The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus)

Natalie stood on the steps for what felt like a long time. The fireworks finally stopped, but within just a few seconds, the sky lit up again. This time, the fireworks formed her name in the air, along with a tiny, animated version of herself.

With each burst of color overhead, the patterns changed, yet one thing remained constant. Every firework spelled out a message from Marcus, each one a confession of love.

When the final message faded, only a short pause followed before the sky exploded once more. What came next was a full display of golden lights and silver sparkles, spreading across the sky like a river of stars.

This part lasted much longer. There were three acts in the entire fireworks show.

The first had been a dazzling burst of shapes and colors, large and breathtaking, blooming across the night sky with stunning brilliance.

The second had been Marcus' love letters to Natalie, each sentence paired with a matching scene. Together, they painted a vivid portrait of how they met, came to know each other, and eventually fell in love.

The third was a celebration meant for all of Dithoria to see. It was a public display that told the world of their joy.

By the time it all ended, Natalie was still rooted to the spot. She had no words.

Beside her, Olivia wiped her eyes. "That was so beautiful. So overwhelming. Do you have any idea how much something like this must have cost?"

She continued, "Come on. Let's go to the top of the mountain. There's more waiting for you."

Olivia's voice brought Natalie back to herself. She turned toward her. "So when you called and asked me to come hike Mount Ashridge with you, this was all part of the plan from the start, wasn't it?"

Olivia nodded. "Yes. It was. When Marcus saw you sleeping in his office, he came to us and made all the arrangements."

Natalie murmured, "How did he even manage all this in such a short time?"

Back at the office, Marcus had shown no signs of preparing the show at all. He'd looked busy, tired, preoccupied with work. Not once had he hinted at anything like this.

She had believed him when he said he couldn't join her for dinner. She really thought he had too much to do.

It was then she realized everything had been prepared in advance. All they had been waiting for was for her to wake up.

No, not even that. She hadn't woken on her own. It was Olivia's call that roused her.

"Nat, are you mad at me?" Olivia asked carefully. She noticed Natalie hadn't spoken in a while, and her face wasn't showing much surprise either. A faint worry crept into her heart.

Natalie snapped out of her thoughts. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "No, Olivia, I'm not upset. I'm actually really happy. I didn't know about any of this. Marcus didn't say a word.

"I used to think I didn't care much about grand gestures, that surprises didn't move me. But I realized I was lying to myself."

Olivia sniffled, then rushed forward to hug her. "Don't say that about yourself, Nat. Come on. Let's go to the top."

"Do we have to climb?"

"No, of course not. Why climb when there's a cable car?"

With a clap of her hands, a trail of glowing lights lit up in the sky, and a sparkling pumpkin carriage rolled toward them, drawn by an invisible force and guided by a driver dressed exactly like a coachman from a fairytale.

"Your carriage awaits, Princess Natalie."

The pumpkin-shaped carriage sparkled, every inch gleaming with charm. It was the kind of thing any young woman would instantly fall in love with.

Natalie glanced at Olivia, who smiled and took her hand, helping her into the carriage. As it began to move, little bells chimed with every turn of the wheels.

She sat quietly inside, still trying to process everything. The entire experience felt surreal, like

something out of a dream. Every so often, She glanced at Olivia, whose red-rimmed eyes revealed just how moved she was by the whole thing.

Soon, the carriage reached the base of the cable cars. The driver helped them out, and several staff members guided them into a beautifully decorated cabin.

The cable car was whimsically decorated, filled with soft colors and gentle lighting, lined with soft lighting and delicate flowers. As it began its slow ascent, the glowing path ahead lit up.

Below their feet, lights began to shimmer in the shape of a flower field. The higher they rose, the more brilliant and expansive the glowing garden became.

"Olivia, all of this... It couldn't have been done in just a few days. You're hiding something else, aren't you?" Natalie whispered.

"I'm not," Olivia said, shaking her head.

Then she added, "I only found out not long ago. Marcus asked me to help bring you here. That's all I did. As for the countdown and the hand signal, those were also part of his plan."

She reached behind her ear, and peeled off a tiny earpiece. "This little chip lets me hear his instructions. Whatever he said, I did. Everything I said came from him."

Natalie didn't

't answer. Her eyes were fixed on the glowing garden beneath

the cable car. By the time they

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reached the top of the mountain, the entire billside beneath them had transformed into a radiant field of light.

The flowers weren't roses or lilies. They were jasmine-soft whites, rare pastels, even impossible shades she'd never seen before. She didn't

know where Marcus had found so many, or whether he had specially commissioned new shades to be grown for this night.

"Nat, will you marry me?" A deep voice sounded from behind her.

She slowly turned and saw Marcus, the man who should have been in his office. He stood before her in a perfectly tailored black suit, holding a vibrant bouquet of red roses. He was down on one knee.noveldrama

It was clear he had dressed up for the occasion. His hair had been styled, his face subtly touched up with light makeup, and his dark eyes were locked on her with unwavering focus and warmth.

He opened his mouth again. His tone was calm, low, steady, and filled with tenderness. "Ms. Natalie Walker, will you marry Marcus Holden?"

In one hand, he held the roses. In the other, a ring box.

Natalie recognized the ring. It was the same one she had seen in the sketches in

his office drawer. And this time, the design had been brought to life. It was delicate, beautiful, and one of a kind.

Before she could speak, Olivia clapped her hands and cheered from the side.

"Say yes. Say yes. Say yes."

Then came William and Charlotte, along with her brothers. One after another, they stepped out and joined in the applause.

From the other side, Laura and Wesley emerged, clapping through tears as they added their voices.

"Say yes. Say yes. Say yes."

The Walker family members didn't chant, but each of them applauded. They had all seen everything Marcus had done.

Natalie's eyes reddened, filling slowly with tears. She couldn't put into words what she was feeling at that moment. All she knew was that her heart suddenly felt full.

Full to the point of aching.

A little sore. A little sweet.

And somehow, her throat was so tight, no sound would come out.