Nathalie made her way up the stairs and stood in front of Patrick, her voice steady but firm. "I''ve changed my name. I''m not Nellie anymore. I''m Nathalie."


    Patrick reacted as if she''d pped him. He lunged at her, his hands tightening around her neck in a fit of rage. "You''ve forgotten your own heritage. Nellie, if I''d known you''d turn out so rebellious, I''d have tossed you into a ditch the day you were born." Even as she struggled for air, Nathalie''s pride remained unshaken. "You may as well finish me off now," she shot back defiantly.


    Patrick''s grip only tightened, but Nathalie didn''t resist. She simply red at him, eyes filled with a deep-seated resentment as if staring down a lifelong enemy.


    Her icy stare unnerved Patrick, and just as she was on the brink of suffocation, he snapped back to his senses and let go. "Your mother''s waiting for you in her room," he managed to say, breathless.


    Nathalie didn''t waste a word on him and headed straight for Miranda''s room.


    As Patrick watched his daughter walk away, he couldn''t ignore the contradiction-she looked so frail, but her spirit was unyielding as iron. She''d said their bond was broken, and true to her word, she never called him "father" again.


    How could a daughter hold onto such grudges?


    Nathalie paused outside Miranda''s door, lost in thought. Patrick and Miranda had once been estranged, with Patrick showing no interest in visiting Miranda or Nathalie for years. Now, they seemed to have reconciled, living under the same roof. Was Nathalie''s presence the catalyst for their renewed rtionship?


    She knocked softly, and Miranda''s voice beckoned her inside.


    Walking in, Nathalie found Miranda lying on the bed, looking frail and hollow-eyed. There was no joy in their long-awaited reunion, only an awkward silence.


    Miranda finally broke it. "After the scene you and your sister caused, it''s humiliating for me."


    Suspicion clouded Nathalie''s face. "Patrick told me that you''re terminally ill? Is it true?" Miranda was stunned into silence, her mouth opening and closing without a word. "You..."


    Nathalie made it clear that sheet


    no familial bond with the Brown family. It remained to be seen it Miranda''s appeal to family duty would have any effect.


    Miranda sighed, "What have you be? I''m paralyzed now. Thanks to your sister''s devotion, she convinced your father to stay and care for me. I raised you, so it''s only fair you take over."


    Nathalie''s voice was icy. "Since you''re not on your deathbed, I''m leaving." She turned to go.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Miranda sat there, speechless.


    But when Nathalie reached the door, she found it locked from the outside. That''s when it hit her-she''d walked right into their trap.


    Nathalie''s eyes burned with anger as she red at Miranda. "You think you can keep me here? That''s against thew..."


    Miranda''s expression turned smug.


    "Nellie, what are you babbling about? You''re just here to care for your sick mother. You need to be out of the spotlight for a bit. Once I''m gone, you can re-emerge, and everyone will praise your devotion."


    A chill ran through Nathalie. "This was your sickly daughter''s idea, wasn''t it?" Miranda''s face twisted with anger. "What sickly daughter? That''s your sister!"


    Nathalie''s heart ached. Her parents were willing to imprison one daughter to protect Greta.