Cassian stayed quiet. Natalie gave a small nod, her face unreadable. Amber's heart sank. Her parents had fallen sick that day, throwing up and running to the bathroom until they were completely worn out. They had sent someone to call her home to take care of them. Yet in just a short time that she was away, these two had managed to end up together again. Worried they would head upstairs and get cozy, Amber quickly forced out a topic. "Bonnie, what gift are you bringing to tomorrow's birthday party?" Natalie was honest. "Nothing." Amber's eyes widened. "What? You didn't prepare anything?" Natalie shrugged. "I didn't plan to." She almost choked. This Bonnie really knew how to kill a conversation. Seeing the two about to head upstairs, Amber scrambled for another subject. She pointed at the bayonet strapped to Natalie's back. "Bonnie, I've noticed you always carry that thing around. Don't you ever put it down?" Natalie frowned, her patience wearing thin. "Why? You have a problem with it?" It was the first time Amber had seen Natalie snap. She shrank back a little, mumbling, "No, it's just yesterday I heard Magnus tell the guys that everyone will be searched at the party. No weapons allowed. I just thought I should warn you not to bring it." Natalie exchanged a glance with Cassian. That was actually useful information.If Cassian's handgun were discovered tomorrow, things could get complicated fast. Her face softened slightly. "Got it. Thanks for the reminder." Amber's mind raced for another excuse to stick around. But Natalie seemed to read her thoughts. "Sorry, talk to you later, I need to go to bed," she said flatly. Then she turned and went upstairs. Amber watched her go, lips pressed tight, wanting to say something more. But then her eyes met Cassian's sharp glare. She shrank back, pursed her lips, and clamped her mouth. The next evening, the whole compound lit up with decorations and bright lights. The party was once again held in Magnus's courtyard. At the iron gate, a long line had formed. Two guards were searching everyone. Anyone carrying a weapon had to check it at a temporary storage booth outside before being allowed in. Natalie and Cassian left the villa and walked slowly toward the gate. Even from a distance, they could see the line of people waiting to be searched. Natalie touched the silver ring on her finger. "So it's true. No weapons allowed." Cassian smirked. "Doesn't matter. Our weapons are already sitting on their tables." By the time they entered, the place was almost full. Magnus and Kelvin hadn't arrived yet, so people sat in groups, chatting. No one touched the food. Natalie glanced over the table. Compared to the previous party, the dishes were of higher quality. Each table even had a box of cigarettes.It was no small gesture. After the world fell apart, tobacco became a rare luxury. Even the cheapest brands from the old days were now worth a fortune, enough to make smokers give up everything just to get their hands on them. With ten people at each table and 20 cigarettes in a box, that meant two for everyone. For smokers, they were treasures. For non-smokers, they could be saved and traded like cash. Alongside the cigarettes, each table also had a plate of fresh vegetables. The plate was small, but the vegetables on it were worth more than king crab or lobster used to be. Back in the day, people fought over steak, roast, and seafood at a feast. Now, every man at the table kept his eyes fixed on that one plate of greens. This time, Natalie and Cassian didn't take a seat in the corner. They sat at the table closest to Magnus. They had barely sat down when someone came around handing out cigarettes. Since Magnus hadn't shown up, no one dared touch the food or drinks. But the cigarettes? Those were already being passed around. Natalie shook her head. "Thanks, but no. I don't smoke." Two loose cigarettes weren't even worth tossing into her storage space. Cassian waved them off too. The man handing them out lit up with joy. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then pocketed the four cigarettes meant for them. To him, turning them down was the same as throwing away cash. He smirked to himself, certain they were fools.Natalie caught his look but said nothing. A pack of Lucky Strikes worth a few dollars was enough to make him beam like he'd struck gold. Meanwhile, she had more Camels in storage than she could ever count. Did she brag about it? Not at all. Instead, she found herself rolling her eyes at Magnus's fake generosity again. She had seen his stash the other day—cartons of premium smokes stacked to the ceiling. He really went through all of his valuables just to dig out a few packs of cheap cigarettes. And yet here he was, digging out the cheapest packs, tossing them to his men like scraps, and they still acted like he was doing them a huge favor. Cassian watched her quietly, the corner of his mouth lifting. He leaned in and whispered, "Who are you cursing in your head this time?" Natalie flinched, scooting back a little before giving him a side-eye. "What are you, some kind of mind reader? Stop trying to guess what's in my head."