The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus) novel Chapter 521

"Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, sorry you had to see that. The three of us got a little emotional and couldn't quite hold it in," Jonathan said with an embarrassed chuckle.

He turned toward Marcus and Natalie with a drink in hand. "Come, let me raise a glass to the both of you."

"Of course," Marcus and Natalie replied at the same time, lifting their glasses and gently clinking them against Jonathan's.

Jonathan downed the entire drink in one go. "I'm feeling good today, so I'll finish this one. You two can take it easy."

"Dad, Mom, you guys aren't in the best health. Go easy on the drinks," Samuel gently reminded them.

Samuel and Sierra were already married when they were abroad. Now that they were back and Sierra had reconnected with her family, Samuel naturally started calling her parents Mom and Dad too.

He had no intention of ever acknowledging Ivan as his father, especially not after what he did. As for Samantha, she sent them overseas when they were young, so Samuel never felt close to her.

Even the bond with Sophia, his own sister, was thin. Sure, they kept in touch, but they did not grow up together, and their connection was honestly weaker than the ones he had with some of his close friends.

"Samuel, you already know Mr. Holden. Go spend some time with him, have a few more drinks, and catch up as guys. Cee, you should hang out with Ms. Walker. You're both women, and you'll definitely have more in common to talk about."

Jonathan took a breath to calm himself down. He knew he had been overly emotional, and it was not the right energy for hosting guests.

"Mr. Holden, I hope I'm not being too long-winded here. I'm just... really overwhelmed and happy right now," Jonathan said, raising his glass again.

"But I'm getting older, and with everything that's happened over the years, my health's taken a hit. So I'll drink this last one with you, and then I'm done for the night."

"One more for the road," he said, lifting his glass again.

Marcus and Natalie both raised theirs, and the three of them took one final sip together before Jonathan set down his drink and waved for everyone to start eating.

"Actually, there's one more important thing I need to announce," he declared suddenly, setting down his utensils with a serious expression.

"When Cee and Samuel got married, it was overseas. As their parents, we didn't get to attend the ceremony, and we didn't even give them a proper wedding gift. So, after talking it over with Melissa, we've decided to throw them a wedding here in Amberton.

"And while we're at it, we want to make it official to everyone that I have found my biological daughter... and she's brought us such an outstanding son-in-law. So, to those who've been eyeing our estate, they can give up now."

He turned toward Marcus and Natalie, his eyes full of hope. "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, would you two be willing to stand in as the witnesses at Cee's wedding?"

Of course, Jonathan had his reasons for asking them specifically. He had already looked into Samuel's background the moment they returned.

The Sinclairs used to be considered one of the top families in Dithoria State. However, after Ivan's scandal with his mistress, the entire family lost their status and slipped into obscurity.

Now, Sophia was the one calling the shots for the Sinclairs, with Zachary—eldest son of the powerful Holt family—supporting her from behind the scenes. Then again, their relationship was not public yet, and the media had not picked up on anything official.

On the other hand, the Holdens and Walkers were a different story. The Holdens were the wealthiest family in the world, and the Walkers were the richest in the country.

The fact that Sierra had become friends with Marcus and Natalie meant that anyone thinking about messing with the Remington family would definitely think twice.

She continued, "I was a little luckier. I went through some rough times early on, but once I met Ms. Blair, she sent me abroad to start over—together with Samuel.

"He's been so good to me, and Ms. Blair gave me a second chance at life. Now that I'm back, I plan to reconnect with my birth parents first, then I'm going to visit Ms. Blair in Dithoria State."

Natalie's gaze softened. "So, you're aware of what happened to the Sinclairs?"

Sierra nodded gently. "I didn't know at first, but Sophia reached out to me. And after that, I learned everything. My mom's coming with me to Dithoria too. We both want to thank Ms. Blair in person."

Hearing Sierra mention her, Melissa quickly joined in with a warm smile. "Yes, I'm planning to go with Cee. We owe Ms. Blair everything. If it weren't for her, who knows if Cee would even be alive today? This kind of kindness is something our family will never forget.

"Once Cee and Samuel have their ceremony here in Amberton, Cee will officially start calling Ms. Blair 'Mom'. For now, we've asked her to still call her 'Ms. Blair'—that was a decision Jon and I made together. The past is the past. Now is what matters."

Melissa's voice softened with guilt. "Ms. Walker, do you think I'm being selfish?"

Natalie only smiled and shook her head gently. It was understandable how regretful Melissa felt as a mother for not being there for her own daughter's wedding and not witnessing her grow up. It reminded Natalie of Laura, and how she too had missed so much of Marcus' life.

But unlike Laura's loss, which could never be undone, Melissa had found Sierra again. With Sierra back in her life, there was a spark in Melissa's eyes again, a new energy. It was the best possible outcome after years of heartache. They were truly grateful to Samantha and wanted to formally honor her.

Melissa said with a sheepish smile, "I spoke with Ms. Blair on the phone, and she completely understood and supported our decision. She even apologized, saying she should've been there too—as a mother and a mother-in-law, she missed something truly important.

"She regretted not being there for their wedding, so when we suggested doing it properly this time, she said yes right away. She also insisted we go through the full tradition. Once Samuel wraps things up here, he'll head to Dithoria to formally ask for Cee's hand. Then, they'll come to officially ask for the marriage."