The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming

Chapter 140 His Opinion Matters

For the first time since Marcus had met Natalie, he saw her typically calm and aloof expression take on a look of genuine confusion.

"I blamed you at first, wanting to know what you said to my grandmother that frightened her so much," Natalie said softly, lowering her head. A trace of mockery tugged at her lips. Ultimately, whatever Marcus had told Grace didn't really matter.

If Grace truly had the mental capacity of a six-year-old, as long as Marcus hadn't been excessively harsh, nothing he said should have rattled her that deeply.

After all, he had not threatened or intimidated her. He had spoken calmly, yet her reaction was so extreme.

Deep down, how could Natalie not have her doubts? The truth was, she just hadn't been willing to believe them.

"Ms. Walker, does my opinion even matter?" Marcus' casual tone interrupted her thoughts. His dark, deep-set eyes were fixed on the Intensive Care Unit door.

"Don't you already know the answer?"

His words only deepened the bitter curve of Natalie's lips.

Of course, she knew. She had always known. But she could ignore it as long as no one said it out loud. She could pretend it didn't exist.

As long as Grace loved her, that had been enough. She didn't care how Victor and Diana treated her or about parental love.

Grace had given her tenfold what she didn't receive from Victor and Diana.

Grace's love was more than enough to rival what the other children had. Natalie never felt envious or pitiful.

But today, things had changed.

Today, she saw how Charlotte and William protected and cared for her, and Mason and Hector stepped forward to shield her without a word.

With them there, Victor and Diana couldn't hurt her.

emotional manipulation get to her. She

it was her loss-had she

it plainly-Grace's love for her had always had an ulterior motive. Natalie

over some trivial matter. While Grace would pull Natalie behind her and scold Victor, she never retaliated against him as fiercely as Charlotte and William had

stark. And with the comparison came a deep sense of

that comparison, doubt

"Even so,

protection, I might not have grown up safely," Natalie murmured,

head again.

in Marcus' oversized white sweatshirt, she looked smaller. The sleeves fell far past her hands.

a way she had never shown before,

lowered slightly, his sharp brows furrowing.

part of an elaborate act orchestrated by

she resort to guilt-tripping again, pressuring him to

seemed all

never marry a woman who tried to manipulate him, even if Natalie were now revealed to be Charlotte and William's biological daughter—the true

When he broke off his engagement to Emma,

already known that Emma wasn't their biological

to cancel the engagement so quickly, they had been paving the way

his engagement to

what could happen, but his expression remained composed,

on her for treatment. During this time, Marcus would ensure she remained

patient, staying by her side and preemptively handling every issue, even before

long as the Walker family didn't insist on continuing the engagement. But if

better than those in Amberton. And with Elim here, I believe

he spoke, a thought lingered in his mind-Natalie was Elim. How could it be that Grace's mental state

to thoroughly examine Mrs. Langley Senior and explore treatment options—perhaps even surgery—to help restore her cognitive function." Natalie

"It didn't work."