Married To My Billionaire Stepbrother - Chapter 90

Chapter 90: Detective Natalie

Natalie returned home after having dinner outside with Mia as both of them were starving. After what happened they didn’t have the heart to stay in that charity gala anymore.

As she stepped inside, she noticed Justin and her grandpa, Albert, still awake in the drawing room, waiting for her despite the late hour.

She cast a glance at Justin, who was casually pouring himself a glass of water, and then turned to her grandpa. “Grandpa, I thought you weren’t returning tonight.”

“I was worried after you went to that event, but now that you’re back safe, I can rest easy. I’ll head to bed now. You two should sleep early.” He stood up and headed to the bedroom, feeling drowsy due to his medicines.

Natalie nodded and watched her grandpa head to his room. She walked over to the dining table, pouring herself a glass of water as Justin set down his empty glass.

“You’re back earlier than expected,” she said casually, though her gaze lingered on him longer than usual.

“Work finished earlier than I thought,” Justin replied.

Natalie continued to stare at him, scrutinizing every detail of his face as if trying to piece together the puzzle that had been nagging her all evening.

Justin raised an eyebrow at her lingering gaze. “I know I’m irresistibly handsome, but you should be used to it by now,” he teased with his usual smugness.

Natalie almost rolled her eyes but kept her composure, finishing her glass of water.

“I have some work to do.” Justin left, leaving her staring at his retreating back.

Natalie watched his retreating figure, her mind wandering. If he wore that same trench coat… would his back look the same?

Shaking off the thought, Natalie made her way to the bedroom, where she saw Justin already engrossed in his work, his laptop open in front of him. She grabbed her clothes from the wardrobe and quietly slipped into the bathroom.

Justin tried his best to focus on his work, doing everything he could to block out the sounds of water splashing from the bathroom. The closed door didn’t make it any easier to ignore the fact that a woman—Natalie—was in there, enjoying a bath.

I’ll get used to this soon.

After a while Natalie returned and Justin kept his calm composure, but somehow he could feel her eyes on him, her gaze watching him keenly.

With a sigh, he closed his laptop and stood up. When he glanced over, he saw her reflection in the mirror, staring right at him.

“Do you have something to say to me?” he asked, his tone measured.

“Why would you think that?”

“I can feel your eyes following me.”

She turned fully to face him, a playful glint in her eye. “Or maybe it’s the feeling of a guilty conscience, like a thief who knows they’ve been caught?”

He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “I don’t have time to solve your ridiculous riddle. Say it directly.”

“Well then,” she walked towards him, and stood facing him. “Stay still.”

He offered her a questioning gaze, only to see her stand close, so close that he could smell her fresh scent from the shower. But as she said to stay still, he did anyway.

Natalie peered into his eyes, tilting her head slightly as if considering something. ‘Hmm the colour is truly different,’ but she asked, “Do you use lenses?”

“As far as I recall, my eyesight is perfect,” he replied, his voice calm and unbothered.

Her hand moved to his hair, and he watched it carefully. She pulled the strands over his forehead, scrutinizing them with the same quiet intensity. Almost the same, but the shade seems different or my eyes failed to see it right?’

“Do you colour your hair?” she asked.

“Do you see any grey hairs that need coloring?” he asked, his tone teasing.

Natalie shook her head. “No, there aren’t any.”

She felt as if he were turning the questions back on her, making her curiosity seem like an excuse to talk about himself. Irritated, she warned, “No more talk.”

And then moved both her hands in front of his face. She positioned them just beneath his eyes, just like that black mask and observed him.

I still can’t tell, she thought, sighing inwardly. Maybe I should try the dance pose and make sure if it feels excatly the same?

Pulling her hands away, she spoke more confidently this time, “Alright, hold me… Ahh!”

Before she could finish, she was pulled forward, his arm already wrapped around her waist, drawing her body firmly against his.

“What are you doing?” she gasped, pushing against his chest, but he didn’t let go, seeming to relish the closeness, the warmth of her body still fresh from the bath.

“You asked me to hold you, didn’t you?” he replied, unfazed.

“Let go of me,” she growled, her voice low and frustrated.

He released her, and she glared at him. “You should listen to everything before acting.”

“And what was the rest of it?” he asked, clearly amused.

She wanted to say, Hold me like we’re in a dance, but now… this man had completely derailed her mood.

“Never mind,” she spat out angrily and went to the bed to sleep.

With his hands moving to tuck in his pants pocket, while standing with the support of the desk behind, he chuckled inwardly, suppressing the laugh.

Without looking at him, she lay in the bed and covered herself with the blanket.

“Good night,” he said, but she didn’t reply, clearly showing her anger towards him.

He smiled turned of the lights and sat in the chair to work, leaving the table lamp on for him to work.

She sneakily opened her eyes and watched him, ‘If that man is not Justin, then who is he to act as if he knows me and even spent a fortune on me?’

—–

Meanwhile, at the Ford residence…

In the drawing room, Briena sat crying, her tears soaking her delicate features as her mother, Clara, tried to console her. “Briena, don’t be disheartened. We had no idea she had someone so powerful backing her. No wonder she’s been acting so high and mighty lately.”

“Mother, you told me it would work—that after tonight she wouldn’t have any face left to show in public,” Briena sobbed. “But instead, she stole all the attention, and I was left humiliated.”

“No, darling, you weren’t humiliated. Ivan still bid on you, not her.”

“But he left right after that!” Briena cried, her voice trembling with frustration. “He didn’t even look at me before he disappeared. I saw him going to meet Natalie… What did she say to him? Is he regretting letting her go? Does he plan on going back to her?”

“He can’t go back to her,” Clara assured confidently. “She is married and won’t divorce her husband for your grandpa’s sake. She has to stick with her poor husband as long as your grandpa is around. Moreover, Ivan’s parent will never allow him to associate himself with a woman like Natalie.”

Briena hummed and looked at her grandma, who, instead coaxing her was looking at her cellphone frequently, her expressions serious.

“Mother, are you waiting for a call?” Clara asked, noticing Briena’s curious stare.

Sephina hummed, “Though that man didn’t reveal his identity, we can know him once we get to know from where that money was transferred. Either it would be his own account or the company he owns. Someway or other will get a clue about him. Someone from event organisers will call me to give that information.”

“That’s a great thought mother,” Clara praised, “I also want to know which rich sugar daddy that girl has found himself. Briena felt the same.

Just then a cellphone rang and three of their faces lit up. Finally time to find out the identity of that mysterious man.