Chapter530 Calling Oliver
"Madam Windsor, please make yourself comfortable. I'll go put these away," Natalie said as she opened the door, graciously letting the elder woman enter first. "My place is a bit small. I hope you won't mind."
After Natalie had finished storing the groceries in their rightful places, Marjorie took a quick look around the room. Clean and tidy, it wasn't the chaotic mess often found in the apartments of many young ladies nowadays.
Just a little on the small side.
She couldn't help but blame Oliver for not having the sense to provide a bigger place for his wife to live in.
When Natalie returned with some fruit, Marjorie was examining a painting on the wall.
"This is quite well done!" she commented with a nod of approval.
Natalie, who had been a bit nervous, smiled and replied, "Thank you for the compliment, Madam Windsor. It's just a little hobby of mine, I wouldn't dare to show off in front of you."
Marjorie's prowess in painting was well-known, and her reputation as a well-cultured lady in her younger days was not unwarranted. She felt a hint of pride after receiving the compliment but remained modest, not elaborating on the topic of painting.
However, she thought to herself that despite the evident lack of professional technique, the painting revealed natural talent and vibrancy.
As Natalie moved about, Marjorie stealthily observed her legs and was surprised to find Natalie walking quite normally.
Despite the naysayers flinging mud from the sidelines, she's cruising through life with grace. Things are going well for her health, her spirits, everything!
Just wait until she proves all those critics wrong!
Natalie carried a glass of water over to Marjorie, only to catch a glimpse of the smug, almost triumphant look on the old lady's face directed at her.
"Why don't you give your family a call, Madam Windsor? Have them come pick you up?" Natalie suggested, pushing down the confusion bubbling inside.
"I'm old, dear. I don't remember phone numbers anymore," Marjorie replied casually, turning away. "Since you know me, you must know my family's contact, right? You make the call. You help me out."
Silence fell. Natalie thought to herself, your 'family' is... Oliver, isn't it?
The last time Natalie and Oliver crossed paths, things ended on a sour note. How could she possibly ring him up?
When Marjorie noticed Natalie's reluctance, she didn't get upset. She put on a show of innocence and asked, "And what might your name be, young lady? I never did ask."
"It's Natalie. We've met before, remember?" Natalie sighed internally at the introduction she found herself giving.
"Natalie, huh? That sounds familiar."
Natalie waited, hopeful.
"Ah, memory isn't what it used to be at my age," lamented Marjorie, seated comfortably on the sofa. "Natalie, I'm a little hungry. Can you cook?"
Natalie was speechless.
"Sure, I can cook, but it seems you didn’t just randomly seek me out and you want me to cater to you as well?"
That appeared to be Marjorie's expectation, so with a sense of resignation, Natalie made her way to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
Marjorie stood at the kitchen entrance, watching Natalie's bustling with enthusiasm, and asked, "Natalie, are you married?"
"Madam Windsor, I recently got divorced," Natalie answered softly.
"If my grandson wasn't already in a relationship, I would have introduced you two," Marjorie mused aloud.
Confusion clouded Natalie's mind, a swarm of question marks buzzing in her head. "Your grandson is Oliver, right? Did Oliver not tell you about the divorce?"
Natalie harbored a sea of doubts but biting her tongue, she was hesitant to expose the truth, fearing she might not take the revelation well. After all, she was no longer part of the Windsor family and questioned her own authority in delivering such news to the elderly woman.
Watching Natalie's reactions closely, Marjorie couldn't help but let a sly smile slip—this girl sure could keep her cool. Raised with strict discipline in her early years, Marjorie still adhered to the old customs of not speaking while eating or sleeping.
After finishing their meal, Natalie ventured into the heart of the matter. "Madam Windsor, why were you outside our neighborhood before? I didn't hit you with my car. We can check the security cameras if needed." Her tone was gentle, dealing with Madam Windsor as if she were a petulant child.
Mejorie was taken aback—at no point had she considered the existence of surveillance footage! "I...," she sighed, "I was just bored and went out to look for my grandson's wife."
Natalie was wordless.
"Look at me, Natalie, a woman well into her eighties. I flew all this way just to catch a glimpse of my grandson's wife, only to find out upon my return that she's gone! She didn't even want to see an old lady like me. Isn't that sorrowful?"
"Madam Windsor, have you ever considered that maybe... maybe she didn't run away, but there's another reason?" Natalie attempted reasoning.
"Like what reason?"
"Like—" She faltered on the verge of revealing the divorce, but Natalie didn't.
So, Natalie decided to shift away from the subject.
"Dinner's over, and you seem to be feeling fine. Shouldn't someone from your family come pick you up?"
Now, Natalie deeply regretted deleting Liam's contact after leaving the Windsor family—if only she could reach out to him directly!
"Madam Windsor, let me dial your grandson for you on your cell, alright? He can come and pick you up."
"No way! I'm not giving you my phone." Marjorie eyed Natalie with wary suspicion, as if she were sizing up a con artist.
"Madam Windsor, you weren't this cautious when you were coming to my place," Natalie remarked, her patience wearing thin.
Despite Natalie's pressing gaze, Marjorie refused to part with her phone, skillfully avoiding confrontation and ignoring Natalie's pointed question.
Natalie desperately wanted to avoid reaching out to Oliver. The standoff dragged on until late into the afternoon.
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