Chapter <i>54 </i>


    Natasha’s words hit Lucas right in the soul.


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    The people who knew the inside story all widened their eyes, their faces twisted withplicated, almost strange expressions.


    The rest of the crowd might have been clueless, but those who had witnessed the proposal in the past knew the truth.


    Lucas and Natasha were never just childhood friends. They’d been entangled for over a decade, and their breakup was still recent. They used to be madly in love.


    Now, hearing Natasha call him “brother–inw“, people felt that she was quite bold.


    They couldn’t quite describe it, but everyone felt that Natasha was savage.


    Even Faye was left speechless by Natasha’s words. She felt that Natasha switched up <i>so </i>fast.


    But when she saw Lucas’s face, like his whole world had just copsed, she suddenly felt a


    rush of satisfaction.


    She said, “Of course, I believe you. Sorry, I was being nosy. No idea who started all those rumors. Turns out a bunch of us got yed.


    “So, you two never dated? He is your brother–inw, right? I get it now.”


    Faye grinned and slipped back into the crowd with her mom.


    Lucas’s face was a mess of red and pale, embarrassment and anxiety battling for control.


    He was about to rush over to Natasha. “Natasha, it’s not like that…”


    But before he could get close, his parents each grabbed an arm, holding him back.


    Emmanuel gave him a cold, warning look and said in a low, stern voice, “Enough! Haven’t you embarrassed us enough today?


    “You disappeared to get cozy with Olivia, and now we’re stuck cleaning up your mess. What trouble are you trying to stir up now?”


    Margot spoke gently. “The engagement’s already been announced. We already swapped the bride once, we can’t do it again.


    “You need to think about the Wright family. And honestly, do you really think Natasha’s going to listen to you right now?”


    Lucas’s eyes were red with frustration. “Why?”


    He looked at his parents. “You both know exactly who I want to marry.”


    He’d just finished dealing with things on Olivia’s end and rushed back.


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    His heart was pounding with nerves since he was afraid he’d be toote for the engagement


    announcement.


    He thought his parents would y it by ear and maybe dy that part a little.


    But on his way, he ran into a bunch of people, all smiling and saying, “Congrattions.”


    He let out a sigh of relief, his smile as warm as spring sunshine.


    He just assumed everything was running smoothly, even though he wasn’t there.


    He believed that all he needed to do was show up, say sorry to Natasha, and that would settle everything.


    But as soon as he walked into the venue, he heard Natasha’s words, and it felt like a punch to the gut.


    He knew that something was seriously off.


    He’d only stepped out for a bit, and now it felt like the whole world had flipped upside down.


    He thought, ‘What does she mean we never dated? Then what were those twenty years between us supposed to be?‘


    Now the boomerang had turned around and hit him right in the heart.


    Emmanuel’s face was burning with rage. He looked like he wanted to p some sense into Lucas. “You want to know why?


    “If you’re going to mess around, at least pick your moment. <fn1c0a> Latest content published on F?ndNovel</fn1c0a>


    “I haven’t even grilled you about Olivia yet, and now you’re questioning me instead?”


    Lucas shot back angrily, “I didn’t do anything. There’s nothing between me and her. You both


    know about her illness…”


    Emmanuel said, “It doesn’t matter what we know. The point is, everyone else got the wrong idea. Haven’t you figured it out yet?


    “Someone’s out to ruin this engagement. Do you even realize you and Olivia were caught on


    a livestream sneaking around at the back door?”


    He didn’t believe Lucas and Olivia werepletely innocent.


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    They said it was all about treating her illness, but he didn’t believe that two young people who stayed that close for so long would not cross the line.


    He didn’t give a damn about Lucas’s messy love life. What really pissed him off was that they’d been set up today.


    Both the Wright and rk families had no way to fight back and just got dragged along for


    the ride.


    Lucas had always been the perfect boy whom he could brag about. He didn’t expect Lucas to mess up so badly when it came to his marriage.


    “Livestream? What livestream?” Lucas whipped his head around, staring at his furious father.


    At some point, the rk couple had brought Thomas and Natasha over to join them.


    Thomas said, “No matter what the reason is, Mr. Wright, backing out of an engagement at thest minute isn’t exactly gentlemanly.”


    His face was set in a frosty expression.


    He felt that it was all Lucas’s fault since he couldn’t make up his mind.


    If it weren’t for him, the rk family wouldn’t be aughingstock, and Thomas wouldn’t have had to hurt Natasha all over again today.


    Because of that anger, Thomas didn’t even bother calling him by his name anymore. He just called him “Mr. Wright.”


    But Lucas didn’t care about Thomas. His eyes locked onto Natasha, who was standing behind them and watching the drama with an unfazed expression.


    He pushed past the rk family and rushed up to her, blurting out urgently, “Natasha, hear


    me out…”


    Natasha suddenly spoke up, her gaze cutting straight through him. “You left the hall just now, didn’t you? Remind me, what was our bet again, brother–inw?”


    Lucas opened his mouth, but the words just wouldn’te.


    He remembered it.


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    If only he’d stayed at the venue tonight and waited for their parents to announce the engagement, he could have rightfully be the fiancé of the woman he loved.


    But he still made that mistake and walked out anyway.


    “I’m sorry…” he finally managed to say.


    “It’s alright.” Natasha’s eyes curved in a faint, almost careless smile. “I should really be thanking you, brother–inw.”


    Herst words were barely above a whisper, meant for his ears alone. “Thanks for helping clear my name, brother–inw.”


    From now on, she could walk away from the past with her head held high,pletely free of any burden. It was a relief she hadn’t expected.`


    Lucas thought, ‘Does she think our past is so unbearable?


    She really sees everything we had as just a stain on her record?‘


    Lucas felt a deep ache settle in his heart.


    ‘Don’t call me that, Natasha. I’m begging you…” His voice shook with pain, and he looked at her with desperate, pleading eyes.


    <b>But </b>Natasha just brushed his hand away, slow and steady, not a hint of hesitation.


    She took a step back.


    it felt like a whole gxy had opened up between them.


    Laicas snapped at her rejection. His mind was a storm of regret, pain, and desperation, all


    reason gone.


    More and more people started turning their heads, ncing in their direction.


    But Lucas had only one thought.


    He thought, ‘Nul


    If my engagement with Olivia is locked in today, then no matter what happens next, even if the wedding never happens. Natasha and I would be over for good.


    His gaze turned sharp and desperate,pletely ignoring the warning res from both families as he raised his voice so everyone could hear him


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    He said, “I need to make this clear to everyone. I…”


    Suddenly, the sound of something heavy crashing down from above.


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    Lucas didn’t even get a chance to speak. Everyone’s attention snapped to the second–floor window of the building by the back garden.


    A person said, “Holy shit!”


    A young guy was sprawled halfway out the window, his body nearly folded over the open frame, clutching the sill for dear life and swearing at someone nonstop.


    In front of him, a familiar naked man was sprawled over him, disoriented and delirious, his head covered in blood.


    Olivia was standing right behind them. She just threw a bottle to the ground, which caused <i>a </i>heavy sound.


    The whole scene was so scandalous and bloody, it looked like something straight out of a crime drama, sending a wave of screams through the crowd.


    The rk family instantly sensed that things were about to go south.


    Madeline recognized the boy dangling from the window, then spotted Olivia in scattered clothes. Her face was deadly pale.


    With a crowd gathering all around, Olivia shrieked and bolted inside the building.


    Andrew and Thomas didn’t hesitate for a second. They immediately started ushering the


    guests out.


    Andrew said, “Everyone, thanks foring to tonight’s party. We’ve got some family business to handle, so we’ll have to end things here tonight.”


    Nobody really knew what had just happened upstairs, but they knew that this couldn’t be allowed to leak out.


    The hosts were basically showing everyone the door, and as much as people were dying to get the inside scoop, nobody wanted to look shameless by hanging around.


    Everyone was already stuffed with tonight’s gossip anyway.


    The Wright family had witnessed the whole scene too. All they could think was how unlucky this night had turned out. They were seriously fed up with the rk family.


    Since they were still supposed to be future inws, they had no choice but to swallow their


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    frustration and help see the guests out.


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    But in the very next second, right in the middle of all that chaos, the pitch–ck sky was suddenly filled with massive fireworks.


    Bursts of color and light in every shape imaginable lit up the night, dazzling and brilliant, turning the whole venue into a sea of shimmering fireworks.


    Under that jaw–dropping spectacle, a tall, broad–shouldered figure strode in from the darkness, every step steady and unhurried.


    His presence was impossible to ignore, and his low but authoritative voice rang out.


    He said, “The birthday party isn’t over yet. Who said you could leave?”