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“Are you truly still missing Byron?” Edgar scoffed, his clouded yet discerning eyes sweeping
over everyone present.
Everyone unconsciously sat up straight.
Edgar nced at the indifferent Alexei and Natasha, and the silent Avery and Archer, a hint o sorrow appearing in his eyes.
He asked, “Can every one of you honestly im to have not yed a role in Byron’s death?”
He thought, ‘Yes, back then, only Minerva was proven to be associated with this matter.
‘But is that truly the whole truth?‘ <fn6> For original chapters go to Find★Novel</fn6>
He added, “Since you were so ruthless back then, don’t pretend to be speaking up for Byron now. Don’t assume I don’t know your true intentions.”
The incidents from the past were already too intertwined to make sense of.
On the other hand, Avery’s family had been seperated from the Turner family for nearly thirty years, never benefiting from them in the slightest.
Compared to his siblings who enjoyed a life of luxury, Avery had suffered enough to atone
for his sins.
Edgar leaned on his cane, his voice cold. “My mind is made up. If you disagree, then hand over what you have.”
Everyone fell silent, not daring to speak.
For a moment, they genuinely thought Edgar might have learned the truth.
Minerva watched with cold indifference as the entire family descended into chaos, then
scoffed.
She thought, ‘I won’t fight for the Turner family’s assets, but why should I refuse when Edgar
wants to offer some to me??
‘Even if Archer doesn’t want it, donating it to charity is better than letting these ungrateful people take it instead!
Archer, the other target of everyone’s jealous res, remainedposed.
This was his first time caught in the vortex of a prominent family, yet he felt nothing out of
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the ordinary.
He only felt that this was truly not a ce where free spirits could thrive.
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His eyes swept over Alexei and Natasha’s sped hands and Natasha’s swollen, red lips before he averted his gaze.
After an unpleasant family meeting concluded that evening, Archer chose not to stay.
As they exited the Turner Mansion, their car passed Alexei’s car, which was carrying Natasha, and they drove off in opposite directions.
Archer stared at the receding, gradually shrinking car in the rearview mirror, recalling the news he received shortly after leaving the open–air garden.
Funding for the Arnatar project was halved, while the research progress was extended indefinitely.
Heughed helplessly.
He thought, ‘That person really is…!
Minerva gently knocked on his seat from behind.
Archer’s smile faded slightly, and he withdrew his gaze from the car’s rearview mirror.
He drove off into the night, heading towards his predetermined direction without turning back.
*****
Perhaps Alexei’s resentment was too strong regarding other men upying too much of Natasha’s past.
A few days after Lane’s funeral, Natasha actually received an invitation from an old acquaintance.
Someone initiated and organized a high school ss reunion.
It was a two–day event, held at the Mount Misty Hotel, where they used to have team- building activities.
Because of Olivia, Natasha wasn’t very popr in high school and had no interest in catching up with a group of semi–familiar acquaintances.
However, when she saw that the message mentioned that ire Hartley would also be there,
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she hesitated.
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Alexei sat beside her, openly peeking at her screen, practically seething with jealousy.
He asked, “Who is ire Hartley?”
He thought, ‘Great, one after another, it never ends, does it?‘
His gaze was menacing, as if he could stare right through the screen.
The fact that the other person could use this man to entice Natasha to attend showed that person held some significance in Natasha’s heart.
He scoffed internally, then said, “I’ll go with you.”
Natasha asked, “Aren’t you going to Stieca for a business trip?”
She was the one who booked his ne tickets.
He was actually meant to leave much earlier, but he seemed to have separation anxiety.
Since Natasha wanted to focus on painting at home and didn’t want to go out, his departure was repeatedly dyed.
Shawn changed his flights multiple times for him. Finally, he had no choice but to y his trump card, asking Natasha to help book the ticket.
If Alexei dared to repeatedly ask Natasha to rebook the tickets for him, he would only be met with a p.
Shawn had already figured out the dynamics between Alexei and Natasha.
As expected, Alexei didn’t cause any more trouble until it was almost time to leave.
Alexei was indeed stumped by the question. “I can…”
Natasha smiled at him.
Alexei, anxious and dejected, hugged her. “I want to take you with me.”
Natasha leaned back, avoiding his tickle–like kisses. “Be good, I’ll be back soon.”
Alexei gently kissed her soft cheek. “Who is ire then?”
She raised a sly smile. “ire is a great person.”
“Natasha!”
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“Lower your head,” she told the exasperated Alexei.
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Alexei was lying on top of her on the sofa, sulked as he obediently lowered his head.
A rose–scented kissnded on his lips, and a low, soft voice, like a whisper, sounded in his ear. “It’s a girl, and really, no one is as good as you.”
The corners of Alexei’s tense mouth couldn’t help but curl upwards.
He asked, “Natasha, why are you so good at baiting?”
She asked, “What?”
“How else would you be so good at baiting me?”
Natasha burst outughing, then Alexei tried to kiss her again.
She said, “No, my mouth still hurts…”
Alexei insisted, “Sweetheart, just give me five minutes.”
*****
The invitation, which served as a yful catalyst for them, became an infuriating trigger elsewhere.
The invitation wasn’t clear, and the person who ryed the message to Natasha didn’t exin it in detail either.
This time, the event’s participants weren’t only students from their ss.
Olivia and Lucas, who were two grades above them, were also invited.
It was unclear who yed such a cruel trick, but they even sent an invitation to Olivia, who was in prison.
Olivia stared at the exquisite invitation in her hand, utterly out of ce in the bleak prison.
Her much–thinner face twisted in a hideous grimace. After a piercing scream, she furiously tore the invitation to shreds, then ripped all the bedding from her bunk, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it wildly.
It was as if she were trampling all those who had bullied and mocked her underfoot.
She thought, ‘All of them are bitches.
‘Didn’t the rk family say that no one would know about my imprisonment when they
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visited me?
‘So why are these people still taunting me right now?’
High school was one of her most glorious periods.
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She humiliated Natasha constantly during that time, though Natasha was actually the blood daughter of the rk family.
Natasha ended up being overshadowed and insignificant. Everyone knew she was the one who caused Olivia’s mother’s death.
Olivia thought, ‘What if Natasha got first ce? No one cared anyway.
‘She could only huddle in her small room, clutching her trophy. No one cared even when she had a high fever.
‘I should be the one at the top, adored by everyone, and shining brightly.
‘Why should I be trapped and suffer in this prison cell?
‘In just over a month, I lost my healthy left leg, my reputation and dignity, suffered extreme humiliation, and felt that life was worse than death.
‘How dare they happily hold a party out there?‘
Her wild outburst even caused the two adjacent beds to suffer, leaving them trampled, dirty, and sshed with water.
The inmates who had just returned frombor to rest were instantly enraged.
One of them said, “Fuck! Olivia, you still think you’re some rich youngdy? How dare you throw a tantrum in the cell?<b>” </b>
Countless punches and kicks came raining down on her.
Dragging her injured leg<i>, </i>Olivia skillfully screamed and dodged while endlessly cursing in her heart.
She thought, “The rk family is a bunch of trash.
‘If they can reduce my sentence, why can’t they transfer me to another prison, rather than just watching me suffer here?
‘Is it because Natasha has found a powerful connection? Or is it that they think I have lost my value?
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‘What a joke. How could Natasha ever turn back to them now?
“They will never be able to get rid of me!’
Olivia’s heart was aze with fierce anger, hatred searing through her.
She had held resentments towards the rk family and the heartless Lucas.
Lucas had not visited her since her imprisonment.
She had actually misunderstood him.
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Olivia was responsible for Natasha losing her dreams in a car ident. Lucas, out of gratitude for Roderick Watson saving his life, had helped Olivia onest time, despite being put in a dilemma.
This way, Lucas believed that he had settled his ount with Oliviapletely. Additionally, the rk family had still sent people to take care of Olivia.
Considering her background and the nature of her crimes, Olivia could easily be transferred to a morefortable private cell.
However, with Ramona exerting her influence, no one dared to actually help Olivia.
Not only did they carry out Ramona’s order and break Olivia’s leg, but they also ignored the rk family’s requests.
On top of that, Alexei specially arranged for people to make sure Olivia suffered in prison. Therefore, Olivia’s prison life was truly miserable.
The rk family only noticed her condition deteriorating and growing increasingly hysterical.
Though they were unaware of the true situation, they inevitably grew increasingly annoyed
with her.
The rk family, originally harmonious apart from Natasha, grew increasingly estranged.
Meanwhile, Lucas received a party invitation from his ssmates, along with his mother’s announcement that he had to go on a blind date.
Lucas looked at her in shock. “Mom, are you crazy?”