Ninety. Ninety was exactly the number of days Natsha had suddenly disappeared. In the past, even when her filming schedule was completely packed, she would still somehow show up in front of Lorena’s apartment for a few brief hours late at night. Before dawn broke, she would already have to leave.

Black filled the entire space. People offered their condolences to the host family. Lorena wore a simple black suit. She followed proper etiquette, bowing her head in greeting.

Mr. and Mrs. Schuett were directly conversing with the host. No matter how old she was, when accompanying her own parents, speaking directly with others would never be her turn.

Lorena loosely clasped her hands in front of her. Her eyes wandered unconsciously. A figure both familiar and unfamiliar struck her sight.

Natsha, dressed in a black shirt and simple dress pants, was solemnly lighting incense. The reason it felt unfamiliar was that Lorena had rarely seen her wear such clothes. Not to mention this serious expression of Natsha’s. She had never seen it before.

Beside her stood a woman whose belly was visibly rounded. From that appearance, if she wasn’t mistaken, she was an omega.

It wasn’t as though Lorena had never seen Natsha close to others. She was an actress who had struggled in the entertainment industry for more than six years. Photos with co-stars were countless. Omegas, betas, alphas of every kind. Yet Lorena had never once felt anything was wrong.

The female omega was shorter than her. When she tilted her head, it fit perfectly as she rested it against Natsha’s shoulder. Lorena felt something slowly churning within her chest, yet she couldn’t find a proper name for it.

Natsha draped an arm over the omega woman’s shoulder and gave her a gentle pat.

The two of them turned and walked toward her. Lorena didn’t take her eyes off them. Or rather, she didn’t take her eyes off Natsha.

Natsha adjusted the thin cardigan that had slipped from the omega woman’s shoulder, then simply walked past Lorena.

Not a glance. Not a single greeting. She passed by as if Lorena were a stranger.

Lorena stood frozen for a moment before finally turning her head. Natsha and the woman got into the same car. Natsha opened the car door and carefully shielded the omega’s head. She even helped her fasten the seatbelt.

The car drove off along with the convoy behind it. Lorena didn’t even realize when her brows had unconsciously drawn tightly together.

///////////////////////

Lorena didn’t know why lately she had often been “escorting” her two parents to various social gatherings. To be more precise, escorting was merely an excuse. The two of them actually wanted to push her into some kind of marriage arrangement. And she, a person who loved freedom, hated that!

Her beloved parents had just stepped out of the car and already walked ahead, even “warning” her that if she dared to sneak away, then by next month she could very well say goodbye to her single life.

Dressed in a wine-red suit, Lorena pressed the elevator button, her foot tapping lightly. The doors opened, and she stepped inside, hands tucked into her trouser pockets, waiting for them to close.

Suddenly, a hand gripped one side of the door. The elevator’s sensor caught the signal, and along with the pull from that person, the doors were forced open again.

Familiar features appeared within Lorena’s sight. Her eyes sharpened noticeably. Refusing to look at her, she shifted her gaze straight ahead.

Natsha stepped in, wearing a stylized white suit. She reached out and pressed a button.

The moment the doors closed, Lorena’s back was slammed hard against the large mirror behind her. Her waist was gripped tightly. The person in front of her seized her lips in a frenzied kiss.

Lorena’s eyes widened as she tried to push her away. But Natsha grabbed both her wrists and pinned them tightly behind her back.

As the red numbers on the electronic display grew closer to their destination floor, Lorena became more and more panicked.

She bit down hard on Natsha’s lip.

“Ting.”

Natsha pulled away from her. Her lip had been bitten open, a trace of blood seeping out. She lightly licked her lips.

Lorena tried to steady her breathing.

The elevator doors opened. The attendant, following proper etiquette, gave them both a slight bow.

Natsha brushed past her. Lorena suddenly stiffened, her teeth grinding together.

“You damn pervert!” Lorena hissed under her breath.

As the attendant turned and stepped into the elevator, Natsha’s lips silently formed a word.

“Beautiful.”

She even raised both hands to mimic the shape of an hourglass. As a final move, she didn’t forget to give a playful slap into the air.

After finishing, she puckered her lips and winked.

Lorena flushed with fury and quickly strode out of the elevator. Natsha, after causing chaos, had already run off ahead.

/////////////////////

Lorena gently swirled the wine in her hand, listening to the massive investment deals discussed by the leaders of major conglomerates. Oh! Fortunately, she was still capable of understanding that kind of specialized business language.

Suddenly, amid the lively buzz of voices, a particular conversation became clear as it drifted into her ears.

“That’s right!” a man’s deep voice rang out. “The kids just went ahead and registered their marriage like that. They even already have a child!”

“The daughter of the Taechamongkalapiwat family is an actress, and on top of that, she’s a beta. Wasn’t she just afraid you wouldn’t agree?” The lady beside him spoke up.

“As long as she’s from the Taechamongkalapiwat family, I accept it all!” the man laughed heartily.

“Your daughter is about six months pregnant now, isn’t she?” The woman asked.

“Six months already!” He replied cheerfully. “Medicine is so advanced these days, so I’m much more at ease.”

“I told you before, why are you so prejudiced against betas?” The woman waved her hand dismissively.

Hearing that, the man kept his smile. But somewhere within it, there was a trace of unreadable darkness.

“When have I ever been prejudiced against betas? I’m only prejudiced against those who aren’t worthy!”

Lorena felt as though her hearing must be malfunctioning. Taechamongkalapiwat. TYhe surname she had heard for the past ten years. Why was it appearing here?

“Father.” A gentle voice sounded.

The omega woman in a white dress, her rounded belly visible beneath the fabric, was linking arms with someone Lorena knew all too well. The dimples that appeared whenever Natsha smiled were clearly visible, paired with the sweet smile of the feminine omega beside her. They looked like a match made in heaven.

“Father.” Natsha pressed her palms together before her chest and bowed to the older man.

As Lorena watched the scene before her, everything around her seemed to shatter into sharp crystalline fragments.

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Author's note: Yeah that's Coco Chanel elevator scene!:)))))