Chapter 380

Sunlight streamed through the window, stinging Natalie's eyes as she awoke.

The steady beeping of ICU monitors surrounded her. Tubes coiled around her body like venomous snakes.

Pearl Valrose wept outside the ward, her eyes swollen. With her husband still in custody and her daughter hospitalized, Oliver Roland covered all medical expenses.

When nurses announced visiting hours, Pearl fumbled into sterile gowns.

"Natalie!" She collapsed by the hospital bed, tears falling uncontrollably. "Why must fate be so cruel to us?"

Windshield glass had carved a grotesque scar across Natalie's face. Her right arm sat encased in plaster, while doctors feared her left leg might never fully recover.

"Mom..." Natalie's voice came out hoarse. "It hurts...everything hurts..."

Pearl's heart shattered. This was her precious daughter, the apple of her eye.

"What really happened?"

"It was Vivian!" Hatred burned in Natalie's eyes. "That bitch did this to me!"

She'd meant to kill Vivian, yet fate twisted the knife against herself. Surviving meant getting revenge.

"Don't think about that now." Pearl wiped her tears. "With these injuries...who would marry you now?"

Their lavish lifestyle had vanished. They couldn't even afford medical bills, crammed into some dingy rental.

"Does...does Oliver still want me?" Natalie suddenly sobbed. Tears seeped into her wounds, making her gasp.

She tried touching her face but couldn't lift her arm.

"The doctors mentioned reconstructive surgery..." Pearl's eyes darted nervously. "But right now we..."

Leaning closer, she whispered, "Natalie, Oliver is our only hope now."

Natalie stared blankly.

"Once you recover, I'll make sure you conceive his child." Pearl's expression turned venomous. "Then he'll be our personal ATM."

Oliver kept delaying their marriage, still pining for Vivian. Pearl hadn't forgotten.

"I'll make sure he has no other heirs." Pearl gritted her teeth. "You'll be the Roscente family's only future."

Only the hum of medical equipment filled the room. Natalie gazed at the ceiling, a cold smile twisting her lips.