hapter 29 20 vouchers On this day , the sharp - tongued Natasha became as meek as a little white rabbit , letting people mold and squeeze her without the slightest resistance . After more than ten years of dealing with her , Olivia already knew the pattern by heart . Sure enough , when Noel jumped in , saying he was strong enough to help , Olivia turned him down . She said , " Boys can be rough . " Without a word , Natasha headed upstairs . Olivia glanced back and playfully winked at her parents , as if to say , See ? Nailed it . Olivia had said early that morning she would try to find a chance to ease things with Natasha . So Andrew and Madeline naturally assumed she was making an effort to show kindness to her sister . The two watched their daughters head upstairs with satisfaction . Noel wanted to follow , but Thomas , seeing right through their parents ' plan , stopped him . *** Jpstairs , Olivia didn't go to her own room . Instead , she stopped in front of Natasha's bedroom loor . That room had originally been a guest room . After Olivia moved into the Clark household , Natasha gave her original room to Olivia . All because Olivia said Natasha's room had a view of the tree in the garden that her own mother had planted by hand . Back then , Natasha had been upset , but Olivia had lost her mother , so she let her have it . If it made her sister happy , then so be it . And that one concession lasted more than a decade . Olivia's ambitions had since grown far beyond just the bedroom . " Sorry , Natasha , Olivia said , " my walk - in closet's too small , and Dad had it expanded , so for now Mom said I could stay in your room . You don't mind , right ? " With that , Olivia pushed the door open , only to find no sign of life inside . The lighting wasn't great here , and ever since Olivia moved downstairs next to Thomas , the room had only been used for storage . Natasha hadn't stayed here for years . Madeline used to have the maids clean it daily , but after Olivia took over , she never let anyone in again . 1/4 Chapter 29 20 vouchers The air held faint traces of dust . Olivia waved her hand in front of her nose in distaste and walked over to the bed . The sheets were still in place but already worn , and lying on top was a portrait , about a meter tall . Natasha recognized it instantly - it was Olivia's mother , Emilia . The woman's features were delicate and gentle , her soft smile so lifelike it felt like she was looking right at her . Natasha's throat tightened , leaving her speechless . Olivia's gaze softened with a nostalgic warmth . Her fingertips brushed the painted cheek where the woman's smile rested . She spoke up . " She was beautiful , wasn't she ? Just as pretty as your mom . Natasha , after all these years , do you even remember what she looked like ? " Of course Natasha remembered . That was the day that changed her life . Emilia had married the wrong man . Compared to Madeline's life , which was only getting better , it was like one lived in heaven and the other in hell . Proud by nature , Emilia had kept her distance from Madeline for a long time . Until the abuse in her marriage was discovered , and Madeline and Andrew helped her get divorced . Emilia moved back into her parents ' home . Only after that did Emilia occasionally visit the Clarks , though not often - too much happiness on one side only gnawed at the other like ants in the heart . Olivia was two years older than Natasha , and as a child , she had been much like Natasha in her teenage years - quiet , gloomy , always carrying injuries , living in the shadows like a ghost . Sometimes Natasha could feel both Emilia and Olivia secretly watching her . She didn't know what that look meant , only that it was heavy and complicated . Back then , Natasha was lively and kindhearted , a child full of sympathy . Holding fresh flowers from the garden , she had offered them to her sad - eyed aunt . " Auntie , if you take these flowers , you'll be happy ? That innocent , naive smile stood in stark contrast to the prematurely mature daughter beside her . Emilia's heart ached . Natasha liked her unusually slender aunt . Emilia was always gentle to her , and even with Olivia around , she favored Natasha a bit more . Madeline often scolded her , telling her not to spoil Natasha . Emilia would just smile . " Natasha's blessed . She's here to enjoy life . " 2/4 Chapter 29 20 vouchers On Natasha's sixth birthday , Emilia arrived early with her daughter . The kids played together , and Natasha eagerly took Olivia to see her kitten . Natasha had found it as a stray , tamed it with patience , and it had grown sweet and obedient . Her parents had even agreed to let her keep it . But Olivia didn't like it . When Natasha wasn't looking , she kicked it hard , then tried to stab it with a small knife . Furious , Natasha shoved her cousin away to protect it . Olivia wailed loudly , and the adults came running . Natasha immediately told her parents what happened . But Olivia lifted her hand , revealing a fresh scratch from the cat . The red mark stood out sharply against her soft skin . No one believed Natasha . Olivia had always been well - behaved - she couldn't possibly hurt a cat . As for the kick , they thought it was just a startled reaction to being scratched . Soon , Andrew took Olivia to the nearby hospital for a shot . Madeline was angry and a little shaken . Stray cats could be wild - today it was Olivia , tomorrow it could be Natasha or the other kids . While chatting with Emilia , Madeline mentioned she might have to give the cat away . Emilia glanced toward Natasha , who was hiding behind the couch , but said nothing . After the others left , Emilia crouched down in front of Natasha and whispered that if her parents found the cat , they might kill it for being disobedient . If she wanted to protect it , she had to hide it first . Emilia would help her bring it back after her parents cooled off . The kitten , injured by Olivia , had already run off . Natasha was worried about it , and terrified the adults would catch and kill it . Following her aunt's directions , Natasha went to look for it . Maybe the cat had been waiting for her -it hadn't gone far . In a small park near the Clarks ' home , Natasha found her orange tabby licking its wounds and mewing for its owner Because her family was so angry , Natasha didn't dare take it home . She sneaked back to find the only adult who had offered to help : Emilia told her to keep the cat hidden and promised to bring medicine for its injuries 3/4 4:32 pm PS Chapter 29 E Natasha waited and waited , but her aunt never came . 20 vouchers Then the rain started , soaking her until she shivered . Grass cuts stung her skin , the kitten's cries grew weaker , and finally Natasha decided to take it home and beg her mother . But at the park's edge , where two paths crossed , Natasha saw her aunt standing there empty- handed , her face blurred by the rain . Frightened , Natasha ran toward her , crying . But just before she reached her , the kitten squirmed free , tripping her . It all happened too fast . Natasha fell to the roadside , and when she looked up , she saw Emilia struck and thrown by a car - and the kitten crushed beneath its tires . Blood - so much blood - mixed with rainwater , spreading everywhere . Natasha froze , too numb to even feel grief , before Andrew's furious slap knocked her to the ground . He snapped , " Why did you run away from home ? Do you know how long your aunt searched for you ? You killed her . " In her ears were Andrew's shouts , Olivia and Madeline's sobs beside Emilia's body . Olivia cried , " Mom , Mom ... " There was the wail of ambulance and police sirens , the patter of rain on asphalt , the startled cries of birds , even the kitten's final mew - and somewhere in the wind , Emilia's fading ' I'm sorry . Finally , Natasha blacked out . When she woke again , the world was no longer the same . AD Comment Send gift