Thomas, closest to the chaos, grabbed Natasha’s arm and yanked her back hard to keep her from going full psycho.
Her waist slammed into the cabinet, right on yesterday’s bruise. She let out a sharp hiss, but it got swallowed by everyone’s gasps. Nobody gave a damn.
All eyes were glued to Olivia’s face. Noel, her brother, shot Natasha a look that could kill before bolting for the first–aid kit.
Lucas and Madeline hovered around Olivia, fussing over her like she was fragile porcelain.
Olivia, still reeling from the slap, thought, ‘That little punk actually hit me!‘
Natasha had always been all talk, never throwing hands. In their family spats, Olivia always came out on top, cool and smug.,
She’d never taken a hit like this.
What is Natasha’s deal today?‘ she wondered.
Fuming inside, Olivia played the wounded card. “Natasha, I know you can’t stand me, but what’d I do this time?”
Andrew’s eyes nearly bugged out. “Why the hell’d you smack your sister?”
Natasha smirked. “Why’d you smack me?
“Swing first, then point fingers. Didn’t I learn that from you guys?”
Andrew flashed back to the slap he’d landed earlier but was still livid. “I hit you ‘cause you paid some goon to ram your sister’s car! You gonna play innocent? Is this what I raised you for? Hurting family, breaking laws, and not even sorry?”
“Paid someone?” Natasha’s mind jumped to Olivia’s crash last night. She let out a sharp laugh. “Where’s the proof?”
Andrew jabbed a finger at her. “Proof? The driver who hit Olivia already spilled–you paid him. If Olivia wasn’t so forgiving, you’d be in cuffs right now, you hear me?”
“So, just the driver’s word. No real evidence.” Natasha’s voice cut like a knife.
Olivia jumped in, voice soft but calculated. “Natasha, I didn’t know you hated me this much. If I’m the problem, I’ll leave the Clark family, ditch town, vanish for good. Just stop messing up because of me. Stop fighting Mom and Dad. This house? It’s yours.”
Natasha snorted. “Real cute. If you wanted to bounce, you’d already be gone.”
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7:36 pm
Chapter 4
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“What’s that supposed to mean?” Andrew roared, practically shaking. “Olivia’s only here because of you. You got some nerve trying to kick her out.”
Natasha’s lips clamped shut. The comeback she wanted to spit stayed stuck in her throat. Because, yeah, she had no defense.
Olivia’s mom died because of her. That guilt was a rock crushing her for years, stealing her parents, her brother, her home, her future. She was the villain, so she deserved to eat dirt and pay.
Noel stormed back with the first–aid kit, glaring at his pale–faced sister. “If anyone’s leaving, it’s you, Natasha. Having a sister this toxic is straight–up embarrassing. You were always shady, but now you’re out here committing crimes.”
Thomas, frowning, added, “Natasha, apologize to Olivia.”
Natasha took a deep breath. “I’m not owning up to something I didn’t do.”
Andrew raised his hand to swing again, but she dodged quick.
She turned to Madeline and Lucas, who’d been silent. “You think I did it too, huh?”
Nothing. She gave a bitter chuckle. “Figures.”
She yanked out her phone, dialed a number she knew by heart, and said, “If I’m guilty, let the cops figure it out, not you guys pinning BS on me with no proof. I’m not taking that fall.”
The Clark family froze, jaws on the floor. She actually called the cops.
Andrew flopped onto the couch, huffing like he’d just run a marathon. Olivia, icing her face, let a flicker of panic slip across her eyes.
“Family drama stays in the family,” Andrew snapped. “Your sister was big enough to let it slide, but you wanna make a scene? Fine. Clean up your own mess.”
Thomas paused, then added, “If they nail you, we are not bailing you out. Hope you’re ready.”
Even now, they didn’t think they’d wronged her. They just figured she was cocky, calling the cops because she thought they’d find nothing.
What a piece of work.
The room shared a vibe: if they couldn’t straighten Natasha out, maybe the police would.
Lucas stepped up, grabbing her wrist. “Say sorry to Olivia. If she drops it, this all blows over.”
Noel piled on. “Yeah, you just slapped her for no reason. Apologize already.”
Natasha’s laugh dripped with sarcasm. “Those slaps? One was for Dad hitting me over her. The other was for her sending thugs after me yesterday. I’ve got my reasons, clear as day. Why should I
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7:36 pm
Chapter 4
grovel?”
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Madeline’s eyes screamed disappointment. “First, you’re tied to the car crash driver, now you’re accusing Olivia of hiring goons? Natasha, you owe her. She lost her mom because of you.
“You don’t have to worship her, but don’t stab her in the back. You’ve been screwing up for years.”
No one asked about Natasha’s night. No one cared if she was hurt.
People with their minds set? Good luck changing them.
Natasha’s smile was cold as ice. “Yup, that’s me. Total dirtbag. Took you a decade to see it, huh?”
As she started going at it with her parents again, Lucas cut in. “Natasha, if this is about me, I swear- there’s nothing between me and Olivia. Don’t torch your future over this. Just say sorry, and we’re good.”
They all figured Natasha pulled the driver stunt because she got the wrong idea about Lucas and Olivia, thinking Olivia was in their way.
Lucas and Natasha grew up together, dated for three years, but their engagement kept getting delayed–partly because of Olivia, though not how Natasha thought.
To them, the old Natasha was all sweetness and innocence. They just couldn’t wrap their heads around why she didn’t see it that way anymore–or why she kept getting into it with her sister over every little thing.
Natasha looked at her so–called boyfriend, the guy who used to shield her from everything. Now, she’d lost count of how many times he’d taken Olivia’s side.
“No way,” she said, firm as steel. “If I take the rap for hiring a hitman, my life’s done.”
And just like that, a day after walking out of the police station, Natasha dragged the whole Clark family back in, stirring up a storm like nobody’s business.
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