"Sophia, stop talking. I''ll send you to the hospital now. Listen to me, okay?"


    Natalie pleaded. She tried to suppress her emotions, but her eyes still burned. "Be good, okay?"


    "Don''t worry about me, Natalie. I want to be free and then be friends with you."


    Sophia smiled and looked at Natalie fondly. "When Emma is locked away for good, when the people who hurt me arepletely destroyed, when Sky recovers but still loses his right as the Walker family''s heir, I can finally live my new life in peace.


    "I want to work for you with a clean te. You saved me. I will always remember that. However, don''t be sad if I die. I love hydrangeas. Will you nt them around my grave for me?"


    "Don''t say that. You''re not going to die."


    Just then, Noah said, "Ms. Walker, the ambnce and police have arrived. Mr. Holden said that Ms. Sinir would be fine. He told you to rest assured."


    Natalie turned to Noah. His eyes were red-rimmed as well, and when he looked at Sophia, there was a deep sorrow and sympathy in them.


    Sophia grinned and said, "That''s right, Natalie. Don''t worry. Marcus says I''ll be fine, so I''ll definitely be all right. Just rx, okay?"


    "Ms. Walker, pleasee down with me. The doctor will be up in a moment."


    Just as Noah was about to step forward, Marcus appeared behind him. "Natalie,e here. You need to trust me."


    After Natalie took onest look at Sophia, who was still smiling, she walked back to Marcus.


    Downstairs, Emma was shouting hysterically. "Let go of me! I didn''t kill anyone. It was Sophia! She forced me to do this. I don''t want to be separated from Sky. No!"


    "Be good, Emma." Sky, pale and weak from his stab wound, was being helped onto a stretcher by the paramedics. He clutched his injury, his voice low but coaxing. "Come with me. You''re hurt too. You need to go to the hospital."


    He turned to the paramedics. "Doctor, Emma is also badly injured. Officer, please, let us go to the hospital first. We''ll cooperate with the investigation. I promise."


    "There are still people injured upstairs. Let''s check on them first."


    Soon, the paramedics and officers made their way upstairs. They carried Sophia, who was covered in blood, out of the room.


    "Mr. Holden, Ms. Walker, we need your help in the investigation."


    "All right," Natalie and Marcus said in unison.


    Neither of them had been present when the incident urred. Sophia must have sent them away to collect the medical records so they wouldn''t be implicated.


    Once their statements were taken, Marcus and Natalie rushed to the hospital. On their way, Natalie remained anxious as Sophia''s words kept reying in her mind. That foolish woman-why did she think she was unworthy? She never was. Emma, Sky, Shane, and the rest were the despicable ones.


    Marcus handed her a tissue and said, "Don''t worry. Sophia will be fine."


    "You have known Sophia for a long time. Didn''t you notice what she was up to? The person who appeared in the southern suburbs was Samantha''s helper."


    Natalie''s eyes were red as tears fell uncontrobly. Marcus sighed inwardly and gently wiped them away.


    "I didn''t know, but when I saw Samantha''s helper, I understood. This was Sophia''s decision. We should respect her choice.


    "Sophia wants to get rid of her past.


    To do that, she had to change herself. She must have thought it through carefully before walking down this path. Sophia has always had a difficult life, but she''s always been kind. If she hadn''t been pushed to this point, she would never have taken the path of revenge."


    Natalie''s tears continued to fall. She turned and gazed out of the car window.


    Her voice choked with emotion as she said, "She''s not unworthy. Not at all."


    Marcus nodded.


    "Yes. Sophia has


    not ever been unworthy. No matter how much we affirm her, she needs to ovee that belief herself. You saw her medical records when we went back. Zane is well aware of her condition. It hadn''t been easy for her to endure until this day."


    Natalie tightened her grip on the file in her hands. It was the document Zane had


    given her, detailing Sophia''s medical records from over the years.


    It turned out Sophia had been suffering from severe depression for a long time. She had even attempted suicide.


    However, she was Sky''s fiancée, and Ivan was determined to force her into marriage to secure benefits for the Sinir family. If Sophia refused, Ivan would take it out on Samantha.


    Over time, Sophia developed bipr disorder. However, she remained passive, too afraid to express her emotions, suppressing them until they became unbearable. On the surface, she appeared normal; in reality, she was far from it.


    Shane assaulted her, and Emma bullied her. Sky enabled those who hurt her and ultimately betrayed her. Sophia''s heart had reached its breaking point after suffering one blow after another.


    Luckily, Marcus helped Sophia. His protection and support allowed Sophia to hold on to her sanity.


    Zachary didn''t know that Sophia pretended to be a savior. All he understood was that she carried immense guilt, believing she had wronged someone beyond redemption.


    The weight of so many emotions crushed Sophia. She didn''t dare to die because of her mother.


    Zachary wasn''t surprised by Sophia''s outburst and drastic actions. He handed the documents to Natalie and spoke with a grave expression.


    "Sophia has suffered greatly all these years. However, she has never once hurt anyone. Since she trusts you, please help her."


    Natalie remembered her conversation with Zachary. "If Sophia needs you to testify in court, will you?"


    His response had been immediate. "I will."


    "Don''t worry, Natalie." Through the car window, Marcus saw tears rolling down Natalie''s cheeks.


    He hesitated for a minute before reaching out and covering Natalie''s hand. She was still gripping the file tightly, and he realized her fingers were as cold as ice. "Don''t worry. Sophia will be fine."


    Natalie turned around. Her reddened eyes stared at Marcus, empty and lost.


    "I promise you. Sophia will be fine."


    Marcus wiped her tears away and continued, "Sophia was unlucky to have met Sky, Emma, and the rest of the Walker family. However, she''s lucky to have you. Fate has been cruel to her, but you are her gift. Don''t me yourself. You did nothing wrong. If anyone is to me, it should be me."


    Marcus'' deep, maic voice held firm. His usual stern gaze softened as he


    looked at Natalie. At that moment, he looked dangerous and irresistibly


    persuasive.