The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus) novel Chapter 599

"Nat, will you marry me?" Marcus knelt on one knee, holding a bouquet of roses and a ring. His eyes were steady and full of tenderness as he looked up at her.

"Say yes, Nat, please," Laura said with a choked voice, wiping away tears beside them.

Natalie blinked, finally coming back to herself. She reached out and took the bouquet from Marcus. Then, she extended her right hand, offering it to him so he could put on the ring.

They were already legally married. If she didn't say yes to him, then who else could she possibly marry?

"Marcus Holden, I will."

Her voice trembled slightly. The emotion swelling inside her had nowhere to go. It crashed through her like a wave, leaving her breathless.

Marcus slipped the ring onto her finger. Then he stood up, pulling her gently into his arms.

"Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!" Olivia cheered from the side, doing her best to lighten the mood.

The Walkers weren't the type to shout things like that. As for Laura and Wesley, Laura was already crying too hard, and Wesley was busy wiping her tears. So the task of hyping up the event naturally fell to Olivia.

Marcus tightened his embrace. His voice was low and slightly hoarse. "Nat, may I kiss you?"

He had poured so much effort into this moment. He'd mobilized so many people, spent who knows how much. But none of that mattered to him. All he wanted was to give her the most unforgettable proposal.

He knew she had come to the office to see him out of concern. He knew everything.

"Kiss me," she said softly, closing her eyes. Marcus brushed his lips gently against hers, no more than a featherlight touch, before pulling back.

He took her hand again. "Look up, Nat."

She looked up. The night sky above them was filled with a sea of glowing lights. Hundreds of radiant balloons floated into the sky, each carrying a quiet wish or blessing. They rose steadily, their warm light shimmering against the deep blue sky.

Tears welled in Natalie's eyes.

"Marcus… all of this… was it very exhausting?"

He shook his head. "It wasn't. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

She wrapped her arms around him. Her chest ached. Her nose tingled. She had held it in for as long as she could, but the tears still came.

This night would stay with her for the rest of her life. It was just a proposal, and already she had been overwhelmed so many times with surprise and wonder.

At last, she understood what Elijah had meant. She understood why he had asked her to let Marcus do this in his way. And she understood the meaning it carried.

Applause burst out around them. The Walker and Holden families clapped with full force.

Even Charlotte, who hadn't cried, had red-rimmed eyes. They had once thought Marcus was indifferent and emotionally distant, especially after what happened with Emma. They never imagined he could love someone this deeply. But everything they saw tonight had changed their minds.

He had arranged all of this with his whole heart. He had waited until the very last minute to let them in, just so Natalie wouldn't know ahead of time.

They were her family. They hadn't been there to witness her childhood. But with her return, every important moment of her life needed to be seen and shared with them.

"Marcus, thank you." Natalie pressed her forehead against his chest. Her voice shook with emotion.

"I never imagined you'd go this far. You were just telling me earlier that you had meetings. That you needed to stay at the office and work late."

But then she and Olivia had arrived at the mountain summit, and there he was, holding roses and a ring, waiting for her.

Behind her, a trail of colorful lights climbed toward the summit. Above her, the sky exploded with vibrant sparks. And she just stood there, staring like a fool at the sky.

She let out a small groan and buried her head in Marcus' chest again. Marcus chuckled softly and pulled her closer, holding her tight in his arms.

…

In the basement of the Holden Residence's garden villa, Sheldon sat in front of a screen, showing Cassie a livestream of the entire proposal.

"It's being streamed in real time. You've been living in this basement for a while. You must be getting used to it by now," Sheldon said as he sat down in front of her.

"Sheldon, you'll die a horrible death! Let me out of here! If you hurt me, my father will never forgive you, even from the grave!"

Cassie clutched the iron bars of her cell, screaming with rage. "Let me out! I'm the heiress of the Holden family. You have no right to keep me here! Who do you think you are?"

Sheldon ignored her yelling and calmly continued. "Cassie, have you ever met Elijah or Noah's parents? Come to think of it, even Adam was once loyal to the Holden family. But both Mr. Holden Senior and I had our memories tampered with. We forgot everything about him. And what happened between you and Adam in the end?"

Cassie suddenly laughed. "Do you want to know where Adam and Abigail are? I can tell you. But only if you let me out."

Sheldon laughed softly. "Cassie, you're not a child anymore. How are you still clinging to such nonsense? Adam hasn't shown up in years. I'd say he's either in hiding or… you had him killed. Knowing you, the second option is far more likely. You're vicious. Petty. Every inch of you reeks of Vivian and that bastard's blood."

"Sheldon!" Cassie screamed again, fury exploding in her voice. Her hands, cuffed tightly, rattled the iron bars as she pounded them with all her strength.

"Useless rage. That's all you've got." Sheldon's voice remained calm.

"Today, Mr. Marcus proposed to Madam Natalie. I'm in a good mood. I won't argue with you. You can stay here a while longer. I'll keep you alive until after the wedding."