The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming

Chapter 199 No Such Thing as Should or Shouldn't

After Natalie sent Charlotte a heart emoji, her phone immediately started lighting up with notifications. It was one transfer after another—her mom sending her money over and over again without stopping.

Sitting across from her, Shawn could hear the constant pinging of her phone. Curiosity got the better of him.

"Nat, are you texting with a friend?" he asked.

"It's my mom," Natalie replied quickly, typing a message asking her mom to stop sending money.

She already had plenty-Lincoln had given her an additional card tied to his account, and Mason, despite his modest allowance, gave her everything he had. Hector and Timothy also sent her money regularly, as if worried she'd starve without it.

When Natalie's message reached her mom, it finally stopped the barrage. Her mom then sent a voice message instead. "Sweetie, don't be shy with me. I have plenty of money, and it's all yours-none of them are for your brothers!"

Since Shawn was nearby, Natalie didn't play the voice message out loud. She held her phone to her ear to listen, and a small smile appeared on her lips.

She thought if her brothers heard that, they'd probably be devastated.

Still, there was a strange warmth in her heart. It was a new, comforting feeling-a mother's unconditional love.

Charlotte didn't expect her to compromise, didn't ask her to trade anything for affection, and didn't make her endure hardships to earn care. She simply loved and protected her. It was something Natalie had never experienced at the Langleys.

Without realizing it, Natalie's initial resistance toward Charlotte had melted away.

"Nat, do you want to take a walk outside?" Shawn asked, noticing her faint smile. His lips curved into a warm grin. "Celeste will be wrapping up her shoot in about 20 minutes. Do you want to watch her up close?"

After a moment's thought, Natalie nodded. "Sure. Let's go."

a high-end couture gown with a fresh hairstyle and carefully

snapped away, capturing frame

and Celeste's elegance was breathtaking —simply

assistant brought over a large sunshade umbrella. He took it and held it

Shawn met her gaze with a gentle smile. "You're Celeste's cousin. Taking extra care of you is the least

but there's no such thing as what someone should or shouldn't do," Natalie

mind the sun, though she did prefer not to tan. Her fair skin didn't tan easily, but she could lighten it again with her herbal

the umbrella. He maintained a polite distance while holding

don't take care of you, Celeste will kill me when she finds out," he added with a self-deprecating chuckle, his smile softening

expression, Natalie decided not to argue further. She wasn't the type to overthink or refuse kindness when it

heels aside without care and ran barefoot to Natalie, her face glowing

exclaimed, throwing an arm around Natalie's

"Sure," he replied easily.

trying to distance herself from Celeste's tight embrace. Celeste, however, only

her eyes. "Do you know how many girls would kill to hug me?

cheek

skin was ridiculously soft and smooth. It must be those amazing Kennedy family

Charlotte and Celeste had enviably pale complexions,

the one who deliberately tanned himself, the Walker brothers all had

finally understood why Emma was so tan. No matter how much foundation or whitening cream she used, it couldn't change the

kept these thoughts

fair, setting aside any bias, Emma wasn truly tanned-she just wasn't as pale as the rest of them. After all, she was a girl carefully raised by the Walker family. With her upbringing, refined tastes, and the elegance money could buy, how bad could she

to join us

able to approach earlier, thanks

accompanied her to meet Walter, they drew onlookers' attention. Though the beach wasn't

adults or families with children-not the type to cause