Deceiving Her Ears: Ignoring Your Call-Chapter 12: The Great Adventure, Making a Call

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: The Great Adventure, Making a Call

Jason Grant looked at his phone; the screen showed the video call had ended.

"Hung up?"

Isaac Vaughn flipped the phone around to check, then smirked: "Yeah, she hung up."

"Invite her out, let’s have some fun together."

Isaac spun the phone between his slender fingers, deliberately acting hesitant: "Uh—should I?"

"Why not?" Jason slapped his shoulder. "Call her."

Then he mumbled suspiciously, "But your girlfriend’s profile pic looks kinda familiar."

Isaac’s lips curved, half-smiling, half-mocking: "Well, Uncle, I’m calling, okay?"

He sent Natalie a location pin.

[Come over here and check this out for me.]

[Hurry up.]

He’d just sent that last message when a glaring red exclamation mark popped back up.

She’d blocked him again!

"Fuck!"

——

"Nat, are you asleep?"

Natalie gripped the doorknob, opened the door. "Dad."

Matthew Beckett’s handsome face wore a gentle smile, affectionate and considerate, like a father who doted on his daughter: "Long day, huh? Must’ve been tiring."

"It’s fine." Natalie fiddled nervously with the doorknob, eyes downcast, staring at the floor.

"I heard from your brother, something happened before the engagement dinner today. A little incident."

Natalie recalled that woman who’d knelt before her, clutching her hand, swearing she’d raise the child—she lifted her head to face her father.

"That woman said she’s carrying Jason Grant’s child."

Matthew pinched his brow, "I’ve already had your brother look into it. She lied. She’s not pregnant at all."

"Not pregnant?"

"Mm. Nat, you’re still in school; campus life is pretty straightforward. You wouldn’t know how cunning people are outside. They’ll do anything to get what they want—lying is common."

"But..."

"It’s already handled; you don’t need to brood over it." Matthew reached out and gently patted her shoulder, reassuring, "I spoke with Old Mr. Grant too. Jason will mind his words and actions from now on. Nothing like this will happen again."

"Alright, you’ve had a long day. Get some rest."

Matthew finished speaking and turned to leave.

"Dad."

Natalie watched his back, couldn’t help but take a step out the door, calling him.

"What is it?"

She opened her mouth, summoned all her courage, and—for the first time—questioned her parents’ decisions: "Do I really have to marry Jason Grant?"

Matthew paused, startled by her words, his expression shifting ever so slightly.

Then he replied, gently: "Don’t let your mind wander. Three months from now, for your wedding, I’ll have the best designer create the most beautiful gown for you. My precious daughter will be the most stunning bride."

Natalie’s chest went cold.

She bit down on the inside of her cheek, tasting raw, metallic blood.

Looking at her father, her voice soft and expression flat, "Dad, goodnight."

——

Bar. The VIP room.

Jason Grant answered a call. The voice on the other end reported everything was sorted; the woman had just come out of surgery, the child was aborted, squeaky clean.

"A tiny fucking problem like this—that took them so goddamn long to sort out, and they let that nutjob make a scene in front of the old man. Useless idiots!"

But finally, it was resolved.

Jason felt as if a heavy stone dropped from his chest. Wrapped an arm around the leather-skirted woman beside him and downed shots mouth-to-mouth, earning a round of cheers.

"Isaac, where’s she?"

His cheeks flushed from drinking, and he hadn’t forgotten his nephew’s girlfriend.

"She’s pissed at me." Isaac took a sip, tossed his phone onto the coffee table. "Full-on diva mode; no way she’s coming."

"Huh?" Jason scowled. "Isaac, let Uncle tell you—don’t ever indulge women. Give ’em an inch, they’ll take a mile."

As soon as he said it, the private room’s door was suddenly pushed open.

A girl, hoodie and jeans, stood there. One word for her: clean.

Her face was exquisitely pretty, cold and emotionless—yet it somehow sent a jolt of testosterone through every guy in the room.

Isaac’s eyes narrowed, he smiled. Jason, though, snapped irritably: "How’d you find us?"

They’d just gotten engaged, and Natalie Kendall couldn’t wait to play the "fiancée" card.

"Jason, you know her? Who’s this little beauty?"

"Aren’t you gonna introduce her?"

The group egged him on.

Jason frowned, got up, walked over to Natalie, slung a reluctant arm over her shoulder and muttered an introduction: "Your sister-in-law."

"Oh—sister-in-law, huh."

"Which number is this? The chick you were tongue-feeding shots to was our sister-in-law too, right?"

"Get the fuck out!" Jason cursed awkwardly, glancing at Natalie’s stone-cold face, growling through clenched teeth, "Don’t talk shit! We just got engaged—you calling her your nth sister-in-law?"

That line set off a commotion.

Joking was one thing, but if you’re engaged, it changes the game.

One of the rich kids there, friends with Scott Quinn, eyed Natalie for a while, then snapped a sneaky photo to send Scott.

[Is this that Seaharbor U campus queen you’re chasing?]

Scott happened to be in Janton.

Scott: [Natalie Kendall?! Why’s she there? Where are you guys? I’m coming over now!]

The rich kid dropped him their location, then watched Natalie and Jason intently, looking forward to fireworks.

Natalie sat beside Jason; with her here, Jason couldn’t continue flirting with leather skirt girl, so he could only mope and drink.

Later someone suggested a game—pass-the-note with a drumbeat, transferring it mouth-to-mouth. When it fell, you had to pick truth or dare.

Jason loved this stuff, and cozied up to the girl in the leather skirt.

Their eyes met, sparking tension; Jason’s gaze lingered on the leather skirt girl’s fiery red lips, and his hand snuck below to pinch her ass.

Natalie took a seat in the corner, tuning out Jason and the leather skirt girl as they kept "accidentally" dropping the note and repeatedly kissing—she didn’t even flinch.

Her attention was only on one person.

Isaac was playing too.

He acted totally aloof, chilled out.

The women on either side of him were dressed scandalously, cleavage spilling out.

Every time the note was passed with him, they blushed hard, intentionally pressing closer to him.

Isaac didn’t chase them off, didn’t encourage them either; just kept that subtle, unreadable smile on his lips.

The game got wild.

Someone called Natalie into the game—no chance for her to refuse, the paper was pressed to her lips.

Natalie just stared coldly at the guy, not budging an inch.

The guy waited awkwardly, then, embarrassed, peeled the note off himself.

"Sis-in-law, you gotta play by the rules. If you don’t grab it, you lose—truth or dare, choose."

"She’s choosing dare." Jason sneered, picking for Natalie.

This was supposed to be fun; she was killing the vibe, so he figured it was time to teach her a lesson.

Natalie glanced at Jason, then looked away—accidentally meeting Isaac’s cold, sinister eyes.

She pressed her lips together, reached for a dare card.

"Call the last person you slept with."

Someone read out the dare, and everyone turned to tease Jason.

Jason, for once, looked uncomfortable.

"Go on, dial."

"Jason, get ready to answer!"

Jason coughed, wanting to say something, but Natalie pulled out her phone.

The crowd watched her click around twice.

A few seconds later, a ringtone echoed in the room.

Jason’s phone lay silent on the table.

But—

Isaac lifted his phone to his ear, lips curled. "Hello?"