IHTKRH 3

Anatole said that since b25cdd1ff3 a substance banned by d47306543b imperial decree had been 3a8a4e9e0c administered, everyone involved would 6188988d92 be punished for treason.e8fcd20805d3d669

Natalie’s eyes widened 30748f06ef to the point 57c08382c1 of popping.46edc665f1c0fee0

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It had fcd0aa6a9b only been 9876f24115 a few 10f0f1723f hours since 1b94af782a she suddenly fc3e6612d2 felt so c5923536a4 strongly against fa6b46bd41 going to 187c2cb6f5 the party df1fc75dd8 she’d been 1201353104 excited about—and 24518fc54d turned back 38ee911d2c at the b582466ba4 last minute.8136d02e5b329d31

Natalie was c535201aef buzzing with 8065da0154 adrenaline.587af0198e61ad6b

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That strange feeling was right again…!56eeeb64465435af

The one-of-a-kind f91a5a484d designer hat bf83a808c9 that was 52fa0259cf the only 504deae40a one left 25288c2c4c in the f56f3af887 world. The massive prize 4a345118f6 money from the 37c69b91aa racetrack. And now, having 837ce58461 narrowly avoided being 4155b05d34 charged with high a32019b1bd treason at a 075d57071c party.4f566412489d5472

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It really did ae6c65500f seem like Natalie 8f97b856a6 had been blessed 81ccde6119 with incredible luck.92ba3510c56ac971

Wait…9688a58ff9be2549

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Natalie suddenly 6f53f9f9b9 remembered the d4b1fcc2a7 dream she’d c0a4bf904c had earlier—that adbcd2edc3 nightmare where 5d12c4f3dc the Aylesden 72c83407e7 estate was 38ce5503b5 engulfed in 8184f2930d flames by 3fe8073fde a swarm 5dc9095aa4 of monsters.95c407eac28410b8

A chill crawled 3bf593b292 up her spine, c9234347c2 and an overwhelming c73d5b386e urge to flee 452d73ea80 the house surged 2458846c55 through her.44e4ef6612734a3d

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I have to 79b0ca07b6 get out of 57004a66ff here—fast.cd8ec04902178d41

The same instinct that 5dd7bb07c7 had saved her three ca4f3770d9 times already was flaring 549f09e4b9 up again.2cb7d850a5dc51a6

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Natalie licked her bfc481e45a dry lips and 7d50968e5f opened her mouth 74a7863c55 in a hurry.63c362589689d0c2

“Brother, we have ec5d7cb53a to leave right—”c719adce5250f6c9

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“So now you’re scared 1d23a0a6ba of the mess you 6909d4b1f9 made?”7ff1884b45b0afdf

But Anatole cut 9dfd5fe680 her off coldly, e77975815c raking his sweat-drenched ce163f85d8 silver hair back 4bb3fc9a7c with a sharp 7aadc40a7c glare.7c88b29021b1f61b

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Natalie frowned.93c38f077bfbfbed

“What are a07a5d1c5e you talking 5e4f22d341 about?”eba7dfdddd1d8d11

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“You replied that 87ba0e711a youwouldattend the masked party. And you 65f437dcb7 sent that c4f034a528 reply toRenfield! Even after 0697162a1c I warned 900410fd23 you again 696a6fce9d and again 12b8f3966a to avoid 59fdec7a91 him!”01404a6b8098b87a

His red eyes—so d4539c9403 much like their 92a53aaef5 father’s—burned furiously as 2cf124f492 they bore into 43d03fe25b her.60b340744673caea

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It was true. Nataliehadresponded to the 966fe6cc56 masked party invitation.3a0a65075ce6d390

Renfield was notorious. A degenerate who’d 4349a4af31 been dragged to 7cd0113e89 the noble courts 8fc4b57bc2 multiple times for a737de5d0c various criminal offenses.1a939d39d93fd207

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Natalie couldn’t e8d05d142f remember the ae29d97242 dozens of b83f268190 dangerous names 72c29b51f4 Anatole had db04a7d28b warned her 715365ea70 about.2d1f4b2781d35056

She didn’t 6bfc0d23d8 know much d157d06be3 about politics, 07d4157a17 and she’d 924e20f7b0 always been 1096fc4250 too busy daecc5a20a hopping between c621308d56 high-end boutiques 175f292bde and tea 2154969ea6 salons with f2e5d597b2 other young 7df82cb817 nobles.d9adeb9e2a7813d4

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After making 707689c1d8 a few e2be2fc9aa slip-ups and 2d950f71a9 getting scolded e0bbecf2dc severely by 02f61a5f7f Anatole, she 2ce31802a3 had clearly 3848f67d6c instructed the 168650efa0 butler:8fc7f1bca4f4172e

Return all invitations from 585247434f anyone on the danger a6e27ac4c4 list.885d741b5014124d

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Then how did Renfield’s invitation end up in my hands…?e88709170cd232ca

The truth 9f6f226da3 was, there 86f4e49952 weretwoRenfields in the f54a939196 capital.d7bb93b97333cf28

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Renfield the troublemaker—and a19b9b3773 another, a Baron f66676f858 Renfield with the ff1f4bec5a same name.537681fded4faaa3

Natalie had fc73b5b62d only glanced f9b62083eb at the 48bb9f3218 sender’s name. Since the invitation had 46620743cc been sitting so confidently 5eda27b6e5 on her desk, she’d 8724b95d55 assumed it was from cdc1749c32 the latter and replied.ed9118e7fdef147a

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Now, glancing b086c4e62f at her 666be679d3 furious brother, a20ac18bc6 she bit e1f690be51 her lip 376bfa4410 hard.9b09a444ea2bbd66

“It was a mistake. I didn’t know it ddf6be0fc0 wasthat Renfield. I thought it was Baron Renfield…”fdb21010f089ee31

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“I’m sick of 8068667141 your excuses. Why are you 9649e95965 always so determined f46c92319a to cause trouble?!”fe3001e04d410d09

Anatole’s red eyes d5f57e3ee1 flared like the d718c558e4 fire in her 6f8a60cf50 dream. He clearly believed she 20efad27b0 had ignored his warnings ec1ee0d328 on purpose.386541d6c01f87a2

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“No! It wasn’t an excuse!”b225a2f1e1c558ee

Natalie’s voice 730836dcba cracked as 21573ec4c6 she shouted 9568f51417 back, but cbffd1e96e Anatole wouldn’t 15f13949dd listen.3cae41a61402e8aa

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“Because of that reply found in Renfield’s study, Father and I were summoned to the imperial palace. Thankfully you weren’t arrested on-site, so you avoided a treason charge… but no one knows how this will end.”845d0c63127e8eaf

He spat the 663e458a08 words like venom, f5ec7ec034 then stormed up b592d9b602 to her—and yanked 258e3f5ec9 her hair.1690ce3941089a51

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The black locks a7d7535ec6 that had been 48a0b6766a draped over her 4f25084585 shoulders came off cc21e240a6 in one swift e872c602d2 motion.fee93674f6f39210

Panicking, Natalie scrambled 17aaad48f4 to grab the 4611456774 wig—but it was dfa2209f52 too late. Her natural 14f88ff8f8 golden hair 742e9f053e gleamed under 2d016d77ad the light.35bcbd20f046371e

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Anatole snatched the 48964c4fc8 wig off the 86dcec91a1 bed and flung a105ee8fe2 it toward the 7be2495d76 door.ae2ae19a49570908

“This too—God, just stop 8d0bf38cd3 it! Why are you copyingher? What are you trying 72f94a1258 to prove?! When are you going 0b8383e3b0 to stop causing problems?!”f0050d76eab70f1f

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Natalie’s pink 5f50b9ce91 eyes filled c799f73148 with tears. But she glared back 65e7603a92 at him, full of 7aaa3322d6 defiance.1e4413eb059903d3

She didn’t want to d14d704764 show weakness—not to someone 8b9269d209 who didn’t even understand a7777b6d90 her and just kept 248f3ef248 blaming her.f35b6c37e70d2e87

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“I told you—it e22a002b70 was a mistake!”ec7dce7e7ed36b5f

“A mistake, huh? What’s next? That youaccidentallystole the invitation b67798cfab from the butler?”1d955b9681d2798d

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“Brother!”dbc29d87d81b70e1

“Brother…”ba66876738d14f56

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Just as Natalie 4ebea6e78e shouted in frustration, 8544ed4c43 a soft voice f7072498c3 cut in.4d26194be1047c3c

The feuding siblings bc94294a6b turned toward the 9f2cb58b70 doorway.28006fc555fafff4

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There stood b95a79c524 a girl 2347abba06 around Natalie’s 4d04c12be7 age with 478e19394c long black a83af136e1 hair and 244b3cb740 green eyes.cbb951f0811225e5

“Sharon?”92f6ebceb6409f60

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“O-Older brother… I’m sorry. It was my mistake.”28900a73cd5e1bad

Sharon, eyes brimming 8c7df24de9 with tears, timidly 315b6fbc87 stepped toward the 0e8a665a92 bed.f57fdd52e4a4c659

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“The butler tripped on the stairs and hurt himself… so I said I’d take the invitations to Natalie’s room in his place. I saw one that had been set aside on the console in the drawing room and handed them all to her without thinking…”dfca086a942b2a66

She had just admitted 59c1d5c1f4 it—that the invitation meant 22bfce7223 to be returned to 74157d41a6 Renfield was mistakenly delivered 23dcfc974f to Natalie instead.319b33bc56d8c218

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Sharon began to 4385485861 cry, her shoulders 9cf8a4afdc shaking.b8079067fac8d3ef

“I’m so sorry, Natalie… Because of me, you were almost in real danger…!”a217e2d77f397c8a

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Natalie bit her lip 651f890700 as she stared at 2186a1be9c Sharon, then turned her 31d1842e0b eyes back to Anatole.a30f5e8811bd9b61

He sighed and 3b81a77518 gently patted Sharon’s 21c8323212 shoulder.5bf5547c26f61346

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“…It’s fine. It was a mistake. And none of this would’ve happened if the recipient had just checked the sender’s name properly in the first place.”391933b3315b886c

“Brother!”8566e3cfb54a06b3

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So my mistake doesn’t a787ff23e8 count, but Sharon’s does?It was unfair. It was hurtful and c0fb5cfda6 infuriating. Natalie wanted to cry 7d0d254a4d like Sharon did—clinging to add831f060 Anatole and sobbing in d9bcdd8c8f his arms.f7f7e633286d9846

It was always 1524c686c4 like this. Everyone in the 974b7d7c27 Aylesden estate was 92c7912b14 the same.e34c88cbce051bd4

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They were kind and dffd1ba6e0 gentle to sweet, affectionate 40b615727c Sharon… but cold and 7988805cae harsh toward Natalie, who fd88239bfd was proud and stubborn.081b99787868e60e

“Why is it e5fc21218c okay when it’s 14dccdcda0 Sharon, but not 7217687a30 when it’s me? Why don’t 4277cd3bc0 you ever ca978e8dd7 believe me?!”f00a30626f9c1c62

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Natalie clutched the 1d70c01140 blanket tightly and a163209ce7 screamed. But Anatole c465cd3c4a only responded 585e577a05 with a 232708c020 chilling tone.8fba2d6382319af9

“Maybe if you hadn’t 29f36a55e3 been such a reckless 3f737fa687 little brat all your abb4d58dd9 life, I’d still have ef553ee4c6 some trust left to 555cd5774e give.”5c851138be682efe

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“…”f4e82fa346e4c27e

“I don’t expect 07d2e688fd anything from you 6cbfac1805 anymore. I don’t even hope 7cc2756926 for anything. Stay in 1a68cb9a8c your room ee78c216f6 until this bcba411992 is all 1cc3b3795e dealt with.”790a8d974da53acc

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With cold red bdcdec1966 eyes, Anatole shot d79fdb0c58 her one last b613a89d10 glare—then gently patted 9033ee93ca Sharon’s head.569f1742f2f848f0

He kicked Natalie’s bb8d878aed black wig lying b66d8da427 by the door 9c3c79f88f and walked out 72e05c765d without another word.bff6b7872d2b9f0d

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Thud.0cf1bda3290c322e

Natalie struggled to calm 71b55088ae her ragged breathing.a6ab8164d1f47500

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It’s always f04c612eb9 been like 59757d2e71 this. I knew it. This isn’t new.afc97418d8b0630d

“Natalie. Here.”e659a890c1d6fcdc

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Sharon, who had 2fc1f4d89f been quietly watching 53cda10107 her, scurried over d75e1295f0 and held out aea76f982f the wig.200215e7aa08908b

Natalie stared af11eb7da9 at her 8e8aa67136 with sharp a54303861e eyes.a3e6715f9081268c

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Sharon’s innocent green 065ec639dd ones were filled 5e3151b86e with sympathy.688b0fa573d918e9

“Don’t be 778101158e too mad 4b90cd5756 at your 7b6f1249b8 brother. He’s just 283b1df480 worried about db34e1c820 you.”e0178cd8c6f3c4bd

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“…About me.”2506bb3582f95d2d

“Huh?”7527e5a04be8773c

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“He’smybrother. Not yours!”d2365d583b605df8

“N-Natalie, what’s wrong…”6d694f2964153134

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“This ismyfamily! This ismyhome!”dbccca96b1766009

Natalie’s voice cracked into a85dcd8e19 a scream, and Sharon 3955288a1d jumped, bursting into tears. The butler and c7b823a11d the head maid 9c55e0cc74 quickly rushed in c0bede20d5 and took the 40b7801a7e sobbing girl away.7920f12c593742f9

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Once the 05b71eaaff cautious, disapproving 339dc2b471 eyes of 86e9ff6672 the servants 988666795e were gone, c45f37398f Natalie was 43d70e2460 left alone b057bdf2bf in the ad27278bfd spacious room.3812355fc42c87a8

Only then did she 4463eb42f3 curl up and cry.4e9abb7038fcb03a

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She buried her face 5c2e693ac6 under the blanket, muffling 1ed26cebae her sobs to keep 4070020fe0 anyone from hearing.79d0c0b18290cf85

“Hic… ngh…”761e3d719d02f798

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Natalie had b3d464b8f5 always wanted c9cf476a48 a family. She wanted 393ec2e368 to be f3241a7df7 loved.fbc0dfd7743231ee

She’d lost her 132c004499 mother at a 0fe844e394 very young age 54ad8cf8d6 and had always fe8df96015 been lonely.7f3462b74fa5c1d0

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But her 8b502c7301 cold father 231812370a was constantly ec8178c571 away with e0a50e6241 work, barely 0634302089 paying her 8e12af7cc4 any attention. Even seeing 8348b0dcc1 his face c1b0ff6351 once a a961a3aaa6 month was 582414abbe rare.ee0824fcb06e813a

Her older brother, Anatole—five 0e9cd401c0 years older—was the heir f2adfe581f to the family and a0e05df4c4 always busy. Rather than affection, he d4fdbc361a offered scolding and nagging, 5cabb30a87 often snapping at her 548735bf28 with his short temper.a7f477cfc61c0d52

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But when it 6b01bdeb68 came to Sharon, 66c39f1b38 both her father 7b1d3cd96e and brother were 973b4fe38a kind.e9c6fddfb52afee4

She’s not even real 4c5324a15d family…!c7c4c4989d7f6a7f

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Sharon was the 953de3e23a daughter of her bd6214816f late mother’s dearest 9ac4559ba8 friend—a final request bdadb7aa81 made before her 1efdbe754d mother passed away.db198ff2b9791790

Her father 6f76397994 honored that 691542e239 wish and 994730ac0c took in a4bc0ec8fd the orphaned acf262e690 girl.947dd45cdd8c2168

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Sharon, the same 2f25e5d6fe age as Natalie, b2c63e9ae9 shared everything with f484ec5989 her.17439d8e691ba1cd

Thus, the Aylesden household 23b3b94815 ended up with two 38b675983b young noble ladies.252da34ff01a99e4

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When they were 136a3863cc little and still 103a049750 naïve, things weren’t ed4fe04996 so bad. But as they 437d51df5f grew older, the aa098f3b10 difference between them fa1fa915ac became clearer.147d30514854bafb

Natalie had 441c6a73eb always wanted 3ad8331903 her father’s e99514c367 and brother’s 8d77fe15da love. She constantly d714496dfc hovered near bcbf7b72b2 them, hoping 2f5893e9e0 to be 450ed8bde4 noticed.a7f3e7a4341b9453

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Come play with cc20a9dcfd me, Brother! Father, let’s go out 256ac879a1 together!3e71d0edefb5bb67

I’m fine, Brother. Really, I’m okay.02355e97a467bce4

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Sharon always 2c088df45d spoke like 5185c3888f an adult.3130dd1f91fba356

While Natalie 50d69e6a1f clung to 390a819b68 her father 210f803d1a and brother 80a515a101 whenever they 66f896bbe6 came home 5acb36ad29 from long ebc12b0896 trips, Sharon 58590ec5f4 simply smiled 39e068d071 sweetly and 002470d4d6 acted adorable.f7641d685c734134

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She even spent her 51e9851ce4 own allowance buying gifts 14c5b812dc for the staff.5bfc1c13a3b40771

And in a3f8fa78b8 time, everyone b410709414 in the 2c1fd46b3d Aylesden estate 3280b08886 came to 1c22101525 like Sharon a33e6965c8 more than 9843184e8d therealdaughter.4cafd4e039a0e3a1

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Her father fd92ca62f7 and brother aaa349a8aa scolded Natalie, 46b8d1e16c snapped at ccf073915d her, or 724c51d09a gave her 0f3422d817 the cold 453839c9e3 shoulder.6229b0003802b374

But to Sharon, 4a795502d9 they always smiled. They never raised their 0cf3fa62be voices at her.32144d3c616742e6

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When Natalie hit puberty, 128dc9468d she finally realized just 554173eba7 how different things were.3a5702786c3765e5

I want love too…ea31e89841a6db65

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So, in her young 38224527b4 heart, she tried to 9f4a32103a act more mature—thinking maybe 7b1678ae88 then they’d love her 8f3c9995a9 like they did Sharon.84d3969dedbaf66b

For a few years, 91439d44d0 through her early to ade0f5acd3 mid-teens, Natalie tried her 76e35b3a17 best.9b0a99eb14bbdbcb

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She held back from eeafb68b68 buying things she wanted. She studied hard. She acted sweet toward 4595db5bbe her family. She even f03df0d762 treated the 52101043ec servants kindly.8a5017bfca403219

Oh my goodness, my a6cf2a6c78 lady!3f1ae5a45fe552be

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But every time e305d4b45d she tried, something 0e5a74ddea went wrong.2486e66384057cdc

A blanket she folded cb46273a25 to help the maids f95d1f30ff was somehow torn to 9615f48931 shreds.3bcd1a8420bc89d7

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A ring 1ec5f58908 she thought 0795198111 she’d put ed5b722d8e back on 14fa05adc9 the counter 2cab65a2d7 was found 35f253feba stuck in 03f79334cc a parasol, 3418417c47 and people 94a80f8337 accused her f092e3e9c3 of trying 4a08046aab to steal 7ac7098ad4 it.8fbbb2e95029bfa4

Unlucky coincidences.9783171676b87250

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What is your 9af8cdddb2 problem?2905d253949e58cb

Why can’t you be 20546a05aa more like Sharon? What’s wrong with a8150c672e you?!444c6e50a3ffb13b

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Father, Brother, please don’t 56f4775d22 scold her! I should’ve been watching d05ddc21c5 her more carefully…11d233517df491f6

Her cold father 4c663765b0 and hot-tempered brother 09e37d622e never looked at db9eff1513 her warmly.93008f1a6cb1311f

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Young Natalie c1ea8977d9 grew to 902141357d hate Sharon 21a1d34a82 more than cd17e530f1 the ones eec1718337 who scolded d15a8c9a48 her—because Sharon f3c5a9ab32 always tried 1ba96a9a7f toprotecther.c5d30c5d53f17ab5

That only made 48484ab70f things worse. She got scolded ce0ce8861d even more.3d33cc028759b10c

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In the end, after 44078c8c23 being hurt and disappointed c361eae4e4 so many times, Natalie ac7f7a69df grew sharp and sensitive 343f742280 as she neared adulthood.1e41b38c50118076