Back then, every time he came home, he felt a warm, comforting atmosphere. Cynthia had always fussed over his health with tender affection.
Deborah cared about his health too—knowing he struggled with sleep, she warmed a glass of milk for him every night. She was affectionate, yes, but when it came to Jordan and Natalie, she refused to take even the slightest slight lying down, completely unwilling to compromise.
Ever since he and Deborah got their marriage certificate and she and Kevin moved into the Lane house, there hadn't been a single day of peace.
He had tried urging Deborah to stop fighting with his son and daughter-in-law. But Deborah insisted she wasn't looking for a fight—she claimed Natalie and Jordan were too vicious, and she was only defending herself. She argued that even if she did nothing, the young couple would never let her be.
Because she had a son. Kevin was a thorn in Jordan and Natalie's side.
As a mother, if she didn't stand her ground, she and Kevin would be swallowed whole.
Adelina's voice cut through his thoughts, cool and detached. "I hope you keep your word."
Once the police left, Jackson took his wife and her sister and departed the hospital.
Citing the late hour, Natalie's father sent the rest of their relatives home.
When the hospital room was finally empty save for the parents, Natalie, and Jordan, Adelina turned to her daughter. "Nat, tell me the truth. Did you do this on purpose tonight?"
Grant froze, letting out a sharp breath. "Mom, why would Nat do something like that? She was beaten up, hospitalized, and lost a baby she just conceived."
He couldn't fathom why his mother would accuse his sister of orchestrating her own tragedy.
He glanced at Jordan. Seeing his brother-in-law's stony silence, realization suddenly dawned on him. This situation was far more twisted than it appeared.
Natalie neither confirmed nor denied it. She simply said, "Mom, I feel awful right now. Just let me rest for a couple of days. I'll discharge myself on the day of Jackson's wedding."
She wanted every single guest to know that the new bride had beaten her so badly she ended up in the hospital and miscarried.
And as the dutiful daughter-in-law, she would drag her broken, recovering body to their wedding just to save face for her in-laws.
Deborah had already clawed her way up from being a mistress; her reputation was in the gutter. Natalie was going to pour gasoline on that fire, branding Deborah not just as a homewrecker, but as a venomous monster. Let's see how she'd ever show her face in Cabinda's high society again.

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