Chapter 49

Jeffrey's irritation intensified. He bent down and gripped her chin. "But the more you act like this, the less I want to let Stephen off." Natalie's eyes trembled as she met his gaze. "Jeffrey, I have nothing left. No parents, no family, no marriage. Now, the only person I have is my brother. Are you really going to destroy him, too?" Jeffrey scoffed. "If he goes to prison, at least he'll keep his head down for a few years and stop causing trouble for you." Natalie replied, "That's not how it works." Jeffrey sneered. "He smashed someone's head open, drew blood, and still hasn't apologized. Do you think kneeling once is enough to settle this?" Natalie bit her lip, finally understanding what he was getting at. Still on her knees, she shuffled forward, turned around, and faced Felix and Abigail. By now, she felt nothing but numbness. Dignity? Pride? None of that mattered anymore. "I'm sorry," Natalie said slowly, making sure each word was clear. "This is entirely my brother's faul