The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus) novel Chapter 661

After having dinner at Maverick's house, the group didn't linger. It was late, so they chatted casually for a while and then returned to the school to rest.

At night, only a few scattered street lights lit the village. Most of the way there, they relied on the flashlights in their hands.

But the lighting was much better at the school compound. Knowing how many people Natalie brought this time, Taylor and his team had prepared the rooms in advance. They were even cleaner than the motel in Everwyn County.

Natalie was exhausted. As soon as she and Marcus entered their room, she grabbed a change of clothes and headed straight for the shower. Marcus stayed by the door, quietly standing guard.

After the conversation with Maverick earlier, his impression of this village had soured.

Everything Maverick said—whether openly or discretely—dripped with condescension toward women. The only reason he respected Natalie was because she was tougher than anyone else here and had brought tangible benefits to the village.

She wasn't valued as a person, but seen as someone too useful to offend.

Regardless of whether or not Maverick looked down on all women, the moment he looked down on even one, Marcus' opinion of him soured completely.

After a while, Natalie came out of the bathroom, freshly showered.

"Marcus, it's your turn."

"Alright."

Marcus stepped into the shower. The setup here couldn't hold a candle to the standards back in Dithoria, but it was decent enough to get by.

Since Natalie didn't visit this place often, she usually boiled hot water and carried it in to wash. The school had a public bathroom where people could shower, but neither she nor Marcus would use it.

Marcus showered quickly and changed his clothes. When he came out, Natalie was already lying in bed, responding to messages from her family on her phone. Once she finished, Marcus sat down at the edge of the bed.

"Nat, I really don't like Maverick," he said as he lifted the blanket and lay down beside her. He pulled her into his arms.

"I don't like him either," Natalie replied, switching off her phone and sliding it under her pillow. "He looks down on women from the bottom of his heart. His mother, wife, daughters, sisters—he holds no respect for any of them."

She wrapped her arms around Marcus. "But there's nothing we can do. We're not here long enough to change everything. Eventually, I will help women rise to power in this village."

Marcus nodded. "I believe in you."

"Maverick's much more restrained now than when we first came. Back then, he openly said girls were money pits and worthless burdens, only good for being exchanged in arranged marriages to benefit their brothers.

"That, or for working to earn money for their families. Letting them study and gain status was nothing but a pipe dream.

"Other villagers said these wild girls were like weeds growing on the mountains—undeserving of care. Just giving them food, water, and clothing was already a kindness."

Natalie's voice grew tighter with anger. "When Mr. Langton first told me about this place, he was furious. He said changing it wouldn't be easy, but he also said that no matter how hard it was, we had to rescue the girls here.

"They're not wildflowers or weeds, and they're definitely not worthless. They are the hope of the future. It was hard to get anything started here. Eventually, we had to use force to make progress because reasoning with these people simply didn't work."

Marcus held her in his arms. The lights were already turned off. Their voices were low as they lay under the blanket together, talking quietly.

It was mostly Natalie who talked while Marcus listened.

"Maverick looks down on girls, but the truth is, they're the ones who work the hardest and keep going no matter what.

"He thinks boys are stronger, but around here, most of the males are selfish, lazy, and entitled. They act like kings of the household and see girls as naturally beneath them. That mindset has been passed down through generations.

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