Jensen's gaze darkened. That man who'd stepped in for Natalie— he wasn't just mysterious. He was dangerous. And the fact that Jensen's people couldn't even dig up a name? Unacceptable. For five years, Natalie's entire world had circled around him— her life, her time, her work. There was no room for someone like that man. No opportunity. No overlap. So why would he help her? "Keep digging," Jensen ordered. "If our usual channels turn up nothing, use the street network. I don't care what it costs—I want that man identified. As for those society wives… call their husbands. Tell them it's from me. If they want to keep doing business in Ocean City, they'll know exactly what to do." Jensen had ruled Ocean City for years. Calling him its uncrowned king wasn't an exaggeration—it was a fact. The businessmen and old-money houses weren't idiots. No one would risk pissing him off over a woman like Natalie. Besides, everyone at the press conference had eyes. They saw the way Natalie looked at Jensen.Saw the messy, tangled history between them. He wasn't worried about gossip leaking from the wives. And the media? Money solved everything. The only real variable… was that man who'd shielded Natalie. Looked like he and Natalie needed a very direct conversation. Rubbing his temples, Jensen felt a dull ache settle behind his eyes. After the call, the doctor updated him on Sharon's condition. It wasn't good. So he stayed at the hospital with her. Meanwhile, Natalie slept the entire afternoon and evening, buried beneath her blankets. In the end, it was the sharp, hollow pang of hunger that dragged her awake. She sat up, tossed the covers aside, and winced. Her whole body ached—every muscle sore, every nerve remembering the way Baron had held her down and taken her breath away. She shook her head hard. No. Not thinking about that. She reached for her phone on instinct. When she powered it on, she half-expected to see missed calls from Jensen.But the screen stayed empty. No calls. Not even a text. Of course. If it were about Sharon, she didn't exist. Natalie gave a thin, bitter laugh. She was about to toss the phone aside when a notification chimed. She grabbed it quickly. It was from Witch Doctor. "You made such a scene at the press conference yesterday, but there's not a single word about it in the news today." Natalie froze. Impossible. She opened all her news apps, one by one. Nothing. No articles about her identity as Sunny. No leaked footage. Just a single post from Luke Corp's official account saying the event had been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. Yesterday—her pulling every string she had, tearing open old wounds, practically setting her entire life on fire— Jensen wiped it all clean?Because she wouldn't hand Sharon the Sunny title, he made sure the world never learned it was hers? Why? Because Sharon was his precious girl? Because she loved him, he thought she'd let him crush her again and again? Her eyes stung. She bit down hard, refusing to let the tears fall. But the metallic taste of blood still flooded her mouth, sharp and cruel. Another message from Witch Doctor popped up. "All the footage from the press conference has been archived with the police. If you want to sue Quincy and Sharon, I can help." Natalie exhaled a shaky laugh. Other people didn't know what kind of man Witch Doctor was. But she did. She remembered begging him five years ago— begging him to save Jensen. She remembered the price she'd paid to make him agree. And even then, she'd never once seen his face. Just the green snake mask. A cold voice. A man whose smallest gesture could take a life.Getting his help once had nearly broken her. She wouldn't survive asking him again. "I can't trouble Witch Doctor anymore. I'll handle this myself." She tossed her phone aside— just as the sound of the front door opening echoed from the living room. Natalie stiffened, straightened up, and quickly pushed open her bedroom door. Jensen walked in. Seeing him now— it felt like something deep inside her had shifted out of place. “Mr. Luke," she said, voice low and raw, "are you here to force me to apologize to Sharon for what happened yesterday?" He noticed her red eyes. His heart squeezed, and his expression softened. "Natalie… I know yesterday was hard for you. But why'd you have to make it such a mess? If you had just listened to me and stayed away—" "Then I would never have known what I truly meant to you." She cut him off. She wasn't going to cry anymore. She wasn't going to beg. She had simply loved the wrong man. Wasted five years.That was all. Still—her eyes grew red again. Jensen suddenly couldn't hold her gaze. He spoke carefully. "Sharon was wrong to hurt you five years ago. But she'd spent eighteen years suffering outside. When she came home and realized the life she should've had was yours, she just… lost control. Her methods were extreme, yes, but it was really just kids being kids." Natalie stared at him. "Kids being kids?" she echoed. "She was eighteen." Her voice turned icy—quiet, but lethal. "She suffered because of the Summers family's mistake. Not mine. I was a victim too. So why was I the one who almost got beaten to death?" "If she hadn't nearly killed you—if you hadn’t shown up half-dead in front of me—would we have ever met? Would you have lived the last five years in luxury? I've already transferred this villa to your name. It's worth a hundred million. Even if Sharon was wrong, that should be more than enough to make up for your pain." As he spoke, he tossed the deed onto the table. The corner of the document sliced across Natalie's cheek. A thin line of blood welled up instantly. Jensen froze for a moment. Then— "Get dressed later and go to the station," he said."Retrieve the footage from the press conference. I want you to destroy it in front of me. If you do that, we can still be together. In a few days, we'll get married. Isn't that what you always wanted? As long as you let go of what Quincy and Sharon did… I'll marry you."