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0.93% Married To My Billionaire Stepbrother / Chapter 3: Justin Harper

Chapter 3: Justin Harper

A black luxury car left Bayford City's airport, gliding smoothly down the road. In the back passenger seat sat a handsome man in a black suit, leaning back with his eyes closed. The light from the passing street lamps streaming through the car window cast a soft glow on his tired face. "Find out who leaked the information about my arrival," his deep, dignified voice echoed inside the car.

"Yes, Mister Harper," the assistant replied, glancing at him through the rearview mirror. "The news has been taken care of. There are no pictures or videos of you available now. However, for those who have already seen the news, we can't do anything about them. But it's late at night, so the number of viewers must be low."

After half an hour, the car arrived at an upscale villa area and entered the gates of a luxurious residence. The driver stepped out and opened the door for the man. As he stepped out, a sweet voice welcomed him.

"Justin, you are finally back." An elderly woman in a simple, knee-length elegant dress, holding a cane, walked towards him with a gentle smile on her lips.

Despite his fatigue, he offered a light smile. "Grandma."

She looked around playfully. "I don't see any grandma here."

"Julia," he corrected himself, "at this hour of night, you should have been sleeping, instead of waiting for me?"

"I could not wait to see you, Justin," she hugged him gently. "Tell me you're not going back."

"I'm not," he assured her. "Where's Father?"

"That grumpy brat is in the drawing room." 

The two entered the drawing room where James Harper was watching the news, his expression serious. His gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose gave him a scholarly appearance. James Harper was one of the most renowned businessmen in the country, the head of the richest business empire.

He looked at the newcomer who greeted him, "Father."

James offered a light nod. "I saw the news. Though it has been removed now, this can't continue. What do you plan to do?" His voice was deep and dignified, face lacking any particular emotion.

Julia frowned. "He just arrived home after so many years, and instead of caring about him, you're acting like a businessman even at home."

Justin gave her an assuring glance and turned to his father. "I will reveal myself when the time is right. I do not want unnecessary attention when I need time to settle everything here."

James simply hummed in response.

"Go freshen up and come downstairs for dinner. I have prepared everything you like," Julia suggested.

Justin went upstairs to his room, a place he had last seen almost fifteen years ago. He didn't have many memories of this room, as he had spent only a few days here after he was brought in the Harper family when he was ten and then was sent abroad. But everything in the room looked the same and everything he needed was already arranged.

After the family of three had dinner together, James retired to his room.

Julia let out a sigh of relief once James was gone. "Justin, come with me."

Justin obediently followed her to her room. She handed him a file. "You have to go to the Imperial City and bring this person home."

Puzzled, he opened the file and saw a picture of a young girl in a school uniform, then read her information.

Natalie Ford, age twenty-four, daughter of Caryn and Jay Ford, mother deceased, lives with grandparents, father, stepmother and sister. There was other additional information about her along with her latest pictures that Justin quickly skimmed through before closing the file.

"Who is she?" he asked. "You're not trying to set me up on another blind date, are you?"

"Don't speak nonsense. This girl is your sister."

Justin was stunned. "Sister? How is this possible?"

"She is James's biological daughter, but he doesn't know she exists."

Justin was speechless for a moment before he heard the old woman continue.

"I think it's about time to bring her home and let James know about her. I would fetch her personally, but my body isn't as healthy as it used to be. You're the only one I can trust to execute this task." She looked at the file in his hands, "All the details are there. The detective who worked for me gathered all the information. Can you do this for me, Justin?"

"Why does Father not know about her existence? This doesn't make sense," Justin asked, befuddled as he stared down at the picture of his supposed sister. Was his grandma going senile, or was this some new prank? He squinted, trying to see if her features looked familiar to his father. "And why didn't you let Father know about this? Why are you trying to keep it a secret?"

His grandma looked pained. 

"I'll explain everything once you bring her home," Her hopeful eyes turned pleading, "Please, would you do this one favor for me, Justin?"

"Of course I will," Justin said.

His grandma had cared for him since the moment he had been adopted by the Harper family when he was about ten years old. For the past fifteen years, James and Julia had been his family. There was very little he would not do for them. "But I want to verify the information given first. I need to see what kind of person she is. If she's greedy and will disturb the peace of our home, I won't bring her back. Grandma, are you alright with that?"

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. Caryn's daughter is just like her. She can't be a bad person. You can trust my judgment." His grandma said confidently. 

Justin barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "Julia, according to this file, Caryn Ford died when this girl was barely seven. She's now in her twenties. A lot can happen in those years, so forgive me for being cautious." 

She sighed. "I forgot, you're as stubborn as James. Do whatever you want, but in the end, I want the daughter of this family to return to her rightful place."

"I'll see what I can do." He turned to leave with the file. "Good night, Julia."

"Justin, even if she comes back, your position in the family will remain the same," Julia commented, as she watched his retreating back, "You know that, right?" 

Justin didn't turn to look at her but replied, "That's the least of my concerns, and you know it."

Julia couldn't deny it; she knew the kind of person Justin was. She said no more and watched him leave.

-----

Meanwhile, Natalie headed to the civil affairs bureau to confirm if the marriage certificate was genuine.

"Miss Ford, this marriage certificate is indeed real," the officer behind the desk informed her, offering a strange look.

The last hope she was holding onto finally broke. "So, I am truly married?" she mumbled. She turned to the officer once more. "Is it possible to get a marriage certificate without one of the parties being present?"

"Absolutely not. We have to confirm the identities of both parties while they are present here in person."

"Can you check the recording from my wedding day and show it to me?"

"Miss, we only maintain recordings for the past twelve months, and you have been married for a year and a half. I'm afraid I cannot help you."

'So I have no other option but to find this husband of mine.' Disappointed, Natalie left the office. 

As she stepped out, her phone rang. "Where are you?" she heard the angry voice of her grandmother.

If it had been another time, Natalie would have insisted she speak more politely, as she always did, but not now. "What do you want?"

"Is this how you talk to me?"

Natalie didn't wish to argue. "Why did you call, Grandma?"

"Come home right away and bring that useless husband of yours," the older woman ordered.

"As I said before, I don't know who he is."

"I don't care. Come home with him, or I will throw away everything that belongs to your mother onto the streets!"


Chapter 4: Not A Chance In Hell

After Sephina hung up the call, Clara asked, "Is she coming, Mother?"

Sephina nodded. "Yes. Let's see who she has married."

"Grandma, I remember the name of her husband," Briena chimed in. "I searched for him, and there's no one special with that name. All are ordinary men. That means she didn't marry anyone significant but just a random man."

"That's better. This way, it will be easier to get our hands on the entire company."

"Ivan will be here as well."

"Why did you call him here?" Clara asked. "To maintain your good image, you shouldn't show our family conflicts to him."

"Mother, I want him to see how pathetic the woman he loves is and how she has been nothing but trouble to us."

"Do as you wish," Sephina encouraged.

Natalie arrived at the Ford residence in a cab. The moment she entered the huge iron gate, the servants spotted her and started gossiping in hushed voices, but she paid them no mind.

This house, if not for her mother's memories attached to it, would have been a place she would never step into again. These people had sent her away to a far-off place with the intention of making her suffer and live at their mercy. After her mother's death, this so-called family of hers saw her as nothing but an eyesore. The only reason she tolerated them was that she still thought of them as family.

Entering the drawing room, Natalie saw her family waiting for her.

"Where is your husband?" Sephina asked, her gaze shifting to the door behind Natalie.

"He didn't come," Natalie replied, showing no interest in the conversation.

Sephina offered her a cold, impatient gaze. "Didn't I tell you to bring him as well?"

"And didn't I tell you I do not know him?" Natalie maintained her calm, as if her grandmother's words could no longer affect her. The memory of how they had all wanted to throw her out last night, without considering where she would go in the dark, and without showing an ounce of trust or mercy, was still fresh in her mind. She had had enough of them.

The older woman sighed in annoyance. "Is he so pathetic that you do not want us to see him?"

"You could say that."

Natalie had no will to argue. They wouldn't trust her anyway. All she wanted was to gather her few belongings and leave.

"Even after what you did, you have no shame, do you?" Sephina asked, standing up. "After sending you to a faraway place for years, I thought you'd learn to behave, but it seems you've only gotten worse."

Natalie stood her ground, a stubborn and defiant air surrounding her. "Are you just now realizing it, when it's already been two years since I came back from that hellhole?"

The cane in Sephina's hand made a dull sound against the floor, a symbol of her authority over the family. "I sent you there to rid you of this stubbornness, just like your mother's. But it seems five years weren't enough."

Natalie smirked and stepped closer to the older woman, her tall form casting a shadow over her not-so-tall grandmother, a reminder of Carryn. This daughter and her mother shared an invisible, domineering strength that seemed to flow naturally in their blood, growing stronger the more they were pushed into a corner. This was what Sephina hated most, as she could not control them.

Seeing the hatred in Sephina's eyes, Natalie asked, "What? Do you want to send me there again?"

A few years ago, they had sent her to a remote place in the country plagued by poverty and crime, leaving her to fend for herself. Thanks to their neglect and lack of updates, she had escaped long ago and found a less dangerous place. Only she knew what she had endured to survive and return home.

An evil glint appeared in Sephina's eyes. "Do you think I can't?"

"Try me," Natalie challenged, not backing down.

"Natalie, is this how you talk to your grandma?" her father scolded. "It would have been better if you had died with your mother."

Natalie looked at him, his words bringing back the memories of the day when she helplessly witnessed her mother dying in front of her own eyes, but this man never felt anything at the loss of his wife. She always wondered if this man was truly her father, or if she was even a daughter of this family. They always favored Briena and treated her as if she were a thorn in their side. But she had no reason to doubt her parentage; her mother was not the type to have another man's child while married.

Natalie scoffed. "After sending me to an uncultured place for years, do you expect me to have manners? You should have kept me home to learn them, but then…" she chuckled mockingly, "What would I have learned at home? How to seduce a man who belongs to another woman, just like your mistress seduced you and your daughter is doing now."

"How dare you talk about my mother like that?" Briena stood up, anger visible on her and everyone's faces.

"You seem to have not heard, but I mentioned you as well," Natalie retorted. "After all, you are a mistress' daughter. What more can we expect from you?"

Briena marched towards her, hand raised to hit Natalie, but Natalie caught her hand midway. "Not this time, sweetie. I've had enough." With that, Natalie pushed her away, causing Briena to fall to the floor.

Everyone was shocked to see the change in Natalie, who dared to retaliate against Briena. They were used to seeing Natalie give up easily, not knowing she had been enduring their behavior to live peacefully.

While everyone focused on comforting Briena, Natalie went upstairs to her room to gather her things, indifferent to their sudden affection towards her half-sister.

After a while, Natalie returned with a small suitcase and walked towards the door, not glancing at anyone.

"Wait," Sephina called out.

Natalie offered her a lazy look, only to hear her say, "First, sign those papers."

Natalie felt confused, not knowing what they wanted her to sign. "I will sign them if it means that from this moment onwards, I have nothing to do with any of you and we are strangers."

"You want to break your relationship with us? Sure, sign those papers, and I will grant your wish."

Natalie walked towards the table and picked up the file. It was a share transfer agreement. Out of the thirty percent share she held from her mother's company, half of it was to be transferred to Briena's name. Natalie could not believe their audacity and wondered where they got the confidence that she would sign it.

She slammed the file on the table and glared at Sephina. "Not a chance in hell. You can dream on!" 


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