Married To My Billionaire Stepbrother

Chapter 126: Praise And Reward From A Husband

Justin adjusted the blanket over Julia and walked out of the room with Natalie, closing the door softly behind him.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Hmm," she nodded, but he was already holding her hand, inspecting the small cuts on the back of her palm—likely caused when they shattered the car’s glass. "Doesn’t look like it to me."

"It’s nothing," Natalie tried to pull her hand away, but Justin held it firmly, his gaze turning serious. She stayed silent as he guided her to the master bedroom. He made her sit on the bed, then went to the chest of drawers and pulled out a first aid kit.

"How did that end up here..."

"I brought it, knowing you have a knack of getting hurt all the time," he replied, settling on the bed beside her.

He opened the kit and gestured for her hand. Although displeased by his words, she complied. Justin carefully began disinfecting the tiny scratches, expecting her to flinch at the sting, but Natalie remained calm, as if she felt nothing at all.

"Most people would react to that sting," he commented.

"I’ve been taking care of my own wounds since I was a kid," she answered quietly.

Justin looked at her, but there was no feeling of hurt in her eyes, as if she was used to the loneliness she had been feeling since young.

He knew that feeling well, as he had been nothing but lonely all his life and had been haunted by some strange nightmares.

"Was it bearable? The loneliness?" he asked, focusing on applying ointment to each scratch gently and carefully.

"You get used to it over the time....that..." she trailed off.

"...now it feels strange to have people around," he finished what she couldn’t put into words.

Natalie could only nod silently, but he spoke again. "I know that feeling all too well."

a good grandmother—and maybe other

own different struggles," he

It might have been the first time they were discussing

the ointment to her hand. "Now you have

he wasn’t her real husband and that this would all end eventually, but she couldn’t bring herself

and not going to the police station to

his gaze reassuring. "I have more reliable ways of handling it. You don’t have to

look silenced her questions, but she couldn’t help asking, "After we find him, what

Justin replied coldly, his gaze and

need to

it," she insisted

then added, "Are you hurt

Natalie shook her head.

Then all that’s left is your praise

"Huh?"

"I watched the video of what you did. You told your ex that your husband would praise you and even reward you for it." He closed the drawer and turned

at her own words, embarrassed. In that situation, those words had come out as her natural

said was spot on about me. I’m surprised to see how well you know

she

gently patted her head. "You did well. That’s exactly how you deal with nasty people. If you’d come back without a proper retort, I would have sent you right back to them to take revenge for Julia and yourself. I’m glad you’re smart enough on

felt like a child being instructed by a strict teacher—praise mixed with a hint of threat. She wondered what kind of man

wordlessly at his praising, as if assessing him, Justin smirked and leaned down, his face drawing closer to hers. Startled, Natalie instinctively moved back while sitting on the

Justin didn’t budge. He held her gaze with an unwavering intensity. "So, my wife, what do you want as a reward from your

your wife,’ she wanted to scream, but she was the one who had called him that in front of Ivan. "Nothing. I

lips brushed gently against her forehead, freezing her in place. The rest of her words

a few moments, Justin pulled away and looked into her shocked eyes. "For now, this reward is enough. The rest... you’ll get later when you do something even