Chapter 537 Natalie, Don't Even Dream About It
"Come on, don't you think Oliver and Natalie are just sizzling together? Stunningly handsome meets breathtakingly beautiful. One, a legendary business prodigy; the other, a peerless supermodel rising star.
"Noah!" Ethan interjected, cutting off his wife. "Why are you spouting nonsense in public? They've split up, for crying out loud!"
Noah huffed indignantly, but a strong sense of self-preservation had her cautiously glancing over at Oliver.
Phew, she thought with relief, he didn't notice me!
Cadence thought, “Does Noah even realize that I was once Natalie's romantic rival?”
Ethan, a few years older than Noah, had coddled and protected his dear childhood friend all the way, and now she was even married. No easy feat.
Essentially, this event was a trip.
The wealthy spare no expense, and they had furnished fifteen high-end SUVs for the mistresses and couples, with each getting their own ride to their daily destinations. The convoy also included five additional SUVs and a minibus. Marching on the road, one thought clearly struck out: money talks!
Today's destination was an ancient city sprawling almost thirty thousand square miles, a forty-minute drive from the airport.
Natalie just happened to receive a call from Roger Wild, inviting her to a musical—a work by a high school favorite director of hers. Her quirky hobbies were a secret to most.
Although intrigued by the musical, the timing was off, and she wasn't particularly interested in... attending with Roger Wild.
Going to a musical together would set quite an intimate scene.
Natalie tactfully declined, citing a lack of time.
"Natalie, are you avoiding me?" Roger Wild's voice echoed through the phone.
"Not at all, Nathan, I genuinely have work. I'm out of Paykston for the next couple of weeks."
After hanging up, Natalie turned her attention away from the conversation in the front seat.
The driver, almost inconspicuously, glanced through the rear-view mirror, his eyes lit with the gleam of juicy gossip as he observed Natalie. “Natalie on the phone with another man, right in front of Oliver! If this scoop got out, it would be worth a fortune!”
Natalie sat in silence.
The atmosphere in the car grew increasingly awkward. Oliver pretended to rest his eyes as if he hadn't heard a word she said. However, Natalie could feel the tension around him, a palpable pressure that felt suffocating.
Oliver and Roger Wild had never seen eye to eye.
"Mr. Windsor, you've heard the ground rules of the event as well. If we work together on this, we can be out of here in a week," Natalie broached the topic, trying to strategize with Oliver.
Out of all the trust-fund kids there, fewer than five could match Oliver's smarts or capabilities. She was certain he didn't want to be part of this event any more than she did.
Oliver, feigning sleep, opened his eyes at her words. His gaze was cool and distant as it landed on Natalie.
She sensed his mood had turned even stormier.
Did she say something wrong?
"So, what, eager to leave early to see Roger Wild?" Oliver sneered.
It was not just because of this phone call. Almost every day after work, Oliver would swing by Maple Grove Estates where Natalie lived. Sometimes he'd sit in a car she didn't recognize, at other times he'd be at the restaurant, silently watching her window.
Eight times out of ten, Roger Wild could also be seen lurking around Natalie's house.
Of course, his intent was different. He wasn't sneaking peeks; he was blatantly watching. After all, his relationship with Natalie wasn't ordinary - they were husband and wife!
Bewildered, Natalie's eyes widened. She was trying to have a serious conversation. What was he mocking? Who was he angry with?
Dragged into this ridiculous event, on top of encounters with unbearable types like Susan and Sharon, her mood was already foul.
"Mr. Windsor, I'm trying to speak to you reasonably," Natalie inhaled deeply, struggling to keep her temper in check.
Oliver responded with a chilly indifference.
"Fine, if you don't cooperate, no one gets to leave!" Natalie clenched her teeth, turning her face away.
After a moment, Oliver’s gaze skimmed over Natalie nonchalantly, pretending to look elsewhere, yet his attention was entirely focused on her.
The woman was facing the window, and from his angle, he could just make out her defined profile - her elegant nose lifted, lips full and seemingly soft.
She had applied a modest touch of makeup today, her look understated, yet the moment Oliver stepped out of the car, there she was, standing alone amidst the crowd—
Isolated, yet strikingly poised and noble, her distant coolness belied by an enchanting allure, a vision of sheer beauty.
Ending it early? Don't even think about it, Natalie.
The ancient city was founded in the late 13th century and had remained unaltered since its original restoration, preserving a rustic and magnificent beauty.
The event coordinator announced, “Today's event goes like this! Couples will split up; one will enter the old city to locate treasures listed on the task sheet, while the other will stay at the café up front. There'll be a Q&A session, and correct answers will earn hints to assist your partner. The amount of treasure you find affects not just your score, but your day-to-day life as well.”
The heirs and heiresses sported disbelieving smirks.
Someone pointed towards the city gates, “This old city, with its nearly 30,000 square miles?”
“Yes,” replied the coordinator, “a vast playground makes for more fun. The venue is exclusively yours today. The city is yours and yours alone—no outside help allowed.”
The young nobility, silent, exchanged glances.
Searching through the ancient city was both mentally and physically taxing compared to the relative ease of sitting in the café, sipping tea, and answering questions.
Almost unanimously, the couples decided the women would stay at the café while the men ventured into the city; it seemed only fair, considering the men's purportedly greater endurance and the unwritten rules of chivalry.
"I'm going into the city," Natalie stated flatly to Oliver, her tone leaving no room for discussion.
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