The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus) novel Chapter 131

"Grandma, if Victor and Diana had been responsible, I wouldn't have had to send you to the nursing home in the first place," Natalie said softly. "If you go back, it might be better to stay at the nursing home."

She continued, "I probably won't return to Amberton. Let's give up on the Langleys, okay?"

Grace stubbornly shook her head. "I don't want to stay in Dithoria. I want to go back to Amberton, where my home is."

Grace begged, "Nattie, please take me back home."

Grace grabbed Natalie's hand tightly, the joy she had before vanishing completely. "Why don't you marry Marcus right now? If you marry him, I can live with you both."

She then turned to Marcus and asked, "Marcus, what do you think? You're Nattie's boyfriend. Would you marry her?"

Marcus' expression didn't change. He simply glanced at Natalie, then gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile. He picked up his water cup and took a sip.

First, he was asked to pretend to be her boyfriend, and now Grace was pushing him to marry her. The speed of it all was almost unbelievable.

At this point, Marcus was sure that Grace and Natalie had set him up from the beginning. First, Natalie asked him to pretend to be her boyfriend, and now Grace was pushing him to marry her. Their plan hadn't changed from the start.

Marcus stood up and said to Natalie, "Ms. Walker, I'm sorry, but I have to leave for something urgent."

Turning to Grace, he continued, "I need to clarify—I'm not Natalie's boyfriend, and I won't marry her. I'm just helping her out by pretending to be her boyfriend. However, when it comes to marriage, it's better to be clear."

Marcus's expression remained as calm and composed as ever, with no extra expression. He finished his words without a hint of emotion, then gave Natalie a slight nod. Ignoring the growing tension on her face, he walked away.

Grace watched Marcus leave, then looked back at Natalie. "Nattie, didn't you say he was good to you? Aren't you two a couple? Why did he say it's all fake?"

The smile on Natalie's face faded, and she picked up her cup of water, taking a sip. The cold water jolted her back to reality, and she managed to force a smile. "Yes, Marcus is helping me by pretending to be my boyfriend to reassure you, Grandma."

Now that Marcus had exposed the truth, Natalie saw no point in continuing the act. Pretending to be happy and in love was exhausting.

Her expression turned cool and indifferent again. "Grandma, I just want you to feel at ease. I don't need Langley Group's shares to live well. Besides, I've already found my biological parents and reconnected with them."

She continued, "I've thought it through. You gave me Langley Group's shares because you were worried that I would be alone and unable to support myself. However, Selena is threatening suicide, and Langley Group is no longer the company it once was.

"Grandma, I don't know if you understand—I can help you protect Langley Group, but I don't think it's worth it."

Langley Group had become Amberton's leading enterprise, but it wasn't solely her doing. Internal conflict was the greatest threat in a large company where the family held the majority of the shares.

Victor's family was clearly trying to stir up trouble within.

"I asked Marcus to pretend to be my boyfriend because you once said Marcus was the grandson-in-law you picked for me. If he were my fiancé, he would be a better match than Selena or Tyler," she added.

Although Natalie's voice remained calm and gentle, she no longer treated Grace like a child. Instead, she looked at her seriously and tenderly.

Grace's eyes suddenly reddened. "Nattie, don't you want me anymore? You promised me, don't you remember?"