Married To My Billionaire Stepbrother

Chapter 417: Wedding Invitation

"Is it really that hard to answer?" Julia teased. "You look absolutely baffled."

Natalie snapped out of her daze and replied, "Umm... maybe because... he’s very handsome..." She sighed in relief, thinking she’d gotten away with not having to explain further.

In response, Julia’s soft laughter echoed through the drawing room. Caryn subtly lowered her face and pressed her temple as if she was disappointed to hear that answer.

James looked at Caryn and smiled as he knew the exact reason of Caryn’s such reaction.

"You’re just like your mother," Julia chuckled.

Natalie glanced at Caryn, who looked more disappointed than anything else.

"What happened?" Natalie asked, genuinely confused.

Julia explained, "Back when James brought Caryn to our home in Bayford for the first time to meet me, I asked her the same question that why did she like my son? Her reaction was exactly like yours as if I asked the question that was out of syllabus. And then her answer was exactly the same as yours."

Natalie felt surprised to hear it about her mother who was always so meticulous with her replies.

Julia giggled again. "At the time, I thought, ’Well, maybe she’s as smart and capable as James, that means, his smartness was nothing special to her, so his good looks must have impressed her,’ so I let it pass. But now it seems you both—mother and daughter—have a thing for handsome faces."

Natalie turned to Caryn, slightly shocked. "Is that true?" She referred to Caryn’s answer to Julia’s question in the past.

Caryn looked at her and replied coldly, "When women are young, they tend to be deceived by a man’s good looks."

James, seated beside her, turned to look at her with interest. "Now you’re old. Do my good looks still deceive you after all these years?"

Without looking at him, Caryn answered in her usual stern tone, "When one is old and weak, they’re meant to be suppressed by someone stronger."

not even your powerful enemies, who wanted to kill you, could suppress you. So why is it that I can and you just allow me to suppress you?" He leaned in a

rapidly, unsure if she was dreaming. Was she really seeing James Harper flirt with a woman? The same ice-cold man was actually... flirting? And in front of others? No hesitation, no

the woman was Caryn, not your usual ordinary woman.

be seen like this with his woman. His cold, aloof

leaned back slightly, putting more distance between them. "Behave.

when I took you to my home to meet my mother, she saw us kissing. She didn’t mind at all—in fact,

face flushed with

no one was around," James added smoothly. "That was my mother’s doing. As for our

away with her hands and muttered, "The older you get, the more

you, that’s only going to get

can’t stand you anymore," she said and began walking toward the staircase at her

her," Julia said to her son as she watched Caryn

we will be no better than strangers," James replied as he stood up, his

step requiring visible effort—she was suddenly swept off the ground by

"James..." she exclaimed.

you an eternity to reach our room," he said as he carried her

my room," she countered,

sleeping there too, so it’s our

go back

staying in is mine. I just let you have some alone time in it

give me

still find me next to you

voices gradually faded as the two women sitting downstairs

believe my father can be like this—not even in my wildest dreams," Natalie said, still in

should have seen him in his younger

picture it, Grandma. And I totally believe you—after