“Zachary?”Sarah didn’t push him away. She just found his behavior today strangely out of character.She had never seen Zachary like this before. Even when she thought back to everything that had happened between them, the only time she had ever seen him truly broken was at the cemetery. He had stood there, dressed in a black suit, in front of his mother’s tombstone. The black-and-white photo on the grave was somber and still, while the sorrow hidden in Zachary’s eyes felt endless.Mr. Lambert had mentioned to her earlier that he’d seen Zachary and Charlie together today. Could it be... Zachary already knew the truth?What kind of terrible, heartbreaking truth could possibly leave a man like him looking this devastated?“Did you… find out something?” Sarah asked him softly.Zachary buried his head against her shoulder, giving a low, muffled reply. When he had been at the factory, listening to the things Charlie said, he had forced himself to stay calm, keeping up the image of a r
“But I already gave you the evidence yesterday! If you go to East Coast now and never come back, what am I supposed to do?” Charlie asked anxiously.Of course, what he was really worried about wasn’t Sarah — what terrified him was the people behind that factory. If any of those people were still alive, and they found out he was the one who spilled the truth, there was no telling what they might do to him.“You’ve got risk it to get it,” Zachary said calmly. “I already told you I’d pay you. I’m not the type to go back on my word. Did you forget how I took you to the gambling and helped you win money? And you’re still worried I’ll cheat you?”“Zac, it’s not that I don’t trust you — you’re the one person I trust most in this world. It’s just that things are getting dangerous. If I can’t get the money soon and get out of here, I might be the next dead man,” Charlie said, his voice trembling.But just then, a cold female voice cut in.“Charlie, after everything you’ve done, where exact
“When are you leaving?” Zachary asked.“Once everything’s settled. Maybe in a few days,” Sarah replied.After the police took Mr. Sullivan away, Mrs. Sanders tried to pull some strings to save him — but Melvin stepped in and stopped her.Mr. Lambert immediately started making changes at the factory. He came up with new rules and methods. One of the first things he did was drag out all the sheets from the factory manager’s office — the very sheets that had been haunting everyone like some kind of curse.Right in front of everyone, he set them on fire.In just moments, all the shadows and bad memories that had plagued the factory for so long were burned away — completely gone.Meanwhile, in the heart of the bustling city, the Wilson Group’s skyscraper towered like a giant, casting its long shadow over the people below. Sometimes, passersby would look up, their imaginations running wild, dreaming of wealth and power far beyond their reach.Just then, a white Porsche pulled up smoot
Vivian immediately turned around and waved her hand. “Got it. You can leave now.”Once she heard the door close softly behind Donovan, she sat down at her desk, her face dark. She switched on the office surveillance system. Only after seeing Donovan’s figure disappear into the elevator did she shut it off.On her desk were the photos Donovan had brought back. One by one, she picked them up and flipped through them.Whoever had taken these pictures clearly knew what they were doing. Every shot was from a perfect angle, making it look like Zachary and Sarah were reluctant to part from each other.Vivian couldn’t hold it in any longer. With a furious cry, she tore the stack of photos in her hands right down the middle, her eyes burning red with anger.“Zachary…” she growled, her voice low and dangerous, like a wild animal with nowhere left to run. “You brought this on yourself!”Why West Ridge?Of all places, why did it have to be there?Vivian’s long, polished nails dug deep into
In just a few minutes, Sarah’s office was completely trashed — a total mess.A few teachers had heard the noise and came out to check, but when they saw the scene, none of them dared to step in and stop it.After all, in today’s world, people tended to mind their own business. No one wanted to risk getting involved.—At East Coast Airport, Sarah walked out of the arrival gate, pushing her suitcase behind her. Zachary followed right after her, also pushing his own luggage.The two didn’t exchange many words as they left the airport.Steven had come to pick Zachary up. Sarah, on the other hand, hadn’t told Melvin she was coming back today.“Let me give you a ride home,” Zachary offered, reaching out to take her suitcase.But Sarah held onto her luggage tightly and shook her head politely.“Mr. Reynolds, I heard what you said to Steven when we got off the plane. Something’s wrong at Reynolds Corporation, isn’t it? You should hurry over there.”Zachary paused. He hadn’t expected
Mia spoke carefully, her voice soft. “Sarah, I’m sorry… I couldn’t stop them.”Sarah turned around. When she saw it was Mia, she smiled and gently tapped Mia’s nose with the back of her hand. “Silly girl, next time something like this happens, just stay far away, okay? The farther the better.”But Mia shook her head firmly and, for once, disagreed. “No way. They were trying to hurt you, Sarah. I had to protect you.”Sarah couldn’t help but pull her into a hug, blinking hard to push down the sting in her eyes.Mia, worried that Sarah might be upset, even started patting Sarah’s back gently, like comforting a little kid. “It’s okay, Sarah. I’m here.”Sarah finally couldn’t help but laugh. She gently pushed Mia away and said, “In that case, you can help me clean up this mess.”Mia clapped her hands happily, completely unbothered by the idea of cleaning.Looking at Mia’s innocent, bright smile, Sarah quietly made a promise to herself — no matter what it took, no matter w
The butler quietly closed the door to the master bedroom. Standing alone in the empty hallway, he let out a long, helpless sigh.If only people knew regret always comes too late.—Sarah never thought that the mountain of tasks waiting for her would nearly break her down.After finally clearing out most of them, she couldn’t wait to escape the stuffy indoors.Breathing in the fresh air outside, a faint smile appeared on her lips. Under the warm sunlight, she looked so beautiful, like she had stepped straight out of a painting.Not far away, sitting in his Bentley, James couldn’t take his eyes off her. He sat there staring, greedy for every second of this moment, unwilling to look away.“It’s still early… maybe I should go to the supermarket and buy a few things.”After living in the village for so long, where there was basically nothing, Sarah figured it was time to treat herself a little.Life had to have both bitter and sweet moments. If the road ahead was full of thorns, th
Without looking back, Sarah turned and left, quickly packing up her things to head home.It had been quite a while since she last saw Melvin. She wondered if he’d been eating properly lately.Ever since he took over Sanders Group, that guy had been so busy he barely had time to sit down for a meal. If Sarah hadn’t lost her temper one day and yelled at him, he probably would’ve turned into some workaholic robot surviving on air.As she walked up to the door and was about to unlock it, the door swung open from the inside.“Oh, Marianne, you’re still here? I thought you’d gone home already,” Sarah greeted in surprise.Marianne wiped her hands on the apron tied around her waist and smiled. “The soup’s not ready yet, just needs a few more minutes. I was actually thinking about making that salad you like so much.”Sarah grinned. “Is someone else picking up Taylor today?” She knew Marianne usually left at six sharp to pick up her grandchild.Marianne headed back into the kitchen as s
Perhaps due to her extreme emotional state, Charlotte quickly fell asleep.She had a dream.In her dream, she had just gotten off a plane and spotted James in the distance, elegantly leaning against his car waiting for her. In that moment, his eyes were fixed only on her.Charlotte ran toward him happily, wanting to throw herself into his arms and hold him tight.However, halfway there, she saw another woman appear from the side who ran straight into James's welcoming embrace.She could clearly see that James's eyes were filled with affection, without sparing even a glance in her direction."No, this can't be real. Who is she?" Charlotte shook her head in disbelief as she walked closer step by step. When she saw the woman's face, she instantly fell apart."Sarah Sanders, why is it you again? Why do you keep haunting me? James is mine. Don't you dare try to take him away." Charlotte lunged forward like a madwoman, trying to separate them.A mist enveloped the couple, and the scen
The guard at the door was easy to convince. She made up a simple excuse about having a stomachache or needing to see a doctor.The police still sent someone to follow her to the building entrance. When they arrived, the officer blocked her path. "Ms. Garnett, please go back. Without approval, you can't see anyone except your doctor.""Not even my husband? My stomach hurts terribly. I need to see my husband to feel at ease," she pleaded.But the officer wouldn't budge. "Ms. Garnett, please return!"Just then, the officer received a phone call. After listening for a few moments, the officer stepped aside.Charlotte walked in confidently, wearing sunglasses with her head held high.The receptionist greeted her politely, "Miss, who are you here to see? Do you have an appointment?"Charlotte removed her sunglasses, frowning slightly with an annoyed tone, "I'm here to see your CEO, James Chancer. Do I really need an appointment?"The receptionist was new and didn't recognize Charlotte
As Mrs. Sanders kept talking, not only did Sarah stay silent — she actually started laughing.Mrs. Sanders frowned. “What are you laughing at?”Sarah’s gaze turned cold. Her voice was calm but sharp. “Shouldn’t matters between us younger people be handled by us directly? Wouldn’t it sound bad if word got out that you’re getting involved like this?”She paused for a second, then added with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Besides, no matter what, I’m still the biggest shareholder in Sanders Group. Firing an employee is well within my rights, don’t you think?”Right now, Sarah was actually glad Mrs. Sanders had finally dropped the act and shown her true colors. At least it saved Sarah the trouble of pretending to be polite.Mrs. Sanders still wore the kind, gentle smile of an elder, but her voice turned colder underneath. “So what, you’re using your position to pressure me now?”Sarah laughed softly. “You’re joking. How would I dare?”Without bothering to continue the
Later that night, Sarah went downstairs with her empty glass to get some water. But just as she passed by the living room, she overheard a conversation between Melvin and Mrs. Sanders.“You’re really impossible to talk to, you know that?” Mrs. Sanders sounded both angry and disappointed. “It’s not just me — everyone in the family has been trying to convince you. Sarah studied psychology, not business. She has no experience at all. The entire Sanders Group is depending on you.”Melvin’s voice, on the other hand, was clearly filled with impatience. “I’m pretty sure I told you a long time ago, stop bringing up anything about Sarah.”Mrs. Sanders snorted coldly. “How can I not bring it up? It’s just that you’re willing to work like a fool without asking for anything in return. If you’re just going to be a tool to manage Sanders Group for someone else, I really don’t understand why you’re doing all this.”She paused, then added, “By the way, your aunt hinted to me earlier — she wa
Melvin forced a small smile.He honestly didn’t know how his mother could scold him so viciously over the phone just a few days ago… only to turn around tonight and act like nothing had happened, praising him in front of everyone.Mrs. Sanders finally seemed to notice Sarah as well. She smiled politely and nodded. “Sarah, you’re here too? Come on in.”Many of the Sanders family elders were there tonight. When Uncle Shawn saw Sarah, his face lit up with joy. He quickly pulled her over to sit at the main table beside him.“Sasa, you must have had a rough time in West Ridge. Later, I’ll ask the kitchen to make all your favorite dishes, just for you.”Sarah’s heart warmed at his words. Uncle Shawn really did treat her like his own daughter.But when she glanced to the side, she noticed Mrs. Sanders looking at her coldly — like she was staring at an enemy.Tonight’s birthday banquet wasn’t just a family gathering. Even members of the White family were there.The moment Madam White
Zachary still didn’t respond.Vivian straightened up and slowly walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window. Her voice was calm, but every word was filled with accusation.“Zachary, let’s not pretend. We both know perfectly well — while you were gone, Sarah disappeared too. Are you really expecting me to believe that the two of you weren’t together?”She paused, her eyes fixed on the distant view outside.“I always thought that since you agreed to get engaged to me, you’d take responsibility. I believed you wouldn’t be out there tangled up with her. Was I wrong?”Zachary let out a soft, mocking laugh.“You believed.” His voice was low and cold. “But just because you believe something… does that automatically make it true?”Vivian froze — then suddenly let out a loud, crazed laugh, like she had completely lost control.She turned around, her eyes burning as she pointed at him. “Then tell me! Tell me whether it’s true or not! Where exactly did you go? Who were you with?”She to
Vivian smiled sweetly, though her words were sharp underneath.“Like you said, I’m Zachary’s fiancée. Of course, I wouldn’t say anything reckless. Out of responsibility, since this contract was signed by both of us, I have an obligation to make sure things are handled properly.”Her words sounded kind and reasonable on the surface, but everyone in the room could hear the meaning behind them.Mr. Robertson, who had been quietly watching this back-and-forth, already understood exactly what kind of person Vivian was. But between Zachary and Vivian, it was clear where his loyalties lay — with Vivian.“Mr. Steven, why don’t we call Mr. Reynolds over?” Mr. Robertson suggested calmly.Steven’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Zach…”But before he could finish, a deep, cold voice rang out from the doorway.“Mr. Robertson, have you ever thought about the possibility… that these parts aren’t from Reynolds Corporation at all?”The conference room door swung open.Zachary walked in slowly, calm
Melvin's expression grew unusually serious, a rare sight for him. It was clear he was holding back his anger.“Sasa,” he said, his voice low, “I don’t think you should go this time either. Even if you want to go back… I’m afraid there are people who don’t want you to.”Sarah’s face paled slightly. “Melvin, are you talking about…” She didn’t finish the sentence — she didn’t want to say that person’s name in front of him.But how could Melvin not know who she meant? His face became even more stern.“Sasa, honestly, neither of us needs to say the name out loud — we both know exactly who we’re talking about. I’ve told you before, I’ll always protect you. No matter who tries to hurt you, I’ll stand by you.”His eyes were sharp. His voice was calm but full of strength.“And you’ve done nothing wrong,” Melvin continued. “Some people are just too greedy. That’s why they keep setting traps, again and again, willing to do anything to get what they want. But I’m not that kind of person. I’l
James walked back home, looking completely defeated, only to find his mother in the middle of a phone call.Ever since he discovered that his mother had some kind of secret connection with Mrs. Sanders, he had been extra cautious about any of her phone conversations. And today, sure enough, he happened to overhear her mentioning Sarah.“This time, Sarah won’t be able to get away for sure. We’re allies, I wouldn’t lie to you.”“Don’t worry, just leave this matter to me. Mrs. Sanders, once your son gets control of Sanders Group, don’t forget…”Mrs. Chancer casually glanced toward the doorway — only to spot her son standing there. She immediately cut herself off, “I’ll talk to you later. James just got home.”After hanging up, James walked in, pretending like he hadn’t heard anything. “Mom, who were you just talking to on the phone?”Mrs. Chancer brushed him off lightly, “Don’t overthink it. Just a friend of mine… my card-playing buddy.”James obviously didn’t believe that excu