Natalie did not try to stop them. Instead, she turned around, grabbed Marcus'' hand, and headed back into the office.

    Once they were inside, she poured him a cup of water and said, "Marcus, tell me the truth. Do you think what I''m doing here is right or wrong?"

    Marcus epted the paper cup from her but set it aside on the desk without drinking it. Then, he reached out and pulled Natalie into his arms.

    He held her tightly, unable to put his emotions into words. He could not imagine what she had faced the first time she brought people to this ce.

    What kind of filth and violence did she have to confront just to carry out her act of kindness? After all, no matter how tough or capable she seemed, Natalie was still just a young woman.

    Natalie felt the tension in Marcus'' body and gently patted his back. "What''s wrong? Marcus, are you... worried about me?"

    His voice was low and hoarse. "Yeah, Nat. I''m worried about you... and I ache for you. When those vigers charged at us with weapons, I was terrified."

    He was scared she would get hurt, scared she would not be able to save the girls inside-and worse, that she would end up paying the price herself. The men who lived here were hideous, their hearts even worse. Just looking at them made Marcus sick to his stomach.

    Yet, Natalie hade here with her people, building and running Hope Elementary School for almost two years now.

    Natalie assured him, "Don''t worry. I nevere here alone. Taylor and the others are all former security personnel. And wee armed, always prepared. The vigers get nothing out of us."

    "I know that, but I still worry," Marcus murmured, holding her for a long time before finally loosening his grip.

    He added, "Nat, I don''t want youing here anymore. I''ll get someone else to take over."

    Natalie paused, then smiled gently. "Okay. I''m sorry. This was supposed to be our honeymoon, and I dragged you into this mess."

    Marcus shook his head. "Don''t think that way. I''m d I got to be part of this side of your life, and I feel very lucky for that. I just worry about those girls. What if,ter on, they regret all this? What if they me you for changing their lives? Not everyone knows how to be grateful."

    Natalie replied, "Mr. Langton said something like that too, but he also said he''d rather give these girls a shot at a different life than worry about what could have been. He told me this was the kind of thing you pour money into and never expect a return. You just do it, and you make peace with yourself."

    She continued, "There are things in this world that need doing, even if it means getting ndered for it. That''s what Mr. Langton said. And so, that''s what we did."

    Natalie pulled Marcus to sit down beside her. "You saw it yourself. The so-called parents here... most of them don''t deserve that title. Lte and the others might be better off after they cut ties with their families.

    "They''re just teenagers, but they have amazing courage and determination. I think they''re way braver than I am."

    She smiled faintly as she spoke. "Back when I found out I wasn''t really a Langley, I still held on just because of the little kindness Grace showed me, even after how they treated me. I guess, in the end, I was the biggest fool."

    "That wasn''t your fault," Marcus said as he reached over and took her hand. "Nat, none of that was your fault."

    Natalie sighed. "I know. I trust Lte, Ann, and Sue-and I trust the others too. This school isn''t going anywhere. Whether it''s boys or girls, they all deserve a shot at an education. As for the vigers, we''ll keep using the same approach.

    "We already knew that changing amunity''s deeply ingrained beliefs takes time, and it''s never easy. But once you start something like this, you have to see it through. Next time, I''ll take you to one of the schools that''s actually doing really well."

    "Alright." Marcus nodded. Then, he stood up and walked over to the window.

    Outside on the field, Lte and the other girls were still locked in a tearful embrace, sobbing uncontrobly, their cries were raw and hoarse. Nheless, after this storm of sorrow, they woulddikely never cry like this again.

    Taylor walked in holding a thick stack of signed contracts and reported, "Natalie, every household with a daughter has signed the. agreement. Some of them didn''t want money. They just demanded that their daughters support them in their old age, the same way their sons would. I talked it over with the girls, and they agreed."

    "Alright. I''ll leave the arrangements to you," Natalie said calmly.

    Taylor added, "Natalie, Maverick said that once Martin''s done with treatment, he wants to see you."

    Marcus spoke before Natalie could answer. "I''ll go. From now on, if anything happens,e to me directly."

    Taylor froze, then turned to Natalie, who gave a slight nod. "Yeah. From now on, go to Marcus."

    "Got it, Marcus," Taylor answered without hesitation. "Should we go see Maverick now?"

    "Yeah. Let''s go." Marcus stood, and his presence instantly filled the room with pressure. He was strikingly handsome and tall, with a poised,manding posture that made him stand out in any crowd.

    However, there was nothing gentle about him. Marcus was ruthless to the bone. The way he had taken Maverick down earlier had been swift and brutal. It left Taylor and the otherspletely shaken.

    After sending Martin off for treatment, Maverick copsed, three of his ribs shattered by Marcus'' powerful kick.

    That was without even considering the pressure Marcus exuded. Just standing near him was enough to make people instinctively yield.

    "This way, Marcus," Taylor said with careful respect as he led him toward the infirmary on the right side of the school.

    When they arrived, Maverick was lying on the bed, coughing up blood every now and then. As soon as he saw Marcus walk in, his expression changed dramatically. Before he could say a word, Marcus pulled up a chair and sat down right in front of him.

    Marcus said tly, "I heard you wanted to see me. Well, talk."

    The second Marcus spoke, his voice turned as cold as ice, and the entire room seemed to drop ten degrees.

    Maverick growled through clenched teeth, "My ribs are broken. Shouldn''t you guys at least pay for the hospital bills?"

    Marcus gave a dryugh and stood up. Then, without hesitation, he picked up the chair and mmed it down on Maverick.

    Maverick''s scream pierced the air as the hospital bed crumpled under the impact. Now, it was not just his ribs. His whole body looked like it was about to give out.

    Marcus did not do things Natalie''s way. He knew that Maverick only preyed on the weak, so he decided to show him what it meant to face a real threat.

    Taylor stood in the back, silent and frozen.

    Marcus stepped hard on Maverick''s thigh. "Medical bills, huh? How about I give you money for funeral expenses instead?"

    Maverick shrieked in agony, screaming, "Stop! Let go!"

    The more he yelled, the harder Marcus pressed down with his foot.