Chapter 20
Jessica reacted first.
She stepped forward quickly, bent at the waist, and bowed. “Please forgive us. I… I didn’t know who you
were.”
Travis followed even faster. He dropped to his knees without caring about the eyes on him. “Please forgive me. I’m a fool. I spoke without thinking. I didn’t know.”
Natalie looked at them with a faint scoff. “If I wasn’t related to the Langstone family, is this how you would speak to me? Or to anyone else?”
Neither of them answered.
“So because someone isn’t rich, they have the right to be insulted? To be mocked publicly?” Her tone sharpened. “Is that how you judge people?”
Travis lowered his head. “No no… I’m sorry.”
Jessica who just bowed said, “We are sorry Ms. Natalie!!!”.
Around them, the guests had begun pointing openly.
“These two are crazy.”
“They insulted the heiress to her face.”
“They should be thrown out immediately.”
“Yes, throw them out!”.
The murmurs rose into louder suggestions. Several people gestured toward the entrance, already deciding their fate in their minds.
But Natalie simply smiled.
“Anyone who has an invitation should not be thrown out over such a trivial matter,” she said calmly.” However, since you offended me and my boyfriend, you should apologize properly. Loudly.”
Jessica and Travis hesitated. They could bow and apologize to Natalie, but to Marcus also? It made them feel insecure.
Natalie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You are still holding onto your pride? Should I embarrass you further and have you thrown out instead?”.
Both of them turned toward Marcus, bent deeply, and forced the words out. “We are sorry.”
Natalie said, “mmm, I can’t hear you”.
“WE ARE SORRY!!!” They shouted in unison.
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Marcus said nothing. He simply watched them.
Natalie nodded. “Good. Let us not dwell on trivial matters. Let the party continue!!!”
The crowd immediately praised her.
“So generous.”
“Such grace.”
“She still allowed them to stay after all that.”
But Jessica felt none of that relief. Her chest felt hollow. She understood something very clearly now. After tonight, no one here would ever take her seriously again. No one would want to do business with someone who had publicly insulted Natalie, the eldest daughter of the Langstone family. Whatever she was here for had been destroyed.
But, she was still in daze of how could Marcus ended up to become Ms. Natalie’s boyfriend, she felt a sharp pain in her chest.
After the scene settled, Natalie excused herself and moved toward the reception room to greet several important guests waiting for her.
Marcus stepped out onto the quiet terrace with a glass of wine.
The night air was cool. The noise from inside faded into a soft hum. He leaned on the railing and took a slow sip.
Then footsteps approached behind him.
Travis.
His face was twisted with resentment and he just won’t accept defeat.
“You just won’t leave Jessica alone, will you?” he said angrily. “You have broken up with Jessica already. Why do you keep showing up around her? Why are you always appearing everywhere she goes like some bad smell that won’t go away?”
Marcus scoffed, “Are you that stupid, Ms. Natalie just said I’m her boyfriend, what do I have to do with Jessica!. I don’t care if you both are fucking each other”
Travis chuckled, “You think I don’t know what this is. Ms. Natalie would never date someone like you. I know that she was just being generous, you certainly asked her for help to help you get back on Jessica. And that was what’s happening!”.
Marcus finally glanced at him. “Why don’t you shut up? You are only jealous because I walked in with Natalie.”
Travis scoffed. “Jealous? I know what you are. Is either that, or you are just running the same scam again. You want to con her too. An orphan who survives by leeching off women.”
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Marcus’ expression hardened. “And what are you then? Your sister died and you had no direction in life. All
you did was depend on Jessica to feed you. You are not any better. You are just scum.”
That struck Travis hard.
“You bastard!”
He lunged forward and tried to punch Marcus.
Many times in the past, when Marcus was still with Jessica, Travis had done this. He would shove him, punch him, insult him, and Marcus would never fight back. He had endured it out of respect for Jessica.
But not anymore.
Marcus casually stepped aside.
Travis lost his balance completely. He crashed into a nearby table. The glasses on it shattered as he fell. One of the broken pieces sliced deep into his palm.
“Ahhh!” he screamed. “My hand!”
Blood began to gush out rapidly.
At that exact moment, Jessica rushed onto the terrace, having heard the noise.
“Travis! What happened?”
Travis immediately changed his expression. His voice turned weak and pitiful. “I… I only came to apologize to Marcus. I wanted to make peace. But he pushed me down.”
He held his bleeding hand dramatically. “As long as he forgives me, I don’t mind even being beaten to death. I just wanted to ask for forgiveness.”
Jessica rushed to Travis and grabbed his arm. “Why would you beat him just because he came to ask for forgiveness?”
Marcus scoffed. “Again, you’re not even asking for my side of the story. You just choose to stand on his side every time.”
Jessica brushed her hair back nervously. “Look at him. He’s bleeding seriously. That tells me everything I need to know. Why are you being violent? When did you turn into this kind of person?”
Marcus watched her quietly. He could see she had already decided what to believe, so he said nothing.
She shook her head. “You see? This is who you really are. Just because you’re now walking around with Ms. Natalie, you start acting arrogant.”
Then she turned back to Travis, who was still groaning in pain. She held his injured hand carefully and wrapped her handkerchief around his palm, trying to stop the bleeding.
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