Chapter 2 An Unexpected Guest

Natalie's heart sank, and she quickly asked for more details.

"What happened?"

The lawyer responded within moments, "Several distant members of the Campbell family have been delaying the certification of the overseas assets and disputing the valuation of the family trust. At this rate, the entire process may take another two or three months."

Natalie's shoulders sagged slightly.

She should have known that this was never going to be so simple.

Families with that much money were full of hidden agendas and internal battles. Joining one of them was never going to come without resistance.

She was Gerald's biological daughter, and his will had explicitly named her as the rightful heir. Legally, there was nothing anyone could do to challenge her claim.

Still, the distant relatives who had controlled the Campbell Group for years and held shares on behalf of the family were hardly going to surrender that kind of wealth without putting up a fight.

Perhaps realizing how frustrated Natalie was, the lawyer quickly followed up with another message.

"I've heard from someone on the inside that the Campbell family already looked into your past. They think you've spent years centering your entire life around Waylon and that you have no career ambitions of your own. Because of that, they don't consider you much of a threat right now. If you continue acting like a lovesick fool and let them believe you're easy to control, they'll probably assume a few yearly dividends will be enough to keep you satisfied. That should make them less likely to interfere in the matter. You'll need to maintain the act a little longer. Once the inheritance is fully transferred, you'll finally be free to do whatever you want."

A trace of bitterness crossed Natalie's face. She stared at the message for a while before finally replying, "Alright."

Since leaving the Ashton family wasn't an option yet...

She could at least make good use of the remaining time and teach the shameless pair a lesson they wouldn't forget.

Once the Campbell family stopped seeing her as a threat and the inheritance was safely in her hands, she could walk away from the Ashton family and leave the mess behind.

Before she could think any further, her phone suddenly rang with a call from Waylon.

"Be ready tonight. There's a major business gala, and I've heard the president of RL International's eastern region will be attending. We can't waste this chance. We need to get that contract signed."

He ended the call immediately after saying that.

Natalie barely reacted. Waylon had always spoken to her as though she were someone expected to follow his orders without question.

There had been a time when she convinced herself that he was that controlling only because he didn't understand how to express love properly.

Now, she understood the truth. He had simply never respected her in the first place.

Since she was stuck with the Ashton family for a little while longer, she might as well continue playing the role they expected from her.

Natalie unpacked her things, picked an appropriate evening gown, and kept her makeup light and elegant. By the time she was ready, Waylon's car had already pulled up outside.

When she opened the rear door of the luxury car, she discovered that the backseat was already occupied.

Waylon was dressed in a custom dark-gray suit, while Vera sat beside him in a gown that matched him almost perfectly. Even the pleated detail near her neckline echoed the design of his pocket square.

Both of them turned to Natalie at the same time, resembling an affectionate couple whose private moment had just been interrupted.

Waylon spoke before Natalie could question the arrangement. "Vera is the marketing manager. Once the contract is finalized, she'll be responsible for communicating with RL International, so she's accompanying me as my plus-one tonight. I need to introduce her to their team. You're attending as my secretary."

Natalie didn't respond. She simply shut the rear door, walked around the vehicle, and slipped into the front passenger seat.

She didn't even care enough to ask why Waylon needed her there at all if Vera was the one he intended to parade around as his plus-one.

Every early discussion and negotiation with RL International had been handled by her. She had spent months going back and forth with their team, sacrificing countless nights to revise one proposal after another until both sides were finally close to an agreement.

Even so, the final partnership terms and implementation strategy still needed formal approval from RL International's headquarters.

That made tonight's banquet especially important. Waylon and Vera both knew that without her present, they would have a much harder time pushing the deal forward.

Natalie also understood exactly what would happen if the partnership succeeded. Waylon and Vera would happily step forward and claim the achievement as their own.

It didn't matter, though. She had already made preparations of her own...

The luxury car gradually disappeared into the night traffic.

From the back seat, Waylon watched Natalie in silence as an uneasy feeling slowly crept over him.

He knew perfectly well that what he was asking of her tonight was unfair, which was why he had prepared several excuses in case she protested.

But she hadn't argued at all. She had accepted his arrangement with almost unsettling calm.

Her reaction bothered him for reasons he couldn't quite understand.

Why did something suddenly feel so off?

***

At the banquet, nearly every major figure in Sainkiat had gathered at the venue.

Vera walked into the hall with her arm looped through Waylon's, leaving Natalie to trail a few steps behind them.

Because Ashton Group's agreement with RL International was nearly finalized and everyone expected the company's market value to skyrocket afterward, several influential guests quickly approached to greet them.

"Mr. Ashton, you brought your wife with you tonight?"

"Your wife is stunning. You're one lucky man!"

"The two of you look perfect together. I'm getting envious..."

Every compliment was directed at Waylon and Vera. Hardly anyone spared Natalie a second glance, assuming the woman following behind them was nothing more than a secretary.

Technically, that assumption wasn't entirely wrong.

Waylon smiled through the misunderstanding without correcting anyone. After a moment, however, he quietly slipped his arm free from Vera's, slowed down, and waited until Natalie caught up so that she could walk beside him.

His intentions couldn't have been more obvious. He was trying to soothe Natalie without correcting what he had just allowed everyone to believe.

In his mind, Natalie was supposed to convince herself that all those praises for Mrs. Ashton had actually been meant for her.

Natalie had known Waylon far too long to miss what he was trying to do.

Still, confronting him in front of everyone wouldn't benefit her right now.

His halfhearted show of consideration made her feel disgusted, but she kept her composure.

Natalie's eyes moved across the ballroom until she spotted the president of RL International's Eastern Region. Keeping her voice low, she said, "Mr. Mitchell is standing near the piano."

Waylon immediately headed in that direction.

He straightened his tie as he approached and greeted the man with an eager smile. "Mr. Mitchell, I didn't expect to run into you here tonight..."

Natalie had just started after him when someone suddenly pushed her away.

She stumbled several steps before barely managing to regain her balance.

When Natalie turned around, Vera was staring at her with open contempt. "Just because we're here to discuss business doesn't mean you get to stick to Waylon's side. Remember who's actually here as his plus-one tonight."

Natalie nearly laughed at how ridiculous the words sounded.

As though she had any interest in fighting Vera over Waylon.

If Vera wanted him that badly, she would've happily wished them a lifetime together, provided they both stayed far away from her.

With her chin raised smugly, Vera brushed past Natalie and headed straight for Waylon, smoothly hooking her arm through his again.

But Waylon immediately pulled away from her, turned, and gestured toward Natalie. "Natalie, come here."

Vera's face tightened, and the glare she sent Natalie was full of resentment.

She was supposed to be the true Mrs. Ashton.

So why, even when she was attending the banquet as his plus-one, did she still have to step aside for Natalie?

Natalie ignored her entirely and stepped forward, offering her hand to Dominick Mitchell, president of RL International's Eastern Region. "Mr. Mitchell, it has been a while."

Dominick smiled as he shook her hand. "It has. Mr. Ashton was just telling me that you've finished preparing the contract?"

"I have." Natalie pulled out the project contract she had brought with her. "I'd be grateful if you could review it when you have a moment, Mr. Mitchell."

Dominick waved the document away with an easy gesture. "That won't be necessary. We've already gone over the terms more times than I can count. I trust your professional judgment completely."

Waylon's expression immediately brightened at that. "Then does that mean we can sign the contract tonight—"

"Did Natalie not explain it to you, Mr. Ashton?" Dominick interrupted with a raised hand. "We've agreed on most of the terms, but this project will affect the group's Eastern Region strategy for the next five years. Headquarters still requires the CEO's approval before anything can be signed. Fortunately for you, our CEO, Mr. Damien Elliott, happens to be here tonight. If you can secure his approval, then I'd say this partnership is a done deal."

The conversation around them noticeably quieted as soon as those words left his mouth.

RL International ranked among the most powerful conglomerates in the world, with major interests in energy, technology, finance, and advanced manufacturing. Its influence extended across more than seventy percent of the world's critical supply-chain hubs.

Even Dominick, merely the president of the Eastern Region, carried enough influence to make nearly every important guest at the banquet eager to stay on his good side.

And now, he was saying the CEO of the entire corporation was standing somewhere in this very room?