Chapter 142 Awkward
In the soft glow of twilight, Natalie looked at him with her bright eyes.
Oliver's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes widened in surprise. He whispered with a hint of awkwardness, "You’re not asleep?"
He had waited, ensuring she was asleep before daring to return to their shared space.
Natalie, petite in stature, had to crane her neck to meet his gaze even as she lay in bed. Her gaze was gentle, and her voice was soft as she said, "I was waiting for you."
The night seemed to weave its magic, fueling Natalie’s courage and impulse as she looked at him playfully.
A stiff expression appeared on Oliver’s face before it was quickly replaced by his usual cold one before he said, “Waiting for me? Why?”
"Let’s make up," Natalie proposed, her voice soft yet firm. "I accept your apology and offer my own for impolite behavior these past days. Please forgive me."
Oliver's expression darkened; his displeasure evident.
‘Make up? Was her recent behavior just impolite? She had gone beyond that, intentionally testing our relationship… But now she apologized with such sincerity…’
Oliver could not help but feel she viewed him more as a roommate than a spouse. After a moment, he retorted, “When did I apologize?”
However, he was careful with his words, making sure he did not say anything that might provoke her. He would be distressed if she cried, after all.
"Earlier in the afternoon,” Natalie deliberately reminded him.
"That was Charles's suggestion."
"But you agreed to it," she whispered, "Apologizing is not a sign of weakness. No one will think less of you for it."
Oliver took a deep breath before he hardened his expression. Then, he looked at her lips and said, “If you don’t stop talking, I’m going to kiss you until you stop.”
Natalie instinctively covered her mouth, but she quickly lowered her hand in the next moment.
She had come to realize that physical intimacy was a natural part of marriage. If Oliver wanted to be close to her, it was only right that she tried to accept him. With this new revelation, she was determined to approach their relationship with patience and effort.
"Well then, let’s sleep," Natalie suggested, retreating under the blankets. After a pause, she added softly before turning away, “Good night.”
Oliver lay awake, pondering how he could possibly find rest with her warm presence so close. His mind wandered to thoughts of her. Seeing her relaxed posture, he realized Natalie was becoming increasingly confident around him. It should be troubling for a man like him who valued control, but he found himself not just accepting it, but also welcoming it.
In the future, Oliver would come to describe this paradox of emotions as a ‘sweet torment’.
…
The following morning, Natalie awoke to find Oliver absent. The house seemed unusually quiet.
"Young Madam, the young master left for the company early today," Liam said upon seeing her puzzled expression.
Natalie noted the time, surprised by his early departure. Concerned for his health, she asked about his breakfast. After all, he had just recovered from his stomach issues. However, she learned he had left without eating.
"However, he had leftovers from your dinner last night," Liam shared with a hint of admiration in his voice, "I’ve been serving him for twenty years. It's the first time I've seen him willing to eat reheated food. It’s all because of you."
Natalie knew Liam was speaking for Oliver again, so she said, “Liam, we’ve already made up, so there’s no need for this.”
Liam, caught in his act, simply smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed.
However, Natalie could not read Liam’s expression and wondered if she had been overthinking. After all, Liam was kind and gentle. Perhaps she had misunderstood him.
…
Determined to nurture Oliver's health, Natalie prepared a nutritious breakfast.
She thought about asking a servant to send the breakfast to Oliver when a thought crossed her mind, ‘Did Oliver leave early because of our conversation last night?’
…
The RK Group Building was as magnificent and impressive as ever.
Just like her previous experience, as soon as Natalie stepped into the lobby of the building, she was greeted by the receptionist, who asked if she needed any help.
Natalie quickly stated the purpose of her visit.
Then, the receptionist called Charles to confirm the matter.
To Natalie's surprise, Robert called her at this moment, asking her out for breakfast. Natalie was about to make an excuse to decline, but Robert immediately mentioned that it was regarding Lucas and needed to be discussed. This left Natalie with no choice but to agree.
Meanwhile, the receptionist said enviously, "Miss Watson, Mr. Charles has asked for to you go on up.”
Many people wanted to get close to Oliver, but not many people were allowed to directly deliver breakfast to him.
Natalie said apologetically, “I’m sorry. Something came up. Can you help me deliver this instead?”
"Me?"
The receptionist was thrilled. This was a golden opportunity after all.
“Of course, I’ll be glad to help!”
…
Charles, on the other hand, was taken aback. Just a few days ago, Oliver had eagerly awaited Natalie’s arrival. However, when he informed Oliver about Natalie’s arrival earlier, Oliver had asked icily, “Who told you to let her come up?”
Charles felt a shiver run down his spine, unable to comprehend the abrupt shift in Oliver’s attitude.
Just as Charles was about to apologize, Oliver suddenly asked, “Which of my suits looks better? The one I’m wearing now, or the one over there?”
‘I’m confused. Wasn’t he unhappy? Why is he concerned about his appearance now?’
Nonetheless, Charles still said, “You look dashing no matter what you wear. However, the checkered suit might be more fitting. The grey suit looks more serious.”
Oliver seemed satisfied with this response. Then, he said, "Bring her in later."
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