I thought that I would have a sleepless night, but it ended up being better than expected. After I showered and dried my hair, I already felt tired.Before bed, I received a picture from Hayden. It was of the sandcastle that I did not finish. He had completed it, and it looked impressive.I opened the curtain and looked outside. It was raining heavily.I quickly called him to ask where he was. He said that he was driving home.“You’re crazy!” I said in frustration. “I was just joking about the sandcastle, and you actually went back to finish it! Are you stupid?!”He fell silent for a moment. My scolding probably shocked him.I felt bad for yelling at him. Hayden was really nice, and I should not have snapped at him.Would Zach ever do something like this for me?Instead of yelling at him, I would praise him like a devoted fan. How pathetic.So, I softened my tone. “Drive safely and call me when you get home.”Before I hung up, Hayden said, “I’m willing to be crazy for you.”
Hayden got in the car after he put my suitcase in the back. “Where are we going? Lead the way.”“You’ve been there before. It’s the neighborhood near Yonder Trading.”“Rosewood Garden?“Yes, the one that Sophie said sounds like an old-time brothel.”Before I married Zach, I would sometimes work late. So, I bought a house there to make commuting easier.I had planned on letting Oliver live there after he started working because it was close to Freeman Corporation. Luckily, I had not given it to him.Sometimes, it was better to have a backup plan.Hayden drove me there and helped me with my suitcase. After that, he accompanied me to get a haircut.I went to a salon that Sophie regularly visited. Apparently, the stylist there worked with celebrities. Sophie’s short haircut looked good.As I sat in the chair and looked at my long hair in the mirror, I thought about how soon this hair would be gone. I had kept it for nearly ten years.Since Zach did not like curls or dyes, I kept
When I walked into Sophie’s coffee shop, she looked at me for a second before she quickly turned back to help her customers.She did not recognize me. Did cutting my hair make me look that different?I went to the counter and rang the bell. “Hey, boss. Give me your best coffee.”Her eyes widened so much that it looked like her contact lenses might pop out.“Cassia, where’s your hair?”“Isn’t this hair?”“You cut it!”“Yeah, I did.”Sophie circled me to check me out. “Wow! You look way better with short hair. This is the real you!”I was not sure if she had already spoken with Hayden, but they both said the same thing.I glanced at my reflection in the glass cabinet behind her. “So, you think I didn’t look good with long hair?”“Don’t you know that long hair doesn’t suit you? You were only keeping it because Zach liked it. Cassia, it’s a good thing that you snapped out of it. Otherwise, you would’ve slowly lost yourself because of your feelings for him.”Sophie was making it
“For you to catch your eyes before they fall out.”“What? You and Mr. Gordon are divorced? You were just married for two months.”“What of it?” I started looking through the files on my computer.“Did Ms. Wilson have something to do with this?”“Is this the time for gossip?” I looked at her, and she immediately stopped. “Got it, Ms. Freeman. Don’t worry. I’m always on your side. I’ll defend you against his shameless mistress.”I did not need to gather supporters, but Hailey and the others had been with me for three years. I treated them well, so they naturally supported me.The cracks were starting to form in Yonder Trading. Zach and I would never be on the same side again.The days when we would work long hours for the company’s success were over.I thought that I would not have any more interactions with Zach, except for work. However, I received a call from Mary, my former mother-in-law. Even though we were no longer related, she was still someone I respected because she a
My morning sickness had been horrible lately. Plus, I just got divorced from Zach. Sophie was worried that I was putting on a calm front but falling apart inside, so she came over to stay with me.She insisted on sharing a room with me. Whenever I got up in the middle of the night because my stomach hurt and I needed something to eat, she would eat with me too.After we finished, she would regret it. “I’m eating with a pregnant woman. By the time you give birth in nine months, my own belly will be sticking out. What will I give birth to, then?”“Why did you eat so much?”“You made me crave it.”“Blame yourself for wanting it.”Sophie continued eating and looked at me. “By the way, have you heard anything from Austin recently?”“No. I haven’t contacted him. I’m afraid that if he learns about the divorce, he might go after Zach.”“You’re still worried about Zach?”“I’m worried about Austin. He has a congenital heart defect, and he can’t fight Zach.”“True.” Sophie pursed her li
Cecilia ran off happily. Meanwhile, Zach was ahead of us. He was on his phone and facing away. It was funny how every time Cecilia did something wrong, he would somehow miss it. Yet, he would always catch me when I fought back.Just my luck.I picked up my gift and checked the box. Luckily, I had protected it with bubble wrap, so everything was safe.However, I limped into the house. My leg hurt, and my stomach ached too. Maybe it was just in my head, but I knew that falling during the early stages of pregnancy could be risky. If the placenta was positioned low, even a small jolt could lead to a miscarriage.It was partly why I had not told anyone yet. If Cecilia knew I was pregnant, I would have to watch out for her even more.She might look harmless, but from my experience, I would not be surprised if she went as far as hurting someone to get what she wanted.The house was full of people. Eloise sat at the center of the living room and waited for everyone to greet her.I had v
Just as I had expected, Eloise loved my gift. She was so excited that she called everyone over to see the special treasure I had given her.“Mary, Mary,” Eloise called. “Come see what Marshmallow gave me. They’re so exquisite. I’ve never seen anything this interesting in my whole life.”She was exaggerating a little. Since she liked me, she loved my gift.Nevertheless, I did put a lot of thought into them. I found them interesting and exquisite too.At that moment, Zach finally finished his phone call and walked in. Eloise waved him over. “Come here, Zach. Look at the gift your wife gave me. She’s so thoughtful.”Eloise put extra emphasis on “your wife,” and I noticed Cecilia’s eyebrows twitch. It looked like she was slightly upset.This was just the start, and she was already getting upset?Zach glanced at the gift and nodded. “I’m glad you like them, Grandma.”“By the way, Cassia hurt her leg earlier. Take her upstairs and help her put on some ointment.”“Mdm. Gordon, I’ll h
I was learning to, even though it was hard.Zach came over with the first aid kit and took out some rubbing alcohol. The smell was strong, and it made my stomach churn.I grabbed his hand. “Don’t use rubbing alcohol.”“You have a bruise. It’ll help.”“I don’t need it.”“If you’re afraid of the pain, it won’t heal properly.” He poured some into his hand and started rubbing it on my knee.I looked at his dark hair and thought, ‘I might throw up on you soon.’Zach was pressing hard. It did not hurt too much at first, but the more he rubbed, the more unbearable it felt.I gasped. “Zach, come on. It hurts so much. Am I your punching bag?”“Just hang in there for a few more minutes.”“I can’t last even a second.” I pushed him away. My leg hurt, but that was not the main problem. My stomach was churning so much that I felt like I was going to throw up.I ran into the bathroom. Then, I bent over the toilet and threw up everything I had eaten for afternoon tea.My stomach felt bette
“Do you want to talk to Sophie?” I asked, even though I knew he would not say anything nice.As expected, he wore the usual mocking smile. “Talk to that idiot? No thanks.”He hung up, and the screen went black.I was so mad that I felt like my heart might stop. Austin never got angry or showed big emotions, but his calm sarcasm was enough to drive anyone crazy.Just then, Sophie ran over and held out her hand. She was sweating and out of breath. “Where’s Rachel’s water bottle? She’s thirsty.”I gave it to her, and she asked, “Who were you talking to?”“An idiot,” I replied.“Oh.” She ran off again without giving it a second thought.We ended up playing there until sundown. Rachel was all sweaty, so I helped her change in the car. Although it was already spring, it was still a little chilly without the sun.We headed home and invited Kingston to join us for dinner.He gave Sophie the mechanical kite. Our garden was big, so she could fly it anytime.We did not usually have gue
“Let Bob go. Tell Zach to hang the thermos on its neck.”“Isn’t that a bit much?”“He told me that if I didn’t drink his soup, Bob could have it. So, what’s the problem with letting Bob fetch it?”Mrs. Gibson walked away with a troubled expression, and I continued building the sandcastle.Rachel suddenly looked up and asked, “Cassia, don’t you like that guy anymore?”“I don’t like him anymore,” I said.“Is he bad?”“He’s not bad. I just don’t like him anymore.”“You can like my dad, then. He’s handsome, and he knows how to make cheese pizza.”Well, my standards were a little higher than someone who could make cheese pizza.I was not sure what happened to Zach’s soup because I never saw it. His cooking was not that great, and we already had good cooks at home. Mrs. Gibson, Mrs. Ziegler, and Mrs. Harrison made amazing soups. They were from different places, so I got to try food from all over.As such, Zach’s soup was not needed.I never thought there would come a day when I
“When did your head get so square?” I looked at the metal block for a while, but I could not see how it resembled Sophie.“This robot doesn’t have to look like me. The important part is its core. It can follow my commands, and Kingston said he’ll add my voice to it later.”“What can it do? A two-hundred-dollar smart box can already do things like turn lights on and off or flush the toilet.”“Tch, this is different. Apart from following my commands, it can also read my emotions. It’ll then play the appropriate music to improve my mood.”That sounded interesting. “It should be a mood helper instead of a robot.”“Kingston also mentioned that it has a special function if I get really upset.”“Will it explode into fireworks?”“Tch.” She rolled her eyes and hugged the robot. “I don’t know. He didn’t say.”Sophie seemed to like the gift.However, Kingston did not really give it to her because she was fond of it. He just happened to study this stuff.I was incredibly tired, so I turn
“I think it’s great that he has his own principles. A lot of people today don’t have any,” Sophie interjected.It was time to change the subject. Everyone had their own views on such things anyway.“Let’s toast to those with principles,” I said to Rachel.She raised her juice cup in response. “Cheers!”“Alright, cheers.” Oscar and Ellie smiled as they clinked glasses with us.We finished eating, and Sophie had two glasses of wine. I did not allow her to have more. Kingston finally returned as well.He was not full, so he ate the leftovers.Sophie asked him how things went, and he looked up in confusion. “The head of the company whose tech was stolen came too. He claimed that it wasn’t their tech, but they’re working on something similar. He kept promoting it.”“What happened after that?”“Nothing. The police just let those two individuals go.” Kingston shook his head and went back to eating.The whole thing seemed strange. I thought about it, but I could not put my finger on
After a while, Kingston came downstairs. He looked upset, so Sophie asked, “What’s wrong?”“Two people visited the company today to discuss a deal. They offered a high price,” Kingston said.“Isn’t that good?”“At first, I thought so too. But as we talked, something felt off. They brought some tech for the collaboration, but I realized that another company had just created it. They might have stolen it.”“How can they steal someone else’s stuff?”“There are lots of ways.” Kingston peeled an orange and gave half to Sophie before eating the rest himself. “I turned them down, but they kept trying to rope me in.”“Would that tech be useful to you?” I asked.“Of course. It would save us at least a month of work.”Sophie’s eyes lit up as she looked at him. Just then, Ellie brought over a plate of fruit and teased, “Kingston’s too stubborn. If he were a bit more flexible, he’d be super successful by now.”“A gentleman earns money the right way.” Kingston’s stubbornness was somehow
Actually, Oscar did some of the cooking too. He was wearing a blue and white checkered apron, on which Ellie had tied a bow. He looked more adorable than he usually did in the office.We gave him our gifts, and Rachel handed him a lollipop. “This is made with xylitol. It won’t give you diabetes.”Oscar and Ellie laughed so hard that they could barely open their eyes. Ellie kept saying, “Wow, this little girl is so pretty.”“This must be Mr. Quinlan’s child,” Oscar said.“Yeah. She’s staying with me for a while.” I then told Sophie to help Rachel with washing her hands. Ellie was already asking the housekeeper to bring us some snacks and fruits. Oscar invited me to have a seat. “Cassia, I finally understand why your dad values you so much. You’re not only skillful, but you’re also charming. Even the little ones like you.”I was flattered by his compliments.After that, he made his way back to the kitchen. “Cassia, Sophie, have some fruit. I’ll make a few of my signature dishes f
Zach greeted Oliver, but I had to give him a kick. Only then did he stand up and nod at Zach. “Hi.”After that, he sat back down.The Freeman family had viewed Zach as the enemy for a while. But recently, things had gotten better. After Gordon Corporation started working with our company, Sophie saw Zach more often. As such, her attitude toward him was not as hostile as before.“I brought some clients here for breakfast. They’ve never had an authentic American breakfast,” Zach added.“The food here is good. You made the right decision in bringing them here.”“Alright, enjoy your meal.” He was about to leave, but I remembered something. “Your thermos… I figured that you wouldn’t mind, so I gave it to Mrs. Gibson. Also, I didn’t drink your soup. Don’t send any more next time. All that grease just clogs up the drain.”He just smiled and returned to his table.“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Sophie said between bites. “Zach seems to be treating you the same way he treated Cecilia back then. He’s b
It was rare for Mrs. Gibson to praise Zach. Anyway, I handed her the thermos. “Pour it out. If he brings soup again, don’t accept it.”“It’s such good soup. What a waste!”“Don’t give it to Bob. It’s too greasy for a dog, and it might upset its stomach. If you’re fine with it, you can have it. Otherwise, just pour it out.”It was not that I did not appreciate Zach’s kindness. But I had already told him that it was pointless.Whether he made it for me or the babies, it would not change anything.He claimed that it was something he wanted to do, but I had made my opinions clear. Eventually, Sophie picked out a gift. She brought down a big vase and smiled brightly. “I’ll wrap it up nicely later. It’ll look really classy.”Mrs. Gibson got excited when she saw the vase. “Do you like it, Ms. Freeman? I have two more in my room. Would you like one?”Sophie froze. “You have more? Cassia, is your family that rich? Isn’t this an antique?”“Well, it looks like one. The ceramic store beh
After I got pregnant, I somehow became popular; everyone wanted to date me.I watched as Cameron and Mr. Pepper drove away. When I turned around, I was startled to see Sophie behind me. She was holding Rachel’s hand, and they were both wearing SpongeBob pajamas. They looked like two little girls in kindergarten.“Why are you sneaking up on me? Are you trying to scare me?” I clutched my chest.“You haven’t done anything wrong, so why are you scared?” Sophie picked Rachel up. “Is Cameron gone?”“Yeah.”“What did he mean by ‘second in line?’”I shot her a look. “Help Rachel with her bath. Stop asking so many questions.”It was Oscar’s birthday today, and he had invited us to dinner. It would be a casual gathering.I decided to take Rachel out for breakfast and buy a gift for him at the mall.Older men were easy to gift. Ties, belts, and wallets were suitable, but I wanted something more unique. So, I thought about what Oscar would like.I wandered around the study and noticed my