Bye-bye Trash! Hello Queen! novel Chapter 22

Queena leaned against Natalie’s shoulder, scrolling on her phone with one hand and munching on grilled chicken with the other.

“Tsk, it looks like someone’s directing the hate train against you,” Queena remarked. She wasn’t a tech expert, but she knew about paid online trolls. This had to be a coordinated campaign.

But for Natalie, this was her home turf. She had been groomed by Mr. Sanders Sr. to be his successor, excelling in every field. Her only weakness had been her foolish, romance-obsessed heart. The way she used to grovel at Sebastian’s feet was so pathetic that even Queena, her best friend, could barely watch.

Queena patted Natalie’s shoulder earnestly. “Please tell me you’re really over him this time. You’re not going to be his lapdog anymore, are you? If you go back to groveling for Sebastian, I might have to disown you.”

“You’re young and have your whole life ahead of you. Why throw it away?” Queena continued, sounding like a seasoned player. “Think about it. Is one man really worth giving up the entire forest for? There are plenty of fish in the sea.”

Natalie caught the hint of a man-eater in her tone and broke into a brilliant smile. “I’m done with that jerk. Joanna can have him. They’re a perfect match, anyway.”

With that, she took a long swig of beer, chasing it with a bite of meat. It was the kind of simple, guilty pleasure that warmed you from the inside out. Pure bliss.

The next morning, Natalie woke up in Queena’s bed. She rolled over ungracefully and, with a stroke of incredible luck, tumbled right onto the floor.

“Oof!” The impact jolted her awake.

Queena’s eyes shot open. She saw Natalie sprawled out, one leg still on the bed, the rest of her on the floor, crowned with a bird’s nest of hair. The sight was so ridiculous that she couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“Haha…” Queena sat up, roaring with laughter.

[Why would you tell me not to come if you didn’t want me there? You just wanted to pique my curiosity, didn’t you? You little rascal, you did that on purpose.]

Natalie realized he was right. Ignoring him, she and Queena went out for a day of shopping and a spa treatment. After a deep-cleansing facial, Natalie returned to Breeze Manor and adorned herself with the magnificent diamond jewelry her grandfather had prepared for her years ago—pieces she had never once worn.

Staring at her reflection, she saw the girl she used to be, years ago. She was truly beautiful. Every woman was an angel, gentle and sweet. She was, too.

A memory surfaced. When she was about to leave with her biological parents, her grandfather had pulled her aside. “My girl,” he’d said, his voice thick with emotion, “I’ve raised you, and I truly love you. I have only one request: don’t tell your parents who you really are. If you get hurt over there, my home is always open to you. You will always be my most cherished granddaughter.”

Back then, she had foolishly believed she would find the love she craved from her birth parents. She had looked at her grandfather’s retreating back and resolutely followed Wendy to the Scott family. He must have known, even then, that she would be hurt. She was the only one who had been so naive.