At that moment, Natalie was playing cards with Keith and a few others. She was thrilled to be able to play this year.

When she saw her phone ringing, she felt a flicker of annoyance. Her three brothers hadn't sent her any New Year's gifts yet, and she was still waiting for her grandfather to give her one.

She picked up her phone and saw it was an unknown number. For some reason, she didn't want to answer.

Seeing Natalie ignore the call, Luna asked, "Natalie, aren't you going to get that?"

Natalie glanced at the number dismissively. "It's a number I don't recognize. I don't feel like answering."

Luna, knowing her well, said, "Just answer it, Natalie. It's the holidays. See who it is. Maybe someone's sending you a gift."

Natalie thought her friend was dreaming. Who would be sending her a gift at this hour?

Marshall and Matthew had already sent their gifts, and she had sent hers in return. But she answered anyway, just to stop the person from calling her repeatedly.

"Hello!" Natalie's voice was cheerful.

Colin hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Natalie, it's me."

Natalie didn't recognize his voice. "Who is this?"

Colin's heart clenched. Natalie didn't recognize him. She couldn't even recognize his voice anymore. "Natalie, it's Colin. Your brother."

Natalie finally placed the voice. It was Colin Scott.

"Do

you need something?" Natalie's tone was distant.

She was rather surprised that Joanna had let Colin off the hook.

Or perhaps, the time just hadn't come yet.

Hearing her indifferent voice, Colin felt a pang of pain. "Natalie, we all regret it. Can you forgive us? Mom is in so much pain right now. She's in her room crying Could you come and see her? Natalle, we were wrong before, but we're family. ou're still her daughter-that's a bond you can't just break. Natalie, I'm sorry. Please, will you come back and see Mom?"

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"We've been blaming ourselves constantly. Mom really misses you today. She couldn't even eat."

"She talks about you all the time. Natalie, I know I was wrong too."

Natalie narrowed her eyes. A display of affection this late in the game was worse than meaningless-it was insulting.

Natalie's voice turned cold. "Mr.

Scott, you must have the wrong number. When you forced me to leave, we signed papers severing our ties. I have no relationship with the Scott family, and I have no relationship with your mother. O connection was brief, so let's not contact each other anymore. Please don't call me again. It's the holidays, can you not ruin my good mood?"

"If your family truly feels guilty, then stop contacting me. There's a saying the best thing yourean do for someone is to stay out of therife. If you just leave me alone, that's all the apology I need."

With that, Natalie hung up the phone.

At the same time.

"I win! A straight flush!" Keith pushed his cards down, looking at Natalie happily.

Natalie grumbled, pinning her loss on Colin's distracting phone call. "Ugh! It's all Colin's fault. He made me lose focus and play the wrong card."

Keith couldn't help but chuckle. She always lost a lot of money playing cards every year.

She rarely managed to win a hand. He wondered if it was heaven's way of punishing her. She was so brilliant in other areas, but at the card table, she lost nine times out of ten.

"Natalie, you need to focus," Keith reminded her.

Natalie was speechless.

Meanwhile, on the balcony, Colin's eyes were filled with a deep pain. Watching the fireworks continually bloom in the distance, his mind flashed back to last year's holiday when Natalie gave him a gift.

"Colin, your stomach isn't well. This is a very effective medicine for it. If you take it on time every day, your stomach will heal quickly."

How had he responded then? "Natalie, you little bumpkin. Other people give gold and jewels as gifts, and you give me medicine. Are you wishing for my early death?"