Chapter 1

"Matt, you're marrying Nat in a few days. What about me?"

"Don't worry. I've got everything planned. I paid a fortune for a traditional wedding. All you have to do is put on the veil and marry into the Foster family in Natasha's place.

"Once the ceremony has completed, even if my dad favors Natasha as his daughter-in-law, he won't risk the family's reputation to stand up for her."

On the phone screen, the surveillance footage showed Matthew Foster and Nicole Bradley tangled up on the bed, half-naked. They were breathing heavily between their conversations. The scene was so obscene that it would make anyone watching blush.

"Shameless bastards!"

Natasha Bradley's best friend, Liana Gray, gritted her teeth.

"Nat, let's storm that hotel together. We'll strip those cheaters and drag them out onto the street for everyone to see!"

She shoved the car door open as she spoke. However, Natasha grabbed her arm when she was about to get out.

"Liana, I'll go alone." Natasha's tone was ice-cold.

She never imagined that the man who once risked his life to save her would one day team up with her half-sister to set her up.

"Liana, bring the reporters over once I'm inside!" She was going to ruin this pair personally.

Seeing how determined Natasha was, Liana didn't argue further. She patted her chest confidently and said, "Don't worry, Nat. I got this."

"Great."

Natasha stepped out of the car. The vibrant red of her dress billowed around her as she walked, a stark contrast to the phalanx of black-clad bodyguards behind her. Her presence was commanding.

With a loud thud, the bodyguard kicked the hotel door open.

The room was a mess.

Clothes were scattered everywhere, and rose petals covered the bed and floor. The air was heavy with the scent of sex.

On the bed, Matthew scrambled to cover himself and the woman beside him with a blanket. "Natasha? Why are you here?"

Natasha smiled coldly, a flicker of pain in her eyes. She'd prepared herself for the worst, but seeing it with her own eyes still made her heart ache.

Her gaze shifted to the woman hiding behind Matthew. Her red lips curved into a cold, mocking smile.

"My dear sister climbs into my fiancé's bed before our wedding. Do you think I wouldn't show up for a show this dramatic?"

Having already been caught, Nicole made no further attempt to conceal herself. She then peered out from behind Matthew's shoulder.

Her fair cheeks were flushed from sex, but her tearful eyes were full of grievance.

"Nat, Matt and I truly love each other. Please let us be together!"

"Truly love each other?" Natasha was disgusted by her words.

Matthew had dated her for seven years. He'd always played the perfect gentleman who was kind, considerate, and loving. And now, Nicole suddenly became his true love right before the wedding,

"Nicole Bradley! Since we were kids, you've always loved fighting with me over toys, clothes, and jewelry. I let it all go. But I never thought you'd steal my man too! How shameless can you be?"

Matthew's expression twisted with anger when he heard Nicole being called out.

"Natasha, don't go too far! You're the one who has no fun. You never even let me touch you in all these years…"

"So that's why you slept with my sister? You couldn't wait to replace me?" she cut him off, her eyes filled with coldness and disappointment.

The perfect gentleman she thought he was turned out to be just another man who couldn't control himself. She had to be blind to fall for someone like him.

With things completely exposed, Nicole dropped the act too.

She looked at Natasha with a sneer and said sweetly, "Nat, stop clinging to Matt. You lost your mom early, and you're dull. Dad never even liked you. I'm the one who grew up pampered in the Bradley family. Of course I'm the better match for Matt."

Nicole's mother was her stepmother. Natasha had lived like an outsider her whole life.

Her father only cared about Nicole and her mom. He never treated Natasha well.

Outsiders thought she was the well-loved heiress of the Bradley family. However, behind closed doors, she was treated like a stray. Her status in the family was sometimes even lower than that of the housekeepers.

That was why Nicole dared to seduce her fiancé so brazenly and taunt her without fear.

If Matthew's father, Steven Foster, hadn't liked Natasha and insisted on this marriage, Nicole and Matthew wouldn't even have needed to scheme in secret. They would've openly pushed her aside by now.

"Is that so? Then why don't you say all that in front of the reporters?"

Natasha's lips curved into a smirk, but it didn't reach her eyes.

As soon as she spoke, a crowd of reporters rushed in. Flashbulbs exploded like fireworks, catching every detail in the room.

"You…"

Who the hell would bring the reporters to catch a cheating couple? Did she really want the whole world to know that she was being cheated?

He pulled Nicole close and shouted at Natasha, "Did you really have to go this far?"

"Did I go too far? You're the one who betrayed me. You're the one who slept with my sister before our wedding. And now I'm the one going too far?"

Tears welled in Natasha's eyes as she stared into the cameras. She played the heartbroken fiancée to perfection.

"Matthew, I must've been blind to fall for someone like you. I'm calling off the wedding. We're done!"

With that, she turned and walked away without looking back.

"Natasha…"

Matthew tried to get up and explain. However, the blanket slipped down his chest, nearly exposing both of them in a naked state.

Even so, the cameras had been shoved right in his face.

Everyone knew about the engagement between the Bradley and the Foster family. The invitations had been sent. Canceling the wedding now would disgrace the Foster family.

Outside, the hotel lobby was ablaze with lights and noise. It was full of people. But as Natasha walked through the crowd, a cold emptiness spread through her chest.

No matter how calm she looked, she couldn't stop the pain from seeping into every part of her.

Seven years of love and trust had just turned out to be a joke.

Just then, a tall figure brushed past her. A light scent of cologne mixed with tobacco drifted past her nose. It was clean and restrained, yet oddly familiar.

Her head snapped up, her gaze catching the sharp angle of his jaw and the smooth line of his profile.

Suddenly, a memory from ten years ago came rushing back. In the pouring rain, she had fallen into the lake by accident.

She thrashed and cried out for help, but her strength was quickly fading. Just as she was on the verge of losing consciousness, a strong arm pulled her out of the lake.

She vaguely remembered that the man had been wearing a black shirt that had been completely soaked through. Rain dripped from his hair, blurring his features.

Back then, she thought Matthew had saved her. That was why she fell for him at first sight when they met again in university. She approached him and gave him her heart.

However, why did that man just now feel so familiar?

Could it be…

Before she could think it through, she took off after him.

"Wait!"

Chapter 2

Natasha couldn't tell if the man hadn't heard her or simply didn't care. He turned and stepped into the elevator without looking back.

By the time Natasha caught up, the doors were already sliding shut. Just before they closed completely, she locked eyes with the man inside.

Her heart skipped a beat.

His deep eyes, dark and seemingly infinite like a star-strewn night, held a subtle hint of tenderness.

At that moment, he looked just like the man who had pulled her from the lake all those years ago.

Could it really be him?

Natasha rushed to press the elevator button, but the rising numbers on the display crushed her hopes without mercy.

The elevator stopped on the 28th floor. That was Matthew's floor.

"Nat, what's wrong?"

Liana had come looking for her after noticing she hadn't left the hotel. She was puzzled when she found Natasha staring blankly at the elevator.

"Are you okay? You look pale."

Natasha snapped back to herself and took a deep breath.

Suppressing the turmoil in her chest, she pointed at the elevator. "Liana, did you see the man who just went in?"

Liana thought for a second.

"Yeah! I was in the car and saw Matthew's uncle, Zachary, storming over. I was afraid you'd be bullied, so I ran after him. Why? Did you run into him?"

Natasha didn't answer. She looked stunned. Could that man be Zachary Foster? The new head of Foster Group?

He was known as a ruthless and decisive man who, in just a few years, brought the crumbling company back to the top of the industry.

Even after dating Matt for seven years, she'd barely caught a glimpse of his elusive uncle. Zachary was all about work. He was either buried in the office or overseas negotiating deals.

She'd tried to visit him a few times, but it never worked out.

People said Zachary was Matthew's uncle, but the former was only five years older. The two looked remarkably alike, so much so that strangers often mistook them for brothers.

A chilling possibility arose. What if the man who had rescued her all those years ago was Zachary, not Matthew?

Once that thought entered her mind, it refused to leave. If that were true, everything she'd done over the past seven years would have been a complete joke.

Back in the car, Natasha pulled up the Foster Group's official website on her tablet.

But aside from a brief bio, there wasn't a single photo of Zachary.

She scrolled for a long time before finally finding an image from a gala event.

He was wearing a tailored black suit. His features were sharp and defined, his lips pressed into a thin line. He radiated an aloof, untouchable air.

It was just a blurry side profile, but even that overlapped with the face from that stormy night in her memories.

Outside, the city lights flickered. Their reflections danced across her pale face.

"Liana, do you believe in fate?"

Her voice was hoarse, tinged with confusion. Through the rearview mirror, she caught a glimpse of Natasha's hollow expression. She opened her mouth to speak but said nothing.

Natasha had mistaken Matthew for the man who saved her for seven years. She had approached him, gotten to know him, and fallen in love with him.

And now, all seemed to turn into a joke.

Natasha sighed. "Liana, drive me to the beach. I need some air."

They sat by the beach for a while before the ocean breeze finally calmed her mind.

Judging from what she saw between Matthew and Nicole, it was obvious they hadn't just started messing around. This had been going on for a while.

She had only herself to blame for being so blind. Because of that so-called life-saving debt, she'd fallen head over heels for Matthew and never once questioned anything.

She might still be in the dark if she hadn't received that anonymous email a few days ago, which contained intimate photos of that shameless pair. She would be tricked until she was left with nothing.

By the time they returned to the Bradley residence, it was almost midnight.

The living room was lit up like daylight, but the atmosphere was suffocating.

Her father, Henry Bradley, sat on the couch, face dark as thunder.

Nicole was curled up in their stepmother, Olivia Miller's arms, crying her heart out. Beside them, Matthew watched with evident concern. Meanwhile, Zachary occupied the head seat in her house.

Tall and imposing in a black suit, his sharp features radiated an unmatched, oppressive authority.

Natasha's heart pounded. Was he here to defend Matthew?

Zachary looked up, eyes locking on hers. His voice was cold, emotionless, and slicing like a blade.

"Matthew, get on your knees and apologize to Natasha."

Her brows furrowed slightly. Why did his voice sound so much like Jack's? However, his voice was deeper and steadier, with a hint of chilling authority.

Matthew went pale and nearly dropped to his knees.

However, he was the eldest son of the Foster family. How could he kneel to a woman? If this ever got out, he'd be a laughingstock.

"Not willing to kneel?" Zachary's voice was laced with enough pressure to make people tremble.

Matthew's legs gave out, but Nicole rushed to hold him up.

"Don't do this, Matt. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have fallen in love with you. I couldn't control myself. If anyone should kneel, it should be me!"

Tears streamed down her pretty face. She looked so pitiful that Matthew's heart ached. If he couldn't protect even the woman he loved, what kind of man was he?

He pulled Nicole into his arms and said painfully, "Nicole, I won't let you kneel."

"Matt…"

Nicole lifted her perfectly made-up face before turning her tearful gaze to Natasha.

"Nat, please, let us be together. Matt and I truly love each other."

But hidden behind those tears was a barely noticeable flicker of provocation.

Her fake, manipulative act made Natasha feel sick. Yet her pretty eyes showed no trace of anger. When she looked at Matthew again, the affection that used to fill her gaze was gone.

She swept her cold eyes over them both, her voice laced with biting sarcasm.

"You two can stop putting on a show. No matter who kneels, it doesn't change what already happened. We aren't even married yet. I'll just call off the engagement."

Seven years of devotion went down the drain just like that. She wasn't about to fight a dog for biting her. That would just be disgusting.

However, Olivia snapped when she heard Natasha's words.

"No! The engagement can't be called off!" Her shrill voice cut through the room.

"Everyone knows about this marriage arrangement between the Bradley and the Foster families. The invitations have already been sent. The wedding's in three days! If you cancel now, both families will become a laughingstock."

Natasha almost laughed at the absurdity. Were they expecting her to preserve their precious reputations even when she got cheated on?

If they cared that much, maybe Nicole shouldn't have climbed into her fiancé's bed.

Natasha raised a brow and looked at her with a smirk. "And what do you suggest, Olivia?"

Olivia paused, her eyes glinting. "We could just swap the bride."

Chapter 3

"It's absurd!" Natasha found it utterly ridiculous. "Isn't it more embarrassing to change the bride halfway?"

Henry, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.

He said in a deep voice, "Natasha, I think Olivia's right. If you hadn't made such a scene today, neither family would've suffered this disgrace.

"Mr. Foster has already dealt with the reporters, and Matthew is here to apologize to you. What more do you want? Do you really want to make this public and affect both families' stock prices?"

Natasha stared at Henry in disbelief, a chill spreading from the soles of her feet to her heart. She had always known he was biased, but she never imagined it would go this far. Given everything that went down, Henry had still held her accountable.

"Dad, am I just supposed to get cheated on and take it in silence?" she asked, taking a deep breath to hold back her fury.

"If that's the case, maybe you shouldn't have let Nicole seduce Matthew in the first place!"

"You…" Henry trembled angrily, raising his hand as if to slap her.

But the anticipated pain never came. A hand tightly grabbed his wrist.

Standing protectively behind Natasha, Zachary looked at Henry with his cold, abyss-like eyes. His voice carried an undeniable authority.

"Mr. Bradley, is this how you educate your family? No wonder Nicole turned out the way she did!"

Henry winced in pain, wondering what Zachary meant by this. Was Natasha really more important than the reputations and stock prices of both families?

Natasha stood behind Zachary, momentarily stunned. That silhouette looked just like the one Jack had posted on his Instagram.

Was Jack and Zachary the same person?

Before she could dwell on it, Henry's obsequious voice echoed through the room.

"Mr. Foster, please don't be angry. This is all our fault. We will definitely give you a proper explanation."

Zachary sneered, his tone laced with mockery.

"Explanation? Your so-called explanation is to sacrifice one daughter for the sake of the other? If this is how the Bradley family handles things, then maybe there's no need for this engagement at all.

"Who's to say you won't betray us in the future for some other benefit? After all, it's just a dispute between your two daughters. If we stick to the story that Nicole drugged Matthew to climb her way up, it won't harm our reputation even if we call off the wedding."

Everyone in the Bradley family turned pale.

Nicole collapsed into Matthew's arms, trembling in fear.

Seeing Zachary genuinely angry, Olivia was afraid the deal might be canceled. She quickly forced a smile and stepped in to smooth things over.

"Mr. Foster, you've misunderstood. This is just a small conflict between the girls. There's no need to talk about betrayal. Natasha is also our daughter. How could Henry not care about her?

"It's just that things have gone this far. Since Matthew and Nicole are in love, we'd be hurting their feelings if we broke them up. We might also strain the relationship between both families."

Henry quickly followed up with a sycophantic smile.

"Exactly. Mr. Foster, Natasha's mother passed away early. I raised her myself. I love both my daughters equally. There's no way I'd mistreat her. Please don't be angry."

The sight of Henry pretending to be a loving father made Natasha's stomach turn.

At that moment, Matthew and Nicole also stepped forward.

Hugging Nicole, he said firmly, "Uncle Zachary, this has nothing to do with Natasha or Nicole. It was my mistake. I failed Natasha. I love Nicole, and I want to marry her. I'm a man. I take responsibility for my actions and won't shift the blame onto a woman just to save myself."

Zachary shot him a glance. "Now you realize you're a man?"

The implication was clear. When Matthew cheated on Natasha, he wasn't exactly acting like one.

Matthew froze, his face turning pale. He lowered his head in diffident, not daring to speak again.

Zachary turned to Natasha. "How do you want to handle this?"

Natasha looked at the drama before her, her heart cold.

Today, she'd seen the Bradleys for who they truly were. Her beloved father only cared about Olivia and Nicole.

Since they were so eager to continue the marriage alliance, she would just let them have it their way. From this moment on, she and the Bradley family would go their separate ways.

"I don't mind," she said with a mocking smile. "Since Mr. Matthew and Nicole are so in love, why should I force them apart? But the name on the wedding invitation is mine. As long as neither Nicole nor the Bradley family feel embarrassed, I see no reason to call it off."

Nicole's face turned pale, but she quickly regained her composure.

She pretended to be magnanimous. "Don't worry, Nat. As long as I get to marry Matt, a little sacrifice isn't a big deal."

As she spoke, she leaned further into Matthew's arms, acting all affectionate and happy.

Natasha sneered and wished them sincerely.

"Then I wish you both a long and happy marriage. May you stay bound to each other so tightly you never have the chance to mess with anyone else again. I'll be sure to prepare a big gift for you."

Hearing this, Nicole felt a strange unease in her heart. However, Zachary had already handled the evidence the reporters had. It was too late, even if Natasha wanted to retaliate.

With that thought in mind, she relaxed and snuggled back into Matthew's embrace. "Nat, thank you for your blessing!"

Seeing Nicole so confident and smug, Natasha couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

How naive was Nicole!

Did they really think she only sent in the reporters?

The surveillance footage on her phone was far juicier than anything those reporters had caught.

Once the explicit video went public, she couldn't wait to see if these lovebirds still looked so happy.

Seeing Natasha wish them well so nonchalantly, Matthew felt a deep sense of confusion and discomfort.

They had been together for seven years. How could she let go so easily?

Zachary observed Matthew's expression and sneered. It was too late for Matthew to regret now.

"Since Ms. Natasha, the victim, has no objections, the Foster family naturally has no reason to oppose Matthew and Nicole's marriage," Zachary said indifferently.

Upon hearing this, Henry immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

He smiled flatteringly and said, "Mr. Foster, how about we discuss the wedding details in the study?"

It was rare enough to get a meeting with Zachary. Now that he'd come all the way to the Bradley residence, Henry wasn't about to let this chance slip by. He wanted to talk business too.

But Zachary remained cold. He stood and said, "Keep the wedding plans as they are. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll leave first."

"I'll walk you out!" Henry offered eagerly.

"No need." Zachary paused before turning to Natasha. "Let Ms. Natasha send me off."

Natasha was caught off guard. She then nodded and agreed, "Sure."

Everyone present was taken aback.

Zachary's attitude toward Natasha seemed unusually attentive. Had they crossed paths in the past?

However, they all thought it was impossible. Zachary was a man at the top of the pyramid. How could he possibly have anything to do with Natasha?

Chapter 4

Under their suspicious gazes, Zachary and Natasha left one after the other.

As Natasha walked, she carefully observed Zachary's back, constantly comparing it to the photo she had.

However, she soon laughed at herself, realizing how rash it was to identify someone just by their back.

A black Mercedes was parked by the roadside. Neither of them spoke. It wasn't until Zachary opened the car door and paused that Natasha snapped out of her thoughts.

"Ms. Natasha, you really are full of surprises."

Meeting his gaze, Natasha cleared her throat lightly. "And what makes you say that, Mr. Foster?"

Unfortunately, Zachary didn't answer her.

Instead, he said, "If you feel wronged, you can come to me anytime. I'll make it up to you until you're satisfied."

Natasha looked at him strangely. Something about his voice made her uncomfortable. His sarcasm was almost on par with Jack's.

As the engine started, Natasha spoke again.

"There's no need to make it up to me. However, your voice is quite pleasant to listen to."

She stared right at him as she spoke. But Zachary remained expressionless.

"Ms. Natasha, is this your go-to line when flirting with men?"

Before she could even react, the car sped off. Once Zachary left, the Bradleys cautiously approached.

"Nicole, don't worry. I'll explain everything to my uncle when I get back." Matthew knew that Nicole was timid, so he tried his best to reassure her.

"Matt, as long as you're safe, I don't care about anything else," Nicole replied sweetly.

Matthew and Nicole put on a sweet display of affection right in front of Natasha. She rolled her eyes and turned to leave.

"Stop right there!" Henry glared at her.

"I've already stepped back and let them get married. What else do you want?"

"When did you get to know Zachary?"

Natasha let out a chuckle. So she was right after all. A man who always prioritized his own interests couldn't possibly be concerned about her.

"I don't know him."

With a sharp reply, Natasha turned to leave this frustrating place.

To her surprise, Nicole suddenly changed her attitude and walked up to her.

"So what if you stayed by Matthew's side for seven years? In the end, I still replaced you."

Matthew had long since left. If he were still here, Nicole wouldn't have dared show her true colors.

"Well, that's something to celebrate!" Natasha smiled as she slapped Nicole hard. After doing so, she winced, shaking her sore hand.

Half of Nicole's face swelled up and turned bright red.

"Natasha!" After the initial shock, Olivia immediately rushed between them and pushed Natasha aside.

"She's your sister, and she's getting married in a few days. What if you ruined her face?"

Natasha took out a wet wipe and carefully cleaned her fingers.

"So what if her face is ruined? She could just wear a veil. Picking up someone's chewed-up gum, putting it back in your mouth, and then flaunting it to the original owner? That's just disgusting," she replied with a sneer.

Every time she stayed in this place, Natasha felt suffocated and couldn't help but want to leave.

Henry stepped in front of her, blocking her path. His wrinkled face had grown more severe with age. But Natasha was no longer the same little girl. She backed away a few steps, keeping her distance.

"A slap to vent some anger. That's all. I'm not trying to ruin her wedding. But if you want me to do something, I wouldn't mind."

Natasha forced herself to suppress her smile, while Henry could only clench his fists and let her go.

"Darling, how could you just let her go like that?" Olivia naturally wanted to retaliate, her tone full of reproach.

"Calm down. There'll be plenty of chances to teach her a lesson. Right now, the priority is making sure Nicole and Matthew get married smoothly."

Although Olivia was fuming, she knew the timing wasn't right to make a fuss.

Back at home, Natasha was still upset. She opened her phone and vented to Jack for a while before her mood slowly improved.

Seven years of love wasn't something she could let go of in an instant. But now, every time she thought of Matthew's face, all she felt was disgust.

She immediately took a phone card out of her bag and typed Matthew's number.

She sent him a video and texted, "One million, before midnight."

After returning to the Foster residence, Matthew had just been harshly scolded and was now kneeling in the memorial hall.

He opened the video, and it hit him like a thunderclap.

"Who are you? How did you get this? You'd better delete it. Otherwise, the Foster family won't let you off."

He sent many similar threats, but Natasha didn't even glance at them. The only notification she cared about was the transfer alert from her bank. And at exactly 11:59 pm, Natasha received the transfer.

Feeling satisfied, she started wondering what to eat the next day.

She texted Liana, "Want to grab a seafood boil tomorrow? My treat."

After sending the message, Natasha regretted it a bit. She should've asked for more from Matthew.

"Sure, and you can tell me about that scumbag couple."

The seafood boil restaurant was bustling with people.

A thick layer of chili peppers blanketed the seafood. Anyone who couldn't handle spice would probably need a break just from breathing the air here.

"I knew you'd go for the spicy one!" Liana looked at the seafood boil.

She wasn't sure if Natasha could handle it, but she didn't stop Natasha. She just asked the waiter to bring a few glasses of iced water.

"What's with that? The waiter looked at me like I can't handle spicy food!"

Natasha's competitive streak flared up again. She grumbled a few words under her breath, but her face was full of contentment.

Liana shot her a look. "Seriously? Are you trying to ruin your throat with how spicy that is?"

The conversation quickly took off. Liana, either fired up by the spice or frustration, suddenly slammed her hand on the table.

"Wait, you're just letting them go so easily?"

Before Natasha could respond, Liana added, "I know you too well. That doesn't sound like you."

"Liana, you really do know me well."

Natasha then shared her plan in full. Liana nodded repeatedly.

"As your best friend, I'll step in without you even having to say anything."

Liana had always had zero tolerance for injustice.

News of Matthew and Nicole's engagement was all over the trending searches. Natasha didn't care, but Liana had her thoughts.

"Be careful, you don't want to get bitten by those two dogs."

"Don't worry, I know how far to go."

The next day, Matthew planned to use the public attention from his company's jewelry event to explain why they were changing the bride at the wedding.

However, before he could start speaking, two dogs suddenly appeared out of nowhere at the venue. For some reason, they only chased after Nicole and Matthew.

In the end, their fancy outfits were torn to shreds.

Chapter 5

This incident shot straight to the top of the trending searches.

Natasha was munching on pumpkin seeds while watching the drama unfold on her tablet. The moment she saw Nicole squaring off against a dog, she burst out laughing.

She grabbed her phone and sent a voice note to Liana.

"This is hilarious. Sure, the dog bit me once, and I couldn't exactly fight back. But you sending a dog to deal with another dog was some next-level stuff!"

After shutting off the tablet, Natasha lay back on the couch and gazed out at the skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

She had moved out of the Bradley residence before graduating from university.

Although she'd grown up there, life had been far from pleasant. It was only after leaving that suffocating place that she discovered how beautiful life could be.

A new message snapped her out of her thoughts. Liana had just sent her a 59-second voice note describing the scene in vivid detail.

They had known each other since elementary school. Natasha didn't even need to listen to know the first few seconds were the point. The rest was just Liana laughing her head off.

It lifted Natasha's mood.

Suddenly, her mind wandered to that day at the hotel when she saw Zachery. She had an impulsive thought.

"Hey, help me look into what happened when I fell into the lake seven years ago. And that anonymous email from back then, too."

A languid voice drifted from the other end of the line.

"My dear Nat, are you bored again? Is that why you're dragging me into this? You should've gone back for further studies. You're just wasting your time and talent right now."

Owen Hart was a tech genius Natasha had met in university. If it had anything to do with the internet, there was nothing he couldn't dig up.

Back then, Liana had just returned from overseas and brought Natasha a gift. Owen happened to be there, and he was instantly smitten.

He launched a full-scale pursuit of Liana and took extra care of Natasha along the way. Although he never won Liana over, the two ended up as close friends.

"Cut the crap. Do this for me, and I'll put in a good word for you with Liana."

Owen laughed helplessly. "You do realize people pay me four figures for this kind of job now, right?"

"I know. So what do you want?" Natasha was well-off these days and ready to transfer money on the spot. Owen had helped her plenty before, and she had no problem returning the favor.

"Fine. I wouldn't dare take your money. Just help me set up dinner with Liana."

Before he could even put his phone down, he saw a notification that money had been transferred to his bank account.

"Wait, I was joking! Do you want to disown your poor old dad?"

He scrambled to refund it, only to hear Natasha curse amusedly.

"When did you become my dad? You'd better watch yourself, Owen. Don't forget, you're the one who needs me. If you send that money back, we're even. Just keep it."

She hung up before he could say more, collapsing into bed.

The chilly night breeze slipped in through the cracks in the window. She instinctively hugged her shoulders, rolled over, and drifted off.

The next morning, a string of cheery ringtone jolted Natasha awake. As soon as she answered, a burst of chaotic background noise hit her ears.

"Natasha! If you don't get here soon, the studio's packing up!"

Only then did she remember she had a dubbing project scheduled today.

Apparently, being too rich made one lose all sense of time.

"I-I'm already on my way. Just stall for me a bit longer, Amelia!"

She didn't wait for Amelia Brown's scolding to continue. After a quick wash, she grabbed a mask and hat before rushing out.

However, the moment she stepped out of the complex, she ran into someone familiar.

Natasha yanked her hat lower and tried to sneak past.

It was too late. Nicole spotted her. She immediately grabbed Natasha's arm.

Natasha's jacket slipped down, exposing her bare shoulder. Matthew couldn't help glancing twice.

"Nat, I know you still hate me, but can't you just let it go?"

Before she could respond, Nicole suddenly dropped to her knees.

It was a busy area. People were coming and going. When they saw the scene, they began whispering among themselves.

"That girl's cruel. She's really making her sister kneel out in public?"

"Every family has its problems. But they're still family. What could be so unforgivable?"

Natasha laughed out of sheer anger.

"Don't go pinning everything on me. Since you don't mind making a scene, should I tell them about how my dear sister tried seducing her brother-in-law?"

People loved gossip. They didn't feel sorry for jumping to conclusions. In fact, they leaned in closer, hungry for more drama.

Voices rose, pressing them to spill everything.

Natasha had no time for this. "If you two aren't embarrassed, go ahead and keep kneeling."

She let out a mocking laugh and walked off without another word.

"Matt, do you think Nat will ever forgive me?"

Nicole leaned into Matthew's chest, her voice soft and pitiful. It made his heart ache.

"This is all my fault. I'll talk to Natasha."

During their argument just now, Natasha hadn't even looked at him once. That stung more than he expected. They used to be inseparable. Now, they were complete strangers.

"You're late!"

Before the person even rounded the bend in the stairs, the sharp tap of their heels resonated through the space.

Natasha rushed in and accidentally bumped into a man wearing a gray hoodie and a face mask.

"I'm sorry," Natasha quickly said. If they weren't in public, Amelia would've already gone off on her.

"Look, the only reason you're voicing this character is because you have the talent, and the higher-ups specifically asked for you…"

Her voice began to fade from Natasha's mind. Her gaze had locked on that man's back.

"I'm talking to you. Are you even listening to me?"

"Who was that?" Natasha asked.

Amelia rubbed her temples in frustration.

"I told you yesterday. Jack is coming in today. And now look at you, showing up late and making everyone think you're being difficult."

Natasha had caught a familiar scent. That silhouette was similar to Zachary too.

"Come on, get upstairs. If you don't go in now, I won't be able to cover for you."

Amelia shoved her forward. Once Natasha entered the recording studio, she focused all her energy on work and pushed everything else from her mind.

She didn't notice someone standing quietly in the corner.

"Mr. Hogan, how was that?" They'd been recording for over two hours. Natasha's voice was starting to go hoarse.

The middle-aged man sitting in front of her was David Hogan, the director of the short film. His stubble and weary eyes showed that he'd poured everything into this project.

"Great. I knew I picked the right person. But we have plenty of time. There's no need to rush."

David focused on results, not personal ties. He might sound gentle now, but if Natasha had shown up any later, the consequences would've been disastrous.