Celina sighed. "Theo, be good for once, stop fooling around. Times are rough, and finding a decent maid who's actually honest isn't easy. Don't go scaring her off." Theodore waved her off and headed for the door. "You can't have a good son and an outstanding son at the same time." At the doorway, he turned back, winked at his mom, and grinned. "With a son this outstanding, how could he possibly be obedient?" Celina laughed and scolded, "Where do you get this narcissism from?" Meanwhile, Cassian had just finished sorting out supplies on the first floor and was getting ready to cook dinner. Natalie, who had been sitting on the couch, noticed the sky outside had already gone dark. She stood up. "I'm heading out for a bit. I'll be back soon." Cassian looked at her in surprise. "It's already night. Where are you going?" Natalie slung her gun over her shoulder. "Tying up loose ends." Cassian instantly understood. "The Boltons still have survivors?" Natalie nodded. "Yeah." She knew the Boltons well. Saniya was not an only child—she had an older brother. Plus their dad. Which meant right now, the Bolton villa should still have two people inside. Cassian put down what he was holding. "I'll go with you." Natalie shook her head. "No need. I can handle it alone." Seeing Cassian frown, clearly disapproving, she added, "If you come with me, then who's going to cook? What will I eat when I get back? Just finish dinner. I won't be long."Cassian could tell she was dead set on going alone, and he knew her temper well. Helpless, he could only remind her, "Be careful." Natalie patted the gun at her side. "Relax." She never fought battles she was not sure she could win. Leaving her own villa, she followed the main road uphill until she stood at the gates of the Bolton villa. The place sat right next door to her old home, where she had lived for years. Both houses looked almost the same as before. Acid rain had come and gone, but the solid construction had kept them mostly intact. The yards, though, were barren as every plant was scorched dead by the heat. Natalie cast one glance at her former home. Dusk had fallen, and candlelight glowed faintly inside. Her father—the man she once adored and relied on most—was in there. For a moment, she stood frozen, eyes fixed on that flicker of light. Then she quickly pulled her gaze away and turned toward the Bolton villa. The main gates were shut tight. From outside, only one room on the top floor was lit. Natalie memorized the location, then with a quick flash of movement, slipped straight into the villa. The place was quiet. Careful with her steps, she made for the top floor. The lit room turned out to be the study. The door was half open, and inside came the voices of two men. "Dad, Mom and Saniya still aren't back. Maybe I should go look for them?" "Why? You want to catch a bullet too? I told you those two and their temper would stir up trouble sooner or later." The younger man sounded anxious. "But we can't just ignore them!" The older one was calmer. "Relax. No more gunshots means they're fine. If that woman really wanted them dead, she wouldn't have just shot their shoulders." He let out a cold snort. "Those two humiliated me in front of the whole neighborhood. When they get back, I'll deal with them!" "Dad, you can't put all the blame on Mom and Saniya ... " "Hmph, of course I know. The real culprit is the one who fired the gun!" "Yeah! Dad, are we really just going to let that slide?" "Not a chance!" The man's voice dropped, cold and vicious. "It's time your sister's useless friends actually do something. Tomorrow, take Saniya down the mountain, find them, and hand over some food. After that, have them stir up some trouble for the shooter." He paused, then added, "And when it's done, strip her and drag her through the streets. Let's see how she likes being humiliated!" The younger man hesitated. "But she's got a gun. They might not even get close." "So what? She sleeps, doesn't she? You think she clutches that gun in her sleep? Catch her off guard!" "I guess that's true. Worst case, we lose a few guys ... " "Hmph! Arrogant little brat. She needs to be taught a lesson!" "And who exactly are you planning to teach a lesson?" The sudden, icy female voice came from the hallway. Father and son both jumped. The voice was unfamiliar, so it was definitely not Saniya or Isabelle.Neil Bolton shot his son a look, signaling him to check. He himself grabbed the rifle model on the table, hugging it close to his chest as if it were real. Saniya's brother, Greg Bolton, palms slick with sweat, edged nervously to the door and slowly pushed it open. Both men turned their eyes toward the doorway, but there was no one there. "Looking for me?" This time, the voice came from inside, right behind them. Both of them stiffened, hair standing on end, and whipped around. A slim figure stood by the candlelight, gun in hand, her expression icy as she stared them down. It was Natalie.