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.

ask, but Andrew

her stare. “We’ll talk about

you, I’m done with Lucas. No engagement.” Her voice was ice. “You said I could name anything, but you can’t even do this? That’s

face reddened, shame turning to rage. He slammed the

173

8:18 pm

Chapter 9

not a game.

Why do you get to hold

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

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

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

shot up and flipped the dining table with a furious shove. Plates, glasses, and hot soup flew,

Screams filled the room.

at the drenched Clarks, snarling, “Give it to her?

when the table went flying, but

get that you hate

that?”

out food, grumbling, “Ignore her.

tables in front of us? What’s next?” Andrew roared, shaking with

Thomas was busy checking if Madeline and

They couldn’t tell if now was the time to slip

veggie juice off his face, his glare hard as he laid it on the line. “You want that house? Then play ball with the engagement. Get in

was nuts for Natasha. Twenty years as childhood

trade that out.

the family at a distance, but her grandma was her

the man claiming

forgotten when she was little, when he’d hoist her up, all smiles, swearing only the best

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