A smile graced Natalie's lips. "You get luckier, of course. You become your true self, and no one can push you around anymore. That version of you is who you're meant to be."
Marshall didn't fully grasp the concept, but he knew he had been constantly improving ever since meeting her.
He often heard her say things like that—about living authentically.
But who really knew what their true self looked like? All he knew was that living the life he wanted meant he was finally being true to himself.
He flashed a wicked, charming grin, looking striking under the dining room lights. "I think I get what you mean. Like this past year, I finally became the guy I wanted to be. I've never felt so productive or fulfilled. Like I said, this year has been amazing."
"Haha..." Marshall laughed brightly. He had a radiant complexion and a striking smile that was impossible to ignore.
Luna suddenly chimed in. "Mr. Spencer, you're not scared of Joanna anymore."
His laughter stopped abruptly, and he shot Luna a look. "Luna, can we not bring up that toxic name when we're having a good time? It seriously ruins the vibe."
Luna scoffed, nodding. Fine, she wouldn't mention it. She took a massive bite of lobster-it was too delicious to waste time talking anyway.
As the group chatted and ate, in the private room directly across the hall, a disguised Sebastian and Sean were also having dinner.
"Boss, how are we getting back later?" Sean asked quietly.
He missed Luna and desperately wanted to ask her out.
Sebastian glanced at him, elegantly cutting his steak.
"You can speak at a normal volume," he reminded him. "They can't hear us."
"And I know you're eager to get back and date Luna, but don't just focus on your own feelings. Have you considered whether she even likes you back?"
He wanted Sean to truly understand his own heart, so he wouldn't make the same disastrous romantic mistakes Sebastian had.
Sean fell speechless. That last comment completely shut him up.
He had been so wrapped up in his own crush that he hadn't even stopped to ask if Luna felt the same way.
Suddenly regaining his confidence, Sean declared, "Boss, she definitely likes me. If she didn't, why would she risk her life to save mine? Why would she worry about me or Search everywhere for me?"
Sebastian paused mid-bite. His thoughts instantly drifted to Natalie. She knew he
was perfectly fine, yet she didn't come looking for him, nor did she care.
Now, he wanted to step into her world, to walk the path she had walked, but he couldn't get anywhere near her.
The realization drove home a bitter truth: even the most powerful men couldn't always keep the women they loved most.
No matter what choices they made, they kept missing each other.
He took a deep breath. No, there was still time. There had to be.
In the past, Natalie had loved him desperately. She had carefully prepared his meals every single day and begged him to go to the temple with her on holidays. But back then, he was barely clinging to life too exhausted to entertain what he thought were a young girl's naive requests.
But moving forward, he would pour everything he had into loving her.
Sebastian lowered his head, eating in silence.
After dinner, he smoothly pulled a napkin and wiped his mouth.
Then he asked, "How is Joanna's acquisition of Zachary's agency going?"
Talking about work instantly lifted
Sean's spirits. "Boss, you told me to sabotage it, right? Joanna only managed to secure two branch offices. We had our people wreck the rest of the deals. She wants to be a business queen? She's dreaming."