apter 58
55 vouchers
Alexei said, “I remember that the Stephenson family and the Green family are working together on a pharmaceutical project and are currently looking for investors.”
Natasha immediately picked up on what he meant and shot him a look. “Don’t make any decisions just because of me.”
She wanted to leverage his influence, but she didn’t want to get involved in his business choices.
Besides, she didn’t really know what was going on with the Stephenson and Green families.
Investing in apany wasn’t like blowing money on fireworks.
Alexei chuckled and affectionately patted her cat–like, clever head. “Rx. Turner Group just happens to have ns in this field.
“I’ll make sure to do my homework.”
The guests nearby, who had been eavesdropping, were left speechless. They thought, ‘Seriously? Who are you trying to fool?
‘Turner Group already owns the biggest pharmaceuticalpany in the country. Why would they need to invest in someone else’s project?‘
Shocked as they were, their eyes lit up all the same. They had just found a shortcut to currying favor with Alexei.
Olivia and her family were dragged over in a humiliating way.
They happened to see all those people who usually acted so high and mighty were now shamelessly falling over themselves to tter Natasha.
Seeing Natasha at the center of everyone’s attention, Olivia’s eyes grew cold.
‘Something definitely went wrong tonight. None of Natasha’s moves are following my n at all, Olivia thought.
Her original n was that, while offering her congrattions, she’d casually let Lucas know she was stepping out to pick up a custom engagement gift she’d prepared for him and
Natasha.
Then, using the excuse of stepping out, she’d get herself kidnapped by Roderick’s family.
Lucas would realize she only ended up in danger because she went to get the gift.
5:11 pm 3D
<b>65 </b>vouchers
Everyone would assume Roderick’s family hated her because they med her for his death. Since Lucas owed his life to Roderick, there was no way he’d just stand by and do nothing.
He would once again break off the engagement in front of everyone, and with Natasha’s pride, there was no way she’d ever let the engagement go on after that.
To save face or smooth things over, both families would probably just swap <i>out </i>the bride and groom on the spot.
By then, it would be over between them for good.
Olivia was ready to use this chance to suddenlye down with her so–called illness.
She knew exactly where Lucas’s bottom line was.
No matter how guilty he felt, there were only so many times he’d let her use the same excuse to ruin his wedding ns.
But once she became his fiancée, she wouldn’t need to fake being sick anymore.
But when Roderick’s family actually showed up, it wasn’t the staged kidnapping they’d agreed <ol><li>on. </li></ol>
Instead, they appeared right at the back door of the vi, holding a knife to her throat.
As nned, they managed to lure Lucas out and taunted her, “Roderick’s dead. You’re just so delusional that you think every man is him.”
They started hurling usations, calling the two of them adulterers.
They also said that they’d probably been having an affair all along and had taken Roderick out to sea on purpose to get him killed.
They said every nasty thing they could think of. Roderick’s mother, who’d lost her son and was clearly unstable, totally lost it right there.
The Lucas and Olivia ended up getting held up.
Lucas was scrambling to get Roderick’s family under control while trying tofort Olivia.
In the end, Roderick’s mother suddenly snapped out of it.
Since Lucas owed Roderick his life, he was more patient with her, so he could only stand by and watch them leave,
5:11 pm D
EX 55 vouchers
Since Olivia hadn’t actually been kidnapped, Lucas just dropped her off in a lounge and hurried back to the party.
Unable to keep Lucas away, Olivia could only hope that in the time she’d dyed him, the engagement would be called off.
She was the one who snuck Matthew into the vi.
Matthew had said some pretty crazy stuff to her before. He said that he would get revenge for her, so Olivia could be the only daughter of the rk family.
He also indicated that Natasha would be doomed.
Olivia knew he absolutely hated Natasha.
She didn’t ask about his ns or get her hands dirty, but she did help smooth the way for him.
Olivia would rather keep her hands clean and give her scheme a little backup.
But the moment Matthew, clearly looking physically off, barged into the lounge and lunged at her, Olivia knew she was screwed.
‘That useless idiot. He tried to scheme and ended up getting set up!‘ Olivia cursed internally.
What really pissed her off was that she was getting dragged into this mess.
Fueled by that anger, she didn’t show any mercy when she dealt with Matthew.
Worst case, she could just pin it all on Noel.
But she never expected to get caught in the act right in front of
everyone.
If she’d known Matthew had set up a live stream that just happened to broadcast her sneaking around with Lucas, she would’ve totally lost her mind.
Plotting in secret and quietly recing Natasha as the bride was one thing, but getting exposed in public and being forced to do that was a whole different story.
Plus, Natasha had already hit Matthew once before.
Thanks to Ramona Hill’s protection and Alexei’s warning, the Hill family had swallowed their pride and let it go.
But now, after Olivia beat him up and sent him to the ER, there was no way the Hill family would just let it slide this time.
5:11 pm D
55 vouchers
Matthew was Zayden Hill’s favorite grandson. Even if they gave up on him, they still wouldn’t let the rk family walk all over them.
This time, the Hill family wasn’t about to just let it slide.
No one would know themselves better than their enemies.
Olivia yed on Natasha’s pride and stubbornness, but Natasha had already caught on to Olivia’s jealousy and ambition.
She’d had Alexei arrange for someone to keep tabs on Olivia ages ago<i>. </i>
She felt that letting these people tear each other apart was way easier than getting her hands dirty.
But Alexei had pulled it off even more wlessly than Natasha had expected.
Olivia was still clueless about the trouble waiting for her. The moment sheid eyes on Natasha, her mind just went nk.
The scene from the cemetery, where one was cherished and the other cast aside, had flipped again. This time, Olivia was the one left humiliated and disheveled.
When Andrew and Noel saw Madeline and the others, they frowned deeply.
From the looks of it, Shawn had clearly forced them toe. Olivia hadn’t even had time to change out of her clothes.
Some of the guests were whispering and gossiping while watching Natasha and Olivia.
The fake mask of Olivia had been torn to shreds overnight. It was quite a show.
Andrew couldn’t really take it out on Alexei, so he kept a straight face and turned to Shawn.
He said, “Shawn, this is the rk family. Don’t you think you’re going a bit too far?”
Shawn lied, “Sorry about that. Mrs. rk just loves her daughter so much. She couldn’t wait to celebrate Miss rk’s birthday, so we might’ve rushed things a little.”
Andrew could only swallow his anger.
He couldn’t simply say that Madeline didn’t care about Natasha.
Alexei tapped his fingers on the table, a sly smile tugging at his lips, “Alright, since everyone’s here, let’s get started.”
5:12 pm 3D
55 vouchers
He then had Shawn bring over five chairs, cing them right in the center for the rk
family.
Besides a few lounge areas, the party tonight was mostly held outdoors on thewn, with guests mingling and chatting.
Now, with all the guests standing while only the rk family sat in the middle, the contrast was ring.
It made the rk family feel even more on edge, like sitting on pins and needles.
Everyone felt like they were being put on disy and humiliated.
Madeline kept shooting looks at Natasha, but Natasha remainedpletely unfazed.
Just like Alexei let her call the shots at the Turner family, here at the rk family, Natasha was letting Alexei run the show.
Unable to take it anymore, Andrew stood up. “I’ll have someone bring the birthday cake.”
Alexei said in a low, cold voice, his expression unreadable, “Mr. rk, it’s not appropriate to bring out the cake meant for your adopted daughter’s engagement.”
Andrew froze, his face flushing red, then turning dark with embarrassment.
“No need to trouble yourself, Mr. rk. We’ve already got the cake covered,” Shawn said, grinning as he stepped forward.
With a p, a team of smiling staff wheeled in cart after cart, each loaded with cakes that looked almost too pretty to eat.
Someone muttered while staring at the never–ending parade of carts, “Wait, hold on. Aren’t we supposed to have just one cake?”
“One, two, three, four…” The carts quickly circled the rk family, trapping them right in the middle.
Someone curious had already counted. “Seventeen cakes. But why seventeen?”
The guests started whispering and guessing, while the rk family, surrounded and on disy, looked absolutely stricken.
‘Why seventeen?‘ Andrew thought, panic rising.
Back when Emilia Sutton had her ident, Natasha was just six. At the memorial three days ago, she turned twenty–three.
5:12 pm <fn438c> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n Find[?]ovel</fn438c>
She had missed seventeen birthdays.