As the event was coming to an end, Briena approached Natalie. "Congratulations, Natalie."
Natalie ignored her and looked at John and Ryan. "There’s nothing left to do here. Let’s leave."
"Tsk! Leaving already?" Briena said in a soft but mocking tone. "Well, soone like you has done her job of entertaining the Queen, and now you’re useless anyway."
"I have no spare ti like you to lick the so-called princess’s ass and wag your tail behind her. I’d rather do nothing at all," Natalie replied, noticing how Briena had dropped her sweet act now that no one was around to see her.
Hearing this, John and Ryan, who usually acted like unshakable rocks, couldn’t help but react.
"Tsk!" Ryan chuckled, while John comnted, "Ms. Natalie’s words are always on point."
Briena’s anger flared. "Natalie, there’s a royal charity event tonight, and all the richest people in the world are coming to attend. You know, Ivan is coming as well, and he will be my date for the night."
"You don’t deserve anyone better than him anyway. Enjoy your date," Natalie remarked mockingly and turned to leave.
But Briena wasn’t ready to give up. She couldn’t stand seeing Natalie so unbothered. She wanted to see her angry, envious—anything but indifferent.
"Natalie, what makes you act so cocky, huh?" Briena sneered. "Only the richest of the rich are allowed to attend. I’m going, but you... you won’t even get a glimpse of it. You’re poor, and your husband is a nobody. Poor you. Know your place."
Natalie didn’t stop walking. "I hope you have enough money in your pocket to bid on sothing," she replied coolly.
Briena’s frustration grew—no matter what she said, nothing seed to affect Natalie. "Ivan is coming to win the perfu that’s being auctioned at the charity. You know who made it?"
"Not interested," Natalie brushed her off, but Briena continued anyway.
"Dew, the famous perfur, made it. Ivan is going to give it to . Do you know what I’m going to do with it? I’ll study it, analyze it, and learn from Dew’s creation. Soon, I’ll be a better perfur than you once I create my own masterpiece, inspired by the goddess herself."
"If you’re done, get lost," Natalie said in a composed voice. "If this weren’t a royal banquet, I would’ve slapped you a few tis for annoying . Better leave now if you don’t want to be humiliated."
Briena stopped. She knew better than to push Natalie any further—by now, she was well aware of Natalie’s temper. She chuckled in satisfaction. ’Seems like bringing up the perfu got on her nerves.’
Outside, Natalie was about to get into her car when soone approached her. John and Ryan recognized the man and allowed him to reach Natalie.
"Ms. Natalie," the man in the suit greeted politely. "I’m Lucas, Mr. Jas Harper’s assistant."
Natalie offered him a light nod. She recognized him as well.
"Mr. Harper has requested that you accompany him to a charity event," the assistant inford her.
Natalie felt like she had misheard. "What?"
"Every guest is required to bring a partner, and Mr. Harper has none," Lucas explained. "Due to Mr. Justin, you are the only familiar person to Mr. Harper."
Still in shock, Natalie simply nodded. "Let know when I need to be ready."
"Of course, Ms. Natalie. I will send you the details."
Natalie humd in response and got into the car, still processing the information.
"Back to the hotel," she instructed John.
Once inside her hotel room, Natalie lay on her bed, still in disbelief.
"Jas Harper wants to be his date for charity night? What’s going on? I can’t make sense of this."
Just then, her cellphone rang. Seeing Justin’s na on the screen, she felt a wave of relief and answered imdiately, speaking in a hurry.
"Justin, do you know what happened today—"
"Calm down. I know."
Natalie paused, then asked, "What should I do? How... why... did he ask to go with him?"
"As his assistant said, you’re probably the only familiar woman he has there," Justin replied.
"Does that even make sense? There are so many well-known, high-profile won here. He could ask any of them—or, at the very least, hire a professional one..."
"My father has never allowed any woman to accompany him anywhere except Julia. You’re the second one."
"So, should I feel honored now that Jas Harper chose ?" she said in a sarcastic tone. "When he first saw at your ho, he made it very clear that he didn’t accept as part of his family."
"Forget what he said back then. Just take this as an opportunity to get to know him better. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed."
"Justin..."
"Are you, by any chance, scared of him?"
"S-Scared... of him?" she faltered. "What nonsense?"
Justin chuckled softly and said, "Then be a tigress and go with him. Also, there’s an envelope at the bottom of your bag. Go get it."
Natalie imdiately did as he said, putting the phone on speaker. She opened the envelope and pulled out sothing. "This..."
"For you," Justin’s voice ca through. "A card with no limit."
"I don’t need this—"
"It’s a gift for my wife, one I should have given you right after we were married. Use it whenever you want," Justin explained.
Natalie understood his intentions—he wanted her to have access to money while attending the charity event. She had funds, but it was kept for her company.
"Alright, then. Don’t be shocked when you see the bill later. I’ll start by shopping for dresses and jewelry at the most expensive mall here to attend the charity event."
"Even if you buy the entire mall, it won’t shock ."
She played with the card between her fingers, raising a brow. "That much money is nothing to you?"
"You have no idea," he replied confidently. "Oh, and the password is my birthday," Justin reminded her.
"Your birthday?" she asked, trying to recall the date.
"Don’t tell you don’t know when my birthday is," Justin said, amusent laced in his voice.
"Of course, I know," she replied quickly, feeling nervous inside. I’ll just look it up later.
"Alright. I have so work to do now. Take care."
Natalie humd in response and imdiately hung up. She had to hurry and find out Justin’s birthdate.
She searched online, but there was no ntion of when exactly Jas Harper’s mysterious son was born.
Damn! I can’t find it anywhere. I can’t check any of his IDs since he’s not here. What should I do? Oh, I know.
Natalie rushed to the door of her room and called out to John and Ryan, who were standing outside.
"Do you two know when Justin’s birthday is?"
Ryan and John exchanged questioning glances—neither of them knew the answer. They turned back to Natalie, eting her expectant gaze, and both replied.
"I don’t rember."
"I seem to have forgotten."
She felt frustrated. "What kind of employees—I an, bodyguards—are you to not even know your own boss’s birthday? You two have been with him all the ti, his closest bodyguards."
"Mr. Harper never celebrates his birthday," John replied.
Ryan added, "I’m sure we’re not the only ones who don’t know."
She frowned. "You guys..."
"Maybe Noah knows. He handles all of Mr. Harper’s personal docunts," Ryan suggested.
"Right," Natalie said and returned to her room. She imdiately grabbed her cellphone and made a call.
Justin and Noah were traveling in the car when Noah’s cellphone rang. Sitting in the front passenger seat, he glanced at the screen and saw Natalie’s na flashing. He felt puzzled—she had just spoken to Justin.
"Receive it and answer her question," Justin’s voice instructed.
Noah quickly acted, answering the call. "Yes, Ms. Natalie."
"Noah, is Justin around you?" she asked in a hushed voice.
"Yes, but not too close," Noah replied, understanding that she didn’t want Justin to overhear. What she didn’t know was that his boss had already anticipated her call.
"Don’t let him know I called," she instructed.
"Sure."
"Okay, tell —when’s Justin’s birthday?"
"The seventeenth of next month," he answered.
"Thank you. And don’t tell him I asked this," she said before hanging up.
Noah looked at Justin through the rearview mirror and caught the playful smirk on his lips.
He sure knows how to play well. Must be the first man so eager to have his woman know his birthday which he himself ignored all his life.
His thought drifted to the fact. Maybe it’s because it’s just the docunted birthday and not the real one as no one knows when he was born.
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