Zachary opened the latest post - an audio file. When he played it, he heard a conversation between a woman and Sarah.Mia was surprised too. Besides their voices, she heard Dean Larson's voice. "Ha! Let's see what those trolls say now! That professor stole Sarah's paper!"She recognized Professor Wells's voice too - they must be in a meeting.She happily posted several comments under the recording. "Brother, Sarah's okay now."Zachary's expression darkened. "Let me take you home first.""We're not waiting for Sarah?""I'll come back after dropping you off."Mia's eyes widened with excitement. "Brother, hurry then! When are you going to make Sarah my sister-in-law?"Zachary patted her head, amused by her persistence. He smiled, "Soon."Back in her office, Sarah reviewed everything carefully, even checking the security footage, but found no clues. Who had stolen her paper?Could Grace really have stolen it herself?She packed up and left the building, surprised to find Zachary
She remembered Zachary making soup in her kitchen before giving her medicine. Setting up a pot, she made herself a simple chicken soup.The plagiarism incident was resolved swiftly. Within two days, Grace's paper was retracted and a formal announcement made. The university promptly terminated her employment.Sarah had just finished reading the notice when she received a call from the Academic Journal.They were direct. “Miss Sanders, your research is groundbreaking. Once you publish, we'd like to discuss featuring it in our journal."Sarah stayed professional. "I'll reach out after publication."Meanwhile, the Psychology Journal's editor emailed, apologizing for their previous harsh treatment."We deeply regret our hasty judgment. Your paper is exceptional, and we were dismayed to see Harrison’s publication. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared - could we discuss publication?""Certainly," Sarah replied.Both prestigious journals wanted her work, though she could only choos
"She's fine! Someone's watching her. She won't die," Grace said coldly.Sarah was deeply worried. Mia's psychological trauma made her sensitive to stress - being kidnapped could trigger another episode."Mia has mental health issues. She can't handle shock. Take me to her - once I see she's safe, I'll write whatever you want!"Sarah kept her voice gentle, noticing Grace seemed on the verge of breakdown.Perhaps the paper incident had pushed her over the edge. Sarah spoke even more softly. "Professor Harrison, remember that before your dismissal, you were a teacher. You taught at Adams for many years, and Mia was your student. Teachers should protect their students. I believe this isn't what you really want, and we can still resolve this before it gets worse. I'll help write your paper, but think about it - you were caught last time. What if you're discovered again? As a psychology professor yourself, you must understand your current state. Don't do something you'll regret!"Grace
Zachary's face was tense as he asked urgently, "Are you okay?""I'm fine, Zac. I was just taking photos. What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.Zachary took a deep breath. "It's Sarah. She went to rescue you.""Rescue me? What do you mean?" Mia's eyes widened.Zachary quickly opened the car door. "No time to explain. Get in!"Once inside, he explained everything to her."What?! That's impossible! My phone died - I couldn't have answered any calls!" Mia pulled out her phone in shock.His assistant sat in the passenger seat, frantically tracking the license plate.Zachary gripped the wheel tightly. He'd received Sarah's call during his meeting. She hadn't spoken when he answered, despite his repeated questions. He'd almost hung up, but thankfully stayed on the line long enough to hear crucial details.He'd immediately ordered a search on Grace's background and the license plate number.After checking security footage and seeing Mia safe, he realized Sarah had been tricked!In the
Sarah leaped onto the fire escape between the second floor and ground level.She jumped down and bolted through the main gate.Grace quickly pursued in her car, but Sarah darted through narrow alleys where cars couldn't follow, eventually losing her.She avoided main streets, fearing she'd be spotted.She sprinted through back alleys for nearly an hour without seeing a soul. Her feet were blistered and bleeding in her heels, and without her phone, she felt completely lost.Thunder cracked overhead. Sarah had no idea where she was, surrounded only by empty lots with no shelter in sight.She kept running as rain began falling, soaking through her blouse and skirt.A chill crept up from her feet as her drenched clothes clung to her skin, the wind cutting right through them.Hugging herself for warmth, she followed street signs. After what felt like forever, she spotted headlights through the downpour and raised her hand weakly. "Help..."The car stopped, and someone rushed toward
Watching Sarah sip her soup in the hospital bed, Zachary couldn't shake the image of her collapsing in the rain.When she'd fainted in that downpour, he'd felt his world stop.Zachary walked quietly to the window, watching spring buds emerging on the hospital's manicured lawn.A patient crept across the grass and snapped off one of the fresh blooms.His heart jumped, his expression darkening.A vision flashed through his mind: a girl lying in a pool of blood, another screaming hysterically before fainting.The memory made him unsteady. He braced one hand against the wall, pressing the other to his temple."Are you alright?" Sarah asked.Zachary forced a smile, gradually relaxing his frown. "Just tired. Have you finished?""Yes." Sarah dabbed her mouth with a napkin.She tried removing her IV, but Zachary stopped her."Let's wait for the doctor. Your fever hasn't broken yet."At the abandoned warehouse, a black Porsche Cayenne pulled up. Sarah stepped out in her hospital gow
Tears welled in Grace's eyes, her lips trembling. "But you won't let this go. Even without today, I still broke the law.""Actually, I was planning to let it go. The university fired you, and I'm republishing the paper - both journals are eager to work with me. I had no reason to destroy you completely."She looked at Grace sincerely, clearly not lying.Grace stared at Sarah in disbelief. "Impossible! Impossible!" She thrashed about, shouting, "She told me you were going to blacklist me everywhere! After I was fired, I thought about opening my own practice, but she said you wouldn't let me. I was desperate - that's why I tried to force you to write for me."Sarah challenged her. "Even if I wrote something, how could you publish it?""She said she'd help! Her family is powerful, they could definitely help me."Sarah sighed. "Did you really think I had that kind of power to completely blacklist you?"Grace glanced at Zachary. "Not you, but he does. She told me you two had somethin
Sarah laughed coldly. "Lucy's hatred for me isn't new. You should know her reputation at the university better than me - you taught her. She loves playing these games. Even if you got my paper, she would never help you. She just wanted to get at me. Once that was done, why would she care about you?"Grace burst into tears, biting her lip. "It's my fault. I listened to her and kidnapped you. It's all my fault.""What about that photo?" Sarah remembered how that picture had convinced her.Grace paused, pressing her lips together. "Lucy arranged it. She had someone befriend Mia and take her for photos. The picture was staged."Grace finished speaking, her face pale, head hanging low.Sarah and Zachary exchanged glances. They knew Mia's personality made her easy to approach.Her friendly nature meant she could make friends in hours. But if she learned she'd inadvertently caused Sarah harm, she'd be devastated. Sarah studied Grace intently - Lucy couldn't get away with this anymore.
This time she used subconscious therapy again, but without including herself in Mia's mental landscape.Melvin had offered his office for Mia's therapy sessions. Sarah dimmed the lights.With Mia settled on the couch, just like at the university, they began."Mia, close your eyes. Imagine you're in a vast desert, surrounded by endless sand. In the distance, a tornado rushes toward you.""You feel gentle breezes, warm sunlight on your skin. You're comfortable, just growing tired, so tired you sink into the soft sand..."Mia's closed eyes relaxed, her furrowed brow smoothing.Sarah continued softly, "Deep in the desert, you see a camel. It runs toward you. Is it seeking help or trying to attack?""Attack. It wants to attack me.""Good. But you dodge it. Then hunters capture you. You scream for help. Someone comes. Who is it?"Mia's hands clenched. "Sarah.""No, not Sarah. Someone else. Who?" Sarah pressed.Mia's arms trembled with tension, but she insisted, "It's Sarah."Sara
He needed to take that step, to show Melvin he could protect Sarah."Could you take Mia with you?" Zachary asked seriously. "Her condition is more stable when you're around."Sarah nodded. She'd wanted to bring Mia anyway but wasn't sure if Zachary would agree."Okay. Melvin says we're leaving tomorrow morning. Bring Mia early, I don't think he'll refuse." Though Sarah wasn't entirely confident.Zachary kissed her nose. "I haven't kept my promise yet. I said I'd talk to Melvin, but now you're leaving before I could."Sarah cupped his face in her hands, smiling. "Maybe he's rushing because he knows you won't give up.""Sarah, trust me. I'll convince Melvin." He wouldn't surrender."I know."Zachary gazed into her eyes with burning intensity. "Sasa…” He stopped himself, swallowing his words.Before Sarah could ask, his lips found hers.He held her tight, as if trying to merge her into himself. There was a metallic taste between their lips.Sarah lost herself in this ocean of
Tears sprang to Sarah's eyes. "Zachary! What are you doing?"He whispered against her ear, his voice icy, "Why didn't you tell me? Couldn't you even make one phone call? Did you want to leave me?"Sarah looked at him, helpless but determined. "No, I don't want to go."Zachary released her and walked to the bed.Sarah sighed with relief, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, her emotions in turmoil."Then why didn't you tell me?"Sarah turned away, whispering, "I was afraid I'd cry."Without seeing him, she could be strong and brave, fearless.But one look at him made her want to depend on him completely. She wasn't even sure she could follow her cousin's wishes anymore.Zachary held her tight, breathing in the fresh scent of her hair, unsure whether to smile or maintain his stern expression.Finally, his cold facade cracked. Seeing her lips still red from his earlier kiss, he leaned in again.Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck, heat rising from her throat to her face unt
That short distance felt like miles. Knowing it would be hard to see Zachary again after she left, Sarah turned and buried herself in his chest one last time, savoring the moment.Back home, Uncle Shawn had left. Melvin sat on the couch, his face cold. Seeing her, he gave a bitter smile, "I know he was upstairs."Sarah dropped the pretense and sat beside Melvin, cautiously asking, "Why do you hate Zachary so much?""Hate? No, I despise him. I'm sick of him." His calm tone barely contained the underlying fury.Sarah was confused. In her memory, Melvin shouldn't even know Zachary. Where did this hatred come from?"Why?" she pressed.Melvin poured himself some tea, his gaze distant. "Sarah, Zachary's dangerous. Being close to him puts you at risk. You should end it before you're in too deep. Otherwise, you'll regret it."Sarah shook her head in frustration. "You can't just say he's dangerous without explaining why."Melvin slammed the table. "No explanations. We're leaving tomorro
Outside the police station, James watched Charlotte emerge, exhaustion etched on his face.The revelation still stunned him. He'd suspected everyone - Lucy, his mother - but never Charlotte. He'd been too confident in his understanding of her, too certain her kindness was genuine."James," Charlotte's voice quavered, her eyes red-rimmed as she reached for him. He stepped back, irritation clear in his movements."Just get in the car," he said flatly.During the drive home, Charlotte couldn't bear his silence. "James, please. I never wanted to hurt Sarah. I just wanted to... I mean, nothing really happened!""Were you behind those social media posts?" His voice was ice."I only shared the truth," she dabbed at her face with a tissue. "I know it was wrong. I won't do anything like that again. Everything I did was because I love you so much."James kept driving, his jaw set, ignoring her words.That evening, Sarah's phone lit up with a call from Mia."Sarah?" Mia's voice trembled.
"I can't believe Sarah has this kind of influence!" Lucy paced her room, struggling to process the revelation. All this time, she'd dismissed Sarah as a gold-digger after her brother's money."An heiress? Really?" She scoffed. "I thought her inheritance went to Melvin when her parents died."James slammed his hand on the desk. "Have you learned nothing? First Zachary Reynolds, and now the Sanders family? You won't rest until you've destroyed everything we've built!"He massaged his temples, regretting his decision to sign her out of Pyschiatric Hospital. If he'd known she'd cause this much chaos..."They started it!" Lucy protested. "Making ridiculous threats about ruining us in minutes. I couldn't just stand there!""Enough!" James snapped, his patience finally breaking. Lucy recoiled at his tone, fleeing to her room.Alone in his study, James stared at his buzzing phone - the Garnetts again, undoubtedly demanding updates about Charlotte. As if the company's crisis wasn't enough
Sarah's nose tingled with emotion as she leaned against the window, laughing softly, "You're acting like we haven't seen each other in ages.""It's been three days. Haven't you missed me?""I already told you," Sarah paused, then added, "Yes, I have."She longed to touch his face, rest against his chest, hear his strong heartbeat, hold his warm hand.Instead, she could only press her hand against the cold window, unable to bridge the four-story gap to reach his outstretched palm."Can't reach," she whispered.Zachary opened the passenger door, pulling out a pink teddy bear, “Do you like it?”"It's lovely, but I can't get it," Sarah said sadly."Try finding some string," Zachary suggested.Sarah searched everywhere, first her room, then the bathroom, nearly getting caught. Finally, she found some string.She lowered it from the fourth floor and pulled up the tied teddy bear, feeling like it symbolized her own situation.She was the one tied up, with Melvin holding the strings
Sarah understood completely. Earlier attempts to help Mia feel safe - trips to amusement parks, movie theaters, and various entertainment venues with Zachary - had shown little success.Though Mia's condition had stabilized, Sarah had questioned her treatment approach. They'd attempted hypnotherapy several times, but touching deeper memories triggered either episodes or blackouts. She hadn't dared use any more aggressive methods."Psychological intervention isn't about completely fixing patients," Scott explained. "It's about subtle suggestions. Like solving a mystery - providing small clues until they piece everything together."Sarah nodded thoughtfully, "Professor, would recreating the traumatic scene be too triggering? Has this approach worked in other countries?""Never heard of success with that. Don't attempt it," Scott warned."I understand. Thank you, Professor." Sarah rose from her seat."Anytime. Keep in touch if you need more guidance."At the restaurant's private ro
Sarah pulled out a stack of papers from her bag - Mia's treatment reports.Scott looked through them briefly before setting them aside. "Jane mentioned this to me in M. Country. Mia developed psychological trauma from a kidnapping several years ago. That's not unusual. What's rare is her subconscious time-space disorientation when triggered.""Based on her condition then, she likely had no one to trust. After witnessing violent scenes, her subconscious protected her by blocking those memories. However, when triggered, she returns to that state. The difference now is your presence. I see from the report that you and Jane theorized it's perception disorder - when feeling unsafe, she pulls you, her most trusted person now, into past scenes. While possible, your treatment approach has a fundamental flaw - it's actually a paradox.""A flaw?" Sarah looked at Scott puzzled."Yes. If she had no one to trust after the kidnapping, yet under stress chooses to pull you into that scenario - don