Natalie struggled to control her emotions, and Marcus held her without letting go. This time, she didn''t raise her hand to p him.


    "Marcus, I''m sorry for hitting you so many times before," Natalie apologized in his arms. "I didn''t mean to."


    She just hadn''t known how to avoid his touch.


    "It''s fine. I was asking for it. You did the right thing," he replied. Seeing that she had gradually calmed down, he slowly released her.


    "Your hand is injured. Let me take care of it first," he said.


    "Marcus, here''s the first aid kit." Panting, Mason ran back with the first aid kit, his eyes concerned for Natalie. "Nat, are you alright?"


    "Dad and Mom are already asleep, so I didn''t get Gorge to wake them," he added gravely. "This is serious."


    "Lincoln has asked Hector and Timothy to restrain Sky so Sky can''te out."


    Mason understood the gravity of the situation. His expression was both stern and cold. "That bastard! I really..."


    He couldn''t hold back. Rushing forward, he viciously kicked Shane again. "How could such a beast exist in the Walker residence?"


    Now that Natalie had calmed down, she pulled away from Marcus'' embrace. "Mason, keep an eye on him. I''m going to search his room again."


    "Find his phone." She shook her wrist. "You guys, take him to the basement." "Got it, Ms. Walker."


    "You bitch, Natalie! How dare you hurt me! I won''t let you get away with this!" Shane suddenly started cursing, his face twisted with rage. "Bitch, you think you''re the heiress of the Walker family? You''re just a filthy whore!


    "And you''re standing up for Sophia? Just wait. I''ll make sure you regret it. I''ll make you scream and beg for mercy. You''ll learn exactly what pleasure means!"


    "You bastard!" Mason lunged at him, punching him hard in the face beforending a brutal kick to his groin.


    "How dare you defile Nat! If I don''t cripple you today, I''m not worthy of being a Walker!"


    "Hold Mason back!" Natalie''smand rang out, and the bodyguards immediately stepped in to restrain Mason.


    "Mason, don''t kill him. That would be letting him off too easily."


    Now that she had calmed down, she understood that Marcus had been right. Shane deliberately provoked them because he knew he had already lost. If he died here in the Walker residence, it would only serve to obscure his crimes against Sophia.


    "Keep him restrained. I''ll go through his things and join you in the basement soon."


    This time, it was Natalie telling Mason to calm down.


    "Alright." Mason let out a heavy breath, looking at Natalie with reddened eyes.


    He tried to suppress the lump in his throat, but his voice still carried a trace of sobs. "Nat, I can''t take this."


    "I know."


    Natalie stepped forward and hugged him. He had always been righteous and kind, not just because he had known Sophia since childhood-even if it had been


    a stranger, he would have stepped up without hesitation to save them.


    But this had happened at the Walker residence, and none had noticed.


    Mason was drowning in regret and self-reproach, crushed under its weight. He turned and embraced her, his suppressed sobs finally breaking free. "Nat, what do we do about Sophia?"


    "Don''t cry, Mason." Natalie was just as heartbroken. Seeing the evidence Shane had left behind, she finally understood just how strong Sophia had been.


    How much suffering had Sophia endured to keep up the facade of strength before them?


    "We need to inform Sophia about this. I originally wanted to keep it from you all, but now it''s impossible." Natalie gave a bitter smile. "Marcus,e with me. Mason, find his phone and make sure he doesn''t kill himself."


    A scumbag like Shane probably wouldn''t have the guts to do that. However, they had to prevent it from happening.


    "Got it," Mason replied, his voice still hoarse.


    He stepped forward andnded another punch in Shane''s stomach before pulling the phone from his pocket.


    Mason held it to Shane''s face, but the facial recognition failed. He then grabbed Shane''s hand and tried his fingerprints individually, but none worked.


    "The password," he demanded.


    Shane''s face was swollen and bloodied, but heughed chillingly. "Mr. Mason, isn''t your dear sister supposed to be so smart? Let her crack it herself! I''d like to see if you can unlock my phone."


    Mason punched him in the face.


    "If you''re going to kill me, go ahead," Shane sneered through his bloody lips. "But once I''m dead, Sophia''s pictures will be everywhere.


    "The heiress of the Sinir family may not be favored, but her body and skin are absolutely exquisite. The pleasure, ah... unforgettable."


    Mason couldn''t hold back any longer and punched Shane''s face again.


    Shane spat out a mouthful of blood, a tooth mixed in.


    "Take him to the basement. Watch him closely. Don''t let him die."


    "Got it, Mr. Mason."


    The bodyguards dragged Shane away. Mason''s hands trembled slightly he had


    used too much force, and now his fingers were numb.


    Meanwhile, Marcus apanied Natalie to Shane''s room.


    "Marcus, do you know why I don''t me Sophia for taking credit for saving your life?" Natalie suddenly spoke softly.


    It was unclear whether she was talking to him or herself.


    "Because when I was young, I also once saw Tyler as my salvation."


    "Tyler was the fiancé arranged for me by Mrs. Langley Senior. When I was little, she was always busy. She loved me, but she wasn''t around all the time. And that gave Diana plenty of chances to abuse me in secret.


    "Every time Tyler visited the Langley residence, Diana would put on a facade of a loving mother. I would get a brief moment of relief, short-lived happiness.


    "He would always bring me candy. But she would throw it all into the toilet the moment he left. Then she would grab my head, shove it in, and force me to eat it."


    Natalie''s voice was soft. "But she couldn''t actually kill me—she needed me alive to draw blood. The next time Tyler visited, Diana would smile and tell him how much I loved his candy, urging him to bring more.


    "As a child, I didn''t understand theplexities of human nature. I privately told Tyler that I didn''t like sweets and asked him to stop bringing them. He didn''t quite understand, but he agreed."


    Marcus felt a sharp pain in his chest as he listened.


    "Why didn''t you tell Grace?" he asked, voice heavy with suppressed emotion. "If she truly cared for you, she wouldn''t have let Diana abuse you."


    "I used to believe she loved me," Natalie said bitterly. "She pped Diana in front


    of me more than once. She also warned Diana again and again to treat me well. So, I believed in her.


    "I wanted to be good or even better because of that. I didn''t want her toe home after a stressful work day and still fight with Diana over me.


    "Once, the family doctor came to check on her and saw her scolding Diana. He advised her to stay calm, saying that too much anger could lead to mastitis.


    "After that, I stopped telling her whenever Diana abused me." She wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. "Because if I spoke up, she would get angry, which was bad for her health. And when she wasn''t around, Diana would only abuse me even worse.


    "Eventually, Tyler must have noticed something. He started visiting more often,


    taking me out to y.


    "The more time we spent outside,


    the less time had to spend with


    Diana. I could wait until Mrs. Langley Senior got home before going back." Natalie spoke softly as she opened a drawer and handed Marcus @photo album.


    "Maybe, to Sophia, bing your savior was like grabbing a lifeline. She isn''t a


    bad person. She was weak, and she took a gamble in a single moment. But all


    these years, she has been punishing herself for it.


    "If she had been a little more selfish-if she had used your debt to force you into marriage—things might not have turned out this way."