"How is she?" Zachary asked.Mia glared at him. "I thought you didn't care about Sarah at all. Surprising you'd even ask."Zachary frowned slightly. "Mia, tell me."Mia gave a mocking laugh. "If you really wanted to know how Sarah is, why don't you ask her yourself? One minute you're with Vivian, ignoring whether Sarah lives or dies, the next you're asking about her well-being. I can't tell anymore if you love her or not."She stomped her foot angrily. "You're nothing but a liar!" She slammed the door.Zachary stared at the tightly closed door with a bitter smile. He understood why Mia was angry - wasn't he himself resentful of his own choice?But things had gone too far now. He had no right to express regret, especially not to Sarah.Every moment in his study, he wanted to call Melvin to ask about Sarah, but his finger hovered over the dial button without the courage to press it.After all he'd said to Melvin before, calling or not calling were equally painful ironies.Thankf
Mia could see he was exhausted. “Zach, please cancel the engagement. If this was going to be the outcome, you should never have told me you loved Sarah in the first place."The matter was settled. Zachary looked at Mia helplessly.Mr. Wilson and their grandfather had already agreed. Canceling wasn't as simple as just saying so - it involved both the Wilson and Reynolds families."I can't," he sighed.Mia seemed to deflate, slamming the door again. "I don't need you looking after me!"When Sarah woke, her entire body ached. She'd slept for a full day and night, finally waking early the next morning.She wearily looked at the metal clock on her bedside table, ticking away with its hands pointing to five o'clock.Rubbing her throbbing forehead, she felt the IV needle taped to her left hand. Following the tube upward, she saw a glucose drip.Her throat felt itchy. She coughed lightly, which made her lungs hurt.She recalled the events of the past two days - the kidnapping, hours i
Sarah noticed something off in Melvin's expression.“Melvin, what's wrong?""Nothing," he said, looking uncomfortable.Sarah coughed lightly. "You're hiding something from me. What is it? Is it about Zachary?"Melvin avoided her eyes, quickly getting up from beside the bed.“Melvin! Tell me what happened!" Something major must have occurred during the day and night she'd been unconscious."Sasa, just focus on recovering. Finish your chicken soup and don't worry about anything else."Melvin didn't want Sarah to know, but she held out her hand. "Brother, give me the remote."He quickly hid it behind his back.Sarah lunged for it. Afraid of hurting her, Melvin didn't resist too forcefully, and she managed to grab the remote.She turned on the TV. The earlier news was gone. She flipped through channels until finally catching a glimpse of Zachary on a financial news station."Reports indicate Miss Wilson and Mr. Reynolds reached an engagement agreement two nights ago. According t
"Mia, have you forgotten? We've known each other longer than you've known Sarah, haven't we? We used to chat together, shop together, laugh together. Why did you start disliking me after Sarah came along? It hurts me too."Mia froze, not knowing how to respond. It was true - she had cast Vivian as the obstacle between her brother and Sarah.In all fairness, Vivian had always been nice to her. "I... it's all my brother's fault!"She threw down her utensils and ran to her room.Vivian concealed the laughter in her eyes. She'd always known Mia was easily manipulated.At the Chancer residence.James returned home exhausted from work. His mother was playing cards with several women in the living room."James, you're back?" His mother didn't look up from her game.James took off his coat and went upstairs, his mother's conversation with the other women following him."Have you heard? That Zachary Reynolds is engaged to Miss Wilson. The engagement party is in a month. That Sanders gi
The nurse finished changing Sarah's medication and said warmly, "If today's tests look good, you can be discharged tomorrow.""Great, thank you."Alone in the private hospital room, the emptiness only amplified her feelings of isolation.With no one around, she repeatedly watched news footage of Zachary leaving the Wilson mansion, analyzing his expression five times over, trying to determine if his feelings were genuine or forced.She couldn't tell. At noon, Melvin arrived with lunch.Sarah noticed his furrowed brow. "What's wrong? Something's bothering you."Melvin forced a smile. "It's nothing. How are you feeling today?""The nurse says I can leave tomorrow." Sarah's voice was unnaturally flat. "If something's happened, don't keep it from me."Thinking of recent events, Melvin seemed to deflate. "Are you really okay, Sarah?""I'm fine, truly. Now please tell me what's going on."Under her persistent gaze, Melvin finally explained."There's trouble at the factory in West R
In early October, West Ridge had been experiencing harsh weather, though the locals were accustomed to it.A black sedan stopped at the village entrance where a middle-aged man with pleasant features was waiting.A stylishly dressed woman stepped out carrying her suitcase. After exchanging a few words with her driver, the car drove away.The man took her suitcase. "Miss Sanders? I'm your cousin's friend. You can call me Mr. Lambert.”"Thank you, Mr. Lambert.”He led her to a house. "You'll stay here for now. The villagers don't have many modern amenities or reliable internet. It's quite basic.""Thank you, Mr. Lambert.”Inside the courtyard, Sarah saw a man, a woman, and an elderly couple staring at her."This is our visitor from the city," Mr. Lambert explained to the Wesler family. "She'll be staying in your guest quarters for a few days."The Wesler family nodded as if used to such arrangements. The elderly couple silently went to prepare food.After putting her suitcase i
As they walked, Mr. Lambert briefed her about the factory. "Miss Sanders, the place has changed considerably over the years. Headquarters sent inspectors a few years ago, but no one has visited in the last three years. They haven't forgotten about us, have they?"Sarah smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Mr. Lambert. Sanders Group would never abandon any employee or facility. I'm here specifically to resolve these issues."Mr. Lambert nodded, though Sarah noticed his expression growing increasingly troubled as they approached the factory. Just before entering, he warned her, "The situation inside isn't good. I've worked here for decades and have some authority, but lately there've been all sorts of problems. Some workers are on strike, and even the manager is at his wit's end."Once inside, Sarah finally understood what Mr. Lambert meant.The factory manager greeted them with a group of workers holding protest signs. "You must be from headquarters. I hear you're Mr. Sanders' sister.
Sarah stared at him coldly. "Get out!""Don't be ungrateful. Look at your situation," Charlie said with annoyance.Sarah took out her phone from her purse. "Before coming to West Ridge, I made an arrangement with my cousin. If I don't call him by nine o'clock, he'll immediately alert the police and bring people here. It's almost time - are you sure you want to stay?"Charlie glared at her angrily. "Fine! But remember, this is my house!" After he left, Sarah collapsed on the bed with relief.The next day after work, Sarah discovered how Charlie planned to retaliate. When she returned to the Wesler house, she found all her belongings moved to another room - a dilapidated one that looked uninhabited for decades.The entire Wesler family had silently approved of Charlie's actions.The old room had weathered badly over the years. Deep cracks ran through the walls, with loose soil occasionally falling from them.This cramped, rundown space was clearly Charlie's doing.The room was
"I-I'm telling you, this is in the town, not up in the remote hills. If you try to beat me up, bystanders definitely won't just stand by and watch," he stammered, trying to intimidate Zachary while his hand secretly reached for the door bolt."Relax. I didn't come to beat you today. I'm just curious—why are you so fixated on her?" Zachary asked calmly, fishing for information.He had already made up his mind before coming. If Charlie truly had a grievance with Sarah, he would find a way to send her away. Even if she ended up hating him, that would be better than leaving her in danger.When Charlie heard that Zachary wasn't there to beat him, he immediately relaxed, though his body language remained wary as he kept his eyes fixed on Zachary.Zachary had already figured out Charlie's personality. He knew that unless he revealed some information first, Charlie would never willingly explain his motives for kidnapping Sarah."Sarah is my ex-girlfriend. Our breakup wasn't what I wanted,
The room wasn't very large. Though Zachary had chosen a relatively nice place, the countryside had limited options—it wasn't possible to conjure up a luxury apartment out of thin air.The couch in the living area wasn't even half the length of Zachary's height.If he had to curl up in such a small space to sleep, it would obviously be uncomfortable.Although Sarah didn't want to be indebted to him, she couldn't find the right words at this moment.She could hardly say, "The bed is big enough, we can share it."In the end, she just responded with a simple "Oh" and said nothing more.In the middle of the night, Sarah suddenly felt a chill creeping into her body.When she awoke, she realized she had kicked off her comforter.At that moment, she heard deliberately softened footsteps coming from the other room.Was Zachary still awake?Was he unable to sleep, or was the couch too uncomfortable?Sarah moved her ankle slightly and found it wasn't as painful anymore. Just as she was
"I'll see what food we have in the kitchen. You stay here and don't move around," Zachary said gently. He raised his hand to ruffle Sarah's hair, but she ducked away. He left with a disappointed look.Sarah watched his retreating figure and muttered under her breath, "Is he treating me like a child?"The countryside rooms had poor sound insulation, and soon she heard clattering noises from the kitchen.Curious about what Zachary was doing, Sarah pressed her lips together and carefully eased herself off the bed, supporting herself against the wall.Just as she was about to hop a few steps, she lost her balance on one foot. Sarah let out a sharp cry as she tumbled to the floor.The pain from her ankle made her face turn pale, and her slender body curled up into a small ball.Hearing the commotion, Zachary rushed over. Seeing the scene before him, his pupils contracted in alarm. He hurried to her side and carefully lifted her back onto the bed.The doctors in West Ridge didn't make
Sarah was stunned into silence by his certainty.When she finally recovered, her words carried hints of embarrassed anger. "Don't flatter yourself. I—Ahh!"Her sentence transformed into a long, sharp cry before she could finish.Zachary held her ankle firmly with one hand while quickly and efficiently spreading the medicinal oil over her foot with the other.Sarah's pain receptors fired, bringing tears streaming down her face. In retaliation, she grabbed Zachary's free arm and bit down hard.A vein throbbed visibly at Zachary's temple.She really wasn't holding back.Zachary had no doubt that his hand was bleeding from her bite.By the time they finished this time-consuming, energy-draining, and the whole "procedure," both Sarah and Zachary had thin layers of sweat on their foreheads.After applying the medicine, Zachary stood up and stumbled slightly.His leg had gone numb from maintaining the same position for too long.Sarah opened her mouth and then closed it, swallowing
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