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
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
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
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
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
“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
“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
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
Her story seemed fine on the surface, but when examined closely, there were major holes. Sarah began to feel uneasy and was about to stop.The little girl immediately looked panicked and avoided Sarah's gaze. She clutched the edge of her shirt tightly and asked cautiously, "Are you not going to take me home anymore?"Those clear, innocent eyes were enough to make Sarah waver, and indeed, she felt her resolve weakening."Sweetie, tell me exactly where on the hillside your home is," she suddenly asked.The little girl's eyes darted around nervously. She lowered her gaze for a long time, thinking hard before looking up with tears in her eyes. “Missy, we're almost there. Look over there—where there's smoke rising, that's my home."Looking into the distance, Sarah could indeed see a wisp of smoke rising from partway up the hillside. Through the dense forest, she could only make out a faint white shadow.It wasn't too far from where they stood, but it wasn't particularly close either.
Even when mealtime arrived, not a single worker put down their tasks."Alright everyone, take a break. Today I'm treating you all to something special," Sarah called out, clapping her hands as she walked through the doorway. Several food carts loaded with sandwiches, pasta, and fresh salads followed behind her.The delicious aroma of hot food drifted through the air. Only then did the workers realize how hungry they were. They jumped up excitedly, shouting, "Thank you, Miss Sanders!"Seeing the joyful atmosphere in the factory, Sarah felt the tension she'd carried all day begin to ease.She wasn't very hungry, so she decided to step outside for some fresh air.While looking around aimlessly, she unexpectedly spotted a pair of timid eyes peering at her from behind a rock.Sarah walked over curiously.Behind the rock was a little girl with a dirty face and clothes that had been torn in several places by tree branches."Hello there, little one. What are you doing here?" Sarah crou
Sarah's lips curved into a slight smile. "Oh right, I almost forgot to tell you. I'm moving to the dormitory near the factory today, so you won't have to worry about me anymore.""You're moving out?" Charlie's eyes widened in surprise."No way." After processing what she said, he rushed over and forcefully grabbed the suitcase from her hands."What are you doing?" Sarah glared at him angrily. "Give me back my suitcase."Charlie laughed coldly. "I can give it back, but nothing in this world is free. You've lived here for so long—you should at least pay some rent."Hearing this, Sarah calmed down. "How much do you want?"Charlie thought Sarah had agreed, so he quickly held up five fingers. "At least this much."Sarah asked, "Five thousand?"Charlie shook his head. "At least fifty thousand."Sarah covered her mouth and laughed."What's so funny?" Charlie threw the suitcase to the floor, angry and impatient. "I'm telling you, don't think I'm joking. Today, if you don't pay up, yo
Zachary smirked as he watched Charlie, amused by his outlandish claims. The poor fool was so wrapped up in his fantasies of wealth that he completely missed the mockery in Zachary's eyes.But as they say, no plan survives contact with reality.Charlie never imagined his schemes would collapse before they even got off the ground."How could I lose?" Charlie stared blankly at the dice on the gambling table, unable to believe what was happening.The noisy sounds of the gambling den faded away as his mind blocked them out. His ears heard nothing, and everything around him became a blur."Hey, are you playing or not? If not, get out of the way. You're blocking the table," someone shoved him aside.Charlie was like a mad dog now, ready to snap at anyone.He turned around angrily, about to lash out, when he saw Zachary standing calmly in the crowd as if nothing had happened.That made sense—after all, it was his money that was lost.Realizing this, Charlie couldn't contain the anger
"Six million… Where the hell am I supposed to get six million?!"The factory’s demand had nearly scared Charlie senseless. But even faced with that staggering number, not once did it cross his mind to end it all. Guys like him—the ones who never took responsibility—were always the ones clinging to life the hardest, like their sole purpose was to drag others down with them.Suddenly, his bloodshot eyes lit up like he'd just grabbed hold of his last lifeline. He muttered to himself, voice shaky but growing in conviction, “Wait, no... there’s still one person. We’re brothers. He wouldn’t just leave me like this.”Zachary had seen this coming from a mile away—he just didn’t think it would take Charlie this long to show up.Now here he was, on his knees, groveling.Zachary leaned forward slightly, one brow raised, voice cold enough to cut glass. “Charlie. Give me one good reason I should help you.”Some people only learned when they were shoved to the edge. And with someone like Charl
After hanging up the phone, Manager Sullivan carelessly packed up a few of his things and left the factory.East Coast. Melvin sat in his office, staring at the email Mr. Lambert had just sent. The entire timeline was laid out—every detail, every suspicion, all the context. He read it twice, barely blinking.He never imagined his mother would go this far behind his back, meddling in the West Ridge factory like this.Then again, maybe he should’ve seen it coming.Three years ago, when Sarah handed him control of the Sanders Group, his mother had already started revealing her true intentions—dropping hints, making comments, all nudging him toward taking over. But there was no need to seize anything. Sarah never wanted power. From day one, she’d made it clear she had no interest in running the company. She wanted to be a psychologist. The company had been a burden she was more than ready to pass on.So what was the point? Did it really matter who held what shares?He’d fought bit
“Stop right there.” Manager Sullivan raised a hand, cutting Sarah off. “Miss Sanders, you can twist a story all you want, but you don’t get to throw around accusations like that. Damaging company property? That’s a serious charge—I won’t stand for it. I’ve worked at this factory for years, always by the book. You really think I’d sabotage the company’s equipment?”Sarah didn’t reply right away, but Mr. Lambert stepped forward, his tone sharp. “So you’re saying you had no idea this happened? That Charlie made it all up to frame you?”Manager Sullivan nodded eagerly, latching onto the narrative. “Exactly! Charlie’s got a long history in this factory. Always looking for shortcuts, always stirring up trouble. He’s hated me for years. I’ve been trying to fire him forever. It makes perfect sense that he’d want revenge. That man’s a mess—gambling, drinking, drugs—you name it. He’s up to his neck in debt. He begged me for money and I said no. So now he’s spinning lies to take me down? Please
Hearing Charlie’s threats, Manager Sullivan only laughed harder.“You really think someone like you could take me down?” he sneered. “I told you before—I’ve got people backing me. Did you really think I’d go into this without covering my own ass? Even if Sarah knows, so what? I’ll just laugh at your stupidity. You don’t even know who’s behind me, and you still dared to snitch? Don’t worry—you’ll find out soon enough. Some people aren’t to be messed with.”Charlie’s grin disappeared. “We’ll see.”Manager Sullivan gave him one last cold glance. “Here’s a piece of advice—watch your back. If you’d kept your mouth shut, you’d only have Sarah and Mr. Lambert gunning for you. But now? You’ve pissed me off too. Tell me—how do you expect to survive in West Ridge after this?”With that, he turned and strode back toward the factory, leaving Charlie standing there in the dust, rattled by what he’d just heard.Because the truth was… Charlie had no idea who Manager Sullivan’s backers were. And
“Did you tell them about me or not?!” Manager Sullivan’s voice dropped, sharp and cold.But Charlie didn’t answer the question. He just clung to him desperately. “Boss, you said you'd protect me! You promised! You have to help me! Sarah and Mr. Lambert are making me pay six million for the damages—six million! I can’t pay that! You have to save me!”“Six million?” Manager Sullivan’s face tightened. Even he had never touched that kind of money. His entire net worth wasn’t even half of that. Where the hell was he supposed to get six million for Charlie?Charlie’s eyes were pleading, frantic. His lips were dry and cracked from the panic, already bleeding slightly, and tears shimmered at the corners of his eyes. “Please, Boss. If I go to jail, it’ll be for ten years. I can’t survive that. Please…”He gripped Manager Sullivan’s arm like his life depended on it, fingers white from the force of it. But Sullivan pulled away coldly, avoiding eye contact.“I don’t have that kind of money,”