Chapter 21

&

Chapter 21

20 vouchers

Lucas, swayed by Olivia and Noel’s advice, decided to wait for Natasha to apologize first before forgiving her.

But as he stared at his silent phone day after day, it suddenly hit him–over half a month had passed.

They’d never gone this long without contact before.

Regret crept in. He knew Natasha was stubborn. ‘Why did I have to pick a fight with her?‘

And then… he thought of grandma’s burned–down courtyard.

Though the Clark family tried hard to hide it, fearing Olivia might get upset in her fragile state, Madeline had to come clean when Olivia brought up transferring the property.

Without the emotional weight of the courtyard, it was just a piece of remote wasteland. The so- called “lucky charm” the fortune–teller once mentioned no longer held water.

Olivia was heartbroken. “That was Grandma’s most treasured place. How could Natasha be so cruel?”

Madeline comforted her endlessly, promising to find her an equally meaningful antique.

“It’s not about me. I’m just sad that now there’s no Grandma… and no her home anymore.”

Lucas watched Olivia, wrapped in Madeline’s arms, lost in sorrow, but his mind wandered.

Having grown up with them, he knew Natasha’s bond with Grandma ran deeper than Olivia’s.

‘If Olivia was this devastated… what about Natasha? What was going through her mind when she lit the fire? How had things gotten so bad for her?‘ He suddenly regretted not being there when she needed him most.

But his calls went straight to voicemail, and no one answered the door at her place. Lucas panicked.

If Sadie hadn’t chewed him out over the phone–at least confirming Natasha was okay–he’d have called the cops.

With all worst–case scenarios ruled out, only one possibility remained: Natasha was truly done with

him.

Lucas spiraled into anxiety.

he’d been camping outside her building like a stalker, watching her lights turn on at

1/4

4:29 pm PS

Chapter 21

few days, Lucas looked like

Margot was not

20 vouchers

grow up. Natasha was adorable as a child, the apple of

drifted apart from her family, and

defeated again, she blurted out

her son’s terrifying

nothing. The only one I’ll marry is Natasha.” Lucas

you always pick Olivia

because she sensed her son and husband’s true feelings–one cared more about a foster daughter than his own girlfriend, the other

poking at the festering wound, yet somehow

Lucas’s heart ached.

see how the Clark family favored Olivia. His Natasha grew up in that environment, while he, out

I even done?‘ he asked

Lucas returned

she seemed genuinely angry, dead set on giving him

those she cared about. I’d win her over eventually,‘

persistence painted a very different

someone else’s rose, shamelessly buzzing around. Lower than a cockroach in the

unfamiliar with Lucas. Back when he was investigating Natasha, this name popped

been dumped by Natasha

2/4

4:29 pm P

Chapter 21

L‘

could he be? Oh,

20 vouchers

Olivia, well, you know

to feed his little

never been in a relationship, but he’d heard the saying–a corpse

that he was planning to date Natasha or anything. But he sure as hell

his fake, hypocritical layers to expose

but disgust

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255