Emma sat on her hospital bed, looking every bit the deranged mess she''d be. Outside her room, the guards stationed at the door didn''t so much as flinch at her screaming or sobbing. However, the moment she tried to leave the room, they''d grab her without hesitation and toss her right back inside.


    And yes, toss her they did-no kindness, no restraint, just pure brute force.


    Clutching her phone, Emma scrolled through the photos and videos flooding her inbox. Every single one featured Marcus and Natalie. There were shots of themughing together, standing close, and even some of them at the Walker family party, where Natalie was the center of attention.


    One particrly grating video showed Natalie walking arm-in-arm with Charlotte, the two of them looking eerily alike. Their smiles were identical, and their mannerisms synced. Anyone watching would immediately believe Natalie was Charlotte''s biological daughter.


    But if Natalie was Charlotte''s real daughter, then what did that make Emma? She had been the one raised by the Walkers for 20 years, hadn''t she? Did that count for nothing?


    Her anger bubbled over as she repeatedly tried calling Charlotte, but every attempt was met with the same robotic voicemail message, "The number you''ve dialed is unavable. Please try againter."


    Emma gritted her teeth. She knew what that meant. Charlotte had blocked her. Desperate, she tried calling William, but his phone also sent her to voicemail.


    "Unbelievable!" Emma growled, her voice shaking with rage. "You can''t just cut me off like this! I don''t believe it!"


    One by one, she dialed the Walker brothers. None of their numbers went through except for Sky''s. But even though his phone rang, he didn''t answer. That was a first. He''d never ignored her calls before.


    For the first time, genuine fear crept into Emma''s heart. She could feel it in her bones-this time, she was truly being cast out of the Walker family.


    Her thoughts were interrupted by voices outside the door.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker..."


    Emma froze, her grip on her phone tightening. She looked up just as the door swung open. Marcus walked in first, with Natalie right behind him.


    "What are you doing here?" Emma blurted out, her voice unsteady.


    Natalie didn''t answer. She strode up to the bed, snatched the phone out of Emma''s hands, and began scrolling through the photos. Her expression darkened as she swiped through image after image of herself and Marcus.


    These weren''t the photos Olivia had taken the ones they''d agreed Marcus would send to Emma. These were entirely different, taken from inside the Walker residence.


    "There are still spies in the Walker family," Natalie said tly, more to herself than anyone else. Her fingers moved quickly as she deleted every photo and video. Then she reset the phone, wiped the cloud ounts, and ensured there was no trace of the files left.


    Satisfied, she tossed the phone onto the couch like it was trash. "This phone was bought with money from Walker''s family. I''m taking it back."


    "You can''t do that!" Emma shouted, her voice shrill. "It''s mine! You can''t just take my stuff!"


    "I can, and I will," Natalie replied, her tone calm but icy. She sat on the couch, crossing her legs casually. "I''m the Walker family''s rightful. daughter. That means everything you have is technically mine Even the clothes you''re wearing and the bracelet on your wrist-that''s all Walker family property."  swnovel


    Emma''s face turned crimson. "I lived with them for 20 years! I was the one who


    cared for them, who brought them joy. Where were you for all those years, huh?"


    Natalie leaned back, smirking. "It


    doesn''t matter. My mom told me she''s done with you. She''s not answering your calls, and you''ll never take advantage of the Walker family again. The only reason you''re stiffin this hospital is because she didn''t want you ruining my wee party tonight. That''s all."  swnovel


    Emma''s lip quivered, but before she could say anything, Natalie added, "Oh, and don''t bother trying to act all innocent and refined in front of Marcus anymore. He''s heard every nasty thing you''ve said about me. He''s even got recordings."


    Emma''s stomach dropped.


    Natalie wasn''t done. She continued, "And by the way, he knows about the rumors you started—the ones where you told the helpers he used to visit you all the time and go on dates with you." She nced at Marcus.


    Marcus'' expression was cold as ice. "Emma, you''re disgusting. The fact that you''d even try to spread something that revolting... I can''t even begin to describe how much you make me sick."


    Emma froze, her breath caught in her throat.


    "I told you before you''re the most repulsive woman I''ve ever met. But now? You''ve somehow managed to outdo yourself. You''re not just disgusting-you''ve perfected it. You''ve reached a level of disgrace that should earn you a trophy," Marcus said, his tone sharp and dripping with disdain.


    Emma stared at him in disbelief. Marcus had always been distant, but he''d never spoken to her like this.


    Marcus didn''t hold back. "The Walkers spent 20 years raising you for nothing. You''re like a parasite-draining their love, their money, and their time, only to turn into something rotten and worthless."


    His words were cutting, deliberate, and delivered with an elegance that somehow made the insults sting even more.


    Emma felt her world shatter. Her


    obsession with Marcus had always been her deepest secret. She''d fantasized about him countless times his lips, his hands, the way he''d tower over her if he evedeaned in for a kiss. But now, those lips were spewing words that felt like knives, slicing her apart piece by piece.  swnovel


    "You''re pathetic," Marcus said, his voice steady. "You''re the kind of person who couldn''t even master being decent, so you decided to be a master of being worthless."


    Natalie couldn''t help it—she burst outughing. Marcus turned to her, raising an eyebrow.


    "Don''t mind me," she said, quickly stifling herughter. "Please, carry on."


    Emma let out a screech, her voice breaking. "Stop it! Marcus, stop it! You can''t talk to me like this!"


    Marcus'' cold smirk returned. "Why not? You''ve called other people trash plenty of times. Can''t handle it when the tables are turned?"


    He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper that felt like a punch to the gut. "You trash."