Knowing how much Natalie loved driving, Cassian slid into the passenger seat and handed her the keys. As they passed Roderick's house, he said, "Hang on, I need to go in for a sec." Natalie nodded and pulled over. "Okay, I'll just wait here." Cassian said, "Yeah, just wait for me. I'll be right back." He got out, leaving Natalie alone in the car, her mind wandering. She started thinking about her past, and for some reason, it felt easier to let go of some of it. Sure, her father and grandmother were ridiculous, but her mother and maternal grandparents were absolutely the best. Even with all those steel needles still in her body, she'd grown up surrounded by love and comfort most people only dream about. She'd made some bad friends and died a miserable death, but she'd gotten a second shot at revenge and new friends. And the best part? There was Cassian. That perfect, wonderful man loved her for real. How lucky was that? Her mother must be very happy for her from above. Natalie turned on some music, picking a cheerful song. All the bad stuff was behind her. The good things and people were right here, waiting ahead. Thinking that, she smiled and hummed along. Just as Cassian opened the passenger door, he froze at the sound, then slid in.Natalie lowered the music, surprised. "That was quick!" He nodded. "Yeah." Then, he looked at her. "Nattie, nobody is perfect." Natalie replied, "Yeah, I also thought about that just now. Even after all the weird stuff I've gone through ... " She suddenly realized something and blurted out, "Wait, are you saying my singing is bad?!" Cassian grinned. "I didn't say that. You did." Embarrassed and annoyed, Natalie punched him. She had never thought her singing was bad. To her, the music she listened to and the way she sang were no different. Her family had always encouraged her, and she rarely sang in front of others as she got older. She never realized she was actually tone-deaf. It wasn't until she moved in with Cassian that he nearly died laughing at her singing. Natalie demanded, "Who promised not to make fun of me anymore?!" Cassian said, "Me." "Then why are you laughing?" He wiped the smile off his face. "I'm not." Seeing her glare, he added, "It's true. Singing isn't funny. I love listening to you." She raised an eyebrow. "You love it?" He hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Yeah." Natalie started the car. "Good. Then listen."She hit the gas and sang along in full volume. Who cared if she was off-key? She'd sing her heart out. She wasn't the one suffering anyway! Cassian was tortured by her off-key singing. It was so bad that it almost impressed him. If he didn't love her so much, he'd have kicked her out of the car by now. The SUV cruised down the road under the scorching sun. Music blasted, and two young hearts were full of love. Meanwhile, Maisie finally stirred after being knocked out for a long time, drenched in sweat from the heat. She tried to get up, but her body betrayed her, and she collapsed back onto the ground. For a moment, her mind went blank, but then she remembered everything. "That brat! I should've just strangled her when I had the chance!" she hissed, checking herself and trying to pull the needles out. But every needle had been pushed fully in. Nothing was sticking out—just tiny pinpricks. She'd barely notice them unless she inspected closely. Maisie had pulled this trick before, trying to make Natalie die without anyone knowing the reason. She never thought karma would bite back like that. Now, getting the needles out would require surgery. With no doctors or medicine around, she couldn't just cut herself open safely. With one wrong move, she'd die from infection. Maisie cursed some more, gritted her teeth, and forced herself to her feet, wincing with every move. She couldn't just lie there and bake under the sun. She spotted the gate to Natalie's house and limped toward it, each step agony.Cassian's kick had nearly broken her back, and Natalie's needles were still shifting painfully inside her. Unlike Natalie as a child, Maisie was tougher, with denser bones. The needles hadn't pierced bone, but they were embedded in her flesh, moving around with every motion. Every step made it feel like she was being stabbed all over again. Panting and furious, she leaned against the gate and peered inside. She knew Natalie and Cassian had just driven off in the SUV, so they couldn't have taken all the supplies. There had to be more hidden somewhere in the house.