Chapter 156: Left To Exploit (Ya’ll Can Unlock)
Meanwhile, Natalie descended the stairs, her face set in a deep scowl. Anger simmered beneath her composed exterior, directed at everyone involved in this mess—at her father for imposing such a severe punishment on Celine, at Celine for being reckless enough to provoke the wrong person, but most of all, at Ephyra Allen.
That insufferable girl had single-handedly thrown their family into turmoil. The video from the masquerade party played on repeat in Natalie’s mind, each damning revelation fueling her frustration.
Who the hell was backing Ephyra Allen?
There was no way a girl with no power, no standing, and no formal influence could have orchestrated such a calculated, devastating downfall of both the Allens and the Lathams. Someone was behind her, pulling the strings.
Natalie’s frown deepened. If her father wanted to handle this one way, fine—but she had her own methods. She would dig into Ephyra’s background, uncover the force supporting her, and ensure the girl paid for what she had done.
Lost in thought, she was abruptly pulled back to the present by a mocking voice from the bottom of the stairs.
"Well, well. If it isn’t my ever-gorgeous older sister."
Natalie’s head snapped up, and the scowl on her face deepened when she saw the man waiting for her.
"Fuck off, Benard. I don’t have the patience for you right now," she snapped, quickening her pace as she reached the last few steps.
Benard Carver smirked, clearly amused by her irritation. He was impeccably dressed, as always—his dark, tailored suit fitting him perfectly, his hair neatly styled—but the sharp glint in his eyes betrayed his habit of poking at wounds just to watch them fester.
"Now, now, is that any way to treat your darling younger brother?" he drawled, stepping directly into her path. "You do know I’m the only one in this house who truly cares about you."