The Scorned Heiress's Hidden Empire (by Jade Quinn) novel Chapter 44

“Oh, my god… it’s exactly the same?” Ryan’s voice cracked as he stared at Natalie in disbelief. ‘How is she so good at this imitation?’ he thought. “Natalie… you are a genius.”

Ethan leaned in for a closer look, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. The signature was an almost perfect imitation, down to the smallest quirks of the original hand. At a glance, it was nearly impossible to tell it from the real thing.

Ryan said, “Natalie, I really wish we’d found you sooner.”

“Huh? Why?” Natalie asked, totally confused.

“If I’d had you back in high school, I could’ve faked our parents‘ signatures and never gotten in trouble,” Ryan blurted out.

Ethan was speechless, and so was Natalie.

Ryan quickly realized what he’d said and cleared his throat awkwardly. “Uh, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant your imitation is spot–on.”

Ryan thought to himself, ‘I could totally show this off, and no one would ever know it’s fake.‘

Natalie stood up. “Alright, now that the problem is solved, I’m heading to bed.”

She’d barely taken a few steps when Ethan called out, “Wait, Natalie.”

“What’s up?” Natalie replied.

“Can you sign one for me, too?” Ethan asked. He tried to play it cool, but deep down, he was a bit jealous. He wanted

Natalie’s autograph, too.

Ryan joked, “Come on, Ethan, are you for real?”

Ethan ignored him and just looked at Natalie.

Natalie nodded. “Sure.”

A smile tugged at Ethan’s lips, and his eyes sparkled behind his glasses.

Ethan eagerly flipped the book to the autograph page. The original signature took up the center, so Natalie squeezed in a

mini version up in the top right corner.

‘Forget Bluebell or Daybreak. Natalie’s autograph is the real treasure.‘ Ethan admired it for a moment and then said, “Thank you, honey. Now go get some rest.”

A couple of days later, it was the day Andrew had promised to take Natalie to the equestrian center. But halfway there, Mitchell Group suddenly had a super important international meeting that couldn’t wait.

Andrew had no choice but to drop Natalie off at the equestrian center first and ask the manager, Gavin Rhodes, to look after her. He promised he’d rush over as soon as the meeting was done.

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Chapter 44

Natalie just waved it off, telling Andrew to go handle his work and not to worry about her.

“Miss Moore, let me show you to the dressing room so you can change,” Gavin said respectfully.

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He led Natalie to an exclusive VIP dressing room, treating her with the utmost respect. Inside, everything she could possibly need for riding was already prepared and waiting for her.

When Natalie stepped out in her new outfit, even Gavin, who’d seen his fair share of high–class ladies, was genuinely stunned by her beauty.

Her deep brown riding outfit was impeccably tailored, accentuating her tall, slim frame. The knee–high boots fitted close through the calf, making her legs look even longer. She left off the helmet, her long hair falling loose over her shoulders.

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Landon shot them a playful grin. “Come on, don’t be jealous. I’m just going over to say hi. You know, make some friends.” He walked over quickly and cut off Natalie and Gavin, blocking their path.

“Hey, beautiful,” Landon called out, flashing what he thought was a killer smile. He shamelessly checked Natalie out from head to toe. “First time here? You look new. Wanna hang out with us? We’ve got a big group over there.”

His friends followed, loosely forming a half–circle around them and blocking Natalie’s way.

Gavin’s expression shifted slightly. He stepped forward, his tone polite but distant. “Mr. Fairfax, this lady is a friend of Mr. Andrew Mitchell. She’s here to pick out a horse, so please let us through.”

“A friend of Andrew Mitchell,” Landon repeated. After a brief pause, his face filled with disdain. ‘That cold–blooded work machine brings a woman to the equestrian center? No chance. He’s not even here. Gavin’s clearly using his name to bluff.‘

With that thought, Landon immediately felt his confidence return. He snorted, sizing up Gavin with a cocky grin.

“Mr. Mitchell’s friend? Gavin, who are you trying to fool? I don’t see Mr. Mitchell around. Come on, everyone knows Mr. Mitchell is never seen with a woman,” Landon scoffed.

Gavin frowned. “Mr. Fairfax, I have no obligation to explain Mr. Mitchell’s whereabouts to you. Please step aside.”

Landon shot his friends a quick look and shrugged. “Hey, we’re not here to cause trouble. She just looks like she’s on her own, and we’ve got a whole crew. Why not hang out together? We’re just trying to make friends. That’s all.”

“Not interested,” Natalie said coolly, barely glancing at them as she moved to walk past. But Landon cut her off again, blocking her path.

“Hey, don’t leave, gorgeous. I’m Landon Fairfax. My dad’s the chairman of Fairmont Systems. Now you wanna make friends, right?” Landon said, smugly announcing his family background.

The Fairfax family was one of the big names in Harbor City. Usually, as soon as he mentioned who he