Queena laughed, tapping the tip of Natalie's nose. "Richest woman? You're already loaded. How much richer do you want to get? You're destined for incredible success, Nat. Even if I wasn't here, you'd still make it straight to the top."

"Silly girl. Everyone has their own destiny. You can't force these things."

Hearing that she was destined for greatness lifted Natalie's spirits immensely.

Her voice practically hummed with joy. "Even if I don't become a billionaire, that's fine. As long as my life isn't cut short, I'm happy."

Honestly, just staying alive was the ultimate victory.

Queena narrowed her eyes, gazing deeply into Natalie's beautiful eyes. Oddly enough, she felt an impenetrable veil over Natalie's future, making her fate impossible to read.

"You're a kind and gentle person, Natalie. Good karma will always find its way back to you," Queena said earnestly.

Natalie took the words to heart. Doing good deeds and staying kind would surely keep the bad luck at bay.

"I need to head over to the lab. Want to tag along?" Natalie asked, tilting her head with a smile.

Queena looked stunning. She wore a vintage-inspired emerald jacket over crisp white trousers, her hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. With her light makeup and radiant complexion, she gave off an effortlessly ethereal vibe.

"Absolutely. I've got nothing but free time lately, so I'll be your shadow. Let's go."

Queena stood up and pushed Natalie's wheelchair toward the door, while Luna headed out to pull the car around.

At Sebastian's mansion.

Sean sat across from his boss, his face etched with crushing disappointment.

Sebastian took one look at his assistant's expression, glanced at the news on his tablet, and didn't bother asking for a verbal report.

He had given Mr. Wilson a chance to turn the tables, but the foolish man had waltzed right into Joanna's trap.

Sebastian looked back down at the live security feed on his screen. Natalie had just left her house. Checking in on her every single day had become an ingrained habit.

Her project had officially launched. Back then, she had firmly rejected his offer to invest in her smart medical software. Yet now, she had brought the project forward to help the Griffith Group expand.

Natalie never ceased to surprise him.

Watching Sebastian's stoic face, Sean looked utterly bewildered. "Boss, aren't you even going to ask what happened? Don't you want to know how Mr. Wilson ended up? Or how incredibly arrogant Joanna was when she pulled the strings?"

Sebastian sat elegantly against the sofa cushions, maintaining his flawless

composure, though his chest throbbed with a sharp ache.

His legs were mostly healed, allowing him to walk short distances, but the chest pain was relentless.

He was almost out of the painkillers he had taken from Natalie's place.

The physical agony over the last two days had been excruciating.

"Your face tells me everything I need to know," Sebastian said, his voice detached but smooth. "Is there really a point in asking?"

Sean let out a frustrated breath, his hands and feet turning cold from sheer anger.

He was practically trembling. "Boss, that old man is an absolute lunatic! He finally gets discharged from the hospital, and instead of taking care of business, he rushes to book hotel room. And to make it worse, he fat's directly into Joanna's traps. The word 'underage' alone is enough to ruin his life forever. What the hell is wrong with him?!"

Sean was livid. The man had to be out of his mind.

Sebastian merely watched Sean's meltdown in silence.

He closed his eyes, resting his head back. The weather was nice today, perfect for

sleeping. It had been a long time since he felt relaxed enough to just rest.

Exhaustion weighed heavily on his bones. He hadn't slept properly since New Year's, his mind constantly plagued by worries over Natalie's safety.

That night, after Sean had pulled him from the freezing ocean, he had immediately set everything into motion.