Chapter 570
Eleanor froze. In that moment of hesitation, when she failed to respond, the answer became painfully clear.
“I knew it,” Natalie said with a bitter smile.
Tears welled in her eyes as she continued, “To you, I never truly mattered. The only person you’ve ever cared about is your precious son. But does he even acknowledge you? You treat him like he’s everything, but does he treat you like his mother?”
“Enough!” Eleanor shouted, abruptly cutting her off.
Startled by her outburst, Natalie could no longer hold back her tears. They streamed down her face as she said, “I really regret saving him.”
In fact, she’d never intended to save him in the first place. Back then, she’d heard Eleanor screaming for her son and assumed she was calling for Gregory. That was why Natalie had rushed over and pulled the boy from the water.
Had it not been for that misunderstanding, she would’ve been the one who’d saved Gregory’s life. The more she thought about it, the more the resentment surged within her.
“I should have let him drown!”
Eleanor slapped her.
Natalie’s head jerked to the side, and she widened her eyes in disbelief.
Eleanor’s hand was trembling.
The man beside them had already slipped away when the argument began. On his way out, he hadn’t forgotten to pocket the money Natalie had left on the table.
“Natalie…” Eleanor said shakily, taking a step forward.
However, Natalie quickly backed away. “Don’t come any closer!” Her eyes were red with fury as she let out a cold laugh. “That’s the second time you’ve hit me.”
“Let me explain, I just-“Eleanor started, but the moment she saw the hatred in Natalie’s eyes, her voice caught in her throat.
“I never want to see you again. From now on, whether I live or die is none of your concern!” Natalie snapped..
“Natalie-”
“Leave!” she shouted hoarsely.
Eleanor clenched her trembling hands, then finally placed a card on the table and tried to reason with her one last time. “At the very least, find yourself a better place to live. Don’t keep ruining yourself like this.”
Natalie turned her head away, refusing to even look at her.
Eleanor let out a long breath, then turned and left without another word.
Having witnessed the scene, Shirley quickly retreated into the stairwell to avoid being seen. Only after Eleanor had completely left did she step out.
A thoughtful look flashed across her face as she made her way toward Natalie’s apartment.
As she entered, she was nearly overwhelmed by the strong smell of alcohol mixed with cigarette smoke. Shirley frowned as she looked around.
The floor was littered with used condoms and cigarette butts. Natalie stood barefoot among shards of broken liquor bottles, still wearing her disheveled clothes.
Her neck, chest, and thighs were marked with red bruises. Her hair was tangled and unkempt, and the strong stench of alcohol
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Chapter 570
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and smoke clung to her.
Her face was as pale as paper, and her eyes were bloodshot and tire. She looked as if she had not slept in days–like a ghostly woman surviving off the life force of men.
Shirley frowned. If she hadn’t gone to the same school and seen Ntalle in her prime, she would never have connected this miserable woman with the confident woman she once knew.
“How did you end up like this?”
Natalie met Shirley’s disdainful gaze and let out a bitter laugh. “As you can see, I’m a mess now. You must be quite pleased with yourself. Did you come here just to gloat?”
Though they’d attended the same school, they’d always been rivals
As she saw the state Natalie was in, Shirley pressed her lips together and said, “Alright. I didn’t come here to watch you drown in self–pity and completely fall apart.”
“Then why are you here?” Natalie asked in confusion.
As far as she was concerned, she and Shirley had never been close. They weren’t the kind of people who visited each other uninvited. “If it’s nothing important, just leave. I don’t want to deal with anyone right now.”
She picked up the card Eleanor had left and stood up to head back to her room.
Shirley quickly grabbed her wrist with a handkerchief. “It’s important.”
Natalie remained expressionless, as if she couldn’t care less.
Without another word, Shirley took out her phone and played a video for her.
On the screen, Anathea appeared in a sharp, custom–made suit, speaking confidently on stage. She looked calm, self–assured, and every bit the image of a successful professional.
“While you’re living like this, Anathea’s living a very different life. Her floral studio has expanded overseas, and she’s reunited with her biological parents. She’s now the official heiress of the Lancaster family in Syntherra,” Shirley said.
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