The text was from Joanna. It read: [Natalie, was tonight your doing? You bitch, you''ll get what''sing to you.]


    Natalie froze. Had Joanna made a habit of slinging mud?


    She was just a spectator in this drama, so how did she be the mastermind?


    Furious, Natalie called her directly.


    “Natalie, you have the nerve to call me? Did you arrange what happened tonight?" Joanna demanded, her voice choked with anger and tears.


    Natalie found itughable. "Joanna, you''re so used to pointing fingers that you automatically assume I''m behind everything. Was what your mother did fake? Is it fake that you, just like her, can''t keep your legs closed?"


    "Joanna, why can you never admit to your own actions? Why do you always have to frame others? You stole my life, and honestly, you were living it pretty well. But to give your mother some legitimacy, you yed a winning hand into a losing one."


    "But your mother won''t thank you for it, because she''s just as selfish as you are. And your father is selfish, too. The three of you make a perfect little family of self- absorbed people."


    "You seeded in driving me out. If I had just left, you and Sebastian could have gotten married without a hitch. Those four idiots would have continued to adore you, and Wendy would have given you everything. The mess you''re in today? You brought it all on yourself."


    "Your first instinct is always to me me, toe crying to me whenever something goes wrong. Is that all you''ve got, Joanna?"


    "If you really want to impress someone, go marry Sebastian. I''m out of his life now, so this is your perfect chance. You''d better work hard, because if you can''t win his heart, then everything you did to me was for nothing."


    In truth, if Joanna had just behaved herself, she would have remained the cherished princess of the Scott family even after Natalie left.


    But she wasn''t satisfied. She wanted to swallow everything Wendy owned and live a perfect family life with her biological mother and father.


    She surely never imagined this would be the oue. After tonight, their home would be plunged into chaos.


    From now on, they would never know peace.


    Old


    Joanna understood everything Natalie was saying, but the ending she had envisioned involved Wendy in a mental institution, just like Sebastian''s mother when the woman had disapproved of her rtionship with Sebastian, she''d had her sent to an asylum.


    “Don''t get cocky, Natalie. I won''t fall into this trap. I will make your life a living hell.”


    Natalie rolledzily on the bed. "I''ve


    already left and given you what you wanted, and you''re still thinking about making my life a living hell? Joanna, do you really think


    that


    easy to bully?"


    “Hmph! As soon as I marry Sebastian, I''ll make sure you''re dead," Joanna spat viciously.


    Natalie replied, "Fine! Then go and sweep Sebastian off his feet. I wish you two a long life together and many beautiful children."


    "You''ve always liked picking up my cast-offs anyway. If you want them, you can have them all."


    Joanna faltered. It seemed that everything she had ever possessed was, in fact, something Natalie had discarded.


    She had given up the Scott family, and she had given up Sebastian.


    They were all things Natalie no longer wanted. "That''s not it, Natalie! I want you to suffer! Just you wait."


    "Tsk! What nonsense are you


    spouting now? Joanna, your path in


    the entertainment industry is blocked. You''d be better off focusing


    on capturing Sebastian''s heart. You two should just lock yourselves away together forever."


    With that, Natalie hung up the phone.