“Teri, we can’t leave.” Chloe was expressionless.
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The three Westwood brothers were all in trouble. As Isaac’s daughter, her exit was also restricted. If she tried to escape by other means, Alexei’s people would apprehend her and forcibly bring her back before she even reached the airport.
All escape routes werepletely cut off.
No one in the Westwood family could escape this reckoning.
Teri’s expression was dazed. After a long while, she slowly bent her knees, half- knelt on the ground, clutched her heart, and cried bitterly.
Here and now, with no outsiders present, only Chloe, she finally sumbed to the fear and vulnerability she had suppressed for days.
“I regret it, I regret it, I truly regret it.” Tears streamed down her face, and her body trembled violently.
She had harmed the Westwood family, her brother and sister–inw, and the children of the next generation. <fne75f> Content originallyes from f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fne75f>
They had bright futures and prominent family backgrounds, destined to be the world’s admired elite, continuing to thrive on the foundationid by their
ancestors.
‘It’s all ruined now, and it’s all my own doing,‘ she thought.
Teri cried her heart out.
Chloe embraced her with a heavy heart.
She dared not tell her family that Alexei’s violent retaliation might have stemmed
from her attempt to have the kidnappers abduct Natasha.
Like Teri, she paid a heavy price in this life for “love.”
She was plunged into deep confusion.
15:45 <b>Sat</b>, Sep 6
…
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With only Teri, the wife of Dereck, left in any position of influence, and even she powerless, was the Westwood family truly finished like this?
She would rather remain mad and foolish forever than soberly face such a future.
Overwhelmed with fatigue, she even began to resent those who insisted on waking
her.
*****
Alexei and Natasha were aware of Teri and Chloe’s efforts to find connections and
save their family.
“Those people are too busy hiding; how would they dare to offer help? I heard Isaac’s verdict ising out soon. However, Mr. Turner’s move has indeed intimidated many people; they’re secretly calling him ‘Yama Turner“,” Sadie quipped, whom Natasha had called to be a model.
The Westwoods weren’t minor yers, yet such a powerful and established n was silently uprooted by Alexei.
While most people felt the Westwood family deserved it, some believed they were merely unlucky to have provoked Alexei.
Natasha said tly, “Unlucky? What are you talking about? Although Alexei sent them in, they brought it upon themselves. If the Westwood family hadn’t been greedy and left evidence, how would they have fallen into the trap? Alexei is at most a righteous citizen who rooted out evil for the people.”
Natasha slowly colored the portrait.
Those who now sympathize with the unfortunate Westwood family have forgotten that twenty years ago, Unity and Alexei also lived a life worse than death.
Moreover, their crimes were far from limited to this.
Sadie shuddered, “Alright, alright, you’repletely biased when ites to your man anyway.”
She defend him so fiercely even against the slightestment.
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Natasha would praise him blindly, gushing about how handsome, great, and powerful he was.
But, in Sadie’s opinion, those gossiping had too much time on their hands.
“You two should take it easy,” Sadie said sharply, spotting the marks revealed under Natasha’s cor when she leaned forward.
Judging by the density and intensity of these hickeys, was Alexei nning to devour Natasha whole?
Natasha covered her chest, a rare look of embarrassment appearing on her face.
Lately, Alexei had been especially clingy. The two of them had been a bit wild, but she couldn’t help it; she simply couldn’t resist the allure of a shameless person.
Her gaze darted around as she changed the subject, “Un, so, how’s your family doingtely?”
When her troublesome family matters were brought up, Sadie sneered, “Same old. My ‘good‘ stepmother probably figured it out. Although the old man is muddle–headed, he wouldn’t hand over the family business to an outsider without blood ties. Sotely, she’s changed her strategy, coaxing him in all sorts of ways, just trying to cash out as much as possible.”
Natasha fell silent for a moment.
Because of her rtionship with Sadie, she often visited the Torres estate. That stepmother had some tricks up her sleeve; a few words, and Leo would be wrapped around her finger.
Every day, watching their middle–aged romance drama, Natasha could understand Sadie’s disgust.
Natasha said, “Still, be careful. Overt moves are one thing, but watch out for underhanded tricks.”
Sadie waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine, I’m almost finished. Once I get all the shares, I’ll send the old man to a nursing home. If that woman and her son are truly so devoted, I’ll pack them up and send them there too.”
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Besides, her rtionship with Natasha was her greatest asset.
Nova and her son likely understood this, hence the change in strategy.
Natasha could only nod. “If you need anything, just say so.”
“Rest assured, I won’t stand on ceremony with you.”
A knock sounded at the door just as thest stroke waspleted.
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Outside the painting studio, Alexei called them downstairs for dinner, having finished cooking.
Sadie, sitting on the chair, stretched and rolled her neck. “I’ll skip dinner. I have <i>a </i>meeting with a business partner shortly. Keep thatst portrait for me.”
Natasha said, “Okay, I’ll frame it for you.”
Going downstairs, Sadie saw a spread of appealing dishes on the dining table, enough for three people.
Even though he was often jealous of Sadie, Natasha cherished her, so Alexei never treated Sadie coldly. Though he might grumble about her taking Natasha’s time, whenever Sadie visited, he made sure they had private space. At the dinner table, he would even formally treat her like Natasha’s family.
Sadie smiled contentedly.
It didn’t matter how terrifying outsiders described Alexei; he was genuinely devoted to Natasha.
Compared to Lucas, who used to scold her from time to time, Alexei was quite eptable.
As she walked out the front door, she nced back.
Inside, through the French windows, Alexei, now alone with Natasha since Sadie hadn’t stayed for dinner, skillfully lifted Natasha onto hisp. He intimately embraced her, peeling shrimp for her,pletely unconcerned about being overly affectionate.
Natasha, too, looked natural, happily epting his feeding.
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The pleasant atmosphere made Sadie smile knowingly.
Sadie shook her head. “The rk family is truly unlucky!
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They lost such a good daughter in Natasha, and now they couldn’t enjoy even a bit of the benefits of such a son–inw.
Given Alexei’s protective nature, he was considerate even to Natasha’s best friend. If the rk family had treated Natasha well back then, they would have prospered long ago.
*****
The rk family, mocked by Sadie for their poor judgment, was indeed
overwhelmed.
After the bankruptcy, the various parties piling on their misfortunes seemed trivial; the debt was the truly fatal blow.
They had originally hoped that selling the patent could alleviate some pressure, but Olivia ruined that.
They were once Natasha’s family, so Alexei did not intend to drive them to ruin.
Those creditors received a hint. While their attitude was poor, their methods weren’t overly extreme.
However, such arge sum meant their family would have to keep repaying debts until they were fully cleared.
For the rk family, who were ustomed to a wealthy lifestyle, it was nothing short of a prolonged torment.
Madeline suffered repeated setbacks, was in poor health, and had to take medicine every day.
Andrew, at his age, has no choice but to start over from scratch.
Noel never imagined that, as graduation approached, what he would be most anxious about would be earning a living.
ording to his original n, he would either continue his studies abroad or live
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a carefree life without working, but certainly not scrambling and racking his brain for <i>a </i>few thousand dors.
He was afraid to face the pressures of life, even afraid to leave his house.