At the Scott residence, Joanna was in a rage. When she saw the news about


    Larry, she had smashed half the items in her room. He had been so careful before, so why did he get caught this time? Could Natalie have known about their connection?


    Wendy was home and heard the sounds of destruction from upstairs. A flicker of satisfaction crossed her face. Go ahead, smash everything. In six months, this luxurious life will be over.


    Just then, Jerome burst in, looking frantic. Seeing his mother was like finding a lifeline. "Mom, you have to help me!"


    Wendy frowned. "What is it? What has you so worked up?"


    "Mom," Jerome fumed, slumping onto the sofa, "I hired some guys to teach Natalie a lesson today, but they got greedy and tried to... well, the police showed up and arrested them all. They''re my friends, Mom. I went to Natalie and even offered to let here home if she''d just sign a letter of forgiveness to get them out. But she refused, and now all this other stuff about them ising out. Mom, please, can you talk to her "


    SLAP!


    Wendy''s hand struck his face with shocking force before he could finish. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at her son with utter disappointment.


    Jerome was stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief. His mother had neverid a hand on him. "Mom, why did you hit me? You don''t like Natalie either!" The disappointed look in her eyes filled him with a strange sense of unease.


    "Jerome, how could you say that?"


    et ver


    Wendy''s voice trembled. "Even if you dislike her, you don''t hire men to destroy your sister! She is your flesh and blood! If she hadn''t been switched at birth, she would have been our princess! Have you tried to see things from her perspective? She was stolen from us by a malicious person, and that''s why she''s be a joke to you all. But is she really useless? She''s the design director for Q&N Collective! Her life has been hard enough. Why can''t you leave her alone?"


    "Jerome, Natalie was right. None of us deserve to be her family, and you certainly don''t deserve to be her brother. From now on, I''m done with you. I don''t care if you live or die. You''re just as vicious as your father." They were Nathan''s children, after all. How could any of them be good? Except for Natalie.


    "No wonder you like a degenerate like Yvonne," she spat. "If you had half a brain, you''d see she''s just using you. But even if I told you, you''re too stupid to see the truth. A wonderful girl like Zenobia loved you with all her heart, and you crushed her. It''s true-no one in the Scott family is any good."


    She was done with her sons. She wanted no part of them. With onest cold re at Jerome, she said, "If you ever dare to hurt your sister again, I will disown you." Wendy turned and walked away, tears streaming down her face.


    Jerome stood frozen,pletely bewildered His mother had changed. Before, she would have been the first to curse Natalie at the slightest provocation. Now, she was defending her. So what if Natalie. was switched at birth. It was just bad luck. That useless girl hadn''t even finished high school. She was nothingpared to the Joanna they had lovingly raised.


    Sometimes, blood means nothing. Strangers can be closer than family. Only Joanna was worthy of Sebastian. A woman like Natalie was destined for a


    mundane job and an ordinary husband. She had no right to be Sebastian''s wife.


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. With Larry''s history exposed, only Sebastian had the power to get them out. Preupied with Larry''s situation, he didn''t dwell on his mother strange behavior. He had already decided Natalie was worthless, blinding him to her obvious strengths. Hearing more crashing from upstairs, he rushed up to Joanna''s room.