James caught Zachary's expression and fell silent, Charlotte’s words bringing him back to reality.In his anger, he'd almost forgotten who he was dealing with."Sarah, I can make Lucy apologize and compensate you. Name your price - I'll try to meet it."Sarah looked at James coldly, her voice icy. "No need. Please leave."James's face fell. Charlotte and Mrs. Chancer paled - they hadn't expected such firm resistance."Fine, have it your way. Don't come crying to us later." Mrs. Chancer shot Sarah a venomous look.Outside the hospital, James brooded over his humiliation. "We knew she wouldn't agree to a deal. Why did we even come?"The visit had been his mother's idea. She glared at him. "Are you blaming me? I'm just trying to help! I thought since she used to love you so much, a few kind words might work. Who knew she'd land such a powerful man? She already looked down on us - now we're nothing to her."Mrs. Chancer kept muttering as they walked. "What luck, snagging the Reynol
James finally looked at Charlotte. She’s right, what was wrong with him?Why was he so obsessed? He loved Charlotte - the woman he'd always wanted was right beside him. What else could he want?He pulled Charlotte into his arms, breathing in her light jasmine perfume.Suddenly, a memory flashed: Sarah walking into their room, quietly bringing him tea, her hair still damp from the shower, water droplets on her nightgown making her look irresistible.He saw himself coldly taking the tea, ignoring her.Sarah playfully leaning her head on his shoulder, deliberately letting him smell her hair. "Do you like my new shampoo?" she'd asked excitedly.He'd pushed her away emotionlessly. "Don't bother me. Learn your place," before heading to his study."I'm sorry," James blurted out.Charlotte startled, thinking he was apologizing to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tearful. "James, I don't blame you. I love you so much. Please don't let me down."James snapped back to reality
She was just a university counselor who'd moved on after her divorce.Suddenly, she laughed at herself. When had she become so insecure? She used to be confident and vibrant like Mia, but now...Zachary sat down, putting the apple back in her hand, looking directly into her eyes. "This isn't a game. I'm serious. I thought you could feel that."His gaze burned with intensity. "Sarah, tell me, what kind of person do you think you are?"Sarah stumbled over her words. "I...""What kind of person?" Zachary kept staring, as if trying to burn through her defenses."Like James's mother said - a divorced woman with a bad reputation." Sarah laughed bitterly.Zachary shook his head, his eyes turning cold. "Do you believe that?"Believe it?Why should she?James was the one with the bad reputation.Society was always harder on women. Divorced women faced more prejudice than men. When Mrs. Chancer said those things, she'd wanted to ask if she wasn't a woman herself."Of course not," Sar
"Ahem, Mia..." Sarah said awkwardly.The voice on the phone cut off abruptly. Seconds later, Sarah's phone rang."Sarah, are you feeling better? I was just joking earlier, don't take it seriously," Mia said timidly.Sarah laughed softly. "Much better. The fever's gone.""That's good, that's good. I'll hang up now."After her IV finished and she'd eaten her porridge, she took a nap. When she woke, she found Zachary dozing, his chin propped on his hand.He must be exhausted after bringing her here at dawn and watching over her so long.His sleeping face looked softer, less sharp. His eyelashes were long and thick. She reached out to touch them - so soft.She traced his nose, his cheeks, his lips that had kissed her several times.She'd wanted to do this since that night when he'd touched her lips.Suddenly his eyes opened. As she tried to pull back, he caught her hand. "Weren't you asleep?" she asked, breathing quickly."Light sleeper." He'd been awake since she opened her eye
In the study, the tense atmosphere made Zachary uncomfortable. William sat at his mahogany desk, working on his art, not even glancing up.After what felt like forever, he finished and set down his brush. "What's been keeping you so busy lately?""Just business matters.”"Business? Seems more like romance. I don't oppose relationships, but you should know about this woman's history." William looked concerned.Zachary smiled wryly. "Grandfather, I know Sarah better than anyone. Don't listen to gossip."William chuckled. "How would you know?"Zachary shrugged. "If nobody had complained to you, why this sudden summons?""Indeed, someone sent me some troubling emails."Zachary remained silent. William probably didn't believe the rumors. He was likely just testing him."Your personal life is your business. Make your own choices. You can go." William waved him away.After the academic scandal, Sarah signed with the Psychology Journal, publishing her research.This caused quite a s
James took a deep breath. "Yes, they took her daughter.""What now?""Head back first."James was at his wit's end. At home, his mother would question him endlessly, and even if he stayed away, her calls were constant.Worse still, he'd discovered the Reynolds were making moves, even targeting Chancer company stocks.Everything seemed inevitable. He put down his phone.At the university counseling center, Professor Wells brought flowers, and Dean Larson offered congratulations. Sarah's paper in the Psychology Journal was a milestone for the university.As she carried the flowers out the main gate, Scarlett and Steven joined her."Sarah, let's go to the resort!" Scarlett waved some tickets excitedly.Sarah knew the place - Scarlett had mentioned it at least five times before. The resort was less than a year old but already popular with VIPs and international guests.Sarah glanced at Zachary, knowing he must have arranged the tickets.Seeing her hesitate, Mia pulled her toward
But Sarah leaned against him, poking his face with her finger. "Hey? You're Mr. Reynolds! Why do you have two noses?"She tried to focus on his nose but couldn't control her vision, growing dizzier. She collapsed against him. "Zachary likes me.""What did you say?" he asked softly, his eyes full of tenderness as he steadied her.No matter what he asked, Sarah just giggled.He'd been drinking too, but wasn't as drunk as Sarah. Still clear-headed, he arranged for staff to take the other three to their rooms. He wanted to get Sarah to bed too - it was past one AM and getting cold.He helped her to her room and tucked her in. As he turned to leave, she grabbed his hand tightly."Don't go, don't go..."Zachary's heart ached. He sat on the bed's edge. "Okay, I'll stay.""Zachary, Zachary, Zach..." she mumbled, tossing restlessly. He adjusted her covers. "I'm here. What is it?""Like..." Sarah murmured.Zachary leaned closer. "What did you say?"He heard her whisper his name repeat
His eyes softened, taking in the faint perfume lingering in the room.He lay back on the bed, surrounded by Sarah's scent on the sheets.Sarah's heart raced as she stared at her panicked reflection, her face flushed. Trying to remember last night brought only blanks.She splashed cold water on her face, finally calming down.Quickly dressing, she discovered red marks on her neck!What would Scarlett and Mia say when they saw? And Steven would never let her hear the end of it!Her damp hair matched her disheveled state. She wanted to escape but couldn't avoid Zachary's gaze.She couldn't calm down, her cheeks burning hot enough to fry an egg. She'd spent the night in Zachary's arms.Leaving the bathroom, she found Zachary still in bed, watching her with an amused smile.As she tried to flee, he caught her wrist."Why are you running?” he whispered teasingly.Sarah frowned. What was he doing? Looking up, she met his deep brown eyes, full of warmth."I was drunk last night! I
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
Zachary still didn’t respond.Vivian straightened up and slowly walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window. Her voice was calm, but every word was filled with accusation.“Zachary, let’s not pretend. We both know perfectly well — while you were gone, Sarah disappeared too. Are you really expecting me to believe that the two of you weren’t together?”She paused, her eyes fixed on the distant view outside.“I always thought that since you agreed to get engaged to me, you’d take responsibility. I believed you wouldn’t be out there tangled up with her. Was I wrong?”Zachary let out a soft, mocking laugh.“You believed.” His voice was low and cold. “But just because you believe something… does that automatically make it true?”Vivian froze — then suddenly let out a loud, crazed laugh, like she had completely lost control.She turned around, her eyes burning as she pointed at him. “Then tell me! Tell me whether it’s true or not! Where exactly did you go? Who were you with?”She to
Vivian smiled sweetly, though her words were sharp underneath.“Like you said, I’m Zachary’s fiancée. Of course, I wouldn’t say anything reckless. Out of responsibility, since this contract was signed by both of us, I have an obligation to make sure things are handled properly.”Her words sounded kind and reasonable on the surface, but everyone in the room could hear the meaning behind them.Mr. Robertson, who had been quietly watching this back-and-forth, already understood exactly what kind of person Vivian was. But between Zachary and Vivian, it was clear where his loyalties lay — with Vivian.“Mr. Steven, why don’t we call Mr. Reynolds over?” Mr. Robertson suggested calmly.Steven’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Zach…”But before he could finish, a deep, cold voice rang out from the doorway.“Mr. Robertson, have you ever thought about the possibility… that these parts aren’t from Reynolds Corporation at all?”The conference room door swung open.Zachary walked in slowly, calm