Since the previous night, Ivan had been in a bad mood and hadn’t spoken to anyone. To make him feel better and to demonstrate the power of connections, Briena decided to bring Ivan to the palace under the pretence of meeting Charlotte. She had already arranged an appointment with the princess.
They arrived at the residence designated for Charlotte.
Briena began explaining, "Ivan, all royal family members have separate villas inside the palace that belong exclusively to them. The main part of the palace we saw is where the queen stays..."
Ivan listened to her quietly, his mind still preoccupied with thoughts of Natalie.
Meanwhile, at the palace, Charlotte had just returned to her residence after being infuriated by Natalie. That bitch! How dare she return? She and her mother both deserve to die. They are not royals. I am the only princess of the royal family.
"Charlotte, what happened?" Briena called out to her.
Charlotte finally noticed Briena and Ivan standing outside. Briena? This useless bitch, she cursed in her mind but then reconsidered. She might still be useful to get rid of Natalie. I have to tolerate this bitch for a while longer.
Charlotte controlled her anger and walked over to them but couldn’t help but say, "Briena, that so-called sister of yours, Natalie Ford, is truly something. I didn’t know she was such a slut. I didn’t believe you when you said it."
"What did she do now, Charlotte?" Briena asked.
"Don’t ask me. I’m too ashamed to even say it," Charlotte said.
"Calm down, alright?" Briena said in a soothing tone. "Let’s sit somewhere."
Meanwhile, Ivan’s gaze wandered around, searching for Natalie. For some reason, he wanted to see her.
They sat inside a beautiful gazebo nearby. A servant offered them water. Once Charlotte seemed more composed, Briena asked, "Now tell me what happened?"
"That girl is certainly skilled in seducing men and then using them," Charlotte spat.
"Who did she seduce now?" Briena asked.
"Not just James Harper, but she has her eyes on his son as well," Charlotte replied angrily. "She used James Harper to come to the palace and meet my grandma. During the conversation, she clearly realized my grandpa is trying to match me with Justin Harper, so she even said she has met him and knows how to seduce him. Not just the father, she has seduced the son as well."
"Did she say that?" Briena asked, feeling conflicted. How could Natalie have reached someone like Justin Harper? At the same time, she wanted Ivan to know how degraded Natalie was.
"She said she could teach me how to seduce him and that she is skilled in this," Charlotte added.
"I always knew, but no one truly believed me," Briena said.
"I need to make my grandma see her true colors."
"You should."
The two continued cursing Natalie while Ivan had only one thing on his mind—Natalie was here in the palace at this moment.
Ivan clenched his fists. Since when did she become so shameless?
"What you get from other rich men, I can give you as well. Name your price for the night," Ivan said, adamant about humiliating her.
John stepped forward, just a moment away from hitting him. But Natalie raised her hand to stop him. "Not here, John."
John didn’t care that they were inside the palace and should maintain peace, but he had to obey her. He glared at Ivan and said, "Another word from you, and I’ll break your mouth."
Ivan stood unaffected, while Natalie spoke coolly. "Want to know my price?" She smirked. "Sell the entire Brown Group and give me every single penny you get from it. That’s my price. Can you afford it?"
"You’re just spouting nonsense. No man would let go of such wealth for a woman like you," Ivan sneered. "But I can still offer you good money to make you rich."
"There is a man who can give up everything for my sake. Meanwhile, you can give that chump change to your fiancée so she can please you better in bed," Natalie countered. "After all, you are her lifelong dream."
"Do not say her name with your filthy mouth," Ivan retorted. "Briena is not like you. You are nothing but a plaything for rich people, and you’re lucky that I’m even offering to sleep with you despite how filthy you are."
Natalie raised a brow. "I wonder why you’re so eager to sleep with someone filthy. Does your own plaything fail to satisfy you?"
"She is pure and innocent, unlike you," Ivan spat. "Have you ever wondered why, despite seducing rich men, none of them saw you as a good woman? That’s why you settled for a gigolo—just the perfect match for a slut."
Punch!
This time, John didn’t hold back. His tight punch landed on Ivan’s jaw, sending him crashing to the ground. Ivan had not expected Natalie’s bodyguards to actually hit him inside the palace premises. He winced in terrible pain, his jaw feeling as if it had been dislocated.
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