He inquired, “You want me to attend with you?”
Natalie batted her eyelashes innocently.
“Then who else should I have gone with? Clyde?”
“Absolutely not!”
Brandon snatched the ticket and examined it.
“Why do you want to bring me, though? I thought you’d take one of your designer friends, like Elizabeth.”
Grinning, Natalie replied, “Elizabeth already knew about this art exhibition, and she had asked Frank to get her a ticket a while ago.”
“But if Clyde hadn’t given you the ticket today, how were you planning to go?”
Brandon was puzzled.
With a pout, Natalie admitted, “I was still hesitating whether to attend or not.”
Annoyed, Brandon furrowed his brow.
“What’s there to hesitate about? As long as you’re interested, I can secure tickets for you. While art exhibitions aren’t the Larson Group’s specialty, I have significant clout with people across various industries in Barnes. Rest assured, I can acquire as many tickets as you need.”
Natalie chuckled at Brandon’s’ endearing competitiveness.
“Alright, alright, I know my husband is the best. It’s just that the studio has been keeping me incredibly busy lately, leaving me with little desire to attend an art exhibition. That’s what made me hesitant. But now that Clyde has sent the tickets, I can’t think of a reason not to go. Let’s consider it a date,”
Natalie suggested.
At her words, Brandon’s expression softened.
Natalie playfully shook Brandon’s arm.
“Don’t you want to go on a date with me? Moreover, I can help you expand your knowledge of art. That way, you’ll be better prepared to work as my assistant if you lose the bet,”
Natalie remarked with a sly smile gracing her lips.
“You want to be my teacher?” Brandon narrowed his eyes, a hint of mischief gleaming within.
“We haven’t tried that yet.”
With a confused look, Natalie said, “What do you mean? Haven’t you been to school?”
With a wickedly charming smile, Brandon teased, “You’ll find out when we get back, my teacher.”
Brandon’s low, seductive voice lingered, akin to a feather teasing Natalie’s heart.
An uneasy feeling of foreboding welled up within her.
Once home, Natalie finally grasped what his intention was.
As soon as they entered the villa, Brandon pinned Natalie against the sofa, his voice hoarse and flirtatious.
“Miss White, I want a lesson now.”
Natalie’s cheeks flushed a rosy hue.
She tried to push the man off her, gritting her teeth.
“Brandon Larson! I’m a real teacher! Show some respect!”
His lips brushed her earlobe, his sultry breath caressing her neck.
“I know, you are my art teacher. But body art is also a type of art. Teach me, Ms. White,” he whispered.
Natalie felt her knees weaken beneath Brandon’s intoxicating touch, a fiery sensation building within her.
Just as they were consumed by passion and on the brink of heading to bed, a sudden ringtone interrupted them.
Natalie regained some clarity and pressed her hand against Brandon’s.
“The phone’s ringing…” Brandon swatted her hand away and kissed her again.
“Now’s not the time to answer the phone.”
“Stop it. What if it’s urgent?”
Natalie pushed him away once more.
“Fine.”
Reluctantly, Brandon released Natalie, his gaze filled with frustration as she picked up the phone.
The display revealed the call was from Hannah.
Upon answering, Natalie heard Hannah’s excited, aged voice.
“Natalie, I saw it!”
Bewildered, Natalie asked, “Hannah, what did you see?”
Hannah’s elation was palpable.
“My photo in a magazine, wearing the clothes you designed for me! I’m so thrilled I had to call you!” she gushed.
Silently, Natalie heaved a sigh of relief, realizing it was only about the photo.
Hannah was elderly and lived a solitary life in the countryside, which often made Natalie worry for her well-being.
Receiving such a late-night call, Natalie had feared something had happened to Hannah.
A dreamy breath came from Hannah over the phone.
“I had never imagined that I would find my face on the pages of a magazine.
I can’t thank you enough.”
Her excitement was contagious—floating over the air and giving a joyful ring.
Natalie found herself smiling despite the small pang of sadness in her chest.
“You should give yourself more credit. It was you who brought those designs to life. I had nothing to do with it.”
Hannah smiled and argued, “But I would have never worn those clothes without your hard work, to begin with!”
Memories of her life as Hannah raised her came to the surface, bringing out bittersweet feelings of regret and gratitude.
Natalie felt her throat tighten but forced herself to speak.
“Without you, Hannah, I wouldn’t be where I am as a designer.”
“And I would have done everything again in a heartbeat. You know that. Now, enough of this sad nonsense. The present is a much better time to live in,”
Hannah answered.
Natalie thought she had hidden it well, but the slight quiver in her voice did not escape the other woman.
Hannah quickly shifted the conversation to something else.
“Oh, have I told you? These days, some journalists have been asking me questions about our past. I didn’t say anything that could stir up trouble, but you should also be careful.”
Not again.
A frown crossed Natalie’s face.
Ever since the incident with Clyde, Natalie had a newfound animosity toward the press.
It was only getting worse with the news from Hannah.
“Are you alright, Hannah?” she asked with concern.
