Charlie's hands were shaking uncontrollably. He couldn’t go to jail—he wouldn't go to jail.No. No, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go.Manager Sullivan had promised he’d protect him. He’d said everything would be fine.But Sarah and Mr. Lambert weren’t bluffing. Everything they’d said had sounded terrifyingly real. What if Sullivan couldn’t actually help him?“I’m not going to jail,” Charlie muttered, more to himself than anyone else, cold sweat running down his back.Sarah let out a cold snort. “Oh? And who told you that? Let me guess—you wouldn’t have dared pull a stunt like this on your own. So why don’t you just tell me who put you up to it? Unless you really believe they’ve got the power to save you. Don’t forget—everything that person has came from the Sanders family.”Charlie froze. The way she said it made it clear—she already knew who was behind it.“So… if I tell you, does that mean you’ll drop the charges?” Charlie asked, eyes wide with desperation.Sarah walked
“Did you tell them about me or not?!” Manager Sullivan’s voice dropped, sharp and cold.But Charlie didn’t answer the question. He just clung to him desperately. “Boss, you said you'd protect me! You promised! You have to help me! Sarah and Mr. Lambert are making me pay six million for the damages—six million! I can’t pay that! You have to save me!”“Six million?” Manager Sullivan’s face tightened. Even he had never touched that kind of money. His entire net worth wasn’t even half of that. Where the hell was he supposed to get six million for Charlie?Charlie’s eyes were pleading, frantic. His lips were dry and cracked from the panic, already bleeding slightly, and tears shimmered at the corners of his eyes. “Please, Boss. If I go to jail, it’ll be for ten years. I can’t survive that. Please…”He gripped Manager Sullivan’s arm like his life depended on it, fingers white from the force of it. But Sullivan pulled away coldly, avoiding eye contact.“I don’t have that kind of money,”
"Sign here."James Chancer’s cold, deep voice broke the silence as he slid the divorce papers across the table. Sarah looked up at him, managing a bitter smile.So this was it. No wonder he'd surprisingly called this morning to say he'd be home tonight, wanting to talk. She'd been happy all day, only to find out this was what he wanted to discuss... Three years of marriage, coming to an end.Sarah Sanders took the papers with trembling hands, her voice barely a whisper, "Do we really have to divorce?"James frowned as he studied the woman who'd been Mrs. Chancer for three years. She must have just finished cleaning - sweat still glistened on her forehead, exhaustion and confusion evident in her eyes behind those thick glasses. Gentle and modest, but utterly plain. This unremarkable woman had been Mrs. Chancer for three years.James put out his cigarette, his tone leaving no room for argument, "Just sign it. Charlotte's back, and I don't want her to get the wrong idea."Sarah felt
Sarah listened to the conversation outside the study, her eyes downcast.During her years as James’s wife, she had given everything to her mother-in-law and sister-in-law Lucy. When Lucy had her car accident, Sarah had stayed at the hospital for days. She'd always shown nothing but respect and care for Mrs. Chancer. Yet it seemed no amount of devotion could change how the Chancer family saw her.Shortly after, Scarlett Larson called, her voice tired, "Sasa, are you sure you won't come? You used to love hunting outdoors, and you'd get to race cars too."Sarah froze. Memories she'd buried deep came flooding back. Before marrying James, she'd loved hunting, racing cars, and good wine. Then she met James at the Larson estate and fell head over heels. After falling for him, she learned through others that James preferred gentle, trad wife. So she'd gradually given up everything she loved.Three years had passed, and she'd almost forgotten who she used to be.On the other end of the lin
Sarah left the Chancer mansion without looking back, wheeling her suitcase behind her. Outside, she found Scarlett leaning out of her car window, blowing her a playful kiss. "Get in, baby! Time to celebrate!"Though Scarlett called it a celebration, knowing Sarah was freshly divorced and likely down, she just took her to a music-themed restaurant. When she heard James's reason for the divorce, Scarlett couldn't help but scoff, "Charlotte Garnett again? What's so special about her that James is this obsessed?"Sarah stirred her coffee listlessly. "No idea..."She'd never actually met James's dream woman. Charlotte had already left for abroad when Sarah first met James. She'd only heard that Charlotte was gentle, accomplished, and understanding. When James had fought with his grandfather over her, Charlotte had been mature enough to convince James to let it go - which had led to Sarah's arranged marriage with James.Seeing Sarah's reluctance to discuss it further, Scarlett changed th
Sarah stopped in her tracks. Her expression remained calm, but she didn't take Charlotte's offered hand.As Charlotte's smile faltered, James stepped in to ease the tension, "Grandfather heard about us,” he said in a deep and restrained voice. “He wants you to join us for dinner tonight. Your phone was off, so I came to get you.""I see." Sarah checked her phone - it was indeed dead. She nodded. "I'll charge it and join you later."The message was clear- she wouldn't be going with them.James frowned. "I can wait while you-""No need," Sarah cut him off with a smile. "I'll make my own way there."When he fell silent, Sarah glanced at Charlotte. "And tomorrow at nine, if you're free, let's get the divorce papers finalized."For some reason, James felt unsettled. "Why the rush?"Sarah nodded firmly. “Cause it's urgent."James was taken aback, his expression darkening as he led Charlotte away.After a few steps, Charlotte whispered something intimately to James, then turned back
Lost in his thoughts, James felt a warm hand on his. He turned to see Charlotte looking at him with concern. "Are you feeling okay? Would you like some soup?"James shook his head.After greeting Richard, Sarah quietly took her seat, pointedly ignoring their interaction.Richard let out a scoff of disgust.Dinner at the Chancers' was traditionally eaten in silence. Sarah had little appetite but picked at her food to be polite.After dinner, Richard held her back. "I've heard about you and James. Don't worry, Sarah. You're the only daughter-in-law this family recognizes."He cast a cold look at Charlotte and James, their faces stiffening at his words. "If anyone should leave this family, it should be the homewrecker and this excuse for a man!"Sarah shifted uncomfortably.James's jaw tightened. Beside him, Charlotte clutched his hand, her eyes filling with tears, looking every bit the victim.Richard ignored them both, drumming his fingers on the table with a sigh. "Your father
Richard slammed his teacup down, his voice heavy with disappointment. "Since the day she joined this family, your mother has done nothing but tear her down. Every time she got sick, she had to handle it alone. Whenever Lucy wanted the latest designer bag or jewelry, Sarah was the one footing the bill. Night after night, she'd wait up for you, keeping your dinner warm. And that time you made yourself sick pining over Charlotte? Sarah spent hours making you homemade soup, burning her hands raw in the process."He sighed deeply. "Even when she lost her father and lived with the Larsons, she never had to do any of that. James, Sarah gave you everything. Charlotte brings you one bowl of soup, and suddenly she's the perfect woman?"James's fists clenched as he listened, his eyes darkening like storm clouds.Sarah knew nothing of this conversation. For once, she slept well that night.The next morning at eight-thirty, she called James about finalizing the divorce, "Mr. Chancer, if you're
“Did you tell them about me or not?!” Manager Sullivan’s voice dropped, sharp and cold.But Charlie didn’t answer the question. He just clung to him desperately. “Boss, you said you'd protect me! You promised! You have to help me! Sarah and Mr. Lambert are making me pay six million for the damages—six million! I can’t pay that! You have to save me!”“Six million?” Manager Sullivan’s face tightened. Even he had never touched that kind of money. His entire net worth wasn’t even half of that. Where the hell was he supposed to get six million for Charlie?Charlie’s eyes were pleading, frantic. His lips were dry and cracked from the panic, already bleeding slightly, and tears shimmered at the corners of his eyes. “Please, Boss. If I go to jail, it’ll be for ten years. I can’t survive that. Please…”He gripped Manager Sullivan’s arm like his life depended on it, fingers white from the force of it. But Sullivan pulled away coldly, avoiding eye contact.“I don’t have that kind of money,”
Charlie's hands were shaking uncontrollably. He couldn’t go to jail—he wouldn't go to jail.No. No, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go.Manager Sullivan had promised he’d protect him. He’d said everything would be fine.But Sarah and Mr. Lambert weren’t bluffing. Everything they’d said had sounded terrifyingly real. What if Sullivan couldn’t actually help him?“I’m not going to jail,” Charlie muttered, more to himself than anyone else, cold sweat running down his back.Sarah let out a cold snort. “Oh? And who told you that? Let me guess—you wouldn’t have dared pull a stunt like this on your own. So why don’t you just tell me who put you up to it? Unless you really believe they’ve got the power to save you. Don’t forget—everything that person has came from the Sanders family.”Charlie froze. The way she said it made it clear—she already knew who was behind it.“So… if I tell you, does that mean you’ll drop the charges?” Charlie asked, eyes wide with desperation.Sarah walked
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