Deceiving Her Ears: Ignoring Your Call-Chapter 22: If Vanessa Grant Takes a Few More Steps, She’ll See Her and Isaac Vaughn
"Morning, Uncle."
Isaac straightened up, walked past Natalie, and strode towards Jason Grant.
Natalie’s body tensed, her mind blank in that instant.
She didn’t dare imagine what would happen next.
"Morning," Jason replied, stretching lazily.
Natalie turned back in surprise.
Jason didn’t seem at all surprised to see Isaac here.
Isaac picked up the documents on the coffee table and handed them to Jason: "Uncle, I’ve marked all the points to watch out for."
Jason’s face lit up; he walked over in two strides to take them.
After flipping through a few pages, he patted Isaac’s shoulder. "Isaac, you’ve worked hard. You probably didn’t sleep last night for this, right?"
Isaac replied languidly, "It’s fine. It’s good if I can help you, Uncle."
"Thanks a lot!" Jason gripped his shoulder hard. "Good thing you noticed last night I left this at Sharp’s villa and brought it to me. Otherwise, if it were lost, my deal would have been ruined. The old man would’ve blown a fuse."
"It’s nothing, Uncle, no need to mind it."
As he spoke, Isaac turned to face Natalie.
Using his body to block Jason’s line of sight, he used sign language to tell Natalie to go inside and rest.
Natalie pressed her lips together, lowered her eyes, and carried her water cup into the room.
One hand in his pocket, Isaac turned back to Jason. "Uncle, there’s something I’m not sure I should say."
"What can’t you say to me? Go ahead."
"Uncle, judging from the documents, even if you close this deal with YAMAXUN Group, it still can’t solve The Grant Group’s crisis."
Jason’s face immediately soured.
Isaac’s words were blunt, but hit the mark dead-on.
He clutched the documents in his hand, glancing toward the direction of Natalie’s bedroom.
"Isaac, come here for a moment."
Jason called Isaac into the guest room and shut the door.
"Isaac, we’re family. I won’t hide anything from you."
He rubbed his hands awkwardly. "The Grant Group’s situation is really tough right now."
"The cash flow is broken. We can’t even guarantee next month’s payroll for the employees."
Such a dire situation hadn’t stopped him from spending lavishly and indulging in pleasure.
Isaac’s expression was worried, but inside he was cold and contemptuous.
"Then Uncle, you need to figure something out."
"You think I haven’t? Of course I’ve thought about it." Jason gritted his teeth. "Right now, the only way is marriage."
A shadow flickered in Isaac’s eyes, his tone cool: "Uncle, you mean the Beckett shares Natalie’s holding?"
"Exactly." Jason didn’t bother to hide his intentions.
After all, since the Grant and Beckett families had the engagement, it was pretty much an unspoken rule to use Natalie’s Beckett shares to help the Grant family.
"That really is a solution." Isaac’s tone betrayed no emotion.
Jason looked a bit agitated. "The problem is, Natalie still has over two months before she reaches the legal marriage age. If The Grant Group has to hang on for two months, that’s just too tough."
"Isaac, I heard Sharp has ways."
"Uncle, you mean—?"
"I want to find someone to alter Natalie’s age info, so we can get married sooner."
Smart move, honestly.
He could even think of something like this.
Isaac sneered inwardly, but only said on the surface, "Well, Uncle, let me look into it for you."
At that moment, Jason’s phone rang.
He glanced at the caller and, unconcerned about Isaac’s presence, answered directly.
"Alright, got it, I’ll come to you now. Okay, didn’t I say I’d buy you that already?"
On the other end was a woman; Isaac vaguely heard mentions of limited editions, handbags, and such.
After hanging up, Jason said, "Isaac, I have to head out. You?"
"Alright, Uncle, go ahead. I’ll head back too."
"Thanks for staying here all night."
Jason and Isaac walked to the door together. Jason, anxious, left first, opening the door before Isaac.
Isaac just stood at the entryway, not reaching to open the door.
After about two minutes, he turned around and went back inside, walked through the living room, and went straight to the bedroom.
Pushing open the door, Isaac met the gaze of Natalie, quietly sitting on the bed, his thin lips curving, "Want some pasta?"
Natalie’s eyes flickered.
Isaac went on, "If you want some, come out."
With that, he turned and left.
A few minutes later, Natalie slowly came out of the bedroom.
Kitchen.
The water was boiling. Isaac was putting noodles into the pot.
He turned to see Natalie standing at the door.
With her bare face, her skin was white as snow. Her wide, pure doe eyes made her look so obedient, it tugged at your heart.
The little bear pajamas she was wearing were still the ones he’d changed her into last night.
Isaac turned back and stirred the pasta in the pot.
"Go sit at the dining table and wait."
As soon as he finished, he heard footsteps a short while later. Unbidden, the corners of his thin lips lifted in a subtle curve.
The pasta was done cooking; just as he was about to serve it, his phone rang.
"Isaac, last night I risked life and limb for you—how will you thank me?"
It was Franklin Finch, calling just to claim credit.
"Oh? What reward do you want?"
"Give me that Cullinan you’ve had on order for three months!" Franklin demanded like a lion.
Isaac laughed, "Sure."
"Really?"
Franklin hadn’t expected to get the car so easily. He pinched his leg on the other end, seriously doubting he was awake.
"I’m getting married in a few days. Remember to prepare a wedding gift bigger than that car."
"W-what?! Cough, cough! Married?!"
Franklin almost choked on his own spit. "Married? Who are you marrying?"
Then it hit him. "No way, Isaac—you really want the mistress to take the top seat?!"
Isaac set his phone aside and served the pasta.
Jason’s words today had really sparked something in him.
He told Franklin about wanting to alter Natalie’s age.
Franklin hesitated. "That’s actually not too tough."
After a pause, he gritted his teeth. "But, Isaac, you and your future aunt—are you serious about this? Are you in love?"
Isaac’s face darkened. "How many times do I have to say it? She isn’t."
As for falling in love—
He just felt bad for the poor little deaf girl.
Isaac brought over the pasta. Natalie’s eyes lit up slightly when she saw it.
"Did you wash your hands?"
Isaac was about to hand her the chopsticks, but drew them back midway, teasing like a child.
"Didn’t your kindergarten teacher tell you to wash your hands before eating?"
Natalie’s face flushed a little; she stood up and left the dining room.
Isaac’s lips curved as he followed her.
Natalie turned on the tap. As soon as her hands slipped under the water, a warm chest pressed up from behind, encasing her in an embrace.
Isaac’s long arms reached around. His slender hand tangled with her delicate one under the running water.
"Do you know how to wash your hands? Let me teach you."
"Here, here, and here—you have to scrub them all."
Natalie’s heartbeat went haywire; the blush on her face crept all the way to her ears.
Isaac watched her in the mirror, lips brushing lightly along her cheek, gently grazing and kissing.
Natalie’s body softened; she couldn’t help turning her head, seeking his lips.
Just as their lips were about to meet—
The front door suddenly made a noise, followed by Vanessa’s voice calling out from the bedroom: "Nat? Are you in the bathroom?"
Natalie was yanked out of her desire in an instant, fear flooding through her as she stared wide-eyed at the bathroom door.
Just a few more steps from Vanessa, and she’d see her and Isaac together.
