Chapter 186

Natalie exploded. “So, from the start, I was just a stepping stone for Jennifer?” She already knew the answer, but asking it still stabbed her heart.

Natalie thought, ‘My own brother wouldn’t even recognize me, his sister. I didn’t want a brother like him, but my heart still ached.’

Vance smiled, but his words cut deep. “That’s right. Jennifer is the Simpson family’s little princess, and you’re just an adopted daughter. Remember your place. Now that you’re no longer useful, either get out of Shagrity yourself, or I’ll have someone kick you out.”

Vance’s grin was twisted, looking casual but dripping with cold calculation. Natalie finally got it – they all inherited Nick’s viciousness, completely heartless.

Sure, favoring Jennifer was one part of it, but mostly it was because she couldn’t bring them any benefits. She was totally useless to them.

Natalie said, “Vance, I won’t leave Shagrity. Bring on whatever you’ve got. You’ve set me up time and time again, but I have proof. If you want to play this game, I’ll expose the evidence to everyone.”

Natalie’s eyes were cold and resolute. “The one who laughs last, laughs best,” she thought.

“Natalie, do you really think anyone will believe you, an orphan, when faced with power? What do you have to be proud of? Being a stepping stone for Jennifer should be an honor for you,” Vance sneered.

He knew exactly how to hurt Natalie. But Natalie just laughed, a strange, eerie laugh. ‘What an idiot, he’s spilling everything without me even needing to provoke him,’ Natalie thought.

Natalie seethed. She thought, ‘Why did I have to bear all the pain and injustice alone? Those who had bullied me in the past should be scorned and cursed by the world, just like I was in my previous life.’

Vance and Jennifer had similar personalities; they loved using public opinion to crush people. In her life in the past, Vance had done the same to her, being vicious to the extreme.

Vance was puzzled. “Natalie, what are you laughing at? Listen, no matter what you do, I won’t recognize you as my sister. My sister is only Jennifer. You need to be available whenever she calls and serve her forever.”

The public chat was filled with curses.

[What the hell is wrong with Vance? His words are so sharp.]

[How can the second son of the Simpson family be so disgusting and malicious? It turns out their famous adoption of a foster daughter was just to use her as a stepping stone for their little princess.]

[He looks so proper, but how can he be so shameless?]

[Isn’t Jennifer just Shagrity heir Easton’s dream girl? Just a few days ago, Easton even helped her invest in a movie. Is she planning to act in it? Exploiting her adopted sister to climb up, she has the nerve to come out as a show-off.]

Easton watched the livestream, his eyes flickering. He wondered, ‘Was Vance really that stupid?’

Being too clever for his own good, Vance just ruined Jennifer’s acting career. The movie hasn’t even started filming, and now everything’s falling apart.

Jennifer frantically dialed Vance’s phone, but it wouldn’t connect. She didn’t even bother with Easton, rushing downstairs to speed to Vance’s company.

“Bang!” Vance’s office door was slammed open by his assistant, while Natalie had already turned off the live stream. As for what happened next, everyone could use their imagination.

“Mr. Simpson, the conversation you just had was live-streamed,” Cody said nervously, looking at Vance.

Vance frowned, irritation at Natalie in his eyes. “What live stream?”

Cody pointed at Natalie. “Ms. Shawn, you are too sinister. You were live-streaming here.”

Natalie smiled. She thought, ‘It turned out being the villain is really satisfying!’ “Vance badmouthed me, so why shouldn’t I fight back for myself?

“Vance, you deserve to taste the consequences of your actions. I told you; I won’t let you bully me anymore. I will strike back hard,” Natalie said, then walked out.

As she left, she ran into Jennifer. Jennifer raised her hand to slap Natalie, but Natalie struck first. “Ahh-“Jennifer screamed. “Natalie, you dare to hit me!”

“So, what if I hit you? Do I need to pick a special day to do it? Jennifer, this is just the beginning. Everything you did to me, I will return tenfold,” Natalie said, her laugh eerie and menacing.

It sent a chill down Jennifer’s spine.

“Jennifer.” Vance saw Jennifer being hit and watched Natalie walk away, his face full of rage.

“Jennifer, are you okay?” He looked at Jennifer anxiously.

Jennifer asked angrily, “Vance, don’t you know how cunning Natalie is? You ruined everything for me. I finally got the lead role, and now it’s gone.”

Jennifer fell to the ground, thinking, ‘Why did I work so hard to climb up? To escape the label of an illegitimate daughter and become the true Ms. Simpson. But why are these people dragging me down when they should be dragging Natalie down?’

Only now did Vance realize that Natalie had set him up. “Damn, Natalie!” Vance’s eyes turned bloodshot with fury.

“Jennifer, get up. Does your face hurt? Should I take you to the hospital?” He bent down to help her, but Jennifer pushed his hand away. Tears welled in Jennifer’s eyes. ‘All their love could destroy me too,’ she thought.

Jennifer shouted, “Vance, are you brainless? Why did you treat Natalie like that for me? Now everyone knows that Natalie was only adopted by the Simpson family because of me.”

“My reputation, the Simpson family’s shares, and your company–all are at risk because of what you said.” Jennifer stood up, glaring at Vance.

Vance felt a pang in his heart. ‘I did it all for you, why are you blaming me?’ he wondered.

Back when Easton became disabled, Jennifer didn’t want to stay with him. They forced Natalie to marry Easton, waiting for her to come back and take her place. No one else knew the truth, but he did. He saw the hatred in Jennifer’s eyes.

“Hmph!” He kicked the wall in frustration. In his memory, Natalie never fought back when she was bullied. He thought, ‘I bullied her because I wanted some family ties.

Natalie wanted it, but I could have refused. As long as she didn’t go against Jennifer, I would have let her be. But Natalie actually dared to fight back.

Daring to live stream like that, silently. It infuriated me. My struggling company–was it really going to end like this?”

“Mr. Simpson, the Simpson family’s stock is plummeting. Your mom, Mrs. Simpson, has issued a statement cutting ties with you.”