Chapter 417: Wedding Invitation

"Is it really that hard to answer?" Julia teased. "You look absolutely baffled."

Natalie snapped out of her daze and replied, "Umm... maybe because... he’s very handsome..." She sighed in relief, thinking she’d gotten away with not having to explain further.

In response, Julia’s soft laughter echoed through the drawing room. Caryn subtly lowered her face and pressed her temple as if she was disappointed to hear that answer.

James looked at Caryn and smiled as he knew the exact reason of Caryn’s such reaction.

"You’re just like your mother," Julia chuckled.

Natalie glanced at Caryn, who looked more disappointed than anything else.

"What happened?" Natalie asked, genuinely confused.

Julia explained, "Back when James brought Caryn to our home in Bayford for the first time to meet me, I asked her the same question that why did she like my son? Her reaction was exactly like yours as if I asked the question that was out of syllabus. And then her answer was exactly the same as yours."

Natalie felt surprised to hear it about her mother who was always so meticulous with her replies.

Julia giggled again. "At the time, I thought, ’Well, maybe she’s as smart and capable as James, that means, his smartness was nothing special to her, so his good looks must have impressed her,’ so I let it pass. But now it seems you both—mother and daughter—have a thing for handsome faces."

Natalie turned to Caryn, slightly shocked. "Is that true?" She referred to Caryn’s answer to Julia’s question in the past.

Caryn looked at her and replied coldly, "When women are young, they tend to be deceived by a man’s good looks."

James, seated beside her, turned to look at her with interest. "Now you’re old. Do my good looks still deceive you after all these years?"

Without looking at him, Caryn answered in her usual stern tone, "When one is old and weak, they’re meant to be suppressed by someone stronger."

James raised a brow. "You were old, weak, and on the brink of death... but not even your powerful enemies, who wanted to kill you, could suppress you. So why is it that can and you just allow me to suppress you?" He leaned in a little closer, his tone shifting to playful. "Do I get special privileges for being the man you love?"

Natalie blinked rapidly, unsure if she was dreaming.

The same ice-cold man was actually... flirting? And in front of others? No hesitation, no shame?

And at that the woman was Caryn, not your usual ordinary woman. How bold of him to flirt with her!

So this was the real James Harper only to be seen like this with his woman. His cold, aloof demeanor was just for the outside world.

Caryn glared at him and leaned back slightly, putting more distance between them. "Behave. Mother and Natalie are here."

James didn’t back down. "Back then, when I took you to my home to meet my mother, she saw us kissing. She didn’t mind at all—in fact, she asked the servants to clear the area so we wouldn’t be disturbed."

Caryn’s face flushed with embarrassment.

"And later, you even asked me where everyone had disappeared to since no one was around," James added smoothly. "That was my mother’s doing. As for our daughter—she’s old enough and already married to understand everything."

Caryn pushed him away with her hands and muttered, "The older you get, the more shameless you become."

"And I assure you, that’s only going to get worse," he chuckled softly.

She stood up abruptly. "I can’t stand you anymore," she said and began walking toward the staircase at her usual slow pace.

"Stop teasing her," Julia said to her son as she watched Caryn retreat.

"If I stop teasing her, we will be no better than strangers," James replied as he stood up, his eyes fixed on Caryn.

Just as Caryn reached the staircase and began climbing—each step requiring visible effort—she was suddenly swept off the ground by a pair of strong arms.

"James..." she exclaimed.

"If you keep walking at that pace, it’ll take you an eternity to reach our room," he said as he carried her up effortlessly. "And I’m too impatient to wait that long."

"That’s my room," she countered, mildly flustered.

"I’m sleeping there too, so it’s room now."

"You should go back to room."

"The room you’re staying in is mine. I just let you have some alone time in it for now."

"Then give me another room."

"You’ll still find me next to you in bed."

Their voices gradually faded as the two women sitting downstairs couldn’t help but laugh.

"I can’t believe my father can be like this—not even in my wildest dreams," Natalie said, still in disbelief.

"It’s nothing. You should have seen him in his younger days," Julia replied, chuckling. "He was a total heartthrob."

"I can picture it, Grandma. And I totally believe you—after what I saw today."

Natalie couldn’t help but imagine how her parents must have been in the past. They must have been madly in love.

"Grandma, let’s go home," she said.

Julia hummed and chuckled. "I don’t think either of them is going to come down to see us off."

Natalie smiled in agreement, her heart warm and happy for her parents.

----

In Natalie’s home, Julia went to her room while Natalie came to hers. Standing in front of the tall window, she looked at the dark sky, missing Justin.

Just then, she received a notification and opened her cellphone.

There was an email from an unknown address. Natalie read the subject line, and her brows furrowed.

Natalie read through the email and saw the full explanation confirming the subject. Justin was going to marry the daughter of the Hartz family in the Eastern Country.

The invitation had been sent by Aeldric Riverdale, asking her to attend the wedding.

Natalie opened the attached file—an invitation card with a printed photo of the groom and bride on it.

Her hand clenched around the phone, knuckles turning white with the force, her grip tight enough to crush it. Her gaze darkened, fury brewing in her eyes.

She got back to her senses and made a call.

"Avery, book me the earliest flight for Eastern Country. I am going there."