Chapter 5
Natalie?
The name snapped Jason’s attention back. He’d already taken his seat, barely giving her a thought until now. His sharp gaze locked onto her, and his face darkened.
He hadn’t noticed at the door, but now, it was impossible to miss. Her outfit today rubbed him the wrong way. She wore jeans and a plain white tee, as basic as it got.
Had she really blown off all those fitted gowns he’d bought for her?
Jason was already annoyed due to the tense exchange at the door, and now, a hot wave of anger rushed through him.
“Natalie, get over here,” he demanded.
Natalie didn’t budge. “Why?”
Was she really disobeying him?
Jason had never known Natalie to be overly eager to please, but she’d always at least kept up appearances. What had gotten into her?
When she still wouldn’t move, Victor taunted, “Forget it, Jason. She’s too stuck-up, believing she’s the heiress to the Spencers. Someone needs to knock her down a peg.
“She’s just some gutter rat a nanny gave birth to. If it weren’t for us, she’d be rotting in the slums now.”
A gutter rat?
Natalie gripped the hem of her shirt as a sudden ache tightened in her chest.
Before Sienna came along, Victor had been the brother who adored Natalie the most. She’d depended on him entirely.
Victor was ten years old when he’d fallen into the lake during the freezing winter, and eight-year-old Natalie had dragged him out. He’d survived, but she’d gotten so sick afterward that she nearly died.
Even now, she remembered little Victor’s promise. “I, Victor Spencer, swear I’ll protect Natalie for life. If anyone dares to hurt my precious little sister, I’ll destroy their whole family.”
Did he even think about that oath anymore?
Sienna hid her smugness behind a look of gentle innocence. “Victor, you shouldn’t say that. Natalie’s a victim, too. She can’t help what her mother did.”
Victor snorted. “You’re too kind, Sienna. That’s why she keeps taking advantage of you.”
It was the same old game. Sienna was always playing the saint, painting Natalie as the jealous, spiteful fake heiress in everyone’s eyes.
How was Sienna not sick of the same old act?
Natalie’s gaze turned cold. “Mr. Spencer, a national treasure like you should be above calling someone a ‘gutter rat,’ don’t you think?”
Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and headed upstairs.
Victor’s anger flared. “She… Natalie! Stop right there!”
Natalie didn’t even glance back.
Daphne couldn’t hide her displeasure. “Enough. You’ve known her since she was a girl. She’s her mother all over again—an ungrateful snake. Why even bother arguing with her?”
She made sure to say it loud enough for Natalie to catch every word.
Natalie gave a self-deprecating smile. She got to one of the bedrooms and gave a soft knock. “Grandma? It’s me.”
Vera’s voice floated through the door, “Natalie! Come in.”
In this entire house, Vera was the only one who’d ever treated her with real kindness. For the first time all evening, Natalie felt her shoulders ease.
She felt her way over and sat on the edge of the bed. “Grandma, are you feeling any better? Did the medicine I brought last time help?”
Vera took her hand, her expression warm and kind. “Much better. I haven’t had an episode in a while. Honestly, whatever you gave me works better than the doctor’s prescriptions. But there’s no label on the bottle. Where did you get it, Natalie?”
The targeted medication had been specially made for Vera by Bella Anderson at Natalie’s request, so naturally, there wasn’t any branding or manufacturer information on it.
Speaking of Bella, she was a pharmaceutical genius, but helping Natalie regain her sight had been her toughest challenge yet. She’d developed countless targeted medications for Natalie over three years, but none of them made even a tiny bit of difference.
Only now did Natalie understand why. The medications had worked exactly as they should have. The problem was that she didn’t have any corneas to begin with. No drug in the world could have fixed that.
With a smile, Natalie simply replied, “From a friend.”
Vera’s heart broke for Natalie. She ran her fingers through Natalie’s long hair, saying, “You’re the best. If not for your eyes, you’d be a famous artist now. Oh, my dear, you’ve suffered so much.”
Natalie clenched her fists for a moment, feeling a dull ache in her chest, but it faded as quickly as it came. “It’s okay. I’ll recover. It’s just a matter of time.”
Vera never said the words aloud, but the sorrow in her eyes said everything.
Natalie had shown a gift for painting since she was little. By seven years old, she’d already won an international competition. She hadn’t even finished elementary school when a renowned artist offered to mentor her.
But once Sienna returned to the family, she competed with Natalie over everything, including being the better artist.
The Spencers refused to let Sienna fall behind, so they ruined Natalie’s canvases. Victor took it further, swearing he’d break her hands if she ever held a brush again.
In the end, Natalie lost her sight, and with it, every dazzling color she’d ever seen.
Natalie stayed a bit longer, chatting with Vera before she got ready to leave. Vera wasn’t well and needed quiet rest, so it was best not to overstay.
Natalie lingered for a moment before leaving, seeming unwilling to say goodbye to Vera. “Grandma, promise me you’ll take care of yourself. Eat on time and take your medicine. The targeted medication I brought should last a year, so you’ll be set for a while.”
Vera smiled. “It’s not like I’ll never see you again. Why bring so much all at once? Silly girl, anyone would think you’re leaving me behind.”
Natalie’s heart clenched. She wanted to say this was goodbye, but she couldn’t get the words out. Her eyes welled up.
Holding back tears, she managed a smile. “Of course not. I’ll always be with you. You’re the one I love most.”
…
Natalie shut the door gently behind her, needing a quiet moment to steady herself. As she passed by another room, she stopped dead in her tracks.
The sound of Sienna’s breathy moans hit her first, followed by that single word. “Jason.”
His name hit Natalie like a slap. She swayed slightly on her feet.
They weren’t even trying to be discreet. How shameless could they be? Was Jason really this desperate?
Perfect. That was just what Natalie wanted.
She kept her cool and quietly tapped her phone to start recording. This would be all the proof she needed when their divorce finally happened.
Sienna peered through the slightly open door, watching everything unfold from the bedroom, her lips curling in satisfaction.
By the time Jason came to his senses and shoved Sienna away, Natalie had already disappeared without a sound.
Jason panted heavily, traces of lipstick still visible at the edge of his lips. “Sienna, we both are married. This isn’t right.”
Sienna stood before him in that fitted champagne gown, the smooth fabric hugging every curve, especially the dip of her waist. But the look on her face was pure regret.
“I’m sorry, Jason. I don’t know what’s going on with me. Maybe it’s because my love life’s been rough. But it won’t happen again, I swear. Natalie won’t find out. I should go.”
Without another word, she turned and left.
Jason’s frown deepened, his expression turning grim. He didn’t love Natalie, but he’d chosen her, so divorce wasn’t an option, and neither was cheating.
On top of that, Natalie was carrying his child. Just imagining holding his baby in nine months softened his heart.
Meanwhile, Natalie was rushing downstairs in a panic. She’d just hit the second-floor landing when someone yanked her back.
“Do you like the way it sounds, Natalie? Jason loves it more than anything when I moan his name in bed. He just can’t get enough.”
