The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus)

On the ride over, Diana slapped Charlene so hard that the latter didn't know which way was up.

It wasn't until Victor, worried Diana might actually beat Charlene to death in a fit of rage, reached out and stopped her. "Honey, don't hurt your hand. Once we get to Uncle Kenton's hospital, we can deal with this little bitch properly."

Diana panted heavily, shaking out her sore hand. "Fine, we'll wait until Amberton."

Charlene was in so much pain that she couldn't stop crying. Without a phone, she couldn't contact anyone. She helplessly shrank into a corner, trying not to make any sudden moves around the Langley family trio.

Selena didn't bother with Charlene in the car. She was looking through her phone, reading up on news about the Langley family.

Grace was critically ill, while Langley Group had already gone bankrupt. As such, the Langley family was no longer the richest in Amberton.

Elsewhere, Grace was now hospitalized, with a caretaker looking after her, arranged for by Kenton.

The news said she was holding onto life by a thread, though fully unwilling to let go. Apparently, she needed to fulfill her last wish before she could finally rest.

Selena guessed that Grace wanted to see her biological daughter, Megan, before she died. That was also the real reason Kenton had captured Charlene and lured Lina-so she would be forced to choose between Yvette and Charlene.

If Yvette wanted to live, Kenton would force her to hand over Megan. And if Megan had already died, then Yvette would die by the hand of her own daughter. Regardless of whether Lina was her biological daughter or not, she still came from Yvette's womb. Ten months of pregnancy couldn't be faked.

Still, Selena was still wondering; Marcus and Natalie hadn't yet shown up and seemingly weren't involved in the grudge between the Langley and Jenkins families. Were they really staying out of it, or were they just waiting for the right moment?

But regardless of what Marcus and Natalie did, Selena no longer dared to cross them. The last time, when they let her family off, it was purely out of their kindness.

The car smoothly continued to its destination. After arriving in Amberton, Kenton told Victor and his family to get out and grab something to eat, while he stayed in the car to keep an eye on Charlene.

"Kenton, I've always seen you as my great-uncle for years too. Do you really have to go this far with me?" Charlene finally dared to speak once Selena and her parents were gone.

Her face was bruised and swollen from Diana's beating. Her teeth had nearly been knocked out. Helpless to save herself, she had been silently enduring the pain the whole time.

"Charlene, do you even know what Selena went through all these years?" Kenton lit a cigarette, taking a slow drag. "What Diana did to you is already merciful. Us Langleys owe nothing to the Jenkins. If anyone's to blame for all this, it's Vivian and Yvette. The Jenkins family's mess ended up dragging so many others into it.

"Selena and I may not be related by blood, but she calls me Great-Uncle Kenton. And I, for all these years, was nothing but Yvette's dog. I didn't have the power to fight back then—so I waited, and I waited.

"Eventually, my chance came. If Yvette hadn't contracted a terminal illness, or if she didn't want to see Charles devastated before she died and boast to Hector about how flawlessly she'd orchestrated everything, I wouldn't have had the opportunity.

"In truth, I wouldn't have been able to take on the forces Yvette raised. If she had just died quietly, if the Holden and Walker families didn't find out she was behind the baby swap, I'd never have gotten my revenge.

"If you ask me, it's her own pride that ruined her."

Kenton let out a laugh. "Your grandmother got too cocky. Sure, she managed to gloat to Charles and the Walker family, but did she really think Marcus and the Walker family are idiots? Why blame Charles and the Walkers for the fire at the Jenkins family estate?

"Vivian set the fire, and Charles was deceived. The Holden family were victims in all this too. Where does Yvette get off acting like the victim here?

"Does she really think that since she's dying, she can be fearless? That airing out the truth would hurt the Holden and Walker families, making them continue to suffer? What a joke.

"Charles loved Vivian. Charles couldn't handle the brutal truth, and in the end, died just as Yvette wanted him to. But once Charles was gone, who could keep Marcus in check?

"And the Walker family-Charlotte, William, and their sons are famous for doting on their youngest. Natalie was swapped into the Langley family and suffered for years. Did you think the Langleys weren't going to pay the price for that? What makes Yvette think the Walkers wouldn't retaliate?"

Charlene listened as Kenton spoke, his words making her heart pound harder and harder.

"My grandma's people have been taken over by Marcus and the Walkers, haven't they?"

"Bingo." Kenton blew a puff of smoke straight into Charlene's face. "How else do you think someone like me-Yvette's loyal dog-was able to gain full control over her?

"What Yvette built over the years isn't something just anyone can fight. If the Holden and Walker families hadn't stepped in, that old hag would still be alive and kicking right now.

"You think Marcus and Natalie haven't shown up, so they won't do anything? That's naive."

Kenton laughed. "The Walker

family's eldest daughter, Natalie, is the most innocent person in all this, And Selena-yeah, she's cruel and twisted, but at least she owns what she's done. She's tried to change. If it weren't for her

childhood, she could've grown up just like you-cheerful, naive, and untouched by the world.

"Do you know why Natalie forgave Selena? Because despite her flaws, Selenanoveldrama

has helped many girls who were just like her."

"So what now-Selena's all redeemed?" Charlene bit her lower lip. "Were her actions really any better than what my grandma did?"

"That's different." Kenton grabbed her by the chin. "No one ever said Selena was completely redeemed—but she gets a chance. A chance at a new life.

"But you Jenkins women-you don't get that chance. You think you're innocent, don't you?

"We're almost at the hospital where Selena, Natalie, and Emma were swapped. Once we're there where their fates were altered-we'll hear you proclaim your innocence."

Kenton's fingers tightened on her chin, making Charlene wince from the pain.

"Charlene, you're a beneficiary in all of this. How dare you act like you're the victim here?"

With a forceful shove, Kenton slammed her head against the car door. With a loud bang, her skull hit the metal hard.

"What you're going through right now isn't even one-thousandth of what Selena went through. So you don't get to say it hurts. You don't get to claim injustice."

Charlene's mind went blank from the blow, her head buzzing. The pain left her speechless. Her vision soon blurred, and she collapsed in the backseat altogether.

Kenton reached out to check her breathing-still alive. Satisfied, he shut the car door.

Not long after, Selena and her parents returned.

"Great-Uncle Kenton, I brought you some food," Selena said with a smile, handing over a takeout box to the man. "Great-Uncle Kenton, we're almost at your hospital, right?"

"Yes. It's not far from here."

After Kenton finished eating, the car started up again. They drove for less than

half an hour before arriving at the hospital where the baby swap had originally

taken place.

Selena was the first to exit the car and stared up at the building.

Kenton walked over to her side and lowered his voice as he said, "The hospital's gone through several name changes and management teams over the years. It's not the same people as back then.