Their Villain, The Mogul's Beloved

The Clark family squirmed, the air thick with awkward silence.

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Natasha was a porcupine in a fight–sharp and unyielding. Every argument ended in a blowout. This time, they’d sat down to talk, but an apology? Yeah, that wasn’t on their radar.

Still, she was right. They’d jumped to conclusions, and it made sense she felt screwed.

A quick “sorry” could smooth things over. No shame in that.

“I’m sorry,” Olivia blurted, jumping in first. “Natasha, I’m sorry for all of us. This mess started ‘cause I got hurt, and everyone flipped out. It’s not Mom or Dad’s fault. Hate me if you want.”

“This isn’t on you. It’s that snake Alice stirring crap up,” Madeline snapped.

The family broke into a loud mess of voices, all coddling Olivia, forgetting Natasha existed.

Natasha didn’t blink. She was used to being ignored. Her eyes pinned Andrew, the one running the show.

Andrew cleared his throat. “Alright, I messed up. I got you wrong. Tell me what you want, and it’s yours.”

“Shares…” Natasha let it hang, smirking as their faces soured.

Then she scoffed. “Chill, you’d never hand them over.”

Truth was, every Clark kid got 5% of the company at eighteen. Natasha’s share? Already gifted to Olivia, no questions asked.

Because they thought Natasha supposedly owed Olivia for something bigger than cash.

To them, five percent? Nothing compared to Olivia’s mom’s life.

Andrew saw the contempt in her eyes, and it hit him like a punch.

“If you’re really sorry, give me Grandma’s house. Today.” Natasha went straight for the jugular.

The house wasn’t worth much, but its sentimental value? Priceless.

big ask, but Andrew and

“We’ll talk about the house after you’re

“You

turning to rage. He slammed

173

8:18 pm

Chapter 9

engagement’s not a game. No wedding, no

was Grandma’s gift to me. Why do you get to hold it over

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your dad. And it’s in your mom’s name now!” he barked. “You think you can ditch the engagement? You

isn’t my problem.” She’d never taken a

so he exploded. “If you won’t marry, maybe your sister will. We’ll give her the house.

flipped the dining table with a furious shove. Plates, glasses, and hot

Screams filled the room.

Clarks, snarling, “Give it to her? She doesn’t deserve

when the table went flying, but the soup still splashed

you hate me, but she was my grandma too. Why

that?”

spat out food, grumbling,

little brat! Flipping tables in front of us? What’s next?” Andrew roared,

and panic, while Thomas was

shattering, voices barking. They

glare hard as he laid it on the line. “You want that house? Then play ball with the engagement. Get

was nuts for Natasha. Twenty years as childhood besties?

trade that out.

at a distance, but her grandma was her Achilles‘ heel. Andrew was sure

She looked at the man claiming to

hoist her up, all smiles, swearing only the best

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