The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus)

As soon as Sierra finished speaking, she hung up the phone without waiting for Samuel's response. She wasn't asking-she was informing him.

"Let's go have a nice meal and celebrate!" Jonathan chirped.

"Out with the old, in with the new. Sweetie, what do you feel like eating? Mom and Dad will treat you."

"My treat," Sophia added, smiling at Jonathan and Melissa.

The couple was deeply loving and treated Sierra with genuine warmth and respect.

Unlike Ivan, who, in pursuit of maximizing the Sinclair family's interests, had turned a blind eye to Sky's enabling of Emma's bullying and had even forbidden Sophia from defending herself.

All Sierra had done was mention wanting a divorce from Samuel, and Jonathan and Melissa had supported her immediately without asking a single question.

That kind of unconditional trust and support was truly enviable.noveldrama

"Alright, I won't be shy then," Sierra said with a smile. She then turned to Sophia. "I haven't been back to Dithoria State in years, so I'm not too familiar with the area. I'll leave the planning to you and Mr. Holt."

She walked over to Samantha and wrapped her in a hug. "Mom, thank you for taking me in back then and letting me live abroad. It helped me avoid all the Sinclair family drama.

"In the end, I turned out luckier and happier than Sophia, and it's all thanks to you. My parents and I will be staying in Dithoria, and from now on, I'll treat you like my own mother.

"Besides Sophia, you'll have another daughter to care for you. Would you be willing to accept me as your daughter too?"

Tears welled up in Samantha's eyes. "Why wouldn't I? Of course, I would! You've always been the sweet girl I brought home all those years ago."

As Sierra and Samantha embraced, Jonathan and Melissa looked on, their eyes glistening with emotion.

"Let's invite Mr. Holden and Ms. Walker for a meal too," Jonathan suggested.

"If it weren't for him, my wife and I probably never would've found Cee again. I've always wanted to thank him properly.

"Part of the reason we came to Dithoria was to attend Mr. Holden and Ms. Walker's wedding, but we also came to visit the person who saved our daughter all those years ago.

"We're getting older now, and we don't have many close relatives left in Amberton. We worry that once we're gone, Cee might be mistreated."

Jonathan looked at Sophia, then turned to Zachary. He continued, "That's why we're thinking of moving to Dithoria. Here, I can ask Mr. Holden to look out for Cee, and she'll also have her adoptive mother and sister nearby.

"Wherever Cee is, that's home for us. In the future, when my wife and I are no longer around, we'll be counting on Sophia and Mr. Holt to take good care of her."

"Mr. Remington, you're being too polite," Zachary said.

"Zac, just call me Jonathan, alright? And this is Melissa." Jonathan's tone was warm and friendly, clearly making an effort to build a good relationship with both Zachary and Sophia.

His smile was gentle, and his expression sincere he genuinely wanted to grow closer to them.

Zachary glanced at Sophia, who gave him a small nod. He returned it with one of his own. "Alright, Jonathan, Melissa."

At the sound of Zachary addressing them so familiarly, Jonathan visibly relaxed, the tension in his shoulders easing.

"Well then, let's go eat!" Sierra said.

"My treat," Jonathan added happily, reaching out to take Melissa's hand. "Sophia, Samantha, you two handle the arrangements. I'll take care of the bill."

No one there was short on money, so neither Samantha nor Sophia insisted on paying.

They selected a five-star restaurant under the Walker Group's name and headed over together.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Samuel had just come out of surgery. His leg was in a cast, and he lay on the bed, his face twisted in pain.

He gripped his phone tightly, his thumb hovering over Sierra's number, pulling it up again and again. He wanted to call her, but every time, her words echoed in his mind.

He shut his eyes, cursing under his breath. "Shit!"

He struggled to contain the rage brewing inside him. How could Sierra even say something like that? A divorce?

But... she'd been assaulted by that thug.

The moment Samuel pictured another man on top of Sierra, he couldn't move

past it. The image became a wall in his heart he just couldn't climb.

Sierra had been violated. How was she any different from Sophia now?

Sophia was his sister. He already carried a deep sense of guilt over what had happened to her, but since

they hadn't lived under the same roof for years, the pain felt distant and manageable.

But Sierra was different. She was his wife, his childhood sweetheart-the girl who

had grown up by his side. He couldn't tolerate even the slightest flaw or impurity on her.

Why did it have to be Sierra? Why her?

Samuel's eyes snapped open, now bloodshot with rage. If Sierra wanted a divorce, fine, but she'd have to compensate him for emotional distress and the youth he'd wasted on her.

Yes, that was it. She had to pay. If she didn't, he wouldn't agree to the divorce.

He hadn't even rejected her or looked down on her after what happened, and yet she was the one asking to leave?

Why? Why the hell should she get to walk away?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. His eyes burned with rage

as he stabbed his finger at Sierra's name in his contacts and hit "call".

The phone rang. After a long pause, her voice finally came through. "Hello, Samuel."

"Sierra, I don't agree with the

divorce," he said through gritted teeth. "If you insist on leaving, then you'll have to compensate me for emotional damages and all the years of my life you've wasted. Otherwise, I won't go through with

it."

"Hmm?" On the other end of the line, Sierra thought she'd misheard him. She pulled the phone away from her ear and switched it to speaker. "Samuel, I didn't catch that. Can you say it again?"

"I said," Samuel gritted his teeth,

speaking slowly and clearly, "I don't

agree to the divorce. And if you

insist on going through with it,

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have to compensate me for emotional damages and lost youth. Otherwise, forget it."

"What?" Sierra let out a short laugh, so angry it was almost funny. "Alright.

Emotional damages and lost youth, huh? Sure. Write up the list. If it looks reasonable to me, I'll pay you."

With that, she hung up without another word. Taking a few deep breaths, she fought to calm the fire raging in her chest.

Nearby, Jonathan, Melissa, and Samantha had clearly overheard Samuel's words, and all three were visibly shocked.

Sophia's mouth curled up slightly into a sarcastic smile. Honestly, coming from Samuel, she wasn't even surprised.

Zachary didn't say a word, but the flicker of disdain in his eyes said it all. For Samuel to say something like that, he truly had no shame.

"Sweetie, your mom and I fully support the divorce," Jonathan said, his voice tight with fury.

"That bastard—trash. Scum!" Melissa cursed. How the hell is someone like that the eldest son of the Sinclair family? How was he ever your husband? Divorce him. No question about it."

Her expression had turned grim. When Samuel had first brought Sierra home, he'd seemed like a decent man. How had he become such a selfish, money- grubbing lowlife?