The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus)

Marcus stood before Charles' portrait, his eyes bloodshot with rage. His piercing gaze locked onto Yvette and Charlene, who knelt before the casket.

Charlene might be spared, but Yvette had no escape today. She would kneel, repent, and confess her sins. She owed both the Holden family and the Walker family not just an explanation, but justice for their lost dignity.

Charlotte stepped forward, dressed in a black dress and heels, a white rose pinned to her chest just like Natalie's.

"Yvette, I used to respect you because of your age. But you're just a venomous old hag, not worthy of a shred of respect."

Charlotte's voice was colder than William's, sharp and merciless.

"The Walker family never did anything to harm the Jenkins family. Yet your family tore itself apart over a man and dragged both the Walker and Holden families

down with you.

"And after all that, you still have the nerve to shift the blame onto us. You caused Mr. Holden Senior's death. You even swapped my daughter and let her suffer years of abuse in the Langley family.

"Yvette, Vivian set that fire and burned over a hundred members of the Jenkins family. And you still had the audacity to pin the blame on the Holden and Walker families. Your shamelessness truly knows no bounds.

"Today, in front of Mr. Holden Senior, the Holden and Walker families will not let you smear our names any further. Since everyone's here, let's lay the truth out for all to see.noveldrama

"Your Jenkins family lost all decency long ago. You deceived Mr. Holden Senior and married off an unfaithful, impure woman to him. You toyed with his genuine love for years and made him raise a daughter that was never his. In the end, he was driven to take his own life.

"Yvette, what right do you have to claim innocence?"

Yvette glared at Charlotte, her eyes wide with disbelief and rising panic. The Walker family's accusations she could still bear, but why would Marcus expose everything like this? Had Marcus truly discarded even Charles' dignity, even after death?

Marcus didn't care anymore. The person he loved most was already gone forever. All he wanted was revenge. He wanted Yvette to spend the rest of her miserable life in endless pain and despair.

Charles died because he was heartbroken.

He loved everything he had. He had remained loyal until the end. But Yvette told him the woman he had cherished had never loved him, had cheated on him, and had left him raising another man's child.

For someone who had only loved his late wife, that was the cruelest blow imaginable. He couldn't bear it. He couldn't make peace with it.

Even with Natalie and Hector at his side, he chose a method of death they had no chance of being saved. Even then, he still longed for the Walker family's affection. He had been afraid that once he was gone, the grandson he raised with his own hands would be left all alone.

Marcus' eyes burned red, fury simmering behind them. He clenched it all down, refusing to let a single tear fall.

When Yvette met his poisonous gaze, fear surged through her like a tidal wave. Her knees buckled, though thankfully, she was already kneeling and didn't collapse.

She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye again. Usually calm and calculating, she now felt anxiety clawing at her chest.

"Everyone must be curious. Why the Jenkins family's residence in Dithoria went up in flames all those years ago," Marcus said as he looked around the room.

Everyone present at the funeral had been personally selected by Marcus. He had given Ethan a list of names. He would make sure the entire Dithoria remembered the Jenkins family for what they truly were.

He would let the one surviving Jenkins family member experience what it felt like to have her belief shattered, to question her entire life, and to feel like there was nothing left to live for.

Cancer or not, Marcus had ways to keep her alive-long enough to suffer. Marcus' deep, commanding voice carried a weight that silenced the entire room.

Charles had earned respect throughout his life. He had donated to countless charities. Almost everyone there had once benefited from his generosity.

Upon learning he had been wronged and driven to his death, their sympathy quickly turned into righteous fury.

After stepping down from Holden Group, Charles passed the company to Marcus. Though he never made a formal announcement, everyone in Dithoria knew the truth. Marcus was the only successor.

There had once been whispers that Cassie might fight for the position. However, that possibility no longer existed.

Marcus snapped his fingers. A large screen beside the altar lit up.

Footage from the USB Yvette once gave Charles started playing on the screen. Hector's recording of her confession played at the same time.

"Take a good look. This is how the Jenkins family deceived my grandfather. This is how this woman destroyed my mother and targeted Natalie," Marcus said coldly, eyes still fixed on Yvette.

Yvette's eyes widened in disbelief. "Marcus, you would go this far? You'd throw away your grandfather's dignity?

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted? Isn't this your kind of favorite show? Let the world see just how vile the Jenkins family truly is. Why didn't Vivian's fire kill you along with the others?" Marcus' voice dripped with

poison.

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"Beat her, beat Yvette."

A voice rose from the crowd, and chaos erupted in an instant. A woman rushed forward, grabbed Yvette by the hair, and punched her square in the chest.

"Grandma!" Charlene cried out, throwing herself forward to shield her.

But once one person made a move, the rest followed like an avalanche. Someone yanked Charlene away and shoved her hard into the casket. The impact echoed with a heavy thud.

Yvette was buried under a flurry of fists and kicks.

Marcus stood silently, face cold, watching it all unfold. He knew these people wouldn't kill her. But to Yvette, this beating was the greatest humiliation of her life.

Once the crowd began to tire. Marcus snapped his fingers again.

The sound cut through the chaos like a command. Everyone who had attacked her stepped back and returned to their seats in eerie, disciplined silence.

Yvette's hair was a tangled mess. Pain pulsed through her body, but her face remained untouched

"Marcus, you really think you can do whatever you want? What if your grandfather climbs out of that casket and gives you a good scolding?"

A cold chuckle slipped from Marcus' lips. "Sheldon. It's your turn."

Sheldon, who had been standing silently beside the casket all this time, finally stepped forward. He walked up to Yvette, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and slammed her head to the floor repeatedly.

"You wicked hag, you venomous bitch. Kneel. Repent. Apologize to Mr. Holden

Senior."

Sheldon had served Charles for decades. He was known for his dignity and grace. Yet, even he was spitting curses.

"You deserve to die. Your whole

family deserved what they got! How

dare you blame Mr. Holden Senior.

He was the one who was wronged. And your Jenkins family still had the audacity to show your faces?

"You, Yvette, have no shame. Vivian had none, and neither do you. Kneel. Apologize. The entire Jenkins family owes Mr. Holden Senior a blood debt."