.


    The footage showed Ruby storming in, screaming, smashing things left and right.


    Then it showed her lunging at Natalie, only to be stopped by Marcus before getting knocked t on her ass.


    Ivan''s face turned an ugly shade of red.


    "Well?" Natalie asked, her tone cool. "Are you paying up? Or do you still think I


    owe her an apology?"

 Chapter 250 Both Compensation and Apology Are Needed

    Natalie had a cold,posed expression. She was clear and firm when she spoke just now, carrying an air of quiet authority.


    After Ivan had checked the surveince footage, he turned to look at Ruby, who had lowered her head. "How are you going to exin this?"


    Ruby flinched a little, mumbling softly, "She was the one who had seduced Zane, Dad. She''s just not admitting it."


    "Do you have any evidence?" Natalie took a step forward, approaching Ruby. "As I said, we''ll go through these debts individually. And now, it''s time for you to pay


    up. Are you going to pay by card, bank transfer, or cash?"


    Ruby kept stepping backward as Natalie approached her.


    "I... Who gives you the right to... decide the amount?"


    Ruby''s voice was trembling. Gritting her teeth, she turned and ran, hiding behind Ivan. "Dad, help me!"


    "I said, you can go to the enforcement office and let the professionals evaluate it if you both disagree with the amount. You can''t possibly doubt an expert''s words, can you?"


    Natalie eyed Ruby coldly. "I''m short on time, Mr. Sinir. If you don''t resolve this properly, I''ll post the surveince footage online and let everyone else decide then. They can also see what kind of person Ruby is, as the second daughter of the Sinir family.


    "Oh, wait. You''re not the second daughter of the Sinirs because your mother didn''t marry Mr. Sinir. Am I right, Mr. Sinir?"


    Natalie cast a nce at Ivan. He didn''t deserve respect as a man who had cheated on his wife.


    "How dare you act so arrogantly-whose daughter are you? Where''s the owner of Goodwill Pharmacy? I want to talk to them."


    Ivan was embarrassed. As the president of Sinir Group, how could he let a youngdy threaten him like that?


    With an aloof demeanor, Natalie replied, "I''m the owner of Goodwill Pharmacy."


    Then, she turned to Liam. "We''re not going to deal with the Sinirs from now on."


    "Alright, Natalie."


    "What did you say?"


    Ivan was genuinely shocked this time. Julia had to get her prescription from Goodwill Pharmacy every month for her poor health.


    If the youngdy before Ivan was really the owner of Goodwill Pharmacy, and if she had decided not to deal with the Sinirs, what should they do about Julia''s prescription then?


    "You must be lying!" Ivan yelled.


    He still refused to believe that Natalie owned Goodwill Pharmacy. But the timing was just right¡ªJulia would be sending her people over to take her prescription today, and they should be arriving soon.


    Hence, Ivan wanted to find out whether Natalie was telling the truth or not.


    "So, Mr. Sinir, you''ve decided to renege on the debt?"


    Natalie sat on the stone bench under the gazebo, tapping her fingers on the stone table.


    "Very well then. Liam, post the footage. Don''t bother showing Mr. Sinir any respect. It was Ms. Sinir who caused the mess, after all, and she''s not even really part of his family-she just shares the samest name."


    Natalie finished her sentence slowly. Then, she took out her phone and started the timer.


    "In less than ten minutes, everyone in the country will know Ms. Sinir had caused a huge trouble at Goodwill Pharmacy."


    Just then, Ivan''s phone rang.


    He quickly looked at his phone. It was Wendy, the person who was in charge of taking Julia''s prescription.


    Ivan answered the call immediately. "What''s the matter, Wendy?"


    "Mr. Sinir, Goodwill Pharmacy told us that they''re not selling us the medicine anymore. What should we do?"


    Wendy''s anxious voice came through the phone. "I went to the other branches as well, and they told me the same thing."


    Ivan turned to look at Natalie, whose delicate face showed nothing but indifference. She was tapping on the stone table, looking elegant yet somanding.


    She seemed like a typical youngdy, yet her presence left people feeling intimidated.


    "Give me a moment."


    Ivan hung up the call and took a seat across from Natalie. Before he could say anything, Natalie ced her phone before him.


    It was a denouncing video, posted


    on Goodwill Pharmacy''s official ount, it also showed the


    unedited footage of Ruby shouting and destroying things in the pharmacy.


    On top of that, Goodwill Pharmacy''s official ount had 20 million followers.


    When the video was posted, the


    Ivan read thements that were criticizing Ruby. As he went through thements, he stumbled upon information about Sinir Group.


    Someone had discovered Ruby''s real identity¡ªthe illegitimate daughter of Ivan Sinir.


    Consequently, the negativements targeted not just Ruby, but also Ivan and Julia, the homewrecker.


    Ivan was so furious that he mmed the phone on the table.


    "Mr. Sinir, that''s my phone," Natalie remarked expressionlessly.


    "You just want money, right? I''ll pay."


    Ivan signaled his secretary over, and thetter immediately handed Ivan a checkbook.


    He immediately scribbled a string of digits and threw it to Natalie. "Look, I even paid for your crappy phone. Delete the video now!"


    "I also want an apology from Ms. Sinir," Natalie remarked emotionlessly. "You have topensate and apologize. Neither one can be skipped."


    "You!"


    Ivan was going to retort. However, he remained silent as he noticed how assertive Natalie was.


    "Ruby, get over here and apologize!"


    Ivan shouted to Ruby, who was still hunching her back, frightening her. Then, Ruby walked up to Natalie apprehensively.


    "Apologize to her."


    "Okay, Dad."


    Tears rolled down Ruby''s cheeks. Quivering, she bowed and apologized. "I''m sorry."


    Natalie stood up. "Now get lost! Goodwill Pharmacy won''t wee the Sinirs from now on."


    "Wait," Ivan called. "You''re running a business here. We''vepensated and apologized. How could you not wee us here?"


    "Because Ms. Sinir destroyed the medicine you''re looking for," Natalie responded. "If you want the medicine, let Ms. Sinir make it for you."


    As she finished her sentence, she pped her hand. "Liam, show them out."


    "Okay."


    Instantly, Liam led a team of security guards in the Goodwill Pharmacy''s uniform, encircling Ivan and Ruby.


    "Mr. Sinir, Ms. Sinir, please leave."


    "I''ll make you regret this," Ivan threatened. Then, he turned and left in anger.


    Ruby quickly followed. "Wait for me, Dad."


    As soon as they left, Natalie lifted her wrist to check on the time. "Zane, Liam,


    wrap things up here."


    "We will, Ms. Walker."


    "Also, since they''ve apologized, you can take down the video."


    "Alright."


    Natalie then left Goodwill Pharmacy. Marcus was standing under the roof, watching her as she left. Something seemed to be on his mind as he did se


    sw n

 Chapter 251 Who Made the Horse Go Crazy

    Marcus was once again surprised by how Natalie dealt with the situation just now.


    Before, he thought Natalie was some shallow woman who only knew how to flirt with men and use them for personal gain.


    And now, he finally realized he was utterly wrong about it.


    Marcus looked down with a cold gaze. He should''ve figured it out long ago. As Elim, Natalie didn''t even need to rely on a man to take revenge on the Langleys.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker is so cool!"


    Elijah was hiding behind the door. He had witnessed the whole process of Natalie confronting Ivan and Ruby.


    He was so mesmerized by Natalie. Thest time he felt this much admiration for a woman was back at Quinton Nursing Home with Natalie as well.


    "I didn''t know Ms. Walker was such an influential figure, Mr. Holden."


    Elijah gazed into the distance expectantly-everyone admired strength, and he was no different.


    "She''s the owner of Goodwill Pharmacy! Who in Dithoria dares to disrespect Goodwill Pharmacy anyway?"


    Marcus gave him a look and left expressionlessly.


    It was because of how Goodwill Pharmacy stood in Dithoria that everyone gave it due respect. Hence, the footage of denouncing Ruby caused such an uproar.


    Sinir Group''s opponents had been watching them closely, wanting to dig up dirt on them. Thus, they would definitely take advantage of this incident.


    As Marcus left, he took out his phone and tapped on a video. It was the denouncing video that had been posted on Goodwill Pharmacy''s official ount.


    He downloaded the video before they deleted it.


    After a few taps, Marcus sent the video to Sinir Group''s opponents. The others might be quick to act, but he was surely the quickest.


    "To the Walker residence now."


    "No problem, Mr. Holden."


    Natalie arrived at the Walker residence at the same time as William and Charlotte.


    Charlotte and William both looked confused, seeing how all the helpers were gathered.


    "What''s going on here?" Charlotte asked. She took a few steps forward, scanning the faces around her.


    "What''s the matter, Mason?"


    Immediately, Mason exined everything to Charlotte and William, and their expressions darkened right away.


    "Dad, Mom." Natalie stepped forward. "Something happened to Ms. Sinir and Mr. Holden at our house. We owe them an exnation."


    This was even more so, considering Sophia had lost her baby in the ident. However, Natalie couldn''t bring it up openly.


    "How badly is Sophia injured?"


    The few victim''s lives were the main concern for Charlotte. Everything else was just a minor issue as long as they were alive.


    "It was quite severe."


    Natalie eyed the helpers around her. Her gazended on Emma atst, who was standing in front of the couch.


    Emma watched as Natalie spoke to William and Charlotte. She looked a bit pale, her gaze filling with sorrow.


    Natalie stared at Emma for a while. Almost instantly, Emma lowered her head.


    "I have a feeling that this isn''t just about the horse going crazy," Natalie spoke emotionlessly. "Who''s taking care of the horses? Come forward."


    Among the group, one person hesitated but was nudged forward a few steps. "What''s your name?"


    Natalie nced at the man who stepped forward. She had just returned to the Walkers, so she was unfamiliar with the people who worked there.


    "My name is Gabriel Morgan, Ms. Natalie."


    Gabriel answered cautiously, "I''m the one who''s in charge of taking care of the horses. I was feeding the horses as usual today, but I don''t know why sh ran out unexpectedly."


    sh was the horse that had run into Marcus'' car.


    "I swear, I fed them just like usual."


    "Hand me Gabriel''s details."


    Natalie sat down on the couch. "Dad, Mom, take a seat here. You too, Mason."


    Natalie effortlesslymanded the attention of everyone in the room.


    William and Charlotte nced at each other. They were relieved to know that Natalie had genuinely epted them and the family.


    "What are you waiting for, Mason? Sit down."


    "Okay, Father, Mother."


    Mason sat down immediately.


    "Gorge, go get Natalie the stuff she wants," William instructed.


    "Alright, Mr. Walker."


    Gorge immediately went to take Gabriel''s documents, handing them over to Natalie.


    "Thank you, Gorge," Natalie said.


    After flipping through Gabriel''s documents, she spoke again. "Gorge, go get me Cindy''s document."


    "What do you mean, Natalie?" Emma interrupted suddenly. "Are you implying that since Gabriel is rted to Cindy, he''s the one who did this?"


    Natalie looked up, staring at Emma. Momentster, she smirked. "I''m the real heir in the Walkers. Do I need your permission to look at a helper''s information?"


    Emma''s eyes welled up with tears instantly. She bit her lip, looking all frustrated and upset.


    "That''s not what I meant, Natalie," Emma said, her voice trembling a little. "It was just a randomment."


    "You''re better off keeping quiet then," Natalie responded indifferently. "I''m really going to find out who made that horse go crazy today."


    "Yes, it needs to be investigated!" Mason mmed on the table heavily. "Just be quiet, Emma. Your words are meaningless anyway."


    "Mason!"


    Emma pursed her lips. She was going toin about Mason, but thetter shot her a re, obviously not caring about her.


    "Emma," Charlotte voiced. "Since you''re so protective of Gabriel, could you be involved in this incident?"


    "No way!" Emma panicked in that instant. She stood up, tears rolling down her cheek. "Mom, I know I''m not your biological daughter, but don''t you know me better than that? I''m upset, Mom."


    Her voice quivered as she spoke. "Does anything I say automatically be wrong just because I''m not your real daughter?"


    "Stop right there." Charlotte rubbed her temples lightly. "If you''re going keep acting like this, you might as well leave the house for everyone else''s sake!"


    "I didn''t mean it, Mom."


    Emma instantly became anxious. She lunged forward and embraced Charlotte, "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to dispute Natalie. I was just seeking attention. Please, Mom, don''t ask


    me to move out. I don''t want to


    leave you and Dad."


    "Then stop crying," Charlottemanded aloofly. "Don''t act like whatever Nat


    does is always targeted at you."


    "Okay, Mom," Emma answered as she lowered her head. She remained silent afterward.


    "You may continue now, Nat," Charlotte said.


    "Alright."


    Natalie nodded and continued, "Gorge, I need Cindy''s documents, as well as the information of everyone who works at the stable. Oh, and the surveince at the stable as well. Go get me those."

 Chapter 252 Leaving No Room For Refusal

    Natalie sat on the couch, her pretty face looking icy cold. Her voice was sharp and firm, leaving no room for refusal.


    Charlotte looked at Natalie with a face full of loving pride. Her daughter finally treated them like a true family and considered the Walker residence to be her real home.


    This was exactly how her daughter should be. She should be sharp and decisive, rather than behaving like Emma, who only knew how to cry and sulk when something happened.


    When Marcus canceled the engagement, Emma wept and clung to Charlotte. But Natalie immediately told Marcus to call off the engagement and get lost.


    Charlotte''s lips curved into a smile. Her eyes-so much like Natalie''s gleamed with pride. She couldn''t be prouder of her daughter.


    Gorge quickly asked the helpers to bring out all their records. Even though they kept electronic files, the Walker family also had paper copies on hand.


    "Ms. Natalie, please look here. This one is Cindy''s information. This set is for those who work in the stables. This set is for those who work in the main living room. This set is for the front yard. This set is for the back garden.


    "This set is for the second floor. This set is for the third floor..."


    Gorge showed Natalie all the helpers'' records in every area of Walker Estate.


    Natalie picked up Cindy''s file andpared it to Gabriel''s. Sure enough, Gabriel really was Cindy''s rtive. They even looked somewhat alike.


    Natalie nced at Gabriel and then at Emma, who sat on the couch and said nothing. Then, she took theptop Gorge had handed her and began to check all the surveince footage.


    Emma sat on the couch with her thumbs unconsciously twisting in small circles. "Nat, did you find anything?" Charlotte sat down beside Natalie. She told Gorge to bring some hot milk. "Nat, have some warm milk to soothe your throat."


    "Thank you, Mom." Natalie took the milk and drained it in one go.


    When she was living with the Langleys, Grace treated her kindly. However, Grace was often away from home, and Diana never let her drink milk. Ordinary children drank it every day, yet Diana would forbid it.


    For a while, Natalie craved milk badly. Diana would insult her, calling her horrible names and saying she hoped Natalie would choke on it.


    Diana even let the milk go bad on purpose and then forced Natalie to drink it. Natalie took one sip and spat it out, and then she received a harsh p from Diana.


    That time, Diana forced her to drink so much spoiled milk that she ended up in the hospital that same night.


    When Grace rushed over from work, she pped Diana and Victor right in front of Natalie. Then, she yelled at them in the hospital room, saying if they couldn''t raise the child properly, she would do it herself.


    Little Nataliey weakly in the hospital bed, yet she still tried tofort her grandmother, saying she was fine.


    After that, Natalie no longer drank milk. She finally overcame her fear when she met Federrick, who gave her all kinds of milk.


    "Nat, don''t worry. I''m going to see the Sinir family and the Holden familyter to apologize in person." Charlotte reached out and gently pressed Natalie''s shoulders. "Take care of your eyes. Don''t sit too close to theputer."


    Charlotte said softly, "This happened at our house. Your dad and I will not let you bear it alone. Besides, Mason was here at the time. me him if you must."


    "Yes. me me instead," Mason chimed in. "Nat, don''t push yourself too hard, and please don''t feel too guilty. It''s my fault. I shouldn''t have gone to change my clothes."


    "It has nothing to do with you," Natalie answered coolly. Her fingers moved the mouse, carefully checking the camera feed around the stables. She focused on Gabriel in particr.


    In the footage, Gabriel fed hay to the horses as usual. When he was about to feed sh, he suddenly turned around and walked off-camera.


    A whileter, he came back, smoking a cigarette. Then, he gathered more hay and began feeding each horse one by one.


    When he reached sh, he set down the hay and took several heavy drags on his cigarette. He then blew smoke toward sh''s nose, over and over.


    sh sneezed a few times, but Gabriel kept blowing smoke at its nose. He would blow smoke, then look toward the road in the distance.


    The moment Marcus'' car appeared, Gabriel opened the stable door and led sh out. He whispered something into the horse''s ear, pointed toward Marcus'' car, and then Nashed sh hard on its backside with a whip.


    sh neighed, reared its front hooves, and bolted straight for Marcus'' car. Everyone knew what happened after that.


    "Gabriel, you were smoking while you fed the horses," Natalie said.


    Charlotte''s expression darkened. Before Natalie could speak, she gave Gorge a look. Gorge nodded and called in two private security guards. "Seize Gabriel."


    Gabriel fell to his knees with a thud. "Mrs. Walker, Ms. Natalie, I did smoke, but I didn''t do anything else!"


    "The evidence is right in front of you. Are you still going to deny it?" Natalie coldly asked as she stood up. "I''ll give you one chance. Hand over the cigarette you were smoking."


    "It was just a regr cigarette, Ms. Natalie. I''ve been feeding horses here for years, and nothing like this has ever happened. Then you show up, and sh goes crazy. Why not me yourself instead?"


    The private guards restrained Gabriel. He looked up at Natalie with hatred in his eyes. "Ms. Natalie, you came back and drove out my aunt. Now you want to drive me out too?


    "Mr. and Mrs Walker, my aunt and I have worked so hard here for so many years: Even if we haven''t done a lot, we''ve worked ourselves to the bone. You kicked my aunt out just because she said a few things about Ms. Natalie. Now that sh ran someone down, you want to put that on me too?


    "Mr. and Mrs. Walker, your daughter is precious, but does that mean we helpers


    are just worthless weeds for you to trample on?"


    Everyone at the scene gasped. Gabriel''s words all but confirmed his resentment


    toward the family, especially Natalie, who had just returned.


    With the surveince footage as solid proof, his excuses lookedpletely powerless.


    William and Charlotte both turned their gaze on him.


    "So you think that as a paid worker,


    you should outrank our own


    daughter William sneered. "It


    §Ö§ä


    seems you and Cindy really are cut from the same cloth. Just because you''ve been here a long time, you think this ce should answer to you, is that it?"


    "Mr. Walker, that''s not what I meant. I just think it''s unfair."


    "You''re on a sry. Why talk about fairness?" Natalie asked coldly. She picked up her phone and made a call. "Hello, please invite Mr. Holden inside."


    "Yes, Ms. Natalie."


    Natalie hung up. A momentter, Marcus was escorted in by the private guards.


    "Mr. Holden, this is the man who caused the horse to go wild. Tell me how you''d like to handle him. Should we hand him over to you?"

 Chapter 253 Letting Marcus Take Gabriel Away

    Natalie lifted her gaze toward Marcus.


    The two of them arrived at the Walker residence one after the other, but she had asked the gatekeeper to hold him at the entrance and sent him a message exining the situation.


    Once she found out who was behind it, she immediately had the private security invite Marcus inside.


    Marcus cooperated fully with her and had no objection to her arrangements.


    The moment he stepped in, Gabriel suddenly panicked. He desperately scooted toward Natalie''s feet, but the private security guards pinned him down.


    "Ms. Natalie, I didn''t do it. I really didn''t!"


    Gabriel kept begging for mercy. "You can''t just me me for making sh go wild based on a single surveince video!


    "There are so many people who feed the horses, but you didn''t look into any of them. You only suspected me. Is it because Cindy is my aunt? Are you trying to get rid of me just because we''re rted?"


    "Gabriel, I''ll give you one more chance," Natalie said coldly, eyes fixed on him. "Tell me the truth. Did you do this on your own, or did someone instruct you?"


    "I didn''t do it, and nobody told me to do anything. Ms. Natalie, please don''t use me unfairly."


    "In that case, Mr. Holden, you can take him away." Natalie stood and swept her gaze over all the helpers in the room. "I''m the real daughter of this family, and there''s no doubt about that. If any of you feel unhappy about my return, you can leave right now."


    "Ms. Natalie, we''re not unhappy at all. We''re actually thrilled you''re back," one of the helpers said bravely. We''re just people trying to make a living, and we''re very grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Walker for giving us this job."


    "There''s no way we''d harbor any resentment toward you, Ms. Natalie."


    "If we''ve done anything wrong, please let us know. We''ll fix it."


    "That''s right. We''re more than happy you''vee home."


    "Please be assured, Ms. Natalie. We''d never act like Cindy or Gabriel. We know


    our ce and wouldn''t dare have any improper thoughts."


    After that one helper spoke, the others all chimed in to show they knew their stations.


    Natalie''s gaze roamed over them again without clearly showing whether she believed them or not.


    In the end, her gaze settled on Gabriel, who was trembling on the floor yet clinging to his im of innocence.


    "Ms. Natalie, I didn''t do anything, and there''s no one behind this! You''re already using me unfairly. Are you trying to drag someone else into this too?


    "I know you just came back and want to prove you''re the rightful heiress, but do you really have to frame and oppress us helpers like this? We have our rights, too!"


    Gabriel kept ranting. At one point, he nced up only to meet Natalie''s piercing stare, and fear instantly made him shrink back.


    "Whatever you have to say, save it for Mr. Holden," Natalie said as she looked at Marcus.


    Marcus nodded slightly and snapped his fingers. Noah appeared right on cue.


    "Mr. Holden."


    "Take him away and keep digging."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Noah stepped forward, grabbed Gabriel by the neck from among the private security, and hauled him out.


    "Marcus, we''re very sorry," William said as he stood. "We failed to manage our staff properly, and


    that''s why things got out of hanmet


    Gabrielis yours to deal w Whatever you decide, we''ll


    now.


    cooperate."


    "Thank you, Mr. Walker," Marcus responded.


    "Marcus, how is Sophia doing?" Charlotte stood as well, looking worried. "Nat told


    me she got hurt. I''d like to visit her, if that''s all right."


    "I''m sorry, Mrs. Walker. Sophia''s not in a good condition for visitors at the moment. Once she''s doing better, I''ll let you know.


    "Also, Mr. and Mrs. Walker, I''ve kept Sophia''s injury under wraps, and the Sinirs don''t know yet. I hope you''ll make sure no one lets this slip."


    William and Charlotte readily agreed. "Of course, that''s not an issue."


    "Marcus, please let us know if there''s any updates."


    "Alright." Marcus nodded slightly. Then, he looked at Natalie and added, "Don''t beat yourself up over this."


    Natalie pressed her lips together. "Got it."


    She did feel guilty. No matter what, the baby in Sophia''s belly was still a life. They hade to see her; if they hadn''t, this would never have happened.


    "Noah, take him away."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus turned to the others. "Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Ms. Natalie, I''ll be heading back now."


    "I''ll walk you out, Marcus," Mason blurted, getting up in a hurry. He could tell Marcus hadn''t spoken to him and was probably ming him for what happened. "Marcus, I''ll see you to the door," he repeated nervously, afraid Marcus would refuse.


    "Sure, thanks," Marcus said with a nod, heading out first.


    With Gabriel still in tow, Noah followed close behind, and Mason quickly caught


    up.


    "Gorge, arrange a training and evaluation for everyone. Anyone who doesn''t pass is out," William instructed. "We can''t have helpers who take our money yet dislike our daughter. They think they''re


    something special."


    "Yes, Mr. Walker," Gorge answered respectfully.


    Emma sat on the couch, twisting her fingers. She couldn''t help feeling that


    William''sment was aimed at her.


    Yet, he didn''t even spare her a nce, so she couldn''t be certain whether he was talking about her or just speaking generally.


    "Nat, you must be tired," Charlotte said. "I went to Amberton this time and handled


    a few matters. Come take a walk with me, and I''ll tell you everything in detail."


    Charlotte nced at Emma on the couch and said, "Emma, if you''re free, go help Gorge train the helpers."


    "Alright, Mom," Emma quickly agreed.


    "Nat, let''s head out."


    Charlotte took Natalie''s arm and led her out of the vi toward the back garden.


    A path of stone bs cut across the


    lining both sides. Sunshine mingled with a soft breeze, and the air was fragrant with the sweet scent of blooming petals.


    They walked a short distance before Charlotte''s gentle voice broke the silence. "Nat, I went to Amberton and met Diana and Victor."


    "I''m guessing they must''ve been pretty scared of you," Natalie remarked with a slight curve of her lips, imagining how Diana and Victor must have reacted upon seeing Charlotte.

 Chapter 254 Interested In What Happened To The Langleys

    Diana had once told Natalie that if she wanted to confront her, she should bring her own mother to do it.


    Finally, Natalie had her parents to cherish her, so she could do just that.


    "Victor wasn''t too arrogant, but Diana and Selena were downright bold about it," Charlotte said.


    Her expression turned noticeably colder as she spoke about what happened in Amberton. But soon after, a slight smile yed on her lips.


    "Diana threw all kinds of nasty insults. For every vile word she spat, I made Victor p her. I told him that if he couldn''t keep his wife in check, I''d be happy to do it for him. And guess what happened next?"


    Natalie imagined the scene and tilted her head with a smile. "Victor must have tried to bargain with you, right?"


    "Exactly. He told me to give Langley Group a major project. Otherwise, no matter how many people I brought with me, he wouldn''t be afraid. So I gave him a project."


    Charlotte sneered. "Victor really is a fool. He assumed I handed him some lucrative deal that could rake in tens of millions. After that, he immediately went to give Diana a piece of his mind."


    Natalie wasn''t surprised by this oue. Victor was ipetent and conceited, always thinking himself quite capable.


    Now that he had be the one in charge of Langley Group, he couldn''t wait to prove himself in front of Grace, Kevin, and those old shareholders who sold off their shares. He wouldtch onto any bait dangled in front of him.


    "Mom, I''d like to hear more details," Natalie said, curling her lips in a slight smile. She was rather interested in what had happened with the Langleys in Amberton.


    "Sure," Charlotte replied. Noticing how curious her daughter was, she became eager to share.


    ...


    After arriving in Amberton with her people, Charlotte headed straight to the hospital to see Grace.


    Grace, who was sitting on the bed, wore reading sses and was looking at something on aptop in front of her.


    "Hello, Mrs. Langley Senior. We meet again." Charlotte entered the ward, greeting Grace with a polite smile. "You''re sick and still working so hard. That can''t be easy."


    Upon hearing this, Grace immediately snapped herptop shut and handed it to Victor, who stood beside her. She looked at Charlotte with a less-than-pleased expression.


    "Mrs. Walker, did youe alone?" Grace asked, craning her neck to look behind Charlotte.


    "Yes, I''m alone. Don''t bother looking for Natalie. She didn''te," Charlotte said. She moved closer and sat down by the bed. "Mrs. Langley Senior, Diana is still bullying Natalie, and I''m here to make things right.


    "She openly supports and even encourages Selena''s harassment of Natalie. She even said that whatever hardships Selena has faced, Natalie should go through them too. You''re aware of Diana''s words, aren''t you?


    "Selena has her mother protecting her. Before, I didn''t know Natalie was part of your family, but now that I do, I''ll do the same. Diana protects her daughter, and I will protect mine.


    "I came to the hospital for two reasons. First, to visit you. Second, to inform you I''d rather you not interfere with whatever happens between me and Diana. Otherwise, I''m afraid you might get hurt by ident."


    Charlotte smiled gently. Her tone was calm, but anyone who wasn''t deaf or dull- witted could detect the threat behind her words.


    "In the past, Natalie told me you were the one who cared for her the most in the Langley family. Since you love her so much, I''m sure you wouldn''t have let Diana bully her, right?


    "You even chose to give your shares to Natalie instead of your own granddaughter. That kind of kindness is really touching.


    "Of course, we''re not unreasonable. Natalie is thoughtful too. As soon as she found out your real granddaughter had returned, she immediately gave the shares back to Selena. My daughter really is incredibly kind."


    The more Charlotte spoke, the darker Grace''s expression grew. She had given


    those shares to Natalie, but not so Natalie could simply take them and do nothing.


    Now that Selena had them, it felt like handing everything over to an ignorant shrew.


    Even at her age and stuck in the hospital, Grace still had to clean up Victor''s


    mess.


    She thought back to when Natalie was around. Back then, she livedfortably in the nursing home Natalie arranged.


    The staff looked after her and the bodyguards protected her. She spent her days watching dramas and pretending to be senile. Life couldn''t have been better.


    Even if Victor and Diana held a grudge against her, they couldn''t bother her because of Natalie''s protection.


    The more Grace thought about it, the worse she felt. She grew even angrier at Victor for posting Natalie''s information on that family searchwork without asking her first.


    What she resented even more was the person who had sent Natalie that video. She couldn''t figure out


    that video


    who they were or how they had


    footage of Natalie''s blood being


    drawn as a child, along with a clip of her and Victor talking outside.


    Grace had people investigating, but there had been no word so far.


    And now, Charlotte hade to Amberton again, but she was no longer treating


    her with the same politeness and respect as before.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, take care. I just stopped by to see you, but now I''ll be heading over to visit Diana," Charlotte said.


    "Oh, right. William and I are hosting a wee party for Natalie, and we''d love to invite your whole family," she added, cing the invitation letter on the table before standing up. "You''re Natalie''s dearest grandmother; she''d be so happy to see you there."


    With that, Charlotte ignored the fury that clouded Grace''s face. She left the ward


    with her people.


    The moment Charlotte walked out, Grace turned to Victor and said, "Go after Charlotte. Find out what she''s up to. We need to stand united now that Natalie is no longer part of our family. We can''t let outsiders look down on us."


    "Alright, I''ll go right away."


    Victor quickly followed Charlotte out. As soon as he reached the corridor, he realized she hadn''t gone far. Clearly, she was waiting for him.


    "Bring Mr. Langley here," Charlotte said coldly, her gaze as icy as winter as she stared at Victor.


    Before Victor could even think about running, the private bodyguards closed in. They grabbed him by both arms and hauled him before Charlotte.


    "Mrs. Walker."


    "Mr. Langley, let''s head over to your house for a proper chat."


    "What?"


    "Of course, this isn''t a request. It''s an order."


    Once Charlotte finished speaking, the bodyguards opened the car door. She climbed into her luxury sedan, while Victor was thrown into a shabby old van.

 Chapter 255 Slapping Each Other

    Victor received a harsh beating in the van.


    By the time they reached the Langley residence, the private bodyguards had tidied up his clothes and wiped his face and hands with wet wipes.


    They had avoided hitting his face and hands, so there was no outward sign of injury.


    The bodyguards dragged Victor out of the van. Charlotte stepped out of her luxury sedan, smiling pleasantly at him.


    "Mr. Langley, are you pleased with my little weing gift?"


    Victor burned with anger and nearly cursed at her. But one look at the people Charlotte had brought made his anger vanish instantly.


    "V-Very... pleased," he said. His whole body throbbed.


    Who else would treat someone to a so-called "weing gift" by beating them senseless in a van?


    He was furious but dared not show it. He had visited Dithoria once and discovered that the Walker family was the wealthiest in the country.


    Even as the richest man in Amberton, he couldn''t act like a big shot in front of thedy of the Walker family.


    If he had known, he would have treated Natalie better when she was little. That way, now that she had reunited with her biological parents, the Walker family might have supported the Langleys out of appreciation for raising her.


    All he felt now was regret. But time couldn''t be rewound, and what was done was done.


    "Since you''re pleased, let''s go!" Charlotte lifted her chin slightly, signaling for Victor to take the lead.


    He had no choice but to lead the way into the vi, rubbing at his aches and pains as he went.


    "Diana, Selena," Victor called out as he walked through the door.


    Charlotte was clearly looking for trouble. He couldn''t possibly face her wrath alone.


    "Coming," Diana responded as she walked down the stairs. The moment she saw who Victor had brought, her expression darkened.


    "Victor, why did you bring this woman to our home? Charlotte, get out! This is my house."


    Diana shouted across the room, "August! Meredith! Where''s security? Call them and get her out of here!"


    "Shut up!" Victor red at Diana. "Stop yelling."


    "Charlotte, you wretch. What are you doing in my house?" Diana, noticing Victor wasn''t siding with her, berated Charlotte once more.


    "Mr. Langley, your wife has such impable manners," Charlotte said mockingly,pletely unfazed by Diana''s insults.


    One of her bodyguards stepped forward and wiped down the couch. Charlotte then sat down, looking perfectlyposed.


    "Mr. Langley, from now on, every time your wife curses at me, you will p her. Otherwise, I might just let everyone know that thedy of the wealthiest family in Amberton has such a filthy mouth."


    "Victor, I dare you to raise a hand against me," Diana threatened, nting her hands on her hips and ring like a wild beast.


    For a second, Victor froze at the sight of her aggression.


    "Victor, if you dare p me for that tramp, I''ll divorce you!" Diana yelled. "We''ve been married for years, and you and your mother made me take the fall for abusing Natalie. If the truth gets out, don''t think for a second that you or your mother will be spared from it."


    "Don''t start spouting nonsense," Victor growled, gritting his teeth.


    He turned to Charlotte and said, "Mrs. Walker, I can p my wife if that''s what you want, but I want a project from Walker Group. I want a profitable deal that brings in money for Langley Group. Otherwise, even if you have your people beat us to death today, I won''t do what you say."


    "Victor, what are you saying?" Diana cried, shocked. "You''re really willing to p me just to secure a project and make some extra money? Do you even have a heart?"


    "Shut up! You''re just a woman. What do you know Victor snapped, shooting her a vicious re. "Don''t act so high and mighty. Every piece of clothing and jewelry you wear costs money. If you want to keep livingfortably as the wealthiest wife in Amberton, you''d better stay quiet."


    "You!" Diana pressed a hand to her chest, looking utterly enraged.


    Charlotte only chuckled as she watched. With one hand propped under her chin, she observed them thoughtfully. Then, she nodded and smiled.


    "Fine. It''s not a big deal anyway. If Walker Group gives you even a small project, no one in Amberton will be able to challenge your position as the wealthiest man here for the next few years."


    She looked to her bodyguards. "Go get the file from my car."


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker."


    One of them left and returned shortly with a file folder.


    "Mrs. Walker, here it is."


    "Alright." Charlotte took the file and tossed it at Victor. "Open it and have a look."


    Victor eagerly opened it. His hands trembled with excitement as he read through the documents, and his eyes lit up. Without another word, he shot to his feet and pped Diana across the face.


    The smacking sound echoed loudly.


    "Mrs. Langley, what do you want?" Charlotte asked Diana with a smile. "Tell me,


    and I can fulfill your wish too. But, of course, you''ll have to p Mr. Langley back."


    "Wretch!" Diana spat the word at Charlotte.


    This time, Victor needed no prompting. He pped Diana again.


    "Watch your mouth. Curse her again, and I''ll p you again."


    "Wretch! Wretch! Wretch!" Diana refused to yield, hurling the word at Charlotte over and over.


    Victor responded with each insult by striking Diana.


    "You bastard, I''ll kill you!" Diana''s head spun from the blows. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She lunged at Victor, raking her nails down his face.


    They wrestled violently in front of Charlotte, hitting and scratching as though she weren''t even there.


    When they were both worn out, Diana turned and red at Charlotte. "Charlotte, give me a million dors, and ''tell


    tell you who came up with the idea to use Three-Second Poison on Natalie back then.


    "It was Victor. He drugged Natalie with Three-Second Poison, then tried to hand


    her over to some filthy tramp on the street, hoping she''d be vited."


    "Diana, you liar!" Victornded another p across her face. "It was you and Selena who came up with that idea. You two convinced me to go through with it!"


    "Oh, really?" Diana sneered. "You''re the head of the family, and Natalie called you ''Dad'' for 20 years. If you really didn''t want to go along with it, could Selena and I have forced you?


    "Listen, Charlotte. That day, he drugged Natalie with Three-Second Poison. He even nned to assault her himself!"


    "Diana!" Victor roared, veins bulging. He lunged forward and mped a hand around her throat.


    "Stop!"


    A shrill voice pierced the air from upstairs, and Selena came charging down. She rammed Victor aside with all her might.


    "Stop it, both of you! I just came home, and you''re already trying to kill each other. Have either of you thought about me?"


    Selena''s shrill voice rang like


    thunder. If you really want to


    murder each other, then sign over all


    your assets to me first. Once get


    your property, you can hurry up and die if that''s what you want!

 Chapter 256 Victor Was Ready To Do Anything

    Selena''s words made both Diana and Victor stop fighting. Victor looked at Selena in disbelief, and Diana''s face was just as rigid.


    Right after Selena finished shouting, she noticed their sudden change of


    expression and felt a twinge of regret.


    However, she refused to believe she was at fault. She just red at them usingly.


    "Mom, Dad, what on earth are you two doing? Would you really have beaten each other to death if I hadn''te down? It''s a good thing I''m clever."


    Selena paused, then added, "I said all that on purpose. See? I only had to say a few words, and you both stopped."


    Diana and Victor remained silent. In a moment of desperation, words often revealed one''s true thoughts, so it was highly likely that Selena had just spoken her mind.


    "Mom, Dad, you don''t really think that''s what I meant, do you?" Selena asked, feeling uneasy inside but refusing to admit she might have meant every word.


    "Were you actually dumb enough to fall for that woman''s ploy? I only said that to make you stop fighting."


    Selena looked at Charlotte icyly. She resented Natalie, but she hated Natalie''s birth parents even more.


    She used to think Natalie''s real parents were just ordinary workers. She secretly looked forward to seeing Natalie suffer once she went back to them.


    However, she never expected those ordinary workers to actually be wealthy people from Dithoria State. She also never imagined Charlotte would go to such extremes for Natalie.


    "The real enemy is right here. How can you two still stand there fighting each other?" Selena coldly remarked, scolding Diana and Victor. "We''re a family. We need to band together."


    Diana''s face went from pale to livid. She had been disappointed by Selena''s outburst a moment ago.


    Now that Selena had softened her words, Diana tried to reassure herself that her daughter made some sense. If Selena had tried to say anything else, Diana and Victor probably would have ignored her.


    Even though Selena''s words were harsh, they had worked-Diana and Victor did stop beating each other.


    Diana shoved Victor aside and pulled Selena over to sit on the couch.


    "Victor, Selena''s right. We''re family. We can''t let that wretched woman turn us against each other," she said coldly, siding with Selena.


    Charlotte merely curved her lips. "Mr. Langley, your wife just insulted me again." "I got it," Victor replied.


    He moved forward and pped Diana hard across the face. Before Diana could scream, he turned and gave Selena several ps as well.


    "If you two can''t learn to watch your mouths, then I''ll teach you properly," he said through clenched teeth.


    Victor''s face was dark with anger. Charlotte was his golden ticket right now. She was essentially the financial lifeline he needed to secure this big project.


    With it, he could finally hold his head high and prove himself capable to Grace and the others.


    Messing with Natalie was one thing, but insulting Charlotte was just in stupid. He refused to be like Diana and Selena, who had no sense at all.


    "Diana, Selena, both of you remember who''s paying for everything," he snapped. "Right now, this minute, apologize to Mrs. Walker. Otherwise, get out of my house."


    "You''re crazy!" Diana sprang to her feet, shaking with rage. What Victor was doing now was a direct p in her face, both figuratively and literally.


    "If you don''t listen, we can get a divorce," Victor said coldly. "I have no need for a wife and daughter who only spend money and drag me down."


    "Victor!" Diana shrieked, her eyes reddened with fury. She lurched forward to fight him again, but Selena quickly grabbed her.


    "Mom, calm down." Selena was selfish to the core. She judged everything by how it affected her. She could swallow even the gravest humiliation as long as her interests were on the line.


    "Dad, we''ll apologize to Mrs. Walker," she said, biting her lip and shaking her head at Diana.


    If her parents really did get divorced, she would end up kicked out as well. She had only recently returned to the Langley family and had barely begun


    to enjoy a life of luxury. She couldn''t


    afford to be thrown out nowon''t


    After looking into Selena''s eyes, Diana gradually calmed down and nced over


    at Charlotte.


    Charlotte sat there calmly, as if she were just watching a show. She had seen enough of this family''s ugly side.


    "Apologize," Victor pressed. He was desperate to please Charlotte. Nothing mattered more to him at this point than that lucrative project.


    "We''re sorry, Mrs. Walker."


    "Mrs. Walker, we apologize."


    Diana and Selena both spoke at once, though it was clear neither of them meant


    it.


    Charlotte let out a softugh. "Mr. Langley, your wife and daughter don''t sound very sincere."


    Victor turned obsequious again. "Then please, Mrs. Walker, tell me what you need from them for you to be satisfied."


    Charlotte raised her hand and casually examined her perfectly manicured nails, a faint smile on her lips. After a moment, she finally spoke in a calm, unhurried tone.


    "I hear there''s a beautiful ce called Cedar Hill in Amberton. At the top, there''s a well-known chapel. Mr. Langley can take Mrs. Langley and Ms. Selena there. You can walk up from the foot of the hill to the summit, kneeling at each step to reflect and show your sincere repentance."


    When Charlotte finished, the faces of the three Langleys shifted dramatically.


    Cedar Hill was indeed a ce of great beauty, but there were 9,999 steps leading


    to the top. Kneeling all the way from the bottom to the top was practically a death sentence.


    Charlotte smiled elegantly at them. "Mr. Langley, what do you think of my suggestion?"


    Victor turned pale, sweat beading on his forehead. He didn''t like this suggestion at


    all, not one bit.


    "The project is already yours, Mr.


    Langley. But whether it goes forward depends on my final word," Charlotte said as she stood up. "I have a


    gu13


    wee party to prepare for my


    daughter. I hope you won''t waste my


    time."


    At that, she turned and walked toward the door.


    "Wait!"


    Just as Charlotte was about to step outside, Victor finally spoke up. "Mrs. Walker,


    we''ll do it. We''ll kneel all the way to the top."


    For the sake of that project, Victor was ready to do anything.


    Charlotte''s expression brightened with satisfaction. "I knew you were a man who recognizes an opportunity, Mr. Langley."


    People would do anything for money, and Victor had no real ability. He only


    wanted this project to prove his worth. So, he was bound to agree to any terms


    she set.


    If he missed this chance, no one else would bring him such a profitable deal


    again.

 Chapter 257 Kneeling Through 9,999 Steps

    Cedar Hill was a stunning ce with beautiful scenery. From the foot of the mountain to the chapel at the summit, there were exactly 9,999 stone steps.


    Besides taking those stone steps, visitors could choose a cable car or a sightseeing cart to reach the top.


    Truly devoted worshippers would walk up the steps from the base, one step at a time. Those whocked the stamina or preferred not to climb could take the cable car or a sightseeing cart instead.


    Charlotte arrived at the foot of Cedar Hill with Victor, Diana, and Selena in tow.


    Once out of the car, she gazed up at the imposing buildings near the peak. The ancient structures perched on the cliffs exuded an air of timeless elegance.


    Soft rays of sunlight filtered through the chapel''s stained ss windows, casting colorful reflections on the stone paths.


    With white clouds almost within arm''s reach and the mountain wrapped in lush greenery, it felt like a ce straight out of a dream.


    "Our forefathers were truly remarkable," Charlotte remarked. "A mountain this tall, with cliffs so steep, and yet they managed to build such a grand chapelplex up there."


    "They really had amazing wisdom and fortitude," Gorge echoed.


    In ancient times, there weren''t many machines to help. People had to rely on their own strength, maybe with a few horses and oxen.


    Every stone step and every nk of wood had to be hauled up by hand. Bit by bit, they built it all. Even after so many years, it remained standing strong.


    Standing at the base of the mountain made one naturally feel humbled.


    But the sight stirred a different emotion for Victor, Diana, and Selena. All they saw were the countless steps disappearing into the distance.


    It made their scalps tingle just thinking about having to kneel on each step and continue all the way to the top. Their knees ached before they even began.


    Charlotte and Gorge finished their moment of admiration. Then, Charlotte turned to Victor and his family.


    "Mr. Langley, let''s begin," Charlotte said with a smile. "Kneel your way up, all 9,999 steps. When you''re done, the project is yours. It''s a sure win."


    While thinking about the staggering amount of money the project could bring, Victor gritted his teeth and dropped to his knees on the first stone step.


    "Diana, Selena, hurry!" he called out, motioning for them to join him after he had kneeled down.


    They weren''t kneeling for their dignity but for the sake of wealth.


    Diana and Selena both hesitated. Yet, Charlotte hadn''t brought them all the way here just to let them refuse.


    "Mr. Langley, it looks like your wife and daughter aren''t too willing," Charlotte said.


    "Get over here. Kneel!" Victor barked at them.


    He shot Diana a look. She understood but still hesitated.


    In the next moment, Charlotte''s bodyguards stepped forward and forced both Diana and Selena to their knees beside Victor.


    "Don''t ruin this," Victor snarled under his breath at the two of them. "All we have to do is kneel our way up, and we''ll have more money than we can ever spend. Think carefully. Would you rather get thrown out of the house and end up living under a bridge, or would you rather stay here and enjoy a life of luxury?"


    That reminder made Selena shudder. She recalled the hardships she used to face just to fill her stomach. She never wanted to go through that again, and she certainly didn''t want to end up with those disgusting old men who had once preyed on her.


    She tugged at Diana''s sleeve. "Mom, Dad''s right. It''s just kneeling. It''s not like we''re losing anything. Besides, that wretched woman clearly isn''t thinking straight. Who gives away that much money just to make us kneel?"


    Standing nearby, Charlotte could hear Diana and Selena''s hushed words but


    didn''t seem to mind. A faint smile yed at the corner of her lips.


    Charlotte took out her phone, switched on the camera, and recorded the scene of the Langleys starting the long, kneeling climb.


    All those stone steps-9,999 of them were their atonement for what they had done to Natalie.


    Charlotte already had her n in mind. She wanted them to suffer, and she had even checked the weather report in advance.


    When they were about a third of the way up, a heavy rainstorm descended. The downpour drenched them in seconds.


    Diana and Selena immediately tried to flee, but their knees were already so sore that they couldn''t even


    stand. When they did manage t


    standup, the pain caused


    stumble and roll back down


    steps.


    Gorge held an umbre over Charlotte, watching Diana and Selena tumble. His expression stayed impassive. "Seems like the two of you aren''t sincere enough. Since you fell down, then start over and kneel again."


    "Charlotte, you nned this," Diana spat, ring up at Charlotte with eyes brimming with venom. The throbbing pain in her knees was almost unbearable, and she felt even worse for Selena.


    Selena had already suffered so much all these years, and now she had to endure humiliation from Charlotte.


    Charlotte looked down at Diana with


    a chilling smile. "Remember when


    you forced my daughter to kneel outside the memorial hall right after she had her blood drawn? Did


    cross your mind that one d


    be on your knees yourself?"


    Her voice, tinged with cold hostility, was almost lost in the roar of the storm. "Diana, you''re paying for your own sins right now. So get back up there and continue kneeling. Otherwise..."


    She paused, letting out a crypticugh. Her striking eyes were as cold as ice.


    Gorge stood by with arge, sturdy ck umbre. Despite the pelting rain, not a single dropnded on Charlotte.


    "Mrs. Walker, why don''t you head back to the car? I''ll keep an eye on them," Gorge suggested, worried that Charlotte might catch a chill.


    "That''s alright." Charlotte smirked. "I want to see them kneel all 9,999 steps with my own eyes."


    Gorge didn''t say anything anymore.


    Diana kept lunging at them, but the bodyguards simply dragged her to keep kneeling.


    When her legs gave out, they held her upright. They forced her to kneel, then pulled her up again. Over and over, they repeated the cycle.


    The storm raged for a long time, and the Langleys spent every minute of it kneeling.


    Finally, as the ordeal drew to a close, the clouds parted over the chapel at the summit. Golden sunlight broke through, casting a stately and sacred glow across Cedar Hill.


    Meanwhile, the Langleysy copsed under the eaves of one of the chapel buildings, unconscious and untouched by any sunlight at all.


    Charlotte and Gorge nced at the three figures lying on the ground. Then, Charlotte called over a bodyguard and instructed him to take them to the hospital and inform Grace.


    After that, she and Gorge left the mountain.


    Not long after, Charlotte''s phone rang. It was William calling to pick her up and


    take her home. They needed to start preparing for the wee party.


    "Nat, do you think I was too cruel?" Charlotte asked uneasily after recounting what


    had happened.


    Natalie shook her head and silently wrapped her arms around Charlotte.

 Chapter 258 A Dangerous Animal Cant Stay

    Natalie hugged Charlotte in silence.


    Charlotte''s eyes immediately stung and grew hot. She hugged her daughter back, trying hard not to let her tears fall.


    "Nat, my sweet girl," Charlotte said, her voice soft and reassuring. "I''ll make sure the party is as beautiful and grand as possible. You were born to live a life offort, surrounded by love and admiration."


    Natalie''s eyes felt hot as well. She remembered Diana always saying to her, "Natalie, you weren''t born for an easy life. Your only use is to provide blood for me. Otherwise, even raising a dog would be better than raising you."


    But now, Charlotte told her she was born to live a life offort, surrounded by love and admiration.


    The difference between love and neglect had never been so clear.


    Charlotte hugged Natalie for a long time until she regained control of her emotions. Then, she gently pulled away and smiled and said, "Mom, let''s go check out the stables."


    "Alright," Charlotte agreed. "But, sweetie, you already had Marcus take Gabriel away. Is there something else that''s making you suspicious?"


    "Gabriel is rted to Cindy. From what Mason told me, Cindy was the one who raised Emma," Natalie said in a low voice. "You weren''t home when Cindy was dismissed, so you don''t know how it all went down."


    "I wasn''t there in person, but your dad told me everything," Charlotte said, her expression turning cold. "I told him that if Emma refuses to behave, we won''t allow her to stay here. We''ve spoiled her all these years. It wasn''t so she could undermine you.


    "This is your home. Even if we''ve raised her for 20 years, she has no right topete with you for anything.


    "Nat, your dad and I stand firm on this. We''ve loved Emma since she was little, but her ce will never surpass yours. If she hurts you or targets you, just like Selena did, your dad and I won''t tolerate it."


    Charlotte''s tone was resolute, her gaze growing colder. "Nat, you don''t have to feel conflicted. Emma''s enjoyed a wonderful life here for 20 years. Our family doesn''t owe her anything.


    "Your dad is already investigating the baby swap incident. If it wasn''t just an ident but something done on purpose, we absolutely won''t let it slide."


    After hearing this, Natalie hugged Charlotte again. She couldn''t put into words what she felt. It was like her heart had been steeped in warm honey lemon-tart and sweet, yet soothinglyforting.


    "Mom, thank you," Natalie said softly.


    "Silly girl, why thank me? I should be the one telling you I''m sorry. We went 20 whole years without realizing Emma wasn''t our daughter," Charlotte said, her eyes reddening.


    When Charlotte first saw Natalie''s photo online, she knew right away that Natalie was her daughter.


    At that moment, she waspletely overwhelmed with guilt, regret, fear, and eagerness all at once. She rushed to Amberton to find Natalie and make up for every lost day over the years.


    "It''s not your fault," Natalie said, still holding Charlotte tight. "It really isn''t."


    "The only right thing Victor ever did was post your information on that family searchwork. But that doesn''t mean I''ll ever forgive him," Charlotte said, steadying herself. "They all knew you weren''t really their daughter, yet they still used you as a living blood bank. That was intentional abuse. So, I will never forgive them."


    "I won''t forgive them either," Natalie said with a faint smile. "Over the years, I''ve given their family far more than anything I owed them. No matter how badly they end up, I won''t sympathize. And I won''t go easy on them."


    "Good. If that''s how you feel, then I have no qualms about what I n to do next," Charlotte said, her eyes moist.


    Charlotte reached out and gently ruffled Natalie''s hair. Her real daughter was finally letting her in, finally trusting her. She was hugging her and sharing her feelings, just like Emma did.


    "Yes. When ites to the Langleys, there''s no reason to hesitate." Natalie''s lips curved in a small smile as she nced ahead. "Is that the stable up there?"


    Charlotte nodded. "Yes, that''s it."


    Walker Estate covered a vast area, designed with a careful eye for aesthetics so that every part of it felt grand yet harmonized perfectly.


    The stables were arge, standalone


    building with two rows of horse stalls. Gabriel was responsible for


    feeding and training the horses,


    while other helpers handled the daily cleaning and upkeep.


    When Natalie and Charlotte entered, Natalie scanned the space and walked straight to a stall in the middle.


    A striking white horse stood there, its coat glossy and bright, its mane soft and


    sleek. It snorted warm breaths as it watched Natalie''s approach.


    This horse was none other than sh, the one that had crashed into Marcus'' car.


    "sh is Emma''s horse," Charlotte exined. "It''s been gentle ever since Gabriel started training it as a foal. It''s never attacked anyone, not once. From the footage, Gabriel blew a lot of smoke in its face. I suspect that''s what made it go wild.


    Natalie spoke calmly. "If it''s lost control once, it can lose control again. We should


    have it sent away. A dangerous animal that hurts people can''t stay."


    "Alright." Charlotte picked up her phone and dialed. "Hello, Gorge? Bring someone over to load sh and move it out."


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker." Gorge hung up and turned to the security detail with him. "Carson, get a truck ready. Take sh away."


    "Understood, Mr. Palmer," Carson replied respectfully before turning and walking


    away.


    Emma overheard Gorge''s orders as she assisted him with new staff training. She immediately stepped forward and asked, "Gorge, what did you say? Why are you sending sh away?"


    Her expression darkened. Everyone knew sh was her horse. If it was taken away, she''d lose her dignity in front of the entire household.


    "Ms. Emma, this is Mrs. Walker''s order," Gorge replied, neither servile nor overbearing. "If you have a problem with it, you should speak to her yourself."


    "I won''t allow you to send sh away," Emma dered. "I''ll go talk to my mom right now."


    "Certainly, Ms. Emma. Carson, prepare the truck and follow Ms. Emma." "Yes, Mr. Palmer."


    Emma''s expression turned even more sour at Gorge''s businesslike attitude, but she said nothing and hurried off.


    She ran all the way to the stables. As soon as she entered, she saw Natalie and Charlotte standing near sh''s stall, talking quietly but affectionately.


    The look Charlotte gave Natalie was filled with tenderness and warmth, all the motherly love in the world.


    Emma bit down on her lip and strode forward.


    "Mom, I heard Gorge say you''ll send sh away. Is that true?"


    "Yes." Charlotte turned and faced


    Emma. The warmth in her expression faded to something more neutral, though she kept her tone gentle. "sh went crazy and


    hurt people. It''s better to send it away."


    "Mom, I want to know if this was your idea or hers." Emma''s gaze shifted toward


    Natalie.


    sh was a birthday gift from Sky when she turned 16. Charlotte knew just how important and meaningful it was to her. That was why she was sure it had to be Natalie''s idea.


    "It was my idea." Before Charlotte could speak, Natalie calmly answered. "A beast that harms people must not stay. What''s the matter, Emma? Are you unhappy about that?"

 Chapter 259 Emma Got Disappointed

    Natalie''s voice was calm and cool. After she spoke, she casually looked Emma up and down.


    Emma bit her lip. She hade rushing over, ready to demand answers. But under Natalie''s unwavering gaze-and with Charlotte also watching her intently¡ª she suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    "Emma," Charlotte said, breaking the silence, "I agree with Nat. Since sh hurt people, we absolutely can''t keep it here any longer. If it went berserk once, it could happen again. After all, it''s just an animal. No matter how well-trained or well-fed, there''s no guarantee it won''t turn on us."


    Emma felt her heart sink. She could sense an underlying implication in Charlotte''s words, like a thinly veiled warning directed at her.


    "Yes, Mom, I understand," Emma said softly. "I''m just reluctant to part with sh. Sky gave it to me on my 16th birthday, and it''s been with me these past four years. If we suddenly send it away, of course, I''ll feel sad."


    "But you and Natalie are right. sh has already hurt people. Who knows if it might go wild again?" She forced a pale smile. "I wasn''t thinking it through. It''s a good thing Natalie reminded me."


    "In that case, you can be the one to send it away," Natalie said, opening the stall door and leading sh out by the reins. "Gorge has arranged for someone to bring a vehicle. Just work together with them to take sh out of here."


    Natalie handed the reins over to Emma. "I''m sure you can handle this, right?"


    "Yes, Natalie," Emma replied, taking the reins. Then, she cautiously asked, "So, where exactly are we sending sh?"


    "The ughterhouse in Soutia," Natalie said calmly.


    Emma''s face had already been pale, but after hearing that, everyst trace of color drained away.


    "The ughterhouse?" That meant they were going to kill sh.


    "To set an example," Natalie added, watching Emma''s stricken expression with no hint of pity. "That way, the other horses will understand they can''t ever attack people, no matter how fine their breeding or who owns them. If any of them harms a human, not one person here can protect them. An animal is an animal, and it will never rank above human life."


    Emma stared at Natalie''s frosty face, speechless at her unflinching coldness.


    "If you want to resent someone, resent Gabriel," Natalie said indifferently. "The surveince footage clearly showed he was the one who made sh go wild. He blew some kind of hallucinogen or something else right into sh''s face.


    "Ever since sh was brought here, he''s been the one training it. sh obeyed him more than anyone else. He''s the one who ruined sh."


    "That''s right," Charlotte added. "Gabriel was nothing but a hired worker here, and the Walker family treated him decently. Yet he harbored ill intent. Marcus and Sophia are guests we can''t afford to offend. It looks like he nned to ruin our entire household."


    Charlotte''s voice turned cold as she said, "Gabriel is the one who made sh go wild. I won''t be letting him off."


    Emma staggered. Natalie stepped forward and took her arm to steady her. "Emma, you look awful. If you''re feeling ill, you''d better go and rest."


    "N-no, it''s... nothing," Emma managed. "I want to see sh off onest time." "sh, it''s all Gabriel''s fault. If you hate anyone, hate him," she murmured, her voice trembling as she wrapped her arms around sh''s neck.


    Natalie and Charlotte exchanged a nce. They took a few steps back together.


    "Alright, Emma. You can work with Carson to send sh away. We have other things to deal with now. We''re heading back."


    Emma clung to sh''s neck, pressing her cheek against its mane. Her nails were already digging into her palms.


    Luckily, Gabriel had taken full me and never mentioned her involvement. Poor sh would now be sent to the ughterhouse.


    "sh," Emma whispered, "if you must hate someone, hate Natalie. It''s that wretched woman who wants you dead."


    She clenched her nails into sh''s neck in anger and resentment. sh gave a sudden cry of pain and reared back, violently knocking Emma aside.


    Before Emma could react, sh charged forward and kicked her with its hind legs, mming down hard.


    "Ah!"


    Natalie and Charlotte had only just stepped outside the stable when they heard Emma''s shrill scream from within.


    They nced at each other. Before either could speak, the white horse came barreling out at a gallop.


    Natalie reacted quickly, pulling Charlotte aside. Had she been a moment slower, sh would have plowed into Charlotte.


    Charlotte''s expression turned dark. "That''s sh."


    "I''ll go," Natalie said. She broke into a sprint, chasing after the runaway horse.


    Charlotte''s heart lurched. "Natalie, be careful!"


    "Mom... help me..." Emma''s weak cries floated out from the stable.


    Charlotte looked over her shoulder and saw Carson driving over. She instructed coldly, "Go inside the stables and help Emma. Tell Gorge to bring more men and get this horse under control."


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker."


    Carson dashed inside the stable, only to freeze at the sight of Emma drenched in blood. He sucked in a shocked breath.


    "Ms. Emma, don''t worry. I''ll get you out of here right now."


    He bent down and lifted Emma into his arms. "Hold on, Ms. Emma. We''ll be at the hospital soon."


    Emma stared nkly toward the stable doors. "Where''s my mom? Why isn''t she here?"


    Carson answered, "Ms. Walker went after sh, and Mrs. Walker followed them."


    Emma''s heart felt like it had gone cold in that instant. Charlotte didn''t love her at all. Indeed, she wasn''t her real daughter. She would neverpare to the real one.


    "Ms. Emma, please, you have to stay strong," Carson urged. He assumed her


    lifeless expression was caused by physical pain.


    Emma said nothing, but once they got outside, she kept looking around as if searching for something.


    Meanwhile, in the broad expanse of Walker Estate''swn, sh was bolting about wildly. Natalie sprinted across the grass from another direction.


    Before anyone could stop her, she seized the reins in a single swift motion and vaulted onto sh''s back.


    "Natalie, be careful!" Charlotte yelled, her voice breaking with panic.


    Natalie tugged hard on the reins. sh neighed furiously, rearing up and iling in an effort to throw her


    off. Its tailshed as it tried to buck


    her away.


    "Natalie, watch out!" Charlotte cried again, her heart pounding as she watched.


    She prayed desperately that her daughter would be safe.

 Chapter 260 His Daughter Is Truly Impressive

    Inside the vi, Gorge and the others heard Charlotte''s panicked scream, her voice cracking with rm.


    They rushed outside immediately, only to see Natalie struggling with the enraged sh on thewn.


    Gorge felt as though his heart leaped into his throat at the sight.


    In the next moment, William dashed out, holding a tranquilizer gun.


    "Mr. Walker, watch out!" Gorge''s voice broke with urgency.


    William raised the tranquilizer gun and shouted toward Natalie, who was on the horse''s back. "Nat, bring it this way!"


    Upon hearing his voice, Natalie gripped the reins firmly with both hands, pressing her legs hard against sh''s nks. She yanked on the bridle, forcing the horse''s head in William''s direction.


    "Dad, shoot when you have a chance!" she yelled.


    She maneuvered sh to charge toward William. At thest second, she pulled hard again, jerking sh''s head to the side.


    That brief opening was all William needed. He aimed the tranquilizer gun and fired. The dart shot through the air and struck sh directly on its hindquarters.


    sh let out an enraged cry. It ran even faster, almost as though it nned to throw Natalie off once and for all.


    Yet, Natalie clung tenaciously to the reins. She kept control, circling in ce on thewn.


    After a couple ofps, sh gradually slowed. The tranquilizer had taken effect. Its legs buckled, and it crashed onto the grass.


    Natalie still didn''t release the reins. She waited until the horse hadpletely stopped struggling before she finally let go and slid off its back.


    "Nat!"


    "Well done!"


    Charlotte and William spoke at once.


    Charlotte rushed to Natalie as if she had survived a disaster. William approached them, looking proud and relieved.


    His daughter was truly impressive.


    "Nat, you scared me to death!" Charlotte cried, pulling her into a hug. Tears fell freely from her eyes. "Next time, please don''t be so reckless!"


    "Don''t cry. I''m alright," Natalie said as she patted Charlotte''s back tofort her. "See? I''m fine."


    "That''s my daughter," William said proudly. "You''re incredible! You did a great job!"


    William reached out and pulled Charlotte close. "We should be proud of our daughter. She''s a hero."


    Charlotte lifted her hand and smacked William in the chest. "What''s there to be proud of? I only want my daughter to be healthy and happy. I don''t need her ying the hero."


    After all, heroics often required a heavy price. Charlotte wanted nothing more than for her children to live a safe, content life. She had no interest in the glory or title of "hero".


    "Nat, let me see your hands." Charlotte''s tears were still flowing as she picked up Natalie''s hands to inspect them.


    Because Natalie had been holding the reins so tightly, her palms had been cut by the straps. They were bleeding badly. Even so, she didn''t let go.


    Seeing this, Charlotte cried even harder. "My poor girl! Quick, get the first aid kit. I''ll bandage you now, then we''re going to Hector''s hospital. As for this mad horse, we can''t keep it. Have it put down right now."


    She turned to William and said, "Honey, I''ll take Nat to get her hands looked at. You tell the cook to butcher the horse and serve a whole-horse feast tonight!"


    "Alright. I''ll do it myself," William said. He stared icily at sh, still lying on the ground.


    Not far away, Carson sat behind the wheel of a car, anxiously asking Emma, "Ms. Emma, we should go. You''re badly hurt. Any longer, and the pain will just get worse."


    Emma bit her lip hard. The moment Charlotte had rushed away to chase after Natalie, Emma had given up any feelings for her. Yet, she wanted to see it for herself before she could leave.


    Natalie only had bloody hands, and Charlotte was already losing herposure


    with worry. William even nned to personally ughter sh and then feast on


    it.


    It was obvious-now that they had their real daughter, they no longer cared about Emma.


    A deep hatred smoldered in Emma''s eyes. She dug her nails into her palms, barely noticing the pain.


    "Ms. Emma, I''m driving," Carson said.


    From where he sat, he couldn''t see her upper half or the look of hatred and anger on her face. He only worried that she might faint from her injuries. Not daring to dy any further, he started the engine and sped out of Walker Estate


    Charlotte tended to Natalie''s hands in the house. When she dabbed them with rubbing alcohol, Natalie didn''t flinch, but Charlotte burst into tears again. "Sweetie, does it hurt?"


    "No, it''s fine," Natalie said, feeling a bit helpless. She hated seeing loved ones cry. "I can do it myself."


    Charlotte''s fingers trembled uncontrobly as she tried to clean her daughter''s wounds. She was filled with heartache and distress, unsure if she could keep going.


    "Sweetie..."


    "Don''t cry. I''m alright, really." Natalie tried to reassure her, then grabbed a bottle of medical alcohol. She opened it and poured it over her bleeding hand.


    "Sweetie!" Charlotte cried out at the sight. She couldn''t help yelling again. Natalie kept a straight face, pouring more over her other hand. "Sweetie..." Charlotte couldn''t stand to watch. She turned her head away and started sobbing again.


    Natalie was speechless. She truly didn''t find the pain all that terrible. But having someone worry so deeply for her filled her heart with a warm sense of softness.


    She worked quickly to disinfect her hands. Just as she was about to bandage them, Gorge came in to report.


    "Mrs. Walker, Ms. Natalie, Mr. Holden is here."


    "Tell him to wait a moment," Natalie said, continuing to tend her wounds. But a shadow suddenly loomed over


    her, Before she knew ont


    Marcus was already right next to her.


    "Let me help you," he offered.


    Marcus furrowed his brow and bent down, picking up the bandages and the


    container of medicinal powder.


    "So, I just pour this on and then wrap it, right?" he asked.


    "No need. I can do it," Natalie refused without hesitation.


    "Ms. Walker, I''m not some monster," Marcus said, frowning more deeply. "I took Gabriel with me and found something. I think you''ll want to know about it."


    "What?"


    Charlotte, who had been turned away weeping, also looked back. "Nat, let Marcus help you. I''m no good at this. You can''t bandage yourself with just one hand." Natalie seemed to consider asking Gorge, but perhaps sensing her thoughts, he shook his head immediately. "Ms. Natalie, I can''t. I faint at the sight of blood." He had barely finished speaking before copsing.


    Natalie was speechless. Apparently, Gorge''s timing was just too perfect. She''d have to "treat" him someday.


    "Don''t worry, Ms. Walker. I won''t hurt you," Marcus said with a frown, holding the medicine in his hand.


    When she saw him ready to apply the powder, Natalie could only extend her palms, doing her best not to touch him more than necessary.

 Chapter 261 What Goes Around Comes Around (Part 1)

    Marcus lifted his gaze to Natalie. The petite woman was calm andposed, but her eyes held a hint of wariness. Her small face remained expressionless, as if she couldn''t even feel pain.


    He had already heard about the incident at Walker Manor-the horses had gone wild again. When he drove in, his car passed the Walkers'' car as they left with Emma.


    "Ms. Walker, you''re really tough," Marcus said with genuine admiration as he carefully poured the medicine onto Natalie''s palm. "Does it hurt?"


    "It''s fine," Natalie replied. Seeing how cautious Marcus was to avoid touching her injuries, she started to rx.


    Marcus''s lips pressed into a thin line. Natalie''s fingers, usually slender and pale, were now a mangled mess of flesh and blood. His heart clenched at the sight.


    Natalie, however, remained indifferent, as though the hands weren''t even hers. Her ability to handle the pain earned his respect, but it also made his heart ache.


    Marcus lowered his gaze and quickly poured the medicine onto her palm. He spread it evenly with a cotton ball before carefully wrapping her hand in gauze.


    When he was done, Charlotte let out a heavy sigh. She had been crying nonstop, and Natalie ended upforting her instead.


    "Mom, I''m fine. Stop crying," Natalie said gently.


    "Nat-" Charlotte started.


    "Shh!" Natalie pressed the back of her hand against Charlotte''s mouth. "Don''t say anything. Go wash your face, put on some makeup, and thene back to entertain Mr. Holden."


    Charlotte was stunned.


    "Listen to me. Go on!" Natalie urged with a wink.


    Charlotte gave in and stood up. "Alright, Sweetie. I''ll be back down soon."


    "Go ahead. Take your time! Do some skincare too," Natalie said with a yful smile. "Crying too much causes wrinkles, and if you get them, we won''t look like mother and daughter anymore."


    "Ah!" Charlotte gasped, hurriedly touching her face. "Alright, Sweetie. I''ll listen to you. Marcus, please have a seat. I''ll be right back."


    "Okay," Marcus replied.


    Charlotte left, taking Natalie''s words to heart. Marcus sat on the couch and nced around the living room. Before he could speak, Natalie turned to the helpers.


    "Everyone, please go outside and help my dad with the horses," she instructed. "Yes, Ms. Natalie," they responded, leaving the living room.


    Natalie then gave Gorge a gentle kick. "Gorge, wake up. Go make Mr. Holden a cup of coffee."


    Gorge groggily woke up. "Yes, Ms. Natalie," he mumbled.


    After Gorge left, Natalie settled on the couch, holding up her bandaged hands. "So, Mr. Holden, did Gabriel reveal who was behind all this?"


    Marcus shook his head. "No, he kept denying everything. But after Noah talked to him for a while, he finally confessed. He imed it was all his doing and that no one else was involved."


    He paused, then added, "He even admitted it was revenge for firing Cindy, the one who got him a job here at Walker Manor."


    "Really?" Natalie''s expression turned colder. If Gabriel wanted revenge, he should havee straight at her. But sh had targeted Marcus'' car instead.


    Turning her attention to Marcus, she asked, "Did you get your injuries treated, Mr. Holden?"


    Marcus nodded. "Yeah, all taken care of."


    "I won''t interfere with the other matters in the Walker family," Natalie said. "But I won''t let Gabriel get away with this."


    "I agree," Marcus replied. "He''s responsible for a life."


    Natalie nodded. "Exactly." After a pause, she added, "You came back quickly, Mr. Holden. There''s got to be another matter than just Gabriel, right?"


    "Yes," Marcus admitted. "It''s Grandpa. I brought Sophia over to see you, and then he heard about the incident and insisted on seeing you. So, I came to ask if you''d visit him."


    "I''m afraid I can''t go right now," Natalie said, ncing at her hands. "Just make sure Mr. Holden Senior takes the medicine I prepared."


    Marcus shifted the topic. "The horse you handled belonged to Emma. Did she make a scene after it was put down?"


    "Does she even have the right to?" Natalie asked, a smirk ying on her lips. "Cindy and Gabriel are her


    people, and it was her horse that


    caused the ident. We don''t have proof yet, but if we get it, what do you think the Walkers should do with her?"


    Marcus sat quietly, looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows. William and the helpers had already moved sh to another location to be ughtered.


    "Mr. Holden, why don''t you stay for the feast tonight?" Natalie suddenly extended an invitation. "Ms. Sinir is still recovering in the hospital have the kitchen prepare a nutritious meal with the freshest cuts and send it over."


    "sh was a 16th birthday gift from Sky to Emma," Marcus reminded her. "He''s very fond of her."


    She raised an eyebrow. "So, you''ve been attending Emma''s birthday party every year and giving her gifts too, right?"


    He didn''t answer directly. "Ethan picked out the gifts. I never knew what they were."


    "Emma was once your fianc¨¦e. To keep up appearances, it makes sense that you''d give her birthday gifts," she said, her tone casual.


    Marcus'' voice sharpened. "Ms. Walker, what are you trying to say?"


    Natalie shook her head. "Nothing. Just making conversation."


    As they were talking, Natalie''s phone rang. She nced at the screen-an unknown number. She swiped to answer.


    "Hello?"


    "Nat, it''s Hector," came the voice from the other end. "Emma''s been injured- sh kicked her, and her kidney is damaged. Don''t tell our parents yet. Come to my private hospital first."


    "I think I should let them know," Natalie said, standing up. "But how did Emma even get kicked?"


    Natalie remembered hearing Emma''s piercing scream as she and Charlotte left the stables, just before sh bolted out.


    "She''s unconscious and being rushed into surgery," Hector said. "I don''t know the details yet."


    "Okay, I''m on my way."


    "Nat. Is Marcus with you?" he asked. "Bring him along too."


    "He''s here now," Natalie replied. "I''ll let him know, but I can''t promise he''lle with me."


    "Alright."


    Natalie hung up and turned to Marcus. "Emma''s kidney was injured when sh kicked her. She''s being rushed into surgery. Hector asked if you''de to the hospital with me."


    Marcus stood up. "Sure, let''s go."


    "Okay," Natalie said. "I''ll let my mother know."


    Hector had asked Natalie not to inform William and Charlotte, but how could she possibly keep something so serious from them? What really puzzled Natalie was how sh could injure Emma so severely.


    Natalie headed upstairs and found Charlotte, who was meticulously applying skincare products in front of the mirror.


    "Mom," Natalie said. "Hector called. sh kicked Emma and injured her kidney.


    She''s in surgery. I need to go to the hospital."


    "What?" Charlotte turned, taking a moment to process what Natalie had just said. "You mean... sh injured Emma''s kidney?"


    "Yes," Natalie replied. "Hector told me not to tell you and Dad yet, but I


    thought about it, and you''ve raised her for 20 years. If something really fgr2 happened, it wouldn''t feel right not to let you know."


    Charlotte immediately stood up. "I''ll go with you."


    "Okay."

 Chapter 262 What Goes Around Comes Around (Part 2)

    Natalie, Charlotte, and Marcus arrived at the hospital. When they saw Hector, his expression was grim and hesitant.


    "Hector, how''s Emma?"


    "Hector, how is she?"


    Natalie and Charlotte asked at the same time.


    Hector shook his head. "It''s not good. But the head nurse just came out and said Emma is out of immediate danger."


    "Hector, why didn''t you perform Emma''s surgery?" Charlotte asked, puzzled. She knew Hector usually participated in major surgeries.


    "I''m not the right person to perform Emma''s surgery," Hector said, ncing at the three of them before shifting his focus to Marcus. "I''m sorry for making youe all the way here."


    "Why did you ask me toe? What''s going on?" Marcus asked, eyeing the "Surgery in Progress" sign. He felt no sympathy for Emma, who had nearly been kicked to death by her own horse.


    "When Emma was brought in, she thought she was going to die," Hector exined. "She asked for you. She wanted to see you before she passed."


    Hector struggled with his feelings. Deep down, he thought Emma was ungrateful. For 20 years, their parents had raised her in luxury and pampered her, even though they weren''t her biological parents. Yet, in what she believed were her final moments, the only person she wanted to see was Marcus.


    It left him upset and resentful. Since Emma didn''t want to see their parents, he had asked Natalie to keep it quiet. He decided that if they askedter, he''d tell them the truth.


    After calling Gorge, he learned Marcus was at Walker Manor. Gorge told him Natalie had subdued sh, but both her hands were injured. Even though she had treated them at home, Hector wanted them properly checked at the hospital. Since Marcus was with her, he had asked Natalie to bring him along.


    "So, Emma wants to see me. Do I have to go?" Marcus shot Hector a cold nce.


    "I thought I made myself clearst time at Holden Residence," he said firmly. "I don''t want to see someone who drugged me. Even if Emma were dying, I wouldn''t force myself to see her. Besides, she''s not dying anytime soon."


    With that, Marcus turned and walked away without hesitation. His firm demeanor and retreating figure radiated a terrifying detachment.


    Hector was momentarily at a loss for words. He sighed softly. "Nat, let''s get your wounds treated."


    Not daring to call Marcus back, he gestured for Natalie to follow and led her to his office.


    Before they left, Hector turned to Charlotte and asked, "Are you going to wait here, Mother?"


    Charlotte nodded. "Take Nat to get her wounds treated. I''ll wait here."


    After all, Emma was the daughter she had raised and loved for 20 years. The thought of her nearly dying stirred emotions that she couldn''t deny.


    But Charlotte didn''t regret her choice. When Natalie and Emma were both in danger, she had chosen her biological daughter. She knew it was selfish, but her heart naturally favored Natalie.


    For 20 years, she had been separated from Natalie. Now that she finally had her back, Charlotte couldn''t bear to hurt her again.


    She hoped Emma would understand, but she wouldn''t force it.


    Charlotte knew she needed to call Sky to ask about the search for Emma''s biological parents. She dialed him right away.


    At that moment, Sky was in the middle of a heated argument with Lincoln. When


    he saw Charlotte''s call, he gestured for Lincoln to wait and walked away to answer the phone.


    "Hello, Mother," Sky said.


    "Sky, how''s the search for Emma''s biological parents going?" Charlotte asked.


    At Charlotte''s words, Sky''s irritation grew. "Mother," he said, his tone tight. "Are you that eager to get Emma out of the house? Or did Natalie say something again?"


    "Sky, watch your tone." Charlotte''s voice turned cold. "Can''t I even ask you a question?"


    "Sorry, I was wrong," Sky said, pinching the bridge of his nose.


    "I''m still searching for them," he admitted. "The baby swap happened at Amberton, and the entire staff at that hospital has changed since then. Finding Emma''s biological parents isn''t easy. Plus, with Lincoln now working at thepany, I need to work through things with him too."


    "What''s there to work through? You don''t trust Lincoln''s abilities?" Charlotte asked, her voice icy. "Hisz entertainmentpany is just as sessful as yours. Hand over thepany''s affairs to him and focus on finding Emma''s biological parents in Amberton."


    She paused before adding, "Also, make sure you thoroughly investigate what happened with Nat''s baby swap."


    "Yes, Mother." Sky exhaled a long, deep sigh. After hanging up, he turned, his expression dar ning.


    Lincoln sat on the couch, casually ying with his phone, a subtle smile ying on his lips.


    "Sky," Lincoln said, "if you''re busy, go ahead and handle your things! I''ll take care of thepany."


    He stood, walked over to Sky, and adjusted his clothes. "Mom just messaged me. She told me to take over managing thepany until you get back. She said I''d take responsibility if anything goes wrong."


    With a yful grin, he added, "Worst case, I''ll go back to acting to earn money. But you trust me, don''t you?"


    "Of course I do. Who else would I


    trust?" Sky took a moment topose himself. "Alright, I''m heading out. Mom wants me to find Emma''s biological parents as


    as possible, and also look inton


    happened back then."


    what


    "Lincoln," Sky continued, "I know we''ve had some disagreements, but it''s nothing personal. Don''t take it to heart."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not that petty," Lincoln replied with a smile.


    After that, Sky gathered his things and left with his assistant.


    Lincoln settled into Sky''s desk and pulled out his phone to call Gorge. "Hey, Gorge, send me the surveince footage from the stable."


    "Yes, Mr. Lincoln," Gorge replied.


    Soon, Lincoln received the footage from Gorge. He meticulously reviewed the recording, not missing a single detail. It didn''t take long before he saw the entire incident where sh went crazy and kicked Emma.


    Once he finished watching, he let out a coldugh. "What goes around,es around."


    Lincoln saved the footage and then called Natalie. "Hey, Nat. I heard we''re having


    a horse feast tonight. Mind if I bring a few friends along?"


    "Of course not," Natalie replied without hesitation. "Bring as many as you want."


    "Great, see you tonight."


    "By the way, Lincoln, did you hear about what happened to Emma?" Natalie


    asked.


    "Yeah, I heard. But I don''t feel sorry for her at all," he replied.


    "Nat," he continued in his usual gentle and affectionate tone, "there''s something I


    like to add-''As you sow, so shall you reap.'' Tell that to Emma."

 Chapter 263 Waiting for Emmas Biological Parents to Take Her Away

    As soon as Lincoln finished speaking, Natalie saw the door to the operation room open. Charlotte approached the doctor who came out of the room.


    "Doctor, how''s Emma? Is she okay?"


    "She''s no longer in danger, but the director has ordered her to remain in the ICU for observation overnight. Once she''spletely out of the woods, we''ll transfer her to the VIP ward."


    Charlotte exhaled in relief. "Okay. Thank you for your hard work, Doctor."


    She nced at Natalie, who had just ended her call and was walking toward her.


    "Mom, Lincoln wants me to pass a message to Emma," Natalie said.


    "Oh. What is it?"


    "As you sow, so shall you reap."


    Charlotte was momentarily dazed before finallying to her senses. "Did Lincoln... really say that?"


    Natalie nodded. "Yes, he really did say that. Oh, he also mentioned that he already has an idea of what happened at home. Lincoln said he sent the stable''s surveince footage to Marcus."


    Natalie frowned. "Mom, I asked Lincoln to forward the footage to me too. Let''s have a look together!"


    "Alright."


    Charlotte''s heart sank since she knew Lincoln very well. For him to utter such words, Emma must have done something unforgivable in the stable.


    She took a deep breath before sitting next to Natalie, and they yed the video.


    The video began with Natalie and Charlotte entering the stable. Natalie fast- forwarded the video to the moment Emma arrived. Once Natalie and Charlotte left, Emma was the only one left in the stable.


    After watching Natalie and Charlotte leave, Emma wrapped her arms around sh''s neck, burying her face in its mane.


    Momentster, sh raised its front hooves madly. Emma was thrown backward as sh kicked her stomach hard with its hind legs.


    At first, Charlotte and Natalie saw nothing unusual in the video. But because of Lincoln''s words, they examined the video carefully for the second time.


    "There." Natalie suddenly paused the video. "Mom, look at that."


    Charlotte looked in the direction of Natalie''s finger. Emma had raised her head and was staring at their figures with a chilling, hateful gaze.


    If looks could kill, Charlotte and Natalie would have already died on the spot, their bodies cut into a thousand pieces.


    "Mom, look at this." Natalie continued ying the video for a moment before pausing it immediately. Emma had dug her nails into sh''s neck. Right after, sh suddenly went into a frenzy.


    "There''s something wrong with Emma''s manicure," Natalie said.


    Women liked dressing up. From the first time she had met Emma, everything Emma wore was luxurious and high-end. Even her manicure was exquisitely gorgeous. One look at her nails would have anyone asking for her nail salon''s contact.


    Federrick had taught Natalie ways to take precautions against her enemies. One of the methods was to hide poison in her manicure.


    She had never liked assuming the worst in others. However, Federrick often reminded her there weren''t many kind souls in the world.


    Humans were inherently evil. It was better not to test human nature when benefits were at stake. From the moment Natalie had arrived at the Walkers'' home, she had sensed that Emma was hostile toward her.


    Besides, Emma had feelings for Marcus, who canceled their engagement. Logically speaking, the engagement would shift to Natalie since she had returned to the Walker family.


    However, Marcus still canceled the engagement. Although he broke it off, it didn''t mean that Emma didn''t despise Natalie.


    Natalie was silent for a long time before slowly asking, "Mom, do we still look into this?"


    "Yes." Charlotte''s voice was strained as she clutched her chest. She refused to ept the truth, but she had no other choice.


    Emma, whom Charlotte had raised and spoiled, wanted to harm Natalie.


    "I''ll inform everyone that Emma will be recovering in the hospital for now until Sky has tracked down her biological parents. By then, we''ll have them take her away."


    Charlotte''s determination hardened the more she spoke. "This time, no matter how much she cries, begs, or causes trouble, I''ll never give in again. Nat, let''s go. Your wee party is happening soon. We need to go home and prepare."


    She took Natalie''s hand and strode out of the hospital. She refused to even look at Emma, nor did she care anymore.


    Charlotte took Natalie back to Walker Manor. William had personally ughtered sh before asking the chef and helpers to prepare a horse feast for the night. Natalie entered Emma''s room, which was just asrge and spacious. The entire bedroom wasvishly decorated, fit for a princess.


    Before Natalie''s return, Emma had been the most spoiled young woman in the Walker family. Charlotte, William, and their five sons had given her the best of everything.


    But as Lincoln and Mason said, they were all forced to give her things that seemed excellent but weren''t worth much.


    Natalie walked toward a dressing table and pulled open the drawers. Rows of lipsticks were neatly arranged inside as well as all sorts of makeup products.


    On the tabletop, there were exclusive skincare products custom-made for Emma''s


    skin. One of them was a tiny jar of cream worth six figures.


    She opened the jar and drew it close


    1.n


    to her nose inhaling softly. The scent was light and fragrant, making the cream unlikely to have any drugs. But if it truly contained drugs, she wouldn''t be able to detect anything by just smelling it.


    After checking Emma''s skincare and makeup products, Natalie entered Emma''s walk-in closet.


    The walk-in closet was almost 2,153 square feetrge. Clothes from all sorts of luxury brands were avable for every season, all from thetest collections. Rows of shoes, bags, and jewelry lined the closet, which was enough to leave anyone in a daze.


    The most eye-catching one was Nouvelle Zara''s breakthrough work, Starry


    Brilliance.


    Back then, Natalie used that


    wedding dress to qualify for finals


    during thepetition. With Federrick''s help, she sessfullyunched her own brand, Nouvelle Zara. As Nouvelle Zara grew


    steadily, it became a well-known brand across the entire country.


    Federrick had once warned her about the Langleys-and even himself. That was


    why she had built her own career, so she could stand on her own.


    To Natalie, Federrick and Grace would never hurt her. However, Federrick merely tapped her on the head with a smile and reminded her not to assume that everyone was kind.


    By having her own money and career, Natalie would be able to grow her confidence. As long as she didn''t entrust all her hope to others, she would never


    go wrong.


    Though reluctant at first, she still obediently followed Federrick''s orders. After she sessfullyunched Nouvelle Zara, he handed everything he owned to her before disappearing to travel across the world.


    Natalie was slightly stunned at the sight of the wedding dress. The start-up capital for Nouvelle Zara came from selling that wedding dress at an auction.

 Chapter 265 Gabriel Said It Was Natalies Orders

    Natalie also never imagined that she wasn''t the Langleys'' biological daughter. She assumed she had been switched at birth by ident, and there were no other hidden motives.


    But now, things seemed far moreplicated than she had thought. However, so much time had passed. It wouldn''t be easy to start investigating, so there was no rush.


    "Come, I''ll take you for a treatment," Olivia said, pulling Natalie out of bed. As they were about to leave, they saw Gorge leading a professional team out of the elevator.


    "Ms. Natalie, Ms. Thatcher," Gorge greeted with a smile. "Mrs. Walker invited a stylist and her team to the house. From now on, Ms. Natalie will have to prepare for the wee party."


    He added, "Please let me know right away if you need anything in the future, Ms. Natalie."


    "Okay. Thank you, Mr. Palmer."


    The Walker residence had its own spa room. The stylist had dropped by the vi many times and was quite familiar with theyout. The team ushered Natalie and Olivia inside and immediately began a full-body treatment.


    Although the scars on Natalie''s body had already faded significantly, they were still visible. In the past, she always wrapped herself up tightly. But now that she was far away from the Langleys, she no longer needed to care.


    She wasn''t bothered even if there were some faded scars, as they would heal in time. While she was enjoying the arranged spa treatments, Marcus and Noah returned to the Helianese restaurant.


    As soon as they arrived at the restaurant, Noah opened the car door and said respectfully, "Mr. Holden, Gabriel is willing to talk. He admitted that someone gave him orders.


    "It was the same person who gave him the smoke to spray into sh''s mouth as well, but Gabriel had no idea who it was. He said the person sent it to him via express delivery but didn''t see who gave the orders. He also gave me a phone number."


    Marcus hummed in response before getting out of the car. "Take me to see him." "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Noah led Marcus into the Helianese restaurant, but they didn''t go upstairs. Instead, they headed for the back room.


    He pressed a hidden button on the wall, and a secret door slid open slowly. Marcus stepped through the door first onto a corridor. After a short distance, they arrived at a small secret room.


    Marcus entered the secret room, where Gabriely weakly on the floor. His face was bloody and battered, making him look unrecognizable.


    "Wake him up," Marcus ordered as he took a seat, slowly wiping his hands with a tissue.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden." Noah reached for a bucket of cold water before sshing it directly on Gabriel''s head.


    A shrill scream echoed throughout the secret room. Gabriel sat up on the floor in a hurry immediately.


    "You''re awake." Marcus'' low yet chilly voice caused Gabriel to shiver instantly.


    "Mr. Holden, I was wrong. I''ve made a big mistake." Gabriel nced at Marcus as he kept begging. "I shouldn''t have been so greedy for the money. I never should''ve let sh run into your car.


    He groveled at Marcus'' feet. "I beg you to look the other way and let me off. Please, I beg you. I''m begging you."


    "Gabriel, I''m giving you onest chance. Tell me honestly. Who gave you the orders?" Marcus stood up and crouched down to stare at Gabriel.


    "It''s not like I can''t let you go, but I want to hear the truth. Guess what happened to thest person who tried to hurt my woman." Marcus''s calm voice sounded maic, but he sounded like a demon to Gabriel at that moment.


    "Mr. Holden, I''m really sorry. I really have no idea who it was."


    "The number you gave Noah is no longer in service." Marcus stood up and gave Noah a meaningful look. Noah stepped forward and grabbed Gabriel before smashing his head roughly against the floor.


    Gabriel screamed in agony, but it didn''tst for long because Noah shoved a rag into his mouth. "Think about it carefully before you answer again."


    Marcus took out another phone and logged into an email address full of zeroes. He began checking the messages for the past few days. He saw a photo from two days ago and erged it. With a smirk, he saved the photo before sending it.


    "I''m in a good mood, so I''ll give you another ten seconds. If you don''t have an answer, I..." Magnus smirked. "I''ll send you to mine coal at my family''s mines in Afrasia!"


    "After all, the Walkers have already fired you. No one in Dithoria State would dare to hire you, so I''ll hire you to mine coal. What do you think?"


    Gabriel immediately shook his head and sobbed. He wanted to object, but a rag had been stuffed in his mouth. All he could do was whine.


    Seeing that, Noah reached out to pull the rag out from Gabriel''s mouth. "Tell the truth."


    Gabriel sobbed before shaking his head. "I really have no idea who it was!" Marcus'' patience snapped. "Take him away!" he ordered. "Before sending him to mine coal, let him visit Emma."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Noah replied and took Gabriel away.


    Marcus took out his phone and erged the photo. An 18-year-old Natalie stood underneath a magnolia tree, gazing upward as she reached out to catch a falling magnolia.


    ...


    It was midnight at Hector Private Hospital. Emma had been transferred from the ICU to the VIP ward. Someone pushed the door open to her hospital room before turning on the light.


    The light flooded the entire hospital room. Emma, who had been lying on the hospital bed, was suddenly jolted awake. She instantly turned her head to avoid the blinding lights. As the door closed with a thump, her heart raced.


    "Ms. Emma. An old acquaintance is here to see you."


    The voice sounded familiar to Emma. Once her eyes had adjusted to the light, she saw Gabriel lying against the foot of the hospital bed, covered in wounds.


    The sight caused Emma to shriek in fright. Within the next second, Noah stepped forward to mp her mouth shut.


    "Ms. Emma, what are you screaming for?" Noah asked icily. "I heard your beloved horse was ughtered, and the doctors barely managed to save your life. Don''t scream, okay?"


    He then turned to Gabriel. "Look up."


    Gabriel lifted his head with difficulty and gazed at Emma with a forced smile. "Ms.


    Emma, don''t be afraid. I just got a beating, but I''ll be fine.


    "Rest well, Ms. Emma. It was my fault. I hurt sh."


    He then added, "It was all because of


    that woman who just returned to the Walker family, that Ms. Natalie. She gave me money to drug sh. She''s


    also the one who ordered me to have sh ram into Mr. Holden''s car."


    While speaking, Gabriel started tearing up. "Ms. Emma, I''ve let you, Mr. Walker, and Mrs. Walker down. But I really couldn''t say no to Ms. Natalie."


    Emma stared at Gabriel in a daze. After some time, she reached for the phone and dialed Charlotte''s number.


    "Mom, Gabriel confessed that it was Natalie who gave him the drug. It was Natalie who asked him to drug sh and make it ram into Marcus'' car. Gabriel''s with me, Mom. He said it himself."


    Noah stood nearby with a narrowed gaze. Marcus had mentioned that the incident must have had something to do with Emma. But he never expected Gabriel to frame Natalie.

 Chapter 266 Such Ill Intentions Toward Her Biological Parents

    Emma was worried that Noah would cover her mouth again. As soon as she spoke, she hurriedly mentioned everything in one go.


    After she finished speaking, there was no response on the phone for a long time. She couldn''t help but be nervous at the stillness and silence of the night.


    "Mom," Emma called again cautiously. This time, she heard Charlotte''s voice drifting through the phone.


    "Emma, did Hector tell you that you''ll be recovering in the hospital until your biological parentse for you? You''re never returning to the Walker family." Charlotte''s nonchnt voicecked warmth.


    "Emma, we raised you for 20 years, and you had a good life for so long. That''s not for you to make mistakes by ndering my biological daughter.


    "Family is important. I can''t ignore my biological daughter and not love her so I can care for someone who isn''t rted to me by blood.


    "I raised you for 20 years and cared for you, so I let you stay with the Walkers. But I also reminded you not to cause trouble and harm Natalie. But what did you do?"


    Charlotte took a deep breath before continuing, "I''m not exposing several things because I''m leaving thest shred of dignity for you. Don''t force me to rip that away.


    "The 20 years of our mother-daughter rtionship ends here! Since I''ve raised you for that long, I''ll let you stay at the hospital until your biological parentse and pick you up."


    "What if my biological parents are dead?" Emma''s gaze turned frosty. Her voice had gone extremely cold. "If my biological parents are dead, are you going to ignore mepletely? I haven''t graduated, and you''ve raised me for 20 years. Aren''t you going to n for my studies?"


    "You''re old enough to get a job and support yourself." Charlotte''s voice was colder than Emma''s. "I''m very disappointed in you. You harbor such ill intentions toward your biological parents."


    "I''m just stating facts." Emma bit her lip. "After all, it''s been 20 years. Who knows where my biological parents are?"


    "We''ll find them."


    With that, Charlotte ended the call right away.


    "Was that a call from Emma?" William sat up and draped a shawl around Charlotte.


    "Did I wake you?" Charlotte rubbed her temples. "She called to say that it was Nat who gave Gabriel the orders. But Nat and I checked the surveince footage. Emma was the one acting suspicious. Lincoln was the first one to realize something was wrong.


    "I can''t even imagine why Emma had to target Nat and hate her so much. What makes her behavior any different from Selena''s?


    "Selena could at least argue that Nat lived what should have been Selena''s life for 20 years. But what about Emma? She lived the life Nat should have had for 20 years as well. Why should she refuse to let Nat return home?


    "Of course, Selena isn''t some kindly soul. Nat was only a baby when she was brought to the Langleys and knew nothing at all.


    "Selena suffered hardships outside, so I don''t mind that Diana wants topensate her. But that woman didn''t have the right to hurt my daughter just to make it up to her biological daughter."


    Her voice trembled with fury. "What has my daughter done wrong? Why did those two think she stole their lives? They keep thinking that their suffering is her fault.


    "Selena''s suffering had nothing to do with Nat. Did Nat have a good life with the Langleys? And there''s Emma. Nat didn''t do anything to her as well. In fact, it was Emma who stole Nat''s life."


    "Alright, alright." William could tell that Charlotte was bing angrier as she continued venting. Even her eyes were beginning to turn red, and he was worried that she would start crying. She might even rush out to give Selena and Emma a good beating.


    "It''s our daughter''s wee party the day after tomorrow. There''s still a lot to do. We were never going to believe Emma''s nonsense anyway."


    "We''ve been too kind to her." Charlotte sounded choked up as she continued speaking. "Even after Nat came back, she never asked us to kick Emma out. She also never asked to take away everything we''ve given Emma.


    "Nat''s just slow to warm up since she never really got to experience parental love from the Langleys, nor did she know what it''s like to love her siblings.


    "She had no idea how to get along with Emma, so it''s normal for her not to want to hang out with her. Must Nat spoil Emma the way Sky and the rest of them did just to make her feel loved? Emma simply wanted too much. Her greed knows no bounds."


    "Yes, yes, yes. You''re right about everything, honey. It''s Emma''s fault for being too greedy." William went along with Charlotte. "But it''s in the middle of the night. Why did she suddenly call to talk about this?"


    "She said that Gabriel''s with her, and he admitted to everything."


    "But didn''t Marcus take Gabriel away? Why was Gabriel at the hospital?"


    William had realized something. "It''s past midnight. Gabriel was taken away earlier, but he suddenly showed up at the hospital and even got to see Emma."


    The two exchanged a look and seemed to have reached the same conclusion. At the same time, their expressions darkened instantly.


    A momentter, William spoke first. "Nat''s wee party will be happening soon. We only have one more day, so nothing must go


    wrong I''ll give Marcus a call. I no


    and tell him he can handle Gabriel however he wants. And I''ll ask him to hand us a copy of any proof he has."


    "Sure." Charlotte had no objections. The most important thing to her now was to


    make sure Natalie''s wee party would go perfectly.


    In the future, Natalie would be the Walker family''s heiress in Dithoria State. It would no longer be Emma.


    In the hospital, Emma gripped her phone in disbelief that Charlotte had ended the call. After some time, Emma suddenly burst out inughter.


    Seeing how Emma suddenly startedughing, and herughter grew more manic, Gabriel suddenly felt fearful. "Ms. Emma, what''s going on? Don''t scare me, Ms. Emma."


    As Emmaughed, tears began rolling down her cheeks. She wiped the tears vigorously before gazing at Noah, who stood nearby.


    "Noah, I want to see Marcus. If he doesn''te and see me, I''ll jump off from this building."


    "Ms. Emma, do you know which hospital you''re at now? It''s Hector''s private hospital." Noah smiled faintly before stepping forward to open the window. "I''ve already opened the window for you. If you''ve got any final words, I''ll be happy to pass them along."


    "You..." Emma red ferociously at Noah but was at a loss how to answer him. None of the Walkers were present, so she would never do something to hurt


    herself.


    "I want to speak to Marcus about something very important." Emma calmed


    herself down. "I shouldn''t have threatened you earlier. I''m really sorry. I beg you. Please?"

 Chapter 267 Not Close Before, Now, or Ever

    Emma shot a pleading gaze at Noah. She had loved Marcus since she was young and often kept an eye on him from afar. As for those working for Marcus, she already knew all of them very well.


    Aside from Ethan, Elijah and Noah were the ones Marcus relied on the most. Ethan was Marcus'' assistant, while Elijah and Noah were Marcus'' personal bodyguards.


    Ethan worked for Marcus openly. Elijah and Noah would sometimes operate on Marcus'' behalf in public and behind the scenes.


    Though Ethan had more influence over work-rted affairs, Elijah and Noah had the upper hand when it came to personal matters. After all, they had grown up with the Holdens and were trained from a young age before being assigned to protect Marcus. Despite being bodyguards, they seemed more like brothers to him.


    Aside from being less talkative, Noah was also much more aloof and ruthless than Elijah. Elijah had a sharp tongue and spoke ruthlessly, but he was actually quite softhearted.


    Emma gazed at Noah while biting her lip, her eyes bloodshot. Tonight would definitely be a sleepless night for her.


    Shey in the hospital bed in excruciating pain while everyone at the Walker residence would be enjoying a horse feast. Though she wasn''t there, she could imagine the lively atmosphere.


    "Ms. Emma, it''s no use begging me," Noah said nonchntly, his expression remaining nk. "Mr. Holden said he was never close to you before, nor would he be now or in the future."


    He continued, "He also said that the way you look at him makes him uneasy. He''s even more disgusted by the way you drugged him.


    "Ms. Emma, although you aren''t Mr. and Mrs. Walker''s biological daughter, you did grow up with the Walkers for the past 20 years. How could you not have learned any basic manners and morals?"


    While speaking, Noah''s gaze was filled with confusion. "Are your genes the reason why the darkness is always within you even though you''re living in a good environment?"


    Emma bit down harder on her lip. After some time, she slowlyy on the hospital bed again and covered herself with the nkets. She shut her eyes and said nothing.


    Noah smirked before dragging Gabriel forward. "Ms. Emma, do you have anything more to say to your helper? After this, I don''t know if you''ll ever meet again."


    "Ms. Emma, Ms. Emma. Open your eyes and look at me," Gabriel yelled. "Ms. Emma, I''ll always be loyal to you. My loyalty will never change.


    "No matter who the Walkers think their heiress is, you''ll always be the heiress to me. Who does Natalie think she is? You are the true heiress of the Walker family, Ms. Emma."


    Hearing Gabriel''s words, Emma opened her eyes again and met Gabriel''s gaze. Gabriel immediately broke into a satisfied smile. "Ms. Emma, don''t worry. Even if the Walkers don''t want you anymore, Cindy and I still love you."


    "Gabriel, don''t do something stupid because of me," Emma choked out. "I''m just happy you feel that way. Just don''t ever do anything foolish." Emma emphasized while looking at Gabriel. Her pitiful gaze held a subtle, sharp glint.


    Gabriel gazed at Emma with adoration and admiration. "Ms. Emma, don''t worry. I won''t do anything foolish. I want to continue living and serve you well in the future."


    "I don''t want you to help me," Emma replied. "I want you to live well."


    "Okay, that''s enough of this nonsense." Noah dragged Gabriel out like he was nothing and took him out of the hospital room.


    Only Emma remained in the hospital room. She noticed that Noah didn''t even bother shutting the hospital room door after leaving, so she pressed the call bell by the bedside.


    She was severely injured, but the Walkers didn''t even arrange for a dedicated nurse to take care of her. In the past, the entire family would be anxious to even learn that she had a minor scratch or injury. Their current behavior was such a sharp contrast.


    After pressing the call bell, it didn''t take long for someone to enter the room. It was Hector, dressed in arge white coat.


    "How are you? Feeling better?" Hector approached Emma and felt her forehead. "Normal temperature. You don''t have any fever."


    "Hector, I want to see Marcus." Emma''s eyes reddened. "Dad, Mom, and Natalie ughtered sh."


    Hearing Emma''s words, Hector pulled a chair over and sat before the bed. "Don''t you think sh should be put down? sh ram into Marcus'' car and even injured you. It almost hurt others at home.


    "Emma, don''t you think putting him down was the right choice? Besides, you mentioned that you want to see Marcus. What does that have to do with whether sh has been ughtered?"


    Hector''s tone sounded calm and gentle. "Marcus doesn''t like you. Anyone who paid attention could tell that he''s always kept a distance from you.


    "You''ve always been so sensible from a young age and never forced yourself on those uninterested in you. Why can''t you let go of him now?"


    Emma bit her lip and didn''t respond to Hector''s question.


    "Emma, tell me the truth. Did you have something to do with sh going mad? Did you give orders to Gabriel?"


    Hector reached out to tuck Emma under the nket and softened his voice even more. "There''s no one else here except for you and me. Even if you really did do something, I won''t tell our parents."


    "Hector, I didn''t do it." Tears rolled


    BUT


    down Emma''s cheeks. Her voice trembled, and she couldn''t help but sob. "Sky gave me sh as a present. How could I let Gabriel hurt


    sh? You''re also aware that I really


    like Marcus. Why would I let sh


    hurt him?"


    Hector adjusted his sses before replying calmly, "But Sophia was in Marcus'' car that day."


    "Sophia is Sky''s girlfriend and my future sister-inw. I wouldn''t have gone after her since she was in Marcus'' car!"


    She wiped her tears away and added, "I know. Natalie fed you this nonsense, right? She believes that I''m the culprit, so she asked you to interrogate me."


    "No, it has nothing to do with Nat." Hector gazed at the tearful Emma, but the warmth he had before wasz gone. "Emma, you always me Nat for everything. Be honest with me. Are you really not jealous of her at all


    "Never!" Emma raised her voice. "I''m not jealous of her. Hector, don''t you use


    me of that."


    Hector pursed his lips. Emma had answered far too quickly in such a ferocious manner and kept avoiding eye contact with him. She was clearly flustered.


    Indeed, Emma wasn''t rted to the Walkers. Despite being raised properly for 20 years, she still let him down.


    "Emma, answer me honestly. Did you have anything to do with sh hurting you?"

 Chapter 268 Hectors Confession to Natalie

    Emma''s tears fell even faster as she asked, "Why do you keep asking me these questions, Hector? Is it only when I admit to it that you''ll be satisfied?


    "I didn''t do anything! Why won''t you believe me? Is it because I''m not your real sister? Because we don''t share the same blood? Is that why you''re so determined to push me to the edge?"


    Seeing her in such a state, Hector knew it was pointless to continue. He got up and switched off the light in her ward.


    "Get some rest," he said.


    Emma clutched the white coat he was wearing. "Hector, I need to see Marcus. Please, I''m begging you to help me just this once. If you refuse to help me, then PH... P''H..."


    She faltered, unable toe up with a real threat.


    To her surprise, Hector agreed without hesitation. "I''ll help you, Emma. But after you see Marcus, don''t even think abouting home again."


    Emma''s eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Do you even realize what you''re saying, Hector?"


    "I know exactly what I''m saying, Emma. The question is-do you know what you''re doing?" His voice lost its gentleness, turning steely and firm.


    Emma would catch the warning in his words if she were wise enough. Yet, Hector wouldn''t stop her if she decided to disregard it. He wasn''t going to save someone who was bent on ruining themselves.


    "I''ll arrange for Marcus to see you once, Emma."


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


    "Hector! Hector!" Emma called after him, but he never turned around.


    Some words didn''t need to be spoken again.


    ...


    The next day, Hector arrived at the Walker residence to find the cepletely transformed. Jasmine flowers bloomed in every corner while the walls borerge, carefully arranged photos of Natalie.


    Charlotte and Gorge meticulously checked everyst detail, while Mason flitted from one spot to another, inspecting every corner to ensure perfection.


    Lincoln had left for thepany early that morning. With Sky gone, his workload had doubled.


    Charlotte had insisted that Sky return for the wee party that night before going back to digging into the baby-switching case from back then.


    Meanwhile, Timothy had returned, bringing his team with him. He was in the dining room, sipping coffee and chatting with Natalie and Olivia when Hector arrived.


    After asking a helper where to find them, Hector knocked on the dining room door. Everyone inside turned to look at him in unison.


    "Hector''s back!" Natalie was the first to speak.


    Hector gave a gentle smile. "Yes, I''m back."


    "You must be tired after the night shift, right? Go get some rest, Hector," Natalie said.


    Since returning to the Walker family, she had slowly gotten used to showing more concern for them.


    "I''m fine," Hector replied. "I need your help with something, Nat."


    On his way over, he had already spoken to Marcus.


    After hearing Hector''s request, Marcus had gone quiet for a long moment before agreeing on one condition-Natalie had to visit Charles at Holden Residence.


    Hector saw no reason to refuse, so he agreed without a second thought. Marcus didn''t care about Emma. Seeing him would only wound her further. There was no chance he''d give her any hope.


    "Sure!" Natalie said, rising from her seat. She exchanged a brief word with Timothy before following Hector out of the dining room.


    "Emma wants to see Marcus, but he agreed on one condition-you have to visit Mr. Holden Senior," Hector exined. "Have you changed your bandage yet, Nat? Does your hand still hurt?"


    He reached for her hand.


    She shook her head. "It doesn''t hurt anymore. I''ll do it, Hector."


    "Are you sure? I don''t want you to feel like you have to, Nat."


    Her immediate agreement made Hector feel uneasy. It was as if he was pushing her into something she might not really want to do.


    "No, I don''t mind at all," Natalie said with a smile. "Grandpa Charles has always been kind to me. I should visit him. But if Marcus is going to see Emma, can Ie along just to watch?"


    "Of course," Hector said with a smallugh. "Marcus doesn''t like Emma, so he''ll probably have plenty of nasty things to say."


    "And she still wants to see him?" Natalie asked, finding it strange.


    Aside from being good-looking and well-built, Marcus didn''t exactly have much else going for him. Was Emma really that shallow?


    "Yeah, let her meet him if she insists. That should be enough to get her to give up. Honestly, I didn''t want here ruining your wee party, so had Marcus meet her to make sure she felt discouraged. It''s better if she stays at the hospital and doesn''t show up at all."


    "You''re actually worried that Emma might try something, aren''t you?" Natalie chuckled. "She''d be pretty upset if she found out you were this cautious around her."


    Hectorughed as well. "I''m not oblivious, Nat. Some things are hard to put into words, but I can clearly see it. She''s been with us for 20 years, and I''ve always cared for her like a sister.


    "I don''t want to see her go down the wrong road. If there''s even a sliver of a chance to stop her, I''ll take it-that''s what a brother does. But if she insists on taking that route after everything, I''ll step back and walk away without regrets.


    "You''re my true sister, Nat, so I''m


    telling you exactly how I feel. I know


    you


    won''t judge me for it. Feelings


    can be messy, and things aren''t alwaysas clear as we want them to be. I''m not ready to treat Emma like an enemy when I don''t have clear proof of my suspicions.


    "But I won''t hesitate to act if she keeps pushing boundaries or tries to hurt you


    and the Walkers. I just need to be certain before I make a final call. Will you hold that against me?"


    Natalie shook her head. "No, not at all. Actually, I''m d you''re being open with me."


    Hector smiled and said, "I''ve never been one for ying games or sugarcoating things. I''d rather just be upfront. Whether you ept it or end up resenting me, I can live with that."


    "Funny enough, I feel the same way," Natalie replied, her eyes crinkling into a warm smile.


    Hector''s willingness to share his feelings with her was a sign that he truly saw her as his sister. After all, people would only open up to those they held closest.

 Chapter 269 Under the Magnolia Tree

    After their heartfelt conversation, Hector and Natalie shared a quiet smile. He gently took her hand and led her to get her wound rebandaged.


    "I heard Goodwill Pharmacy has a famous scar-removal ointment," he said. "Once your scab falls off, I''ll pick some up for you."


    "Alright! Thank you, Hector." Natalie epted his kindness without hesitation- and without revealing that she owned Goodwill Pharmacy.


    She also kept quiet about Sophia, who was still recovering there. The fewer people who knew about her connection to the ce, the better.


    Natalie''s wee party was approaching quickly. As Sky''s girlfriend, Sophia was expected to attend. Otherwise, people would start making assumptions.


    Marcus had kept her injury quiet so far, and now seemed like the perfect time to let others know.


    Natalie frowned. She''d have to swing by Goodwill Pharmacyter to talk to Marcus and see how he wanted to handle things.


    "Alright, let''s go to the hospital. I''ll let Olivia and Timothy know we''re leaving," she said.


    "Sure. Your wee party''s tomorrow, Nat. Are you getting nervous?" Hector asked, his gaze warm with affection.


    Recently, Natalie had grown closer to the Walkers, and it was something that brought them joy.


    With her striking looks, she was bound to be the center of attention at the wee party. Had she not been taken by the wrong family as a baby, she would have grown up among Dithoria State''s young elites.


    She and Marcus would have been childhood sweethearts instead of strangers who had broken off an engagement. Well, perhaps slightly better than strangers since Charles'' connection to the Walkers kept some thread between them.


    Hector didn''t return to his room. Instead, he lingered outside, waiting until Natalie came running to meet him.


    She was dressed in a light-gray hooded sweatshirt, loose light-blue jeans, and white sneakers. Her hair was casually swept into a bun, and her natural, makeup- free face was refined and pure.


    Her smile always made her eyebrows arch just right. Her smooth, fair skin seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, highlighting the fine features of her face.


    A few words surfaced in Hector''s mind-youthful, beautiful, pure, gentle, and full of life. And this was his little sister. The thought brought a sense of contentment and pride in him. His whole demeanor softened as he looked at her.


    "Alright, let''s go," he said.


    Natalie walked up to him and replied with a smile, "Sure."


    "I''ll call Marcus. After seeing Emma, go with him to visit Mr. Holden Senior."


    "Okay, sounds good," Natalie replied. She needed to check on Charles'' recovery anyway.


    Once Hector finished his call with Marcus, Natalie took the wheel while he dozed off in the passenger seat. By the time they reached the hospital, Marcus was already waiting.


    Natalie parked and reached over to nudge Hector. "We''re here, Hector."


    Hector blinked awake. "That was fast."


    "Yup."


    "Let''s go!"


    They exited the car just as Marcus ended his call. His gaze darkened slightly when he spotted Natalie.


    "Ms. Walker, we cross paths again," he remarked.


    "Marcus, go with Nat to see Emma," Hector said. "I''ll stay in the car and get some rest. Tomorrow is Nat''s wee party, and I need to be in good shape."


    "Alright, Hector. Take it easy," Natalie said before turning to Marcus. "Let''s go, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus gave a quiet hum and followed her to the elevator. The lobby was bustling with people, and the elevator took its time to arrive.


    When it finally reached the first floor, Natalie stepped forward, only for someone to suddenly crash into her. Marcus immediately pulled her into his arms to shield her.


    The person who had barreled into her tried to enter the elevator, but Marcus caught the person''s arm.


    "Apologize to her," he demanded.


    "Apologize for what? No one''s hurt, are they? Now, are you getting in or not? Because if you''re not, I''m closing the doors."


    The speaker was an older woman, her sharp, angr features made even more severe by her sunken cheeks and upward-nting eyes She red at Marcus and Natalie like they were a personal insult to her very existence.


    "All dressed to the nines, yet you don''t even know how to show respect to your


    elders," she scoffed. "Apologize to her? Not a fucking chance in hell!"


    Natalie''s expression darkened instantly. "Why are you swearing at us?"


    "Swearing at you? Hell yeah, I am! You two pieces of garbage can''t keep your hands off each other in public. If you want to grope each other, do it at home, under the damn covers!"


    With that, the old woman spat in their direction. Marcus swiftly pulled Natalie aside, and the spittlended harmlessly on the floor.


    "Get lost, you little punks!" she snarled before jabbing at the elevator button.


    "You okay?" Marcus asked, holding Natalie''s hand as he looked her over. "Did any of that filth get on you? You need a shower and a change of clothes."


    "Huh?" Natalie was still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened when Marcus whisked her out of the hospital.


    He led her around the corner to the right and into a nearby hotel. "We need a room. Go take a shower. I''ll grab you something clean to wear."


    "What?" Natalie was caught off guard.


    They were meant to be heading to see Emma, but now Marcus was guiding her into a hotel and telling her to take a shower. He pressed the keycard into her hand and turned to leave.


    "Seriously, I''m fine. Nothing even touched me," Natalie insisted, grabbing his arm. "You need to take a shower," Marcus said firmly, his deep,manding voice leaving no room for argument. "Please take a shower, Ms. Walker. I''ll be back soon."


    Natalie was left speechless. After Marcus left, she fiddled with the keycard for a bit, then decided to hold off on going to her room. Instead, she found a seat in the hotel lobby and waited.


    20 minutester, Marcus returned, carrying two or three shopping bags. The moment he spotted her, his frown deepened as he strode over.


    "Ms. Walker, why aren''t you in the room?" he asked.


    "I really don''t think it''s necessary," Natalie said.


    "These clothes have already been dry-cleaned. You can put them on right away," Marcus said, passing her the bags. "I''ll be here waiting for you, Ms. Walker. I''m sure that old woman''s spit got on you."


    He sounded so certain that Natalie gave up on arguing. Otherwise, his obsessive


    need for order would probably spiral out of control.


    "Fine. Thank you, Mr. Holden," she said, taking the bags and stepping into the elevator with the keycard.


    About 20 minutester, Natalie came out wearing the new outfit, the bags in hand. Marcus had gotten her a fitted light-blue dress and a thin-knit cardigan embroidered with tiny white jasmine flowers.


    On her feet were two-inch crystal-studded heels that matched the dress perfectly,


    enhancing the elegance and beauty of her look.


    Marcus watched as Natalie approached him, the hem of her dress swaying lightly around her legs. She radiated beauty, her form slender and poised. Her expression remained neutral, her features impably striking.


    She revived the image of the young woman standing under the magnolia tree in


    his mind.

 Chapter 270 Disgusting

    Marcus watched Natalie approach, his eyes steady and unblinking. He was more than satisfied with the outfit he''d picked.


    Natalie had no clue what was going through his head as she reached him quickly. "Mr. Holden, I''m ready. Can we go now?"


    "Yeah, let''s go," Marcus said, getting up and walking beside her.


    A breeze swept past, bringing a faint scent of lemon to his nose. The hotel''s body wash must be lemon-scented.


    ...


    Back at the hospital, Marcus skipped the guest elevator. Instead, he took Natalie down a different corridor and used the staff elevator to reach the VIP floor.


    After stepping out, Natalie asked tly, "Why didn''t you take me this way earlier?"


    "I just found out about it. Hector mentioned it when I called him while getting your clothes," Marcus said as he walked ahead.


    They reached Emma''s VIP ward in no time, and Marcus knocked on the door.


    "Come in." Emma''s voice came from the bed.


    "I''ll wait here," Natalie said. She had no intention of going inside. She was only here to wait for Marcus so they could visit Charles afterward.


    "Alright," Marcus replied.


    He pushed the door open and stepped in, leaving it ajar. Natalie leaned against the wall outside.


    "Ms. Emma," Marcus said, his tone ice-cold. "I heard you were eager to see me. So, have you finally decided to confess your sins?"


    Whatever fleeting joy Emma had felt vanished in an instant.


    "Gabriel has already confessed," Marcus continued, watching the color drain from her face. "He said you were the one behind it."


    He spoke in a deep, frigid tone, every syble slicing through the air. His dark, prating gaze locked onto Emma. His stare had always been intense, and now, with every trace of warmth stripped away, it left her frozen in ce.


    "You gave him the drugced cigarettes, and you ordered him to have sh ram into my car," Marcus said, his gaze unwavering. "You''ve been so eager to see me. What is it? Finally ready to confess and make amends?"


    Emma''s face turned ghostly pale, her eyes widening in shock. Under the covers, her fingers clenched the bedsheet in a death grip.


    It couldn''t be true. Gabriel had sworn he''d never betray her. If something had changed, he would have warned her when Noah brought him in the middle of the night.


    Marcus had to be bluffing. He could do nothing as long as Emma refused to admit it. She clung to that belief.


    She braced herself, masking her emotions. Her eyes reddened with unshed tears, and she bit her lip, looking on the verge of breaking as she gazed at Marcus.


    "Marcus," she choked out, her voice catching. "I never did any of the things you''re using me of. You''vepletely misunderstood me.


    "First, you said I drugged you at Holden Residence, and now you im I ordered Gabriel to do all this. I have no grudge against you. Why would I ever want to hurt you? Besides, I love you."


    Emma steeled herself and revealed her deepest emotions. "I love you, Marcus. How could I ever bring you harm? I know you think the worst of me, but I swear, I had no part in this.


    "I begged to see youst night, and you refused. I had to plead with Hector just to get you toe. Marcus, we were promised to each other as children. I''ve always seen you as my fianc¨¦, my future husband-"


    "Enough." Marcus cut her off, his tone cold and unyielding. "Emma, everything you''re saying sickens me. I''ve never met anyone as disgusting as you."


    "What?" Emma froze, her eyes wide in disbelief. "What did you say, Marcus? Say it again."


    "You can ask me to repeat it a hundred times, but it won''t change a thing," Marcus said.


    His patience wore thin as he repeated coldly, "I''ve never met anyone as disgusting as you, Emma Walker. Your little act of innocence doesn''t fool me.


    "Those tears and your pathetic show only make your ws stand out more. It''s so sickening. Maybe it''ll help people lose their appetite and shed some weight."


    Emma''s face turned pale at his words. She had been acting helpless, and his harsh usationnded exactly where it was meant to.


    "Do me a favor and quit telling people you were once my fianc¨¦e. The engagement my parents arranged with the Walkers was meant for Mrs. Walker''s biological daughter, not for some imposter."


    With that, Marcus got up, towering over Emma. "Ms. Emma, stop bothering me if you still have any self-respect. I might have spared you some respect if you''d kept your distance and held yourself with dignity like before.


    "But the moment you drugged me, that was it. An imposter is always an imposter. Even after all the effort the Walkers put into raising you for 20 years, the rot in your bones remains."


    Marcus despised being drugged more than anything. Worse, Emma had done it in Holden Residence and tried to sneak into his room afterward. Her intentions couldn''t have been clearer.


    Time had passed, but he had never intended to let it slide.


    Charles had covered for her-out of


    respect for the old ties between the


    Holden and Walker families and because the Walkers had yet to find their real daughter. Tearing that rtionship apart back then would have been a mess.


    Now that Emma was no longer the Walkers'' daughter and had done something unforgivable to Marcus, he had no reason to spare her any longer.


    "I didn''t do it!" Emma shouted, herposure slipping. "Marcus, you can''t just pin this on me!"


    Marcus sneered. "You know exactly whether I''m pinning this on you or not. The only reason I haven''t taken action is out of respect for Mr. and Mrs. Walker. But Emma, you''d better hope Sophia recoverspletely. If she doesn''t, you''ll regret it."


    "Sophia is Sky''s girlfriend. Why are you defending her?" Emma''s chest rose and fell rapidly, whether from anger or agitation. "Marcus, don''t tell me you''re into her. She''s with Sky. So what''s going on between you two? I''ll tell him she''s cheating, that she''s ying you both!"

 Chapter 271 Teaming Up to Trick Emma

    The moment Emma stopped talking, Marcus'' strikingly handsome face turned as dark as a stormy sky. He lunged forward, seizing her by the throat.


    "Emma, choose your words carefully," he warned.


    Marcus'' deep, captivating voice carried a venomous edge. "Don''t think everyone shares your dirty thoughts. If you nder Sophia and me again, I''ll end you."


    As Marcus delivered his threat, his grip tightened abruptly. Emma struggled to breathe, feeling as though the air had beenpletely drained from her lungs.


    She reached out to p Marcus'' hand from around her neck. His arm, sculpted with lean muscles, radiated power, both refined and formidable. Yet now, that power was poised to choke the life out of her.


    Just as Emma''s eyes began to roll back and she teetered on the brink of unconsciousness, a delicate, slender hand gripped Marcus'' wrist, apanied by a cold voice. "Marcus, calm down."


    At those words, Marcus'' fingers instantly rxed. Emma was freed, and she began to cough violently, desperately gulping in the air.


    Natalie, having stood by the hospital room door, had overheard their entire exchange. She watched Emma cough, then shifted her gaze to Marcus. It was clear Marcus had deep feelings for Sophia.


    "Emma, Gabriel has admitted to everything. He''s been turned over to the police," Natalie said calmly. "sh was a birthday present from Sky. How could you use it recklessly, drive it to madness, and ultimately cause its death? Don''t you feel


    guilty toward Sky?"


    Natalie fixed her gaze on Emma. "Sophia is Sky''s girlfriend and your future sister- inw. Just because she''s close with Mr. Holden, you intend to harm them both.


    "Are Mom and Dad aware of how malicious and envious you are? Do they realize that the daughter they''ve cherished and raised for 20 years has be so spiteful?"


    Emma couldn''t stop coughing. "I didn''t do it..." she choked out. Though fear churned inside her, she refused to let it show. "I didn''t do these things, Natalie. You can''t use me unjustly."


    As she spoke, tears streamed down her cheeks. "I know you dislike me. You believe I''ve stolen the life you should''ve lived for 20 years, and you''re trying to push me out by staging all this. Gabriel has already said that you ordered him to do it.


    "Natalie, I didn''t want to bring this up, but why are you trying to pass the me? Marcus, when Gabriel visited me earlier, your bodyguard, Noah, was present. He heard it himself. Gabriel said it was Natalie who gave the orders."


    "Emma, you''re truly stubborn," Marcus remarked with a frosty tone.


    He pulled a pile of photographs from his pocket and tossed them directly at Emma.


    Emma picked up the photos. They revealed that during her travels, she was in a bar with a man, epting a box of cigarettes and a white paper packet from him.


    "Gabriel has already admitted what was in the white packet," Marcus said, his eyes narrowing with a chilly intensity. "Even with all the evidence before you, do you still want to deny it?"


    "See for yourself. This is the call you made to Gabriel." Marcus produced another stack of papers, tossing them forcefully at Emma.


    "Noah traced this number. It was obtained through special means while you were traveling. Even though Gabriel has admitted to everything, you''re still behaving this way."


    Emma collected the photos and papers that Marcus had tossed aside. After examining them, she remained surprisinglyposed.


    "Marcus, the person in these photos


    from


    is indeed me, but the reality is different from what you''re iming, The cigarettes and the white paper packet are in my bedroom at the Walker residence. If you search there, you''ll find them.


    "Test the powder in the packet, and you''ll discover it''s just milk powder. As for the cigarettes, they''re a new type ofdies'' cigarettes. They''re not addictive. It''s like drinking diet soda.


    "And your im that I used special channels to get this number and then called Gabriel is absurd. I was on a trip to unwind. I wouldn''t waste my time on something so trivial.


    "If you''re saying I made the call, then show me the recording. If Gabriel supposedly said this, then have Noah bring him here to face me. Marcus, I refuse to admit to something I didn''t do."


    Emma''s eyes were still red, but she had regained herposure and calmness. She systematically countered the evidence Marcus presented.


    "If you im I misunderstood you and Sophia, then I apologize. However, I will not concede that I directed Gabriel. This evidence doesn''t prove it was my doing."


    Marcus moved forward, but Natalie quickly caught his arm, stopping him. She shook her head, advising, "Mr. Holden, keep your hands clean."


    Emma''s face lost its color at Natalie''sment, and she nearly lost her cool. "What are you implying, Natalie? Are you calling me dirty?"


    Natalie tilted her head slightly. "Did I specify anyone? You''re quick to assume I''m referring to you. Feeling guilty, perhaps?"


    "Why you..."


    "Emma, do you really think your excuses are foolproof?" Natalie asked icily "Enjoy the good times while you can becausew


    enforcement will soon take


    you


    away We''ve already submitted this evidence to them. Save your exnations for your debate with the authorities!"


    With that, she briskly led Marcus out of the hospital room. Once they were outside, they didn''t rush off. Instead, they stood beside the door and simultaneously took out their phones to start recording audio.


    In the next moment, the sound of objects being thrown and furious shouting erupted from within.


    "Natalie, you bitch! Ever since you returned, Mom and Dad have only paid attention to you. I''m the eldest daughter of the Walker family! I''m the true heiress. Why do Lincoln, Hector, and the others dote on you so much?


    "You shouldn''t have returned. If you hadn''t, Marcus would still be mine. He wouldn''t have broken off the engagement. I hate you! I hate you so much! Die! Just die now!


    "If you die, Mom and Dad will be mine. My brothers will be mine. You filthy bitch, why did you have toe back?"


    Emma continued to hurl objects and insults at Natalie without stopping. "You should have remained the Langley family''s blood bank forever, drained until you were nothing but a dried-up corpse!


    "You should have been deceived and used by Grace, working yourself to death in


    the Langley household for the rest of your miserable life!"


    Marcus watched Natalie. Despite the verbal assault, her expression remained serene. Her beautiful eyes showed no emotion, making it impossible to discern her feelings. How could she stay soposed amidst such harsh words?

 Chapter 272 Reclaim Her Wedding Dress

    In the hospital room, Emma was furiously hurling insults, as Natalie stood outside, serenely filming with her phone.


    Noticing Marcus watching her, Natalie arched an eyebrow and returned his gaze. Seeing the mix of sympathy and hesitation in his eyes, she gradually let a smile form on her lips. It was a mysterious and deep smile.


    For a brief moment, Marcus felt disoriented. The Natalie standing before him appeared refined-her skin was wless, and her smile was stunningly enchanting, mesmerizing like a fairy.


    Her striking eyes sparkled, captivating anyone who gazed into them, but they also carried a hint of aloofness. Both captivating and perilous.


    After Emma finished her bout of shouting and throwing items around the hospital room, a nurse hurriedly approached.


    Natalie put her phone away and raised an eyebrow at Marcus, who snapped out of his reverie. He quickly saved the recording and stashed his phone.


    During their car ride to the hospital, they agreed that since theycked definitive proof against Emma, they would fabricate some convincing yet false evidence to coax her into confessing.


    Although Gabriel consistently imed he had no involvement with Emma, Marcus and Natalie were convinced she was the mastermind.


    However, Gabriel refused to acknowledge this, and Noah hadn''t uncovered any solid evidence, so they decided to use this tactic to trick her into revealing the truth.


    Surprisingly, even when confronted with the "evidence", Emma wouldn''t confess.


    It didn''t matter if she denied it. Natalie and Marcus were prepared to wait outside the door for her to lose her temper and inadvertently reveal her mistakes.


    As expected, they captured Emma''s heated remarks aimed at Natalie.


    "Let''s go," Natalie said calmly.


    Marcus gave a small nod, and they left the hospital one after the other.


    Once outside, Natalie climbed into Hector''s car, while Marcus entered his own car.


    "Hector, take us to Holden Residence first," Natalie instructed, handing her phone to Hector. "y the recording of Emma."


    Hector had been napping and was still somewhat groggy. He rubbed his eyes and grabbed a wet wipe from the car''spartment. Once he wiped his face, he was finally fully awake. Only after this did he y the recording that Natalie had asked him to hear.


    Emma''s hysterical shouting immediately filled the car.


    The word "bitch" echoed repeatedly, causing Hector''s expression to turn grim. He stopped the recording before it ended.


    He found it hard to believe that the Walker family''s daughter, raised with so much care, money, and affection, could be so coarse and malicious.


    "I''ll inform our parents about this immediately," Hector said with a serious look.


    "Any affection I felt for Emma has vanished entirely this time."


    Natalie smirked slightly and started the car, trailing behind Marcus'' car.


    "Hector, share this recording with the family group," she instructed.


    "Alright," Hector agreed without dy and quickly sent the recording to their family group.


    Shortly after, Charlotte sent a message in the group chat. "From this moment on, Emma is no longer allowed to set foot in this house. Change herst name immediately and issue a statement dering that she has no further connection to the Walker family."


    Charlotte: "Hector, arrange for her to be transferred to another hospital right away. She can go wherever she wants. She doesn''t deserve ess to any more of the Walker family''s resources."


    William: "Listen up, all of you brothers. If any of you dare to show even the slightest bit of sympathy for Emma, be prepared to be kicked out of the family."


    William: "Who does Emma think she is? How dare she insult my daughter like that."


    Lincoln: "Understood. I won''t give Emma any support. Father and Mother, rest assured. I''ll also take back everything I''ve ever given her. I''d rather donate it than let an ungrateful person like her have it."


    Hector: "I stand with Lincoln."


    Timothy: "I''ll follow Father and Mother''s decision."


    Mason: "I stand with Lincoln and Hector. I''ll also follow Father and Mother''s decision. My only real sister will always be Nat."


    Charlotte: "@Sky, why aren''t you saying anything?"


    Sky was returning to Dithoria State from Amberton. After he listened to the recording shared in the group, he was shocked at first and then became quiet.


    Soon after, his phone began buzzing with messages from his family members, each distancing themselves from Emma and asking for the return of gifts and money they had given her. This made him feel very uneasy.


    The situation worsened when Charlotte tagged him, clearly pushing him to take a side. Thinking about the gentle and sweet little girl he had cherished now being ostracized by the family, Sky felt awful.


    Seeing that Sky hadn''t replied, Charlotte quickly initiated a voice call. Now, he couldn''t avoid it; he had to pick up the phone.


    "Sky, why aren''t you speaking?" Charlotte''s voice, cold and stern, came through, and Sky sensed that a poor response might mean he shouldn''t bother going home.


    Taking a moment to gather himself, he answered slowly, "I wasn''t holding my phone and didn''t see it. Mother, what''s going on?"


    "Now, pay attention to your phone, listen to the recording, and then make your choice," Charlotte instructed before ending the call.


    Sky inhaled deeply and yed the


    voice recording he had already heard once. Amidst the noise of objects being thrown, Emma''s voice resounded with her curses of aimed at Natalie, revealing her deep-seated anger.


    This time, Sky couldn''te up with any exnation or excuse for Emma in the family group chat. Hector had


    ¦Ð¦Ï¦Ô


    posted the recording, which meant he must have heard it himself, Sky couldn''t argue that it was technologically fabricated meant to frame Emma.


    After some thought, Sky slowly typed into the group: "I stand with Mother and Father. Does Nat know about this? I want to ask her what kind ofpensation she wants. As her older brother, I can offer whatever it is."


    His strategy was to calm Natalie for now. If she decided to be forgiving, then after reprimanding Emma and pleading for her, there might still be hope. However, if Natalie decided to escte the situation, Emma would certainly have no chance at all.


    After Sky sent the message, Hector informed Natalie, who was driving, "Nat, Sky


    wants to know whatpensation you''d like, and he''s willing to provide it."


    Natalie smirked. "Is he trying to make up for Emma?"


    Hector nodded with a sigh. "He seems to be."


    He was concerned Natalie might think he was siding with Sky, so he quickly rified his position. "Sky always takes Emma''s side. Whenever she messes up, Sky is there to shield her.


    "You could say that whenever Emmands in hot water, Sky is the one who bails her out. Nat, I''m on our parents'' side, along with your Lincoln, Timothy, and Mason."


    "Hector, I want the wedding dress in Emma''s room," Natalie said with a sweet smile. "The Starry Brilliance. I want to wear that dress at the wee party."

 Chapter 273 Charles Seeks Help

    Hector was surprised and needed a moment to remember what Natalie meant by Starry Brilliance.


    "That''s fine. You don''t have to inform Sky. Emma can''t keep any of her things anymore. But Nat, that''s a wedding dress Emma has already tried on. Are you sure you want it?"


    "Yes, I really want that wedding dress," Natalie said with a soft smile.


    While others might not understand, she knew exactly how much that dress meant


    to her. It was the first wedding dress she had ever designed and created. It symbolized her first dream, sold to helpunch Nouvelle Zara.


    After all the ups and downs, Natalie never imagined she would one day have the chance to reim this dress and wear it herself.


    Who said a wedding dress was only for weddings? She could wear it at her wee party, and it would fit the event perfectly.


    "Hector, tell Sky that I want that wedding dress."


    "Alright." Then, he quickly replied to Sky, "Sky, Nat mentioned she wants Starry Brilliance. You don''t mind, do you?"


    Upon seeing the request, Sky''s expression immediately shifted. He vividly recalled this particr wedding dress. He had gone with Emma to a fashion show where she immediately fell for the dress and ended up paying a hefty price to win it at auction.


    After acquiring the dress, Emma had held his arm with a sweet, joyful smile, saying, "Sky, I''ll wear this wedding dress when I get married. I''m sure I''ll look stunning in it."


    He could still recall the way he had affectionately gazed at Emma, feeling a touch of sadness and envy that his younger sister had grown up and was already contemting marriage.


    Naturally, the person she intended to marry was Marcus, who had been promised to her since they were children. Sky believed Marcus was a suitable match for his cherished sister. So, even with his conflicting emotions, he had yfully teased Emma with a grin.


    Yet, after winning the wedding dress at the auction and receiving it, Emma was left to wait. Then, Marcus had unhesitatingly called off their engagement.


    Noticing that Sky hadn''t responded for quite a while, Hector decided to call him. When the phone rang, Sky snapped back to attention and promptly picked up the call. "Hello, Hector."


    Hector wasted no time getting to the heart of the matter. "Sky, Nat mentioned she wants the Starry Brilliance wedding dress. You''re okay with that, right? I recall you took Emma to the fashion show and won it in an auction.


    "Now, Mom and Dad n to reim everything that was given to Emma before. If Nat likes the dress, it''ll go to her. If not, it''ll be sold, and the proceeds will be donated to the orphanage."


    "I don''t mind," Sky said after taking a deep breath. "If Nat likes it, she can keep it. Even though I bought it with Emma, it still belongs to the Walker family."


    "I''m d you feel that way, Sky," Hectorughed. "By the way, tomorrow is our sister''s wee party. Where are you now?"


    "I''m already on my way back."


    "All right, see you tonight."


    "Okay, see you tonight."


    After ending the call, Hector offered Natalie a soft smile. "Sky doesn''t have any objections. You heard him, right?"


    "Yes, I did," Natalie replied, with a slight curl of her lips.


    Although Sky didn''t express any concerns outright, his tone suggested he harbored some grievances. Still, he was weighing the big picture and wouldn''t openly cause conflict. He was counting on her to speak favorably about Emma.


    The curve of Natalie''s lips suggested a trace of mockery. Sky''s fondness for Emma was truly remarkable. Even after enduring Emma''s foul-mouthed insults aimed at her, he continued to make ns for her.


    It seemed that in Sky''s heart, his biological sister was no match for Emma, who had been cherished and raised alongside him. But that wasn''t important. She didn''t hold any expectations of Sky, either.


    As they conversed, they followed Marcus'' car and soon arrived at Holden Residence. Natalie was well-acquainted with the ce. After exiting the car, she headed straight to the dining room in search of Charles. Before long, the two crossed paths once more.


    "Grandpa Charles!" Natalie called out cheerfully.


    Charles, who had been ying chess with Connie, immediately overturned the chessboard upon hearing her voice.


    "Nattie''s here. Charles stood up and


    took a fewrge strides to Natalie''s side. He pulled her close and looked her up and down. "So, have you been eating well and sleeping well at your parents'' house these days? Look at this face-it''s even rounder now!"


    "Really?" Natalie quickly reached up to touch her face, ying along with Charles'' exaggerated tone. "Oh no! I don''t want to get fat!"


    Charles burst intoughter. "I''m just teasing you, silly goose."


    Natalieughed too. Unlike Grace, Charles genuinely cared for her and wanted to protect her.


    "Come, sit down," Charles led Natalie to a seat. "Very good. Hector, you sit too."


    "Thank you, Mr. Holden Senior." Hector sat down as well. Sheldon served tea and then quietly stepped aside.


    "Are you feeling nervous about the wee party tomorrow?" Charles asked, grinning widely as he prepared tea for Natalie. "I''ve missed you these past few days. Nattie, you should have dressed like this ages ago."


    Charles admired Natalie, who was standing before him. She wore a dress paired with a cardigan


    adorned with hand-embroideredet


    jasmines, which made her appear charming, energetic, and gentle. Her delicate, petite face was beautiful and refined.


    When she smiled, her eyes and eyebrows formed an appealing curve, a refreshing change from the somber, heavy expression she had when she always wore ck. A 20-year-old girl should indeed exude such youthful, vibrant, and delightful energy.


    "How have you been feelingtely, Grandpa Charles? Are you alright? Is there any difort?" Natalie asked as she sipped her tea, then looked over at Hector. "Hector, could you check Grandpa Charles'' pulse?"


    "Of course." Hector moved closer and checked Charles'' pulse. Then, with a slight smile, he said, "Mr. Holden Senior is in great health. There''s no reason he couldn''t live to be a hundred."


    Hector''sment brought a smile to Charles'' face. "When I turn one hundred, I want all of you to join my birthday party. I''ll have gifts for everyone."


    "Excellent! We''ve reached an agreement. Mr. Holden Senior, you must keep your promise now!"


    "I will," he assured, chuckling joyfully.


    His gaze then shifted to Marcus, who was sitting silently nearby, and he recalled the phone call he had received earlier that morning.


    Charles exhaled heavily. "Connie, could you take Hector to the backyard and


    gather some roses for me?"


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    "Hector, you go with Connie."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Hector followed Connie and left. He knew that Charles wanted to talk to Natalie


    alone.


    Once Hector left, Charles nced at Sheldon. Without hesitation, Sheldon exited the room and shut the dining room door behind him.


    "Nattie, I have something I''d like to ask you for help with."


    "Go ahead, Grandpa Charles. If there''s anything I can do, I''ll definitely help you."


    Charles nced at Marcus, then took a photo out of his pocket and handed it to Natalie. "These are Marcus'' mom and dad."


    Natalie felt a little puzzled, yet she snapped the picture anyway. The couple in the photo was quite attractive¡ªthe man was handsome, and the woman was beautiful.


    Upon closer inspection, Marcus had inherited all their finest traits, and one might even say he was more remarkable.


    "For the wee party tomorrow, would you ask Marcus to be your partner for the first dance?"


    "Hmm?" Natalie nced up at Charles. "Grandpa Charles, I''m not entirely sure what you''re asking."

 Chapter 274 Her Sense of Injustice on Marcus Behalf

    Charles gazed at the photograph Natalie held, his face marked by a hint of sadness. "Marcus'' parents are deeply upset and heartbroken over his choice to end the engagement.


    "They''ve now tasked him with earning your parents'' forgiveness, insisting that the bond between the Holden family and the Walker family shouldn''t be damaged or be distant because of their ungrateful son.


    "After considering it carefully, I decided to ask you for a favor. During your wee party, have Marcus partner with you for the opening dance, and ensure someone captures pictures to send to his parents. This way, they won''t hold Marcus ountable anymore."


    Upon hearing this, Natalie nced at Marcus. His lips were tightly pressed together, and his strikingly handsome face showed no hint of emotion, as if Charles'' words were irrelevant to him.


    Yet, in Marcus'' deep, dark eyes, which appeared cold and unfeeling, Natalie detected a sorrow emanating from within. Despite his aloof and proud exterior, Natalie perceived Marcus as pitiable and lonely in that moment.


    She put down her teacup. "Grandpa Charles, may I ask a question?"


    "Go ahead."


    "Why did Marcus'' parents leave him with you and disappear right after he was born?" she asked calmly. "Marcus isn''t like me. His parents are with him, unlike me, a child who was wrongly taken to another family. Why didn''t they remain with him and care for him?


    "I understand that Marcus was raised solely by Grandpa Charles, just as I was by Mrs. Langley Senior. But you two are entirely different.


    "You genuinely love and care for Marcus, whereas the way Mrs. Langley Senior treated me is something you''re likely aware of too."


    Charles'' face went through a series of expressions. He hadn''t just heard the rumors, he had discreetly asked Sheldon to look into it.


    Upon discovering some of Grace''s actions, Charles found it difficult to believe that he had considered such a ruthless and cunning woman as his godsister for so long. Additionally, he had always believed that she had endured a tough life.


    Upon hearing Natalie''s words, Charles felt a twinge of embarrassment. "Nattie, this is a personal family issue. I don''t owe you an exnation."


    "What about Marcus?" Natalie shifted her eyes to Marcus. "Have you ever asked him if he misses his parents? When I was young, Victor and Diana were unkind to me. They never attended any of my events or parent-teacher conferences.


    "Even though Mrs. Langley Senior showed up, I was still mocked by other kids. They called me a bastard with no parents, questioning why mine never came to pick me up or participated in the school''s parent-child activities."


    Natalie continued calmly, fixing her gaze on Charles. "Sure, my situation made sense. But what about Marcus? His parents haven''t been there for him even a single day, nor have they ever taken care of him. Isn''t it unreasonable for them to start making demands now, Grandpa Charles?"


    "Um..." Charles was speechless.


    He nced at Marcus, who sat silently. Marcus had his gaze lowered, hands on his knees, and his back perfectly straight. Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing him in a golden glow.


    With his strikingly handsome features, effortlessly messy hair, and impable posture, Marcus seemed like a character from aic book. Yet, beneath this beautiful picture, a quiet sadness was slowly emerging.


    "Grandpa Charles, maybe it''s not my ce to say this or get involved in your family matters," Natalie said, taking a deep breath before continuing, "But, in your opinion, which is more significant? The kindness shown by giving birth or the kindness shown by raising a child?


    "If both you and Marcus'' parents ask him to be dutiful at the same time, whose


    guidance should he prioritize, yours or his parents''?"


    Charles felt somewhat flustered by Natalie''s questions.


    "How can such aparison be made?" He cleared his throat softly twice. "There


    were reasons Marcus'' parents weren''t with him."


    "Then exin the reasons to


    Marcus," Natalie insisted. "Grandpa Charles, whatever those reasons might be, he deserves to know. He''s a human being who longs for his parents'' love. The love of a father and mother is unmatched by any other. If his parents have genuine reasons, then share them with him.


    "Don''t just stay silent, be absent, and yet still expect things from him. It''s like neglecting a flower while it


    grows, only toe and pluck


    when blooms. And then, when you get hurt by the thorns, you me the flower for being difficult. That


    doesn''t make any sense, Grandpa Charles."


    "Youngdy! Are you asking all these questions because you don''t want Marcus as your partner for the opening dance?"


    Charles avoided looking directly at Natalie, feeling a bit uneasy. "Never mind. You have five brothers, and Marcus ended your engagement. It''s understandable if you''re reluctant."


    Turning toward Marcus, he said, "I''m exhausted. Marcus, please take Natalie back."


    With that, Charles rose to his feet, ready to depart.


    To his surprise, Natalie caught hold of him. "Grandpa Charles, our conversation isn''t over yet!"


    "There''s nothing more to discuss," Charles said as he tried to free himself from Natalie''s grasp. "Let go. Release me."


    Natalie obliged, but when Charles attempted to leave, she blocked his path once more. "Grandpa Charles, why weren''t Marcus'' parents with him?" Charles appeared unsettled. "You should ask them! Why question me?"


    "Alright then. Give me their contact details. I''ll call them immediately." Charles was at a loss for words. How had he missed it before? This youngdy, who often seemed aloof, could be incredibly persistent when she was determined. "Nattie, this is a Holden family issue. You should stay out of it," Charles warned, no longer daring to suggest Marcus as her opening dance partner.


    "I''m not trying to interfere in your family''s matters. I''m just defending Marcus," Natalie replied as she moved aside, her toneposed. "If I''ve upset you, I apologize. I was


    careless and crossed the line"


    "Well..." Charles couldn''t fault Natalie. She was right, after all. However, he also couldn''t reveal the real situation to Marcus.


    "Marcus, take Nattie home," Charles instructed, unable to address Natalie''s inquiries.


    Marcus rose, gave Natalie a slight nod, and said, "Ms. Walker, allow me to escort you back."


    "Alright," Natalie agreed.


    Seizing the chance, Charles made a quick exit, disappearing faster than a thief.


    "Ms. Walker," Marcus said softly, "thank you." He appreciated her for defending


    him.

 Chapter 275 Facebook Post Visible Only to Emma

    After Marcus thanked her, he averted his gaze. Had Natalie observed closely, she might have seen the slight tremor in his fingers.


    Growing up, Marcus never met his parents. Whenever he inquired about them, Charles would simply pat his head and assure him that they were traveling and would return with gifts.


    There was a time when he nearly drowned in the sea. Following his rescue, he pleaded with Charles, yearning to meet his parents, but his desire remained unfulfilled.


    Charles did bring Sophia to his home and allowed her to spend the night. However, the following day, he had her return to the Sinir residence.


    Following this, Sophia and Marcus developed a friendship. Marcus visited the Sinir residence multiple times. Aware that Sophia''s circumstances there weren''t favorable, he began to offer her protection asionally.


    The Sinirs were known for currying favor with the influential. When Ivan realized his daughter had formed a friendship with the eldest son of the Holden family, he no longer dared to openly target the mother-daughter duo.


    Over the years, Marcus would asionally visit the Sinir residence and invite Sophia out for gatherings or meals. His aim was to signal to the Sinirs that Sophia was under his protection.


    Since childhood, Sophia was promised in marriage to Sky Walker from the Walker family. As a result, Marcus only saw her as his savior and never had any romantic feelings for her. Sophia felt the same way, and their friendship remained


    Throughout the years, Sophia never asked about Marcus'' rtionship with his parents and wasn''t as daring as Natalie to confront Charles about it. Natalie was the first person to defend him regarding his parents, even though he had previously treated her poorly.


    "Marcus, are you feeling down?" Natalie gently asked while they exited the dining room together. "Would you like to be my partner for the first dance at my wee party?"


    To Natalie, who she danced with wasn''t particrly important. However, since Charles had asked her to do this, even though she nned to maintain some distance from Marcus, it was hard to refuse.


    "Do you really think I have a choice?" Marcus asked, a hint of bitterness in his expression. "Even though you defended me and questioned Grandpa, nothing has changed."


    "Have you considered the reasons behind it all?"


    Marcus nodded, then shook his head. He had indeed thought about it and tried to find answers countless times, but Charles never provided any useful information. Over the years, he''d also looked into his parents'' past but found nothing. It was as if they had fulfilled their duty by having him and then vanished. To them, he felt like an unnecessary and familiar stranger.


    "Okay, quit overthinking it," Natalie said, gently patting Marcus'' shoulder. "I would like you to be my partner for the opening dance."


    She continued, "You don''t need to take myments too seriously. If you have questions, it''s best to ask Grandpa Charles directly, since I''m just an outsider."


    Smiling at him, she added, "Thanks again. Let''s head back."


    "Okay."


    The pair departed from Holden Residence, and Natalie could easily tell that Marcus was feeling down. He stayed quiet the entire drive back. After dropping Natalie at the Walker family home, Marcus drove off.


    Natalie paused in front of the expansive window, contemting for a moment before pulling out her phone and essing a mysterious website.


    King of Hearts had posted a directive. "Order: Find the location of Wesley Holden and Laura Reed from the Holden Group."


    Almost instantly, a response came, "By King''s order. The mission will bepleted."


    Without responding, Natalie logged out.


    She headed upstairs, intending to get a good night''s sleep and prepare for the wee party the next day. While the Walker family busily double-checked every detail that night, Natalie had some free time.


    She and Olivia rxed in their room, enjoying snacks, watching movies, and indulging in a full-body treatment along with various beauty treatments to ensure they were perfectly groomed. By 10:00 pm, Natalie and Olivia were in bed right on schedule.


    The following morning, Charlotte''s knocking on the door roused Natalie from her sleep. Instead of feeling grumpy, she swiftlyposed herself and opened the door.


    "Nat, the stylist is here. Let''s have breakfast first, and then we''ll get your makeup done. I''ve got 18 evening gowns ready for you. Pick your favorite. If you love them all, we can use them all. The stylist will be avable all day to change your look as needed," Charlotte said, brimming with excitement.


    She had started nning this wee party quite some time ago. Once Natalie returned, she went over every small detail again. Naturally, to make it a surprise for her daughter, she had ensured everyone kept it a secret beforehand, making it appear as though she only started preparing after Natalie arrived home.


    Natalie was aware of this and yed along by not letting on. She understood that this was Charlotte''s way of showing her love.


    "Great! Mom, can I invite Olivia to join?"


    "Of course!" Charlotte replied without hesitation. "I''ve been keeping Olivia at home just waiting for this day."


    "Thanks, Mom." Natalie smiled as she turned and took Olivia''s hand, leading them both to follow the stylist for their hair and makeup session.


    "Mom, can I wear the Starry Brilliance dress that''s in Emma''s closet?" Natalie''s eyes and eyebrows showed a trace of excitement. Her voice even carried an unintentional hint of coyness.


    Charlotte was bursting with excitement. Without hesitation, she eximed, "Of course it''s okay. Absolutely okay. My dear daughter, you can have anything you want."


    "Let''s go. I''ll take you to get the dress." Charlotte took Natalie''s hand and guided her directly into Emma''s bedroom. The Starry Brilliance was disyed in the most prominent spot in the closet.


    "Nat,e here. Let me help you try it on," Charlotte said as she grabbed the dress, holding it up to Natalie''s body. "I''m just not sure if it fits right. If we have to make alterations now, we might run out of time."


    "The size is just right," Natalie replied, running her fingers over the fabric.


    She had designed the dress to her


    own measurements. Life in the Langley family hadn''t been easy, and she''d always been quite thin. Even as an adult, she couldn''t seem to gain weight. So, the dress still fit her perfectly. If it didn''t fit her, it wouldn''t fit anyone else.


    "I''ll try it on first," Natalie said, taking the dress.


    Charlotte promptly asked everyone else to exit the room. Natalie then brushed her hair forward, removed her clothes, and gradually slipped into the Starry Brilliance.


    Charlotte stood behind, her eyes slowly filling with tears. The Starry Brilliance seemed perfectly designed for her daughter. The dress shimmered brilliantly under the lights.


    Natalie delicately lifted the hem and twirled gracefully. With every smile and move, the dress resembled a flowing gxy, resplendent and unmatched in its brilliance. "Mom, could you take a picture of me and post it on Facebook?" Natalie asked with a gentle smile. "Make sure only Emma can see it, alright?" Ovee with emotion, Charlotte nodded. She retrieved her phone and took several photos of Natalie. She then wrote a caption, organized the images into a nine-square grid, set the privacy to be visible only to Emma, and hit the post button.

 Chapter 276 Her Opening Dance Partner Is Marcus

    Charlotte uploaded the pictures and then showed the post to Natalie. "Nat, I have posted it."


    "Thank you, Mom." Natalie hugged her. "Do you think I''m too scheming and cruel?"


    "What is there to worry about? Compared to Emma, my sweetie is practically an angel."


    Thinking about how Emma had called to nder Natalie, Charlotte''s eyes shed with cold determination. It was time for Emma to be taught a lesson and to recognize her true ce.


    But not today. Today was Natalie''s wee party, and Charlotte wouldn''t allow anything to go wrong.


    She picked up her phone and called Hector. "Hector, make sure someone guards Emma''s hospital room. She is not to take a single step outside, nor is anyone allowed to visit her. Especially Sky."


    "Understood, Mother," he replied respectfully. "I have already given the orders. To prevent Sky from forcing his way in, I also borrowed a few men from Marcus."


    Charlotte''s gaze darkened at the mention of Sky''s affection toward Emma. "Good move."


    Marcus'' people wouldn''t follow Sky''smands. As for Marcus, he certainly wouldn''t give in to Sky, either.


    "Once everything is settled,e back home. Today is Natalie''s wee party, and the whole family needs to be present."


    "Yes, Mother."


    Charlotte hung up the call and gently ruffled Natalie''s hair. "Nat, don''t worry. I won''t let anything ruin today for you. No one will dare cause trouble tonight."


    "Thank you, Mom." Natalie''s voice softened as she lifted her dress and twirled in front of the mirror. The dress shimmered under the light, glowing like a river of stars."


    She was certain that the horse''s rampage was connected to Emma, but Emma refused to admit it. Even Gabriel was adamant in his denial. Even when she and Marcus teamed up to probe for answers, Emma never let a single word slip


    This only proved one thing. Emma had an incredibly strong mental fortitude. Or rather, she was willing to endure anything for the sake of wealth and status.


    That was fine. Natalie would break her downpletely, stripping away everyst defense.


    Emma wanted to stay in the Walker family and enjoy their riches. Natalie had no objections to that.


    But she had caused Sophia to lose her child. At that time, Sophia and Marcus hade to visit her. Because of that, Natalie would never let her go so easily.


    The Walker family had raised Emma for 20 years. Saying there was no emotional attachment at all would be a lie. That was why Natalie wouldn''t eliminate her in one swift move.


    She needed to test the waters first. Once she confirmed that no one in the Walker family would protect Emma anymore, then she would strike with precision.


    Of course, even if some of them still chose to defend her, it wouldn''t matter.


    She had a recording. And so did Marcus.


    If that recording were to be yed at the party tonight, Emma would never be able to hold her head up in the elite circles of the capital ever again. She would bepletely cast out unless someone was foolish enough to stand against both the Walker and Holden families.


    By sending a Facebook post that only Emma could see, Natalie was making her stance clear. She was taking back everything that belonged to her.


    Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Natalie''s lips curved slightly.


    On her 18th birthday, Diana had locked her in a dark storage room overnight. Forget about wearing a beautiful dress; she hadn''t even been given a sip of water.


    At 20, her wee party seemed to make up for the lost moment.


    Natalie released the fabric and said," I should change out of this for now. I''ll put it back on when the event starts."


    "Alright"


    Charlotte had no objections. She had prepared multiple dresses for Natalie, and Charles had even gifted her two exquisite evening gowns.


    The evening gowns Charles had sent were rare, luxurious collectibles. Natalie had shown them to Charlotte, and both were stunningly valuable.


    "Have some breakfast first, then get ready for styling. I need to greet the guests."


    Charlotte pinched Natalie''s cheek affectionately. "Sweetie, if anything happens,e to me first."


    "By the way, has Emma tried calling or messaging you?" Natalie asked. Charlotte nced at her phone. "No."


    Then, she quickly added, "Don''t worry, I won''t go easy on her."


    Thinking Natalie was afraid she might show favoritism, she promised without hesitation, "Once Sky finds her biological parents, we will have them take her away. She will have to change herst name too.


    "After today''s wee party, I''ll have Hector arrange for her transfer to another hospital. Sweetie, your father and I will never allow someone who hurt you to stay in our home."


    Natalie''s eyes reddened slightly at those words. She said nothing, just nodded gently.


    "Do whatever you need to do," Charlotte said. "If you need my help, just ask. I am neither blind nor naive."


    Her firm words made Natalie''s eyes turn even redder. She nodded again, her usually steady voice trembling slightly. "I understand. Thank you, Mom."


    "I''ll go entertain the guests now.."


    "Alright."


    "I''ll have Oliviae to keep youpany."


    "Okay."


    Charlotte left, and soon, Olivia arrived with a tray of food. She handed Natalie a shrimp roll. "Eat


    first. Mr. Walker asked what yo


    favorite foods were, so he had the kitchen prepare these especially for you and sent them to me."


    "Thank you." Natalie took the food and began eating.


    Olivia watched her, her eyes sparkling as if she were in a dream. "I just walked around downstairs. There are so many people here, some I know, some I don''t."


    Kn


    Resting her chin on her hands, she grinned." And so many handsome men. All of them were in sharp suits with such an elegant presence.. almost feel like your parents are trying to find you a husband But I stiff think Marcus is the most handsome."


    Putting aside personal biases, Marcus'' looks, presence, and height surpassed any man Olivia had ever seen.


    "But that bastard broke off his engagement with you, so we don''t want him." She huffed. "There are plenty of men in the world. If one is no good, we just find another."


    Natalie couldn''t help but smile, but when she thought about Marcus'' parents, the smile faded.


    "My opening dance partner tonight is Marcus."


    Olivia nodded absentmindedly before suddenly processing the words. Her eyes widened. "Wait, what? Weren''t we trying to keep our distance from him? You have five incredibly handsome brothers and a father who is still as charming as ever. Why choose Marcus as your dance partner?"


    Natalie knocked her on the head. "Watch your words. If my father hears you describe him with those words, he might just hit you."


    "He wouldn''t dare. He said he would take me in as his goddaughter if I wanted.


    But seriously, why Marcus, of all people?"


    Olivia was still confused. Back in Balford, Marcus already had a fianc¨¦e. She had already been annoyed that he pursued Natalie despite that.


    Later, when she learned about everything that happened in Dothoria from Timothy, she discovered that Marcus had broken off his engagement with Emma.


    But he also ended his engagement with Natalie. If the engagement was over, then why was he still hanging around?

 Chapter 277 Stunning Everyone at the Welcome Party

    Natalie remained silent. Charles personally made the request. Even though she sympathized with Marcus, she couldn''t outright refuse.


    Besides, when she saw Marcus sitting in the room that day, sunlight streamed over him, but it did nothing to warm him. His whole being exuded an air of cold istion, making him look almost pitiful.


    She was unsure whether it was a momentary sense of sympathy or the fact that they were working together, but in the end, she agreed.


    "Whatever decision you make, Nat, I will always support you," Olivia said.


    Seeing Natalie''s silence, she didn''t press further. A true friend understood and respected the other''s choices. As long as it did not bring them harm, that was enough.


    "Olivia, thank you."


    "Oh,e on. Why are you being so formal? Aren''t I just waiting for you to take me to new heights?" Olivia hugged Natalie and nted a quick kiss on her cheek.


    "Alright, let''s finish breakfast and start getting ready. Mrs. Walker sent 18 gowns to your room, and I have also prepared the two dresses from Mr. Holden Senior. You just need to pick the one you want to wear," she added.


    "Got it."


    "Thank you for all the trouble."


    After finishing her shrimp roll, Natalie was whisked away by the styling team. Every strand of her hair had to be in its perfect state today.


    As time ticked by, Gorge coordinated the helpers, ensuring every detail was in ce. Charlotte and William were equally busy, finalizing the preparations before heading to the entrance to greet guests.


    The guests invited by the Walker family arrived one after another. Some came early, while others were still on the way.


    The young men Olivia had spotted earlier were among those who had arrived ahead of time. Most of them were friends of the Walker family''s five brothers.


    As the final guests took their ces, Natalie was done getting prepared. Olivia helped her into her chosen gown, Starry Brilliance.


    Her hair was casually pinned up, with a few wisps left loose around her face, adding a touch of effortless elegance. As a gentle breeze brushed past, she looked both ethereal and soft.


    On her head, she wore the diamond tiara gifted by Charles. Around her neck rested a magnificent sapphire pendant.


    Starry Brilliance featured a strapless V-neck design, elegant yet modest. The shallow scars on her body were expertly concealed by the makeup artist''s skillful application of foundation, leaving her skin looking wless and radiant.


    Even the faint scars on her slender arms were carefully covered. Time had been too short. No matter how diligently she applied the best scar removal creams, full recovery wasn''t possible just yet.


    "All done." The stylist fastened a pair of moon-shaped sapphire earrings as the final touch.


    "Ms. Walker, take a look. Which gown do you want to change intoter? I''ll have it prepared in advance."


    The stylist observed Natalie in the mirror. Her delicate features, porcin skin, and striking beauty carried an almost ethereal quality, as if sculpted by the hands of a master artisan. She needed no heavy makeup; her natural elegance was already mesmerizing.


    The wedding dress hugged her figure as if it had been tailor-made for her. With every step, she seemed to carry an entire gxy, flowing, shimmering, utterly mesmerizing.


    For a moment, the stylist couldn''t determine whether the person elevated the outfit or the outfit elevated the person.


    Natalie stood up, offering a gentle smile. "Thank you."


    The stylist''s heart pounded. She had worked with countless actresses, but none had ever stunned her like this.


    When she smiled, a faint dimple surfaced on her cheek, melting away thest traces of her once cold and regal air. In that moment, she was no longer an


    untouchable goddess but someone warm and radiant, effortlessly drawing people


    in.


    "Ms. Walker, there is no need to thank me. It is my honor."


    The stylist snapped back to reality, barely able to contain her excitement. The wee party would be covered by numerous media outlets, and the moment Natalie''s appearance was published, her styling would undoubtedly be the talk of the town.


    Her reputation and career were bound to skyrocket.


    Olivia had also changed into her evening gown. As a model, her tall and well-proportioned figure was perfect for the fitted mermaid dress she had chosen. The gown was an understated white, her makeup light and refined, elegant but not overshadowing Natalie''s radiance.


    The two women exchanged a knowing nce before descending from the fifth


    floor to the second.


    Once all the invited guests had


    arrived, William took the stage at the


    grand spiral staircase. Holding a microphone, he stood beside


    Charlotte, who was dressed in a red


    gown. Her eyes were slightly red with emotion, and she could barely contain her excitement


    "Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to join us for this momentous asion. My wife and I only recently learned that our daughter was mistakenly switched at birth." William began, his voice thick with emotion.


    "After years of searching, we finally found her. This party is not only for us but also for her five brothers, who all wished to celebrate the return of their sister. I am William Walker," he said, ncing at his wife.


    Charlotte picked up the microphone, her voice trembling. "And I am Charlotte Kennedy."


    Together, they said, "As parents, we have finally found our daughter. Her name is Natalie Walker. Let us wee her with the warmest apuse."


    Thunderous apuse erupted throughout the venue.


    As the couple finished speaking, Natalie appeared on the second floor, escorted


    by Lincoln. Dressed impably, his handsome face held a gentle, affectionate smile.


    He was the one escorting Natalie because she had already turned down Sky''s offer before he could find an excuse.


    Hand in hand, the two descended the grand staircase. The sight of their stunning looks together was captivating. Especially Natalie, who caught everyone''s attention at a nce.


    Among the youngdies in attendance, some recognized Starry Brilliance and gasped in admiration. Though technically ssified as a wedding dress, Natalie wore it to her wee party with perfect ease, as if it were meant for this very moment.


    She glowed like a celestial vision, radiant and stunning. The flowing gown sparkled under the lights, giving her the appearance of a goddess stepping down from the Milky Way, wrapped in stardust and moonlight.


    Her delicate features, reminiscent of Charlotte''s yet even more refined, left everyone in awe. Her every nce, every smile was soul-stirring. Her peach blossom eyes shimmered with soft warmth, captivating the entire room. Lincoln felt a deep sense of pride. Apart from their eldest brother, Sky, the other brothers had all vied for the chance to escort their sister. But in the end, they still couldn''tpete with Lincoln''s status and had to step aside.


    "Nat, my precious daughter."


    Charlotte''s voice trembled as she watched Natalie approach. This time, she couldn''t hold back her tears.


    "My daughter has suffered so much in another household all these years. Every time I think about it, my heart aches beyond words. But the heavens have been kind. They have led her back to us. Nat, introduce yourself to everyone." William was equally moved. For a brief moment, as he looked at his daughter, it was as if he were seeing his wife in her youth.


    Natalie''s expression remained poised and gentle. She stepped forward gracefully, took the microphone, and greeted the guests.


    "Hello, everyone. I am Natalie, the


    true daughter of the Walker. Thank you foring to my wee party. I am deeply touched and. grateful. The heavens haven''t forsaken me. In the 20th year of my


    life, I have found my real parents and, with them, five doting brothers."


    As she scanned the crowd, her gazended on a familiar figure in the corner.


    Marcus stood there in his signature ck suit, his gaze deep and unreadable.

 Chapter 278 If There Were No Broken Engagement

    Natalie gave Marcus a gentle smile and a small wave as a greeting. After finishing her speech, it was time for the opening dance.


    William took the microphone, intending to say a few more words, but his emotions got the better of him. Overwhelmed, he waved his hand and handed the microphone to Lincoln instead.


    Lincoln took the microphone and smiled. "This youngdy standing beside me is my younger sister, Natalie Walker. Everyone, do you think she looks like me?"


    His deep, maic voice resonated through the hall. "Everyone used to know the daughter of the Walker family as Emma. But from this moment forward, there is only one true daughter of the Walker family. That is my parents'' biological daughter, my sister, Natalie.


    "I hope everyone will look after my sister and take care of her, just as you have done for me and my parents.


    "If my sister ever makes a mistake or unintentionally offends someone, please do not hold it against her. Let me know, and as her older brother, I will take


    responsibility. Whether it requires an apology orpensation, I will handle it. But do noty a hand on her."


    Someone in the crowdughed and called out, "Mr. Lincoln, you must be joking. Ms. Walker is like a goddess. We wouldn''t even have time to adore her, let alone reprimand her."


    "Not to mention, Ms. Walker is gracious, gentle, and polite. Even if she did bully us, we would consider it an honor."


    "Getting bullied by a goddess? That would be a privilege."


    Hearing this, Lincoln couldn''t help but chuckle. "Thank you, everyone. If I misspoke, I ask for your understanding. Today is simply a day of joy for us."


    Even if Natalie were to offend someone, no one would dare to reprimand her. However, Lincoln''s statement made it clear to everyone that while they could disregard Emma, Natalie was someone they absolutely couldn''t afford to offend. The guests were astute enough to grasp the deeper meaning behind his words. Lincoln continued, "Thank you, everyone. Let us invite Mr. Holden and Natalie to perform the opening dance."


    His gaze turned toward Marcus. The crowd instinctively made way as Marcus stepped forward, his movementsposed and steady.


    When he reached Natalie, he gave a gentleman''s bow. She ced her hand in his palm, and he held it lightly as they descended the staircase and stepped onto the dance floor.


    As the music began to y, the two of them started to dance. Despite never rehearsing together, their movements were unexpectedly harmonious and wless.


    Under the spotlight, Marcus'' tall frame stood at an imposing height of 6 feet and 3 inches. Dressed in a well-tailored ck suit, his broad shoulders and long legs entuated his elegant posture.


    Natalie, with her slender figure and swan-like neck, wore a diamond-encrusted gown that shimmered under the light. The contrast between his dark attire and her light gown created an unspoken entanglement, a tension that lingered in the air. His long, clean fingers rested lightly on her waist, while her hand gentlyy on his arm. With their other hands interlocked, they gracefully swayed to the rhythm of the music.


    Their synchronized steps moved in perfect harmony. The flowing gown sparkled like a constetion of stars, their well-matched figures drawing every gaze in the


    room.


    Marcus had initially assumed that Natalie, having grown up in the Langley family, wouldn''t know how to dance. Given the documented mistreatment she suffered at the hands of Victor and Diana, it was unlikely she had ever received formal training.


    To his surprise, she not only knew how to dance but did so with effortless precision. Every step fell perfectly in line with his, never missing a beat.


    As the music reached its final note, Marcus executed thest movement with practiced ease. Natalie matched his timing wlessly, her flowing gown settling gracefully around her feet like falling stardust.


    The room erupted into enthusiastic apuse.


    Natalie lifted her gown slightly and gave the audience an elegant curtsy.


    Marcus also bowed before taking her hand and leading her out of the dance floor. Although this was called a wee party, it was, in reality, an asion for William and Charlotte to formally introduce Natalie to everyone in Dithoria State. As soon as they left the dance floor, Charlotte approached, taking Natalie''s hand with a warm smile. "Nat, let''s change into another dress and refresh your look."


    "Alright." Natalieplied, giving Marcus a slight nod before leaving with Charlotte.


    Marcus remained in ce as Lincoln approached him, handing him a ss of champagne. "My sister is beautiful, isn''t she?"


    Marcus epted the ss. "She is very beautiful."


    While dancing with her, he had caught the faint fragrance of jasmine from her. The gentle swirl of her gown, the elegance in her every movement, and her exquisite beauty had momentarily left him dazed.


    Lincoln let out a soft chuckle. "Marcus, you better not have regrets."


    Marcus turned to him."Regret what?"


    "It''s nothing." Lincoln raised his ss in a toast. "There are a lot of guests, and we may not be able to attend to everyone properly. I hope you understand."


    "There is no need for formalities." Marcus took a sip of his drink before adding, "I am feeling a little tired. Can you arrange a ce for me to rest?"


    "Of course."


    Lincoln led Marcus to a lounge on the third floor. "I will have the maid bring some refreshments. You can rest here, and when the party resumes, I will send someone to fetch you."


    "Thank you."


    Marcus sank into the couch, feeling an unfamiliar warmth lingering inchis palm. During the dance, he had been so focused on every step, afraid of making a mistake and tarnishing Natalie''s important night.


    As he rxed, he realized how uncharacteristically tense he had been during their performance.


    A soft knock sounded at the door. He looked up and saw Charles was standing there, supported by Sheldon. His aged yet sharp eyes were fixed on him.


    "Grandpa."


    Charles gave a slight nod to Sheldon, who immediately stepped outside and shut the door behind him.


    "I took quite a few pictures of you and Natalie."


    Charles walked over and sat across from him."Watching the two of you dance,


    even an old man like me felt excited. If only you had never broken off the engagement, how wonderful that would be."


    He couldn''t help but sigh. Although


    as


    Marcus had been chosen Natalie''s dance partner at the


    insistence of his parents, seeing


    neve


    them together had stirred something deep inside him. The sight of them standing side by side, both strikingly beautiful, was


    reminiscent of a wedding ceremony.


    "Grandpa, please don''t say such things. It might not be good for Ms. Walker''s reputation." Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose. "She deserves someone


    better."


    "Are you saying you''re not good enough?"


    "Yes. I am not good enough."


    For a moment, even Charles didn''t know how to respond.


    "Marc, tell me honestly. Do you regret it?" he finally asked.


    "There is nothing to regret." Marcus let out a faint smile. "Ms. Walker is stunning


    and exceptional. She truly deserves someone better."


    Charles was speechless. "Then, tell me, what are your thoughts on Sophia?"


    "Sophia is a good friend of mine. That will never change."


    Charles had a feeling something was off. If they were only friends, why had Marcus always protected Sophia so fiercely?


    He had done even more for Sophia than Sky, her own boyfriend.


    "Marc, you better not have feelings for Sophia. She already has a boyfriend, and


    you absolutely cannot be an interloper."


    Marcus remained silent. He was simply grateful to her for helping him when they were children. That was all.

 Chapter 279 The Moon Among Stars, Surrounded By All

    Charles carefully observed Marcus'' expression. Seeing him at a loss for words and noticing no further change in his emotions, he finally believed him.


    "You shouldn''t just sit here alone. Go outside, mingle with the guests, and chat with them," Charles said. "There are plenty of youngdies here today. If you don''t like Sophia or Natalie, take a look around. Maybe you''ll find someone you do like."


    He poked Marcus'' leg lightly with his cane. "I am getting old. Sure, my health is better now, but who knows how long I have left? Do me a favor. Settle down, get married early, and let me hold my great-grandchild before I go. What do you say?"


    Marcus sighed in silence.


    In the past, Charles had used his poor health to pressure him into marriage. Even with his health improving, he was still pushing for it.


    Some things just never change.


    Yet, despite his recovery, Marcus didn''t dare to provoke him. "Alright, I understand," he replied.


    "Good, now go. You''re still young. Resting is for us old folks."


    Marcus stood up. "I''ll head out then."


    "Mm, go on."


    Leaving the lounge, Marcus didn''t take the elevator. Instead, he walked down the stairs. When he reached the second floor, he stopped at the railing and looked down.


    Natalie had changed into a flowing feathered gown, custom-fitted to hug her figure perfectly. Tiny butterflies adorned the hem of her dress, their wings trembling slightly with her every step. As she moved, the delicate embellishments fluttered, as if they were truly dancing through a blooming meadow.


    She stood in the crowd, apanied by Charlotte and William, smiling elegantly as she conversed with the guests. In just a short while, she had already met a significant number of people.


    Marcus remained on the second floor, his gaze unconsciously drawn to her. From the moment she appeared, holding onto Lincoln''s arm, she had stunned him.


    It was a man''s admiration for a beautiful woman. But beyond admiration, an untimely memory surfaced in his mind, something from his past at Quinton Hospital.


    He quickly and rationally shoved that memory aside, but his heartbeat had already quickened against his will.


    "Mr. Holden, fancy meeting you here."


    A voice suddenly rang out beside him. Snapping out of his thoughts, Marcus turned to find someone standing next to him. He hadn''t even noticed her arrival. Celeste held a champagne flute in her hand, her lips curved into a yful smile. Marcus gave a polite nod. "Ms. Kennedy."


    "My cousin is beautiful, isn''t she? Look, Natalie. She''s right over there."


    Celeste stepped forward, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him. "Shawn had been trying to find a chance to greet her, but he had not had any luck. I actually think Shawn and Natalie would make a great match. What do you think, Mr. Holden?"


    Marcus'' face darkened. "I am not as nosy as you, Ms. Kennedy."


    Celeste giggled. "This is not gossip. Natalie just returned home. Her future is something the entire family takes seriously.


    "Among the guests today, anyone around her age will probably be evaluated by Aunt Charlotte and Uncle William. After that, they will have Natalie meet them and see if there is a connection."


    "Natalie is only 20," Marcus said. "The Walker family doesn''t need her to marry for alliances. You seem a little too concerned, Ms. Kennedy."


    His voice grew colder. Perhaps it was Celeste''s words getting to him, but as his eyes swept over the men surrounding Natalie, he felt an inexplicable frustration rising in his chest.


    "That''s not quite right. Look at her. Natalie, the moon among stars, admired and surrounded by all. Don''t you think so?" Celeste replied with a teasing smile.


    She added with a light chuckle, "A good woman is never left on the market for long. The same goes for a good man."


    With that, she downed her champagne in one smooth motion. "Mr. Holden, let''s go downstairs."


    "I would prefer to be alone." Marcus rejected her invitation outright, his entire demeanor turning icy cold.


    Celeste shrugged indifferently and headed downstairs. The moment she reached the first floor, Shawn approached.


    "Well?" he asked.


    Celeste smirked. "I''d say you need to step up your game. Aside from Marcus, look at all the men around Natalie. Their eyes are practically glowing."


    Though, to be fair, it was not the predatory gleam of wolves eyeing their prey. It was pure admiration. After all, anyone attending the Walker family''s party couldn''t possibly be some schemer.


    William and Charlotte had organized this event for two main reasons. First, to announce to the entire capital that the real Walker family heiress was none other than Natalie. Second, to pave a path for her.


    Whatever future Natalie chose, this event was a gift of connections from her parents.


    One noticeable absence was Emma. She hadn''t been invited at all, making it abundantly clear to everyone that she was no longer the Walker family''s daughter. She wasn''t even worthy of attending the party.


    Natalie''s hands were still injured, but thanks to the high-quality medicine, the bandages were thin. She had even worn a pair of silkce gloves to cover them, making the injurypletely unnoticeable.


    With a ss of champagne in hand, she moved effortlessly through the crowd, meeting new people alongside William and Charlotte. After making the rounds, her parents let her go mingle with the younger guests.


    Natalie initially followed Lincoln around, meeting many of hispany''s executives. Eventually, Shawn found the opportunity to step forward and finally greet her.


    Since she already knew Shawn, when someone called for Lincoln, he left Shawn to apany her.


    "Ms. Walker."


    Just as Natalie was about to turn and look for Hector, she spotted Ivan approaching with Ruby.


    Her brow furrowed slightly. "Mr. Sinir, do you need something?"


    After what had happened at Goodwill Pharmacy, she saw no reason to have any peaceful interactions with Ivan and Ruby.


    Ivan smiled as if nothing had ever happened. "I apologize for the previous misunderstanding. I hope you''re generous enough to let bygones be bygones and not hold it against my daughter, Ms. Walker."


    "Ruby,e here and apologize to Ms. Walker," he said and pulled the pale-faced Ruby forward. "I''m very sorry for what happened before, We failed to recognize your status Please don''t take it to heart, Ms.


    Walker. And please don''t hold it against the Sinir family.


    T.not


    in


    "Ms. Walker, I''m sorry." Ruby''s voice was barely above a whisper. She kept her head lowered, not daring to meet Natalie''s eyes. "I sincerely apologize for my past rudeness. This is a gift I personally prepared for you. I hope you''ll ept it."


    Ruby held out an exquisite box with both hands.


    met


    In front of so many people, Natalie smiled politely. "Tonight is my parents'' party in my honor. Mr Sinir, please enjoy the food, the drinks, and the festivals. As for other matters, let us leave them for another time."


    Ruby''s head snapped up. "And the gift... Ms. Walker, you wouldn''t refuse it, would you?"


    Hector interjected, reaching for the box in her hands. "I''ll take it. Mr. Sinir, my father had invited you to join him. As for Ms. Sinir, she could stay here and


    enjoy the conversation with the rest of us."


    Ruby exhaled deeply in relief and smiled. "Of course."


    Natalie said nothing and continued moving through the elegantly dressed crowd


    with Hector.


    This wee party introduced her to many important figures, which was beneficial for her future in Dithoria State.

 Chapter 280 Marcus Confronts Sky

    After making the rounds and meeting numerous guests, Natalie was feeling both exhausted and hungry. However, she maintained aposed and graceful smile, not letting her weariness show.


    Shawn, standing beside her, noticed her difort. His eyes filled with concern as he asked, "Ms. Walker, would you like to take a break?"


    His gaze dropped to her high heels. "You have been standing for a long time. Do you want to sit down and maybe change into a morefortable pair of ts? Mr. Lincoln asked me to take good care of you. Let me take you to rest for a bit." Shawn dared not reveal his true feelings for her, so he used Lincoln as an excuse. Not far away, Celeste shot him a knowing smile, clearly amused by the situation. Shawn ignored her and spoke again with gentle persistence. "Ms. Walker, Mr. Lincoln messaged me, asking me to take you to the lounge and get you something to eat."


    Fearing that she might not believe in him, he took out his phone and showed her the message. Sure enough, Lincoln had given the instructions.


    Boss (Lincoln): Take Nat to the loungeter, get her some food and drinks, and help her change into morefortable shoes. Make sure she gets some rest.


    Natalie read the message and nodded after a moment of thought. She was indeed quite tired. While she could manage in high heels, she wasn''t used to wearing them for such long periods.


    She had met most of the people she needed to at the wee party. Everyone was well aware that she was the true daughter of the Walker family, and they now treated her with respect. Even if she stepped away for a while, no one would say anything.


    "Alright, let''s go rest for a bit."


    "This way."


    Shawn had visited Walker Estate multiple times with Lincoln, especially during past parties. Since he had been specifically instructed to take care of Natalie that day, he had already asked Gorge about her designated lounge.


    "You seem more familiar with my home than I am, Mr. Haines," Natalie teased as they entered the elevator.


    The elevator stopped on the third floor, and Shawn led the way down the hallway until they reached a doorbeled "Ms. Natalie''s Lounge".


    Natalie chuckled. "I almost feel like you''re part of the Walker family."


    Shawn smiled and said politely, "You tter me, Ms. Walker. Mr. Lincoln has


    always trusted me, and I have visited Walker Estate quite a few times. Since I was given instructions today, I made sure to be well-prepared."


    "Nattie."


    Before Shawn could open the lounge door, a nearby door swung open. Charles appeared at the doorway, his face beaming with a warm smile. "Nattie,e keep mepany for a while."


    "Of course."


    Natalie exchanged a brief nce with Shawn before turning to follow Charles inside.


    This lounge had been arranged specifically for Marcus. As Natalie stepped in, she noticed another figure inside. It was Sky.


    Sky had made very few appearances during the party. Unlike her other brothers, who had actively introduced her into their social circles, Sky had remained absent.


    Seeing him here surprised her, though, at the same time, it did not.


    "Your eldest brother came to chat with me for a while. Since you''re here, you should join us," Charles exined. "Let me call Marcus over as well."


    He picked up his phone and dialed Marcus. "Hello, Marc. Come to my lounge. Someone is waiting for you."


    "Come in," Sky said.


    "Alright."


    Natalie nced at Shawn, who was still standing at the door. " Mr. Haines, you shoulde in too."


    "Are you sure?" Shawn hesitated. He was well aware that the Walker family''s eldest and second sons didn''t get along.


    Natalie smiled. "Lincoln asked you to take care of me. How can you do that if you''re not by my side?"


    With that reasoning, Shawn nodded without hesitation and followed her inside.


    "Grandpa Charles, Sky," Natalie greeted them before taking a seat across from them. "Mr. Haines, have a seat as well."


    "Thank you, Ms. Walker."


    Shawn sat down as Natalie pressed the inte button and asked the helper to bring in coffee.


    "Nat." Sky sat with his arms crossed, his expression deep in thought as if he were deliberating how to start.


    With a gentle smile. She reached down to press her calf as her legs were starting to ache after standing in high heels for too long. "Sky, is


    there something you would like to discuss with me?" she asked


    Before Sky could respond, Marcus walked in.


    "Hello, Grandpa, Sky."


    Charles patted the seat next to Natalie. "Sit here, Marc. Sky came to me and said he had something he wanted to discuss with you."


    After Marcus sat down, Charles turned to Shawn. "You must be the famous actor Shawn Haines, right? Would you do me the honor of taking a stroll outside with me?"


    Since Charles had made the request, Shawn naturally couldn''t refuse. However, he was worried that if he left, Sky might make things difficult for Natalie. So he hesitated for a moment.


    "You don''t want to?" Sky asked. His gazended on Shawn. "It is not every day that someone receives an invitation from Mr. Holden Senior."


    Marcus'' voice was deep and steady as he spoke. "Please apany my grandfather. I will take care of Ms. Walker."


    Sky had obviously called for this meeting and intentionally wanted Shawn out of the way.


    "Go ahead, Mr. Haines. I will exin everything to Lincoln," Natalie reassured him.


    Hearing her words, Shawn had no choice but to stand up. "Mr. Holden senior, I will apany you."


    "Thank you for the trouble," Charles said with a chuckle.


    "It is my honor."


    Shawn helped Charles up and escorted him out of the lounge, closing the door behind him.


    "Sky, you don''t seem to be very fond of your own sister."


    Before Sky could say anything, Marcus started first. Natalie had defended him a few days ago. Given the chance to return the favor, he wouldn''t let it go to waste.


    "It is well known that Mr. and Mrs. Walker held this party to introduce Ms. Walker to the public as the true heiress. Yet, as her eldest brother you have barely made an


    §Ý§à§Ó§ß§Ñ


    appearance. Is it because you don''t ept her as family? Or do you not want her to acknowledge her roots?"


    His voice remained cold and steady. "Did you ever consider how your absence might be perceived? People will gossip, wondering if the Walker family''s real heiress isn''t truly wee. After all, if she were, why would her own eldest brother refuse to acknowledge her or introduce her to his peers?"


    "Marcus, that is not what I meant," Sky said, his face darkening.


    "Is that so? Then why have you not gone outside? You don''t look even the


    slightest bit pleased about today." Marcus smirked faintly.


    Natalie remained silent, lifting her cup to take a slow sip. "Mr. Holden, please have some coffee."


    "Thank you, Ms. Walker."


    Their interaction was formal and polite, without any hint of familiarity or warmth.


    Yet every word Marcus spoke was a direct challenge, defending her and confronting Sky without hesitation.

 Chapter 281 Even An Outsider Understands

    Marcus took a sip from his cup before cing it down slowly. His gaze settled on Sky, and a faint mocking smile appeared on his face.


    "Sky, do you know what your dear sister Emma has done?" he asked. "You had my grandpa call me and Ms. Walker over. Are you nning to plead for something again?"


    Sky''s heart tightened. Marcus'' sharp eyes saw through everything before he even spoke.


    "Oh, right. I heard Emma has already been transferred out of Hector''s private hospital. Could it be that you can''t find her and came to ask us instead?"


    After Hector sent the recording of Emma to the family group chat, Charlotte immediately arranged for her transfer and had her closely watched, preventing her from taking even a single step outside. Hector had even borrowed men from Marcus.


    So, from beginning to end, Marcus had been well aware of everything.


    After returning from Amberton, Sky had been ordered to return straight to Walker Estate. However, he had barely helped organize Natalie''s wee party, and he hadn''t even shown his face.


    Charlotte and William had no interest in dealing with him. After all, aside from him, Natalie had her biological parents and four brothers to support her.


    But every bit of Sky''s behavior during the wee party had been noted by William and Charlotte. They were merely waiting for it to end before settling ounts with him.


    Now, Sky was likely running out of options, which was why he sought out Charles to arrange a private meeting with both Natalie and Marcus.


    But since Marcus had already joined forces with Natalie, why would he ever help Sky?


    "Sky, I suggest you listen to this first," Marcus said, smirking in disdain as he pulled out his phone and yed a recording.


    "If you die, Mom and Dad will belong to me, and my brothers will be mine as well. Why did you return, you bitch?"


    "Natalie, you bitch! Ever since you returned, Mom and Dad have only paid attention to you. I''m the eldest daughter of the Walker family! I''m the true heiress. Why do Lincoln, Hector, and the others dote on you so much?


    "You shouldn''t have returned. If you hadn''t, Marcus would still be mine. He wouldn''t have broken off the engagement. I hate you! I hate you so much! Die! Just die now!


    "If you die, Mom and Dad will be mine. My brothers will be mine. You filthy bitch, why did you have toe back?"


    "You should have remained the Langley family''s blood bank forever, drained until you were nothing but a dried-up corpse! You should have been deceived and used by Grace, working yourself to death in the Langley household for the rest of your miserable life!"


    ...


    Sky had already heard this recording once in the family group chat. Now, listening


    to it again, he turned to Marcus in disbelief.


    "You were the one who sent this to Hector?"


    Marcus let out a scoffingugh. "Oh? Should I not have? Sky, isn''t Natalie your biological sister?"


    Sky hesitated for a moment before admitting, "Yes."


    "If that''s the case, then after hearing the things Emma said about your sister, don''t you have anything to say?"


    Sky didn''t respond to Marcus but instead turned to look at Natalie, who had remained silent throughout.


    "Nat," Sky began, "I asked you before if you wanted anypensation. I said I would give you anything. Emma didn''t mean what she said, and at the time, you agreed and took Starry Brilliance. You even wore it at today''s wee party.


    "You agreed back then, so why did youter have Mother go after Emma? I know what she said was wrong, but she''s injured now. She needs people by her side.


    "She''s all alone in the hospital, while the family is celebrating your return. She''s just a pitiful young woman. Why can''t you forgive her this once?"


    "Enough." Natalie ced her cup down. "Sky, do you really think Emma is pitiful?"


    "She''s injured how, and our parents arepletely disappointed in her. Mother even made it clear that the Walker family will no longer care for her or provide her with any


    ver


    resources." Sky took a deep breath. "Lknow she shouldn''t have said


    those things to you, and will discipline her."


    He continued, "But she has lived in the Walker family for 20 years, calling them Mom and Dad for 20 years, only to suddenly learn that she''s not their real daughter and is being cast out. How could she possibly ept that so easily?"


    "If you care about her that much, then why don''t you take responsibility and support her yourself?" Natalie asked.


    She continued leisurely, "As for Mom taking back everything she gave Emma, I see nothing wrong with it. Everything Emma has now, wasn''t it given to her by the Walker family? And the mother she calls her own, isn''t she my biological mother?


    "I never intended to be another Selena, but it seems Emma simply can''t tolerate my existence."


    Natalie''s expression turned col.


    "Whether she feels fair or not is


    of my


    none


    concern. She insulted me, and


    I didn''t p her across the


    face-that''s only because I have self-restraint.


    "Sky, let me make this very clear to you from now on, there''s no ce for both of


    us in the Walker family. It''s either me or her.


    "And as for everything the Walker family has given her, she won''t take a single


    thing with her. If you have a problem with that, take it up with our parents. You care about Emma, but they care about me. I''m not afraid of your retaliation. Try, if you dare."


    Natalie stood up, looking down at Sky. "Honestly, I''ve never been more grateful that I never epted those gifts you tried to give me. Otherwise, I''d be in your debt, and it''d be harder to turn you down.


    "Sky, with how skilled you are at moral grandstanding, you should go find a throne somewhere. Maybe let a saint step down so you can take their ce.


    "Natalie Walker-"


    Before Sky could finish, Marcus suddenly picked up a cup of coffee and threw it directly in his face, mming the empty cup onto the table with a loud thud. Before Sky could react, Marcus grabbed Natalie''s unfinished cup and threw that at him too, without hesitation.


    "If you''re not thinking clearly, then maybe this will wake you up." Marcus'' deep, maic voice carried an icy edge. "Even as an outsider, I can''t stand watching this. I never thought you would stoop so low. Forcing your own sister to forgive a malicious fraud. Where do you get the nerve?


    "Natalie is right. If you''re so saintly, why bother being the eldest son of the Walker family? Go sit on the throne of some saints in Dithoria State instead."


    "Marcus, this is the Walker family''s business!" Sky abruptly stood up. "I came here to talk things through, and yet you both are beingpletely irrational."


    "The irrational one here is you."


    Marcus also stood up, towing over Sky with an overwhelming presence. "Even an outsider like me understands the situation. Your heard every venomous word Emma said, yet you still choose to defend her. It''s truly unfortunate for Natalie to have a brother like you."


    Marcus'' voice was cold and unyielding. "Let me make this clear, Sky¡ªno matter


    how much you try to guilt-trip Natalie into forgiving Emma, I never will."


    His piercing gaze locked onto Sky, leaving no room for doubt he would personally see to it that justice was served for Natalie.

 Chapter 282 His Methods Were Far More Ruthless Than Natalies

    Marcus stared at Sky, his gaze icy and sharp, undisguised contempt and disgust flickering in his eyes.


    "At your own sister''s wee party, you keep bringing up that malicious fraud. Sky, you truly have a talent for being revolting. What terrible luck for Natalie to have a brother like you."


    Sky, drenched in coffee, his hair and clothes soaked, turned pale and flushed in turns under Marcus'' blunt words.


    He had intended to use his presence to overwhelm Marcus, but he hadn''t expected Marcus to be even more domineering than he was.


    And Marcus wasn''t holding back at all.


    Meanwhile, Natalie sat there unbothered, calmly making a call to the helpers. This time, she directly ordered them to bring a full pot of coffee.


    Marcus enjoyed throwing drinks, and she enjoyed watching. Two cups simply weren''t enough.


    "If I were you, Sky, I wouldn''t havee to me with this request," Marcus said.


    "Marcus, stop acting like you''re standing up for Natalie," Sky said. "This is a family matter between siblings. What business does an outsider like you have interfering with?"


    Sky gritted his teeth, his face dark with anger. Wiping the dripping coffee off his face, he snapped bitterly, "Don''t forget, you were the one who broke off your engagement with Natalie."


    "There was never any real romantic emotion between us in the first ce," Marcus replied. "It was only natural for the engagement to end. But that does mean we aren''t still friends."


    At that moment, he felt a slight pang of regret for breaking off the engagement. If he were still Natatlie''s fianc¨¦, it would''ve been even easier for him to step in and take charge.


    "Natalie, I want to hear it from you. Do you really want your ex-fianc¨¦ interfering in our family affairs?" Sky turned his focus to Natalie, realizing Marcus was unwilling to back down. "You''re my biological sister, but Emma is also the sister I grew up with. Is it really so wrong for me to want you two to get along?"


    Natalie found his wordsughable. She raised her eyes to meet Sky''s gaze.


    "Sky, save those words for Mom and Dad. Today is the wee party they arranged specifically for me. I don''t want it to turn ugly. I respect you as my blood- rted brother, but that doesn''t mean I have to agree to your unreasonable demands."


    The corner of her lips lifted slightly, her toneced with both mocking and indifferent.


    "I said it this morning. I won''t kick Emma out, nor will I make things difficult for her. But let''s be clear- the one trying to harm me is her. She''s the one who refuses to tolerate my existence.


    "Am I not even allowed to fight back after being bullied by her? No matter what she does to me, in your eyes, I should just take it? I should forgive her, indulge her, and put her on a pedestal the way you do? And that''s the only way to be good?"


    Sky took a deep breath, his face tensing at Natalie''s cold sarcasm. At this moment, he knew that Natalie wasn''t someone he could easily pressure into submission


    "You don''t have to use our parents to pressure me-that''s not my intention either. I admit, I was too hasty. Some of the things I said were out of line. If I upset you, I apologize."


    Sky steadied his emotions.


    Right now, he had no idea which hospital Emma had been transferred to. He had already confronted Hector about it, even using his status as the eldest brother to pressure him, but Hector had simply told him to ask Marcus himself.


    That was why Sky had taken the opportunity to approach Charles in the lounge, hoping he would put in a good word for him with Marcus.


    But instead, Charles had simply called both Marcus and Natalie in, then conveniently excused himself.


    Emma had revealed her true feelings with the recording. Even if Sky wanted to protect her, it was nearly impossible to convince his parents.


    His only option was to seek Natalie''s forgiveness first. Yet he had barely spoken a


    few sentences before the atmosphere turned hostile.


    And Marcus-far from being neutral-waspletely against him, speaking without the slightest regard for courtesy.


    Not to mention, he had thrown coffee in his face. Twice.


    A soft knock sounded at the lounge door. A maid stood at the entrance, carefully


    asking, "Ms. Natalie, should I bring in the coffee now?"


    Natalie nodded. "Yes, bring it in."


    The tension in the room was overwhelming, the pressure suffocating.


    The maid quickly and cautiously ced the coffee down, then bowed and


    retreated without dy.


    Natalie poured two cups, lifting one and handing it to Marcus.


    "Mr. Holden, have some coffee."


    "Thank you."


    Marcus epted the cup.


    The coffee was rich and fragrant, its deep aroma filling the air. At this temperature,


    if it happened to spill onto Sky''s face... well, it would be just right.


    Since Sky was so determined to defend Emma, Marcus decided he wouldn''t hold back anymore.


    He had initially intended to show some restraint, given the rtionship between their families. But now, that no longer seemed necessary.


    Marcus pulled out his phone and,


    right in front of Sky and Natalie,


    dialed Ethan. "Ethan, release the evidence of Emma drugging me at


    Holden Residence to the media."


    Ethan''s respectful voice came through the receiver. "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    "And hand Gabriel Morgan over to the authorities. All evidence rted to Emma- submit it tow enforcement."


    "Understood, Mr. Holden."


    "Also, make the necessary arrangements. Since Emma enjoys drugging people


    so much, let her experience it properly while in custody."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    With each of Marcus''mands, Sky''s face drained of all color, turning deathly pale.


    Panicked, he lunged forward and smacked Marcus'' phone away. "Marcus, you''re too cruel!"


    Marcus responded with a solid punch to Sky''s face.


    "Cruel?" he sneered. "No matter how cruel I am, can I possiblypare to your dear Emma?"


    His mocking tone was unmistakable. "Compared to you forcing your own sister to forgive Emma, I think my methods are far too lenient.


    "Natalie is a woman. For the sake of keeping peace and out of respect for you as her elder brother, she may choose to hold back-but I don''t have to.


    "You said it yourself¡ªI''m Natalie''s ex-fianc¨¦. And as her ex-fianc¨¦, it''s only natural for me to make up for the damage caused by breaking off our engagement by doing something for her. Just like how you''re so devoted to Emma."


    svel


    "Natalie, say something!" Sky was frantic. He couldn''t allow Ethan to carry out Marcus'' orders¡ªif that happened, Emma''s life would bepletely ruined.


    "What do you want me to say?" Natalie took a sip of coffee with aposed, elegant posture. "Emma wanted me dead. You heard the


    recording loud and clear. So what now? Emma''s life matters, but mine doesn''t?


    "Sorry, but Marcus is merely my ex-fianc¨¦. Whatever he chooses to do is beyond


    my control. I don''t have the right to interfere."


    "Natalie Walker!"


    "And who do you think you''re raising your voice at?" A sharp, icy reprimand


    suddenly echoed from the doorway.


    Charlotte entered the room, apanied by Mason. Behind them were Shawn


    and Celeste.


    Charlotte strode forward. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and delivered a resounding p across Sky''s face.


    "Sky Walker, you never fail to amaze me."

 Chapter 283 Not Worthy of Being Called Brother

    "How did I give birth to such a disgrace? How dare you force Nat to forgive Emma and make demands of Marcus of Nat?" Charlotte shouted at Sky.


    Mason pulled Natalie to his side, gently patting her head. "Don''t be afraid, Nat. Mother will stand up for you."


    Natalie tilted her head slightly, her smile pure and untainted. "Mm, I''m not afraid."


    Seeing her smile, Mason finally let out a sigh of relief, reassured that she was truly unharmed. He then turned to Marcus and said, "Marcus, thank you for protecting my sister."


    Marcus, upon seeing Charlotte''s arrival, gave a slight nod. "Mrs. Walker, my apologies for interfering in your family matters."


    "No need to apologize. In fact, I should be thanking you for standing up for Nat when we weren''t here," Charlotte replied, waving her hand dismissively.


    Any lingering resentment she had about Marcus breaking off the engagement vanished in that instant.


    Even as an outsider, Marcus could see how wrong Sky was. Yet as Natalie''s biological brother, knowing full well how vicious Emma''s intentions were, Sky still demanded that Natalie forgive her.


    That was something Charlotte couldn''t tolerate.


    "Sky, you don''t need to bother looking into Emma''s biological parents anymore. With that brain of yours, filled with nothing but filth, I wouldn''t put it past you to find them and then hide the truth from us.


    "Let me make myself clear once the wee party is over, I will have Emma change herst name immediately. She can take whatever name she likes, but she will never again carry the Walker family''s name."


    "Mother!"


    Sky looked at Charlotte in disbelief, his face filled with shock.


    "Yes, Emma made mistakes, but not to the point of death! You raised her for 20 years¡ªshe''s your beloved daughter! Even if she were a cat or a dog, you wouldn''t be indifferent to her! Emma is a living, breathing person! She''s called you ''Mom'' for 20 years-how can you be so heartless?"


    "It''s exactly because I raised her for 20 years that I''m so disappointed!" Charlotte''s eyes were red with fury. She raised her hand and pped Sky across the face. "If I raise a dog, at least it wags its tail at me. If I raise a cat, at least it provides me withfort."


    She continued, "And Emma? She''s spent years eating the Walker family''s food, drinking the Walker family''s water, using the Walker family''s best resources-tell me, what has she ever done for me?


    "My real daughter finallyes home, yet the one who took her ce dares to try and drive her out? She even wished for my real daughter''s death? A person this vile¡ªwhat a waste of my 20 years of love and effort!


    "I made it clear before. The Walker family could afford to keep her, but only if she knew her ce and behaved.


    "But what did she do? She threw tantrums, cried, and threatened to end her life. Nat wanted nothing to do with her, so why couldn''t she just stay in her ownne? Would I have thrown her out if she had just done that?


    ''Sky, don''t forget-yourst name is Walker. And so is Natalie''s." Charlotte''s body trembled with rage. "And Emma? Who is she, exactly? What is she worth for you to go this far to protect her?"


    She took a sharp breath, her voice cutting like a de. "Since you insist on standing by her side, then let me make this clear-I fully support whatever Marcus ns to do."


    Charlotte turned to Marcus. "We know about the car ident that happened at the Walker residence. William and I intended to handle it after the wee party for Nat, but we won''t dy it any longer. Our family will not protect Emma. Do whatever you want-we have no objections."


    She shot Sky a cold, piercing look. "You-her so-called big brother-don''t even measure up to her former fianc¨¦. That''s on us for raising you wrong.


    "Sky, stop going to Nat with your pleas. If you have anything to say, say it to Marcus. He''s the one Emma offended, not Nat.


    "If you want Nat to forgive Emma, fine. Your father and I are willing to let her do


    that for your sake. But remember this after today, Nat will no longer acknowledge you as her brother. She will never call you that again.


    "Don''t even think about using your big brother status to guilt-trip her. However you''ve treated her, I''ll make sure she does the same to you."


    Charlotte''s gaze was unwavering. "Sky, burn this into your memory."


    She then turned to Natalie. "Nat, do you have any objections to what I just said?"


    Natalie shook her head and stepped forward, gently wrapping her arm around Charlotte''s. "Mom, I have no objections."


    "Good. Then it''s settled."


    Turning toward Sky, Charlotte said, "Sky, Nat has forgiven Emma. From now on, don''te looking for her again. Whatever happens to Emma has nothing to do with Nat anymore. Don''t look for the wrong person."


    Then, she said to Natalie, "Come, Nat, let''s go to another lounge."


    "Alright. Thank you, Mom."


    As Natalie followed Charlotte out of the lounge, she saw Celeste winking at her.


    "Good thing Mr. Haines came to get me," Charlotte added. "Otherwise, I wouldn''t have known you were being bullied by Sky."


    The moment they stepped out, her expression softened. "Was I too harsh just now? Did I scare you? Don''t worry, my precious girl. I will never be harsh with you. I was just furious at Sky. He''s such a disgrace"


    vel


    "I wasn''t scared." Natalie beamed sweetly, her voice soft and sweet. "On the contrary, I think you were absolutely amazing, Mom. Especially when you pped Sky those ps were crisp and sharp. They sounded painful."


    Charlotte''s voice turned cold again. "He deserved it."


    "If your father wasn''t busy entertaining guests, I would''ve had him beat some sense into Sky. Looks like the punishmentst time still wasn''t enough to knock the stupidity out of his head."


    "But Mom, you let Marcus handle Emma. Will he give my big brother any leniency for the sake of our families'' ties?"


    "Don''t call him your big brother. He''s not worthy. Just call him by name," Charlotte said before adding, "Marcus won''t show him any mercy."


    Her voice turned softer as she added, "Actually, I arrived a little earlier and was listening outside the door. Since Marcus already said what he did and issued those orders, he won''t take them back.


    "He''s the kind of person who does what he says. If it weren''t for the ties between our families spanning generations, the Walker family wouldn''t dare to provoke the Holden family at all.


    "Let alone Marcus. He grew up under Mr. Holden Senior''s guidance, took over Holden Group in his teens, and his ruthless decisiveness is unmatched. Not even your father, in his younger years, couldpare to him-let alone your brothers.


    "Marcus'' methods are far more ruthless. The only reason he hadn''t taken action against Emma before was probably because Mr. Holden Senior was giving our family some respect and holding him back.


    "But this time, Marcus had already decided not to forgive Emma. He was just waiting to see how we, the Walker family, would handle her. Now that I''ve made my stance clear, he won''t let Emma off."


    Charlotte let out a slow breath before continuing, her tone deliberate.


    "Besides, by having you forgive Emma, I''ve taken away Sky''s excuse to keep pestering you. Since it''s Marcus taking action, if Sky wants toin, he can take it up with him instead.


    "Nat, when I told you to forgive Emma, I didn''t mean it literally. I know Marcus would never let her go. Someone else will punish Emma for us, so why should you dirty your own hands?"


    Charlotte met Natalie''s gaze. "Nat, you understand what I mean, don''t you?"


    Charlotte feared that Natalie might misunderstand her intentions, so she made sure to exin everything clearly.


    Hearing Charlotte''s words, Natalie thought carefully about Marcus'' attitude. Most likely, he was still venting his anger over Sophia, using the broken engagement as a legitimate excuse.


    After a moment of silence, Natalie finally spoke up.


    "Mom, you raised Emma for 20 years. Sky wasn''t entirely wrong. Can you really


    bring yourself topletely abandon her?"


    Rather than guessing, it was better


    to be upfront. Since she had chosen to acknowledge her biological parents, and since Emma was someone as despicable as Selena,


    then their conflict was inevitable-one of them would have to go.


    Understanding Charlotte and William''s true stance was crucial.

 Chapter 284 Only Cares About Her Own Daughter

    Natalie''s question was serious and direct. Charlotte immediately responded with equal seriousness.


    "Nat, my stance has always been clear from the very beginning. I raised Emma for 20 years, and I do care for her-that''s something I can''t deny. But in my heart, you''re the one I must make amends to. You''re my most cherished and beloved daughter.


    "Emma was able to stay in this family all these years because of you. But now that you''ve returned, it''s time for her to go back to where she belongs. I will never allow someone who has harmed you to stay in this family, nor will I ever favor her at your expense."


    Charlotte spoke from the depths of her heart, her sincerity evident.


    "If she truly saw you as her sister, I would have treated her as I always have. But she would never be above you. I can give Emma an eight out of ten in kindness, but for you, it will always be a full ten. If Emma can''t ept that and insists on fighting for attention, then she can get lost!


    "Call me heartless, call me cruel-I don''t care. The only thing I care about is that my real daughter, now that she''s home, is happy and living well.


    "A mother''s love is never impartial. Before, I didn''t know about you. Emma was raised with your brothers, and your father and I doted on her the most.


    "But now that you''re back, whether it''s between you and your brothers or you and Emma, your father and I will always put you first. Others can ept it or not-it changes nothing about our decision."


    As Charlotte spoke, her eyes reddened.


    "Nat, I know you never received love from your so-called parents before. And even now, you don''t feel entirely secure in our love."


    Charlotte understood this all too well. That was why she kept saying it out loud- so Natalie would know that neither she nor William would ever let her suffer again for anyone else''s sake.


    She knew the scars Victor and Diana had left on Natalie wouldn''t be easy to erase. But she had patience and faith. One day, Natalie would trust and rely on herpletely.


    There was no need to keep things bottled up. They should just say what needed to be said.


    Charlotte was determined to be a mother who spoke her heart, not one who silently loved her child but never expressed it.


    "Nat, I may not be perfect, but please believe me my love for you is real and unwavering."


    Listening to Charlotte''s words, Natalie''s eyes gradually reddened. She quickly turned away and took a deep breath.


    What was wrong with her eyes? Why did they suddenly feel so hot?


    She couldn''t cry. She had never cried, not even when Diana abused and tormented her. She couldn''t possibly cry now just because of a few words from her biological mother.


    "Nat." Charlotte stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace. "I originally nned to transfer Emma after the wee party, but I changed my mind and had Hector move her already. Whatever you want to do, I will support you.


    "You''re the true heiress of the Walker family, our rightful eldest daughter. No one can ever surpass your ce in my heart. There are some things I didn''t tell you because I didn''t want you to worry. Do you me me for that?"


    Natalie took a deep breath and shook her head lightly. "Thank you, Mom."


    "Let''s go freshen up a bit. The banquet is about to start, and I want to introduce you to the top executives of thepany. If you ever want to join the headquarters, we can just make you CEO right away.


    "Your father and I may have retired and handed thepany over to that disgrace, but we still hold the majority of the shares. We still have the final say."


    At this point, Charlotte no longer referred to Sky as Natalie''s brother, calling him nothing but a disgrace.


    Natalie couldn''t help but curve her lips slightly. Charlotte''s attitude made her feel at ease.


    "Thank you, Mom."


    "Nat, you never have to thank me. It''s a mother''s duty to protect and stand up for her child."


    Natalie''s eyes burned again. She had never heard such words in the Langley family. Even if Charlotte changed one day, at this moment, Natalie was truly moved.


    "Alright, I won''t say it anymore." She quickly adjusted her emotions, regaining her usual calm and distant demeanor. "Let''s go downstairs."


    "Are you sure you don''t want to rest a bit longer?"


    Natalie shook her head. "No, I''m fine."


    "Alright, let''s go."


    Hand in hand, Natalie and Charlotte made their way downstairs together.


    Men in tailored suits and women adorned in luxurious gowns filled the hall. The moment they saw Natalie, they immediately greeted her with polite, warm, and weing smiles.


    Natalie responded to each of them with a gentle smile, but for a fleeting moment, she felt a bit surreal.


    Parties like this had never been something she was allowed to attend when she was in the Langley family.


    Later, when Grace decided to bring her along to expand their market and connections, Diana would always sneer and throw sarcastic remarks at home. She would even deliberately pick out the ugliest dresses for Natalie to wear.


    Grace, upon seeing those dresses, would explode in fury and harshly scold Diana before personally selecting a beautiful gown for Natalie.


    However, every time Natalie returned home from a banquet, Grace would retire to her room, exhausted.


    And Natalie¡ªshe would be dragged into a room by Diana and severely punished. At those moments, Grace would never appear.


    To keep Grace from worrying, Natalie endured everything Diana inflicted upon her, gritting her teeth and bearing the pain. She had only ever thought about one thing to grow up and repay the Langley family''s kindness for raising her before leavingpletely.


    But the older she got, the harder it became to let go of Grace, who had cared for her the most. Then, after Grace got into a car ident while trying to save her, leaving became even more impossible.


    She had thought that she would be trapped in the Langley family for the rest of her life. Until Victor and Diana found and brought Selena back. Only then did things slowly start to shift.


    Now, knowing that Grace had never truly loved her and had only ever used and manipted her, whatever lingering guilt Natalie had once felt for herpletely vanished.


    Standing in Walker Estate tonight, wearing an exquisite and luxurious evening gown, styled by top-tier makeup artists, surrounded by


    peoplevying for her attention


    Natalie felt as though the suffering she had endured in the Langley family was now being repaid in full.


    Charlotte, unaware of Natalie''s thoughts, led her through the crowd of wealthy socialites.


    "Mrs. Bet, this is my biological daughter, Natalie."


    "Natalie looks exactly like you, Charlotte! There''s no need for a DNA test¡ªjust


    looking at her face, it''s obvious she''s your daughter," Martha Bet teased with


    a smile.


    Then she asked with interest, "Charlotte, does Natalie have a boyfriend? If not, maybe she could consider my rascal of a son."


    Beatrice Collins, standing nearby, chimed in with augh. "Mrs. Be, you just admitted your son is a rascal! Charlotte, let Natalie consider my son instead. He may not be the best in other areas, but at least he always smells nice."


    "You little vixen, are you trying to steal her from me?"


    "Thank you,dies, but let''s not tease my daughter like this." Charlotte chuckled. "She just got back, and I haven''t even had time to properly dote on her, yet you all want to take her away.


    "I n to have Natalie stay with me for a while. As for the future, who knows? If


    the kids happen to like each other, then even if I don''t want to let her go, I''ll have


    to."


    "That''s a promise, then! We''re making reservations now!"


    "Here, Natalie, this is my son''s business card. Keep it. Even if there''s a queue, at


    least give him a chance!"


    "This is from my family."


    "And mine."


    In just a short while, Natalie found herself holding a thick stack of business cards.


    She was speechless. These wealthy socialites were not only nosy but also incredibly enthusiastic-it was terrifying.

 Chapter 285 Does He Know Thats Strange?

    After socializing for a while, Celeste walked up and gently pulled Natalie away from the group of wealthy socialites.


    Charlotte and William were both upied with their guests, so they entrusted Celeste with taking care of Natalie.


    Natalie found this a little amusing. She was an adult, not a child. Although she hadn''t been particrly at ease at banquets in the Langley family, her mentor, Federrick, had privately taught her quite a bit. Still, having someone pull her away from the overly chatty socialites wasn''t a bad thing.


    Celeste led her toward the younger crowd, while Shawn silently followed behind them.


    Just as Natalie was about to pick up a ss of champagne, Shawn reached out first and handed her one.


    "I already checked-no one tampered with it," he murmured, lowering his voice. "I''ve been keeping an eye on things."


    Natalie arched her eyebrow slightly. She had to admit that Shawn''s vignce was impressive. But since he had mentioned it, she decided not to drink it.


    She set the champagne down and walked toward the dessert table. As she carefully browsed through the selection, Shawn ced a te of chocte velvet cake in front of her.


    "Want to try this?"


    Natalie turned her head. "Did you keep an eye on this one too, Mr. Haines?"


    Shawn nodded. "Yes. Natalie, trust me. I wouldn''t let anyone harm you."


    He continued, "Mr. Lincoln assigned me to stay by your side to guard against anyone with bad intentions. The Walker family may be the richest in the country, but that doesn''t mean they can let their guard down. At your wee party, Mr. Lincoln said there might be people watching from the shadows."


    Shawn''s voice was low, just enough for Natalie to hear. "If you don''t trust me, I can take the first bite."


    "I trust you," Natalie said with a small smile.


    She took the chocte velvet cake from his hand, cut a bite with her fork, and brought it to her mouth.


    The cake was rich and smooth, the chocte deep and indulgent, but to her, it was a bit too sweet-definitely not as good as the one she had eaten at Marcus'' ce.


    Still, she was hungry, so she simply finished the cake, bite by bite.


    As soon as she finished, people approached her for conversation, and she started socializing again. While chatting, she also had Olivia find good angles to take photos of her. She had ns for those pictures.


    After a while, she finally found a moment to slip away. She waved over Gorge and asked him to arrange for Marcus to meet her in the back garden.


    "Mr. Haines, I need to step out to the garden for something. You don''t have to apany me," she said to Shawn with a soft smile. "If Lincoln asks about it, I''ll exin to him myself."


    "I''ll go with you," Shawn offered after a moment of thought. "I''ll just keep watch from a distance."


    "No need." Natalie waved him off. "This is the Walker family''s estate-my own home. If something happens, I''ll call for security right away.


    "Besides, you''ve been following me around all night without having a proper chance to eat or drink. I noticed quite a few people wanting to talk to you. Take this opportunity to expand yourwork."


    "Alright," Shawn reluctantly agreed.


    Natalie barely had an impression of him, and he didn''t want to be too pushy-it might scare her off.


    Natalie nodded with a smile before gracefully turning and leaving the hall. Shawn stood where he was, watching her retreating figure.


    Her dark hair was partially pinned up, pearl earrings swaying gently as she moved. She wore an elegant white evening gown with an open-back design, revealing her fair, delicate skin. The fitted mermaid silhouette entuated her slender waist and perfect figure.


    And then there was her face-so wlessly beautiful, it looked as if she had stepped out of a painting. A striking mix of exquisite features and an air of cold nobility, her beauty was breathtaking yet untouched by the mundane world.


    She was so dazzling that Shawn didn''t even dare to entertain any improper thoughts about her.


    Yet, the seed of admiration that had been nted in his heart continued to take root and grow-until it became an unshakable force.


    As Natalie walked toward the back garden, she felt a faint, lingering gaze trailing behind her.


    But tonight, too many people had been looking at her with admiration, so she didn''t think much of it.


    She moved gracefully in her high heels, making her way through the vast garden. The Walker family''s back garden was expansive, filled with a variety of flowers- mostly roses.


    From Emma''s bedroom window, one could look straight down at the sea of roses.


    Natalie walked over to the rose bushes and took a seat on one of the benches. She slipped off her heels and gently massaged her sore calves.


    A few momentster, a tall figure appeared in front of her. Looking up, she saw Marcus crouch down.


    In his hands was a pair of soft, white slippers, which he ced in front of her. Then, as if performing a magic trick, he produced two band-aids in his palm.


    "Put these on the areas that got rubbed raw," Marcus said in his deep, maic voice. "There''s no one else here. Change into the slippers and rest for a bit."


    Natalie took the band-aids from him. Her feet aid ache quite a bit, and she had done him plenty of favors, so she didn''t see the need to be overly polite. She would just consider this as Marcus repaying a favor.  swnovel


    "Thank you."


    She peeled open the band-aids and carefully applied them to the sore spots


    before slipping her feet into the soft slippers.


    It was an instant relief.


    "You called for me," Marcus said as he sat down beside her, keeping a respectful distance.


    "Yes," Natalie replied frankly.


    "I had someone take photos of us ''on a date'' and sent them to Emma. She''s obsessed with you-madly in love. I want to provoke her a little. Strike while she''s down. What do you think, Mr. Holden?"


    Marcus was speechless. Being liked by Emma wasn''t something he found particrly enjoyable.


    "As long as you''re happy." His lips parted slightly as he said in a neutral tone, "But Ms. Walker, are you openly admitting to using me?"


    "It''s not using¡ªit''s mutually beneficial," Natalie countered smoothly. She wasn''t about to fall into his verbal trap.


    Admitting that she was using him would mean she owed him a favor.


    "Don''t you need me to get along with you so you can appease your parents? And besides, with what happened to Sophia, don''t you want to get revenge for her?


    "I need Emma out of the Walker family. My mother has already made her stance clear, but until things are final, there''s always a chance for unexpected changes. Wouldn''t you agree, Mr. Holden?"


    Marcus pondered her words for a moment before speaking again. "Mrs. Walker has already made it clear-she doesn''t want you to dirty your hands, so she''s using me to deal with Sky and Emma. So why are you still thinking this way?"  swnovel


    "Oh?" Natalie blinked slightly, eyes widening just a bit.


    Charlotte had exined things to her, so she understood the reasoning behind her mom''s actions. But what surprised her was that Marcus, knowing full well that Charlotte was using him, stilwent along with their act.


    to swnovel


    "Did you really figure that out?"


    Marcus was amused by her reaction. "Why? Does that surprise you? Do I seem


    like an idiot?"


    Then again, perhaps he was.


    After all, he was essentially being sold off, yet he was still ying along, even


    handing over the money with a smile.

 Chapter 286 If Youre Going to Break Someones Spirit, Make It Convincing

    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¡ªa 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¡ªand 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?

 Chapter 287 Driving Emma Mad

    "Let''s get this over with," Natalie exhaled, adjusting her posture. "It''s just... the idea of you touching my ear feels kind of weird."


    She had never been this physically close to any man before. Even with Nathan, her childhood friend, their rtionship had always been more about appearances than any real intimacy.


    But since this was all an act, she knew it needed to be convincing enough to leave Emma with no room for doubt.


    If they intended to shatter someone emotionally, they had to strike where it hurt the most. Natalie wanted Emma to lose everything¡ªlove, family, all of it.


    "Alright," Natalie decided after a moment''s thought. "Let''s do a staged kiss next. You know, the kind where it looks like we''re kissing, but we''re not actually touching. Are you familiar with that, Mr. Holden?"


    Marcus'' gaze darkened slightly, but he nodded. "Yeah, I know how it works."


    "Great. Olivia, you''ll take the lead and guide us."


    "On it!" Olivia chirped, giving them a thumbs-up. She began positioning Marcus and Natalie for the next set of photos.


    Natalie rested her head on Marcus'' shoulder, and he ced his arm on the back of her chair, careful not to actually touch her. When a light breeze drifted through, Marcus'' fingers brushed a strand of Natalie''s hair aside with deliberate precision.


    Olivia crouched and shifted angles, snapping photo after photo.


    "Alright, Natalie," Olivia called out, adjusting her lens. "Throw your legs over Marcus''p and swing them a little."


    Natalie froze. "That''s... not really appropriate, isn''t it?" She hesitated, frowning at the suggestion.


    "You''re wearing a dress, and Marcus'' wearing pants. It''s not like anything inappropriate is happening," Olivia reasoned, waving it off. "It''s just acting. But if it''s too much, we can skip it."


    "Skip it," Natalie said firmly, taking a deep breath. She was fine with Marcus pretending to hold her, but draping her legs over him felt like crossing a line. They didn''t need to go that far. The vibe they were going for was suggestive, not outright intimate.


    "Got it." Olivia adjusted her direction ordingly. From that point on, she made sure to keep the poses less intimate. Even for the fake kiss, she used clever angles to create the illusion of closeness without any real contact.


    When everything was over, Olivia joined Natalie to review the photos.


    "This one''s great. Oh, and this one too." Olivia grinned as she sifted through the images. "We''ll send these to Marcus first so he can post them on his feed. Make sure Emma''s the only one who can see them."


    "Sounds good," Natalie agreed.


    "By the way, I got shots of you in the ballroom earlier with your brothers. Want to see?"


    "Sure."


    Olivia handed her the camera, and the two of them went through the photos, selecting their favorites. Meanwhile, Marcus stood off to the side, listening silently as the two women whispered and giggled over their strategy.


    Once the selections were finalized, Olivia organized the photos into groups. "These go to Mr. Holden to post, these go to Mason, and these are for you to share."


    "Got it."


    Natalie sent the chosen photos to Marcus via text, nine in total-perfect for a gridyout on his social media feed.


    "Mr. Holden, did you get them? Once you do, post them. Just make sure Emma''s the only one who can see it," Natalie instructed.


    Marcus, who had been quietly


    observing, suddenly spoke up.


    "Natalie, don''t you think it''d be more


    effective if I continue to block her


    instead? That way, someone else can screenshot the post and send it to her. It might sting moreing from someone she knows."  swnovel


    Natalie was taken aback. She hadn''t expected him to suggest something like that. She wasn''t exactly experienced in rtionships or revenge plots, so this wasn''t her area of expertise. She turned to Olivia for input.


    "Olivia, what do you think? Which option would drive Emma crazier?"


    Olivia thought for a moment. "Oh, the second option, hands down. It''s way more humiliating if one of her so-called friends sends her the screenshot with some snarkyment. It''ll make Mr. Holden seem head-over-heels for you, which will really twist the knife."


    Marcus'' voice rose slightly. "Head-over-heels? Since when did I be a lovesick puppy for Natalie?"


    Oliviaughed. "Rx, Mr. Holden. I was just saying. But seriously, nothing cuts deeper than seeing the guy you''re obsessed with act fawn over someone else. Especially when that someone is the one person you hate the most."


    She shot him a mischievous look. "And hey, don''t forget about Ms. Sinir-she''s still stuck in the hospital, isn''t she? This isn''t just about Emma. This is about sending a message."


    Olivia''s teasing wasn''t entirely


    innocent. She hadn''t forgotten how Marcus used to look down on Natalie. If she could spread the narrative that Marcus was the one chasing after Natalie, it''d be a little act of payback for the way he''d treated her friend in the past.  swnovel


    But Natalie saw through Olivia''s little scheme immediately.


    "Olivia, stopbeling Mr. Holden as a lovesick puppy. He''s not, and we''re not trying to create that image. ¨¨ Emma''s already lost her ce in the Walken family. Crushing her spirit doesn''t take much effort. M Holden''s involvement is just to keep Sky from meddling."


    belongs to swnovel


    "Olivia, even though my parents have made their stance clear, Sky is still my older brother-he''s their son too," Natalie said.


    Natalie''s calm exnation made Olivia pause and think. After a moment, she nodded. "Got it."


    "Mr. Holden can post on his social media himself, or he can have a friend send it to Emma."


    "Isn''t Emma still in the hospital? Now that your wee party is over, she''s probably going to be kicked out soon, right?"


    "Yes." Natalie nodded. "The only reason she''s still there today is because my mom was worried she''de to the vi and ruin the party. After everything she said to me, my parents won''t ept her anymore."


    "But as for Sky''s stance..." Natalie curled her lips in a mocking smile. "I need Mr. Holden to help keep him in check."


    "Then..." Olivia hesitantly nced at Marcus. "Will Mr. Holden agree to it?"


    Marcus cast a cool nce at Olivia. "I''m right here, Ms. Thatcher. You can ask me directly."


    Olivia didn''t hesitate and got straight to the point. "Mr. Holden, are you willing to


    do this?"


    "If I weren''t, why would I have taken those photos with Natalie?"

 Chapter 288 Plenty of Spies in the Walker Family

    Marcus'' blunt response left Olivia momentarily speechless. She nced between him and Natalie.


    Olivia knew Natalie always thought things through carefully, leaving no detail unchecked. If Natalie had brought Marcus into this n, it wasn''t just to keep Sky in check. There had to be a deeper reason-one Natalie hadn''t shared yet.


    But Olivia didn''t press. As Natalie''s best friend, Olivia had always trusted and supported her decisions.


    "My bad. I guess I wasn''t thinking straight," Olivia joked, shing a self- deprecating grin. "I''m the real lovesick fool here. I''m totally Nat''s number-one fan. Come on, Nat, give me some love!"


    With that, Olivia leaned toward Natalie as if to nt a yful kiss on her cheek. Natalie pushed her away with augh. "Knock it off. We''ve got work to do."


    "I''m the star of tonight''s show. I can''t stay out here too long." She turned to Marcus. "Mr. Holden, shall we head back together?"


    Marcus gave a small nod. "Yeah, let''s go. But Ms. Walker, I should warn you¡ªmy grandfather''s been on my case about finding a girlfriend. Preferably one who can give him a great-grandchild sooner rather thanter. We should make sure none of those photos end up in his hands or even reach his radar."


    Natalie paused mid-step, her expression tightening. She''dpletely overlooked that possibility.


    Marcus noticed her reaction and added, "Don''t stress about it. If ites up, I''ll just say I hired someone to secretly take those photos because I regretted calling off our engagement and wanted to win you back. If the elders misunderstand, Ms. Walker, just put all the me on me."


    Before Natalie could respond, Marcus spoke again. "Consider it my way of repaying the favor I owe you."


    Natalie turned, her gaze fixed intently on Marcus. In the beginning, he had clearly disliked her. Later, when he found out she was Elim and that she had saved Charles, his attitude toward her became much more respectful. Yet, it had never veered into anything resembling affection.


    Now, his unexpected cooperation and willingness to handle the fallout made her question his motives. Was he really just repaying her for what she did for Charles?


    Marcus seemed to sense her doubt. He rified, "I''m a man, Ms. Walker. I can handle getting med or criticized. You stood up for me in front of my grandfather before, and I''ll always appreciate that."


    Natalie exhaled and nodded. "Alright. If you insist, let''s head back together."


    She nced around the area and added, "Most of the people here tonight are prominent figures. They know who you are, Mr. Holden. No one would dare gossip about us."


    Marcus smirked faintly. "That''s true. Only a fool would try."


    Anyone who dared to gossip about him behind his back must have had a death wish.


    Olivia, still sitting nearby, stretched her legs and teased, "So, you two are ditching me now, huh? You''ve used me up and are tossing me aside?"


    Natalie chuckled. "Call Mason. He''lle get you."


    "Fine," Olivia said, flopping into a chair. Her legs were sore from standing all night. She pulled out her camera and began scrolling through the photos she''d taken.


    Not long after, Mason came looking for Olivia.


    "Olivia!" Mason called out cheerfully, jogging over with a strawberry cake in his hands. "Look what I got for you."


    He stopped in front of her, holding up the dessert like it was a trophy. "Nat told me you love strawberry cake but rarely eat it because you''re alway@worried about your figure. Tonight, you can rx and indulge. Afterward, I''ll take you out to y basketball to burn it all off."  swnovel


    Olivia blinked at him, stunned. "Basketball? At this hour?"


    She stared at him like he''d lost his mind.


    "Okay, it''s fine if you don''t wanna y basketball," Mason said, scratching his head. "We can go for a run instead around the garden. You can take in the flowers, enjoy the view, and still burn calories. It''s perfect!"


    swnovel


    Mason''s enthusiasm was almost endearing. He was clearly trying to impress her, though Olivia wasn''t sure why. She had a sneaking suspicion he''d noticed her interest in Lincoln, but she wasn''t about to admit that.


    "What sports do you enjoy? I''m good at everything, Olivia," Mason boasted. "Name a sport, and I''ll crush it. Check out these muscles."


    He rolled up his sleeves and flexed his biceps.


    Olivia raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "What about abs? Have you got any of those?"


    "Of course!" Mason didn''t miss a beat. He lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing a set of well-defined abs.


    Olivia was no stranger to muscr men-she''d worked with countless male models-but Mason''s fairplexion and lean, athletic build stood out.


    "Can I touch?" she asked, half-joking.


    "Go for it. Don''t be shy," Mason replied, stepping closer. He even took her hand and ced it on his stomach, grinning the entire time.


    However, he let out a sharp breath as soon as her handnded on his abs.


    Startled, Olivia pulled her hand back. "What was that? Did I hurt you or something?"


    "N-No," Mason stammered, his ears turning red. "I''m just... a little nervous. This is my first time letting a woman touch my abs."


    Olivia felt her cheeks heat up. "Well, maybe don''t grab someone''s hand and make them touch you next time! You made it weird."


    Mason scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "Right. My bad. Just... eat your cake, okay?"


    After that little incident, Oliviapletely forgot about watching her figure. She picked up a small spoon and slowly started eating the strawberry cake.


    Natalie and Marcus had returned to the ballroom. A small crowd


    gathered around Natalie as soon as they entered, but Marcus stayed close behind her. He draped his suit jacket over her shoulders without a word, catching her off guard.


    swnovel


    "Careful," he murmured in a low voice, leaning close to her ear. "Someone


    upstairs is taking photos. Doesn''t look like one of your people."


    Natalie''s eyes flicked upward, feigning casual curiosity. She caught a glimpse of a woman dressed as a housekeeper quickly pulling back from the railing on the second floor.


    Her lips curled into a slight smirk. It seemed someone had nted quite a few spies in the Walker family.

 Chapter 289 Anger and Cursing

    "I''m feeling a little tired and need to take a break. If I haven''t been the perfect host, I hope you''ll forgive me," Natalie said, draped in Marcus'' suit jacket.


    The faint scent of gardenias lingered on the fabric. It struck her as odd since she distinctly remembered Marcus not having this scent the first time they met. But now wasn''t the time to dwell on what cologne he used.


    "Ms. Walker, please, rest!"


    "Yeah, take a break! No need to worry about us."


    The group of men around her, all acquaintances Lincoln had recently introduced her to, smiled warmly. Their polite and friendly teasing instantly lightened the atmosphere, making it easier for her to step away.


    Natalie gave them a gracious smile, turning her head slightly to nce at Marcus. He nodded subtly, and the two headed upstairs together.


    Once upstairs, Natalie pulled out her phone and dialed Hector''s number.


    "Hey, Hector," she said when he picked up. "Which hospital is Emma in right now?"


    "She''s at the Good Hope Psychiatric Center in Soutia," Hector replied in a low voice. "Why are you asking, Nat?"


    "Just curious," Natalie said casually. "That''s all. Talkter."


    She hung up and turned to Marcus. "You know where Emma was transferred to, don''t you?"


    Marcus nodded. "Yeah. Hector asked me to help arrange some bodyguards, so of course I know."


    "Then... should we pay her a visit?" Natalie asked, a sly smile curving her lips. She held her phone up as if checking her makeup, but she was really using the reflection to catch a glimpse of a shadowy figure lurking nearby.


    "Sure," Marcus said without hesitation.


    "Give me a minute to change. We''ll sneak out through the back."


    "I''ll wait outside your room."


    "Alright."


    They stepped into the elevator together, and as they descended, Natalie''s gaze flicked to the security camera. She smiled faintly, her expression unreadable.


    Interesting, she thought. That sneaky housekeeper-was she working for Emma? Sky? Or someone else entirely?


    No matter whose spy it was, they wouldn''t stop her from dealing with Emma.


    When the elevator reached the fifth floor, Natalie handed Marcus his jacket and slipped into her room.


    That evening, she''d worn several different evening gowns, each paired with matching heels and essories. Her makeup had been carefully tailored for each outfit, ensuring she looked stunning no matter the ensemble.


    But for this visit, Natalie chose something simple andfortable-a white chiffon blouse, ck straight-leg pants, and t sandals. She threw on a lightweight cardigan and grabbed a small crossbody bag toplete the look.


    She didn''t bother changing her makeup or hairstyle. Even in casual attire, she looked radiant-someone who''d stand out in any crowd.


    When she stepped out, Marcus was waiting by the door. She met his gaze and said, "Let''s go, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus, who had been ncing at something on his phone, put it away immediately and followed her.


    As they walked, he couldn''t help but notice the transformation. In her evening gown, Natalie had exuded a regal elegance-distant, untouchable, and utterly captivating.


    She looked approachable and warm in her casual outfit, like the girl next door. Except for one thing-her icy gaze. It was the kind of look that said, "Don''t mess with me."


    They stepped into the elevator, but Natalie pulled Marcus out with her when it stopped on the second floor.


    "We''re going out the window," she said matter-of-factly.


    "Excuse me?" Marcus started, but before he could finish, Natalie pushed open a hallway window, slung her bag across her shoulder, and hoisted herself onto the ledge.


    Marcus rushed forward, only to see Natalie let go and leap straight from the second floor. He wanted to remind her how dangerous it was but she hadnded smoothly on thewn below before he made out those words.  swnovel


    Looking up, she waved at him. "Mr. Holden,e down."


    Marcus fell silent.


    "What''s the hold-up?" she asked, frowning. "Don''t tell me you''re afraid of heights."


    Marcus exhaled sharply, shaking his head. Heights weren''t the problem. He just hadn''t expected her to pull something like this.


    Shrugging off his hesitation, he tossed his suit jacket down to her before following her lead. With a smooth jump, hended beside her.


    "Let''s go," Natalie said, leading the way across thewn.


    "You know," she teased, ncing over her shoulder, "for someone who''s supposedly familiar with Walker Estate, you don''t seem to know your way around."


    "Who told you I''m familiar with this ce?" Marcus asked, his tone t.


    "Cindy and some of the helpers were talking about how you used to visit Emma all the time. They said you two went on dates here."


    Marcus stopped dead in his tracks. "Who''s spreading that crap?" he asked, his voiceced with irritation. "Me? Date Emma? That''s the most disgusting thing I''ve ever heard."


    He was fuming as he barked, "Of all the ways to insult someone, they had to choose the nastiest one."


    Natalie paused, turning to face him. His reaction was so visceral it actually caught her off guard. For someone soposed and polished, Marcus had justpletely lost his cool.


    "Calm down," she said, holding back augh. "I''ll have Gorge look into it and figure out who started the rumor. Then you can deal with them however you want."


    As Natalie spoke, she headed toward one of the smaller paths. "I''ve already had a car arranged outside. Are you driving, or should I?"


    Marcus took a deep breath, regaining hisposure. "Fine. Let''s just go. I''ll drive. You''ve been in heels all day-you should rest."


    "Thanks," Natalie replied simply.


    They walked the rest of the way in silence, exiting through a hidden gate in the estate''s tall walls. A ck


    Mercedes G-Wagon was parked nearby waiting for them. Natalie pulled the keys from her bag and tossed them to Marcus.  swnovel


    "Get in the car. Let''s go," she said, climbing into the passenger seat.


    Marcus caught the keys effortlessly, got behind the wheel, and started the car.


    They pulled away from Walker Estate and headed toward Soutia.


    ...


    At Good Hope Psychiatric Center,


    Emmay in her hospital bed,


    §Ö§ä


    clutching her phone. She was a mess-crying one moment,ughing


    hysterically the next, muttering curses under her breath, and then pleading desperately.


    belongs to swnovel


    She looked at the men stationed at the hospital room entrance-all dressed in


    ck suits, tall and imposing. Leading them was Noah.


    And Noah worked for Marcus.


    In other words, Hector had transferred her to a psychiatric hospital and then had Marcus'' people guard her.


    This was clearly intentional.


    The phone in Emma''s hand buzzed continuously with iing messages- photos and videos flooding in. In the videos, Natalie and Marcus were acting intimately, even kissing in the back garden.


    But hadn''t she heard it herself that Marcus had called off his engagement to


    Natalie?


    Even William and Charlotte had gone to Holden Residence to return the engagement gifts, officially ending the arrangement between the two families. So why was Marcus entangled with Natalie again?

 Chapter 290 Late Night Visit to Put Someone in Their Place

    Emma sat on her hospital bed, looking every bit the deranged mess she''d be. Outside her room, the guards stationed at the door didn''t so much as flinch at her screaming or sobbing. However, the moment she tried to leave the room, they''d grab her without hesitation and toss her right back inside.


    And yes, toss her they did-no kindness, no restraint, just pure brute force.


    Clutching her phone, Emma scrolled through the photos and videos flooding her inbox. Every single one featured Marcus and Natalie. There were shots of themughing together, standing close, and even some of them at the Walker family party, where Natalie was the center of attention.


    One particrly grating video showed Natalie walking arm-in-arm with Charlotte, the two of them looking eerily alike. Their smiles were identical, and their mannerisms synced. Anyone watching would immediately believe Natalie was Charlotte''s biological daughter.


    But if Natalie was Charlotte''s real daughter, then what did that make Emma? She had been the one raised by the Walkers for 20 years, hadn''t she? Did that count for nothing?


    Her anger bubbled over as she repeatedly tried calling Charlotte, but every attempt was met with the same robotic voicemail message, "The number you''ve dialed is unavable. Please try againter."


    Emma gritted her teeth. She knew what that meant. Charlotte had blocked her. Desperate, she tried calling William, but his phone also sent her to voicemail.


    "Unbelievable!" Emma growled, her voice shaking with rage. "You can''t just cut me off like this! I don''t believe it!"


    One by one, she dialed the Walker brothers. None of their numbers went through except for Sky''s. But even though his phone rang, he didn''t answer. That was a first. He''d never ignored her calls before.


    For the first time, genuine fear crept into Emma''s heart. She could feel it in her bones-this time, she was truly being cast out of the Walker family.


    Her thoughts were interrupted by voices outside the door.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker..."


    Emma froze, her grip on her phone tightening. She looked up just as the door swung open. Marcus walked in first, with Natalie right behind him.


    "What are you doing here?" Emma blurted out, her voice unsteady.


    Natalie didn''t answer. She strode up to the bed, snatched the phone out of Emma''s hands, and began scrolling through the photos. Her expression darkened as she swiped through image after image of herself and Marcus.


    These weren''t the photos Olivia had taken the ones they''d agreed Marcus would send to Emma. These were entirely different, taken from inside the Walker residence.


    "There are still spies in the Walker family," Natalie said tly, more to herself than anyone else. Her fingers moved quickly as she deleted every photo and video. Then she reset the phone, wiped the cloud ounts, and ensured there was no trace of the files left.


    Satisfied, she tossed the phone onto the couch like it was trash. "This phone was bought with money from Walker''s family. I''m taking it back."


    "You can''t do that!" Emma shouted, her voice shrill. "It''s mine! You can''t just take my stuff!"


    "I can, and I will," Natalie replied, her tone calm but icy. She sat on the couch, crossing her legs casually. "I''m the Walker family''s rightful. daughter. That means everything you have is technically mine Even the clothes you''re wearing and the bracelet on your wrist-that''s all Walker family property."  swnovel


    Emma''s face turned crimson. "I lived with them for 20 years! I was the one who


    cared for them, who brought them joy. Where were you for all those years, huh?"


    Natalie leaned back, smirking. "It


    doesn''t matter. My mom told me she''s done with you. She''s not answering your calls, and you''ll never take advantage of the Walker family again. The only reason you''re stiffin this hospital is because she didn''t want you ruining my wee party tonight. That''s all."  swnovel


    Emma''s lip quivered, but before she could say anything, Natalie added, "Oh, and don''t bother trying to act all innocent and refined in front of Marcus anymore. He''s heard every nasty thing you''ve said about me. He''s even got recordings."


    Emma''s stomach dropped.


    Natalie wasn''t done. She continued, "And by the way, he knows about the rumors you started¡ªthe ones where you told the helpers he used to visit you all the time and go on dates with you." She nced at Marcus.


    Marcus'' expression was cold as ice. "Emma, you''re disgusting. The fact that you''d even try to spread something that revolting... I can''t even begin to describe how much you make me sick."


    Emma froze, her breath caught in her throat.


    "I told you before you''re the most repulsive woman I''ve ever met. But now? You''ve somehow managed to outdo yourself. You''re not just disgusting-you''ve perfected it. You''ve reached a level of disgrace that should earn you a trophy," Marcus said, his tone sharp and dripping with disdain.


    Emma stared at him in disbelief. Marcus had always been distant, but he''d never spoken to her like this.


    Marcus didn''t hold back. "The Walkers spent 20 years raising you for nothing. You''re like a parasite-draining their love, their money, and their time, only to turn into something rotten and worthless."


    His words were cutting, deliberate, and delivered with an elegance that somehow made the insults sting even more.


    Emma felt her world shatter. Her


    obsession with Marcus had always been her deepest secret. She''d fantasized about him countless times his lips, his hands, the way he''d tower over her if he evedeaned in for a kiss. But now, those lips were spewing words that felt like knives, slicing her apart piece by piece.  swnovel


    "You''re pathetic," Marcus said, his voice steady. "You''re the kind of person who couldn''t even master being decent, so you decided to be a master of being worthless."


    Natalie couldn''t help it¡ªshe burst outughing. Marcus turned to her, raising an eyebrow.


    "Don''t mind me," she said, quickly stifling herughter. "Please, carry on."


    Emma let out a screech, her voice breaking. "Stop it! Marcus, stop it! You can''t talk to me like this!"


    Marcus'' cold smirk returned. "Why not? You''ve called other people trash plenty of times. Can''t handle it when the tables are turned?"


    He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper that felt like a punch to the gut. "You trash."

 Chapter 291 The Art of Breaking Someones Spirit

    Marcus'' insults were cold and ruthless, his deep, smooth voiceced with venom. As much as Emma had once loved hearing him speak, Marcus calling her trash shattered herpletely.


    "No!" she screamed, her voice cracking. "Marcus, shut up! You don''t get to talk to me like that!"


    Marcus''ugh was low and full of disdain. "Emma, sit tight. Someone will be here for you soon."


    Her face contorted in confusion and anger. "What do you mean? Who''sing for me?"


    When the realization hit her, her face paled. "Marcus, tell me you didn''t just call the cops toe get me?"


    Sitting nearby, Natalie couldn''t hold back herughter again. How did Marcus evene up with such an idea?


    Emma''s face darkened at the sound of herughter. "What are youughing at, Natalie?" she snapped. "What''s so funny? What are you so proud of?"


    "I''m not particrly proud of anything," Natalie said with a faint smile. "But you, on the other hand, might want to start thinking about your future."


    She tilted her head, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Tell me, Emma, have you thought of a newst name yet? Have you got one that you like?


    "You better start picking one now. Because once the authorities take you away, my mom''s going to make sure she issues an official statement changing yourst name."


    Natalie added, chuckling, "Even though you weren''t at my wee party, you seem to know all the details pretty well. So I don''t need to exin how grand it was, do I?"


    With that, she stood up, raising her fingers one by one, counting, "One... Two... Three "


    Before she finished, a sharp knock sounded at the door. It swung open, and two police officers stepped inside.


    "Emma Walker," one of them announced, "you''re under investigation for conspiracy tomit murder. The suspect, Gabriel, has been apprehended and identified you as the mastermind. We need you toe with us."


    "No!" Emma yelled, her eyes wide with panic. "You''ve got the wrong person. I didn''t do anything!"


    The officer''s tone didn''t waver. "You''ll have the opportunity to clear your name during the investigation. Until then, every word you say can and will be used against you."


    Before the authorities arrived, they were already aware that Emma was injured. But that didn''t matter the authorities had its own medical system. She would receive treatment while being investigated.


    During that time, she would have no freedom.


    Emma stared at Marcus in disbelief. "Was this you or Natalie?"


    "It was the both of us," Natalie said as she stood up and walked over to the hospital bed. "sh is dead, Gabriel was arrested, Sophia was seriously injured and nearly died, and Marcus is still carrying wounds from the incident.


    "You thought you covered your tracks perfectly, but let me tell you there''s no such thing as a wless crime. The only reason we waited until now to have the cops take you away was because I wanted you to see just how grand my wee party was the one my parents threw for me."


    Natalie smirked, speaking slowly and deliberately. Striking where it hurt the most ¡ªif Emma cared so much about being the heiress of the Walker family, if she was so desperate to take everything that belonged to the Walker family, then Natalie would make sure she watched it all slip through her fingers.


    Because the truth was undeniable-Natalie was the real heiress of the Walker family.


    If she had never returned, she wouldn''t have cared. But since she had, there was no way she would allow Emma to have even the slightest chance to harm her.


    She had held the same stance back when she lived with the Langley family. When Selena went after her once or twice, she could let things slide and step aside. But if someone kept pushing their luck, she wouldn''t just sit there and take it.


    Standing by and letting someone walk all over her was never her style.


    Federrick had taught her well-never start a fight, but if someone came for her, he made sure she knew how to make them regret it.


    She had already given Emma a chance. It was Emma who struck first. And if she continued to stay with the Walkers, the next person to suffer might be William and Charlotte.


    William and Charlotte were, in some ways, fundamentally simr to Victor and Diane, but in many other ways, they werepletely different.


    Both the Walkers and Langleys couples loved their biological daughters. But unlike Victor and Diane, William and Charlotte never initially treated Emma with the same level of indulgence.


    It was Emma who failed to cherish what she had. She wanted too much¡ªand in the end, she would lose everything.


    Natalie took a step forward, slipping her arm through Marcus''. "Oh, by the way, there''s something else you should know," she said lightly. "Marcus called off our engagement because he said he wanted to pursue me properly."


    She tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with mockery. "The man you were so obsessed with? He likes me."


    She looked at Emma with amusement. "Marcus, why don''t you tell her yourself?"


    "Yeah, what Natalie said is true," Marcus replied without hesitation. His voice was calm, but his words were merciless.


    "Emma, I broke off the engagement with you because you make me sick. I ended my engagement with Natalie because I wanted to pursue her the right way-not because of some arranged marriage set up by our families. I want her real feelings, not an obligation."  swnovel


    Marcus'' voice was so serious that even Natalie was momentarily caught off guard. She turned to nce at him, taking in his sharp. defined side profile-the high bridge


    of his nose, the thick, darkshes, and his fair skin that was


    unexpectedly smooth.


    belongs to swnovel


    ???


    For a split second, she had the urge to reach out and touch his face, just to see how it felt.


    Then Marcus smirked, running his gaze to Emma. "Oh, and one more thing I''ve arranged for the media to cover this."


    His lips curled into a slow, meaningful smile. "Since you''re about to be kicked out


    of the Walker family, Emma, this is yourst chance to make headlines.


    "By tomorrow morning, the whole world will know that you were nothing more than


    a fake and that you couldn''t stand the real heiress taking her rightful ce. All


    your dirty, vicious schemes will beid out for everyone to see."


    "Marcus, you can''t do this to me," Emma pleaded, shaking all over. The moment the authorities arrived, panic set in.


    And yet, not a single person from the Walkers came to see her except for Natalie. Even Sky wasn''t picking up her calls.


    Fear gripped her. If the authorities took her away, no matter how carefully she had nned everything, the moment Gabriel turned on her, there would be no way to clear her name. And that was the one oue she couldn''t afford.


    "Marcus, don''t let them take me! I''ll do anything, just don''t let them take me!"


    "So, Emma, are you admitting that you were the mastermind behind what Gabriel did?"


    "Will you make them leave if I said yes?"


    Marcus let out a coldugh. "You''re


    acting like we''re forcing a


    confession out of you, Emma. If


    that''s the case, you might as well go with them. If you''re innocent, the investigation will clear your name, won''t it? Just cooperate. It''s a normal investigation¡ªno need to be so nervous."  swnovel


    Natalie smiled from the side. "Come on now, you were raised as the Walkers'' heiress for 20 years. Surely, you can handle this much?"


    "You''re doing this on purpose!" Emma screamed, herposure shattering. "I don''t want to be taken away! I want to see my parents! I want to see Sky! I want to see Lincoln, Hector, Timothy, and Mason!"


    Natalie waved her phone with a smirk. "It won''t help. They''re all too busy at my wee party. From now on, I''m the daughter our parents love most, the little sister all five of the Walker brothers will dote on."


    She leaned in slightly, her toneced with amusement. "Even your beloved Sky- he''s sick of you."


    Her smirk deepened. "Tell me, Emma, haven''t you noticed? No matter how many times you call, he''s not picking up."

 Chapter 292 Reputation Ruined

    Natalie''s words hit Emma like a sledgehammer. What scared her the most wasn''t the shouting or usations-it was the realization that she still hadn''t heard from Sky all day.


    Sky had always been the one to answer her calls immediately, no matter the time or situation. This kind of silence was unprecedented.


    She knew today was Natalie''s wee party. Before she''d been injured, she had overheard William giving instructions to the staff about the party arrangements.


    She''d even concocted a n to ruin it-injuring Marcus and implicating Sophia in the chaos, then exposing the "truth" during the party to destroy Natalie''s reputation.


    But nothing had gone as she envisioned.


    Instead, her n had unraveledpletely. The horse had gone wild, injuring not just Marcus but her as well. sh''s death had devastated her, and Gabriel''s arrest had left her panicking. She had no doubt now-this time, there was no way out.


    If only she''d had more time. Emma was convinced that with just a little more nning, she could have executed her scheme wlessly, leaving no loose ends.


    "Emma Walker, please cooperate ande with us," one of the police officers said firmly. At Marcus'' subtle nod, two female officers stepped forward, ced Emma onto a stretcher, and secured her.


    "No!" Emma cried, thrashing in panic. "I''m a patient! I''m injured¡ªI can''t leave the hospital!"


    Her movements sent sharp pain shooting through her body, forcing her to gasp in agony.


    "If you keep struggling, you''ll just hurt yourself more," Natalie saidzily, watching from the side with a faint smirk. Her tone was casual, almost bored, but there was a clear undercurrent of mockery. "Don''t kill yourself before they even get the chance to question you."


    Emma red at her, fury and humiliation boiling over. She finally understood-this wasn''t just about taking her to the station. This was about making a statement, a spectacle for everyone to see.


    The wee party was nearly over. Everyone in their social circle now knew Natalie as the Walker family''s true daughter. Emma, who had once held that position, hadn''t even made an appearance. It was as if she''d been erased.


    Worse yet, she knew what woulde next. The media would tear her apart. The headlines would expose her cruel schemes and paint her as the viin who tried to harm the rightful heir.


    Everyone she once called a friend would abandon her. No one would dare associate with someone who had fallen so far from grace.


    Natalie had left her with no support, no allies, and no way out.


    "You''re heartless," Emma hissed, her voice shaking with rage. "You little tramp! You deserve to rot in hell! I never did anything to you, and you destroyed me for no reason!"


    Marcus'' voice cut through the air like a de. "Take her away."


    The officers nodded, their professionalism unwavering. "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, we''ll handle it from here," one of them said before they wheeled Emma out of the


    room.


    The moment Emma was out in the hallway, a barrage of shbulbs lit up her face. Microphones were shoved toward her, reporters shouting questions over one another.


    "Ms. Emma, is it true you hired someone tomit murder?"


    "Is it true that Marcus Holden broke off your engagement because you drugged him?"


    "What were your intentions in drugging him¡ªwere you nning to force him into marriage?"


    "Did you drug the Walker family''s horse to hurt Natalie?"


    "Is it true you bullied the Walker family''s real daughter when she returned?"


    "Did you fake a mental illness to avoid consequences?"


    "Ms. Emma, look at the camera! Answer us!"


    "Ms. Emma, why aren''t you saying anything? Are you jealous that the Walker family found their real daughter? Or are you afraid that with her return, your position will be threatened-so you decided to take action against her?"  swnovel


    "Ms. Emma, did you drug Mr. Holden in an attempt to force a rtionship with him? The Walker family raised you for 20 years, and this is what you learned?"


    "Ms. Emma, did you know from the


    very beginning that you weren''t the real daughter of the Walkers? Is that why you were so desperate to marry into the Holden family and secure your status as the future Mrs Holden?"  swnovel


    The questions became sharper and more invasive with every passing second. Emma pulled at the nket on her stretcher, trying to shield her face, but the nket seemed to be held in ce by someone else.


    "Stop it!" she screamed, the sound echoing through the hallway.


    The officers eventually stepped in, pushing reporters back and clearing a path to the waiting vehicle. Emma was loaded into the car, her entire body trembling as if the weight of the world had finally crushed her.


    Inside the car, she refused to look out the window, but curiosity got the better of her. She nced outside, and her heart sank.


    In the shadows near the hospital entrance, she spotted Marcus and Natalie standing together. Natalie was smiling-bright and radiant-while Marcus'' lips curved into a faint but unmistakable smirk.


    There was no intimacy between them, no physical touch, but the sight of them together burned Emma with jealousy and rage.


    She hated Natalie. She hated Charlotte even more.


    If they already had her, why did they need to bring Natalie back? Why couldn''t they just keep her as their daughter?


    If Natalie had never returned, everything would still be hers. Marcus would be hers. The Walker family''s love would be hers.


    Outside Good Hope Psychiatric Center, Natalie and Marcus remained in the shadows, watching as thest of the reporters packed up their equipment and left.


    Marcus nced at his phone and checked the time. "Sky will hear about this soon," he said.


    "It doesn''t matter," Natalie replied with a shrug. "He''d find out eventually."


    She added, "She''s done for, for now. Even if Sky tries to protect her, there''s nothing left for her to hide behind. Her reputation is destroyed. She can''t use the Walker family''s name to shield herself anymore."


    Marcus nced at her, his expression unreadable. "I''ll take you back now. You''ve been away from the party long enough¡ªit wouldn''t look good."


    "Fair," Natalie said with a small smirk. "Besides, the real fun''s just getting started. I''ve got onest surprise for everyone."


    She chuckled to


    herself. Emma''s


    outbursts and insults¡ªthose she thought only the Walker family and Marcus had heard-were about to be broadcast to a muchrger audience. After all, what was the point of a wee party without a little drama for everyone to enjoy?  swnovel

 Chapter 293 Thats Just Too Much

    Natalie and Marcus left the psychiatric center and returned to Walker Estate.


    Natalie hadn''t been gone for long. Since she left through the window and used the back paths, no one at the family gathering even noticed she''d stepped away.


    When the guests didn''t see her, they assumed she had gone to rest. As for Marcus, he wasn''t the kind of person one could meet just because they wanted to. His absence didn''t strike anyone as strange, either.


    That said, people had noticed the interactions between Marcus and Natalie earlier. It was clear there was something different about the two of them. However, it wasn''t the typical kind of chemistry one might expect between a man and a woman. It wasn''t romantic.


    The whole thing felt off. They seemed close, but their eyes gave away none of the warmth or affection that usually came with it. It was more like they were two strangers who knew each other a little too well.


    When Marcus and Natalie appeared again, they didn''t even get a chance to mingle before Sky showed up and dragged Natalie away.


    "Natalie," he started, his voice sharp. "Do you know which hospital they took Emma to?"


    Natalie pulled her wrist free from his grip, her voice calm and cutting. "Didn''t you watch the news?"


    Sky blinked, his expression confused.


    "I assumed you''d already seen it," she continued. "Oh, and by the way, Mom told me not to call you my big brother anymore. But that feels a little rude, doesn''t it? So how about I just call you Mr. Sky instead?"


    Natalie''s eyes lingered on Sky''s face, which was twisted in frustration and worry. She knew exactly what was going on. He was panicking over Emma.


    Emma wasn''t a nobody in the Walker family. After all, Sky had doted on her like she was his whole world.


    "Yeah, Ka? What is it?"


    "Mr. Sky, I just saw the news. Emma''s been taken into custody by the police, and her name is all over social media. It''s trending, and not in a good way," Ka said quickly, her voice brisk and professional.


    "I''ve already sent you the links and videos. Oh, and I saw that Emma was picked up from Good Hope Psychiatric Center."


    Ka was efficient and loyal. She''d worked for Sky since graduating college, and after years by his side, she understood just how important Emma was to him. The moment she saw the news, she''d made it her priority to inform him.


    Sky hung up, opened the links Ka had sent, and clicked on a video. In the footage, Emma was being wheeled out on a stretcher, desperately clutching a nket to cover her face.


    Reporters swarmed her, cameras shing, and microphones shoved in her direction as they bombarded her with aggressive questions.


    Sky didn''t even make it through the whole video before shutting off his phone. His face was dark, his expression stormy.


    "Natalie," he said through gritted teeth. "Why can''t you let anything go? I already apologized to you on Emma''s behalf. I''ve done everything you asked. Do you really have to push her to the edge to feel satisfied?"


    Before Natalie could answer, a shrill voice echoed from the grand entryway.


    "You bitch! Natalie, you little tramp!"


    Emma''s voice was piercing, her words venomous as she raged.


    "Why did you evene back, huh? You should''ve died with the Langleys! They should''ve just killed you!"


    "How dare youe back here and try to steal my ce as the heiress of this family? You don''t deserve it! You''re nothing but trash! I want you dead, do you hear me? Dead!"


    Her rant was relentless, and the words she spewed were ones Sky and the rest of the Walker family had never heard before.


    Natalie shoved Sky aside and adjusted the gloves he''d yanked out of ce earlier. Her voice was ice-cold. "I can see how much you care about Emma, Mr. Sky. But let me remind you, I''m the one who was wronged here."


    She locked eyes with Sky, her gaze sharp enough to cut. "Tell me something, Mr. Sky. If you all love Emma so much, why did you even bother going through all the trouble of bringing me back here?"


    From across the room, Mason strolled over casually, inserting himself between Natalie and Sky. "Don''t drag me into this," he said, throwing a protective arm in front of Natalie. "I don''t care about Emma."


    "Sky, what''s your problem?" Mason said, shaking his head in disgust. "Listen to yourself. Did you even hear what Emma just said? Stop letting her manipte you."


    He nced back at Natalie, his expression softening briefly, before turning back to Sky. "Emma doesn''t want Natalie back here. Hell, she probably wishes Natalie would drop dead. And you''re still out here expecting her to y nice? You''re dreaming."  swnovel


    Sky shook his head, his voice tense as he said, "Natalie must''ve done something. Emma''s not like this. She''s always been kind and gentle. She wouldn''t hurt a fly, let alone speak like that.


    "Before Natalie came back, we were all happy. Emma was perfect. Natalie''s the one who ruined everything. She pushed Emma to her limit!"


    Natalie let out a bitterugh. "Oh, so now it''s my fault? Emma curses me out, and I''m the problem?"


    She turned to Mason, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You hear that, Mason? It''s because of me, apparently. Emma''s learned to curse because I came back. So why haven''t you learned how to curse at people, Mason?"


    Natalie sneered, her smile dripping with mockery. Her gaze toward Sky was as sharp and cold as ice.


    Mason smirked as he stared straight


    at Sky. At that moment, he didn''t bother showing any respect for his eldest brother. Instead, he fired back without hesitation. "Nat, you don''t get it. I don''t waste my breath on people. I only cuss at animals.  swnovel


    "The guy standing in front of you? Walking proof of what I''m talking about. Those eyes on his face are just for show. Dude''s got a whole head but no brain to go with it."


    Mason scoffed and turned to Natalie. "Nat, stay back. You don''t want to get any of that filth on you. It won''t kill you, but it''ll sure as hell make you sick.


    "Getting yed like a fool by some fake sweetheart, turning on your own sister for an outsider." Mason shot Sky a look of pure disdain. "Sky, if anyone here can''t tolerate others, it''s you."


    "Don''t forget-Nat and the rest of us? We are biological siblings. If Emma had really been kind and treated Nat as her sister, do you think we would''ve done this to her? She did this to herself.


    "And let''s be clear-Emma''s downfall wasn''t Nat''s doing. It''s Marcus''. If you''ve got a problem, take it up with him. So what the hell are you barking at Nat for?"


    Mason didn''t wait for a response.


    Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Marcus. "Hey, Marcus, Sky wants to challenge you to a fight over Emma. Oh, and he''s been badmouthing you and Nat, saying she can''t stand Emma. Marcus, you better stand up for Nat!"  swnovel

 Chapter 294 Pointing Fingers and Twisted Family Dynamics

    Mason''s words made Sky gape in disbelief. "Mason, have you lost your mind? When did I ever say I wanted to fight Marcus? And when did I insult him?"


    Sky was furious. "Do you even think before you speak?"


    "Speaking of thinking, maybe you should''ve used your brain before siding with Emma and bullying Natalie." Mason folded his arms and gave his older brother a pointed look.


    He added, "Mom and Dad already made it clear-Emma''s not allowed to use ourst name anymore. So you''d better get on that. Find her real family and get her name changed. Or, if you can''t, just pick something random out from the inte as long as it''s not the Walker or Holdenst names."


    Mason smirked as he paced in front of Sky, his tone mocking. "You know, once you change herst name, the two of you can finally be together openly. I mean, the way you''re obsessed with her is far from normal."


    Sky''s expression darkened instantly. "Mason, do you even realize what you''re saying?" His tone was ice-cold, his frustration palpable. "Emma''s my sister. I raised her and protected her. Of course, I care about her. But it''s nothing like what you''re insinuating."


    Mason scoffed. "Oh, give me a break. You''ve been going Emma this, Emma that, like you''re her personal cheerleader. Do you think I haven''t noticed how unnatural your bond with her is? I''ve known since we were kids that Emma wasn''t really our sister."


    That stopped Sky in his tracks. "What did you just say?"


    Mason leaned in closer, his voice cutting. "You heard me. I''ve known since we were little that she wasn''t blood-rted. But I didn''t have proof back then, and who''d believe me anyway? Mom and Dad doted on her, and I didn''t even know where my real sister was. So, yeah, I kept my mouth shut."


    Mason paused, then suddenly pped himself across the face. "I should''ve said something. I should''ve told them what I suspected, even if no one believed me.


    "If I''d just pushed for a DNA test back then, we could''ve found Nat so much sooner. She wouldn''t have had to endure all those years of hell with the Langleys."


    He turned to Natalie, his voice thick with guilt. "I''m so sorry, Nat. This is all my fault. You wouldn''t have suffered so much if I''d spoken up when I was younger."


    Natalie gently touched Lincoln''s face, where he''d pped himself. "Don''t me yourself, Mason. This wasn''t your fault."


    She knew the Walker family had no idea she''d been switched at birth. And as much as Mason believed in his childhood dreams about his real sister, if he''d told their parents back then, they probably would''ve dismissed him as crazy.


    Still, the fact that he held onto that belief all these years and even made her a crystal ball was something she deeply appreciated.


    Seeing his self-recrimination now made her heart ache. She hated how he was dragging himself into a mess that wasn''t his to begin with.


    "Mason, don''t forget what we''re doing here," Natalie gently reminded him.


    He blinked, suddenly realizing how off-track he''d gotten. "Right! Let''s not lose focus."


    He turned back to Sky, his tone sharp again. "I''m calling a family vote. Let''s settle this once and for all. Are we keeping Natalie, or are we keeping that maniptive snake, Emma?"


    "What vote? What are you even talking about?" William and Charlotte arrived on the scene, nked by Marcus.


    Marcus, dressed in a perfectly tailored ck suit, exuded an icy authority. His sharp features were set in a stern expression as he stepped onto the balcony where the siblings had been arguing.


    "So, Mr. Sky," Marcus began, his voice calm but menacing, "I heard you wanted to challenge me. Well, here I am."


    He calmly unbuttoned his suit jacket and shrugged it off, handing it to Natalie without looking away from Mason. "Ms. Walker, hold this for me, will you?"


    "Marcus," William interjected,


    stepping forward to ce a hand on


    his arm. "This is Nat''s wee


    party. Let''s not ruin it by spilling


    blood The party is almost over Once see the guests off, we''ll settle this. What do you think? Does that work for you?"  swnovel


    Marcus had to give William this respect. "Alright. It works for me."


    "Charlotte, let''s go see the guests off. Nat, youe with us, too."


    "Yes, Dad."


    "Mason, keep an eye on Sky. Don''t let him go downstairs and stir up trouble."


    William shot Sky a cold, disappointed look. Sky felt a jolt in his chest, suddenly regretting his actions. Natalie was clearly the Walker family''s golden child now¡ª why had he put himself in the line of fire?


    His priority should be getting Emma out of custody. And handling the media fallout. His face darkened as frustration set in. His emotions had clouded his judgment. Seeing an opportunity, he turned to leave, but Mason blocked his path.  swnovel


    "Sky, Father told me to watch you. You''re not going anywhere." Mason eyed him suspiciously. "Be honest-don''t you like Emma a little too much?"


    "Cut the crap, Mason," Sky snapped, struggling to stay calm. "I practically raised Emma. Of course, I care about her. I hope you can understand that."


    "And I care about Nat-my real sister. I hope you can understand that." Mason stood firm. "Emma


    lived in luxury her whole life whilet


    Nat was beaten, abused, and used as a walking blood bank. Tell me, Sky, have you ever truly cared about N¨¢t?"  swnovel


    His voice thickened with emotion. "I love Nat. What about you? I''m starting to wonder if your feelings for Emma are really just sibling affection."


    "Shut up!" Sky''s fist shot out,nding hard on Mason''s face. "Maybe I should be asking if your feelings for Nat are normal!"


    "Oh, hell no-you''re flipping this on me?" Mason snapped, his patience gone. He lunged at Sky, swinging his fists.


    "You wanna fight me over some outsider who tried to hurt our sister? Don''t think I''ll back down just because you''re the eldest. I''ll have to beat some sense into you today! And using me? That''s an insult to Nat!"


    Despite his lean frame, Mason was all muscle from years of training. Sky worked out too, but he spent most of his time buried in work-no match for Mason''s strength.


    Meanwhile, Marcus watched the brawl with mild amusement. With a snap of his fingers, Noah stepped out from the shadows.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus'' cold gaze swept over the fighting brothers. His deep, iceced voice carried an undeniable authority as he said, "Help Mason. Sky needs a wake-up call."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."

 Chapter 295 The Recording Was Marcus Doing

    Noah stepped forward, and with his involvement, Sky was instantly overwhelmed. It wasn''t even a fight anymore-it was a one-sided beatdown.


    Sky tried to shout something, but Noah was quick, covering his mouth before a single word could escape. As Sky iled, Noah pinned his hands down effortlessly. Mason had already locked his legs in ce.


    "Sky, you don''t deserve to be a big brother," Mason spat, raining punches down on him. "You''re blind, deaf, and brainless!"


    With every insult, Mason threw another jab. "Having you as a brother is the worst damn luck anyone could have. Honestly, I''m starting to wonder if you''re even our parents'' kid! How else do you exin how ridiculously biased you are toward Emma?"


    Sky''s muffled protests turned into panicked grunts, but Noah''s grip didn''t waver. As a professional bodyguard, his strength far outmatched Sky''s, making it impossible for him to break free. Meanwhile, Mason''s relentless punches left Sky''s face swollen and bruised, blood dripping from his split lips.


    When Sky finally coughed up blood, Noah grabbed Mason''s arm and said firmly, "That''s enough, Mr. Mason."


    Mason wiped the sweat from his forehead and spat on Sky''s battered face. "Damn, my hand hurts. At least I''ve finally avenged all the beatings I took as a kid because of your precious Emma."


    "Well done, Mr. Mason," Noah said, stepping back and returning to his ce behind Marcus.


    "All done, Mr. Holden," he reported.


    Marcus nodded, stepping forward. He looked down at Sky, his expression cold and his tone sharp. "Mr. Sky, maybe you should take some time to reflect on whether you''ve got your priorities straight."


    Sky, wiping blood from his mouth, red up at Marcus. "And you''re one to talk. Can you honestly say your rtionship with Sophia ispletely innocent?"


    He struggled to sit up, his words bitter andced with usation. "Sophia''s supposed to be my girlfriend, but she spends more time with you than me. You''re at her house more than I am! Don''t tell me there''s nothing going on between the two of you."


    Marcus''s gaze hardened, and his voice turned icy. "Mason, if I wanted Sophia, do you really think you''d stand a chance? You call yourself her boyfriend, but when she was hospitalized after being hurt, all you cared about was the person who hurt her. You think that makes you a good boyfriend?"


    He took a step closer, his tone dripping with disdain. "If you were capable of protecting Sophia, I wouldn''t have needed to step in. Do you even know what kind of hell she''s living in at her own house?"


    Marcus'' contempt was obvious. He had no patience for Sky, who, in his eyes, was selfish and hypocritical.


    Sky had turned a blind eye to Sophia''s struggles, all while ying the role of the doting brother to Emma. Worse, he didn''t even have the decency to break off his engagement with Sophia and let her go.


    To Marcus, Sky wasn''t just neglectful-he was using Sophia as a shield to cover up his questionable feelings for Emma.


    He had long seen through the facade. Having dealt with Emma''s maniptive behavior before and knowing more about the Walker family than most, he had little respect for Sky.


    He''d hoped that Natalie''s return to the family might bring some bnce, but Sky''s behavior had only gotten worse.


    "Mason''s right," Marcus said tly. "With a brother like you, Natalie really hit the jackpot in bad luck."


    Marcus raised his foot, the sole of his polished shoe hovering dangerously close to Sky''s face. Sky flinched and quickly rolled to the side, his swollen face pale with fear.


    Marcus let out a coldugh and lowered his foot. "What''s the matter, Mr. Sky? Are you scared I might step on your face?"


    His voice turned mocking. "A man who''s already thrown his dignity away is suddenly worried about his face? How ironic."


    Sky didn''t respond, but his clenched fists betrayed his anger.


    Marcus'' tone softened into something almost yful, but his words were razor- sharp. "Don''t worry. I wouldn''t dirty my shoes on someone like you. These shoes are expensive."


    The implication was clear-Marcus wouldn''t fower himself to Sky''s level. Sky gritted his teeth but didn''t dare say anything. He knew that the more he spoke, the worse things would get for him.  swnovel


    Inwardly, Sky cursed the situation. His parents werepletely focused on Natalie now, to the point where they didn''t even care about Emma, the daughter he''d worked so hard to protect.


    "Go check if Mr. and Mrs. Walker have finished seeing the guests out," Marcus instructed Mason.


    "Yes, Marcus," Mason replied promptly, heading downstairs without a second thought.


    Mason''s deference to Marcus was almost instinctive. Marcus''manding presence demanded respect, and even in his own home, Mason followed Marcus'' lead without hesitation.


    Downstairs, William and Charlotte, along with Natalie, had just finished saying goodbye to thest guest. Now, only Marcus and Charles remained.


    "Nat, you and your mom head upstairs," William said. "I''ll escort Mr. Holden Senior out."


    "Marcus'' still upstairs," Natalie said softly. "Why don''t we head back up and deal with Sky and Emma first?"


    She hesitated, then added cautiously, "By the way, about the recording of Emma cursing me that yed earlier¡ªare you upset with me for that?"


    Charlotte immediately softened at Natalie''s tentative tone. She much preferred Natalie''s earlier fiery, independent attitude over this nervous hesitation.


    "Sweetie, why would we me you? That recording wasn''t even your doing. Marcus arranged for it to be yed."


    Charlotte had known in advance


    about Marcus''s n. At first, she''d been against it, but he had argued that if they didn''t address the Emma situation head-on, people would continue to gossip and specte.  swnovel


    "It''s better to settle this once and for all," Marcus had said. "Let everyone see Emma for who she really is. That way, she won''t be able to exploit the Walker family name anymore."


    Charlotte had reluctantly agreed. After all, their reputation mattered. Emma wasn''t truly part of the family, and if they were going to cut ties with her, they might as well make it definitive.  swnovel


    Emma had already tried to harm Natalie, and there was no point in protecting her anymore. Her lies had even turned Sky against Natalie.


    The Walker family had realized Emma''s true nature. She was a maniptive liar who had likely been manipting Sky against Natalie. Someone like her had no ce in their family.


    Marcus'' n made sense. The recording not only exposed Emma but also cleared Natalie''s name. Now, no one could use the Walkers-or Natalie-of being unfair to Emma.


    In the long run, this public reveal would shut down any rumors about Natalie being the reason Emma was pushed out. Instead, everyone would see the truth.

 Chapter 296 Putting Sky on Leave

    When Natalie heard Charlotte say the recording was Marcus'' doing, she froze. Marcus hadn''t mentioned any of this to her. In her original n, she''d given the recording to Olivia, expecting her to handle it.


    Now, Natalie couldn''t shake the feeling that tonight''s events had slipped slightly out of her control. Yet, the overall oue still aligned with her intentions.


    "Sweetie, let''s go," Charlotte said, gently pulling Natalie along.


    "Mrs. Holden Senior isn''t exactly an outsider. Back when our family was in trouble, he stepped in and helped us. Without him, we wouldn''t be where we are today," she exined with a sigh.


    She added, "When your dad and I returned the engagement gifts to the Holdens, we tested the waters. We had you younger ones call him Mr. Holden Senior out of respect, and he didn''t seem to mind. That shows he''s not hung up on formalities. "He''s older, and his generation deserves our respect. If the two families be even closer in the future, we''ll naturally adjust how we address him."


    Natalie nodded, letting Charlotte''s words sink in. As they talked, they headed upstairs but were stopped halfway by Mason, who hade looking for them.


    "Father, Mother, Nat, Marcus asked me to check if you''re done seeing the guests out."


    "All done," William said. "Let''s go."


    The group returned to the balcony where the earlier discussion had taken ce. Marcus sat calmly, sipping coffee, while Mason was slumped in a chair across from him.


    A steaming cup of coffee sat in front of Sky, untouched. His swollen, bruised face was proof of the earlier fight.


    "Marcus," William greeted Marcus and then nced at Sky. "What happened to him?"


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Marcus said casually, setting his cup down. "He got beaten up."


    Marcus'' tone was calm, but his words carried weight. "Mr. Walker, I apologize. Sky insulted me and even challenged me to a fight, so I simply obliged him. Noah may have gone a little overboard, but I''ll deal with himter."


    Mason, feeling a little guilty but also full of admiration for Marcus, stayed quiet. The truth was, he had done most of the damage, but Marcus had pinned it on Noah.


    When Mason nced around to thank Noah, the bodyguard was already gone. He lost his chance to express his gratitude.


    "It''s fine," William said with a faint smile. "Nat''s wee party went smoothly. Now, it''s time to settle some family matters."


    "Nat, go change into something morefortable and thene back," he instructed. "Also, don''t worry about Ms. Thatcher. I had the butler make arrangements for her."


    "Okay, Dad," Natalie said. Then, she grabbed Mason''s arm. "Come with me, Mason. I need someone to stand guard while I change."


    "Uh, isn''t that a little much?" Mason hesitated.


    "You''re just waiting outside the door."


    "Fine," he relented.


    As they reached the elevator, they ran into Lincoln, Timothy, and Hector.


    "Hey! I''m taking Mason with me to get changed. Mom and Dad are waiting for you upstairs," Natalie greeted them with a bright smile.


    Lincoln ruffled her hair and pulled a chocte bar from his pocket. "Marcus mentioned you like this brand, so I had a little chat with thepany. The factory''s ours now."


    He handed her the chocte with a warm smile. "From now on, all the chocte they make belongs to you. Wee home, Nat. Consider this my gift to celebrate your return."


    Natalie blinked in shock, her eyes welling up. "What?" This gift waspletely beyond anything she had expected.


    She was already home, yet Lincoln had still prepared such a thoughtful gift for her


    on the very day of the wee party.


    The gesture truly touched her.


    "Go change already! You''ve been in heels all day-you must be exhausted," Hector said with a smile.


    "Timothy and I had gifts for you, too, butpared to what Lincoln got you, ours kind of lost their shine.  swnovel


    "But don''t worry, once we find something good, we''ll definitely make it up to you."


    "Thank you, Lincoln. Thank you, Hector and Timothy," Natalie steadied her emotions, holding back the warmth in her eyes from spilling over. "Alright, I''ll go get changed then."


    "Go ahead!"


    Inside the elevator, Mason sighed dramatically. "Lincoln''s loaded. That chocte is impossible to find, and he just went ahead and bought the whole factory. When will I ever have that kind of money?"


    belongs to swnovel


    "Thanks, Mason," Natalie said sincerely. "For everything. I love the crystal ball you gave me, too."


    Mason clenched his fists, his expression determined. "One day, I''ll win a gold medal for you. Don''t forget, I''m aiming for the national team."


    "I''ll be waiting," Natalie said, her smile soft but her eyes red with emotion.


    The Walker brothers were slowly healing the wounds left by Natalie''s time with the Langleys. Yet, a question lingered in her mind-how did Marcus know she liked that specific chocte?


    On the second floor, back at the balcony, the space had be too cramped for everyone.


    "Let''s move to the study," William suggested, standing up. "Lincoln, Timothy, help Sky. Hector, grab the first-aid kit."


    "Good thing we''ve got a doctor in the family," he added with a chuckle. "Too bad being brainless isn''t treatable."


    William led the way to the study while Lincoln and Timothy helped Sky to his feet. Hector went to fetch the medical supplies.


    "Marcus, you shoulde too. You''re a part of this mess, and our family owes you an apology," William said.


    "You''re too kind," Marcus replied as he stood up and followed.


    Once inside the study, William opened a cab and pulled out a wooden board, mming it onto the floor in front of Sky with a loud thud.


    "Get on your knees!"


    Sky red defiantly. "Father, I don''t even know what I did wrong. I won''t kneel."


    "Sorry, Sky," Lincoln said without a hint of sincerity.


    "Sky," William said calmly, "you''ve been hurt badly. Take an extended leave from work to recover. Lincoln will handle thepany while you rest.


    He continued, "Hector and Mason, when you''re not busy with your work, assist Lincoln at thepany. And if there are tasks suitable for


    Mason or Nat, let them take on


    some responsibilities."


    belongs to swnovel


    Turning to Sky, he asked, "Do you have any objections to this arrangement?"

 Chapter 297 Natalies Search For Emmas Birth Parents

    William''s question was more of amand than an inquiry. Even though Sky was in pain and filled with anger, he didn''t dare speak up.


    "To answer you, Father, I have no objections," Sky muttered, his head hanging low. His voice barely escaped his throat.


    "Good." William was about to speak again when there was a knock on the door- three quick taps. Natalie and Mason, now dressed more casually, appeared in the doorway.


    "Dad, may wee in?" Natalie asked.


    "Father, we''re entering now," Mason announced cheerfully.


    "Come in!" William''s stern expression softened the moment he saw Natalie. He had been upset with her cautious approach earlier, and it had tugged at his heart.


    Natalie should be full of life and confidence, not constantly looking over her shoulder in her own home because of the scars the Langleys had left on her.


    "Come here, Nat." William''s voice was soft and gentle, as though afraid a louder word might scare Natalie.


    Natalie pulled Mason along, and they quickly made their way to William. Mason didn''t show any jealousy, but instead, he was happy.


    Both their parents had seen through the lies of Emma and Sky. They loved their daughter, and that was why she could feel secure staying at home.


    Even if it meant William had to deal with Sky for her sake, Mason wouldn''t mind.


    "Natalie, I''ve spoken to Lincoln, Timothy, and Hector. We''ve decided to put Sky on a long leave. Lincoln will handle thepany''s affairs for now. When Lincoln and Timothy have time, they''ll assist him.


    "And the matter of investigating Emma''s biological parents was entrusted to Sky, but since he''s on leave now, I want to assign it to you. It''s up to you whether you want to take it on."


    William looked at Natalie with affection. "It''s okay if you''re not up for it. I''ll get someone else to do it.


    "After all, we''ve raised Emma for 20 years. Helping her find her biological parents would be thest thing we do for her. Once she''s with her real parents, she''ll finally stop trying to cling to the Walker family. Nat, do you understand what I mean?"


    Natalie nodded. "Yes, Dad. I understand. I''ll take it on."


    She turned her gaze toward Sky, still kneeling on the floor. His head was down,


    his fists clenched tightly by his sides. Though he seemed to want to say something, he didn''t look up or speak.


    William looked toward his sons. "Lincoln, Hector, Timothy, do you have any objections?"


    The trio answered in unison, "No, Father. We have no objections."


    "I have an objection," Mason said, standing beside Natalie, raising his hand high.


    "I want to apany Nat in investigating Emma''s biological parents. I don''t feelfortable letting her do it alone.


    William waved his hand. "Fine, you can go with her."


    "Thank you, Father!" Mason''s excitement was clear.


    William chuckled. He had purposely not told Mason to go to thepany, waiting


    for him to bring it up on his own. As expected, Mason didn''t disappoint him.


    "I''ve also told Lincoln and the others that if there''s a suitable project at thepany, you and Natalie should get involved to gain some experience," William said, looking at Mason.


    He added, "But since you and Natalie are both still students, once school starts, you won''t have as much time. That''s why you should focus on investigating Emma''s parents now while you have the chance. The sooner you find them and hand them over, the less trouble it''ll cause down the road.


    "We originally nned to give Emma a sum of money, but because of how she insulted Natalie and even tried to harm her, your mother and I decided not to offer her any of the Walker family''s resources.


    "From now on, once she graduates and starts looking for a job, nopany under the Walker Group is allowed to hire her. Do you all understand?"


    "Yes, Father, we understand."


    "We''ll remember your words, Father."


    The brothers said in unison.


    William then turned to Sky, still kneeling. His tone grew sharp. "Sky, did you hear that?"


    Sky slowly lifted his head. "Yes, Father. I heard."


    "Good. Meeting adjourned. Natalie and Mason stay behind. Everyone else, you may rest.


    "Hector, take care of Sky''s injuries."


    "Yes, Father."


    Marcus had been standing nearby, and he found William''s handling of the situation satisfactory. However the fact that Natalie was now tasked with finding Emma''s biological parents meant she would have to return to Amberton.  swnovel


    If Natalie went to Amberton, Marcus would have fewer opportunities to see her.


    His thoughts turned inward as he realized his feelings. No, he couldn''t let her go to Amberton.


    "Marcus, I''ve asked Gorge to arrange a ce for you to rest. It''s gettingte, and it would be better for you to stay here tonight," William suggested.


    "I''ve already made arrangements for Mr. Holden Senior to rest," he continued, ncing at Marcus. "You seem tired, too. It''d be best if you rested early."


    Marcus shook his head. "No rush. I''ll stay a little longer."


    William was puzzled. He''d asked Marcus to stay and listen earlier because Sky had been rude, but now that everything had been dealt with, he hadn''t left yet.


    Natalie noticed the exchange and caught Marcus'' eye. He smiled at her, then spoke slowly. "Mr. Walker, I noticed some of the helpers here were secretly filming Ms. Walker.


    "Although ye ended my


    engagement with the Walker family,


    I have no grudge against you. But as


    a family friend, when I see unfair


    things, I feel it''s my duty to bring them to light."  swnovel


    William''s face immediately hardened. "Nat, is what Marcus said true?"


    Natalie nodded. "Yes, I saw it too. But I''m not sure who is behind it."


    William''s expression darkened. After the incident with Cindy and Gabriel, he''d already instructed Gorge to retrain the helpers and keep an eye out for anyone up to no good.


    For this to happen again at Natalie''s wee party clearly meant someone was either paying the helpers a lot or threatening them somehow.


    "Marcus, thank you for the warning." William paused, then spoke again. "I won''t rm the helpers yet. We didn''t catch itst time because of Gorge''s oversight."


    "Don''t me Gorge, Dad," Natalie quickly said, her voice soft. She wasn''t speaking up for him out of kindness she simply understood that if someone was determined to hide their true intentions and put on an act, there was no guarantee Gorge would be able to see through it.  swnovel


    "Not alerting the enemy is the right move." She leaned in close to William,


    lowering her voice as she whispered a few words.


    A smile immediately appeared on William''s lips. "Alright, we''ll go with your n."

 Chapter 298 What Happens If She Goes to Amberton?

    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-fianc¨¦. 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¡ªthe three babies had been swapped on the same day. It was all too much of a coincidence.

 Chapter 299 Jokes To Mask Truth

    "Nat, you''re back. Why aren''t you asleep yet?"


    Natalie was still standing by the window, staring out. On the bed, Olivia had woken up in the middle of the night, groggily speaking, "Aren''t you tired? Come to bed."


    "Okay, I''ll be right there," Natalie replied. She watched Marcus'' car disappear from view and then closed the curtains before heading back to her bedroom.


    After Marcus'' car had left Walker Estate and made its way onto the main road, Marcus finally spoke. "Noah, take me to Goodwill Pharmacy."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    There were many branches of Goodwill Pharmacy, but Marcus was headed to the main hall where Sophia was.


    When they arrived, the doors were shut tight, and the area was quiet.


    "Mr. Holden, should I knock?" Noah asked respectfully. At this time of night, the streets were mostly empty, except for cleaners. The pharmacy didn''t operate through the night, but in emergencies, it was eptable to knock.


    "No need. We''ll wait here for them to open," Marcus replied, closing his eyes. With Charles staying at the Walker Manor tonight, he didn''t feel like heading back home. "Noah, you can rest too."


    "Mr. Holden, if you''d like, I can arrange a room for you at the hotel nearby. It''s not ideal to rest in the car."


    There was a hotel just a mile from Goodwill Pharmacy, and sleeping in the car until it opened wouldn''t provide proper rest. Noah, ever thoughtful, was suggesting a better option.


    "Alright, let''s head to the hotel then," Marcus agreed.


    After resting there for a while, he instructed Noah, "Let me know when the pharmacy opens."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    ...


    The next morning, at 8:30 am, Goodwill Pharmacy opened right on time. Noah immediately called Marcus, "Mr. Holden, Goodwill Pharmacy is open." "Alright, I''ll be there soon."


    Marcus hung up the phone andy back on therge bed. He felt a strange sense of fatigue, a dull ache in his body, and a blocked nose as though he wereing down with a cold.


    But Marcus was usually in good health, rarely ever sick. Even when he did feel unwell, he usually powered through unless it was serious.


    After lying there for a while, feeling a bit foggy, Marcus reluctantly got up. He checked his phone, and it was already 8:50 am. He had barely slept three hours.


    Taking a deep breath, Marcus quickly got up to wash his face with cold water. He made himself a cup of coffee, and after drinking it, he felt fully awake.


    "Noah, notify Elijah. We''re heading to Goodwill Pharmacy now." "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Ten minutester, Marcus and Noah entered Goodwill Pharmacy. Elijah was waiting, respectfully reporting on Sophia''s situation.


    "Ms. Sinir woke upst night. Dr. Tanner checked her over. She knew her child was gone but didn''t cry or make a fuss. She seemed indifferent like all the life had drained from her.


    "Dr. Tanner also asked if we should notify the father of the child toe and be with Ms. Sinir. But I didn''t dare call you, sir, since it was Ms. Walker''s wee party yesterday.


    "Ms. Sinir


    herself said that the


    child had no father, that it was fine, and that she never really nned to keep the baby. However, I noticed after D. Tanner left, Ms. Sinir was crying. She kept muttering, ''I''m sorry, baby. It''s my fault. I couldn''t protect you."  swnovel


    Elijah spoke carefully, trying not to upset Marcus.


    "Alright, Elijah, you can go now," Marcus said. "Noah, you guard the door." "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Once the door was closed, Marcus pulled up a chair and sat down. He reached over to the bedside and started peeling an apple. "Open your eyes, Sophia. Don''t pretend to be asleep."


    Sophia sighed and opened her eyes. "I''m sorry, Marcus. I''ve caused you trouble again."


    Marcus continued peeling the apple. "It''s Emma''s doing."


    He continued, "Sophia, I won''t pry into the identity of the child''s father. But remember, your health is important. If you take care of yourself, everything else will still be possible."


    "You didn''t think the child''s father might be Sky, did you?" Sophia looked away, a bitter expression crossing her face. "Or have you ever considered that if you married me, I wouldn''t have had to lose the baby?"


    "Sophia..." Marcus set the partially peeled apple down. "You know there''s no romantic rtionship between us. I can protect you, but I will never marry you." "But I saved you when we were kids," Sophia said, lowering her head and avoiding Marcus'' gaze. "Can''t you just marry me as a way of repaying the favor?" "If you truly wanted me to marry you, you wouldn''t wait until now to ask. What are you trying to test?"


    Sophia opened her mouth but couldn''t find the right words. She felt a sense of unease, unsure of what she was truly seeking.


    Sitting there in Goodwill Pharmacy, she finally recalled where she had seen Natalie before on the beach when Natalie saved Marcus. Natalie had asked her to watch over him while she ran to get the adults.


    Not long after, Marcus woke up and immediately asked if she was the one who had saved him. Sophia, acting on impulse, nodded and imed the credit for Natalie''s act of saving him.


    Later, when Sophia learned Marcus'' true identity, she understood his power and influence, especially with how Ivan treated him. She knew that being with Marcus meant a better life for her, so she never corrected the misunderstanding.


    But using the life-saving favor came with consequences. Another boy who had witnessed the rescueter found her and started ckmailing her.


    "Sophia, what are you thinking?" Marcus asked when he saw her distant look, not answering his question. He waved his hand in front of her face.


    "Nothing... nothing at all. I was just joking," Sophia forced a smile. "Don''t take it seriously. I just had a weird thought."


    "Sophia," Marcus said softly, "Sometimes, people use jokes to mask the truth. You want me to marry you, but you''re not joking. You''re serious."


    Marcus picked up the apple again and resumed peeling. "You''ve never used the life-saving favor to ask anything of me. Even when I


    protected you, you were al


    grateful. Sophia, tell me


    honestly-did the father of the child threaten you?"  swnovel


    Sophia quickly shook her head. "No, that''s not it''m just scared," she said, her head hanging low. "I''m Sky''s fianc¨¦e in name, but I did. something to betray him. Whoever


    the man is, I can''t afford to offend Sky or the Walker family. If my dad finds out, he''ll kill me. I was just scared, so I joked about it with you."  swnovel


    She added, "Marcus, please stop asking. Just forget I said anything."


    "Is that so?" Marcus'' gaze was intense as he stared at Sophia. She couldn''t meet


    his eyes, her unease clear. She was hiding something, but she wasn''t ready to


    confess.


    Marcus wouldn''t force her to speak, but one thing was for sure¡ªmarrying her would never happen.

 Chapter 300 Sophias Hesitation to Meet Natalie

    Marcus'' piercing gaze fixed firmly on Sophia, making her uneasy. She felt a sudden need to shield herself, so she pulled the nket over her head.


    As long as she didn''t meet his eyes, she could pretend she didn''t know he was suspicious of her.


    Sophia hesitated, then decided to change the subject. "By the way, I saw the news. Has the Walker familypletely given up on Emma?"


    "Yes. Emma was targeting Natalie and even tried to harm her. She was behind the horse ramming into the car."


    Marcus'' deep voice flowed into Sophia''s ears. "She probably wanted to frame Natalie, but she miscalcted. Natalie won''t take the fall for something she didn''t do.


    "Moreover, Mr. and Mrs. Walker''s stance is crystal clear. Even though Emma was pampered for 20 years, she will never be more important than Natalie.


    "Emma has tried to harm Natalie, and with that, Mr. and Mrs. Walker can''t allow her to stay in the Walker family anymore."


    Marcus'' voice grew colder, more pointed. "Sophia, why are you hiding under the nket like that? Aren''t you afraid you''ll suffocate?"


    Sophia had been listening to Marcus'' deep voice for a while, and the air felt thick, stifling. She reluctantly lowered the nket, allowing herself to breathe in fresh air.


    "So... what is Ms. Walker''s stance on Emma?" Sophia asked, feeling increasingly uneasy. After all, Emma was the Walker family''s fake daughter, and Natalie had shown such hatred toward her.


    Sophia wondered if Natalie would be angry if she found out that Sophia had taken credit for saving Marcus'' life as a child. Would Natalie retaliate?


    Marcus'' gaze turned sharper as he stared at her. "Sophia, what''s going on? You seem unusually concerned about Natalie and Emma."


    Sophia quickly shook her head. "It''s not like that. I was just in a car ident at Walker Estate, and I lost my baby. I was going to ask Natalie for help, but things didn''t go as nned, and then I ended up in more trouble. Now you''re saying it''s all Emma''s doing, so naturally, I''m curious too."


    "Is that so?" Marcus'' eyes locked onto Sophia''s, his gaze piercing. She looked away, unwilling to meet his gaze.


    "Sophia, is there something you''re hiding from me?" His voice was low, and his gaze was boring a hole through her.


    "No," Sophia answered quickly, too quickly. Her hasty response only made Marcus more certain that something was amiss.


    Sophia''s eyes darted away. "Marcus, we''ve known each other for so many years. Do you really still not trust me? I never wanted this child. I didn''t even n to find the miracle doctor, Dr. Elim. After all, how could a miracle doctor perform a small procedure like an abortion?


    "It was Ms. Walker who told me if I could find Dr. Elim, it would be the best. She also mentioned that although abortion is considered a minor procedure, there have been incidents where things went terribly wrong.


    "She showed me many case studies, and I got scared when I saw the bloody scenes. That''s when I decided to ask Mr. Holden Senior for help and request to meet Dr. Elim."


    Sophia lowered her head as she spoke. "Marcus, I didn''t dare tell you before because I was afraid you''d ask who the father of the child is. I can''t say, and I dare not."


    Marcus'' voice grew firmer. "What''s stopping you from telling me?" He reached out, lifting her chin. "Look at me, Sophia."


    Sophia immediately shook her head. "I can''t."


    When she was guilty, she couldn''t bear to look him in the eye. His gaze was too sharp and cold, like an invisible ice de that could pierce her heart.


    Perhaps it was because she had deceived him. Sophia had always felt like a sword was hanging over her head, waiting for her lies to be exposed. The moment the truth came out, that sword would fall, severing her life.


    She couldn''t bear the consequences. She was terrified.


    The Sinir family had never loved her, and now, after everything, Marcus was


    her only support. She couldn''t let him find out about her deception.


    All these years, Sophia had assumed that the little girl who saved Marcus wouldn''t reappear, but she hadn''t expected Natalie to return as the true daughter of the Walker family¡ªsomeone who had been switched at birth 20 years ago.


    Natalie''s return to the Walker family and the grand wee party only worsened things. Now Emma was being cast out. It was no surprise that Sophia was


    nervous.


    "By the way, I heard it was Ms. Walker who asked me to be transferred to Goodwill Pharmacy," Sophia said, trying to steady her nerves, refusing to meet Marcus'' gaze.


    "Marcus, I''d like to meet her. Could you arrange a meeting for us? I''m wondering if the news about my car ident and miscarriage has leaked."


    She looked up at him. "Marcus, could you help me?"


    Marcus thought for a moment before answering, "I can help you arrange a meeting with Natalie, but whether or not she''ll agree to see you, I can''t guarantee. After the wee party, she''s probably very busy. She''s been introduced to many people."


    Natalie had epted her identity as the heiress of the Walker family. She would gradually integrate into the elite circles of Dithoria State-there was no doubt about it.


    Sophia forced a smile. "I''m sure she''ll meet with me. Natalie is a nice person- she has a gentle temper."


    "A gentle temper?" Marcus raised an eyebrow as if he had just heard a joke. But he didn''t say much more. "Get some rest. I''ll arrange a meeting with Natalie for you."


    "Alright, thank you," Sophia said.


    "Just focus on resting."


    Marcus stood up and left the room. As he walked away, he couldn''t help but recall the memory of when Natalie pped him after he had been drugged at Holden Residence. Not only had she pped him, but she had fought back, her actions just as fierce as her temperament.


    Marcus couldn''t help but smile to himself. Despite the fact that she had pped him twice, she had also saved him twice. He didn''t know whether tough or cry.


    Marcus nced up at the sky. During the time he had been drugged, he had briefly entertained some inappropriate thoughts about Natalie. For a fleeting moment, he had even found himself anticipating something.


    He assumed Natalie would take advantage of the situation-seizing the chance to force his hand and demand marriage.


    But to hisplete surprise, she hadn''t been the least bit interested in his body. Instead, she had pped him hard. And not just once.


    Those ps had left him feeling strangely satisfied yet inexplicably annoyed at the same time.


    Marcus sighed. He really must be losing his mind. So much time had passed, and yet, he still couldn''t stop thinking about it.

 Chapter 301 Blame Her

    Sophiay on the bed and looked toward the doorway, only to see Marcus standing there motionless.


    The man was tall and had a slender figure. His tailored ck suit that entuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist made him look exceptionally stylish.


    If Sophia hadn''t been his fake lifesaver, she would have pursued him back then.


    Putting everything else aside, Marcus'' appearance alonepletely outshone Sky.


    But Sophia couldn''t even have Sky, her legitimate fianc¨¦, let alone dream about the unobtainable Marcus.


    However, stolen things would always remain stolen. No matter how cautiously she held on, she could never grasp happiness that didn''t belong to her.


    Tears streamed down Sophia''s face as she reached out and caressed her lower abdomen. Losing the child was a good thing for her, but if that man knew about it, she was afraid he would kill her.


    Perhaps he would torment her in an even more cruel way.


    Perhaps he sensed the intense gaze fixed on him from inside the room, but Marcus suddenly turned around. Sophia hadn''t had time to avert her eyes, and he caught her staring at him.


    But at that moment, her face was tear-streaked, and Marcus'' doubts were suppressed.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked.


    Sophia quickly shook her head and said, "It''s nothing."


    She then started, "Marcus, if I told you...''


    "


    Sophia bit her bottom lip, not daring to meet his eyes. But in the end, she gathered her courage and continued, "If one day, I had no choice but to deceive you, would you me me for it? Would you take revenge on me? Would you... hate me?"


    Marcus stared at Sophia and asked bluntly, "So, what have you deceived me about?"


    Sophia hurriedly shook her head. "No, I just mean... in case it ever happens. Maybe I had no other choice. Just in case anything unforeseen happens, I want to ask for a chance to be forgiven."


    As she spoke, Sophia lowered her head again. "Marcus, have you helped me arrange a meeting with Ms. Walker?"


    "I''ll do it right now." Marcus took out his phone and called Natalie in front of Sophia.


    After the phone rang three times, Natalie answered. "Hello, Mr. Holden?" "Ms. Walker, Sophia wants to meet you. Are you avable toe over?"


    "Yes, I am." Natalie had already nned to visit Goodwill Pharmacy. Whether Sophia wanted to meet her or not, she had to check on her recovery anyway.


    "Thank you very much, Ms. Walker."


    Marcus was polite, and Natalie responded with equal politeness. "No need to thank me, Mr. Holden. I''m just doing what I should."


    After ending the call, Marcus saw Sophia visibly exhale in relief, but then her expression turned tense and filled with worry again.


    "Natalie has agreed. She should be here soon," Marcus told her.


    He kept his phone away. "Sophia, you don''t look well. I told you before that if you


    run into any trouble, you can tell me. If I can help you, I will."


    "I know, but this... no one can help me." Sophia''s face was pale as she said, "Marcus, I want to rest now."


    "Alright, then rest."


    Marcus turned and left the room. As he did, he heard Sophia let out a long sigh, one filled with obvious fear and unease.


    ...


    An hourter, Natalie drove to Goodwill Pharmacy. She first took Olivia to Lincoln''spany, where Shawn met the both of them by the entrance and brought Olivia in.


    Then, Natalie continued her journey to Goodwill Pharmacy alone.


    "Ms. Sinir, I heard you wanted to see me." Natalie pulled up a chair and sat in front of Sophia''s hospital bed.


    Marcus couldn''t wait an hour for her to arrive and had already left to do his own things.


    "That''s right." Sophia was still lying down. Her eyes began to redden as she stared at Natalie''s face for a while.


    "Ms. Walker, do you recognize me?" she asked.


    "Hmm?" Natalie raised an eyebrow, looking at Sophia with a hint of confusion.


    "Ms. Walker, I recognize you now." Sophia took a deep breath. Her face was pale, and her entire demeanor radiated guilt and unease.


    "When we were kids, you saved Marcus and then asked me to look after him. Butter, I stole the credit for what you did. For a long time afterward, I lived in constant fear, always anxious that one day you woulde back and expose me.


    "But since then, you never appeared again, and I gradually let my guard down. I thought we would never meet again in this lifetime. Yet, here we are, meeting again¡ªand under such circumstances."


    As Sophia spoke, her eyes reddened further. "I dare not tell Marcus the truth, but I''m also terrified. After all, something that was stolen will never truly belong to me."


    "So, are you nning to tell Marcus now?" Natalie asked lightly. "Or do you just want to talk things through with me so that I won''t expose you?"


    Sophia hadn''t expected Natalie to see right through her. She looked ashamed as she bit her lip, not knowing what to say.


    "Ms. Sinir, just say what''s on your mind." Natalie could already guess what Sophia was thinking about when she looked at her. "If I wanted to expose you, I would have told Marcus right from the beginning. You don''t have to be afraid."


    Sophia widened her eyes upon hearing that, and she looked at Natalie in disbelief. "Ms. Walker, so... you''re not nning to tell Marcus you were his savior as a child?"


    "Yeah. I have no intention of telling him," Natalie said indifferently. She simply didn''t want to have too much involvement with Marcus.


    "Then... you don''t me me?" Sophia was dumbfounded. She didn''t expect her worries to be so easily resolved with just a few words from Natalie.


    "I won''t." Natalie''s tone remained calm. To her, this was nothing more than a trivial matter, so she had let it go.


    Plus, even if the person who fell into the water was not Marcus but someone else, she still wouldn''t have stood by and done nothing.


    No matter who it belonged to, a human life was still a life.


    Sophia waspletely stunned and was at a loss for words for a moment.


    "Ms. Sinir, have you been carrying a burden because of this?" Natalie looked at Sophia''s stunned expression and asked, "Why has this matter been tormenting you for so many years?"


    Sophia snapped out of her daze and bit her lip again, unsure of how to answer Natalie''s question.


    For years, she had lived in constant fear, always worried about being exposed. Because of that fear, it had led her to her current predicament.


    Now that the child was gone, it was as if fate had made the decision for her. Perhaps, in a way, it was a blessing in disguise.


    But regardless, she still owed Natalie for this matter.


    "Ms. Walker, I''m sorry." Sophia propped herself up. "I''m sorry. I''m really sorry. All these years, I lived in fear, but I also left things up to luck, thinking that if you didn''t show up, I could always be known as Marcus'' lifesaver.


    "My father treated my mother and me horribly. My mother never fought back, and


    in the end, she was forced into a convent. The only reason I was able to survive in


    the Sinir family was because I held the title of your brother''s fianc¨¦e.


    "But behind closed doors, Ruby never stopped sending people to bully me."


    As Sophia spoke, her eyes reddened even more. "Because Marcus was around, Ruby didn''t dare go too far. But I can''t always rely on Marcus to support me. So..."


    Sophia choked up. In truth, Ruby had still managed to get others to constantly torment Sophia.

 Chapter 302 One Wrong Step Led to Another

    Natalie watched as Sophia cried and reached for a tissue to hand to her. "You''re still in postpartum recovery, so it''s best not to cry too much.


    "If you''re worried that I''ll expose the truth about Marcus'' savior, I can tell you right now that you have nothing to worry about. I won''t say anything. Marcus thinks you''re his savior, so just continue being his savior," Natalie said calmly.


    Sophia responded, "Ms. Walker, you being like this makes me feel even more ashamed. I feel like I''ve wronged you, but I don''t have the courage to correct this mistake. One wrong step led to another, and ever since the first day I told this lie, I haven''t had a single peaceful day."


    She covered her face with her hands. Sophia had expected Natalie to scold her, to call her shameless, or even to hit her, but she didn''t.


    Natalie neither scolded nor hit her. Instead, she expressed her concern for Sophia.


    At this, Sophia felt increasingly ashamed and guilty. Compared to Natalie''s honesty and kindness, she felt like a despicable rat hiding in the shadows.


    Even if she had unavoidable circumstances, a mistake was still a mistake.


    "Ms. Walker, I''m sorry. I was wrong," Sophia choked out. She cried for a while before making a big decision in her heart. "I will tell Marcus that I am not his lifesaver-you are. As for whether he still chooses to protect me after that, I don''t


    know.


    "I was initially thinking that if you were harsh to me or spoke to me with anger and resentment when meeting today, I wouldn''t feel so guilty anymore. But you''re too kind. You didn''t me me, and you''re even willing to keep this secret for me."


    Sophia looked at Natalie with bloodshot eyes and said, "I''m sorry. At first, I thought that since you were so ruthless to Emma, you wouldn''t let me off either.


    "But I was wrong. Ms. Walker, I apologize for doubting you. I feel ashamed, and I''m truly sorry."


    As Sophia spoke, she was about to get out of bed and apologize more sincerely to Natalie, but Natalie quickly reached out and held her back.


    Natalie said, "Ms. Sinir, you don''t have to apologize. It''s been so many years since those things happened, yet you still recognized me. It shows how good your memory is.


    "You had an ident at the Walker residence, so regardless of our past or what happened between us, I will take responsibility for you. Whatever happened between me and Emma is between us-I won''t take it out on others.


    "Although you took credit for saving Marcus back then, you never actually harmed me. Besides, you called me here today and came clean about everything."


    Natalie smiled before continuing, "I''m someone who responds better to kindness than hostility. You haven''t done anything against me, so of course, I have no reason to go against you either."


    "Really?" Sophia was in disbelief and cried out again, "I''m Sky''s fianc¨¦e, but the child in my belly isn''t his. I''ve been unfaithful to him. Don''t you hate or me me?"


    "That is between you and him. I''m just an observer, so I won''tment on it," Natalie replied.


    She handed Sophia another piece of tissue to wipe her tears. "Ms. Sinir, since you''re Sky''s fianc¨¦e, why didn''t you turn to him for protection, and instead sought Marcus?"


    "Sky doesn''t like me. He only likes Emma. When I was a child, I went to him for help. At the time, Emma tricked me into the basement and locked me in there. I called him, but he used me of ndering Emma and left me there for a whole day and night.


    "Later, when I couldn''t take it anymore, I called Marcus."


    "Why wait until you couldn''t take it anymore before calling Marcus?" Natalie asked. She couldn''t understand, and she felt more disdain toward Sky for this.


    "Because Emma said Marcus was her fianc¨¦e and forbade me from getting involved with him. She even said that If I continued, she would have Sky beat me


    up."


    Sophia hugged her arms. "Sky spoils Emma. If she tells him to beat me, he would actually do it.


    "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t be telling you all this. I shouldn''t be speaking badly of your brother, but I can''t help it."


    Sophia allowed Natalie to wipe her tears away. Her vision was blurry, and she was unable to see the person before her clearly. However, she continued, "Ms. Walker, you''re not like Emma. I don''t have many friends, so I may have said too much, but please don''t me me.


    "I know I deserve this. After telling one lie, I needed 99 others to cover it up. Today, when I told Marcus that I wanted to meet you, I was already thinking about how to lie to you.


    "But after you came, I realized I couldn''t lie to you anymore. It was best to just tell you everything honestly."


    After she finished speaking, Sophia exhaled deeply and said, "It turns out that speaking up made me feel much more at ease. The constant feeling of anxiety isn''t as strong as before.


    "Ms. Walker, I don''t know if you believe in fate, but I do. The moment I saw you, I knew you were different from Emma."


    Natalie helped Sophia lie back down, saying, "Thank you for thepliment. Now, stop crying. This really isn''t a big deal for me. Moreover, you''ve been feeling uneasy and were tormented by your conscience for so many years. You don''t owe me anything.


    "Marcus may have been protecting you out of gratitude for saving his life, but you weren''t lying. After all, when I ran to get help, you stayed with him.


    "If you hadn''t been there, who knows what could have happened? He could have been bitten by a shark, dragged away by an octopus, or kidnapped by bad people."


    Natalie spoke with calm indifference, her speech unhurried. There was no hint of me toward Sophia in her tone.


    When Sophia heard this, she was stunned. Could such a far-fetched thing actually happen?


    But soon, she realized Natalie was justforting her and telling her not to feel guilty anymore.


    Inparison, Sophia felt more and more despicable. She stared nkly at Natalie.


    Natalie had fair skin, delicate and beautiful features, and a pair of eyes that looked calm and serene as if nothing mattered to her.


    "Ms. Sinir, you don''t need to feel like you owe me, let alone tell Marcus about it. Things are fine the way they are now." Natalie reached out and gently patted Sophia''s back. The fact that Sophia hade clean and sincerely apologized was enough for her.


    She was a woman, and she wouldn''t target other women or bear ill intentions toward them for no reason. On the contrary, if the other party showed sincerity, she would respond with sincerity in return.


    "But this isn''t fair to you." Sophia started crying again. "Ms. Walker, I''m being sincere."


    "I''m being sincere too." Natalie took a tissue and continued wiping Sophia''s tears away. "My childhood wasn''t easy either.


    "When I was with the Langleys, Mrs. Langley Senior arranged a fianc¨¦ for me.


    And because my adoptive parents treated me badly, I had once ced my hopes


    on him. However, men are not our salvation. We are our own salvation.


    "Do you understand what I mean, Ms. Sinir?"

 Chapter 303 Only You Can Save Yourself

    Natalie spoke coldly and indifferently, but her tone was steady and soothing. As such, Sophia heeded her words.


    She nodded. Though her face was still pale, her eyes had noticeably brightened a bit. "I understand now. Thank you, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie nodded. "You''re wee."


    Then, she continued, "I''ve checked your body, and you need to keep your mood rxed, cry less, and take the prescribed medication. That way, you can recover faster."


    While cing Sophia''s hands back under the covers, Natalie took the chance to check her pulse. After the miscarriage, Sophia''s body was very weak, and coupled with her troubled emotions that disrupted her energy, it made her physical health worse.


    She would require more time to fully recover and adjust back to normal. However, the key to that was her cooperation. If Sophia continued on like this, even if her body recovered from the miscarriage, her energy and vitality would still be greatlypromised.


    "Your body belongs to you, and everything else is secondary. If you''re bullied, fight back. The worst that can happen is that everyone dies together. But remember, those who bully you are often more afraid of death than you are."


    Natalie covered Sophia with the nket and asked, "Ms. Sinir, do you have a job?"


    Sophia was stunned for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I don''t."


    Frowning, Natalie continued to ask calmly, "Have you never considered doing something for yourself?"


    "I have. I looked for work before, but after working for a few days, they told me I wasn''t qualified and fired me."


    Sophia bit her bottom lip, saying, "I know Emma sabotaged me, but I don''t have concrete proof, and Sky doesn''t believe me. My dad doesn''t believe me either."


    "I understand." Natalie nodded. "If you''re willing, you can work at mypany after you recover. My parents gave me a clothingpany, and no one but me has the right to fire you. Are you interested?"


    Sophia was stunned once again and looked at Natalie incredulously. Was the universe finally showing pity on her? Could this really be the turning point she had been waiting for?


    Natalie said that she was her own salvation, so was she giving Sophia a chance to redeem herself now?


    Sophia''s eyes reddened again, and she paid no regard to herself as she struggled to get out of bed. With a thud, she kneeled before Natalie. "Ms. Walker, thank you. Really, thank you."


    She bowed three times without hesitation. She was more willing to cling to Natalie ¡ªanother woman-than cling to Marcus in fear.


    "If you carry on like this, you won''t need Emma to take action against you; you''ll destroy yourself." Natalie sighed and forcefully pulled Sophia up, pushing her to lie back down in bed.


    "Emma can''t threaten you anymore. If you want to break off the engagement with Sky, I can help you with that, but the premise is that you need to love yourself first.


    "I can help you once, but not forever. Sophia, the only person who can save you is yourself," Natalie said.


    Sophia nodded with tears streaming down her face. "I understand. Thank you, Ms. Walker. Thank you so much."


    "Alright, no more crying. If you cry again, I''ll rescind my help."


    Upon seeing Sophia''s tear-streaked face, Natalie couldn''t help but soften. She remembered Emma crying in front of her, but the difference was clear-Emma''s tears were fake, whereas Sophia''s were genuine.


    Sophia''s childhood reminded Natalie of her own. Though their childhoods were simr, Natalie knew Tyler couldn''t be relied on, so she gritted her teeth and worked hard to be strong. But Sophia had Marcus to protect her and rely on.


    Having someone to protect you versus not having anyone made a huge difference.


    She wouldn''t me Sophia for iming the credit for saving Marcus'' life, let alone use it to threaten her, especially since Sophia already felt enough guilt and self- torment.


    Sophia hadn''t harmed Natalie and waspletely apologetic toward her. Her honesty and openness were unlike Emma and Selena, making her a much better person than the two ever would be.


    Natalie was willing to lend a hand to those who were truly pitiful.


    "I won''t cry anymore," Sophia said, wiping away the tears on her face. "I want to break off the engagement with Sky, but if I do, my dad will kill me, and Ruby will use the opportunity to make things worse for me."


    "Just tell me if you want to end it. If you do, I''ll help you," Natalie said firmly.


    "I do want to end it. I want to." Sophia bit her lip and nodded enthusiastically. "Sky and I don''t have any feelings for each other. don''t like him, and he doesn''t like


    me. Our dates were just for the


    benefit of both our families. If I could end the engagement, I would.


    swnovel


    "After all, I still betrayed him, even though I don''t have feelings for Sky. That''s my fault, and I ept that.


    "Can I ask you to protect me so that my dad won''t kill me?"


    Sophia couldn''t help but tremble when she thought of the beatings from Ivan. He didn''t love her mother, nor did he love her. Their lives in the Sinirs were worse than that of maids.


    Because Marcus protected her, Ivan dared not hit her again. If not, she feared she would have been beaten to death when she was a child.


    "Okay. I promise. With me here, your dad won''t dare to hit you again," Natalie said with a nod. She would help Sophia, but only if she took the first step. Now that Sophia had, she would give her that support.


    "Thank you. Thank you so much," Sophia said with gratitude.


    "It''s nothing. Women should help each other."


    Natalie smiled faintly as she continued, "What you need to do now is take good care of your body. Since you''re breaking off the engagement, what do you n to tell Sky?"


    Sophia forced a bitter smile. "To be honest, I made a mistake, so I should and will take responsibility."


    "Are you brave enough to face it?" Natalie smiled. Sophia seemed so fragile, but she never med others for her own mistakes.


    She had imed to be Marcus'' lifesaver, but after confessing to Natalie, she nned to tell him the truth, even when Natalie had stopped her.


    They still needed to put on an act for the sake of the situation, but after that, they needed to have an open discussion. After all, once a rtionship from a lifesaving debt formed, it was difficult to have a clean break from it.


    "I am." With a mixture of bitterness and shame, Sophia said, "Actually,


    I''m not as brave as I seem. If I were


    UTS


    I wouldn''t have imed to be Marcus'' lifesaver in the first ce. If


    I had been braver and less selfish back then, I would have told Marcus the truth.


    swnovel


    "But one wrong decision had led to so many other mistakes. I''m really sorry. I''m


    so sorry to you."


    "Alright, let''s not talk about this


    anymore. Marcus has covered up the news that you were injured and miscarried. Sky still doesn''t know about it yet. He was also injured and recently took a long break at home to recover. You can contact him by phone. You should have Sky''s


    contact details, right?"


    belongs to swnovel


    "Yes, I do."


    "Remember, Ms. Sinir, the help others can give you will neverpare to what


    you do for yourself."


    Natalie fixed her gaze on Sophia. "Only you can save yourself. Always remember


    this."

 Chapter 304 She Confessed to Marcus

    Natalie''s gaze was extremely fierce and sharp. The pressure in her tone was so strong that Sophia couldn''t help but feel awe. She didn''t even have time to think- she just nodded automatically.


    "I''ll remember it," Sophia promised.


    "That''s good. I still have other matters to take care of, so Helena will look after you. If you need anything, just tell her directly," Natalie said.


    After that, Natalie tucked Sophia in with the nket and said nothing more before turning around and leaving the room.


    The moment she stepped out, Elijah emerged from the shadows. His heart was pounding heavily.


    Oh heavens, what did he just hear? It turned out the person who had saved Marcus as a child wasn''t Sophia¡ªit was Natalie!


    For all these years, Sophia had been Marcus'' false lifesaver.


    Natalie was truly wronged. She had saved Marcus multiple times, yet in the beginning, Marcus had treated her with disdain.


    This wouldn''t do. Elijah had to set the record straight for Natalie!


    Elijah immediately pulled out his phone and called Marcus. He knew eavesdropping was wrong, and even if he got punished for it, he was willing to ept it.


    "Hello, Mr. Holden. I have something to tell you."


    Elijah lowered his voice and turned to face the wall, saying sneakily, "The person who saved you as a child wasn''t Ms. Sinir. It was Ms. Walker! I overheard everything just now, and I even recorded it. Should I send it to you, Mr. Holden?" On the other end of the call, Marcus was shocked. What did this mean? Sophia wasn''t his savior, and it had been Natalie all along?


    "Elijah, send me the recording," Marcus instructed.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    After Elijah hung up, he immediately sent the recording to Marcus. Once he had done it, he sighed inwardly for Marcus. Natalie didn''t even want Sophia to tell him the truth. She clearly hated Marcus!


    Marcus had repaid his gratitude to the wrong person for so many years! Elijah wondered if Marcus'' brain was even functioning properly.


    Elijah tilted his head back and gazed at the sky, feeling sorrowful.


    Inside the president''s office at Holden Group''s office building, Marcus held his phone up and listened to the recording Elijah had sent him.


    He listened to every word without missing a single detail. When the recording ended, his expression had darkened to a terrifying degree.


    Sophia had deceived him for so many years, while Natalie had known all along that he had mistaken his savior but never once mentioned it.


    At this moment, Marcus felt like aplete fool.


    "Ha!" Marcus was so furious that he actuallyughed out loud. He recalled how, back then, when he exined why he had helped Sophia, Natalie had given him such a strange look.


    She had known the truth but never said a word. She really didn''t want to get involved with him!


    Marcus deleted the recording and called Elijah, saying, "Elijah, act like you don''t know anything about this. Don''t say a single thing."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Elijah quickly responded respectfully. "Mr. Holden, do you still need me to stay with Ms. Sinir?"


    Now that he knew the truth, Elijah no longer viewed Sophia in a good light. Even if she had unavoidable circumstances, she shouldn''t have stolen someone else''s credit.


    "Stay. Act as if nothing happened, and do what you''re supposed to," Marcus ordered, exhaling a heavy breath.


    Natalie hadpletely surprised him. She didn''t have any good feelings toward him now, so it was best if he didn''t provoke her unnecessarily.


    And anyway, she needed him to y along in this act. They couldn''tpletely sever their rtionship just yet.


    Marcus had just ended the call when his phone rang again. He nced at the screen. The caller ID showed it was Sophia calling.


    He answered with a nk expression, his tone not revealing any change in his emotions. "Hello, Sophia?"


    "Marcus, I need to confess


    something to you," Sophia''s hoarse voice sounded through the phoned am not your savior. I lied to you. You can take revenge on me or punish me however you want. I know I made a mistake.  swnovel


    "When we were kids, I just took advantage of the situation. Because I coveted your power and wanted someone to protect me, ensuring. could have an easier time in the Sinirs, I imed the credit for saving you.  swnovel


    "Over the years, I have thought countless times about wanting to be honest with you, but I was always too scared."


    As Sophia spoke, she began to choke up. "But now, I''m not afraid anymore, Marcus. I''m not afraid."


    Natalie had already said that the help others could give her couldn''tpare to the help she could give herself.


    So, even if she was afraid, she had to bravely take that step forward. Natalie didn''t want her to tell Marcus the truth, but Sophia couldn''t get past this hurdle in her heart. She couldn''t repay kindness with ingratitude and deception.


    What belonged to Natalie would be returned to her.


    "Marcus, did you hear me? I was not your savior when we were kids. I lied to you. You can punish me any way you want. I know I was wrong, and I admit it now."


    "Sophia, tell me, who was the one who actually saved me as a child?" Marcus interrupted Sophia. In the recording Elijah sent to him, Natalie had clearly instructed Sophia to keep up the lie.


    "That..." Sophia hesitated for a moment before quickly replying firmly, "I don''t know. When I saw you, you were already lying on the beach. Marcus, I don''t know who saved you."


    Sophia felt a little guilty, but she had promised Natalie that she wouldn''t tell Marcus it was her who saved him.


    "Alright." Marcus hung up the phone without hesitation.


    "Hah!"


    His speechlessness caused him to sneer once more. After knowing Sophia for so long, this was the first time he realized he didn''t understand her at all.


    Marcus opened a drawer, took out another phone from inside it, logged into a specific email ount, and saw a message from King of Hearts.


    They said, "Find the whereabouts of Wesley and Laura from Holden Group."


    Marcus tapped the screen and sent a message to King of Hearts.


    "Who are you? Why are you looking into Wesley and Laura?" he asked.


    King of Hearts replied, "Because I am your father."


    Speechless, Marcus thought the person was rude andcked manners. He set


    the phone aside and then logged into his personal email on theputer. He quickly typed on the keyboard.


    King of Hearts was the leader of this mysterious website, nicknamed by others simply as King. Mysterious and etusive, no one knew their gender or whether they operated domestically or internationally.  swnovel


    Moreover, King of Hearts rarely appeared. When they did, it meant something big was about to happen.


    Marcus had gone up against King of Hearts several times, but he had never been able to track them down.


    That said, King of Hearts had never been able to trap him either.


    Marcus, still fuming from earlier, wanted to vent his frustration on someone, and King of Hearts had just presented themselves as the perfect target.


    He typed quickly on the keyboard, and strings of code shed across the screen. Soon, he had locked onto the location of King of Hearts.


    Then, immediately after, his gaze darkened. King of Hearts was at... Goodwill


    Pharmacy.


    The next second, King of Hearts disappeared, and an image of an octopus


    popped up on Marcus'' screen.


    The octopus proceeded to squirt a cloud of ink at his screen.

 Chapter 305 Similar Style to Code Zero

    Marcus stared at his screen, which had now gone dark. Then, amidst the ck screen, brilliant fireworks suddenly exploded one after another.


    Along with the graphics, there were the sound effects of the fireworks exploding. After the fireworks had finished exploding, the screen turnedpletely white, disying severalrge words that read, "I am your father!!!"


    The threerge exmation marks resembledughing faces, mercilessly mocking him.


    Marcus tapped on his keyboard, but the screen remainedpletely unresponsive. The words "I am your father" then split into countless tiny versions of themselves, spreading rapidly across the entireputer screen.


    "Hah!" Marcus let out augh out of sheer frustration. He couldn''t believe it. When he faced off against King of Hearts two years ago, they weren''t this powerful.


    Marcus took out a USB drive and inserted it into theputer port. Then, he quickly typed something on the keyboard.


    On the screen, the words were now being devoured one by one by a small zombie with a wide-open mouth. After the zombie was done, it spat out foam, cleansing the entire screen of the fireworks and ck ink.


    Then, finally counterattacking, the little zombie appeared on the opponent''sputer, running all over the screen while clucking like a hen andying eggs. The opponent seemed determined to sh with Marcus. After the zombie appeared, they sent cartoon Sunflowers and Peashooters to Marcus'' screen.


    Taking advantage of the distraction, Marcus quickly typed on the keyboard again and quickly pinpointed King of Hearts'' current location once more. They were still at Goodwill Pharmacy.


    He wanted to continue tracking, but the opponent seemed to have noticed him and suddenly cut off all traces.


    Marcus removed the USB drive, grabbed the coat from beside him, and wore it. "Ethan, we''re going to Goodwill Pharmacy," he said.


    Ethan nodded. "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    As Marcus strode out, he called Elijah. "Elijah, monitor Goodwill Pharmacy closely. Don''t let a single person leave."


    "I understand, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus'' expression darkened further. Why was King of Hearts looking into his parents?


    He didn''t know if King of Hearts was a man or a woman, friend or foe. His parents had been away for years, and there was no way to be certain whether they were truly safe.


    If King of Hearts found their whereabouts and did something to Wesley and Laura, Marcus would be too far away to do anything about it.


    Even though Wesley and Laura weren''t great parents, Charles had instilled in Marcus from a young age that they were still his parents. He should listen to them and try to understand their way of thinking.


    And even if he couldn''t understand them, he couldn''t me them. They would always be family, and family had to stick together.


    Ethan reported Marcus'' schedule for the day while following him. "Mr. Holden, Ivan Sinir has scheduled a meeting with you at 3:30 pm. There are still two hours until your appointment with him.


    "The Walkers have sent you an invitation to their anniversary celebration. They hastened it to officially introduce Ms. Walker into Walker Group."


    Marcus listened while quickly striding forward.


    Meanwhile, at Goodwill Pharmacy, Natalie closed herptop, took off her headphones, and put them away in her bag. She had a serious expression on her face, and the usual cold look in her eyes carried a hint of sharpness.


    Ace of Spades, whom she had just fought against, had a style very simr to the person who had previously helped her-the one called Code Zero.


    So, could Ace of Spades actually be Code Zero?


    Code Zero''sst known location was the Helianese restaurant owned by Marcus'' mother. But this time, the location pointed to Holden Group''s building.


    Could Ace of Spades and Code Zero actually be someone around Marcus?


    Natalie rested her chin on one hand and stared at the ne trees in the courtyard. Thest time she had chased the lead to the Helianese restaurant, the trail had gone cold.


    This time, she had deliberately lured her opponent into tracking her location and waited to see if anyone from Holden Group would show up at Goodwill Pharmacy.


    Just then, someone knocked on the door, and Zane''s cautious voice sounded, "Ms. Walker, I brought you the chocte you wanted."


    "Okay! Come in." Natalie withdrew her gaze. "Did you go see Sophia?"


    Zane quickly nodded. "I have. I also asked her what you told me to ask. There''s been a huge


    misunderstanding between me and Ms. Sinir! I have never bullied her with Ruby! I really don''t know about the things Ruby did! However, it is true that she really did use my name to do those things."


    to swnovel


    The more Zane spoke, the more bitter his expression became. "Natalie, I swear. I never harmed Ms. Sinir!"


    "I want to listen to the main points," Natalie interrupted him. Since she had already decided to give Sophia a hand, the first step was to determine whether Zane, one of her subordinates, had ever bullied Sophia alongside Ruby.  swnovel


    If he had, then Natalie would no longer keep him around.


    However, Zane was someone Federrick had left behind, and she trusted his character. Still, any misunderstandings with Sophia had to be resolved.


    Now that Zane had talked to Sophia and confirmed that he hadn''t done those things with Ruby-and even decisively decided to break up with Ruby-that was enough.


    "The main point is that Ms. Sinir said she can provide me with evidence that Ruby used my name to bully her. And she even said she''s willing to be my friend."


    Zane hurriedly added, "But Natalie, do you really want to get involved in the Sinirs'' mess? Although Ms. Sinir is innocent, she''s notpletely meless either!"


    He didn''t say it out loud, but when Sophia was talking to him, she revealed the matter of her taking Natalie''s credit.


    Sophia felt ashamed. Compared to Natalie, she realized her past thoughts had been too petty and


    selfish, She wanted a fresh startet


    and she wanted to be loyal to Natalie. So, about the things she had wronged Natalie for, she didn''t want to hide it like before and do everything she could to conceal it.  swnovel


    "Natalie, with all due respect, Ms. Sinir is still unwilling to reveal who the father of the child in her belly is. Even if she speaks so sincerely, I''m still doubting her."


    Zane pursed his lips. Even though the incident had happened at the Walker residence, Emma was the real culprit. Why should Natalie be held responsible? It would be one thing if the child''s father were reasonable, but it was another if he wasn''t. In the end, Natalie would still have to bear the brunt of this situation.


    "She''ll say it," Natalie said calmly. "Sophia will reveal who the child''s father is." "Huh?" Zane was skeptical. "If she was going to say it, she should have revealed it from the beginning!"


    "Get back to work!" Natalie waved a hand, signaling for Zane to leave. "Natalie, about that... Elijah blocked the entrance of Goodwill Pharmacy and prevented our staff from leaving," Zane informed her, pursing his lips again. Elijah was a big guy, and Zane couldn''t beat him in a fight. He wouldn''t win if he argued against him, either, which was really frustrating.


    "Why is he stopping the staff from Goodwill Pharmacy from going out?" Natalie asked.


    "Because that''s what Mr. Holden instructed," Zane said helplessly. "Well, Mr. Holden is already on his way here. Elijah said that until Mr. Holden arrives, not even a fly will get past him."

 Chapter 306 He Came for Her

    "Huh?" Natalieughed in anger. This was her territory. What did Marcus think he could do?


    "Call Elijah over," Natalie instructed.


    "Okay." Zane ran off eagerly.


    Elijah stood like a mountain at the entrance of Goodwill Pharmacy, allowing outsiders in but preventing employees from leaving.


    "Elijah, Natalie is calling for you."


    Elijah turned around and nced at Zane. He shook his head firmly. "I won''t go. I need to guard this ce."


    "This is Goodwill Pharmacy, not the Holdens'' territory," Zane said angrily. He stepped in front of Elijah, trying to assert dominance.


    However, Elijah was too tall and burly. While standing before him, Zane didn''t have an imposing presence at all. In fact, he looked more like a tiny mouse.


    "I don''t care. I only listen to Mr. Holden," Elijah replied in his deep, muffled voice. "As for Ms. Walker, I will wait for Mr. Holden to arrive and then go over to apologize and ept my punishment. Even if you use a cannon to st me away right now, I''m not leaving."


    "You-"


    "Zane, forget it." Just then, Natalie''s voice sounded from behind. She stepped forward and looked Elijah up and down.


    "Why is Marcus suddenlying over? And why did he seal off Goodwill Pharmacy?" she asked. "Elijah, did you say something to Marcus?"


    Elijah immediately shook his head nervously and said, "No, Ms. Walker. I don''t understand what you''re talking about. Regardless, I didn''t say anything. I''m just a bodyguard. I''ll do whatever Mr. Holden asks me to do.


    "As for the rest, you can ask Mr. Holden when he arrives."


    With his head hung low and gaze directed downward, Elijah refused to meet Natalie''s eyes. How could he dare to admit that he had overheard her conversation with Sophia and then immediately called Marcus?


    However, Natalie was Marcus'' lifesaver! If she hadn''t left when they were young, and Sophia hadn''t taken credit, Marcus and Natalie might have grown up together as childhood sweethearts.


    Elijah quietly nced at Natalie, who had narrowed her eyes and studied him carefully. Her gaze seemed to indicate that she had already guessed something was up.


    He quickly turned to look away. As long as he didn''t admit it, Natalie couldn''t do anything to him either.


    Natalie curved the corners of her lips upward. "When Marcus arrives, tell him toe see me."


    "Understood, Natalie."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    Zane and Elijah spoke simultaneously, and after they finished, they red at each other. It was clear they disliked the other party.


    Natalie didn''t care. Since Elijah wanted to guard the entrance, then so be it.


    But Marcus-what exactly was he trying to do?


    Half an hourter, Marcus arrived at Goodwill Pharmacy. Without waiting for Elijah to speak, he immediately circled around the area before heading straight to Natalie''s office.


    "Sit down, Mr. Holden!" Natalie had just finished reviewing the recent reports from Goodwill Pharmacy, and her eyes were starting to hurt a bit. She rubbed her eyes, then took the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Marcus.


    "The moment you arrived at Goodwill Pharmacy, you kept walking around inside. Why? Are you looking for someone?" Natalie asked.


    Marcus stared at Natalie intently, his thoughts whirling in his mind uncontrobly. He really wanted to ask her why she hadn''t told him from the beginning that she was the one who saved his life.


    Why had she allowed Sophia to take credit for saving him? Why was she willing to help Sophia, but unwilling to tell him the truth?


    She even allowed Sophia to continue misleading him. Sophia had agreed with her, but then immediately told him the truth behind her back.


    "Mr. Holden, why are you looking at me like that?" Natalie felt a bit uneasy under Marcus'' intense and fiery gaze. "Is there something on my face?"


    "Natalie," Marcus said in a much rougher voice than usual. "I''m sorry."


    "Huh?" Natalie felt even more uneasy now. "Mr. Holden, you... what''s going on?"


    "I''m sorry I had Elijah block the doors of Goodwill Pharmacy. I really dide here to look for someone," Marcus slowly said in his deep, maic voice.


    In this short time, he had considered many possibilities.


    It was his own mistake, and it was understandable that Natalie avoided him. He needed to make up for the mistakes he had made, but he also


    had to make sure that Natalie e


    wouldn''t be resentful of his approach.  swnovel


    "I circled around just now but couldn''t find them," Marcus exined slowly. The location of King of Hearts pointed to Goodwill Pharmacy, but his purpose ining wasn''t for them-it was for Natalie.  swnovel


    "I..." Marcus'' voice sounded hoarse. "I''m sorry. And also, thank you."


    Natalie pushed the teacup toward Marcus. "Mr. Holden, why are you acting so strangely? What are you apologizing and thanking me for?"


    She looked at Marcus with a half-smile, wondering if Sophia had sold her out based on his odd behavior.


    "I''m sorry. I wasn''t clear about many things before, so I treated you with prejudice, Marcus apologized sincerely. "To be honest, when I first visited Mrs. Langley Senior at Amberton, I overheard your conversation with her outside the door."  swnovel


    "So?"


    §à


    Just then, Natalie came to a realization. She had wondered why, despite having never met Marcus before, he always seemed to have a subtle displeasure and contempt toward her.


    "I am very sorry. I misunderstood you deeply without getting to know you." Marcus stared deeply and intently at Natalie. "Later, I even overheard Mrs. Langley Senior tell you to seduce me."


    Natalie was rendered speechless. So Marcus must have heard Grace tell her to steal him if she couldn''t win him over, and if that didn''t work, to drug him and make him fall for her.


    She reached up to cover her cheeks, feeling a sense of hopelessness.


    "Sorry." Marcus looked at the woman before him, her hands covering her face. He couldn''t tell if she was speechless or shy, but for some reason, his spirits lifted slightly.


    "Stop talking," came Natalie''s muffled voice. "Marcus, just shut up. If you came here to say all this, it would be better if you just killed me."


    In the past, she had trusted Grace too much. No matter what Grace said or did,


    she always attributed everything to her good intentions toward her.


    Even though Natalie knew Grace''s ideas were wrong, she didn''t refute them on the spot, instead treating Grace like a child and soothing her.


    That was why Marcus had misunderstood her after overhearing their conversation.


    Natalie paused for a moment before removing her hands from her cheeks. Whether Marcus misunderstood her or not, it didn''t really matter. After all, she had never thought about getting involved with him.


    Still, it was rare to be able to hear this aloof man apologize to her.


    "Let''s forget about the past. I didn''t take it to heart." Natalieposed herself and said, "So, you came to Goodwill Pharmacy to look for someone. Could you tell me who you''re looking for?"

 Chapter 307 Admit He Likes Her

    After Natalie had calmly asked that question, Marcus fell silent again and just continued to stare at her.


    His gaze felt slightly warm and inscrutable, giving her the impression of suppressed affection for her.


    "Mr. Holden-"


    "Natalie, you can call me by my name," Marcus interrupted. "We''ve known each other for a long time. Calling each other ''Mr. Holden'' and ''Ms. Walker'' all the time feels too distant."


    Natalie couldn''t help but retort, "But we''re not that familiar, are we?"


    "You''re my grandfather''s lifesaver, and you stayed at Holden Residence for a while. We''ve seen each other almost daily, and I also yed along with your act to chase away Emma. In front of others, I even imed I was pursuing you. You call that being ''not familiar?""


    Natalie was speechless.


    "I admit that I was wrong to call off our engagement. To make it right, I take back what I said about ending it," Marcus continued.


    At that, Natalie''s expression immediately shifted, but before she could say something, Marcus spoke again.


    "You should be the one to end it."


    Marcus kept his gaze fixed on Natalie, noticing her change in expression when he mentioned retracting his previous words. He hurriedly added, "I''m a man, and I shouldn''t have ignored your feelings and your dignity. That was my mistake.


    "Natalie, can you forgive me just this once?"


    After she heard that, Natalie''s initially speechless expression slowly became solemn. She stared at Marcus. His facial features were refined and wless, and his eyes, dark and intense, made her feel like prey under the gaze of a hunter when he stared at her.


    Marcus was acting strangely, almost as if he were possessed.


    "Natalie, you can''t curse at me in your heart," Marcus said, his lips pressing into a thin line. He had clearly noticed her distaste toward him in her eyes alone.


    Natalie tugged at the corner of her mouth and said, "I didn''t curse at you. Don''t nder me."


    "Okay. That''s good," Marcus said unexpectedly calmly, which only made Natalie feel more confused about his attitude.


    "Mr. Holden, are you okay?" Natalie couldn''t stand being stared at by Marcus any longer, so she stood up and asked, "Aren''t you going to check on Ms. Sinir?"


    "No," Marcus answered without hesitation. "I''m not here for her."


    "Then who are you here for? You still haven''t said who you''re looking for at Goodwill Pharmacy."


    "I came for you." Marcus stood up as well, saying, "I came to find you and invite you to a meal. Just to... thank you for saving Sophia."


    Marcus thought about it carefully. He knew Natalie didn''t want him to know, and he was afraid that if he were honest, she would flee even faster than a rabbit could.


    Thus, he decided he should pretend he still didn''t know about the truth of the matter.


    "There''s no need for a meal. Even if I were paid to help, I wouldn''t ignore what happened at the Walker residence," Natalie said before smiling slightly. "If there''s nothing else, I won''t keep you here any longer."


    "That''s... fine as well." Marcus sighed. "I''ll go check on Sophia. You can call me anytime if you need anything."


    "Okay," Natalie responded casually.


    Marcus acted strangely today. He seemed to want to say something to her but


    was hesitating, which waspletely unlike his usual behavior.


    Perhaps he really had been possessed by something. There was no other reasonable exnation for it.


    When Marcus saw that Natalie didn''t want to talk with him further, he turned and left her office.


    He turned around and went to Sophia''s room, where she was currently eating. When she saw him, she immediately sat up straight.


    "M-Marcus, are you... going to punish me?" Sophia asked, feeling guilty and scared after confessing. She knew Marcus'' methods of handling others all too well.


    "I-I... I''m telling you, I''m one of Ms. Walker''s people now." Sophia mustered up her courage and said, "Don''te over. If you dare to hurt me, Ms. Walker will... will protect me."


    "Hah!" Marcusughed at that. He stopped in his tracks but didn''t approach her. "Why didn''t you say anything before?"


    "I... I..." Sophia stammered, unable to find the words.


    After a while, she gathered her courage again and blurted out, "I''m shameless, alright? I have no shame. I''m inhuman. I lied to you, but I don''t want to die yet!"


    As Sophia spoke, her eyes began to redden. "Marcus, I lied to you. It was my fault. I''ve already spoken with Ms. Walker... Wait. Natalie is younger


    Ret


    than me-but that''s not


    stop me from calling her respectfully.  swnovel


    "Just let me off the hook and pretend it never happened!"


    Marcus was at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.


    When Sophia saw that Marcus remained silent, she bit her lip and spoke up


    again. "Or... I can help you pursue Ms. Walker? I can tell that you like her."


    "Hmm?" Marcus'' gaze shifted instantly after hearing that. How could she tell when he hadn''t even realized it himself?


    Sophia bit her bottom lip.


    Emboldened, she continued, "Don''t


    deny it. When you took me to see Ms. Walker for the first time, the way you looked at her was strangeit was full of guilt, regret, and a hint of affection and helplessness.  swnovel


    "Just admit it, Marcus! You like Ms. Walker. You''re someone who hasn''t been in a rtionship and doesn''t have many women around you. You feel gratitude toward me; and for Emma, your ex-fianc¨¦e, it''s disgust. You don''t even know how to express your emotions, let alone how to pursue someone.


    to swnovel


    "It''s best if you let me off. Don''t seek revenge against me, and I''ll help you pursue Ms. Walker."


    Now that Sophia had finally said everything she wanted to, she was no longer afraid like she had been before. It was as Natalie said-only she could save herself.


    She had always been scared, but now she felt it was better to face the consequences head-on. After all, what was one more debt? At worst, she would just be a debtor.


    But living a miserable life was better than dying. She still wanted to live on-and live a good life.


    If she had intended to give up on living a good life, she would not have had to deceive Marcus in the first ce.


    "Marcus, the look in your eyes gave you away. Didn''t you know that?"


    "Shut up." Marcus pinched between his eyebrows. "Watch what you say. Don''t let Natalie find out."


    "Why?" Sophia instinctively asked. "I''m one of Ms. Walker''s people now. I can''t keep secrets from her."


    "Then have you already told her that you told me about the fake lifesaver matter?" Sophia immediately paused. "Uh... No, I haven''t."


    "If you don''t want Natalie to know you sold her out, then keep your mouth shut." Marcus coldly remarked, "I underestimated you. You''re quick to change sides." Sophia, feeling guilty, muttered, "Um... I... I... I''m shameless. Say whatever you want. I admit that I''m shameless."


    Indeed, shameless people were invincible.


    "Also, you don''t have to threaten me. I''ll be honest with Ms. Walker. It''s not a big deal. Whatever happens, happens."


    Sophia took a deep breath. Since she wanted to change, she couldn''t do things like before when she deceived others.

 Chapter 308 The Truth She Dared Not Say

    After taking a deep breath, Sophia calmed down considerably. She said, "Marcus, you and I have been friends for many years. I do know you a little. Don''t retaliate against me. I will be a good person from now on."


    "How will you prove it?" Marcus asked as he simply pulled out a chair and sat down.


    Sophia had always been timid back then, never daring to resist when Ivan and Ruby bullied her. She kept everything bottled up inside. In other words, she was just a weak and vulnerable bullied pushover.


    "I''ll call Ms. Walker over right now and tell you two who the father of my baby is, as well as the whole story."


    As Sophia spoke, her eyes started to be red-rimmed again. "This whole situation involves both of you, but ultimately, it''s my own fault. I can''t me anyone else. Maybe this is Heaven''s way of punishing me for falsely iming credit!"


    Marcus was speechless, but before he could respond, Sophia picked up her phone and called Natalie.


    "Hello, Ms. Walker? Are you avable toe over for a bit? I have something very important to tell you. Marcus is also here. This matter concerns both of you, but that''s irrelevant. It''s just that I need your help," Sophia exined.


    She looked at Marcus and said, "I''m willing to confess everything. You shoulde over!"


    After a short pause, Sophia nodded. "Okay, I''ll be waiting for you."


    She hung up the phone and smiled at Marcus. "Ms. Walker will be here in a bit. Take a seat!"


    Marcus pulled the chair over and sat down. He was curious to hear what else Sophia had to say.


    Could a person really change this much in such a short time?


    Not long after, Natalie arrived. When she saw Marcus, she didn''t say anything else and simply nodded slightly at him.


    "Sit down." Marcus quickly grabbed another chair over and gestured for Natalie to sit.


    Natalie raised her eyebrow. After all, it was rare to see Marcus being this considerate.


    "Ms. Walker, please sit." Sophia stopped eating and leaned against the headboard. Her eyes still had a faint red tinge to them.


    From the moment Natalie walked in, the fear she had felt when facing Marcus alone hadpletely disappeared.


    "My child''s father is Shane Morgan. He''s the son of Cindy Meloney, the housekeeper from the Walker residence. He''s also Emma''s number onepdog," Sophia revealed.


    Her tears began to stream down uncontrobly as she continued, "When we were kids, after Ms. Walker ran off to find an adult, I falsely took credit for Marcus'' rescue. However, Shane saw it all.


    "Later, when I went to the Walker residence to look for Sky and build a rtionship, Shane found me when no one else was around and used this to ckmail me."


    Natalie looked at Marcus. Now, there was no need to hide anything-everything had beenid out in the open, crystal clear.


    Sophia began, "Shane forced me to be his girlfriend, but because he''s Cindy''s son, he didn''t dare openly admit he was deceiving Sky. He and Emma went to and from school together. He was basically her studypanion.


    "But more than that, he was her faithful dog. Whatever Emma told him to do, he did.


    "Two months ago, my father forced me to go to the Walker residence to foster a rtionship with Sky. That''s when I saw Emma in Sky''s arms, crying uncontrobly. I stepped forward to interrupt them, and Emma looked at me with a gaze full of malice.


    "I was about to leave after Sky and I finished our scheduled meeting, and Emma had Shane escort me out. But when Shane was escorting me, he dragged me into one of the housekeeper''s quarters. There, he assaulted me."


    Tears continued to stream down Sophia''s face as she spoke. "He even threatened me, saying that I was his girlfriend and it was because he loved me too much that he did such things. However, when he was assaulting me, Emma called him, and he answered the call right in front of me.


    "Emma told him not to put a condom on and to not let me take morning-after pills. She said he had to ensure I got pregnant and gave birth to the baby.


    "As long as I got pregnant with Shane''s child, Sky and I won''t be able to be together anymore. The engagement between our families can be invalidated, and the me would fall entirely on me. When the time came, Sky could also take the opportunity to impensation from the Sinirs.


    "I was very scared. I didn''t want the child at all. just wanted to get rid of


    as


    it, but Shane threatened me. He has Emma backing him, and Emma the daughter of the Walkers. Her influence was beyond my reach. I could only turn to Marcus for help."  swnovel


    While covering her eyes with her hands, Sophia said, "I don''t have a good life in the Sinirs, and Shane knew that too. If my father found out about this, I''d be done for. Not to mention, Ruby and her mother would also ruin mepletely."  swnovel


    Natalie and Marcus listened quietly. Neither of them had expected that Sophia,


    the eldest daughter of the Sinirs, would have been ckmailed by a housekeeper for so many years.


    "It''s my own fault. I deceived Marcus in the beginning, and my own selfishness ended up harming me.


    "Natalie, Marcus, I''m so sorry to you both," Sophia said before sobbing uncontrobly.


    "I''m really sorry, Marcus. I shouldn''t have lied to you. If I hadn''t lied to you when we were kids, you would have found your true savior.


    "Natalie, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have impersonated you, pretending to be his lifesaver. If Marcus had found you when we were younger, you might not have been treated like a walking blood bank by the Langleys."


    Sophia began crying harder as she spoke. If it hadn''t been for the mistake she made when they were younger, perhaps the fates of the three of them would have been different.


    "I made one wrong move, and after that, I no longer dared to speak up again. I just kept falling deeper under Shane''s threat.


    "Marcus asked before who the father of the child was. Natalie, you also said the child''s father had the right to know. But that bastard''s a rapist! I would rather die than give birth to the child of a rapist!


    "But the child kept growing inside me. The mother and child bond we shared, my own blood and flesh... At times, I would soften up for a moment and be hesitant.


    "I don''t know what to do. When the car ident happened at the Walker residence, and I lost the child, that was a good thing to me. It''s better without it. I didn''t have to hesitate anymore."


    Sophia seemed like a dam that had broken. After saying the first sentence, she could no longer hold back the flood of emotions. She said all the things she had kept bottled up inside for years.


    "The only people I''m sorry for are you and Marcus. I lied to both of you, so the universe is punishing me. I deserve it, but I also want to live a good life."


    Sophia covered her eyes with both hands, choking on her sobs as tears streamed down her face. "I am weak, powerless, and indecisive. All these years, I''ve been clinging fo Marcus like a parasite, afraid that one day he would find out the truth and want to burn me alive.  swnovel


    "Now, I''ve confessed. Marcus, whatever revenge you want to take out on me, I ept."


    Natalie sighed and walked forward. She wanted to give Sophia a tissue to wipe her tears, but Sophia just kept crying. Finally, she just embraced her.


    "Don''t cry. It''s okay!" Natalieforted.


    "It''s all my fault. It''s my mistake. I hate myself!" Sophia choked out, "I deserve to


    be in this current situation."


    Natalie didn''t respond to Sophia''s words but instead turned to look at Marcus. "Marcus, will you me Sophia for this?" she asked.


    Marcus stood up. "You''re my lifesaver. I''ll listen to anything you say."


    "What?" Natalie was momentarily stunned, feeling something was off. Marcus looked at her, and his deep, maic voice slowly sounded. "Natalie, I owe you my life. Whatever you want me to do, I''ll agree to it." Natalie thought about it for a moment and then asked, "So, when you had Elijah block the entrance of Goodwill Pharmacy, saying you were looking for someone, it was actually just to see me?"


    "Yes. Saying I had to search for someone was just an excuse."


    Marcus openly admitted, "When I came to meet you, I already knew you were my savior. Natalie, you saved me when I was a child, and you saved my grandfather after we grew up. My life is yours now."


    His gaze on Natalie gradually became more intense. "As for Sophia lying to me, just say the word, and I''ll let the matter go entirely."


    Thus, she should quickly say it. Whatever she wanted him to do, he would.

 Chapter 309 His Life

    Marcus stared at Natalie. At that moment, he wanted to approach her, but Natalie obviously had more patience for Sophia than she did for him.


    Natalie avoided his gaze, unsure of how to respond to his question.


    Sophia was still crying uncontrobly, while Marcus looked at Natalie with a


    burning gaze. This was a situation Natalie hadn''t anticipated.


    Regardless, she had already started speaking up for Sophia, and if she didn''t step in now, things could get worse.


    "Sophia," Marcus called out. He looked at Natalie, who was still hesitating, then turned his gaze to the still-sobbing Sophia. "You''ve deceived me for so many years and gained so many benefits from me. Tell me, how are you going to repay me?"


    Sophia, who was still crying, froze up. She looked at Marcus with swollen and reddened eyes. His gaze was deep and sharp, with a ring threat behind it.


    Marcus stared at her, then nced at Natalie out of the corner of his eye. That was when Sophia quickly came to a realization.


    She had known Marcus for many years, and having relied on his protection, she understood him quite a bit.


    Sophia immediately started crying again while looking at Natalie pitifully. "Ms. Walker, please. Ask Mr. Holden to let me off! I swear, I will never deceive you all again. I will repay you two. Really.


    "I''ll be one of Ms. Walker''s people from now on, so please just let me go this time!"


    Natalie inhaled deeply and red at Marcus. She didn''t think that he would retaliate against Sophia or demand anything from her.


    But given their current situation, she had to speak up.


    "Then... Marcus, could you please let Ms. Sinir off for my sake?"


    Without hesitation, Marcus responded, "Sure. Natalie, my life is yours. I''ll do whatever you ask."


    "Then, give me Holden Group!" Natalie tugged at her lips, half-smiling and half- serious as she looked at Marcus. "And not just Holden Group. I also want Holden Residence!"


    Once again, Marcus answered without missing a beat, "Sure. Let''s go handle the procedures now."


    "Woah!" Natalie was stunned, and she looked at Marcus incredulously. "Marcus, you''re serious?"


    "Yeah, I am." Marcus'' expression was sincere as he said, "If you want it, I''ll give it to you."


    "Ugh, I''m just kidding." Natalieposed her expression. She thought that Marcus seemed like a lunatic right now. Was this how he intended to repay her?


    Sophia should have been bold earlier on and directly asked Marcus for Holden Group. That way, she could have been a powerful figure and influenced the entirety of Dithoria State. She wouldn''t have been bullied by Ivan and Ruby.


    However, that was just what Natalie thought of. Sophia felt too guilty and was too weak to do something like that.


    "Natalie, I would like to treat you to a meal." After he pondered about it for a moment, Marcus added, "Can we get to know each other again?"


    "No thanks." Natalie refused without even thinking. "We need to keep our distance."


    Marcus paused for a moment and said, "My grandfather still needs you to visit and keep himpany. He''s been taking medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy. Since you own Goodwill Pharmacy and are also a friend, I''m entrusting this to you."


    Marcus had always remembered that Natalie didn''t want him to reveal that she was Elim, but the fact that she was the owner of Goodwill Pharmacy was something Sophia already knew. So, there was no problem in using the medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy as an excuse.


    "Is that alright, Nat?"


    "Huh?" Natalie''s expression shifted after she heard that. What was wrong with Marcus? In such a short time, his way of addressing her had gone from "Ms. Walker" to "Natalie", and now to "Nat"?


    "Please," Marcus said, taking a step forward. He was tall and good-looking, and his handsome appearance was something that many women couldn''t resist.


    At first, Natalie had also been briefly dazzled by his appearance, even secretly admiring it for a few seconds. But as soon as he got closer, Natalie instinctively took a step back.


    When he saw that, Marcus immediately stopped in his tracks. The past memories shed through his mind at this moment. In truth, he actually did have a good opinion of her.


    It was just that he had been misled by Grace.


    "Ms. Walker, you and Marcus should have a meal together!" Sophia, watching from the side, chimed in. "You''re too thin. You need to take good care of yourself. Hurry, go on!"


    Seeing this, Elijah also spoke up and urged, "Ms. Walker, you really are too thin. You need to eat well and nourish yourself.


    "Besides the Helianese restaurant,


    Mr. Holden also has a private dining ce where the food is amazing. e Plus, there are also choctes that you like there, Ms. Walker. There are also many kinds of chocte being kept in Mr. Holden''s car."  swnovel


    "Elijah." Marcus suddenly raised his baritone, maic voice. "Shut up."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Elijah replied meekly. He was just speaking the truth, so why was Marcus getting angry?


    Those choctes were clearly prepared for Natalie!


    "Natalie, don''t listen to Elijah." Marcus'' ears were tinged with a pink hue, and he dared not look directly at Natalie. "The chocte is there because I sometimes have low blood sugar," he said.


    Marcus was unaware that his ears had begun to redden, and that the blush had gradually spread to his cheeks and neck.


    "Sure." Natalie looked at Marcus with a half-smile, surprised that even the man who had always been cold and aloof could actually blush.


    Marcus pretended to cough twice before calmly saying, "Let''s go! It''s almost time to eat."


    "But I still haven''t agreed to have a meal with you yet." With that, Natalie waved her hand. "Sophia needs to rest. You all need to leave!"


    "Ms. Walker-"


    "Out." Natalie raised her voice, directly cutting off Elijah.


    "Elijah, get out." Marcus turned around and whispered to Elijah, "From now on,


    Ms. Walker''s orders are my orders."


    "Understood, Mr. Holden."


    Elijah''s inquisitive gaze flitted between the two of them.


    Marcus had finally realized Natalie''s worth, but Natalie clearly didn''t care for Marcus at all!


    Natalie shot Marcus a re, her tone regaining its previous indifference. "Marcus, you leave too."


    "I... Okay." Marcus hesitated for a second but thenplied. "I''ll have someone deliver food to you."


    "There''s no need."


    "Then, Natalie, I''ll just sit here and won''t leave." At that, Marcus pulled out a chair and sat down again. have plenty of time. I can slowly wait it out with you. You can''t be guarding Sophia 24 hours a day."  swnovel


    His implication was that if she didn''t agree, he would start taking it out on Sophia.


    "Ms. Walker, why don''t you go eat with Marcus? If not for me, then at least because it''s time to eat. You need to eat on time. Your health is important," Sophia said.


    She then quickly added, "If I cause you to have irregr mealtimes, then I would be the sinner here.


    "Ms. Walker, go on and eat! After all, you saved Marcus. It''s only right for him to treat you to a meal. Ate thank you is still a thank-you. Ms. Walker, you can definitely have Marcus treat you to a meal.


    belongs to swnovel


    "Once I recover a bit more, I''ll meet up with Sky. At that time, I''ll need your help,


    Ms. Walker."


    Natalie sneered and turned to look at Marcus coldly. "Marcus, are you threatening me with retaliation against Sophia? Are you sure this trick will work on me?"

 Chapter 310 She Responded Better to Gentleness Than Force

    Natalie''s gaze looked cold, and for some inexplicable reason, Marcus felt a sudden panic rush over him. After a while, he finally spoke, his voice tinged with bitterness.


    "Natalie, I wasn''t threatening you, nor would I dare. I would also never do anything to Sophia. If anyone is to me for mistakenly identifying my savior, it should be


    me.


    "If, at the time you saved me, I had opened my eyes immediately and seen you clearly, I wouldn''t have been mistaken afterward. I regret it deeply, and I''m truly sorry. I just want you to give me a chance, especially since I rashly called off the engagement out of anger when I was drunk.


    "I owe you even more for that. If we can''t be fianc¨¦ and fianc¨¦e, can we at least be friends?


    "Natalie, I really want to apologize to you, and I want to properly say thank you. Is that okay?"


    Marcus deliberately lowered his baritone voice, making him sound a little pitiful. He had always been high and mighty, noble and elegant, but this was the first time he had lowered himself like this. It kind of gave him the look of a helpless


    little puppy.


    This stark contrast instantly struck a certain mischievous nerve buried deep within Natalie. She suddenly had the urge... to bully Marcus even more.


    "Fine then!" Natalie suppressed her urge to continue teasing Marcus and reluctantly agreed. "Let me make this clear first¡ªsince you said you wouldn''t trouble Sophia, you must keep your word."


    "Of course," Marcus replied with a smile. "I can guarantee that."


    At the end of the day, Sophia was also a pitiful person, and Marcus didn''t really need to make things difficult for her.


    But from this incident, he also realized that Natalie was someone who was stubborn on the outside but soft-hearted inside. In other words, she responded better to gentleness than force.


    "Sophia, you get some rest," Natalie said to her.


    "Alright, Ms. Walker. Thank you," Sophia expressed her gratitude again. "Shane should still be at the Walker residence. Ms. Walker, be careful of him-he''s one of Emma''s people.


    "If Emma hates you, she will definitelye after you again."


    Natalie nodded. "I know. Thank you for reminding me."


    "I''m sorry. I should have been honest with you from the beginning. But at that time, my mind was inplete chaos. I hesitated, feared everything, and in the end, I only trapped myself in a deeper pit.


    "I deserved it. But then, I met you, Natalie."


    By meeting Natalie, she ended up meeting a soft-hearted angel.


    "Alright! Get some rest now," Natalie said as she reached out and ruffled Sophia''s hair. Even though Sophia was older than her, she seemed so much weaker in front of her.


    From beginning to end, the only thing Sophia had truly done wrong was iming Natalie''s credit, but in reality, she had never actually truly harmed anyone.


    On the contrary, she had always been the one being bullied.


    If it weren''t for Marcus protecting her, Sophia probably would have been forced intomitting suicide long ago.


    At the end of the day, she was just another pitiful soul.


    Natalie and Marcus left Sophia''s room one after the other. After they stepped out, Marcus asked Natalie what she wanted to eat, and she just pointed to Goodwill Pharmacy''s kitchen.


    "Marcus, if you really want to treat me to a meal, why don''t you show some sincerity and personally cook for me?"


    "Sure." Marcus agreed without hesitation. He rolled up his sleeves and walked into the kitchen that Natalie pointed to.


    "What would you like to eat? Pick something," he said.


    "Hmm?" Natalie''s interest was piqued after hearing what he said. "You actually know how to cook?"


    "Yup."


    Marcus opened the fridge and took out some meat and vegetables. "How about some pan-fried steak, tomato soup, cucumber sd, and mashed potatoes with cayenne?"


    "Those are all home-cooked dishes!" Natalie was even more surprised upon hearing what was on the menu. "You really can cook?"


    He chuckled. "I really can. The fridge only has these ingredients. Even if I wanted to cook something else, wouldn''t be able to. I could ask Elijah to go buy more now, but I''m afraid you''d starve in the meantime.


    "Grab a chair and sit down. y your phone or something. If there''s anything you don''t eat, just tell me."


    Marcus'' tone had unwittingly softened slightly while he spoke. Apart from cooking for Charles, he had never cooked for anyone else before.


    Natalie was the first.


    He could tell that she responded better to gentleness rather than force, and if he wanted to get along with her, he couldn''t be too overbearing.


    Sometimes, it was even necessary to make himself seem a little more pitiful. For example, when cutting vegetablester, he might just "identally" cut himself.


    Natalie looked at him as if she were staring at a lunatic. Then, she remarked, "Marcus, could you act a little more realistically? Now that you know I saved your life, you''vepletely changed your attitude?"


    Marcus was at a loss for words. "Then, tell me what I should do to earn your forgiveness."


    "I never med you either," Natalie said with a slight tilt of her head. "Actually, you really don''t have to do this. Back then, whether it was you or someone else, I would''ve saved them regardless.


    "As for Mr. Holden Senior, you paid me, and I took the money. It was just a regr transaction. There''s no need for you to be so grateful to me. Marcus, you really don''t need to do all this."


    Just then, Marcus let out a pained hiss. The kitchen knife he was holding had "identally" cut his finger, and blood immediately began to ooze out.


    "How can you be so careless?" Natalie''s expression shifted to one of worry as she stepped forward and grabbed the kitchen knife from his hand, throwing it onto the chopping board. "Don''t you let anything


    happen to you in Goodwill


    Pharmacy! Otherwise, I''ll sue you for


    faking an injury to extort money!"


    She held his finger and swiftly ced it under the running water, letting the stream


    wash away the blood.


    Marcus simply stared at Natalie, who was furrowing her brows with a serious expression on her face.


    The hand grasping his was slender and fair, with neatly trimmed nails and a beautiful, faint pink hue.


    Natalie''s long hair was casually tied up into a bun, with a few loose strands brushing against his cheek. The faint scent of jasmines lingered around his nose


    too.


    "Marcus, are you stupid? Don''t you know you''re holding a kitchen knife in your hand? If you want to talk, then talk¡ªwhy are you getting distracted?"


    Natalie chided him coldly while


    rinsing his finger under the running


    water. Then, after finishing, she


    pulled him out of the kitchen and straight into her office, grabbing the first aid kit and mming it open.


    "Endure the pain."


    Marcus said nothing. He simply let her grab the antiseptic solution, open it, and


    pour it directly onto his wound.


    At that, he let out a quiet gasp of pain, and he even trembled just the right amount. Before Natalie could speak, he immediately put on a strong front and said, "It doesn''t hurt. It really doesn''t hurt."


    "You deserve it if it does." Natalie sneered. "If you didn''t want to cook, just say so. Here I was, actually thinking you were a real chef."


    Once again, Marcus was at a loss for words on how to respond. "Natalie, I really can cook. I swear I can."


    He sat still as he let Natalie finish dressing his wound. "This was just an ident.


    I wasn''t careful."


    Standing up, he said, "I''ll go and cook right now."


    "You dare to cook, but I dare not eat it." Natalie pressed Marcus back down in his seat. "Who knows if you''ll add a few drops of your own blood or even chunks of your own flesh?"


    Marcus couldn''t help but chuckle softly at that. "I wouldn''t do that."


    But after all this fuss, the previously cold and distant atmosphere between them had eased up a little.

 Chapter 311 He Had Already Fallen for Her Long Ago

    Marcus sat on the chair, his expression calm despite the wound. Though the injury was not too serious, the sharp de had cut deep enough to leave an open gash.


    Natalie disinfected the area and sprinkled a white medicinal powder over the wound. Within moments, the bleeding stopped. Then, she carefully peeled open a band-aid and gently pressed it onto his skin.


    She reminded him, "Keep it dry. I''ll leave you the powder. Don''t keep the band-aid on for too long. If it starts itching, take it off, disinfect with alcohol, and apply the powder again."


    "Do I need to use another band-aid after that?" Marcus asked.


    "No, it''s not necessary." Natalie waved her hand softly, sending a brief, cooling breeze across his skin.


    A faint jasmine fragrance lingered in the air, creating an inexplicable warmth that stirred his heart. His deep, husky voice broke the silence as he asked, "Natalie, can I call you Nat? Setting aside other matters, we still need to keep up with the act in front of Emma."


    Natalie replied indifferently, "Emma''s no longer part of the Walker family, and Sky''s on a long break and staying home. She''s no threat to me anymore. We don''t need to keep pretending."


    Marcus argued, "But you still have to go to Amberton to investigate that baby swap incident. You''ll be searching for Emma''s biological parents. I owe it to you to help out, so I''ve decided to join you in Amberton."


    "Are you serious, Marcus? You''re the CEO of Holden Group. Don''t you have actual work to do, or are you just neglecting your responsibilities entirely?" Natalie questioned him as she packed up the first-aid kit.


    She continued, "And what about Grandpa Charles? What happens to him if you''re gone?"


    Marcus'' face turned solemn. "To be honest, Grandpa is the reason I''m going. He told me my parents might be in Amberton. Someone''s been looking into their whereabouts, and Grandpa''s worried about their safety.


    "So, he sent me to handle it. Apparently, whoever''s searching for them is highly skilled. Grandpa thinks it might be a longtime enemy of the Holden family."


    Natalie frowned, her mind racing. She was surprised that someone else was investigating Marcus'' parents. After all, it did not seem likely that the Holdens would have other enemies.


    "Natalie," Marcus continued, exhaling a weary sigh. "Years ago, Grandpa forced me into this position of power. I had to be ruthless to gain control. Some people may appear to respect me, but I''m sure they curse me behind my back."


    There was a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes as he spoke. "I''m the kind of person who grew up without my parents'' love. Grandpa was the only one who truly cared, and he has always been in poor health. I had no choice but to toughen up.


    "I looked out for Sophia for years because I saw myself in her. She reminded me of what it''s like to grow up unloved by your parents."


    His voice cracked slightly as he spoke, his eyes turning red at the edges. A shadow of sadness draped over him, and his entire demeanor softened with mncholy.


    "Sorry, I shouldn''t be burdening you with this," he muttered, lowering his head. After a pause, he nced back up, apologetic. "I shouldn''t have made you listen to all this negativity."


    Natalie''s heart softened as she took in his weary expression and the sadness that lingered in his gaze. She thought of her own experiences.


    Victor and Diana might not have loved her, but at least William and Charlotte, her biological parents, loved her deeply. Meanwhile, Marcus'' parents abandoned him after he was born, leaving him entirely in Charles'' care.


    Natalie could not help but wonder what circumstances could make two parents so cruel that they had never visited their child all these years.


    Natalieforted him, saying, "Marcus, don''t be upset. Amberton doesn''t belong to me, and you can go wherever you want."


    Without thinking much, she reached out and ruffled his hair the way she often did with Sophia.


    Marcus instantly grabbed her wrist and asked, "Are you pitying me, Natalie?"


    "I''m not. There are plenty of people worse off than you. Why would I pity you?" Natalie replied, struggling to free herself.


    However, Marcus tightened his hold, pulling her into his arms in one swift move. He murmured softly, "Don''t move, Natalie.


    "Just let me hold you for a moment... Pretend you''re pitying me. I''ve never known what a mother''s embrace feels like."


    Natalie almost smacked his hand away, but hearing those words, she froze. She thought, "Oh boy, this kid''s motherless trauma is making him look at me like a stand-in mom! Well, fine then. He can have this hug."


    She decided to tell Charlotte to give Marcus plenty of motherly hugs whenever they met. It was only fitting that a real mother should provide that kind offort.


    Marcus held Natalie tightly, lifting his head slightly only to catch sight of three fac¨¨s peeking through the office window. Thergest one. belonged to Elijah, the fluffy-haired one was Sophia, and the third betonged to Zane. All three of them


    stared wide-eyed at the scene


    inside.


    The moment Marcus shot them a sharp re, all three heads disappeared in a sh. He smirked. It was a good thing they ducked before Natalie saw them.


    Outside the window, Sophia mped a hand over her mouth while Zane helped steady her. The trio crept back to Sophia''s room, moving as quietly as possible.


    Meanwhile, in the office, Marcus still had not let go of Natalie after several moments. She gave him a little shove, breaking the silence. "Marcus, I think that''s enough hugging now."


    "Okay..." Marcus finally loosened his arms and stepped back. "Thanks, Natalie." "No problem," she replied casually. Then, she turned toward the water cooler and poured two cups of water, cing one in front of Marcus.


    She asked, "By the way, how did Grandpa Charles find out someone was investigating your parents? I''ve got some connections. Maybe they can help."


    "I''m not sure about the details. Grandpa got a message from someone, but that''s all I know," Marcus answered.


    He took the cup from her, noticing the intricate design of tiny jasmine flowers printed on the ss. As the water flowed over them, the petals and leaves seemed to bloom, creating a strangely calming effect.


    He sipped the in water, which now tasted oddly sweet and refreshing.


    "If you need any help, just let me know," Natalie offered. She nned to wait until Marcus left to ask around about who else was looking for Wesley and Laura.


    Marcus nodded. "Sure, thanks."


    Then he held up his injured hand, still bandaged. "Since I''m handicapped today, how about I treat you to dinner? Maybe a Helianese cuisine spot?"


    "Not tonight," Natalie said, shaking her head. "I''ve got other things to do. Let''s save dinner for next time."


    She had a meeting scheduled with the Goodwill Pharmacy team, and Zane was already handling her dinner arrangements. If not for Marcus holding her up, she would have eaten by now.


    Marcus'' voice dipped with disappointment. "Oh... okay. Natalie, you don''t hate me, do you?"


    "I don''t hate you." The words slipped out before she even had to think. It was true, though. She did not hate him.


    Sure, he had issues with her in the past, which was why she had kept her distance. Nheless, now that those misunderstandings had been cleared up, there was no reason for resentment.


    Seeing how glum he still looked, Natalie relented. "How about this¡ªI''ll call you after I''m done with work, okay?"


    His eyes lit up instantly. "Deal. I''ll head out now, so you can focus."


    Marcus stood up, still holding his cup of water. "Hey, would you mind... walking me out?"


    Natalie froze for a second, speechless. Before she could respond, Marcus'' eyes dimmed, his expression turning vulnerable again.


    Inwardly, Natalie sighed. Seriously? Fine. She''d walk him out.


    "Let''s go," she said, waving a hand.


    "Thank you," Marcus replied with a soft smile. His entire face brightened as he


    followed behind her, still carrying the ss.


    As he watched Natalie''s petite figure ahead of him, Marcus reflected quietly to himself. Sophia was- right he had already fallen for Natalie, long before he even realized she was the one who had saved his life.  s?novel

 Chapter 312 The Sinclairs Come Begging for Medicine

    Natalie escorted Marcus to the door of Goodwill Pharmacy and extended her hand. "Give it to me."


    Marcus feigned ignorance. "Give you what?"


    "The cup," Natalie said, tilting her chin slightly. "You''ve finished the water, so hand it over."


    "Alright." Marcus reluctantly handed the cup to her. He had wanted to take it with him, but he had not expected Natalie to be so attentive.


    "Natalie, remember to call me when you''re done with work. I''ll treat you to dinner," he added.


    "Got it." She was already tired of Marcus''s nagging.


    Ever since learning she was the one who saved his life, his attitude hadpletely changed. He seemed ready to camp out at Goodwill Pharmacy just to repay his debt.


    "Don''t forget to call, okay? Don''t lie to me," Marcus emphasized seriously. "My phone''s turned on 24/7 and never on silent mode. I''ll be waiting for your call."


    "Alright, just go already!" Natalie snatched the cup and shoved Marcus out the door. For someone who used to exude that aloof ''mysterious CEO'' vibe, Marcus had surely thrown all that dignity away.


    Marcus opened his mouth to say more, but Natalie spun around and walked off without a second nce. Her crisp, no-nonsense exit left him standing there.


    "Mr. Holden, should we head back now?" Ethan asked cautiously. He could not help but notice that Marcus was acting differently. Perhaps love was finally blooming for him.


    "Yes, back to the office," Marcus said, his expression hardening again as he strode toward the car.


    He had plenty of time to figure out how to improve his rtionship with Natalie. ying the ''vulnerable'' card seemed to be working for now, but he wondered if it might backfire if he overused it.


    As Marcus'' car pulled away, a white BMW parked nearby opened its door. Ruby stepped out, her movements sneaky and suspicious.


    "Ruby, what are you doing?" Julia called out from the car, her voice raspy as she eyed Ruby''s strange behavior.


    "Just go to Goodwill Pharmacy and buy me some medicine. The pain''s killing me," Julia whispered.


    "Alright." Ruby straightened up immediately. "I''m on it, Mom."


    "Good. Now, go." Julia leaned back in her seat, pressing a hand to her chest to steady her breathing. She had relied on Goodwill Pharmacy''s herbal remedies for years to live a rtively normal life.


    She had spent a small fortune on those medications, but it was worth it. After all, her maniption skills kept Ivan firmly under her control.


    Who cared if Sophia was his legitimate child? Julia had sessfully turned her and Samantha into disgraced outcasts.


    Julia nced at therge ''Goodwill Pharmacy'' sign. If only she could be a regr VIP guest there-life would be perfect then.


    "Don''t worry, madam. Ruby will get the medicine for you," Wendy reassured her softly. "No matter how exclusive Goodwill Pharmacy is, they wouldn''t turn down a chance to make money."


    "Mr. Sinir was just throwing a fitst time. He''lle around. He wouldn''t abandon you," Wendy added.


    Julia murmured with a cold smile, "Exactly. Samantha''s been sent to a convent, and Sophia''s a useless failure. If Marcus hadn''t been protecting her, I''d have sent her packing right alongside Samantha by now."


    Her eyes glinted with malice as she continued, "Samuel''s the real obstacle. But he''s overseas, and by the time he returns, Sinir Group will be in Ruby''s hands. After that, I''ll finally have peace of mind."


    "If Samuel really cared about Sophia, he would''vee back by now. I don''t think their sibling bond is all that strong," Wendymented, shaking her head.


    "Madam, you''ve got nothing to worry about," Wendy assured with a loyal smile. "Everyone knows you''re the realdy of the Sinir family now."


    "That''s true," Julia replied smugly, but her gloating was cut short by a sudden coughing fit. "Water... W-Water... I need water..."


    Wendy quickly opened a bottle of water and handed it to her. Julia gulped down


    several mouthfuls before finally feeling some relief in her throat.


    Then, she said, "Go check on Ruby. How long does it take to buy some medicine?"


    "Yes, madam," Wendy replied as she stepped out of the car.


    Inside Goodwill Pharmacy, Wendy found Ruby desperately pleading with Zane, who looked thoroughly irritated.


    "Ruby, we''re over! Goodwill Pharmacy doesn''t sell medicine to the Sinirs. You could camp out here forever, and the answer would still be no."


    "We''ll pay! It''s not like the Sinirs are asking for charity!" Ruby''s face turned pale with anger and embarrassment. Desperately, she clung to Zane''s arm like her life depended on it.


    "Zane, I get that there''s no love between us anymore, but we were together for a long time. You know about my mom''s health. Are you really going to stand by and watch her suffer?"


    Ruby''s eyes reddened as tears welled up. "I''m not leaving until you give me the medicine."


    "Ruby, have you no shame? Now you''re resorting to emotional ckmail?" Zaneughed bitterly.


    "Let me make this clear-you could drop dead right here, and Goodwill Pharmacy still wouldn''t sell you a damn thing. If you have any sense, stop making a scene and leave."


    He shook his arm vigorously, trying to free himself, but Ruby clung on tightly.


    She could not care less about her image and dropped to the floor, clutching his leg with all her might. She shouted, "I''m not letting go until you sell me the medicine!"


    Zane''s face flushed with fury. He tried shaking her off, but Ruby stubbornly held


    on.


    Just then, Wendy stormed into the pharmacy, her eyes zing. "Zane, what do you think you''re doing? How dare you mistreat Ms. Sinir!"


    Wendy''s fierce demeanor stunned the other employees. This woman, a helper from the Sinirs, had the audacity to act like she owned the ce.


    "What are you all standing around for? Get security!" Natalie stepped through the curtain separating the back rooms from the main hall.


    Thomas followed behind her, having just finished taking stock of their rare medicinal herbs. Natalie had not intended to get involved, but when she saw Thomas'' troubled expression and recognized Ruby''s


    ve?


    voice, she decided to intervene.


    "Ms. Walker, help me!" Zane cried out like a drowning man spotting a lifeboat. He


    yanked his leg away, but Ruby clung to him stubbornly, wincing in pain.


    Wendy rushed forward and shoved Zane. "How dare youy a hand on Ms. Sinir? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Zane, you''re her boyfriend! How could you humiliate her like this in front of everyone?"


    "Boyfriend? Are you blind?" Zane exploded in anger. "Ruby and I broke up ages


    ago! She''s the one harassing me, not the other way around!"


    With a surge of frustration, Zane shoved Ruby off his leg, sending her sprawling to


    the floor. Ruby cried out in pain, clutching her side.


    Wendy moved to attack Zane, but Ruby grabbed her leg and stopped her. She said through gritted teeth, "Wendy, calm down! We have to be respectful. We''re here to beg for the medicine!"


    She was visibly in pain, her eyes watery, but she dared not cause more trouble now that Natalie had arrived.

 Chapter 313 Even the Mistress Helper Is Arrogant

    "Ms. Sinir, you''re being bullied, but you''re still defending him?" Wendy fumed, her face turning beet red with rage.


    She bent down and pulled Ruby to her feet, asking, "Are you okay, miss? Did he kick you anywhere serious?"


    Wendy continued indignantly, "Everyone here saw it. Zane bullied Ms. Sinir. Now, call Thomas to examine her and get the medicine the madam needs. Make sure you wrap it up nicely and deliver it to us with proper respect."


    "Wendy, stop!" Ruby panicked and quickly tried to cover Wendy''s mouth.


    Wendy, despite technically being a helper, was Julia''s aunt. Over the years, she had been treated almost as an equal to Julia within the Sinir household, using her status to act arrogant and domineering.


    There had even been an incident where her haughty attitude offended someone powerful, causing Ivan to lose a business deal. Ivan had returned home furious, warning Wendy that despite her ties to Julia, she was still just a helper. If she ever stepped out of line again, she would be kicked out of the family for good.


    After that, Wendy toned down her behavior when out in public. But now, Ruby feared Wendy was slipping back into her old ways, unting the Sinir name like it gave her free rein.


    Natalie''s recent wee party was one of those rare events Wendy and Julia had not attended. Julia had wanted to go, but her health had held her back. Besides, William and Charlotte''s solid rtionship and William''s disdain for men who mistreated their wives made it risky.


    Publicly, the Walkers might have remained polite to Julia. Still, privately, any retaliation from them could cause serious problems for the Sinirs as Ivan would never be able to handle it.


    Even when Ivan and Ruby attended the party, they used an invitation intended for Sophia. Luckily for them, Sophia was nowhere to be found. She did not even return home.


    This allowed Ruby to sneak into her room to get the invitation. Ivan had no desire to take Ruby but had been forced to after their previous fallout with Natalie at Goodwill Pharmacy.


    Now, with Wendy''s behavior spiraling out of control, Ruby felt her anxiety spike. She reached out in a desperate attempt to silence Wendy, but Wendy misinterpreted her fear as weakness and shoved her aside.


    Wendy dered confidently, "Miss, there''s no need to worry. Goodwill Pharmacy isn''t anything special.


    "In Dithoria, who wouldn''t show the Sinirs respect? Even if the Walker family or the Holden family showed up, we wouldn''t back down."


    The moment Wendy said those words, the room fell into awkward silence. Meanwhile, Ruby slumped onto the floor, her face drained of all hope.


    She did not even bother struggling anymore. Wendy had just signed her own death sentence. There was no way Ivan would let this slide, and even Julia would not be able to protect her.


    A soft chuckle broke the tension. Natalie stepped forward and waved for Zane to approach, thetter eagerly trotting over like a puppy.


    "This is your taste in women, Zane? Wow, you must have been desperate," Natalie teased.


    "Natalie, I''ve already told you¡ªI don''t even like Ruby! We barely had any contact! My mom forced me into that rtionship." Zane groaned, looking utterly defeated. "What was I supposed to do? I ended it as soon as I could. You saw what just happened. Ruby''s the one who won''t let go," he continued with exasperation.


    "I made it clear that Goodwill Pharmacy doesn''t do business with her or the Sinirs, but she refuses to take no for an answer!"


    His mixture of frustration and desperate loyalty was so over-the-top that several other employees could not help butugh.


    Natalie turned and gave a quick nce at the gathered employees, and they immediately stifled theirughter, standing at attention.


    "Where''s Thomas? Tell him toe out and prepare the medicine for Madam Sinir," Wendy demanded, stepping forward with a re.


    She pointed at Natalie and sneered. "And who do you think you are, makingments about Ms. Sinir like that?"


    Natalie did not waste time arguing. She dialed Ivan''s number and put the call on speaker. She said coldly, "Hello, Mr. Sinir. You need toe to Goodwill Pharmacy right now, or you''ll face the consequences."


    "Wait, Ms. Walker. I¡ª" Ivan barely managed to speak before Natalie hung up on him.


    "Security, throw this loudmouth and Ms. Sinir out of here," Natalie ordered without missing a beat.


    "Yes, Ms. Walker!" The security guards, all well-trained, immediately followed hermand. Each grabbed one of the two women and unceremoniously dragged Wendy and Ruby out of the pharmacy.


    "Remember their faces-make sure they don''t set foot in here again," Natalie said icily before turning and heading to the back office.


    "Mr. Zachman, how long have the Sinirs been getting their medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy?" she asked.


    Thomas retrieved a ledger and


    handed it to her. "They started about two years ago. Julia had been seeing different doctors and trying out various hospitals before an old traditional medicine practitioner rmended Goodwill Pharmacy to her.


    "That night, Mr. Langton happened to be here. He was in a good mood and agreed to assess Julia''s condition from behind the curtains. He wrote up a prescription and had the staff prepare the herbal medicine in pre-packaged servings for her."


    Natalie flipped through the records. "And she just kepting back after that?"


    "Exactly. After a few days of taking the medicine, her condition improved significantly. She''s been loyal to Goodwill Pharmacy ever since. Mr. Langton told us the form was safe for long-term use, so we just kept preparing it on schedule."


    "I had no idea this was happening," Natalie grumbled.


    Thomas smiled. "You were still in Amberton back then. Mr. Langton didn''t stay in one ce for long, and he asked us not to bother you with minor matters. Since it wasn''t a big deal, I didn''t bring it up."


    Natalie asked, "What exactly was Julia''s condition? Did he ever mention it?"


    "Not really. He just said the medicine could manage her symptoms indefinitely. The rest was up to her luck," Thomas replied.


    Then, he pulled out a bank card and handed it to Natalie. "Oh, and Mr. Langton left this for you. All the profits from Julia''s medicine have been deposited here.


    "After deducting costs, there''s quite a bit saved up. He told us to give this to you when the time was right. I''d say now''s the right time."


    "How much is on this card?" Natalie asked curiously.


    Thomas held up five fingers. "Five million dors."


    Natalie''s eyebrows shot up. She had just reviewed the prescription-it only contained two rare ingredients while the rest weremon and inexpensive. In two years, Federrick had earned five million dors from Julia''s treatments, even wanting to give it to her when "the time was right".


    He had nned this from the start.


    "I see," Natalie said thoughtfully, taking the card. "From now on, Mr. Zachman, we


    won''t be supplying Julia with any more medicine."


    It finally made sense. Federrick had the pharmacy prepare and package the herbal medicine in advance, making it impossible for Julia to recreate the form elsewhere.


    Julia''s condition was not fatal, but it


    caused chronic suffering. Federrick


    could have cured her but chose not


    to, keeping her dependent on the medicine to control the pain. He had not offered his help out of kindness¡ªit had all been part of his n, waiting for Natalie to eventually take over.

 Chapter 314 A Harsh Slap

    Natalie thought it was ridiculous that others believed they coulde into Goodwill Pharmacy, throw a tantrum, and act entitled just because they had money. Did they really believe Goodwill Pharmacy would put up with any humiliation just to make a sale? Not a chance.


    Thomas nodded firmly. "Got it. I''ll give the order. No matter whoes to pick up Julia''s medicine, we won''t sell it."


    "But Nat, I overheard your call with Mr. Sinir. If he shows up and tries to plead with us, are we selling it to him or not?" Thomas asked curiously.


    Although Sinir Group was not on the level of the Walker family, they were still a legacy corporation in Dithoria State. The older generation of Sinirs had been influential figures, though thepany had declined under Ivan''s leadership.


    Nevertheless, even a faltering giant stillmanded respect in certain circles. Hence, Goodwill Pharmacy had always maintained a professional rtionship with them.


    Of course, that respect had note cheap. In the past two years, they had made five million dors from Julia''s prescriptions alone-2.5 million dors per year.


    Thomas chuckled to himself at the amount, snapping out of his thoughts when Natalie spoke. "Don''t worry, Mr. Zachman. Let Ivane. I understand exactly what Mr. Langton intended."


    "Got it. I''ll follow your lead," Thomas replied.


    "Good. You can prepare Julia''s prescription, but wait for my signal before brewing it," Natalie said.


    Then, she checked her phone and saw a new message from Marcus. She opened it to find a list of familiar dishes.


    Marcus: "I already asked Noah to deliver these. Make sure you eat on time. Your health matters."


    Natalie: "?"


    Marcus: "Send me a picture when you''re done. I need to confirm that you didn''t skip the meal."


    Natalie sighed, thinking, "Is Marcus serious right now? What is he, my babysitter? I''m not a child who needs reminders to eat."


    Then, another message from Marcus arrived. "If you need my help with Sophia''s situation, just say the word."


    Natalie: "Marcus, do you really have so much free time on your hands?"


    Marcus: "Not really."


    He was actually extremely busy, but no matter how hectic things got, he would always make time for her.


    Marcus: "The food should be there soon. Let me know what you want next time, and I''ll have Noah deliver it."


    Natalie: "Thanks, but there''s no need to trouble yourself."


    Marcus: "It''s no trouble. I owe you, Natalie, and you''re not stopping me from paying that debt."


    Natalie groaned internally, not knowing how to reply to his message. She had known it was a mistake to let Marcus find out she was his savior.


    Now, there was no undoing it. Whatever. If he wanted to send food, let him.


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Sinir is here. He''s asking to see you," Zane said nervously as he peeked through the curtain.


    "Ms. Walker, that old hag probably tattled on you. Be careful! Don''t worry, though. I''m here to protect you," he added.


    Zane barely had time to finish pledging his loyalty before Noah casually moved him aside. "Mr. Holt, excuse me," Noah said politely with a nod and a smile.


    Zane secretly grumbled, "Excuse me, my ass! You''re not sorry at all."


    Noah stood at the entrance holding a beautifully designed food container. "Ms. Walker, may Ie in?"


    "Leave it on the front counter," Natalie replied, her expression darkening.


    The rules at Goodwill Pharmacy clearly needed tightening. People were getting way toofortable barging into the back rooms.


    "Zane, go buy a keypad door lock and install it," she ordered coldly as she stepped out of the inner office.


    Sensing her displeasure, Noah immediately bowed slightly in apology. "I apologize, Ms. Walker. I was just following Mr. Holden''s instructions. He specifically ordered me to deliver the food directly into your hands."


    Natalie sighed and epted the bag. Without even looking at it, she ced it on


    a nearby counter. "Thank Marcus for me, but tell him not to do this again."


    "I''ll ry your message," Noah replied with a respectful nod. Whether Marcus


    would actually listen was another matter entirely.


    "Ms. Walker, you''re finally here," Ivan greeted nervously.


    He had not been waiting long, but his anxiety was clearly building. He took a step forward, but Noah casually moved to block his path.


    "Ms. Walker," Noah called with perfect courtesy. "Mr. Holden instructed me to assist you with anything in case of trouble. While he''s away, I''m authorized to act on his behalf."


    Though his words were polite, they were clearly meant for Ivan.


    "Alright. Thanks, Noah," Natalie said with a slight smirk.


    Ivan''s helper had been arrogant, but Marcus'' bodyguard was no pushover either.


    She figured she might as well sit back and enjoy the show.


    Ivan''s face paled, then flushed with frustration. He was already on edge about dealing with the Walker family''s legitimate heiress, and now Marcus had thrown in an extra?ayer of intimidation. Whatever Ivan said or did next would have to be handled delicately.


    "I''ll stand by and not interfere," Noah said, stepping back with aposed demeanor. Though smaller than Elijah, he was known to be the more dangerous brother.


    Elijah was brash and physical, but


    once he was done with a fight, it was over. On the other hand, Noah was subtle-people who crossed him often found themselves gued by a series of misfortunes afterward, with no evidence linking him to their troubles.


    "Mr. Sinir, you''vee?" Natalie''s cool gaze fell on Ivan, and her tone was equally frosty.


    "If you''re here to buy medicine, I''m afraid Goodwill Pharmacy can''t afford to sell to the Sinirs."


    "No, I came to apologize," Ivan said hastily. He signaled to his bodyguards. "Bring Wendy inside."


    The guards obeyed, escorting Wendy back into the pharmacy. Wendy''s voice was full of venom as she shrieked, "That''s her! That woman refused to sell Madam Sinir''s medicine! She''s clearly disrespecting you, Mr. Sinir!"


    "Oh..." Natalie drawled, her tone dripping with mockery as she locked eyes with Ivan.


    "Your helper is quite bold, Mr. Sinir. Should I be worried about Goodwill Pharmacy''s future in Dithoria? Do I need your staff''s approval to keep my doors open?"


    She lightly tapped the counter with her fingers. "Sinir Group is truly intimidating, isn''t it?"


    "You misunderstand, Ms. Walker," Ivan stammered, his face turning an ugly shade


    of red. Without warning, he raised his hand and delivered a fierce p across Wendy''s face.


    He snarled, "Shut up, you worthless fool! You''ve really gotten full of yourself, huh? Julia doesn''t even


    dare act this arrogantly in public


    and she''s the mistress who wed her way into her position! Who the helf do you think you are?"


    The force of the p sent Wendy stumbling backward, crashing to the floor.

 Chapter 315 Asking Sky to Intervene

    Wendy screamed as she was flung to the ground. Pain shot through her body, leaving her unable to move.


    Even after pping Wendy, Ivan''s anger had not subsided. On his way to Goodwill Pharmacy, he had called Ruby, who had sounded scared and hesitant over the phone. That was when he realized something serious had happened.


    When he arrived, Wendy had bombarded him withints about how poorly Goodwill Pharmacy treated them. Although her words annoyed him, he held back because of her connection to Julia.


    He warned Wendy to watch her mouth and not make the situation worse. But the moment she stepped inside, she hadpletely ignored his warning.


    Before Ivan could even apologize to Natalie, Wendy spewed insults that left him no choice but to deal with her harshly.


    "Ruby, get in here!" Ivan barked, his chest heaving with frustration.


    Over the years, he had doted on Julia and Ruby despite the widespread gossipbeling him a heartless man. He had ignored the insults since no one dared say them to his face.


    But now, Wendy''s reckless behavior had jeopardized his reputation again. If their rivals caught wind of her outburst, they would seize the opportunity to blow things out of proportion, just likest time.


    Ruby timidly stepped inside. "Dad..."


    Ivan pped Ruby hard across the face. "Are you an idiot? Why did you let that madwoman out to cause trouble?"


    He snapped, "You''ve humiliated me beyond measure! Now apologize to Ms. Walker and everyone at Goodwill Pharmacy!"


    "Y-Yes, Dad," Ruby whimpered. She shuffled forward, tears streaming down her face, and gave Natalie a deep bow. "Ms. Walker, I''m so sorry. Please be the bigger person and forgive me and Wendy!"


    Natalie raised a brow. She asked indifferently, "Why are you apologizing to me? Ms. Sinir, have you not informed Mr. Sinir and your mother that you and Zane have broken up?"


    Natalie''s voice was cool but firm as she continued, "Zane is my employee. I don''t want you harassing him anymore. Can you manage that, Ms. Sinir?


    "As for whether Goodwill Pharmacy sells medicine to the Sinirs, I believe I''ve made myself clear. If Mr. Sinir can''t control his people and they continue causing trouble, I''ll be forced to take measures to protect my business and staff."


    Natalie tapped her fingers against the counter. Her gaze shifted to Wendy, still sprawled on the floor.


    "I''m not a forgiving person, Ms. Sinir," Natalie added icily. "So, no¡ªI won''t be forgiving you or your precious Wendy."


    She turned to Zane and said, "Show them out."


    "Yes, Natalie!" Zane straightened his back, his spirits soaring. He took a step forward, his voice brimming with authority. "Mr. Sinir, Ms. Sinir, and Wendy- you are no longer wee at Goodwill Pharmacy. Please leave."


    "Wait!" Ivan shoved Zane aside, his face darkening.


    He was caught in a precarious situation. Thest time he offended Natalie, William had given him a stern warning. While no one else knew what had transpired, Ivan''s pride and reputation had been severely bruised.


    William had made it clear that if Ivan troubled Natalie again, there would be consequences. Sinir Group was already on shaky ground, and Ivan could not afford to push his luck.


    He knew how fiercely protective William was of Natalie, his long-lost daughter. There was no doubt William would take drastic measures if he perceived any threat to her well-being.


    "Hold on, let me make a call," Ivan said, forcing a strained smile. He pulled out his phone and dialed Sophia''s number, but it went straight to voicemail. Frustrated, he hung up.


    Unable to reach Sophia, Ivan turned to his next option¡ªSky. As Sophia''s fianc¨¦, Sky had a vested interest in maintaining good rtions between their families. Surely, Natalie would not refuse her brother''s plea for peace.


    He grumbled, "Where the hell has she run off to? She hasn''t been home for days, and her phone''s turned off. She''d better be dead somewhere, or I''ll break her legs when she gets back!"


    Ivan quickly dialed Sky''s number, and this time, the call connected immediately. Sky greeted him, "Hello, Mr. Sinir."


    "Sky, could youe to Goodwill Pharmacy? I need a favor," Ivan said, his tone suddenly warm and friendly. "I''ve had a misunderstanding with your sister and thought you might help smooth things over.


    "You and Sophia are getting married soon, so we''ll be family before long.


    over something trivial, it''ll be


    If word gets out that we''re not


    embarrassing for us both. Dont you think so? Honestly, Sky, I admit my family was at fault. It''d really help if you coulde and speak on my behalf."


    Ivan had already humbled himself, trying to sound earnest. He figured Sky would not refuse.


    Sky''s voice was calm as he asked, "I''m sorry, Mr. Sinir. Did you say you had an issue with Nat?"


    "Yes," Ivan whispered. "I just found out recently that she owns Goodwill Pharmacy. Julia has been relying on their medicine for the past two years.


    "Today, one of my helpers insulted Ms. Walker and caused a scene, which offended her. If Goodwill Pharmacy refuses to sell us the medicine, it''ll be a death sentence for Julia."


    There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Sky was currently on an extended leave and confined to his house. He knew that upsetting Natalie again could very well turn his "vacation" into a permanent one.


    Besides, he had no sympathy for Julia. Whether Ivan''s mistress lived or died was none of his concern.


    However, learning that Natalie owned Goodwill Pharmacy was surprising. He had underestimated his little sister.


    "Sky? Are you still listening?" Ivan asked impatiently when Sky remained quiet. "I''m listening," Sky finally replied with a faint smirk. "Mr. Sinir, hand the phone


    to Natalie. I can talk to her, but I''m not promising she''ll listen."


    "That''s fine! As long as you''re willing to speak on my behalf, I''m sure she''ll listen to her brother," Ivan said, visibly relieved.


    He walked over to Natalie and held out the phone. "Ms. Walker, Sky wants to talk to you."


    Natalie raised an eyebrow at the mention of Sky''s name. Instead of taking the phone, she gave Zane a subtle nod. Zane stepped forward, grabbed the phone, and held it to her ear.


    "Hello?" Natalie said.


    "Nat, Ivan asked me to speak on his behalf," Sky said casually. "But I couldn''t care less about the Sinirs'' problems. Do whatever you want."


    His words caught Natalie off guard. She had expected him to deliver a moral lecture like he often did. However, it seemed that while Sky was blind when it came to Emma, he was surprisingly level-headed about other matters.

 Chapter 316 Taking the Opportunity to Break Off the Engagement with the Sinclairs

    Before Natalie could respond, Sky''s voice came through the phone again. "Oh, right. Nat, Mr. Sinir mentioned that you own Goodwill Pharmacy. Is that true?"


    "Yes," Natalie admitted without hesitation.


    "That''s great." Sky''s tone softened slightly. "I heard Goodwill Pharmacy has an ointment that works well for pain relief and swelling. Could you bring me a tube when youe backter?"


    "Sure, I''ll bring one tonight."


    "Alright. Thanks, Nat."


    "No problem, Sky."


    Since he was being polite, Natalie responded in kind.


    "Go ahead and get back to work. Take care of yourself," he finally said.


    "Okay. Thanks, Sky. You too, take care."


    After hanging up, Natalie couldn''t help but notice the shift in his attitude.


    Could he be using retreat as a strategy to advance?


    Natalie shook her head. She didn''t want to assume the worst, but since she returned to the Walkers, Sky had always sided with Emma.


    For him to suddenly change like this... it was hard not to be suspicious.


    Still, without actual evidence, she decided to let it go for now.


    After the call ended, Natalie motioned for Zane to return the phone to Ivan. "Mr. Sinir, please leave."


    "What do you mean by leave?" Ivan''s expression darkened.


    He continued, "Didn''t Sky tell you? Before long, our families will be joined by marriage. Wendy and Ruby were out of line, and I''ve already punished them for it.


    "Natalie, you''re the heiress of the Walkers, the eldest daughter. You should consider the bigger picture when making decisions. If rumors start spreading about a conflict between our families before the wedding even happens, it won''t be good for either of us."


    "You''re right, Mr. Sinir. Thanks for the reminder. I''ll talk to Sky right now and call off the engagement."


    Natalie''s expression remained nk as she reached for her phone.


    "Even the Sinirs'' housekeepers think they can point fingers at me and hurl insults. The Walkers can''t afford to be associated with a family like yours.


    "The Sinirs are from a household with exceptional manners, and the Walkers just aren''t worthy of that kind of refinement. Thus, I''ll let Sky and my parents know right away."


    Without hesitation, she dialed Charlotte''s number. The phone barely rang before it was answered.


    "Hello, sweetie."


    "Mom, the Sinirs'' housekeepers pointed in my face and insulted me. They even caused trouble at Goodwill Pharmacy, trying to force me to sell them the medicine. I didn''t want to sell anything to people who had just cussed me out, you


    see.


    "Then, Mr. Sinir told me that I should be more mature and think about the bigger picture before making decisions, especially since our families are about to be inws."


    The moment the call connected, Natalie''s tone became pitiful,pletely different from the icy one she had used just seconds ago.


    "Mom, if the Sinirs'' housekeepers are acting like this, what happens if Sky actually marries Ms. Sinir? Will they kick me out of my own home? Mom, I''m scared..."


    Her voice trembled even more as if she were on the verge of tears.


    "Mom, please talk to Dad and tell Sky to break off the engagement with Ms. Sinir. Their housekeepers are already treating me this way, and the wedding hasn''t even happened yet. If it goes through, what if they start hitting me? I''m scared..."


    By the time she finished speaking, she had fully broken into sobs, crying like a helpless, terrified girl.


    Her sudden shift left Ivanpletely stunned.


    "Hold on a minute. What the hell do you mean by that? Natalie, how can you twist my words like this? When did I ever say our housekeepers would hit you if our families became inws?"


    "Mom, listen! Mr. Sinir is still yelling at me! Mom, save me! Protect me!"


    Tears welled up in Natalie''s red-rimmed eyes almost instantly, spilling over just as quickly. She looked so fragile that a light breeze might have knocked her over.


    Anyone walking in at that moment would have had no doubt¡ªshe was the one being bullied.


    On the other end of the phone, Charlotte heard Natalie crying and immediately lost it.


    "Sweetie, don''t be scared! Protect yourself. I''m on my way to back you up! That bastard, Ivan, dares to bully my daughter? Was he blind at the wee party? Did he forget what my precious girl looks like?


    "Sit tight, sweetheart! I''m bringing people over right now. That eng ement is getting canceled. And if Sky dares to argue with me, I''ll castrate him and send him off to be an eunuch!"


    Hearing Charlotte''s words, Natalie''s lips curled into a faint smile. "Thanks, Mom."


    "Just wait for me, sweetheart. And


    don''t be afraid. If that old bastard,


    Ivan, dar¨¨s toy a hand on you, hit him back! If you win, I''ll cover the medical bills. If you lose, I''ll make sure he rots in prison."


    With that, Charlotte immediately rounded up Sky and the family''s private security


    team, storming out in five cars straight to Goodwill Pharmacy.


    Inside the car, her face was dark with fury. She turned to Sky, her tone cold and serious. "How do you feel about Sophia?"


    Sky had already suspected that they were heading out to support Natalie. "Do you want the truth or a lie?"


    Charlotte shot him a sharp look. "What do you want to tell me? The truth or a lie?"


    Sky cleared his throat. "The truth is, I''ve never had any real feelings for Ms. Sinir: Our engagement wasz arranged by our families. Even


    though we''ve known each other et


    years, we don''t interact much. Those asional dates every month? Just a show to keep the elders happy.


    "Ms. Sinir and I had an agreement from the start-if either of us fell for someone else, we''d be upfront about it. No drama, no secrets."


    Charlotte let out a coldugh. "So, you and Sophia agreed that even if you got married, you''d just live your own separate lives?"


    Sky stayed silent. That was pretty much the truth, but he didn''t dare admit it outright.


    "Good. That makes things easier. You''re breaking off the engagement with Sophia."


    Charlotte didn''t scold him. Instead, she felt relieved.


    Since there were no real feelings between them and they had alreadye to an understanding, calling off the engagement was the best oue for both sides. "Besides, the Sinirs'' housekeepers had the nerve to bully Nat, and Ivan still thinks he can marry into our family? He can keep dreaming."


    Her teeth clenched as she seethed. "That old bastard spoils his mistress and neglects his wife. I used to feel


    a little sorry for Sophia. I even


    thought that once she married you,


    I''d treat her like my daughter.


    "But since Ivan dared to mess with me, I''ll make sure he learns a lesson today.


    Let''s see if Dithoria State belongs to the Sinirs or the Walkers." "Mother, I don''t mind calling it off, but Sophia was never favored in the Sinir family to begin with. If she gets dumped because of this, things will probably get even worse for her."


    Sky recalled how Sophia had always been treated in the Sinir household.


    He wasn''t overly sympathetic, but they had been engaged at least in name-for quite some time.


    Charlotte scoffed, shooting him a sharp look. "If you care so much, why don''t you go ahead and marry her?"


    "Yeah, no thanks." Sky let out a long sigh. "Mother, I''m not someone who gets sentimental. The Sinirs messed with Nat, and as her family, we have to protect her-no questions asked."


    "Well, look at that. You''re finally making sense for once." Charlotte narrowed her eyes, studying him carefully.


    "But weren''t you always standing on that fake heiress'' side before? Not once did you think about protecting Nat."

 Chapter 317 A United Front

    Charlotte''s sharp gaze and icy tone sent a chill down Sky''s spine.


    His body still ached, and the bruises on his face hadn''t faded much. Thest thing he wanted was to go out looking like this and face the Sinirs.


    But he didn''t dare defy Charlotte. The consequences of her anger were not something he wanted to deal with.


    "Mother, I wasn''t taking Emma''s side. I just wanted peace in our family, for her and Nat to get along."


    Sky''s expression darkened with disappointment. "I practically raised Emma myself. I can''t believe she would say those things, let alone do anything to hurt Nat.


    "When Nat first came back, Emma even left on a trip just to give her space. Have you forgotten that, Mother?


    "She lived happily under your and Father''s care for 20 years, only to suddenly discover she wasn''t your real daughter. Of course, she felt lost and afraid.


    "She worried you and Father would cast her aside, that we her brothers-would turn our backs on her. Her jealousy of Nates from that fear."


    "Oh, cut the crap." Charlotte''s voice dripped with disdain.


    "Sky, stop making excuses for that fake heiress. Tell me, who in this family ever said they didn''t want her around? When did Nat ever try to force her out, huh? Nat never demanded she leave just because she came home. The only thing she made clear was that she had no interest in being sisters with her.


    "As long as that fake heiress stayed in her ce, do you think your father and I would mistreat her?"


    "Mother, you won''t even call her by her name anymore?" Sky''s voice was heavy with hurt. "Your heart... it''s cruel."


    "I''m the cruel one? No, Sky. You are." Charlotte''s gaze turned icy.


    "Do you still not understand why we treat Emma this way? Even a dog or a cat raised for years can inspire feelings, let alone a living, breathing person.


    "And yet, do you truly not see why we have to be ruthless toward her? I expected better from you. Even now, you''re still making excuses for her.


    "Emma turned out ungrateful because you spoiled her too much. The only reason I brought you along today is to stand up for your real sister. If you can do that, fine. If not, I''ll have the driver pull over right now, and you can get out and go home on your own."


    "Mother, please don''t be mad. Of course, I''m here to stand up for Nat. I just felt a little sad hearing you call Emma a fake heiress," Sky said hurriedly.


    He quickly tried to exin himself. "I''m sorry. It was my mistake. But I swear I didn''t mean it that way."


    "Just shut up." Charlotte had no patience for his excuses.


    "Listen, Sky. Let me make this very clear-Nat was switched at birth and suffered for 20 years in the Langley household. Meanwhile, Emma lived a life of luxury in our home for those same 20 years.


    "Nat doesn''t owe Emma anything. If Emma is jealous of her and wants to take her ce, then I will not tolerate her.


    "And let me remind you that Nat doesn''t owe you anything either. So don''t try to use your status as her ''big brother'' to pressure her into anything."


    "Yes, I understand. Please don''t be angry, Mother." Sky lowered his head, his voice subdued. "It was my fault. Please forgive me this time."


    "I''ll let it slide for now, but there better not be a next time."


    Charlotte picked up a bottle of water, took a sip, and continued, "Nat has been out there getting bullied, so we need to stand together against outsiders. I don''t care if it''s Ivan or even Marcus; if they mess with her, we fight. Even if we can''t win, we fight.


    "Nat grew up without parents to protect her, and it took me a long time to bring her home and make her ept me and your father. I refuse to let her feel disappointed in us. Do you understand?"


    "I understand, Mother. I''m sorry. I was wrong."


    "Good."


    Charlotte said no more.


    She took out her phone and sent a message to William. "Honey, Ivan bullied our precious Nat. Tell Lincoln to snatch the Soutia project away from Sinir Group."


    William replied instantly, "Got it. I''ll take care of it now."


    Charlotte put away her phone and gazed out the car window. Before long, the vehicle came to a smooth stop in front of Goodwill Pharmacy.


    The bodyguards stepped out first, swiftly opening the door for her. Charlotte emerged in her high heels, radiating authority as she strode into the pharmacy.


    The moment she stepped inside, her eyes locked onto Natalie with pinpoint precision.


    At the sight of her red-rimmed eyes and pitiful expression, Charlotte''s temper ignited instantly.


    "Ivan, you old bastard! You dare bully my daughter?" she snapped.


    "This is all a misunderstanding," Ivan said with an awkward smile, still seated on the couch.


    Even after being cursed at so openly, he had no choice but to maintain hisposure.


    "Charlotte, it''s been years since I''ve seen you this fired up. Hearing you yell like this almost makes me feel like we''re back in our younger days."


    "Spare me the fake familiarity." Charlotte shot him a razor-sharp re.


    "Hand over the housekeeper who dared to bully my daughter. I want to see exactly what kind of dogs the Sinirs have been raising."


    "And one more thing, Ivan. I''m telling you now that Sky and your daughter''s engagement is off. The Walkers are unterally putting a stop to it." "That''s not happening!"


    Ivan shot up from his seat. "Charlotte, I admit we were in the wrong today. That reckless housekeeper has already been punished, and I''ve personally apologized to Natalie.


    "There''s no need to let one small


    incident damage the rtionship between our families. We still have several business partnerships, so it''s not worth creating unnecessary hostility over this.


    "Besides, Sky and Sophia have had a stable rtionship for years, just waiting for the right time to get married. If word gets out that our families are suddenly at odds, it''ll negatively impact both of ourpanies'' stocks."


    "So, your housekeeper bullying my daughter is just a small matter?"


    Charlotte crossed her arms and gave Ivan a slow, deliberate once-over.


    "Alright, Ivan. How about this-I p you across the face, then apologize afterward. Would you be fine with that?


    "And as for our business partnerships, once our contracts expire, Walker Group won''t be renewing them. We''ve already finalized negotiations with Holden Group. From now on, all coborations with Sinir Group


    600


    will be transferred to them. Thus, there will be nothing tying our


    families together anymore.


    "And as for your im that Sky and Sophia have a stable rtionship... I''ll let Sky


    tell you himself."


    She turned to Sky, giving him a pointed look.


    Sky immediately stepped forward.


    "Mr. Sinir, your housekeepers knew that Sophia and I were together, yet they still dared to openly humiliate Nat. And you, too, acted like it was no big deal. "That only proves that neither you nor your household have any respect for Nat or the Walkers. Well, I will never let anyone bully my sister, especially not the family of the woman I''m dating.


    "If the Sinirs truly respected Nat and our family, you wouldn''t have allowed a mere housekeeper to insult and humiliate her.


    "So let me make this official. Sophia and I? We''re done. The engagement is canceled, and we won''t be letting this matter slide."


    Sky stood tall, exuding an air of authority. But with his bruised and swollen face,


    the effect was slightly diminished.


    Still, his words took Natalie by surprise. She hadn''t expected this from him.

 Chapter 318 Marcus Generous Gift

    Ivan had been repeatedly humiliated by the Walkers-first by Natalie, then by Charlotte, and now by Sky. His face went from pale to flushed before turning an rming shade of red.


    He was furious.


    He had already lowered himself to show respect to Natalie, someone much younger than him, and even brought Sky-Sophia''s fianc¨¦ and his future son-in-w-along to smooth things over.


    Not only did Sky refuse to spare him some dignity, but he even outright dered that he was breaking off the engagement with Sophia because of this incident.


    A broken engagement wouldn''t affect the Walkers much at all, but for the Sinirs, it was a different story.


    Sinir Group had been struggling in recent years, and on multiple asions, Ivan had been forced to seek William''s help.


    William had only agreed because of the engagement between their families.


    But Ivan had never liked William''s attitude to begin with.


    Because of Ivan''s affair, William''s eyes always betrayed his contempt and disgust, even as he maintained a polite smile when dealing with him.


    And whenever William extended a hand, he never failed to add, "Consider it a gift for my future daughter-inw, Sophia."


    Ivan was infuriated just thinking about it. Sophia-that worthless girl-was just like her mother, Samantha. Completely useless.


    She had been engaged to Sky for years, yet she still hadn''t managed to secure him.


    If she had seduced Sky earlier and gotten pregnant with the Walkers'' first grandson, then he, Ivan, would finally have something to hold over that smug bastard, William.


    His face flushed red with frustration as he cursed Sophia in his heart. Raising that daughter had been a waste. She was essentially worth less than a dog.


    Not only had she failed to prove herself when it mattered most, but she had even disappeared at such a critical moment.


    "Ivan, this so-called engagement was nothing more than a verbal agreement between Sky''s and Sophia''s grandfathers."


    Charlotte stepped forward, her figure towering over Ivan, contempt gleaming in her eyes. "And now that the Walkers are calling it off, a verbal notice is all you''re getting.


    "Of course, since we Walkers believe in handling things properly, we''ll be making an official statement to announce the cancetion.


    "If you still have even a shred of dignity left, stop trying to sell your daughter like some cheapmodity. Maybe take a good look at how you''ve treated Sophia all these years.


    "You sent Samantha off to a convent. Aren''t you afraid she spends every single day praying for you to drop dead sooner?"


    Charlotte didn''t bother sugarcoating her words.


    Even though Ivan had already punished the housekeeper who bullied Natalie, she had no intention of maintaining ties with someone as repulsive as him.


    Just then, Noah stepped forward respectfully.


    "Hello, Mrs. Walker, Mr. Sky, and Ms. Walker. Mr. Holden just sent me a message. He has a special gift for Ms. Walker. However, Mrs. Walker and Mr. Sky may view it as well."


    He then pulled out his phone and forwarded Marcus'' gift to all three of them.


    Natalie nced at Noah, who immediately lowered his voice and exined, "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden assigned me to protect you. If you''re ever bullied, in danger, or facing any kind of crisis, I am to report it to him immediately.


    "Mr. Holden said that even if he can''t be by your side in person, he will still make sure to take care of any trouble thates your way."


    Natalie frowned slightly. "Wait... What is Marcus ying at?"


    "Mr. Holden said that he''s repaying a debt," Noah replied just as respectfully.


    "He believes he has spent years mistaking his true savior for someone else and has only fallen further into debt because of it. So now, he intends to repay it at any time, in any ce, by any means necessary."


    Natalie fell silent.


    Marcus, that lunatic. There was something wrong with his head.


    Before, he had gone out of his way to avoid her, and now, just because of this so- called life-saving debt, he hadpletely changed his attitude.


    Could he be any more shamelessly opportunistic?


    "Ms. Walker, hurry and take a look at Mr. Holden''s gift," Noah urged.


    Seeing Natalie''s unimpressed expression, he silently lit a candle for Marcus in his heart. A fiercely independent woman like her had no patience for his meddling.


    "Fine."


    Natalie nced at Charlotte and Sky. Both of them were watching her expectantly. They had heard everything; this gift was meant for her. While they had permission to view it as well, they wouldn''t do so until she looked at it first.


    "Sweetie, go ahead and open it," Charlotte said gently, her voice warm and affectionate.


    The stark contrast between the way she spoke to Natalie and how she had coldly confronted Ivan moments ago made her seem like an entirely different person.


    "You look at it first, then Sky and I will check."


    "Let''s just look at it together."


    Natalie had no idea what kind of gift Marcus had prepared for her, so she simply tapped on the file, allowing all three of them to view it at the same time.


    What Noah had sent them was a dossier on Ivan''s mistress, Julia White.


    Julia was born in Templeton, Amberton. At 18, she moved to Dithoria State for work, taking on


    various odd jobs-dis


    waitressing, distributing flyers, delivering food, and even working as a courier.


    Back in her hometown, she had a boyfriend named Edgar Presley, to whom she


    sent nearly all of her earnings.


    Eventually, tired of struggling to


    make ends meet, she began


    hopping from one man to a


    At 23, one of her so-called boyfriends introduced her to Regency Gold Club, where she Ivan.


    s?novel


    met


    Swn ve


    From that moment on, she set her sights on him, using every trick in the book to seduce the older man. In the end, she sessfully climbed into Ivan''s bed.


    But even after securing her ce by Ivan''s side, she never cut ties with Edgar.


    Every year, she returned to Amberton under the pretense of visiting her parents. In reality, she was secretly meeting up with Edgar.


    The dossier contained countless photos, one after another, many of which were downright disgusting to look at.


    At the very end, there were three paternity test results: Ruby and Ivan, Ruby and Edgar, and Sophia and Ivan.


    Ruby wasn''t Ivan''s daughter, she was Edgar''s. Meanwhile, Sophia was indeed Ivan''s biological child.


    Natalie clicked her tongue twice and shut the file. So all this time, Ivan had been raising another man''s kid?


    The daughter he cherished the most turned out to be the child of his mistress and another man, while the daughter he had always neglected was his flesh and blood.


    Natalie lifted her gaze to Ivan and couldn''t help but think that he was cuckolded.


    As for Julia''s current health problem? Well, those were just the consequences of ying too hard in her younger years.


    Even after getting together with Ivan and leaping into high society, she still couldn''t stay put. She kept sneaking out to indulge her wild side.


    The real question was whether Julia had been careful or if Ivan had just been that blind and trusting. For years, he had remainedpletely oblivious to everything she had been up to behind his back.


    Natalie clicked her tongue in amusement.


    Charlotte, however, quickly covered the phone screen with her hand. "Sweetie, don''t look at such filthy things."


    Sky had already seen some of the scandalous photos and was thoroughly embarrassed. Meanwhile, Natalie waspletely unfazed, even clicking her tongue in admiration.


    "It''s fine." She smirked slightly. She wasn''t a child, so there was no need to shy away from things like this.


    Sex and rtionships? Completely normal.


    What truly impressed her was Marcus'' efficiency.


    It had barely been an hour since Julia''s housekeeper came here, acting all high


    and mighty, yet Marcus had already unearthed everyst one of her dirty secrets.


    If this was his gift, then she had to admit it was quite the present.

 Chapter 319 Some Kind of Infectious Disease

    Charlotte suddenly chuckled.


    "Looks like the most pitiful ones in the Sinir family are still Sophia and


    Samantha. But, pity or not, it''s a good thing the engagement was called off before any real feelings got involved."


    Noah had sent the dossier to all three of them, but since they were sitting


    together, they had simply read it on Natalie''s phone.


    With their heads huddled close, they looked quite harmonious.


    Noah stood nearby, maintaining his respectful posture.


    Once he saw they had finished reading, he finally spoke again, "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden called earlier. He said to let him know once you were done as he''s waiting to talk to you."


    Natalie exhaled lightly and took the phone Noah handed her. The screen showed an ongoing call, 15 minutes and counting.


    Marcus had been considerate enough not to interrupt while she was enjoying the gossip.


    "Hello, Marcus."


    She cleared her throat slightly, her tone as cool andposed as ever.


    "Finished reading?"


    His deep, maic voice flowed into her ears-smooth and rich, like the sound of a cello, a true feast for the senses.


    "All done." Natalie''s lips curled into a slight smirk. "You''re fast."


    "As long as it was useful to you." Marcus chuckled. "Sinir Group isn''t a threat. Whatever you need to do to protect your rights, just do it. You don''t have to worry about them overpowering Holden Group, whether it''s Ivan or anyone else."


    He made his message clear-no one could challenge him.


    "Natalie, give me a chance to repay my debt. But even if you don''t, I''ll still do it anyway."


    Because when Marcus set his mind on something, not even Natalie''s refusal could stop him.


    "You gave me this information, which means I can do whatever I want with it, right?" Instead of responding directly to Marcus'' words, Natalie changed the topic.


    "I gave it to you, so naturally, it''s yours. Do whatever you want with it."


    "Good. Then stay out of the rest. I can''t stop you from repaying your so-called debt but don''t interfere with my life or my work. Otherwise, if I lose my temper, even I won''t be able to handle myself."


    On the other end of the call, Marcus couldn''t help but chuckle.


    This little woman-acting all cold and fierce in front of him, yet deep down, her heart was softer than anyone''s. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been fooled by Grace''s fake kindness for all these years.


    "Marcus!" Natalie''s voice shot up the moment she heard hisugh.


    "Yes, I heard you loud and clear." Marcus suppressed his amusement. "I won''t interfere with your life or work. Don''t worry."


    "Good. Bye."


    Without hesitation, Natalie hung up and tossed the phone back to Noah. "Why are you still standing here? You delivered the gift, so now you can leave."


    "Mr. Holden has assigned me to you starting today. From now on, I will be responsible for your safety, Ms. Walker," Noah responded respectfully.


    "Mr. Holden believes there are quite a few short-sighted people in Dithoria State. Even though everyone knows you are the real heiress of the Walkers, they still refuse to show you the respect you deserve.


    "Some even allow their housekeepers to point fingers and insult you to your face. Mr. Holden finds that uneptable. He has instructed me to follow you around. In the future, if anything like this happens again, you won''t need to lift a finger as I will handle it."


    As he spoke, he turned toward Charlotte and Sky.


    "Mrs. Walker, Mr. Sky, these are Mr. Holden''s orders. If either of you has any concerns or additional requests, you may speak to Mr. Holden directly. He is willing to make further adjustments to ensure Ms. Walker receives the best possible protection."


    Charlotte lookedpletely stunned.


    Sky, on the other hand, was just speechless.


    What the hell was Marcus up to?


    First, he wanted to break off the engagement. Now that he''d gotten his way, he suddenly pulled this stunt. What kind of nonsense was this?


    Noah, seeing the three of them utterly speechless and struggling to process the situation, bowed respectfully and said, "Mrs. Walker, Mr. Sky, Ms. Walker-Mr. Holden asked me to pass on a message.


    "He said that he must have been out of his mind before. He has offended you all


    in the past and sincerely asks for your forgiveness."


    Charlotte shot Natalie a puzzled look. What was going on? Had something changed between her and Marcus that she wasn''t aware of?


    Natalie remained silent.


    Pressing her fingers against her temple, she felt a headacheing on. Now wasn''t the time to deal with this. The priority was settling things with the Sinirs. "Mom, let''s talk about thister."


    "Ah, yes." Charlotte immediately followed her lead.


    "Right now, we need to deal with the Sinirs and their housekeepers who dared


    to bully you. With me here, sweetie, you have nothing to fear."


    Natalie nodded obediently. She wasn''t afraid, not even a little.


    But for now, she had to maintain the pitiful, helpless image she had presented to Charlotte over the phone-the teary-eyed girl too afraid to cry out loud.


    She had only just returned to the Walker family and had met many new people, but now wasn''t the time to reveal too much of her sharpness.


    After all, a person''s face was visible to all, but their heart was hidden in the dark.


    Among those who had attended her wee party and spoken warmly to her, how many were truly happy for her?


    Just then, Julia''s voice rang out.


    "Wendy? Ruby? Why haven''t you bought the medicine ande back yet?"


    She had been waiting in the car for a long time, but the two still hadn''t returned. Not long ago, she had also


    seen Ivan''s car arrive, and since then, he hadn''te back out either.


    Julia had tried calling Wendy''s phone-no answer. Then, she called Ruby''s also


    no answer.


    At that moment, she knew something was wrong.


    Forcing herself up despite feeling unbearably unwell, she stepped out of the car and made her way inside.


    "Wendy, what happened to you?"


    The moment Julia saw Wendy lying on the ground, she gasped in shock. "Who did this to you?"


    She had barely raised her voice when a violent fit of coughing overtook her.


    Her throat burned and itched unbearably as if a swarm of ants were crawling inside, gnawing at her flesh.


    Her face was pale as she wed desperately at her neck as if trying to dig out whatever was tormenting her from within.


    Her entire body trembled from the force of her coughing, and before she could stop it, a mouthful of bright red blood burst from her lips.


    The blood sttered onto the floor. Charlotte immediately grabbed Natalie and yanked her backward several steps.


    "Oh my God! Is this some kind of contagious disease?" she shrieked.


    Her reaction wasn''t unreasonable. After all, the dossier Marcus had sent them made it painfully clear just how wild Julia had been in her younger years.


    The way she messed around-reckless and excessive-was the perfect recipe for catching something infectious.


    Pn


    "Sweetie, stay far away from her! We can''t risk getting infected. Honestly, if she''s sick; she should be staying home instead of running around spreading it to innocent people! Does she not care about leaving behind a good legacy for her descendants?"


    "Shut up! I don''t have anything contagious!" Julia wheezed between ragged


    coughs.


    The force of her coughing made her eyes water, blurring her vision. She could barely make out the figure standing before her, let alone who they were.

 Chapter 320 Always Beneath William

    Julia coughed violently, frustration burning in her chest as she tried to exin herself.


    For the past two years, she had barely dared to step outside because of this illness, let alone attend social events or high-profile gatherings.


    If it weren''t for the medication from Goodwill Pharmacy, she probably wouldn''t have been able to keep up her act in front of Ivan and maintain his favor.


    The one thing Julia hated most was people suggesting her illness was contagious. So the moment she heard Charlotte''sment, her temper red.


    "If anyone dares spread nonsense, I''ll tear their damn mouth apart!" she spat between ragged breaths.


    After finally catching her breath, she wiped away the tears that had welled up from her relentless coughing and stepped forward to help Wendy.


    "Wendy, did someone from Goodwill Pharmacy hit you?"


    "It was me."


    A voice filled with suppressed fury cut through the air.


    Ivan''s expression was dark as he stormed forward, grabbing Julia by the arm and yanking her aside. "If you''re not feeling well, then stay in the car. What the hell are you doing down here?"


    "Honey, why would you hit Wendy? She''s my aunt!"


    Julia struggled to hold back another coughing fit, her voice hoarse. "What did she do to make you so angry?"


    "Madam..."


    Wendy, who had been lying on the floor, finally gathered herself.


    Leaning against the wall, she slowly got to her feet, her eyes welling up with tears as she prepared toin.


    But before she could even open her mouth, Ivan said icily, "Julia, if you dare plead for that bitch, then you can get the hell out of the Sinir family along with her."


    Julia froze. She turned to Wendy, who looked pitiful and ready to speak, but the words died in her throat.


    Ivan had never spoken to her with such indifference, let alone such harsh words. Julia steadied herself, pressing a tissue to her mouth as she fought the urge to cough. Stepping closer to Ivan, she gently patted his chest.


    "Honey, don''t be angry. Wendy made a mistake. I''ll make sure to discipline her."


    Before she could even finish her sentence, another violent coughing fit overtook her.


    In the past, whenever Julia coughed, Ivan would immediately step in, gently patting her back with concern. But this time...


    He inexplicably took half a step back.


    "Ugh!"


    Charlotte suddenly made a gagging sound, her face twisted in undisguised disgust.


    "Ivan, you and Samantha aren''t divorced yet, are you? So is this woman calling you ''honey'' the owner of the dog-like housekeeper who bullied my daughter?"


    She made no effort to spare Ivan any dignity.


    Charlotte had always known about Julia.


    Over the years, Julia had repeatedly tried to cozy up to her, hoping to establish a connection. She had even hinted at the idea of setting Ruby up with one of Charlotte''s four sons.


    But Charlotte despised mistresses who schemed their way into power. She had never once given Julia the time of day, let alone entertained any of her requests.


    When Julia realized she couldn''t win Charlotte over, she switched targets, turning her attention to Luna, Zane''s mother.


    Unlike Charlotte, Luna had fallen for Julia''s sweet-talking, eventually agreeing to let Zane and Ruby date.


    Zane, ever the filial son, had epted the arrangement, solely to keep his mother from being upset.


    But just as he had told Natalie before, his so-called rtionship with Ruby was nothing more than a task from his mother.


    He felt nothing for Ruby and had never once gotten involved in any of her schemes.


    Charlotte knew a little about the Holt family''s affairs. She also knew that Zane had been working at Goodwill Pharmacy for years.


    Since Charlotte was now aware that Goodwill Pharmacy belonged to Natalie and that Zane was one of her people, she made a decision.


    If Zane sided with Ivan and Julia, she would immediately have Natalie fire him.


    However, on the way here, she had exchanged a few messages with Natalie and confirmed that Zane had nothing to do with them. In fact, he firmly stood on Natalie''s side.


    Since that was the case, Charlotte wouldn''t make things difficult for him.


    On the contrary, because Zane had firmly stood by Natalie''s side, going so far as to break up with Ruby without hesitation at Natalie''s single word, Charlotte felt he was worth supporting.


    After all, Julia had schemed her way into power as a mistress, and children learned what they lived.


    Charlotte highly doubted that with Julia and Ivan as parents, Ruby could have turned out any better.


    "Charlotte, watch your mouth!" Ivan had finally lost his patience.


    He had already lowered himself to apologize. Natalie being young and aggressive was one thing, but now Charlotte was being just as unreasonable and shamelessly protective of her daughter.


    "I''ve apologized. I''ve admitted my mistakes. If Goodwill Pharmacy hadn''t refused


    to sell medicine to my people, Julia''s housekeeper wouldn''t have insulted Natalie in the first ce.


    "I came here to settle this peacefully, lowering my stance as much as possible, yet you Walkers are acting as if I''m afraid of you!"


    Hearing those words, Julia finally breathed a sigh of relief. As expected, her position in Ivan''s heart was still irreceable.


    Taking the opportunity, she stepped forward and helped Wendy up.


    But the moment she moved, a sharp itch red up in her throat, triggering another


    bout of coughing. This time, even her chest ached painfully.


    "Madam, are you okay?" Wendy quickly shifted her weight to support Julia instead.


    By now, Wendy didn''t dare run her mouth anymore. Instead, she stole a cautious nce at Natalie.


    She never would have guessed that this unfamiliar woman was the real Walker heiress.


    After all, in Dithoria State, everyone had always known Emma as the Walker family''s eldest daughter. And Emma''s face was one they had all seen before.


    But Natalie? She was aplete stranger.


    On top of that, Goodwill Pharmacy had been around for over a century.


    Thest time Julia came in for treatment two years ago, the doctor who treated


    her had been an elderly man with a wise and mystical air about him.


    Who would have thought that the actual owner of the pharmacy was such a young woman?


    At this moment, Wendy finally realized that she had provoked the wrong person. Even after getting pped across the face by Ivan, there was nothing she could do but swallow her anger in silence.


    Without Ivan and the wealth of the Sinirs, the Whites were nothing. "Madam, Mr. Sinir, this was my fault. I failed to recognize who I was dealing with. My mouth ran off a bit too much. I''m sorry, Ms. Walker."


    Wendy helped Julia settle into a chair before walking up to Natalie. Then, she dropped to her knees.


    Without hesitation, she knocked her forehead against the floor in an exaggerated apology. "Ms. Walker you are a generous and kind-hearted person Please don''t hold a grudge against a fool like me from a small town.


    "The madam is in poor health, and


    she relies on medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy just to stay alive. They say a doctor''s heart is


    know you won''t just stand by and watch someone suffer, right?"


    "Oh, my eyes are closed. I can''t see anything," Natalie replied smoothly and


    actually shut her eyes.


    They wanted to y the moral guilt trip game?


    Too bad. She never yed to lose.


    "Natalie, you used to live in Amberton with the Langleys. Back then, you begged


    for help and even gave blood to Diana. Have you forgotten what it was like to be


    weak and desperate?"


    Ivan suddenly stepped forward, yanking Wendy off the ground.


    The Walkers and the Sinirs were already breaking off the engagement, so he


    didn''t need to keep up appearances anymore.


    He wasn''t doing this for Julia or Wendy-this was about him.


    His pride. His dignity.


    Why the hell should he have to lower himself before William?


    Why the hell should he have to tiptoe around Charlotte?

 Chapter 321 Grass Is Always Greener on the Other Side

    Ivan''s expression darkened. He shot Natalie a re and spoke while gritting his teeth. "You''re just lucky, you know? Do you really think Charlotte loves you that much? If she does, why hadn''t she realized that Emma wasn''t her biological daughter when they didn''t look alike at all?


    "You really believe that they genuinely care about you since they threw you a wee party? Besides, have you ever wondered why Emma dared to insult you at the party? It''s because William and Charlotte tolerated it!"


    Ivan turned to re at Charlotte and Sky. "You just want to break off the engagement, right? Fine! My daughter is too good for your family anyway. Sky treats his sister way better than his girlfriend to the extent that people would probably think Emma is his girlfriend, not Sophia.


    "My daughter is intelligent, kind, and gentle. There are tons of people waiting to marry her. She''s better off without you, Sky."


    Then, he turned to Charlotte. "And you dare criticize me for keeping a mistress? Look at your own son, Charlotte. He has twisted thoughts toward his sister!"


    Ivan scoffed. "Who gave you the nerve to judge me, anyway?"


    Charlotte and Sky frowned upon listening to Ivan''s words.


    Natalie, however, kept her face neutral. She slowly remarked, "Oh, so you''re aware that you''ve cheated on your wife. By the way, do you know where Sophia is now since you care so much about her?"


    After Natalie mentioned Sophia who had gone missing, Ivan raged again. "That bitch... I''ll make sure she regrets it once she gets home."


    "Who would want to be inws with someone so rude and aggressive like you, anyway?"


    Natalie went on, "No wonder Ms. Sinir ran away from home."


    Julia, who had been sitting aside all along, started coughing again. She could no longer hold the coughs back. It was so bad that even water couldn''t ease the difort in her throat.


    "Please ask Goodwill Pharmacy to sell the medicine to me, honey. I''m in so much pain," Julia said as she covered her mouth, still coughing.


    Her coughs were getting on Ivan''s nerves. He recalled how Charlotte mentioned the infectious disease. It still bothered him, even if just a little.


    "The grass is always greener on the other side, though," said Noah out of nowhere. "And yes, Mr. Sinir, I''m talking to you."


    "Huh?"


    Natalie, Charlotte, and Sky raised their confusions out loud at the same time. They wondered why Noah spoke all of a sudden.


    Noah remainedpletely serious, eyes fixed forward. "Just a friendly reminder, Mr. Sinir. Having a mistress is fine, but don''t go fathering an illegitimate child." "How dare you!"


    Ivan was furious. He rushed over, wanting to p Noah. However, Noah easily grabbed Ivan''s wrist and lifted it.


    "Ouch!" In that instant, Ivan shouted in agony. "Let go! Did you hear me? I said to let go of me!"


    Ivan was wincing in pain. Momentster, Noah smiled a little as he let go of Ivan''s wrist. "You should try controlling your temper now that you''ve aged, Mr. Sinir. Although you''re at Goodwill Pharmacy, we don''t have any doctors toe to your aid if anything happens.


    "Besides, shouldn''t you show more manners when you''re the one asking for help? You see, people don''t care if you have a mistress or raise an illegitimate daughter, but you shouldn''t bring them to cause trouble here at Goodwill Pharmacy. Mr. Sinir, don''t you know that this pharmacy is backed by Mr. Holden?"


    Noah was eloquent and polite. He chose words that were simple and clear for Ivan to understand.


    "An illegitimate daughter?"


    Ivan rubbed his wrist, eyeing Julia, who was still coughing. And finally, he started to suspect her.


    Julia snapped back to her senses, and her heart dropped immediately. She shook her head. "Honey, don''t let others drive a wedge between us.


    "Mrs. Walker, I know you judge me for my roots, but we''re all mothers and love our children. Why do you have to nder me with such baseless rumors?"


    Charlotte was confused at Julia''s usations for she had never once judged Julia.


    After a few coughs, Julia continued,


    "I know I''ve ruined Ivan''s family, but


    I''m innocent too. I came into the


    ei


    picture after his wife, but I love him! There was never any love between Ivan and Samantha. Isn''t the real outsider the one who''s not loved?"


    Natalie snickered in disbelief, pping her hands.


    Julia insisted on speaking despite coughing blood. "I''ve been living with the weight


    of others'' insults and was looked down on by everyone all these years. I just love Ivan; what''s so wrong about it?"


    "I''m not officially recognized, yet I''m still by Ivan''s side, raising our daughter together. I never asked for much-only to see him when I wake up and wait for him toe home from work. And in my final moments, the one who will hold my hand and reassure me will be him. That''s all that matters.


    "I don''t care what others say about me behind my back because I love him."


    Julia coughed until blood filled her mouth, yet she was still confessing her love for


    Ivan.


    Everyone had chills running down their backs, watching the scene.


    Ivan, however, was so touched that tears welled up in his eyes.


    "Oh, Jul..."


    He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Julia. "Don''t worry, I won''t let you die. If Goodwill Pharmacy won''t sell us the


    medicine, we''ll just get it somewhere else. With all the money I have,


    there''s no way I couldn''t get the medicine to save your life."


    "Honey, I could die happy with you saying that."


    "Ah!"


    Just as Julia and Ivan were confessing their love for each other, Ruby let out a


    scream suddenly.


    "No... No way. This can''t be true....."


    Ruby''s eyes were wide with terror, and her face wentpletely pale.


    "What''s wrong with you?"


    Ivan red at Ruby disdainfully. Then, Julia quickly rubbed his chest lightly, soothing him. "Don''t scold her, honey. She''s our child, the embodiment of our love. When I''m no longer here, she''ll be looking after you in yourter years."


    Ruby stared at Julia in a daze. Her mind was a blur. She had lost track of what was real and what was a lie.

 Chapter 322 If You Two Arent Bound Forever

    As soon as Julia finished her sentence, everyone in Goodwill Pharmacy stared at


    her weirdly.


    Momentster, someone let out a snicker. She then covered her mouth


    immediately.


    "I''m sorry, you guys can keep going."


    It was Helena who hadughed. She held back theughter and walked to the backyard.


    Witnessing the drama unfold before her eyes was interesting for sure. She just tended tough as it happened.


    Helena was itching to tell Sophia about everything.


    Not only had their bond grown during these past few days when Helena was taking care of Sophia''s health, but they had started to get along like good friends.


    After Helena left, Zane walked up to Ruby and snatched away her phone. His eyes widened after reading what was on her phone.


    "Oh my gosh, Ruby! Your mother really gets around, huh? Isn''t this man your biological father? You both look almost identical!"


    "Shut up, Zane!"


    Ruby came back to her senses. In a panic, she rushed over to grab her phone again, trembling uncontrobly.


    "What the hell are you talking about, Zane?"


    Julia started coughing again when she was just about to reprimand Zane. At that moment, she had never hated Goodwill Pharmacy more. Getting medicine was never a problem before, so why was it so hard today?


    "Mr. Zachman, go get thisdy two tablets." Natalie smirked. "Things are getting interesting. I''d love to see more."


    "Alright."


    Thomas went to get the medicine Julia needed and handed her two tablets of it. "That''ll be 10 thousand dors for a tablet. Are you paying by cash or card?" "By card."


    Julia took out her card and paid for the tablets. Then, she eagerly swallowed them.


    The tablets melted the moment they hit her tongue, spreading warmth through her throat and easing the irritation almost immediately.


    She was no longer coughing when she spoke again.


    "Why the long face, Ruby?"


    Julia nced at Ruby, still hooking her arm around Ivan''s. "You can go first, honey. I''ll stay to have a chat with Ms. Walker."


    "My daughter is not going to chat with you. You''d better leave her alone."


    Charlotte took a step forward. "I see that you''re okay being the only one left in the dark, Ivan. Can''t you understand what they were trying to tell you?


    "Just get out of here with your mistress and illegitimate daughter."


    Charlotte barked, "You''re such a shrew, Charlotte. You''re just jealous of me. Do you really think William doesn''t have a mistress out there, staying loyal to you alone? You just haven''t managed to catch him!"


    Ivan went mad as well. "How dare you call my daughter that! It seems to me that your children are the real illegitimate ones, including this ''biological daughter'' of yours. She might even be an illegitimate daughter of William and some random woman."


    Natalie darted forward andnded a p on Ivan''s face. She didn''t mind being insulted, but Charlotte and William were off-limits.


    Her biological parents had done nothing wrong, yet Ivan was trying to shift his own filth onto Charlotte.


    Natalie would never tolerate such behavior.


    "Since you and thedy''s devotion to each other is so resolute, we''ll see what happens next, Mr. Sinir," Natalie remarked coldly.


    Before Ivan could react, she pped Ivan again, harshly.


    "Zane."


    "Okay."


    Zane instantly pulled the drawer open and took out a pile of cash. "Here you go, Natalie."


    Natalie then tossed the stack of bills straight at Ivan''s face. With a sharp p, shemanded, "Someone, beat him up!"


    "I got this."


    Noah rolled up his sleeve and stepped forward. "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden told me to handle all the dirty work for you from now on, so you don''t need to get your hands dirty."


    He turned to Ivan and added, "Mr. Sinir, I''m working under Marcus Holden the one who owns Holden Group. If you''ve got any issues, you can talk to him after I''m done with you."


    Noah sure was a polite person. He even introduced himself before he violently beat Ivan up.


    Then, he proceeded to drag Ivan over and began pounding him.


    It took a moment for Charlotte toe back to her senses. She ordered the


    bodyguards she had brought along with her, saying, "Get over here and teach him


    a lesson."


    "Yes, ma''am."


    The Walkers'' bodyguards started to thrash Ivan hard, alongside Noah.


    "Stop! Stop beating him!"


    Julia was yelling. Natalie shot her a re, and she went quiet immediately.


    "Don''t worry. You''re next in line!"


    Natalie said sweetly with a smile"By the way, the stack of cash I tossed him with could probably cover a decent meal. I can always give you more if it''s not enough."


    "No... Don''t beat me..." Julia''s voice trembled. "You guys can''ty hands on me once you''ve beaten him."


    Natalie tilted her head in confusion. "Aren''t you two supposed to be madly in love? Shouldn''t you be getting a taste of the same thing since you love him that much?" "I... My body''s not well."


    Julia stepped backward subconsciously after seeing Ivan cry out in pain with every blow. She even caught a glimpse of blood seeping through his shirt.


    Julia gasped. "Isn''t this going a little too far? You''re not going to kill him, are you?" "Nah, they''re professionals." Natalie took a step forward. "They won''t kill him."


    Julia let out a breath of relief upon hearing that. Thus, Natalie added right away, "Well, the worst that''ll happen is he''ll end up disabled."


    Julia''s face went pale again. But in the next instant, she realized something. "Stop beating him or I''ll call the enforcement office!"


    "Okay, stop," Natalie voiced in a sluggish tone.


    Noah then stopped beating Ivan right away, followed by the others.


    "I''m the one who beat you, Mr. Sinir. If you have any issues with this, you can


    go straight to Mr. Holden."


    Noah pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his hands, and shook hands with the Walkers'' bodyguards. "Good job, buddy."


    "You too."


    Charlotte was at a loss for words.


    Sky, too, was speechless, but he could tell that Marcus treated Natalie in a way


    that was different from others.


    He thought Natalie and Marcus were just putting on a show at the wee party.


    In hindsight, Marcus truly showed a distinct attitude toward Natalie.


    "Send them off, Zane."


    "Alright, Natalie."


    Zane walked up to them. "Mr. Sinir, thisdy, that young woman, and the olderdy¡ªall of you, please leave."


    "This... is too much!"


    Ivan cursed under his breath, covered in bruises. "I''ll make sure you guys pay for


    this.


    "Charlotte, Natalie, and Marcus. You guys are going to regret this."


    "Sure, we''ll be waiting for you,"


    Charlotte replied. "Oh, and, we hope that you and your mistress stay together for life! Heaven will revolt if you two aren''t bound forever."

 Chapter 323 The Sinclairs Need a New Leader

    Even after Charlotte had sent Ivan and Julia off, Ruby was still standing there, looking pale as ever. She only came back to her senses when Zane stood before


    her.


    "Leave, now," Zanemanded, his patience wearing thin.


    "Your mother lied to mine, Ruby. I''ll let my mother know about this. Do you really think a nobody like you is worthy of marrying into the Holts?"


    It made Zane sick with rage knowing Ruby once bullied Sophia under his name.


    Besides, considering how Julia had deceived Luna for so long, cursing Ruby out was barely punishment.


    "No!" Ruby shouted instinctively. Then, she begged, "Please, Zane. Please don''t tell Mrs. Holt about it for the sake of our past rtionship."


    "In your dreams," Zane spat. "After you lied to my mother and me, you actually think I''d help you hide it? Ruby, have you no shame?


    "This is the final warning-leave now. Goodwill Pharmacy doesn''t wee you, and we aren''t going to sell your mother the medicine she needs. Did I make myself clear?"


    Seeing how Ruby remained still, Zane went up and grabbed her hand, yanking her out himself.


    "I''ve had enough, Ruby. I have nothing to do with you anymore, so don''t go around using my name to deceive people. I also told my friends about this. Don''t expect me to be nice if you keep associating yourself with me to cause trouble."


    As soon as Zane finished his sentence, he turned around and walked back into Goodwill Pharmacy without any hesitation.


    Ruby stood at the pharmacy''s entrance, her face as white as a sheet. Goodwill Pharmacy used to be busy, but ever since the Sinirs came, no customers hade.


    Sitting in the car not far away, Julia sent Wendy out to bring Ruby back.


    "What are you just standing there for, Ms. Sinir?"


    Although Wendy had apologized to Natalie, her heart was filled with contempt. She was just afraid of Ivan''s fury.


    "How dare that little bitch humiliate us like this! I''ll send someone to teach her a lesson once Mr. Sinir returns," Wendy said in a low voice.


    Disgusted, she spat at the pharmacy''s entrance. "Charlotte, that old hag, thinks she''s superior just because she''s William''s wife, but Mr. Sinir is every bit as capable as William.


    "Ms. Sinir, you don''t have to rely on Zane anymore. He''s just the second son of the Holts who''s always up to no good. You see, he stays in the pharmacy 24/7, and he can''t even make it into his family business.


    "If you married him in the future, you wouldn''t have any actual authority in the Holt family. Madam Sinir told me just now that she wanted you to approach Zane''s older brother, Zachary. In any case, you must at least marry one of the Holt sons." Feeling overwhelmed, Ruby''s ears started to buzz. Each word Wendy had said was clear, but the whole thing was just gibberish to Ruby.


    "Are you listening, Ms. Sinir?"


    Noticing Ruby''s silence, Wendy waved a hand before Ruby. "Ms. Sinir, even though Madam received two pills today, she needs to keep taking the medicine due to her health.


    "Thus, you have to win over Zachary quickly and have him buy the medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy for us since we can''t rely on Zane anymore. It''s all on you now, Ms. Sinir.


    "Don''t be fooled by what Mr. Sinir said back in the pharmacy. He pushed Madam away immediately after they hopped into the car just now. He''s treating Madam like she''s a virus."


    Wendy was slowly losing her patience as there was no response from Ruby. "Ms. Sinir? Did you hear me?"


    She was clearly irritated at how distracted Ruby was. Despite being the Sinirs'' helper, Wendy barely acted like one in front of Julia and Ruby because she was Julia''s aunt.


    "Snap back to your senses, Ms. Sinir."


    Finally, Ruby uttered, "Oh, okay..."


    "Let''s head back now!"


    Ruby followed Wendy into the car.


    Ivan''s expression stayed sour as Julia was sitting beside him, her eyes brimming


    with tears, trying to get closer to Ivan.


    "Dad, Mom," Ruby voiced as soon as she got in the car.


    Ivan hummed a reply.


    "Do you keep in touch with your sister these days? If you do, how could she just


    go missing like that? You should really care more about your sister."


    After a quick pause, Ivan continued, "Now that the Walkers have called off the engagement, Jul, you should start looking for someone suitable for Sophia as her stepmother."


    "I will, honey," Julia replied obediently. "But Sophia never listens to me, though. Besides, Mr. Holden is protecting her now, so I don''t dare interfere with her matters."


    "You''re her mother, so there''s nothing to be scared of."


    Julia then remained silent.


    "Take us home."


    "Yes, sir."


    ...


    After the Sinirs left, Natalie asked Charlotte and Sky to head back home first. "Mom, Sky, you guys can go home first. I still have something to take care of here."


    "Sweetie, I''ll stay here with you. I know Goodwill Pharmacy has quite a reputation, but I never knew you were the owner of it."


    Charlotte was busy scanning around the pharmacy. "Oh dear, I have such a capable daughter."


    "Sky, this is the ointment you asked for."


    Natalie handed Sky a tube of ointment. "It soothes swelling and pain for faster recovery."


    "Thank you."


    Sky grabbed the ointment as he thanked her. Then, he took out his phone, used it


    as a mirror, and smeared it directly on his face.


    "I still need to gather everyone for a meeting, and I''m seeing Marcuster. So, Mom, Sky, you guys should head home first because I can''t hang out with you all here."


    "Alright then."


    Charlotte gave in, seeing how


    Natalie insisted. Now that she knew


    Natalie had her own business to take care of, she probably wouldn''t ept the clothingpany they nned to give her.


    Still, Charlotte was d to see Natalie doing well.


    "Let''s go back, Sky. We shouldn''t disturb Nat here. Once we''re home, be sure to


    issue a statement about ending the engagement with the Sinirs."


    "Okay, Mother."


    After Sky and Charlotte left, Natalie gathered everyone around for a quick


    meeting.


    "Keep Julia''s medicine off the


    shelves for now. I''ll let everyone


    know when it''s okay to sell again. If


    someone


    eone tries to stir up trouble,


    make them leave, but don''t harm


    them."


    "Got it, Ms. Walker."


    "Good, that''s settled. Meeting''s over."


    Natalie turned to the backyard, walking straight to Sophia''s room.


    Just then, her phone rang. It was Marcus who called.


    "What''s the matter, Marcus?"


    "Natalie, don''t you think the Sinirs need a new leader?"


    Marcus'' deep voice rang through the phone. He called at the right moment;


    Natalie was just thinking the same thing.


    "Are you listening, Natalie?"


    "Yeah, I am."


    Marcus let out a chuckle. "I''ll make you the new boss of Sinir Group. What do


    you say?"

 Chapter 324 An Opportunity for the Two to Interact

    "Natalie, I''ll make you the new boss of Sinir Group. What do you say?" Marcus repeated himself.


    "Sinir Group is falling apart now, so I''ll hand it over to you."


    "Are you repaying me again?" Natalie pulled a small smile. "That''s quite a grand way to show your gratitude, Marcus."


    "I am. Is my life not worth more than Sinir Group?"


    Marcus added smoothly, "You''re my lifesaver, so you deserve the greatest reward in the world."


    To him, Sinir Group was merely a smallpany that was on the brink of bankruptcy.


    Besides, Ivan had made numerous wrong decisions over the years, causing thepany''s performance to decline. Its copse was just a matter of time.


    William had entrusted Ivan with multiple projects and invested in Sinir Group back then, which was why thepany was still standing today.


    Sinir Group''s decline would have been rapid otherwise.


    Since the Walkers had called off the engagement, William would no longer lend any more help to Sinir Group from now on.


    Thus, when Marcus stepped in, Ivan couldn''t possibly resist it. To Marcus, Sinir Group was as vulnerable as injured prey in his grasp.


    "What do you say, Nat?"


    Marcus'' low voice echoed through the phone, almost as if he was softly coaxing Natalie.


    "You don''t necessarily need to join Walker Group as the heir of the Walkers. Instead, you can be the one who controls Sinir Group, then slowly integrate it into Walker Group. What are your thoughts about this?"


    Natalie didn''t respond to him. She had arrived at Sophia''s room and stopped in front of the door.


    "I''ll give you another presentter, Nat." Marcus chuckled. "You''ll like it for sure."


    "You don''t have to send me gifts, Marcus. You don''t have to repay me at all. I''m fine with it."


    "But it matters to me, so say no more, Nat. I''m going to repay you no matter what. I made a mistake in the past; I was blind to both what I felt and saw. I will make up for it this time."


    Marcus spoke with such certainty, his words leaving no room for argument.


    Hence, Natalie remained silent. She couldn''t think of anything to say since Marcus was being so insistent.


    "Wait for me, Natalie."


    As Marcus finished his sentence, he ended the call right away before Natalie could respond.


    Sophia, who was in the room, was informed of everything that had happened outside. When Helena noticed Natalie, she stood up immediately.


    "Come on in, Ms. Walker!"


    Natalie entered the room. Then, she cast her gaze outside, only to see Noah following her obligingly. He could already take on the role of a loyal bodyguard at this point.


    As Noah stood before the door, Elijah came out of nowhere. "Why are you here, Noah?"


    "Didn''t you hear what happened outside?" Noah lifted an eyebrow as he said.


    Elijah was a nosy parker. With all that noise outside, why didn''t he even bother to check?


    "The room is soundproof, Noah! Besides, I have to protect Ms. Sinir, so I must remain at my post."


    Elijah was a little disappointed as well, missing out on the chance to witness the drama firsthand. To him, it was almost worse than going hungry all day.


    "I''ll tell you then."


    Noah let out a chuckle as he pulled Elijah aside, and the two began whispering under the window.


    Natalie was sitting in front of Sophia in the room. Thetter had a bright, happy look on her face.


    "Thank you, Nat. I can finally breathe easy after all this time. What a pity, I wasn''t brave enough to be there in person. I want to recover quickly, Nat. Then, I''ll get back what belongs to me."


    Sophia gazed at Natalie with a solemn look. I''ve thought about it already. I''m going to recover quickly, reim what''s rightfully mine, and give everything to you. I don''t have anything to repay you with, so I''m just going to give you my portion of shares.


    "Dr. Tanner told me just now that your family wanted to call off the engagement. I''m so relieved. Being forced to marry your oldest brother is what I''m scared of the most."


    Sophia smiled bitterly. "Even if my


    father disagrees, there''s nothing else he can do now. Well, he might make


    dox


    me seduce your eldest brother, and ideally, I''d end up pregnant with his child. But Nat, I''ve thought it through-I won''t stay this weak any longer. I have to im what belongs to my mom and me.


    "I''m truly grateful for you, Nat-and Marcus'' protection over the years too. I don''t have anything to repay you both with, so I''m willing to sneak into my father''s office in Sinir Group to steal ssified documents to give to you."


    Sophia spoke with an earnest tone. She didn''t sound like she was joking at all. "Julia and Ruby won''t leave my mom and me alone even if we didn''t fight for it. I might as well use this opportunity to take as much as I can."


    "Nah, don''t go stealing ssified documents."


    After pondering for a moment, Natalie continued, "You just have to focus on recovering now. I''m heading back to Walker Estateter to deal with Shane''s issue.


    "As for the Sinirs, you''ll go back, but not now. I''m going to send you a document. Since you''ve made up your mind to take back what''s yours, this document will be very useful to you."


    Natalie took out her phone and sent Sophia the gift Marcus had just given her.


    "Sophia, if you follow the doctor''s instructions and take good care of your health, you may be able to leave Goodwill Pharmacy in one month."


    "I will. Thank you, Nat."


    Sophia gripped her phone, eyes brimming with tears. "When I offer you gifts in the future, I hope you won''t turn them down."


    "Alright," Natalie promised. "Get some rest now. I''ll get going."


    "Okay."


    Natalie turned to look at Sophia after she exited the room. She noticed Sophia''s gaze was fixed on her as she left.


    As their eyes met, Sophia gave Natalie a gentle smile.


    Natalie nodded as she gave Sophia a thumbs-up and then left.


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden wanted me to bring you to the Helianese restaurant."


    Noah walked up to Natalie and said politely, "The car is ready, Ms. Walker. This way, please."


    "I don''t want to go." Natalie refused impatiently. "Tell Marcus to stop bothering me."


    "Natalie."


    Marcus'' voice rang all of a sudden. He was wearing an all-ck suit, leaning against the nearby wall.


    "I have a medicinal ingredient here. Don''t you want to take a look at it? I think it''s the one in your sketchbook."


    Natalie sighed, not uttering a single word.


    Marcus then walked up to her, showing her an image on his phone. It was a crimson nt with thorns on both sides of its leaves, and its flowers and fruits were dark red.


    "This is what you need, right?" Marcus grinned. "I know where this is. I can bring you there."


    "Where did you get this, Marcus?"


    Natalie was truly moved. This deep red nt with spiky leaves was named "Lethal Vermillion" in her mentor''s sketchbook. However, it wasn''t a poisonous nt. Instead, it was a powerful medicinal ingredient with antidotal properties.

 Chapter 325 He Sure Knows How to Pique Her Interests

    If Natalie were to name one thing she was most passionate about and hoped to aplish, it would be to find all the medicinal ingredients in Federrick''s sketchbook.


    Marcus really did pique her curiosity by telling her about Lethal Vermillion.


    But what sparked Natalie''s curiosity the most was the fact that Marcus knew it was one of the medicinal ingredients in her sketchbook.


    She hadn''t shown anyone the sketchbook her mentor had left her, not even Connie.


    "Did you go through my sketchbook, Marcus?"


    Natalie cautiously eyed the man before her. She had always kept the sketchbook safely tucked away, and she hardly ever flipped through it. Did she let Marcus read it when she was staying at Holden Residence?


    "I have the same one in The Book Sanctum in my house," Marcus replied. "There was this one time when you were having coffee on the balcony, and I spotted it from below. Since they have the same cover, I assumed they have the same content.


    "And I just happened toe across this medicinal ingredient by chance, so I took a photo of it. But I''m not a professional, and I''m not sure how to harvest it in a way that preserves its full value, so I just let it continue growing in its original spot."


    A faint smile tugged at the corner of Marcus'' lips. "Nat, do you want to visit The Book Sanctum in Holden Residence? You might find some books that catch your interest there."


    Upon hearing what Marcus had just said, Natalie''s heart skipped a beat. She had stayed at Holden Residence for some time, and she entered Charles'' study room before, yet she had never heard of The Book Sanctum.


    The Book Sanctum-it sounded far beyond a simple study.


    She nodded. "Sure, bring me there then."


    After pondering for a moment, Natalie finally decided to visit The Book Sanctum. She wanted to see if the sketchbook Marcus had mentioned was the same sketchbook she had.


    Federrick had never told her there were multiple copies of the sketchbook, after all.


    "Let''s go to The Book Sanctum first."


    "Okay. This way, please."


    Marcus sounded so polite and gentle. His typically frosty face had softened, like snow melting away, leaving only warmth and tenderness behind.


    It sent a chill down Natalie''s spine. She suddenly had the urge to p Marcus across his face, making him kneel before her in his suit and calling her "Mommy".


    The moment the thought crossed her mind, Natalie forced herself to calm down. That kind of thought? Absolutely not!


    After all, she and Marcus were ex-fianc¨¦ and fianc¨¦e, and there was no turning back now.


    "What''s wrong, Nat?"


    As he noticed Natalie had stopped walking, he turned around, staring at her in confusion.


    "Nothing. Can you stop calling me ''Nat,'' Marcus? I don''t think we''re that close."


    There was a hint of frustration behind Natalie''s otherwise cold expression. They should really keep a clear distance.


    Natalie continued, "I''ve never expected anything in return, so there''s no need for you to do anything out of gratitude. Let''s just stay the way we were back then, okay?"


    "No," Marcus replied tly. "If you pay attention to how I''ve treated Sophia, you''ll see just how much I care for my lifesaver. I can''t let things just stay this way now that I know I''ve made a mistake. Whether you ept it or not, I''m still doing it." "But..."


    "Just tell me, Nat, do you want the Lethal Vermillion?"


    Marcus interrupted Natalie. Then, with a smirk, he added, "The sketchbook as well. Do you want to see it? It actually has a total of five volumes, though."


    Natalie was at a loss for words. As much as she hated to admit it, Marcus knew exactly how to capture her attention.


    "Let''s go."


    As she strode forward, she sent Mason a few texts. Thetter was still watching over Emma for her.


    Although Emma had been sent to the enforcement office, Mason told Natalie that Sky couldn''t bear to see her suffer, so Sky made sure she had everything she needed there.


    It couldn''t be helped; Emma was hurt by sh, which was just the perfect excuse to ask for some leniency.


    Gabriel, however, was less fortunate. He kept insisting it was Natalie''s doing, even with all the evidence-until his cellmates gave him a brutal wake-up call.


    As Mason put it, Garbriel got


    smacked 18 times in three days and stuck with the boss inside. When the enforcers checked in, the boss. simplychuckled, "Oh,e on We''re just joking around. Noone


    actually hurt him!"


    Hence, Gabriel wailed, screamed, cried, and begged for mercy like it was the end


    of the world. But after a check-up? Nothing serious.


    Well, he wasn''t dying-just a little roughhousing, apparently.


    Natalie burst outughing when she heard Mason tell her all this. Besides, Mason also mentioned that Lincoln, Hector, and Timothy "did the same thing" to Gabriel, just like how Sky took care of Emma''s needs in the enforcement office.


    She knew right away that someone was taking care of Gabriel in the enforcement office, but it was a rough type of care.


    Even a tongue got bitten by its own teeth sometimes-so really, Gabriel had iting.


    Everything was by the book, anyway. His whining wasn''t going to get him any sympathy.


    Mason''s storytelling was so lively and engaging that it kept Natalie grinning the whole time.


    The only problem was that Emma probably wouldn''t be stuck in the enforcement office for long. Thus, Mason was frustrated. He wanted to


    track down Emma''s biological parents, change herst name, and


    show Emma the door out of the


    Walker family as quickly as possible.


    So Natalie told him not to rush it since getting to the truth of what had happened back then probably wouldn''t be as easy as it seemed. They should just let Sky be if he wanted to protect Emma so much.


    After all, Emma was Sky''s precious little sister, raised with affection and care. It was only natural for the biological sister, who returnedter, to not match up with


    Emma.


    Mason then told Natalie he''d grab a few buddies, meet up with Sky that evening, and give him a few punches to vent his frustration.


    Grinning, Natalie rejected Mason''s suggestion because Sky had had it hard at home already.


    Mason agreed with her after giving it a few thoughts.


    Natalie and Mason were the closest in age, and since Mason was the first person


    to wholeheartedly believe that his real sister wasn''t Emma, they shared the


    deepest bond.


    After Natalie had made a call to Mason, she walked to Marcus'' car.


    Marcus opened the car door, guiding Natalie into the car as he ced his hand


    over her head.


    "Let''s head to The Book Sanctum first. I want to see if the sketchbook you mentioned was real."


    Natalie put away her phone, closing her eyes in the back seat.


    "Alright."


    Marcus hopped into the car. "Drive home, please."


    "Yes, sir."


    The driver ignited the car and pulled away. Marcus was in the passenger seat.


    With a press of a button, the partition wall rose slowly, and it fully separated the front from the back.


    Despite the huge space in the car, Natalie felt a sudden tightness in her chest for some unknown reason.


    In the next instant, Marcus leaned in, and Natalie''s body went stiff right away. "What are you doing, Marcus?"


    "Helping you with the seatbelt," he answered naturally, reaching for the seatbelt


    and fastening it for her.


    "I can do it on my own."


    All Natalie could hear was the click of the seatbelt, and her senses were overwhelmed by the man''smanding presence.

 Chapter 326 He Does It on Purpose

    Natalie was holding her breath. Just as she lifted her hand, getting ready to p Marcus, he immediately returned to his seat and let out an awkward cough.


    "There''s construction on some stretches, and it gets bumpy in ces. Better keep your seatbelt on."


    As soon as he finished his sentence, he buckled himself up as well.


    Natalie was at a loss for words.


    The ride was smooth all the way to Holden Residence, and Natalie never spotted any roadwork throughout.


    She nced at Marcus, only to see him grinning at her. Unruffled, he leaned back and closed his eyes, as if being caught in a lie was nothing worth worrying about.


    The corner of Natalie''s lips twitched a little. "What a bastard... I knew he did it on purpose!" she thought.


    "Don''t be mad, okay?" Marcus said. "I''ll bring you to The Book Sanctum."


    "Okay."


    Natalie trailed behind Marcus. Connie was still staying at Holden Residence to take care of Charles. When she saw Nataliee, she ran outside to wee her.


    "Doctor... I mean, hi, Ms. Walker!"


    Connie rushed toward Natalie. She was so excited that she almost called Natalie "Dr. Elim".


    "How''s Grandpa Charles?" Natalie asked.


    "He''s feeling much better now. Other than taking the medicine on time every day, he exercises with me in the morning too!"


    Connie continued with a beam, "Mr. Holden Senior also gave me a lot of gifts! They''re all valuable stuff."


    Natalie chuckled. "You can bring Grandpa Charles to the hospital for a full-body checkup five dayster. Once you confirm that he''s all good, you''re good to go."


    "Will do," Connie replied happily. "Ms. Walker, are you here to visit Mr. Holden Senior?"


    "Yes, and I''m going to take a look at The Book Sanctum in Holden Residence as well."


    "Mr. Holden Senior is at the garden. Let me bring you there. Also, they recently got a new batch of pretty flowers."


    Connie looked at Marcus, who was standing behind Natalie, and waved at him. "Hi, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus responded in a t tone, "Hello."


    "Marcus, I''m going to have a chat with Grandpa Charles, so you can go find the sketchbook first. I''ll let Sheldon take me to The Book Sanctumter," Natalie said.


    "Okay."


    Connie widened her eyes in shock at how Marcus had just agreed obediently. The way he spoke and talked to Natalie¡ªit was like they were in a rtionship!


    She figured she had to be imagining it.


    Connie took a moment to calm down. Then, she led Natalie to the garden to see Charles.


    As they were walking to the garden, Natalie noticed the new batch of flowers Connie had mentioned.


    The white jasmine flowers were in full bloom on both sides of the path and in the center of the garden.


    The jasmine flowers were different in size, and they were trimmed in different shapes too. Since there was a huge amount of jasmine flowers, a burst of fragrance would fill the air as soon as someone passed by.


    The green foliage was dense, and the white flowers bloomed at the tops, arranged in an orderly fashion-truly a refreshing sight to see.


    "The workers built a new ss conservatory. I heard it was Mr. Holden who had ordered them to build it, and there are a lot of jasmine flowers nted in it," Connie whispered as she guided Natalie to the garden. "And there''s more than one color of the jasmine flower; they''ve been specially bred in all shades.


    "Who knows why he likes jasmine flowers so much all of a sudden."


    Natalie didn''t know how to respond. After all, it wasn''t because Marcus liked jasmine flowers, but because he wanted to repay his lifesaver after he found out who she was.


    On top of that, she was using jasmine flowers as her profile picture.


    As they walked to the garden, Natalie realized how huge Holden Residence''s backyard was¡ªit was way bigger than the Walker residence''s backyard.


    The backyard featured the same stable as Walker Estate, as well as a golf field. Another area featured a lush, green orchard with a big pond before it.


    Besides caring for Charles, Connie had a lot of free time staying in Holden Residence. Thus, Sheldon assigned a helper to her, and they toured Holden Residence entirely.


    Connie might have been more familiar with the residence now ifpared to Marcus.


    After all, Marcus was very busy and didn''t have much time to spend in the residence.


    Soon, they arrived at the ss conservatory. Natalie saw Charles inside with the gardener, trimming the jasmine branches.


    "Mr. Holden Senior!" Connie called out to Charles in a cheerful tone.


    Charles looked up, smiling at her. "Over here, Connie!"


    "Okay!


    "Mr. Holden Senior, look who came!" Connie said, stepping aside.


    Natalie was standing behind her and grinning.


    "I''m here to see you, Grandpa Charles."


    "Nattie!" Charles eximed. He put down the scissors and walked to Natalie, grabbing her hands as he assessed her carefully. "It''s been a while, and you''re even prettier Row. You''ve got so much love from your parents and brothers-your eyes are sparkling!"


    Charles chuckled as he joked, but he meant what he had said just now. Back then


    in the Langleys, Grace did Natalie nasty.


    He should really stop recalling those memories. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he felt to have epted such a deceitful and malicious person as his godsister.


    Langley Group was now under Victor and Selena''s control, and there was always something wrong with thepany. After the former shareholders sold their shares to Victor, they went abroad to enjoy life.  s?novel


    Now that Langley Group was in trouble, Victor couldn''t even turn things around by himself. Grace, who had spent years pretending to be out of the loop and enjoying her time at the nursing home, had no choice but to return to Langley Group to manage everything.


    However, Selena refused to listen to her. The spies Charles had left at thepany reported to him at times, saying that Selena and Grace started to argue again in a meeting.


    Given her age, Grace ended up in the hospital every time she got so infuriated.


    Seeing Natalie standing before him, looking much better than before, Charles was genuinely happy for her.


    "Nattie,e and see the jasmine flowers here! Do you like them?"


    Charles grabbed Natalie''s hand. "The blue jasmine flower is a new variety, and it was bred at Marcus'' request. Once it blooms, I''ll ask someone to send you a pot. And this, too, is a red one.


    "As for this pot right here... let me think." Charles gave his head a little knock.


    "Oh, right! Marcus said this is brown."


    Natalie''s eyes widened in surprise. "Brown?"


    A jasmine flower in brown-she couldn''t even imagine it.


    "Yes, brown." Charles let out a chuckle. "I was dumbfounded when Marcus told


    me that. A brown-colored jasmine flower? That''s hard to believe. "When it blooms, I''ll give a pot of it to you so you can see it yourself." Natalie was staring at the jasmine flower buds in front of her, deep in thought. "Ms. Walker, Mr. Marcus sent me to bring you to The Book Sanctum." Sheldon walked over and said politely, "Mr. Holden Senior, Mr. Marcus asked me to invite Ms. Walker over. She could join you again after she''s done."


    "No problem," Charles replied, grinning. "Nattie, there are several books you won''t find on the market in The Book Sanctum. Let Marcus give them to you if any of them catches your eye."


    "It''s fine, I''ll just take a look." Natalie broke into a smile. "I''ll get going, Grandpa Charles."


    "Okay!"


    Natalie followed Sheldon out of the ss conservatory. Connie, however, stayed inside with Charles. She said something to him that made him burst outughing.

 Chapter 327 He Wraps His Hand Around Her Waist

    Natalie turned around to look at them. Seeing Connie and Charles brought her back to the times when she was still by Grace''s side. They hadughed happily like that too.


    Those days hadn''t seemed so distant to Natalie, yet it felt like a different lifetime in this moment.


    "This way, Ms. Walker," Sheldon called out after seeing Natalie stand there in a daze. He said, "This path leads straight to The Book Sanctum."


    "Alright, thank you."


    Natalie followed Sheldon, passing through thewn and a few small vis dedicated to the helpers. After walking by a vibrant orchard, they finally arrived at a Dithorian-style manor.


    The que above the entrance, carved with "The Book Sanctum", elevated the building''s stately and powerful appearance.


    Sheldon stepped forward and pushed open the heavy door. "Wee to The Book Sanctum, Ms. Walker."


    As Natalie walked through the door, she was greeted by a courtyard. In the center of the courtyard stood a water fountain surrounded by pine trees, which housed some small ornamental fish.


    A swing set was positioned to the side, with a stone table and stone bench just a short distance away. There were some nibbles and tea on the stone table, and Marcus was sitting there, enjoying a cup of tea.


    "Mr. Marcus, Ms. Walker has arrived."


    Sheldon guided Natalie to the stone table and left.


    "Have a seat."


    Marcus elegantly poured a cup of tea. "Give it a try? It''s jasmine tea."


    "Is jasmine flower your new addiction, Marcus?"


    Natalie sat down, only to see the snacks before her were decorated by jasmine petals.


    "Maybe." Marcus let out a chuckle. "Go ahead, try it."


    Natalie picked up the tea and took a small, careful sip. Marcus had added honey to the tea, which, with its subtle sweetness, tasted better than in jasmine tea. "Are you repaying me again, nting all those jasmine flowers in your garden?"


    Natalie didn''t want to overthink it, but jasmine flowers were her profile picture on every ount. Besides, Marcus had never paid attention to jasmine flowers. The sudden change urred right after Sophia confessed the truth about Marcus'' actual lifesaver.


    Hence, it was basically impossible for Natalie to not overthink it.


    "Can''t I grow them just because I like the flower?" Marcus pushed the snacks to Natalie. "You can have some of these first. After drinking the tea, I''ll bring you to see the sketchbook."


    "Let me see it now." Natalie reached out her hand. "I can drink the tea, nibble on the snacks, and flip through the sketchbook, all at once."


    "Multitasking?" Marcus smirked a little, obviously in a good mood. "Better not. It''s bad for your stomach and eyes."


    "Marcus Holden," said Natalie, raising her voice. "Is this how you treat your lifesaver?"


    She red at him. Since Marcus was trying to repay her, she could use that "lifesaver" identity of hers to put some pressure on him.


    Upon hearing what Natalie had said, Marcus broke into a grin. Then, he stood up. "Let''s go, Ms. Lifesaver."


    Natalie walked behind him. The manor''s structure was simple. It had an elegant courtyard, rooms on three sides, and corridors lined with basalt tiles. The tiles and columns were also adorned with detailed carvings of Griffins.


    Marcus pushed open the door to the middle room, and the nostalgic scent of books immediately filled the air.


    The windows had been opened beforehand. Warm sunlight streamed through, making even the tiniest dust particle visible.


    The room was sorge that it seemed endless at first nce. It was lined with mahogany bookshelves, and the books were arranged meticulously. There were alsodders between each bookshelf, making it easier to ess the books.


    Each bookshelf wasbeled with its specific book categories. Because the space was vast and the books plentiful, and with no one assigned to manage The Book Sanctum, they would have to search for the book themselves.


    However, Natalie wasn''t going to waste her time looking for the sketchbook. She turned to Marcus straight away. "Where''s the sketchbook? Go get it for me."


    "Follow me."


    Marcus walked into the room. After pondering for a moment, Natalie followed him inside.


    He kept walking until he reached the end of the room. Natalie only then realized that another door was hidden inside.


    Marcus took out a key to unlock the door. He pushed it open and reached for the switch.


    The room was a lot smallerpared to the one outside. It was filled with books as well. The only difference was that there were nobels on the bookshelves.


    "The sketchbook is in the box up there."


    Marcus pointed at the bookshelf on the left. There was a ck wooden box on top of it, secured with a tiny gold lock.


    Marcus grabbed Natalie''s wrist all of a sudden. Before she could p him, he quickly ced a small gold key on her hand.


    "This is the key."


    Natalie was going to p him, but she withdrew her hand abruptly in the end. "Go get adder here."


    Natalie scanned around the room. There wasn''t anydder in the small room, and she couldn''t reach the top of the bookshelf because of her height.


    "No need for that." Marcus'' deep voice rang out. In the next instant, he hoisted Natalie onto his shoulder.


    "Take the box, quick."


    "Marcus, you..." Natalie was surprised at his sudden action.


    He held her firmly, ensuring there was no risk of her falling.


    "Be quick," Marcus said again. "You''re so heavy, Natalie!"


    "Okay."


    Natalie didn''t have the time to be angry at him. She quickly grabbed the box and cradled it in her arms. "You can put me down now."


    "Alright," Marcus responded.


    Then, he carefully lowered her from his shoulder. His hand instinctively caught her waist as shended.


    "Careful there."


    Without any hesitation, Nataliended a p on Marcus'' face. "You''re getting too close!"


    Marcus was at a loss for words.


    "Don''t make me p you again, Marcus!"


    Marcus let out a soft snicker. "Is that it? Did you skip lunch?"


    Just exactly as he wished, Natalie gave him another p, much harder than the previous one.


    "What do you say? Did I skip lunch?"


    Marcus remained silent for a while. Secondster, he nodded slowly. "Yeah, you definitely had your lunch."


    "You''re totally nuts."


    "Well, you''re a doctor, so you can treat me," Marcus retorted.


    Natalie rolled her eyes. "Move."


    "Okay."


    Marcus stepped aside. Then, with


    the wooden box in her arms, Natalie walked out of the room. There was a


    table and chair by the window and afortable couch next to it.


    Natalie sat on the couch. She opened the tiny gold lock with the gold key and


    lifted the lid. There was a small sketchbook lying quietly in the wooden box.


    The sketchbook''s cover had turned yellow. It was obvious that it had been around


    for a while.


    She took out the sketchbook and


    turned to the first page. It was a


    nt with 18 blue flowers, each shaped like a small bell. A note beside it provided the name characteristics, and applications.


    On the second page was the Lethal


    Vermillion Marcus had shown before. The nts on these two pages were exactly the same as the sketchbook her mentor had given Ker.  s?novel


    Natalie''s heart was thumping loudly. Marcus also mentioned that there was a total of five volumes of the sketchbook. She wondered if Federrick knew about this.

 Chapter 328 Couldn’t Find a Single Fault With His Hospitality

    Natalie sat on the couch, flipping through the first sketchbook page by page. By the time she reached thest page, she was almost certain that Marcus hadn''t lied-this sketchbook was indeed a replica of the one Federrick had given her.


    She wasn''t sure if her mentor had the others. If he did, he would have surely given them to her already.


    Natalie nced up at Marcus. He was leaningzily against the bookshelf, looking intently at her.


    When their gazes met, Marcus''s lips curved into a smile. "See? I didn''t lie to you." Natalie nodded. "I already have this one. Can I see the other four?"


    "Of course," Marcus said, hooking his finger at her. "Come here. I''ll carry you up to get them."


    "No," Natalie refused without hesitation. "I''ll get thedder myself."


    "Alright," Marcus didn''t push further. Thedders here were lightweight yet sturdy, so he wasn''t worried about Natalie struggling to move one or falling from it.


    However, the moment Natalie reached for thedder, a long, well-defined hand appeared and effortlessly took it from her.


    "I got it," Marcus said.


    "Thanks."


    With a casual smile, he carried thedder into the small room and positioned it in front of another bookshelf. "They''re on the top shelf," he added.


    "Thank you, Marcus," she replied.


    Natalie climbed up while Marcus stood below, holding thedder steady. When she nced down, she saw him looking up at her.


    "Don''t look at me like that," she muttered, pressing her lips together. "Is it four books up here or just one?"


    "All four are there," Marcus replied. "But I don''t know if they''re what you need. I''ve never seen the nts drawn inside, so I can''t be sure if their described uses are urate."


    "Alright."


    Natalie hopped down from thedder, and Marcus instinctively reached out to catch her. Before she could react, she was already in his arms.


    "Marcus-"


    Before Natalie could finish her protest, Marcus gently set her down on the ground. "Sorry, I was just worried you might fall."


    Natalie red at him fiercely.


    Marcus merely chuckled. When she was angry, her cheeks flushed red, her big, bright eyes burned with intensity, and even her hair seemed to bristle.


    She also had a habit of hitting him. If he wasn''t careful, her p wouldnd on his face before he knew it.


    But then again, this wasn''t the first time she had hit him.


    Natalie took a deep breath to steady herself. She felt like Marcus was making her overly sensitive.


    Perhaps he really just wanted to repay a debt of gratitude and help her.


    "The key?" she asked.


    "Here," Marcus said, handing her another golden key. "Go sit outside and take a look. I''ll have some snacks and tea brought in."


    "Alright. Thanks."


    Marcus turned and walked out. When he reached the entrance, he took out his phone and nced at a message from Charles with some book rmendations.


    "The Art of Winning Her Heart. The Ultimate Dating Handbook. 100 Ways to Show You Care."


    Marcus was speechless.


    Now that Charles had recovered, his meddling had only gotten worse.


    However, this time, Marcus didn''t feel annoyed.


    Natalie sat behind the desk, unlocked the small golden lock, and carefully took out the four sketchbooks. She nced toward the door, but Marcus was no longer in sight.


    Only then did she rx, pulling out her phone to snap pictures of the drawings inside before sending them to her mentor, Federrick Langton.


    Federrick was notoriously elusive-whether or not he


    responded depended entirely on his mood. If he was in a good mood, he


    would reply. If not, she could be


    waiting for days, months, or even years.


    After sending the images, Natalie nervously stared at her phone. Just five secondster, Federrick''s call came through.


    "Hello, sir."


    "You brat! Where did you take these pictures?"


    Federrick''s powerful voice echoed in her ears, and Natalie''s eyes instantly welled up with tears. Thest time she had heard his voice was over a year ago.


    "Sir, I took them in the Holdens'' library," she said. "Marcus showed them to me. They also have an identical copy of the sketchbook you gave me."


    "Of course they do! The one I gave you was a replica I secretly sketched from theirs!" Federrick said proudly, not the slightest bit ashamed of having copied it.


    Natalie was stunned. "What?"


    Before Natalie could express her surprise, Federrick continued, "I just didn''t expect the Holdens to have more of them. What a miscalction on my part!"


    He added, "My dear Natalie, since you have this opportunity, copy the rest and send them to me."


    Natalie chuckled. Just moments ago, he had called her a brat, and now she was his "dear Natalie". Federrick hadn''t changed a bit he was still the same mischievous old man.


    "Sir, I can just ask Marcus for them directly."


    After all, Marcus was set on repaying his debt. As his savior, she figured he wouldn''t refuse her request.


    "No, no, no," Federrick rejected the idea immediately. "These things are incredibly valuable. Just tell Marcus you''re interested, then copy them yourself. Once you''ve copied them, I''ll send you an address. Maitthem to me so I can take a look.


    "Alright, sir," Natalie replied.


    "Good, that''s settled! I''m off to a nightclub. Bye, my dear Natalie."


    Before Natalie could say another word, the call ended.


    Natalie held her phone, unable to suppress a softugh. Despite his age, Federrick had handed everything over to her and was now living more carefree and joyfully than anyone else.


    Natalie hadn''t expected that what Marcus had given her was actually the original.


    But then, how had Federrick managed to secretly sketch it from the Holdens'' library in the first ce?


    As Natalie pondered this, Marcus walked in, followed by several helpers. Each carried a tray, and as they approached, they carefully set down an array of exquisite pastries on the table.


    Thest two trays held tea and an assortment of sparkling beverages. By the time


    the helpers finished setting everything down, the table was fullyden.


    Natalie nced at Marcus, but before he could say a word, the helpers quietly and orderly exited the room.


    "Now that you''ve seen everything, how about having something to eat?" Marcus pulled out a chair and gestured to her. "Nat,e here."


    Natalie held up the sketchbook in her hand. "Marcus, can I make a copy of this?"


    "No need to go through all that trouble. I''ll just give it to you."


    "I can''t ept that. I''ll just copy it myself," Natalie insisted, recalling Federrick''s words. She couldn''t take the Holdens'' sketchbook, but making her own copy was


    fine.


    Marcus didn''t argue. "Alright, I''ll get you some paper and pencils."


    Marcus didn''t insist. If Natalie stayed to copy the sketches, it would give him more


    time to spend with her. After all, repaying a debt of gratitude was best done slowly.


    "Alright, thanks."


    "Nat, eat something while I''m gone. I won''t take long."


    As Marcus turned to leave, Natalie got up and moved to the table. She poured


    herself a cup of tea, gently blew on it, and took a small sip.


    The pastries were meticulously crafted, and the tes holding them were even more exquisite. The sparkling drinks in delicate sses came in different colors. A single whiff was enough for Natalie to recognize that they were all vors she liked.


    Each portion was just enough for her to enjoy without feeling overwhelmed or


    getting tired of any one vor.


    Marcus'' hospitality as a host was so meticulous and thoughtful that Natalie couldn''t find a single fault with it.

 Chapter 329 Marcus Parents Found

    Exquisite pastries and beautiful drinks always had a way of lifting one''s mood, and Natalie was no exception.


    She smiled faintly and picked up a piece of pastry with her fork, taking a small bite. A subtle jasmine flower fragrance lingered on her pte. It was clear that jasmine had been incorporated into the dessert.


    After finishing the pastry, she took a sip of the orange-vored sparkling water. As expected, her mood improved even further.


    Marcus''s way of repaying a favor was certainly thorough. If Sophia had leveraged his influence, she could have easily made herself stronger. Yet, Sophia hadn''t.


    Then again, Sophia herself had admitted that she had stolen the identity of his savior. All these years, she had lived in constant fear of being exposed.


    Otherwise, Shane wouldn''t have ckmailed her for so long.


    At the thought of Shane, Natalie''s expression turned cold.


    Shane was Cindy''s son, Emma''s devotedpdog, and a despicable human being.


    Yet, such a scumbag was still workingfortably in the Walker family, earning a hefty sry. During the wee party, the person who had secretly taken photos of her was most likely Shane.


    Then, there was the listening device Noah found behind the umbre tree.


    All of it pointed to a malignant presence within the Walker family.


    Just as Natalie was lost in thought, Marcus returned with the drawing materials. "Nat, here''s the paper and pencils."


    While Natalie was still lost in thought about the Walker family, Marcus returned with the art supplies.


    "Why aren''t you eating? Is it not to your liking?" he asked, ncing at the table.


    Only a small piece of pastry was missing, and one of the sparkling beverages had been barely touched.


    It was far less than he had expected her to consume.


    "No, it''s not that," Natalie said, taking the supplies from him. "I''ll be here for quite a while. Is that okay?"


    "Of course. Stay as long as you like."


    "Alright."


    "Help me clear some space on the table, then."


    "Got it."


    Marcus didn''t call for the helpers. Instead, he personally moved things exactly as Natalie directed. Soon, half the table was cleared, and before she could say anything, he had already arranged the art supplies neatly for her.


    "Do you need any help?" he asked.


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. "Can you actually help?"


    Then, she realized it was a redundant question. These high-society heirs were all trained in music, chess, and painting.


    "Here, you can help me with this one," she said, handing him one of the sketchbooks.


    "Alright."


    Marcus pulled up a chair and sat across from Natalie. The sketchbook she gave him was thest of the set.


    Since Natalie already had the first one, she started copying from the second, while Marcus worked on the fifth.


    For the next few hours, neither of them spoke.


    The window was open, carrying in the faint fragrance of jasmine with the asional breeze. Sunlight streamed into the room, shifting gradually as time passed. Byte afternoon, a golden beamnded right on Natalie''s face.


    Marcus looked up and found himself staring.


    Natalie sat therepletely absorbed in her work, bathed in soft, golden light.


    She had delicate, well-defined features¡ªa petite face, a straight, dainty nose, and beautifully shaped lips that were slightly pursed in concentration. The sunlight illuminated her refined profile, casting a warm glow on her wless, porcin-like skin.


    Without a trace of makeup, she exuded a natural, pristine beauty.


    Her captivating eyes were fringed with long, thickshes that fluttered asionally, like delicate little fans.


    Paired with her focused expression, she seemed to be bathed in a radiant glow.


    Marcus wished time could stand still for a moment-no conflicts, misunderstandings, or mistaken identities. Just the two of them, quietly painting


    together.


    The moment was serene with her by his side, and the air seemed to flow with a sweet, blissful fragrance.


    When Natalie focused on a task, she gave it her full attention. Her


    exceptional memory made copying the sketches effortless. She


    beside each one. When her wrist


    began to ache, she gently lifted it


    and shook it out.


    The next second, Marcus held a piece of pastry to her lips. "Have a bite."


    "Thank you. I can do it myself."


    Keeping a polite distance, Natalie epted the fork from his hand. Just as she finished the pastry, Marcus ced a ss of sparkling water beside her.


    "Take a sip to refresh yourself."


    "Thank you."


    Natalie was indeed feeling thirsty. Whenever she concentrated intensely, she tended to get hungry and thirsty quickly.


    After taking several sips of the sparkling water, she was about to pick up her brush again when Marcus handed her a piece of chocte.


    Natalie instantly recognized the packaging. It was the same brand she had enjoyed while staying at Holden Residence-the one Lincoln hadter acquired just to gift her a lifetime supply.


    "Thank you."


    She unwrapped the chocte and took a bite before ncing at Marcus. "Let me see your work."


    "Sure."


    He handed over his sketchbook. Each nt he had drawn was vivid and lifelike, down to the finest detail. Not only that, but he had worked faster than her.


    Marcus''s artistic skills were clearly superior.


    "This is great. After you finish the fifth book, go ahead and copy the fourth one for me."


    "Got it," he agreed without hesitation. Then, he urged, "Have some more pastries."


    "No more," Natalie said.


    Natalie flexed her wrist, then stood up and stretched before spinning around a few times to loosen up. After that, she sat back down and continued sketching.


    Marcus smiled slightly, but he said nothing. He simply picked up his pen again, and soon, the room fell back into afortable silence.


    No one knew how much time had passed when Natalie''s phone suddenly chimed with a notification. Marcus nced up and immediately recognized the sender''s email address.


    It was the mysterious site where King of Hearts posted updates on the search for his parents'' whereabouts.


    He narrowed his eyes slightly, and just as he reached out to take a closer look, Natalie swiftly picked up her phone.


    She looked up at him, only to find that Marcus had already lowered his gaze and returned to his drawing.


    "I''m stepping out for some fresh air," she said, standing up and heading outside with her phone in hand.


    Once outside, Natalie opened the email. The message was brief, containing only


    a single line. "King, Wesley Holden and Laura Reed are in Scarlet Hill, Amberton."


    Natalie deleted the email


    immediately and opened a map. Amberton was thousands of miles from Dithoria. There were no direct transportation options avable; reaching it would require multiple transfers. Driving there would take even longer.


    She quickly searched for more information about Scarlet Hill.


    It was a small vige named after its vast fields of scarlet poppies. The entire hillside would be awash in a fiery red hue during the blooming season. Every year, from May to July, tourists flocked to Scarlet Hill to witness the breathtaking sight.


    This three-month period was also the peak earning season for the vigers of Scarlet Hill. Once the blooming season ended, the number of visitors dropped significantly.


    Marcus''s parents were hiding there just as the scarlet poppies were in full


    bloom.

 Chapter 330 Even More Determined to Go

    Natalie clicked on the images of Scarlet Hill. Vast fields of scarlet poppies stretched out before her, their fiery red petals dazzling and captivating.


    Tourists swarmed the area, capturing the breathtaking scenery with their cameras. The atmosphere was lively and bustling.


    Marcus'' biological parents weren''t permanent residents of Scarlet Hill. It was just that when she had asked for information, their location had been traced there.


    Coincidentally, she also needed to go to Amberton to investigate the whereabouts of Emma''s biological parents. While she was there, she could visit Scarlet Hill to see if she could find Wesley and Laura.


    After all, Laura and Charlotte had been close friends. Since Natalie bore such a striking resemnce to Charlotte, Laura would likely recognize her without any introduction.


    Natalie tucked her phone away and turned to head back to the study when another notification chimed. She swiped her finger across the screen and opened


    the message.


    The sender was the same string of zeros, and the message contained only a single photo. In it, she was sitting across from Marcus, deeply focused on her drawing.


    Natalie''s heart skipped a beat. She nced around, but the surroundings were eerily quiet, with no sign of anyone nearby.


    She then looked toward the study, where the security cameras were clearly visible. However, this photo wasn''t taken from a security feed. The angle and rity suggested it came from a high-end professional camera.


    Code Zero was like a ghost, appearing out of nowhere just when she was about to forget about them.


    Natalie quickly tapped out a response. "Who the hell are you? Why are you watching me?"


    Code Zero replied almost instantly, "I''m a friend."


    Natalie frowned. What kind of friend lurked in the shadows, constantly monitoring someone?


    She fired back, "You''re not watching me in the shower or the bathroom, are you?" Code Zero replied, "I''m not that much of a creep."


    Then another message followed. "Do not go to Scarlet Hill. Don''t look for Wesley and Laura. Remember this."


    Natalie''s frown deepened. She had just received the information about Wesley and Laura''s location, and now Code Zero was warning her not to go. She wondered who this person was and what their motive was for keeping such a close eye on her.


    "Nat," Marcus interrupted.


    Natalie quicklyposed herself, deleting the messages. Now wasn''t the time to trace Code Zero''s location.


    "Marcus, what are you doing out here?" she asked, turning to face him.


    "I was worried when you didn''te back, so I came to check on you," Marcus


    said, stepping closer. "Is everything alright?"


    Natalie smiled. "Everything''s fine. Let''s go back."


    "When we finish these sketches, I''ll be heading back," Marcus said.


    "Marcus, you mentioned before that you wanted to visit Amberton, right?" Natalie asked, tilting her head slightly.


    "Yes."


    "Great. Let''s go together."


    If Code Zero was so determined to keep her away from Scarlet Hill, then she was even more determined to go, and she was bringing Marcus with her.


    Logically, she shouldn''t meddle in other people''s family affairs, especially Marcus''. However, the look of loneliness and sorrow she had seen on his face had stirred an inexplicable sense of sympathy in her.


    Besides, even if she tried to stop Marcus from following her to Amberton, it would be pointless.


    Marcus now knew that she had saved him as a child, and he was determined to repay that debt.


    Whether she epted it or not was her choice, but Marcus'' decision to repay her was his. Given the current situation, Marcus was set on repaying her no matter what she thought. Instead of wasting time trying to dissuade him, she might as well take him along.


    "Nat, why did you suddenly agree to let me go with you?" Marcus asked, studying Natalie with a probing gaze. "Weren''t you against it before?"


    "If I told you not to go, would you really stay behind?" Natalie countered.


    Marcus thought for a moment, then shook his head.


    Natalie smirked. "Exactly. So, what''s the point in arguing about it? Let''s go finish the sketches."


    "Alright," Marcus replied, not pressing further.


    The two of them returned to the table and continued working on the remaining sketchbooks.


    1.n


    By the time they were done, it was already 9:00 pm. Throughout the process, Natalie finished off all the snacks and sparkling water the servants had brought. Since she was still hungry, Marcus had Sheldon bring dinner. The two of them ate together at the desk, facing each other infortable silence.


    They ended up eating together at the desk.


    Once everything was sorted, Natalie packed up the newlypleted four


    sketchbooks and shed Marcus a rare, sweet smile.


    She couldn''t help it-her good mood made it impossible to maintain her usual cold demeanor.


    "Marcus, thank you," she said sincerely.


    "You''re wee. It''s my pleasure to help you," Marcus replied, reaching out to gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.


    Just as Natalie instinctively raised her hand to swat him, he quickly stepped back, dodging just in time.


    "Don''t be so fierce," he teased. "I''m not drugged this time-I won''t do anything to you."


    Natalie scoffed but didn''t argue further.


    "I''m leaving now. Thanks again for today," she said, turning to go.


    "Let me walk you out," Marcus offered, following her as they stepped out of the study.


    The garden lights had already turned on, casting a warm glow over the courtyard. She carried a small ck box in her arms. Inside were the newlypleted sketchbooks, along with the five original ones.


    The box itself was sleek and polished, with a delicate gold lock that gleamed under the light. One look was enough to tell it was an expensive piece.


    At first, she didn''t want to ept them, but Marcus insisted, using the excuse of "repaying his debt". In the end, she had no choice but to ept them.


    On the way back to Walker Estate, Natalie felt a wave of exhaustion wash over


    her. She leaned back in the car, holding the box close, and closed her eyes for a quick rest.


    Marcus didn''t disturb her. Instead, he quietly removed his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders, letting her rest in peace.


    The ride back to the Walker Estate was quiet. When the car pulled up to the grand entrance, Natalie stirred awake.


    "We''re here," Marcus said softly.


    "Marcus, thank you again," Natalie replied, yawning slightly as she gathered the boxes in her arms. "I won''t invite you in for tea-it''ste, and you should head back to rest."


    "Nat, goodnight," Marcus said, getting out of the car to watch her walk into the mansion.


    Just as he was about to turn back and get into his car, something felt off. He looked up and immediately spotted Charlotte and William


    balcony. The couple each bel.ne


    standing on the second-floor


    ss of red wine, staring down at him with eyes that could almost devour him whole.


    Marcus remained unfazed. Instead, he shed them a polite smile and greeted, "Mr. and Mrs. Walker, good evening."


    William and Charlotte remained silent. Just a short while ago, Marcus had been ready to call off the engagement, and now he was dropping their precious daughter off at home. They couldn''t help but wonder what Marcus was ying at. After his courteous farewell, Marcus got back into the car and instructed the driver, "Let''s go."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," the driver replied, and the car pulled away.


    Just as Natalie carried the box toward the elevator, Mason suddenly jumped out


    of nowhere.


    "Natalie,e here," Mason said, pulling her toward the small study on the first floor.


    "What''s going on?" Natalie asked.


    Mason closed the door behind them and handed her an envelope. "Emma attempted suicide while in custody at the enforcement office. Sky panicked and went to great lengths to get her out. She''s now staying at one of the Sinir family''s properties."


    Natalie''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Has he lost his mind?" she eximed. "He just called off his engagement with Sophia, and now he''s sheltering Emma in one of their family''s estates? Does he have any idea of the horrible things Emma did to Sophia?"

 Chapter 331 Suspecting Cindy as Emma’s Biological Mother

    "What exactly did Emma do to Sophia?" Mason asked, feeling confused. "Natalie, did I miss something? What''s going on?"


    Natalie took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. "Mason, let''s go to my room to talk. This isn''t something we should discuss out here."


    "Alright," Mason agreed.


    "Are Lincoln, Hector, and Timothy home? Call them up too. We need to have a family meeting," Natalie said firmly.


    "They''re here. I''ll go get them," Mason replied. "What about Sky? Should we call him too?"


    "No," Natalie said coldly, her expression darkening at the mention of Sky.


    She had thought he''d changed after what happened at the charity event, but now


    it was clear that his behavior only shifted when Emma wasn''t involved. The moment Emma was in the picture, Natalie meant nothing to him.


    She should have known better than to hold any hope for Sky.


    "Mason, do you know which Sinir property Sky moved Emma to?" Natalie asked.


    "Yeah, it''s the one Sophia owns in the southern suburbs. That area hasn''t been developed yet, so it''s pretty remote. Sophia got it because Ruby didn''t want it¡ª Sophia always ends up with the scraps Ruby doesn''t care about," Mason exined.


    "After all, Sophia was engaged to Sky before, so even though the Sinirs didn''t like her, they couldn''tpletely neglect her when it came to assets."


    Mason had been about to leave to gather the others, but he paused and added, "What Sky''s doing is just wrong. How dare he? I only found out this afternoon that you were bullied at the charity event, and then Mom and Sky went to break off the engagement with the Sinirs.


    "If the engagement is off, then Sky and Sophia are done, right? So, why does he have the nerve to move Emma into Sophia''s property? Is it just because Sophia gave him a spare key before? This is so shameless."


    Natalie agreed wholeheartedly, but she was too angry to even muster the energy to curse. "Mason, I''ll wait for you in my room."


    "Got it. I''ll go get the others," Mason said. "Oh, and should we tell Dad and Mom about this?"


    "Not yet," Natalie replied, rubbing her temples.


    Their parents had already made their stance clear, but Sky was still stubbornly refusing to see reason. Telling their parents would only result in Sky getting punished again, but it wouldn''t change his blind loyalty to Emma.


    Natalie couldn''t shake the thought-why did Emma get to live in Sophia''s house? The idea gnawed at her, fueling her frustration. Emma, who had caused so much pain and chaos, didn''t deserve suchfort or protection.


    Natalie carried the boxes up to the fifth floor and into her room. While waiting for her brothers, she quickly took photos of the sketchbooks and sent them to Federrick. Almost instantly, Federrick replied with an address and a phone number, instructing her to mail the items there.


    Natalie acknowledged the message and stashed the boxes under her bed.


    A short whileter, the doorbell rang. Natalie got up to answer it and found her four brothers standing outside. They were dressed in casual homewear, and as they entered, Lincoln led the way, followed by the others in order of age.


    "Natalie, tell us what you need us to do," Lincoln said, taking charge. "Mason gave us a rough idea of the situation, and my contacts have already filled me in on the details. That scumbag Sky has no shame."


    Hector was a doctor, typically the most mild-mannered among them. Yet, at this moment, he couldn''t suppress his frustration. "Ms. Sinir doesn''t even know about this yet. Now that we do, we can''t just keep it from her."


    "If we did, we''d be no better than Sky," Natalie said calmly. "However, Ms. Sinir doesn''t have the power to fight this battle alone, so I''m going to have Marcus help her. What we need to do is keep Sky under control at home, cut off hismunication with the outside world, and make sure his people


    can''t assist Emma."


    Mason furiously interjected, "Why are you still calling her Emma? She doesn''t deserve to carry the Walker family name. Natalie, you should call her what she is -a vile creature."


    Natalie paused, then nodded. "You''re


    right. Emma doesn''t deserve any respect. Ms: Sinir isn''t in the best


    health right now, but she needs to handle this herself. I''ll have Marcus protect her so the Sinirs don''t dare to cause her any trouble. Then,


    we''ll have Ms. Sinire here


    and confront Sky directly."


    Lincoln exchanged nces with his brothers. "No problem. I''ll go talk to Sky right now."


    "Hector, you go take Sky''s phone," Lincoln instructed.


    "Timothy, you hack into Sky''sputer and disable it," he added.


    "Mason, you go with Natalie to see Ms. Sinir," Lincoln continued. "Since Sky


    broke off the engagement, he has no right to treat her this way."


    He turned back to Natalie. "Mason


    back


    also mentioned that Emma did


    some terrible things to Ms. Sinir If you know the details, Natalie, just tell us. You can trust us. We aren''t like Sky. We don''t turn a blind eye to injustice or act without reason. Sky loses his mind when ites to Emma. It''s infuriating."


    Natalie was silent for a long moment before she finally said, "There are some things I can''t share right now. If Ms. Sinir chooses to bring it up when she confronts Sky, then everyone will know. If she doesn''t, then I have to respect her privacy."


    Lincoln nodded in understanding. "Alright, we won''t press the issue."


    The Walkers were all sharp-minded, and even without Natalie spelling it out, they could guess that whatever Emma had done to Sophia was nothing short of horrific.


    "By the way, does anyone know where Cindy went after she got fired?" Natalie added.


    The mention of Cindy made her think of Shane. He had to be in contact with her. Natalie suspected that Sky had hidden Cindy away but had yet to find solid proof.


    "I know," Mason said, raising his hand. "Sky moved Cindy to Causeway Bay, and he''s got people guarding her tightly. Perhaps he was afraid you''d go after her, Natalie."


    Natalie let out a cold chuckle. She had suspected as much. As expected, Sky was involved.


    "And Shane? Is he still working here?"


    Lincoln nodded. "Yes, after Gabriel''s incident, Shane volunteered to take over the job of feeding the horses. He''s essentially reced Shane. Shane is Cindy''s son. Cindy had been working here even before she got pregnant with him, so he''s practically grown up in this household."


    "Does Shane treat Emma well?" Natalie asked.


    Lincoln nodded again. "Very well. In fact, all the staff here treat Emma well, especially Cindy and Shane."


    "Wait," Lincoln said, suddenly realizing something.


    He looked at Natalie. "Natalie, are you suspecting that Cindy might be Emma''s biological mother?"

 Chapter 332 A Long Brewing Scheme

    Lincoln had barely finished speaking when Hector and the others'' expressions shifted subtly.


    If Cindy was truly Emma''s biological mother, then this wasn''t just a case of babies being switched at birth. It might not have been an ident at all-it could have been a long-brewing scheme.


    A heavy silence settled over the room as the weight of the possibility sank in. After a while, Lincoln said, "Natalie, you can''t go to Amberton alone."


    "This is just a suspicion for now," Natalie replied calmly. "Since we know where Cindy is and Emma likely does too, all we need to do is get their hair and run a DNA test."


    She stood up decisively. "There''s no time to waste. Let''s do it now."


    "I''ll call Marcus," Lincoln said. "He probably hasn''t gone far yet."


    He paused before asking, "Natalie, why do you want Marcus involved?"


    Natalie smiled slightly and exined, "Marcus has been protecting Sophia all these years, and Emma is in love with him. Having him step in will yield the best results.


    "Besides, Sky can use his family status to pressure you guys, but can he do the same to Marcus? Marcus only shows him courtesy out of respect for their families'' ties. If they were to go head-to-head, do you think Sky would win?"


    Lincoln nodded. "Fair point."


    The Walker brothers weren''t afraid of Marcus because they had grown up together, and Marcus had never put on any airs around them. However, that didn''t mean they were unaware of his capabilities.


    "Then it''s settled," Natalie dered. She turned to Lincoln and the others. "Lincoln, Hector, and Timothy, I''ll need your help this time."


    "There''s no need for formalities," Lincoln said, ruffling Natalie''s hair. "Don''t worry about Sky. If ites to a fight, the four of us can beat him half to death before Dad even has to step in."


    Natalie couldn''t help but chuckle, though a hint of bitterness lingered in her heart. "Lincoln, am I a bad person? I just got back, and I''m already afraid of causing discord in the family."


    Lincoln sighed. "Nonsense. Natalie, there has never been discord in this family. If Dad punishes Sky, it''s because Sky deserves it. You don''t have to worry that Sky will hate Dad and Mom because of you. They are fair and reasonable people. Just because Sky was raised here doesn''t mean they''ll favor him."


    Natalie''s eyes reddened slightly. "I know. Dad and Mom always side with me."


    "And so do your brothers," Lincoln said with a gentle smile. "Don''t ever think you''re less than anyone else. You are our sister, Natalie. We know what kind of life you endured in the Langley family. Don''t me yourself for anything rted to Emma. She could have lived a good life if she had been content."


    He paused, then continued gently, "The Walker family would have supported her for a lifetime, given her a life offort and luxury. But she threw it all away. You''re the one who truly suffered, the real victim here. What right does she have to me you? In some ways, Emma is even worse than Selena.


    "So remember, Nat-you are the best. Never let someone else''s mistakes make you doubt yourself."


    With that, he pulled Natalie into a gentle embrace. "You''re our most precious little sister. We''ll always support and protect you no matter what you do. From the moment we learned about you, you had a family standing behind you. Nat, you never have to worry-we will never be like Sky. And neither will Mom and Dad."


    Natalie felt a tightness in her chest as Lincoln spoke. Her eyes burned, and she sniffled, trying to hold back the emotions surging within her. She wasn''t someone who easily showed her feelings, but at this moment, she could hardly stop herself from crying.


    "Don''t cry," Lincoln said with a soft chuckle, expertly lightening the mood. "Remember what we''re about to do. If you cry, Emma will think you''ve been


    scolded at home, and she''ll just gloat about it."


    Natalie couldn''t help butugh at that. "Lincoln, thank you," she said.


    "Thank you, too, Mason, Timothy, Hector."


    She looked at each of them earnestly. "I used to envy others, but now I don''t have to anymore."


    "From now on, it''ll be others envying you," Mason chimed in. "You deserve the best."


    "Alright, enough," Timothy said, lightly tapping Mason on the head. "Since we''ve got our assignments, let''s get moving."


    "Right," everyone agreed.


    Before they dispersed, Lincoln turned to Natalie with a serious expression. "There''s one thing I need to ask you, Natalie."


    "Go ahead, Lincoln," Natalie replied.


    "Marcus broke off the engagement with you, and Mom and Dad returned the gifts


    to the Holdens. But now, it seems like you and Marcus are getting along quite


    well. What''s going on between you two?"


    The scene of Marcus dropping Natalie off earlier hadn''t just been witnessed by William and Charlotte, The Walker brothers had also seen it from their rooms. Combined with what had happened at the wee party, it was hard not to wonder if Marcus had some kind of split


    personality.


    One moment, he was calling off the engagement, and the next, he was hovering


    around Natalie like a lost puppy.


    Of course, none of them dared to say that outright.


    "Well... we''re no longer engaged, but we''re still friends," Natalie answered carefully.


    The truth wasplicated. Marcus


    had a reason for everything he did, and she didn''t intend to tell her brothers about how she had once saved Marcus as a child. Only a few people knew about it-Sophia, Elijah,


    Noah, and some at Goodwill


    Pharmacy.


    If she wanted Marcus to stand up for Sophia, then Sophia''s role as his savior had


    to remain intact.


    It wasn''t that Natalie didn''t trust her brothers-she just didn''t want them ming Sophia.


    Sophia had already suffered enough, especially at the hands of the Walker family.


    If anything, the Walkers owed her an apology.


    "Marcus and I don''t have romantic feelings for each other, so breaking off the engagement was the right thing to do. But just because we''re not lovers doesn''t mean we can''t be friends," Natalie exined calmly.


    "It''s better to have one more friend than one more enemy, right? At least we''re not


    like Emma, who destroys what she can''t have."


    Lincoln and the others exchanged nces.


    Mason was too straightforward to catch on, but the other three understood


    immediately.


    "Alright," Lincoln nodded. "Then let''s go lock down Sky. If Cindy really is Emma''s biological mother, you might not even need to go to Amberton."


    "No, I still have to go," Natalie said without hesitation.


    Now that she knew Marcus'' parents were in Scarlet Hill, she had to make the trip.


    Whether or not she could help Marcus, it was at least a gesture of goodwill- consider it repayment for the sketchbooks Marcus had given her.

 Chapter 333 Bloodstained Bedsheet

    Lincoln, Hector, and Timothy had gone to find Sky while Mason stayed behind. Natalie called Marcus, asking him to turn the car around and pick her up.


    Marcus didn''t ask why he simply instructed the driver to turn back.


    "Nat," Mason called out.


    "Mason, don''t ask me about Sophia. She''ll tell you if she wants to talk about it," Natalie interrupted Mason.


    He hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn''t press further. "Nat, how do you know I was going to ask about Sophia?"


    He made small talk to break the silence. "Besides, what''s going on between you and Marcus? I just want to make sure you''re okay. I don''t want you to be deceived or hurt by him.


    "You''re still young, and there are things you don''t understand. Marcus is a good person, but he broke off your engagement before-that alone makes me feel like he didn''t respect you."


    Mason rubbed his head. "If I said something wrong, don''t take it to heart. And don''t be mad at me, alright?"


    "I won''t. I know you''re just looking out for me." Natalie smiled as she packed up her backpack. "Come on. Let''s wait for Marcus outside."


    "By the way, Nat, Dad and Mom have been watching you. They''re worried you''ll be bullied and won''t tell them anything."


    "I know." Natalie''s lips curled into a smile. "Didn''t I call Mom when things happened at Goodwill Pharmacy? She stood up for me and had my back."


    "I know. I also know that Ivan insulted Dad, called you an illegitimate child, and even said that the rest of us were Mom''s illegitimate children too. And then, you had someone beat him up."


    Speaking of this, Mason couldn''t hide his anger. "Ivan is disgusting. Just because he cheats and keeps mistresses, he thinks everyone else is like him. Even if you hadn''t dealt with him, Dad would have."


    Natalie nodded. "Exactly. He insulted Dad and Mom-I couldn''t just let that slide. But it''s in the past now. It doesn''t matter anymore."


    Ivan humiliated William and Charlotte, and Natalie retaliated by beating him. That settled the matter.


    Mason carried Natalie''s canvas backpack and led her downstairs from the fifth floor as they talked.


    Once they reached the ground floor, Natalie mentioned wanting to check out Shane''s room, so Mason took her there.


    The Walker family had a separate vi designated for the helpers. Cindy, who had always taken care of Emma, was allowed to live in the main estate.


    Her son, Shane, lived in the helpers'' quarters a little further from the main estate.


    Standing in front of the small vi, Mason gestured. "This is it. Shane''s room is on the first floor."


    Natalie studied the building. "So, everyone living here is rted to Cindy?"


    "Yes. Mom appreciated Cindy''s dedication to Emma and found her trustworthy. So, when Cindy asked if her rtives could work for the family, Mom agreed."


    Natalie understood now. Since this building housed only Cindy''s rtives-all members of the Morgan family-Shane had been able to assault Sophia here.


    Sophia must have been utterly desperate. Calling for help would have only made things worse.


    "Nat, do you really want to go inside?"


    "Yes."


    Natalie took the lead, and Mason quickly followed. They found Shane lounging on the couch, ying a mobile game.


    "Shane."


    He immediately looked up at the sound of Natalie''s cold voice. His


    expression changed briefly butet


    quickly returned to obedience and respect. "Mr. Mason, Ms. Walker."


    "You''re Shane Morgan?" Natalie nced around the vi. Most of the helpers were either off duty or resting at this hour, except for those on security detail. "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    He maintained a respectful posture. His features resembled Cindy''s to some degree, but there was no resemnce to Emma.


    Of course, if Emma had looked like Shane or Cindy, Charlotte would have suspected something long ago.


    "Take me to your room." Natalie withdrew her gaze from the vi''s interior.


    Sophia had said that Shane assaulted her in a helper''s room, where he had even answered Emma''s call in front of her.


    The Walker family had many helper rooms, but Shane was audacious, so it had to be his own room.


    If anyone had found out that he had assaulted Sophia, Sky''s fianc¨¦e, he would have been killed on the spot.


    And yet, months had passed, and not only was Shane unharmed, but even after Cindy was expelled from the household, he remained unbothered. Someone was still protecting him.


    Before, it had been Emma. But now?


    "Ms. Walker, I don''t know why you


    want to see my room. I''m just a helper and a man; my room isn''t exactly presentable." Shane lowered his head and spoke deferentially. "I wouldn''t want to offend you."


    "If she tells you to take her there, you take her there. Stop wasting time." Mason''s voice was sharp and cold. "What? Do you think she needs your permission?"


    "I wouldn''t dare, Mr. Mason. It''s just that my room is a bit messy-" Without hesitation, Mason pulled out his phone and called Gorge. "Gorge,e to the helper quarters now. Ms. Walker wants to see Shane''s room."


    "I''ll take you." Shane lowered his head further, then walked over and opened his door. "Ms. Walker, this is my room."


    Natalie stepped inside. When Shane tried to follow, Mason grabbed him and shoved him back. "Stay put."


    "Yes, Mr. Mason."


    The room was clean and not messy; everything was neatly arranged. A few posters of female celebrities adorned the walls.


    Natalie took a closer look. The actress in the posters bore a resemnce to Emma.


    She moved toward the desk, where a framed photo of Emma was disyed. Her smile was bright and cheerful.


    Natalie tapped the desk lightly, then pulled open a drawer.


    "Ms. Walker, that''s my private property," Shane protested from the doorway, hisposure beginning to crack. "Please respect my privacy."


    "Privacy, huh?" She smirked, then cast a sidelong nce at him. "I''m just looking around. Why are you so nervous?"


    With that, she pulled out a photo album. As she flipped through it, every single picture inside was of Sophia.


    Right in the middle of the album were photos of Sophia pinned beneath Shane, struggling as he vited her.


    Natalie''s expression remained unchanged, but her fists clenched tightly.


    She kept turning the pages.


    There were no photos on thest page-only a small, bloodstained piece of


    bedsheet.

 Chapter 334 Beating This Beast

    Natalie stared at the bloodstained bedsheet. It had been cut into a small piece, and the blood had driedpletely. Beside it, a piece of paper was attached with a note¡ª"Sophia''s virgin blood".


    So, not only had Shane vited Sophia, but he had also kept evidence of his crime.


    He had left these things behind with a clear purpose-to threaten and control her.


    Natalie closed her eyes, her nails digging into her palms. No wonder Sophia looked so pale that day when she came to the Walker residence with Marcus. For her, stepping back into this ce must have taken unimaginable courage. "Nat." Mason, who had been watching Natalie stand by the table for a long time, cast a warning nce at Shane before walking up to her.


    "Holy shit!" Mason caught a glimpse of what Natalie was holding and blurted out in shock. "What... what the hell is this?"


    "Mason, close the door."


    Natalie slowly opened her eyes, a crimson fury burning in them. She set the album down and turned to Shane, her gaze as venomous as snake.


    Terrified by the look in her eyes, Shane instinctively turned and bolted.


    "Stop!" Mason lunged forward, grabbing Shane''s shoulder.


    Shane twisted away with all his strength, desperate to escape. Now that his crime was exposed, he knew he was finished.


    His arrogance had doomed him¡ªhe had assumed that none of the heirs from the Walker family would ever set foot in the helper quarters. In all his years working here, they never had. Gorge was the only one who ever came by, and even then, he always gave prior notice.


    Besides, with Emma tipping him off and backing him up, Shane had always felt untouchable.


    But now, as he saw Natalie pull open that drawer and flip through the album, he knew he was done for.


    Natalie, who had just returned to the family, was no easy opponent.


    "Shane, you beast! Where do you think you''re running?" Mason cursed as he chased after him.


    Natalie pulled out her phone and called Gorge. Within moments, security guards swarmed in from all directions, subduing Shane without effort.


    "Let me go! Let go of me!"


    Shane struggled violently. "You have no right to go through my things! Natalie, just because you''re the heiress, does that mean we helpers have no rights or privacy?"


    Natalie strode forward and pped him hard across the face.


    "You used these to ckmail Sophia, didn''t you?" Her voice was ice-cold, and her eyes were red-rimmed. As a woman, she could not tolerate seeing another woman suffer such an atrocity.


    There was an inherent imbnce of power between men and women. She could almost picture the scene-Sophia, pinned beneath this beast, crying, screaming, as he vited her.


    "Bah! It was Sophia, that whore, who seduced me first!" Shane spat on the ground, defiant even as he was restrained.


    Natalie pped him again, harder this time.


    "You even recorded it. You''re not just a beast-you''re a monster."


    Shane chuckled, unfazed. "I still have videos. These photos are nothing!"


    "That bitch-Sophia, the so-called heiress of the Sinir family-was crying and begging me to let her go. Butter, when I made her feel good, she begged me to go faster!"


    Natalie rained down p after p before kicking him viciously between the legs. Shane let out a bloodcurdling scream. But before he could recover, she rolled up her sleeves, yanked him away from the guards, and unleashed her fury- punching, kicking, beating him relentlessly.


    "Nat, I''m joining in!"


    Mason, who had been standing aside, felt his own rage explode. He couldn''t believe that something this horrific had happened in their home.


    And the victim was none other than the woman he had always respected- Sophia.


    Ever since childhood, he had known that Sophia, though unloved in the Sinir family, was meant to marry Sky. She was supposed to be his sister-inw, and they were supposed to be a family.


    Yet now, she had been vited in their house-by this beast-and none of them had ever known.


    Natalie''s fists mmed into Shane again and again. Her kicksnded with brutal force.


    Sophia had Marcus'' protection, but even then, she was helpless. Natalie couldn''t imagine what might have happened if Marcus hadn''t been there for her.


    Now, she finally understood why Sophia refused to undergo surgery in any hospital in Dithoria.


    Even when Marcus arranged it, she still didn''t dare because she couldn''t afford to -the person backing Shane was Emma.


    Before Natalie returned, Emma had been the pampered heiress of the Walker family. How could a helper''s son have been so bold and fearless without her approval and support?


    "Nat, that''s enough." Mason saw Shane coughing up blood and, worried Natalie would go too far, hurried to restrain her.


    "Nat, stop. We can''t kill him¡ªwe have to turn him in to the authorities."


    "Let go of me!" She struggled against his grip, her eyes still zing red.


    "I dare you to kill me." Shane spat out a mouthful of blood and sneered. "If I die,


    Sophia''s photos and videos will be leaked everywhere."


    Heughed maniacally. "If I go down, she''sing with me. We were rtionship. We were lovers. Do you wantproof? Bring that whore here and make her say otherwise."


    Shane''s eyes gleamed with cruelty as he stared at Natalie. "What''s wrong, Ms.


    Walker? You dare bring her here to confront me?"


    "Natalie," Marcus suddenly interrupted.


    The next moment, Mason was pulled aside, and Natalie was wrapped in a familiar embrace¡ªthe scent of jasmine flowers surrounding her.


    "Don''t move. You''re not thinking clearly right now." Marcus was much stronger


    than Mason, but he was careful not to hurt her.


    "He''s trying to provoke you." His low, maic voice was calm yet assertive. "Breathe. Stay in control."


    Hisrge hand gently stroked her head, holding her close. Slowly, the woman in his arms began to settle.


    "Be good. I''ll handle this." Marcus looked down at Natalie, his sharp gaze catching the blood on her bruised knuckles.


    "Mason, get the first aid kit. Natalie''s injured," he said.


    "A-Alright!" Mason rushed off to fetch the first aid kit.


    The guards stood ready, their gazes murderous, waiting for Natalie''s order to tear


    Shane apart.


    No one spoke, but they all understood what had happened.


    "Marcus," Natalie whispered, still leaning against him. "You didn''t protect Sophia. You used to say she was r savior. So why didn''t you


    protect her? Why did you let this happen to her?"


    "It''s my fault," Marcus admitted, his voice tinged with regret. "I take the me."


    "It''s not your fault," she said, covering her eyes with one hand. "The me belongs to the ones who hurt her."


    "Natalie."


    "Don''t say anything." She tugged at the corner of her lips. "I don''t mean to me


    you; I just feel sorry for Sophia."


    Sophia''s childhood was so simr to her own, but in the end, Sophia did not


    be like Natalie.

 Chapter 335 She Once Saw Tyler as Salvation

    Natalie struggled to control her emotions, and Marcus held her without letting go. This time, she didn''t raise her hand to p him.


    "Marcus, I''m sorry for hitting you so many times before," Natalie apologized in his arms. "I didn''t mean to."


    She just hadn''t known how to avoid his touch.


    "It''s fine. I was asking for it. You did the right thing," he replied. Seeing that she had gradually calmed down, he slowly released her.


    "Your hand is injured. Let me take care of it first," he said.


    "Marcus, here''s the first aid kit." Panting, Mason ran back with the first aid kit, his eyes concerned for Natalie. "Nat, are you alright?"


    "Dad and Mom are already asleep, so I didn''t get Gorge to wake them," he added gravely. "This is serious."


    "Lincoln has asked Hector and Timothy to restrain Sky so Sky can''te out."


    Mason understood the gravity of the situation. His expression was both stern and cold. "That bastard! I really..."


    He couldn''t hold back. Rushing forward, he viciously kicked Shane again. "How could such a beast exist in the Walker residence?"


    Now that Natalie had calmed down, she pulled away from Marcus'' embrace. "Mason, keep an eye on him. I''m going to search his room again."


    "Find his phone." She shook her wrist. "You guys, take him to the basement." "Got it, Ms. Walker."


    "You bitch, Natalie! How dare you hurt me! I won''t let you get away with this!" Shane suddenly started cursing, his face twisted with rage. "Bitch, you think you''re the heiress of the Walker family? You''re just a filthy whore!


    "And you''re standing up for Sophia? Just wait. I''ll make sure you regret it. I''ll make you scream and beg for mercy. You''ll learn exactly what pleasure means!"


    "You bastard!" Mason lunged at him, punching him hard in the face beforending a brutal kick to his groin.


    "How dare you defile Nat! If I don''t cripple you today, I''m not worthy of being a Walker!"


    "Hold Mason back!" Natalie''smand rang out, and the bodyguards immediately stepped in to restrain Mason.


    "Mason, don''t kill him. That would be letting him off too easily."


    Now that she had calmed down, she understood that Marcus had been right. Shane deliberately provoked them because he knew he had already lost. If he died here in the Walker residence, it would only serve to obscure his crimes against Sophia.


    "Keep him restrained. I''ll go through his things and join you in the basement soon."


    This time, it was Natalie telling Mason to calm down.


    "Alright." Mason let out a heavy breath, looking at Natalie with reddened eyes.


    He tried to suppress the lump in his throat, but his voice still carried a trace of sobs. "Nat, I can''t take this."


    "I know."


    Natalie stepped forward and hugged him. He had always been righteous and kind, not just because he had known Sophia since childhood-even if it had been


    a stranger, he would have stepped up without hesitation to save them.


    But this had happened at the Walker residence, and none had noticed.


    Mason was drowning in regret and self-reproach, crushed under its weight. He turned and embraced her, his suppressed sobs finally breaking free. "Nat, what do we do about Sophia?"


    "Don''t cry, Mason." Natalie was just as heartbroken. Seeing the evidence Shane had left behind, she finally understood just how strong Sophia had been.


    How much suffering had Sophia endured to keep up the facade of strength before them?


    "We need to inform Sophia about this. I originally wanted to keep it from you all, but now it''s impossible." Natalie gave a bitter smile. "Marcus,e with me. Mason, find his phone and make sure he doesn''t kill himself."


    A scumbag like Shane probably wouldn''t have the guts to do that. However, they had to prevent it from happening.


    "Got it," Mason replied, his voice still hoarse.


    He stepped forward andnded another punch in Shane''s stomach before pulling the phone from his pocket.


    Mason held it to Shane''s face, but the facial recognition failed. He then grabbed Shane''s hand and tried his fingerprints individually, but none worked.


    "The password," he demanded.


    Shane''s face was swollen and bloodied, but heughed chillingly. "Mr. Mason, isn''t your dear sister supposed to be so smart? Let her crack it herself! I''d like to see if you can unlock my phone."


    Mason punched him in the face.


    "If you''re going to kill me, go ahead," Shane sneered through his bloody lips. "But once I''m dead, Sophia''s pictures will be everywhere.


    "The heiress of the Sinir family may not be favored, but her body and skin are absolutely exquisite. The pleasure, ah... unforgettable."


    Mason couldn''t hold back any longer and punched Shane''s face again.


    Shane spat out a mouthful of blood, a tooth mixed in.


    "Take him to the basement. Watch him closely. Don''t let him die."


    "Got it, Mr. Mason."


    The bodyguards dragged Shane away. Mason''s hands trembled slightly he had


    used too much force, and now his fingers were numb.


    Meanwhile, Marcus apanied Natalie to Shane''s room.


    "Marcus, do you know why I don''t me Sophia for taking credit for saving your life?" Natalie suddenly spoke softly.


    It was unclear whether she was talking to him or herself.


    "Because when I was young, I also once saw Tyler as my salvation."


    "Tyler was the fianc¨¦ arranged for me by Mrs. Langley Senior. When I was little, she was always busy. She loved me, but she wasn''t around all the time. And that gave Diana plenty of chances to abuse me in secret.


    "Every time Tyler visited the Langley residence, Diana would put on a facade of a loving mother. I would get a brief moment of relief, short-lived happiness.


    "He would always bring me candy. But she would throw it all into the toilet the moment he left. Then she would grab my head, shove it in, and force me to eat it."


    Natalie''s voice was soft. "But she couldn''t actually kill me¡ªshe needed me alive to draw blood. The next time Tyler visited, Diana would smile and tell him how much I loved his candy, urging him to bring more.


    "As a child, I didn''t understand theplexities of human nature. I privately told Tyler that I didn''t like sweets and asked him to stop bringing them. He didn''t quite understand, but he agreed."


    Marcus felt a sharp pain in his chest as he listened.


    "Why didn''t you tell Grace?" he asked, voice heavy with suppressed emotion. "If she truly cared for you, she wouldn''t have let Diana abuse you."


    "I used to believe she loved me," Natalie said bitterly. "She pped Diana in front


    of me more than once. She also warned Diana again and again to treat me well. So, I believed in her.


    "I wanted to be good or even better because of that. I didn''t want her toe home after a stressful work day and still fight with Diana over me.


    "Once, the family doctor came to check on her and saw her scolding Diana. He advised her to stay calm, saying that too much anger could lead to mastitis.


    "After that, I stopped telling her whenever Diana abused me." She wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. "Because if I spoke up, she would get angry, which was bad for her health. And when she wasn''t around, Diana would only abuse me even worse.


    "Eventually, Tyler must have noticed something. He started visiting more often,


    taking me out to y.


    "The more time we spent outside,


    the less time had to spend with


    Diana. I could wait until Mrs. Langley Senior got home before going back." Natalie spoke softly as she opened a drawer and handed Marcus @photo album.


    "Maybe, to Sophia, bing your savior was like grabbing a lifeline. She isn''t a


    bad person. She was weak, and she took a gamble in a single moment. But all


    these years, she has been punishing herself for it.


    "If she had been a little more selfish-if she had used your debt to force you into marriage¡ªthings might not have turned out this way."

 Chapter 336 Sorry

    As Natalie spoke, tears fell from her eyes. "Marcus, Sophia shouldn''t have been vited by Shane. She is heiress of the Sinir family, Sky''s fianc¨¦e, and even your savior. But why did she have to go through something like this?"


    Her voice choked with emotion. She wasn''t someone who easily showed her feelings, but after seeing the photos Shane had taken, along with the blood- stained bedsheet and itsbeled evidence, she couldn''t hold back.


    As a woman, she despised nothing more than such brutality against another


    woman.


    "I''m sorry. It''s my fault." Marcus stayed by her side, gazing at the items in her hands.


    Hearing what Natalie said about the past, he finally understood why she had never corrected him when he mentioned that Sophia was his childhood savior.


    Because she had once seen Tyler as her salvation, and to Sophia, he had been the same her sympathy for Sophia was sympathy for the young woman she had once been.


    But at some point, something changed. Natalie became the internationally


    renowned surgeon Elim, and Grace used her shares in the Langley Group to keep her bound, preventing her from leaving.


    Marcus still hadn''t uncovered how Natalie became the famous Elim. Whenever he approached the truth, some mysterious force intervened, leaving him empty- handed.


    "When I was younger, I suggested that Sophia move to the convent where her mother lived." Marcus'' deep voice was hoarse. "But I was just an outsider. Sophia''s fianc¨¦ was Sky, the heir of the Walker family.


    "My grandfather warned me even if Sophia was my savior, I couldn''t get too close to her. She had a fianc¨¦; if anything happened, she would turn to him first. The second was her family, and only after that should shee to me.


    "I argued with him. Sophia was neglected in the Sinir family, and Sky only had eyes for Emma. He never truly saw Sophia as his fianc¨¦e. But he said that whatever happened between Sky and Sophia was their business. I was an outsider. Even if I was her best friend, I couldn''t interfere too much.


    "My identity was Emma''s fianc¨¦. Sophia''s identity meant that one day, she would be my sister-inw. My grandfather told me to maintain my distance and boundaries and avoid rumors that could damage Holden Group, the Walker family, or the Sinir family.


    "I met with Sky a few times in private, but he asked me if I liked Sophia and was trying to steal his fianc¨¦e. He even warned me to remember my ce. I was Emma''s fianc¨¦, yet I worried about my future sister-inw. He called it improper."


    "Hah!" Marcus let out a mockingugh. "Sorry, it''s my fault. Natalie, if you need someone to me, me me."


    He took Natalie''s hand. "After learning that you were my savior, I never considered taking revenge on Sophia. When I said those things before, it was only because I didn''t want you to push me away... I wanted to repay you."


    "I''m sorry, Marcus. I didn''t mean to me you." Natalie wiped her tears. "I''m just heartbroken. It wasn''t you who hurt Sophia. On the contrary, you''ve been protecting her all these years. If it weren''t for you, she might not have even survived to adulthood.


    "Sophia is recovering well now."


    "She needs psychological counseling."


    They spoke simultaneously, but their thoughts were clearly not aligned.


    Natalie paused before saying, "She may look fine, but inside, she''s not okay at all."


    "I know."


    "I''m sorry. It''s my fault. I really didn''t know she was being threatened in the Walker family or that she went through such horrors."


    Marcus med himself. If he hadn''t listened to Charles, ignored the marriage arrangements between the Sinir family and Walker family, ignored Sky''s usations, and insisted on sending Sophia to live with her mother, would everything have been different?


    "What''s done is done. Regret won''t change anything." Natalie took a deep breath. "Marcus, we need to act fast. We can''t let Shane keep anything.


    "By the way, the person behind Shane is Emma. She attempted suicide at the enforcement office, and Sky got her out. Now she''s staying at Sophia''s mansion in the southern suburbs."


    A cold glint shed in Natalie''s eyes. "I called you here because I need you to use your years of protecting Sophia and your identity as her so-called savior to take her to the vi and drive Emma out.


    "Also, I need you to get a strand of Emma''s hair and bring it to me.


    "Marcus, since you feel guilty about Sophia, help her again. Please. If I go, I might kill Emma myself."


    Natalie found another box. When she opened it, the sight inside reignited her fury.


    With a sharp snap, she mmed the lid shut. "I''m going to visit Sophia."


    Otherwise, she might lose control.


    "What''s inside? Let me see."


    "Are you sure?"


    Her eyes were bloodshot with rage. Marcus nodded. "Give it to me."


    She handed him the box and continued searching the room.


    He lifted the lid. Inside were various pills and powders. He had been drugged before, and seeing Natalie''s reaction, he immediately knew what these substances were for.


    "Marcus, there are photos in the album-pictures of Shane forcefully feeding Sophia drugs."


    Natalie''s voice was hoarse. "Sophia said that while Shane was assaulting her, he was on the phone with Emma."


    "I understand."


    Marcus shut the lid with a heavy snap. What Sophia had told them was only the tip of the iceberg-she had suffered far more than she let on at the hands of Shane and Emma.


    "For Sophia''s sake, we must talk to


    her first. She''s already suffered enough. We can''t push her any further." Natalie tried to suppress her anger. "How dare Sky let Emma stay in-Sophia''s vi?"


    "Nat." Marcus stepped forward and took her wrist. "I''m sorry. It''s my fault."


    "This has nothing to do with you. You weren''t the one who hurt Sophia."


    "But Emma''s hatred for her grew because I kept protecting her." His voice was raspy. "Should we check the basement first?"


    Natalie had just said she would head to the basement once she found what she wanted.


    There were a lot of things Sophia didn''t say, but that bastard Shane knew them


    all.

 Chapter 337 Photos of Marcus and Emma

    "Yes, we have to go." Natalie took a deep breath. "Keep looking. I have a feeling that bastard Shane has left behind more things."


    Shane was so brazen he must have possessed plenty of things rted to Sophia.


    Since Natalie had decided to help Sophia, she would see it through to the end.


    This incident happened within the Walker residence, and it was their helper who hurt Sophia.


    This would never have happened had the Walker family properly managed their helpers.


    Natalie felt a heavy weight on her heart. She crouched down to check under the bed, but Marcus pulled her back before she could.


    "I''ll do it."


    Before she could say anything, he had already lowered himself. He was tall, and crouching wasn''t enough, so hey t on the floor.


    "You don''t have to do this, Marcus," she said, momentarily unsure what to say.


    He was here to help because she had called him, but he could have refused. He didn''t have to get involved at all.


    "Get up," she urged.


    "Nat, don''t think too much about it." Marcus turned on the shlight on his phone and carefully searched under the bed.


    "I failed to protect Sophia. I''ve known her for years, yet I never really understood her. I had no idea she was struggling this much. I was wrong. I always saw her as my savior but never protected her."


    After hearing his deep, hoarse voice, Natalie fell silent.


    She had been wrong. She shouldn''t have initially ced all the me on Marcus. She shouldn''t have said those things in her fit of anger.


    "Marcus, I''m sorry." She apologized softly. "I lost my mind for a moment. Don''t take what I said to heart."


    "You weren''t wrong, Nat. You don''t need to apologize."


    As they spoke, Marcus continued searching. The beam of his shlight swept across the floor, illuminating a box near the desk.


    "Hold my phone," he said.


    Natalie took it from him.


    "There''s a box under here. I need to pull it out."


    "Okay."


    She crouched lower, holding the light steady while Marcus reached in. His arms were long, and he quickly pulled out the box.


    "Open it."


    Marcus stood up. Natalie reached out, brushing dust off his clothes.


    "I''m fine," he said, grasping her hand. "Let''s check the box first." "Alright."


    This time, she didn''t resist his closeness.


    The box was locked with a password. He tried a fewbinations but couldn''t open it. Natalie decided, "Let''s go to the basement first. Shane will tell us the code."


    "Alright. Let''s go."


    Natalie gathered everything rted to Sophia, making sure nothing was left behind. She couldn''t let these things fall into the wrong hands, as doing so would only make things worse for Sophia.


    As they left Shane''s room, Natalie called over the bodyguards and had them seal off the area.


    Carrying the items, she and Marcus made their way to the basement at the Walker residence.


    Shaney on the ground like a lifeless fish, still spitting blood. Mason''s punches had knocked out several of his teeth.


    "Open the box," Marcus ordered, setting it down before Shane. He didn''t have his men handle it this time-he stepped forward himself.


    Shane looked up, staring at Marcus for a long moment before suddenly chuckling. "Mr. Holden, Ms. Emma has photos of you changing clothes."


    Marcus merely looked at him-like he was already a dead man.


    Shane''s smirk faltered. Fear gripped him, and he instinctively crawled backward.


    Marcus held out a hand, and Noah immediately stepped forward, cing a pair of gloves in his palm.


    Shane kept retreating until his back hit the wall. Meanwhile, Marcus calmly pulled on the gloves.


    "Mr. Holden, I didn''t mean it. I really didn''t mean it," Shane stammered


    his bravado gone. "I was just....


    momentarily possessed by greed. Please, I beg you to let me go."


    He suddenly started bowing.


    Natalie and Mason had beaten him badly, yet he hadn''t begged for mercy even


    once.


    Now, just from seeing Marcus put on gloves, he was pleading for his life.


    Marcus curled his lips slightly. After taking a few steps forward, he crouched down and ced the box before Shane. His voice was deep and maic yet chillingly gentle. "Open it."


    Shane looked up. Marcus was smiling, but the coldness in his eyes was bone- deep. His entire presence radiated a lethal air.


    His hands trembled as he reached for the lock. Without a word of protest, he entered the code and unlocked it.


    Once the box was open, Marcus stood up. He didn''t touch Shane-he simply picked up the box and returned to Natalie''s side.


    "Take a look."


    Natalie pulled out the photos, flipping through them one by one. "Marcus, these are pictures of you and Emma."


    "Hm?" Marcus frowned. "That''s impossible. I''ve never taken a photo with Emma. I''ve always kept my distance from her."


    "See for yourself." She handed him a few photos.


    He took them and saw that, indeed, they appeared to be pictures of him with Emma.


    But something felt off.


    "These are fake," he said immediately. "They''re photoshopped."


    "Really?" Natalie examined them more closely. Sure enough, they had been altered.


    "I swear, I''ve never taken a single photo with Emma," Marcus said with conviction. His expression was serious, his tone sharp.


    Since childhood, he had known about their arranged engagement. But from the first moment he saw Emma, he had disliked her.


    Because of that, he never gave her any hope. And since she had always been raised with pride and dignity, she never shamelessly clung to him.


    Their rtionship had been distant but peaceful¡ªuntil Charles fell ill.


    He hoped for Marcus to settle down and have children. After that, Emma seized the opportunity to visit Holden Residence frequently, currying favor with Charles. Charles'' illness couldn''t withstand emotional turmoil, so Marcus tolerated Emma''s presence at home.


    But he had never given her false hope. He had never entertained any ambiguous feelings toward her.


    Emma went to keep Charles


    thanked her and gave her a token of


    appreciation, but he always kept his distance when it came to matters of love.


    So he knew, without a doubt, that these photos were fake.


    "There''s more underneath," Natalie said, pulling out the rest. This time, the photos


    featured Shane and Emma together.


    "Look at this."


    She handed them to Marcus. "He likes Emma. And Emma likes you."


    Marcus'' expression darkened. "It''s utterly disgusting to use this kind of twisted


    method to humiliate people."

 Chapter 338 Someones Protecting Him

    "There''s more underneath." Natalie reached deeper into the box, pulling out a stack of photographs-pictures of Sophia.


    However, each one had been defaced with thick red crosses, and the back of the photos was covered in vile insults-"Slut", "Die", and "Trash".


    Sophia''s face had been shed beyond recognition, her featurespletely mutted.


    At the very bottom of the boxy a small doll. On its back, someone had written Sophia''s birthday. The doll was riddled with pinholes as if it had been used for some twisted revenge.


    It was clear just how much they hated her.


    "These are all evidence."


    Natalie carefully packed everything back into the box and handed it to Marcus. Then, she stepped forward, suddenly grabbing Shane''s face and forcing his mouth open before swiftly shoving a small pill down his throat.


    With a push and a pull, Shane had no time to react-the pill was already swallowed.


    He immediately shoved his fingers down his throat, desperately trying to make himself vomit.


    Shane coughed and retched violently, but nothing came up. He could only dry heave in agony.


    "Don''t waste your energy." Natalie''s voice was ice-cold. "Now answer me-does Emma have the same kind of material you do?"


    He stopped gagging and slowly lifted his head, his eyes filled with resentment. Before he could speak, Marcus stepped forward, shielding Natalie and pressing the heel of his polished leather shoe against Shane''s throat.


    "If you don''t want your eyes, you can take them out." His deep, maic voice sounded nonchnt. "If you can''t learn to judge people, there''s no need to keep them."


    "I¡ªI can judge! I can judge just fine! Mr. Holden, please! I swear I won''t misjudge her!"


    The moment Marcus finished speaking, Shane groveled like a dog.


    Natalie stood to the side, watching. She had finally figured it out-Marcus'' presence carried more weight than all five Walker brothersbined.


    "Ms. Walker, I''m sorry! Please forgive me! I won''t do it again!"


    "Answer her question." Marcus pressed down slightly harder with his foot, bulging Shane''s eyes.


    "I''ll talk! I''ll talk!"


    "Ms. Emma... has more than I do." Shane gasped in pain. "It was her who ordered me to do this to Sophia! She told me to take those photos and videos. She said Sophia kept clinging to Mr. Holden and needed to be taught a lesson.


    "She also said Sophia was unworthy of Mr. Sky and that I shouldpletely ruin her so she could never marry him."


    Shane felt as if the shoe pressing against his throat wasn''t just a foot but a knife¡ª one that could drop at any moment and sever his head from his body.


    "Ms. Emma also promised me that if Sophia gave birth to my child, she would help me be the son-inw of the Sinir family.


    "Ms. Walker, I was wrong! Mr. Holden, please have mercy on me!"


    Natalie''s voice turned even colder. "One more question-did Sky know about what you did to Sophia?"


    She emphasized his name, her tone sharp. "Think before you answer."


    Shane hesitated for a moment.


    Marcus let out a low chuckle. Then, he pressed down again.


    "Ahh! I''ll talk! I''ll talk!" Shane screamed in agony. "Mr. Sky... he knows about it."


    "Damn it!" Natalie clenched her fists tightly.


    "So you dare to act so arrogantly because, besides Emma, you have Sky protecting you, right?"


    Shane shut his eyes in despair. He wasn''t afraid of Natalie, but he was terrified of Marcus.


    Marcus was the heir and ruler of Holden Group, but he also held another title in the outside world¡ªthe Living King of Hell.


    Most people never got close enough to see his true nature. To them, he was just a powerful businessman. But those who had witnessed his methods firsthand called him the Living King of Hell.


    Natalie had beaten Shane senseless earlier, and he hadn''t cared.


    But now, Marcus had worn a pair of gloves, and Shane was scared.


    "Answer."


    "Yes." With that single word, Shane shut his eyes.


    Marcus lifted his foot. Immediately, Noah stepped forward and wiped the sole of his shoe clean.


    Such filth had no right to stain even the bottom of Marcus'' shoes.


    Natalie had heard everything she needed to hear. She nced at Marcus. He met


    her gaze and gave her a slight nod.


    There were no words needed.


    For a moment, despite her sorrow,


    she realized something


    shocking-she and he were so in


    sync that a single look was all it took to understand each other


    "Let''s go."


    Marcus didn''t ask what pill she had given Shane. Instead, he gently ced a hand on her shoulder as if to steady her. "Mason is here, so nothing will go wrong."


    "Mason," he continued, addressing Mason. "Promise Nat, you''ll keep an eye on this bastard."


    Mason, suddenly called out, immediately straightened. "Yes! Don''t worry, Nat. I''ll handle this."


    "Be careful of Sky," Natalie warned, emphasizing his name.


    Mason nodded firmly. "Got it."


    "Alright. We''re going to see Sophia."


    "Okay."


    "By the way... Sophia... she..." Mason''s voice wavered. His eyes were red. It''s our family''s fault for letting this happen to her. If there''s anything Sophia needs-anything at all-just tell me, and I''ll make sure she gets it."


    "This wasn''t your fault," Natalie replied coldly. "The ones who owe her... are the ones who actually hurt her."


    "I understand." He nodded, but he felt sad, guilty, and remorseful. It was hard for


    him to remain indifferent and not get involved simply.


    "We''re leaving." Natalie and Marcus walked out of the basement together.


    Once outside, she exhaled deeply.


    "I used to think my time with the Langley family was miserable... but I never imagined Sophia had suffered even worse."


    "It''s my fault. I failed to protect her."


    Marcus also felt guilty. Natalie was right-he had treated Sophia as a lifesaver for so many years, yet he had never truly understood what she had gone through. "You''re not to me," she whispered. Her eyes began to redden. "Marcus, don''t take my words from before to heart.


    "Sophia was too scared to tell the truth. The more she tried to protect herself, the more she suffered. Ultimately, she had no choice but to endure it all in silence.


    "But at least... at least she found the courage to speak up this time."


    "Let''s go."


    "Alright."


    On the way to Goodwill Pharmacy, neither of them spoke.


    When they arrived, Natalie, carrying the evidence, walked ahead of Marcus and


    entered Sophia''s room first.


    Inside, Sophia was chatting with Helena, a faint smile on her lips.


    "Ms. Walker, you''re here!" Helena immediately stood up to greet her.


    "Helena, can you step out for a moment? I need to talk to Sophia alone."


    "Of course." Helena then left the room.


    The moment she did, Sophia tensed up, her smile vanishing. She leaned back slightly against the bed, her expression filled with unease.

 Chapter 339 Leaving the Decision to Her

    As soon as Natalie saw Sophia''s anxious expression, a wave of sorrow and guilt washed over her. What had Sophia done wrong?


    Even if she had made a mistake by falsely iming to have saved Marcus, she had never harmed anyone. Yet, she had suffered for so long at the hands of Emma, Sky, and Shane.


    "Ms. Walker, what''s wrong?" Sophia asked, growing increasingly uneasy as she noticed the redness in Natalie''s eyes. She had already confessed to pretending to be Marcus'' savior. Other than that, she had done nothing to harm anyone.


    "Did I do something wrong again? Please don''t scare me," she pleaded.


    Natalie stepped forward and hugged her.


    "I''m sorry," Natalie said, her voice hoarse. "I brought something with me for you to see. Sophia, you did nothing wrong. You have no reason to feel guilty. You say your mistake was iming credit for saving Marcus, but I don''t me you."


    "Natalie, what''s going on?" Sophia hugged her back. "Why are you so upset?"


    "Because my family has hurt you too much."


    Natalie gently pulled away. "I''m sorry."


    Sophia froze. Then, her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall uncontrobly.


    She had already prepared for the worst, thinking that if Natalie were like Emma, she would have no way out.


    But Natalie had saved her. She had arranged for her to stay at Goodwill Pharmacy and recover. That alone proved she was different from Emma. epting Natalie''s help was already herst hope.


    Sophia had never wanted to cry.


    Her n had been simple-hold onto Natalie''s protection, distance herself from Marcus, and slowly rebuild her life.


    But now, Natalie apologized to her and said that the Walker family had wronged her.


    Why? Natalie had nothing to do with what happened.


    Emma and Sky had let Shane torment and ckmail her while Natalie wasn''t even part of the family yet-none of this was her fault.


    "I''m sorry," Natalie said again, cing a box before her. Her usually calm voice wasced with pain. "I found some things in Shane''s room.


    "And I have to tell you something-Emma attempted suicide at the enforcement office, and Sky got her out. He even ced her in your mansion in the southern suburbs."


    Natalie took a deep breath, disgusted by Sky''s shamelessness. He was a disgrace to the Walker family.


    "Look at what''s inside. Shane is under my control now. I want you to have the final say on what happens next. We''ll stand by your side if you need my help or Marcus''.


    "Sophia, open it."


    Sophia''s hands trembled as she stared at the box. Tears blurred her vision, no matter how often she wiped them away.


    "Nat," she choked out, her voice thick with emotion. "Tell me what''s inside first so I can prepare myself."


    "Alright," Natalie said, suppressing the bitterness in her heart. "Everything inside represents the harm done to you."


    "Okay. I''m ready." Surprisingly, hearing that made Sophia feel relieved. She had already endured so much suffering-what was a little more?


    At least now, she knew that Natalie had no ill intentions-Natalie was willing to help.


    Her willingness to lend a hand was enough.


    Taking a deep breath, Sophia opened the box. She squeezed her eyes shut, counting silently before forcing herself to look.


    Inside were photographs and a small doll covered in stab marks.


    She picked up the doll, nced at it briefly, then set it aside.


    Then, she started flipping through the photos-one after another.


    Natalie watched her in silence.


    When Sophia finished, Natalie finally spoke. "I questioned Shane. He admitted that Sky knew about everything he did to you. Emma also has photos and videos of your abuse."


    Sophia''s shoulders trembled. Tears streamed down her face, but she bit her lip, refusing to make a sound.


    "Sophia, if you want to cry, just cry," Natalie said, stepping forward and embracing her.


    "Tell me how you want to deal with Shane, Sky, and Emma, and I will help you.


    "When we captured Shane,


    something unexpected


    happened he admitted to


    ve


    everything. But don''t worry. It all


    happened within the Walker


    residence. I will make sure no one outside hears about it."


    "Nat, you''ll protect me, won''t you? You''ll let me live a good life, right?" Sophia''s voice was hoarse and full of tears.


    "Yes, I will protect you. As long as I''m alive, no one will hurt you again. Not even


    Sky or Emma." Her words were firm, decisive, and unwavering.


    "Thank you. With your promise, I have no regrets even if I die." Sophia hugged Natalie tightly. "I won''t let you down. I''ve suffered enough.


    From now on, I''ll follow you and live


    well."


    Despite the tears on her face, she smiled at Natalie. "The heavens were kind to


    me after all. They led me to you."


    "The heavens were cruel-they should have let us meet sooner."


    "It''s not toote," Sophia said, crying andughing simultaneously.


    Natalie didn''t try to stop her tears or offer empty words about how crying was terrible for her health.


    At this moment, she needed to cry. She needed to let it all out. Keeping it bottled up would only hurt her in the long run.


    Sophia cried andughed, but she didn''t let Nataliefort her. After crying andughing until she was exhausted, she slowly regained control of her emotions.


    She went back to looking at the photos, flipping through them repeatedly.


    Her heart would bleed once every time she looked, but she forced herself to keep looking. These were her painful past, but she hadn''t done anything wrong-she was the victim.


    From childhood to now, she had never hurt Emma, Shane, or Sky even once.


    Yet these three people had treated her this way.


    The most hateful was Sky. As her fianc¨¦, he knew that Emma had instigated


    Shane to do everything to her, yet he pretended not to know and even condoned


    it.


    Now, he even arranged for Emma to stay at her vi just because she had once given him the key to the mansion in the southern suburbs.


    She had trusted Sky, but he took her trust and turned it into a sharp sword, stabbing mercilessly into her body, into her heart.


    They didn''t love each other, but she had never done anything to wrong him.

 Chapter 340 Revenge

    Sophia took several deep breaths.


    Seeing that she was ready, Natalie picked up a tissue and gently wiped away her tears. "Are you okay?"


    Sophia nodded. "I''m okay. Honestly, the moment I told Marcus that I wasn''t the one who saved him, I had already prepared myself for the worst."


    She forced a smile. "This time, I won my bet.


    "I don''t owe any of them anything. If I owe anyone, it''s you and Marcus. If I had been braver from the start and hadn''t been so selfish and told him the truth earlier, I wouldn''t have had to suffer all these years.


    "Nat, the only people I have wronged are you and Marcus. I have never wronged Emma or Sky and never provoked Shane. I want to take revenge myself.


    "Emma humiliated me, Shane tormented me, and Sky was the worst of them all."


    She took a deep breath, then another. "Recently, Helena has been taking great care of me, and Zane has visited me a lot.


    "After talking things through with him, I realized that although many of the things Ruby did to hurt me were supposedly done under his name, he had no idea. The moment he found out, he broke up with her. They have nothing to do with each other anymore.


    "I''m feeling much better now. I can do this."


    "Alright. Let''s get changed and freshen up."


    Natalie had just checked her pulse-Helena had indeed taken excellent care of her, using the best medicine. Her mental state had improved significantly with Zane around to talk to.


    "Okay. Nat, thank you." Sophia thanked her again, and Natalie simply hugged her before leading her to wash up.


    After freshening up, Sophia changed into casual clothes, wore sneakers, and tied her hair back.


    She even asked Natalie to put light makeup on her to make her look healthier.


    Once she was ready, Natalie called Marcus. He had been waiting patiently outside, and as soon as they stepped out, Noah quickly opened the car door.


    Elijah followed quietly behind Sophia.


    "Do you want to visit the mansion in the southern suburbs first or see Sky?"


    Sophia looked out the car window. After a long pause, she forced a smile. "The mansion in the southern suburbs."


    "Alright. We''ll go there first."


    The rest of the ride was silent, but Sophia clung tightly to Natalie''s hand, squeezing so hard that Natalie furrowed her brows slightly.


    Still, she said nothing and didn''t pull away.


    The ck Bentley arrived at the southern suburbs. Following Sophia''s instructions, the driver drove to the innermost house.


    This mansion was one that Ruby had rejected, so Ivan had given it to Sophia instead.


    Whenever Sophia was hurt, she woulde here to hide. To avoid trouble from Ruby and Julia, she had told Sky about this ce and even gave him a spare key.


    However, she had never given him the passcode or the ess card.


    The car was parked at the gate, and the mansion was brightly lit. Lights were on both upstairs and downstairs.


    Emma could asionally be seen walking through the floor-to-ceiling windows. An older woman also moved about inside.


    "That helper is Cindy."


    "Perfect. There''s no need to go to Causeway Bay."


    Natalie smirked. "Sky is really good to Emma, huh? He''s afraid that others won''t


    serve her well enough, so he secretly sent Cindy over too."


    Sophia''s eyes turned bloodshot. Her nails dug into Natalie''s skin.


    Natalie nced at her and patted her shoulder.


    "Sophia, let go. You''re too tense," Marcus'' deep, oppressive voice rang out.


    Sophia snapped out of it and immediately let go of Natalie''s hand.


    "Nat, I''m sorry."


    "It''s fine."


    "You have us. What are you afraid of?" Marcus'' tone was indifferent as he opened the car door and stepped out.


    At the same time, the door was pulled open from outside. Elijah stood respectfully by the car. "Ms. Sinir, don''t be scared. I''m here. That bitch Emma won''t get anywhere near you."


    "Elijah, watch your words." Noah reminded him.


    "It''s fine. Ms. Walker and Mr. Holden won''t scold me." Elijah didn''t Ms.


    I''m just telling the truth.


    Walker, don''t you agre armet


    "Yes," Natalie said calmly.


    Elijah immediately smirked triumphantly and shot Noah a look that said, "See? I was right."


    Noah simply shook his head, unwilling to argue with Elijah.


    Sophia got out of the car, straightened her clothes, and walked up to enter the passcode.


    The gate slowly opened.


    She didn''t step forward immediately. Instead, she turned to look at Natalie.


    Natalie gave her a reassuring smile and stepped in first.


    Two bodyguards emerged from the shadows to block her way when she entered.


    Natalie looked at them. "Ms. Parham, what''s the meaning of this?"


    Ka nced inside the vi, then back at Natalie and Sophia.


    Suddenly, she walked over to the flower bed, picked up a brick, and smashed it against her own head.


    Then, she copsed dramatically in front of them.


    Natalie turned to the two bodyguards. "Aren''t you two going to drop as well?"


    "Ms. Walker, we''re going down right away."


    The two bodyguards obediently followed suit, picking up bricks and knocking themselves out.


    Sophia stood behind Natalie, dumbfounded. How did that happen?


    Natalie smirked. "Go on."


    "Okay." Sophia snapped back to reality.


    She had promised herself that she would take revenge on her own. She couldn''t afford to be weak anymore.


    She had spent her whole life being weak. If she continued like this, she would end up losing her life.


    Sophia stepped forward, one step at a time.


    Natalie followed behind her, and Marcus walked behind Natalie.


    Elijah and Noah nked them on either side as they silently approached the vi door.


    Sophia pressed her fingerprint into the scanner, and the lock disengaged with a soft click. Then, she pushed the door open and walked in.


    Inside, Emma was sprawled on the couch, wearing Sophia''s pajamas, eating fruit, and watching a variety show.


    "M-Ms. Sinir!"


    Cindy tensed up the moment she saw Sophia.


    Emma heard themotion and sat up in a hurry.


    "Sophia, you''re back!" Emma smiled sweetly, greeting her as if nothing had ever happened.


    "Yes. This is my house, after all. Of course, I woulde back."


    Sophia took a step forward, but Cindy quickly moved to block her path. "Ms. Sinir, where have you been these past few days? Why haven''t you gone to see Mr. Sky?"


    As she spoke, she subtly gestured toward Emma behind her.

 Chapter 341 The Fear of Pain

    Emma saw Cindy''s hand gestures and immediately got up from the couch. "Sophia, wait for me. I''ll go change my clothes."


    "Where do you think you''re going?" Sophia shoved Cindy aside and strode forward, grabbing Emma''s hair and yanking her down the stairs.


    "Ah!" Emma screamed in pain. "Sophia, you''re crazy! If you darey a hand on me, I''ll have Shane kill you!"


    Sophia''s eyes reddened in an instant. The emotions she had been suppressing all this time erupted like a raging fire. She nced around, grabbed a fruit tray from the coffee table, and swung it hard on Emma''s head.


    "Go ahead and call Shane! If he doesn''te today, I''ll kill you first!"


    She kept smashing the tray against Emma''s head, and Emma''s screams of agony filled the air.


    "Ah! It hurts! Sophia, stop! Are you insane? Stop it!"


    The more Emma screamed, the harder Sophia struck.


    "Sophia, don''t kill her." Natalie''s cold voice came from the side.


    Sophia, consumed by hatred, snapped back to her senses slightly.


    She tossed the fruit tray aside. Cindy bared her teeth and tried to rush forward, but Elijah quickly grabbed her by the cor with one hand.


    He didn''t exert much force; he just lifted her slightly, making her feet kick wildly in the air but stopping her from moving forward.


    "Let go of Ms. Emma! Ms. Sinir, if you have a problem,e at me! Don''t hurt her! Mr. Sky won''t let you get away with this!" Cindy shouted angrily.


    Natalie simply walked up to her, took out a pill, and forced it into her mouth. "Ah..."


    Cindy had barely let out a cry when she suddenly found she couldn''t make a sound anymore.


    No matter how hard she tried to scream, all that came out were muffled whimpers.


    "Natalie, what did you feed Cindy? Was it poison?"


    Emma was dizzy from the beating but still paid attention to Cindy. Now that Sophia had restrained her, she could only hope in Cindy.


    But to her horror, Cindy was silenced, and Elijah was holding her in ce while Natalie had given her some kind of drug.


    "It''s not a poison, just antipsychotics. She was too noisy." Natalie sat down on the couch. "Marcus,e sit too."


    At the mention of Marcus, Emma''s head shot up. She saw Marcus walking over and taking a seat.


    Sophia, her gaze burning red with hatred, stared at Emma.


    Oh, right¡ªEmma cared the most about one thing. Didn''t Emma hate her so much because she was close to Marcus?


    Sophia swung her hand, striking Emma hard across the face. Then, she picked up the fruit tray again and smashed it onto Emma''s wrist.


    "Ah!" Emma let out a shrill scream. But Sophia wasn''t done yet. She turned, grabbed a fruit knife from the coffee table, squatted in front of Emma, and plunged the de into her thigh.


    "Sophia," Natalie called out in warning.


    Sophia turned to her with a smile. "Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing. Nat, I want


    to handle this my way, but I won''t kill her."


    "Alright."


    Natalie didn''t intervene further.


    Sophia grabbed Emma by the hair


    and dragged her into the guest


    room. The door mmed shut. She


    found Emma''s phone, unlocked it


    using her fingerprint, and dialed


    Sky''s video call.


    Meanwhile, in Lincoln''s study at the Walker residence, Sky was sandwiched


    between Hector and Timothy on the couch.


    His phone sat on Lincoln''s desk.


    When it rang, Sky abruptly stood up to grab it. The ringtone was specially set for Emma, who had agreed to


    call only in an emergency.


    Otherwise, she would message him,


    and he would call back.


    "Make sure Sky stays put," Lincoln instructed as he picked up the phone and saw


    "Emma" on the caller ID.


    "Sky, sit down." Hector and Timothy pulled Sky back onto the couch.


    Lincoln swiped to answer the video call. On the screen appeared Emma''s swollen, bloodied face.


    "Lincoln? Why is it you? Where''s Sky? Let him answer the call!"


    Sophia''s voice came through, followed by Emma''s desperate screams. "Sky, help


    me! Sophia''s gone mad! She''s going to kill me! Please, help me!"


    Sophia smacked Emma again. "Shut the hell up!"


    "Sophia, you''re at the mansion in the southern suburbs." Lincoln''s voice was


    calm. "I''ll hand the phone to Sky now. Just don''t hurt yourself."


    "Hmm?" Sophia was momentarily surprised, and then sheughed. "Lincoln, thanks."


    Lincoln walked over to Sky. "Your precious Emma is about to be beaten to death."


    "You!" Sky seethed at Lincoln''s tant mockery. He snatched the phone. "Emma..."


    "Sky, help me! Sophia is going to kill me! Help!"


    Emma reached for the phone, her bloodied face streaked with tears. She looked as pitiful as could be.


    "Hahaha!" Sophia burst intoughter, then patted Emma''s face. "Emma, you feel pain too? You actually know fear? I thought you were brave!" "Sophia, don''t hurt Emma!"


    "Sky, I''m giving you two choices." Sophia''s voice was ice-cold. The next moment, she pointed the camera at herself.


    "One, I find a man to do to Emma what Shane did to me. Two, you kill Shane. This is what you owe me.


    "Sky, how dare you! How dare you hide this whore in my mansion! Sky, you''re a disgusting bastard!


    "I''ve put up with you and Emma for years and had enough!"


    She roared at him, "You piece of trash,


    ire the most disgusting


    man ever met! Either you go kill Shane, or I''ll find some diseased


    Than to vite Emma.


    "Didn''t she love listening on the phone while Shane tormented me? Don''t worry.


    I''m more generous than her-I''ll let you watch it live."


    "Sophia, you''re insane!" Sky shot to his feet, ready to storm out.


    Lincoln signaled with his eyes, and Hector and Timothy immediately grabbed Sky, forcing him back onto the couch.


    "Sky, where do you think you''re going?" Lincoln stepped forward, smiling. "Sit back down."


    "Lincoln!"


    "Shh!" Lincoln pressed a finger to Sky''s lips. "Keep your voice down. Otherwise, you''ll wake Dad and Mom. You wouldn''t want to make a big scene, right?"

 Chapter 342

    "Let go of me! Didn''t you see what Sophia did to Emma?" Sky struggled furiously, his eyes turning red. He badly wanted to rush to the scene.


    "Do you know what Emma did to Soph in the past? Did you see those things in Shane''s room, Sky?"


    Lincoln''s tone became indifferent. "You''re a disappointment. Though you''re the eldest son of our family and the CEO of Walker Group, you allowed Emma and Shane to mistreat Soph.


    "Everyone else is supporting Soph, so you should calm down instead.


    "Drag him into the washroom; he needs to get a grip on himself."


    Snatching Sky''s phone away, Lincoln spoke to Sophia on the phone. "Please wait,


    Soph. Don''t worry. All of us are on your side.


    "We''re very sorry that you suffered so much in our family."


    Meanwhile, Sophia looked at Lincoln and burst intoughter. However, her


    "I will only seek justice on those who have wronged me, so I won''t me all of you. Instead, I''ll get my revenge on those who hurt me.


    "Lincoln, though you''re older than me, you''ve respected me all these years. I know that you treat me well.


    "I''ll remember everyone who treated me well."


    Wiping away her tears, Sophia continued, "Once Skyes out of the washroom, let him talk to me!"


    "Alright, Soph. You''re the victim, so please remember not to upset yourself again." While Lincoln looked at her, heforted her gently but firmly.


    He added, "My parents don''t know what happened yet. I''ll tell them everything the next morning. Then, they''llpensate you."


    "Should I ept their money?" Sophia asked.


    "Why not?" Lincoln looked at her. "I know my parents well-they''ll give you marypensation not because they want you to forgive Sky, Emma, or Shane. They''ll just feel guilty and sad for you. They would hope that you''ll live a better life in the future.


    "It''s important to have some money on hand since you''re a girl. With more money, you''ll have more backing."


    After hearing that, Sophia cried again. Nodding, she replied, "I got it."


    "My parents and I are too ashamed to ask for your forgiveness after what Sky did. So, don''t worry, Soph. Our family won''t pressure you to do anything.


    "Instead, my father will beat Sky up and apologize to you with gifts."


    Sophia nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Lincoln. I''m less worried after hearing your words."


    "Hang in there, Soph!"


    "I will."


    Sophia''s face was streaked with tears. She thought, "Why was I so timid in the past? Why did I think Lincoln was a bad person and that the other people from the Walker family wouldn''t help me?"


    If she had spoken up earlier, things might have been different. However, she couldn''t turn back time.


    Thankfully, she met Natalie, who encouraged her to change.


    At the same time, Timothy was pushing Sky''s head into the sink in the washroom.


    When he opened the tap, cold water sshed onto thetter''s head.


    Though Sky tried his best to break free, he wasn''t strong enough to fight Hector and Timothy.


    Lincoln took the phone to the washroom and showed the scene to Sophia.


    On the other hand, Sophia watched the sight in silence.


    Sky''s head was dragged upward, then plunged into cold water repeatedly.


    After doing that a couple of times, Lincoln asked coldly, "Have you calmed down, Sky?"


    "Just you wait, Lincoln! Wait and see, Timothy and Hector!"


    Sky panted heavily. "What did Sophia offer all of you? Why are you helping her?" "Soph didn''t give us anything¡ªwe couldn''t stand seeing you behave so terribly." Then, Timothy passed the phone to Sky. "It''s time to have a conversation with Soph now.


    "Sky, not everyone is as shameless and disgusting as you. Besides, we aren''t despicable and filthy like you.


    "It''s our loss for having a brother like you."


    Lincoln''s tone was aloof. "Watch it, Sky! I''ll talk to Father and try my best to manage thepany in the future.


    "You don''t have to take a long vacation now; just retire!"


    After that, he looked at Timothy and Hector. The other two immediately let go of


    Sky and followed the former out of the study.


    Sky remained standing. His hair was dripping wet, and water rolled down his


    body. A whileter, he slowly turned to look at the screen.


    Sophia didn''t hang up the call because she was waiting for him.


    "Let go of Emma, Sophia." Sky forced himself to remain calm.


    "Do you want me to let go of Emma?" Sophiaughed. "When I begged Shane to


    let me go back then, why didn''t you get him to let me go?"


    Sitting on the bed, she opened a box and grabbed a stack of pictures inside it. She tossed them into the air.


    "Even if we aren''t lovers, we''re still friends, right? How could you treat me like that? Do you think I didn''t know about this?"


    Chuckling, Sophia showed the pictures to Sky. "Shane and Emma have a copy of these pictures.


    "Oh, yes. Shane recorded a video when I was being raped by him. Emma has a copy of that too. Did you see it? I bet you didn''t see it, right?


    "I almost died. Wouldn''t Emma and you be contented if that happened? But why should I have to die? I didn''t do anything wrong.


    "Just because Marcus and I are


    close and because he protected me, Emma wanted to ruin my life. As a brother, not only did you remain a bystander after knowing everything, but you also helped to clean the mess Emma created."


    She had no tears left to cry. As Sophia continued talking, she smiled faintly.


    "You have two choices, Sky. You can


    either kill Shane, or watch while Emma is raped by a man with an


    STDO''ll treat Emma the way she treated me."


    Qu


    Sky''s eyes were reddened. Gritting his teeth, he yelled at the camera, "You''ve gone mad, Sophia!"


    "Yes! I have gone mad because of you and Emma!" Sophia screamed back loudly.


    She added, "Both of you are disgusting creatures. Instead of being together, why did you two hurt me?


    "I just did what Emma did to me in the past, but you couldn''t stand it. You should kill Shane now!"


    "Alright, I''ll do as you please!" Since


    Sophia seemed very agitated, Sky hurriedly gave in. "I''ll go now. Don''t hangup on me! I''ll head overo immediately!"

 Chapter 343 Her Son Is Dead

    Sophia gave Sky an unnerving smile, then approached Emma and stepped on her injured thigh.


    Once again, Emma screamed in pain. "Sophia! I am going to kill you!


    "You''re right¡ªI have a video of Shane raping you. If something happens to me, I''ll get Ruby and Julia to post it online.


    "Everyone will find out that you seduced a subordinate from the Walker family."


    Emma''s face was twisted in agony. At that moment, she had nothing left to care about.


    Though Sky arranged a personal assistant and bodyguard for Emma, Ka didn''t remind her that Sophia and Natalie had arrived.


    She thought, "Once I get out, I''ll tell Sky to fire Ka!"


    "Emma, are you going to give the video to me? Or, should I take it by force?" Sophia threw the phone on the bed and slowly crouched down, staring ruthlessly at Emma.


    She continued, "Do you think I''m the same person from the past?"


    "Did Natalie tell you to do this?" Emma gritted her teeth. Ever since Natalie returned to the Walker family, her life had been ruined.


    She continued, "I saw her walking in with you just now. She talked to you. Sophia, are you Natalie''sckey now?"


    Meanwhile, Sophia wasn''t angered by Emma''s words; even if she were Natalie''sckey, she would still be happy.


    "You''re panicking, Emma. Let''s see what Sky is willing to do for you! You should repay what you owe me."


    After that, Sophia grabbed Emma''s hair and dragged her to another chair. Then, she ced her tripod on a table.


    "Oh, yes. I should let that bitch Cindy watch this!" Sophia smiled widely when she thought of something. pping her hands, she added, "I''ll get her to admire this lovely sight now."


    Taking out her phone, Sophia called Elijah. "Eli, bring Cindy to my room. Tie her up before she enters this ce."


    "Alright, Ms. Sinir."


    Soon, someone knocked on the door. After Sophia opened the door, Elijah passed the bound Cindy to her.


    He said, "Ms. Sinir, I''ll be right outside your door. Tell me if you need my help."


    "Thank you."


    Dragging Cindy by her hair, Sophia pulled her into the room and kicked her so that she was next to Emma.


    Since Emma was beaten up badly by Sophia earlier, she couldn''t fight back.


    In the meantime, Cindy wanted to say something, but she could only let out muffled sounds from her throat.


    "How are you, Cindy?" Emma asked loudly.


    She added, "Don''t worry! Sky has already found Shane!"


    Hearing that, Sophia smacked the back of Emma''s head. "If you continue talking, I''ll cut your tongue off."


    "You!"


    Sophia didn''t want to waste time talking to Emma, so she immediately pped her a few more times.


    Just then, Sky eximed anxiously, "Don''t hit Emma, Sophia! You can''t hit her!"


    Sneering, Sophia replied, "Sky, if you tried defending me in the past as you did for Emma, things wouldn''t have turned out like this.


    "Enough about that! You aren''t decent enough to have any sympathy.


    "Sky, I suspect that you and Emma are biological siblings instead. You can''t


    possibly be the child of Mr. Walker and Mrs. Walker."


    She continued slowly, "Since Natalie was switched at birth, the same might have happened to you too."


    "What nonsense are you spouting?" Panting heavily, Sky dered, "I''m right in


    front of Shane now. Will you let Emma go if I kill him?"


    "Yes." Sophia scowled. "If you kill Shane, I''ll let Emma go."


    "Alright."


    At the same time, Sky was standing inside the basement and looking at Shane, who was lying on the ground. When thetter heard his words, he trembled in fear.


    "Don''t do this, Mr. Sky! Back then, you said that you didn''t love Ms. Sinir. So,


    you would allow me to date her."


    As Shane backed away in fear, he begged, "Didn''t you say that you wouldn''t me me because Emma forced me to do that? Mr. Sky, when Ms. Sinir looked for you that day, you told her to drink that spiked water. I wasn''t the main culprit for this! You can''t kill me!


    "Mr. Sky, since I was so loyal to Ms. Emma, please let me go!


    "I can''t die! I''ve learned my mistakes!"


    "Sky, kill him!"


    When Sophia heard what Shane said, she was extremely upset. It turned out that


    Sky had intentionally told her to drink that spiked water.


    He even instructed Shane to rape her.


    "I''ll bury you in a good spot, Shane." Sky looked at Shane. Earlier, the former told


    all his bodyguards to leave when he entered the basement.


    Then, he took out a knife and swiftly stabbed Shane.


    "Mr. Sky!" Thetter stared at the knife in disbelief as it went into his body. The light in his eyes soon died out.


    "I have already killed Shane. You can let Emma go now!" Sky announced.


    pping her hands, Sophia burst intoughter. She looked at Cindy and said cheerfully, "Cindy, your son is dead! No one will arrange a funeral for you if you die!"


    Thetter spat out blood and crawled forward with all her might. However, since


    her limbs were bound, she could only inch forward slowly.


    "Emma, it seems that Sky cares a lot for you! He became a murderer for you."


    Mockery was evident in Sophia''s face as she told Sky, "Come to the southern suburbs and take Emma away!"


    "Alright." Sky stood up and walked out of the basement without sparing a nce at Shane.


    "Emma, did you see that? Sky killed your son! He killed your son because of Emma. Are you still going to protect her?"


    While looking at Cindy, Sophia hung up the call. Then, she removed the strings from thetter''s limbs.


    "Emma caused your son to die. Are you still going to take care of this imposter?"

 Chapter 344 Sophia Has a Big Plan

    Loosening Cindy''s ropes, Sophia gently whispered into her ear. "Look at the main culprit who caused Shane''s death. So long as you kill her, his death will be


    avenged.


    "Cindy, you''ve worked for the Walker family for so many years. You must have been deeply loyal to Sky, right? I knew how well you treated Emma in the past.


    "Yet, Sky killed Shane because of Emma. Don''t you know what Shane did to me?" Sophia smiled ruthlessly. "After all, when I married into the Walker family, you said that I was a bitch who didn''t deserve Sky behind my back.


    "Besides, you plotted with Emma and allowed Shane to rape me. But, without Emma''s backing, you wouldn''t have dared to do that. So, she''s the main culprit."


    "Don''t listen to her, Cindy. She''s intentionally sowing discord among us!" Emma cried out. "Sophia ordered Sky to kill Shane! I''m not involved in Shane''s death! It''s all her fault!"


    As she watched Cindy sob in despair, Sophia sneered. "Cindy, Sky wille over and rescue Emmater. It''s up to you to get revenge for Shane."


    With that, she turned and walked out of the guest room. The moment she stepped outside, she leaned against the wall and slid down weakly.


    Just then, Natalie walked over and helped her up.


    "I made Sky kill Shane." Lifting her head, Sophia smiled at Natalie. "I left my knife inside so that Cindy would kill Emma. But, I can''t guarantee that she''ll do that.


    "Nat, you should leave with Marcus first. I can''t implicate both of you. There aren''t any surveince cameras installed here, so you should leave with him.


    "I''ll stay here and settle my grievances with Sky and Emma today."


    Then, she added, "Nat, help me look for Zachary. He''s my psychologist, and he has my medical certificate proving my mental illness."


    "What do you mean?" Natalie continued helping Sophia up.


    "I have severe depression and manic disorder. Zachary has a record of all my conditions. Once you find him, arrange a goodwyer for me."


    Thetter continued smiling. "Though he''s Zane''s older brother, no one knows that he''s my psychologist.


    "He told me that if I needed his help one day, he''d try my best to assist me when I ask for it."


    "Alright." Natalie looked at the guest room. "I''ll check on the situation inside. Rest on the couch for a while."


    "Alright, please be careful. I left my knife inside, so I''m afraid that Emma would go crazy and attack you."


    "Okay."


    When Natalie opened the door, she saw Cindy helping Emma to the window. Both of them had opened it and were preparing to escape.


    "Emma and Cindy," Natalie called out indifferently. "What are you doing? Are you going to leave without paying for the rent in Sophia''s house?


    "Oh, yes. I forgot-all your cards have been frozen and confiscated."


    Walking forward, Natalie grabbed Cindy and forced a pill down her throat.


    In the meantime, Cindy could speak again. She yelled, "Natalie, you''re a bitch! I''m going to kill you!"


    She rushed toward Natalie, but thetter dodged and pulled her hair instead.


    This made Cindy scream in pain. Once Emma saw that, she hurriedly tried to climb out of the window despite her pain. Natalie kicked Cindy and pulled Emma back by her hair. Then, she turned to leave.


    "Marcus, I''ve retrieved Emma and Cindy''s hair. Let us leave!"


    "Alright."


    Standing up, Marcus said, "Sophia, please leave with us."


    "No. I''ll wait for Sky to arrive."


    Sophia smiled. "Thank you for your help, Marcus. I''m sorry. If I have the chance next time, I''ll repay the kindness that Nat and you have shown me.


    "I''ll be fine. Don''t worry about me. Please believe in me."


    "Sophia!" Natalie frowned. "You won''t be able to defeat Sky in a fight."


    "Who said I was fighting with him?" Looking outside the window, Sophia continued, "He took away my house keys, so I''m getting it back from him. "Leave with Marcus first. Just pretend that you''ve never been here tonight."


    Sophia smiled faintly, and her swollen eyes were reddened. Previously, she keptughing and crying, but she gradually calmed down.


    "Nat, you promised to protect and help me. I believe that you won''t allow anything bad to happen to me."


    "Yes, I won''t let anything bad happen to you," Natalie replied swiftly. "I''ll go look for Zachary now.


    "Marcus,e with me. Please leave Elijah and Noah here."


    Natalie was used to doing


    everything by herself; after Federtick saved her, he imparted many skills to her. As such, she could protect herself. Besides, Marcus was following her.


    Meanwhile, Sophia was used to being a weak person all this while Since she beat Emma up badly Sky, who loved thetter, wouldn''blet her off easily.


    Elijah and Noah had to remain there to prevent Sky fromying a finger on Sophia.


    When Sophia told Natalie to look for Zachary and get her mental illness diagnosis letter, Natalie knew what to do.


    Everyone knew that Marcus cared for Sophia and protected her, but they didn''t know the reason why.


    So, Natalie didn''t want Sophia to tell the others who really saved Marcus'' life¡ª they would need that in the future.


    "Remember what I told you, Sophia. You saved Marcus'' life. That is a fact that won''t ever change."


    While Natalie looked at Sophia, she said seriously, "Remember that clearly."


    Thetter nodded. "I got it."


    "Remember this as well, Marcus."


    "Alright," Marcus answered obediently. "Noah and Elijah, stay here."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    "Observe the situation in a hidden corner and act ordingly."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    After he was done with his orders, Marcus looked at Natalie again. "I''m done."


    "Let''s leave."


    "Nat, please lead a good life with Marcus!" Sophia smiled brightly at Natalie and waved at her.


    She added, "Drive slowly and be careful."


    "Okay, you must take care too."


    "I got it."


    Then, Natalie and Marcus left the mansion. Thetter drove the car while she sat


    in the passenger''s seat.


    "Marcus, do you think Sophia is plotting something big today?"


    "She has been bullied for too long, so her emotions were heavily


    suppressed. I''m worried for bet


    While Marcus drove the car, be looked at Natalie.  fo


    "She''ll be fine," Natalie replied firmly. "She said that she would take revenge by herself, so I left everything to her. I believe in her."


    "Nat, are you treating Sophia well because she reminded you of your past self?"


    As Marcus spoke, he thought about how Natalie treated Tyler as her salvation in the past and felt rather upset.

 Chapter 345 Marcus Feels Bad for Natalie

    After hearing Marcus'' question, Natalie grinned and looked at him. "Are you feeling bad for me, Marcus?


    "Or, did Sophia remind you of my past? Did you feel embarrassed about what you thought of me back then?"


    Upon hearing that, Marcus tightened his grip on the steering wheel.


    Without waiting for a reply, Natalie said calmly, "Sophia is much more pitiful than me. You should feel bad for her instead!


    "I''m calling Hector to arrange for a paternity testter."


    Then, Natalie called Hector. "Hello, Hector. I retrieved some strands of hair from Emma and Cindy. I''m on my way now to look for someone. I''ll be driving past Walker Group. Can you collect them from me?"


    "Okay, I''m heading over now."


    Hesitating, Natalie lowered her voice. "Hector, why don''t you privately arrange for a paternity test between our parents and Sky?"


    "What?" On the other hand, Hector thought he had heard wrongly. However, he immediately realized what she meant.


    "I got it. Don''t worry!"


    "Alright. Thank you, Hector."


    "You don''t need to thank me. Remember, I''m just like Mason."


    When Hector spoke gently, warmth flooded Natalie''s heart. She simply replied with a hum of agreement and hung up.


    "Nat, do you think Sky isn''t your parents'' biological child?" Marcus asked while driving.


    "It''s just a suspicion. But I can''t prove anything based on my gut instinct, right?" Looking over, Natalie continued, "After all, since Emma and I were switched at birth, and Selena was trafficked to someone, there''s a chance that the same thing would happen to Sky.


    "Perhaps someone has been intentionally stealing children in the Walker family. Didn''t you realize that Sky is very different from my other brothers?"


    Marcus held the steering wheel and smirked. "I did. He is indeed different. Not only is he foolish and evil, but he doesn''t know right from wrong. He treated Sophia badly, even though she was his fianc¨¦. His behavior is not very different from Emma and Shane."


    "That''s right!" Natalie nodded. "So, I think he has to do a paternity test with my parents."


    "Are you afraid?" Marcus asked lowly. "Natalie, are you afraid?"


    "Afraid of what?" Natalie grinned. "Do you think I''d be afraid that my return home would cause many things to change in the Walker family?


    "If I didn''t return home, Emma would still be the beloved daughter in the Walker family, Sky would still be Walker Group''s CEO, my other brothers would be thriving in their respective careers, and my parents would''ve led a happy life after retiring.


    "When the timees, you''ll get into an arranged marriage with Emma, and everyone will be happy.


    "Isn''t that right?"


    While she spoke, Natalie smiled disdainfully.


    "Everyone will be happy apart from Sophia. She''ll live her life in despair. Maybe she might even be dead before Sky marries her."


    "That wasn''t what I meant."


    Marcus parked in front of Walker Group''s office and passed a chocte to her. "This is for you."


    "Lincoln gifted me a chocte factory. Did that factory belong to you?"


    "You''re right!" Marcus grinned. "I sold it to Lincoln at a low price."


    Then, he said, "Wait for me in the car."


    While he spoke, Marcus got out of the car and walked toward a coffee shop.


    Meanwhile, Natalie remained in the car, still holding on to the chocte Marcus had given her. Then, she called Noah.


    "Hi, Noah. How''s the situation now?"


    "Hello, Ms. Walker. Ms. Sinir told me to hide with Elijah. Mr. Sky has arrived, and Ms. Sinir is preparing coffee for him. Both of themare having a discussion.


    Hearing that, Natalie frowned. "Why is Sophia making coffee for Sky?" she wondered.


    "Ms. Sinir seems to have calmed down. However, Mr. Sky is anxious and uneasy. He looks like he''s going to hit Ms. Sinir.


    "However, don''t worry. Ms. Walker, I''ll protect Ms. Sinir with Elijah."


    "I got it. Look after Sophia; don''t let her get hurt. If Sky attacks her, subdue him with Elijah."


    "I understand, Ms. Walker."


    After hanging up, Natalie noticed Marcus returning with a bag. He entered the car and passed the bag to Natalie.


    "I''ll bring you to Zacharyter on."


    When Natalie opened the bag, she saw a cup of coffee, a hamburger, and fries inside.


    "I didn''t expect you to buy coffee and hamburgers, Mr. Holden." Natalie seemed to think of something and smirked instinctively.


    His actions surprised her greatly.


    "I''m just a normal person." Marcus seemed to understand what she was thinking, saying calmly, "I''m not as aloof and arrogant as you think."


    "You feel bad for me, right?" Suddenly, Natalie grabbed the coffee and asked, "Do you feel bad that I haven''t eaten lunch yet?"


    "Yes."


    Marcus added, "I''m not sure when Hector will arrive. If I bring you out for lunch, it''ll


    be toote. We might not be able to meet him on time.


    "I read online that girls like to drink coffee. They would order a hamburger and fries while they drank it.


    "This coffee shop is the closest to us."


    Marcus checked the time on his watch and added, "While I went out to buy coffee, I called Zachary and told him to prepare Sophia''s medical records. We''ll be able to get them the moment we arrive.


    "As you wait for Hector, you can eat the hamburger and drink some coffee. It won''t be a dy."


    "You even calcted the time for me." Natalie smiled. "Marcus, ever since you realized that I saved your life, you started treating me well!"


    Marcus fell silent. A whileter, he replied softly, "I''m sorry. It was all my fault."


    He shouldn''t have been prejudiced toward her; he thought that she was money- hungry in the past.


    "It''s fine. I have already forgiven you." Natalie poked a straw into the cup and sipped the coffee.


    The drink was delicious and warmed her body up.


    As she sipped the coffee, Natalie bit into her hamburger. "Thank you, Marcus!"


    "I should be the one thanking you instead." Marcus looked at her. "k you didn''t save me when I was young, I might have already drowned. So, I should be the one thanking you."


    Upon hearing that, Natalie fell silent. She knew that Marcus cared deeply about


    the person who saved his life.


    Even though she told Marcus not to care about it, he refused to listen to her. As such, she let him do whatever he wanted.


    After he repaid her kindness, he would probably let this matter go.

 Chapter 346 Helping Shane

    After waiting for a while in the car, Hector appeared. He got out of his own car and spotted Marcus. Then, he approached them.


    Natalie hurriedly passed a bag to him. "Hector, these are Emma and Cindy''s hair. I put them in separate bags. Watch them closely; don''t let anyone else touch them."


    "Don''t worry. I got it."


    After taking it, he patted Natalie''s hair. "I ced a soothing candle in Father and Mother''s room to put them to sleep. They didn''t know what happened today.


    "Don''t me yourself for this, okay?"


    Nodding, Natalie replied, "I got it. Thank you, Hector."


    "You''re foolish, Nat." Hector stared at her gently. "I''ll get to work now. This issue is important. The sooner we deal with this, the better.


    "Lincoln wanted to meet with Soph, but she called him just now and said this was her matter to solve between Emma and Sky. So, she didn''t want us to intervene.


    "Besides, Soph told us she wouldn''t implicate the Walker family. Emma, Sky, and Shane were the ones who hurt her, not us.


    "She just wanted us to hide this from the Sinir family."


    Natalie said, "Hector, thank you for helping Sophia and taking her side."


    "We all have empathy within us, Nat." Hector''s words told her what the other three brothers felt about the situation.


    "I got it, Hector. Thank you."


    "I''ll get going now. I''m not worried since you''re with Marcus."


    "Okay."


    Hector left with the bag while Natalie entered the car. She passed another bag to Marcus. "Please find a reliable organization and conduct another paternity test for me."


    "Okay." Meanwhile, Marcus took the bag without asking any questions.


    "I''ll bring you to Zachary now."


    "Alright."


    The car drove away from Walker Group''s office quickly.


    Meanwhile, the moment Sky arrived at the mansion in the southern suburbs, Sophia told him to wait on the couch. He was very anxious and wanted to see Emma immediately.


    However, thetter was unhurried. She made a cup of coffee and ced it in front of him.


    "Don''t worry, Sky. Let''s talk after you drink the coffee."


    Smiling, she continued, "I''m just a weak woman, so I won''t be of any threat to you.


    "You''re the eldest son of the Walker family and the CEO of Walker Group. You have so many properties under your name, but instead of putting Emma in your apartments, you brought her to my house."


    "Sophia, I was to me. I have already scolded and hit Emma. Besides, I killed Shane ording to your wishes. It''s time for you to stop throwing a tantrum, right? If you let Emma go, I won''t take my revenge on you.


    "If you want money, I''ll give it to you. If you want to go overseas, I can send you to another country too."


    As Sky wasn''t in the mood to drink coffee, he simply looked around the mansion.


    He didn''t know where Sophia hid Emma. When he arrived, he couldn''t hear Emma and Cindy at all.


    If Emma knew he was here, she would''ve yelled for help.


    However, all was silent. He couldn''t see anyone in the mansion apart from Sophia.


    Though he yelled for Emma and Cindy, everything remained quiet.


    On the other hand, Sophia smiled at him disdainfully.


    So, he grabbed her neck. However, Sophia continued smiling contemptuously at


    him; this made him afraid to continue choking her.


    "We used to be engaged, Sky. Also, we dated for a long time. Why are you afraid of me now?" Sophia sat back on the couch and ordered, "Sit property. If you want to bring Emma and Cindy home in one piece you should listen to me obediently. I was hurt badly by all of you. How would killing Shane be enough?


    "My life was ruined by all of you. Now, you can only listen to my instructions. You don''t have another choice.


    "Sit properly and drink your coffee."


    When Sky reached out, he paused in midair. Sophia leaned in and stared at him as if issuing a challenge.


    "If you hit me, Emma will be hit ten more times. Consider your actions carefully."


    Both of them stared at each other, and tension filled the air. In the end, Sky gave


    in.


    He realized that after Sophia almost died, she became a different person.


    So, he sat down and took a long sip of his coffee; it had cooled down after the two


    of them negotiated for such a long time.


    Seeing that, Sophia smirked disdainfully. "Wouldn''t it be great if you just did that from the start?"


    "I want to meet Emma."


    "Then, bring me the videos and pictures Emma and Shane took of me."


    "I think Natalie found them. Emma doesn''t have that evidence anymore." "Natalie found Shane''s copy, not Emma''s."


    Staring at Sky, Sophia added, "Sky, since you''re negotiating with me,? you have to be more sincere. My life is already a living hell. Before die, I''ll make sure to drag as many people who hurt me down as well.


    "Shane, Emma, Cindy, and you deserve to die. I''m dragging all of you to hell with me. It''s a guaranteed win for me if I lose my life in exchange for all of your


    deaths."


    "So, you didn''t n to let me take Emma away from the start, right?" Sky asked. "That''s right."


    Smirking, Sophia added, "Emma is a wicked person. How could she deserve to survive?


    "But, I''ll grant yourst wishes before the both of you die. You like Emma, right? How disgusting; you like your own sister."


    After that, she burst intoughter. "Sky, enjoy the present that I have prepared for you!"


    As she pped her hands, a few people walked out from the shadows.


    This surprised Noah and Elijah, who were hiding. They didn''t know who those


    people were. Evidently, Sophia had hired them in advance.


    "Bring Mr. Sky to the room at the second level. Get good shots of Emma and him so that they''ll look beautiful. After all, I paid a high price


    for this. You can''t take ugly videos of them."


    "You''ve gone mad, Sophia!" Sky stood up and prepared to fight Sophia, but the former felt as if he had lost all his strength and fell to the floor.


    "Haven''t you seen those pictures that Shane took of me?" Grabbing Sky''s chin, Sophia added, "Emma told him to do it. Did you really think that Emma could leave unscathed?"


    "You''ll regret it, Sophia." Since Sky lost his strength, he couldn''t struggle at all.


    "I''ll regret it if I don''t get my revenge instead." Laughing coldly, Sophia said, "I''m helping you to fulfill your desires, Sky. You should thank me instead." Then, she told her subordinates, "Bring him upstairs."

 Chapter 347 Turning Them Against Each Other

    "Yes, Ms. Sinir." Two men appeared out of nowhere and dragged the weak and powerless Sky upstairs.


    Sophia remained seated on the couch for a while before getting up to pour herself a ss of red wine. She swirled the liquid gently, then raised her ss in a quiet toast to the air.


    "Sophia, congrattions on your rebirth," she murmured to herself. Then, she downed the wine in one gulp before turning and heading upstairs.


    Sky was thrown into the master bedroom on the second floor-the same room Emma had chosen for herself when he arranged for her to move in. Now that it had been hers, Sophia had no intention of using it.


    "You two can leave now."


    With a wave of her hand, the two men stepped out.


    Sophia pushed open the door and entered. Inside, Emma and Cindy were tied together, while Skyy weakly on the floor.


    "Cindy, the one who killed Shane is right here. Now''s your chance for revenge."


    Sophia stepped forward and untied Cindy''s ropes. "Think about it-how did Sky plunge that knife into Shane''s heart?


    "He''s right in front of you. You can avenge your son now."


    Her voice softened, almost hypnotic, as she leaned in closer. The corners of her lips curved up ever so slightly, her tone gentle yetced with an undeniable lure.


    "Cindy, the opportunity is right here. Think about how cruelly Shane died. If it weren''t for Sky, would Shane have dared toy a hand on me? And if he hadn''t, would I have ever had the chance to make Sky kill him?


    "You''re Shane''s mother¡ªhis real mother. Watching your own child die before your eyes must have been unbearable. But now, the one responsible is right here. Kill him, and Shane can finally rest in peace."


    Cindy, her hands now free, stood frozen as Sophia''s words echoed in her mind. Sophia rose to her feet, giving Cindy freedom but keeping Emma restrained. Emma''s eyes widened in disbelief, terror shing across her face. "Sophia Sinir, you''ve lost your mind! You''re insane! Do you even realize that?"


    Sophia''s hand pped hard across Emma''s face. "Am I insane? Wasn''t it you who drove me to this?"


    "Emma, drop the innocent act," she sneered. "You made me this way you all did."


    Sophia smiled, crouching down to grip Emma''s chin tightly. "Don''t be so hasty. Your turn wille soon enough."


    She let out a low chuckle. "You don''t want to hand over my photos and videos? That''s fine. I don''t care. Worst-case scenario? I die.


    "But Emma-you will die before me."


    She turned her head slightly, her voiceced with dark amusement. "Now, watch closely. Watch how the brother who loves you most is about to die because of you.


    "Cindy, your son-Shane-died so tragically. He lost so much blood. And the person who killed him? He''s here right in front of you."


    Sophia''s voice dropped into an eerie whisper. "You''re really not going to avenge him? You''re not afraid that if you don''t, he''lle crying for you in the middle of the night?"


    Sophia''s grip tightened around Emma''s chin as she whispered, her voice slow and deliberate. "Sky is right in front of you. Kill him. Avenge Shane."


    "Ahhh!" With a sudden scream, Cindy lunged at Sky, grabbing the knife beside him and plunging it into his chest.


    "No!" Emma shrieked, her voice raw with desperation. She struggled with all her strength to break free from Sophia''s grasp, stumbling toward Sky.


    "Cindy, you''re insane! How could you kill Sky? How dare you?


    "Sky, don''t scare me. Please don''t scare me!"


    Tears streamed down Emma''s face as panic took hold. She couldn''t stop crying, her sobs shaking her entire body. "Cindy, kill Sophia instead! Kill her!


    "Sky!"


    Cindy stared at the blood pooling beneath her, suddenly realizing what she had done. Fear gripped her, and she stumbled backward.


    "It wasn''t me... It wasn''t me... I didn''t mean to do it. I didn''t want to kill Mr. Sky. I didn''t!"


    Panicked, Cindy turned to flee, but no matter how hard she yanked at the door, it wouldn''t budge.


    "Emma, Cindy just killed your beloved Sky. Are you really not going to avenge him?"


    Sophia''s eerie voice rang out again from the shadows. "Sky killed Shane to save you. If you kill Cindy now, no one will ever know what Sky did."


    "Shut up, Sophia! Shut up! It''s you! It''s all because of you!" Emma screamed, her voice filled with rage. "You''re the one who should die!


    "You wretched woman! You were Sky''s fianc¨¦e, yet you kept seducing Marcus! Seeing him protect you makes you feel triumphant, doesn''t it?"


    "Yes, it does."


    Sophia let out augh. "So what if you''re Marcus'' fianc¨¦e? The one he''s protecting is me.


    "You were once the cherished daughter of the Walker family, and even then, Marcus never loved you. Now, you''re nothing but a fraud-what chance do you think you have?


    "Emma, take a good look at yourself. You can''t evenpare to a single strand of Natalie''s hair. A fraud is a fraud. No matter how long you yed the part, you could never make it real.


    ?


    "But don''t worry. Being a fraud does have its perks-at least now you can marry Sky! Marry him, and you''ll be the Walker family''sdy of the house. Even Natalie will have to call you sister-inw."


    Sophia''s lips curled into a slow smile as she continued in a deliberate, coaxing tone.


    "Sky loved you so much. He even killed for you. And now, for your sake, he''s been killed by Cindy.


    "If you kill Cindy now, avenging Sky,


    you''ll be his savior. It''ll also make it easier for you to marry into the Walker family, don''t you think? The opportunity is right in front of of you. It''s just a matter of whether you''ll take it.


    "Emma, think about how much Sky loved and doted on you all these years. His


    killer is right in front of you-will you not avenge him?


    "Whether Sky survives depends on whether you''re willing to kill Cindy."


    With those final words, Sophia smirked and stepped back.


    "Em... Emma..." Sky weakly lifted his trembling hand, trying to reach for her.


    Emma rushed forward. "Sky! Please, don''t leave me! You''ll be okay-I won''t let anything happen to you!"


    "Emma, don''t cry," Sky''s voice was weak and strained. "Don''t be afraid. I''ll be fine."


    "Ahhh!"


    Nearby, Cindy was on the verge of copse. She frantically pulled at the door, but


    no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn''t budge.


    "Open the door! Open the door!"


    "Emma, Cindy''s trying to escape!" Sophia''s voice floated through the air like a ghostly whisper. "Are you really going to let Sky''s murderer get away? Or is it that you, Emma, are nothing more than an ungrateful wretch?


    "Sky loved you so much, yet you won''t even avenge him. No wonder the Walker family doesn''t want you."


    "You''re lying! You''re lying!" Emma sobbed, shaking with fury. "Sky, I''ll save you! I won''t let anything happen to you!"


    Emma turned, her tear-filled eyes burning with hatred. She grabbed the bloodstained knife from the floor and charged at Cindy, stabbing her viciously in


    the chest.


    "I''ll make you pay for killing Sky!"


    "Ms. Emma..." Cindy''s eyes widened in disbelief, her gaze locking onto Emma even in her final moments.

 Chapter 348 Maybe the Reaper Will Let You Be a Couple in Death

    Emma pulled out the knife and stabbed Cindy again, her voice seething with hatred. "I hate you! It''s all because of the son you raised! If he hadn''t said he wanted to have a taste of Sophia, I wouldn''t have let him vite her!


    "Cindy, if you want to me someone, me yourself!"


    Emma gritted her teeth. "Sky can''t die! If I kill you if I just kill you-Sophia will let me take him to the hospital!"


    "Ms. Emma..." Cindy''s shocked expression faded into bitterness. She reached out, trying to touch Emma''s face, but Emma took a step back, avoiding her hand.


    "Cindy, just die already! You raised Shane, a rapist-you''re no better than him!" Emma spat out the words through clenched teeth. "If you want to me someone, me yourself."


    "Ms. Emma... Ah!"


    Cindy copsed to the ground, her expression a mix of sorrow and despair. But Emma didn''t spare her another nce.


    "Sophia! I''ve killed Cindy. Now you can let me take Sky and leave, right? I need to get him to a hospital!"


    Emma suddenly calmed down, her gaze locked onto Sophia, her voice trembling with rage. "If you don''t let me take him, I''ll kill you, and then I''ll kill myself."


    Sophia let out augh and pulled out her phone, making a call. "Open the door."


    The door was unlocked from the outside. Supporting the weakened Sky, Emma staggered toward the exit.


    "Emma..." Sky''s weak voice called out to her. "Emma, leave me behind. Go."


    "No." Emma''s tears fell uncontrobly. "I won''t leave you behind."


    "Sky, why were you so foolish? Why did you listen to Sophia? You killed Shane- what are you going to do now? I can''t let anything happen to you. I won''t let anything happen to you."


    Crying as she walked, Emma continued to support Sky toward the door.


    Behind them, Sophia apuded.


    "Sky, Emma, your sibling bond is truly touching. But did you really think I would let you leave so easily?"


    "Sophia Sinir!" Emma spun around, fury zing in her eyes. "What more do you want? If we wait any longer, Sky will die! And what does that have to do with me?"


    Sophiaughed, madness creeping into her expression. "If he dies, I''ll be happy. And if you die too, I''ll be even happier. But just letting you die like this, that would be too easy for you."


    "Hehehe!" It was as if something inside Sophia snapped-her entire being seemed to radiate insanity.


    "Emma, we''re all going to hell together! Let Sky go ahead first. You were siblings in this life¡ªmaybe if you plead with Reaper, he will let both of you be a couple in death."


    Sophiaughed wildly, herughter eerie and chilling. She took a step forward, grabbed Emma''s hair, and yanked her off bnce with barely any effort.


    Then, she forced Emma''s hand around the knife she had used to kill Cindy and guided it to stab herself, just slightly off from her heart.


    "Ahhh¡ª!" Emma screamed, terrified by Sophia''s insane behavior.


    Sophia''s smile deepened. "Emma, you''re going to die!"


    As soon as she finished speaking, she picked up her phone and, without hesitation, dialed the emergency authorities.


    "Hello? Help, someone is trying to kill me! Please! Save me-save me! Ah!" Sophia let out a chilling scream as Emma knocked the phone out of her hands.


    "Sophia, you''re insane! You''vepletely lost your mind!"


    Emma stared in horror at the blood spreading across Sophia''s chest, then turned and bolted in fear.


    "Emma, don''t run!" Sky''s weak voice stopped her just in time. "Don''t panic-call an ambnce right away."


    "Sky, I¡ªI killed someone. I killed Cindy!" Emma sobbed in a panic. "Sky, I didn''t kill Sophia!"


    "Cindy was my doing it has nothing to do with you." Sky''s voice was firm, unwavering.


    "Emma, listen to me. I''ve already


    killed Shane. Cindy and S


    killed them too. Right now,


    to wipe your fingerprints off that knife."


    "I won''t!" Emma refused, gripping Sky tighter. "Sophia forced us into this-I''m not afraid."


    "Sky, you didn''t kill Shane. He fell and died by ident."


    After her initial panic, Emma suddenly found herself calming down.


    "Cindy was killed by Sophia. Sophia was killed in self-defense by Cindy. It was mutualbat. As for us, we were never here."


    "Emma," Sky understood what she was trying to do, but he knew they wouldn''t be able to escape unscathed.


    Unless someone helped them.


    "Where''s Ka? When I arrived, I didn''t see her. And what about the bodyguards I arranged for you? Why aren''t they here?"


    "Sky, don''t talk. You''re losing too much blood. I need to get you to a hospital now. Ka must have betrayed you."


    Emma continued supporting Sky as they made their way downstairs.


    Just as they reached the entrance, they saw headlights approaching from the distance.


    As the car got closer, unease settled into their hearts.


    Finally, the vehicle stopped at the vi''s entrance. The car door opened, and out stepped Natalie and Marcus.


    At the sight of them, Emma felt herst hope shatter.


    "Sky, we can''t get away." Tears rolled down her cheeks.


    "Sky, I''ll take responsibility for everything¡ªeven for Shane''s death. None of this


    has anything to do with you."


    "Emma, listen to me. I did all of this-it has nothing to do with you. You don''t know anything."


    Sky''s strength was slowly returning, though he still didn''t know what kind of drug Sophia had used on him. But one thing was certain-this had all been meticulously nned.


    As Marcus and Natalie approached, Sky forced himself to stand tall.


    Emma''s eyes burned with hatred as she red at Natalie.


    But Natalie simply met her gaze with a cold, indifferent stare-one filled with an


    overwhelming sense of pressure.


    The invisible force of Natalie''s


    presence was suffocating. It felt like


    Emma was being plunged into


    freezing water, her breath stolen from her lungs.


    Her instincts screamed at her to back away and she did.


    But the moment she realized she had flinched, she gritted her teeth in fury.


    How could she cower in front of Natalie?


    No-she refused.


    She forced herself to step forward again, ring daggers at Natalie, as if trying to


    regain some semnce of dominance.


    But before she could do anything, Marcus stepped in front of Natalie, blocking Emma''s hateful gaze-along with Sky''s burning anger.

 Chapter 349 No One Escapes

    Marcus'' gaze swept over Sky and Emma from head to toe. "Are you two running for your lives?"


    "Marcus, move," Sky said.


    His expression darkened. The stab wounds he had suffered from Cindy weren''t fatal, but if he kept losing blood, it would be a serious problem. More importantly, Emma''s injuries needed immediate attention.


    When he was first brought upstairs and saw her condition, his heart clenched in pain.


    Her forehead had been split open, dried blood staining her leg, and her wrists and fingers bore various cuts and bruises.


    Sky didn''t care about his wounds-what hurt him the most was seeing Emma like this.


    "Mr. Sky, this is Sophia''s mansion. Both of you broke in and are covered in blood. Now you want to just walk out? That''s not how this works." Marcus'' tone was icy, his eyes devoid of warmth as he looked at them.


    Suddenly, a shrill scream rang out from inside the vi. "Help! Ms. Sinir has been murdered! Don''t scare me, Ms. Sinir. Wake up!"


    Then, someone frantically called for an ambnce and the police.


    Upstairs, there was a loud crash, and a momentter, a woman''s head appeared from a second-floor window.


    "Stop them! Don''t let them leave! She killed Ms. Sinir!"


    Hearing this, Natalie turned to lock eyes with Marcus. He gave her a slight nod, and without hesitation, she bolted into the vi.


    Then, Elijah and Noah emerged from the shadows, stepping into the light to block Natalie''s path.


    Noah lowered his voice, "Ms. Walker, Ms. Sinir made it clear that she wanted to handle this herself.


    "Ms. Sinir said that you and Mr. Holden have already helped her enough. She cannot drag you both into this. Everything was her decision alone, and you knew nothing about it.


    "She also said that no matter what happens to her, she is deeply grateful to you and Mr. Holden. If she makes it through this, she will dedicate herself to serving you as a way to repay your kindness."


    "Sophia''s upstairs, isn''t she?" Natalie asked.


    A sinking feeling settled in Natalie''s chest. When they arrived, Sophia hadn''t mentioned having others hidden in the shadows.


    "Yes, Ms. Walker. She instructed Elijah and me to stay out of sight. She said not to reveal ourselves unless she allowed it. She wanted to take her revenge personally, to settle her score with Sky and Emma herself." Noah lowered his head as he spoke.


    Sophia shared many things with Elijah and Noah, but she forbade them from informing Natalie and Marcus. She had even threatened them with her life to ensure they wouldn''t interfere.


    "Ms. Sinir said that those who hurt her would not escape their fate. You had given her the hope and courage to fight back. However, she couldn''t risk dragging you and Mr. Holden into this.


    "So, she found someone else to assist her and didn''t let Elijah or me intervene. She also deliberately sent you and Mr. Holden away to retrieve something from Mr. Holt so you wouldn''t be here."


    Noah stared down at his feet. He couldn''t shake the unease in his chest over Sophia''s actions.


    "She said you gave her the dignity and will to keep living. Without you, she would have ended up carrying a monster''s child, dying in some forgotten corner without anyone knowing. Forget about revenge; just surviving would have been an impossible dream.


    "That''s why she refused to let you and Mr. Holden get caught up in this. She was certain that no one who wronged her would escape, and that she would walk away from this unharmed. All she asked was that if she did, you would ept her again."


    Noah''s voice trembled, his eyes reddening. "Ms. Walker, Ms. Sinir told me to ry this to you because she knew you would respect her choices."


    Natalie''s chest tightened with pain. Sophia had thought of everything- of her, Marcus, and even Elijah and Noah. She had chosen to bear this burden alone.


    If something happened to the people she hired, it would have nothing to do with Natalie or Marcus.


    When had Sophia made this decision? She hadn''t shown any sign. She had fooled Natalie and Marcus.


    "How is Ms. Sinir now?" Natalie steadied herself and nced up at the second floor. She was unable to suppress her anxiety and rushed upstairs before Noah could reply.


    "Natalie, you''re back."


    Sophiay on the floor, her face pale. When she saw Natalie, she smiled warmly.


    Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I knew you''de back. Don''t be afraid. I''ll be fine. I''ve finally taken my revenge. Emma won''t have it easy. You don''t need to go to Amberton to find Emma''s biological parents anymore because, this time, I''m sending her away for good.


    "I''ll make sure no one protects her again. She''ll never have another chance to walk free."


    Sophia''s smile widened as she continued, "Natalie, thank you. You were the one who showed me the hope of living. You gave me the courage to face everything. If I hadn''t taken credit for saving Marcus when we were kids, would we have been friends from the start?"


    Natalie felt her eyes heat up, and tears slipped down her cheeks. "Stop talking. Let me treat your wound first. We''re taking you to the hospital right now."


    Sophia refused her help. "No. You need to leave now. While Dr. Tanner was taking care of me, we chatteda lot. She even ran thorough checkups for me I know exactly where my heart is. When Emma stabbed me, I controlled the force. I made sure it wouldn''t be fatal. Don''t worry."


    "Why are you so stubborn?" Natalie choked on her words, unable to hold back her


    emotions. "I told you that I would help you!"


    "I didn''t want to drag you down." Sophia reached out, gently wiping away Natalie''s


    tears.


    ed me once. This


    "You already saved time, I had to save myself. Do you remember what you told me? That only you can be your own salvation. You pulled me out of the mud. Now, I have to clean myself off. I want to stand in front of you with nothing weighing me down. I want to work for you without any baggage, without any regrets."


    Tears slipped from Sophia''s eyes. "So trust me, okay? I was weak for too long. Net myself be hurt for too long. I had to take this step myself. I was wrong to lie to you and Marcus. I''m sorry. However, I would still make the same choice if I could do it over again. You won''t me me, will you?"


    Natalie shook her head forcefully. She had no right to me Sophia. She hadn''t


    done enough for her.


    Sophia chuckled softly and said, "Don''t worry. Shane, Cindy, Emma, and Sky won''t escape this time. None of them will escape."

 Chapter 350 Be Your Friend

    "Sophia, stop talking. I''ll send you to the hospital now. Listen to me, okay?"


    Natalie pleaded. She tried to suppress her emotions, but her eyes still burned. "Be good, okay?"


    "Don''t worry about me, Natalie. I want to be free and then be friends with you."


    Sophia smiled and looked at Natalie fondly. "When Emma is locked away for good, when the people who hurt me arepletely destroyed, when Sky recovers but still loses his right as the Walker family''s heir, I can finally live my new life in peace.


    "I want to work for you with a clean te. You saved me. I will always remember that. However, don''t be sad if I die. I love hydrangeas. Will you nt them around my grave for me?"


    "Don''t say that. You''re not going to die."


    Just then, Noah said, "Ms. Walker, the ambnce and police have arrived. Mr. Holden said that Ms. Sinir would be fine. He told you to rest assured."


    Natalie turned to Noah. His eyes were red-rimmed as well, and when he looked at Sophia, there was a deep sorrow and sympathy in them.


    Sophia grinned and said, "That''s right, Natalie. Don''t worry. Marcus says I''ll be fine, so I''ll definitely be all right. Just rx, okay?"


    "Ms. Walker, pleasee down with me. The doctor will be up in a moment."


    Just as Noah was about to step forward, Marcus appeared behind him. "Natalie,e here. You need to trust me."


    After Natalie took onest look at Sophia, who was still smiling, she walked back to Marcus.


    Downstairs, Emma was shouting hysterically. "Let go of me! I didn''t kill anyone. It was Sophia! She forced me to do this. I don''t want to be separated from Sky. No!"


    "Be good, Emma." Sky, pale and weak from his stab wound, was being helped onto a stretcher by the paramedics. He clutched his injury, his voice low but coaxing. "Come with me. You''re hurt too. You need to go to the hospital."


    He turned to the paramedics. "Doctor, Emma is also badly injured. Officer, please, let us go to the hospital first. We''ll cooperate with the investigation. I promise."


    "There are still people injured upstairs. Let''s check on them first."


    Soon, the paramedics and officers made their way upstairs. They carried Sophia, who was covered in blood, out of the room.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, we need your help in the investigation."


    "All right," Natalie and Marcus said in unison.


    Neither of them had been present when the incident urred. Sophia must have sent them away to collect the medical records so they wouldn''t be implicated.


    Once their statements were taken, Marcus and Natalie rushed to the hospital. On their way, Natalie remained anxious as Sophia''s words kept reying in her mind. That foolish woman-why did she think she was unworthy? She never was. Emma, Sky, Shane, and the rest were the despicable ones.


    Marcus handed her a tissue and said, "Don''t worry. Sophia will be fine."


    "You have known Sophia for a long time. Didn''t you notice what she was up to? The person who appeared in the southern suburbs was Samantha''s helper."


    Natalie''s eyes were red as tears fell uncontrobly. Marcus sighed inwardly and gently wiped them away.


    "I didn''t know, but when I saw Samantha''s helper, I understood. This was Sophia''s decision. We should respect her choice.


    "Sophia wants to get rid of her past.


    To do that, she had to change herself. She must have thought it through carefully before walking down this path. Sophia has always had a difficult life, but she''s always been kind. If she hadn''t been pushed to this point, she would never have taken the path of revenge."


    Natalie''s tears continued to fall. She turned and gazed out of the car window.


    Her voice choked with emotion as she said, "She''s not unworthy. Not at all."


    Marcus nodded.


    "Yes. Sophia has


    not ever been unworthy. No matter how much we affirm her, she needs to ovee that belief herself. You saw her medical records when we went back. Zane is well aware of her condition. It hadn''t been easy for her to endure until this day."


    Natalie tightened her grip on the file in her hands. It was the document Zane had


    given her, detailing Sophia''s medical records from over the years.


    It turned out Sophia had been suffering from severe depression for a long time. She had even attempted suicide.


    However, she was Sky''s fianc¨¦e, and Ivan was determined to force her into marriage to secure benefits for the Sinir family. If Sophia refused, Ivan would take it out on Samantha.


    Over time, Sophia developed bipr disorder. However, she remained passive, too afraid to express her emotions, suppressing them until they became unbearable. On the surface, she appeared normal; in reality, she was far from it.


    Shane assaulted her, and Emma bullied her. Sky enabled those who hurt her and ultimately betrayed her. Sophia''s heart had reached its breaking point after suffering one blow after another.


    Luckily, Marcus helped Sophia. His protection and support allowed Sophia to hold on to her sanity.


    Zachary didn''t know that Sophia pretended to be a savior. All he understood was that she carried immense guilt, believing she had wronged someone beyond redemption.


    The weight of so many emotions crushed Sophia. She didn''t dare to die because of her mother.


    Zachary wasn''t surprised by Sophia''s outburst and drastic actions. He handed the documents to Natalie and spoke with a grave expression.


    "Sophia has suffered greatly all these years. However, she has never once hurt anyone. Since she trusts you, please help her."


    Natalie remembered her conversation with Zachary. "If Sophia needs you to testify in court, will you?"


    His response had been immediate. "I will."


    "Don''t worry, Natalie." Through the car window, Marcus saw tears rolling down Natalie''s cheeks.


    He hesitated for a minute before reaching out and covering Natalie''s hand. She was still gripping the file tightly, and he realized her fingers were as cold as ice. "Don''t worry. Sophia will be fine."


    Natalie turned around. Her reddened eyes stared at Marcus, empty and lost.


    "I promise you. Sophia will be fine."


    Marcus wiped her tears away and continued, "Sophia was unlucky to have met Sky, Emma, and the rest of the Walker family. However, she''s lucky to have you. Fate has been cruel to her, but you are her gift. Don''t me yourself. You did nothing wrong. If anyone is to me, it should be me."


    Marcus'' deep, maic voice held firm. His usual stern gaze softened as he


    looked at Natalie. At that moment, he looked dangerous and irresistibly


    persuasive.

 Chapter 351 Sophia Protected Them All

    Natalie stared at Marcus in a daze. His deep-set eyes were dark and unreadable, and his maic voiceced with quiet intensity. His strikingly handsome face now carried an unmistakable trace of concern-he was worried about her.


    For a moment, Natalie couldn''t react. Her ice-cold fingers were met with a sudden, searing warmth as Marcus wrapped his hands around hers, pulling her back to reality. Instinctively, she tried to pull away.


    However, Marcus didn''t let go. "Don''t move. Your hands are freezing."


    "You''re taking advantage of me." She struggled, but he tightened his hold and enveloped her hands.


    "I''m not taking advantage of you. I''m just worried."


    Still, he didn''t loosen his grip. "This isn''t the time to argue. Right now, the only thing that matters is protecting Sophia. We need to make sure she gets out of it unharmed."


    His words grounded Natalie, snapping her out of the haze clouding her thoughts. The turmoil in her eyes gradually gave way to rity, then determination.


    That was right¡ªthey had to focus on protecting Sophia.


    "There''s no way to keep this from Mr. and Mrs. Walker. They need to know the truth about their eldest son''s personality."


    Seeing Natalie regain herposure, Marcus continued, "Sky is the Walker family''s eldest son. You and your siblings don''t have the final say. However, Mr. and Mrs. Walker aren''t the type to blindly shield their children.


    "Once they know the truth, they''ll sever Sky''s influence. Without power, Sky won''t be able to protect Emma anymore. The Walker family may keep him alive, but he''ll be worthless from now on."


    As Natalie listened to Marcus'' analysis, her mind swiftly pieced together the entire sequence of events. "Sophia made sure to keep us out of it."


    "Yes."


    Shane had assaulted Sophia at the Walker residence and left behind a series of incriminating photos and videos. He used them to ckmail her, never realizing he had also left evidence of his crime.


    As Sophia''s fianc¨¦, Sky had lost all reason the moment he found out. Blinded by rage, he took a knife and killed Shane to avenge her.


    As for Emma, Sky would never expose her role in orchestrating Shane to rape Sophia. This would ensure she remained unharmed.


    However, Sophia had ensured that Cindy witnessed every moment of Sky''s crime. And as Shane''s mother, there was no way she wouldn''t seek revenge for her son''s murder. So, she killed Sky.


    Emma, the sister Sky cherished most, couldn''t stand by and watch Cindy kill her brother. She struck back, killing Cindy in retaliation. Her actions were justifiable.


    Why would Emma then try to kill Sophia? Sophia had witnessed her crime. She was simply eliminating the only witness.


    Emma hadn''t expected there was another witness present.


    Sophia would not forgive Emma for trying to kill her. So, she would ensure that justice was served.


    If Emma revealed the truth, Sophia had a psychiatric diagnosis on record to prove that she was mentally unsound. Even if she had killed someone, thew would absolve her of criminal responsibility. Moreover, Sophia didn''t kill anyone.


    Natalie and Marcus gazed at each other. At that moment, they both understood Sophia''s intent. She had sent them away for a reason and then asked Elijah and Noah to hide in a corner.


    Sophia wanted revenge, but she would bear the consequences alone. This was her battle to fight, her burden to carry.


    And when it was all over, she would return to them-reborn, untainted, and free.


    At Dithoria City Hospital, Sky, Sophia, and Cindy were all rushed into the emergency room. Emma''s injuries were superficial, and the doctors quickly treated her wounds.


    Meanwhile, over at the Walker residence, someone had discovered Shane lying in a pool of blood from Sky''s knife attack. He, too, was taken to the hospital.


    None of them were sent to the private hospitals under the Walker Corporation or Holden Group¡ªthey were all taken to Dithoria City Hospital.


    When Natalie and Marcus arrived, they stood outside the operating room. Marcus slipped off his suit jacket and carefully draped it over Natalie''s shoulders.


    "The night is chilly," he murmured in exnation.


    Natalie nced at him. "Aren''t you cold?"


    "My body runs warm."


    She said nothing more. His jacket still carried his warmth and scent. There was also a faint, pleasant jasmine flower fragrance.


    They hadn''t waited long when Lincoln, Hector, Timothy, and Mason arrived.


    Their expression turned solemn when they saw Natalie wrapped in Marcus'' jacket, their gazes cooling in unison. However, they quickly revert to a neutral expression.


    Lincoln stepped forward and said. "Nat, we''ve alreadypleted our statements with the authorities. Shane made it through surgery."


    He gave an apologetic look before continuing, "I thought about it and decided that Shane couldn''t die at our house. Hemitted a crime. Let thew decide his punishment. Okay?"


    Natalie nodded. She understood Lincoln''s concern.


    Sky was their older brother, and the bond of brotherhood was not so easily


    severed. They couldn''t watch him be a murderer.


    "We won''t cover the crimes that Sky hasmitted."


    Lincoln felt regretful when he saw Natalie''s depressed look. Had he made the wrong decision?


    "Natalie, do you me me?"


    She shook her head. "Why would I me you? Either way, it''s out of our hands now. The authorities will handle it. Once the investigation isplete and the evidence is e conclusive, no one will be able to protect Emma anymore."


    Lincoln had thought everything through. He instructed Hector to give their parents a mild sleeping sedative so they wouldn''t know about anything that happened tonight. But by morning, they would.


    William and Charlotte would likely punish Sky for turning a blind eye to Emma and Shane''s cruelty to Sophia.


    However, Sky was still their son; the one they had raised with the highest hopes. Now, faced with the truth of his wrongdoings, they would surely be very disappointed.


    Punishment woulde, but after it was dealt, they would probably still try to protect him.


    Lincoln allowed William and Charlotte to sleep through the night. By the time morning came and they learned of everything, the investigation would be over.


    They wouldn''t be able to help Sky even if they wanted to. If they needed to me someone, Lincoln would shoulder the responsibility.


    "I thought that Sky is still our brother. It isn''t worth it for him to kill someone just for Emma''s sake."


    Seeing Natalie remain silent, Lincoln continued, "Dad and Mom will feel so miserable if Sky dies. Shane deserves to die, but not by Sky''s hand."


    Natalie cut him off before he could say more. "I understand, Lincoln. You don''t have to exin. I know what you mean."


    "Natalie."


    "I''m fine, Lincoln. I''m just worried about Sophia." She then forced a smile to assure Lincoln.


    It didn''t matter if Shane survived. Once he entered prison, Natalie would hire someone to deal with him.


    He would have all the time in the world to experience the pain he had inflicted on Sophia if he was alive.

 Chapter 352 Conclusive Evidence

    Time crawled by as everyone waited anxiously. After what felt like an eternity, the operating room doors finally opened.


    The doctor stepped out, and Natalie quickly rushed forward. "Doctor, how was the operation? How is she?"


    "The operation was a sess. The patient is in stable condition. She''ll need to stay in the ICU for observation overnight, but she can be transferred to a regr ward tomorrow."


    "Thank you, doctor. Thank you so much."


    Natalie could feel the weight lifted off her shoulders as she thanked the doctor.


    "Doctor, how is my brother? Is he okay?" Emma asked in a sobbing tone.


    After tending to her injuries, Emma rushed over with tears streaming down her face.


    "Mr. Sky is fine. The knife didn''t hit any vital organs. His injuries are less severe than Ms. Sinir''s. He''ll be transferred to a regr ward soon."


    "I want to transfer him to a VIP ward. He can''t stay in a regr ward." Emma''s relief was palpable when she heard that Sky was fine.


    "A family member can make the necessary arrangements with the front desk."


    The doctor left after saying that as he still had other duties to tend to. He didn''t have the time to chat with the family.


    The moment the doctor walked away, thew enforcement authorities walked over and handcuffed Emma.


    "Emma Walker, you''re under arrest for multiple charges of assault, attempted murder and rape. Pleasee with us for further investigation."


    Emma''s face turned deathly pale in an instant. She stared at the operating room. Sky hadn''t been wheeled out yet, but even if he was out here, he couldn''t do anything to help her.


    "Don''t bother looking. Sky Walker is also suspected of assault and attempted murder. Once he wakes up, he''ll be taken in for questioning as well."


    The female officer had a serious look on her face, and the look of disdain and disgust directed toward Emma was evident.


    As a woman herself, she had finished reviewing the chat history between Emma and Shane, as well as evidence such as photos and videos.


    The female officer was so furious at Emma''s malicious actions that she would''ve shot Emma dead on the spot if she had been given the chance.


    "I want awyer. Get me awyer!" Emma looked at her brothers and begged, "Lincoln, Hector, please get me awyer. Shane did this. I had nothing to do with


    it. I didn''t rape anyone. How could they use me of rape?"


    "You ordered Shane to drug and assault the victim. You even instructed him to take videos to ckmail her. We have conclusive evidence. Emma Walker, let me remind you¡ªinstigating rape is punishable as rape," the officer said.


    With an indifferent tone, the female officer said coldly, "Both you and Shane Morgan will be held ountable under thew."


    "This has nothing to do with me. Shane was the one whomitted the crimes. Why are you ming me?" Emma shrieked while resisting arrest.


    "Take her away."


    The female officer didn''t want to waste time arguing with Emma, so she ordered someone to take Emma away.


    As Emma was taken away, still screaming and shouting, the officer walked toward Lincoln and stated, "Mr. Lincoln, once Sky Walker and Shane Morgan wake up, we will take them in for questioning as well."


    Lincoln nodded. "Understood. The Walker family will fully cooperate with the investigation."


    "Thank you for your cooperation."


    "It''s the least we can do."


    After the officers had left, Sky was transferred to a private ward.


    Meanwhile, Sophia was transferred to the ICU. Since she was a victim in this case, Natalie hired awyer to ensure she woulde out unscathed.


    As for Shane, he barely survived but was about to be arrested. Even though he had escaped death, he wouldn''t have a good life ahead.


    Natalie thought of Cindy and quickly asked, "What happened to Cindy?"


    "She''s dead. Emma stabbed her multiple times and struck her heart. She passed away on the way to the hospital."


    Upon hearing this, Natalie took a nce at Marcus.


    With Cindy dead and Sky being a criminal, the Walker family wouldn''t protect Emma any longer.


    This time, she had no escape.


    "Nat, I need to talk to you," Hector whispered after getting near her.


    "Alright."


    Natalie nodded and went to the garden in front of the hospital with Hector.


    "The result of the DNA test between Cindy and Emma is out," Hector exhaled heavily and said in a serious tone.


    "What is it? Are they mother and daughter?"


    "Yes."


    "Now that Cindy is dead, we''ve lost our only lead on how the babies were switched at birth."


    When Hector received the result, he wanted to call Natalie immediately. However, he received a call from Lincoln, saying thatw enforcement authorities were already at the Walker residence. They cooperated with the investigation and handed over all the evidence.


    Before the officers arrived at the Walker residence, Lincoln had already ordered


    someone to send Shane to the hospital.


    Therefore, Hector listened to Lincoln''s instructions and drove straight to Dithoria City Hospital.


    "Sky was the one who called the police about Shane."


    Natalie nodded. "What about Shane and Cindy? Are they rted?"


    "Yes, they are mother and son."


    Natalie scoffed, saying, "That exins why Shane became Emma''spdog and listened to whatever Emma told him to do.


    "What about Sky? Did you run a DNA test between him and our parents?"


    "We did." Hector looked into the distance, "Sky is our biological brother."


    "If that''s the case, I guess he has undergone a mutation that turned his brain into mush."


    Hector just kept quiet. He was saddened by the fact that Sky had thrown away his life for an outsider.


    After a while, he finally spoke. "Nat, we''ll let Father and Mother decide what happens to Sky."


    "Alright." Natalie took a deep breath.


    "I have only one request, which is for them not to ask Sophia to write a letter of forgiveness for Sky. No one has the right to ask Sophia to forgive them."


    "Nat, Father and Mother have always been reasonable. I''m sure they won''t do


    that."


    Natalie wasn''t quite sure. Human nature was unpredictable, and human emotions wereplex.


    One moment, their parents might not care about Sky''s fate, but the next, they could fight to protect him.


    Hector looked at the icy look on Natalie''s face. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Nat, Sky is our biological brother after all."


    "I know, and I understand. But this time, I''m taking Sophia''s side."


    Natalie continued indifferently, "I


    didn''t grow up with Sky. Even affet


    Phome, we didn''t get close. I


    Yol any pity for him. Call me


    heartless if you want."


    Hector was speechless for a second. That wasn''t what he meant.


    "Nat, you''ve misunderstood me."


    "Hector, let''s talk about it once Sophia wakes up." Natalie smiled faintly. "By the


    way, does the Sinirs know about this?"

 Chapter 353 Never Understood Her

    Natalie''s tone was icy, and her expression indifferent. At that moment, Hector felt as though he was seeing her arrive at the Walker residence for the first time.


    She looked distant and aloof as if she was detached from everything. But at the same time, she exuded a cold and elegant aura, as if she had everything under control.


    "The Sinirs have no idea. ording to Lincoln, we shall see if Sophia decides to inform them. But they will surely find out about the investigation," Hector answered truthfully.


    "Lincoln told the authorities to wait until Sophia woke up and gave her consent. Furthermore, Marcus''wyer intervened. For now, the Sinirs are still in the dark."


    "We can''t allow the Sinirs to harm Sophia any further. She has to break free from their control," Natalie stated firmly. "I''ll talk to Marcus and ask him to get Sophia''s mother out."


    "Natalie, is something going on between you and Marcus?" Hector asked carefully. He couldn''t make sense of their rtionship.


    Natalie didn''t mind the question. "We''re not in a rtionship. We''re just friends."


    There was never any romantic interest between them. Coupled with the misunderstanding from before, Marcus wanted nothing to do with her. She had no intention of chasing after someone uninterested in her. Therefore, they had never been particrly close.


    To Natalie, the canceled engagement was a relief.


    After their misunderstanding had been cleared, Marcus also discovered that she had saved his life as a child. He wanted to repay the debt, and she couldn''t stop him, so she let him be.


    Coupled with what happened to Sophia, they had gotten much closer.


    "Nat, I don''t mean that. If you like Marcus, I will fully support you in dating him. I''m just unhappy because you should''ve been the one to call off the engagement, not the other way around," Hector said.


    "How could a man put a woman in such an awkward position? If he pursues you, make him work for it. Give him the full experience of chasing a woman."


    Natalie was speechless.


    "I''m just joking with you. I was trying to lighten the mood. Clearly, my humor fell t."


    Hector scratched his nose embarrassingly and continued, "Marcus had only gotten pretty close to Sophia in recent years. I just don''t want you to be deceived."


    "Thank you, Hector. I get it."


    "Okay. I trust you. Let''s go back!"


    "I want to stay here and wait for Sophia to wake up."


    "Alright, I''ll apany you."


    Natalie shook her head. "Hector, you should go home. With so many of us at the hospital, if Mom and Dad wake up and notice no one''s home, especially after such a big incident, they''ll get mad. Someone needs to be home to exin things to them."


    Natalie declined Hector''s offer to apany her. Initially, she hoped to settle Sophia''s issues quietly. But now, many people were involved.


    However, this time, Emma would have no chance of getting out of this.


    When she eventually discovered that the woman she killed was actually her biological mother, she would likely live the rest of her life in regret.


    Then again, that might not happen for someone like Emma. She may even me Cindy for staying with her after switching her into the wealthy Walker family.


    She might feel like Cindy was dragging her down, stripping her of the luxurious life she was supposed to enjoy.


    "Lincoln has to go to work in the morning, you have your hospital shifts, and Timothy has his things to do. Mason can stay with me."


    Natalie said calmly, "Hector, once Sophia wakes up, I''ll talk to her. If Mom and Dad ask, just tell them I n to befriend her. It''s best if they respect my wishes. Otherwise, I''ll think of ways to convince them."


    Hector was speechless for a second. Since Natalie had said so, their parents wouldn''t refuse.


    "Okay, I''ll discuss it with Lincoln."


    "Hector, does Lincoln know that Emma and Cindy are mother and daughter?"


    "He does."


    Natalie nodded. "Good"


    "It''s a shame Cindy died." Hector was filled with sorrow about losing their lead. "Nat, with Cindy dead, are you still going to investigate the baby switch?"


    "Do


    you think I should continue investigating?"


    Natalie''s lips curled into a smile.


    "When Mom and Dad sent me to et


    Amberton, I''m sure suspected


    thing. It''s too coincidental for


    babies to be switched at birth."


    Hector sighed. "Nat, no matter what you do, I''ll support you."


    "That''s great. Thank you. You should go home with Lincoln and Timothy."


    Natalie smiled at Hector, who nodded and went inside the hospital to get his brothers.


    Natalie stayed in the garden for quite some time until she heard footsteps approaching. Without turning around, she could tell who it was.


    "The Sinirs are here."


    Marcus'' deep voice sounded behind her. "Sophia''s helper informed them. I''ve sent Elijah and Noah to pick up Ms. ir from the convent."


    Natalie pondered for a moment. "Did the helper notify the Sinirs while leading Elijah and Noah to the convent where Ms. ir was?


    "That''s right. It''s part of Sophia''s n."


    Marcus nodded. "She lured the Sinirs to the hospital so that even if the convent contacted Ivan, Elijah and Noah would ensure they couldn''t inform the family in time."


    "I thought Sophia didn''t want to get us involved. Why did she ask Elijah and Noah


    to pick up her mother?"


    "It''s because she doesn''t trust anyone else. Besides, she guessed that you would ask me for help, so she asked me in advance to avoid owing you a favor."


    Marcus smirked. "I''ve known her for many years, but I''ve never truly understood her. She''s been nning this for quite some time."


    "Marcus, do you pity Sophia?" Natalie looked at the sky. It was pitch ck, and no stars could be seen. Even the moon was hidden-it was so dark and depressing.


    "As a friend, I do."


    Marcus followed her gaze and looked at the sky as well. "I regret not being more attentive to her in the past."


    "Why did Grandpa Charles forbid you from helping her? Is it because of her status?


    "He was worried about gossip, but I didn''t care. However, it could''ve harmed Sophia. He wouldn''t have cared if I nned to marry her."


    "But you''ve never thought of marrying her, right?"


    "No," Marcus answered without hesitation.


    "The thing between us had never been romantic. Sophia even told me that she never liked me. She never thought of slowly falling in love to marry into the Holden family."


    "All these years, she never requested


    anything from me. I was the one who couldn''t sit still. I was the one who went to the Sinir residence to look for her so that I could pressure Ivan not to mistreat Sophia and Samantha."


    "I believe you." Natalie let out a sigh. If Sophia were selfish, she wouldn''t have


    tormented herself all these years, pretending to be his savior.

 Chapter 354 Midnight Hospital Visit

    "Marcus, will you continue helping Sophia escape the Sinir family''s control?" Natalie asked, turning to look at him. "Sophia doesn''t want me involved because she doesn''t want to drag me into this. That''s why she chose to ask you for help. Will you help her?"


    "Do you want me to help her?" Marcus turned around and met her gaze. "Natalie, if you tell me to help her out, I will."


    "Is this your way of repaying me for saving your life?"


    "If that''s the way you see it, sure."


    Natalie smirked when she heard this. "Let''s call it that! If you help Sophia escape from the Sinirs, consider your debt repaid. We''ll be even after this."


    "That won''t do." Marcus rejected it without hesitation. "If helping Sophia erases my debt to you, I won''t help her."


    "You-" Natalie was at a loss for words. "I''m doing this for your own good. Don''t you know that?"


    "I do, but I don''t ept it."


    Marcus stared at her deeply. "A life-saving debt can''t be paid off that easily."


    "How many times do you n to repay it?"


    "As many times as you need."


    Natalie was speechless. She realized that it was impossible to convince Marcus.


    "Let''s head back."


    "Alright."


    Just as they were about to enter the hospital, a line of cars pulled up in front of the building. A ck Maybach led the way.


    The car came to a stop, and the driver got down to open the door. Ivan stepped out of the car, followed by Julia and Ruby.


    Behind them, bodyguards from the Sinir family exited the vehicles as well.


    Ivan was in a rush. His clothes were disheveled, and his hair was messy. He was even wearing a pair of sandals.


    As for Julia, she was elegantly dressed. However, she was covering her mouth with a handkerchief, seemingly trying to stifle a cough.


    Ruby was acting suspiciously and looking around. When she saw Natalie and Marcus, she instinctively shrank back.


    Julia couldn''t hold it in and let out a few coughs. Wendy quickly handed her a thermal sk.


    "Madam, have some warm water."


    "Thank you." Julia opened the thermal sk and took a few sips. Finally, she could suppress the cough.


    "Let''s go," Ivan said as he led the way. As he walked past Marcus and Natalie, he stopped and red at Natalie.


    Natalie ignored him and walked in with Marcus.


    Ivan snorted coldly. "Natalie, stop right there. I know you''ve been hiding my


    daughter these days. Who gave you the authority to do so?"


    Ivan couldn''t stand the righteous look on Natalie''s face and demanded an exnation.


    Natalie paused and turned around to confront Ivan, but Marcus stepped in front of her.


    "Mr. Sinir, Sophia has been with me for the past few days. Who told you that Ms. Walker was hiding her?"


    "Uh..." Ivan didn''t expect Marcus to shield Natalie, let alone speak up for her. For a moment, he didn''t know how to respond.


    "Mr. Sinir, since when did you care so much about Sophia? I thought you''ve


    been busy with other matters," Marcus said.


    "What other matters?" Ivan was confused.


    "It seems like you''re still kept in the dark."


    Marcus shifted his gaze to Julia and smirked. Mr. Sinir, you should clean up your own mess before causing trouble for Sophia. Besides, she''s mine. Are you sure you want to cause trouble for her?"


    Ivan hesitated. He looked at Marcus and didn''t dare say another word. He had a


    nagging feeling that Marcus was hinting at something else.


    Ivan stood dumbfounded, but at the same time, standing behind him, Julia and Ruby''s faces turned deathly pale.


    Fortunately, it was nighttime, and no one was paying attention to their expressions. Otherwise, it would have been easy to connect Marcus'' words to them.


    "Marcus, you''re joking. I care for Sophia deeply. Why would I cause trouble for her?" Ivan put on a fake smile. Even though Sophia lost Sky as her fianc¨¦, she was able to get close to Marcus, who was far more powerful. That made Sophia valuable to him.


    "Marcus, since when did Sophia be yours? If you''d told me earlier, I would''ve canceled her engagement with Sky. However, it''s not toote. You two are a perfect


    match," Ivan said while smilie! X


    his eyes.


    with


    "Marcus, since you''re with Sophia, why are you still calling me ''Mr. Sinir?'' Doesn''t that seem a little distant? Once the two of you get married, we''ll be one happy family."


    Marcusughed when he heard that. He sized Ivan up and said without holding back, "Mr. Sinir, you must''ve been in a rush and left your brain at home."


    "Marcus, what do you mean by that?" Ivan was visibly upset. "You''re the one who said that Sophia is yours."


    "You''re right, she''s mine. Now, I want her out of the Sinirs. Do you have a problem with that?" Marcus'' voice turned ice cold. His cold gaze locked onto Ivan, looking like a sharp de.


    His presence was so suffocating that it felt like it could crush a person.


    Ivan was so terrified by Marcus'' gaze that he fell backward. "You... you''re crazy." He struggled to form his words.


    "Marcus, since you''re younger, I''ll let this slide. If you apologize, I''ll overlook this. I''ll still approve of you and Sophia being together."


    Ivan tried to put on an authoritative tone, but he was clearly losing confidence. Marcusughed out loud. "Mr. Sinir, I don''t think you understand simplenguage."


    "Marcus Holden!"


    "Honey," Julia interjected between coughs. "Let''s go in and check on Sophia. "Mr. Holden, I apologize. Thank you for taking care of Sophia." While speaking, she pulled Ruby over. "Ruby, thank Mr. Holden properly. Who knows what would''ve happened to Sophia if he hadn''t taken care of Sophia?" Julia shot a meaningful nce at Ruby, hinting at her to seize the opportunity. If Ruby could win Marcus over, she wouldn''t have to pursue Zachary anymore.

 Chapter 355 Cutting Ties

    "Mr. Holden, please don''t get mad. My husband is worried about Sophia. He truly cares about her. He''s been worried sick about her," Julia said.


    She pushed Ruby forward and added, "We''ll check on Sophia. I''ll leave Ruby here to keep youpany.


    "Ruby, you should talk to Mr. Holden and thank him for taking care of Sophia all this while."


    Julia held back her cough while speaking. Then, she pinched Ruby''s arm. Ruby winced in pain, but she didn''t dare make a sound. All she could do was murmur, "Okay."


    "Honey, let''s go see Sophia."


    Julia linked arms with Ivan, who was more than happy to leave. They walked past Marcus and Natalie and entered the hospital.


    The moment Julia and Ivan left, Ruby thought of running away. "Mr. Holden, please don''t take my mother''s words seriously. I''ll leave right away."


    Ruby was scared to death when she saw Natalie because Natalie had evidence of Julia''s affair.


    Back then, at the convent, Ruby had seen the pictures herself. She had no idea what Julia had said to Ivan, but he didn''t question her identity.


    However, lies were still lies.


    Ruby was terrified. Not only was she not an illegitimate child, she wasn''t even his biological daughter. She was an imposter!


    If Ivan ever found out that he had been raising someone else''s child, judging by his attitude toward Sophia, Ruby could predict how miserable her life would be.


    Therefore, she couldn''t afford to get on Natalie''s bad side.


    As for Marcus, since the start, he was someone that she couldn''t afford to mess with.


    Ruby turned around and bolted after finishin her words. She ran away quickly as if she was being chased by ghosts.


    "Let''s go inside," Natalie said calmly. "We shouldn''t let the Sinirs bother Sophia."


    "Alright."


    Both of them entered the hospital together. Surprisingly, Ivan didn''t cause a scene. He went straight to the doctor''s office to inquire about Sophia''s condition. Once he stepped out of the doctor''s office, his expression was grim. Julia just followed beside him, constantly covering her mouth with the handkerchief.


    Julia tried to suppress it but failed. From time to time, she would cough badly.


    Each cough caused Ivan''s face to flicker with disgust. He would even distance himself slightly.


    Naturally, Julia noticed. She had sent different people under different aliases to Goodwill Pharmacy to try to obtain the medicine, but to no avail.


    All Julia could do was take other medicines to ease her condition, but they barely alleviated her symptoms.


    Now that Natalie was standing in front of her, she was burning with frustration. However, she didn''t dare offend Natalie. Deep down, she was cussing Natalie out, but on the surface, she still maintained a respectful demeanor.


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden, we''ve just spoken to the doctor about Sophia''s condition."


    Before Ivan could speak, Julia rushed forward. "Ms. Walker, this happened to Sophia at the Walker residence. Don''t you think you owe us an exnation?"


    She then turned to Marcus. "Mr. Holden, as Sophia''s long-time friend, how could you let something like this happen to her there?"


    "Excuse me, but what is your rtionship with Sophia?" Natalie stared at Julia calmly. "As far as I know, Sophia''s mother is Ms. Samantha ir. ording to legal records, her name is registered with Mr. Sinir. So, who are you?"


    Julia''s face turned pale upon hearing Natalie''s blunt questions, leaving her speechless for a moment. However, having been a mistress for many years, she was used to being shameless.


    Soon, she squeezed a smile and replied, "I''m Sophia''s stepmother Even though I didn''t legally marry her father, we''ve loved each other for many years. I''m a legitimate member of the Sinir family."


    "Is that so?" Natalieughed. "Mr. Sinir, are you certain that this woman is a part of the Sinir family?"


    Without hesitation, Ivan replied, "Of course. Jul has been with me since she was young. She even gave me?a daughter. We''ve been together for many years. Other than being unable to give her an official title, she''s practically Mrs. Sinir."


    "Tsk tsk." Natalie showed a look of disgust. "What a touching love story."


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden, Ms. ir is here."


    Noah walked forward with Samantha. She was wearing a grey dress with a matching cardigan. She was just wearing ts and had no makeup on her face, making her look tired and aged.


    "Ms. ir, I''m Marcus." Marcus stepped forward and held Samantha. "Do you remember me?"


    Stepanie was in a daze, but she quickly regained rity. She nodded and said gently, "I do. Whenever Sophia visited me, she would tell me that you''ve been taking care of her. Thank you."


    "Don''t worry about it. This here is Natalie Walker. She has just recently reunited


    with the Walker family."


    "Ms. ir, nice to meet you."


    Natalie reached out her hand, and Samantha quickly shook her hand. "Ms. Walker, it''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "Samantha, who gave you permission to leave the convent?"


    A hint of anger shed across Ivan''s face. He strode forward and grabbed


    Samantha. "Did you forget what you promised me back then?"


    "Elijah," Marcus called out.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Elijah stepped forward and pushed Ivan away.


    "What do you think are you doing?" Elijah raised his voice, demanding, "What are


    you trying to do to thisdy under broad daylight?"


    "She''s my wife."


    "Oh, is that so? Then who is that mistress next to you?"


    Elijah shot back. He didn''t like what he had seen and heard, so he just spoke his mind.


    "Didn''t you say that besides an official title, she''s practically Mrs. Sinir? Now, you''re telling me you actually have another wife? I guess your love story isn''t that pure after all."


    Elijah paused before continuing, "You''re clinging onto two women. How shameless. You''re not that young anymore, yet you''re still fooling around. It''s disgusting."


    "Why you "


    This was the first time Ivan had been publicly humiliated.


    His expression shifted, but he couldn''t confront Marcus. Since he was also intimidated by Elijah''s imposing figure, he could only turn his anger to Samantha. "Samantha, get over here!"


    Samantha''s body trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes. However, she quickly suppressed her fear.


    "Ivan, I want a divorce."


    "A divorce? In your dreams! Don''t even think about it!" Ivan shouted in frustration.


    Samantha had expected this oue, but she didn''t freak out like she used to. She said calmly, "Fine. If you don''t divorce me, I want Sophia to cut all ties with you."

 Chapter 356 Choosing Another Path

    "In your dreams!" Ivan could barely hold back his anger. He pointed at Samantha and scolded, "Samantha, do you think that just because you have Mr. Holden''s support, you can leave the Sinirs?


    "You''re just a bitch. You belong to me-dead or alive. Even if you die, you''ll be buried in the Sinir family plot."


    Samantha''s face twisted in pain, and she staggered slightly. Natalie quickly reached out to steady her.


    "Ms. Walker, how is my daughter?" Samantha gently asked, ignoring Ivan.


    "On the way here, Noah briefed me on the situation. The enforcement officers contacted me too. I''m grateful that Mr. Holden hired awyer for her. But right now, I''m worried about her health."


    Samantha continued, "I''ve failed as her mother. All these years, Sophia''s been suffering, but I naively thought that her father wouldn''t harm her and that he would protect her. I was wrong. I was terribly wrong."


    As Sophia spoke, tears streamed down her face. She felt guilty and med herself, but she was powerless to change anything.


    When she married Ivan, the ir family had already fallen. If she hadn''t married Ivan, she would''ve been sold overseas, where only death awaited her.


    However, marrying Ivan was just leading her to another path worse than death.


    After getting married, Ivan treated her nicely for a while. But over time, he started staying outte.


    Eventually, Ivan brought Julia home. Soon after, her stomach started bulging and growing day by day. Her due date was only three monthster than Samantha''s.


    Once Julia entered the family, Samantha refused to share a husband with someone else. She fell into depression, and she was powerless. Without a strong family backing her, she was no match for Julia''s cunning schemes.


    Despite being the official Mrs. Sinir, her life in the Sinir family was worse than a helper''s.


    Later on, Julia became pregnant with a second child. The tests showed that it was a boy, which made Ivan overjoyed. He finally had an heir.


    Samantha watched coldly and felt nothing. Ever since Julia moved in, Samantha didn''t allow Ivan to touch her.


    She regretted bringing Sophia into the world, knowing she couldn''t protect her.


    Later on, Julia staged falling down the stairs and pushed the me on Samantha. Without investigating or hearing Samantha''s exnation, he pped her across the face.


    That p shattered what remaining love Samantha had for Ivan.


    From that day on, Ivan banished Samantha to the Sinir family''s convent, forcing her to live a life of prayer and repentance for his unborn son.


    Life in the convent was tough, and Ivan didn''t allow Samantha to bring Sophia along. He threatened Samantha that if she disobeyed, Sophia would be forced to recognize Julia as her mother and be raised by Julia.


    Samantha couldn''t let Sophia acknowledge Julia as her mother, and she didn''t want a mistress raising Sophia. In the end, she could only agree with tears in her eyes.


    Since then, she was forced to move into the convent, living a life of penance. Even so, that wasn''t enough for Ivan.


    He used Sophia to control Samantha and vice versa. Just like that, both of them were trapped in the Sinir household like prisoners.


    Over the years, Samantha had considered escaping with Sophia. However, Ivan and Julia stationed people to monitor her every move. When Sophia met Samantha, every little detail of their conversation was reported back to Ivan and Julia.


    If it weren''t for Elijah and Noah showing up at the convent, Samantha wouldn''t have dared to leave.


    "Ms. Walker, how is Sophia?" Samantha''s face was tear-streaked. She leaned against Natalie. For some reason, Samantha trusted her.


    "Sophia''s condition is stable. She''ll be observed in the ICU overnight She c


    be transferred to a vieward


    tomorrow," Natalie kindly reptied while helping Samantha to a chair.


    "Ms. ir, don''t worry. With Marcus and myself here, no one will dare harm to you."


    "Ms. Walker, what do you mean by that? Are you going to interfere with my family affairs?" Ivan roared.


    "Don''t think that just because you''re the true daughter of the Walkers, I won''t dare touch you. Even if you call that shrew Charlotte over, I won''t let this go easily."


    "Mr. Sinir, you should be more concerned about your overseas project. Also, you better watch your mouth," Marcus said coldly.


    "What do you mean?"


    Before Ivan could retort, his phone rang. He looked at it, and it was his secretary calling.


    It was in the middle of the night. The secretary must''ve been crazy to call him at this hour.


    Ivan answered the call angrily. "Hello? This better be important."


    "Mr. Sinir, I have bad news. Something''s wrong with the overseas project." "What do you mean?"


    Ivan quickly went to a corner to continue the conversation. The secretary''s voice was trembling with urgency. She quickly exined the whole situation.


    Upon hearing that, Ivan''s knees went weak, and he almost fell to the ground.


    "How could this be? How?"


    "Mr. Sinir, what should we do? If we can''t deliver the goods on time, we will have to pay a penalty of 500 million dors. The shareholders are waiting for you to chair the meeting. Where are you? Pleasee to thepany immediately!"


    "I''lle over right away." Ivan ignored Samantha and ran straight to the entrance.


    "Honey, honey..." Julia called after him while covering her mouth.


    Once Julia raised her voice, she started coughing uncontrobly. The people around her couldn''t help but distance themselves from her as if she carried a contagious disease.


    With Ivan gone, only Wendy remained by Julia''s side. Julia covered her mouth and remembered her purpose for being here. She swallowed her pride and walked toward Natalie.


    "Ms. Walker, I apologize for what happened at Goodwill Pharmacyst time. I''m begging you, please sell the medicine to me."


    Julia started coughing after speaking a few words.


    Natalie quickly pulled Samantha a step back. "Stay away from me. Stop spitting at me."


    "Ms. Walker, a doctor should havepassion. Please, have mercy on me. Please sell me the medicine."


    Julia''s eyes reddened as she stared at Natalie "For the past two years, I''ve relied on the medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy. You''re beautiful and kind. I''m sure you won''t just watch as I suffer."


    Natalie replied coldly, "Oh? Thank you for yourpliments."

 Chapter 357 Joining Forces

    Natalie''s tone was distant, and her eyes couldn''t contain her feeling of disgust toward Julia.


    Natalie couldn''t help it. She had always hated homewreckers and scumbags. Not to mention, she was already on Sophia''s side.


    "Ms. Walker, that means you''re willing to sell the medicine to me, right?" A grin appeared on Julia''s face. "Thank you, Ms. Walker. Thank you very much."


    "Did I say anything about selling the medicine to you?" Natalie smirked and added, "Since you praised me for being pretty and kind, I should thank you. Isn''t that polite of me?"


    Marcus couldn''t help but chuckle, his gaze softening as he looked at Natalie.


    When Julia heard Marcus''ughter, she felt humiliated. The smile on her face disappeared.


    "Ms. Walker, if there''s any misunderstanding between us, I sincerely apologize. Wendy,e over and apologize to Ms. Walker."


    Julia felt humiliated, so she had to vent somewhere. She red at Wendy. "If you hadn''t spoken rudely and arrogantly that time, Ms. Walker wouldn''t have been upset with us."


    Wendy felt resentful, especially when she saw Samantha. If she had the chance, she would have lunged forward and ripped Samantha''s face apart.


    However, it was obvious that Julia wasn''t in a good mood. Even though Wendy was Julia''s aunt, she wouldn''t dare defy her.


    Reluctantly, Wendy stepped forward and apologized. "Ms. Walker, I''m sorry. Please sell the medicine to us. You''re running the pharmacy as a business. Surely, you won''t turn down money, right?"


    "Oh? But I''m a part of the Walker family. I''m filthy rich. The pharmacy is just a fun little hobby," Natalie said casually. "What''s wrong? Do you have a problem with that?"


    "You-" Wendy put her hands on her waist and was about to fire back. But before she could speak, Samantha stood up and pped her across the face.


    Samantha''s hand was shaking and her body was trembling, but she stood her ground.


    "Julia, if you can''t keep your people in line, I''ll do it for you."


    "Samantha ir!" Julia''s voice rose. But the next second, she started coughing non-stop.


    Samantha quickly stepped back and said, "Get away from me. I don''t want to catch whatever you have."


    "Samantha, I''ll kill you!"


    Julia was coughing as she lunged forward.


    Natalie noticed and quickly pulled Samantha away. Just as she was about to kick Julia away, Marcus pushed Elijah toward Julia.


    Elijah reacted in time and discreetly bumped into Julia. After sending her stumbling, he grabbed a bottle of disinfectant from his pocket and began spraying all over his body.


    "Noah, now that I''ve made contact with someone with Tuberculosis, do you think I''ll get infected?" Elijah asked as he continued spraying himself.


    Noah just kept quiet. It was fortunate that Julia didn''t have Tuberculosis. Otherwise, Elijah really might have gotten infected.


    After hitting Wendy, Samantha turned toward Natalie. "Ms. Walker, I''m sorry for getting you involved."


    "Don''t worry. This has nothing to do with you. I had issues with them long before this."


    Natalie gave Samantha a gentle pat on the back of her hand and said, "Let''s go see Sophia."


    "Alright."


    Samantha had stayed in the convent for a long time. She wore simple clothes and had a sandalwood scent on her. Though wrinkles formed at the corners of her eyes, her presence exuded a warm demeanor and a sense of peace.


    "Elijah, stay here. Do not let anyone else near Ms. ir and Ms. Walker." "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus turned around and followed behind Natalie and Samantha, pulling out his phone to reply to a few messages.


    Back then, he wasn''t joking when he told Natalie that it was time for someone else to take charge of Sinir Group.


    However, he didn''t strike from Dithoria State. Instead, he ordered Ethan to target their overseas project.


    All these years, Ivan doted on his mistress and illegitimate child while mistreating his wife and daughter.


    Even though the irs had fallen, when Samantha was young, she was popr among men for her beauty and kindness.


    Among her suitors, a few of them


    harbored deep feelings for her. Among them, one had infiltrated Sinir Group. On the surface, he was loyal to Ivan, but in reality, he was waiting for a chance to bring both Ivan and Sinir Group down.


    Marcus asked Ethan to talk to that man, and unexpectedly, he agreed without hesitation. Soon after, Sinir Group''s overseas project began crumbling.


    If they weren''t dealt with properly, it would destroy the entire Sinir Group.


    Marcus'' idea was to strike swiftly so that Sinir Group and Ivan had no time to react.


    Once he finished replying to the messages, Natalie helped Samantha to the outside of the ICU. The closer they were to the ICU, the less steadily Samantha was able to stand.


    "Ms. Walker, I''m scared. I''m a terrible mother. I''ve never taken care of Sophia. I can''t face her." Samantha was sobbing and shaking.


    "I made her suffer, but there''s nothing I could do for her. She always told me the good things and hid the pain herself. I''ve always thought that Ivan would treat her well."


    Samantha covered her face with both hands, but her tears still flowed right through her fingers.


    "It''s my fault. I''m not a good mother. I failed her. If I couldn''t take care of her, why did I give birth to her?"


    Her cries grew even more heart-wrenching.


    "If I didn''t bring her to this world, she wouldn''t have to suffer. I was irresponsible. I should be punished, not her."


    "Ms. ir, please don''t say that." Natalie wasn''t great atforting others. She awkwardly wrapped her arms around Samantha and stared at Marcus for help.


    Marcus stepped forward and said in


    a deep and steady tone, "Ms. ir, the most important thing right now is for you to get back on your feet. You should reim everything that belonged to you and Sophia will join forces with Nat to take over Sinir Group and give it to you and Sophia."


    Natalie was dumbfounded. Was this Marcus'' idea offorting someone?


    Marcus continued, "Ms. ir, you''re


    Sophia''s mother. If you can''t be her backbone, who else do you think can fill the role? Julia had trampled over you for many years. Even Ruby bullied Sophia for years. Don''t you think you should seek justice for Sophia?"


    "But... can I do that?" Samantha put down her hands. Her face was streaked with


    tears, and she was feeling uneasy. She had lost confidence in herself.


    "I''ve been out of touch with society for a long time. I have lost all confidence. Furthermore, I have no money or resources. I have nothing."


    "If that''s the way you think of yourself, it''s with regret that I tell you that Ivan might send Sophia to some elderly man''s bed in exchange for benefits."


    Marcus'' tone was icy cold as he spoke. He added, "I''ve told you. I''ll work with Nat


    to take over Sinir Group and give it to you and Sophia. What''s wrong? Do you not trust me? Or do you not trust Nat?"

 Chapter 358 The Holt Brothers Come To Visit

    Marcus spoke too harshly, making Samantha too afraid to keep crying. Her hands clenched unconsciously as she shuddered.


    Natalie rushed to pat Samantha on the shoulder. "Ms. ir, don''t be afraid."


    "Marcus isn''t wrong. I n to join forces with him to take over Sinir Group and give it to you and Sophia," she said. "You''re Sophia''s mother, so if you can''t support her, who else can?


    "Ms. ir, you have to pull yourself together. You''re Ivan''s rightful wife! How could you let his mistress just step all over you? Ms. ir, you need to understand that when ites to an affair, your children will suffer if you don''t stay strong."


    "That''s right," Marcus continued coldly. "Ms. ir, just look at how Sophia''s been living these few years. If it weren''t for me, she probably wouldn''t even have survived until now. What kind of mother are you? Besides praying in the convent all day, all you do is cry. Is crying going to solve your problems?"


    "Marcus!" Natalie called out, wanting him to be less harsh. However, after some thought, Natalie knew she didn''t have any idea how to console her either.


    Marcus was simply stating the truth of the matter. He wasn''t wrong.


    "What is it?" Marcus responded. His tone softened when he spoke to Natalie. "Natalie, do you need me to do something?"


    Natalie fell silent. His change in attitude was far too obvious, and she couldn''t help but overthink things.


    Benefactor or not, this double standard was too much!


    "Never mind," Natalie said as she shook her head. "Keep going."


    The corner of Marcus'' lips quirked up. "That''s all I have to say. I''ll stay here and wait. Natalie, you take Ms. ir to a hotel nearby to get some rest."


    "I''m not going. I''ll wait here instead," Samantha choked. She shook her head and refused to go to a hotel to rest. "Ms. Walker, you and Marcus should go have a rest."


    "If not for you, I don''t know what would happen to Sophia. I can''t thank you enough," Samantha said, reaching out to hold Natalie''s hands and tearing up.


    Natalie quickly reached out to steady her.


    "Ms. ir, it''s alright. Sophia and I are friends. It''s only right for me to help her." "This isn''t about right or wrong," Samantha said, wiping her tears. "If not for Marcus'' men bringing me out, I wouldn''t have left the convent.


    "I promise I will never forget what you''ve done for me. You too, Ms. Walker. I will never forget all the help you''ve given Sophia. Thank you... thank you so much..."


    Samantha sped her hands in prayer, thanking them profusely. She lowered her head, overwhelmed by emotion.


    Marcus and Natalie walked up together to help steady her.


    "Ms. Walker, Marcus, you both should rest. I''ll stay here and wait," Samantha said as she wiped more tears away. "Sophia is alive. That is the biggest blessing I could ever ask for. I truly can''t thank you enough."


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden. Zane and Zachary have arrived," Noah informed.


    Natalie and Marcus turned to see the two brothers, Zane and Zachary. Zachary''s expression was stoic, whereas Zane kept peering indoors.


    "Bring them over."


    "Will do, Mr. Holden."


    Shortly after, Zachary and Zane approached.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker," Zachary greeted first. It was not long ago since they hadst met when Natalie took Sophia''s recent medical reports from Zachary.


    "Mr. Holden, Natalie," Zane greeted softly. "Is Sophia alright?"


    "She''s in the Intensive Care Unit. She''ll be transferred to the VIP ward tomorrow after observation tonight."


    "That''s good to know."


    Zane could finally rx. After spending some time with Sophia recently, he had started developing feelings for her.


    However, Zane never knew his own brother was Sophia''s psychiatrist. Both Sophia and his brother kept it a secret and left him out of the loop.


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden, you two should take a break. I''ll apany Ms. ir," Zachary said, nodding toward Natalie and Marcus. "With me here, you two can rest easy."


    "Alright," Marcus responded, reaching over to grab Natalie. "I''ll leave it to you then, Mr. Holt."


    "No problem," Zachary said while producing a nket from his bag He draped it over Samantha and folded his jacket before cing it on a chair. "Ms. ir, you can have a nap here."


    "That won''t be necessary. I can''t sleep."


    "Then lie down and have a rest."


    Zachary''s tone was soft. He was a psychiatrist, after all. He knew that Samantha wouldn''t rest no matter what he said, so he simply prepared


    thing for her to rest at the door.


    As for Marcus and Natalie, the two had already done enough to help Sophia. It


    was about time they took a rest.


    "I''ll leave this to you then, Mr. Holt," Marcus said as he pulled Natalie aside and looked at her.


    Natalie was lost in thought and didn''t respond to the exchange.


    "Alright, no problem."


    "See you tomorrow morning then."


    "See you tomorrow morning."


    Marcus left, bringing Natalie with him. He left Elijah and Noah behind.


    As the two of them left the hospital, Julia chased after them. She wouldn''t give up


    until she got her hands on the medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy.


    "Ms. Walker! Please, I''m begging you, sell me the medicine! I must have Goodwill Pharmacy''s medicine!" Julia begged, groveling before Natalie.


    "I can''t live without Goodwill Pharmacy''s medicine!"


    "You''re not going to die," Natalie said, looking down at Julia emotionlessly. "Your life will be worse than death."


    Natalie''s lip curled up in a sneer as she spoke.


    "It''s not like I''m not going to sell the medicine to you. All you need to do is beg Sophia and Ms. ir for forgiveness, and I''ll sell it to you."


    "Huh?" Julia froze up. She hadn''t expected Natalie to make such a request.


    "Stay there if you like the ground so much," Natalie retorted. She walked past Julia and entered the car without even looking back.


    "Ms. Walker! Ms. Walker!"


    Julia was left in the dust as the car drove off.


    Wendy walked up to help Julia up. "Madam, that Natalie is truly petty. Not to mention, to think Mr. Sinir just left you like that!"


    "That old geezer, Samantha, even dared to hit me. Madam, now that Natalie and Marcus have left, we should call the bodyguards to teach her a lesson!"


    Wendy''s face was still stinging with pain. Even though Samantha spent her days in the convent and was a vegetarian, her strength was nothing to scoff at.


    Julia couldn''t hold it in any longer. She began coughing violently and spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "Wendy... go beg Samantha for forgiveness. Grovel at the door of the Intensive Care Unit if you have to, and beg Sophia for forgiveness too Go, now!" Juliamanded with a fearsome look in her eyes.


    "Madam! I''m your aunt, you know? How could you make me do something so lowly?" Wendy shouted.


    "Did you forget how you got to Dithoria State? You''re asking me to apologize to Samantha and grovel before that bitch Sophia? You must be insane!"


    Julia stood up and pped Wendy square across the face.

 Chapter 359 Running Away With Her Tail Between Her Legs

    A loud, resounding p echoed through the air, and Wendy''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Madam! How could you? You would dare to hit me? Have you no respect for your elders?" Wendy retorted as she gritted her teeth in anger. "I must have spoiled you! You think you can do whatever you want because I''m your aunt?"


    "Right now, my health is of utmost priority. As long as I can get the medicine, you''d better live with your tail between your legs.


    "Don''t even bother bringing up the fact that Samantha and Ivan aren''t divorced. Even if they were, I''m still not in my rightful ce until my name is on Ivan''s marriage certificate!" Sophia shot back.


    Being too emotional made Julia start coughing uncontrobly again. After some time, she finally was able to hold it in. She became calmer as the pain simmered down.


    "Go, now. Plead for their forgiveness," she ordered Wendy coldly.


    "Madam..."


    "Go."


    Wendy turned away reluctantly and walked indoors. She walked slowly but eventually made her way to Samantha regardless.


    Before Samantha could even furrow her brow and chase her out, Wendy dropped to the ground and groveled before her.


    "Ms. ir, I apologize."


    Wendy felt absolutely humiliated. But, she had to swallow her pride.


    "Ms. ir, please, forgive me. Forgive Wendy. As for Sophia, I''m more than willing


    to stay here and simply pray for her recovery."


    Samantha was stunned by Wendy''s sudden disy.


    Zachary pulled out a cup of warm coffee from a bag and stuck a straw in it. He handed it to Samantha.


    "Ms. ir, have a warm drink. As for that outsider, pay her no mind."


    Zachary spoke softly, not even ncing at Wendy. As Sophia''s psychiatrist, he knew exactly what was going on with the Sinir family.


    Zachary wasn''t home often. He barely returned home most days, especially after learning Zane and Ruby were dating.


    He only returned for dinner after hearing that the two had officially broken up not long ago.


    Zane never saw eye to eye with his elder brother, but it didn''t stop Zane from looking up to him.


    Zachary was a psychiatrist and also managed several of their family businesses. Most of the time, he was always busy.


    However, This time, Zachary himself asked Zane to visit Sophia in the hospital. Zane must have been shocked.


    "Zachary, did you get some for me?" Zane asked as he eyed the cup of coffee in Samantha''s hands. What was weird was that he came together with Zachary, but he didn''t see him stop to buy coffee at all!


    "No," Zachary said calmly. "If you''ve got nothing to do, go pray for Sophia."


    "Huh? Should I go grovel too?" Zane asked, confused.


    "Sure."


    "Alright."


    Zane quickly got up and went to the Intensive Care Unit entrance. He sped his hands together and prayed earnestly.


    Julia arrived soon after and saw this, while Wendy was just as confused.


    "Ms. ir, I have bread here too. Have some bread with your coffee. When you''re done, take a rest. I''ll be here to keep watch, so Sophia will be fine," Zachary said.


    He didn''t even bother to look at Julia, Wendy, or Zane who were both still on the floor. He spoke gently yet with authority, giving off an inexplicable sense of safety and trust.


    Samantha was much more at ease with Zachary than with Natalie and Marcus. She had no appetite, but Zachary spoke up with his calming voice again before she could say anything.


    "I know you''re not hungry. However, if Sophia learns you''ve been waiting here all night without eating anything, she''ll be just as upset and worried. Ms. ir, eat something for Sophia''s sake, okay?"


    Samantha couldn''t refuse Zachary anymore. She nodded.


    "Alright. Thank you."


    "It''s my pleasure, Ms. ir."


    Zachary was a well-mannered, thoughtful, and meticulous man. His authoritative


    yet unobtrusive speaking style made Samantha feel at ease.


    After Samantha finished her bread and coffee, Zachary helped massage her temples.


    After some time, she had finally rxed. She fell asleep on the chair, tucked in with her nket like he said.


    After seeing Samantha doze off, Zachary turned to Zane.


    "Have the guardse over and chase the outsiders away," he said.


    "Oh, okay," Zane said, getting up quickly from praying. He ran off to call the guards.


    Julia stared at Zachary for a while. She recognized Zane since he was Ruby''s boyfriend for two years. Even if it was just in name, a boyfriend was still a boyfriend.


    Speaking of which, where was Ruby?


    It was only then that Julia thought of her daughter. It seemed like she hadn''t seen Ruby ever since she followed Ivan into the hospital.


    Looking around, Ruby was nowhere to be seen. She quickly called Ruby on her phone, but Ruby hung up right after the call went through.


    "Fuck," Julia cursed. She withstood the pain of coughing as she walked up to Samantha. "Ms. ir..."


    "Silence," Zachary said, ring at Wendy. "Get lost."


    "You" Julia began.


    "That''s them, guards. They''ve been causing a ruckus here. Hurry and chase them out."


    Zane had already brought the guards over before Julia could even argue.


    "This is a hospital. This isn''t a ce for you people to make a fuss. Please leave at once."


    "We''re not making a fuss!" Julia exined. "My daughter is in the Intensive Care Unit. We''re worried for her and waiting for her here!"


    "What daughter? Don''t tter yourself, "Zachary spat. "Sophia''s biological mother is right here, watching over her! There''s no need for you to act high and mighty here. Now get lost."


    Zane couldn''t be bothered to be polite toward Julia and Wendy. His blood boiled every time he saw them.


    "The person in there is my daughter," Samantha said. She heard amotion and awoke from her sleep. She opened her eyes and sat up straight.


    "Guards, my daughter is in the Intensive Care Unit. It''s their fault. Please, have them leave."


    The guards looked toward Samantha, then toward Julia and Wendy. Finally, they looked at Zachary, who was still sitting there calmly.


    "Enough, don''t make a fuss here. Hurry up and leave," they ordered.


    Julia and Wendy were reluctant, so they were dragged away.


    "This is a hospital! Keep your voice down!"


    The Sinir family''s bodyguards had left some time ago, so only Julia and Wendy


    were left in the hospital.


    Julia was so angry she started coughing uncontrobly again. Wendy quickly opened a thermos and had her drink water.


    "Madam, we should hurry back and settle things now," Wendy suggested softly. "Samantha has already left the convent, and Mr. Sinir ran off for some reason too. You should make ns for yourself as soon as possible!


    "Zane doesn''t love Ruby anymore.


    He won''t be easy to handle. I''m afraid if we drag things out, i will not be to our advantage."


    His brother is also quite et


    Julia looked toward Wendy. Wendy nodded and looked toward the hospital again.


    "Alright. Let''s go back," she said firmly.

 Chapter 360 Do You Like Him

    Julia and Wendy then got in a car and drove off.


    Outside the hospital, Marcus and Natalie sat in a car. The two of them didn''t go to


    a hotel to rest or head home. They just sat from afar and watched what was happening to Sinir Group from their car.


    Natalie grew tired of watching. When she lifted her head to look, she saw Julia and Wendy drive off.


    "Julia and her helper left."


    Hearing this, Marcus also turned to look. "They''re probably running off now."


    "Well? Do we stop them?" Natalie asked, curling her lips. "Right, about that childhood friend of mine, Walter. You know him, right?


    "He''s already settled the matter with Langley Group in Amberton. He was going toe look for me in Dithoria State. Upon hearing I was going back to Amberton to run an errand, he decided to wait for me there instead.


    Upon hearing Walter''s name, Marcus imagined his image in his mind.


    For some reason, he felt ufortable. Even the atmosphere in the car seemed to be tense.


    "Yeah. I know him," Marcus said calmly. "Do you like him?"


    "Yeah, I do," Natalie admitted boldly. Walter was someone she brought back to the Langley residence from the orphanage.


    After all these years, the two of them were practically like brother and sister, so of course, she liked him.


    With Walter''s help, things were much easier for her.


    "After we get to Amberton, Walter will be free of the Langley residence and family. Then, he can stay by my side and help me."


    Natalie didn''t even notice the shift in Marcus'' expression when she said that. She kept going while smiling to herself.


    "Walter''s a really capable guy, Marcus. After you work together with him, you''ll surely like him too."


    The ballpoint pen in Marcus''s hand snapped with a loud crack.


    "What''s with you?" Natalie asked, looking at the broken pen. "What''re you acting crazy for?"


    "Nothing," Marcus said softly. "Just got fidgety."


    Just as he said that, Marcus looked at the iPad in front of him. "You''re not going to watch Sinir Group go bankrupt?"


    "Yeah, I am."


    Natalie''s gazended on the iPad. On the screen was Ivan''s office, and a crowd of people was in front of Ivan. He was raging, questioning why something so important was only brought up to him sote at night.


    The entire crowd was terrified. No one dared to step forward and speak up.


    Once Ivan finished losing his temper, he would order his underling to handle the matter. However, even if they could handle it, the secretary wouldn''t have had to call him in the middle of the night to begin with.


    "Mr. Sinir, this project is the one Mr. Grayson was in charge of. Now that he has disappeared, the raw materials from the factory are low in stock. Without them, the workers can''t keep running the factory. That means we won''t be able to deliver goods overseas.


    "We''re going to have to spend a fortune just for breaching the contract. Most importantly, this overseas project will affect our entire group''s production chain. If this crisis isn''t handled well, the group''s funds will go up in mes," the secretary said carefully.


    Before he could even finish, Ivan flung the cup in his hands toward him.


    He dodged quickly. Now that the group was falling apart, Ivan probably wouldn''t even pay his medical expenses if he got hurt.


    Besides, what point would there be in keeping him around?


    "Mr. Sinir, the deadline for our goods is tomorrow. If we can''t get our goods sent out, we''ll have to pay for breach of contract," the secretary said again. "Perhaps you could take a trip overseas in person tomorrow?"


    "Get out!" Ivan scolded angrily. He grabbed at his own hair in frustration. This whole overseas project used to make millions of dors for Sinir Group.


    Ronald had been the one to secure the project in the first ce. All these years, he was loyal to Sinir Group. Of course, Ivan hadplete trust in him. So, to think he would pull something like this!


    This project would earn them a lot of profits, so naturally, the penalty for breach of contract was exorbitant.


    Now that they couldn''t deliver the goods, Sinir Group would have to pay the price in money and reputation.


    It was an unsalvageable turn of events for both Ivan and Sinir Group.


    Ivan lost his temper again and chased everyone out. He was left alone in his office as he thrashed things about.


    "Oh, Ronald Grayson. How I trusted you! How could you do such a thing?"


    After making a mess of the ce, Ivan took out his phone and called Ronald nonstop.


    But no matter how many times he called, the automated tone said Ronald''s phone was turned off.


    "Ronald, you piece of shit! How dare you put me in a situation like this? I''m going to give you hell when I get my hands on you!"


    Marcus and Natalie watched silently from the car as Ivan raged helplessly in his office.


    "Is this Ronald Grayson person a mole you snuck into Sinir Group?"


    "No. He''s Ms. ir''s secret admirer," Marcus said as he opened a bottle of water and handed it to Natalie. "Drink up."


    He added, "I just gave him a push."


    Marcus opened another bottle and took a sip, stopping the video on the iPad.


    "Now, I''m going to give Ivan his second present."


    "What?"


    Natalie had the feeling that Marcus had orchestrated all sorts of things behind her back.


    "Julia and her helper are about to


    donate the money and run a let


    Marcus chuckled. "Those two.


    always boasting about true love, no? Well, it''s time to put that to the test."


    bet


    Hearing that, Natalie couldn''t help butugh after pondering over what Marcus was going to do.


    Marcus, you''re quite evil,


    revet?


    you?"


    "Oh yeah?" Marcus nced over and stared at Natalie. His dark eyes seemed to


    draw her gaze in.


    "Then, do you like me?" he suddenly asked.


    "Huh?" Natalie asked, wide-eyed. She thought she misheard.


    "Never mind," Marcus chuckled and brushed it off. "Forget it."


    Natalie looked toward him and asked carefully, "Marcus? Are you... okay?"


    Marcus fell silent. "Never mind.


    "Come on, we''ve got a show to watch."


    Marcus put the iPad aside and sent a few messages on his phone. Then, he


    started the car and drove off.


    "Natalie, what did you use to do with Walter?" he asked.


    "Where''s thising from?"


    Marcus nonchntly replied as he drove, "Just chatting. Nothing much."


    Natalie thought for a while before slowly beginning to speak.


    "Walter and I weren''t together for a long time. I chose him and took him home from the orphanage. Mrs. Langley S¨¦nior then arranged for him to start studying. I used to y with him sometimes, and he taught me mathematics."


    Natalie smiled a genuine smile as she reminisced about the past. "Walter''s a good guy. He''s always doted on me and protected me."


    "So you still like him," Marcus said as he drove. His tone carried an unconscious hint of jealousy.


    "Who do you like more between Walter and Tyler?"


    Natalie awkwardly chuckled at Marcus before asking, "Do you want to know the truth or a lie?"

 Chapter 361 Marcus Sudden Kiss

    Marcus'' grip on the steering wheel tightened when he saw Natalie''s smile. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his mind kept reying the way she had smiled so sweetly while talking to Walter.


    She had once treated Tyler like a savior too. She used to follow him whenever she ran away from the Langleys, staying out the whole day.


    She had more memories with Walter and Tyler than with Marcus, especially since, in the beginning, he had misunderstood her. Because of that, he didn''t want to see her.


    Later, he discovered Natalie was actually Elim, the person who saved his grandfather and helped him when he was drugged.


    Although he had saved her once, she was the one who had helped him more. That time he rescued her, he caught a glimpse of that small red mark, and it stayed in his mind for a long time after.


    "Marcus, why aren''t you talking?"


    Marcus kept driving in silence. Natalie turned to the side, studying his profile. His tall nose, chiseled jaw, and long, thickshes entuated his sharp features.


    From this angle, he looked even more captivating.


    He was unbelievably handsome. Every time she stared at him, she felt a momentary, irresistible pull. Yet, at this moment, he looked upset. His cold expression and firmly pressed lips clearly revealed his mood.


    In response to her question, he gripped the steering wheel so hard that the veins in the back of his hand stood out.


    At the sight of his hand, Natalie immediately thought how easy it would be to do acupuncture on those prominent veins.


    "A lie," he said suddenly in his low, slightly hoarse voice. "Just tell me a lie."


    He already had a feeling the real truth wouldn''t be something he wanted to hear. "If you want a lie, then..." she drawled, pretending to think. "I prefer Tyler." Before Marcus'' face could darken again, she added, "And if it''s the truth, that''s also the case."


    If she had to choose between Walter and Tyler, she couldn''t deny that she had relied more on Tyler in the past.


    She was the one who picked Walter out from the orphanage. Back then, he needed her more than he could protect her.


    Tyler, on the other hand, was a scion of the Miller family. Whenever he came to the Langleys, no matter how much Diana disliked Natalie, she would still give Tyler some respect. Being with him meant she could avoid Diana''s abuse.


    Later, she realized Tyler wasn''t trustworthy. The things he did pushed her away. As she grew older, her dependence on him faded until itpletely vanished.


    Still, she couldn''t erase the memories of how she had depended on him as a child. She admitted it openly. Those memories were just part of her life story, not some scandalous secret.


    Suddenly, Marcus hit the brakes and brought the car to a stop. He kept both hands tight on the steering wheel, struggling to contain the wild, jealous beast roaring inside him.


    Because of the sudden stop, Natalie''s body lurched forward even though she was wearing her seat belt.


    "Marcus, what are you¡ª"


    She barely got her question out before he unclipped his seat belt and leaned over to kiss her without warning. It happened so fast. Within a single heartbeat, he silenced her with a kiss.


    "Mmm..."


    Natalie tried to push him away, but he was unexpectedly forceful. His strength overwhelmed her. She couldn''t resist him in the slightest.


    The moment his lips pressed against hers, her mind wentpletely nk. She stared wide-eyed at his dark, deep eyes so close to her.


    For a split second, he paused after iming her lips. Then, he reached up and covered her eyes with one hand.


    "Don''t move," he murmured. His voice was deep, and it sounded even rougher than usual.


    Natalie felt her entire body tense. She was strapped in by her seat belt, pinned in ce by his arm, and her mind was buzzing.


    A split secondter, his lips pressed closer, sending a strange electric surge through her. She shuddered involuntarily.


    Marcus began to move more gently, kissing her with careful tenderness. "Natalie, rx," he whispered.


    She raised her hand, about to p him. However, he was quick to catch her wrist. He ced her palm firmly against his chest.


    Her hand had barely touched him when she felt the powerful beat of his heart. The rhythm hammered even faster with every beat.


    "Mmm..." She wanted to speak, but he silenced her with another kiss.


    A shrill horn red from behind them. Marcus seemed to snap back to his senses. He pulled away slightly, looking at her flushed face.


    She red at him in a mix of anger and embarrassment, her cheeks reddening.


    The horns continued. Marcus mumbled an apology and started the car again.


    Natalie felt her face burning hot. In her 20 years of life, she had never been kissed before-let alone forced into one like that.


    Even though she had once been Tyler''s fianc¨¦e and relied on himin her childhood, there had never been any intimate contact between them. That was her first kiss, and Marcus stole it so easily.


    But Marcus was driving, so she couldn''t do anything to him. No matter how angry


    she was, she couldn''t risk her own safety.


    Marcus had gradually calmed down


    as the heat of his impulsive action faded. He wasn''t sure what had


    admitted she preferred Tyler he just


    wanted to make her stop talking.


    He was cautious enough not to look at her directly now. The surprising part was


    that she neither pped him nor yelled at him.


    He stole a peek at her from the corner of his eye. She was sitting up straight, hands resting in herp, staring out the window.


    At the sight, Marcus felt his mood lift. The anger that had twisted his thoughts earlier seemed to vanish, reced by a subtle happiness.


    But Natalie was actually gazing at him through the reflection in the window. Her mind was still reeling from the sudden kiss.


    She felt her face burning even hotter, as if that surge of electricity had drained all her strength. Now that she''d calmed down a bit, she watched him through his reflection in the window.


    He looked calm, but his ears were


    BUT


    bright red, as if they might start bleeding at any moment. His hands on the wheel remained steady.. Those long, slender fingers had just gripped her wrist and pressed her palm against his pounding heart. C¨®ntent belongs to


    Remembering the force of that heartbeat, Natalie realized one thing. Marcus liked


    her.


    But when exactly did he start liking her?

 Chapter 362 Marcus Couldnt Contain His Jealousy

    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.

 Chapter 363 Turning On Each Other

    "That''s right, Mr. Sinir. We were going to find you," Wendy chimed in.


    Given the situation, thest thing they wanted was for Ivan to find out they were actually trying to run away with his belongings.


    "Mr. Sinir, after you left the hospital, Mrs. Sinir was worried about you. She called your secretary to check on thepany and found out that something big had happened."


    Wendy suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Ivan, wiping her tears as she pleaded for Julia.


    "Mr. Sinir, even if you don''t believe how loyal Mrs. Sinir is, how could you just believe rumors and p her? She''s never been in great health, yet she still forced herself toe back and help you."


    "Is that so?" Ivan still looked doubtful.


    Not long ago, when he was in his office furious at thetest crisis, he received an anonymous email. He opened it to find only a few photos and two paternity tests.


    One test showed that he had no biological connection to Ruby. He was not her father. The other test confirmed that Sophia was indeed his real daughter.


    As for the photos, they showed Julia being intimate with another man.


    After seeing the photos and the test results, Ivan would have to be a fool not to realize what was going on.


    He also remembered what Noah had said to him at Goodwill Pharmacy. Anger consumed him. He abandoned everything at Sinir Group and rushed home to confront Julia.


    The moment he arrived and saw Julia and Wendy clearly preparing to flee, he was certain she''d betrayed him. That was why he pped her without hesitation.


    But now, hearing Julia sob and cough as she tearfully insisted on her innocence and listening to Wendy''s exnation, Ivan began to wonder if maybe he had been too rash.


    "Honey, aren''t you going to help me up?" Julia coughed a little more, her eyes still filled with tears. She reached out to Ivan, her voice soft and pleading.


    Ivan stepped forward and helped her to her feet.


    "Honey, I know thepany is in trouble, and you''re upset about it. But you can''t just pin everything on me without understanding the situation."


    Julia leaned against him, coughing and looking pitiful. "I''ve gathered all the valuable things you gave me. Take a look and see what you need. I support you no matter what."


    Ivan nced at the scattered gold and jewels on the ground, then at the suitcases in the car. His heart softened.


    "Julia, it''s kind of you to think that way."


    "As long as it helps you, I don''t mind being wronged."


    "Keep these for yourself. Thepany might be in trouble, but I can''t bring myself to take your things," Ivan said, kissing her forehead. "Just put them back insideter."


    "Honey, I want to know who told you such nonsense about me cheating on you," Julia said gently, though rm shed behind her eyes. She had to keep her nerves steady.


    "I''m not scared if you don''t love me. I''m just scared you''ll listen to someone else''s lies and doubt how deeply I love you." She softened her voice, almost stering herself against him.


    Suddenly, her phone began to ring. She turned away and said, "Hold on, honey. Let me take this call."


    "What sort of call can''t you answer in my presence?" Ivan was still a bit suspicious. He saw how she acted and immediately grabbed her phone.


    "It''s just a spam call," she blurted in her panic.


    "Right. A spam call in the middle of the night?" Ivan red and answered it, ignoring her attempts to stop him.


    "Julia, why aren''t you here yet? I''ve been waiting half an hour." A man''s voice came from the other end the moment he picked up.


    "You''re not going back to that old geezer again, are you? I miss you. I think about you every day. Julia, I can''t wait to hug you and kiss you. I want to sleep with you."


    "Don''t say another word!" Julia cried sharply, but it was already toote.


    Ivan struck her across the face again. "You shameless woman! You were just lying


    to me. This time, I have solid proof. Got anything else to say?"


    He was so enraged his chest heaved. He still hadn''t hung up, so he yelled into the phone at the unknown man, "Who the hell are you? Who!"


    The man on the other end hung up immediately.


    "Julia, I almost believed you again." Ivan grabbed her by the hair and pped her across the face over and over. "You''re going to keep lying to me, huh? You liar!"


    "Ah!" Julia screamed. "Stop! Stop hitting me!"


    The more she screamed, the more he hit.


    "You wretch! you ungrateful wretch! I gave you everything and even forced Samantha into the convent because of you! And now you dare im you never betrayed me? That there''s no other man? I swear, I''m going to kill you!"


    "Enough!"


    No one had noticed Wendy picking up a loose brick. She crept behind Ivan and mmed the brick into his head.


    Ivan copsed to the ground. Wendy threw away the brick and hurried to help Julia up.


    Julia kept coughing, her chest tightening as her vision blurred, and she was seeing stars.


    "Come on, Julia. Let''s go." Wendy helped Julia to the car before turning to give Ivan a sharp kick.


    "You old scumbag! Did you really think Julia wanted you for anything other than your money? You''re hideous, and you''re useless in bed. What right do you have to expect her to stay faithful?"


    "You! Guards, get them!" Ivan yelled furiously.


    However, the bodyguards didn''t move to capture Julia and Wendy. Instead, they surrounded him.


    "Ivan, didn''t expect this, did you? We already bribed the guards before you showed up." Wendy spoke with smug arrogance. "Now rot here on your own. Julia, let''s go."


    "Stop! I said stop!" Ivan roared.


    Julia and Wendy got into the car and sped away. After they left, the bodyguards retreated. Soon, they vanished altogether.


    Not far away, Natalie watched the entire scene, clicking her tongue in amusement.


    What a show they put on. One moment, they acted like devoted lovers, and the next, they turned on each other. It was quite something to see.


    She was about to step forward and have a few words with Ivan, but Marcus suddenly grabbed her arm.


    "You''ve seen the show. Let''s go."


    "What?" Natalie didn''t understand. "We''re just leaving?"


    "Yes. Sinir Group is on the verge of copse. Let''s go back and e prepare to take over." He led her to the car and fastened her seat belt. "If you''re tired, take a nap. I''ll wake you when we get there."

 Chapter 364 He Made Her Feel Flustered

    Natalie watched as Marcus buckled her seat belt and then draped a jacket over her.


    "Do you want me to lower your seat?" he asked.


    She shook her head quickly. "No need."


    "Alright."


    He closed the passenger door and walked around to the driver''s side. Then, he started the engine and drove off.


    "Marcus, don''t you think Ivan might be in danger? He is Sophia''s biological father, after all."


    Natalie nced at the rearview mirror. Ivan was still lying on the ground, not moving.


    "He won''t die," Marcus answered in a low, maic voice. "If he did, that would be letting him off too easily."


    "But does a man like that ever really regret the things he''s done?" Natalie muttered. She honestly doubted Ivan would feel any remorse at all.


    "There are some debts Sophia and Samantha need to settle on their own."


    While driving, Marcus ced a call to Ethan. "Hello, Ethan? Proceed with our original n. By tomorrow morning, I want to see the acquisition contract for Sinir Group."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus ended the call and stepped on the elerator. When they reached an intersection, he turned off in another direction. The further they went, the more Natalie realized it wasn''t the way back to the hospital.


    "Marcus, this isn''t the way to the hospital," she said, frowning.


    "No. I''m taking you home," he replied, slipping back into that cool, aloof tone. "It''ste, and you need rest."


    "I''m not going home. I want to go back to the hospital and wait for Sophia to wake up."


    "Her mother is there, and Zachary is too. You should go home and get some proper rest," he insisted, refusing her request. "Nat, you''re a woman. Stop staying up all night."


    She was annoyed and asked coldly, "Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?"


    He turned and nced at her. "I''m pursuing you."


    "That''s how you pursue someone?" she retorted with a coldugh. "Forcing a kiss on me and insisting on sending me home? Is this your idea of winning me over?"


    Marcus hit the brakes again. He pulled over to the side of the road and turned on the hazard lights. Then, he unfastened his seatbelt and leaned toward her.


    "What are you doing?" she asked, quickly covering her mouth with one hand, afraid he''d try to kiss her again.


    "I''m letting you hit me back." He studied her anxious expression and brought his face closer, lowering it slightly. "What I did was wrong. You can p me if you want."


    He met her eyes without blinking, his voice soft and low. "Or, if you feel like you lost out because I kissed you, you can kiss me back."


    "You little-" Her eyes locked with his, which were dark and unreadable. For a moment, she had no idea how to respond.


    "Back off," she snapped, giving him a shove. She turned away, refusing to look at him.


    His eyes held too much affection and tenderness, leaving her flustered. She felt as if she had no way to guard herself.


    Marcus let out a smallugh and eased away. Starting the car again, he drove on in silence.


    When the car finally entered Walker Estate, he tapped the lock to release the doors. The moment he did, Natalie undid her seat belt and jumped out.


    "Nat, good night," he called after her.


    She didn''t respond, only quickened her pace and hurried inside. The night was quiet enough that she could hear her own heartbeat.


    ie


    ???


    Marcus was doing all of that on purpose. She had no idea how to handle him. He was so forceful, never giving her a choice. Cutting him out of her lifepletely wouldn''t be easy, especially since Sophia and Charles connected them.


    She patted her cheeks. The night air was chilly, yet her face felt ufortably


    hot. She didn''t need a mirror to know she must be blushing.


    "Don''t think about it," she whispered. "Don''t let that man jerk you around so easily."


    She took several deep breaths to calm herself, then stepped into the elevator and rode it up to the fifth floor.


    Once in her bedroom, she went over to the window and nced outside. Marcus'' car was still there, parked in the same spot.


    She pulled out her phone, intending


    to call him and tell him to leave. But


    just then, she saw him step out of his car and look straight up at her window.


    Seeing this, she quickly switched off the light. A momentter, her phone rang with his number on the screen.


    Hesitating briefly, she finally answered. "What is it, Marcus? Why are you still here?"


    Marcus chuckled and replied, "I''m leaving soon. Good night, Natalie."


    "It''s not a good night," she replied, then hung up at once.


    She yanked her curtains shut, refusing to watch him any longer.


    Down below, Marcus gazed up at her window for a while before getting back in his car and driving away.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Sinir residence, Ethan appeared with a group of men, approaching Ivan, who was still sprawled on the ground.


    "Mr. Sinir, are you alright?" Ethan asked, bending down to help him up. "Why don''t we go inside and talk?"


    Seeing the people behind Ethan, Ivan suddenly had a terrible feeling. "Did Mr. Holden send you?"


    "That''s correct," Ethan said with a polite smile. "By the way, I''m the one who sent you those photos and videos."


    Ivan''s face fell. A possibility urred to him. "I don''t care what you want to talk about. I won''t agree to anything."


    Ethan just nodded. "I see. Then we won''t bother you anymore. Let''s go," he said, turning to lead his people away.


    Ivan was dumbfounded by how easily they gave up. It felt off.


    Ethan was Marcus'' assistant. The moment Ivan saw him arrive with his men, he knew they hade to take advantage of his downfall.


    But when Ethan turned and left so decisively, Ivan couldn''t quite figure out what Marcus was thinking.


    "Oh, right. Mr. Sinir, if you ever need anything, feel free to reach out to me."


    However, Ethan came back with a card in his hand after walking just a few steps away. He offered it to Ivan. "My personal number is on there. Feel free to call me anytime. Goodbye, Mr. Sinir."


    With that, he walked away for good. It seemed he''d onlye to hand over a


    business card.


    Ivan stood there for a while before letting out a scornfulugh. Then, he turned


    and tossed the business card straight into the trash.


    Reaching out to Ethan would be like walking straight into a trap.


    Marcus was ridiculous. He could have taken everything by force, yet he still


    insisted on putting on a show of courtesy.


    Ivan went back inside and noticed how empty the house was. rmed, he rushed


    to his study.


    All the valuables had vanished, and his safe was wide open.


    Ivan staggered back. "This is bad. This is really bad."


    Blood surged to his lips, and he spat it out with a furious roar, "Julia, I''m going to


    kill you!"

 Chapter 365 All His Assets Were Gone

    A ck BMW sped down a straight asphalt road.


    Inside the car, coughing echoed nonstop. Wendy looked at Julia worriedly. "Julia, what are we going to do about your cough?"


    Julia coughed violently. Suddenly, she spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "Julia, you''re coughing up blood!" Wendy panicked. "What do we do now? We don''t have any medicine! That wretched Natalie won''t let Goodwill Pharmacy sell medicine to us." She patted Julia''s back and cursed Natalie out.


    Momentster, she suggested, "Let''s rob their supplies. It''ste and dark. No one will be there. We''ll sneak in and steal the medicine. There must be no one at the pharmacy now. Natalie is probably at the hospital with Marcus, waiting on Sophia. If we go now, we''ll definitely find the medicine you need."


    "Alright... let''s give it a try." Julia was tempted. Only the Goodwill Pharmacy''s medicine could treat her condition. The unending cough was like torture to her.


    "Okay, we''ll go now."


    "Head to Goodwill Pharmacy," Wendy ordered, then handed Julia a thermos of warm water. "We need to find Ruby. I tried calling her, but she''s still not answering. If she goes back to the Sinir residence and Ivan catches her, it won''t end well for us."


    Wendy frowned and said, "Julia, call Ruby."


    "Okay." Julia took out her phone and dialed Ruby''s number.


    It rang for a long time before someone answered. "Hello, are you Ruby''s mother?"


    "Who are you?" Julia''s brow furrowed. "Why do you have my daughter''s phone?"


    "I''m her boyfriend. Why else would I have her phone? Ma''am, it''ste. Don''t disturb our sleep."


    He hung up right after.


    Julia started coughing again, her anger ring.


    "Did you hear that, Wendy? Ruby is outside sleeping with some guy! I had her chase Zane for two whole years, and she never got him. Then I told her to go after Zachary, but he was at the hospital with Samantha. That idiot! What has she been doing?"


    She coughed even more violently.


    Wendy patted her back, trying to soothe her. "Ruby''s grown now, and you can''t control everything she does. We took so many valuables when we left. We''ll have enough to livefortably for the rest of our lives.


    "As long as Ruby doesn''t go back and let Ivan get his hands on her, we''ll be fine. She''s not a child anymore, so don''t worry too much."


    Even though Julia knew Wendy had a point, she couldn''t shake a vague sense of unease, afraid that something might happen to Ruby.


    ...


    At the same time, a man threw Ruby right back into the Sinir residence.


    "Ms. Sinir, I''ve brought you home safely. No need to thank me!" He whistled, then got on his motorcycle and rode away.


    "Hey!" Ruby called after him, but she felt a sudden yank on her hair and was pulled inside.


    "You already knew you weren''t my daughter, didn''t you?" Ivan red at her, his eyes red with rage. "Tell me where your bitch of a mother ran off to! She stole so much of my belongings and fled. And I wasted all these years raising a bastard like you!"


    "Ah!" Ruby cried out in pain. "Dad, please let go!"


    "Never!" Ivan yanked her hair even harder, forcing her to the floor. "You always knew I wasn''t your father, didn''t you?"


    "I... I am your daughter!" Ruby gasped. "Dad, I am your daughter!"


    "No, you''re not!" He roared, louder than before. "You''re the bastard that your mother had with some other man!"


    Ruby trembled and clutched her head, terrified as she began to sob.


    "Damn it! Julia dares to run off with my money? Then, I''ll sell you to some old man," Ivan threatened viciously.


    He dragged her up the stairs to a room on the second floor and threw her inside. Then, he locked the door from the outside.


    "Ruby Sinir, stay in there. No, you''re not a Sinir," he spat through clenched teeth, punching the wall hard.


    The thought of having doted on her for so many years-when in reality she was another man''s child-nearly made him copse in rage.


    "Unless you can get your wretched mother toe crawling back, you can just rot in there!"


    "Dad! Dad!" Ruby pounded on the door. "Let me out, let me out!"


    "Don''t call me Dad. You don''t deserve it," he snarled before storming downstairs.


    Ivan reached downstairs. He took out his phone and checked the time-it was already 6:00 am.


    He slumped onto the couch. Julia, had dismissed all the maids, and the vi had been stripped of anything valuable. The gold bars, jewets, and shares from his safe were all gone.


    He closed his eyes. Tears slipped silently down his face.


    Just this past evening, he had been full of affection with Julia. By midnight, after he visited the hospital, he''d lost everything.


    No, he still had Sinir Group. And he still had Sophia, his real daughter.


    Sophia was close to Marcus, wasn''t she? That meant he could ask Marcus for help.


    Yes, the business card. Ethan''s business card.


    Ivan shot off the couch and rushed outside. He fished the card out of the trash bin.


    Sophia was also Sky''s fianc¨¦e. Since Emma stabbed her, he could demandpensation from the Walker family.


    As long as the Walkers or Marcus lent him a hand, Sinir Group''s crisis would be resolved.


    Without wasting any time, Ivan


    pulled o


    I out his phone and called,


    Ethan. After hearing the dial


    a short while, the call connected.


    for


    "Hello, Mr. Sinir. You''re calling so early. Does that mean you''ve changed your mind?"


    "Mr. Carter, I want to meet Mr. Holden. Can you set up an appointment, please?" "Sorry, Mr. Holden isn''t meeting anyone today. But I can meet you, Mr. Sinir." Ethan smiled and continued, "Is that convenient for you? I have the acquisition contract with me now. I can bring it over."


    "What?" Ivan thought he''d heard wrong. In disbelief, he asked again, "What did you say?"


    "An acquisition contract," Ethan repeated patiently. "The Sinir Group''s scandal has alreadye out. Mr. Sinir, haven''t you seen the news? Oh, right. You must have been dealing with your family issues all night. It''s no surprise you missed the reports about the scandal."

 Chapter 366 Too Greedy

    Ivan hung up on Ethan, then went online. The moment he saw the trending topics, he was stunned.


    All the headlines focused on how Ivan had fooled around with Julia in his early years, forced his wife into a convent to spend her days in prayer, and mistreated his own daughter.


    Besides that, there were also countless stories about the Sinir Group''s losses over the years, embezzlement, failed investments, and other matters he had suppressed before.


    The more Ivan read, the more rmed he felt. All the things he had tried to hide or forget were now dug up in precise detail.


    The timeline wasid out so clearly that people online were following it as it happened, unearthing everything about his rtionships with both his wife and mistress.


    Someone even posted photoparisons, analyzing whether Ruby actually looked like him at all. The conclusion was that not only had he been a cuckold, but he had also spent years raising another man''s child.


    Ivan read thements and flew into a rage, flinging his phone to the floor.


    Right after smashing the phone, it started ringing again. The screen was still intact, and Ethan''s name appeared.


    It kept ringing. Clearly, Ethan wasn''t going to stop until Ivan answered.


    Ivan tried to ignore it but eventually sighed and bent down to pick it up. "Hello, Mr. Carter."


    "Mr. Sinir, you''ve seen the trending topics, haven''t you? Right now, the shareholders of Sinir Group are waiting for you to hold a meeting. I''m already at yourpany building. If youe now, we can still discuss everything."


    Ethan smiled and added, "Mr. Sinir, wise people know how to make the right choice. The longer you dy, the worse it will be for you."


    Ivan hung up. A secondter, his secretary tried calling. He rejected the call, and then all the major shareholders started ringing him too.


    Ivan gritted his teeth and switched off his phone. He refused to concede until the veryst moment.


    This was only one crisis. So what if they couldn''t deliver some goods on time or had to pay penalties? He could go see William.


    No matter what, Sophia used to be Sky''s fianc¨¦e. Even if the two families had canceled the engagement, Natalie was now involved in Sophia''s affairs. That meant William had to take responsibility.


    Ivan picked up his phone again, this time calling his secretary back. "Calm the shareholders. I''ll figure out a way to solve this crisis. Give me two hours, and I''lle to thepany and hold a meeting."


    "Alright, Mr. Sinir."


    Ivan ended the call. He quickly washed up and changed his clothes. Then, he walked out the door.


    At Walker Estate, Natalie had only slept for a few hours before her internal clock roused her. She opened her eyes, checked her phone, and saw it was 7:00 am.


    She closed her eyes and stayed still for a bit before finally sitting up.


    After washing and changing into casual clothes, she went downstairs and saw William and Charlotte already at the dining table. They were chatting while having breakfast.


    When they noticed Nataliee down, Charlotte immediately stood up. "Sweetie, why didn''t you sleep a bit longer? You must be hungry. Come and have breakfast. "Gorge, bring Natalie''s breakfast."


    Charlotte smiled warmly at Natalie, her gaze filled with so much affection that it nearly overflowed.


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker."


    Gorge went to the kitchen. Charlotte had mentioned that some helpers in the house couldn''t be fully trusted, so anything Natalie ate or used had to be handled personally by either Charlotte or Gorge.


    "Come, sweetie. Sit here."


    "Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Mr. Sinir has been waiting for 20 minutes. Should I show him in?" a helper stepped forward and inquired.


    When Natalie heard that, she turned to Charlotte and asked, "Mom, which Mr. Sinir is here?"


    "Sophia''s father," Charlotte answered, pulling Natalie into a seat at the table. "Show him in."


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker."


    The helper left and returned momentster with Ivan.


    "William, Charlotte, sorry to bother you so early," he said, striding over without waiting for an invitation.


    He plopped himself down in a chair at their table. He had angry red sores around his mouth, and heavy dark circles under his eyes from not sleeping all night. He looked noticeably older.


    "Have you eaten?" William dabbed at his lips with a napkin. "Gorge, get our guest some breakfast."


    "Yes, Mr. Walker."


    Ivan waved his hand. "I don''t need breakfast. William, I''ll juste right out and say it. Sinir Group is in trouble, and I need your help."


    "What?" William let out a faintugh. "But everything seemed fine with your group. What crisis could you be having? Ivan, you''re not joking with me, are you?"


    "Didn''t you see today''s news?" Ivan turned pale. He knew William always read the morning news.


    Sure enough, there was a tablet at William''s side, and on its screen was the top- trending Sinir scandal.


    William calmly switched off the tablet and smiled. "I haven''t had time to look yet. So what kind of crisis is Sinir Group facing?"


    "We have an overseas project that hit a snag. We can''t deliver the goods on time, and we might have to pay damages. We need to either pay the penalty or find another source to supply those goods by the deadline."


    Ivan''s expression darkened. Since William was clearly pretending not to know


    anything, he had no choice but to get straight to the point.


    "Ronald was in charge, but he ran away. No one else can handle the crisis right now. The overseas side has given me limited time, and have to fix this quickly. So, William, lend me some money to sort this


    out."


    William looked as though he understood perfectly. He asked indifferently, "Oh? How much do you want to borrow?"


    Ivan held up five fingers. "Five hundred million."


    "Ivan, aren''t you being too greedy?" William asked with a scornfulugh. "All my assets were already handed over to my daughter. I don''t have any money now. My children cover my expenses.


    "You know how my daughter was identally switched at birth. She''s had a hard life outside. Now that she''s finally home, I have to think about her future. So I gave her everything I have."


    He nced affectionately at Natalie. "Ivan, I don''t have any money, so you''vee to the wrong person."


    "Then... have your daughter lend me the money, van said through clenched teeth. "You''re her father, she''ll listen to you. Besides, Natalie and my daughter Sophia are good friends. I''m sure she won''t just stand by and watch her friend''s father struggle. Right?"


    Natalie thought, "What? Do I look like some saint?"

 Chapter 367 Im Your Worst Nightmare

    Charlotte suddenly cleared her throat. She took Natalie by the hand and stood. "Sweetie, they''re talking business. You''re still young, so let''s go to the garden and pick some fresh flowers to arrange in a vase. We can have breakfast in the garden. I''ll have Gorge bring it outter."


    Turning toward William, she said, "Honey, you can chat with our guest. I''ll take Natalie to pick flowers."


    With that, Charlotte led Natalie out of the dining area.


    "Wait, don''t leave!" Ivan sprang to his feet, rushing over to block their path. "Natalie, you''re so beautiful and kind. You wouldn''t just leave me in the lurch, right? Please, help me!"


    Natalie was speechless. She had never seen such a shameless man.


    Before she could speak, Charlotte drew her behind her and smiled gently. "Ivan, please don''t make things hard for my daughter. She just got home and knows nothing about the business world. All the money we gave her is locked away in long-term ounts, so we really can''t lend you anything."


    Charlotte squeezed Natalie''s hand, hinting that she didn''t need to say anything at all or worry. Ivan would never walk away with a single cent.


    Natalie squeezed Charlotte''s hand back. She was grateful for Charlotte''s protection, but something like this was no trouble for her to handle on her own.


    "Mr. Sinir, if I remember correctly, we had a bit of a conflict at Goodwill Pharmacy not too long ago," Natalie said coldly. "If your memory isn''t great, I''d be happy to remind you. Just because my parents are polite to guests doesn''t mean I don''t hold grudges."


    Natalie stepped out from behind Charlotte and looked at William. "Dad,st time at Goodwill Pharmacy, Mr. Sinir insulted Mom, saying I was a child she had with another man."


    "You little=" Ivan''s face reddened. It was true he had said those things. He never expected he would one daye begging the Walker family for help.


    Natalie added, "Mr. Sinir also called me an uppity nobody. He said I shouldn''t assume you two love me more. He even imed that Emma dared to insult me at the wee party only because the two of you allowed it."


    As she spoke, Natalie turned her gaze back to Ivan and said slowly, "If you''ve forgotten, I can always show you the surveince footage from the pharmacy again. It''ll refresh your memory and remind my dad exactly how you mocked my mom and me."


    William pped the table hard. "Ivan, I considered you a friend, and this is how you treat my wife and daughter? You actually have the nerve toe here asking for money? How about I lend you some manure to eat instead?


    "Charlotte, Nat, why didn''t you tell me earlier that he bullied you?"


    William turned and called for security. "Throw Ivan out. If he shows up again, chase him off at once."


    "Yes, Mr. Walker."


    "Get going!"


    The bodyguards took hold of Ivan''s arms. He refused to go, so they lifted him on both sides. "Go!"


    "Put me down! Let go of me!" Ivan screeched. "William, you can''t treat me like this! I''m your good friend, remember? We were almost inws. Even if that changed, how can you be so heartless?"


    Natalie thought, "He must be out of his mind! What kind of nonsense is that?" William walked over. "Honey, sweetie,e and eat your breakfast."


    He led them back to the dining table and said, "You two eat first. I''ll see Ivan out."


    "Dad, let me go," Natalie said, standing up. "Mr. Sinir and I have never gotten along. Let me handle it."


    "Sweetie, I''m worried he''ll bully you."


    "He can''t," Natalie said with a smile.


    "I won''t let myself suffer. Mom


    knows that. Thest time I was


    bullied, I called her right away. Now, I''m at home with security around. Ivan Sinir can''t do anything to me."


    "Alright, you go." William smiled warmly. "I believe in you."


    "Thanks, Dad."


    Natalie left the dining area. Not far away, Ivan was still shouting, so she picked up her pace until she caught up to him.


    "Mr. Sinir, you really have some nerve showing up at my house," Natalie said with a sneer. "I have to say, you''re really shameless. But then again, your judgment has always been awful.


    "You spoiled Julia and Ruby, fought with me not long ago, and now you''re here begging for money? I''m honestly shocked Sinir Group hasn''t gone under already.


    "Well, it won''t be yours much longer. Ethan already came looking for you, right? While it''s still early, and Marcus hasn''t gone to work, maybe you can get a fair price from Ethan.


    "Marcus doesn''t have a good temper. He was being polite right now, but once he ran out of patience, well... who knew what would happen?"


    "Sophia was


    ???


    harmed by Emma. Doesn''t your family bear any responsibility for that?" Ivan struggled to free himself from the bodyguards. "William! Charlotte! Come out here! Why won''t you help me? Your family raised a murderer! Take responsibility! Pay up!"


    "You say Emma hurt Sophia. Then go find Emma. Why are you yelling here?" Natalie stepped closer.


    Ivan automatically backed up a step.


    "Mr. Sinir, if you truly care about Sophia, then go confront Emma and Sky. Emma was kicked out of the Walker family long ago. She has no connection to us. My parents have only one daughter now, and that''s me."


    Natalie gave him a cold smile, her


    pretty eyes void of warmth. "And yet, you still have the nerve toe here


    asking for money? With how


    thick-skinned you are, you''re practically wearing body armor. Not even bullets or cannons could pierce it.


    "What? Do you think I''m some kind of saint? Mr. Sinir, you''re wrong. I''m no saint. I''m your worst nightmare. Coming to me will only make things worse for you."


    Ivan stared at Natalie''s mocking smile and regretteding there. From theirst confrontation at Goodwill Pharmacy, he should have known she wasn''t easy to provoke.


    But if he didn''t do something, this crisis would destroy the Sinir Group. "Marcus said he wants to see the Sinir acquisition contract by today. You''d better go meet Ethan," Natalie said with a small grin.


    She now understood what Marcus meant about teaming up to take down Sinir Group. He had predicted that Ivan woulde to the Walker family once he grew desperate.


    Since Natalie was the family''s beloved daughter, and her parents felt guilty for all she''d gone through, they would never help someone who had bullied her.

 Chapter 368 Her Parents Make Their Stance Clear

    Natalie took a step forward. "By the way, Julia might have run off, but don''t worry. With her illness, she''ll have toe back sooner orter.


    "You''d be better off chasing after her to get your property back instead ofing here to my parents. That''s the real priority."


    She turned to the bodyguards. "Please take Mr. Sinir out. And pass the word. From now on, our family will not wee Mr. Sinir."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    The bodyguards lifted Ivan again and ced him in his car. One of them drove it right through the gates of the Walker Estate.


    "Natalie, I won''t let you off that easily!" Ivan shouted out the window. "William! Charlotte! You filthy scum! I won''t stop until I destroy you! All three of you will get what''sing to you!"


    Natalie stood there and waved at him with a smirk. "Mr. Sinir, don''t get too worked up. Let''s see if you die first or if the three of us do."


    "Argh!" Ivan let out a furious roar.


    The bodyguard hit the gas and then braked suddenly, causing him to m his head against the window several times.


    "Do you even know how to drive? Watch where you''re going!" Ivan''s head was spinning, yet he was still spewing threats.


    After leaving the estate, the bodyguard parked the car and stepped out. He mmed the door shut and walked away without a backward nce.


    Ivan gritted his teeth in anger, but there was nothing he could do.


    His phone began to ring again, sounding like a death knell. Seeing it was one of the board members, his heart sank. He didn''t dare answer, so he let it ring until it stopped.


    Then, another shareholder called. He still wouldn''t pick up.


    One by one, each shareholder tried calling. Finally, when the calls stopped, his secretary phoned him.


    Staring at the phone, he waited until it rang a while before swiping to answer. "Hello."


    "Mr. Sinir, thepany''s stock has dropped to the bottom. Our overseas partners insist we pay the penalty for breaching the contract. What do we do?" The secretary sounded on the verge of tears.


    "Mr. Carter from the Holden Group arrived, and the shareholders are already talking with him. Mr. Sinir, pleasee to the office. If we aren''t bought out by the Holden Group, then we''ll face bankruptcy."


    Before Ivan could respond, the secretary hung up.


    From the viewpoint of the Sinir Group''s shareholders and employees, between being acquired or going bankrupt, everyone would choose an acquisition.


    With plunging stock prices, continuous project failures, and Ivan''s scandals exposed, his tenure as chairman was practically over.


    Ivan stayed parked by the Walker Estate gates for a long time. He stared at his phone from time to time, but no more calls came in.


    After about an hour, Ethan sent him a message with a contract for the transfer of shares. Ivan read through it and slumped against his car seat, defeated.


    Then, his phone rang again. It was Ethan, calling right after he finished reading the contract.


    Ivan answered weakly. "Hello?"


    "Mr. Sinir, I''m sure you''ve finished reading the contract," Ethan said with a smile. "If you''re satisfied, go ahead and sign it. Once you do, Holden Group will take care of Sinir Group''s mess."


    "If Holden Group is taking over, does that mean the Sinir Group will have to change its name too?" Ivan asked.


    "Of course Ethan replied with a smile. "Mr. Sinir, signing this is your best option. We''re not forcing you, but this is your only chance. Take your time to think it over."


    Ivan closed his eyes, tears slipping out silently. After a while, he gritted his teeth and said, "I''ll sign."


    He knew Ethan was right. This crisis hade so hard and fast that he had no way to fix it.


    Julia had run off with everything in his safe. Reople despised him for spoiling his mistress and her illegitimate daughter while hurting his wife and real daughter. Now, he had nowhere left to turn for help.


    His visit to the Walker family was just a desperate act. William was far too shrewd to entangle himself in that disaster.


    Everyone could guess that the sudden avnche of problems was the work of someone pulling strings behind the scenes. It was obvious who that someone


    was.


    "Mr. Sinir, pleasee to the Sinir Group building. We''ll finalize the paperwork. After that, you can retire in peace," Ethan said.


    Ivan hung up and sank deeper into his seat.


    Sinir Group would no longer belong to him or his family. The money Marcus offered was insultingly small, but rejecting it meant total ruin.


    Ivan shut his eyes, weeping with regret.


    Back inside the Walker Estate, Natalie returned to the house. Everyone in the family except Sky was already seated at the table.


    "Nat,e here," Lincoln called, waving her over.


    Natalie walked over and sat down. "Lincoln, Hector, Timothy, Mason, you''re all here."


    "We already told Dad and Mom about what Sky had done," Lincoln said gently. "We also told them everything about Shane hurting Sophia. They decided topensate her.


    "As for Sky, they''ll let thew handle his punishment. And they''ll hire the bestwyers to ensure Shane spends the rest of his life in prison. The same goes for Emma.


    "Nat, when you go to the hospital to check on Sophia, you can tell the news to her and Ms. ir."


    Natalie nced at William and Charlotte. They were both looking back at her.


    Charlotte said, "Sweetie, if there''s anything you''d like us to do, just say it. We''ll listen to your ideas and think things over.


    "I never expected Sky to do something like this. He''s not technically a murderer since Shane didn''t die, but we can''t forgive what he''s done.


    "If he''s willing to sacrifice everything for Emma, then from this point on, he''s not part of this family. If someday, when he gets out of jail he truly understands his mistake, maybe your dad and I will give him a second chance.


    "Sweetie, this is our fault. We trusted him too much, which let him indulge Shane in doing something so terrible."


    As she spoke, Charlotte''s eyes reddened. She and William had simply gone to sleep for the night, only to wake up and find that a terrible incident had urred.


    However, knowing that Hector had used a soothing candle to keep them in a deep sleep, they chose not to pursue it.


    Considering how Lincoln handled the situation, it was probably the best choice forst night''s events.

 Chapter 369 Just Go Away

    Charlotte turned her head aside, unable to hold back her tears. Sky was her and William''s firstborn, and they had poured so much care and love into raising him.


    Later, when she had Lincoln, Hector, Timothy, and Mason, Sky had always been a responsible older brother.


    Especially with Emma. Sky practically doted on her like a father, taking care of her every need. He clearly treasured Emma most among the whole family. Now, that became the very reason he made such a grave mistake.


    "It''s my fault for not teaching him well," Charlotte said in a choked voice. "I can''t shirk my responsibility as his mother. I relied too heavily on Sky and neglected to educate Emma properly."


    "This has nothing to do with you," William said, pained by the sight of his wife ming herself for someone else''s mistake.


    "Don''t let this weigh you down. Sky and Emma are adults. They knew what they were doing. If they make mistakes, they should pay the price. We can''t keep covering for them their whole lives.


    "My dear, don''t me yourself anymore. Don''t waste tears on those two. What we need to do now is check on Sophia. She''s the biggest victim here, the one who suffered most."


    His words shifted Charlotte''s attention. "Yes, you''re right. We need to go see Sophia and do our best to make it up to her."


    She wiped her eyes. "Sweetie, if there''s anything you need, call us at once. Don''t worry. Your dad and I won''t help Sky or Emma. Sky should pay the price. Maybe some time in jail will clear his head."


    "Okay. Thank you, Mom." Natalie stepped forward and hugged Charlotte. "Don''t be too hard on yourself."


    "I won''t," Charlotte said, hugging her back. "Your dad and I will head to the hospital now to see Sophia. You get some rest."


    "Alright."


    Charlotte asked Gorge to get many supplements ready. Then, she and William left.


    Standing at the window, Natalie watched their car drive away.


    Lincoln came up behind her and ced his hand on her shoulder. "Nat, Marcus just sent me a message. He says he''sing by to pick you up and head to Sinir Group. Is there something going on between you two?"


    Lincoln had wanted to ask how Marcus got so attentive all of a sudden, but he put it more tactfully.


    "Don''t get me wrong, Nat. I know Marcus pretty well. He''s never been close to any woman. Even when he was engaged to Emma, he only kept up a polite facade. In private, he never let her get close to him. Later, as you know, he called off the engagement. He also called off yours."


    Lincoln almost outright said he was worried Marcus would take Natalie away. No matter how good Marcus was, calling off the engagement alone made him unworthy of her.


    His words reminded Natalie of the kissst night. Marcus had caught her off guard with that sudden move, so she hadn''t reacted until it was toote.


    The memory shed in her head, heating her cheeks. She hurriedly lowered her gaze, trying to fight off the flustered feeling she knew she shouldn''t have.


    "Nat, if Marcus ever does anything to you, tell me right away. I may be an actor, but I work out regrly. I can fight him."


    Lincoln watched her carefully. The moment he saw her blush, he felt a twinge of rm.


    "Got it, thanks." Natalie forced away the memory and smiled sweetly at him. "Besides, I know how to fight myself."


    "All of us can fight." Lincoln kept his expressionposed and offered a smile. Maybe one day we can spar. I''d like to see your strength. It''s good for a woman to know self-defense."


    "Sure!" Natalie agreed at once. "We don''t have to fight for real. We can just find a sparring partner."


    "Sounds good."


    "Mr. Lincoln, Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden has arrived," a helper reported.


    Right after that, Marcus walked in with Ethan, who was carrying a briefcase and following Marcus respectfully.


    "Hello, Lincoln, Nat," Marcus greeted as he walked over to them. His gaze fixed on Natalie.


    She was dressed casually in a white blouse and ck cks, wearingfortable slippers. Her hair was loosely tied, and she had no makeup on.


    Her small face looked fresh and clean, with a soft pink flush on her cheeks. Her pretty eyes, usually dates now cred


    and cool, now carried a hint of softness.


    "Ethan," said Marcus.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Ethan replied and immediately took out a file from his briefcase.


    Marcus took it and then handed it to Natalie. "Nat, this is for you."


    Natalie hesitated when she saw "Sinir Group Acquisition Contract" on the


    cover.


    Marcus noticed her reluctance and pushed the file directly into her hands. "Take


    it."


    She stared at it. This was like a hot potato. Wasn''t the n to give it to Sophia and Samantha? Why was Marcus handing it to her?


    "Marcus," Lincoln said with a smile, stepping forward. "Nat, don''t casually ept a gift from a man. Give it back to him."


    "Alright." Natalie quickly handed the document back to Marcus. "Mr. Holden, you should keep it yourself."


    The way she addressed him made it clear that she wanted to keep her distance.


    Marcus locked eyes with her. His face betrayed no emotion as he handed the file to Lincoln. "Please pass this on to her."


    "We aren''t short on money. She doesn''t want it," Lincoln said coldly, pushing the file back at him.


    Lincoln clenched his fists. He understood all too well what Marcus was trying to


    do.


    "Nat, go make tea for our guest," Lincoln said with a smile. Then, he


    turned to Marcus and said politely, "Marcus, please sit over here. Keep your document. It''s valuable. Don''t give it away so casually."


    "It''s not valuable," Marcus replied with a smile. "Just a little something for Nat to y with."


    Lincoln was speechless. Marcus had absolutely no sense of boundaries. He really wished the man would just go away.

 Chapter 370 A Straightforward Marcus

    Lincoln wore a bright smile, but his fists were clenched. He wasn''t refraining from punching Marcus out of fear of his status or strength but because he prided


    himself on his good manners.


    Yes, it was because he was well-mannered.


    "Marcus, when did you get so close to my sister?" he asked. "Also, don''t you have work?"


    "It''s still early. I came to pick Nat up," Marcus answered calmly. The way he called her by her nickname sounded like he was close to her.


    "Marcus, you''re a busy man," Lincoln said with a slight smile. "You don''t need toe all the way to pick her up. Besides, I n to show her around Walker Group today."


    "Nat and I already agreed to visit Sophia together," Marcus replied calmly,


    handing the document to Lincoln. "Lincoln, please keep this for Nat. I like her, and I want to pursue her. This is my first gesture of sincerity."


    "What? What did you say?" Lincoln thought he must have misheard. His eyes went wide, much like Natalie''s. "Repeat what you just said!"


    "I said I like Nat," Marcus said seriously. "It was my fault to break off the engagement before. Now, I want to pursue her again. I want her to like me, and then I''ll propose properly."


    Lincoln was stunned. He almost wanted to grab a knife and slice Marcus up.


    Marcus was the one who had called off the engagement, and now he said he liked her? Who did he think he was?


    "If you''re angry, go ahead and hit me," Marcus offered. He could see the polite smile vanish instantly from Lincoln''s face, reced by displeasure.


    Marcus already knew he had made the wrong decision in the past. He had rushed to break off the engagement, so winning her back now wouldn''t be easy. But he was ready for the challenge.


    After kissing Nataliest night, Marcus couldn''t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her shocked expression, looking like she had no idea how to react.


    He admitted he was jealous that she once liked Tyler and Walter, but that was in the past. He hadn''t been part of it, so he nned to make sure her future was filled with him.


    "Marcus, you really..." Lincoln couldn''t hide his anger anymore. He gritted his teeth and said, "You need a beating."


    "Go ahead and do it!" Marcus stepped closer, offering up his face. As he saw it, Lincoln was his future brother-inw, so he dared not offend him.


    "I''m worried you''d just enjoy getting hit." Lincoln let go of his clenched fist. "Get out of here right now. The Walker Group may not be as big as the Holden Group, but we won''t let Nat be mistreated or fear your influence."


    "You''re overthinking. I want to pursue Natalie openly, not pressure her with power," Marcus said with a smile. "I''m trying to please you all, so why would I do anything to upset you?"


    Lincoln was speechless for a moment.


    Marcus seemed possessed. It seemed he needed an exorcist. Maybe he should call the spiritualist he''d met during filming to drive out whatever ghost was controlling Marcus.


    "I''m going to speak with Nat," Marcus said.


    "Hold it. You''re not going anywhere." Lincoln quickly blocked him. "Marcus, you''re the one who broke off the engagement. Now you say you like my sister? What do you take her for?"


    "I was wrong," Marcus apologized sincerely. "But everyone makes mistakes, and those who do deserve a chance to make things right. Lincoln, give me a chance to prove myself. Alright?"


    Marcus'' voice was as deep and maic as ever. He sounded polite, but there was an undeniable pressure in his tone that left no room for refusal.


    Now that he had confirmed his feelings for Natalie, he was determined to pursue her.


    "Lincoln, may I?" he asked again. "I''ve settled the issues left behind by Sinir Group, and I''m giving it to Nat. The more money she has, the better."


    "We don''tck money," Lincoln retorted coldly. "My brothers and I can give her whatever she wants, more than you ever could."


    Marcus'' lips curved slightly, and he said confidently, "Lincoln, you should ask Nat if she wants Sinir Group or not."


    Just then, Natalie returned carrying tea. She saw Lincoln looking angry, while Marcus still appeared calm¡ªthough there was a gentle warmth about him that didn''t exist before.


    "Nat,e with me," Lincoln said. He pulled her by the arm, not even letting her offer Marcus the tea.


    "Nat, I like you. I want to pursue you," Marcus'' voice sounded behind them. Lincoln''s fists tightened again. "Marcus, are you crazy?"


    Lincoln normally treated his family and friends with kindness, but this time, he couldn''t hold back.


    Marcus ignored Lincoln and looked steadily into Natalie''s eyes. He repeated each word clearly, "Nat, I like you. I want to pursue you. Will you give me a chance?"


    Natalie was dumbfounded. Marcus waspletely straightforward, not even trying to be subtle.


    She had suspected he might like her, but considering how he treated her at first, she had pushed away the thought. Yet, he had kissed herst night, and it was hard not to put meaning into that.


    Marcus watched her without blinking. "Will you?"


    "Marcus, leave!" Lincoln shouted, yanking Natalie behind him. "Nat, I''m telling you, stay away from this man. All men are the same. Most are no good."


    Natalie was speechless. Lincoln really was upset. He was basically cursing all men, including those at home.


    "Especially him," Lincoln said, ring at Marcus. You broke off the


    1.n


    engagement before, and now you''re chasing her again. You just do whatever you please. Do you think


    the whole world revolves around you?"


    "It was my mistake to call it off," Marcus said, acknowledging his wrongdoing sincerely. "That''s why I''m trying to pursue Nat again."


    "Call her Ms. Walker. You have no right to use her nickname," Lincoln snapped.


    He was on the verge of losing his temper. Natalie had only been back for a short time, and Marcus was already going after her.


    "Marcus, get out."


    "Lincoln, calm down," Natalie said worriedly, afraid he might truly lose his temper. She set the tray down and shot Marcus a re. "Mr. Holden, I''ll walk you out."


    "Nat, didn''t we agreest night to visit Sophia?"


    "She isn''t going." Without waiting for Natalie to respond, Lincoln denied Marcus again. "My sister has other ns. Leave."


    Marcus stayedposed. "Nat, Sophia told me she wants you to be the first person she sees when she wakes up."


    "Stop using guilt to force her," Lincoln retorted.


    "Exactly," Natalie agreed. "Marcus,


    I''m not going with you. I''m going


    with Lincoln. As for you saying you


    like


    me, I''ll just assume you weren''t


    in your right mind. Don''t talk about it


    anymore."


    Lincoln was clearly furious. In this situation, there was no way Natalie would be


    kind to Marcus.


    One was her own brother, and the other was her ex-fianc¨¦, who had once rejected her without hesitation. Even a fool would know who to side with.

 Chapter 371 The Grueling Quest to Win Natalie Back

    Natalie gazed at Marcus with an icy detachment. Turning to Lincoln, she asked, "Lincoln, would you visit Sophia with me?"


    "Of course, I''ll apany you." Lincoln''s spirits lifted at once.


    His sister shouldn''t be won over so effortlessly by any man, even if that man happened to be Marcus. It was simply out of the question.


    Natalie said, "Marcus, don''te to my house anymore if you have no reason to, and stop trying to find me. I don''t have feelings for you, and you shouldn''t have any for me, either."


    Marcus remained silent, his eyes locked on Natalie without a blink. Her words left a trace of sadness and disappointment in his deep, dark eyes.


    Witnessing his reaction, Natalie couldn''t help but remember when Marcus sat alone in the Helianese restaurant, enveloped in a heavy cloud of mncholy. But then Lincoln tugged at her arm. "Nat, let''s go see Sophia together."


    "Alright," Natalie replied. She turned away from Marcus, not ncing back, and quickly walked away with Lincoln.


    Marcus stood in the Walker residence''s living room, watching as Natalie and Lincoln walked away.


    Ethan stood behind him, trembling slightly. Marcus'' intense demeanor was undeniably intimidating.


    However, Marcus soon managed a slight smile. "Ethan, take this document to Ms. Walker."


    "Yes, Mr. Marcus."


    Ethan took the document and went to the main entrance to wait for Natalie.


    Meanwhile, Marcus got into his car. In the back seat sat a beautifully wrapped bouquet of gardenias and a brand-new box of choctes.


    Marcus had an overseas chocte factory create a new vor, which was flown in early that morning. He hadn''t gotten any sleep the night before.


    That morning, he visited a flower shop to buy gardenias and, with the airlifted choctes in hand, eagerly went to see Natalie.


    Marcus picked up the choctes with his fingers. He knew winning Natalie over wouldn''t be easy, and there was significant resentment toward him from the Walker family. But that didn''t matter to him. If he could call off the engagement, he could propose anew.


    ...


    At the entrance of the vi, Natalie and Lincoln soon emerged.


    Ethan quickly approached them. "Ms. Walker, please ept this document!"


    Please thank Marcus for his generosity, but I must decline," Natalie stated firmly. "Lincoln and I have ns; we can''t host you and Marcus."


    "Ethan, tell Marcus not toe to our home unless it''s necessary," Lincoln said bluntly to Ethan.


    Ethan appeared ufortable and replied humbly, "Mr. Lincoln, Ms. Walker, I''m just an employee. If I don''t deliver this document to Ms. Walker, I''ll lose my job.


    "I beg you, Ms. Walker. I have an elderly mother to care for, a newborn son who needs to be fed, a father addicted to gambling, a sick mother-inw, and a sister infatuated with a delinquent. My entire family relies on me. Without this job, my family will go hungry. Please, Ms. Walker, Mr. Lincoln."


    "Ethan, don''t make me p you!" Lincoln warned through clenched teeth.


    He was well aware of Ethan''s true circumstances. Ethan could easily spout such stories meant to deceive the naive.


    "Please, Mr. Lincoln." Ethan bowed deeply, holding the document out to Natalie with both hands.


    He continued, "Ms. Walker, Mr. Marcus didn''t sleep at allst night. When I saw him this morning, he was staring out the window, lost in thought, and chuckled asionally. Sheldon mentioned that he had been like this since returningst night.


    "Mr. Holden Senior said Mr. Marcus ispletely smitten, that he''s fallen hopelessly in love."


    Ethan fully exposed Marcus'' situation.


    1.n


    "Sheldon attempted to convince Mr. Marcus to get some rest. However, Mr. Holden Senior advised against it, suggesting that since he had previously acted impulsively, he should now face the repercussions namely,


    of ending the engan


    the challenge of winning back Ms. Walker.


    "Ms. Walker, it''s alright if you make Mr. Marcus work hard to win you over, but please don''t make me lose my job!"


    "Don''t worry about losing your job. It


    just so happens that I need some help on my end," Natalie said with a smirk "If you get let go from Marcus''pany, you cane work for Walker Group. I''ll pay you double."


    "Wow!" Ethan was taken aback, now uncertain about whether he should ept the offer.


    "Ethan." Marcus called out in a deep voice from a nearby car, rolling down the window.


    Ethan quickly handed the document to Natalie and sprinted back to the car.


    Once inside, he respectfully reported, "Mr. Marcus, I''ve given the document to Ms. Walker."


    Marcus'' face was stern and emotionless, but the tense atmosphere in the car clearly reflected his displeasure.


    Ethan and the driver barely dared to breathe, both feeling nervous.


    This was Marcus'' first experience of falling in love and pursuing someone so openly. And so far, it wasn''t going well.


    "Marcus, hold on," Natalie called out, clutching the document as she hurried to the


    car.


    In an instant, Marcus'' demeanor shifted. He quickly opened the car door and stepped out. "Nat."


    "Marcus, take this," Natalie insisted, trying to hand the document back to him.


    Marcus took a step back, his lips pressed in a firm line as he gazed at her.


    "Marcus, it would be best if we just remain friends," Natalie said firmly, mirroring his expression. "If you keep behaving this way, it might make me reconsider our friendship."


    "You''re my savior," Marcus replied.


    "I don''t care," she responded.


    A flicker of pain crossed Marcus'' eyes. "I''m sorry. I spoke out of turn."


    Natalie had never intended to use the fact that she saved his life to demand


    anything from him. It was Marcus who was being maniptive, trying to leverage his gratitude to get closer and dere his feelings.


    "Marcus, things were fine the way they were before, weren''t they?" Natalie softened her voice. "We agreed to work together to take over Sinir Group and pass it on to Sophia and Samantha. But honestly, you did all the work. I can''t take credit for it."


    "But you saved my life," Marcus replied with a slight smile. "I''m sorry for any trouble I''ve caused you. As you suggested, let''s just go back to how things were before. Is that alright?"


    "What?" Natalie was taken aback. She had expected Marcus to be difficult to deal with, but he surprisingly agreed to her suggestion without hesitation.


    "Let''s go back to how we were. Now, hop in the car. Let''s visit Sophia together." Marcus opened the car door and stepped aside, behaving like a gentleman. "You won''t refuse, right?"


    Natalie blinked, feeling as if something was amiss. But Marcus had already returned to his usual aloof, distant, yet noble demeanor.


    His expression gave no hint that he had ever confessed his feelings for her or expressed a desire to pursue her.


    "Are you worried about something?" Marcus asked, noticing Natalie''s hesitation. His deep, maic voice was calm and resolute. "Or do you not trust me?"

 Chapter 372 Avoidance Would Imply Guilt

    Marcus stood tall and straight by the car door, patiently waiting for Natalie to step inside.


    His eyes were deep-set and his face showed no emotion, maintaining an air of nobility and elegance. Natalie hesitated for a moment.


    Then, with an indifferent tone, Marcus remarked, "Are you avoiding me deliberately because you feel guilty?"


    Without further dy, Natalie entered the car. Avoiding deliberately? Why would she need to avoid anything deliberately, or feel guilty about anything?


    As she settled in, Marcus'' lips briefly curved into a slight smile, though it vanished almost instantly. Lincoln, standing behind him, missed it, as did Natalie, who was already seated.


    "Nat, why did you get into Marcus'' car?" Lincoln hurried over. "Come on, take my car instead."


    "Lincoln, there''s something I need to discuss with Marcus." Natalie felt a twinge of regret over her hasty decision.


    Why should Marcus'' words make her feel guilty? Yet, having already entered the car, leaving now would only validate his assumption.


    With a smile, she patted the seat next to her and suggested, "Lincoln, you can join us in Marcus'' car too."


    "Fine." Lincoln climbed into Marcus'' car without any hesitation.


    He took Marcus'' seat and turned to grin at him. "Marcus, how about you take the front passenger seat?"


    Marcus was momentarily speechless. He had half a mind to yank Lincoln out and ship him off somewhere far away. But even if he dealt with Lincoln, there were still Hector, Timothy, and Mason to consider.


    Mason wasn''t much of a threat, but the other three Walker brothers wouldn''t be easy to cate. On top of that, he needed to seek forgiveness from William and Charlotte as well.


    Marcus gave a slight nod. "Alright, I''ll sit in the front."


    Ethan, seated in the front, was taken aback. "Huh?"


    When had Marcus be so amodating? Previously, despite the arranged marriage between the Holden and Walker families, the three Walker brothers had shown Marcus great respect.


    Now, because of Natalie, they were bing bolder around Marcus.


    "Ethan, get out of the car," Marcus ordered coldly.


    Ethan shivered and hurriedly opened the car door to step out. "Mr. Marcus."


    "Get in the trunk," Marcusmanded, his voice icy and his demeanor equally cold.


    He had intentionally requested a car with limited seating from the driver to spend more private time with Natalie. Now, with Lincoln upying a seat, Marcus was forcing Ethan into the trunk, hoping this would prompt Lincoln to move.


    "Yes, Mr. Marcus," Ethan replied, walking toward the trunk, nearly in tears.


    Lincoln quickly interjected, "Ethan, you can drive my carter!"


    Despite Marcus'' foul mood, he wouldn''t truly force Ethan into the trunk, given his ties to the Walker family.


    Marcus had ended his engagement with Lincoln''s sister and treated her indifferently afterward, so Lincoln thought it fitting for Marcus to face some hurdles. If Marcus won Natalie over too easily, he might not value her.


    Lincoln wanted Marcus to understand that Natalie wasn''t easily won over.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lincoln," Ethan gratefully responded.


    A helper from the Walker family then guided Ethan to Lincoln''s car.


    "Marcus, let''s go!" Lincoln said with a grin. "Oh, look, flowers and choctes. Nat, want some? If not, I''ll take them."


    Lincoln noticed the gardenias and choctes and cast a knowing nce at Marcus in the passenger seat. Marcus was genuinely serious about courting Natalie this time.


    "I''m not interested in having any."


    "Then I''ll take it! Thanks for the choctes, Marcus. It''s a new vor!" Lincoln eagerly unwrapped the chocte.


    Lincoln beamed. "These gardenias are lovely and smell amazing. Nat, what kind of chocte do you prefer? You''re the one in charge; just have the factory create it! As for the gardenias, they''re delightful.dll ask Gorge to nt some so we can have them in the house every day."


    Natalie smiled, ying along with Lincoln''s teasing. "Sure!"


    Marcus, seated in the front passenger seat, stayed quiet. Now and then, he nced at Natalie in the backseat through the rear-view mirror, noticing her eyes crinkling from her smiles.


    After impulsively kissing her the night before, Marcus had resolved to make her his wife.


    From the front, Marcus offered, "If you like them, I''ll have Ethan send them to you every day. If you need anything, just list it for me, and I''ll make sure it''s taken care of."


    Lincoln gave a slight smile. "Thanks, but I don''t really need anything. Marcus, after we meet Sophia, feel free to go about your business. I n to take Nat to mypany and introduce her to some male artists there."


    Marcus'' gaze grew a bit colder, but he maintained hisposure. Lincoln was testing him.


    "Fine," Marcus responded with indifference, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Nat, what do you think of meeting the male artists?"


    "I''d rather not," Natalie replied, uninterested in dating at the moment.


    Her mind was upied with her trip to Amberton to discover the truth about her being switched at birth.


    She also nned to find Marcus'' parents. Going to Scarlet Hill to search for them was a decision she had previously made.


    Additionally, she needed to acquire the herb Marcus had mentioned. As long as he kept his feelings to himself and didn''t pursue her romantically, she was willing to maintain a good rtionship with him.


    Furthermore, everyone in Dithoria knew that Marcus had always protected Sophia since childhood. Sophia had just kept it hidden from him before.


    Now that Marcus had openly stated in front of Ivan that Sophia was under his protection, Ivan would have to reconsider before threatening Sophia again.


    "Nat, you''re still young. It''s good to make more friends," Lincoln advised softly, reaching out to tousle Natalie''s hair. "Especially male friends. You should explore and broaden your options."


    "Lincoln, I''m not ready to date yet," Natalie responded, feeling a bit overwhelmed. She didn''t have any


    interest in dating Marcus, nor did she feel like dating anyone else. "I''ve already connected with a lot of people at the wee party."


    All the notable personalities in Dithoria had attended her wee party. There


    were plenty of promising young individuals among them, and on that day, many men lined up to befriend her.


    "Oh, I understand." Lincoln chuckled.


    He continued. That''s fine too. If you


    want to meet new people in the future, just let me know anytime. And if you develop a crush, you must tell me I''ll help you evaluate them. I


    can easily spot if a man is worth it or not. If I don''t approve of the guy you''re seeing, he''s definitely not the right one."


    "Okay, I''ll keep that in mind."


    Natalie and Lincoln conversed freely in the backseat as if they were the only ones


    there. Meanwhile, Marcus, seated in the front passenger seat, was growing increasingly sullen.

 Chapter 373 Pull Her Out of the Elevator

    Marcus remained silent the entire ride to the hospital, while Lincoln joyfully chatted with Natalie.


    Upon reaching the hospital, Lincoln''s enthusiasm for conversation hadn''t waned. "Nat, after we visit Sophia, I''ll take you to Walker Group and then to my entertainmentpany. Your good friend Olivia wants to star in a movie, right?


    "I''ve arranged for someone to select a script for her, and filming is expected to start soon. When it does, we''ll attend theunch ceremony together to support her."


    "Absolutely!" Natalie responded eagerly.


    Since the wee party, Olivia had returned to work, and with both of them busy, it was hard for them to meet up. However, no matter the circumstances, they would immediately be there for each other with a quick phone call.


    True friends don''t necessarily interact frequently; they prioritize supporting each other during important times.


    Although Natalie wasn''t involved in the entertainment industry, she was aware that neers often faced challenges from established figures.


    Even though Olivia was already a well-known model, there were others in the industry who were wealthier, more influential, and held higher status.


    Natalie worried that if Olivia transitioned to film and television without support, she might face difficulties.


    By attending theunch ceremony with Lincoln, they could show their backing for Olivia, signaling to the director and others that she had a powerful boss and the daughter of the Walker family supporting her.


    "Ms. Walker, let''s go," Marcus urged.


    As Natalie and Lincoln continued their conversation, Marcus approached them, casting a brief, uninterested nce her way. "Noah just messaged. Sophia has woken up."


    "Then let''s move quickly. Lincoln,e on." Natalie grabbed Lincoln''s arm and hurried toward the inpatient department.


    Marcus trailed a step behind, watching them as they walked ahead. Lincoln was about six feet two inches, with broad shoulders and a slim waist, embodying the ssic look of appearing lean in clothes yet muscr without a shirt.


    Natalie stood around five feet seven inches, with a slender and elegant frame, her long, straight legs entuating her graceful posture. Her hair was casually tied up, making her back look even more delicate and fragile.


    From behind, they appeared to be a perfectly matched and visually pleasing pair. Despite knowing they were siblings, Marcus couldn''t help but feel a surge of jealousy.


    He longed to pull Lincoln away and have Natalie take his arm instead. However, he knew he couldn''t act on this impulse.


    Such an action would only earn Natalie and the Walker brothers'' disdain. Having made a mistake, all he could do was strive to make amends and win back their approval.


    Marcus trailed silently behind the pair. Soon enough, they reached the elevator. The hospital was already bustling with people at this hour.


    Lincoln pressed the elevator button, and they waited patiently for it to arrive. When the doors opened, those inside exited first, allowing the waiting crowd to enter.


    The elevator quickly filled up. Lincoln drew Natalie close, shielding her, while Marcus moved to her other side, effectively surrounding her with protection.


    Both men were striking in stature, looks, and presence. They naturally drew the attention of everyone in the elevator.


    Someone recognized Lincoln and eagerly approached him for a picture and autograph. Even as they requested his autograph, their eyes kept flicking to Marcus.


    Marcus'' demeanor turned icy. When his gaze met theirs, it was cold and unweing, spreading an invisible chill.


    Those who initially wanted to approach him hesitated and stepped back. With Marcus exuding such a presence, they redirected their attention to Lincoln.


    Lincoln was a popr movie star with arge fan following. Whenever he ventured out without a disguise, fans easily noticed him.


    He regretted not wearing a disguise. Marcus had provoked him at the Walker residence, leaving him too frustrated to remember his usual precautions.


    "Lincoln, can we get your autograph?"


    "Lincoln, my mom adores you! She''s in the hospital. Could we take a photo? It would make her so happy."


    "Lincoln, we love you so, so, so much!"


    Facing the excited fans, Lincoln smiled warmly and patiently posed for photos and signed autographs.


    When the elevator arrived at Sophia''s floor, Lincoln was still surrounded by his fans. Marcus seized the moment to pull Natalie along and maneuvered them out from the side.


    Once they stepped out of the elevator, Natalie nced back. Lincoln was still encircled by fans.


    "Marcus, do you think Lincoln will be alright?" Natalie expressed some concern. Lincoln had shielded her earlier, so nobody initially noticed her presence.


    "It''s best if we leave now. If the paparazzi snap pictures and start spreading rumors about you and Lincoln, it could cause trouble," Marcus advised seriously.


    "I doubt the paparazzi would dare to take random pictures and fabricate stories," Natalie replied, clearly skeptical of Marcus'' warning.


    "When my parents hosted the


    wee party for me, there were so


    many media reporters, and the coverage was extensive. Everyone know I''m a member of the Walker family and Lincoln''s sister. There''s no way the paparazzi would dare to make up such stories."


    Marcus remained silent. While other paparazzi might hesitate, his own team wouldn''t. However, he realized deceiving Natalie wouldn''t be easy, so this n


    seemed unfeasible.


    tunderstand that


    "Nat, you must u


    some fans can be very intense and


    fanatical, Marcus said, shifting his strategy. "Lincoln has a lot of female admirers who see him as their perfect match. Even though you''re his sister, there''s a possibility that some of these fans coulebbe jealous and try to harm you."


    Natalie thought for a moment before asking, "Has any female fan ever done something bad to Emma?"


    She hadn''t been to Dithoria before and wasn''t familiar with entertainment news.


    The Walker family had always been somewhat mysterious to her, so she didn''t know much about them.


    "Yes," Marcus answered.


    He pulled out his phone, searched for a bit, and then showed Natalie a news article. "There was a fan who stalked Emma out of jealousy because Lincoln cared so much for his sister. She tried to attack Emma with sulfuric acid. Luckily, Emma''s bodyguard noticed in time, and she escaped without injury."


    Natalie took Marcus'' phone and, after looking closely, confirmed that what he said


    was true.


    Lincoln admitted that he hadn''t been the best brother to Emma. If his less-than- affectionate behavior could still provoke a stalker fan''s jealousy, then Marcus'' concern about the situation escting if fans saw him doting on her could be valid.


    Natalie wasn''t particrly worried about encountering stalker fans, but as the saying goes, better the devil you knew than the devil you didn''t.


    She couldn''t constantly be on alert for every stranger, and she didn''t want to cause problems for Lincoln. Therefore, Marcus'' advice was quite sensible. "Thanks for the heads-up, Marcus," Natalie said, handing the phone back to him. "I''ll message Lincolnter and suggest he leaves first."


    "Exactly," Marcus agreed. "If he visits Sophia like this, fans might start specting and misinterpreting things. It''s best to steer clear of unnecessaryplications. It''s beneficial for both Lincoln and Sophia."

 Chapter 374 A New Chance at Life

    Natalie sent a message to Lincoln, but he didn''t respond, likely still busy with fans seeking autographs and photos. She put her phone away and headed to Sophia''s hospital room with Marcus.


    Sophia had been moved from the ICU to a VIP room. She had calcted


    precisely where to inflict her injuries, ensuring they appeared severe but weren''t life-threatening.


    She spent a night in the ICU due to significant blood loss and the seriousness of the situation at the time. The doctor, acting responsibly and concerned about possible suddenplications, deemed it safer to monitor her in the ICU overnight.


    Now, shey awake in her hospital bed, listening to Samantha speak. Samantha was wiping away tears, and Sophia didn''t offerfort, simply gazing at her with gentle eyes and a faint smile.


    After so many years, Sophia could finally enjoy a peaceful life with Samantha.


    Natalie knocked on the door. "May wee in?"


    "Doe in," Samantha said, rising to greet them.


    "Ms. Walker, Marcus, thank you," Samantha said, about to kneel in gratitude.


    Natalie swiftly supported her. "Ms. ir, there''s no need for that. Just call me Nat. How is Sophia today? Is she alright?"


    "She''s much better," Samantha replied, with Natalie''s support. Her eyes were red, clearly struggling to keep herposure.


    Last night, Zachary suggested she lie down on the chair and rest, but her worries kept her awake. Even with her eyes shut, sleep eluded her.


    Samantha had endured a tough life in the convent for years. If Ivan hadn''t constantly ckmailed her with their daughter, she might have ended her life long ago.


    She never imagined Ivan would use her to threaten Sophia. For years, mother and daughter had been tightly controlled by Ivan, each for the other''s sake.


    Samantha spent the entire night reflecting. The misfortune between her and her daughter was indeed her fault, so she resolved to pull herself together.


    Zachary and Zane stayed with her all night until it was time to move Sophia to the VIP room. Zane had to head to work at Goodwill Pharmacy early in the morning, so Zachary saw him off.


    Zachary then went out to get some food for her.


    "Sophia," Samantha said, turning to Sophia on the hospital bed. "Nat and Marcus are here to visit you."


    Sophia''s lips curved into a smile, and her eyes lit up as she looked at Natalie.


    Natalie helped Samantha over to the bed meant for family members to rest. "Ms. ir, you should take a break. Try to get some sleep."


    "I''m not tired."


    "Get some sleep," Natalie insisted firmly, leaving no room for argument.


    Samantha had prominent dark circles under her eyes, and her entire body radiated severe fatigue, clearly showing signs of extreme exhaustion.


    Samantha was aging, and being confined to the convent by Ivan, with Julia and Ruby around, must have made her life very challenging.


    Natalie helped Samantha onto the bed and tucked the quilt around her. "Ms. ir, have a good rest. I''ll ensure nothing happens to Sophia while you''re asleep. If you don''t rest and end up copsing before Sophia gets better, you''ll only make her worry."


    "Well... all right." Samantha shut her eyes but soon reopened them. "Natalie, your parents visited recently. They had a long talk with me and offered Sophia substantialpensation, but she turned it down. As her mother, I want to ept it for her."


    "Absolutely ept it. I''ll convince Sophia to agree. Don''t worry, Ms. ir."


    "Okay, thank you." With that assurance, Samantha finally closed her eyes.


    Natalie began to gently massage her temples and then moved on to press several other acupoints. Before long, Samantha drifted into a deep sleep.


    After ensuring Samantha was fast asleep, Natalie returned to Sophia''s bedside, pulled up a chair, and sat down. "Did my parents visit?"


    "Yes," Sophia replied softly, a smile lingering on her lips. "Nat, I made it through. The surgery was sessful. I''ve been given a new chance at life."


    Sophia''s smile widened, and she looked at Natalie with affection. "Once I recover, how about I work at your clothingpany while working with Zachary on my mental health?"


    "Of course," Natalie agreed instantly. "You''re always wee in mypany. But let''s be clear, your sry will reflect your skills. I can''t offer too many special privileges."


    Sophia chuckled. "Alright. Nat, thank you. Marcus, could we talk privately for a few minutes?"


    Marcus stepped forward. "Sure. Nat, could you step outside for a bit?" Natalie nodded. "Okay."


    She stood up and left, closing the door behind her to give them privacy.


    Inside the hospital room, Sophia gestured for Marcus to take a seat.


    "How are things between you and Nat? Marcus, it''s clear you have feelings for her. You can''t hide that look in your eyes when you like someone."


    "Yes, I do," Marcus admitted without hesitation. "But I was drunk and impulsively ended our engagement."


    Sophia struggled to suppress herughter upon hearing this, but she refrained fromughing out loud to avoid aggravating her injuries.


    "So, are you nning to pursue her?"


    "Yes, but I''ve had a rough start." Marcus appeared calm, showing no signs of frustration from his setback. "Sophia, will you help me?"


    "You''ve supported me a lot over the years. Of course, I''ll help you." Sophia smiled. "However, if Nat doesn''t feel the same way, there''s not much I can do. I hope the two of you can find happiness. You''re both wonderful people. Whether you end up together or not, I wish you all the best."


    "Natalie''s husband can only be me," Marcus stated firmly. "I won''t give up on her."


    Sophia looked at him, taking a moment to process his resolve before nodding slowly. "Ah... I see."


    He added, "From now on, stay close to her and watch the men around her."


    "...Okay," Sophia agreed reluctantly. "So, I just need to keep an eye on the men around her and let you know, right?"


    "Yeah."


    "I want to pursue Nat, but I can''t make her ufortable, and I definitely can''t interfere with her freedom to make friends. But her boyfriend, and eventually her husband, can only be me."


    Marcus'' determined tone and


    expression left Sophia a bit stunned.


    He had previously denied his


    feelings at Goodwill Pharmacy, but now he was so sure of them. Men


    could be quite unpredictable.


    "However, I won''t put you in an awkward situation," Marcus said, cing the Sinir Group acquisition contract in front of Sophia "This is a token of appreciation for helping me pursue


    Nat."


    wnovel


    Sophia''s eyes widened once more. "Marcus, you¡ª"


    He cut her off. "You just said you made it through, and this is your new chance at


    life. Since this is the start of a new chapter, how could there not be a gift?"

 Chapter 375 Goodwill Pharmacy Was Robbed

    Sophia hesitated to ept the acquisition contract, as she had never expected to get such an opportunity.


    "Natalie gave it to you."


    When Sophia didn''t take it, Marcus ced the contract into her hands and stood up. "I''ll bring her in so you can discuss it."


    "Marcus, I... I can''t ept this," Sophia called after him. "Even if you hand it over, I won''t be able to hold onto it. I don''t have any big dreams. I just want to work for Nat, earn a monthly wage, and support myself and my mom."


    She had decided against marrying in her life, believing she wasn''t worthy of a beautiful romance.


    "You can discuss it with Natalie yourself," Marcus said as he left, not giving Sophia a chance to continue.


    Sophia set the document aside, too afraid to open it. Her eyes filled with tears, and soon they streamed down her face silently. Life had been harsh to her, yet not entirely unkind.


    After leaving the hospital room, Marcus saw Zachary and Natalie deep in conversation. Zachary held a bouquet of sunflowers in one hand and several takeout boxes in the other.


    As Marcus emerged, Zachary gave him a slight nod. "Hello, Mr. Holden." "Hello, Mr. Holt."


    After exchanging pleasantries, Marcus gently tugged Natalie aside. "Sophia is looking for you."


    His action instantly created more space between Natalie and Zachary. However, Marcus released her quickly, maintaining a natural demeanor. The move was so subtle that if Natalie showed any irritation, it would appear as if she was being unreasonable and overly sensitive.


    Before Natalie could respond, she found herself standing further away from Zachary.


    Zachary smiled and said, "I''ll head inside now. Mr. Holden and Ms. Walker, thank you for visiting Sophia. The doctor mentioned she needs ample rest over the next few days, so there''s no need for frequent visits.


    "As Sophia''s psychologist, I don''t have much on my te right now, so I''ll be here to look after her and Ms. ir in the hospital. You both can carry on with your responsibilities without worry."


    "Alright," Marcus agreed without hesitation. "It''s convenient since we''ll be quite upied in theing days. Nat, you heard Mr. Holt. Sophia needs her rest, so we shouldn''t interrupt her."


    "Let''s go."


    "Ah!" Natalie eximed as Marcus led her along. She turned to nce back. "Didn''t you just say that Sophia was looking for me?"


    "With Zachary there, she doesn''t need you anymore," Marcus replied, pausing for a moment before adding, "Besides, aren''t you concerned about Lincoln? Since Zachary''s in the hospital protecting Sophia and Ms. ir, I''ll have Noah stay close to you. He''ll remain unseen, guarding you from the shadows."


    "Lincoln isn''t a child. He can handle his situation on his own. As for Noah..." Natalie hesitated but then refused Marcus'' offer. "I don''t need him. You should keep him with you."


    "Alright, that''s fine," Marcus agreed without insisting.


    Noah would follow her in the shadows anyway. If Natalie noticed, Marcus could either deny Noah''s presence or admit it openly and wait for her reaction.


    Suddenly, her phone rang. Seeing that it was Zane, she answered, "Hello, Zane. What''s going on?"


    "Natalie, Goodwill Pharmacy has been robbed!" Zane''s angry voice shouted through the receiver.


    "Who on earth dared to rob Goodwill Pharmacy? Have you called the cops?" Natalie asked and checked her watch. The chaos Ivan caused at the Walker residence that morning had set them back a bit.


    Goodwill Pharmacy opened exactly at 9:00 am, and it was now 8:50 am. Zane had arrived before anyone else.


    "Not yet. Natalie, I''m going to call right now."


    "Hold on. Don''t involve the authorities yet. We''ll handle this ourselves," Natalie interjected, suddenly feeling inspired. "I''ll be there shortly. Don''t disturb the scene. Put a sign up saying Goodwill Pharmacy is closed for today."


    "Understood, Natalie."


    She ended the call and told Marcus, "Goodwill Pharmacy has been robbed. I need to head over there. Marcus, you don''t have to drive me. Just head to work."


    Right after she spoke, the elevator doors opened to the first floor. She moved swiftly as she exited. Marcus signaled, and Noah appeared from the shadows.


    "Mr. Marcus."


    "Stay with Ms. Walker. Ensure she stays safe."


    "Yes, Mr. Marcus."


    Natalie didn''t wait for Marcus to catch up. She gged down a cab, gave the driver the address for Goodwill Pharmacy, and was there shortly.


    Upon arriving, she noticed that the entire staff had already gathered at Goodwill Pharmacy. The scene was left as it was, awaiting her investigation.


    "Have you reviewed the surveince footage?" Natalie asked, ncing toward the


    counter.


    The area was a mess with various medicinal herbs scattered about, and a few pills and granules missing from each type.


    "We''ve gone through the footage.


    The intruder was dressed entirely in


    ck, with their head covered.


    There''s nothing identifiable," Zane


    said angrily. "When I catch this


    criminal, I''ll definitely make him pay."


    "Helena, bring me the surveince tape," Natalie said as she walked over to a nearby chair and sat down. "Zane, could you get me a cup of tea?"


    "Right away, Natalie." Zane left to make tea while Helena brought the surveince footage to her.


    "The thief broke in at 3:50 amst night. The entrance camera caught their vehicle, but it was also covered and disguised. They clearly came prepared."


    Natalie silently watched the footage from start to finish. Helena was correct. The thieves who targeted Goodwill Pharmacy were indeed well-prepared.


    The disguised vehicle and the fully-covered thief indicated a meticulously nned operation.


    Natalie immediately recognized the person dressed in ck. She smirked. "No need to involve the authorities. I know who it is."


    "Natalie, you know who it is?"


    "Yes."


    "Don''t worry about it." Natalie drummed her fingers on the table. "Zane,e


    over here. Try to arrange a meeting with Ruby."


    Zane, who was preparing tea, responded with surprise. "Why would I meet Ruby? We''ve broken up. I don''t want to deal with her."


    "The thief is the maid working for


    Julia," Natalie stated calmly. "You don''t need to meet Ruby, just inform her that Goodwill Pharmacy was recently robbed, and a batch of poison is missing.


    "This poison can cause blindness, deafness, and muteness at the least, and at worst, it can make someone bleed from all their orifices and die with their eyes open."


    Zane was momentarily shocked, then seemed to catch on. "Natalie, are you


    saying Ruby was the one who robbed us?"


    Natalie was confused.


    Helena smacked Zane on the head. "Eat some walnuts to boost your brainpower.


    Just follow Natalie''s instructions and stop talking so much."


    Zane rubbed his head, looking upset. "Did I guess wrong?"


    Natalie was speechless.

 Chapter 376 Making Them Cry And Beg For Forgiveness (Part 1)

    "Helena, stop hitting him. He is already dumb enough, If you keep going, he will be even dumber." Natalie chuckled softly.


    "Zane, call or message Ruby and tell her what I told you. You don''t need to do anything else."


    "And don''t start making wild guesses. The thief will return, crying and begging for forgiveness. Assess the stolen items, and when the thief returns, ensure they pay for everything.


    "Everyone, return to your task. We are not opening for business today. Once everything is cleaned up, I will treat you all to barbecue tonight."


    "Thank you, Ms. Walker." The staff at the Goodwill Pharmacy perked up, their frustration over the theft fading instantly.


    Since Natalie knew who the thief was and was so certain they woulde back, they felt reassured. They had nothing to worry about.


    Natalie headed into the inner room to speak with Thomas.


    "Mr. Zachman, I n to make a trip back to Amberton soon. Please keep an eye on Goodwill Pharmacy while I am gone."


    "I know. You can go without worries," Thomas said with a smile.


    "Nat, Mr. Langton called mest night and asked you to find these herbs from the sketchbook." He handed a few sketch papers to Natalie. "He sent me these. He wants you to gather these herbs within a month."


    Natalie took the papers and examined them one by one. These herbs were among the ones she had sketched in the Holden family''s book sanctum.


    "Alright, I understand," Natalie replied, carefully putting away the sketch papers.


    "The person who stole from Goodwill Pharmacy was Wendy, Julia''s maid. I am sure of it. She was no longer able to obtain medicine from us and grew desperate enough to steal it," she said.


    Thomas nodded. "Julia''s medicine was always prepared at the Goodwill Pharmacy. Mr. Langton made sure to leave the dregs behind and only gave her the liquid. Andst time, you gave her two pills. That is probably what they were after."


    "Exactly. All the missing items are different types of pills. Each one is safe to take on its own, but if Julia mixes them together, things might not end well," Natalie smirked. "I had Zane inform Ruby. She won''t let Julia be in danger. If they get scared enough, they wille crying for forgiveness."


    "Nat, are you not worried that if something really happens to Julia, she will use Goodwill Pharmacy?" Thomas asked, his face full of concern.


    He had worked at Goodwill Pharmacy for years and had seen far too many cases of people turning around and falsely using them. Especially someone like Julia. She had no morals and no conscience. If given the chance, she would definitely stir up trouble.


    "She will not dare," Natalie said with certainty. "Right now, she cannot show her face. Ivan is looking for her everywhere. She ran off after taking his money. I guess that she stole from the Goodwill Pharmacy as she needed life-saving medicine before escaping."


    "Nat, Mr. Langton never mentioned what exactly was wrong with Julia. Can you tell?" Thomas asked.


    Natalie nodded. "I know what her illness is. The medicine Mr. Langton prescribed only suppresses the symptoms. It doesn''t cure them. But since he didn''t treat her fully and instead waited for me to handle it, I understand his intentions. Mr. Zachman, just wait here at Goodwill Pharmacy."


    "Alright. When do you n to head to Amberton?"


    "Once Sophia''s situation is settled, I will go."


    "Got it, I''ll take care of everything here," Thomas said as he stood up. "I''ll get back to work now."


    "Alright, Mr. Zachman, go ahead."


    After Thomas left to check the inventory, Natalie sat for a while, then carefully stored the sketches Among the herbs her mentor had requested was Lethal Vermillion, one of the herbs Marcus had previously shown her. He said he would take her to find it, but that never happened.


    Thinking about Marcus, Natalie couldn''t help but recall that night. The moment when he suddenly parked the car and leaned over to kiss her.


    The memory shed vividly in her mind, making her cheeks flush. She patted her face, trying to push the thought away.


    Ruby was locked in a second-floor guest room at the Sinir residence. Her phone had been confiscated by Ivan, and the windows were sealed shut. Without a key, she couldn''t leave the room at all.


    After an entire night without food or water, she was weak and exhausted. She no longer had the strength to bang on the door and insteady on the bed, anxiety growing in her heart as she wondered what Ivan nned to do to her.


    Suddenly, there was movement outside the door. Ruby sat up immediately. Ivan opened the door and stood there, staring at her with her phone in his head.


    "Dad... dad," Ruby stammered, her voice trembling with fear. "Even if I am not your biological daughter, in my heart, you are still my father. Dad, please believe


    me. I didn''t know my mom was having an affair with another man."


    In her panic, Ruby spoke without thinking, blurting out whatever came to mind.


    "No matter whose daughter I am, in my heart, you are my only dad."


    Ivan chuckled darkly as he listened. He stepped inside, holding her phone. "Ruby, you really see me as your father, huh?"


    Ruby nodded frantically. "Yes, Dad. You are the closest person to me."


    Ivan''s studied her carefully before speaking. "Good. Zane called you. He said Goodwill Pharmacy was robbedst night, and a batch of poisonous drugs was stolen. Why do you think he would he would inform you of this?"


    "What? Goodwill Pharmacy was robbed?" Ruby was caught off guard.


    "Yes, Ivan replied, his body still reeking of alcohol after drinking heavily upon returning from Walker Estate. He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. To force Julia to return, there was always a way.


    "Ruby, since you are my good daughter, do me a favor."


    "What favor? Dad, just tell me," Ruby stuttered, her voice shaking at the sinister look in his eyes.


    Ivan let out a coldugh. "Take off your clothes and let me record a video."


    Ruby gasped and wrapped her arms around herself, "What? No. I will not. Please, Dad, don''t do this to me."


    Tears streamed down her face as she backed away, hugging herself tightly. Even if she wasn''t his biological daughter, she had called him Dad for over 20 years. What kind of father would ask his daughter to do something like this?


    "Ruby, I''m asking nicely right now. Do not make me force you," Ivan took a step closer.


    "That whore of a mother of yours ran off with my money, leaving the Sinir Group bankrupt. I had no choice but to sell it for cheap. That bitch Julia. She made the first move, so she shouldn''t me me for retaliating.


    Ivan''s bloodshot eyes burned with rage. "Ruby, have I ever mistreated you and your mother all these years? I even neglected my wife and mistreated my biological daughter, Sophia, for your sake. And this is how you repay me?"

 Chapter 377 Making Them Cry And Beg For Forgiveness (Part 2)

    Ivan lunged forward and wrapped his hands around Ruby''s neck. "I cherished and raised you for over 20 years, only to find out she is not even my own blood. My real daughter was bullied for years by a bastard child like you and that bitch Julia.


    "I was nothing but a fool, a blind and heartless beast. Now that Julia has taken my money and run, what makes you think I will let you go?"


    "Ugh..."


    Ruby gasped as his grip tightened around her throat. She reached up, desperately trying to pry his hands away, but the difference in strength between them was too great. The more she struggled, the harder he squeezed.


    Her breathing becamebored, and soon, her eyes rolled back as she began to lose consciousness.


    The sudden ringing of a phone shattered the tense silence. The sound jolted Ivan back to his senses. He abruptly let go of Ruby''s throat, his eyes flickering with unease as he nced at the caller ID.


    It was Zane, the second son of the Holt family and Ruby''s former boyfriend. He had just called not too long ago. Steadying his breath, Ivan swiped his finger across the screen and answered the call.


    "Hello."


    "Mr. Sinir, is Ruby there? Can you let her take the call?"


    Zane''s voice came through the receiver. Ivan narrowed his eyes. "Alright, wait a moment."


    He handed the phone to Ruby. "It''s Zane."


    Ruby coughed violently several times before taking the phone. The moment it was in her hands, she shouted into the receiver, "Zane, help me! My father is holding me captive!"


    Ivan backhanded her across the face, sending her tumbling to the floor. The phone slipped from her grasp and hit the floor.


    "Zane, save me please!" she cried out.


    Ivan struck her again, his voice filled with fury. "You wretched thing. I''ve been too lenient with you."


    "Hello? Ruby, what is going on? Are you alright?"


    Zane''s voice crackled through the phone''s speaker. Ivan bent down, picked up the phone, and ended the call.


    "Ruby, you ungrateful little rat. You dared to lie to me. A bastard is a bastard, and a traitor never changes. There''s no saving you." Gritting his teeth, he cursed, "Since that is the case, I won''t be nice to you anymore."


    With that, he pped her twice more, leaving her head spinning and her vision filled with stars.


    Before she could even try to resist, Ivan tore at her clothes and snapped several photos with his phone. Once he was done, he took a rope and tied her to the bedpost.


    "My dear daughter, don''t me me. If you want to me someone, me that whore of a mother you have," Ivan said, patting her cheek before using her phone to call Julia.


    If Julia dared to steal his money and run, then she shouldn''t me him for using Ruby to force her back.


    The call barely had time to ring before it was answered.


    "Hello? Ruby? Why was your phone unreachable?"


    Julia''s anxious voice came through. "I''m almost at our hometown. Just drive over yourself, and I will pick you up when you arrive."


    Ivan spat out viciously, "Julia, you whore! You filthy bitch! You dare to steal my money and run? I will show you exactly what will happen to your daughter."


    He immediately sent her photos he had just taken and said, "Julia, if you don''te back, I will hand Ruby over to Mr. Walsh. We both know what kind of man he is.


    "Also, Zane just informed Ruby that Goodwill Pharmacy was robbedst night. A batch of poison was stolen.


    "If the thief is lucky, they''d only get off with blindness, deafness, and muteness. The worst-case scenario? Bleeding from all orifices and dying with eyes wide open. Those @rugs take effect within two days."


    With that, Ivan ended the call.


    At first, he found Zane''s call strange, but after a moment of contemtion, he pieced together the situation. The Goodwill Pharmacy theft was most likely connected to Julia.


    As he imagined her coughing incessantly, his mood improved.


    People whomit too many evil deeds will eventually face retribution. It wasn''t a matter of whether karma woulde, only a matter of when.


    Julia''s illness was nothing more than the heavens delivering justice.


    The phone rang again.


    A smirk curled on Ivan''s lips as he saw Julia''s name on the screen. He answered the call leisurely. "Well, bitch, have you made up your mind? Are youing back?"


    "Ivan, I''m warning you. Don''t touch my daughter." Julia barely got the words out as she coughed violently. "Come for me if you have a grudge. Do not involve her."


    "Then crawl back here like the dog you are, Julia. You better hurry. Otherwise, I''m afraid you might not make it back alive." Ivan sneered. He ended the call without waiting for a response.


    On the other end, Julia coughed uncontrobly. As the fit worsened, she suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    "Aunt Wendy, I''m coughing up blood. I''m coughing up blood again. Are you sure the medicine you stole from Goodwill Pharmacy is safe?" she said in panic as she stared at the crimson stain on her palm.


    "It should be fine. The medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy is supposed to


    save lives. You felt better after


    taking itst night, did you not?" Wendy replied, though her voice carried a hint of hesitation


    "There is something wrong with the medicine. We need to go back."


    Julia''s eyes were bloodshot as she pressed a hand against her throat. The itching and burning sensation inside felt like a swarm of ants gnawing away at her flesh, making her wish she were dead.


    "That''s impossible. The pills looked exactly like the ones Natalie gave you that day," Wendy said in disbelief.


    "Stop making excuses. Turn the car around right now," Julia cut her off sharply.


    "Alright, alright, we''ll go back. We''re going back now," Wendy replied hurriedly, instructing the driver to return to Dithoria State. However, she was far from pleased. "Julia, you had better think this througholf we go back, the consequences could be dire."


    "What about Ruby? Are we just going to abandon her? You heard what Ivan said. The medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy is poison. In two days, I could be dead." Julia covered her mouth as she coughed.


    "Unless, of course, you really want me and Ruby to die. Why do I feel like you''ve changed?" Julia''s gaze darkened as she red at Wendy.


    "That''s impossible," Wendy quickly denied. "If you want to go back, we''ll go back. I''m just reminding you. Once we return, no one knows what will happen." "Are you suggesting we abandon Ruby? Let me die? If not for me, you would have nothing today. Do not forget that Ruby is my daughter with Edgar. Unless you want Edgar to have no descendants."


    Julia grabbed Wendy by the throat.


    "Fine, fine, we''re going back. I already told the driver to turn around?" Wendy snapped in frustration before turning her face away, unwilling to meet Julia''s gaze.

 Chapter 378 Have You Lost Your Mind?

    Julia and Wendy had barely escaped from Dithoria and stolen medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy, yet in less than a day, they were forced to crawl back.


    When their car stopped at the gates of the Sinir residence, Wendy got out and opened the door for Julia.


    "Jul, I am warning you onest time. If you go back, leaving again will not be so easy."


    Julia coughed violently for a long time and spat out blood twice. With bloodshot eyes, she red at Wendy. "Even if I die, I will not abandon Ruby.


    "My body probably will notst much longer. Since Goodwill Pharmacy refuses to sell me medicine, my only hope is to find the miracle doctor, Dr. Elim. Edgar has been trying to contact Dr. Elim, but there has been no news at all.


    "Aunt Wendy, if I die, you must protect Ruby for me. I had her date Zane and nned for her to marry into the Holt family to keep Ivan from finding out the truth about her parentage."


    Julia looked at the Sinir residence, where she had lived for decades, and let out a bitter chuckle. "But Ruby was useless. She dated Zane for so long but couldn''t get him to marry her. Then I told her to get close to Zachary, but that was even harder.


    "Zachary has gone to Sophia''s side. Ruby has lost herst chance. I have left enough money for Edgar and Ruby. They''ll be fine as long as they do not get caught by Ivan.


    Julia coughed again as she spoke. Seeing her in such pain, Wendy couldn''t help but feel sorrowful.


    "me that wretched Natalie. Goodwill Pharmacy used to sell us medicine, but ever since she arrived, they cut off your supply."


    Wendy gnashed her teeth in frustration. "William and Charlotte must be blind. They took back a heartless ingrate instead of their real daughter. If Emma were still the Walker family''s daughter, we wouldn''t even have to beg. She would have helped us willingly."


    Julia wiped the blood from the corner of her lips with a handkerchief once her coughing fit ended.


    "Emma has been arrested. She will either get the death penalty or life in prison. I underestimate that little bitch, Sophia. She actually managed to bring Emma down."


    "Sophia has someone backing her. We both know she doesn''t have that kind of power on her own," Wendy said through gritted teeth.


    "Yes, Natalie is protecting her. And Marcus is protecting her."


    As Julia spoke, she reached out and rang the doorbell. Not long after, Ivan came out to open the door.


    In a short time, he looked as if he had aged ten years. His beard was unkempt, dark circles hung under his eyes, and his clothes were wrinkled and dirty


    Julia had dismissed all the maids before she left. With no one to help him, Ivan was forced to handle everything himself. The sight of Julia returning made his eyes burn red with rage. He opened the front door and red at her with pure hatred.


    Julia instinctively took a step back but quickly straightened her spine, forcing herself to speak with confidence. "Where is my daughter? Hand her over."


    "What is the rush? We were husband and wife, after all. Come inside and sit down. We can talk properly."


    Ivan sneered and rubbed the back of his head, which still stung from the blow Wendy had given him the night before.


    "There''s nothing left to talk about between us. Ivan, give me back my daughter," Julia said, barely suppressing her cough.


    Ivan looked her up and down. "Julia, do you really think you''re so powerful? If you''re so capable, thene inside. That little bastard daughter of yours is locked up in there. Let''s see if you have what it takes to take her away."


    After saying that, Ivan turned and walked into the vi.


    Julia stood at the entrance, staring at the familiar house. She had lived there for many years, yet an unsettling fear gripped her. The vi loomed before her like a beast, its jaws wide open, waiting for her to swallow her whole.


    "Wendy, let''s go."


    She turned to look at Wendy, who was still standing by the car. She was afraid to go in alone.


    "Jul, you go in first. I need to tell the driver something. If anything goes wrong, the driver wille inside to save us."


    As she spoke, Wendy bent down and whispered something into the driver''s ear.


    Julia narrowed her eyes. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and yanked Wendy back. "There is nothing to exin."


    "What if we both go inside and the driver runs off? Jul, all our things are in the car." Wendy shook off Julia''s grip.


    "And what if I go inside and you run off with the driver instead?"


    Julia stared sharply at Wendy. She knew all too well what kind of person Wendy was. Ever since she suggesteding back, Wendy had been acting displeased.


    Wendy widened her eyes in shock. "Jul, how could you think that? I have served you for so many years. How could you doubt my loyalty? You trust a driver over me?"


    "Then let the driver pull the car inside, and we can all go in together."


    Wendy suddenly let out a bitterugh. "Fine fine. Julia, are you walking into your grave? If you want to die, that is your business, but do not drag me down with you. I stole medicine from the Goodwill O Pharmacy for you. I have done my part. I have a right to go back and live my life in peace."


    She shoved Julia aside and climbed into the car. "Drive."


    The driver had already been bought off by Wendy earlier. Without hesitation, he


    locked the doors, reversed the car, spun it around, and sped away.


    "Stop the car!" Julia screamed. Another violent coughing fit overtook her.


    She screamed at the top of her lungs but was immediately ovee by another violent coughing fit. She spat out a mouthful of blood and watched helplessly as the car disappeared from view.


    "Fuckign traitor!"


    She cursed. She should have known. Wendy had always been selfish.


    "Julia, are youing in or not?"


    Ivan stood at the door, watching her with a sneer.


    He had heard everything between her and Wendy, but he didn''t care. As long as Julia fell into his hands, he could sell her and her daughter off to recover his


    losses.


    The Sinir Group was already ruined, and Julia had taken a fortune when she left. It was only right that she and her daughter paid him back.


    "Wendy ran off with my money. Did you not see? Ivan, you must send someone after her!" Julia was so furious that she could barely speak before another coughing fit wracked her body.


    "Send someone after her? Why would I do that?" Ivan burst intoughter. "Did you not fire all my people before leaving? And you'' expect me to send someone after her? Julia, have you lost your mind?"

 Chapter 379 Since She Wont Survive Anyway, She Might As Well Handle Everything

    Ivan''s voice dripped with mockery. Julia could only cover her mouth and cough uncontrobly. By the time she managed to stop, the car had vanished.


    "Come inside. Let''s have a proper talk." Ivan turned and walked into the vi. Since Julia hade back, there was no need to worry about her escaping again.


    Coughing as she went, Julia slowly made her way inside.


    Julia scanned the vi anxiously. "Where''s my daughter? Hand her over. I''m the one responsible for everything. This has nothing to do with Ruby. If you have a grudge, take it out on me."


    Ivan sat on the couch, looking at her with disdain. "What worth do you have? Look at yourself, wheezing like a dying woman.


    "All these years, I provided for you and your daughter with afortable life. And this is how you repay me? I even protected your reputation outside. I stood up for you like you were the woman I cherished the most. And yet, this is what I get in return?"


    Julia''s face turned pale, then flushed with shame. Since the truth was already exposed, there was no point in making excuses.


    "I wronged you, but Ruby is innocent. She knows nothing. From when she was a baby, she has always treated you as her real father. Ivan, she has called you ''Dad'' for so many years. If not for my sake, at least let her go for hers. Do whatever you want to me, and I will not utter a word ofint."


    "Would you even dare toin? You''re nothing but a whore. What makes you think you can act noble in front of me?" Ivan sneered.


    "Julia, tell me, after all these years of treating you well, why did you do this to me?"


    Julia let out a weary sigh and sat on the couch across from him."Do you really need an answer? Now that you know, there''s nothing more to say. Let Ruby go. I will stay with you and help you through this crisis."


    "Ha! Julia, do you still think I am a fool?" Ivanughed in disbelief. "What use do you have? Tell me. Ruby is at least young and beautiful. If I send her to entertain clients, she can bring me profit and help me rise again.


    "But you? You were a mistress, and as your daughter, Ruby must have inherited your tricks as well. No need for training. I will send her straight to serve drinks.


    "Don''t you dare!"


    Julia''s anger triggered another violent coughing fit. When she finally managed to catch her breath, she red at Ivan with pure hatred. "Ivan, even a tiger doesn''t harm its own cubs. Ruby has called you ''Dad'' for so many years. You cannot be this cruel."


    "Then why did you not say the same thing when you urged me to abuse Sophia?" Ivan sneered. "Julia, don''t be such a hypocrite.


    He added, "Don''t worry, though. Even with your constant coughing, I will not


    mistreat you. The moment you repay me, I''ll let you and your daughter leave. Don''t say Ick mercy. After all, you''re still fine, and I have not harmed Ruby, have 1?"


    As he spoke, Ivan pulled out his phone and made several calls.


    "Mr. Walsh, let''s have dinner together tonight. I have a surprise for you, something you will definitely like."


    Whatever Nathan Walsh said on the other end made Ivan break into an eager, ingratiating smile. "Of course, you will not be disappointed."


    After ending the call, he dialed another business associate and used the same pitch.


    By the time he finished his calls, Julia''s face had gone deathly pale. Having been with Ivan for so many years, she knew better than anyone how ruthless and heartless he could be.


    "Ivan, are you really going to do this?"


    Ivan''s grin was full of malice. "Rx. You are included as well. Our family should stick together, even in hell. If I suffer, why should you and your bastard daughter have it easy?"


    Julia''s chest heaved violently. She knew exactly who Nathan Walsh was. If Ruby fell into his hands, the consequences would be unthinkable.


    She turned to Ivan, taking in his smug, gloating expression. A thought surfaced in her mind. If he wouldn''t let her and Ruby go, then she would have to strike first.


    Julia stood up. "I will make dinner. I am hungry, and Ruby must be too."


    "Fine. Go ahead. You dismissed all the maids, so from now on, all the housework will be your responsibility,"


    Ivan looked pleased with himself. He didn''t fear her pulling any tricks, not when Ruby was in his hands.


    A ruthless glint shed in Julia''s eyes as she suppressed another cough and headed for the kitchen.


    "Julia, don''t even think about poisoning the food. I will have Ruby taste it first."


    His icy warning drifted in after her. Julia''s grip on the knife tightened.


    "I understand. If you don''t trust me, you can make your own meal."


    "Ha... I doubt you would dare try anything."


    Julia dug her nails into her palm but forced herself to remain calm. She grabbed some pasta, set a pot of water to boil, and took meat and vegetables from the fridge. Then, she dialed Goodwill Pharmacy''s number. Having bought medicine from them for two years, she had a direct line.


    The call connected almost immediately. "Hello, this is the Dithoria State Goodwill Pharmacy. Who is this, and how may we assist you?"


    "Hello, I am Julia White," she said, coughing. "Last night, my maid, Wendy, stole from your ce. I took a few pills, but the rest were taken by her."


    Julia gritted her teeth and forced herself to speak. She wouldn''t survive much longer, so she might as well handle everything before she died.


    "How much was stolen? I willpensate you."


    Helena, on the other end, thought she had misheard. "Hmm? What did you just say?"


    "I am Julia White. The Goodwill Pharmacy was robbedst night. My maid did it. How much was lost? I will pay you back."


    "We have done an inventory. The total value of the stolen medicine amounts to three million six hundred and seven thousand ny dors and eighty cents. We can waive the eighty cents. Justpensate us with three million six hundred and seven thousand ny dors."


    Julia nodded, "Alright. Send me your ount details. If you want to report this to the authorities, I will not


    object. But my maid has alreadyet?


    fled. Iwill settle the financial first. Please send me Goodwill Pharmacy''s ount number, and I will transfer the money S immediately."


    "Understood. Hold on."


    Helena didn''t hang up. She sent over Goodwill Pharmacy''s payment details.


    Momentster, the fund arrived.


    Helena reviewed the transaction and noticed that Julia had even included a note specifying the reason for the payment.

 Chapter 380 A Final Blow To The Heart

    Julia''s actionspletely caught Helena off guard. After hanging up the phone, she immediately reported the matter to Natalie.


    At the same time, Natalie was in the visitation room at thew enforcement office, waiting to see Emma.


    While waiting for Emma to be brought in, she answered Helena''s call. "Hello, Helena. What is it?"


    "Ms. Walker, Julia just called Goodwill Pharmacy, and I answered. She admitted that her maid was the one who stole from usst night. Then she asked me about the losses and transferred the full amount.


    "She also said that her maid had fled. If we wanted to report it to the authorities, we would, but she wanted topensate us for the financial loss first. Ms. Walker, I feel like something is off with Julia. She''s not following the usual pattern."


    Natalie lightly tapped her fingers on the table in front of her. "There''s nothing strange about it. She''s settling scores with Ivan once and for all. Julia is trying to protect Ruby."


    Helena thought carefully about Natalie''s words and suddenly realized something. "Then should we still report it to the authorities?"


    Natalie continued tapping her fingers. "Yes. Since Julia has confessed, report it immediately. That maid of hers stole the Sinir family property. That property rightfully belongs to Sophia and her mother. Besides, how dare she steal from Goodwill Pharmacy? Do we look like we would let that slide?"


    "Understood, Ms. Walker. I will take care of it."


    "Good."


    Once she ended the call, Helena promptly reported the case to the authorities.


    After a short wait, Natalie finally saw Emma being brought in.


    The moment Emma saw her, her eyes burned with hatred. If looks could kill, Natalie would have been torn to pieces on the spot.


    Natalie curled her lips into a faint smile and patiently waited as Emma was escorted to the seat opposite her.


    "How is Sky? Is he alright?" Emma''s voice was cold and stiff as she spoke. Natalie''s smile deepened as she replied carelessly, "Sky will live."


    "You must be very pleased with yourself." Emma sneered, her cuffed hands resting on the table as she red at Natalie. "I was thrown out of the Walker family and thrown into detention.


    "My parents didn''t hire awyer for me. Other than Sky, Lincoln, Hector, Timothy, and Manson all abandoned me.


    "I''m just waiting for my sentence. It will either be the death penalty or life imprisonment. Natalie, you took everything from me. You must be so happy, so satisfied."


    "What do you mean I took everything from you?" Natalie rested her chin on her hand, looking at Emma with amusement.


    "I am my parent''s biological daughter. You were nothing but an imposter. My return to the Walker family was rightful and justified. Yet you, after taking my ce for so many years, acted as if my return was some kind of offense to you. Emma, you were simply too greedy."


    Natalie''s voice remained indifferent. "From the beginning, I told you that while I would never treat you as my sister, I had no intention of kicking you out of the Walker family. I wouldn''t even interfere with the way you were treated there. But look at what you did."


    "Does talking about this even matter? Natalie, I don''t need your fake kindness. You are here just tough at me." Emma''s voice was cold.


    Natalie pulled out a paternity test document and slid it across the table toward Emma. "Your biological mother was Cindy Meloney. Shane Morgan is your biological brother. You killed your own mother."


    Emma''s head snapped up. Her mind echoed with Natalie''s words and over again. Her entire body began to tremble uncontrobly.


    "Nonsense." Emma stuttered. "Cindy could never be my mother."


    "Emma Walker, no, I should call you Emma Meloney." Natalie''s lips curled into a mocking smile. "Denying it won''t change the truth. Or did you never wonder why Cindy treated you so well? Why Shane follow your every word?


    "You thought Shane followed you because he liked you, because he wanted to climb the socialdder by clinging to you, the so-called


    fal.ne


    daughter of the Walker family? No. Shane obeyed you because you were his biological sister.


    "If Shane truly liked you, do you think he would have followed yourmand to


    assault Sophia? Emma, your entire family is beyond twisted."


    Natalie stood up and looked down at her. "You killed your own mother. Do you think you can live with that?"


    Emma''s eyes widened in horror. "I don''t believe it. Cindy cannot be my mother. I''m not a Morgan. Shane and I are not siblings. We are not."


    "You will receive your new identity record soon. Emma Meloney, the name Emma Walker no longer belongs to you." Natalie smirked, her gaze condescending.


    "No. I don''t want this. I refuse." Emma let out a shrill, heart-wrenching scream. "I don''t want to be called Emma Meloney."


    "Wait and see, Emma Meloney."


    Natalie''s delicate lips parted as she uttered those words mercilessly.


    The surname Morgan stabbed into Emma''s heart like a de. She would no longer be Emma Walker. From this moment on, she would be Emma Meloney.


    "Emma, you killed your own mother. Even if Shane is rescued, what awaits him is..."


    Natalie raised an eyebrow but deliberately left her sentence unfinished. That only made Emma''s panic worse.


    "Just so you know, Sophia has pulled through. She has a bright and promising future ahead, while you, Shane, and Sky will rot away."


    "You''re lying. My parents would never abandon Sky. He is their firstborn son. I won''t let anything happen to him. Everything was mine and Shane''s fault. It had nothing to do with Sky." Emma screamed, her voice hoarse. "Sky will be fine. He will be fine."


    "You n to take all the me with Shane, let Sky walk free, and then wait for him


    to rescue you?" Natalie remained asposed as ever, unbothered by Emma''s


    hysterics.


    She continued, "You will be


    disappointed. My parents said that Sky wasn''t in his right mind, that all their years of raising him had gone to waste. They have decided to let him serve his sentence properly, sewing garments in prison until hees to his senses.


    "They won''t hire awyer for him. Hemitted a crime, so he will face the consequences himself. Emma, ept it. There is no way out for you."


    "No. No! My parents would never do that." Emma sobbed and shook her head in despair, refusing to believe that William and Charlotte had truly abandoned Sky. "They are my parents, not yours. Your biological mother was Cindy." Natalie spoke each word with deliberate sharpness.


    Emma let out a bloodcurdling scream. "Why won''t you let me be? I hate you, Natalie. Why did you have to tell me this? Why did you have toe and ruin me?"


    "Because it is the truth," Natalie replied, her lips curling with cruel amusement. "Emma, your hope ispletely shattered."

 Chapter 381 One Must Learn to Pay for Their Actions

    Once she was done, Natalie turned and left. She hade to see Emma for one reason only¡ªto let her know the truth. Cindy was her biological mother, and she had killed her with her own hands.


    Even if Emma hadn''t known before, Cindy had taken care of her for so many years in the Walker family. Yet, despite that, she had still been able to strike her down without hesitation. It was clear-Emma was ruthless and selfish to the core.


    She kept saying she would take all the me to protect Sky, but was it really because she loved him?


    No. It was because Sky was her only hope. As long as he survived, she had a chance to live.


    But now, Natalie had personally shattered that hope, ensuring that Emma would never rise again.


    For her, there were only two possible oues-death or life imprisonment.


    Emma''s trial was approaching quickly.


    Marcus had found the bestwyer in all of Dithoria State for Sophia. By then, whether it was Emma, Sky, or even Shane-the true rapist-none of them would escape justice.


    Natalie stepped out of the enforcement office, her heart light. The sun shone warmly on her skin. She raised her hand, watching the golden light slip through her fingers. Everything felt bright and warm.


    "Sweetie."


    Lost in thought, she heard a gentle voice call out to her. Looking up, she saw William and Charlotte.


    "Mom, Dad," Natalie greeted them sweetly. "You''re here to see Sky?"


    "Yes. Sweetie, would you like toe with us?" Charlotte''s expression wasn''t great, but she still smiled lovingly at Natalie.


    "Sure." Natalie nodded, agreeing immediately. She wanted to see for herself how her parents would handle Sky.


    No matter what, parents could never truly ignore their children. She worried that after seeing Sky, William and Charlotte might soften.


    However, if they did, there was nothing she could do. All she could do was let thewyers handle it to the best of their ability.


    "Sweetie, don''t worry. Your dad and I won''t go soft on Sky." Charlotte seemed to understand what Natalie was thinking. Even before meeting Sky, she reassured her in advance.


    "That''s right, Nat. Don''t worry," William added. "Sky made his own mistakes, and your mom and I have made it clear-he''s on his own for this one."


    He continued, "We''re not hiring awyer for him. Thew will take its course, and whatever judgmentes, he''ll have to face it. He needs to learn that he must bear the consequences of his actions."


    "Mom, Dad, I never said anything. Let''s go now." Natalie smiled and linked arms with Charlotte. "Actually, even if you weren''ting, I was nning to visit Sky myself."


    To see how miserable and pathetic he was now. To see if his mind had finally cleared.


    "Let''s go. We knew you cared about him," Charlotte said. She held Natalie''s arm but didn''t respond to the implication in her words.


    Soon, the three of them arrived at Sky''s room. Since he was injured, he was still being treated in the word of the enforcement office.


    When he saw his parents and Natalie enter, his face turned pale, shifting from one shade to another.


    "Sky, how are you feeling?" Charlotte stepped forward, her gazeplex.


    "I''m fine, Mother." Sky''s face was ghostly pale. He lowered his head, not daring to meet Charlotte''s eyes.


    "Your father and I have talked it over. We will not be hiring awyer for you, nor will we help you in any way."


    Charlotte sighed. "Sky, you made mistakes. As your parents, we can''t just watch you make more of them. For you, perhaps spending some time in prison will do you good."


    Sky''s face grew even paler. He looked up at Charlotte, his eyes filled with hurt. "Mother, you and Father... You''re really not going to help me?"


    "And how exactly do you expect us to help you?" William took a step forward, his voice sharp with disappointment.


    "Sky, I''m deeply disappointed in you. What you did was beyond disgraceful. How could you treat Sophia like that? She''s your fianc¨¦e! Even if she were aplete stranger, you had no right to stand by and let Emma and Shane hurt her."


    "Oh, and one more thing," William added, his tone now ice-cold. "Cindy Meloney? She''s Emma''s biological


    mother. The paperwork is done Emma''s new identity is finalized.


    From this moment on, she is no longer part of the Walker family. The name Walker no longer belongs to her."


    Sky froze. It took a long moment before he found his voice. "Father, is that true? Cindy was really Emma''s mother?"


    "What? Do you think I would lie to you? Do you think I''d make up something like this?" William''s expression remained emotionless, his voice cutting.


    "Sky, think about it carefully. If Cindy was Emma''s real mother, do you still believe Natalie, your real sister, was identally switched at birth? If you continue to remain stubborn, then you don''t deserve to bear the Walker name either."


    "Father, that''s not what I meant." Sky opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but his mind was inplete chaos.


    If Cindy was Emma''s mother, then she had known all along. Or worse-she had intentionally switched the children, letting Emma grow up in wealth and luxury as the Walker family''s heiress.


    Thinking back on how Cindy had always favored Emma, how Shane had blindly obeyed her, an eerie chill crawled through Sky''s body.


    His gaze slowly shifted to Natalie, but she remained calm, her expression unreadable. She had no reaction to William''s words, no indication that this revtion surprised her in the least.


    "We came here to give you onest chance," William spoke firmly.


    After he finished, Charlotte added, "Confess your crimes truthfully. ept whatever sentence they give you and behave well in prison. When you get out, what belongs to you will still be yours. Sky, don''t disappoint your father and me again. Emma isn''t worth sacrificing yourself for."


    Charlotte''s biggest concern was that Sky would take all the me, trying to absolve Emma.


    "Sky, do you hear us?"


    Sky''s face remained ashen. After a long silence, he slowly nodded.


    "Father, Mother, may I speak with Nat alone for a moment?"


    William and Charlotte exchanged a nce before nodding.


    Charlotte hesitated for a moment before giving a final warning, "You can, but don''t


    try to bully her. Don''t use guilt to manipte her and don''t even think about asking her to speak for you or Emma."


    "Mother, don''t worry. I won''t ask anything of Nat." Sky forced a bitter smile. At this point, he knew his parents no longer trusted him.


    "Alright then."


    Charlotte pulled Natalie close. "Sweetie, we''ll wait for you outside. Talk to Sky for a bit."


    Natalie nodded gently, being very obedient. "Okay."

 Chapter 382 There Is No Greater Virtue That o Recognize Ones Mistakes and Change,

    After William and Charlotte left the hospital room, Natalie pulled out a chair and sat down, her gaze calm as she looked at Sky.


    Sky forced a bitter smile. It took him a long time before he finally spoke. "I''m sorry."


    Natalie''s expression remained steady, her tone t and devoid of emotion. "The person you should be apologizing to isn''t me. It''s Sophia."


    "I know." Sky exhaled heavily, his voice weary. "I had no idea Cindy was Emma''s biological mother."


    "Now that you do, how do you feel?"


    Sky looked at Natalie, his eyes dazed. "I don''t know. I just feel confused. My mind is a mess.


    "If Cindy was Emma''s biological mother, then there''s only one possibility-you and Emma weren''t switched by ident. It was deliberate. But I don''t understand how Cindy managed to pull it off.


    "When Mother gave birth in Amberton, Cindy wasn''t pregnant. She was always by her side, taking care of her. So, I don''t know. It''s all just too chaotic. Now that Cindy is dead, this lead ispletely cut off."


    Natalie nced around the room, then pulled a chocte bar from her pocket. She unwrapped it and handed it to Sky.


    "I''m still going to Amberton to investigate this. Me, Selena, and Emma... the three of us weren''t switched for no reason. With Cindy dead, the investigation might be harder, but no matter what, if something was done, there would always be traces left behind.


    "My dear brother, when you went to Amberton before, you weren''t actually trying to uncover the truth, were you? You didn''t want to find Emma''s real parents. You couldn''t bear to send her away. You couldn''t bear to take her away from the wealth and protection of the Walker family."


    Hearing Natalie call him "brother", Sky''s eyes instantly welled up with tears. He hadn''t expected that after everything he had done-after how tantly he had favored Emma, after all the harm he had caused Sophia-Natalie would still call him that.


    Even if she was questioning him, even if her words held no warmth, the fact that she still called him her brother made an unbearable sourness rise in his chest.


    "Yes, I was wrong. I waspletely wrong." Sky''s voice was choked, unable to control the emotion in it.


    "Recognizing your mistakes and making amends¡ªthere''s no great virtue." Natalie handed him the chocte. "Try it. It''s not bitter. This was made by the chocte factory Lincoln bought."


    Sky took the chocte and ced it in his mouth. It melted instantly, rich and smooth. There wasn''t even a hint of bitterness but his heart was still unbearably heavy.


    "Nat, I am sorry."


    After swallowing, Sky spoke again, his guilt overwhelming. "I shouldn''t have been prejudiced against you. I shouldn''t have thought that your return would disrupt Emma''s ce in the family.


    "I wanted you two to get along. I hoped your return wouldn''t shake her position. But I ignored the fact that you were the one who had truly been wronged. Nat, I am so sorry."


    Natalie wasn''t surprised by his apology. People''s perspectives change when they brush against death.


    "It''s fine," she said with a faint smile.


    "Sky, you never owed Emma anything. Everything you did for her was real. Your kindness was sincere but the more someone gives, the harder it is to let go.


    "And people have feelings. You watched Emma grow up. You doted on her, protected her. Meanwhile, I was just a stranger who suddenly appeared. We had no emotional connection. I understand why you took her side."


    Her voice remained calm.


    "But I had no emotional connection with any of you, either. I never felt the need to be epted by this family. The way you treated me was how I treated you in return.


    "Sky, I knew from the very beginning that Emma didn''t wee me. We''re both women¡ªyou couldn''t see her small schemes, but I could. Emma was greedy."


    Sky covered his face with his hands, but his tears still slipped silently through his fingers.


    Of course, he had known this all along. His brother, his parents-they had all tried to warn him but he had been blinded by his favoritism. Now, after nearly dying, he finally realized how absurdly wrong he had been.


    "Sky, don''t be too upset. Mom and Dad may not be hiring awyer for you, but they also said you still have a chance. Confess your crimes,


    behave well, and when you got not


    you''ll still be the eldest son of the Walker family."


    "It was my fault," Sky said.


    "Oh, by the way. Beforeing here, I went to see Emma." Natalie''s lips curved slightly. "She''s nning to take all the me upon herself to protect you. Are you touched, Sky?"


    Sky froze. His hands dropped from his face, his dazed eyes locking onto Natalie.


    Natalie merely smiled, that same half-smile lingering on her lips. Without saying anything more, she pulled a few more chocte bars from her pocket, stood up, and ced them in Sky''s hand.


    "Sky, I didn''t bring anything else. These are for you. When life feels bitter, eat one."


    "Nat." Sky looked at her, wanting to say something-but the words wouldn''te. "I''m leaving now."


    Natalie had said everything she needed to say. What Sky did next was up to him but even if Emma tried to take all the me, it wouldn''t matter. The investigation had already made everything clear.


    None of them could escape their crimes and Sophia would never sign any statement of forgiveness for them.


    What she wanted was for everyone who had hurt her to face their rightful punishment to ensure that they could never harm anyone else again.


    The easy way out for Emma would be death, but that would be too good for her The best punishment is for her to rot in prison. For someone like her, losing the wealth and status as


    a Walker was the real torment.


    Sometimes dying was a relief, but living-living and suffering-was the cruelest fate of all.


    Natalie walked out of the ward. William and Charlotte were standing nearby, speaking quietly. When they saw her emerge, they immediately approached.


    "Are you done talking to Sky?"


    "Yes, I''m done."


    "I just hope this time, he truly understands his mistakes and changes." Charlotte sighed. "For a wretched woman like Emma, his effort really wasn''t worth it.


    "But there is nothing we can do. He made his choice. And now, no matter how painful it is, he has to walk this path himself."


    Even as she spoke, Charlotte''s eyes turned red. No matter what, Sky was still the son she had carried for ten months. The very first child she had given birth to after enduring the agony ofbor.


    When he was born, she and William had been overjoyed. They had ced the highest hopes in him.


    "Mom, don''t be sad. Sky might truly change this time." Natalie hugged Charlotte gently. "We''ll wait for him toe home."

 Chapter 383 What Right Do You Have to Call Them Mom and Dad?

    Charlotte''s eyes were red, but she remained firm in her decision. They had agreed not to hire awyer for Sky, and they would not go back on their word.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Emma Meloney wants to see you both." An officer approached them and ryed the message.


    William and Charlotte exchanged a nce before nodding. "Since we''re here, let''s go see her. Nat,e with us."


    "Of course." Natalie agreed without hesitation.


    She had already seen Emma once, but she was more than happy to apany her parents for another visit.


    The three of them entered the holding area.


    Emma had only seen Natalie not long ago; she had broken down emotionally and cried during the visit. Her eyes were still swollen and red.


    The moment she saw William and Charlotte, fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "Mom, Dad-"


    "Don''t call us that." Charlotte''s voice wasced with disgust. "Emma, your mother was Cindy Meloney, not me. I always wondered why Cindy treated you so well, as if she wanted to give you her very heart. Turns out, you were her biological daughter. Of course, she doted on you."


    "No! Mom, you''re my mother!" Emma sobbed.


    She had just received her new identification-her name was no longer Emma Walker but Emma Meloney. Her household registration had been transferred to Cindy''s hometown.


    "Cindy wasn''t my real mother! You''re my mother!


    Desperate, Emma turned to William. "Dad, look at me! I''m your daughter! You once said I was your most beloved daughter. That if I asked for the stars, you wouldn''t just give me the moon-you''d give me the whole sky! Dad, I know I was wrong! Please, save me! I am not Cindy''s daughter! I am not!"


    "Emma Meloney, you''re still in denial." William''s voice was as cold as ice, devoid of warmth or mercy. "Your mother deliberately switched you with Natalie, allowing you to live in wealth and luxury while my real daughter suffered in the Langley family, used as nothing more than a living blood bank."


    "And now, you still dare to call us Mom and Dad? I didn''t kill you myself, and that''s already an act of mercy. You were never part of the Walker family. Your very blood is tainted."


    "No! It''s not like that! It''s not!" Emma screamed, sobbing hysterically. "That''s not true!"


    "Then tell me. Can you swear that you didn''t instruct Shane to harm Sophia?" William''s voice turned even colder. "Can you swear that you didn''t push Sky to condone your evil?


    "Emma, even if Cindy wasn''t your biological mother, she raised you with care. She treated you as well as any real mother would. And yet, you still killed her without hesitation. Someone as ruthless and cruel as you could never be part of the Walker family.


    "You orchestrated Shane''s attack on Sophia. You killed your own mother. And you dragged my son down with you. Count your sins yourself. Do you even deserve to call yourself human?


    "Emma, what right do you have to call us your parents? What right do you have to ask us to save you? You think we came to see you because we still care about you?"


    "No. We came to make one thing very clear. Abandon any thought of relying on the Walker family ever again. Emma Meloney, you brought this upon yourself. You deserve everything that''sing to you."


    William''s words were sharp, each one cutting deeper into Emma''s heart. Her face paled with every sentence, until all color drained from her entirely.


    "Charlotte, Nat, let''s go." Without a second nce, William turned on his heel and called for his wife and daughter to leave.


    "Mom! I know I was wrong!" Emma lunged forward and grabbed Charlotte''s hand, gripping it tightly. "I really know I was wrong! Mom, please! Give me one more chance! I promise I''ll change! I''ll be a good person!"


    She sobbed uncontrobly, clinging to Charlotte as if she were herst lifeline. "Mom, I''ll take all the me! I''ll say that everything was Shane''s and my doing! I''ll clear Sky''s name. I won''t let anything happen to Sky! Mom, please, save me just onest time!"


    "Let go." Charlotte took a deep breath, then forcibly pried Emma''s fingers off her. "Sky made his own mistakes. He doesn''t need your fake confessions. You can''t take the me for him even if you wanted to.


    "You lived a life of luxury in the Walker family for 20 years, but in return, you destroyed my eldest son. Emma, I will never forgive you for that."


    Charlotte''s eyes reddened again and shoved Emma away forcefully. Her perfect son had be a prisoner because of her. There was no greater grievance in her heart than this.


    Yes, she knew that Sky had brought this upon himself. But it was all because of Emma.


    Charlotte pushed her away without hesitation. only have one daughter, and that''s Natalie. From the moment you schemed against my real daughter, any connection between us was severed. You are not my child. Don''t call me ''Mom. You don''t deserve to do so.


    "Repent for your sins. The biggest regret of my life was trusting Cindy too much and allowing her to switch my daughter without realizing it for all these years."


    Emma wept, tears streaming down her face. "No! Mom, please! Don''t do this!" "Shut up. Don''t call me that. You are unworthy."


    Charlotte took a deep breath, then turned away, grabbing Natalie''s hand. Without another word, she walked out.


    Once they were outside, Natalie silently handed Charlotte a tissue. "Mom, if you''re upset, it''s okay to cry."


    Charlotte shook her head. "No. There''s nothing to cry about. My heart is just aching for Sky."


    Changing the subject, she said, "We visited Sophia earlier. We spoke with her for


    a long time. She doesn''t want anypensation from us, but your dad and I insisted."


    Charlotte sighed. "When we were


    there, both of the Holt brothers were present I could tell that Zachary liked Sophia. But he''s her psychologist. A doctor shouldn''t fall in tove with their patient."


    Natalie blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Zachary liked Sophia?


    Charlotte patted Natalie''s hand. "But other people''s affairs are none of our business."


    "Mm. That''s true." Natalie quickly collected herself and agreed.


    She had been to Zachary''s office before to retrieve Sophia''s medical records. She knew he was a good psychologist, but she hadn''t


    expected him to develop feelings for


    Sophia.


    "Sweetie, Sophia has been through so much. The Walker family yed a big part


    in her suffering."


    William spoke this time. "Sky bears a great deal of responsibility. So in the future,


    can you look after Sophia more? Consider it as making amends on behalf of your brother."


    "Of course, I will."


    Natalie didn''t even need to think about it. Even if it wasn''t for Sky, she would have helped Sophia anyway.


    "Then, on behalf of your brother, I thank you." William smiled in relief.


    Of course, he knew.


    He knew that this entire situation-the unraveling of Emma''s schemes, the fall of Shane, the exposure of the truth¡ªhad been orchestrated by Natalie and Marcus. He knew that Natalie was already helping Sophia but he still made this request.


    Because he hoped that when Sky was finally released, he would have even the slimmest chance of earning Sophia''s forgiveness.


    For now, though, Sky, Emma, and Shane-none of them would receive any help.

 Chapter 384 The Flowers He Brought Were Sunflowers

    Because of everything that had happened with Sky, Charlotte and William remained in low spirits.


    Natalie led them out of the enforcement office and took them to a nearby coffee shop.


    "Mom. Dad, I believe that Sky will truly change this time. We should have faith in him."


    She ordered coffee for both of them.


    Natalie wasn''t particrly good atforting people, but at the very least, she wanted to ease her parents'' emotions.


    "Sky and I talked. He genuinely understands his mistakes, and he deeply regrets them. As for Sophia, you don''t have to worry about her. I will do my best to pull her out of the mud."


    "Good." Charlotte wiped her eyes, holding back the tears threatening to spill. "Sweetie, go on and take care of your own things. Don''t worry about your dad and


    me.


    "We''re not that fragile. We''re just a little sad right now, but we''ll adjust soon enough. When Sophia recovers, your father and I n to invite her over as a guest."


    "That''s not a good idea," William interrupted Charlotte. "The Walker residence doesn''t hold good memories for her. We bought several vis for Nat, didn''t we? We can invite her there instead."


    "Oh, right." Charlotte nodded quickly. "How could I forget? I wasn''t thinking properly.


    "Yes, she shouldn''te to the Walker residence. She really shouldn''t."


    "It''s alright, Mom. You don''t need to me yourself." Natalie hugged Charlotte. "Sophia just sent me a message. I need to head to the hospital. Dad, make sure to keep Momrpany."


    "Go on. Don''t worry about us." William watched Natalie with pride.


    His real daughter was nothing like Emma.


    Natalie was calm and independent. She wasn''t overly emotional and was difficult to get close to, but once someone entered her heart, she would treat them kindly.


    She had grown up in such a difficult environment with the Langleys, yet she had still turned out so well.


    William felt both proud and deeply sorrowful. His daughter was meant to be pampered, cherished, and surrounded by happiness.


    But... At least it wasn''t toote.


    If not for Victor posting Natalie''s information on the missing person website, they might never have found her.


    For that reason, after forcing Victor and his family to kneel in apology, William and Charlotte had let them off. They would be fine as long as they behaved


    themselves and never caused trouble for Natalie again.


    "Mom, Dad, I''ll be going now."


    "Alright, take care."


    Natalie hugged both of them before turning and leaving the coffee shop.


    Half an hourter, Natalie arrived at the hospital.


    Sophia''s condition had improved, but she still spent most of her time sleeping. Samantha was also fast asleep.


    Meanwhile, Zachary was seated on the couch, reading a book. Hearing the knock, he immediately stood up. "Ms. Walker, you''re here."


    "Mr. Holt, you haven''t gone home yet?"


    "No."


    Natalie nced around the hospital room. By the bed and by the window, two vases of sunflowers had been ced.


    Sunflowers-the flower of silent love.


    "These sunflowers are quite beautiful," Natalie remarked with a smile. "How is Sophia doing?"


    "Do you like them? I brought them," Zachary feplied with a slight smile. "Sophia''s condition has improved, but she still needs time to recover.


    It''ll take a while before she''s fully back to normal."


    "That''s true. She needs proper rest." Natalie walked to the window, gently picking


    up one of the sunflowers and bringing it close to her nose.


    "Mr. Holt, what made you think of bringing sunflowers for Sophia?"


    "Sophia likes Sunflowers," Zachary answered naturally. "As her psychologist, I know all her preferences. When someone is unwell giving them flowers or


    gifts they like can help lift the


    spirits."


    "She likes sunflowers?" Natalie tilted her head slightly, curiosity shing in her eyes as she studied Zachary.


    "Yes." Zachary remained calm andposed, betraying no emotion. "If you don''t believe me, you can ask her when she wakes up."


    "No need. I was just curious." Natalie smiled, brushing her fingers lightly over the petals before letting the matter drop.


    "Ms. Walker, will you continue following up on Sophia''s case?"


    Natalie thought for a moment. "I''ll have someone oversee it, but by then, I may not be in Dithoria."


    "Oh? Where are you going?"


    "Amberton."


    Zachary was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Sophia trusts you a great deal. When she woke up, she told me that you saved her. She''s always been so afraid.


    "She thought there were things she would never be able to resolve, yet you solved them effortlessly. She''s very grateful to you, Ms. Walker."


    "You mean the situation where she pretended to be Marcus'' savior?"


    "Yes. She ced too heavy of a burden on herself. It really wasn''t such a serious matter."


    "But as Sophia''s psychologist, are you really allowed to tell me this?"


    "Sophia wanted me to tell you." Zachary''s voice was calm and gentle. "Besides, I haven''t been a psychologist for a while now."


    Natalie blinked in surprise. "When did you stop?"


    "The day Sophia told me that Marcus knew she wasn''t his true savior."


    Natalie was momentarily speechless. So, Zachary had been waiting for this moment all along?


    "Ms. Walker, you sincerely hope for Sophia''s happiness, don''t you?"


    "Of course." Natalie nodded without hesitation. "I want her to be happy more than anyone else."


    Zachary smiled, his voice growing even softer. "So do I."


    "Then..." Natalie hesitated before asking, "You stopped being her psychologist. Was it so that while I''m away, you could be her support?"


    "Yes. Sophia and I have known each other for years. We may no longer have a doctor-patient rtionship, but we''re still friends. If a friend is in trouble, I should help them, don''t you think?"


    Natalie was momentarily speechless. She had to admit, Zachary was good with words. He spoke so wlessly that she couldn''t find any reason to refute him. But the fact that he liked Sophia... That was what made her uneasy.


    He knew everything about Sophia¡ªall of her hardships, her suffering, her past. If


    his love was genuine, then those memories would only make him cherish her


    more.


    But the human heart was fickle. Who could guarantee that in a future argument, he wouldn''t use her past to hurt her?


    "Ms. Walker, I''m a man of integrity." Zachary watched as Natalie furrowed her brow, then smiled slightly before continuing, "I have deep sympathy for women who have suffered misfortune.


    "My mother always taught me-kind words can warm the coldest winter, but cruel words can cut deeper than any de. Never do to others what


    you wouldn''t want done to yourself. No matter how angry you are some


    things should never be said."


    Natalie was at a loss for words at the moment. She hadn''t even said much, yet


    Zachary had already made his stance abundantly clear.

 Chapter 385 Mr. Holden Is Expressing His True Feelings to You

    After telling her what was on his mind, Zachary smiled slightly at Natalie. "Ms. Walker, don''t you think that''s the right way to see it?"


    Natalie nodded. "It makes sense. But if your mother taught you these values, then may I ask? Why did she allow Zane to date Ruby?"


    Hearing this, theposed expression on Zachary''s face showed a trace of helplessness. "That''s something I can''t reallyment on, but I know Zane well. He hasn''t been corrupted by Ruby."


    "I have another question." Natalie locked her gaze on Zachary and spoke slowly. "You''ve always known that most of Sophia''s hardships came from Ruby and her mother. Why didn''t you help her before?"


    Zachary''s expression darkened slightly. It took him a long moment before he finally responded. "Mr. Holden was protecting her. His influence is far greater than mine.


    "And at that time, Sophia''s fianc¨¦ was your brother, Sky. You should understand that, Ms. Walker. The Holt family couldn''tpare to the Walker family and I was only her psychologist-bound by confidentiality. My position and status weren''t even close to Mr. Holden''s."


    Zachary lowered his gaze to the sleeping Sophia. "She had a fianc¨¦. She had Mr. Holden. All I could do was help her relieve her internal struggles. I truly didn''t do enough."


    There was regret in his voice-helplessness, too. He hadn''t had the status or the authority to help her before. And as her psychologist, he had been bound to keep her secrets.


    Now, with everythingid bare between him and Natalie, he could hear the warning in her words. He was a psychologist¡ªa psychologist should not fall in love with their patient.


    But feelings weren''t always within one''s control.


    He had known this for a long time. That was why he had suppressed his feelings. For years, no one-not even Sophia herself-had noticed the emotions he had buried deep in his heart. However, Charlotte had visited once and instantly seen through him.


    And now, Natalie appeared and casually pointed out the sunflowers in the room, Zachary knew that he could no longer hide it from them. So, he wouldn''t.


    He had stopped being her psychologist, and over time, everything would fall into ce naturally.


    "Ms. Walker, I''m no longer a psychologist. I''ve started my own business, and I''m slowly taking over some of the Holt family''s businesses. But for now, I''m not too busy, so I can stay here and take care of Sophia and Ms. ir."


    Zachary had already regained hisposure and smiled slightly. "You and Mr. Holden are both busy people. I''ll keep you updated on Sophia''s condition."


    "Then... thank you?" She wasn''t even Sophia''s family member. Yet, Zachary sounded as if he was reassuring her that he would take good care of Sophia.


    "It''s not a burden. I''m doing it willingly." Zachary smiled. "Ms. Walker, do you like sunflowers?"


    "They''re nice. I like beautiful flowers."


    "Sophia likes sunflowers, so I like giving them to her." Zachary smiled again before suddenly saying, "Mr. Holden is here for you."


    "Huh?"


    Natalie turned her head and saw Marcus standing at the doorway. She had no idea how long he had been there, but he was holding a bouquet of Phenopsis orchids in his hands. His dark eyes were fixed on her, unwavering.


    "Marcus, if you came to see Sophia, why didn''t youe in?" Natalie took the lead, speaking before he could. "It''s rude to eavesdrop, you know?"


    Marcus was speechless at the moment he wasn''t eavesdropping. He was standing there, openly listening. Besides, if he had spoken earlier, he might have interrupted Zachary.


    Marcus cleared his throat softly, then walked inside with the orchids in his hands. "Ms. Walker, these are for you."


    Natalie looked at the orchids he was holding.


    She didn''t know if it was because she had been thinking about the meaning of sunflowers earlier, but suddenly, she had the urge to check the flowernguage of Phenopsis orchids.


    "I came here to pick you up. Grandpa asked me to invite you for dinner and Ms. Sterling is also looking for you."


    Marcus exined that he wasn''t actually here to visit Sophia-he hade specifically to pick Natalie up from the hospital.


    There was no other way. Natalie wasn''t someone who could be controlled by anyone. She was independent and free-spirited, strong-willed yet distant, but at the same time, kind and soft-hearted.


    If Marcus wanted to pursue her, he had to be prepared for a long game.


    "Ms. Walker, go ahead." Zachary smiled slightly, "Mr. Holden''s orchids are beautiful. They match your outfit perfectly today."


    Marcus cast Zachary a cool nce, but Zachary simply returned a polite, respectful smile¡ªso impable that there was nothing to fault.


    "Well then, let''s go." After a brief moment of thought, Natalie epted Marcus''s invitation-but she didn''t take the orchid he offered her.


    "Ms. Walker, this is for you." Marcus extended the orchid toward her again. "It''s just a bouquet. You''re not overthinking it, are you?"


    His gaze was deep and unreadable, like a bottomless abyss, drawing people in with an almost irresistible pull. When he focused on someone like that, his eyes held such intensity and warmth that it was easy to get lost in them.


    Almost instinctively, Natalie took the orchid from him. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee." Marcus gave her a faint smile. "Shall we?"


    "Alright." Holding the orchid, Natalie turned and ced it on the bedside table next to Sophia. "Mr. Holt, when Sophia wakes up, let her know I was here and that this orchid is from both me and Marcus."


    Zachary was momentarily stunned before ncing at Marcus. Marcus'' expression remained calm, only narrowing his eyes slightly when he met Zachary''s gaze.


    Without hesitation, Zachary quickly picked up the orchid and pushed it back into Natalie''s arms. "Ms. Walker, Sophia doesn''t like orchids. She prefers sunflowers. I already got her some sunflowers, so it would be


    better if you kept this one for yourself.


    "Besides, it''s not exactly appropriate to ept a flower from Mr. Holden and then give it away in front of him, don''t you think?" he added with a meaningful look.


    "Oh?" Natalie turned to Marcus with a small smile. "Marcus, since you gave it to me, it belongs to me now, doesn''t it?"


    Marcus nodded. "Yes."


    Natalie''s smile deepened. "Then since it''s mine, I can do whatever I want with it, right?"


    Marcus nodded again. "Yes."


    "In that case, I''d like to give it to Sophia. Do you have any objections?"


    "No objections." Marcus''s deep, velvety voice carried a hint of resignation, but there was also an unmistakable trace of indulgence in the curve of his lips. "Well then..." Natalie turned back to Zachary. "Mr. Holt, do you still think it''s inappropriate for me to give this flower to Sophia?"


    Zachary was speechless at the moment.


    "If Ms. Walker thinks it''s appropriate, then it is." Zachary sighed in defeat. "However, orchids symbolize true love and sincere emotions. They''re meant to be given to someone you''re pursuing. Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden is expressing his true feelings for you."

 Chapter 387 Grandpa Needs to Step In

    Seeing Marcus say nothing frustrated Sheldon. He said, "Mr. Holden, when you''re chasing after a girl, you need to be proactive! Flowers are fine, but you also need to give gifts! You''ve got to take her out for meals, go shopping, take her to the movies!


    "Be sweet, be romantic, bemitted! You''ve got to show you''ve got the heart of a man, the responsibility of a man, and, for heaven''s sake, work on your physique! Make yourself look manly!"


    He paused to let it sink in. "Women nowadays love a guy who went all-in. You''ve got to put in the effort! Otherwise, what does a girl see in you, huh? Mr. Holden, it''s all about being proactive! Proactive! Got it?"


    "Sheldon, shut up." Marcus side-eyed Sheldon. Did Sheldon really think he didn''t know all this?


    It wasn''t him; it was Natalie who wasn''t epting him. If Sheldon was so eager to talk, why didn''t he convince Natalie to ept his gifts and his invitations?


    Sheldon looked at Natalie and Connie, who were walking ahead, then lowered his voice and said, "Mr. Holden, I''ve be pretty close with Connie these past few days, and I''ve managed to get my hands on a list of what Ms. Walker likes. Do you want it?"


    Marcus didn''t hesitate. "Yes."


    "I''ll send it over now."


    Sheldon immediately pulled out his phone and sent Marcus a document. "Mr. Holden, when you like someone, you''ve got to chase them. It''s not every day you meet a good woman. If you wait too long, Ms. Walker will end up with someone else."


    Marcus remained silent as he opened the document and quickly scanned through it. The file was a detailed list of Natalie''s likes and dislikes. He read it through, memorizing it all.


    "Also, Mr. Holden Senior said he''ll help you, but you''ve got to be more perceptive this time. Don''t be clueless like before."


    Marcus fell silent. After a moment, he said, "Got it, thanks, Sheldon."


    "This house will get livelier soon enough! Once your parents are back, things will really get interesting," Sheldon chuckled. "I can''t wait!"


    ...


    Natalie and Connie arrived at the dining room ahead of them. Charles had already prepared tea. Upon seeing Natalie enter, he stood up with a warm smile, his face full of affection. "Nattie! You finally came to see me. Come, try the new tea I got."


    "Grandpa Charles, how have you been?" Natalie stepped forward to support Charles and checked his pulse as she did.


    "Not that great," Charles''s smile faded slightly. "My chest doesn''t hurt anymore, but at night, I feel like I can''t catch my breath. Marcus took me for a detailed checkup, and the hospital said everything looked fine. But I just feel off.


    "Nattie, help me check again. When you get older, your body''s just not what it used to be. But, you know, I''ve lived a full life. If I were to die tomorrow, there wouldn''t be any regrets.


    "The only regret I have is that after I''m gone, Marcus will be all alone. I''ve always dreamed of seeing him married before I die. If he could settle down and have kids, then I''d leave this world without regret."


    Charles sighed. "Nattie, my grandson... he''s useless. He''s this old and still a virgin. He hasn''t even kissed a girl or held hands with one. Do you think I''ll ever see him bring a granddaughter-inw home before I die?"


    At that moment, Marcus, who had just entered the room behind Sheldon, froze. Natalie, too, was left speechless.


    Charles wasn''t holding anything back, clearly airing out all of his grievances about Marcus without hesitation.


    Natalie cleared her throat, feeling ufortable. It wasn''t like Marcus'' first kiss hadn''t already happened... and it was her who took his first kiss.


    "Nattie, you know so many girls. Can you help him find someone who won''t turn him down?"


    Charles sighed again. "Actually, forget it. I''ll just let him be single forever and die alone. He''s always walking around with a cold expression¡ªif you want to put t nicely, he''s ''aloof,'' but if you''re being honest, he''s just acting like a jerk.


    "And he''s supposed to be the president of the Holden Group? Any otherpany president has women lining up around them, and he can''t even get a woman to give him the time of the day.


    "Instead of hanging out with pretty girls, he''s always with those three guys, Ethan, Elijah, and Noah. I swear, all that testosterone''s gone straight to his head."


    Marcus just stood there in silence.


    Natalie almost couldn''t hold it in. They really weren''t kidding when they said older folks have no filter when ites to matchmaking.


    Charles sighed deeply. "My life has been tough! Oh, Lord, do you think my grandson''s... got a problem, and needs help to get out of the closet?"


    Natalie identally choked on her tea.


    Marcus rushed over, gently patting her on the back. "Grandpa, you''re scaring Ms. Walker."


    "Ms. Walker?" Charles stared at Marcus in disbelief. This is how he chased a woman? Calling her "Ms. Walker" like some stranger?


    "Thank you," Natalie said after recovering, giving Marcus a grateful nod.


    Marcus immediately pulled his hand back. "You''re wee."


    Charles'' gaze shifted between the two of them. They were way too formal and


    distant! Didn''t Marcus know how to woo a woman?


    He couldn''t stand it anymore. As a grandfather, he had to step in.


    "Oh, my chest hurts," Charles suddenly groaned, clutching his chest and breathing heavily. "Quick, the medicine, the medicine."


    "Grandpa!" Marcus rushed forward and held him up. "Sheldon, the medicine."


    "Right away," Sheldon replied, pulling out a pill from his pocket and handing it to Marcus. "Mr. Holden, quickly give this to Mr. Holden Senior."


    Marcus quickly took the pill and put it in Charles'' mouth. Natalie, already quick on her feet, poured a ss of warm water and handed it to him.


    With a serious expression, Natalie checked his pulse again, making sure everything was in order. Earlier, when she helped Charles with his pulse, it had been stable-so what caused this sudden chest pain?


    "Natalie, is Grandpa okay?" Marcus asked, anxiety evident in his voice. His greatest fear was losing his grandfather.


    Natalie didn''t speak right away. She took her time with the pulse, then slowly withdrew her hand.


    "Grandpa Charles'' pulse was a little unstable earlier. You need to watch his emotions. Even though the doctors said his heart is fine, at his age, it''s important to keep his emotions stable."


    Looking at Charles, she added, "Grandpa Charles, I''ll give you a full checkupter."


    "Alright. Thank you, Nattie." Charles took a deep breath. "If my grandson were a


    little more dependable, I wouldn''t get so worked up like this.


    He added with a loving smile. "Nattie, you need toe visit me more often. I''m not sure how much longer I''ve got left. I should''ve passed away a long time ago, but here I am, still standing here.


    "I''m lucky to have you around. I''m not asking for much. My only concern is


    Marcus. If I go before him, he''ll be all alone."

 Chapter 388 She Can Be Soft-Hearted Sometimes

    As Charles spoke, his eyes reddened. He had initially wanted to help Marcus, but when he thought about the future after he was gone-Marcus would be living alone in the Holden residence-his heart grew heavy with sadness.


    His voice faltered, his eyes shimmering with tears. "Cassie is a heartless person. Not only has she never supported Marcus, but she''s always secretly scheming against-."


    "Grandpa, you''ll live a long life," Marcus interrupted, cutting off Charles'' words.


    Charles mentioning Cassie, but never his own parents, made Marcus'' expression darken for a split second. But he quickly masked it, returning to his usual calm demeanor.


    Natalie, standing nearby, could clearly see the shift in their emotions. For a moment, her heart ached with sympathy.


    The situation with Marcus'' parents had always bothered her. She had nned to visit them at Scarlet Hill and find out why they had left their son to be raised by Charles.


    The memory of Marcus sitting alone at the Helianese restaurant, looking alone and defeated, often lingered in her mind.


    She was the type of person who could sometimes soften up, and no matter what had happened between her and Marcus, she had already made up her mind to help him.


    She didn''t like feeling indebted to anyone. Helping Marcus would be her way of repaying him for the favor of having her enter the Book Sanctum.


    "Marcus, if I''m no longer here, you need to take care of yourself. Make sure to eat on time, sleep well, and get regr checkups every year," Charles'' voice cracked again.


    "Even though I nag you about finding a girlfriend, don''t rush into anything. When ites to love, we should aim for quality, not quantity.


    "You need to treat women well; don''t y with their feelings. No abuse, no insults. You need to respect their thoughts and decisions. Don''t be a chauvinist. If a woman agrees to marry you, you must protect and love her. If you argue, learn to apologize first.


    "Love is important in creating a good family and a good home. Don''t just listen to your logic and be practical about it."


    Charles'' tone grew more serious. "You should give in during arguments and apologize to your wife first."


    Marcus said nothing, looking calm and obedient.


    Charles patted his shoulder and spoke again, his voice quiet, "Marcus, I can''t be with you forever."


    Marcus'' eyes immediately reddened his voice barely above a whisper. "Grandpa, I don''t want to hear you say that."


    "It''s the circle of life. As long as I can see you get married, have children, and be loved, I''ll have no regrets."


    Charles smiled softly, turning his gaze to Natalie. "Nattie, you too, when you look for a boyfriend, be sure to be careful. There are too many men with malicious intentions out there."


    "Some guys are nice to you when you are dating, but they changepletely after you get married. You''re too nice, Nattie, don''t let anyone take advantage of you."


    Natalie, who had been moved by the bond between the grandfather and


    grandson, was startled by Charles'' sudden words directed at her. She didn''t know how to respond.


    "Also, Nattie, don''t reject those who want to get close to you just because of past misunderstandings. Sometimes, you don''t know what you have until you give it a


    try."


    Natalie was momentarily speechless. Charles'' mood switched so quickly, from being sorrowful to being humorous, it gave her a whish.


    "Go ahead andugh!" Charles tapped her head lightly. "You were about to cry, weren''t you?"


    "Yeah." Natalie touched her head, slightly amused by the abrupt shift in tone. "I almost cried, but now I''mughing."


    "Nattie, can I ask you for a favor?" Charles'' expression became serious.


    Natalie immediately nodded, giving him her full attention. "Grandpa Charles, what is it?"


    "If something were


    happen to me, please be there for Marcus when he''s at his


    lowest, his saddest, and his most helpless."


    bloodshot and glistening with unshed tears, his lips tight with an


    Charles looked at Marcus,


    effort t


    control his emotions.


    "Marcus, promise me one thing."


    "Grandpa, what is it?" Marcus'' voice was hoarse, his words strained.


    "If I really do leave this world, you must let Nattie be by your side. Don''t let yourself be alone."


    Charles reached out, taking Natalie''s hand and then Marcus'', making them sp hands. "Please, you two... do this for me. Natttie, please!"


    Natalie felt a deep ache in her heart. She couldn''t bring herself to refuse him at this moment.


    "Ms. Walker, just do it for the sake of Mr. Holden Senior," Sheldon said with tears in his eyes. "The one he worries about the most is Mr. Holden.


    "Mr. Holden... he''s been through a lot." Sheldon choked up, unable to hold back his tears. "Ms. Walker, please. Have a heart for Mr. Holden and Mr. Holden Senior."


    Connie, who had been standing nearby, was caught off guard by Sheldon''s emotional outburst. After a moment, she joined in, crying as well.


    "Ms. Walker, just say yes! Mr. Holden''s been through a lot, too. But I''m sure Mr. Holden Senior will be fine."


    "Connie!"


    "Sheldon!"


    Sheldon turned, reaching out for Connie. The two of them clung to each other, sobbing uncontrobly.


    Natalie stood still, unsure how to


    21.n?


    respond. She looked at Marcus, who stood there with his eyes reddening, lips pressed tight. His usually poised elegant demeanor was now shattered by an overwhelming sadness and fear.


    Marcus'' greatest fear was that Charles might not make it. Even though he understood that life and death were parts of nature, he still couldn''t shake the fear of losing his grandfather.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, I promise," Natalie said, her heart softening. "If Marcus ever


    needs me, I''ll be there for him. If he really needs me."


    "Good." Charles wiped his eyes, his voice filled with relief. "Nattie, with your


    words, I can rest easy, even if I die."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, you''re still healthy. You''ll be fine."


    "My dear Nattie, I''m getting old." Charles reached out and patted Natalie''s hand.


    "If I do pass away one day, don''t be sad."


    Upon hearing this, Natalie began to tear up. She couldn''t help it.

 Chapter 389 Scarlet Hill

    When Sheldon and Connie heard Charles'' words, they cried even harder, and Natalie was also moved.


    Charles showed her what it truly meant to be an elder. Compared to the empty words from Grace in the past, Charles'' care for his family was real and deep.


    Natalie realized that the love she received from the Langley family had always been shallow, and she had mistaken it for sincerity because she had received so little of it.


    She turned around, took a few deep breaths, and wiped the tears from her eyes, trying to steady her emotions. Once she feltposed, she turned back to Marcus and Charles, giving them both a smile.


    "Grandpa Charles, I promise you. But Marcus, you also have to promise me that you won''t push me away when I''mforting you," Natalie said.


    Marcus looked at her, his eyes red, and nodded.


    "Let''s make a pinky promise," Charles said, extending his pinky toward them. "Let''s make this promise. Sheldon, Connie, stop crying,e here and make the pinky promise too."


    "Okay."


    Sheldon and Connie, still sobbing, walked over and extended their pinky fingers. Natalie nced at Marcus, and he was gazing at her with eyes so deep they felt almost unreadable.


    She felt her breath hitch as she met his gaze. She slowly extended her pinky, and Marcus hooked his finger around hers.


    Charles watched them, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. The emotions between the two were developing naturally, and this promise gave Marcus another chance, another opportunity to get closer to Natalie.


    The pinky promise was made, and although Connie and Sheldon were still crying, Marcus'' eyes remained red but dry. Natalie didn''t portray much emotion, but she was deeply moved by Charles'' feelings for Marcus.


    After the pinky promise, Charles spoke again. "Sheldon, Connie, go wash your faces. You look awful with all that crying."


    "Marcus, take Natalie out for a walk. I''m tired and want to get some rest."


    "Yes, Grandpa." Marcus'' voice was hoarse as he ced a coat over Charles'' shoulders. "Grandpa, you''ll live a long life. You''ll see me get married and have children. Everything will be alright."


    Charles simply patted his hand. "Marcus, remember what I told you."


    Marcus'' eyes reddened further as he softly responded, "I always remember, Grandpa."


    "Take Natalie out for a while!"


    "Alright."


    "Ms. Walker, please," Marcus said, his tone much gentler now.


    Natalie gave him a concerned nce, but Charles waved his hand with a smile, telling her to go ahead. He then closed his eyes, showing he was resting.


    Once outside the dining room, Natalie was silent for a long while before speaking softly. "Marcus, I checked Grandpa''s pulse. His health isn''t too bad, but I''ll stay tonight to observe what''s going on with his breathing difficulties at night." "Thank you," Marcus said, clearly troubled, but still acknowledging her offer.


    Natalie wasn''t great atforting people, but she felt a desire to ease his tension at that moment. "Marcus, what does Grandpa Charles like?" she asked.


    "He wants grandchildren," he replied simply.


    Natalie blinked, surprised, but then realized Charles'' wish was to see Marcus get married and have children. It made sense now.


    After a long silence, Natalie spoke again. "Marcus, I''m going to Amberton, to Scarlet Hill. Would you like toe with me?"


    She wanted to go to Scarlet Hill and ask Marcus'' biological parents why they had left him with his grandfather and never returned to visit him all these years.


    Natalie knew she didn''t have the right to make such a decision alone, so she invited Marcus, knowing he would probably want answers more than she did. Charles wouldn''t speak, so they would go find the answers themselves. "Marcus, will you go with me?"


    Marcus paused, thinking deeply, and after a long moment, he nodded slowly. "Okay. When are we leaving?"


    "I need to take care of some things first, and you''ll need to make arrangements for the Holden Group, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Then let''s finish everything on our tes, and then we''ll leave. For the matter with Sophia, I''ll have Lincoln and Mason handle it. I won''t wait for the judgment to be delivered."


    "Alright."


    "Now I''m going to talk to Connie. You should calm down a bit too."


    "Okay."


    No matter what Natalie said, Marcus agreed with a calm and obedient tone. It almost felt like he was waiting for her to take the lead.


    Natalie gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Don''t worry, Grandpa Charles will be fine."


    "Thanks."


    Marcus gave her a small, sad smile, the look in his eyes softer than before. "Thank you for agreeing to reassure Grandpa. It really put his mind at ease."


    "We''re friends," Natalie said earnestly. "Even if you misunderstood me before and broke off our engagement, I don''t think you were wrong.


    "If I were you, I''d feel ufortable hearing what Mrs. Langley Senior said too.


    No one wants to feel used or manipted. As long as we cleared up our misunderstandings.


    "As for the broken engagement, I don''t think you did anything wrong. We didn''t have feelings for each


    other to begin with. A marriage without affection probably wouldn''t have led to love."


    Marcus opened his mouth to argue but stopped when he saw the sincerity in her eyes. He ultimately said nothing.


    "You don''t have to feel guilty for what happened between us. It''s all in the past."


    Natalie smiled warmly. "We''re friends, right?"


    Marcus'' lips curled into a bitter smile. He didn''t want to be just friends¡ªhe wanted


    to be her boyfriend. But for now, he knew he couldn''t rush her.


    "Okay, we''re friends. Then... can I still call you Nat?" he asked tentatively.


    "Sure, it''s just a name."


    "Alright. Nat, let me show you to the Book Sanctum," Marcus said.


    "Sure."


    on


    Natalie was still interested in the Book Sanctum. Thest time she was there, she had been focused the hand-drawn books, but she''d also noticed many books and materials she had been wanting to find but hadn''t been able to.


    Marcus led her back to the Book Sanctum. Once inside, Natalie went to pick out a few books, which she brought over to the couch and sat down to read.


    Marcus didn''t pick up any books. Instead, he took out paper and a pen. He sat at a distance from Natalie and started to sketch.


    Natalie was so engrossed in her reading that she didn''t notice his every move.


    Half an hourter, Marcus had drawn a sketch of her absorbed in her reading.


    He looked up at Natalie, who was still focused on her book, and set the drawing aside. Unlocking his phone, he opened a photo. It was of Natalie, standing under a magnolia tree at the age of 18.

 Chapter 390 Drunk (Part 1)

    Marcus stared at the photo for quite some time. When he looked up, Natalie was still holding her book,pletely absorbed in reading.


    After a moment of contemtion, he sent a message to Sheldon. Not long after, Sheldon entered with a line of helpers, bringing a variety of food and drinks into the Book Sanctum.


    "Mr. Holden."


    "Leave it here."


    "Yes."


    Sheldon directed the helpers to set everything down and, ncing over at Natalie sitting on the nearby couch, returned to his duties with great respect, quietly exiting.


    Marcus, now with his phone, muted it and snapped a few pictures of Natalie while she was engrossed in her book. Holding a cocktail in hand, he walked over and ced it in front of her.


    "Nat, do you want a drink?"


    Natalie looked up, her eyes wide for a brief moment. She had been so focused on her book that she was momentarily disoriented.


    Marcus held up the drink, his dark eyes calm and steady, his voice low but


    soothing, "You''ve been reading for a while. Drink something, eat a little. Rx, let your eyes rest. If you like it, feel free toe by anytime."


    Natalie took the ss from him. "Can I take this with meter?"


    "Of course."


    She gently sniffed the drink. "Is this a cocktail?"


    "Yeah, do you want to try it?"


    "Sure."


    Natalie took a small sip. The cocktail was sweet and tangy, without any bite. She couldn''t quite tell what ingredients the bartender used, but it was refreshing.


    "Are there any other vors to try?"


    Natalie followed Marcus'' gaze, and her eyes widened as she saw the spread on the table nearby-several rows of drinks and food, including fruits, snacks, and even full meals.


    "You''re setting up a buffet in the Book Sanctum?" she asked, putting the book down and stretching. "Marcus, isn''t this a bit much?"


    "There''s no harm in it," he replied with a slight smile. "If it makes you happy, then it''s worth it."


    With that, Marcus poured himself some red wine and then filled Natalie''s ss. He handed it to her with a steady hand. "Have a drink with me?"


    She took the ss, and they clinked their sses softly, the sound clear and crisp.


    "Cheers."


    Marcus raised his ss and swirled it gently before bringing it to his lips for a sip. Natalie followed suit, sipping gracefully.


    "When I was little, I asked Grandpa about my parents for the first time." Marcus'' deep, maic voice broke the silence, his words slow and measured. "I asked him why all the other kids had both parents, but I didn''t.


    "Grandpa told me that my parents had gone on a trip and that he would take care of me and teach me. The Holden family isn''t big. My father only had one sibling, and she was my Aunt Cassie. But she doesn''t care about me."


    Natalie stayed silent, her focus entirely on him.


    "You''ve met Aunt Cassie at Quinton Hospital, right?" he asked. "She was there with Jessy."


    Natalie''s expression didn''t change, but her thoughts shifted at the mention of that memory.


    "My aunt is two-faced. On the surface, she''s dutiful to Grandpa, but secretly, she''s always tried to pull me down from my position as heir. She can''t control me, nor Grandpa, so she tries to use women to manipte me."


    Marcus'' voice became even lower and morepelling in the quiet Book Sanctum.


    Natalie didn''t interrupt; she just listened carefully, taking a small sip from her ss now and then.


    "You might not believe it, but I''ve never seen a picture of my parents."


    Marcus'' face tightened, and his voice had a hint of bitterness as he continued, "You lived at my house for a while, you might have noticed, but I don''t have any wedding photos of my parents."


    He finished his ss of wine in one go and poured himself another. "Nat, I really envy you."


    He downed the ss again.


    Seeing his somber expression, Natalie gently ced her hand over his, stopping him from pouring more. "Stop drinking."


    "Come on, have a few more with me," Marcus said with a bitter smile, his voice heavy with emotion. "Grandpa raised me. The thing I fear most is losing him.


    "But, life and death are part of the cycle of life. I can''t control it. What I can do is spend as much time with him as I can while he''s still here, make him happy, and make sure he has no regrets.


    "I''m afraid that one day, I''ll want to honor him, but he won''t be there anymore. If Grandpa really leaves one day, I''ll be all alone."


    He drank again, emptying the third ss.


    Natalie watched him, recalling when she had still seen Grace as her closest family. Back then, she had shared Marcus'' feelings.


    For a moment, Natalie felt a deeper connection to Marcus. She ced her ss down and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around him in a gentle hug.


    "Grandpa Charles will live a long life. I''ll make sure he''s fine."


    "Thank you, Natalie," Marcus said, setting his ss down and holding her tightly. "I regret everything. I misunderstood you so badly, and I''ve done things that hurt you."


    The words of apology came naturally, and he couldn''t stop them. If time could be rewound, he would never treat her like that again.


    "Nat, I''m really sorry. Can you forgive me?"


    "I don''t me you," Natalie sighed, gently pushing against him, but his strength was too much. She could have used her moves to push him off, but seeing him so broken, she chose tofort him instead.


    They had been friends for so long, hadn''t they?


    "Then... Can you stay and drink with me for a while?"


    Marcus loosened his grip slightly, taking the wine bottle and refilling both their sses.


    "Okay," Natalie said, resigned to staying by his side.


    They clinked sses, drank, and clinked sses again.


    Soon, both bottles were emptied. The wine, which Marcus had specially selected,


    was sweet, and it didn''t seem strong as they drank, but its effects began to creep


    in slowly.


    After the second bottle, Marcus


    stopped insisting that Natalie keep drinking. He took her hand, leading


    her back to the couch where she had been reading. Hey down with her, pulling her onto his chest


    ensuring she wasfortable.


    "Nat," Marcus whispered hoarsely, his fingers gently tucking her hair behind her


    ear. "Are you drunk?"


    Natalie tried to open her eyes wide, shaking her head. "I''m not drunk. I can still drink."


    Marcus smiled faintly. "Who am I?"


    "You''re Marcus," Natalie tilted her head, confused by the question. She reached


    up to touch his lips.


    His lips were beautiful¡ªsoft and inviting. The urge to kiss him grew stronger the more she touched them.

 Chapter 391 Drunk (Part 2)

    Marcus remained perfectly still, allowing Natalie to touch his face. She didn''t realize it, but he could clearly see the effect the alcohol had on her. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes a bit ssy, and her expression softened as if she were a


    little tipsy.


    "Marcus, I want to kiss you." Natalie moved closer, locking eyes with him. Before he could respond, she leaned in and kissed him.


    Marcus'' body tensed up instantly. His hand moved to her waist, but he didn''t pull away. He let her kiss him. Thest time, he had kissed her in the car, unable to control himself. This time, she was the one making the move.


    They kissed again, but neither was very experienced. The softness of her lips against his made his mind go nk for a moment.


    Natalie kept her eyes wide open, staring directly into Marcus'' eyes. She saw a reflection of herself in them. She giggled softly. Afterughing, she brushed her lips against his, sending a shiver through him.


    Marcus'' heart raced, and his body heated up almost uncontrobly. Especially his face and ears, which were burning from the sight of her eyes-eyes that were almost as red as the wine they had been drinking.


    Marcus tightened his arms around her waist and, in one smooth motion, flipped her over so that she was lying on the couch.


    He gently stroked her hair, his voice low as he asked, "Nat, I want to kiss you. Is that okay?"


    Natalie blinked up at him before suddenly wrapping her arms around his neck and flipping him onto his back.


    "I want to be on top," she said, then leaned down and kissed him again.


    She grabbed his ears and started gently rubbing them, kissing him more forcefully.


    Marcus'' grip on her waist tightened at her ministration, but Natalie winced slightly from the pressure on her waist. She loosened her grip on his ear, ced her hand on his waist, and gently pushed his hand away.


    "Nat, look at me. Do you know who I am?"


    In the brief pause, Marcus, breathing hard, gently lifted her chin with his fingers and stared intently at her.


    "Natalie, tell me, who am I?"


    "You''re Marcus," she blinked, "I know who you are."


    "Then do you know what you''re doing?"


    Marcus'' eyes were bloodshot, his voice more hoarse than usual, and deeper than ever before.


    "I know," Natalie giggled, resting her head on his chest. She held hisrge hand in hers and continued to y with his ear. "I''m kissing you. Marcus, you''re really handsome. You''re the best-looking guy I''ve ever seen. Your lips are so soft, it''s so nice to kiss them."


    "Nat, you''re drunk," Marcus said softly, his gaze filled with tenderness and concern. He had tested how much she could handle, and now it was clear. She couldn''t drink like this again when she was alone.


    "I''m not drunk," Natalie said, leaning down to kiss him again. His lips were soft, with a hint of sweet wine, almost like a chocte truffle filled with liquor.


    As soon as her lips touched his again, Marcus''rge hand gripped her waist even tighter. She squirmed and pped him lightly across the face in protest.


    "Marcus, why don''t you let me kiss you?"


    "Nat, close your eyes," Marcus'' voice was rough, and with a sudden motion, he lifted her up and settled her on hisp, his hand firmly around her waist and the other holding the back of her head. Then, he kissed her deeply.


    Natalie obeyed, closing her eyes and letting him kiss her. The sensation was new and strange to her, but she didn''t mind. In fact, she kind of liked it.


    She knew it was Marcus, and she didn''t need constant reminders. If she wanted to kiss him, she would. If he didn''t want her to, then next time, she wouldn''t.


    Marcus was smart enough to notice when she was upset and gave her what she wanted.


    The kiss was gentle, and soon, Natalie lost all her energy, falling limp against him, her body exhausted.


    "I''m tired..." she mumbled, pushing Marcus'' head away, snuggling into his arms, searching for afortable spot, and falling asleep almost immediately.


    Marcus'' breath came in shallow gasps as he fought to control his desire. Watching her drift off in his arms, the overwhelming possessiveness in his chest finally calmed down, reced with a quiet tenderness.


    He stared at Natalie for a long while, until the heat in his body was under control. Only then did he whisper softly, "Goodnight."


    Marcus gently stroked her face, smoothing her hair back, then carefully draped his jacket over her. He picked her up carefully, intending to take her to his room.


    The Book Sanctum wasn''t the best ce for sleeping, and he wasn''t about to let her stay there.


    As he walked out of it, carrying her, he spotted Sheldon and Connie standing nearby, trying to peek


    inside. As soon as they saw him


    carrying Natalie, they straightened up, looking overly proper, as if they weren''t doing anything else.


    "Mr. Holden, is Ms. Walker okay?" Sheldon asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.


    "Mr. Holden, what happened to Ms. Walker?" Connie followed up.


    The two of them exchanged a knowing look before ncing back at Natalie in Marcus'' arms. It definitely looked like something was going on.


    "Ms. Walker drank too much. I''m taking her to the guest room to rest," Marcus replied indifferently. "Sheldon, get the Book Sanctum cleaned."


    "Yes, of course." Sheldon didn''t need any further details. With a quick look from Marcus, he understood everything and immediately got to work.


    Marcus didn''t even nce at the eavesdropping duo, and he carried Natalie toward the main building.


    "Sheldon, do you think Mr. Holden is going after Ms. Walker?" Connie asked, sounding a little displeased. "What about his history with Sophia? Is he just juggling two women now?"


    "Don''t say that," Sheldon chuckled, amused. "You know exactly how things went down between him and Ms. Sinir. If you were really dissatisfied with him, you wouldn''t be here, waiting to see what''s going on."


    Connie blushed. "Well, it''s just that Mr. Holden has a... history, you know. And when he said Ms. Walker''s drunk, how do you know if it''s the alcohol or if she''s really?ust faking it for him? It feels like Mr. Holden might be ying his cards right."


    Connie had been staying at Holden Residence recently, seeing Marcus all the


    time. He treated her with respect, so she no longer found him intimidating.


    "Alright," Sheldon said with a


    l.ne


    satisfied smile. "After all these years, I finally see, that Mr. Holden has a heart. This is a big deal! Now, Connie don''t worry so much about the past between him and Ms. Sinir. Just focus on this if Mr. Holden treats Ms. Walker badly, I''ll step in and set him straight.


    Sif


    "Mr. Holden is the type who doesn''t fall for just anyone. When he does, he''d do anything for that person. You don''t have to worry about his loyalty or love when ites to the one he loves."


    Connie just sat there, thinking, "I''m not a mind reader. How am I supposed to


    know if he''d really do anything for her?"


    But honestly, seeing Marcus hold Natalie like that was a beautiful sight. The two of them were perfect for each other.

 Chapter 392 She Wants to Tame Him

    Marcus carried Natalie back to his bedroom. His room was spacious, with ck, white, and gray tones dominating, giving it a cold, minimalist feel.


    After cing her on therge bed, he pulled the nket over her and gently kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep."


    Natalie mumbled something and suddenly opened her eyes. Her delicate eyes- clear as day¡ªstared directly at Marcus without blinking.


    The next second, she pulled her hands from under the nket and wrapped them around Marcus'' neck. "You''re so handsome."


    "Huh?" Marcus'' lips curled into a smile. "Nat, you''re drunk."


    "I''m not drunk," Natalie shook her head vigorously. "I can drink a thousand sses and never get drunk. I''m the best drinker in the Langley family. Ms. Natalie, that''s me."


    Marcus couldn''t help butugh. He leaned down, ying along with the drunk woman on the bed. "Did Grace or the Langley family often send you out to socialize and drink?"


    Natalie shook her head. "No, no one dares make me drink. But I''m pretty impressive, aren''t I?"


    As she spoke, Natalie wore a proud expression. "They can''t outdrink me, and neither can you." You''re so handsome. Can I take you home? I have so much money. I can take care of you."


    "Hmm, how are you nning to take care of me?"


    Natalie made a motion with her hands in the air before hugging his neck again as if afraid he might run off. "I''ll get someone to make me a golden cage and lock you inside. Then, I''ll take care of your food and drinks every day. Sound good?"


    Marcus looked at her serious expression and couldn''t stopughing again. "So, you want to keep me as your pet bird?"


    "Pet bird?" Natalie tilted her head. "Aren''t you a big eagle?"


    A pet bird was small and delicate, but he was big, tall, and fierce. He didn''t quite fit the pet bird description.


    "Hmm, I''m a big eagle." Marcus yed along. "Big eagles are fierce and hard to tame. Do you want to tame me?"


    "Yes," Natalie answered without hesitation. She sat up, her beautiful eyes shining as she gazed at Marcus, her entire focus on him.


    She scooted closer, reaching out to embrace him, her face rubbing against his chest. "Big eagle, be good and listen carefully. I''ll give you treats."


    Marcus just stared, feeling tongue-tied.


    "Big eagle, listen closely. I''m your owner. My name is Natalie Walker. You belong to me, and I''ll protect you."


    Natalie continued to "tame" him, her face rubbing against his chest, before looking up at him again. Her finger traced his prominent and sexy Adam''s apple.


    "How can a big eagle have an Adam''s apple?" Natalie''s face turned red in confusion. She thought about it for a moment before her face lit up in realization. "Oh, I get it now. The big eagle is a man."


    The next second, she kissed his Adam''s apple.


    Marcus sucked in a sharp breath, feeling a jolt of electricity shoot through his body, spreading from his toes up. It made him feel a delicious kind of tension that he could barely control.


    Seeing his reaction, Natalie pulled back a little. "Big eagle, did I hurt you?"


    There was a faint, barely perceptible red in Marcus'' eyes. He steadied himself and replied, "No, I''m just about to be tamed. Almost there. Do you want to continue?"


    Natalie''s attention immediately shifted. She nodded firmly, saying, "Yes."


    Then, with one strong push, she knocked Marcus onto the bed. In the next moment, she was sitting on top of his waist.


    Marcus'' temples throbbed. He never imagined that a drunk Natalie would be this bold. But her eyes were so innocent, with no bad intentions at all. She was simply trying to tame the big eagle.


    "Let me give you a kiss." Natalie leaned down and kissed Marcus'' lips. She even gently bit them.


    Marcus didn''t move, just stared at her. Hisrge hand naturally went around her waist.


    As she nipped at his lips, Marcus shifted, taking control. Kissing her, he noticed she was struggling to breathe. Her already red face became even redder.


    Marcus pulled back slightly, panting softly. "Nat, breathe."


    Natalie immediately took deep breaths.


    Seeing her obediently following his instructions, Marcus couldn''t help butugh again, low and soft. "You''re good at listening to instructions."


    "You too." Natalie looked at him with bright eyes. "Big eagle, stay with me tonight."


    "Sure." Marcus smiled gently and hugged her as theyy back down on the bed, pulling the nket over her.


    "Good, now sleep."


    Natalie blinked up at him. She had the strange feeling that something was off. Wasn''t she supposed to be taming him? Why did it feel like he was the one soothing her?


    "Big eagle, will you spread your wings and fly away once I fall asleep?"


    Natalie wrapped her arms tightly around Marcus'' neck. "Will you sneak away?"


    "No."


    Marcus smiled warmly, his voice as deep and soothing as ever. "If you''re scared, how about we tie our hands together?"


    "Okay!"


    Natalie''s eyes lit up. Why hadn''t she thought of that before?


    "Wait for me."


    She threw off the nket and jumped off the bed, searching around the room


    before finally pulling a tie out of the closet.


    "Big eagle, I''ming." Natalie


    §Ö§ä


    giggled, jumping onto Marcus'' chest, tying one end of the tie around his


    wris and the other around her own. "Now, you can''t fly away."


    "I''m not flying away." Marcus'' eyes softened, and he rubbed Natalie''s head. She was so obedient when drunk,pletely different from her usual cold and distant self. She didn''t even try to push him away anymore.


    "Marcus, you''re so handsome." Natalie stared at his face, unable to resist leaning


    in for another kiss on his lips.


    "So, do you like my face, or do you like me?"


    "Your face," Natalie answered honestly. "You''re so handsome. I like your face."


    Marcus just sighed. Well, at least he was handsome enough to catch her eye.


    "Good, sleep now."He pulled Natalie close andy down with her. "You like it, right? I''ll let you look at it every day from now on. How''s that?" "Okay!" Natalie snuggled up to his chin, mumbling. "I want more kisses."


    "Alright, you can kiss me."


    "Let me touch your abs."


    Natalie reached down to touch Marcus'' abs, but he grabbed her restless hand.


    "A man''s body isn''t something you can touch casually."


    "Why?" Natalie pouted, looking at him. "Why can''t I touch your body?"


    "Because it might lead to something we''re not ready for." Marcus sighed. "Nat, you''re drunk."

 Chapter 393 Shes Sorry

    Marcus'' deep, maic voice, tinged with a hint of helplessness, drifted into Natalie''s ears. "I don''t want you to regret your actions once you sober up, regretting what you did when you were drunk."


    Natalie, still a little dazed, didn''t quite understand what he meant, but she yawned. After themotion, her fatigue hit her again.


    "If you don''t want me to touch you, fine, you''re so stingy." Natalie pouted and turned her back on him, no longer cuddling Marcus.


    Seeing her childish behavior, Marcus chuckled. He hugged her from behind and kissed her hair. "When you''re sober, and you know what you''re doing, if you still want to touch me, I''ll let you. Okay, now sleep."


    Natalie mumbled something, but Marcus couldn''t hear it clearly. He carefully held her from behind, gently patting her shoulder, like his grandfather used to do when he was a child,forting him to sleep when he was afraid.


    It didn''t take long before Natalie fell into a deep sleep.


    Marcus wasn''t sleepy. He waited until Natalie waspletely asleep before slowly pulling his hand away. He then pulled her closer and grabbed the remote to close all the curtains. He turned off the lights in the room before finally closing his eyes.


    ...


    Natalie slept deeply and soundly, and she had a dream. In the dream, she caught a stunningly handsome man, half-covered by a white veil. She trapped him on the couch, touching him all over.


    The man''s eyes were cloudy, with the corners tinged red. His long, thick


    eyshes trembled as she teased him, looking like he was about to cry. The more she saw him like that, the more she wanted to tease him.


    "Don''t move, I''ll take care of you." Natalie grabbed the man''s chin and kissed him through the veil.


    The next second, the veil fell off, and their lips met. Natalie finally saw the handsome face under the veil. Her eyes widened instantly, and her heart screamed in shock. It was Marcus.


    Before she could react, Natalie suddenly shot up from the bed. As soon as she moved, she felt something pulling at her wrist. When she turned, she saw Marcus lying beside her, eyes closed.


    What was going on? Natalie was in a panic.


    Could it be that she was still dreaming? Was this a dream within a dream? Had she really taken advantage Marcus in her dream? She waspletely frantic.


    Right, to figure out whether she was dreaming, she could just pinch herself. So, she raised her hand and pped herself.


    "Ouch. That hurts."


    So, it wasn''t a dream.


    Marcus, hearing the noise, slowly opened his eyes and saw Natalie''s dazed expression. He gracefully sat up.


    "Are you awake?"


    "You... I... we..." Natalie''s brain short-circuited, unsure how to describe or exin the situation.


    Marcus chuckled softly and raised his left hand. "Last night, you were afraid I''d escape, so you tied me to you with this."


    Natalie was stunned. She looked in disbelief at the tie on her wrist, and sure enough, the other end was tied to Marcus'' wrist.


    "You don''t remember anything fromst night, do you?" Marcus smiled slyly and sighed. "What should I do? You said you wanted to marry mest night."


    "W-What?" Natalie froze again, staring nkly at Marcus, her mind shing back to the dream she''d just had.


    That dream... had been a little... suggestive.


    In the dream, the handsome guy had such a great body! His abs were well- defined, and he felt amazing.


    Could it be that she wasn''t just dreaming? Had she actually done that to Marcus? "I... you... that..."


    Natalie stumbled over her words, hastily ncing down at her clothes. She was dressed properly, but Marcus wasn''t-his clothes were


    torn, buttons missing, and ther.


    were several nail marks and dong red scratches on his chest.


    In the dream, she had done the same thing to that man.


    Instinctively, Natalie traced her fingernail over the marks on Marcus'' chest,paring them to the red scratches.


    Marcus nced down at her, the corner of his mouth curling into a smile, and didn''t stop her from examining him.


    After shepared everything, Natalie''s hands flew to her face. This was really her doing. Her face burned with embarrassment.


    Next, Marcus reached out and gently pushed her head into his chest. Natalie suddenly heard his strong, rapid heartbeat.


    "Now, you''ve got to be responsible for your actions and my feelings, okay?"


    "I..."


    "If you want to say no, then don''t say anything." Marcus interrupted her. "We slept togetherst night, and you... did things to me. Nat, you''re not the type to be a heartbreaker, are you?"


    "I..."


    Marcus let go of her, lifting his wrist. "Don''t rush to answer."


    "I''m yours. You can''t escape," he added, smiling. "And I''m not running away. Actually, I wouldn''t mind."


    Had he known that Natalie, after getting drunk, would be such a big fan of his face, he would have gotten her to drink with him much earlier.


    After what happenedst night, Marcus was sure that Natalie didn''t feel nothing for him, as she''d imed. On the contrary, she liked his face.


    Natalie''s face turned even redder, and she could hardly handle the heat. Her gaze automatically


    abs. I her dreamst night, she


    dropped to his chest, then to his


    touched and squeezed them thoroughly enjoying it.


    In the dream, she''d even done worse things...


    had


    Natalie quickly shoved those unttering thoughts down, took a deep breath, and


    then looked at Marcus with a more determined expression.


    "You''d better get ready. We''re going to get our marriage registered."


    "Mm, okay." Marcus didn''t hesitate to agree.


    "Sorry, I was drunkst night, and I might have done things to you." Natalie loosened the tie that bound them together. "I didn''t do anything else that was too outrageous, did I?"


    Marcus shook his head. "No, you only targeted me."


    "Then... I''ll take responsibility," Natalie exhaled deeply. "Let''s register our marriage!"


    "Okay."


    Marcus looked at the calm Natalie before he couldn''t resist. "Nat, what was your first reaction when you woke up?"


    Natalie was a bit confused. She looked at Marcus, who was seriously asking. Her first reaction was that she felt like she was going to lose all her dignity.


    After all, the dream had been so real that she couldn''t help but believe she had really done those things.


    Vol


    "Marcus, you don''t want to register our marriage?" Natalie furrowed her brow. "If you don''t want me to take responsibility, what kind ofpensation do you want? it''s my fault. I shouldn''t have done that to you, and I''m really sorry."


    Marcus was confused. He hadn''t expected things to spiral out that way.

 Chapter 394 Marcus Did It on Purpose

    Natalie looked at Marcus seriously, reaching out to fix the open cor of his shirt. "Sorry, I wasn''t paying attentionst night and ripped your shirt. I''ll take you shopping for clothester. Are your pants okay?"


    Her gaze dropped down, and then she saw something that was definitely not meant to be seen.


    Marcus'' ears turned bright red. He quickly grabbed the nket and pulled it over himself.


    Natalie cleared her throat, trying to cover up the awkwardness. As a doctor, she knew that Marcus'' reaction was just a normal physiological one.


    She had even touched on his absst night with her bare foot and moved down a few inches. The sensation from the dream was still fresh in her mind and a little too vivid.


    She looked at Marcus, who was now covering his lower half with the nket, his face, ears, and neckpletely flushed.


    Marcus cleared his throat a few times. "Go wash up first, and wait for me for a bit."


    "Marcus." Natalie suddenly leaned forward, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look at her.


    Maybe because in the dreamst night, she did everything to him that she shouldn''t have. When she looked at him, there was a strange new feeling.


    In her dream, Marcus had been so obedient, letting her do whatever she wanted. But before that, he was always cold and unapproachable.


    "Did I do anything more... inappropriate to youst night?"


    Natalie bit her lip, unsure of what to ask or say next. She then asked, "I didn''t cause you any physical harm or mental trauma, right?"


    Marcus'' throat bobbed, his eyes gradually darkening with an indescribable desire. Last night, while Natalie was drunk, she had not only tried to tame him but even after falling asleep, she kept touching him.


    He had tried to stop her, but she kept grabbing him, biting him. In the end, he just let her do whatever she wanted.


    The consequence of letting her do whatever she wanted was that she eventually fell asleep again, and he, though exhausted, still had vivid, undeniable dreams.


    Natalie was still wearing the clothes fromst night, but they were now wrinkled and clung tightly to her body, outlining her curves and making her waist look even more pronounced.


    Their gazes locked, and an unspoken, powerful attraction began to build between them.


    Suddenly, Natalie cupped Marcus'' face, leaning in closer. Just as she was about to make up her mind about what she wanted to do, his grip on her waist tightened. Before she could react, Marcus kissed her.


    Natalie wanted to protest that they had just woken up, and neither of them had brushed their teeth yet! Marcus pulled her in and fell back onto the bed, pulling the nket over them. His kiss became more urgent.


    The heat between them grew, filling the air with an undeniable tension. Marcus finally pulled away after what seemed like an eternity, breathing heavily.


    "Are you sure you''re going to take responsibility for me?"


    Before Natalie could even react, Marcus kissed her again.


    Suddenly, their phones went off. She took the chance to push him away. She threw the nket off and took a few deep breaths, trying to clear her head.


    "Marcus, you-"


    "Shh." Marcus pressed his finger to her lips. "Grandpa''s calling."


    Natalie froze. She immediatelyy still, watching as Marcus sat up, reached over


    to the nightstand, and grabbed his phone.


    "Hello, Grandpa." Marcus'' voice was still hoarse as he answered.


    "Nattie''s family is here." Charles'' loving voice reached Marcus'' ear. "Lincoln ising up to your room. Marcus, ve already had Sheldon


    prepare the engagement gifts again. Be ready for Lincoln to break your legs!"


    After saying that, Charles hung up.


    Nataliey there, watching Marcus. "What did Grandpa say?"


    "Lincoln''sing up to break my legs." Marcus grinned, casually tossing the phone aside. He quickly straightened his clothes and went to the bathroom.


    "What?" Natalie''s pupils contracted in panic. She hadn''t gone homest night, and her phone must''ve died or she had identally shut it off.


    Lincoln had already made it clear that he didn''t approve of Marcus pursuing her. He had even said he wouldn''t let her ept Marcus.


    But now, it wasn''t a matter of whether she was epting Marcus. It was a matter of her forcing himst night.


    Natalie was still lost in her thoughts when sharp knocks came on the door.


    "Marcus,e out, I need to talk to you." Natalie heard Lincoln calling from outside. "It''s urgent, open the door!"


    Natalie nced toward the bathroom, where the sound of water was running. Marcus wouldn''t be able toe out in time.


    Lincoln switched from knocking to pounding on the door when no one answered. "Marcus,e out."


    Natalie took a deep breath. She remembered what Federrick had taught her if a person did


    something, they had to own up to it. Since she had done all that to Marcusst night while drunk, she had to take responsibility.


    She exhaled deeply before walking to the door and opening it.


    Lincoln, who had raised his hand to knock again, froze when he saw Natalie standing there. He quickly lowered his hand.


    "Lincoln," Natalie said, forcing a smile. "I, uh, think I need to take responsibility for Marcus."


    Lincoln''s face shifted through several expressions. "Nat, move aside."


    Natalie stepped aside hesitantly. "Lincoln, you''re not here to beat up Marcus,


    right? Before you do, just hear me out. Last night, I got drunk, and I... I touched him, scratched him, and even kissed him."


    Natalie followed Lincoln into the room. "I didn''t know I would act like that when I was drunk. And then... I did even worse things."


    She almost blurted out the details of how she forced herself on him, but she had to swallow her embarrassment.


    Lincoln stopped in his tracks. "You mean you forced yourself on Marcus?"


    Natalie avoided his gaze, her voice faltering. "You probably won''t believe me, but that''s what happened. Lincoln, think it''s only right if I take responsibility for my own actions. Actually, I''ve already decided to own up to it. I''m going to get our marriage registeredterol even ruined his clothesst night."


    Lincoln inhaled sharply, his lips curling into a cold smile. "So you''re telling me, a


    man who''s over six feet, couldn''t resist a woman like you?"


    Natalie rubbed her temples. "Maybe... he didn''t resist on purpose."


    Lincoln could figure that out, and so could Natalie.


    If Marcus had wanted to resist, there was no way she, drunk and out of control,


    could''ve overpowered him. So, the conclusion was clear-Marcus had done it on


    purpose.

 Chapter 395 He Deserved That Beating

    "Lincoln, Marcus didn''t resist, but I was the one who lost control and started


    touching him first. When you beat him upter, don''t actually break his legs. I''ve already promised to take responsibility for him. You have to be ountable in life. You can''t just take what you want as you please."


    Natalie noticed Lincoln''s expression turning darker by the second. Her voice gradually became quieter. At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and Marcus walked out wearing a bathrobe.


    "Good morning, Lincoln." Marcus nodded politely, greeting Lincoln as if it was the most natural thing in the world.


    Lincoln sneered, stepping forward andnding a punch straight on Marcus'' cheek.


    "Lincoln, be gentle, Nat likes my face," Marcus didn''t dodge or try to move away, epting the punch without flinching.


    "Marcus, do you even have any shame?"


    Lincoln gritted his teeth, anger practically radiating off him. "First, you broke the engagement, and now you deliberately got my sister drunk? Do you think she''s just some pet you can summon and dismiss at will?"


    Marcus wiped the blood from his lips and sighed, "Sorry, it''s my fault. Lincoln, hit me wherever you want, just not my face."


    "You-"


    "Nat likes my face. She said I''m the most handsome man she''s ever seen."


    Marcus calmly interrupted before Lincoln could unleash his rage. "She said I''m the best-looking among all the men she knows."


    Implying, of course, that he was more handsome than her brothers.


    He was handsome, and he was proud of it.


    "Nat, do you think he''s handsome?" Lincoln turned to look at Natalie. "Am I or your other brothers not handsome enough?"


    Natalie just stared in silence... Her brothers were indeed all handsome, but the moment she saw Marcus, she had been struck by his looks, and her mind hadpletely nked out for a few seconds.


    "Nat, say something."


    Lincoln grew frustrated with her silence and let out a bitterugh. "Alright, I get it." "Marcus,e here and take your beating."


    He couldn''t bring himself to be angry at Natalie, so everything was Marcus'' fault. It was he who deliberately got her drunk and brought her back to his room. He wasn''t going to kill him, but he sure as hell deserved a good beating.


    "Alright." Marcus nodded obediently, "Lincoln, hit me however you like, but don''t hit my face."


    "Shut up."


    Lincoln shot him a death re before dragging him into the bathroom. The door mmed shut, followed by a flurry of crashing sounds.


    Natalie stood by the door, feeling the pain spreading all over her body. Things werepletely out of her control.


    She could hear Marcus'' muffled groans from inside. Terrified, she almost reached out to open the bathroom door to check on him, but she feared that if she did, Lincoln might get mad and hit her, too.


    After a few more loud crashes, the noise finally subsided.


    Some timeter, Lincoln opened the bathroom door. He nced at Natalie, who was standing by the door, looking worried. A slight smile tugged at his lips.


    "Don''t worry, I didn''t kill him. After this beating, I won''t interfere with Marcus pursuing you anymore. You just need to be more reserved. Don''t let him get you too easily. Let him know that the heiress of the Walker family, our precious little sister, is not so easily won over."


    As he spoke, Lincoln reached over and gently ruffled Natalie''s hair before pulling her into a gentle hug. "Nat, I won''t stop you from dating whoever you want. If Marcus treats you badly, just let me know, and I''ll help you beat him up."


    Warmth filled Natalie''s heart, and her eyes welled up with tears. She wanted to say something, but her mind immediately shed back to the vivid dream she had.


    Her lips parted before her brain could process her words, and she muttered, "Lincoln, is it possible that when I had my way with Marcus, he just couldn''t fight back? Did you see his chest when you were hitting him? I did that."


    Lincoln froze.


    Of course, he saw it, but it didn''t stop him from beating him up.


    "You''re ady, how strong could you be?"


    Lincoln patted Natalie''s head, exasperated. "It''s that damn Marcus'' fault. You were drunk, and he could''ve taken you home, but he didn''t. Instead, he brought you back to his room.


    "If he had just taken you home, you wouldn''t have had the chance to take advantage of him. Everything is his fault. He''s the one to me for looking so damn attractive, that''s what made you fall for him."


    "Lincoln..."


    "Nat, it''s not your fault! Don''t feel guilty. You don''t have to take responsibility for that dog of a man. He''s a grown man. What''s he afraid of? He should be honored that you took advantage of him."


    "Lincoln, you''re so protective!" Natalie couldn''t help butugh, her tone light. "Protective and unreasonable."


    "If I don''t protect my little sister, should I protect that sly dog, Marcus?" Lincoln raised an eyebrow.


    "Don''t you worry about him getting back at you?"


    "I wouldn''t have dared to talk to him like that before. But now that he wants to


    pursue my sister, he better be nice to me or he''ll have no chance."


    Lincoln''s tone softened. "Nat, we didn''t know of your existence when you were at the Langley family, so


    I''m


    we couldn''t protect you we ne


    angry because Marcus knew


    rejected him, and yet he deliberately got you drunk and brought you back to his room. No matter what you did, it was all part of his n.


    "So, he deserved this beating. But I still support you, go ahead and get him, then show him who''s boss. Make him regret breaking off the engagement with you."


    Natalie couldn''t hold it in any longer, and she burst outughing. But once theughter died down, her eyes filled with tears. "Lincoln, thank you."


    "Don''t mention it." Lincoln rubbed her hair. "That chocte factory I gave you? Marcus sold it to me at a low price. He''s practically the one who gave it to you. Nat, I just want you to be happy no matter who you end up with. As long as you''re happy, I will be at ease."


    "Thank you, Lincoln."


    Natalie''s eyes were getting more teary. "Lincoln, I''m sorry. I''ve disappointed you."


    "Silly goose, you have no idea how amazing you are. I''m so proud of you."


    Lincoln gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Go check on that bastard now."


    "Okay."


    Natalie stepped out of his arms and walked into the bathroom.


    Marcus was lying on the floor, his face still handsome, but under his open bathrobe, his body was bruised all over.


    Natalie gasped, seeing just how badly Lincoln had beaten him. She asked, "Marcus, are you alright?"


    She steadied herself and squatted down next to him. Marcus slowly opened his eyes. For a brief moment, his gaze was filled with hopelessness, but the moment


    he saw her, it turned into something fiery.


    "I''m fine, not dead yet."

 Chapter 396 It Hurts

    Natalie reached out and poked one of the bruised spots on Marcus'' body. He immediately sucked in a sharp breath.


    "Does it hurt?" Natalie frowned, her concern growing. She had heard the crashing sounds outside the door, but she hadn''t expected Lincoln to be this rough.


    Marcus was about to say it didn''t hurt, but upon seeing Natalie''s furrowed brow, he quickly changed his answer. "Yeah, it hurts. It really hurts. I can''t stand up, can''t walk."


    As he spoke, he lifted the corner of his bathrobe to show Natalie his leg. "It seems like my knee is broken."


    Natalie''s eyes fell on Marcus'' leg, and her face flushed. She quickly looked away, embarrassed.


    "You deserve it, getting me drunk on purpose, then messing with me," she muttered, though her body acted honestly as she bent down to help him.


    "Lincoln was right. You could''ve taken me home after I got drunk, or at least let me share a room with Connie, or let me stay in the guest room I used to sleep in. But no, you had to carry me to your bedroom. Marcus, you did it on purpose."


    "It wasn''t on purpose," Marcus sighed. "After you got drunk, you insisted on


    crawling into my arms and asked me to hold you. You even touched my face, said


    I was the best-looking man you''d ever seen, and you said you wanted to build a golden birdcage to keep me in, so I could be your pet."


    Hearing this, Natalie''s face turned bright red. Did she really do and say all those things while drunk?


    Marcus, taking advantage of her drunken state, mixed some truth with lies to tease her. "You even straddled me and said you were going to tame me. And you said I wasn''t a pet bird but a big eagle."


    Natalie quickly pped her hand over Marcus'' mouth. "Stop talking!"


    Had she really said those things? Straddling him, taming him, the big eagle, the golden cage... Good heavens, was she really that wild when she was drunk? Marcus watched Natalie''s face turn from pale to bright red. The speed at which her face flushed made him want tough, though he held it in.


    "Nat," Marcus reached out and gently took her hand away from his mouth. "You don''t know how strong you are when you''re drunk. You''re right. I could''ve taken you home or handed you over to Ms. Sterling, but you wouldn''t let go of me.


    "I couldn''t just force you off and leave you behind. I didn''t resist because I was worried I''d hurt you. But from now on, don''t drink alcohol when you''re out, or I''ll worry."


    After saying that, Marcus tucked a loose strand of hair behind Natalie''s ear. "Let''s start over, okay? Let''s get to know each other again and start fresh. How about it?"


    Natalie''s head was buzzing, and she covered her face with both hands. She couldn''t even imagine the terrible things she''d done to Marcus when she was drunk.


    "It really hurts."


    "Let me put some medicine on it," Natalie said as she hurried to help him out of the bathroom. "You sit here for a moment. I''ll ask Connie for the first aid kit."


    She was rushing to leave, but Marcus grabbed her wrist. "Go wash up and


    change into something clean. I had Sheldon prepare clothes and toiletries for you. They''re in the bathroom."


    "Can you... endure the pain?"


    Natalie''s mind was in a whirl, and she had never been this flustered before. She had been calm earlier, but after hearing Marcus'' teasing words and seeing Lincoln''s rough handling, she just couldn''t calm down.


    "Yes." Marcus gently ruffled her hair. "Don''t worry."


    "I''m not worried about you," Natalie muttered before walking into the bathroom.


    On the vanity there was a set of new


    toiletries and a fresh outfit. The note


    left on top was written in bold,


    flowing handwriting, "The underwear


    was prepared by Ms. Sterling, dry-cleaned and sanitized, ready to wear."


    Natalie felt a wave of heat rise again, even though she had just managed to calm herself down.


    Should she thank Marcus for being so considerate?


    She looked at herself in the mirror, her cheeks burning so much it felt like they could bleed. She bent down and sshed cold water on her face several times. Once the warmth had subsided, she took a deep breath and steadied herself before washing up.


    Once she was done, she took a quick shower and changed into the clothes Marcus had prepared for her.


    When she emerged, Marcus was already applying medicine to the bruises on his body.


    "I''ll help you," Natalie said, recovering herposure. She walked over and silently began applying the medicine to his wounds.


    "It hurts."


    Hearing Marcus'' pained voice, Natalie pressed down on his injury with some force. "It''s good that it hurts, serves you right."


    Marcus stoppedining.


    During the time it took to finish applying the medicine, neither of them spoke. The air around them grew quiet.


    Lincoln had really gone all out, and aside from Marcus'' face, the rest of his body was covered in bruises.


    When Natalie had finished applying all the medicine, three tubes were emptied.


    "With your condition, are you really going toe with me to Amberton?" Natalie furrowed her brow. "Sorry, Lincoln was a bit too rough."


    "It''s fine. It doesn''t matter," Marcus took the clothes and put them on. "You must be hungry. Let''s go downstairs for breakfast."


    "Okay." Natalie packed away the first aid kit and watched Marcus walk toward the wardrobe.


    Before long, he emerged fully dressed in a suit. His tall frame and cold, refined appearance exuded an air of elegance and aloofness.


    He walked up to Natalie and took the first aid kit from her hands. "Let''s go."


    Natalie nodded, "Okay."


    Marcus stepped back a little, letting Natalie walk ahead of him. As they walked, the faint scent of jasmine clung to him, filling the air.


    Hadn''t Marcus always smelled of a cool fragrance before? When had he switched to this jasmine flower scent?


    Natalie''s mind wandered as they reached the first floor, where Charles, Sheldon,


    and Connie were busy checking through a pile of items.


    As soon as they saw Natalie and Marcus, Sheldon stepped forward, smiling. "Mr. Holden, these are the engagement gifts you instructed to prepare. Take a look."


    "Ms. Walker, did you sleep wellst night?" Sheldon turned to Natalie, his smile widening. "I hope Mr. Holden didn''t disappoint youst night!"


    Natalie was so startled by Sheldon''s words that she began coughing. Marcus calmly patted her back and shot Sheldon an annoyed look. "Sheldon, you scared


    Nat."

 Chapter 397 Sincerity

    Marcus'' annoyed tone made Sheldon immediately back off. He stood respectfully and apologized to Natalie. "I''m sorry, Ms. Walker, please forgive me."


    "It''s fine, it''s not that serious," Natalie said awkwardly, stepping forward. She couldn''t help but look at the pile of gifts stacked in the living room and then nced at Marcus.


    "Grandpa Charles, how are you feeling today?"


    "Much better," Charles smiled. "When good things happen, your spirit lifts. I suddenly feel like I can live for another 100 years! Nattie, if Marcus bullies you in the future, just tell me. I''ll teach him a lesson."


    As the elder, he would never use underhanded tactics to force Natalie into agreeing to marry Marcus just because the Holden family was more influential than the Walker family. Instead, they would respect her and win her over with sincerity.


    Charles had also made it clear to Marcus that if he treated Natalie badly, tricked her, or bullied her, he would be the first to step in.


    The two families had a long-standing rtionship, and if it weren''t for Marcus breaking off the engagement, Natalie and Marcus would have naturally been married by now.


    Lincoln''s concern was for Natalie''s feelings. If she truly liked Marcus and Marcus treated her well, as her brother, his only role would be to bless her and support her with all his heart.


    Even though the Walker family wasn''t as powerful as the Holden family, they wouldn''t let Marcus look down on Natalie. Her wedding gift would exceed the Holden family''s gifts.


    Charles had made it clear that the Holden family didn''t need Natalie to provide any engagement gifts. If the Walker family insisted on giving it, it would be registered under Natalie''s name. If they ever divorced, Marcus would leave with nothing.


    Charles'' attitude left Lincoln speechless. His beating of Marcus had served to release his frustration. Now, all that was left was for Natalie and Marcus to figure out their feelings on their own.


    He understood the concerns of the Walker family, so no matter what, he would give them the respect and reassurance they needed.


    "Nattie, the kitchen''s ready with breakfast. Go have a bite, and there''s hangover soup. If you want it, you can have some now."


    Charles'' gaze was full of warmth and affection. "I''ll have Sheldon give you the list of the giftster. When you truly ept Marcus, you can have the Walker family arrange a car to pick it all up.


    "Of course, even if you don''t ept him now, you can still take the gifts. But I guess you won''t do that."


    Natalie nced at the piles of gifts in the living room. It was truly overwhelming, but she wasn''t nning to ept them.


    "Thank you, Grandpa Charles. Marcus and I will go have some food first."


    Natalie gave Marcus a push. Marcus smiled slightly and followed her to the dining room. Breakfast was served immediately. There was oatmeal, along with steaming hot milk.


    "You drankst night, so some oatmeal will be good for you today," Marcus said, while his own breakfast was the same oatmeal, though he had ck coffee instead of milk.


    Natalie was indeed hungry. She couldn''t remember what she did while drunk except for the vivid memory of the dream. Of course, she strongly suspected that it wasn''t just a dream.


    After finishing breakfast, Natalie was about to leave.


    "Marcus, I... I''ll go back now. You should get ready too. Let''s head to Amberton as soon as possible."


    "Alright."


    Marcus agreed immediately. "I''ll get everything sorted today, and we can leave first thing tomorrow morning."


    "Good. By the way, keep an eye on Sophia''s side."


    "Got it."


    Natalie looked up at Marcus. "Well... I''m off then."


    "I''ll send you home."


    Marcus waved his hand, and Noah immediately walked out from the shadows.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker."


    "Go get the car and drive Ms. Walker home."


    "Yes."


    Noah immediately turned and went to fetch the car.


    "From now on, Noah will follow you." Marcus'' tone was gentle, but there was no room for refusal. "He''s more reliable than Elijah, speaks less, and you can trust him."


    "No, I prefer him with you."


    "Nat, don''t reject me," Marcus stepped forward, his eyes locking onto hers. "I thought, afterst night, you might feel a little different about me."


    "Shut up." Natalie quickly covered Marcus'' mouth. "Everything that happenedst night stays between us."


    No more talk about taming, big eagles, or golden cages...


    Marcus was amused by her angry reaction. He raised his hand and gently rubbed her head. "Take Noah with you, okay?"


    "Fine, I''ll take him." Natalie gritted her teeth. "But let me talk to my parents first, and then I''ll take responsibility for you."


    "Hmm?" Marcus'' eyes gleamed. "Really?"


    "Yes." Natalie clenched her teeth. "Wasn''t it you who made me take responsibility?"


    "It was," Marcus'' smile deepened. "Thank you, Nat, for agreeing to take


    responsibility. At least my first time wasn''t given to a heartbreaker."


    Natalie froze. Did that mean she really... had forced Marcusst night? Why didn''t she feel anything?


    Weren''t girls supposed to feel pain


    the first time? Natalie shook her head, trying to push the inappropriate thoughts aside. But Marcus'' words really made it hard for her not to misunderstand Should she ask him?


    Before she could decide, Noah drove up in a sleek ck Mercedes G-Wagon.


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden, please get in."


    Noah stepped out and opened the door. Natalie''s scattered thoughts were finally pulled back, and after a quick nod and a thank you, she got into the car.


    The next moment, Marcus joined her in the car.


    "This car is for you, specially modified."


    Marcus didn''t say much more. He knew Natalie understood. The first time she''d been seen driving a car, it had been a G-Wagon, and he had noticed she liked it.


    "Okay, I''ll ept it." Natalie knocked on the window, listening to the sound before finally relenting.


    "Drive."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    The car started, and the partition between the front and back rose as they slowly left Holden


    Residence.


    "Nat, here," Marcus handed her a ck card. "Promise me, use this card first from now on, alright?"


    Just as Natalie was about to speak, Marcus gently pressed his finger to her lips.


    "I know you have money. Consider it


    a plea from me. I''ve never spent money on a woman before, so I''m not sure how to show my love. So, give me a chance to learn. Is that alright?"


    Natalie was someone who responded well to gentleness, and Marcus knew this.


    His vulnerable, pleading act was bound to work on her.

 Chapter 398 Give Him the Title

    Marcus'' tone was tinged with unease as he spoke, his eyes asionally darting nervously to Natalie, quickly averting his gaze before she could catch him looking.


    His nervousness,bined with his vulnerability, was evident. The former high and mighty heir of the Holden family, the powerful head of the Holden Group, had never shown this side of himself in front of others.


    Natalie was the first, and likely the only one, to see this side of him. The contrast in his demeanor made it hard for her to reject him.


    After giving it some thought, Natalie finally reached out and took the ck card from Marcus'' hand. However, she then pulled out another identical ck card from her bag and ced it in his hand.


    "Marcus, take this. I''ll spend your money, and you can spend mine."


    Marcus blinked, confused. "Huh? How is that different from me spending my own money?"


    "I may have had a fianc¨¦ before, but I''ve never spent money on him. You''re the first."


    Her words made Marcus, who had been about to return the card, tighten his grip on it instead.


    "My rtionship with Tyler didn''tst into adulthood. We were never close, even though we were engaged."


    She nced at Marcus. "No matter what, I did take advantage of you while drunk, and you''ve asked me to take responsibility. I can''t just ignore that."


    Marcus immediately nodded. "Right, you have to take responsibility for me."


    "So... shall we try starting something?" Natalie hesitated. She had decided before to keep her distance from Marcus, even avoiding any personal connection.


    But things rarely went as nned.


    "Sure." Marcus immediately agreed, lifting his gaze to meet hers, a smile evident in the corners of his eyes. "Thank you, Nat."


    Something felt off to Natalie, but when she saw his warm, reassuring smile, her doubts faded.


    Lincoln had gone to Holden Residence and spoken to Charles, clearing the air between her and Marcus.


    Federrick always taught her that one must take responsibility for their actions-if she made a mistake, she should fix it immediately. But if it wasn''t her fault, she shouldn''t bear the me.


    She could hardly control her hands or mouth after drinking, and though Marcus had indulged her, it wasn''t his fault.


    Natalie knocked her head lightly. She had never realized how much she could be affected by someone''s looks when drunk.


    Handsome was a word typically used to describe men, but she couldn''t help but think it should only be applied to Marcus. He was so handsome that she couldn''t help but want to touch and kiss him.


    "By the way... are you nning to meet my parents when you take me back?" Natalie tilted her head and looked out the car window at the passing scenery. She remembered that Marcuscked maternal love, and she was willing to let Charlotte embrace him more.


    "Yes." Marcus had just been beaten by Lincoln and hadn''t yet met his future in-ws. He didn''t feel entirely secure until this meeting happened.


    "We''re just going to see where things go, so don''t say anything wrong in front of my parents," Natalie reminded him. After thinking for a moment, she added, "I haven''t decided yet whether I want to be with you."


    "You''re responsible for me, but you don''t want to be with me?" Marcus raised an eyebrow, then casually started undoing the buttons of his shirt.


    "What are you doing?" Natalie quickly reached to pull his shirt back together. "Stop it!"


    But Marcus ignored her. One hand


    held hers, and the other continued to


    unbutton his shirt. "Nat, look, all these marks are from you. You say you''ll be responsible, but you won''t be with me. How is this being responsible? I won''t ept it."


    He held her hand and ced it over his chest. "Nat, feel it. This heart is beating


    so fast because of how close you are to me."


    Natalie could feel the heat


    emanating from his chest. She


    instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but Marcus wouldn''t let her. k,


    He gently pressed his forehead to hers.


    "Nat, I said let''s try. I''m not asking you to keep a distance from me like before, to


    be distant and polite, like we''re not even friends."


    "So what do you want?" Natalie felt a mix of embarrassment and anger, pushing


    his forehead away. "Marcus, don''t push your luck."


    "Last night, you did what you did to me. Just follow that standard."


    Marcus'' words made Natalie''s eyes widen. Was he suggesting thatst night was a standard?


    Seeing her reaction, Marcus leaned in close, his voice low and yful. "Nat, when we meet your parents, I hope you''ll introduce me as your boyfriend."


    Natalie froze. Marcus really wasn''t going to give her any space to hesitate or retreat.


    "Nat, is that okay?"


    His deep, maic voice made her feel strangely sensitive, a little tingly.


    "Marcus, are you asking me?" Natalie steadied herself and pushed him away. "You need to stop pushing your luck."


    "Alright." Marcus obediently stepped back. He let go of her hand as she struggled, giving her the space she needed.


    "Is being called boyfriend really that important?"


    Natalie rubbed her wrist. Marcus hadn''t used much force when he held her hand,


    but she still felt a little embarrassed.


    "I''m fine with taking responsibility for you. But you want a title too?"


    "Without a title, how is that responsibility?" Marcus was insistent on the title. "Nat, I don''t want a secret rtionship. I want to go public. I want to be your official boyfriend."


    "You said I was handsome, wanted to lock me up and give me a title. Even if I''m not locked up, I''m still yours."


    As soon as Natalie heard him say that, she quickly covered his mouth. "Stop talking! Shut up. You want the title? Fine, I''ll give it to you."


    Natalie was a little exasperated and reached to pinch his chest. "Then it''s perfectly fine for me to pinch my boyfriend, right?"


    "That''s right."


    Marcus smiled widely, clearly pleased by her reaction. His entire demeanor lightened, and he looked at her with fondness and affection.


    Natalie could hardly handle the way he was looking at her. She turned her head away, feeling embarrassed. "Now, as my boyfriend, give me a back rub." Marcus wanted the title, and he wanted to be her boyfriend, so Natalie decided to make him regret asking for it when she wasn''t fully ready.

 Chapter 399 Happily Together

    Natalie was feeling slightly frustrated and asked for a back rub.


    Marcus, obedient as always, did it without hesitation. His hand balled into a fist as he gently pressed it against her shoulder and back, neither too hard nor too soft, with a steady rhythm that felt surprisingly soothing.


    Natalie turned her head to look at him. Marcus had an expression of calmness,pletely unbothered by doing something so intimate. He didn''t seem awkward or impatient at all.


    When their eyes met, Marcus gave her a smile. "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing," Natalie replied, looking away. She began to consider her rtionship with Marcus seriously.


    Did she dislike him now? It didn''t seem so.


    Had she been angry after bing his girlfriend? No, not really.


    The things she did while drunk-were they just a dream? Probably not.


    So, after some reflection, it seemed that she didn''t actually dislike Marcus. In fact, he had saved her in Balford before and had seen her body. He''d seen her, and she''d teased him while drunk. In a way, neither of them could im to have taken advantage of the other.


    Apart from the previous misunderstandings, their interactions felt pretty natural andfortable. So, she decided there was no reason to hesitate anymore.


    If they were going to date, she might as well enjoy it. If he was her boyfriend, then whatever she did for him couldn''t be seen as taking advantage of him.


    With that thought in mind, Natalie turned and gave Marcus a smile. She rxedpletely and said, "Hi boyfriend!"


    Marcus froze for a second, and then his eyes sparkled. He smiled and replied, "Hi, girlfriend."


    "Well then... let''s just take our time and get to know each other."


    "Yeah, I agree."


    Marcus could barely hide the smile on his face. He lowered his head and ced a soft kiss on Natalie''s forehead. He then said, "Nat, thank you."


    Natalie paused for a moment. She made sure that she didn''t feel ufortable with their proximity before she raised her head to kiss the corner of his mouth.


    Her kiss was quick, just a brief peck, but before she could pull away, Marcus suddenly cupped the back of her head, pulling her into a deep kiss. His breath was heavy and warm as he kissed her lips.


    He had wanted to kiss her, to kiss her when she wasn''t drunk, to kiss her openly and without hesitation.


    Finally, his wish was granted.


    Natalie tried to shift her body, but Marcus held her firmly, one hand on the back of her head and the other holding her waist, keeping her from moving.


    She could only stare into his dark, almost ck eyes, watching the reflection of her confused expression in them.


    Although she had been bold in the dream, in reality, Natalie had no experience with love or romantic interactions. She had read online that men were usually more naturally talented in these matters without needing much instruction.


    She was well aware of Marcus'' attitude toward his ex-fianc¨¦e, Emma. There had been no intimacy between them-he had clearly disliked her.


    "Nat, focus."


    Marcus broke the kiss briefly, his voice hoarse with desire. Natalie blinked, still a bit disoriented. "How did you know I wasn''t focused?"


    She had been distracted by her own thoughts, but she wasn''t about to admit it.


    Marcus simply chuckled. He gently cupped her face and kissed her again, carefully this time. He had never been interested in women before, but once he met her, he couldn''t help but feel a strong desire to possess her. Despite his usual aloof and cold demeanor for her, he was nothing but tender.


    "Close your eyes." His voice was deep and tempting, and Natalie, almost instinctively, closed her eyes.


    He kissed her again, the kiss deep and lingering.


    It felt like time had stopped, and eventually, Marcus pulled away again, resting his


    forehead against hers as he controlled his breath.


    "We should be arriving soon."


    Natalie''s heart raced, her face flushed with warmth. She couldn''t even look at Marcus anymore,


    feeling like their rtionship hadet


    Ove


    escted faster than she could blink. There was barely any


    buildup-they had jumped straight into kissing and holding each other.


    As the car pulled up to the gate of the Walker Manor, Marcus took out a small,


    luxurious box from his pocket. Inside was a ring.


    "It''s not a formal proposal, just a little something to mark the asion."


    "What?"


    Before Natalie could protest, Marcus gently took her hand and slipped the ring onto her middle finger.


    "Is this okay?"


    Natalie stared at the ring on her finger, slightly exasperated. She nced at Marcus with a look that clearly said, Did you really just put this on without asking


    first?


    "Fine," she said, not really caring for the formalities. Since Marcus wanted the title, letting him give her the ring was just a way to reassure him.


    Marcus held her hand, their fingers intertwined.


    Natalie felt an odd yet strange sense


    of wonder. Back in the Langley


    family, she had always been busy with other things and never had time


    vei


    for love or rtionships. Her


    engagement with Tyler had been


    distant and cold, and they had rarely


    spent time together.


    Later, when the Langley family found Selena and the Miller family discovered her


    true identity, the engagement was quickly called off.


    Natalie hadn''t cared; the only thing she had worried about was how upset Grace would be. But she had no intention ofpeting for Tyler with Selena.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, we''ve arrived."


    Natalie was still staring at their joined hands when Noah''s voice came through. "Shall we get out?" Marcus asked.


    "Yeah." Natalie snapped out of her thoughts and shed Marcus a yful smile. "Marcus, are you nervous about meeting my parents?"


    "No. I deserve whatever punishmentes my way," Marcus replied. He exited the car and walked around it to open the door for Natalie. "Let''s go."


    "Alright."


    Natalie bent to get out of the car, and Marcus gently ced his hand above her head, guiding her so she wouldn''t identally hit it on the doorframe. When they reached the front door, Charlotte and William had already received the news and were standing there, both looking displeased as they eyed Marcus. "Dad, Mom," Natalie called out before Charlotte could speak. "Mom, give Marcus a hug. He needs some motherly love."


    Charlotte was baffled.

 Chapter 400 Playing the Sympathy Card Works

    Natalie tugged at Marcus with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Didn''t you say


    you wanted my mom to hug you so you could feel the motherly love you''ve never had? Well, now she''s right here. Don''t be shy!"


    Marcus immediately yed along, his eyes filled with mock sorrow and vulnerability as he nced toward Charlotte. "Mrs. Walker, is it alright?"


    Charlotte was momentarily speechless.


    William, observing the situation, let out a deep sigh. After a moment, he decided to speak up in support of Marcus. "Since Marcus has never experienced that kind of motherly love, Charlotte, just give him a hug. Think of it as doing a good deed."


    Charlotte could only sigh again.


    Taking the opportunity, Marcus meekly spoke up once more, "Mrs. Walker, may 1?"


    "Fine! Juste here and give me a hug."


    Charlotte opened her arms, giving Marcus a gentle hug. As she did so, she patted his back.


    "Are your parents still not back?" she asked softly.


    Marcus'' voice was muffled as he replied, "Yes, I''ve stopped hoping after all these years."


    "It''s alright. You''ve grown up healthy and strong." Charlotte gave Marcus'' shoulder


    a light pat before he slowly stepped back from her embrace.


    "Mr. Walker, can I have a hug too?" Marcus asked, his eyes showing a mix of longing and admiration. "When I was a child, I envied Mason and Lincoln because they had parents who cared for them."


    "I remember when I came to the Walker family, I would watch you pick up Mason and spin him around, even let him ride on your shoulders. I was always so envious of that."


    At his words, William was taken back to the days when his children were young, especially Mason, his youngest son, whom he had always spoiled a little more than the others.


    Marcus, on the other hand, had always been a serious, stoic child, walking around with a solemn face, never smiling, never showing interest in anything.


    He had never realized that Marcus, even as a child, had envied his sons for their closeness with their father.


    Without saying another word, William stepped forward and pulled Marcus into a tight embrace, patting his back a couple of times. "You''re all grown up now. You''ve be a fine, young man."


    Marcus'' voice caught in his throat. "Thank you, Mr. Walker."


    "Don''t cry!" Hearing Marcus'' choked voice, William couldn''t help but feel a little sad. "Sweetie, take Marcus for a walk. Help him calm down a bit."


    "Okay, Dad." Natalie stepped forward and took Marcus'' hand. "Let''s go to the back garden for a walk."


    "Go ahead."


    With his eyes red and his voice shaky, Marcus bowed deeply to both William and Charlotte. "Thank you, Mr. Walker, Mrs. Walker. I''m really happy today. I finally know what it feels like to be in a parent''s embrace."


    William and Charlotte exchanged a nce, their eyes filled with sympathy and concern.


    After all, Marcus had grown up in front of them. And Charlotte and Marcus'' mother, Laura, had been close friends. It was only natural that they had arranged for their children to be betrothed even before they were born.


    But after Laura gave birth, she hadn''t even finished her postpartum recovery before going away with Wesley on a trip. They had left their newborn child to be raised by Charles. Over the years, Laura rarely contacted them, and when she did, she never revealed where she was.


    "Nat, take Marcus out for a walk andfort him."


    Thinking about how her old friend had treated Marcus, Charlotte was about to say a few choice words, but she couldn''t bring herself to do so in front of Marcus.


    "Yes, Mom," Natalie replied. "Let''s go, Marcus. We''ll have a walk around the garden."


    Natalie took Marcus'' hand and led him toward the back garden of the Walker residence.


    William and Charlotte watched the two leave, both of them letting out a deep sigh in unison.


    "I wonder how Laura and Wesley are doing now. After all these years, how could they be so heartless to leave their own child behind like that?"


    Charlotte sighed softly. "I just can''t imagine leaving my own child and not seeing them for so many years."


    William nodded in agreement. "I feel the same."


    "Marcus is a poor child. Let''s be extra kind to him when hees over to our house."


    "Anything you say, honey."


    The couple''s hearts ached for Marcus, and in their concern for him, theypletely forgot to settle any scores with him.


    ...


    Natalie and Marcus had just reached the rose bushes in the back garden when they spotted Timothy loungingzily on a chair. His phone and headphones were on the nearby seat, clearly having just finished ying a game.


    "Nat, I''m a bit thirsty. Can you go inside and grab me a bottle of water?" Timothy shed Natalie a smile.


    "Sure! I''ll go get it for you."


    Natalie turned to leave, and Timothy''s smile immediately faded. He waved Marcus over. "Marcus,e sit with me."


    Because of the long-standing rtionship between the Holden and Walker families, aside from Timothy, who called him "Marc", the other members of the family simply called him "Marcus".


    Marcus walked over and sat down, and Timothy didn''t waste time. "I heard from Lincoln that you''re nning to pursue Nat."


    "Yes," Marcus admitted without hesitation.


    "Don''t think you can win them over just by ying the sympathy card in front of


    my parents. They won''t forget you broke off the engagement before."


    Timothy''s expression hardened. "Natalie is young, but the rest of us aren''t pushovers."


    "Lincoln already gave you a beating. Are you looking for me to do the same?" Marcus calmly responded "If you want to hit me to vent your frustration, go ahead. If Mr. Walker and Mrs. Walker are angry, I can let them hit me, too.


    "It was my mistake breaking off the engagement, but I want to get to know Nat again, pursue her property, and propose to her. Things thate easy are never valued. I''m making this more difficult formyself


    .n


    now. Don''t you think that''s better?"


    Timothy paused, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Do you expect me to believe that excuse? You just didn''t like Nat before, and now you''ve realized how good she is, so you want to chase her again."


    "I''ve never looked down on Nat," Marcus replied helplessly. "On the contrary, I''ve always respected her It''s just that at that time, some of the things Mrs. Langley Senior said to her didn''t sit right with me, sol kept my distance."


    "What did Mrs. Langley Senior say to her? If you don''t convince me today, don''t me me for taking action."


    Marcus took a deep breath and continued, "The first time I met Nat was in Amberton. I went with my grandfather to visit Mrs. Langley Senior.


    "While I was outside, I overheard Mrs. Langley Senior telling Nat to take advantage of me to get revenge on her ex-fianc¨¦, Tyler. I''m sure you all know Tyler, and you know what happened.


    "I also overheard Mrs. Langley Senior telling Nat she should take me by force if


    she couldn''t win me over. She should drug me and make me hers."


    The more Marcus spoke, the darker Timothy''s face became.


    "Did Mrs. Langley Senior really teach my sister that?"


    "It''s true," Marcus affirmed. "If you don''t believe me, you can ask Nat yourself."

 Chapter 401 Anger Toward the Langleys

    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."

 Chapter 402 An Unusual Case

    The Walkers no longer held any grudges against Marcus.


    After strolling in the garden with Marcus for a while, Natalie urged him to head to work.


    "Get to work, Marcus! Once you wrap things up, we''ll head to Amberton."


    Marcus went silent for a second. "What are you going to do today, then?" he asked.


    "There''s something I have to take care of." Natalie took a deep breath. "Connie told me earlier there was something important she wanted to tell me. Since I got drunk that day, I didn''t manage to ask her about it. So I''m heading back to my room to call her."


    A hint of displeasure flickered across Marcus'' face. They had only just made things official and hadn''t even spent much time together, yet his girlfriend was already urging him to leave.


    Natalie cast him a re. She said in a cold voice, "Be reasonable, Marcus. A man should focus on his career, not just love."


    The love-struck man was left speechless. He just wanted some time with his girlfriend. Was that so wrong?


    "Quick, go now." Natalie lifted her chin, speaking in a firm,manding tone. She had no intention of letting a rtionship take over her life.


    Marcus was silent. Then, he extended both arms. "Give me a hug, then I''ll leave."


    "You''re a full-grown man, so why are you so clingy?" Natalie walked over, barely hugging him. "I''ve made it official and worn your ring. Shouldn''t that be enough?"


    Marcus took a deep breath, caressing Natalie''s hair.


    "Sorry, I''ll head back now then."


    "Alright, go on!" Natalie gestured with her hand. "I''ll walk you to your car."


    Marcus nced around, then lowered his head and ced a kiss on Natalie''s forehead. "I''ll pick you up for dinner after work."


    "No." Natalie rejected him without any hesitation. "I''m not sure how long my work will take. Just go straight home after you''re done. You should spend more time with Grandpa Charles."


    "Well, okay then..." Marcus sighed and gave in. "Just call or text me when you''re done."


    "Sure."


    Natalie nodded. "Now hurry to work! I''ll have to take care of my own stuff once you leave."


    Marcus pouted, seeing Natalie so eager to send him away. ording to what he had read online, wasn''t this supposed to be the stage where couples couldn''t get enough of each other?


    So why did he feel like the clingy one, while she just wanted him gone?


    Was work really more important than spending time together?


    Natalie had no clue what was going on in Marcus'' head. She hurried him along, practically shoving him into the car. The moment he got in, Noah was already standing behind Natalie.


    "You''re taking Noah with you, no arguments."


    Marcus rolled down the window. His eyes were soft as he gazed at Natalie. "Call me when you''re done."


    "Got it. Be safe, okay? Make sure the driver doesn''t go too fast."


    Marcus murmured a reply. "Then... I''ll get going now."


    "Okay, bye!" Natalie said as she waved him off.


    Left with no choice, Marcus told the driver to go.


    As the car drove off, Noah stood behind Natalie, silently marveling at how his


    boss had turned into a hopeless romantic.


    His boss, who once dismissed love as trivial, was nowpletely under its spell.


    He had to admit-Natalie''s charm was something else.


    Natalie turned around and walked into the house. "Do whatever you need to, Noah."


    Noah replied politely, "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie went up to the fifth floor, going back to her room. She took out her tablet and made a video call to Connie.


    Connie answered almost immediately. "Ms. Walker, you left with Mr. Holden so suddenly this morning. What happened?"


    "Get to the point," Natalie said tly. "You said a special patient was looking for me. What was that about?"


    "Oh, right."


    Seeing Natalie''s cold demeanor and serious expression, Connie dropped the gossip right away. "I''ll send their details to your email now. You''ll know after you go through them."


    "Okay."


    "Ms. Walker, I haven''t replied to this patient yet, so if you want to reject them after you''ve gone through their details, let me know."


    Natalie hummed a reply. "Is that all?"


    "So..."


    Connie couldn''t resist her curiosity. "Are you and Mr. Holden official now, Ms. Walker? I saw you bothst night. He was holding you, and you had your arms around his neck, all cozy and very close!"


    Natalie ended the video call instantly.


    Connie, on the other end, whined, "Ms. Walker..."


    After hanging up, Natalie logged into her alternate email ount. Connie''stest email was right there.


    She tapped into the email and started reading through it carefully.


    This patient''s skin was so pale that it was almost translucent, and their hair was pure white.


    The patient wore a mask, but those eyes¡ªNatalie found them familiar at first nce. It was as if she had seen them somewhere before.


    The photos attached were full-body shots, showing the patient sitting, standing, and lying down. They were taken from nearly every possible angle without missing a single detail.


    The patient was wearing a sleeveless dress that barely grazed her thighs. Her delicate, almost skeletal frame made the sight all the more haunting.


    One particr photo was a close-up of the patient''s wrist. Her skin was so unnaturally pale that Natalie could make out something writhing beneath the veins, shifting ever so slightly.


    Along with the patient''s photos, the


    attached records documented her


    years of seeking treatment. Her illness began not long after


    ol


    childbirth. She might seem normal


    outwardly, but episodes of


    unbearable pain would leave her


    writhing helplessly.


    Moreover, on the 15th or 30th of every month, she would grow fangs, and a


    grotesque face would surface over her own, making her look like a twisted version


    of a vampire.


    Once those two days had passed,


    she''d return to her usual state again. Yet, the pain remained, worsening with each passing day. Herplexion grew so pale that, eventually, her skin became almost


    translucent.


    Despite countless medical consultations, full-body scans, and repeated blood tests, every result came back normal.


    With standard medical tests yielding no answers, the patient sought out experts of obscure and rare conditions, but not a single doctor could pinpoint the cause.


    After exhausting every other option, she reached out to Connie via email, cing what little hope she had left in this final attempt.


    Just as Natalie finished reading through the whole email, Connie called.


    "Ms. Walker, you''ve gone through the email, right?"


    Connie asked carefully, "What do you think? Should we ept the case?"


    Natalie''s fingers drummed softly against the table as she zoomed in on the patient''s photo, her gaze


    lingering on the patient''s eyes.


    the other end, Connie stayed silent as she waited. She didn''t dare to rush Natalie.


    A heavy silence settled over the moment.

 Chapter 403 What a Coincidence

    After a long pause, Natalie uttered softly, "ept it."


    "Alright, Ms. Walker," Connie, who was on the other end of the call, answered immediately. "I''ll reply to their email now.


    "Oh, right. Ms. Walker, the patient might not be able to make it to Balford."


    "I know."


    After reviewing the photos, Natalie knew the patient wasn''t able to go anywhere.


    "Where are they now?" she asked.


    "Let me check."


    Momentster, Connie responded, "They''re at Scarlet Hill, a ce in Amberton." Natalie arched a brow. Scarlet Hill? Now, that was an interesting coincidence.


    Based on what she had uncovered, Marcus'' biological parents were at Scarlet Hill right now.


    "Ask them to provide a detailed location. I was just about to go to Scarlet Hill myself, actually."


    "Okay, Ms. Walker. I''ll send it to youter."


    "Great. Anything else?"


    After checking, Connie shook her head. "Nope."


    "I''ll hang up then."


    "Ms. Walker, wait!" Connie blurted out.


    "Yeah?"


    "Now that Mr. Holden Senior has almost recovered, when can I leave? I want to go with you."


    After pondering for a while, Natalie replied, "Connie, stay at Holden Residence and look after Grandpa Charles. You can return once he recoverspletely." "Okay, Ms. Walker."


    Natalie added, "Your current task is to make sure Grandpa Charles is well taken care of. I''m going to Amberton with Marcus, and I can only be at ease if you stay by his side."


    "I understand, Ms. Walker."


    "Okay, that''s all."


    "Goodbye, Ms. Walker."


    "Goodbye."


    As she hung, Natalie received a text from her pinned contact-her beloved and revered mentor.


    Federrick texted, "My dear Natalie, I''ve received the sketchbook, and I''m very happy with it. There are three more, so go find them for me!"


    He even attached a few heart emoji at the end of the text.


    Natalie started typing on her phone, sending Federick a reply. "I''m on it!" Federrick sent her a sticker with the caption, "My dear Natalie, you''re the best". Natalie chuckled as she replied with a sticker captioned, "My mentor''s the best". But were there really three more of these sketchbooks? She wondered if there were any left in The Book Sanctum.


    She could just call Marcus to ask since he was already her boyfriend.


    Almost right away, Natalie dialed Marcus'' number. The call barely had time to ring before it was answered.


    "Nat?"


    Marcus'' deep, alluring voice slipped into her ears, and a sudden warmth crept up to her face. He had called her "Nat" so many times before, and it never fazed her. But now, for some reason, there was a new kind of sweetness to it.


    "Marcus, was the sketchbook you showed me at The Book Sanctum the only one, or are there more?"


    After calming herself down, she asked bluntly, "I heard the full set includes three more volumes. Do you have them?"


    "I''m not sure, though. What about I pick you up after work, and we go find them together?"


    Marcus had been in a foul mood, but the moment he heard Natalie''s voice, a bit of that heaviness lifted.


    "Not today, I''m afraid."


    Natalie nced at her watch. She had a new patient to attend to and a visit to the Nouvelle Zara headquarters ahead.


    The dress Charlotte had ordered from Nouvelle Zara waspleted well in advance of the wee party. Since she couldn''t wear them all herself, she made the most of the situation.


    Natalie mapped out her schedule in her mind. She had three tasks in Amberton uncovering the truth


    behind the hospital''s baby swap


    finding Marcus'' biological parents in Scarlet Hill, and treating the new patient.


    Sophia was in good hands with Zachary taking care of her and Holden Group''s


    bestwyers on the case, so there was nothing to worry about.


    Hence, Natalie could head to Amberton without waiting for Emma''s trial to end.


    When the ruling came in, Mason would update her.


    "Well, I can drop by to visit on the way."


    Natalie smiled as she said, "Wait for me, my dear boyfriend!"


    The instant she said, "my dear boyfriend", Marcus'' face lit up. The traces of gloom


    on his face vanished immediately.


    "Okay, I''ll be waiting for you."


    Hanging up, Natalie sent a text to Ophelia. Then, she carried her bag and left.


    William and Charlotte had given her all the space she needed ever since she moved back to Walker Estate. They never pried into her ns or tracked her movements.


    Even so, Natalie would always drop Charlotte a message, letting her know about her whereabouts. Here brothers regrly sent her money and checked in on her as they were worried that she might not feel at ease or happy living with them.


    Little by little, Natalie settled into the warmth of this big family.


    When she was downstairs, getting ready to leave, Gorge ran up to her. "Wait, Ms. Walker. Let me pack something up for you to eat."


    "Okay," Natalie replied. "Take your time, Gorge. I''m not rushing."


    "I''ll be very quick, Ms. Walker."


    With that, he turned and ran into the kitchen. As Natalie watched Gorge move


    around busily, a gentle smile tugged at her lips.


    Gorge, ever thoughtful, had been preparing a variety of beautifully crafted snacks for Natalie to take with her since she returned home.


    Knowing her favorite brand of chocte, Gorge began crafting new desserts using it. He always sampled them first, ensuring they were perfect before sharing them with her.


    Natalie noticed every bit of Gorge''s kindness and kept it close to her heart.


    Soon, Gorge walked out of the kitchen with a cute bag. "Here, Ms. Walker. Something for you to nibble on while you travel."


    "Thank you, Gorge."


    Natalie took the bag and looked inside, spotting several jars filled with delicately crafted treats.


    "If you like them, Ms. Walker, let me know, and I''ll make more," Gorge said, grinning. "I''ve been trying my hand at making some really tasty beef jerky. Once it''s ready, I''lfhave you try it."


    "Looking forward to it! Thanks, Gorge."


    With the bag in her hand, Natalie chatted briefly with Gorge before heading out of


    the vi.


    The moment she got to her car, Noah stepped forward. "Let me take the wheel, Ms. Walker."


    "Alright." Natalie tossed him the keys. "Keep them. You''ll be responsible for my safety and travel from now on."


    "Okay, Ms. Walker."


    At Holden Group, Marcus had just finished two meetings. Then, he wrapped up a


    ton of work in no time. Every so often, afterpleting his work, he would look up


    at the office door.


    Since Natalie''s call, he had instructed Ethan to escort her to his office the moment she showed up.


    Several hours had passed, and Natalie was still not there yet.


    Marcus'' expression grew darker.


    Did Natalie even love him? Did she say yes to being together because she felt responsible? Was that why she made seeing him sound so casual?

 Chapter 404 He Has a Love-Struck Side

    The more Marcus thought about it, the more convinced he became. Frustrated, he tossed the documents onto the desk and got up to leave.


    Just then, Ethan knocked and walked in, carefully cing the final document onto his desk.


    "Mr. Holden, this is thest document awaiting your decision. After this, you can leave for Amberton with Mrs. Holden without any distractions."


    Marcus looked up and shot Ethan a re. "Why is Mrs. Holden not here yet?" "I''ve called Noah, and he said they''re almost here."


    A sense of panic crept up on Ethan. He had asked Noah an hour ago, and that was what Noah told him.


    An hourter, the response was still the same.


    Every passing second without Natalie''s appearance sent shivers down his spine.


    "I don''t care how you''re going to do it, but I want to see Mrs. Holden here in five minutes," Marcusmanded coldly.


    Ethan''s heart skipped a beat. Still, he responded without a moment of hesitation.


    "Okay, I''ll call Mrs. Holden right away."


    The moment Ethan stepped out of Marcus'' office, he called Noah again.


    "Noah, please. I''m begging you just get Mrs. Holden here already!"


    Ethan was practically in tears.


    "We''re here already." There was a trace ofughter in Noah''s tone. "Just stepped through the entrance."


    Ethan let out a breath of relief. He kept the call connected as he dashed to the elevator.


    The elevator reached the first floor, and when the doors parted, Ethan''s eyesnded on Natalie. She was carrying a cute bag, with Noah following her dutifully behind.


    Noah had always worked in the background, appearing only when needed. But now, he walked behind Natalie in in sight.


    Ethan''s joy was written all over his face. He hurried forward. "You''re finally here, Mrs. Holden."


    Natalie was confused. "Mrs. Holden? Me?" she thought.


    "Mr. Holden is waiting for you in his office. Let me bring you there."


    Ethan was grinning from ear to ear as he led the way. Every employee they passed greeted Natalie with a respectful smile, addressing her as "Mrs. Holden".


    Although Natalie was perplexed, she smiled and returned the greetings. Once they were in the elevator, she asked, "Mr. Carter, why is everyone calling me ''Mrs. Holden?'' Did Marcus ask them to?"


    Ethan nodded. "You''re right, Mrs. Holden. It was his instructions, and every employee in Holden Group knows about you."


    Natalie was at a loss for words.


    Marcus practically announced her identity to everyone, leaving her no room to back out.


    She had his ring on her finger, and he still had doubts.


    Natalie remained silent. Once the elevator reached the top floor, Ethan led the way with the same respectful demeanor and quickly escorted her to Marcus'' office.


    "Mrs. Holden is here."


    "Alright, you may go," Macus said as his gaze lifted slightly. His chiseled features remained cold and unreadable.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Ethan and Noah then left the office, shutting the door behind them.


    Natalie walked toward Marcus with the bag in her hand. The moment she reached his desk, Marcus rose to his feet, leaned over, and captured her lips in a kiss.


    Natalie was caught off guard.


    Seriously, who rushed into a kiss like this? Was he just unting his long legs and strong core?


    Marcus didn''t care what she thought. He kissed her over and over again before finally letting go, satisfied. He had missed her deeply.


    "I brought you something to eat."


    Natalie pulled out a chair and sat down, unpacking the small jars one by one. "Gorge made these for me. I figured I''d share the love."


    "Okay."


    Marcus was grinning. A touch of warmth flickered in his obsidian eyes. As long as


    it was from Natalie, he''d love it, no questions asked.


    She wouldn''t have given it to him if she didn''t care, right? Otherwise, she could''ve just given it to someone else.


    "Go on, try it. I''m not sure if you like sweets."


    Natalie opened the jars and nudged them toward Marcus. "It''s the same chocte brand you gave Lincoln."


    "Thanks, Nat."


    Marcus took a piece and savored it slowly. The chocte was as rich and sweet as ever, with a creamy filling inside. One bite in, and sweetness intensified, but a touch of citrussy tartness kicked in, bncing the richness with a refreshing twist. C¨®ntent belongs to


    "How is it? Does it taste good?"


    Natalie rested her chin on one hand, gazing intently at Marcus.


    Before, she had to keep her distance. After that first breathtaking nce, she hardly dared to look at him for too long.


    Now that he was her boyfriend, she could admire him all she wanted.


    As their eyes met, a smile tugged at Marcus'' lips. He picked up a small piece of


    pastry and held it out to Natalie. "Say ah."


    "I''ve had it already." Natalie shook her head. "You can have them all."


    "Come on, let me take you to dinner then."


    Marcus put away the sweeps and kept them back in the bag. Then, he ced the bag into the drawer of his desk. "I''ll save them for next time."


    Natalie chuckled. "I can ask Gorge to make more if you like them."


    "I like them," Marcus answered without any hesitation. "Once Gorge is done, you can bring them to me."


    Natalie had nned to ask the helpers to deliver it, but the way Marcus looked at her made her pause. "Okay, I''ll bring them to you."


    "Great!"


    Marcus'' smile widened in an instant. "I''m done with work, so let''s go! Wait, actually I''ll take them back home."


    With that, Marcus opened the drawer and took out the bag of sweets.


    "Now let''s go."


    "Okay!"


    "Hang on, Nat. I need to use the washroom."


    Natalie hummed a reply.


    As soon as Marcus got into the washroom, he took out his phone and sent a text


    to Ethan, "Make the announcement-have every department report in turns and greet her as ''Mrs. Holden.""


    Ethan replied, "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    After putting his phone away, Marcus turned on the tap, washed his hands, and stayed there for a moment before leaving.


    "Let''s go now, Nat!"


    "Okay."


    Marcus walked beside Natalie with the bag of sweets in hand. As they stepped


    out of the CEO''s office, senior executives started showing up.


    "Mr. Holden, Mrs. Holden, good evening."


    "Oh? How did you know Mrs. Holden brought me something to eat?" Marcus nodded as he casually said.


    He even made a point to show off the bag of sweets Natalie had given him. "Good eye-you spotted that she brought me chocte cream cookies."


    Everyone on


    the spot was speechless, including Ethan and Noah, who were trailing behind. There was no looking at this without secondhand embarrassment. Ever since Marcus started dating it was like he had beenpletely overtaken by lovesickness.


    The senior executive snapped back to his senses promptly. "Absolutely! You both


    are such a perfect match. Mrs. Holden isn''t just beautiful but also warm and


    caring. I wish you both endless happiness!"


    Marcus nodded in satisfaction. "Thanks. Don''t work toote today."


    "Alright. Take care, Mr. Holden, and you too, Mrs. Holden."


    Marcus walked ahead with Natalie. Before long, people started greeting them. But every time, before Natalie could respond, Marcus would jump in first, repeating the same thing he had told the executive earlier.


    After a few rounds of this, Natalie finally caught on-he was showing off.


    She stared at him nkly. How had she never noticed he had such a romantic


    streak?

 Chapter 405 Have Some Self-Control Please

    By the time Marcus and Natalie stepped out of Holden Group, almost everyone in thepany knew exactly who the boss'' girlfriend was and had seen her for


    themselves.


    No one had ever witnessed their CEO looking soposed yet so undeniably smug before.


    Though surprised, the employees were absolutely thrilled. After all, their monthly bonuses had just doubled.


    If one visit from Natalie meant a raise, then what if she dropped by more often? Maybe even daily? At this rate, they''d be wealthy in no time!


    At that moment, they all agreed-having a love-struck CEO wasn''t bad at all.


    Natalie, however, wasn''t aware of all of these.


    As they stepped out of the building, Marcus made it clear that he was riding in her car. And, of course, he had a valid reason for it.


    "You came to pick me up, Nat. So naturally, I should ride with you. If we go in separate cars, people might get the wrong idea and think we don''t get along. And


    I don''t want that."


    Natalie gave in, nodding her head, and pulled open the car door for him.


    "Hop on in, my dear boyfriend."


    "Thank you, my dear girlfriend."


    Marcus'' eyes gleamed with amusement as he slid into the car, clearly in a great mood.


    Natalie followed him.


    "Drive," Natalie instructed in a neutral tone. Noah started the car and pulled away from Holden Group.


    Before Natalie or Marcus could say a word, the partition rose, instantly isting the front and back.


    Marcus intertwined their fingers and leaned in for a kiss, but Natalie swiftly stopped him with a hand to his lips.


    "Have some self-control, Marcus."


    "Can''t I kiss my own girlfriend?"


    Marcus gazed at her intently. "We''ve been apart for so long, and you didn''t even


    miss me. You promised toe, yet you made me wait this long."


    After a brief pause, he added, "You have to make it up to me."


    "If you keep acting this way, I might just break up with you."


    Natalie gave him a teasing look. "Shouldn''t a man like you be more focused on business?"


    "My career is stable, and our rtionship should be too." Marcus blurted out, "Let''s get our marriage registered. You promised since you took my innocence, you have to take responsibility."


    "I''ve thought about it, and I think we should take it slow," Natalie said with a stern look. "I want to enjoy the dating phase a little longer. Plus, you haven''t even properly proposed. Going straight into marriage like this is a no-go for me."


    "I''ll propose now, then."


    With that, Marcus was going to get down on one knee in the car. He even pulled out a diamond ring from his pocket.


    "Seriously, did you get these in bulk? Why are you carrying so many rings?"


    Natalie gripped his wrist firmly and made him sit down. "Can you just act normal? You''re freaking me out like this."


    Reluctantly, Marcus leaned back in the seat.


    "Stay put." Seeing his defiance, Natalie''s face turned cold, and her voice rose slightly.


    He let out a sigh.


    Oh well, she wouldn''t be strict with him if she didn''t love him. Otherwise, why wasn''t she giving Noah a hard time, too?


    "Okay." Marcus bit his lip. "What do you want for dinner, Nat?"


    Before Natalie could answer, her phone rang. It was an unknown number.


    "Hello, who''s this?"


    "Hello, Ms. Walker. I''m Sophia''s mother, Samantha."


    "Oh, Ms. ir. What''s the matter?" Natalie''s tone grew a bit softer. "Is there something wrong with Sophia''s condition?"


    "No, not at all. She''s doing fine," Samantha answered instantly. "It''s Ivan. He just gave me a call, asking me to help him. He''s practically begging me, though. He even told me he''d get a divorce from me and hand over all his assets to Sophia if I helped him."


    She paused for a moment and continued, "I''ve thought it over-between getting


    divorced and bing a widow, I think I''d rather be a widow.


    "I wanted to go see what''s


    happening, but Sophia said she''d be worried if went by myself. Since Mr. tw Holt is taking care of Sophia at the hospital, I thought I''d call and ask to see if you can apany me to the Sinir residence."


    Samantha chose her words carefully. "From the way Ivan sounded, he won''t go to the enforcement office, and he definitely doesn''t want this getting out. So, I guess something must have happened."


    Upon hearing everything Samantha had said, Natalie cast an eye on Marcus, and without any hesitation, she said, "Okay! I''lle and pick you up now."


    "Thank you. Thank you so much, Ms. Walker." Samantha''s voice had a touch of excitement. "I''ll be waiting for you at the hospital''s entrance. We''ll head straight to the Sinir residence once you arrive."


    "Sounds good."


    Natalie ended the call, only to meet Marcus'' aggrieved gaze.


    "I want to go to the Sinir residence and watch the chaos. Be my date?"


    She leaned in, pressing a light peck at the corner of his lips.


    Instantly, his mood flipped. "Alright, you''re the boss."


    Natalie was in stitches. She suddenly realized how absurdly easy Marcus was to pacify. The difference between him before and after dating was like night and day.


    This kind of contrast? Absolutely adorable.


    Natalie chuckled for a moment before shifting onto Marcus''p. She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in slowly. Then, she saw his Adam''s apple bob, and his gaze darkened with intensity.


    Yet, he sat there, straight-faced, as if he had all the patience in the world to wait for her to kiss him. If it weren''t for the growing flush creeping over his ears, she might have actually believed it.


    As their lips were about to touch, Natalie pulled away all of a sudden. Then, with a yful smirk, she moved off hisp and settled into the seat beside him.


    Marcus was dumbfounded.


    Wasn''t she just about to kiss him? Why the sudden retreat? Was his face not attractive enough anymore? Or had he done something wrong?


    He murmured, "Nat..."


    "Shush," Natalie interrupted. "I''m a little tired. I''m going to take a nap. Wake me up when we get to the hospital."


    With that, Natalie closed her eyes, looking every bit like someone on the verge of sleep.


    Marcus let out a sigh, thinking that next time when she leaned in, he''d kiss her right away.


    Natalie''s eyes remained closed, but the faint smile on her lips gave away her satisfaction.


    A momentter, a jacket was draped over her, carrying a slight scent of jasmine flowers. The jacket was warm-clearly Marcus'', taken off to cover her.


    Natalie didn''t utter a word and just let herself rx like that.


    As the car glided smoothly forward, Natalie dozed off in no time. Once she was asleep, Marcus carefully gathered her into his arms, adjusting her position so she could rest morefortably. Then, he ced a gentle kiss on her forehead.


    Keeping his voice low, he instructed Noah to adjust the temperature of the car.


    Soon, they arrived at Dithoria City Hospital. Samantha was already waiting at the entrance, conversing with Zane, who was standing beside her.

 Chapter 406 She Came to Watch the Show

    Noah pulled up beside Samantha, slowing the car to a stop. He stepped out and opened the passenger door. "Ms. ir, please get in."


    Samantha nced inside the car. Noticing this, Noah quickly exined, "Ms. Walker and Mr. Holden are in the backseat. Ms. Walker is asleep."


    "Oh, okay." Samantha immediately understood. It wasn''t that she didn''t trust Noah. After all, he was the one who had led people to the Sinir family''s convent to rescue her.


    She just wanted to confirm that Natalie was there. As long as Natalie was present, she would feel safe.


    "Zane, I''m going with Ms. Walker," she said.


    Zane waved a hand. "Got it, Ms. ir. But when you''re done watching the show, don''t forget to tell me all about it!"


    Noah spoke up from the side. "Mr. Holt, why don''t youe along? You can follow us in your own car."


    "Can I?" Zane blinked several times. "Then, I''ll go get my car right now. I know the Sinir residence''s address, Noah. You may go ahead."


    With that, Zane didn''t give anyone else a chance to speak. He spun around and dashed toward his car.


    Noah smiled slightly, closed the car door for Samantha, then turned and got into the driver''s seat.


    An hour and a halfter, they arrived at the Sinir residence.


    Returning to this ce, Samantha was noticeably calmer. She pushed open the gate and stepped inside. Before she even entered the vi, the thick scent of blood hit her.


    There were soundsing from within, but they weren''t loud-too muffled to travel far.


    The Sinir residence was located in a highly private residential area, where vis were spaced far apart. Even if Ivan shouted at the top of his lungs, no one outside would hear him.


    Samantha walked forward and slowly pushed open the vi door. As soon as the door opened, the scent of blood grew even stronger.


    The voices inside also became clearer.


    "Julia White, you wretched woman! I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you!"


    "Hahaha¡ª"


    Julia hadn''t even finishedughing before she was wracked with a violent coughing fit. It took her a while for her to catch her breath, but then she startedughing again, herughter wild and unhinged.


    "Ivan Sinir, how about you try standing up before making threats? You want to harm me? Harm my daughter? You should at least make sure you have the ability first."


    "Julia White! You wretched woman!" Ivan cursed, his face twisted in rage,pletely devoid of the refined demeanor he once had.


    Julia suppressed a cough, a sly smile ying on her lips as she twirled the dagger in her hand. She lightly tapped the de against Ivan''s face.


    "No need to panic. Didn''t I give you a chance? I let Samanthae to save you, didn''t I?"


    Ivan had been fixated on the doorway, his entire body tense with anticipation. The moment Samantha pushed the door open and stepped inside, his face lit up with desperate relief.


    "Honey, you''re here! Hurry,e save me!" he shouted, his voice trembling with urgency.


    Julia turned, smiling when she saw Samantha. Her demeanor was surprisingly wee.


    "You''re here. Come, have a seat."


    Samantha''s gaze followed the bloodstains on the floor, then shifted to Ivan, who was tied to a chair. It finallynded on Julia, who was covered in blood with a crazed look on her face.


    Suddenly, this spectacle felt too much for her to take in.


    "Samantha, don''t leave. Come over here. I promise I won''t hurt you." Julia tossed the dagger aside and took a step toward Samantha.


    "But if you try to leave... well, I can''t guarantee anything."


    Just as Samantha was about to respond, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her back.


    In the next second, Noah stepped in front of her, shielding her.


    Julia halted mid-step and pressed a hand to her lips as she coughed.


    "Ah, I almost forgot. You''ve got someone protecting you now."


    Just then, the door was pushed openpletely. Marcus walked in with his arm around Natalie''s shoulders.


    Upon seeing them, a flicker of hatred shed through Julia''s eyes. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared, and she soon regained herposure.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker. You''re here too? Come on in, have a seat. Everyone, take a seat!"


    She let out a chuckle, though she had to suppress another coughing fit, her face turning pale from the effort.


    "Save me! Samantha, save me!"


    The moment Ivan saw Samantha, he shouted again.


    "Honey, save me! Julia drugged me with sleeping pills! She''s been torturing me, cutting me over and over again!"


    Tears streamed down his face. "Honey, tell Natalie to save me! Tell Mr. Holden to save me! They''re good friends with Sophia. You don''t want Sophia to lose her father, do you?"


    Samantha''s expression twisted as if she had just been force-fed filth. She took out a handkerchief and covered her nose and mouth, not bothering to hide her disgust and contempt.


    "You''ve misunderstood. I didn''te to save you-I came to watch the show."


    Her voice was gentle and calm. "We were husband and wife, after all. I should at


    least wait until you''re dead and then take care of your corpse.


    "As for whether Sophia has a father or not, that doesn''t matter in the slightest. Hasn''t she suffered


    enough because of you? If you die,


    she loses a father, and I lose


    husband. That would be the bestpensation for both of us."


    "Haha¡ª" Julia burst intoughter again, but her coughing soon overtook her. Clutching her chest, she staggered back toward Ivan.


    "Ivan, your wife doesn''t want you anymore. She''s going to celebrate bing a widow!"


    "You venomous woman!" Ivan roared at Julia, only to receive a sharp p across the face.


    "I''m a venomous woman, and you''re a scumbag. Aren''t we a perfect match?" Julia giggled. Then suddenly, she turned around and fell to her knees before Samantha.


    "Ms. ir, I''m sorry. I''m sorry to you and your daughter. I''m willing to pay for my mistakes with my life. Just please, let my daughter go."


    She had already sent Ruby away. But Julia feared that with Marcus'' and Natalie''s power, if Sophia decided to take revenge, Ruby wouldn''t stand a chance.


    So Julia had made her decision. She couldn''t afford to offend Goodwill Pharmacy. She would repay what she owed, apologize sincerely, and bear all the consequences alone.


    As for Ruby, as long as no one deliberately sought revenge against her, the money Julia had set aside would be more than enough for her to livefortably for the rest of her life.


    Julia knelt before Samantha with unwavering sincerity, bowing her head to the ground in deep respect.


    "Ms. ir, if you have any resentment toward me, take your revenge now. Do whatever you must. I promise, I won''t hold a grudge. I won''t fight you,pete with you, or even think of getting back at you."


    She spoke between ragged breaths, then suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit. It took a long moment for her to suppress it, forcing herself to steady her voice. "The money I took from Ivan over the years some of it went to my daughter, but the rest, I''m returning to you and Ms. Sinir."


    Her voice trembled slightly as she continued. Ms. ir, you''re a mother too. You spent years locked away in the Sinir family''s convent for the sake of your daughter. understand that I did everything I did for mine as well."


    FR


    Julia''s eyes turned red. "I chased wealth and status, and I made countless mistakes. But Ruby didn''t. She bullied Ms. Sinir because I taught her to. I''ll take responsibility for that-hers and mine both."


    She inhaled shakily, determination hardening in her gaze. "Ms. ir, I know what


    you want. Just wait-you''ll see my sincerity soon enough."

 Chapter 407 The Sinclairs Scandal Shocks Everyone Again

    The way Juliaughed made Samantha instinctively step back.


    "Ms. ir, I beg you. Please spare my daughter."


    Julia knelt and bowed to Samantha several times. "I swear, my daughter will never appear in front of you again. She''ll keep her head down, behave herself, and never bother you again."


    "I beg you, Samantha. Help me! This woman is insane-she''s lost her mind!" Ivan shouted again. "Samantha, don''t believe her! I was seduced by her back then. That''s why I betrayed you and our family!


    "Samantha, look at me! I promise I''lle back to you. I swear I''ll be a good husband to you and a good father to Sophia. Please, don''t leave me like this!"


    Ivan''s screams echoed in the room. In this short time, he had seen just how deranged Julia really was.


    She had pretended to obey him, cooking him meals, only to secretly drug his food with sleeping pills. When he woke up, he was already tied tightly to a chair, unable to move.


    Meanwhile, Ruby had been set free.


    When Julia saw that he was awake, she retrieved a fruit knife from the kitchen and began cutting him-slowly and deliberately.


    As she sliced into him, she reminisced about their past together.


    Ivan had shouted, cursed, pleaded-none of it made any difference. Julia ignored himpletely.


    By this time, his body was covered in wounds. Julia suddenly smiled and told him that if he could get Samantha toe and save him, she would let him go.


    Then, she even helped him dial Samantha''s number.


    The call went through and Samantha came.


    But she didn''te to save him. On the contrary, she only came to watch the show.


    If it had been just Samatha, Ivan might have still held onto some hope. But it wasn''t just her.


    Natalie and Marcus hade too.


    Both of them were ruthless-neither would show him mercy.


    But Samantha was his only chance, his only hope. He had to beg her.


    "Samantha, honey, please! We were husband and wife. Doesn''t that mean anything? You can''t just stand by and watch me die!"


    Ivan sobbed, his tears and snot covering his face. As he struggled, his wounds opened up again, seeping fresh blood, making the scene even more horrific.


    Samantha was disgusted. She couldn''t believe she had married such a man, let alone given birth to his child.


    "I don''t want to watch this anymore. I''m leaving." Samantha turned toward the door. "Marcus, Natalie, let''s go."


    "Not watching anymore?" Natalie nced at Ivan. "Mr. Sinir, do you need me to report this to the authorities?"


    "Yes, yes, yes! Ms. Walker, please help me!" Ivan nodded frantically.


    Julia chuckled. "Ms. Walker, you''re still so kind and softhearted."


    "Ms. Walker, stay out of the Sinir family''s business," Samantha said, pulling Natalie back. "This is between them. It has nothing to do with us. You only came with me today to get some of Sophia''s things. You saw nothing."


    Natalie nodded. "I was just being polite. I wasn''t nning to get involved."


    Her words made it clear-she had only been teasing Ivan earlier.


    Whatever hope he had left immediately turned into despair.


    "Natalie, you''re letting me die!"


    "Don''t be ridiculous!" Julia stood up, "This is just a little game between us. It has nothing to do with Ms. Walker. Besides, don''t forget-we used to y like this all the time. I have proof of that."


    Julia patted Ivan''s face. "I''m not going to do anything to you in front of them, so what''s the rush?"


    "You vicious woman! I''ll kill you! I''m definitely going to kill you!"


    Ivan then let out a piercing scream in despair.


    "Let''s go."


    Samantha had seen enough. She turned around without any hesitation.


    Marcus held Natalie''s hand as they followed her out.


    "I never thought Julia and Ivan would end up like this."


    Inside the car, Samantha let out a sigh.


    "They got what they deserved," Zane agreed. "Ms. ir, don''t go soft now!"


    "I won''t," Samantha said, looking at


    the Sinir residence through the car window. "I don''t know what Julia will do to Ivan, but hearing her say they used to y like this makes me sick."


    "Ms. ir, don''t think about things that upset you."


    Natalie took out a small box of sweets from her pocket and handed it to


    Samantha. "Here, have some."


    "Thank you, Ms. Walker."


    "Call me Natalie," Natalie said with a smile. "I''m friends with Sophia. Just call me by my name."


    "Alright, Natalie." Samantha''s eyes turned slightly red. She never imagined that she and Sophia would meet such kind people in their lifetime.


    "Natalie, thank you. And thank you, Marcus.


    "If it weren''t for Marcus, Sophia


    for


    might not have survived this long. And if it weren''t for you, she might have ended up pregnant with that scumbag''s child and lost her life. For my daughter and me, this is already the best possible oue.


    "Thank you. Truly, thank you."


    Samantha was about to kneel in gratitude, but Natalie quickly stopped her.


    "Ms. ir, don''t do that. Please sit down. We''re about to drive."


    "Okay, okay."


    "Noah, drive."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    The car started, slowly leaving the Sinir residence.


    Half an hourter, Samantha''s phone rang.


    She nced at the caller ID-it was Julia.


    Samantha hesitated for a moment but picked up.


    "Hello, Julia. What do you want now?"


    "Check the news soon," Julia''s weak voice came through. "Samantha, wronged you. So I''m taking Ivan to


    hell


    With me. Please spare my


    daughter.


    "Ruby isn''t Ivan''s child. But I was selfish-I still gave her part of the Sinir


    family''s wealth. Please, just let her go."


    Before Samantha could respond, Julia hung up.


    "Ivan and Julia are trending online," Marcus said, cing his phone in front of


    Samantha and Natalie.


    Natalie looked over and saw an anonymous post.


    "The Sinirs'' Scandal Shocks Everyone Again!"


    The post detailed Julia and Ivan''s entire history-their misdeeds, and everything


    they had done to Sophia.


    Julia had left behind a confession letter and a video.


    The videosted half an hour.


    The first half showed Julia and Ivan''s twisted past-how they used to y their


    sick games.


    The second half was what they had just witnessed in person.


    And at the very end of the video, as Julia and Ivan were seen on screen, she


    suddenly slit his throat.


    Blood sprayed everywhere.


    Then, Julia lifted the knife and shed her own neck.


    Blood gushed out and the video ended right there.

 Chapter 408 The Wicked Meet Their End

    Just as Natalie finished watching the video, arge hand covered her eyes.


    "Don''t watch such disgusting things," Marcus'' deep, maic voice sounded in her ear. "It''ll ruin your appetite."


    Natalie smiled faintly. She had seen far bloodier and more revolting scenes than this. What disgusted her more than the sight of Ivan''s and Julia''s blood was their bedroom antics.


    At their age, they were still into such extreme activities. If nothing else, their stamina wasmendable.


    "From now on, it looks like Sophia will have to step up and take charge of the Sinir family''s affairs."


    Marcus kept one hand over Natalie''s eyes while using the other to turn off her phone before finally letting her see again.


    "Sophia isn''t in good health right now. I don''t think she''s in any condition to take charge," Natalie said, frowning slightly. "And Ms. ir doesn''t seem like someone who can handle it either."


    "So you mean you want me to step in?" Marcus'' tone darkened. If she dared to say yes, he would be upset.


    "Of course not." Natalie rejected the idea without hesitation. "Before, you treated Sophia as your benefactor and protected her. Back then, you and I had nothing to do with each other, so I had no say in it.


    "But now, you''re my boyfriend. If you step in to handle her affairs, what will


    outsiders think of me? What will my family think? They''ll all assume you still have feelings for her.


    "Besides, love often begins with sympathy. Since you''re my boyfriend now, helping other women is no longer your responsibility."


    Hearing this, the storm on Marcus'' face subsided a little.


    Her answer satisfied him.


    Suppressing the hint of a smile on his lips, Marcus asked casually, "Then... who do you think should help Sophia with this matter?"


    Natalie pondered for a moment before answering, "We''ve already done almost everything we can for Sophia. The rest is up to her."


    Marcus was even more satisfied with this answer, humming in response.


    "I''ll take you to the Helianese restaurant for dinner."


    "Sure!"


    Natalie had always liked the food there. But ever since she learned it was run by Marcus'' mother, her feelings about the ce had beplicated.


    There was also another thing that intrigued her the mysterious string of zeros on that address, which seemed to be linked to the Helianese Restaurant.


    Before heading out, Natalie sent a message to her family group chat, letting them know she wouldn''t being home for dinner. Then, she put away her phone.


    The moment she did, Marcus reached over and intertwined his fingers with her.


    Natalie stared at their interlocked hands for a long moment before looking up at him.


    Marcus merely smiled at her, his expression calm and natural.


    In the end, Natalie didn''t pull away, allowing him to hold her hand as they walked together.


    Though both of them had been engaged before, neither had any actual dating experience.


    But when it came to Marcus'' affectionate gestures, Natalie didn''t find them unpleasant.


    In fact, when she was drunk, she was even bolder than he was.


    Meanwhile, in the VIP room of Dithoria City Hospital, Sophia sat against the headboard, quietly scrolling through thetest trending news on her iPad.


    Zachary sat beside her, peeling an apple. Once he finished, he cut it into small pieces, skewered them with toothpicks, and ced the te in front of her.


    "You''ve read enough. Give your eyes a break," Zachary said as he reached out and took the iPad from her hands.


    "Eat some fruit. They are effective in boosting your vitamin intake."


    His tone was gentle.


    Sophia looked at him for a moment before finally speaking. "I need to handle my father''s funeral."


    "Before the news about the Sinir family broke, Julia had already scheduled an email to be sent tow enforcement. They should have arrived at the Sinir residence by now.


    "Julia made thorough preparations. Shepletely wiped all the surveince footage and destroyed the security system."


    Zachary looked at her. "You''re not in good health. This isn''t something you should be dealing with right now."


    After a brief pause, he continued, "If you''re willing, I can handle it for you-as your boyfriend."


    Sophia frowned slightly, quickly running through the situation in her mind.


    "I still want to keep an eye on the public''s reaction to the Sinir family."


    "There''s nothing worth seeing," Zachary said as he adjusted her


    nket. "Ms. ir was at the


    scene.


    Instead of worrying about public opinion, why don''t you talk to her?"


    Since returning from the Sinir residence, Samantha had barely spoken. Zachary had asked her several questions, but she only shook her head each time. Still, based on her microexpressions and the current news about the Sinir family, Zachary could more or less guess what she had witnessed there.


    "Sophia, don''t forget-Ruby Sinir is still out there. If you go out now, I worry she might secretly target you."


    Sophia considered his words carefully. Then, recalling Samantha''s dazed and silent state aftering back, she decided not to insist.


    "Alright, I''ll listen to you. But does it have to be my boyfriend? Can''t you handle it with another identity?"


    She hesitated as she looked at Zachary.


    He was the eldest son of the Holt family, as well as her former psychologist. He had already done so much for her, and she was deeply grateful.


    But if he pretended to be her boyfriend-and the Holt family found out-it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.


    Besides, Sophia didn''t want to owe Zachary anything more.


    "Aside from fianc¨¦, the role of ''boyfriend'' is the most convenient way for me to handle things for you right now," Zachary said calmly.


    "It''s just a private arrangement-no one else will know. As for my family, whether it''s you or any other woman, they''d actually be happy to see me in a rtionship." Sophia was puzzled. "Why?"


    Zachary chuckled. "Because my parents have always suspected m not straight. So they''ve been hoping I''d bring home a girlfriend. Even if I don''t, just having one in name gives them peace of mind.


    "So really, Sophia, by letting me pretend to be your boyfriend, you''re actually


    doing me a favor."


    Sophia was finally convinced.


    She nodded. "Alright, then I''ll have to trouble you. There''s no need to be so


    formal, you know. We''ve been friends for years."


    After saying this, Zachary stood up and gently ruffled her hair.


    "Have a good talk with Ms. ir. She''s not in a good state right now."


    "I understand."


    Zachary then left the ward.


    Sophia turned her gaze toward Samantha, who sat by the window, staring nkly outside.


    After all these years, she had finally been able to take Samantha out of that cold, deste convent in the Sinir residence.


    The process had been painful and exhausting. But at least the oue was good.


    "Mom, I''m thirsty," Sophia called out.


    Samantha, who had been lost in thought, Immediately snapped back to reality. She hurried to pour a ss of warm water and brought it to Sophia. "Sophia, be careful-it''s hot."


    "Mom, ever since you came back, you haven''t said a word. What''s on your mind?"


    Samantha''s eyes turned red instantly. Looking at Sophia, she couldn''t hold back


    her tears.


    "Sophia, I''m just happy. After all these years, I finally got to see Ivan and Julia get what they deserved.


    "The old saying is true-evil people


    will always meet their end. It''s not that justice doesn''te; it justes at the right time. And when it dees, everything is settled.

 Chapter 409 Likes You

    Samanthaughed through her tears as she repeatedly reyed the video posted by a media ount on her phone.


    "Serves them right. Good riddance!"


    Covering her face, she finally couldn''t hold back and burst into loud sobs.


    "They''re finally dead. That scumbag and that wretched woman are finally dead! I won''t be threatened, harassed, or set up by them ever again!"


    Sophia sat on her hospital bed, watching Samantha with a heart full of sorrow. She wanted tofort her, but there were so many things to say that she didn''t even know where to begin.


    So, she simply let Samantha cry her heart out.


    "Sophia, my daughter, we''re finally free. Both of us are free. You''ll never have to call that disgusting man ''Dad'' again. He can never threaten you again. He''ll never have another chance to use you to curry favor with any man."


    Samanthaughed through her tears. "This is a joyous asion. A huge celebration is in order. I''m going to buy something delicious to celebrateter.


    "In my whole life, I''ve never felt as happy as I do right now."


    Afterughing and crying, Samantha covered her face and let out muffled sobs.


    "Sophia, I don''t have to live in fear anymore. I don''t have to pray every day. I don''t have to be separated from you ever again."


    Sophia''s eyes turned red as well, but the doctor had told her to keep her emotions in check, so she tried her best to control herself.


    "Mom, we''ll live a good life together from now on."


    Choking up, Sophia continued, "I''ll make sure you have a good life. Don''t worry." "Sophia, I don''t ask for a good life. I just want you to be safe and healthy." After crying, Samantha wiped her tears with a tissue. "I''ll go wash my face. And Sophia, don''t waste your feelings on that scum. He was never worthy of being your father."


    "I know, Mom. Don''t worry."


    Just then, Sophia''s phone chimed.


    She nced at the screen, finding an email from an unknown sender.


    Opening it, she read through the contents, her expression gradually darkening.


    The sender was offering to transfer all the Sinir Group shares they held over to her.


    After the downfall of Ivan, Sinir Group had been acquired by Holden Group. Ivan had only managed to take a small amount of money from the deal, but someone else had retained a significant portion of thepany''s shares.


    And for some reason, Marcus hadn''t acquired this person''s shares.


    It took Sophia a while to piece together the connections.


    The downfall of Sinir Group likely had something to do with this mysterious person.


    The email also stated that if she wanted to reim Sinir Group and be its new owner, they could help her.


    Who was this person? Why were they offering to help her?


    Sophia frowned deeply. The thing she feared most was this kind of unknown figure-someone whose motives were unclear, someone she couldn''t tell was a friend or foe.


    After Sinir Group fell into Marcus'' hands, she had never considered taking it back. In fact, she thought it was better off under Marcus.


    With the support of Holden Group, every problem Sinir once had was no longer a problem at all.


    "It''s time to rest."


    Just as she was lost in thought, someone suddenly took the phone from her hand.


    She looked up and saw Zachary gazing at her with concern.


    "You''ve been frowning the whole time. What''s wrong?"


    "Mr. Holt, how much do you know about Sinir Group?"


    Sophia trusted Zachary. Her mind was a mess, so she decided to ask him for his opinion.


    "I know quite a bit."


    Zachary turned to pour her a ss of water and ced a set of pills in front of her. "Take your medicine first."


    Sophia took the pills, drank some water, and then asked, "How much do you know about the Sinir Group''s downfall?"


    Zachary thought for a moment before answering, "Quite a lot. But Sophia, you need to focus on resting. Three days from now, Emma Meloney''s fate will be decided in court.


    "Thewyer went to see Emma, and she requested to meet you. Thewyer rejected her request outright."


    "What does she want with me?"


    "Probably to beg for forgiveness and get you to sign a leniency statement."


    "That''s impossible." Sophia''s tone was firm. "I will never forgive them."


    "Sky also asked to see you. Do you want to meet him?" Zachary pressed his lips together.


    Truthfully, he didn''t want Sophia to meet Sky at all.


    But he knew her well-she was probably going to go anyway.


    And sure enough, after a moment of contemtion, Sophia exhaled slowly.


    "I''ll see him. I can ignore Emma, but I have to meet Sky."


    "Alright, I''ll arrange it for you."


    "Mr. Holt, thank you."


    "Sophia, I''m not your psychologist anymore. You don''t have to call me Mr. Holt. We''re friends, aren''t we?"


    "Then what should I call you?"


    Sophia hesitated. Calling him by nickname felt too intimate, but using his full name felt too distant.


    "Ms. Walker and Mr. Holden are dating. I heard her call him by his first name, Marcus. You can do the same with me," Zachary said with a smile.


    "Besides, have to pretend to be your


    certain0 help you handle


    Someone has to


    Mr. Sinir''s body and


    Cange his funeral, right?"


    Sophia hesitated for a moment before trying, "Zachary?"


    "Yes." Zachary smiled. "That''s good, isn''t it?"


    Sophia wasn''t sure if it was good or not, but if he was satisfied, then she wouldn''t


    argue.


    "When you meet Sky, will you feel afraid?" Zachary asked.


    Sophia fell silent and spoke bitterly after a long pause. "Even if I''m afraid, what then? I have to


    ovee it. I have to move forward and believe in myself."


    As she said this, she smiled. "Zachary, I can do this."


    Zachary stared at her bright, confident smile.


    For a moment, he was dazed. It had been so long since he had seen her smile


    like this-radiant and full of life.


    Not just radiant, but full of confidence.


    He had to believe in her, just like Marcus believed in Natalie.


    Zachary nodded seriously. "Alright, I''ll make the arrangements."


    "Okay. Thank you."


    "There''s no need to thank me."


    Zachary reached out and ruffled her hair. "I''ll take care of it. Wait for news from


    me."


    "Okay."


    After Zachary left, Samantha came out of the bathroom. She had heard


    everything.


    "Sophia."


    "Mom."


    "Does Mr. Holt like you?"


    Samantha couldn''t quite describe her feelings. The thought that someone liked


    her daughter made her happy. But at the same time, it terrified her.


    Sophia had already been through so much.


    If she found someone who truly cared for her, that would be wonderful. But no matter how good it seemed at the start, there was no guarantee that love could withstand the test of time.


    Most men grew tired of old mes and sought new ones.


    What if, one day, Zachary no longer liked Sophia? Would he use her painful past


    as a weapon to hurt her?

 Chapter 410 She Met Him for One Question

    "Sophia, it''s not that I think Mr. Holt isn''t a good person." Samantha hesitated, trying to find the right words to express her concerns.


    "Mom, I know what you mean." Sophia interrupted her. "You don''t have to say it. I''ll keep my distance from Zachary. We''re just friends, and we''ll only ever be friends."


    Her words didn''t reassure Samantha. Instead, they made her feel even more heartbroken.


    Sophia should have had a good life. But it had all been ruined¡ªbecause of Ivan, Julia, Ruby, Emma, Sky, and the true mastermind behind it all, Shane.


    If not for them, Sophia could have grown up like any other woman-loved and cherished by her parents, safe and sound.


    She could have met someone she loved, someone who loved her in return.


    They would have fallen in love, gotten married, and built a warm and peaceful life together, growing old side by side.


    But instead, here she was-lying in a hospital bed, scarred inside and out after enduring so much suffering.


    "Mom, I''m well aware of my past. I won''t long for things that don''t belong to me. You don''t have to worry about me."


    Sophia reached out and held Samantha''s hand. A mother knew her daughter best, but the same was true the other way around-she understood her mother just as well.


    With everything she had been through, Samantha had feared that she would never find true love and happiness. That instead, she might fall into an even darker abyss.


    She understood this and had never nned on looking for love again.


    "Mom, don''t worry about me. I have no desire for romance." Sophia hugged Samantha tightly. "For the rest of my life, I just want to live well with you."


    "Natalie is giving me an opportunity to work, and I want to repay her for that.


    "But she told me I should live for myself. Even though she''s the one giving me this opportunity, I shouldn''t treat it as a way to repay her. What I need to do is use this job to make myself better-to build a better life for both of us.


    "She said, ''You weren''t even afraid of death, so what else is there to fear?''


    "I''ve already died once and have been reborn. From now on, I''ll fear nothing. I''m not afraid to meet Sky. I''m not afraid to face Shane. And I''m certainly not afraid to face Emma.


    "Mom, I''m not afraid. So you shouldn''t be either. Okay? We both deserve a new beginning."


    Hearing Sophia''s words, Samantha''s eyes turned red again.


    There were so many things she wanted to say, but at this moment, she found herself speechless.


    Sophia understood everything, but the price of that understanding had been far too high.


    "Mom, I''m lucky because I met Natalie."


    Sophia tightened her embrace. "So many people who have gone through what I have ended up with nowhere to turn. They were left with no way out except to end their own lives.


    "But look, I''m still alive. And the ones who hurt me? They''re all paying the price! Isn''t that already good enough? So, don''t be sad. Men are not necessary."


    Samantha choked up. "But Sophia... I just want you to be happy."


    "I know, and being with you makes me happy. Don''t worry about me. As long as you''re okay, I''m satisfied."


    "Alright. We''ll both be okay." Samantha stifled. "If you''re going to meet Sky, then I''ll go with you. I also n to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Walker. They invited me over before, but I wasn''t in this mood."


    "Mom, they are kind and didn''t cover up for Sky. Don''t take your anger out on them."


    "I know. I''m not unreasonable."


    "Okay. Mom, I''m hungry. I want some stuffed rolls from Anderson''s. Can you go buy them for me? I don''t want a delivery. I want the ones you buy for me."


    Samantha immediately understood the underlying message.


    Sophia was trying to send her away so she could handle something on her own. "Alright, I''ll go."


    Samantha grabbed her wallet and left the room.


    Only after watching the door close did Sophia pick up her phone and dial Natalie''s number.


    "Hey, Nat, can you do me a favor?"


    "Sure. What is it?"


    "I''ll forward you an email. Can you find out who sent it? This person is important. I need to know why they''re doing this."


    "Got it. Send it over."


    "Thanks, Nat."


    "No need to be polite."


    After a brief chat, Sophia forwarded the email to Natalie.


    Soon, Natalie sent a confirmation message saying she had received it. After that, she didn''t send any more messages.


    Sophia pulled back the covers and carefully got out of bed.


    After a period of recovery, she could move around again. Seeing Sky wouldn''t be a problem.


    They had been engaged once, going on scheduled dates, but there had never been any real feelings between them.


    Thinking about how he had protected and doted on Emma made her feel nothing but disgust.


    She was going to face the man who had once looked down on her, standing tall and proud.


    Three dayster, Zachary apanied Sophia to the meeting room at thew enforcement office.


    A few momentster, Sky was brought out.


    Sophia wore a soft pink knit cardigan over a white off-shoulder top, paired with a light gray cotton-linen skirt.


    Her hair was loosely pinned up, and she wore simple earrings and a ne. With light makeup, she looked healthy and radiant.


    In contrast, the once-dashing Sky, always dressed in sharp suits, now wore the facility''s uniform. His face was haggard, and he had lost a significant amount of weight.


    Zachary stood beside Sophia, his gaze indifferent as he looked at Sky.


    Sky also noticed Zachary at this moment. Their eyes met briefly. As men, they understood each other''s thoughts in an instant.


    The next second, Sky averted his gaze and bowed deeply to Sophia. "I''m sorry."


    His voice was sincere, his attitude genuinely remorseful. It was clear he truly meant his apology.


    Sophia didn''t respond. She merely looked at him coldly.


    "I know that no matter how many


    nom


    .n


    times I say sorry, it won''t undo the pain I''ve caused you over the years." Sky looked at her bitterly. "I''ve thought a lot these past few days. I don''t understand why I acted the


    way I did. Every time it came to Emma, I lost all reason.


    "But I don''t want to make excuses. What I did was wrong, and I don''t expect your forgiveness. I only hope you''ll ept thepensation from the Walker family.


    "My parents have reimed all the assets under my name. They''ve said that all of


    it will go to you aspensation. Additionally, they''ve arranged furtherpensation. I hope you''ll ept it.


    "Sophia, I swear, I''m not asking for a leniency statement in return."


    Seeing the sneer sh across her face, Sky quickly added, "My parents didn''t hire awyer for me. Even if had one, I would still plead guilty. can''t undo the harm I caused you. Offering youpensation is the least I can do to ease my conscience-"


    "Don''t worry. I''ll ept it," Sophia cut him off. "Sky, I only came to see you for one


    reason."


    "What is it?"


    Her cold gaze locked onto him as she enunciated her next words clearly. "Now that you know Emma isn''t your biological sister, if neither of you receives the death penalty, will you still protect her when you get out? Will you still marry her?"

 Chapter 411 Fearless and Unyielding

    Sophia''s words left Sky momentarily stunned.


    "Sky, the reason you treat Emma so well-isn''t it because you like her?" Sophia continued, "I used to find you disgusting, being in love with your own sister. But now that you know she isn''t your biological sister, do you regret not pursuing her sooner?"


    Sky snapped out of his daze, and his expression darkened instantly.


    "Sophia, I have never had romantic feelings for Emma."


    "Really?" Sophia sneered. "Sky, do you even believe in yourself? Oh, by the way, let me tell you a little secret."


    She stood up, leaned in close, and whispered something in his ear. Then, straightening up, she looked down at him from above.


    "Sky, enjoy your stay here." Sophia smiled mysteriously. "I''ll being to see you regrly."


    Sky remained silent, but his clenched fist on the table slowly tightened.


    "Mr. Holt, I''d like to speak with you alone."


    Before Zachary and Sophia could leave, Sky spoke again.


    "Apologies, but I have nothing to discuss with you, Mr. Walker," Zachary politely declined. "Mr. Walker, we''ll be taking our leave."


    "It won''t take long, Mr. Holt," Sky insisted. "And what I have to say is important." "Zachary, go ahead and speak with him," Sophia interjected. "I''ll wait outside." She winked at Zachary, curious about what Sky considered so important.


    Zachary hesitated for a moment before ruffling Sophia''s hair. "Alright. Since you asked, I''ll hear him out."


    "Okay."


    Sophia stepped out, and Zachary took her seat, his gaze calm as he looked at Sky.


    "Mr. Walker, say what you need to say."


    "There are quite a few photos and videos of Sophia stored in Emma''s and Shane''sputers."


    Sky took a deep breath before continuing, "Emma was scared, so she told me about them before. While being held, Emma suffered physical abuse from her cellmates and had a rough time. She''s desperate to see Sophia, but I heard Sophia refuses to meet her."


    "It seems Mr. and Mrs. Walker haven''tpletely abandoned you as they im." Zachary''s tone turned mocking. "I thought they were rational people, but it turns out they''re just as hypocritical."


    If Sky truly had no outside help, he wouldn''t know about Emma''s situation.


    "Mr. Walker, if you''re thinking of using those things to threaten Sophia into forgiving Emma, let me tell you now-you''re dreaming."


    Zachary stood up, his face dark with anger, his tone no longer polite.


    "I don''t know what game the Walker family is ying, but Sophia will never forgive Emma-or you. Do you really think you''re innocent?


    "No. You''re just as guilty. You were the biggest aplice!


    "Emma''s being beaten? So what? You should experience that kind of suffering yourself."


    "You''ve misunderstood me, Mr.


    Holt." Sky forced a bitter smile. "My parents aren''t being two-faced, and


    they didn''t tell me this. In fact, they refuse to see Emma. They don''t care whether she lives or dies.


    "My mother, in particr, despises her now. She believes I bear responsibility, but moreso Emma.


    "If not for her, I wouldn''t have ended up like this. I ept that this is the price I


    must pay, but I''m telling you all this because I want to make amends for my sins. I know where those files are.


    "Zachary, you love Sophia, don''t you?"


    "Yes," Zachary answered without hesitation. "I''ve loved her for years. She was once your fianc¨¦e, so I never expressed my feelings. Even now, don''t dare show them. But it doesn''t matter. I''ve waited for her for so fong. I don''t mind waiting a little longer."


    "Then, do you care about what happened to her?" Sky hesitated before asking.


    "Sky, it wasn''t her fault." Zachary''s expression darkened further. "Sophia was the victim. Why should I care? The ones who deserve to be in hell are you people¡ª not her.


    "Sky, don''t think everyone is like you!"


    Zachary''s words made Sky''s face turn pale. "That''s not what I meant."


    "That''s exactly what you meant," Zachary exposed him mercilessly. "What you really want to ask is whether I''ll look down on Sophia because of what Shane did to her. Isn''t that right?


    "Let me tell you something-I love


    her. I only feel pain for her. The only


    p.n


    thing I resent is myself-why didn''t see through you sooner? If I had know what kind of monster were, I would have broken off her engagement with you, no matter what it took, even if it meant offending the Walker family.


    "Sky, if a man''s beloved woman is hurt, that only proves his own ipetence.


    The ones who should be in hell are you and me."


    Zachary''s eyes reddened as he spoke.


    "Even now, you''re still trying to use those files to threaten her. Sky, you''re not a man."


    "Those files can''t hurt me."


    A voice suddenly rang out behind Zachary. Sophia slowly walked in, no one aware


    of how long she had been listening.


    Zachary stiffened. He suddenly didn''t dare turn around.


    Sophia stepped closer, looking directly at Sky as she spoke, enunciating each word, "Sky, those files can''t hurt me. I''ve already died once, and I fear nothing. "Photos? Videos? If I don''t acknowledge them, who can prove they''re of me? Rather than letting you expose them, I might as well do it myself first."


    She raised her phone toward him. "I was considering letting you go for Natalie''s sake, for Mr. and Mrs. Walker''s sake. But now, I see that''s unnecessary.


    "I''ve already sent everything out, including photos of you being arrested and detained.


    "Sky, do you think I''m afraid?"


    Sophia''s expression was cold, her tone calm as she stared at Sky.


    "Some might hurl insults at me, but as long as I live, I will be fearless. You, Emma,


    and Shane failed to kill me. In the end, I will only grow stronger.


    "I''ll take your challenge. And as for Emma and Shane, dying so easily would be


    too good for them. The suffering I endured-of course, you all should experience


    it too.


    "Sky, you gave up everything for Emma. I just want to know if one day, you find yourself vited, will you still be so magnanimous?


    "Zachary, let''s go."

 Chapter 412 This Time, It Might Really Be a Misunderstanding

    "The photos and videos are in my vi at Causeway Bay, in the study on the second floor. It''s in the third drawer on the right side of the bookshelf," Sky hurriedly said.


    "Sophia, I know you have deep misunderstandings about me, but this time, you''ve really got it wrong. That was never my intention."


    He stood up. "The ess card to the vi is at the Walker residence. You can get it from Gorge."


    Sophia stared at him coldly. Whether Sky meant well or not, he was nothing but aplete viin to her.


    "Sophia, I swear that I''m not lying this time."


    "Zachary, let''s go."


    "Alright." Zachary followed behind Sophia as they left, one after the other.


    Sky remained where he was, his expression a mix of bitterness and pain.


    So that was what it felt like-not being trusted. It hurt more than he expected.


    After leaving the enforcement office, Sophia stood by the street for a long while before suddenlyughing.


    "I''m calling Natalie."


    She stepped aside and dialed Natalie''s number.


    "Hello, Nat." As soon as she spoke, her voice choked up. "Nat, I just saw Sky."


    "Why are you crying? Where''s Zachary? Didn''t he go with you? Did Sky bully you again?"


    Hearing Natalie''s worried voice made Sophia even more emotional.


    "Zachary was with me. Sky said Emma has videos and photos of what happened to me. He wants to use them to threaten me into forgiving her."


    Like a wronged child, Sophia immediately ran to Natalie toin.


    "Sophia, you might really be misunderstanding Sky this time." Natalie sighed. "He actually mentioned this to me when I met him. Since no one''s been at home much, he left the ess card with Gorge. You can go anytime, and he''ll give it to you.


    "When I found the evidence at the Walker residence earlier, the enforcement office already got a copy. That part won''t leak. The only copy left is the one Emma has.


    "But now that she''s locked up, she can''t do anything, so she left it at Causeway Bay. You can take it yourself and decide what to do with it."


    Sophia fell silent. After a long pause, she murmured, "Alright, I got it."


    "But Sophia," Natalie could hear her disappointment and spoke again. "Sky may be my brother, but I''m on your side. Next time you see him, make sure to p him a few times."


    "Really?" Sophia''s mood instantly lifted.


    "Yes, really." Natalie chuckled. "When I first came back to the Walker family, Sky treated Emma like she was more important than me. So honestly, I don''t care for him as a brother either."


    "That makes me happy," Sophia''s voice carried a hint of a smile. "Nat, thank you."


    "No need to thank me. Even if you misunderstood Sky, there''s no need to apologize to him. He deserves it."


    Natalieughed. "Sophia, I''m heading to Amberton with Marcus soon. We won''t be attending Emma''s trial. Will you be okay on your own?"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine. Nat, you and Marcus are together now, aren''t you?"


    "Yes." Natalie admitted it openly. "Ever since he found out I was the one who saved his life, he insisted on repaying me with marriage."


    Sophia justughed.


    "He even got beaten up by Lincoln when he was trying to win me over," Natalie continued. "I felt bad for him, so I agreed to date him."


    Sophiaughed even harder.


    "Don''tugh at me." Natalie pouted. "Honestly, I''ve never met a man more handsome than Marcus, so I might as well make do and give it a try."


    She chuckled to herself, sitting across from Marcus, who was peeling shrimp for her with practiced ease.


    "But thankfully, I do like him," Natalie said, her tone turning more serious. "Sophia, I really like Marcus."


    "Nat, I wish you both happiness." Sophia''s eyes welled up. "And let me tell you a secret-Marcus liked you even before he found out you were his savior. But he was so stubborn that he''d rather die than admit it. Now that you''re together, you have to be happy, okay?"


    "Yes, we will! Sophia, you have to be happy too, alright?"


    "I will." Sophia smiled. "Alright, Nat. I''m heading to the Walker residence to get the


    ess card from Gorge, then I''ll go to Causeway Bay."


    "Okay, go quickly!"


    "I''ll call Gorge to let him know."


    "Alright. Thanks, Nat."


    "Don''t mention it, Sophia."


    After hanging up, Marcus ced a te of neatly peeled shrimp in front of Natalie.


    "Nat, I have a question for you. You have to answer honestly." He removed his disposable gloves, his intense gaze locking onto her.


    "What is it?"


    She popped a shrimp into her


    mouth, enjoying the rare moment of being pampered. Back in the Langley family, she was always the one peeling shrimp for others.


    Later, when she met Federrick, he had only peeled one shrimp for her before


    making her shell three full tes for him.


    Now that she had a boyfriend, she was finally on the receiving end of the gesture.


    "If both Sophia and I fell into a river, who would you save first?"


    "What?" Natalie thought she had misheard. She looked up sharply at Marcus, only


    to find him watching her seriously.


    "You have to answer honestly. Who would you save first?"


    His solemn expression made her realize he wasn''t joking.


    But was this even a valid question? Shouldn''t he be asking whether she would save him or Charlotte first?


    Was he really putting himself in a position where he thought Sophia was more important than him?


    "Of course I''d save you," Natalie


    reactio


    replied carefully, watching his "You''re my boyfriend. Of course, I''d save your first. There''s not even a question about it.''


    "Really? Are you sure?" Marcus pressed, his expression still serious.


    Natalie put down her utensils and met his gaze with equal seriousness. "As sure


    as pearls are round. A hundred percent certain.


    "First, you''re my boyfriend, and Sophia is just a friend. Plus, I''ve known you longer than I''ve known her.


    "Second, Sophia isn''t as good-looking as you.


    "Third, after you almost drowned as a child, Mr. Holden Senior made sure you


    learned how to swim, so saving you would be easier.


    "Fourth, Sophia has her own boyfriend to save her.


    "Fifth, I can kiss you. Can I kiss Sophia?


    Marcus finally cracked,ughing out loud.


    Seeing himugh, Natalie knew she had sessfully coaxed him out of his


    jealousy.


    Seriously, was he even jealous of Sophia?

 Chapter 413 The Jealous Marcus

    Natalie''s lips curved into a smile as she picked up a shrimp Marcus had just peeled and held it to his lips. "Open your mouth."


    "I''m not eating. I peeled them for you."


    "Hmm?" The slight drop in her tone made Marcus immediatelyply and open his mouth.


    "That''s more like it." Natalie was instantly satisfied.


    "After dinner, let''s go watch a movie." She had looked up some dating guides online-eating, shopping, and watching a movie were the standard essentials for couples.


    They had already eaten, next was shopping, and then a movie to wrap up their date. Once they got back, she''d pack her bags and inform her family about her trip so they wouldn''t worry.


    Tomorrow morning, they would head straight to Amberton.


    Walter was initially supposed toe to Dithoria after finishing up the Langley Group matters, but since she was going back to investigate the truth behind the baby switch, she had told him to wait for her in Amberton instead.


    Thinking of Walter, Natalie couldn''t help but nce at Marcus.


    The first time Marcus had kissed her, it was because she had said she liked Walter and Tyler.


    They hadn''t even been in a rtionship back then, yet his jealousy was already that intense. If he saw Walter in Amberton, wouldn''t he drown in his own jealousy?


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Marcus caught her gaze and smirked. "Is there something on my face?"


    "Yeah." Natalie nodded seriously. "Good looks."


    Marcus smirked. Lowering his gaze, he feigned indifference as he picked up another te of shrimp, put on gloves, and started peeling again.


    "Marcus, doesn''t your restaurant offer shrimp-peeling services?"


    "This is a Helianese restaurant, not a seafood joint. Of course not."


    "Well, you should start offering it." Natalie scooted closer, took the shrimp from his hands, and smiled. "I can''t bear to see your hands peeling shrimp."


    "I''m happy to peel them for you."


    "But I''m not happy about it." Natalie seriously studied his hands. His long well- defined fingers, his clean and fair skin. Every movement of his was elegant.


    "We have money. Why should we do things ourselves?"


    She pressed the call button in the private dining room. Within a moment, the restaurant manager entered.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker."


    "Bring in two servers to peel the shrimp," Natalie said with a smile. "Thank you."


    "Of course, Ms. Walker. Please wait a moment."


    The manager quickly left, and shortly after, two servers entered, washed their hands, put on gloves, and started peeling the shrimp.


    "See? This is better. Now we can eat and chat at the same time."


    Natalie returned to her seat and clinked sses with Marcus. Since she tended to lose control after drinking, she never drank alcohol when she was out. Instead, she stuck to juice. Marcus also refrained from drinking and clinked his juice ss with hers.


    They bothughed for no reason.


    "After dinner, let''s go see a movie."


    "When you were in Amberton, did you ever watch a movie with another man?" Marcus asked casually.


    "Yeah! I watched them with Walter and Tyler," Natalie deliberately teased. "They even bought me popcorn and soda. I watched a romance movie with Walter, and an action movie with Tyler."


    The smile on Marcus'' lips froze instantly.


    Natalie watched his reaction closely. The moment she saw his mood darken, she couldn''t help butugh. "I was lying. Are you jealous again, Marcus?"


    Sheughed even harder. "I was just teasing you. I never watched a movie with them, not even with Olivia."


    "I''m not jealous," Marcus replied calmly. "Do I seem like a petty man? I don''t care about your past. From now on, I just need to be the only one by your side." "Really?" Natalie clearly didn''t believe him.


    "Yes." Marcus took a sip of his juice. "Eat your food. Once we finish, I''ll take you to the movies."


    "Alright." Natalie stopped teasing him and focused on eating.


    During the meal, Marcus'' phone kept vibrating. Eventually, he picked it up and walked out. "Nat, I''m going to take a call. I''ll be right back."


    "Okay."


    After stepping out of the private room, Marcus returned the call. "Is it done?"


    "Yes, Mr. Holden. Tyler won''t be showing up anywhere publicly for a while." "When I arrive in Amberton, I don''t want to see Walter anywhere either." "Understood, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus hung up. Tyler or Walter-it didn''t matter. Once he was in Amberton with Natalie, neither of them would get the chance to see her.


    Just as he ended the call, Noah approached. "Mr. Holden, the movie theater has been reserved. The shopping route and stores forter have also been arranged. Enjoy your date with Ms. Walker."


    "Okay."


    Marcus stood by the window for a moment, scrolling through his photo album


    before finally heading back to the private room.


    After dinner, they left the restaurant.


    Marcus took Natalie to a bustling


    shopping street. They strolled slowly, and whenever Natalie saw


    something cute or interesting, she


    would pick it up, examine it, then put it back.


    Marcus said nothing at the time. But as soon as they left, someone immediately


    stepped in to purchase everything she had looked at.


    After a while, Natalie suggested they go to the cinema. Once the movie ended,


    she wanted to visit The Book Sanctum at Holden Residence.


    "Marcus, let''s watch the movie early so we can go to your family''s library afterward."


    "Alright." Marcus agreed without hesitation. The longer they stayed at the library, the more time he could spend with her.


    "What do you want to watch?"


    Natalie thought for a moment. "Let''s go with aedy."


    Life had far too many unhappy moments in between. Watching aedy would


    be a good way to lighten the mood.


    "Alright, let''s go."


    Marcus took her to the cinema, which had already been reserved. While Natalie selected a film, Marcus bought snacks.


    When she finished choosing, they entered the hall and sat down. Natalie


    immediately noticed something odd.


    "Why is there no one else here?"


    "I reserved the ce." Marcus casually handed her popcorn, soda, fries, and some beef jerky.


    "Thanks."


    "Isn''t reserving an entire cinema hall a bit wasteful?" Natalie frowned. She really


    thought it was unnecessary.


    "Alright, next time I won''t have Noah


    reserve it Marcus said smoothly


    "Nat, this is our first movie date. cherish it. If I do anything wrong, tell me so I can improve next time, okay?"


    "Okay."


    Natalie picked up a fry and stuffed it into his mouth. "Try this."


    "Thanks, Nat." Marcus smiled, in a great mood as he started watching the movie.


    Halfway through, he couldn''t help but hold Natalie''s hand. "Nat, I''m the first


    boyfriend to take you to a movie, right?"


    "Yes, yes," Natalie replied absentmindedly. "You''re also my first for many other things."


    Now, Marcus waspletely satisfied.

 Chapter 414 The First Date

    After the movie, Marcus and Natalie strolled around for a while. He bought her an assortment of snacks before they finally returned to the car and drove back to Holden Residence.


    Upon arriving, they first went to see Charles. Perhaps it was because he knew they were officially dating now, but he was in an exceptionally good mood.


    "Nattie,e here. Look at what I''ve prepared for you."


    The moment he saw Natalie, he beckoned her over. She quickly stepped forward. "Mr. Holden Senior, you''re giving me another gift?"


    "Of course," he said with a doting smile. He opened the three boxes in front of him, and a golden glint instantly shed before her eyes.


    "Are these gold bars?" Natalie hesitated. She was used to Charles giving her expensive and extravagant gifts, but handing over gold bars like this waspletely unexpected.


    "You''re so smart! That''s right." Charles lifted the lids. "Congrattions, this is your reward."


    His eyes were full of love and affection as he looked at her.


    "Take them. If they''re too heavy to carry, have Marcus bring them home for you."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, this is too much," Natalie said, touched by his generosity. But she had only just started dating Marcus, so epting something so valuable felt inappropriate.


    "Nonsense! It''s not too much at all. You deserve the best in the world. This is just a little gold. One day, I''ll give you shares in Holden Group too.


    "I heard you''re heading to Amberton soon. I didn''t know what else to give you, so I figured I''d send you off with some gold to bring along.


    "Marcus, help Nattie take these back. And don''t you dare pocket any, you little brat! If you do, I''ll smack you."


    The moment he turned to Marcus, his doting expression disappeared, reced by a strict re. His dramatic shift in attitude was almostical.


    Marcus stared in silence.


    Natalie couldn''t help butugh. Charles was genuinely good to her. Even before she and Marcus got together, he had always enjoyed giving her gifts. Now that they were dating, he had even more reason to do so.


    Not wanting to be overly modest, Natalie epted the gift graciously. "Thank you, Mr. Holden Senior. I love it."


    "Good! Women should like simple and practical things like this." He beamed. "I like how straightforward you are not pretentious at all. If you like it, I''ll give you more next time."


    Natalie chuckled and nced at Marcus. He was already gazing at her with warmth in his eyes. When their eyes met, he raised a brow slightly, the corners of his lips curling into a subtle smile.


    "Grandpa, I''m taking Nat to The Book Sanctum."


    "Go on, then!" Charles waved them off, not wanting to disturb the young couple. He called for Sheldon and instructed the kitchen to prepare some food for Natalie.


    "This time, make sure not to serve any alcohol," he added. "Even if Marcus asks for it, don''t listen to him."


    "Understood," Sheldon replied with a smile. "Mr. Holden Senior, you''re truly doting on Ms. Walker. It''s a good thing Mr. Marcus doesn''t get jealous."


    "If he dares to, he can prepare to be single for life!"


    Despite his words, Charles would never actually want Marcus to be alone.


    Now that Marcus had Natalie, Charles finally felt at ease. After all, it had been his wish from the start.


    However, whenever he looked at Natalie, he couldn''t help but think of Grace, the sworn sister he had once trusted, only to be deeply disappointed.


    "How are the Langleys doing?" he asked.


    "Not well," Sheldon replied. "Even since Mrs. Walker went to deal with them, Victor and Diana have fought multiple times about getting a divorce."


    Sheldon always followed Charles''s instructions, keeping an eye on the Langleys. "Selena is an unambitious, vain, and scheming woman. She has no real abilities, and she''s full of tricks. I don''t think you''d want to hear about some of the things she''s been up to."


    Charles sighed. "Then don''t tell me. What about Grace? How is she doing?"


    Sheldon hesitated before carefully answering, Mrs. Langley Senior isn''t


    jel


    doing well. She''s getting old. Back when Ms. Walker was with them, she never had to worry about anything. She could just enjoy life at the nursing home. . to


    "But after Ms Walker severed ties with the Langleys, Mr., Langley Senior had no choice but to return to


    work at Langley Group. However, given her age, it''s been difficult. On top of that, Victor and Selena have caused a lot of mess for thepany, leaving her overwhelmed. She was so stressed that she ended up hospitalized for a long time.


    "Langley Group''s stocks have been declining. They''re no longer the wealthiest family in Amberton. Now, the toppany is Celestial Group."


    Sheldon paused before adding, "That''s thepany the Walker family originally gave to Emma. Sky had been managing Celestial Group for her."


    "What an irritating name," Charles said with a dark expression. "Sky... I practically watched him grow up, only for him to throw his life away for a fake heiress.


    "When Nattie returns, tell Marcus to bring Celestial Group with him."


    "Understood, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Charles scoffed. "Disgusting!"


    "Indeed, Sky Walker is repulsive."


    As they discussed Amberton, their conversation soon shifted to Marcus and Natalie''s uing trip.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, I don''t oppose Mr. Marcus going to Amberton with Ms. Walker. Butst night, when I spoke with Connie, I learned something," Sheldon said hesitantly.


    "When Ms. Walker gets to Amberton, she ns to visit Scarlet Hill. I''m a little worried that Mr. Marcus will follow her there."


    Sheldon looked troubled. Scarlet Hill was a ce where one was bound to run into familiar faces. And in this case, those familiar faces were the ones Marcus cared about¡ªand resented the most.


    "Amberton... Scarlet Hill..." Charles sighed deeply. "Sheldon, we''re getting old. One day, we''ll leave this


    world. Now that Marcus has Nattie, even if he does meet someone from the past, he won''t be afraid anymore.


    "For years, I didn''t know how to tell him the truth. At first, it was Wesley and the


    others who stopped me from speaking. Later on, I just couldn''t bring myself to do


    it."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, this isn''t your fault."


    "Sheldon, I think it''s time for us to take a trip to Amberton-to Scarlet Hill."

 Chapter 415 Will Marcus Let Me Coax Him

    Marcus and Natalie searched for the remaining sketchbooks inside The Book Sanctum.


    Last time, they had found one in a small room, so this time, Marcus led her straight there.


    The room wasn''trge, with just a few bookshelves lining the walls. They split up to search, but after a thorough check, Natalie looked at Marcus and shook her head. "It''s not here. Let''s look outside."


    Marcus walked over and took her hand. "Nat, is this sketchbook really that important?"


    "You''ll understand once you see it. It''s filled with rare herbs-many of which have unique properties that are nearly impossible to find elsewhere."


    Natalie frowned slightly. She wasn''t particrly desperate for it, but her mentor, Federrick, was.


    "Nat, you''ve been with the Walkers for a while now. Haven''t you noticed that they have ess to a lot of rare medicinal ingredients that aren''t avable on the market?"


    Marcus found it strange. Given how much the Walker family doted on Natalie, William and Charlotte wouldn''t have kept anything from her.


    "When you were poisoned by Victor, Emma was the one who sent me the antidote you needed."


    The moment Marcus mentioned it, Natalie remembered.


    Back then, after being poisoned with the Three-Second Toxin, she had required Dead of Night to recover. Without it, she would have been in serious trouble.


    "Maybe I just never asked, and my family didn''t realize I needed it."


    Since she had never told them she was Elim, they wouldn''t have thought to provide her with medicinal resources.


    Besides, Hector was a doctor, and the Walkers had a full medical team in their employment. William and Charlotte simply wanted Natalie to live freely and happily. They had even given her a fashionpany-just to keep her upied so she wouldn''t get bored.


    Natalie understood their intentions, so she had happily epted thepany.


    "Nat, your biological parents treat you really well. Aside from Sky, your four other brothers also care about you. When do you n on telling them that you''re Elim? The Walker family has far more medicinal resources than the Holdens."


    Marcus knew how passionate Natalie was about rare herbs. And with the Walkers'' vast supply, she should be making use of it.


    "Alright, I get it." Natalie smiled slightly. "Marcus, how do you know so much about the Walkers? Did Emma tell you back when you were her fianc¨¦?"


    Before she could react, Marcus pulled her into his arms, trapping her firmly against him. His gaze bore into hers, his tone carrying a trace of grievance.


    "Nat, don''t mention me in the same breath as that wretched woman. I swear, I never had any intimate contact with Emma, nor did I ever have any romantic feelings for her."


    "Alright, I was just teasing you."


    Wrapped in his embrace, Natalie could smell the faint scent of gardenias on him. His warmth seeped through his clothes, transferring to her skin.


    She instinctively reached up to touch his forehead. "Marcus, are you running a fever? Why are you so warm?"


    Marcus stared at her in silence, his expression unreadable.


    He had no way to exin it. Every time he held her, his body temperature spiked, his heartbeat raced, and an uncontroble urge to im her surged within him.


    Yet, on the surface, Marcus remained asposed as ever-calm, steady, and giving nothing away.


    "I should go home now. We''re leaving for Amberton early tomorrow." Natalie tried to pull away, but Marcus held her firmly in ce. "Nat, I want to kiss you."


    Before she could respond, he lowered his head and captured her lips with his. Natalie let out a soft sound of surprise before quickly losing herself in the kiss.


    By the time Marcus finally released her, he was breathing heavily. "I''ll take you home."


    Natalie''s legs felt weak. She didn''t need a mirror to know that her face waspletely flushed.


    "Alright."


    They left The Book Sanctum, and Marcus drove her back to the Walker residence. As they reached the entrance, he reached out and held her back just as she was about to get out of the car.


    "Nat, see you tomorrow."


    "See you tomorrow, Marcus."


    Seeing his reluctant expression, Natalie couldn''t help but find it amusing. She unfastened her seatbelt, leaned over, and gave him a quick peck on the corner of his lips.


    "There, be good."


    Marcus chuckled. "Are you coaxing a child?"


    "Yes." Natalie grinned. "So, will you let me coax you?"


    "I''ll allow it."


    A smile spread across Marcus'' face as he cupped the back of her head and kissed her again.


    The car window was suddenly tapped.


    Standing outside with a rolling pin in hand, Gorge red at them furiously.


    Natalie quickly pulled away and got out of the car. "See you tomorrow!" "Okay, see you!"


    Marcus didn''t mind Gorge''s re in the slightest. In fact, he was d that the Walkers had so many people who cared about Natalie.


    After Marcus drove off, Gorge stood beside Nataling, fuming. "Ms. Walker, how could you let Marcus kiss you? You''re our heiress, so you need to protect yourself! How dare he kiss you?"


    "Gorge, thank you, but Marcus is a good man." Natalie smiled sweetly at him. "I know all of you are upset about how he broke off the engagement before, but emotions areplicated things. Even if he hadn''t ended it back then, still probably wouldn''t have married him.


    "A rtionship and a marriage should be built on mutual feelings. Before, he didn''t


    like me, and I didn''t like him. So the breakup wasn''t just his decision-it was mine


    too.


    "But we''re dating now, and I think it feels pretty nice. Besides, I have an ex-fianc¨¦ too. So we''re even."


    Gorge was momentarily at a loss for words.


    But seeing Natalie so happy, he decided that was all that really mattered.


    "Gorge, I''m leaving for Amberton tomorrow. Please prepare plenty of snacks for my trip."


    "Sure, Ms. Walker."


    Gorge quickly headed back inside to arrange everything.


    ...


    The next morning, Marcus arrived at the Walker residence early. Natalie had already woken up, washed up, ande downstairs.


    William and Charlotte never restricted her freedom, but they always cared for her.


    "Sweetheart,e have breakfast."


    "Good morning, Dad and Mom. Good morning, Gorge! Good morning, Marcus!"


    Natalie sat at the dining table,


    ncing at Marcus. He was making


    progress. Thest time he was here,


    he had gotten beaten up, but now,


    he was actually allowed to join them for breakfast.


    "Sweetheart, if anyone bullies you in Amberton, don''t hold back. If you can win the


    fight, fight. If not, run."


    "Mrs. Walker, with me there, no one will dare bully Nat," Marcus interjected at the perfect moment.


    Charlotte had been waiting for him


    to say that. She smiled at him.


    "Good, then make sure to protect her. If Nates back with even a single strand of hair missing I''ll make her break up with you."


    Marcus was stunned by that reply.

 Chapter 416 My Parents Can Be Yours Too

    "Mrs. Walker, please rest assured. Even if I go bald myself, I won''t let a single strand of Nat''s hair be harmed," Marcus promised seriously. "I will never let her get hurt."


    "Good, that''s all I need to hear." Charlotte smiled warmly and opened her arms toward him. "Marcus,e here. Let me give you a hug."


    Marcus was confused.


    Seeing that he didn''t move, Charlotte simply nudged William. "Honey, go hug Marcus. He never had a mother''s love, nor a father''s. If I''m giving him a hug, you should too."


    William, ever the devoted husband, immediately stood up and embraced Marcus. "Marcus,e here. Let me give you a big hug full of love."


    Marcus was at a loss for words.


    Natalie stood to the side, smiled mischievously, and winked at him as if to say, "See? My mom and dad can be yours too."


    Marcus instantly understood what she tried to say, and a wave of indescribable emotion washed over him. His usually cool, striking eyes glistened with an unspoken warmth.


    "Alright, eat up! Once you''re done, you should get going!" Charlotte watched the interaction between Natalie and Marcus withplicated emotions.


    She had wanted to keep Natalie at home for a few more years, letting her enjoy a life of ease andfort. But Natalie had always been independent-nothing like Emma, who only cared about the Walker family''s wealth and status.


    Natalie was their pride. And so, if she wanted to spread her wings and fly, as her parents, they would let her.


    Marcus was the best by every criterion of a man in Dithoria.


    Their engagement had been set since childhood, but misunderstandings had led them down a moreplicated path.


    Still, that winding road had ultimately led them back to where they were always meant to be.


    "Marcus, I''m entrusting Nat to you. Make sure no one from the Langley family, or anyone else for that matter, ever bullies her," Charlotte said seriously.


    Marcus nodded solemnly. "I understand, Mrs. Walker. You and Mr. Walker can rest easy."


    "We''ve always trusted you," William said. "Nat only recently returned to us, and all we want is for her to be cherished. We have no objections to you being together, but you''d better not mistreat her.


    "Don''t scold or punish her if she does something wrong. Tell me instead. I''ll bring her home myself."


    The implication was clear. No matter what, William would always take Natalie''s side.


    Marcus nodded firmly. "Mr. Walker, you have my word. That will never happen."


    "Good," William said. "Darling, have you packed everything for Nat?"


    "Yes, it''s all ready. Noah already loaded everything into the car."


    "Once you''re finished eating, you should get going."


    Charlotte turned to look at Natalie. "Nat, I''ll believe in you."


    "Thank you, Mom," Natalie said softly.


    After breakfast, William and Charlotte walked them to the car. The Walker family''s butler had stayed up all night preparing snacks for the journey, packing them neatly into small bags before cing them in arger one in the backseat.


    Marcus opened the car door for Natalie, helping her inside before getting in himself. As the window rolled down, Natalie waved goodbye.


    "Nat, call us when you arrive," Charlotte said, reluctant to part with her daughter. "And don''t let Marcus take advantage of you!"


    "Mom, I know," Natalie said before leaning over to hug her. "You and Dad take care of yourselves too. Eat well and sleep well. I''ll bring you gifts when Ie back."


    "Alright, sweetheart."


    Charlotte''s eyes turned red. "My dear, remember not to be too soft-hearted when you get back to Amberton!"


    "Don''t worry, Mom. I know what to do."


    She knew exactly what Charlotte was worried about. After all, she had grown up


    in Amberton, and she used to treat Grace wholeheartedly.


    Charlotte was simply afraid that she might be deceived again upon returning.


    "Drive safe."


    "We will."


    "Alright, let''s go."


    "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!"


    "Goodbye, sweetheart."


    As the car slowly pulled away,


    Natalie turned her head and sawet


    Charlotte and William standing at the gates, watching her leave with a look of deep reluctance.


    Only when the Walker residence had disappeared from view did she softly say, "This is my first time leaving home since returning to the Walker family."


    "Mr. and Mrs. Walker will miss you a lot," Marcus said.


    "Yes, Mom and Dad treat me very well."


    Just speaking of them filled her heart with warmth. In the beginning, she hadn''t known how to act around them.


    But Charlotte had been gentle, and William had been patient. They respected her boundaries, carefully and gradually easing their way into her heart.


    Over time, as she sensed their sincerity, her defenses melted away. Their bond deepened, growing stronger and more natural with each passing day.


    "They''ve always respected me," she said softly.


    Then, she looked at Marcus with bright, serious eyes. "Marcus, my parents can be your parents too."


    She continued, "I know we''ll find what we''re looking for in Amberton this time." "Yes, we will," he said, interlocking their fingers.


    As the wind rushed in through the open window, it brushed their faces and yed with Natalie''s hair, making her look even more beautiful and at ease.


    Wanting to spend more time with her, Marcus had chosen to drive to Amberton himself, taking his time.


    At each stop along the way, he had Noah park the car so they could stretch their legs, take in the sights, and sample the local delicacies.


    It felt more like a road trip than a mission.


    "Marcus, I want to go to Scarlet Hill first," Natalie said as they walked together. "You''lle with me, right? Say yes!"


    "Of course," Marcus replied, though his expression shifted slightly. He worried that she might be disappointed when they arrived.


    "Great! Then, we should stop dawdling and pick up the pace!" Natalie grabbed his hand, quickly pulling him back toward the car.


    Once they reached Amberton, she nned to visit a mysterious patient first, then look for Marcus'' parents.


    As for Marcus, he could either stay at the hotel and wait or apany her- whichever he preferred.


    Back in the car, she told him to close his eyes and rest while Noah took over the wheel. Meanwhile, she pulled out her iPad and opened an email that Connie hadpiled for her.  s?novel


    The patient had been sending daily updates, and her condition had worsened as time passed. At first, the symptoms only appeared on the 15th and 30th of each month. Now, they were urring every ten days.


    Natalie frowned as she read thetest report.


    Something felt off. This didn''t seem like a typical illness at all. In truth, it felt more


    like some kind of dark, insidious curse at work.

 Chapter 417 Scarlet Hill

    Natalie carefully reviewed everything and forwarded the email to Federrick after some thought.


    Natalie typed, "Mr. Langton, take a look at this patient. This illness doesn''t seem like something a normal person would contract."


    Before long, Federrick replied, "This is Umbrahex. There''s something inside this person''s body. Nat, this kind of condition isn''t something an ordinary person can cure. Just give up!"


    Natalie quickly typed back, "I won''t give up. I''ve already epted this patient, Mr. Langton. Can you not discourage me before I''ve even begun?"


    "Oh? You''ve got some backbone. Well, I''ll be watching you. Keep it up."


    As Natalie looked at the heart emoji at the end of hisst message, she could not help but reply with a long string of dots.


    However, Federrick''s words confirmed her suspicions. This patient wasn''t suffering from amon illness.


    She wasn''t particrly skilled in treating Umbrahex, but since she had taken on the case, she was determined to cure the patient.


    Natalie didn''t continue chatting with Federrick, but she received a document from him five minutester. She opened it to find information about Umbrahex.


    Natalie couldn''t help but smile. He was still the same-stubborn on the outside, soft on the inside.


    She replied, "Thank you, Mr. Langton." Of course, she ended the text with a heart emoji of her own.


    Federrick texted back, "I''m just worried about being embarrassed if you can''t cure the patient properly."


    "Yes, of course, Mr. Langton. Don''t worry. I definitely won''t disgrace you." And another heart emoji for good measure.


    Federrick didn''t reply anymore. Natalie exited the chat and began seriously reading through the information.


    ...


    The driver continued to drive smoothly. They stopped to rest a few times along the way, making for a rtively rxed journey to Amberton.


    Upon arriving, Natalie immediately instructed Noah to navigate them to Scarlet Hill. She had already arranged a meeting with the patient, and someone would be there to wee her.


    Marcus, on the other hand, had grown increasingly silent ever since they entered Amberton.


    She tried speaking to him a few times, but he only managed a forced smile in response.


    "Marcus, are you feeling unwell?" She reached out to touch his forehead. "Are you carsick?"


    He shook his head and grasped her hand in one fluid motion, pressing her palm against his cheek."Nat, I don''t feelfortable getting close to Scarlet Hill. The closer we get, the harder it is for me to breathe."


    His face was a little pale, and his voice carried a faint weakness.


    "Really?" Natalie eyed him skeptically. She ced her fingers on his wrist and found that his pulse was strong, steady, and brimming with vitality.


    "Yes." He smoothly pulled back his wrist and wrapped his arms around her instead. "Nat, I feel awful."


    "Does this help?" Natalie cupped his face and kissed him on the lips.


    After one kiss, she held his face and asked, "Are you still feeling bad? If you still feel unwell, I''ll kiss you a few more times."


    With that, she began peppering his face with quick little kisses. As she kissed him, she teased, "Is that enough, baby?"


    When Marcus heard her call him "baby", his ears turned red.


    "Nat, you-"


    Before he could say another word, she kissed him again. "Shhh, just enjoy it."


    Marcus was rendered speechless. Well, he couldn''t say he didn''t like it.


    She continued for a while before finally smiling and asking, "Are you feeling better now? Still ufortable?"


    He hummed in response. "Not anymore."


    A subtle smile yed at the corners


    of Marcus'' lips. He realized that


    Natalie''s personality was quite different from the way she looked. Butpared to her cold, distant self of the past, he preferred this side of her.


    After all, a rtionship should have the warmth and sweetness of a couple in


    love.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, we''re almost at Scarlet Hill." Noah''s voice suddenly came from the front.


    He and the driver had taken turns behind the wheel, and as they neared their destination, the breathtaking view of Scarlet Hill became clearer.


    Scarlet Hill was famous for its abundance of scarlet poppies, both on the mountain itself and within the surrounding viges. It was peak blooming season, and the entire area was covered in a brilliant sea of fiery red blossoms.


    A long avenue lined with towering red maple trees stretches endlessly on both sides. When autumn arrived, their fiery crimson leaves burst into color, forming a dense, vibrant canopy. Sunlight filtered through the branches and foliage, casting dappled patterns onto the road


    below.


    When the wind blew, the leaves fluttered down like a gentle rain of petals, painting


    the street in shades of scarlet and gold.


    Tourists flocked to Scarlet Avenue during this season every year to witness its breathtaking beauty.


    Natalie had arranged to meet the patient at the end of Scarlet Avenue.


    She let go of Marcus and leaned toward the car window, rolling it down to take in the scenery. "This ce is truly stunning."


    In the distance, Scarlet Hill stood covered in a vibrant ze of flowers. The sheer visual impact was striking. It was as if the entire mountain was cloaked in mes.


    At first nce, she was captivated by the view.


    "Marcus, let''s buy a house here! Whenever we have time off, we cane and stay for a while."


    She didn''t turn to look at him as she extended her hand, feeling the breeze caress her fingertips. "The air is filled with the scent of flowers."


    "Alright." Marcus agreed without hesitation. "Once we arrive, we''ll go house hunting."


    "You handle that. I have someone to meet." She turned to him, and her eyes curved into a smile. "I hope that by the time I''m done, you''ll have already secured our love nest."


    "Hm?" Marcus raised an eyebrow before his lips curled up. Love nest, huh? That was something he could definitely take care of.


    "Alright."


    "Then it''s settled." She reached out and pinched his ear. "Make sure to pick a big,fortable bed. We''ll sleep together tonight."


    His ears turned bright red instantly. He wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing


    her closer, and murmured in his deep, maic voice, "Nat, are you sure?"


    "Very sure," she responded without hesitation. "I don''t think I''d be at a disadvantage in bed."


    After all, she was quite aggressive when drunk. If she were that bold while intoxicated, then she would surely be even more formidable when she was sober.


    Marcus chuckled. "Mr. Walker warned me not to cross any lines before we''re married."


    "Oh?" She blinked. "Then, you just have to stay still. After all, my dad only told you not to cross the line. He never said I couldn''t take advantage of you, right? Dear, do I make sense?"


    Marcus'' eyes were filled with amusement. "My girlfriend is always right."


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, we''ve arrived." Noah''s voice rang out again as the car pulled into a parking lot near Scarlet Avenue.


    "We''re here, so let''s get out." Natalie stepped out of the car, and in the next moment, Marcus followed.


    "Nat, I''ll go with you to meet your contact. I''ll only be at ease once I''ve seen


    them."


    "Alright." She didn''t disagree. She knew Marcus had a bit of a lover''s mindset¡ª


    and he was even clingier than she had expected.


    Thus, she did her best to make him feel secure.

 Chapter 418 Two People Wrapped Tightly from Head to Toe

    As cars weren''t allowed on Scarlet Avenue, Marcus walked alongside Natalie.


    They had arrived during the peak of the scarlet poppies'' blooming season. With each passing breeze, petals flew about like a rain of crimson mes.


    Natalie reached out, letting the red petalsnd in her palm, making her fair skin appear even more delicate.


    Marcus also caught a handful of petals and ced them gently into her hand.


    "Thank you." She smiled at him. "Let''s go!"


    "Alright."


    "Nat, let me take a few pictures of you."


    He then pulled out his phone. In the past, all the photos he had of Natalie were taken in secret. But this time, he could take them openly.


    "Sure!" She found a quiet spot and stood beneath the red maple tree. He bent slightly and took several shots of her.


    She wore a light gray tracksuit, and her hair was tied into a neat bun. Her figure was slender and graceful, her small, delicate face radiant against her bright smile. Her captivating eyes glimmered with amusement in the photos.


    Marcus had long noticed that she didn''t favor dresses. Yet, he had still prepared a whole wardrobe of them for her.


    One day, she would wear them all-one by one.


    She asked, "Are you done? If so, let''s go."


    He walked up to her. "Aren''t you going to take one of me?"


    "Oh, right! I''ll take a few for you." She had him stand where she had just been, then took out her phone and earnestly snapped several shots.


    Through the lens, his tall, well-proportioned frame stood out effortlessly. He had foregone his usual formal attire, opting for a simple T-shirt and casual pants at her request. His hair wasn''t meticulously styled, but with a face that striking, he could even pull off a shaved head.


    Satisfied with her photography skills, she picked the most handsome shot and set it as her phone''s wallpaper. She had secretly glimpsed his phone before and found that his lock screen was a picture of her.


    Since they were a couple, using each other''s photos as wallpapers felt perfectly natural.


    "Marcus, look." She showed him her phone.


    A deep sense of satisfaction settled in his chest when he saw his own face on her screen. Still, he kept his expressionposed and merely gave a slight nod. "Not bad."


    "Do you like it?"


    "I do."


    "Then let''s go!"


    She looped her arm through his. Their presence drew many nces from passersby. Seeing this, Marcus simply pulled her closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.


    "This way. Watch your step."


    "Alright."


    They hadn''te just for sightseeing. After taking photos, they moved quickly through the avenue.


    At the end of Scarlet Avenue stood a massive stone tablet, inscribed with the history and origins of Scarlet Hill. Atop it, a grand carving of an eagle stood majestically.


    The person picking up Natalie was waiting by the right side of the stone tablet.


    Instead of heading directly over, she pulled Marcus toward the restroom. "Wait for me here."


    "Okay." He didn''t wait long before she emerged, nowpletely transformed.


    Her hair had turned gray and white, wrinkles covered her face, and a dark mole sat just below her chin. She had transformed into an elderly woman in an instant.


    "Marcus, let''s go." She called out in a voice nowced with the hoarseness of age.


    He froze. "Are you... my girlfriend?"


    She nodded. "That''s right. But from now on, you''ll have to call me Grandma." He was dumbfounded.


    "I refuse."


    She chuckled. "Your refusal is meaningless. Unless you don''t want toe with me."


    He was left speechless.


    "Let''s go, dear grandson of mine."


    Left with no choice, Marcus followed after her. He knew how skilled she was at disguises. When she first appeared as Dr. Elim, even he had failed to see through her.


    Later, she disguised herself as a man, and he never recognized her until she revealed herself.


    Now, standing before him again in yet another guise, he was convinced. He finally understood what she carried in that ever-present canvas bag of hers.


    She approached the stone tablet and scanned her surroundings before taking out a different phone to make a call.


    The moment the call connected, a man standing to the right of the tablet stepped forward.


    "Hello, have you arrived?"


    "I have," she replied in her elderly voice. "I''m right in front of the stone tablet-the elderly woman with gray hair."


    The man nced around before spotting her and walking up. "Madam, hello. I''m here to pick you up."


    Natalie gestured for him to lower his phone. Once she confirmed his identity, she ended the call.


    "Let''s go. I''ll be bringing an assistant along," she said, pulling Marcus forward. "This is my assistant, Mark."


    "Mark, nice to meet you." The man cast a brief nce at Marcus, and his eyes betrayed a flicker of surprise before quickly regainingposure.


    "Madam, my name''s Benson Jones. My employers prefer to avoid meeting strangers. I''m afraid Mark won''t be able to apany you."


    Though polite and respectful, his words left no room for negotiation. "Mark, please wait here."


    "That won''t do." Natalie remained firm. "If my assistant can''t go, then I won''t be treating your employers either."


    "Mark, let''s go." With that, she turned to leave, dragging Marcus with her.


    Benson was left with no other choice and quickly stepped in front of them. "Please wait, madam. I''ll make a call first."


    "Go ahead, but hurry up."


    He stepped aside to make the call. After a long while, he returned.


    "Madam, Mark, this way please."


    "Alright, let''s go."


    Benson led them through a small gate behind the stone tablet. Outside, a ck BMW was parked. He opened the door and nodded slightly. "Madam, Mark, please get in."


    Marcus helped Natalie into the car before getting in himself.


    "Madam, Mark, I''ll start driving now."


    "Go ahead."


    The car started up, winding along the curving mountain road. Scarlet Hill stretched endlessly, peaks linked in a seamless chain. The wind stirred the fiery petals, scattering them like a dreamlike cascade.


    Natalie gazed out the window, silently memorizing the route. But as the car twisted and turned, passing numerous forks and side roads, even her sharp memory began to blur.


    After nearly half an hour, the car finally slowed.


    Up ahead, at the entrance to arge estate, stood two figurespletely


    covered from head to toe.


    The disguise was so thorough that Natalie couldn''t even tell if they were men or


    women.

 Chapter 419 So Close

    "Madam, Mark, we''ve arrived."


    Benson killed the car engine, stepped out, and respectfully opened the door to escort them inside. "Those two over there are the owners of Scarlet Hill Residence my employer and his wife."


    Leading Natalie and Marcus forward, Benson bowed deeply and introduced them. "This is the miracle doctor and her assistant, Mark."


    "Madam, Mark, wee."


    From behind their mask, a hoarse male voice emerged. The taller of the two figures extended a gloved hand.


    "My apologies. We''re sensitive to the cold."


    "And how should I address the two of you?" Natalie''s voice carried the raspiness


    of an elderly woman. She, too, wore gloves as she lightly shook the man''s hand in greeting.


    She blocked Marcus from shaking hands with them.


    "You may call me West, and this is my wife, Rory." The man''s voice was rough as


    he gestured toward the entrance. "Please,e inside."


    Natalie nced at Marcus, signaling him to follow.


    Marcus, however, had remained silent since stepping out of the car. He hadn''t even bothered to survey the surroundings.


    His expression was dark.


    "Mark, carry my bag." Natalie had brought her usual canvas bag and handed it to him while taking pictures. He had been carrying it ever since.


    "Understood, madam."


    He changed the way he addressed her on his own. Calling her "Grandma" was something he simply couldn''t bring himself to do.


    Natalie paid no mind to the change in address and followed them into Scarlet Hill Residence.


    The residence was enclosed by towering walls, though its grounds were not particrly expansive. A three-story building built in traditional style stood at the center, with a garden in the front, a vegetable patch in the back, and a small artificial pond with a rockery.


    Surprisingly, there were no maple trees nted within the residence. Instead, various species of sulents and cacti filled the courtyard.


    In one corner along the wall, a cluster of vibrant red spider lilies bloomed.


    On the right side of the yard, two tall magnolia trees stood with a wooden swing set strung between them. The swing swayed gently in the breeze, asionally creaking as it moved.


    "This way, please."


    The masked figures led the way, while Benson respectfully ushered Natalie and Marcus inside.


    The interior was decorated in a ssical style, from the carved wooden furniture to the intricatetticework on the windows. It was evident that the owners had a fondness for traditional aesthetics.


    "Madam, Mark, please have a seat. I''ll prepare some tea for you."


    Benson motioned for them to sit. Across from them, the two masked figures settled into their seats. They remainedpletely covered, even wearing dark sunsses that concealed their eyes entirely.


    After the initial greeting at the entrance, the man hadn''t spoken another word.


    Natalie waited in silence. Soon, Benson returned with tea. "Madam, Mark, please enjoy."


    "Thank you."


    Natalie epted it politely.


    Marcus, however, remained silent.


    Finding this odd, Natalie turned to look at him, only to realize that he had been staring intently at something on the wall.


    Following his gaze, she saw it¡ªa small golden locket.


    "Mark, wait outside with Mr. Jones. I need to speak privately with the patients." Her voice was calm yet firm.


    Marcus rose without protest. He gave the masked figures a slight nod before striding out.


    The masked man tapped lightly on the table. At the signal, Benson followed Marcus outside.


    Natalie wasted no time once the room was empty save for the three of them. "Thedy over here is the one who''s sick, isn''t she?"


    She set her teacup down. "I need to see her true condition in order to diagnose


    her properly. You''re covered from head to toe. I can''t examine you like this."


    The man nodded. He stood and pressed a switch on the wall. Instantly, all the windows shut, and the curtains slowly drew closed.


    "Let''s go upstairs."


    The masked woman spoke for the first time. Unlike the man, her voice wasn''t hoarse-but it was undeniably weary and weak.


    "Alright." Natalie followed her up the stairs.


    Neither the man nor the woman had questioned Natalie''s identity ever since she arrived. They hadn''t doubted her, tested her, or even hesitated in inviting her into their home.


    Something felt amiss.


    But Natalie said nothing, merely following the woman upstairs.


    The room they entered had no windows. It waspletely dark without the lights


    on.


    The woman shut the door behind them and turned on the lights. Then, she walked


    to the center of the room and slowly began removing heryers of covering.


    Beneath the heavy disguise, she wore a long white dress that


    reached her ankles. The fabric


    draped loosely, concealing her figure, making it difficult to see any abnormalities at first nce.


    Next, she carefully removed the artificialyers on her head one by one.


    Finally, her true appearance was revealed.


    Natalie froze.


    "Are you..." Her lips parted as if to ask, "Are you Marcus'' birth mother?"


    But she hesitated.


    Tears welled up in Laura''s eyes. She covered her mouth, stifling a sob, unwilling to let herself cry aloud.


    The son she had longed for day and night was right downstairs. He was close to her. Yet, she dared not call out to him.


    "No... This isn''t the same face as the one on the medical records you sent me."


    Natalie steadied herself, forcing her mind to clear. She had reviewed those records thoroughly. The patient''s photographs had been taken from every angle, and the


    woman in those images looked nothing like the one standing before her now.


    "It''s me." Laura''s voice trembled.


    "But there are only a few days each month when I look... somewhat normal like


    this."


    She choked back a sob. "Doctor, please... Please save me." Tears streamed


    down her face as she struggled to suppress her cries.


    Her son was just downstairs. Yet, she couldn''t let him see her like this.


    "I may look normal today, but I''ll be what you saw in the files tomorrow." She


    tried desperately to contain her emotions. "I want to see my child. I miss him so


    much.


    "I was never a good mother. I gave birth to him... and then this illness took hold of


    me. I never nursed him, never held him in my arms-not even once. All because I was afraid."


    Her voice cracked. Years of pain, regret, and longing threatened to consume her whole. She had spent so long suppressing these emotions. And she was terrified.


    She was terrified for too many reasons to count.


    Natalie had never expected that her first meeting with Marcus'' birth mother would unfold under such circumstances. Steeling herself, she stepped forward and gently helped Laura to a seat.


    "Madam, let me examine you first."


    "I''m afraid..." Laura instinctively took a step back. "I''m afraid my illness is contagious."


    "For years, my husband has taken me everywhere, seeking a cure. We''ve traveled far and wide.


    "In the end, I told him I loved scarlet poppies, so he brought me here." Tears streamed down Laura''s face. "Doctor, I''m out of options.


    "This illness won''t kill me, but it makes living feel worse than death."


    If not for her husband, Wesley''s unwavering support and the hope of one day recovering to reunite with Marcus, she might have chosen death long ago.

 Chapter 420 She Promised to Cure Her

    Marcus was now here serving as the miracle doctor''s assistant, but Laura didn''t dare to acknowledge him. She felt an ache deep in her heart.


    For so many years, they had searched far and wide for a cure, visiting countless ces, yet no one had been able to save her.


    Whenever they heard of someone who could treat rare illnesses, Wesley and Laura would rush there immediately.


    Because of the peculiar nature of her condition, they had been swindled out of money more times than they could count, and Laura had suffered tremendously.


    This time, they had found a way to contact Elim''s assistant through Charles. Elim was a renowned medical genius. If she could cure Charles, then maybe, just maybe, she could cure Laura too.


    Figuring that after so many years, there was nothing left to lose, they decided to take a gamble. What if Elim really could heal her?


    Thus, Wesley and Laura had gone to great lengths and spared no effort in making contact with Elim''s assistant.


    Fortunately, their persistence paid off-Elim agreed to treat her.


    Charles never told Marcus about rmending Elim as he wanted to keep this from Marcus, nor did he let him know the real reason his parents had been absent all these years.


    Laura had been afraid of passing her illness to her child, worried that he would be terrified of her. Through it all, Wesley never left her side. She lived in fear every moment of every day that Wesley would wake up and be just like her.


    Thankfully, he had remained unharmed.


    "Doctor, I beg of you. Please save me."


    Laura dared not approach Natalie, yet her desperation for a cure was undeniable.


    She feared harming others, yet longed to be saved. That contradiction tore at her, leaving her uncertain if she should let Nataliee closer.


    "I will cure you." Natalie spoke slowly. "I promise I will find a way to heal you, no matter what it takes and how much time it requires."


    "Really?" Laura''s eyes widened as tears streamed down her face. "That''s wonderful... That''s wonderful.


    "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."


    "Let me examine you first." Natalie waited until Laura had calmed down before making the request.


    "Yes, I''ll cooperate fully." Laura was obedient, doing everything Natalie asked without hesitation.


    After conducting an initial examination, Natalie felt her heart sink. She had yet to finish reading through the records on Umbrahex that Federrick had given her, but Laura''s condition was clearly severe.


    Natalie suspected that her body was afflicted with more than one type of Umbrahex.


    And after so many years, the parasites had likely fused with her body. Yet, strangely enough, they weren''t killing her. They were merely tormenting her, turning her into something neither living nor dead.


    Perhaps it wasn''t just Umbrahex. Natalie guessed something else was at y as well.


    "I need time to study this."


    Natalie withdrew her hands. "I''ll have my assistant send over some suppliester. Do you have any spare rooms here?"


    Laura quickly nodded. "Yes. There are two guest rooms and one empty room on the first floor. Miracle doctor..."


    "Just call me Elim." Natalie helped Laura put her clothing back on. "Have you ever worn anything besides white?"


    "I have, but wearing other colors makes me feel immense pain and difort." Laura forced a bitter smile. She hadn''t always preferred white. On the contrary, she used to love all shades of red.


    But after giving birth to Marcus and falling ill, she could no longer wear brightly colored clothes. It was her love for red that had made her settle in Scarlet Hill in the first ce.


    She had already lost so much to this illness. Sticking to white clothing was the least of her sacrifices.


    "I see. Did your hair turnpletely white all at once, or was it a gradual change?"


    "It turnedpletely white the day after I gave birth." Laura''s tears fell again as she spoke. It had happened so suddenly that she hadn''t even finished her postpartum recovery before rushing to seek medical help.


    Day by day, the illness worsened, growing more bizarre, until she no longer dared to return home.


    She was terrified that her child would see his mother as a monster. Even breastfeeding was out of the question. She couldn''t even bring herself to hold him, afraid that she might infect him.


    "Then... do you remember everything you ate after giving birth? Who gave it to you?"


    Natalie gently parted Laura''s hair, carefully inspecting the roots.


    "Madam, try to recall every detail. Don''t leave anything out."


    "I''ll try my best."


    Laura concentrated, but after more than 20 years, many details had already faded from her memory. She had given birth at home with a team of medical professionals overseeing the delivery. Afterward, a specialized postpartum care team had taken over.


    There had been a constant flow of people in and out of the house at the time. The food and drinks she consumed had been carefully curated by nutritionists, and there had been numerous kitchen staff as well.


    In other words, during her postpartum period, multiple professional teams were responsible for her care. She hade into contact with far too many people.


    After a long moment of deep thought, Laura hesitated before shaking her head. "There were too many people. I ate so many things."


    She then continued, "Elim, are you suggesting that I''m not sick but was poisoned?"


    Natalie nodded. "As you sought medical help all these years, did anyone ever suggest the possibility of poisoning?"


    Laura hesitated further. Over the years, she had seen all sorts of doctors- including those who imed to be folk healers.


    Some had said she was poisoned. Others imed she had been cursed. Some even said she was possessed.


    But none of their treatments had worked. In fact, they had only made her condition worse. Laura had nearly died on more than one asion. Eventually, Wesley became too afraid to let her undergo any more experimental treatments, opting instead for conservative care.


    But conservative care was just a form of psychologicalfort. Over the years, Laura''s body had only deteriorated. Her episodes were bing more frequent.


    Thest time she had an attack, she coughed up blood. But the blood wasn''t red. Rather, it was pure white.


    Both she and Wesley had panicked at the sight of it.


    They had been left with no choice but to call Charles, revealing the full truth at


    That was when Charles suggested Elim as ast resort¡ªa final sliver of hope.


    Laura recounted everything she


    could remember to Natalie. When she finished, she stood up. "My


    husband has a notebook documenting all my symptoms over


    the years. Most of it was sent to


    your assistant already. I''ll get it for you."


    Natalie nodded. "Alright."

 Chapter 421 Send Him Away

    Laura walked to the door but hesitated. She turned back to Natalie, her voice filled with quiet desperation. "Dr. Elim, could you have Mark step out for a while?"


    Her eyes held a sorrow that felt impossible to escape, and her entire presence was weighed down by an invisible grief. The son she had longed to see for years was standing right in front of her, yet she could not reveal her identity to him. In this state, hardly anyone would be able to ept her, let alone her son.


    There were nights when Wesley took her out for some air under the cover of darkness, only for them to run into strangers. Those strangers called her a ghost, a monster-some even called her a witch or a demon. Some had tried to attack her, drag her away, or even threatened to burn her alive.


    Luckily, Benson always had bodyguards shadowing her from a distance, ensuring she did not get caught. Even so, the fear had settled deep in her bones. She was Marcus'' biological mother, yet she had never held him, never once cared for him since the day he was born.


    Before seeing him, she had spent years longing for this moment. Yet, now that it had arrived, she was afraid.


    Natalie watched the emotions flicker across Laura''s face and instantly understood her struggle. She gave a small nod and said, "Alright, I''ll have him leave for now."


    "Thank you." Laura was beyond grateful, though a trace of disappointment lingered in her heart. Still, she quickly steeled herself. Once this strange illness was cured, she could meet Marcus as a normal person.


    She repeated, "Thank you so much, really."


    "Don''t mention it, Mrs. Holden." Natalie''s heart felt heavy. Laura''s condition wasplicated, and she needed to dig into research immediately.


    She continued, "Mrs. Holden, please arrange a guest room for me and make sure no one disturbs me. Also, before we begin any treatment, I need to understand what happens when your symptoms appear."


    "Of course, I''ll do whatever you say," Laura agreed right away. She turned and grabbed the notebook Wesley had been keeping, then handed it to Natalie before wrapping herself up tightly in her coverings again.


    "Dr. Elim, when you send Mark away, would it be alright if I stood by the door to watch him leave?" Her voice was cautious, as if afraid of overstepping. "I won''t get close. I won''t risk infecting him."


    "Mrs. Holden, this is your home. You can stand wherever you like. I''ll tell Mark he needs to head back," Natalie said as she took the notebook.


    Before she turned to leave, she paused and added with a gentle smile, "By the way, Mark really loves his parents. He always says the people he''s most grateful for are the ones who brought him into this world-his mom, dad, and his grandfather."


    The moment those words left Natalie''s lips, Laura froze.


    "I''ll ask him to leave now." With that, Natalie walked past her, heading toward the stairs. But before she reached them, she heard the sound of muffled sobbing behind her.


    Laura was trying to hold it in, forcing herself to cry without making a sound. However, the more she tried, the harder the pain hit.


    She wanted so badly to run out, to hold Marcus and tell him she was his mother. Yet, she could not find the courage to do so.


    After all, she might look normal for now, but in a day or two-maybe even sooner -her symptoms would return. And when they did, she would look terrifying.


    Tears streamed down Laura''s face as she choked out her apologies. "I''m sorry... I''m so sorry..."


    Natalie stood at the top of the stairs for a long moment before finally making her way down. Meanwhile, Wesley was already waiting at the bottom. The moment he saw her, he rushed forward.


    He asked, "Dr. Elim, is there any hope for Laura''s condition?"


    He sounded cautious, and it was understandable why. He had sought out so many doctors over the years that he had lost count of how many times he had gone from hope to disappointment, from disappointment to despair. If this also failed, he would have no choice but to watch Laura waste away.


    "I will cure Mrs. Holden," Natalie stated firmly, without the slightest hesitation. "No matter what it takes, no matter how much time or effort, I will find a way to heal her."


    "Thank you. Thank you so much." With a heavy thud, Wesley dropped to his knees in front of Natalie without a second thought.


    He continued, "Dr. Elim, thank you! You are a savior to my wife and me. If Laura recovers, I''ll be at your beck and call, respecting you as much as I do with my parents!"


    Natalie quickly reached out and pulled Wesley to his feet. "No, please don''t. Mr. Holden, you''re exaggerating."


    She could not possibly ept such regard as it would furtherplicate the dynamic of her rtionship with Marcus, considering Wesley and Laure were Marcus'' parents.


    She added, "I promise to do everything I can to cure Mrs. Holden, so please trust me."


    "Thank you. Thank you. Whatever you need from us, just say the word." Wesley''s eyes welled up with tears. For years, Laura had always said he had suffered, but in truth, how could his painpare to hers?


    All he could do was stay by her side, never leaving. Although he desperately wanted to, he could not take away an ounce of her suffering. Every time he had to watch her endure agony, he wished he could take her ce.


    After helping Wesley to his feet, Natalie spoke slowly and carefully. "Mr. Holden, Mrs. Holden asked me to send Mark away. I''ll speak with him now."


    Laura was too afraid to face Marcus because of how she looked-but what about Wesley? His son was right there, and she wondered if he wanted to see him.


    Natalie slowed her steps, listening for any movement behind her. However, even


    as she reached the front door, Wesley did not follow.


    She sighed inwardly. Clearly, they had made up their minds not to reveal themselves to Marcus. If they had truly wanted to reunite with him, they would not have gone to such great lengths to cover themselves


    up.


    Moreover, Marcus had not seen them since he was a child. Even if Charles were here, he probably would not recognize them either.


    Outside, Marcus was standing beneath a me tree, chatting with Benson. When he saw Natalie step out, he immediately walked over and asked, "Dr. Elim, you''re done with the patient?"


    Natalie sighed and said, "Mark, you should head back. There''s nothing you can do here, so just go back to work and make me some more money."


    Marcus frowned slightly. "Huh? What''s that supposed to mean?"


    Natalie pulled him aside and whispered, "Exactly like what I said. Marcus, listen to me. You need to leave. Go back and set up our new home like we nned."


    Marcus''s frown deepened. "Nat, just be honest with me. Can this family be cured? Or is it really that bad?"


    "It is." Natalie hesitated, thinking


    about how to phrase her words.


    Then, she continued, "But I can''t say


    much more. Patient confidentiality applies, even if you''re my boyfriend. I can''t disclose anything right now."


    Wesley and Laura had spent years keeping the truth from Marcus, and they would rather have him resent them than let him know what was really going on. So,


    without their permission, she could not tell him either.


    Natalie looked at Marcus seriously, her eyes locked onto his. "Marcus, you understand, right? You''re the best boyfriend in the world, so of course, you''ll support my career. Right?"


    Marcus replied without hesitation, "I''m not leaving, and I won''t get in your way. I can help out with whatever you need."


    Natalie shut him down immediately. "That''s not an option. You have to go."

 Chapter 422 Our Relationship Is Purely Professional

    Natalie stood her ground, unwavering in her decision. While Marcus did not want to back down either, he softened his approach instead of arguing.


    He said, "Nat, I promise I''ll do whatever you say, but I have to stay with you. You''re here alone in an unfamiliar ce, and there are three of them¡ªmaybe even more. If they try anything, and I''m too far away, I won''t be able to reach you in time."


    Marcus had learned to always expect the worst in people. Those two homeowners werepletely covered up, hiding their faces. Who knew if they were truly seeking medical help or had some other agenda?


    "Marcus, trust me. They''re not bad people." Natalie sighed and softened her voice. "Besides, I look like an olddy right now. What exactly do you think they could do to me?"


    She continued, "And you know how skilled I am. I can handle myself just fine. There are three of them and only one of you."


    Marcus reasoned, "Nat, don''t overestimate yourself just because you''re good at fighting. Numbers still matter."


    He nced toward Benson and added, "And Benson is a grown man. I was just talking to him outside, and I got some information out of him. He''s not just an assistant. He''s also their helper, bodyguard, driver, cook, and even their gardener.


    "So, either I stay here with you, or you give up on this case we walk away and forget about it."


    Natalie frowned. "That''s not happening. Marcus, you can''t interfere with my work, and you need to listen to me. Haven''t you heard of ''happy wife, happy life''? Listen to me, okay?"


    "No," Marcus replied tly.


    Natalie''s face darkened. She was so close to punching him. Since getting together, Marcus had always been easygoing, so why was he suddenly this stubborn?


    "Before I met you, I traveled alone all the time," she argued, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "I treated patients on my own and went wherever I needed to. I''m the miracle doctor, Elim. Do you think I earned that name for nothing?"


    Marcus was unfazed and remained firm. "I don''t care who you are. As long as I''m your boyfriend, I won''t let you stay in a stranger''s house alone. Anyway, there''s nothing to discuss."


    "Marcus-" Natalie was on the verge of exploding.


    She did not want to use the threat of breaking up against him. Since they were in a rtionship, they should not just throw around those words so easily.


    Marcus insisted. "Nat, I don''t care how independent you were before. Now that I''m your boyfriend, I won''t let you do things alone anymore. If you want me to listen to your every word, fine. But you can''t just kick me out whenever you feel like it.


    "And another thing-you said ''happy wife, happy life,'' but we''re not married yet, so technically, you''re not my wife."


    Natalie was stunned by Marcus'' words. She never expected him to say something like that just to stay. It seemed that he really was not afraid of pissing her off.


    Marcus reached out and ruffled Natalie''s white hair with hisrge hand. "Nat,e on. I''m staying, but only to keep you safe. I won''t interfere with anything else. That''s my only request. Is that okay?"


    Natalie hesitated for a long moment before finally responding, "I''ll ask the homeowners."


    She sighed, muttering to herself, "Ugh... what a mess! If I''d known rtionships were this much trouble, I wouldn''t have taken on this responsibility. I mean, what''s the worst that could happen to a grown man? He''ll live."


    Despite her grumbling, she turned and walked back toward Wesley and Laura. Honestly, she did not think it would be a problem for Marcus to stay. After all, these were his biological parents.


    They had stayed away from him all these years because they had no choice and Marcus was not the type to be unreasonable. If he knew the truth, he would not me them; he would only feel sorry for them.


    Natalie debated whether she should just tell him everything. However, the image


    of Laura''s sorrowful expression stopped her.


    She turned and shot Marcus a re. "Wait here."


    Marcus nodded, obedient for once. "Alright."


    As Natalie walked back inside, Laura remained standing by the door, bundled up from head to toe. Even though she wore sunsses, it was clear that her gaze was locked onto Marcus.


    The moment Natalie approached, Laura tensed. She opened her mouth as if to say something but could not find her voice.


    Natalie stated bluntly, "Mark won''t leave. He doesn''t trust anyone else to look after me, so he insists on staying. Mrs. Holden, why don''t we just let him stay?"


    Ntalie sighed and added, "He''s well-behaved. He won''t pry, and he''s not overly curious. Mrs. Holden, if he refuses to go, there''s nothing I can do. So, we might as well let him stay."


    Laura stared nkly in Marcus'' direction. That was her son, the child she had carried for nine months and endured excruciating pain to bring into the world.


    The very son she never had the


    chance to raise, never even had the chance to hold, before she fell ill and was forced to leave him behind. The son she had thought about every single day but never dared to face.


    "Mrs. Holden? Mrs. Holden?" Natalie waved a hand in front of her face.


    Laura snapped out of her daze. "Doctor, what did you just say?"


    Natalie repeated, "Mark won''t leave. Since he''s worried about me, let''s just have him stay."


    Laura hesitated. She wanted to be around him, but she feared passing her illness on to him.


    Natalie assured her, "Mrs. Holden, your illness isn''t contagious. Don''t worry. It was deliberately inflicted on you-it only affects you and won''t spread to anyone else. So, it''s perfectly safe for Mark to stay. I won''t be infected, and neither will he."  ?wnovel


    "Really?" Laura stared at Natalie, stunned. "It really won''t spread?"


    Natalie met her gaze with firm confidence. "I would never joke about something as serious as this."


    "That''s good... What a relief." Laura let out a shaky breath, visibly easing up. "I''ll have Benson prepare rooms for you."


    "Mark and I will share one," Natalie replied.


    "Huh?" Laura froze again, her brows furrowing beneath her sunsses. "That... doesn''t seem appropriate."


    "There''s nothing inappropriate about it," Natalie said with a casual smile. "Mark is my assistant and my student. Our rtionship is purely professional."


    Laura was not convinced. Then again, she could not think of a valid reason to refuse. Besides, Natalie was her only hope right now, and she did not dare risk upsetting her.


    She feared that if she did, Natalie might refuse to treat her. If that were to happen, she was doomed.

 Chapter 423 She Wouldnt Let Him See Her Like That

    Seeing Laura hesitate, Natalie decided to push a little harder. "Mrs. Holden, don''t worry. I''ve practically one foot in the grave already-just an old woman with nothing left to lose.


    "Mark isn''t an idiot, and he''s definitely not a creep. Even if we shared the same bed, nothing would happen, let alone just staying in the same room."


    Laura was rendered speechless. Just imagining that scenario made her head hurt. Nheless, Natalie had already put it so bluntly. If she kept overthinking it, she would only make herself look narrow-minded.


    Still, Laura could not shake the unease. Natalie might not care, but Marcus was young. He had his whole future ahead of him. He would date, fall in love, and get married one day.


    After thinking it over, Laura carefully suggested, "How about I arrange two rooms for you instead? Dr. Elim, don''t get me wrong. It''s just that sharing a room might be a little cramped and ufortable for you both."


    "That''s fine." Natalie did not care about the room arrangements. Her only goal was to make sure Laura agreed to let Marcus stay.


    They were mother and son, yet Laura was too afraid to acknowledge him. That kind of torment-being so close yet unable to reunite was already painful enough.


    Letting Marcus stay might at least ease Laura''s longing for him. Besides, Marcus refused to leave.


    She added, "I''ll make sure he doesn''t wander around."


    "It''s alright. I''ll have Benson take care of it." Laura did not know what to feel. She was happy, but more than anything, she was worried.


    Her condition was unpredictable. She worried it might mutate or be contagious. If she ended up harming the people around her, she would never forgive herself.


    "Mrs. Holden, please don''t worry. Your illness is not contagious," Natalie reassured her firmly. "I will cure you. Trust me."


    "Alright... I trust you." Laura hesitated but eventually nodded.


    She turned and called Benson over. "Benson, prepare two guest rooms. Find out Mr. Mark'' preferences and any things he dislikes. Do the same for Dr. Elim. Make sure everything is arranged properly so they arefortable and feel at home. Understand?"


    "Of course, Mrs. Holden. I''ll take care of it," Benson respectfully said.


    Then, he walked over to Marcus and Natalie to discuss their needs before


    heading off to make the arrangements. Scarlet Hill Residence was not particrlyrge, but there were plenty of rooms.


    The entire estate was understatedly elegant, its ssic architecture blending seamlessly with its surroundings. The rooms on the third floor had a stunning view -just beyond the windows stretched endless fields of scarlet poppies.


    When the wind blew, the petals would drift into the courtyard, and on especially breezy days, they even floated into the rooms. The rooms themselves were not big, but they were warm, inviting, and practical.


    After settling in, Natalie unpacked her bag, freshened up, and then took a seat by the window. She pulled out Wesley''s notebook and started reading.


    The notebook was thick, every page filled with his neatly handwritten notes. His handwriting was so precise that it looked almost like it had been printed.


    However, the more she read, the more disturbing the content became. There were even photos attached, each one corresponding to a detailed description of the situation at the time.


    Natalie waspletely absorbed in reading, unaware of how much time had passed until a knock on the door pulled her back to reality.


    "Dr. Elim, it''s time for dinner." Marcus'' voice came from outside.


    She quickly responded, "Got it. I''ll be down in a bit."


    "I''ll wait for you at the door."


    "Alright." She carefully put the notebook away, then walked over to the mirror to check herself onest time. Once she was sure nothing was out of ce, she finally opened the door and stepped out.


    "Let''s go."


    "Okay!"


    The two of them made their way downstairs. Benson had already prepared dinner -a simple spread of home-cooked dishes, all light and easy on the stomach.


    However, Laura and Wesley were eating in their own room. They had instructed Benson to host Marcus and Natalie on their behalf.


    "Mr. Mark, Dr. Elim, Mr. and Mrs. Holden won''t be joining you for dinner due to health reasons," Benson exined politely. "I''ll be dining with you in their ce."


    "I need to check Mrs. Holden''s diet." Natalie suddenly stood up and gave Marcus a look. "Mark,e help me."


    Marcus immediately followed her lead. "Alright, Dr. Elim."


    Benson hesitated, quickly stepping forward to block them. "Dr. Elim, could you please wait a moment? Let me ask Mrs. Holden first."


    Natalie replied, "Sure. I just need to be fully informed about her condition, so I''ll need your full cooperation."


    "Of course," Benson said before heading upstairs. He was gone for quite a while before finally returning. "Dr. Elim, this way, please. Can Mr. Mark stay behind?"


    Natalie''s tone turned cold. "No, he''sing. He''s my assistant, and he''s here to help me treat Mrs. Holden. Why do you keep trying to get rid of him? What exactly are you hiding?"


    Benson immediately apologized. "I''m sorry, Dr. Elim. That''s not our intention."


    "It better not be," she replied.


    With a sharp look at Marcus, Natalie started walking, and he followed without question. Benson had no choice but to lead the way. This time, they were taken to a smaller room instead of heading to Laura and Wesley''s main bedroom.


    Benson knocked lightly, and after receiving permission, he cautiously pushed the door open. Inside, there was a small dining table with two chairs. Two bowls of in chicken soup and two sses of milk were on the table.


    Laura and Wesley, bothpletely covered from head to toe, sat facing each other-but neither of them had touched their food. The moment they saw Natalie and Marcus enter, they immediately stood up.


    "Mark, take some photos and document Mrs. Holden''s meal."


    Natalie''s voice was firm as she gave her instructions. "Mrs. Holden, eat as you normally would. I need to observe how your body reacts afterward."


    Laura''s body tensed. With Marcus in the room, she would have to remove the bandages covering her face in order to eat.


    The Holden family might not have any of her photos left, but she and Marcus still shared strikingly simr features.


    "Mrs. Holden, there''s nothing to be afraid of. Mark is highly professional." Natalie walked closer. "If you want to get better, you have to cooperate with us. Even if I find a cure, I can''t help you if you won''t work with me."


    "Mrs. Holden, please trust us," Marcus chimed in, his voice calm andposed. "Doctors don''t discriminate. To me, you are simply another patient Dr. Elim is


    treating, and we''re only doing our job. Please cooperate."


    "But I..." Laura''s voice came out hoarse and strained, unable to bring herself to sit


    there and eat with Marcus watching.


    "I can''t... I really can''t." Laura lifted both hands to her face, gripping the fabric tightly. "Please... don''t force me. Dr. Etim, I beg you-please ask Mark to leave. I''ve already agreed to let him stay. That was difficult enough for me. Please don''t push me any further."


    Tears welled in her eyes, her breathing in shaky gasps. She just could not do


    it. No matter what, she would not let Marcus see her like this.

 Chapter 424 Charles Arrival

    Laura''s emotions were spiraling out of control. Sensing the tension, Wesley quickly stepped in and said, "Dr. Elim, Mr. Mark, could you step outside for a moment? I need to calm Laura down."


    Natalie noticed the situation and knew that Laura was not ready to open up just yet. She exchanged a nce with Marcus before leading him out of the room.


    Behind the closed door, Wesley pulled Laura into his arms andforted her. "Laura, why don''t we just tell Marcus the truth? You''re his biological mother. He''s not going to reject you."


    Wesley gently tried to ease her worries, adding, "We''ve missed him all these years, but Father raised him well. There''s no way he''d be afraid of you or turn his back on you.


    "Besides, Marcus has missed us too. Even though we haven''t spoken often, every time we did, I could tell that he''s a respectful, kind-hearted young man. How about this? I''ll talk to him first, and once he understands, you can meet him."


    Laura shook her head, mumbling, "Wesley, no... I can''t. I''m fine now, but what if I rpse?"


    Her voice broke as tears spilled down her cheeks. "I already look terrifying as it is... What if he sees me when I lose control? I don''t want to scare him!"


    Wesley reassured her, "Marcus is grown now. He''s not a child anymore. He''ll understand what we''ve been through. He''ll understand us."


    Laura still shook her head, sobbing. "No... I just can''t."


    "Laura, listen to me," Wesley said firmly, holding her steady as she nearly copsed. "If even Dr. Elim can''t cure this, then there''s no hope left. Do you really want to leave this world without ever seeing Marcus again?"


    He continued, "Don''t you want to hold him just once? To tell him how much you love him? Laura, trust me. I''ll talk to Marcus first."


    Before Laura could say anything, there was a knock at the door. Then, Benson''s voice came from the other side, announcing, "Mr. and Mrs. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior is here."


    Wesley froze, his mind nk for a second before his pupils widened in shock. "What did you just say?"


    "Mr. Holden Senior just arrived. Dr. Elim and Mr. Mark are already talking to him," Benson reported.


    At that moment, both Wesley and Laura were stunned. She even stopped sobbing as panic took over.


    "What do we do? Why is Father here?" Laura''s voice trembled.


    "He''s meeting Marcus... What if he tells him the truth? Wesley, I''m scared," she mumbled, gripping Wesley''s arm.


    "Don''t be." Wesley held her close, trying to steady her. "From the moment we left, we knew this day woulde sooner orter. And if Father wanted Marcus to know the truth, he would''ve told him a long time ago¡ªnot now."


    Laura''s anxiety spiked. "Then why would Father suddenly show up here? Why would he even meet Marcus?"


    She started pacing the room, her hands clutching her arms. "I can''t let him see me like this-I just can''t!"


    "Laura, listen to me," Wesley said, grabbing her hand. "Just stay here. I''ll go downstairs and find out what''s going on. Sit down and finish your dinner first. Everything''s going to be alright, okay?"


    "I can''t eat," Laura whispered, shaking her head.


    "If you don''t, how are you going to get through tomorrow?" Wesley''s voice was full


    of pain. "Now that Dr. Elim is here, you need to listen to her and cooperate with your treatment."


    "But I-"


    "No buts," Wesley cut her off, squeezing her hand. "For Marcus'' sake, just hold on


    a little longer. Please?"


    Laura had no choice but to nod. "Okay."


    "I''ll head down now and check things out," Wesley said.


    "Alright," Laura replied, but just as Wesley was about to leave, she grabbed his hand tightly. She pleaded, "Wesley, don''t reveal your identity. Please, don''t let Marcus


    know yet-I''m not ready."


    "I won''t say anything," Wesley reassured her, pulling her into a brief hug. "I''ll just see what''s going on first."


    "Okay," Laura murmured.


    Then, Wesley left the room and quickly made his way downstairs. In the dining area, Charles was sitting at the table with Sheldon and Connie, casually having dinner with Marcus.


    Benson was in the kitchen, busy preparing fresh juice for everyone.


    Wesley, wrapped up in heavyyers and dark sunsses, stopped near the table. The moment his gazended on them, his eyes burned red behind his lenses.


    There sat his father, his son, and Sheldon-the people he had missed every single day for years. But even now, he could not let them know who he was.


    "What are you standing around for? Sit down," Charles said, waving him over without much fuss. Then, he instructed, "Benson, get another set of dishes."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior," Benson responded respectfully and quickly ced an extra te and utensils on the table.


    "Mr. Holden Senior," Wesley greeted, his voice steady.


    "You can leave now," Charles said, dismissing Benson with a wave.


    Benson nodded and returned to the kitchen.


    "Sit, Wesley," Charles said.


    Just as he poured himself a drink, Connie swiftly took the ss from him. She scolded, "Mr. Holden Senior, you''re not allowed to drink alcohol."


    Charles sighed in defeat. "Fine, fine. Milk instead, then. I''ll drink milk like it''s wine."


    Ever since Connie hade into his life, she had been keeping him in check. She poured him a ss of milk and served wine to everyone else.


    Without a word, Marcus casually swapped the ss in front of Natalie, recing her wine with milk instead. Natalie noticed but did not say anything.


    "Marcus, Wesley," Charles said, lifting his ss. "Let me formally introduce you two to each other. You two have been apart for years, but today, you finally meet again as father and son."


    He continued, "Marcus, this is your father, Wesley. Wesley, this is your son." Charles dered proudly. "I raised him well. Your son-my grandson-grew up under my care, and I did a damn good job."


    "Marcus, that''s your dad," he continued. "And Wesley, that''s your son."


    With that, Charles downed his entire ss of milk in one go. He chuckled and urged, "Don''t just sit there-drink up! Once we finish this toast, everything will beid out in the open."


    "Marcus, whatever questions you have, I''ll answer them all tonight," Charles said, watching him carefully.


    Marcus remained silent. From the moment he had stepped into Scarlet Hill Residence, he had already pieced everything together.


    The walls were filled with relics from


    his childhood-precious gold lockets and gemstone trinkets, along with small scarves, mittens, and other sentimental things. Even his old childhood drawings were framed with care, perfectly blending into the elegant decor of the honte.


    He had known the truth the second he walked in, but he had not asked nor did he expose it. At that moment, he finally understood why his parents had left him behind and spent years "traveling".


    "Don''t you have any questions?" Charles asked when Marcus remained silent.


    Pouring another ss of wine, he let out a deep sigh. "Your parents always loved you, Marcus. It was me I''m the one who kept the truth from you. If you want to me someone, then me me."

 Chapter 425 Stay Away from Me

    As soon as Charles finished speaking, Wesley could not hold back his emotions any longer. Tears streamed down his face as he choked out, "Father, I''ve let you down."


    In the next moment, ovee with guilt, Wesley sank to his knees beside Charles'' chair. He sobbed, "I haven''t been a responsible son. All these years, I failed to care for you, and worse, I failed my duty as a father."


    His body trembled as he lowered his head, gripping Charles'' hands tightly. Overwhelmed with regret, he kept apologizing.


    Charles said, "Get up. A real man stands on his feet and faces his mistakes head- on. Go change into something proper, thene back and have dinner with me."


    "Yes, Father," Wesley replied, his voice thick with tears.


    Charles helped him to his feet, and in that moment, Wesley could not help but embrace his father tightly. Years had passed; Charles had grown old, and Marcus had turned into an adult, yet he had missed all of it.


    Wesley felt as if he had failed his father, his son, and his wife. All these years, Laura''s illness remained the same, and despite trying to take care of everything, he had aplished nothing.


    "Wesley," Charles said, pping a firm hand on his shoulder. "Do you remember what I told you the day you left with Laura to find a cure?


    "I told you that we''re family. Your only job was to take care of Laura. Everything else, I covered. You never had to worry about Marcus. I told you I would raise him to be healthy, strong, and happy, and look at him now. Your son turned out to be outstanding."


    "Yes, Father," Wesley choked out. There was so much he wanted to say, but no words could express what he truly felt.


    "I''ve always said that home is the warmest ce, the safest harbor. No matter how long you and Laura were away, Marcus would always wee you back with open arms. Isn''t that right, Marcus?" Charles turned to Marcus, who had been silently watching from his seat.


    Natalie, noticing his hesitation, nudged him under the table with her foot. Marcus snapped out of his thoughts. He slowly nodded, stood up, and walked toward Wesley before reaching out and wrapping his arms around him.


    "Father," Marcus said, his voice deep and steady. "It''s nice to finally meet you properly. I''m Marcus, your son."


    His voice was rough with emotion, but aside from that, he was asposed and reserved as ever. The moment Wesley heard those words and felt Marcus'' embrace, hisposure shattered.


    "Marcus! Marcus! Marcus!" Wesley cried out, his voice breaking as he hugged his son tightly. He clutched Marcus'' back, patting him repeatedly as tears streamed down his face.


    "Marcus, my precious son," he sobbed. "I''m so sorry-I failed you. I wasn''t there for you, I didn''t take care of your grandfather, and I couldn''t even take care of your mother. I have been a terrible son, a terrible father, and a terrible husband."


    "Enough with that nonsense," Charles scolded, giving Wesley a sharp p to the back of the head. "You spent all these years by Laura''s side, taking care of her. That is the most responsible thing you could have done."


    Charles continued, "A family is meant to stand together. And besides, we''re the Holden family. We''re rich and have an army of staff at our disposal. So what if we weren''t all under one roof? That''s barely a hardship.


    "From now on, I don''t want to hear another word of self-pity. I have no patience for that kind of talk. Now, change your clothes and bring Laura down. It''s been too many years. She needs to meet Marcus, too."


    "Yes, of course, Father. I''ll change and bring Laura down right away," Wesley replied. His entire body trembled. He had cried too hard, and now he could not stop.


    "Father, don''t cry," Marcus said, his voice rough with emotion. "All these years, I''ve missed you and Mom so much, but I have never med either of you."


    When he was younger, Marcus could not understand why his parents had left him behind to travel the world. Every time he showed even the slightest sadness, Charles would stroke his hair and tell him that his parents loved him that they were searching for the greatest gift in the world just for him.


    They would note home until they found it, and once they did, they would bring it back to him. Now, Marcus finally understood what that "gift" was.


    "You''re such a good boy," Wesley sobbed, his voice cracking. "Thank you... Thank you."


    Wesley did not believe he deserved this forgiveness, nor did he deserve Marcus or Charles'' understanding.


    Marcus released Wesley and added, "I''m going to see Mom. I know what she''s afraid of. I''ll make sure she doesn''t have to be afraid anymore."


    "Marcus... thank you," Wesley whispered, tears still falling. "Laura will be so happy."


    Marcus nodded. "Where is she?"


    "Upstairs."


    Natalie chimed in as she stood up, "I''ll go with you. Mrs. Holden is in a fragile state, and she trusts me more than anyone right now."


    "Okay... Thank you, Dr. Elim," Wesley said, still struggling through his tears.


    "Let''s go, Mark," Natalie said as she led Marcus upstairs.


    ...


    Laura was pacing in her room,


    BUT


    anxiously waiting for Wesley to return. When the door opened, she turned quickly, expecting her husband. However, the moment she saw Natalie walk in with Marous beside her, she froze in shock.


    Natalie did not waste a second. She gently pulled Marcus forward and said, "Mrs. Holden, let me introduce you two properly. This is Marcus, your son. Mark, this is your mother."


    Laura''s mind went nk. She had not expected Natalie to expose her identity so directly. After all, she had not even said anything. As she thought about it, she realize it was not Natalie-Charles must have told him.


    Her first instinct was to run, but Marcus was faster. He reached out and caught her before she could escape.


    "Mom, don''t run," he said softly.


    When she heard the word "Mom", Laura burst into tears. She shook her head frantically, unable to let him see her like this.


    She said, "Go away. Don''t look at me. Please, don''t look at me!"


    Laura''s cries grew desperate as she covered her face with her hands, forgetting that she was alreadypletely wrapped up.


    "Mom, I already know everything. Don''t be scared," Marcus said as he reached for her hands.


    "I will never be afraid of you. My heart ached for you, Mom. All these years, you''ve suffered so much. His voice was deep and steady, carrying an undeniable strength that refused to be ignored.


    Slowly, he pried her fingers away from her face. "Mom, it''s okay."


    Marcus said, "I already reunited with Dad. Don''t you want to reunite with me too? I


    am your son. All these years, I have never stopped missing you. Look at me, Mom. Please."


    "Marcus, my precious son..." Laura choked out.


    She wanted to hug him and hold him so badly, but she did not dare. She was


    worried that she would infect him.


    Laura cried, "Marcus, stay away from me! I miss you, I love you... but I can''t get close to you. Please, listen to me and stay away."

 Chapter 426 They Think Its Simpler to Move Past Hatred Than Love

    Laura was crying uncontrobly, struggling to back away. But Marcus clung to her hand and wouldn''t release his grip.


    "I''m your son," Marcus said deliberately. "Since I was little, I''ve always wanted to meet you, Mom. As soon as I entered Scarlet Hill Residence, I recognized you and Dad.


    "There were so many things about me disyed on the walls. Surely, there were photos as well, right? But you both had already removed them beforehand."


    Laura was taken aback. It took her a while to gather her thoughts.


    "You knew right from the start, didn''t you?" she asked.


    Marcus nodded, "Yes, I realized it as soon as I arrived. But since you chose not to acknowledge me, I went along with it and acted like I didn''t know. After that, when you asked Elim to tell me to leave, I understood you didn''t want to see me.


    "No matter what, you are my mother, and I will always be your son. You carried me lovingly for ten months and went through the intense pain of childbirth. I could never dislike or fear you."


    Tears streamed down Laura''s face as her voice quivered with emotion.


    "Do you resent me for telling you not to call off the engagement when I called you before?" she asked, her voice breaking. "I spoke harshly then, and regretted it the moment I hung up. I can''t control myself when this illness res up. Marcus, I''m truly sorry. I shouldn''t have been so tough on you."


    Laura began to cry once more. Marcus hugged her gently and reassured her, "It''s not contagious. Don''t be scared."


    "Let go of me. Let me go," Laura said, struggling in his arms. "You, let me go."


    Despite knowing it wasn''t contagious, fear gripped her. The illness was unpredictable, and she worried that one day, by some unforeseen circumstance, it might be contagious.


    What would she do then? She could endure the suffering herself, but she couldn''t bear the thought of her family experiencing such pain.


    "Marcus, let go of your mother," Wesley interjected, arriving just in time.


    He had changed into his usual home attire and hurried forward to gently separate Laura from Marcus'' embrace.


    "Laura, don''t cry," Wesleyforted her before addressing Marcus. "Marcus, please try to understand your mother. This illness has worn her down so much that she doesn''t feel like herself anymore. She''s terrified that we might suffer the same fate, which is why she''s been keeping her distance."


    "We''ve always loved you," he continued. "Marcus, go downstairs with Dr. Elim first. After I help your mother calm down, we''ll join you."


    "Okay," Marcus replied, not bothering to argue. He hadn''t witnessed his mother''s current state, but he could imagine it.


    Charles had once remarked that Marcus embodied the finest qualities of his parents, and his resemnce to them was so strong that anyone could instantly tell he was their child.


    Now that Wesley had dropped his disguise, his true appearance was visible, and as expected, Marcus looked remarkably like him.


    Marcus nced at Natalie, took hold of her wrist, and guided her out of the room. Behind them, Laura''s stifled sobs and Wesley''s soothing voice as he consoled his wife echoed softly.


    When they reached the downstairsnding, they found Charles already seated on the couch. In the corner, Sheldon and Connie were once again huddled together, tears streaming down their faces.


    As soon as Connie spotted Natalie and Marcus approaching, she hurried over to Natalie, tears streaming down her face. "Dr. Elim..."


    "Dr. Elim, Mrs. Holden... she''s so unfortunate..." Connie''s words momentarily left Natalie at a loss for words.


    Connie had been living with the Holden family for some time and had fully absorbed their emotions.


    "Mr. Marcus is unfortunate too," Connie continued to cry. "And Mr. Holden Senior, he''s even more unfortunate. For all these years, Mr. Holden Senior had to look after Mr. Marcus while keeping the secret about Mr. Holden and Mrs. Holden..."


    "Alright, stop crying," Natalie said, offering Connie a tissue. "They''ve finally reunited. From now on, the family will be together again. Stop crying."


    "Dr. Elim..." Connie whimpered, stepping forward to embrace Natalie.


    To her surprise, Marcus pulled Natalie into his arms with a sudden tug.


    "Nat, take a walk with me," Marcus said, his voice slightly rough.


    He gripped Natalie''s hand firmly, clearly holding back his emotions.


    Natalie nodded and walked with Marcus outside. Once Scarlet Hill Residence was


    out of their view, Marcus wrapped his arms around her.


    "Nat," Marcus said, his voice quivering. "I''m really upset."


    "I understand," Natalie said softly, hugging him around the waist. "When we


    return, I''ll tell everyone you''re not just my assistant, but my boyfriend."


    "No," Marcus replied, shaking his head. "They trust you as you are now. If you change back, they might doubt you. I''m just feeling down and need @hug. A hug will make me feel better. Nat, I''m easy to please. Just reassure me a little, and I''ll be fine."


    "Alright, I''llfort you." Natalie softly patted Marcus'' back, one gentle pat at a


    time, as if calming a child.


    Natalie added, "Marcus, don''t worry.


    I promise to do everything I can to


    cure your mother. If I can''t manage


    it on my own, I''ll bring in additional help. Don''t worry. I have a mentor who is even more skilled. To put it dramatically, Mr. Langton can tackle any illness.


    "Don''t feel sad. You''ve finally reunited with your parents, and that''s something to be happy about."


    Natalie was truly pleased to see that Marcus'' parents loved him as well. She had imagined many scenarios before, but never considered that Marcus'' mother might have contracted a peculiar illness, forcing her to leave home and him.


    "I''ve seen your mother, and she''s not in a good condition. I understand why she might not want to see you. Please, don''t hold it against her."


    "Yeah, I understand her actions. I just feel bad for her." Marcus embraced Natalie tightly, wishing he could merge her into his own being.


    He continued, "Grandpa told me it was their decision to keep the truth from me. When I was younger, I didn''t understand much, so it wasn''t hard for Grandpa to keep me in the dark.


    "Initially, my parents assumed that, despite the peculiar nature of the illness, the Holden family''s resources and influence would help them find a cure. They likely believed it wouldn''t be long before they recovered and returned home.


    "But as the years passed, not only did my mother''s condition not improve, it actually worsened.


    Eventually, they feared the illneson et


    was incurable and were even more worried she might pass away suddenly. So they asked Grandpa to tell me they had gone on a trip.


    "They preferred that I resent them rather than be heartbroken by the truth. They thought getting over resentment would be easier than dealing with grief. But Nat, that''s not how it really is."

 Chapter 427 Marcus Holden, You Have Parents Who Love You Deeply

    As Marcus spoke, his voice grew softer and more solemn. He unintentionally revealed the feelings he had bottled up "Nat, I''m not that fragile. I won''t hold a grudge against my mother. I won''t do that."


    "I get it, I really do!" Natalie gently patted Marcus on the back, offeringfort as if he were a small child.


    She continued, "You and your parents miss each other terribly. They''ve been seeking medical treatment elsewhere for years, hoping toe back healthy and see you. They love you so much. Marcus, your parents care for you deeply.


    "You also mentioned that their home is filled with things rted to you, including photos they had put away before. They didn''t want you to visit at first, but they missed you, which is why they eventually agreed to let youe with me."


    Natalie''s voice was soft and soothing, as she reassured Marcus patiently. "You figured it out from the start but chose not to reveal it, showing your willingness to cooperate with your parents.


    "Now that you''ve reunited and understand that your parents didn''t abandon you intentionally, you should feel d about it."


    "I can''t find it in me to be d about it," Marcus whispered, resting his head on Natalie''s shoulder. "I''d prefer if they were actually traveling outside instead of enduring this illness and suffering."


    For a moment, Natalie didn''t know what to say.


    "Nat, I''m sorry," Marcus said, squeezing her briefly before slowly standing upright. He pressed his forehead against hers and asked, "Nat, tell me the truth. Is my mother''s illness truly not contagious?"


    "You''re worried about me?" Natalie asked, gazing at him intently. "Are you afraid I might catch it?"


    "Yes," Marcus admitted without hesitation. "On the way here, when I was pretending to be asleep, I noticed you looking at some information."


    That information was about Umbrahex. Marcus had refrained from asking about it directly, but he was aware of what it was.


    "Now that you understand, things will be much simpler." Natalie smiled. "Marcus, I need your help. I also need Grandpa Charles'' and Sheldon''s help."


    "Tell me what you need," Marcus urged.


    "Let''s discuss it when we return," Natalie said, taking hold of Marcus'' hand and turning to head back to Scarlet Hill Residence.


    While they were briefly away, Laura foundfort in Wesley''s support. She had also met with Charles and Sheldon during that time. As soon as Laura saw Charles, she immediately fell to her knees.


    Over the years, if Charles hadn''t helped raise Marcus, she and Wesley wouldn''t have been able to seek medical treatment with a clear mind. Alongside missing her son, Laura carried a deep sense of guilt toward Charles.


    "Father, I''ve wronged you, Wesley, and Marcus," Laura cried, overwhelmed with emotion. Struggling to hold back her tears, she remained on the ground after bowing, refusing to rise. "It''s my fault. I''ve let the Holden family down."


    "Laura, if you keep saying things like that, don''t call me Father anymore," Charles admonished, signaling Wesley with a nce. "Why are you just standing there? Help your wife up."


    "There''s no point in such talk among family. If anyone''s endured the most, it''s you," Charles sighed.


    He added, "Laura, we''re family, and there''s no need for apologies. Now that Elim has said she can cure you, there''s hope. With hope, our family should be happier. Stop crying. We should all be smiling, andughing with joy."


    "Yes, Father. You are right. We should all be smiling."


    Wesley helped Laura up and said, "Marcus and Dr. Elim are back."


    "You guys don''t have to call her Dr. Elim anymore. Just call her Elim," Charles suggested.


    He was aware of Natalie''s real identity. If she and Marcus were to marry in the future, she would need to start addressing Marcus'' parents as "Mom" and "Dad". At the moment, hearing them refer to her as "doctor", Charles found it somewhat odd. C¨®ntent belongs to


    "I don''t think that''s quite right," Wesley hesitated, feeling it might be disrespectful to Elim.


    "There''s nothing wrong with it," Charles dismissed, waving his hand. "Marcus and Elim have a strong bond, and I also get along well with Elim. Therefore, you all should have a good rtionship with her too. Right, Elim?"


    Natalie nodded in agreement. "Yes, Grandpa Charles is right."


    In the room, Benson had already been sent down the mountain to purchase supplies. The remaining people present were all members of the Holden family. Among family, there was no need to be so polite.


    However, Charles still kept her true identity a secret. Laura and Wesley were already under significant psychological strain. If they discovered she was actually Marcus'' girlfriend, Laura might refuse her treatment.


    When Natalie was disguised as the elderly Elim, Laura would instinctively step back when she attempted to approach. If Laura knew she was a young woman, she would be even more worried about passing on her illness.


    1.n


    Laura was apassionate person. Despite being tormented by her illness to the extent that she felt life was worse than death, she still. thought of others. Over the years, to see her son, she had endured the pain and sought treatment everywhere, trying every possible method. Such resilience was rare.


    Not only was she Marcus'' biological mother, but due to her kindness and determination, Natalie was determined to save her.


    "I need Marcus help," Natalie stated


    deliberately. Mrs. Holden, Mr.


    Holden, it''s important for you both to fully cooperate with me. With


    Sheldon and Connie present,


    Benson


    doesn''t need to be here for now. They can manage perfectly. Do you two have any objections?"


    "No," Wesley replied swiftly, shaking his head. "We have no objections. However, Benson has been with us for a long time. His loyalty is unquestionable, and we''re ustomed to relying on him.


    "Sheldon and the youngdy aren''t familiar with Scarlet Hill. Having Benson here might make things run more smoothly."


    Natalie paused to consider before asking, "Can Benson be trusted?"


    "He is trustworthy. Please don''t worry, Elim."


    "Very well, let him stay." As long as the Holden family trusted him, she wouldn''t insist on him leaving.


    "Next, I need everyone to cooperate and divide the tasks among us." Natalie needed to identify Laura''s illness and the type of poison she had encountered before determining the treatment n.


    "Connie, bring me myptop."


    "Okay." Connie promptly turned on theptop and set it before Natalie.


    Natalie began typing and soon drafted a detailed n, which she sent to Marcus.


    "Marcus, distribute this document to everyone. It''s important for all to read it. I''l begin treating Mrs. Holden in three days. During this period, I''ll be alone with her, and none of you may interrupt us."

 Chapter 428 Spending Three Days Together

    After Natalie issued themand, everyone fell silent, not even daring to breathe loudly. Once she assumed the persona of Dr. Elim and began her work, her presence became somanding that no one could defy her.


    Eventually, Connie was the first to break the silence. "Yes, I understand," she said.


    Sheldon soon snapped out his daze and quickly nodded in agreement. "Rest assured, Elim. We willply with your instructions precisely."


    Marcus then picked up his phone, stating, "I''ll send the document to everyone now." He immediately added Wesley and Laura to a group chat and uploaded the document there.


    Natalie continued, "I''ll be staying in Mrs. Holden''s room on the second floor. I need to observe her for three days first, then get the necessary preparations done."


    She turned her attention to Connie. "Connie, during these three days, assist Sheldon in calming Mr. Holden''s nerves."


    "Yes, I understand," Connie replied.


    Confident in Connie''s capability, Natalie then addressed Laura. "Mrs. Holden, let''s head upstairs. You can go first. I want to grab something."


    "Alright."


    Laura remained tightly bundled up, not wanting Marcus and Charles to see her appearance and fearing she might identally infect them.


    Laura went upstairs first. After grabbing her backpack from the third floor, Natalie quickly followed and joined her in the windowless room on the second floor. This room was equipped with a bathroom and washroom, allowing them to shower and use the toilet.


    They could either have meals delivered or go out to eat together. Laura anticipated that she might suffer an attack of her illness in a day or two, possibly as soon as the next morning.


    Once Natalie joined Laura in the room, Wesley knocked on the door, carrying some change of clothes and food-the clothes were for Laura, and the food was for Natalie.


    "Elim, I''m counting on you," he said. "During these three days, my wife will be in a lot of pain and difort. If she struggles, please call me. I''ll be right outside the door."


    Wesley''s eyes were red with emotion, and his voice was filled with concern as he looked at Laura on the bed, full of worry, wishing he could stay with her. However, Charles had insisted that no one interfere with Elim''s ns.


    "Mr. Holden, rest assured. With me around, Mrs. Holden will be just fine," Natalie assured him with a determined look. "These three days will pass in the blink of an eye."


    "Alright," Wesley reluctantly moved back, stepping out as Natalie closed the door behind him.


    "Mrs. Holden, now that it''s just us, there''s no need to keep yourself bundled up so tightly."


    "Alright."


    Laura removed the outeryer of her clothing and took off her veil and sunsses. The room was dimly lit with just a soft floormp since she couldn''t be exposed to bright light. The temperature was also carefully regted, neither too warm nor too cold, to ensure Laura''sfort.


    Natalie suggested she lie down and rest while she continued to review the materials provided by Federrick.


    At midnight, Laura, lying on the bed, began letting out muffled cries of pain. Hearing this, Natalie set aside her materials. She pulled out a pair of specially crafted gloves from her bag, slipped them on, and approached Laura.


    Laura''s eyes were a fiery red, and fine hairs began sprouting on her almost translucent, pale face. Beneath the skin of her neck, something small started to squirm and shift.


    Lifting Laura''s skirt, Natalie discovered that this unsettling movement wasn''t confined to her neck. It was nearly everywhere on her body. The activity was most intense and noticeable around her heart.


    Natalie hesitated to act hastily. She gently lowered the skirt and continued to watch Laura''s transformation with keen attention.


    "It hurts! It really hurts," Laura cried out, curling into a ball and repeatedly striking


    her head against the wall. "It hurts so much, it hurts so much!"


    Suddenly, Laura let out a piercing scream. Her teeth elongated, and she leaped from the bed onto the floor, instantly morphing into a creature covered in white fur. Then, she lunged at Natalie.


    Natalie quickly sidestepped and watched Laura''s transformation carefully.


    "Go! Just leave!" Laura urged, her voice strained as she twisted her head. She still had a grip on her sanity and was holding back from harming Natalie.


    "Hurry, get out and lock me in," she pleaded.


    "Just hang in there, it''ll be alright," Natalie tried tofort her. "All will be fine." Laura continued to cry, her voice filled with agony. Despite the intense pain, she clung to the fact that she was human and couldn''t harm anyone.


    "Go, just go," she repeated.


    "I''m not leaving," Natalie said firmly. She rifled through her bag, pulled out a small white bottle, and poured out two pills. Approaching Laura, she pinched her cheeks and pushed the pills into her mouth.


    "Swallow them," Natalie instructed.


    With a quick pinch and push, the pills were down Laura''s throat before she could react. As the pills hit her stomach, it felt like it was being scorched by fire. In agony, she opened her mouth and coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    "It hurts, it hurts..." she groaned.


    Natalie grabbed Laura and hoisted her up before tossing her back onto the bed. Quickly, she used a small bottle to collect the liquid that Laura had expelled.


    What Laura spat out wasn''t exactly blood. While typical blood is red, this was a clear liquid, akin to water.


    On the floor, the liquid appeared ordinary, but once Natalie collected it in a bottle, she struck a match and tossed it inside. The me met the liquid with a sizzle, erupting into a fierce burn. Then, the bottle shattered.


    Natalie took another bottle, opened it, and poured its contents over the remains. A cloud of ck smoke rose as the bottle and its contents were reduced to ashes. She poured a bit more of the liquid onto the spot where the clear liquid had been.


    Again, a hissing sound urred, and ck smoke rose. What remained was a


    red stain on the floor, finally revealing the traces of blood within the transparent liquid.


    "It hurts, it hurts!" Laura continued to writhe on the bed, yet her awareness was bing sharper.


    The once overwhelming urge to harm others had vanished. Apart from the pain,


    an inexplicable burning sensation radiated from her abdomen through her entire


    body.


    Natalie approached and carefully inspected Laura. However, Laura''s body was now enveloped in white fur, obscuring her blood vessels. Natalieremainedposed and focused on the transformation in Laura''s eyes. The medication had intensified their redness.


    Despite her cries of agony, Laura clung to herself, resisting any impulse to harm


    others. "It hurts so much! It hurts so much!"


    Natalie reached out and seized a clump of the white fur. The moment she applied pressure, Laura emitted a piercing, shrill scream.

 Chapter 429 So Much Pain

    Laura''s piercing scream caused Natalie to release her hand abruptly.


    "It hurts, it really hurts, it hurts so much!" Laura cried, tears cascading down her cheeks. Her eyes met Natalie''s, brimming with pain and a sense of hopelessness.


    "Please... Save me, save me," Laura pleaded, reaching out toward Natalie, only to snatch her hand back at thest moment. "I can''t risk harming you. You should leave first."


    "I''m not going anywhere," Natalie replied. She refrained from assisting Laura, wanting to gauge the extent of Laura''s resilience.


    Despite years of suffering, Laura''s determination proved remarkably steadfast. She continuously reminded herself not to cause harm to others.


    "Mrs. Holden, you can trust that you won''t hurt me," Natalie assured her gently.


    Laura simply stared at her, tears still flowing. She curled up tightly, her body shaking. "I feel so terrible," Laura admitted to Natalie. "It hurts."


    "Just hold on a little longer. I need to assess your current state," Natalie said.


    With her gloves, Natalie gently touched Laura''s forehead. Laura''s body felt unusually cold, not at all like a typical person''s.


    "Your temperature is very low," Natalie noted.


    "But I feel really hot," Laura responded, wondering if it was due to the medication Natalie had given her. This time, she wasn''tpletely out of it. She could think clearly and talk with Natalie.


    "Elim, my condition is different this time. Before, I couldn''t control myself and felt an urge to cause harm. But now, I can keep myself in check, and my mind is clear," Laura exined, meeting Natalie''s eyes. "The medicine you gave me might be working."


    Then, she added, "But, I''m still in a lot of pain. It hurts so much."


    Natalie nodded. "I need to monitor you for one cycle, so you''ll have to bear with it for a bit. I can''t just give you more medicine randomly now. There were only two pills of that kind."


    The medicine Natalie gave Laura was the same one Federrick had provided for life-saving situations. He had advised her to use it only when absolutely necessary.


    However, considering that Laura was Marcus'' biological mother, Natalie reviewed the information Federrick had given her and determined that this medicine could be beneficial for Laura. Upon using it, the medicine indeed proved effective.


    Natalie realized she needed to consult Federrick about the medicinal herbs involved and the refining process of this pill.


    "Thank you," Laura said, her body trembling and tears streaming down her face.


    Natalie took a small bottle and collected the tears Laura shed. Once the bottle was full, Laura unexpectedly fell asleep. This pattern of experiencing an attack followed by sudden sleep had not been documented in Wesley''s notebook.


    Therefore, Natalie inferred that the medicine she gave to Laura had worked. She turned back to the table, switched on the shlight, and inspected the tears in the bottle. The tears were crystal clear and exhibited a beautiful light purple hue under the light.


    Natalie paused to think, then grabbed her phone to message Marcus. Her text read, "Marcus, set up ab. I need full experimental gear. We might need to relocate your mother."


    Marcus replied instantly, "Alright, I''ll follow your lead."


    Natalie then quickly dialed Federrick. After three rings, he picked up. "Hey, Nat. You need help from me, don''t you?"


    Skipping the chit-chat, Natalie got straight to the point, "Yes, Mr. Langton. I need your form."


    He responded, "Don''t worry. Everything you need is ready. I can''t have you disappointing me now!"


    "Thanks, Mr. Langton," she said, feeling warmth spread through her. She knew Federrick had a tough exterior but a kind heart. He anticipated her needs even before she voiced them.


    "Nat, keep your spirits up!" Federrick said encouragingly. "I believe in you."


    "Mr. Langton, the patient is in severe pain. Is there any way to ease it?" she asked.


    "Bleed her!" was Federrick''s instant reply. "She won''t feel pain after that."


    Then, he cautioned, "But remember, handle the blood carefully. Who knows what could happen otherwise."


    "Yes, I got it. Thanks, Mr. Langton," Natalie acknowledged.


    "Gotta run. I''m off to the club," Federrick said, ending the call before Natalie could respond further.


    Even while asleep, Laura couldn''t stop crying out in agony. "It hurts! It really hurts, it hurts so much!"


    Natalie reached into her bag and retrieved a small toolbox. Upon opening it, she saw three rows of tiny bottles lined up. She selected one of the bottles and then took out a scalpel, disinfecting it thoroughly. Once it was sterilized, she moved to Laura''s bedside.


    Lauray there with her eyes shut tight, her brow knit in distress, continuing to murmur "It hurts so much" in her restless sleep.


    Natalie prepared a slightlyrger ss bottle and selected anothe small bottle from the toolbox. With everything ready, she gently took Laura''s wrist and made a small


    incision with the scalpel.


    A clear liquid began to flow immediately into therger ss bottle, and as it did, Laura''s furrowed brow started to ease. Clearly, the procedure was working.


    Federrick had emphasized the importance of handling the blood correctly, so Natalie had no choice but to use this tried-and-true method topletely halt the substance.


    Once Laura ceased her cries of pain, Natalie stopped the bleeding and wrapped her wound with a bandage. Finally, she opened the small ss bottle and poured its contents into therger one.


    As soon as the ck smoke appeared, Natalie thought she heard some sharp, agonized cries.


    Laura, who had been sleeping peacefully on the bed, suddenly let out a loud scream. She then tumbled off the bed onto the floor, twisting and rolling around.


    "It hurts, it hurts so much."


    Amid Laura''s cries, there was a frantic pounding at the door.


    "Elim, open the door!" Wesley''s panicked voice echoed into the room.


    Natalie quickly moved forward and secured Laura with a silk scarf.


    "It hurts, it hurts so much."


    "Hang in there for a moment. Hold on a bit longer."


    Natalie lifted Laura back onto the bed and continued to tend to the clear blood


    that had been drawn.


    Once the entire bottle of blood was emptied, the faint, intermittent screams that had filled her ears ceased.


    Still, Laura''s condition was


    worsening. She was vomitingrge amounts of a clear liquid, and this time, small, white, elongated worms were visible in it. Quickly, Natalie pulled her away to prevent the worms from re-entering her body.


    She then efficiently collected samples and set them aside. She retrieved a different medicine from her bag, opened it, and firmly instructed Laura to swallow it as she ced it in her mouth.


    Laura obeyed, swallowing the medication before copsing heavily to the ground, her body wracked with uncontroble convulsions.


    Natalie turned on the room lights, increased the temperature, and meticulously monitored Laura''s subsequent reactions.

 Chapter 430 Enduring the Difficult Seventy-Two Hour

    Laura was thrashing on the floor, screaming and banging her head against it. Her body was quickly covered in a thickyer of wild, white fur, which soon enveloped herpletely.


    Natalie''s brow was knitted in concern. This was an unexpected development; it wasn''t mentioned in Wesley''s notebook. The mutation happened after she had taken certain steps, like administering medication and drawing blood.


    Instead of intervening, Natalie carefully documented the entire thing and sent the information to Federrick. He was evidently anticipating her update, as he responded immediately.


    "Natalie, to treat this condition, you need to use the Broken Heart Grass, Lethal Vermillion, Poisonous Snowdrop, and Wastnd Shadebloom from the hand- drawn book you got from the Holden family.


    "Mix these highly toxic herbs, add Pallid Venom, and boil them vigorously. Once the mixture is lukewarm, let her soak in it for three days. This will expel the substances from her body, and then we can devise further ns."


    Federrick sent over several photos and wrote, "These items are extremely rare, especially in the quantities we need. Natalie, if you can''t save her, just let it go."


    Upon reading Federrick''s message, Natalie quickly responded: "No, Mr. Langton. I refuse to give up. I must save her."


    Federrick: "These items have nearly died out. The names Broken Heart Grass and Lethal Vermillion are familiar, but their appearances have changed over time."


    Federrick: "As for Poisonous Snowdrop and Wastnd Shadebloom, they remain unseen by anyone. Nat, if you want to save her, you must gather these herbs first."


    Federrick: "Nat, this person is nearing death. She has been holding on for years and is almost at her breaking point. You''re not skilled in dispelling the illness. Don''t put yourself in danger."


    Natalie read Federrick''s messages carefully, contemting for a while before slowly replying, "Mr. Langton, she is Marcus'' mother, my boyfriend''s mother. I have to save her, no matter how challenging it is."


    Federrick took some time before replying, "Nat, I wish you sess."


    Natalie: "Thank you, sir."


    Federrick had given her a method, which was far better than her attempting to figure things out on her own. The challenge, however, was that these items were indeed hard to locate. Yet, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, she was determined to try.


    Hadn''t Marcus mentioned that the Walkers possessed a vast collection of rare medicinal herbs? She decided she would return to the Walkers to obtain them.


    Natalie couldn''t stand seeing Laura in such agony and called Federrick again. "Hello, Mr. Langton. Mrs. Holden is nowpletely covered in fur. How can I help her return to normal?"


    Federrick sighed deeply. "Nat, because you previously drained her blood and eliminated the secondary venomous insects in her system, the primary venomous insect in her body has be furious.


    "As long as you can''t destroy the primary venomous insect, she will remain in pain. However, since you gave her the life-saving pills I provided you, the primary venomous insect can''t take her life for now. But if this continues for too long, it''s uncertain."


    "Mr. Langton, I also gave her the special insect-repelling medicine and detoxifying pills you made. Will those help?"


    "They do help, but not significantly. Nat, use this time wisely and concoct the medicine quickly! Once you gather all the medicinal herbs, she will still have a chance."


    "Mr. Langton, can youe back and help me? I''m not confident I can manage it alone."


    "Nat, just call me immediately if you have any questions. Since you''remitted to rescuing her, I''ll be your biggest ally."


    "Thank you, Mr. Langton."


    "I don''t need your gratitude. I want to see you seed." Federrick chuckled. "Only


    if you seed will you prevent me from looking foolish."


    "Mr. Langton, I won''t disappoint you," Natalie assured before ending the call. She then nced at Laura, whoy still on the floor.


    Outside, Wesley continued to knock insistently. Rather than opening the door, Natalie texted Marcus with pictures and information about the medicinal herbs.


    "Marcus, please find these herbs as quickly as you can. Get as many as possible; the more, the better."


    Marcus replied, "Got it, I''ll start searching immediately."


    Upon receiving the message, Marcus approached Wesley, who was persistently knocking. "Stop knocking. We should get moving."


    Wesley''s eyes were red with worry. "Your mother is in pain. She''s crying and wailing inside."


    "If you want to help her, go find the medicine," Marcus replied in a nearly emotionless tone. "Knocking on the door is pointless and only stresses the people inside. Elim instructed us to get the medicine. If you want to help my mother, stop knocking and start searching."


    Wesley and Marcus never had a close rtionship. Except for when Wesley held Marcus as a newborn, they hadn''t gotten along since Wesley left home.


    When they met, Marcus was already a grown man and had assumed control of the Holden Group. Hismanding presence briefly instilled a sense of fear in Wesley. However, Wesley quickly regained hisposure.


    "Medicine? What kind are we searching for?" he asked.


    Marcus gave him a brief look and replied coolly, "It''s been sent to your phone. Check it yourself."


    "Alright," Wesley answered, sensing a distant and slightly impatient tone from his


    son.


    Marcus was indeed feeling impatient. Since Natalie had taken Laura into that room, Wesley had been pacing anxiously outside the door, frequently pressing his ear against it as if worried Natalie might harm Laura.


    While Wesley was concerned for his wife, Marcus was equally concerned about Natalie and his own mother.


    Instead of wasting effort by sobbing at the door, it would be more productive to consider how to support Natalie.


    Marcus was also outside the door, but he wasn''t as nervous as Wesley. He had been investigating to see if there were any simr situations.


    Just as he had uncovered something, a message from Natalie arrived. Since she had requested that he locate the medicine, he would go and search for it. Helping her and his mother was his main priority.


    Meanwhile, Wesley had continued to knock incessantly. Aside from bothering those inside, it had achieved nothing. This had made Marcus feel impatient.


    Thankfully, Wesley was cooperative. After Marcus spoke to him, he immediately stopped knocking and began examining pictures on his phone more closely.


    "Marcus, I''ve never seen these herbs before. Where can we find them?" Wesley''s eyes were bloodshot. "If we can''t locate these medicines, won''t your mother be beyond help?"


    Marcus paid no attention to Wesley. He turned on his heel and headed downstairs, sending the pictures to Ethan and all his subordinates.


    He also posted a message on that enigmatic website, offering a substantial


    reward to anyone who could supply the medicinal herbs he needed.


    The amount of money Marcus promised was astronomical, and he was confident that such a generous reward would attract courageous individuals. He was certain that, after spreading the word, he would eventually find the herbs.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Natalie held her phone while filling the bathtub with hot water. She had several types of pills given to her by Federrick, which would dissolve in water and provide significant health benefits when soaking in it.


    Natalie intended to use all of Federrick''s gifts for Laura. Federrick had mentioned that if Laura could endure the challenging 72 hours and they managed to find the necessary medicinal herbs, there would be hope for her recovery.

 Chapter 431 More Than One Umbrahex

    Natalie went into the bathroom and filled the bathtub with water before carefully dropping the medicine that Federrick had given to her one by one.


    The medicine dissolved instantly, turning the water into a pale shade of pink. She adjusted the temperature, then stepped out to carry Laura into the bathroom.


    Currently, her whole body was covered in white fur.


    Laura waspletely drained of her strength and energy. She just let Natalie undress her and lower her into the water.


    The temperature was just right, but the moment Laura entered the bathtub, she started convulsing.


    When the white fur on her body made contact with the medicated water, it seemed to bristle.


    Seeing this, Natalie quickly sshed the medicated water onto the fur.


    Laura, who was originally on the verge of death, started twitching. However, Natalie used her hands to hold Laura down, submerging her head in the water.


    "Mmph..."


    Laura''s body jerked violently. Natalie kept track of the time and pulled her back up just before she drowned underwater.


    After giving her a moment to catch her breath, Natalie held her down once again. This process repeated for about ten minutes until the white fur covering Laura''s body had shedpletely into the bathtub, revealing her skin underneath.


    She was finally back to her usual self.


    Natalie carried her out of the bathtub and sat her down on a chair. She then used the showerhead to rinse her clean.


    Laura''s face was deathly pale. Her entire body was trembling uncontrobly, and her eyes were bloodshot.


    On further inspection, her eyes had a strange glimmer, as if something tiny was swimming inside them.


    Natalie covered her entire body in protective gear. She even put on custom-made gloves and a human-skin mask for two reasons.


    Firstly, it was to protect herself from being recognized. Secondly, it was to prevent encountering what happened to Laura.


    "There''s something in your eyes. It''s different from the substance you threw up earlier. Mrs. Holden, there''s more than one Umbrahex in your body," Natalie exined while slowly rinsing Laura''s body. "How are you feeling now?"


    "I think the worst of it has passed." Laura''s voice was shaky from either the cold or the pain. However, her tone was much steadier than before. "Usually, the pain would''ve been longer. Even though it still hurt this time, it ended much sooner." "That''s thanks to the medicine I used on you," Natalie replied. Then, she added, "You were set up. This was done right after you''ve given birth."


    Laura was stunned. She just stared at Natalie nkly, her mind empty.


    "I would like you to recall everyone you met and everything you ate after giving birth. These clues might save you."


    Natalie added, "If I can only rely on what I uncover from you, there''s no guarantee I''ll find a cure or not. It could take a long time. But if we can figure out who did this to you, we''ll have a better idea of what kind of Umbrahex was used on you. I''ll be honest with you. I''m not that familiar with Umbrahexes."


    Federrick had told her that it was a double-edged sword-capable of saving lives but also harming others. One wrong move and it could easily backfire. For this reason, he hadn''t taught her much about it.


    However, since he was well-versed in it, Natalie still picked up a few things.


    "Today, the medicine saved you." Natalie stared at the stunned Laura and continued, "Without it, I couldn''t guarantee I could''ve saved you. That''s why I need to know every detail of what happened after you gave birth. Mrs. Holden, please try to remember everything as detailed as possible."


    It took Laura some time to process everything and return to her senses.


    "Elim, could I infect you? You''ve been so close to me-bathing me, carrying me, evening into contact with my vomit... Won''t any of that get inside your body?"


    Laura instinctively tried to pull away. She didn''t want to drag anyone else into this nightmare and suffer like she did.


    "It won''t. These things wouldn''t daree near me," Natalie said and put her hand on Laura''s shoulder."


    She continued, "Don''t move. If I was afraid of being infected, I wouldn''t have treated you. I''ve already taken into consideration the possible oues and taken precautions. So you don''t have to worry about me.  s?novel


    "Also, if you keep avoiding me, it''ll onlyplicate things and make it harder for


    me to treat you. Just cooperate with me, understand?"


    Laura seemed slow to react. After a long pause, she finally nodded. "Okay... I


    understand. Thank you. I''m also sorry for all the trouble."


    Natalie patted her lightly on the head. "You have more than one Umbrahex inside your body. I''ll need to study this further."


    She added, "Also, we need to relocate. Many things arecking here. Now that the Umbrahex is being suppressed, we should move. I''ll get you some clothes and also notify everyone about the move."


    "Alright."


    Natalie quickly brought some clothes for Laura. After sitting for a while, Laura had regained enough strength to dress herself.


    Meanwhile, Natalie stepped outside to issue new orders.


    Marcus and Wesley were both searching for medicine, while Sheldon and Connie looked after Charles. Benson had been sent out to buy some supplies but hadn''t returned yet.


    Natalie added everyone to a group chat and swiftly issued the order to relocate. The medical equipment she had asked Marcus to prepare was no longer needed. After all, Federrick''s ce was well-equipped.


    By the time Laura finished dressing herself tightly, she came downstairs. The car was already waiting.


    "Let''s go!"


    "Okay."


    Sheldon, Connie, and Charles were in one car, while Natalie, Laura, and Wesley were in another. Wherever Natalie was, Marcus would follow. Naturally, he hopped into their car.


    "Drive to Amberton and head to The Herbalist''s Sanctuary."


    The Herbalist''s Sanctuary was Federrick''s domain. Not only did t have a wide range of medicinal herbs, but there were also fully equippedboratories and a private medical room.


    Back when Federrick brought Natalie there, she had spent countless hours


    soaking in the herbal bath in the medical room.


    If not for those treatments, her frail body which had been drained by the Langleys'' repeated blood drawings, might not have even survived to adulthood.


    Since the herbal bath seemed effective for Laura, Natalie nned to let her soak


    in the medical room''s bath for a few more days.


    After all, Federrick had said that after securing the rare herbs, it was best for


    Laura to soak in them as much as possible.


    Soak long enough, and it would help force the Umbrahex out of her body.


    As the car drove toward The Herbalist''s Sanctuary, Laura leaned against Wesley''s chest and rested.


    Meanwhile, Natalie was scrolling through the information that Federrick had sent her on the phone.


    Marcus unwrapped a piece of chocte and broke off a chunk. Then, he ced it next to her mouth. "Open up."


    Natalie obediently took a bite. The rich chocte taste spread through her mouth, easing her tensed emotions.


    "Elim, I would like to ask. How''s my wife''s condition?" Wesley asked softly and cautiously.


    Natalie swallowed the chocte and replied, "There is more than one Umbrahex inside her body. The treatment will take some time. I ask for your patience, Mr. Holden."

 Chapter 432 He Cares About His Wife Too

    "Since Elim had taken on the case, she would definitely cure Mom. You don''t have to worry," Marcus said.


    He then broke off another piece of chocte and put it near Natalie''s mouth.


    "Do you want some water?" he asked.


    "Yes."


    Marcus immediately grabbed a bottle, twisted it open, and held it to her lips.


    "Thank you," Natalie said.


    "Are you tired? Was the treatment dangerous?"


    "I''m not tired. The treatment wasn''t that dangerous either."


    Natalie replied to Marcus'' questions while going through the information.


    "Don''t worry, Marcus. I''ll cure your mother."


    "Mhm. I trust you. I''m not worried."


    Marcus reached back into a box behind him and pulled out a long coat. He draped it over Natalie and asked, "Are you sleepy? Why don''t you take a nap? Staring at the screen for a long time in the car isn''t good for your eyes. You might get dizzy as well."


    As Marcus spoke, he reached out and gently massaged Natalie''s temples.


    Wesley, who was sitting nearby, was dumbfounded. He wondered if this was part of an assistant''s job.


    Initially, Natalie wasn''t feeling tired or sleepy. But when Marcus started massaging her, her tense body rxed instantly. Just like that, fatigue and drowsiness overwhelmed her.


    "There''s quite a distance between Scarlet Hill and The Herbalist''s Sanctuary. It will take about three to four hours to get there. Why don''t you take a nap?"


    Marcus'' deep voice coaxed her gently. "If anything happens to my mother, I''ll wake you up immediately."


    Natalie thought about it and nodded. "Alright. I''ll sleep for an hour. Wake me up when the time''s up."


    "Okay."


    Marcus held her in his arms and let her find afortable position. Then, his other hand continued gently massaging her temples.


    Before long, Natalie had fallen into a deep sleep in his embrace.


    Wesley, who had been watching their interaction, finally couldn''t hold back. "Marcus, you and Elim... you two..."


    "Hmm?" Marcus stared at Wesley indifferently. "Dad, you care about your wife, and I care about mine. Isn''t that normal?"


    "No, you... I... she..." Wesley was at a loss for words. He wanted to say that Elim was old enough to be his grandmother, but he...


    Marcus didn''t bother exining. He just pulled the coat to cover Natalie up. Then, he ordered Noah to adjust the air conditioning so she wouldn''t catch a cold.


    "Marcus, is it because Mom and I weren''t around when you were young, and that your grandfather raised you... that your... uh... taste and preference are a bit... off?"


    Wesley was trying really hard to figure out how to approach the subject.


    "Elim is remarkable, but she''s not suitable for you. There''s too much of an age difference between you two."


    "Dad, age isn''t an issue. All you need to do now is carefully recall if you and Mom have offended anyone in the past.


    "You''re taking Elim''s instructions too lightly. Someone poisoned Mom with the Umbrahex on purpose. The more you remember, the more it will help Elim.


    "You''ve been bringing her around, seeking treatment for years, but you never considered that she might''ve been targeted. We''re fortunate that she''s survived until now."


    Marcus'' tone was indifferent, showing no emotion. Yet, Wesley''s face turned pale as he listened.


    "Marcus, are you ming me?" Wesley asked.


    "I''m not, Dad. Please don''t misunderstand," Marcus replied. "Alright. Let''s not disturb Elim and Mom''s rest."


    Marcus continued massaging Natalie''s temples gently. Then, he closed his eyes, making it clear he didn''t want to talk to Wesley anymore.


    Wesley cared for his wife. Why would it be different for him? Just because Natalie was disguised as an olddy, didn''t mean she really was one.


    Wesley thought of saying something, but when he saw Marcus closing his eyes and ignoring him, he just stayed silent.


    However, he felt strange to the point that he didn''t dare look at Marcus and Elim.


    The rest of the trip was quiet. Three hourster, they arrived at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    Only then did Marcus wake Natalie up. The reason was that without a pass, unregistered cars weren''t allowed in.


    After waking up, Natalie made a call. Soon, the gates opened, and someone came out to greet them.


    "Elim, the medical room and herbs you requested have been prepared. However, some herbs are missing. You''ll have to find those yourself."


    The person who greeted them was Joshua Brown, the current manager of The Herbalist''s Sanctuary. He was also taken in by Federrick.


    The only difference was that Joshua was an orphan, while Natalie was the unloved daughter of the Langleys.


    Federrick had left The Herbalist''s Sanctuary to Joshua and Goodwill Pharmacy to Natalie. The idea was for Joshua to supply Goodwill Pharmacy with the herbs.


    In return, Goodwill Pharmacy would use its profits to fund The Herbalist''s


    Sanctuary''s cultivation and research.


    It was an arrangement that benefited both sides.


    "Mr. Langton had already briefed me in advance. If you need anything, just let me know."


    As Joshua spoke, he habitually patted Natalie''s head. Even though she was disguised as an olddy, she was still his junior.


    However, before his hand could reach her, Marcus grabbed him by the wrist.


    "I don''t think men and women should touch casually," he said. "Please, keep your hands to yourself."


    Marcus'' gaze was icy. With just a nce, he could tell Joshua and Natalie were more than just ordinary acquaintances.


    Joshua was surprised. He wondered who Marcus was.


    "Marcus, what''s gotten into you?" Natalie yanked Marcus'' hand back. "He''s my senior. Show some respect."


    "Joshua, this is Marcus Holden, my... my assistant."


    Natalie almost introduced Marcus as her boyfriend, but when she remembered


    the disguise she was wearing, she quickly changed her words.


    "Behave yourself. Stop being so jealous or people willugh at you." Natalie shot Marcus a re. "This is Joshua Brown."


    Upon hearing that, Marcus'' expression shifted instantly. "Joshua, nice to meet you."


    Joshua was surprised by how fast


    Marcus'' attitude changed. He winked at Natalie, approving of her taste in men. He thought that her boyfriend was handsome, but just a bit too possessive.


    However, Marcus would listen to her just because of a single re. This was great. Men should listen to their partners, especially in private.


    "Marcus, nice to meet you. I''m Joshua Brown," Joshua said, extending his hand to shake Marcus "She can be a bit fierce at times but she''s really kind. Most of the time, she''s pretty well-mannered and gentle."


    "Joshua, stop talking. Compliments aren''t really your strong suit." Natalie stepped forward and pushed him. "The person I''m saving is Marcus'' mother. They don''t know my true identity, so watch what you say."


    "Oh!" Joshua was taken aback. He took a nce at Natalie and Marcus, then at


    Laura, who was being wheeled over.


    Currently, Laura was wrapped tightly from head to toe.

 Chapter 433 Elim Is Afraid as Well

    "Thankfully, I didn''t say anything weird." Joshua let out a sigh of relief.


    Now that Natalie''s identity was still a secret, it was important to keep it that way. "Let''s go straight to the medical room!" he said.


    However, Natalie stopped in her tracks.


    After a while, Wesley appeared while pushing Laura in her wheelchair. "Elim, my wife has been unconscious and won''t wake up no matter what I do. I''m really worried."


    Wesley''s eyes were bloodshot. During the journey here, he had secretly wiped his tears countless times. He was really worried that Laura would just pass away quietly in his arms.


    If she died, he wouldn''t want to live either.


    "Don''t worry. This time, the duration of her episodes was shorter, which exhausted all her energy. The Umbrahex was damaged and is now dormant. She isn''t waking up because she needs sleep to recover.


    She added, "Mr. Holden, don''t worry. Now that we''re here, the chances of curing Mrs. Holden are much higher."


    Upon hearing this, Wesley felt more at ease.


    "I''m sorry. My emotions got the best of me," he apologized with reddened eyes. "Elim, if I said anything wrong or did anything inappropriate, I hope you can forgive me."


    "Mr. Holden, there''s no need to be so cautious. I understand how you feel. Rest assured, since I''ve taken on this case, I''ll do everything I can to cure her."


    Natalie didn''t have much time or the mood to worry about Wesley''s feelings. She shot Marcus a nce and whispered to him. "Marcus, help calm your father down. Also, when I''m treating her, don''t disturb me. That''s the best way he can help me."


    Back at Scarlet Hill Residence, Wesley kept knocking on the door. The noise he made was really distracting.


    "Got it," Marcus replied and walked toward Wesley.


    "Dad, you need to calm down. Even if you can''t help it, please don''t create more trouble for Elim, alright?


    "If you want Mom to recover sooner, just listen and cooperate. You''re afraid, but isn''t Elim afraid too? Stop holding her back."


    As Marcus spoke, he stared at Noah. "Noah, take Dad somewhere to rest."


    "Yes, Mr. Marcus." Noah stepped forward and respectfully escorted Wesley away. "Mr. Wesley, you should take a rest."


    After that, Marcus took over Laura''s wheelchair.


    "Joshua, could I trouble you to arrange a ce for my grandfather and father to rest?" he asked.


    "No problem." Joshua waved his hand and someone immediately came over.


    "Yes, Joshua?"


    "Matias, please bring Mr. Holden Senior and Mr. Holden to rest," Joshua instructed.


    He then pointed toward their direction and said, "Just focus on hosting our guests. Hand over your tasks to someone else for now."


    "Understood, Joshua."


    Matias led Charles and the others to the guesthouse to rest.


    Charles had been cooperative throughout. He was getting old and was ill for a long time. Now that he had finally nursed his health back, he should''ve been enjoying a peaceful retirement.


    However, he couldn''t sit back alone at Holden Residence while Marcus apanied Natalie to treat Laura. Regardless of the oue, he insisted on being present.


    If Natalie failed to cure Laura, Wesley might me her. Marcus might also hold a grudge. These were things that Charles would never allow.


    Even though he didn''t say much, he saw everything more clearly than everyone else.


    If Laura''s condition could''ve been cured, with the Holden family''s power and resources, they would''ve found someone to do so. There was no need to wait until now.


    The guesthouse was located not far from the entrance. Deeper inside was the medicinal herb farm. There were open-air fields and various greenhouse cultivations.


    Charles and the others didn''t get much to look around before they were led to their rooms.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, here''s my card. Each room has a bell. If you need anything, just press it and I''lle right away."


    After showing everyone to their


    room, Matias Chapman brought them to the dining area. Once he was done exining the rules at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary, he left to let them rest.


    Sheldon stayed by Charles'' side. As for Connie, she didn''t rest. Instead, she went looking for Natalie. Having grown up at The Herbalist''s


    Sanctuary, she was familiar with the ce. -


    It didn''t take long for Connie to find the medical room. Natalie had already ced Laura on the bed inside. She instructed Marcus to continue searching for the required herbs.


    As for Joshua, he was helping out to prepare the herbal bath.


    "Dr. Elim," Connie entered the medical room. "Let me help you."


    "Sure, Connie. Go fetch some water from the well and heat it."


    "Got it."


    Behind the building was an ancient well. In the past, Natalie had always used the water inside for her herbal baths.


    Connie fetched the water, carrying bucket by bucket into the kitchen next to the medical room. Then, she poured the water into arge pot to heat it.


    Marcus kept his eye on the phone, anxiously tracking the progress of the herbs. Finally, Hector called him.


    "Hey, Marcus, I have the herbs you need at home. However, I don''t have arge quantity of it. Are you okay with a smaller amount for now?"


    "Yes!" Marcus couldn''t contain his excitement. "Hector, thank you so much. I''ll borrow what you have for now. When I find some, I''ll return it to you."


    "Don''t need to thank me. You''re my future brother-inw. I''ll always help you out Hector chuckled. "But we do have one condition-just treat Natalie well. As long as you do that, that''s enough for us."


    "Rest assured, Hector. I swear I''ll never let Natalie down," Marcus promised


    earnestly. "I love her and will cherish her for life."


    "That''s all I need to hear," Hector replied and looked at his watch. "This sounds urgent. I''ll bring you the herbs right away! Besides, I miss Natalie too."


    "Alright. Sorry for the trouble, Hector."


    "No trouble at all. Hang tight. I''lle over as fast as I can."


    After hanging up, Hector immediately instructed Gorge to prepare the helicopter.


    Marcus immediately sent him the location. When Hector saw where it was, he was surprised that it was a ce that he had previously taken an interest in.


    He had tried visiting The Herbalist Sanctuary before, but it wasn''t open to the public. The ce also didn''t ept visitors and people from the medical field.


    To the public, especially those involved in the medical field, The Herbalist''s Sanctuary had always been a ce of mystery and fascination.

 Chapter 434 Walker Family Herb Delivery

    Three hourster, Hector arrived at The Herbalist Sanctuary by helicopter. As soon as hended on the helipad, he called Marcus.


    "Hey, Marcus. I''m here."


    "I''lle over right away."


    Marcus quickly ended the call. He had been standing anxiously outside the medical room, not knowing the situation inside.


    Connie had been going in and out to change the water, while Joshua kept entering and leaving to prepare the herbs.


    The only person not allowed inside was Marcus.


    Aside from waiting anxiously, he had been issuing orders to search for the herbs that the Walkers didn''t have.


    Thanks to Joshua''s prior arrangements, Hector couldnd inside The Herbalist''s Sanctuary smoothly.


    Upon hearing that Hector had arrived, Marcus rushed toward the helipad. Soon, both of them met.


    "Hector, did you bring the herbs?" Marcus asked.


    "Yes. But among the ones you asked for, we only have two. The other two are still missing." Hector handed the box to Marcus.


    Then, he asked, "Marcus, what do you need these herbs for?"


    "It''s to save my mother," Marcus replied gravely. He wasn''t nning to hide anything from Hector. After all, the Walkers had better connections and resources for medicinal herbs than the Holdens.


    "My mother was poisoned with more than one type of Umbrahex. All these years, she and my father have been seeking treatment everywhere."


    "What!" Hector was visibly shocked but quickly calmed down. "So, you''ve found a way to treat it, right? And these herbs are all you need?"


    "You''re right." Marcus closed his eyes briefly before opening them. Then, he bowed at Hector. "Hector, I''ll never forget the Walker family''s kindness. In the future, if your family ever needs anything, I''ll do everything I can to help out."


    Hector quickly helped him up. "There''s no need for that. Let''s focus on saving Mrs. Holden first."


    Then, Hector''s expression shifted as well. "I''ll call my mother right away. Your parents should''ve told us sooner."


    "Yes, but they decided not to tell anyone."


    Hector held the box tightly. "Let''s talk on the way."


    "Okay."


    Marcus and Hector chatted while walking. Soon, they arrived at the medical room. "Marcus, where''s Natalie? I haven''t seen her."


    "Nat is treating my mother." Before Hector''s arrival, Marcus had asked Natalie if they should reveal her identity as Elim to the Walker family. She had agreed.


    Since Hector was here, Natalie believed he could help.


    "Hector, Nat is actually Elim."


    "Huh?" Hector took a few steps before stopping abruptly. His eyes widened in disbelief. "What did you just say?"


    "Nat is Elim," Marcus repeated seriously. "She''s treating my mother as we speak."


    Hector''s eyes widened even more. His sister was Elim! His sister was actually Elim!


    From then onward, if he had difficult surgeries that he couldn''t handle, did it mean he could ask Natalie for help?


    "Hector, snap out of it." Marcus waved his hand in front of Hector and said. "Natalie said she might need your help."


    Hector finally returned to his senses. He quickly replied, "Of course, I''ll help if I can. However, I thought Umbrahex only exists in movies and novels."


    "I didn''t expect it either," Marcus said bitterly. "All these years, my parents weren''t actually traveling but seeking treatment.


    "This illness has tormented my mother for many years. They had never suspected that it was caused by Umbrahex.


    "All these years, none of the doctors figured it out either. Perhaps some of them did, but didn''t dare say anything."


    As Marcus spoke, his expression darkened.


    "This matter is moreplicated than it seems."


    The moment Natalie asked Laura and Wesley to recall the details of his birth, Marcus had begun to suspect various possibilities.


    On the way here, Sheldon had alreadypiled what Charles had remembered


    and sent it to Marcus. But so far, he hadn''t found any clues.


    However, he trusted Natalie, as well as his own judgment.


    "I''ll help you look for the missing herbs," Hector said decisively. "Don''t worry. I''ll


    ask around. Let me ask my colleagues too."


    "Alright. Thank you, Hector. I''m really grateful."


    "Save them forter. Let''s focus on saving Mrs. Holden first."


    Hector took out his phone and turned to make some phone calls. The herbs they needed were rare, and most people hadn''t even seen them before. This made the Search all the more challenging.


    Marcus took the herbs to the door of the medical room and knocked. After a while,


    the door opened and Natalie walked out.


    "Nat, Hector brought the herbs"


    "Alright." Natalie took the box and looked inside. After a moment, she asked, "Marcus, do you want to see your mother?"


    "Can I?"


    Suddenly, Marcus was unsure. He lowered his gaze at Natalie. "Can I really go in?"


    Natalie nodded. "You can. Do you want to take a look?"


    "Alright." Marcus took a deep breath and followed Natalie inside.


    The room was filled with thick fog and a heavy scent of medicinal herbs. Through the fog, he could roughly see arge wooden tub in the center of the room. Connie kept on adding different herbs into the wooden tub, asionally scooping out the water and adding in more hot water in return.


    "Mrs. Holden is fully submerged, even her head. I''ve given her breathing equipment to stay


    underwater. Soaking underwatemet


    longer will do her good," Natalie exined softly. "You can take a look through the mist, but just for a while."


    Marcus followed Natalie''s gaze and saw a breathing tube above the water. However, he couldn''t see Laura.


    "Give me the herbs that Hector brought. Focus on finding the remaining herbs. Once we have everything, I''ll be able to expel the remaining Umbrahex inside her body."


    Marcus nodded. "Okay, I''ll head out now."


    "Go ahead!"


    Marcus turned and left the room. Natalie closed the door and walked over to another counter. She opened the box and took out the Broken Heart Grass and Lethal Vermillion.


    As for the Poisonous Snowdrop and Wastnd Shadebloom, not even Federrick had seen them before. No one knew for sure if they existed.


    However, without those two herbs, there was no way topletely purge the Umbrahex from Laura''s body.


    Natalie pulled out her tablet from her


    bag and began searching. If they


    Vol


    truly couldn''t find the Poisonous Snowdrop and Wastnd Shadebloom, she would have to find


    substitutes with simr medicinal properties.


    "Dr. Elim, the water is turning red," Connie called out urgently.


    The water started turning red after she had added thest bit of the medicinal powder into the tub.


    Natalie put down the tablet and quickly approached the tub. Then, she scooped


    out some water to examine it closely.


    "Connie, take a closer look. Some of them are dead."


    Connie looked at the water and saw ayer of white fur on the surface.

 Chapter 435 Things Inside Her Body

    "Dr. Elim, what are these things?" Connie''s eyes widened as she stared at the cluster of white fur. It caused her skin to crawl as her trypophobia kicked in.


    "They should be the younglings," Natalie said calmly. "Time to change the water." "Dr. Elim, I''m scared."


    Connie stared inside the wooden tub. Laura was still submerged. Inside the red water, more and more white fur gradually appeared.


    "Let me do it!" Natalie turned and changed into fresh clothes. Then, she put on the custom-made gloves and reached into the water, pulling Laura out.


    "Dr. Elim, Mrs. Holden''s hair color has changed!"


    Connie noticed that Laura''s hair, which was previously snow-white, now had specks of ck. She couldn''t help but let out an excited scream.


    "Mm." Natalie remainedposed. The medicine that Federrick had instructed her to use was clearly working. However, since it wasn''tplete, it couldn''t exert its full effect, norpletely cure her yet.


    Even so, knowing that she was on the right track made her breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Mrs. Holden, are you okay?" Natalie asked with concern as she looked at Laura''s pale face.


    Laura kept shivering. She couldn''t see her own condition, but when she heard Connie say her hair had changed color, she couldn''t suppress the excitement building up inside her.


    After all these years, she was finally seeing a glimmer of hope.


    "Thank you. I''m... I''m okay."


    "We''ll have to change the water. Please hold on a bit while I prepare the fresh water."


    "Okay. Thank you."


    Laura cooperated withoutint. At that moment, her body no longer hurt. On the contrary, she even felt a strange sense of relief.


    Natalie called Connie over, and the two of them brought in a fresh wooden tub. They quickly boiled some hot water and poured it into it.


    This time, Natalie was the one to prepare the herbal bath.


    "Connie, rinse Mrs. Holden clean. Once I''m done with the herbal bath, she can get


    it."


    "Alright, Dr. Elim."


    Before long, Natalie had finished preparing the new herbal bath.


    Despite her fear and difort, Connie carefully rinsed Laura clean.


    As Laura sank into the new herbal bath, she could feel a searing pain spread across her skin, as if she was being burned by fire. She instinctively tried to stand up, but Natalie pressed her down firmly.


    "Mrs. Holden, please endure it," Natalie said.


    "But it''s so painful." Laura''s voice trembled. She could almost hear the sound of something crackling, but when she looked at her skin, there wasn''t any visible change.


    "You''ll have to bear with it." Natalie''s face remained indifferent, even a bit cold. "Mrs. Holden, you''ve been in pain for so many years. If you can''t even endure this little bit of pain, do you n to keep suffering?


    "Connie and I may be wearing protective gear and custom-made gloves, but the things inside your body still terrify us."


    Even though Natalie wasn''t scared, Connie was.


    "We''re trying to save you. Weren''t you worried about infecting us? Just cooperate for now," she urged.


    Upon hearing that, Laura shut her mouth and didn''t dare toin any longer.


    Natalie stood by, observing carefully and making notes. She kept the notebook Wesley had used with her all the time, flipping it open to cross-reference Laura''s condition.


    It wasn''t an easy feat to cure Laura. The Herbalist''s Sanctuary had herbs that could suppress the symptoms temporarily. However, to expel the Umbrahexpletely, they needed the few extremely toxic herbs that Federrick had mentioned.


    Laura''s recovery depended on whether they could gather all the required herbs.


    Natalie frowned as she studied Laura''s condition deeply. As for Laura, she gritted her teeth and endured the indescribable pain.


    Connie just stood by and watched carefully. She had assisted Natalie in saving many patients, but this was the first time she''d encountered a situation like Laura''s.


    To say she wasn''t afraid would be a lie.


    However, since she was Elim''s apprentice, it was already shameful enough that she couldn''t perform surgery or diagnosis. If she couldn''t even assist Natalie, that would be even worse.


    "Connie, take some samples of these things and show them to the Holdens. Then, send another sample to Joshua for research."


    Natalie added, "Also, tell Hector not to worry about me."


    "Got it, Dr. Elim."


    Connie gathered the samples in specialized containers just as Natalie instructed. Then, she took them outside.


    Outside the door, Marcus and Hector were talking while standing. Joshua told them to rest, but they refused.


    "Mr. Holden, Mr. Walker." Connie held out the container for them to see. "These are what came out of Mrs. Holden''s body. Dr. Elim asked me to show you."


    After letting Marcus and Hector examine the samples, she handed a container to Joshua. "This is for you. Dr. Elim wants you to research them."


    "Thank you, Connie." Joshua took the container. "I''ll get to work right away. Tell Elim that it''s important to save others, but she also needs to take care of herself."


    "Understood. Thank you."


    Joshua turned and left with the sample.


    Marcus looked at the other sample and asked, "What are you going to do with this?"


    "Once you''re done, I''ll go show it to Mr. Holden Senior and Mr. Holden," Connie replied. "Dr. Elim said that all of the Holden family members should take a look. You''ve seen it, but the others haven''t."


    "I''ll bring it over!" Marcus offered.


    "No way." Connie took a step back. "You don''t have any protective gear or gloves. Even if these things are dead, they look terrifying. If


    suddenly came back to life a


    crawled into your body, you''d be doomed."


    After hearing her exnation, Marcus didn''t get angry. "Alright. I''ll go with you."


    Then, he turned toward Hector. "Are youing with us?"


    "I''ll stay here," Hector replied. "If Nat needs help, I can help her right away."


    "Okay. I''ll go over with Connie then."


    "Go ahead."


    Marcus followed Connie to the


    guesthouse that the others were resting at, while Hector stayed


    outside the medical room. From


    time totime, he would check his phone to see if anyone replied to his messages.


    ¦Á


    The herbs Marcus was looking for were ones that he had never even heard of. He''d sent out pictures and names of the herbs to his friends, hoping they could help out.


    When Marcus and Connie arrived at the guesthouse, he made a call to get them out. However, he thought it was too dangerous to bring the samples near his family members.


    "Grandpa, Dad, Sheldon, these are the things we extracted from Mom''s body," Marcus exined.


    Connie held the container at a safe distance, allowing them to see clearly without making contact.


    Marcus'' voice was emotionless. "How is it going? Did you remember anything?"


    Wesley stared intently at the container in Connie''s hand. "Are these things that have been torturing Laura for all these years?"


    "This is just one of them," Connie exined. "Right now, with the avable herbs here, we can only


    force this out. Dr. Elim also said t


    these are only the younglings. The main Umbrahex is still inside Mrs. Hofden''s body.


    "Mr. Holden, you have two choices. You can either recall every detail and find out


    who did this to Mrs. Holden, or you can find the herbs that we need. There''s no time to waste."

 Chapter 436 Dont Be a Burden

    After showing the other Holdens the samples, Connie brought them back to the medical room.


    Wesley''s legs gave out, and he fell to the ground. Even though the container was small, theyer of things packed inside was enough to make one''s skin crawl.


    More so, that was just a tiny sample. No one knew how much more was still inside Laura''s frail body.


    "Wesley, get up," Charlesmanded coldly.


    Connie''s words made him realize a terrifying fact. Someone had been targeting the Holden family for more than 20 years.


    The problem was, why did this person only harm Laura but not the rest of the Holden family? If they had targeted the entire family, none of them would''ve been prepared to fight back.


    Now that they were asked to recall the details of Laura''s childbirth, Charles didn''t even dare think too deeply.


    Sheldon asked cautiously from the side, "Mr. Charles, why don''t we¡ª"


    "Shut up." Charles cut him off, his face turning even colder. He rarely lost his temper, but now, he could barely hold back his emotions.


    "Yes, Mr. Charles." Sheldon didn''t dare utter another word.


    "Wesley, stand up," Charles ordered coldly.


    Upon hearing this, Marcus quickly stepped forward to help Wesley to his feet.


    "Marcus, take your father back to his room."


    "Yes, Grandpa."


    Marcus supported Wesley and led him back to his room.


    "Marcus, I''m scared." Just as Marcus was about to walk away, Wesley grabbed his hand. "Don''t go. Stay with me."


    Marcus pried Wesley''s hand away without a word.


    "Marcus..."


    "Dad, Mom needs us to find the herbs and also for you to recall every detail of her childbirth. I don''t have the time to consider whether you''re scared or not. If you truly love her, please, do us a favor and think hard about whether you offended anyone back then," Marcus said coldly.


    He then turned and left Wesley''s room.


    What was the point of saying that he was scared? Would that help anything now?


    When Marcus reached the door, he paused for a moment, casting a chilling nce at Wesley. "If you can''t help, don''t be a burden."


    With that, he walked out.


    Wesley slumped to the floor, cold sweat beading on his forehead.


    "If you can''t help, don''t be a burden."


    Those words echoed repeatedly in his mind.


    Back at the Walker residence in Dithoria, Charlotte and William hurried to the herb storage facility after receiving Hector''s call.


    The Walkers'' herb storage facility had been passed down for generations. People from each generation would contribute their rare herbs and store them inside the storage.


    After generations of doing so, an impressive collection was amassed.


    Holding their phones, Charlotte and William carefullybed through the shelves.


    "Why do you think Laura hid something this big from us?" Charlotte asked. She still couldn''t figure it out.


    "She and Wesley have been traveling everywhere for years," she added, "yet they haven''t managed to cure that strange illness. If she had stayed at the Holden residence, they might have found a cure already."


    William, however, understood Wesley and Laura''s reasoning. "I think, in the beginning, they didn''t travel far away. From what Hector


    described, I can roughly guess why they kept it a secret and left the Holden Residence.


    "Laura''s illness was too bizarre. When the doctors and hospital couldn''t cure her, they were probably worried about getting negative rumors attached to them.


    "Once news of her strange illness was exposed, it would''ve severely impacted the Holden Group back then."


    Charlotte pouted in displeasure. "Even so, people matter most!"


    "Wesley never gave up on Laura." William chuckled. "The Holden family must''ve had their reasons for handling things that way.


    "Mr. Holden Senior must''ve agreed to the n, which exined why he raised Marcus. While the couple imed that they were traveling, they were actually seeking treatment.


    "Between traveling and seeking


    treatment, which do you think the public would find easier to ept? If it were just an ordinary illness, the public would sympathize with Ker. But Laura''s illness was clearly not ordinary."


    Charlotte scoffed. "Stop acting like you understand everything. I just can''t stand it!


    "Now, my daughter is treating Laura. If that illness is that bizarre and dangerous,


    I''m worried about Nat. What if it''s contagious? What if Nat gets infected?


    "That brat... She''s been back for so long, but she didn''t even tell us that she''s the renowned Dr. Elim!"


    As she spoke, her eyes turned red, and her voice choked with emotion. "She suffered so much with the Langleys and still became Elim. How much hardship did she endure to get there? I just feel so sorry for her."


    Charlotte quickly burst into tears.


    "Hector''s a man and even he finds it hard to be a doctor. Nat is just a young woman. How did she get through all that?"


    William just kept quiet. He had always been proud of his children''s achievements. However, his heart ached for Natalie.


    Before Natalie returned, they had showered Emma with love, so she had never faced much hardship. But their own daughter...


    "Alright, honey, stop crying. Our daughter is amazing. She''s even more talented than our sons. Nat has inherited both of our qualities."


    "William, if you can''t talk properly, shut up." Charlotte sniffled and wiped her tears. I''d rather her be ordinary and live happily than be so exceptional.


    "I don''t want her to suffer. She already suffered so much with the Langleys. If she continues to suffer aftering home to her real parents, we might as well die." William was speechless for a moment. Then, he said, "Alright, alright. It''s my fault. When Nat gets back, we''ll talk to her properly and ask her to take it easy. "After all, we''ve got plenty of money. That''s enough for her to spend for several lifetimes. From now on, she should live a happy, healthy, and peaceful life. How about that?"


    Charlotte finally nodded tearfully. "Okay."


    She continued, "Let''s keep searching! I really hope we have what Nat needs. I want Laura to be cured too. I haven''t seen Laura in more than 20 years. I wonder what she looks like now.


    "If we ever find who poisoned her, I''ll make sure they pay! Honey, who do you think would''ve poisoned Laura over 20 years ago?"


    William thought carefully for a moment, then shook his head. "It''s hard to say. But


    for them to strike right after she gave birth without leaving any trace, it''s likely someone within the Holden family."

 Chapter 437 Who Would Have Poisoned Her

    William''s words made Laura stop in her tracks. "Someone from inside the Holden family... Who could it be?"


    "Don''t bother guessing." With the phone in hand, William continued, "Honey, some things get scarier the more you think about them.


    "We''ll do whatever we can to help. However, if we can''t, let''s just leave it. Let''s focus on finding the herbs."


    Upon hearing this, Charlotte''s face grew grim.


    She and Laura were best friends, but Laura got married muchter than her. Laura only married Wesley after Charlotte had given birth to Mason.


    Then, after Laura was pregnant with Marcus, Charlotte was also pregnant with Natalie.


    They even agreed that if they both had boys, they would be treated as brothers. If both were girls, they''d stay best friends.


    If they were of the opposite gender, they''d be engaged.


    However, when Charlotte and William were on a trip, she went intobor when they were in Amberton. That was where Natalie was born.


    Unfortunately, Natalie was swapped at birth.


    As for Laura, she gave birth to Marcus at Holden Residence, surrounded by a professional medical team, postpartum care, nutritionists, and masseuses.


    Marcus didn''t get swapped at birth, but Laura was poisoned with something umon.


    Regarding Umbrahex, they thought it was mere fiction. Unexpectedly, someone close to them was actually poisoned by it.


    The Holden family''s circle wasn''t thatplicated, but during Laura''s delivery, too many people were involved, making things messy.


    William said that the fact that they could do it without anyone noticing while keeping suspicion off for so many years meant that it was likely an inside job.


    That narrowed things down significantly. However, the thought of it was terrifying.


    Charlotte and William would never meddle in the Holdens'' internal matters.


    They only provided the herbs because the one saving Laura was their biological daughter, Natalie. They''d do anything to help her. Also, Laura and Charlotte were best friends, to begin with.


    If not for these reasons, the Walkers would''ve never gotten involved.


    Without needing further exnation from William, Charlotte understood the situation. That was why her expression darkened, yet she didn''t press on further.


    The couple focused on searching for the herb in the herb storage facility, no longer bringing up what happened to the Holdens 20 years ago.


    All they hoped for was to find the two herbs their daughter needed.


    ...


    Back at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary in Amberton, Marcus answered several calls. One was from an elderly man, iming that he had the Poisonous Snowdrop that was needed, but he insisted on a face-to-face meeting.


    After arranging a time and ce, Marcus hurriedly left The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    After Marcus left, Natalie emerged from the medical room. Hector, who had been waiting outside, quickly approached her.


    "Nat, how are you holding up? Are you tired? Why don''t you take a shower, change, and get some rest? I''ll grab some food and drinks for you."


    Hector''s gaze was filled with concern. As a doctor himself, he knew how exhausting this path was. Let alone for Natalie, who was actually the renowned Elim.


    Reaching heights that no one else could, she must''ve endured unimaginable hardships.


    "I''m fine." Natalie was indeed exhausted, but Laura''s condition wouldn''t allow her room to rest.


    She continued, "Mrs. Holden is still soaking in the herb bath. She''s doing better than before, but still far from recovery. The most important thing is to find the needed herbs as soon as possible. I''ll get a shower and change first before meeting the Holdens. Are youing with me?"


    "Sure, I''ll go with you," Hector answered.


    Natalie nodded and went back inside. She had to use the specialized bathroom inside the medical room to clean herself up.


    After taking a shower, she also needed to soak in a herbal bath.


    Once she was done, she changed into another set of clothes and restored her usual look. Only then did she call for Hector to head to the guesthouse where the Holdens were staying.


    "Nat, you''ve been hiding your identity pretty well." Hector gave her a piece of chocte. "You''ve been home for so long, and all we knew was that you were busy. No one ever thought


    that you were Elim."


    "I didn''t mean to hide it," Natalie exined. "I just didn''t know how to tell you.


    Then, I didn''t find the chance to do so, so I just kept quiet."


    She unwrapped the chocte and popped two pieces in her mouth. Then, she let out a long sigh.


    "Hector, where''s Marcus?"


    "Someone called him, saying they could provide the Poisonous Snowdrop, but would only hand it over if they met face-to-face. So, he went out."


    Natalie nodded. "I''ve given the Holdens enough time. I wonder how much they''ve managed to remember."


    She smirked and continued, "It''s not that hard to investigate Mrs. Holden''s condition. It all depends on how the Holdens handle it."


    "Nat, are you really going to get involved? Hector''s expression turned grim. "Mom called me ten minutes ago. She told us to only save her life and not meddlean their family''s business."


    "Hm?" Natalie tilted her head.


    Hector nodded and replied, "That''s what she said. Nat, let''s listen to her, alright?"


    He didn''t want Natalie to be upset, but he also didn''t want to make Charlotte ufortable.


    "I''m sure Mom has her reasons."


    "I got it." Natalie nodded. "I won''t meddle. I''m just worried that if we fail to find the herbs, it could give Mrs. Holden a better chance at survival if we knew who poisoned her.


    "I understand Mom''s concern. This is the Holden family''s internal matter. We will focus on saving her without meddling. Don''t worry!"


    "Thank you, Nat." Hector breathed a sigh of relief. He was genuinely worried, especially since Natalie and Marcus were dating.


    Since they were a couple, it was normal for her to show concern for her boyfriend''s mother.


    "Let''s go!"


    The siblings chatted as they made their way to the guesthouse where the Holdens


    were staying.


    Charles and Sheldon were both sitting near the window inside the dining area. When they looked out, they saw Natalie and Hector approaching.


    "How is Wesley doing?" Charles asked while sipping his tea.


    "Mr. Wesley isn''t doing great. He developed a high fever. A doctor from The Herbalist''s Sanctuary had examined him.


    "The doctor prescribed him medicine and advised him to stay wrapped up in bed, stating that sweating it out should help."


    "Useless," Charles grumbled as he put the teacup on the table. "Falling ill at such


    a critical moment. Wasn''t he worried of holding up Laura''s treatment?"


    "Thankfully, we still have Marcus," Sheldon whispered. "Ms. Natalie and Mr. Hector are here."


    "Hm."


    As they spoke, Natalie and Hector reached them.


    "Hello, Mr. Holden Senior, Sheldon."


    "Have a seat," Charles sighed. "Sheldon, get some food for Nattie. She must be


    exhausted."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    After Sheldon left, Natalie poured a cup of tea for herself and Hector.


    After taking a sip, she asked, "Mr. Holden Senior, I wanted to ask... who do you


    think could have poisoned Mrs. Holden 20 years ago?"

 Chapter 438 Bluffing Charles

    Upon hearing Natalie''s question, Hector immediately nudged her, reminding her of their agreement to only save Laura without meddling in the Holden family''s


    matters.


    Natalie ignored Hector and continued sipping tea while continuing the


    conversation. "Mr. Holden Senior, Mrs. Holden''s condition is very serious. She''s dyed treatment for too long.


    "This time, she was lucky that I happened to know a bit about it, and we


    happened to have the herbs to save her. But now, the information I have is very limited."


    Natalie put down the teacup and added, "So far, we''ve only managed to expel one type of Umbrahex inside her, and they''re still young. The main one is still inside her body.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, back then, she had given birth at home, so many people came into contact with her. The ones closest to her were Mr. Holden and Marcus. However, both of them were fine, and so are you.


    "As for Marcus, there''s no need to mention him. He was just a newborn at the time,pletely incapable of poisoning anyone."


    "Nat," Hector interrupted her. "Drink some tea and have something to eat."


    "Hector, I''m just having small talk. You don''t have to worry." Natalie smiled faintly, but the smile didn''t reach her eyes. "None of you saw it, but I know very well how much pain and despair Mrs. Holden had to endure during the treatment."


    Hector frowned but didn''t refute her.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, I know you''re getting old, but I know you have a great memory," Natalie said. "You even told me many childhood stories of Marcus. That''s why I wanted to ask if you recalled anything unusual during Mrs. Holden''s childbirth."


    Charles just kept quiet and stared outside the window. After a long while, he let out a sigh. "Nattie, I do have a great memory, but when Laura was giving birth to Marcus, there were simply too many people involved.


    "It will take some time to investigate this matter. Once I get to the bottom of it, I''ll tell you. How about that?"


    Natalie nodded. "Mr. Holden Senior, I''ve asked Marcus to start investigating. He managed to find a list of names, but he only sent it to me. I figured that both you and Mr. Wesley wouldn''t be interested."


    Upon hearing this, Charles'' expression changed slightly, but it was only for a fleeting moment.


    "Why didn''t you and Marcus share this information in the group chat?"


    Natalie nodded. "We did post it, hoping to get some details from you all. But until now, not a single person hase forward with any information about what happened back then.


    "Not even Mrs. Holden. But that''s understandable. She has been enduring immense pain. Staying conscious was already tough for her. It''s impossible for her to recall what happened back then."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, since I''ve decided to save Mrs. Holden, I''ll see this through to the end. It''ll be the same as when I decided to save you back then."


    After saying that, Natalie stood up. "Mr. Holden Senior, the truth will alwayse out eventually."


    "Ms. Walker, what nonsense are you spouting?" Sheldon, who just returned with some food, happened to catch herst remark.


    His face darkened as he confronted Natalie.


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden Senior wants Mrs. Holden to recover more than anyone else. The way you said it almost makes it sound like you''re using him of something. You should be careful of what you say. Think about it, hasn''t he treated you well all this while?"


    "Really?" Natalie shot Sheldon a cold look. "Why are you so quick to defend yourselves? Does this mean that Mrs. Holden''s poisoning really has something to do with someone from the Holden family? Not only that, you two knew about it all along. Is that it?"


    "Nonsense!" Sheldon mmed the food down on the table. "We would never harm Mrs. Holden. Ms. Walker, I think you''re being unreasonable."


    "From what I see, you''re the one who''s being unreasonable! Sheldon, which part of what I said directly used Mr. Holden Senior?" Natalie stared at Sheldon coldly. "Even Mr. Holden Senior hasn''t said anything, so why are you so worked up?


    She added, "Back when Mrs. Holden was giving birth, every little thing had to go through you. Besides, you''re not suffering from dementia yet. Why can''t you remember anything after all this time?


    "Back at Scarlet Hill Residence, I''ve


    asked all of you to recall every person and object that Mrs. Holden hade into contact with during childbirth. Yet, until now, none of you have reported anything to Marcus. What''s wrong?


    "Sheldon, are you getting old and senile? Have you forgotten about everything?" "Why you¡ª" Sheldon was at a loss for words after hearing Natalie''s sharp retorts.


    "That''s enough," Charles spoke up. "Nattie, don''t get upset. Sheldon didn''t mean any harm. He''s just anxious and spoke without thinking. "Sheldon, apologize to Nattie."


    "Yes. Ms. Walker, I''m sorry." Sheldon quickly offered an apology, but Natalie didn''t ept it.


    "Hector, let''s go!"


    "Alright."


    Charles stopped her. "Nattie, at least finish the food before you leave."


    "Thank you, but I''m not hungry," Natalie replied coldly. Then, she pulled Hector along as they left the guesthouse.


    The moment they were outside, Hector wanted to say something, but Natalie shot him a nce.


    "Hector, I''ll show you around The Herbalist''s Sanctuary."


    "Alright."


    Natalie led Hector down a path paved with ck stones, with various medicinal herbs nted on either side.


    Hector prided himself on his knowledge of medicinal herbs, but even he was surprised to see many unfamiliar herbs here at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    Both of them walked for a while before Hector spoke up. "Nat, aren''t you worried that Mr. Holden Senior might misunderstand after you questioned him like that?"


    Natalie replied calmly, "Hector, do you think I misunderstood him?"


    Hector shook his head. "Judging by his reactions, it seemed like he knew something and was hiding it. Even if he wasn''t directly involved, he''s definitely covering up for someone. Furthermore, Sheldon''s reaction further proves that they were guilty about something."


    Natalie smirked slightly. "I don''t know if Sheldon is guilty, but Mr. Holden Senior definitely is."


    "Did Marcus really find a list of names of when Laura gave birth?"


    "No. back at Scarlet Hill Residence, after telling them to recall the details, Marcus


    started to investigate. And guess what happened?"


    Hector thought for a moment and his eyes darkened. "Don''t tell me... did


    someone get to it first and cover it up?"


    "Exactly."


    "Marcus'' investigation hit a roadblock." Natalie rubbed her temples. "When


    Marcus found out, he messaged me, but we kept it quiet. I was just bluffing Mr. Holden Senior."

 Chapter 439 The First to Arrive at the Holden Residence

    Once Natalie revealed that he was bluffing, Hector was stunned.


    Had his sister always been so daring and decisive?


    And there was Marcus, who hadn''t told him anything either. They asked him to help out, yet kept him in the dark. It left him anxious and worried about offending Charles.


    "Hector, from now on, make sure you don''t eat anything Charles, Sheldon, or Wesley gives you."


    Hector was still shaken. "But you just drank the tea just now."


    "That tea was fine. When I poured it, I added some medicinal powder into the cup. You just didn''t notice," Natalie replied casually.


    Hector was stunned.


    "In the future, be cautious about the drinks people offer you." Natalie seized the opportunity to remind him. "There are many ways to drug someone without being noticed."


    "Got it. I''ll remember that," Hector responded.


    He didn''t expect to learn so much just by sticking with Natalie.


    "Hector, I need Mom''s help. I remember Mom and Mrs. Holden were best friends. Before she gave birth, she must''ve talked to Mom. I need their chat history."


    Natalie nned to approach this matter from all angles. Marcus seemed to have figured out something else well.


    Both of them worked together seamlessly, almost telepathically, with good effect. Even without the other person saying anything, they knew who to keep things from.


    "Nat, do you want to ask Mom directly, or should I help you?" Hector asked.


    "I need your help. I don''t have that much time to go through all the information. I need you to extract useful information for me."


    Natalie rubbed her temples and added, "I still have to keep an eye on Mrs. Holden. For now, Connie is watching over her. From now on, we shouldn''t let anyone from the Holden family or any strangers near her."


    "Nat, couldn''t Marcus find the list of people present when Laura gave birth?" Hector asked.


    He couldn''t help but frown. If even Marcus couldn''t find it, it could only mean that Natalie and Marcus'' suspicions were right.


    "No, he couldn''t," Natalie scoffed. "Hector, don''t you think it''s ironic?"


    For a moment, Hector didn''t know what to say. After a while, he said earnestly, "Nat, if you and Marcus ever need help, I''ll do everything I can."


    "Yes. Compared to the Holden family, I trust my own family more." Natalie stared at Hector with a serious look. "Hector, I suspect this whole thing has something to do with someone in the Holden family.


    "I''m helping Mrs. Holden because she''s Marcus'' biological mother. She''s also my future mother-inw. Since I''m dating Marcus, I intend to stay with him for life. As long as he doesn''t betray me, I won''t betray him.


    "His mother is mine and my mother is his too. If it turns out that someone in the Holden family harmed her, you should be able to imagine the consequences."


    Hector nodded solemnly. "Don''t worry, I understand."


    "Good. I''ll head back to the medical room. When Marcus returns, tell him toe find me," Natalie instructed.


    "Alright."


    Natalie returned to the medical room with Hector standing guard outside in Marcus'' ce.


    Before this, he didn''t understand why Marcus was standing guard. But now, he finally understood. It was because no one from the Holden family could be trusted anymore.


    After Natalie entered the medical room, Connie had changed the water for Laura several times. Now, she was still soaking in the herbal bath, looking a bit better than before.


    "Nat, thank you so much," Laura said weakly.


    Laura''s mind cleared up and her strength recovered a little. She wanted to talk to Natalie, no matter what the topic was.


    "Mrs. Holden, you''re wee."


    Upon noticing Laura addressing her as "Nat", Natalie understood that Connie had followed her instructions and told Laura her identity.


    "Just call me Laura!" Laura smiled, but her face was still terribly pale, making her smile look more like a grimace.


    "Your mother and I were best


    friends. But after giving birth to


    Marcus, I''ve fallen ill. That was why I couldn''t attend any of your birthday celebrations. Come to think of it, this is my first time meeting you."


    "Laura, you''re still weak and need to rest and recover," Natalie replied. "We can


    chat more once you''re feeling better. Alright?"


    Laura shook her head. "I''m not tired. This time, my episodes were shorter than


    before. I''m also feeling better than before. I just want to talk with you.


    "All these years, I''ve been seeking treatment everywhere with Wesley. Even though some doctors would treat me, most of them were afraid at


    of me. Some wouldn''t even dare


    A bitter smile appeared on Laura''s face. "Truth be told, I''ve given up hope. I even thought about ending it all.


    ???


    PA


    "But Wesley stayed by my side. Slowly, I wanted to get better so could see Marcus again. Back at Scarlet Hill Residence, the first time I


    Sa


    Marcus, I broke down in tears."


    As Laura spoke, tears streamed down her face. "I never thought I''d live to see my


    son in this lifetime. Nat, thank you so much. You really are my lucky star." Natalie kept her distance and didn''t get too close as she hadn''t changed into the protective gear yet.


    "Laura, you''re going to get better. If you''re feeling well enough, could you tell me about the people you were in contact with when you gave birth to Marcus?"


    Natalie pulled out her phone and started recording.


    Laura tried her best to recall. When her due date was approaching, Wesley started inviting people to Holden Residence to assist with the delivery.


    The first to arrive was the gynecologist who had been conducting her prenatal check-ups¡ªLucy Maine, the most renowned gynecologist in Dithoria at the time. Lucy was known for her experience and had saved many mothers from fatal postpartum hemorrhages. She was also best at making the delivery process as painless as possible.


    "Wait a minute. Lucy Maine... How is she rted to Jessy Maine?" Natalie asked.


    Laura was surprised to hear that. She thought about it before answering, "Lucy is Jessy''s aunt. She adores Jessy, treating her almost like her own daughter." Then, Laura asked, her eyes glued on Natalie, "Nat, do you know Jessy?" Natalie nodded and replied coldly, "Yes, I know her."


    "Not only do they know each other, but something else happened!" Connie interjected from the side. "She once pretended to be Dr. Elim and tried to treat Mr. Holden Senior."


    "Connie, don''t interrupt." Natalie shot Connie a nce, making her shut up immediately.


    "I... I didn''t know that," Laura said apologetically. "I''ve been tortured by this strange illness for years and haven''t paid much attention to the outside world.


    "Every time Charles called, we''d always share the good news but never the bad. That''s why we never knew about his health issues."

 Chapter 440 Lauras Memories

    Natalie took out another phone and sent a message to Marcus, "Marcus, investigate Lucy Maine."


    Marcus replied, "Got it."


    "Laura, let''s put that aside for now," Natalie said. "Please continue talking about the people who came to assist you back then."


    What mattered most wasn''t Charles'' situation, but rather the people who hade into contact with Laura back then.


    "Lucy is Jessy''s aunt. She was the first to arrive at Holden Residence. Do you remember the assistants she brought with her?"


    Laura frowned, trying to recall.


    Lucy had her own medical team, consisting of around a dozen people. However, Laura wasn''t able to remember the specifics.


    Among them, a woman named Julie Langdon helped out the most. However, she was rather peculiar and rarely smiled. On several asions, when taking Laura''s blood pressure alone, Julie would give Laura strange looks.


    Laura felt something was off and wanted to ask Lucy about it, but Julie would immediately schooled her expression, leaving no bone to pick.


    As Natalie listened to Laura''s recollections, she picked up her other phone and sent Marcus another message.


    "Investigate Lucy Maine''s assistant, Julie Langdon."


    Marcus replied, "Got it."


    "Laura, please go on," she said.


    Laura nodded. Soaking in the herbal bath, she stared at Natalie gently as she continued recalling the past.


    Lucy would conduct daily check-ups with great care and gentleness. Throughout her pregnancy, Laura would often visit Lucy. The check-ups had always been smooth and sessful.


    After bringing the medical team to move into Holden Residence, the postpartum care team arrived. Lucy had rmended the postpartum care team and they were well-known in Dithoria as well.


    The team was led by a woman called Queenie York. She was meticulous, gentle, and well-versed in psychology. She would chat with Laura frequently, making her feel at ease.


    There were many people in the postpartum care team, so it was impossible for Laura to remember each of them. However, she could remember those she interacted with frequently.


    One of them was a nutritionist named Megan Langley. Megan''s cooking was delicious and nutritious. Most importantly, the food wasn''t fattening. She would evene up with new dishes to satisfy Laura''s cravings, making Laura quite fond of her.


    Natalie''s brow furrowed. Megan Langley? A Langley?


    Laura and Wesley had a loving rtionship. With the professionals caring for her meticulously, her entire pregnancy was joyful and rxed.


    The fetus developed well throughout the pregnancy, and the delivery was smooth. However, everything changed the morning after she gave birth.


    That morning, when Laura woke up, she was about to ask Queenie to bring the baby over. However, the moment Queenie saw Laura, she let out a scream.


    Laura was baffled. She was just about to tell Queenie that would''ve frightened the baby, when Queenie handed her a mirror.


    Then, Laura saw her once dark and silky hair had turned snow-white. Following that was Laura''s own scream.


    Her scream drew Wesley, who was resting in the next room. When he saw Laura''s transformation, he immediately ordered Queenie to close the door.


    After closing the door, Wesley quickly summoned Lucy. She was stunned to see Laura''s hair turnpletely white. She quickly examined Laura but couldn''t find anything wrong.


    However, Lucy ordered the baby to be taken away, iming that Laura''s condition was unclear. So, she shouldn''te into contact with the baby.


    Thus, after giving birth, Laura only saw her child once at the very beginning, never a second time.


    Once the baby was taken away, Laura''s body rapidly developed other symptoms. Her hair turned white and her skin became so pale it was nearly translucent.


    With her skin bing almost see-through, her body started aching. Unable to endure it, she rolled around the bed, letting out agonizing screams.


    The scene was so horrifying that apart from Lucy and Wesley, no one else stayed in the room.


    Lucy imed that her condition was too bizarre to let anyone else find out. So, she advised Wesley to clear the room.


    Wesley was at a loss. He quickly


    sought Charles'' advice. When


    Charles Saw Laura''s state, he quickly


    ordered Sheldon to have all of the


    medical teams vacate Holden


    Residence.


    After that, Charles brought in numerous doctors to examine Laura. But every time, her condition worsened.


    Soon, white fur began sprouting from her body, and her teeth grew sharp. It looked as if she was transforming into a beast.


    The doctors who came to examine her were all terrified and tried to flee, but Charles ordered them to be detained.


    None of the doctors could tell what was wrong with Laura, let alone cure her.


    After a discussion between Charles and Wesley, they decided to silence the doctors and forbade any contact between Laura and Marcus.


    [e


    Ox9 Marcus and any form


    of physical contact were prohibited.


    Once Laura''s condition stabilized slightly, Wesley secretly took her away from


    Holden Residence, beginning their long journey seeking medical help.


    As for Marcus, he naturally couldn''t follow along. Charles ended up raising him.


    Because of her strange illness, Laura was ashamed to see anyone. She was afraid that if Marcus found out, he would see her as a monster.


    That was why she asked Wesley to tell Charles that once Marcus was older, to exin to him that his parents had gone on a trip to find him a gift.


    All these years, that was the story they told Marcus. Even when she messaged or called him, she never dared reveal the truth. She would rather Marcus hate her than fear her.


    After leaving Holden Residence,


    Laura and Wesley had consulted


    countless doctors. Some, upon


    hearing her description, immediately


    imed that they couldn''t help and asked them to leave.


    Some would promise they could cure her, only for her to experience pain and


    suffering without any improvement.


    Despite the torment, Laura didn''t give up. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, she wanted to try.


    But after so many attempts over the years, her body had grown weaker. Eventually, when she started coughing up clear liquid, she finally felt despair.


    Out of nowhere, Charles suggested they contact Elim. Deciding to give it onest


    try, Wesley and Laura sent an email to Elim''s assistant.


    And by some miracle, Elim epted her as a patient.

 Chapter 441 Suspecting Everyone In The Holden Family

    Laura spoke with difficulty, carefully trying to recall every detail and sharing everything she could think of. "Nat, I don''t know who poisoned me or when it happened."


    "After you gave birth, do you remember who handled your meals?" Natalie asked.


    Laura shook her head. "I don''t. I was exhausted after the delivery. About half an hourter, someone brought me a specially prepared chicken broth.


    "After drinking the broth, some time passed, and then I was served a meal specifically meant to help with recovery and milk production.


    "It was delivered by a designated person. I remember she was a round-faced girl. But before she brought it, I have no idea who else handled my food."


    Natalie asked, "Did Mr. Holden know about this?"


    Laura furrowed her brow, trying to recall carefully. "He was with me the whole time, so I don''t think he knew either."


    "Laura," Natalie began. "I spoke with Mr. Holden Senior earlier. Sheldon had a strong reaction."


    She didn''t want to assume the worst about Charles or Sheldon, but at this point, she couldn''t convince herself they were innocent either.


    Laura was a smart woman. With just a little thought, she understood what Natalie was implying.


    "Laura, let me be honest with you. I don''t trust Mr. Holden Senior or Sheldon. I have already asked Marcus to investigate Lucy," Natalie said again. "I am Marcus'' girlfriend. If all goes well, I will be your daughter-inw in the future."


    Laura''s eyes widened slightly. She had never met such a straightforward woman before, but she liked her.


    Her eyes turned red, on the verge of tears. "Nat, thank you. I haven''t been a good mother. I don''t know what I did to deserve such kindness from you and Marcus.


    "Until the truth is uncovered, I won''t make any assumptions or usations. I don''t want my own bias to affect your investigation. I will do my best to remember everything and tell you whateveres to mind."


    "Laura, thank you for cooperating with me and Marcus. I am going to change my clothes, then I wille back to apply your medicine."


    With that, Natalie turned and left, giving Laura time to think.


    Connie wasn''t an outsider, so Natalie didn''t need to hide anything from her. In fact, after listening to their conversation, Connie was furious.


    She had been meticulous in taking care of Charles back at Holden Residence, even getting along well with Sheldon. And yet, these two might actually be involved.


    Connie paused, realizing she might be jumping to conclusions. The investigation wasn''tplete yet. If the incident had nothing to do with Charles or Sheldon, then she would be wrongly using them.


    "Mrs. Holden, don''t worry. Ms. Walker is very skilled. She will definitely cure you. Look at yourself now. You are already much better than before," Connie reassured Laura.


    She added, "Yourplexion is improving again. Once Mr. Holden gathers all the necessary medicine, even if we never find out who did this, Ms. Walker will still be able to cure you."


    "Thank you, Ms. Sterling." Laura forced a weak smile. Some things were better left unthought. The more she dwelled on it, the harder it was to ept the truth.


    "Mrs. Holden, don''t be afraid. Ms. Walker is incredibly skilled," Connie said. She poured some hot water into the basin. "How are you feeling? Any better?" "Mm, it''s alright."


    "Ms. Walker says that the most important thing right now is to keep you from experiencing any more pain. As long as you are not in pain, Mr. Marcus will have more time to find the herbs. Also, during this time, you should avoid seeing the Holden family, including your husband."


    "I can''t even see Wesley? He had been by my side all these years. He worries about me constantly. If he can''t see me, I am afraid he won''t be able to hold on." Laura''s voice was tinged with sadness.


    Connie wanted to say more, but before she could, Natalie entered, already dressed and gloved.


    "Laura, I have something to say that you might not like," Natalie said as she approached them. Then she turned to Connie, "Connie, go wash up and get some rest."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    After Connie left the medical room, Natalie took a fresh batch of medicinal powder and gently applied it to Laura''s wounds.


    "Laura, until Marcus and I uncover the truth behind your poisoning, you must not see Mr. Holden. You also cannot trust him."


    "Nat, are you saying you suspect Wesley?"


    Natalie''s voice was calm. "I don''t just suspect Mr. Holden. I suspect every single person in the Holden family.


    "Laura, sometimes, the ones who harm you the most are the very people you least suspect and trust the most. Think carefully. Who arranged your medical team back then?"


    Natalie''s words hung in the air, and Laura fell silent.


    Her expression gradually darkened, sorrow weighing heavily on her features. After


    a long pause, she finally forced a bitter smile.


    "Nat, the person who arranged my medical team was my husband, Wesley. Alright, I understand."


    Natalie said no more, focusing entirely on applying the medicine.


    Laura also remained silent. Her sorrow deepened, and at times, silent tears fell from her eyes.


    Natalie didn''t try tofort her. She had already identified several key individuals. All that was left was for Marcus to conduct the investigation.


    Her main priority was ensuring Laura''s condition didn''t worsen before all the necessary medicine was gathered.


    ...


    Upon arrival at Everwood Estate in Amberton, Marcus was led into a private room by a maid.


    Inside sat an elderly man with graying hair and deep wrinkles, dressed in an elegant three-piece suit.


    The old man''s face lit up when he saw Marcus enter. He immediately stood and greeted him warmly. "Mr. Holden,e have a seat. I have been waiting for you for quite some time."


    Marcus gave a slight nod and sat down. "Is what you said over the phone true?"


    "Mr. Holden, allow me to introduce myself. I am Jonathon Remington. The Poisonous Snowdrop is indeed in my possession, but I am not giving it away for free. I need you to find someone for me."


    Marcus sat up straight. "Mr. Remington, please speak."


    Jonathan pulled out a photograph. In it was a delicate, cherubic little girl.


    "This is my daughter. I had her quite


    have searched everywhere over the


    years and met countless people, but none of them were her."


    Tears welled in Jonathan''s eyes as he spoke. "Mr. Holden, I am old. My wife''s health has never been the same since our daughter went missing. I sold all my businesses, leaving only this Everwood Estate, hoping that when I found her, I could leave it all to her.


    "But I also worry that when she returns, she won''t be able to protect what I leave behind. So I ask you, Mr. Holden, not only to help me find her but also to watch over her."

 Chapter 442 The Exchange

    Marcus took the photograph handed to him by Jonathan.


    In the picture was a little girl with a round face, fair skin tinged with a rosy glow, and two adorable pigtails. Her eyes were bright as she smiled, herrge, round pupilsplementing her delicate nose and gently curved lips. She was an exquisitely beautiful child.


    And she wasn''t a stranger to him. In fact, he knew exactly who she was.


    "Mr. Remington, if I help you find your daughter and agree to look after her, you will give me the Poisonous Snowdrop, correct?"


    He handed the photo back, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "I can ept your terms, but I need to see the Poisonous Snowdrop first to verify its authenticity."


    "That''s not a problem."


    Jonathan turned and retrieved an elegant mahogany box behind him. He opened it and pushed it toward Marcus.


    Inside the boxy a withered root, its tip adorned with shriveled petals. Marcus counted them. There were exactly 21 petals.


    "I need to take a picture and send it to the doctor for confirmation."


    "Go ahead. I always thought no one would ever need this thing. After all, it is a highly toxic substance." Jonathan sipped his coffee. It may not look like much, but even a tiny bit of it can kill an elephant. So tell me, Mr. Holden, what exactly do you need the Poisonous Snowdrop for?"


    "There''s no need for you to concern yourself with that," Marcus replied as he snapped a photo and sent it to Natalie.


    A momentter, she responded. "It''s the real Poisonous Snowdrop. You must bring it back."


    Marcus replied, "Understood."


    "Mr. Remington, I know where your daughter is," he said. "I promise that after you and your wife pass away, I will take care of her and ensure she is never mistreated."


    He carefully put the Poisonous Snowdrop away. Even if he hadn''t happened to recognize Jonathan''s missing daughter, he would never have given up on obtaining the nt.


    "You really know my daughter? Don''t lie to me. I''ve searched for her for years, met so many girls who looked simr, but none of them were her." Jonathan''s eyes widened.


    "She''s not in this country. That is why you could never find her," Marcus replied casually. Right in front of Jonathan, he dialed a number and put the call on speaker.


    A man''s voice came through. "Marcus? What''s going on?"


    "Samuel, is Sierra with you?"


    Samuel hesitated. "Why are you asking about Sierra?"


    Marcus kept it brief. "I found her biological father."


    "What? You are not joking, are you?" Samuel''s tone immediately changed.


    "I''m not. Put her on a video call."


    "Alright, give me a moment."


    Samuel hung up. A few minutester, he called back with a video call. Marcus answered, and a youngdy''s face appeared on the screen.


    She had a round face, shoulder-length silky hair, fair skin with a rosy glow, andrge, expressive eyes. She looked at Marcus with curiosity.


    "Mr. Holden, were you looking for me?"


    "Yes." Marcus handed the phone to Jonathan. "Mr. Remington, take a look. Is this your daughter?"


    Jonathan put on his reading sses and stared intently at the screen. After a moment of silence, he suddenly burst into tears.


    "It''s her. That''s my daughter. She looks exactly the same as when she was little,


    just grown. Sweetheart, it''s me. I''m your father!"


    Sierra blinked in confusion, momentarily at a loss.


    "I will exin. Mr. Remington, is that correct? Please calm down. Can you tell me exactly what is going on?" Samuel said, frowning at Jonathan, who was sobbing uncontrobly. "If you''re too emotional, give the phone to Marcus, and I will speak with him."


    Samuel exined, "I''m Sierra''s fianc¨¦. Years ago, my mother rescued her from an abduction, and the Sinir family adopted her. But we moved abroad when we were young. We have lived overseas ever since and never returned. If you are tr¨²ly Sierra''s biological father, I will bring her back to meet you."


    "I am. I am!" Jonathan sobbed uncontrobly. "It''s my fault. I should never have lost you back then. Sweetheart, my precious Sweetheart. Here, this is her childhood photo. Look. She really grew up exactly the same. It''s identical."


    Jonathan was so emotional that his voice broke. "I''m telling your mother right now. We have found you, we have finally found you."


    Marcus retrieved the phone. "Samuel, bring Sierra back as soon as possible. Do a paternity test. Also, Sinir Group needs you."


    Samuel scoffed at the mention of thepany. "Marcus, forget it. I am only bringing Sierra to meet her family. I will not be returning to thepany or the family."


    "Ivan is dead. He and Julia are both dead," Marcus said calmly.


    "Before she died, Julia exposed everything about her past with Ivan. If you do not believe me, check the news yourself."


    "Is that so? Marcus, I have cut ties with the Sinir family for a long time." Samuel smirked, clearly skeptical.


    "So you are going to ignore your mother and sister? Living freely abroad with Sierra is all that matters to you?" Marcus'' tone was sharp. "Samuel, don''t give me that excuse about hating Ivan. You''ve been living off Sinir family money all these years."


    "Marcus, this is the Sinir family''s business. It has nothing to do with you," Samuel snapped, irritation clear in his voice.


    "Ivan is dead. Sophia cannot hold thepany together on her own. I''m not joking. Besides, Sierra''s father is here. Shouldn''t you let them reunite?" Marcus'' voice turned serious.


    Samuel turned to Sierra, reining in his temper. "Do you recognize this man?"


    She had been staring at Jonathan, and when asked, she hesitated before shaking


    her head. "I don''t know him... but he feels very familiar."


    "Sweetheart, I''m your father. Don''t you remember? When you were little, I woke up early every morning to do your hair. You always said your mother''s cooking was bad, so cooked for you every day." Jonathan cried as he spoke. "Your favorite dish was my honey mustard ribs. Don''t you remember?"


    The more he spoke, the more shock filled Sierra''s eyes. After a long silence, she grabbed Samuel''s arm tightly. "Samuel, I want to go back. I need to go back."


    "Sweetheart, your name is Sierra Sinir now, isn''t it? That''s fine. I don''t mind." Jonathan continued crying uncontrobly. "As long as youe home, I don''t care what name you go by."


    He turned to Marcus, overwhelmed with emotion. He suddenly dropped to his knees. "Mr. Holden, you are my benefactor. Thank you, thank you."


    He hade with only the faintest hope, never expecting such an oue.


    "Mr. Holden, I take back what I said about entrusting my daughter to you. I still have years left to take care of her."


    Marcus quickly helped Jonathan up. "I believe she is your daughter. You should go home and tell your wife immediately."


    Then, he stopped him. "Wait. You two should exchange contact information first."

 Chapter 443 Gratitude Beyond Words

    "Oh, right. Contact details. Sierra, give me your number." Jonathan said, his voice thick with emotion. He fumbled for his phone, his aging hands trembling as he


    wiped his reddened eyes.


    "Let''s exchange information. When you return, I''lle pick you up. Or, if you tell me where you are now, your mother and I will fly out to bring you home."


    Sierra hesitated, watching the overwhelming affection in Jonathan''s eyes. She wasn''t sure if she should agree.


    "Mr. Remington, please don''t rush. I''ll bring Sierra back as soon as possible. Just give me your address, and we''lle directly to see you," Samuel said.


    "Yes, of course. Let''s exchange numbers and stay in touch."


    Jonathan''s eyes welled up again, and he struggled to contain his tears. "I''ll go to the nursing home right away to get your mother. She needs to see you. Sweetheart, wait for my video callter. Please don''t ignore it, alright?"


    "Mr. Remington, we haven''t even done a paternity test yet. What if I''m not really your daughter? I don''t want to give you false hope," Sierra said cautiously.


    "It doesn''t matter. As long as youe back. That''s all that matters," Jonathan said, shaking his head as he wiped his face.


    "Alright then. It''s settled. We''ll hang up now. I need to pack and book a flight." Sierra let out a deep breath.


    "Yes, yes, of course. Just be safe on your way back. That''s all I ask."


    "Thank you, Mr. Remington. We will."


    The video call ended, and Jonathan broke down in tears again. In his overwhelming gratitude, he suddenly turned and threw his arms around Marcus.


    "Mr. Holden, I don''t even know how to thank you. Saying ''thank you'' wouldn''t be enough. If you ever need more Poisonous Snowdrop, I''ll give you as much as you want," he choked out.


    Marcus remainedposed, though inwardly, he was satisfied. "Mr. Remington, you have more Poisonous Snowdrop?"


    "Of course, I do. This is just one of them. I asked you why you needed it, but you wouldn''t tell me. I was worried you might use it for something harmful," Jonathan said,ughing and crying at the same time.


    "I don''t just have Poisonous Snowdrop. I have many other rare medicinal herbs too. You can ask around. Back in the day, I was quite well-known in the underground market. That is, until I retired and left that life behind," he added with a chuckle.


    Marcus coughed lightly, signaling him to be mindful of his words.


    "Ah, my apologies. I got carried away," Jonathan said, immediately catching the hint.


    "Mr. Remington, you heard what was said just now. The Sinir family is a mess, and given the situation, I believe you should reconsider who is best suited to protect your daughter. You saw Samuel''s reaction. If I support Sierra, you won''t have to worry about her future." Marcus spoke calmly.


    Jonathan considered his words carefully. Marcus had a point. The Sinir family''s scandals had been all over the news. Even though he and his wife rarely left home, they had still seen the reports and interviews.


    If his daughter had indeed been raised by the Sinirs, then Julia''s rtives might still seek revenge. Given his and his wife''s advanced age and declining health, he couldn''t protect Sierra forever.


    Moreover, Samuel himself was a Sinir. If he ever had to choose between Sierra and the family business, there was no guarantee that his daughter wouldn''t be coteral damage in their power struggles. With Marcus as her support, she would be much safer.


    "Alright, Mr. Holden. Let''s continue our deal. You protect my daughter, and I will give you ess to all of my medicinal resources. Please, follow me."


    Jonathan led Marcus out of the private room. Though the Everwood Estate was not veryrge, itsyout exuded an understated elegance, its design carefully crafted to feel both inviting and refined.


    After a short walk, they arrived at a three-story building. Jonathan unlocked the door and nced back at Marcus. "This way, Mr. Holden."


    "Alright." Marcus followed him inside. The moment they stepped in, an unfamiliar yet rich aroma filled the air.


    "It is the scent of medicinal herbs," Jonathan exined as he pushed open another door. Inside, an


    enormous wooden cab lined the entire wall, filled with numerous smallpartments and boxes.


    "All of these contain medicinal ingredients, he exined. "Mr. Holden, I don''t know how I could ever repay you for finding my daughter. These herbs would


    no use to me or my daughter They would be of better use in your hand." C¨®ntent belongs to


    Jonathan''s eyes turned red again.


    "Thank you." Marcus stepped forward and began scanning the contents.


    Apart from Poisonous Snowdrop, Natalie had also requested another rare ingredient-Wastnd Shadebloom.


    It was even rarer than Poisonous Snowdrop. Despite searching tirelessly, the only confirmation Marcus had received was that Jonathan possessed Poisonous Snowdrop.


    "Mr. Remington, have you ever heard of Wastnd Shadebloom?" Marcus carefully examined the herbs but didn''t find what he was looking for.


    Jonathan nodded. "I have, but it''s nearly impossible to find. To be honest no one even knows if it truly exists. Mr. Holden, if you don''t mind me asking, why are you searching for such deadly toxins?"


    Jonathan pulled a leather-bound book from a drawer and handed it to him.


    "To save my mother. It''s not that I wanted to hide it from you, Mr. Remington. It''s


    just aplicated situation. It''s not something I can exin easily," Marcus replied bitterly.


    "Saving your mother? That doesn''t make sense. Was she poisoned?" Jonathan frowned.


    Marcus'' eyes darkened as he turned to look at Jonathan. "Mr. Remington, do you know something about this?"


    Jonathan nodded. "A little. The herbs you''re looking for are all extremely toxic. ording to my grandfather''s records, they are believed to counteract certain ancient poisons.


    "But if someone actually needs them, it means the poison in their body has already reached a critical stage. If you''re saying this for your mother, then I can already guess the situation.


    "Mr. Holden, I don''t have Wastnd Shadebloom, but I do have other rare medical herbs. Take photos of them and send them to the expert treating your mother.


    "As far as I know, no one has ever sessfully neutralized a poison that requires such extreme antidotes."


    "Thank you, Mr. Remington. I will spend my lifetime repaying this debt of gratitude. No words can express my thanks. Rest assured, I will protect your daughter with everything I have."


    Without hesitation, Marcus knelt before him.


    "Mr. Holden, please get up. Earlier, when I tried to kneel to you, you refused to let me. Now, you must do the same for me," Jonathan quickly helped him to his feet.


    "You reunited me with my daughter. If my herbs can also save your mother, then that is the best possible oue for both of us. Don''t kneel to me.


    "I don''t know how many years I have left, but you have fulfilled my greatest wish in


    life. Now, I can leave this world without regret.


    "Mr. Holden, don''t waste time. Start selecting the herbs."


    "Thank you, Mr. Remington," Marcus said sincerely before immediately taking pictures and sending them to Natalie.

 Chapter 444 The Mentors Return

    Marcus had just sent the photos when Natalie immediately called him. As soon as he picked up, her excited voice came through.


    "Marcus, bring back all the herbs. Mr. Langton ising back, and your mother can be saved."


    Her voice trembled with emotion before choking up. "He is far more skilled than I am. With him here, Laura will absolutely recover."


    This was the first time Marcus had heard Natalie mention her mentor. Without hesitation, he agreed, "Alright, I will let Mr. Remington know right away and bring the medicine back."


    He then added, "Nat, thank you. And please, thank Mr. Langton as well."


    "Hurry back," Natalie urged. She could barely contain her excitement. It had been years since she had seen Federrick, and she had missed him dearly.


    More importantly, she had never been fully confident in handling this rare and deadly poison. Every step she had taken to treat Laura had been based on Federrick''s teachings.


    Now that he was returning to oversee the treatment himself, she had nothing to worry about.


    Marcus ended the call and was about to speak when Jonathan interrupted him. "I heard everything. Mr. Holden. Say no more. I will pack the medicine for you right away."


    "Thank you, Mr. Remington. I will never forget this." Marcus'' voice wavered slightly, his usualposure shaken by the sheer weight of gratitude he felt.


    "Mr. Holden, I''m not doing this for nothing. I need you to look after my daughter when my wife and I are gone."


    As he spoke, Jonathan swiftly gathered arge wooden case for the herbs.


    "I have kept these stored away for years, thinking they would go unused until the day I died. Now that they can save a life, they will finally serve their purpose." Marcus, his emotions still raw, stepped forward and silently helped him pack the herbs. By the time they had finished, tworge wooden crates were filled.


    "I will have my driver bring the car around," Jonathan said, pulling out his phone. Within minutes, a sleek ck vehicle pulled up in front of the estate.


    "Mr. Holden, I won''t keep you. You have a mother to save. But once my daughter returns, I want you to oversee the DNA test. I don''t trust anyone else. I only trust you."


    Without hesitation, Marcus nodded. "Of course, I will handle it personally. Mr. Remington, if Sierra isn''t your biological daughter, I will keep searching for her."


    "She is my daughter. She looks exactly the same as when she was a child. Even the birthmark on her corbone matches. There is no mistake," Jonathan said with certainty. "The test is just to prove to Sierra that I really am her father. Now go. Your mother''s life is more important right now."


    "Mr. Remington, I ask that you keep this matter private. My mother has suffered enough. I don''t want her to face scrutiny before she even has a chance to recover," Marcus requested sincerely.


    "Don''t worry. I am not the type to gossip. Everwood Estate has its own rules. What you are worried about will not happen."


    "Thank you, Mr. Remington."


    Marcus thanked him again. Jonathan helped him load the medicine into the car before driving off.


    Jonathan stood at the entrance, watching the vehicle disappear into the distance. Only then did he turn back toward the estate, his eyes filled with emotion. He gathered his things and prepared to head to the nursing home to bring the good news to his wife.


    Some kindness in life came full circle in the most unexpected ways. He had


    simply answered Marcus'' request for help, yet in return, he had found his long-lost daughter.


    When his wife learned of this, she would surely regain her strength.


    ...


    Marcus arrived at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary with the crates of herbs from


    Jonathan. Hector had been waiting for him. Seeing Marcus and Noah carry in the crates, he immediately walked over.


    "Are these the herbs?"


    "Yes, Mr. Remington gave them to me," Marcus confirmed. He then asked, "Hector, has anyone from my family tried to visit my mother?"


    "Your father came by a few times, but I turned him away," Hector replied. "Nat said that aside from you, no one from the Holden family can be trusted right now."


    Lowering his voice, he added, "Marcus, even if your mother was not poisoned by someone close to her, it is likely they covered for the person responsible. Nat was furious. She even confronted Sheldon about it."


    "I know. I''ve already asked Ethan to investigate Lucy Maine. I refuse to believe that everyone involved in the incident back then has simply disappeared without a trace," Marcus said, his gaze darkened.


    "Neither do I. No crime is perfect. If it happened, there would be evidence." Hector agreed.


    He continued, "My only concern is that if your mother learns someone she trusted was responsible, she might not be able to bear it."


    "No, with Nat by her side, my mother will not lose hope. All these years, she fought to stay alive because she loves me." Marcus'' voice wavered slightly his eyes unconsciously welling up. "Hector, my mother has always loved me."


    "Yes, Laura has always loved you," Hector said gently. He could see Marcus'' pain and quickly reassured him. "Marcus, you can''t break down now. She needs you."


    "I know. I won''t." Marcus took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his emotions. "Let''s bring the medicine to Nat. She said her mentor is returning. Do you know anything about him?"


    Hector nced at Joshua in the distance. "I spoke with Mr. Brown. Nat''s mentor is an extraordinary


    man. He was the one who save her


    when the Langley family was mistreating her. He took herin and nursed her back to health for a long time.


    "He taught her everything she knows about medicine. He also gave her Goodwill Pharmacy. Even Connie was assigned to her by him.


    "Mr. Brown said that if it weren''t for him, Nat wouldn''t have survived. The Langley family would have drained her dry."


    At the mention of the Langleys, Hector''s expression darkened. Even though their mother had forced them to kneel and beg for forgiveness, it was still not enough to erase what had been done.


    "Nat''s mentoris like a second father to her. I''ve already told my parents that her mentor will be our family''s benefactor from now on. I just hope he will be willing to ept that Hector said, his voice filled with emotion.


    s?novel


    Hector had heard from Joshua that Federrick was no ordinary man. The things he


    had given her far surpassed anything the Walker family could offer.


    "He''s already on his way back. Once he''s here, Laura will finally be saved,"


    Hector said.


    Marcus nodded. "Yes, once he is here, my mother will recover."


    With that, the two carried the crates into the medical room.

 Chapter 445 Questioning Wesley Holden

    "Nat, Marcus has brought back the medicine," Hector called toward the medical room. Momentster, the door opened and Natalie stepped out, wearing full


    protective gear.


    "Well done. Mr. Langton will be back soon. Once he arrives, Laura''s chances of recovery will be even greater," she said, ncing at Marcus.


    "Nat, thank you." Marcus took a step forward, reaching out to embrace her, but she quickly moved back.


    "Don''te near me, I have traces of the medicinal bath Laura soaked in on me," she warned.


    Marcus wanted to say he didn''t mind, but seeing the exhaustion in her expression, he held back. He didn''t want to add to her burden.


    "Marcus, go take a shower, change your clothes, and get some rest," Natalie instructed.


    He was about to say he wasn''t tired when she cut him off. "Listen to me. I worry about you too. Be good."


    Her coaxing tone, like one used for a child, left him with no room to refuse.


    "Hector, you should rest too," she added, turning to him. "All we need to do now is wait for Mr. Langton to return. For now, I just need to take care of Laura''s medicinal bath. There''s no need for so many people here."


    Natalie winked at Hector, who immediately relented. "Alright, I''ll take Marcus to rest. Nat, take care of yourself too. Rest whenever you need to."


    "Don''t worry. I know what I am doing."


    "Then I will get some rest ande backter. Nat, thank you," Marcus said, his voice gentle.


    "Go."


    "Alright. I am leaving now."


    After Marcus and Hector left the medical room, they headed to a guesthouse to rest. Upon arrival, an attendant arranged by Joshua greeted them and led them to their respective rooms.


    "Mr. Holden, Mr. Walker, if you need anything, just use the phone in your room. We will provide service immediately."


    "Alright, thank you."


    "Thanks."


    The attendant withdrew, and Marcus and Hector, whose rooms were next to each other, exchanged brief nods before heading inside.


    Marcus took a cold shower. He wasn''t drowsy in the slightest. On the contrary, his mind was exceptionally clear.


    After changing into clean clothes, he sat down and opened his phone to review the email from Ethan. It detailed how, just three days after Laura had given birth, Lucy had left the country.


    After arriving abroad, she hadn''t settled in one ce but instead traveled between multiple countries before finally choosing an obscure nation to reside in.


    Over the years, she never returned home. However, she remained devoted to Jessy, providing not only financial support but also resources the Maine familycked.


    During the investigation, Ethan also uncovered something significant. Lucy had once been infatuated with a married man. It was Cassie who had facilitated a meeting between them, allowing Lucy to spend a night with him.


    After leaving the country, Lucy cut ties with Cassie but asked her to help her niece, Jessy.


    Marcus had already reviewed the information on his way over, yet he read through it once more. He ordered Ethan to send people to retrieve Lucy. Whether she was willing or not, she had to return.


    Putting his phone away, Marcus changed into a simple outfit and stepped out of his room. He walked directly to Wesley''s room and pushed the door open.


    Wesley sat slumped in his chair, his gaze empty, staring out the window. The direction he was looking in was toward the medical room where Laura was staying.


    Marcus dragged a chair over and sat across from him, his icy gaze locking onto him.


    "Father."


    Hearing the voice, Wesley blinked nkly at Marcus. It took him a while to react. "Marcus..."


    "Father, do you really not know why Mom was poisoned?"


    Marcus'' voice was deep and steady, carrying an undeniable authority.


    Wesley stared at him, stunned. "Marcus, why would you ask that? If I had known


    someone poisoned your mother, I never would have let them go."


    "So you never once suspected that e


    Mom was poisoned?" Marcus sneered, the corners of his lips curling in mockery. "Wesley Holden, I call you ''Father,'' but do you really deserve that title? You weren''t even apetent husband. What makes you think you qualify as father?


    "Mom''s condition worsened right after giving birth. Yet instead of investigating, you let the people who had cared for her leave without question. Frankly, I suspect you had an affair with the person who poisoned my mom."


    "Marcus!" Wesley shot to his feet, his bloodshot eyes ring at his son. "I won''t let you nder me like this.


    "Your mother''s illness pains me more than anyone else. I wish I could take her ce. How could I possibly allow someone to harm her?


    "Besides, your mother and I were each other''s first love. Our love has remained unchanged. I have never had an affair. How can you tarnish our rtionship like this?"


    "Oh? Then, Father, do you dare to face Grandpa with me?" Marcus'' smirk deepened.


    "Marcus, what exactly are you implying? Are you trying to say that I poisoned your mother?" Wesley''s face turned red with anger.


    "I have every reason to suspect you," Marcus stated coldly.


    "You have spent years apanying Mom in search of a cure, yet you have made no progress. And to think, you''re Grandpa''s son, the former heir to the Holden family.


    "You have ess to all of the Holden family''s resources, yet you failed to protect your wife. Wesley Holden, what right do you have to im you love her?"


    "You... you..."


    Wesley clutched his chest, his face pale. He wanted to refute the usation, but for the first time, he found himself at a loss for words.


    "Come with me to see Grandpa."


    Marcus stood and strode out.


    Wesley held his chest, staggering to his feet momentster. His mind was nk,


    his ability to thinkpletely paralyzed.


    "Marcus, stop right there. Exin


    yourself. He stumbled after his son,


    only for Marcus to suddenly halt in


    his


    By Wesley, unable to stop in


    time, crashed into him.


    "Father, I have no problem telling you now. Mom was poisoned by someone in the


    Holden family."


    Wesley''s face turned ashen. His lips trembled, but no words came out.


    Marcus shot him a cold nce. "Think carefully about who it could be. Don''t say


    you love my mother if you are incapable of protecting her."


    "I..."


    Wesley opened his mouth, but no words came to him.

 Chapter 446 Even If They Stay Silent, He Will Find The Truth

    Marcus wasted no more words on Wesley. He had no emotional attachment to this so-called father. Watching the man''s helpless expression, he felt nothing.


    No sympathy. No warmth.


    Arriving first at Charles'' door, he knocked firmly. "Grandpa, it is me. Marcus."


    "Come in." Charles'' voice was weary, tinged with an indescribable sorrow.


    Marcus pushed the door open and stepped inside. Wesley followed closely behind.


    "Grandpa."


    "Father."


    Both greeted him in unison. Charles waved a hand, signaling them to sit.


    "Sheldon, make some coffee."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Sheldon turned to prepare the coffee. Charles pointed to the seat across from him. "Sit down."


    Marcus took his seat, and Wesley hurried to sit beside him.


    "Marcus, if you have questions, ask. You have grown into a man I can entrust the family to," Charles said kindly.


    "Grandpa, were you the one who poisoned my mom?" Marcus asked bluntly.


    Charles shook his head. "No. I am not that kind of man."


    "Was it Sheldon?"


    Again, Charles shook his head. "No. Marcus, neither I nor Sheldon would do such a thing. You should not doubt us."


    "If I shouldn''t suspect you or Sheldon, then tell me, Grandpa. Who should I suspect? Should I suspect my father? Or Cassie?" Marcus'' voice was sharp.


    "It wasn''t me! Marcus, how dare you suspect me? What right do you have? What evidence?" Wesley interrupted before Charles could respond. His voice rose in anger.


    Marcus ignored him, his unwavering gaze locked on Charles. A brief twitch flickered across Charles'' face, but he quickly masked it.


    "Marcus, I raised you myself. I''m proud of the man you have be. I truly didn''t know about this. If I had, I would never have let your mother suffer for so many years." Charles sighed.


    "Grandpa, I understand that you didn''t know at the beginning. But what aboutter? Even after realizing she was seeking treatment, even after witnessing her pain, you never thought to tell me the truth? Instead, you let me misunderstand her for years?" Marcus said, his eyes turning red with restrained anger.


    "Grandpa, forgive me, but I fail to understand your actions."


    "Back then, you were too young, and I had promised your mother I wouldn''t tell you. As time passed, I simply grew ustomed to keeping it from you," Charles exined.


    "Your mother said she would rather have you hate her than let you know she had changed. She didn''t want you to carry that burden.


    "I thought long and hard about it and decided she had suffered enough. I didn''t want to add to her pain. So I kept my silence.


    "Marcus, if there is me to be ced, let it be on me."


    Marcus tapped his fingers lightly against the table. "Grandpa, all I want to know is who did it. My father ims it wasn''t him. You say it wasn''t you. So who was it? Was it Cassie?"


    He repeated her name, watching his grandfather closely. The first time he mentioned her, Charles'' eyelid twitched. This time, he remained expressionless. "Marcus, I don''t know."


    "Is that the truth, or do you just not


    want to say it?" A mocking smile


    tugged at Marcus'' lips. "Well, I


    suppose that makes sense. Cassie


    is your biological daughter. My mom was merely a daughter-inw A daughter-inw can be reced. A daughter, once gone, is truly lost forever."


    "Marcus, are you saying you have already decided it was Cassie? Marcus, she may not be close to the family, but she isn''t that kind of person." Charles'' voice was heavy with sorrow. "Cassie and your mother used to be best friends."


    "Grandpa, people''s hearts are not as simple as they seem, Cassie once helped Jessy impersonate Dr. Elim to have you killed. If you refuse to tell me, I will find out myself."


    Marcus stood up. "But Grandpa, I''m deeply disappointed in you. My mom has suffered too much. I won''t let it be in vain. If Cassie is truly responsible, then tell me, Grandpa. Who will you choose? Her or me?"


    "Are you forcing me to choose? Your grandmother and I shared a lifetime of love. Your father and mother remained devoted despite everything. I had hoped for you and Natalie to be the same." Charles'' eyes reddened.


    "Grandpa, we are talking about my mom, not Natalie," Marcus said


    sharply. "If you refuse to say it, I won''t push you. But you must understand, Grandpa. I''ve grown up. I control Holden Group now. Before, I was unaware of my mom''s


    suffering. But now that I know, I will uncover the truth.


    "Besides, Natalie is my girlfriend. Charlotte and my mom were best friends. Hector has also provided medicine for her. You know as well as I do that I have not only Holden Group but also the Walker family on my side. If you want to protect someone, you better protect them well.


    "Because if you don''t..."


    Marcus left the sentence unfinished. But Charles, who had raised him, understood the warning all too clearly.


    "Grandpa, I''m going to rest."


    With that, Marcus turned and left the room. At that moment, Sheldon returned with


    a tray of coffee.


    "You''re leaving, Mr. Marcus?"


    Sheldon looked troubled. "Mr. Marcus, are you, like Ms. Walker, also misunderstanding Mr. Holden Senior?"


    "Sheldon, you''re a suspect too. You were the one who arranged the people who cared for my mom. That makes you the most suspicious of all," Marcus said


    coldly.


    "What?" Sheldon froze. The words Natalie had said before had been harsh enough. But hearing the same usation from Marcus, his heart felt like it was being torn apart.


    "Mr. Marcus, how could you suspect me? I have served the Holden family all my life. I''ve always been loyal to the Mr. Holden Senior, to you, to everyone." Tears welled in his eyes. "Mr. Marcus, how could you think I would ever harm Mrs. Holden? I have always wished nothing but the best for all of you."


    Marcus sneered. His gaze was sharp andced with mockery. "Is that so?" Sheldon was shaken by his cold stare. He took a moment before mumbling, "Mr. Marcus, do you really not trust us?"


    "No." Marcus'' answer was immediate and absolute.


    "Sheldon, you better hope that when I uncover the truth, you are not involved." His gaze bore into Sheldon, freezing him in ce. "Because if you are, no one will be able to protect you. Not even Grandpa."

 Chapter 447 The Web Of Connections

    Marcus left the room without hesitation after making his final statement. His cold and ruthless demeanor left Sheldon standing motionless with a tray of untouched coffee in his hands.


    It took a long moment before Charles finally spoke. "Bring the coffee here, Sheldon."


    "Oh, yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Snapping out of his daze, Sheldon quickly ced the coffee on the table, but he could no longer hold back his emotions.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, how could Mr. Marcus suspect me? For all these years, I have been nothing but loyal to you, to Mr. Holden, and to Mr. Marcus." His voice trembled with frustration.


    "When Mrs. Holden gave birth to Mr. Marcus, I did everything I could to make sure she was well taken care of. I ran back and forth, ensuring every detail was perfect. When she fell ill, I was devastated. I never wanted this to happen. So why does he suspect me?"


    His voice cracked as he spoke. "Mr. Holden Senior, I swear on everything. I have always been devoted to this family."


    Charles pressed his fingers against his temple, feeling a headacheing on. He mmed the table and cut him off.


    "Enough. Marcus suspects me and his father. Do you really think you, a mere butler, would be an exception? And besides, you are paid to serve this family. Is that not what you are supposed to do?"


    "Mr. Holden Senior..." Sheldon froze. In all the years he had worked for Charles, he had never heard him speak in such a dismissive tone.


    "Don''t waste your energy feeling wronged. You''re paid to do a job. If you have taken my money while betraying this family, then you should be thinking about what consequences wille from that." Charles'' face darkened, his patience wearing thin.


    Sheldon suddenly felt a sharp sting in his chest. A deep sadness welled up inside him, but he knew this wasn''t the time to defend himself.


    Marcus had been clear. He should pray that he had no involvement in Laura''s poisoning. If he was guilty in any way, it would not just be Marcus who would deal with him. Charles and Wesley wouldn''t let him walk away unscathed either.


    "I understand, Mr. Holden Senior," Sheldon muttered as he swallowed his grievances. He quietly poured coffee for Charles and Wesley before stepping aside, resuming his ce in silent attendance.


    Just then, Wesley''s phone chimed with a message. It was from Marcus.


    Quickly unlocking his phone, he saw an image. A diagram mapping out connections between different individuals.


    The names of Lucy, her assistant, the entire medical team, and every staff member involved in the recovery process were meticulouslyid out. Each person''s role and rtionships were clearly marked.


    At the center of the chart, Lucy''s name was circled in bold red ink. An arrow extended outward from her name, pointing to another, muchrger red circle. The name inside it made Wesley''s breath catch in his throat.


    Cassie Holden.


    Wesley''s eyes locked onto the diagram. His stare burned into the names on the screen as if the truth was unraveling before him in real-time. Slowly, he raised his head, fixing Charles with an unflinching gaze.


    "Father, Laura fell mysteriously ill after giving birth to Marcus. Before that, Cassie often visited your study. Did you know something about this?"


    Charles'' expression changed


    instantly. "Are you saying you suspect me too? Wesley, I''m your father. Laura may be my daughter-inw, but I have treated her as my own from the day she married into this family. Do you


    really believe I would do something so monstrous?"


    "Then why does Marcus suspect you? And what does this chart mean?" Wesley demanded. Hisposure was unraveling.


    Cassie''s name was highlighted in a way that was impossible to ignore.


    Back when Laura had given birth, every person involved had been carefully chosen by Wesley and Sheldon. No outsiders could have gained ess to her, nor could they have outbid the Holden family in hiring the best medical team.


    The people who had attended to Laura had no reason to betray them. Unless they had received an even greater sum of money or had been threatened by someone with enough power to override their loyalty.


    Sheldon swore it was not him. Charles insisted he wasn''t involved. Wesley knew he had not done it. That left only one possibility-Cassie.


    And that exined why Laura''s mysterious illness had never spread to anyone in the Holden family.


    As her husband, he had been physically closer to Laura than anyone else. If her illness had been contagious, he would have been the first to suffer. Yet for years, he remainedpletely unaffected.


    If Cassie wasn''t involved, then why had the poison targeted only Laura? Wesley''s hands trembled as he stared at the screen. His own sister, Cassie had always seemed close to Laura. Why would she do this?


    "You knew it was Cassie all along, didn''t you?" Wesley''s voice was raw with pain. "If you knew, why did you not say anything when Dr. Elim asked us to recall the details at Scarlet Hill Residence? Why did you cover for Cassie?


    "You said you treated Laura like a daughter. Then why did you watch her suffer all these years? Marcus was separated from us for so long. Is this what you wanted?"


    "Enough. Is that really what you think of me?" Charles'' face was equally grim. "Then tell me why Marcus and Dr. Elim suspect you."


    Wesley''s eyes welled with tears. He suddenly dropped to his knees and bowed deeply before Charles.


    "Father, I beg you. Tell me the truth. Was it Cassie? Marcus said that even if you refuse to tell us, he will find out. Are you really going to wait until he uncovers everything before admitting it?"


    "You are using me based on a single diagram Marcus sent you? Wesley, I have dedicated my life to this family. What have I done to deserve this?" Charles'' eyes darkened, his voiceced with grief.


    Tears streamed down his face. "I''ve already been used by Marcus and Elim Do you think it doesn''t hurt me? But until the truth is uncovered, I know that nothing I say will change your mind. That''s why I refuse to exin myself.


    "Marcus has grown up. He is strong. He is capable and determined. If he wants to investigate, he will find the truth on his own. I will wait. Once he has proof, I will finally be free of suspicion.


    "Wesley, I''m an old man. I don''t have many years left. Elim told us to recall the past, but how much do you really remember? Have you told Marcus and her everything? Until Marcus uncovers the truth, we are alb


    suspects. Do not assume your own innocence.


    With that, he waved his hand. "You may leave. I am tired."


    Charles closed his eyes, making it clear that he did not want to say anything


    more.

 Chapter 448 A Mother And Sons Heartfelt Words Before Treatment

    Wesley didn''t want to leave, but Charles tapped his fingers on the table. "Sheldon, escort Wesley out."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior." Sheldon stepped forward and firmly pulled Wesley to his feet. "Mr. Holden, you should get some rest first.


    "I was already troubled, but after seeing that Mr. Marcus even suspects you and Mr. Holden Senior, it is only natural that I, as a butler, would be doubted as well. There is nothing for me to feel wronged about.


    "Mr. Holden Senior is right. If we are innocent, then there is nothing to fear from Mr. Marcus'' investigation. The real concern is what happens if he fails to uncover the truth."


    Sheldon had already thought it through. "I will go find Mr. Marcus now and tell him everything I can remember. Mr. Wesley, will youe with me?"


    Wesley stared nkly at Sheldon. His ability to adapt so quickly was surprising. He looked him in the eye, calm and unshaken, with no trace of guilt.


    "Mr. Wesley, what we must do now is help Mr. Marcus. The sooner he finds out the truth, the better."


    Wesley nodded and stood up. "Alright. Let''s go."


    The two left the room and immediately set out to find Marcus. After searching the guesthouse where he was resting, they found no sign of him.


    Wesley frowned. "Where could he have gone in such a short time?"


    "Call him."


    Sheldon quickly took out his phone and dialed Marcus'' number. The call went through, but the voice on the other end was Noah''s.


    "Hello, Sheldon. What''s the matter?"


    "Noah, where is Mr. Marcus?"


    "He left with Ms. Walker. Her mentor has returned and took him to speak with Mrs. Holden."


    Noah''s tone was polite but carried no hint of deference.


    Noah and Elijah were Marcus'' men. They didn''t answer to Sheldon or Charles. Their loyaltyy solely with Marcus. Whoever he trusted, they trusted. Whoever he rejected, they disregarded.


    Since Marcus had made his stance clear on Sheldon, Charles, and even his own father, they naturally followed suit.


    "Alright. We wille find him after he is finished," Sheldon said.


    "Understood."


    With that, Noah ended the call.


    As the beeping sound rang from the phone, Sheldon felt an overwhelming sense


    of powerlessness wash over him. Once trust was broken, it was nearly impossible to rebuild.


    Outside the medical room, Noah slipped Marcus'' phone back into his pocket after ending the call.


    Inside the medical room, Natalie had just finished cleaning Laura. She dressed her in the robes Federrick had brought back, carefully dried and pinned up her hair, then ced a matching cap on her head.


    Only then did she lead her into a room filled with the fragrant scent of medicinal herbs, prepared by Federrick.


    Marcus was already seated at the table. Before entering, Federrick had given him medicinal tea to drink. The poison in Laura''s body wasn''t contagious to him, but for her peace of mind, all necessary precautions had been taken.


    Soon, Natalie led Laura into the room. At the sight of Marcus sitting across from her, Laura''s eyes instantly reddened.


    "Marcus..." Natalie helped her into the chair opposite him. The moment she spoke, her voice choked with emotion.


    "You have grown up. Your grandfather raised you well. You just look like me and your father."


    Tears rolled down Laura''s face. "I failed you. I gave birth to you, but I was never there to care for you. Marcus, do you resent me? Do you me me?"


    Natalie remained in the room and took a seat beside Marcus. Under the table, he reached for her hand and held it firmly.


    "I don''t me you, nor do I resent you. Mom, you have suffered all these years," Marcus said softly.


    "I''m sorry." Laura covered her face with both hands, struggling to control her emotions, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t stop the tears.


    "Laura, please don''t be upset. Mr. Langton is preparing the medicine. Once it is ready, he will begin your treatment," Natalie said.


    "When the poison is expelled and your body recovers, you and Marcus will no longer have to be separated.


    "You were poisoned and fell ill. That isn''t your fault. Marcus will never me you for that. The person he mes is the one who did this to you.


    "Laura, you have endured for so many years. You must not waver now."


    "She''s right. Mom, don''t be afraid. I am investigating what happened. I will find out who did this to you and make them pay." Marcus'' deep, stead voice filled the room. "You will recover soon. And when you do, if you don''t want to return to Holden R¨¦sidence, we can live efsewhere."


    Laura stared at Marcus, her tears falling silently, one after another. "Marcus, I''m worried about your safety."


    She wiped at her tears. "If investigating this will put you in danger, then I would rather you stop. I''ve already seen you again. That is more than enough for me.


    "I never thought that in this lifetime, I would be able to sit face to face with you like this and speak to you. My only wish is for you to be safe, healthy, and happy. That is enough for me."


    "I also want you to be safe, healthy, and happy, Mom. But more than anything, I want you by my side so that we can live as a mother and son should," Marcus replied.


    "In the future, when Nat and I have children, want their grandmother to be the one to help raise them. After everything you have been through, I cannot bring myself to trust anyone in the Holden family."


    Laura continued crying silently. Trembling, she reached out, wanting to hold Marcus'' hand, but midway, she hesitated, unable to bring herself to do it.


    "Mom, don''t worry. Mr. Langton is highly skilled. He will cure you," Marcus said as


    he reached out first, taking her hesitant hand into his. "I will be waiting for you to embrace me."


    Laura finally broke down, sobbing uncontrobly.


    Marcus held one of her hands, while under the table, his other hand remained tightly wrapped around Natalie''s.


    "Mom, don''t cry. Tell me, do you have any suspicions? Who do you think was behind this?" His voice was slow and deliberate.


    Laura sobbed before Natalie gently handed her a tissue.


    "Laura, aside from me, Marcus, and Mr. Langton, you must trust no one,


    especially not anyone from the Holden family," she said.


    Laura silently took the tissue and wiped her tears. After a long pause, she finally


    spoke. "I do have someone in mind."


    Both Natalie and Marcus asked in unison. "Who?"


    Laura steadied her emotions before saying the name.


    "Cassie."

 Chapter 449 A Mother And Son Should Never Have Been Separated

    The moment Laura spoke, Marcus and Natalie exchanged a nce. Their suspicions had been correct.


    They had separately tested Charles and Sheldon. Charles remained calm, but Sheldon had reacted too strongly.


    Such an overreaction could indicate either guilt or a strong sense of injustice. Shelson clearly felt thetter.


    If Wesley had been responsible for poisoning Laura, then the years he had spent by her side, showing concern and care, would have been nothing but a cruel joke. Either that or he was an exceptional actor, fooling Laura for so long.


    More importantly, whoever orchestrated this had mobilized people within the Holden family without raising suspicion, ensuring the operation remained undetected by Charles and Wesley. That meant it had to be someone they would never have guarded against.


    In the entire Holden family, only one person fit that description-Cassie.


    The connection chart Marcus had uncovered showed undeniable links between Lucy and Cassie. They had secrets they deliberately kept hidden.


    When Laura spoke Cassie''s name, neither Marcus nor Natalie was surprised. Everything had finally fallen into ce.


    "Cassie is your father''s sister. We always got along well. She was affectionate and treated me like family. I gave her many gifts."


    Laura continued, "When I was pregnant, she was overjoyed and kept saying she was going to be an aunt. She prepared everything a baby would need and insisted on covering all the expenses in the future.


    "She didn''t just buy things for you, but she also gave me gifts. She sent me stretch mark oil, assuring me it was all-natural andpletely safe for you in my tummy.


    "Your father and I checked the ingredients and confirmed it was harmless to both me and you. So I slowly started using it.


    "As I sat in the medicinal bath, I began to wonder if the poison had been in the stretch mark oil. After all, I was the only one who applied it. Your father, grandpa, and Sheldon never came into contact with it."


    "It wasn''t the oil. Your symptoms only appeared after giving birth. It must have been the first bowl of broth you drank after delivery," Natalie said with certainty.


    "If Cassie was behind this and wanted to cover her tracks, using the stretch mark oil would have been too obvious. She isn''t that reckless.


    "But the chicken broth was different. It passed through many hands. Once those people were dismissed, finding them again would be nearly impossible. To put it bluntly, there is no guarantee they are even alive anymore.


    "But I do not understand. If it really was Cassie, what could her reason have been? She always spoke to me with such warmth, as if we were really family. I believed we had a good rtionship," Laura said, sorrow filling her eyes.


    "Your grandpa and father were pleased with our bond. They believed that a close- knit family was the foundation of happiness and sess, and I felt the same. That''s why suspecting her hurts so much. But aside from her, I truly cannot think of anyone else.


    Laura added, "Marcus, don''t confront your grandpa or father about this. If it turns out not to be Cassie, they will me you."


    She wiped away her tears. "Being able to recover is already a blessing from above. If I can live with you again, I will have no regrets in this life. Marcus, I''m grateful to you. Thank you for not ming me."


    "Laura, you will make a full recovery," Natalie assured her, squeezing Marcus'' hand.


    Then, she said, "It is time for treatment."


    Laura


    "Alright." Laura stood up. "Marcus, I only wish for your safety and happiness. If it really is Cassie, then fear she may have even more dangerous schemes against you. So please, listen to me. Even if she''s behind this, pretend you don''t know. Don''t provoke her. I''m afraid of what she might do to you."


    "Mom, don''t worry. I know what I''m doing. Without proof, I won''t make any usations. Trust me. I''ll protect myself," Marcus reassured her.


    "Alright."


    Laura''s eyes reddened. Ever since seeing her son again, she had been unable to control her emotions or tears. Yet in her heart, she was happier than she had been in years.


    All the suffering she endured felt worth it the moment she reunited with her child.


    But Marcus and Natalie didn''t see it that way. She should never have suffered in the first ce. A mother and son should never have been separated. No one should endure pain from others with gratitude.


    "Marcus, I will take Laura for treatment," Natalie said, shaking the hand he held in


    his.


    Marcus had always intertwined their fingers, and once he held on, he was reluctant to let go.


    He pressed his lips together. "Can Ie with you?"


    "No. It''s inconvenient," Natalie rejected him without hesitation. "Be good and listen. What you need to do now is investigate Cassie. Get justice for Laura. She has suffered for so many years. It can''t be for nothing."


    Her tone was gentle, as if coaxing a child.


    Marcus let out a slow breath and nodded. "I understand. Nat, I am entrusting my mom to you."


    Natalie nodded. "Rest assured. Leave her to me."


    "Thank you." Marcus pulled her into a tight embrace, as if wanting to fuse her into himself. "Wait for me."


    "I will. Don''t be too sad, and don''t dwell on it. Right now, I''m helping you, but when


    I investigate my own past, you will have to help me." Natalie patted him lightly.


    With a lighthearted tone, she added, "Marcus, I''m not helping you for free. You will have to repay me."


    Marcus nodded firmly. "I will."


    He knew that she was trying tofort him in her own way. If Cassie was the culprit, then what role had Charles and Wesley yed in it?


    Just thinking about it sent a chill through him.


    Natalie let him hold her for a long time before finally giving him a small push. "Enough. This isn''t the time for romance. Get to work."


    "Nat, I will never let you be dragged into a family full of deceit and schemes," Marcus whispered into her ear.


    Whether he was saying it for her or himself, he didn''t know.


    "If it really is Cassie, then I will never allow my mom to live with the Holden family


    again."

 Chapter 450 The Human Heart Is The Most Terrifying Thing

    Marcus'' voice was deep and maic, carrying an unmistakable weight of sorrow and suppressed anger.


    Natalie knew how much he was struggling. If Charles had known the truth all along, then his actions were no different from Grace''s.


    What Marcus feared most was that his grandfather had known. Worse, he might have yed a role in it.


    She understood how that felt. She had trusted Grace, only to discover the ones who betrayed her the most were the very people she had relied on.


    Wrapping her arms around his waist, she whispered, "Don''t worry. I tested Grandpa Charles before. He isn''t like Grace. Marcus, you won''t be a second version of me."


    Marcus gave a bitter smile. "You''re trying tofort me. Even if my grandpa wasn''t directly involved, he must have known something. His silence is proof of


    his guilt.


    "He raised me himself. He understands me, but I understand him just as well. I believe he wasn''t directly responsible, but the moment he found out my mom had been poisoned, he must have had his suspicions. Yet he never said a word. That''s what pains me the most, Nat."


    "Marcus, if he had told me from the start, our investigation would have been much clearer. But he kept silent. He was protecting someone," Natalie said.


    She continued, "Cassie is his daughter. Grandpa Charles gave me a very expensive gift, and when I brought it home, my mother told me it had belonged to Mrs. Holden Senior."


    Natalie analyzed calmly, "If Cassie really is the culprit, then it makes perfect sense that Grandpa Charles is covering for her.


    "She is his and your grandmother''s daughter. He may not love her as much, but he loved your grandmother. That love extends to Cassie. And your father loves your mother.


    "Your grandfather loved your grandmother. Your father loves your mother. But what about Cassie? Did she ever have someo who truly loved her?"


    Listening to Natalie''s cool and steady voice, connecting it to everything he had uncovered so far, a clear theory began to form in Marcus'' mind.


    "We don''t have enough evidence to use Cassie or force Grandpa Charles to admit anything yet. We have to keep digging. Marcus, don''t be afraid. No matter how bad things get, could they be worse than what I went through?"


    She reached up and pinched his earlobe. "I was lied to by Grace for years. And then they even drained my blood."


    "Did it hurt?" Marcus suddenly caught her wrist. Her hands were delicate and slender.


    The first time he saw her, she had been dressed in heavyyers, covering herselfpletely. The dark colors had made her seem older than she was, out of ce for someone her age.


    Back then, after overhearing her conversation with Grace, he hadpletely misunderstood her.


    Thinking back on it, Marcus wanted nothing more than to p himself awake. What an idiot he had been.


    Seeing the regret and heartache in his eyes, Natalie couldn''t help but chuckle. "It was bearable, and it''s all in the past. Marcus, do you sit around feeling guilty all the time now?"


    Marcus pressed his lips together, silent. Instead, he lowered his head and kissed the back of her hand as if handling the most precious thing in the world.


    "I''m sorry. I was wrong."


    "It doesn''t matter. It''s over now. Let''s focus on what is ahead." Natalie didn''t dwell on it.


    "Alright."


    "I need to assist Mr. Langton. You should keep investigating the truth." "Understood." He squeezed her fingers. "Nat, thank you. You saved my grandpa. Now you''re saving my mom. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t know what to do."


    "Are you being ridiculous?" Natalie raised her hand to ruffle his hair. Seeing this, Marcus immediately bent down, lowering his head to her.


    "It''s Mr. Langton who''s treating your mom. I''m not skilled at dealing with Umbrahex. From the beginning, I followed his instructions step by step. If you want to be grateful, thank him instead."


    "Even so, without you, Mr. Langton wouldn''t be treating her. Nat, thank you."


    She withdrew her hand. "Alright, alright, you''re getting too sentimental. Get back to work."


    "Alright."


    Reluctantly, Marcus left.


    out a


    Natalie let out a slow breath. For some reason, she couldn''t shake the feeling that he looked


    heartbreakingly lonely when she


    watched his departing figure. Being betrayed by someone close was a pain unlike any other.


    She still remembered the day she learned the truth about her years with the Langley family. Grace had orchestrated everything, ying the role of the loving guardian while manipting her for her family''s own gain.


    At that moment, she had beenpletely shattered. She couldn''t understand how someone could fake such deep affection, maintaining the act for so many years.


    If Charles turned out to be the same as Grace, if he had always known, then Marcus'' pain would be unimaginable.


    "Get in here, brat."


    Natalie was still staring at Marcus'' retreating figure when Federrick''s displeased voice rang out from inside.


    "He''s already gone. What are you staring at? Are you nning to turn into a statue waiting for him?"


    She turned, her expression brightening. "Mr. Langton, you say that, but you like Marcus, don''t you?"


    "Hmph, why would I like him? What, just because he has a good face, a tall build, a decent figure, and a little money? Other than that, how could he possiblypare to me?" Federrick huffed.


    "Of course, of course. Mr. Langton is the most handsome man in the world, Marcus is nowhere near your level. He''s not even worthy of carrying your shoes."


    "Now, that''s a bit much. After all, we''re talking about the world''s richest man. If I can get him to carry my shoes, I''ll have bragging rights for life," Federrick said with a sly grin.


    Natalie was speechless.


    Laura had been quietly listening to their exchange. Even though they were talking about her son, she didn''t mind in the slightest. In fact, she found herself smiling.


    "Alright then, next time, I''ll make sure Marcus serves you properly so you can boast all you want," Natalie joked, throwing a yful wink at Laura.


    Laura returned the gesture with a gentle smile.


    Seeing her smile lifted a weight off Natalie''s heart. Since they had met, Laura had been in despair, constantly in tears.


    Finally, she was smiling. And her smile was breathtaking. No wonder Marcus had such striking features. He had inherited them from a truly beautiful mother.


    Natalie set aside her thoughts and turned serious. "Laura, Mr. Langton and I will begin your treatment soon. You no longer need to soak in the medicinal bath, but you will need to drink the medicine and undergo acupuncture. Before we start, do you want to inform Mr. Holden Senior and Wesley?"


    The warmth in Laura''s expression faded. After a long silence, she slowly shook


    her head.


    "There''s no need. Nat, I don''t want to give anyone another chance to hurt me. It''s terrifying how fragile a human heart could be."

 Chapter 451 Curing Laura (Part 1)

    As Laura spoke, sadness flickered across her face. "I didn''t know I was poisoned before, and a lot has been going through my mind since then. I know some things shouldn''t be thought about too deeply, yet I can''t help but dwell on them.


    "I can''t take risks, Nat. All I want is a peaceful life with my child. I don''t ask for much¡ªjust a healthy body, a happy child, and for the two of us to never be separated by anyone. That''s enough for me."


    Her eyes brimmed with tears. "I''m guessing it''s Cassie, and there''s a 90% chance I''m right. But Nat, she''s Marcus'' aunt, his grandfather''s daughter!"


    "I know," Natalie replied.


    At this point, nearly all the clues suggested that Cassie was most likely the culprit.


    However, if it wasn''t Cassie, then the ones responsible had to be Wesley and Charles.


    Laura couldn''t bring herself to suspect them. After all, Charles had genuinely cared for her, and her love with Wesley had been real.


    This only made Laura even more afraid, so she told Natalie she couldn''t take the risks.


    "Let''s leave it to Marcus to find out the truth." Laura stood up, smiling as she said, "If Cassie is truly behind this, I won''t let it slide.


    "Nat, I can bear any pain myself, but my child was kept away from me for years. I wasn''t there for Marcus; I missed his entire childhood. That''s a regret I''ll carry forever. I love my child, Nat."


    "It''s okay, Laura. I understand. I''m sure Marcus understands as well."


    Natalie''s eyes grew misty. Both Laura and Charlotte were mothers who truly loved their children.


    Luckily, she and Marcus hadn''t fared too badly despite their circumstances. "Alright, enough chatting. Time for treatment."


    As they were chatting, Federrick had been preparing the medicine. Now that it was finished, he wouldn''t give them another moment to chat.


    "Okay, Mr. Langton."


    "Thank you, Mr. Langton."


    Natalie guided Laura to sit by the bed. Federrick had prepared three doses of medicine. Natalie and Marcus hadn''t found the Wastnd Shadebloom, but Federrick had managed to retrieve it.


    Along with the medicine the Walkers had provided and the medicine Marcus acquired from Jonathan, the Umbrahex in Laura''s body was no longer a serious threat.


    If Federrick couldn''te back himself, he had prepared by instructing Natalie to treat Laura with a herbal bath. That said, it would have worked slowly and wouldn''t have fully cured her.


    Now that he was back and had full control, Natalie didn''t need to step in. His approach would be faster and more effective.


    Besides, he knew how to deal with the venomous insects once they were drawn out, something Natalie couldn''t do.


    Who else could he me? If he had taught Natalie about Umbrahex earlier, he wouldn''t have had to return and handle the mess himself at his age.


    "Here, take this packet of medicine first."


    Federrick handed a sachet of medicinal powder to Laura. "Once you swallow this powder, you''ll feel a burning sensation in your stomach, and it''ll feel like something is moving violently inside. But don''t be scared; hold on as long as you can. When your throat starts itching, spit it out right away."


    Then, he called, "Nat."


    "Yes, Mr. Langton."


    Natalie immediately stepped forward with arge ss basin filled with sulfuric acid.


    "This basin contains sulfuric acid. When you spit, aim for the basin."


    Laura nodded instantly.


    "After the first purge, rest for a bit, then take the second dose. Unlike the first, this one isn''t a powder-you''ll have to chew and swallow it."


    Federrick brought out the medicine, opened it, and showed it to Laura.


    "The second dose will be even more agonizing. Your entire bloodstream will be cleansed, and I''ll need to perform a blood transfusion."


    "Blood transfusion?"


    Laura was stunned. ncing around the medical room, she realized there was no blood ready.


    "Yes, but we''re not doing it here," Natalie exined. "Don''t worry, Laura. Mr. Langton will make sure you recover."


    "I''m not worried," Laura said with a faint smile. "Nat, Mr. Langton, thank you both


    so much."


    "This is the third


    dose," Federrick


    went on bluntly. "You have to survive the first two rounds before you can take this one and undergo a blood transfusion. The third dose won''t hurt, but you''ll experience hallucinations. If you can''t escape them on your own, no orfe will be able to save you.


    "Nat isn''t experienced in handling Umbrahex cases; that''s why I hurried back. Everything she did before was based on my teachings, so she could only keep it from spreading until I returned."


    After a brief pause, he continued, "You''re Nat''s future mother-inw, so I''ll give my all to save you. And I won''t be sugarcoating things for you. I''ll tell you everything you need to know in advance."


    Federrick''s expression was firm. "If you can''t withstand the pain, you won''t survive. So, can we count on you to stay strong?"


    Without hesitation, Laura nodded. "Yes, you can. I''ve endured all kinds of pain over the years. Every time my illness red up, I pulled through. No matter how much this hurts, it won''t be worse than those episodes."


    "Great, let us start then!"


    Federrick turned to Natalie. "Tie up both of her legs, Nat."


    "Yes, Mr. Langton."


    Natalie wasted no time, firmly binding Laura''s legs.


    "Laura, I need to tie your hands as well, but I won''t fasten them to the bed. This


    way, you can still move when you need to vomit."


    Natalie grabbed a rope wrapped in cloth. Laura extended her hands, allowing herself to be tied.


    Then, Natalie fed her the first dose of medicinal powder.


    The medicinal powder was meant to be swallowed dry, making it difficult for Laura


    to get it down. After struggling for a moment, she finally managed. Instantly, Natalie helped her lie down.


    "You must stay strong, Laura," Natalie said.


    "Don''t worry. I can do it," Laura replied with a smile. She rested her gaze on the ceiling, feeling at ease.


    The medical room was designed in apletely different way from a regr


    room.


    Every material used came from century-old trees with high medicinal properties, and the intricate carvings were unlike anythingmonly seen.


    Laura gazed at the ceiling''s carvings as she quietly awaited the effects on her body.


    As expected, five minutester, a sharp burning sensation erupted in her abdomen. Within seconds, the pain exploded, coursing through every inch of her body.


    A scream of pain tried to rise from her throat, but no sound came out, as if something had muffled itpletely.


    In just moments, heat surged through her body, raising her temperature


    drastically. Her once translucent skin flushed a deep, blood-red.


    Small, thread-like worms surfaced under her skin, twisting and writhing as though


    struggling to escape.


    Natalie watched from the side, feeling utterly horrified.


    "These are Bloodbanes," Federrick said. "They drain Laura''s blood while secreting their own venom, slowly recing her blood with their own fluids. This is


    also the reason why her skin appears translucent.


    "Within her body, both Bloodbanes and Ghostroots exist in a delicate bnce. They suppress each other, ensuring neither grows too strong nor too lethal-keeping her alive, but never free. Yet as long as she''s alive, she will be trapped in an unending cycle of torment.


    "The one who did this to Laura is downright vicious," Federrick concluded. To kill is one thing, but to condemn someone to years of relentless suffering? Either this is an act of deep, personal vengeance, or the work of someone utterly inhuman."

 Chapter 452 Curing Laura (Part 2)

    "Mr. Langton, I don''t think Laura has ever made enemies like that!" Natalie said, pursing her lips.


    She had heard Laura talking about her past, and from that, she could tell what kind of person she was.


    "That''s uncertain," Federrick responded as he took out the acupuncture kit. "Once she''s calmed down, I''ll proceed with the acupuncture. You get the second dose ready."


    "Yes, Mr. Langton."


    Laura was in agony, unable to utter a single sound. It felt like an inferno was raging inside her, consuming her from within. In her chest, something seemed to be writhing and thrashing against her ribcage as if it would tear through her flesh at any moment.


    The pain sent her body into violent spasms. However, with her legs secured to the bedposts and her hands bound, all she could do was press against the mattress, struggling in vain.


    "Can Laura really make it through this, Mr. Langton?"


    Natalie watched anxiously. "She swallowed the powder, but why hasn''t she thrown up yet?"


    Federrick replied, "Be patient. The Bloodbanes have been inside her for too long, so it won''te out right away."


    "This is true torment." He let out a weary sigh. "The Holdens... they''re far moreplicated than they appear."


    Then, he turned to Natalie. "Don''t take offense, Nat, but if Grace could be Mr. Holden Senior''s godsister, his hands might not be clean either. I told you back then that Grace was up to no good, right? You wouldn''t listen that time. Do you believe me now?"


    "Oh, while we''re on this, Mr. Langton, I have something to ask you."


    Natalie recalled the video she had received not long ago. "I was sent a video of Grace and Victor speaking in a hospital hallway before, and that video exposed her true nature to me.


    "Are you the one who sent the video to me, Mr. Langton?"


    "Do I look like I am?" Federrick rolled his eyes. "If I had that kind of evidence, I would''ve shown it to you when I saved you. Why would I waste my breath trying to convince you without proof?"


    After a brief pause, he added, "It wasn''t me. Besides, since when have I ever been the type to keep secrets?"


    Thinking it over, Natalie had to admit he had a point. Her mentor had always been honest and direct. If he had that proof, he would''ve shown it to her years ago to stop her from ever going back to that viper''s nest of a family.


    "Nat, quick. Get ready!"


    Natalie wanted to say more, but Federrick''s voice suddenly turned cold and stern.


    Laura, still struggling in pain, suddenly bolted upright. She turned toward the ss basin by the bed and started retching violently.


    A thin, pale worm slithered out of Laura''s mouth, falling straight into the ss basin. The second it touched the sulfuric acid, it let out a high-pitched shriek before beingpletely incinerated.


    Laura kept retching, expelling more and more of the white worms. As they poured from her, the unnatural redness staining her skin gradually faded.


    As the final heave left her body, her eyes fluttered shut, and she slumped back onto the bed.


    "Is she okay, Mr. Langton?"


    No matter how steady andposed Natalie usually was, watching Laura expel


    so many writhing white worms still sent chills down her spine.


    "She won''t die¡ªnot while I''m here." Federrick spoke with quiet confidence, unfolding his acupuncture kit. "Nat, get rid of that basin, thene and help me."


    "Yes, Mr. Langton."


    Natalie quickly stepped forward and cautiously set the ss basin aside.


    Federrick had her rebind Laura''s hands again before proceeding with the acupuncture.


    Laura''s eyes were bloodshot, with faint white threads visible within.


    "Those in her eyes are Ghostroots," Federrick stated. "I''ll use acupuncture to drive them to the surface. Get the second dose ready-she must chew and swallow it."


    Natalie nodded and asked, "Can she still keep her senses and follow through like this?"


    Even with the medicine ready, she couldn''t shake her concern.


    "Can you hear us talking, Laura?" Federrick asked tly.


    "Yes, I can," Laura mumbled. "Mr. Langton, Nat, don''t worry. I can follow through." "Let''s begin, then."


    Natalie pinned Laura down as Federrick threaded the needle through Laura''s skin.


    Laura didn''t move a muscle, only her eyes flickered anxiously. Within moments,


    white worms swarmed over her pupils.


    "Nat, have her swallow the medicine, now."


    "Yes, Mr. Langton."


    Natalie unsealed the second dose of


    medicine and slipped it into Laura''s mouth. Despite the relentless tremors wracking her body, she chewed, swallowed, and pushed through the agony, following Natalie and Federrick''s every instruction.


    As soon as the second dose went down, Federick gestured for Natalie to help Laura sit up. He pressed a few more needles into her skin, and within moments, she felt something wriggling out of her eyes, creeping down her cheeks before dropping


    away.


    A sinister sizzle echoed around her. Laura couldn''t see, but the harsh, acrid smell wed at her nose.


    After what felt like an eternity, light began to seep back into Laura''s vision.


    "Get the third dose ready, Nat," Federrick instructed calmly. "It won''t hurt this time,


    but it''ll make you hallucinate. Whether you find your way out or not is entirely on you."


    "I''ll get through this." Weak as she was, Laura forced herself to stay firm. "Mr. Langton, Nat, I won''t be afraid. We can continue."


    "Good. Then, do as I say."


    Letting out a breath, Federrick steadied himself. Age was catching up to him, and this process left no room for error. He might have looked confident while directing Natalie, but inside, he was on edge.


    He let Laura rest briefly. Once he was sure she was doing better, he signaled Natalie to feed her the third dose.


    Then, Federrick and Natalie stepped back. They gazed at Laura, watching her intently for any sign of change.


    "I hope she makes it through." He sighed. "She''s had her share of misfortune." Natalie''s voice wasced with worry. "Mr. Langton, if Laura can''t pull through, will she... really die?"


    Federrick responded, "No. If she can''t pull through, Umbrahex won''t bepletely cured, and she''ll continue to suffer. I don''t take lives, Nat. If someone is beyond saving, I let them go home and spend their remaining days as best they can.


    "I only take on what I know I can handle. But Laura''s case is different-it''s


    dragged on too long, and I don''t know if she can endure it."


    "I believe she can," Natalie uttered.


    "Let''s hope so!"

 Chapter 453 Trust and Stance

    After their conversation, a deep unease settled over Natalie. It wasn''t Federrick''s uncertainty that troubled her, but the fear of how much Laura would have to suffer.


    Laura had endured so much for so long. She had never caused harm, and all she wanted was to be with her child. Yet, fate had been merciless, burdening her with endless suffering.


    Natalie knew all too well what Laura looked like in pain. If Federrick feared she might not survive the hallucinations, then that had to be where the true agony and despairy.


    She pondered for a long while before she carefully asked, "Can I let Marcus in, Mr. Langton?


    "Laura has held on all this time because the thought of oveing her illness and reuniting with her child has been her driving force. If Marcus were here with her, I''m sure she''d have even more strength to fight through the hallucinations."


    Federrick then observed Laura''s condition. Though the pain was evident, her condition remained rtively stable.


    Now that the herbal baths were no longer necessary, she looked just like anyone else in her clothes, except for her face which was still worryingly pallid.


    Atst, Federrick nodded. "Alright. Bring him in to stay with her."


    "Okay, Mr. Langton."


    As Natalie stepped out of the medical room, she saw Hector by the door, but there was no sign of Marcus.


    "Where''s Marcus, Hector?"


    "He went to find Mr. Holden Senior."


    Hector''s face was clouded with worry. "I''m scared that Marcus and Mr. Holden Senior might end up in a fight."


    "That''s not going to happen, Hector. You''re overthinking it."


    Natalie nced toward the herb garden nearby, pulled out her phone, and called Marcus. "Marcus? Come now. Mr. Langton and I need you to stay with Laura."


    "Alright, I''ll be there right away."


    Hanging up the call, Marcus gazed intently at Charles. "I''m going to look after my mother, Grandpa. I hope by the time she recovers, you''ll have decided where you stand."


    Charles''s face remained unreadable as he sighed quietly. "Believe me, Marcus. I had no idea."


    "I''m going, Grandpa."


    Marcus turned to leave, not wanting to say anything else.


    Ethan had found Lucy and was escorting her back. With Lucy''s arrival, everything would unfold, and the truth would finally be clear.


    For now, Laura''s health took precedence over everything else.


    "Marcus," Charles called out from behind. "I swear, I had no involvement in what happened to your mother.


    "Please, believe me."


    Marcus stopped abruptly, turned back, and stared straight at Charles. "You brought me up with love and care, Grandpa. I don''t want to suspect you, but I need answers. I need justice for my mother.


    "Do you truly know nothing? And can you say you never covered for anyone?"


    Under Marcus'' unwavering scrutiny and serious questioning, Charles found himself momentarily unable to respond.


    "Grandpa, I''ll be honest with you. I''ve already started looking for Cassie," Marcus remarked.


    Marcus didn''t have a good


    rtionship with Cassie. Ever since


    ene


    he was young, Cassie had been saying many harsh words to him. For instance, she''d say, "Your mother didn''t want you, and neither did your father.


    "You''re just a dead weight, a waste of food and air. If you had any decency, you''d walk into the street and let a car take care of you.


    "Oh, Marcus, youtch onto your grandfather-don''t you have any shame? Other kids have their parents, but you? You''re just a burden to your grandfather.


    "You''re nothing but a nuisance! You don''t belong in the Holdens, and you know what? You should''ve been gone long ago and started over in another life."


    Cassie had spewed insults like these more times than one could count. It wasn''t until Charles caught her red-handed one day and barred her from entering Holden Residence that she finally toned it down.


    That day, Charles spent a long time talking to Marcus, doing his best to console him. He told Marcus to ignore Cassie''s words and dismissed her as someone who had mental issues.


    No matter what anyone said or did, Marcus was Charles'' favorite. Neither Cassie nor anyone else could force him out of the Holdens or take him away from Charles.


    At that time, Marcus took the


    chance to ask why his parents were


    gift


    never home. Charles told him they had set off on a journey after his birth, searching for the perfe for him-and that one day, they would return with it.


    Cassie did hold back a little after that, but some people were just rotten to the


    core.


    "Grandpa, do you still remember what happened in Balford? Cassie brought Jessy, iming she was Dr. Elim, to perform surgery on you."


    Marcus spoke slowly, emphasizing each word. "If we hadn''t uncovered the truth about Jessy in time, have you ever thought about whether or not you''d still be here?


    "Grandpa, Cassie is your daughter, but my father is your son too. If she''s truly responsible for this, I''ll never forgive her, and no one has the right to ask my mother to let this go."


    After a brief pause, Marcus added, "This is my stance, Grandpa. I trust you, but I need to make sure you know exactly how I feel about this."


    With that, Marcus turned and left.


    Instead of speaking, Charles remained frozen in ce, standing there for what seemed like an eternity.


    As Marcus went into the medical room, Natalie took out a pill andmanded, "Open up."


    Without asking why, Marcus opened his mouth.


    After he swallowed the pill, Natalie stared at him. "You''re seriously not even asking what this is? What if it''s poison?"


    "I trust you, Nat." Marcus grabbed her hand. "How''s my mother doing? Is she okay?"


    "We''re at the final step now," Natalie replied with a solemn look.


    "She''s taken thest dose, and she''ll soon be trapped in an illusion. Whether she escapes or not is up to her. The only thing that''s kept her going is her belief that she''ll see you again. That''s why you need to be here. Your presence might be what gets her through."


    "Okay, I know what I should do." Marcus followed Natalie to the bedside. The


    sight of Laura hit him like a dagger to the heart.


    Laura was bound at the wrists and ankles, secured to the bedframe. There was a


    gag in her mouth. Her face was pale, and her hair was in wild disarray. She looked like she was trapped in unbearable suffering.


    "I''m sorry, but we had to restrain Laura to keep her from hurting herself," Natalie exined, guilt heavy in her voice. "Marcus, I really didn''t want to..."


    "There''s no need to apologize, Nat."


    Marcus closed his eyes, willing away the sharp ache in his chest. "I should be thanking you. If it weren''t for you, my mother..."


    His voice faltered. The usual deep timbre now carried an unmistakable tremor.

 Chapter 454 Silent Tears Falling

    Natalie grabbed Marcus'' hand in hers, gentlyforting him. "Don''t worry. With my mentor here, Laura is doing well, and so are you. She''ll get through this."


    Natalie tugged Marcus to sit down. "I''ll untie one of her hands. You hold onto her. I believe she''d rather have you, not your father, be the one helping her through this."


    "Okay," Marcus agreed softly.


    He watched as Natalie untied Laura''s right hand. Instantly, he extended his hand to grip Laura''s.


    "Mom, it''s me, Marcus." His deep voice rang out. "You must be listening to me now, right?


    "When I was little, the first word I ever learned to call someone was ''Mom.'' Grandpa was the one who raised me most of the time, but when he got too busy, the helpers took over.


    "Jean was the one who took care of me back then. She taught me to say ''Mom'' and always told me how beautiful, gentle, and kind you were. When I got older, I asked if she had any pictures of you, but she just sadly shook her head. I didn''t understand, so I asked Grandpa. After that, he fired her.


    "I cried and begged Grandpa not to let Jean go, but he refused. He said that if a helper couldn''t take proper care of me, then she had no ce here.


    "When Jean left, I ran after her. She crouched down, hugged me, and told me a lot offorting words. She said my mother loves me a lot, and one day, I''ll be able to see her again. She told me to eat well, sleep well, grow strong, and study hard. Once I''m strong enough, no one in Holden Residence will ever dare to bully me again."


    Marcus'' voice echoed in the room, and Natalie listened in silence. While on the bed, tears slid soundlessly from the corners of Laura''s eyes.


    "Jean also told me that once I grew up, no one would be able to hurt us anymore."


    Marcus let out a soft chuckle. "I didn''t understand back then, but I never forgot Jean''s words to eat well, sleep well, study hard, grow strong, and make myself powerful.


    "Mom, I''ve grown up now. I can protect you."


    The tears in Laura''s eyes grew heavier, spilling down her cheeks.


    "Marcus, your words are getting through to Laura," Natalie murmured.


    Marcus took Laura''s hand and gently pressed it against his cheek. "I''ll wait for you


    to wake up, Mom. I''ve grown up, but you''ve never hugged me.


    "Mom, I need you. I''ve always longed for your love. Can I have what other children do?"


    As his voice faded, the hand he held quivered gently in response.


    A gag had been ced in Laura''s mouth to stop her from biting her tongue, but it also left her unable to speak.


    "Let''s remove the gag, Nat." Marcus met Natalie''s gaze. "I believe in her. For me, she won''t do anything to hurt herself."


    "Alright." Natalie carefully took out the gag.


    Then, a shaky sound escaped Laura''s lips.


    "Son... I...


    "I''m here, Marcus, my son..."


    Laura''s voice trembled, her words unsteady and fragmented. Although she spoke


    in broken sentences, Marcus and Natalie understood every word.


    "I love you... And I''m sorry..."


    Laura''s voice broke with emotion, words escaping in fragile gasps. Marcus'' eyes reddened. He drew a deep breath, suppressing his emotions as he spoke in a quiet voice.


    "Mom, the way you spoke to me when you told me not to cancel the engagement with the Walkers... it was harsh. It made me feel sad and hurt."


    "I... I''m sorry..."


    Laura''s body shook, and suddenly, her eyes flew open.


    "Marcus, I''m sorry. I''m so sorry."


    Laura burst into tears, her tear-blurred gaze fixed on Marcus. All she could manage was a broken "I''m sorry".


    "Mr. Langton, Laura is awake!" Natalie shouted in excitement.


    Walking out of the inner room, Federrick checked Laura''s pulse. After a moment


    of silence, he nodded. "Good, she''s nearly there."


    He turned to Natalie. "Nat, I''ve prepared the medicine, but acupuncture is also necessary. I''ll perform it once for you to see, and after that, you''ll be the one handling her care."


    "Okay. Thank you, Mr. Langton."


    Natalie''s eyes turned misty, and her voice wavered with emotion. But this time, it was from excitement.


    The treatment soon took ce behind closed doors, with just her and Federrick working on Laura. When Natalie saw what Laura expelled, her heart ached with sorrow.


    "Mr. Langton, Nat, thank you both." Laura looked at Federrick and Natalie, tears streaming down her face profusely. "Thank you so much. You''ve allowed me to live again."


    "Enough with the tears." Federrick


    ein


    sighed. "Your body isn''t strong right now. If you wear yourself out, your immune system will suffer, and if that results in breast-rted problems, you''ll only be making things worse for yourself.


    "Listen to Nat, take your medicine, and go through the acupuncture properly. You''ll recover soon. For now, you should stay here at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary. There''s no safer ce than my turf."


    "I understand. Thank you, Mr. Langton."


    Laura''s breath hitched as she choked back sobs. Natalie moved forward, carefully untying the ropes that bound her before offering a tissue to dry her tears.


    "Marcus, you stay with Laura. I''ll get some water for her to wash up."


    "I''ll get it." Marcus stood up. "You can stay with my mother, Nat."


    "You''re not as familiar with this ce as I am. Stay with Laura. I''ll handle it." Natalie''s tone was firm. "Okay?"


    "Marcus, keep mepany for a bit." Laura looked at him, her eyes clouding with


    emotions. "There''s so much I want to say to you."


    "Okay." Marcus sat back down. "Thanks, Nat."


    "No problem."


    Natalie left to bring back some


    water, white Marcus remained at the


    bedside, Laura''s body was frail, the


    aftereffects of the Umbrahex still


    weighing on her. Even lifting a hand was beyond her strength.


    "Marcus, I''m truly happy." Laura''s gaze softened. "You''ve grown into a fine man. And I know I was harsh when I told you not to call off the engagement. I''m sorry."


    Laura was struck with remorse. "I never meant to sound so harsh that day, Marcus. I was just hurting too much.


    "I should''ve been there for you. I didn''t even know who the girl you loved was.


    Your father just told me that Emma was a wonderful girl and that she truly cared


    for you."


    "She''s not the real daughter of the


    Walkers-Natalie is," Marcus


    1.n


    interrupted. "Emma is actually the daughter of the Walkers'' helper, Cindy And she''s taken her true surname back. Now, she''s Emma


    Metoney."

 Chapter 455 The First Visit to the Holden Family

    Laura froze in shock.


    Marcus furrowed his brows. "Didn''t you see the trending news, Mom?"


    She shook her head and uttered, "I''ve been unwell for so long. I never had the strength to concern myself with those things. Your father would bring things up now and then, but not often.


    "That''s why I don''t really know what''s been happening with the Walkers. And since I haven''t seen much of Mrs. Walker over the years, there''s a lot I don''t know.


    It didn''t matter at the time. I just want to apologize, Marcus."


    Laura let out a sigh. "I''m really sorry, Marcus. Will you forgive me?"


    "It''s okay. I don''t me you," Marcus said without hesitation. "Once you''re feeling better, I''ll tell you everything you want to know. What matters most now is following Nat''s treatment.


    "You''ve been through so much, Mom."


    "Thank you for forgiving me, Marcus." Laura gently grasped Marcus'' hand as she added, "I thought you''d never forgive me... that you''d resent me forever.


    "But now, seeing how well you''ve turned out and how you have Nat by your side, I feel relieved."


    "Yes, Nat is incredible. I misunderstood her before, and I regret it. But that''s in the past. Now, we''re happy together, and the future is ours to build."


    The two talked for a while, their bond quietly mending, until Natalie came back with the water.


    "Laura, let me help you freshen up first. Once you''re feeling better, you''ll need a herbal bath."


    As Natalie wiped Laura''s face and hands, she couldn''t help but ask curiously, "What kind of hallucinations did you have?"


    At her question, Laura''splexion paled. She remained silent for a while before finally speaking.


    "It felt like I was reliving the time before Marcus'' father and I were together. Nat, Marcus, do you want to hear the story?"


    "Yes."


    Marcus and Natalie answered in unison. For Natalie, it was about gaining knowledge in an area she wasn''t proficient in. For Marcus, it was about finding potential leads.


    Laura bit her bottom lip lightly, collecting herself as she sorted through her memories, then slowly began to speak.


    Laura found herself back in the past-the day Wesley first took her home to Holden Residence. Since he had mentioned it beforehand, Charles and Cassie were there to see her.


    However, Cassie''s face was clouded with displeasure, and Charles didn''t look much better. It seemed as though they had just quarreled.


    The tension melted away when Charles saw Wesley walk in with Laura. A warm smile spread across his face as he stood up, affectionately inviting Laura to take a seat.


    Cassie, on the other hand, scoffed.


    Wesley frowned almost immediately. He snapped, "What''s your problem, Cassie? I bring my girlfriend home, and you can''t even be polite?"


    Cassie sprang to her feet, her voice rising in anger. "I''m your sister, Wesley! And you''re yelling at me because of some outsider? What kind of person does that?"


    "Enough!" Charles retorted. "Sheldon, take Cassie somewhere else." "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Sheldon immediately stepped forward and brought Cassie away.


    After Cassie had left, an awkward silence settled over the room. Laura felt out of ce, her unease growing. She shot Wesley a pleading look, and he quickly offered her a warm smile in reassurance.


    "She''s been spoiled since she was a kid. Don''t let her get to you."


    "Exactly!" Charles joined in. "Cassie and I just had a fight before you got here. She''s just venting her anger on you. Don''t let it get to you. She cools off as fast as she res up, Laura. Give her a little time."


    Laura managed an awkward smile, unsure how to react.


    Seeing that, Charles spoke up. "Laura, Wesley and I have discussed it, and we wanted to ask-when do you think would be the right time for the wedding? Oh, and if your parents have any requests, just let us know. Our family is happy to oblige."


    "Mr. Holden, I... I don''t have a family," Laura replied.


    II


    She bit her lip and nced at Wesley. She thought he had already told his family about it.


    In hindsight, Laura still found it hard to believe. A child raised in an orphanage should never have had the chance to enter a world like Wesley''s, much less be part of it.


    Wesley, against all odds, had met her at a car exhibition, and he had been smitten at first nce. From that moment on, he made her his ultimate pursuit.


    Laura had turned Wesley down at first because she understood the divide between them all too well. To him, she might have been a


    Vl.not


    momentary thrill-something that would lose its shine once someone more fitting came along.


    Yet, Wesley persisted, and his pursuit was never forceful. He was thoughtful, patient, and deeply sincere. Over time, without realizing it, Laura found herself falling for him.


    Eventually, Laura said yes to Wesley, but uncertainty gnawed at her. Falling in love was easy, but marriage was a whole different story.


    In elite families like Wesley''s, marriage wasn''t just about feelings; it was a strategic alliance between equals.


    And the idea of joining the prestigious Holden family had always seemed impossible to her.


    However, Wesley never wavered. His love was built on the promise of a lifelongmitment.


    "Love isn''t a game," he had said. "I''ll show you, with time and actions, that nothing can stand in the way of real love."


    Laura''s heart softened at that. Bit by bit, she let down her guard and embraced the rtionship wholeheartedly.


    Every moment they spent together was pure happiness.


    Wesley made sure his family knew about his rtionship with Laura from the very beginning.


    Upon hearing about their rtionship, Charles gave them his full support and blessings. He also shared that although his marriage to Wesley''s mother was arranged, it was built on real love.


    The Holdens had long established their status, so Wesley had the freedom to marry for love.


    His happiness was all that mattered.


    Laura realized that Wesley had not yet told Charles about her background as an orphan when Charles brought up the marriage ns.


    "Father, Laura spent her childhood in an orphanage, but it shut down two years ago, and the woman who ran it passed away three years ago," Wesley exined. "Sorry, I should''ve mentioned it earlier."


    "Oh, I see," Charles said gently, his eyes filled with warmth. "Laura, you''re not alone anymore. From today, consider me your father, and I''ll cherish you as my


    own daughter.


    "Whatever Cassie has, you''ll have, too. And anything she never had, I''ll make sure you do."


    With that, Laura''s eyes welled up with tears.

 Chapter 456 The Best Sister-in-Law

    The first time Laura visited Holden Residence, the only hostility she encountered was a sharp re from Cassie. Aside from that, both Charles and Wesley were incredibly weing, making her feel at ease.


    Charles'' kind words touched Laura, gradually easing her initial nervousness.


    After chatting for a while, Charles suggested that Wesley take Laura on a tour of the estate. Without hesitation, Wesley took her hand and led her straight to the grand garden at the back of Holden Residence.


    The garden was beautifully designed, with vibrant flowers in full bloom, butterflies fluttering about, and the air thick with a sweet fragrance. Not far from the garden, the estate even had a dedicated beekeeper tending to hives that produced fresh honey.


    As they strolled and talked, Laura felt like she was in a dream. Then,


    unexpectedly, Cassie approached with a group of maids. However, she was now entirely different from earlier. Her face was lit with a warm smile, her eyes soft and weing.


    "Laura, I''m so sorry!" Cassie called out sweetly, "When Wesley first brought you home, I was in a terrible mood because I''d just had an argument with my father. I took my frustration out on you, and that was wrong of me." Her voice was gentle, her expression sincere.


    "I shouldn''t have treated you that way. Please forgive me."


    She beamed at Laura and sped her hands together. "You''re kind-hearted, aren''t you? Won''t you forgive me just this once?"


    Before Laura could respond, Cassie gestured to one of the maids, who stepped forward carrying a tray. Smiling, Cassie lifted thergest box from the tray. "I even prepared a gift for you. Look, a pearl ne! And these smaller onese as a set."


    Cassie stepped forward, holding up the ne. "Let me put it on you! I want Wesley to see if I have good taste."


    Given how much effort Cassie had put into this, neither Laura nor Wesley had the heart to refuse. Cassie carefully fastened the ne around Laura''s neck, then stepped back with satisfaction.


    "Beautiful!" Cassie pped her hands, admiring her own work. "Wesley, doesn''t she look amazing in the ne I picked out?"


    She grinned mischievously. "Laura, with your fair skin and elegant neckline, you''re made for beautiful jewelry! Once you marry Wesley, I''ll take care of all your essories moving forward!"


    Cassie spoke so quickly that Laura barely had a chance to respond. Instead, she looked to Wesley for help. Wesley chuckled and nodded. "Alright, but don''t go back on your word."


    "Come on, do I look like that kind of person?" Cassie huffed yfully before looping her arm through Laura''s. "Laura, if Wesley ever bullies me, you have to stand up for me!"


    "When have I ever bullied you?" Wesley reached out and tapped Cassie''s forehead. She pouted and yfully exaggerated her grievance.


    Their lighthearted banter was interrupted when Sheldon, the butler, arrived. "Mr. Holden, Mr. Holden Senior is looking for you. He needs to discuss business matters with you."


    Wesley hesitated, ncing at Laura, but she reassured him with a smile. "Go ahead. I''ll be fine."


    Cassie chimed in, "Wesley, don''t worry! I''ll take good care of her. I promise not to bully Laura."


    Wesley chuckled. "Alright, I''ll be back soon." He ruffled Laura''s hair before leaving with Sheldon.


    Once he was gone, Cassie eagerly resumed the tour of the estate. She was lively and talkative, sharing stories about her and Wesley''s childhood. Laura gradually rxed, enjoying Cassie''spany.


    After the tour, Cassie suggested looking at wedding dresses-but in her own unique way. Instead of dragging Laura to a boutique, she had designers bring the dresses to the estate, with models of Laura''s exact measurements showcasing each gown for her.


    Any dress Laura liked was immediately noted, and her measurements were taken for a custom fit.


    "A model might have your proportions, but nothing they''ve worn should ever go to you."


    As the daughter-inw of the Holden family, Wesley''s wife, and her sister-inw, Laura deserve nothing but the very best.


    Laura was touched by Cassie''s thoughtfulness.


    Later, when Wesley returned and casually asked if they had gotten along, Cassie immediately interjected. "Wesley, how could you doubt me? Ask her yourself. Am I not the best sister-inw in the world?"


    Lauraughed. "Yes, Cassie is absolutely wonderful. Wesley, you should have more faith in Cassie."


    Wesley smirked. "Wow, she''s already won you over in such a short time? I''d better be careful. She might just steal you away from me."


    He grinned and gestured toward the dining hall. "Come on, let''s eat."


    "Alright."


    The three of them left together and soon arrived at the dining hall.


    Charles had ordered the kitchen to prepare an extravagant dinner. Seated at the head of the table, he had Wesley and Cassie on either side of him, while Laura sat next to Wesley.


    "Laura, feel free to ask for anything you need. Once you marry Wesley, you''ll have to start calling me ''Father.""


    Charles chuckled. "Sheldon told me


    that you and Cassie are getting


    along well. That puts my mind at ease," he said warmly. "I was worried that with the way Wesley and have spoiled her, she might have grown too willful and arrogant¡ªmaybe even given you a hard time."


    "Father! You and Wesley are always pointing out my ws and never my good qualities. That''s so unfair!" Cassie pouted, setting her utensils down with a huff.


    She got up and plopped down beside Laura. "Since neither of you men care about me, I''ll just have Laura dote on me instead!"


    Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she turned to Laura. "Laura, if Wesley and I both fell into a river at the same time, who would you save first?"


    "What?" Laura was caught off guard.


    "Hurry up! Answer me!" Cassie urged.


    Before Laura could respond, Wesley chuckled indulgently. "She''d save you, okay? But I''d go in after you myself. wouldn''t let her get in the


    het


    water to begin with. Fue


    Laura doesn''t even know how to swim."


    "See? You''re totally biased! You care more about her than me." Cassie huffed


    dramatically, though everyone could tell she was just teasing.


    Laura couldn''t help butugh. It had


    been a long time since she had had


    such an enjoyable meal. Though she


    wasn''t married to Wesley yet, the Holden family already felt like home-warm and weing,


    without a hint of awkwardness or distance.


    After dinner, Cassie eagerly pulled Laura away for some fun. She took her to the home theatre, had Sheldon bring in a mountain of snacks, and the two of them curled up with treats while watching a movie.


    Once the movie ended, Cassie dragged Laura to her room and pulled out an old photo album filled with pictures of her and Wesley. She flipped through the pages, showing Laura every moment of their childhood.


    "Laura, once you marry Wesley, you have to be on my side, okay? I promise I''ll treat you really, really well!" Cassie dered with mock seriousness.


    Laura grinned and nodded. "Deal! I''ll always be on your side and make sure Wesley doesn''t bully you."

 Chapter 457 She Suspected Her Memory Had Been Altered

    Laura and Cassie''s friendship quickly solidified.


    Cassie treated her exceptionally well. After their first meeting at Holden


    Residence, Cassie would frequently call and text her, inviting her out for shopping trips. She even delivered lunch to Laura at work and showered her with countless


    gifts.


    Every time Cassie showed up, Laura''s colleagues would look on with envy, whispering about how lucky she was. Not only did she have Wesley, the perfect boyfriend, but also a future sister-inw who adored her.


    Laura would simply smile whenever she overheard these conversations. They weren''t wrong. She truly felt happy to have met such a wonderful family.


    As Laura and Wesley''s wedding ns progressed, Cassie was by her side every step of the way, helping her handle every little detail. The wedding itself was a grand affair, making Laura the most envied bride in Dithoria that day.


    After the wedding, Laura, Wesley, and Cassie continued living in Holden Residence. It wasn''t long before Laura became pregnant.


    Charles was overjoyed and gifted her numerous presents, even suggesting that she resign from work to focus on her pregnancy.


    Cassie chimed in, reasoning that, as part of the Holden family, Laura had no need to work while expecting a child. If she truly wanted to pursue a career, the family could set up a private studio for her.


    After giving it some thought, Laura realized that her job was not only exhausting but also barelyparable with the price of one of Cassie''s designer handbags.


    Plus, given that she was carrying the Holdens'' first grandchild, their concerns were understandable. In the end, she took Charles'' advice and left her job to focus on her pregnancy.


    Throughout her pregnancy, Cassie spoiled her with an endless stream of gifts- everything from food to clothes to entertainment. The sheer amount of presents filled several rooms. Even Wesley couldn''t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. "It feels like I found a wife for Cassie rather than for myself," he joked.


    Lauraughed, teasing, "Are you really jealous over our good rtionship?"


    Wesley yfully bantered with her, and those days became some of the happiest of Laura''s life.


    As her due date approached, Holden Residence weed a team of medical professionals.


    Since Laura was carrying the Holdens'' first grandson, Charles took no chances, and Cassie was equally anxious. She meticulously double-checked everything- from the medical team to the postnatal care centre and the nutritionists-wanting to ensure that nothing was overlooked.


    Laura''s pregnancy had been smooth, but thebor was another story. She suffered through hours of pain with no dtion. In the end, Lucy had to administerbor-inducing medication.


    However, once she was finally ready to give birth, they discovered that the baby''s umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck.


    Fortunately, Lucy was the most skilled obstetrician in town. Thanks to her swift and precise actions, Laura sessfully delivered her baby without furtherplications.


    As soon as the baby was born, Lucy instructed Wesley to fetch some chicken broth for Laura. But in his panic and concern, Wesley was stumbling all over the ce. In the end, it was Cassie who brought the soup to Laura and carefully fed it to her.


    "Rest for a moment," a voice suddenly interrupted Laura''s recollection.


    "Mrs. Holden, you told me before that your delivery went smoothly, and the chicken broth was simply brought to you afterward. You didn''t know who handled it along the way," Natalie pointed out.


    Laura''s expression turned bitter as she forced a smile. "That''s right. But after taking Federrick''s medicine, I entered a trance-like state, and the memories I saw both matched and contradicted what I originally remembered.


    "Nat, in my hallucination, everything felt so real-like I had actually lived through it," she murmured, her voice carrying a mix of unease and conviction. "Nat, I think my memory was tampered with."


    "If that''s the case, then you''re saying the events from your hallucination might be your real memories?"


    Natalie frowned. If Laura''s


    memories had truly been altered,


    then what role had Wesley yed in


    all of this?


    Marcus'' expression turned just as grave. They had initially believed Laura had simply been poisoned with Umbrahex, but now it seemed even her memories had been manipted.


    "Mother, keep going," Marcus said gently, taking her hand. "Don''t be afraid.


    Natalie and I are here with you."


    Laura met Natalie''s gaze, and


    Natalie nodded encouragingly. "No


    matter which version of events is


    true, we will find out," Natalie


    reassured her. "Dr. Maine is already on her way back. She''s a


    witness. Once she arriv


    and we


    gather more evidence, we''ll uncover


    the truth."


    Laura hesitated, then slowly nodded before continuing her story.


    ...


    Wesley had been too flustered to carry the soup steadily, so Cassie had taken over. She carefully spoon-fed Laura, her expression full of concern.


    "Laura, you went through so much," Cassie said, her voice filled with heartache. "Wesley is actually making you suffer like this! I''m telling him to get a vasectomyter!"


    Despite the pain and exhaustion,


    Laura felt an overwhelming sense of


    happiness. "Cassie, don''t me


    Wesley wanted this," she


    murmured. "I''m just so


    mother now. Besides, you''re


    be a


    officially an aunt now. How does it


    feel?"


    Cassie''s eyes sparkled. "Amazing!"


    She eagerly took the newborn in her arms. "Look at him, Laura! He looks like both you and Wesley. With parents this good-looking, my nephew is definitely going to


    be a heartthrob when he grows up."


    Laura chuckled. "I''ll take that as a blessing."


    Cassie sighed dreamily. "I''m so jealous. This is just too wonderful." She carefully adjusted the baby in her arms and asked, "Have you picked a name yet?"


    Laura nced toward the window. "He was born on a winter night... How about Marcus?"


    Cassie thought for a moment before nodding. "Marcus-Marcus Holden. It sounds strong."


    "But do you think Father and Wesley will agree? It does have a bit of a cold, serious feel to it."


    Laura bit her lower lip, worried. Though Wesley and Charles had both insisted she could name the baby, they had been nothing but kind to her-so much so that she felt guilty for making the decision alone.


    Cassie, however, was firm. "No, they already said it''s up to you. If you like it, then it''s settled."


    She beamed. "Marcus Holden-I love it! Hello Marcus, I''m your aunt! Come on, open your eyes and look at me!"


    Still cradling the baby, Cassie turned to Laura. "I''m taking him to see Father. You get some rest. I''ll check on youter."


    "Alright, go ahead."


    Laura trusted Cassiepletely. And after drinking the chicken broth, exhaustion quickly took over, pulling her into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 458 A Nightmare She Could Not Wake From

    That night, Laura didn''t sleep well. She had a long, terrifying nightmare


    In the dream, a massive, bloated white grub was crushing her chest, suffocating her under its weight. Then, it beganying thousands of tinyrvae, which squirmed and burrowed relentlessly into her skin, disappearing beneath the surface.


    Laura struggled desperately to push the grotesque creature off her, but her limbs were paralyzed-useless. Her terror reached its peak as she opened her mouth to scream for Wesley, but no matter how hard she tried, not a single sound came out.


    Tears streamed uncontrobly down her face. Suddenly, the white grub let out a chilling, inhuman cackle. At that moment, the bedroom door creaked open, and Cassie walked in.


    But she was nothing like the gentle, affectionate sister-inw Laura knew. Cassie wore a red wedding gown, her figure illuminated by the eerie glow of antern she held in her hand. A thinyer of white fuzz clung to thentern''s surface.


    "Cassie, help me!"


    Laura managed to choke out the words, stretching a trembling hand toward her.


    But Cassie only giggled softly. She stepped forward, cing thentern in Laura''s outstretched palm. The moment Laura touched it, the white fuzz covering thentern detached like the tinyrvae before and burrowed into her skin.


    Cassie crouched beside her, reaching out to brush Laura''s damp hair from her forehead.


    "Laura, don''t worry," she whispered sweetly. "I''ll take good care of Marcus."


    The warmth in her voice sent a chill down Laura''s spine.


    "Wesley loves you. Even my father cherishes you. But why?" Cassie''s voice turned sharp, mocking.


    "Before you showed up, I was the princess of the Holden family. I was the one they adored. But after you came, their hearts shifted away from me."


    Cassie''s expression darkened. "Besides, you don''t deserve Wesley!"


    She traced Laura''s cheek with a light touch. "You''re pretty, sure. But what else do you have over me?


    "Still, I should thank you. My father always wanted a grandson, and you gave him exactly that. Wesley and I¡ªwell, we''re blood siblings. We can''t have children together. So consider this baby your repayment to the Holden family.


    "I''ve treated you so well-fed you, clothed you, entertained you. It''s only fair that you return the favor, don''t you think?"


    Laura''s body trembled violently. "Cassie... you¡ª"


    Her voice faltered, unable to form the words. She stared at Cassie, her eyes filled with shock-and fear.


    Cassie''s smirk widened. "That''s right. I love Wesley." She brought her lips close to Laura''s ear and whispered, "If I weren''t his biological sister, do you really think a man as perfect as him would''ve chosen you?


    "As long as Wesley has a child, no one can stop me from being with him. And if we never have a child, who would ever know we were together?"


    Laura''s mind reeled. Every word Cassie spoke was crystal clear, yet their meaning felt iprehensible.


    "Laura, Wesley loves me, and I love him. As for you? You were just brought in to bear our child. But don''t worry. I''ll raise Marcus as if he were my own. You can rest easy now."


    "Cassie " Laura''s voice rose in a strangled cry.


    Suddenly, the enormous grub on her chest burst apart, and the suffocating weight


    on her body disappeared. With newfound strength, Laura shoved Cassie away and bolted upright, panting heavily.


    "Does Wesley know what kind of person you are?" she gasped.


    "You''re terrifying. Truly terrifying."


    Cassie only smiled. "Of course he knows."


    Laura''s breath caught in her throat.


    "You didn''t actually think I did all of this without his knowledge, did you?" Cassie giggled, her eyes glinting with eerie amusement.


    "Then... what about Father? Does he know?"


    Cassie tilted her head, her smile deepening. "Father? Of course he does. Why


    else do you think he treats you better than his own daughter?"


    Laura''s vision blurred.


    "Laura," Cassie murmured. "You''re just a tool. Enjoy the gift I''ve prepared for you."


    With that, she stood, lifted her


    "Tonight, Wesley and I will finally be


    together. If I''m in a good mood,


    might even let you watch our wedding night, though I doubt you''d want to."


    "Cassie Holden-"A deep, authoritative voice cut through the room like a de.


    The bedroom lights shed on, revealing Charles standing in the doorway, his expression thunderous. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and struck Cassie hard across the face.


    "I''ve raised a monster! How dare you do this to Laura?" he spat.


    "Someone, take Cassie to the basement! Lock her up!"


    His rage was palpable, his hands trembling with fury as he turned to Sheldon. "Where''s Wesley?"


    Sheldon hesitated before responding carefully, "Ms. Cassie drugged him. The effects have already taken hold, so he can''te right now. I''ve summoned the family doctor."


    "It''s useless," Cassie interjected, looking up from where she had fallen. Her cheek was red and swollen, but sheughed anyway. "The drug I gave Wesley-no ordinary doctor can cure it.


    "Father, don''t you cherish Laura?" Cassie sneered. "I poisoned her with Umbrahex-and only I have the cure. But I won''t give it to her.


    "Hahaha! You always imed to love me, and Wesley always said he cared about


    me. But both of you treat Laura better than you ever treated me!


    "Why? What gives you the right to keep me away from Wesley?


    "You wanted a grandson, and now Laura has given you one. Isn''t it time you let me be with Wesley?"


    "Cassie, you''re insane! Aplete lunatic!"


    Charles was shaking with fury. "Take her to the basement! No one is to release her without my order!"


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Sheldon swiftly led the maids in restraining Cassie. As they dragged her away, Laura sat there in stunned silence, her mind racing.


    Had she really heard what she just heard?


    Cassie loved Wesley and drugged him?


    And Charles-he had shown no intention of protecting Cassie, nor signs of covering for her.


    But what about Wesley? Did he know Cassie harbored such twisted feelings for


    him?


    "Laura, don''t be afraid. I''ll get a


    doctor to see you right away. I won''t


    let anything happen to you." Charles


    stepped forward tofort her,


    raising his hand as if to pat her head but hesitating midway.


    "This is my fault. I never noticed what was going on in Cassie''s mind. I''ll find a


    psychologist to help her, and I''ll make sure you get better too."


    "Thank you, Father," Laura murmured, unsure of what else to say. She felt terrible, her body weak and mind muddled. "Is Wesley okay?"


    "He''ll be fine, and so will you," Charles said firmly. "I''ll get the doctor right away."


    He left the room, and before long, a team of doctors arrived to examine Laura. One after another, they finished their check-ups, only to shake their heads in uncertainty.


    The exhausting ordeal stretchedte into the night, and eventually, Laura could no longer fight off sleep.


    By early morning, a caretaker at the postpartum centre woke her. Handing Laura


    a mirror, the woman watched as Laura took one look at her reflection-and let out a blood-curdling scream.

 Chapter 459 A Nightmare She Could Not Wake From

    Laura stared at her reflection in the mirror, unable to control the piercing scream that escaped her lips.


    The face staring back at her was covered in fine white fur, and her once long, silky ck hair had turnedpletely snow-white. She was unrecognizable.


    "This isn''t me! This isn''t me!" she shrieked, grabbing the mirror from the maid''s hands and smashing it.


    Wesley rushed in and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Laura," he murmured, holding her firmly. "Don''t be afraid. I''ll find a doctor who can cure you. I won''t let anything happen to you." His voice trembled as he clung to her.


    Laura struggled against him. "Let go of me! Let go!"


    "Laura, don''t move. Don''t be afraid." No matter how much she thrashed and sobbed, Wesley refused to release her. "I''ll stay with you until we find a doctor who can treat you. I will make sure you recover. I promise."


    The events of the previous night shed through Laura''s mind, and a terrifying thought struck her.


    Maybe it hadn''t been a dream. Maybe it had all really happened.


    "Wesley, tell me the truth. Last night, did Cassie enter my room wearing a red wedding gown and holding antern?" she forced herself to calm down, gripping Wesley''s shirt tightly.


    Wesley hesitated before slowly shaking his head. "No, Laura. You must have had a nightmare."


    "You''re lying," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "You''re lying to me. It wasn''t a dream. It really happened, didn''t it? Cassie loves you, doesn''t she? She even drugged you. She wants to be with you. She even wants to marry you, right?" Her fingers dug into his shirt. "You and Cassie are disgusting!"


    "Laura!" Wesley''s anger red as he shoved her away. "How could you even think that? Even if Cassie had feelings for me, I never knew! I had no idea she harbored such twisted thoughts. She''s my sister! We''re siblings-nothing more. You were dreaming, Laura! It was just a dream!"


    Laura stared at him, his sudden outburst confirming everything she feared. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she threw off the nket, forcing herself out of bed despite the pain coursing through her body. "I need to find my child."


    She hadn''t forgotten what Cassie had saidst night-about the baby being hers, meant for them. Laura couldn''t let her child fall into Cassie''s hands.


    "Wesley, you and Cassie disgust me," Laura spat, gritting her teeth through her tears. "A sister in love with her own brother, and a brother who covers for her while she harms his wife-you''re both disgusting freaks!"


    "That''s not true! Laura, it''s not like that!" Wesley grabbed her, his eyes red with desperation. "You''re misunderstanding me. I love you, only you. I always have." His voice cracked. "I''ve never had those kinds of feelings for Cassie.


    "You''ve known me for so long. Do you really not know what kind of person I am? You can''t just lump me together with Cassie because of her feelings!


    "Cassie is Cassie. I am me. If you don''t trust her, fine. But do you not trust me either?" He was basically pleading with her.


    "I want to see my child," Laura said firmly. "Wesley, I want a divorce. I''m taking my child and leaving."


    "In your condition? How do you n to survive? How will you raise a child on your own?" Wesley held her tightly and gentlyid her back on the bed. "Cassie is locked in the basement. Father is interrogating her for the antidote. Once we have it, you''ll recover."


    He choked on his sobs as he held her close. "Laura, please. Believe me."


    "Let me go, Wesley!" Laura fought against him. "I don''t believe you. I will never believe you again. I want to take my son and leave. Your whole family is sick. The Holdens are all monsters-Cassie, and you too!"


    "Laura!" Wesley shouted. "Bring the doctor! Give her a sedation!"


    "How dare you?" Laura gasped in horror. "Wesley, don''t do this to me. Please, don''t do this!"


    "I won''t let you leave." Wesley cupped her face in his hands. "No matter what happens to you, you''ll always be my wife. I will take care of Cassie She will never appear in front of you again. She won''t be able to disgust you anymore." He stared into her eyes, uttering, "Laura, wait for me."


    Without hesitation, he pressed a kiss against her fur-covered face before turning to leave.


    But before he could take another step, a needle suddenly stabbed into his neck. Behind him stood Lucy, who had appeared out of nowhere.


    And then Cassie arrived the very same Cassie who was supposed to be locked in the basement.


    She walked in, followed by a line of people. At the front of the group, unconscious, were Charles and Sheldon, dragged forward like offerings.


    Cassie stepped toward Laura, seizing her chin between her fingers. "Laura, how could you make Wesley go against me?


    "And my Father!


    ?


    He locked me in the basement for you. He even tried to force me to hand over the antidote Cassie''s voice trembled with rage. "He''s never raised a hand against me before. But because of you, he pped me. Twice."


    Her eyes burned with resentment as she took a trembling breath. "Laura, do you have any idea how much it hurt? And Wesley-he stormed into the basement and hit me too!


    "They all im to love me the most. But look at them now. For you, they''ve turned against me. They hit me, cursed me, even threatened to cut me off financially. They called me shameless!


    "But why? I''m a Holden too! So why would my father side with an outsider over me?"


    Cassie released Laura''s chin and turned to look at the unconscious Wesley and Charles on the floor.


    "And Sheldon¡ªso loyal to my father. My father loves you, so of course, he does too."


    She let out a coldugh. "Do you have any idea how jealous I am of you, Laura? From the moment Wesley brought you home, I''ve been jealous.


    "I''ve waited so long for this day,---so long." Her lips curled in a sneer. "Pretending


    to be the perfect little sister-acting as though we were so close-I was sick to my stomach.


    "But now, I don''t have to pretend anymore."


    She stood tall, twirling in ce, letting the crimson fabric of her wedding dress billow around her. "I''m the most distinguished daughter of the Holden family. And you?you''re nothing but a lowly orphan. What gives you the right topete with me?"


    Cassie tilted her head. "Oh, I just thought of something fun. Killing you outright would be too easy."


    She raised her hand, and a veiled woman stepped forward, cing a small ck vial in her palm.


    "Laura," Cassie whispered with a smile. "You can''t die just yet." She turned the bottle in her hands. "Whether Charles and Wesley live or die depends on you." Her smile deepened. "Drink this yourself, and I''ll let them go."

 Chapter 460 She Took the Medicine Cassie Gave Her

    Cassie smiled sweetly at Laura. "Wesley''s and Father'' lives are in your hands now. They thought locking me in the basement would force me to hand over the antidote? They really underestimated their own daughter and sister." Her tone wasced with amusement.


    "If I dared to do this, I obviously prepared for every possible oue. Father always believed that a daughter should just eat, drink, and enjoy life. But tell me, how am I inferior to Wesley? Why should he inherit Holden Group while I''m expected to y the role of a useless socialite?"


    Her eyes darkened. "I refuse to ept that."


    Leaning closer, her voice turned ghostly. "But if you obediently drink this, I''ll let


    them go.


    "As for Holden Group-" She let out a chillingugh. "Once you and Wesley are out of the picture, I have no doubt Father will put it in my hands."


    Laura forced herself to sit up, her gaze locked on the ck vial in Cassie''s hand. "What do you really want, Cassie? Wesley or Holden Group?" Her voice was hoarse, but she didn''t waver. "Can I trust your words? If I drink this, will you really let Father and Wesley go?"


    Cassie chuckledzily. "Of course. But honestly, I doubt you''d actually drink something that could very well kill you just to save them.


    "Oh, and by the way-this won''t kill you. It''ll just make you wish you were dead. You won''t be human, nor will you be a ghost." She paused before adding with a wicked smirk, "And you still won''t be allowed near my dear little nephew. I''ll make sure of that.


    "Otherwise, I''ll ensure he ends up with the same thing inside him that''s currently inside you."


    Cassie burst intoughter, grabbing the hem of her red wedding dress and twirling in front of Laura. Her dance was wless, every movement poised and elegant.


    Charles had hired the best instructors to teach her since childhood. With her stunning looks, exquisite makeup, and graceful figure, she was undeniably captivating.


    But beneath it all, her heart was filled with malice.


    At that moment, Laura truly understood what it meant for someone to wear a saint''s face but hide a serpent''s heart.


    "I''ll drink it." She made the decision without hesitation.


    Cassie froze mid-twirl, her expression flickering with disbelief. "What did you say?"


    "I said I''ll drink it."


    Laura extended her hand, and Cassie immediately ced the ck vial in her palm. "Go on, then."


    Even now, Cassie seemed unconvinced. She watched Laura closely, waiting for her to back out. After all, this wasn''t just poison¡ªit was something far worse.


    But in the next moment, Laura uncorked the vial and swallowed its contents in one gulp.


    The moment the liquid touched her tongue, searing pain shot through her body. It burned from her mouth to her throat, spreading like wildfire into her stomach.


    "It hurts¡ª" A pained whimper escaped her lips. Clutching her abdomen, she writhed on the bed, unable to stop the agony.


    "Bring a mirror for her," Cassie ordered.


    A maid quickly handed her one, and she positioned it in front of Laura. "Look, you''re turning back into a human."


    Through the haze of pain, Laura forced herself to look. In the mirror, the white fur covering her body was slowly receding.


    "I ced two poisons inside you," Cassie exined gleefully. "One feeds on blood. The other controls the feeding. It ensures you''ll suffer but won''t die too quickly."


    She smiled sweetly. "At a certain point, your blood will bepletely reced with something else."


    She tilted her head, feigning deep thought. "Who knows? Maybe you''ll turn into a werewolf, maybe a vampire. But one thing''s for sure; you won''t be human anymore."


    Laura clutched her throat, struggling through the unbearable pain. "I drank what you wanted. Now let Wesley and Father go."


    Cassie grinned. "Of course, I''ll let them go. But not before I take care of something else first."


    She pped her hands, and Lucy entered with two doctors in tow.


    "Hypnotize them. Erase their memories," Cassiemanded, then grabbed


    Laura''s chin, her nails digging into her skin. "Don''t worry, Laura. Once I''m done with them, it''ll be your turn.


    "The Holden family can''t afford a scandal. I can''t have my father knowing that his own daughter is in love with her brother." She sneered. "And as for Wesley... even when I drugged him, he refused to touch me. So I''ll make sure neither of you ever return to the Holder family.


    "You and Wesley will never reunite with your child!"


    Herughter echoed through the room, twisted and maniacal. She was beautiful, but at that moment, Laura saw her for what she truly was-a demon from the depths of hell.


    Helplessly, she watched as Charles and Wesley were forced to swallow a mysterious drug before the doctors hypnotized them, altering their memories. Then, it was her turn.


    But when it came to Laura, the imnted memories were far from simple. Just when she thought she would never escape, she heard Marcus'' voice. Her child was calling for her, over and over again, urging her to wake up. That voice-his cries of "Mommy"-pierced through the fog, giving her the strength to fight back.


    She wed her way out of Cassie''s mental trap.


    "Marcus, thank you."


    Tears streamed down Laura''s face as she held his hand tightly. "I don''t know if what I saw in that illusion was real, but I can''t shake the feeling that my memories were altered.


    "Not just mine. Your grandfather''s and your father''s too. But I don''t know how to


    tell them. Cassie is Charles'' daughter, your father''s biological sister. I don''t know if they would believe me over her."


    Natalie wrung out a warm towel and


    gently pressed it over Laura''s


    swollen eyes. "So that''s what


    happened. No wonder Mr. Holden Senior has been acting so strangely. It''s because his memories were altered."


    Kon


    Marcus hesitated before asking, "What about Sheldon? Was his memory tampered with too? When they altered it, Mom, do you know what kind of memories Cassie imnted in them?"


    Laura shook her head. "In that illusion, I remember Sheldon was beaten badly. His memories were altered as well. But after they


    vel


    hypnotized me, Ipletely


    what new memories they imnted in your grandfather and your father. C¨®ntent belongs to


    "Marcus, I''m sorry. I can''t help you any further."


    "Mom, you have nothing to apologize for." Marcus stood up, his expression darkening. "The one who should apologize is Cassie.


    "Natalie, please help my mother wash up. I need to step outside for a bit."


    Natalie nodded. "Alright."


    She had to prepare Laura''s herbal bath anyway, and Marcus staying here would


    be inappropriate.

 Chapter 461 Your Sister Loves You

    Marcus stepped out of the medical room to find Hector standing guard at the door, blocking Wesley from entering.


    "Hector, what right do you have to stop me? What right do you have to keep me from seeing my wife?" Wesley''s tone was cold and severe, his emotions seemingly under control again.


    "I told him to stop you," Marcus said as he descended the steps, his sharp gaze locking onto Wesley. "Father, did you know that Cassie is in love with you?"


    Wesley visibly jolted, his expression darkening. "Marcus, do you even realize what you''re saying?"


    Marcus remained expressionless, his voice ice cold as he said, "I said, do you know that your sister has feelings for you?"


    "That''s ridiculous!" Wesley''s anger red. "Even if Laura and I weren''t there to raise you, that doesn''t give you the right to make up such nonsense."


    "Father, to determine if I''m making things up or not, we can bring Cassie here and ask her ourselves," Marcus said coolly. "It was Cassie who poisoned my mother. Father, let''s see Grandpa together."


    Determined, Marcus started walking toward Charles. "Hector, you studied psychology, didn''t you? Can you perform hypnosis?"


    Hector nodded. "Yes. Do you need my help?"


    Marcus'' voice was steady and firm. "Yes. My grandfather and my father had their memories altered through hypnosis. I need you to help them recover what was erased."


    Wesley scoffed. "Marcus, what are you talking about? You can''t just say whatever you want. Your grandfather raised you. He didn''t do it so you could make baseless usations. Words have consequences, Marcus."


    "I take full responsibility for what I say," Marcus countered. "But can you, Father? Can you take responsibility for what you''ve done?" He narrowed his eyes. "Do you dare bring Cassie here and confront her face-to-face?"


    A cold smirk tugged at his lips. Before, he had never understood the strange rtionship between Cassie and Charles. But after hearing Laura recount her memories, he could no longer dismiss it as coincidence. Everything had been orchestrated from the start.


    That also exined why Laura had suffered alone, while Wesley and Charles had remained unscathed.


    Charles was one thing, but Wesley had been with Laura day and night, yet nothing had happened to him. If that wasn''t favoritism, then what was?


    Even since Marcus had been old enough to remember, Cassie had never lived in Holden Residence. She had stayed outside, away from family affairs. She hadn''t interfered with Holden Group either.


    But when Charles fell ill and needed surgery, she suddenly reappeared-ying the role of a concerned daughter. Yet the people she brought with her were anything but trustworthy.


    "Marcus, Cassie is your aunt. How can you address her by name so disrespectfully?" Wesley''s anger simmered. "Is this what your grandfather taught you all these years-how to be rude?"


    "Wesley Holden, shut up."


    No one had noticed Charles'' arrival. Sheldon was supporting him as he stepped forward.


    Charles looked at Marcus. "Marcus, I will follow your lead."


    Then, turning to Hector, he added, "Hector, I''ll be counting on you."


    Hector nodded quickly. "Mr. Holden Senior, it''s no trouble at all."


    "Marcus, forget about your idiot father-just let Hector hypnotize me."


    "Father!" Wesley snapped the moment he heard Charles insult him so bluntly.


    "Shut up." Charles barked back, his re sharp. I''ve suspected something was wrong for a long time. I''ve had people investigating, but no matter how deep we dug, we found nothing. Clearly, someone has been covering their tracks


    "I never once thought to suspect Cassie. But after hearing what Marcus just said, I


    now realize where I went wrong.


    "If she really hypnotized me and altered my memories, then all the things I couldn''t make sense of before suddenly fit together.


    "But spection isn''t enough-I need proof." He turned to Hector. "Come with me."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    "Sheldon needs to be hypnotized too," Charles added, ncing at Sheldon. "I''ve never doubted his loyalty, but there are too many coincidences, too many misunderstandings that seem deliberately orchestrated."


    He exhaled heavily, then turned to Marcus. "Marcus, if I''ve wronged you or Laura,


    I owe you both an apology."


    With that, he bowed slightly.


    Marcus immediately stepped forward, catching Charles'' arm. "Grandpa, I only want justice for my mother. I never med you."


    "Marcus, I raised you. I know you well enough to tell that you never once suspected me." Charles sighed. "But I had no evidence, and I didn''t understand what was happening. That''s why I couldn''t tell you anything for certain.


    "I wasn''t trying to mislead you. I genuinely didn''t know where things had gone wrong.


    "But if the issue lies with Cassie and our memories were altered, then no matter what, we have to uncover the truth.


    "There were signs that Cassie had feelings for your father. When you were little she used to abuse you. But then, she would turn around and hold you, kiss you... and the look in her eyes terrified me. That''s why I banished her from Holden


    R¨¦sidence.


    "I kept you by my side as much as possible because I feared she would hurt you. Over the years, Cassie seemed to act normal, but because of what she did to you as a child, I always felt something was off about her.


    "Enough talking. Let''s go. Stop wasting time arguing with your father. Let''s recover my memories first."


    Charles took Marcus'' hand and gestured for Hector to follow. Before leaving, he turned to Sheldon. "Sheldon, stay here and guard the medical room. Make sure no one disturbs Natalie while she''s treating Laura."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Sheldon stepped forward and took position at the door. Turning to Wesley, he sighed. "Mr. Holden, stop


    being so stubborn. If Mr.ene


    Senioris willing to listen to


    Marcus, why are you so set on resisting? Go with them. Recover your memories.


    "When they''re done, I''ll do the same."


    "Sheldon, you too?" Wesley was still in disbelief. "Do you seriously believe this


    nonsense that Cassie has feelings for me?


    "She is my sister. I am her brother. She relied on me when we were younger, yes,


    but after I got married, she stopped being so close to me.


    "Mr. Wesley, what you say won''t change my mind. Exin this-why is it only Mdm. Laura who suffered? Why is it that you and Mr. Holden Senior were unharmed?"


    Sheldon let out a weary sigh. "Mr. Holden, I understand that it''s hard for you to ept what Mr. Marcus is saying. But the world is a strange ce and people can be even stranger."

 Chapter 462 Recovering Lost Memories (Part 1)

    "Ms. Cassie is not as innocent as you think," Sheldon said to Wesley, his expression grim.


    He recalled how Cassie had brought in Jessy to impersonate Elim, fully aware that she was a fraud, yet still allowing her to treat Charles. Her true intentions were obvious.


    "But Mr. Holden, I won''t argue with you about this anymore. Think about it yourself. I''ll be waiting right here. Once Mr. Hector finishes hypnotizing Mr. Holden Senior, I''ll undergo the same process."


    Neither he nor Charles had any reservations about being hypnotized. If their memories had truly been tampered with as Marcus imed, then they needed to uncover the truth. If Ms. Cassie was the mastermind, then it''s time for her to be exposed.


    "We have nothing to hide. That''s why we''re not afraid to do whatever Mr. Marcus asks of us," Sheldon added. "But what about you, Mr. Wesley? Can you say the same?"


    He fixed Wesley with a sharp gaze. "If you''re afraid, then forget it."


    "Who says I''m afraid? I''ll do it," Wesley snapped, falling for the provocation without hesitation. "I''m just worried about Laura. I need to know how she''s doing. You can''t doubt me just because I''m worried about Laura!"


    Sheldon chuckled. "Mr. Holden, none of us doubt you. One way or another, Mdm. Laura will recover, and once she does, everything wille to light.


    "Ms. Walker hasn''te out yet. She hasn''t given us permission to see Mdm. Laura. So, instead of standing here, you might as well go see how Mr. Holden Senior''s hypnosis is going."


    Realizing Sheldon wasn''t going to let him through, Wesley hesitated for a long moment before finally nodding. "Fine, I''ll go check on my father."


    He turned and left, quickly making his way to where Marcus, Hector, and Charles had gathered.


    Hector had chosen a ss conservatory for the hypnosis session. The space was filled with exotic flowers and nts, with a hanging chair, a transparent coffee table, and several small stools arranged inside.


    Holding a pendant in one hand, Hector asked Joshua for a mild sleep-inducing incense, which he lit before instructing Charles to sit in the hanging chair. As the gentle fragrance filled the air, the hypnosis began.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, focus on the pendant in my hand. Don''t blink. Rx your mind and slowly follow my voice," Hector said, his tone low, steady, and hypnotic. "Your eyes are getting heavy. You need to rest. Close them slowly, and let yourself return to the day Mdm. Laura went intobor-"


    As Hector''s voice guided him deeper, Charles'' eyes gradually closed. A mist enveloped his mind, and when it cleared, he found himself back at Holden Residence.


    Laura''s due date had arrived. Sheldon had organized the medical teams, ensuring everything was in order. Wesley stayed by Laura''s side throughout, but then Cassie suddenly appeared before Charles.


    "Father." She held a maternity kit in her hands. "I bought this for Laura."


    "Haven''t we already prepared everything?" Charles asked, eyeing her curiously. "Why bring more?"


    "Then how about I make her some chicken broth? I''ll go to the kitchen and prepare it."


    Without waiting for a response, Cassie set the maternity kit on the couch and disappeared into the kitchen.


    Charles didn''t think much of it. In fact, he was relieved. Cassie had always been willful and had never gotten along with Laura. But recently, she had started treating her like a sister.


    As a father, he only wanted harmony in the family. As long as the children got along, he was happy.


    Cassie remained in the kitchen for a long time. Only after Laura had given birth did she emerge, carrying a steaming bowl of chicken broth.


    "Father, I''m bringing this to Laura," she said with a bright smile. "I''m an aunt now, after all. I should go see my little nephew."


    "Go on, then."


    With a casual wave of his hand, he let her go. Cassie carried the chicken broth into Laura''s room.


    That night, Lucy''s assistant, Julie, came to inform him that he could now visit Laura. Charles took Sheldon with him, heading toward the room.


    But before they could enter, they overheard a chilling conversation between Cassie and Lucy.


    "I want Laura to suffer. My brother can only be mine."


    "Don''t worry, Ms. Holden. The drug is already in the chicken broth. It only affects Laura¡ªit won''t harm anyone else in the Holden family."


    "And the drug for my brother?"


    "It''s been administered, but it will take some time to take effect. He''s been constantly by Laura''s side, so I didn''t have a chance to act sooner."


    "Good." Cassie''s voice dripped with malice. "Now that she''s given birth, she''s useless. And as for my father he has a grandson now. He won''t be able to stop me from being with my brother anymore."


    Charles was stunned by the conversation. Before he could react, Lucy left the


    room. Momentster, he heard Cassie speaking to Laura.


    Unable to listen any longer, he ordered Sheldon to open the door. The moment he stepped inside, he grabbed Cassie and pped her across the face. Twice.


    "I''ve raised a monster! How dare you do this to Laura?" he spat.


    "Someone, take Cassie to the basement! Lock her up!"


    At hismand, Sheldon called the family''s security team. They seized Cassie and dragged her away.


    After ensuring Cassie was locked up, Charles returned Laura''s room, offering her a few words offort and assuring her that justice would be served.


    Then, he left and headed straight for the basement with Sheldon.


    Inside, Cassie lounged on the couch, a smile ying on her lips.


    "Father, does it really embarrass you that I love Wesley?"


    Her voice was calm-brazen, even.


    "Father, you have a grandson now. So there''s no reason for you to object anymore, right?"


    "You... You..." Charles clutched his chest, his breath short and ragged. "Are you trying to drive me to my grave?"


    His voice trembled with disbelief as he looked at Cassie. "When did you start harboring such twisted feelings for your brother? Tell me when?"


    Cassie stood up, smiling as if nothing was wrong. "A long, longe time ago," she admitted. "I just kept it hidden. I endured Laura''s presence and treated her well because I was waiting for this moment.


    "Wesley belongs to me alone. Father, whether you ept it or not doesn''t matter. You will have to ept it."


    With a dramatic flick of her sleeve, she smirked. "I''ve already put on my wedding dress. Of course, I''m marrying my brother.


    "And don''t think I was powerless just because you locked me in the basement.


    The entire medical team that cared for Laura during her pregnancy? They were


    my people.


    "You thought locking me away meant I couldn''t do anything? Aside from Sheldon, every single one of


    your trusted people has already


    been bought off by me. You''re the one who belongs in the basement, Father."


    Cassie threw back her head andughed, the sound ringing through the room like


    a chilling echo.


    When herughter died down, she pped her hands. "Take him away!"

 Chapter 463 Recovering Lost Memories (Part 2)

    The basement echoed with Cassie''s triumphant, crazedughter. "Father, did you really think I was being kind to Laura out of the goodness of my heart? I was lowering your guard! If I hadn''t pretended to care about her, how else could I have arranged for all these people to be around her?


    "Father, aside from Sheldon, who still foolishly clings to you, everyone else at Holden Residence follows my orders now."


    Grinning, Cassie twirled in ce, the hem of her red wedding dress fanning out as she danced. "I yed the role of the gentle, kind, considerate sister-inw for long enough. I''ve been sick of it for years. Finally, I don''t have to pretend anymore. Everything is going exactly as I nned."


    "Cassie, you''re insane! How could you do this?" Charles'' voice trembled with rage, but he was held firmly in ce by Cassie''s men, unable to move. "Do you even realize what you''re doing? This is beyond unforgivable. Aren''t you afraid of the consequences?"


    Cassie tilted her head, her expression mockingly innocent. "Father, what are you saying? I''m your beloved daughter. How could you curse me like that?


    "I just love my brother; what''s wrong with that? Didn''t you love my mother? It''s just the same a woman loving a man, a man loving a woman. What''s the difference?"


    "He''s your brother! Your biological brother!" Charles'' voice roared with fury. "This is my fault. I trusted you too much, letting my guard down. I never imagined you harbored such disgusting thoughts."


    "What''s so disgusting about it?" Cassie''s lips curled in defiance. "Father, you''re biased."


    "You drugged your own brother! Do you have no shame? Are you even human?" Charles'' fury deepened. "Cassie, there are countless men in the world. Why must it be your own brother?


    "Even if it costs me my life, I will never allow you to harm Laura. And I will never allow you and Wesley to be together. If you still see me as your father, if you still care about this family, then you will noty a hand on your brother.


    "Cassie, I''m begging you. Don''t hurt Laura. Don''tmit this atrocity with your brother. If you go through with this, how will I ever face your mother in the afterlife?"


    His voice cracked, his eyes red with sorrow. He no longer shouted, no longer cursed her. He pleaded now. "Cassie, please. I''m begging you. There''s still time to turn back. As long as you don''t harm Wesley and Laura, I will pretend none of this ever happened. We can still be a family. Please."


    Tears welled in his eyes. "Cassie, you''re a good child. I''ve always believed that; you''ve always been a good child."


    Cassie let out a mockingugh. "Father, spare me the sentiment. Don''t call me a ''good daughter.'' I have no interest in ying that role. I''d rather be the viin.


    "Laura can forget about spending a lifetime in wedded bliss with my brother. But I''m notpletely heartless. I could give you all onest chance."


    Herughter grew lighter, as if she were amused by her own words. pping her hands together, she said, "If Laura is willing to drink the medicine I give her, then I''ll let you all go. Father, since you care so much about her, I''m curious-will she sacrifice herself for you?


    "Cassie, you''re insane! You''repletely deranged!"


    "So what if I am?" Cassie shrugged, unbothered. "I don''t care. As long as I get what I want, that''s all that matters.


    "Let''s make a bet, Father. If Laura drinks the medicine, I''ll let you go. But if she refuses, then you will stop interfering in my rtionship with my brother."


    "Fine." Charles gritted his teeth. "But if you lose, you will leave the Holden family. You will never set foot in this house again without my permission."


    "Deal." Cassie''s eyes gleamed with confidence. "I refuse to believe Laura would willingly throw her life away for any of you. Father, sit tight and watch the show. Wait for me. I''ll personally bring you and my brother up myself."


    She turned and walked out of the basement, herughter echoing behind her.


    Charles'' heart pounded anxiously. He was terrified that Cassie had truly lost all reason that she would do the unthinkable to her own brother.


    Sheldon, now restrained as well, could do nothing. How had Cassie managed to take control of Holden Residence sopletely, without anyone noticing?


    It wasn''t long before Cassie had them both dragged into Laura''s room.


    Wesleyy unconscious on the floor, drugged.


    Cassie had spent plenty of time


    talking to Laura already. Now, she looked at her with a bright, almost sweet smile. "Laura, if you drink the medicine I give you, I''ll let my brother and father go.


    "How about it? Trade your life for theirs. You''d be willing, wouldn''t you?"


    She was speaking to Laura, but her eyes were fixed on Charles. She wanted him


    to see for himself. She wanted him to witness Laura''s betrayal.


    Charles clenched his fists, his gaze sharp with fury. "Cassie, don''t push this too far."


    Before Cassie could respond, Laura''s unwavering voice cut through the tension. "Cassie, if I drink this, you''ll release my father-inw and Wesley?"


    Cassie nodded, her smile yful. "Yes."


    Without another word, Laura took the ck vial from Cassie''s hand and swallowed its content in one gulp.


    Laura trembled briefly, then copsed onto the bed, unmoving.


    Tears streamed down Charles'' face. After a long silence, he spoke with pain in his voice. "Cassie, you lost."


    "I lost?" Cassie''s expression twisted in disbelief.


    How could this woman so easily, so decisively, drink the medicine she had given her?


    Did she not understand the consequences?


    No-Cassie had exined them clearly.


    "Cassie, you lost. It''s time for you to uphold your end of the bargain." Charles'' voice was steel. "Don''t make me despise you even more."


    "I refuse." Cassie swept an arm across the bedside table, knocking everything to


    the ground. "Why should I ept defeat? I don''t ept this!" she snapped.


    "Guards,e here!"


    "I will erase all of your memories. I won''t lose. I refuse to lose. Even if I change


    what you remember, I''ll still be the winner."


    Charles roared, "Cassie, turn back now!"


    Cassie replied with a mocking smile, "Father, don''t rush. Since we made this wager, I''ll honor my word. let you and Wesley go, but I won''t make things easy for you.


    "I want you all to be torn apart forever. I want Laura to never see her son in this lifetime. I want their son to grow up without ever knowing his parents-filled with hate and resentment."


    Cassie concluded with a cruelugh, "You can keep dreaming about living in peace."

 Chapter 464 Elijah and Noahs Father

    Cassieughed wildly, twirling and dancing in front of Laura''s bed, her red wedding dress swirling around her. After finishing her dance, she pped her hands and called for the hypnotist to begin erasing the memories of Charles, Wesley, and Sheldon.


    The hypnotist approached Charles, locking eyes with him. But just as Cassie lowered her guard, the hypnotist suddenly turned, and in a sh, plunged a dagger straight into her chest.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, I''vee to save you," he dered.


    The moment the hypnotist spoke, Cassie froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You-how dare you betray me?"


    "That''s right, I did."


    With a swift motion, the hypnotist wiped their face, smearing away the disguise to reveal their true identity.


    "Adam, I sent you overseas! Why are you here?" Cassie gasped, staggering backward, clutching at the wound on her chest.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, Mr. Holden, I''m back." Adam Harris turned toward Charles, helping him up as the door burst open. A squad of well-trained men stormed inside, swiftly overpowering Cassie''s guards.


    Cassie screamed in fury. "Adam Harris! You''re nothing but my father''s stray dog! How dare you turn against me?"


    Adam nced at her with cold indifference. "Ms. Cassie, it''s time for you to wake up. Stop this madness.


    "Tell me, do you really love Wesley? Or have you just been using that excuse to justify your twisted desires?"


    "Adam, you''re back?" Charles, still weak, steadied himself with Adam''s support. Seeing Adam again filled him with relief. "Bring Lucy in."


    Momentster, Lucy was dragged into the room. Without hesitation, Adam stepped forward and kicked her hard in the stomach.


    "Save Laura," hemanded.


    "I can''t." Lucy whimpered, clutching her stomach, her tear-filled eyes pleading as she looked up at Adam. "Adam, I love you. Have you forgotten that night at the hotel?"


    "Lucy Maine! You think I''ve forgotten what you did?" Adam roared. "You and Cassie drugged me! You impersonated my wife and climbed into my bed! That night was the most humiliating moment of my life!"


    His anger erupted as he roared, "Because of your twisted schemes, my wife went into prematurebor!"


    "Daddy!" A soft, childlike voice rang out from the doorway.


    Adam turned to see his young son, Elijah, being led inside by his wife, Abigail Ashford. Behind them, a nanny cradled a newborn-Noah, just recently born. Abigail''s eyes were red with tears as she stepped forward. "Ms. Cassie, Adam and I have been nothing but loyal to the Holden family. Why did you have to do this to us?"


    She trembled with anger. "Adam and I were happy together. Why did you betray his trust? Why did you drug him? Why did you send this woman into his bed to impersonate me?


    "Ms. Cassie, how could you be so cruel?"


    "Abigail, enough!" Cassie clutched at her bleeding wound, ring venomously. "Adam is nothing but a worthless orphan my father took in! Without the Holden family, he wouldn''t be where he is today! His life belongs to us. He does what I tell him to do!"


    Cassie sneered. "Being desired by Lucy should be an honor for him! And you, Abigail, if you were smart, you''d step aside. Look at yourself¡ªa mere vegetable vendor''s daughter. How could you everpare to Lucy?"


    "Enough," Adam growled.


    He stepped forward and grabbed Cassie by the throat, forcing a pill into her mouth.


    She choked, struggling against him, but he pressed down hard, making her swallow it.


    "From now on, I''m in control," Adam dered coldly. "Otherwise, Ms. Cassie, you might as well prepare to die."


    Her eyes widened in horror. "What did you just make me swallow? Adam, what did you do to me?"


    She wed at her throat, gagging, trying desperately to regurgitate the pill. But no matter how hard she tried, the pill remained lodged inside her.


    Adam ignored Cassie''s frantic struggle and turned to help Charles and Wesley to their feet. "Mr. Holden Senior, my life was given by you. But the moment Cassie schemed against me and betrayed Abigail, I no longer owed the Holden family anything."


    His eyes reddened with emotion. "Mr. Holden Senior, let me do onest thing for you, for Mr. Marcus, and for the Holden family."


    "Adam, don''t do anything reckless." Charles gripped Adam''s hands tightly. "You''re a good child. You and Abigail just weed your second child. Your life will only get better from here. Don''t act on impulse."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, forget all these unpleasant memories. I''ll take care of Cassie. I won''t let her cause trouble for you ever again."


    da


    Adam forced a bitter smile as he continued, "As for me, I''ve wronged Abigail. I no longer have the right to stay with her and our children. AlN ask, MD. Holden Senior, is that you let Elijah and Noah grow up alongside Mr. Marcus. Raise them as his most loyal subordinates and protectors.


    "If Abigail leaves me, at least she''ll still have a chance at a good life."


    Charles turned to Abigail. "Is that what you want too?"


    Her eyes were swollen from crying. She knelt before Charles, pulling Elijah in front of her while taking


    Noah from the nanny''s arms. "et


    Holden Senior, the Ashford family has always been indebted to you. I wanted to pretend I didn''t know about all of this. I wanted to forget it-but I can''t.


    "Elijah and Noah would have a better future under your guidance. Mr. Marcus will need trusted people at his side. No amount of trainingter in life canpare to bonds formed from childhood. I trust that


    t you will


    not mistreat my or Adam''s sons.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, I''m sorry."


    Tears fell as she knelt before Charles and bowed deeply. Then, without hesitation, she turned and left.


    "It''s done," Adam said firmly. "Mr. Holden Senior, Mr. Wesley-now, listen to my instructions."


    With that, Charles was escorted into a sterile white room-the very room Cassie had originally prepared for hypnosis.


    But this time, it was Adam who took control.


    Adam systematically erased the painful memories from Charles, Wesley, and Laura''s minds. He also removed any trace of his and Abigail''s existence, leaving only the most essential information intact.


    Compared to Cassie''s twisted and absurd maniptions, Adam believed it would


    be better for Laura and the Holden family to think she had fallen ill with a strange disease after childbirth.


    Once their memories were altered, Adam took Cassie and her people with him, disappearingpletely after.


    The first to awaken at Holden Residence was Sheldon. He only felt a dull headache at first, but his mind quickly regained rity, and he began methodically organizing household matters.


    Soon after, Charles and the others gradually woke up.


    They had all forgotten Cassie''s crimes. They had no memory of how Laura had


    truly fallen ill. All they knew was that Laura had developed a strange illness after


    childbirth.


    A lingering voice in their minds told them that Wesley must take Laura away to seek medical treatment. Only when she was fully healed could she reunite with


    Marcus.


    As for Charles, he took Elijah and Noah under his wing, raising them with meticulous care and grooming them into Marcus'' most trusted confidants. And Cassie no longer lived at Holden Residence thereafter.


    From that point on, she kept her distance from both Charles and Marcus.

 Chapter 465 Lucy Was Taken Back

    Presently, Charles'' lost memories flooded back, and silent tears streamed down his aged face. His fingers trembled as a voice echoed in his ears, and slowly, he


    opened his eyes.


    As his vision cleared, he took in the faces of those around him. His emotions surged uncontrobly, and he wept.


    "Marcus, I remember everything now." His voice trembled. "I remember everything."


    Tears fell freely down his face. "It was Cassie. It was all her doing.


    "That wretched bitch! Everything was her doing! All these years, Laura suffered because of my failure as a father. I raised that twisted monster."


    Wiping at his tears, he choked out, "I have wronged Laura, I have wronged you... I have wronged our entire family."


    "Charles, have some tea first." Hector handed him a cup of the calming tea he had prepared in advance. "Don''t let yourself get too worked up."


    Charles turned to look at Marcus, who stood in silence. "Marcus, do you me me?"


    There was so much Marcus wanted to say, yet so much he couldn''t.


    Charles sobbed uncontrobly, wracked with guilt and regret.


    Some mistakes could be undone, but some wounds, once inflicted, could never truly heal.


    Laura and Marcus had been the most innocent victims in all of this.


    "I forgot everything from back then. I even forgot Adam. In my memories, Elijah and Noah were orphans whom Sheldon and I brought back to be raised alongside Marcus to be trained as his most loyal men.


    "But in truth, it was Adam who saved the Holden family at the most critical moment. And yet, I don''t even remember what happened to him. I don''t remember where he went."


    His voice broke as he spoke, and Marcus stepped forward, handing him a tissue. "Grandpa, this isn''t your fault. Don''t me yourself." His own voice was hoarse, the weight of everything pressing down on him.


    "Marcus, this was my failure. I failed to discipline Cassie. I allowed her to grow into a monster capable of such unforgivable acts. I will have her captured immediately. I will make this right for you and Laura."


    He reached for his phone, but before he could dial, Marcus ced a hand over his.


    "Cassie has already left Dithoria."


    The moment Marcus had suspected her, he had sent Ethan to track her down. But


    by the time Ethan arrived, Cassie had already left the city days ago. Her whereabouts were unknown.


    "Let''s wait for now. Lucy is already on her way back."


    Marcus helped Charles onto the couch. "Drink some more tea. Hector prepared this in advance. Drink it. Calm yourself.


    "Even though your heart is fine now, Nat said you still can''t afford to get too emotional."


    Having regained hisposure, Marcusforted Charles with a steady voice. Slowly, Charles'' breathing evened out, and he eventually settled down.


    "Marcus, we need to find Elijah and Noah''s father. If not for him, the Holden family might not have survived."


    He gripped Marcus'' hand. "Elijah and Noah''s father-his name was Adam Harris. He arrived just in time and stopped Cassie.


    "I don''t know if he struck some kind of deal with her, or if he used some means to threaten her, but he saved us. We must find him and repay his kindness."


    Adam had taken it upon himself to handle everything, choosing a path that was best for everyone. Not only that, but he had left both of his sons behind to serve Marcus.


    Over the years, Elijah and Noah had remained fiercely loyal to him-so much so that even Charles, as the head of the family, could notmand them. They only listened to Marcus.


    Thinking back, it was likely that Adam instilled that loyalty in them from the very beginning, ensuring they would dedicate their lives to serving the Holden heir, Marcus.


    "Yes, Grandpa. I will find Adam." Marcus agreed without hesitation. "For now, I''ll have Noah switch ces with Sheldon."


    "Very Sheldon here. My memory alone may not be entirebet


    urate. We need him to rega


    his


    memories too and verify everything."


    "Understood."


    Marcus took out his phone and sent a message to Noah. Shortly after, Sheldon arrived.


    "Hector, I''ll need to trouble you again."


    Hector nodded. "No worries. We''re family. Sheldon, let''s get ready and begin the process."


    "Alright." Sheldon didn''t hesitate. His loyalty to the Holden family and Marcus was absolute.


    In truth, he was relieved. He had always feared that one day his loyalty would be questioned. Now that there was a way to restore his memories and prove himself, he weed it.


    "Hector, I''ll go check on Laura. I''ll leave this to you."


    Marcus now understood the truth behin Charles'' memories. As for Sheldon, he


    no longer needed to stay and dig into everyst detail.


    Hector stood firmly on their side. Marcus knew that much, and that was enough for him.


    Stepping outside, Marcus realized that night had already fallen. The hypnosis had taken hours.


    Just then, his phone rang.


    ncing at the screen, he saw it was Ethan.


    He swiped to answer it. "Ethan."


    "Mr. Holden, Lucy has been brought back. She just arrived at Dithoria Airport.


    Should I take her straight to Amberton?"


    Ethan''s voice was calm and professional. "She tried to run during transport. As


    per your orders, I sedated her for the journey."


    "I''ll send you the location. Bring her directly to me."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Marcus ended the call. Lucy had


    been found, along with her assistant, Julie, as well as the postpartum centre staff member and the


    Critionist involved.


    Flipping through his contacts, Marcus found Jessy''s number on his blocked list.


    As he raised his hand slightly, one of his bodyguards immediately stepped out of


    the shadows.


    "Mr. Holden."


    "Give me your phone."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    The bodyguard handed it over without question. Marcus took the phone and


    dialed Jessy''s number.


    It rang only once before it was answered.


    "Hello, who''s this?"


    "Jessy Maine, has Cassie contacted you?"


    The voice on the other end made Jessy freeze. "Mr. Holden?" She recognized


    Marcus'' voice instantly, and shock rippled through her.


    "Mr. Holden, is it really you?" Her voice trembled with excitement. "Are you calling


    me because you''ve finally forgiven me?"

 Chapter 466 Cassies Disappearance

    Jessy never thought she''d get a call from Marcus again in her lifetime. For a moment, she was so overwhelmed that she could hardly form a sentence.


    "Jessy, let me ask you something. Has Cassie contacted you or told you to do anything?" Marcus'' deep, maic voice wasced with ice. "I don''t have time for your nonsense. You''d better answer me right now."


    The excitement that had surged in Jessy''s chest instantly turned ice cold. Her thrill barelysted three seconds before reality came crashing down.


    "I..." She felt a mix of sadness and fear at the coldness in his voice. "Cassie hasn''t contacted me. Ever since I messed things up in Balford and got punished by her, she never spoke to me again."


    Jessy had never liked Cassie, but she had relied on her to get close to the Holden family and even marry Marcus. As such, she had no choice but to obey Cassie at every turn, trying to please her.


    After failing the mission in Balford, where she was supposed to help treat Charles, she lost the opportunity to be in Cassie''s inner circle.


    Just as she was about to say more, the call ended. She felt dejected as she listened to the empty beeping tone.


    It was obvious that Marcus'' rtionship with Cassie was just as bad as ever.


    Jessy started thinking. If Marcus was looking for Cassie, maybe she could gain some favor with him by providing useful information.


    With that in mind, she immediately picked up her phone and started reaching out to her contacts.


    But after asking around, she came up empty. No one had any idea where Cassie had gone. The only thing people knew was that she had left Dithoria City a couple of days ago.


    There were no flight records under her name, and her car hadn''t left the city either. Yet somehow, she had vanished without a trace.


    "This is so weird," Jessy muttered to herself. "A person doesn''t just disappear into thin air!"


    "I need to dig deeper." Determined, she picked up her phone again and continued making calls.


    The next morning, Ethan arrived early at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary in Amberton, bringing along a still-unconscious Lucy.


    Marcus and Natalie were having breakfast, casually discussing their next steps over the meal.


    Seeing Ethan rush in, looking exhausted from travel, Marcus gestured for him to sit. "Ethan, have a seat and take your breakfast.


    "Noah, have the cook prepare another serving of breakfast."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Ethan sat down while Lucy remained slumped in a chair, still unconscious.


    Marcus stood, walked over, and poured a ss of cold water. He dumped it directly onto her face without hesitation.


    The icy shock jolted Lucy awake. During the trip, she had barely been conscious. Every time she woke up and tried to resist, Ethan had force-fed her water spiked with sleeping pills. She never had a chance to think or escape.


    Now, as the freezing water dripped down her face, she finally started to regain her senses. As soon as she saw the person standing in front of her, her expression changed instantly.


    "Elijah, Noah,e here," Marcus said calmly.


    He continued slowly and deliberately. "This is none other than the renowned Dr. Maine from back then, the very person who drugged your father, causing his disappearance, and driving your mother away."


    Elijah strode forward, narrowing his eyes at Lucy. "Damn. It''s you, bitch."


    Lucy blinked and was confused. What the hell? Why was he insulting her the moment he saw her?


    "You disgusting woman. You can''t


    survive without a man, huh?" Elijah had spent all night listening to the details of what had happened back then. His heart ached for his parents, and now, seeing the womano responsible for drugging his father, he wanted nothing more than to rip her apart.


    "You''re ugly as hell. No wonder no decent man wanted you. You had to resort to drugging people, huh? When your parents had you, did they identally throw out the baby and keep the centa instead?"


    Noah didn''t say anything, but his expression was just as dark.


    "Noah, find out where Cassie is."


    Marcus turned away, casually returning to his seat and continuing his breakfast.


    "Elijah, let me take her." Noah finally spoke, his cold eyes locked on Lucy. "I''ll make her talk."


    "Alright," Elijah agreed. He grabbed Lucy by the hair and started dragging her out.


    "Ow, ow, ow-it hurts! Let go! I''ll walk! I''ll walk!" Lucy screamed in pain, wing at Elijah''s hand. In the next second, he yanked harder, making her let out a blood- curdling shriek.


    "Shut up," Elijah snapped, ring at her. "Stop screaming."


    "It hurts! Let go! I''ll walk on my own!" Lucy whimpered, reaching up to pry his fingers off. "Please just let me walk!"


    Elijah suddenly released his grip, and she copsed onto the floor.


    "You... You''re Marcus Holden." Her eyes darted toward the man sitting at the table, and an overwhelming wave of fear surged through She had spent years worrying about this exact moment, and now it had finallye.


    "Dr. Maine, you have a good eye," Marcus said casually. "You helped deliver me back then, and after more than 20 years, you still recognized me at a nce."


    He set down his fork and fixed her with a piercing gaze. "You were so ''attentive'' to my mother back then. I suppose I should thank you properly."


    "Mr. Holden... I''m sorry, I''m so sorry." Lucy fell to her knees, frantically prostrating on the floor. "I had no choice! It was Cassie who forced me!


    "She was the one who drugged Adam. She was also the one who took him to that hotel. I only posed as Abigail. I never did anything to hurt Mrs. Holden!"


    "Dr. Maine, you can


    save those


    excuses for my mother," Marcus said, lifting his coffee cup and taking a slow sip. "You must have missed her all these years. My mother is still alive. That must be such a disappointment for you and Cassie."


    Lucy''s face turned pale. "Mr. Holden, I''m sorry, I really am! I wronged Adam, but I swear I never harmed Mrs. Holden!"


    She kept prostrating, her forehead hitting the ground over and over. She was willing to admit to what she had done to Adam, but she didn''t dare confess to anything involving Laura.


    For years, she had kept tabs on the Holden family, so she knew exactly what kind


    of man Marcus had be ruthless, decisive, and utterly merciless.


    She had distanced herself from Cassie precisely because she was terrified that the past would catch up to her one day.


    "And now, with Cassie missing and my mother having suffered for years, how should I make things right for my mother, Dr. Maine?"


    Marcus set down his coffee cup and stared at her with chilling intensity.

 Chapter 467 Waited for 20 Years

    Lucy didn''t dare meet Marcus'' gaze. She kneeled on the floor, her eyes red and swollen.


    "Mr. Holden, I had no choice back then. Cassie''s the eldest daughter of the Holden family. She was powerful, well-connected, and secretly gathering her forces. If I didn''t obey her, she would have had me killed."


    Tears streamed down Lucy''s face as she pleaded, "But I swear that I never poisoned your mother. That was done by a rogue sorceress. I don''t know her name, but I remember Cassie showing her great respect.


    "Mr. Holden, the Maine family is nothingpared to the Holden family. We don''t have the status or power to resist. If I didn''tply, my entire family would have suffered for it.


    "And... I never even liked Adam. It was Cassie who orchestrated everything to control me, forcing me and Adam together."


    "Lucy, think carefully before you answer." Marcus lifted his gaze slightly, his icy stare piercing through her.


    "Does what you just said match what you said earlier?"


    There was disgust in Marcus'' eyes as he said, "Noah, take her away. If you can''t get the answers, don''t bothering back."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden." Noah grabbed Lucy by the hair and dragged her out without hesitation.


    Natalie put down her fork. "I''m done eating."


    "Nat, do you think I was too cruel?" Marcus turned to her. Earlier, he had held back as much as possible in front of Lucy, keeping his ruthless nature in check. He had even spoken rtively politely.


    But he was worried that Natalie would be afraid of him.


    Natalie smiled. "Was that cruel? Then I guess you aren''t as ruthless as people say."


    "Hmm?" Marcus was surprised for a moment, then chuckled softly. The unease in his heart dissipated.


    "Come on, let''s go see Laura. Since Lucy is here, Laura should get a chance to see her."


    "Alright."


    Marcus and Natalie left the inn''s dining area.


    Laura was still staying in the medical room, and Natalie stayed with her at night. But in the mornings, she came to the inn for breakfast.


    When they arrived, Laura had already freshened up. She looked much better, and there was now even warmth in her smile.


    Federrick had mentioned that she couldn''t be exposed to sunlight yet, but herplexion was no longer deathly pale. He also said that her skin would regain a healthy, rosy glow with a little more time.


    Laura felt genuinely happy, and it showed in her expression-so much so that she could hardly contain it.


    When she saw Natalie and Marcus enter, she beamed and waved them over. "Marcus, Nat,e here!"


    She was brimming with joy. Last night, while Federrick was performing acupuncture on her and letting Natalie observe, they had chatted for a long time.


    Afterward, she felt immensely grateful to be alive. All those past grudges and regrets didn''t seem as important anymore.


    From now on, she wanted to live each day happily with her son and future daughter-inw by her side.


    She had no ns to return to Holden Residence. She loved The Herbalist''s Sanctuary and wanted to stay, helping Federrick cultivate medicinal herbs.


    She hadn''t seen Wesley yet. After that long nightmare, she found it impossible to face him. Even though he had never loved Cassie, the thought of Cassie drugging him and trying to force herself on him...


    It made her feel sick.


    "Mom, Lucy has been brought back," Marcus said in a low voice as he stepped forward. "But Cassie has disappeared. I have people searching for her."


    Laura''s expression didn''t change, She remained warm and kind as she said, "Marcus, all I want is for you to be happy. No matter what happens, always put your safety first. Never let yourself fall into danger.


    §Ö§ä


    "Mom... don''t you feel anger, resentment, or bitterness?" Marcus sat by her bed, gazing deeply into her eyes. "All these years, we were separated. You endured excruciating pain day after day until despair consumed you."


    "And I... I grew up with Grandpa, envying other children who had parents. I


    resented you both for ''going on a trip'' and leaving me behind.


    "Mom, now that Lucy is here, do you want to see her?"


    Laura was silent for a long time. Finally, she exhaled a heavy breath and said, "I''ll see her."


    She added, "Marcus, of course, I have resentment in my heart. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have stayed away from your father all this time."


    As she spoke, her eyes turned red. "Perhaps your father did nothing wrong-but I can''t face him the way I used to. After Cassie drugged him, I don''t even know if anything happened between them.


    "Once doubt takes root in a person''s heart, there''s no way to feel at ease again. Dark, terrifying thoughts swirl endlessly, getting worse and worse.


    "Marcus, will you understand if I divorce your father?"


    Marcus nodded without hesitation. "I understand and support youpletely. I can take care of you. I''ll make sure you livefortably and peacefully for the rest of your life."


    Tears welled up in Laura''s eyes and spilled over before she could stop them. "Thank you... Thank you, my precious child."


    Marcus leaned in and wrapped his arms around Laura as she wept.


    She had suffered so much because of Wesley. If she hadn''t married him, she might never have endured 20 years of agony from the venomous poison. Perhaps she would have met a kind, loving man, had a happy marriage, raised wonderful children, and lived a peaceful, fulfilling life.


    But now, the poison was finally gone. She could embrace her son without fear.


    For the first time in their lives, they shared a real, meaningful hug¡ªone she had waited 20 years for. 20 long years.


    If she hadn''t met Natalie and Federrick, she might have died without ever seeing Marcus again and would never have had this embrace.


    "Marcus, my sweet child... thank you... thank you."


    She sobbed uncontrobly, overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude.


    "Oh, right. Mr. Langton said I can use a phone now. Can you get me one? I want


    to video call Nat''s mother."


    She released Marcus as she wiped


    her tears. "I kept the truth from Charlotte for so long. Looking back, that was wrong of me. The Walker family has strong connections in the medical world. If I had told her


    sooner, maybe I could have been saved earlier.


    "And Nat is Charlotte''s daughter. In a way... haven''t I just taken the longest, most roundabout path to get here?"


    Natalie said with a gentle smile, "Laura, I only returned to the Walker residence this year. If I had grown up there, I probably wouldn''t have been able to cure you."

 Chapter 468 Shares for Marcus and Money for Natalie

    Laura was slightly stunned. Before she could think further, Natalie continued, "Laura, your thoughts were unclear before, and many of your memories were jumbled.


    "We''ve exined things to you, but you couldn''t remember them. That was a side effect of the poison being removed from your body. Over time, it will get better. From now on, whatever we tell you, you won''t forget or mix up anymore."


    Laura slowly nodded. "So that''s how it is."


    "My parents mistook Emma Meloney for their daughter previously. She''s actually the biological daughter of Cindy, the housekeeper of the Walker family. As for me, I was taken in by the Langley family in Amberton. Their real daughter, Selena Langley, was kidnapped and sold."


    Natalie patiently exined the situation to Laura.


    "The Langley family found their biological daughter first. Then, Victor uploaded my information to a family searchwork. That''s how the Walker family discovered


    me.


    "The one originally engaged to Marcus was Emma. Later, she tried to drug him, so he used it as an excuse to break off the engagement. And of course, he also broke off my engagement to him."


    Marcus cleared his throat and quickly reached out to tug Natalie''s hand. Every time this incident was brought up, he felt like he was digging his own grave.


    Natalie smiled. "Don''t you want to admit it?"


    Laura turned to Marcus. "Marcus, why did you call off the engagement with Nat?"


    "At the time, I was drunk, and then you called me, Mom. Your tone and words were harsh, and I got angry and lost my rationality." Marcus smiled bitterly. "But honestly, breaking off the engagement wasn''t an impulsive decision.


    "I had never met Nat before, and we had no feelings for each other. Two strangers being forced together just because of a parental arrangement-it wasn''t fair to me, and it wasn''t fair to her either.


    "Calling off the engagement was my way of starting over with her. And as it turns out, our rtionship is much better now than it would have been otherwise."


    As he spoke, heced his fingers with Natalie''s. "See, Mom? Now we actually look like a normal couple in love."


    Laura studied both of them carefully. Something felt off, but Marcus'' expression was serious and sincere. There was no trace of deceit.


    She then turned to Natalie, who was smiling gently and made no effort to contradict Marcus'' words.


    "As long as you''re happy, that''s all that matters." Laura smiled. She looked at their intertwined hands-young lovers in the throes of passion, not even bothering to be reserved in front of her.


    Still, she was very happy for them.


    "Laura, I''ll be the one performing acupuncture on you today. Has Connie already prepared your medicine?"


    After chatting for a while, it was time to continue the treatment.


    Laura nodded. "Connie made it early this morning. She said I have to take it at a specific time, which should be soon. She''s been working hard."


    "It''s fine. I pay her well."


    Natalie pulled her hand from Marcus'' and went to retrieve her silver needle kit. She then called for Connie to bring the medicine in.


    Once Laura finished drinking the medicine, Natalie had Marcus wash his hands and assist her.


    Though admittedly, it was not like she really needed assistance since Laura was so cooperative that there was no need to worry about anything.


    The silver needles were inserted one by one. Laura didn''t even flinch, and the atmosphere remained solemn and silent. When the final needle was in ce, Natalie lifted her gaze.


    "Laura, how do you feel?"


    Laura nodded. "I feel great. I''ve never felt this light before. Nat, thank you."


    "You''re most wee."


    "Oh, right. Marcus, since Natalie took me in as her patient, apart from the agreed- uponpensation, I want you to give her some extra.


    "When I married your father, your


    grandfather gave me some shares in thepany. Over the years, I''ve never used any of the dividends. n togive them all to Natalie and transfer the shares to you. What do you think?"


    As she spoke, she turned to Natalie. "Nat, I''m nning to give Marcus the shares


    so he can have a stronger position in Holden Group. Do you think that''s okay?"


    "Laura, that''s your property. You can give it to whoever you want. You don''t need my approval."


    Natalie chuckled. "But if you want to pay me more, I''ll dly ept it.


    "Mr. Langton has been involved in charity work for years. I''ve taken over Goodwill Pharmacy, as well as many of his connections and businesses. That also means I''ve taken on the responsibility of


    supporting the children he was helping.


    "So, I''ll donate all the money under your name to our charity to help those kids. Laura, once you''ve fully recovered, would you be interested in doing some charity work?"


    "Me?" Laura hesitated. "I''ve been out of touch with society for too long."


    "Laura, I believe in you. And I want you to believe in yourself."


    "Exactly, Mom. Nat believes in you, and so do I." Marcus chimed in. "If you want to divorce Dad, we''ll both support you. After the divorce, having something to do will help keep your mind upied.


    "I''ll assign people to protect you at all times, and I will find Cassie. I won''t let her hurt you again.


    "Mom, you''ve been searching for a cure and hiding from the world all these years.


    It''s time for you to see what you''ve missed and experience the things you haven''t had a chance to."


    "Yeah, Laura. Just think of it as helping me, okay?"


    Laura looked at Marcus, then at Natalie, and finally nodded. "Alright. Once I''m better, I''ll help with the charity."


    "Great."


    The three of them continued talking. As time passed, Natalie carefully removed the silver needles, storing them properly.


    Laura had be much more talkative after she felt better. She had missed out on so much, and she had spent years yearning for Marcus. Now that she could finally be with him without worry, she had so much to say.


    "Marcus, stay and chat with me for a while before going to work." Laura stared at him. "You look like both me and your father. Your grandfather educated you well all these years, but it must have been tough for you."


    "Mom, it wasn''t tough." Marcus used to think he had suffered. But after learning about the unimaginable pain Laura had endured, his hardships didn''t seem like much at all.


    "I wasn''t there for you before. Even if you were hurt or upset, you couldn''t tell me. But now, things are different. You can tell me anything."


    Laura held his hand. "I may not be able to do much, but I can give you a hug and offer youforting words. And if needed, I can be a shrew and curse out anyone who mistreats you.


    "But I need to make one thing clear in advance." Laura suddenly looked hesitant. "If Nat ever bullies you, don''te crying to me."


    She shuddered slightly. "Tell her that she can''t hit me anymore after hitting you." Marcus was rendered speechless.

 Chapter 469 Revenge

    Marcus stayed with Laura for a long while before finally getting up to leave. "Mom, I''ll have Elijah send your phone over. I''ve saved Mrs. Walker''s contact information in it for you. You should have a good talk with her."


    "Alright." Laura smiled warmly and lovingly. "Marcus, treat Nat well. Don''t bully her."


    "I know, Mom."


    Marcus nced toward the inner section of the pharmacy, where Natalie was still preparing medicine. His gaze softened subconsciously.


    Sensing his eyes on her, Natalie looked up, and their eyes met from across the room. Both of them smiled at the same time, a warmth spreading in the air between them.


    Laura quietly observed this, and her lips curled into a gentle smile. She was d that the engagement she and Charlotte had arranged had finallye to fruition.


    After Laura went to rest, Marcus and Natalie left the pharmacy.


    "Let me show you around!" Natalie took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh herbal scent. "After Mr. Langton took me in, I spent almost half my time here. Many of the flowers, trees, and nts were nted by me. Do you want to see them?"


    "Of course!"


    "Let''s go."


    The Herbalist''s Sanctuary was vast and had an elegantyout. The fields of medicinal herbs stretched endlessly, disying a variety of colors and shapes, a true spectacle of flourishing beauty. The air was thick with the scent of herbs, invigorating with just a single breath.


    Natalie held a deep affection for this ce. As they walked, she chatted with Marcus. "When I was little, the Langley family took me for blood extractions. One time, I fainted outside. Mr. Langton found me, took me in, and cursed out everyone who had drawn my blood.


    "He bathed me in medicinal baths, prepared herbal broths, and treated me with acupuncture. It took a long time to restore my health.


    "When he found out I was from the Langley family, he didn''t want me to go back. He wanted me to stay with him. But back then, I was foolish.


    "I thought Grace truly cared for me. I couldn''t bear to let her down, and I didn''t want to leave my only family member. So, I chose to return.


    "Mr. Langton called me an idiot, but he still prepared many life-saving remedies for me. Even though I was taken to donate blood many times over the years, I always took the pills he gave me beforehand.


    "After every transfusion, he would carefully nurse me back to health¡ªwhile cursing me for being stupid, of course. He loved me so much. No matter what I do, I can never repay his kindness.


    "Look, this is the first nt I nted after Mr. Langton brought me to The Herbalist''s Sanctuary."


    Natalie tugged Marcus forward. Ahead of them stood a ss greenhouse filled with flowers he had never seen before.


    At its centre was arge vine-like nt. Its thick branches prated through the greenhouse, sprawling across the rear half of the ss while the front was neatly pruned into a refined shape.


    "What kind of nt is this?" Marcus asked curiously. "How big was it when you first nted it?"


    Natalie gestured with her hands. "This big. It''s called Evervine."


    She led him inside. "Its flowers can be used to treat diarrhea and abdominal pain, while the leaves have pain-relieving properties. But the root is highly toxic.


    "There are caretakers assigned to look after it. Since I nted it, Mr. Langton carved my name into the stem and ordered that no one neglect it."


    She brushed aside a few leaves, revealing the carved letters that spelled Natalie''s name.


    "How did Mr. Langton know you weren''t actually a Langley?" Marcus reached out, tracing the carved name. "The engraving is so precise. He must have put a lot of care into it."


    "He didn''t know. He was just furious at how the Langley family treated me and refused to inscribe myst name. Looking back, it feels like fate was guiding things all along."


    Natalie spoke softly. "A lucky mistake?"


    Marcus chuckled. "Yeah."


    "Nat, I''m so d Mr. Langton found you when you were little."


    He couldn''t imagine what might have happened if she hadn''t been taken in. Whether or not she would have even survived under the Langley family''s cruelty remained to be seen.


    "Me too. I''m incredibly grateful. Mr. Langton gave me a second chance at life." Marcus withdrew his hand. "Nat, let me hold you."


    "Okay!" She smiled and leaned into his embrace. Ever since they got together, she had stopped holding back.


    He had a faint scent of gardenias on him, her favorite fragrance.


    In the quiet greenhouse, they stood there, holding each other, watching the Evervine stand tall under the warm sunlight.


    Inside a guesthouse at The


    Herbalist''s Sanctuary, Lucy was brought into Noah''s room. Charles, who had just recovered his lost memories after hypnosis, was also there with Sheldon. ''


    Wesley was still undergoing hypnosis. Once his memories returned, he would likely go straight to see Laura.


    Lucy kneeled before Noah, her lips tightly pressed together. She had been kneeling for hours, refusing to speak.


    "Lucy, you still won''t talk, will you?" Noah sat before her. "I''m giving you a chance


    to confess willingly. If you wait until I use force, you''ll regret it."


    "Noah, why waste words on her? Let me handle this." Elijah stepped forward, holding a cup of water.


    "Once she drinks this, she''ll spill everything."


    "Alright, go ahead."


    Noah stepped aside. Elijah grabbed Lucy''s jaw, forced her mouth open, and poured the liquid down her throat. "Since you wouldn''t ept kindness, enjoy the consequences instead.


    "Oh, and by the way, this is the same poison that Cassie used on Mrs. Holden."


    Elijah sneered viciously. "Mrs. Holden suffered for so many years, and it''s finally your turn now."


    "W-What?" Lucy''s eyes widened in horror. "What did you make me drink?"


    She screamed frantically, "I didn''t poison Laura! Why are you doing this to me?


    Why?"


    "You didn''t? Then tell us where


    Cassie is! You already admitted to


    drugging my father and


    impersonating my mother. This isn''t about Mr. Holden''s orders-it''s my personal revenge." ''


    Elijah pped Lucy across the face. "You destroyed our family and left it in


    shambles. This is what you deserve, you wretched woman!"

 Chapter 470 Took Her Own Life After Leaving a Suicide Note

    Elijah''s pnded hard. The moment it struck, Lucy''s cheek swelled up instantly.


    Though she had been living abroad for years, she had always enjoyed a life of luxury. Her face was the most well-maintained part of her body.


    Elijah''s p made her let out a piercing scream.


    "Shut the fuck up." Elijah sneered, still fuming with anger. Without hesitation, he struck her again. Now, both sides of her face were evenly swollen.


    "Lucy, what exactly did you do to ruin my father back then?"


    Elijah''s chest tightened with fury as he thought about the cruel scheme Lucy and Cassie had orchestrated. Because of them, he and Noah had spent years growing up without their parents. The very thought of it made his heart ache.


    "Elijah, stop wasting time with useless questions." Noah stepped forward. "Step outside. I''ll handle this."


    "Noah, I''m mad," Elijah admitted. A man as rugged and tough as he was, who had always been quick with harsh words, now found himself at a loss for them. Looking at Lucy, he had no desire to scold her and only wanted to beat her to death.


    He growled, "Let me have a go at her!"


    "Get out." Noah''s voice turned cold as he shot Elijah a re.


    Elijah had no choice but to nod. "Fine."


    "Noah, if you need someone to do the hitting, just call me."


    "I will."


    Elijah left the room, and Noah turned on the television. Connecting it to his phone, he began casting a video onto the screen.


    The footage showed Natalie treating Laura, revealing the horrifying substances Laura had vomited out during the process.


    Noah''s expression remained impassive as he spoke. "What Elijah made you drink just now is the very same thing Mrs. Holden threw up.


    "Lucy, if you have any sense, you''ll start talking. You should know better than anyone what this stuff is. You probably don''t care now since you''ve lived a good life long enough. But what about Jessy?"


    Noah wasn''t one to resort to violence like Elijah. But he knew how to strike where it hurt.


    Someone like Lucy, who had spent her life infort, would not be shaken by mere beatings or insults.


    But what if the person she cared about the most had to suffer through the same tormenting poison?


    "I doubt you''d want Jessy to go through this kind of pain."


    Noah''s voice was slow and deliberate. "Others might think Jessy is your niece, but


    in truth, she''s your daughter, isn''t she?


    "Cassie left Jessy in Dithoria City not to take care of her but to use her as leverage to control you. Am I wrong?


    "Lucy, you''re not young anymore. You''ve had your time and enjoyed everything life has to offer. Whether you live or die probably doesn''t matter much to you now. But tell me why should Mrs. Holden suffer all these years while you get to meet a peaceful end?


    "The poison in Mrs. Holden''s body isn''t fatal, but it''s a slow, endless torture,sting for decades." Noah''s eyes gleamed darkly. "Jessy is even younger than Mrs. Holden was back then. Isn''t it only fair that she carries your debt?"


    "Don''t you dare! Jessy knows nothing about any of this! She''s innocent, so leave her out of this!"


    Lucy panicked. "And she isn''t my daughter. You''re mistaken!"


    "Mistaken? If she''s not your daughter, then what Mr. Holden has prepared for her


    to eat, drink, and use has nothing to do with you, does it?"


    Noah smirked. "I''ll give you one chance, Lucy. Think carefully about whether you''re going to spill it."


    With that, he yed another video on his phone.


    These recordings had been sent to Marcus by Natalie. She had recorded everything while treating Laura so Marcus could see. Later she had deleted some to protect Laura''s privacy, keeping only the crucial footage.


    Now, as the images flickered on the screen, Lucy''s face drained of color.


    "Lucy, think it through. I''m giving you exactly five minutes." Noah sat by the window, pushing it open as his deep gaze drifted outside.


    "Don''t hurt Jessy." Lucy fell to her knees, her entire body trembling. She mumbled under her breath.


    "Don''t hurt Jessy. I''ll tell you everything I know, as long as you swear not to touch her."


    Tears started streaming down her face uncontrobly. "Jessy knows nothing. She''s done nothing wrong. Please, please tell Marcus not to harm her.


    "I''ll take the poison Laura had in her body if that''s what it takes." Her voice was hoarse. "But this has nothing to do with Jessy. Promise me you won''t touch her, and I''ll tell you everything."


    Lucy lifted her head to look at Noah. "I can''t say it out loud-give me a pen and paper, and I''ll write it down."


    "Fine." Noah got up, retrieved a pen and paper, and tossed them in front of her. "Lucy, you let down my parents, my brother, and me.


    "Not to mention the Holden family, who paid you handsomely to work for them. Mrs. Holden never did anything to you, yet you chose to be Cassie''s aplice. Do you think Cassie would have spared end?


    you in the


    MS


    "You''d do better to consider your options. Perhaps, with Mrs. Holden, you might


    still have a sliver of hope to survive."


    Noah left the room after throwing down those words, delivering both threat and persuasion.


    Elijah was waiting outside. The moment he saw Noah step out, he immediately asked, "Noah, did that crazy woman spill it?"


    "She said she''d write it down. I gave her a pen and paper." Noah let out a slow breath. "Elijah, where do you think our father is now? And where did Mom go after they were separated?"


    Elijah shook his head. "I don''t know. I may be older than you, but I barely remember anything from our childhood.


    "If Dad told us to serve Mr. Holden and gave us the identities of orphans, he must have had his reasons. All we need to do is follow the path he set for us. Besides, has Mr. Holden ever mistreated us?"


    Noah shook his head. "No. Mr. Holden has always been good to us. That''s why you get away with having such a sharp tongue. You insult people as you please, but you''ve never been punished."


    Elijahughed. "Exactly! As long as Mr. Holden and Mr. Holden Senior treat us well, what does it matter who we work for? We''re just doing our duty, and working for Mr. Holden


    is a thousand times better than


    being just any ordinary staff member!"


    Noah was left speechless.


    "Noah, you don''t disagree, do you?"


    "You''re right. You''re always right." Noah didn''t want to argue. His mind was preupied with whether or not Lucy would reveal anything about their parents.


    "I''m going back in." Noah turned and pushed the door open, striding into the


    room.


    But before he could even reach Lucy, his eyes widened in shock.


    Right in front of him, on the table,y a sheet of paper with only a few words scrawled across it.


    Lucy had stabbed a dagger into her own chest. Blood pooled around her body, and she was no longer breathing.


    He stepped forward, and his gazended on the paper. The title read "Will", with


    the word "Suicide" clearly written on it.


    "Elijah, Lucy is dead."

 Chapter 471 Send the Body Back to the Maine Family

    "Elijah, Lucy''s dead. She killed herself," Noah said, his voice trembling as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. "I messed up what Mr. Holden asked me to do."


    Elijah rushed into the room and saw Lucy''s lifeless body on the floor. Then, he pulled Noah behind him, shielding him. He said firmly, "This is on me, not you. I''ll exin it to Mr. Holden. Noah, don''t be afraid."


    Noah closed his eyes for a moment. After calming himself down, he replied, "Elijah, I''m not scared. I messed up, and I won''t let you take the me for me. I''m not afraid of Mr. Holden''s punishment, so call him."


    He had only panicked for a brief moment when he first saw Lucy''s body, but he quickly regained hisposure. "I won''t touch the scene and just get Mr. Holden. Lucy left a suicide note, and whatever''s in it must be important."


    "Noah¡ª" Elijah started, but Noah cut him off.


    "Go," Noah insisted, his tone firm. "Elijah, we have to take responsibility. Don''t put me in a position of disloyalty."


    Elijah clenched his jaw and walked out.


    ...


    Marcus and Natalie arrived about 20 minutester. Upon seeing them, Noah immediately stepped forward to take the me, his eyes red.


    He said, "Mr. Holden, I''ve failed you. Please punish me. I shouldn''t have left her alone. I gave her the chance to kill herself."


    Marcus nced at him but did not respond immediately. He walked over and picked up the suicide note. It was short, with only a few lines written.


    "I''m sorry. I was wrong. I''ll take my own life to atone for my sins and ensure no one else is burdened by my actions. Suicide is my only choice and my only way out.


    "When I''m gone, please send my body back to the Maine family and let them handle my funeral. Perhaps those who attend will bring you unexpected answers. Signed, Lucy Maine."


    "Mr. Holden, please punish me," Noah repeated, his head still hung low, unable to meet Marcus'' eyes.


    "There''s nothing to punish you for," Marcus simply said. "Contact the Maine family and have Lucy''s body sent back. Noah, I''m leaving this task to you again."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Noah replied, his voice trembling but respectful.


    "Noah, I don''t want any more mistakes this time," Marcus added sternly.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden. I understand," Noah said, nodding.


    Natalie, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "If Lucy chose to kill herself, she probably knew from the start that she couldn''t escape. Even if she hadn''t done it, Cassie would never have let her go."


    Her tone was cold and matter-of-fact as she added, "She would''ve found a way to end her life eventually, unless someone watched her every second."


    "Ms. Walker," Elijah said gratefully, stepping forward. "Thank you." He had been worried Marcus would me Noah.


    "Marcus isn''t unreasonable," Natalie said, ncing at Marcus. "You''ve all grown up together. He has no reason to distrust you and believe someone who hurt Laura."


    She turned to Marcus. "Right, Marcus?"


    Marcus nodded. "Yes."


    Natalie continued, "So, Noah, don''t me yourself for Lucy''s suicide. Even if she hadn''t died, we wouldn''t have gotten anything useful out of her."


    Noah finally felt the weight on his chest ease a little. "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    "Go handle it," Marcus replied, rubbing his temples. He motioned for Natalie to follow him, and they left Noah''s room.


    Natalie chose a quiet path and led Marcus on a walk. She remarked thoughtfully, "Even if Lucy hadn''t killed herself, she wouldn''t have talked. Her suicide note, though, gave us a clue. Her funeral might bring some people out of the shadows."


    "Exactly," Marcus agreed, ncing at her. They both knew what the other was thinking.


    "Besides Lucy, has Ethan found anything on the others?" Natalie asked.


    "Lucy''s assistant, Julie, vanished after leaving Holden Residence years ago," Marcus exined. "Ethan''s still looking, but it''s like she disappeared into thin air. There''s no trace of her."


    "That''s why Lucy said her funeral should be handled by the Maine family and told us to watch for those who show up," Natalie said, stopping in her tracks.


    "Do you have a photo of Julie?" she asked suddenly.


    "No, why?" Marcus replied, raising an eyebrow.


    Natalie frowned. "I just remembered something. When I was little, I overheard Mrs. Langley Senior on the phone mentioning a brother, But it was so long ago, and I was young. I''m not sure if I heard it rightor if I''m remembering it correctly."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior had a brother?" Marcus immediately pulled out his phone


    and called Charles. "She''s my grandfather''s god-sister. Maybe he knows something."


    "Good, ask him," Natalie said.


    Marcus got straight to the point when Charles answered. "Grandpa, did Mrs. Langley Senior have a brother?"


    "I''m not sure," Charles replied, his voice heavy with exhaustion. He was getting older, and the recent hypnosis session had drained him. "Marcus, why are you asking this all of a sudden?"


    "It''s just something Nat and I were talking about," Marcus said casually.


    Charles sighed. "Natalie grew up in the Langley family, and Grace always doted


    on her fake as it was. If Grace really had a brother, wouldn''t Natalie know about


    it?"


    "Got it. I''ll ask her," Marcus replied before hanging up.


    "You heard that," Marcus said, turning to Natalie.


    "Yeah, I did," Natalie replied, exhaling slowly. "I grew up in the Langley residence but never met Mrs. Langley Senior''s brother. I only overheard her on the phone with him a few times."


    "She was talking to someone who would asionally address her as his sister and ask her for money and something else," Natalie added, frowning. "Since I never saw him, I can''t be sure if he was her real


    brother or just someone who


    worked for her."


    She paused, then continued, "If he was her real brother, wouldn''t they have


    stayed in touch over the years?"


    Marcus thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Not necessarily."


    "Natalie, do you think the mix-up at the hospital when you were a baby was an ident?" Marcus asked, his tone serious.


    The question caught Natalie off guard. She hade to Amberton not only to treat Laura but also to uncover the truth about the hospital mix-up If it was not an ident, then this matter went deepethan they initially thought, involving more than just a few people.


    "Natalie, I''ll have Ethan keep digging into the people who took care of my mother


    back then," Marcus said.


    "Once Mom''s, Grandpa''s, and Sheldon''s memories align, we''ll have a clearer picture," he added. "But Cassie probably already took care of those people."


    Natalie frowned, deep in thought. "Instead of chasing those people, maybe we should go straight to Cassie."


    "And I think you should talk to Grandpa Charles about this," she suggested. "After all, Cassie is his daughter, your aunt."


    Marcus smirked faintly. "Grandpa''s been exhausted since the hypnosis. I don''t think talking to him now will give us the answers we need."

 Chapter 472 Winning Over Her Heart

    After the hypnosis session, Charles looked like he had aged several years. The spark in his eyes was gone, and he seemed drained. This incident might also create a rift between him and Marcus, so it was understandable why Marcus did not want to confront him right now.


    "What about Wesley?" Natalie asked after a moment of thought. She wanted to know Marcus'' opinion of him. "What do you think of him?"


    Marcus'' expression remained neutral. "A useless man who couldn''t protect his wife and missed out on his child''s life. He''s good for nothing."


    Natalie was speechless. If Wesley had heard that, he would probably have been too heartbroken to eat or sleep for days.


    "Natalie, do you feel sorry for him?" Marcus narrowed his eyes and stopped walking to look at her.


    "Not exactly," Natalie replied, shaking her head. "If anything, I feel sorry for Laura."


    "You''re right, though. If we got married and you turned out like Wesley while I ended up like Laura, I''d call you useless and divorce you without a second thought," she added with a slight smile.


    Marcus said without hesitation, "That would never happen to me. I''m nothing like him."


    "So, when are we getting married?" he asked, changing the subject abruptly. "Wait, what?" Natalie was caught off guard. "You can''t just switch topics like that."


    "Right now, I need to contact the Maine family," Marcus replied, shifting gears again. "We''re sending Lucy''s body back to them, and I want to see how they react."


    Natalie sighed, unable to keep up with his thought process. Right now, her focus was on taking care of Laura. "Fine. I''ll leave you to it. I''m going to check on Laura."


    "Alright," Marcus said, reaching out to take her hand. "Before we part, I want a hug."


    Natalie smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. Marcus pulled her close, holding her tightly against his chest.


    "Natalie, I''m sorry. We just started dating, and you''re already dealing with so much. I feel bad for dragging you into all this," he whispered.


    "Laura is my patient, and it has nothing to do with you. She just so happens to be your mother," Natalie replied, patting his back.


    "Marcus, I''m d I took this case. Otherwise, you''d still be misunderstanding her, and the two of you might never have reunited."


    "Thank you, Natalie," Marcus said sincerely.


    "If you really want to thank me, give me gold. I love gold-lots and lots of it,"


    Natalie said with a yful smile on her face.


    If Marcus insisted on making it up to her, she would prefer gold or money. Besides, money made the world go round, and while it might sound materialistic, it was practical.


    "Deal," Marcus said,ughing. Her words lightened the mood. "How about a house? Or a car? I''ll give you plenty of money and gold."


    "Everything I have is yours, and what''s yours stays yours," he added with a grin.


    "Oh, now you''re just feeding me lines," Natalie teased,ughing. "Marcus, remember what you said. Everything of yours is mine, and mine stays mine."


    "If you ever go back on your word, I''ll make sure you regret it," she joked. "I''m Dr. Elim, after all. I can turn you into an eunuch without anyone noticing. Or better yet, I could stab you a dozen times and make sure not a single wound is fatal."


    Marcus gasped, his legs instinctively tensing. He asked, "Nat, do you have to be so ruthless?"


    "A woman has to be tough to hold her ground," Natalie replied, blinking yfully before bursting intoughter.


    "Rx, I was just kidding. If I were really that ruthless, I wouldn''t have put up with so much in the Langley family all those years," she added.


    "Feeling better now?" she asked, her tone softening.


    Marcus stared at her deeply. So, she had been teasing him to distract him and lift his mood?


    A small smile tugged at his lips, but he sighed, pretending to be hurt. 4 don''t feel better. If anything, I''m


    more scared now. I''ll never dare to


    cross you again."


    "Come on, I was just messing with you," Natalie said, reaching up to ruffle his hair.


    She stood on her tiptoes and kissed the corner of his mouth.


    "I wouldn''t really turn you into an eunuch or stab you a dozen times. You''re my


    lover, not my enemy. Don''t worry," she reassured him.


    Before she could finish, Marcus cupped the back of her head and kissed her deeply, his lips iming hers.


    That one sentence-"You''re my lover, not my enemy"-had struck a chord with him, melting his heart.


    The kiss grew more intense, and Marcus'' breathing became heavier. When they finally pulled apart, Natalie''s cheeks were flushed, and she was slightly out of breath. She yfully punched his chest.


    "Go take care of business," she mumbled.


    "Alright," Marcus replied, his own face tinged red. He kissed her forehead and gently held her fist.


    Since they had started dating, Natalie''s punches had be more like yful taps, never with any real force.


    "Natalie, I''ll go now. Make sure you rest and take care of yourself," Marcus said, reluctantly letting her go.


    "Got it," Natalie replied, waving him off without much hesitation.


    "Come on, you''re a grown man. Don''t get too caught up in romance. Focus on what needs to be done," she lectured him, her tone serious.


    "Once you''ve handled your responsibilities, we can enjoy our time together. So, hurry up and get it done," she added with a smile.


    Marcus could not help but chuckle. He stepped closer and ruffled her hair again. "Alright, I''ll listen to you. I''ll finish this quickly so we can focus on us."


    "Good, now go," Natalie said, shooing him away.


    Marcus pulled back but could not resist kissing her forehead one more time. He repeated, "Rest well and stay safe."


    "I know. You''re so naggy," Natalie whined, pretending to be annoyed. However, Marcus did not mind. He repeated his reminders a few more times before finally turning to leave.


    Natalie watched him go, standing


    still for a moment before heading in


    the opposite direction. Soon, ske took a different path and arrived at the front of the guesthouse.


    Charles'' room had its window open, and the old man stood there, gazing nkly


    at the scenery of the herbal garden.


    Natalie called out from below the window, "Grandpa Charles, do you want to<pe with me to see Laura?"

 Chapter 473 Begging to Leave the Holden Family

    Natalie''s gaze was calm and steady, carrying a quiet strength that seemed to


    pierce through the soul. It took Charles a moment to register her presence after she called out to him.


    "Nattie, you''re here," Charles finally said, his voice soft and weary.


    Natalie nodded gently. "Yes, I''m here to pass on a message from Laura. She wants you toe see her."


    Charles nodded slowly. "Alright, I''ll go see Laura. Give me a moment."


    "Of course," Natalie replied, standing patiently beneath the window.


    Soon, Sheldon appeared, supporting Charles as they walked out to meet her. "Nattie, let''s go," Charles said.


    "Ms. Walker, I''m sorry," Sheldon said, his eyes red and swollen, clearly from recent tears. "It''s my fault for failing to do my job properly all those years ago. I let Ms. Cassie take advantage of the situation and control so many people in the estate."


    "It''s my fault that Mrs. Holden and Mr. Marcus were separated for so long. And it''s my fault that Mrs. Holden suffered all these years," Sheldon continued, his voice breaking as he began to sob. "I''m the one to me. I''m the one who deserves to die!"


    "That''s enough," Charles interrupted, his tone firm but not unkind. "Sheldon, wallowing in guilt won''t change anything. The damage has been done, and no amount of regret can undo it."


    "If you want to apologize, do it to Laura. Don''t burden Natalie with this," Charles added.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior. I understand," Sheldon said, wiping away his tears. After the hypnosis, he had remembered everything, and the weight of his guilt had be unbearable.


    Hector had tried tofort him, saying it was not his fault, but Sheldon could not shake the feeling of responsibility. As the Holden family''s butler, he had failed to protect Laura from Cassie''s cruelty. He, Charles, and Wesley had all been hypnotized, their memories altered, and they had lived in ignorant bliss while Laura suffered.


    Sheldon wished he could have taken Laura''s ce, enduring the torment of Umbrahex instead. Nheless, there was no use dwelling on the what-ifs. "Nattie, how is Laura doing? Is she better?" Charles asked as they walked.


    Natalie nodded. "Laura is doing much better. Mr. Langton returned in time, and since I had been following his instructions on controlling the parasite in Laura''s system, her treatment has been effective.


    "She''s recovering well, so you don''t need to worry," Natalie assured him.


    "How can I not worry?" Charles said, his eyes welling up with tears. "It''s the Holden family''s fault. Cassie is a monster, and when I find her, I''ll make sure Laura gets the justice she deserves."


    "Grandpa Charles, you can say all that to Laura," Natalie said gently.


    Then, she led them to the medical room and paused. "Wait here for a moment. I''ll help Laura get ready."


    Natalie stepped inside, where Laura was already dressed and prepared with Connie''s help. She wore a soft ivory cotton dress, and though Natalie had cut her hair short, Connie had styled it beautifully, making her look younger and more vibrant.


    Connie had even asked Natalie for permission to apply light makeup on Laura, enhancing her natural beauty.


    "Laura, I''ve brought Grandpa Charles here. Are you ready to see him?" Natalie asked gently.


    Laura nodded. "Yes, I''m ready. Thank you, Nattie."


    Since regaining her rity, Laura had been reflecting on her rtionship with Wesley and the Holden family. She was not ready to face Wesley yet, but she knew she had to see Charles.


    To avoid worrying Marcus, Laura had privately asked Natalie to bring Charles over after Marcus left. Now that Charles was here, Laura knew Marcus must have left.


    "Natalie, I''m ready. Please invite him in," Laura said, taking a deep breath. "There are some things I need to discuss with him."


    "Alright, I''ll bring him in," Natalie replied with a nod before stepping out.


    A momentter, Charles entered the medical room, supported by Sheldon. It was the first time they had stepped into the room since arriving at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    The medical room was filled with the strong scent of herbs, which was overwhelming for Charles, given his age. As soon as Sheldon saw Laura, he let go of Charles'' arm and dropped to his knees.


    "Mrs. Holden, I''m so sorry. I failed to vet everyone who entered the Holden family back then. It''s my fault you suffered so much all these years," Sheldon cried, bowing his head to the floor.


    "I was ipetent. This is all my fault," he repeated, tears streaming down his face.


    "Sheldon, what are you doing? Get up," Laura urged, flustered by his actions.


    "No one could have predicted how ruthless Cassie would be, and none of us saw


    iting. It''s not your fault." Laura reassured him as she quickly stepped forward and helped him to his feet.


    However, Sheldon could not control his emotions and broke down into louder sobs.


    "Nattie, could you please take


    Sheldon outside and calm him down?" Laura rubbed her temples feeling a headacheing on. With Sheldon crying like this, there was no way she could have a proper conversation with Charles.


    "Alright." Natalie stepped forward. "Sheldon, stop crying ande take a walk with me."


    "Ms. Walker, I feel so guilty!" Sheldon''s voice cracked, and it looked like he was about to cry even harder.


    Without hesitation, Natalie delivered a precise chop to the side of his neck, catching him before he copsed.


    "Sheldon hasn''t been resting well these past few days. He needs a proper sleep." Natalie nced at Charles with a small smile. "Grandpa Charles, don''t worry. I knew exactly how much force to use, so he''ll be fine."


    Charles did not say anything, simply waving his hand as if to dismiss the matter.


    "Ms. Walker, let me help." Connie rushed forward and supported Sheldon alongside Natalie.


    "Connie, take Sheldon to the guest room and let him sleep."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    After Connie took Sheldon away, Natalie stood by the door of the medical room. Laura did not ask her to leave, silently allowing her to stay there and stand guard.


    "Laura, you''ve suffered so much all these years, Charles said, tears streaming down his face as he looked at Laura''s pale, thin cheeks. "It''s my fault. I failed to raise Cassie properly, and that''s why you endured so much pain."


    Laura''s eyes turned red. She stood up and walked toward Charles, then suddenly lowered herself to her knees and bowed three times as a show of respect. She


    replied, "Father, I have one request. Please grant me this."


    "Laura, get up. Just tell me what you need, and I''ll agree to it." Charles bent down immediately, trying to help her up. "You''re still recovering. You''ve already suffered so much during treatment. There''s no need to kneel before me."


    "No, I must kneel." Laura pushed his hands away, her red-rimmed eyes locking


    onto his. "Father, I want a divorce from Wesley. Please... let me leave the Holden


    family."

 Chapter 474 What Does Nattie Think

    Laura''s eyes were red as she stared at Charles, her voice firm and resolute. She fought back tears, refusing to let them fall. Theplicated dynamics of the Holden family made her believe that returning would only endanger her.


    She thought it was better to break free now, while she was still young enough to start over. Laura did not want to stay tied to Wesley anymore. While he had been by her side all these years, it was her child, Marcus, who had given her the strength to keep going.


    Without Marcus, Laura was sure she would have given up during one of her darkest moments. As a mother, she had been separated from him too soon, and her only goal was to stay healthy enough to care for him. Now that Marcus had grown into an exceptional young man, she felt some relief, but not entirely.


    Even though she and Wesley never had a second child, with Cassie''s twisted mind, who knew what else she had done? She had drugged her own brother before, so who was to say she had not hidden another child somewhere, waiting for the right moment to cause chaos?


    Perhaps it was paranoia, but nothing was off the table when it came to someone as sick as Cassie. Laura did not dare stay in the Holden family, and she certainly did not want Natalie to stay in Holden Residence. The best solution was for Marcus and Natalie to move into the Walker residence or live separately on their


    own.


    While Laura had only met Marcus a handful of times, those moments were enough to show her how extraordinary he was. She could not burden him any longer.


    "But Laura," Charles said, his eyes welling up. "Wesley has been by your side all these years. How can he handle you suddenly asking for a divorce? You two have been through so much together, and now that you''re healed, why end it?"


    He continued, "If Cassie''s actions are bothering you if you''re still upset that she drugged Wesley-I''ll make sure she faces the consequences."


    Laura shook her head. "Father, I don''t care about the past anymore. I don''t want to think about who did what, or who ended up in whose bed.


    "Wesley has never wronged me. He has stayed by my side all these years, living in celibacy because of my health. Even though I''m cured now, I know my own body. I can''t drag Wesley down any longer.


    "Divorcing Wesley is the best thing for both of us. He deserves a normal life, and I deserve a fresh start. Please, Father. Let me go."


    As Laura spoke, she respectfully knelt before Charles again, bowing her head. Charles'' face was filled with sorrow. His fingers trembled slightly, but he remained silent for a long time.


    Standing at the doorway, Natalie had heard every word between Laura and Charles. But instead of reacting, her mind drifted to something else-how Marcus had held and kissed her.


    His lips had been soft, carrying a faint, fresh scent. Had he deliberately freshened his breath before kissing her?


    If Laura was determined to divorce Wesley, then Natalie had no doubt that Marcus would take his mother''s side. However, would he really move away with her? That did not seem likely. Marcus had been raised by Charles, and his bond with his grandfather ran deep.


    "Nattie,e here for a second." Natalie snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of Charles'' voice.


    She turned toward them, steadying herself, then walked over. "Grandpa Charles. Laura."


    "Nattie, help Laura up," Charles said.


    "Okay." Natalie reached out to support Laura, and only then did Laura slowly rise to her feet. Her body was still weak, and kneeling on the ground for so long had sent a sharp pain shooting through her knees.


    The moment she stood up, her body swayed unsteadily. If Natalie had not been holding her, she would have copsed straight to the floor.


    "Laura, you shouldn''t kneel like that anymore," Natalie whispered near her ear. "Your body hasn''t fully recovered yet."


    Laura forced a bitter smile and shook her head. "Nattie, I''m fine. Father raised Marcus for me. Getting on my knees is the least I can do to show my sincerity. He''s been through so much because of me."


    Natalie stayed silent. She was focused on Laura''s well-being and did not want to get involved in the Holden family''s affairs. Even though Marcus was her boyfriend, she was not one to meddle in others'' personal struggles.


    "Nattie, Laura says she wants to divorce Wesley. What do you think?" Charles wiped the corner of his eye "I''m old now, and all I want is for this family to stay together and be happy. Seeing everyone doing well would let me die in peace.


    "After everything we''ve been through, and now that we''re finally reunited, this sudden talk of divorce breaks my heart. I don''t know what to do." Charles'' voice cracked, and tears streamed down his face.


    Ever since Hector helped them recover their lost and altered memories through hypnosis, Charles had been drowning in guilt and regret. The weight of it haunted him, leaving him emotionally drained and lost.


    "Nattie, I don''t know what to do anymore," Charles admitted, his sobs breaking through. "All of this is Cassie''s fault, but I''m her father, failed to raise her right, so the me falls on me. I''m the one who''s truly at fault."


    He continued, "Marcus doesn''t me me, but I me myself. Nattie, I don''t even know who to turn to anymore."


    "Father, don''t say that," Laura interjected, her eyes red and watery. "This isn''t your fault, so don''t me yourself. I just want to live my own life now. This isn''t about you or Wesley."


    Tears streamed down Laura''s face as she spoke. "For years, I''ve been living like a shell of myself, enduring constant pain. I''ve missed out on so much.


    "Now, just being able to step outside, breathe fresh air, and feel the sun on my face feels like a gift. I want to work again, to connect with people, to find the person I used to be."


    Charles wiped his tears and said,


    "But you don''t have to divorce


    Wesley to do those things. As his wife and a member of the Holden family you can still pursue what you want. Look at Nattie-she''s dating Marcus, but we''ve never asked her to quit her job or stay home as a housewife.


    "So Laura, please think about it again. As your father-inw, I''m begging you to


    give Wesley another chance, okay?"


    Charles turned to Natalie, his eyes pleading. "Nattie, please. Help me convince Laura. I''m counting on you."

 Chapter 475 Wesley Coughs Up Blood

    Natalie sighed inwardly before speaking calmly. "Grandpa Charles, I''m not Laura.


    I haven''t endured the pain she''s been through, nor have I spent every day with Wesley. If you''re asking for my opinion, all I can say is that I respect Laura''s decision."


    She continued, "Grandpa Charles, Laura was my patient. Before taking her case,


    I didn''t know she was Marcus'' mother. My job is to heal, and not interfere in personal matters."


    Charles gave a bitter smile. "You''re soposed. You never let yourself get involved, do you?"


    Natalie smiled faintly, her tone steady. "Grandpa Charles, are you saying I''m cold and selfish?"


    "Nattie, I didn''t mean it that way. Don''t take it too personally," Charles replied quickly.


    "Alright, Grandpa Charles," Natalie responded simply.


    "Laura, you haven''t seen Wesley yet. Why don''t you talk to him first? If, after your conversation, you still want a divorce, I''ll respect your decision," Charles said, his voice almost pleading.


    It was rare for someone as authoritative as Charles to speak in such a vulnerable tone. Laura hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Okay. I''ll listen to you, Father."


    "Good. I''ll call Wesley in, and you two can talk," Charles said, standing up.


    Sheldon hurried over at this moment to support him, saying, "Mr. Holden Senior, take it slow."


    "I''m fine," Charles replied, though he leaned on Sheldon as they left the room.


    Once they were gone, Laura turned to Natalie. "Nattie, do you think I''m being ungrateful or selfish?"


    When Natalie stayed silent, Laura sighed bitterly. "I can''t get past the mental block in my mind."


    Natalie still did not respond. She knew Laura was not necessarily looking for advice but just needed someone to listen. However, even a single word from someone else could make Laura doubt her decision.


    Natalie had always followed one rule since bing a doctor under Federrick''s guidance. She never interfered in her patients'' personal lives. It was a rule Federrick had drilled into her when she first became Elim.


    She had treated wealthy clients before and witnessed plenty of family scandals, but she remained detached, focusing only on healing and moving on. Since she always disguised herself, no one could find or recognize her after she left.


    Right now, very few people in the Holden family knew her true identity, and they had all sworn to keep it a secret. More importantly, she was Marcus'' girlfriend. It was perfectly natural for her to be by his mother''s side, which meant she had a valid excuse to avoid answering Laura''s questions.


    Laura waited for a while, but when Natalie still did not say anything, she realized she would not be getting an answer.


    "Laura."


    Laura was still debating whether to press Natalie for an opinion when Wesley''s voice rang out.


    "Laura!" He strode into the room, his urgency evident in every step.


    As soon as he saw Laura¡ªhealthy, standing, no longer suffering¡ªhis eyes turned red. Without a word, he rushed forward, pulled her into his arms, and held her tightly.


    "Laura, you''re finally better. You don''t have to suffer anymore," Wesley choked out, tears streaming down his face.


    "Thank God! Thank you, Natalie, and thank you, Mr. Langton. Laura can finally live a normal life again."


    Wesley cried openly, holding Laura tightly. Sheldon had warned him about Laura''s decision to divorce, but Wesley refused to ept it. He would never agree to a divorce.


    "Wesley, let me go. I can''t breathe," Laura protested, struggling weakly in his arms. Her frail bodycked the strength to push him away, her energy no match for even an eight-year-old child.


    "Mr. Holden, let go of Laura," Natalie said firmly, stepping forward and pulling Wesley away without worrying about politeness.


    Once free, Laura gasped for air, her face pale and her chest heaving. She shot a cold re at Wesley and said, "Don''te near me."


    "Laura, I..." Wesley stammered, his voice breaking as he saw how distressed she was. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to hurt you."


    Laura finally caught her breath and sat down. Natalie handed her a cup of herbal tea. "Laura, drink this. It''ll help your recovery," Natalie said gently.


    "Thank you, Nat," Laura replied, taking small sips of the tea. It was bitter at first but left a sweet aftertaste, warming her body as it settled in her stomach.


    Feeling slightly better, Laura steadied herself and looked at Wesley, who was still in tears. "Wesley, sit down. We need to talk."


    "I won''t sit," Wesley refused, shaking his head. "Laura, please don''t divorce me. Whatever I did wrong, I''ll fix it. Cassie is my sister-my blood sister. I never had any inappropriate thoughts about her.


    "I remember everything now. She drugged me, but I fought it. I locked myself in the bathroom and used your razor to cut myself, using the pain to stay in control."


    Wesley broke down, sobbing. "Laura, I never betrayed you. I never touched Cassie. Her twisted schemes didn''t work. Please believe me. I know you''re angry and hurt. You can hit me, yell at me, but please don''t leave me. I can''t live without you."


    He dropped to his knees in front of Laura. "I even went to doctors and used scar removal treatments to hide the marks from that night. Laura, I''d rather die than lose you. Please, think about us. Don''t do this."


    Wesley tried to reach for Laura''s legs, but she moved them away, her eyes welling up again. "Wesley, I''ve cried too many times over the years because of you. Can you stop making me cry now?"


    She continued, "Whether you had feelings for Cassie or not, whether anything happened between you two, it doesn''t matter to me anymore. I just want a divorce.4 want to leave behind being your wife and thedy of the Holden family. I want to live my own life now."


    "Wesley, if you love me, let me go. I''m begging you," Laura said, tears streaming down her face. "I''m tired of holding onto the past. Loving someone is exhausting, and hating someone is even worse. I''ve wasted too many years. I want to cherish every day I have left.


    "If I stay with you, I don''t know what Cassie might do next. I just want peace and stability. Wesley, I love you, but if loving you means living in constant fear and anxiety, then ''d rather be selfish. I want to love myself. Can you understand that?"


    Laura''s words left Wesley stunned. He stared at her, speechless. Then, without


    warning, Wesley coughed violently and spat out blood, copsing in front of


    Laura.

 Chapter 476 The Vanishing Love

    "Wesley!" Laura eximed in rm when she saw him coughing up blood.


    She hurried to clean him up, but Natalie restrained her with a gentle grip.


    "Laura, I''ll handle this," Natalie said, swiftly checking Wesley''s pulse.


    She then used a silver needle to examine the blood he had spit out. Upon ensuring there was no issue with the blood, Natalie assisted him into the medical room with a grave look. "Connie, fetch my medical kit," she instructed.


    "Yes, Ms. Walker," Connie said, swiftly turning to fetch the medical kit.


    Natalie directed Wesley to sit on the chair and handed him a tissue. "Mr. Holden, clean up the blood," she instructed.


    She continued. "Your anger has disrupted your heart, causing an unstable pulse and a chaotic flow of blood in your body. If you don''t manage your emotions, you might die before Laura even divorces you. In that case, Laura will end up a widow, almost like being divorced."


    Natalie''s voice was icy, and her tone was indifferent. "Mr. Holden, to be frank, you''ve been quite the disappointment as a husband."


    Wesley''s eyes were red from fatigue, but he was uninterested in others'' opinions. His only concern was the impending loss of his wife. "Natalie, you''re Marcus'' girlfriend, practically my future daughter-inw. Can''t you at least put in a good word for me?"


    Wesley pleaded sadly, "I just want to hold onto my wife. Laura has endured so much hardship before. Now that life is finally improving and we can enjoy it, I don''t understand why she''s suddenly seeking a divorce."


    "It''s actually pretty straightforward."


    Initially, Natalie had no intention of interfering in others'' affairs, but if Wesley were to die at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary, it would reflect poorly on Federrick and wouldn''t bode well for her rtionship with Marcus.


    "Mr. Holden, consider this scenario. Imagine Laura had a brother, whether older or younger, and he gave her a drug. While she was under the influence of this drug, she vanished from your sight, and you had no clue about her situation.


    "Her brother harbored a strange, twisted, and sinister affection for her. You suffered torment and muttion at the hands of her brother, and for over 20 years, you''ve been unable to lead a normal life.


    "Even stepping outside to enjoy the sun has be a rare privilege. After enduring all of this, could you still sustain your love for her, unchanged, day after day for decades, and continue to live a happy life with her?


    "Mr. Holden, offeringfort isn''t my strong suit. I rmend you try to see things from her perspective. You love Laura, and she loves you as well. However, considering everything that''s transpired between you both.


    "Do you believe love is enough to surmount all those challenges? Now, what would you do if a situation simr to ours arose between you and Marcus?"


    Wesley gazed at Natalie, looking bewildered. "If you were in Laura''s shoes and Marcus were in mine, what decision would you make?"


    Natalie immediately dismissed the notion. "That scenario doesn''t make sense. I''m the true daughter of the Walker family, the proprietor of Goodwill Pharmacy, the global medical specialist Elim, and the creator of the famous brand NZ.


    "I live independently and wouldn''t entrust the important aspects and people rted to my childbirth to anyone else."


    Federrick had previously insisted that if she were to have a child, the attendants during her childbirth must be handpicked by her. Therefore, Wesley''s assumption is baseless.


    "Moreover, Marcus is not you, Mr.


    Holden," Natalie added, challenging


    Wesley without any emotion.


    "Marcus is an only child. Many women are attracted to him, yet none pose a threat. In the past, Emma, the Walker family''s adopted daughter, seeded in drugging him only at Holden Residence.


    "Marcus was aware that his drink was spiked, yet he consumed it anyway. He had a reason¡ªhe wanted to use the situation to end his engagement with Emma. He was confident about not being in any real danger because I was present at the dinner party that day.


    "Marcus knew I woulde to his aid. While he might use himself as bait, he


    would never allow himself to be truly endangered."


    Natalie''s words caused Wesley''s face to grow even paler.


    Indeed, they were different from him and Laura, and such a presumption was unwarranted. Laura was an orphan. She had no influential maternal family to support her, nor did she possess any notable social standing.


    Once she married him, her highest position was as thedy of the Holden family. Ultimately, even with that title, she still held no influence. Natalie''sments left Wesley inplete silence.


    Natalie didn''t add anything further. Instead, she gave Wesley some medication and then administered acupuncture. Once she ensured he was steadily improving, she contacted Connie and left the medical room.


    After both of them left, Laura slowly rose and approached Wesley.


    "Wesley, are you alright?" Laura asked with concern in her voice as she looked at him. "If discussing the divorce is too much for you at the moment, I won''t talk about it right now.


    "Let''s take a step back and rx for a bit. We can have a proper conversation about itter. Please, don''t get upset or make yourself sick, alright?"


    Laura spoke gently, her eyes filled with concern and sorrow as she gazed at Wesley, yet devoid of any love. "Wesley, didn''t you once wish for my recovery? I''m doing better now.


    "You should be d for me rather than making yourself unwell. You want me to be healthy, and I want the same for you. Even if we part ways, I will not forget you."


    Wesley, overwhelmed with emotion and tears streaming down his face, pleaded, "Honey, please stop talking." His voice was thick with sobs. "What you''re saying is okay, but I can''t bear to hear it."


    "Honey, Honey, Honey..." he repeated, calling out to Laura over and over. He feared that if he didn''t call her enough now, he might never get another chance.


    Laura stopped speaking. Though she recognized Wesley''s suffering, her deepest wish was to lead her own life.


    Remaining with Wesley would mean living in constant anxiety, envisioning dangers that might not exist. She feared her meals could be tainted with Umbrahex once more. She would be suspicious of anyone


    who came near, questioning if Cassie had sent them.


    Even more frightening was the thought that the items she wore or used could be altered by adversaries without her being aware.


    Despite the fact that Natalie, Marcus'' girlfriend, had the ability to save her countless times, Laura was unwilling to endure the suffering and hopelessness of being tortured by Umbrahex for so many years again.


    Even if people called her selfish, cruel, ungrateful, or insensitive, she was prepared to ept those judgments. She no longer wished to remain married to Wesley.


    She didn''t want the title of Mrs. Holden or the status anymore. She wanted to relinquish it all.


    "Honey, is it truly over between us?" Wesley stood up, a profound sadness radiating from him. "Can''t you find it in your heart to do this, even if I''m pleading with you?"

 Chapter 477 Love and the Choice to Let Go

    Wesley sobbed, eventually covering his eyes with his hands. Despite his efforts, the tears continued to slip through his fingers.


    Witnessing his distress, Laura felt a wave of sadness wash over her. "Wesley, please don''t act this way," she pleaded, her voice thick with tears. "I don''t want this any more than you do, but I''m really frightened.


    "Wesley, throughout all these years of my illness, you''ve been right there with me, tirelessly finding treatments. Yourpanionship, care, concern, and love have always been genuine. Yet, sometimes I can''t help but feel trapped in my own mind.


    "If I hadn''t married you, I wouldn''t have drawn Cassie''s interest, wouldn''t have been poisoned by her, and wouldn''t have been apart from my child for over 20 years. Had I married someone ordinary, I might not have experienced the wealth and status of the Holden family.


    "Perhaps life would have been really difficult, but one thing is certain, I wouldn''t have been separated from my child."


    As Laura spoke, she lifted her head. "I realize these thoughts are wrong, yet I can''t help it. Being ill for so many years has twisted my mind.


    "Sometimes I reflect on all the years of hardship I''ve endured, but then I remind myself that my child is the Holden family''s sole heir.


    "He won''t have to worry about financial problems like kids from less fortunate backgrounds, nor will he need topromise his pride for a low-paying job. In a way, the struggles I faced were worth it for my child''s easier life.


    "Wesley, there are times when I feel like I''m losing my mind. It''s as if two opposing voices are constantly battling in my head. I''m not any better off than you are. I''ve wrestled with my own internal conflicts before reaching these decisions."


    As Laura spoke, tears streamed uncontrobly down her face. She covered her eyes with her hands, desperately trying to hold back her sobs.


    The couple, who had shared a deep love and supported each other through countless years, had once been passionately devoted to one another, caring and standing by each other through endless days and nights.


    The thought of parting was as painful as losing a part of themselves. Laura wept for a moment, then suddenly felt a warmth on her wrist. Wesley had reached out and grasped it.


    "Please, don''t cry," Wesley said, his voice rough. "Honey, I assure you, we''ll go through with the divorce."


    "Wesley," Laura said, gazing at him with tear-filled eyes, barely able to believe how readily he had agreed. "Wesley, I''ll walk away from this marriage empty- handed."


    Wesley gazed at her, attempting to muster a smile. "You''re right. My initial hope was for your recovery. I made countless prayers to the universe, promising to do anything if it meant you would heal. Even though I wasn''t the cause of your pain, you went through it because of me, so I share the me."


    He softly brushed Laura''s tears away with his fingertip. "Please, Laura, don''t cry."


    She copsed into his chest, shaking as tears streamed down her face. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry," she sobbed.


    "Darling, I''m sorry," she continued. "I don''t want your money. I don''t want anything. These things are just material possessions to me. But for you, they are the basis that enables you to live a happy, joyful, and free life."


    Wesley embraced Laura. "Don''t turn it down. Men might let you down, but money never will. Trust me, alright?"


    She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She felt selfish, contemptible, and unappreciative.


    She truly didn''t deserve it. "Wesley, I''m sorry. I don''t deserve your love."


    "You''re being silly. I''m the one who caused all these problems for you. I should be the one apologizing."


    Love often created a sense of obligation. Over the years, Wesley had always felt indebted to Laura


    Previously, he had always med himself for not properly caring for her, which led her to suffer


    unimaginable pain for years,


    unaware that Cassie was actuel


    responsible. Now, having leamed the truth, his feelings of guilt and


    remorse have intensified


    "Laura, I''ve been selfish," he admitted, his voice thick with emotion. "Perhaps it''s best if you leave me." He had already resolved this in his heart within these few moments.


    He nned to liberate Laura and then seek out Cassie for retribution. It didn''t matter that she was his biological sister. Her cruel actions toward him and Laura had severed any sense of familial duty,


    As a husband and, most importantly, a father, he couldn''t allow his wife and child


    to be harmed by any malevolence. Therefore, he resolved to handle certain matters personally.


    Wesley embraced Laura closely, fearing this might be hisst opportunity to hold his wife.


    "Laura, make sure you look after yourself. Stay happy and carefree," he said.


    "I understand," Laura replied as tears flowed down her cheeks. "You should do the same, Wesley."


    "I will," he assured her, nting a kiss on her forehead. "Come on, cheer up. I''ve agreed to the divorce. Let me see you smile."


    Laura wept, shaking her head in disbelief. Smiling seemed impossible. Divorce might seem straightforward, but the heartache wasn''t limited to just Wesley.


    "Please, just trust me," he said, his voice thick with emotion as he struggled to maintain hisposure. "I''ll handle everything. You just need to sign the documents."


    Laura was crying, her heart in deep pain. "Wesley, can I... have more time to consider it?" she pleaded through her sobs. "Please, just a little more time to think, alright?"


    "Sure, I''ll give you the time you need. Whatever you decide, I''ll be here for you," he replied softly, his voice rough yet tender.


    He gently brushed away her tears with his fingertip. "Honey, I love you."


    Out of love, he was ready to back every choice she made. Plus, the actions he nned to take would be easier to execute without involving his wife and son following the divorce.


    "Darling, I''m sorry. I''m so sorry."


    "You''ve done nothing wrong, so there''s no need to apologize to me," Wesley said, attempting to form a smile "Be good. You''ve done nothing wrong and there''s no reason to say you''re sorry." ''


    He continued, "Our son is grown now. He has the capability and resources to take care of you. Even if we go through with the divorce, I''ll beforted knowing you''re with him."


    The softer Wesley''s tone was, the harder Laura cried. If he hadn''t given in so easily, maybe she could have been more resolute. But now, Laura found it impossible to be unfeeling.

 Chapter 478 The Conversation and Agreement between Father and Son

    Within the medical room, Laura and Wesley were locked in a tearful embrace, weeping uncontrobly.


    Outside, Sheldon stood next to Charles. Hearing the muffled cries from within, both felt a deep sense of sorrow.


    Charles was disheartened to witness such a solid family unraveling, yet he empathized with Laura''s fear and anxiety.


    He felt sympathy for his son Wesley and trusted his loyalty to his wife. Yet, he understood that hearts and emotions were fickle and could change over time, making it nearly impossible for them to stay constant forever.


    "Sheldon, let''s go! We need to organize Wesley''s assets," Charles said with a sigh, feeling as if he had aged significantly in such a brief span of time.


    Sheldon quietly brushed away his tears and helped Charles as they departed.


    "Contact Marcus and advise him to have a meaningful conversation with his father before addressing the issues," Charles added.


    "Understood, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Charles hurried back to the guesthouse to rest. He understood Wesley better than anyone else. As soon as he learned that Wesley had agreed to Laura''s divorce request, he anticipated the decision his son would make.


    He organized Wesley''s assets to facilitate transferring them to Laura. The Holden family had a significant debt to her. While being Mrs. Holden might appear prestigious and morous, over the years, her life had been more difficult than that of a typical person.


    This status had actually caused her more harm than good. Charles sympathized with Laura''s wish to depart. However, his heart ached for his son.


    Wesley had stood by his wife''s side through all the ups and downs for so long. Now, just when she had finally recovered, he was facing the prospect of a divorce.


    Sheldon turned back and dialed Marcus'' number. With a sniffle, he recounted the entire situation.


    As he finished, Sheldon couldn''t contain his tears any longer and cried out, "Mr. Marcus, please convince Mrs. Holden! Beg her not to divorce Mr. Holden. It''s so difficult for the family toe together, and a sudden divorce is just too much to handle!"


    However, Marcus'' response was to abruptly hang up the call. This left Sheldon crying even harder.


    Once Marcus ended the call with Sheldon, nearly an hour passed before he returned to The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    Meanwhile, Wesley and Laura had settled down. The two sat opposite each other in a rxed manner. Light snacks, tea, and drinks were arranged before them, and they both wore serene and pleasant smiles.


    Marcus was nearby, observing for a moment before gradually making his way over. "Father, Mom," he greeted.


    "Marcus has arrived. Come, sit down," Wesley and Laura both said in unison, patting the spot next to them at the same time.


    After their simultaneous invitation, they exchanged smiles, their natural and warm connection evident.


    Marcus took a seat, and Laura set a mini fruit tart in front of him. "I heard Nat enjoys mini fruit tarts, so Joshua arranged for someone to make them for us."


    Marcus gave a slight nod. "Yes."


    Laura then suggested, "Marcus, you should talk to your father." She rose from her seat and added, "I''ll go and speak with Nat."


    "Alright," he responded politely.


    She smiled gently before turning and walking away.


    She was allowed to take a brief stroll outside the pharmacy today, but she absolutely couldn''t remain outdoors for an extended period. Her skin was still unable to handle the harm caused by sunlight and UV rays.


    Once Laura departed, Wesley served Marcus a cup of tea. "This is the herbal tea Mr. Brown arranged for us. It will rejuvenate your senses and bring you a sense of tranquility once you drink it."


    He then asked, "Marcus, are you upset with me or holding any resentment?"


    Marcus lifted the teacup and took a gentle sip. "Father, do you believe I ought to be upset with you? Should I harbor any resentment?"


    "Yes, you should," Wesley said with a bitter twist of his lips. "Marcus, I''m to me. I didn''t do enough to keep your mother safe.


    "Since my memories came back, I''ve been pondering if either your grandfather or I had recognized Cassie''s unusual affliction back then and intervened, could things have turned out differently?"


    Marcus stayed quiet, simply holding the cup and sipping his tea slowly and deliberately.


    Wesley said, "Later on, I reflected on it. Life doesn''t present many what-ifs. Cassie was the daughter your grandfather cherished the most, and she was also my most adored younger sister.


    "When I first introduced your mother to the family, Cassie reacted with intense anger and displeasure. Both your grandfather and I reprimanded her. But how did she respond?"


    Wesley knitted his brow, pausing to


    think. "She red at me, filled with


    anger and resentment. She even


    pped me and said she despised me, insisting I shouldn''t have girlfriend. I assumed she


    like a spoiled child, so was acting


    your


    grandfather and I decided to freeze her bank card.


    "A few dayster, her demeanorpletely changed. She began to behave affectionately toward your mother and apologized to both me and your grandfather. We were genuinely pleased to see her get along with Laura.


    "Your grandfather and I always wanted a peaceful family without daily disputes and conflicts. As


    Cassie''s bond with your ve


    strengthened, we generously supported her financially. But who could have predicted that this money would eventually be the weapon she used against us?"


    Wesley paused, sipping his tea before he continued. "Marcus, you''re now mature enough to protect your mother and grandfather, which brings me greatfort. There are certain things I wish to discuss with you, not as your father, but man to man."


    "Go ahead," Marcus said, setting his teacup aside. "Sheldon told me that Mom has asked you for a divorce. If you''re hoping I''ll convince her otherwise, it''s unnecessary."


    Wesley replied with a sigh. "No, I''ve already agreed to the divorce. Marcus, I will be divorcing your mother, and I''ll leave the marriage empty-handed. All assets under my name will go to her.


    "However, your mother has been unwell for many years and hasn''t had much opportunity to engage with the outside world. I hope you''ll assist her in managing those assets."


    "I will do that." Marcus nodded. "What else?"


    Wesley continued. "Following the


    divorce, I hope you and Nat can spend more time with your mother Throughout her illness these past years was always there, caring for andforting her. Now that she''s recovering, she won''t be able to fully manage on her own just yet.


    "I hope you can find reliable people to help with her meals and other needs. I''ll be away for some time, and during that time, please promise me that you''ll stay with your mother and not get involved in anything else. Marcus, is that alright?" With that, Wesley gazed at Marcus with intensity. "You''re my son. For over 20 years, I''ve never held you, never fed you once, and never walked beside you. "I''ve missed countless milestones in your life, yet here I am, making this unreasonable request. Honestly, it''s embarrassing for me. But son, I need to ask you for this favor."


    "I promise," Marcus responded instantly. "Father, I ept your request."


    His swift agreement surprised Wesley, and it took him a moment to gather


    himself.


    "Great, excellent," Wesley grinned with relief. "It''s settled between us, father and


    son. And remember, don''t mention this to your mother, alright?"


    "Alright."

 Chapter 479 Someone Has to Pay the Price

    Without a moment''s pause, Marcus nodded and poured tea for Wesley. "Father, I ept all your conditions. Rest assured, I won''t mention anything to Mom."


    "Excellent," Wesley said. "I didn''t think our discussion would flow so well."


    The moment he stopped talking, Wesley''s eyes reddened. "For all these years, even though I''ve gone with your mother to every possible doctor, it''s my fault she''s endured so much pain.


    "I''ve failed as a husband and as a father. Now that I''ve consented to divorce your mother, it''s time for me to take the necessary steps."


    "Father, please be careful. Mom wouldn''t want anything bad to happen to you." Marcus gazed intently at Wesley.


    From their exchange, Marcus understood his father''s intentions. Still, he didn''t attempt to dissuade him. In this situation, someone needed to bear the consequences, and that person had to be the one pulling the strings-Cassie.


    All he could do was urge Wesley to avoid endangering himself and not risk his life for someone as treacherous as Cassie.


    Marcus made sure there were people discreetly watching over Wesley and ready to step in when needed.


    "I understand, Marcus. Thank you."


    "Of course, Father. We''re family." Marcus lifted the teacup and finished the tea in one swift motion. "I''m nning to marry Natalie. I hope that when the wedding takes ce, you and Mom will be there to bless Natalie and me."


    "Alright, I promise you." Wesley''s eyes welled up with tears. Hearing his son''s words, he felt more determined to value his life as he pursued his desires. "Thank you, Marcus."


    "If there''s nothing more, Father, I''ll head back now."


    "Go on. I''ll stay here a bit longer."


    Marcus stood up, gave a slight nod, and then turned to leave.


    Shortly after he left, Natalie arrived and took the seat Marcus had just vacated. "Mr. Wesley, you asked Connie to call me over. Is there something you need?"


    Wesley turned to Natalie with a request. "Nat, I need a favor. Please look after Laura for me. She''s not in the best health and still needs time to fully recover. I can''t rely on anyone else, but I trust you."


    He ced a bank card in front of her. "This card holds 20 million dors. I know you''ve been involved in charity work, so consider this payment for taking care of Laura. Nat, I''ve already agreed to Laura''s request for a divorce. I have some matters to attend to.


    "While I''m away, could you spend more time with Laura? Due to the years of torment from Umbrahex, Laura has struggled with feelings of insecurity. She often doesn''t eat or sleep well and fears she might transform into a monster one day and be unable to revert.


    "Now that you and Mr. Langton have healed her, I feel a sense of relief."


    Wesley gazed affectionately at Natalie. "Laura and I only have Marcus. Thankfully, you''re Marcus'' girlfriend. The Walkers are arge family with many children. Even though your five brothers might put some pressure on Marcus, I''m at ease."


    "Mr. Wesley, you don''t have to worry as long as Marcus treats me well. We Walkers are fair people, and we cherish others because of the ones we love."


    Natalie had anticipated what Wesley was about to say, she added, "And rest assured, as long as Marcus is with me, I will ensure he never experiences any hardship. My parents will shower him with love, and my five brothers will keep him safe. I won''t disappoint him."


    Wesley was taken aback by what Natalie said. He hadn''t intended to extract a promise from her; he merely hoped she would look after Laura more attentively. How did the conversation shift to her assurances about not letting Marcus down?


    Besides, wasn''t this the kind of promise typically made by a man to a woman''s parents? Wesley found himself questioning his own intentions for a moment.


    Noticing his silence, Natalie


    continued, "Mr. Wesley, don''t worry. I''ll take Laura to my house for a


    while. It just so happens that m


    mother and Laura are good friends and haven''t met in years. It''s a


    perfect opportunity for them to reunite. Our family home is likely the safest ce for her."


    Wesley snapped back to attention and nodded quickly. "Okay, thank you, Nat."


    "You''re wee, Mr. Wesley. Is there anything else you need? If not, I''ll get back to work."


    "No, that''s all." He shook his head. Then, he promptly slid the card back to Natalie. "Nat, take the card. The PIN number is Marcus'' birthday."


    "No need. I''ve already been paid for taking care of Laura''s health," Natalie replied


    with a soft smile, declining Wesley''s offer of the bank card.


    She added, "I have things to attend to now. I''ll bring Laura back to my family once her health improves slightly. Until then, I won''t let any strangers or unreliable people near her."


    "Thank you, Nat," Wesley replied earnestly, pressing the card into her hand. "Please take this. Consider it my donation to your charity efforts. When you and Marcus eventually marry, I will prepare a separate gift for the asion. You and Marcus deserve happiness."


    "I understand. Thank you, Mr. Wesley," Natalie replied, choosing not to refuse the card this time.


    She thought she could simply give it back to Marcuster. She had already beenpensated for helping Laura, and she would only ept what was rightfully hers, avoiding any money she didn''t earn.


    Once Natalie left, Wesley stayed for a bit longer. After consuming a pot of medicinal tea, he rose and exited.


    He had already provided all the necessary instructions. His next step was to inform Charles. Once he reported everything, he could proceed with his ns without any concerns.


    Natalie hadn''t walked far before spotting Marcus waiting for her up ahead.


    "Nat, over here," Marcus called out, his voice deep and rough, as he beckoned her over.


    Natalie hurried her steps to reach him quickly. "How did you know I''d take this path?" she asked.


    "We share a heart connection," Marcus replied, taking her hand. "My father spoke with you too,?"


    "Yes," Natalie replied, pausing. "Marcus, aren''t you going to stop him?"


    "How can I stop him? And what exactly should I prevent him from doing?" Marcus replied with a touch of sarcasm.


    "He''s made his decision. We should let him follow through. For years, both he and


    my mom have suffered, and neither has found happiness."


    He added, "The feuds of their generation need closure somehow. Someone needs to bear the cost of what my mom endured."

 Chapter 480 In a Good Relationship, Selfless Love Prevails

    Marcus'' gaze was icy as he held Natalie''s hand, continuing to walk along the stone path. "I''ve discovered Cassie''s location. My team will gradually inform my father."


    He continued, "Cassie''s moved a lot of assets over the years, making it tough to catch her. But it doesn''t matter. Sooner orter, her obsession will lead her to resurface."


    Natalie took a deep breath, momentarily unsure of what to say.


    "Nat, are you regretting being with me?" Marcus paused, fixing his unblinking stare on her, his eyes lowered. "Does my family''s situation make you ufortable?"


    Hector had put Charles, Sheldon, and Wesley under hypnosis. Despite his promise not to disclose any details without Marcus'' consent, he also had to hide it from Natalie.


    However, Natalie was clever. She didn''t need Hector to spell things out, her sharp observations during their interactions allowed her to piece together most of the events.


    Marcus felt a bit anxious. "Nat, will you think less of me because of what Cassie has done?"


    He pursed his lips tightly. Although no one had spoken to him, his mind was racing with wild thoughts. He understood that Natalie was tough, but anyone would be irritated by such revolting situations.


    Especially since Cassie had disappeared and her whereabouts were unknown, he couldn''t rx until she was located.


    "Marcus, we''re in a rtionship. If everything goes as nned, we should consider getting married someday." Natalie paused in her steps. "Are you seriously not going to share your true feelings with me?"


    "No one prompted me," Marcus replied with a sigh of relief. "Nat, I want to give you the very best. I want your time with me to be filled with pure happiness and joy, not burdened by all theseplicated issues."


    "A true partner doesn''t constantly expect the other to make sacrifices while taking everything for granted," Natalie said, giving Marcus'' cheek a yful pinch.


    She continued, "We can only deepen our rtionship when we''re on equal footing, supporting and understanding each other. Marcus, in a rtionship, we''re equals. No one is above or below the other. Love makes you want to indulge me, and love also makes me eager to stand by your side.


    "Many men, when they were struggling financially, had their first wives by their side, enduring tough times and building a life together from nothing. Yet, the moment these men achieve sess, they often leave their original partners behind.


    "There are numerous instances of this happening. Interestingly, many devoted lovers actually hail from affluent backgrounds."


    She chuckled as she added, "My birth parents are like that, and so are yours. When ites to us, if you fall for someone else, I won''t bother you. I''ll gracefully step aside, wishing you a joyful andsting marriage. And I''ll also hope you''re infertile but still end up with a house full of descendants."


    Upon hearing the beginning of her words, Marcus'' brow immediately knitted together. By the time she finished speaking, he was taken aback. Infertile yet surrounded by a family of descendants.


    What an extraordinarily generous blessing. If any other woman had offered such a blessing, Marcus might have brushed it off. However, when Natalie uttered it, he felt a peculiar sensation in a particr part of his body.


    He held Natalie''s hand tightly. "Nat, if I ever betray you, I''ll castrate myself."


    "Why so extreme?" Natalie blinked. "If you were to betray me, you wouldn''t need to do it yourself. I have a remedy that can painlessly make you one of the girls."


    "Nat, I''m devoted to you. I don''t fall in love easily, but when I do, it''s forever." Marcus spoke to Natalie with deep sincerity."I mean what I say. I''ll prove over time that I''m not lying."


    Natalie narrowed her eyes and


    grinned. Truthfully, she was


    skeptical of men''s promises, yet she


    never outright dismissed or


    In


    dissuaded them. Tyler had made


    numerous promises before, but the oue was always predictable.


    She chose to be with Marcus simply because she had mistreated him while intoxicated, and she prided herself on not being irresponsible.


    If Marcus altered his feelings and turned against her, she was capable of moving


    on. If, after his betrayal, Marcus could be honest and genuine with her, she could end things on good terms.


    However, if he acted dishonorably, he couldn''t fault her for being firm. It was always wiser to discuss matters openly from the start than to deal with a chaotic and emotional breakupter.


    When Marcus noticed Natalie smiling, he realized she didn''t believe him. However, that was irrelevant. She was his, and he felt assured he could ensure her happiness and joy for the rest of her days.


    They held hands and strolled leisurely down the stone path winding through the herbs in The Herbalist''s Sanctuary until Joshua dispatched someone to ask them toe over for dinner.


    Rather than dining at the guesthouse, they chose to head to Federrick''s cozy courtyard.


    In the small courtyard, instead of herbs, gardenias flourished. When in bloom, their scent filled the entire courtyard, and when not, the garden remained a vibrant green.


    The door of Federrick''s house stood open, revealing a tableden with dishes that were all Natalie''s favorites.


    The elderly man sat in a chair facing the door, pouring wine with a slow, deliberate precision.


    As Marcus and Natalie approached the entrance, a strong aroma of wine greeted them-though it was unlike any wine Marcus had ever tasted.


    "You''re fortunate today. Mr. Langton has finally uncorked the medicinal wine he''s been crafting for quite a while," Natalie said as she took. Marcus'' hand and led him inside. man "Mr. Langton."


    She warmly greeted the


    "Please, take a seat!" Federrick beamed. "Nat, join me for a drink."


    "Of course!"


    Knowing Natalie''s tolerance for alcohol, Marcus swiftly reached over and gently squeezed her hand.


    "Rx, I won''t get tipsy from Mr. Langton''s medicinal wine," Natalie assured with


    a soft smile as she epted the wine Federrick offered her.


    "Nat, on my way back, I met someone," Federrick said, pouring a ss and passing it to Marcus. "She pleaded for my help, but I turned her down."


    He continued, "She mentioned her name is Julie Lombard."


    Federrick fixed Marcus with a significant look. "Marcus, if I''m not mistaken, your group has been searching for her, haven''t they?"


    Marcus nodded and answered respectfully, Yes, Mr. Langton. If it''s not because they shared the same name, then this Julie must be the same assistant Lucy had back then. She was also present when my mother gave birth."


    Federrick nodded. "I wasn''t aware of it then, so I didn''t bring her back. She''s currently at Wellspring Clinic in Amberton. I''ve asked Joshua to notify your assistant about Lucy''s former assistant.


    "Assuming everything is going as nned, your assistant should already be on their way to find her along with your people."

 Chapter 481 A Test for Marcus

    "Come, my dear Natalie, let''s have a drink."


    Federrick raised his ss toward Natalie. "Speaking of which, it''s been a long time since we had a drink together. And you, brat. You stole my dear Natalie away."


    Federrick red at Marcus. "But considering those sketchbooks you gave me, I suppose I''ll let you have her."


    Marcus nced at Natalie, who smiled lightly. "He''s always talked like this. You''ll get used to it. Mr. Langton is kind and sweet. All of us respect him the most."


    Pleased by her words, Federrick was in a good mood. "Of course. If I''m not considered a good person, there wouldn''t be any truly good people in this world. My business may notpare to the Walkers or the Holdens, but it''s more than enough to support Natalie and my people."


    "Mr. Langton, you''re the best. No matter how rich the Walkers or the Holdens are, they still have to show you the utmost respect."


    Natalie poured him a drink. "I''m just an unworthy mentee who still has much to learn from you, but even the wealthiest people have to be humble when theye to me for treatment."


    Federrickughed heartily. "My dear Natalie, keep talking. I love hearing it."


    Natalie''s lips curved up. Her smile was lighthearted and sincere. Marcus could see that whenever she was with Federrick, she waspletely at ease and happy.


    He also noticed that when Natalie interacted with Federrick, even though he called her a brat, his tone was filled with affection.


    It was a stark contrast to how she used to act around Grace, where she was always restrained and tense.


    The love given by them was truly different.


    Still smiling, Natalie reached under the table and squeezed Marcus'' hand. "Eat up. Mr. Langton''s meals are hard toe by."


    "Alright."


    Marcus snapped out of his thoughts and put some food onto Natalie''s te.


    Noticing this, Federrick was satisfied with Marcus'' action. He had spent years raising Natalie after taking her in.


    Naturally, the man she chose had to be exceptional. If not, he''d rather her change to the next man as soon as possible.


    "Marcus, you should eat more too." Federrick chuckled as he sipped his wine. "Come, have a few drinks with me."


    "Yes, Mr. Langton." Marcus raised his ss and said respectfully, "Mr. Langton, this toast it to you."


    "As it should be! Without me, how could you have such a good girlfriend like Nat today?"


    Federrick lifted his ss. As a sign of respect, Marcus kept his ss lower and gently clinked it against Federrick''s.


    "Mr. Langton, I''ll drink it all. You may take your time." Marcus drained his ss in one go before refilling it. "Mr. Langston, another toast. Thank you for giving my mother a second chance at life."


    "Drink up!" Federrick only took a small sip, while watching Marcs finish his ss in one gulp once again.


    "Mr. Langton, another toast to you, for saving Nat back then from the Langleys. Only then was she able to grow up safely."


    One toast after another, Marcus continued drinking. His gratitude and respect toward Federrick were sincerely from the bottom of his heart.


    Federrick kept smiling, gently clinking ss with him each time, but only taking small sips himself. Marcus, on the other hand, downed every single one.


    After several rounds, Federrick pped his hands and called in Joshua and the others. "They are all my mentees. Marcus, you should give them a toast too."


    "Yes, Mr. Langton." Marcus obediently poured more wine and toasted each person in turn.


    The Herbalist''s Sanctuary was currently managed by Joshua, but tonight, all of Federrick''s mentees were there.


    They hade to vet Natalie''s boyfriend. Only if he passed their tests would they allow him to marry Natalie.


    Federrick watched with a smile as Marcus went from person to person, drinking one ss after another.


    Meanwhile, Natalie, who had been quietly observing, started to feel bad.


    "Mr. Langton-"


    "Shh." Just as Natalie was about to speak, Federrick shushed her. "Nat, this is how it is here."


    Natalie remained silent.


    After all, Marcus wasn''t the first person to be tested. Federrick had a rule of putting his mentees'' partners through trials, just with different methods for men and women.


    Even though he had no children of his own, he truly cared for the mentees he had taken in. His only wish was for all of them to find good partners and have happy lives.


    He not only tested the women''s boyfriends but also the men''s girlfriends. Sincerity wasn''t about gender, only about good or bad intentions.


    However, Federrick never took things too far. After all, people might change. They could be truly in love, but when it was gone, it was truly gone.


    Even so, he still wanted to make sure anyone who wanted to be with his mentees understood that they weren''t easy to win over.


    If love came too easily, people wouldn''t cherish it.


    "Feeling sorry for him already?" Federrick noticed the growing concern in Natalie''s eyes and chuckled. "Don''t worry. This is my special medicinal wine. There''s nothing to worry about."


    Natalie let out a sigh. "I''m not worried about your wine. I''m just worried he will drink too much and wet the bed tonight."


    Natalie''s words made him burst intoughter. "If he really does, I''ll treat him myself."


    Their voices were low, and with Marcus being surrounded by the other mentees in


    a toasting session, he didn''t hear their conversation.


    Nat, don''t spoil your man too much. If you do, you''ll suffer for the rest of your life."


    "Are you saying I shouldn''t spoil you too, Mr. Langton?" Natalie put on serious face and said calmly, "After all, you''re a man too. An old one at that. I''m pretty sure you had a lot of experience causing trouble for others."


    "You brat! Are you asking for a


    Qu


    beating?" Federrick tapped her lightly on the head. "How dare you joke about your mentor? Your punishment is to stay up all night to


    watch over Marcus to make sure he


    doesn''t wet the bed."


    Natalie held her head dramatically and whined, "Mr. Langton, I was wrong! I won''t


    do it again!"


    "Hmph, it''s toote!" Federrick


    scoffed proudly and ced a piece of pork rib onto her te. "Eat up. don''t want them to think I''m mistreating you. If you don''t gain at least ten pounds while staying here, they''ll start nagging again, saying I didn''t feed you properly."


    Natalie simply smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Langton."


    Federrick doted on her, and her fellow mentees all loved her as well. Even though


    she wasn''t the first child he had taken in, she was undoubtedly the most favored


    in the group.


    By the time Marcus finished his rounds of toasts, his face was flushed red.


    Despite all the alcohol, he remainedposed and polite.


    Federrick leaned in toward Natalie and whispered, "They say a person''s character


    is reflected in their drinking habits. I think he''s pretty decent."

 Chapter 482 Because They Are Her Family

    "Mr. Langton, can I take him to rest now?" Natalie was worried about Marcus. Even though the medicinal wine Federrick brewed was beneficial and harmless, too much of it still wasn''t ideal.


    "Go on, then. Look at how worried you are." Federrick waved her off. "Marcus hasn''t had proper rest these past few days. Letting him drink is to help him sleep better. How could you side with an outsider?"


    "Mr. Langton, when did I do that? Of course, I understand your good intentions," Natalie said yfully. What else could Federrick do but dote on her?


    "Go on, then!"


    "Thank you, Mr. Langton."


    Natalie stood up and helped Marcus to his feet. "Marcus, say goodbye to Mr. Langton and my fellow mentees."


    Marcus had drunk quite a bit. In this intoxicated state, he looked dazed. But still, he remained obedient. Since Natalie told him to say goodbye, he did as told.


    "Mr. Langton, everyone, goodbye."


    "Mm, goodbye."


    "Mr. Langton, everyone, I''ll take him back now."


    After bidding farewell, Natalie helped Marcus out of the courtyard.


    Once outside, the chilly night breeze hit him, making him pause. "Nat, I feel like throwing up," he said pitifully.


    Marcus looked around. When he spotted a trash can nearby, he took several big steps toward it, bent over, and started vomiting.


    Natalie sighed. She stepped forward to gently pat his back. "Marcus, if you can''t handle that much alcohol, you shouldn''t drink. Why didn''t you refuse?"


    "Because they are your family." After he was done vomiting, he stood up and looked at her with his eyes shining. "Nat''s family... I can''t refuse."


    His dark eyes were fixed on her. He reached out and cupped her face with both hands.


    Then, he said slowly and seriously, "It''s because they are your family. Without Mr. Langton, you wouldn''t be here today. Then, I wouldn''t have you."


    Natalie stared at his serious expression for a moment before reaching out to pinch his ear. "Silly goose. Come on. Let''s get some rest."


    "Alright."


    Marcus let Natalie lead him, behaving so obediently that it was almost strange. His usual coldness and ruthlessness were nowhere to be found.


    No one could tell this was the heir of the Holden family who was known to be indifferent and decisive.


    When they arrived at the guesthouse, Hector was sitting in the living room with Charles. Seeing them return, he immediately stood up and walked over.


    "What happened to Marcus? Why does he reek of alcohol?"


    "Mr. Langton invited him over for dinner," Natalie replied softly. "Hector, could you make some hangover tea for him?"


    "Sure, no problem." Hector had something to discuss with Natalie, but seeing Marcus'' state, he figured she needed to take care of him first.


    Natalie helped Marcus upstairs, guiding him into his room.


    "Nat, you look so pretty," Marcus blurted. "You''re so beautiful."


    "Mm, you''re handsome too," Natalie replied casually. After all, exchangingpliments was a way to make both parties happy.


    "Nat, I love you," he continued. "I love you very much. But I''ve also wronged you. I was blind before, ming you without knowing the full truth. I regret it. I feel guilty. Natalie, you can scold me, even hit me!"


    Marcus grabbed her hand and pped himself on the face. "I''m an idiot. How could I have doubted you without rifying things? It was my fault. Hit me, yell at me, kick me, tie me up. You can do whatever you want."


    Marcus'' face flushed red, his dark and delicate eyes were shimmering as he stared at her.


    "Nat, you like my abs. I''ll let you touch them."


    As he spoke, he reached for his shirt, lifting it.


    Natalie quickly pulled it back down. "You''re drunk."


    "I''m not drunk!" he insisted. "I''m not drunk, not even a little. Look at me. My body is still warm."


    "Okay, okay. Your body is warm," she humored him helplessly. If his body were cold, he''d be a corpse.


    "Then touch it." He grabbed her hand


    and ced it on his abs. "I''ve been


    workin


    out. Nat, I''ll make sure you


    eat well. You won''t have to suffer nd food."


    Natalie pressed her hand over his mouth. She never knew Marcus would be so chatty when drunk.


    "That''s enough. Stop talking." She pulled him toward the bed and pushed him down onto it.


    Marcus yanked his shirt open and said, "Nat,e kiss me. Thest time, you said it didn''t feel good and it wasn''t satisfying."


    Natalie smacked him in the mouth. "Shut up."


    He immediately looked at her with pitiful eyes. His eyes had always been


    beautiful, but he had always put on a cold and serious face.


    Now that he was staring at her pitifully, the contrast was huge.


    It felt as if a fierce wolfhound had suddenly turned into a pitiful little puppy. With


    his head tilted and teary eyes, it was unbearable.


    Natalie took a deep breath and


    ced a hand over his eyes. "I should''ve stopped Mr. Langton and the others from making you drink so much Hector will bring the hangover tea soon. Behave yourself."


    nove?


    ¦«¦¯


    "Nat, I will." Marcus held her wrist, his warm breath brushing against her hand. "If


    I behave, will you let me kiss you?"


    "No."


    "Then kiss me."


    "No." Natalie smacked his lips once again. "You reek of alcohol. No way I''m


    kissing you."


    "Then I''ll brush my teeth."


    Marcus stood up immediately but stumbled. Fortunately, Natalie caught him.


    "Marcus, you''re drunk. Just lie down quietly."


    She pushed him onto the bed and removed his tie. Then, she tied his hands to the headboard.


    "Stop moving around."


    "Nat, it hurts," he said pitifully.


    Natalie closed her eyes and loosened the tie slightly. "If you don''t behave, I won''t


    talk to you anymore. Now settle down, and be quiet."


    "Okay." Marcus agreed obediently. But he stayed still for less than a minute before


    he started struggling again,ining about the heat.


    With his other hand that wasn''t tied up, he yanked his shirt off.


    There was a knock on the door. Natalie stood up. "Coming."


    On the bed, Marcus looked at Natalie''s back, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly. His once hazy eyes became clear and sharp in an instant. There was no trace of the pitiful and obedient act he had just put on.


    However, the moment Natalie opened the door, he instantly reverted to his


    drunken state.

 Chapter 483 Drunk and Obedient

    "Nat, here''s the hangover tea." Hector held the tea in his hand and nced inside the room. "How drunk is he? Do you need me to take care of him?"


    Hector was worried about Natalie. He had no idea how much Marcus had drunk, but the moment he stepped inside the guesthouse, the smell of alcohol wafted from afar.


    It was fine if Marcus simply fell asleep after getting drunk, but if he started acting out under the influence, things could get troublesome.


    Although Hector wasn''t worried that he would bully her, he couldn''t bear to expose her to any danger. Even if they were lovers, no one could tell what a drunk person might do.


    Ever since Hector had known Marcus, he had never caused trouble when being drunk. But sometimes, it was better to be safe than sorry.


    "It''s okay, Hector. I can handle it." Natalie took the hangover tea and continued, "Marcus is very different when he''s drunk. The contrast is quite interesting."


    Her lips curled into a smile. "Hector, please spend more time with Grandpa Charles. He''s healthy now but he''s still old. If he keeps things bottled up, it''ll still affect his health.


    "Mr. Langton and my fellow mentees were vetting Marcus for me, which is why he drank so much. But it all turned out well. He passed their test. From now on, he''ll be part of The Herbalist''s Sanctuary and Goodwill Pharmacy."


    Hector couldn''t help but chuckle at her words. He had a deep respect for Federrick and never imagined he would meet such a reclusive expert in his lifetime.


    But above all, Hector was grateful that Federrick had saved Natalie when she was young, allowing her to grow up safely despite the hardships she suffered with the Langley family.


    His love and care for her was something the Walker family couldn''t match.


    Because of that, whenever Hector had the time and opportunity these past few days, he would look for Federrick and help out in any way he could to show his gratitude.


    Seeing how Hector sincerely cared about Natalie, Federrick taught him some life- saving medical skills. In Hector''s eyes, he had struck the jackpot. The Walker family''s debt toward Federrick became deeper than before.


    "Hector, I should go take care of Marcus." Natalie smiled. "He doesn''t get drunk often. I''m nning to take some pictures of him. If he dares to bully me in the future..." she trailed off.


    Seeing her smug little expression, Hector burst intoughter. "Alright, I won''t disturb you then. But if he starts acting out, don''t hold back. It''s normal for men to cause trouble if you don''t keep an eye on them."


    "I know, thank you, Hector."


    "Alright. I''ll go keep Grandpa Charlespany." Hector ruffled Natalie''s hair with a smile, then gently closed the door behind him before turning to leave.


    Natalie walked back to the bed with the hangover tea. Marcus just stared at her with a pitiful look. He moved his wrist slightly and spoke in a husky yet gentle voice.


    "Nat, it hurts." Marcus justy down and spoke in a gentle tone, somehow making her heart ache for him.


    "Okay, I''ll untie it. But you have to behave," Natalie''s tone softened unconsciously. "Do exactly as I say. Got it?"


    "Alright. I''ll listen to you."


    Seeing how obedient he was, a faint smile appeared on Natalie''s face without her realizing it. Then, she reached out to loosen the tie.


    "Sit up straight."


    "Okay, Nat." Marcus did as told.


    Natalie poured the hangover tea into a cup and brought it to his lips. "Ah, open your mouth."


    He obeyed immediately. "Ah, open your mouth."


    She couldn''t help but chuckle."I didn''t ask you to repeat after me. Just open your mouth."


    "Oh, okay."


    He parted his lips, and Natalie helped him drink the tea.


    "The best thing about being here at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary is that we have herbs you can''t buy anywhere else. I had Hector prepare this tea, but the


    ingredients arepletely different from the ones outside.


    "Once you drink it, you''ll feel better. When you regain some strength, go brush


    your teeth and take a shower, okay?"


    "Okay." Marcus gazed at her. "Nat, I want a reward."


    "What reward?"


    Marcus just stared straight at Natalie without blinking. Of course, she knew exactly what kind of reward he meant. But since he was pretending to be drunk, he couldn''t let her notice he was faking it.


    "Nat, whatever you give me, I''ll take it."


    Natalie smiled and replied, "Alright then. Your reward is... ten push-ups! And I''ll sit


    on your back."


    Her eyes crinkled as she smiled,


    6)


    looking at him from head to toe. "Take off your shirt, and I''ll sit your back while you do some push-ups. How about that?


    Marcus just stared at her nkly, as if he didn''t understand what she was saying.


    She waved her hand in front of his face. "What''s wrong? Are you still there?"


    Only then did he snap out of it. He grabbed her hand and said, "Alright. I''ll do it." With that, he got out of bed, swiftly took off his shirt, and got into a push-up position on the floor.


    "Nat,e on," he said with a smile while looking up at her.


    She nced at his back, his well-defined muscles on full disy. His broad


    shoulders and narrow waist gave his body a perfect V-shape.


    His arms were braced firmly against the floor, and when he looked up at her, his handsome face was simply mesmerizing.


    Most strikingly, his eyes didn''t have their usual coldness and sharpness. Instead, they were gentle and alluring.


    Natalie was a perfectly normal


    woman. How could she resist when Marcus was looking at her with that expression and posture? So, she got up, took off her shoes, and stood beside him.


    "Alright, I''m going to sit on your back now."


    "Sure, Nat." Marcus'' deep voice was indescribably gentle and doting, making it impossible to refuse.


    However, when she sat on his back, she did so carefully, worried about crushing him.


    "Nat, are you sitting firmly?"


    Once Marcus felt her weight on him, his lips curled slightly before he started doing


    push-ups.


    "One."


    "Two."


    "Three."


    "Four."


    Every time he performed a push-up, Natalie would count softly. When he reached 20, she finally told him to stop.


    "That''s enough."


    A smile appeared on her face. She simplyy on Marcus'' back and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Marcus, am I heavy?" she asked.


    "You''re not heavy at all. You''re really light."


    Marcusy on the floor, adjusting slightly to let her lie on his back more


    "Are you tired?" Natalie reached out and traced her fingers over the muscles on


    his back. "Do you work out regrly?"


    "Yes. You like my abs, so I have to train hard."


    She chuckled at his response, unable to describe what she was feeling at that


    moment.


    Just because she liked it, he trained hard. Did that count as being obedient?

 Chapter 484 Everything Happens for a Reason

    Natalie continued lying on Marcus'' back. Although she wasn''t heavy, she was still worried about his condition.


    She got up from his back and reached out to pull him up. "Go brush your teeth and take a shower before going to bed."


    "Nat, I want to sleep with you," Marcus said softly as he looked at her. "I promise to be good and not do anything. I just want to hold you while I sleep."


    Natalie shook her head. "No."


    "Oh." A hint of disappointment shed across Marcus'' face, but he still nodded obediently. "I''ll go brush my teeth and take a shower. Don''t go anywhere, okay?"


    "Okay. I''ll wait for you here."


    Natalie coaxed Marcus into the bathroom and watched him brush his teeth. Once he was done, he went to take a shower.


    While waiting for him, Natalie prepared a set of pajamas and a towel for him.


    "Marcus, I''ll put them at the door. Just open the door a little and take them in yourselfter."


    The only response from inside was the sound of running water.


    Since she promised not to leave, Natalie ced the clothes on a stool by the door and then walked over to the window.


    Pushing it open, she took a deep breath. The faint herbal fragrance in the air instantly calmed her down.


    She thought back to how she first met Marcus, as well as the events that followed. She had saved his grandfather, and he also saved her when she was drugged.


    Marcus had helped her, so she wanted to repay him by helping him with his parents'' situation. She never expected that the patient she had taken on this time would turn out to be his mother.


    Federrick hadn''t returned to The Herbalist''s Sanctuary for a long time, yet he returned to treat Laura''s Umbrahex. Not only that, he even ran into the person Marcus had been investigating.


    It was as if everything happened for a reason.


    Natalie rested her arm on the windowsill, resting her chin on her palm as she gazed over the scenery around The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    Everything inside The Herbalist''s Sanctuary was well nned. Federrick had carefully designed each area, deciding which herb to be nted in which area.


    After he handed the ce over to Joshua, Joshua would make adjustments ording to the soil conditions each year. However, the overallyout remained unchanged.


    Since the nts here were all herbs, there were barely any pests inside The Herbalist''s Sanctuary. The air was filled with a refreshing herbal scent, which was far more pleasant than the outside world.


    After a while, the sound of running water in the bathroom stopped. Marcus


    opened the door a little and reached out to grab the pajamas and towel.


    Once he was dressed, he stepped out of the bathroom. Natalie was still by the window.


    "Nat, I''m done." Marcus stepped forward and poked Natalie''s waist. "I took a shower, just like you told me to."


    Seeing his obedient expression, Natalie couldn''t help but smile. She patted him on the head and asked, "Why didn''t you dry your hair?"


    He looked at her and answered. "You only told me to take a shower, not to dry my hair."


    "Well, I''m telling you now to go dry your hair. Do it now ande back for me to check."


    "Oh, okay."


    Marcus turned withoutint and went to dry his hair. Soon, the sound of the hair dryer filled the room. Natalie just stood by the window and watched him with a smile.


    Since he had short hair, it didn''t take long for it to dry. Soon, he turned off the hairdryer and walked over to her, bowing his head slightly.


    "Nat, check."


    Natalie reached out and ran her fingers through his hair. "Yes, it''s dry. Go to bed now."


    "No. I want to sleep with you." Marcus pouted and pulled her into his arms. "I don''t want to sleep. I want to be with you."


    "Be good and go to sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow." Natalie patted his back gently, coaxing him like a child. "If you don''t get enough sleep, you''ll age faster and get wrinkles. If you grow old and I stay young, I won''t want you anymore."


    "Ah!" Marcus was startled. The next second, he scooped her up and strode toward the bed. Then, both of them fell onto the bed. "If so, steep with me. That way, both of us won''t get old. We''ll stay young forever."


    "We''re not married yet, so we can''t sleep together."


    Natalie refused him without hesitation. She reached for a pressure point on his wrist, and with a little force, Marcus let go of her.


    "Be good, go to sleep."


    Natalie bent over and kissed him on the lips. "You did great tonight. Mr. Langton and the others like you."


    "I like you too."


    "Sleep!"


    After kissing him, Natalie pulled out a small scented sachet from somewhere and ced it near his nose. Marcus'' eyes widened slightly before slowly closing.


    "Very good." She ruffled his hair, then tucked the nket around him. After that, she got up to close the window before quietly leaving his room. Outside, Connie was waiting.


    "Ms. Walker, as you instructed, we''ve ordered someone to tail Mr. Holden," Connie said softly. "We have found Julie Lombard and taken control of her. We''re just waiting for Mr. Holden''s men to arrive."


    Natalie smirked. "Okay. Did you get anything out of Julie?"


    Connie nodded. "A little, but she insists on speaking to you personally before saying more."


    "She wants to see me? What for?"


    Connie shook her head. "I have no idea. You''ve never met her, right?"


    Natalie narrowed her eyes. Julie wanted to see her, but Natalie hadn''t seen her,


    nor did she know her. However, Julie might have known of her.


    "Fine. I''ll meet her."


    "Alright. But Ms. Walker, if you leave now, what about Mrs. Holden?"


    Natalie rubbed her temples. Although the Umbrahex had been neutralized, Laura still required ongoing treatment from Natalie. If she were to leave, the only person she could rely on was Federrick.


    "Have Joshua cover me for one day. If he couldn''t handle it, ask him to ask Mr. Langton for help. If I''m not here, he''ll surely step in."


    Natalie took a deep breath. "What about the Maines? How did they react after receiving Lucy''s body?"


    "The Maines kept their distance, fearing that they would catch a disease from the corpse. Only Jessy came forward and sent the corpse to a funeral home. She held a funeral for Lucy there.


    "Along with the corpse, Jessy also


    received her paternity test result with Lucy, Jessy is Lucy''s biological daughter. Ms. Walker, just as you suspected! The reason Cassie left Jessy was to use her to threaten and restrain Lucy."


    Natalie didn''t say a word, merely instructing Connie to prepare a car for her. "I drank tonight, so I can''t drive. Have Ynda take me."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    "Marcus won''t wake up too early tomorrow. If he does and I''m not back yet, just make up an excuse to stall him. If you can''t, ask Laura to help out."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker." Then, she asked, "Ms. Walker, are you sure it''s safe for you to meet with Julie?"


    "It''ll be fine. Our people have her under control. What could possibly happen?" Natalie made her way downstairs, only to be stopped by Hector at the end.


    "Nat, where are you going by yourself? You called me over, but you''re leaving me behind. That really hurts, you know?"

 Chapter 485 Julie Lombards Husband is Kenton Langley

    Hector blinked and reached out to tug Natalie''s sleeve. "Nat, our parents sent me here to protect you. I can''t let anything happen to you. No matter what you do, you have to bring me along."


    "Connie." Natalie turned to look at Connie.


    She immediately shook her head. "Ms. Walker, I didn''t say anything. I swear."


    "She didn''t say anything. I was eavesdropping," Hector said, ncing at Connie.


    She lookedpletely baffled. "Wait, when did you do that? How did I not notice?"


    "If you noticed, it wouldn''t be called eavesdropping, right?" Hector replied. "I said I overheard it, okay?"


    "Ms. Walker..." Connie pouted, wanting toin.


    However, Natalie pressed a hand over her mouth. "Alright, that''s enough. Since Hector knows, he''ll apany me.


    "Connie, you should be more careful next time. Although there aren''t any outsiders here at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary, it''s always better to be cautious."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    After Natalie and Hector left, Connie was still standing there, wondering how Hector had managed to overhear her conversation.


    Hector apanied Natalie into the car. Both of them sat in the back seat, while Ynda Yale took the wheel. Natalie pressed a button to lower the center partition, then pulled out her phone to show Hector.


    "Hector, take a look."


    "Sure."


    Hector grabbed the phone and saw a rtionship chart, connecting the Langleys, the Holdens, and the Walkers.


    The individuals with connections were linked together, but there were some gaps and missing connections.


    With just a nce, Hector understood her intent. "Nat, these nk spaces are missing key people and key events, right?"


    "Exactly. I came to Amberton this time to investigate the matter of me being swapped at birth. Although Emma is in prison and Cindy''s dead, I feel like this matter isn''t as simple as it seems. If I don''t get to the bottom of it, I''m afraid something bad might still happen."


    Natalie leaned on the seat and continued, "Hector, Mr. Langton rarely mentions specific people, but he made a point to bring up Julie Lombard. I have a feeling she''s important.


    "Besides, he managed to find someone that Marcus couldn''t. Don''t you think it''s strange? After all, ever since he handed The Herbalist''s Sanctuary to Joshua and Goodwill Pharmacy to me, he''s been traveling around and enjoying his life. He wouldn''t get involved with much."


    "Are you saying that Marcus getting drunk tonight wasn''t a test, but something Mr. Langton deliberately arranged?" Hector asked.


    Natalie nodded, then shook her head. "Maybe partly, but it could''ve been just a simple test. Also, Marcus didn''t really seem drunk, which is why I made sure he was sound asleep."


    Hector took a deep breath, unsure how to respond.


    If Marcus was really pretending, he was great at scheming. But if he wasn''t, as Natalie''s brother, Hector couldn''t help but feel sorry for him.


    "Hector, don''t worry. I won''t do that to you." Natalie chuckled at Hector''s conflicted expression. "I only gave him something to help him sleep. He hasn''t been sleeping welltely.


    "Because of what happened to Laura, he''s been struggling as well. Even if he didn''t admit it, I know. After all, The Herbalist''s Sanctuary is filled with my people," she exined.


    "Nat, I have no objections. You don''t have to exin anything to me. You''re my sister. I''ve told you before, that no matter what you do, I''ll support you."


    Hector pulled out a chocte bar from his pocket, unwrapped it, and handed it to her. "I''m just worried about you. You''ve been busy treating Laura and you still have to think about Marcus. You haven''t gotten much rest.


    "Besides, Marcus even broke off your engagement. I''m just unhappy that you''re letting him back into your life like this and bing his girlfriend. I think he''s getting off too easily.


    "But, I also want you to be happy. If you like him, I can forget about what happened in the past. Also, Lincoln already gave him a good beating. That should''ve taught him a lesson."


    "I know. Thank you, Hector," Natalie said.


    Natalie and Hector continued chatting along the way, eating the chocte he brought her. After a long time, they finally arrived at the small clinic Federrick mentioned.


    ...


    It was midnight. The clinic was located in an isted part of town. Only a few streetlights were lit. Under the dim lights, they noticed that all the shops were closed.


    The small clinic was quiet, with only the signboard flickering at the entrance.


    After scanning the area, Natalie took out her phone and sent a message. Momentster, the clinic door opened. An elderly man with graying hair walked out.


    "Ms. Natalie, you''re here. Please,e in."


    The elderly man''s name was Leon Zimmer. He was extremely respectful toward Natalie. She gave him a slight nod before motioning Hector to follow her inside.


    "This small clinic, Wellspring Clinic, was something Mr. Langton saved in the past." Natalie turned around and exined softly, "Mr. Zimmer''s son drowned years ago. He and his wife, Sharon, were devastated. They tried to take their own lives by overdosing on sleeping pills, but Mr. Langton saved them.


    "Then, he gave them the responsibility of running the clinic. Mr. Zimmer used to be a doctor. Most people around here are poor, so he@pened this clinic here, and Goodwill Pharmacy supplies this clinic with free medicine.


    "In return, he would provide medical care for the people in this area. Many of them would drop by and check in on the couple. They supported each other and helped each other out.


    "Slowly, the elderly couple dismissed the idea of taking their own lives. Since then, if there are any important people and news, Mr. Langton will arrange it here, so we can deal with itter."


    Hector couldn''t help but respect Federrick even more. "Nat, your mentor is truly an incredible person."


    At the mention of Federrick, Natalie was filled with pride. "That''s right! Not only does he take in orphans, but he saves the elderly too. He''s incredible."


    "Ms. Natalie, we''re here."


    Leon led the siblings to the housing behind the clinic. A woman was lying on the bed, while his wife, Sharon Zimmer, was taking care of her.


    "Ms. Natalie, you''re here."


    The moment Sharon saw Natalie, she stood up and greeted her, "Mr. Langton told


    us to take good care of her, saying that she would be of use to you. We''ve been looking after her, waiting for you."


    "Mr. Zimmer, Mrs. Zimmer, thank you both."


    Natalie approached the bed and looked at the face of the woman on the bed. She had delicate features, but a long, winding scar ran across her neck. Sharon remembered something and quickly spoke up, "Oh right, Ms. Natalie. Thisdy, Ms. Lombard, told me that if she hadn''t woken up by the time you arrived, I should pass along a message."


    "What is it?"


    With a serious look on her face, Sharon replied, "She said her name is Julie Lombard, and that her husband is Kenton Langley, a member of the Langleys, the wealthiest family in Amberton."

 Chapter 486 She Just Wants to Live

    When Natalie heard the name Kenton Langley, as in Kenton Langley from Amberton''s wealthiest Langley family, something instantly clicked in her mind.


    She took out her phone, opened the rtionship chart, found Julie''s name, and wrote down "Kenton Langley" beside it.


    A long time ago, she had overheard Grace on a phone call, mentioning a younger brother. Could he be connected to Julie as well as the husband?


    "Ms. Natalie, please have a seat." Sharon noticed Natalie was just standing there staring at Julie, so she gently tugged Natalie''s sleeve.


    "Ms. Natalie, why don''t you and this gentleman take a seat? I''ll make you some tea."


    "Mrs. Zimmer, don''t trouble yourself," Natalie quickly said. She put away the phone and asked, "How long has Ms. Lombard been asleep? What exactly is wrong with her?"


    "She''s not seriously ill. She''s been subjected to domestic abuse for years and was badly beaten. Over the years, I think she''s been severely mistreated. She''s in terrible shape.


    "Even after treating her external injuries, she''ll need quite some time to regain her health. Mr. Langton said it would probably take some time."


    Leon sighed. "I don''t know who could do such a cruel thing. Not only was she beaten, she wasn''t given enough to eat. She''s severely malnourished and her body is in awful shape. If it weren''t for the kind soul who saved her and brought her here, I''m afraid she wouldn''t have made it."


    Natalie nodded. "Alright then. Let''s just wait for her to wake up. Let''s not disturb her for now."


    "Alright. Ms. Natalie and this gentleman, why don''t you take a seat outside? I''ll prepare somete-night snacks for you."


    "That won''t be necessary, Mrs. Zimmer. We''re not hungry. Just a pot of tea will do."


    "Okay then."


    "Hector, let''s go sit outside."


    "Okay."


    Hector and Natalie moved to another room and sat on the couch. In front of them was a square table with electric heating, covered with thick fabric.


    Leon and Sharon, being elderly, were afraid of the cold. They would often use this table for meals and tea as it was convenient and warm.


    As soon as Natalie and Hector sat down, Leon moved to turn on the heater, but Natalie quickly stopped him.


    "Mr. Zimmer, we''re not cold."


    "Oh, alright." Leon sat back down. "Then I''ll just turn the heater on my side." "Sure, that''s fine."


    After a while, Sharon returned with a pot of tea. "Ms. Natalie, Ms. Lombard is so pitiful. When Mr. Langton brought her here, she was barely alive. Whoever did this


    to her was truly cruel. If it weren''t for Mr. Langton, she would''ve died."


    Sharon sighed. "She hasn''t said much to us, but she begged us to see you, Ms. Natalie. But Mr. Langton told us to take good care of her. Once the time was right, you woulde here. And sure enough, here you are."


    "Yes. She wants to see me, and she mentioned the Langleys. She might have something important to tell me."


    Natalie took a sip of the tea and turned to Hector. "Have some tea too."


    "Alright, thanks."


    Hector thanked her and was lost in thought about Federrick. That man had really nned out everything for Natalie. Perhaps her greatest fortune in this lifetime was meeting her mentor.


    While Leon and Sharon continued chatting with Natalie, Hector just sipped the tea in silence. After finishing the pot of tea, a faint noise came from inside the room.


    "She''s awake."


    Sharon stood up. "She''s been having nightmares every night, so I''ve been staying with her in the room. I''ll go check on her."


    Natalie got up. "Mrs. Zimmer, let me do it. I''ll check on her."


    "Oh, sure."


    When Natalie stepped into the room, Julie was already sitting up, her forehead covered with beads of cold sweat.


    When she saw someone enter, she quickly covered herself with the nket. "Don''te near me! Stay away!"


    "It''s me, Natalie Walker," Natalie said calmly. Her voice was soft, devoid of emotion and warmth. "I heard you wanted to see me. Your husband is Kenton Langley, from the wealthiest family in Amberton, right?"


    After hearing this, Julie slowly lowered the nket from her face. She just stared straight at Natalie.


    After a long pause, she murmured, "You''ve grown up... You don''t look like you did when you were little."


    "When I was little? How little are we talking about?" Natalie asked.


    "When you were just a baby." Julie wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I know you''ve already severed ties with the Langleys."


    "Ms. Lombard, do you think bringing up the Langleys will help you?"


    Natalie stepped forward, pulled a chair, and sat down. "Mrs. Zimmer said you''ve had a hard life. Why don''t you tell me, just how hard has it been?"


    Julie let out a long sigh. She slowlyy back down, but her eyes were glued to Natalie. "Ms. Walker, you''re pretty, unlike the Langleys."


    P.n


    "Of course not. I''m not their biological daughter. It''s only natural that I don''t resemble them," Natalie said coldly. The gaze grew even colder "Forget about the Langleys. What I really want to know is whether you were involved in poisoning Mrs. Holden."


    Julie shook her head immediately. "I didn''t harm Mrs. Holden. At that time, I was Lucy''s assistant, and knew about their n. But I had no choice. My younger sister was in Cassie Holden''s hands. To save her, I had to do as told."


    "Then why aren''t you afraid now?" Natalie asked.


    "Not long ago, sent my younger sister away Tears rolled down Julie''s cheeks. "She''s my only family. I had to protect her. Now that she''s safe, don''t have to worry about anything else. Also, I believe can be of use to you, Ms. Walker You''ll surely keep me safe."


    Natalie chuckled. "What makes you so sure that I''ll do that?"


    "I told Mrs. Zimmer to tell you that my husband is Kenton Langley, from


    Amberton''s wealthiest family. I know plenty about the Langleys.


    "Kenton is Grace''s biological brother. As for Megan Langley, the nutritionist who was hired to help with Mrs. Holden''s delivery, she''s actually Grace''s biological daughter," Julie said in a serious tone.


    "Victor Langley isn''t Grace''s biological son. Way before that, Grace had sent Megan to Dithoria. Even the way she took you to Dithoria to get close to Mr. Holden Senior, none of them were a coincidence."


    "Oh?" Natalie''s expression remained unreadable. "And?"


    "Ms. Walker, I want to make a deal with you." Julie looked at her intently. "I know


    many secrets about the Langleys. All I ask is for you to keep me safe."


    Natalie chuckled, leaning back in her chair as she sized Julie up. "Why would I do that?"


    "I don''t know. I just thought I''d take a chance and ask," she admitted.


    She took a deep breath and continued, "Ms. Walker, if I don''te to you, the


    Langleys wille look for me. "When they do, that would mean certain death. All I want is to live."

 Chapter 487 Returning to the Langley Residence (Part 1)

    As Julie spoke, tears streamed down her face. "I''m not good with words, making you think I was threatening you. Ms. Walker, that wasn''t my intention. I''m begging you.


    "I''m just terrified that Kenton and his family will find me. That''s why I panicked. I don''t know what to do or how to express myself properly. Ms. Walker, you can ask me anything you want to know."


    Her voice choked up as she spoke. She didn''t want to cry, but she couldn''t stop the sobs from escaping.


    Natalie didn''tfort her or say a thing. She just ced a box of tissues in front of Julie.


    Julie took a tissue, wiping her tears as she continued crying. It went on for a while until she finished about half a box of tissues. Finally, she calmed herself down.


    Seeing that she had calmed down, Natalie said, "You said you didn''t harm Mrs. Holden, and that you were forced by Lucy and Cassie. Do you have any evidence?"


    Julie froze for a moment before shaking her head. "I... I don''t have any evidence. Over 20 years ago, Lucy brought me to Holden Residence to assist with childbirth.


    "All of our phones were confiscated, but we were each given a walkie-talkie formunication. Allmunications would be done through the walkie-talkies.


    "I was Lucy''s assistant, so I spent the most time by her side. But the tasks she assigned me were trivial. Anything important was kept from me.


    "But one time, I identally bumped into Cassie meeting with Grace. I don''t know what they talked about, but not long after, Diana went intobor.


    "From what I know, her due date wasn''t supposed to be that soon. Later on, I secretly followed Kenton and discovered that during that period, he had been frequently visiting a hospital.


    "I didn''t think much of it, butter, I found out that when Diana gave birth, an influential woman from Dithoria also delivered a baby girl at the hospital."


    Natalie just sat there and listened quietly. After Julie was done talking, Natalie got up and poured her a ss of water.


    "So, do you now know who that noblewoman from Dithoria was?"


    Julie took the ss of water and drank several sips. Then, she answered, "Yes. She was your biological mother, Mrs. Walker.


    "Selena was taken away by Kenton. Since Victor wasn''t Grace''s biological son, Grace didn''t have any affection for this granddaughter of hers. In fact, she deeply resented Diana because Victor went against her wishes and married Diana."


    "Once Kenton took Selena away, he didn''t treat her well. Instead, he sold her off. The first family that Selena was sold to couldn''t have children. At first, they treated her fairly well.


    "But when Selena turned three, the wife got pregnant unexpectedly. Later, she gave birth to a son. Now that they had their own child, their love and attention for Selena gradually faded."


    Julie paused for a moment before continuing, "Perhaps it was something in her nature, Selena began resenting her parents for favoring her younger brother. One day, while they were busy, she tried to strangle her younger brother.


    "But as she was doing that, the wife walked in on the scene. In a rage, she almost beat Selena to death. The husband then took Selena back to Kenton, demanding a refund.


    "Seeing how Selena was already three years old, Kenton agreed to only return a quarter of the money. If they didn''t ept it, he wouldn''t refund anything at all. Furious, that husband brought Selena back home, but soon after, they sold her to someone else.


    "I don''t know where she ended up after that. Later on, I heard Kenton mentioning that Selena was unlucky. She was passed around from one ce to another, so it wasn''t clear if she would even survive to adulthood.


    "One time, I questioned Kenton about his actions. I asked him whether he was afraid of retribution for treating a newborn child like that. He pped me and told me to mind my own business.


    "He said that his sister had everything nned out and that I wouldn''t understand. After that, Kenton threatened me with my sister. If I wanted to protect her, I had to listen to him and follow his every order."


    Julie finished the ss of water and put it on the bedside table. "It was Kenton who arranged for me to work as Lucy''s assistant. After Mrs. Holden had given birth, that incident happened.


    "One day before that, Lucy had already sent us away. Kenton took me away and I had no idea what happened to the others. That was when I first saw Megan.


    "She looked almost identical to


    Grace, so I was certain she must be Grace''s biological daughter. Whend


    l.ne


    talked to Megan, I managed to collect a strand of her hair. Then, I secretly took a strand of Kenton''s hair to run a DNA test.


    "I wanted to get a hair sample from Grace, but I never got the opportunity."


    Natalie tapped her finger lightly on the table. "Can you get in contact with Megan Langley?"


    Julie shook her head. "No, I can''t. She was Mrs. Holden''s nutritionist. After the incident, she left Holden Residence. After that one time, she disappeared."


    Natalie found it strange. If what Julie said was true, why wouldn''t Grace raise her biological daughter, but raise Victor, who wasn''t rted to her by blood?


    Not only that, Grace kept ties with Cassie and even worked her way up to bing Charles'' godsister. She even ordered Kenton to take Selena away and also swap Emma and Natalie at birth. What was she nning? Unfortunately, Cindy was dead. Otherwise, Natalie could''ve asked what her role was in all of this. Was she working for Cassie or Grace?


    "Ms. Walker, Kenton is a ruthless man. You need to be careful."


    "Can you find him?"


    Julie shook her head. "He''s unpredictable. Even though I''m his wife, he rarely shares anything with me. Our home is at No. 308, Palm Lane in Amberton. You might find some clues there."


    "Alright, I understand."


    Natalie stood up and asked, "Your injuries, did Kenton cause them?"


    Julie shook her head. "He didn''t hit me. Someone else did this."


    "Who was it?"


    Julie shook her head once again. "I have no idea. I was locked up in a dark ce.


    I couldn''t see him. I could only hear his voice, but that wasn''t Kenton''s voice. That I''m certain of."


    "Then how did you escape?" Natalie asked.


    "Someone opened the door for me and gave me a map. After escaping, I followed the directions and ran away. Not long after, I ran into an elderly man. I threw myself at his feet, begging him to save me. After that, I was brought here."


    As Julie spoke, her eyes reddened again. "After arriving here, I realized that other


    than Mr. and Mrs. Zimmer, someone else is watching me in the dark.


    "I can''t tell if they were protecting me or monitoring me, but it was ufortable. But I want to live. want to live so badly. So, I thought about it over and over. In the end, I decided to take a chance and try to meet with you."

 Chapter 488 Returning to the Langley Residence (Part 2)

    "They were protecting you," Natalie said tly. "My people have been protecting you. Otherwise, do you think you can rest and recuperate here in peace? Since you mentioned the Langleys, it looks like I''ll have to pay them a visit."


    She stood up and added, "It looks like I should meet with Kenton as well. Grace has certainly prepared quite a few surprises for me."


    A mocking smile appeared on her face. If Grace was involved in Laura''s childbirth, it meant she had set her sights on the Holdens years ago.


    However, Natalie couldn''t figure out many of Grace''s actions. So, she needed to meet her.


    "Ms. Lombard, get some rest. With Mr. and Mrs. Zimmer taking care of you, you''ll get better soon."


    With that, Natalie turned and walked out.


    Hector was chatting with the couple. When they saw here out of the room, they all stood up.


    "Nat, how did it go?" he asked.


    "Hector, we need to make a trip to the Langley residence." Natalie picked up her backpack and put it on. "Mr. and Mrs. Zimmer, please take good care of Julie. I have something else to handle."


    "Oh, of course. Ms. Natalie, don''t worry. We''ll look after Ms. Lombard."


    Natalie gave a nod and then called Hector to leave the clinic with her. Inside the car, Hector asked, "Nat, what did you and Julie talk about?"


    "She said she''s Kenton Langley''s wife, and Kenton is Grace''s younger brother. She also said the Langleys arranged for her to be Lucy''s assistant. Also, Grace had met with Cassie many years ago."


    Natalie pinched the bridge of her nose. "Grace''s biological daughter is Megan Langley, who used to be Laura''s nutritionist. Also, Victor isn''t Grace''s biological son.


    "Selena was taken from the hospital and sold by Kenton because Grace disliked Diana. Also, Victor went against Grace''s wishes and insisted on marrying Diana. Hector, does any of this make sense to you?"


    Hector was dumbfounded. "She abandoned her biological daughter to raise Victor, who wasn''t even rted to her by blood. Then, she took Victor''s daughter away and sold her off, just because Victor didn''t listen to her. Nat, is that what you''re saying?"


    Hector was starting to question his own understanding. Could a person really do such a thing?


    Natalie nodded. "That''s right. That''s what Julie said to me. Hector, you think this is farfetched, right?


    Hector pondered for a moment before answering, "But if you think about it carefully, it''s possible. Look, after you were taken to the Langley family, you ended up being used as Diana''s walking blood bank.


    "Could it be possible that Grace never intended for Kenton to sell Selena? Maybe he did it behind her back."


    "Regardless, they''re all human traffickers." Natalie''s gaze turned icy. "Julie said Kenton''s whereabouts are unpredictable, and he was rarely home. She doesn''t see him much.


    "I''ve stayed in the Langley residence for almost 20 years. Aside from overhearing Grace mention her younger brother on a phone call once, I never saw anyone named Kenton around.


    "When we get there and see Grace, we''ll find out."


    "Alright." Hector nodded. "Nat, the Langleys hate us to the core. We should bring more people with us."


    "There''s no need for that." She took out a small bottle from her bag, opened it, and poured out two pills, handing one to Hector. "Take it."


    "Okay." Hector took the pill without question and swallowed it as Natalie instructed.


    "This is an antidote. By taking it in advance, we don''t have to worry about the Langleys poisoning us. I was once caught off guard and drugged by Victor. I won''t give them another chance."


    As Natalie spoke, she looked outside the car window.


    As dawn approached, the car pulled up in front of the Langley residence.


    The spot where Olivia had once crashed her car had been repaired. The courtyard was filled with blooming flowers. Everything looked just like when Natalie still lived there.


    Natalie stepped out of the car and rang the doorbell.


    Now that Grace got older, she had been sleeping less than before. When she was


    in the nursing home, she would wake up early every day to watch TV.


    Now that she was back in the Langley residence, she had a lot of mess to deal with. She was probably sleeping even less.


    Not long after Natalie pressed the doorbell, a helper came to open the door.


    "Ms. Langley, you''re back!" The helper was a new face, but she clearly knew who Natalie was. "Ms. Langley, pleasee in."


    "Don''t call me that. Myst name is Walker. Call me Ms. Walker."


    Natalie nced up at the house and saw that the lights in the rightmost room on the second floor were on.


    A momentter, the curtains were pulled open, revealing Grace, fully dressed and standing by the window, gazing in the direction of the entrance.


    Their eyes met, but none of them spoke.


    After a while, Grace turned away from the window. As for Natalie, she followed the helper into the house.


    Hector followed closely behind. Soon, they were seated in the living room.


    "Ms. Walker, this gentleman, please have a seat. I''ll prepare some tea."


    The helper retreated respectfully. Soon, Grace appeared at the top of the staircase. Then, she descended slowly.


    After that, she sat down across from Natalie. "Nattie, I didn''t expect you toe back to see me one day."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, please call me


    Ms. Walker or Natalie." She wasn''t


    interested in getting close to Grace. "There is no bond between us anymore. I don''t think it''s


    appropriate for you to address me so intimately."


    "Nattie, must you be so distant with your grandmother?" Grace looked heartbroken. "Ever since you were gone, I''ve been thinking about you all the time. Even when your family retaliated against us, I never med you."  s?novel


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, of course, you shouldn''t have med me. After all, you brought this upon yourself. It''s only normal for my family to seek justice on my behalf."


    Just like that, Natalie countered Grace''s words, tossing the me right back at


    her.


    The Langleys had wronged her first. The Walkers'' retaliation was justified.


    If Grace had treated her with sincerity, Natalie would''ve reciprocated. But if Grace had been using her, there was no reason for Natalie to hold onto past ties. "What''s more, if not for your selfish schemes, Emma and I would never have been switched at birth. I wouldn''t have spent so many years here being a walking blood bank.


    "I wouldn''t have been abused by Diana and Victor, and I wouldn''t have been deceived by your lies into working tirelessly for the Langley family.


    "Instead, I would''ve grown up surrounded by my real parents and brothers, carefree and loved. I


    would''ve been raised by a familyet


    that truly cared for me, rather than


    having my blood drained year after year."

 Chapter 489 Resentment and Hatred

    Natalie recalled the needle piercing her blood vessel, and her blood flowing into the blood bags. As a young child, she had no choice but to endure the pain and sadness.


    Just because she called Diana her mom, she had to give her blood without resentment or hatred.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, do you not know that direct rtives cannot donate blood to each other?"


    As a child, Natalie didn''t know that. But after meeting Federrick, he taught her these medical facts. However, she had been grateful that she wasn''t biologically rted to the Langleys. After all, Grace had treated her so well.


    As a child, Natalie feared that if she refused, Grace would abandon her. She was too young and naive. Having never received the love she craved from her parents, she clung to the little affection Grace offered her.


    But after overhearing the conversation between Grace and Victor outside the hospital ward, all traces of love and gratitude she had for Grace vanished in an instant.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, do I not have the right to resent you? To hate you? You, Victor, and Diana. What have any of you done for me? Tell me, what exactly have I done wrong to the Langley family?"


    Natalie''s voice was cold and sharp. "Mrs. Langley Senior, what have you ever done for me? What right do you have to say that you don''t me me for my family''s retaliation? I didn''t expect the Langleys to be so thick-skinned to say such a thing."


    Grace was stunned by Natalie''s sharp words. Her face was filled with shock and disbelief. It was as if she couldn''t understand that the person who had once treated her with utmost respect and obedience would turn into someone so cold and ruthless.


    It took some time before Grace murmured, "Then what about the 20 years I spent raising and loving you? Does that mean nothing to you?"


    Natalie chuckled. "If that''s what you call love, I rather not have it. When I was a child, I didn''t understand. But now, do you really think you can continue with the act?


    "I thought that by returning to my real family and cutting ties with you, we could go our separate ways without interacting ever again. But now, I happened to save someone. Coincidentally, she said her husband is Kenton Langley."


    Natalie red at Grace and said slowly, "He''s a member of Amberton''s Langley family, and more importantly, he''s your younger brother."


    Natalie''s words caused Grace''s expression to change drastically. Her body


    swayed, and she had to grip the armrest for support.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, aren''t you supposed to be an only child? Why do you have


    a younger brother? Also, Kenton''s wife told me about Megan.


    "Victor isn''t your biological. Your real daughter is Megan Langley! I''m really curious, do you have a twisted hobby? Why do you like to ignore your biological daughter and granddaughter while raising someone else''s child instead?"


    "Nonsense!" Grace mmed her hand onto the armrest. "Nattie, where did you hear such baseless rumors? These arepletely fabricated? Do you think I''m crazy enough to abandon my biological daughter and raise someone else''s child?"


    "Whether it''s nonsense or rumors, as long as you and Victor take a DNA test, that would clear things up, right?" Natalie said with a smirk. "You must''ve been waiting for me for quite some time. Now that I''m here, if you''re not willing to show sincerity, there''s nothing left for us to discuss."


    Natalie stood up and continued, "How is the Langley family holding up? Are you sure you can still retain your spot as the wealthiest family in Amberton?"


    Grace''s face turned red then pale. She lifted her gaze at Natalie. After Natalie returned to the Walkers, she had been given way more than what the Langleys had ever provided.


    Most importantly, the Walkers'' love for her was unconditional and sincere. They didn''t expect anything in return.


    From the moment Hector stepped into the Langley residence with Natalie, Grace knew that the granddaughter she had raised for 20 years no longer belonged to her or the Langley family.


    "Hector, let''s go!"


    With that, Natalie turned and walked toward the door. Hector stood up, picked up the cup of tea from the table, and sshed it onto Grace''s face.


    "You old hag. Haven''t you bullied my sister enough all these years? Now, you''re trying to kidnap her. How dare you?


    "The men of the Walker family never hit women, but anyone who dares hurt my sister, regardless of whether you''re male, female, young or old. We won''t hesitate to strike back."


    The tea had cooled slightly but was still warm. Though it wasn''t scalding, having it thrown in her face was still humiliating.


    Especially considering Grace''s age and status of being the eldest in the Langley family, everyone treated her with utmost respect.


    Now that Hector had sshed her face with tea, she could barely keep her expression together.


    "You old hag. If it weren''t for your scheming, Natalie wouldn''t have to suffer years of blood extraction


    while living here. She was bo


    enjoy@life of happiness, yet your family took her away from us all these years.


    "You have the audacity to say you didn''t me us for retaliating? The fact that we


    haven''t destroyed the Langleys is already proof of our mercy."


    Hector towered over Grace with his chilling presence. "Natalie is kind, but that doesn''t mean I would just sit by and let you hurt her again."


    As soon as he said that, Hector mmed the teacup to the floor beside Grace''s feet. It shattered into countless fragments.


    Grace was so frightened that she shivered. But Hector continued, "Natalie is no longer alone. She won''t be bullied by the Langleys ever again.


    "If you want respect, act like a decent human being. Stop acting like a wild beast. Today, Natalie came here out of courtesy. Don''t push your luck."


    "Hector, let''s go," Natalie said as she stood at the door.


    "Alright, I''ming."


    Hector red at Grace coldly one more time before turning to follow Natalie.


    As the siblings exited the Langley residence, Natalie suddenly stopped and looked at Hector.


    He was confused by her stare, so he asked, "Nat, why are you looking at me like that?"


    She giggled. "Hector, you''re quite adorable when you''re being overprotective." Hector was stunned before he chuckled, reaching out to ruffle Natalie''s hair.


    "Nat, you''re my sister. If I don''t protect you, who will? Just from sitting in that house for a while, could tell you weren''t treated well there. In such a huge mansion, there were barely any traces of you in it."


    Natalie didn''t want Hector to feel sad for her, so she smiled and replied, "Selena has returned to the Langley family. It''s normal for them to erase all traces of me. Besides, I don''t want to leave any traces of myself in that house."


    Hector understood what she said, but his heart ached for Natalie. She must have


    suffered too much when she was living with the Langleys.

 Chapter 490 Beg Her to Go Back

    "Alright." Natalie looked at Hector''s pained expression. He stepped forward and hugged him. "Thank you, Hector."


    "Nat, don''t ever feel bad for those bastards in the Langley family. If you want to know anything, there''s no need to be polite with Grace. I can send someone over to make her spill everything," Hector said.


    He hugged Natalie carefully in his arms. If only Natalie had grown up with them, she wouldn''t have had her blood drained by the Langleys, nor would she have been exploited for so many years.


    "There''s no need for that. She''lle begging for me to talk to her." Natalie


    smiled faintly. She pulled out her phone and waved it at Hector. "The moment you sshed the tea at her and cursed her out, I had already made the arrangements. For now, let''s head to the hotel and get some proper rest."


    "Alright."


    Hector hade along on this trip to assist Natalie, but neither of them had expected that Laura''s Umbrahex would somehow be linked to the Langleys.


    The connection only proved one thing, which was Grace had been scheming for years.


    However, without knowing her true motives, no one could be certain whether other people were involved in this. Especially now that Cassie was missing, Cindy was dead, and the Langleys trying to silence Julie, everything pointed to a much deeper conspiracy.


    Natalie and Hector continued talking. When they entered the car, they instructed Ynda to drive them to the Four Seasons Hotel.


    Back at the Langley residence, Grace sat motionlessly on the couch for a long time. She only returned to her senses when a helper called out to her cautiously.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, Ms. Natalie has left," the helper said carefully. "Shall we still prepare breakfast for her?"


    "No need." Grace waved her hand wearily. "Has Victor and Diana woken up yet? Wake them up. I need to speak with them."


    The helper hesitated, and her expression shifted. After a while, she shook her head and said cautiously, "Mrs. Langley Senior, while you were speaking with Ms. Walker earlier, they were already downstairs. They... they..."


    "What about them?" Grace pulled a tissue and wiped the tea off her face. "Speak up! Why are you stuttering?"


    The helper mustered her courage and replied, "They were hiding by the stairs. They were likely eavesdropping on your conversation with Ms. Walker."


    "What?" Grace shot up from the sofa in shock. "Where are they now?"


    The helper trembled in fear but forced herself to respond, "They left through the back door just moments ago."


    Grace slumped back onto the couch, waving a hand to dismiss the helper without saying another word.


    Once Grace was alone, she pressed her fingers against her forehead. After a moment of thinking, she entered her room. Then, she opened a safe and retrieved a phone that had been switched off for years.


    She plugged it in to charge, and after a few minutes, powered it on. After waiting for a while, she entered the passcode to unlock it and opened the contact list. There was only one number inside without a saved name.


    Grace dialed the number. The phone rang for a while before it was answered.


    "Speak. What is it?" The voice on the other end was impatient, showing no attempt to conceal their irritation. "Didn''t I tell you not to contact me?"


    "Victor might have found out that he''s not my biological son," Grace''s voice trembled. "Tell me, how is my daughter?"


    The voice on the other end sneered. "So what if he knows? He''s just an orphan that you raised. You even gave him a wife and family. Even if he finds out now, what can he do about it?"


    "I''m asking you, what happened to my daughter?" Grace no longer could control her emotions. "Back then, you used my daughter to threaten me. If you hadn''t taken her away, I would never have done all of this!"


    "Oh? Are you ming me now?" That person chuckled coldly. "Grace, if you weren''t so greedy for wealth and power, would you have even agreed to work with me?


    "Everything that''s happening now is the result of your own choices. Just behave and your daughter will live. If not...


    "Let''s see, there are so many ways to torture a person. I''m actually having trouble deciding!"


    "You"


    "Grace, just behave yourself. Otherwise, you might have to collect your daughter''s corpse. Or maybe, you won''t have to do that as she''ll be


    busy travelling the world, watching you from afar. Who knows?


    With that, the call ended.


    Grace clutched the phone and copsed onto the floor. "Megan... Megan... No! I


    can''t let anything happen! I can''t let anything happen to her!"


    Tears streamed down her face. She turned off the old phone and grabbed her usual phone. Then, she dialed Victor''s number.


    "Victor, where are you and Diana? Why aren''t you two having breakfast with me?"


    Grace tried to sound normal but this time, Victor had lost all respect for her.


    "Mom, Diana and I are outside. We''re meeting with Natalie. You can have breakfast by yourself."


    "Victor, why are you meeting her? Come back right now!"


    "Mom, I''m not even your biological son. I don''t think I deserve to carry the Langley name."


    Victor''s cold voice rang in her ears. Before she could say anything, he hung up.


    "You ungrateful bastard!" Grace hurled her phone onto the bed. She had raised Victor, but time after time, he defied her.


    Her mind was a mess. An ominous feeling crept over her. She felt that things were slowly slipping out of control.


    "What do I do? What should I do?"


    Suddenly, the phone that she hurled onto the bed rang, making her jump in shock. She looked at the screen and quickly picked it up.


    "Hello, Lilith. What is it?"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, bad news! Selena had transferred all ourpany''s.orders and contracts


    ourpetitors at rock-bottomet


    prices! We can''t find her anywhere, but all our business partners have been switched."


    Grace felt utterly drained. Ever since Natalie left, Langley Group had been on the brink of copse. She had been hospitalized several times from the stress.


    Each time she managed to be discharged and had to clean up the mess, Selena would create another problem.


    "I understand. Inform everyone that I''ming over for an emergency meeting." "Understood, Mrs. Langley Senior."


    After hanging up, Grace sat on the bed and thought for a while. In the end, she decided to call Natalie''s number.


    The call rang, but Natalie didn''t pick up. It continued ringing until it was automatically disconnected.


    Natalie had said it herself, that she


    would make Grace beg her to go


    back to talk. If Grace was going to


    beg, how could Natalie let her seed on the first try?

 Chapter 491 Langley Group On The Brink Of Collapse

    Grace refused to ept the situation and repeatedly called, but every attempt was met with the cold mechanical voice of the system.


    Frustrated, she threw her phone, forcing herself to wash up and change.


    An hourter, she arrived at the Langley Group headquarters, where her newly hired assistant, Lilith Lancaster, rushed over in a panic.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, Ms. Langley is on the rooftop, throwing wads of cash into the air! No matter how hard I tried to stop her, she refused to listen. She even called me nothing more than a dog you trained."


    Lilith''s voice trembled with grievance. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I only took this job to work, not to be humiliated."


    Grace sighed wearily. "I''m sorry, Lilith. I will send you some moneyter so you can treat yourself to something nice."


    After all, Selena was still the rightful daughter of the Langley family, even if only in name. The mess she had created was something Grace had to clean up.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, that will not be necessary, but I don''t n on staying any longer. Please approve my resignation. I don''t even want toplete my notice period."


    Lilith spoke cautiously. ording topany policy, she should have worked another month after submitting her resignation, but the pressure of working at Langley Group was overwhelming.


    She no longer cared aboutpensation. She just wanted to leave as soon as possible. Moreover, under the reckless decisions of Selena and Victor, thepany was already on the verge of copse.


    For the past few weeks, Grace had been struggling to hold things together, using every connection she had and humbling herself to fix the disasters caused by her family members.


    After just two days of stability, Selena was stirring up trouble again.


    Lilith followed Grace into the elevator, heading to the rooftop of the building.


    On the rooftop, Selena stood by the railing, casually grabbing wads of cash from a bag beside her and throwing them over the edge.


    "Selena," Grace called out, her voice calm but firm.


    Hearing her, Selena turned around with a bright mocking smile. "Oh, you old hag. Still alive? What a disappointment."


    "Are you determined to destroy Langley Group? Where did you get this money?" Grace stepped forward.


    "Thepany is not mine. Why should I care if it copses? Old hag, did you ever think I woulde back when you had your brother sell me off as a child? Did you think you could hide that secret forever?" Selena smirked and tilted her head.


    With a sharpugh, Selena continued, "All these years of suffering, all the pain I endured, it was all because of you.


    "Grace, even if my dad was not your biological son, did I deserve to be abandoned? You had your brother sell me, leaving me to a fate worse than death, while you lived your life as the esteemed matriarch and chairwoman. Were the Langley family so poor that they couldn''t afford to raise a child?


    "Oh wait, no, you did raise someone. You raised Natalie just so she could be a living blood bank for your family. Grace, you don''t love anyone but yourself."


    Hearing this, Lilith, standing behind Grace, turned pale with shock. She had no idea about any of this, and fear flickered in her eyes as she looked at her employer.


    The more one knew, the faster one died. Instinctively, Lilith turned and bolted.


    But Grace grabbed her wrist. "Lilith, don''t believe her. She''s insane, and you know that."


    "Do you really want me to show the evidence?"


    Selena burst intoughter and pulled out several paternity test reports from her pocket, waving them in the air.


    "These papers prove your rtionship with my dad. And these records detail every blood extraction Natalie underwent for the Langley family.


    "You sold me through your brother and reced me with Natalie, using her as a blood donor. Grace, your heart is made of poison.


    "Lilith, do you want to take a look? See for yourself what kind of venomous woman your kind andpassionate chairwoman really is."


    Selena grinned meaningfully. "Don''t be in such a rush to leave, stay and enjoy the show. After tonight, this old hag will be finished. She will not be able to threaten or harm you anymore."


    "But you called me a dog. You are all insane," Lilith muttered, taking a few steps back.


    With that, she turned and ran.


    Grace remained still, her aged face drained of color, her exhaustion more evident than ever.


    "Selena, I don''t know where you heard these things. You were stolen and sold by a nurse at the hospital Natalie was also switched at birth due to a mistake. If you keep making these baseless usations, don''t


    me me for suing you for


    defamation." Content befongs to


    "Then sue me."


    Selena kept tossing money into the air. Below, a crowd had gathered, watching


    the spectacle. She looked down at them, satisfied.


    "Sue me? Hal Go ahead. See if I care.


    When I was a helpless baby, you and your brother sold me off like an object. was beaten and abused, unable to fight back. But do you really think I am still that weak and powerless? If anything happens to me, your crimes will be exposed to the world in an instant."


    With that, Selena threw the paternity test papers into the air.


    "I hate you, Grace. If it weren''t for you and your brother, I would have never suffered the way I did."


    She continued tossing papers, eventually hurling a handful directly at Grace''s face.


    "Let me tell you, I''m not Natalie. I never received anything from you, and I will not show you a shred of mercy."


    She stepped forward, stopping right in front of Grace. "You have only one way out, dere Langley Group bankrupt and give me all the money from its liquidation."


    She said each word with chilling deliberation. "Otherwise, I will kill Megan. Why should I have suffered all these years while your biological daughter lived a life infort?"


    Grace''s already weary face turned ashen.


    Seeing this, Selena was pleased. She leaned close and whispered in her ear. "Langley Group copses, or Megan dies. Your choice. Even if you''re not my real grandmother, I trust you will not disappoint me."


    With that, Selena twirled around and burst intoughter.


    "Langley Group is going bankrupt! Grace, your precious status as the wealthiest


    woman is about to disappear."

 Chapter 492 She Has Always Been This Crazy

    Selenaughed wildly, grabbed the bag beside her, and gave it a shake. Money and paternity test documents spilled out, scattering in the wind like falling leaves.


    Once the bag was empty, she swung the empty bag before turning toward Grace. As she passed, she deliberately bumped into her shoulder with force.


    "Old hag, your time is running out. Think carefully about what you want to do."


    "Selena, you''re insane. Bringing you back to the Langley family was the biggest mistake we''ve made. How could you destroy the Langley family? How could you destroy me?" Grace mumbled under her breath.


    "You really don''t know why I turned out like this?" Selena stopped, tilting her head with a smirk as she stared at Grace.


    "I''ve always been this crazy. Are you regretting it now? Toote. If you hadn''t ordered Kenton to take me away and sell me, would I have be like this? Everything that happened is because of you, you old wretch.


    "If you want to me someone, me yourself. No one else is responsible. I''m the crazy one, but what does that make you? An old beast?"


    Selena burst intoughter, turned, and entered the stairwell. She took the elevator straight to the first floor.


    The moment she stepped out, she called Victor. "Hello, Dad, have you and Mom met Natalie yet?"


    "Not yet. We tried calling, but her assistant said she''s resting and not epting visitors. We were told to make an appointment. Your mother and I are in the hotel lobby where she is staying. We''ll wait here. Let''s see if she never leaves the hotel."


    Victor gritted his teeth. "Selena, have you finished handling things on your end?" "Everything is done. I''ming over to meet you both." Selena walked out of the Langley Group building, got into her car, and started the engine.


    "That old hag has been ying you two for years while I suffered outside. She still wants to use us like cattle to serve her." Her lips curled into a sneer. "What gives her the right to lecture us?"


    She added, "Because of her, the Walker family took revenge on the three of us. Everything we suffered should be repaid by that old hag."


    "None of us expected her to be so ruthless," Victor cursed, though deep down, he felt nothing but bitterness. All his life, he had believed he was Grace''s biological son, the heir of the Langley family, and its rightful sessor.


    But that morning, he and Diana overheard a conversation between Natalie and Grace. He wasn''t her real son.


    Grace had a biological daughter-Megan. That exined why she never transferredpany shares to Selena or gave him full control over Langley Group. She was saving everything for her daughter.


    If Langley Group wasn''t his to inherit, then he would make sure Megan never got it either.


    Victor ended the call and exchanged a nce with Diana. Both wore identical grim expressions, their hearts filled with hatred for Grace.


    Because of the abuse Natalie suffered, her biological mother, Charlotte, had retaliated against them, each time harsher than thest.


    But going up against the richest family in the country was futile. The more they resisted, the worse it became. Fortunately, after her final act of vengeance, Charlotte returned to Dithoria.


    But Grace still looked down on them. Every time Victor tried to make decisions for Langley Group, she publicly overruled him, humiliating him in front of the entire executive team. His dignity had beenpletely shattered.


    In private, Diana oftenined. "What kind of mother insults her own son like that?"


    She had even said that if he weren''t truly her son, it would be just like Natalie not being their real daughter. Ironically, her words hade true. Victor really wasn''t her son.


    The resentment they once held toward Natalie immediately shifted onto Grace. If she refused to hand over Langley Group, they would destroy it. Once Langley Group went bankrupt, they would still have money. As for Grace, she could go to hell.


    And Megan? If they ever found her, well...


    A sinister glint shed in Victor''s eyes. "I told you before, even though Natalie wasn''t our real daughter, we shouldn''t have drained her blood so many times. She still called us Mom and Dad. But that old hag kept hinting at us to do it.


    "Then, once we followed her orders, she turned around and scolded us for being cruel. She yed the role of the good person while making us look like the viins."


    "She even called Selena crazy and said we shouldn''t have brought her back. If she hadn''t ordered someone to take her away and sell her, my daughter would not have suffered like that." Diana''s anger red.


    "Selena surviving and returning to us is already a miracle. How manydies who get kidnapped and sold never make it back? But Grace still had the audacity to say we shouldn''t have found Selena and shouldn''t have spoiled her.


    "If you ask me, we should sell that old hag off once and let her experience what Selena went through. What right does she have to judge Selena?" Diana''s eyes turned red with fury.


    Diana truly loved her daughter. No matter what Selena did, she believed it was justified. The ones at fault were the people who sold her in the first ce.


    If she had never been taken, Diana would not have lost her real daughter. She wouldn''t have vented her frustration and hatred on Natalie.


    Natalie would have grown up in a loving home, and there would have been no enmity between their family and the Walker family.


    "It is all her fault. Darling, where are my real parents? Did they abandon me, or did they sell me?" Victor seethed, gritting his teeth. His eyes were bloodshot.


    "Why did Grace raise me? Why did she never tell me the truth? It hurts so much." Victor buried his face in his hands, tears slipping through his fingers.


    Grace never loved him. She never loved Diana. She certainly never loved their daughter.


    But no matter how much she did not care for them, selling a newborn baby was unforgivable, especially when that baby was a girl. What happened to kidnapped girls was too horrifying to even imagine.


    "Grace is a woman. How could she do that to another girl? How? She keeps calling Selena crazy, but who drove her to madness?"


    After wiping his tears, Victor grabbed a tissue and took a deep breath. "Darling,


    after we see Natalie, we should focus on our own future. The three of us need to live well together."

 Chapter 493 A Familys Sincere Apology

    "I want to properly apologize to Natalie. For years, I held resentment, believing Natalie had stolen Selena''s privileged life. I didn''t know where my real daughter was or what kind of suffering she endured. I was wrong." Diana''s eyes reddened.


    For Diana,ing here to apologize to Natalie hadn''t been an easy decision. It had taken her a long time to prepare herself mentally. But once she finally took this step, she realized it wasn''t as difficult as she had imagined.


    However, despite waiting, they had yet to see Natalie. In the past, they could scold and mistreat her without consequences. But today, Natalie was far beyond their reach.


    "Grace will likelye looking for Natalie as well. We need to stay here and make sure she doesn''t get to her first."


    Diana nced at the hotel entrance. "Once Selena arrives, we will call that old hag."


    "Alright."


    Victor''s thoughts were in turmoil. He wasn''t Grace''s biological son. He had no right to anything in the Langley family.


    Yet there were still things he wanted to ask her. Even so, despite the numerous calls from Grace, he didn''t dare to answer.


    "Darling, this isn''t your fault." Diana knew her husband well. Years ago, Grace had opposed their marriage, but Victor had insisted on marrying her. His defiance had displeased Grace for a long time.


    After the wedding, she eventually stopped objecting. However, their married life was constantly overshadowed by Grace''s control.


    She held all the authority over thepany, and they had no choice but to rely on her for money each month. To Diana, it had been a humiliating existence.


    Then, when she gave birth to their daughter, she thought things would improve, but her daughter wasn''t truly hers.


    "These years must have been hard on you too," Victor said, his voice heavy with emotion. Their shared resentment toward Grace deepened, binding them even closer together.


    If there had to be someone to me for all of this, it had to be Grace. They couldn''t me themselves.


    "Let''s wait. Sooner orter, Natalie will leave the hotel."


    "Alright."


    The two sat in quiet silence, waiting in the hotel lobby.


    After more than half an hour, Selena arrived at the hotel. She walked straight to the table where her parents were seated and sat across from them. "Has Langley Group held a press conference yet?"


    Victor shook his head. "Not yet. There hasn''t been a single move."


    "The old hag must not be taking the threat seriously. She is willing to risk Langley Group, even at the expense of her own biological daughter. She must be gambling on the possibility that we don''t actually know her daughter''s whereabouts." Selena sneered.


    "We truly don''t know where Megan is. Selena, we''re here to apologize to Natalie. Let''s not get distracted by other matters," Victor admitted with a sigh.


    "Your mom and I decided that after apologizing to Natalie, we''ll take our money and leave Amberton. Whether we go abroad or settle in another city, the money we have is more than enough for us to livefortably for the rest of our lives." "Mom, is that what you want as well? And what about the Miller family? Are we just going to leave them behind?" Selena asked, ncing at her phone.


    "Tyler isn''t the right man for you. The Miller family has always relied on Langley Group''s support, and with thepany''s downfall, they will suffer as well."


    Diana reached out to hold Selena''s hand. "If you still want Tyler, we can drag him along with us."


    "I don''t want Tyler. If Natalie doesn''t want him, then I don''t want him either." Selena sm ed.


    "Selena, at this point, you shouldn''tpare yourself to Natalie in everything."


    "I know," Selena answered dismissively. "I''m not trying topare myself to her. I just find him unworthy.


    "Tyler looks down on my past. He thinks that despite being the true Langley heiress, I don''t have the elegance of a wealthy family''s daughter.


    "But if I had truly been raised as a rich heiress, would I have even survived until


    now? I have thought it through. Someone like Tyler isn''t worth my time."


    "It is good that you have realized that."


    "Yes, I have."


    The three of them sat in the hotel lobby, waiting for Natalie to appear.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Presidential Suite, Natalie was still deep asleep.


    She had been exhausting herselftely, taking care of Laura''s illness, barely resting at all. This time, she finally had a chance to catch up on sleep.


    By the time she woke up, it was already past 7:00 pm. She reached under her pillow and retrieved her phone, noticing several messages from Hector.


    Hector: "Have you woken up yet?"


    Hector: "Are you hungry? Should I order food for you?"


    Hector: "You must still be sleeping. Rest well. Message me when you wake up."


    A faint smile curved Natalie''s lips as she dialed Hector''s number.


    "Hello, Hector, I just woke up."


    "You must be hungry. Get ready quickly, I will take you out to eat. We can also walk around Amberton and buy gifts for Father, Mother, Lincoln, Timothy, and Manson." His warm and doting voice came through the receiver. "And for Marcus as well. Buy something for him too. Put it on my card."


    "Alright, wait for me then." Natalie chuckled.


    "Take your time. No rush."


    "Got it." Natalie ended the call, ruffling her hair before heading to the bathroom.


    After freshening up, she stepped out of her room, just as Hector emerged from the one next door.


    "Hector, did you sleep well? That was such a restful sleep. I finally caught up on all the sleep I have missed these past few days." Natalie walked up to him with a smile.


    "That''s good. You have been sleep-deprived for too long."


    The siblings took the elevator down together. As the doors opened, they stepped into the bustling hotel lobby.


    As soon as Natalie stepped out, Victor and his family immediately approached


    her.


    Natalie frowned slightly, about to speak, when Hector immediately pulled her behind him. "Victor, what do you want?"


    His voice was cold, his gaze sharp as a de. The way he looked at the Langley family carried an unmistakable air of hostility.


    "Mr. Walker, please don''t misunderstand. We''re not here to cause trouble. We


    came to apologize to Ms. Walker," Victor said quickly.


    He continued, "We''ve been waiting


    for an opportunity to make things right. There are things we didn''t know before. We were used as pawns Regardless of whether Ms. Walker forgives us or not, please allow us a few minutes of your time."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker, please. I was


    wrong in the past. I should never have taken out my resentment on you by drawing your blood." Diana added sincerely. "This time, the three of us truly came to apologize Please, give us just a few minutes."

 Chapter 494 Do Not Believe Them

    Diana reached out, tugging at Selena and Victor. "Hurry, bow and apologize to Ms. Walker."


    Selena pressed her lips together, staring directly at Natalie before slowly lowering her head in a bow.


    "Natalie, I''m sorry. I sincerely apologize for my resentment and my rude behavior toward you," she said, her voice void of emotion.


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. She had instructed Ynda to subtly leak some information about Megan to Selena, but she hadn''t expected such a drastic shift in their attitude.


    Natalie had slept the entire day, unaware of Selena''s actions. But their swift arrival suggested they had been waiting for her.


    "Ms. Walker, we only need a few minutes of your time. There are things from your childhood that we believe you should know. And regarding the blood transfusions, we need to exin everything properly," Victor said cautiously.


    Natalie pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright, but I am hungry. I need to eat first."


    Diana immediately responded, "Let us treat you, Ms. Walker."


    "Yes, whatever you want to eat, we will take care of it," Victor added eagerly.


    Natalie found the situation amusing. Diana had never treated her with such courtesy before.


    "Fine, then let''s eat at the hotel restaurant."


    "Yes, the hotel restaurant is perfect," Diana quickly agreed.


    They moved to the second-floor restaurant, which served a seafood buffet. Natalie took her seat while Hector went to get food for her. For the Langley family, it was Selena who was sent to grab their meals.


    Victor and Diana sat across from Natalie, visibly uneasy, nervously studying her expressions.


    Back when Natalie lived with the Langley family, they had always looked down on her, acting superior. She had been nothing more than an obedient, fearful girl who never dared to anger them.


    The roles had reversed. They were the ones afraid.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Langley, why are you staring at me like that?" Natalie leisurely sipped on the drink Hector had brought her.


    "Hector is getting food for me. If you have something to say, just say it."


    "We just want to sincerely apologize. I have done many wrong things in the past. It was my fault. I resented and med the wrong person. I truly regret it," Diana said, standing up and bowing at a ny-degree angle.


    Victor also stood up, bowing toward Natalie. "Ms. Walker, I''m deeply sorry. Our entire family owes you an apology. I even drugged you once, causing you harm. Luckily, you were alright in the end.


    "We have already suffered the consequences of our actions. Mrs. Walker has given us her harshest punishment. We have learned our lesson and will never dare to trouble you again.


    "We have made our decision. After apologizing, we will leave Amberton for good."


    Looking at Natalie, Victor felt aplex mix of emotions. He was filled with regret. If only they had treated her well from the beginning, they could have been the ones basking in unimaginable wealth. But in this world, there were no "if only" scenarios.


    "Ms. Walker, I am truly sorry."


    Natalie remained silent, sipping her drink.


    Before long, Hector and Selena returned with food. Hector nced at the Langley family, then focused on preparing food for Natalie.


    "Natalie, I apologize for everything I have done to you." Selena finally spoke.


    Without warning, she dropped to her knees in front of Natalie. "I was wrong. I admit it. I envied you, resented you. I thought you had stolen everything that should have been mine. But the truth is, you were a victim too.


    "It was that old hag Grace who had her brother take me away. I should have grown up with my parents. Even if I didn''t live a wealthy life, at least I wouldn''t have suffered such inhumane torment."


    Her eyes filled with tears. "I hate


    Grace. I hate her. I have never


    imed to be a good person. I admit that. I have wronged many people, but you were never one of them. And yet, the moment I returned tothe Langley family, I targeted you relentlessly.


    "Looking back, was I not just like Grace? The only difference is that I showed my cruelty, while she hid behind her schemes. But when I apologize, I mean it. Whether you ept it or not, I am offering my apology."


    With that, Selena bowed deeply. "I will be leaving Amberton for good. Natalie, I hope you have a bright future ahead of you."


    Natalie raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by Selena''s sincerity. What was this family ying at?


    Just then, a familiar voice rang out. "Nattie, don''t believe them."


    Turning around, Natalie saw Grace walking toward her.


    "Old hag, have you still not dered Langley Group bankrupt? Looks like my warning wasn''t enough for you." Selena immediately mmed her hands on the table, standing up.


    "Selena, stop threatening me," Grace snapped.


    Then she turned to Victor. "And you, Victor. I raised you, gave you wealth andfort, and this is how you repay me? By allowing Selena to defy and threaten me?"


    "Enough with hypocrisy. We already know Victor isn''t your biological son." Diana sneered, her tone dripping with sarcasm.


    "Spare us the act. We''re tired of it. You know exactly why you raised him. Only you know your true motives. You even had my daughter taken away and sold. I could sue you for that, you old hag."


    "Diana, do you have any proof? You and Victor have lived off me all these years, enjoying my money and my resources. Now you turn against me like a pair of ungrateful leeches?" Grace said coldly.


    "Enough nonsense. We dared to tell Natalie the truth about what we did. Do you have the guts to do the same? Would you dare to admit that you ordered us to drain her blood?"


    Diana stood up, pointing her finger at Grace. "If you hadn''t yed the good guy while forcing us to y the viins, we would never have dared to touch her. Now that we are sincerely apologizing, youe here to ruin it? Grace, you''re a heartless old witch."


    "You... You... You..." Victor, are you going to let your wife talk to me like this?"


    Grace clutched her chest in anger.


    "Victor remained expressionless.


    "She''s not wrong. You agreed when


    we used Natalie''s blood for


    transfusions. In fact, you were the one who hinted at it. You told us


    there was no need to look elsewhere when we had a ready supply at


    home.


    "Mother, you might not remember, but we do. And if you still want to deny it, we


    can go find the doctor who extracted her blood. He still remembers what you said back then."

 Chapter 495 A Bitter Falling Out

    Victor''s expression was icy as he looked at Grace, all traces of fear and affectionpletely gone.


    "I already know that I''m not your biological son. All these years, you never had faith in me and always thought I was incapable. When Natalie was in the Langley family, you made us the viins, forcing us to drain her blood while secretly grooming her to take over Langley Group.


    "In the past, we had no idea what your real intentions were. Now, everything is crystal clear. Grace, you adopted me but never treated me well. Do you even have a conscience?"


    Grace''s face turned ashen. She had never imagined that the son she had raised with her own hands would say such things to her.


    She gritted her teeth, her gaze locking onto Victor. "So I raised an ungrateful bastard. Is that it? You were abandoned in a trash bin, and it was out of my kindness that I picked you up, fed you, changed your diapers, and raised you. I even arranged your marriage and gave you a position at Langley Group.


    "But you are not my flesh and blood. Your intelligence and abilities arecking. If Langley Group were in your hands, it would only decline. There would be no prosperity to speak of.


    "If you were in charge, the Langley family wouldn''t be wealthiest in Amberton. It would be the most bankrupt.


    "Victor, a wise person should know their own limits, but you don''t. Everything you have is because of me.


    "You''re not my real son. I didn''t want you to marry Diana, yet you defied me. You insisted on going against my wishes. Taking away your daughter was my way of punishing you, a warning for your disobedience."


    Grace waspletely enraged. These words had been suppressed in her heart for too long. Pushed to the edge by Victor, she blurted them out without thinking.


    Diana''s eyes reddened. "So you admit it now. You really were the one who got rid of my daughter? You old hag, you have such a cruel heart. If you hated me, you could havee after me directly. Why take my newborn daughter and have her sold like amodity, forcing her to endure so much suffering?"


    Diana suddenly lunged at Grace, grabbing and wing at her with all her


    strength. "You old witch, why are you not dead? Why are you still alive?"


    Hector immediately pulled Natalie away, distancing her from the chaos. "Nat, let''s stay away from this mess."


    Natalie remained expressionless as she pulled out her phone and dialed the police. "Hello, I''d like to report a case of human trafficking."


    As soon as she spoke, Grace, who had been struggling against Diana, snapped back to her senses. She forcefully shoved Diana away and lunged toward Natalie.


    "Nattie, you cannot report this. You cannot."


    Hector reacted swiftly, pulling Natalie behind him. "Why not? You dared tomit the crime, but Nat can''t report it?"


    The bond between Natalie and Grace had long since shattered. Looking at Grace''s deceitful face, Natalie could hardly believe that she had been fooled by this woman''s fake kindness for so many years.


    "Both Selena and I are victims. Why should I not report it?"


    "But Selena has hurt you before. Nattie, have you forgotten? When Selena first returned home, they forced you to hand over Langley Group shares. She even took Tyler from you. Tyler was your fianc¨¦. Have you forgotten everything Selena did to hurt you?" Grace sobbed, tears streaming down her face.


    Hearing this, Selena immediately rushed forward and pped Grace twice. "You wretched old hag. Do you really not know why I targeted Natalie? If you hadn''t had me sold, would I have suffered all that torment and turned into this?


    "I could have grown up safe and happy with my parents. My mom loved me so much, yet because she lost me, she directed all her resentment at Natalie instead.


    "Our family wronged Natalie, and we admit it. Whatever she wants us to do to make amends, we will do it. But why do you think you can push all the me onto


    us?


    "You vile hag We didn''t know the


    truth before, which is why we let you deceive us and took out our


    resentment on Natalie. Now that everything is out in the open, do you still want to keep stirring up the trouble?"


    Selena had once fought desperately just to survive. When she turned aggressive, she was truly ferocious. A young woman in her prime was no match for her, let alone an aging Grace. Grace''s face instantly swelled from the force of the ps.


    Selena''s bloodshot eyes burned with rage. "Because of you, I was raped when I was only 12. 12 years old. Do you understand what that means?


    "I was beaten, humiliated, locked in a dark room, and nearly died in that hellhole. I should never have suffered any of it. It was because of you. All because of you."


    Selena roared, her tears falling uncontrobly. Her hands closed around Grace''s throat, tightening as her body shook with emotion.


    "You ruined my life. How dare you try to pin the me on me? You lived in luxury, respected by all, while I was trafficked, passed from one


    to another. The only reason I


    Onster


    survived was toe back and take my revenge."


    She squeezed harder, Grace''s face turning pale as her eyes rolled back.


    Natalie stepped forward and grabbed Selena''s wrist, forcefully prying her fingers away. Selena gasped and let go.


    "If you kill her now, you will destroy yourself. I have already reported it, and she will be investigated and punished ordingly." Natalie''s voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.


    Tears blurred Selena''s vision. "Do you not hate me? After everything I did to you?"


    Natalie curled her lips slightly. "My mom already took revenge for me. Endless revenge leads nowhere. Besides, your family sincerely apologized to me." Selena sobbed even harder. Diana and Victor knelt before Natalie, bowing their heads.


    "Natalie, thank you. Thank you." Their voices choked with gratitude.


    Natalie took a few steps back. "The police will need your cooperation. I trust you willply. As for the grudges between us, my mom already made you kneel on ten thousand steps. We are even."


    "Thank you, thank you."


    Victor and his family repeatedly expressed their thanks.


    Natalie nced at Grace, feeling a strange mix of emotions.


    One thing she knew for certain was that Grace must have known from the start


    that she was the daughter of the Walker family. That was why she kept her in the Langley family.


    As for Selena, it was Grace who had heartlessly ordered Kenton to sell her off. That single act hadpletely changed the course of Selena''s life.


    Victor''s family hadpletely turned against Grace, any chance of reconciliation was long gone.

 Chapter 496 Only One Chance

    Natalie held onto Selena as she and her family finished expressing their gratitude and fell silent.


    Grace, however, continued coughing violently after being choked by Selena.


    Natalie exchanged a nce with Hector, who shook his head in refusal. Though he was a doctor and had taken an oath to save lives, after hearing everything Selena had suffered, he had no intention of helping Grace.


    At only 12 years old, Selena had been assaulted. The trauma inflicted on a young girl''s body and mind was unimaginable.


    On top of that, she had been sold repeatedly, passed from one hand to another. Some victims never escaped the shadows of such experiences for the rest of their lives.


    Selena hadn''t spelled out every detail, but Hector and Natalie understood. That was why Natalie had stopped her when she tried to strangle Grace.


    If she had killed Grace, she would have gone from being a victim to a criminal. Thew would handle the case fairly, and the oue would be entirely different.


    Selena had survived up to this point purely through her own resilience. No matter how terrible she had once been, Hector found it hard to hate herpletely. Because if he had been in Selena''s ce, perhaps he would have killed everyone involved.


    Grace was coughing simply because she had choked and couldn''t catch her breath. She wasn''t dying and didn''t need medical attention.


    Seeing that Hector refused, Natalie said nothing. She simply turned and moved to a different table.


    "Mr. Langley, Mrs. Langley, Ms. Langley, the three of you should find another table to eat at. I want to have a private meal with Hector."


    Victor and his family dared not argue. They immediately nodded and moved to another table. Hector waved over a waiter to reset the table for them.


    "Nat, you''re not upset with me. Are you?"


    Natalie replied with a smile, "Why would I be? I didn''t want to help her either. I just wanted to see whether she was faking or not.


    "After all, Mrs. Langley Senior is an exceptional actress. She deceived everyone for years, making fools out of us all. She will not die. It doesn''t really matter whether we look or not."


    Hector finally felt at ease. "Nat, don''t go soft on that old woman," he reminded.


    His face darkened slightly, unable to suppress his emotions. He couldn''t bear to think about what might have happened if his sister had been the daughter of the Walker family but just another ordinary girl.


    Would she have been sold somewhere far away as well?


    Just hearing about Selena''s suffering was unbearable.


    "Selena is... quite pitiful," Hector admitted, ncing toward her with sympathy.


    "She is," Natalie admitted without hesitation. She couldn''t ept the thought of a 12-year-old girl being assaulted.


    When Selena first returned to the Langley family, she had acted out in extreme ways against Natalie, but Natalie had never let her walk over her. She had retaliated when necessary.


    "What she said was true. If Grace hadn''t ordered Kenton to take her away and sell her, Diana would have raised her with love and care."


    Natalie''s voice softened slightly. "Just like how Mom loves me. Most mothers love their children. It is rare to see someone like Grace, who discarded her own daughter while raising a child she picked up from the streets."


    Hector agreed. "That is true. Just like how Emma was never truly our parents'' daughter, yet because they never knew the truth, they cherished her and raised her with all their love.


    "If she hadn''t ruined herself by hurting you so many times, our parents would have continued treating her as their own. It was Emma who failed to appreciate what she had and didn''t know how to be grateful."


    "Yes, Mom and Dad love me very much," Natalie said softly.


    They continued their conversation until Grace finally stopped coughing and managed to catch her breath. Slowly, she stood up and walked toward Natalie, taking a seat across from her.


    "Nattie, I still want to talk to you."


    Her aged face was filled with sorrow. "I am old. My time is running out. I don''t know how much longer I have left. You reported me to the police. That is no different from sending your grandma to her death."


    Natalie cut her off, her voice cold and emotionless. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I''m not your granddaughter. Any bond between us has long since ceased to exist, so don''t call yourself my grandma.


    "I will give you only one chance. If


    you don''t take it seriously and


    continue trying to y on my emotions, you will havepletely miscalcted. You will also be


    wasting your time. So you had better think carefully before you speak."


    With that, Natalie lowered her head and continued eating. Since waking up, she


    hadn''t eaten anything, and she was already hungry.


    Seeing this, Hector immediately called over a waiter. "Please assist with peeling shrimp. Thank you."


    "Of course, sir."


    The waiter put on gloves and began assisting at the table. Natalie didn''t spare another nce at Grace and focused on her meal.


    Grace''s face was filled with misery.


    The relentless blows she had


    suffered had aged her by at least decade. Once, she had lived a well-fed andfortable life, her strength and spirit had since faded.


    She knew that Natalie had long since cut ties with her. No matter what she said, Natalie would never believe her again.


    Natalie had even reported her to the police without hesitation, using her of human trafficking. She knew then that her past crimes could no longer remain hidden.


    There was only one chance. Speaking would seal her fate, but staying silent wouldn''t change it. No matter what she chose, it would be the end of her.


    Perhaps, only her death could protect her daughter. That thought crossed Grace''s mind as she looked at Natalie, her gaze growing more deste.


    "Nattie, if I die, will you forgive me?"


    "No," Natalie answered without hesitation.


    She added, "Mrs. Langley Senior, are you nning to die? Do you think your death will bury everything? I told you that you have only one chance. If you remain stubborn and refuse to speak, no one can save you.


    "Do you really believe that if you die, your daughter, Megan, will be safe? She was involved in the scheme against Marcus'' mother. Do you think Marcus will let her


    go?"


    Hearing the mention of Megan, Grace''s expression finally changed. Her lips trembled, and her aged, cloudy eyes filled with red veins.


    "I was forced. I really was!"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, what I want to know is who ordered me to be brought into the Langley family back then." Natalie set down her fork, her gaze piercing. "You were even willing to sell Selena. What else could you possibly be afraid of revealing?" C¨®ntent

 Chapter 497 This Scheme Was Set In Motion Many Years Ago

    "Mrs. Langley Senior, since you had your brother sell off Selena back then, you must have also known which wealthydy gave birth at that hospital, did you not?"


    Natalie''s voice turned sharp. "At that time, another child, Emma, was also switched. Her biological mother was Cindy, my mother''s personal maid. You have been plotting this for over 20 years.


    "You sold Selena, swapped me and Emma, then poisoned Marcus'' mother. What exactly was the purpose behind all of this? Or did this scheme begin even earlier? What was the ultimate goal?"


    As Natalie pressed her with questions, Grace''s face grew increasingly pale. Her mind went nk, her thoughts consumed by the chilling interrogation.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, who was behind this? Who instructed or coerced you into doing all this? Was it Cassie? Speak!"


    Grace covered her ears and instinctively tried to flee, but Natalie grabbed her wrist before she could take a step.


    "Where do you think you are going? You''re not leaving until you exin everything."


    "I promised Selena I would bring down Langley Group," Grace said. "I''m willing to apologize, to atone for everything. Please, Nattie, let me go."


    Tears streamed down Grace''s face as she suddenly broke down. "I don''t know what I did wrong. I was threatened and manipted into doing all of this. But my daughter, Megan, was with me for less than three days.


    "Megan... She was taken from me when she was just a baby. I just want her to be safe. I just want her to be well."


    "So, what Julie said was true? Kenton is really your biological brother? Back then, besides selling Selena, he also took in a baby girl, carefully raising her and naming her Megan. But not long after, she disappeared from his side. She was taken away, was she not?"


    Grace''s sobs grew more intense. She covered her face with both hands, her body trembling uncontrobly.


    "Stop talking. Please, stop talking. Natalie, I beg you, don''t talk any more. Let me go. Please, I''m begging you, let me go!"


    Natalie took a deep breath. Seeing Grace in this state, Natalie decided to hold back her next question.


    If Cassie had set this n in motion more than 20 years ago, what was her ultimate goal? Was it truly just for love? If Cassie only loved Wesley, then why did she drag the Walker family into this?


    Natalie pressed her fingers to her temple. "Hector, I need to call Mom."


    "Go ahead, I will keep an eye on her." Hector nodded at Natalie and handed a tissue to Grace. "Mrs. Langley Senior, crying will not change what has already been done."


    "I was forced, I had no choice. Mr. Hector, my daughter was taken from me when she was only three days old." Mrs. Langley Senior sobbed pitifully.


    "Then why didn''t you report it to the police?" Mrs. Langley Senior, perhaps there were other options back then, but you refused to take them." Hector''s gaze was sharp.


    "I had no choice. I had no other options!"


    "Then let me ask you questions, and you will answer them." Hector gestured for a server to bring coffee. Though visibly uneasy, the serverplied without question.


    Grace had booked the entire restaurant in advance, so despite it being mealtime, only Natalie, Hector, and Victor''s family were present, along with a few cautious staff members.


    At this moment, Hector didn''t bother avoiding the presence of the server, and it was clear that they all recognized Grace and Victor''s family.


    There was no avoiding it. Selena had caused too much trouble, and her return to the Langley family as the rightful daughter became a widely discussed event throughout Amberton. She had be an influential and widely talked-about figure.


    ve


    Everyone also recognized Natalie. She had once been mistaken for the Langley family''s daughter but with the real daughter''s family apologizing to her, suspicions inevitably arose.


    People couldn''t help but wonder if there was a deeper secret behind the rtionship between the Langley family and the so-called fake daughter.


    However, no one dared to say anything or gossip about it. When it came to the affairs of powerful families, the more an ordinary person knew, the greater the risk.


    Hector sighed. "Mrs. Langley, if you


    want to change your situation, perhaps our Walker family is your only hope. We don''t want to be your


    enemy After all, you did raise to


    sister. Taking everything into


    ount, our Walker family is willing to help you."


    "Really?" Grace''s turned deathly pale. She was utterly lost. The sudden betrayal of Victor''s family, Selena forcing her to destroy Langley Group had left her with nothing, despite all the years she had lived.


    Everything she had fought so hard to preserve had lost its meaning. But her biological daughter was still in that person''s hands. She couldn''t abandon her.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, you need to think carefully. Will you continue down this path of no return, making mistake after mistake? Or will you turn back and grasp thisst chance to survive?"


    After speaking, Hector stayed silent.


    Grace sat there, frozen in thought. Seconds dragged into minutes. No one spoke.


    After what felt like an eternity, she finally whispered, " Can I have a bottle of wine?"


    Hector nodded and instructed the nearby server, " Bring a bottle of wine." "Yes, sir. Please wait a moment."


    The server quickly retrieved a bottle and poured a ss for Grace.


    She took it, drained it in one gulp, then poured herself two more. Only after finishing the third ss did she take a deep breath and begin to speak.


    "This scheme, the swapping of children, was nned many years ago. When I was younger, I already knew Mr. Holden Senior.


    "The person who approached me was masked. I never saw her face, but I could tell from her voice that she was a woman.


    "She asked me to do certain things,


    promising that the Langley family would be the wealthiest in Amberton. She even gave my brothe a hospital, making him the director. The child-swapping


    happened at my brother''s hospital.


    "I don''t know if that woman was Cassie, but her voice didn''t quite match. I still have her phone number. I called her recently, and she''s still threatening me.


    "She told me that if I wanted to see my daughter, I had to obey. Otherwise, I would never see her again. Or worse, I would only see her scattered across the world.


    "Mr. Hector, you understand what she means by that, don''t you? When she said ''scattered across the world,'' she meant my daughter would be killed, her organs harvested, and sold globally.


    "I was terrified. I still am. I didn''t dare to resist. I really didn''t!"

 Chapter 498 Grace, You Are The Most Terrifying One

    As Grace spoke, she broke into frightened sobs, covering her face with both hands as her body trembled uncontrobly.


    "I was truly afraid. Megan was just a baby when she was taken from me. Outsiders thought that I, the old woman of the Langley family, was strong enough to lead thepany from a small business to the top, making us the wealthiest family in Amberton.


    "But that wasn''t the case. I had some skill, but in the business world of Amberton back then, there were countless men far more capable than me.


    "I had someone supporting me from behind the scenes. That''s the only reason I rose so smoothly. At the same time, I was merely a puppet. Every major decision I made, every project I took on, was guided by that person.


    "That person invested in Langley Group, provided us with projects, and turned the Langley family into the richest household in Amberton. I knew my own limitations and saw that Natalie was highly intelligent, so I began grooming her early on.


    "When she was capable of handling things on her own, I orchestrated a car ident. Through that ident, I faked amnesia and pretended to have the mind of a child.


    "I transferred my shares to Natalie early on. First, I hoped she would protect Langley Group for me. Second, I feared that if anything happened to me, that person might do something beyond my expectations.


    "Natalie''s biological parents were William and Charlotte, and the Walker family was the wealthiest in the country. I assumed they would have the means to protect their daughter."


    "I only felt at ease with the shares in Natalie''s hands. But I never expected Victor to put Natalie''s information on the family searchwork after Selena returned, allowing the Walker family to find her ahead of time.


    "I also never expected Natalie to overhear my conversation with Victor, causing her to lose all trust in me. She no longer acknowledged me as her grandma and ceased to care about Langley Group.


    "She returned the shares, which meant she no longer cared whether Langley Group survived or not. Walter was someone she brought into the Langley family, supporting him with her own allowance. He was skilled and resourceful, but his loyalty was to Natalie.


    "Everyone I carefully nurtured eventually abandoned me.


    "I wanted to protect Langley Group because I intended to leave it to my biological daughter. Victor had no talent for business, and Selena was nothing more than a short-sighted lunatic. I would never let either of them take Langley Group or the Langley family.


    "But I was wrong again. Victor discovered he wasn''t my biological son. Selena was taken away and sold because I despised Diana."


    Grace sobbed so hard she could barely speak. "Now, the three of them are determined to destroy what they cannot have.


    "I am old. I don''t even know if I will ever see my real daughter again. It was that woman''s doing. She forced me. She chose me to carry out her orders. I am innocent. Innocent."


    As she wept, her voice suddenly grew shrill.


    "I was forced into this. I had no choice. Why does everyone hate me? Why does no one see things from my perspective? Why, why?"


    Hector wanted to roll his eyes. Grace was painting herself as the victim, but that didn''t erase the countless sins she hadmitted. No matter how much she made herself pitiful or helpless Hector felt no sympathy for her.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, you have been talking for so long, but you have yet to provide any real information. You keep mentioning that woman without providing a single detail. What does she look like? What is her background? Why did she


    orchestrate all of this? You haven''t said a single answer."


    Hector cut her off. "Mrs. Langley Senior, I believe you are fabricating a story. You are creating an imaginary figure just to shift all your sins onto her. Do you think iming maniption will absolve you?


    "Did that woman force you to have your brother sell Selena? Did she make you drain my sister''s blood? Did she instruct you to send my sister to seduce Marcus?


    "I suggest you see a psychologist. Stop pushing all the me onto others and


    take a moment to reflect on how twisted and vicious your own mind is.


    "I used to think Selena was cruel, but now I see that you forced her into bing that way. If Selena hadn''t been ruthless and maniptive, would she have survived long enough to return to her real parents?


    "Looking back, it is fortunate that Victor wasn''t your biological son. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have put my sister''s information on the family searchwork the moment Selena returned home."


    Hector''s expression darkened. "Mrs. Langley Senior, after all that talk, I have only one question for you. What was that woman''s true goal? If you cannot answer, then everything you have said is just a lie.


    "When I think about how my sister suffered in the Langley family, only to be expected to respect and be grateful to you, it makes me want to strangle you."


    Hector was so furious he nearly lost control.


    Grace froze, staring at Hector''s grim expression, then at Natalie, who was still on the phone nearby. For a moment, her mind wentpletely nk. She didn''t know what to say anymore.


    "I don''t believe anyone would be so petty as to orchestrate such an borate scheme over two decades just to alter the lives of my sister Selena and Emma. Was it really all to make Laura suffer from poison for so many years?


    "Grace, I have been calling you ''Mrs. Langley Senior'' out of respect for your age, but don''t take us for fools."


    Hector stood up. "I think you''re simply refusing to acknowledge your crimes, so you invented this story to shift all the me onto a woman who cannot be found.


    "If that woman chose you and made you carry out so many tasks, then you should have had at least some insight into her ns. But you have revealed nothing. Your story may sound well-crafted, but there is no proof.


    "As for your biological daughter, who has seen her? Everything you im rests on


    nothing but your own words. Why should we believe you?


    "Selena was too merciful to you. She should have sold you off as well, so you could experience that pain firsthand."


    Hector''s anger was uncontroble. Compared to Selena''s obvious madness and


    cruelty, he found Grace far more terrifying.


    Harboring such deep malice toward a newborn baby, how could she ever be expected to treat someone else''s child well?


    "Everything you imed to feel for my sister was a lie. You fooled my sister, and you even deceived my mother. Grace, you are the most terrifying one of all."

 Chapter 499 Do Not Let Her Do Anything So Dangerous

    After Hector finished speaking, Natalie, who had been making a call by the window, ended the conversation and returned to the table with her phone in hand.


    "Hector, I''ve spoken to Mom." Natalie then looked at Grace. "Mrs. Langley Senior, my mother said she will never forgive you for the rest of her life. So any attempt to appeal to me emotionally is useless.


    She added, "However, if you want to save Langley Group, I can give you a chance. You must truthfully confess the real purpose behind the child swap, the details of how it was carried out, and everyone involved.


    "If you refuse, then whether it is Langley Group or your biological daughter, Megan, you can watch them both fall into ruin. This is your only chance. Think carefully before you answer."


    After speaking, Natalie turned to Hector. "I''m hungry. Let''s eat quickly. Then, I need to pick up Marcus. He has taken care of Laura and is on his way here."


    Hector nodded. "Alright."


    Because of Grace''s words, he was in no mood to tease Natalie about Marcus.


    With servers attending to them, Natalie didn''t have to lift a finger while eating seafood. They finished their meal quickly, yet Grace remained silent.


    "Since you don''t wish to speak, then forget it." Natalie took a wet napkin and wiped her hands. "If you have concerns you can''t talk about, we won''t force you."


    Grace remained dazed. Langley Group was already on the verge of copse. It needed a new leader and a massive injection of funds.


    She could no longer secure any investments, yet the person on that phone call continued to use Megan to threaten her. She knew almost nothing about that woman, let alone her true motives.


    She hadn''t lied to Hector, but he clearly didn''t believe her. At that moment, Grace was suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion and despair.


    "Hector, let''s go." After wiping her hands, Natalie stood up without looking back.


    At a nearby table, Victor and his family saw Natalie and Hector leaving and quickly got up to follow. Soon, the once grand restaurant was left with only Grace and the servers.


    One of them carefully asked, "Mrs. Langley Senior, are you alright?"


    Grace snapped out of her daze, staring at the empty restaurant. After a long silence, she finally spoke. "Where is Natalie? Where is Selena and her family?"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, Ms. Walker, and Ms. Langley''s family have already left."


    "I see."


    Grace staggered as she stood up. A wave of dizziness hit her, and everything went ck as she copsed to the ground.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior! Mrs. Langley Senior!"


    Just before she lost consciousness, she heard the anxious voices of the servers calling out to her.


    ...


    Natalie and Hector left the restaurant and headed to the lobby. Not long after, Victor and his family caught up to them.


    "Natalie, wait a moment," Selena called her name, jogging forward and pulling a notebook from her bag. "These are all the ces I was taken to over the years and buyers who purchased me. I don''t have the power or money to y the hero and rescue others.


    "Surviving and escaping was already a gift from fate, but I know there are still many girls trapped in those ces, suffering the same fate as I did."


    Her eyes reddened as she spoke. She sniffled, but her tears fell uncontrobly.


    "I resented you, believing you stole my life. I thought I was never meant to suffer like that. When I first returned, I saw how well you lived in the Langley family, and I couldn''t ept it. I directed all my hatred and anger at you.


    "I was horribly wrong, and I regret it deeply, but I acknowledge what I have done.


    "People make mistakes. At first, when your mother took revenge on us, we resented her. But now we understand how ridiculous and unjustified our thoughts and actions were."


    Selena wiped her tears. "Natalie, you''re the true heiress of the Walker family. You have Marcus, and I also know you helped many impoverished children.


    "These girls are just like me. They are pitiful. Some of them may never escape the ces where they were sold.


    "I can''t save them, and I''m not telling


    you this to pressure you into acting.


    I just believe that you might be


    willing to do something about it, if


    you don''t want to, you can return the


    notebook to me. Or throw it away, or even burn it."


    Natalie took the notebook from Selena and flipped through a few pages. Then, she put it in her bag.


    "Alright, Selena, let''s exchange numbers. If I ever need your help, you will step forward, won''t you?"


    Her cold gaze met Selena''s. Her tone was calm, without any hint of emotion, but Selena noticed that Natalie''s hands at her sides were clenched into fists.


    Selena''s eyes glistened with tears as she nodded. "I will. Natalie, if you ever need me for this, contact me immediately. I wille at once."


    "Good."


    Natalie took out her phone and pulled up her QR code for Selena. "Save my number too."


    "Alright." Selena wiped her tears while scanning the QR code and sending her number. Then, unable to hold back, she turned and hugged Diana.


    "Mom, I still have a chance to atone for my mistakes."


    "My poor daughter." Diana also wept. After Selena returned, she had always sided with her, knowing how much she had suffered.


    Even though Selena had been forced into terrible situations and had to please all sorts of men, Diana never scolded her.


    She had been sold as a baby and spent years being passed from one hand to another. None of the people who bought her were good.


    Diana was already deeply grateful that her daughter had survived and


    made it home. Holding fore, n''et


    she sobbed for a while before


    kneeling before Natalie again. "Natalie, in the past, when we knelt, it was because of the Walker family''s power. Now, I kneel because I truly know I was wrong.


    "I shouldn''t have turned my love for Selena into hatred for you. I shouldn''t have treated you that way. I regret it, but I cannot undo what has already happened. From now on, will regrly donate blood. For every time we took yours, will donate in return."


    Tears streamed down her face as she choked on her words.


    She added, "If you ever need anything from us, please tell us. We will do


    everything in our power to help."


    Natalie looked at Diana and Selena in silence. Thinking of the notebook Selena had given her, she said nothing in the end.


    "Alright, I understand. If I need anything, I will let you know. Hector, let''s go."


    "Alright."


    Natalie and Hector left the hotel. As soon as they got into the car, Natalie pulled the notebook from her bag and handed it to Hector.


    "Hector, I want to do something about this."


    Hector flipped through a few pages, his face growing darker with each one.


    "Nat, absolutely not. This is far too dangerous. We should report it to the police. You have just returned home. I will not let you take on something this risky.

 Chapter 500 Langley Group Declares Bankruptcy

    Natalie fixed her gaze on Hector, her calm and steady eyes making him feel a pang of guilt.


    "Nat, I didn''t mean..." Hector suddenly found himself at a loss for words. "Forget it, I support you. Whatever you want to do, go ahead. The family and I will always be your strongest support."


    With that said, he took a deep breath.


    Natalie''s lips curved into a smile, her gratitude genuine. "Alright, thank you, Hector."


    "Of course, Nat. We''re family," Hector said with sincerity. "The Walker family has always been involved in charity, and this is something worth doing.


    He added, "Also, I managed to extract some useful information from Grace''s words. Whether or not that woman truly exists, one fact remains clear. Kenton owned a hospital, and all of you were switched at birth there. This raises a serious question. Could that hospital have been a center for child trafficking?


    "Since Grace refuses to tell us the truth, we need to revisit Julie."


    Natalie nodded. "That''s exactly what I was thinking. I was on the phone with Mom, but I kept my eyes on your conversation. I can read lips. I understood most of what she said.


    "I''ll go pick up Marcus. You go meet Julie. If our suspicions are correct, then we need to ensure Selena is protected. And since this involves human trafficking, we must report it to the police. Hector, I need you to take care of that as well."


    "Leave it to me." Hector''s expression turned serious as he agreed without hesitation.


    When the car arrived at the police department, Natalie handed over the notebook that Selena had given her. Hector took it with him to file the report.


    As for Natalie, she had Ynda drive her to pick up Marcus.


    ...


    At Paramount Hospital, Grace slowly regained consciousness. Her vision blurred with the stark whiteness of the room as she stared nkly at the ceiling, gradually regaining awareness.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, you are awake."


    The voice belonged to Yvonne, a distant rtive whom Grace had once promoted. When Selena returned and restructured Langley Group, Yvonne had taken the opportunity to resign.


    Since the hospital found Grace''s emergency contact in her phone, they notified her.


    Beforeing, Yvonne had called Natalie, who gave her instructions. She was there to watch over Grace.


    "Yvonne, it is you. I never expected that in the end, the only person by my side would be you." Grace forced herself to sit up.


    Yvonne quickly supported her. "Don''t say that, Mrs. Langley Senior. But why did you suddenly faint? You need to take care of yourself."


    "How is Langley Group now? Give me my phone." Grace massaged her temples. "Alright."


    Yvonne handed her the phone, which was filled with missed calls from executives and shareholders. Since she had fainted, she had missed all of them.


    She returned a few calls. As soon as one connected, angry voices erupted from the other end.


    "Grace, why were you not answering your phone? Victor isn''t even your real son, and now, Langley Group is finished.


    "How did you manage thepany so badly? It was thriving, and now the funds are gone, scandals are everywhere, and you evenmitted tax fraud.


    "The tax authorities have already started investigating. We are done. Grace, make sure you pay us ourpensation. If not, we will take legal action. Or better yet, we will just go to your house and take what we want."


    With that, the caller hung up.


    Grace''s face turned ashen. She called several more numbers, but not a single call brought good news.


    Selena had made her intentions clear-she wanted Langley Group to go bankrupt. One after another, thepany''s darkest secrets were exposed. Among them was


    revtion that Grace was not


    personally ordered Kenton to sell Selena.


    After calling everyone she could, Grace held her phone in her trembling hands and made one final call.


    "Lilith, prepare the official announcement. Langley Group is dering bankruptcy."


    As soon as she finished speaking, the phone slipped from her grasp and fell onto the hospital bed. Her eyes were empty, staring nkly at the television on the wall.


    "Yvonne, tell me, did I make the wrong choices in my life? Was every step a mistake?" Her voice was a whisper, filled with regret. "Wealth, power, status... It was all just an illusion. In the end, no one can escape death."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, don''t say that. Thepany is gone, but you''re still alive."


    A bitter smile tugged at Grace''s lips. "No, I will not survive this. Without Langley Group, I have nothing left."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, don''t think like that. As long as you''re alive, there''s still a chance. Those executives were just trying to scare you. They wouldn''t actually go that far."


    Yvonne tried tofort her. Natalie had warned her to stay close, fearing that Grace might try to take her own life. Hearing her words, Yvonne realized that Natalie had been right.


    "Yvonne, I''m hungry. Buy me something to eat."


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I will order takeout instead." Yvonne quickly ced an order on her phone. "You don''t have anyone else with you right now, and I owe everything have to you. It was you who gave me my opportunities. Now, it is my turn to repay you. I will take good care of you."


    "Yvonne, you''re a good child. I am tired. I want to rest. If anyonees looking for me, please deal with them." Grace forced a weak smile before lying back down.


    Yvonne pulled up the nket for her and nodded respectfully. "Understood, Mrs. Langley Senior."


    However, Grace''s rest didn''tst long. Soon after Langley Group''s bankruptcy was announced, her phone started ringing nonstop. Since she was unwell, most callers didn''t push too hard.


    But half an hourter, officers from the police department arrived at her hospital


    room.


    "Mrs. Grace Langley, you are under investigation for child trafficking. Please cooperate with us."


    The officers disyed their identification and gestured for Yvonne to leave the


    room.


    Once outside, Yvonne immediately called Natalie. "Ms. Walker, officers from the police department just arrived at the hospital. They said Mrs. Langley Senior is under investigation for child trafficking."


    "I know. I was the one who reported her. If she refused to acknowledge her crimes, let thew uncover the truth."


    "Langley Group just announced its bankruptcy, and now Mrs. Langley Senior is being taken away. Don''t you think this is too harsh?" Yvonne hesitated.


    "Yvonne, did you know that when Selena was 12 tears old, the man who bought and raped her was 50 years old?" Natalie''s voice was. chilling "If it were your daughter that Grace had taken and sold, would you stiffthink she deserves pity?

 Chapter 501 Graces Brother

    As Natalie spoke, her voice carried such a biting coldness that Yvonne felt an invisible hand tightening around her throat, silencing herpletely.


    "If you can''t do as I wished, Yvonne, you''d better inform me early and just leave."


    Natalie''s voice, cold as ice, echoed in Yvonne''s ears again. It took her a moment before she could muster the strength to speak.


    "I understand, Ms. Walker. I''ll make sure it''s done right."


    The moment Yvonne finished speaking, Natalie ended the call.


    Grace was surrounded by police officers in the ward, ceaselessly firing questions at her.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, do you have a brother named Kenton Langley? Records show he wasn''t listed under your household and didn''t grow up with you. Can you tell us where is he now?"


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, did you have Kenton take Selena away to be sold? Do you acknowledge this or deny it?"


    "Grace Langley, you used Langley Group to conceal illegal activities at Kenton''s hospital, including infant trafficking. Do you confess or deny it?"


    "I deny it." Grace met the officers'' gaze with a calm demeanor. "I have no idea who Kenton is, and I never arranged for Selena to be sold. She was taken by a nurse at the hospital-this has nothing to do with me.


    "If you''re going to interrogate me without proof, I hope you''re ready for awsuit."


    "You''re denying Kenton''s crimes, but don''t tell me you have no idea who Julie Lombard is," the officer said as he stared at Grace. "Five minutes ago, Julie reported to the police department and handed over a DNA test confirming your connection to Kenton.


    "The DNA test confirms that you and Kenton are indeed siblings, but he''s nowhere to be found. And his hospital? It was the infamous Serenity Health Hospital in Amberton.


    "A fire broke out at the hospital five years ago, killing five people, one of whom was identified as the hospital director, Kenton Langley. But ording to Julie, he didn''t actually die. He disappeared after the incident."


    After a quick pause, the officer asked, "Grace Langley, were you responsible for the fire at Serenity Health Hospital five years ago?"


    Grace''s eyes widened for a second, then she let out a sarcastic chuckle. "You''re questioning me without evenpleting your investigation? Here''s my answer-I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "Does this mean you''re refusing to cooperate, Grace Langley?"


    "I have nothing to do with this, and I don''t even know the people you''re using me of knowing. What do you expect me to cooperate with?"


    Grace pointed toward the door, irritation evident in her voice. "I''m not feeling well and need rest. If you want my cooperation, get your facts right, bring solid evidence, then arrest me. When that happens, I''ll cooperate. Until then, direct your questions to mywyer."


    With that, shey down and closed her eyes.


    The officers shared a brief look before silently snapping the handcuffs onto Grace''s wrists.


    "If you won''t cooperate, we have no choice but to take you in for questioning. From this moment on, every word you say will be documented as evidence."


    Without hesitation, the officers hauled Grace up from the hospital bed and dragged her out.


    With Julie as a witness and Kenton officially wanted, they weren''t concerned about Grace''s refusal to cooperate. The evidence would pry the truth from her one way or another.


    Grace was taken straight to the interrogation room, where she came face-to-face with Julie, the witness against her.


    A stack of photographsy before Julie, capturing a younger Grace and Kenton together-irrefutable proof of their past.


    Beside the photographs, two engraved containers sat on the table. One wasbeled "Grace Langley", and the other read "Kenton Langley".


    Grace''s expression darkened the moment she saw the engraved containers.


    Julie cast an eye at Grace, smiling. "Fancy meeting you here, Grace. Well, this isn''t exactly the first meeting I had in mind.


    "Kenton never let me meet you properly. He always kept me hidden, watching from the dark while he spoke with you-and made me document everything. Funny how those photos are proving useful now, right?"


    Grace''s eyes locked into the photos, then the engraved containers. After what felt like an eternity, she ground out, "Kenton betrayed me?"


    "No, not really, Julie answered, shaking her head. "Kenton always respected and admired you. He used to tell me all the time that you were the one he aspired to be like. The Langleys are down to just you two. He knew he was always a step behind you, so he pushed himself to follow your lead."


    Julie''s lips curled into a faint smile. "Grace, Kenton has always tried to follow in your footsteps. He''s worked for you all these years, and you''ve been good to him. By all rights, my husband and I should be thanking you."


    Grace''s eyes burned with fury as she dug her nails into her palm. "You turned your back on me, Julie, and on Kenton too."


    Julie shook her head again. "No,


    Grace. I never betrayed you or


    Kenton. He''s the one who told me to


    keep all these. I don''t know what he


    was nning, but I knew one


    thing if I ever got a shot at


    escaping the control of the Langleys,


    I was going to take it."


    Then, she stood up. "These baby teeth belonged to you and Kenton. He may be missing, but they''re more than enough for a DNA test to prove you''re siblings.


    "Grace, are you really saying you had nothing to do with me being locked up all these years? But well, after that ident left you with the brain of a child, who would ever suspect that the mighty Mr. Langley Senior could be the mastermind of something so outrageous?"


    Julie gritted her teeth, spitting out each word with measured intensity. "I stand as


    the official witness for the authorities. I''m naming you, Grace Langley, as an aplice to Kenton in the trafficking of infants.


    "And it''s not just me. Selena has provided evidence. Over the years she was trafficked, she secretly investigated, and many of the people she met were sold from Kenton''s hospital."


    "No... No way." Grace dropped into the chair, shaking her head violently. "You''re lying. This is a trick-it has to be!"


    "How can you still be in denial at this point?"


    Julie slid the items toward Grace. "I also have other things Kenton left behind. He


    may be missing, but he made sure to leave me enough clues.


    "There''s no way out, Grace. ept the investigation!"


    As Julie''s words fell, she left the interrogation room.


    It was Natalie who had Walter arrange this chance for Julie to confront Grace.


    Normally, the police department wouldn''t permit her to see Grace. However, with Amberton''s topwyer, Walter, personally assisting them, they were willing to make an exception.


    A crucial figure in this case was Grace''s brother, Kenton.


    Julie had no clue about Kenton''s whereabouts after her imprisonment. Yet, after escaping, memories of their past interactions slowly starteding together. Finally, it dawned on Julie that Kenton had been preparing her to hold onto the evidence from the very beginning.

 Chapter 502 Meeting Natalie for a Promise

    Once Julie realized Natalie had turned against Grace, and after receiving Natalie''s call urging her to testify, she no longer hesitated toe forward.


    She had been cing all her bets on Natalie realizing the truth about Grace and refusing to stand against the Holdens for her.


    And she was right.


    Stepping out of the interrogation room, Julie spotted Walter and Natalie standing side by side, their eyes fixed on Grace through the ss.


    On the other hand, Marcus stood close, his hand resting lightly on Natalie''s waist ¡ªa silent yet unmistakable deration of dominance and possession.


    Julie walked up to the three of them and greeted them respectfully.


    "I''ve told Grace everything I had to."


    "Yeah, we saw everything." Natalie nodded slightly. "Well done, Ms. Lombard. We still require your full cooperation in the investigation. Please do your best toply."


    With a serious expression, Julie promised, "You have my word, Ms. Walker."


    "Okay."


    The officers escorted Julie to another room as the interrogation team entered to question Grace further.


    "I''m only talking if Natalie is here," Grace dered. "Get her, and I''ll tell you everything. Otherwise, don''t expect a word from me."


    After pondering for a moment, the officers nodded.


    Natalie took in Grace''s demand and gently patted Marcus'' hand on her waist. "I''ll go see her."


    "I''ll follow you."


    Ever since Walter started hovering around Natalie, Marcus hadn''t taken a single step away from her.


    Walter remained silent, but his heart ached. The love he never voiced would now remain unsaid forever.


    He could only stay by Natalie''s side as a childhood friend, never revealing the love he carried while continuing to support and help her.


    And in that, he found sce.


    Walter didn''t step into the interrogation room. Instead, he stood outside, watching Marcus position himself behind Natalie. She crossed her arms, sitting across from Grace as she stared at her nkly.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, you asked for me, and now I''m here. You may speak now."


    Natalie''s voice was cold as she continued, "The so-called person behind everything that you kept mentioning was actually you, wasn''t it?


    "The story you made up and the nonexistent woman you imed threatened and coerced you were nothing but a cover for the crimes you and Kentonmitted together all these years. And you thought fabricating this woman would absolve you from all this, but you were wrong, Mrs. Langley Senior."


    "No, that''s not it."


    With a wry smile, Grace murmured, "Nattie, after all these years as your grandmother, is this really how you see me?"


    Natalie''s tone was distant. "Whatever trust I had in you is long gone, Mrs. Langley Senior. Also, stop calling yourself my grandmother. Having someone like you as family is an embarrassment to me."


    Her tone was stripped of any trace of emotion.


    "I only have a question, Mrs. Langley Senior. As a woman, you knew how cruel the world could be for those who are trafficked. And yet, you still let Kenton take Selena, who was still an infant at that time, and sell her?


    "Even if Victor wasn''t your real son, even if you despised Diana, Selena was just a helpless baby. Did you never stop to think about what could''ve happened to her? That she might not survive? That she might suffer things too horrific to imagine? Did none of that ever matter to you?


    "No, you thought about it. You knew exactly what you were doing. But it didn''t matter-because you were a heartless person in the first ce."


    Natalie''s cold voice echoed in the interrogation room. With each word, Grace''s face grew a shade paler. By the time the final words fell, she looked like a lifeless shadow of herself.


    "No, Nattie. It''s not like that! That person is real, I swear! I have a phone at home with her contact information inside the safe in my room. She really threatened me. She forced me, Nattie! Please, believe me."


    "Really?"


    Natalie unfolded her arms and leaned forward, nting her hands firmly on the table. "Mrs. Langley Senior, you wanted this meeting. Now that I''m here, are you still


    refusing to speak the truth? No one''s patiencests forever, and I don''t buy for a second that you were forced to sell Selena."


    "No, it''s her. It really is her!" Grace cried. "I don''t know what she was nning, but


    it was her who forced my hand!"


    "Is she Cassie, then?" Natalie fixed her gaze on Grace, unwavering. "You''d better not lie, Mrs. Langley Senior."


    "It''s not Cassie," Grace answered as she cried. "I was Mr. Holden Senior''s godsister. At that time, Cassie was still little, and my daughter hadn''t even been born yet.


    "Even if Cassie had been twisted and


    calcting since she was a child, she wouldn''t have had the means to pull off something like this. She only came to me when Wesley was nning to marry Laura. But even then, she was just following orders from that person. I swear, Nattie. I''m not lying. I really mean it."


    Grace sobbed. "I''ve told you everything I know. All I ask is one thing. Just one promise from you."


    "You''re in no position to bargain with me, Mrs. Langley Senior. Whether you talk or not, the officers will get the truth out of you," Natalie said, leaning back in the chair. "I''m not agreeing to any of your terms. Speak if you want. If not, I don''t care."


    "Nattie!" Grace''s voice trembled with panic. She shot up, then copsed to her knees before Natalie. "This isn''t a negotiation, it''s a plea. Please, just promise me one thing.


    "I never trafficked babies. The only monstrous things I''ve done were making Diana and Victor take your blood... and selling Selena. I had my reasons. I swear,


    I did."


    "What exactly do you want me to promise you?" Natalie''s gaze was icy cold. "Choose your words wisely."


    "Just one request. My daughter,


    Megan-you already know she was


    once Laura''s nutritionist. I don''t


    Laura''s


    know where she is now or if she''s even ative. If you find her, please, I beg you to keep her safe. She was taken from me when she was only three days old. I owe her so much... I just want her to be okay."


    Grace pleaded, "Nattie, I''m begging you. Just this one thing... please."

 Chapter 503 The Phone in the Safe

    Natalie stepped forward and pulled Grace up. "Save your confessions for the officials, not me."


    "I know what you''re investigating, Nattie, and I know you''re working with the police department. The password to the safe in my room is your birthday. Please, go get


    it."


    Grace continued to plead. "If I have to die, so be it. But before that, I really want to know if my daughter is still alive and if she''s doing well. I have to know, or I''ll take this regret to my grave."


    Just then, someone knocked on the door. "Pleasee out for a second, Ms. Walker," one of the officers said.


    "Alright."


    Natalie turned to Marcus. "You stay here and watch after her, Marcus."


    Marcus nodded in reply.


    Then, he stepped forward and ced a firm hand on Grace''s shoulder, guiding her back into the chair.


    "Megan was introduced to the Holdens by Lucy back then. Lucy took her own life, and her body was sent back to the Maines."


    With a cold voice, Marcus asked, "How well did you know Lucy, Mrs. Langley Senior?"


    Grace froze. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded slightly, then shook her head as if confused. "I saw her with Cassie before. She had feelings for a married man, but he never reciprocated. So, Cassie drugged that man and lured him to a hotel. I don''t know if anything happened between him and Lucy, but I do know that Cassie was behind it."


    "That man was Elijah and Noah''s father," Marcus said as he tapped his fingers on the desk lightly. "Jessy is Lucy''s biological daughter, but there is no familial connection between her and Elijah or Noah."


    Grace looked a little puzzled. "Why are you telling me this, Mr. Holden?"


    "Cassie was trying to set me up with Jessy before," Marcus stated bluntly. "Lucy has been overseas for years, but Jessy stayed close to Cassie. And if anyone knows where Megan is, it''s probably Cassie.


    "Since Cassie is missing, I assume you''d have spoken to her at some point."


    Grace finally pieced it together. "Cassie used Jessy as leverage to threaten Lucy. So when your mother''s Umbrahex was exposed, Lucy killed herself to show her loyalty to Cassie, hoping she''d leave Jessy alone. Is that what you''re saying?"


    "Smart thinking, Mrs. Langley Senior," Marcus remarked, smirking. "If Cassie could manipte Lucy for years using Jessy, then, as you said, Megan was involved in harming my mother. So, do you think Cassie has control over her too?


    "I''ll be honest, my people have been hunting down those involved in harming my mother, but so far, we''ve only tracked down Julie and Lucy. There''s not a single lead on the others.


    "Julie is Lucy''s assistant, yet someone kept her locked away all these years, torturing her. She barely escaped, and by sheer luck, my people rescued her. So, think carefully, Mrs. Langley Senior. Who''s really behind all these?"


    Grace was momentarily frozen, her gaze locked on Marcus. He was undeniably handsome, but his cold demeanor and emotionless voice sent a chill through the


    air.


    Grace carefully thought over Marcus'' words. If there was someone behind all of this, could it be the mysterious woman who had pressured her into cooperating years ago?


    What was the mysterious woman''s purpose in all of this?


    Despite being Wesley''s biological sister, Cassie fell in love with him. To win his love, she made efforts to gain Laura''s trust, making Laura think of her as a sister. Then, after Laura gave birth, Cassie poisoned her with Umbrahex.


    The way Laura was separated from her baby right after birth was eerily simr to how that mysterious woman took Grace''s daughter back then.


    The only difference was that Laura had Wesley by her side. They spent decades searching for a cure, and against all odds, they eventually found a doctor who freed her from Umbrahex.


    Unlike them, Grace wasn''t so lucky. She might have escaped being poisoned, but she had been separated from her daughter, never seeing her again.


    "Are you ready to tell the truth, Mrs. Langley Senior?"


    Marcus drummed his fingers lightly on the table. "This might be one of thest chances you have to see me and Natalie."


    "I''m telling the truth." Grace steadied herself, meeting Marcus'' gaze. "Every word of it."


    She continued, "That mysterious woman was real. She came to me back then, promising to make the Langleys the richest in Amberton-but only if I followed her orders. Everything I did was because of her instructions.


    "Even swapping Natalie and Emma at the hospital was her doing. I never saw her face, never knew who she really was. But I do know she wasn''t Cassie because when she approached me, Cassie was just a child.


    was


    "Besides, she was also the one who told me to use Natalie to get close to your grandfather, to make him take me in as his godsister. Without her, how could I have ever crossed paths with your grandfather, let alone be his godsister?


    "I''ve told you everything I know, Mr. Holden. If you need more proof, go to my room and take the phone from my safe just spoke to that woman not long ago, and she was furious. She said I shouldn''t have reached out, and then threatened me.


    "Other than that, she said if I wanted my daughter to stay safe, I had to keep obeying her. She warned met have to take responsibility and keep her identity a secret. If I expose her, my daughter will be spread across different countries, watching me from afar. She''s threatening to tear my daughter apart and sell her across the world, Mr. Holden."


    Grace''s emotions settled as she spoke. She sat back, a faint but unsettling smile forming on her face.


    "Now I want to know who this mysterious woman is and why she''s been pulling


    the strings all this time. She put this n in motion years ago, so what is she truly


    after?"


    Marcus held Grace''s gaze, studying her intently. After a long silence, he was convinced that Grace was telling the truth.


    "Mrs. Langley Senior, I''ll get the phone you''ve mentioned. I hope you didn''t lie to me."


    With that, Marcus stood up and left the interrogation room.


    Outside the interrogation room, Natalie had just finished talking to the officers. She looked over at Marcus, and he acknowledged her with a slight nod.


    "That''s the n. We''ll divide and move separately," the officer said to Natalie.


    She nodded. "Okay. We''ll work closely with you and report any updates as soon as we have them."


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden, we''re grateful for your help."


    "You''re wee."


    After a few polite words, they split up, each focusing on their own responsibility.

 Chapter 504 Are You Not Tired

    As Marcus and Natalie walked out, Walter followed in silence. From the back, Marcus'' tall, refined frame stood out, while Natalie''s graceful figureplemented his perfectly. Their silhouettes gave off a formidable presence.


    People said you became like the ones you were closest to. The longer Natalie stayed by Marcus'' side, the more she absorbed his cool and steely presence which wasn''t that obvious before.


    Walter stared at their backs, momentarily lost in thought. The Natalie he once knew seemed like a distant memory. He only remembered that every time she came to see him, she would always bring him candy.


    He had brushed it off every time, telling her that as the older one, candy wasn''t for him-it was for the younger ones to enjoy.


    Since childhood, he had always ced himself in the role of Natalie''s older brother.


    Now, yearster, he realized he had wasted the head start their childhood bond had given him.


    A wave of sadness washed over Walter, and subconsciously, his steps grew heavier, falling further behind them.


    As they settled into the car, Natalie nced back and noticed how distant Walter was from them.


    Natalie rolled down the window and called out, waving. "Pick up the pace, Walter!"


    Being away from Amberton meant she had missed a lot, and she needed to check everything with Walter.


    Walter paused briefly, then a smile appeared on his lips. Picking up his pace, he quickly reached the car.


    Marcus hadn''t brought a driver, only Noah, leaving Elijah with Laura.


    Walter pulled open the front passenger door and got in, deliberately avoiding the back seat so as not to intrude on the two of them.


    "Why are you sitting in the front, Walter?" asked Natalie, frowning. "I have a lot to go over with you, and it''s hard to talk like this."


    "It doesn''t have to be now, Nat. We''ll have plenty of time to talk about it once we get to our ce."


    Walter nced back with a smile. "You look tired. Get some rest first."


    "Fine," Natalie muttered, still frowning. She couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off about Walter today. Had they really grown apart after all this time?


    As the car moved forward, Marcus reached out and raised the partition wall. Walter kept his gaze forward, but a deeper sense of bitterness settled in his chest.


    Seeing this, Natalie instinctively moved to lower the partition wall again. However, before she could, Marcus seized her wrist. With one swift motion, he pulled her onto hisp.


    His lips were drawn into a firm line, and his jet-ck eyes were locked onto her with unfiltered possessiveness.


    He could still remember how Natalie said she liked both Walter and Tyler.


    Before Natalie could speak, Marcus grabbed her chin and imed her lips without warning.


    A muffled gasp slipped from her lips as he took her right hand, pressing it firmly to his chest.


    His kiss was rough, leaving her breathless in seconds.


    She whimpered softly like a fragile kitten caught in his grasp.


    When he finally released her, his dark eyes burned with an intensity that sent


    shivers down her spine as if he wanted to consume her whole.


    "Don''t look at me like that," Natalie said as she gasped for air. "Were you jealous?"


    Upon hearing that, a flicker of emotion shed across Marcus'' face, his gaze turning somber. He leaned closer, his voice a low, husky whisper against her ear. "Am I not allowed to be jealous?


    "Nat, the way you look at him-it''s different. Closer. More intimate." A rare trace of grievanceced his tone. "You''re mine, and I don''t want you looking at any other man like that."


    "You''re being ridiculous, Marcus."


    Natalie couldn''t help but chuckle, though there was a hint of exasperation in her tone. His jealousy was far stronger than she had expected.


    "And honestly, aren''t you tired of this?"


    Natalie cradled his face between her palms. "I know who my boyfriend is. I know my limits, and I won''t cross them. But I also need to live my life and have normal social interactions.


    "You can''t get jealous just because someone is a man or because I''ve known them a while. Doesn''t this wear you out, Marcus?"


    A teasing glint shed across her eyes as she cupped his chin. "Walter might be handsome, but he doesn''t evene close to you. Do you seriously have no confidence in yourself? Let me get a good look at this face."


    Sitting on Marcus''p, she tilted his chin up, her smile widening. "I''ve never had a man get jealous over me before! And why do you look so ridiculously cute when you''re jealous?"


    She giggled at her own words before throwing her arms around his neck.


    "Let''s see... who''s got the best boyfriend in the world? Oh, right-that would be me."


    Natalie''s words finally drew augh from Marcus. He knew he was being unreasonable, but he couldn''t help it.


    The possessiveness in his heart ran deep, making it difficult to watch her interact with other men.


    But she was right. She wasn''t an object to be owned; she was a person with her own life. He couldn''t just keep her locked away, treating her like something fragile and delicate.


    Besides, he had always known that her capabilities were meant for something greater.


    "Aren''t you tired, Marcus?" she asked, looking at him with a faint smile on her lips.


    Natalie sighed, resting her head against his chest. "Because I am..."


    She continued, "I don''t understand.


    Who is this person Mrs. Langley Senior speaks of? What''s her real motive? She swapped three children, and shattered three families. And just maybe, there were even more victims we don''t know about. What could drive someone to do


    something like this? Money?"


    Natalie stared into Marcus'' eyes. "Ever since meeting Mrs. Langley Senior, I''ve been thinking about the person behind everything as she said."


    Marcus ran his fingers through her hair, furrowing his brows. "I''ve gone over everything since I took over Holden Group, and there hasn''t been any major adversary or real threat. If such a person existed, they wouldn''t have spent yearsying out a n without making a single move."


    He curled his fingers around her waist. "What about you, Nat? Aren''t you tired? You have your family back, a sessful career, and you Dr. Elim-someone people admire. If not for all this chaos, your life would be so much easier. Honestly, I feel like I''ve only made things harder for you."


    Natalie chuckled. She let out a soft


    sigh and gave the corner of his lips a light peck "Not quite. I''m just a little confused. If anything, this just fuels my curiosity. I need to know th? truth. So, no. I''m not tired. That aside, Marcus, if you stop being jealous all the time, I won''t feel tired


    anymore."


    Marcus'' gaze lingered on Natalie as herughter rang out. The cold reserve that usually defined her faded, leaving behind a lighthearted and almost mischievous


    charm.


    She was the rightful heiress of the Walkers, and she should have been showered with love. But in the Langleys, she endured a cruelty of a different kind.


    "Nat, have you ever asked Mr. and Mrs. Walker if they have any grudges or unresolved conflicts with anyone?"

 Chapter 505 The Walkers Never Offend Anyone

    Natalie shook her head as she answered, "I''ve asked Mom about it when I was on the call with her at the hotel. She said we never made enemies, and since we''ve always been on good terms with the Holdens, no one would be reckless enough to cross us.


    "Cindy had been by my mother''s side since she was young, which is why she moved with them to Amberton. But back then, she wasn''t married, and she definitely wasn''t pregnant. So how was Emma born and switched with me?"


    "There''s only one possibility-Emma was born from another woman," Marcus added.


    Natalie didn''t state it outright, but Marcus caught on immediately.


    "Well, that exins why Cindy was never pregnant yet still had a biological daughter who could be swapped with me on the day I was born."


    She went on, "Mom told me that she and Laura had made a promise years ago. It just so happened that Laura got pregnant first, so you were born before me. But the engagement between our families still stands, just as nned. Before Cindy started working for my mother, she was just a worker from a small and remote town... Wait."


    She suddenly thought of something. "Cindy''s from Scarlet Hill."


    "Scarlet Hill?"


    Marcus'' expression darkened slightly. "I''ll have Ethan look into it right away."


    "The notebook Selena gave me contains the names of multiple girls who were moved from Scarlet Hill."


    A thought struck Natalie, and she immediately called the police department.


    "Mr. Keller? I need you to send a team to Scarlet Hill right away. Have them check out the entertainment venues."


    "What''s going on, Natalie?"


    She quickly ryed her suspicions, and within moments, the officers were on their way to Scarlet Hill.


    "Laura and Wesley spent years searching for a cure, but when they finally gave up, they chose to settle down in Scartlet Hill. That''s the only reason we ever had a chance toe here.


    "Scarlet Hill is a well-known tourist spot in Amberton. The Walkers and Holdens were based in Dithoria. Under normal circumstances, they would have had no reason to visit here."


    Natalie sighed. "Who could have imagined such a breathtaking ce would be exploited as a human trafficking route?"


    Marcus'' expression darkened. "Nat, I have a bad feeling about this. Whoever is behind this is no petty criminal."


    "Do you think it''s Cassie?"


    "No, it''s not her," Marcus replied without hesitation. "She''s unhinged, sure, but she''s rich. She doesn''t like kids, but she''s never been known to hurt them.


    "Besides, ording to Grace, the timeline doesn''t add up. That means the mastermind must be from my grandfather''s generation."


    "Then, do you think Grandpa Charles holds any clues?"


    "I''ve asked him before, and he told me he''s never offended anyone or done anything cruel. With our family''s status, most people wouldn''t dare to mess with us. That''s what makes this all the more baffling."


    Marcus pressed his fingers against his temples. "I want to know who''s controlling Grace. We need to get her phone from her room. Once we have it, we might get some answers. But Nat, I have a feeling this won''t be a simple case to crack."


    "It''s fine. We have to give it a shot anyway." Natalie shed a smile. "The tougher the challenge, the more rewarding the victory. Don''t you agree?"


    "Yeah, I agree. But right now, I just want to kiss you."


    The moment the words left his mouth, Marcus closed the distance, kissing her before she could react.


    Natalie lifted her face slightly, melting into the kiss.


    She loved kissing Marcus. His lips were soft, carrying a faint sweetness that


    reminded her of the strawberry candy she used to love as a child.


    At first, he wasn''t the best at it¡ªhe''d identally nip her lips or tongue. However,


    it didn''t take long for him to improve.


    Perhaps men had a natural talent for this sort of thing.


    After a lingering moment, they finally pulled away.


    "Let''s get married when this is over, Nat. What do you say?"


    Marcus'' voice was low and husky, his breathing uneven. His Adam''s apple bobbed as he fought to steady himself.


    "Alright!" Natalieughed. "Marcus, are you really that impatient?"


    "Very." His piercing eyes never left her. "I can''t wait to make you my wife."


    "Well then..." Natalie smirked. "I think I''ll have to run a premarital check on you first."


    "Go ahead. Do it however you''d like."


    "Nat, Mr. Holden, we''ve arrived."


    Their conversation was interrupted by Walter, who had been silent until now, speaking from the front.


    Natalie nced out the window and realized they had already arrived at the Langley residence.


    "Let''s go!"


    Natalie slid off Marcus''p, but before she could fully move away, a firm arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her right back.


    Eyes twinkling, she asked, "Still not enough?"


    "Yeah, never enough," Marcus admitted smoothly. "I could kiss you forever."


    "Then let''s make itst a little longer."


    Natalie smiled, winding her arms around his neck as their lips met once more.


    She knew exactly why Marcus was acting this way. He had insecurities; he worried that he had misjudged her too much in the beginning and that she had only agreed to be with him out of a sense of obligation.


    Other than that, there was her past engagement with Tyler; and Walter, the guy she had once brought home and raised with her own pocket money.


    Marcus never said it out loud, but Natalie could see the insecurities beneath his silence.


    After all, when a man like him got jealous, it was serious business.


    They had been kissing for nearly five minutes when a sharp knock on the car window broke the moment. Natalieughed, softly pushing him away.


    "Alright. If we don''t get out now, Walter''s going to get impatient."


    "And you care if he''s impatient?"


    Marcus'' expression was unreadable, but the jealousy in his voice was unmistakable.


    "Walter wants to discuss work with


    me. The sooner we finish, the


    sooner we can leave." Natalie pinched his ears lightly. "You''re the only one I care about, Marcus. Besides, you''reing with me. You''re my boyfriend, so you have share my workload, okay?"


    Marcus gave a firm nod. "Okay."


    "Then, get out first and open my door."


    "Alright."


    Marcus exited the car first, then circled around to open the door for Natalie.


    "We''re here, Nat."


    She smiled at him yfully before stepping out.


    The second she turned to Walter, her warm demeanor vanished. In an


    icy tone, she said, "Walter, from now on, any conversation we have-my boyfriend is part of it."


    Walter shot Marcus a brief look and replied tly, "Okay."

 Chapter 506 Are We Not Friends Anymore

    Walter remained calm, and Natalie didn''t think much of it¡ªbut Marcus felt something was off.


    Still, he didn''t say anything. Natalie cared about his feelings, and she brought him along when discussing matters with Walter-that was enough for him.


    Marcus and Natalie went to Grace''s bedroom first. After finding Grace''s safe, Natalie entered her own birthday, and sure enough, it opened.


    "Grace sure is something else," Marcus said with a mocking tone. "Still using your birthday as the password at a time like this. Does she seriously think that kind of emotional trick still works on you?"


    Natalie didn''t respond. She simply took the phone from the safe, powered it on, and tapped the screen. "I need to connect it to myputer."


    "This phone model''s pretty outdated," Marcus noted, immediately handing her backpack over.


    Natalie unzipped the bag, pulled out a smallptop, connected the phone with a cable, and began typing rapidly on the keyboard. A momentter, a small red dot appeared on the screen.


    "The owner of this number is currently in Scarlet Hill."


    Marcus saw it too. "Looks like Scarlet Hill is an important ce."


    "I''ll make a call first," Natalie said, dialing the number.


    After three rings, someone picked up.


    "Grace Langley, I told you not to call! You just don''t listen, do you?"


    Natalie shot Marcus a look. He showed her his phone as he had already sent Ethan to apprehend the target. She gave a small nod, then mimicked Grace''s voice. "Where''s my daughter? I want to see my daughter."


    "Grace, if you behave, I''ll make sure Megan stays alive. But if you test my patience again, don''t me me for what happens to her. I wasn''t joking with youst time."


    The voice on the other end was icy and filled with impatience.


    "All these years and you''re still useless. You''ve botched every task I gave you. And that bastard Kenton-he''s gone and you have no idea where. If he dares betray me, you''d better be ready to collect Megan''s corpse."


    Without giving Natalie a chance to respond, the call ended abruptly.


    "The location hasn''t changed. Ethan will be there in ten minutes at most," Marcus


    said. "Nat, are you curious about this person?"


    Natalie nodded. "Very. Extremely curious."


    Just then, a knock came at the door. Walter stood outside. "Nat, I found something. Come take a look."


    "Okay." Natalie took Marcus'' hand, and the two left Grace''s bedroom.


    Walter headed straight to Grace''s study. He had been in there many times as a child, though Grace had never treated him kindly.


    But he didn''t care. Natalie brought him back, so his only duty back then was to study hard, grow up, protect her, support her, and help her. That was enough.


    At the desk, Walter opened a drawer and took out a pocket watch as well as a padlocked photo album. Walter opened the watch, then entered a string of numbers into the album''s lock.


    He opened it and handed it to Natalie. "Nat, take a look."


    Natalie took the album, and she and Marcus looked through it together.


    On the first page was a photo of a young Grace lying on a bed, gazing tenderly at the baby beside her. Her expression overflowed with maternal warmth. A small caption beneath the photo read, "My daughter, Megan, a joy to behold."


    "This must be Megan," Marcus said.


    Walter added, "Inside the pocket watch is a photo of baby Megan. Her birthdate was inscribed below it. That''s the password to the album. So Grace wasn''t lying. She really did have a biological daughter."


    Natalie turned to the next page. The


    photo showed a very young Victor-he couldn''t have been older than one. He was filthy, his clothes ragged and torn. A line beneath the photo read, "Foundling, standing in formy daughter, Megan."


    "So Victor was a foundling Grace picked up?" Natalie frowned, turning to the next page. This one held a photo so thoroughly shed it was barely recognizable. A line beneath it read, "May you drop dead where you stand!"


    "There''s nothing more after this." Walter nced at Marcus. "Mr. Holden, do you think this might be connected to the Holden family? After all, Cassie, a key figure in all this, is one of yours."


    "Cassie''s age doesn''t line up with the circumstances," Marcus said evenly. "And this photo is too damaged to restore. But the Holden family is still looking for her. Whether or not she''s the one responsible, she could still be a breakthrough.


    "Also, that call went through. The target''s in Scarlet Hill, and I''ve already sent Ethan after them."


    "I doubt it''ll be that easy to catch them," Walter said, tapping his fingers on the desk. "Here''s the real issue-someone is pulling the strings behind Grace. She''s being forced. Should we get her out of the police station?"


    "No," Marcus said, his deep, maic voice turning colder. "Forced or not, she used Nat as a living blood bank in the past. For that alone, I''ll never let her live out the rest of her life in peace."


    "Grace''s deeds wereplicated," Walter offered. "She''s older now, and I doubt she''llst long in the police station. It might be better to get her out. She could still help with the investigation.


    "Nat, what do you think?" he asked, looking at her. Walter and Natalie had grown up together and had always shared a mutual understanding. If he made a suggestion, she would usually agree.


    But to his surprise, Natalie thought for a moment, then slowly shook her head. "I agree with my boyfriend."


    "Nat, you can''t just side with Mr. Holden because he''s your boyfriend," Walter said, barely keeping his


    have her faults, but in this ca


    frustration in check. "Grace may


    she''s a crucial link to the person behind all of this. She''s an important witness, and¡ª"


    "She still has to cooperate while in the police station," Natalie cut him off. "I''m not siding with Marcus just because he''s my boyfriend. I''m following what I believe is


    right."


    "But that''s not how you used to be," Walter said, standing up. "You always listened to my advice before."


    "That''s because your advice used to be right," Natalie replied. "Now it''s not, so I won''t follow it."


    She looked at him. "Walter, don''t take it personally just because I agreed with Marcus."


    "Nat, is that really how you see me?" Walter''s voice carried a hint of hurt. "I''m not


    as petty as you think. Just because you''re dating someone, does that mean we''re not friends anymore?"

 Chapter 507 Not All Feelings Are the Same

    As Walter finished speaking, Natalie furrowed her brows again. "Walter, that''s not what I meant."


    "Nat, I won''t bother you two." Marcus suddenly spoke up. "I''ll wait outside."


    "You don''t have to go," Natalie said, reaching out to stop him. "I''m not taking your side just because you''re my boyfriend. I''m just speaking based on the situation.


    "Walter, I never distanced myself from you just because I got into a rtionship. You were the one I chose from the orphanage and brought into the Langley family. We grew up together. What we share is different from what I have with Marcus. "And Marcus, you don''t have to force yourself to walk away just because you''re worried Walter and I might argue."


    Natalie held Marcus'' hand. She knew how jealous he could get and that no matter how jealous he was, he wouldn''tsh out at her. He would just bottle it up, quietly struggling inside. Since she chose to be with him, she wouldn''t let him spiral like that. That security a partner needs-she would give it to him.


    "Walter, love and friendship don''t conflict." Natalie looked at him seriously. "If there''s ever a misunderstanding between us, I hope we clear it up right away. If you had a girlfriend, and you took her side in an argument with me, would you do it just because she''s your girlfriend?"


    Walter paused, then slowly shook his head. "No, I''d go by what''s right."


    "Exactly. And I''m doing the same. This has nothing to do with Marcus." Natalie pulled over a chair and sat down.


    "Grace must stay in the police station. She can''t be released. We''ve now obtained her phone and this photo album. All new evidence we find must be immediately submitted to the police.


    "Grace''s biggest concern is her biological daughter, Megan. And Megan is tied to the Umbrahex case involving Mrs. Holden, which makes Marcus a key person in this situation too. He doesn''t need to leave. He can''t leave."


    Marcus gazed deeply at Natalie, his eyes filled with tenderness, warmth, and quiet gratitude. Yes, he had been jealous, but her words filled him withfort and joy.


    Though he knew he couldn''tpare to the ten-plus years of friendship between her and Walter, her defense of him still meant everything. He loved her, and even if it hurt, he was willing to step back.


    He trusted her to know the line between friendship and love-and she hadn''t let him down. At this moment, he feltpletely secure.


    Walter listened to her, bitterness rising in his heart. He forced a smile, but it looked more like a grimace than joy. "Nat, I never said Mr. Holden had to leave. He offered to go himself." His voice was full of self-reproach. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have brought up the past to talk about the present."


    Natalie didn''t want to linger on this topic any longer. She gave a faint smile, her tone softening. "Alright, let''s not talk about that anymore. Let''s get back to the investigation. Walter, go on-tell us what you found."


    "Okay." Walter nodded and retrieved several items from Grace''s study. One by one, he opened them and exined their origins to Natalie and Marcus.


    After drinking the medicine Connie had prepared and undergoing acupuncture from Federrick, Lauray down to rest at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    With thebination of herbal treatment and acupuncture, the Umbrahex had been cleared from her body, and she was steadily recovering. Before long, she would be able to return to a normal life.


    But not long after shey down, Sheldon knocked on her door. "Mrs. Holden, are you asleep? Mr. Holden Senior would like to speak with you."


    Laura wasn''t asleep yet. "Not yet. Give me a moment. I''ll get up."


    Ten minutester, Laura was seated across from Charles. "Father, I heard that you wanted to speak with me."


    Though Laura had already divorced Wesley-and he had agreed to it¡ªthe paperwork hadn''t been filed. But Marcus had already arranged for their divorce papers to be processed and the application had been acknowledged.


    Even though she was no longer Wesley''s wife, she still respectfully called Charles "Father."


    "Laura, how are you feeling? Any better?" Charles had clearly aged in just a few days. There was a deep weariness about him.


    "I feel much better, Father," Laura replied. "Federrick said I''ll be able to live like a normal person again soon."


    Compared to Charles'' exhausted appearance, Laura looked much better, her expression buoyed by a happiness she couldn''t quite hide. After years of suffering under the torment of Umbrahex, each day now brought healing and renewed hope.


    "Laura, did you know Wesley has gone back to Dithoria?"


    She nodded. "He said he had some things to take care of and would return once he was done if I''m still here by then."


    "Wesley went to find Cassie. Did you know that?" Charles finally decided to open up. "I''m honestly worried he might do something to her. Laura, it took me a long time to make up my mind to talk to you.


    "I know this might sound cruel, but Wesley and Cassie are both my children. They''re brother and sister. I''m terrified that while I''m still alive, I''ll witness them turn on each other.


    "But if we don''t punish Cassie, it would be terribly unfair to you. The pain and suffering you''ve endured all these years, the separation from Marcus-I can''t ask you to forgive her.


    "I just want to beg you-stop Wesley. Don''t let him do something he''ll regret. Laura, please call him and ask him toe back. Will you?"


    Laura was stunned, unable to respond for a long while.


    Charles took a sip of the medicinal drink in front of him. Since arriving at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary, he had met with Federrick, who prepared this drink to help his health. Even if taken at night, it wouldn''t disrupt his sleep.


    "Laura, I know you and Wesley are divorced, but you still don''t want anything bad to happen to him, right? Cassie''s not mentally stable. I worry about Wesley, but I worry about Cassie too."


    Laura''s face flushed red. After a while, she finally spoke. "Father, I understand everything you''re saying. But I promised Wesley that after the divorce, I would no longer interfere in his affairs. All he wants is forme to live well. As long as I''m happy, that''s enough for him.


    "As for Cassie, won''t forgive her. And I don''t believe Wesley will either. Precisely because she''s his sister, we can''t forgive her. Father, I used to trust Cassiepletely. I treated her like my own sister and gave her everything I had. And how did she treat me?


    Laura''s eyes turned red. "I understand your concern for her, and I don''t me you. But just as you said, no one has the right to ask me to forgive her after all I''ve endured. My body hasn''t fully


    recovered yet, but when it does, I


    won''t let her go either.


    "I may have divorced Wesley, but that doesn''t mean I don''t love him. And Wesley didn''t agree to the divorce because he stopped loving me. It''s precisely because he loves me that he let me go.


    "Father, the bond between a parent and child is but one form of love. The love between a husband and wife is another. If Wesley had been the one suffering all these years, I would''ve made the same choice he did.


    "Both feelings are not the same, but love is."

 Chapter 508 The Owner of That Number

    Laura was clearly upset. Charles quickly got up to steady her. "Laura, don''t get worked up-sit down."


    Her gaze turned cold. She took a deep breath to suppress the anger and resentment rising within her.


    "Sorry. My emotions got the best of me. If my tone was harsh or my words unpleasant, I ask for your forgiveness, Father. I''m tired, so I''ll rest now."


    Without letting him touch her, Laura stepped aside and quickly left the guestroom. Because she was still recovering, she continued to stay in the pharmacy under Connie''s care. When Charles wasn''t around, she was calm andposed. But once she saw him, her emotions would suddenly turn.


    As she turned away, her eyes filled with tears. She knew exactly what Wesley was nning to do¡ªbut she also knew she couldn''t stop him.


    She and Marcus had been separated for so many years, tormented by Umbrahex until she was barely recognizable as a human.


    Wesley had apanied her through every treatment, wishing he could bear the pain for her, living like an ascetic, having no intimacy for years.


    Charles had raised Marcus in their absence, but if not for Cassie poisoning her with Umbrahex, she would never have been separated from Marcus in the first ce. She could have fulfilled her role as a mother.


    In the end, Laura couldn''t hold back her tears. They fell before she could stop them.


    "Laura, what''s wrong?" Connie had juste to look for her. Seeing Laura''s red eyes and the tears falling down her cheeks, she hurried forward in concern.


    "I''m fine," Laura said, quickly wiping her face. "Don''t tell Nat or Marcus." "Are you really okay, Laura?"


    "I really am. Don''t worry about me." Laura forced a smile. "Nat and Marcus went to Amberton. I don''t want them to worry. Once I''m better, I''ll go back to Dithoria and open a flower shop. When Nat and Marcus get married, I''ll help take care of their kids.


    "Not being there to raise Marcus has always been my biggest regret. I''ve been a poor excuse for a mother."


    "Don''t say that, Laura. You didn''t choose this. Not being able to raise Marcus wasn''t your fault." Connie''s heart ached for Laura. If she had suffered the same torment under Umbrahex for years, she wasn''t sure she would have survived. Laura''s strength wasn''t something just anyone could match.


    "Thank you, Connie." Laura hugged her. "Oh, and Charlotte''sing to visit. She should arrive tomorrow. When she does, I''ll need your help to speak positively about my condition."


    "Got it."


    Laura had stayed in contact with Charlotte over the years, but she had always downyed her hardships. Even after Charlotte found out how bad things were, Laura would still smile and tell her it was nothing.


    "Go rest, Laura."


    "I will. You get some rest too, Connie."


    "I will."


    Connie apanied Laura back to the pharmacy. After watching her fall asleep, Connie turned off the lights and stepped out. As she did, she pulled out her phone and noticed a missed call from an unfamiliar number, along with a text message that read, "I''m the owner of this number. I know who''s behind Grace Langley."


    Connie frowned, took a screenshot, and sent it to Natalie, "Ms. Walker, I just got this message. Can you take a look and tell me what it means?"


    Natalie quickly called her. "Connie, call that number right now. Ask what they want."


    "Yes, Ms. Walker."


    Connie hung up and immediately dialed the number. The phone rang several times before someone picked up. The voice on the other end was hoarse and grating, like a worn-out tape. "Hello, Ms. Sterling."


    Per Natalie''s instructions, Connie got straight to the point. "Hello. You sent me a message. What do you mean by it?"


    "I should be asking you why Natalie is investigating me," the caller said with a sinisterugh. "And sending people after me. What, do they care if Megan lives or dies?"


    "That''s none of my concern," Connie replied, rolling her eyes though the other person couldn''t see. "If you''ve got a problem with Ms. Walker, contact her directly. Why send the message to me? I''m not her. To me, you sound like a lunatic."


    "I want Natalie to meet me. Alone. Amberton''s Starlight za, third floor arcade,


    at machine number 33. Got it? Shees alone."


    Without giving Connie a chance to respond, the caller hung up.


    Connie immediately called Natalie back. "Ms. Walker, the person said that he knows you''ve been investigating and sent people to catch him. His voice


    Sras


    and


    rough, so definitely a man. He wants to meet you alone, at the arcade on the third floor of Starlight za in Amberton, by machine number 33.


    "Ms. Walker, I don''t think this guy has good intentions. You shouldn''t go."


    "I understand." Natalie noted down the address and hung up.


    "The owner of that number contacted Connie," she said.


    "I''ll go with you," Marcus said without hesitation. "Nat, I''m not letting you walk into danger alone."


    "There might not even be any danger," Walter said calmly. "He picked Starlight za, specifically the third-floor arcade, which suggests he doesn''t intend to hurt Nat. That ce gets heavy foot traffic every day. If anything, he might not even


    show up.


    Marcus looked at Walter. "You''re saying he''s just messing with us?"


    "Not necessarily," Walter replied, shaking his head. "It''s just strange. Your people were sent to capture him at Scarlet Hill, right? If he can still make this call, that means he got away. But the voice from the number before was clearly a woman. Now Connie says it''s a man. Doesn''t that strike you as odd?


    "I think we need to have a serious talk with Mr. Holden Senior."


    He turned to Natalie. "Nat, what do you think?"


    Natalie didn''t respond immediately. Instead, she looked at Marcus. Their eyes met, and in his gaze was filled with unwavering trust and love.


    "I think you''re right. We should talk to Grandpa Charles," Natalie said slowly and clearly. "Marcus, you go speak with him. Walter and I will go to the arcade."


    "I''ll go with you. Let Walter talk to my grandfather," Marcus said without even considering her proposal. Even when she called him by his first name, it wasn''t enough to make him change his mind about staying by her side.


    "That''s not going to work," Natalie rejected without hesitation. "Walter and I know Amberton better. You and Grandpa Charles are close, so you''ll be able to speak to him more openly. You know exactly what questions to ask him. Please, just take care of this for me, alright?


    "The fact that the owner of that number reached out first means he''s losing


    patience. We''re getting closer to the truth."


    Her voice softened, coaxing him like a child. "I won''t be at ease unless it''s you talking to Grandpa Charles."

 Chapter 509 Shes Always Been Honest with Him

    "Okay, Marcus?" Natalie looked at him without blinking, gently hooking his pinky with hers. Without caring that Walter was right there, she used her other hand to tug lightly on Marcus'' tie.


    He lowered his head toward her. Natalie leaned close to his ear and whispered something, and in the next second, Marcus'' ears turned red.


    "Okay, I''ll talk to my grandpa. But you have to be careful, no matter what," he said, pressing his forehead to hers. Then, he turned to Walter. "Mr. Watson, I''ll have to trouble you to apany Nat to the arcade. If anything happens, please make sure she''s safe. I''ll give you a generous reward¡ªor if you have any request, you can tell me directly,"


    Walter nodded calmly. "Alright. I will."


    "Thank you," Marcus said, lowering his head to kiss Natalie gently on the forehead. "Promise me. No matter what happens, you''ll put your safety first. No matter what happens after, I''ll take care of it."


    "I will," Natalie replied, tilting her head up. Marcus leaned in, and she kissed the corner of his lips, then reached up and pinched his ear. "Remember what you said. Once this is all over, you''re proposing to me."


    "I will."


    The two were being openly affectionate, not caring in the slightest about Walter''s presence. Or perhaps they did care and were doing it on purpose for him to see. Walter lowered his gaze and looked away from the scene.


    Marcus left the Langley residence soon after. Once his car had pulled away, Natalie turned to Walter. "Sorry. Marcus gets insecure easily, so I spoil him a bit more."


    "Nat, you don''t need to exin anything to me," Walter replied with a bitter smile. "Seeing you happy makes me happier than anyone else."


    "Walter, you like me, don''t you?" Natalie''s tone was certain, her expression calm. She had always been honest with him-never one to keep things bottled up.


    "You saw through me," Walter said bitterly. "Sorry if I caused you trouble."


    "Walter, we grew up together. More than anyone, I want you to be happy. But feelings don''t always follow rules or timelines.


    "Back then, I had Tyler as my fianc¨¦, so you kept your distance. Later, after I broke off the engagement, you still didn''t take that step. And now that I''m with Marcus, there''s even less of a possibility between us.


    "Walter, I''ve always seen you as an older brother. I truly hope you find your own happiness someday. I may not be the right person for you, but I''ll always be the best sister you''ll ever have. I''ll always be someone you can count on.


    "You''ve always held an important ce in my heart¡ªand you always will."


    "Nat, you''re not even giving me a sliver of a dream to hold on to," Walter said, walking over to the window. "You''re right-I do like you. But I didn''t dare act on it. "Back then, you had Tyler, and I was afraid that confessing would put you in a difficult position. Later, when Selena returned to the Langley family and you broke off your engagement with Tyler, you were always so busy with work. I still didn''t speak up because I knew you weren''t someone who''d jump into a new rtionship just to forget thest.


    "For you to be moved enough and enter a new rtionship, it''d have to be with someone truly great. I wasn''t sure I was that person."


    His eyes turned red as he spoke. "I''m an orphan. You''re the real daughter of the Walker family who was switched at birth. Even if I''ve made something of myself now, I still don''t belong to your world.


    "You never looked down on me but I looked down on myself. Nat, you''ve always been honest with me. But I haven''t been honest or confident with you.


    "At first, I really didn''t like Marcus. In fact, I hated him. But deep down, I also envied him. He''s the heir to the Holden family. The Walkers and the Holdens have been close for generations. If you hadn''t been switched at birth, the one engaged to him from the start would''ve been you, not Emma.


    "You broke off the engagement but still ended up with him. That only proves you were meant to be.


    "Nat, I missed my chance with you,


    didn''t I?" Walter''s eyes were


    But Natalie had been too honest with him-so honest that she could openly show affection to Marcus in front of him, so honest she couldy it all bare, so honest that she told him she would always be his family.


    And those words were the warmest thing in Walter''s entire life. He was an orphan, and it was little Natalie who had brought him home and used her pocket money to raise him. Everything he had now was thanks to her. He had no right to have any impure thoughts about her.


    "Nat, I should''ve been just as honest with you. Now that it''s all out in the open, can we still be friends?"


    "Of course," Natalie said sincerely. "Walter, I never said that just because I have a boyfriend¡ªor you might have a girlfriend our rtionship has to end. You like me because I''m a good person. And if we never became lovers, it only means those feelings weren''t meant to be.


    "I''m someone worth liking and so are you. I like you, just not in a romantic way. I''ll always see you as my brother.


    "I trust you, just like I trust Marcus. Your ce in my heart isn''t below his but I do favor Marcus a little more because he''s the one who''ll be by my side for life.


    "I''ll share a bed with him. I''ll have children with him. He''ll be the first face I see in the morning and thest one I say goodnight to at night.


    "I''ll have a beautiful love story," Natalie said, the corners of her mouth lifting into a soft smile. "And Walter, so will you."


    Walter''s eyes were still red. He stared at Natalie, and as he watched her, tears finally fell. He wiped them away and spoke again, his voice slightly choked. "Yeah, I''ll have that kind of love too. I''ll have a wonderful wife.


    "Nat, if you meet someone great in the future, remember to introduce her to me."


    "Of course. Definitely." Natalie let out a smallugh. "Now, can we head to the arcade?"


    "Yeah, let''s go. I''ll protect you," Walter said, wiping away thest of his tears. He reached into his pocket and handed her a bar of chocte.


    "Marcus gave me this earlier. He said it''s your favorite brand. It''s hard to find. He practically gave the business to Lincoln for free, just so he could build factories across the country under your name. That way, no matter what city you''re in, you''ll always be able to eat this


    chocte."


    Walter forced a bitter smile. "See, that''s where I can''tpete with Marcus. That


    damn guy and his money. If I were a woman, I''d fall for it too."

 Chapter 510 The Owner Was a Girl

    Walter''s slightly jealous tone made Natalieugh, and once she did, Walter followed with a chuckle of his own. Theughter eased the atmosphere between them.


    "Alright, I''ll ask Marcus if he knows any young, wealthy women who''d be willing to marry you, build you a career, and keep you as their boy toy," Natalie said with a teasing smile, her eyes curved with amusement.


    Walterughed at that. "Only if she''s smooth-skinned, gorgeous, and has legs for days. You''d better not be living the high life while handing me scraps."


    "No problem." Natalieughed. "Now that we''ve talked it out, you don''t feel bad anymore, right? We can still hang out like good friends?"


    "Yeah, the knot is untied." Walter nodded. "Nat, thank you for being upfront with me and not letting things fester in awkward silence."


    He smiled sincerely. "Nat, I really do like you, but I''d never turn that into hate just because you''re with Marcus. We''ll still be like we used to be, right?"


    "Right." Natalie openly epted his feelings, and just as openly told him how she viewed their friendship. They could never be lovers, but they would always be family.


    For someone like Walter, an orphan, Natalie had been the light of his childhood- and truly, of his entire life. She understood him, epted him, and guided him.


    They were both good people, and this bit of unreturned affection shouldn''t make them strangers. Now that everything was out in the open, both felt lighter. Interacting afterward, there wasn''t the slightest trace of awkwardness.


    After summarizing the clues they had uncovered, Walter and Natalie headed to the arcade. Once there, they quickly found machine number 33, which was filled with Spongius plush toys.


    Walter went to exchange coins, walked back, and started ying with the arcade machine.


    Natalie stood nearby, quietly observing the crowd. The arcade was packed- machines buzzed and people chattered. Most of the crowd was young, though there were a few parents ying games with their kids.


    It didn''t take long for Walter to grab two Spongius plush toys. He handed them to Natalie. "Is Marcus this good at w machines?"


    Natalie shook her head. "Honestly, I wouldn''t know."


    She picked up a few coins herself and went over to machine number 34. Not long after, she managed to grab two plush toys as well.


    "Miss, could I have one of your Spongius toys?" a young girl approached, holding some coins and smiling sweetly at Natalie. "Do you like the plushies from machine 33?"


    "Are you the owner of this number?" Natalie pulled out Grace''s phone and dialed the only number saved on it. Sure enough, a ringtone went off on the girl. The next second, the girl smiled brightly and pulled out her phone.


    "Hi, miss. The owner of this phone asked me to meet you. She told me to give you this phone-it has something you want in it." She handed the phone to Natalie, then quickly took one of the plush toys from her hands. "In exchange, you have to win me 30 more."


    "Huh?" Natalie raised an eyebrow. She looked at the phone the girl had handed over-there was no password. After unlocking it, she checked the contacts where only Grace''s number was saved.


    "Hey, little one. Come here. I''ll help you win some plushies," Walter called over. Seeing Natalie busy checking the phone, he led the girl to the side. "Tell me which machines you like."


    "Can I have them all?" she asked excitedly.


    Walter chuckled. "Sure. Nat, I''ll take her to win some toys. You take your time checking."


    "Alright." Natalie met his eyes for a second, then walked to a quieter spot to examine the phone while Walter casually entertained the girl.


    The toy grabbing was more than a distraction-it was a cover for information gathering.


    Natalie sat down and began carefullybing through the phone. It was an old model, with only a few apps installed. One of them was an encrypted folder. After a bit of effort, she got it open.


    The folder was filled with photos.


    Natalie swiped through them one by one. It quickly became clear-they were all photos of Charles and two different women. He had many intimate photos with one of the women, while there were only a few with the other. But there were also


    plenty of intimate photos between the two women themselves.


    So, this was some kind of love triangle? A messy romance?


    Natalie took a closer look. Cassie and Wesley bore a strong resemnce to the woman in the photos who was closest to Charles-and to Charles himself. The other woman looked a bit like her too.


    Meaning, the two women were probably sisters. One of them, either the elder or the younger, was Charles'' wife-and Wesley and Cassie''s mother.


    And the girl who brought the phone shared some simrities with them as well.


    Natalie nced back into the arcade, where the girl clutched a pile of plush toys in her arms, beaming with excitement beside Walter. A bold suspicion formed in Natalie''s mind.


    Whoever had sent the girl knew they


    had already traced things back to


    Grace. Langley Group had gone bankrupt, and Grace had been taken to the police station. This move wasn''t just a peace offering; it was also a threat.


    Natalie forwarded all the photos to Marcus, then called him. "Hey, Marcus. I just sent you some pictures. Walter and I are at the arcade. A girl brought us a phone, and these pictures were inside.


    "Marcus, have you ever met your grandmother?"


    "No, I haven''t, Marcus said, putting on his earphones and opening the photos she had sent. "But I''ve seen some family photo albums. Some pictures had faces blurred or missing. I asked Grandpa about them, and he said they were lost a long time ago.


    "Now that I think about it, those missing photos probably had this woman in them."


    Marcus paused for a moment before speaking again. "If I''m not mistaken, this


    woman might be my grandmother''s sister.


    "Nat, I''m almost back at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary. I''ll talk to my Grandpa.''


    "Alright. And one more thing I''m bringing this girl back with us." Natalie looked toward Walter and the girl. "Tell Mr. Holden Senior to be ready."


    "Okay. Be careful, Nat."


    "You too," Natalie replied gently. "Marcus, check in on Laura more often once you''re back. She sent me a message saying your grandfather talked to her. He wants her to convince your dad not to turn on Cassis.


    "Her tone was calm, but I could tell-she''s anything but calm right now."


    "Alright. I got it, so don''t worry."

 Chapter 511 His Grandmothers Younger Sister

    After hanging up, Marcus went through the photos one by one. Could the woman Grace mentioned be the one in these pictures?


    Once Marcus returned to The Herbalist''s Sanctuary, he went straight to see Charles.


    As soon as he sat down, he ced the phone in front of his grandfather.


    "Grandpa, the person tied to the number Grace gave us is the one who sent us those photos."


    Charles gave Sheldon a look, and Sheldon immediately handed over his reading sses. "Mr. Holden Senior, here you go."


    "Thank you." Charles put on the sses and carefully studied the photos, swiping through each one slowly. After viewing them all, he fell into a long silence.


    "Grandpa, the woman in these photos-what''s her rtionship to you and Grandma?" Marcus poured himself a cup of herbal tea as he asked casually. "I''ve never met Grandma, but if I''m not mistaken, this woman is probably Grandma''s biological sister, right?"


    "Yes. She was your grandmother''s younger sister," Charles finally said. "I put away all the photos of her from the house. Technically, you should call her your grandaunt. But she died many years ago-before your grandmother did.


    "Your grandmother passed, and I was busy raising your father and Cassie. I didn''t want to look at those photos anymore. Every time I did, they would bring back memories. I promised your grandmother I''d raise your father and Cassie well, and that I''d never remarry for the rest of my life.


    "I did keep my promise never to remarry, but I failed to raise Cassie properly. When I die, I don''t even know how I''ll face your grandmother in the afterlife." As he spoke, Charles'' eyes turned red. Maybe it was seeing those photos again that stirred emotions he could no longer suppress.


    "I thought I wouldn''t look at your grandmother''s photo again until the day I died. I didn''t expect it to show up in your hands."


    "Grandpa, Grace said the person who coerced her into swapping the babies promised to make the Langley family the richest in Amberton¡ªif she did what she was told. If the person behind this is Grandma''s sister, do you still believe she''s really dead?"


    Marcus wasn''t sentimental. He had no emotional attachment to someone he had never met. He was simply analyzing the photos and what truth they were trying to reveal.


    "I''m certain she''s dead. Your grandmother and I both attended her funeral."


    "Grandpa, the way that woman looks at you in these photos-it''s affectionate," Marcus said calmly. "So, I''d like you to tell me honestly-was there a love triangle between the three of you?"


    "Nonsense!" Charles mmed the phone back down on the table. "Marcus, you''re bing more and more outrageous. Watch your words.


    "She was your grandaunt, your grandmother''s blood sister. Your grandmother and I had a deep, loving rtionship. How could there be any talk of a love triangle? By asking this, you''re insulting me and the dead."


    "Am I?" Marcus picked up his phone and opened a message Natalie had sent him just two minutes earlier. "Then take a look at this girl, Grandpa."


    Charles looked at the screen. It showed a 17 or 18-year-old girl, arms full of colorful plush toys, smiling so widely that her eyes nearly disappeared. That smile was practically identical to that of the woman in the photos-Marcus'' grandaunt.


    "Grandpa, can dead people give birth to children who look this much like them?" Marcus asked tly. "Nat''s going to bring this girl back with her."


    "She looks too much like her," Charles murmured, stunned. "But Yvette... Yvette really died."


    "Grandpa, tell me the story between the three of you," Marcus said as he sipped his herbal tea. "Let''s just treat it like a casual chat between grandfather and grandson.


    "You never talked much to me about Grandma or my parents. When I was a kid, I had so many things to study We didn''t talk much. But I''ve always been curious about the love stories in our family-between you and Grandma, between my parents."


    Charles reached out. "Give me the phone."


    "Here." Marcus handed it over. Charles opened the same set of photos again, and


    as he looked through them, his old eyes began to redden.


    "Your grandmother''s name was Vivian Jenkins. Her younger sister was Yvette.Jenkins. The Jenkins family used to be a major family in Dithoria. Your grandmother and I were childhood


    sweethearts-engaged and married early.


    "But one day, the Jenkins family suffered a sudden disaster. It happened overnight ¡ªbefore anyone could react, the family was gone. Many died, and some disappeared.


    "Yvette died during that incident too. Vivian was extremely close to her. She never recovered from the blow-fell ill shortly afterward."


    "What kind of disaster was it that took down the Jenkins family?" Marcus asked as Charles stared at the photo with teary eyes.


    "The Jenkins family-" Charles'' voice trembled.


    "Have some tea, Grandpa." Marcus poured him a cup of herbal tea. "There''s no rush. Take your time."


    Charles took the cup, but his hand was shaking so badly that some of the tea spilled despite Marcus only pouring a little.


    "Don''t worry, Grandpa," Marcus said, reaching out to steady his hand. "Sheldon, bring a jacket for Grandpa."


    "Yes, Mr. Marcus." Sheldon hurried off.


    Once Sheldon was gone, Marcus got up and sat beside Charles. "Grandpa, is it possible that Grandma''s sister didn''t die?"


    "That''s impossible," Charles replied


    instantly saw it with my own eyes. Her body was burned beyond recognition. I was the one who arranged the Jenkins family''s funeral.


    "Vivian wasn''t feeling well that day, so I took her to the hospital instead of going back to the Jenkins residence. That''s the only reason she wasn''t caught in the


    fire."


    "So the disaster that struck the Jenkins family was a fire?" Marcus asked.


    Charles nodded. "Yes. One night, a fire consumed the entire estate. Over a hundred members of the Jenkins family died. Except for Vivian, no one survived.


    "Afterward, I took Vivian''s phone away, cut off the inte in her hospital room, and warned everyone not to say a word in front of her.


    "I stayed with her while secretly handling all the funeral arrangements. Yvette, the sister she loved most, was burned beyond recognition when they pulled her out.


    "I was afraid Vivian would find out, so I arranged the burial as quickly as possible.


    "The site where the Jenkins estate once stood waster redeveloped into what''s now Luminara Park."

 Chapter 512 Charlene Jenkins

    As Charles spoke, his eyes turned red. "When I was arranging the funeral, your grandmother somehow found out. She dragged her sick body over, crying and yelling at me, asking why I hadn''t told her.


    "At that time, only Yvette''s body hadn''t been ced in the coffin. I was afraid it would be too much for her, so I refused to let her see it no matter what. She threatened me with her own life, and in the end, I had no choice-I took her to see Yvette.


    "When Vivian saw Yvette''s charred body, she coughed up blood on the spot." His voice choked again. "It was a horrific scene, something no one should have to witness.


    "She couldn''t ept it, and neither could I. I''d always seen Yvette as a younger sister. For her to die like that, my heart¡ª"


    Charles lifted a trembling hand to cover his eyes, unable to say another word. Marcus reached out and gently patted his back, silently offeringfort.


    After a long pause and a deep breath, Charles steadied himself and began again.


    "Vivian lost her entire family in the Jenkins disaster. She saw with her own eyes the corpse of the sister she loved most, burned to that state. Her already frail health declined even more rapidly.


    "She forced herself to stay strong and helped meplete the funeral arrangements for the Jenkins family. Afterward, her condition worsened by the day. She med herself endlessly. Day after day, she grew thinner, and her hair started falling out in clumps. She cried day and night.


    "She was too afraid to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she''d see Yvette in the mes, screaming for help. Not just Yvette-others from the Jenkins family too. All of them, bodies engulfed in fire, screaming at her, begging her to save them.


    "Eventually, Vivian couldn''t bear it anymore. She left a suicide note and drowned herself in the bathtub."


    Charles shut his eyes. Tears streamed down uncontrobly as his body trembled. "Marcus, your grandmother, Vivian, drowned herself in the tub. When I found her, she was already gone.


    "She left a note asking to be buried with the Jenkins family. She asked me not to tell Wesley or Cassie. She didn''t want her children to know their mother had died such a weak, helpless death.


    "She asked me to raise them well. She also wrote that she had seen the fire, that she had seen Yvette die in front of her. But I had arranged for her to be in the hospital, so she had no way of witnessing it."


    Charles took a deep breath. "In her letter, she said someone sent her a video after the fire. She saw Yvette, in mes, crying out for help.


    "Iter asked her doctor. He told me Vivian''s mental state had already deteriorated. She couldn''t distinguish between reality and hallucination. She believed she knew about the Jenkins tragedy but hadn''t done anything to stop it.


    "Her suicide wasrgely because of this. The psychiatrist at the time asked me if I''d been lying to Vivian and to myself."


    Marcus listened intently, quietly processing all that had been said. He couldn''t help but notice how Charles'' story had started to contradict itself.


    Maybe it was his age. Maybe it was the emotional shock of seeing those photos again. But Marcus could tell that Charles was trying to patch up his own narrative, and poorly at that.


    And that only made Marcus more suspicious. Because the inconsistencies weren''t subtle at all.


    Marcus'' phone rang, startling Charles. Marcus quickly took the phone from him and checked the screen. "It''s Nat. I''m going to take this."


    "Alright."


    Marcus stepped outside and answered. "Hey, Nat."


    "Did you get anything out of him?" Natalie''s cool voice came through the phone. "Guess what Walter managed to find out from that girl."


    "What?" Marcus asked, ying along.


    "This girl''s name is Charlene Jenkins," Natalie said carefully. "Your grandfather''s name is Charles Holden.


    "Charlene. Charles. These names aren''t identical, but they echo each other."


    She paused, then continued, "Charlene told me her name was chosen by her grandmother, to honor the man she once loved. But that lover wasn''t her grandfather.


    "Walter also asked Charlene about Megan. Now it''s your turn. What did you learn from Grandpa Charles?"


    "My grandmother''s name was Vivian Jenkins. Her biological sister was Yvette. Years ago, the Jenkins family suffered a major tragedy-over a hundred members died in a fire. Only Vivian survived.


    "After the fire, the Jenkins estate was turned into what''s now Luminara Park.


    "Luminara Park is owned by Walker Group," Marcus added, his tone heavier. "Nat, I haven''t finished talking to Grandpa. I just stepped out to answer your call.


    "Charles is holding something back. He''s trying to patch up the holes in his story suspect Yvette didn''t die He said her body was burned, but after seeing the photos you sent, I''m guessing the girl is Yvette''s O granddaughter.


    "Charlene isn''t just a simple name¡ªit was chosen to remember Charles."


    As Marcus said this, Charles appeared in the doorway, eyes bloodshot and full of


    tears, staring at Marcus without blinking.


    "Nat, my grandfather''s here. I''ll talk to youter."


    "Okay. Walter and I are already on our way to The Herbalist''s Sanctuary with Charlene. Once we''re all together, we need to have a serious talk with Grandpa Charles."


    "Nat, I''m suddenly scared," Marcus admitted. "I don''t know why. I just feel scared all of a sudden."


    "Don''t be." Natalie''s voice, though cool, was steady and full of strength. "Marcus, as long as I''m here, you don''t have to be afraid."


    Hearing that, Marcus instinctively smiled. His voice softened. "Okay. As long as you''re here, I''m not afraid."


    "I''ll hang up now. Keep an eye on Grandpa Charles."


    "Got it." Marcus ended the call and calmly slipped the phone back into his pocket. "Grandpa, why did youe out?"


    Charles still stared at him, red-eyed, tears falling faster and harder-until finally, he broke down sobbing.


    "Grandpa, what''s wrong?" Marcus rushed over tofort him, but Charles was inconsble, weeping uncontrobly.


    Marcus had no choice but to help him back into the house. "Grandpa, what are you so afraid of?"


    "Nothing. I haven''t done anything


    shameful. I have nothing to be afraid


    of," Charles said, though his voice trembled. "Marcus, I just miss your grandmother. All these years, Ve never dared speak to you or Wesley about her. I didn''t know how.


    "That fire that destroyed the Jenkins family-it was just too horrible. Too tragic."


    "Grandpa, Nat will be here soon with Charlene," Marcus said calmly. "Maybe Charlene is a descendent of the Jenkins family."

 Chapter 513 He Was Clearly Avoiding Something

    After Marcus finished speaking, Charles was momentarily stunned. It was a long while before he slowly opened his mouth again.


    "Marcus, what did you just say?"


    "I said Nat is bringing Charlene to meet you," Marcus said clearly, word by word. "Charlene looks a lot like Yvette in the photos. Grandpa, maybe the one who died in that fire wasn''t Yvette."


    "Impossible." Charles suddenly lost control. "There were so many people in the Jenkins family. Everyone except Vivian, who wasn''t at home, died in that fire. Yvette too¡ªshe was found in her bedroom,pletely burned."


    "Then, Grandpa, did you do a DNA test?" Marcus asked calmly. "If she was burned that badly, how could you be so sure it was Yvette?"


    "Of course we did a DNA test," Charles said after taking a deep breath. "Every body recovered from the fire was tested. Their identities were confirmed. That''s not something that could be faked.


    "Marcus, are you doubting me?"


    Marcus shook his head. "No, Grandpa. You''re overthinking it. I''m just analyzing the circumstances. Charlene looks far too much like Yvette. It''s natural for me to wonder. There''s no need to take it personally."


    Charles stared hard at Marcus. He had raised Marcus himself, so how could he not know what Marcus was really thinking? He was absolutely doubting him.


    But Marcus met his gaze directly, unbothered. He knew Charles just as well. Tonight, Charles'' story was full of holes. Some things didn''t need to be said out loud-both of them knew.


    After a long silence, it was Charles who finally gave in. "Fine, then. When Nat brings the girl, let me see her. Marcus, could you send me a copy of those photos?"


    "Of course." Marcus forwarded them immediately.


    "Marcus, I''d like to be alone for a bit," Charles said, his eyes red again as he looked down at the images. "Thank you."


    "There''s no need to be so formal with me, Grandpa." Marcus held his phone. "I''m going to check on Laura. I heard you spoke with her."


    "Yes. I was being selfish," Charles admitted inly. "People are naturally biased. I''ll admit, I didn''t handle it well, and I wasn''tpletely fair. But if you all don''t agree, I can''t force anything."


    Marcus nodded slightly and replied with equal honesty, "Yes. No one can deal forgiveness on her behalf for what she suffered-not even me. Grandpa, you always taught me to be reasonable. You''ve said many times that if you haven''t suffered what others have, don''t advise them to forgive. I trust that you''ll lead by example."


    Charles shed a bitter smile and let out a long sigh."Forget it. Go see your mother. Let me have some time alone."


    "Alright." Marcus turned and walked a few steps before suddenly stopping and turning back. "Grandpa, can I ask you one more question?"


    Charles paused, then nodded. "Go ahead."


    "Cassie and my father-are they truly siblings by blood? Born to the same parents?"


    Charles'' expression darkened immediately. His voice turned sharp and cold. "Of course! Wesley and Cassie are the biological children of Vivian and me. Marcus, what exactly are you trying to imply?"


    "I''m not implying anything," Marcus replied calmly. "But I do think you''re clearly avoiding something. If I''m wrong, please forgive me."


    With that, Marcus turned and walked away.


    Charles stood frozen, his chest heaving uncontrobly. He pressed a hand over his racing heart, taking deep breaths until he forced himself to calm down.


    "Sheldon."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Sheldon stepped out cautiously from behind a nearby door, still holding a coat. He had actually returned a while ago and had heard Marcus'' entire conversation with Charles.


    Sheldon knew more than most-but some truths were better left buried. That old saying rang true tonight; the more you know, the sooner you die.


    Charles had always treated Sheldon like family. He had been born into the Holden family, and he was determined to die loyal to it. But right now, he was deeply worried. What if Marcus came to him next?


    "You heard everything between Marcus and me, didn''t you?" Charles asked, his tone calm but full of sorrow.


    "Mr. Holden Senior-" Sheldon hesitated, unsure how to respond.


    "It''s alright." Charles gave a bitter smile. "I know the grandson I raised, and he knows me just as well. This came so suddenly, so I wasn''t


    prepared. All those contractionel.ne


    my story-how could Marcus not notice?"


    in


    "Mr. Holden Senior." Sheldon stepped forward and draped the coat over Charles'' shoulders. "Do you really believe Ms. Yvette is still alive?"


    "Sheldon, do you think someone that badly burned could still be alive?" Charles said bitterly. "The DNA tests weren''t wrong. I refuse to believe someone burned to that extent coulde back from the dead."


    "What if someone tampered with the test results?" Sheldon asked cautiously. "Maybe Ms. Yvette really did survive-but someone altered the evidence.


    "Do you remember what the psychiatrist said after Mrs. Holden Senior passed? He said that her


    mind had already turned dark amet


    some point. And if she didn''t drown herself, maybe more than just the Jenkins family would''ve died back then.


    "That psychiatrist mysteriously vanished afterward. Doesn''t the whole thing strike you as strange?"


    "Sheldon." Charles''s voice suddenly turned icy. "You can say these things to me¡ª but if Marcus hears them, you''ll deal with the consequences."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior." Sheldon smacked himself on the mouth. He knew he shouldn''t have said anything.


    Charles took a moment to adjust his mood and softened his tone. "Sorry.


    I was too harsh just now. You''ve


    been with me for so many years. You''re closer to me than family.


    Sheldon, I trust no one else but you."


    "I will never betray you, Mr. Holden Senior," Sheldon said firmly. "If Mr. Marcus questions me, I won''t say a word."


    "If he tries to get something out of you, do you really think you won''t slip?" Charles sighed. "Marcus already suspects me.


    "Contact the man who supplied Marcus with his medicine. Have hime up with


    a reason to lure Marcus away from The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    "Make the arrangements. We''re heading back to Dithoria as soon as possible. Laura''s doing fine now. I need to return and keep an eye on Wesley. I''m worried those two siblings will turn on each other."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden Senior. I''ll take care of it right away."

 Chapter 514 She Guessed He Would Definitely Wait for Her

    After Sheldon left to handle his task, Charles stood at the doorway for a while longer. It wasn''t until the cold wind began to bite at him that he finally turned and went back inside the guesthouse.


    Marcus, meanwhile, headed to the pharmacy where Laura was resting. At this hour, she was already asleep. It was Connie who came out when she heard the noise.


    "Mr. Holden, you''re here."


    "Yeah. Thank you for all you''ve dely." Marcus knew Connie was Natalie''s assistant. She had cared for Charles before and was now looking after Laura. He treated her with sincere respect and gratitude.


    "There''s no need to thank me, Mr. Holden. I''m getting paid." Connie saw it as a job and didn''t consider it too burdensome. After all, plenty of people worked hard in this world for no pay.


    "Mr. Holden, you should get some rest. Laura''s sleep is important. After taking her medicine and receiving acupuncture, she needs rest to heal properly. Even if you stay here until morning, I''m not going to wake her up."


    Marcus chuckled at Connie''s bluntness. "Alright, thank you. I''ll get some rest."


    "Ms. Sterling, if you want a gift, tell Ethan. Consider it a bonus for taking care of my mother. Is that okay?"


    Connie thought for a moment. "I''ll have to ask Ms. Walker."


    "Nat will agree. Don''t worry, just ask Ethan boldly."


    "Well, alright!" Connie smiled happily. Even since Natalie started dating Marcus, Connie no longer had to put up any pretenses at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    She was genuinely pleased. After updating Marcus a bit more on Laura''s condition, she headed back to rest.


    Marcus stood outside the pharmacy for a while before returning to the guesthouse. But he didn''t sleep that night. He was waiting for Natalie to return with the others-until two in the morning.


    During that time, Marcus dealt with Holden Group matters and took two calls- one from Samuel, and one from Jonathan.


    Samuel, apanied by Sierra, had arrived in Amberton and sessfully met Jonathan.


    A DNA test confirmed that Jonathan and Sierra were indeed father and daughter. Jonathan broke down in tears when he found out, hugging Sierra tightly.


    Melissa, whose health and emotions had been fragile for years, immediately showed signs of improvement.


    After Samuel and Sierra got some rest and adjusted to the time difference, Jonathan expressed his wish to hold a formal weing banquet-and the first person he wanted to invite was Marcus. After all, Marcus had been instrumental in reuniting the father and daughter.


    Besides that, Samuel also updated him on the situation with the Sinir family in Dithoria. After Ivan''s and Julia''s deaths, control of Sinir Group returned to Sophia with Marcus'' help.


    However, Sophia clearlycked the acumen for business, so Marcus had his own managers help run things behind the scenes.


    Samuel had spoken with Sophia, and she said she wanted to pursue her own dreams and was willing to hand thepany over to Samuel.


    But Samuel had his own businesses overseas and didn''t intend topete with her-especially now that Sierra had found her biological father, who was nning to hand over the Remington family legacy to her.


    After thinking it through, Samuel was seriously considering selling off his overseas ventures and settling in Amberton-possibly even marrying into the Remington family.


    Marcus listened quietly to everything Samuel said, replied with a calm "we''ll talk in person", then ended the call.


    As for Jonathan''s uing family banquet, Marcus would definitely attend.


    After all, Jonathan had given him the medicine to save Laura at a critical moment. Marcus had only helped reunite the family by chance and only happened to know Sierra.


    Inparison, Jonathan''s gesture had been far more significant.


    Marcus had already done more than enough for the Sinir family. He wouldn''t get involved in their internal affairs any longer.


    Attending the banquet was to show respect and gratitude toward Jonathan for what he had done.


    As Marcus was still thinking about the Remington family''s banquet, there was a knock at his door. He snapped out of his thoughts and got up to answer it.


    The door opened to reveal a bright smile on a familiar face.


    "I saw that your light was still on, so I knew you were waiting for me." Natalie grinned and handed him a smoothie. "I brought you this. I figured if you were asleep already, I''d


    just drink it myself. But I guessed


    you''d definitely be waiting."


    "I was. Thank you." Marcus took the smoothie, inserted the straw, and held it to


    Natalie''s lips. "First sip goes to you, Nat."


    She blinked,


    then took a sip. It was


    banana vored and lightly


    sweetened not very strong in


    taste-but she liked it for the add-ins;


    those soft, chewy bits blended in


    gave it a fun texture she couldn''t


    resist.


    After a sip, she wrapped her fingers around Marcus'' and pushed the cup toward him. "Your turn."


    Marcus took a drink, then offered it back to her. "Back to you."


    Natalie burst outughing. "I should''ve just bought two."


    "There''s no need. One cup is perfect." Marcus smiled. The weight that had been pressing on him all evening disappeared the moment she showed up.


    "Come in," he said, pulling her into the room.


    Natalie nced at the table, where aptop, phone, and several signed documents wereid out. Her brows furrowed slightly. "You stayed up working?"


    "I was waiting for you and got bored, so I just handled some things."


    "You didn''t have to wait up," she said softly, a hint of worry in her voice. "It''s not good for your health to stay up sote."


    "Nat, you stayed up too. You could''ve picked and chosen the patients you epted. You could''ve rested when you wanted to. But because of me, you''ve been running around nonstop.


    "You brought people here in the middle of the night. You''ve worked harder than I have. Nat, I worry about you too."


    Natalie didn''t respond. She just drank the rest of the smoothie with Marcus-sip by sip, one after the other.


    "Can we sleep now?" she asked after they finished.


    "Yeah. Let''s brush our teeth and wash up."


    Marcus picked her up in his arms and walked into the bathroom. "Nat, stay in my


    room tonight. You can take the bed, and I''ll sleep on the couch, okay?"


    Natalie shook her head. "No. Hector is waiting outside for me. I mean don''t mind sharing the bed. After all, I''ve already crossed the line once," she teased. "But Hector would worry."


    Then, she leaned in and kissed the corner of his lips. "You too. Remember what you promised my dad? That you wouldn''t cross the line before we got married. So, now what?"


    Marcus lowered his eyes and looked helplessly at the woman in his arms. "Yeah. My fault. But everything I said that night¡ªI meant"


    Natalie smiled faintly, then motioned for him to set her down on the bathroom counter. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she whispered, "Marcus, do you want to kiss?"


    The next moment, his lips covered hers.

 Chapter 515 Kissing in Love Really Does Lift the Mood

    Natalie''s legs swung freely on either side of Marcus'' waist as he held her face in both hands. His eyes were gently shut, fully absorbed and utterly intoxicated as he kissed her.


    Natalie didn''t close her eyes. She just watched the man in front of her, ovee with emotion he couldn''t suppress.


    When Marcus kissed her, the corners of his eyes would flush red. In the


    beginning, his ears would turn red all the way to his neck. After a few more times, the redness had toned down somewhat.


    Now, it was mostly just the corners of his eyes that turned pink. His fingertips would subconsciously stroke her cheeks as he held her face, and the gentle caress made Natalie feel a strange, inexplicable shiver deep inside.


    As the kiss deepened, the atmosphere between them became saturated with unspoken desire. Natalie wrapped her arms around Marcus'' neck, and her legs slowly curled around his waist.


    Marcus froze for a moment, then held her even tighter. The longing they had carried from days apart was finally and fully satisfied in this one moment of closeness.


    "Nat." His voice was low and hoarse, breath curling against her ear. "I missed you so much."


    Natalie''s delicate face was flushed red. Her hair was tousled, her lips soft and slightly swollen, and her beautiful eyes glistened with a misty haze. Tears shimmered at the corners, threatening to fall, making her look all the more fragile and lovable.


    Marcus'' Adam''s apple bobbed as he stared, unable to resist kissing her again. Suddenly, a loud knocking came from outside the door. Natalie seemed to snap back to reality and gave him a little push.


    "I forgot that Hector''s still waiting for me!"


    Marcus'' breath was uneven, his devastatingly handsome features etched with clear frustration. But he said nothing, just gently kissed her on the forehead, reining himself in.


    "Sorry, I lost control."


    Natalie couldn''t help butugh. "You''re a normal man. Aren''t you worried all that restraint might be bad for you? Don''t be shy. I''m a doctor, you know. I happen to know a thing or two about these."


    He opened his mouth, then closed it again,pletely at a loss.


    Having a doctor for a girlfriend definitely had its downsides. She knew everything about the human anatomy and had no filter in her words whatsoever. For once, he was the one feeling embarrassed.


    Natalie watched his blushing face and shifty eyes,ughing. "Alright, I was just


    teasing. But since you made that promise to my dad, you should probably stick to


    it.


    "Carry me to the door."


    "Okay." Marcus'' voice was low and gravelly. He picked her up and walked to the door.


    "Nat, I don''t want to let you go."


    Their foreheads pressed together, and he held her tightly. They barely had any time together.


    Marcus didn''t know how other couples acted, but he''d seen Ethan''s past rtionships-clingy and affectionate. But Ethan''s girlfriendter ditched him for a rich guy. Ethan ended up drunk in a bar, sobbing like a wreck.


    Noah had been sent to drag him back and was stuck listening to him vent for over an hour. When Noah reported back, he described the whole scene and couldn''t help but sigh. "Love is bitter, moreso than unsweetened coffee." He vowed to avoid it for life.


    After that, Ethan went cold and work-focused. In just a few years, his annual ie skyrocketed. He took Noah and Elijah out to drink with his year-end bonus, got drunk again, and cried on their shoulders, saying women were distractions from making money.


    Then, he bawled, saying now that he was rich, his ex coulde back.


    Elijah snapped and told him to forget that gold-digger and that if he was going to be that much of a sucker, he should stay far away from her.


    Now, as Marcus held Natalie, he wondered if he was giving her too little of his time. Did she feel unloved?


    "What is it?" Natalie noticed that Marcus wasn''t opening the door, though the knocking persisted. "Hector, stop knocking!" she called. "I''ming out now." The pounding stopped instantly.


    "Put me down. I should get back to my room." Natalie''s eyes were full of tenderness, her voice soft. "I''ll sleep in a little tomorrow. Let''s meet around noon, okay?"


    Marcus took a deep breath, reluctantly setting her down. "Alright. Sleep in. There''s no rush."


    "Mm." Natalie rose onto her tip-toes. Marcus immediately leaned down. She smiled sweetly at the sight and kissed his lips.


    "I''m going now. Hector''s probably worried."


    "Goodnight, Nat."


    "Goodnight, boyfriend."


    She pinched his ear yfully before pulling open the door and stepping out.


    Marcus stood just behind the door, watching as Natalie turned to smile at him again before gently closing it. As the door clicked shut, his heart sank a little.


    Outside, Hector looked Natalie up and down as if he had X-rays for eyes-like he could see straight through her.


    "How far did things go?" he suddenly asked. "Should I report everything to Mom and Dad?"


    Natalie stared at him in silence.


    Before she could reply, Hector went on, muttering to himself, "Never mind. This is your private life. I''m your brother, so I shouldn''t go bbing. Honestly, I didn''t want


    to knock so hard, but you didn''t hear me when I knocked normally.


    "I didn''t mean to interrupt either. It''s just reallyte, and you need to get some rest. Staying upte isn''t good, especially for women."


    "Thanks, Hector. I know. I was going back anyway. Marcus just got a little clingy.


    "Hector, was he like this when he was still engaged to Emma?"


    Natalie''s mood was wonderful now. Being in love, kissing-sure enough, it really did lift your spirits.


    "No. Back when Marcus was engaged to Emma, he didn''t even look at her.


    "Emma liked him, sure, but she never threw herself at him. She acted like a properdy of high society-poised and refined, never showing much affection. That''s probably how she managed to stay engaged to him all those years without conflict." C¨®ntent


    Hector sighed. "If you hadn''t shown up, I bet Emma could''ve kept up the act forever. Your arrival made her feel threatened. That''s why she


    panicked and made"


    move. But Marcus is the type who hates being threatened or


    manipted the most.


    "I saw right through Emma''s tacticsst time. Marcus took the opportunity to call off the engagement andpletely humiliated her. Someone who would go as far as drugging him? At that point, there was no need to preserve ties between the Holden and Walker


    families.


    "If the Walker family couldn''t even raise their daughter properly, the Holden family


    had every right to call off the marriage.


    "What pissed me off was that afterward, he canceled your engagement too. But


    you were so decisive then. I actually think that was the right call.


    "Still, I didn''t expect that bastard, Marcus, toe chasing after you again." Hector''s words sounded angrier the longer he spoke.

 Chapter 516 Abnormal

    Hector said, "Does Marcus think he can treat you however he pleases? Taking you when he wants and discarding you just as easily. Are you that worthless to him?"


    Natalie felt a bit guilty and coughed lightly. "Well... Hector, actually, I... never mind."


    "I know, but I still stand by you," Hector replied. He was somewhat aware of the circumstances between Natalie and Marcus but had never spoken about it to preserve her dignity.


    However, as a man, Marcus deserved some reprimanding-especially before he married Natalie. After marriage, they''d be a family, and scolding him would not be very possible.


    "Alright. Nat, get some rest. Don''t overthink it."


    Hector reached out and ruffled her hair gently. "I talk too much at times. Don''t take it to heart!"


    She nodded obediently. She understood that Hector''s words were out of concern for her. He stood up for her because of the misunderstandings Marcus had about her in the past.


    However, after the misunderstandings were cleared, Marcus felt deeply remorseful and wanted nothing more than to make it up to her.


    She wasn''t one to cling to past grievances. To begin with, she had thought it was inappropriate when Grace asked her to seduce Marcus.


    If she were in Marcus'' shoes, faced with a man she had never met before-whose grandfather had sent him to seduce her-she would probably have the same reaction. After all, how decent could someone raised with such values be?


    Therefore, she didn''t harbor deep resentment toward Marcus over this matter.


    Because of Grace''s words, she had consciously kept her distance from Marcus, not wanting to get entangled with him.


    Marcus'' aloofness back then was actually beneficial for both of them.


    "Hector, I understand. It''s all in the past. I just want to look forward and be happy


    in the future." She smiled gently. "Do you have a girlfriend yourself?"


    Hector immediately took a step back. "Nat, it''ste. You should rest."


    She couldn''t help but chuckle at his reaction. Since returning to the Walker residence, she only noticed Sky having special feelings for Emma. She hadn''t seen or heard about her other brothers having girlfriends.


    Perhaps after matters in Amberton were settled, she could indulge in some gossip when she returned.


    "Then, I''ll get some rest. Goodnight, Hector." Her smile was warm and sweet, which was a stark contrast to the cold and distant demeanor she had when she first returned to the Walker residence.


    Hector observed this change with a tiny sense of unease, thinking that her behavior seemed a bit unusual.


    Natalie didn''t say more than that. She just waved to Hector and cheerfully returned to her room that was adjacent to Marcus'', with Hector''s room on the other side. The three of them stayed close to each other.


    Upon entering, she found Charlene already washed up and asleep on the bed. She had brought Charlene back, while Walter stayed behind to continue following up on Grace''s case.


    Notfortable leaving Charlene alone, Natalie had her stay in her own room.


    She watched Charlene for a while and thought that Walter wasn''t wrong about Charlene bearing a striking resemnce to the woman in the photo. She was clearly a close rtive.


    Whether she was a daughter or granddaughter was uncertain, as they didn''t know the age of the woman in the photo.


    But based on Marcus'' words, she was sure Charlene was a descendant of the Jenkins family, most likely Yvette''s granddaughter.


    Gic traits could indeed skip generations.


    She withdrew her gaze, went to wash up, changed into her pajamas, andy down on the couch with a nket.


    She wasn''t ustomed to sharing a bed with unfamiliar people. Growing up, she had only ever shared a bed with her good friend, Olivia.


    On the bed, Charlene slept soundly, with the stuffed toy Walter had won for her ced beside her pillow, looking every bit like a carefree youngdy.


    Natalie picked up her phone and saw a message from Marcus.


    "Goodnight, my dear girlfriend," he''d written.


    Natalie''s lips curved upward as she replied, "Goodnight, my dear boyfriend."


    The next moment, Marcus'' message came through. "Why aren''t you asleep yet?"


    Natalie: "Just finished washing up and lying down. What about you? Why aren''t you asleep?"


    Marcus: "I''m thinking of you."


    Reading this, Natalie''s smile deepened in the dark. She typed, "If you sleep, you can see me in your dreams."


    Marcus: "Seeing you in dreams only amplifies my longing. I''d much rather hold my girlfriend for real."


    Natalie: "Then go to bed early. You can hold me tomorrow."


    Marcus: "Nat, you should sleep early too."


    Natalie: "Alright, goodnight."


    Marcus: "Goodnight."


    After their chat, Natalie turned off her phone, ced it under her pillow, and drifted


    off to sleep.


    ...


    The next day, Natalie was awakened by Charlene at noon.


    "I''m hungry."


    Charlene blinked her big eyes at her. "It''s 12:00 pm. Time to get up."


    Natalie nced at her, then closed her eyes again. After a while, she opened them fully and sat up.


    "Why didn''t you sleep on the bedst


    night? Was it because I moved around too much in my sleep?" Charlene adored beautiful women, and Natalie''s appearance fit her aesthetic perfectly. Since they met, she had been talking to her affectionately.


    Moreover, she liked to be close to Natalie. While they were in the car, she leaned


    on her and said unabashedly, "Let''s snuggle."


    Natalie gently pushed her away, politely declining, "Sorry, I''m allergic to enthusiasm."


    Charlene was left speechless. However, being an 18-year-old girl, carefree and cheerful, she didn''t take such remarks to heart.


    She wasn''t sensitive and had a way offorting herself. She was clearly someone who grew up surrounded by love and had a stable temperament.


    "If you''re hungry, go to the dining room to eat." Natalie sat up. "I''lle down after I wash up. You go on ahead."


    "Okay." Charlene stood up. "I hope I didn''t make you mad by waking you up." "No." Natalie waved her hand. "Go on. I''ll have Hector take you to eat."


    She then called Hector.


    When Charlene finally opened the door, she saw Hector waiting outside.


    After all, Natalie didn''t fully trust Charles, so ensuring Charlene''s safety was a priority.


    "Hello," Charlene greeted Hector sweetly.


    "Let''s go! I''ll take you to get something to eat."


    Hector reached out to close the door, then led Charlene to the guesthouse


    restaurant.


    Natalie sat for a while longer before


    finally getting up to wash up and changez By the time she was ready to head out, she saw the door to the room next to hers open. Marcus stepped out at the same time as she did.  s?novel


    "Nat, good morning."


    Marcus'' gaze was gentle as it rested on Natalie''s face. "Did you sleep wellst


    night?"


    Natalie nodded. "Yeah, I had a good sleep. What about you?"


    "I couldn''t sleep. I kept thinking about you." He took a step forward and pulled her into his arms. "I spent the whole night missing you, and now can finally hold my girlfriend again."

 Chapter 517 Give Her Natterns Group

    Marcus'' deep and tender voice resonated softly in Natalie''s ear. "I really love holding my girlfriend."


    Natalie couldn''t help but smile. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Marcus'' waist, yfully running her fingers along his back. "You''ll have plenty of chances to do that in the future. For now, let''s go eat!"


    "You didn''t sleep wellst night. Do you want me to take a nap with you this afternoon?"


    Marcus held Natalie''s hand with a faint smile on his lips. "There''s no need. Let''s eat first. After that, I''ll bring you to the Remington residence.


    "Mr. Remington gave me medicinest time. I helped him find his biological daughter, and now he''s hosting a reunion banquet for her. He invited me to attend.


    "As it turns out, the daughter he lost was actually raised by Samantha ir, who sent the child abroad when she was young.


    "Ms. ir took her in and named her Sierra Sinir. She grew up alongside Samuel, essentially as his intended betrothed."


    Marcus led Natalie downstairs as he spoke.


    "Why did she send them abroad?" Natalie frowned slightly. "Why did Ms. ir only send Samuel and Sierra overseas but not Sophia?"


    "Because Sophia didn''t have an easy life in the Sinir residence.


    "Sierra was someone Ms. ir picked up on the street. Though she said she ''found'' her, the truth is that Sierra escaped from human traffickers and ran to Ms. ir for help. Ms. ir was kind-hearted, but her rtionship with Ivan was strained, and her family wasn''t powerful enough to support her.


    "On top of that, Ivan had mistresses, and those women were far from easy to deal with. Ms. ir was afraid they might use Sierra''s identity to seek revenge, so she decided to send both Samuel and Sierra abroad early on.


    "She couldn''t bear to send Sophia away. And Ivan insisted on keeping one child at home as leverage, so Sophia had to stay behind. He would never have allowed Ms. ir to send all their children away."


    Listening to this, Natalie couldn''t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Sophia. She endured everything because she wanted to protect Samantha.


    But in making decisions for her children''s safety, Samantha ultimately left her behind.


    "Do you feel bad for Sophia?" Marcus lowered his gaze, observing Natalie''s subtle change in expression. He never missed even the smallest details on her face.


    "Don''t you?" She pressed her lips together. "I know this is a private matter of the Sinir family, but I can''t help feeling that Sophia had it rough."


    "I do feel bad for her. That''s why I did my best to look out for her for all those years I thought she was my lifesaver."


    He gently squeezed her fingers. "Sophia knew Samuel always protected her when she was young. She chose to stay behind.


    "She told me that he would definitely build a better life once he went abroad and that he''de back for her and Ms. ir someday. But until I appeared, Samuel never returned to take them away."


    Natalie sighed. "Sophia was too na?ve. She put too much faith in people."


    "The Sinir family isplicated. Most people only see the surface of things. And rtionships are never simple. As outsiders, there''s only so much we can do."


    She nodded. "That''s true."


    "I''ve done what I can to help Sophia. The rest is up to her. You''re kind-hearted and always eager to help others, Nat."


    She shot him a re. "And you sure have sharp eyes, Markie. You recognized Sierra as Mr. Remington''s daughter right away. What an observant man you are."


    Marcus was momentarily speechless. "Are you mad at me?" He chuckled. "I did it for my mother. But even if it weren''t for her, I would''ve helped anyway."


    "I know. There''s no need to exin." She had intended to feign a little anger, but she simply couldn''t hold on to the act.


    "When''s the reunion party being held by the Remingtons?"


    "It''s tonight. Mr. Remington only invited us and a few of his closest associates. Over the years, quite a few people have had their eyes on his family''s wealth.


    "He''s a sharp man. He and his wife made careful arrangements to protect themselves early on. Now that they''ve found their daughter, he''s even more determined to Shield her from those cunning people. So, he kept the guest list small.


    "Samuel can protect Sierra and both Mr. and Mrs. Remington, but he also wants to strengthen his connection with me. We''re friends, and if we can coborate for mutual benefit, why not?


    "Besides, you grew up in Amberton. I''d like to establish some business here. That way, if you ever want toe back, I can always be here with you."


    "Langley Group is bankrupt now. How about I give you Natterns Group to run on your own?"


    Natalie raised an eyebrow. "Natterns Group?"


    "Mhm." Marcus wasn''t interested in acquiring Walker Group. Otherwise, people would assume it was just a gift from her family.


    "No." She refused without hesitation.


    "I don''t like runningpanies. Back then, helping Grace manage Langley Group


    while keeping up appearances for Victor was exhausting enough.


    "Now that I''m back at the Walker residence, my parents have already given me severalpanies to choose from. They even handed me a fashionpany. On top of that, I also have to manage Goodwill Pharmacy. I''m already swamped as it is.


    "I''m noting back to Amberton just to run a business."


    Her decisiveness took Marcus by surprise, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words.


    "Let''s grab a bite, visit Laura, then get ready for the Remingtons'' banquet." "Alright."


    They headed to the dining area.


    Charlene was already sitting at the table with Hector, enjoying breakfast. The moment she saw Natalie and Marcus, the mozzare stick in her mouth nearly fell


    out.


    "Wow! A handsome man and a gorgeous woman-the perfect match. What a heavenly couple. So stunning."


    Hector reached over and tapped her on the head. "Eat your food."


    "Oh." She quickly picked up the mozzare stick from her te and stuffed it back into her mouth.


    "Nat, Marcus,e and have a seat." Hector waved them over. "What do you two want to eat? I''ll tell the cook."


    The Herbalist''s Sanctuary had guest lodgings, but they weren''t open to the public. The kitchen didn''t operate every day and only opened when guests were staying


    over.


    Since they had arrived, the cook had been preparing meals daily, though the small kitchen didn''t offer the extensive menu of a full-service hotel. Meals were based on whatever ingredients were avable.


    If someone wanted something specific, they had to notify the cook in advance so they could buy the necessary ingredients.


    Aside from the Holden family and Hector, Natalie and the others had all spent time at the Herbalist''s Sanctuary before. They were used to eating whatever was avable and were never picky. But Hector doted on Natalie and always wanted to give her the best, sometimes being overly meticulous.


    Natalie waved him off. "Hector, I''m not picky. Besides, the cook makes all my favorite dishes.


    "Marcus, go see what''s avable and grab me something to eat."


    "Alright." Marcus released her hand and turned to get their food.

 Chapter 518 Cannot Avoid It

    Natalie sat across from Hector and Charlene. She nced around the room but didn''t see Charles or Sheldon.


    "Where are Grandpa Charles and Sheldon? I don''t see them today."


    "Mr. Holden Senior left The Herbalist''s Sanctuary early this morning with Sheldon," Hector said. He had woken up slightly earlier than them and had heard about it from Matias.


    Joshua had instructed Matias to care for them, so when Charles and Sheldon left, Matias was the first to know.


    "Do you want me to call Matias over and ask him for details?"


    Natalie looked at Marcus, who had juste back with some food. After a brief moment of thought, she shook her head. "Let''s ask Marcus first."


    "After all, Grandpa Charles is his biological grandfather. Let''s see what he has to say."


    Charles leaving so suddenly-right after she had brought Charlene overst night -was a little too well-timed.


    "What''s wrong?" Marcus sat beside Natalie and noticed the serious expressions on both her and Hector''s faces. "Did something happen?"


    "Grandpa Charles left early this morning," Natalie said with a cold expression. "I just brought Charlene herest night, and now he''s gone first thing in the morning. What perfect timing that is."


    Marcus'' face darkened immediately. Without even touching his food, he took out his phone, got up, and walked away to make a call.


    The phone rang for a long time before Charles finally picked up. "Hello, Marcus. What''s wrong?" His tone was calm, with no hint of guilt or hesitation.


    "Grandpa, didn''t I ask you to meet Charlene today? Why did you leave so early?" Marcus forced himself to stay calm, trying to keep his tone even.


    "Marcus, I don''t want to meet strangers."


    "Do you not want to meet her, or are you afraid to?"


    "Marcus, I''ve been away from home for a long time. I miss it, so I decided to go back," Charles said, clearly trying to change the subject. "If there''s nothing else, I''ll wait for you to bring your mother home.


    "I left early this morning and have been on the road for a while now. I''m tired and need to find a ce to eat. That''s it. Bye."


    Charles hung up before Marcus could say another word.


    Marcus clenched his phone tightly as his expression turned even darker. Charles'' actions made it obvious that he was running away because he was feeling guilty.


    At the dining table, Natalie put down her cutlery and walked over to him. "What happened?"


    "Grandpa ran away. He said he missed home and went back."


    "I guessed as much," Natalie said,pletely unsurprised. "Don''t be mad. Come and eat. He can''t avoid it forever."


    "The person behind Grace''s schemes will have to show up sooner orter. But Grandpa Charles running away like this just confirms that he knows Charlene''s family. And the connection isn''t a simple one."


    Marcus took a deep breath. "I might''ve had doubts if he hadn''t run. But now that he has, I''m sure he''s definitely involved in this."


    Natalie nodded. "Yeah. Since that''s the case, let''s have Charlene stay with Hector for now. We''ll eat first, then go see Laura. Don''t be upset."


    "Alright." Marcus calmed down and returned to the table to eat.


    While they ate, Charlene kept ncing between Natalie and Marcus as if she wanted to say something. But every time she opened her mouth, Hector ced more food onto her te, effectively shutting her up.


    Marcus and Natalie ate gracefully but efficiently. After finishing, they only said goodbye to Hector andpletely ignored Charlene as they walked out of the dining area.


    As soon as they left, Charlene red at Hector angrily. "Hey, why did you keep shoving food at me?"


    "What exactly were you trying to say?" Hector didn''t want to argue with her, but he didn''t like the way she kept staring at Natalie and Marcus with those sparkling eyes.


    "You''re 18 now. You''re an adult. You should know what''s appropriate and what isn''t."


    His tone turned cold. "I was being nice by distracting you with food. If you were any older, I wouldn''t have been so polite."


    Charlene''s eyes widened in disbelief. After a long pause, she suddenly stood up, her face red with frustration.


    "I was just fangirling over my favorite couple! What''s wrong with that? Can''t I admire good-looking people? And the reason I only stared at Natalie and Marcus ¡ªnot you is because you''re ugly!"


    She was so mad that her eyes turned red. "I''m just a harmless fan! Yeah, I might have been a little too enthusiastic, but I didn''t do anything bad! Why are you treating me like this?"


    After yelling at him, she spun around and stormed off.


    "Hey! Charlene! Stop right there!"


    He quickly got up to chase after her. If anything happened to her while she was under his care, Natalie would never forgive him.


    Meanwhile, Natalie and Marcus arrived at the medical room.


    Laura refused to eat or use anything unless it had first been checked by Connie. Otherwise, she didn''t feel safe. After years of being harmed by others, she had developed a deep sense of paranoia.


    "Mom."


    "Laura."


    They greeted Laura, who immediately smiled at them and handed Natalie an artwork she had been working on. "Nat, look. I painted this while I had some free time. It''s not very good, though."


    Laura was a little embarrassed. Ever


    since the poison in her body had been expelled, her health had been slowly improving with proper care. She wanted to do something with her time, but Connie was afraid she would tire herself out, so she had given her a sketchpad and pencils to keep her entertained.


    But what Laura really wanted was to open a flower shop.


    If Marcus and


    and Natalie weren''t


    married or expecting children, she nned to run the shop by herself But if they got married and had kids, she would hire an employee to help run it so she could take care of their children instead.


    Not being able to take care of her own child had been the biggest regret of her


    life.


    So if she ever had grandchildren, she was determined to be the best grandmother she could be.


    Natalie took the artwork from her. It


    was a sketch of The Herbalist''s


    Sanctuary, depicting greet neatly divided herb fields, and various flowers and trees. Small houses were scattered throughout.


    Though the drawing wasn''t particrly refined, it conveyed a sense of tranquillity and harmony.


    "Laura, this is beautiful." Natalie didn''t hold back on her praise. "If you like


    drawing, I can ask Connie to get you more art supplies."


    "There''s no need. I prefer gardening," Laura said with a warm, gentle smile.


    "Once I recover, I''ll go back to Dithoria City and open a flower shop.


    "It doesn''t have to be big. About 200 or 300 square feet of space will be enough. I can handle that on my own."


    She was already looking forward to her new life back in Dithoria City.

 Chapter 519 Do Not Grow Anything Useless

    Natalie and Marcus saw that Laura was in good spirits, so they chatted with her for a while before leaving to prepare for the banquet held by the Remington family.


    The Herbalist''s Sanctuary was Natalie''s home, and she had her own room there. However, since she wanted to stay close to Marcus, she chose to stay at a guesthouse next to his.


    Now that it was time to get ready, Natalie brought Marcus to her room at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary. Her room wasn''t far from the medical room, tucked away behind a field of peonies.


    "These peonies are used to make skincare products," she exined as they walked through the flower fields.


    "Every flower, herb, and tree you see at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary has a purpose. In other words, we don''t grow anything useless here. We don''t keep dead weight."


    Marcus chuckled. "Does that mean the people at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary should also be useful?"


    "Not exactly." She smiled. "It''s just that there are no useless people here. Everyone is highly skilled."


    She then added, "We''re here."


    Natalie led him through the peony fields and down a small path. Soon, a sunflower field came into view, surrounding a quaint little house.


    "This is my ce."


    She scanned her fingerprint on the digital lock, and the door opened. The interior was bright and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.


    Outside, a sea of sunflowers stretched endlessly. There weren''t too many furnishings, but everything was arranged in a way that felt warm and inviting.


    One side of the living room hadrge windows that could be opened. Natalie walked over and pushed them open one by one, letting fresh air flow in. "Marcus, make yourselffortable."


    He stood at the doorway, noticing that she had changed into indoor slippers when she entered. However, the shoe cab by the entrance didn''t have any men''s slippers.


    "There''s no need to change your shoes. Juste in." She turned to him with a smile. "Sit anywhere you''d like. Someonees by to clean every day."


    "Alright."


    He stepped inside and sat on the couch, taking in his surroundings. From the outside, the house didn''t look too big-around 1,200 square feet-but inside, the living room felt open and airy.


    She poured him a ss of water. "I''m going to change my clothes. Please give me a moment."


    "Take your time."


    She then walked into the master bedroom. Most of her old clothes were ck or sporty, which Federrick disapproved of. In response, he had stuffed her closet full of elegant dresses and stylish outfits.


    In her other closet were the clothes she designed for Nouvelle Zara. She had plenty of clothes, but because of her unpleasant experiences at the Langley residence, she had never worn anything too fancy before.


    She casually picked out a light gray dress adorned with shimmering details and paired it with a short cardigan. Her legs were long and slender, and the scars she had once carried from her time with the Langleys had gradually faded after returning to the Walker residence and using scar removal cream.


    Her exposed legs were now smooth and fair, instantly drawing attention.


    After some thought, she changed out of the dress and into loose-fitting casual pants instead. This was someone else''s banquet. If she dressed too beautifully, it would steal the spotlight, which wasn''t appropriate.


    She opted for afortable yet refined outfit, applied light makeup, and tied her hair into a simple ponytail. Slipping into a pair of t leather shoes, she looked both sharp and elegant.


    Once she was ready, she grabbed another bag and stepped out of the bedroom.


    Marcus, as always, was dressed in a ck suit. His natural good looks made him handsome in anything. But his noble, powerful air elevated his appearance even more.


    She approached him with a slight smile. "I''m ready. Shall we go?"


    "Yeah, let''s go."


    Marcus'' gaze flickered over to her with admiration. He had seen her inbat gear countless times-ck tactical jackets, sportswear, sneakers. But every time she changed her look, she still managed to take his breath away.


    That said, the most stunning side of her that he had ever seen was at the banquet the Walkers threw for her. That night, she had worn a long gown and looked like an ethereal goddess.


    She had been radiant, dazzling like a celestial being walking through the crowd, leaving an indelible mark on his heart.


    "Let''s go." She handed her bag to him. After locking the door, she took him down a different path.


    This detour made him marvel at just how hidden and vast The Herbalist''s Sanctuary truly was.


    Once they got into the car and left the manor, she leaned against his shoulder and closed her eyes.


    "Marcus, wake me up when we get there."


    "Alright."


    He grabbed a small nket from the car, unfolded it, and draped it over her. Then,


    he adjusted his arm to make her morefortable as she rested.


    "Sleep well."


    "Mm." She closed her eyes and soon drifted off into a deep sleep.


    Marcus, on the other hand, wasn''t tired. He pulled out his phone to check his messages.


    Samuel and Sophia had both sent him texts.


    Samuel wanted to discuss business matters, while Sophia was asking whether


    the rumors about Sierra finding her biological parents were true.


    He turned his phone''s volume down and responded to both of them swiftly.


    After replying, he noticed Natalie shifting slightly in his arms. He gently held her a little closer, making sure she remainedfortable.


    The car moved smoothly along the road, and the temperature inside was just right. Natalie slept soundly the entire way.


    When they arrived at the Remington residence, Marcus softly called out to her, "Nat, we''re here."


    "Mm?" She slowly opened her eyes, still a little groggy from sleep.


    He took a tissue and gently wiped away a tiny bit of drool from the corner of her mouth.


    She immediately grabbed his hand. "I can do it myself."


    "Alright."


    She took the tissue from him and finally felt awake after freshening up a little. "Did my makeup smudge?"


    He studied her face for a long moment, then shook his head. "No, I can''t even tell you''re wearing makeup."


    "Huh?" She looked at him skeptically. Was he just saying that to tter her?


    If no one could tell she had makeup on, then wasn''t her effort wasted?


    "What''s wrong?"


    He met her scrutinizing gaze and was unsure if he had said something wrong.


    "Nothing." She shook her head and pulled out apact mirror and touched up her makeup with a few travel-sized products in the car.


    Once she was sure everything was in ce, she stepped out of the vehicle with him.


    The Remington residence was located in Causeway Bay of Amberton. The area was peaceful and secluded, yet conveniently close to the city centre.


    Jonathan and his wife never had another child after losing their biological daughter. Over the years many people had tried to take advantage of them, so Jonathan chose to settle in Causeway Bay for security reasons.


    His wife, Melissa Sandler, had


    strug with depression due to the


    loss of their child. Unwilling to burden Jonathan further, she had moved into a convalescent home.


    Now that Sierra had finally been found, Jonathan had brought Melissa back


    home.


    For the past few days, Melissa had been preparing herself emotionally. After the initial wave of overwhelming joy, she had focused on taking care of herself so that she would be in the best possible state when her daughter returned home.

 Chapter 520 Benefactor

    Holding hands, Marcus and Natalie had yet to reach the Remington residence''s front door when Samuel appeared. He stepped forward and nodded slightly at them.


    "Marcus, Ms. Walker."


    "Do you know me?" Natalie was a bit surprised.


    "I''m Samuel Sinir. My younger sister is Sophia Sinir. She has shown me your picture before." Samuel introduced himself. "Please follow me."


    "Alright."


    Marcus extended his arm, and Natalie naturally took it, walking beside him as they followed Samuel. They passed through the Remington residence''s garden and swimming pool before reaching the entrance.


    "Marcus, Ms. Walker, pleasee in." Samuel politely gestured for them to enter. Marcus and Natalie nodded slightly and stepped inside together.


    Jonathan and Melissa were dressed in new outfits. Sierra wore a modern red dress, and her hair was elegantly pinned up with a decorative pin, making her look graceful and refined.


    It was Natalie''s first time meeting Samuel and Sierra. Samuel and Sophia shared simr facial features, but his contours were sharper, giving him a strong and


    heroic appearance.


    Dressed in a ck suit, his movements exuded an innate elegance. However, there was a faintyer of sorrow that often surfaced between his brows.


    Whenever he looked at Sierra, his eyes were filled with concern.


    "Mr. Holden, you''re here." Jonathan''s eyes were visibly red as he hurried forward, pulling Melissa along. "Melissa, this is the benefactor I told you about, Marcus Holden. Cee,e quickly and greet our benefactor."


    Jonathan''s voice trembled with emotion. He and Melissa were one step away from groveling to Marcus.


    "Mr. Holden, thank you. If it weren''t for you, Melissa and I would have gone to our graves without ever seeing our daughter again. Cee, hurry and thank our benefactor."


    "Thank you, Mr. Holden." Sierra obediently bowed to him. She had already done a DNA test with Jonathan and Melissa, confirming that they were indeed her biological parents.


    Her residential address was being processed, and once her new ID was issued, she would officially change her name to Sierra Remington.


    "Mr. Holden, thank you. I thought I would never find my biological parents in this lifetime. I never expected to reunite with them. I truly appreciate it."


    Tears welled up in Sierra''s eyes. Over the years, she had lived abroad with Samuel, but deep down, she had always longed for her homnd.


    However, because Samuel despised Ivan''s messy rtionships and the toxic environment of the Sinir residence, he had never brought her back.


    Although Samuel took great care of her, and their life abroad wasfortable, she always felt empty deep down. Now that she was back in Amberton, she knew that emptiness would finally be filled the moment she saw Jonathan and Melissa.


    "Mr. Holden, thank you so much." She lifted her head, her teary eyes shimmering as her voice choked with emotion. Though she had been adopted by Samantha and given thest name of Sinir, she still remembered everything from before.


    She knew she had been kidnapped. She had nearly been crippled and forced to beg on the streets. It was only by taking a desperate gamble that she managed to escape from those monstrous traffickers.


    When Samantha arranged for her to go abroad with Samuel, she exined the risks and benefits. Sierra had nodded without hesitation, terrified that she might be taken again if she stayed in Dithoria City.


    This was especially true since Julia had already embedded herself in the Sinir residence. Samantha feared that Julia might harm both her and Samuel, so she sent them away while she still had the means to support them.


    Meanwhile, Sophia, the Sinir family''s daughter who was the same age as Sierra, was left behind.


    Sierra and Samuel rarely contacted


    the Sinir family while abroad,


    though Samantha always kept an


    eye on them from afar. But Samuel was deeply displeased when he once discovered this, so she eventually stopped.


    Then, out of the blue, Samuel received a call from Marcus, informing him that he had found Sierra''s biological parents and that they needed to return home for a reunion.


    That was how she and Samuel made their way back.


    "We''ve already done the DNA test. I really am my parents'' daughter." Her eyes were still red as she spoke.


    The moment Jonathan and Melissa met her at the airport, they had burst into tears and embraced her tightly, even before doing the test.


    They were convinced she was their daughter. Still, to be certain, they had immediately gone for a DNA test.


    "Mr. Holden, thank you." She bowed to Marcus once again. "Thank you for reuniting our family while we are all still alive."


    "Ms. Sinir, there''s no need to be


    so formal, Marcus responded with


    polite detachment. "I simply did


    what could. It all happened


    because Mr. and Mrs. Remington had done a lot of good deeds.


    "Mr. Remington helped me in my moment of crisis. In fact, it should be me thanking him right now."


    "Mr. Holden, don''t say that." Jonathan wiped his eyes. "Those medicinal herbs meant nothing to me. Finding my daughter was all that mattered.


    "Come, let''s sit down. We''ll drink to our hearts'' content today! Even though this is a reunion banquet for Sierra, I didn''t invite anyone else aside from you and Ms. Walker.


    "Over the years, some people in my family have been eyeing me and my wife like wolves, simply because we had no children. Now that I''ve found my daughter, they''re even more displeased. They''re looking for any chance to get rid of the three of us."


    As Jonathan spoke, he suddenly mmed his hand on the table. "I may be old,


    but I''m no coward!


    "Even if I die, I will make sure my wife''s and daughter''s futures are secure. Cee, don''t be afraid. I''ll protect you for sure."


    Sierra nodded. "Dad, I''m all grown up now. I will protect you and Mom too." "My sweetheart," he cooed.


    He then turned to Marcus and Natalie, saying, "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, please have some food."


    Jonathan poured a drink for Marcus and Natalie. "Mr. Holden, here''s a toast to you. If not for you, our family would not have reunited.


    "Melissa''s health has been deteriorating for many years. Every time I visited her, she would cry and ask if I had found our daughter. She was afraid she would die before ever seeing her again.


    "But we were lucky. We found our daughter, and Melissa''s getting better now."


    As he spoke, Melissa couldn''t hold back her tears. She sobbed while wiping them


    away.


    "Jon, stop crying. We must live long and well for Sierra''s sake. We haven''t seen her getting married and haven''t taken care of our grandchildren. There''s still a long way to go."


    "Yes, indeed." Jonathan hurriedly wiped his tears as he agreed with Melissa. "We''ll live long lives and be there for Sierra for many years toe."

 Chapter 521 Inviting Them to Be the Witnesses

    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, sorry you had to see that. The three of us got a little emotional and couldn''t quite hold it in," Jonathan said with an embarrassed chuckle.


    He turned toward Marcus and Natalie with a drink in hand. "Come, let me raise a ss to the both of you."


    "Of course," Marcus and Natalie replied at the same time, lifting their sses and gently clinking them against Jonathan''s.


    Jonathan downed the entire drink in one go. "I''m feeling good today, so I''ll finish this one. You two can take it easy."


    "Dad, Mom, you guys aren''t in the best health. Go easy on the drinks," Samuel gently reminded them.


    Samuel and Sierra were already married when they were abroad. Now that they were back and Sierra had reconnected with her family, Samuel naturally started calling her parents Mom and Dad too.


    He had no intention of ever acknowledging Ivan as his father, especially not after what he did. As for Samantha, she sent them overseas when they were young, so Samuel never felt close to her.


    Even the bond with Sophia, his own sister, was thin. Sure, they kept in touch, but they did not grow up together, and their connection was honestly weaker than the ones he had with some of his close friends.


    "Samuel, you already know Mr. Holden. Go spend some time with him, have a few more drinks, and catch up as guys. Cee, you should hang out with Ms. Walker. You''re both women, and you''ll definitely have more inmon to talk about."


    Jonathan took a breath to calm himself down. He knew he had been overly emotional, and it was not the right energy for hosting guests.


    "Mr. Holden, I hope I''m not being too long-winded here. I''m just... really overwhelmed and happy right now," Jonathan said, raising his ss again.


    "But I''m getting older, and with everything that''s happened over the years, my health''s taken a hit. So I''ll drink thisst one with you, and then I''m done for the night."


    "One more for the road," he said, lifting his ss again.


    Marcus and Natalie both raised theirs, and the three of them took one final sip together before Jonathan set down his drink and waved for everyone to start eating.


    "Actually, there''s one more important thing I need to announce," he dered suddenly, setting down his utensils with a serious expression.


    "When Cee and Samuel got married, it was overseas. As their parents, we didn''t get to attend the ceremony, and we didn''t even give them a proper wedding gift. So, after talking it over with Melissa, we''ve decided to throw them a wedding here in Amberton.


    "And while we''re at it, we want to make it official to everyone that I have found my biological daughter... and she''s brought us such an outstanding son-inw. So, to those who''ve been eyeing our estate, they can give up now."


    He turned toward Marcus and Natalie, his eyes full of hope. "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, would you two be willing to stand in as the witnesses at Cee''s wedding?"


    Of course, Jonathan had his reasons for asking them specifically. He had already looked into Samuel''s background the moment they returned.


    The Sinirs used to be considered one of the top families in Dithoria State. However, after Ivan''s scandal with his mistress, the entire family lost their status and slipped into obscurity.


    Now, Sophia was the one calling the shots for the Sinirs, with Zachary-eldest son of the powerful Holt family-supporting her from behind the scenes. Then again, their rtionship was not public yet, and the media had not picked up on anything official.


    On the other hand, the Holdens and Walkers were a different story. The Holdens were the wealthiest family in the world, and the Walkers were the richest in the country.


    The fact that Sierra had be friends with Marcus and Natalie meant that anyone thinking about messing with the Remington family would definitely think twice.


    Marcus and Natalie exchanged a quick nce. Marcus did not say anything, but Natalie nodded with a smile. "Of course! We''d be honored."


    Sheughed and added, "Come to think of it, I''ve never been a witness at a wedding before."


    "How about you, Mr. Holden?" Jonathan asked, looking at him with hopeful eyes.


    Marcus gave a small nod. "Count me in too."


    Since Natalie had already said yes, there was no way he would turn it down. Besides, it was not every day you got to be a wedding witness with your girlfriend.


    "Great! Then it''s settled! Come, let''s eat now." Jonathan beamed with joy.


    Jonathan was lively and warm, while Melissa was quiet and gentle. Sierra had clearly inherited her mother''s grace and softness. As dinner went on, Samuel kept Marcuspany while asionally chatting with Natalie too, making the atmosphere feelfortable and easy.


    Once dinner wrapped up, Sierra invited Natalie to the sitting room for tea and dessert, while Marcus stayed back with Samuel and Jonathan for more conversation.


    Shortly after, Sierra brought in a tray with tea, fresh fruit, and some light desserts. Then, she set it down in front of Natalie with a gentle smile and asked, "Ms. Walker, do you mind if I call you Nat?"


    Her voice and expression reminded Natalie so much of Melissa-calm, kind, and quietly elegant.


    Natalie smiled politely. "Of course not. And can I call you Cee? You really do look a lot like Mrs. Remington. I take after my mom too. I''m not sure how much you''ve heard about me."


    Natalie took the initiative to make small talk, sensing that both Sierra and Melissa were naturally introverted. After dinner, it was clear to her that this mother- daughter pair was not the type to dominate a conversation.


    "I''ve heard a bit," Sierra replied, pressing her lips together in a slightly shy manner. "I know the Langley family mistreated you... You were treated like some kind of human blood bank, andter, you finally found your real parents."


    She continued, "I was a little luckier. I went through some rough times early on, but once I met Ms. ir, she sent me abroad to start over-together with Samuel. "He''s been so good to me, and Ms. ir gave me a second chance at life. Now that I''m back, I n to reconnect with my birth parents first, then I''m going to visit Ms. ir in Dithoria State."


    Natalie''s gaze softened. "So, you''re aware of what happened to the Sinirs?"


    Sierra nodded gently. "I didn''t know at first, but Sophia reached out to me. And after that, I learned everything. My mom''sing with me to Dithoria too. We both want to thank Ms. ir in person."


    Hearing Sierra mention her, Melissa quickly joined in with a warm smile. "Yes, I''m nning to go with Cee. We owe Ms. ir everything. If it weren''t for her, who knows if Cee would even be alive today? This kind of kindness is something our family will never forget.


    "Once Cee and Samuel have their ceremony here in Amberton, Cee will officially start calling Ms. ir ''Mom''. For now, we''ve asked her to still call her ''Ms. ir''¡ª that was a decision Jon and I made together. The past is the past. Now is what matters."


    Melissa''s voice softened with guilt. "Ms. Walker, do you think I''m being selfish?"


    Natalie only smiled and shook her head gently. It was understandable how regretful Melissa felt as a mother for not being there for her own daughter''s wedding and not witnessing her grow up. It reminded Natalie of Laura, and how she too had missed so much of Marcus'' life.


    But unlike Laura''s loss, which could never be undone, Melissa had found Sierra again. With Sierra back in her life, there was a spark in Melissa''s eyes again, a new energy. It was the best possible oue after years of heartache. They were truly grateful to Samantha and wanted to formally honor her.


    Melissa said with a sheepish smile, "I spoke with Ms. ir on the phone, and shepletely understood and supported our decision. She even apologized, saying she should''ve been there too-as a mother and a mother-inw, she missed something truly important.


    "She regretted not being there for


    their wedding, so when we suggested doing it properly this time, she said yes right away. She also insisted we go through the full tradition. Once Samuel wraps things here, he''ll head to Dithoria to formally ask for Cee''s hand. Then, they''lle to officially ask for the marriage."

 Chapter 522 Caught in the Walkers Trap

    Natalie listened to Melissa and felt a spark of determination stir in her chest. She smiled softly and said, "Perfect timing, actually. We''ve got some things to take care of in Dithoria State too. We could all head back together."


    "That''d be wonderful!" Melissa replied, her tone instantly brightening. She already had a great impression of Natalie, and knowing that Marcus had helped their family so much made her feel even more connected to Natalie.


    She continued, "Getting to know both you and Mr. Holden has been such a blessing for our family. And being able to travel to Dithoria State with the two of you is more than we could''ve ever hoped for."


    Melissa''s smile was warm and genuine. Ever since finding Sierra, she had started healing. For the first time in years, she looked vibrant and alive.


    In the days leading up to Sierra''s return, Melissa had been eating better, taking care of herself, and making an effort to be in good spirits. Her transformation was obvious, and it all stemmed from the joy of having her daughter back.


    "Ms. Walker, when would be the right time for us to head to Dithoria State?" Melissa asked gently.


    Natalie paused, pretending to think it over. Then, in a serious tone, she said, "Hmm... the sooner, the better."


    After all, Charles had left early that morning to rush back to Dithoria State from The Herbalist''s Sanctuary. If they acted fast and brought Charlene under the guise of apanying the Sinirs, they might catch Charlespletely off guard.


    She and Marcus had already gone over the signs. The inconsistencies in Charles'' story screamed of guilt his nervousness, his rushed excuses, and everything pointed to him hiding something. Besides, the more evasive he was, the more obvious it became that he had something to conceal.


    Nheless, with Charles suddenly gone, there was no way either Marcus or Natalie could get the truth directly out of him. Calling him would not help; he could just ignore the call, hang up, shut off his phone, or give half-hearted, misleading answers.


    Either way, they were not going to get the truth over the phone. Whatever happened all those years ago, Charles clearly was not nning on talking.


    Charlene being pushed into the spotlight had been theirst clue from Grace''s side. The trail ended there.


    Langley Group had copsed, and their former rivals quickly swooped in to finish them off. There would be no more Langley Group in Amberton, and the Langley family would never hold the top spot again.


    Grace was now in custody, still under investigation for multiple serious charges. Nheless, Natalie and Marcus no longer needed to be involved in that.


    What mattered to them now was the ck notebook Selena had left behind-filled with horrifying details of abduction cases. Law enforcement was taking it seriously and had alreadyunched a new investigation based on its contents. Natalie and Marcus were providing all the help they could.


    "Mrs. Remington, Ms. Sinir, I''m actually really close friends with Sophia. Since we''ll all be in Dithoria State, I could show you both around. Sophia and I can y tour guide," Natalie said.


    She nced at her phone and sent Hector a quick message, asking him to keep Charlene under wraps and prepare to bring her back to Dithoria State with them.


    Hector''s reply quickly came. "Got it."


    Then, Natalie slipped her phone back into her bag.


    "That sounds amazing! I can''t wait to finally meet Ms. Sinir," Sierra said, her voice suddenly filled with emotion as her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "I''ll talk to Samuel and Dad now. I really want to go to Dithoria State as soon as possible."


    Melissa''s tone was soft and full of love. "Go ahead, sweetheart."


    Sierra left the room and returned not long after, her whole face glowing with happiness. "Mom, Dad and Samuel both said yes. Nat, thank you so much. I''m going to go start packing."


    "Mom, keep Natpany while I''m gone," she added cheerfully.


    "Alright, sweetheart. Go ahead," Melissa said as she watched Sierra affectionately.


    "Mrs. Remington, Marcus and I should head out too. We''ve got some things to


    prepare," Natalie said as she stood up with a polite smile.


    "Nat, I''ll walk you out," Melissa replied, now using a more familiar form of address. "You and Mr. Holden are wee here anytime."


    She continued, "Over the years, Jon has collected a lot of rare medicinal ingredients, for my health. Though he never used them, and no doctor dared to try since some of them are actually quite toxic. But once he heard that Mr. Holden might be looking for certain ingredients, he told me to let you know. If Mr.


    Holden still needs any, he''s wee to ask."


    "Why didn''t Mr. Remington tell Marcus himself?" Natalie asked curiously.


    "Because whatever they were discussing was probably more important than that," Melissa said with a gentle smile. "And you know, with things like medicinal ingredients... they can heal, but they can also harm."


    She exined, "Jon worried that if he brought it up directly, Mr. Holden might misunderstand, thinking he hee was wishing harm on Mr. Holden.or his family. Personally, I think Jon''s overthinking it. But as people get older, they tend to be more cautious and sensitive, so he asked me to mention it instead."


    Melissa looked at Natalie with warmth in her eyes. "Nat, I liked you from the moment I met you. I know you won''t take this the wrong way."


    "Of course not," Natalie replied sincerely. "Both you and Mr. Remington mean well, and we''re nothing but grateful. Why would we overthink something so kind?"


    Natalie had always had a deep love for medicinal ingredients. Although she could easily walk away from designer clothes, shoes, and bags, she could not resist rare herbs and healing items.


    "Alright, I''ll tell Marcus. And thank you, Mrs. Remington. Please also thank Mr. Remington for me."


    After offering her thanks, Natalie stood and politely took her leave. Once she and Marcus were back in the car, she told him everything about the medicinal ingredients.


    "If you like them, we''ll ept," Marcus said, reaching out and gently interlocking his fingers with hers.


    He added, "I''ll find another way to repay the Remingtons. I''ll have Noah make the arrangements. Let''s get Charlene and head back to Dithoria State¡ªthe sooner, the better. We need to move before Grandpa runs off again."


    "I''ve got a n to make sure Grandpa Charles doesn''t get away this time," Natalie replied, snapping her fingers as she pulled out her phone and dialed Charlotte.


    "Hi, Mom. Can you and Dad go to Holden Residence and talk to Grandpa Charles about my engagement to Marcus?"


    "What?" Charlotte''s voice jumped a whole octave. "Sweetheart, why are you suddenly talking about


    marriage? I mean, I support you


    rtionship, but Marcus cet


    off


    the engagement once before You can''t just let him marry you so


    easily!"


    Natalie held the phone away from her ear slightly. "Mom, it''s not what you think. I should''ve exined better."


    She cleared her throat and added, "Talking to Grandpa Charles about our wedding is just a cover. I need you and Dad to keep him from leaving Dithoria State. Best case? Don''t even let him out of Holden Residence."


    "That''s easy," Charlotte said, instantly rxing. "We''ll just invite Mr. Holden Senior to our house, lock the front door, and even if he screams his lungs out, he''s not leaving. Don''t worry, sweetie. I''ll make sure he stays put."


    Charlotte did not even ask why Natalie wanted to trap Charles-she just agreed without hesitation. "Hang tight, sweetheart. Your dad and I are heading over to bring Mr. Holden Senior back now."


    "Thanks, Mom." Natalie ended the call and shot Marcus a yful wink. "All done. Before we even head back, Grandpa Charles is already caught in the Walkers'' trap."

 Chapter 523 The Walkers Wedding Gift List

    Marcus smiled faintly and gave Natalie''s fingers a gentle squeeze. "Alright. Do you want to take a nap?"


    Natalie shook her head. "I already slept on the way here. I''m not tired anymore. I''ll catch up on some work."


    Then, she pulled out her phone to check her emails. Strangely, ever since she went to Scarlet Hill, there had not been a single message from that mysterious Code Zero.


    Natalie could not deny that the silence bothered her. It was like someone had been watching her life from the shadows, yet she did not know who they were-or whether they were a man or a woman. Still, there was no need to rush.


    She opened her inbox and quickly scanned through her business updates. Everything at Goodwill Pharmacy was running smoothly, Nouvelle Zara''s profits were still impressive, and the fashion brand gifted to her by her birth parents was thriving-especially with Sophia contributing part-time.


    Sophia''s designs had a fresh spark, and the recent collection sold better than expected. Natalie had left Sophia a path to return when she first handed thepany over, and now that Sinir Group was back under Sophia''s control, she was bncing both roles.


    Though Zachary and a strong executive team supported her, Sophia still needed to review reports and attend meetings regrly, so she did not go full-time with Natalie''spany-which Nataliepletely understood.


    After finishing up her reviews, Natalie logged into another email ount to check if Connie had assigned her any new patients. Connie had filtered a few cases for her, but after reading through them, Natalie told her to decline all of them.


    Even though Laura had been cured of Umbrahex, her body was still recovering, and that responsibility still fell on Natalie. Moreover, Federrick had only returned because he knew Natalie struggled with poison-based cases. He wanted to help -and also protect her.


    By the time Natalie finished her work, the car had already pulled into The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    "Nat, we''re here," Marcus said.


    "Perfect," she replied, slipping her phone away. "I had Hector prepare a helicopter. We can head straight back from here."


    "Sounds good."


    Hector had moved quickly, as always. As soon as he got Natalie''s message, he jumped into action.


    Charlene, unsurprisingly, looked irritated with him¡ªbut that did not stop Hector from casually lifting her by the cor and leading her along.


    Just like that, the group boarded the helicopter and flew out of The Herbalist''s Sanctuary.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at Holden Residence in Dithoria State, Charlotte and William stepped out of the car with gift bags in hand. They followed Sheldon into the estate, where they found Charles out in the garden. He had just finished sipping some herbal tea and was now doing a slow stretching routine.


    As soon as Charles saw the two of them walking toward him, all smiles, he stopped mid-motion. A slight unease crept into his heart. Still, his expression remained warm as he greeted them, "William, Charlotte, what a pleasant surprise."


    Charlotte said cheerfully, "Mr. Holden Senior, we came by today to invite you over to our home so you can see the wedding gifts we''ve prepared for Nat. Since the kids are officially dating and Laura''s health is back on track, we thought... why not double the joy?"


    She added, "I already spoke with Laura and Wesley. They told me Marcus was raised by you, so of course, we wanted you to review everything first. Once you''ve had a look and given your blessing, we''ll go over it again with Laura and Wesley to see if there''s anything else we should add for the kids."


    "Well, since you''re already here, we can discuss it here too," Charles said, finally breathing a little easier. If they were here to talk about the kids'' wedding, he was more than happy to be involved.


    William chimed in with a smile, "Come to our ce. We''ve already prepared some of Nat''s wedding gifts, and a few of them were chosen based explicitly on Marcus'' preferences.


    "For us, this marriage means Marcus bes part of our family too. And we want to treat him with just as much love and care."


    He continued, Mr. Holden Senior, you know Marcus better than anyone. We''d love for you toe by our home and take a look at what we''ve prepared for him. It''ll give Charlotte and me some peace of mind."


    "Sheldon shoulde too," he added, turning to Sheldon. "You helped raise Marcus, so you''d definitely have valuable insight."


    Sheldon nodded without hesitation. "That''s true. I know Mr. Holden''s tastes like the back of my hand."


    Then, he turned to Charles and said, "Sir, I say we go have a look. That way, we''ll know exactly what kind of gifts we should prepare for the future Mrs. Holden."


    Just hearing they were officially discussing marriage made Sheldon immediately switch to calling Natalie "Mrs. Holden".


    Charles thought for a moment, then gave a firm nod. "Alright. Let''s go check it out. Then, we''ll know what kind of return gifts we should prepare for Nat. I can''t have people saying I treated my future granddaughter-inw unfairly."


    "That definitely won''t happen," William assured him with a smile.


    Charles was confident. After all, when it came to wealth, who could outdo the Holdens?


    He quickly went inside to change into more formal clothes and shoes, then left with Sheldon, following William and Charlotte to the Walker residence.


    When they arrived at the Walker residence, Charlotte had Gorge prepare top-tier tea and a beautiful spread of fruit and supplements, all selected with an older gentleman''s needs in mind. She made sure Charles had everything he needed to rx before she and William slipped into the study.


    Right after Natalie had called earlier, Charlotte had asked Lincoln to prepare two long, luxurious, and extravagant wedding gift lists. Sure, luring Charles to the Walker


    residence was part of Natalie''s n, but Charlotte was absolutely serious about putting together wedding gifts worthy of her daughter.


    Now, Charlotte and William walked back into the room, each holding one of the two lists, and sat across Charles with warm, confident smiles.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, take a look at this. This is the wedding gift list we''ve prepared for Nat. And this is the one we prepared for Marcus." She ced both in front of Charles.


    Lincoln had personally overseen both lists. Although he was still annoyed over Marcus calling off the engagement before, Natalie loved him, and as her elder brother, all he could do was give Marcus a warning punch, reminding him to treat her right from now on.


    Nheless, when it came to what


    Marcus should receive, they were not going to hold back. They were a respectable family. The more generous the Walkers were, the


    clearer it became that N


    .n


    had a


    powerful family backing her one that Marcus could never afford to take lightly.


    The Holdens might have more money, but the Walkers were not marrying into their fortune. They already had enough wealth and influence of their own. If the Holdens ever dared mistreat Natalie, her brothers would make sure Marcus regretted it.


    Sky was still detained at the bureau, so only four brothers were avable. Even then, it would be four pairs of fists against one man.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, here you go," Charlotte said, handing Marcus'' list to Charles.


    Sheldon immediately handed Charles his reading sses. Thetter put them on and began reading carefully.


    The Walker family had prepared impressive wedding gifts for Natalie-shares in Walker Group,mercial properties, luxury real estate, high-end jewelry, designer couture, and multiple luxury vehicles.


    But the list for Marcus? It was no less jaw-dropping. In fact, it even included a 200-million-dor yacht.

 Chapter 524 Interrogating Charles

    Charles did a quick mental calction. The total value of the two lists William and Charlotte prepared for Natalie and Marcus was close to eight billion dors.


    With the Walkers going all out like that, the Holdens could not afford to fall behind. So, Charles immediately called Sheldon over, and the two began discussing what assets they should gift the couple.


    William and Charlotte exchanged a satisfied nce. As long as Charles stayed at the Walker residence, it did not matter when Natalie and Marcus showed up.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, have some tea and fruit first. There''s no rush. We can take our time working out the details together," Charlotte said warmly.


    Charles replied firmly, "That won''t do. You''ve already prepared everything, and we''ve got nothing on our end. If people found out, they''d think I neglected Nattie."


    He asked William for aptop, a pen, and a notepad, then began going over his personal assets. Wealth did note with you when you were born, and you could not take it with you when you died.


    Charles had lived a long life and enjoyed more than enough luxury over the years. Every penny he owned would eventually go to Marcus, his only grandson. As long as Marcus and Natalie were happy, he did not care about the rest. He would give them everything.


    As for Wesley and Cassie? They could do whatever they wanted with their lives¡ª or ruin them. He was done caring about those two, especially Cassie. After everything she had done, it was a miracle he had not disowned her publicly.


    William and Charlotte sat quietly, sipping their tea as they watched Charles work with surprising seriousness. Time ticked by, and no one knew how long it had been before Charles finally finished listing out the assets he wanted to gift the couple.


    Right then, Marcus, Natalie, and Hector stepped through the mansion''s front gate. "Dad, Mom, I''m home," Natalie called out, her calm voice carrying through the air.


    Charlotte immediately stood and rushed toward Natalie. "Come here, my sweetheart. Let me look at you. Have you lost weight while you were away?"


    She pulled Natalie into a tight hug, then stepped back to examine her carefully. Her eyes welled with concern. "You look thinner... and a little tanner. Have you been running around outside too much?"


    Natalie shook her head. "Not really, Mom. You''re just seeing things."


    "No, I''m not," Charlotte argued.


    "I''m sure you are." The truth was that Natalie had just been busy treating Laura and had not been getting much sleep. But it was nothing as dramatic as Charlotte made it seem.


    Still, Charlotte could not help but feel guilty. Even so, she did not want to hold Natalie back by forcing her into the role of some pampered heiress, living like a doll behind locked gates. Letting her go out into the world meant freedom for her mind, soul, and future.


    Charlotte and William could never bring themselves to clip Natalie''s wings. Because if they did, they would lose herpletely.


    Once the mother-daughter reunion settled down, Marcus stepped forward politely. "Mrs. Walker, Mr. Walker."


    "Marcus,e sit," Charlotte said with a wave of her hand. "How''s your mom doing? Has she been feeling bettertely?"


    Marcus nodded. "Yes. She''s still recovering, but once she''s fully healed, she can return to Dithoria State."


    "That''s wonderful to hear," Charlotte said, patting her chest in relief.


    Ever since she learned the truth about Laura''s condition, Charlotte had been worried about her. But that worry eventually led her to discover that Natalie was actually the famous Dr. Elim.


    Hector had warned them to keep the secret, so Charlotte never brought it up. All she cared about was whether Natalie''s health could withstand the weight of that responsibility.


    "Sweetheart, do you want to rest in your room for a bit?" Charlotte asked.


    "There''s no need," Natalie said calmly, ncing behind her. Hector was right there, dragging a dejected and silent Charlene by the cor as she followed along without resistance.


    "Mom, Dad, can you step out for a bit? And have the staff members clear out too," Natalie added.


    "Of course," Charlotte replied without asking a single question, immediatelyplying with Natalie''s request.


    Within minutes, Charlotte, William, and every staff member had disappeared from the living room, leaving the space silent and charged with tension. Marcus, Natalie, and Hector sat across from Charles and Sheldon without a word.


    Charlene remained still with her head lowered, seated next to Hector


    "Grandpa Charles," Natalie called suddenly.


    Charles jolted, clearly startled by her voice. The moment he saw Natalie''s and Marcus'' serious expressions, the color drained from his face.


    He stammered, "N-Nattie... M-Marcus... H-How did you even get here without me noticing? And Hector, you''re here too."


    Hector gave a slight nod. "Mr. Holden Senior, what about this youngdy? Funny you didn''t mention her."


    Charles'' eyes fell on Charlene, and he visibly shuddered. The moment he saw her, only one thought struck him¡ªshe looked too familiar, uncannily so.


    "Hello, Mr. Holden Senior. I''m Charlene Jenkins," Charlene said softly, beating him to the greeting before he could gather himself.


    "H-Hello," Charles replied, his voice unsteady. He stared at her, lips twitching. He had so many things to say, but he was unsure where to begin.


    Marcus cut in, his tone calm but piercing, "Grandpa, this is Ms. Jenkins... I''m guessing you''re very familiar with her grandmother.


    "After you told me the story of the Jenkins family and the tragic fire, I was actually relieved to know someone survived. Since you were so close with her grandmother my grandaunt-I''m sure you wouldn''t fail to recognize her granddaughter." C¨®ntent


    There was no anger in Marcus'' voice, but there was no warmth either. It was cold,


    t, and direct. He watched Charles with an unwavering gaze, taking note of every twitch and flicker of emotion on the older man''s face.


    "Marcus, what exactly are you trying to say?" Charles asked, snapping out of his daze. His eyes darted between Natalie, Marcus, and the silent Charlene. The tension finally pushed his patience too far.


    "Are you interrogating me now?"


    "Don''t you think you owe me an exnation? Marcus said slowly, enunciating every word. "Back at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary, I told you that Nat nned to bring Charlene here to meet you. But instead of waiting, you and Sheldon vanished at the crack of dawn."


    He continued, "So, Grandpa, how about you tell me why? What exactly were you


    so afraid of? Hmm?"


    "Marcus!" Charles'' voice suddenly rose. "I''m still your grandfather!"


    Marcus did not flinch. "I didn''t say you were my grandmother." "Marcus¡ª" Charles'' face turned red as anger surged within him.


    Sheldon quickly reached over and pressed a hand to his chest. "Mr. Holden Senior, please don''t get worked up. You can''t afford to quicken your heart rate!"


    "It''s okay if you do get upset," Marcus added coldly. "You''ve got two doctors sitting across from you. As long as you''re not instantly dead, they''ll make sure you survive."


    "Marcus¡ª" Charles was so angry that he was rendered speechless, his chest heaving with rage.


    "Mr. Holden, please," Sheldon begged, clearly panicked. He patted Charles'' chest, trying to calm him down. "Sir, just breathe... easy now... don''t hurt yourself."


    "Grandpa Charles, here. Take one of these," Natalie said, taking a small ss vial from her purse. She shook out a pill and handed it to him.


    Charles epted it without hesitation and swallowed it immediately. After a few more minutes and deep breaths, the tension in his chest finally eased. "Feeling better?" Marcus asked, voice still icy. "Then, let''s continue. Charlene is Yvette''s granddaughter, isn''t she?"

 Chapter 525 The Return of an Old Flame

    As soon as Marcus finished speaking, Charles sat there, locking eyes with him. Their gazes collided in the quiet room, seemingly calm on the surface. However, the invisible tension sparked like a flint in the air.


    Charlene, who had struggled against Hector earlier, did not dare move a muscle. She was not afraid of Hector, and she definitely was not scared of Natalie. But when it came to Marcus, she had a primal fear she could not exin, something buried deep in her bones.


    Charles kept staring at Marcus for a long time, but in the end, he was the one who caved first. His gaze flicked away, and he turned his head to the side.


    "I''m not this girl''s grandfather, so how would I know who her grandmother is?" Charles muttered, clearlycking conviction. "If you''re curious about her family, why not ask her directly? She''s right here, so what''s the point of asking me?


    "Marcus, it sounds like you''re using me of doing something wrong. Do you really think I''m the kind of man who would y with someone''s heart? I raised you, taught you how to be a man, taught you everything I knew. And now you''re here, questioning me? You''ve really disappointed me, Marcus."


    "Grandpa, stop trying to change the subject," Marcus replied tly,pletely unmoved by the guilt trip.


    He added, "If you''re not guilty and afraid, just tell us everything. You were close with Grandma and Charlene''s grandmother. How could you not recognize their descendant?


    "Mrs. Walker saw one photo of Nat on a missing person site and instantly knew she was her daughter. She didn''t wait-she acted. But you? What did you do?"


    Charles'' face turned pale, then blotchy red. He knew exactly what he had done. The very next morning after Marcus mentioned Charlene wasing to visit, Charles had grabbed Sheldon and left in a hurry. He ran-because he was afraid to face her.


    Marcus and Natalie had pieced things together just from a photo. If they had seen Charlene in person, they would have been even more certain.


    Charlene asked in a small, fragile voice, "Mr. Holden Senior, why won''t you look at me? My grandma said you''d be happy if I came to meet you, but it doesn''t look like she was right after all."


    "What''s your grandma''s name?" Charles asked, though the answer was already haunting him. Still, he held on to that final thread of denial.


    "Yvette Jenkins," Charlene said, blinking innocently. "She told me to give my phone to Nattie because she found out her boyfriend was Marcus Holden, the heir of the Holden family, your grandson."


    She continued, "My name''s Charlene, and it sounds so much like your name. It was Grandma''s way of showing me how much she loved you. She really liked you, Mr. Holden Senior. You knew that, didn''t you?"


    Her words hit Charles like a thunderp, and his face was drained of color. He muttered, "That''s impossible... The Jenkins family died in that fire years ago.


    "All of them-except Vivian. Everyone else was a goner. And now you''re telling me Yvette survived? That''s not possible. It can''t be true."


    Charlene replied, "Grandma didn''t die in that fire, but it seems like you''re not even happy to hear that she''s alive."


    She gave a small shrug, and Hector finally released her cor. Then, she stepped forward and poured herself a ss of tea, sipping slowly before turning her gaze back to Charles.


    She said, "Mr. Holden Senior, have you forgotten your own name after being called ''Mr. Holden Senior'' so many times? Your name is Charles Holden. Charles... Charles... that''s the name my grandma said more than any other."


    Natalie and Hector remained silent, simply watching the scene unfold like it was the juiciest drama they had ever seen. Who would have thought, in this lifetime, they would be front row to the unraveling of secrets surrounding the former head of the Holden family?


    "My grandma didn''t die. Are you... disappointed by that, Mr. Holden Senior?" Charlene asked, her tone shifting as she looked at him with sharp, unreadable eyes. "She told me to meet Natalie and Marcus first... and also to pass along a message to you."


    "What message?" Charles let out a bitterugh, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Imagine that... I''ve got one foot in the grave, and now I''m being hit with something like this."


    "Grandma said... an old me is returning," Charlene said sincerely. "She''s missed you all these years, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Her eyes gleamed with sincerity as


    she added, "She used to tell me


    stories about you. And now that I''ve seen you for myself, I get it. You really are just like she described. Mr. Holden Senior, are you looking forward to seeing her again?"


    She blinked her big round eyes at him, wide with anticipation. "Sometimes, when


    she dreams, she whispers your name... ''Charles.""


    "That''s enough," Charles said suddenly, looking shaken. His hand paused over


    the wedding gift list he had been drafting with Sheldon. He could not even focus on it anymore.


    "I''m tired. I need to lie down for a bit. Sheldon, help me to my room."


    "Yes, sir." Sheldon quickly moved to support Charles, but not before shooting Marcus and Natalie a loaded nce-one full of disapproval.


    In his mind, Marcus, raised by Charles himself, had crossed a line. How could he corner the old man like this?


    And Natalie-Charles had always truly cared for her. Yet here she was, standing silently beside Charlene while the girl pressed Charles with questions as if trying to tear open old wounds without care for his health.


    Marcus and Natalie caught Sheldon''s stare and understood exactly what he meant, but neither said a word in response. They both remained silent.


    Charlene stood up, as if to follow Charles, but was immediately stopped. Hector grabbed the cor of her shirt again.


    "Ms. Jenkins, behave," Hector said calmly. "Didn''t you say you were hungry? I''ll take you to eat something."


    "But I''m not finished talking to him!" Charlene protested, reaching back to swat at Hector''s hand.


    During this entire trip, Hector kept her under strict control, and she barely had a moment to do anything she actually wanted.


    "Mr. Holden Senior isn''t in good health. Don''t push him too far," Hector said as he guided her toward the kitchen.


    Once they were inside, he closed the door. Then, he grabbed an apple, washed it, and shoved it into her hands. "Here. Eat."


    Charlene took a bite, chewing noisily


    as she stared at him. After a few moments, she gave a softugh. "Hector, do you want to date me? just tumed 18 and haven''t had a boyfriend yet. What do you think? Don''t you think that''s quite a prize?"


    Without hesitation, Hector flicked her on the forehead. "Trying to act like a femme fatale? You''ve got a long way to go."


    Charlene rubbed her head with a pout. "Was my performance really that bad? I swear that''s how girls act in all the dramas."


    Hector replied, "Cut it. Now tell me. What''s the real story behind your grandma?"


    He had not heard the full details of the Jenkins family fire that Charles and Marcus had mentioned earlier and Charlene had not told him much on the way back. She had been moody, keeping her mouth sealed like a vault.


    But now that they were back at the Walkers'' and she had her dramatic face-off with Charles, she suddenly had plenty to say. Moreover, it was obvious that whatever she had revealed had rattled Charles to the core.

 Chapter 526 My Grandma Is a Fierce Spirit Returning From the Underworld

    Charlene was munching on an apple, the sound echoing in the kitchen. Her gaze was locked on Hector, unblinking. From the moment she saw him, she had noticed that Hector had the same striking eyes as Natalie.


    Their eyes were almond shaped, captivating and deep, with a warmth that seemed to persist regardless of what they focused on.


    Hector had sses on, but they only entuated the delicateness of his eyes, making him appear even more refined and gentle.


    "Charlene, please stop staring at me like that," Hector said, feeling uneasy under her intense gaze. He turned his head away.


    "My grandma? She''s like a fierce spirit returning from the underworld," Charlene suddenly murmured.


    She took arge bite of her apple and went on, "Hector, don''t you think Mr. Holden Senior has some major issues?"


    "I''m not concerned with the Holden family''s matters. I just ask that you don''t stir up trouble in the Walker family," Hector replied.


    He had indeed noticed something strange about Charles. But Charles was an elder, and despite the long-standing friendship between the two families, the Walker family is still considered an outsider. Thus, he chose not to involve himself.


    With Natalie and Marcus back together, the bond between their families could soon turn into an alliance through marriage, making them inws.


    Holden Group wasn''tpletely under Marcus'' control yet, as Charles still held onto certain family enterprises. Outsiders were unaware of these assets, but the Walker family knew all about them.


    If Charles nned to challenge Marcus or back another heir, these hidden ventures would pose the greatest challenge to Marcus.


    "Hector, don''t you wonder why Mr. Holden Senior is so terrified of me?" Charlene asked, biting into the apple with a loud crunch. "Is it possible that you, just like Mr. Holden Senior, are scared of a young woman like me?"


    After a brief pause, she added, "Why don''t I introduce you to my grandma, Hector?"


    After finishing the apple, Charlene tossed the core into the trash. Then, she turned back to Hector with a bright smile. "Since you''re a doctor, could you check on my grandma? She''s not doing so well."


    "Where does she live?" Hector asked.


    "In Dithoria State," Charlene replied, her eyes crinkling as she grinned. "It''s my mom who lives on Scarlet Hill. Last time, Marcus tried to have people kidnap my mom, but they failed!"


    She added, "The Jenkins family doesn''t owe the Holden or Walker families anything. If anything, it''s the other way around."


    She took out her phone and dialed a number. The call connected almost immediately. "Hi, Grandma. I''ve already invited Mr. Hector, but I''m unsure if he''ll visit you."


    She hesitated for a moment and then suggested, "Why don''t you speak to him yourself?"


    With that, Charlene passed the phone to Hector. "Here you go, Hector. You wanted to meet my grandma, right? Now you can chat with her."


    Hector gazed at Charlene, who seemed innocent and pure. For a moment, he couldn''t quite believe that the young girl before him was truly only 18.


    "Hello," Hector finally said, taking the phone and speaking softly. "This is Hector Walter. May I ask who I''m speaking with?"


    "I''m Yvette Jenkins," the voice on the other end answered directly. "Mr. Hector, are you interested in meeting an older woman like me?"


    She continued, "I''m the one responsible for everything connected to Grace. It was my doing that led to your sister Natalie''s recement, the Langley family bing the wealthiest in Amberton, and Selena being sold."


    Yvette chuckled softly. "Mr. Hector, would you like toe meet me with Charlene now?"


    "Time and location?" Hector asked.


    "Charlene will guide you here," Yvette responded. "I''m eagerly anticipating our meeting, Mr. Hector."


    With that, Yvette ended the call abruptly.


    Hector nced at Charlene standing before him. "I''ve decided. When do we leave?"


    "Immediately," Charlene replied with a yful wink. "You''re a good person, Hector. I genuinely like you."


    "But you''re part of the Walker family," Hector pointed out.


    "The Walker family and the Jenkins family have always been enemies," Charlene rified.


    "Why?" Hector asked, perplexed. "As far as I know, the Walker family never did anything immoral, especially not to the Jenkins family. So, where did this conflict came from?"


    "I''m not sure about that," Charlene said, shaking her head. "I''m just doing what my grandma tells me."


    She added, "I''m unfamiliar with the Jenkins family''s past internal matters. My mom doesn''t, either. She lives on Scarlet Hill. Her role is to spread the word to gather people when the Umbrahex in Laura''s body is nearing its end. That''s all know."


    "Let''s move on," Hector said, deciding not to press her further.


    He had learned how Charlene worked. When she was ready to talk, she''d open up without reservation. If she wasn''t, no amount of coaxing of bribery could make her divulge anything.


    Hector led Charlene from the kitchen into the living room, where only Marcus and Natalie were present. The other members of the Walker family were elsewhere.


    Sky was serving time in prison. Lincoln, Timothy, and Mason were busy with their daily tasks. Meanwhite, Hector was helping Natalie investigate why she had been reced in Amberton, which meant he wasn''t attending to his duties at his hospital.


    "Hector, I heard that Sky received a 20-year prison sentence, Emma got life, and Shane was given the death penalty. Is that true?" Charlene asked suddenly.


    She didn''t wait for an answer before adding, "And I also heard that Shane was tortured in prison before his execution. Are you aware of this?


    "Emma is having a rough time. She attempted suicide multiple times because she couldn''t handle it anymore. But she failed each time, leading to her being ced in solitary confinement.


    "I''ve also heard that Sky has been on good behavior and might qualify for a reduced sentence. Is that true, Hector?"


    "Where did you hear all this?" Hector asked, now realizing he shouldn''t underestimate Charlene.


    Initially, she came off sweet and innocent, with her charming words. Yet, it was clear that everything she said and did was deliberate. Her unexpected mention of Sky, Emma, and Shane suggested her motives were likely moreplex.


    "It doesn''t matter how I got the info," Charlene remarked with a smile. "I''m just having a casual chat with you. No need to be so tense. Come on! Let''s go meet my grandma."


    "I''d like to bring Marcus and Natalie along," Hector said.


    "No way," Charlene replied instantly. "My grandma insists on meeting you alone."


    "However," she added with a mischievous tone, "you could suggest that Mr. Holden and Ms. Walker visit Sky in prison. They might find something new!"

 Chapter 527 The One Behind the Jenkins Familys Ruin

    As Charleneughed, Hector felt a tingle spread across his skin, realizing she might not be as innocent as she appeared.


    "Don''t worry, Hector," Charlene quickly reassured him, seeing the shift in his expression. "I''m just a young girl. Everything I do and say is what my grandma tells me to."


    She continued, "My job was to deliver that phone to Natalie. I assumed my work was finished once I did that. However, after you all brought me back, my grandma gave me another mission. I''m just passing along information. There''s honestly nothing more I can do.


    "Hector,e with me to meet my grandma. Once you meet her, as long as you don''t bring me back here, I won''t have any more tasks.


    Her voice carried a hint of frustration as she added, "Honestly, I''m just 18 and still a student. I don''t really get the grudges between our parents'' and grandparents'' generations. I just want to finish this assignment and return to my studies.


    "If Mr. Holden Senior hadn''t been faking his madness and refusing to tell Marcus and Natalie the truth, I wouldn''t have been running around with you. I didn''t even have the chance to grab the dolls Mr. Watson won for me, and I really liked them."


    "Next time I run into him, I''m going to ask for his help in winning more dolls," Charlene dered, swiftly changing the subject.


    Hector was taken aback, but seeing her sincere and troubled look, he figured she was likely telling the truth this time.


    "Let''s go," she said.


    "Okay."


    Hector walked to the door and took out his phone to send a message to Natalie, "Nat, you and Marcus should visit Sky in prison. Charlene suggested it and mentioned you might discover something new."


    Momentster, he received Natalie''s reply, "Got it, Hector."


    Hector slipped his phone back into his pocket and nced back to see Natalie, phone in hand, standing with Marcus as they made their way to the door as well.


    "Hector, convincing Natalie is a breeze!" Charleneughed as they swiftly left the Walker residence.


    Hector silently guided her to his car and opened the door for her. As they drove away from the Walker residence, Charlene lowered the window and gazed at the scenery whizzing by.


    "Hector, have you ever experienced love? Have you ever felt hatred for someone?" she asked, staring at him. "My name... Charlene... Natalie suspected my name had a connection to Charles Holden''s name, and she was correct. But this isn''t a story about love. It''s about hate."


    She turned to gaze out of the window again, her tone bing mncholic. "My grandmother went through a lot of hardship, and my mom''s life hasn''t been easy either."


    She continued. "My grandmother instilled hatred in my mom from a young age, yet my mom never let that affect me. I enjoy a joyful, healthy, and vibrant life, while my mom has battled depression for years. Without me, she might have ended her life to escape my grandmother''s influence.


    "Years ago, the Jenkins family was well-known in Dithoria State. But one day, a devastating fire broke out, and everyone in the Jenkins family died except for Vivian, who was married to Mr. Holden Senior. Have you heard about this?"


    Hector kept his eyes on the road as he drove. He replied, his voice calm and detached, "The fire at the Jenkins family''s property raged for quite a while before it was extinguished. Over a hundred bodies were recovered from the wreckage.


    "The event caused quite amotion, prompting a lengthy investigation by the authorities, but they couldn''t uncover anything, not even the fire''s origin. Ultimately, it remained an unsolved mystery.


    "The Jenkins family experienced numerous losses, and it was Mr. Holden Senior and his wife, Vivian-Yvette''s sister-who organized the funerals for them."


    overtow


    "I''ve been with you the entire time, and I haven''t noticed you checking your phone, yet you''ve sent a message to Natalie at the gate. did you suddenly be so informed?" Charlene turned away from the view, directing her gaze at H¨¦ctor, who was concentrating on driving.


    "I just remembered," Hector said, ncing at Charlene. "After the Jenkins family''s house burned down, theirnd was cleared and auctioned off. My grandfather bought it and gave it to my parents to be developed. The Jenkins estate is now Luminara Park, managed by the Walker Group.


    "When my parents retired, Sky took over the Walker Group. A few years back, I reviewed the renovation project for Luminara Park. When you mentioned your grandmother is Yvette, I finally remembered where I saw her name.


    "In the Walker, family, whenever one of the five brothers works on a project, the rest make sure to understand the background. So, hot just me, but my brothers also know how thend for Luminara Park was acquired. Since Nat wasn''t brought up in the Walker family, she hasn''t learned about this yet."


    "Hector, are you aware of who was behind the Jenkins family''s ruin?" Charlene fixed her gaze on Hector''s side profile. "I know who it was, and I can reveal it to


    you."


    Hector kept his hands steady on the steering wheel and eyes locked on the road. "Who?"


    Charlene''s lips twisted into a mocking smile. "Vivian."


    She added. "Vivian is the mastermind behind the Jenkins family''s downfall. Mr. Holden Senior wasn''t directly involved. But he wasplicit, which exins his fear when he sees me. He likely doesn''t understand why my grandmother survived back then."


    "He had covered for Vivian. She caused the deaths of many in the Jenkins family. My grandmother survived because her maid saved her. And do you know who that maid''s daughter is? It''s Cindy, who serves your mother in the Walker family andter cared for Emma."


    Hector suddenly hit the brakes, and the car was abruptly hit from behind, causing it to lurch forward a few feet.


    "I''m really sorry for causing the ident," Charlene apologized, her voice full of regret. Although she was secured by a seatbelt, she still jolted forward slightly. However, she appeared unfazed.


    Hector shot her a re, but then dismissed her as he switched off the engine and exited the vehicle to address the collision at the back.


    Charlene remained in the car. She took out her phone to send a message to her grandmother. "Grandma, I told Hector everything you wanted me to. He got a bit upset and hit the brakes, which caused us to get rear-ended."


    Yvette replied, "Make sure to bring him to see me."


    Charlene messaged back. "I will, Grandma."


    After putting her phone away, she waited. Shortly after, Hector returned to the car


    after settling the matter of the ident. He restarted the engine and drove off without saying a word.


    "Hector, are you upset?" Charlene asked cautiously. "Please don''t be mad at me. I''m just 18, practically still a child."

 Chapter 528 She Is the Mastermind

    Hector, ignoring Charlene''sments, calmly advised, "Charlene, focus on the road. If we miss the turn, we''ll have to take a long detour, and I don''t want to waste time."


    Sensing Hector''s genuine frustration, Charlene chose to remain silent. After a while, she instructed, "Turn left at the next traffic light."


    "Got it," Hector replied.


    Following Charlene''s guidance, he navigated through the heart of Dithoria, winding through the area until they arrived at a ce that seemed unfamiliar. When Charlene noticed a tall ne tree ahead, she instructed him to stop. "Pull over, we''ve arrived."


    Hector surveyed the surroundings and parked along the roadside. "I''m going to buy some gifts," he said, realizing he had left in such a rush that he forgot to bring any.


    It was his first visit, and since they were visiting an elder, he knew he couldn''t skip the proper etiquette.


    Charlene remained silent and waited by the sidewalk. Before long, Hector was back with gifts and fruit. He stood in front of her and said, "Let''s go!"


    "Okay."


    She led the way, navigating Hector past the towering ne tree and into a slender alleyway. She opened the gate to thest house at the end of the alley. Once inside, it felt unexpectedly roomy, as though it was detached from the alley, creating two distinctly separate worlds.


    "Grandma, I''ve brought Mr. Hector back with me," Charlene announced as they stepped in.


    Hector took in the view of the spacious front yard. In the far right corner, he noticed arge ne tree with a swing hanging from it. Across from the swing sat a stone table apanied by four stone stools.


    The front yard was spotless, with just a few scattered leaves on the ground. The door to the house opened with a creak, revealing an elderly woman with white hair and a face full of wrinkles. She moved slowly and with some difficulty.


    "Grandma." Charlene hurried over, gently taking her arm.


    "Hector, meet my grandma, Yvette Jenkins," she introduced.


    Hector moved forward with his gifts, maintaining a respectful demeanor. "Hello, Mrs. Jenkins Senior."


    Yvette narrowed her eyes, assessing Hector closely. Despite being nearly shut, her eyes felt intensely prating.


    Hector held his position, showing respect but remaining steadfast and fearless. The Walker family had no hidden secrets, so they had no reason to be afraid.


    After a brief pause, Yvette looked away. "Please,e in and sit down," she invited.


    "Certainly, Mrs. Jenkins Senior," Hector replied.


    He walked into the house behind Charlene and Yvette. The interior was roomy and immacte, featuring straightforward, practical furnishings and appliances from ssic, reputable brands.


    Charlene assisted Yvette to the couch before heading to the kitchen to make tea and wash some of the fruit Hector had bought.


    Yvette looked at Hector, signaling him to take a seat across from her.


    "Hello, Mrs. Jenkins Senior. I''m Hector Walker," he said, introducing himself.


    "I know," Yvette replied, her gaze briefly passing over the gifts and fruit Hector had brought, her thoughts unreadable.


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, on my journey here, Ms. Jenkins shared some information with me. I''d like to ask if what she said is true," Hector said directly.


    He continued. "Are the matters of my sister being swapped, the Langley family rising to be the wealthiest in Amberton, and Cassie''s poisoning of Laura all tied to the Jenkins family?"


    Hector was exercising a lot of tact. He was curious if it had something to do with Yvette personally. However, since it was their first meeting and he wasn''t certain if anyone else was around besides Yvette and Charlene, he chose his words carefully.


    "Yes, it was entirely my doing," Yvette replied, her wrinkled face forming a sarcastic grin. "I nned everything."


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, did the Walker family ever do you any harm?" Hector asked calmly, though he was seething inside.


    "Why don''t you try guessing?" Yvette''s sarcastic grin widened. "Mr. Hector, why don''t you guess if your grandparents ever did anything against me or the Jenkins family?"


    Noticing the clear disdain on Yvette''s face, Hector realized there must be some past issue unknown to the younger generations of the family.


    "I''m afraid I can''t figure it out," he said. "Please... tell me, Mrs. Jenkins Senior."


    "The fire at the Jenkins residence was set by none other than my dear sister, Vivian," Yvette exined, her expression turning grim.


    Suddenly, she erupted intoughter. It was sharp and jarring, filled with resentment. "My own sister, my flesh and blood, she betrayed us all for a man. Despite everything the Jenkins family had provided her, she wasn''t content. She aimed to bring the entire family down with her.


    "If it weren''t for Cindy''s mother, I wouldn''t have survived that fire." Yvette''s voice shook with fury. "The entire Jenkins family was wiped out, and yet Vivian had the nerve to pretend she was devastated, iming she died of a broken heart. What a bunch of nonsense."


    She continued. "Charles, that vile man, knew very well that Vivian was responsible for the fire, but he chose to protect her. He organized the Jenkins family''s funerals, sure, But only because he wanted to cover up Vivian''s crime. If he hadn''t defended her, the Jenkins family wouldn''t have met such a tragic end."


    "Do you know why Cassie is so taken with Wesley?" Yvette suddenly asked with an odd smile. Without waiting for a reply, she answered, "It''s because Cassie and Wesley are actually half-siblings. They share the same mother."


    She added, "Vivian had been betrayed long before the Jenkins and Holden families united through marriage. Before this union, Vivian had a man she deeply adored. She had no desire to marry and even asked me to stand in for her. I declined, as did our parents.


    "The man she loved was a con artist


    who scammed her out of her


    money, heart, and trust. Still, Vivian was captivated by him, resolute in her willingness to risk everything. In the end, our parents used theman''s life as a bargaining chip,pelling Vivian to wed Charles against her will.


    "She cried as she became Charles''s bride. Following the marriage, the Holden and Jenkins families worked together more closely than ever before. For a while, Dithoria was filled with talk about the two families'' business ventures.


    "For a time, Vivian was on her best


    behavior. Charles had always cherished her, treating her as though she were a rare jewel after their


    marriage. The only


    Sprin


    Vivian''s past with the untrustworthy man were my family. My parents


    firmly instructed everyone to keep it a secret.


    "Charles had no idea that Vivian didn''t truly love him, that her heart belonged to another, someone who couldn''t hold a candle to Charles in any aspect. We believed Vivian had settled into a peaceful life, and my family gradually lowered our defenses.


    "However, when Wesley turned five, the man my family had discreetly sent overseas came back."


    As Yvette recounted the story, a dangerous glint appeared in her eyes.

 Chapter 529 A Grudge Passed Down to The Younger Generation

    Hector felt a shiver run down his spine when he noticed the deadly gleam in Yvette''s eyes. However, he stayed seated and listened to her story in silence.


    Yvette clenched her fists so tightly that her nails pressed into her palms. Her whole being appeared consumed by the fury and loathing radiating from her gaze. The intense hostility distorted her aged, wrinkled features.


    "Grandma." Charlene appeared just then, holding a tray with tea and fruit. She softly addressed her and served tea for both. "Grandma, you''ve startled Mr. Hector."


    At that moment, Yvette seemed to snap out of her thoughts. She inhaled deeply, moved to gazed out the window. The ne tree in the front yard swayed in the breeze, and a few leaves drifted from the wind.


    Charlene sat next to Hector and gently patted his arm.


    "Are you afraid?" she asked. "Don''t worry, Grandma won''t harm you. Everything she''s done is in pursuit of justice for the tragic loss of over a hundred members of the Jenkins family."


    "But if your grandmother seeks justice, shouldn''t she focus on Vivian, the real culprit, rather than dragging innocent people like my sister and Laura into this?" Hector''s face was stern, his fists tightly clenched.


    Yvette''s resentment extended beyond Natalie and Charles, epassing both the Walker and Langley families as well.


    That was a problem for their generation to solve. Why should Natalie be dragged into it?


    Even if the Langley family deserved to face justice and pay for their actions, what about the years Natalie had been drained of life and the suffering she had gone through?


    "Hector, you haven''t heard the entire story from my grandma yet. Don''t get so upset," Charlene advised cautiously.


    "The Walker family remains the wealthiest in the country, and the Holden family is the richest worldwide. Meanwhile, the Jenkins family waspletely wiped out in Dithoria because of that fire years ago.


    "The Walker family constructed their amusement park onnd that belonged to the Jenkins family. No wonder my grandma is upset."


    "But my family never wronged the Jenkins family. Our purchase of thatnd was both legal and fair," Hector replied promptly. "Every phase of the development after acquiring thend was officially sanctioned. We didn''t harm the Jenkins family in order to obtain it.


    "My sister was swapped at birth by your folks. Your grandma even allowed the Langley family to treat her that way. Are you even human?"


    When she heard this, Yvette nced at Hector with a trace of astonishment. Although she had been standing by the window to steady her nerves, she was listening closely to the exchange between Hector and Charlene.


    Hector''s dedication and concern for his family, particrly for his youngest sister Natalie, were clear. Yvette appreciated people who cherished their families, which was why she had chosen Hector. He was always there for Natalie, looking out for her.


    On the other hand, Yvette had judged Sky''s actions as unforgivable right from the beginning.


    "Hector, take a deep breath," she said. Herposure had returned as she made her way back to the couch. She took her seat without showing any emotion.


    She continued. "It''s a fact that the Walker family legally and legitimately acquired the Jenkins family''snd, and I can''t find any faults in that. However, I did ask your grandmother for assistance back then, and she turned me down.


    "Your grandmother mentioned that the Walker family preferred to stay out of the conflicts between the


    Jenkins and the Holden families


    wanting to avoid anyplications. Frankly, she was concerned that Vivian''s reckless behavior might entangle the Walker family in her troubles."


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior," Hector said with a calm and steady voice, "I don''t believe my grandmother was wrong. Even you admit that your sister is crazy, and it''s impossible to predict a madwoman''s actions. Despite being your own kin, she plotted against the Jenkins family."


    He continued, "My family isn''t


    rted by blood to your sister. If she schemed against them and used deceitful methods, it''d be


    understandable that my familial


    would be caught off guard by such betrayal. My grandmother was simply defending herself She didn''t do anything wrong."


    Yvetteughed loudly. "What a great excuse, iming your grandmother was only defending herself. The Walker kids sure know how to stick up for their grandmother."


    "I''m just telling it like it is," Hector


    replied icily "My grandmother might not have helped you, but she never did anything to hurt you or the Jenkins family. But you allowed the Langley family to swap my sister, leading to her enduring so much pain and difficulty from an early age. You can''t deny that."


    "Are you looking to confront me?" Yvette''s coldughter resonated in the room. "If


    you want to settle the scores, I''m right here. What do you want to do about it?"


    "I have no ns to address our issues right now, Mrs. Jenkins Senior. I want to hear more of your story," Hector replied.


    Earlier, as soon as he stepped into the front yard, Hector had secretly turned on the voice recording feature on his phone. Every conversation between him, Yvette, and Charlene was currently being recorded.


    Yvette recounted the past, detailing the grudges and animosities that had motivated her to devise such intricate ns and pull in numerous individuals. There was no mistaking her deep-seated hatred.


    "Would you care for some tea, Mrs. Jenkins Senior?" Hector asked as he poured another steaming cup for Yvette. "Everyone has their own perspective. You have your own suffering, but that doesn''t mean my sister should bear the brunt of it."


    "Even if my grandmother wronged you or the Jenkins family, any desire for revenge should be aimed at her, not at my baby sister."


    Yvette scoffed icily. "I aim to cause the Walker family distress. Your grandmother is callous and self-centered. She wouldn''t lose sleep over the Walker family''s


    issues. So, I chose to pass this anguish down to your generation."


    She continued, "I wanted you to discover that the person you all lovingly nurtured isn''t actually yours. I intended for Emma to dismantle the Walker family, pushing it to the edge of ruin.


    "But that lovesick fool ispletely hopeless. If she had any brains, she would have held onto Sky once she found out she wasn''t biologically a Walker. She could have married him, ensuring her status as Sky''s wife, and enjoyed limitless wealth and privilege."


    Yvette paused before saying, "Still, there was one thing I didn''t foresee." She lifted the cup of tea Hector had poured and sipped it gracefully. "Charlotte and William, as well as your brothers, all supported Natalie without a second thought."


    She added, "In the whole Walker family, Sky was the only one who wasn''t level- headed."


    Hector''s lips curled slightly. "Exactly! And that''s how Sky ended up in jail."

 Chapter 530 Childhood Sweethearts, Loving Couples, All Just Illusions

    Hector experienced deep sadness and remorse when he thought of Sky. As the Walker Group''s heir, Sky had been raised by his parents with great expectations and dreams. However, due to Emma''s actions, he found himself incarcerated.


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, let''s put this behind us," Hector said, pushing down his unease and trying to maintain a steady tone.


    Yvette''s lips twitched slightly. She lifted her teacup, took a sip, and then resumed speaking at a deliberate pace. "The man returned and somehow managed to contact Vivian, who was already married to Charles.


    "He informed Vivian that it was the Jenkins family who had knocked him out and secretly sent him abroad. He imed to have suffered immensely abroad. Vivian couldn''t fathom the hardships he had faced. Upon hearing his story, she and the man embraced and cried together.


    "Following their emotional release, Vivian had an affair with him and spent the night with him. Later, she handed the man some money, instructing him to go into hiding and assuring him of her financial support. While aiding this man, she was also seeking a way to divorce Charles.


    "She managed to keep her rtionship with the man hidden from Charles for some time. However, during one of their meetings, a maid from the Jenkins family saw them. My father was enraged. He promptly had Vivian and the man brought back to the Jenkins residence.


    "Before Vivian, my father severed one of the man''s fingers. My family had paid him two million to leave the country and vowed never toe back to Dithoria or reach out to Vivian. He broke his contract, so my father''s punishment was warranted.


    "However, Vivian refused to listen or believe their words. Her resentment toward my father and the entire family intensified. She even used me of not agreeing to marry Charles in her stead back then.


    "Charles had always had a soft spot for her. We were childhood friends and grew up with him. His romantic affections were always directed at her. To him, I was always like a younger sister.


    "I never had romantic feelings for Charles. I thought of him as a brother, so marrying him in her ce was out of the question.


    "Looking at Vivian''s desperation regarding the man, my father, in a burst of anger, tossed the signed contract with the man before her. He alsopelled the man to confess that he had left her with the Jenkins family''s money.


    "After confessing, the man abruptly seized a knife and plunged it into his own heart. As hey dying, he alleged that the Jenkins family, along with my father, had coerced him. He dered that since he couldn''t be with Vivian in this life, he would reunite with her in the next.


    "The man passed away right before Vivian and the rest of us. For a moment, Vivian was in shock, but then she lost control. She wept uncontrobly, hurling the harshest curses she could imagine at us, her own family.


    "Ovee with rage, my father pped her twice. Despite this, Vivian held onto the man tightly. I remembered how she looked as if her spirit had been broken. She endured my father''s scolding and blows, yet refused to release her grip.


    "After that, when the primary care physician came to check on Vivian, he revealed that she was pregnant. This news seemed to revive her. My father wanted to tell Charles about the pregnancy, but Vivian abruptly grabbed a knife and pressed it to her throat.


    "She warned my father and the entire Jenkins family to keep silent. That''s when we understood that the baby she was carrying wasn''t Charles''s-it belonged to the man. The child is Cassie. My family both couldn''t risk a scandal. After careful consideration, my father chose to keep it under wraps.


    "Vivian, who had previously threatened suicide to get what she wanted, unexpectedly settled down. She went back to the Holden family. While we aren''t sure what she said to Charles, he soon enthusiastically announced that he was going to be a father once more.


    "Throughout her pregnancy, Charles was extremely attentive to Vivian''s needs, and she shifted her focus from her earlier melodramatic ways to getting ready for the baby.


    "Once the baby was born, her rtionship with my family got much better. Yet, whenever we observed Charles cradling Cassie with such care, as if she were a rare treasure, guilt gnawed at us.


    "Vivian had lied to him, and the Jenkins family wasplicit. But for the sake of the alliance between the two families and our joint ventures, my family had no choice but to keep this secret.


    "For Cassie''s one-month celebration, Vivian suggested hosting a sip and see party for her daughter at the Jenkins family home. I''m not sure what she told my father, but he consented.


    "On the day of the event, the Holden and Jenkins families initially weed guests at a hotel before moving to the Jenkins residence for a more private sip and see gathering for Cassie.


    "Vivian, driven by a moment of insanity,ced the food and drinks with sleeping pills, aiming specifically at the Jenkins family."


    Yvette''s eyes were red and weary as she spoke, her hand shaking while holding the teacup. "Not even the maids were spared. During the night, as the household slept, she ignited multiple fires in the Jenkins family residence.


    "I owe my life to Cindy''s mother, who had gone out to buy flowers for me. She risked everything to rescue me from the ze. She attempted to return for my mother, but tragically, she didn''t make it out," Yvette recounted, tears quietly flowing down her cheeks.


    She continued, "That''s why I


    assisted Cindy in moving Emma to the Walker family. I felt indebted to her mother and vowed to mak


    sure


    her descendants would live like royalty. I instructed Grace to transfer Emma to the Walker family and move Natalie to the Langley family.


    "However, I wasn''t responsible for what happened to Selena. Grace acted on her own. She has deluded herself to the point where she shifted all the responsibility onto me. Grace is just worthless, aplete waste."


    Hector was appalled by what he had learned. Without Yvette''s exnation, both their generation and their parents'' generation would have stayed entirely ignorant of the true history behind everything.


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, what happened after the fire?"


    "Vivian feigned trauma and illness after starting the fire. Her act wasn''t entirely false. After Cassie''s birth, she had ingested a slow-acting poison. She paid off the doctor to convince Charles that her weakness was a result of giving birth.


    "Her fragile condition, exacerbated by her resentment to start the fire at the Jenkins residence, resulted in her extended illness. Vivian harbored a desire to die, essentially contemting suicide. She hoped to instill guilt and a sense of responsibility in Charles.


    "She secured a promise from Charles to ensure Cassie and Wesley were raised well. With tears in his eyes, Charles consented to all of Vivian''s demands and even assisted in burying the entire Jenkins family. Despite this, I find it impossible to forgive him.


    "He had a feeling that something was amiss, yet he still chose to leave when. Vivian told him to. Vivian


    didn''t love Charles. Her ne


    was for him to take care of Cassie, with Wesley being merely an afterthought. After all, Wesley was Charles'' son while Cassie was the child of the man she truly loved.


    "Charles felt that something was off at the sip and see party, but Vivian''s call expressing her unease prompted him to leave the Jenkins family sooner than nned. Had he remained, Vivian might not have managed to start the fire, and the Jenkins family could have been spared.


    "Following Vivian''s death, Charles was devastated. He vowed to never remarry and to dedicate himself to raising their children. Unbeknownst to him, Vivian had viewed him as merely an adversary, someone she had manipted.


    "Vivian fabricated the whole notion of childhood sweethearts and loving partners for him. It was merely an illusion."

 Chapter 531 The Reason for Choosing Grace

    Yvette gritted her teeth, seething with hatred. "I never wanted to hate Charles, but that bitch, Vivian, convinced him not to investigate the truth behind the Jenkins residence fire, and he agreed.


    "Charles had already sensed something was wrong, yet he chose to listen to Vivian. Even worse, I hid in the shadows and watched as the two of them held a grand funeral for the Jenkinses who died in the fire.


    "Vivian put on an act, crying crocodile tears, and even coughing up blood from being stressed and devastated. In reality, it was just the slow-acting poison she had taken that was starting to take effect.


    "As for Charles, the moment he saw Vivian coughing up blood, he hastily ended everything. Vivian had done a good job. Except for me, no one in the Jenkins family survived. That fire burned everyst piece of evidence to ashes.


    "That man also died, so no one could testify. I alone couldn''t bring down Charles and Vivian. If Vivian ever found out I was alive, she would''ve silenced me. All I could do was endure everything and silently n my revenge.


    "Vivian loved Cassie the most, so I had someone whisper in her ear, feeding her the idea that Wesley could only be hers. I wanted her to fall in love with her own half-brother.


    "I made her be obsessed and eventually turn into a lunatic. One that would bite Charles and Wesley to death for me."


    "And what about the Langleys?" Hector asked. "Why did you swap my sister with their child?"


    "Speaking of this, I should mention the reason why I chose Grace Langley." Yvette sneered. "Do you know who Megan Langley is?


    "She''s the daughter of the man Vivian loved. He had married Grace and even had kids with her, yet he continued his affair with Vivian. However, Megan was born after Cassie.


    "Since Megan was bornter, I had the opportunity to take her for myself. I used her as leverage to threaten Grace and forced her to do my bidding. But did you think I''d keep Megan with me to let her enjoy a happy life? Never."


    Yvonne chuckled sinisterly. "I made Grace the wealthiest woman in Amberton, only to make Selena, whom she had sold as a child, drag her down the pedestal. Selena was a valuable pawn."


    "And what does this have to do with Natalie and the Walker family?" Hector held back his anger, but his heaving chest belied his emotions.


    "My grandmother kept my family out of this, not wanting to get involved in this messy affair. That was the right choice because all of you are deranged!"


    Yvette let out a loudugh. "You''re right. We are deranged. Instead of Charles, Vivian chose that scumbag, destroying the whole Jenkins family because of him.


    "Even though Charles suspected that Vivian was cheating on him, he still acted as if he was madly in love with her. He even believed in her lies and never remarried for the rest of his life.


    "He even raised Cassie, who wasn''t even his daughter, as if she were his own flesh and blood. And Grace? She took the money that scumbag had taken from the Jenkins family to buy a house and raise her children in Amberton, living afortable life.


    "As for the Walkers, they just watched from the sidelines, not losing anything. In the end, they even imed the Jenkins family''snd and built an amusement park on it.


    "From start to finish, only the Jenkins family... Only the Jenkins family was left in ruins and wiped out without a trace."


    As Yvette spoke, she burst intoughter.


    "Why do all of you get to live such good lives?" she demanded. "Why do all of you get to sleep peacefully at night? I was the only one left from the Jenkins family. The only one!


    "I sent Natalie to Grace, then instructed Grace to draw her blood. Finally, the Walkers had no choice but to step in. In the end, you made your move against Grace.


    "Now, let me think... What was the most satisfying part for me when your mother went after Grace''s family..."


    Yvette leaned back against the couch, her eyes narrowing as the corners of her lips curled up. However, there was no smile in her eyes. Clearly, she wasn''t truly happy.


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, you should see a psychologist." Hector stood up as he couldn''t listen anymore. "You''re dragging your decades-old grudges onto the younger generation,, harming your children and grandchildren.


    §ï§Ý§à


    "How are you any different from Vivian? If you''re unhappy that my grandmother didn''t save you, take it up with her. What gives you the right to harm my sister?


    "I don''t care about your feud with the Holdens and the Langleys, but the moment you hurt you''re nothing but a vile criminal in my eyes."


    "Don''t get so worked up!" Yvette


    sneered at Hector''s furious


    expression. "I did what I did. So


    what? So what if I ordered the nurse to grab your sister to give her to


    Grace, and put Emma in your family? What can you do about it? Do you have proof?"


    "I do."


    Hector''s expression was icy. From the moment he stepped into this house, he had secretly started recording on his phone. Every single word Yvette had spoken was recorded.


    "Do you think you can walk out of this ce alive?" Yvette smirked. "Hector, do you honestly think you''re alone in this house with just me and Charlene?"


    Upon hearing this, Hector sat back down. "I''m just joking. I don''t have any proof."


    Yvette merely smirked. "Grace built her fortune in Amberton using the money that scumbag had taken from the Jenkins family. All I did was simply help her along by controlling their daughter''s fate.


    "As for Laura Reed, everything Cassie had done to her had nothing to do with me. I didn''t instruct her to use the Umbrahex. That was her own twisted, vicious doing.


    "The only thing I did to Cassie was have her private tutor continuously imnt the idea that she should fall in love with her own brother.


    "Vivian made Charles promise her that once Cassie grew up, he would let her pursue her true love and marry the man she loved. That was because Vivian didn''t get to marry the man she loved. She wanted her daughter to fulfill her regret. But, did you think I would let her wishe true?"


    "You''re terrifying." Hector stared at Yvette. "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, you''re the most terrifying person I''ve ever met."


    "If I''m terrifying, what about Vivian?" Yvette stared straight at Hector. "Isn''t she terrifying? She destroyed the entire Jenkins family for the sake of that scumbag of


    a man.


    "Charles knew that something was wrong with her, but because he loved her, he chose to act like nothing was wrong. He didn''t even investigate."


    Yvette mmed her hand against the coffee table. "They deserved everything I''ve done."


    "But Natalie was innocent." Hector refused to back down.


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, you owe my sister an apology, as well as my parents. You stole our sister from us for years. You even turned her into nothing but a walking blood bank for the Langleys.


    "You even made us raise Emma, and we treat her as our own for years, only for Sky to end up in prison. Every problem has a root cause.


    Hector suddenly raised his voice. "You should''ve taken things up with whoever harmed the Jenkins family! Why did you involve innocent people?"


    He was truly furious. He didn''t care how these people yed their sick games.


    The only thing that mattered was that Yvette had hurt Natalie.


    He didn''t care why Yvette had chosen Grace for her n, but everyone who was involved in harming Natalie deserved to die.


    All of them.

 Chapter 532 I Will Beat You to Death

    "Hector, why are you mad?" Yvette was enraged when Hector started shouting at her. "Your grandmother stood by and did nothing. It was her fault!"


    "Helping you was a favor, not an obligation. For someone as twisted as you, what''s wrong with her choosing to look the other way?" Hector retorted.


    He added, "You old hag. Why didn''t you reflect on yourself why my grandmother didn''t help you out? If you''re worth helping, do you think someone as kind as her would''ve refused?"


    He abandoned all sense of civility and hurled insults without restraint.


    "The mess that the Jenkins family created dragged so many innocent people into


    it. How could you have the nerve to think you''re innocent?


    "If only you had died in the fire back then! If you did, Natalie wouldn''t have suffered so terribly at the hands of you lunatics!"


    "Hector, I''ll beat you to death!" Yvette grabbed the cane beside her and swung it at Hector.


    But before it couldnd, Hector grabbed it and snatched it from her. "Oh, you''re trying to hit me? I''ll beat you to death first, you old hag!"


    Hector swung the cane back at her but controlled his strength. After all, he wasn''t trying to kill her.


    "Guards! Guards!" Yvette yelled, but instead of her men, Marcus and Natalie appeared.


    "Yvette Jenkins, so you were behind this," Marcus said as he stared coldly at Yvette.


    Natalie stepped forward and took the cane from Hector''s hands. "You worked hard, Hector."


    Charlene got up. "Natalie, why are you two here? Weren''t you going to the prison?"


    "Halfway there, Hector sent me his location," Natalie answered kindly. "Oh, he also called me, but I didn''t say anything."


    The moment Hector stepped into the courtyard, he had sent his location to Natalie and started recording. At the same time, he secretly dialed her number.


    As soon as Natalie saw the location and received the call, she remained silent. She and Marcus told Noah to turn the car around and drive straight here.


    Once they were outside, they didn''t rush in. Instead, they sat in the car, listening to the entire conversation between Hector and Yvette.


    The moment Yvette called for help, Natalie was worried that Hector might get hurt. So, she immediately stormed in with Marcus. As for Yvette''s men, Marcus'' men had already neutralized them without making a sound.


    For now, Marcus, Natalie, and Hector had the upper hand.


    "Yvette, meet with my grandfather," Marcus demanded, staring straight at her.


    Though she was younger than Charles, she looked much older. After all, someone consumed by hatred for years and had to be constantly scheming would naturally be under immense pressure.


    A person filled with resentment would naturally not look good.


    "When did you call Natalie? How did I not notice?" Charlene was dumbfounded. "I was with you the whole time! I didn''t even see you take out your phone!"


    Hector replied coldly, "Are you stupid or something?"


    If Charlene had known what he was doing, would he have the opportunity to hear Yvette spill everything?


    Charlene was speechless and her face flushed before turning pale


    Yvette nced at the yard. It was filled with bodyguards from the Holden family, with Noah leading them.


    Elijah followed behind Marcus and was staring at her with eyes filled with disdain. He was waiting for Marcus'' order so he could unleash hell on Yvette.


    "You want me to meet Charles?" Yvette sneered as she locked eyes with Marcus. Then, she chuckled mockingly. "Who the hell does he think he is? He''s not worthy of speaking to me."


    "Elijah," Marcus said as he took a step back.


    Elijah then stepped forward.


    "You old hag, who the hell do you think you are?" he snapped. "You look like a pig that couldn''t take care of itself. Why is it that when you speak, it reeks of sewage?


    "You''re just a venomous hag with a filthy mouth. Since you''ve got so much free time, why don''t you go lick the toilet bowls down the road?"


    "Shut up!" Yvette roared. "Marcus, is this how you teach your men to speak? How dare he say such things to me?"


    "Old hag, don''t wrongfully use others. What I say is my business. What does it have to do with Mr. Holden?"


    Elijah stepped forward and


    continued, "When ites to spewing nonsense, no onees close to you. Look at you, you look normal yet you''re filled with rotten thoughts. When humans were evolving, did you somehow evolve backward?"


    "Marcus-"


    Yvette couldn''t refute Elijah, so she shouted at Marcus instead.


    But Marcus didn''t even spare her a nce.


    Yvette had meticulously nned everything, dragging innocent people into her schemes. The Langleys had drained Natalie''s blood multiple times but now, Yvette wasining after being verbally humiliated.


    Marcus finally understood why Hector''s grandmother didn''t help her out.


    "You old hag, why are you calling for


    Mr. Holden? know he''s


    vel


    devastatingly handsome, but you already have a foot inside your grave You should stop being delusional. After all, Mr. Holden belongs to Ms. Walker."


    Elijah stared at Yvette, and then continued, "Didn''t you think you''re amazing? You spent years orchestrating this, manipting the Holdens, the Walkers, and the Langleys in the palm of your hands.


    "When you saw everyone suffering, that gave you a great sense of fulfillment, didn''t it? Not only are you sick, but you''re rotten to the core.


    "Since Vivian burned down the Jenkins residence, why didn''t you dig up her grave and punish her? You decided to target innocent babies instead. Do you think you''re any better than Vivian?


    "In fact, you''re even more vile and vicious than Vivian. At the very least, she targeted her own family. But you, you went after innocent people!


    "With all the evil you''ve done, had Yvette''s ghost ever haunt you at night? Did shee to im your life?


    "But let me guess, someone as vicious as you probably wouldn''t be afraid. After all, even demons would bow in submission before you.


    "Are you happy with how things turned out? Why don''t you guess what''s in store for you?


    "You have no proof about the fire at the Jenkins residence, but we have proof of you swapping the babies, brainwashing Cassie, as well as ordering the Langleys to drain Ms. Walker''s blood.


    "Why don''t you figure out which prison you''d like to stay in? We''ll make sure you get in. Consider it our special service.


    "Now that we''re letting you meet Mr. Holden Senior, we''re giving you a chance to exin things. How dare you im that he''s unworthy?"


    Elijah kept on going, not giving Yvette a chance to speak at all.

 Chapter 533 Face-To-Face

    Yvette was so furious that she copsed onto the couch.


    Charlene rushed forward to support her. "Grandma, are you okay?"


    Suddenly Yvette pped Charlene across the face. "You useless thing! Why didn''t you realize Hector had called Marcus and Natalie?"


    Charlene clutched her cheek, not daring to say a word.


    "Why did you hit her?" Elijah stepped forward and pulled Charlene away. "Being the granddaughter of a twisted old hag like you must''ve been rough on her!"


    Charlene''s face was red and swollen. She bit her lip and stayed silent.


    "Your grandmother is old and twisted, you should stay away from her. You''re only 18. Do you n to let her brainwash you for the rest of your life?


    "Listen, you''re 18 now. You''re an adult. You can think for yourself and not be a puppet on someone else''s string!"


    In a firm and sincere tone, Elijah continued, "The people you surround yourself with will shape who you be. It''s hard to stay good, but it''s really easy to go bad. You wouldn''t want to turn into a twisted person at such a young age, right?"


    Charlene just remained silent.


    "Shut up, you wretched man! Shut up!" Yvette yelled at Elijah. "You''re certainly Adam''s son. You''re "


    "You old hag, you can insult me all you want, but don''t you dare talk about my dad! I''ll tear your mouth apart!"


    Elijah rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward to drag Yvette toward him. He reached for her mouth. "You twisted woman, let''s see you talk now! How dare you insult my father!


    "If it weren''t for you, my parents wouldn''t have divorced. My brother and I wouldn''t have grown up without our parents! I swear I''ll teach you a lesson today!"


    "Don''t hit my grandma!" Charlene snapped out of her shock and lunged forward, grabbing Elijah''s arm. "Please, I beg you. Don''t hit her! She''s old, and she has cancer. She doesn''t have much time left."


    Tears streamed down Charlene''s cheeks. "Please, let her go."


    "Stop begging!" Yvette pushed Charlene away. "Let him continue. If he kills me, I''ll drag him to hell with me."


    "Elijah," Marcus said coldly. Hearing that, Elijah immediately let go of Yvette.


    Marcus stepped forward and red coldly at Yvette. "Your story doesn''t match with what my grandpa told me. I''ll have you meet him face-to-face. The two of you can talk it out. One of you is lying."


    Yvette''s back ached after being shoved by Elijah, but Marcus showed no sympathy. If anything, he would''ve done it himself.


    What had Natalie done to deserve this? The Walkers had merely chosen to stay out of the conflict and not help Yvette.


    Yet, she sent Natalie to the Langleys and allowed them to torment her so cruelly.


    If Natalie hadn''t met Federrick, Marcus couldn''t imagine what she would''ve turned into after all the suffering she endured under the Langleys.


    "Fine, I''ll meet him." Yvette sat up straight and returned to her arrogant self. "Do you think I''m afraid of Charles?"


    "Well then, Mrs. Jenkins Senior, after you," Marcus said, his voice deep and icy. His gaze toward Yvette was enough to send chills down someone''s spine.


    The story he had heard from Charles waspletely different from Yvette''s version.


    All these years, Charles had told Marcus that he and his grandmother loved each other deeply. Marcus couldn''t believe that a woman of such grace and dignity would''ve fallen for a man who two-timed her.


    One of them must''ve been lying.


    But judging by Yvette''s reaction, it didn''t seem fake either.


    Could it be...


    There was only one way to find out.


    Back at Holden Residence, Marcus, Natalie, and Hector forcibly escorted Yvette


    and Charlene to face Charles.


    Since returning from the Walker


    residence, Charles hadn''t looked well


    physically, not emotionally. His


    health had always been poor. If not for Natalie treating him, he wouldn''t have lived this long.


    When he met the granddaughter of someone who should''ve been long dead, the shock was simply too much for him.


    After returning to Holden Residence, Charles had locked himself in his study, sitting there for an entire afternoon.


    Sheldon knocked on the door and spoke cautiously, "Mr. Holden Senior, Mr. Marcus has returned with Yvette Jenkins and Charlene Jenkins. He said that you should meet Yvette."


    Charles snapped out of his daze. He picked up the photo frame he had been staring at. Inside was a picture of histe wife, Vivian, when she was 18.


    "Vivian, Yvette ims you never loved me. I don''t believe it. We were childhood sweethearts, deeply in love. How could you not have loved me?"


    His eyes reddened. "I don''t believe a


    word Yvette says. You told me she


    liked me, so she wanted to ruin our marriage. She spread those lies to drive @wedge between us. How could not trust my own wife and believe her instead?"


    Seeing that Charles didn''t reply and was mumbling to himself, Sheldon spoke out once again. "Mr. Holden Senior, apart from Mr. Marcus, Ms. Natalie, and Mr. Hector are here as well."


    "Alright. I understand."


    Charles wiped the tears off the corners of his eyes and ced the photo frame on his desk. Then, he stood up and walked out of the study.


    "Sheldon, tell me... the woman that Marcus and Nat brought back. Is she really Yvette Jenkins?"


    Sheldon answered cautiously, "Yes. I''ve seen her myself. I''m certain it''s Ms. Yvette."


    Charles nodded slightly, then kept quiet.


    Soon, he arrived at the living room and came face-to-face with Yvette.


    "Charles, it''s been a long time," Yvette greeted him first. "All these years, you''ve


    been living afortable life!"


    Charles didn''t respond. Instead, he stared at her intently.


    Seeing someone who was


    supposedly dead suddenly standing before him was dangerous for Charles, especially since he had a weak heart. But with Natalie and


    Hector there, Marcus wasn''t too worried.


    "Grandpa, listen to this recording," Marcus said calmly. He shot a nce at


    Hector.


    Immediately, Hector took out his phone and yed the recording. Yvette''s voice rang out clearly in the room.


    As the minutes trickled by, Charles listened to Yvette''s side of the story. His expression slowly turned grim.


    As for Yvette, a mocking curve was always hanging on her mouth as she watched


    in disdain. She wanted to watch Charles suffer.


    She wanted to shatter the beautiful illusion that Vivian had built for him, especially


    when he was supposed to live out the rest of his life happily.


    Yvette was running out of time. She wanted toy everything bare before she died.


    After a while, the recording finally ended.


    Charles'' face was pale as a sheet. He stared nkly at Yvette, his lips trembling.


    He wanted to say something but couldn''t make a sound.

 Chapter 534 Wrong, All Wrong

    "Grandpa Charles, are you alright?" Natalie immediately sensed something was wrong and stepped forward to pat his back, telling him to rx.


    Hector quickly stepped close to check Charles'' pulse as well. "Sheldon, the medicine."


    Sheldon quickly took out the medicine Natalie had provided earlier, poured out a pill, and handed it to Hector.


    "Water."


    Sheldon turned to fetch a cup of water.


    Hector couldn''t help but frown. He wondered what was wrong with Sheldon.


    The butler was usually observant. But even after noticing Charles'' condition, he only reacted after being instructed at every step.


    Soon, Sheldon returned with a cup of water. Marcus stepped forward and said, "Sheldon, you can leave now."


    "Mr. Marcus, I¡ª"


    "I know you''re in shock as well, so go take a moment to gather yourself," Marcus cut him off. After listening to the recording, not only was Charles shaken, but Sheldon was clearly affected too. His mind was sluggish, causing a dy in his reactions.


    "Alright, Mr. Marcus." Sheldon turned to leave. He was moving so awkwardly that he nearly tripped on air.


    Once Sheldon had left, Charles swallowed the pill, and his breathing finally steadied. His gaze shifted toward Yvette, who sat across from him. His eyes gradually turned bloodshot.


    Yvette smirked mockingly as she listened to the entire recording of her conversation with Hector. After that, her expression remained indifferent.


    "Yvette, why?" Charles took a deep breath as he asked, "Vivian is already dead. Why would you say such things to tarnish her name?


    "You even im that Cassie isn''t my daughter. That''s impossible. Your sister and I loved each other. We had a happy family.


    "There was no way she would have betrayed me. Yvette, how could you nder Vivian like that? She''s your sister!" Charles shouted at the end of his rant.


    Yvette replied coldly, "Charles, if you think I''m ndering her, why don''t you do a paternity test with Cassie?


    "Why are you questioning me? Do you not believe it, or are you afraid of the results? Why would I go out of my way to frame a dead woman?


    "Why would I spend all these years meticulously setting up this n? All these years, I''ve been living in hiding, for what reason? Charles, don''t tell me you didn''t know."


    Her icy,posed demeanor was a sharp contrast with Charle''s agitated look, making him look inferior in the exchange.


    "No, it''s impossible." Suddenly, Charles grabbed Hector by the wrist. "Hector, do the test for me. Get it done as fast as possible. Sheldon, go to my study and retrieve Cassie''s old tooth. Now!"


    "I''ll go get it!" Marcus stood up. Sheldon had already been dismissed. Even if he were there, he was in no state to handle this task.


    Marcus turned and went to Charles'' study. After a while, he returned with two small boxes.


    "This is my father''s, and this is Cassie''s. Hector, sorry to trouble you."


    Marcus handed the two boxes over to Hector. "Since we''re doing this, do one for my father too!"


    Then, he turned to Charles. "Grandpa, bear with the pain a little."


    With that, Marcus plucked several strands of hair from Charles'' head.


    "Hector, please expedite the results," he urged.


    Hector took the samples and nodded. "Okay."


    Then, he left.


    Charles'' gaze remained locked on Yvette. "If you were alive all this while, why didn''t youe back?"


    Yvette chuckled coldly. "And why would I do that? So that you can kill me once more?


    "Charles, I don''t want to say anything to you. Once the DNA test between you and Cassiees out, you''ll realize just how much of a fool you are."


    After saying that, Yvette closed her eyes and shut her mouth, resting peacefully on the couch.


    "Yvette, get up! How can you sleep at a time like this? You deceived me and the Walkers for such a long time, harming so many people along the way. How could you sleep peacefully?"


    Charles got up and grabbed Yvette, but she merely cracked one eye open and gave him a cold look. "What''s this? Are you going to hit me?"


    Charles'' chest heaved violently. "Don''t sleep! Get up and exin everything to me."


    "Charles, I have nothing to say to


    you. Everything you need to know is


    in the recording. I really shown Hector for recording it. It saved me the trouble of repeating myself."


    Yvette pushed Charles away and continued, "I suggest you calm down. Once the test results are out, there''s something even more infuriating waiting for you."


    Then, she closed her eyes once again,pletely ignoring Charles.


    Charlene sat quietly beside Yvette, not daring to breathe loudly. At this point, things had escted far beyond what she, an 18-year-old, could evenprehend.


    "Grandpa Charles, calm down," Natalie said. She exchanged a nce with Marcus, who quickly pulled Charles back to his seat.


    "Grandpa, calm down. No matter the results, whether my father or Aunt Cassie are truly your children or not, you''ll always be my grandfather," Marcus remarked, but his words did little tofort Charles.


    Natalie nudged him. "That didn''t sound right. You should work on your words."


    Marcus pouted. "I was just joking."


    Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she replied, "It''s not funny. Don''t do it again."


    "Got it."


    Hearing Natalie and Marcus bickering, Charles grew even more irritated. "Nattie, how long does it take for the results toe out?" he asked.


    "With the expedited process, it won''t take long. Grandpa Charles, don''t worry."


    Charles let out a sigh. How could he not worry? If Yvette''s had told him face-to- face, he wouldn''t have believed itpletely.


    But since she had spoken to Hector, whom she had no prior interactions with, there was no reason for her to fabricate lies.


    That was precisely what terrified him.


    "Grandpa Charles, don''t worry." Natalie tried to think of something tofort him, but there really wasn''t much she could say.


    "Let''s just wait for the results," she added. "That''s all we can do for now." Charles'' face turned grim, and his eyes reddened even more. He was afraid that the children he had cherished for so many years weren''t biologically his.


    As minutes crawled by, Charles got up to walk back and forth countless times, only for Marcus to pull him back to the couch each time.


    Two hourster, Hector returned, holding two envelopes.


    "Grandpa Charles, the results are in." His expression was solemn. "Do you want


    to read them yourself, or do you want me to tell you?"


    "I''ll see for myself."


    Charles took the envelope with Cassie''s name written on it. He pulled out the report and his eyes skimmed over it.


    When he saw the final result, he copsed onto the couch.


    "Grandpa Charles, are you alright?" Hector rushed forward to hold him. He had seen the results first, so he knew just how devastating it would be for Charles.


    "It''s wrong It''s all wrong!" Charles choked on his words. Then, he broke down, sobbing uncontrobly. "It''s wrong. It''s wrong. Everything''s wrong! Why did this happen to me? How could you do this to me?"

 Chapter 535 Years of Love was a Joke

    Yvette let out a mockingugh. Compared to how devastated Charles was, her calm, amused look, was downright cruel.


    "Charles, do you still dare im that you and Vivian shared a loving marriage? Now that you''ve discovered the daughter you''ve cherished and raised with so much love isn''t even your own flesh and blood, how does it feel?"


    "Grandpa Charles, take a look at this too." Hector handed the other envelope to Charles. "Take a look at this report."


    Charles didn''t have the courage to look. "Hector, I can''t... Give it to Marcus."


    Charles closed his eyes, tears streamed down his aged face.


    All these years, he had believed that he and his wife were childhood sweethearts who were truly in love and that their marriage was a destined union.


    Unexpectedly, everything Yvette said was true.


    And all it took was a single paternity test to shatter his lifelong faith and devotion.


    "Hector, let me do it." Marcus took the envelope from Hector''s hands. He opened it, pulled out the test results, and read it carefully. After a while, he said indifferently, "Grandpa, Dad is your biological son."


    Charles'' vision went ck, and he fell heavily onto the floor.


    "Grandpa Charles!"


    "Grandpa!"


    "Grandpa Charles!"


    Hector, Marcus, and Natalie all screamed, and the room instantly descended into chaos.


    Fortunately, Hector and Natalie were doctors. Since Natalie had treated Charles previously, she knew his condition very well.


    Furthermore, she had been keeping emergency medication on hand for him. After administering it, they rushed him to the hospital.


    "Marcus, you need to prepare yourself." Natalie held Marcus'' hand in the car on the way to the hospital. "Grandpa Charles might not make it through this time. The test results were too much of a blow for him."


    Natalie remembered the time Charles gave her a present at the wee party. When he spoke of histe wife, his eyes were filled with love.


    Back then, though he hadn''t said it outright, Natalie understood. At that time, Marcus had misunderstood her, and she had been avoiding him. So, she simply pretended not to notice Charles'' hopeful expectations.


    But, she knew.


    Charles had hoped that one day, she and Marcus would have the kind of love he had with Vivian.


    But now, Yvette had revealed the truth, which was confirmed by the paternity test. Just like that, Charles'' years of devotion turned into nothing but a joke.


    Marcus just remained silent and gripped Natalie''s hand tightly. He didn''t realize he was hurting her.


    Natalie didn''t say a word, nor did she show it. She simply let him hold onto her. The car sped toward the hospital. The moment they arrived, Charles was rushed into examination. Natalie didn''t follow Charles into the examination room, and Marcus didn''t ask her to. Both of them just waited outside the examination room. After a long while, Marcus suddenly pulled Natalie into a tight embrace.


    "Nat, when the heart dies, is it beyond saving?" Marcus asked softly in her ear. "Grandpa has always managed to pull through in the past, but this time, you told me to prepare myself. It''s because he doesn''t have the will to live anymore, right?"


    Natalie wrapped her arms around Marcus and patted his back gently, not knowing how to answer him.


    "You don''t have to say it. I know." Marcus closed his eyes, struggling to suppress his emotions. "I''ve always known."


    He continued, "When I was a child, Grandpa would tell me how much he and Grandma loved each other. If it weren''t for the devastating blow she suffered, her health wouldn''t have deteriorated.


    "They would''ve grown old together. Every time I asked him what was the devastating blow she suffered, he would only sigh and not answer it.


    "Nat, he was the one who raised me."


    Marcus closed his eyes, silent tears slipped from the corners.


    "Ever since he fell ill, he always wished I could get a girlfriend and settle down. If it was possible, he wanted a great-grandchild.


    "He would always say that he wasn''t that old and was at the perfect age to take


    care of a baby. If I had one, he''d handle everything, and I wouldn''t need to worry about a thing.


    "How can he just give up now just because Aunt Cassie isn''t his biological daughter? Is he going to give up on me?"


    "Marcus, calm down." Natalie patted his back gently. "If what Yvette said is true, anyone else would''ve not been able to ept it. It''s not just Grandpa Charles. Also, Grandpa Charles adored Cassie, didn''t he?"


    Marcus choked out a response, "Yes. He spoiled her immensely. As long as she didn''t cross the line, he granted her every wish. For a time, I even envied how much he doted on her."


    "But now that Grandpa Charles found out that the daughter he cherished for so many years isn''t actually his, it''s normal that he couldn''t ept it," Natalie said, trying to console Marcus.


    She added, "Compared to Cassie not being his real daughter, the real blow is realizing that the love story and loving marriage he believed in were


    all lies No man could ept being betrayed and deceived by the woman he loved most. Marcus, can you understand why he''s like this?"


    "Nat, I don''t want anything to happen to him," Marcus choked on his words. "Please, save him one more time. Elim, I''m begging you."


    Natalie froze. Although she had saved Charles once, this time, she was powerless. It was because Charles had lost the will to live. He would also likely refuse treatment.


    She was all too familiar with patients'' expressions and their psychological states.


    "I''ll do my best." Natalie gently patted Marcus''s shoulder. "Marcus, I''ll do my best."


    "Thank you."


    "Nat, you can''t promise that!" Hector eximed, appearing out of nowhere with a grim expression. Then, he turned toward Marcus. "This time, Nat can''t perform surgery on Grandpa Charles."


    "Why not?" Marcus asked. "If even Nat can''t save him, then who can?"


    "If Grandpa Charles dies on Nat''s operating table, how will you two move forward from there?"


    Hector stared at Marcus. "This time, he''s given up on living. He just finished his checkup and has already refused hospitalization.


    "He asked to be taken back to Holden Residence to see Yvette. That''s why I won''t


    let Nat be put in such a precarious position. If you want someone to me, me me instead."


    Hector pulled Natalie toward him and said, "Elim has never lost a fight with death, but what if the patient doesn''t want to be saved?"


    Both Natalie and Marcus were stunned.


    "Marcus, think carefully about what I just said. I need a word with Nat in private." Without waiting for them to respond, Hector took Natalie away.

 Chapter 537 A Complete Breakdown

    Yvette continuedughing, but her expression was full of mockery, and her tone was ice cold. The way she red at Charles carried an icy chill.


    Beneath those eyes was a raging hatred, like a tidal wave, ready to crash down and destroy everything.


    "For your so-called love and Vivian''s reputation, you chose to turn a blind eye and deceive yourself. Well, I won''t let you have it easy. You have to atone for your sins. Do you understand?"


    "I don''t believe it. I don''t!" Charles wept bitterly. "I don''t believe Vivian would do this to me.


    "What did that man have? He wasn''t as good-looking as me, not as fit as me, not as wealthy as me. In what way was he better than me? Why would Vivian do such things for him? How could she?"


    Charles'' lifelong love and devotion toward her, shattered in a moment after watching the video and pictures on the USB drive. The pain was unbearable, and he could barely hold himself together.


    He loved Vivian dearly, never taking another wife after her death. He had poured his heart into raising their two children, never missing a single important moment in Cassie and Wesley''s lives, no matter how busy or exhausted he was.


    He adored Cassie to the core specifically. Even when she made mistakes, he would clean up the mess for her.


    But now, he found out that Vivian didn''t love him, and Cassie wasn''t even his biological daughter. And worst of all, he had seen with his own eyes, the irrefutable proof of Vivian in bed with another man.


    Charles'' world copsed at that moment. He suffered aplete breakdown.


    "Why couldn''t you just lie to me forever? I would''ve rather been lied to and never knowing the truth." Charles sobbed uncontrobly. "Yvette, you shouldn''t have appeared. You shouldn''t havee back. Why didn''t you die in the fire? Everything would''ve been fine!"


    "Charles, listen to yourself. Do you even realize what you''re saying?" Yvette couldn''t help but chuckle mockingly.


    She added, "Because of the lies Vivian told you, you''d actually say something like that. I consider myself lucky to be alive. I''m lucky to be able to show these proofs to you and see you suffer like this.


    "To you, Vivian was pure and wless. So tell me, how does it feel to see your wife turn into nothing but a whore?"


    "Shut up! Shut up! Shut your mouth!" Charles roared angrily. "I hate you, Yvette! I hate you!"


    Suddenly, Yvette pped Charles across the face. "Charles, what right do you have to hate me? The Jenkins family lost so many lives in such a miserable way, but you and Vivian lived a good life with your children.


    "For years, I swallowed my pride and endured countless humiliations and hardships, just to ensure this revenge seeds. If I hadn''t been diagnosed with cancer, I would''ve continued watching from afar.


    "I wanted to watch how you and Vivian''s children would tear each other apart. Unfortunately, I won''t get to see that."


    Suddenly, Yvette coughed up a mouthful of blood. Every bone in her body ached. Every day, she had to rely on heavy doses of painkillers just to get through the day.


    "Charles, I''m satisfied with how things have turned out." Yvette''s mouth was covered in blood.


    "You lived a lifetime of happiness, but now that you''re at the end, you finally get to experience that agonizing pain. That''s enough for me.


    "As for the Walkers, what I did couldn''t be undone. They can''t do anything about me. I''m dying anyway. I just want them to know that I fear nothing."


    "Yvette, you''re truly vicious and evil." Charlesy crumpled on the ground, his body curled up, sobbing like a child.


    "Evil? So be it. I''m nothingpared to Vivian." Yvette wiped the blood from the corner of her lips. "Charles, if you must hate someone, hate Vivian.


    "She took the entire Jenkins family down with her for her love. She also used your love toward her, making you raise another man''s child.


    "If you want to talk about being evil, none of use close to her. She destroyed the Jenkins family, and I destroyed her children. That''s only fair."


    As Yvette spoke, she spat out another mouthful of blood. Once she was done, she casually took out a tissue and wiped her lips.


    She nced at the bloodstained tissue, then tossed it into the trash. Then, she shouted, "Charlene!"


    "Grandma, I''m here." Charlene rushed in.


    "Let''s go," Yvette said as she extended her hand.


    Charlene quickly held her and asked, "Grandma, where are we going?"


    "Home."


    "Okay"


    "You''re not leaving." Marcus stepped out from the shadows, blocking the path in front of Yvette and Charlene. "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, you''ve thrown the Holden family into chaos, causing so much pain to myo Grandpa in his old age. Do you think you can just leave like that?"


    "If that''s the case, I''ll just stay then." Yvette smirked, taking a seat fearlessly. "Marcus, you can''t threaten me. It''s fine by me. I have a terminal illness anyway. I don''t have much time left. I might as well spend my remaining days enjoying my time here at Holden Residence."


    "Marcus, let her go." Charles, still curled up on the floor, suddenly spoke. He was still sobbing, but his tone was firm. "Let her go. From now on, don''t cause her anymore trouble."


    "But Grandpa-"


    "Just listen to me," Charles cut him off. "Marcus, just do as I say."


    Marcus stepped aside. Yvette chuckled and walked right out of Holden Residence with Charlene holding her.


    "Grandpa..." Marcus stepped forward and lifted Charles from the ground.


    Charles'' face was soaked in his tears, his eyes bloodshot. He reached out and grabbed Marcus'' hand.


    With trembling lips, he said, "Marcus, back at Nattie''s wee party, I had given her a gift. Go take it back and destroy it."


    "Yes, Grandpa."


    "Grandpa Charles, that gift is valuable. Instead of destroying it, why don''t we sell it?" Natalie suggested as she stepped forward.


    She had already known what that gift meant. But now, that gift had turned into a dagger, stabbing straight into Charles'' heart.


    To Charles, that gift was tainted and no longer suitable for Natalie.


    "Nattie, I''m sorry. I really didn''t know." Charles'' voice trembled. He reached out his hand, and Natalie quickly grabbed it.


    Charles held both Natalie''s and Marcus'' hands together.


    "Only now do I realize that I''ve failed as a person in this life. Nattie, I''ve always cherished you. But I have onest request."


    "Go on, Grandpa Charles."


    Charles'' voice choked up. "I hope that you won''t hold Marcus ountable for what his grandmother and Cassie did.


    "I raised him myself. Just like me, he''s a fool for love. If you think the Holden family is a mess, let Marcus live with the Walkers.


    "It''s all my fault. I should''ve seen the truth earlier, but I didn''t. I missed the opportunity to investigate the truth.


    "Still, Marcus is innocent. So is his mother. Nattie, I''m begging you. I hope you


    and your family will take care of Marcus and love him too."


    Natalie looked at Marcus, and his eyes were already red-rimmed.


    After a moment of thought, she answered, "Grandpa Charles, don''t say anything else. I''ll take you to The Herbalist''s Sanctuary."

 Chapter 538 He No Longer Wants to Live

    In his current condition, Charles required treatment at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary. Federrick was the best person to both guide him and heal him.


    Natalie was just a youngdy. She was skilled in surgery and treatment, but when it came to theplex rtionships among elders, she couldn''t help out much.


    If Charles himself couldn''t ovee this hurdle in his heart, no amount of treatment or care could help him.


    "Nattie, it''s no use. I''m not going." Charles smiled bitterly. He wanted to show Natalie and Marcus a smile, but his smile looked uglier than when he cried.


    "Forget it. I''ll stop smiling. I don''t want to scare you two." Charles paused and continued, "Marcus, Nattie, listen to me.


    "I have raised Marcus since he was born. He knows nothing about the Jenkins family. He''s never even met his parents. Now that he finally reunited with his mother, he had to witness her in such agony.


    Cassie isn''t a good person. As for Wesley, I no longer can control him. I once thought that Vivian and I were a perfect couple. I was proud of how I treated her and my children.


    "However, Yvette was right about my mistakes. Back then, I sensed something was off, but I chose to trust my wife. Because of that, I didn''t get to save anyone from the fire that engulfed the Jenkins residence.


    "But that doesn''t justify Yvette''s decision to take revenge on the younger generation."


    As he spoke, tears streamed down his face. "Before this, I told Marcus that when I die, I want to be buried alongside Vivian. But now, I don''t want that anymore. Marcus, my heart hurts!"


    As Charles spoke, he cried uncontrobly. "It hurts... It really hurts."


    "Grandpa Charles, let me have a look at you," Natalie said as she stepped forward to examine Charles, but he stopped her.


    "Nattie, you''re a good child. The Walkers were dragged into this because of us. Worse still, you were taken away by the Langleys when you were just a baby.


    "You had to suffer so many years of abuse. You even had so much blood taken from you. The Holden family owes you.


    Charles turned to Marcus. "Marcus, promise me. No matter what, you must never let Nattie down. You mustn''t hurt her or bully her. Cherish her, love her, and protect her. No matter what she does, support her fully."


    "Grandpa, I don''t need to promise you that. I''ll do that no matter what." Marcus held Charles'' hands tightly. "Grandpa, you promised me that you''d watch me get married and have children. You even said you''ll raise them for me."


    "Marcus, I won''t be able to wait that long." Charles'' tears fell relentlessly. "I would like to. That was my dream, but I won''t make it. I don''t want to live anymore. It hurts. It hurts here."


    Charles pointed to his heart. The pain was unbearable, but it wasn''t physical. Instead, it was psychological.


    "Physical illnesses can be treated, but it''s not the same for the heart. Marcus, don''t be sad. Don''t cry. You promised me, right? I''ll just be going ahead to set up Holden Corporation for you in the afterlife. When your timees, you''ll inherit it from me."


    Charles chuckled and added, "That way, you''ll still be rich in the afterlife."


    "Grandpa..." Marcus'' eyes reddened. He felt as if his throat was stuffed with cotton, making it impossible to speak.


    "Marcus, stop crying. You''ll cry away all your luck." Charles reached out and knocked Marcus on the head. "Aren''t you afraid your girlfriend''s going tough at you for crying so miserably?"


    Hearing this, Natalie''s tears began to well up. She turned her head away, suppressing the sadness inside her.


    On the way to the hospital, she had already guessed that Charles didn''t want to live anymore. But if he really passed away, she couldn''t imagine the pain Marcus would have to endure.


    "Nattie, please be good to Marcus." Seeing that Natalie was looking away, he smiled and said, "I''m fine. Death isn''t scary at all.


    "What''s truly frightening is being forgotten. Even when I''m gone, I know you two will always remember me. And that''s enough.


    "Nattie, once I''m down there, I''ll teach Cindy a lesson for you. She''s the one who had you switched at birth, making you suffer for many years''ll make sure to beat her to to be a


    death so she won''t even geto


    ghost."


    "Grandpa Charles, please stop." Natalie sniffled. "I don''t like this


    topic. It isn''t funny at all. We don''t want to hear it. If you truly care about Marcus, then take care of yourself and live to see us get married."


    "Nattie, Marcus, I''m sorry. This time, I can''t keep my promise." Charles closed his eyes, tears rolling down his face. "It''s so embarrassing for an old man like me to be crying in front of you young ones.


    "Marcus, remember what I said. Don''t bury me with your grandma. Justy me alone at the other end of the Holden family cemetery.


    "Or better yet, move her grave somewhere else. Since she never loved me and only wanted to be with that man, let her be. Once I''m gone, askvette where the Jenkins family buried him. Let her have her wish."


    After he said that, it was as if all the strength drained from his body. He closed his eyes, letting the tears flow.


    "Grandpa, let me bring you to your room."


    Marcus lifted Charles into his arms. The man who had always been strong and


    kind, who had loved him more than he had punished him, had suddenly be so fragile.


    Marcus'' heart ached. After carrying Charles into the bedroom, he summoned Sheldon.


    "Sheldon, take good care of Grandpa."


    "Mr. Holden, don''t worry. I will."


    After taking a short break and calming down to process everything, Sheldon finally returned to his usual demeanor. He finally realized just how serious Yvette''s return was.


    Marcus'' gaze never left Charles, who kept his eyes shut. His worries only grew. After a long silence, he spoke in a hoarse voice. "Nat, let''s talk outside."


    "Alright."


    With that, Natalie followed Marcus and walked out of Charles'' bedroom.


    They kept on walking, with Marcus leading the way. Finally, they stopped beneath thergest maple tree in Holden Residence.


    "Nat, tell me, is Grandpa really not going to make it?" Marcus'' voice was rough.


    He was trying hard to suppress the pain, but his voice betrayed him.


    Natalie didn''t want to lie to him, so she remained silent.


    Seeing that she didn''t say a word, Marcus showed a bitter smile. "Nat, just tell me.


    I can handle it."


    Natalie took a deep breath and slowly said, "Yes. Grandpa Charles has lost the will to live. His heart is fine, but he''s hurting.


    "Psychological pain is worse than any illness and much harder to heal. Marcus, I warned you before. I told you to be prepared for this."

 Chapter 539 Nat, Lets Get Engaged

    As soon as Natalie finished speaking, Marcus remained silent for a long time. He stared at the trees before him, feeling as if his heart was being gripped tightly, making it hard to breathe.


    The sky was bright, but he felt as if the world in front of him was plunged into darkness.


    Natalie didn''t say another word. Marcus was smart, so there was no need to borate further.


    Marcus understood Charles''s condition, but he refused to ept it. That was why he was asking her.


    But she would never lie to him about something that important. Even if it had good intentions, she didn''t want to lie to him.


    Time ticked by, minute by minute. The daylight faded into dusk, and then night fell. The lights around Holden Residence gradually lit up, illuminating the darkness.


    Yet, in Marcus'' eyes, the world remained pitch ck.


    Natalie stepped forward, gently squeezing his fingers. "Marcus, are you okay?"


    "I''m fine," he murmured. "Sorry for worrying you."


    Then, Marcus'' gaze locked onto hers. "Nat, let''s get engaged."


    At that moment, he seemed to finally regain his focus. Then, he repeated his


    words slowly and clearly, "Let''s get engaged, Natalie Walker."


    "Hm?" Natalie reached out to touch his forehead. "Do you have a fever?"


    Marcus let out a bitter chuckle. "No, I''m serious."


    As he spoke, he suddenly dropped to one knee, pulling a small ring box from his pocket. He had carried this ring box with him ever since they made their rtionship official, waiting for the right moment.


    But the right moment never came.


    Now, knowing that Charles had lost the will to leave, Marcus realized he couldn''t hold onto him any longer. He wished that before Charles left them, he could witness his engagement.


    "Nat, will you marry me?" Marcus'' eyes were red-rimmed, his voice hoarse. "I know that this is sudden, and I didn''t prepare anything special. But Nat, will you marry me?"


    Natalie didn''t hesitate. She extended her right hand and said, "Put it on. Hurry."


    This time, Marcus was stunned. He stared at her in disbelief, momentarily forgetting what to do next.


    Natalie frowned. "Didn''t you just propose? I said yes. So put the ring on me!" "Oh, right."


    Marcus quickly slid the ring onto her finger before pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly.


    Natalie wrapped her arms around his waist and said, "Marcus, I know how sad you are. Let''s get engaged first and fulfill Grandpa Charles'' wish."


    "Nat, thank you. Thank you so much." Marcus choked out.


    Natalie understood himpletely, so she didn''t need him to exin a thing.


    "Grandpa Charles needs some time to calm down, so let''s not disturb him for now. I''ve already sent a message to my parents, asking them toe talk to him. But whether it helps or not, I don''t know."


    "My family owes you too much." Marcus'' eyes were bloodshot. "And now, I''m asking you to do this for me. Nat, I feel like a scumbag."


    "Aren''t we couple?" Natalie patted his shoulder lightly. "Or are you saying you only want to date me, but not marry me? For me, I dated you intending to get married. If I''m with you, it''s for life."


    Her voice was calm yet resolute. "Back when I was engaged to Tyler, it was the Langleys arrangement. But I knew he wasn''t the one for me. That''s why I never imagined actually marrying him."


    After a short pause, she continued, "Marcus, you''re different. I''m serious about us, about spending a lifetime with you.


    "To me, it doesn''t matter if you propose today or tomorrow or next year. But if doing it now can give Grandpa Charles some peace, then now is the perfect time."


    Marcus'' eyes turned even redder. He didn''t know how to express his gratitude. "Nat, thank you."


    "Well, why don''t we go share the good news with Grandpa Charles?" Natalie smiled, her tone lighter. "I''m sure he''d want to attend our engagement party."


    "Okay." Marcus'' voice was low and rough, and his eyes were still red. He rarely showed his emotions, but now, he was disying his vulnerability in front of Natalie.


    Natalie intertwined their hands and said, "Let''s go. There''s nothing to worry about."


    "Thank you, Nat." Marcus'' vision blurred again, but he forced himself to hold back his tears.


    "Marcus, Grandpa Charles needs you," Natalie said.


    With that, Marcus'' tears finally spilled over.


    No, Charles didn''t need him anymore. His faith had crumbled.


    Even though Marcus hadn''t seen what was on that USB drive, judging by the shattered remains of theptop on the floor, he knew what was inside.


    Furthermore, the paternity test result between Cassie and Charles had dealt a serious blow. It was so bad that it caused Charles to lose his will to live. Even their engagement might not be enough to keep him going.


    "Marcus, we haven''t even tried yet," Natalie said, squeezing his hand as they walked. "It''s not like you to give up that easily."


    "This is different. It''s Grandpa." Marcus closed his eyes, trying to force back the tears.


    Charles was the man who raised him. He was the most important person in Marcus'' life. He was a great man who didn''t deserve to be deceived of his love and devotion like this.


    Even if he didn''t investigate what happened to the Jenkins family, that wasn''t his crime to bear. Vivan''s sins were hers alone to bear.


    Even though Marcus didn''t say these thoughts out loud, Natalie understood. Back then, when Charles was weak and had heart issues, Marcus searched the world for specialists. He even used every possible connection and finally obtained Connie''s email.


    Marcus had spent so much time and effort to contact Elim, just to save Charles. He didn''t care about the price he had to pay. All he wanted was for Charles to be alive and healthy.


    But now, Yvette had ruined everything.


    "Marcus, my parents should be here soon. When you see them, just keep quiet. I''ll do the talking."


    Natalie stared at Marcus. His eyes were still red, and the tears at the corners of his eyes might fall at any given time.


    She had known him for quite some time, but this was the first time she had seen him this shaken and heartbroken.


    Her heart ache for him.

 Chapter 540 Making Arrangements Before Death

    Marcus held Natalie tightly, and both of them remained outside for a long time. When Marcus finallyposed himself, returning to his usual indifferent expression, they finally entered the vi.


    At that time, William and Charlotte had already arrived and were summoned into Charles'' study.


    The three sat opposite one another as Charles ordered Sheldon to bring out stacks of documents. Then, he ced a key in front of Charlotte.


    "Charlotte, this is the key to my safe. It''s a gift from me to Nat. These are the wedding gifts from the Holdens to the Walkers, and these are for Nat."


    Charles ced the documents neatly before Charlotte and William.


    "I never knew, nor did I imagine that someone from the Jenkins family was still alive. Not only that, she even orchestrated such an borate scheme, dragging so many innocent people into it. It''s my fault. Because of me, Nat was taken away from you at birth."


    Charles had no intention of hiding the truth from William and Charlotte, but he spared them certain details of the situation.


    All he wanted was to help Marcus with arranging the wedding before he passed.


    After all, Wesley and Laura had never truly raised Marcus. Furthermore, they even got divorced after he had grown up.


    As Marcus'' grandfather, Charles felt like it was his responsibility to handle this matter for Marcus while he was still alive.


    "William, Charlotte, I have one more request." Charles'' eyes reddened as he looked at them. "If I''m no longer around, if Marcus and Natalie ever get into a disagreement, please don''t scold or punish Marcus.


    "You both know that even though Marcus has parents, I was the one who raised him. I don''t know how much longer I have left. Once I''m gone, he''ll be all by himself."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, don''t say that." Charlotte couldn''t bear to hear such words. "You''ll live a long life. You''ll be around to see Marcus and Natalie''s child be born."


    Charles shook his head bitterly. Feeling his strength fading, he knew he wouldn''tst that long.


    "Marcus has always been sensible. If he does something wrong, just talk to him nicely, he''ll listen. I''ll remind him myself to never hurt Natalie or betray her in any way.


    "I have also prepared a will. This inheritance is meant for Marcus and Natalie. If Marcus ever cheats on her or wrongs her, everything will go to Natalie. And if Natalie is the one who wrongs Marcus, she can take half of it aspensation."


    "Mr. Holden Senior, please don''t say such things," William spoke up. "If Marcus hears this, he''ll be heartbroken."


    "Wesley and Laura haven''t returned yet," Charlotte added. "Marcus has always trusted and respected you the most. If you''re no longer around, none of us can predict what will happen to him."


    "That''s right!" Sheldon choked up, standing behind them. "Please don''t say such things, sir. It''s too painful to hear."


    "I asked all of you here to discuss Marcus and Natalie''s future, not to be sad and sorrowful." Charles shot a nce at Sheldon.


    Sheldon''s tears fell freely. He couldn''t hold back his emotions, so he turned around and wept openly.


    Charles ignored him and turned back to William and Charlotte. "These here are


    for Natatlie''s brothers. Call it a bribe if you want to. I hope they can treat Marcus well and not bully him."


    "Grandpa!"


    "Grandpa Charles!"


    Marcus and Natalie knocked on the door before stepping inside.


    "What are you all talking about?" Marcus asked, suppressing his emotions. He and Natalie had been eavesdropping outside for a while, but Charles and Natalie''s parents hadn''t noticed.


    "What are these?" Marcus asked.


    "Since you''re here, take a seat!" Charles pulled Marcus to sit next to him and then gestured for Natalie to sit next to Charlotte.


    Charles looked at Marcus from head to toe. He had poured his heart and soul into raising Marcus with love and care.


    Their affection toward each other was just as deep.


    Before, he never thought much about it, but at that moment, Charles felt that Marcus was handsome and exceptional.


    Charles gazed at Marcus for a long time before cing the thickest stack of documents in front of him.


    "Marcus, this is from me."


    This stack of documents contained the most important part of his estate.


    Charles was worried that after he was gone, Marcus would be left alone and bullied by the Walkers. That


    t was the reason why he asked


    William and Charlotte toe over first for a discussion.


    The Walkers had always been reasonable, but fiercely protective. If Marcus and Natalie were to get into a disagreement, Natalie''s brothers wouldn''t hesitate to beat him up.


    Charles couldn''t risk that happening, so he made all the necessary arrangements in advance.


    William and Charlotte were both smart people. Since Charles had spelled things out clearly, they understood.


    Sure enough, William spoke up.


    "Charles, please rest assured. We swear on our lives that the Walkers will never mistreat Marcus. Both of us will treat him as our own son.


    "We have a rule within the family, that once we ept someone, we never go back on our word, and we never betray them.


    "If something were to happen between Marcus and Natalie, we will remain fair


    and just. But honestly, we don''t think that day will evere."


    Hearing this, Charles felt relieved. He nodded and handed Marcus a sealed envelope. "Marcus, this contains the most important items I''m leaving to you. Look


    at it when you have the time."


    He added, "Now then, it''s your turn. Do you and Nat have something to tell us?"


    Marcus opened his mouth, but his throat felt tight. Everything Charles was saying and doing, it was obvious he was preparing for his end.


    "Grandpa Charles, Marcus just proposed to me," Natalie spoke up first. "Now that my parents are here, why don''t both families discuss our engagement party? After all, back when Marcus and I weren''t on good terms, you were the one protecting m¨¦.  ?wnovel


    "I think you should still be in charge of our engagement. When I marry into the Holden family, you''ll still have to continue protecting me, okay? You must make sure that Marcus never gets the chance to bully me, okay?"


    Natalie''s voice carried a hint of yfulness, and her face was filled with


    happiness. She was trying to change the subject, hoping to pull Charles out of his


    sorrow.

 Chapter 541 Preparing For The Engagement Ceremony

    "Grandpa Charles, please?"


    Natalie reached out and lightly pinched Charlotte''s arm.


    Charlotte immediately caught on and quickly chimed in. "That''s right, Mr. Holden Senior. William and I don''t have your eye for aesthetics. We''ve been retired for years. We''ll need your guidance and advice. Our family will support you, but you''ll have to take the lead. You have to guide us."


    As Charlotte spoke, she gave William a nudge. He quickly followed up. "Yes, yes, Charlotte and I don''t know much about this sort of thing. We''ll be relying on your help."


    Charles just stared at them in silence.


    He thought that the Walker couple words were getting more and more exaggerated. With their abilities, there was no way they couldn''t n an engagement.


    But he understood what they were doing. Natalie and her parents were trying to distract him, to keep his mind upied.


    "Grandpa Charles, please? The three... no, all eight of us are begging you." Natalie pouted. She rarely acted cute, and when she did, it always felt a little forced.


    Marcus remained silent, but his reddened eyes betrayed his emotions.


    Natalie felt ufortable acting this way, but still she forced herself to continue. "Grandpa Charles, please? Just say yes, okay? This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me and your grandson."


    Marcus could no longer hold back. His voice broke, heavy with emotion, as he forced the words out, his eyes red-rimmed. "Please say yes."


    Looking at Marcus'' red-rimmed eyes and hearing the way he choked out his words, Charles finally relented.


    "Alright, I''ll do it. I''ll discuss the engagement arrangements with Nat''s parents," he said, his voice trembling. His eyes were also red-rimmed as he patted Marcus'' shoulder.


    "Thank you, Grandpa Charles. And thank you, Mom and Dad," Natalie said sweetly.


    "No need to be polite with us, go spend time with Marcus. We have work to do now with Mr. Holden Senior," Charlotte said, ruffling Natalie''s hair.


    "Alright."


    Natalie stood up and took Marcus'' hand as they left the study.


    Once outside, she let out a deep breath, then wrapped her arm around Marcus'' and lowered her voice. "It''s fine now. My parents will keep Grandpa Charles busy for a good while."


    Marcus'' eyes were still red. Suddenly, he gripped Natalie''s hand tightly, pulled her into the elevator, and pressed the button for the fifth floor.


    When the doors opened, he led her out and pushed open the door to a room. As soon as they stepped inside, he backed her against the door and kissed her.


    His breathing was heavy, his movements urgent and rough. Natalie wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on tiptoe to meet his intensity.


    Marcus had been suppressing his emotions ever since they entered the study. Natalie didn''t ask, but she understood.


    His kisses were fierce and desperate, yet silent tears rolled down from the corners of his eyes, cold dropletsnding on her shoulder.


    Natalie frowned slightly before gently pushing him away. "You''re tearing up..."


    She pulled out a tissue and wiped the tears from his face.


    Marcus turned his head slightly, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. "Mm. Something got in my eye."


    "Do you really think that excuse will fool anyone?"


    Marcus said nothing. He simply held Natalie''s hand and led her to the window. "Do you see that big maple tree? Grandpa nted it the year I was born."


    "I see it."


    "Grandpa once told me that when he passes, he wants to be buried next to Grandma. But Sheldon had just texted, saying that Grandpa changed his with He wants to be cremated and have his ashes buried under that maple tree instead."


    Marcus'' eyes grew even redder.


    "Nat, I don''t want anything to happen to him."


    "Grandpa Charles will be fine. My parents will keep him busy. nning our engagement will be no easy task. It''ll take at least a month. A month is enough time for Grandpa Charles to adjust his mindset," Natalie said firmly.


    "Really? Nat, I''ve never been this scared before," Marcus murmured, unsure of himself.


    He had always handled everything with confidence and decisiveness. But not this time. Nothing felt certain anymore.


    "Trust me. Mareus, you have no choice but to trust me. Our engagement ceremony will be


    will demand most of Grandpa Charles'' energy and attention He will not have the time to dwell on what Yvette told him," Natalie said resolutely.


    It


    Her unwavering determination gave Marcus a sudden sense of reassurance. He


    nodded slowly. "Alright, I trust you."


    Even if he couldn''t trust himself, he had to trust Natalie.


    Natalie smiled. "Then now, may I wipe your tears?"


    "Mm." Marcus obediently leaned forward, letting her gently dab his tears away


    with a tissue. "Thank you, Nat."


    "I''m your girlfriend. If something


    makes you sad, of course you have to tell me, Natalie wiped his tears away, then pressed a soft kiss on his lips. "You haven''t been to the Holden Group in a while. You should go back. Keep yourself busy. Let Grandpa Charles feel that you still need him."


    "Alright, I understand." Marcus forced a small smile before cupping Natalie''s face again and kissing her tenderly.


    He was deeply afraid, desperately needing something to hold onto. Natalie was


    by his side, his best source offort.


    She wrapped her arms around his waist and closed her eyes, responding to his


    kiss.


    ...


    Meanwhile, William and Charlotte bombarded Charles with countless questions. Every time he asked for their opinions they simply shook their heads.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, we have no idea how to n an engagement ceremony! Just tell us what to do, and we will get it done.


    "But for the details, you''ll have to oversee everything yourself. The venue, flowers, jewelry, guest invitations... there are too many things we don''t know how to


    organize!"


    Charlotte put on apletely clueless expression, as if she and William were totally inept. "Mr. Holden Senior, we''re counting on you to lead us!" Charles was speechless. He finally couldn''t hold back anymore. "Do you two even hear yourselves? I know you are trying to make me feel better, but pretending to be idiots is just making me speechless."


    "What are you saying, Mr. Holden Senior? We really don''t know how to n an engagement ceremony! We''re not pretending. Isn''t that right, dear?" Charlotte blinked innocently.


    William immediately nodded. "That''s right. Charlotte and I really have no clue, so we''ll just have to leave it all to you, Mr. Holden Senior."


    Charles waved them off. "Alright. You may go. I''d like some time to think on my


    own."

 Chapter 542 Sheldon Breaks Down In Tears

    "Alright then. Take your time, Mr. Holden Senior."


    William and Charlotte stood up. They exchanged a quick nce before walking out of the study.


    Charles rose from his chair and walked over to his desk, sinking into his seat. The framed photograph that had once been there had been removed at his request. Sheldon had taken it away.


    The frame sat there, empty and hollow.


    A deep ache settled in his chest. He pressed his fingers against his forehead before moving a trembling hand to clutch his heart.


    The pain was unbearable, so sharp that it felt suffocating. The moment he closed his eyes, all he could see was Vivian entwined with another man, locked in betrayal.


    Yvette''s ruthless move hadpletely shattered the love and faith he had clung to for so many years.


    With his eyes shut, memories flickered before him like an old film, each frame piercing deeper into his soul.


    He saw his childhood, ying and studying alongside Vivian. He saw their engagement, their wedding, and the moment she became pregnant. He had been overwhelmed with joy, running around excitedly, shouting that he was going to be a father.


    He had cared for her with the utmost caution throughout her pregnancy, fearing that even the slightest difort might harm her. And when she gave birth, he had been terrified, praying that she would make it through safely.


    He couldn''t understand. Where had he gone wrong?


    That man had nothing special. He had seen the photos and watched the video. The man was inferior to him in every way. His looks, his stature, and his presence were nothing extraordinary. What had Vivian seen in him?


    The pain in Charles'' chest intensified. His eyes burned. His head hung low, and heavy tears fell onto the desk.


    "Why? Why? Why did it have to be this way?" he choked out.


    William and Charlotte stepped into the living room and spotted Sheldon crouched behind therge potted umbre nt in the corner, shoulders trembling with sobs.


    They exchanged nces. Charlotte gave a slight nod before stepping aside. William approached Sheldon and gently ced a hand on his shoulder.


    "Sheldon, what''s wrong? Why are you crying here alone?" William asked softly. Sheldon lifted his head. His face was soaked in tears,pletely out of control. "Mr. Walker, Mr. Holden Senior... he doesn''t want to live anymore."


    His voice was hoarse and choked with emotion as he grabbed William''s wrist. "Mr. Walker, I beg you. Help me. Please save him."


    As he spoke, his sobs grew louder. "Yvette is cruel. She is truly too cruel. Mr. Holden Senior didn''t set that fire back then. He didn''t even know about it. Of course he sided with his wife. She was thedy of the household. What was so wrong about favoring his own wife?"


    Tears streamed down Sheldon''s face. "But Yvette is unreasonable. She put all the me on Mr. Holden Senior, and even dragged the Walker family into it. Because of her, Ms. Walker was switched at birth and spent all those years suffering in the Langley family.


    "Why did she have to involve the innocent? The Jenkins family deceived Mr. Holden Senior. Vivian already had a man she loved, yet she still chose to marry Mr. Holden Senior and kept the truth from him.


    "Mr. Holden Senior is a victim too. He is a good man. He could have any woman he wanted, but because he loved Vivian so deeply, he was deceived by her family."


    The more Sheldon spoke, the more aggrieved he felt. His sobs grew louder.


    "Yvette curses Mr. Holden Senior, but she is the one who deserves to be cursed. The Jenkins family turned against each other, yet she mes Mr. Holden Senior for everything.


    "If they hadn''t deceived him, Mr. Holden Senior would have married someone else. Someone who truly loved him. He would have lived a peaceful and happy life. If not for their Ties, Mr. Wesley, Madam Laura, and even Mr. Marcus would never have suffered so much."


    William listened to Sheldon''s impassioned words and couldn''t help but agree.


    The Jenkins family had lied and manipted from the start. They had forcibly separated Vivian from the man she loved. It was no wonder she harbored resentment. Even after marrying into the Holden family, she probably med Charles for everything, thinking he had kept her from the life she truly wanted.


    "Mr. Holden Senior loved Cassie so much. He devoted his life to raising her with love and care, yet in the end..." Sheldon choked on his sobs. "In the end, Cassie turned out to be another man''s child.


    "Mr. Holden Senior spent years raising another man''s daughter, only for her to turn around and harm Madam Laura and leave Mr. Marcus without parents for so many years. I hate her. I hate Yvette. I hate Vivian too. I just... I want to kill Yvette."


    William''s expression changed. He quickly helped Sheldon to his feet.


    "Sheldon, I understand how you feel. But Yvette already has cancer. If you kill her now, not only will you lose your life, you''ll be giving her a way out. It''s not worth it. You mustn''t do something so reckless.


    "Sheldon, Mr. Holden Senior needs you now more than ever. You have been by his side for decades. You cannot copse before he does.


    "We''ve asked Mr. Holden Senior to take charge of Marcus and Nat''s engagement. There''s still a lot of work ahead. You''re needed. Don''t do anything foolish."


    Sheldon didn''t respond. He just kept sobbing, his whole body trembling. In all his years with Charles, he had never cried like this.


    William sighed inwardly and guided him to the couch.


    "Sheldon, have you ever thought about why Yvette chose this moment to reveal everything?"


    "I know. She''s a venomous woman. She''s dying, so she wants to drag Mr. Holden Senior down with her. She wants to see him suffer before she dies."


    Even as he cried, Sheldon still managed to respond.


    "Then we mustn''t let her have her way. Everything you said was absolutely right," William said seriously.


    "The Jenkins family deceived and manipted people from the very beginning. This was nothing short of a fraudulent marriage, and now Yvette has the audacity


    to me the Holden and Walker families. She ispletely deranged."


    William added, his tone darkening, "I feel like going over there and cursing her out right now. Sheldon, do you want toe with me? I''m even considering pping her across the face don''t care if she is an elder. She swapped my daughter at birth. I want to beat her to death?"


    "You''re right. Let''s go together." Sheldon''s eyes lit up at those words.


    "Let''s take Mr. Holden Senior too. We''ll all go scold her together."


    William''s idea struck a chord. Charles was holding everything in. If he didn''t find a way to let it out, he might spiral into despair and take his own life.


    "Good. I''ll go get him right now."


    Sheldon abruptly stopped crying. He wiped his tears roughly and rushed toward


    the study.


    "Mr. Holden Senior. Mr. Holden Senior."


    He didn''t even knock before shoving the door open. The next second, a terrified


    scream echoed through the house.


    "Mr. Holden Senior!"

 Chapter 543 Charles Passing

    Sheldon let out a terrified scream. His legs gave out, and he copsed to his knees.


    William rushed inside. The moment he saw the scene before him, he froze in


    shock.


    "Someone help! Hurry! Hector, Nat,e quickly!" William shouted.


    At that moment, Natalie and Marcus were on the fifth floor. She thought she heard someone calling her name, but the sound was fleeting and quickly faded.


    Hector hadn''t gone far. The moment he heard William''s urgent cry, he sprinted toward the study.


    "Hector, save Mr. Holden Senior. Quickly, Sheldon, call Marcus right now," Williammanded without hesitation. His voice was swift and steady.


    "Yes, yes," Sheldon stammered. He was too shaken to think. All he could do was follow orders.


    His hands trembled as he fumbled with his phone. It took him several attempts to press the right buttons. When he finally got through, the moment he heard Marcus'' voice, he broke down in sobs.


    "Mr. Marcus,e to the study right away. Mr. Holden Senior, he..."


    He couldn''t finish the sentence.


    The call abruptly ended.


    On the fifth floor, Marcus grabbed Natalie''s hand and bolted from the room.


    He couldn''t wait for the elevator and instead took the stairs, racing down with Natalie following closely behind. She didn''t ask any questions, keeping pace with him the entire way.


    When they arrived at the study, Hector had already finished performing emergency treatment. But it was toote.


    Natalie immediately recognized it as the moment of lucidity before death. His final burst of life.


    Marcus rushed to Charles'' side. His eyes were bloodshot, and tears streamed silently down his cheeks.


    "Marcus, make the most of this moment," Hector said softly, unsure of what to say, but he had to say something.


    He stepped back to make room. Marcus moved forward and carefully cradled Charles in his arms. His voice was hoarse as he spoke.


    "Grandpa, you just promised us that you would help n out the engagement ceremony."


    His tears fell without sound, one after another.


    "You promised Nat and me. You can''t go back on your word."


    Charles raised a trembling hand. Marcus immediately lowered his head so that his grandfather''s fingers could brush against his face.


    "Marcus, I''m sorry," Charles whispered as tears slipped from his own eyes. "This is my fault. I broke my promise."


    He continued, "Marcus, when I''m gone, you must live well. You and Nat must be happy. You must never hurt the one you love. Never betray them.


    "My life has been a failure. Aplete failure. But at least I have you. You''re my best and most outstanding grandson. Having you is enough."


    Charles'' tears streamed down his wrinkled face, but there was a gentle smile on his lips as Marcus held him.


    "Marcus, forgive me. I''m going ahead. I won''t get to see you marry or have children. I broke my promise. That''s my fault. Please don''t me me."


    Marcus sobbed uncontrobly. He shook his head vigorously, unable to make a sound.


    "Marcus, raising you has been the greatest joy and achievement of my life," Charles said, his gaze filled with love and pride. You''re exceptional, and I''m proud of you.


    "You have Nat now. Her parents are


    good people. Her brothers will be


    good brothers to you too. Your mother''s recovered from her illness. Even when I''m gone, you''ll still have her, and you''ll have Nat''s family. They''ll all love you. Knowing this, I can leave without regret.


    Then he turned his gaze to William. "William,e closer."


    William hurried forward. "Mr. Holden Senior."


    "I know you''re a good man. You and Charlotte are wonderful parents. I''m entrusting Marcus to you."


    "Charles, please don''t say that," William said, gripping his frail hand. For the first time in years, he used the name he had called him in his youth.


    "William, I don''t have much time left," Charles said, his voice steady despite the tears in his eyes.


    "I know what you were trying to do when you asked me to n the engagement ceremony. But please forgive me. I truly cannot hold on any longer. It hurts. It hurts so much."


    He ced a hand over his chest.


    "At least before I go, I know Marcus has found Nat. That is enough for me. William, promise me. You and Charlotte, and Nat''s brothers. Treat Marcus as your own. Love him the way you love Nat."


    "Charles, I promise you, Marcus and Nat are together now. That makes him part


    of the Walker family. Charlotte and I will treat him even better than our own sons. Charles, don''t worry," William said, eyes reddening.


    Hearing this, Charles exhaled softly. "That''s all I needed to hear."


    His trembling fingers reached up to wipe the tears from Marcus''s face. "Marcus,


    don''t cry. You don''t look good when you cry."


    He turned to look at Natalie. "Nat,e here."


    William wiped his eyes and stepped aside. Natalie walked forward and knelt beside him.


    "Grandpa Charles."


    "Just call me Grandpa," Charles said gently. "From the moment I first saw you, I liked you. Not because of Grace, but because of you. You have always been special. And I was right."


    Without hesitation, Natalie changed the way she addressed him. "Grandpa, I''ll marry Marcus. We''ll have children. Our family will love Marcus just as much as you do. We''ll carry on your love for him together."


    "That''s good. My sweet child." Charles smiled. His breathing was weak, but he forced himself to keep speaking. "With your words, and your parent''s promise, I can finally let go. I''m sorry, Nattie. I won''t be able to help with the wedding nning."


    He continued, "I was blind before. I trusted Grace too much. If I''d known earlier, I would''ve kept you by Marcus'' side from the beginning. You wouldn''t have had to suffer all those years with the Langley family.


    "This is my fault. Because of me, Yvette turned her hatred toward all of you. I must go now. I have to answer for my sins."


    "Marcus, don''t ery. It hurts me to see you like this. Charles then stroked Marcus'' face, slowly wiping away his tears. "My dear boy, don''t cry. I''m only going ahead. I''ll prepare the world for you. When your timees many years from now, you''ll still be born into a wealthy family."


    Marcus shook his head desperately. He didn''t care about wealth in the afterlife.


    He only wanted his grandfather to live. He wanted him to grow old, to stay with him for as long as possible.


    "No more tears. It makes you look bad." Charles murmured weakly as he wiped away another tear.


    "Marcus, I''m tired. Remember what I''ve instructed. Bury me beneath that big maple tree. If you ever miss me,e and talk to it. My good child. Don''t cry."


    Marcus opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.


    "Be good. No more tears."


    Charles gazed at him with deep affection. His breathing grew shallow. His hand,


    still wiping away Marcus'' tears, slipped from his cheek and fell. His eyes, still wet with tears, closed for thest time.


    "Grandpa!"


    Marcus'' cry pierced the air. It was filled with pain, raw and agonizing, as though


    his very soul had been torn apart.

 Chapter 544 Replacing Grief With Ruthless Composure

    "Grandpa!"


    Marcus'' anguished cry ripped through the air, raw and heart-wrenching. A stream of blood trickled from his lips as he clutched Charles and copsed.


    "Mr. Marcus! Mr. Holden Senior!"


    Sheldon lunged forward, his cries turning into desperate wails.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, wake up! Mr. Marcus, wake up! Please, don''t do this to me!"


    He threw himself over Marcus and Charles, his body trembling. If Charles was gone, then he had no reason to live either.


    "Hector, pull Sheldon away," William ordered.


    Hector stepped forward, grabbing Sheldon and holding him in ce.


    Natalie stood frozen, her mind nk. A dull ringing echoed in her ears as she struggled to process what had just happened. This was the first time she had witnessed the death of someone who had truly cared for her.


    William,posed as ever, took control of the situation. Knowing Sheldon was in no state to help, he immediately summoned Charlotte.


    When Charlotte entered and saw Natalie kneeling in a daze, she said nothing. Instead, she reached out and gently covered Natalie''s eyes with her hands.


    "Nat,e with me."


    "Charlotte, call Laura. Have her notify Wesley," William instructed calmly.


    "Alright, I''ll do it now," Charlotte replied.


    "Call Lincoln and the others. They need to be here as well. Take Nat outside. Have her stay with Marcus."


    "Understood. Nat, let''s go."


    Natalie remained motionless. Charlotte frowned, worried that Charles'' passing would consume her with grief and guilt.


    "Nat, listen to me."


    Finally, Natalie stirred, gently pushing Charlotte''s hands away. "I''m fine. Mom, don''t worry about me."


    She turned and walked toward Marcus. Even when he was unconscious, he clung tightly to Charles, refusing to let go.


    Natalie''s throat tightened, but she forced herself to stayposed. She reached out, carefully prying Marcus'' fingers away from Charles.


    But his grip was too strong. No matter how gently she pulled, she couldn''t separate them. She didn''t call for help. Instead, she pressed down on a pressure point in his arm, and his grip finally loosened.


    Natalie carefully supported him, preparing to lift him, but Hector stepped in. "Nat, let me."


    Without hesitation, he hoisted Marcus onto his back and carried him out of the study.


    "Dad, Mom, I''ll leave everything here to you," Natalie said.


    "Don''t worry, Nat. Your father and I will handle everything," Charlotte reassured her, gently cupping Natalie''s face.


    Natalie nodded. "Alright."


    She followed Hector, helping settle Marcus into a guest room on the first floor. "Hector, you should help Dad and Mom. I''ll stay here with Marcus."


    "Nat, you need to wake him up. The Holden family needs him to take charge now," Hector said, frowning. "Mr. Holden Senior''s funeral is a huge event. We''re outsiders in this matter."


    "I know, Hector. You should go."


    "Alright."


    After Hector left, Natalie sat beside Marcus. She reached out, gently brushing her fingers over his face before pressing a specific point on his neck. Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open.


    "Marcus, it''s me. Natalie," Natalie said softly.


    His gaze locked onto her face. He didn''t look away. He simply stared, unblinking, as if afraid she might disappear if he did.


    "Grandpa is gone. Before he left, he told you not to cry. He wanted you to be happy. To be healthy. To live a good life." Natalie''s voice was calm and steady.


    A single tear slid silently down Marcus'' cheek. Then another. And another. With each blink, more tears followed.


    "Marcus, can you pull yourself together?" Natalie took his hand in hers, then leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his tears.


    Marcus remained mute, unable to speak through his grief.


    Natalie didn''t speak again. She


    simply kissed him, softly and patiently, wiping away each tear with her lips. But no matter how many she kissed away, the tears kepting, endless as a stream.


    "Marcus, the Holden family needs you to take charge now. You need to arrange Grandpa''s funeral." Natalie lifted her gaze slightly, locking eyes with him without blinking.


    "Can you really trust anyone else to handle this properly? Think about Cassie. She''s probably hiding somewhere, waiting for the perfect moment to stir up trouble.


    "And then Yvette. She pushed all the me onto the Holden family, onto Grandpa. She drove him to his death. Are you really willing to do nothing? Just lie here and cry?"


    Her voice was quiet but piercing. Stripped of warmth or emotion. Just an icy calm.


    "Marcus, get up."


    Slowly, he sat upright. His gaze met hers. Natalie picked up a tissue and gently wiped his face.


    "Do you remember what Grandpa said? He told you not to cry. He said you look terrible when you cry. Marcus, stand up. Don''t let Grandpa leave without peace of mind."


    Marcus lowered his head, silent for a long time. When he finally lifted his eyes again, the sorrow and despair were gone, buried deep within.


    What reced them was something else¡ªcold, unwavering, and ruthless.


    His gaze was so calm it was almost cruel. He stared at Natalie for a long moment.


    Natalie met his gaze without flinching. Unlike him, her eyes were filled with love and warmth.


    Marcus reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly "Nat, thank you."


    "Marcus, I''m your girlfriend. No matter what happens, I''ll stand by your side. I''m sorry about Grandpa," she whispered.


    "It''s not your fault, he no longer wanted to live. You saved him once, but you couldn''t save him from himself," Marcus murmured, his voice hoarse.


    "It was his choice. I have to respect


    it. I can''t be selfish and force him to


    stay in pain just for me. Nat, I''m going to be very busy after this. I not have time for you."


    "You don''t need to say that. I understand," Natalie said, pressing a finger against


    his lips. "Marcus, whenever you need me, I''ll be here."


    There was nothing more to say.


    Marcus held her tightly before releasing her. His expression was cold and sharp once more." Wait for me."


    "I will."


    Marcus turned and strode out of the room. When he returned to the study, he wasposed and efficient, taking control of every matter.


    ...


    Before Charles died, he had left a note on his desk. It was not a will, just a few simple words.


    Marcus followed Charles'' instruction, having his body cremated and preparing for


    the funeral.


    Instead of holding the funeral at


    Holden Residence, he chose


    Luminar¨¤ Park-a property under the


    Walker family name-which was built onnd that once belonged to the Jenkins family.


    And before the funeral began, Marcus personally went to invite Yvette. Standing in


    the yard outside her house, his gaze was sharp and unreadable.


    Elijah stood beside him, barely containing his fury. He wanted nothing more than


    to storm inside and drag her out.


    The door creaked open. Yvette stepped out, looking at them with a sneer.


    "So, Charles is truly dead," she said, her voice dripping with glee.

 Chapter 545 The Funeral—Kneeling On What Was Once Jenkins Family Land

    "Charles deserved to die. He really did. Charlene, now that Charles is dead, you can finally change your name," Yvette said and burst intoughter.


    Charlene stepped out from the house, her expression tangled with emotions.


    "Screw you." Elijah couldn''t hold it any longer. He stormed forward and threw a punch straight at Yvette.


    A sharp cry tore through the air.


    "Grandma!"


    Yvette was knocked to the ground by Elijah''s punch. Charlene screamed and rushed to her side in a panic.


    "Jessy," Marcus called out quietly.


    Jessy immediately stepped forward with a medical kit in hand. "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    She was clearly nervous as she approached and began checking Yvette''s condition.


    Elijah stood nearby, his tall, broad frame towering over them. That punch he threw just now could have killed Yvette if he hadn''t held back.


    After all, Marcus had said clearly that Yvette couldn''t be allowed to die just yet. Letting her die so easily would have been too merciful.


    Jessy had been personally brought there by Elijah. She had once impersonated Dr. Elim, but she was indeed a medical student. Letting her treat Yvette was the most fitting punishment.


    Beforeing, Jessy had already learned the truth. Lucy was her biological mother, and she knew what Lucy had gone through all those years ago.


    As Jessy looked down at Yvette while tending to her wounds, she couldn''t hold back. Her nails dug deep into Yvette''s wrist.


    "You old witch. You''re the one who killed my mother." She gritted her teeth, lowering her voice to a threatening whisper. "You filthy hag. Just wait."


    Only Yvette, Charlene heard her words. After she finished, Jessy quietly packed up the medical kit and stepped aside.


    "Mr. Holden, I''m finished."


    "Take them away," Marcus ordered as he turned and walked out.


    Elijah stepped forward and grabbed both women, one in each hand, giving them no chance to react or resist.


    Jessy followed behind them respectfully, carrying her medical kit.


    The group walked out of the narrow alley. A car was parked by the side of the


    road. Marcus got in. Natalie was already inside, holding an urn in her arms.


    When Marcus entered, she handed the urn with both hands. He took it in silence, carefully cradling it against his chest.


    "Are you alright?" Natalie asked softly.


    Just as she finished speaking, Elijah stormed past the window, dragging Yvette


    and Charlene, fury radiating from every step. Jessy followed at a light jog, trying to keep up.


    Marcus spoke calmly. "Drive. To Luminara Park."


    "Yes, sir," the driver replied.


    The car started and headed toward Luminara Park, the amusement park owned by the Walker family.


    Elijah threw Yvette and Charlene into the car behind them. Jessy got in as well. The Holden family convoy rolled out in unison.


    The official obituary for Charles had already been released. The funeral would be held at Luminara Park. The entire park had been cleared and closed at top speed.


    A memorial hall had already been set up inside.


    Those attending the ceremony passed through security in an orderly fashion, then were led to the hall by designated personnel.


    Arge ck casket stood inside the hall. It held only Charles'' clothing. His ashes wouldter be buried beneath the big maple tree in Holden Residence.


    When Marcus and Natalie arrived, their car took a different route and stopped directly in front of the memorial hall.


    This exact location was once the living room of the Jenkins family vi, many years ago.


    Marcus wore a ck suit. As soon as he entered the hall, he quietly took his role as family representative.


    Natalie wore a ck dress with a white rose pinned to her chest.


    Her eldest brother Sky had been granted temporary leave from prison to attend


    the funeral. In other words, the entire Walker family was present.


    The security detail had sealed off the entire venue. Marcus walked slowly toward


    the casket, his posture rigid, handsome face expressionless.


    Guests approached, offering their condolences before bowing their heads in silent prayer.


    "Mr. Holden, may you find peace."


    Marcus nodded in return without speaking.


    Soon, Elijah arrived, dragging Yvette and Charlene behind him. At Marcus'' gesture, all guests were ushered to the side to be seated in the VIP area.


    Marcus stood and turned to look at Charles'' portrait above the altar. He had chosen a birthday photo taken when Charles turned 70. His smile was kind and full of warmth.


    He had been a truly good man,


    someone who should have lived out his days infort. Yet in the end,


    he had taken his own life. And not in a way that allowed even the slightest chance of rescue.


    Marcus clenched his fists. His emotions surged and churned


    beneath the surface. Finally, he turned around slowly and fixed his gaze on Yvette and Charlene, both forced to kneel by Elijah.


    On the other side of the casket, Sheldon stood silently in a ck suit. His eyes were swollen from crying as he red at Yvette with barely contained hatred.


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior. Does this ce feel familiar to you?" Marcus spoke atst. His voice was low and hoarse,ced with ice. His eyes burned with venom.


    He looked at her coldly. "The spot where you''re kneeling used to be Jenkins familynd."


    Yvette felt a chill run down her spine, though she kept her face expressionless.


    She let out a scoff. "You people are nothing but thieves. Don''t you feel any guilt at


    all?"


    "Only the guilty fear the past catching up to them," William stepped forward.


    "The Walker and Holden families have always acted with integrity. We have nothing to hide. But you, Mrs. Jenkins Senior. Tell me, does the Jenkins family feel no shame?


    "You hid the truth about Vivian''s


    ine


    affair with another man. You lied to Mr. Holden Senior and passed here off as single and pure. You used deceit to marry her into the Holden family, and even after the wedding, she kept sneaking around with that man. Your family kept fighting just to protect that affair."


    William''s gaze sharpened.


    "Vivian burned down the Jenkins residence. The Walker family obtained thisnd


    through legal means. And what did you do? You stole my daughter.


    "You want to talk about cruelty? Who''s more vicious than you? Who''s more shameless than the Jenkins family?


    "Vivian betrayed Mr. Holden Senior and set fire to her own family''s home. You switched out my daughter and drove him to his death. And still, you have the audacity to use others?


    "Your Jenkins family is the one that''s truly shameless. The most vile. The most disgusting."


    "You..." Yvette stared at William, utterly stunned.


    "Marcus, how could you let him say these things? How could you let William expose all this?"


    A scream tore from her throat.


    Marcus stared at her, his eyes sharp enough to kill. If looks could cut a person down, Yvette would already be in shreds.


    "Why wouldn''t I? You act like you''re some paragon of virtue. Like the whole world owes you, owes your precious Jenkins family. Then let the world decide."


    His tone was calm, yet every word sliced like a de.


    "Let them tell us. Who''s truly shameless? Your Jenkins family, or mine? My grandfather is already dead because of you. Do you think I have anything left to fear?"

 Chapter 546 Kneel, Repent, And Taste Despair

    Marcus stood before Charles'' portrait, his eyes bloodshot with rage. His piercing gaze locked onto Yvette and Charlene, who knelt before the casket.


    Charlene might be spared, but Yvette had no escape today. She would kneel, repent, and confess her sins. She owed both the Holden family and the Walker family not just an exnation, but justice for their lost dignity.


    Charlotte stepped forward, dressed in a ck dress and heels, a white rose pinned to her chest just like Natalie''s.


    "Yvette, I used to respect you because of your age. But you''re just a venomous old hag, not worthy of a shred of respect."


    Charlotte''s voice was colder than William''s, sharp and merciless.


    "The Walker family never did anything to harm the Jenkins family. Yet your family tore itself apart over a man and dragged both the Walker and Holden families


    down with you.


    "And after all that, you still have the nerve to shift the me onto us. You caused Mr. Holden Senior''s death. You even swapped my daughter and let her suffer years of abuse in the Langley family.


    "Yvette, Vivian set that fire and burned over a hundred members of the Jenkins family. And you still had the audacity to pin the me on the Holden and Walker families. Your shamelessness truly knows no bounds.


    "Today, in front of Mr. Holden Senior, the Holden and Walker families will not let you smear our names any further. Since everyone''s here, let''sy the truth out for all to see.


    "Your Jenkins family lost all decency long ago. You deceived Mr. Holden Senior and married off an unfaithful, impure woman to him. You toyed with his genuine love for years and made him raise a daughter that was never his. In the end, he was driven to take his own life.


    "Yvette, what right do you have to im innocence?"


    Yvette red at Charlotte, her eyes wide with disbelief and rising panic. The Walker family''s usations she could still bear, but why would Marcus expose everything like this? Had Marcus truly discarded even Charles'' dignity, even after death?


    Marcus didn''t care anymore. The person he loved most was already gone forever. All he wanted was revenge. He wanted Yvette to spend the rest of her miserable life in endless pain and despair.


    Charles died because he was heartbroken.


    He loved everything he had. He had remained loyal until the end. But Yvette told him the woman he had cherished had never loved him, had cheated on him, and had left him raising another man''s child.


    For someone who had only loved histe wife, that was the cruelest blow imaginable. He couldn''t bear it. He couldn''t make peace with it.


    Even with Natalie and Hector at his side, he chose a method of death they had no chance of being saved. Even then, he still longed for the Walker family''s affection. He had been afraid that once he was gone, the grandson he raised with his own hands would be left all alone.


    Marcus'' eyes burned red, fury simmering behind them. He clenched it all down, refusing to let a single tear fall.


    When Yvette met his poisonous gaze, fear surged through her like a tidal wave. Her knees buckled, though thankfully, she was already kneeling and didn''t copse.


    She couldn''t bring herself to look him in the eye again. Usually calm and calcting, she now felt anxiety wing at her chest.


    "Everyone must be curious. Why the Jenkins family''s residence in Dithoria went up in mes all those years ago," Marcus said as he looked around the room.


    Everyone present at the funeral had been personally selected by Marcus. He had given Ethan a list of names. He would make sure the entire Dithoria remembered the Jenkins family for what they truly were.


    He would let the one surviving Jenkins family member experience what it felt like to have her belief shattered, to question her entire life, and to feel like there was nothing left to live for.


    Cancer or not, Marcus had ways to keep her alive-long enough to suffer. Marcus'' deep,manding voice carried a weight that silenced the entire room.


    Charles had earned respect throughout his life. He had donated to countless charities. Almost everyone there had once benefited from his generosity.


    Upon learning he had been wronged and driven to his death, their sympathy quickly turned into righteous fury.


    After stepping down from Holden Group, Charles passed thepany to Marcus. Though he never made a formal announcement, everyone in Dithoria knew the truth. Marcus was the only sessor.


    There had once been whispers that Cassie might fight for the position. However, that possibility no longer existed.


    Marcus snapped his fingers. Arge screen beside the altar lit up.


    Footage from the USB Yvette once gave Charles started ying on the screen. Hector''s recording of her confession yed at the same time.


    "Take a good look. This is how the Jenkins family deceived my grandfather. This is how this woman destroyed my mother and targeted Natalie," Marcus said coldly, eyes still fixed on Yvette.


    Yvette''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Marcus, you would go this far? You''d throw away your grandfather''s dignity?


    "Isn''t this exactly what you wanted? Isn''t this your kind of favorite show? Let the world see just how vile the Jenkins family truly is. Why didn''t Vivian''s fire kill you along with the others?" Marcus'' voice dripped with


    poison.


    s?novel


    "Beat her, beat Yvette."


    A voice rose from the crowd, and chaos erupted in an instant. A woman rushed forward, grabbed Yvette by the hair, and punched her square in the chest.


    "Grandma!" Charlene cried out, throwing herself forward to shield her.


    But once one person made a move, the rest followed like an avnche. Someone yanked Charlene away and shoved her hard into the casket. The impact echoed with a heavy thud.


    Yvette was buried under a flurry of fists and kicks.


    Marcus stood silently, face cold, watching it all unfold. He knew these people wouldn''t kill her. But to Yvette, this beating was the greatest humiliation of her life.


    Once the crowd began to tire. Marcus snapped his fingers again.


    The sound cut through the chaos like amand. Everyone who had attacked her stepped back and returned to their seats in eerie, disciplined silence.


    Yvette''s hair was a tangled mess. Pain pulsed through her body, but her face remained untouched


    "Marcus, you really think you can do whatever you want? What if your grandfather climbs out of that casket and gives you a good scolding?"


    A cold chuckle slipped from Marcus'' lips. "Sheldon. It''s your turn."


    Sheldon, who had been standing silently beside the casket all this time, finally stepped forward. He walked up to Yvette, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and mmed her head to the floor repeatedly.


    "You wicked hag, you venomous bitch. Kneel. Repent. Apologize to Mr. Holden


    Senior."


    Sheldon had served Charles for decades. He was known for his dignity and grace. Yet, even he was spitting curses.


    "You deserve to die. Your whole


    family deserved what they got! How


    dare you me Mr. Holden Senior.


    He was the one who was wronged. And your Jenkins family still had the audacity to show your faces?


    "You, Yvette, have no shame. Vivian had none, and neither do you. Kneel. Apologize. The entire Jenkins family owes Mr. Holden Senior a blood debt."

 Chapter 547 His Chilling Methods (Part 1)

    Sheldon''s voice grew louder and more furious by the second. His grip on Yvette also tightened with every word.


    Her head struck the floor repeatedly, each impact sharp and jarring. Her face contorted in agony, blood streaking across her forehead.


    "Sheldon."


    Marcus spoke atst. He wouldn''t let Yvette dir so easily. As soon as he gave themand, Sheldon let out a ragged breath and shoved her aside.


    "You vile woman. You venomous hag," he cursed through gritted teeth as he walked back and stood beside the casket.


    "Grandma. Are you alright? Say something." Charlene rushed forward and caught the tottering Yvette just in time.


    Dizziness washed over Yvette. Stars danced in her vision, her forehead throbbed, and pain shot through her knees.


    "Grandma, please. Don''t scare me. Say something." Charlene''s voice trembled, nearly in tears.


    It took a while before Yvette managed to return to herself. She looked at the guests who hade to pay their respects. Many of them had just joined in the beating, but she couldn''t tell who exactly had hit her.


    Charlene kept calling out to her. Only then did Yvette lift her head and nce at her granddaughter, whose eyes were filled with panic and tears.


    Then she looked toward Marcus. His radiated an icy hostility. The moment their eyes met, a bone-deep fear spread uncontrobly through her.


    She quickly looked away, heart pounding. But her gaze soonnded on the Walker family. Charlotte and William stared at her like they wanted to tear her apart. Natalie''s brothers all looked at her with the same cold, merciless intensity. And as for Natalie, her expression was strange. There was no anger or hatred, only an unreadable calm.


    A surge of regret hit Yvette. She never should have let Charlene meet Hector so soon.


    "Natalie, Hector, I''m begging you. Please spare my grandma." Charlene suddenly spoke up, pleading with Natalie and Hector.


    "She''s old. She has cancer. The doctors can''t cure her. She doesn''t have much time left. I''m begging you. Just let her go. Please, Natalie.


    "Hector, you''ve been so kind to me this whole time. You took great care of me. Can''t you let this slide, for my sake?"


    "For your sake? Charlene, does shamelessness ruin your family?" Hector responded. "Do you think you matter? Do you really believe your name carries any weight with me? Count yourself lucky if I don''t finish you off right here."


    His voice was icy,ced with mockery. "Charlene, who gave you the audacity to say something so disgraceful to me?"


    She froze. Her mind went nk. This wasn''t the same man who had once been gentle and considerate to her. On their journey to Dithoria, he had been the very image of a kind older brother.


    Now, his gaze had turned cold, filled with nothing but disgust and cold rejection, as if she were a filthy rag.


    "Enough talk. The granddaughter of a venomous hag is just another little hag. They both deserve to die. The Jenkins bloodline ends here. That''s their fate," Sheldon growled with clenched teeth.


    "You dare! Sheldon, you''re nothing but Charles'' dog. What gives you the right to judge the Jenkins family?" Yvette suddenly roared, her voice sharp with rage.


    "I''ll kill you." Sheldon surged forward again and pped her again and again.


    Each strikended with full force. His hatred ran deep. For Yvette, and even more so for Vivian.


    How could Vivian manipte Charles'' feelings like that? How could she trample so cruelly on his deep, unwavering love?


    The Jenkins family had known the truth about her, and yet they had hidden it. They had conspired to force the marriage through.


    The downfall of the Jenkins family was no tragedy. It was justice. They had brought it on themselves.


    "Yvette, those who betray true love should swallow ten thousand needles." Sheldon''s voice trembled with fury. Her face was swollen and red from the ps.


    The once elegant andposed Yvette looked nothing like herself. She had be a pitiful punching bag.


    "That''s enough." Marcus finally spoke.


    At his words, Sheldon reined in his emotions and returned to where he had been standing earlier.


    "Elijah. Escort Mrs. Jenkins Senior and Ms. Jenkins out." Marcus'' voice was calm, but themand was clear. He was letting them go.


    Yvette was stunned. At the same time, suspicion crept into her mind. Was Marcus really letting them off so easily?


    "Old hag. Nasty little brat. Move it." Elijah stepped forward, cursing as he grabbed both of them. One in each hand, his movements swift and brutal.


    "Let go. We can walk on our own." Charlene shouted, struggling. Elijah ignored herpletely.


    Once the two were dragged out, Marcus turned to the guests and offered a polite nod. "I''ll leave the rest to all of you."


    Someone in the crowd stood up and bowed respectfully.


    "Mr. Holden, you have our word. We respected Mr. Holden Senior deeply. What happened to him was beyond unfair. He should have spent his final years in peace, but instead..."


    The man trailed off, but everyone understood what he meant.


    "Thank you all foring to my grandfather''s funeral." Marcus closed his eyes. Tears slid down his face silently. When he opened them again, he quickly wiped his face and gave a deep 90-degree bow.


    "Mr. Holden, may you find peace."


    "Mr. Marcus, our condolences."


    "Mr. Holden, stay strong."


    One after another, voices rang out. Everyone present mourned Charles with heavy hearts. They despised everything the Jenkins family had done.


    had


    They understood that Marcus had not just invited them to mourn. There was a deeper purpose. The Holden and Walker families made their stance crystal clear Yvette and Charlene would never have peace in Dithoria again.


    The funeral continued in solemn order.


    ...


    Once Yvette and Charlene were removed from the hall, Ethan was already waiting


    at the gate.


    "Ethan, these two are all yours." Elijah threw them to the ground with a thud.


    Ethan adjusted his sses and nodded. "Understood. Leave it to me."


    "Good." Elijah turned and walked away.


    Ethan pped his hands, and several bodyguards immediately stepped forward and restrained Yvette and Charlene.


    "Now then. Take Mra. Jenkins Senior and Ms. Jenkins to the hospital. They''re not


    in great health. Have the doctors give them a full checkup. Take several tubes of blood while you''re at it.


    "Also, I heard there was some


    "What did you say? Say that again. What do you mean the graves were dug up?" Yvette clutched her chest, her heart pounding in panic.


    "Exactly what it sounds like. Since you hated Mr. Holden Senior so much, naturally the Jenkins family wouldn''t want to rest in a ce he arranged." Ethan kept smiling.


    "You... you... you..." All the color drained from Yvette''s face. Her lips quivered. She clutched her chest, each breathing in short, desperate gasps.

 Chapter 548 His Chilling Methods (Part 2)

    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, you seem to be in rather fragile health," Ethan said with a pleasant smile, observing Yvette''s reaction. His tone was still courteous, almost concerned.


    "Mr. Marcus is really kind. He arranged for doctors to apany us the entire way. There is no chance Mrs. Jenkins Senior will die before we arrive.


    "After all, you vanished for years and didn''t even show up for your own family''s funerals. Mr. Holden Senior treated you with kindness and received nothing but betrayal in return. But now, justice is finally being served. Heaven wasn''t blind. It was simply biding its time.


    "Justst night, the entire Jenkins family cemetery was dug up by wild dogs. You know what that means, don''t you? It means the Jenkins family has no good people left. All the evil you''ve done has finally been noticed by the heavens."


    Ethan continued smiling. "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, perhaps your terminal illness is heaven''s way of punishing you. And as for your dear little granddaughter. She''s 18 now, isn''t she? I heard she got into the university she wanted. Right before school starts..."


    He let out a chuckle, slow and deliberate. "If heaven really has had enough, and something happens to Ms. Jenkins before she even makes it to college, her life will be over before it begins."


    Yvette, supported by Charlene, was visibly growing anxious with each word. If she still failed to grasp what Ethan truly meant, then she had truly lived in vain.


    "I want to see Marcus. I want to see Marcus. I must see him. Let me see him." Her voice cracked as she screamed, losing all control.


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, have a little dignity. Isn''t this what you wanted all along?" Ethan replied with a gentle smile.


    "So why are you begging to see Mr. Marcus now? He''s busy right now, hosting Mr. Holden Senior''s funeral. He doesn''t have time for someone like you. From here on out, I''ll be the one looking after you and Ms. Jenkins."


    Ethan pped his hands. At once, the bodyguards forced Yvette and Charlene into the car.


    "Drive. We''re going to the Jenkins family cemetery."


    He gave the order cheerfully, and the vehicle started, exiting through the back gate of Luminara Park.


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, I assume you''ve visited the cemetery over the years, even if only in secret. Mr. Holden Senior chose that site with care. Peaceful surroundings, a serene view. He even brought in andscape consultant. It was meant to be perfect."


    Ethan lowered the window and nced out at the passingndscape.


    "Every year on Memorial Day and at Christmas, Mr. Holden Senior would bring Mr. Marcus toy flowers and pay his respects. But from now on, no one will visit those graves again.


    "And you, Mrs. Jenkins Senior, are the disgrace of the entire Jenkins family. When you join them six feet under, do you think they''ll curse you?"


    Yvette''s entire body trembled. She had never dared to visit the graves openly. But she had gone in secret. The cemetery that held over a hundred members of the Jenkins family had been well maintained.


    She knew that was all thanks to Charles. The annual upkeep fees were massive, and he had paid in advance for perpetual care.


    But Marcus had sent Ethan to show her what had be of the graves. It was clear. There would be no more care, no more protection. The ashes of the Jenkins family would be left scattered.


    "I want to see Marcus. I want to see him." Yvette''s face twisted in panic as she reached out and grabbed Ethan''s arm.


    He shoved her away and reached for Charlene instead. With a pleasant smile, he opened the door and, in full view of Yvette, pushed her out without hesitation.


    A scream pierced the air.


    Yvette froze in shock.


    Ethan shut the door and smiled. "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, Mr. Marcus is not someone you can see just because you want to. If you touch me again, you''ll be the next one tossed out."


    He smiled again,pletely calm. "Tell me, do you think Ms. Jenkins is still safe after being thrown from a moving car?"


    Yvette stared at him in horror. "You... you..."


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior,pared to your brilliant schemes, I''m nothing but a novice. I hope you''ll guide me during our visit to the Jenkins family cemetery."


    Ethan brushed the dust off his sleeve, his tone as polite as ever.


    "Mr. Marcus asked me to learn from you. He hopes you''ll share something useful."


    Yvette looked at him like he was a demon in human skin. How could he have pushed Charlene out of a


    moving car so calmly? She couldn''t even bear to imagine whether


    Charlene had survived.


    "We''ve arrived, Mrs. Jenkins Senior."


    She was still staring at Ethan when the car came to a stop. He stepped out, opened her door, and made a weing gesture. "Please, step out."


    Yvette hesitated. She was afraid of what she would see the moment her feet touched the ground.


    Seeing her frozen, Ethan grabbed her and yanked her out. She stumbled and fell hard to the ground.


    The cemetery had once been a serene, orderly ce. Charles had paid an enormous sum for the entire plot. But the graves had all been destroyed. Every single one had been dug up.


    Filth had been thrown across the tombstones. The urns were scattered across the ground.


    Ashes from inside the urns were


    blown in all directions by the wind,


    mixed together beyondon


    There was no way to tell which


    ashes belonged to whom. The


    breeze carried them away. There was nothing left.


    Yvette''s leg gave out beneath her. She hit the ground hard.


    "Are you satisfied? You reap what you sow. How does it feel? Are you happy now?" Ethan asked cheerfully.


    She knelt in the dirt, drowning in despair. She had never thought Marcus would strike with such precision. One move, and he had severed her lifeline.


    Clutching her chest, she gasped for breath. The next moment, Ethan grabbed her jaw, forced her mouth open, and shoved a pill inside.


    "You must live, Mrs. Jenkins Senior. Dying now would be far too easy." Ethan''s smile never faltered. There was no sign of cruelty in his expression.


    "Now, take your time and offer your respects. Let the Jenkins family hear what their most devoted daughter has done in their name."


    He turned and leaned against the car, arms folded.


    "Take this moment to chat with your loved ones. I hope you''re as calm andposed now as you were when you faced Mr. Hector."


    With that, he walked away. Ten pacester, Yvette''s eyes widened. Something felt wrong in her body. She raised her arm, and her blood ran cold. Something was writhing beneath her skin.


    She recognized it instantly. It was the same parasite Cassie had once used on


    Laura.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 549 Kenton Returns

    Yvette wed at her own skin, her fingers digging in with all her strength. But


    whatever was moving beneath it, moved even faster. The moment she touched it, the thing darted somewhere else.


    A burst of frenzied barking erupted from overhead.


    She looked up. A man stood before her, holding several wild dogs on chains. He wore a baseball cap and a face mask, revealing only a pair of dark, unreadable eyes.


    Without a word, the man let go of the chains. The pack of wild dogs lunged toward the overturned urns. Their ws raked the ground without pause, heedless of pain. Then, they lifted their legs and urinated directly onto the ashes.


    "Stop! Stop!" Yvette''s scream rang out in desperation.


    Earlier, when Ethan had told her that the Jenkins family graves were destroyed by wild dogs, she hadn''t believed a word. She had assumed it was Marcus'' doing, never imagining actual dogs could wreak such destruction.


    But they were real. And there were many of them. They followed the masked man''smand, but still retained all the vicious instincts of feral animals.


    There was no saving the Jenkins family''s ashes anymore. Yvette screamed until her voice cracked, but the dogs kept digging, undeterred. The ground was soon in chaos. The air reeked with the acrid stench of urine.


    "No. No..." she cried as tears streamed down her face. The Jenkins family was truly unable to rest in peace.


    "Mrs. Jenkins Senior, how do you feel about all this?" the man finally spoke.


    His voice was rough, hoarse. It was obvious his vocal cords had been damaged.


    At the sound of it, Yvette jerked her head up. "It''s you!"


    "That''s right. It''s me."


    The man removed his cap and pulled down his mask. Half of his face was badly burned and covered in thick scars.


    "I told you I''d send you a special gift. So? Do you like it?" He smiled faintly and ran a hand across his mangled cheek. "Where''s Megan?"


    Yvette''s eyes burned red with fury. Her expression twisted with hatred. "She''s dead. You bastard. I knew you couldn''t be trusted. You''re even more disgusting than that slut Grace. I should''ve let them burn you alive back then."


    Kenton was unmoved. He gave a short whistle. The pack of dogs immediately abandoned the graves and turned toward Yvette.


    Barking filled the air again.


    A bloodcurdling scream echoed from the cemetery.


    From a short distance away, Ethan observed the scene with icy detachment. He raised a hand and made a small gesture to Kenton. It seemed to say, "Watch yourself, don''t kill her".


    Kenton nodded and gave another whistle.


    The dogs stopped attacking Yvette and returned to desecrating the urns, urinating on the ashes scattered across the ground.


    Yvette''s clothes were torn. Her body bore fresh bite wounds, blood seeping from them, staining her torn clothes.


    She was old, sick, and dying. But the physical pain didn''t matter to her.


    What broke her was the destruction of the Jenkins family''s cemetery. The ashes vited. The humiliation carved into eternity.


    "No... no..." Yvette curled up on the ground, pleading through her sobs. Memories flooded her mind in rapid session. Then everything went ck.


    She passed outpletely.


    Three dayster, at Holden Residence, Marcus stood in front of the big maple tree in the center of the garden, dressed in ck. Natalie stood quietly watching him.


    Underneath the tree, Marcus had buried his grandfather''s ashes with his own hands. If he missed his grandfather, this would be the only ce he could visit. "You''ve seen the evidence Kenton gave us, haven''t you?" he asked softly. Natalie nodded. "I''ve seen it. No one expected him to actually be on our side." Marcus remained silent. Kenton''s return had not surprised him. Ever since Julie had turned up, Marcus had people watching her. Kenton had simply chosen the moment he thought was right.


    The one who dug up the Jenkins family cemetery, who brought the wild dogs, was Kenton. But the order hade from Marcus. He knew exactly what Yvette valued most. And he destroyed it.


    "Megan still hasn''t been found. Kenton is in the hospital, keeping an eye on Yvette," Natalie said.


    Marcus nodded slightly. His eyes remained fixed on the maple tree. "Nat... if Grandpa knew everything I''ve done, do you think he''d me me?"


    Before she could answer, he spoke again. "He wouldn''t. He raised me. He knew me. Just like I knew him. There wasn''t a single word in his final message telling me not to take revenge on Yvette. He knew exactly what I would do."


    Natalie wrapped her arms around his. "No. What he feared most won''t happen."


    Before his passing, Charles had worried about one thing above all. That no one would love Marcus after he was gone.


    But Natalie, William, Charlotte, and all her brothers had promised him they would protect him. They would love him. Marcus would never be unloved. He would live on, surrounded by the warmth of family.


    As for everything else, Charles had said nothing. No matter what Marcus chose to do, he would have his support.


    "Grandpa. Twon''t let Yvette off the hook. She yed with your love. She trampled on your sincerity. Why should she get to enjoy everything you gave her?" Marcus'' voice was low and hoarse as he spoke to the tree.


    "As for Grandma..." He paused. "I had Kenton hand her ashes over to Yvette."


    Vivian had given birth to Wesley. And Marcus was Wesley''s son. He was a true Holden. So Marcus hadn''t allowed Kenton to destroy Vivian''s grave.


    But she had betrayed Charles. Cheated on him. Manipted his love. Forced him into a vow of celibacy. Made him raise Cassie as his own. That was something Marcus could never forgive.


    Kenton''s appearance had made certain things much easier.


    Marcus tightened his grip on Natalie''s hand. "Grandpa, rest well. The engagement ceremony will still happen. It''s just a bitter. Wait for me. I''ll send Yvette down to you soon."


    As the words left his lips, he let go of Natalie and stepped in front of the tree. He lowered his head and gave three deep, heavy bows.


    Inside Holden Residence living room, the entire Walker family sat gathered on the couch.


    Sky had been granted temporary


    leave to attend the funeral, but his sentence still remained. He had requested to speak with Natalie before returning, and the Walker family had arranged through theirwyers to give him a few extra days outside.


    Marcus soon returned to the living room with Natalie. William and Charlotte watched him, worry etched into their faces.


    They had already discussed it. For the time being, Hector and Mason would stay


    at Holden Residence. Partly to support Marcus, to talk to him asionally. And partly to keep watch.


    They feared that in his grief, he might hurt himself.

 Chapter 550 He Promised Not To Fall Apart

    The moment the Walker family saw Marcus and Natalie return, everyone rose to their feet.


    "Marcus, Nat,e sit down and get some rest." Charlotte was the first to speak.


    Natalie nodded gently. She reached for Marcus'' hand and led him to the sofa. "You''ve been through a lot these past few days. Marcus, would you consider staying with us for a while?" Charlotte asked, her tone full of concern.


    She studied him carefully. In just a few days, he looked like he had lost weight. Hisplexion was pale, and the light that used to gleam in his eyes had dulled.


    "Mrs. Walker, I''m alright," Marcus said with a small smile.


    "There''s still a lot to handle at Holden Residence. Even though the funeral''s over and my mother''s home now. I still have work to do. But I promise, I''m not going to fall apart. I know it''s been a lot on you-Mr. and Mrs. Walker, and all of Nat''s brothers."


    He already saw them as his own, just like Natalie did.


    All four of Natalie''s brothers had dropped everything to stand by him. The only one missing was Sky, still serving time.


    Natalie had been with Marcus every step of the way.


    Sky had only been allowed out to attend Charles'' funeral because the Walker family had submitted a special request.


    Knowing he didn''t have the full picture, he chose to stay silent. What he really wanted was to speak to Natalie and apologize.


    He had been on his best behavior in prison, working toward early release. When he finally got out, he nned to be the kind of older brother she deserved and make up for everything he had done.


    "Mrs. Walker, Mr. Walker, really, I''m fine. You don''t need to worry about me," Marcus said, still trying to smile.


    "You''ve all done enough. I have Nat here with me, and that''s more than enough. Please go home and rest."


    He turned to her. "Nat, isn''t that right?"


    Natalie didn''t hesitate. "Of course."


    A small but real smile tugged at Marcus'' lips. "Good. Then it''s settled. Mr. Walker,


    Mrs. Walker, everyone, go home and rest. I''ll call if I need anything."


    "Marcus, are you sure?" William still looked uneasy, more so because of his concern for Natalie.


    Since she returned home, she hadn''t spent much time with them. She was constantly caught up in one thing after another. They had barely gotten to be with her, let alone make up for the years they missed.


    "I''m sure, Mr. Walker, I''m not that fragile," Marcus said firmly.


    William finally gave a small nod. "Alright then, we''ll head out then. But Hector and Mason will stay."


    Marcus nodded politely. "Alright. Thank you for staying, Hector, Mason."


    Mason leaned over to Hector and whispered, "It still sounds strange when Marcus calls me ''Mason.""


    Hector gave him a smack on the back of the head. "Just be grateful."


    "Yes, Hector." Mason quickly turned and chuckled to himself.


    Hector rolled his eyes. "Idiot."


    "We''ll get going then. No need to walk us out. You two get some rest," William said, standing up.


    Charlotte followed and added, "Nat, Sky said he wanted to speak with you. After that, we''ll take him back to prison."


    Natalie nodded and stood up. "Sky, let''s talk in the parlor."


    Sky got up as well, giving Marcus a respectful nod. "Alright, Marcus, mind if I borrow her for a few minutes?"


    Marcus nodded. "Of course."


    In the parlor, Natalie gestured for him to sit down. She took the armchair Charles had loved most.


    "I won''t make tea. Let''s just have some warm water."


    She poured him a ss and pushed it across the table. It was the first time they had ever sat down and talked this calmly.


    Sky picked up the ss, took a sip, then sat in silence for a long moment before finally speaking. "Nat... I''m sorry."


    "Sky, you already apologized to me once. You don''t need to keep saying it," Natalie said with a faint smile.


    "You still acknowledge me as your older brother... That means everything to me. I


    was blind. I was lost. I..." His eyes reddened.


    "Let''s not talk about the past


    anymore. What''s done is done. You


    can''t undo it. What you need to do is


    behave well in prison, get your


    sentence reduced, and@home sooner." Natalie gently cut him off.


    His hair had been shaved close. He looked leaner, his features sharper. His eyes


    had grown calmer, softer.


    "Alright. I''ll listen to you." He gave her a warm smile.


    "Nat, I also wanted to tell you... There''s a safe in my study. The password is


    Emma''s birthday. I never had a chance to change it.


    "What''s inside... was supposed to be your wedding gift. You might not want it, but I want you to know... those things were prepared for my real sister. Before you came home, yes, had nned to give them to Emma."


    "I''ll take it," Natalie said without hesitation.


    "Huh?" He froze, not expecting that answer.


    "I''ll take whatever''s in the safe," Natalie repeated. "I don''t care who it was


    originally for. I''m your sister. Those things belong to me, right?"


    Sky quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, of course. That''s exactly right."


    Natalie smiled faintly. "Sky, I''ve already made peace with the past. I just hope you


    can do the same."


    His eyes reddened again. He didn''t


    know what to say. After a long pause, his voice caught in his throat. "Thank you. Compared to your grace feel so unworthy. Thank you for giving me another chance For stiff being willing to ept me as your brother." Content b¨¦tongs to


    "We''re siblings. And you''ve epted your punishment with open arms." Natalie said softly.


    "I brought this on myself. That''s why I''ll return and continue serving my sentence." Prison had given him time to reflect, to remember, to see clearly. And what he saw was just how terribly wrong he had been.


    The Walker family believed in taking responsibility. And so did he.


    Being forgiven by Natalie meant everything to him.


    "Thank goodness I wasn''t sentenced to death. That means I still have a chance to start over. Nat, when I get out, I''ll treat you so well. Better than anyone else ever has," he said with a quietugh.


    Natalie smiled and nodded. "Good, I''ll be waiting."


    "Then... would youe with me? Back to the prison?" He looked at her with


    hope in his eyes.


    Natalie nodded without hesitation. "Of course. I''ll go with Mom and Dad, and we''ll take you back together."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 551 I Want You to Live a Fate Worse Than Death

    Sky let out a breath of relief when he heard Natalie''s response.


    "Alright, then. Thank you, Natalie," he said with a smile.


    "You don''t have to be so polite, Sky," Natalie replied.


    She stood up and added, "Dad, Mom, Lincoln, and everyone else are all waiting for you toe home."


    Natalie motioned toward the door. "Come on, Sky. Let''s go."


    "Alright." Sky agreed, standing up and following her out of the dining room.


    Having spent time living at Holden Residence before, Natalie was far more familiar with the Holden family than Sky was. She moved about naturally as if she were in her own home.


    Sky hesitated before finally saying, "Natalie, I know you and Marcus are officially together now, and he needs you by his side. However, you two aren''t engaged yet, and if possible, I still think it''d be better if you came home every night."


    Natalie thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I understand," she said softly.


    "I''ll have Marcuse stay at the Walker residence with me," she added.


    Sky was briefly stunned but nodded still. "That works too. Grandpa Charles would feel more at ease that way," he said thoughtfully.


    If Marcus stayed at Holden Residence, he would only be gued by painful memories, making it harder for him to move on. A change of environment might help him.


    By the time they returned to the living room, Marcus had already gathered himself. His expression was nk, giving him an almost robotic demeanor.


    Seeing them return, he got up and walked over to Natalie. "Are you going to see Sky off?" he asked.


    Natalie nodded. "Yes, my parents and I are taking him back to prison," she exined.


    "Alright, I''ll go with you," Marcus said calmly.


    "Okay," Natalie replied, reaching out to take his arm. "After we drop Sky off, let''s stop by the hospital!"


    "Alright," Marcus agreed with a slight nod.


    "Sky, let''s go," Charlotte called out.


    Except for Hector and Mason, who stayed behind at Holden Residence, the rest of the Walker family left together.


    Lincoln had his hands full managing Walker Group while also juggling his acting career, leaving him no time tofort Marcus.


    Meanwhile, Timothy''s team had been busy training for heavyweightpetitions, and they couldn''t do without him. With all the traveling for matches, he simply couldn''t stay behind.


    Hector had been busy as well, but to stay by Natalie''s side, he arranged for several people to share his workload, allowing him to take an extended leave.


    As for Mason, he was still a student. Before the semester started, he had plenty of free time. Even after school resumed, he could take days off if necessary, so staying at Holden Residence was a reasonable arrangement.


    However, if Marcus moved to the Walker family''s home, Hector and Mason could also return there and focus on their own responsibilities.


    After dropping Sky off at the prison, Marcus and Natalie left to see Yvette at the hospital, while William and Charlotte chose not to go.


    The Walker family never let go of their grudges.


    Back then, Yvette had coerced Grace into switching their daughter, and Charlotte would never forgive her for that.


    Now that Kenton had returned, his hatred for Yvette was just as deep-if not deeper than anyone else''s. With her now terminally ill, his relentless pursuit of revenge made it unnecessary for the Walker family to take action themselves.


    ...


    Marcus and Natalie arrived at the hospital, stepping into Yvette''s room to find Kenton standing by the bedside, coldly looking down at the frail Yvette. "Kenton," Marcus called out.


    Kenton immediately turned around. "Mr. Holden."


    "Get out," Marcus ordered.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden." Kenton responded obediently, stepping out of the room and even closing the door behind him.


    Marcus and Natalie approached the bed, and Ethan quickly brought over chairs for them to sit.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker," Ethan


    greeted respectfully. "Madam Jenkins'' body has beenpletely overtaken by Umbrahex. After arriving at the hospital, she suffered an episode due to emotionab distress. Combined with her terminal illness, the pain she''s experiencing is a hundred times worse than what Mrs. Holden endured."


    "How''s Charlene?" Natalie asked calmly.


    "She was rescued by our people and is unharmed," Ethan replied. "I handed her


    over to Kenton. He ns to use her to exchange for Megan."


    Then, he added, "Ms. Walker, Kenton came to us first with this proposal, and Mr. Holden agreed."


    Natalie nodded. "Alright, handle it as you see fit."


    Marcus nced at Ethan. "You can leave now."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," Ethan replied, turning to leave.


    Marcus then picked up the cup of water on the bedside table. It was still warm. He tilted it slightly and let the water trickle down onto Yvette''s forehead.


    Yvette jolted as if electrocuted, and her once vacant eyes finally regained focus. After setting the cup down, Marcus walked to the end of the bed and adjusted the hospital bed to raise her up.


    Then, he picked up the remote and turned on the television.


    What appeared on the screen wasn''t a regr broadcast. It was footage of the Jenkins family graves being dug up by a pack of wild dogs under Kenton''smand. Scene after scene yed out in gruesome detail.


    "Madam Jenkins," Marcus began. "I had Kenton prepare this for you. Have you seen enough?"


    Yvette''s face was soaked with sweat, and the moment she saw the footage ying on the screen, she spiraled into a panic attack.


    She clutched her face, screaming hysterically, "I don''t want to see it!"


    Marcus remained expressionless and simply turned up the volume.


    If she refused to watch, she could at least listen to the howls of the wild dogs and


    Kenton''s triumphantughter as he exacted his revenge.


    Once seen, these images would rey endlessly in her mind.


    Yvette wanted nothing more than to die, but Marcus wouldn''t let her. Right now,


    he wanted her to live a fate worse than death.


    "Yvette, the Jenkins family was


    burned to the ground by Vivian, and because of you, their graves were dug up and desecrated by wild dogs," he said. "Your family was destroyed by the two of you. Do you think Mr. Jenkins Senior would rest easy, knowing his ashes were unearthed and pissed on?"


    He let out a cold chuckle and said, "Vivian ruined the living members of the Jenkins family, and you


    destroyed the dead. Vivian is already gone. Tell me, Yvette. How do you still have the audacity to keep


    living?"


    Marcus'' words cut through the air like invisible daggers, stabbing deep into Yvette''s heart.


    Yvette screamed relentlessly. Marcus stepped forward and roughly pulled her hands away from her eyes.


    "Look at it," he demanded coldly. "Look closely. When did my grandfather ever wrong Vivian? How did he wrong the Jenkins family? Why did you make him suffer? Why did you drive him to his death?"


    Marcus gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on Yvette''s hair, forcing her to face the screen.


    "As long as you''re alive, I will make you watch the footage of the Jenkins family


    fire and the video of their graves being dug up by wild dogs. I want you to live a fate worse than death," he added.

 Chapter 552 Every Moment Was Pure Torment for Her

    Marcus'' demonic voice echoed in Yvette''s ears as she was forced to stare wide- eyed at the television screen mounted on the wall.


    After the footage of wild dogs digging up the Jenkins family''s graves ended, the screen transitioned to the massive fire that had engulfed the Jenkins residence years ago.


    Yvette had no idea where Marcus had obtained the surveince footage, but it had been restored in high definition. The screen was filled with towering mes, and the inferno consumed everything in its path. Along with the visuals came the distant, gut-wrenching screams that seeped into her ears.


    Tears streamed uncontrobly down Yvette''s face.


    Her chest ached so much that it felt like she was suffocating, and her eyes burned as if they were bleeding, yet she was powerless to move.


    The overwhelming hatred radiating from Marcus suffocated the entire hospital room, making her tremble with instinctual fear.


    Throughout it all, Natalie remained seated in her chair, watching Yvette with cold indifference.


    Only when Marcus finally let go of Yvette did she hand him a disinfectant wipe.


    "She has Umbrahex in her system. Don''t touch her next time. Even though we took the antidote in advance, it''s best not to take any risks," Natalie said tly.


    Marcus scoffed, wiping his hands. "Yeah, I got it."


    "Let''s go," Natalie instructed as she stood up, not sparing Yvette another nce. "It''s time for Kenton to take over."


    Without another word, Marcus followed her out of the hospital room.


    The moment they left, Kenton walked back in.


    His job was to stay by Yvette''s side, making sure she fully experienced every agonizing second of her final days.


    "Kenton, why didn''t you just send me to prison?" Yvette asked, closing her eyes in despair. "You really yed your role well, didn''t you? Pretending to be my loyal dog for years while secretly collecting evidence.


    "Now that you''ve given it all to Marcus and the Walkers, they''re not even turning me in. What are they nning?"


    Kenton burst outughing. "If we handed a terminally ill patient like you over to the police, they''d have to waste money keeping you alive with medical treatment."


    His mocking words made Yvette''s despair sink even deeper.


    "Throwing you in prison would be too easy. A sinner like you doesn''t deserve an escape," he said coldly. "The Walkers and the Holdens handed you over to me because dealing with someone as filthy as you would only stain their hands."


    Kenton sneered and added, "Yvette, did you really think that just because you helped the Langley family be the wealthiest in Amberton, Grace and I would be grateful to you?


    "You kidnapped Grace''s daughter, forced Grace to adopt Victor, then brainwashed her into believing it was the right thing to do. You even arranged for a nurse to take Selena away and sell her.


    "Yvette, what''s wrong with you? How could Vivian''s fire not have burned you, the most deserving of all? By the way, Charlene''s in my hands now. When you return Grace''s daughter, Megan, I''ll let you see Charlene.


    "You know, I''ve learned all the ways you torture people during the years I served you like a dog. Let me think... Where should I start?" He paused, then grinned cruelly. "Oh, by the way, Selena was sold countless times. I''ll make sure Charlene goes to the very same buyers for the exact same price."


    He chuckled darkly. "Yvette, doesn''t that sound like a perfect n?"


    Kenton let out a low chuckle, his gaze filled with hatred. "Yvette, you''ve always been selfish. You only ever cared about yourself. You even turned your own daughter into a tool for revenge. Charlene is the only one left of your bloodline now."


    He pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. "How about this? I''ll go to your daughter and tell her that if she wants to save Charlene, she has to kill you."


    He smirked. "Let''s see what Lina chooses. Sounds like a perfect n, doesn''t it?"


    Yvette''s hands clenched into fists. "If you have a problem with me,e at me. Leave my granddaughter out of this."


    Kenton shook his head. "That''s not how this works. When you forced me to hit my wife, did you think I''d ever forget? Yvette, you enjoyed watching me hurt her. The worse I beat her, the happier you were. That was how you measured my loyalty."


    He paused briefly and added, "She was a good woman, and you made her suffer for no reason. However, it doesn''t matter now. Julie is safe. Ms. Walker and Mr. Holden''s people are protecting her. She doesn''t have to live in fear anymore. She doesn''t have to put on an act for you."


    When he mentioned his wife, Kenton''s eyes turned red. He had let Julie down. All these years, he had been under Yvette''s control because Megan was in her hands.


    Grace had it slightly better. Yvette''s only demand for her was to switch out the Walker family''s eldest daughter, manage Langley Group and secretly funnel money to her.


    Conversely, Kenton was a puppet for Yvette. On the surface, he was the director of the hospital, but in reality, he was nothing more than Yvette''s obedient dog, handling all the dirty work she didn''t want to touch.


    But that wasn''t all; Yvette had even forced him to abuse Julie. Even though Julie was made to work as Lucy''s assistant, she had to endure daily beatings as a form of loyalty to Yvette.


    Kenton''s eyes welled with tears, remembering how Julie loved him and understood the torment he had been through. All these years, she had endured and cooperated, but she always urged him to find a way to take Yvette down. They had been waiting for the right moment to act.


    Finally, the time hade.


    The moment Marcus took Natalie to Scarlet Hill, Kenton knew his opportunity had arrived.


    "Well, it''s our turn to put on a show now," he said as he pulled out his phone.


    He made sure Yvette could see the screen before calling her daughter- Charlene''s mother, Lina Jenkins.


    Lina loved Charlene. There was no doubt in Kenton''s mind that for Charlene''s


    sake, she would be willing to kill Yvette herself.


    The call connected quickly.


    "Kenton? Why are you calling me?" Lina''s voice came through.


    Kenton tly replied, "Lina, you have a choice-Charlene or Yvette. Which one do


    you pick?"


    "What do you mean?" Lina asked, feeling confused.


    "If you want to save your daughter, you have to kill Yvette. If you choose


    to save Yyette instead, then


    Yvette


    Charlene will suffer the same fate as


    Selena Kenton said. "Since we''ve


    known each other for years, ?l give


    you two days. Think it over carefully. Yvette or Charlene. Make your choice."


    Without waiting for a response, Kenton ended the call.


    "Just wait, you old hag."


    He pped Yvette across the face. "Remember how you made me hurt my wife? Now, I''m returning the favor."


    With that, he yanked her off the hospital bed and started kicking and punching


    her.


    He controlled his strength, making sure she felt every bit of pain without letting her


    die.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 553 Pure Torment Without Escape

    Kenton soon finished beating her and roughly dragged Yvette back onto the bed, forcing her to keep watching the television screen.


    The screen repeatedly yed footage of the fire that had burned the Jenkins residence to ashes and the scene of wild dogs digging up the Jenkins family''s graves.


    The more Yvette watched, the more her heart twisted in agony. Tears streamed down her face.


    Before Charles died, everything had been under her control. She had nned and schemed for years, and finally, she saw everything she wantede to fruition.


    However, everything changed after Charles'' death.


    Marcus was nothing like Charles. He was far more ruthless and cold-hearted than Charles ever was.


    At that moment, Yvette regretted everything. s, regret was useless now. Compared to Marcus, she was far behind in the art of breaking someone''s spirit. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.


    Kenton put on a mask before turning to open it.


    Sheldon stood at the doorway. "I came to check in," he said. Dressed in ck after the funeral, he looked as calm as ever.


    "Sheldon, pleasee in," Kenton said, quickly stepping aside to let him enter. "Should I leave?"


    "There''s no need," Sheldon replied calmly, walking toward the bed. "Yvette, I''m here to give you a gift."


    Sheldon pulled out an envelope and tossed it at Yvette''s face. "Open it and take a look."


    Yvette''s entire body ached, and she didn''t dare look at the envelope Sheldon gave her. When Charles died, Sheldon had been the most heartbroken. His grief had been so deep that he looked ready to follow Charles to the grave.


    "What? Are you afraid to look at it?"


    Sheldon picked up the envelope himself, tore it open, and pulled out a stack of photos. One by one, he held them up in front of Yvette.


    "The man you found took your money and left to start another rtionship. Do you know who he is? He''s the younger brother of Cassie''s father. He had stic surgery and changed his face on purpose to get close to you.


    "Do you know why you''re sick with a terminal illness? This man has been poisoning you slowly for years. The Jenkinses killed his brother, and now he''se to destroy you."


    He paused, then added, "Oh, and by the way, you thought Lina was your daughter, but she''s not. That man drugged you, then used a test-tube baby made with another woman''s egg and put it inside you."


    Sheldon let out a softugh and said, "Yvette, you spent your life scheming against others, but you never realized you were being yed too. So, do you think Lina wille and kill you herself to save Charlene?"


    "What?" Yvette''s mind buzzed in rm. "What did you say? Lina isn''t my daughter? How is that possible?"


    She refused to believe it. She would rather die than believe it.


    Sheldon leaned in close to Yvette''s ear and whispered, "I came here nning to strangle you with my own hands. I wanted to kill you in revenge for Mr. Holden Senior, but Kenton said that just killing you would be too easy. He''s a sharp de, and the things he''s given us are more than enough to make you suffer."


    Then, a faint smirk appeared on his face. "I can''t wait to see Lina kill you herself."


    He straightened up and stepped aside, watching Yvette with quiet amusement. The arrogance she had when she met with Charles back then was gone now, reced by sheer terror and despair.


    If she had never started this, no one would have remembered the Jenkins family. Their graves would have been well cared for every year.


    If she had never provoked Charles, he would still be alive, and she wouldn''t have ended up like this.


    Yet, she had destroyed it all with her own hands.


    Now that Charles was gone, Marcus was no longer held back. He was


    ruthless, and he didn''t care that


    Yvette was old or dying. A singlet


    nce or a few cryptic words from him would be enough to make others take action, sparing him from getting his own hands dirty.


    And then there was Kenton, who was waiting for his revenge.


    Sheldon pulled up a chair and sat down. "Go on, Kenton. Don''t mind me. Mr. Holden Senior is gone, and I''m bored. I''m more than happy to watch this heart-wrenching game. Do you think Lina will take two days to make her choice? Or perhaps she''s already on her way here?"


    Yvette red at Sheldon. After a long silence, she finally broke down and


    screamed, "I want to see Marcus! I want to see Marcus!"


    "Mr. Holden won''t see you because you don''t deserve it," Sheldon calmly replied. "The Jenkins family was never a match for the Holden family. When Vivian married Mr. Holden Senior, your family was the one reaching beyond its status, but instead of being grateful, you trampled on his sincerity. Yvette, do you realize where you went wrong?"


    "I did nothing wrong! It was Charles! It was Charles!" Yvette screamed. "He was blind! He deserved to be fooled by Vivian! He deserved to be cheated on! He deserved to raise another man''s daughter!"


    Sheldon looked at her with a vacant expression. "Then, I suppose you deserve to be killed by Lina. How does it feel knowing the child you carried in your womb isn''t of the Jenkins bloodline?"


    He paused before adding, "Oh, and that man who orchestrated all of this? He couldn''t have done it without the hospital and resources you so kindly provided to Kenton."


    Sheldon sneered. "Yvette, how does it feel to be bitten by the very dog you raised?"


    Kenton sat calmly on the other side of the bed, unbothered by Sheldon''s words. After all, they were simply the truth.


    "Yvette, just wait," Sheldon said, staring at her with deep hatred. "Your suffering has only just begun."


    From that moment on, Yvette wasn''t given a moment of rest, let alone the chance to sleep. Kenton forced her to keep watching the TV screen.


    On it, the footage of the fire at the Jenkins residence and the wild dogs digging up


    the Jenkins'' graves continued to y on a loop.


    But Kenton had added new content to torment her further.


    When she was unconscious on the operating table, they had imnted the man''s


    and another woman''s test-tube baby inside her.


    That man had sweet-talked her, taken her money, and then left to find another


    woman.


    He had a family outside. He told the other woman that Yvette was just a foolish, rich idiot. She thought she was using him to have a child, but in the end, she was


    the one who had unknowingly carried someone else''s baby.


    Sheldon and Kenton had no intention of letting her go.


    Every second Yvette spent lying in that hospital bed was pure torment, and there was no escape.

 Chapter 554 A Blade for Revenge

    Sheldon sat in the hospital room without any intention of leaving. Kenton paid no mind to his presence. He continued tormenting Yvette however he saw fit.


    Unable to endure the suffering any longer, Yvette begged for mercy. "Kenton, I was wrong to you in the past, but I''ve never been stingy with what I gave you or Grace. How could you do this to me now? Aren''t you afraid of karma?"


    Kenton chuckled. "Yvette, I''ll give you a piece of advice. Every cause has an effect. Your retribution is me. When you made me beat my wife, did you ever think you''d end up in my hands one day?"


    He no longer wore his mask, leaving the grotesque scars on half of his face fully exposed.


    Yvette couldn''t bring herself to look at him, for the scars were too unsightly. She knew exactly how they hade to be.


    "Yvette, just you wait. Lina is already on her way."


    Kenton smiled faintly and opened his phone, showing Yvette the conversation with Lina. "Look, she didn''t even need two days. She replied in two minutes. She''s already on her way from Scarlet Hill to kill you.


    "Before she gets here, I''ll take good care of Charlene, keep her safe and


    Kenton grinned. "Just imagine that scene. Isn''t it beautiful?"


    Yvette''s face turned pale with anger. "How dare you? How dare you do this? Charlene is just a child!"


    Fury overtook Yvette, and with a choked gasp, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    "Charlene is a child? What about Ms. Walker and Selena, whom you had switched out? Were they not just children too?" Kenton mocked. "Besides, Charlene isn''t even your real granddaughter. She doesn''t share a drop of your blood, so why are you getting so worked up?"


    Yvette clutched her chest, unable to utter a single word. Her face had turned deathly pale, and as her emotions surged, the Umbrahex inside her erupted.


    A searing pain shot through her body as if countless des were tearing her apart from the inside. She curled up instinctively, digging her nails deep into her palms.


    "Yvette, your hair is starting to turn white," Kenton remarked. "Laura endured this for years, but lucky for you, you have a terminal illness. You won''t have to suffer for quite as long."


    He clicked his tongue in mock pity. "What a shame. Your retribution is far too short."


    With that, he lifted arge mirror and ced it right in front of her.


    "Look, Yvette. Look at what you''ve be. This is a result of your own tricks, turned back on you. How does it feel?"


    He let out a hoarse chuckle. "You don''t need to say anything-I already know. It must feel absolutely amazing."


    Yvette let out a gut-wrenching scream. "It hurts! It hurts so much!"


    She stared into the mirror, watching in horror as her hair rapidly turned white, while her skin thinned and turned translucent. Umbrahex writhed within her, slithering under her flesh like living shadows, but the physical agony was nothingpared to the torment wing at her mind.


    She knew this suffering all too well. Laura had endured it for years, and she had seen every stage of it.


    Now, it was her turn to endure it.


    "Oh, I almost forgot," Kenton added with a smirk. "Wesley''s already back in Dithoria, searching for Cassie. If he finds out you''re behind all of this, what do you think will happen? How many more people do you think wille for revenge?"


    "It hurts!" Yvette could do nothing but scream in agony.


    "Sheldon, are you satisfied with all this?" Kenton asked, ncing at Sheldon, who was seated on the couch.


    Sheldon smirked and stood up. "Not quite. You take care of the rest."


    "Okay," Kenton replied.


    "I''m leaving," Sheldon said, turning to leave.


    "I''ll walk you out," Kenton offered, following him to the door.


    Once Sheldon''s figure disappeared down the corridor, Kenton stepped aside to make a phone call. After that, he returned to the room.


    "Enjoy yourself, Yvette," he said with a smirk, throwing himself onto the couch. "Now, we just wait for Lina. Oh, and my wife will being too. She''s suffered a lot because of you over the years. You owe her, and it''s time you paid your debt."


    "It hurts!"


    Yvette convulsed on the hospital bed before falling to the ground with a heavy thud. She writhed on the cold floor, clutching her body as the torment consumed her.


    Kenton watched coldly as she twisted in agony.


    This was only the beginning. If Yvette was going to die, it wouldn''t be an easy death. She had to suffer.


    Sins weren''t so easily atoned for.


    Kenton pulled out his phone, checking the message from the number he had just dialed.


    "We want Charlene. Name your price."


    A cruel smile crept onto his lips. He didn''t reply right away. Instead, he let Yvette sink deeper into her agony before finally retrieving a small pill and forcing it into her mouth.


    "Yvette," he began. "Victor and Diana are offering a price for Charlene. Should I sell her to them? After all, Selena was treated like amodity, passed from one hand to another. Every bit of suffering she endured was real.


    "The Holden and Walker families are working with the authorities to crack down on human trafficking. Selena''s past was nothing short of tragic, so why not put Charlene in the spotlight? Let her be the bait that lures the traffickers out of the shadows."


    The moment the pill slid down her throat, the searing pain in Yvette''s body subsided slightly, and for a brief moment, her mind cleared.


    Upon hearing Kenton''s words, Yvette''s eyes widened, zing with fury, and she looked as if she wanted to rip him to shreds.


    "You''re part of this too," she snarled. "By doing this, do you think you can escape?"


    "Escape?" Kenton sneered. "I was forced into this. I''m turning myself into a


    witness for the prosecution. I''ve gathered so much evidence, Yvette. I''ve been waiting for this day."


    Then, he leaned in close to her ear


    and whispered, "Do you really think I


    ff


    lured Lina bere because I wasn''t sure she''de? You''re wrong f she hadn''t, Marcus'' people would never have caught her. And don''t even bring up the authorities. They''ve tried again and again, but Lina always found out beforehand and slipped away."


    He let out a low chuckle. "Just wait, Yvette. Whether it''s you, Lina, or Charlene, none of you will escape. I''m not running. I''ve been your loyal dog for years, waiting for this moment. Now, I''ll be the one to deliver you and Lina to thew."


    "I''ll tell you where Megan is. Just let Lina and Charlene go," Yvette said through gritted teeth, fighting


    against the pain. "Don''t you and


    Grace want to bring Megan back? I''ll give you her location if you let them go. Is that okay? Please, Kenton, just this once."


    "It''s toote," Kenton said with a faint smile. "Grace and I do want to find Megan, but after all these years with you, who knows what she''s be? What if she sees you as her mother? What if she ends up hating me and my sister? It''s better to leave things as it is."


    "Kenton, you really are a good dog," Yvette spat, wiping the blood from the corner


    of her mouth. "You sure know how to bite the hand that feeds you." "You''re wrong," Kenton said with a smile. "Weren''t you the one who once praised


    me as the perfect de you forged? Now that this de has stabbed you in the back, doesn''t that still make it perfect? Yvette, you''ve seeded."


    He threw his head back andughed.

 Chapter 555 When Madness Met Its Match

    Kenton''s vocal cords were already damaged, so his voice was raspy and unpleasant. When heughed maniacally, it became even more grating.


    Yvette reached out and covered her ears. She didn''t want to hear thatughter.


    Outside the hospital room, Sheldon hadn''t gone far. He took out his phone and opened a photo of Charles.


    As he stared at it, tears began to fall.


    He had followed Charles his whole life and had long sincee to see him as his closest family member.


    Every day, he had done everything he could to serve Charles with care, hoping he could live a long life. Even if Charles couldn''t live a long life, he shouldn''t have left the world like this.


    "Mr. Holden Senior," Sheldon choked. "There are some things Mr. Holden and Ms. Walker can''t do but I can." His voice trembled. "I''ve already had Kenton contact Selena. That old psycho, Yvette, needs someone like Selena to deal with her.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, you gave everything to the Jenkins family, and this is how they repay you. I just can''t stomach it-I really can''t." He wiped his face. "I lied to Mr. Holden and Ms. Walker. They won''t being to the hospital for a while.


    "Kenton and I will hand Yvette over to Selena and her parents. Mr. Holden Senior, once I''ve gotten your revenge, I''ll join you up there."


    Sheldon wiped away his tears. In the next instant, his expression turned steely again. Sometimes, it took evil to deal with evil. Yvette yed an innocent, but back when Selena was just a baby, wasn''t she innocent too?


    Selena might be cruel, but if she hadn''t been swapped at birth, if she had grown up loved by her real parents, she wouldn''t have suffered like she did. Yvette wasn''t a saint when Selena was just an infant.


    Sheldon left the hospital, pulled out a different photo, and dialed for Selena. "Selena, where are you three now?"


    "Three more hours, and we''ll be in Dithoria," Selena''s voice came through. "Sheldon, are you really sure you want to hand over that old hag Yvette to me and my parents?"


    "Absolutely." Sheldon''s voice gave away no emotion. "Yvette has controlled Grace all these years. You being taken and sold by a nurse-that was on her orders. Glving her to you is only fair."


    "Thanks, Sheldon." Selena chuckled. "But we''reing in secretly, so please don''t let Natalie or Marcus know."


    "Don''t worry. I won''t."


    "Alright then. See you in three hours."


    Sheldon hung up and turned to look at Yvette''s hospital room, where Kenton''s people were standing guard outside. Revenge didn''t always need toe directly from the Holden family.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, just you wait. You were too kind, unwilling to take certain actions¡ªbut I''m not like you." He put his phone away. "I''m vicious. I''ll make sure Yvette gets exactly what she deserves." He murmured the words under his breath as he pressed the elevator button.


    Three hourster, Selena and her parents appeared at the hospital in disguise. And five minutes after arriving, they entered Yvette''s hospital room.


    The moment they stepped inside, Kenton stood up. Victor may not have been Grace''s biological son, but as his uncle, Kenton still cared about him deeply.


    As for Selena, Kenton''s guilt toward her ran even deeper. After all, her being taken away happened right under his nose.


    Back then, Kenton had no power to resist. He could only go along with it, whether he wanted to or not. To gain Yvette''s full trust, he had to sacrifice baby Selena.


    Now, looking at the Langley family standing before him, Kenton''s eyes turned red. He stepped forward and gave them a once-over. He had always operated from the shadows, so Victor had never know of his existence.


    After a long pause, Kenton finally spoke. "I''m d you came. Selena, I owe you an apology."


    Selena didn''t say anything. She went straight to the hospital bed. Seeing this, Kenton warned her, "She''s got Umbrahex in her system, so be careful when you get close."


    Selena''s lips curled into a smirk. "Umbrahex, huh? Now that''s a fun little thing." She nced over. "Great-Uncle Kenton, when do we take her?"


    "We''ll wait for Lina to arrive," Kenton replied, stepping forward. "She still hasn''t told us where Megan is. I think she doesn''t want to trade her for Charlene.


    "I gave Lina two choices-give up Charlene, or trade Yvette''s life for her. Lina chose Charlene. Until she gets here, you can do whatever you want to her."


    "Great-Uncle Kenton, let''s take her to Amberton, more specifically, the hospital where my mom gave birth


    to me. Let''s treat her there." Selena smile slowly. "That hospital


    changed the fate of quite a few


    people. I think it''s fine to have Yvette


    experience the ce herself.


    "More importantly, that hospital was a gift to you by Yvette, wasn''t it?"


    "It was," Kenton said, then suddenly smiled as if something had urred to him. "Selena, you''ve got a sharp mind."


    "Thank you, Great-Uncle Kenton. We don''t even have to wait for Lina. Let''s just have her meet us directly at Amberton."


    Selena didn''t raise a hand against Yvette-but she did pull out a colorful snake the length of her forearm from her bag and tossed it right onto Yvette''s face.


    Yvette screamed in horror and leapt off the hospital bed.


    Her shrieks grew louder and louder as she iled around, ripping the snake off her head and throwing it to the floor.


    Selena tilted her head, the smile on her face deepening. As it turned out, the old hag was afraid of snakes. Well, that made things easier.


    "Great-Uncle Kenton, Mom, Dad, step back a bit."


    Smiling lightly, Selena unzipped her bag the rest of the way. A variety of small snakes spilled out andnded all over Yvette.


    "Help me!" Yvette''s wretched screams echoed through the room-but she was the only patient


    on this floor. Her room had also


    P.n


    As


    been specially soundproofed. long as no one came in, nobody outside would hear a thing.


    Inside the room, Yvette was leaping around wildly-nothing like a terminal patient.


    It seemed that when people were scared enough, they could unleash a strength they didn''t know they had.


    Selena stood in ce, watching Yvette with great interest. Only when Yvette finally fainted from fear did she step forward and calmly scoop the snakes back into her bag.


    "So easy to scare. Great-Uncle Kenton, how did she ever manage to threaten you back then?"


    Kenton looked at Selena differently now. There was unmistakable awe in his eyes.


    "Things were different back then." He sighed, sounding weary. "She and Grace- your grandmother never even met. Your grandmother didn''t even know who was giving the orders over the phone.


    "But I was different. I saw her from


    the beginning, worked under her, and did her dirty work. She acted like the whole world owed her and the Jenkins family. She hated the Holden family and the Walken family with a vengeance. That said, she hated us just the same. But why?


    "Did the Jenkins family do no wrong? Was Vivian innocent? And the man who deceived Grace-was he innocent too?"


    As Kenton spoke, his eyes reddened. "Not one of them was meless. Not one!"


    "It''s alright," Selena said with a soft smile. "Yvette had me sold off when I was just


    a baby-and yet I''m still here, alive and well.


    "So now, let the madness meet its match."

 Chapter 556 That Resentment Just Will Not Go Away

    Selena''s words gave Kenton a sense offort. Even though Selena wasn''t a child of the Langley family by blood, the ruthlessness and twisted streak she carried-those were just like him.


    Then, Selena shifted the topic. "Great-Uncle Kenton, where''s Charlene? I want to meet her."


    "She''s at a hotel near the hospital. I''ve got someone watching her."


    "Great-Uncle Kenton, take me there. Let my parents stay here and keep an eye on things."


    "Alright," Kenton agreed without hesitation. "But Selena, your parents had better not do anything reckless. Yvette can''t die just yet."


    "Of course, we''re not going to kill her now," Diana said coldly. "Killing her now would be letting her off too easily. We have our own ns for her. Whatever we do, Uncle Kenton, you''ll know about it."


    Selena chimed in at this moment. "Yeah! Don''t worry, Great-Uncle Kenton. My parents listen to me, and I listen to you. In Dithoria, the Holden family and the Walker family are keeping an eye on things. Those two families are too righteous. Who knows? They might even pity that old hag and let her off the hook!


    "We''re different. We''re vicious." Selena smiled darkly. "But this viciousness-she''s the one who caused it. Isn''t she always ming others? Well then, I''m ming my entire fate on her now. Seems pretty fair, doesn''t it?"


    Kenton nodded. "Yes, you''re right. And you''re not ming her baselessly¡ªit''s simply the truth. If not for her, you wouldn''t have been sold off, Natalie and Emma wouldn''t have been swapped, the Walker family wouldn''t have gone after your parents for mistreating Natalie, and they wouldn''t have retaliated against you all.


    "Emma would never have had the chance to harm Sophia, the eldest daughter of the Sinir family. You would''ve grown up healthy and happy, loved and cared for by your real parents. There''s also no way you would''ve endured so much suffering or developed such a skewed outlook on life.


    "All of this is the old hag, Yvette''s fault."


    Selena nodded. "Exactly. That''s just how it is."


    "Alright, then. I''ll take you to see Charlene, and your parents will keep an eye on Yvette here."


    Selena nodded obediently. "Okay, Great-Uncle Kenton."


    Kenton led Selena out of the hospital room. As he did, Victor and Diana exchanged a nce.


    On their way to Dithoria, the three of them had already discussed it. Yvette was the root of everything that had happened; they had been separated for so many years, and Selena suffered painful experiences while being sold again and again. The Langleys simply couldn''t leave things as they were.


    Even though they had decided to stay away from all of this and live a peaceful life, the anger in their hearts just wouldn''t go away. This was especially true when they thought of all the other girls Selena had met during those years girls who had also been abducted and trafficked. It pained them to no end.


    Selena admitted she wasn''t a good person, but if she had never been separated from her parents at birth, how would she have turned out like this? Diana and Victor loved her dearly. If she had grown up surrounded by love, she definitely would have been a happy, kind, and gentle child.


    But she hadn''t. Her life experiences made it impossible for her to be a bright, cheerful person.


    Though the family of three had decided to leave it all behind and live quietly, they had still traveled all this way to Dithoria for one reason to take Yvette to the hospital where the child swap had urred. That hospital had changed the fates of several young girls. Yvette needed to atone for her sins there.


    Once they brought her to that hospital, Selena and her parents would finally be free to do whatever they wanted in life.


    Diana and Victor lifted the unconscious Yvette andid her back on the hospital bed, pulling the nket over her.


    "Uncle Kenton said she''s got Umbrahex in her system, so we need to be careful not to touch her," Victor said quietly. "Look under her skin. Isn''t there something moving in her veins?"


    Diana nodded. "Yeah, there is."


    "Do you I think it''s contagious?" Victor sounded a little nervous. "Maybe we should keep our distance."


    "It''s not," Diana said confidently. She was far bolder than Victor. "If it was that easy to catch, Uncle Kenton wouldn''t have been fine after working with her for so long.


    "Rx. I''ve seen stuff like this in movies and on TV. Umbrahex isn''t something you can just identally pick up."


    Victor thought about it. That certainly did make sense.


    "Alright, then. Let''s just wait here."


    "Yeah."


    Kenton brought Selena to the hotel near the hospital and soon arrived at the room where Charlene was being held.


    Of course, all hermunication


    devices had been confiscated. She


    was being watched around the


    clock. Even when going to the bathroom, there were female bodyguards keeping an eye on her.


    She was on the verge of losing it. But she had no way to escape. Even if she


    could, she didn''t dare-because Yvette was still in Kenton''s hands.


    The moment she saw Kenton walk in with Selena, Charlene rushed forward. "Kenton Langley! How dare you lock me up. Let me out of here!"


    Kenton raised his hand and pped Charlene across the face. "Bitch. You think you can scream at me?"


    Selena stepped forward at this


    moment, giving Charlene a once-over. On the way to Dithoria, she had reviewed Charlene''s profile. She had been pampered by Lina and Yvette since childhood. She had never lifted a finger to participate in any of their dirty business.


    In other words, her life had been simple, pure, andfortable.


    But that simple, beautiful life of hers had been built on Yvette''s maniption of the Holdens, Walkers, and Langleys.


    For years, the Langley family had been sending money to Yvette. Charlene''s luxurious lifestyle had been funded by the Langleys.


    That wretched woman, Yvette, imed to hate the man who once loved Vivian, yet shamelessly used his wife and child to make money for herself.


    A textbook hypocrite she was, ying both the victim and the mastermind. "Selena, she''s all yours. Just be careful not to kill her," Kenton said, ncing at Selena and instantly understanding her intentions from the look on her face.


    "Thanks, Great-Uncle Kenton." Selena smiled faintly. Then, she stepped forward, grabbed Charlene by the hair, and dragged her straight into the bathroom. Momentster, the sound of Charlene''s blood-curdling screams came from within, akin to that of an animal being ughtered.


    Kenton clicked his tongue a couple of times and walked over to sit by the coffee table. He pulled out his phone and saw a missed call from Sheldon.


    He quickly called Sheldon, and it connected almost immediately. "Hello, Sheldon?"


    "Kenton, Lina''s almost here."


    "Got it, Sheldon."


    After the call ended, Kenton waited a


    little while longer before going to


    knock on the bathroom door. "Selena, that''s enough. Lina''s almost


    here now. We still have a show to watch."


    "Got it, Great-Uncle Kenton," Selena replied, then pulled the door open and


    casually walked out.


    Kenton nced behind her and saw Charlene curled up by the toilet, with several


    colorful snakes slithering around her feet.


    "Those snakes aren''t venomous, are they?"


    "No," Selena replied with a smile. "But they''re more than enough to scare the life


    out of her."


    She added, "Great-Uncle Kenton, let''s have someone take Charlene to the hospital where we were swapped."


    "But I already arranged to meet Lina." Kenton frowned. "Lina''s just as crazy, you know."


    Selena smiled, her eyes reflecting a deep, hidden meaning. "It''s fine. Charlene''s in our hands. No matter how crazy Lina is, can she be crazier than me?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 557 The Showdown Between Diana Ashcroft and Lina Jenkins

    "Alright, we''ll do as you say. Have someone take Charlene back to the hospital where you were swapped in Amberton," Kenton agreed without hesitation, then waved someone over and ordered them to take Charlene away.


    Selena smiled brightly and nodded. "Great-Uncle Kenton, you''re so cool."


    "Selena, you may not be my granddaughter, but your personality is just like mine.


    I never had children in this life. From now on, all of my assets will go to you," Kenton said.


    He thought Selena was twisted and ruthless enough¡ªand he was proud of that. Kind people got trampled on, just like Natalie back then.


    In the Langley family, she had been bullied and abused for being too kind¡ª especially by Diana.


    Selena was twisted and ruthless enough. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have survived all those years being sold from one ce to another.


    Kenton never thought of himself as a good person. He had long epted that he wouldn''t have a good ending, and he was fine with that. But before that day came, he would make sure Yvette and her family were sent to hell first.


    After the quick stop to see Charlene, Kenton and Selena returned to the hospital where Yvette was being held.


    Before going inside, Selena nced around. The hospital was strange-big, but with no patients or familiesing or going. Guards were stationed at the entrance, clearly well-trained private bodyguards.


    "Great-Uncle Kenton, don''t tell me this hospital only has Yvette as a patient?"


    "It''s a new hospital, so it''s not open to the public yet," Kenton lowered his voice to exin. "It belongs to the Maine family-Jessy Maine, to be specific. She wants revenge for Lucy. When I approached her, she immediately gave me the use of the hospital."


    Selena knew who Jessy was, so she simply nodded. That old hag Yvette had schemed against too many people while setting up her ins, and now there were just as many peopleing after her for revenge.


    "What about Marcus and Natalie? Are they really letting Yvette off the hook?"


    "As if." Kenton smirked. "They don''t even need to lift a finger-because we''re doing it for them."


    Selena understood right away. Marcus and Natalie didn''t need to show their faces or even get their hands dirty. But in this whole affair, they had subtly pushed things along. In the end, even if someone investigated, nothing would trace the trail back to them.


    The Holden and Walker families had both gotten their revenge and vented their rage without getting the slightest bit of blood on their hands. They really were on another level.


    Still, even knowing that, the Langley family and Jessy had no reason to stop. They would follow this path to the end.


    Soon, the two of them arrived at Yvette''s hospital room. Lina was just about to reach as well.


    Yvette, still unconscious after being frightened by Selena''s colorful snakes, hadn''t yet woken up.


    "Get ready. We can take her back to Amberton," Kenton said, checking on Yvette. He then called for the bodyguards stationed outside the room. "Come in and get her into the car."


    "Yes, Mr. Langley Senior."


    The bodyguards rolled in a wheelchair and gently lifted Yvette, nket and all, cing her onto it.


    "Take her straight to Amberton and go directly to my hospital."


    "Yes, Mr. Langley Senior."


    The bodyguards pushed the unconscious Yvette out of the room. Kenton signaled for Selena and her parents to follow, and they left together.


    After Yvette had been taken away, Kenton brought Selena and her parents to get something to eat. Only after finishing their meal did they get in the car and leave at a leisurely pace.


    Shortly after they left, Lina arrived in Dithoria and headed straight to the address Kenton had sent her. But when she got there, only a security guard was stationed at the entrance.


    When he saw her arrive, the guard stepped forward and handed her a slip of paper.


    "The sender of this note instructed me to tell you that you''re to find them at this address."


    Without giving her a chance to speak, the security guard turned and walked back to his booth, pulled his uniform jacket over his head, and went back to sleep.


    Lina unfolded the paper, and upon reading the address, her eyes filled with confusion. What was Kenton ying at? Why Amberton-and why his own hospital specifically? Did he n to settle everything there?


    Before she could think too much about it, her phone buzzed. A new message had arrived.


    She opened it, and her vision went ck for a moment.


    The photo showed Charlene''s head


    and bodypletely covered in colorful shakes. They weren''t venomous, but for someone like Charlene, who had been deathly afraid of snakes since childhood, that didn''t matter. She would be scared to death all the same.


    "Lina, if you don''t hurry up, you''ll be picking up your daughter''s corpse soon."


    Lina''s fingers flew over the keyboard. "Kenton, if you''ve got a problem,e for me. Charlene''s innocent. Don''t touch her."


    "This is Diana Ashcroft, Selena''s mother. Kenton didn''t do anything to your daughter. I''m the one who taught her a lesson."


    The moment Lina saw the name-Diana Ashcroft-her vision went ck again. She knew exactly how much Diana loved Selena.


    When Selena had just returned to the Langley family, Diana had taken all her anger out on Natalie, and done countless cruel things to her with Selena.


    Back then, the Jenkins family had simply stood by, watching the drama unfold like it was a show.


    Now that Charlene had fallen into Diana''s hands, there was no doubt that Diana would make her taste every bit of suffering that Selena had endured growing up.


    Lina''s fingernails dug into her palm so hard that they drew blood. The sting snapped her back to her senses. She took a deep breath and sent another message to Kenton''s number.


    "I''m Charlene''s mother. From one mother to another, please don''t hurt my daughter. She didn''t do anything wrong. She doesn''t know anything."


    "And what did my daughter do when she was born? What fault did she have? What? Your Jenkins kid is some kind of treasure, but my daughter, Diana Ashcroft''s child, is just trash? Something to be stepped on? To be separated from me for years?


    "This is just the beginning. Every bit of suffering my daughter went through all these years¡ªI''ll make sure your daughter experiences it all, one by one."


    Lina staggered as her vision went dark again, nearly losing her bnce altogether. She didn''t dare waste another second. She jumped into her car and sped toward Amberton.


    In Kenton''s car, Diana handed his phone back to him, then grabbed Charlene and pped her across the face several times.


    "Bitch! What makes you so innocent? All you Jenkins women deserve to die!" Diana snarled, ring at Charlene. "Once your mom shows up, I''ll send both of you straight to hell!"


    Charlene''s head spun from the blows, the taste of blood filling her mouth.


    "My daughter was taken the moment she was born. We''ve been separated for years, while you got to grow upfortably by your


    mother''s side. Everything you do


    wore, and used was all paid for by the Langleys. You bitch! Who gave you the right? Tell me, you Jenkins women. What gave you the right?"


    Diana let all the rage in her chest erupt. "And because of you, I ended up offending Natalie. Her biological mother came back and got revenge on me If you lot hadn''t swapped the babies, why would we have ever gotten on the Walker family''s bad side? How could I have been separated from my daughter for so many years? Why would my daughter have had to suffer so much?"


    By the end, Diana couldn''t hold her emotions back anymore. She broke into sobs.


    "I hate the Jenkins so much. Yvette deserves to die. Your mother deserves to die. And you... deserve to die soon!"

 Chapter 558 Returning to the Hospital Where Fate Changed

    On the ride over, Diana pped Charlene so hard that thetter didn''t know which way was up.


    It wasn''t until Victor, worried Diana might actually beat Charlene to death in a fit of rage, reached out and stopped her. "Honey, don''t hurt your hand. Once we get to Uncle Kenton''s hospital, we can deal with this little bitch properly."


    Diana panted heavily, shaking out her sore hand. "Fine, we''ll wait until Amberton."


    Charlene was in so much pain that she couldn''t stop crying. Without a phone, she couldn''t contact anyone. She helplessly shrank into a corner, trying not to make any sudden moves around the Langley family trio.


    Selena didn''t bother with Charlene in the car. She was looking through her phone, reading up on news about the Langley family.


    Grace was critically ill, while Langley Group had already gone bankrupt. As such, the Langley family was no longer the richest in Amberton.


    Elsewhere, Grace was now hospitalized, with a caretaker looking after her, arranged for by Kenton.


    The news said she was holding onto life by a thread, though fully unwilling to let go. Apparently, she needed to fulfill herst wish before she could finally rest.


    Selena guessed that Grace wanted to see her biological daughter, Megan, before she died. That was also the real reason Kenton had captured Charlene and lured Lina-so she would be forced to choose between Yvette and Charlene.


    If Yvette wanted to live, Kenton would force her to hand over Megan. And if Megan had already died, then Yvette would die by the hand of her own daughter. Regardless of whether Lina was her biological daughter or not, she still came from Yvette''s womb. Ten months of pregnancy couldn''t be faked.


    Still, Selena was still wondering; Marcus and Natalie hadn''t yet shown up and seemingly weren''t involved in the grudge between the Langley and Jenkins families. Were they really staying out of it, or were they just waiting for the right moment?


    But regardless of what Marcus and Natalie did, Selena no longer dared to cross them. Thest time, when they let her family off, it was purely out of their kindness.


    The car smoothly continued to its destination. After arriving in Amberton, Kenton told Victor and his family to get out and grab something to eat, while he stayed in the car to keep an eye on Charlene.


    "Kenton, I''ve always seen you as my great-uncle for years too. Do you really have to go this far with me?" Charlene finally dared to speak once Selena and her parents were gone.


    Her face was bruised and swollen from Diana''s beating. Her teeth had nearly been knocked out. Helpless to save herself, she had been silently enduring the pain the whole time.


    "Charlene, do you even know what Selena went through all these years?" Kenton lit a cigarette, taking a slow drag. "What Diana did to you is already merciful. Us Langleys owe nothing to the Jenkins. If anyone''s to me for all this, it''s Vivian and Yvette. The Jenkins family''s mess ended up dragging so many others into it.


    "Selena and I may not be rted by blood, but she calls me Great-Uncle Kenton. And I, for all these years, was nothing but Yvette''s dog. I didn''t have the power to fight back then¡ªso I waited, and I waited.


    "Eventually, my chance came. If Yvette hadn''t contracted a terminal illness, or if she didn''t want to see Charles devastated before she died and boast to Hector about how wlessly she''d orchestrated everything, I wouldn''t have had the opportunity.


    "In truth, I wouldn''t have been able to take on the forces Yvette raised. If she had just died quietly, if the Holden and Walker families didn''t find out she was behind the baby swap, I''d never have gotten my revenge.


    "If you ask me, it''s her own pride that ruined her."


    Kenton let out augh. "Your grandmother got too cocky. Sure, she managed to gloat to Charles and the Walker family, but did she really think Marcus and the Walker family are idiots? Why me Charles and the Walkers for the fire at the Jenkins family estate?


    "Vivian set the fire, and Charles was deceived. The Holden family were victims in all this too. Where does Yvette get off acting like the victim here?


    "Does she really think that since she''s dying, she can be fearless? That airing out the truth would hurt the Holden and Walker families, making them continue to suffer? What a joke.


    "Charles loved Vivian. Charles couldn''t handle the brutal truth, and in the end, died just as Yvette wanted him to. But once Charles was gone, who could keep Marcus in check?


    "And the Walker family-Charlotte, William, and their sons are famous for doting on their youngest. Natalie was swapped into the Langley family and suffered for years. Did you think the Langleys weren''t going to pay the price for that? What makes Yvette think the Walkers wouldn''t retaliate?"


    Charlene listened as Kenton spoke, his words making her heart pound harder and harder.


    "My grandma''s people have been taken over by Marcus and the Walkers, haven''t they?"


    "Bingo." Kenton blew a puff of smoke straight into Charlene''s face. "How else do you think someone like me-Yvette''s loyal dog-was able to gain full control over her?


    "What Yvette built over the years isn''t something just anyone can fight. If the Holden and Walker families hadn''t stepped in, that old hag would still be alive and kicking right now.


    "You think Marcus and Natalie haven''t shown up, so they won''t do anything? That''s naive."


    Kentonughed. "The Walker


    family''s eldest daughter, Natalie, is the most innocent person in all this, And Selena-yeah, she''s cruel and twisted, but at least she owns what she''s done. She''s tried to change. If it weren''t for her


    childhood, she could''ve grown up just like you-cheerful, naive, and untouched by the world.


    "Do you know why Natalie forgave Selena? Because despite her ws, Selena


    has helped many girls who were just like her."


    "So what now-Selena''s all redeemed?" Charlene bit her lower lip. "Were her actions really any better than what my grandma did?"


    "That''s different." Kenton grabbed her by the chin. "No one ever said Selena waspletely redeemed¡ªbut she gets a chance. A chance at a new life.


    "But you Jenkins women-you don''t get that chance. You think you''re innocent, don''t you?


    "We''re almost at the hospital where Selena, Natalie, and Emma were swapped. Once we''re there where their fates were altered-we''ll hear you proim your innocence."


    Kenton''s fingers tightened on her chin, making Charlene wince from the pain.


    "Charlene, you''re a beneficiary in all of this. How dare you act like you''re the victim here?"


    With a forceful shove, Kenton mmed her head against the car door. With a loud bang, her skull hit the metal hard.


    "What you''re going through right now isn''t even one-thousandth of what Selena went through. So you don''t get to say it hurts. You don''t get to im injustice."


    Charlene''s mind went nk from the blow, her head buzzing. The pain left her speechless. Her vision soon blurred, and she copsed in the backseat altogether.


    Kenton reached out to check her breathing-still alive. Satisfied, he shut the car door.


    Not long after, Selena and her parents returned.


    "Great-Uncle Kenton, I brought you some food," Selena said with a smile, handing over a takeout box to the man. "Great-Uncle Kenton, we''re almost at your hospital, right?"


    "Yes. It''s not far from here."


    After Kenton finished eating, the car started up again. They drove for less than


    half an hour before arriving at the hospital where the baby swap had originally


    taken ce.


    Selena was the first to exit the car and stared up at the building.


    Kenton walked over to her side and lowered his voice as he said, "The hospital''s gone through several name changes and management teams over the years. It''s not the same people as back then.


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 Chapter 559 Taken Over by Walker Group

    Selena nodded in understanding. "Let''s go inside."


    "Let''s go."


    Just like that, the group entered the hospital. Charlene was immediately escorted to the director''s office by the bodyguards.


    Once inside, Selena saw someone she didn''t expect to see.


    Marcus was sitting on the couch, while Natalie was seated in the hospital director''s chair. Clearly, the two had been waiting for quite some time now.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker." Kenton quickly stepped forward with respect. "Someone, serve them coffee."


    "There''s no need," Natalie replied calmly and pped her hands. As if on cue, Julie stepped out from the inner room.


    "Julie..." Kenton''s eyes turned red the moment he saw her. "How are you? Are you okay?"


    Julie took a step back, dodging the hand Kenton had extended to grab hers with. "I''ve already handed everything you gave me to Ms. Walker and Mr. Holden.


    "Kenton, let''s get divorced."


    "Alright." Kenton nodded. "I agree."


    Julie hadn''t expected him to agree so quickly. All the words she had prepared suddenly became unnecessary.


    "Julie, I''ve wronged you all these years." Kenton covered his eyes. His voice was hoarse and grating, but atst, he no longer had to hide in the shadows.


    "Don''t say anything more." Julie cut him off and handed him the divorce papers. "Just sign this."


    Kenton didn''t even nce at it. He signed his name right away, asking, "When are we officiating it?"


    "Right now."


    Kenton nodded. "Alright, let''s go."


    "Okay."


    Their emotions remained calm throughout the exchange. After this simple exchange, the two politely asked Natalie and Marcus for permission, then left together.


    Selena and her parents were a little stunned to witness this, but none of them dared to say a word.


    Just Natalie and Marcus sitting there gave them a pressure so heavy they didn''t even dare breathe too loudly. Back when they were raising Natalie, she didn''t have this kind ofmanding presence.


    Natalie''s gaze fell on Selena''s face, then shifted to Victor''s and Diana''s. Before she could speak, Diana quickly pulled Selena behind her.


    "Ms. Walker, it was my decision. I was the one who forced Selena and Victor toe back." Diana broke the silence first.


    "But I swear, we haven''t done anything bad. We came to this hospital because we finally found out who was truly behind all of this. Back then, we took our anger out on you. I med the wrong person. I was just unwilling to ept it, and that''s why I forced these two toe see the real culprit."


    Diana rushed to exin further. "Ms. Walker, we''ll just take a look and leave right away. We won''t break the promise we made back then."


    Natalie curved her lips. "Why are you so anxious? Did I say anything?"


    Diana froze. Selena stepped out from behind her at this moment, her eyes full of hope as she looked at Natalie.


    "Ms. Walker, about that notebook I gave you-have many of the girls listed in it been rescued?"


    "Yes." Natalie nodded. "The enforcement office has already rescued many of them, but not all."


    "That''s good." Selena let out a long breath of relief, her face filled with excitement and joy. "That''s great. I''m sure they''ll all be rescued eventually."


    "But some of the ones who were rescued weren''t in good health." Natalie exhaled heavily. "They need long-term treatment-physically and mentally."


    "I know." Selena''s eyes turned red. The girls who''d been sold around like she was not everyone could survive it. Some had even chosen death over being vited. The only reason she was still alive and back with the Langley family was because of how ruthless and shameless she had be.


    "Walker Group has taken over this hospital." Natalie tapped lightly on the desk. "The girls who were rescued will be sent here for treatment."


    Selena''s eyes welled up with tears, her voice choked. "When did you start preparing all of this here at this hospital?" And as if remembering something, she asked, "Ms. Walker, can I work here someday?"


    "You can, but you have to study, pass exams, and get the proper certifications. Only after training and passing evaluations can you start working. Selena, can you do that?"


    Natalie''s gaze remained calm and detached as she looked directly at her.


    Selena couldn''t hide her emotions. She suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Natalie."Ms. Walker, thank you."


    As she spoke, she bowed to Natalie several times.


    "Mrs. Langley, help your daughter up." Natalie frowned slightly. Her rtionship with Selena hade to such a point, and honestly, it felt a bit strange. Still, she didn''t hate Selena the way she used to.


    "Ms. Walker, won''t mess around. I''ll study and work hard. I''ll definitely pass the exams and earn the right to work here." Selena''s eyes were red. "When was sold, I used to pray for God to save us. I thought, if God would just help us, I''d do anything in return.


    "But after I came back to the Langley family, I was blinded. I didn''t do anything meaningful. Instead, I kept targeting you. My heart was twisted and dark. I med everything on you and hurt you so badly. I really deserve to die."


    "The past doesn''t matter anymore." Natalie stopped her short. "I''ve already moved on. You don''t need to stay stuck in the past either."


    Selena still couldn''t quite believe it. "Ms. Walker, you really don''t me me?"


    Natalie retorted, "Should I take it all back and say I hate you? That I wish you''d die? Would that make it easier for you to live?"


    Selena quickly shook her head. "I''ll study hard and pass the tests, I promise."


    Natalie curled her lips slightly. "Then, that''s settled. There''s no need for all the extra drama. I only have one condition-Marcus and I aren''t getting involved in your business. But don''t dirty this hospital again."


    Natalie stood up and looked over at Marcus, who hadn''t spoken a single word the entire time. "Let''s go."


    Marcus got up and walked over to take her hand.


    Once the two of them left Kenton''s office, Selena and her parents still felt like they were in a dream.


    This hospital¡ªthe very ce where all three of their fates had been changed- was now in the hands of the Walker family and had been turned into a charitable hospital to help rescued girls.


    Selena couldn''t quite put her excitement into words. Her hands trembled as she held onto Diana''s. "Mom, Dad, you should stay too."


    "Of course," Diana agreed instantly. "Honey, let''s stay and support our daughter. Consider it atonement for all the sins wemitted in the past."


    Victor nodded. Diana and Selena were staying, so how could he object?


    "Alright. The three of us will stay, work here, and help those girls."


    Victor reached out and held Diana''s and Selena''s hands. "Selena, don''t hold onto the guilt anymore.


    Everyone makes mistakes. Your


    mom and I made plenty in the past, but we''re willing to change. And Ms.


    Walker gave us that chance, didn''t she?"

 Chapter 560 A Wall Apart

    Natalie and Marcus left Kenton''s office hand in hand, but they didn''t go far. Instead, they turned and entered another room.


    This office had arge one-way mirror. From Natalie and Marcus'' room, they could see everything happening in the room across.


    Yvette and Charlene were pushed into the opposite room by Kenton''s bodyguards.


    By this point, Yvette had already regained consciousness. The Umbrahex in her system had begun to re up. The moment the guards released their grip, she curled up on the ground, writhing in agony.


    "It hurts... It hurts!" Yvette screamed in pain, rolling back and forth on the floor as snot and tears poured down her face.


    "Nat, did my mother suffer like this when her symptoms hit?" Marcus'' deep, hoarse voice rang out, the hatred in his eyes pouring out, bit by bit.


    "Laura''s condition back then was far worse than this." Natalie reached over and held Marcus'' fingers. "The pain she endured was 100-no, 1000 times worse than this.


    "Yvette contracted a terminal illness and thought that meant she had immunity from punishment. But she was wrong."


    Marcus let out a coldugh. "Kenton will make sure she suffers slowly. Let''s go."


    "Alright."


    Marcus didn''t want to watch any longer. Every second he looked at Yvette reminded him of Charles dying in his study. He couldn''t take it¡ªhe really couldn''t.


    After they left the room, it wasn''t long before Sheldon entered in disguise. He stood where Marcus had just been and removed the mask over his face.


    Behind the ss, Yvette screamed hoarsely in pain. Meanwhile, Charlene was huddled in a corner, too afraid to move.


    Sheldon''s eyes were bloodshot now.


    But it was not nearly enough. The pain Yvette was suffering now was nowhere near enough.


    Someone knocked on the door at this moment, and Kenton walked in soon after.


    "Sheldon, Mr. Holden didn''t see you, did he?" Kenton asked with concern. "Mr. Holden and Ms. Walker just left. A new management team will soon take over this hospital.


    "Once I deal with Yvette, I''ll ept my punishment for the sins I''vemitted."


    "You''ve finished the divorce proceedings with Julie," Sheldon said matter-of-factly. "Kenton, are you really ready to die?"


    "I''ve been ready for a long time," Kenton answered calmly. "I never wanted to be Yvette''s dog, but my sister''s daughter was always in her hands, and our forces were no match for hers.


    "She forced me to do a lot of dirty work. I''ve kept evidence of all of it, but even now, she still won''t reveal Megan''s whereabouts.


    "I''ve even started to wonder; maybe after she helped deliver Mrs. Holden''s baby, she got rid of Megan. Otherwise, how could she have just disappeared, dead or alive?"


    "Yvette hasn''t suffered enough yet. But once the pain bes unbearable, she''ll talk," Sheldon said coldly. "Kenton, your methods still aren''t enough."


    Kenton paused, then nodded in acknowledgment. "I understand. Thanks for the advice, Sheldon."


    "Alright."


    Kenton turned and left the room thereafter. Meanwhile, Sheldon continued watching the scene before him through the ss. Yvette was wing at her own scalp in pain. Blood soon streamed down from her head.


    Having left Sheldon alone, Kenton pushed open the door to the adjacent room. "Yvette, Lina is here."


    Yvette had already been driven off the edge by the unbearable pain. She could no longer see or hear anything around her. All she could feel was the agony-bone- deep, soul-tearing pain, plunging her into total darkness.


    Her body trembled violently as the pain was unbearable. She only wanted to die.


    Kenton sneered and walked over to inject her with a painkiller.


    The medicine kicked in, and Yvette slowly began to settle down. Curled into a tight ball, she trembled uncontrobly from the lingering pain.


    "Does it feel good?" Kenton smiled faintly. "Back then, you had Cassie drug Laura with Umbrahex. How does it feel now?"


    He casually added, "In any case, Lina is almost here."


    Kenton grinned. "Yvette, you can''t die just yet. If you die, the game won''t be any fun."


    With the pain slowly subdued, Yvette finally looked up at Kenton. "What painkiller did you use on me?"


    "It''s your favorite kind, of course."


    Kenton chuckled. "Didn''t you used to praise this one for how effective ite was? You even praised Umbrahex back then. Now that you''ve had a taste of both, you won''t leave this world with any regrets, right?


    "Now, I''ll give you one more chance. Tell me where Megan is. If you


    maybe won''t force Lina to ce


    between you and Charlene. Yvette, have you thought it through?"


    Yvette red at Kenton with deep hatred. "I really misjudged you."


    "You''ve misjudged a lot of people." Kenton rose to his feet. "It looks like you''re not changing your mind. Then, there''s nothing more to say."


    He made a call, and soon, his men brought Lina into the room.


    "Bring Selena''s family here."


    "Yes, Mr. Langley Senior."


    Lina entered the room and immediately rushed toward Charlene, but was blocked by the bodyguards.


    "Charlene! Are you okay?" Lina cried out anxiously. She struggled to break free and get to Charlene, but she was no match for Kenton''s men.


    "Mom, save me!" Charlene finally cried. She wanted to run to Lina, but her body was so weak that she couldn''t move.


    "Mom, I don''t want to stay here. Grandma''s gone crazy. She''s so scary-really scary." Charlene sobbed. "I want to go back. I want to go home!"


    "Don''t cry, Charlene. Don''t be scared. Mommy''s here. I''ll take you home."


    Lina stopped struggling and steadied herself, then turned toward Kenton, whose smile was as cold as ice.


    "Kenton, I''m here now. Didn''t you say that if I killed Yvette, you''d let my daughter go? Will you keep your word?"


    Kenton shook his head. "No. I''ve changed my mind. You''ll give me Megan and kill Yvette. Only then will I let Charlene go."


    Lina gritted her teeth. "Kenton, don''t go too far."


    "Too far?" Kenton scoffed. "Compared to you Jenkins women, I''m practically a saint. Anyway, that''s the deal. If you don''t agree, I can''t let you take Charlene.


    "Yvette''s just an old woman with a terminal illness. She''s going to die eventually. But Charlene-she just turned 18 not long ago.


    "Grace is about to die. All she wants is to see her biological daughter, Megan, before she goes. And you still won''t give her that?"


    Kenton looked at Lina. "You''re a mother too. You should understand why I''m doing


    this."


    "Yvette, where is Megan?" Lina suddenly screamed. "Say it! Are you determined


    to drag all of us down with you? You''re dying, but do you have to take my daughter with you?


    "Yvette, I''m warning you. If Charlene dies because of you-if anything happens to her-I will never forgive you. I''ll kill you with my own hands.


    "Say it, Yvette!"


    Kenton raised his hand, and the bodyguards holding Lina immediately let go.


    Lina immediately rushed up to


    Yvette, grabbing and shaking her hard. "You''re already dying, so can''t you let me and my daughter have a little peace? Will you only be satisfied if we all suffer like you?


    "I need to know where Megan is. Tell me! Say something!"


    Lina was on the verge of copse. Charlene was still so young, and her life had barely begun. Why should she have to be sacrificed for Yvette''s hatred? Yvette had already ruined Lina. She had poured everything she had into giving Charlene a normal life. And now, even that had be a luxury.


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 Chapter 561 The Most Obedient Dog Is Also the One That Bites the Hardest

    The hatred in Lina''s eyes waspletely undisguised as she stared straight at Yvette.


    Tears streamed down Yvette''s face. The painkiller had taken effect, so her body no longer hurt-but her heart did.


    Tears falling, Yvette spoke with a trembling voice. "I''m your mother."


    "So what?" Lina reached out and clutched her throat. "You ruined me and Charlene both, so you deserve to die. I never wanted to be your daughter. I never wanted toe out of your womb. I never wanted to be raised by someone who filled me with hatred.


    "I worked so hard to raise Charlene into a normal person, and now you''re dragging her into this too. Have you ever seen me as your daughter? Have you ever seen her as your granddaughter?"


    "Yvette, answer me! Did you ever see us as human beings?


    "If you don''t tell me where Megan is today, I''ll kill you! And once you''re dead, I''ll find Megan myself. I won''t let anything happen to Charlene-never!"


    Yvette was coughing and gasping for breath, her throat tightening beneath Lina''s grip.


    "Yvette, speak up. Tell me!"


    Lina''s eyes were bloodshot, her face twisted with rage, and her voice rising by the second. "Tell me!"


    Yvette''s coughing grew worse. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she looked like she was on the verge of suffocating.


    Lina released her throat andnded a harsh p across Yvette''s face.


    "Why won''t you say it? You''re already dying from a terminal illness, so why won''t you let me and Charlene live in peace?"


    Lina buried her face in her hands and broke down crying. "You already sacrificed me. What''s so wrong about me wanting to protect my own daughter? If you never loved me, fine¡ªbut why hurt Charlene?


    "Why, Yvette? What gives you the right?"


    Yvettey on the ground, her face pale, and eyes vacant. Lina''s words were like invisible knives stabbing into her heart over and over again.


    "Mother, I''m begging you. Please just give Megan up, will you?"


    After crying, Lina began to plead. "Tell me where Megan is. I''ll return her to Grace,


    to Kenton. Even if not for me, do it for Charlene. Before you die, do one good thing, please, Mother."


    Yvette looked at Lina''s tear-soaked face. Her lips trembled, and after a long pause, she finally spoke with a broken, hoarse voice.


    "Whitesand Isle... in Dithoria... Megan''s there."


    Lina immediately rushed to Kenton. "Kenton, did you hear that? Megan''s on Whitesand Isle in Dithoria! You can let Charlene go now, right?"


    Kenton pushed her aside without expression. "Have Yvette''s people send Megan to Amberton. Once she arrives, you two can leave."


    Lina bit her bottom lip hard. After a long moment, she finally spoke again. "Fine. But in the meantime, I want to take care of Charlene. She''s injured and needs medical attention."


    "You think you lot are in any position to make demands right now?" Kenton scoffed. "Take a look at my face. Listen to my voice. Lina, don''t tell me you''ve forgotten how I got these injuries. Yet you have the nerve toe to me with requests?"


    Lina froze. Kenton''s face had been burned because Yvette had ordered Lina to set a fire. His damaged vocal cords were from being forced to swallow shattered ss also on Yvette''smand.


    "It was Yvettte who forced me." Lina tried to exin herself, though even she knew how weak and powerless her words sounded. "I''m so sorry," she eventually blurted.


    "When Megan returns, destroy your own face and vocal cords-then I''ll let you go. Otherwise, it''ll be Charlene who ends up destroyed."


    Kenton stared at her, his tone cold and deliberate.


    "Wait." Yvette, lying on the ground, suddenly spoke up. "Kenton, you said that Lina isn''t my daughter, that she''s the child of the man I chose and another woman. Then, why does Charlene look like me?"


    "Oh, that." Kenton chuckled. "Yvette, thanks for reminding me. I almost forgot to exin.


    "It''s because of skipped-generation inheritance, ?assie is Vivian''s


    daughter your niece. People always said that nieces often resembled the mother''s side of the family. Cassie looks like Vivian, and also a lot like you. Haven''t you noticed?


    "Charlene was made from Cassie''s egg and Lina''s beloved''s sperm. She looks


    like you and not like Lina. Isn''t that perfectly normal?


    "Let me break it down for you." Kentonughed darkly. His raspy voice grated on the ears, but that didn''t stop him from dropping one explosive revtion after another, stabbing deeper into the heart of the Jenkins mother and daughter pair.


    "Your daughter, Lina, is a test-tube baby made from your man and another woman. The embryo was imnted into your womb, right here, in this very hospital.


    "Then, Lina''s daughter, Charlene, was made from Lina''s boyfriend and Cassie''s egg, also imnted into Lina''s womb. And that, too, happened right here in this hospital.


    "Lina isn''t your biological daughter, but because she resembled your man, you never suspected a thing. As for Charlene, she looks like you and Lina''s boyfriend. So of course neither of you ever questioned it.


    "You once said, ''I only trust the people from this hospital.'' How about it? I didn''t let you down, did I?


    "All those years I stayed at your side, acting like your obedient dog. But while you were scheming and plotting, was nning too. I waited for the right time, and now, I''ve flipped your entire world upside down.


    "All those dirty jobs I did for you, all the loyalty I showed-it was just to win your trust. But Yvette, listen to me when I say that I was never loyal to you.


    "I know I''m already too far gone. I''ve been dirty for a long time, so what''s a little more filth? Once I get Megan back and let Grace die in peace, I''ll drag you all down with me."


    "Lina, did you hear that? Charlene was never your daughter."


    Yvette closed her eyes. Why was the truth even more cruel than she had imagined?


    She had always believed she and the Jenkins family were the victims that the entire world owed them, especially the Holden and Walker families.


    To get revenge on them, she had carefully nned for years, using all of the Jenkins family''s money overseas to orchestrate everything from behind the scenes.


    She thought she had everyone under control, especially the Langley siblings. During this long period of time, Kenton had hardly ever seen Grace, his own sister.


    He had followed Yvette''s everymand, and abused Julie countless times just to prove his loyalty.


    But the truth was, her most obedient dog was the one that hid the deepest-and bit the hardest.


    "You''re not afraid I''ll have someone kill Megan on Whitesand Isle?" Yvette opened her eyes and stared hard at Kenton. "Even if you''ve got me under control, Megan is still in my hands."


    "Then, go ahead and contact them." Kenton sneered. "You, Lina, and Charlene. You three Jenkins women are all right here. But your people? Quietly wiped out. Unreachable.


    "You think I''d say all this if I didn''t already have everything locked down? Yvette, don''t take me for a fool. The fact that I dared to speak means you have no chance left to turn the tables.


    "After all, behind me now are the Holden and Walker families.


    "Oh, and let me tell you one more thing. Ms. Walker may be kind, but her parents and four older brothers? They can''t swallow this hatred.


    "And do you think Mr. Holden will just let this go? Natalie is his girlfriend. Do you really believe you''ll ever get another chance, like you had before?"

 Chapter 562 Megan Langley Has Been Dead for a Long Time

    Yvette suddenly burst intoughter. In fact, sheughed so hard that tears rolled down her cheeks. "Kenton, you really are something. But regardless, Grace won''t be able to rest in peace.


    "Megan has been dead for a long time. Her body''s buried on Whitesand Isle. You and Grace will never see her again in this lifetime.


    "Grace will die never knowing what Megan grew up to look like. She''ll never know that her daughter died at the age of 23, her corpse dumped by me on Whitesand Isle, where a fisherman took pity on her and buried her.


    Yvette continuedughing hysterically. "Last time, I told Grace that Megan might be watching her from anywhere in the world. Once a person dies, they be a soul. Can''t a soul go wherever it pleases?"


    "Yvette Jenkins!" Kenton roared hoarsely. He rushed forward and grabbed Yvette by the throat. "Is it true?"


    "It''s true," Yvette replied calmly, meeting Kenton''s eyes, epting it all without flinching.


    "Megan died a long time ago. She wouldn''t listen, you see. After the incident with Laura, she kept trying to escape. I had her caught, broke her legs, locked her in the basement, and starved her for three days and nights.


    "Eventually, Megan gave in. She said she wanted to brush her teeth, wash her face, and take a shower. I had someone take her. While brushing her teeth, she used a toothbrush to stab her own throat when the guard wasn''t watching. Shemitted suicide just like that."


    "Hahahahaha! What a useless girl. She grew up under my roof, yet still clung to justice, going as far as turning on herself. What a joke she was!


    "Grace had those genes, and somehow managed to give birth to such a decent daughter."


    Kenton''s fingers tightened uncontrobly. Yvette just stared at him, her smile twisted and triumphant.


    "Kenton, Grace will never see Megan in this life," Yvette said weakly. "But she can die now because in the afterlife, she''ll finally get to meet her daughter."


    Kenton let out a hoarse scream, violently throwing Yvette aside.


    "No, that''s impossible. Megan can''t be dead. She wouldn''t have killed herself."


    He clutched at his hair, voice rasping with anguish. "Yvette, how could you kill her?"


    Yvetteughed madly. "Megan''s been dead for years. All these years, you and Grace have been dreaming in vain.


    "Kenton, if you don''t believe me, go to Whitesand Isle yourself. Or you could check the basement in my vi. There are still recordings of Megan''s suicide there. I told you, didn''t I? If you betray me, you pay the price. That''s the rule around here.


    "Anyway, I''ve got a terminal illness. If I die, so be it. I''ve no regrets. But can the same be said for Grace? Hahahaha!"


    "How could you let Megan die?" Lina lunged forward, grabbing Yvette and shaking her violently. "If she''s dead, what am I supposed to do? What about Charlene?


    "You''ve got your illness, and you''re dying-that''s fine. But couldn''t you think about us even once?


    "You killed Megan, and what? You want Charlene and me to die in her ce?" Lina sobbed uncontrobly. "You already ruined me. Why can''t you let my daughter live freely? It''s all your fault. It was all you!


    "Now, they''re saying that my daughter isn''t even my daughter. Why? Why did ite to this?"


    Lina let go of Yvette and copsed to her knees, wailing.


    Yvettey on the ground, hair fully white, the Umbrahex in her body still ring. Once the painkiller wore off, the pain would return, tearing through her like knives. At this point, death was starting to seem like a release.


    "I hate you. I hate you so much." Lina wanted to go to Charlene, but the


    bodyguards blocked her. She couldn''t even get near her.


    "Charlene, don''t be afraid. Mommy''s right here. Mommy will protect you."


    Lina looked at Charlene, bruised and bloodied, and her heart felt like it was being ripped in two.


    "I don''t believe it," Kenton muttered through clenched teeth, his hoarse voice rising again. "I don''t believe Megan is dead."


    "Then, go see for yourself! Verify it!" Yvette closed her eyes, slumped,pletely resigned. "If you''re too scared to go, send your people instead.


    "I, Yvette Jenkins, have never been afraid to die. But now, my daughter isn''t even my daughter. While my granddaughter has the blood of the Jenkins family, she also has the blood of the person I hate most. I


    "Cassie Holden is nothing but trash. I truly regret it."


    Thatst sentence was so soft that only Yvette herself could hear it.


    She regretted it, but what was done was done. There was no second chance.


    "Fine." Kenton wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and turned to leave. "Watch them. Don''t let them take a single step outside this room."


    "Yes, Mr. Langley Senior."


    After Kenton left, he went to the next room, where Sheldon was still standing in front of the ss, silently watching the scene unfold.


    "Sheldon," Kenton called, his tone instantly more respectfully.


    Sheldon''s face was icy as he hummed in acknowledgment. "Megan''s dead. What do you n to do next?"


    "I haven''t confirmed Yvette''s im. I need to verify it for myself."


    "Fine." Sheldon turned around. "Make it quick. There can be no dys."


    "Yes, Sheldon. I understand."


    Kenton hurried per orders, rushing out of the hospital.


    Meanwhile, Sheldon pulled out his phone and made another call. "Proceed with the n."


    "Yes, sir."


    He then hung up and stepped into the adjacent room.


    Looking down at Yvette lying on the floor like a beaten dog, then turning to Lina and Charlene, he finally spoke.


    "Lina, do you and your daughter want to live?"


    His cold gaze fell on Yvette''s face. "Yvette, will you sacrifice yourself to save your daughter?"


    "What do you mean?" Yvette opened her eyes, eyeing Sheldon with suspicion and caution. "Sheldon Phelps, what exactly do you want?"


    "It''s simple, I''ll let you go, and you''ll


    kill Cassie," Sheldon said with a faint


    smile. As long as you kill her, have Kenton release Lina and Charlene."


    "You think I''m capable of killing Cassie like this? Sheldon, you''re dreaming." Yvette sneered at him. "Even Wesley couldn''t find Cassie. My people have all but vanished. How the hell would I even find her?"


    "You can''t," Sheldon replied. "But Cassie wille find you. After all, she just


    found out that Charlene is her daughter."


    At those words, Yvette''s eyes widened in shock. "Sheldon, so that''s your y?"


    Sheldon''s voice turned ice cold as he responded, "I learned it from you."


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 Chapter 563 Learned from Her

    Yvette froze when she heard Sheldon''s icy words.


    Learned from her?


    Distant memories suddenly resurfaced in her mind.


    Many years ago, Vivian had gone out on a date with that man, and Yvette happened to see them. Yvette confronted Vivian, asking why she was seeing another man when she was already engaged to Charles.


    And what did Vivian say to her back then?


    "Of course, I learned it from you, Yvette!"


    Yvette had immediately denied it, but Vivian just smiled mockingly and continued, "Yvette, why are you pretending? Aren''t you the same? We''re sisters, so shouldn''t we think as one? If not, why don''t you marry Charles instead of me?


    "The two families forming an alliance is what matters. Who cares which one of us marries Charles?"


    Yvette had been so furious that she pped Vivian and called her shameless.


    But Vivian wasn''t angry. She just calmly replied, "I''m shameless? Do you think you''re any better? I learned it all from you, Yvette.


    "You really think your secrets are safe? I just don''t care to expose you! s, you just won''t leave me alone. Now, you''re all up in my business. Yvette, I''m your older sister. Have a little respect, will you?"


    Yvette hadn''t dared to keep arguing with Vivian. Instead, she turned on her heel and ran away.


    Vivian hadn''t pped her back, but her words had haunted Yvette ever since.


    Later, Yvette told their parents about Vivian and that man. Unsurprisingly, their parents separated the couple and forced them apart.


    Vivian had said it was Yvette and the Jenkins family who ruined her-that turned her into who she became-and so, she was going to drag the entire Jenkins family down to hell with her.


    Not long after, the entire Jenkins estate burned to the ground. Of the whole family, only Yvette survived.


    Vivian had made sure everyst one of them paid the price for her man, for her love.


    Vivian had done it cleanly. She even managed to sessfully marry Charles in the end.


    That was why Yvette hated Vivian so deeply.


    Why? Why her? What made her so special?


    "Yvette, you want to die? It won''t be that easy," Sheldon said again. "Even if you die, it''ll be after you''ve suffered to the bitter end. So you''d better think it over."


    With that, Sheldon turned and left the room.


    The people guarding the room weren''t just Kenton''s men. Sheldon had ced his own in the shadows.


    Once he finished what he had to do, he would go to Charles'' side. He had to go there-so he could keep caring for Charles.


    Sheldon walked out of the hospital and got into a ck car. He pulled a photo of Charles from his pocket. The longer he looked at it, the more his eyes welled with tears.


    "Mr. Holden Senior, I won''t let Mr. Marcus get involved in any of this. What he needs to do now is live happily with Ms. Walker. Just like that, he''ll be happy and healthy."


    Sheldon''s voice choked as he continued, "It''s just a pity that I won''t get to see Mr. Marcus and Ms Walker''s baby. I really wanted to help take care of their child. But I can''t let go of you, Mr. Holden Senior. Wait for me. I''ll be joining you soon.


    "When I get there, please don''t push me away. You''ll still have to pay me a high sry. I''ll be working with you to conquer the underworld. We''ll unite the entire afterlife and make it answer to the Holden family."


    Sheldon smiled as he spoke. But before long, his smile turned into tears. How he wished everything he imagined could be real.


    After leaving the hospital, Kenton immediately sent his men to Yvette''s residence


    in Dithoria. That house had a basement.


    He also sent another team to Whitesand Isle. Two groups, going in different directions, were tasked with confirming whether Megan was truly dead.


    Kenton, filled with anxiety, went straight to the hospital where Grace was staying.


    When he arrived, he received a message from his men in Dithoria.


    "Mr. Langley, I watched the tapes. I recorded the footage and sent it to you."


    Kenton''s hands trembled as he opened the video.


    In the video, Megan was locked in the basement with her legs broken. After being tortured half to death, she eventually gave in and asked to freshen up.


    And just like Yvette had said, while brushing her teeth, she took the chance to stab herself in the throat with the toothbrush when the guard wasn''t watching.


    The rest of the footage showed how her body was handled-stuffed into a suitcase, taken by Yvette to Whitesand Isle, and dumped without care.


    Kenton watched the video, cold sweat covering his entire body.


    Yvette hadn''t lied. Megan really was dead. She had died a long, long time ago.


    Kenton''s legs felt like they were filled with lead. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t summon any strength. He looked up at Grace


    lying in the hospital bed, ox


    in ce, and his eyes stung with tears.


    tube


    After a long while, he forced himself to move, one step at a time, until he reached her bedside.


    "Grace, I''m here." His voice was hoarse and choked.


    Grace, who had been resting with her eyes closed, slowly opened them. "Kenton, you''re here."


    The moment she spoke, tears streamed from the corner of her eyes.


    "Megan..."


    "Grace, I found her. I found Megan." Kenton sobbed as he held her hand.


    "She''s on her way here now. Hang in


    there!" He quickly pulled out his


    phone and messaged Victor, asking him to find a woman around his


    and bring her to the hospital


    immediately.


    age


    "Kenton, is it... really true?" Grace''s red-rimmed eyes widened. "Can I really... still


    see... Megan?"


    "It''s true, Grace. It''s true." Kenton


    gripped her hand and nodded hard.


    "She''s already on her way. I beat the


    truth out of that old hag, Yvette, before she finally told me where


    Megan was.


    "I''ve already sent people to bring her back. She''ll be here very soon. Grace, you


    have to hold on!"


    "I''ll hold on... I''ll hold on..."


    A smile slowly spread across Grace''s face. The dull, lifeless light in her eyes was


    reced by a fragile but hopeful glow.


    "I''ll wait... for Megan... Megan, my daughter."


    "Yes, Grace. We''ll wait for Megan together."


    "Okay... That''s good..."


    Though speaking was difficult, Grace suddenly seemed more alive. Her face lit up with a soft smile, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the door of her hospital room. Kenton didn''t dare tell her the truth-that Megan was already dead. The team at Whitesand Isle had just sent confirmation as well.


    They had found the fisherman who had buried her¡ªand eventually her grave. Grace was destined never to see her biological daughter again in this life. Perhaps this was retribution for turning a blind eye, even tacitly allowing Victor and Diana to abuse Natalie.


    She had mistreated someone else''s child-so in turn, Yvette mistreated hers.


    The difference was that Natalie had a chance to return home.


    Megan would never get that chance again.

 Chapter 564 Graces Death

    There was a light in Grace''s eyes again, and her expression looked much better than it had been in a while. This was the happiest she had looked since the Langley family''s downfall and the copse of Langley Group.


    Kenton held his phone out of her sight, frantically sending messages to urge Victor.


    Victor replied that he was almost there, telling him not to rush.


    Finally, 20 minutester, Victor entered the hospital room Kenton had designated, bringing a young woman with him.


    "Grace, look. Megan''s here!" Kenton quickly leaned down and whispered in her ear. Tears fell from Grace''s eyes as she struggled to sit up, and Kenton rushed to support her.


    "Grace, Megan''s here. Come, Megan. This is your birth mother."


    The woman stepped forward and looked Grace over from head to toe, then she said, "I''m not your daughter. I''m not Megan. This man here gave me 500 bucks to act. Your real daughter is already dead."


    She finished and turned to Victor, holding out her hand. "Mister, pay up."


    Victor froze. "That''s not what I told you to do! Why aren''t you following the script?"


    "I''m honest, so I don''t lie. I just speak the truth. Now, hurry up and pay me," the woman said impatiently, rolling her eyes. "Having me act as a dead person is bad luck. No, thanks."


    Victor was practically choking on his own breath. His jaw dropped, eyes wide in disbelief.


    Kenton looked at Victor like he could kill him on the spot. "Victor, I asked you to handle it. Is this how you do things?"


    "Uncle Kenton, I swear I didn''t know she''d back outst minute. I already went over everything with her beforehand," Victor tried to exin.


    But before he could finish, Grace copsed back onto the bed. The light in her eyes vanished once more. She clutched Kenton''s hand tightly, trembling as she stammered, "Ken, tell me. Is what she said true? Don''t lie... Don''t lie to me."


    "It''s true." The woman stepped forward again. "Your biological daughter had her legs broken by an old woman named Yvette Jenkins. She was locked in a basement without food or water. In the end, she couldn''t take it anymore and faked surrender. While brushing her teeth, she used a toothbrush to stab her throat andmitted suicide.


    "This man, your brother, has the video of her death. If you don''t believe me, ask him to show you."


    "Shut up!" Kenton roared, eyes bloodshot, turning to Victor. "Victor, are you a goddamn idiot? Why would you tell her all that?"


    "I didn''t! Uncle Kenton, I swear I didn''t. I don''t even know what she''s talking


    about!" Victor shouted in his own defense. "All you told me to do was find a woman to pose as Megan. You didn''t tell me anything else. How would I know any of this?"


    Then, it hit Kenton-Victor had only gotten the order at thest minute, and the woman had been found at random. But she had spoken in vivid detail about what Megan suffered, how she died, and even mentioned the recording.


    So how did this woman know?


    "Ken, so what she said is true, isn''t it?"


    Grace''s tears poured out. Ever since Natalie had left the Langley family, Grace''s health had been in steady decline. Including the retaliation from Charlotte, Selena''s madness, and the copse of Langley Group, too much had fallen on her shoulders.


    She had been forced to fix too much, worked constantly, and was often driven to chest pains by Selena''s actions. Making it this far was already a feat in and of itself.


    But her final wish was something that could never be fulfilled.


    "Megan, my daughter!"


    Grace suddenly let out a heart-wrenching scream and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Her body convulsed uncontrobly. Her eyes rolled to the back of her skull, wide open in death.


    "Grace!"


    Kenton screamed with everything in him, tears gushing uncontrobly. "Grace, wake up! Don''t die! Don''t die! We finally escaped Yvette''s grip. We can finally live freely now. Please don''t die. Please, I only have you left. What am I supposed to do without you? Grace!


    "Doctor, doctor!"


    Doctors and nurses rushed into the room, but after a quick check, they shook their heads in resignation.


    After seeing that Grace had died, the woman immediately ran from the room, not even bothering to take the money Victor had promised.


    Kenton cried so hard that his entire body trembled, while Victor stood there helplessly.


    Soon, Grace''s body was covered with a white sheet and wheeled into the hospital morgue.


    Kenton knelt outside the morgue, his whole body shaking from sobs. "Grace, don''t leave me.


    "Victor, are youpletely useless? I asked you to do one simple thing, and you couldn''t even do that right!"


    He sobbed for Grace while cursing Victor.


    Victor shrank into himself. He was genuinely sad too. After all, Grace had raised him. He had called her "Mom" for years, and there were real feelings behind that.


    Victor dropped to his knees in front of Kenton and started pping himself. "Uncle Kenton, I swear I didn''t know. I picked that woman up at random. I don''t know how she


    knew so much. I didn''t tell her anything. I really don''t know how this happened."


    "What''s the point of saying all that now?" Kenton covered his face, tears leaking through his fingers. "Grace died without ever seeing her daughter. And at the very end, she had to hear such awful news.


    "But maybe it''s better this way. Now, she can reunite with Megan in the afterlife. I''l send her off with a photo of Megan, so she can find her daughter."


    "I''m sorry, Uncle Kenton. I''m so sorry," Victor apologized over and over. "It''s all my fault."


    "This can''t be a coincidence," Kenton said hoarsely, finally starting to calm down after crying his heart out. "Someone didn''t want Grace to pass peacefully. They wanted her to die in pain. This was an act of revenge."


    Victor gasped in shock. "But who would do that?"


    "You thick-headed idiot, even if I exined it, you wouldn''t get it." Kenton rose to his feet. "Victor, you may not be Grace''s biological son, but without her, you might not have even made it this far. She raised you, so handling her affairs is your responsibility.


    "If you can''t even manage that, then go to hell!"


    Victor shivered violently. He wanted to say he might mess things up, but when he


    saw the look in Kenton''s eyes-like he might kill him on the spot-he swallowed


    the words.


    "Yes, Uncle Kenton. I understand. I''ll take care of everything."


    "Good." Kenton stood up. "I''m going up to investigate this."


    "You handle things here."


    "Yes, Uncle Kenton."


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 Chapter 565 They Were All Evil

    Kenton staggered out of the hospital, mentally going over everything that had happened. Not many people knew what Yvette had revealed.


    No one from that room had left, and none of them had the power to set something like this up in such a short time. The only exnation was someone behind the one-way mirror had made a move.


    And the only person who could''ve arranged everything that quickly-was Sheldon. Kenton couldn''t think of anyone else.


    But was he really going to confront Sheldon?


    He walked out of the hospital, and the cold wind sobered him up a bit. It was obvious that Sheldon hadn''t wanted Grace to pass peacefully. If Kenton were to go up against Sheldon, how much of a chance did he really have?


    He thought about it carefully for a long time and came to one conclusion-there was none.


    Sheldon had cared for Charles for so many years. His skill and capability were equal to none. Only, while serving Charles-who was kind andpassionate- Sheldon had never shown his sharp or aggressive side.


    But now that Charles was gone, Sheldon had changed.


    He only had one goal now, and that was to avenge Charles-to make everyst person who hurt him pay the price.


    Once Kenton calmed down, he didn''t dare take another step forward.


    Even if he questioned Sheldon, what could he do if Sheldon denied it? Or if Sheldon admitted it, what then?


    So, though he knew the truth in his heart, he could only silently ept it.


    Kenton sorrowfully looked up at the sky and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. He then pulled out his phone and logged into his ount, opening his encrypted email.


    In that inbox were records of every dirty thing he had done for Yvette over the years-every single detail.


    He was never innocent to begin with. That was why he and Julie never had children.


    Now that Grace was dead, even if things implicated her, Julie wouldn''t suffer anymore.


    As for Yvette and the others, who suffered unbearable pain and torment these past few days, they were finally due to enter prison.


    But first, Kenton had to deal with Grace''s funeral.


    Kenton soon exited the encrypted email. After the Langley family went bankrupt, everyone they used to know avoided them like the gue. As a result, Grace''s funeral would have to be held quietly.


    Afterward, he would personally escort Yvette and the others to the police station and prison thereafter.


    Kenton, calm again, turned and went back into the hospital.


    Soon after, Grace''s body was sent for cremation.


    When Kenton held the urn in his arms, tears fell again. A living person''s final destination was this small box.


    All past grudges and feuds vanished once sealed inside.


    "Grace, you''ll see Megan up there," Kenton whispered, cing a small photo of Megan inside the urn. "Grace, it won''t be long before I join you. The one person I owe the most in this life is Julie. But I''ve already divorced her, and the money I gave her is clean.


    "We were both puppets, Grace. But that doesn''t change the fact that we hurt people. Don''t me me for giving you a quiet burial. I couldn''t hold a public one, you see.


    "I''ll ask someone I trust to retrieve Megan''s ashes from Whitesand Isle and bury her next to you.


    "As for that man-forget him. He hurt you, Megan, and the Jenkins family. But he''s long dead. There''s nothing more I can do.


    "I''m sorry, Grace. I failed to protect you, and I failed to protect Megan."


    Kenton''s words made Victor, who was listening beside him, feel deeply uneasy. Ever since he found out he wasn''t Grace''s biological son, he hadn''t been able to feel as close to her as before.


    Worse still, since Selena had been intentionally sold off, he and Diana had grown to resent Grace.


    But now that Grace was gone, her ashes sealed inside a small urn, he couldn''t bring himself to hate her anymore.


    The dead were gone, and all grievances scattered with the wind.


    The ones who passed would enter another world, while the living had to continue


    on.


    "Grace, let''s go."


    Turning to Victor, Kenton said, "Victor, don''te with me."


    Victor opened his mouth to protest. "Uncle Kenton-"


    "Don''t call me that. We''re not rted by blood. And what I''m about to do-you''d best stay out of it." Kenton cut him off coldly. "You three have


    been given a chance to start over, so go live out your lives."


    "But-"


    "There are no buts." Kenton''s voice sharpened, cutting Victor off. "Or are you


    saying your whole family wants me to send you in too?"


    Victor didn''t dare speak another word.


    "The police, with the Holden and Walker families'' help, have already rescued a lot of trafficked girls," Kenton said, looking at Victor. "Selena was one of them. And Yvette-she''s the top humaro trafficker, Lina''s second, while I''m third.


    "Per Amberton Law, all three of us should be executed.


    "Selena was


    a victim, as were you and your wife. You abused Ms.


    Walker back then, and the


    BUT


    retaliated privately instead of reporting it. Now, Ms. Walker has agreed to let you make amends. As


    long as you truly change, you''ll be okay going forward."


    Kenton gave a faint smile. "Scarlet Hill is beautiful, isn''t it? But beneath all that,


    the ce was a hub of sin. Yvette ran the show, and everyone under her was a criminal.


    "Victor, take Diana and Selena to live well."


    With that, Kenton turned and left, holding Grace''s urn. As he walked away, he opened his phone, essed the encrypted email, and forwarded everything to Sheldon.


    Then, he called the police.


    Right after Grace''s burial, the police arrived.


    Kenton smiled at them, stretched out his hands, and allowed himself to be cuffed.


    "Yvette''s been caught too, hasn''t she?" His hoarse, grating voice sounded calm. His eyes were clearer and softer than ever. It was as if he had finallyid down all his burdens and had nothing left to fear.


    "Mr. Langley, we''ve begun investigating the evidence you sent us. Once verified, everyone involved will be prosecuted under Amberton Law."


    The officer in charge gave the signal. "Take him away."


    Kenton was thus led off. Once at the station, he saw Yvette and Lina. Charlene


    had been shielded by Lina and wasn''t involved in any dirty business, so she knew very little.


    Yvette, poisoned by Umbrahex, was being held and interrogated separately. Meanwhile, Lina and Kenton were interrogated together.


    The evidence Kenton provided detailed many criminal acts they hadmitted together. Sitting in the interview room, Lina stared at Kenton with eyes that looked ready to tear him apart.


    Kenton gave a faint smile. But before the officers could say anything, he spoke first.


    "Starting with Yvette, we''re all evil.


    "The current Serenity Health Hospital has been trafficking newborns for over 20


    years.


    "Every cent of profit from the children sold went into Yvette''s pocket. She used that money to support Lina, Charlene, and her own organization."

 Chapter 566 Death Penalty

    The interrogation of Kenton and Lina went on for a long time.


    All these years, Kenton had been secretly collecting evidence while working for Yvette. He had already given arge portion of it to Julie. After she was rescued by Federrick''s people, the first thing she did upon seeing Natalie was hand everything over.


    Meanwhile, Natalie had already teamed up with Marcus to secretly approach the enforcement office. Working together, they obtained Selena''s notebook and began investigating behind the scenes while preparing for a rescue operation.


    Now, the evidence Kenton held was more crucial and essential than ever.


    The case was nearly solved now. All that remained was to verify the testimonies and issue the sentences.


    Lina listened as Kenton confessed to everything. Her face grew paler, and the despair in her eyes deepened.


    There was no turning back.


    When Kenton finished, she knew there was no room for argument.


    "Lina, do you have anything to say?"


    "I confess to everything." She closed her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I confess to everything," she said again.


    At the same time, Yvette sat alone in another interrogation room.


    In front of her, an iPad yed a live feed from the room where Kenton and Lina were still confessing to their crimes.


    She remained silent, watching as Kenton and Lina finished exining everything.


    When the footage ended, a voice could be heard beside her, saying, "Yvette, it''s your turn now."


    The woman was covered in bruises, and her hair was a tangled mess. Yvette looked utterly disheveled.


    She was handcuffed to her chair, and the iPad was ced just out of reach. She couldn''t even smash it if she wanted to.


    Yvette was silent for a long time before finally exhaling a deep breath. She didn''t scream or break down. Instead, she spoke calmly. "I have nothing to confess. Everything they said is true."


    "So you admit to the crimes Kenton and Lina described?"


    Yvette nodded. "Yes."


    With that single word, the biggest human trafficking case in Amberton was finally cracked.


    "Take her into custody. The sentencing will proceed as scheduled."


    Yvette heard the words through the speaker, and tears rolled down her face.


    For Yvette, that meant the death penalty.


    Dying of natural causes would be better.


    ...


    Natalie and Marcus sat by the window of Uptown Caf¨¦ in Amberton, sipping coffee. They had just received news from the enforcement office that the case was finally closed.


    Yvette, Kenton, and Lina had all been sentenced to death. They would be executed by firing squad in a week.


    Natalie took another sip of her coffee, then looked across the table at Marcus.


    His sharp features and piercing gaze made his presence intense. Ever since Charles passed away, the air around him had only grown colder and more ruthless. But beneath that, there was grief¡ªso well-hidden that most people wouldn''t notice.


    Natalie, however, had spent the most time with him. She was observant and perceptive.


    She could sense it.


    "I never expected that hospital to be hiding such horrors," she finally said. "Now I wonder... Was turning it into a rescue center the right decision?"


    Marcus set down his cup and met her gaze. "If you believe it was the right thing to do, then it was right. Nat, as long as you''re doing good, there''s no need to overthink it."


    "You were taken from that hospital and ended up at the Langley residence, where you suffered greatly. But that''s also how you met Mr. Langton.


    "You became stronger because of it but suffering shouldn''t have to be justified."


    "Marcus, do you think what I did was right or wrong?" She stared at him intently. "I want the truth."


    "Right or wrong depends on the heart. As long as you have no regrets, that''s what matters."


    She thought about it for a long time but still couldn''t decide if she was right or wrong. "Grandpa Charles is gone. Grandma is gone, too. And now, Yvette and the others are about to be executed.


    "I just feel sorry for all the babies who were sold. Some of them didn''t even live long enough to grow up."


    "Yvette and the other bastards


    deserve to die." He gritted his teeth. "Yvette has no right to pin everything on my grandfather. She could die a hundred, a thousand times over, and it still wouldn''t be enough.


    Seeing his emotions re up, she quickly reached out and took his hand. "She won''t have an easy time. There''s still a week before the execution. That week will be hell for her."


    He closed his eyes while steadying his breath. "Sorry. I didn''t mean to scare you." "Marcus, I don''t get scared that easily. You don''t have to be so careful around me."


    "Nat, hold me."


    She didn''t hesitate and wrapped her arms around him.


    His eyes burned with unshed tears as she held him.


    Yvette would die, but that wouldn''t bring Charles back.


    "If you''re sad, just cry." She gently patted his back. "You don''t have to hold it all in, Marcus."


    "I won''t cry," he murmured in a hoarse voice. "I promised Grandpa I would live well. I would be happy."


    "Crying doesn''t mean you''re not happy." She sighed. "I noticed that you haven''t been sleeping. You don''t use the herbal sachets I gave you either you don''t even light the scented oils. If this keeps up your body won''t be able to take it."


    "I don''t need anything to help me sleep." He didn''t want to. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Charles dying in the study. "It was my fault. I didn''t pay enough attention to him. I should have had someone watching him closely."


    "It wouldn''t have helped." Her heart clenched as she spoke, "Marcus, we can''t save someone who''s already made up their mind to die.


    "Come on, let''s get some rest."


    She swallowed down her own emotions. She had worked with so many patients since taking over the clinic.


    Some clung to life desperately. Some wanted nothing more than to die. The ones who had already given up always found a way, no matter how hard their families tried to hold them down.


    Charles had made his decision the moment he learned the truth. Even if they had saved him that day, he wouldn''t have lived much longer. That was why she had told Marcus to be prepared from the very start.


    Marcus knew that, too.


    He steadied himself, and after a long pause, he finally said, "They''ll be executed one week from now, right?"


    She nodded. "Yes. There''s no doubt about their sentences."


    "Good. We''ll watch."


    "For now, let''s get some rest," she said.


    "Alright." He didn''t argue this time. "But we just had coffee. Can we even sleep?"


    She smiled. "With me here, of course you can."


    "Come on."


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 567 She Coaxed Him

    After returning to their room, Natalie told Marcus to take a shower first. Meanwhile, she pulled a sleeping aid sachet from her bag, lit a stick of wood incense, and turned off all the lights except for a small nightmp.


    Soon, Marcus stepped out of the bathroom. He was dressed in ck pajamas, his hair still slightly damp. The top three buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a glimpse of his chest.


    "Nat, I''m done."


    With only the dim nightmp turned on, she didn''t get a good look at him as she hummed. "Lie down first. I''ll take a shower and change as well."


    "Alright."


    "Marcus, did you dry your hair?"


    "I did."


    "Good." She stepped into the bathroom. She had brought her own pajamas as she rarely used hotel amenities when traveling.


    Soon, she returned in simple yetfortable bear-patterned pajamas. She lifted the nket and slid into bed next to him.


    Marcus had promised William he wouldn''t touch Natalie before marriage. But even if he hadn''t, this wasn''t the time or ce for such thoughts.


    "Marcus, let me give you a massage." Lying beside him, she turned onto her side and gently pressed her fingers against his temples.


    "Don''t overthink it. I ced a sleeping aid sachet under the pillow and lit some incense. Along with my massage, you''ll fall asleep quickly."


    "Thank you." He closed his eyes, but the moment he did, his chest tightened. Every time he shut his eyes, he saw Charles lying in his arms.


    Charles'' final words echoed endlessly in his mind.


    He missed him a lot.


    "Marcus, don''t think about anything. Just follow my lead," she said softly as soon as she noticed his body tremble slightly.


    He hadn''t been sleeping well. Whenever he closed his eyes, he would involuntarily shudder.


    He was clearly afraid. Or perhaps, he was simply lost in his grief.


    "When I was little, I went to Dithoria City with Grandma. That was the first time I saw the ocean," Natalie began in a gentle and soothing voice, deliberately slowing her pace to ease Marcus'' emotions.


    "Grandma was there for a business meeting with an elderly man. I was so excited to see the ocean that I ran along the beach, collecting seashells and digging for tiny crabs.


    "I had nearly filled my bucket when I realized I had wandered too far from her. That''s when I saw a little boy get swept into the waves.


    "He was struggling in the water. Without thinking, I rushed in and pulled him out. Then, I tried to do some simple first aid, like I''d seen on TV.


    "Just then, a little girl ran over. I told her to stay with him while I ran to find an adult.


    "But by the time I brought someone back, the boy and the girl were both gone. I searched for a bit, and when I saw the boy was okay, I left with Grandma.


    "As he grew up, the boy mistook someone else for his rescuer. But that little girl... had a tough life. Without the boy''s help, she would have struggled to survive. "Fortunately, she had his support. Later on, the girl who saved the boy also ended up saving that little girl. The little girl had suffered so much that the boy''s true savior just couldn''t bring herself to hate her.


    "The little girl turned out to be wonderful, and they became good friends. As for the boy, he eventually became her boyfriend.


    "And now, her boyfriend is going through something incredibly painful. So, she''s doing everything she can to help him fall asleep."


    As he listened to her soft, melodic voice, his tears slipped silently from the corners of his eyes. "Nat, the boy made so many mistakes. He had a chance to get along with the girl from the start, but because of what the little girl''s fake grandmother told him, hepletely misunderstood her."


    Marcus'' hoarse voice was barely above a whisper. "The boy wasn''t good. He was just lucky."


    "The girl saved him more than once. She even saved his grandfather. But now, his grandfather is gone.


    "I''m sorry, Nat. I''m so sorry."


    He couldn''t hold it in anymore. He pulled Natalie into his arms and sobbed in a muffled voice.


    "Marcus, don''t be afraid. I''m here. You still have me, my parents, and my five brothers."


    "Sky is still serving his sentence, but he''s been on good behavior. He told me he was working hard for an early release. He even said that once he''s out he''ll have a good talk with you and make sure you don''t bully me.


    "I''ve also contacted Mr. Langton. He said Laura''s health is improving, and once


    she''s better, Connie will bring her to Dithoria City.


    "Don''t be sad. You have me. I promise I''ll never leave you. I won''t go before you,


    and I won''t let you feel that pain again."


    Her words hit something deep inside him. He broke down and sobbed uncontrobly. It took him a long time to regain hisposure.


    "Nat, I''m afraid that if I''m gone, you''ll be left alone."


    "No," she whispered. "I''ll find you."


    That only made him cry even harder.


    She knew that his tears would be endless once he started crying. Marcus was surprisingly difficult to console.


    But if he wanted to cry, she would let him. It was better to let it all out in one go than to keep it bottled up inside.


    Holding him gently, she stroked his back. "Don''t be afraid, I''m here.


    "Marcus, I''m here."


    With her soothing voice beside him, his sobs eventually quieted. As his tears stopped, exhaustion and drowsiness crept in.


    The sleep sachet and incense had started working.


    "Sleep now. When you wake up, everything will be better," she whispered. "Close your eyes."


    He pulled her closer and obediently shut his eyes.


    Before long, his breathing grew deep and steady.


    She knew he had finally fallen asleep. Natalie held him as he held her while whispering, "Marcus, things will get better."


    She drifted off after murmuring those final words.


    In Amberton, Federrick was checking Laura''s pulse at The


    Herbalist''s Sanctuary. When bol


    finished, Laura asked hesitantly, "Mr. Langton, am I fully recovered now?"


    Federrick nodded. "More or less. But once you''re home, you''ll need to keep taking the medicine I


    el.n.


    prescribed. Be mindful of your diet for the next half year. Come back for


    a follow-up after six months.


    "I''ll have Connie go with you. And when Natalie and Marcus get married, make sure to invite me."


    "Of course." At the mention of Natalie and Marcus, Laura''s expression softened.


    "Mr. Langton, I will always be grateful for your care. If you don''t mind, I''d love to treat you like my father from now on."


    Laura had been an orphan with no parents or family. After being with Wesley, she had felt the warmth of paternal love from Charles.


    But now, he was gone.


    And because of her health, she hadn''t even been able to don mourning clothes for


    him.

 Chapter 568 Witnessing the Execution (Part 1)

    "Laura, I''m getting old. Everything I have is meant for Nat and the others," Federrick said with a chuckle. "I won''t be taking you in as my daughter. That brat, Marcus, is rich enough. You don''t need to be thinking about my inheritance."


    Laura froze for a moment, then quickly shook her head. "Mr. Langton, that''s not what I meant. Wesley gave me plenty of money. I don''t need yours.


    "If anything, I''d rather give all my money to you, Nat, and the others.


    "It''s just..." Her voice choked up. "I don''t have parents. I just wanted more family."


    "No worries. I understand," Federrick said with a smile. "I was only joking. You don''t have to treat me as your father. Consider The Herbalist''s Sanctuary your home. I''ve taken in a lot of kids over the years, but I''ve never thought of any of them as my own children. They''re just my little apprentices."


    "Then... can I be your apprentice too?" Tears welled up in Laura''s eyes. "Mr. Langton, you gave me a second chance at life. I really want to repay you."


    "Laura, I don''t see you as an outsider, and that''s why I''m speaking honestly. You''ve already lost too much time in the first half of your life. From now on, you need to live for yourself.


    "Don''t waste your time feeling like you owe me just because I saved you.


    "Besides, Marcus paid a hefty price for me to save you. Being grateful is a good thing, but there''s no need to overdo it. Do you understand what I mean?"


    Laura nodded through her tears. "I understand, Mr. Langton."


    "Good. Now, go and live your life freely.


    "Oh, by the way, Nat and Marcus are in Amberton right now, staying at Four Horizons Hotel. If you want to head back to Dithoria City, have Connie take you. But if you feel like exploring the city for a bit, go ahead and have some fun before heading back."


    Laura thought for a moment, then nodded. "I think I''ll go to the city center first and meet up with Marcus and Nat."


    "Alright, then pack your things and head out early. Otherwise, you''ll miss them."


    Federrick stood up and turned to Connie. "Connie, I''m trusting you with this." "Yes, Mr. Langton. I got it.


    "Laura, let''s get ready and head out," Connie said.


    "Alright."


    After packing up, Laura and Connie got in the car and set off for the city center in Amberton.


    As the scenery outside the window blurred past them, Laura felt a rare sense of ease. It had been so long since she had taken a trip like this without worry.


    The breeze smelled fresh, and the sights along the way were beautiful.


    The Herbalist''s Sanctuary was quite far from the city, so Connie drove for several hours before finally reaching the city.


    "Laura, let''s go straight to the hotel and find Nat and Mr. Holden. Then, we can grab dinner there. How does that sound?"


    "I don''t mind," Laura replied softly. "That sounds fine."


    "Alright, then straight to the hotel it is."


    Connie was familiar with Amberton and didn''t need to use the navigation system. Soon, she pulled up to the entrance of Four Horizons Hotel.


    After parking, she sent a message to Natalie.


    Connie: Dr. Elim, I''ve brought Laura to your hotel. Are you guys here, or are you out handling business?


    Natalie didn''t respond right away.


    "Laura, let''s eat first," Connie suggested.


    "Okay." Laura hadn''t been outside in a long time. Though she wasn''t socially anxious, her illness had left a deep psychological impact. Every time she saw a mirror or a reflective surface, a wave of fear washed over her.  s?novel


    Luckily, with Connie by her side, she was slowly oveing it.


    After checking in, they headed to the hotel''s restaurant. They overheard a conversation from the table next to them as they ate.


    "Have you heard? The Langley family, who used to be the richest in our city, actually built their fortune through shady means. Grace is dead, but her brother, Kenton, got the death sentence."


    "Wasn''t Kenton the director of that


    hospital? I heard he used his


    position to traffic newborn babies Remember how everyone thought


    Natalie was a fake heiress? Well, the real heiress, Selena, was actually sold off by her own uncle."


    "Damn, that''s some next-level evil. Makes me wanna thank my uncle for not selling me off."


    "No kidding. But apparently, Kenton wasn''t even the worst of them. There was a bigger monster behind him. Some woman forced him into selling babies.


    "And her daughter is just as bad. They ran their operations out of Scarlet Hill."


    "Scarlet Hill? That ce is gorgeous! I can''t believe it was a hub for human trafficking. I''m never going there again."


    "Have you heard of Yvette Jenkins? She was the golden daughter of the Jenkins family in Dithoria City decades ago. When her sister burned the residence to the ground, she disappeared. It turns out she''s been hiding in the shadows, doing all kinds of heinous things."Content


    "Yvette''s a total psycho. Instead of rebuilding the residence the right way, used dirty money to destroy lives."


    she


    "Imagine how many families were torn apart because of her."


    "That''s why the authorities are making an example out of them. They''re going to publicly execute them, and people cane watch. You can even throw rotten eggs and stinky socks at them before they''re shot."


    "There''s a whole setup for it. And if you watch, they''ll even give you 30 fresh eggs as a reward."


    "The reward doesn''t matter. I just want to throw an egg at her face."


    "Me too."


    "Let''s go together, then!"


    "There''ll be live streams too. I bet their ancestors would be rolling in their graves." "Graves? Hah! Their graves were dug up by stray dogs ages ago. Even if they wanted to roll over, they''d have to find their coffins first."


    "You''re right. Cheers to that!"


    Laura didn''t know much about the situation, but Connie had been following the news closely. She filled Laura in on all the details in a soft voice.


    The moment Laura heard that Natalie had been swapped at birth in that very hospital, her face darkened. "Connie, I want to watch the execution. I want to see them get shot."


    "Me too." Connie clenched her jaw. "Laura, Cassie was corrupted by Yvette. And Charles took his own life because of her."


    "We have to be there. And we''re throwing those rotten eggs and socks ourselves." "Absolutely." Laura''s hands curled into fists as her face was filled with hatred. They quickly finished their meal and returned to their rooms to rest.


    Yvette and the others were scheduled to be executed in a few days. Until then, they would stay at the hotel and wait.


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 Chapter 569 Witnessing the Execution (Part 2)

    It was the execution day for Yvette, Kenton, and Lina a weekter.


    Early that morning, the authorities publicly announced the exact time and location of the execution. Those who wished to witness it were given specific routes and guidelines to reach the designated site.


    During this time, Laura and Connie met up with Marcus and Natalie. Since Laura had spent most of the past few years confined indoors due to her illness, Natalie and Marcus took this opportunity to show her around Amberton.


    In truth, it wasn''t just to keep Laurapany. It was also to give her and Marcus more time together.


    Laura''s presence was timely. Marcus had been struggling with grief. Having his mother by his side, even just for a while, brought him somefort.


    That morning, they all got up early. Connie had prepared rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables the day before, ready to throw at Yvette.


    Laura wore a bright red dress, while Connie styled her hair and did her makeup. She was already breathtakingly beautiful, but with a little extra effort, she looked even more stunning.


    Natalie stared at Laura for a long moment before shifting her gaze to Marcus. At that moment, she finally understood why Marcus'' looks had always left her in awe.


    With a mother this extraordinarily beautiful and a father as handsome as Wesley, there was no way their child wouldn''t be striking.


    "Nat, Marcus... Are you sure this outfit is okay?" Laura had worn white for years. She felt both dazzling and a little self-conscious wearing such a bold color after such a long time.


    "Of course it is!" Natalie nodded enthusiastically. "Laura, I have so many gorgeous dresses. When we get back to Dithoria City, I''ll give them all to you!"


    Most mothers-inw loved dressing up their daughters-inw, but Natalie only wanted to make her mother-inw look as beautiful as possible.


    "Huh?" Laura was momentarily stunned. She turned to Marcus, who was already looking at her.


    His dark, inky eyes suddenly welled up with tears.


    "Marcus, what''s wrong?" Seeing his red-rimmed eyes, Laura immediately panicked. "Are you feeling unwell? Tell me, and I''ll take you to the hospital."


    She still treated Marcus as a child, forgetting that he had long since grown into a man-an exceptional one, at that.


    "Mom." Marcus reached out and pulled her into an embrace. "If it weren''t for those monsters, you would have been living beautifully by my side all these years.


    "Let''s go to the execution. From now on, Nat and I will make sure you''re always beautiful and happy. Alright?"


    Hearing his sudden outpouring of emotion, Laura''s eyes reddened. She wrapped her arms around him, her voice choked with emotion. "Okay. I''ll listen to you and Nat."


    If being happy and well-dressed would bring joy to her son and daughter-inw, then she was more than willing to go along with it.


    "Alright, let''s go," Natalie said from the side. "If we don''t hurry, we might not get a good spot."


    "Mom, let''s go."


    "Yes, okay."


    They left the hotel and followed the designated route, arriving quickly at the execution site-Scarlet Hill.


    Scarlet Hill was the central hub of criminal operations and thergest base for the syndicate. Executing Yvette and the others there was the most fitting choice.


    That day, Scarlet Hill was as crowded as ever, though the base of the mountain had been cleared out in preparation.


    When the prisoner transport truck arrived, Yvette, Kenton, and Lina were led out with their hands and feet shackled. They were taken to the base of the mountain, where an angry crowd awaited.


    As soon as an official blew the whistle, the spectators began hurling rotten eggs, spoiled vegetables, and even filthy socks at the condemned criminals.


    "Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!"


    "Shoot them! Shoot them! Shoot them!"


    "Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!"


    "Shoot them! Shoot them! Shoot them!"


    The crowd''s deafening chants echoed through the air, and their rage nearly shook the entire mountain.


    The executioners stood quietly, waiting for the official time. If it weren''t for protocol, even they would have joined in throwing the rotten eggs.


    Marcus and Natalie stood with Laura and Connie in a prime viewing spot. Connie gripped her stash of rotten eggs and relentlessly pelted them at the criminals.


    "Die! Die! Die!" She cursed with every throw, her voice filled with hatred.


    Being shot to death wouldn''t do justice for people like them. They deserved to rot in the deepest pits of hell.


    Yvette, who had been diagnosed with cancer once thought she would pass away on her own terms, free from consequences. She never.


    imagined that her finaleo


    would be this humiliating, that she would die in disgrace and be


    despised by all.


    Kenton, on the other hand, was eerily calm. He had epted his fate from the very beginning.


    As long as he could drag Yvette down with him, as long as he could avenge the Langley family, it was all worth it.


    Kneeling on the ground, he groveled repeatedly to the crowd, silently repenting.


    Minute by minute, time passed. Soon, the three of them were drenched, their bodies reeking from the filth thrown at them.


    "Time''s up."


    At themand, the crowd immediately stopped throwing.


    A sudden, heavy silence fell over the scene. No one spoke, but every pair of eyes


    remained fixed on Yvette, Kenton, and Lina.


    Their criminalwork had been


    vast, involving far more than just the three of them. The others had been sentenced ording to their crimes, many facing harsh penalties. Some of them would live to see another day, given a chance at redemption. C¨®ntent


    But the journey of Yvette, Kenton, and Lina ended here.


    "Commence execution."


    At the order, the executioners raised their pistols. They aimed, loaded their


    weapons, and pulled the triggers.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    Three gunshots rang out. All three criminals copsed to the ground.


    A wave of apuse erupted from the crowd.


    "Finally! The monsters are dead!"


    "Justice is served! Justice is served!"


    The spectators cheered, and their voices were filled with satisfaction and relief.


    Standing on a raised tform


    nearby, Marcus and Natalie held


    hands as they watched Yvette''s


    lifeless body. Then, almost


    instinctively, their gazes shifted to a


    certain spot in the crowd.


    There, a familiar figure stood. It was someone who looked strikingly like Sheldon.


    "Finally. They''re dead."


    Laura had been holding her breath the whole time. When she saw the executioners step forward to confirm the deaths, she finally exhaled in relief.


    "They''re finally gone. They can''t hurt anyone ever again.


    "This is justice. This is right."

 Chapter 570 He Will Get Better

    As Laura spoke, her eyes turned red, and she wiped away her tears, unable to stop herself from crying.


    "Laura, don''t cry." Natalie sighed. Now that the execution was over, it was time for them to leave.


    "Marcus, let''s take Laura back."


    Marcus remained indifferent the entire time, humming his response. His gaze was cold and sharp when he looked at the three criminals. Only after they fell to the ground and were dered dead did his expression change slightly.


    Natalie had been quietly observing him. Yvette and Lina were both dead. Kenton, Yvette''s most capable subordinate and the one who had done the most dirty work, was also dead.


    Grace and Kenton were both gone for good, leaving the Langley family with no one left.


    Victor was brought up by Grace but was not her biological son. They had already cut familial ties after Grace tried to have Selena sold.


    Now, Victor and his family of three just wanted to live a stable life and work hard at the hospital to atone for their past sins.


    Kenton''s body was collected by Julie, while Charlene came to im Yvette''s and Lina''s bodies.


    "Mom, let''s go."


    Marcus withdrew his icy gaze, wrapping an arm around the sobbing Laura while intertwining his fingers with Natalie''s.


    After stepping down from the viewing tform, they got into the car and left.


    On the way back, Natalieforted Laura, and she gradually stopped crying. Marcus remained silent, but his mood was somber.


    Natalie wasn''t one to talk much either, so the car quickly fell into a heavy silence.


    In the end, it was Connie who couldn''t take it anymore and broke the tension. "Laura, do you have any other ns besides opening a flower shop when you return to Dithoria City?"


    "I want to visit Father''s grave first." Laura''s voice was soft. "I didn''t even get to attend his funeral when he passed away. I regret it so much.


    "He was very kind to me when he was alive. Not being able to fulfill my duties as his daughter-inw is my greatest regret."


    Connie carefully nced at Marcus, who was still silent. "Laura, don''t me yourself. It wasn''t your fault."


    "I know, but I still carry the regret."


    Natalie spoke up at this moment. "Laura, Grandpa Charles left behind some words before he passed. He mentioned you."


    "Really?" Laura immediately grabbed Natalie''s hand. "What did he say?"


    "He told you to live well and to love Marcus." Natalie looked at her seriously. "Grandpa Charles'' biggest concern before he passed was that Marcus would be all alone once he was gone.


    "He didn''t have any hope for Wesley, but he wished for you to be there for Marcus. He knew you two had lost so many years together, and he wanted you to be a part of Marcus'' life from now on.


    "He wouldn''t be able to see Marcus get married and have children, but he hoped you could be there in his ce."


    "Really?" Laura''s tears fell uncontrobly again.


    "Nat, I will. Even if he hadn''t said it, I would have done it."


    "So Laura, for Marcus'' sake, you have to take care of yourself from now on."


    "I will." Laura suddenly found new hope in life. She now knew what she needed to


    do.


    "Are we heading back to the hotel now?"


    "Yes, we''ll go back to the hotel and prepare to return to Dithoria City."


    "Alright."


    "Mom," Marcus suddenly called. "Do you still want to continue running your Helianese restaurant?


    "Grandpa asked me to take care of it for you all these years. Now that you''re back, do you want to take over the restaurant yourself?"


    Laura thought for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I''ll open a flower shop right next to the restaurant.


    "I''ll hire a manager to run the restaurant, and I''ll manage the flower shop myself. I''ll just drop by the restaurant asionally to check on things. Marcus, does that sound good to you?"


    "That works."


    Marcus had no objections to what Laura wanted to do. He was only worried that she would overthink things if she had too much free time.


    Another concern was that she had been isted from the world for so many years, barely interacting with anyone.


    She needed time to reintegrate into society.


    Opening a flower shop alone might be too much too soon. Even if she nned to


    run it by herself, Marcus was still uneasy.


    She was breathtakingly beautiful,


    and after years of suffering from Umbrahex, her skin had only be more porcin-like, nearly translucent. Now that she was finally recovering, herplexion had improved, making her look even more stunning.


    She had endured so much, but time seemed to have favored her. She didn''t look


    like a woman who had given birth or aged at all.


    Marcus had every reason to be concerned. He could have people protect her in secret, but that wasn''t the kind of life she wanted.


    If her flower shop was next to the restaurant, then at least she would always be surrounded by his people.


    "I suggest that Laura meet my mother first when we get back," Natalie said softly. "She''s been wanting to see you for a long time. But for various reasons, she hasn''t been able to visit you yet.


    "Laura, you and my mother haven''t seen each other in years. You must miss her, right?"


    "Yes, I do. Charlotte is the eldest daughter of the Kennedy family, but she never once looked down on me for being an orphan."


    Laura wiped away her tears. "Meeting Wesley was the greatest blessing of my life, though it was also my greatest misfortune.


    "But I''m still grateful to him. It was him who helped me cross social sses and made my son the heir of the Holden family."


    People often said that a mother''s choices determined her child''s future, and she thought it was the truth.


    She had endured hardship in Holden Residence, but Marcus lived a privileged life. She felt that it had all been worth it.


    "We should head back to the hotel, pack our things, and then go to the airport."


    "Alright."


    As discussed, they returned to the hotel, packed their luggage, and then set off for the airport.


    Natalie didn''t arrange for the Walker


    ve


    family''s helicopter to pick them up, and Marcus didn''t use his private jet either Instead, they took amercial flight, allowing Laura to slowly re-experience the world.


    At 7:00 pm, Marcus brought Laura back to Holden Residence.


    Meanwhile, Lincoln picked up Natalie and took her home from the airport. They


    had agreed to rest at their respective houses tonight and meet again in the


    morning.


    Before parting, Natalie looked at


    Marcus, who remained silent. She was still worried about him. But before she could say anything, Marcus pulled her into an embrace and whispered into her ear, "Nat, don''t worry about me. It might take some time, but I will find a way to get through this.


    "Nat, for my mother, for myself, and for you-I will get better. Believe in me,


    okay?"


    She could only nod after hearing his words despite being uneasy. "Alright, but don''t make me wait too long. I have to take responsibility for you."


    "I know," he said.


    They hugged for a while before she finally let go. "Tke Laura home. I''m heading


    back with Lincoln."


    "Alright."


    With that, they waved goodbye.


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 Chapter 571 Welcome Home

    Marcus brought Laura back to Holden Residence. As Laura stepped out and looked around, everything looked exactly the same as before-maybe even more extravagant than it was when she lived there. Clearly, the Holdens had only gotten more sessful over the years.


    "Mom, we''re here," Marcus said as he opened the car door and nced at Laura, whose eyes were filled with mixed emotions.


    "Oh, okay." Laura snapped out of her daze and quickly stepped out of the car.


    The moment she got out, she saw Sheldon walking over with the helpers. They stood neatly in two rows and bowed deeply to her. "Wee home, Mdm. Laura."


    Tears shimmered in Sheldon''s eyes as he bowed deeply and repeated, "Wee home, Mdm. Laura. You''re finally back."


    The sudden formality caught Laurapletely off guard. She turned to Marcus and saw the surprise on his face too. It was obvious he had not been informed about Sheldon''s wee arrangements.


    "Mr. Marcus, Mdm. Laura, wee home," Sheldon said again with another bow. As he straightened up, he struggled to hold back his tears. "I''m sorry. I''m just really happy and couldn''t help myself."


    He added, "I hope you can forgive me, Mdm. Laura."


    Laura looked at Sheldon, and her eyes turned red too. She did not say anything. She simply stepped forward and gave him a gentle hug.


    "Sheldon..." Her voice caught in her throat. There were so many things she wanted to say, yet not a single word came out.


    "Mdm. Laura, you don''t need to say a thing. I understand it all," Sheldon said, holding back his emotions. "You must be tired from the trip. I''ve already had everything prepared for your return."


    He continued, "Your old room is ready too, but I figured you probably wouldn''t want to stay there, so we arranged something different. Let me take you to see it."


    "Alright." Laura nodded, her voice still choked. Having someone familiar around made everything feel less overwhelming.


    Then, Sheldon turned to Marcus. "Mr. Marcus, you should rest. I''ll help Mdm. Laura get reacquainted with the estate."


    "Okay." Marcus nodded. He called Noah over and had him follow along before stepping into the elevator and heading upstairs.


    "This way, Mdm. Laura."


    "Sheldon, I''d like to see Father," Laura said.


    She already knew that Charles had not really been buried in the cemetery. The ashes ced there had been a decoy.


    "Come with me," Sheldon replied, forcing a smile as he led her toward the biggest maple tree in the estate.


    "When Mr. Marcus buried Mr. Holden Senior here himself, everyone working in the house was given the day off. The only people who know about this spot are Mr. Marcus, Ms. Walker, and me.


    "And now you, Mdm. Laura," Sheldon said, his voice trembling as his eyes turned red again. "Please promise to keep this a secret."


    Laura nodded firmly. "Don''t worry. I won''t tell anyone."


    "Whenever Mr. Marcuses here to Mr. Holden Senior, he makes sure the staff is off duty. If I''m no longer around, and you want to visit Mr. Holden Senior, please do the same."


    "I will," Laura promised, nodding earnestly. "But Sheldon, what did you mean by saying you won''t be at Holden Residence anymore?"


    "It''s nothing," Sheldon said as he wiped his eyes. "Come, Mdm. Laura. Let''s get you some rest."


    "Okay." Laura did not make any special gestures toward the maple tree. Her respect and mourning were private-carried quietly in her heart.


    After that, Sheldon took her to the new room they had arranged. It was on the third floor, on the far right end. When she opened the window, she could see a field of blooming jasmine outside.


    He said, "Mdm. Laura, please take some time to rest. We can talk about everything else tomorrow."


    "Alright. Thank you, Sheldon," Laura thanked him and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. Her whole body felt weightless, wrapped in a strange haze of emotion.


    After more than 20 years, she was finally back in her old home. Only this time, she was no longer Wesley''s wife. She had returned as the mother of his child.


    Laura sat there quietly for a long


    time before she finally began to pull herself together. When she first


    arrived, the whole wee formality


    had caught her so off guard that she had not had time to processo anything.


    Now that she had calmed down, she remembered that she and Wesley were already divorced. Being treated so respectfully did not feel right anymore. Still, it waste, so she decided to deal with that tomorrow.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Walker Residence in Dithoria State. Lincoln had brought Natalie back home, where William and Charlotte had already prepared a huge spread.


    "Sweetie, you''re home!" Charlotte rushed over to hug Natalie the moment she stepped through the door. "I already ran the water for you. Go ahead and wash up."


    "Sweetie, have a drink first," William said, handing her a ss. "I made you some honey lemon water."


    "Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom," Natalie said, touched by their thoughtfulness. She took a sip of the honey lemon water that was sweet and tangy, just the way she liked it. Then, she headed to the bathroom for a rxing soak.


    Charlotte had even arranged for a massage therapist toe over. After her bath, Natalie received a full-body massage thatpletely melted away her exhaustion.


    Feeling refreshed, Natalie changed into her cozy loungewear and came back downstairs to the dining room. Her whole family was already waiting for her.


    When she walked in, Lincoln stood up with a smile. "Nat, look who''s here."


    "Nat!" Olivia jumped out from behind the table and wrapped her in a big bear hug. "It''s been forever since I saw you! You haven''t even texted me. Do you know how much I missed you?"


    Natalie was clearly surprised but also thrilled. Her eyes lit up as she smiled and hugged Olivia back missed you too, Olivia. But things have been crazy busytely. Did my mom invite you over?"


    Olivia rubbed her nose awkwardly. "Um... actually, Mason invited me."


    "Huh?" Natalie raised a brow and looked over at Mason.


    His eyes darted for a second, but then he admitted openly, "Yeah, I invited her."


    Natalie''s gaze flicked back and forth between the two of them, and they both started to squirm under her knowing stare.


    "Alright,e on. Sit down and eat," Charlotte said with a cheerful smile as she pulled Natalie and Olivia toward the table.


    During the time Natalie had been away, Olivia had dropped by the house a few times. She always brought little gifts, was extremely polite, and sweet as could be.


    After a few visits, Charlotte had already picked up on the chemistry between Olivia and Mason. But since neither had made it official, everyone else pretended not to notice.


    "Olivia, Mason..." Natalie narrowed her eyes yfully, then let out a sly chuckle. "Are you two dating?"


    Before Olivia could even respond, Mason jumped up and mped a hand over her mouth.


    "Don''t go making things up, Nat!" Mason grumbled.


    Natalia had disappeared for weeks, but the moment she returned, she immediately exposed him.


    He continued, "Olivia''s career is just taking off, okay? Her contract literally says no dating allowed, so stop making wild guesses."


    Everyone around the table-Natalie, William, Charlotte, Lincoln, Hector, Timothy, and Olivia-was stunned. After all, that was basically a confession.

 Chapter 572 Something to Be Happy About

    Right after Mason blurted everything out, he noticed everyone staring at him with the weirdest expressions. Meanwhile, Olivia looked like she wanted to p a hand over his mouth. His exnation was worse than saying nothing at all.


    "Why are you all looking at me like that?" Mason asked, instantly regretting his words.


    Nheless, it was toote. His mouth had moved faster than his brain, and now the damage was done. Instead of responding directly, Natalie turned to Lincoln with a soft smile.


    She asked, "Lincoln, does yourpany not allow your artists to date?"


    Lincoln immediately shook his head. "Not exactly. It depends on the artist and how we n their career. You saw Ms. Thatcher''s original contract, and that use wasn''t in there."


    He nced at Olivia before continuing, "But the manager weter assigned her felt it would be best if she stayed single while building her brand. So, there may have been some contract revisions afterward. If you want to know for sure, you''ll have to ask her herself."


    Natalie''s eyes twinkled as theynded on Olivia. "So, Ms. Thatcher, care to exin that for us?"


    "Alright, now," Charlotte cut in with a chuckle. "Let''s not tease Olivia too much. Her face is already bright red."


    "Fine, since Mom said so, I''ll stop teasing my future sister-inw," Natalie said with a grin as she picked up some sd and ced it on Olivia''s te.


    "You totally made that no-dating use up to trick Mason, didn''t you? I knew something was going on between you two. You''ve been sneaking around behind our backs,"


    Olivia looked like she wanted to melt into the floor. Her head stayed bowed, and she dared not meet anyone''s eyes at the table.


    "Olivia, I''m happy you''re dating Mason," Natalie said gently as she reached under the table and held Olivia''s hand. "Don''t be shy. After Mason''s epic attempt at exining things, there''s no way any of us missed it."


    Mason groaned. "Nat! Hold on. When did I ever say we were dating? Not a single word! And what part of what I said meant we were in a rtionship?"


    "Alright, Mason," Natalie said, still smiling slyly. "Just answer one question. Are you Olivia''s boyfriend? Think it through before you speak. Don''t blurt something out again and end up trapped."


    Lincoln chimed in too. "Mason, man up. If you''re going to date someone, at least act like it. This sneaking around like a high schooler isn''t cool."


    "And tell me this-was it your idea to keep things a secret or Olivia''s? Because if it was yours, I swear, as your older brother, I will break your legs."


    "It was me!" Olivia said quickly, her face flushed. "I just... I hadn''t made up my mind yet. I''m older than Mason."


    "Please," Natalie jumped in without missing a beat. "Three years older means nothing. Even if you''re 30 years older, it just proves that you''re a catch! You''re doing Mason a favor, trust me."


    "Nat, who''s your real sibling here?" Mason asked helplessly, though he could not stop himself from smiling.


    Deep down, he was thrilled. His girlfriend and his sister were best friends, so he would never have to worry about them fighting or getting jealous of each other. However, now that he thought about it, if he ever made either of them mad, he was pretty sure they would team up and destroy him.


    But it was fine. Even if they beat him within an inch of his life, Hector was a doctor. He would patch him up. Mason would live, though definitely not without pain.


    "Olivia, do you like Mason?" Charlotte asked gently. "Don''t be nervous. William and I are pretty open-minded parents-and you know that. We don''t pamper Mason, and he''s definitely not a mama''s boy."


    She continued, "If you don''t want to go public, that''s totally fine. But just so you know, as his family, we''re really happy you''re together."


    "Mason, that sneaky boy, went and stole away this beautiful prize without saying a word," Charlotte teased with a grin.


    "Mom, seriously? That''s how you talk about your own son?" Mason groaned, already feeling defeated.


    Great-now both his parents were firmly on his girlfriend''s side.


    "Wait here a sec." Charlotte stood up and left the dining room, returning momentster with a delicate gift box.


    "Olivia, this is for you. It''s just a little something from me," she said, cing it gently in Olivia''s hands.


    "Mrs. Walker, I-I don''t know what to say," Olivia stammered, clearly caught off guard.


    "Just take it," Natalie insisted as she pushed the box toward her. "And don''t worry. We''re all really good at keeping secrets. Me, my parents, Lincoln, Hector, Timothy -we won''t say a word.


    "You''re staying over tonight, okay? Sleep in my room like old times. It''s been so long, and I''ve got so much to catch you up on. Honestly, it makes me so happy that you''re going to be my future sister-inw."


    "Nat, really?" Olivia''s nervous heart started to ease a little at Natalie''s words.


    She exined, "I didn''t mean to keep this from you. You''ve just been so busytely, and I didn''t want to bother you. Mason was also worried you''d yell at him, so we just kept it quiet."


    Natalie teased with augh, "But to be honest, your acting wasn''t very convincing. They say people in love be fools, and you two are living proof. Come on, let''s eat while we talk."


    With that, Natalie had everyone dig in, and the table came alive withughter and chatter.


    The Walker residence had not felt this full of energy in a long time. Though Sky was still in prison, this was probably the first genuinely happy thing to happen at home in ages. By the end of dinner, the whole family pretty much considered


    Mason and Olivia official


    Olivia was still a little embarrassed, of course. It was not because she had


    nned to lie, but because she really did not know how to bring it up to Natalie,


    let alone the entire Walker family.


    It was now out in the open, thanks to Natalie and her big mouth-some best friend she was! She did not even give Olivia a heads-up before outing her like that. Still, Olivia felt relieved. At least now, she knew where everyone stood.


    Everyone seemed to truly like her, especially Charlotte. All the horrible


    scenarios she had imagined did note to t fife. She was not looked downon, nor did Charlotte throw a bank card containing five million dors at her, just so she would leave Mason.


    On the contrary, Charlotte liked her even more now and had already asked Gorge


    to prepare a guest room for her.


    After dinner, Natalie dragged Olivia upstairs, while Mason was summoned into the study. There was a long-standing rule in the Walker family. Once a manmitted to someone, there was no turning back-loyalty was non-negotiable. However, the Walkers had different rules for the women. They were allowed to date around and figure things out. As long as they did not get hurt, no one judged them.


    After all, Charlotte and William had five boys before finally having one daughter, so naturally, she was spoiled to the utmost.


    That was why when Olivia asked to keep the rtionship private at first, Mason agreed. It was not because he did not believe in what they had, but because deep down, he worried he might not be the one she would choose in the end.


    He was not afraid she would break his heart. He was worried that if she ever


    stopped loving him, he would not be able to make her stay. And if she ever told him it was over, Mason knew that he would probably cry while agreeing to it. After all, he loved her that much-pathetically andpletely.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 573 Fate and Feelings Are Just So Mysterious

    Natalie pulled Olivia up to the fifth floor and into her massive bedroom.


    Even though she had not been home muchtely, Charlotte had made sure the space was cleaned daily and kept fresh with a new bouquet of flowers every morning. She even had them rotate the types to brighten Natalie''s mood whenever she returned.


    "Alright, Olivia. Spill it. When did you start dating Mason?" Natalie asked as she dragged Olivia onto the bed.


    She grabbed the remote, closed the ckout curtains, and randomly put on a movie in the background. "We haven''t had a good catch-up in forever. Tonight, we''re making up for it."


    "But before we dive into me and Mason, what''s going on with you and Marcus?" Olivia asked as she leaned back against the headboard with a mischievous smirk.


    "I still can''t believe you two ended up together. That jerk was awful to you in the beginning¡ªand let''s not forget he literally called off the engagement. So, has he proposed again or not?"


    Natalie tapped her forehead. "I didn''t even think about that. There''s been way too much going on, one thing after another, and none of it has been the kind of stuff that makes you feel good."


    She continued, "And honestly, it''s kinda my fault. I got drunk and started getting handsy with Marcus. You know that face of his¡ªit''s hard to resist touching. And let''s be real, his body isn''t too bad either. But no, I haven''t slept with him yet."


    She grabbed a bar of chocte, unwrapped it, and broke off a piece for Olivia. "Here, try this. It''s a really good brand."


    Olivia grinned. "I know. Your brothers literally bought them and gifted them to you."


    "I wish I had a brother like that," she added with a sigh. "But hey, I still managed tond Mason. Even if I''m a little older than him. Actually, I''m older than you too."


    Olivia let out a breathyugh. "Honestly, I had a little crush on Lincoln at first-but not in a romantic way, I swear. You know how he is; a top-tier celebrity, crazy talented, ridiculously good-looking. I''m a model, but I''ve always admired people who are driven and aplished.


    "So naturally, I was drawn to Lincoln, but more in a ''fangirl respects the icon'' kind of way. As for how Mason and I started... Do you remember your wee party- the big family one?"


    Natalie nodded. "Yeah, I remember." Her eyes widened as she gasped in disbelief. "Did you guys start even back then? Olivia! Do I even know you? You sneaky little thing! So you''ve been hiding this from me the whole damn time?"


    Olivia giggled and reached over to cover Natalie''s mouth. "Calm down! Ady shouldn''t speak like that! I mean, it all started because I got a little handsy too... I touched Mason''s abs."


    Natalie peeled Olivia''s hand off her mouth and gave her a knowing look. "And that''s when you discovered... athletes hit different, huh?"


    Olivia covered her face with both hands. "Yeah. That''s exactly when. I couldn''t help it."


    Natalie paused, blinking. She thought that line sounded way too familiar. Curious, she asked, "So... where are you and Mason at now?"


    Olivia''s cheeks flushed a deep red. "Probably about where you and Marcus are. Mason and I have been sneaking around, and honestly, it''s been kind of thrilling."


    "Huh?" Natalie leaned in. "How thrilling are we talking?"


    "Natalie,e on. We''ve been best friends since we were little, but are you sure you wanna get into my dating details? I mean, my boyfriend is literally your own brother!"


    Natalie lifted a brow. "Oh, then I guess I''ll just cut him out of my life starting tomorrow. Stranger danger and all."


    Olivia was rendered speechless. She thought, "Forget it. Natalie is ruthless, way more ruthless than anyone else. After knowing her for so many years, I really should''ve seen iting."


    Meanwhile, Natalie kept going. "And Olivia, you''re the one who said it was something thrilling. You got me all curious, then turn around and say it''s private? Seriously, you think that''s how normal people talk?"


    Olivia paused. "It was my fault. Not only did I fail to control my hands, but I also ran my mouth too."


    Natalieughed so hard that her eyes crinkled up. She reached out and hugged Olivia, resting her head on Olivia''s shoulder.


    She said, "Olivia, I''ve been so exhaustedtely. Lying here with you, just talking like this... it feels like something from another life. Grandpa Charles passed away, and Laura''s finally healthy again.


    "Grace and Kenton are both dead. Selena and her family turned their lives around. Now, she''s working long shifts at the hospital, trying to make up for everything. But still, something just doesn''t feel right."


    "Nat, maybe you''re overthinking it," Olivia assured gently as she massaged Natalie''s temples. "Everything''s over now-those messy, chaotic things. You can finally rx and take a proper break."


    "Something isn''t right," Natalie


    insisted, straightening up. "Kenton kept crucial evidence and willingly cooperated, which helped take down Yvette''s entire criminalwork.


    Normally as a key informant he


    be


    wouldn''t have gotten the death


    penalty-but he did. That doesn''t sit


    right with me."


    "Nat, I really think you''re worrying too much," Olivia countered calmly. She did not


    see anything wrong about Kenton being sentenced to death.


    She added, "Sure, Kenton cooperated, but he alsomitted horrible, unforgivable crimes. If he hadn''t faced justice, how could all the people he hurt, all those children he trafficked, ever find peace?"


    Natalie thought about Olivia''s words and had to admit she had a point.


    Olivia said, "Stop stressing yourself out. He''s already gone, and bad people deserve their fate. The only unfair thing is Grace getting an easy death, just slipping away in a hospital bed."


    "I heard Grace died with her eyes wide open," Natalie mumbled quietly, her voiceplicated with emotions.


    Grace had once been someone she thought genuinely cared about her, someone she considered her savior-only to discover that they were nothing but lies and schemes.


    "She wanted to see her real daughter onest time before dying," Natalie exined. "But Victor hired an actress who bluntly revealed the truth. Grace''s daughter, Megan, had been dead for years-killed by Yvette herself."


    She added, "Grace spent her entire life manipted by Yvette because of her daughter, only to learn just before dying that Yvette had already taken Megan from her long ago."


    Olivia went quiet, recalling the kindness Grace had shown Natalie in their childhood.


    "I''m so tired, Olivia," Natalie murmured, leaning on her again. "Did you know Marcus has been really off since Grandpa Charles died?


    "He''s holding everything in, like


    Hove


    some cold, emotionless robot, channeling all his rage into taking down Yvette. He provided massive support to the authorities and helped dismantle her entire organization. The look in Marcus''s eye after the execution im Amberton¡ªI can''t even begin to describe it."


    Natalie paused thoughtfully. "It was like looking at a demon."


    Olivia abruptly sat up. "Nat, don''t scare me like that! If Marcus really is a demon,


    you''d better get out while you still can. Forget dating-your safetyes first."


    Natalie chuckled, amused. "I was


    just describing it dramatically. I''m actually worried he''s bottling things up too much, such that he''ll hurt himself emotionally. But now that Laura''s back in Ditoria State and


    though Grandpa Charles is gone, Marcus has his mom again. I''m sure he''ll stay grounded."


    "But what if he actually bes some kind of monster?" Olivia persisted nervously. "Maybe you should slip him some mild sedatives regrly, just in case he snaps. Then, at least you''d have the upper hand."


    "Are you serious?" Natalieughed, lightly knocking Olivia''s head. "Marcus would nevery a finger on me. After dating him for so long, I know him."


    "You think you know someone, but you never really know what''s in their hearts," Olivia insisted stubbornly.


    "Alright, stop before you make me want to grab a knife and chase Marcus down myself," Natalie joked, lying back and pulling the covers up.


    She said, "Honestly, Olivia, it''s weird how fate and feelings work. At first, Marcus


    and I couldn''t stand each other, and I had no idea why he had it out for me. I didn''t even want anything to do with him. Who would''ve thought we''d end up together after all that?"

 Chapter 574 Double Date

    Natalie stared at the big screen, but her mind wasn''t on the movie at all. Suddenly, she said, "Olivia, let''s go on a date tomorrow."


    "I''m in!" Olivia agreed immediately. "Mytest project just wrapped up, and my manager gave me a break. Mason was going to take me somewhere fun, but I figured I''d stay close and spend some time with my parents instead."


    She suggested, "Nat, how about this-tomorrow, you bring Marcus, I''ll bring Mason, and we''ll all go fishing?"


    "That sounds perfect!" Natalie chuckled. "Let''s find somewhere scenic, set up tents, and bring all the gear for a cookout. We''ll catch and toss the fish straight onto the grill-as fresh as it gets."


    "Fresh is the name of the game," she added with a grin.


    Olivia burst outughing. "Those fish are gonna see you and think they''ve met the Grim Reaper. Before they even know what hit them, they''ll be gutted and sizzling in hot oil."


    Natalieughed too, picturing the whole scene. "I mean, you''re not wrong. But hey, fresh and tasty-that''s the whole point, right?"


    Olivia nodded. "No one''s fresher than you, Nat. You''re the queen of freshness. Alright, time to sleep!" Olivia grabbed the remote and switched off the TV.


    Natalie teased, "Goodnight, future sister-inw."


    They did not say another word after that, and Natalie drifted off to sleep quickly. However, Olivia could not fall asleep. She picked up her phone, dimmed the screen, muted it, and started texting Mason.


    Olivia: "Babe, are you still awake?"


    Mason: "Yeah, just got chewed out. I need a hug from you."


    Olivia: "What happened? Did you mess up after Nat and I left?"


    Mason: "Not exactly. I just didn''t tell them about us. My parents found out and gave me a whole lecture. Told me not to disappoint you, said I''d better graduate soon, build my career, and marry you already."


    Mason: "My mom also warned me not to get you pregnant before marriage. Said you''re a model, and your career''s just taking off. I''m not allowed to mess up your future in any way."


    Mason: "Honestly, I feel like you''re their real daughter, and I''m the one who got adopted."


    Olivia: "Aww, don''t cry! Here''s a virtual hug!"


    Mason: "Olivia, are you asleep? Want to sneak into my room? I need some love and kisses."


    Olivia: "Venmo me 50 bucks, or I''m screenshotting this and sending it to Mrs. Walker."


    Mason was exasperated, but he still replied, "Fine. Sending 52,000 dors now. Please, Olivia. Don''t tell my mom."


    Olivia could not helpughing. She opened her sticker pack and sent Mason a bunch of hugs and kisses emojis.


    Olivia: "So, Nat and I made ns for tomorrow. She''s bringing Marcus, I''m bringing you, and we''re doing a double date."


    Mason: "Yes! I''m in! Finally, You''re making our rtionship official!"


    Olivia: "Go to sleep, babe. If you''rete tomorrow, I''ll break your legs."


    Mason: "Okay, okay. Goodnight, Olivia."


    Olivia: "Night."


    After saying goodnight, Olivia ced her phone on the wireless charger by the bed and went to sleep.


    ...


    At 7:00 am the next morning, Olivia woke up on time. Meanwhile, Natalie was still fast asleep beside her, breathing softly.


    Back when Natalie used to stay over at Olivia''s ce, the two of them would always sleep in. Her parents never woke them, knowing how hard they worked and studied. They would even make them breakfast before heading off to work.


    And now, when Olivia stayed at the Walker residence, William and Charlotte were just as sweet and respectful. They never pushed her to Wake up early, but even so she felt a little awkward sleeping in the way she did at her own ce.


    Olivia tiptoed out of bed, trying not to wake Natalie. However, even her quietest movement triggered a reaction. The moment she lifted the nket, Natalie opened her eyes.


    "Olivia, you''re up," Natalie mumbled with a yawn, snuggling deeper beneath the covers.


    "Sorry, did I wake you?" Olivia asked guiltily. "Nat, you can go back to sleep if you''re still tired."


    "Nah, it''s fine," Natalie said as she sat up. "We did say we were going on a date today, right? I''m calling Marcus now."


    She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and dialed. "Hey, Marcus. You still up for that date today? Me, you, Mason, and Olivia-double date, remember?"


    Marcus agreed instantly. "Sounds good. I''lle pick you up."


    Alright, I''ll wait for you at home," Natalie replied, then started ruffling her hair. "Olivia, help me out. What should I wear today?"


    "A bikini," Olivia replied without missing a beat. "We''re going fishing, right? If you can''t catch one with a rod, you''ll just have to jump in and grab it yourself." Natalie blinked. "Seriously?"


    "I''m kidding!" Oliviaughed, giving her friend''s cheek a yful pinch. "You''re tall, gorgeous, and your skin glows. You could wear a trash bag and still look like a runway model. Come on, I''ll help you pick something out."


    Excited now, Olivia pulled Natalie off the bed and into the walk-in closet. William and Charlotte adored Natalie, and her closet was filled with thetest designer collections. Some pieces she had not even worn before they were swapped out f?r newer arrivals.


    Natalie''s porcin skin and perfect proportions meant she looked stunning in everything. Olivia, being a model herself, had the height and figure too, but she never wore Natalie''s clothes.


    It was not about the fit but rather about respect. No matter how close they were, even if they shared everything, Olivia would never just grab something that was not hers.


    "This one!" Olivia eximed, pulling out a light blue fitted dress with a cinched waist and a hem that hit the knee. The bodice was form-fitting, and the tailored cut entuated Natalie''s curves beautifully.


    She said, "I''ll curl your hair and do your makeup. Marcus is going to bepletely floored when he sees you."


    Natalie chuckled. "Marcus has seen all kinds of women, so he''s not going to turn into a lovesick fool over me."


    "That''s where you''re wrong," Olivia replied with a knowing smile. "Nat, you seriously have no clue how gorgeous you are. Trust me."


    Then, she dragged Natalie to the bathroom to freshen up and helped her into the


    dress before sitting her down at the vanity. Olivia got to work curling her hair and


    doing her makeup.


    Natalie let Olivia take the reins


    Olivia


    withoutint. With Natalie''s


    wless skin, Olivia did not even need to apply much. A light, dewy look enhanced her features, and the soft waves added a touch of elegance to her natural charm Her eyes held that perfect mix of innocence and mystery.


    Olivia stepped back to admire her work and smiled in satisfaction. "Almost done. Since we''re going fishing, forget the heels. We''re going with clean white sneakers. They go with everything and keep the vibe young and fresh." Natalie did not argue. She let Olivia pick the shoes and bag too, while Olivia herself opted for a sporty look with a sleek athleisure fit and a high ponytail. "Let''s go," Olivia said, slinging arge gym-style backpack over her shoulder.


    For Natalie, she picked a light blue crossbody bag-just big enough for her phone, wallet, keys, and some tissues. The whole look screamed effortless, elegant, and put-together.


    Natalie nced at Olivia''s spacious bag, then down at her own tiny one. Without a word, she lunged forward and tried to swap bags. "Let''s trade."


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 Chapter 575 His Eyes Never Left Her

    "No way," Olivia shouted as she dodged and sprinted out of the room. "Natalie, act like ady for once! You''re not at the Langley residence anymore, so stop dressing like you''re headed to a funeral."


    Natalie paused and nced down at her exposed arms and legs. The scars that used to cover her skin were now gone, thanks to the healing creams she had been using. Her porcin skin could pull off any color now.


    "Nat,e on already!" Olivia called from the doorway, poking her head back in. "Stop overthinking and juste out."


    "Alright, alright," Natalie replied and followed her out.


    They took the elevator down to the first floor, and as soon as the doors opened, Mason was already there waiting. Meanwhile, dressed in an all-ck tracksuit, he stood beside severalrge bags filled with gear for fishing and camping.


    "Morning, Nat, Olivia. Did you sleep well? Gorge already has breakfast ready, so let''s eat. Oh, and Marcus called me. He''s on his way now. If we eat quickly, we can head out right after," Mason said.


    "Perfect!" Olivia grinned. "Mason, look at Nat today. Isn''t she stunning? I dressed her!"


    Mason gave Natalie a good once-over, then nodded with approval. "She looks amazing. Nat is a knockout, and my girlfriend clearly has magic hands."


    He made sure topliment them both-no one was left out. Then, he added, "Alright, breakfast is waiting."


    With that, the three of them headed into the dining room. William and Charlotte were easy-going parents who did not insist on family meals. With their children busy, it was hard to gather everyone, so whoever woke first would eat first.


    Besides, William and Charlotte retired early and spent most of their days rxing. asionally, they would visit thepany if boredom struck, but overall, they were content with their peaceful lives.


    Moreover, they had finally found Natalie, their biological daughter. However, she did not like staying home.


    As a result, William''s and Charlotte''s affection rarely had a chance to be shown in conventional ways. Nheless, despite not being clingy or needy, Natalie never doubted her parents'' love even though she spent a lot of time apart from them.


    In fact, she cherished her freedom, and her parents happily gave her space to live life on her own terms. They trusted that she would remember she always had a home and parents who loved her deeply. If she ever felt tired of being independent, all she needed to do was return home.


    Gorge''s breakfast spread was hearty and nutritious. He fussed around Natalie, grumbling about how she had lost weight again during her recent trip.


    "Ms. Walker, please don''t go traveling for a while. Just stay home and rx," Gorge urged. "I''ll cook for you every day until you''re nice and healthy again."


    Natalie could not help butugh. "Thanks, Gorge. I''ll take a break for a bit, but I think I''ll skip the ''nice and healthy'' part. Staying at a healthy weight is enough for me."


    Natalie had never been obsessed with being overly thin. She had been drained of blood too often when she was young at the Langley residence. Afterward, Federrick had carefully treated her. Perhaps that was why her metabolism hadpletely changed. No matter how much she ate now, she never seemed to gain weight.


    Thanks to Federrick''s treatments, her health improved dramatically. Still, if she ever overworked herself, she needed extra rest to recover, which was why she took long breaks between taking on patients.


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden has arrived," the helper respectfully informed her.


    Natalie immediately stood up. "I''ll go meet Marcus."


    "Ms. Walker, Mr. Holden knows his way around our home quite well," Gorge reminded her gently, following behind her. "If someone needs to greet him, I can go. You really should finish your breakfast first."


    "Thanks, Gorge," Natalie said gratefully, though she did not slow down for even a second.


    Soon, Natalie greeted Marcus at the front door. Instead of his usual suit, Marcus wore a casual andfortable outfit-a in white T-shirt, ck joggers, and white sneakers that matched Natalie''s, almost like a couple''s style.


    "Did you have breakfast yet?" Natalie asked with a smile. "Come join us."


    "Gorge, bring an extra te and utensils, and prepare something Marcus likes," she instructed.


    "Yes, Ms. Walker," Gorge immediately replied, rushing back to the kitchen. After all, Natalie''s boyfriend could not leave the Walker residence hungry.


    Natalie took Marcus by the arm and led him to the dining table. From the moment Marcus saw Natalie, he could not take his eyes off her.


    She looked incredibly beautiful


    today, so beautiful that he found it hard to look away. Even though she had kept things simple, withfortable clothes, fresh makeup, and no perfume, somehow, Marcus thought she seemed soft and sweet, as if she naturally smelled wonderful.


    "Marcus, why do you keep staring at Nat?" Mason asked, waving his hand in front


    of Marcus. "Eat your breakfast already. Is she that stunning today that you''re starstruck?"


    "Yeah," Marcus admitted honestly, clearing his throat. "Nat looks amazing. She definitely caught me by surprise. I like it."


    Marcus'' straightforwardness momentarily left Mason speechless. Under the table, Mason lightly kicked Marcus'' foot and muttered, "Just eat your food!"


    "Mason, why''d you kick me?" Natalie looked up sharply. "I''m wearing white shoes and a skirt today. If you get them dirty, you''ll pay for it."


    Mason froze awkwardly.


    "Just eat your food!" Oliviaughed, shoving a mini breakfast burrito into Mason''s mouth. "Nat, don''t worry. I''ll take care of him for you."


    Natalie nodded seriously. "Thank you."


    "It''s no problem at all," Olivia replied cheerfully.


    "Marcus, you eat too," Natalie said softly, pushing a ss of milk toward him. "You have dark circles under your eyes. Didn''t you sleep well against night?"


    Marcus was about to say he slept fine but reconsidered. "Yeah, whenever I close my eyes, I have nightmares. Sorry, I still need a bit more time."


    Natalie replied, "It''s okay. You can take a nap in the car, and when we get to the campsite, you can rest more in the tent."


    Marcus nodded gratefully. "Alright. Nat, I''ll be fine. I promise not to ruin anyone''s fun. Don''t worry about me."


    Natalie smiled warmly. "I''m not worried. Now, hurry up and finish your breakfast so we can go."


    "Okay." Marcus obediently finished his breakfast.


    When they were done, Mason grabbed several heavy bags and started toward the door.


    "Here, Mason. Let me help," Marcus offered, quickly stepping up to take two of the bags.


    "Oh, great. You can take all of them, then," Mason said shamelessly, handing over


    the rest. "You''re a good man, Marcus. Thanks for your hard work."


    Marcus stared nkly, while Natalie and Olivia exchanged confused looks behind them.


    With a straight face, Mason


    exined, "had to give Marcus something to do. Otherwise, he''d keep secretly staring at Nat like his


    eyes were glued to her. He''s practically shouting to the world how much he likes her."


    Marcus was speechless again, and Natalie and Olivia were baffled by Mason''s


    audacity.


    They all wondered what kind of logic Mason was even going by. After all, Marcus was Natalie''s boyfriend, and it should be perfectly normal for him to look at his own girlfriend.


    "Mason, from now on, you''re not allowed to look at Olivia either," Natalie said


    calmly. "Olivia, no more eye contact with Mason starting right now."


    Olivia immediately yed along. "Got it, Nat."


    This time, it was Mason''s turn to be stunned.

 Chapter 576 If Marcus and Olivia Fell into the Water, Who Would Natalie Save First?

    Mason ran up, refusing to back down, and grabbed Olivia''s hand.


    "Olivia, you''re my girlfriend," he said.


    Without hesitation, she smacked his arm. "I barely get to see Nat. Don''t interrupt us! Go get the bags. Are you really going to make Marcus carry everything by himself?"


    "But Nat wants to spend time with her boyfriend too!" Mason pouted. "Olivia, don''t you want to feel my abs?"


    Olivia quickly mped a hand over his mouth, her eyes darting toward Natalie. With how flustered she was, she didn''t notice the sly glint in his eyes.


    "Shut up."


    "I didn''t hear or see anything," Natalie said, smirking knowingly. She stepped forward and reached for some of the bags Marcus was carrying. "Let me help." "No need," Marcus replied, shaking his head with an easy smile. "I''ve got it." "Elijah and Noah didn''te with you?" she asked.


    It was the first time Natalie had ever seen Marcus doing something so... down-to- earth. A scion andpany president like him, actually carrying bags? Unheard of.


    "They''re nearby, keeping an eye on things," he answered.


    They chatted as they made their way to the car. Natalie stepped forward and popped open the trunk while Marcus loaded the bags inside.


    Behind them, Mason was still struggling as Olivia tugged on his ear.


    "Mason, you guys should take your own car!" Natalie turned and waved. "We''re heading out first."


    "Hey, wait for us!" Olivia shoved Mason aside and hurried after Natalie, but before she could take more than a step, Mason grabbed her wrist.


    "Olivia, give Nat and Marcus some alone time. Plus, we haven''t seen each other in so long!" He pouted dramatically. "You might not miss me, but I missed you."


    "Get lost, loser." Olivia wasn''t buying his act. "Men will only cloud my judgment."


    Mason was at a loss for words.


    Wasn''t he supposed to be the adorable, clingy type women found adorable? So why was it that the moment Natalie came home Olivia didn''t even want to look at him?


    At first, he''d been worried that Natalie and Olivia might get jealous over him ying favorites. But now? Great. He was the one feeling jealous.


    These two women werepletely heartless.


    Fuming inside, Mason felt both wronged and frustrated. Still, he couldn''t throw a tantrum unless he wanted to get his ass kicked.


    Meanwhile, Natalie and Marcus got into the car. Olivia tried to follow, but Natalie blocked her.


    "You''re riding with Mason. You know the location; just head straight to Sacred Peak Lake. Everything''s already set up, so we''ll meet you there."


    "Why won''t you let me ride with you, Nat?" Olivia pouted. "You''re ditching your best friend for a guy?"


    "And I''m fine with you ditching me for a guy, too." Natalie tapped Olivia''s forehead. "So now we''re even."


    She leaned in and whispered, "Besides, I''m nning to do some R-rated stuff with Marcus. You sure you wanna be there for that?"


    Olivia froze.


    This little shit, she thought. So damn ruthless.


    "Go ride with Mason. Poor guy looks like he''s about to cry," Natalie added with a smirk.


    Then, she leaned back and rolled up the window. Through the ss, she saw Olivia flipping her off.


    Beside her, Marcus had been quietly watching their exchange. For some reason,


    a flicker of envy stirred in his chest.


    "You and Ms. Thatcher seem close."


    "Yeah." Natalie nodded. "When I was a kid, whenever I got punished at the Langley residence and wasn''t allowed to eat, I''d sneak over to her house for food. Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher were amazing people.


    "I didn''t understand much back then, but I used to secretly wish they were my parents instead. Olivia must''ve noticed, because one day, she told her parents about it. After that, whenever I went over, they always had a bed and clothes ready for me too.  ?wnovel


    "Olivia''s family wasn''t exactly well-off, notpared to the Langleys, at least. But if they gave something to her, they always made sure t@give me the same. One day, they told me that if I didn''t mind, I could consider them my godparents."


    wn?


    As Natalie talked about her childhood, the corners of her lips curled up automatically. Every time she went to Olivia''s house, she felt happy and rxed.


    She had seen what it truly meant for parents to love their children at the Thatcher residence. And it was then that she realized that Diana and Victor had never loved her.


    "Whenever someone bullied me, Olivia was always the first to charge in and beat them up for me. Our friendship is unbreakable."


    She turned to Marcus with a smile. "Even if we don''t see each other for a long time, the moment we reunite, we always have endless things to talk about."


    "I''m jealous." Marcus took her hand, his thumb brushing her skin. "Nat, if Ms. Thatcher and I fell into the water at the same time, who would you save first?"


    Natalie blinked in confusion.


    Marcus met her gaze, his deep, ink-ck eyes unwavering. He repeated his question, "If Ms. Thatcher and I fell into the water at the same time, who would you save first, me or her?"


    She remained silent.


    "Wait. You don''t know how to swim?"


    "Nope. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have needed you to save me when we were kids."


    Natalie was momentarily speechless. The way Marcus said it so naturally threw her off.


    "Nat." Seeing that she still hadn''t answered, Marcus pressed again, refusing to let it go.


    "You," Natalie replied without hesitation. "I''d save you first."


    His expression softened instantly, a slow smile curving his lips. "Really?"


    "Yeah, really. Because Olivia knows how to swim."


    The moment the words left her mouth, Marcus'' smile froze. He stared at her for a


    second before letting out a half-exasperatedugh.


    "Oh, great. Of course. I should''ve known."


    "Marcus, you''re being ridiculous." Natalie chuckled, reaching out to ruffle his hair like he was a big dog. "I haven''t even asked you yet! Laura and I fell into the water at the same time, who would you save first?"


    Marcus gritted his teeth. "I''d throw you a life ring so you could go save my mom."


    Natalie froze.


    Why hadn''t she thought of that? She could''ve just thrown Olivia a life ring and let her save him.


    "Natalie!" Marcus eximed in frustration he could see right through her thoughts. But before he could say another word, Natalie suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.


    She pressed her lips against his, firm and unapologetic.


    Marcus had been gearing up for another argument, but she silenced himpletely.


    His hands instinctively moved to her waist, pulling her closer. With his free hand,


    he pressed a button, and the partition between the front and back seats slowly


    rose.


    Natalie didn''t hesitate. She climbed onto hisp, arms still looped around his neck, eyes closed as she focused on the kiss.


    When she''d told Olivia she nned to get intimate with Marcus, it hadn''t been an excuse it had been the truth.


    On the surface, Marcus seemed fine, but if she looked closely, everything about him screamed otherwise.


    He was never the type to be unreasonable, let alone ask childish questions like "Who would you save first?"


    The only exnation was that something was still weighing on his heart, suffocating him.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t know how to vent-he was just holding everything in. And when someone suppressed their emotions for too long, it was only a matter of time before something snapped.


    Right now, physical intimacy was the best way to get his dopamine levels up and help him forget, even if just for a moment.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 577 Turn Around, Head to City Hall

    Natalie''s fingers slid into Marcus'' hair, and the moment her fingertips brushed against his scalp, a sharp jolt ran through his entire body.


    He sucked in a breath, every nerve on edge, his skin practically tingling.


    Noticing his reaction, Natalie chuckled. She hadn''t expected him to be that sensitive there.


    "What''s wrong?" She leaned in, her voice soft with amusement. "Marcus, you''re a little tense."


    The next second, he suddenly tightened his grip around her and turned the table with an aggressive counterattack.


    "Mmph-"


    This time, Natalie was the one left breathless.


    "Turn around. Head to City Hall." Marcus ordered in between kisses.


    "Yes, Mr. Holden," the driver responded respectfully before making a U-turn, heading back the way they came.


    In the car behind them, Mason and Olivia watched in confusion as the vehicle suddenly changed direction.


    Mason frowned. "What''s going on? Why''d they turn around all of a sudden?"


    Olivia shrugged. "Probably forgot something. Or maybe they need to buy something."


    "Should we follow them?"


    "Nah." Olivia nced at her phone. "Let''s just head straight to theke and wait. It''s not like we''re going into battle. Why do we need so many people?"


    Then, as if struck by a thought, she asked, "Mason, if we were going into battle, would you protect me?"


    "Of course!" Marcus answered without hesitation.


    Olivia narrowed her eyes. "Okay, but if Nat and I both got captured, and you could only save one of us, who would you save first?"


    Mason was stunned.


    What kind of demonic question was this? Olivia was really not being cute right


    now.


    He took a long moment to think before cautiously asking, "Do I have to answer?" Olivia nodded firmly. "Yes, you do."


    Mason''s expression turned serious. "Then I''d kill myself first. I''d turn into a vengeful ghost and save you both at the same time.


    "If I couldn''t beat the enemy while I was alive, I''d definitely stand a better chance after death. Don''t worry, even if it costs me my life, I''d never let anything happen to you or Nat."


    Olivia was stunned. She couldn''t help but wonder if such an option could actually exist.


    "Olivia." Before she could respond, Mason suddenly leaned in, wrapping an arm around her waist. With one swift motion, he pulled her onto hisp.


    "Why do I get the feeling... you like Nat more than me? You know, I am Nat''s brother. We do look alike."


    Olivia panicked a little. "Mason, don''t mess around!"


    Mason smirked, shing his perfectly straight, white teeth.


    "What do you mean, mess around? We''re a couple. Getting a little intimate ispletely normal. Besides, you do like it when I kiss you, don''t you?"


    "You-mmph-"


    Before she could say anything, Mason kissed her.


    As an athlete, he never cked off on training, not even during breaks. His body


    was full of youthful energy, practically radiating testosterone.


    But whenever he called her name, there was still a puppy-like softness to him. Thatbination of dominance and gentleness made Oliviapletely defenseless.


    Still, Mason never forgot the Walker family''s strict rules-no crossing the final line before marriage. Even things like kissing, hugging, or holding hands were never to be forced.


    Ironically, Olivia was usually the one forcing him.


    And he was more than willing to let her.


    "Mmph..." Olivia whimpered softly, like a kitten. Only when Mason had kissed her enough did he finally let go.


    "Olivia, when are we getting engaged?" Mason panted lightly, his fingers tracing her cheek. "I think I''ve figured out where Marcus and Nat went."


    "Hmm?" Olivia shot him a skeptical look, the kind that said, "Oh, here we go again."


    "I''m a man. I understand other men. Marcus is probably at his limit." Mason chuckled.


    He continued, "Before Mr. Holden Senior passed away, he specifically said there was no need for Marcus to mourn him for three years. What he wanted was for Marcus and Nat to get married as soon as possible.


    "Now think about it, we were this close to setting the car on fire. And Marcus? He''s a man, too. Do you think he''d be able to hold back?"


    Olivia pped a hand over his mouth. "Enough."


    Mason grabbed her wrist, guiding her palm down to his chest. "Olivia, let''s make a bet."


    "A bet on what?" Her fingertips brushed over his firm chest muscles, and her face instantly heated up.


    He grinned. "A bet on whether Marcus and Nat went to City Hall."


    "No way. I don''t think so."


    "Let''s find out. Mr. Caldwell, take us to the city hall." Mason ordered, raising his voice.


    From the driver''s seat, Ryan Caldwell immediately responded respectfully, "Yes, Mr. Mason."


    Without hesitation, he made a U-turn and headed straight for City Hall.


    Meanwhile, Natalie and Marcus had already arrived.


    Sitting in the car, Natalie stared at him, utterly baffled. "Marcus... are you serious?"


    "Yes. Completely." Marcus reached into his pocket and took out a birth certificate.


    Natalie fell silent.


    "You carry your birth certificate around?"


    Marcus,pletely unfazed, responded matter-of-factly, "No. I only started carrying it after we got together. Nat, are you getting out of the car?"


    Natalie remained silent. "Marcus, you''re being impulsive. You haven''t even proposed properly."


    He thought for a moment, then calmly slipped the birth certificate back into his pocket. "I''ll propose properly tonight."


    She reached over, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Are you running a fever?"


    "No. I''m perfectly clear-headed, and I''m serious."


    He took her hand in his, his grip firm yet gentle. "Nat, I know exactly what I''m doing."


    Her expression grew solemn. The


    way he looked at her¡ªso


    unwavering, so intense, so full tenderness-there wasn''t the


    of


    slightest trace of hesitation or jest.


    "Nat, listen to my heartbeat."


    Because Natalie could react, Marcus pulled her into his arms and pressed her ear against his chest.


    She instantly heard it-thump, thump, thump-a strong, rapid rhythm, steady yet urgent. It left her momentarily speechless.


    "Nat, will you marry me?"


    His deep, husky voice rumbled above her. She lifted her head to meet his gaze.


    "Do you think I''ll say yes just like that?"


    "I don''t dare assume anything. I don''t have that kind of security, but I want a promise. Can you give me that?"


    His voice was low and steady-each word sinking into her ears like an unshakable vow.


    Natalie pressed her lips together, her gaze drifting toward the letters spelling "City


    Hall" in the distance.


    She had already prepared herself for


    a future with Marcus-for marriage,


    for children-but she hadn''t


    expected it to happen so soon. Especially not right after Charles'' passing.


    She worried about him-his emotions, his grief. She wondered if Marcus was making this decision out of love or if it was a way to fill the void Charles left? "Nat, I''ll make you happy." His voice was deep, almost pleading. "Give me the chance to take care of you for the rest of my life. Please?"


    Natalie met his gaze, and in his eyes, she saw nothing but the reflection of


    herself.

 Chapter 578 What Are You Laughing At? Im Talking About You

    "Hey! What do you two think you''re doing?"


    Natalie was still deep in thought when Mason stormed over. He grabbed Marcus by the cor with a re fierce enough to set him on fire.


    "Marcus, what''s the meaning of this?" he snapped. "No proposal, no wedding ceremony, and you just want to drag Nat into City Hall? I''m telling you right now, I won''t allow it!"


    He jabbed a finger at Marcus'' chest. "We barely even let you date her, and you haven''t even properly proven yourself yet. Now you think you can just waltz in and marry her? Keep dreaming!"


    Marcus remained silent.


    At that moment, Olivia ran up to Natalie. "Nat, Mason said Marcus was taking you to City Hall, but I didn''t believe him. Turns out, for once, he was right. Was Marcus trying to marry you?"


    Natalie nodded. "Yeah. He even carries his birth certificate around. But... I haven''t quite decided yet."


    Olivia nced at Mason and Marcus, who had moved a few steps away, now locked in what looked like a very intense, hushed argument.


    "This is wild," Olivia mused. "Marcus is the one trying to get married, but Mason''s the one having a meltdown."


    "Right." Natalie nodded. "It''s kind of hrious. Olivia, let''s go."


    Without another word, she turned and got into the driver''s seat.


    Olivia hesitated for a second before quickly sliding into the passenger seat.


    "Buckle up."


    "Oh, okay." Olivia hurriedly clicked her seatbelt into ce. The moment she did, Natalie started the engine and sped off.


    Olivia was stunned.


    A few feet away, Marcus was still standing there, calmly enduring Mason''s outburst. Then, as if it was just another casual remark, he said, "Mason, Nat just drove off with Ms. Thatcher."


    "What the hell are you talking about¡ª" Mason turned and instantly screamed. Then, without another word, he took off running after the car.


    "Nat! Olivia! Get back here!"


    Marcus'' driver hesitated for a moment before cautiously stepping forward. "Mr. Holden... Ms. Walker told me to get out of the car."


    "I know." Marcus remainedpletely unfazed, his expression calm and unreadable. "We''ll take Mason''s car."


    "Huh?" The driver blinked in confusion.


    "You can call a cab to get back," Marcus said as he walked over to Mason''s car.


    He casually opened the door and slid into the backseat. "Drive."


    Ryan hesitated. "Mr. Holden, this... this doesn''t seem appropriate."


    "What''s inappropriate about it?" Marcus shot him a sidelong nce. "Do you think


    your Mr. Mason even remembers he hade here by car?"


    Ryan fell silent.


    "Just drive. Go pick him up."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Without further argument, Ryan started the engine and headed in the direction Mason had sprinted off.


    "Your Mr. Mason is a true athlete." As they closed the distance, Marcus watched Mason running full-speed ahead, his long strides eating up the pavement.


    He smirked. "Nice legs."


    Ryan remained silent.


    Since when did Marcus get this sharp-tongued?


    He honked as they caught up, then rolled down the window. "Mr. Mason, get in."


    Mason turned his head and immediately saw Marcus sittingfortably inside his car. His eyes widened in outrage. "Marcus, get the hell out! Why are you in my car?"


    Marcus merely closed his eyes,pletely ignoring the fuming athlete.


    Ryan remained professional. "Mr. Mason, please get in. If we wait any longer, we''ll lose track of Ms. Natalie and Ms. Thatcher."


    Realizing Natalie''s car was nowhere in sight, Mason clenched his jaw, yanked open the door, and climbed in-looking ready to fight.


    Before he could get a word out, Marcus suddenly pulled out a chocte bar and handed it to him. "Here, eat something sweet. Cool off a bit."


    "You-" Mason had been all set to throw Marcus out of his car, but when he saw the chocte was Natalie''s favorite brand, he begrudgingly let it slide.


    "Call Ms. Thatcher. Ask where they went," Marcus said.


    Marcus narrowed his eyes. "Wait, wait, wait-so you think you can bribe me with just one chocte bar?"


    "From now on, I''ll cover all your and Ms. Thatcher''s dating expenses."


    Without hesitation, Marcus pulled out a sleek ck card and handed it over. "No spending limit. The PIN code is Nat''s birthday."


    "Well..." Mason snatched the card instantly. "I mean, it''d be rude to refuse. Wouldn''t want to seem like some greedy guy or anything."


    Marcus smiled faintly. "Then, if you don''t mind, make that call now."


    "No problem!" Mason grinned from ear to ear as he dialed Olivia''s number.


    "Hello? Olivia, where are you and Nat? Why''d you ditch us like that?" he asked.


    Olivia replied casually, "Nat''s heading home to grab her birth certificate and let Mr. and Mrs. Walker know she''s marrying Marcus."


    Mason had the call on speaker, and Olivia''s voice came through loud and clear, every single word reaching both of their ears.


    She continued


    Hike it was nothing.


    Pet


    "She didn''t bring her bag today because of her dress, so her birth certificate is still at home. Oh, by the way, Mason, should we just


    ahead and get our marriage the


    certificate too?"


    "Uh... Wha-Ahhhhh!"


    Mason let out a noise somewhere between a strangled gasp and a groundhog''s


    scream.


    "What the hell is wrong with you?" Olivia snapped before abruptly hanging up.


    "Marcus, did you hear that? Olivia said she wants to marry me! She wants to apply for a marriage certificate with me! I''m getting married! I''m really getting married!" Mason screamed.


    Marcus remained silent.


    Did this guy''s ears not work? His brain seemed a little faulty, too.


    "Mason, let''s do it together," Marcus'' mood finally rxing. "My treat." "Get lost." Mason practically vibrated in his seat, still giddy. "Who the hell needs someone else to pay for their marriage certificate? I can afford that myself." Marcus smirked. "What if I meant I''ll cover all the expenses for your wedding?"


    Mason grabbed Marcus'' hand, practically vibrating with excitement. "Marcus, say no more! From now on, whatever you need me to do, I''m in. If anyone dares to oppose Nat marrying you, I''ll take care of them for you."


    Marcus nodded sincerely. "Thanks, Mason."


    "No need to thank me. We''re family!" Mason dered grandly.


    Marcus chuckled. The Walker family was wealthy, but they didn''t spoil their sons. Mason, still a student, had everything he needed, but he wasn''t given unlimited spending money. If he wanted extra cash, he had to earn it himself and through legitimate means only.


    Sometimes, his older brothers helped him out, but Mason rarely took their money.


    Most of his allowance already went to spoiling Natalie, and now that he was with Olivia, his budget was stretched even thinner.


    But no matter how tight things got, Mason refused to spend Olivia''s money. Marcus'' money, though? That was a different story.


    After all, Marcus was taking his sister away, so spending his money was only fair. And Marcus, being Marcus, knew exactly how to use that to his advantage.


    "Alright, I''m calling Lincoln. He''ll bring my birth certificate."


    Without hesitation, he dialed. The moment Lincoln picked up, Mason proudly announced, "Lincoln, bring my birth certificate to City Hall. Your little brother is getting married!"


    Lincoln''s deep, maic voice came through the phone. "Did you forget to take your meds before leaving the house? I suggest you head straight to Hector''s hospital and have him check your brain."


    With that, Lincoln hung up.


    "What the hell, Lincoln? Fine, I''ll call Hector," Mason grumbled.


    Marcus didn''t say anything, just watched with wild amusement as Mason dialed


    again.


    "Hector, you busy? Do me a favor, bring my birth certificate to City Hall. I''m getting married to Olivia!"


    Hector''s voice came through, steady and unimpressed. "Did you meet Ms. Thatcher''s parents? Did you officially propose. Have both families sat down and discussed the wedding? If not, what the hell are you doing trying to get a marriage certificate? Show some respect for the girl."


    Mason hesitated. "Uh... I haven''t... yet."


    Hector soon hung up.


    Marcus couldn''t hold back hisughter anymore.


    Mason tossed his phone aside and lunged, grabbing Marcus by the cor. "What


    the hell are youughing at? Hector was talking about you, too!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 579 Impulsive, but from the Heart

    Mason was a little frustrated, but Marcus remained calm as ever. Without a word, he ced a hand on Mason''s shoulder and gently pushed him back into his seat.


    "Mason, I''m not like you." Marcus rolled down the window. "Just drop me off at the City Hall entrance."


    "You''re really doing this, huh?"


    The teasing edge in Mason''s voice had faded, though his tone still held a hint of disapproval.


    "I mean,e on. You didn''t even propose properly. You just took Nat straight to City Hall. Mr. Holden Senior may be gone, but your mother''s back now, right? Shouldn''t she talk things over with my parents first?"


    "Yeah, I''ll make up for everything that needs to be made up." Marcus listened seriously, taking Mason''s words to heart. "Thank you, Mason."


    "Thank me? For what? We''re family. Even if you and Nat weren''t together, I''d still treat you like one of us." Mason grinned.


    He reached into his pocket and pulled out the card Marcus had given him earlier, holding it out.


    "Thanks, Marcus, but I don''t want your money. I''ve got my own ns. I was just messing with you before. I might still be in school, but I will win that gold medal, and I will use it to propose to Olivia."


    Now it was Marcus'' turn to be stunned. He''d figured that since the Walker family didn''t spoil Mason with unlimited spending, the guy might genuinely need the dating fund.


    But as it turned out, Mason had been teasing him the whole time.


    "Right now, I might not be able to give Olivia everything she deserves, but I''ll never spend her money. A real man doesn''t take from his woman.


    "I''ve been working part-time in secret. What I earn is enough for dates and gifts. I only acted like I''d been ''bought off'' in front of Nat forughs, but keep that between us, alright?


    "I already signed up for an international basketball tournament three months from now. After today''s date, I''m heading straight back to training camp.


    "I won''t be able to see Olivia or my family for a while. So if you and Nat decide to get married while I''m gone, promise me you''ll wait until after my match. I have to be there. I''m her brother."


    "Deal." Marcus agreed without hesitation. "Thank you, Mason."


    Masonughed. "Don''t be so formal. We''re family. I only have one condition_ treat Nat right. If you ever hurt her or stop treating her the way she deserves, I swear, I won''t let it slide. You do know all my friends are athletes, too, right? You won''t stand a chance if we gang up on you."


    Marcus gave a firm promise. "Don''t worry, Mason. That will never happen."


    Mason nodded. "Alright. Mr. Caldwell, take Marcus back to City Hall." "Yes, Mr. Mason."


    Ryan turned the car around and began driving back toward City Hall.


    "I want to see whether my parents, Lincoln, Hector, and Timothy will agree to Nat showing up to get her birth certificate just so she could marry you."


    Marcus didn''t respond.


    The tension was starting to creep in. He stared out the window at the road ahead, unable to hide the unease slowly settling over him.


    In his mind, he was already calcting how long it would take Natalie to drive


    back to the Walker Estate. And how long before she returned?


    Mason sat quietly beside him, calm and steady, simply waiting with him.


    Meanwhile, Natalie had driven Olivia back to Walker Estate.


    Her birth certificate had always been kept separately in a backpack she carried with her everywhere.


    Back when she lived with the Langley family, her certificate had listed Grace as he legal guardian.


    Later, after the Langleys brought Selena back and Victor and Diana tried to force Natalie to change her name, she took Grace''s name off the certificate, dropped the Langley surname entirely, and renamed herself simply Natalie Walker.


    She hadn''t known then that her biological father''s surname was actually Walker.


    Her time with the Langleys had stripped her of any real belief in family. She''d learned early on not to depend on anyone. That was why she insisted on keeping her birth certificate separate.


    Even after agreeing to return to the Walker family, and even after they''d thrown her a grand wee party, she never transferred her certificate under William or Charlotte''s names.


    So, if she wanted to marry Marcus, she didn''t need to go through William or Charlotte. She had no intention of asking anyone for permission.


    When Olivia saw Natalie pull her birth certificate out of the backpack she used to carry everywhere, she couldn''t help but ask again, "Natalie, are you sure about this?


    "Marcus hasn''t even proposed yet. The families haven''t even formally discussed your marriage, and you''re already nning to get married to him?"


    "They have discussed it," Natalie replied calmly. "Back when Grandpa Charles was still alive, he asked my parents to visit the Holden residence and talk things through.


    "He even prepared a very generous wedding gift for me and gifts for all my brothers, too. I know you''re looking out for me. You''re upset because Marcus was once engaged to someone else and because he didn''t treat me well at the beginning.


    "I also know Mason only called Lincoln to bring his birth certificate so he could ''marry'' you as a way of making a point. Mason thinks Marcus trying to take me straight to City Hall is out of line.


    "He was even willing to get scolded himself just to show Marcus that his approach wasn''t okay. But what Mason doesn''t know... is that I want to marry Marcus. I''m doing this willingly."


    A quiet smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Maybe I''m being a little impulsive, but it''s what my heart wants. I''ve made up my mind about Marcus. I''m not going to change it."


    "But what if¡ªand I''m just saying if," Olivia said cautiously, "if one day Marcus turns out to not be who you think he is, or if he betrays you... would you still stand by the choice you''re making today?"


    "If that day everes, I''ll kill Marcus myself and take over Holden Group. I don''t do things halfway. I either don''t get married or, if I do, I never divorce. Death before divorce. Got it?"


    With a slight smile, she slipped the birth certificate back into her bag and headed for the door.


    "Olivia, my parents and my brothers will respect whatever decision I make."


    A chill ran down Olivia''s spine.


    When she looked at Natalie again, she finally understood that Natalie wasn''t joking. This wasn''t a rash or emotional decision. She had made her choice, and she was walking into it with her eyes wide open.


    "Olivia, are you stilling?"


    Natalie stepped out of the bedroom and saw Olivia standing there, frozen in ce.


    She turned back and called out, "If you don''t want to go, one of the Walkers'' drivers can take you hometer."


    "I... should I still go?" Olivia looked a little lost. "You''re getting your marriage certificate with Marcus... are we still doing that double date?"


    "Of course we are," Natalie said with a smallugh. "Whether I marry him or not doesn''t change the ns we already made. Besides, Mason''s still over there. What, you''re just gonna abandon him now?"


    "Oh, right." Olivia finally snapped out of it. "Yeah, I''m going. Of course, I''m going."


    Natalie let out a small chuckle. "Actually, there''s another reason I agreed to marry Marcus today."


    "What is it?"


    "Laura may be back, but Marcus'' father left The Herbalist''s Sanctuary a long time ago. No one''s heard from him since. He didn''t even show up for Grandpa Charles'' funeral Neither did Wesley or Cassie Don''t you think that''s a little strange?" C¨®ntent


    Olivia''s eyes widened slightly.


    She hadn''t been invited to the funeral, but the entire Walker family had attended-


    including Sky, who''d gotten a temporary release from prison. Mason had gone, too, of course.


    And since she and Mason were dating, she''d naturally heard about what had happened that day.


    Everyone''s attention had been


    focused on vette, who''d been


    forced to kneel, confess, and repent.


    Because of that dramatic scene, hardly anyone noticed that Wesley


    and Cassie-Charles''


    children-hadn''t shown up at all.


    The entire funeral had been organized and carried out by Marcus, Charles''


    grandson, alone.

 Chapter 580 Hed Better Show Up for the Wedding

    Olivia caught up to Natalie and asked, "So what does Marcus'' dad and aunt skipping the funeral have to do with you marrying him today?"


    Natalie''s lips curved into a subtle smile. "I don''t know about Cassie, but as for Wesley... I''ve got a theory. Just a guess really, and maybe a bit of a gamble.


    "He didn''t show up for Grandpa Charles'' funeral, but for Marcus'' wedding? He has to show up, right? Don''t forget that Laura was the love of Wesley''s life.


    "Watching their child get married, standing side by side with the person they love... that''s something most couples dream of. And many would go out of their way to make it happen.


    "If, on our wedding day, Laura walks down the aisle holding another man''s hand, don''t you think Wesley''s going to panic?"


    Natalie let out a softugh. "I think he definitely will."


    Because Wesley loved Laura.


    Because of that love, he agreed to divorce her and gave her everything he had.


    Because of that love, he went looking for Cassie himself, so Marcus wouldn''t have to get his hands dirty.


    Olivia considered all of that, then gently grabbed Natalie''s hand. "So... this whole ''sudden marriage'' thing... it''s not that sudden, is it?"


    "It is sudden," Natalie replied as she pressed the elevator button. "Marcus didn''t tell me in advance that he wanted to apply for a marriage certificate today, but I could tell something was off with him emotionally. And with Cassie still out there, do you think he''s at peace?"


    She hit the button for the first floor. "Olivia, Marcus is carrying a lot right now. Ever since Grandpa Charles passed, I''ve been worried about him."


    "You care about him. You want to save him. But... you don''t have to do it this way," Olivia said, pressing her lips together. "I just think... he should''ve made it more special for you, you know?"


    "Honestly, if he gave me a whole bunch of ''special'' right now, it wouldn''t feel right. Just think about it, if the person you loved most had just died, would you be in the mood to n a picture-perfect moment?" Natalie adjusted the strap of her bag. "I was just giving an example."


    "Nat, have you noticed you''ve been defending Marcus this whole time?" Olivia let out a quiet sigh. "I''m not saying he''s a bad guy. I just feel like... it''s kind of unfair to you."


    "There''s no point in bringing up the past." Natalie smiled softly and reached out to gently pinch Olivia''s cheek.


    "Living in the past and obsessing over how unfair things used to be, that only ends up hurting yourself. I''m doing great now, and Marcus is doing great, too. Isn''t that what matters?"


    Olivia puffed out her cheeks but didn''t respond to Natalie''s words.


    "Alright, let me give you another example then," Natalie said after a moment''s thought.


    "Let''s say someone important to Mason just passed away. He''s in pain and grieving, and he needs your support. He wants to marry you right away, without any grand proposal or ceremony. Would you do it?"


    Olivia froze. It took her a while before she finally shook her head with a bitter smile. "Nat, that''s not how examples are supposed to work."


    "But the core of the situation isn''t any different."


    "Sometimes, I hate how calm and rational you are." Olivia let out a heavy sigh. "When I called Mason in the car and asked if we should get a marriage certificate together, I didn''t think that far ahead at all."


    Natalie nodded. "I know. You''re different from me, and Mason''s different from Marcus, too. Mason''s a great guy-gentle, thoughtful.


    "Sure, he''s a little younger than you, but not by much. Sometimes, he acts loud and impulsive, but even that always has a reason behind it."


    Olivia pressed her lips together, saying nothing.


    "Sweetie, are you heading out?"


    Just then, Charlotte walked in from outside, holding a bouquet of freshly picked flowers. Her face lit up the moment she saw Natalie.


    Mason had already texted her, letting her know that Natalie and Marcus were nning to get a marriage certificate today.


    Charlotte had been worried she might miss Natalie while out gathering flowers, but by chance, they crossed paths.


    "Yes, I''m going to City Hall with Marcus to get our marriage certificate." She had no intention of hiding it. "Mom, you''ll give me your blessing, right?"


    Charlotte didn''t hesitate for a second. "Of course I will. If I don''t bless my own daughter, who else would I bless? Some stranger? But have you thought it through?"


    Natalie nodded. "I have."


    "Then go," Charlotte said, stepping forward to pull her into a warm, reassuring hug. "I told you before that whatever you choose, I''ll support you. Don''t worry about your dad. I''ll handle him."


    "Okay. Thanks, Mom." Natalie gave Charlotte a warm hug.


    She wasn''t afraid of William, nor did she particrly care whether he approved or not. But the Walker


    family loved her deeply, and than et


    mattered. As long as there was


    mutual respect, she was more than willing to be a good daughter.


    "After Marcus and I get our marriage certificate, we''re going on a double date with Mason and Olivia. After that, we''lle home for dinner. Will you and Dad prepare a wedding gift for us?"


    Charlotte nodded without hesitation. "Of course we will."


    "Thank you, Mom." Natalie leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I''m heading out then."


    "Alright. Have fun today."


    "I will." Natalie smiled and waved at her before heading out of the vi with her bag slung over her shoulder.


    Olivia followed her to the car. On the way, she stayed quiet, eyes fixed on the window, saying nothing.


    "Still thinking about it?" Natalie asked with a smile as she drove.


    "Not really. I was just surprised Mrs. Walker agreed so easily. She didn''t even question you," Olivia replied.


    She let out a soft sigh. "But then again, you''ve always had a mind of your own. I couldn''t stop you even if


    I tried, so I might as well just wish


    you the best. Nat, I wish you happiness. A lifetime of it."


    "I will. Don''t worry."


    Natalie continued driving, casually chatting with Olivia along the way. After about


    an hour, they finally arrived at City Hall.


    Natalie parked the car, opened the door, and stepped out. Holding up her birth certificate, she waved it in Marcus'' direction with a bright smile.


    Mason stood up. "Marcus, Nat really came back with her birth certificate. She''s actually doing it."


    "Yeah." Marcus rose to his feet, casually dusting off his pants before walking toward Natalie.


    They stopped in front of each other.


    "Nat, are you sure about this?" Marcus asked, looking at her, his voice low and


    steady. "Did Mr. and Mrs. Walker agree?"


    Natalie nodded. "They had no objections. Come on."


    She reached for his hand and gently pulled him toward the building.


    Olivia walked up beside Mason. "She''s going through with it. Nat''s marrying Marcus," Olivia said softly.


    "You didn''t try to talk her out of it?" Mason asked.


    "I did. Didn''t work. But honestly, some of the things she said made a lot of sense. We just have to respect her choice and wish her well."


    Mason nodded slowly. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I still remember the first time Nat came to our house. She was so distant, her eyes cold. "Honestly, I could tell she didn''t like us at all back then. But even then, I only had one wish-for my little sister to live a healthy, happy life. That''s all I''ve ever wanted for her."


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!