"Mr. Reynolds, is there something specific you want to tell me?" Sarah asked, neither humble nor proud."You're clever. Mia trusts and depends on you, but that doesn't erase my concerns. The incident with Tina’s suicide made headlines across the East Coast - how she left only you to blame."Sarah smiled faintly. "I wouldn't expect you to ask such naive questions. Tina’s case was public. If I'd done anything wrong, the psychiatric community would have condemned me. Only those who choose to stay blind believe otherwise."Her boldness surprised him. He studied her with renewed interest."Miss Sanders, you're intriguing. But that alone isn't enough to stand as Zachary's equal."Sarah shook her head. "Mr. Reynolds, I've never sought to be with Zachary. Besides, isn't Vivian your choice? Zachary and I are done. I'm only here because you sent for me."William chuckled. "True, the Sanders family can't compare to the Wilsons. I've known Vivian since childhood - I know exactly who she is.
"Finally I can be with you again. I only feel safe when you're around." Mia sat in the car the Reynolds had sent, clutching Sarah's sleeve in the backseat as if afraid she'd disappear.Sarah noticed her anxious attachment. She'd always known Mia depended on her deeply, but this level made her uneasy.At the Reynolds house, William had retreated inside, leaving Zachary and Vivian standing outside.They stood in silence, Vivian staring at Zachary while he gazed in the direction Sarah had gone."She's been gone for ages. You still won't look at me?" Vivian's voice trembled.Zachary snapped back to reality, his face blank. "No. I'm worried about Mia.""Is it Mia you're worried about, or Sarah?" Vivian sneered.Zachary just glared at her, refusing to answer.As he turned to leave, Vivian blocked his path. "Answer me. Why are you running? Did I hit a nerve? You still love her, don't you?""I don't know what you're talking about," Zachary said coldly.Vivian laughed sharply. "Don't
"Aunt, we should still ask my brother." Sarah insisted.Aunt Amanda's displeasure showed. "Sasa, Melvin is my son. He'll listen to me. I discussed Sydney's internship with him months ago."Months ago - before Sarah had returned.Before she could react, Sydney had already directed the bodyguards to move her luggage to an empty room upstairs.She acted like she owned the place, while Mia hid behind Sarah.Only after Sydney had settled in did Aunt Amanda leave, satisfied."Sarah, is she really going to intern at Sanders Group?" Mia asked quietly.Sarah paused. Why place Sydney at Sanders? She hated the idea of someone she distrusted infiltrating the company. Sanders Group was her parents' legacy - she had to protect it."Mia, go rest for a bit."After Mia left, she called Melvin.“Melvin, about Sydney..."His voice sounded tired. "I know. Mother wants her to stay here for now.""I see." Sarah hung up.She couldn't understand her aunt's motives, or Melvin's thoughts.When Mel
Mia tasted the food with a dismissive look. "Sarah, this soup is terrible.""What's that supposed to mean?" Sydney jumped up, glaring at Mia.Even if Mia was a Reynolds, she couldn't take this forever.Mia smirked. "Just stating facts. Or are we not allowed to be honest?"Sydney, expert at playing victim, clutched Melvin's arm. "Melvin, did you hear how rude she's being?""Who are you calling rude?" Mia fixed her with an icy stare. No one had ever dared speak to her like this."Melvin, you saw that. I'm not starting trouble - she is." Sydney gave him an innocent look, tears glistening.Sarah and Mia exchanged disgusted glances. Even Mia found these tactics pathetically obvious - just like Lucy all over again.Melvin's face was blank, though revulsion showed in his eyes. "Let's eat. Annette will cook from now on."Sydney wanted to argue but caught Melvin's expression and stayed quiet.She remembered her aunt's advice: despite Melvin's cold exterior, he had a soft heart, especi
Looking at her changed figure in the mirror, Charlotte felt deep anxiety. She feared James would find her repulsive.She'd chosen clothes to hide her belly and applied careful makeup. When James arrived, the sight of his sharp features made her throat tight."James, it's been so long. I've missed you so much." She stared at him intently.James set down two large thermal containers. "Your mother and mine made these. They're worried sick about you and the baby, afraid you're not eating well. My mother wants to send you fresh soup every day."Charlotte ignored the food, gripping his hand emotionally. "James, did you miss me?"Faced with her loving gaze, James found himself speechless. He avoided her eyes, pulling his hand away. "How have you been?"Charlotte watched him painfully. His eyes revealed too much - she wasn't stupid.She could see his concern was genuine, but his love wasn't."I'm okay, James. Just... hard not seeing you every day."What hurt more were her midnight dre
Charlotte continued, "Of course, I still dream about our past. Remember in high school when I was in gymnastics class, and you skipped your class just to catch a glimpse of me..."James responded halfheartedly, "You still remember that?""I'll never forget those times, James. They're our precious memories!" Charlotte said earnestly.After a pause, she asked dejectedly, "James, have you forgotten?""No," James replied stiffly.At this point, he couldn't keep pretending anymore.Maybe it was because their feelings had worn thin over time, or perhaps because of that other person who kept appearing in his thoughts and dreams.Charlotte didn't press further. Since James rarely visited, she wanted to make the most of their time together.She slowly moved closer to James, her cheeks turning apple-red as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "James, can you kiss me?"It had been ages since they'd been intimate.Looking at her shy eyes and flushed cheeks, James suddenly remembered his
James rubbed his temples. "Charlotte, there are things I need to handle at work. I'll come back another day."Charlotte's eyes turned red. "James, I miss you so much. When I wake up from nightmares at night and you're not there, I cry."Her words were pitiful, and James felt moved. He knew Charlotte was having a tough pregnancy, with no one around when she had morning sickness.He sat back down. "Charlotte, I'm sorry. I haven't been taking good care of you."...That afternoon, Sarah took Mia to school, leaving Sydney alone in the house.While Annette was cleaning in the back garden, Sydney crept out of her room and stood at Mia's doorway. After checking that no one was around, she carefully took out a key and unlocked Sarah's door.This room was probably the largest after the master bedroom. She clenched her fists. Why did Sarah get everything without having to work for it?None of Melvin's doting affection had ever been directed at her.She silently searched Sarah's room
A week later, Vivian looked with satisfaction at the renderings from the tech department. They perfectly captured what she felt had been missing."Send it out."Soon, a 3D rendering was circulating throughout East Coast.Melvin was in a meeting when he heard about it. His assistant burst in, panicked. "Mr. Sanders, there's trouble."The assistant looked distraught, his face pale.Melvin knew his assistant wouldn't interrupt a meeting for something trivial - this had to be serious."What is it?" he asked.The assistant quickly handed him the tablet. "Sir, look at this."On the tablet was a 3D rendering, but what shocked him more was that it was identical to the proposal their planning department had submitted - the one they'd spent two weeks finalizing with the famous designer for Pine Mist Island.The proposal was exactly the same as their planning department's submission, except it was for Harbour Crescent Island, and the rendering had been released by Wilson Industries just
She racked her brain trying to figure out where she'd gone wrong to end up in this situation.Before she could think of a solution, the company faced a thorny problem. Her assistant contacted her immediately."Miss Wilson, our shipment at the dock has been detained. By the time I received the news, it had already been held for three days. If we delay any longer, we'll lose a major deal," her assistant said urgently.Vivian had received an excellent education and was being groomed as the Wilson Group's successor, so she naturally wouldn't lose her composure.She calmly asked, "Have you looked into why the shipment was detained?"The assistant hesitated, "I heard that your fiancé, Mr. Reynolds, personally reported that shipment.""That's impossible!" Vivian's voice rose in pitch, her face filled with disbelief."Did you investigate thoroughly? If this turns out to be false, I won't let you off easily and will sue you for defamation." Vivian couldn't keep her cool, speaking with a h
In the office, Vivian looked with interest at the news on her phone about Harbour Crescent Island and Pine Mist Island. Everything was going exactly as she had expected.Except for one thing. When she first got the original project plan, she had been wondering about a small building near the main hotel. She couldn't figure out what it was for.Only after Pine Mist Island's promotional materials came out did she fully understand the purpose of that small building. In modern society, the exhausting work and complicated relationships of urban life caused people to develop various psychological issues. Many of these weren't even serious enough to be called disorders—they were just negative emotions bottled up inside that needed an outlet.In recent years, people had placed more emphasis on mental health education, with schools conducting various assessment activities.Many emotional release rooms had appeared in East Coast, but Sarah had only visited two or three, and their release meth
Before Zachary could react, tears streamed down Mia's face. "Brother, tell me, is everything I read true? The Wilson factory explosion, the fake medicine, the murders to silence people! How did Mom really die?"For the first time, Zachary looked at Mia helplessly. Since she was very young, he had always protected her well, making her feel like she lived in a fairy tale. But even the most innocent person must eventually face harsh reality.This time, he sighed and said, "It's exactly as you saw."Mia couldn't believe it. Her eyes widened, her nose reddened, as she looked at him in confusion. "It was the Wilson family? Grandpa Wilson was involved?"After saying this, endless hatred erupted in Mia's eyes. Her crimson gaze seemed to drip blood. "I'll kill him!"She turned to leave, but Zachary immediately lunged forward and grabbed her. "Mia! You can't go!"Mia's strength reached its peak in that moment. She desperately tried to break free from Zachary's grip. "Let me go! Why are you
Mia explained somewhat bashfully, "Sarah, ever since you and my brother broke up, I've never seen him smile again. Every night when I go downstairs for water, I see him standing on the balcony looking miserable. I always ask what's wrong, but he never tells me. Until one day when he came home drunk, muttering your name."She paused before continuing, "Sarah, I know you were disappointed when my brother got engaged to Vivian. I still don't know why that happened. From what I can tell, you're the only one he's ever loved. I know you're both hurting, so I came up with this idea to create a chance for you to be alone together. But I never thought things would turn out like this. I'm sorry, Sarah. This isn't my brother's fault—please don't blame him."Sarah thought for a moment before saying, "Mia, can you help me with something?"Mia nodded eagerly. "What do you want me to do, Sarah?"Sarah motioned her closer and whispered something in her ear. After listening, Mia nodded solemnly.In
Seeing him helped Sarah gradually calm down. She looked around, trying to figure out where she was, but quickly remembered the photo in the study, accompanied by another headache."Zachary, what's the story with that photo in your study?" Sarah rubbed her head while staring intently at the man whose face briefly showed panic. She wouldn't give him any chance to back away."What are you talking about? What photo?" Zachary reached for a teacup. "Are you thirsty? You just woke up—have some water to soothe your throat."Sarah frowned, looking straight at Zachary. "I'm not thirsty. Don't change the subject! What's the deal with that photo?"Right—the photo.Just then, Mia timidly approached, wringing her hands nervously."Mia, how are you feeling?" Sarah asked with concern, shifting her attention.Mia said guiltily, "Sarah, I'm so sorry. It was my fault. I shouldn't have tricked you."When Sarah showed concern for her despite just waking up, Mia's guilt peaked. She hadn't expected Sa
She stared hard at this single photo, trying to uncover something more, but the longer she looked, the more her head ached. The pain felt like something tearing apart inside her, making her want to punch the wall.Meanwhile, in Mia's room, Zachary held both of Mia's hands while his eyes anxiously watched the door. Half an hour had passed—why hadn't Sarah returned?Mia continued struggling, her eyes also darting toward the door, quickly lowering her gaze to hide her concern from him.Zachary took a deep breath, released his grip, and said flatly, “Cut the act.”Mia fell silent immediately. She wasn't sure how her brother had figured it out, but she could only close her mouth sheepishly. "Zach, I—""Say no more. I'm going to check on her." Zachary couldn't wait another moment. He stood up and left.Mia followed right behind him. "I'm coming with you."When Zachary pushed open the study door, he saw Sarah collapsed on the floor. He instantly panicked and ran to her. "Sasa! Sasa, are
Zachary couldn't quite identify what he was feeling. He calmly signaled the housekeeper to fetch the reports.Sarah carefully opened the door and peeked at Mia hiding in the corner. She also took in the mess on the floor.It seemed Mia was experiencing severe emotional swings. Sarah couldn't use an aggressive treatment approach.Mia spotted Sarah.She blinked, then suddenly burst into tears and started reaching for more breakable items in the room.Sarah rushed in without concern for her own safety. First, she called out firmly, "Mia, stop!"Zachary followed her inside, instinctively positioning himself to Sarah's right, ready to protect her if anything unexpected happened.Seeing this, Mia secretly smiled to herself, more determined than ever to play matchmaker.In her excitement, she set her sights on a waist-high vase.Sarah's attention was completely focused on her. Following Mia's gaze, her heart skipped a beat. She immediately spoke to her with gentle authority, "Mia, no.
Zachary was unhappy with her tone, as if his sister had some incurable disease.Due to his good upbringing and manners, Zachary didn't lose his temper. He simply asked the housekeeper to see the doctor out, his face showing clear displeasure.This was already the fourth psychologist today. All of them were professor-level professionals for whom writing books was a minor achievement.The nanny specifically assigned to care for Mia also had tears in her eyes as she stared at the closed door with endless worry. "Mr. Reynolds, Mia hasn't eaten a single bite since this morning. We can't go on like this."Zachary irritably pinched the bridge of his nose and coldly ordered, "Aren't there still some candidates on our list? Send people to bring all of them here."The nanny bit her lip and gathered her courage to suggest, "Mr. Reynolds, I don't think bringing more experts will help. Why not ask Miss Sanders to try?"Zachary turned to look at her, his expressionless face making the nanny los
Mrs. Chancer anxiously watched Charlotte lying unconscious on the bed, barely hearing anything the hospital director was saying.James had regained his composure after learning that Charlotte was currently stable. He politely responded to the director, "Thank you. Please don't let us keep you from your duties."After speaking, he glanced at the housekeeper.The housekeeper instinctively stepped forward and extended his right hand courteously. "Director, please, let me escort you back."Mrs. Chancer sat on the stool that James had pulled over, staring at Charlotte's pale face with lingering fear, unable to look away for a long time.It wasn't that she truly cared for Charlotte; she was simply afraid of losing her chance to hold her first grandchild.James placed his hand on her shoulder and gently urged, "Mom, you've had a shock. Charlotte is fine now. Why don't you go home and rest?"Mrs. Chancer was still somewhat angry with him. "I'm not leaving. What if you leave the moment I'