The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus) novel Chapter 296

When Natalie heard Charlotte say the recording was Marcus' doing, she froze. Marcus hadn't mentioned any of this to her. In her original plan, she'd given the recording to Olivia, expecting her to handle it.

Now, Natalie couldn't shake the feeling that tonight's events had slipped slightly out of her control. Yet, the overall outcome still aligned with her intentions.

"Sweetie, let's go," Charlotte said, gently pulling Natalie along.

"Mrs. Holden Senior isn't exactly an outsider. Back when our family was in trouble, he stepped in and helped us. Without him, we wouldn't be where we are today," she explained with a sigh.

She added, "When your dad and I returned the engagement gifts to the Holdens, we tested the waters. We had you younger ones call him Mr. Holden Senior out of respect, and he didn't seem to mind. That shows he's not hung up on formalities.

"He's older, and his generation deserves our respect. If the two families become even closer in the future, we'll naturally adjust how we address him."

Natalie nodded, letting Charlotte's words sink in. As they talked, they headed upstairs but were stopped halfway by Mason, who had come looking for them.

"Father, Mother, Nat, Marcus asked me to check if you're done seeing the guests out."

"All done," William said. "Let's go."

The group returned to the balcony where the earlier discussion had taken place. Marcus sat calmly, sipping coffee, while Mason was slumped in a chair across from him.

A steaming cup of coffee sat in front of Sky, untouched. His swollen, bruised face was proof of the earlier fight.

"Marcus," William greeted Marcus and then glanced at Sky. "What happened to him?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Marcus said casually, setting his cup down. "He got beaten up."

Marcus' tone was calm, but his words carried weight. "Mr. Walker, I apologize. Sky insulted me and even challenged me to a fight, so I simply obliged him. Noah may have gone a little overboard, but I'll deal with him later."

Mason, feeling a little guilty but also full of admiration for Marcus, stayed quiet. The truth was, he had done most of the damage, but Marcus had pinned it on Noah.

When Mason glanced around to thank Noah, the bodyguard was already gone. He lost his chance to express his gratitude.

"It's fine," William said with a faint smile. "Nat's welcome party went smoothly. Now, it's time to settle some family matters."

"Nat, go change into something more comfortable and then come back," he instructed. "Also, don't worry about Ms. Thatcher. I had the butler make arrangements for her."

"Okay, Dad," Natalie said. Then, she grabbed Mason's arm. "Come with me, Mason. I need someone to stand guard while I change."

"Uh, isn't that a little much?" Mason hesitated.

"You're just waiting outside the door."

"Fine," he relented.

As they reached the elevator, they ran into Lincoln, Timothy, and Hector.

"Hey! I'm taking Mason with me to get changed. Mom and Dad are waiting for you upstairs," Natalie greeted them with a bright smile.

Lincoln ruffled her hair and pulled a chocolate bar from his pocket. "Marcus mentioned you like this brand, so I had a little chat with the company. The factory's ours now."

He handed her the chocolate with a warm smile. "From now on, all the chocolate they make belongs to you. Welcome home, Nat. Consider this my gift to celebrate your return."