Charlotte leaned close to Lucy's ear and whispered something. "This trick is called 'luring the enemy in.'""An early birthday party? Will she come?" Lucy repeated blankly.Mrs. Chancer protested, "I don't want to see that woman, let alone invite her to Lucy's birthday party. Absolutely not!"But Lucy wasn't concerned. She thought about what Charlotte had said - if Sarah came, Zachary might come too. And if he didn't, there'd be no one to protect her.Once Sarah was at the party, everything would fall into place exactly as she wanted.Besides, her birthday was only a few days away - holding it a couple days early, before the competition, wouldn't matter."Mom! I've decided to have my birthday party early. Charlotte, you need to help me plan - she might not come otherwise," Lucy's face clouded with worry."Lucy, think about what she needs most right now. Maybe you can use that," Charlotte suggested softly.Lucy fell into thought. "What she needs most?""I've got it! I know what
After Lucy finished speaking, Sarah didn’t reply for a long time. Just as Lucy was about to speak again, Sarah finally broke the silence.“Lucy, I think I’ve made myself very clear. I don’t have feelings for James anymore. We’re divorced, and I don’t want anything to do with him. Keep that in mind—if you bring him up again, you’ll regret it.”Sarah’s gaze was icy, piercing through Lucy with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.Lucy suppressed the anger bubbling inside her. She thought about what Charlotte had advised her and clenched her fists tightly to stay calm.“Even if it’s not for my brother, shouldn’t you go for Jane’s sake? Don’t worry, I’m genuinely inviting you. I just want you to see how well my new sister-in-law treats me so you can finally let go. If you come, I’ll believe you don’t care about my brother anymore.”Sarah froze. Jane was attending Lucy’s birthday party?Why would she invite Jane? Could Lucy have found out Sarah wanted Jane as a judge for the
After school, Mia rushed to find Sarah and noticed she seemed distracted."Sarah, what's wrong?" Sarah had always appeared calm and collected to her.Sarah smiled faintly. "Nothing serious.""You're lying. Is it about what everyone's discussing on the forum? Who would spread such rumors? Sarah, are the school leaders pressuring you?" Mia asked with concern.She'd heard plenty of talk, even from the faculty office."Nothing gets past you. The school leaders aren't pressuring me. Lucy invited me to her birthday party - Jane Lawrence will be there."Mia's face scrunched up. "She invited you to her birthday party? That's definitely suspicious. Sarah, don't go. If you want to meet Jane, I'll tell my brother. He can arrange it."She looked proud - to her, her brother could do anything."No need. I've already decided to go. Meeting Jane isn't just about the competition," Sarah declined. She didn't want to rely on Zachary every time.Mia's eyes widened. "Not just about the competition
Charlotte quickly took the gift from her. "Miss Sanders, welcome. Lucy is getting ready upstairs. Please, come in and make yourself comfortable."Inside, Sarah found the party already crowded. She had to admit Charlotte had done an excellent job hosting - just as good as when she used to plan these events when she was still married to James.The guests were all connected to the Chancer family, and many knew Sarah. Her entrance drew numerous glances and whispers.She ignored them, scanning the room only to find Jane wasn't there yet. With about fifteen minutes until the party officially began, she'd probably arrive soon. The other guests were already mingling and chatting.Sarah stood alone to one side until Mrs. Chancer noticed her and came over."I can't believe you actually came. I thought you wouldn't show up. Let me warn you - behave yourself today, or else!" Mrs. Chancer said with barely concealed hostility.With no familiar faces around, and Mrs. Chancer walking away, Charl
Mia casually quipped, “That doesn’t stop me from missing you, doesn’t it?”Zachary chuckled lightly. “That’s right, Mia.”Sarah couldn’t help but laugh at their exchange, her smile radiant like a burst of fireworks.The guests at the party were abuzz with excitement as they watched Zachary. Although the Chancer family’s guest list was filled with notable figures, very few truly prominent individuals attended, and someone of Zachary Reynolds' stature was almost impossible to invite.These guests had likely never encountered someone like Zachary before. Many spent their lives trying to break into high-profile circles, hoping for a chance to connect with a man of his influence.James hadn’t expected this himself. He sent invitations to all the major players out of habit, never thinking Zachary would actually show up.Seeing Zachary laughing with Sarah made James’s eyes burn with jealousy, his expression darkening into something almost frightening.Charlotte noticed his reaction and
Lucy approached Zachary with a glass of wine, attempting to clink glasses with him. But Zachary sidestepped her gesture and said calmly, “Apologies, Miss Chancer. I’m here because of Sasa.” Lucy’s face turned pale. Her free hand clenched her dress tightly while the other awkwardly held the glass, unable to move forward or retreat gracefully. Humiliation washed over her. She regretted approaching Zachary to start a conversation. Sasa. That intimate nickname stung deeply. And to think Zachary would publicly brush her off in front of everyone! Struggling to maintain her composure, Lucy pulled the glass back. “Please, Mr. Reynolds, make yourself comfortable.” With that, she retreated quickly, her embarrassment trailing behind her. Sarah couldn’t help but chuckle, her amusement spilling over. “Mr. Reynolds, that was quite the snub. I bet Lucy is seething.” Zachary shrugged indifferently. “I just told her the truth.” Mia chimed in teasingly, “I haven’t even mentioned
The screen lit up, showing a dimly lit scene where a man was tugging at a woman.Everyone froze in shock. Flashbulbs fired relentlessly as reporters eagerly captured what they assumed would be the next big scandal in high society.Lucy didn’t even turn around to confirm; the reaction from the crowd told her all she needed to know. Bursting with excitement, she pointed at Sarah and announced, “That woman in the photo is Sarah Sanders, Adams University’s school counsellor and my former sister-in-law! I’m exposing her for the shameless woman she is—cheating on her husband and seducing men!”She could already imagine Zachary’s anger as he pushed Sarah away in disgust. The vision thrilled her, and she turned to gauge Sarah’s reaction.But instead of fear or panic, Sarah sat there calmly, her lips curved in a faint smile. Zachary showed no trace of emotion, his face impassive as he watched the screen. Even Mia looked amused, her face lit up with excitement as if she were enjoying a show.
Mrs. Chancer’s fury flared as she stormed toward Sarah, her once-feigned elegance abandoned in favor of rage. Her twisted expression revealed nothing but hatred as she screamed, “You shameless woman! You dare to slander my daughter after all your disgraceful deeds?”The lavish effort she had put into this event—meticulously planned to elevate her family’s standing—was now reduced to a humiliating spectacle because of Sarah. Desperation overwhelmed her, and she lunged at Sarah, claws outstretched, as though to shred both her words and her face.Her outburst was a shocking departure from her usual demeanor as a refined matriarch. The other socialites in the room exchanged looks of disdain, appalled by her behavior.Charlotte, still maintaining a sliver of rationality, hurried to stop her. “Lucy! Come back!” she called.But it was too late. Lucy had already thrown herself at Sarah in a blind rage.“Get back!” Zachary’s icy voice sliced through the chaos as he swiftly pulled Sarah int
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'
She bit her lip hard, regaining some clarity, then shouted toward the stairway, "Help! Someone come quickly! Save my baby!"Before she lost consciousness, several panicked figures appeared in her vision, rushing toward her.The ambulance arrived quickly. Everyone carefully lifted Charlotte inside, where doctors and nurses immediately began emergency procedures.The housekeeper went along in the ambulance to the hospital.On the way, he called both James and Mrs. Chancer, briefly explaining what had happened and giving them the hospital's location.After receiving the call, James put aside his work and rushed to the hospital as quickly as possible.Even though he disliked Charlotte, the child in her womb was his undeniable responsibility.Mrs. Chancer reacted as if the world was ending. As soon as she arrived at the hospital, she frantically found a doctor and grabbed his hand, refusing to let go. "Where is my daughter-in-law? Where is she? Is the baby okay?"The doctor she corne
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