Chapter 658 Sowing Seeds of a Wandering Heart!
Natalie and Emily Reed exchanged a puzzled look, finally catching wind of who this mysterious 'he' was from the buzz in the crowd.
"Who's arrived that's got everyone so worked up?" someone in the crowd asked, clearly out of the loop.
"Mr. Windsor!"
"Can't be a mistake, why is he here? Doesn't he know Natalie's around? Wouldn't he be uncomfortable seeing his ex-wife?"
"He probably doesn't care about Natalie at all."
Natalie blinked and gave Emily Reed a resigned look. "Is our relationship really seen as that contentious to outsiders?"
Emily Reed raised an eyebrow. "You're only realizing this now?"
Ex-spouses meeting up - how many can genuinely get along? If they were still friends, wouldn't they at least exchange greetings?
To the public eye, Oliver and Natalie were the epitome of a bitterly estranged couple, the poster children for resentment post-breakup.
When that all-too-familiar man entered the conservatory, he barely had time to sigh before a crowd gathered around him to applaud him.
The man wore a simple suit, his hair not styled, looking as though he'd just stopped by for a casual stroll, yet wherever he went became his territory.
Despite the crowd, Oliver's gaze found Natalie in an instant. His eyes lingered for less than a second before he turned away, continuing his conversation with the event's beaming host. Oliver's presence was an honor for both the man and the event.
To onlookers, it might as well have appeared that Oliver hadn't even seen Natalie or, even if he did, didn't bother to acknowledge her.
No one could fathom why Oliver had shown up out of the blue, but one thing was crystal clear: Oliver had lost all interest in Natalie.
Not even hatred or disgust – his indifference toward Natalie, as if she were a mere passerby, was telling of his lack of concern.
At times like these, people selectively forgot how tenderly Oliver had once cared for Natalie, preferring instead to watch the drama unfold.
Only Natalie knew the depth of emotion behind that fleetingly sharp gaze Oliver had thrown her way.
Like a wolf king lying in wait, finally spotting his prey, he was not in a hurry to pounce. He relished the thrill of letting his quarry sense the impending danger.
And Natalie was that prey.
Suddenly, she had an unsettling hunch – her spur-of-the-moment decision to attend the event must have upset Oliver. Lately, he had been coming home early, preferring to return some of his work to their cozy Maple Villa apartment.
Perhaps he had planned on returning early today as well, and she had stood him up.
Natalie's gaze drifted towards Oliver, who stood not far away. She knew with his keen awareness, it wouldn't take long for him to notice her watching.
Sure enough, within a mere two seconds, Oliver glanced her way.
After exchanging a brief look with him, Natalie walked toward the outdoor fountain garden, anticipating that Oliver would follow.
Emily Reed, taking the hint, mingled with other friends nearby.
As Natalie made her way to the fountain garden, she overheard a hushed conversation,
"Look at Natalie, still pining after Oliver, eyes glued to him."
"I know, right? Mr. Windsor doesn't care about her at all. She’s his ex-wife and she's still making a fool of herself!"
Natalie remained silent.
Suddenly, she felt a guilty pleasure in deceiving the public – guilty yet thrilled at the thought of their shocked faces once they discovered she and Oliver were actually fine and still together.
"Miss Watson!"
It wasn't Oliver who approached Natalie, but a man unknown to her.
He was not entirely unknown; she felt she had seen him somewhere.
He was close to six feet tall, of average build, in his thirties, and had styled himself specifically for the event, exuding a mature, settled vibe.
"Hello," Natalie said with a polite smile, trying to place who this man was – she knew she had seen him before but couldn't recall at the moment.
"Don't you remember me, Miss Watson? I'm Johnson."
Recognition dawned on Natalie – Johnson Green had embarrassingly declared his feelings for her in public!
"You look quite different; I didn't recognize you. My apologies." Natalie subtly took a step back to increase the distance between them.
The Johnson she remembered was the epitome of middle-aged spread – potbellied. But now he had slimmed down to thirty pounds, looked far more spirited, and seemingly younger. He must have been taking good care of himself these past months, the youthful handsomeness of his earlier days showing through.
"Miss Watson, please don't be alarmed. I mean no harm," Johnson said, noticing Natalie's backward step and flashing an apologetic smile. "I'm really sorry about my drunken proposal and declaration in front of everyone that day. I didn't mean to trouble you."
Natalie was at a loss for words.
With sincerity, Johnson added, "You’re my goddess!"
"Miss Watson, I genuinely admire you. I mean it when I say I want to take care of you for life, to see you happy," Johnson said, his voice tinged with a sad smile. "But you're so radiant, so flawless now, I wouldn't dare ask for anything more. To me, you're a goddess, and only when a goddess falls can a mere mortal like me even dream of reaching out. Let's forget it – if I were ten years younger, I'd chase after you with no regrets!"
He took a deep breath and continued, "Congratulations on returning to the stage, Miss Watson. I'm truly happy for you! I wanted to buy that dress for you as a gift, but alas, my means are limited."
Johnson's lack of the capital to compete with a man like Oliver weighed heavily on him.
Natalie's thoughts drifted to Susan's comments about Johnson losing weight for her – something she hadn't taken seriously before. But now, seeing the thinner Johnson, she felt a pang of guilt and something else, some strange stirrings in her heart.
"I'm sorry, Johnson," Natalie managed, her voice heavy with regret. "I'm already fond of someone else."
"Is that Oliver?" By catching Natalie's gaze lingering on Oliver, Johnson's guess was confirmed earlier.
She nodded in affirmation.
"Forgive my frankness, Miss Watson," Johnson pressed on, "but Mr. Windsor isn't the right man to trust your heart with. You're an exceptional woman; many outstanding men would love you deeply. You don't need to fixate on Oliver, especially since Mr. Windsor is notoriously cold and indifferent. Remember, if you ever need anything, I'm here for you, ready to help with whatever I can."
Having extricated himself from the crowd in the banquet hall, Oliver caught the entire heartfelt exchange.
He even heard this stranger bad-mouthing him, trying to turn his wife against him, urging her to change her heart!
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