Chapter 34

Lucas was drowning in pain. Everyone pressured him, and guilt over Roderick haunted him relentlessly.

Eventually, he caved in–with one condition: Natasha must never know. He understood her emotional boundaries, especially with Olivia involved. Even a pretense felt like betrayal.

Everyone tacitly approved his condition. With Lucas by her side, Olivia’s emotions steadily calmed down. Her suicidal urges ceased, and relapses grew rare. Everyone colluded to cover for them.

Natasha noticed Lucas favoring Olivia but swallowed her fury–for Roderick’s sake. Her love for Lucas withered daily under this torment.

It was half a month before Lucas planned to propose. Having grown up together, marriage for them seemed a natural progression.

Yet Lucas insisted Natashą deserved a proposal like others‘. He’d designed it meticulously, even securing the ring.

Due to all these preparations, Lucas had been acting furtively those days. Sensing something amiss, Natasha decided to follow him to uncover what he was hiding from her.

Backstage at a chaotic theater, Natasha saw him. He held Olivia, tenderly kissing her forehead.

Before this, an obsessive fan had triggered Olivia’s relapse during the curtain call. Lucas had rushed over with flowers for Natasha.

In the dressing room, only the blooming flowers and the affectionate couple remained. Olivia pouted at Lucas’s ringing phone.

“Why does Natasha call you so much? You’ve been so attentive to her lately. Tell me, what is she to you?” Her tone was mock–fierce, her eyes trusting.

Through the half–open door, Natasha met Lucas’s gaze–softness still in his eyes. He paled, froze, and yet hugged Olivia back. Staring at Natasha, he said, “Just a friend.”

“Just a friend.” The words felt like the universe’s cruel joke for Natasha. The man she believed would always choose her reduced their bond to that.

the special ringtone, the hidden messages, the

had finally let Olivia snatch away Natasha’s last treasure: Lucas’s exclusive love, Natasha

Hugs are what Roderick would do. I’ve never loved her. She’s sick–she thinks I’m him. That’s all. Mr. Clark and Mrs. Clark

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4:34 pm PARA.

Chapter 34

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said. Her family and lover

Lucas admitted desperately. Staring into her eyes, he continued, “If I’d told you about Olivia’s illness then, you’d have

well. Natasha had an instinctive aversion to anything or anyone associated with Olivia. She would

even more repulsive. “If she never recovers, will you abandon me

stabilizing. She’ll be well soon,”

directly because you know

loved Olivia,

‘She’s not!” Natasha exclaimed.

Don’t leave me. We can figure this

hurting her, just like today. She thought, ‘This time it’s a

solitary dinners, and forgotten anniversaries. Would I always have

given him the chance to hurt her. From that day forward, their relationship

to Olivia. He would

no, would he stay away?‘ But seeing his

Natasha had merely given

guilting you into choices, would you leave me?” Natasha asked curiously, watching Alexei

sat on the couch wrapped in a white blanket, her loose hair tucked beneath it, leaving only her flawless face exposed–like

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