Chapter 224: Another Surprising Guest

Vincent’s smirk deepened as his gaze shifted to the man standing behind Natalie. "Oh, you brought your husband along?" he said with mock surprise, raising a hand in a casual wave. "Hey, Aiden."

Natalie stiffened, suddenly reminded of Justin’s presence behind her. The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out how to untangle this situation.

How was she going to explain that how Vincent even entered her home, taken a bath, and now stood there almost naked, acting as if he owned the place?

She knew Vincent could do anything, but it would be difficult to explain to Justin who might think it was her who had invited the man here and even allowed him to enter the home in their absence and what not.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Vincent asked, raising the glass of water to his lips. "It’s not like this is the first time you’ve seen me without proper clothes. Back when you lived with me all those years, you even saw me—"

"Shut your mouth!" Natalie interrupted sharply, her voice rising in exasperation. She turned to face Justin, who stood silent but visibly furious, his grim expression unchanging. "He... he’s Vincent, the friend from Xyros I just told you about."

Justin’s cold, piercing gaze shifted from Vincent to Natalie. The icy intensity in his eyes remained, sending a chill down her spine. "What is he doing in our home?" he asked, his tone low and dangerous.

Natalie felt her throat tighten. The way Justin spoke, the way he looked at her—it was clear this situation wasn’t going to end well.

"I... I didn’t invite him. I didn’t know—"

"Sweetheart," Vincent interjected smoothly, setting down the empty glass. "Since when do you have to explain your actions to others?" His tone was light, but his words carried an unmistakable edge. "When you lived with me in my home for so many years, I never questioned you about anything. Why do I see my tigress turned into a pussycat?"

Natalie spun around to glare at Vincent. "I She turned back to Justin, her voice softer but filled with urgency. "Just...cough! Aiden, this is what it looks like. He’s not how he’s making himself sound. He’s just... a friend. I’ll explain everything to you, I promise."

"Really?" Vincent mocking voice was heard. "I don’t think you’d share a home with a friend—or even sleep with him when you’re scared," Vincent said, placing the empty glass back on the table. He casually dried his hair with a small towel, as if oblivious to the tension thickening in the room.

Justin’s gaze darkened further, his fury radiating as though he was ready to flip the entire world upside down.

Natalie, on the other hand, felt all the blood drain from her face. The way Vincent worded it, it sounded like anything friendship.

Justin’s patience snapped, and he took a step toward Vincent, his fists clenched. Natalie quickly grabbed his hand, holding him back. "Please, don’t," she pleaded.

Justin stopped, his sharp eyes shifting to her. His jaw tightened, but he waited for her to speak.

"He is someone important to me," Natalie said softly, her voice trembling but sincere. "Please try to understand. There are very few people in my life who matter to me, and he is one of them."

Her gaze pleaded with him, silently asking him to calm down. "He’s just trying to mess with us," she continued. "Please trust me. I—I don’t know how to explain, but it’s not what he’s making it seem like."

Justin’s cold expression didn’t waver, but his voice was controlled as he asked, "Someone very important to you, huh?"

"You are the " she replied in a coaxing tone, her sincerity clear. "But there are others, like my grandpa and... him, who are also important to me. But you, my husband—you’re the most important."

Justin’s gaze softened slightly, the tension in his frame easing as his expression shifted from icy to calm.

"So boring," Vincent sighed, breaking the moment as he walked toward his bag placed on the side. He rummaged through it with an air of nonchalance, acting as if the house was his own. He pulled out a set of clothes and turned back toward them.

"I’ll ask him to leave," Natalie said, starting to turn toward Vincent. But Justin’s hand firmly held her in place as Vincent casually dropped the towel around his waist.

"Don’t look," Justin told her.

Vincent chuckled as he began dressing. "She’s seen me like this plenty of times," he said with a mischievous smirk. "I’m sure she’s already impressed."

Natalie quickly shook her head, her cheeks heating as she silently denied Vincent’s claim. But her movement only drew her into Justin’s cold, unyielding gaze once more.

Justin’s sharp gaze shifted back to Vincent, his eyes narrowing as they dropped below Vincent’s waist. "I’m sure she won’t feel impressed anymore—she’s seen better," he said with a pointed smirk.

"I doubt that," Vincent replied with a casual chuckle, slipping into his clothes as though the tension in the room didn’t faze him. "Knowing her, I can bet on you two haven’t even done anything of that sort."

The confidence in Vincent’s voice stung Justin, fueling a pang of jealousy. This man clearly knew Natalie better than he did, and it showed.

Natalie remained silent, unsure how to respond. It wasn’t untrue—Vincent did know her better than anyone else.

They had spent years together in Xyros, and he had seen her at her worst, helping her rise again and grow stronger. She owed him a lot, and now, it felt impossible to explain the depth of their bond without making Justin feel worse.

Seeing Natalie speechless, Justin said nothing to her but instead directed his words to Vincent, who was now fully dressed in a casual black T-shirt and pants. "If you’re done, you can leave."

"Leave?" Vincent echoed with a chuckle, dropping himself onto the sofa and picking up the TV remote. "If I wanted to leave, why would I come here? Just like my home was hers, her home is mine. And I’m sure she wouldn’t want to kick me out either." He glanced at Natalie. "Am I right, sweetheart?"

Justin’s gaze snapped to Natalie, who hesitated under his intense stare. She couldn’t outright refute Vincent’s claim without stirring up even more trouble.

Sensing Justin’s rising frustration, she quickly said, "Vincent, I’ll arrange your stay in the best hotel in the city. I promise, you’ll be more comfortable there—"

"I’m comfortable wherever I feel your presence and essence," Vincent interrupted, his focus still on the TV. "This place is heaven compared to any luxury hotel, and I’m staying here as long as I want." He finally turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "Do you dare ask me to leave?"

Natalie opened her mouth to respond but glanced at Justin first, her nerves on edge. Before she could say anything, the sound of the door unlocking echoed through the room.

The three of them turned toward the door just as it opened. A figure stepped inside, leaving Natalie utterly stunned.