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.
"What are you talking about? Mia! This is campus property - you can't assault me!" Jenny sobbed."Playing dumb? Let me refresh your memory!" Mia grabbed her hair harder. "You powered off my phone and hid it yesterday! Just to block any incoming calls!"She snatched Jenny's designer bag and found her iPhone, forcing her to unlock it with Face ID. In the messages, she found Lucy's chat history. Her fury grew as she read - Lucy had orchestrated everything: befriending her, suggesting the photoshoot, arranging the phone theft.Because of Jenny's schemes, Sarah had been hurt! She wouldn't let this go unpunished!"The evidence is right here on your phone. How do you explain this?" Mia's voice was ice-cold.She turned to the watching students. "This girl stole my phone and conspired with Lucy Chancer to manipulate me! Anyone want to take her side?"The students backed away, shaking their heads.Humiliated, Jenny snapped. "Mia! This is a prestigious university! I'm reporting you to the
Jenny watched Lucy flee in panic, momentarily stunned. Her eyes widened with realization, and she quickly ran away too.Lucy didn't even stop to grab her designer bag or notify administration. She rushed straight through the campus gates, jumping into the first Uber she saw and heading home.Mrs. Chancer was surprised to see her. "Lucy, don't you have afternoon lectures? Why are you home? I've invited Katherine and Emma over for tea.”Lucy looked at her mother in panic. "Mom! What do I do? The police are coming for me!""What are you talking about? Why would the police arrest you?" her mother was bewildered.Seeing her daughter's frightened face, she realized. "What have you done now?!""Mom! It's that b*tch! Sarah must have called the police again!" Lucy's voice trembled.Her mother steadied her, asking several times before Lucy stammered out,” Mom! Remember that professor who plagiarized a paper and published it online? After she was fired, she kidnapped Sarah yesterday - some
She was his sister - of course he didn't want her in trouble.On the highway, a black Maybach shot forward like lightning, ignoring speed limits and radar zones. The driver floored the accelerator, struggling to keep control of the steering wheel.But Lucy felt they weren't moving fast enough. She'd booked a flight leaving in thirty minutes. If she could just make it in time, she'd be safe in Milan.Just as the airport came into view, a police motorcycle appeared beside them, sirens blaring. "Pull over! Stop the car!""Don't stop!" Lucy screamed. The driver, following orders, pressed the accelerator harder. The car lurched forward.Before she could catch her breath, police motorcycles emerged from both sides, patrol cars following behind. Sirens echoed across the highway.Lucy's heart pounded as she stared fearfully out the window.The driver was panicking. "What should we do, Miss?""What do you mean? Keep going! Faster!" Her eyes were wild, all reason gone.The police motorc
In the elevator, Sarah took a deep breath. She wasn't some teenager with a crush - keep it together!As the doors began closing, a hand caught them. Zachary stepped in, moving closer, his tall frame carrying an expensive cologne.The scent filled the elevator, making her dizzy. Her cheeks felt hot, burning when she touched them.Zachary looked at her with concern. "Running a fever?" He pressed his hand to her forehead. "Not warm."Sarah froze, forgetting to breathe. His hand was warm and strong. As he withdrew it, her eyes followed it to his suit pocket."I'm not sick," she said firmly."I know." He suddenly leaned closer, speaking softly. "Are you blushing?"Sarah's eyes darted around. "Of course not!"Ding!When the elevator arrived, Sarah slipped past him, quickly unlocking her apartment door.Inside, she noticed the aroma of cooking - probably drifting from a neighbor's.Suddenly the lights flicked on. Her eyes widened as Scarlett and Mia approached with bouquets. "Welco
Sarah escaped to her bedroom, catching her flushed reflection in the mirror. Steven's words kept repeating in her mind. Zachary, interested in her? No way.She knew he cared, but Steven made it sound like Zachary had been secretly in love with her for ages. That was just... Heading back to the dining room, she found Mia half-asleep at the table, while Steven and Scarlett were sprawled out, wine-drunk. But where was Zachary?The whir of a blender drew her attention to the kitchen. She found him mixing something at the counter. As she got closer, she recognized the distinctive smell - he was making more of that immune-boosting smoothie her doctor had recommended.Right on cue, he turned around with a glass. "Still feeling rough? Drink this. I noticed your vitamin supplements are untouched. You need the boost."She eyed the greenish liquid, wanting to cry even as she took tiny sips. Her stuffy nose made the healthy concoction taste even worse.When she finally finished, Zachary ave
"She may have disobeyed, but you can't just abandon her! Lucy was standing up for you against that woman who cheated during your marriage and took all that money. Your sister was defending you - how can you not help her?" Mrs. Chancer jabbed her finger at James.Charlotte also tried persuading him. "James, she's your sister. This affects the Chancer’s reputation. People already mocked our family last time, and now..."She wasn't worried about Lucy - she was concerned about their reputation.Mrs. Chancer looked at her gratefully. "Charlotte, you're so thoughtful and proper."James frowned. Of course he understood all this.If it was just Sarah, the situation would be simple. But Zachary kept targeting the Chancer family."Really, the nature of this case depends on what the witness says," Charlotte mused casually.Mrs. Chancer's eyes locked onto her. "Charlotte, what do you mean?"James looked at her puzzled. "The nature?""Ultimately, it's Sarah's word against Lucy's. What if L
Opening Sarah's bedroom door, his heart nearly stopped at the sight of her.When he touched her, she was burning hot.Without wasting time, he rushed her to the hospital.From 2 AM until after 5, her fever finally broke. He hadn't dared sleep, anxiously watching the IV drip while constantly monitoring her condition."You're not leaving the hospital again." Zachary's tone left no room for argument.Sarah could tell from his expression that he was furious."Thanks for the trouble," she said with an awkward laugh.This made Zachary even angrier. 'Thanks for the trouble' - why was she always so distant?"Trouble? Don't ever say that again." Zachary suddenly leaned closer to Sarah.Startled, she shrank back. "Don't get too close. You'll catch my cold."She covered her mouth, coughing several times.But Zachary didn't move away. Instead, he studied her intently. Her beautiful eyes avoided his gaze, making her look adorable.Suddenly, he felt an urge - a strange feeling. Looking a
Zachary couldn't quite identify what he was feeling. He calmly signaled the housekeeper to fetch the reports.Sarah carefully opened the door and peeked at Mia hiding in the corner. She also took in the mess on the floor.It seemed Mia was experiencing severe emotional swings. Sarah couldn't use an aggressive treatment approach.Mia spotted Sarah.She blinked, then suddenly burst into tears and started reaching for more breakable items in the room.Sarah rushed in without concern for her own safety. First, she called out firmly, "Mia, stop!"Zachary followed her inside, instinctively positioning himself to Sarah's right, ready to protect her if anything unexpected happened.Seeing this, Mia secretly smiled to herself, more determined than ever to play matchmaker.In her excitement, she set her sights on a waist-high vase.Sarah's attention was completely focused on her. Following Mia's gaze, her heart skipped a beat. She immediately spoke to her with gentle authority, "Mia, no.
Zachary was unhappy with her tone, as if his sister had some incurable disease.Due to his good upbringing and manners, Zachary didn't lose his temper. He simply asked the housekeeper to see the doctor out, his face showing clear displeasure.This was already the fourth psychologist today. All of them were professor-level professionals for whom writing books was a minor achievement.The nanny specifically assigned to care for Mia also had tears in her eyes as she stared at the closed door with endless worry. "Mr. Reynolds, Mia hasn't eaten a single bite since this morning. We can't go on like this."Zachary irritably pinched the bridge of his nose and coldly ordered, "Aren't there still some candidates on our list? Send people to bring all of them here."The nanny bit her lip and gathered her courage to suggest, "Mr. Reynolds, I don't think bringing more experts will help. Why not ask Miss Sanders to try?"Zachary turned to look at her, his expressionless face making the nanny los
Mrs. Chancer anxiously watched Charlotte lying unconscious on the bed, barely hearing anything the hospital director was saying.James had regained his composure after learning that Charlotte was currently stable. He politely responded to the director, "Thank you. Please don't let us keep you from your duties."After speaking, he glanced at the housekeeper.The housekeeper instinctively stepped forward and extended his right hand courteously. "Director, please, let me escort you back."Mrs. Chancer sat on the stool that James had pulled over, staring at Charlotte's pale face with lingering fear, unable to look away for a long time.It wasn't that she truly cared for Charlotte; she was simply afraid of losing her chance to hold her first grandchild.James placed his hand on her shoulder and gently urged, "Mom, you've had a shock. Charlotte is fine now. Why don't you go home and rest?"Mrs. Chancer was still somewhat angry with him. "I'm not leaving. What if you leave the moment I'
She bit her lip hard, regaining some clarity, then shouted toward the stairway, "Help! Someone come quickly! Save my baby!"Before she lost consciousness, several panicked figures appeared in her vision, rushing toward her.The ambulance arrived quickly. Everyone carefully lifted Charlotte inside, where doctors and nurses immediately began emergency procedures.The housekeeper went along in the ambulance to the hospital.On the way, he called both James and Mrs. Chancer, briefly explaining what had happened and giving them the hospital's location.After receiving the call, James put aside his work and rushed to the hospital as quickly as possible.Even though he disliked Charlotte, the child in her womb was his undeniable responsibility.Mrs. Chancer reacted as if the world was ending. As soon as she arrived at the hospital, she frantically found a doctor and grabbed his hand, refusing to let go. "Where is my daughter-in-law? Where is she? Is the baby okay?"The doctor she corne
Perhaps due to her extreme emotional state, Charlotte quickly fell asleep.She had a dream.In her dream, she had just gotten off a plane and spotted James in the distance, elegantly leaning against his car waiting for her. In that moment, his eyes were fixed only on her.Charlotte ran toward him happily, wanting to throw herself into his arms and hold him tight.However, halfway there, she saw another woman appear from the side who ran straight into James's welcoming embrace.She could clearly see that James's eyes were filled with affection, without sparing even a glance in her direction."No, this can't be real. Who is she?" Charlotte shook her head in disbelief as she walked closer step by step. When she saw the woman's face, she instantly fell apart."Sarah Sanders, why is it you again? Why do you keep haunting me? James is mine. Don't you dare try to take him away." Charlotte lunged forward like a madwoman, trying to separate them.A mist enveloped the couple, and the scen
The guard at the door was easy to convince. She made up a simple excuse about having a stomachache or needing to see a doctor.The police still sent someone to follow her to the building entrance. When they arrived, the officer blocked her path. "Ms. Garnett, please go back. Without approval, you can't see anyone except your doctor.""Not even my husband? My stomach hurts terribly. I need to see my husband to feel at ease," she pleaded.But the officer wouldn't budge. "Ms. Garnett, please return!"Just then, the officer received a phone call. After listening for a few moments, the officer stepped aside.Charlotte walked in confidently, wearing sunglasses with her head held high.The receptionist greeted her politely, "Miss, who are you here to see? Do you have an appointment?"Charlotte removed her sunglasses, frowning slightly with an annoyed tone, "I'm here to see your CEO, James Chancer. Do I really need an appointment?"The receptionist was new and didn't recognize Charlotte
As Mrs. Sanders kept talking, not only did Sarah stay silent — she actually started laughing.Mrs. Sanders frowned. “What are you laughing at?”Sarah’s gaze turned cold. Her voice was calm but sharp. “Shouldn’t matters between us younger people be handled by us directly? Wouldn’t it sound bad if word got out that you’re getting involved like this?”She paused for a second, then added with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Besides, no matter what, I’m still the biggest shareholder in Sanders Group. Firing an employee is well within my rights, don’t you think?”Right now, Sarah was actually glad Mrs. Sanders had finally dropped the act and shown her true colors. At least it saved Sarah the trouble of pretending to be polite.Mrs. Sanders still wore the kind, gentle smile of an elder, but her voice turned colder underneath. “So what, you’re using your position to pressure me now?”Sarah laughed softly. “You’re joking. How would I dare?”Without bothering to continue the
Later that night, Sarah went downstairs with her empty glass to get some water. But just as she passed by the living room, she overheard a conversation between Melvin and Mrs. Sanders.“You’re really impossible to talk to, you know that?” Mrs. Sanders sounded both angry and disappointed. “It’s not just me — everyone in the family has been trying to convince you. Sarah studied psychology, not business. She has no experience at all. The entire Sanders Group is depending on you.”Melvin’s voice, on the other hand, was clearly filled with impatience. “I’m pretty sure I told you a long time ago, stop bringing up anything about Sarah.”Mrs. Sanders snorted coldly. “How can I not bring it up? It’s just that you’re willing to work like a fool without asking for anything in return. If you’re just going to be a tool to manage Sanders Group for someone else, I really don’t understand why you’re doing all this.”She paused, then added, “By the way, your aunt hinted to me earlier — she wa
Melvin forced a small smile.He honestly didn’t know how his mother could scold him so viciously over the phone just a few days ago… only to turn around tonight and act like nothing had happened, praising him in front of everyone.Mrs. Sanders finally seemed to notice Sarah as well. She smiled politely and nodded. “Sarah, you’re here too? Come on in.”Many of the Sanders family elders were there tonight. When Uncle Shawn saw Sarah, his face lit up with joy. He quickly pulled her over to sit at the main table beside him.“Sasa, you must have had a rough time in West Ridge. Later, I’ll ask the kitchen to make all your favorite dishes, just for you.”Sarah’s heart warmed at his words. Uncle Shawn really did treat her like his own daughter.But when she glanced to the side, she noticed Mrs. Sanders looking at her coldly — like she was staring at an enemy.Tonight’s birthday banquet wasn’t just a family gathering. Even members of the White family were there.The moment Madam White