“Natasha.” Alexei’s maic voice drifted down from the stairs.


    <b>20 </b>vouchers


    Alexei leanedzily against the banister, his eyes smiling as he reached <i>out </i>his hand to her. “Let’s go.”


    Natasha rushed over excitedly. “What took you so long?”


    She was honestly speechless. This family was so scheming, even the little kids were full of tricks.


    Alexei nced at the twins, who looked guilty as sin.


    They were one of his uncles‘ kids.


    He felt that they probably figured Natasha looked young and easy to fool, so they sent the kids over to fish for information.


    If that didn’t work, they wanted to cozy up to her and get her to put in a good word for them


    However, Natasha was imprable. No matter who tried, she never took the bait.


    A smile flickered in Alexei’s eyes as he looked at theining Natasha and gently ruffled her hair. “Did anyone give you a hard time?”


    Natasha shook her head.


    They’d tried, but they had failed.


    He chuckled softly. “Alright, let’s go.”


    Nobody was worth for him to stop for a chat. The whole room just watched in silence as they walked away.


    As they walked out of the Turner Manor, Natasha nced back before getting into the car.


    This ce looked gorgeous and grand on the outside, but all she could sense was a thick stench of rot lurking beneath its beautiful surface.


    In the car, Alexei turned to Natasha.


    He asked, “So, what were you chatting about with them?”


    Natasha put on a dead–serious face. “How to handle a spy crisis.”


    5:06 pm <b>D </b>


    Heughed. “Didn’t you say you’d always have my back? Was that just talk?”


    Natasha shook her head, dead serious. “There is no way!


    20 <b>vouchers </b>


    I barely know those people. You’re more important to me. If you ever get into a fight with them, I’m taking your side.”


    He asked, “So, if you get closer to someone else, you’d ditch me for them?”


    “Yeah, that’s how it works.”


    “So, how close are we right now?”


    Natasha wanted to say a little bit. Truth be told, they didn’t know each other that well. She’d never really gotten a read on Alexei.


    But then she thought about how much they’d crammed into such a short time.


    They were living together, sharing a bed, cooking, and taking walks. She even met his parents today. That was something only people who were very close to each other would do.


    She picked something in the middle. “We are as close as average friends.”


    Alexei didn’t react. He just gently pinched her earlobe, his voice low and meaningful. “Natasha, remember what you said.”


    It didn’t matter how close they were now. Sooner orter, he would make sure to be the person closest to her.


    He was always patient.


    He’d make sure <i>to </i>be the person who meant everything to her.


    There was still a while before the birthday party kicked off. Technically, as the star of the night, Natasha was supposed to head over to the rk family and start getting ready,


    But Natasha just went straight back to her apartment to crash and get some serious sleep.


    Alexei just followed her lead.


    Alexei casually climbed into her bed like it was the most natural thing in the world. Natasha didn’t say a word, just gave him a long, silent look.


    Alexei looked totally innocent. “The couch is covered in stuff. I don’t have anywhere else to


    5:06 pm D


    rest.”


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    Since they still needed to do her hair and makeupter, Lisa and the others had left some of their tools behind.


    Natasha had told them to go home and get some rest, juste back a little early tonight.


    She wasn’t taking the birthday party nearly as seriously as she had the Turner family gathering.


    She figured she’d just show up and go through the motions. She had no intention of ying along with their act.


    If Alexei hadn’t insisted on doing her hair and makeup, she would’ve just gone in a t–shirt and jeans.


    The problem was, there was only one room in the apartment, and the couch was piled with stuff. So there was really just one bed left.


    She’d need him aroundter tonight, so she couldn’t just kick him out of bed now.


    Natasha just stood there in her freshly changed pajamas, staring at him helplessly.


    “We’ve slept together before. Don’t worry, I promise I won’t try anything.” He raised his hands


    in surrender.


    She realized that there was that one night when, for no reason at all, they somehow ended up sharing a bed.


    Since Alexei had already trampled all over their boundaries, Natasha figured there was no point fussing about it anymore.


    She stacked the nkets right down the middle and waved her hand with authority. “You take the left, I’ll take the right.”


    Maybe all the scheming at noon had drained her. Even with Alexei lying right there, Natasha was out like a light in no time,


    Alexei, lying on the left side, listened as her breathing slowly grew steady. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open,


    Those eyes, deep as a bottomlesske, were churning with a storm ofplicated emotions.


    *****


    They both slept soundly, each sticking to their own side, until Lisa and the others showed up


    D


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    and rang the doorbell that evening.


    They dragged their feet and didn’t leave until seven. By the time they finally rolled up to the rk family, they were alreadyte.


    Since Natasha had blocked them, she had no clue they were blowing up her phone.


    Meanwhile, the rk family noticed she still hadn’t taken them off her block list, and every single one of them was looking sour.


    With all the guests already here and the party about to start, Natasha was still nowhere to be seen. They were starting to suspect she was standing them up on purpose.


    Olivia stood beside Madeline rk and let out a sigh. “If Natasha didn’t want toe, she could’ve just said so. Why wait until everyone’s ready before bailing?”


    Thomas rk’s face turned ugly. “She’s always been this headstrong.”


    Olivia bit her lip, looking worried. “What about all the guests?”


    Andrew rk snorted. “If she doesn’t want to celebrate her birthday, then forget it.


    “Cancel the birthday part. Emmanuel and I will just announce the engagement when the timees.”


    Olivia dug her nails into her palm and thought, ‘Even if Natasha doesn’t show up at all, they’re still determined to marry her off to the Wright family?


    They are a family by blood, after all.‘


    She said, “Isn’t it kind of bad for the bride–to–be to be missing? Maybe we should just pick another day…<i>” </i>


    “Everything goes as nned.” Lucas Wright’s cold voice cut through the room.


    He stood there, face nk, jaw tight, but his attitude was rock solid.


    His


    gut told him Natasha probably didn’t show up because of Alexei.


    But he refused to think about whether that guy already meant more to Natasha than her grandmother’s keepsake.


    Every time he wondered about it, the pain in his chest was almost unbearable,


    He hadn’t told anyone about Alexei. After tonight, he would be her fiancé.


    5:06 pm 3D


    “But…” Olivia started.


    E <b>20 </b>vouchers


    Before she could finish, Lucas cut her off. “I’ll just tell everyone she’s sick and couldn’t make <ol><li>it. </li></ol>


    “The invitations already went out, so we didn’t change the date. Given how close we are, no one will question it. Everything will be fine.” <fn035c> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n FιndNovel</fn035c>


    He spoke fast–not just for the others, but to convince himself <i>too</i>.


    Olivia watched as Lucas turned and walked into the venue. She let her smile fall away, her face going nk as she stared at his back.


    She thought, ‘I’ve already given him a chance.


    <i>‘</i>They’re pushing me to do the extreme things now.‘


    “Olivia…” Noel rk came over, looking for news about Natasha.


    He was startled when he caught Olivia’s icy, distant look, but she switched to a smile so fast Noel thought he must’ve imagined it.


    He rubbed his eyes, quickly pushing that strange look out of his mind.


    “She still hasn’t shown up?” he asked.


    Olivia gave a wry smile. “So much has happenedtely. Maybe Natasha’s just trying to get


    back at us.”


    Noel’s face flushed with anger. “She’s trying to get back at us?


    “She burned down the house, hit people, and mouthed off at Mom and Dad. Every single thing was her doing, and she still has the nerve to me us.”


    “Noel, don’t talk like that. She’s still your sister,” Olivia said gently.


    “I don’t even want to call her my sister. She’s a disgrace,” Noel shot back.


    Then, still fuming, he added, “She’s nothing but trouble!”


    He thought. ‘She used to throw a fit every year because we wouldn’t throw her a birthday party, and now that we’re doing it for her, she’s acting so rudely.


    ‘Fine, I’ll just go throw away the gift I got herter!


    No one in the rk family thought that Noel was being too much.


    5:06 pm S


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    Just as they were about to head back into the venue to deal with this mess, a clear, teasing voice cut through the air.


    Natasha said, “Well, my lovely sister and brother. What juicy stuff are you whispering about me this time?”


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