Isaac Vaughn took a step forward.
Noah Sinclair’s eyes instantly sharpened with doubled vigilance, his voice rising uncontrollably: "What do you want?!"
Isaac stopped, spreading his hands in feigned helplessness. "You look like you’re struggling, so I ca to help you hold her down."
"No, no need."
"It’s no trouble at all." Isaac’s gaze hovered over Noah, his body shifting slightly as if he was about to approach.
"No! I said, no!"
Noah Sinclair had grabbed Natalie Kendall on impulse—he was unsettled from the start.
Now, with Isaac pressing in, his psychological defenses collapsed completely.
He raised the folding knife that had been pressed against Natalie’s waist, the tip aid directly at Isaac.
Isaac moved in a flash, with no hesitation at all, darting forward in an instant.
He grabbed Noah’s wrist with both hands and wrenched it upward, slamming Noah against the door with a thud.
Natalie took the opportunity to flee away from Noah’s side.
"Get back!" Isaac shouted, then rembered she wasn’t wearing her hearing aids and couldn’t hear him.
But right now, he had no way to sign to her, either.
Noah had hesitated earlier and that gave Isaac the advantage.
But as soon as he realized what was happening, Noah started fighting back.
Isaac took several hard punches to his side.
The force behind those punches was no joke.
Grinding his teeth from the pain, Isaac kept a firm grip on Noah’s hand, slamming his wrist against the wall with force.
After several blows, the folding knife finally slipped from Noah’s grasp, clattering to the floor.
Isaac imdiately kicked the knife far away—it slid right up to Natalie’s feet.
She bent down at once and picked it up.
By now, Isaac had the upper hand, landing punches on Noah’s face one after another:
"That’s for taking off her hearing aids!"
——
By the ti they finished the statents at the police station, night had already fallen.
Natalie had Isaac’s jacket draped over her shoulders as she rode ho with him.
Before they entered the house, he said he had sothing for her, asking her to wait.
But when he ca out with a bouquet of roses, she was gone.
Though—she hadn’t closed the door.
Isaac’s thin lips curved in a smile.
*
"These aren’t exactly fresh. Next ti I’ll get you a new bouquet, okay?"
Natalie stared at the roses in silence, her face cool, apparently unmoved.
Isaac set the flowers down—and suddenly took off his shirt.
He twisted to check his waist, sucking in a breath at the pain.
Natalie glanced over and saw a huge purple-and-blue bruise on his side.
Noah Sinclair had done that to him.
She turned around to get the first aid kit.
Isaac was already sitting on the sofa, arms lifted, waiting for her.
Natalie poured so dicated wine into her palm, rubbed it warm, then massaged it into his skin.
The sll clung to her hands. After she finished, she went to wash them—only to be pulled into a fierce embrace when she returned.
"Let go."
Isaac took it a step further, bowing his head to find her lips—his kiss desperate, jealous, and impossible to refuse.
Natalie struggled, instinctively reaching to push him away at the waist.
But when her hand touched his bruised side, she stopped herself.
Her hand on his waist looked more like an invitation than rejection.
Pressed close, Isaac’s voice ca out hoarse against her lips: "Thank God you’re okay."
Natalie wriggled out of his arms, only for the doorbell to ring suddenly.
*
Sebastian Beckett’s arrival was completely unexpected.
Natalie had no chance to hide Isaac.
In the living room—
Sebastian sat on the sofa, looking at Natalie. "I should’ve foreseen this. You went through hell. Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Good, I’m glad you’re not."
Sebastian looked at Isaac now.
Isaac imdiately stepped forward, respectfully greeting, "Mr. Beckett."
Sebastian eyed him for a few seconds, then stood up in a low, grave voice: "You, co with ."
Natalie’s eyes went wide with surprise, but just as she was about to speak, Isaac gave her a reassuring look and followed Sebastian into a room.
"I should thank you for saving Natalie."
"You’re too kind, sir. I was just doing what I should."
"Should? Is that so?" Sebastian’s presence was overwhelming. His tone barely shifted, but the pressure in the air was suffocating: "Natalie and your uncle’s engagent—canceled. Why do you care what should or shouldn’t be done?"
Isaac hesitated for two seconds, caught between secrecy and honesty. He chose to be honest.
"I’m with her now. So it was what I should do."
"Heh." Sebastian sneered, stepping closer and glaring sharply into Isaac’s eyes. "What’s your angle, kid? That ten percent stake in Beckett Group she’s got?"
"No," Isaac said low and clear, "That’s not it."
"Oh, so you must want even more."
Sebastian chuckled coldly and patted Isaac’s shoulder. "Still so young... You really don’t get it, do you?"
His face chilled as he paused. "Her father cheated on her mother when he was young. And on the anniversary of my little granddaughter’s death, her father was out celebrating as a happy family with her and her mom. Her grandmother—my wife—got sick over it and passed away soon after."
"So, do you still think I would ever truly love and care for her?"
"But she’s innocent!" Isaac instantly shot back.
Sebastian stared at him a mont longer, saying nothing.
The two ca out of the room.
Natalie walked straight over.
She tried to maintain a calm expression, but her eyes betrayed her panic and nerves.
Sebastian told her, "I’ll handle that Sinclair boy—and you’ll get the answer you deserve. As for this one—"
He shot Isaac a sidelong glance. "If he’s not suitable, there’ll always be soone else. You’ll find the right one."
Natalie’s lips parted, but she didn’t argue in the end.
Off to the side, Isaac’s expression was pitch-black.
——
Monday.
Ethan Vaughn’s engagent party.
Isaac still attended in the end.
Vanessa Grant wheeled Old Mr. Grant inside, and Isaac went up to greet them.
Kneeling in front of the wheelchair, he held his grandfather’s hand.
"You ca too, Grandpa?"
Old Mr. Grant smiled and patted his hand. "It’s your brother’s engagent—a big event. Of course your grandpa should co."
A cold glint flickered in Isaac’s eyes. He was about to say sothing, when he suddenly spotted Natalie.
She wore a simple dress, no jewelry, following quietly behind Matthew Beckett, Cynthia Kendall, and Julian Beckett.
Their gazes t for a mont, but Natalie imdiately looked away, as if he were a stranger.
Isaac stood up and was about to walk toward her, but Ethan called, stopping him.
"Isaac, Dad wants you for a minute. You’ll be entering the company this month, there are a few people you should et."
He had no choice but to leave with Ethan.
Matthew noticed Old Mr. Grant and told Natalie to go greet him.
The Grant and Beckett families were one step away from annulling the engagent—just one last unspoken truth between them.
It was only because of Jason Grant’s current condition that the last layer couldn’t be broken yet.
Natalie went over and made a little small talk with Old Mr. Grant.
The engagent banquet was about to start.
As she turned to return to her father’s side, she bumped into a man by accident.
"Oh, sorry."
That voice!
Natalie whipped her head around in disbelief—sure enough, it was a face she knew all too well.
Scott Quinn grinned, greeting her, "Nat, long ti no see. How have you been?"
Her face stayed cool and expressionless, but deep down, a strange unease took hold.
Scott kept smiling, but there was a sinister chill to his tone: "All the biggest nas in Janton are here for today’s engagent party. On a day like this, don’t you think it calls for an explosive secret to set things off?"
"You and Isaac Vaughn—the scandal of a young uncle’s fiancée entangled with his nephew. What do you think? Would that be a big enough bombshell?"
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