Surprisingly, Lucy ignored Mia's mockery, her smile growing even more eager. "Come on, Mia, why are we doing this? Our families have so many business dealings. Why defend someone like Sarah? She's just a divorced nobody."Mia was disgusted. Lucy's fawning behavior gave her the creeps.Even Lindsey, standing behind Lucy, looked shocked at her friend's behavior."Lucy, if you don't leave now, I'll have security escort you out," Mia said flatly.Though taken aback, Lucy maintained her smile, standing up casually. "Well, since you're busy, I'll get going. See you around!"How shameless can she be?After Lucy disappeared, Mia exhaled in relief, turning to Sarah. "Sarah, do you think Lucy's lost her mind?"Sarah pondered for a moment before shaking her head. "From what I know of her, she's not one to back down quietly. Whatever she's planning, it can't be good."...Once away from the booth, Lindsey couldn't contain her curiosity. "Lucy, why were you so nice to Mia today?"Usually,
Lindsey gazed at Lucy with admiration, laying on the flattery. "Oh my god, Lucy, your brother's so sweet! I heard CEOs are super busy, yet he makes time to pick up his sister!"Lucy preened under the praise, smirking proudly. "Well, of course. My brother totally dotes on me. I'm his favorite.""God, Lucy, I'm so jealous! You've got the looks, the family background, and such an amazing brother... I've never even been in a Maserati!" Lindsey gushed, secretly hoping Lucy would offer her a ride. She could already imagine the Instagram photos making her high school friends green with envy.As expected, Lucy scoffed dismissively. "Look at you, acting like you've never seen luxury before. Fine, I'll have my brother give you a ride too!"With that, Lucy strode toward James.“James, what brings you here today?" she called out in an artificially sweet voice, basking in the attention from passing students. Sure, she'd always had a private driver, but James had forced her to keep things low-k
James's eyes darkened, his lip twitching involuntarily.The woman in front of him had changed so much that she now dared to speak to him in such a tone.Seeing his silence, Sarah had no interest in prolonging this encounter and turned to leave.But before she could step away, a strong hand gripped her wrist.James had run out of patience. He yanked her back roughly, leaving visible marks on her skin."Ouch—"Sarah clutched her aching wrist, glaring up at him."James Chancer, what do the hell you want? You—""We need to talk."He cut her off coldly, his eyes unconsciously fixing on her reddening wrist, stirring unexpected emotions.Sarah let out a harsh laugh. "Sorry, not interested. There's nothing to discuss."Her dismissal caught James off guard, igniting his anger."Sarah, I tried to keep things civil. I gave you money and property out of guilt, but that was before I knew you were involved with another man. Is that why you signed the divorce papers so eagerly? Was it bec
Though the trip home from Adams University wasn't far, Sarah felt unusually drained today.Back home, she couldn't even muster the energy to make dinner. Instead, she grabbed a beer from the fridge and curled up on the couch.She felt agitated.For reasons she couldn't quite explain.She knew with certainty that she no longer loved James – if anything, she despised him.But since the divorce, his constant appearances and attempts to challenge her boundaries left her feeling irritated, even nauseated.Nauseated that she'd once been blind enough to fall for such a man.The alcohol slid down her throat to her stomach, gradually numbing her frustration.Suddenly, her phone rang.She pressed answer.“Babe, come out! There's this amazing new bar that just opened on the East Coast!" Sarah thought for a moment before replying, "Send me the location."...Stepping out of the taxi, Sarah stood in the cool breeze, looking up at the bar's neon sign. She couldn't quite make out the Fr
Zachary looked up, and despite the crowded bar, his eyes immediately found Sarah's booth.Several men were closing in on her with obvious ill intent.A flicker of coldness passed through his otherwise composed expression....The commotion at Sarah's table had drawn attention, but no one dared intervene. These thugs were notorious in the area, and nobody wanted trouble.The leader leered at Sarah and Scarlett with a sleazy grin. "Ladies, don't make this harder than it needs to be. Ask around about Scarface's reputation. Stick with me, and you'll be living the good life!"As he spoke, Scarface reached out to touch Sarah's face.Sarah's eyes turned sharp as she seized his thick wrist in her delicate hand.Despite being over six feet tall, Scarface found himself immobilized by pain, his face contorting."You bit—agh! Ow, ow, ow!"He couldn't even finish his insult before howling in pain.Damn, what kind of woman had this strength?"Leave." Sarah didn't want to cause trouble at
The police handled the situation efficiently, and order was quickly restored to the bar.With plenty of witnesses and video evidence, Sarah and Scarlett only needed to give statements and compensate the bar owner for damages before being released.As they left the police station, they saw Steven's car waiting outside. He rolled down the window, waving at them. "Ladies, hop in!"Through the open window, Sarah caught a glimpse of Zachary's refined profile in the backseat. Before she could hesitate, Scarlett pulled her toward the car."Perfect timing! I was worried we wouldn't find a ride this late!"Scarlett dove into the front passenger seat, leaving Sarah to slide into the back.Opening the rear door, Sarah's eyes fell on Zachary's long legs, his expensive suit pants perfectly pressed without a single wrinkle. Her heartbeat quickened for no reason.Unlike their last car ride, upbeat music filled the car, with Scarlett bobbing her head to the rhythm in the front seat, creating a
She turned her head away, trying to escape his touch."Hold still," his deep voice commanded softly.Sarah tensed up, her voice awkward. "Mr. Reynolds, I can do it myself...""Almost done," Zachary continued, clearly not intending to stop as he focused on gathering her hair.Her hair was thick and heavy in his hands, silky black and smooth to touch. The sea breeze carried its fresh scent to him.From his angle, he could clearly see her elegant swan-like neck, its graceful lines strangely enticing.His eyes darkened slightly as he swallowed, quickly looking away after securing the final loop of the hair tie."Done.""Thank you," Sarah replied stiffly.Noticing her tension, Zachary teased unexpectedly, "What's wrong? Falling for me?"Sarah froze.The flutter in her heart just now had been real.But someone like Zachary was far out of her reach.First, she was divorced. Second, the Reynolds family's status and wealth far exceeded the Chancers. Their standards for a potential
Never mind that these photos were taken after her divorce from James - even if they weren't, all they showed was her getting into someone's car. Hardly damning evidence!Unlike last time, students weren't blindly joining in the criticism. While there were plenty of nasty comments, many students were defending her.Sarah scrolled through the comments section."Someone must have it out for Miss Sanders. Why do they keep trying to smear her on the forum? One ambiguous photo proves nothing.""Where there's smoke, there's fire. Why is she the only one getting these accusations?""Forget everything else - can't believe she's already divorced at her age!"...Meanwhile, in the Dean's office at Adams University:"Dean Larson, I've explained everything. Having Sarah as a daughter-in-law was already an embarrassment to the Chancer family. How dare Adams hire someone like her? Aren't you worried about the university's reputation?"Mrs. Chancer sat on the office sofa, sipping tea while im
"I don't want to go to the hospital. Some painkillers will do," Sarah protested.Zachary's knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. "Has it always been this severe?""No, it usually doesn't hurt this much. I just skipped lunch and had too much coffee today," Sarah admitted sheepishly."You should have known better." His voice carried gentle reproach.She paused. "I did. I just got caught up in work and forgot to eat."The hospital's emergency entrance was quiet at this hour - no lines, just the on-call staff. Luckily, the gynecologist was available and quickly prescribed pain medication."Take these after meals, and don't skip any doses," the doctor instructed.Sarah nodded obediently. She wanted to explain that it wasn't usually this bad - skipping meals had just been a mistake.During the drive to her apartment, Zachary remained silent, his expression taut. Once they arrived, he grabbed the medication bag and strode toward the elevator.Sarah stared for a moment before hurry
The day before the competition, Sarah was busy at school all day.She worked with the events and planning teams to decorate the auditorium, even Professor Wells stayed late out of concern."Are the competition questions secure?" Professor Wells asked.Sarah nodded. "They're locked in the counseling room's safe, and I’m the only one with the key."Professor Wells looked relieved. "Good."After he left, Sarah double-checked all the auditorium equipment.By the time everything was ready, it was already 11:30 p.m. She let out a tired sigh. No matter how exhausting, as long as tomorrow's competition went smoothly, it would all be worth it.Back at the counseling room, she was gathering her things when her phone rang. "Mia?"Mia's concerned voice came through. "Sarah, why aren’t you home yet?""Don’t worry, I’m just wrapping up and heading back now. It’s late—go to sleep. You need to be ready for the competition tomorrow," Sarah said, her voice hoarse from fatigue.Mia yawned sleep
“Who said I wouldn’t participate in your university’s psychology competition?” A familiar voice rang out.Sarah’s eyes widened in shock as she turned around.The office door swung open, and Jane walked in with her assistant.Lucy Chancer stared in disbelief. “Jane… Jane Lawrence!”Jane ignored the stunned faces and walked up to the dean, shaking his hand. “Hello, I’m Jane Lawrence.”“Ma’am, what brings you here?” Sarah asked, still frozen in place.“We’ll discuss this later,” Jane replied, her attention shifting to Mrs. Chancer. “Madam, I’ve now confirmed that I will be attending the competition as a judge. This should no longer be considered an oversight, correct?”Mrs. Chancer’s face darkened. She exchanged a baffled look with Lucy. How had Jane Lawrence been convinced? Could it have been Mr. Reynolds pulling strings again?“Ms. Lawrence, you’re really agreeing to be a judge for the competition?” The dean asked, barely hiding his surprise.Jane nodded. “Yes, it’s confirmed.”
The documents on Jane’s bedside table, which she reviewed more thoroughly this time, included a detailed outline of the upcoming psychological knowledge competition, complete with proposed discussion topics. Her curiosity was piqued—perhaps engaging with this new generation of students could offer unexpected surprises.Meanwhile, back home, Sarah stared out her window, lost in thought. Jane’s words replayed in her mind. She had to admit, Jane was right. After years of studying abroad and participating in cutting-edge psychological research, Jane had become a trailblazer in the field. Her return to host forums in East Coast wasn’t just about solving academic problems; it also focused on analyzing and dissecting unique psychological cases, making her time exceptionally valuable.To persuade Jane to participate, Sarah would need to offer something even more valuable than Jane’s current priorities—something she didn’t have. With that realization, she knew she had to let it go.The next
Jane Lawrence gave a helpless smile. "Miss Sanders, I thought I made it very clear—I don’t have the time and won’t be attending the competition."Her assistant stepped in, blocking Sarah. "Miss, Professor Lawrence’s time in the country is limited. All her activities are pre-scheduled, and there’s no way to change her commitments to accommodate your competition.""Did you get a chance to review the files I gave you?" Sarah asked hopefully.Jane hadn’t expected her persistence. She nodded. "Yes, I’ve reviewed them. I must admit, the work from Adams University’s students is impressive. There are some very interesting ideas."Sarah’s eyes lit up, but Jane quickly tempered her expectations. "However, Miss Sanders, those files alone aren’t enough to justify altering my schedule. I returned to the country to participate in a symposium with East Coast’s psychology experts. Every issue we address there could provide crucial solutions for patients struggling with similar mental health challe
"Miss Sanders, this is a serious matter. Perhaps you should try to gather more information first. After all, there are still a few days before the competition," Dean said hesitantly. Although he was the dean of the universityl, the board of directors held the ultimate authority."I understand, Sir,” Sarah replied, her expression heavy with concern. The Chancer family had really pushed her into a corner this time.After leaving the principal’s office, she headed to the psychology consultation room, where Mia was waiting for her."Sarah, I’ve already heard everything. What should we do now?" Mia asked, worry written all over her face.Sarah gave a bitter smile. "The only thing I can do is try contacting Jane Lawrence again."She had included one of her own research papers with the materials she’d submitted to Jane, aligning with Jane’s latest research direction. But what if Jane hadn’t seen it?At 3 p.m., Lucy sat smugly in front of her computer, pleased with the heated discussions
“You—!” Lucy raised her hand in anger, ready to strike.Sarah took a step back, her tone calm but firm. “I’d think twice if I were you. Last time, I let you off the hook and didn’t call the police. If you dare lay a hand on me now, I’ll settle both old and new scores with you.”Lucy hesitated, her hand hovering mid-air, before finally lowering it. “The Chancer family does not welcome you!”Bang!The door slammed shut in Sarah’s face. She glanced at it briefly before turning to leave.Her next stop was to replace her lost phone. After getting a new SIM card and purchasing a new device, she immediately checked the school forum. The chaos sparked by that phone call was evident. The psychology students, practically fans of Jane Lawrence, were already planning to print banners to welcome her.Sarah tried calling Jane’s assistant again, only to receive the same response: “She doesn’t have time.”Even the academic papers she had submitted to Jane seemed to have vanished into thin air,
Sarah had a few suspects in mind. Lucy and Mrs. Chancer hated her the most, and while James seemed unlikely to stoop to such levels, she couldn’t rule him out completely. He had proven capable of shattering her past impressions of him.After the chaos at the party, Lucy had taken the day off and stayed home. Without hesitation, Sarah decided to head to the Chancer house.The maid who opened the door looked startled to see her, likely because Lucy and Mrs. Chancer had been bad-mouthing Sarah nonstop at home.“Miss Sanders, what brings you here?” the maid asked.“I’m here to see James,” Sarah replied directly.“Mr. Chancer isn’t home. Perhaps you can come back another day,” the maid suggested.A soft voice floated out from inside. “Who is it?”Charlotte appeared and froze for a moment when she saw Sarah. Unsure of how to react, she let out an awkward laugh. “Oh, it’s you. What brings you here?”“I don’t have time for small talk,” Sarah said bluntly. “I lost my phone at the party
"Alright," Sarah said, walking over immediately.Scarlett tossed her a carefully selected outfit and grumbled, “That scumbag! You’d better never see him again. The nerve to accuse you of cheating during your marriage!”“I feel like I’m finally seeing him for who he really is,” Sarah replied, her gaze hardening.Sure enough, Sarah's hunch was correct. The next day’s news didn’t mention anything about the birthday party. Instead, it only briefly touched on Lucy’s harassment incident, conveniently skipping over the rest.When Sarah arrived at school, she couldn’t find her phone anywhere.Just as she was about to go searching for it, Professor Wells appeared. “Sarah! I can’t believe you really managed to invite Jane Lawrence! Did you meet her already?”“What?” Sarah was baffled. “Professor, I saw her yesterday, but I didn’t get a definite answer!”Professor Wells frowned deeply. “How can that be? I called you this morning, and you told me yourself!”Impossible. Her phone had been m