Nathan was stunned. He never dreamed Joanna would say something so cruel.


    Heartbroken, he stared at her. He should have known. Joanna was capable of anything.


    "Joanna, this is your true face, isn''t it? Now that you have everything from the Don family, you''re just going to kick me to the curb?"


    Joanna sneered, "That depends on your attitude, Dad. And just look at your mother, listen to how disgusting she is. She dares to call me a good-for-nothing girl. In her eyes, a son is all that matters. That''s why when you wanted to abandon Natalie all those years ago, she didn''t even blink. To her, only sons are important. We women are just a waste of money. Little does she know, she''s a woman too, just another good-for-nothing girl by her own logic."


    The old woman''s face turned pale.


    Her cloudy eyes fixed on Joanna, full of hatred.


    This woman was as venomous as a snake. She had beenpletely mistaken about her.


    Joanna gave a cold smile and walked out.


    Nathan looked at the mess his life had be, his eyes filled with regret. He longed for Wendy''s tenderness and consideration.


    "Nathan, are you just going to let her bully me like that?"


    Nathan took a deep breath and gave a self-deprecatingugh. "Mom, things aren''t what they used to be. Mypany''s been sold. I don''t have much money left."


    "You need to stop giving Jared money. I don''t have anything to give you now. Even if you threatened to jump off a building, I couldn''te up with the cash."


    Nathan looked at her helplessly. "Mom, you''ve given Jared''s family a lot of money, but I doubt his wife is willing to take care of you. You''ll end up with nothing. You should just go back to our hometown. No one will look after you here. For the past twenty years, I''ve been supporting the entire Scott family. I can''t do it anymore. Do whatever you want. If you want money, you can have my life."


    The old woman froze, staring at her son who had given up. She was so angry she nearly fainted.


    After being held in such high esteem by Wendy, she now had nothing. The fall from grace was excruciating.


    She knew exactly what Jared''s wife was like. At the end of the day, Wendy was the only daughter-inw who was both foolish and dutiful.


    But now she was gone. The old woman truly regretted it. Even if Wendy was broke, she wouldn''t have left her homeless.


    But she had said such terrible things. Wendy would probably never speak to her again.


    Instantly, she med Nathan. "You useless bum. You gave up a brilliant future for Sophia, a ssless mistress. Look at you now! I don''t care what you have to do, you will give me a hundred thousand a month. I have to pay off your brother''s debts."


    Nathanughed miserably. "Then you can go earn the money to pay them yourself. I''m practically dead already if it weren''t for me and Wendy you and my dear brother


    still be toiling away on some plot ofnd."


    "You... you''re my eldest son. How can you say that to me?" The old woman hadn''t


    been spoken to like this in years. When there was money, everyone was polite.


    Without it, everything fell apart.


    ...


    When Natalie ran out after him, Sebastian pulled her into his car.


    Sebastian drove straight home.


    They didn''t say a word the entire way.


    Sebastian knew Natalie was angry because of his threat.


    As he was leaving the ballroom, he''d noticed a few suspicious men.


    They hadn''t followed, but Natalie had made an enemy of Maxwell. That man was highly vindictive and would surelye after her again.


    Sebastian nced at Natalie in the


    rearview mirror. She was sitting in the back, her exquisite face devoid of emotion as she stared out the window. It was snowing and foggy, with nothing to see but pedestrians and cars. What was so interesting?