Natalie chuckled as she picked up a glass of champagne and clinked glasses with Garrett.
Natalie chuckled as she picked up a glass of champagne and clinked glasses with Garrett.
“I’m just kidding…”
She raised her glass and proudly declared, “Let’s celebrate this with a toast. For me officially joining this alliance.”
Brandon clinked glasses with Natalie and smiled.
“Congratulations.”
Garrett, on the other hand, looked down at his glass and frowned.
“Why didn’t you clink glasses with me, Brandon?”
“The Harding Group and the Larson Group are still competitors. Compared to you, I think my wife is more trustworthy,”
Brandon said with a smile before taking a sip of his champagne leisurely.
“You can’t just line me up with the Harding family!”
Garrett clenched his jaw and put his glass down.
“Besides, why didn’t you say that when you started a business with me?”
At that point, he was about to grab Brandon by the collar and settle this matter through the way men usually turned to—a fight, but Natalie stopped him before he could do so.
“Don’t fight!” Natalie said, her soft voice breaking the tense atmosphere as she stood in between them.
Garrett frowned and clenched his fists.
“I’ve only been away from the Larson Group for a few months, but he already treats me like a complete stranger. It seems like I have to beat him up so he can finally recall the past when we used to fight side by side.”
Natalie’s eyes widened in shock.
“Hell no! Are you out of your mind? Why are you being so narrow-minded, Garrett? Brandon is right. You’re not a part of the Larson Group now and you’re busy with the Harding Group’s business. If we tell you about Vivian, it’ll only bring you even more trouble.”
“Don’t think you’re so superior just because your wife is protecting you, Brandon!” Garrett exclaimed.
He became even more infuriated upon noticing Brandon’s indifferent look. He also had a loving wife, and she was good at fighting too.
At that thought, Garrett suddenly missed Laney so much.
If she were here, she wouldn’t let him get bullied like this.
“Don’t fight, you two,” Natalie said before shifting her gaze to Brandon.
“Garrett is your best friend. Don’t let him down like this.”
Brandon went silent for a few seconds before he retorted, “Garrett used to be magnanimous and altruistic, but who knows he’d become so narrow-minded now that he’s going to be a father.”
“You asshole!”
Garrett clenched his jaw in anger. He then picked up his glass and gulped the champagne down before he looked back at Brandon and snorted.
“You know what? Fine. I’ll let that slide since I’m the bigger man here.”
After he said that, he drank two more glasses of champagne.
Natalie was worried that Garrett might get drunk if he continued to drink like that, so she held his glass and stopped him.
“Don’t drink too much. You’re going to accompany Laney tonight, aren’t you? Pregnant women usually don’t like the smell of alcohol.”
“I’ll stay in a hotel, then!”
Garrett glared at her.
Natalie sighed and took out her phone. She scrolled through her and Laney’s chats and said, “Laney sent me a message. I’m sure she would be worried about you if you stay in a hotel tonight.”
Laney actually asked her to remind Garrett not to drink too much. She was worried about him since he had been drinking a lot during dinner parties recently.
Garrett stared at his glass for some time before he let out a sigh and finally put it down.
Seeing the helpless look on his face, Natalie burst into laughter.
She then walked towards Brandon and said, “Laney really has a way with Garrett.”
He wasn’t that same playboy anymore, after all.
After the press conference was over, Sean brought the car over.
As soon as Natalie got in the car, she asked, “Where’s Vivian? Can you take us to her? I have something to ask her.”
“It’s getting late now, Mrs. Larson. It’ll take some time before you manage to get answers out of her,” Sean replied.
He seemed helpless when he turned to look at Brandon.
“Let’s go home first, honey. You don’t need to do it today. Vivian won’t run away. Let’s just go home and rest,” Brandon told Natalie.
After that, he asked Sean to drive them back home.
Natalie went silent for a moment as the car sped towards their villa.
Eventually, she crossed her arms and said, “I’m not in the mood to rest.”
Brandon ignored her and leaned against the back seat before closing his eyes.
Natalie would constantly sigh whenever he would start to relax, so when he finally had enough of it, he opened his eyes and looked at her.
“If you don’t listen to me, I won’t let you get involved in this matter anymore. Vivian’s arrest has already been planned. It shouldn’t affect our normal lives. You still have to work tomorrow, right? Do you really want to ask for a leave just because of Vivian?”
Natalie bit her lip. She couldn’t refute.
“You’re right.”
When it was almost ten o’clock, it suddenly began raining.
Natalie stood by the window and stared blankly into the distance— wondering what was in Vivian’s flash drive.
She was in a daze for a moment until she felt someone’s presence behind her.
Brandon held her from behind.
His warm hand reached into her underwear as he placed a kiss on her collarbone.
Natalie’s breathing was ragged as she said, “Honey, you should take a shower first.”
“Alright. Wait for me on the bed!…”
Brandon kissed her cheek before he reached out for his pajamas and walked into the bathroom.
Just when Natalie heard the sound of running water from the bathroom, her phone suddenly lit up.
“Hello, who is it?” Natalie answered the call with a frown.
“The technical staff has checked the flash drive you asked me to give to them. It has no virus. I’ll forward the content in it to you now.”
The bodyguard gave Natalie the report respectfully.
“That was fast!”
Natalie was overjoyed and her eyes lit up instantly.
“They heard it was you who requested the favor and immediately made it a priority,” the bodyguard expounded.
Natalie ended the call with a smile and immediately heard the prompt tone of a message.
Just as she was about to click the message open, two strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind.
“What made you shower so fast today, honey?”
Natalie was lifted up by the man immediately after she finished her sentence.
Brandon tossed her on the bed and was grazing his lips against hers when he was pushed away. His lower body was wrapped in a bath towel from his waist, and his upper body was naked. He lay on his side of the bed with a frown.
“What’s the problem?”
“I need to read a document first, honey.”
Natalie got off the bed and picked up her phone which had fallen under her on the bed.