Shattered Then Healed By His Love (by Haley Blanton) novel Chapter 65

Chapter 65 Terms of Cooperation

Chapter 65 Terms of Cooperation

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He leaned back in his chair again, his gaze steady on her. “Ms. Foster, where did you learn your medical skills?”

“Is Mr. Collins doubting me?”

“Not doubting,” Marcus replied evenly. “Only curious. You’re young, yet you practice medicine so well. And my nephew never knew. Why did you keep it from him?”

Natalie’s lashes trembled at his stare.

She had never hidden anything. It was Jackson who had never cared enough to notice. His eyes -and his heart–had always been fixed on Victoria. Of course he hadn’t known she could heal.

“I didn’t hide it. He just never saw it. Or he chose not to.”

Her tone was calm as she picked her fork back up.

Marcus let out a quiet sigh. “Seems you suffered plenty in the years you were with my nephew.”

“Who hasn’t been blind in their youth?”

Her voice was flat, her expression detached.

“They say trauma lasts forever,” Marcus said, his eyes steady on her. “If you divorce him, do you mean to spend your life just raising Lily?”

Her hand shook faintly around her fork.

After a pause, she turned to meet his gaze. “If I meet the right man, I don’t have to stay alone.”

Marcus didn’t answer. He only looked at her, as though trying to read something deeper in her

eyes.

Five long seconds passed before Natalie gave a small smile. “Mr. Collins, you still haven’t answered me. Do you agree to cooperate?”

His lashes lowered once, twice, before he finally shifted his gaze.

He lifted his teacup and sipped.

At length, he said lightly, “Send the information about the property to my assistant.”

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Natalie froze.

She had prepared herself for refusal–she hadn’t expected his agreement to come so easily.

She raised her teacup. “Then here’s to our cooperation.”

Marcus tapped his cup lightly against hers.

“To our cooperation.”

She had barely set hers down when her phone lit up on the table.

The caller ID read Jackson.

Marcus saw it too.

“Not answering?” His low voice brushed past her.

Natalie glanced at him, then with a flick of her finger, cut the call off.

The sharp motion seared itself into his mind.

“He only calls when it’s trouble. I don’t care to answer.”

She turned the phone facedown, her expression dimming with gloom.

“He still hasn’t signed?” Marcus asked quietly.

Her lips curved into a mocking smile. “No.”

He said nothing more. Silence settled between them.

Marcus drove them home himself. This time, even before they reached Oakridge Estates, Natalie didn’t ask him to stop.

He noticed. His lips curved faintly.

So her thoughts weren’t as easy to read as before.

“Thank you for driving us back, Mr. Collins. We’ll go in now.” Natalie took Lily’s hand. “Say goodbye to Marcus.”

“Goodbye.”

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Marcus inclined his head. “Goodbye.”

But the moment Natalie and Lily stepped out of the car, another pair of eyes was already waiting beneath the streetlamp.

Jackson.

He watched the Maybach roll away, then strode up quickly. “Why was my uncle driving you home?”

“We had dinner together,” Natalie replied coolly. “So he gave us a ride.”

Her gaze was calm, steady, unflinching.

Jackson’s brow furrowed. “You had dinner with him?”

“What’s so shocking about that?” she said flatly. “Mr. Collins is Lily’s godfather. She’s in my care now. Isn’t it natural for him to want to see her?”

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