Love Left Her For Dead (Natalie Carter) novel Chapter 18

After hearing that, Jayden couldn't hide the grin tugging at his lips. "No matter what kind of gift you've prepared, I know I'll love it."

Natalie's smile widened. "Oh, I hope you love it," she mused.

…

In the blink of an eye, it was Jayden's birthday, and his party was full of socialites. Despite being the man of the hour, he spent most of the night introducing Natalie to everyone he spoke with. As the evening went on, the attention gradually shifted from him to her.

Natalie knew exactly what he was doing. Back then, Clara had been the one beside him and the star of every gathering. It had been as if he'd completely forgotten that she was the one who had that spotlight. Now, he was simply returning what had always been hers.

The party reached its peak when the fireworks went off outside.

Surrounded by cheers and laughter, Jayden took Natalie's hand and guided her toward the cake. He looked into her eyes and, in a rare moment of vulnerability, made a wish he hadn't voiced in a long time.

"I hope that, from now on, you'll always be by my side."

Just then, one of the guests teased, "Mr. Carter, you're not supposed to say your wish out loud! Aren't you afraid it won't come true?"

Jayden laughed it off. "Regardless of whether it comes true or not, I'm not leaving Natalie, and she's not leaving me. After all, we're siblings. Right, Natalie?"

Natalie smiled as well, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm not going to leave you, Jayden. After all, I can't leave until you pay for what you've done," she mused.

The party continued, but Natalie was visibly worn out. Jayden noticed that and told her to head upstairs and get some rest. She didn't argue; she just gathered her gown and made her way up.

Compared to the lively party downstairs, the second floor was quiet. There wasn't a single person in sight.