"Mom!"


    "Don''t touch me!" Wendy pped Jared''s hand away, struggling to her feet. She limped away without another nce at him.


    How had she failed sopletely? Deceived for a lifetime by a dog like Nathan, and her sons were so stubborn she couldn''t reach them.


    Jared stood there, stunned. What was wrong with his mother?


    He ran after her, his voice rising in frustration. "Mom, what''s going on? Was I wrong? Since Natalie left the Scott family, she should just disappearpletely. She''s my sister by blood, but that doesn''t matter as much as my bond with Joanna. I want Joanna in my life, so Natalie has to go!"


    "And another thing," he added heatedly, "I''ve already contacted Mr. Jones from Q&N Collective about her seducing Keith to be the design director. I''m going to expose all of her schemes to him."


    Wendy stopped, her mouth agape as tears streamed down her face. "Jared, you''re so cruel. She''s not just some girl; she''s your sister. How can you be so determined to ruin her?"


    "Jared, how did I raise such a heartless son? What has she ever done wrong? Joanna faked her own kidnapping to frame her! Everything that happened after that was Joanna''s doing!"


    "Joanna only did that because she felt insecure! If Natalie had nevere back, our family wouldn''t be in this mess!" Jared shot back, a knot of pain tightening in his chest. He wished Natalie had never returned. Then his mother wouldn''t have cut off his credit cards and taken back his shares.


    Wendy felt as if she couldn''t breathe. The tears pooling in her eyes finally spilled over, their bitter taste a reflection of the anguish in her heart.


    "You''re right, Jared. Blood doesn''t matter that much. Go ahead, never forgive Natalie."


    "I won''t forgive her, Mom..."


    "She doesn''t need your forgiveness. She gave up on this family a long time ago, because none of you have ever been good to her. You believe every@ord Joanna says. Did you ever stop to think that if Natalie had grown up in this house, you would have loved her just as much? Thank God she didn''t grow up here, or she might have turned out as cruel ast the rest of you. Since blood doesn''t matter, Jared, go love your precious Joanna and Monica. I don''t want you as my son anymore."


    Jared stared at her in disbelief. He had only been away for a year. How had his mother changed so much?


    "Hmph. Natalie, this is all your fault.


    You''ve torn our family apart," he muttered, his eyes glinting with malice. He had a meeting with Keith tomorrow. He was going to destroy herréputation f?r good. He turned and went upstairs to check on his father.


    After Natalie and Matthew finished dinner, they walked out of the restaurant to find Sebastian waiting for them.


    Natalie was surprised. There were times she''d go days without seeing him, and now he seemed to be everywhere. It just went to show how misaligned their fates were When she needed him, he was nowhere to be found. Now that she didn''t, he was always there.


    But all Natalie wanted now was for them to go their separate ways.


    Matthew also saw Sebastian and instinctively stepped in front of Natalie, shielding her.


    Sebastian approached them, his gait confident and graceful. His cold eyesnded on Matthew. "Mr. Monroe, would you mind moving?"


    Matthew''s friendly demeanor vanished, reced by an icy stare. "And what if I don''t?"