Chapter 306 His Attempt at Pleasing
Oliver found it amazing that he managed to eat calmly, without changing his expression.
Natalie occasionally stole glances at Oliver. Although he was expressionless, he was chewing very slowly, clearly showing his aversion to the food. Deep inside, she felt a little complicated. There was a peculiar mix of satisfaction and sympathy in her heart.
She rarely acted so capriciously. Her initial intent was to anger Oliver with her cooking. She expected him to lose his temper and leave. She did not expect him to obediently finish his meal at all.
‘What’s happening? Did this picky man change his way?’
As dinner neared its conclusion, Oliver received a call from the office. He quickly finished his meal and retreated to his study.
"Are you still upset with Oliver?" Liam asked with a smile. He acted as though he did not help Oliver lie to her earlier and continued to speak to her in his customary friendly manner. He continued to probe, asking, "Is it because of Susan?"
Natalie was taken aback that Liam hit the nail on the head.
Liam knew he was right after seeing Natalie’s reaction. He said, “It’s not my place to meddle in the affairs between you and Oliver, and I also won’t say much about his relationship with Susan. However, you likely don’t know that shortly before your arrival, he ordered for all the Rolls-Royces to be removed from the garage."
"Why would he do that?" Natalie's surprise was palpable.
"An old man like me can’t understand the thoughts of young people,” Liam replied with a shrug, “However, I have a feeling it has something to do with you.”
At this time, Natalie recalled that she had mentioned to Charles that the Rolls-Royce Phantom made her uncomfortable. She really did not like the car. It reminded her that Susan had been in it. Nonetheless, her comment to Charles earlier had been off-handed. She did not expect Oliver to react in such a way.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom was his vehicle of choice for work, and he had grown quite accustomed to it. She wondered if a mere comment from her could really lead to such a drastic decision from him.
…
Natalie’s feelings were still in turmoil when she went upstairs. When she arrived at the hallway, she was taken aback. Natalie ascended to her bedroom and halted in the hallway, taken aback when she opened the door to the master bedroom.
She was astonished to discover that the master bedroom, once characterized by its gothic and somber decor, now had a semi-translucent hanging chair.
The chair was adorned with soft pink cushions, resting atop a plush carpet that mimicked a starry night sky. To the left stood a verdant indoor plant, while to the right, a small table was positioned perfectly to hold a cup of coffee and a book.
Strategically placed in front of the French windows, the chair offered a stunning view of the lake and the sunrise.
This cozy and feminine touch starkly contrasted with the room's previously mysterious and detached ambiance.
Natalie was bewildered.
‘How did this happen? Can Oliver stand it?’
Natalie's thoughts raced to the possibility of Susan attempting to assert her presence here!
Oliver, who had left his study door ajar earlier, approached upon hearing footsteps. He found Natalie with a shocked expression on her face, devoid of any joy. He looked at the hanging chair and said, “I knew the chair was ridiculous. I tried to tell Lilian that, but she was convinced you’d like it.”
Natalie's confusion deepened. "Lilian?"
‘Was it not Susan?’
"Who did you think it was?” Oliver asked as he summoned someone to remove the chair.
He would never admit to Natalie that he had asked for Isaac’s advice on how to please women. Isaac had advised him to buy something, and he had subsequently asked for Lilian’s help. In the end, the naive Lilian selected the chair. Of course, he had not disclosed to Isaac and Lilian his intention to coax Natalie.
"Wait!"
Natalie stopped Oliver, saying, “I like the chair. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to keep it.”
She had long wanted a chair in front of the French window, to bask in the view at her leisure!
Oliver's initial reaction of scorn momentarily gave way to astonishment, and then a trace of relief. It was good that she liked the chair. Nothing mattered as long as she was happy.
He then dismissed the servant with a subtle gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.
Natalie eagerly tested the chair, finding its design perfectly contoured to the human body, offering exceptional comfort.
"Please thank Lilian for me," Natalie said, her spirits visibly lifted as she smiled at Oliver, "Also, thank you."
However, he could tell she was still slightly upset. After a moment, he said, “Follow me.”
“Where?” Natalie was curious.
"To the garage."
…
This was Natalie's first visit to Oliver's private garage.
She was greeted by a two-story structure housing an extensive collection of high-end luxury vehicles, including several that were limited edition and unique.
Natalie was astounded; it was akin to entering an automobile exhibition!
The garage's upper level showcased standard sedans alongside roughly ten sports cars and ten off-road vehicles.
Natalie soon realized there was not a single Rolls-Royce among them, and she recalled Liam’s earlier comment, which made her feel complicated.
Descending to the lower level, Natalie discovered an even more prestigious collection of vehicles.
She saw everything from a Jaguar XKSS and Lord Montbatten's Mini Traveller to Winston Churchill's Austin, a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, and even limited-edition Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
A Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, worth at least 40 million, stood among them, all displayed on pristine white platforms, transforming the space into a veritable museum of luxury automobiles.
"Are all of these yours?" Natalie asked, immediately feeling foolish about the question. Obviously, if they were his. Otherwise, they would not be housed in his garage.
"Why did you buy so many cars?"
"For display," Oliver responded nonchalantly. Sensing Natalie's curiosity, he elaborated, "I wanted to collect something to occupy my time. Antiques are too delicate, red wine is consumable, and luxury items are boring to me. Ultimately, cars became my collection of choice."
"Come with me," Oliver said, leading her by the hand around a corner.
As Natalie observed their intertwined hands, she momentarily paused. All of a sudden, she felt like laughing.
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