LOGINScarlett sighed softly. “I haven’t told my dad everything. I’m afraid if I say too much, he’ll have even more reason to separate me from Steven. But the truth is, I can’t live without him anymore.”She reached for Steven’s hand, which hung loosely at his side, and held it tightly, as if to remind herself he was really there.“Scarlett, don’t overthink it,” Sarah said gently, resting a hand on her friend’s head. “Steven’s a good man. Your dad will understand that one day.”Scarlett gave a weak smile. “I hope so.”---At the seaside villa, Leon and Mandy were having dinner.He had gone out of his way to arrange a candlelit meal. The soft glow of the candles flickered across his sharp features, making him look almost gentle.“You don’t seem angry at all,” he said with a faint smile.Even on the drive there, she hadn’t protested. She’d stayed calm, detached, quietly resigned.Leon wasn’t surprised. When he had first brought Sarah here, she’d been just as lifeless, so withdrawn she
Melvin gave a small, polite nod. “I know.”Mia tugged on Sarah’s sleeve, deliberately pointing toward Zachary at the grill. “Sarah, look at this. My brother’s hopeless—he can’t even grill properly. You should teach him.”Sarah stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to say something or not.“Sarah,” Zachary said with a faint smile, “think you could give me a lesson?”She rolled her eyes. “I remember the last time we grilled at the beach, you acted like a professional chef.”Zachary laughed softly. “Guess I’m out of practice.”“Well, I’m not much better,” Sarah said with a shrug before walking away from him.The six of them sat around the table, talking and laughing as the night went on. Steven downed four bottles of beer and eventually passed out on the table. Mia, half-asleep, nearly dozed off right there, and Zachary caught her before she could slump over.“Welcome back, Sarah,” he murmured, watching her smile easily beside Scarlett. For the first time, he realized maybe it did
Seeing her reaction, Melvin finally exhaled in relief. “I wasn’t sure what kind of clothes you like, so I just had all the new-season styles delivered—one of everything.”Sarah turned to say something, but the sound of the doorbell cut her off.Melvin walked over to the intercom and pressed the button. “Who is it?”A lively female voice came through. “It’s me, Scarlett! Open up!”Melvin muttered under his breath as he headed toward the door. “Don’t tell me she came on her own.”Still, he unlocked it.Standing outside were four people. Scarlett had her arm hooked through Steven’s, smiling brightly as she greeted them. Behind her stood Mia and Zachary, side by side—the picture of calm and poise.“Well, what’s this?” Melvin quipped. “Looks like a full house for poker night.”Scarlett rolled her eyes. “Please. We didn’t come to see you. We came to celebrate Sarah’s return.”“Empty-handed celebration?” Melvin teased, glancing at their group. “Looks like everyone forgot the gifts.”
Sarah wasn’t in the mood for anything, but when she saw the villa’s interior, she froze for a moment and turned toward the man beside her.Melvin raised an eyebrow and said matter-of-factly, “A change of environment helps change your state of mind.”After speaking, he walked ahead to the security booth and exchanged a few words with the guard on duty. The guard handed him a ring of keys, which Melvin twirled around his finger with a faint smile. “Come on. Let me show you our new home.”“Our?” Sarah repeated under her breath, startled. Before she could ask, Melvin was already several steps ahead.She pressed her lips together and followed him.This neighborhood was sparsely populated, and soon they arrived at a villa called Serenity Court.Standing by the gateplate, Melvin looked proud. “What do you think? I handpicked the name myself. Elegant, isn’t it?”Sarah gave a halfhearted nod and stepped inside.The house was spotless and new, filled with a faint floral scent rather than
She realized then that their plan had worked. Leon had successfully taken Mandy away. The restroom door was locked from the outside, and she had no way out—not even her phone.Back in the ballroom, no one seemed to notice that two people were missing. Only Zachary’s eyes stayed fixed on Leon.Finally, Leon stood up and said calmly, “Mr. Reynolds, she’s waiting for you in the upstairs restroom. You should go check.”Zachary, already on edge from Sarah’s disappearance, didn’t stop to think. He rushed upstairs, with Steven right behind him.Leon glanced in their direction, then turned and left the ballroom altogether, slipping away from the gala unnoticed.In the garden, Mia sat quietly eating her dessert while keeping an eye on Vivian. Scarlett had gone back inside earlier to keep Steven from getting suspicious. She now sat near the small side gate that connected to the ballroom. The gate was still shut tight.She noticed the hotel manager whispering to a group of servers. A moment
“Yes,” Henry said with a smile. “Vivian doesn’t have much influence at Wilson Corp anymore. But if I take control of those shares, the company won’t be a problem. We’re all businessmen here. Profit always comes first. I trust, Mr. Spencer, that you’ll make the most logical choice.”Leon’s expression didn’t change. His voice remained flat. “And what can you offer me?”“Everything Vivian offered, I can too,” Henry replied smoothly. “She wants a deal that keeps Wilson Corp’s current structure intact. I don’t. If you work with me, once the acquisition is done, the company is yours. You can change it however you like.”He looked at Leon with eager eyes, but the truth was obvious. Henry didn’t care about the company’s future. All he wanted was cash.Leon thought for a moment. “Do something for me. It was supposed to be Vivian’s job, but she’s missing. Someone has to fill the gap. You’ll do.”Henry’s eyes lit up with interest. “What do you need me to do?”“Cause trouble. Make a scene. T







