Her strength was terrifying. She looked so delicate, like a strong gust of wind could blow her over, yet she was incredibly powerful.

Luna shot the struggling Jerome a venomous glare and sneered, "Are all you Scotts this rude? Don't you know how to knock? Ms. Sanders is no longer part of your family. Shouldn't you at least show some basic courtesy when you come looking for someone?"

Jerome froze. Ms. Sanders?

When he'd first gone to get Natalie, she was living in a dilapidated shack in the middle of nowhere.

Since when did she become "Ms. Sanders"?

She was certainly putting on an act.

He met Luna's icy stare and found himself at a loss for words.

"What should I do with him?" Luna asked, well aware of how much Natalie despised the Scotts.

"Throw him out," Natalie said, her voice like ice as she glanced at Jerome. "And tell security downstairs that no one from the Scott family is to be allowed in here. Not a single one."

Jerome scoffed. "Well, look at you, Natalie, putting on airs. Aren't you a Scott yourself? Who gave you the authority to ban the family from coming here? You're just a design director. The arrogance is unbelievable."

"Not anymore. And do you really think people like you are worthy of being called family?"

Jerome choked on his words. "About the incident with Larry... I admit I didn't think it through."

Natalie let out a bitter laugh, her words striking him like a physical blow. "You didn't 'not think it through,' Jerome. You wanted me to be publicly scorned. You wanted everyone to hate me."

"I'm not the one who crippled you-someone else took care of that. I warned you not to participate in that street race."

Without giving him a chance to respond, Natalie commanded, "Luna, drag him out of here. Shove him in the elevator and tell him to get lost."

Humiliated, Jerome scrambled to his feet. "Natalie, this is your fault! If you hadn't set me up six months ago, I never would have wronged Yvonne! It was all your scheming that made me betray my goddess!"

The words "my goddess" made Natalie gasp, a sharp intake of frigid air. She stared at Jerome with a complicated expression.

"Jerome, is that really your 'goddess'? A woman who sleeps around, lives a wild life, and is constantly seen in hotels and clubs?"

Jerome's face e

contorted with rage, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light. "Don't you dare insult Yvonnet She would never do anything to hurt me. She just likes to have fun at clubs. The truly vicious onescare you and Zenobia!"

Natalie's alluring eyes narrowed. A cool breeze swept through the room, catching her hair and making it dance around her face. With lips as red as a sunrise, she was a vision of stunning, untouchable beauty. "Just go, Jerome," she said wearily. "I've said what I needed to say, explained what needed explaining You chose not to believe me. In the future, when you see Zenobia... just try not to have any regrets."

Jerome hesitated, her explanation feeling weak and unsubstantiated. "Do you have any proof?"

"The proof is simple enough. Follow Yvonne around for a while. See for yourself how your 'goddess' really spends her time. As for what

happened six months whet

it's not

that won't give you proof. It's that Zenobia was the one who was truly hurt. You, Jerome, are the one who should feel sorry for Zenobia for the rest of your life."

With that, Natalie turned her back on him, unwilling to waste another word.

Luna grabbed him by the collar and started dragging him toward the door. Jerome was losing his mind. A grown man being hauled away by a girl half his size.

"You... let go of me!" He grabbed at Luna's hands, trying to pry them off, but her grip was like steel.

A shiver ran down his spine. "Listen here, you little brat! You're all skin and bones, how can you be this strong? This is humiliating! Let me go! Let go right now!" "Let go, or I'll stop being nice!"

Luna sneered. “If I were taller, I'd be carrying you out. Consider yourself lucky I'm just dragging you."