Chapter 81 How dare you talk back?
Perched on the second-floor staircase, she found herself faintly overhearing a man's conversation on the phone. It was unmistakably Adrian.
The small balcony on the first floor, adjacent to the staircase, provided a quiet refuge from the boisterous chatter of the living room. It was a sanctuary where Adrian could take his call undisturbed.
"Mr. Howard," the voice on the other end began, "about the investigation you requested into the incident at the Four Seasons Hotel where you were drugged, things are not as straightforward as they initially seemed. Despite all the precautions taken by your assistant, we've managed to unearth some clues from the surveillance footage. However, the footage contradicts Ms. Cullen's claim of attending a friend's birthday celebration. There's no record of any such event at the hotel that day."
Adrian concluded his call and stepped away from the secluded balcony. His gaze fell upon the staircase, "I wasn't aware that the Cullen family's maids had a penchant for eavesdropping."
Natalie, burdened with her cleaning supplies, descended the stairs, her head bowed in apology. "I'm sorry, I wasn't eavesdropping. I just happened to overhear your conversation as I was passing by. I have no ulterior motives, and I was too far away to clearly hear what was being said."
"How dare you talk back?"
Natalie said, "If there's nothing else, I'll go clean the balcony." With that, she walked past Adrian and made her way to the small balcony. As she stepped inside, the sound of a door locking echoed behind her, and in the next second, Adrian's arm snaked around her waist.
Natalie found herself pinned against the wall by Adrian.
His overpowering, familiar presence enveloped her.
Natalie's eyes widened in shock, "Adrian, have you lost your mind? This is the Cullen household!"
Meanwhile, in the living room.
Alice sat with a demure smile gracing her features. Ever since her pregnancy, the Howards' demeanor towards her had noticeably softened. Even Melissa, known for her strong-willed independence, showed a hint of concern for her.
Alice sat beside Melissa, her hand gently caressing her still-flat belly in an exaggerated display of maternal affection.
Melissa beamed, "This child is truly a blessing for the Howard family. With Ruben's 85th birthday approaching, we couldn't have asked for a better gift."
Alice replied, "Then I must prepare a worthy gift."
She continued to emulate Natalie's persona, fearful of revealing her true identity. She softened her voice, making it sound more delicate. Melissa found her exceptionally polite, and her impression of Alice continued to improve.
Ruben was in high spirits, engrossed in a game of chess with Curtis.
Curtis was on edge. Ruben's stature in the business world was nothing short of intimidating, and his towering presence made Curtis feel the pressure.
The alliance formed through marriage between the Cullen and Howard families felt like a monumental achievement.
After losing two consecutive matches, Curtis stood up and smiled, "Mr. Howard, I concede."
Ruben was in an unusually jovial mood. Seeing this, Curtis breathed a sigh of relief. He exchanged a knowing glance with Avery, both of them sensing that the marriage alliance with the Howard family was secure.
Adrian and Alice were already engaged, and with Alice pregnant with the Howard family's first grandchild, wedding preparations were underway.
Ruben looked around and asked, "Where is Adrian?"
Melissa scanned the room but found no trace of him. "He was just here. Where could he have gone?"
A servant, passing by with a tray, lowered their head and said, "I saw Mr. Howard making a phone call earlier. He might have gone to the small balcony."
Melissa stood up and smiled. "I'll go find him."
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