Mia turned to see Lucy, who was feigning shock as she looked at her.“The forum says Sarah only has a high school diploma and used underhanded methods to get hired as our counselor. She’s less educated than any of us, and it’s embarrassing to be associated with someone like her!” Lucy shot Sarah a disdainful look, her face full of arrogance.Mia, fuming, was about to confront Lucy, but Sarah calmly stood up, placing herself between them. She faced Lucy with a steady gaze and asked evenly, “Was it you who started the forum post?”Lucy didn’t flinch, even with her actions called out in front of everyone. Instead, she looked even more pleased with herself. “And what if it was? Did I say anything that wasn’t true?”She didn’t care that Mia knew she was behind it. Sarah hadn’t finished college, so calling her a high school graduate wasn’t a lie. What was there to be afraid of?Mia’s eyes were cold as she looked at her. “That post is getting a lot of attention. You might not realize tha
The girl’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and she looked thrilled beyond words.Sarah couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, that’s me. I never expected the professors would wait for my return."As her words sank in, the crowd erupted in amazement, especially the psychology students. Everyone in the department knew about the legendary senior student - not just academically brilliant, but clinically gifted beyond precedent. A once-in-a-generation talent. When she’d been forced to leave just before graduation, declaring she wouldn’t be returning, all the professors, even the dean, had come together to grant her an indefinite academic leave, hoping she’d someday come back.It was something completely unprecedented.It was their way of saying how much they valued her.Remembering those days, Sarah’s eyes softened with warmth.The students around her were buzzing with excitement.“So it’s really her? I can’t believe it! I even had the chance to read one of her papers—it’s a masterpiece!”
Sensing her emotions, Professor Carter gently patted her shoulder. “It’s good to have you back, Sarah. That’s what matters.”Sarah looked up, meeting his warm, encouraging gaze. Her nose tingled slightly as she held back a surge of emotion.Turning to the crowd of eager students and a visibly stunned Lucy, Professor Carter continued with a smile, “Yes, Sarah was indeed one of my students. The psychology department granted her indefinite academic leave because we didn’t want to lose such a talent. During her time here, Sarah not only completed her coursework in record time, but also worked with the police, mental health facilities, and counseling centers, contributing immensely to the field. She’s only one step away from graduating. So yes, she’s more than qualified to be a counsellor here.”His voice radiated pride and respect for Sarah.The students’ faces lit up with newfound admiration for Sarah.But then, Professor Carter’s expression turned stern as he addressed Lucy. “I’ve h
Sarah bit her lip, about to politely decline, when she saw Mia waving enthusiastically at someone in the distance. “Zac!”Sarah looked up to see Zachary stepping out of his car. His tailored suit gave his usual understated presence an extra edge, though his eyes remained mysteriously enchanting and unreadable.Sarah felt a slight shiver as she walked toward him under that intense gaze.“Mr. Reynolds, what a coincidence,” she greeted.Zachary looked at her, his lips curving into a slight smile. “Not a coincidence.”Meanwhile…Meanwhile, Lucy stormed out of the administrative office, clutching her disciplinary notice and furiously scrolling through the appreciation posts about Sarah. Her anger boiled over.So Sarah really was that legendary senior student!And she'd never mentioned it to any of them!The fact that Sarah had hidden such a huge secret from the Chancer family all these years only convinced Lucy that it had been deliberate.Ever since divorcing James, that woman ha
Sarah subtly shifted closer to the car door, keeping a respectful distance. Zachary, noticing her small move, narrowed his eyes slightly, then let it pass, knowing she tended to be reserved around unfamiliar people.“Mr. Reynolds, are we headed to St Ritz Hotel?” the driver asked, glancing in the rearview mirror. He noticed Sarah’s effort to keep her distance and couldn’t help but add a note of respect to his tone.St Ritz Hotel was Zachary's usual choice for business meetings, where he had a permanent private dining room.Zachary considered for a moment before looking at Sarah. “Do you have any preferances, Miss Sanders?”Caught off guard, Sarah paused, then replied, “If St Ritz is your usual spot, let’s go there. You’ve helped me a few times already, and today Mia’s been a huge help as well. This dinner can be my treat to thank you both.”She knew she owed Zachary a favor, even if his help had been for his sister’s sake. Now that she’d agreed to help Mia with counseling, repayin
Charlotte noticed James's expression darkening, setting off internal alarms, though she maintained a warm smile on her face."I never expected Sarah to know Mr. Reynolds. I was worried about how she'd manage after her divorce, but now with Mr. Reynolds looking after her, I'm sure she'll be fine here in East Coast.”James gazed at the gentle and kind-hearted Charlotte, the coldness in his eyes gradually fading.His Charlotte was always so kind and generous. She was truly the only one meant to spend a lifetime with him.His earlier irritation, he realized, was merely discomfort at seeing Sarah, who had always been so reserved around him, laughing and chatting freely with another man.It was just his possessiveness surfacing - after all, Sarah had once been his.James placed a gentle kiss on Charlotte's forehead, holding her hand. "Don't worry, you're the only one in my future."...Shortly after Sarah's group of three had settled in their private dining room at the prestigious St
”Mia can be quite mischievous. I hope she hasn't caused you any trouble," Zachary broke the silence, sensing the tension in the air.Before Sarah could respond, a red velvet box appeared before her.The gold-embossed Cartier logo caught her by surprise. "Mr. Reynolds, what's this?"Zachary carefully opened the box, revealing a rose gold diamond bracelet that caught the room's lighting, sparkling brilliantly."Mia rarely opens up to others like this. Since she's taken to you so well, I'd like to consider you a friend too." Zachary lowered his gaze briefly before looking up at her, his eyes reflecting her elegant features. "If you don't mind, may I call you Sasa?"Sasa...The nickname floated like a feather, creating ripples in Sarah's heart. She felt as if someone had called her that before, but couldn't quite remember who."I'm very fond of Mia too, and think of her as a sister, but..."Sarah knew she wasn't in the same league as Zachary, one of the youngest and most successful
Sarah's expression turned cold as she replied flatly, “Not really.”Charlotte clearly wasn’t going to let the conversation end there. "We just saw you dining with Mr. Reynolds. James and I thought we were seeing things. When did you get so close to him?"A strand of hair fell across her collarbone, adding to her image of gentle innocence."That's none of your business," Sarah tossed her paper towel in the bin. "Miss Garnett, we're not close enough for you to be asking about my personal life."Charlotte took a deep breath, a hint of hurt flickering in her eyes. "Aren't you being a bit defensive? We've known each other for some time, and I'm just making polite conversation. There's no ulterior motive."No ulterior motive? Really?Every time Charlotte spoke, it was with such measured politeness that no one could find fault with her words, yet it made Sarah deeply uncomfortable.Sarah gave a bitter smile. "If you're so concerned with proper etiquette, Miss Garnett, was it also prope
Mrs. Chancer remained silent, unsure of how to respond. Lucy continued, her voice breaking with desperation. “Mom, you have to tell James to do something! If nothing else, have someone create a psychological evaluation report like last time. As long as they can prove I have mental health issues, I can be bailed out!” Her sobs grew louder. “Mom, I can’t stay here a single day longer!” Mrs. Chancer sighed deeply, feeling helpless. She had spent the past few days trying to convince James to get Lucy out, but her son had grown unyielding. He hadn’t even come home, let alone answered her calls. She understood that James had made up his mind this time. “I think your brother is determined not to help you this time. And it’s not just him—your grandfather even called specifically to tell us to leave you be.” Lucy stared at her mother in disbelief, clinging to her arm as tears streamed down her face. “Mom! Even if James and Grandpa don’t believe me, you have to! They’ve all been t
“Are you threatening me?” Vivian glared angrily at the man in front of her.The man remained calm and composed. “Not at all. I’m merely reminding you, Miss Wilson, that we’re in this together. If certain things were to come to light, I imagine your reaction would be quite dramatic.”Though furious, Vivian knew this was something Zachary must never find out about.“This is the last time,” she said coolly. “Go back and wait for my instructions.”Zachary had heard enough. He quietly left, not wanting to hear more. But the words stuck in his mind. The last time for what? Waiting for what instructions?Before their conversation ended, he had already slipped away, leaving the rest unanswered.---At the Misty Island Hotel, the morning session of the symposium had just concluded. Sarah was sitting in the restaurant, quietly eating her lunch, when a woman stormed in through the doors, her face twisted with anger. “Sarah! It’s me,” Charlotte said, glaring at her with venom.Sa
“How could he?” Charlotte silently questioned, her heart heavy with resentment. How could James treat her like this?---Adams University.Sarah was in the middle of a meeting when Dean Larson informed her she would be attending a symposium in the northern part of the city. To ensure she wouldn’t have to return late at night, the school had even reserved a room for her at the Misty Island Hotel. This news quickly reached Zachary. That evening, Sarah checked into the Misty Island Hotel, unaware of the unexpected turn her night would take. Late at night, Zachary found himself at the hotel, almost as if drawn there by an unseen force. Standing outside her room, he noticed the window was slightly ajar. He hesitated for only a moment before pushing it open and slipping inside, moving like a thief in the night. As he approached the bed, Sarah’s eyes suddenly opened, her deep brown pupils glinting in the dim light as they locked onto him. “You…” Sarah gasped, her mouth falli
Had her actions already been exposed? Did James know? Charlotte’s heart raced wildly, panic creeping in. What would she do if he had found out? James stared down at her with sharp, cold eyes. His voice was detached as he said, “If you claim you don’t understand, then I’ll take your word for it. Just focus on being Mrs. Chancer.”With that, he gave her a symbolic pat on the back before brushing past her and walking away. Charlotte felt a chill run through her entire body. What did he mean by that? Was he warning her? The thought sent a wave of anger through her. She wanted to sweep everything off the desk in frustration, but this was James’s study—she didn’t dare. Forcing herself to calm down, she reminded herself that her previous actions had already made James weary of her. She needed to rebuild the trust she once had. ---As James entered the bedroom, Charlotte’s voice called out from behind him. “Are you leaving again?” He turned to see her standing there in a
At that moment, a sharp pain hit Zachary’s chest. He realized something had changed—something fundamental—but even so, he wasn’t ready to give up on Sarah. “Sasa, yesterday Vivian said she was in a car accident…” “Zachary, do you know that what happened at the stables was her doing?” Sarah’s eyes widened as she waited for his answer. Zachary hesitated before nodding slowly. “I know.” “You knew and said nothing? She tried to hurt me, Zachary. You’ve let me down.” Sarah’s voice was icy. “Tell Vivian, my patience has its limits.” With that, she shoved Zachary out of the counseling room, handing the gift back to him. “We’re done, Zachary. Since we’ve broken up, there’s no need to stay in touch.” She slammed the door shut and pulled the curtains closed. ---Zachary walked back to his office, looking utterly lost. His assistant quickly approached him. “Mr. Reynolds, Miss Wilson is here.” He entered the office immediately and found Vivian sitting in his chair, a playf
Sarah drank the rest of her wine in one gulp, placed the glass back on the table, and said, “I’m going to rest.” “Alright,” Melvin replied, clinking his glass before sitting back down. His gaze lingered on his phone, his expression complicated. Sarah returned to her room, tidied up the gifts she’d received, and went to freshen up. By the time she sat on the edge of her bed, it was already 11:30 p.m. She held the bracelet Zachary had given her, lost in thought. Why hadn’t he come? What could have held him up? In just thirty minutes, her birthday would be over. She had received so many heartfelt wishes, but not his. While she was deep in thought, her phone chimed with a message. Picking it up, she saw a multimedia message containing text and a photo. The photo showed Zachary fast asleep. Her heart skipped a beat. Below the image was a message from Vivian: “Miss Sanders, this is Vivian. First, happy birthday! Zachary really wanted to attend your party, but he could
Watching them goof around, Sarah couldn’t help but laugh. As she laughed, she suddenly felt something cold on her face. She looked over to see Mia grinning mischievously—there was cream on her face. “Mia, you’ve turned naughty!” Sarah exclaimed, standing up from her seat and grabbing a plate of cream. She chased after Mia with playful determination. Melvin sipped his red wine and smiled as he watched them. His gaze drifted toward the front door, and he frowned slightly. Was Zachary really not coming? Earlier, before the cake was brought out, Melvin had noticed the disappointment in Sarah’s eyes. Though she hadn’t said anything outright, Melvin, who had watched her grow up, could read her emotions like an open book. Still, at least she seemed happy now. Lost in thought, Melvin suddenly felt a gust of wind behind him. Turning around, he saw Sarah. Her hand was already reaching for his cheek. Before he could react, Sarah smeared cream across his face with a triumph
During dinner, Scarlett and Steven sat together at the table, which was loaded with skewers and desserts. Steven picked up an egg tart, took one bite, and immediately put it down with a look of disdain. “This egg tart is awful. The crust is way too greasy, and the filling tastes weird—like it’s gone bad.” Scarlett rolled her eyes and tried a bite herself. “I think it’s fine.” Ignoring her, Steven kept eating while complaining. “This grilled meat is terrible! The chef didn’t even bother to do a good job—it tastes gamey and smells bad.” “And this fried pork chop? My God, it’s dripping with oil!” … As he kept eating and grumbling, Scarlett couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed the food out of his hands. “If you’re going to complain so much, then stop eating! These dishes were made by the chefs Melvin hired. If you don’t like it, why don’t you cook something yourself?” Steven looked at her, stunned. “Are you kidding? My cooking is way too expensive for this!” Scarle
“If it’s nothing, then why won’t you show me?” James took a deep breath and handed the photo album to Charlotte. “Satisfied now?” Charlotte took the album and flipped through it, photo by photo, noticing that most of them were pictures of James alone. “This belongs to Sarah? Why is her stuff here?” Charlotte frowned. She didn’t want Sarah to have any connection to them. James let out a cold, mocking laugh. “She probably forgot about it.” Charlotte didn’t press further, but she couldn’t shake the image of James’s expression while looking at the photo earlier—his eyes had been heavy with emotion, complicated and full of longing. Sensing James’s growing impatience, Charlotte quickly tried to explain. “James, I just feel insecure sometimes. I’m afraid you don’t care about me anymore. It’s only because I care so much about you.” “I know,” James said, his voice laced with exhaustion. ---That day was Sarah’s birthday. The venue was set at Melvin’s villa. The outdoor