Chapter 19

Chapter 19

“I messed up this time. I owe her an apology!” Gracia said with tears in her eyes.

“An apology won’t cut it.” Natalie’s lips curled into a faint, cold smirk as she glanced at Gracia.

She’d seen enough of Gracia’s slick–talking since they were kids to know what to expect.

The bracelet was broken anyway, and she would love to see how they would explain it to the Howard family.

Lydia and Gracia were like two folks who shot themselves in the foot – absolutely absurd.

“Maybe I should call the Howard family on behalf of my dear sister, trying to smooth things over?” Natalie hooked her mouth in a sardonic smile at Gracia and whispered. “After all, it’s just a bracelet. Mr. Howard could give you something worth a fortune without a second thought, so this little trinket is no big deal, right?”

“Who the hell do you think you are to call the Howard family?” Lydia snapped, her face red with anger and embarrassment.

“Well, then, this has nothing to do with me.” Natalie said as she waved her phone at them. “I’ve recorded everything. Don’t try to pin this on me later.” With that, she turned and stormed back to her room, slamming the door with a definitive click.

Samuel withdrew his gaze from the scene and looked at Lydia and Gracia, his face as dark as thunder.

The Howard family had made it clear that they wanted Gracia to wear the bracelet to Nate’s birthday party to show everyone that she was the future Mrs. Howard they’d chosen.

It was a disaster! He couldn’t explain this to the Howard family anyway!

Just then, the servant rushed in, his voice a hushed urgency. “Mr. Howard has arrived!”

Gracia’s face turned ghostly pale, and she clutched Lydia’s arm in panic. “Mom, what do we do? Brian’s going to be furious.”

“Now you’re worried? Why didn’t you think before you acted?” Samuel pointed at Gracia with a stern voice. “Figure out your story before you come downstairs!” With that, Samuel stormed off to meet Brian, trying to contain his rage.

“Don’t panic. The bracelet incident just happened. Brian can’t possibly know yet,” Lydia

consoled Gracia, glancing at Natalie’s closed door. She lowered her voice and said, “Just insist that Natalie is to blame, and everything will be fine.”

Gracia’s eyes lit up. Indeed, Brian would never confront Natalie!

In the living room, Brian was already seated on the couch.

18:47

Chapter 19

Samuel sat beside him, visibly uneasy, his palms sweating profusely.

Brian emanated an aura so intense that even without speaking, everyone around could feel the

enormous pressure.

His indifferent gaze swept toward the stairs, and Samuel, misconstruing his look as waiting for Gracia, hastily buttered him up, “Gracia is just changing her clothes. She’ll be down in a moment.”

“Hmm,” Brian responded noncommittally. After a pause, he asked, “When did Natalie return?”

Thinking Brian was upset about Natalie returning home without notice, Samuel quickly explained, “She came back the day before yesterday! Her grandpa has been ill and wanted to see Natalie, so…”

“Was last night’s dinner with the Foster family also Matthew’s idea?” Brian asked coolly, his eyes piercing Samuel with an intimidating force.

“That…” Samuel broke out in a cold sweat, unable to gauge Brian’s intent and at a loss for

words.