Chapter 703 You Are Enough for Me
"By the way, will anyone else come to pay their respects tomorrow?" Natalie hadn't seen anyone else today and wasn't sure if it was because Oliver didn't allow it or if others hadn't heard the news.
"No,” he replied.
Some people only deserve to go alone.
Convinced that Oliver wasn't too heartbroken, Natalie quickly fell asleep with peace of mind.
The day had been exhaustingly long; she was already lacking sleep from the night before, had played with the kids all day, and had been tense all evening. There was no way she wasn't exhausted.
As the woman in his arms began breathing rhythmically, deeply, and evenly, Oliver's arm around her tightened ever so slightly, and he gently kissed the top of Natalie's head.
"Thank you, baby," he uttered with deep appreciation. "You are enough for me."
Observant and considerate, precious lady.
"So, baby, don't leave me," he said.
Listening closely, one could detect the obsessive undertone in the man's deep, rich voice.
Early one morning at 4 AM, the elderly butler led the funeral procession for Henry, proceeding from the mortuary to the crematorium and then directly to the Windsor Group family plot for burial.
Had Henry had his way, he surely would have chosen to be interred alongside his first love. Regrettably, the choice was never his to make.
His final resting place had been decided long before, next to Melissa in what was designed as a joint grave for spouses. He did not even have the privilege of entering the grounds of the Windsor family cemetery.
Such was the irony of his fate.
At seven in the morning, Marjorie, Arthur, Oliver, and his spouse gathered for breakfast in the old mansion before parting ways. Arthur departed for his home in Paykston, while Marjorie, who had been staying with her eldest grandchild, decided to stay with her younger grandchild for a period to help maintain harmony between them. She even asked Arthur to bring Tina over for a visit.
"Just so we're clear, I'm not trying to use the child to tie down Natalie," Marjorie declared to Natalie as if to preempt any misunderstanding. "I'm getting older, and I love kids. You and Oliver aren't stepping up to give me a great-grandson or great-granddaughter, so of course, I'll go spend time with darling Tina!"
Natalie replied in silence, 'I think you're just trying to cover up your true intentions, but I have no proof.’
Natalie felt that it wouldn't be unlike the old lady to orchestrate a scenario like the one where she tried to frame Natalie to leverage Tina for her matchmaking schemes. It wasn't an unfamiliar move for her.
The news of Henry's death could not be concealed, and by the following day, it had already spread throughout the inner circle. Upon inquiring with close and distant relatives of the Windsor Group family, it was discovered that not a single person had been invited to the funeral, and Henry had already been laid to rest!
As the former chairman of Windsor Group, Henry passed away with none of his friends or family present at his funeral.
Some said Oliver had forbidden it. Others suggested it was because Henry had alienated everyone.
A few distant, ambitious members of the Windsor family had hoped to gain something from attending Henry's funeral, only to find they were not even given a chance to visit the memorial chapel.
But in the end, everyone reached the same conclusion that The Windsor brothers were as coldhearted as they came.
When Natalie heard this sentiment, one thought dominated her mind, ‘You have no idea, the coldest and most powerful of all was Mrs. Windsor.’
Henry's situation didn't stay hot for long; it was quickly forgotten by the industry, and the death of the former Chairman of the Windsor Group hardly made a ripple outside of its circle.
Henry's departure was truly silent and went unnoticed.
After more than a month's delay, the court's decision finally came. Susan was sentenced to five years in prison.
Five years, for a woman of Susan's age, represented the most precious time of her life. With her going to prison was a lifelong stain.
The Hastings family had been trying everything to grease the wheels, hoping to stall the sentencing, waiting for public opinion to wane and for Natalie's fury at Susan to subside, aiming to reconcile with Natalie by taking advantage of some goodwill.
Unexpectedly, after taking care of Henry's affairs, the first thing Oliver did was press the court to hurry the decision.
The day Susan was taken into custody, Natalie received a call from the detention center, saying Susan wanted to see her.
The staff at the detention center knew Natalie, and they also knew of the "deep-seated feud" between her and Susan. Now, by declaring his feelings for Natalie once again, Oliver indirectly reaffirmed that Susan was the third party in their relationship.
A woman without morals and cruel at heart!
Susan's long hair had been chopped off, and she was now barefaced and thinner than she had appeared in court. She was dressed in a yellow detention-center vest, which seemed to hang hollow on her frame.
"You're here," Susan said, sitting calmly in a chair with handcuffs, as Natalie walked in.
Natalie noticed a hint of mockery in Susan's expression.
"You have one chance for a family visit, and you choose to see me instead of your relatives?" Natalie sat down across from her, "What's the matter, you miss me that much?"
"My family?" Susan seemed amused by the word, repeating it several times with a sardonic laugh.
They were not her family. Yes, they were Natalie's family, indeed!
Susan relished the thought of the Hastings family having once helped her against Natalie, feeling a rush of exhilaration, and even looking forward to them detesting Natalie even more because of her predicament. No doubt, Natalie must feel mutual disdain for the Hastings family members!
But how could the Hastings family know the full extent of it?
Natalie was actually the real Hastings family heiress!
"You've got two more minutes to talk," Natalie glanced at her watch, reminding Susan of the time.
She was curious about what Susan could possibly have to say to her. A threat? Natalie thought that would be a foolish move.
After all, Susan was currently handcuffed, her movements restricted. The room had surveillance, and there were guards outside. Susan couldn't harm her if she wanted to.
"Natalie, I just came to tell you that you're going to regret this," Susan said with a mild smile, still carrying the grace of the Hastings family's eldest daughter, "Natalie, I'll be waiting for you to come to beg me. I reckon it won't be long before you come back begging for my release from jail!"
Natalie squinted at Susan, suspecting the woman had lost her mind.
"Beg for your release?" Natalie laughed, "In your dreams!"
Even as Natalie left the detention center, she remembered Susan's calm and confident demeanor. That image left her somewhat uneasy, yet she also felt ridiculous for being unsettled. There was no possibility of reconciliation between her and Susan.
Natalie's private studio was officially established, and shortly after, Natalie received several high-profile cover shoots and an endorsement deal, followed by her most time-consuming activity to date.
She was invited to serve as a mentor in a modeling competition, responsible for judging and providing bi-weekly mini-lessons to contestants.
Emily Reed's rationale was, now that she had her own studio, why not make as much money as possible?
Serving as this mentor could not only scout for suitable new models to bring to the studio but also gain valuable connections and net a significant appearance fee.
It was a win-win-win situation, why wouldn't she do it?
As Emily Reed put it, "Magic Mirror Media Group is ruthless, so why settle for just terminating the contract? Find a new talent to fill the void in the studio's resources and compete with Magic Mirror Media Group. It's thrilling just to think about it!"
Natalie figured... there was some sense in that.
Although she wasn't particularly interested in opposing Magic Mirror Media Group, that didn't stop her from wanting to make Emily Reed happy.
Who knows? Watching others in the show and during their photo shoots might provide her with a new career breakthrough.
The competition was a globally recognized model contest. Due to the significant increase in the nation's power in recent years, along with the astonishing consumer spending power, the event had dual venues, with one being the capital of F-country and the other in the home country.
Soon, Natalie's personal studio announced that she would be a judge for the 8th edition of "Supermodel," and the first half of the competition would be held domestically!
"Supermodel" was a high-profile international contest with no live broadcast; it could only be witnessed in person.
Once the news broke, "Supermodel tickets" became a trending search term as everyone asked where to purchase tickets for the event.
Natalie was preparing her luggage at the Rosewood Estate for the judging panel, with the first stop being in Paykston. She packed lightly, knowing she could always return home if needed or have the household staff bring anything she might require.
"How long will you be gone?" Oliver asked.
Natalie placed her skincare products into her suitcase and looked up to see Oliver's familiar, plaintive face.
Well, plaintive wasn't quite right; he still had his usual expressionless demeanor, but Natalie could indeed sense Oliver's discontent. He didn't like that she was leaving but also couldn't bear to ask her not to go.
Oliver knew how much Natalie loved her current job.
"A week in Paykston, one in Tycoon City, then two weeks in F-country," Natalie said, quickly adding, "But I'm going there as a mentor, so the organizers don't have many restrictions on me."
"Very flexible?" he queried.
"You could say that..." What Natalie meant was that she could possibly find time to join him for a meal or cook something for him.
However, Oliver was thinking beyond just that. He said, "I'll buy a house next to the venue; you can stay with me."
Natalie was speechless. That was truly unnecessary.
She didn't take Oliver's words too seriously and swiftly finished packing, only to be bombarded with messages from friends, especially those societal elites she had met recently.
They were asking if she could hook them up with "Supermodel" tickets.
Unlike regular tickets, purchasing tickets for "Supermodel" was different. Aside from certified companies, studios, and individuals given slots by the organizers, other interested parties had to not only pay but also needed to show a certain level of fashion industry knowledge.
In short, one had to take a quiz on the official ticket website. Only those who scored an A or higher on this quiz were eligible to buy tickets.
These socialites generally had decent fashion sense, having been immersed in this world from a young age; their aesthetics and tastes were shaped by their environment. However, this was limited to practical knowledge, not the "theoretical" knowledge tested by the quizzes.
"The Model Competition" lacked popularity internationally due to its emphasis on advanced professional knowledge, setting it apart from previous contests.
Additionally, the showcased fashions, sourced from major brands and independent designers, featured outdated collections that failed to captivate affluent socialites and young heiresses seeking the latest trends for their wardrobes.
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