Chapter 653 Good Morning, Mrs. Windsor
"I'm not in the mood for dinner!"
"Wait a minute!" Natalie hastily interjected, "I bought some lobster; I planned to make lobster rolls for you. And beef, we can have a hearty stew."
These were Oliver's favorites, but Natalie rarely cooked them because they were considered rich and spicy, not ideal for someone with a delicate stomach.
She sensed a shift in Oliver's eyes, hopeful as she asked, "Shall we have dinner first?"
For a fleeting second, Oliver wavered.
Just one second.
He smiled, a crooked grin spreading across his face, and gently patted Natalie's cheek. "Nice try. I think you can outsmart me. Do you take me for a fool?"
Some things are inevitable.
And some never change.
Oliver was particularly spirited in the living room, although his enthusiasm was just as strong in the bedroom. He persisted, wanting to take her again on the living room couch.
Seeing no escape and not wanting to reject him, Natalie seized the opportunity to ask, "Then tell me, what are you and Lucas keeping from me?"
Oliver mentally noted the list of things he hadn't disclosed.
"Lucas is dating someone," he said, opting to keep Lucas's involvement with the core of the Wells family a secret.
Natalie paused for a few seconds before it sank in, scrutinizing Oliver's expression to be sure he wasn't teasing. Incredulous, she asked, "When did this happen? How do you know? And with whom?"
"Not too long ago, about a month back," Oliver replied.
"How did you find out?" Natalie was frantic, asking, "Why are you only answering one?"
"I'm just smart," Oliver quipped with a slight smirk as if to say, "You don't know because you're naive."
Naive, indeed. If only Natalie hadn't trusted Lucas so blindly and hadn't been so sure Lucas and Lilian were impossible, she wouldn't have been left in the dark.
"Who's the girl? Have you met her?" Now preceding her irritation at being called naive, Natalie pondered for a moment before asking, "Is she a college friend of Lucas?"
College friends were the likeliest possibility.
Oliver shot Natalie an incredulous glance, his mind churning. Why on Earth was she now fishing around their old college pals? Hadn't she once harbored doubts about Lucas and Lilian, too?
"Why the silent treatment?" Natalie grasped Oliver's hand, urging a response.
"It's not like she's my girlfriend. How would I know?" Oliver gave Natalie a playful swat, then kissed her, adding, "Careful, Nat. Lack of focus will have you regretting it later."
Natalie glared at him, her cheeks puffing up in mock indignation.
In the wee hours, Oliver taught Natalie exactly what he meant by 'regrets for not paying attention.'
The following morning, ready to leave for work, Oliver neatly tucked Natalie's hand, which had slipped from the covers, back under the warm blanket.
Almost instinctively, Natalie withdrew her hand, burrowing deeper into the bedding. Still groggy, she mumbled, "Oliver, stop it," her voice tinged with the strains of a whine.
Oliver paused, pondering if he had been too rough the night before.
After two seconds, he dismissed the thought without a hint of doubt.
With early summer bringing warmer days, Oliver wanted to adjust the thermostat for the perfect indoor climate. He wanted Natalie to remain cozy even without a blanket. After searching futilely for the control panel, he realized they were at Maple Villa, not his Rosewood Estate, and lamented the villa's lack of such amenities.
"Sir, you have an executive meeting in forty minutes, lunch with Mike at noon, and a video conference with the European division president in the afternoon. The project A proposal and the finance department's reports are due today," Charles informed him seamlessly as he waited downstairs.
After getting into the car, Oliver nodded and directed the driver to a nearby flower shop.
Charles cast a curious glance at his boss.
The florist, still setting up for the day, noted of Oliver's distinguished attire, and Charles, who stood by in a tailored suit, said, "Sir, are you in a hurry? We've only just opened and need a few moments to set up. It'll be about a fifteen-minute wait."
"No rush. Just make it a nice bouquet," Oliver requested, admiring the shop's fresh blooms.
With a quizzical look, Charles asked, "Sir, might I ask who the flowers are for?" He knew that there were no occasions requiring flowers that day, and if there were, the secretarial team had it covered.
"For Natalie," Oliver replied, having secured the florist's go-ahead and bent to handpick flowers for Natalie's bouquet.
Charles fell silent.
He hesitated for a moment, duty-bound to remind, "Sir, it's a half-hour drive to the office. You might be cutting it close."
It wasn't a matter of might. He was going to be late.
Had he really woken up this early just to spend twenty minutes waiting for flowers?
"I'm the boss," Oliver responded nonchalantly.
He was the boss. It was no big deal if he was late. Who was going to reprimand him or dock his pay?
Charles thought to himself, "He should've realized this sooner. Ever since Mrs. Windsor came into his life, he hasn't been all too concerned with punctuality."
After twenty minutes of back-and-forth, the bouquet was finally perfect.
"Are these for your girlfriend? If you're busy with work, we can deliver them to her office," the florist said with a smile.
"No need," replied Oliver.
He paused, then added, "They're for Mrs. Windsor. She's still asleep."
The florist let out a knowing chuckle. This handsome man, who seemed so aloof, made a special mention of his Mrs. Windsor. And the mention of her stirred a subtle smile from the depths of his usually undisturbed eyes.
He must love his Mrs. Windsor.
"Mrs. Windsor is lucky to have a husband who loves her so much!"
Oliver glanced at the florist and said, "She is the good one."
It wasn't until the man who could easily be mistaken for a film star left that the florist realized that familiar, as if seen on TV or in a magazine before.
But for his life, the florist couldn't recall which handsome married star he was thinking of.
Natalie was a heavy sleeper, yet her biological clock was well-tuned. Even in deep slumber, she would stir at the usual time.
Half-asleep, she felt a kiss on her forehead.
Once fully awake, her eyes were greeted with a massive bouquet of Edelweiss perched on the bedside.
The blooms seemed exceptionally delicate and tender under her gaze.
Her heart skipped a beat, instantly guessing they were from Oliver.
But why would he send her flowers?
Natalie sat up, propping herself with her elbows, and spotted a small card tucked among the flowers.
It read, "Good morning, Mrs. Windsor."
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