Chapter 209 Brother's Gift
The door to the office was ajar, leaving a narrow opening that allowed Natalie to glimpse the scene inside.
Oliver was reprimanding someone at this moment.
The marketing department manager, a man in his fifties, stood with his head bowed before the desk.
Oliver's words were few but cutting. Each sentence sharply criticized the proposal submitted by the marketing department manager, dismissing it as inadequate.
Natalie gulped, wondering if she had chosen an inopportune time to visit. Was Oliver in a foul mood? Would she be putting herself in the line of fire if she went in now? Just as she decided to withdraw, she caught the attention of the person inside.
"Come in!"
The voice, laden with anger and iciness, was something Natalie had not heard from Oliver for quite some time. Though Oliver often appeared displeased, he seldom showed that side toward her.
The atmosphere seemed more daunting than usual, far from the less intimidating encounters where she felt emboldened to engage him more freely. It resembled a battlefield.
Mistaking her for his secretary initially, Oliver quickly adjusted his mood upon recognizing her.
Natalie entered, carrying a lunch box in her right hand and a small paper bag in her left, and gently opened the door.
"I've brought you lunch."
In the presence of other executives, Natalie was very polite, mindful of the potential impact on him. However, with Oliver's already formidable presence, she doubted such a small thing would significantly affect his standing.
Oliver, momentarily setting aside his ire, informed the marketing department head, “You have two more days.”
"Yes, thank you, Mr. Windsor!"
The manager quickly exited, taking the document with him, and nodded in gratitude to Natalie before departing.
"Why are you here?" Oliver inquired, his expression still stern.
"I brought you lunch," Natalie replied, moving toward the small dining area to set down the food box. Her casual tone contrasted sharply with Oliver's previously severe demeanor.
Oliver cleared his desk and approached; his attention was immediately drawn to the small paper bag.
"What is this?"
Natalie, after a brief hesitation, presented the bag to him. "It's for you. I bought it."
Oliver's expression subtly shifted, a brief hint of joy crossing his features.
The paper bag contained a beautifully wrapped gift box; it was blue and had gold embossed designs. A pair of amber Armani cufflinks lay inside. Their design was meticulous and refined, a testament to luxury despite not being the pinnacle of opulence.
Natalie remarked, somewhat apologetically, "You know I don’t have much money, so these cufflinks aren’t expensive. They might not meet your expectations, but I hope you'll like them regardless."
What Natalie truly meant was that she could not afford to spend tens of thousands or millions of dollars, but she hoped the gesture would be meaningful. She watched Oliver closely as he examined the cufflinks, which seemed even smaller in his hands. She could not gauge his reaction, worried he might find the gift lacking.
"Who said they don’t meet my expectations?" Oliver looked up and asked.
Upon hearing this, Natalie's anxiety gave way to a smile of relief.
"Would you help me put them on?" he asked, handing her the cufflinks while removing his own with a swift motion.
Oliver's request reminded Natalie of a child eager to wear new clothes immediately.
Despite never having fastened cufflinks for anyone before, Natalie undertook the task, her initial attempts awkward but eventually successful.
Seeing that Oliver’s frown had eased, she sighed in relief inwardly. “Alright. You should eat before the food cools…”
‘Could a simple cufflink truly make him happy? Is the solution so straightforward? Did Jamie hit the nail on the head? However, he did not seem to like the cufflinks very much…’
Oliver began to eat, acting as though he did not change his cufflinks at all.
…
Although Natalie had already eaten, Oliver insisted on sharing his meal with her, resulting in her leaving the office feeling unexpectedly full.
"Did his mood improve?” Jamie asked during the journey back.
"It seems like it did, but I’m not sure he likes my gift,” Natalie responded, her tone reflecting her confusion.
Having seen Oliver's extensive collection of cufflinks, ranging from limited editions to designer exclusives, Natalie knew her gift was modest in comparison. However, the immediate joy of seeing him wear them was undeniable.
Even so, she questioned herself, noting that Oliver did not seem to pay much attention to them after putting them on.
…
Meanwhile, Oliver, who had seemingly disregarded the cufflinks, was now in his office, admiring them intently. The more he looked, the more he liked them.
At this time, Charles, entering to discuss work, waited as Oliver continued to admire his new accessory, a sight unimaginable a few months prior.
…
In the days that followed, Oliver consistently chose those particular cufflinks for every outfit, with Natalie tasked with putting them on each time.
Natalie's initial amusement evolved into confusion, wondering if Oliver was hinting that he wanted to send him more gifts.
Shaking off such bizarre thoughts, Natalie refocused as the Rolls-Royce Phantom neared the estate. At this time, she and Oliver were in the car.
Jamie, noticing a commotion at the security checkpoint, informed Oliver, who was napping, "Sir, it seems like you have a visitor."
Given Oliver's prominence since the engagement party, this was not surprising. What was surprising was that the visitor was… Hailey.
“Sir, it’s Hailey. Should we stop to investigate?” Jamie asked. He knew Natalie and Hailey did not get along, so he wondered about the purpose of Hailey’s visit.
Oliver, without opening his eyes, dismissed the idea with a terse, "No."
Hailey, having waited all afternoon for Oliver, recognized his car. She could only watch as the car drove past.
“Oliver! Oliver, I’ve been looking for you! I need to see you!”
The car's soundproofing was very good, and despite Hailey’s loud voice, they were not affected at all.
Seeing that Oliver did not have the intention to stop, the security guards pulled Hailey to the side.
"Release me! I'm Natalie's sister! How dare you treat me this way?" Hailey protested vehemently. She completely disregarded her image, determined to see Oliver today.
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