Just as Zachary finished handling his affairs and was driving home, his phone rang—it was Vivian calling.His hand hovered over the answer button, but he hesitated to press it."Zachary, Vivian likes you. You should see that by now. The reason she returned this time was for you." That was the voice of Mr. Wilson, his face ever so hypocritical."Zac, what exactly is your relationship with Miss Sanders?" That was a gentle, composed face, yet deep in her eyes lurked a suppressed madness—cold and merciless.Behind him was his grandfather’s voice, offering words of measured caution. "The matter with the Wilsons is something you’ll have to decide for yourself. If Wilson approaches me, I won’t turn him away. But how you handle it is up to you.""Bro, you can’t give up on Sarah! Didn’t you say you’d bring her back to be my sister-in-law? Brother?"Enough!He forced all those voices out of his mind, leaving only the persistent ringing of his phone echoing in the empty car."Zachary, rem
The men who had been hovering around quickly scattered, acting as if nothing had happened. They returned to their booths—some drinking, others dancing—blending back into the chaotic rhythm of the bar. "Zachary, you came to pick me up?" Vivian looked up at him with misty eyes. Zachary’s gaze swept across the table cluttered with empty glasses, his brows knitting together. "Why did you drink so much?" "Because I'm upset," Vivian murmured, resting her hand lightly on his arm. "They all say you love Sarah, not me. They say I ruined your happiness by suddenly returning to the country. Zachary, is that true?" "Come on, drink up!" "Stop just drinking—let’s go dance!" The deafening noise of the bar pounded against Sarah’s ears. She leaned against the wall near the restroom, a spot that conveniently kept her hidden while still allowing her to hear every word exchanged between Zachary and Vivian. Zachary hesitated for a long moment. Vivian clung to him, her voice laced wi
People around them watched like they were enjoying a show. Some were even placing bets on how long it would take the drunk to get the woman.Right then, Scarlett burst forward. “What the hell are you doing? Lay another hand on her, and I’m calling the cops!”The man scoffed. “Who comes to a bar and doesn’t look for a fling? I was just trying to talk to her—what’s the big deal?”“I said no, and that means no. Now get lost!” Scarlett shot him a glare, sharp as a knife.“Tch. If you’re not out to play, don’t come to a bar,” the man muttered as he stomped off.Scarlett stepped in front of Sarah protectively. “Sasa, weren’t you drinking at the bar just now? Why’d you suddenly come over here?”She glanced around suspiciously, but nothing seemed out of place.Sarah was still in a daze. “I was going to the restroom.”Her mood was already in the gutter. Then, she saw Zachary leaving the bar, supporting Vivian. That moment hit like a wave of ice, spreading cold through her entire chest
She didn’t even like this place. Yet, here she was—just trying to numb herself, even if only for a little while.Back at the booth, a glass of water slid toward her. She looked up. It was James.Her brows furrowed. “Why is it you?”James could sense her irritation. “Why shouldn’t it be me?”“You… you saw everything?”“If you mean the way you were dancing just now, yeah. I saw all of it.” He chuckled softly.Sarah pushed the water back toward him. “Drink it yourself, Mr. Chancer.”“You won’t even accept a glass of water from me?”She remained expressionless. “Of course not. What if someone sees it and twists it into me deliberately drinking your water? No thanks.”“That won’t happen.”“Still, I’d rather not. Mr. Chancer, please leave me alone. I just want some peace.” She had no interest in seeing James, let alone dealing with him.Something flickered in James’s eyes—hurt. “Sasa… do you really hate me that much?”Sarah glanced at him, her voice flat. “You’re just figuring th
What a joke. No one had ever asked if she wanted any of their concern.Scarlett came back from the dance floor, and the moment she saw James, her guard shot up. “James? What the hell are you doing here?”Sarah quickly stepped in. “Scarlett, Mr. Chancer is just here for a drink. Let’s not bother him.”Scarlett narrowed her eyes at Sarah, clearly skeptical, but she didn’t press the issue. Instead, she followed Sarah to a newly opened booth.When the bartender placed their drinks down, Scarlett scoffed, shaking her head. “That guy’s insane. He was so desperate to divorce you just to marry Charlotte, and now he won’t leave you alone.”“Forget him,” Sarah muttered. She had no time to waste on James—her mind was still replaying the image of Zachary holding onto Vivian as they left the bar.Over at the bar counter, James downed his cocktail in one go, the bitterness lingering in his throat.Then his phone rang.He picked it up, expecting nothing urgent—until his assistant’s voice made
After scaring the man off, Steven turned back toward the booth. Sarah and Scarlett were still drinking, completely oblivious to the danger they’d just been in. His anger flared. Without hesitation, he snatched their glasses away. “Scarlett, look at me!” Something in his voice cut through her drunken haze. At the sound of his command, Scarlett snapped to attention, a shiver running down her spine as she looked up at him. “Steven?! What… what are you doing here?” Panic flashed across her face, and in a desperate attempt to hide, she covered her face with her hands. “Nope, not me! You’ve got the wrong person!” Steven clenched his jaw. “Wake up. Do you have any idea what almost happened just now? Why the hell weren’t you answering your phone? I called you dozens of times!” His eyes were red with frustration. Scarlett shrank back, guilty. “I’m sorry, okay? Sasa was feeling down, so I brought her here to relax. I wasn’t planning to get drunk…” But after Sarah came
The next second, Sarah yanked her hand away like she had touched something scorching hot. Her hazy eyes stared at him in suspicion. “Are you… the big bad guy?” Zachary frowned slightly before realizing—she was talking about him. He let out a sigh and, with a hint of indulgence in his voice, said, “Yes, I’m the big bad guy. And I’ve come to take you home.” “No, I’ve got no home to return to…” she murmured. His gaze darkened slightly, and his voice softened even more. “Sasa, you do have a home.” She muttered something incoherent, then suddenly mumbled, “Big bad guy, I don’t need you. Go take care of your Miss Wilson.” Her words were slurred, her eyes half-closed, her thoughts drifting aimlessly. Zachary knew she was completely drunk. Without another word, he gently pulled her up. “I’ll take you home.” He led her out of the bar, but when he tried to help her into the backseat of his car, she resisted. Shaking her head furiously, she plopped down onto the pave
“Zachary… my leg hurts.” The words were soft, almost childlike, but they hit him like a sledgehammer. His pupils shrank, his entire body tensing as he instinctively looked down at her leg. “…Why does it hurt?” A stiff, pained smile twisted on his lips—one that looked more like he was about to cry. Sarah wasn’t even fully conscious, yet tears streamed silently down her face. Her right hand clutched at her thigh—the exact spot where he knew she had a scar. That scar. Buried deep in her subconscious, hidden beneath years of suppressed memories. People say that when you’re drunk, the truth slips out—the things buried so deep inside you, the things you never speak about when you’re sober. And now, Zachary was terrified. Because if those painful memories resurfaced—if she finally remembered—she would realize that things weren’t what she thought they were. And then what? Would she ever be able to face him again? Would she ever forgive him? “Sasa… w
As Zachary approached slowly, Sarah wanted to escape, but unfortunately, she had the will but not the ability.The hillside was damp, making the dirt path slippery.She had no strength to resist as he lifted her up in his arms. "Put me down, Zachary! Let me go!""You can't walk," he replied, carrying her with steady steps."Even if I can't walk, I don't need your help! Don't forget, you have a fiancée now!"Zachary's eyes darkened. She really knew how to bring up the most uncomfortable topics.The man had just been in a fight, and his clothes were somewhat disheveled, which only added to his wild nature. His entire presence radiated a dangerous charm.Sarah couldn't help stealing several glances at him. Though she kept telling herself not to fall for him, her heartbeat still involuntarily lost its rhythm.Back at the dormitory, Zachary carefully placed her on the bed and arranged the blankets for her.Sarah frowned, staring at him as she voiced her suspicion. "I never told you
Charlie was now recovering his senses. He pushed himself up from the ground, feeling a sour, aching pain in his stomach."Zach, why did you hit me?" Charlie asked, his eyes wide with disbelief."Hitting you is getting off easy," Zachary replied coldly.Charlie ignored him and lunged toward Sarah.In that split second, everything changed. Sarah fell to the ground, her foot slipping badly, twisting her ankle.She cried out in pain as she sat on the ground, gripping her ankle tightly. Beads of sweat broke out across her forehead."Sarah, what happened? Did you twist your ankle?" Zachary asked anxiously.He immediately rushed to Sarah, crouched down to examine her ankle, and reached out to touch it."Don't touch me!" Sarah jerked away instinctively, sitting on the ground clutching her ankle.Charlie gave the two of them a long, searching look. He had long suspected there was something unusual between them.Zachary's expression darkened, looking rather menacing in the gloomy weath
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