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
Sarah didn't care what Charlotte might say after leaving, but just thinking about her earlier performance made her agitated.In her sour mood, instead of returning to the private dining room, she decided to settle the bill at the front desk first to calm herself down.After paying, she turned around—only to come face-to-face with the leading lady of that earlier drama, Charlotte, and her fiancé, James.Sarah hesitated. Just her luck.She'd planned to walk past pretending not to see them, but James suddenly spoke up: "Sarah, we need to talk."He’d just learned that the extravagant meal Sarah had been treating them to at St. Ritz cost over four thousand. And it was all for the sake of impressing Zachary Reynolds?He suddenly realized Sarah wasn't putting on a show for him – she might actually be trying to climb the social ladder through Zachary.But how could she so easily throw herself into another man’s arms right after their divorce? Did their three years together mean nothing?
Recognizing who had arrived, James's eyes flashed with unease. "Mr. Reynolds, how long have you been here? I didn't know you had a habit of eavesdropping."Zachary remained composed, positioning himself beside Sarah without sparing James a glance. "In such a public space, how is it eavesdropping?""Besides, Mr. Chancer, Sasa’’s your ex-wife now, isn't she? You've lost the right to have any say in her life."Sasa?James's face darkened.Zachary was known for keeping his distance from women, and few people on the East Coast could even claim to be on speaking terms with him. Yet here he was, using such an intimate nickname for Sarah?His gaze shifted to Sarah, finding her completely unfazed. This inexplicably infuriated him.In the past, Sarah would have certainly offered him an explanation.But now she stood calmly beside another man, completely indifferent to his feelings.James stared intently at Sarah, as if trying to read something in her expression. "Clearly I'm meddling wh
James drove Charlotte back to the Chancer estate.As soon as they entered, Lucy rushed to greet them, excitedly waving her phone.“James! You won't believe what I saw today!"Lucy thrust her phone in James's face. "That whore Sarah must have been cheating during your marriage!"The screen showed a photo of Zachary gently helping Sarah into his car. Whether it was the camera angle or not, the scene appeared oddly intimate.The earlier irritation resurfaced as James's expression darkened.Lucy, completely oblivious to her brother's mood, continued excitedly, “James, it's only been days since your divorce. How could she possibly snag another man so quickly? She must have been cheating! How dare someone like her claim part of the Chancer fortune? You need to take back that house you gave her!"Noting James's silence, Mrs. Chancer stepped forward. "James, though we're wealthy, money doesn't grow on trees. I know you're kind-hearted and didn't want to leave her empty-handed after thes
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
Charlie pulled her close. "When have I not thought about you? Anyway, I've got things to do tomorrow. I'll come see you again later." He got dressed as the woman watched him reluctantly. Just as he opened the door to leave, another woman suddenly appeared in front of him."Molly, I've come—Oh? What are you doing here? Isn't this Mr. Wesley? What are you doing at Molly's house in the middle of the night instead of sleeping at home?"She saw Charlie adjusting his clothes and knew exactly what had been going on."Cut the crap, I'm leaving now. If anyone finds out about today, you're done for," Charlie snapped.The woman wasn't intimidated. She dramatically fell to her knees, crying out loud, "Oh dear! Everyone come and see how this man is threatening me, saying he'll kill me! He's not sleeping at his home in the middle of the night but is here at Molly's—who knows what they were up to? Now that I've caught him, he's not retreating but threatening me instead! Everyone come over and jud
Back at the Wesley place, Charlie shut the front door with a meaningful smirk as his parents had already gone to bed. He cleared the dining table and retreated to his room. Alone, his thoughts turned to what he imagined would happen between Zachary and Sarah, and he couldn't help but snicker to himself. This time, he felt he had finally done Zachary a favor by orchestrating the situation. After this, he was sure Zachary would owe him one, especially in his gambling endeavors.Once something happened between Sarah and Zachary, Charlie thought he would have significant leverage over Sarah—she wouldn't dare cross him, not even in front of the factory manager. Yet, the thought of their imminent encounter left him feeling an unexplained emptiness, especially since the woman he usually pushed around had defiantly returned to her mother's house after yesterday's beating. How dare she act differently when every other woman in the town bore their circumstances silently?Why was it acceptable
"Zachary, you're here?" Charlie greeted with a sycophantic tone. Indeed, it was Zachary, who frowned slightly. About twenty minutes ago, Charlie had called him, claiming Sarah was in danger and that he needed to hurry over. Zachary had rushed here as quickly as possible, but now couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Why did Charlie's smile seem so... unsettling?"What's wrong with Miss Sanders?" Zachary asked, his gaze serious.Charlie, sensing he had played his cards right, pointed toward Sarah's room and said meaningfully, "Miss Sanders is in that room. She's in critical condition right now. Hurry, go save her."He even gave an expression that implied men would understand.Zachary's unease grew. He walked into Sarah's room, only to find her lying on the bed, seemingly unconscious."Sasa?" He rushed over, his voice full of concern.From outside the door, Charlie's voice rang out. "Zachary, time is money. I've given you what you wanted. Go ahead and take it."Zachar
The next morning, Charlie handed over the last two thousand dollars he had managed to scrounge from his house to Manager Sullivan. After groveling and pleading, it took quite a while before Sullivan finally decided to let him off the hook.Sarah sat in her office, her eyes fixed on the computer screen displaying an email reply from headquarters. The report about the equipment malfunction had been approved, and the request for new devices granted. The board of directors hadn't opposed it, which came as a surprise.Outside the office, Charlie passed by the door, his mind still reeling from Sullivan's earlier warning."You've got one more chance. Sarah Sanders is sharp. If you fail again, pack your bags and leave!"He clenched his fist, determined not to fail this time.At six in the evening, Sarah was about to leave for the day when, to her surprise, Charlie was waiting outside, calling her over. "Hurry up and eat! My mom made dishes specially for you. I know I messed up last time,