"Mom!" James snapped, his tone sharp with irritation. "Stop saying that. This isn't Sarah's fault. When I went to her place, Zachary Reynolds was there. The Reynolds family is clearly involved now."Zachary Reynolds at Sarah's apartment? Charlotte felt her heart sink. Were they together now? They were getting far too close for comfort.Mrs. Chancer's voice rose sharply, bitter and angry. "Of course, now the Reynolds family is helping that little witch deal with Lucy. My poor Lucy—how could this happen to her!""Sarah won't even talk to me anymore," James admitted helplessly.Charlotte seized her chance. "Well, of course not. The Reynolds are one of the most powerful families in the city. Sarah probably doesn't think she needs to be polite to us anymore—not with Zachary Reynolds in her corner."Her implication was clear, and James caught on immediately.Mrs. Chancer jumped in, her voice dripping with venom. "Charlotte's right. That woman only cares about power and status. She to
"What's wrong? Is it Mia?""Yes, Mia's awake and she won't stop crying.""You should go to her then. Here, take this food - she hasn't eaten yet," Sarah quickly handed him a thermos container.Zachary didn't refuse, taking the container with him.Before leaving, he glanced back several times, concerned. "Call me if anything happens." Though he knew she wouldn't."Okay, and let me know when you get to the hospital. I want to know how she's doing."Zachary arrived at the hospital quickly. Before he even entered the room, he could hear the girl's hoarse crying.The nurse explained anxiously, "Mr. Reynolds, I don't know what happened. After you left, Miss Reynolds was sleeping, but when she woke up, she just started crying and hasn't stopped. Her voice is hoarse now, and she won't respond to anyone - she just keeps saying she's scared.""I'll see her."When Zachary entered the room worriedly, Mia didn't have a strong reaction to him. Instead, she looked at him pitifully. “Zach, is
But Mia wasn't responding, just clinging to Sarah's shirt without letting go, no matter what Sarah asked.Zachary looked at Sarah apologetically. "She seems very attached to you."Though it was strange, Sarah let Mia hold onto her."It's okay. She probably needs to feel secure right now and wants someone with her."It was getting late, and Sarah was worried about Mia's condition. “Can Mia stay here tonight?"Zachary had been considering this in the car, but he was concerned about Sarah's injury."You're hurt - how can you take care of her? I should take her home," Zachary said, glancing at Sarah's swollen leg.Besides, Mia's episode today had been hard to control even with him there. It would be even harder for Sarah alone if he left.But nobody expected Mia to start crying again when Zachary tried to take her away.It wasn't loud sobbing this time, but pitiful whimpering as she curled up in the corner hugging her knees - a sight that would break anyone's heart.She kept mumb
"So you're feeling more confident now?"Sarah nodded, "The biggest obstacle between therapists and patients isn't usually the trigger or form of their episodes - it's trust. If a patient can trust their doctor completely and unconditionally, progress happens much faster. And I can see it now - she trusts me, depends on me even.""She can be childlike sometimes, but she's very sensitive to people's energy. She can feel that you're good to her.""No, it's more than that," Sarah's expression turned serious. "I can tell that our brief time together isn't enough to build this level of trust. There must be another reason - I just don't know what it is yet."Zachary’s hand trembled slightly, though his face remained neutral. "I trust you, Sasa.""By the way, what are you going to do about Lucy?""I've handed everything to the police - all the witness statements, physical evidence, and video footage. The school will handle the rest. James has been trying to pull strings, but no one dares
When Sarah left her bedroom, she found Zachary had already gone, leaving breakfast for two on the dining table.After washing up and eating breakfast, she applied burn cream to her leg while Mia was still sleeping.As she was pondering Mia's condition, her phone rang with an unknown number.She answered uncertainly, "Hello?"A soft laugh came through, followed by Jane's voice. "Forgotten my voice already? After yesterday's competition, I didn't get a chance to check on you. How's the burn?""Dr. Lawrence, it doesn't hurt much now, just still swollen. I just applied some burn cream. You're heading back soon, right?"Sarah remembered Jane was only staying for seven days, and today was the seventh day."Yes, flying out tonight. I have a panel discussion scheduled for early morning there.""So soon?" Sarah was surprised.Jane laughed, "Can't help it. There's so much to share from this trip, but the East Coast has many excellent psychologists and experts who've provided valuable in
This Mia was completely different from the confident, lively girl they'd met yesterday. Such a dramatic change in just one day."Could something have triggered this?" Jane asked quietly.Sarah watched Mia worriedly. "Yesterday when she saw my burned leg at home, she became like this. She was even more agitated then. She was terrified of everything, and it took tremendous effort to get her to sleep.""I think I understand. She must have been injured before. These are trauma responses, likely more psychological than physical. Past trauma being triggered, making her relive that environment and unable to escape it," Jane explained thoughtfully.But Sarah had a different concern. "If she's trapped in that past environment, shouldn't she be afraid of everything unfamiliar? Even with her brother, she shows some fear. But with me, she shows complete trust and dependency, even though we've only known each other briefly."She meant that Mia's trust and dependence on her didn't make sense.
She clung tightly to Sarah's arm, crying, as if this was her only source of security.Sarah let her hold on, wondering what Mia must have experienced to make her feel so unsafe."I'm here. Don't be afraid. I'm right here," she said softly.Mia gradually calmed down but kept holding Sarah's arm, her eyes darting around anxiously.Jane took a sip of coffee and checked the time. "Let me drive you both home - it's getting late.""Thank you, Dr. Lawrence.”Sarah and Mia got into Jane's car, and they quickly arrived at the apartment building.Before leaving, Jane told her: "My senior colleague will be returning to the country soon. He's a more experienced psychiatrist than I am. I'll mention you to him - he might get in touch.""Thank you," Sarah replied sincerely.As she closed the car door, Jane lowered the window for one last comment: "Your research paper is incredibly valuable. I've sent my questions and thoughts about it to your email. You shouldn't just be a counselor at Adams
“Mom! Our family only holds five percent of the school’s shares. The Reynolds family controls forty percent—nearly half. Do you really think the dean would risk offending them for us?” James’ tone was exasperated.And there was something he hadn’t mentioned yet: Lucy’s reputation at school was already terrible. She had been using the family name to bully other students for years, targeting anyone she didn’t like. Several promising students had even been forced to drop out because of her behavior.The dean had been tactful in his remarks, but the truth was clear. He had only tolerated Lucy’s actions because of the Chancer family’s influence. Now that the Reynolds family had stepped in, there was no way the school would continue shielding her.“As expected, everyone just bows to power and picks on the weak! What about my poor Lucy? What’s she going to do now?” Mrs. Chancer wailed, her voice shrill with despair.James’ tone turned cold. “Mom, you know better than I do what kind of rep
Fresh from the gambling den, Charlie was ecstatic, clutching a bundle of cash and laughing wildly. "Zach, we won thirty thousand! Can you believe they just let us walk out?"He found it unbelievable, but Zach seemed unfazed. They hadn't just taken the house; they'd also won a considerable amount from other gamblers, and even helped the house make a profit. It was no wonder they weren't stopped.Holding the money, Charlie mused, "Zach, you wouldn’t believe it. The rich just keep getting richer. Today, our factory received a shipment of equipment, and I heard just one machine costs millions. Compared to them, this thirty thousand really isn't much."Zach casually mentioned, "It seems like the Sanders factory is the only big one left around here."Charlie quickly retorted with a smirk, "Actually, in West Ridge, Sanders isn’t the biggest."Zach raised an eyebrow, "Really? I thought I knew West Ridge pretty well. Apart from Sanders, I haven’t seen any factory bigger than theirs."Char
Charlie finally got it—Manager Sullivan was forcing him to take on this task. He gritted his teeth and determinedly agreed, "Manager, I'll do it."Manager Sullivan smiled approvingly, "That's the spirit! Good employees like you are what this factory needs. Don't worry, the higher-ups won't let your efforts go unrewarded. If you pull this off, you could be looking at a bonus of several thousand."Charlie nodded, "Tonight, then?"Manager Sullivan's expression grew serious as he nodded back, "Yes, tonight."That afternoon, Charlie clocked out and went straight to find Zachary. He couldn’t go back to the old gambling den—they had made a mess last time and were probably blacklisted. As for the money he owed, Charlie didn’t care anymore. After all, they had won a lot last time only to have it stolen, which he figured squared things. Still, that didn't stop him from wanting to gamble again.Just a few days later, he found Zachary and even brought what he considered a fine cigar.As for
Outside the Sanders factory, several trucks were parked at the entrance. Sarah followed Manager Sullivan and Mr. Lambert, watching the unloading process. "Manager Sullivan, all this new equipment has arrived today, right from the headquarters' stock, and it's too late to ship from Germany now," Sarah observed, her voice serious.Mr. Lambert smiled, "I didn't expect you to handle this so quickly, Miss Sanders. It's only been a few days since you went to headquarters to file a complaint, and you've already got the equipment here.""It's all for the good of the factory," Sarah replied, her face still stern. "So, Manager Sullivan, the factory can operate normally now, right? Getting the production line back up is inevitable."Manager Sullivan's expression wasn't much happier; he hadn't expected Sarah to pull this off so quickly. He forced a smile, "Of course."As the equipment was moved into the factory, Manager Sullivan returned to his office, wiping sweat from his brow with his handk
Sarah was puzzled. "An explosion at such a critical moment would make anyone suspicious, wouldn't it? It looks like someone's trying to cover something up."Zachary nodded, his face showing disdain. "You're not the only one who thought so. But Old Mr. Wilson presented the last batch of drugs from their factory, which were supposed to be delivered to hospitals. The tests came back clean, and they claimed the explosion was due to a mishandling of ingredients."Sarah raised an eyebrow. "And everyone just bought that?""Yes, everyone did.""So, you want to prove the explosion wasn't an accident and use that to bring down the Wilson family?" Sarah asked softly.Zachary's face paled; he shook his head slightly. "It's not just that. I want to do more, but..."Sarah shrugged, as if she was used to this kind of talk. "Let me guess, the timing isn't right yet?"Zachary looked at her sincerely. "Sarah, I'm really glad you came to help me with my wounds. When the time is right, I'll come to
Sarah didn't respond to Zachary's earlier words—she simply moved with even more care as she cleaned and bandaged his wound. Her eyes stayed fixed on the task at hand, but her expression was unreadable.Zachary, watching her in silence, gave a soft laugh. "You do care about me, Sasa. No matter what you say, you're not as heartless as you pretend to be."Sarah shook her head, her voice calm but cool. "You're overthinking it. We're both from East Coast—I just don't want to see you die. Besides, you're getting engaged to Miss Wilson in just over half a month. I’m clear of our positions. So please, don't say things like that again."Zachary's face changed instantly. He knew she was right—his engagement to Vivian was a chasm between them, one that he couldn't just leap across. Not while the truth remained buried.That engagement wasn't just a label. It was a shield. A smokescreen. A compromise he'd made to protect Sarah. But knowing she believed it, that it stood between them, only deepe
Charlie felt a chill run down his spine from that single glance. Considering her status, he dared not push any further. "That's all I have to say. The rest is up to you to figure out."He fled the scene, leaving Sarah alone in the room.After washing up, she lay on the bed and checked her emails. Her cousin had sent her updates on the construction progress at Pine Mist Island.Once she finished handling her affairs, Sarah tucked herself under the covers and closed her eyes, trying to sleep, but rest eluded her.Her mind was filled with what Charlie had said about Zachary being injured. He was hurt, and she had no idea how serious the wound was.If it was severe, he would need hospital treatment, which would certainly leave a record and expose his location.If he didn't want his whereabouts known, he would have to treat the injury himself at home.But that wound...Sarah couldn't calm her thoughts. She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.Under the bright moonlight, a figu
After the doctor left, Charlie yanked out his IV and clambered off the bed, urging Zachary, "Let's get out of here. This place just drains you dry."Zachary, indifferent since his injuries were feigned, asked, "Your injuries alright?"Charlie, ever so casual about his resilience, boasted, "Ah, I've been roughed up worse before. Just give me a couple of days to rest at home, and I'll be as good as new."With unresolved matters and a longing to see Sarah, Zachary reluctantly set aside his desires. "Then you head back. Call me if you need anything."Charlie, sensing something off, gently tugged at Zachary's suit and noticed his white shirt stained with fresh blood. "Zach, you're hurt!"Zachary's lips were pale, his voice dry. "Yeah.""I'll get the doctor to bandage you up," Charlie said, moving to leave."No need," Zachary stopped him quickly, not wanting to expose his whereabouts by registering at the hospital."What about your wound?""I have a first aid kit at home. It's just
Zachary dragged the unconscious Charlie to the clinic, exacerbating Charlie's injuries as his back scraped against the small stones on the road.When Charlie woke up in the clinic, his howls filled the room. "It's killing me! Where's the doctor? Give me some anesthesia. I'd rather be out cold!"The nurse, irritated by his constant demands, was about to lose her patience when Zachary entered the room. Seeing him, Charlie momentarily forgot his pain and burst into tears. "Bro, did you save me? From now on, you're like a brother to me."Zachary responded indifferently, "Just focus on healing."As the nurse changed Charlie's bandages, she couldn't help but blush at Zachary's rugged, yet undeniably handsome appearance, even slightly disheveled from the fight."Damn it, get out! Are you doing this on purpose, you wretch? Trying to kill me?" Charlie slapped her, swelling her face, as he misunderstood her distracted clumsiness for malice.Zachary frowned, saying nothing. Although he disl
With an agile flip through the air, Zachary caught sight of Charlie sneaking a peek from behind a haystack, his sleazy demeanor perfectly deserving of a beating. The thought of what this scoundrel had done to Sarah intensified Zachary's fury, already heightened by the fierce combat.On the other side, the casino manager watched in rage as his men were effortlessly knocked down by Zachary. Cursing loudly, he shouted, "Damn it, what's the story with this kid?"Seeing some of his underlings still looking for an opportunity to strike, his anger boiled over. "Are you all brainless? Attack him all at once; I refuse to believe he can fight off everyone!"Those still standing and those who had managed to get back up exchanged glances and charged at Zachary with renewed ferocity.Zachary's sharp eyes flashed with disdain. Without moving, his fist met an attacker's face at an extraordinarily tricky angle.The attacker's pained expression froze mid-air, and when he hit the ground, dust flew