Married To My Billionaire Stepbrother - Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Julia Meeting Briena

Meanwhile, at the hotel suite, Justin was buried in work while Julia paced impatiently in front of his desk, constantly interrupting him.

“How much longer do I have to wait to see her? My own granddaughter!” Julia huffed. “When is she going to visit your new home?”

“I’m not sure, Grandma,” Justin replied, trying to keep his tone calm. “She doesn’t consult me before making her plans.”

Julia sighed dramatically. “At least let me watch her from a distance. The last time I saw her, she was five years old. You have to find a way, or I swear I won’t let you work.”

Justin, who had been enduring her complaints for a while, pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Grandma, please, just be patient and find something else to do in the meantime.”

Huffing like an upset child, Julia grabbed her phone. “You’re useless! I’ll just go meet Andrew. He said he was going to introduce me to the grandfather of a girl who seems perfect for you.”

Justin immediately tensed up. “Grandma, wait!” He quickly called out for his assistant. “Noah, where’s Natalie right now?”

“Ms. Natalie is at her company office, Mr. Harper,” Noah responded promptly.

“Take Grandma there,” Justin instructed, glancing at Julia. “Let her see her granddaughter from a distance, but make sure she doesn’t get noticed.”

“Yes, Mr. Harper,” Noah nodded, then turned to Julia with a smile. “Please come with me, Grandma Harper.”

Julia beamed, already forgetting her frustration. “Noah, you’re such a good boy,” she said, happily following him, leaving Justin to watch in disbelief. It was as if he hadn’t given the order, but Noah was the hero of the hour.

As soon as they left, Justin wasted no time dialing Andrew’s number. When Andrew picked up, Justin spoke quickly. “Grandpa, Grandma wants to meet your friend—Natalie’s grandfather. You need to tell her that the girl is already engaged and unavailable for me, or she’ll never give up on meeting Mr. Ford.”

Andrew chuckled on the other end of the line. “Alright, leave it to me.”

Justin sighed in relief, knowing this would at least buy him some time to deal with the chaos unfolding around him.

Noah and Julia reached the corporate building where Natalie’s office was located. While Julia settled in the reception area, Noah approached John, Natalie’s assigned bodyguard, to inquire about her whereabouts and when she might be leaving.

“I’m not sure,” John replied, looking a bit uncomfortable. “She’s been up on the office floor since she arrived, and she hasn’t let me follow her or ask questions.”

“Maybe give her a call? Make up an excuse,” Noah suggested.

Though hesitant, John dialed Natalie’s number. After a few rings, a hasty, no-nonsense voice picked up on the other end. “Speak.”

“Ms. Natalie, may I know when you’ll be downstairs?” John asked carefully.

“Why do you need to know?”

“I’m your bodyguard, so I—”

“Did I tell you I needed a bodyguard? Go back to your boss and give your spying ass a rest.” The line immediately went dead.

John glanced at Noah with an apologetic shrug. “She hung up.”

Noah chuckled and patted John’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it.”

“Like how you’ve gotten used to Mr. Harper?” John asked, half in jest, half in sympathy.

Noah sighed deeply, offering no response. Both men knew all too well that working for Justin and Natalie were the two difficult people to be around.

Returning to Julia, Noah tried to manage her expectations. “We’re not sure when Ms. Natalie will come downstairs.”

Julia smiled patiently. “It’s alright. I’ve waited years to see her again, so waiting a little longer won’t hurt.”

Noah hesitated. “But—”

“Why don’t you get me a coffee?” Julia had just made herself comfortable on the couch as she interrupted Noah.

Noah nodded, signaling John to keep watch as he headed to the cafeteria. But the moment Noah was out of sight, Julia stood up, her eyes gleaming with mischief. John, instantly on alert, watched as she made her way toward the elevator.

“Grandma Harper,” John called out, trying to stop her.

Julia recognised him, as one of the bodyguards around Justin. “Stay put and do not follow me.”

He didn’t listen and followed her anyway. Julia straight away went to the floor of Natalie’s office after smartly getting information about it from Noah while talking to him.

As she reached the floor, she was surprised to see the entire floor almost empty. She walked towards the reception area, but heard voices and stopped.

“Who do you think you are?” a beautiful young woman’s voice snapped angrily. The woman, clearly enraged, was facing Natalie. “Soon, you’ll be kicked out of here once I take over the Ford Group.”

Natalie, however, remained calm and unbothered. “No one can stop you from dreaming, Briena. Go home, dream some more, so I’ll have plenty to shatter when the time comes.”

Briena’s anger flared even more. “Do you know Grandma gave you this rotten company because she wants you to fail?” she growled.

“Oh, really?” Natalie replied, her tone dripping with mockery. “Thanks for the heads-up. Now I’ll be extra prepared. But for now, get your rich little ass out of here before I fulfill my lifelong dream of dragging you out by your beautiful hair.”

Julia smiled in delight, ‘Calm, composed and sharp tongue just like Caryn.’

Briena huffed, turning on her heels, too furious to notice her surroundings. As she stormed off, she nearly collided with Julia, who was immediately supported by John, who let out a sigh of relief. If something happened to the old woman, it would be the last day of his life.

Briena glared at Julia. “You old hag! Can’t you watch where you’re going?” she spat, clearly looking to vent her frustration on anyone in her path.

Julia remained cool and unshaken, her gaze icy as she addressed Briena. “Who are you calling an old woman, you disrespectful brat?”

“You, obviously, you wrinkly-faced hag!” Briena snapped back, clearly not realizing who she was dealing with.

Julia’s expression turned even more severe. “Ah, I see. You must be Sephina Ford’s new heir. No wonder you’re like this. With you leading, Sephina’s heading back to where she belongs— to the dust.”

“You—” Briena’s rage flared, and she raised her hand to strike Julia. John moved quickly to stop her, but before he could intervene, a delicate yet firm hand gripped Briena’s wrist with force.

It was Natalie.

Her glare pierced through Briena as she forcefully shoved her hand away, causing Briena to stumble back. Briena’s two bodyguards rushed forward at her command, “Ms. Briena.”

“Get them.” Briena ordered.

Natalie and John acted in unison. With swift, precise movements, they both kicked away the advancing bodyguards, one by each.

The two bodyguards groaned in pain, scrambling to their feet, only to be halted by Briena’s furious outburst. “Useless!”

Throughout the chaos, Julia remained calm and unflinching, watching as if it were a minor inconvenience.

Natalie, her voice cold and unyielding, spoke again, “Briena, if you don’t want another scandal flashing across the news about how you tried to disrespect and hit an elderly person, I suggest you get lost. If you ever step foot in my office again, I’ll make sure that video goes public. This is your last warning. Take it when I am showing you a mercy.”

Briena clenched her teeth in frustration, but she knew Natalie wasn’t bluffing. Without another word, she stormed out of the office, still fuming.

Once the tension dissipated, Natalie turned to Julia, her expression softening. “Are you alright, Miss?”

Julia, smiling calmly now, nodded. “I’m perfectly fine.”

Natalie’s eyes narrowed in confusion as she glanced around. “Were you looking for someone in my office?”

“Ah, I must’ve gotten off on the wrong floor,” Julia said, her eyes lingering on Natalie’s face. The resemblance to Caryn was uncanny, stirring memories.

Natalie, noticing the way the old woman stared at her, grew puzzled. Is there something on my face?

“Umm, if you need help finding where you’re headed, I can ask my bodyguard to take you there,” Natalie offered politely.

“No need. I can manage on my own. I’m not that old yet,” Julia replied with a satisfied smile, having seen and spoken to her granddaughter at last. “I won’t bother you anymore,” and turned to leave.

John nodded briefly to Natalie, playing his part as if his presence there was just a coincidence. He followed Julia to the elevator, leaving Natalie to return to her office, oblivious to the fact that she’d just encountered her grandmother.

Inside the elevator, Julia could barely contain her excitement. She was elated, having finally met her granddaughter face-to-face. I can’t wait to tell Justin.

But she didn’t know, Justin had an “unofficial live camera” named John, who always recorded everything about Natalie.

Meanwhile, Noah, who had been anxiously searching for Julia, sighed in relief when he saw her and John emerge from the elevator. Once they explained what had happened, Noah was just as relieved that the situation hadn’t spiralled further.

Julia wasted no time once she returned to the hotel, barging straight into Justin’s study, where he was mid-meeting.

“Finally! I met my granddaughter today!” she declared, practically beaming with joy.

Justin, alarmed, immediately shut his laptop, ending his video calll meeting before anyone could overhear. He sighed, turning to his grandmother. “Grandma, you can’t just announce things like that. Do you want the whole world to know about my father’s secret daughter before he even finds out?”

Julia huffed, waving off his concerns. “Don’t talk to me about that grumpy brat. I’m worried he won’t even acknowledge Natalie as his daughter, even if I do tell him.”

Justin chose not to comment on that. The history between James and Caryn was a tangled mess, one that even he wasn’t sure he understood fully.

Julia, still bubbling with excitement, leaned forward. “Do you know how amazing my Natalie is? That kick! I was stunned.”

Justin simply hummed as it was nothing unexpected from Natalie. Julia continued to gush about her granddaughter, while Justin, half-listening, tried to focus on his work, nodding along at the appropriate moments.

At the same time he wondered, ‘I won’t be able to return home tonight. I shall inform Natalie once Grandma is not around.’ He sighed inwardly, ‘I am going to miss the food she cooks and even sleeping in that comforting bed of hers instead of this lonely one in the suite.’