Roderick grinned to himself. Just as he'd expected, all it took was food to get those three gluttons moving. He hurried after them without a second thought. Meanwhile, Natalie and Cassian had reached Villa 5. Natalie raised her hand to knock, but the gate was already slightly open. Pushing it gently, she noticed the villa's front door was also cracked ajar. Her fingers tightened around her gun. She glanced at Cassian, whispering, "Be careful." He gave a subtle nod. Natalie stepped inside first, Cassian close behind, making sure to leave the door slightly open for Roderick and the pets. The interior was pitch-dark. Heavy curtains blocked every window, not a single ray of light slipping through. Natalie's frown deepened, unease prickling at her chest. Have Harold, Olivia, and the others already been taken hostage? She peeled off her fogged-up gas mask and steadied her gun. From her pack, she drew a flashlight and swept its beam across the room. The silence was unnerving—too still, like someone could jump out from the shadows any second. Instinctively, she reached for Cassian's hand, planning to pull him with her if anything happened. But her fingers found nothing but empty air. Natalie spun around, flashlight swinging sharply. Cassian was gone. "Cass?" she called quietly. No answer.What the hell? Where did Cassian go? She called his name a few more times, but still got nothing. Her chest tightened. Cassian wouldn't ignore me. If he isn't responding, something must have gone wrong. Have we been ambushed the moment we stepped inside? But there was no sound. None at all. Natalie's brow furrowed. Could the enemy have powers, abilities like mine? Every muscle coiled as she slowly scanned the room with the flashlight. Something here is definitely off. Then, from the farthest room, music floated through the air—a familiar love song she knew by heart. What the ... Natalie snapped off her flashlight, unwilling to make herself an easy target. She peered toward the source of the music. To her shock, figures began stepping through the doorway, one by one. Harold. Olivia. Ghania. Nadia and Dominic. All smiling warmly, pushing small carts adorned with candles that bathed the villa in a golden glow. And then she noticed the decorations she'd missed before. The walls were covered with balloons and streamers, and the chandelier was draped with photographs of her. Closer inspection revealed every picture was a Polaroid. In each, Cassian's half-smile appeared in the foreground, with her blurred in the background. Natalie at the gym, Natalie feeding the dogs, Natalie cooking in the kitchen ... Dozens of snapshots of her—and in every single one, Cassian's eyes shone with unmistakable affection. Her chest tightened, heart racing. She'd been so tense stepping inside, so focused on the narrow beam of her flashlight, that she hadn't noticed any of this. Now, surrounded by friends' smiling faces, she opened her mouth to speak—when Olivia jerked her chin toward something behind her. Natalie's heart skipped. She turned. There he was. Cassian, who had vanished earlier, was kneeling on one knee behind her, holding a sparkling diamond ring. His face was solemn, voice steady. "Nattie, will you marry me?" Natalie pressed her lips together, chest pounding. "It's the apocalypse, and you're doing this now?" Cassian's gaze didn't waver. "Apocalypse or not, you deserve everything. Nothing should be taken from you." Bathed in candlelight, he looked just like that first night—the night he whispered for her to marry him. Back then, she'd brushed it off, thinking it was just passion talking. She hadn't realized how serious he'd been. Now, his eyes glimmered with tenderness as he repeated, "Nattie, will you marry me?" "Yes." Natalie didn't hesitate. She lifted her hand and let him slide the ring onto her finger. A cheer rose from the group behind them. Cassian stood, unable to contain his emotion, and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Nattie—" BOOM!Before he could finish, a violent explosion shook the air. The room trembled, candlelight flickering across the curtained windows. Everyone flinched, ears ringing mercilessly. Two seconds later, Harold staggered forward, clutching his head while shouting something Natalie couldn't hear—his mouth moved, but no sound reached her. "Son of a bitch! Who the hell just threw a bomb at us?!" Cassian, still fighting the ringing in his own ears, reacted instantly. He slammed the front door shut and shielded Natalie with his body, pulling her deeper inside.