The video ended, leaving the entire hall in complete silence. Moments later, the room erupted in a cacophony of shocked whispers.
Dressed in a dark green dress, Grace stood motionless. Her meticulously maintained figure was stiff, and her flawlessly made-up face had completely shattered."
"The old lady in the video… isn't she the one in the green dress? She looks so elegant, but who would have thought she could be this cruel!"
The extras hired by the Langley family began whispering among themselves, their voices laced with contempt.
"Those two parents aren't any better. Just because she wasn't their biological child, they treated her like that?"
"It's unbelievable! Three bloodsuckers in one family. That girl was fortunate to have survived them. Even as an adult, I wouldn't be able to handle such constant bloodletting, let alone a child."
"How could they commit such heartless acts without fearing the consequences?"
"How shameless! The couple played the villains while the old lady acted like the benevolent one. That poor girl must have the worst luck in the world to have ended up with such a family."
"It's a blessing that he didn't die in their hands."
"Heaven truly watches over us. Justice may not be swift, but it always comes eventually."
"And now justice is here! That girl found her real family. Let's see how her family avenges her today!"
"Today is worth it. Someone paid for us to watch this drama unfold, and it's quite the show."
"Look at that old lady! She seems so dignified, but her actions are anything but human."
"Exactly. She dressed so well, hosting such a lavish banquet at this expensive hotel, yet she couldn't spare a little girl. Even my aunt is better than her!"
"What about your aunt?"
"She can't have children, and her family isn't well-off, but she and my uncle adopted an orphan and treat the child decently, even if they're not rich."
"If you say this, aren't you afraid your aunt will beat you?"
"She can hit me if she wants, but I'll run! Unlike the poor kid in the video, I've got legs to get away."
The guests' voices grew louder, one comment following another without pause.
Grace's ears burned from the criticism. Victor and Diana stood rooted to the spot, equally stunned.
Diana had no idea that Grace had approved forcing Natalie to donate blood. From the start, Grace had always opposed the couple exploiting Natalie for blood donations.
In fact, there were multiple occasions when Grace scolded Diana in front of young Natalie. Victor had tried to persuade Diana, saying that while Grace treated Natalie well, she was still a child and couldn't endure as much as an adult. He insisted they should be careful and not push her too far.
When his gaze met Natalie's, her eyes were cold and indifferent. There was a quiet sense of superiority in her demeanor, as if she had seen through all their pretense and was merely watching them perform.
At that moment, the Langley family were like clowns before Natalie and everyone else.
Natalie turned her gaze to Diana. "And you, Mrs. Langley? Do you have anything to say? When I was little, I called you 'Mom,' but you never loved me."
Diana's face turned pale at Natalie's words. Before she could respond, Natalie's cold, calm voice rang out again.
"When I was little, you didn't love me. Then Mrs. Langley Senior told me it didn't matter because the love you failed to give me would be doubled by her."
Natalie spoke slowly and deliberately. "Mrs. Langley Senior, was this love you gave me the kind shown in that video?"
Grace remained standing upright, but her hands trembled uncontrollably. Though the video had ended, she knew this was just the beginning.
Facing Natalie's questions, Grace realized no matter how much she defended herself, it would be useless. Yet, she couldn't admit it. She mustn't admit it.
Tears welled up in Grace's eyes, streaming down her face as she choked on her sobs. Her expression was one of utter despair, as if the weight of the truth had crushed her completely.
In the next moment, she closed her eyes and collapsed to the floor.
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