Chapter 30: Make Natalie Kneel and Apologize
Ella snapped back, “I didn’t do anything wrong–why should I apologize to Liam?”
“You hit him. That is wrong. You have to apologize!”
After everything that had happened recently, Ella had come to a harsh realization: staying silent and swallowing grievances only encouraged people to walk all over her.
She’d endured for years in the Rossi family, thinking that being obedient would earn her kindness.
Instead, they’d thrown her into prison like she was garbage.
Looking back now, she felt ridiculous.
3
She wasn’t the one who had done anything wrong, so why should she keep compromising? Why let them trample all over her pride?
The Rossi family clearly favored Natalie. To them, no matter how well–behaved Ella was, Natalie would always be their perfect daughter.
“You sure Liam wants me to apologize?” she said coldly. “After getting beat up by his own woman, he’s become the laughingstock of the entire circle. If I show up at the hospital to apologize, all I’ll do is remind him of last night’s humiliation.”
“Ella, don’t give me that attitude,” Damian growled. “Don’t make me drag you there myself!”
“Oh, I’ll apologize. But first, have Natalie kneel in front of me and knock her head on the ground.”
“You’re talking nonsense!”
“Oh, now it’s nonsense?” Ella’s voice was like ice. “The press conference was days ago. You’ve all been conveniently silent. Natalie slept with my fiance. Aren’t you and Mom the self–proclaimed champions of justice? Well, tell me: shouldn’t Natalie be the one apologizing to me first?”
Damian: “…”
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Chapter 30: Make Natalie Kneel and Apologize
“And by the way, what happened last night? The cops already ruled it as self–defense. If you don’t like that ruling, feel free to call the police again. Arrest me twice, if you can.”
Damian: “…”
Ella’s barrage of rhetorical questions left him speechless. All he could do in the end was hang up, furious.
Less than two minutes later, Lydia’s number lit up her screen.
Of course. One plays the bad cop, the other the good.
9
“You announced your marriage in public last night? How could you say something like that so recklessly?” Lydia demanded. “And why haven’t you come home in days? Where have you been?”
“I really did get married,” Ella said casually. “What, you think I went back to the Rossi family that morning just for fun? I went to grab my ID card.”
Lydia: “…”
“I know what you’re trying to ask. Yes, I married some random guy off the street. He’s broke, ugly, and doesn’t even own a decent set of clothes. We’ve been living under a bridge for the past few days. Want to come see?”
“Ella! Are you deliberately trying to piss me off?!”
“I’m just telling you the truth, Mom. Liam dumped me, I gave up on life, and now I’m doing exactly what you all expected of me.”
Lydia was so angry her face turned green.
‘You are unbelievable!”
Meanwhile, back at the house, Marcus, who had just opened the home surveillance app to check if Ella was awake, paused.
“…Ugly? Homeless? Bridge–dweller?”
He tapped his cigarette, eyes narrowing slightly. Interesting imagination you’ve got there.
Chapter 30: Make Natalie Kneel and Apologize
A knock came at the door. “Mr. Byrne, the car is ready. Shall we head out?” Finn asked politely.
Marcus closed his laptop. “How many people from the Byrne family are at the hospital?”
“Almost all the branches of the Byrne family were there, even the old master showed up himself.
We’re the only ones who haven’t arrived yet.”
Liam had bled a little last night, but his injuries weren’t that serious.
After being checked out, he’d been too lazy to go home and decided to just crash in the hospital’s VIP
suite.
No one played the appearances game better than the Byrne family. First thing that morning, all three branches showed up at the hospital in full force, all under the pretense of a hospital visit.
Since they were all there, Liam couldn’t really say he was fine and leave. So he just stayed. Treat it
like a vacation.
Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Natalie didn’t show up?”
Finn shook his head. “Nope.”
Marcus’s voice turned lazy and sharp. “That’s strange. The hospital’s packed, and as Liam’s fiancee, she’s absent? Seems inappropriate.”
More importantly, Liam’s mother, Fiona, was there.
Fiona had never liked Natalie. She thought Natalie’s background wasn’t good enough for her son.
3ut Liam had declared Natalie’s identity in front of the press.
t was a direct slap in Fiona’s face.
Liam had never gone against his mother before. This was a first.
Fiona must be fuming right now.
Now that the entire Byrne clan had gathered at the hospital, the stage was set. If Natalie didn’t show up, the drama would be missing its star actress.
Chapter 30: Make Natalie Kneel and Apologize
He was going to make sure Natalie understood one thing: marrying into the Byrne family wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. Even if she managed to claw her way in, her life would be pure hell.
After all, she was the one who framed Ella and got her sent to prison for three years.
Natalie thought marrying into the Byrne family meant she’d won. In reality, it was only the beginning of her nightmare.
Finn nodded. “Understood. I’ll handle it.”
Natalie was ready to explode.
From the moment she arrived at the office that morning, people had been looking at her with
judgment and thinly veiled contempt.
When she went to the break room to grab coffee, she even overheard her coworkers gossiping.
“Can you believe she seduced her own sister’s fiance? That’s cold–blooded.”
“Well, it is the Byrne family. Every woman wants in.”
“Still, her reputation’s ruined. Do you really think the Byrne family will accept someone like her? If Liam marries her, won’t it just confirm to everyone he’s trash too?”
“If I were him, I wouldn’t be able to live with that kind of shame…”
Natalie’s face turned dark. She slammed her glass down hard on the counter.
The three women jumped and looked back, faces flushing with embarrassment. They hadn’t expected the subject of their gossip to be right there.
It was the first time Natalie had ever lost her temper at work.
The women quietly slinked away.
Natalie returned to her office, rubbing her temples, looking as if she’d aged ten years overnight.
Her assistant brought in a new cup and a fresh glass, set them down carefully, and left without a
word.
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My By Wa
Chapter 30: Make Natalie Kneel and Apologize
That’s when her phone rang.
It was Liam’s assistant, Adrian. “Miss Natalie, do you know what happened last night? Mr. Liam asked about you as soon as he woke up. He was wondering why you hadn’t come to the hospital.”
Adrian had stepped into the stairwell to make the call. “Everyone from the Byrne family is here. This is the perfect opportunity to show your face and make an impression.”
Natalie’s eyes lit up.
Let them gossip all they want. Let the rumors run wild.
What mattered most was marrying into the Byrne family.
Once she locked that in, those people wouldn’t dare talk anymore.
ㄉ
Sure, Liam had announced their engagement in front of the press. But words meant nothing. Things could still change.
Look at Ella. She was Liam’s fiancee for three years, and it ended in a blink.
Only by showing her face to the entire Byrne family and getting their acceptance could she lock in the wedding for real.
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