While the inte was busy excoriating Joanna, Natalie arrived at the Ind. Zenobia was already waiting for her at the pier, looking vibrant and lovely in a pink maternity dress, her hair tied in a high ponytail.


    Natalie drove her car off the ferry and pulled up next to her. "Zenobia, you shouldn''t havee all this way to meet me!"


    Zenobia slipped into the passenger seat. "I was here anyway, buying seafood. The blue crabs here are amazing. I bought some to make spicy crab for you, but they''re so big you need a hammer to crack the shells. I even bought a hammer!" After stowing her things, she buckled her seatbelt.


    As Natalie drove, Zenobia said, "I saw your counterattack. Tens of thousands of people saw Joanna''s true face. Natalie, we were too soft before. No, we were too kind. When people bullied us, all we did was argue back. But when someone throws mud at you, words aren''t enough to prove your innocence. The only way is to fight back."


    "Zenobia, I''m going to tear off her mask," Natalie said, her voice filled with a cold determination. "I''m going to send her to hell."


    Zenobia knew that among their friends, Natalie had suffered the most. She was kindhearted and had always chosen tolerance to avoid family drama. But with a family like the Scotts,munication was impossible. Her patience had only invited more abuse. Her own mother had seen how unreasonable they were and insisted they move away; her mother was a better judge of character than she was. Sometimes, she thought, the price of growing up was just too painful.


    "Joanna wants to make it in the entertainment industry, so she''ll cling to Mr. Wilson


    for dear life," Natalie mused. "He supported her after what happenedst time, and I have a feeling he''ll do it again."


    "Why?" Zenobia asked, confused.


    "I don''t know, it''s just a feeling. We''ll see what happens tomorrow." Natalie knew Mr. Wilson''s kindness to Joanna might backfire, but she was ready for whatever came next. This time, she wouldn''t let Joanna seed. "Zenobia, my new designs are for a domestic luxury brand, Part of it will be sold online through livestreams. I''m partnering with Susan on it. Since I have some free time, I thought I''de stay with you for a few days." While Joanna was running around putting out fires, she could rx. The thought made her smile.


    "I''m so d!" Zenobia said. "I''m due soon, and my mom ising in a few days. The weather on the ind is perfect right now, so it won''t be too cold for the postpartum recovery period. After that, when the snow starts, I''ll move back to the city. I n to resign from my current job, and once the baby is a year old, my mom can help watch him while I join my dad''spany." She had her future all nned out.


    "That sounds like a great n," Natalie said. "Life''s too short, Zenobia. We should


    live it exactly how we want to."


    "I am! But having a child makes life feel even moreplete. I think every woman should experience being a mother at least once Everything else is optional." Sh smited brightly. "Even men. We can be happier on our own."


    Her words were like a dagger to Natalie''s heart, bringing back the painful memory of


    the child she lost in her past life. A sharp, suffocating pain tightened in her chest.