Chapter 59: I Am Julia’s Grandson

’Why does it have to be him, of all people?’ Justin thought as he locked eyes with a shocked Andrew, praying the old man goes with a flow and wouldn’t blurt out his real name. If Andrew called him ’Justin’ now, their lies would be exposed.

If it happened, what was he going to do? Alebrt would be shocked, and Justin didn’t even want to imagine how he would take this deception. More Justin looked at happy Albert, the worse he felt.

Moreover, if they were truly exposed, he won’t be able to stay with Natalie like this and would be back to his boring busy life.

"Andrew?" Albert called out, noticing his friend’s prolonged silence.

Andrew blinked, snapping back to reality. He turned to Albert, who was grinning from ear to ear. "See? You’re speechless, too, aren’t you? Isn’t Aiden impressive?"

Andrew nodded slowly, his eyes darting nervously between Justin and Natalie, who looked just as uneasy as Justin. He couldn’t quite piece together what was going on.

"Aiden, this is my old friend Andrew, the one I mentioned last night," Albert reminded. "He’s the one who suggested that Natalie marry his sister Julia’s grandson."

Justin regretted not paying attention to what Albert was talking about the previous night, and instead focussing on eating the tasty meal Natalie had prepared. Only if he had paid attention to the names and by chance had made Albert say Julia’s name, he would have understood immediately, and they wouldn’t be facing this situation now.

"Now, tell me," Albert continued, nudging his friend playfully, "who’s the better catch—your sister’s grandson or my grandson-in-law?"

Andrew cleared his throat awkwardly, still trying to make sense of everything. "I... I can’t really compare." While he thought, ’How can I even compare when those two are literally the same person?’

Albert laughed heartily, clearly interpreting Andrew’s discomfort as awe. "Ah, that means you admit it! Aiden is the perfect match for Natalie, isn’t he?"

Not fully understanding the situation, Andrew decided to play along for now, planning to find a moment later to speak with Justin and get an explanation. Albert had been unwell for a while, and the last thing Andrew wanted was to upset his friend. Besides, he trusted Justin—or rather, Aiden—to be sensible. Until he could hear directly from him, Andrew chose to let things slide.

Andrew turned to Justin. "Aiden?"

Justin responded with a polite nod. "Good to see you, Mr. Andrew."

Andrew simply hummed in acknowledgment, and then Albert’s cheery voice broke in. "Let’s eat before the food gets cold! You’re in for a treat today, Andrew. My granddaughter’s cooking is something special. You’ll regret even more that your sister’s grandson didn’t end up with her!"

Andrew suppressed a sigh, thinking to himself, ’My sister’s grandson already seems to have married her,’ and rose to join Albert at the breakfast table.

As they moved toward the table, Natalie exchanged a quick glance with Justin, her eyes full of questions. She leaned in and whispered, "Do you know Grandpa Andrew?"

Justin leaned closer, his voice low. "That grandson of his sister’s—the one he wanted you to marry? That’s me, Justin Harper, the only grandson of his sister Julia Harper."

Natalie’s eyes widened in shock. Her knees buckled, and she nearly lost her balance, but Justin quickly caught her, his arms encircling her waist, pulling her against him to steady her.

"Natalie?" Albert’s voice called from across the room. When he noticed the intimate scene between them, he chuckled, turning to Andrew with a proud smile. "See? Look at how much they’re in love."

Andrew saw it too but quietly diverted his attention, following Albert to the breakfast table.

Once Natalie regained her balance, Justin released her, but she was too rattled to move away. Her hands stayed on his shoulders, her body pressed close as her mind raced with anxiety. Justin could feel her trembling, her fear of her lies being exposed gripping her mind.

"Don’t worry," Justin reassured her in a low, calming voice. "I can tell Grandpa Andrew won’t say anything to his friend."

"A-Are you sure?" Natalie asked, glancing nervously at the two old men, not even realizing how close she still was to Justin. The closeness with him, seemed to have comforting her nerves.

Justin couldn’t help but enjoy their closeness, her anxiety making her even more endearing. "If he wanted to expose me, he would’ve done it the moment he saw me," he replied confidently.

Natalie looked up at him, "You need to explain things to him. Make sure he doesn’t say anything yet."

Justin met her gaze, captivated by her beautifully nervous dewy eyes. "I will," he murmured softly, both of them momentarily lost in each other’s gaze, forgetting the trouble they were in.

"If you two continue your romance for a while longer, I am afraid you will have to eat a cold breakfast." Albert’s teasing voice cut through the moment.

Natalie instantly stepped back, flustered, her cheeks turning a rosy shade as she quickly walked toward the breakfast table, her face a picture of shy embarrassment.

With a sly smirk, Justin followed her. He settled into the chair next to Natalie, who was busy serving breakfast. Without a word, he decided to help, serving the two old men as well as their own dishes.

As they ate, the conversation flowed, though it was mostly Albert praising Aiden—Justin—with an unfiltered enthusiasm. Andrew, meanwhile, only hummed in response, occasionally glancing at Justin, who remained calm and composed, sitting across from him.

At one point, Albert turned to Andrew and asked, "Andrew, didn’t you mention your sister’s coming to the city?"

Andrew shot a quick look at Justin before replying, "She’s already here."

Albert’s face lit up. "Wonderful! You should bring her here for a meal. Even if her grandson didn’t marry my granddaughter, she’ll see that my Natalie still married a great man!"

The words hung in the air, leaving the others stunned as their minds raced with different thoughts.

Natalie:

Justin:

Andrew:

Each of them ate in silence for a moment, overwhelmed by the storm that might soon hit them.