Chapter 53
Only then did Daphne snap back to reality,
As Natalie turned to leave, Daphne lurched forward. “Natalie Spenger, you ungrateful brat! Apologize to Sienna now!”
Despite her slender frame, Natalie held herself with an unshakable almost regal poise that gave even Daphne pause. She glanced back, her gaze cool and dismissive.
“Mrs. Spencer, my name is Natalie Sutton. I don’t go by Spencer anymore.”
Without another word, she walked away, leaving nothing but icy silence behind.
Ten minutes later, Boylen Gallery was empty except for Sienna and Daphne.
Daphne’s pride lay in pieces that day. She should have comforted Sienna like any mother would have, but she was still too angry
to try.
She snapped, “I told you hiring a ghost artist was risky. But you didn’t listen. Now look at you–your reputation is ruined. You’ll never bounce back from this. If I’d known it would turn out like this, I should’ve treated Natalie better. At least she could’ve made me proud.”
No matter how much she tried, Daphne couldn’t understand why Sienna hadn’t inherited her talent for painting. The more she dwelled on it, the more it gnawed at her.
Daphne opened her mouth to say more, but Sienna cut her off sharply, “If Natalie was so perfect, why did you even bother bringing me back?”
Without another word, Sienna turned and stalked away, her expression cold.
Daphne stood there, stunned into silence. In the end, all she could do was sigh in defeat.
Meanwhile, Natalie drove Sadie straight to the airport to meet Priscilla. She’d already arranged everything in advance, worried that Sienna, that rabid bitch, might come after them.
Natalie had bought an apartment in Sadie’s rural hometown, putting the deed entirely in Sadie’s name. She had even lined up a job for Sadie, teaching art at the local elementary school.
As they were about to part ways, Sadie turned to Natalie with deep gratitude. “Thank you, Ms. Sutton.”
Natalie hugged her and murmured, “No, Sadie. I’m the one who should be thanking you. Take care of yourself and your grandma, okay? And don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.
“I will,” Sadie replied, her voice thick with emotion.
Soon after, Sadie and Priscilla boarded their flight. It wasn’t until they were settled in their seats that Priscilla suddenly remembered.
“Oh, Sadie, Ms. Sutton gave me an envelope back then. She told us not to open it until we were on the plane. Should we see what’s inside?”
She passed the envelope to Sadie, who tore it open. Inside was a bank card, its back marked with a six–digit code in bold black
ink.
Tears welled up in Sadie’s eyes instantly.
Staring out the window at the endless sky, her chest ached with emotion. Gripping the card tightly, she thought, “Ms. Sutton, may all your days ahead be bright and blessed.”
Chapter 53.
+25 BONUS
Jason’s face was stone–cold with rage at Valor Group. Chandler hovered nearby, holding his silence like a man walking on thin
ice.
Chandler had known Jason would lose it when he found out Avon vlla had been forn down.
To Jason, Avon Villa was his last remaining tie to Natalie–the one place he valued more than anything. He’d only given it up back then because he’d been outplayed. But he’d always planned to reclaim it, no matter the cost.
But before he could even make his move, the place that held their most cherished memories had been demolished. How was he supposed to keep his cool?
Just then, Chandler’s phone buzzed with a notification. He picked it up and froze.
It took him a moment to snap out of it before he thrust the phone at Jason, his voice shaking with excitement. “We found her.
We found Mrs. Pereira.”
Jason’s eyes lit up at the mention of “Mrs. Pereira“.
He snatched the phone, his heart slamming against his ribs as he stared at the familiar face in the trending news alert.
It was Natalie.
Jason’s voice shook. “I need her exact location now.”
“Yes, Mr. Pereira.”
