The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus)

Lincoln was Shawn's boss, after all. From the start of Shawn's career, Lincoln had looked after him considerably. Otherwise, Shawn wouldn't have made it to where he was today so smoothly.

Now that Lincoln had spoken, Marcus remained silent. He just leaned back against the couch, staring straight at Shawn's face.

Not far away, Olivia and Connie watched the whole thing unfold. Both of them instinctively shrank further into the background.

They thought of calling Natalie over, but when they saw Marcus' darkened expression and his overwhelming presence, neither dared to step forward.

Before long, Mason joined them. Now that Lincoln and Marcus were furious, he didn't dare to stay so close to them.noveldrama

He was genuinely afraid of the two men and their strong presence, worried he would get caught in the line of fire.

Seeing him approach, Olivia tugged at his sleeve. "Is this situation really that serious?"

Mason lowered his voice and replied, "It is. This is how we're taught in the family. Once married, no matter if you're a man or woman, you must remain faithful to your partner. If things don't work out, or if you no longer love each other, you have to separate amicably before moving on.

"Nat just got her marriage certificate with Marcus not long ago, and the wedding is just around the corner. Yet, Celeste called Shawn here, knowing he has feelings for Nat. That alone is a grave mistake. Our family doesn't tolerate such behavior."

Connie hesitated before whispering, "But if it's about outsiders, aren't Olivia and I outsiders too? Should we be worried?"

"That's different. Both of you are Nat's best friends, and neither of you has any improper intentions toward Nat or the men present. You're simply here to have fun. But Shawn isn't. That guy has a crush on Nat!"

"But how did you guys know that Shawn has a crush on Nat? Just because he wanted to sing in Nat's place earlier?" Olivia was beyond curious. "If you're wrong, wouldn't that be a false accusation?"

Mason chuckled. "Come on. With Marcus and Lincoln around, even if Nat were completely tone-deaf and needed someone to sing for her, it wouldn't be Shawn's place to step in."

He continued, "Have you forgotten who Lincoln is? He's a top-tier celebrity who excels in singing, dancing, and acting.

"Who the hell is Shawn to Nat? What gives him the right to step in? The fact that he tried to snatch the mic from Marcus showed how suspicious he was behaving. Don't you think?

Olivia and Connie exchanged glances before nodding in sudden realization. "Oh, so that's what it is!"

"Exactly."

While the three whispered among themselves, Natalie sat beside Marcus, thinking about how to escape this situation.

She lowered her voice and whispered in his ear, "Marcus, I'm going to check on Celeste. She ran off alone, and I'm worried about her safety."

"Nat, Lincoln just said that she has her bodyguards with her. She'll be fine." Marcus smiled faintly, "Besides, don't you want to know when exactly Mr. Haines started liking you?"

Natalie just remained silent.

"Nat, let's hear him out together. I'm quite curious as well." Marcus held her hand, and his lips curled slightly.

Then, he pushed a glass of wine toward Shawn. "Mr. Haines, why don't you have a seat and tell us?"

Shawn's face turned deathly pale. At this moment, he didn't even dare to glance at Natalie.

Natalie felt the need to clarify, so

she said, "Lincoln, Marcus, I swear I didn't know. Mr. Haines before this We have never been in contact. The only person I had an engagement with was Tyler Miller. But I'm pretty sure all of you knew how that ended, so there's no need for me to explain further."

"I know. Nat, I've always trusted you." Marcus held her hand tightly, locking his fingers with hers. "I don't care about your past, but now that you're mine, I won't let anyone covet you."

"Nat, I have no intention of doubting you," Marcus continued, staring at her intently. "I'm just genuinely curious. If you don't believe me, ask Lincoln."

Natalie looked at Lincoln, who merely cast a glance at Marcus without saying a word.

In a situation like this, as Natalie's older brother, he had to handle things properly.

If Marcus misunderstood, it wouldn't end well.

Besides, it was better for him to deal with Celeste now rather than leave it to Marcus. After all, Lincoln's methods would surely be less harsh than Marcus', who was currently furious.

So, he was actually helping Celeste out.

As for Shawn, who was an artist under Lincoln's company, he was supposed to generate revenue for Lincoln. It was important for Lincoln to resolve this issue at the source before any rumors could spread.

"Shawn, tell us," Lincoln commanded. "If you don't, don't even think about leaving this room. Celeste can't save you. And as your boss, I'm trying to save you. So, sit down."

Lincoln's tone was so cold that it spread throughout the room. It left Shawn with no choice but to sit on the couch opposite him.

"Natalie used to live in Amberton, and you're from Dithoria. You haven't set foot in Amberton all these years, so tell me, when did you start having feelings for her?" Lincoln held the glass and took a casual sip.

"All these years, I've treated you well. There's no need for you to use my sister as

a stepping stone to climb higher."

"Mr. Walker, it's not like that." Shawn closed his eyes. He knew that if he didn't explain himself today, things wouldn't end well.

"I admit that I like Ms. Walker, and I've never been to Amberton. I actually met her in Balford. That's where I fell for her."

Shawn paused for a moment before continuing, "When I was a child, my mother and I stayed in Balford for quite a while. She was unwell at that time, so she frequently went to the hospital.

"My family didn't care about us, so I had to take care of myself and my mother. One day, while bringing her a meal, was stopped by a gang of thugs it was Ms. Walker who called the police and even played the siren sound in advance to scare them off."

"I remember now." Natalie suddenly spoke.

Shawn's words triggered a distant memory. When she was 15, she went to Balford with Federrick during the summer to scout locations for a hospital.

She ended up staying there for some time.

One day, on her way to meet Federrick, she had stumbled upon someone being extorted.

She was only 15, so she knew she couldn't take on so many men alone. She decided to call the police and played a siren sound to scare them away. After that, she left immediately.

From beginning to end, she had only taken a glance at the boy curled up on the ground, clutching a food container in his arms. She had never even exchanged a word with the young Shawn back then.