Natalie had already scattered some supplies around the house to make things look normal in front of Cassian, so she wasn't nervous when Olivia walked through the door. It was Olivia's first time visiting. The moment she stepped inside, she froze at the sight of Cash and Baron. "Wait ... that's Cash?" Her eyes widened like she had just walked into a dream. She swung her arm toward Baron, her face full of mock horror. "And that rabbit looks big enough to be my rabbit's great great great great great great great grandpa or more!" Her awe lasted only a few heartbeats before she snapped back into focus, her eyes narrowing. "Alright, spill it. What's going on with you and Mr. Holland?" Olivia's mind was still locked on that trade they had done on the water. If Cassian hadn't been so striking, she probably wouldn't even have recognized him today. Natalie skipped over the part about sneaking into Cassiland Base. She only said that she and Cassian had run into each other a few times by chance, then she moved straight into what had happened earlier that day. Olivia's jaw fell open when she finished. "Hold on. You're telling me you turned down a guy who came flying in on a helicopter, wearing pajamas, and risked his life to step into a quarantine zone ... all just to see you?" Natalie gave a small nod. Olivia looked like a fan who had just watched her favorite couple get torn apart. "Why on earth would you do that?"Natalie pressed her teeth into her lip, her chest tight. She couldn't exactly say she had a storage space and lived in fear of being found out. So she offered half the truth. "We've barely even spent time together, and then out of nowhere he says he likes me. That's overwhelming." Olivia let out a long sigh, shaking her head like Natalie had just failed a test. "You've been poisoned by too many TV dramas and paperback romances." Natalie frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" Olivia's expression was steady, her voice unwavering. "Love in real life isn't about endless twists and turns. Sometimes the spark happens in a single look." Natalie's brows lifted. "A single look?" Olivia nodded without hesitation. "Yes. Just one." Natalie shook her head. "That doesn't make sense. If you barely know someone, nothing real can grow from that." Olivia tilted her head. "Think about the first time you met Harold. What was your impression?" Natalie thought carefully. "He looked clean and handsome." Olivia leaned in. "And the first time you saw Mr. Holland?" Natalie's ears burned hot as the memory of those piercing eyes came back to her. "He was ... handsome." Olivia's whole face lit up like she had just solved a riddle. She jabbed her finger at Natalie, her voice sharp with excitement. "Did you hear yourself? The words are the same, but the way you say them isn't." Natalie froze, her breath catching in her throat.It took a while before she muttered, "This is the apocalypse. Nobody has time for love stories. Surviving is what matters." Olivia's frown deepened. "So what if it's the apocalypse? Since when does survival mean being miserable? You can have someone who understands you. If anything, this is the time to live like it matters. Why would you even hesitate falling in love with a guy like Mr. Holland? If you ask me, I think you should ride him already. Not like you're going to lose out on anything." Natalie's eyes went wide. "Ride ... ride him?" Lucky, who had been stretched across Natalie's legs, snapped her head up in alarm like she had understood every word. Olivia's mouth dropped open. "Your dog can understand me?" She pushed Lucky's head back down with mock seriousness. "This is adult talk. Children should stay out of it." Natalie couldn't even react to the dog. Her whole world felt shaken. It wasn't even right for her to be talking about things like this with a married woman. Deep down she was still just a sheltered girl. Olivia caught her shaken look and let out a heavy sigh, her tone rich with conviction. "This is the apocalypse. Nobody knows when their last breath will come. And when that moment comes, do you really want your biggest regret to be that an amazing man stood right in front of you and you never touched him?" Natalie's mouth opened in disbelief. Slowly, though, something in her expression shifted. Olivia saw it and jumped on it fast. "Of course I'm not saying you should sleep around. You still need to actually like the guy."Then she asked the question that mattered. "Nat, do you like him?" Natalie stayed quiet for a long time before whispering, "I ... " Olivia clapped her hands, her tone final. "You do. You like him." Natalie went quiet again, then frowned. "It doesn't matter. We're not going to see each other again. What's the point?" Olivia's eyes widened. "Who told you that?" Natalie's voice was steady. "Didn't you see his face just now? He looked ready to kill." Olivia blinked, then a sly grin spread across her lips. "He'll come back for you. Trust me. I've lived long enough to know." Meanwhile, halfway up the mountain inside the villa ... Roderick was watering plants when the deep thrum of a helicopter echoed back through the valley. "That fast?" he muttered. He set the watering can aside and bolted outside. The boss had left in such a rush that Roderick hadn't dared to wander off. He had stayed behind, waiting. The moment he spotted Cassian stepping out, he hurried forward. "Mr. Holland, that was fast." Cassian's face was like ice. "Why are you still here?" Roderick froze in place, stunned. What happened out there? He's a powder keg. "I thought you might have more orders for me, so I stayed. I've just been watering the plants while I waited." He left in a hurry. Who knows if he's going to have any new missions for us when he comes back? Roderick always thought of himself as the perfect assistant, and that meant staying exactly where he was until told otherwise.