Category: The Double Life Of My Billionaire Husband novel (Natalie Quinn and Sebastian Klein novel)

Natalie shook her head and bit her lower lip, trying so hard not to cry.

“You never thought that I’d like to be by your side as Sebastian Klein’s wife even if! found out the truth.Because of that, you lied to me countless times.I was so stupid to think that I was just lucky! I had even started to wonder if you and Brandon were either lovers or twins.Did you think it was fun to keep me in the dark like some fool?”

Seeing Natalie’s mounting anger, Sebastian was at a loss for words.He could only lower his head and keep silent, like a child who knew he had done something wrong 3 Sebastian had chosen not to tell her the truth because he believed it wasn’t the right time.

Now, he was tongue tied.

Seeing that Sebastian had fallen silent, Natalie stopped asking him questions Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.She stood up and asked in a panic, “Is it possible that you know Laney?”

Laney always showed up when she was in danger and had saved her on more than one occasion.She had always chalked it up to luck, but now, she wasn’t so sure.

Sebastian’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t dare to deny it.He looked up at Natalie cautiously and said, “Yes.Laney is a bodyguard I

hired to protect you, because—”

“You don’t have to tell me anything more, Mr Larson.No wonder she’s so good at fighting Now I understand…”

Her voice trailed off to a whisper.

In the end, she looked up dejectedly and said, “My husband has been lying to me from the beginning, and so has my best friend.”

Sebastian rushed to Natalie and grabbed her wrist, explaining in a hoarse voice, “I did all those things for a reason I had no choice-”

“Get your hands off me! Stop defending yourself, Sebastian!”

With her mind in a mess, Natalie slapped Sebastian’s hand away and took two steps back. The memories of the past resurfaced in her mind.

“My name is Laney Garcia I was just passing by when I saw you fall into the river…”

“This is my house. Please make do with it first. When we have the money, we can move into a bigger house…”

“How do I know what’s real and what’s not?”

Natalie raised her head to look at Sebastian, unable to hold back her tears any longer.

Before Sebastian could say anything, tears streaming down her face.

She turned around and ran out, slamming the door shut behind her.

Natalie was so angry that her whole body was trembling Her mind was in a mess, and she felt like the whole world had been turned upside down she didn’t know what was true versus what was just deliberately created to deceive her Everything now seemed fake and strange

As soon as she walked out of the hotel, she saw that Garrett was standing outside, along with several senior executives of the

Larson Group Natalie often ran into them in the elevators “Hev.

Natalie!

Where’s Sebastian Garrett pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and smiled flatteringly if he got along well with Natalie, he would have more vacations in the future.

But upon a closer look, he realized that she was crying bitterly.

Garrett had thought that the two would reconcile, but it turned out to be the opposite.

So he immediately stopped smiling and stammered, “I’m sorry, I… Natalie simply ignored him.Looking around, she found that the senior executives of the Larson Group who should have been in that club were all standing outside.Perhaps they didn’t know what to do, so they had all waited for Sebastian here When Natalie walked out of the hotel so aggressively just now, everyone exchanged glances and then looked away.

pretending not to have seen her Natalie wiped the tears on her face with the back of her hand and proceeded to leave, but Garrett stopped her

“Natalie, sometimes Sebastian’s terrible with words, but I’m with him every day.I know that he only cares about you.”

Garrett touched the back of his head awkwardly, glancing anxiously at the hotel from the corner of his eyes.

Damn it! Natalie was running away! Why hadn’t Sebastian come out to chase after his wife yet? With Garrett blocking her way.

Natalie crossed her arms over her chest and sneered.

“I’m now the wife of Mr.Larson How dare you stop me?”

Her chilling gaze sent a shiver down his spine.

Natalie and Sebastian had been together for a long time, so now even their tones were practically the same.

“Natalie, you misunderstand me.I didn’t mean to stop you.”

Seeing that Natalie was so angry, Garrett’s voice faltered.

Finally, he stepped aside and let Natalie go.

Only then did Sebastian come running.

“Why didn’t you stop her?” he asked Garrett harshly.

“Bro, your wife is angry as hell right now.I couldn’t stop her! Besides, whatever you say now might only add fuel to the fire.If she wants to leave, just let her be and give her some space. Just follow her from a distance”

Garrett wiped the cold sweat on his forehead.

Sebastian was speechless.He had no choice but to chase after Natalie himself.

It was late winter now, and the night was freezing cold.

The surrounding trees were covered in a layer of white snow.

Under the dim-lighted street lamps, the woman in a red overcoat trudged in the heavy snow.

In the surrounding grey and white scenery, she was like a flickering red light.

When she saw a taxi approach, Natalie hailed it.

“Where to, Miss?”

After getting in the taxi, Natalie looked out of the window at the snow.She didn’t know where to go.She just wanted to leave this place.

“Wherever. If I want to get off, I’ll ask you to stop.”

The driver didn’t press her further and stepped on the gas.

Seeing Natalie get into a taxi, Sebastian immediately drove his own car and followed them.

Seacisco was developing rapidly and the tourism industry here was exceptional.

The taxi driver drove around several scenic spots until it was late, and the taxi slowly came to a stop at the river bank.

The sounds of the ferries came closer and closer.

The wind over the river, with cold snow, swept past Natalie’s face and went through the gap of her scarf.

“Miss, please close the window. It’s too cold outside to keep the windows ajar like that.”

The taxi driver went on to stop the car.

After driving for so long, it was now time to get more gas.

“By the way, where in the world are you going?” The driver snuck a glance at Natalie in the rearview mirror.

She was innocently beautiful, and the more he looked at her, the more charming she appeared in front of his eyes. From the rearview mirror, Natalie made eye contact with the curious driver.She wrapped her scarf around her neck and said, “Please stop at the nearest hotel ”

“Okay, let’s head out”

The drivej smacked his lips together and started the engine of the car. She was indeed a very beautiful girl and it was obvious that she had been hurt by love the taxi driver felt very bad for her. The cold wind made Natalie shiver in her seal.

She was way calmer now.

On second thought, she knew that Sebastian hadn’t done anything heinous.He just lied to her If this was someone else, they might not take this matter to heart.

Natalie wondered if she was being overreacted.

Sebastian had now become Brandon, the richest businessman in Seacisco who started from scratch.He had many good traits.He was not only young and promising but also handsome and rich.

She should feel fortunate to have such a husband.

However, there was one thing that Natalie couldn’t wrap her mind around.

Everyone around Sebastian knew about his true identity, except for her.

Why didn’t he tell her? Did she even matter in his heart? a Natalie didn’t want to return to “Brandon’s” villa.

Sebastian had also lied to her about this.

It turned out to be one of his many assets. The driver stopped at the entrance of a chain hotel, which also happened to be affordable.

All of a sudden, she felt that the Sebastian she knew, who would gently fold laundry on the sofa, was long gone.

It made her sad to think that she might never get to see his gentle expression again Brandon was a complete stranger to her.

She took two steps back and fled the scene, The moment Natalie made her getaway, Sebastian ran after her.

Everyone present was flabbergasted and many of Natalie’s classmates were so shocked that their eyes were opened wide.

Sebastian caught up with Natalie in just a few steps.

He grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her body to him.

“You must listen to me, Natalie.”

Though his tone was aggressive, his eyes were filled with helplessness.

While clenching her teeth, Natalie lifted her head and saw his face again at closer range this time.

Needless to say, she was still shocked.

Her heart would pound faster every time when she saw Sebastian standing before her even just in his tank top.

But now, the handsome man with beautiful facial features only made Natalie feel inferior and helpless at the same time To her, he was like the stars in the sky that could only be looked at and never obtained.

“What do you want me to call you now? Mr.Larson or my husband? You kept it a secret from me for so long, Sebastian Larson!”

Natalie couldn’t help but sneer.

At this time, Garrett also quickly came over to them.

He knew that it was inappropriate at the moment, but so many partners of theirs were waiting for Sebastian, so he had to remind

Sebastian that there were people he still needed to attend to He looked at Natalie and then whispered to Sebastian, “Mr.Larson, there are so many people waiting for you.”

Sebastian’s eyes darkened noticeably.

“Why don’t you apologize to them on my behalf and change the time of the meeting?”

After having said that, he looked at the woman in front of him and pulled her into his arms again.

“Let’s go somewhere else together and solve this problem of ours,” he said in a firm tone.

“Excuse me! What… What’s going on?”

It wasn’t until Natalie was taken away that everyone realized what had happened.

“When that man strode over here and took her away just now, he looked so cool and elegant!”

Some girls had to cover their mouths in case they screamed in excitement.

Ella kept staring at the direction in which Natalie disappeared.

Like the people around her, shock was written all over her face.

When Garrett came back to the club, many partners and senior executives of the company were still shocked by Brandon’s action just now.

In their eyes, Brandon had always been a decisive and ruthless man who looked at the bigger picture.

It was inconceivable that he would leave his business partners behind and go after a woman in public like this.

“Don’t just stand here.Go inside.”

Garrett’s expression grew serious immediately.

“Mr.Larson had some personal affairs to attend to, so let’s go ahead first. We can rearrange the meeting some other time.”

Some of the senior executives of the company knew of Natalie.

Confused, they turned to Garrett for answers.

“Mr.Harding, what’s going on? What’s the relationship between Miss Quinn and Mr.Larson…?”

Garrett smiled ambiguously.

The look on Sebastian’s face just now was priceless.

For the first time, he was almost scared to death, but he had to pretend to be calm.

It was so funny.

Garrett had never seen Sebastian like this before.

He should have taken a video of his reaction : “Well, it’s exactly as you saw.”

Garrett coughed lightly and regained his composure.

“You won’t be spreading this around, yes?”

The senior executives were suddenly enlightened.

They snapped their fingers and exclaimed, “Miss Quinn is Mr.Larson’s wife?”

Garrett said nothing but.smiled meaningfully.

Everyone was shocked.

Standing in the background, Ella had also heard it clearly.

“Natalie is Brandon’s wife?”

Ella was shocked and felt like she was slapped across the face She had no idea that Natalie was married to the CEO of the Larson Group.

It was no easy feat that her husband established a cooperative relationship with the Larson Group not long ago, and he had to seriously butter Brandon up to keep the business afloat.

But she had made a fool of herself by bragging so shamelessly about her “rich husband” in front of Natalie just now.

The classmates standing next to her also had eyes as wide as saucers.

They exchanged glances, too flabbergasted to speak. Natalie had told them just now that her husband didn’t have a decent job.

But it turned out that her husband was the CEO of the Larson Group.

Wasn’t that the most decent job in the world? Some of them stole glances at Ella and clicked their tongues in secret.

Ella had been mocking Natalie just now.

Now, she must’ve felt terrible.

In a five-star hotel next to the Merry Club, the receptionist saw a handsome man coming in with a woman.

The woman was only wearing light makeup, which made her look delicate and naturally beautiful. Her most poignant feature was her eyes, but they seemed to be burning with rage at the moment.

The woman’s expression was ominously cold.

Obviously, she was holding back her anger.

It could be seen that the man had forced her to come here, Although the man looked serious, his eyes were firmly glued to the woman

After checking in, Sebastian pulled Natalie into their suite Natalie had never been to such a luxurious presidential suite before, but here she was and now she felt the whole thing was ironic She shook off Brandon’s hand and retreated a few steps away from him

“Mr.Larson, there was something you wanted to tell me?”

Natalie asked firmly, looking down at the soft carpet beneath her feet Sebastian stared at Natalie guiltily.

“Thank you for giving me the chance to explain.” Natalie raised her head and sneered coldly.

“You’re my boss, Mr.Larson.We should make things clear to each other”

Sebastian’s body stiffened.

His eyes wandered around the living room and then he walked to the nearest chair and put it in front of Natalie, motioning for her to sit down first.

After hesitating for a few seconds, Natalie stayed glued to the spot.

“I won’t bite…”

Sebastian looked at her reassuringly and found that this scene was somewhat familiar.

On the night of their wedding, he had also gotten a chair for her and said something similar.

At the time, Sebastian was lethargic and slovenly, like a hooligan.

Finally, Natalie sat down stiffly.

Sebastian loosened his tie and breathed a sigh of relief.

Placing his hands on the wine cabinet next to him, he drummed his fingers on top, as though he was thinking about what to say.

“The Klein family hates me as both Sebastian Klein and Brandon Larson.So you will definitely be in danger if they know I’m

Brandon and you’re Mrs.Larson.I originally planned to announce your identity as my wife after I defeated the Klein family.”

Natalie clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms.

Even though Sebastian’s explanation made sense, she still felt inexplicably sad.

The man standing in front of her now was graceful, gentle, yet indisputably powerful.

He was wearing an expensive suit, leather shoes, a luxury watch Natalie couldn’t help but feel like they were not from the same world.

She had grown close to Sebastian, but now she felt that there was still an insurmountable gap between them.

# A lump formed in her throat “But you lied to me, Mr.Larson.”

The words “Mi Latson” cemented the huge gap between them.

With tears in her eyes, she said, “Even if I knew your other identity, I wouldn’t have leaped at the chance to announce to the world that I am Mrs Larson I still would’ve wanted to be an employee at the Larson Group.Did you think that women have to be housewife after marrying a rich husband? Or were you afraid that I would take advantage of the situation after finding out that you are the CEO of the Larson Group? You don’t trust me, do you?”

“You misunderstand me, Natalie,” Sebastian started to say.

“I do trust you.! just feel that you will be hurt if we can’t tell the world that you’re Brandon Larson’s wife.”

“Ella, I heard that your husband runs a company.Isn’t he great?”

Several of their old classmates surrounded Ella, buttering her up.

With an unbothered look on her face, Ella said, “My husband’s grandfather runs the company. It’s a family business and now my husband is in charge of it.My husband has been saying that he wants to start his own business, but his family won’t hear of

They keep saying he is the only heir. There’s just so much responsibility on his shoulders.”

“Wow”

Envy filled the voices of those around her.

“Isn’t it better to have a family business to inherit? Starting a new business is risky!”

“You’re sa lucky! It’s such a surprise! You got married quickly after graduation, so while we were struggling to get jobs, you were already a rich housewife!”

Ella smirked slightly, raising her chin proudly.

Turning to Natalie, amusement colored her tone.

“How about you, Natalie? How are you doing? You’re married as well, aren’t you?”

Sense Of Superiority Ella’s words came as a surprise to all her classmates.

After all, nobody knew that Natalie was married “15 it true, Natalie? Are you really married? Why didn’t you tell us?”

“When did you hold the wedding? You didn’t invite any of us…”

Natalie shot Ella a cryptic glance then smiled embarrassedly, “I got married in a hurry and we just went to the church, 50 I wasn’t able to invite you guys.”

As she spoke, it finally dawned on Natalie that Ella had organized this class reunion for a reason to show off that she had married a rich man. When she first received Ella’s enthusiastic invitation, Natalie thought that meant that all Ella’s previous resentment towards her was gone.

Little did she know that Ella was just looking for an excuse to show off her superiority.

“Where’s your husband now? It looks like you’re not having a good time, Natalie.”

Ella tittered, her slender legs Crossed Natalie looked at Ella’s black silk stockings and designer-brand red dress.

The Ella she had known was different now.

She locked eyes with Ella calmly and said, “Oh, I’m quite happy.”

Resting her chin on her hand, Ella stared at Natalie’s side profile and asked pointedly, “What does your husband do for a living?”

Natalie instantly knew what Ella was trying to do and had to resist the urge to roll her eyes.

“My husband works a part-time job,” she said calmly.

Hearing this, Ella’s eyes lit up in an instant.

It took her great effort to restrain the complacent smile on her face.

Reaching for Natalie’s hand, she feigned a look of concern.

“Then your life must be really difficult now, right? Oh, Natalie, you are so beautiful and you used to get such good grades in college.Why would you settle for such a man?”

Ella’s voice wasn’t loud, but everyone heard her clearly.

Natalie sipped from her glass of water and shrugged nonchalantly: “My husband treats me well.”

As she spoke, her expression softened as though she was thinking about something happy, and she couldn’t help but smile contentedly. The complacent smile on Ella’s face froze.

She thought she must be mistaken.

The man that Natalie married was far worse than hers. How could Natalie show such a happy smile?

“In my opinion, marrying a man with a good financial background is best. Money helps us get over ninety-nine percent of marital troubles. It’s better to be a wealthy housewife than to toil all day long at work.”

Ella spoke with fervor and assurance like a wise sage Many of her classmates echoed her sentiments.

“Natalie, you’re a beautiful young woman.Why did you get married so Early? You should’ve spent more time looking for options. There’s plenty of fish in the sea.”

“Natalie was indeed a little dull when she was a student. didn’t expect that she would still be like this after graduation.”

Natalie shook her head firmly.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my marriage.”

Ella covered her mouth and pretended to be apologetic.

“Sorry! We didn’t mean to offend you.We just wanted to tell you how important it is to marry a man who can provide for his family.”

She paused for a few seconds and looked Natalie up and down with a hint of mockery in her eyes.

“Otherwise, you’ll be forced to wear only cheap clothes to class reunions.”

Natalie wasn’t mad at all she was clear with herself that the life she was living was the life that she wanted “Well, I suppose that makes sense,”

she offered she didn’t want to argue with Ella any further No one could truly know whether a marriage was happy or not aside from the involved couple themselves, anyway she couldn’t care less if Ella failed to understand that She had only bothered with a retort because she didn’t want anyone to look down on Sebastian

Despite what others might think, Sebastian was the most responsible, calm, and reliable man she had ever met Ella continued blabbering throughout dinner, boasting about how huge her luxury mansion was, and how she had servants to help her get dressed in the morning

Now and then, she would insert minor complaints that her life had become dull and boring after she married a rich mans It wasn’t long before Natalie got fed up with Ella’s arrogant diatribe.

She furtively gathered her purse and thought of an excuse to leave once the meal was finished.

But Ella was quick to notice her intention.She immediately clung to Natalie’s arm and flashed a knowing smile.

“Oh, are you going to the bathroom, Natalie? We’re heading to a high-class club after dinner to play cards and maybe do a bit of karaoke. You’re coming, right?”

One of their classmates also spoke up.

“Come on, Natalie, you’ll be sorry if you miss this chance.Ella booked the Merry Club for us.I heard that it’s exclusive for members only, and you can’t apply unless you own some hundred million dollars’ worth of assets.”

As impressive as it sounded, Natalie was not interested at all.

“I’m a little tired,” she said.

“I’d like to go home early and get some rest.”

lronically, her words only seemed to excite Ella even more.

“Aren’t you sick of spending your days just working? Live a little! Look, if you’re hesitating because you don’t want to spend your hard-earned money, I can cover all the expenses for you. What do you say? We all finally got together after so long! Don’t be such a killjoy.”

Natalie squirmed as everyone’s gaze locked on her. Before she knew it, Ella was pulling her into the car with a wide grin on her face.

Moments later, they arrived at the Merry Club, where Ella claimed to have booked a private room for their enjoyment

However, when she approached the reception to confirm her booking, she was informed that it had been voided.

“We apologize, Miss. Someone has booked the entire club for today,”

The staff gave her a polite smile.

“We have finished processing your refund.Please check to see that everything is in order.”

“Ella, didn’t you say that you booked the room in advance?” a classmate questioned as they waited in the corner like a bunch of lost refugees.

Her sharp tone grated on Ella’s already fraying nerves.She tapped her long fingernails on the reception desk.

“Don’t you have other private rooms? I can afford whichever is available.Name your price.”

“I’m sorry, Miss.Like I said, the whole club is booked. There are no rooms available.”

Ella gritted her teeth and glanced at her classmates.

They had been looking forward to a good time in this posh and swanky establishment, and she had bragged that she would deliver.

She refused to lose face in front of them.

“But I booked the room in advance!” she insisted impatiently.

Even so, the staff remained calm.

She didn’t even raise her head, but she knew that Natalie was the one who came into her office.

Natalie replied, “I’ll need a few more days, but I’ll get you the evidence you need.”

Tiffany let out a sigh.

“I’m inclined to trust you, but you each put your own spin on what really happened last night.Since there isn’t any concrete evidence, as your superior, I have to stay objective about this.I can’t make my judgment based on personal biases.Just try your best to find an evidence to support your claims.”

Natalie fell silent for a moment ‘It seems that Tiffany is saying that no action will be taken against this matter unless I find evidence “Okay I understand.”

Tears welled up in Natalie’s eyes when she left Tiffany’s office.

After that interaction, Natalie worked in the company like normal.

Sadly, the matter hadn’t blown over yet.

Because they lost the quarterly bonus, all of her coworkers in the design department held a grudge against her and they vented their anger towards her.

Though there wasn’t any evidence to prove which one of them was lying, most of their coworkers were on Patty’s side.

The main reason was because Patty was the girlfriend of the Larson Group’s operations manager.

And now, she and Natalie were at odds.

None of the employees dared to offend someone more influential and powerful than they were.

Patty didn’t have a falling out with Natalie because of this.

She even acted like she was the bigger person by saying, “We’re all colleagues here.I think it’s better if we all be nice.I

understand that there are many rumors circulating about Quinn. Though I’m not surprised that she’d do something like that, let’s all just let it go and move on.”

1 Gerda sat at her own station, craning her neck to get a better look at Patty.

Patty spoke so loud that everyone in the office must’ve heard her.

Pouting, Gerda lowered her head and said to Natalie, “What a hypocrite she is! I once heard her speaking ill of you behind your back.She told our coworkers that you have a screw loose and that you’re too proud for your own good.”

Natalie, on the other hand, just continued sketching her designs at her workstation in silence.

Because of this matter, she saw Patty’s true colors.Sooner or later, I’ll find the evidence to support my claims.For now, let’s just ignore them and focus on our work, shall we?” Natalie replied nonchalantly.

‘Gerda let out a sigh. Natalie is such a pushover” she thought.

Because of Patty.

Natalie had now become the most hated person in the design department, Although the others weren’t openly saying it, they really hated Natalie.

Even someone as carefree as Gerda could clearly see that Natalie was being isolated by everybody else.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Natalie had been Caught in a terrible predicament Throughout the entire design department, Gerda was the only one willing to talk to Natalie now.

Natalie was pretending like it didn’t affect her, but in truth, it dampened her spirit.

Just as her mood soured, her phone vibrated on the table.

Natalie stared at the caller ID blankly for a few seconds.

It was a Call from Ella Davian, her old college classmate.

Natalie pondered for a moment.She rarely had ever contacted her college classmates ever since they graduated, let alone someone she didn’t get along with like Ella.

Ella used to be her roommate in college.

They had some conflicts in the past, so their relationship wasn’t very good.

Natalie wanted to ignore this call.

But out of politeness, she picked up the phone.

“Why’d you take so long to answer the phone, Natalie?”

Ella, as always, was short-tempered.She couldn’t bear the idea of others ignoring her “Sorry, I was too busy to notice it right away.”

Natalie replied insincerely.

“It’s fine.I heard from another classmate that you’re now working for the Larson Group.Does that mean you’re doing pretty good for yourself?”

Ella spoke rather warmly over the phone.

“There’s going to be a reunion party of our old college class on Saturday night. You should come! Don’t forget it.”

“I won’t be free that day perhaps another time,” Natalie said, her voice calm and devoid of emotion. She’d just had a bad day and was in no mood to attend a class reunion.

When Natalie was in college, she hadn’t gotten along with Ella and the others.She’d been a wallflower, so it was surprising that they invited her this time.

Ella’s laughter came to an abrupt end and she was suddenly serious.

“All our classmates will be there.

People will notice if you’re the only one absent.

Do you want that? It’s not that hard to take one day off.

It’s not every day you get an opportunity like this.

Who knows when the next class reunion will be Natalie bit her lip, deep in thought.

“I’ll consider it.”

Ella noticed that Natalie was in a bad mood, and her tone brightened.

“What’s there to think about? You do sound down in the dumps though, what happened?”

“It’s nothing. I’m fine” Natalie sighed in frustration.

“I’ll go.”

She decided it wasn’t a bad idea to have a get-together.She did want to relax and change her mood.

Ella’s cheerful laughter on the phone showed how pleased she was.

“Wonderful! I’ll see you at Susie’s.”

After the call disconnected, Natalie kept thinking about the reunion.

Maybe meeting her old classmates again wasn’t a bad idea. Natalie had a boring college life, but it was still much better back then than the infighting she was having now at the Larson Group.

Besides, she’d had some bad blood between her and Ella in college.

Meeting again was a great way to get past it.

Natalie told Sebastian about the call from Ella that night.

“I have some matters to resolve, so I won’t be home early for the next few days, Saturday included.Don’t worry about me. You can have a good time with your classmates,” Sebastian said, pinching her cheek.

He had a meeting with some foreign partners that day.

Natalie nodded.

Although she didn’t pay much attention to it, it was strange that Sebastian had suddenly become quite busy ever since he changed his job under the Klein family’s pressure.

The day of the class reunion arrived and Natalie arrived at the restaurant according to the address which Ella had texted to her.

A whole year had passed, but it wasn’t like they changed drastically.

Ella was able to recognize Natalie at first glance.

“Natalie! Over here!”

Ella waved Natalie over to the table where she sat.

Ella had changed quite a bit.She was now dressed expensively.She even had a Hermes bag sitting on the table in front of her.

She pulled Natalie into the seat beside her and said, “Wow Natalie, you haven’t changed huh? Your fashion laste is still terrible

Does the Larson Group not pay you well?”

Natalie smiled and stayed quiet She’d received many messages talking about how Ella was the one funding the class reunion and that she had booked the whole restaurant for the night, even going as far as paying for everything they would eat and drink.

Natalie knew that Ella’s family wasn’t well-to-do.

Back in college, she was even spotted wearing knock-offs.

How was she able to act so generously now?

At first, Natalie had been focused on the food, but when she glanced down by chance, she saw Ronald fumbling on Patty’s thighs.His face was almost buried in her chest.

Natalie’s seat was very close to Patty’s so she heard what Ronald had said very clearly.

A frown settled on her face at the words, and she felt uncomfortable.

She was still thinking about how to deal with the situation, when Patty smiled faintly To Natalie’s surprise, she stood up, smashed the wine glass in Ronald’s face, and spat, “You old goat! How dare you get fresh with me?! Do you think you can take advantage of me just because you are in charge of the project?”

The glass shattered against Ronald’s forehead, leaving a cut.

He covered the wound immediately and groaned in pain.

Blood and wine flowed down his face.

He was so stunned that it took him a few seconds before he raised his head again and glared at Patty.

“Are you crazy?” he shouted angrily.

“You came on to me first! You came to have dinner with me, and you’re wearing such a sexy dress on purpose! Why are you suddenly pretending to be a saint? You bitch!”

Patty’s face turned red in rage.

Not to be outdone, she responded loudly, “When did I come on to you? Bastard! You asked us out just to take advantage of us!

Spend a night with you? Why not look at yourself in the mirror first? Go fuck yourself, you disgusting old bastard!”

The two of them began exchanging fierce insults and the atmosphere in the private room became increasingly tense.

It looked like the two were close to exchanging blows, so Natalie decided to take Patty away for the time being, scared that things would escalate.

“Miss Jenkins, can you please come to the bathroom with me?”

Natalie quickly grabbed Patty’s bag from the chair and dragged her out of the private room.

The door shut behind them, cutting off Ronald’s insults as he yelled after them, and leaving the restaurant’s hallway silent.

Patty’s rage hadn’t subsided yet.

She pushed Natalie away and said, “You’re such a coward.Why didn’t you stand up to him?”

Natalie let out a helpless sigh.

Considering the fact that Patty was still in a bad mood after being harassed like that, she didn’t argue with her.

“It’s best if we aren’t in there with him right now.He’s drunk.If we really fight him, we could get seriously hurt.We’re both women after all.”

Patty didn’t respond to that.

Rolling her eyes at Natalie, she snatched her bag from her and left the restaurant still looking pissed.

The next day.

Natalie went to the company as usual.She was thinking about how to deal with the situation after Patty offended Ronald the day before, but before she came up with a solution, Tiffany came to find her.

“Natalie! I want to see you in my office, right now!” Tiffany’s eyes were full of rage.

Tiffany rarely lost her temper.It was terrifying seeing her so angry.It seemed she had heard what happened.

Trembling with fear, Natalie headed to Tiffany’s office.

When she got there, she found that Patty was already there.

Tiffany glared at the two of them and slammed the documents in her hands on the table.

“Now which one of you wants to explain to me what is going on?! Ronald called me this morning in a fit.” He said that they are canceling all plans to cooperate with us and that they would never have any contact with Larson Group’s design department ever again.

Not only that, they have made us an enemy, so they won’t just ignore us, they will go out of their way to work against us!”

Seeing the accusatory look on Tiffany’s face, Natalie didn’t know how to explain the situation, Ronald molested Patty first.

How dare we complain and act like we were in the wrong here?’ Tiffany looked unhappy Seeing that both Lanct and Patty were silent, she continued, “This collaboration is extremely important to us.

Yoyo Fashion holds a significant position in the fashion industry with a worldwide reputation and popularity But you have now offended Ronald.

It will inevitably affect the project we’re working on. They now want to call it off and the bonus of this quarter for the design department will definitely be ruined.”

Tiffany took a deep breath and cast a reproachful look at Natalie.

“What the hell is going on? I know you two had dinner with Ronald last night.What the hell happened?”

“Didn’t Ronald tell you why he wants to cancel the collaboration when he spoke to you over the phone?”

Natalie asked in confusion “He lost his temper and didn’t tell me why he canceled the cooperation.Now you tell me what happened last night so we can find a way to deal with it.”

Tiffany was incredibly distressed.

Natalie pursed her lips and glanced at Patty.

After all, she was responsible for everything.

It would be better if she explained everything. The latter dropped her gaze to the floor without uttering a word.

Patty seemed fierce last night, and Natalie believed she would own up to it soon.

Therefore, she stood aside without saying anything. Noticing that Natalie was staring at her, Patty raised her head and cast a hesitant look at Tiffany.

“Miss Fisher, can I talk to you in private?”

After a moment’s thought, Tiffany nodded before turning to look at Natalie.

“Quinn, you can leave now.!’ll call you in if I need anything.”

Natalie returned to her workstation in silence.She wondered if Tiffany would reprimand Patty.

After all, judging from Tiffany’s rage, it seemed obvious this project was important to the company.

However, what happened last night was Ronald’s fault.

She believed Tiffany, being a woman, would understand what Patty had done to protect herself.

After a long while, Patty finally walked out of Tiffany’s office. As Patty walked past Natalie’s desk, she glanced at Natalie and shook her head, her eyes full of helplessness and disappointment. The strange look in her eyes confused Natalie.

She couldn’t understand Patty’s expression, but it made her stomach churn with anticipation.

“Why is Patty staring at you that way? Did you make a mistake?”

Gerda whispered to Natalie as she munched the chips.She always ate snacks while working to help herself relax Natalie’s brows furrowed in confusion.

“I don’t know.”

Not long after, Tiffany came out of her office.She looked at Natalie and let out a weary sigh.

It looked like she wanted to say something but stopped on second thought.

Finally, she returned to her office without saying a word.

Natalie could sense that Tiffany’s attitude toward her had changed.

After all, the woman gave her the same disappointing helpless look just as Patty did a while ago.

However, Natalie couldn’t understand why they were giving her strange looks for no reason.

It was not until lunchtime that Natalie realized that something odd was afoot at the office.

She had overheard a few of the senior designers talking about her in hushed tones at the canteen She couldn’t, however, clearly make out what they seemed to be gossiping about Just then, Gerda suddenly flung open the glass doors and burst into the design department She rushed to Natalie, struggling to catch her breath all the while.

She placed her hands on Natalie’s table for support and said in less than a whisper, “I heard that you was rude to Ronald Williams when you had dinner with him last night? And you even went on to physically strike him? It turns out that you are extremely hot-tempered, like a raging bull.I didn’t expect that from you in the least bit!”

Natalie was more confused than ever when she heard this.

“What on earth are you talking about? How could I ever hit someone?”

Gerda smacked her lips and pulled Natalie up to her feet.

“Forget it. don’t think I can explain properly for you to understand the gravity of the situation.Come with me and see what’s going on with your own eyes!”

After saying that, she pulled Natalie towards the stairway in the office.

Then she whispered in Natalie’s ear, “l overheard them talking about you just moments ago.”

Natalie carefully peered down the stairwell only to be met by the sight of several senior designers, the very same ones who she’d seen at the canteen.

They were complaining in a wholly unimpressed tone and clearly apportioning full blame.

“Oh, my God! How can she ever be so selfish? Now she offended the client and the result is that the project was canceled.Everyone’s bonus is in jeopardy and it is all her doing!”

“She probably did that because the man is not handsome or rich enough for her, so she doesn’t want to sleep with him.

He usually didn’t talk much, but he always liked to stare at her with his gentle eyes.

Natalie felt a blush creep into her cheeks.

“I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have spoken ill of your father.I just… I just feel terrible for you, for everything you’ve been through.”

Sebastian had lost his mother at a young age, and had to fend for himself ever since.And then his father turned out to be a massive scumbag.

“Come here.” Sebastian waved her over with a faint smile.

Natalie plopped on the edge of the bed with her head lowered, like a child who knew she had done something wrong and was about to be scolded.

The bed was high enough that her feet dangled just a couple of inches from the floor.

She began to swing her legs nervously as she waited for the inevitable.

Sebastian reached out and gently stroke her hair.

He could tell what was on her mind.

“It doesn’t matter. don’t see them as my family, anyway. You are my only family.”

Natalie’s lashes fluttered as she raised her eyes to look at him.

Moments later, they were entangled in a deep kiss, teasing and chasing until they were both out of breath.

Sebastian stayed in Frank‘s hospital for two weeks.

Natalie came to see him every morning before going to work.

And after work, she would come back to see him and stay in the ward until late at night.

Natalie was good at taking care of people.She was kind and considerate and would go out of the way to help others.

On the day Sebastian got discharged from the hospital, he kissed Natalie’s cheek and pinched her slender waist.

“You are cut out to be a good wife.” Sebastian recalled their past.

Natalie would sometimes get pissed but never lost her temper.

Even if she got angry, she would still speak softly as if she would break into tears the next second.She was a pitiful fragile doll.

Natalie’s face turned beet red.

“Stop it!” She pushed Sebastian away.

“I used to take care of Hannah.She is old, and it was more difficult than taking care of you.”

Sebastian‘s lips curled up into a smirk.He leaned against Natalie’s shoulder and buried his face in her thick locks, inhaling her sweet scent.

The alluring scent aroused him.

“Ahem! Can you guys stop it? Sebastian, you’ve just recovered. You shouldn’t indulge in any kind of physical activities until you get better,” Frank advised, clearing his throat.

Natalie immediately pushed Sebastian away and turned to look at Frank.

“Doctor Watson, how is Sebastian now? Is there any sequela of his burn?”

“I’ve tried my best, but there are still a few burn scars on his back.Luckily they are not too obvious.”

After a moment’s thought, Frank added, “They won’t be visible if you turn the lights off.”

Natalie glared at Sebastian, her face burning with embarrassment.

However, the fact that there were still scars on Sebastian‘s back broke her heart.

Sebastian looked up and pinched Natalie’s ear.He squinted, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

“It’s okay for a man to have some scars on his body.”

The apartment where Natalie and Sebastian lived was burned down to ashes.

Therefore, while Sebastian was at the hospital, Natalie had been staying at Laney’s place.

She had been busy taking care of Sebastian and had no time to look for a new apartment.

But now that Sebastian was discharged from the hospital, she had to start looking for a place to stay.

Natalie was worried.

The rent of the apartments around the Larson Group was frightening.

Finding an apartment as cheap as the previous one was an impossible task.

To make matters worse, all their belongings in their previous apartment were destroyed in the fire.She had to spend a lot of money to buy new ones.

Natalie was determined to find an apartment today.

Just as she was about to turn off the computer and leave work, her phone chimed with a message.

It was from Brandon.

“Garrett told me you don’t have a place to stay after the accident.I can provide a temporary residence for you and your husband. You can live there for the time being and then slowly start looking for a new apartment.”

Since Brandon and Sebastian looked so mutch alike, Natalie believed they must really be twin brothers.

Therefore, she had this feeling that Brandon now regarded her as a member of his family since she married his brother.

And now, Brandon was offering to help them again.She thought Sebastian had probably guessed it right.

Perhaps Brandon knew that he and Sebastian were brothers, and that was why he was looking out for them.

Natalie thought about this and decided to put aside all her doubts.

After a moment’s hesitation, she politely accepted his offer.She thought Brandon was simply taking care of his brother.

Once Natalie agreed, Brandon instructed his staff to take her to the new residence.

At first, Natalie was happy because the place was just a ten-minute walk from the Larson Group.She estimated it was the same as the community they had lived in before.

However, her body froze when she arrived at the locality.

Luxury cars like Lincoln and Maybach were parked all around the community.

The trees and flowers in the garden were rare and exquisite.

Inside were independent baroque-styled villas, and every building had special service staff.

It was obviously an expensive gated community.

For a moment.

Natalie thought she had entered Downtown Abbey. The place looked too posh and elegant for her.

“You sure this is the place Mi Laison mentioned?”

Natalie asked the man who was escorting her into the community And then she carefully examined the luxurious, exquisite villas on both sides lanet know she wouldn’t feel comfortable living in such an opulent community

“Yes, Miss Quinn the entire neighborhood is the real estate project Mr.Larson has recently undertaken.He said you can move into any villa of your choice. We will help you pick the right one if you can’t decide,” the man replied politely. Natalie was stunned. She thought Brandon would probably find a studio apartment for her but never thought a villa would be allocated to her.

The community was located in the heart of the city, and the environment looked serene.

Natalie felt she couldn’t even afford a room here with her ten years’ salary put together.

Besides, the man had revealed that the entire neighborhood belonged to Brandon.

It looked like Brandon had endless wealth — what people saw was just the tip of the iceberg.

The more Natalie wandered around the villa community with the man, the more uneasy she felt.

She quickly took her phone out and sent a message to Brandon.

“I’m sorry, MI Larson. The residence you’ve recommended looks very expensive.I can’t live there.Besides, with my current salary,

I can’t afford the rent.”

Brandon was prepared for such a situation.

He quickly replied, “This is, by far, the smallest group of houses on my property. They are vacant now, so I decided to offer one to you.This way, I wouldn’t have to waste my time looking for other houses for you.The neighborhood is a new project.Can you do me a favor? I would like you to live there for a while and experience the service and comfort of living there.I want you to experience everything and offer feedback and suggestions for improvement.If you offer this help, I’ll allow you to live there rent-free”

Although it seemed like a good offer, Natalie didn’t dare accept it.She returned to the hotel where she and Sebastian were staying for the time being and discussed the situation with him.

“Mr Larson’s house looks great,” she admitted honestly.

It was a villa she could never afford in her life.

“Well, since itis good, why do you seem upset?”

Sebastian could tell Natalie was lost in thought.

He couldn’t understand why she was upset even after they had found a house to live in

“But the house is too good for us. It’s too opulent and cozy.I can’t live there at ease.”

Sebastian pursed his lips and thought for a while.

Then he said, “But he is asking you a favor.Besides, the hotel room is expensive as well. We can’t afford to stay here all the time. Why don’t we move into Brandon’s house first, and then continue looking for other houses? Once we find a comfortable place we can afford, we can vacate the villa.”