9 A Little Cat Under the Desk Apologize . The word echoed in Natalie's ears , and her hands , resting in front of her , clenched instinctively . She lifted her eyes to Marcus's face . The harsh lines of his jaw were softened by the warm , dim lighting . He curled his lips slightly but didn't say a word . The family dinner had , indeed , been arranged to welcome him back - and it had , indeed , ended in disaster . " I'm sorry , Uncle Marcus ... " Jackson's brow furrowed briefly . " It was my fault for not stopping her . I shouldn't have let her ruin the dinner like that . It's rare for the whole family to be together - we don't know when we'll have another chance like this ." Marcus lifted his gaze and cast a cold glance at him . It was a long moment before he finally spoke . " If I remember correctly , Ms. Foster said she didn't do it . I suggest you look into it more thoroughly . Don't let your frustration lead to the wrong person being blamed . " Natalie looked up in disbelief . But Marcus continued to stare ahead , never once glancing down at her . Even he was willing to believe her . Yet the husband and son she had spent years with still chose to protect that so - called white moonlight ... Marcus's words clearly took Jackson aback . If he wasn't mistaken ... This was the second time tonight Uncle Marcus had defended that woman . " Uncle Marcus , that's because you don't know what kind of person she really is . Three years ago , she framed Victoria - that's why she went to prison . And now she's even turned on her own child . In a situation like this , what more is there to investigate ? It's obvious she did it ! " Natalie's hands tightened unconsciously in front of her . 1/4 19:32 Fri , Sep 19 Chapter 9 A Little Cat Under the Desk : Her nails nearly pierced her palms from the pressure . The pain was sharp and cold . Marcus gave a faint , cold smile . " Is that so ? " כים #Finished " Yes ! Uncle Marcus ... Aiden chimed in from the side , his little mouth pouting . " Mommy really did frame Ms. Victoria . Ms. Victoria is so nice - I don't know why Mommy would do something like that ." " Because she's jealous , of course . That woman has always been petty and spiteful . Even after three years in prison , she hasn't changed a bit . She came out and turned on her own child . She doesn't deserve to be a mother ... " Jackson's voice rose with his anger . Though he spoke as if casually venting to Marcus , every word was laced with slander against her . Under the desk , Natalie felt her blood boil . Before , hearing words like these would have made her cry in despair . But now , all she felt was rage . Nothing else . So this was what it meant when people said your heart could go so cold , even heartbreak couldn't reach it anymore . Natalie slowly loosened her fists . Maybe it was the anger , or just a slip of her body , but she moved slightly without realizing it . The space under the desk was already cramped . When she shifted , her elbow accidentally knocked against the wood . A dull thud broke the tense silence in the room . " What was that ? " Jackson's grip on his son's hand tightened . " Uncle Marcus , I think it came from under your desk ." Marcus lowered his gaze and looked under the table , his expression calm . Natalie happened to glance up just then and met his eyes . In just two seconds , she quickly ducked her head again , pulling her hands back , afraid to move a muscle . Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest . 2/4 19:32 Fri , Sep 19 Chapter 9 A Little Cat Under the Desk 38 Finished This situation ... almost made her feel like she was sneaking around behind someone's back . Leaning back in his chair , Marcus shifted his eyes away once Natalie looked down . The corners of his lips lifted into a faint , knowing smile . His voice was lazy , almost amused . " There's a restless little cat under the desk ." Hearing that , Natalie swallowed nervously . This man's reflexes ... Were terrifyingly sharp . " A cat ? " Aiden's eyes lit up . " Uncle Marcus , you have a cat ? " " Mm ." Marcus nodded slightly . " Just brought her home today . " " Can I see her ? I really like cats , but Mommy and Daddy never let me have one ... " " Not today , " Marcus replied , voice tinged with a mysterious fondness . " She just got here . She's not used to the new environment . Bit of a temper - she might scare you . " Aiden asked tentatively , " Can I see her next time ? " Marcus nodded again but didn't say more . Sensing his uncle's growing impatience , Jackson tugged Aiden's hand . " Uncle Marcus , it's getting late . I'll take Aiden home now . I'll treat you to dinner properly another day ." " Mm . " Marcus responded coolly and watched them leave . Only when the sound of footsteps had faded did Natalie finally begin to lift her head . " Come on out , little cat ... " The deep , smooth voice in her car made her body freeze for a second . In her mind , Marcus had always been a powerful figure , with far - reaching connections and unmatched authority . In this city's business world , few could stand as his equal . Whenever he appeared in public , he exuded an air of distant coldness and aristocratic detachment . She never imagined he had this side to him . 3/4 19:32 Fri , Sep 19 ... 38 Chapter 9 A Little Cat Under the Desk Once he moved the chair , she crawled out quickly from under the desk . She caught the small gesture of him shielding the edge of the desk with his hand . " Thank you , Finished Mr. Collins ," she said , giving a small bow , the corners of her lips lifting slightly . " It was nothing ." Marcus's tone was calm , his face already returned to its usual distant coolness . " Besides , we're family . No need to be so polite ." " Not for much longer ," she replied firmly , her eyes full of resolve . " I'm divorcing Jackson - and I'm not just saying it . " His brows furrowed slightly before he asked in a neutral tone , " I heard from Jackson you've been to prison ? " She didn't flinch . " Yes . " Marcus leaned forward slightly , folding his hands on the desk . The black ring on his finger tapped lightly against the back of his left hand as he raised his dark , gleaming eyes and looked straight at her . " Getting out of prison makes life hard enough . Why choose to divorce Jackson now ? " His voice was soft , without any discernible emotion . Natalie lowered her gaze and met his eyes . His pupils were too dark , like a frozen lake on a winter's night - deep and impenetrable . " One mistake in the past , chasing after love like a fool . But now I see things clearly . Staying would be the real mistake . My time in prison is just part of my past - it won't stop me from building a new future . And I won't let marriage become a shackle that keeps me from moving forward ." Send Gifts 20