Seconds after, I received a call from Natalie.

“Cole, are you out of your mind? Matthew’s your brother! I know he said something stupid. But did you really have to block him? Do you have any idea how hurt he is? You will come over to my place and apologize to him right now!”

Her shrill, furious voice practically exploded in my ear.

I sneered.

“Okay, I’m coming over.”

I would not be there to apologize to anyone. I was going there to announce my engagement to Yvonne.

My parents arrived at the Shaw family’s place ahead of me.

I took my time organizing the gifts I had prepared for Yvonne before heading over.

Natalie and Matthew were standing at the entrance.

When Natalie saw me, she scowled in disdain. “Cole Franklin, I thought you were getting better at playing it cool. All Matthew did was send a text, and you not only blocked him, but also dragged your parents here to pressure me into marrying you?”

Before I could react, she suddenly kicked me hard in the knee.

Caught off guard, I dropped to the ground with both knees hitting the floor.

“Kneel and apologize to Matthew now! Or I swear I’ll humiliate you in front of everyone later!”

Matthew leaned down slightly and stared at me with a fake look of guilt. “Cole, don’t blame Natalie. She’s just standing up for me.”

I gritted my teeth and glared at him.

He immediately put on his usual pitiful puppy-dog face.

Seeing that, Natalie was even angrier.

She took a few steps forward and slapped me hard across the face.

Her handprint bloomed across my smarting cheek.

My eyes burned in anger. I shot to my feet and shouted, “Natalie, Matthew, what the heck is wrong with you two?! I told you, I’m not marrying you!”

Natalie looked at me with thinly veiled contempt and snorted.

“Spare me the theatrics, Cole. Our parents are announcing our engagement today. So, do yourself a favor and apologize while you still can. Otherwise, don’t bother trying to set foot in this house again.”

My chest heaved with rage.

I was done with their nonsense and was just about to walk away when our parents appeared around the corner.

Frank looked at Natalie with furrowed brows as he asked, “Nat, why are you causing a scene at the door again?”

Yvonne emerged from behind them.

She was not in her wheelchair today. Her complexion was noticeably better than it had been a few days ago.

When she saw how disheveled I looked, concern shone in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

Something in me softened under her gaze. “I’m okay. What are you doing out here?”

She smiled. “You weren’t coming in. So, I thought I should check on you.”

Natalie scoffed.

“Why does that matter to you? Yvonne, since when have you been so concerned about your future brother-in-law?”

Everyone seemed stunned by that comment.

But Natalie did not seem to notice at all. She quickly stepped in and placed herself between me and Yvonne.

She shot Yvonne an insincere smile.

Then, she muttered a low warning to me under her breath, “I’ll let this slide this time. But if I find out you’re giving Matthew a hard time again after we’re engaged, you’ll regret it!”

At that moment, Natalie was suddenly acting very possessive of me. It was something I had never seen her do before.

I knew that she was simply guarding her soon-to-be status as an heiress.

Frank let out a sigh before he solemnly announced, “The one who gets engaged to Cole will be the heiress to our family. Today is the perfect day to formalize that engagement.”

Natalie lowered her head to smooth her dress. Then, she lifted her chin with a smile and was ready to take my arm.

However, in the very next moment, the look of confidence froze on her face.

Frank reached out, took my hand and Yvonne’s, and placed them together.

Yvonne’s face lit up with joy. She was radiant and nothing like the frail, bedridden girl from before.

“Cole, are you ready to spend the rest of your life with me?”