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
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
“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 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
"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
Zachary waved his hand dismissively as he stepped into the kitchen. The medicine was already prepared. He poured soup into a bowl and brought it over together with the medicine.“Drink it while it’s hot. I added extra water, so make sure you finish it all.”Sarah stared at the bowl in front of her—a large soup bowl that was even bigger than her face. “That’s way too much.”Zachary had already brought over the pot. There was still another full bowl’s worth inside.“It’s for your health.” Zachary smiled gently.Sarah felt a tingling discomfort down her scalp. She picked up the spoon and started taking small sips. Sneaking a glance upward, she caught sight of Zachary’s deep, focused eyes, which only made her feel more uneasy.“Mr. Reynolds, it’s already late. You should get some rest.” She didn’t want Zachary watching her as she forced down the medicine.This time, Zachary didn’t argue. “Make sure to drink it all.”With that, he turned and left.The medicine was unbearably bitter
One test set missing?Sarah stared intently at the damaged safe. When she left last night, it had been securely locked, and the only key was with her.“What do we do now, Ms. Sanders?” The student beside her was on the verge of tears.The principal’s speech was nearly over, and it would soon be time for the judges to speak. Sarah made a quick decision. “Here’s what we’ll do—discard all these test questions.”“Discard them?! But the test sets have already been handed to the judges. Where are we going to find a new set of questions now?”Sarah pulled out a USB drive. “This drive contains a completely new set of questions. Originally, I set it aside because the difficulty level was a bit high. Now, take this and find two trusted people to help you. Make 500 copies as quickly as possible and bring them back.”The participants were already seated, and their phones had been collected. Once the new tests were printed, they could be distributed immediately without risk of further leaks.
Jane, Professor Wells, and the other judges were surprised when they received the new test questions—it was clear they were different from the set they’d been given earlier that morning.The participants were given only ten minutes to complete the test. To everyone’s shock, only forty contestants advanced to the next round.Mia was among the finalists, but Lucy was eliminated.Furious, Lucy yanked the crumpled test paper from her bag. Lindsey tried to console her, saying, “It’s okay, Lucy. It’s just a competition.”“Get lost! Stay away from me!” Lucy exploded, tearing the paper into shreds and throwing it to the ground.Annoyed, Lindsey walked away, muttering under her breath, “What’s her problem? She failed to cheat and now she’s blaming me.”The second round proceeded smoothly. Each time a video clip was played, the groups would start writing furiously on their sheets. The entire auditorium was filled with nothing but the quiet scratching of pens on paper.When the second roun
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