Chapter 299

Whenever Natalie thought about Easton, a faint sting always pierced her heart. For three years, she had revolved her entire life around him. But now, after six months apart, she was finally at ease.

Sometimes, memories of him would resurface, along with a pang of heartache. Yet she understood that life wasn’t just about love. Family mattered even more. Natalie wouldn’t allow her beloved grandfather and her three brothers to face harm.

Taking a deep breath, she decided to let go of those unpleasant memories. She got out of bed, went to the bathroom, and changed into a chic loungewear set from her wardrobe. Walking to the window, she noticed it was snowing. A faint smile tugged at her lips. This was the first snowfall of the year.

It was beautiful. Looking at her backyard, she realized it would soon be time to build snowmen again. As she was about to turn away, memories of last year’s snowfall surfaced. It was when Jennifer returned. Jennifer had unrestricted access to their villa, and her interactions with Easton were always ambiguous.

Back then, Natalie had been perpetually gloomy, but Easton hadn’t noticed. His attention was wholly devoted to Jennifer. A sudden wave of pain surged through her chest at the thought. Resting her hand over her heart, Natalie let out a bitter laugh. She thought she’d moved on, but the ache lingered.

Just then, her phone buzzed on the table. She walked over and picked it up, frowning slightly at the unfamiliar number. For some reason, she instinctively felt it was Easton calling. She pressed the answer button. “Hello?”

“Natalie, I’m outside your villa. It’s snowing,” Easton’s deep, mellow voice came through the line.

Looking out at the snow, Natalie’s gaze turned cold, though her lips carried a faint smile. “Why are you here? Haven’t I made myself clear enough?”

Just moments ago, she’d been reminiscing about the heartache he caused her, and now his call only soured her mood further. It was strange how people worked. Even when one thought one’d let someone go, their sudden appearance could still stir up frustration. Natalie sank onto the cushion by the window, gazing at the overcast sky and the snowflakes drifting down.

Her faint reflection on the glass was still delicate and stunning, a picture of elegance. With slender fingers, she lightly touched the cold surface of the window. Beyond the glass, the tiny snowflakes were crystal clear, but her heart felt heavy despite the beauty of the snowfall.

“It’s snowing. I remember you always hated the cold whenever it snowed,” Easton said, his voice tinged with concern. But Natalie, who no longer loved him, failed to notice the care in his tone. Some things, and some people, lost their importance when they were no longer cherished.

Natalie let out a cold laugh. “I don’t hate the cold anymore. Easton, back then, I pretended to feel cold just to get your attention. But your mind was always on Jennifer. You worried about whether she was struggling abroad, whether she was tired, or whether she was cold.

“Even when you were suffering yourself, unable to stand on your own two feet, you pushed yourself to care for her. That was when I decided to let you go. I had already planned to step aside when she returned.”

Natalie added, “But I never imagined that her return would bring nothing but schemes. And you? You groveled at her feet and refused to believe a single word I said. I was furious, Easton. That’s why I didn’t sign the divorce papers those few times you sent them to me.”

A self-deprecating smile formed on Natalie’s lips, and tears shimmered in her eyes. “Looking back, I realize how childish I was, Easton. I truly don’t want you anymore. Can you stop interfering in my life?” Her tone was calm, almost serene.

Natalie thought to herself, “I don’t want any entanglements with you anymore. Ever since the time travel incident, I’ve understood that love is optional, but life must be your own.”

In the car outside the villa, Easton’s grip tightened on his phone. His voice turned hoarse, breaking into a growl. “Natalie, you’re the one who came to me first. Do you think you can just walk away like that?”

“Yes, I came to you first,” Natalie admitted without hesitation. “I could see your pain and unhappiness. I knew your background, and I felt both sympathy and love for you. Even when you treated me with cold indifference, I foolishly stayed by your side. But I later realized that you didn’t need my love. What you needed was Jennifer.”

“Easton, don’t call me again, and don’t come to my house either. I don’t want anything from you, so you can’t use it against me,” Natalie said coldly. “If you dare touch James’ company, it will only make me hate you more,” she added.

Her voice dropped to an icy calm. “I already hate you enough. It’s freezing this winter. Please don’t make my heart any colder.”

With that, Natalie hung up the phone. The sharp pain in her chest forced her to close her eyes. She struggled to suppress the fiery ache in her heart, but it clawed its way to the surface, making her feel as though she couldn’t breathe.

Taking a deep breath, she stood up and looked outside. The snow blurred the distant scenery, but even so, her mood began to lift. She checked the time. Murray would be arriving soon.

Smiling, she headed downstairs, where Mason was waiting at the foot of the staircase. “Ms. Shawn, it’s snowing! How about we change tonight’s dinner to beef stew?”

“That sounds great!” Natalie replied with a bright smile. “Has Mr. Spencer arrived yet?”

“He’s almost here,” Mason confirmed. “Dinner is all set.”

Natalie nodded, her mood visibly better. As expected, it wasn’t long before Murray walked in, carrying a bag of fruit, including several large sugar apples. Natalie’s face lit up with delight. The sugar apples looked perfectly ripe and sweet, just the thing for dessert.

“Murray, come in and sit down. It must be freezing outside,” she said warmly.

“It’s okay. It’s not so bad now that I’m inside,” Murray replied with a laugh. He shrugged off his coat to reveal a crisp white shirt underneath. His smile was carefree, brimming with youthful charm.

Natalie chuckled knowingly and gestured toward the dishes. “We’ve got boiled crawfish and beef stew. What do you think?”

Murray’s eyes lit up as he gazed at the spread. “This looks amazing! Deep-sea seafood like this is worth a fortune!” he exclaimed, his tone both lighthearted and full of admiration.

Natalie handed him a fork. “Then dig in.”

“Don’t mind if I do. I’m starving! I had four back-to-back meetings and spent another hour working on a paper. I didn’t even have time for a sip of water. It’s been exhausting!” Murray eagerly started eating.

Then, as if struck by a thought, he looked up at Natalie with an unusual seriousness. “You know, Natalie, I’m starting to understand just how hard it is to be rich.”

Natalie blinked, slightly taken aback by his candid statement. Then, she smiled knowingly. “Being rich isn’t easy because people are always chasing money. Your parents hardly had time for you when you were young, right? They were busy running around securing deals and partnerships to give you a better life. Does that sound familiar?”

“Exactly,” Murray admitted with a nod. “I used to feel so lonely when I was a kid. That’s why I started hanging out with a group of friends and got into racing. It was the only thing that really interested me, even if I wasn’t very good at it.”

Now that his family’s company was facing trouble, Murray hadn’t touched a race car in ages. Continuing with racing would have cost a fortune, money his family couldn’t afford to waste. If he didn’t step up and help his father run the company, even basic living expenses might become a problem. Murray had come to understand that life was about trade-offs. Giving up his hobby meant securing his family’s future.

Meanwhile, outside the villa, Easton sat in his car, his eyes fixed on the villa’s entrance. His gaze was as cold and profound as the winter night, darkened with a mix of emotions. She let Murray inside without hesitation but refused to let him in.