Joshua seized Natalie's arm to prevent her from falling. He thought Natasha would be better suited for important events like this one. In contrast, Natalie seemed unsophisticated.Surprisingly, Joshua found himself longing for Natasha. He wouldn't have brought Natalie to the conference if she didn't get them the invitations.But since she was already here, he felt obliged to continue even though he didn't want to.Trying to appear pleasant, Joshua forced a smile as he leaned in and whispered to Natalie, "Be careful."Natalie sensed a subtle threat even though Joshua sounded calm. There was a brief moment of tension before she managed a smile at the others. Realizing her mistake, she nodded repeatedly."Josh, I got a bit nervous earlier and wasn't paying attention. I promise to be more careful now and won't embarrass you by stumbling," Natalie whispered cautiously, hoping to reassure Joshua.She regretted wearing the long dress she had bought with her hard-earned money.Her const
Natalie was startled when Joshua suddenly touched her. Looking up at him, she asked, "Josh, what is it?""Take a look around. I need to discuss some things with the others," Joshua replied.Natalie readily agreed with a smile, "Sure, go ahead and do what you need to do!"She had been worried about being stuck with Joshua and not being able to use her charm. To her surprise, Joshua took her hand off first, which made her pleased.Joshua nodded and walked over to the trio nearby.After a few steps, he seemed to remember something and returned to Natalie. "Don't wander off or make conversation. Go grab something to eat first, and I'll come back for you later."He was aware of the potential consequences if she offended anyone there.Natalie responded with a sweet smile and a nod, "Don't worry, Josh. Go ahead and handle your business!"Hearing Natalie's confident reply, Joshua finally walked away with a sense of relief while holding his wine glass.As soon as Natalie saw him leave
After Natalie finished speaking, everyone exchanged glances and muttered under their breath. Natalie looked at them earnestly, showing no sign of deceit."Are you really one of the Sullivans?" asked Winnie Madison, the woman who had spoken sternly earlier. She scrutinized Natalie even more closely than before as if searching for any flaws."Absolutely," Natalie replied with a smile.She was lying so often that even she sometimes had trouble telling what was true and what wasn't when she spoke. However, she had a certain confidence about her that made her seem truly a part of the Sullivan family."Do you doubt me?" Natalie scrutinized Winnie closely.Winnie felt intimidated by Natalie's words but managed to maintain her composure.She crossed her arms and responded with contempt, "I don't believe you at all. Just because you claim to be a Sullivan doesn't mean I should trust you."I am the heiress of the Madison family in Topola. Do you think I'm easily fooled? There'll be seriou
Janet and Winnie didn't get along, and Janet was fed up with Winnie's attitude.When Winnie started causing trouble for Natalie, Janet stood up for her and said, "Hey, we're just trying to be friends here. Why are you being so rude?"Janet thought Winnie was the most superficial person in Topola. She believed Winnie was just jealous because everyone was paying attention to Natalie, who claimed to be a Sullivan.Janet gracefully toasted to Natalie and said, "Please excuse Ms. Madison. She tends to talk that way."Natalie nodded with a sweet smile to show she understood. She had been secretly observing Winnie and Janet. When she saw them bickering, she knew there was some tension between them.Natalie decided to take advantage of the situation while Janet and Winnie were busy arguing."Who do you think you're calling rude?" Winnie snapped at Janet, her voice rising. "I'll speak however I want. Since when do you get to boss me around?"Janet stood firm. "Ms. Madison, I wouldn't pre
Before Natalie could steady herself, she hurried over to prevent Winnie and Janet from starting a fight."Hey, let's chill out and talk things through," Natalie said cautiously as she approached them, trying to keep her voice gentle.She added, "You both look stunning today. It's not worth messing up your looks over a brawl."But Winnie and Janet were too furious to pay attention. They completely ignored Natalie's attempts to step in and kept arguing fiercely. Natalie grew more worried."Let's discuss this calmly. There are a lot of people watching!" she urged, but they didn't care and kept escalating the argument.As more and more eyes were drawn to them, Natalie began to fear that Joshua might hear about the commotion. She had only planned to watch the scene and never expected things to escalate so quickly.The two women argued loudly as if they were afraid of not being heard. Natalie realized wealthy women could be quite unrestrained sometimes.Standing anxiously on the sidel
Winnie believed Natalie must truly belong to the Sullivan family. In Topola, only the Sullivans could match the Turners' status.Her expression immediately turned grim. This meant she had offended both the Turners and the Sullivans—the two most influential families in Topola.Offending these families was like offending the entire town. Winnie deeply regretted her actions.As Carly led Natalie forward, Natalie still appeared uneasy. She kept glancing back while walking. Carly noticed and glanced back as well.Janet and Winnie, who had been arguing, stood quietly in the distance.After a moment's consideration, Carly decided to reassure Natalie. She released Natalie's hand and returned to Janet and Winnie."Ms. Turner, where are you going?" Natalie asked.Standing before the duo, Carly delivered her warning calmly, "You need to stay quiet during the conference. If I catch any more disruptions from you, my dad will kick all of you out."Janet and Winnie understood Carly wasn't jok
Natalie's face twisted into a frown when she saw Natasha.Natasha saw how Natalie reacted, but she didn't react angrily as Natalie had done. Instead, she calmly raised her glass in a toast to Natalie from a distance.Her smile, which was accentuated by the light, was charming yet frivolous. It made Natalie's frown grow deeper.She wondered if Natasha was trying to provoke her, and anger bubbled up inside her.She gritted her teeth, ready to erupt, but then remembered they were in public. Besides, she needed to stay composed and hide her true nature since Carly was nearby.So, Natalie forced herself to look away from Natasha.Natasha noticed that Natalie's expression wasn't softening. It was getting worse. Natalie looked as if she could devour Natasha. Natasha blinked her eyes in resignation.Moments ago, her greeting to Natalie had been without any animosity. It seemed as if Natalie held a strong grudge against her, so much so that Natalie didn't even bother to pretend to be fri
Natalie smiled awkwardly and said, "Sorry, I didn't notice."After regaining her composure, she swiftly tugged Carly along. "There's the head of a pharmaceutical company over there that I want to meet. Let's go check it out."Carly nodded. "Sure."Although Natalie seemed a bit strange, Carly decided not to ask about it. She figured everyone had their own private matters they preferred to keep to themselves.Natalie led Carly to the center of the hall. The central area was bustling with pharmaceutical companies showcasing the latest trends. Many people were gathered there, engaged in conversation.Holding Carly's arm, Natalie tried to navigate through the crowd. She was eager to catch a glimpse of the valuable medications on display. However, Carly didn't budge.Natalie turned to Carly and asked, "Is something wrong?"She wondered if Carly wasn't comfortable with her holding her hand, so she quickly let go."Sorry, I'll let go. Shall we still check out the medications? With this
He didn't know where this sense of loss came from, but it hung over Joshua like a low-pressure system and seemed impossible to dispel. His expression visibly darkened. Yet, he seemed to want to maintain his dignity and didn't want Natasha to discern his sense of loss. So Joshua pursed his lips, forcefully suppressing the feeling and putting on a blank expression. He seemed indifferent to Natasha's proposed condition."How about it? Does Mr. Grayson need more time to consider?" Natasha sat calmly in her chair, tilting her head slightly. She was confident this time that Joshua would definitely agree. Although she felt a bit uneasy about using Philip's life as leverage against Joshua, she believed it was the best option at the moment. Given Joshua's personality, using trivial things as leverage wouldn't pose any threat to him. Besides family members' lives, everything else was insignificant to him. She had no other choice.As Natasha spoke, her eyebrows furrowed lightly, and her
As soon as Joshua heard Natasha mention there were conditions, he instantly had a bad feeling. Although Natasha didn't explicitly state the conditions, Joshua understood that they definitely wouldn't be easy."What conditions are you talking about?" He propped his chin up with his hand, looking at Natasha seriously.Natasha smiled and raised her lips. "What are the conditions? You should know."Joshua was slightly stunned. He knew what the conditions were?He furrowed his brows earnestly, trying hard to figure out what conditions Natasha was talking about.Could it be…"Are you trying to make it a condition to drive Natalie away from the Grayson Villa?" Joshua raised an eyebrow. Considering recent events, Joshua couldn't think of any other conditions.As soon as this was said, Natasha was momentarily dumbfounded.What was he talking about?Natasha tried to find a word to describe Joshua's thoughts, but after a long time, she couldn't bring herself to say it. Joshua's train of
Natasha blinked her eyes. It seemed that Joshua was anticipating her rejection in advance."Since you can enter the Sullivan residence, your relationship with them must be extraordinary."It's not like people with Joshua's and Natalie's status could enter. But Natasha could, which undoubtedly indicated that she still had something to hide from him."Since you have this relationship with the Sullivans, helping Grandfather should be a simple matter."As soon as these words came out, Natasha sneered, "Simple matter?""Although I do have some connection with the Sullivans, it's not to the extent where I can freely arrange the Sullivans miracle worker's schedule."The position of the Sullivan's miracle worker is well-known. Since you are aware of it, you shouldn't say such things. You're overestimating me."Natasha was blatantly lying and trying to deceive Joshua."Someone with the status of the Sullivan's miracle worker would only save someone if he wanted to. If he doesn't have th
As soon as Joshua said the name "Jacob", Natasha felt like her throat was being choked, and was unable to breathe properly.Her breathing became somewhat erratic."What's wrong? Do you know him or not?" Joshua spoke, narrowing his eyes. His pupils contracted, and he looked sharp and almost menacing.It seemed like any slight movement from Natasha couldn't escape his gaze."I…" Natasha began.She seemed a bit hesitant but also seemed not at all. Finally, she calmly spoke, "I don't know him.""Don't know him?" Joshua raised an eyebrow.He seemed somewhat incredulous, repeatedly confirming, "You really don't know him?"Natasha nodded, her expression very firm. "I don't know him."She looked somewhat puzzled, her tone confused as she asked, "Who is Jacob? Is he also from the Graysons?"Joshua stared at Natasha motionlessly, as if trying to find a flaw on her face.But Natasha remained calm. Her expression was very normal and without any flaws.Joshua stared for a long time. Eve
"Please help us remove all these dishes and replace them with some new ones." Natasha pointed to the dishes on the table.The waitress was startled, instinctively asking, "Is there any problem with these dishes? Please point them out, and we will correct them immediately."Natasha smiled gracefully. "No, there's nothing wrong."It was just that these dishes accidentally touched Joshua's nerve."Is it because the dishes don't suit your taste?" the waitress continued to inquire."Not really." Natasha shook her head.Although, she hadn't even taken a bite. She didn't even know if these dishes were good or not.If Joshua's gaze hadn't been so intimidating, she would have tried them so as not to waste them.Next time, she had to bring Austin to try the dishes at this restaurant."So what's wrong with these dishes? We can convey your feedback to the kitchen, or we can replace them with new dishes for you free of charge. Would that be acceptable to you?" the waitress asked.The wait
Joshua had been the president for a long time, and his whole demeanor was daunting, seemingly suffocating others with his pressure.Natasha sat in her seat. Even if she deliberately avoided looking up at Joshua, she could still feel the scalp-tingling sensation.His gaze was just too sharp. She couldn't ignore it even if she wanted to."Uh… Didn't you just say you don't like these dishes? Do you want them all removed?" Natasha awkwardly changed the subject."I'll listen and remove it now. I'll call the waiter in to take them away." After saying that, Natasha lowered her gaze and pressed the button on the table to call the waiter outside on standby.Joshua remained silent. His gaze fixed on Natasha without wavering.It made Natasha feel even more trapped.Her mind was already in a mess at the moment. She regretted that she had spoken too hastily earlier without thinking.She had never let slip of anything during her time in the Grayson Villa.What was happening now? Just a few
She was trying hard to change the subject.But Joshua looked at the dish, his mind filled with the image of Jacob's face and the various rejections he had faced during his youth.This made him very uncomfortable."I won't eat it. Take it away," Joshua said coldly with disdain."This dish… actually tastes very good. You can try it. Don't have a prejudice against it." Natasha tried to calm Joshua's mood.But he clearly had little patience. He roared angrily, "Take it away!""I don't want to see this dish!"The sound made Natasha's hand tremble as she held the plate."Alright, alright, I'll take it away. Why are you so fierce?" Natasha bit her lip, took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her rising anger, and then withdrew the dish of delicious cheese curds."Then have some other dishes." She gestured to the several dishes on the table.But unexpectedly, Joshua's face turned even worse. His gaze swept over the dishes on the table, his brows deeply furrowed, looking very dissati
Joshua's tone sounded casual and his expression indifferent, as if discussing something unrelated to him. Yet, it gave the impression that he was talking about his own affairs."Is it worth it?" Natasha murmured, repeating the question.Perhaps because Joshua exuded a melancholic air, Natasha stopped in her tracks and earnestly answered the question. "If this mother is willing to do it, then it must be worth it."Upon hearing this, Joshua looked at her, his melancholy seeming to deepen."Is that so? Do you also think that everything this mother does is worth it?"The sorrowful expression in his eyes seemed so thick that it was unbreakable.Natasha was surprised to see Joshua like this. She didn't understand why Joshua had suddenly changed."A parent's love for their child involves careful planning. Every mother who selflessly sacrifices for her child is great…"Natasha considered her tone carefully. "A mother who wholeheartedly loves her child would do this, wouldn't she?"Bef
They were different people.In a flash, Natasha instinctively pushed him away.She stood up straight, her tone serious as she said, "Joshua, please behave yourself." Her gentle fingers brushed against Joshua's shirt, seemingly carrying her fresh fragrance with it.The sudden push caught Joshua off guard.Looking up, he found Natasha wanting to keep her distance from him as if he were a ferocious beast.This look even made Joshua doubt himself. Was he that bad to warrant such a reaction from her?Before he could come to a conclusion, Natasha had already picked up her bag, seemingly ready to leave."If Mr. Grayson has nothing else to do today, I'll be taking my leave first."Joshua's behavior just now caught her off guard.Anyway, from the looks of it, he probably wouldn't agree to a divorce.Since Joshua had made up his mind, it was pointless for her to linger here. It was better to go home and avoid hearing any more of Joshua's "seductive" words."Wait," Joshua called out