The Comatose Billionaire's Shotgun Bride: Now They Kneel to Me

Natalie found the entire situation so ridiculous that it was almost laughable.

She and Joslyn had been switched at birth by accident. It wasn't until Natalie turned thirteen that her biological parents, the Fullers, finally brought her back home.

Yet even after Natalie returned, Joslyn was never sent back to her own biological family.

The Fullers had grown too attached to Joslyn to let her go.

To spare Joslyn from feeling abandoned, the family sent Natalie, their real daughter, who had only just come home, to live with her grandfather, Jeff Fuller. She wasn't allowed to move back into the family residence until after she graduated from college and secured a job.

At the same time, the Fullers constantly reassured Joslyn that blood ties meant nothing and that she would always remain part of the family.

But when Natalie first arrived, she had been warned repeatedly not to covet what didn't belong to her. She was told from day one that the marriage arrangement between the Fuller and Gilbert families had always been meant for Joslyn and Wesley, and that she had no place in it.

The irony was almost cruel. Now that Wesley had become trapped in a vegetative state, the Fuller family suddenly insisted that Natalie marry him instead.

Greg frowned at her resistance.

"Marrying Wesley is a blessing for someone like you," he said coldly. "If your grandfather hadn't once saved Carl Gilbert's life, do you really think you would ever have a chance to marry his grandson?

Natalie let out a mocking laugh. "If it's such a wonderful opportunity, then why not let Joslyn marry him?"

Greg's expression darkened, but before he could answer, Rhonda sharply cut in from beside him.

"Natalie, I know you've never liked Joslyn, but I didn't think you could be so heartless."

Natalie blinked in confusion.

"Joslyn isn't like you," Rhonda continued angrily. "She was raised with love and care. She can't suffer the way you can. If she marries Wesley in his condition, her entire life will be ruined."

Meeting Rhonda's furious stare, Natalie lowered her eyes as a bitter smile tugged at her lips.

Joslyn's biological father had been a butcher, while her mother sold vegetables at a roadside market. Natalie, who had been raised by them in Joslyn's place, had grown up in crushing poverty.

From the time she was a child, Natalie handled nearly every household chore. Her adoptive parents were harsh and demanding, and punishment was a regular occurrence.

While Natalie's hands became red and cracked from washing clothes and dishes through freezing winters, Joslyn was pampered by servants in the luxurious Fuller household.

By the time Natalie finished scrubbing clothes, washing dishes, and completing every household chore assigned to her, it was often late into the night before she could finally sit down to do her homework. Meanwhile, Joslyn grew up in comfort and luxury, spending her days surrounded by private tutors while attending piano and ballet lessons like a true young lady of a wealthy family.

Natalie had learned to endure hardship simply because life had never offered her another option.

Her fourth brother, Stefan Fuller, stared at her with obvious annoyance.

"What's with that attitude?" he snapped. "Do you really think marrying into the Gilbert family is beneath you?"

Natalie didn't even bother hiding her indifference toward him.

Stefan, a chart-topping pop star, had always doted on Joslyn while treating Natalie like an outsider.

"What exactly does this have to do with you?" Natalie replied coolly.

Stefan's expression darkened with impatience. "Even lying in a coma, Wesley is still a man countless women would dream of marrying. Stop acting so dissatisfied."

Natalie almost laughed at the absurdity of it all.

Stefan spoke as though marrying Wesley were some priceless reward.

"Then let one of those women marry him," she said flatly. "I'm not interested."

She had never even met Wesley before, much less developed any feelings for him. Why should she sacrifice her future for a stranger?

At that moment, her second brother, Kevin Fuller, an internationally known fashion designer, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and spoke in a gentler tone. "Nattie, you should think beyond yourself."

Natalie frowned slightly, unsure what he was implying.

"Natalie." Greg's voice turned stern. "You're a member of the Fuller family. That means you have responsibilities. Everything this family has done for you wasn't for nothing."

Before Natalie could respond, Joslyn's soft voice drifted across the living room. "Dad, please don't pressure her anymore. If Natalie truly doesn't want to do it, then I will."

She stood there in a pale pink dress, her fingers tightly intertwined as though she were gathering all her courage just to say those words. Her delicate, hesitant appearance instantly stirred sympathy in everyone present.

Jeremy Fuller, the eldest of the Fuller boys, reacted immediately. "No, Joslyn," he said firmly. "How could we possibly let you marry him?"

He quickly guided Joslyn to the seat beside him before turning a cold gaze toward Natalie. "Are you satisfied now? Are you really going to push Joslyn into this?"

Greg's face became increasingly grim. "Natalie, you know very well what kind of crisis the Fuller Group is facing right now. Without the Gilbert family's backing, the company could suffer devastating losses."

Natalie's eyes turned icy.

She had joined Fuller Group before even graduating from university. Officially, she worked as Jeremy's secretary, but behind the scenes, many of the company's major decisions had relied on her judgment.

Over the years, she had helped the company recover from decline and even rise far beyond its former rivals.

As for the current crisis? It existed solely because Jeremy had ignored her warnings and insisted on investing in an enormous long-term project despite her objections.

The project demanded an enormous amount of capital, nearly draining the company's cash reserves and pushing the Fuller Group into chaos.

What Natalie never expected was that, when the crisis came, the family would choose to sacrifice her without hesitation.

For years, she had foolishly believed that if she worked hard enough and gave everything she had to the family, they might eventually accept her the same way they accepted Joslyn.

Now Natalie finally understood how naive that hope had been.

No matter how much she contributed, the moment something went wrong, she was the first person they were willing to throw away.

Natalie slowly drew in a breath, forcing herself to remain calm. "The Fuller Group is in this mess because of your own bad decisions," she said coldly. "Why should I be the one paying the price?"

A flicker of unease crossed Greg's face at her unwavering attitude. After a brief pause, his tone softened noticeably.

"Don't you still want to save that maid?" he asked. "Wesley's medical team is the best in the world. If you marry him, you'll have access to those doctors."

Natalie stiffened instantly.

Back when she had first returned to the Fuller family, she had been sent away to live with her grandfather.

He was elderly and rarely involved in household matters, so most of the time, it was the maid, Esme Fowler, who had cared for Natalie with genuine warmth and patience. To Natalie, Esme had been more like family than anyone in the Fuller household ever was.

But two years earlier, Esme had fallen down the stairs and slipped into a coma.

Since then, Natalie had searched tirelessly for specialists and treatments, sparing no effort or expense, yet Esme's condition had never improved.

Now Wesley was also lying unconscious after a car accident, and the Gilbert family had gathered the world's leading neurologists to treat him.

Even if there was only the faintest possibility that those doctors could help Esme, Natalie couldn't bring herself to walk away from the opportunity.

Her gaze slowly swept across the room. Her mother looked at her with impatience. Joslyn stood there, wearing a pitiful expression. Greg's face was filled with calculation, while her brothers watched her with silent pressure and judgment. The sight of them made her feel cold to the bone.

At that moment, the last traces of hope she had held for this family were completely shattered.

After a long silence, Natalie finally spoke. "Fine," she said quietly, the words almost forced through clenched teeth. "I'll marry him."

It wasn't only for Esme's sake. This marriage also offered Natalie a chance to escape the suffocating prison the Fuller family had become.

The tension in the room immediately eased. Greg visibly relaxed, while Rhonda finally smiled again, "I knew you'd make the right choice," Rhonda said warmly. "From now on, the entire family will be relying on you."

The Gilbert family had dominated the business world for generations. Their wealth and influence were beyond measure.

To the Fullers, this marriage was far more valuable than a few business collaborations Carl had offered them. Simply becoming connected to the Gilbert family was enough to elevate their status completely.

Just as Greg was basking in satisfaction, Natalie spoke again. "But I have one condition."

Greg's smile widened. "We're family. If there is something you want, just say it."

Natalie looked directly into his eyes, her nails pressing deeply into her palm as she spoke each word with deliberate clarity. "I want three percent of the Fuller Group's shares."