Chapter 5 Compensation " Are you're looking for someone ? " Lucy gave her a puzzled look , her voice laced with quiet curiosity . Natalie nodded . " She was the daughter of a death row inmate . She saved my life while I was in prison . I told her I'd return the favor ... So she asked me to find her daughter and look after her once I got out . " Lucy leaned in slightly . " What's the girl's name ? How old is she ? " " Lily Preston . She's six . " Her voice was quiet , and she looked a little less pale than earlier . " Got it . I'll have the divorce papers drafted as soon as possible . " Lucy gently straightened the edge of the blanket and lowered her voice . " As for the little girl - I'll start looking , but it might take some time . If I hear anything , you'll be the first to know . " " Thank you , Lucy ... " Natalie forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes . Lucy saw right through it . She looked at Natalie's pale face and felt a pang of worry . She reached over and gently patted her hand . " Right now , the most important thing is for you to get better . Everything else can wait - including Jackson and Aiden ." The second she heard their names , whatever softness was on her face turned cold . Lucy hesitated , then added , " Honestly ... if Jackson and Aiden hadn't jumped in so fast to defend that woman - if they'd just checked the security footage - you probably wouldn't have ended up in prison . And you sure wouldn't be in this mess now . " She didn't say the rest . She didn't have to. Every part of what she'd said carried a deep , unspoken grief over what prison had done to Natalie . Natalie didn't respond . She just smiled faintly and let the silence sit . She'd already come to terms with it . Even if the footage had been found back then - even if it proved her innocence - Jackson and Aiden would've turned a blind eye . Found someone else to blame . Anything to protect Victoria . One way or another , she would've been the one to take the fall . She'd been through hell . Clinging to the past wouldn't change a thing . " Natalie ... " Lucy called her gently . Natalie blinked and looked up , just about to respond - when her phone rang . 1/5 Chapter 5 Compensation It was the police department . Finished They said they'd located the missing angel statues and asked her to come in for confirmation . Natalie hung up and threw off the blanket , ready to leave . " What's the rush ? " Lucy reached out and caught her wrist , concerned . Natalie was already slipping into her slippers , her expression cold and focused . " The police found the angel statues . I need to head over now . " " You've still got a fever . You just took your meds - you really shouldn't be pushing yourself like this . " " I'm fine . " Natalie squeezed Lucy's arm gently . " I can handle it . " Seeing how determined she was , Lucy didn't try to stop her again . Instead , she walked her downstairs and saw her off . Half an hour later . Natalie stepped into the station - and instantly spotted three familiar figures standing nearby . From a distance , they looked like the perfect family . A uniformed officer approached her . " Ms. Foster , your angel statues were found in front of Ms. Victoria's residence . They're too large to transport at the moment , so we'd like you to review these photos to confirm . " He handed her a file . She opened it , her brow tightening . No doubt about it . Those were hers . " Yeah , " she said quietly . " They're mine . " " Natalie , " came Jackson's voice from behind her - low , sharp , and annoyed . " I gave those statues to Victoria . This isn't theft , and you know it . Stop making a scene . Tell the officers it's all a misunderstanding ." She turned slowly and met his eyes - cold , unreadable . " He's right ! " Aiden added , his face stiff and defensive . " Dad gave them to Ms. Victoria . They've been at our house forever . How could that be stealing ? " Natalie didn't even look at Aiden . She lifted her gaze to Jackson , her voice calm but icy . " Those statues were mine , I made them before we were married - they were personal property . You had no right to give them away . Not without asking . Not without permission . And you sure as 2/5 Chapter 5 Compensation hell didn't own them ." Finished " Name the price , " Jackson said , taking a step back . " I'll buy them from you . Will that settle it ? " Natalie's brows tightened slightly at his words . She had just gotten out of prison . No job . No income . And truthfully , she did need the money . Jackson didn't stop there . " And another thing ," he added bluntly . " You keep saying it was your premarital property . Got any proof it was made before the wedding ? " Victoria tried to step in and smooth things over . " Ms. Foster ... Jackson's not wrong . You two were married - does it really matter what came before ? Isn't everything shared once you're a couple ? " " Mom , " Aiden chimed in , frowning , " Mom , that angel statue isn't even nice . You can't do anything with it now anyway . Why are you making such a big deal out of it ? " Natalie listened as they all took shots at her - three against one , and every word aimed her way . Unbelievable . She let out a cold laugh . " Even if you twist everything else , you can't deny I carved them myself . What now - are you going to argue with that too ? " Silence . Jackson and Aiden had nothing to say . Victoria , biting her lip , turned to Jackson with watery eyes . " This is all my fault . I didn't mean for it to go this far . But the angel statues already appeared on TV ... If I give them back now , everyone will think I stole them ... " And that was the truth - once those statues were returned , it would be undeniable . She'd look like a thief . Jackson scowled and snapped at Natalie . " Enough ! They're just statues . How much do you want ? I'll pay Victoria's share . " Natalie gave thousand ." him a slow , deadpan smile . " You want to pay ? Alright . Four hundred fifteen Jackson stiffened . " Four hundred fifteen thousand dollars ? Are you kidding me ? " " That's extortion ! " Victoria's face turned bright red . " You're trying to rob us ! " Jackson gave Natalie a cold , mocking look . " So this is about the money after all ." Natalie didn't bother responding . 3/5 Chapter 5 Compensation She was rebuilding her career after prison , and that 415,000 dollars would be her fresh start . " Give me your account info , " Jackson snapped . " I'll transfer it now . " " Give me your account number . I'll transfer it right now , " Jackson said impatiently , a flicker of disgust and disdain in his eyes . She refused to come home , stirred up drama at the station , and now she was demanding a payout . The way this woman played her games - it made him sick . If it weren't for his grandfather , he would've ended the marriage long ago . Natalie didn't flinch . She didn't even look at him . She scribbled her account number on a piece of paper and tossed it his way . After leaving the station , Natalie was ready to head out when a familiar voice called from behind her . " Wait . " She stopped , turning back with a flat expression . " What now ? " Jackson gave her a quick glance , his tone colder than before . " Grandpa wants to see you . And Uncle Marcus is flying in this week . The family's holding a dinner at the estate . Be there the evening after tomorrow . " Truthfully , Jackson hadn't planned on inviting her at all . A woman fresh out of prison showing up at a family gathering ? It was embarrassing . But her release had come at the worst possible time . With Uncle Marcus returning , if Natalie didn't show , his grandfather would demand answers . And Marcus ? He wasn't someone to upset . Letting Natalie skip the dinner could backfire on all of them . Natalie paused , surprised by the name . Out of nowhere , Marcus Collins's handsome face flashed through her mind , " You heard me , right ? " Jackson pressed when she didn't respond . His brow twitched , his voice growing sharper . " Don't make me say it twice . " Snapped out of her thoughts , Natalie blinked and gave a cool , quiet reply . " I heard you ." 4/5 19:30 Fri , Sep 19 .. Chapter 5 Compensation But in her mind , a question lingered . Why was Marcus coming back now ? Z3 38