Their Villain, The Mogul's Beloved

Alexei pinched Natasha's cheek with a half-smile. “I don’t have that many marriage prospects”

‘So, it’s because I'm his chosen partner? That didn’t seem so bad, she thought. ‘Relationships built on mutual

benefit and duty felt more stable than those relying on emotions.

Natasha lowered her lashes and nestled against him. She savored his warmth. Just letbe weak for a little

while, she thought.

Natasha was still dazed when Alexei carried her to the bathroom. He kept holding her, one arm around her waist,

the other touching her rain-soaked hair. “What? Wantto do it for you?” he

teased.

Finally, Natasha pushed him away. She just stared at him with wet hazel eyes, saying nothing.

“Fine. | owe you,” Alexei sighed. He pinched her cheek again and turned to leave. Moments later, he returned

with clean clothes. His knowledge of her room cfrom her month-long recovery

there.

Seeing the underwear under the nightgown finally snapped Natasha back to reality. Her cheeks burned. “Why did

you grab these?”

Alexei looked away, his tone deliberately flippant. “Prefer wearing nothing? | don’t mind.” He said it casually, but

the blush on his ears betrayed his unease.

Natasha poked his chest, easily pushing him out. “Get out.”

Outside, Alexei’s demeanor shifted instantly. The gentle, teasing mask he wore for Natasha vanished, replaced

by his usual coldness.

He made a call. “Is the Clark family pursuing the Eastside Tech Park project? Pull them. Give it to their arch-rival,

Hawthorne Tech.”

A teasing voice replied, “The Clarks pissed you off? Rumor is they're banking on this project to pivot. Thomas

chased it for years”

Poor at managing the household, unworthy of any important role,” Alexei stated coldly. “Also, keep them

occupied. They're too idle Idle enough to bully the woman he cared about.

He thought, “The Natasha | handle with such care-these people keep slinging all sorts of thh at her. This tis

nothing more than a small warning?

For Alexei, they were only family if Natasha acknowledged them Otlierwise, their actions deserved death a

hundred times over Suppressing his fury, he headed to the kitchen to make hot cocoa,

173

4:34 pm PS

Chapter 33

20 vouchers

Lucas couldn’t find Natasha. Her phone was off. Sitting in his car in a bad mood, he got a call from Olivia.

Watching the screen flash, annoyance flared in him for the first time. Lucas didn’t want to answer, but she

persisted relentlessly.

Finally, he picked up, rubbing his temples. “Olivia, what is it?”

Panicked sobs cthrough. “Roderick, it's thundering. I'm scared. Where are you?”

Hearing that name, Lucas froze. A drowning sensation overwhelmed him. He finally understood Natasha's stress

all those years. A life weighed them down. Olivia was having a relapse.

Lucas met Thomas at the Clarks. Seeing no one with him, Thomas frowned. “Natasha didn’t cback with

you?”

“She was gone when | arrived,” said Lucas.

Thomas was silent for a while. “She hasn't been hfor a long time. | thought she’d at least cback today,”

he said.

Lucas’s face twisted with scorn. “Why? To see her boyfriend cozying up to another woman?” Thomas had no

defense, his guilt evident.

Seeing his discomfort, Lucas sneered inwardly, ‘See? Everyone knows what hurts, yet they find excuses to ignore

her pain. And me, | am also an accomplice.”

“Olivia's upstairs,” Thomas finally said. “Go check on her.”

Lucas gave a cold laugh and climbed the stairs heavily. Standing outside Olivia's door, the image of Natasha

alone in the rainy cemetery filled his mind.

He suddenly had an urge to turn around right then, find Natasha, say sorry, and wish her a happy birthday,

Reputation and obligation-they were all burdens.

But just as the thought crossed his mind, the door opened. Olivia rushed into his arms like a frightened puppy.

“Roderick! | miss you so much.” As if bound by something, Lucas couldn't leave.

Smiling, Olivia led him to the bedside. “Roderick, will you helpsleep?”

She touched the red marks on her neck, looking troubled. “Natasha got mad atagain. How can | make up

with her? Let's get married quickly.”

Her eyes shone. “Then | can move out. If I'm gone, Natasha will chome.” She sounded utterly sincere, all for

Natasha's sake.

Lucas couldn't tell her Roderick was gone forever. The man who loved her died in that accident at

2/3

4:34 pm P

Chapter 33

sea. Every thought choked him. He sighed softly. “Lettreat these marks first.”

120 vouchers

“Roderick, you're so sweet. I'm not scared now that you're here. Will you stay withforever?” She touched his

face intimately, fully believing he was her lover.

Lucas awkwardly pulled back but replied firmly. “Yeah. I'll always be with you.”

Since Roderick died saving him, Olivia bechis inescapable responsibility. Roderick had been his friend-

gentle, cheerful. Even Natasha, who clashed with Olivia, liked him.

That's why they went sailing together. Back then, Olivia and Roderick were a lovely couple, together before he

and Natasha. They were deeply in love, planning marriage.

Roderick loved extrsports. That's how he stayed calm during the storm, saving Olivia and others. He

drowned while pulling Lucas to safety.

Q SN

Learning of Roderick’s death

shattered Olivia. She attempted,

suicide multiple timigs(Aftér jumping

ifothe es? her memory fractured.

She mistook Lucas, the first person

she saw, for Roderick. The content is

on novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

Lucas wanted to explain and get a doctor for her. But the Clarks said Olivia couldn't handle any shock, and the

treatment had to be done gradually.

Also, if people found out about her mental issues, it would ruin her dancing career.

They wanted Lucas to play Roderick’s role during her relapses. Lucas’s father, Emmanuel, also said their family

couldn't afford to have an ungrateful person.

Natasha could defy Olivia and risk her reputation because she had nothing to lose. Olivia was the Clark family’s

shining star, and Thomas would inherit most of their wealth.

But Lucas was the Wrights’ sole heir. Any scandal was unacceptable. Besides, Natasha was the one who

suggested the sea trip, and Roderick died saving Lucas. Both of them owed Olivia.

Of course, Emmanuel had his

consideration. Replacing his future

daughter-in-law intridway would

BE tore beheiicil for the Wright

fami ha’ i

amily. Natasha's reputation paled

0 Ad q

next to Olivia's. The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

And clearly, in the Clark family, the

adopted daughter mattered Moe

than the true one. Waé 2lséwould

2 f . .

ATE daughter's fiancé

to pretend to be their adopted

, . a

daughter's boyfriend? The content is

on novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

AD

Comment

word

word

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWL1i10f1ifl0&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

word

word

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWL1i10f1ifl0&1

mmMwWLIiI0fiflO&1