Fake Mate Beta Rises to Alpha Heiress (Natalie and Landon) novel Chapter 201

Chapter 201 The Veil of Pretense 

Natalie’s POV: 

We were alone in the conference room. The air felt frozen, thick with the invisible tension of clashing werewolf pheromones. He stood there, his face gloomy. All his earlier composure and pretense were gone. 

I showed a cold, knowing smirk. 

“Natalie,” Samuel said, his eyes locked on me, trying to find any crack in my armor. “So it seems you knew about the Richardson Group’s collaboration with us all along?” 

I almost laughed. He was still testing me, even now. 

“The company has many collaborations. I’m not so idle that I monitor every single project,” I replied, my voice steady, feigning just the right amount of innocence. Then my tone sharpened, direct and unforgiving. “However, I must say, I’m quite impressed by your relentless focus on me.” 

His face turned livid and then gloomy with rage. He caught the sarcasm. 

I saw no point in continuing this pointless conversation. It was time. I took out my phone, tapped the screen a few times, and sent a prepared file directly to his private email. 

A notification chimed on his phone. Samuel looked down, confused. Within seconds, his face turned deathly pale. His head snapped up, his eyes wide with the shock of someone whose disguise had been violently ripped off. 

“Natalie, you investigated me?” His voice was tight with suppressed anger and a trace of panic he couldn’t quite hide. 

“The feeling is mutual,” I admitted openly, without flinching. He hadn’t shown any mercy when he used Lily, coveted my project data, and tried to stab me in the back. I sneered, “Mr. Scott, didn’t you think about the consequences when you had someone tamper with my computer?” 

Today was the day I came to confront him. Out of respect for our shared Moon-Shadowed Pack ties and for his years of diligent work at the company, I had given him more than one chance. 

“You’ve been with Penelope for so long. Don’t you understand how she operates?” I tore away the veil of pretense directly. My voice wasn’t lou, but each word struck a nerve. 

A look of sheer disdain flashed in Samuel’s eyes, as if he’d just heard the biggest joke. “Natalie, are you trying to drive a wedge between us?” He even seemed amused, rubbing his nose and regaining a sliver of his condescending attitude as he looked down his nose at me. “I’m the one who usually manipulates others. This is the first time someone has put on such a clumsy performance right in front of me.” 

I didn’t react to his mockery. Drive a wedge? No I was merely stating a fact he might have suspected deep down but never dared to confront. 

“I’m just worried about you,” I said, lifting my chin to look directly at him, not hiding my intent. My words cut precisely, laying bare the facade he’d kept up for years and striking directly at his deepest pain. “You and I are the same. We both grew up lacking parental love.” 

I saw his jaw tighten instantly. 

“Your parents originally worked under Penelope at the Watson family’s enterprise. Later, after Penelope left to start her own independent venture, they were reported to the authorities by the company, and their crimes were confirmed. Shortly after that, they died in a car accident. And then, you were adopted by Penelope,” I said slowly and clearly. These were events he might have known about, or perhaps didn’t know, or maybe never wanted to look into too deeply.