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
Before Lucy's sentencing, her lawyer presented a psychiatric evaluation diagnosing her with severe paranoid delusion and bipolar disorder.Instead of prison time, she was committed to a psychiatric facility for treatment and monitoring.After the verdict, Sarah met with Grace.Grace laughed bitterly. "I knew it wouldn't be that simple."Sarah shook her head. "We did everything we could. Even in a psychiatric hospital, she'll have to live as a patient and undergo treatment. That might be harder for her.""Miss Sanders, did you send my daughter to her grandmother's?" Grace asked anxiously.Sarah nodded. "Yes. Behave well and you might get parole. I'll keep an eye on your daughter and help if needed."Grace nearly cried with gratitude. "Miss Sanders, thank you."At City Psychiatric Hospital.A police car delivered Lucy. A black Mercedes waited outside as James entered the director's office.Thirty minutes later, the beaming director showed James out. Police escorted Lucy inside,
"I'm here to discuss donating new medical equipment to the center," Zachary looked at James. "Mr. Chancer, are you here to collect Lucy, or just visiting?"James lowered his eyes. "Just visiting my sister.""Finished then?" Zachary said coolly.James gritted his teeth. "Yes. Your timing is perfect, Mr. Reynolds.""Then you should leave." Zachary glanced at the director.The director quickly said, "Mr. Chancer, we'll take good care of your sister, don't worry."James saw the legal team among Zachary's group. If they discovered anything suspicious, he'd never get Lucy out.He nodded to Lucy but noticed she was staring at Zachary.Lucy blushed at the sight of him. His refined looks and elevated status had fueled countless fantasies of them together.These feelings showed as she approached him. "Mr. Reynolds, I...""Director, we have business to discuss. Perhaps show Miss Chancer to her room?" Zachary said coldly.Lucy froze. The director motioned for staff to lead her away, but
Some patients shouted at her, "Are you the new horse? I'm a white horse - what breed are you?""There's someone behind you, you know. She's clinging to your back."Just hearing this covered her in cold sweat. Even in her room she found no peace - all the patients were screaming. She felt close to breaking.She told the doctors and nurses countless times she wasn't mentally ill, but it was useless.Her psychiatric evaluation showed bipolar disorder and paranoid delusions, so the nurses treated her like any other patient.That night, after violently injuring a nurse, Lucy was put in a straitjacket. With her hands bound, she was miserable.She'd never experienced anything like this. Why were the doctors and nurses treating her this way when her brother had arranged everything?She couldn't stomach the medication or even the food.In the cafeteria, she flipped her tray, spilling food everywhere, then shoved away the orderly who came to clean up.A doctor approached with medication
Sarah knew exactly how bad Lucy's situation was.While James had sent people to care for Lucy, Zachary's staff ensured she was treated like any other patient.Working in her office, Sarah was puzzled when a courier called her name.Opening the package, she found a photo Zachary had secretly taken last night - her sleeping peacefully while his hand stroked her hair.Blushing, she tucked the photo in her drawer just as a text arrived from Zachary: "Got it?"She replied, "Yes, why send it by courier when..." we'll see each other after work."Couldn't wait." Sarah felt warmth spread through her chest. They were acting like college sweethearts - childish but happy.Was this what the honeymoon phase felt like? She'd never experienced it. With James, she'd performed a one-woman show. This was so much sweeter.That evening, Zachary came as promised.Mia bounced into the car, having noticed the pink bubble around them.Zachary handed ice cream to both her and Sarah. "Oh, I got one too
"You're hurt,” he said softly, his voice tinged with concern.Dark, heavy clouds split open with a blinding flash of lightning, thunder rumbling. Sarah flinched and pressed herself into Zachary's arms, trembling.She had always been terrified of thunderstorms.Zachary held her close, one arm wrapped around her waist, his other hand gently stroking her hair.She didn't notice the flicker of guilt and subtle anxiety in his eyes.Sarah breathed in his comforting scent, feeling completely secure. He must be apologizing for not reaching her sooner during the storm.The next morning, the night's rain had completely vanished. Golden sunlight radiated intense warmth, as if the previous night's tempest had never occurred.Sarah opened her amber eyes to find the bed empty. The pillow was still warm - he had left quite some time ago.Dressed and ready, she walked into the kitchen. Breakfast was already prepared, a small note beside her plate."Good morning, I've gone to work."Below the
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
Charlie's voice cut off abruptly as he stared in horror behind Zachary, his body beginning to tremble. Before he could speak, the casino manager had already set up a blockade on the road and rushed over with his men, ambushing them from both sides."Charlie, you think you're pretty clever, conniving with outsiders to cheat me out of my money?" the casino manager sneered, twirling an iron rod menacingly.Charlie's legs gave out, and he fell to his knees, stuttering, "Bro, what are you talking about? How could I dare cheat you? I don't have the guts.""Stop lying to me," the manager bellowed, pointing the iron rod toward a visibly unmoved Zachary. "This pretty boy, you've been colluding with him to cheat on my turf. Sick of living, are you?""No, it's all a misunderstanding! We were gambling fair and square, no cheating!" Charlie was terrified, fearing a brutal beating was imminent.The manager scoffed, "You think I'm blind?"Sweat poured down Charlie's forehead as he desperately l
”Come on… Come on…” Charlie leaned over the long table, his eyes crazed as he watched the dealer's movements. The dealer placed his hand over the dice cup, his voice stirring the gamblers, "Any more bets? The odds are thirty to one now." As soon as he finished speaking, a burly man with a scruffy beard shoved most of his chips forward. "Damn it, I'm all in. Worst comes to worst, I'll con some more out of my old lady's funeral fund." Others, eyes reddened, quickly followed suit.Charlie clenched his yellowed teeth, tempted to go all in too. He glanced at Zachary, who had remained calm throughout, and rubbed his hands together with a sycophantic smile. "Bro, should we make a big play too?"Zachary gave him a brief glance. "What's the rush." Charlie had no choice but to curb his eagerness."Here it goes!" The dealer shouted, and the outcome was revealed, triggering moans of despair around them."Did we win? Did we actually win?" Charlie rubbed his eyes in disbelief, his smile wideni