Before Natalie could respond, Sky's voice came through the phone again. "Oh, right. Nat, Mr. Sinclair mentioned that you own Goodwill Pharmacy. Is that true?"
"Yes," Natalie admitted without hesitation.
"That's great." Sky's tone softened slightly. "I heard Goodwill Pharmacy has an ointment that works well for pain relief and swelling. Could you bring me a tube when you come back later?"
"Sure, I'll bring one tonight."
"Alright. Thanks, Nat."
"No problem, Sky."
Since he was being polite, Natalie responded in kind.
"Go ahead and get back to work. Take care of yourself," he finally said.
"Okay. Thanks, Sky. You too, take care."
After hanging up, Natalie couldn't help but notice the shift in his attitude.
Could he be using retreat as a strategy to advance?
Natalie shook her head. She didn't want to assume the worst, but since she returned to the Walkers, Sky had always sided with Emma.
For him to suddenly change like this… it was hard not to be suspicious.
Still, without actual evidence, she decided to let it go for now.
After the call ended, Natalie motioned for Zane to return the phone to Ivan. "Mr. Sinclair, please leave."
"What do you mean by leave?" Ivan's expression darkened.
He continued, "Didn't Sky tell you? Before long, our families will be joined by marriage. Wendy and Ruby were out of line, and I've already punished them for it.
"Natalie, you're the heiress of the Walkers, the eldest daughter. You should consider the bigger picture when making decisions. If rumors start spreading about a conflict between our families before the wedding even happens, it won't be good for either of us."
"You're right, Mr. Sinclair. Thanks for the reminder. I'll talk to Sky right now and call off the engagement."
Natalie's expression remained blank as she reached for her phone.
"Even the Sinclairs' housekeepers think they can point fingers at me and hurl insults. The Walkers can't afford to be associated with a family like yours.
"The Sinclairs are from a household with exceptional manners, and the Walkers just aren't worthy of that kind of refinement. Thus, I'll let Sky and my parents know right away."
Without hesitation, she dialed Charlotte's number. The phone barely rang before it was answered.
"Hello, sweetie."
"Mom, the Sinclairs' housekeepers pointed in my face and insulted me. They even caused trouble at Goodwill Pharmacy, trying to force me to sell them the medicine. I didn't want to sell anything to people who had just cussed me out, you see.
"Then, Mr. Sinclair told me that I should be more mature and think about the bigger picture before making decisions, especially since our families are about to become in-laws."
The moment the call connected, Natalie's tone became pitiful, completely different from the icy one she had used just seconds ago.
"Mom, if the Sinclairs' housekeepers are acting like this, what happens if Sky actually marries Ms. Sinclair? Will they kick me out of my own home? Mom, I'm scared…"
Her voice trembled even more as if she were on the verge of tears.
"Mom, please talk to Dad and tell Sky to break off the engagement with Ms. Sinclair. Their housekeepers are already treating me this way, and the wedding hasn't even happened yet. If it goes through, what if they start hitting me? I'm scared…"
By the time she finished speaking, she had fully broken into sobs, crying like a helpless, terrified girl.
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