Melvin was already expanding on the idea in his mind - they could even add actors playing wild men, or maybe zombies for extra thrills."Sasa, great idea, but safety has to be our top priority."Sarah nodded in understanding, then pointed to an area she'd had reserved next to the resort. “Melvin, guess what I want this space for?"When Melvin looked confused, she continued, "A wellness center - I want to build the best therapeutic facility on the East Coast. Not just counseling, but stress relief zones too. Many people suffer because they can't release their emotions. This center would help with that.""Your ideas never cease to amaze me," Melvin smiled. "This is your forte - it's all yours."She nodded, checking the time. It was 9:20 - Joel was twenty minutes late without any sign of showing up.“Melvin, is Joel still coming?" she asked, frowning.Sarah found it odd too. Even if something came up, they should have received a call.He reluctantly tried calling, but there was no
The previously hopeful team now felt deflated."Don't lose heart," Melvin told them. "He's just one designer."There were plenty of renowned international designers - surely the Wilsons couldn't have them all in their pocket.At the prison, Michael was escorted out. “Michael Luther, you have a visitor."He'd been here a long time; even his father hadn't visited lately.There was only one person he kept thinking about - but could it be her?He stared at his blurry reflection in the glass. His unshaven face looked haggard.Prison life meant early nights and morning exercises - he stayed relatively healthy, especially with all the "arrangements" his family had made with the warden for special treatment.He walked nervously to the visiting room, took a deep breath. The guard opened the door, and his eyes turned cold when he saw who it was. Not her."Mr. Luther, you look disappointed. Who were you expecting?" Sarah smiled, perching on the visiting room table.Michael shook his h
She placed her hand on Michael's shoulder and said softly, "Or perhaps... you loved her? A secret admirer?"Michael's breath caught noticeably, his breathing quickened, his chest rising and falling more rapidly.Sarah smiled. "Mr. Luther, even without your answer, your reaction tells me everything."Michael suddenly burst out laughing. "Sarah, that's just your speculation.""What did she tell you to make you help her so willingly? Did you think she'd be with you after this was all over?"Michael finally snapped, slamming the table. "Why are you really here? I won't answer any of your questions. The case is closed, everyone who hurt you has been brought to justice. I don't understand why you're suddenly visiting me."Sarah ignored his questions and said quietly, "Vivian is about to get engaged to the Reynolds family. Did you know that?"Michael's tense nerves snapped. He stared at Sarah in disbelief. "What? Wasn't Zachary in love with you?""Mr. Luther, I don't know what Vivian
Sarah wasn't making threats - Mr. Luther really had collapsed when Summit Corp broke their contract a month ago, spending two full days in emergency care.Of course, Michael knew none of this from prison.Hearing this, Michael jumped up, his eyes reddening. "What happened to my father?""Mr. Luther, please calm down. The Summit Corp situation hit your father hard - he collapsed.""Summit... was it the Wilsons?" Michael asked quietly.Sarah nodded. It wasn't a secret - everyone with any influence on the East Coast knew."Do you have proof?" Michael still seemed doubtful.Sarah's eyes turned cold. "Mr. Luther, anyone could tell you your father's still in the hospital. Why would I lie about this?"She walked toward the door, leaving him with one last thought. "Think it over, Mr. Luther. Vivian isn't as simple as you imagine. Everyone knows she loves Zachary. If not for yourself, think about your father and the company.”She strode out, leaving Michael to be escorted back by guard
Michael shook his head. "How's Dad doing?""Out of danger, but it hit him hard." His mother paused before continuing. "I've wanted to tell you - your father and I understand why you wouldn't marry because you loved her. But think about us. We're getting old, we can't help you much longer. If the company falls, your father might... Even if not for me, think of your father. After what Wilson Industries did, she's not worth it."Before they could say more, the guards came in to escort his mother out - visiting time was over.Just before she left, Michael called out, "Mom! I need to see someone."A few days later, Sarah walked into the prison wearing casual clothes. In the visiting room, Michael was already waiting on the other side of the table.Sarah approached emotionlessly. “Made up your mind?”Michael took a deep breath. "My mother told me everything. It matches what you said."He paused before continuing. "I'll tell you the truth, but you have to help the Luther family.""Hel
Any clear-headed person would see through such an obvious lie, but blinded by love, Michael had lost all reason. He'd convinced himself that if Zachary and Sarah got together, Vivian would be his."Mr. Luther, I never thought you'd be so gullible." Sarah sneered."Well, that's the truth. After everything fell apart, she came to see me once, and I decided to cover for her. I succeeded - everyone believes Charlotte was the perpetrator, and I was just being manipulated." Michael's eyes grew colder.Sarah studied him carefully. "Mr. Luther, I want you to repeat this in court.""In court?"Michael silently shook his head. "I've told you the truth. The rest isn't my concern. I hope you understand - I can't personally send the woman I love to prison."After all, he still cherished the memories from high school. He stood to return to his cell, but Sarah called after him."Please think it over."Michael nodded and left quickly.Meanwhile, James was ransacking his house looking for s
"Since we're both here on the East Coast, we should see more of each other. After all, your son and my niece were married. Even though they're divorced, our families could still be close," Mrs. Sanders smiled.Mrs. Chancer felt puzzled but nodded. "Yes, of course."She was only tolerating this for Mrs. Watson's sake."Oh dear," Mrs. Sanders sighed."Is something wrong?" Mrs. Chancer asked."It's my niece - such a troublemaker. I'm sure you have your own concerns too, Sylvia. I'll be frank - I can't stand that girl. Divorcing your son wasn't enough, she had to get your daughter-in-law imprisoned even though she was pregnant at that time - how cruel."Finding a sympathetic ear, Mrs. Chancer opened up. "You don't know the half of it. That girl must have some vendetta against our family. She's had my daughter thrown in prison multiple times, and now she's managed to get her committed to a psychiatric facility. My Lucy is perfectly healthy, but now she's being treated like a mental pa
For a moment, he thought he saw the study light switch on, and Sarah walking in gently, placing a steaming cup of coffee on his desk. "What are you doing?"He blinked, about to show her the album, when he heard his past self speak, "Working. Haven't I told you not to disturb me when I'm working?"James wanted to protest, but Sarah was already stammering, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have disturbed you."The memory sent a sharp pain through his heart. For three years of marriage, this was how he'd spoken to her, every single day.Just remembering it once was unbearable now.How must Sarah have felt, enduring this for three years? Maybe he should give up - some wounds couldn't be healed.The scene shifted, the door opening again."James, my cousin sent some tea. I don't know much about tea, but I thought you might like them." She placed the box carefully on his desk, anxious not to anger him.He knew the tea's value, knew she'd brought it specially for him.He wanted to say, "Thank y
Charlie shook his head, his face pale, still refusing to admit it. “It wasn’t me! I don’t know what you’re talking about. Even if that video shows me, so what? How can you be sure I was doing anything wrong? I came in at 2 a.m. to check if the machines could still be fixed. I did it for the good of the factory!”Sarah let out a cold laugh. “Wow. That’s the best you could come up with? You really expect me to believe you were being noble at two in the morning? Don’t forget, we’ve got more than just one camera. You think we only set up one? Every step you took was recorded—and more than that, someone saw you. We’ve got video and a witness. You’re not getting out of this.”Charlie’s face twisted in disbelief. “No way! There was no one there last night—I checked! You could’ve bribed someone just to frame me!”Sarah’s expression didn’t budge. “If you’re that desperate to keep lying, feel free to tell it to the cops. I’m done listening to your nonsense. Mr. Lambert, call the police.
Holding onto the cash, Charlie couldn't stop thinking: if he brought this to the gambling den with Zachary by his side, they could easily multiply it. All he had to do tonight was take one more risk.Before long, it was past midnight—2 a.m. to be exact—when Charlie crept into the factory. Everyone was asleep by then, including the guard out front, slumped over in exhaustion.The workshop was dark and quiet. Spotting the three machines almost immediately, Charlie felt a wave of relief wash over him. He quickly got to work, removing the last screw and prying open the outer shell. With a wrench in hand, he began fiddling inside—until something felt off.He paused.A couple nights ago, he'd gone out of his way to destroy these machines. He'd been shocked when the technician said they could still be repaired, but he brushed it off. Maybe the guy was just good. Maybe tech was just that advanced now.But now he realized—these machines had never been broken.They hadn't been repaired. Th
Upon hearing this, Manager Sullivan's face changed, and he glanced at Charlie, standing among the crowd, with a severe look of malice. Charlie, for his part, was clueless about what was happening. He was sure he had sabotaged the machinery effectively, given his years of experience in the factory and his knowledge of the equipment.But why hadn't it worked this time?He looked towards the technician with a puzzled expression, but the technician's confident gaze only increased his panic.After the meeting, Manager Sullivan called Charlie into his office and immediately started berating him as soon as the door was shut. "What happened? Weren't you supposed to have completely destroyed the equipment? Why does the technician say it can still be fixed? What did you do?"Charlie was even more baffled. He reflected on how he had damaged the equipment, unable to figure out what went wrong. "Manager, I was sure I had completely wrecked it. I even checked again after damaging it to ensure it
Before Sarah could speak, Manager Sullivan blurted out, "Miss Sanders, if I catch whoever did this, they won't get away with it!"Mr. Lambert sarcastically interjected, "What if it's a case of the thief crying catch the thief?"Manager Sullivan became defensive, "Mr. Lambert, you should think before you speak! I'm the manager of this factory. Every day the factory is down, I'm the most anxious of all! Are you really accusing me now? Miss Sanders, if you're going to suspect me as well, you might as well have headquarters fire me."Sarah quickly tried to defuse the situation, "Manager Sullivan, what are you talking about? You're the manager of this factory; of course, I trust your commitment to it. It’s just that this situation is serious. The old equipment that was destroyed in the last batch was due for an upgrade anyway, so that wasn’t a loss. But this time, it’s different."She paused before continuing, "This equipment was ordered from Germany by our headquarters half a year ago.
Fresh from the gambling den, Charlie was ecstatic, clutching a bundle of cash and laughing wildly. "Zach, we won thirty thousand! Can you believe they just let us walk out?"He found it unbelievable, but Zach seemed unfazed. They hadn't just taken the house; they'd also won a considerable amount from other gamblers, and even helped the house make a profit. It was no wonder they weren't stopped.Holding the money, Charlie mused, "Zach, you wouldn’t believe it. The rich just keep getting richer. Today, our factory received a shipment of equipment, and I heard just one machine costs millions. Compared to them, this thirty thousand really isn't much."Zach casually mentioned, "It seems like the Sanders factory is the only big one left around here."Charlie quickly retorted with a smirk, "Actually, in West Ridge, Sanders isn’t the biggest."Zach raised an eyebrow, "Really? I thought I knew West Ridge pretty well. Apart from Sanders, I haven’t seen any factory bigger than theirs."Char
Charlie finally got it—Manager Sullivan was forcing him to take on this task. He gritted his teeth and determinedly agreed, "Manager, I'll do it."Manager Sullivan smiled approvingly, "That's the spirit! Good employees like you are what this factory needs. Don't worry, the higher-ups won't let your efforts go unrewarded. If you pull this off, you could be looking at a bonus of several thousand."Charlie nodded, "Tonight, then?"Manager Sullivan's expression grew serious as he nodded back, "Yes, tonight."That afternoon, Charlie clocked out and went straight to find Zachary. He couldn’t go back to the old gambling den—they had made a mess last time and were probably blacklisted. As for the money he owed, Charlie didn’t care anymore. After all, they had won a lot last time only to have it stolen, which he figured squared things. Still, that didn't stop him from wanting to gamble again.Just a few days later, he found Zachary and even brought what he considered a fine cigar.As for
Outside the Sanders factory, several trucks were parked at the entrance. Sarah followed Manager Sullivan and Mr. Lambert, watching the unloading process. "Manager Sullivan, all this new equipment has arrived today, right from the headquarters' stock, and it's too late to ship from Germany now," Sarah observed, her voice serious.Mr. Lambert smiled, "I didn't expect you to handle this so quickly, Miss Sanders. It's only been a few days since you went to headquarters to file a complaint, and you've already got the equipment here.""It's all for the good of the factory," Sarah replied, her face still stern. "So, Manager Sullivan, the factory can operate normally now, right? Getting the production line back up is inevitable."Manager Sullivan's expression wasn't much happier; he hadn't expected Sarah to pull this off so quickly. He forced a smile, "Of course."As the equipment was moved into the factory, Manager Sullivan returned to his office, wiping sweat from his brow with his handk
Sarah was puzzled. "An explosion at such a critical moment would make anyone suspicious, wouldn't it? It looks like someone's trying to cover something up."Zachary nodded, his face showing disdain. "You're not the only one who thought so. But Old Mr. Wilson presented the last batch of drugs from their factory, which were supposed to be delivered to hospitals. The tests came back clean, and they claimed the explosion was due to a mishandling of ingredients."Sarah raised an eyebrow. "And everyone just bought that?""Yes, everyone did.""So, you want to prove the explosion wasn't an accident and use that to bring down the Wilson family?" Sarah asked softly.Zachary's face paled; he shook his head slightly. "It's not just that. I want to do more, but..."Sarah shrugged, as if she was used to this kind of talk. "Let me guess, the timing isn't right yet?"Zachary looked at her sincerely. "Sarah, I'm really glad you came to help me with my wounds. When the time is right, I'll come to
Sarah didn't respond to Zachary's earlier words—she simply moved with even more care as she cleaned and bandaged his wound. Her eyes stayed fixed on the task at hand, but her expression was unreadable.Zachary, watching her in silence, gave a soft laugh. "You do care about me, Sasa. No matter what you say, you're not as heartless as you pretend to be."Sarah shook her head, her voice calm but cool. "You're overthinking it. We're both from East Coast—I just don't want to see you die. Besides, you're getting engaged to Miss Wilson in just over half a month. I’m clear of our positions. So please, don't say things like that again."Zachary's face changed instantly. He knew she was right—his engagement to Vivian was a chasm between them, one that he couldn't just leap across. Not while the truth remained buried.That engagement wasn't just a label. It was a shield. A smokescreen. A compromise he'd made to protect Sarah. But knowing she believed it, that it stood between them, only deepe