"You''re the only one who''s so good to me, Joanna," Jerome said with a smile. "Don''t worry, I won''t do anything illegal. But she set me up six months ago and made me betray Yvonne. I won''t let her get away with it."


    "Thank you for being so good to me..." Joanna started to cry with gratitude.


    Jeromeforted her for a while before hanging up. He stared at the entrance to Natalie''s office building. “Natalie, I didn''t want to do this, but you''ve gone too far." If his own sister had just agreed to apologize to Joanna, he wouldn''t have had to resort to this. Without another thought, he left for the racetrack.


    At home, Joanna was practicing the piano for an uingpetition she was determined to win. When Jerome called to say he had hired someone to deal with Natalie, she was thrilled. The scheme from six months ago had been designed to make Jerome despise Nataliepletely, and now he was finally taking action. Once Wendy''spany fell, she could secretly start acquiring its shares.


    Joanna sent a quick text message and then returned to her practice, eagerly awaiting good news about Natalie.


    You want to fight me, Natalie? You''re asking for it.


    Sebastian hadn''t contacted her since that night on the ind, which meant he no longer trusted her. She was furious. After all her scheming, Natalie had still escaped, and now Sebastian was doubting her. She needed a new n. If his mother was off-limits, what about his beloved grandmother?


    A vicious smile spread across Joanna''s face.


    ...


    Natalie was oblivious to all of this. In her past life, she hadn''t seen Jerome until just before thepetition. This time, everything was happening sooner.


    At four in the afternoon, she finished her work and left with Luna to walk to a nearby spa.


    Pet


    As they walked, they discussedpany matters. The fabric selections were finalized, but now the most critical task was to ensure the design sketches weren''t leaked She would entrust that job directly to


    Keith. ne


    As they turned into a narrow alley, five men suddenly emerged from a sidene, blocking their path.


    A murderous glint shed in Luna''s eyes, while Natalie''s gaze remained sharp and cold. She recognized the young man leading them. He was one of the thugs Jerome kept on his payroll. So, because she wouldn''t apologize to Joanna, he had sent these men to handle her


    "You Natalie?" the man asked with a lecherous grin, his eyes raking over her body.


    Natalie hated his gaze. She knew who he was one of Jerome''s men, but also secretly in league with Joanna He was the one who would drive the car that was meant to kill her in other words, he was Joanna''s number one sycophant, infatuated with her through his connection to Jerome.


    "I am," she answered calmly.


    "Someone paid us to rough you up. Are you going toe with us quietly, or do


    we have to force you?"


    Natalie''s eyes flickered. "Jerome sent you, didn''t he?"


    The five men froze, surprised that she knew.


    Natalie nced at Luna and whispered, so low only she could hear, “Let them take us. I want to send them to prison."


    Luna understood instantly and discreetly pressed a button on the side of her phone. On the other end, Keith received the signal.


    The leader stepped forward to grab Natalie. She feigned terror, waving her hands and backing away. "Stay back!" she cried. "Get away from me! Don''t touch me!"