Caught Him Cheating My Life Restarted (Natalie) novel Chapter 79

“Why I married her is our business. I have ways of getting the Cross Group through this crisis, ways that don't involve stooping to such despicable levels.”

“But… Natalie was the one who attacked the company first.”

“You know me better than that. Parading a child in front of the cameras, making him lie and slander his own mother… the mother who carried him for ten months, who nearly died from an amniotic embolism giving birth to him. Am I, Darren Cross, so utterly incompetent that I have to resort to such vile tactics to save my company?”

“Darren, please don’t be angry,” Marie said, her tone softening. “Our mother and Hanley were just trying to help. They saw the company was in trouble and wanted to do their part. An eye for an eye. What’s so despicable about that? Besides, public opinion is completely on our side now.”

“But I can’t live with it. Am I that useless? Is that how little faith you all have in me?”

Darren pushed past her and walked out, leaving Marie fuming in his wake.

Was his anger truly about his wounded pride, or was it because he still cared about Natalie’s feelings?

Hanley looked up at Marie, his small face etched with uncertainty. “Auntie, did I do something wrong?”

Wrong? How could it possibly be wrong?

Natalie’s reputation was in tatters. Marie had even arranged for a few people to confront and humiliate her in public, to give her a taste of what it felt like to be a pariah.

How could any of this be wrong?

Marie looked down at Hanley, a triumphant glint in her eyes. Natalie must be suffering immensely right now, knowing the architect of her public destruction was her own son.

She gently stroked Hanley’s hair. “Hanley, how could you have done anything wrong? You saved the Cross Group. You are the Cross Group’s little hero.”

Victoria, who had been momentarily stunned by her son’s outburst, quickly recovered upon hearing Marie’s words. She knelt beside Hanley. “Your aunt is right. Hanley is our little hero. You saved the company. You’re the best, Hanley.”

Hanley, lost in the sea of praise, forgot his earlier doubts.

Natalie had known Darren would find a way to counter her move, to salvage his company’s reputation. But she had never imagined he would use a method so cruel, so depraved.

“It’s obvious your child is being manipulated,” Terence said, his voice calm and steady. “You shouldn’t take anything he said to heart.”

Was he… comforting her?

“You saw the interview, too. Do you really believe I didn’t do those things? Everyone says children don’t lie.”

“Children don’t lie,” Terence corrected, “but they do talk nonsense.”

“You sound like you have some experience with that.”

“You’ll understand when you get to the Lockwood estate. I just hope you’re up to the task and can last a while. It would be nice to pay your salary monthly… instead of daily.”