Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Thomas pursed his lips. “Not really good.”
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Natasha went on, “Remember when I was in eighth grade? The roses Olivia planted in the garden withered, and she cried so hard. So you scolded me and made me replant them under the scorching sun.
“And that New Year’s dance party? Olivia’s dance shoes got ruined, and the moment I stepped into the backstage, you forced me to throw mine away too. That day, neither of us got to perform.
“In freshman year, during the family trip, I got lost and finally stumbled back after hours–only for you to claim I’d lured Olivia out till she collapsed…”
There were countless unresolved incidents, but these were the ones where Natasha was clearly wronged.
The roses were pulled out by some relative’s mischievous kid. The dance shoes were sabotaged by someone jealous of Olivia. Olivia fainted because Noel took her to ride extreme amusement park rides in secret…
With every ugly truth laid bare, Thomas just stood there, mouth hanging open. ‘Had Natasha really endured so much unfairness without anyone noticing?‘ he wondered.
“Every time, you never gave me a chance to explain. No room for defense, no place to hide—just endless accusations and punishments,” Natasha added.
“That’s because you were always at odds with Olivia…” Thomas mumbled.
“In kindergarten, when I fought with the chubby kid next to me, the teacher called the parents. You rushed over from the elementary school next door and said your little sister would never be in the wrong. If I disliked someone, it must’ve been their fault.”
Right or wrong didn’t matter much. A biased heart would always justify its own stance.
Natasha stared at him, her beautiful eyes glistening with tears. “Thomas, when I was little, you used to protect me like that, too.”
Thomas, who had come to confront her, fled in a panic without even demanding that Natasha call off the phone harassment.
Natasha watched her older brother scramble away like a spooked rabbit. The heartbroken look she’d worn just seconds earlier slipped right off her face, replaced by a cool, blank mask.
‘See? I knew how to play weak and cry, too.
I just never did it because what’s the point of love you have to fight for? What Olivia stole was the unwavering, unconditional favor I should’ve had from my family,‘ she said to herself.
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Chapter 19
“You’re upset?” A large hand touched her eyes.
Alexei had been standing by the door for who knew how long.
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Natasha held onto his hand, preventing him from moving. “It’s fine now. No one will disturb us for the next few days.”
Thomas’s guilt was enough to make him persuade his family to give her some peace.
As for the online hate orders Alexei had arranged for her, she wasn’t planning to stop them either.
Someone was spending money and time to help her vent–why would she refuse just because she felt soft toward those who hurt her? Even if the helper might have ulterior motives.
With the Clark family out of the picture, Natasha and Alexei officially started their homebody life.
Natasha was now a freelance artist. After her foot injury ended her dancing career, she focused entirely on painting.
She was grateful she’d never told anyone in the Clark family about her art–otherwise, she might’ve ended up with a hand injury too.
With an extra patient in the house, Natasha’s former nocturnal lifestyle was forcibly adjusted.
Early to bed, early to rise, then a morning walk to grab breakfast. Mornings were for work and painting, while afternoons were for Alexei cooking and Natasha reluctantly helping.
If they were in a good mood at night, they might watch a movie together; otherwise, they’d each do their own thing.
Two strangers, yet somehow living like an old couple.
Luckily, one hated going out, and the other couldn’t–so neither found it boring.
She might not leave the house, but Sadie updated her daily on the outside drama.
After the proposal incident, Sadie had stewed in anger. Initially hesitant because Natasha liked Lucas, she’d held back–but once her girl dumped him without hesitation, she was ready to gather a crew and beat up the trash couple.
Before she could even plan it, news broke that Olivia had been hospitalized after a beating.
Sadie laughed so hard she laughed at her phone for half an hour in the middle of the night.
Hearing that Olivia couldn’t dance as the lead anymore, Sadie seized the moment, investing in the dance troupe to push Olivia’s rival.
While Olivia was recovering, Sadie snatched up every resource she could.
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And of course, she couldn’t resist a hospital visit to mock her, leaving Olivia fuming.
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So, while Natasha and Alexei were enjoying their peaceful days, Olivia was having a rough time.
What made it even more infuriating was that Thomas had clearly said he was going to confront Natasha that day, but when he came back, he seemed distracted. No one knew what he said to Mr. and Mrs. Clark, but he never mentioned punishing Natasha again.
The whole family stayed holed up at home, forced to go without their phones for three whole days.
If it had just been about letting it slide, that would’ve been one thing. But what truly terrified Olivia was that the Clark family’s attitude toward Natasha started to soften.
After the initial anger, both Andrew and Madeline vaguely realized that Natasha’s reaction had been unprecedentedly intense. If things kept going this way, she would only drift further away.
Besides, Natasha was old enough now. Whether as the Clark family’s daughter or the future Mrs. Wright, it was time for her to step into the public eye.
Over the years, Natasha had rarely appeared in public. Most people had only heard about the rebellious second daughter of the Clark family but had no idea what she actually looked like.
Some didn’t even know the Clark family had another daughter besides Olivia. That just didn’t seem right.
Listening to Mr. and Mrs. Clark discuss throwing a belated birthday party for Natasha this using it as a chance to introduce their younger daughter to the world–Olivia clenched the
bedsheets.
year-
Because Natasha’s birthday was also the anniversary of Emilia’s death, she hadn’t celebrated it since
she was six.
Birthday parties had always been exclusive to the Clark brothers and Olivia.
This time, the Clark family planned to hold the party three days after paying respects to Emilia.
Olivia’s eyes burned with bitterness when she thought of Natasha’s rose–in–full–bloom face and that unbroken spine that hadn’t bowed after decades of her pressure.
She had gotten to where she was today because of her mother’s life, but Natasha–the one responsible–why did she get to live happily?
Watching the Clark family cheerfully discussing party details, Olivia suddenly smiled.
The reflection of her phone screen showed a face twisted with malice, “Can’t sever family ties? Then let me help you end it for good, Natasha, I’ll give you a birthday party you’ll never forget.”
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On the other side, Sadie was also worriedly talking to Natasha about Emilia’s death anniversary.
“Natasha, are you really going back?”
Natasha’d had such a bad fallout with her family this year. Given Olivia’s scheming nature, she definitely wouldn’t pass up the chance to stir trouble for Natasha.
“Yeah. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
“No need. I can handle it myself. If anything comes up, I’ll call you.”
Sadie had a fiery temper; if any conflict broke out, she’d be the first to jump in.
Natasha could bear the reputation of being ungrateful and disobedient, but she didn’t want Sadie to get dragged into it and earn the same bad name for disrespecting elders.
That’d just hand her stepmother and stepbrother in the Torres family more ammunition.
Natasha insisted, so Sadie could only repeatedly remind her to be careful and not fall into Olivia’s
It was just a trip home, but she made it sound like Natasha was about to walk into a lion’s den.
trap.
Natasha patiently agreed while feeling warm inside.
