Cedar Hill was a stunning ce with beautiful scenery. From the foot of the mountain to the chapel at the summit, there were exactly 9,999 stone steps.


    Besides taking those stone steps, visitors could choose a cable car or a sightseeing cart to reach the top.


    Truly devoted worshippers would walk up the steps from the base, one step at a time. Those whocked the stamina or preferred not to climb could take the cable car or a sightseeing cart instead.


    Charlotte arrived at the foot of Cedar Hill with Victor, Diana, and Selena in tow.


    Once out of the car, she gazed up at the imposing buildings near the peak. The ancient structures perched on the cliffs exuded an air of timeless elegance.


    Soft rays of sunlight filtered through the chapel''s stained ss windows, casting colorful reflections on the stone paths.


    With white clouds almost within arm''s reach and the mountain wrapped in lush greenery, it felt like a ce straight out of a dream.


    "Our forefathers were truly remarkable," Charlotte remarked. "A mountain this tall, with cliffs so steep, and yet they managed to build such a grand chapelplex up there."


    "They really had amazing wisdom and fortitude," Gorge echoed.


    In ancient times, there weren''t many machines to help. People had to rely on their own strength, maybe with a few horses and oxen.


    Every stone step and every nk of wood had to be hauled up by hand. Bit by bit, they built it all. Even after so many years, it remained standing strong.


    Standing at the base of the mountain made one naturally feel humbled.


    But the sight stirred a different emotion for Victor, Diana, and Selena. All they saw were the countless steps disappearing into the distance.


    It made their scalps tingle just thinking about having to kneel on each step and continue all the way to the top. Their knees ached before they even began.


    Charlotte and Gorge finished their moment of admiration. Then, Charlotte turned to Victor and his family.


    "Mr. Langley, let''s begin," Charlotte said with a smile. "Kneel your way up, all 9,999 steps. When you''re done, the project is yours. It''s a sure win."


    While thinking about the staggering amount of money the project could bring, Victor gritted his teeth and dropped to his knees on the first stone step.


    "Diana, Selena, hurry!" he called out, motioning for them to join him after he had kneeled down.


    They weren''t kneeling for their dignity but for the sake of wealth.


    Diana and Selena both hesitated. Yet, Charlotte hadn''t brought them all the way here just to let them refuse.


    "Mr. Langley, it looks like your wife and daughter aren''t too willing," Charlotte said.


    "Get over here. Kneel!" Victor barked at them.


    He shot Diana a look. She understood but still hesitated.


    In the next moment, Charlotte''s bodyguards stepped forward and forced both Diana and Selena to their knees beside Victor.


    "Don''t ruin this," Victor snarled under his breath at the two of them. "All we have to do is kneel our way up, and we''ll have more money than we can ever spend. Think carefully. Would you rather get thrown out of the house and end up living under a bridge, or would you rather stay here and enjoy a life of luxury?"


    That reminder made Selena shudder. She recalled the hardships she used to face just to fill her stomach. She never wanted to go through that again, and she certainly didn''t want to end up with those disgusting old men who had once preyed on her.


    She tugged at Diana''s sleeve. "Mom, Dad''s right. It''s just kneeling. It''s not like we''re losing anything. Besides, that wretched woman clearly isn''t thinking straight. Who gives away that much money just to make us kneel?"


    Standing nearby, Charlotte could hear Diana and Selena''s hushed words but


    didn''t seem to mind. A faint smile yed at the corner of her lips.


    Charlotte took out her phone, switched on the camera, and recorded the scene of the Langleys starting the long, kneeling climb.


    All those stone steps-9,999 of them were their atonement for what they had done to Natalie.


    Charlotte already had her n in mind. She wanted them to suffer, and she had even checked the weather report in advance.


    When they were about a third of the way up, a heavy rainstorm descended. The downpour drenched them in seconds.


    Diana and Selena immediately tried to flee, but their knees were already so sore that they couldn''t even


    stand. When they did manage t


    standup, the pain caused


    stumble and roll back down


    steps.


    Gorge held an umbre over Charlotte, watching Diana and Selena tumble. His expression stayed impassive. "Seems like the two of you aren''t sincere enough. Since you fell down, then start over and kneel again."


    "Charlotte, you nned this," Diana spat, ring up at Charlotte with eyes brimming with venom. The throbbing pain in her knees was almost unbearable, and she felt even worse for Selena.


    Selena had already suffered so much all these years, and now she had to endure humiliation from Charlotte.


    Charlotte looked down at Diana with


    a chilling smile. "Remember when


    you forced my daughter to kneel outside the memorial hall right after she had her blood drawn? Did


    cross your mind that one d


    be on your knees yourself?"


    Her voice, tinged with cold hostility, was almost lost in the roar of the storm. "Diana, you''re paying for your own sins right now. So get back up there and continue kneeling. Otherwise..."


    She paused, letting out a crypticugh. Her striking eyes were as cold as ice.


    Gorge stood by with arge, sturdy ck umbre. Despite the pelting rain, not a single dropnded on Charlotte.


    "Mrs. Walker, why don''t you head back to the car? I''ll keep an eye on them," Gorge suggested, worried that Charlotte might catch a chill.


    "That''s alright." Charlotte smirked. "I want to see them kneel all 9,999 steps with my own eyes."


    Gorge didn''t say anything anymore.


    Diana kept lunging at them, but the bodyguards simply dragged her to keep kneeling.


    When her legs gave out, they held her upright. They forced her to kneel, then pulled her up again. Over and over, they repeated the cycle.


    The storm raged for a long time, and the Langleys spent every minute of it kneeling.


    Finally, as the ordeal drew to a close, the clouds parted over the chapel at the summit. Golden sunlight broke through, casting a stately and sacred glow across Cedar Hill.


    Meanwhile, the Langleysy copsed under the eaves of one of the chapel buildings, unconscious and untouched by any sunlight at all.


    Charlotte and Gorge nced at the three figures lying on the ground. Then, Charlotte called over a bodyguard and instructed him to take them to the hospital and inform Grace.


    After that, she and Gorge left the mountain.


    Not long after, Charlotte''s phone rang. It was William calling to pick her up and


    take her home. They needed to start preparing for the wee party.


    "Nat, do you think I was too cruel?" Charlotte asked uneasily after recounting what


    had happened.


    Natalie shook her head and silently wrapped her arms around Charlotte.