Cindy hurriedly brought the suitcase forward, but her heart was full of disdain for Natalie. She could understand Emma bringing gifts for William, Charlotte, and their sons, but Natalie didn''t deserve such kindness.


    Natalie had returned to im everything that rightfully belonged to Emma, yet Emma still chose to be considerate, bringing her a gift and treating her kindly.


    To Cindy, this was utterly undeserved. Of course, Cindy didn''t dare voice her thoughts aloud. Whatever Emma instructed her to do, she followed without question.


    "Ms. Emma, here''s your suitcase," Cindy said as she handed it over.


    "Thank you, Cindy," Emma replied with a polite smile.


    She unzipped the suitcase and began to take out the gifts one by one.


    "This is for Dad, this is for Mom, this one is for Sky, this is Lincoln''s, Hector''s, Timothy''s, and Mason''s..."


    Emma picked up thest gift with both hands and respectfully ced it before Natalie. "This is for Nat."


    Emma then turned her attention to Olivia, who was standing nearby. "You must be Natalie''s friend! I''m so sorry—I didn''t know you''d be here today, so I didn''t prepare an extra gift. Please forgive me. Let''s add each other on Instagram, and I''ll make it up to you next time."


    "Thank you, but there''s no need," Olivia replied politely.


    She scrutinized Emma subtly, sizing up the fake daughter of the Walker family, who had taken Natalie''s ce for 20 years. Emma appeared more polite andposed than Selena, but appearances could be deceiving. Olivia wasn''t about to judge Emma''s character based on a few gestures of kindness.


    "By the way, where are Dad, Mom, Sky, and Timothy?"


    Emma noticed that Natalie wasn''t epting her gift. She didn''t get upset but instead patiently ced it in front of her again.


    "Natalie, this is for you," Emma said with a warm smile, pretending it was their first meeting.


    Natalie didn''t bother to expose her act and simply replied, "Thank you, but I''m not your sister. Keep your gift. I don''t want it."


    Emma''s face turned slightly pale. She bit her lip and stood frozen, unsure of how to respond.


    Cindy stepped forward in frustration. "Hey, why are you speaking like that? Ms. Emma is trying to be nice and treat you like family. She even brought you a gift! Instead of being grateful, you''re being rude and dismissive."


    Lincoln''s expression turned stormy. "Cindy, you''re just a helper. Who do you think you are to speak to Natalie like that? You''re fired. Pack your things and get out immediately!"


    When she met Lincoln''s icy stare, Cindy was stunned, and she copsed to her knees, trembling. "Mr. Lincoln, I''m sorry, I was wrong. Please don''t fire me."


    Emma pleaded anxiously, "Lincoln, Cindy didn''t mean it! Please don''t fire her. She''s been with me for so long. Even if she hasn''t contributed much, she''s always been there for me. She never meant to offend Natalie."


    Tears welled up in Emma''s eyes, and she quickly kneeled before Natalie. "Natalie, please don''t me Cindy. If you want to me someone, me me. Please don''t make Lincoln fire her."


    As Emma kneeled, she moved forward to grab Natalie''s hand, but before she could reach it, Lincoln stepped in. He threw her coat in front of her, creating a barrier between Emma''s outstretched hand and Natalie.


    "Step back," Lincolnmanded coldly. "Didn''t you hear Nat refuse your gift? She''s not your sister, so stop trying to forge a connection."


    Emma''s eyes filled with tears as she looked at him in disbelief. "I''m sorry. It was my mistake."


    "Don''t kneel before Natalie," Lincoln said as he stood up.


    He grabbed Emma''s wrist and pulled her to her feet forcefully. "If people who don''t know the situation see this, they''ll think Nat is bullying you."


    Lincoln scanned the room before his gazended on a nearby helper. "You there, bring a jackfruit shell."


    Emma widened her eyes in disbelief. She couldn''t fathom what she had just heard.


    Lincoln had always been the most indifferent of her five brothers. Sky had treated her the best, and Hector and Timothy had spoiled her too. Yet now, Hector, who was sitting on the couch, hadn''t spoken a word


    "Yes, Mr. Lincoln," the helper replied, quickly rushing to the kitchen. Momentster, she returned with a te of jackfruit and a bucket of sharp jackfruit shells.


    "Ms. Natalie, here''s some jackfruit for you," the helper said, cing the te in front of Natalie.


    Then, she ced the jackfruit shells in front of Emma. "Ms. Emma, here are the shells for you to kneel on."


    Emma''s frustration bubbled over as she cursed the helper under her breath. Natalie''s lips twitched slightly as she nced at Olivia, whose eyes gleamed with excitement, clearly enjoying the unfolding spectacle.


    Hector and Mason sat together-Mason was absorbed in his phone game, while Hector meticulously polished his sses. Neither of them showed any reaction to Emma''s re.


    Tears filled Emma''s eyes as she looked at Lincoln, but he remained emotionless, staring back at her "Weren''t you going to plead for Cindy?" he remarked coldly. Then show some sincerity."


    Emma bit her lip, looking utterly pitiful.


    "Ms. Emma, you don''t need to kneel. I''ll leave," Cindy said, standing up and


    wrapping her arms around Emma. "Please take care of yourself."


    "I won''t let you go," Emma murmured, biting her lip again as she nced at the jackfruit shells on the ground. She had worn a white dress today, and her knees


    exposed. There was no way


    could kneel on those shells.


    Emma looked back at Natalie, who casually picked up the jackfruit pieces the helper had brought and handed a piece to Olivia, then Lincoln. "Lincoln, would you like some durian?"


    "Sure," Lincoln replied, his cold expression melting into a rare smile as he epted the fruit.


    "Thank you, Nat," he added.


    "Don''t mention it," Natalie replied.


    She then offered the durian to Hector and Mason, who both responded in unison


    as if on cue.


    "Thank you, Nat."


    "You''re wee," she said.


    After distributing the fruit, Nataliepletely ignored Emma and Cindy. Cindy had harbored an unspoken hostility toward her since the first time she arrived at the Walker residence.


    As a mere helper, Cindy seemed to have forgotten her ce, thinking that years of service gave her the right to act so brazenly toward her.