"I…" Brian stammered. Natasha's captivating eyes made him nervously gulp and feel enraptured.As Natasha noticed his eyes glaze over, her interest and smile disappeared. She decided not to invest any more time in him. Swiftly, she grabbed her glass and left like a sudden gust of wind.Brian stood alone, still sensing the warmth of her breath lingering in his ears. It all seemed like a fleeting dream to him.Meanwhile, Natasha decided to escape the company of insensitive men and their clumsy advances by retreating to the spacious terrace on the second floor.After three glasses of wine, she felt tipsy and sought some fresh air away from the bustling hall.She entered the softly illuminated terrace under the moon's guidance. The place was surrounded by abundant greenery and a peaceful atmosphere, with no one else around. It felt like a different world from the hall.Leaning against the railing, Natasha felt contented as she breathed in the refreshing night air. The moon's gentle gl
Joshua couldn't take his eyes off Natasha's profile, frustrated that she was out of his control. He couldn't quite put his feelings into words, but the frustration lingered, and a flood of emotions washed over him.Natasha noticed him staring but ignored him. The cool night air brushed against her as she stood by the railing, sipping her drink alone.She wasn't keen on talking to him. She wished he would pick up on her silent cues and leave on his own, as this spot was her sanctuary.Yet, Joshua was oblivious to her signals. Being as proud as he was, he could never take hints. He gazed at her uninterested expression for what felt like an eternity.Natasha usually had an unworldly air about her that made her seem a little aloof, but today, she gave Joshua a different impression. She looked slightly flushed, which suggested she might have had a few too many to drink.Joshua's expression grew tense as he watched Natasha continue to drink. She took sip after sip until her glass was al
"What were you saying?" Natasha asked awkwardly. She wished the person before her was Jacob, not Joshua.Joshua held up the wine glass and shook it before her as he asked, "Did you space out?"Forcing a smile, Natasha replied, "Oh, I was just a little distracted by the breeze."Joshua stared at her. He knew she had been staring at him before she got distracted, but he didn't push any further."You still haven't answered me. How much have you been drinking to get this drunk?" Joshua asked.Natasha tried to grab the glass from his hand, but he was tall and easily held it out of her reach."Answer me," Joshua insisted.Natasha looked at the glass that was out of reach and silently pulled back her hand."How much?" Natasha repeated before she stretched out her fingers as she tried to remember. Yet, her memory wasn't very clear as she was a bit drunk."One, two, three…" Natasha did a finger count. "I can't remember."Joshua frowned at Natasha."I gave you an answer. Can you give
Joshua noticed the confused look on Natasha's face but had a feeling that she was faking it. He asked, "Who do you think I'm talking about?"He held back his emotions, not wanting his words to be too harsh or embarrass Natasha."I have no idea who you're talking about," Natasha replied.She got even more confused. His words were so vague that she had no idea how to respond.She suggested, "There are plenty of people in the hall if you need to talk."Her comment struck a nerve with Joshua, and there was an instant change in his expression.Inside the hall, as Natasha had mentioned, guests mingled with smiles on their faces. Yet, Joshua felt like an outsider even though the atmosphere was cheerful.These guests were from Topola's respected families. They were full of pride and tended to look down on families from other towns.In Oceanville, Joshua wielded considerable power. He was a force to be reckoned with as he could easily overpower anyone who opposed the Graysons.However,
Natasha gently reminded him, "Even if you have an invitation to this conference, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to meet the Sullivan family's miracle worker whenever you please."Her words hit Joshua hard, though she didn't realize it. His expression hardened as he wondered if Natasha was mocking him for not deserving to stay in Topola.Anger simmered inside, but he forced himself to breathe deeply.It was ironic that he had just been sympathizing with Natasha in the belief that she was being mistreated, only to be mocked by her in the end.He realized how absurd this situation was and that she was playing him all along.Natasha seemed to be unfazed and showed no need for Joshua's sympathy. The thought of her being surrounded by men wherever she went made him sneer.Besides, Natasha's every word was like a condescending lecture as if she were one of Topola's upper crust.Joshua felt deeply humiliated. He suppressed his anger and asked with emphasis on every word, "Do y
Joshua gritted his teeth and smirked. "So, you finally admit to it, huh? What about the guy who's living with you? Just come clean rather than make excuses."Natasha found his aggressive demeanor amusing. She questioned, "Are you kidding? Why should I admit to something that never happened?"Is it a hobby of yours to beat false confessions out of people? Don't you find this ridiculous, Mr. Grayson?"She didn't bother to take her glass from his grasp. After saying her piece, she decided to leave on her own since Joshua showed no sign of leaving."Wait." Joshua's voice came from behind her. "Would you care to explain the leather shoes in the shoe rack at Imperial Heights, since you claim I'm accusing you?"Joshua was a tall man, and the moonlight cast a long shadow across the floor. He stood sternly in the eerie silence in anticipation of her answer.Natasha stopped in her tracks. Suddenly, there was a click in her mind.The shoes had to be Daniel's. Joshua must have seen them the
Joshua felt uneasy as he watched Natasha walk away. He hadn't anticipated her refusal to explain anything. He hurried to catch up with her to ask why she wouldn't explain.Meanwhile, Natalie and Carly were seated somewhere across the terrace, each with a plate of delicate bunny-shaped cookies. Natalie had brought them over specifically for Carly."I brought you two plates because I thought one wouldn't be enough for you. Please, go ahead and enjoy them!" Natalie said as she placed the cookies in front of Carly.Carly's eyes lit up with a smile as she responded, "Thank you!"It's no trouble at all. Just enjoy them," Natalie said and smiled back as she was pleased to see Carly's happiness.Natalie watched Carly with a sincere gaze as she savored the cookies. After a few bites, Carly paused and offered, "Would you like to try some?"Natalie shook her head firmly and replied, "That's all right. These are just for you. Please, enjoy them."She couldn't help but remember the effort sh
Natalie witnessed everything once she pulled Carly's hand away. Carly had no choice but to put her hand down sulkily.If anyone spotted two adults emerging from a dimly lit area, they'd surely suspect something fishy was going on between them. Natasha and Joshua's complicated relationship only added fuel to the speculation."Um…" Carly folded her arms, unsure of what to say. She didn't feel right commenting as she was just an outsider.She felt annoyed having to witness such an awkward situation. She thought watching Joshua and Natasha together must have made Natalie, who was already lacking in confidence, feel awful.Carly couldn't fathom why Natasha had decided to involve herself with Joshua at the conference. She had a strong suspicion that Natasha intended to embarrass Natalie.As Carly mulled it over, she gave Natasha a scrutinizing look.Natasha glided gracefully ahead, her black dress illuminated by the overhead lights, giving her an almost radiant appearance. Joshua, in h
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