After William and Charlotte left the hospital room, Natalie pulled out a chair and sat down, her gaze calm as she looked at Sky.


    Sky forced a bitter smile. It took him a long time before he finally spoke. "I''m sorry."


    Natalie''s expression remained steady, her tone t and devoid of emotion. "The person you should be apologizing to isn''t me. It''s Sophia."


    "I know." Sky exhaled heavily, his voice weary. "I had no idea Cindy was Emma''s biological mother."


    "Now that you do, how do you feel?"


    Sky looked at Natalie, his eyes dazed. "I don''t know. I just feel confused. My mind is a mess.


    "If Cindy was Emma''s biological mother, then there''s only one possibility-you and Emma weren''t switched by ident. It was deliberate. But I don''t understand how Cindy managed to pull it off.


    "When Mother gave birth in Amberton, Cindy wasn''t pregnant. She was always by her side, taking care of her. So, I don''t know. It''s all just too chaotic. Now that Cindy is dead, this lead ispletely cut off."


    Natalie nced around the room, then pulled a chocte bar from her pocket. She unwrapped it and handed it to Sky.


    "I''m still going to Amberton to investigate this. Me, Selena, and Emma... the three of us weren''t switched for no reason. With Cindy dead, the investigation might be harder, but no matter what, if something was done, there would always be traces left behind.


    "My dear brother, when you went to Amberton before, you weren''t actually trying to uncover the truth, were you? You didn''t want to find Emma''s real parents. You couldn''t bear to send her away. You couldn''t bear to take her away from the wealth and protection of the Walker family."


    Hearing Natalie call him "brother", Sky''s eyes instantly welled up with tears. He hadn''t expected that after everything he had done-after how tantly he had favored Emma, after all the harm he had caused Sophia-Natalie would still call him that.


    Even if she was questioning him, even if her words held no warmth, the fact that she still called him her brother made an unbearable sourness rise in his chest.


    "Yes, I was wrong. I waspletely wrong." Sky''s voice was choked, unable to control the emotion in it.


    "Recognizing your mistakes and making amends—there''s no great virtue." Natalie handed him the chocte. "Try it. It''s not bitter. This was made by the chocte factory Lincoln bought."


    Sky took the chocte and ced it in his mouth. It melted instantly, rich and smooth. There wasn''t even a hint of bitterness but his heart was still unbearably heavy.


    "Nat, I am sorry."


    After swallowing, Sky spoke again, his guilt overwhelming. "I shouldn''t have been prejudiced against you. I shouldn''t have thought that your return would disrupt Emma''s ce in the family.


    "I wanted you two to get along. I hoped your return wouldn''t shake her position. But I ignored the fact that you were the one who had truly been wronged. Nat, I am so sorry."


    Natalie wasn''t surprised by his apology. People''s perspectives change when they brush against death.


    "It''s fine," she said with a faint smile.


    "Sky, you never owed Emma anything. Everything you did for her was real. Your kindness was sincere but the more someone gives, the harder it is to let go.


    "And people have feelings. You watched Emma grow up. You doted on her, protected her. Meanwhile, I was just a stranger who suddenly appeared. We had no emotional connection. I understand why you took her side."


    Her voice remained calm.


    "But I had no emotional connection with any of you, either. I never felt the need to be epted by this family. The way you treated me was how I treated you in return.


    "Sky, I knew from the very beginning that Emma didn''t wee me. We''re both women—you couldn''t see her small schemes, but I could. Emma was greedy."


    Sky covered his face with his hands, but his tears still slipped silently through his fingers.


    Of course, he had known this all along. His brother, his parents-they had all tried to warn him but he had been blinded by his favoritism. Now, after nearly dying, he finally realized how absurdly wrong he had been.


    "Sky, don''t be too upset. Mom and Dad may not be hiring awyer for you, but they also said you still have a chance. Confess your crimes,


    behave well, and when you got not


    you''ll still be the eldest son of the Walker family."


    "It was my fault," Sky said.


    "Oh, by the way. Beforeing here, I went to see Emma." Natalie''s lips curved slightly. "She''s nning to take all the me upon herself to protect you. Are you touched, Sky?"


    Sky froze. His hands dropped from his face, his dazed eyes locking onto Natalie.


    Natalie merely smiled, that same half-smile lingering on her lips. Without saying anything more, she pulled a few more chocte bars from her pocket, stood up, and ced them in Sky''s hand.


    "Sky, I didn''t bring anything else. These are for you. When life feels bitter, eat one."


    "Nat." Sky looked at her, wanting to say something-but the words wouldn''te. "I''m leaving now."


    Natalie had said everything she needed to say. What Sky did next was up to him but even if Emma tried to take all the me, it wouldn''t matter. The investigation had already made everything clear.


    None of them could escape their crimes and Sophia would never sign any statement of forgiveness for them.


    What she wanted was for everyone who had hurt her to face their rightful punishment to ensure that they could never harm anyone else again.


    The easy way out for Emma would be death, but that would be too good for her The best punishment is for her to rot in prison. For someone like her, losing the wealth and status as


    a Walker was the real torment.


    Sometimes dying was a relief, but living-living and suffering-was the cruelest fate of all.


    Natalie walked out of the ward. William and Charlotte were standing nearby, speaking quietly. When they saw her emerge, they immediately approached.


    "Are you done talking to Sky?"


    "Yes, I''m done."


    "I just hope this time, he truly understands his mistakes and changes." Charlotte sighed. "For a wretched woman like Emma, his effort really wasn''t worth it.


    "But there is nothing we can do. He made his choice. And now, no matter how painful it is, he has to walk this path himself."


    Even as she spoke, Charlotte''s eyes turned red. No matter what, Sky was still the son she had carried for ten months. The very first child she had given birth to after enduring the agony ofbor.


    When he was born, she and William had been overjoyed. They had ced the highest hopes in him.


    "Mom, don''t be sad. Sky might truly change this time." Natalie hugged Charlotte gently. "We''ll wait for him toe home."