Chapter <i>53 </i>
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The baby–faced girl couldn’t stand seeing so many people bully Natasha. She clenched her fists in anger, ready to step out and call them out.
But her friend quickly grabbed her arm, holding her back.
She looked over at Natasha, who stayed calm and collected even with everyone staring at her.
Shaking her head at her friend, she said, “Calm down. She can handle it.”
Today had been so intense that she’d been keeping an eye on Natasha for a while.
Natasha didn’t look the least bit surprised the entire time.
Even when Natasha put on a sad face, she never really looked heartbroken.
She guessed Natasha probably already knew about Lucas and Olivia, and maybe she got some moves lined up.
They felt that they should just let her handle it her way.
Natasha nced at the girl who asked the question, then at the nervous Wright couple, and finally at her own family.
They all looked really anxious.
They knew Natasha better than anyone else, and they understood just how unpredictable she could be.
Andrew felt a jolt in his chest. He really didn’t want any more stress tonight.
In his anxiety, he mouthed to Natasha, “The bracelet.”
Next to him was Madeline. No one could tell what she was thinking.
She clenched her fists tightly.
Everything had happened so fast tonight, and there was still confusion in her eyes.
She thought, ‘How has Natasha’s engagement turned into Olivia’s?‘
As a mother, she knew just how much Natasha liked Lucas.
All those years when Natasha wasn’t getting along with the family, Madeline had to rely on Lucas to hear anything about how she was doing.
5:09 pm <b>D </b>
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From what Lucas shared, it was obvious to Madeline that Natasha was always rxed and happy when she was with him.
Madeline could also tell that Lucas loved her, too.
Now that the engagement had ended up with someone else, Madeline wondered what Natasha was supposed to do. She knew that Natasha must be devastated.
But Olivia was already Lucas’s fiancée.
If Natasha started talking about her history with Lucas, people might start gossiping about Olivia or twist things against her.
Madeline’s mind was a mess. She had no idea what she even wanted to hear anymore.
All she could do was look away.
Natasha gave a small smile. Instead of replying to the person who asked, she turned her gaze to Thomas, who was watching her nervously.
He kept insisting he’d stand up for her and make it up to her.
She tilted her head, a mischievous smile ying on her lips. “As for this question, why don’t I let my brother answer it for me?”
Thomas suddenly clenched his fists.
Everyone’s eyes shifted to the elegant and distinguished Thomas.
But he just stared at Natasha, his lips parted as if to speak, but his face remained tense.
The woman who asked the questionughed and urged, “What’s wrong? Is this question that hard to answer?”
Thomas felt like he’d never been caught in such a dilemma before.
If he admitted that Lucas and Natasha had been in a rtionship, then Olivia would be branded as the person who stole Natasha’s boyfriend, even though Olivia was now officially engaged to Lucas.
But if he said no, that would mean denying everything between Natasha and Lucas.
With the way people already judged Natasha, they might assume Natasha had always been the clingy one chasing after Lucas.
No matter what he said, one of his sisters would end up hurt.
5:09 pm
He thought, ‘Natasha has already suffered so much tonight, but…
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Thomas said while carefully avoiding Natasha’s bright, clear eyes, “They never dated.”
He turned to the woman who asked the question and continued, “Those rumors are just baseless gossip.
“The three of them have known each other since they were kids, so of course they’re close. But to Lucas, Natasha’s just like a little sister to him.”
Natasha thought, ‘Just a sister…
“That is his final conclusion.
‘It is almost word for word what Lucas said back then.‘
Natasha let out a loud, almost mockingugh.
She thought, ‘This is my brother. He apologized earlier, but all the while stabbing me over and over with his actions.
‘Does he not get what denying me like this means? Yet he still left me to face all the bacsh and gossip on my own. <fn0bab> Read full story at find{n}ovel</fn0bab>
‘Because Olivia is the fragile one who needs protection, and the Wright family is a closely tied business partner who has to keep up appearances.
‘So what if I get even more dirt piled on me? I already have a bad reputation.
‘Typical of a family of businessmen. They always know that they have how to prioritize profit.
‘How ironic. Back when I said I didn’t want to marry Lucas, they tried every trick in the book to stop me. They even went so far as to threaten me with my grandmother’s keepsake.
‘But now, in just a few short hours, since it concerns Olivia and their benefit, they cut me off without even blinking.’
Sheughed, bold and biting, but somehow, thatughter only made the whole scene feel even more bitter and sad.
The baby–faced girl held onto the hand of the girl in the yellow dress beside her and whispered, “Do you really think they never dated?”
The girl in the yellow dress smirked. “The rk family made it official in front of everyone. Even if they did date, now it’s like it never happened.”
5:09 pm D
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The rk family couldn’t afford to lose face over a guy tangled up with both of their daughters.
Her fell on Natasha, who wasughing, her body shaking.
gaze
It was supposed to be her birthday, yet she looked like she was standing all alone against her whole family.
Her friend was right. They were definitely bullying her.
The woman with big, wavy hair in a ck dress shrieked, “How could that be? It was obviously you and Lucas who were dating!”
She scoffed, crossing her arms, “So what is it? Either you were eyeing your sister’s boyfriend, or Olivia was the homewrecker who swooped in and stole him.”
There were <i>a </i>few people who knew the messy history between these three. When they heard that, everyone suddenly turned to look at the ceiling and the floor.
No one dared look at Natasha.
Some things were better left unsaid. If nobody called it out, everyone could just y dumb and maybe gossip a little behind the scenes.
But someone just had to blow things up and ruin the vibe for everyone.
“Miss Delgado, watch what you say!” Thomas cut in sharply.
He was always a gentle and refined man, but right now, his face was so dark it was almost frightening.
Salena Delgado rushed over and grabbed Faye Delgado’s arm. “That’s enough, shut your mouth!
“Why are you sticking your nose into someone else’s family business?”
The Turner family might look down on Natasha’s background, but the rk family still held plenty of status in their own circle.
Besides, Thomas was young and aplished, and the rk family was thriving. No one knew how far they would go in the future.
Salena pinched Faye’s waist hard. Everyone knew the rk family doted on Olivia.
Picking on Natasha was one thing, but airing all this out in public was crazy.
5:09 pm 3D
Their family had ties with the rk family, after all.
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Faye mped her mouth shut, chin raised stubbornly, refusing to say another word.
She just couldn’t stand Lucas, that two–timing jerk who yed both sides. She couldn’t stand Olivia, that phony, goody–two–shoes.
She also couldn’t stand Natasha, who once stole her man and now was acting all pitiful and
weak.
As a true hater at heart, she was just there to stir the pot.
She felt that none of those three deserved a happy ending.
In the middle of the tense standoff, Natasha let out a low, mocking chuckle.
She casually twirled a strand of hair in front of her chest, her tone light but pointed.
She said, “Miss Delgado, if you don’t want to listen to gossip, shouldn’t you at least believe what the people involved say?
“My brother already said that Lucas and I are just friends. He’s telling the truth. Isn’t that right, my dear brother–inw?”
The first part was aimed at Faye, but thatst part was clearly meant for Lucas who had just
walked in.
Everyone spun around.
At the far end of the crowd, Lucas stood frozen, his face drained of color as he stared at Natasha, who was smiling with a sly glint in her eyes.
It was as if he’d been struck by lightning,