Chapter 810 He Admitted He Regretted It!
Clayton had called countless times, but Natalie never picked up.
She had no reason to.
Other divorced couples might have a kid to co-parent, but she and Clayton had nothing.
When Haven was still in her belly, Clayton's affection and the handmade toys he crafted were all shattered by the words, "She's not my biological child."
Their divorce was clean and final.
Yet, those calls still got under her skin.
Natalie decided to turn off her phone.
As her slender fingers released the device, she watched the screen go black, and only then did her mood begin to calm.
Looking up, she saw Haven playing happily. When Haven noticed Natalie, she ran over, stumbling in her excitement.
Haven was joyful, her little mouth grinning, revealing two prominent dimples.
Oddly enough, those dimples didn't resemble Grant's or Natalie's; they were more like Clayton's.
Haven ran up, her forehead sweaty.
Natalie wiped her down with a towel.
Selene picked up a small ball and walked over, smiling. "Ms. Devereux, I'll take Haven for a bath. Mila Webb is already preparing dinner, and it's all Haven's favorite dishes!"
Natalie stroked Haven's face.
Haven nuzzled against Natalie.
She had grown up by Natalie's side and hadn't started school yet, so she had no concept of a father.
Besides, everyone in the family doted on her, so Haven was always happy.
Natalie patted her, sending her off to bathe.
Once Haven left, Natalie lost the desire to paint. She wrapped her shawl around her and decided to take a walk in the garden.
But she had barely made it halfway around when she saw someone outside the gate.
A white BMW was parked outside, and Clayton stood beside it.
He watched her quietly. She didn't know how long he had been standing there. Natalie blinked and walked over, separated from him by a black wrought-iron gate.
They stared at each other for a moment before she asked calmly, "Why are you here?"
"Grant is engaged! You knew all along, didn't you? You never planned to be with him?"
Natalie's heart ached at his words.
It took her a while to respond in a calm tone, "Clayton, you seem to forget that when you asked for a separation, I was still your legal wife! Whoever Grant is with, whoever he gets engaged to, has nothing to do with me. Do I need to report to you and beg you to stay with me?"
"I told you before, our situation has nothing to do with Grant. It was you who thought Haven wasn't your child and that I should be with Grant for my own good."
Clayton stared at her intently.
Natalie felt she had said everything that needed to be said. She lowered her voice, "You should go. We're done."
She turned to leave, and behind her, Clayton's voice came, "You don't love him anymore, right?"
There was a hint of joy in his tone.
Natalie paused.
But she didn't turn around. She spoke softly, "What I think, who I love or don't love, is none of your concern. Clayton, Gina was enough to sever all feelings between us."
With that, she walked away.
Clayton didn't leave. He continued to stand there.
He watched Natalie walk towards the villa. He saw a cute little girl, who should have been named Haven Percy, run out. He saw Natalie pick up Haven and kiss her.
He saw that Natalie seemed to be crying.
He saw Haven kiss Natalie's face...
From start to finish, Natalie never turned back, never looked at him again.
Perhaps, from the moment he decided to leave her, from the moment she knew about Gina, she had never planned to look back.
Just as she said, Grant was never important.
Clayton, he was the one who mattered!
Clayton lowered his head and pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, something he wasn't used to smoking.
But he lit it anyway.
He took a deep drag, the smoke burning his lungs, bringing a trace of pain.
But only this pain could prove he was still alive.
With the cigarette between his long fingers, he paced back and forth before finally standing still.
Clayton admitted to himself that he regretted it.
But Natalie never gave him a chance.
She didn't answer his calls, didn't see him. Even when he asked Molly to intervene, she refused.
In a café.
Molly stirred her coffee quietly, her voice soft. "Clayton, I couldn't bear to see her waiting hopelessly, so I gave her the key."
"I thought you'd soften when you saw her, that you'd change your mind. But Clayton, I never expected things to end up like this."
Clayton leaned against the booth silently.
Molly's voice trembled slightly. "I feel guilty, but Gavin said it's for the best for Natalie. He said we couldn't let her wait hopelessly forever; that would be even more selfish."
Clayton knew her personality.
These past six months, Molly probably hadn't had it easy either.
He leaned forward, getting straight to the point. "I need to see Natalie."
Molly hesitated. On one hand, she was concerned about Natalie's feelings; on the other, she feared Gavin's reaction.
In their marriage, Gavin was always the one in charge, and Molly rarely had to think for herself.
When she did show some initiative, Gavin would often put her back in her place.
Molly didn't understand why a man like Gavin, who seemed to want an equal partner, preferred someone like her.
Or maybe he just liked women who were a bit dim?
She got lost in her thoughts, clearly thinking about Gavin. This made Clayton both envious and reflective.
He and Natalie had once been like that. But why did he want to see Natalie now?
To reconcile?
He wasn't even sure himself.
Molly still didn't dare agree. When she left, Gavin had just arrived to pick her up from work.
But Molly felt he was there to keep an eye on her.
So, when she got in the car, she felt a bit guilty.
In September, Gavin had taken off his jacket, wearing just a white shirt and black pants, looking as handsome as ever.
As he started the car, he glanced at Molly.
"What did you talk about with Clayton?"
Molly mustered the courage to retort, "If you wanted to know, why didn't you go in and ask him yourself?"
Gavin focused on the road ahead, smiling silently.
After a moment, he said slowly, "He's divorced from Natalie. Why would I want to keep in touch with him? Now, tell me, what did you talk about?"
Molly knew his personality well. After a brief struggle, she confessed, "He wants to see Natalie."
She expected Gavin to be angry.
But Gavin just glanced at her and smiled. "That's no big deal. Can't you arrange that as her sister-in-law? Isn't there a family gathering this weekend? Invite him, the ex-son-in-law, to join us!"
Molly thought he was joking, but Gavin pinched her cheek. "I'm serious."
Molly was skeptical.
Gavin handed her phone to her. "Text your former agent Clayton now and invite him."
Molly had no choice but to comply.
After sending the message, she regretted it, feeling like she had fallen into Gavin's trap.
She was puzzled, wondering how, after all these years of marriage, she still couldn't figure out what Gavin was thinking.
As she voiced her doubts, Gavin's car came to a stop.
He turned his head and chuckled softly, "In the dark, you always know what I'm thinking, don't you?"
Molly blushed and fell silent.
The weekend arrived in no time.
The Devereux Mansion was bustling.
Almost all the family members were there, along with their children, totaling more than twenty people, all gathered in the large garden for a barbecue.
The men were busy with the grill, discussing business.
The children played together.
The women gathered to chat about gossip, scandals, and fashion. Since they were all family, the conversation was open.
At five in the evening, a car horn sounded at the gate.
Gavin looked up and said calmly, "Clayton's here!"
As he moved, Johnny knew what he was thinking and asked casually, "Do you have business dealings with him lately?"
Gavin adjusted his shirt cuffs, smiling insincerely. "Actually, yes!"
He even helped Johnny adjust his shirt, saying, "I've been learning from you since I was a kid. What you know, I know too!"
Johnny looked down, speaking slowly, "Hands off! Lola is very possessive."
Gavin loosened Johnny's shirt collar a bit.
Inside, there was a faint lipstick mark, clearly left by someone.
He let go of Johnny and turned to see Clayton approaching.
As he arrived, he saw the Devereux and Hawkins men standing together.
Johnny, Kingsley, and Gavin were all there, and even Landon had been invited.
Thankfully, Grant wasn't there!
Gavin adjusted his cufflinks, still smiling insincerely. "I wanted to invite Mr. McCall, but considering he's just engaged and in the honeymoon phase, it didn't seem appropriate to disturb him."
"Then I thought, Mr. Percy has some free time. Why didn't you bring your pretty secretary? You've been together for years. When will you make it official?"
His words were full of sarcasm.
Molly finally understood his intention.
He had invited Clayton to humiliate him, probably having been annoyed with him for a long time.
She wanted to intervene but didn't dare.
Natalie, however, said calmly, "I'm fine. We're all in Seattle. If not today, we'll eventually meet someday."
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