The next morning, Natalie was woken from a deep sleep by her phone ringing. She cracked open her heavy eyelids and saw that the sun was already bright outside. Frowning, her beautiful face clouded with annoyance. Who would be calling this early?


    She grabbed the phone. "Hello?"


    "Natalie, it''s me."


    Recognizing Wendy''s voice, Natalie''s brow furrowed deeper. "What can I do for you, Mrs. Scott?"


    Wendy flinched, a flicker of pain in her eyes. "Natalie, I''m your mother. You won''t even call me Mom anymore?"


    Natalie let out a humorlessugh. How could she even say that? "Mrs. Scott, have you forgotten? I''ve already cut ties with your family. You are not my mother. Please don''t refer to yourself that way. I don''t have one. Besides, what kind of mother stands by and does nothing while her own daughter is being dragged away?" She still remembered seeing Wendy watch as Marshall''s bodyguards took her, doing nothing.


    Wendy felt a pang of guilt over the incident. "Natalie, at the time, I thought you had hurt the old madam. I wanted you to learn a lesson, to think before you act so recklessly. I knew they wouldn''t actually harm you."


    The words were a cold dagger to Natalie''s heart. She shouldn''t have held out any hope, so why did she let it hurt her? If something is disposable, dispose of it. Once you broaden your perspective, you realize how many emotions simply aren''t worth your time.


    Natalie sat up and padded barefoot to the window, pulling back the white curtains. The garden below was beautiful, and the morning air was fresh. Her mood instantly lifted. "Mrs. Scott, if that''s all you called to say, then I''m hanging up."


    "No, wait! Natalie, are you free? I need to see you. There''s something I have to tell you."


    Natalie scoffed. "Is there really any reason for us to meet?"


    The cold question seemed to stun Wendy. "Natalie, we''re mother and daughter. How can you say such a thing? If a mother and daughter can''t see each other, who can?"


    Natalieughed again. "Then please tell me, Mrs. Scott, have you ever, even for a second, treated me like a daughter?"


    "Of course I have! Would I treat you this way if you hadn''t done those things? I''m asking you to meet me because Thave something important to discuss. I know you''ve had a tough few months I have a rundown I little apartment on the outskirts of town. You can stay there for now."


    Natalie was speechless. Did she hear that right? She wanted her to live in a rundown apartment? Natalie would rather take on the world than subject herself to that kind of misery. A rundown apartment? That''s all she thought Natalie deserved?


    "No, thank you. Remember what I told you before? In less than six months, you and your family will have nothing. That rundown apartment might be all you have left. You''d better save it for yourself."


    "Natalie, are you cursing me? Why must you always be so venomous? I''m your mother. I''m offering you a ce to live out of the goodness of my heart. There''s no need for such sarcasm."


    "It''s true, I prefer Joanna. She''s


    obedient and considerate, not like you with your words like daggers, stabbing me every day. Do you think that doesn''t hurt me? Wendy voice rose with emotion She couldn''t understand why Natalie had to be so rebellious.


    Natalie had thought she was past the point of being hurt, but hearing those words


    spoken aloud still felt like a knife twisting in her gut.