"If it were anyone else, they probably would have gotten rid of the pregnancy the moment they sobered up. They never would have let me into this world to be a living reminder of their infidelity."

A genuinely warm smile touched Natalie's face. "Mrs. Scott, thank you for giving birth to me. After hearing the truth, all my hatred is just... gone."

It was true. She felt nothing but gratitude that Wendy had allowed her to live. She didn't care about anything else, but being born meant she got to meet her grandfather and her three brothers.

And her best friend, Queena.

If she had never existed, she would never have crossed paths with any of them.

Wendy broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Her daughter had forgiven her, but had also completely discarded her. What was the difference between that and never being forgiven at all?

Natalie watched her cry, entirely unsure of how to comfort the woman.

She waited for a few moments, but Wendy's weeping only grew more devastating. Natalie had a schedule to keep.

Wendy couldn't spend the rest of her life drowning in guilt. She needed to move on. She wheeled herself over and gently took Wendy's hand.

Seeing her daughter's smooth fingers, Wendy's sobs abruptly hitched. She stared at her in a daze. "Natalie..."

Natalie offered a soft smile. "Stop crying. You have to look forward. You finally got rid of a piece of trash like Nathan. Your life is only going to get better from here. I moved on a long time ago."

"Damage can't be undone, so don't try to fix it. Scars don't just disappear. Just promise you won't hurt me anymore. We've caused each other too much pain to ever be a real family."

"Mrs. Scott, I won't hold onto my hate anymore. You should go home."

"Natalie," Wendy pleaded, her eyes bloodshot. She didn't want to let go. She desperately wanted Natalie to call her Mom again. She wanted to shower her with all the love in the world. It didn't matter who the father was; she was still the child she had carried for nine months.

Natalie remained silent, simply turning her wheelchair to leave.

A shadow darted past the doorway.

Natalie narrowed her eyes. Where was Luna? Why wasn't she standing guard outside?

As Natalie rolled into the hallway, she spotted a man sprinting toward the exit. She recognized the silhouette instantly. It was Boris.

Ugh. Why would he choose to play the rat when he could just do his job?

Still, there was a silver lining. She

turned back to face Wendy's tear-streaked face with a bright smile. "Well, at least this means Joanna and l'aren't bielogically

related at all. The thought of sharing blood with her was honestly sickening."

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Wendy froze again. Natalie's smile was breathtakingly radiant, mirroring Wendy's own youth.

It was a moment of absolute closure. She had given up fighting it. She had permanently lost her daughter.

"Natalie, I'll do better from now on.

For as long as I live, I will try to be a

good mother. Here, I brought you a I gift. I'll make sure you have one every angle year Whether you want

them or not, I'll have them delivered. It's out of love, not guilt."

In Wendy's eyes, a mother's love was never too late.

She knew Natalie had a soft heart underneath it all.

She placed a beautifully wrapped evening gown on Natalie's lap. "Take it, please. It's from the heart."

Natalie didn't reach for it. She simply had no reason to hate the woman anymore. Her past desperation had been her own fault.

How could she blame Wendy for playing favorites when she herself had been foolishly seeking validation?

Natalie decided to give her a heads-up. "Someone was eavesdropping on us just now. I imagine Joanna and Nathan are going to find out about this very soon."

Wendy shook her head resolutely "I'm not afraid of them. Thanks to

you, I managed to secure all my

assets. Just focus on your recovery. I'll come check on you in a fe days."

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Wendy lingered, her gaze full of reluctance, before finally turning to leave.