Tears welled in Natalie''s eyes. "I cut you all off to marry Sebastian. I broke Grandpa''s heart. Lennon won''t even speak to me, Owen hates me so much he moved abroad, and you''re the only one who''s stuck by me through everything."
"I''ll never be that stupid again," she vowed, her voice choked with emotion. "I swear, I will never love Sebastian again."
"If I ever..."
"That''s enough," Wayne interrupted gently, his voice full of affection. "You''re going to make me cry, you silly girl. As long as you''re true to yourself, that''s all that matters. The rest is up to karma."
"You''re right," Natalie said, her voice firming. "Anyone who has ever caused me pain will pay." An apology wouldn''t be enough. Joanna had stolen her life; true justice would be for Joanna to live the life she had endured.
Wayne took Natalie back to Breeze Manor.
Breeze Manor was a sprawling 3,500-square-meter estate. The walls were made of a pristine, dream-like white jade, and the ten-meter-high floor-to-ceiling windows created a vast, open space that exuded opulence. It was decorated in her favorite style. Her grandfather lived on the first floor, she on the second, Wayne on the third, and Lennon and Owen on the fourth. Each floor had its own entertainment area. Her floor also housed a 120-square-meter library and a gym next door.
This was where she had grown up. When the Scotts had found her, she had been away at a training camp in the countryside, which led the Sanders family to believe she was just an unrefined country girl. She had fallen for Sebastian at first sight, willing to alienate her own grandfather to marry him. Looking back now, she realized what an utter fool she''d been.
"Grandpa, I''m home!" she called out as she entered.
Mr. Sanders Sr. was surreptitiously sipping liquor from a teacup. At the sound of her voice, his hand jerked, spilling some on his hand. "Ouch! Hot!" He red at her. "You''re back, so you''re back. What''s with all the shouting?"
Natalie was speechless. Seeing his trembling hand, her eyes widened. "Old man, did I scare you?"
Mr. Sanders Sr.''s face was a mask of grim displeasure. "The moment you appear, all the birds in the sky vanish, and all the paths are empty of people."
Natalie rubbed her nose. Was she really that terrifying?
Mr. Sanders Sr. looked down at the hot liquor in his cup. A man couldn''t even have a drink in peace. He was reduced to sneaking sips, and still he got caught. Life was hard.
"Ooh, Grandpa''s sneaking a drink," Natalie teased, eyeing the cup. The old man''s health wasn''t the best; he shouldn''t be drinking.
Mr. Sanders Sr.''s mouth twitched. This girl was trying to kill him with aggravation. He lifted the cup and downed the contents in one gulp, then patted his chest with a look of pure bliss. "Now that''s the stuff."
Natalie and Wayne exchanged nces.
"Dinner time," Mr. Sanders Sr. announced, heading to the kitchen with a stern expression.
Wayne carried Natalie to the kitchen. The meal wasvish, but without her sense of taste, it was a hollow experience for her. After dinner, the servants served tea, Mr. Sanders Sr. finally asked about her injured foot. "You left on your feet and came back on your back. What happened, see a ghost?"
Natalie''s face fell. "I did see a ghost. Something much scarier than a ghost." Then, as if struck by a bolt of lightning, she straightened up and dered loudly, "Grandpa, my fate is my own to decide! If heaven tries to destroy me, I will destroy heaven!"
CRACK!
As the words left her mouth, a bolt of lightning split the sky outside. Natalie flinched.
Mr. Sanders Sr.''s eyes widened. "Alright, alright, happiness is what matters most. No need to incur the wrath of the heavens. I''m... I''m going to bed I''m afraid of thunder." With that, he practically skipped away like a child fleting a monster. This girl was a jinx. He was getting as far away as possible.
Wayne burst outughing. When Natalie was home, even the old man ran for cover. "Come on, Natalie, I''l take you to your room. Try to look on the bright side if you don''t run into a few bad apples, How will you know what''s best for you?" He stood up to carry her.
Natalie felt that Wayne was right. If she couldn''t change fate, she would change herself. "I get it. It''s easy to dodge an obvious attack, but hard to defend against a hidden one. I need to rise to the asion."
Natalie''s face fell. "I did see a ghost. Something much scarier than a ghost." Then, as if struck by a bolt of lightning, she straightened up and dered loudly, "Grandpa, my fate is my own to decide! If heaven tries to destroy me, I will destroy heaven!"
CRACK!
As the words left her mouth, a bolt of lightning split the sky outside. Natalie flinched.
Mr. Sanders Sr''s eyes widened. "Alright, alright, happiness is what matters most. No need to incur the wrath of the heavens. I''m... I''m going to bed I''m afraid of thunder." With that, he practically skipped away, like a child fleting a monster. This girl was a jinx. He was getting as far away as possible.
Wayne burst outughing. When Natalie was home, even the old man ran for cover. "Come on, Natalie, I'' take you to your room. Try to look on the bright side if you don''t run into a few bad apples, how will youknow what''s best for you?" He stood up to carry her.
Natalie felt that Wayne was right. If she couldn''t change fate, she would change herself. “I get it. It''s easy to dodge an obvious attack, but hard to defend against a hidden one. I need to rise to the asion."
Natalie''s face fell. "I did see a ghost. Something much scarier than a ghost." Then, as if struck by a bolt of lightning, she straightened up and dered loudly, "Grandpa, my fate is my own to decide! If heaven tries to destroy me, I will destroy heaven!"
CRACK!
As the words left her mouth, a bolt of lightning split the sky outside. Natalie
flinched.
Mr. Sanders Sr.''s eyes widened. "Alright, alright, happiness is what matters most. No need to incur the wrath of the heavens. I''m... I''m going to bed I''m afraid of thunder." With that, he practically skipped away like a child fleeing a monster. This girl was a jinx. He was getting as far away as possible.
Wayne burst outughing. When Natalie was home, even the old man ran for cover. "Come on, Natalie, I'' take you to your room. Try to look on the bright side lf you don''t run into a few bad apples, how will youknow* what''s best for you?" He stood up to carry her.
Natalie felt that Wayne was right. If she couldn''t change fate, she would change herself. "I get it. It''s easy to dodge an obvious attack, but hard to defend against a hidden one. I need to rise to the asion."
Natalie''s face fell. "I did see a ghost. Something much scarier than a ghost." Then, as if struck by a bolt of lightning, she straightened up and dered loudly, "Grandpa, my fate is my own to decide! If heaven tries to destroy me, I will destroy
heaven!"
CRACK!
As the words left her mouth, a bolt of lightning split the sky outside. Natalie
flinched.
Mr. Sanders Sr.''s eyes widened. "Alright, alright, happiness is what matters most. No need to incur the
wrath of the heavens. I''m... I''m going to bed I''m afraid of thunder." With that, he practically skipped away like a child fleeing a monster. This girl was a jinx. He was getting as far away as possible.
Wayne burst outughing. When
Natalie was home, even the old man ran for cover. "Come on, Natalie, I'' take you to your room. Try to look on
the bright side if you don''t run into a few bad apples, how will you know what''s best for you?" He stood up to carry her.
Natalie felt that Wayne was right. If she couldn''t change fate, she would change herself. "I get it. It''s easy to dodge an obvious attack, but hard to defend against a hidden one. I need to rise to the asion."
Natalie''s face fell. "I did see a ghost. Something much scarier than a ghost." Then, as if struck by a bolt of lightning, she straightened up and dered loudly, "Grandpa, my fate is my own to decide! If heaven tries to destroy me, I will destroy
heaven!"
CRACK!
As the words left her mouth, a bolt of lightning split the sky outside. Natalie
flinched.
Mr. Sanders Sr.''s eyes widened. "Alright, alright, happiness is what
matters most. No need to incur the
wrath of the heavens. I''m... I''m going to be I''m afraid of thunder." With that, he practically skipped away a child fleeing a monster. This girl
like
was a jinx. He was getting as far away as possible. Wayne burst outughing. When
Natalie was home, even the old man
ran for cover. "Come on, Natalie, I''l take you to your room. Try to look on
the right side lf you don''t run into a few bad apples, How will youknow what''s best for you?" He stood up to carry her.
Natalie felt that Wayne was right. If she couldn''t change fate, she would change
herself. “I get it. It''s easy to dodge an obvious attack, but hard to defend against a hidden one. I need to rise to the asion."