Natalie''s voice was calm and cool. After she spoke, she casually looked Emma up and down.


    Emma bit her lip. She hade rushing over, ready to demand answers. But under Natalie''s unwavering gaze-and with Charlotte also watching her intently— she suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    "Emma," Charlotte said, breaking the silence, "I agree with Nat. Since sh hurt people, we absolutely can''t keep it here any longer. If it went berserk once, it could happen again. After all, it''s just an animal. No matter how well-trained or well-fed, there''s no guarantee it won''t turn on us."


    Emma felt her heart sink. She could sense an underlying implication in Charlotte''s words, like a thinly veiled warning directed at her.


    "Yes, Mom, I understand," Emma said softly. "I''m just reluctant to part with sh. Sky gave it to me on my 16th birthday, and it''s been with me these past four years. If we suddenly send it away, of course, I''ll feel sad."


    "But you and Natalie are right. sh has already hurt people. Who knows if it might go wild again?" She forced a pale smile. "I wasn''t thinking it through. It''s a good thing Natalie reminded me."


    "In that case, you can be the one to send it away," Natalie said, opening the stall door and leading sh out by the reins. "Gorge has arranged for someone to bring a vehicle. Just work together with them to take sh out of here."


    Natalie handed the reins over to Emma. "I''m sure you can handle this, right?"


    "Yes, Natalie," Emma replied, taking the reins. Then, she cautiously asked, "So, where exactly are we sending sh?"


    "The ughterhouse in Soutia," Natalie said calmly.


    Emma''s face had already been pale, but after hearing that, everyst trace of color drained away.


    "The ughterhouse?" That meant they were going to kill sh.


    "To set an example," Natalie added, watching Emma''s stricken expression with no hint of pity. "That way, the other horses will understand they can''t ever attack people, no matter how fine their breeding or who owns them. If any of them harms a human, not one person here can protect them. An animal is an animal, and it will never rank above human life."


    Emma stared at Natalie''s frosty face, speechless at her unflinching coldness.


    "If you want to resent someone, resent Gabriel," Natalie said indifferently. "The surveince footage clearly showed he was the one who made sh go wild. He blew some kind of hallucinogen or something else right into sh''s face.


    "Ever since sh was brought here, he''s been the one training it. sh obeyed him more than anyone else. He''s the one who ruined sh."


    "That''s right," Charlotte added. "Gabriel was nothing but a hired worker here, and the Walker family treated him decently. Yet he harbored ill intent. Marcus and Sophia are guests we can''t afford to offend. It looks like he nned to ruin our entire household."


    Charlotte''s voice turned cold as she said, "Gabriel is the one who made sh go wild. I won''t be letting him off."


    Emma staggered. Natalie stepped forward and took her arm to steady her. "Emma, you look awful. If you''re feeling ill, you''d better go and rest."


    "N-no, it''s... nothing," Emma managed. "I want to see sh off onest time." "sh, it''s all Gabriel''s fault. If you hate anyone, hate him," she murmured, her voice trembling as she wrapped her arms around sh''s neck.


    Natalie and Charlotte exchanged a nce. They took a few steps back together.


    "Alright, Emma. You can work with Carson to send sh away. We have other things to deal with now. We''re heading back."


    Emma clung to sh''s neck, pressing her cheek against its mane. Her nails were already digging into her palms.


    Luckily, Gabriel had taken full me and never mentioned her involvement. Poor sh would now be sent to the ughterhouse.


    "sh," Emma whispered, "if you must hate someone, hate Natalie. It''s that wretched woman who wants you dead."


    She clenched her nails into sh''s neck in anger and resentment. sh gave a sudden cry of pain and reared back, violently knocking Emma aside.


    Before Emma could react, sh charged forward and kicked her with its hind legs, mming down hard.


    "Ah!"


    Natalie and Charlotte had only just stepped outside the stable when they heard Emma''s shrill scream from within.


    They nced at each other. Before either could speak, the white horse came barreling out at a gallop.


    Natalie reacted quickly, pulling Charlotte aside. Had she been a moment slower, sh would have plowed into Charlotte.


    Charlotte''s expression turned dark. "That''s sh."


    "I''ll go," Natalie said. She broke into a sprint, chasing after the runaway horse.


    Charlotte''s heart lurched. "Natalie, be careful!"


    "Mom... help me..." Emma''s weak cries floated out from the stable.


    Charlotte looked over her shoulder and saw Carson driving over. She instructed coldly, "Go inside the stables and help Emma. Tell Gorge to bring more men and get this horse under control."


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker."


    Carson dashed inside the stable, only to freeze at the sight of Emma drenched in blood. He sucked in a shocked breath.


    "Ms. Emma, don''t worry. I''ll get you out of here right now."


    He bent down and lifted Emma into his arms. "Hold on, Ms. Emma. We''ll be at the hospital soon."


    Emma stared nkly toward the stable doors. "Where''s my mom? Why isn''t she here?"


    Carson answered, "Ms. Walker went after sh, and Mrs. Walker followed them."


    Emma''s heart felt like it had gone cold in that instant. Charlotte didn''t love her at all. Indeed, she wasn''t her real daughter. She would neverpare to the real one.


    "Ms. Emma, please, you have to stay strong," Carson urged. He assumed her


    lifeless expression was caused by physical pain.


    Emma said nothing, but once they got outside, she kept looking around as if searching for something.


    Meanwhile, in the broad expanse of Walker Estate''swn, sh was bolting about wildly. Natalie sprinted across the grass from another direction.


    Before anyone could stop her, she seized the reins in a single swift motion and vaulted onto sh''s back.


    "Natalie, be careful!" Charlotte yelled, her voice breaking with panic.


    Natalie tugged hard on the reins. sh neighed furiously, rearing up and iling in an effort to throw her


    off. Its tailshed as it tried to buck


    her away.


    "Natalie, watch out!" Charlotte cried again, her heart pounding as she watched.


    She prayed desperately that her daughter would be safe.