<i>& </i>


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


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


    Olivia was heartbroken. “That was Grandma’s most treasured ce. How could Natasha be so cruel?<b>” </b>


    Madelineforted 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 ce. Lucas panicked.


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


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


    him.


    Lucas spiraled into anxiety.


    Lately, he’d been camping outside her building like a stalker, watching her lights turn on at night. But Natasha never opened the door. When he knocked too long, she’d just call security.


    4:29 pm PS


    In just a few days, Lucas looked like a wreck.


    His mom, Margot was not happy about it.


    20 vouchers


    She watched those kids grow up. Natasha was adorable as a child, the apple of the rk family’s eye, so naturally, she doted on her a bit more.


    But after Olivia came into the picture, Natasha drifted apart from her family, and she grew dissatisfied too.


    One day, seeing her sone home defeated again, she blurted out in frustration, “Might as well swap the engagement to Olivia.”


    But her son’s terrifying expression scared her.


    “Olivia and I have nothing. The only one I’ll marry is Natasha.” Lucas snapped.


    “Then why do you always pick Olivia over Natasha?” Margot scoffed.


    She only brought it up because she sensed her son and husband’s true feelings–one cared more about a foster daughter than his own girlfriend, the other preferred a daughter–inw who could milk more benefits from the rk family.


    She was just poking at the festering wound, yet somehow ended up the viin.


    Lucas’s heart ached.


    Even his parents could see how the rk family favored Olivia. His Natasha grew up in that environment, while he, out of guilt toward Olivia, kept siding against her.


    ‘What had I even done?‘ he asked inwardly.


    Leaving home, Lucas returned to Natasha’s ce.


    He really wanted to talk to her, to hold her, but she seemed genuinely angry, dead set on giving him the cold shoulder.


    ‘No big deal. Natasha was always softest on those she cared about. I’d win her over eventually,‘ he thought.


    But to others, his persistence painted a very different picture.


    ‘Disgusting! Like a bug drawn to someone else’s rose, shamelessly buzzing around. Lower than a cockroach in the gutter. Should I chop off his legs or gouge out his eyes?‘ Alexei pondered darkly.


    He wasn’t unfamiliar with Lucas. Back when he was investigating Natasha, this name popped up frequently in the records.


    Not long ago, the guy had just been dumped by Natasha for picking the wrong side.


    4:29 pm <b>P </b>


    L‘


    ‘Like, seriously, how blind could he be? Oh, and let’s not forget the failed proposal.


    <b>20 </b>vouchers


    ‘Even though he kept insisting there was nothing between him and Olivia, well, you know what they say–where there’s smoke, there’s fire.’ Alexei had already judged him guilty inwardly.


    Between squashing this annoying bug and rushing home to feed his little rose, Alexei didn’t hesitate to choose thetter.


    Sure, he’d never been in a rtionship, but he’d heard the saying–a corpse of a first love would always wreck you harder than a breathing human.


    Not that he was nning to date Natasha or anything. But he sure as hell wasn’t gonna let his pet keep pining over someone else.


    Instead of letting Lucas die a quick death, peeling back his fake, hypocriticalyers to expose his rotten, fickle heart–now that would be satisfying.


    Making sure Natasha felt nothing but disgust every time she thought of Lucas? Perfect.


    With malicious glee, Alexei ran through 108 different ways to tear them apart.


    Standing by the greenery, Lucas suddenly felt a chill running down his spine, like some unseen murderous intent was aimed at him.


    But when he looked up, all he saw was a car speeding past, nearly brushing against him.


    ‘Probably just a resident nearby, but damn, that driver had zero manners. No apology, nothing! Lucas frowned.


    <i>‘</i>Once I made up with Natasha, I’d move her to a new ce. No way am I letting her live next to such trashy people.


    ‘Though… Thinking back to that fleeting glimpse of a profile in the car, he shook his head.


    ‘No way that guy would be here. Wasn’t he missing? This kind of neighborhood was way beneath someone like him. Even if it was him, so what? It had nothing to do with me or Natasha


    He lifted his gaze, staring dreamily up at the top floor of the building. <fn0799> Official source is fin?novel</fn0799>


    Oblivious to him, more and more neighbors were ncing at him, intentionally or not.


    Alexei parked the car in the garage and dashed home with a full grocery bag.


    Natasha had already threatened to order takeout if he didn’t hurry back.


    Stepping into the elevator, he bumped into the elderly couple from downstairs.


    As Alexei’s injuries healed and he no longer needed to hide his identity, Natasha had asionally dragged him out for evening walks when she overate.


    4:29 pm PD


    20 vouchers


    Their looks were too well–matched, and since they lived together, the neighbors naturally assumed they were a newlywed couple.


    The residents even unofficially crowned them the “face of the neighborhood.”


    Though the guy seemed a bit intimidating, the kind–hearted olddy still gave him a heads–up. “Young man, did you see that Benz downstairs? Do you know the owner? You better keep your wife safe–we’ve seen him knocking on your door multiple times.


    “Once, when your wife went down to take out the trash, he pestered her for ages until a neighbor called security. And he’s still at it, lurking downstairs every day.”


    The couple kept saying “your wife,” and Alexei didn’t correct them. In fact, he kinda liked the misunderstanding.


    Hearing them out, he smirked and deliberately smeared Lucas, “Yeah, I know him. That guy’s a shameless homewrecker, obsessed with my Natasha’s looks.


    “Even after we told him wè’re married, he won’t back off. He even threatened to steal her from me. Cops can’t do anything. Oh, and he’s already married. His own wife’s in the hospital right now.”


    <b>4/4 </b>