The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus)

While Marcus and the group strolled through the streets of Dithoria, relaxed and in high spirits, over at Holden Residence, Sheldon was beginning to hand over responsibilities to Noah.

Noah carried a small notebook, carefully jotting down each important detail Sheldon mentioned one by one.

"Noah, remember, once Mr. Marcus and Mrs. Natalie's wedding is over, I'll be retiring. After that, don't forget to feed Snowball over at the garden villa.

"You've learned just about everything these past few days. You're different from Elijah-you're more steady and reliable. I feel most at ease knowing you'll be the next butler of the Holden Residence."

As Sheldon spoke, his voice caught slightly with emotion. "I'm getting old. After I retire, I plan to travel a bit and see the beautiful sights of this country."

"Mr. Phelps, I'll take good care of Holden Residence. I won't let you down," Noah said seriously. "And once you retire, go wherever you want. I'll make sure someone's there to look after you."

Sheldon smiled at that. "Noah, that won't be necessary. I'm going to feed Snowball now. You head over and check on how Mrs. Natalie's conservatory is coming along."

"Yes, sir."

Noah turned and left.

Sheldon stood quietly for a moment, then slowly made his way into the kitchen. He picked up a small basket of food and headed toward the garden villa at a slow, steady pace.

But when he arrived, he didn't go upstairs. Instead, he went straight into the study and down into the basement.

Inside, Cassie was no longer recognizable. Her hands and feet had been treated with a special medicinal powder Sheldon applied regularly. The wounds bled, dried, and then bled again-over and over.

After days of this cycle, she could no longer even open her eyes.

Sheldon turned on the basement lights, carrying the basket in his hand as he slowly walked up to the iron cage.

"Cassie, get up. It's time to eat."

His voice was completely flat, devoid of warmth or emotion.

"Cassie, stop pretending to be dead." He gave her a light kick with his foot.

After a long pause, Cassie finally lifted her head. She stared at him for several seconds before she suddenly screamed. "Aaah-Aahh-I was wrong! I really was! Please, let me go! Sheldon, I'm sorry!"

She began slamming her forehead against the floor, again and again. "I'm begging you, please... I'm begging you."

Sheldon didn't even flinch. He crouched down, opened the basket, and took out the food inside.noveldrama

"Don't worry. I'm not going to let you die that easily. I want you alive to see it with your own eyes, when Mr. Wesley and Ms. Laura walk into Mr. Marcus and Mrs. Natalie's wedding, side by side.

"Didn't you say that was the one thing you couldn't stand? That you hated most- seeing Mr. Wesley and Ms. Laura together, especially arm in arm?"

He scooped up a spoonful of food and held it out to her.

"I know you don't want to die. You don't even have the guts for it. Someone as selfish and self-absorbed as you wouldn't give up their life that easily."

Tears streamed down Cassie's cheeks. She didn't dare glare at Sheldon with hatred anymore because now, she finally realized that he truly hated her.

"Oh, right. Let me show you something interesting."

Sheldon pulled out his phone. His people had been following Laura in secret, protecting her and sending regular updates.

"This is Ms. Laura. Ever since returning to Dithoria, she's been slowly stepping out from the shadow you left on her. She can go out shopping without fear now. She can smile and make friends.

"She's getting better, bit by bit. But you? You're going to rot in this pit. The person you hate most will have the man you could never get.

"Mr. Wesley knows you liked him. He wishes more than anything that the two of you weren't born from the same mother. Cassie, if you die, I promise you that not a single soul with bother to collect your body."

"Sheldon, just give me a quick death!" Cassie cried, tears still streaming down her face, but even as she sobbed, she kept eating the food he fed her, bite after bite.

Because he was right-someone like her was never going to just give up and die. Even while enduring the most humiliating, excruciating torture in this basement, she would survive. And the moment she found a way to escape, she would make Sheldon pay.

"Someone's going to come looking for me."

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"Don't kid yourself." Sheldon gave a cold smirk. "Do you think I'm just some butter managing Holden Residence? I was by Mr. Holden Senior's side for decades. Back in the day, I helped him build everything from the ground up."

All those old skills and methods, they hadn't disappeared.

Over time, as Marcus took over Holden Group, men like Sheldon had softened, becoming more approachable.

But if Cassie thought he was just some harmless old man with no real abilities, she couldn't have been more wrong.

Once she was done eating, Sheldon gathered the basket and began packing everything away.

"Cassie, I'm going to give you a break for the next few days. There will be no more torture for now. Just stay put. When Mr. Marcus's wedding day arrives, I'll make sure you get to watch it live."

He stood, towering over her, his cold, sharp gaze fixed on her broken figure.

"Oh, and one more thing. Guess what? The Sinclair family's precious firstborn, Samuel, just returned to the country.

"Because of the stuff you fed him-stuff meant to turn him against Sophia for all the help Mr. Marcus gave her over the years he's now back and trying to take over the Sinclair Group.

"But unfortunately for him, Samuel got his leg broken. He's in the hospital now. I'll

be pulling some strings behind the scenes to make sure the Holdens, the

Walkers, and the Sinclairs all grow to hate him."

"How do you even know about that?"

This time, the look Cassie gave Sheldon was one of genuine fear.

She had secretly fed Samuel twisted, manipulated information about the Sinclair family, and he'd completely fallen for it. He'd been deeply influenced.

The plan had been simple-once Samuel returned and took back control of the Sinclair Group, she would show up, partner with him, and eventually turn him into her obedient little puppet.

But now, she was trapped, completely under Sheldon's control.

And just like that, any chance of escape was gone.

Sheldon stared her down. "Don't worry. Mr. Marcus and Mrs. Natalie's wedding is coming up soon. I've got plenty of time to put things in motion before then. Cassie, let's both look forward to it."

With that, he turned and began walking away.

"Sheldon, wait!" Cassie screamed behind him. "I'll trade you information on Adam! Elijah and Noah still need their father, don't they? Sheldon, give me a chance! I can fix this!"

"Mr. Holden Senior is dead, and

there's nothing you can do to fix that," Sheldon said coldly, a flicker of

sorrow passing through his eyes. "Unless you can bring him back to life Cassie, you can rot in hell."

With that, he turned again and walked off without a second glance.

Cassie screamed after him, her voice raw and furious, "Sheldon! Don't you want

to know where Adam is?"