Chapter 3

That afternoon, my phone rang. It was Olivia.

Her phony, tear-choked voice came through the line the moment I picked up.

"Natalie, please, you've gotta help me," she sobbed.

I was leisurely trimming the roses in the vase. "Hmm?" I answered, my tone flat.

"Y-yesterday, I went to one of the Mitchell malls to pick out a birthday gift for you, and... the manager treated me like a thief. He questioned me and even put me on some blacklist!" she said.

[Wow, look who's crying foul first.]

[Don't fall for it, Natalie. She was trying to buy herself a bag with her broke boyfriend's supplementary card. When it maxed out, she tried to use your name to get it for free.]

[A birthday gift? Natalie's birthday is next month. What a flimsy excuse.]

I smirked, my eyes on the vibrant red rose I was trimming.

"Is that so?" I feigned surprise. "That does sound serious. The manager went too far. You are my cousin, after all."

Sensing an opening, Olivia poured it on thicker, her voice thick with pretended tears. "Yes. I told them I was Camille's cousin, but they didn't believe me. They even said... they said Mr. Mitchell himself gave the order to stand up for you."

She paused, then ventured carefully, "Natalie, is there some misunderstanding between you and Mr. Mitchell? Why would he do this to me? We're family."

[There it is. The classic attempt to stir the pot.]

[She's trying to make it look like Mr. Mitchell is being cold and making a big deal out of nothing. So Natalie'll get mad at him.]

[Too bad Natalie's got the all-seeing eye now. Her little innocent act is about to fail hard.]

I snipped off an extra branch and kept my voice cool. "Family, huh? Olivia, that 7,000-dollar bag you tried to get for free yesterday. Was that supposed to be my birthday gift?"

Olivia's fake crying stopped on the spot.

Dead silence hung in the air for a few seconds.

"I... of course I wanted to get the very best for you," she said, sounding a little guilty.

"Oh, really?" I let out a soft laugh. "Funny. I remember you said your birthday wish was to get a limited edition bag from that brand. And now you're suddenly willing to give it to me?"

Olivia went completely quiet.

I slipped the freshly cut roses into the vase and took a moment to admire them in the mirror. Then I said slowly, "Olivia, stop using my name to run your little schemes. You know Nathan's temper better than I do. He doesn't like anyone messing with what's his."

I made sure to really emphasize the word "his."

I went on, "As for the manager, don't worry about him."

Thinking I was about to take her side, she instantly sounded hopeful. "Really, Natalie?"

"Yeah," I said, catching my own reflection in the mirror. I smiled and said it slowly, word by word. "I'll call Nathan and make sure that manager gets a promotion and a raise."

I hung up without a second thought.

[LOL. That was savage. So satisfying.]

[Natalie's such a badass. Shut that fake innocent bitch right up.]

["He doesn't like anyone messing with what's his." Damn. That possessiveness is something else. I'm shipping it so hard.]

I put my phone down, feeling pretty good.

With someone like Olivia, I couldn't cut her any slack.

Just then, my phone buzzed. A message from Nathan.

It was short and direct. He wrote: [Tonight. Dinner at home.]

*****

Mitchell Mansion sat halfway up a mountain, a traditional manor with tight security.

This was my first time actually setting foot inside since getting married.

Nathan drove us himself, guiding the car smoothly through the gates.

As we got out of the car, he naturally reached out, like he was going to help me out.

But right when his fingers were about to brush the back of my hand, he snapped his hand back like he'd been burned. Then he hurried around to open my door instead.

He moved so fast, almost like he was covering something up.

[Ahhh, he pulled back again. This is killing me.]

[Mr. Mitchell: I want to touch her. Mr. Mitchell's brain: nope, you'll lose control. Mr. Mitchell's hand: copy that.]

[Am I the only one who saw that? His hand was actually shaking.]

I acted like I didn't notice his inner struggle. I got out of the car, all calm and collected, and "accidentally" let my dress brush against his pants.

Nathan went stiff instantly, like he'd turned to stone.

I held back a laugh and followed him through the heavy gates.

In the living room, the Mitchell family elders were all there.

At the head sat Nathan's grandfather, Alfred Mitchell, a man who commanded respect without even trying.

Next to him sat Nathan's parents, along with his uncle's family.

Then every eye in the room turned to me all at once.

Judgment. Contempt. Open hostility. All of it mixed together, aimed right at me.

Especially from Nathan's mother, Camille Mitchell. She looked at me like I was something dirty stuck to her perfect son.

"Well, well. You actually decided to show up," Camille said with a snide tone, holding a cup of coffee. "I almost forgot we had a daughter-in-law like you."

[Here she comes. The evil mother-in-law makes her grand entrance.]

[This one's a real piece of work. In the original story, she kept scheming against Natalie. In the end, she even tried to have that two-faced Olivia replace Natalie.]

[Don't worry. Mr. Mitchell is totally obsessed with his wife. Watch him shut his mom down.]

Before I could say a word, Nathan's cool voice cut through the air.

"Mom," he said, stepping in front of me, shielding me completely. "Natalie is my wife. She's the only daughter-in-law you're ever going to have. I don't want to hear that kind of talk again."

His tone was flat. But there was a weight behind it. The kind that didn't allow for any argument.

Camille's face soured instantly. "Nathan. Are you seriously talking to me like this over someone who doesn't even belong here?"

"She's not just someone," Nathan said, holding my hand and threading his fingers through mine. His palm was warm and dry, steady enough to make me feel safe. "She's mine."

It was the first time he'd ever been this close to me in front of everyone.

My heart skipped a beat.

The room went dead silent.

Everyone was stunned by Nathan's sudden, fierce defense.

Camille's lips trembled with anger. "Fine. You're completely under that vixen's spell," she spat.

"Mom." Nathan's voice dropped, laced with warning.

"Enough," Alfred finally spoke, slamming his cane against the floor. "That's enough from both of you. What kind of family are we, carrying on like this?"

With Alfred putting his foot down, Camille had no choice but to shut up, even though she was still fuming inside.

Nathan had handled the whole family drama without breaking a sweat.

His hand never let go of mine. The warmth of his touch sank deep into my chest.