Shattered Then Healed By His Love (by Haley Blanton) novel Chapter 169

Chapter 169 A Calculated Guess

Natalie quickly got up from her chair and picked up her phone. “I’ll pay you back for the computer.”

Without waiting for a reply, she walked out onto the balcony and sent a text to Marcus from her secondary phone.

“I’m done on my end. Have you sent someone to get the hairpin?”

A moment later, her phone chimed. Two new messages from Marcus had arrived.

The first was simple: “Someone is on their way.”

The second, however, made her hand tremble: “Who are you, Ms. Foster?”

Did he suspect her? It seemed impossible. There was no way he could have traced the hairpin’s origin so quickly. How could he have figured it out?

Before she could reply, another message came through.

“I watched the entire broadcast. Your manner of speaking is extremely similar to someone I know. And both your names have ‘ley‘ in them. Do you know Natalie?”

Her breath caught. She couldn’t believe it; he was actually suspicious of her. But this was not the time to reveal anything more. She suppressed the wave of panic and typed a reply..

On Marcus’s desk, his phone lit up. The rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the polished wood stopped. He picked up the phone and swiped the screen open. A new message from Harley.

“It must be a coincidence. I don’t know the person you’re talking about.”

His expression darkened as he read the words.

“Do you suspect this ‘Harley‘ is Miss Natalie?” James asked, a look of confusion on his face.

“It’s just a suspicion,” Marcus said, his voice low. “But from the beginning, this person has been deliberately concealing her voice. I still haven’t heard what she actually sounds like.”

James left, closing the door softly behind him. The only sound in the silent office was the quiet tapping of Marcus’s finger against the desk as he stared at his phone, a thoughtful, calculating look in his eyes. Was it possible? Could Harley really be her?

The autumn wind howled outside. As evening fell, a chill crept into the house.

Victoria hurried into the living room and saw Aiden. “Where’s your father?”

“Victoria, you’re here?” Aiden ran to her and pointed upstairs. “Daddy’s in the study.”

She didn’t reply, just swept past him and headed for the second floor, her expression grim. Aiden, a worried look on his face, followed her.

She walked into the study without knocking, leaving the door open. Aiden slipped in behind her and sat quietly on the sofa.

Jackson looked up, surprised. “Victoria? What are you doing here?”