"Who's uncomfortable? I've never thought of her as...""Lucy, I understand you're upset and saying things you don't mean, but since Miss Sanders is ready to call the police, it's better for you to admit your mistake now." Charlotte quickly interrupted Lucy, cutting off her words.Lucy shot her a venomous glare but understood that Charlotte was giving her an out. Reluctantly, she looked at Sarah, her expression defiant even as she muttered, "Fine. It was my fault."Sarah could see through her act; Lucy's apology was anything but sincere. But given this was Zachary's event and she was here as his guest, Sarah didn’t want to blow things further out of proportion—especially since it was clear Old Mr. Reynolds was already displeased with the commotion."Since Miss Chancer has admitted her wrongdoing, I won’t pursue this for now. But let me make one thing clear: stay out of my way. If you provoke me again, this video will be handed over to the police," Sarah declared firmly.Zachary’s s
Everyone knew that the Reynolds family hosted this grand party - they were naturally the center of attention.Near the floor-to-ceiling windows on the west side of the hall, golden candlesticks cast a gentle glow. Sarah stood there with a champagne glass, Zachary beside her.He took a glass from a passing server and offered it to Sarah. "Try this instead - I think you'll like it."Sarah set her glass aside and accepted his offer. A faint scent of violets wafted up. "Is this Nebbiolo wine?""Good guess. Can you tell which region it's from?"Sarah took a sip, tasting rich violet and subtle cherry notes. "Is it from the Barbaresco vineyard?"Zachary nodded. Nebbiolo was only produced in two regions - Barbaresco and Barolo. They were easy to distinguish: Barolo was known for its powerful, full-bodied taste, while Barbaresco was more like an elegant seductress.Sarah took another sip. She wasn't a wine expert; she just remembered tastes, though she couldn't recall where she'd had thi
At the apartment building, Mia quickly shooed Steven out of the car.Sarah chuckled softly and got out too.Mia was seizing every opportunity to play matchmaker between Sarah and Zachary, pulling Steven aside."Mia, let's head up. Mr. Reynolds has been drinking and needs to rest," Sarah walked over to Mia and took her hand."But Zac…” Mia widened her eyes, giving Zachary meaningful looks.Zachary spoke gently, "Mia, Miss Sanders is tired. You should go rest too.""Oh, alright." Mia let Sarah lead her into the building.Zachary and Steven leaned against the car side by side, watching them go in."Want one?" Steven offered him a cigarette.Zachary took it but just held it between his fingers, not smoking."What about the Chancer family?""They need to be taught a lesson."As night deepened, they got in the car.After the party incident was settled, Sarah could focus entirely on the psychology knowledge competition.Just as she submitted the proposal, Mia brought over a stac
While Sarah was analyzing the student's situation, the counseling room door burst open."Sarah! Why did you do this?" Lucy stormed in, her face flushed with anger as she thrust her phone screen in Sarah's face.Sarah gave her a cold glance. "I'm working!"The student in session jumped up, startled. "Professor Shu, I'll come back another time."Once they were alone, Lucy spoke through gritted teeth: "I already apologized at the party yesterday. Why did you post this on the forum? You're so petty, Sarah!""I don't know what you're talking about," Sarah dismissed her, turning back to her work.Lucy's face reddened further, her voice growing agitated. "Don't play dumb. No one else knew about what happened at the party. Who else could have posted this on the forum except you?"Sarah glanced at the phone screen, finally understanding. "I had nothing to do with this. Before barging in here shouting accusations, find some proof that I did it. Now, get out! This is a counseling office
"Yes, all thanks to your help.""Then I want Sarah to have dinner with me tonight." Mia hugged her arm and swayed it playfully.Sarah thought for a moment - since the proposal was approved, she could spare the time. "Alright, my treat.""Yay!"After leaving the counseling office, Mia immediately made a call. "Bro, pick me up after school. I want you to join me for dinner.""What? A meeting? No way! Bro, you must come get me, or you'll regret it, remember?"Hearing his reluctant agreement over the phone, Mia smiled triumphantly.At Adams University's gate, a black Porsche Cayenne drew curious glances from students leaving school.Mia pulled Sarah along, searching around. "There!" she exclaimed, running over excitedly.Sarah's heart skipped when she saw the car - Mia had invited Zachary too.Zachary had already spotted Sarah, but before he could greet her, his sister bounded over and whispered in his ear: “Zac, I got her to come - now do your best!"She turned to Sarah with a
He turned to Steven: "Why don't you bring out all your recommendations?"Finally satisfied, Steven took the menu and first served the Australian blue prawns he'd mentioned. Mia's eyes lit up at the sight.At the Chancer house.Lucy came home in a terrible mood. "Mom! It's so humiliating! The school forum is full of posts about what I did at the party yesterday. Everyone at school was looking at me strangely!"Mrs. Chancer stood up immediately, her brows furrowed. "It must be that whore Sarah! She just won't let our family be!""It was her! I confronted her about it, but she denied everything. Then Mia actually claimed she did it herself. Sarah must have convinced Mia to target me - she just can't stand seeing me happy! What should I do? I don't want to go to school anymore!" Lucy began to cry.Mrs. Chancer, heartbroken for her daughter, immediately contacted school officials to remove the forum posts. But they soon discovered that as soon as one post was deleted, another would qu
"Let's not discuss that matter anymore. I'm looking into it. As for the sponsorship, I doubt she has what it takes to keep Zachary helping her," James said darkly, his expression souring further as he recalled what he'd seen at St. Ritz that day.At St. Ritz Hotel.A pleasant ringtone interrupted Sarah's conversation. She answered - it was someone from the activities department, anxiously discussing the sponsorship situation.Sarah hadn't expected the Chancer family to go so far as to warn most of East Coast’s prominent families against sponsoring them.The university board remained deliberately ignorant of the situation - after all, no one would risk offending the Chancer family for a teacher's sake.Even those who weren't afraid of the Chancers saw no reason to get involved."Alright, I'll figure something out."Sarah hung up, her brow furrowing.Zachary placed a slice of beef on her plate, asking with concern: "What's wrong? Who called?""It's nothing," Sarah shook her head
He hadn't seen her wearing it at yesterday's party and thought she might not have liked it."Steven and Mia certainly found their chance to get revenge for you today," Zachary said with resignation.During dinner, Mia had ordered many desserts, and Steven had gone all out with the dishes until the table could barely hold any more before finally letting up."Thanks for the treat. Next time I treat, you can get your revenge," Sarah said playfully.Zachary found himself momentarily mesmerized by her smile.He quickly recovered. "Looking forward to it."At the apartment building, Sarah helped Mia upstairs.The Chancer family quickly removed the forum posts about Lucy. Though no one dared mention it online anymore, Lucy could still feel her classmates' contemptuous glances whenever she entered the classroom.With less than a week until the psychology competition, her main goal was to get Sarah removed before it began. Though she couldn't influence school leadership, she could target
"I don't want to go to the hospital. Some painkillers will do," Sarah protested.Zachary's knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. "Has it always been this severe?""No, it usually doesn't hurt this much. I just skipped lunch and had too much coffee today," Sarah admitted sheepishly."You should have known better." His voice carried gentle reproach.She paused. "I did. I just got caught up in work and forgot to eat."The hospital's emergency entrance was quiet at this hour - no lines, just the on-call staff. Luckily, the gynecologist was available and quickly prescribed pain medication."Take these after meals, and don't skip any doses," the doctor instructed.Sarah nodded obediently. She wanted to explain that it wasn't usually this bad - skipping meals had just been a mistake.During the drive to her apartment, Zachary remained silent, his expression taut. Once they arrived, he grabbed the medication bag and strode toward the elevator.Sarah stared for a moment before hurry
The day before the competition, Sarah was busy at school all day.She worked with the events and planning teams to decorate the auditorium, even Professor Wells stayed late out of concern."Are the competition questions secure?" Professor Wells asked.Sarah nodded. "They're locked in the counseling room's safe, and I’m the only one with the key."Professor Wells looked relieved. "Good."After he left, Sarah double-checked all the auditorium equipment.By the time everything was ready, it was already 11:30 p.m. She let out a tired sigh. No matter how exhausting, as long as tomorrow's competition went smoothly, it would all be worth it.Back at the counseling room, she was gathering her things when her phone rang. "Mia?"Mia's concerned voice came through. "Sarah, why aren’t you home yet?""Don’t worry, I’m just wrapping up and heading back now. It’s late—go to sleep. You need to be ready for the competition tomorrow," Sarah said, her voice hoarse from fatigue.Mia yawned sleep
“Who said I wouldn’t participate in your university’s psychology competition?” A familiar voice rang out.Sarah’s eyes widened in shock as she turned around.The office door swung open, and Jane walked in with her assistant.Lucy Chancer stared in disbelief. “Jane… Jane Lawrence!”Jane ignored the stunned faces and walked up to the dean, shaking his hand. “Hello, I’m Jane Lawrence.”“Ma’am, what brings you here?” Sarah asked, still frozen in place.“We’ll discuss this later,” Jane replied, her attention shifting to Mrs. Chancer. “Madam, I’ve now confirmed that I will be attending the competition as a judge. This should no longer be considered an oversight, correct?”Mrs. Chancer’s face darkened. She exchanged a baffled look with Lucy. How had Jane Lawrence been convinced? Could it have been Mr. Reynolds pulling strings again?“Ms. Lawrence, you’re really agreeing to be a judge for the competition?” The dean asked, barely hiding his surprise.Jane nodded. “Yes, it’s confirmed.”
The documents on Jane’s bedside table, which she reviewed more thoroughly this time, included a detailed outline of the upcoming psychological knowledge competition, complete with proposed discussion topics. Her curiosity was piqued—perhaps engaging with this new generation of students could offer unexpected surprises.Meanwhile, back home, Sarah stared out her window, lost in thought. Jane’s words replayed in her mind. She had to admit, Jane was right. After years of studying abroad and participating in cutting-edge psychological research, Jane had become a trailblazer in the field. Her return to host forums in East Coast wasn’t just about solving academic problems; it also focused on analyzing and dissecting unique psychological cases, making her time exceptionally valuable.To persuade Jane to participate, Sarah would need to offer something even more valuable than Jane’s current priorities—something she didn’t have. With that realization, she knew she had to let it go.The next
Jane Lawrence gave a helpless smile. "Miss Sanders, I thought I made it very clear—I don’t have the time and won’t be attending the competition."Her assistant stepped in, blocking Sarah. "Miss, Professor Lawrence’s time in the country is limited. All her activities are pre-scheduled, and there’s no way to change her commitments to accommodate your competition.""Did you get a chance to review the files I gave you?" Sarah asked hopefully.Jane hadn’t expected her persistence. She nodded. "Yes, I’ve reviewed them. I must admit, the work from Adams University’s students is impressive. There are some very interesting ideas."Sarah’s eyes lit up, but Jane quickly tempered her expectations. "However, Miss Sanders, those files alone aren’t enough to justify altering my schedule. I returned to the country to participate in a symposium with East Coast’s psychology experts. Every issue we address there could provide crucial solutions for patients struggling with similar mental health challe
"Miss Sanders, this is a serious matter. Perhaps you should try to gather more information first. After all, there are still a few days before the competition," Dean said hesitantly. Although he was the dean of the universityl, the board of directors held the ultimate authority."I understand, Sir,” Sarah replied, her expression heavy with concern. The Chancer family had really pushed her into a corner this time.After leaving the principal’s office, she headed to the psychology consultation room, where Mia was waiting for her."Sarah, I’ve already heard everything. What should we do now?" Mia asked, worry written all over her face.Sarah gave a bitter smile. "The only thing I can do is try contacting Jane Lawrence again."She had included one of her own research papers with the materials she’d submitted to Jane, aligning with Jane’s latest research direction. But what if Jane hadn’t seen it?At 3 p.m., Lucy sat smugly in front of her computer, pleased with the heated discussions
“You—!” Lucy raised her hand in anger, ready to strike.Sarah took a step back, her tone calm but firm. “I’d think twice if I were you. Last time, I let you off the hook and didn’t call the police. If you dare lay a hand on me now, I’ll settle both old and new scores with you.”Lucy hesitated, her hand hovering mid-air, before finally lowering it. “The Chancer family does not welcome you!”Bang!The door slammed shut in Sarah’s face. She glanced at it briefly before turning to leave.Her next stop was to replace her lost phone. After getting a new SIM card and purchasing a new device, she immediately checked the school forum. The chaos sparked by that phone call was evident. The psychology students, practically fans of Jane Lawrence, were already planning to print banners to welcome her.Sarah tried calling Jane’s assistant again, only to receive the same response: “She doesn’t have time.”Even the academic papers she had submitted to Jane seemed to have vanished into thin air,
Sarah had a few suspects in mind. Lucy and Mrs. Chancer hated her the most, and while James seemed unlikely to stoop to such levels, she couldn’t rule him out completely. He had proven capable of shattering her past impressions of him.After the chaos at the party, Lucy had taken the day off and stayed home. Without hesitation, Sarah decided to head to the Chancer house.The maid who opened the door looked startled to see her, likely because Lucy and Mrs. Chancer had been bad-mouthing Sarah nonstop at home.“Miss Sanders, what brings you here?” the maid asked.“I’m here to see James,” Sarah replied directly.“Mr. Chancer isn’t home. Perhaps you can come back another day,” the maid suggested.A soft voice floated out from inside. “Who is it?”Charlotte appeared and froze for a moment when she saw Sarah. Unsure of how to react, she let out an awkward laugh. “Oh, it’s you. What brings you here?”“I don’t have time for small talk,” Sarah said bluntly. “I lost my phone at the party
"Alright," Sarah said, walking over immediately.Scarlett tossed her a carefully selected outfit and grumbled, “That scumbag! You’d better never see him again. The nerve to accuse you of cheating during your marriage!”“I feel like I’m finally seeing him for who he really is,” Sarah replied, her gaze hardening.Sure enough, Sarah's hunch was correct. The next day’s news didn’t mention anything about the birthday party. Instead, it only briefly touched on Lucy’s harassment incident, conveniently skipping over the rest.When Sarah arrived at school, she couldn’t find her phone anywhere.Just as she was about to go searching for it, Professor Wells appeared. “Sarah! I can’t believe you really managed to invite Jane Lawrence! Did you meet her already?”“What?” Sarah was baffled. “Professor, I saw her yesterday, but I didn’t get a definite answer!”Professor Wells frowned deeply. “How can that be? I called you this morning, and you told me yourself!”Impossible. Her phone had been m