Miranda looked like a child caught in mischief, huddled in her wheelchair, trembling. "Nellie..." she started, trying to find the words.


    However, the name only made Nathalie''s temper re even more. She was like a wild lion, charging toward Miranda. She gripped Miranda''s arms fiercely and shouted, "Don''t call me Nellie! I can''t stand that name." Miranda was helpless. "Please, don''t get upset..."


    The more Miranda tried to exin, the angrier Nathalie became. "Why did you lie to me? You watched me make a fool of myself trying to please him. Why? You''re my mom. How could you let your own daughter grovel for a man who isn''t even my family?" Miranda sobbed, "I... I''m sorry, I didn''t realize it would hurt you this much..."


    "What good is an empty apology? It doesn''t fill the cracks in my heart."


    Eventually, Nathalie''s anger dissipated, leaving her weary. She copsed onto the couch, ring coldly at Miranda. "You''re not cut out to be a mother."


    Miranda felt a surge of righteous anger at Nathalie''s usation. To her, it was outrageous for someone younger to criticize an elder. But she couldn''tsh out and scold or hit Nathalie like she used to whenever she was upset. Ever since she found out about the awful things Nathalie had done to Patrick, Miranda had developed a fear of Nathalie.


    She quivered, "Because of you, he''s now bedridden. His mind is a mess, he''s incontinent, and he has been stripped of dignity. You''ve had your revenge. Isn''t it time to let go?"


    A shadow crossed Nathalie''s eyes. "It''s not enough," she hissed.


    Miranda''s nerves went taut. Nathalie''s hatred was like a spark ready to ignite everything around her, leaving Miranda uneasy. "What do you... want?" she asked, her voice shaking. Nathalie replied, "I want you all to feel the pain I''ve endured, too."N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Pale-faced Miranda tried to reason with Nathalie. "Nathalie, you lost a kidney, sure, but look at you now, living a morous life. After all the suffering you''ve put us through, shouldn''t you be satisfied?


    Nathalie''s eyes red, bloodshot. "Did I only lose a kidney? I was betrayed by people I trusted the most and stabbed in the back by my family. You should taste this despair, too."


    Miranda couldn''t grasp Nathalie''s


    pain and thought she was being


    unreasonable. She numbly said, "Ift faced what you did, I''d be grateful for the Jesson instead of wallowing in despair. You''re just being petty... you''re unable to overlook the


    smallest slight."


    Nathalie''s fist clenched tightly. "Remember what you just said."


    Then she turned and headed upstairs. That night, Nathalie cried until the break of dawn.


    The next day, as Nathalie descended the stairs the air felt unusually tense and heavy. It wasn''t until she spotted a distinguished-looking man in the living room that she realized the source of the tension.


    Nathan heard the soft steps on the stairs and turned abruptly. When he noticed Nathalie''s tear-stained eyes, a cold fury shed in his gaze. He strode over, reaching out to touch her face. Nathalie dodged, so he wouldn''t see her vulnerable side.


    Nathan''s anger red. He gripped her chin fiercely. "Who made you cry?" his voice was icy with rage.


    Startled, Miranda dropped the ss she was holding.


    Nathan turned and snapped at her. "Useless old fool. You can''t even hold a ss."