Notice Me, Darling! by Cheap Treasure ( Natalie Shepherd )
Notice Me Darling! by Cheap Treasure ( Natalie Shepherd ) Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Are You Done?

What was Henry doing here?

Was this really a coincidence?

Henry saw Natalie. However, he acted as if he saw a complete stranger. He showed no emotions on his face and appeared rather cold.

It was better this way.

At least it was better than him causing Natalie any trouble.

Natalie quickly regained her composure. She greeted Trevor politely, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Costa. I’m—”

Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted.

“Since when did the charity gala become so unsophisticated that even a nobody was invited?”

Henry calmly put out his cigarette in the corner. Then, he looked at Natalie with a half–smile.

Natalie’s anger began to simmer. However, she had to maintain her composed demeanor in front of Trevor.

She asked calmly, “What do you mean by ‘unsophisticated‘? Who would you classify as sophisticated then, Mr. Chase? Would a pianist be considered sophisticated?”

The sarcasm in Natalie’s words couldn’t have been more obvious.

Henry’s expression instantly darkened.

It seemed like she just had a way of getting under his skin!

Trevor, who was sitting at a side, observed the two of them. He couldn’t help but ask, “Do you two know each other?”

“No, we don’t,” Natalie replied immediately.

A hint of coldness flashed across Henry’s gaze.

How could they not know each other?

Natalie’s confidence had truly soared!

She even chose to dress extra revealing today to attend this event!

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Could it be that she was really taking this opportunity to replace another suitor? Initially, Henry had planned to give her a way out. But from the looks of it now, there seemed to be no need for that at all.

Natalie’s alluring outfit caught Henry’s attention. It fueled the anger in his eyes.

She didn’t pay any further attention to him. Instead, she turned to look at Trevor. “Mr. Costa, I’m here to talk to you about the Creative Visions Competition. I hope to earn your recommendation.”

Natalie passed him the design sketches she had prepared.

“These are a few of the works I’ve created over the past few years. Please take a look at them. I hope you’ll consider giving me an opportunity. Thank you!”

Natalie looked at Trevor in an earnest and hopeful manner.

Whether or not she would get this opportunity depended entirely on Trevor’s

answer.

However, Trevor didn’t take her design sketches. Instead, he turned around to seek Henry’s opinion. “Mr. Chase, what do you think about this matter?”

Natalie’s heart dropped.

She’d be doomed if Henry turned out to be the ultimate decision maker.

Henry looked up and studied Natalie carefully. “You’re the one asking for help, so why aren’t you showing any sincerity at all?”

Natalie was well aware that Henry was intentionally making things difficult for her.

However, she was never one to give up easily.

She asked calmly, “Mr. Chase, what would I need to do to show my sincerity?”

Henry glanced at the row of liquor on a shelf nearby. “At the very least, you’ll need to drain all the bottles on that shelf.”

Henry wanted to see how får Natalie would go.

If she had no other option, she would naturally have to return home obediently. Then, she’d have to admit how foolish she was in front of him.

Natalie’s expression darkened at once. She was clueless about what to do next.

She was pregnant!

There was no way she could drink alcohol!

915

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Yet, she didn’t want Henry to know about her pregnancy.

He didn’t deserve to become her baby’s father.

Natalie fell silent.

Henry continued to humiliate her. “You don’t seem very sincere. I hope you don’t think that the Creative Visions Competition is just a game that anyone can join so easily.”

Those insults felt like needles piercing Natalie’s heart.

For a moment, she felt like bursting into tears.

But she managed to maintain her composure. She said calmly, “While I may not be exceptionally talented, I’m not as worthless as you think.”

Once Natalie finished talking, she left in anger.

She didn’t want to give him any more chances to insult her. More importantly, she didn’t want him to look down on her even further!

She knew that Henry thought of her as unfit to be his equal in any way possible.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, she quickened her footsteps instinctively.

Just as Natalie was about to go downstairs, someone grabbed her arm.

Upon turning around, she was taken aback to see Henry there.

Natalie wondered why he had followed her out.

“Let go of me!” Natalie tried to struggle out of his grasp.

But Henry completely ignored her. He dragged her by her arm down the stairs. Then, they exited the hall through the side door.

Outside the hall was a vast lawn. There were colorful fairy lights hung on each of the trees. It looked like a scene out of a movie.

But the tense atmosphere brewing between the couple seemed out of place with the beautiful surroundings.

“Natalie, are you done? If you’re done throwing your tantrum, then go home with me this instant! I don’t have time to entertain you all day!” Henry looked furious.

Natalie found Henry’s words to be ironic.

He was the one who stopped her from joining the competition by misusing his authority. Yet, here he was, acting as if he wasn’t the one at fault.

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“Henry, where did you get the impression that I was just messing around? I’m telling you, this is the most serious decision I’ve ever made!” Natalie uttered each word carefully. Her gaze was unyielding.

Her stubbornness in this very moment was what Henry despised the most.

Normally, everyone would back down with just one glance from him.

Yet, Natalie was always provoking him!

“You’ll soon realize how foolish your ‘most serious decision‘ actually is!” Henry snarled out through gritted teeth.

Natalie wasn’t intimidated by his threats. Instead, a twang of disappointment. surged from her heart.

There was never a peaceful moment between them.

Their relationship was a complete mess.

Suddenly, she noticed the ring on her ring finger from the corner of her eye.

Then, she took a glance at Henry’s ring finger.

It was empty.

Henry never once wore his wedding ring throughout these three years.

It was exactly as he had said. While Owen and Moira saw her as their

granddaughter–in–law, Henry never thought of her as his wife.

As this thought crossed her mind, she removed her ring. “Please help me return. this ring to Grandma. I’m sorry to have disappointed her.”

Moira had personally put on this ring for Natalie.

But now, she didn’t have the courage to personally return this ring to Moira.

Henry didn’t answer. He stared at her coldly.

He appeared intimidating in this state.

Natalie had no intention of pleasing him. She continued, “As for the divorce-”

Before she could finish her sentence, Henry suddenly snatched the ring from her hand. Then, he tossed it aside.

Natalie’s gaze followed to where it landed. Her chest felt stuffy at the same time.

Yet, she managed to speak calmly. “That ring is only a mere formality to begin with. It’s better now that it’s gone.”

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Then, she looked at Henry in a provocative manner.

Her reaction cast a dark cloud over Henry.

The look Henry shot Natalie became sharp and fierce.

Moments later, he turned around to leave. Yet, it felt as if there was a heavy weight pressing on his chest.

Henry wondered why he would lose control every time Natalie mentioned the divorce.

Wasn’t that what he wanted?

Yet, why was he so hesitant about this matter?

“Henry, are you there? I’ve been looking for you for a while now,” a familiar voice rang out from the side.

Henry immediately regained his composure.

He stopped in his tracks, though his tone was cold and distant. “What is it?”

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