In this life and thest, Wendy had never shown her an ounce of motherly love. So why should she want something so cheap now? Perhaps she was just destined to have weak family ties. From now on, she would love who she loved and hate who she hated. Kindness and grievance could both go to hell.


    "Is there anything else, Mrs. Scott? If not, I''m hanging up." She couldn''t listen to any more of this nonsense.


    "Natalie, are you really going to be this ungrateful?" Wendy''s blood pressure was skyrocketing. This girl was utterly defiant.


    “Heh...” Natalieughed, a sharp, bitter sound. "When I was obedient andpliant, you called me useless. When I fight back, you call me ungrateful and disrespectful. No matter what I do, it''s always wrong in your eyes. As my own mother, you pushed me into the darkness, into the abyss. Is that what you call love? Wendy, six months from now, when your suffering reaches its peak, you will finally understand what I''ve been through these past few years."


    With that, Natalie hung up the phone.


    "Hoo..." She took a deep breath. Don''t get angry. Don''t get angry. Absolutely not. You had to conquer your own negative emotions to conquer life. Life would always leave you scarred, but those wounded ces would eventually be your strongest.


    “Haha.......” Natalieughed as she walked to the bathroom. It actually worked. After a goodugh, she felt like her perspective had widened considerably.


    After showering and getting dressed, she went downstairs for her morning workout. An hourter, she took another quick shower before heading down for breakfast.


    "Natty, hurry, hurry! We have your favorite ravioli!" her grandfather called out with a smile. Seeing his granddaughter getting back to her old self filled him with joy.


    "Coming, Grandpa!" Natalie sat down next to Queena and dug in.


    Her grandfather beamed at her, his face full of affection. "Natty, you seem so clear-headed these days. It puts my old heart at ease."


    Natalie smiled back at him, her eyes twinkling. "Being too clear-headed can be a sad thing in itself, Grandpa."


    "Nonsense. Even if you don''t have some handsome young thing by your side at least you have your wits about you you''re a smart gut why * were you so determined to y the foot for so long?"


    Natalie fell silent. That''s just how the human heart was unable to change reality, unable to forget the past, yet cursed with a nostalgic soul.


    "Grandpa, eat up before your dance ss is over. Your second chance at love might run off."


    At that, her grandfather quickly finished thest two ravioli on his te and stood up. "You two girls take your time. I''m off to find second spring!"


    Natalie and Queena burst intoughter.


    20


    After he left, Queena asked, "So, where are we going today? We finally get to see each other so don''t you dare say you have to work. You have to hang out with me.


    Natalie thought for a moment. She hadn''t really gone out and had fun in years. "Where do you want to go, Queena?"


    "I heard there''s a famous hot springs resort nearby. How about we go for a soak?" "Okay!" Natalie agreed. "Let''s go in a bit."


    But she seemed distracted, and even managed to bite her tongue while eating. She fumed inwardly. Why is even my own tongue turning against me?


    Queena noticed her foul mood. "Natty, you seem down. What''s wrong?"