The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus)

Mason was a little frustrated, but Marcus remained calm as ever. Without a word, he placed a hand on Mason's shoulder and gently pushed him back into his seat.

"Mason, I'm not like you." Marcus rolled down the window. "Just drop me off at the City Hall entrance."

"You're really doing this, huh?"

The teasing edge in Mason's voice had faded, though his tone still held a hint of disapproval.

"I mean, come on. You didn't even propose properly. You just took Nat straight to City Hall. Mr. Holden Senior may be gone, but your mother's back now, right? Shouldn't she talk things over with my parents first?"

"Yeah, I'll make up for everything that needs to be made up." Marcus listened seriously, taking Mason's words to heart. "Thank you, Mason."

"Thank me? For what? We're family. Even if you and Nat weren't together, I'd still treat you like one of us." Mason grinned.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the card Marcus had given him earlier, holding it out.

"Thanks, Marcus, but I don't want your money. I've got my own plans. I was just messing with you before. I might still be in school, but I will win that gold medal, and I will use it to propose to Olivia."

Now it was Marcus' turn to be stunned. He'd figured that since the Walker family didn't spoil Mason with unlimited spending, the guy might genuinely need the dating fund.

But as it turned out, Mason had been teasing him the whole time.

"Right now, I might not be able to give Olivia everything she deserves, but I'll never spend her money. A real man doesn't take from his woman.

"I've been working part-time in secret. What I earn is enough for dates and gifts. I only acted like I'd been 'bought off' in front of Nat for laughs, but keep that between us, alright?

"I already signed up for an international basketball tournament three months from now. After today's date, I'm heading straight back to training camp.

"I won't be able to see Olivia or my family for a while. So if you and Nat decide to get married while I'm gone, promise me you'll wait until after my match. I have to be there. I'm her brother."

"Deal." Marcus agreed without hesitation. "Thank you, Mason."

Mason laughed. "Don't be so formal. We're family. I only have one condition_ treat Nat right. If you ever hurt her or stop treating her the way she deserves, I swear, I won't let it slide. You do know all my friends are athletes, too, right? You won't stand a chance if we gang up on you."

Marcus gave a firm promise. "Don't worry, Mason. That will never happen."

Mason nodded. "Alright. Mr. Caldwell, take Marcus back to City Hall." "Yes, Mr. Mason."

Ryan turned the car around and began driving back toward City Hall.

"I want to see whether my parents, Lincoln, Hector, and Timothy will agree to Nat showing up to get her birth certificate just so she could marry you."

Marcus didn't respond.

The tension was starting to creep in. He stared out the window at the road ahead, unable to hide the unease slowly settling over him.

In his mind, he was already calculating how long it would take Natalie to drive

back to the Walker Estate. And how long before she returned?

Mason sat quietly beside him, calm and steady, simply waiting with him.

Meanwhile, Natalie had driven Olivia back to Walker Estate.

Her birth certificate had always been kept separately in a backpack she carried with her everywhere.

Back when she lived with the Langley family, her certificate had listed Grace as he legal guardian.

Later, after the Langleys brought Selena back and Victor and Diana tried to force Natalie to change her name, she took Grace's name off the certificate, dropped the Langley surname entirely, and renamed herself simply Natalie Walker.

She hadn't known then that her biological father's surname was actually Walker.

Her time with the Langleys had stripped her of any real belief in family. She'd learned early on not to depend on anyone. That was why she insisted on keeping her birth certificate separate.

Even after agreeing to return to the Walker family, and even after they'd thrown her a grand welcome party, she never transferred her certificate under William or Charlotte's names.

So, if she wanted to marry Marcus, she didn't need to go through William or Charlotte. She had no intention of asking anyone for permission.

When Olivia saw Natalie pull her birth certificate out of the backpack she used to carry everywhere, she couldn't help but ask again, "Natalie, are you sure about this?

"Marcus hasn't even proposed yet. The families haven't even formally discussed your marriage, and you're already planning to get married to him?"

"They have discussed it," Natalie replied calmly. "Back when Grandpa Charles was still alive, he asked my parents to visit the Holden residence and talk things through.

"He even prepared a very generous wedding gift for me and gifts for all my brothers, too. I know you're looking out for me. You're upset because Marcus was once engaged to someone else and because he didn't treat me well at the beginning.

"I also know Mason only called Lincoln to bring his birth certificate so he could 'marry' you as a way of making a point. Mason thinks Marcus trying to take me straight to City Hall is out of line.

"He was even willing to get scolded himself just to show Marcus that his approach wasn't okay. But what Mason doesn't know... is that I want to marry Marcus. I'm doing this willingly."

A quiet smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Maybe I'm being a little impulsive, but it's what my heart wants. I've made up my mind about Marcus. I'm not going to change it."noveldrama

"But what if—and I'm just saying if," Olivia said cautiously, "if one day Marcus turns out to not be who you think he is, or if he betrays you... would you still stand by the choice you're making today?"

"If that day ever comes, I'll kill Marcus myself and take over Holden Group. I don't do things halfway. I either don't get married or, if I do, I never divorce. Death before divorce. Got it?"

With a slight smile, she slipped the birth certificate back into her bag and headed for the door.

"Olivia, my parents and my brothers will respect whatever decision I make."

A chill ran down Olivia's spine.

When she looked at Natalie again, she finally understood that Natalie wasn't joking. This wasn't a rash or emotional decision. She had made her choice, and she was walking into it with her eyes wide open.

"Olivia, are you still coming?"

Natalie stepped out of the bedroom and saw Olivia standing there, frozen in place.

She turned back and called out, "If you don't want to go, one of the Walkers' drivers can take you home later."

"I... should I still go?" Olivia looked a little lost. "You're getting your marriage certificate with Marcus... are we still doing that double date?"

"Of course we are," Natalie said with a small laugh. "Whether I marry him or not doesn't change the plans we already made. Besides, Mason's still over there. What, you're just gonna abandon him now?"

"Oh, right." Olivia finally snapped out of it. "Yeah, I'm going. Of course, I'm going."

Natalie let out a small chuckle. "Actually, there's another reason I agreed to marry Marcus today."

"What is it?"

"Laura may be back, but Marcus' father left The Herbalist's Sanctuary a long time ago. No one's heard from him since. He didn't even show up for Grandpa Charles' funeral Neither did Wesley or Cassie Don't you think that's a little strange?" Cóntent

Olivia's eyes widened slightly.

She hadn't been invited to the funeral, but the entire Walker family had attended-

including Sky, who'd gotten a temporary release from prison. Mason had gone, too, of course.

And since she and Mason were dating, she'd naturally heard about what had happened that day.

Everyone's attention had been

focused on vette, who'd been

forced to kneel, confess, and repent.

Because of that dramatic scene, hardly anyone noticed that Wesley

and Cassie-Charles'

children-hadn't shown up at all.

The entire funeral had been organized and carried out by Marcus, Charles'

grandson, alone.