Chapter 705 This is My Husband
There was silence on the other end of the line.
Natalie imagined Oliver with a look of disdain, asking her, "What do I know? How would I know?"
Her focus had been entirely on those rich kids, and by the time she returned to her senses, she realized she had ended the call and failed to refuse Oliver's request for her to stay outside.
"Miss Watson, what do you plan to do?" a staff member asked before saying, "If you choose to stay, that’s also an option. We have plenty of rooms."
For Natalie, the issue was not the availability of rooms. The concern was whether Oliver would create problems if she did not accompany him outside. After all, he had a history of overstepping boundaries, having previously entered her activity room without permission.
Just as Natalie was about to decline, another staff member rushed over and said, "Miss Watson, someone is looking for you. They said they're here to help with your luggage."
Natalie looked in the direction the staff member indicated and saw a tall, slender man with a buzz cut waiting at the villa's large iron gate.
It was a young bodyguard who had ensured Oliver's safety during the previous summer camp. Today, however, he was not in his usual all-black attire but wore discreet civilian clothes.
Natalie remembered this bodyguard well because he was talkative and had assisted Oliver with his phone on several occasions, unlike the other stoic bodyguards. This young bodyguard seemed to have been personally selected by Jamie.
Upon recognizing him, the staff allowed him entry.
"Did you come to get these items? I won't be going with you now," Natalie said, pointing to her luggage, which consisted of only a 24-inch suitcase and a medium-sized LV tote bag.
The bodyguard nodded and easily carried both items with one hand.
"What about me and Casey?" Lilian asked.
The bodyguard replied with a smile, "Ms. Norton, you and Miss Casey will stay here."
The implication was clear: Mr. Windsor had explicitly instructed that they were not allowed to follow.
Lilian was visibly upset, resolving to complain to her boyfriend about her petty cousin that evening.
"Natalie, the mentor this time includes someone from your country, his name is Joseph, and he's a genius just like you!" Cocker exclaimed excitedly. She was very expressive and did not hide her emotions.
Joseph was well-known internationally in the fashion industry, not to mention domestically.
This was particularly significant due to Natalie's close association with Emily Reed.
“I know,” Natalie replied, puzzled, "But I didn’t see Joseph's name on the list of mentors before."
"Yes, he’s only participating in these two sessions in the country, and he will not be joining the team when we travel to Forinland next month. Instead, we’ll have a mentor from Forinland," Cocker said with a playful smile, "Natalie, I heard rumors that Joseph might have come specifically for you this time. After all, he defended you when you were in trouble last time. It is rare for him to help anyone!"
Natalie was taken aback. After all, there were certain things that could not be said without thinking. She quickly glanced at the young bodyguard. He continued to walk confidently, not pausing or showing any sign that he had heard the conversation.
‘He probably didn’t hear anything, right?’
Once the bodyguard entered the car, Natalie let out a sigh of relief.
"Don’t pay attention to rumors, and don’t overthink things. The truth is, I’m not close to Joseph," Natalie explained, "If you were in the country, you would know... I’m rumored to have a boyfriend now, and it’s not Joseph."
Cocker's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Oh? Who is it? Hurry up and tell me!"
"Oliver."
Cocker froze, "Oliver...Isn't he your husband?"
Natalie nodded.
Something clicked for Cocker, and she remembered a rumor as she walked into the villa. She said, looking incredulous, "Wait, was it not rumored that you and Oliver got divorced? Why is he still your husband? Both of you…"
Natalie shrugged. Her expression seemed to say, ‘You’ve figured it out. It’s probably just as you imagined.’
Since Cocker had guessed this much, there was no point in Natalie pretending they had not officially confirmed their relationship yet.
Moreover, Natalie had a good relationship with Cocker, and they were going to spend a lot of time together in the coming month. It would be awkward to hide their communication from Cocker, which could potentially upset him.
"Wow!" Cocker exclaimed dramatically.
After that, nothing noteworthy had occurred when Natalie was invited to collect the gift Cocker had prepared for her.
Lilian and Casey were also guided to their respective rooms by the staff.
…
Unbeknownst to Natalie, as soon as the young bodyguard entered the car, he immediately called Oliver.
"Sir, I just overheard the staff here mentioning a rumor involving a mentor and the missus... It's a bit scandalous."
...
In Cocker’s room.
"Natalie, who was that man just now? He doesn’t look like Oliver," Cocker continued with her gossip.
"Why do you say that?” Natalie recalled the bodyguard did not address her as ‘Madam’ earlier.
"Impossible," Cocker said, "With a beautiful wife like you, if he were your husband, he wouldn’t have been so indifferent earlier.”
Cocker, carrying himself with the air of someone seasoned by experience, piqued Natalie's curiosity. She asked, “Then how do you think my husband would act upon seeing me?”
"He would, of course, first give you a kiss, then embrace you for a moment, and finally ask about your well-being with tenderness."
Natalie fell silent.
‘I apologize, but that doesn’t sound like Oliver…’
Natalie retrieved a photo of Oliver on her phone to show Cocker, saying, "This is my husband."
In the photo, Oliver was captured sitting in an office chair, engrossed in documents. Contrary to the typical serious image of a chairman, he appeared quite relaxed. His right hand was holding a pen, ready for signing, while his left hand alternated between fidgeting with an object and casually supporting his head. His demeanor did not suggest the weighty decisions of billion-dollar contracts; rather, it seemed as though he was casually filling out a menu. Occasionally, his expression would betray a hint of disdain. Sometimes, he seemed critical of the contract's wording, and at other times, he appeared to disdain the signatures of his subordinates.
"Wow!" Cocker's exclamation was louder than before. Filled with excitement, she said, "Natalie, your husband is incredibly handsome! He seems like someone who appears reserved but possesses a fierce side behind closed doors! Am I right? Tell me, am I?"
Natalie asked, “How did you come to that conclusion?”
"I must be right! You didn’t deny it!” Cocker's excitement escalated, nearly reaching a fever pitch as she said, "Natalie, is your husband particularly..."
"Wait!" Natalie hastily interjected, "Cocker, can we please change the subject?"
Cocker observed Natalie for a moment, realizing she genuinely wished to steer away from the topic. She sighed, somewhat disappointed, saying, "Oh, well, it’s endearing how you're shy about these matters."
Natalie chose not to respond.
The souvenir Cocker had selected for Natalie was a necklace from a boutique luxury brand native to her hometown. While not widely available in Natalie’s country and not exceedingly valuable, it was nonetheless exquisite.
After exiting the room, they encountered Lilian and Casey.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Natalie halted abruptly.
"Oh, that's Nora, the host for the domestic event," Cocker remarked, noticing Natalie's gaze fixed on the young woman who had just arrived, "She’s somewhat renowned in our circle, known as a notable socialite with a supposedly respectable background, though I’m not privy to the specifics."
Cocker inquired, "Do you know Nora?"
Natalie nodded in acknowledgment. Reflecting on her last interaction with Nora, she turned to Lilian and asked, "Lilian, do you know Nora?"
"Yes," Lilian replied disdainfully, "She's the niece of one of my second uncle’s mistresses."
‘What a complicated relationship…’
"Your second uncle is... John?" Natalie remembered the name Nora had mentioned during their previous meeting.
"Yes," Lilian confirmed.
Natalie was not entirely familiar with the intricacies of the Norton family's internal conflicts. Still, from what she had gathered from Oliver over the past two years and the circumstances surrounding Lilian's engagement, it seemed clear that there were power struggles within the family. Despite these tensions, both parties maintained a veneer of cordiality in public.
This was a common theme in many prominent families.
Nora quickly noticed Natalie and the others. Her gaze briefly flitted over Lilian and revealed a fleeting emotion. Then, her gaze rested on Natalie before she sneered.
"Nora, this is the mentor for the competition. The redhead is Cocker, and the one with dark hair is Natalie," a staff member introduced them, unaware of the undercurrents of tension.
Natalie approached and heard Lilian whisper huffily, "Natalie, that Nora has always schemed against everyone since she was a child. Don't be nice to her!"
Natalie smiled and affectionately patted the younger girl's head, replying, "Okay."
Cocker was astounded. She had walked into a situation ripe with drama! As it turned out, Nora had ties to the Norton family, but it was not a familial tie! Instead, she was the niece of a mistress!
It was not uncommon for the affluent to have extramarital relationships with both women and men.
"Hello," Nora greeted Natalie coldly.
Natalie merely nodded, choosing not to engage further, and continued walking toward the hotel where the contestants were staying, accompanied by Cocker, intending to check on them.
Nora watched Natalie leave in disbelief.
‘How dare she act so arrogantly?! She wasn’t like this in front of Simon previously! As expected, she’s two-faced!’
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