Surprisingly, it was Natalie's calm composure that made Marcus nervous. He fumbled multiple times trying to help her get dressed, failing each time.
Natalie let out a soft laugh and ended up doing it herself.
She was someone who took time to warm up to people. But once she did, and once she was certain of her feelings, she would open her heart completely with sincerity and without reservation. That was how she treated the Walkers. And that was how she treated Marcus too.
They lingered in the walk-in closet for a while. Once they were both dressed, they headed downstairs together.
"Morning, Nat, Marcus!"
Laura and Wesley were already seated at the dining table, eating breakfast. Not knowing when the two would wake up, they hadn't waited.
"Nat, come here." Laura rose from her seat and took Natalie's hand warmly. "Sheldon, please serve breakfast to Marcus and Natalie."
"Yes, Mdm. Laura," Sheldon replied with a smile. His eyes shimmered with tears.
It was happiness, excitement, and long-overdue relief.
Wesley looked at Marcus and Natalie with joy and satisfaction written all over his face. At long last, someone new had entered the Holden family.
"Marcus, Nat, this is a wedding gift from me," Wesley said as he walked over, placing two thick, large envelopes into their hands. Then he handed them two elegantly crafted boxes without any logos.
"Marcus, I wasn't a good father. I missed most of your life. I wasn't there to raise you or guide you. I'm truly sorry," Wesley continued, his eyes turning red.
"In the blink of an eye, you've grown up so fast and are starting a family of your own. I've done so little for you. Back at The Herbalist's Sanctuary, I gave all my assets to your mother. But I set aside a portion for your wedding gift. Marcus, I wish you and Nat a lifetime of happiness."
Marcus and Natalie exchanged a look. Then they reached out together to accept Wesley's gift.
"Thank you, Father," they said in unison.
Wesley wiped the corner of his eyes, doing his best to hold back the tears of happiness.
"Come sit and have breakfast."
"Father, Nat and I talked it over. We've decided to announce our marriage," Marcus said, holding both the envelope and the gift box with care.
"It happened rather suddenly, and there's still a lot I haven't had the time to arrange. Now that you and Mom are back, I was hoping you could help us take care of some of the details."
Wesley nodded, "Of course, Laura and I have been through this before. We know how to handle it. We'll handle everything for you. We'll come up with a few plans and let you choose."
Marcus nodded. "Thank you, Father. And thank you, Mom."
Wesley turned to Natalie, who had been quiet the whole time. His voice softened, kind and careful, as if afraid of overwhelming her.
"Nat, do you have any preferences? We'll follow your wishes."
She shook her head. "I don't mind. Thank you for taking care of everything, Mom, Dad."
"No trouble at all," Wesley beamed. The moment she called him Dad, his eyes lit up with joy.
"Come sit, sweetheart. Actually, we talked to your parents yesterday. We all agreed to ask what you two wanted first. Whatever we plan, your preferences will always come first," he said with a chuckle.
Within minutes, the servers crashed.
Marcus Holden, heir to the Holden Group, and Natalie Walker, the long-lost daughter of the Walker family, announced their marriage not long after Charles' passing. Many offered their congratulations. But some raised questions.
Wasn't it a bit too soon for them to be celebrating, just after Charles' passing?
Just then, Sheldon posted the letter Charles had left behind for his "precious grandson, Marcus".
As soon as the letter went up, it brought countless people to tears. The questions vanished. All that remained were heartfelt blessings.
Both the Holden and Walker Group launched a series of giveaways and celebratory events. At each gift center, they set up a large red banner for well-wishes. Anyone who wanted a free gift simply had to write a blessing for Marcus and Natalie on it.
All merchandise under the Holden and Walker brands went on deep discounts in celebration of the wedding. In just a few minutes, both companies' websites were overloaded. Products that people were usually reluctant to buy had become practically free. The shift from doubt to celebration took mere moments.
"Hey, Ms. Walker, Nouvelle Zara wants to post about your wedding too, and they're planning to do a campaign. Is that okay with you? Oh, and the Goodwill Pharmacy as well. Zane is already getting excited," Connie chirped.
Natalie smiled as she held the phone. "Go ahead."
"Yay!"
She hung up and opened Nouvelle Zara's website. The general manager had already posted a message congratulating their president on her marriage.
Only then did the Walker family realize that the mysterious owner of Nouvelle Zara was their daughter and sister.
Even Marcus hadn't known.
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