The Scorned Heiress's Hidden Empire (by Jade Quinn) novel Chapter 256

Chapter 256

Henry served up the pasta and slid it over to her

Natalie sat down at the table, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, and took a bite. The texture was just right and the temperature was perfect.

She took another bite, then picked up some spaghetti and ate it.

Henry watched her, a smile tugging at his lips. “Looks like I showed up at just the right time.

Natalie kept eating her porridge. “Yeah, I was just about to order.

Henry’s smile grew even wider; he couldn’t help but grin. “Glad to hear that.”

Just right is enough, Natalie thought.

Henry leaned forward, arms crossed on the table, staring straight at her. “I heard you’re making your first public appearanc at Redvale University next month”

Natalie nodded as she ate. “Yeah”

Henry grinned, “Aren’t you even a little curious how I know about that?

Natalie was speechless.

Henry grinned, “I only caught the end of your last book signing, but I managed to see you.

“This time, Pierce Group is sponsoring the event at Redvale University. I almost lost out to your brothers fighting for it

Even though Natalie didn’t ask, Henry didn’t care. He just talked to himself, answering his own questions as he went

If Lewis ever saw his boss acting like this, his jaw would hit the floor.

When had Harbor City’s icy, ruthless ‘King of Hell’ Henry ever been this talkative?

He was always the one ignoring everyone else, but only around Natalie did he act so out of character

If someone posted this scene online, people would swear he’d been possessed by something.

I never told you this before, but I’m actually a huge fan of Daybreak. Once I’ve got the whole se cold you give me personalized autograph?” Henry said.

He wasn’t making it up; he really was a die-hard fan of Daybreak

At first, it was the plot that drew him in, but later, he discovered that one of the characters reminded him a lot of herself

That character was just as selfish, cold-hearted, and ruthless as he was

He thought Guys like me, you only see them in real life or m novels

Ever since las family passed away one after another ten years ago, leaving hum all alone in that massive house ins wort faded so nothing but shades of gray

He wax only sixteen at the time, but he had no choice but to take on the weighout the Phase Crop

T

hard to learn how to haridle business deals always watching his back for outsiders trying to pull something So he had to keep his guard up every second Only by being rithless would people actually listen to him and urs of fur

respect

Even he got used to hearing people call him cold, distant, and beartless.

He saw those as his own shortcomings and believed that in the game of fame and fortune, you always had to trade something for something else.

He gained the Pierce Group, status, and the admiration of everyone around him, so he figured it was only right to lose th things ordinary people had, and it was only natural that nobody really understood him

He convinced himself he didn’t need any of it.

That was, until he opened that book and found a character who was just like him.

But in her eyes, everything about him was given a whole new interpretation.

She said those weren’t flaws. They were the only way he could survive at that age, in that place, in that world.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be kind: it was that he simply couldn’t.

She even believed it was a kind of strength, something worth showing off.

It was the first time he’d ever looked at himself that way, even if it was just in a book.

“I really love this book. It covers so many different fields, and everything is so expertly written,” Henry said.

“I even wondered if the author was digging through research while typing away.

“But if it’s you, then all that specialized knowledge is just second nature.”

Natalie was getting annoyed by all his roundabout compliments, so she just shoved some spaghetti right into his mouth

“Got it, just stop talking,” she said.

Henry’s voice cut off mid-sentence, some spaghetti stuffed in his mouth, his eyes going wide like a big dog suddenly ha

a treat.

He stared at her as she pulled her hand back, picked up her fork, and kept eating her porridge, looking totally in nothing had happened.

Henry chewed the spaghetti slowly, still processing what just happened.

Natalie quickly finished off the rest of her porridge and pasta

She pulled out a napkin, wiped he, mouth, and said flatly Tm done Your can leave now

Henry blinked, a bit stunned. She really just kicked me out as soon as she finished eating he thought

“Alright, fine.” he said.

The next day. Natalie had her last two major classes of the morming

by the time she go to class, almost everyone was already stated, so only the front seats were left

The classroom was buzzing with chatter, most people discussing the analysis report their professor had assigned last wee

Iris was sitting in the back row her eyes glued to Natalie.

She’d pulled several all-nighters last week, digging up tons of research and revising her report over and over until she fin

finished it.

A few days ago, she ran into the professor, who told her was the best work he’d seen from someone her age. That was il reason she got to submit her application to the physics lab.

She had no idea how Natalie’s report turned out, but Natalie hadn’t shown up to class much these past couple of weeks Maybe she hadn’t even turned in the assignment.

In a bit, the professor would put her report up on the big screen and use it as the example for the class. Her report was th model in all the other classes too.

‘Big deal if she got into the lab thanks to the Mitchell family, Iris thought with a snort.

‘One day, I’ll fight my way in on my own. There’s no way I’m ever backing down!”

The bell rang, and the professor walked in, carrying a stack of printed reports.

He pushed up his glasses, scanned the classroom, and paused when he spotted Natalie.

“Natalie, I haven’t seen you in class for a while,” he said.

Natalie nodded politely. “There were some things going on at home, so I had to take some time off.”

The professor nodded, didn’t ask any more questions, and set the reports down on the podium, flipping open his fouder

“I’ve gone through everyone’s analysis reports from last week, the digital copies you submitted. Overall, they re prep goo but a few of you really stood out.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify