"Don't be rude, Nala!" Kasey swiftly reached for her daughter."Hey!" Nala rested her head on Lena's shoulder, "I really like my aunt!""Haha!" Harold placed his glass down. "I must admit, they do look like aunt and niece. Both beautiful. I hope Nala inherits Ms. Harding's calm charisma in the future."Lena blushed. "You're very kind, sir.""Nala kept telling me how pretty her aunt is. I thought—"Elijah coughed, interrupting Harold.Kasey realized what was happening and quickly signaled her father.Lena, however, remained oblivious, unsure of what they were discussing."What did you think?"Harold's smile froze, and he changed the topic. "Well, I still have one more campaign to handle. It would be wonderful to have an exceptional student representative."Elijah promptly agreed. "Absolutely. There are a few students I've noticed. They're quite talented. With the opportunities they're getting now, they'll have successful futures.""Is Alexander one of them?" Harold asked."W
Lena wandered the streets, her steps aimless, lost in thought.Her mind drifted back to a night from years past.The drunk and enraged Drake had been wreaking havoc at home. She had hidden there until the chaos subsided in the dead of night. Little did she know, as soon as she returned...He covered her mouth, stretching his filthy hand into her clothes. Fear gripped her, and she trembled. The bastard's heavy breathing lingered in her ears, the air filled with a thick, disgusting stench.As he began to undress her, she struck back, her knee connecting with his groin.He howled in pain, and she seized her chance, pushing him away and fleeing like a mad woman. She didn't return home that night, deciding to hide in the nearby forest. Occasional animal calls punctuated the darkness. She held herself, wanting to cry but unable to.It was at that moment she first entertained the idea of running away...-Lena's heart ached as she stood by the street. She walked into a bar, her expres
Chris was taken aback. "You're of legal drinking age, right?" he asked Lena.She nodded."In other countries, 21 is the legal drinking age. Are you already 21?" Chris inquired.Lena didn't understand why he brought this up. Her thoughts were a blur, but she nodded in agreement. "Yes, I am.""Then why can't you drink?" Chris wondered.Something sent a jolt through her heart as she gazed at him. His eyes were clear, filled with love and passion meant only for her."You silly goose," he said softly, caressing her cheeks. "Why can't you drink?""I..." She hesitated, uncertain of what to say. "Don't you think a good girl shouldn't drink?"She believed that all men disliked their girlfriends drinking at bars. She assumed all men were possessive and controlling.She expected him to question, scold, or give her the cold shoulder if he smelled alcohol on her.But all he said was, "Why can't you drink?"She looked at him with innocent eyes, her mind blank."Let me explain," Chris sai
"Lenny…" Chris cautiously approached her after a prolonged silence, sensing something was wrong. If she didn't want to talk about it, there was little anyone could do. Anxiety gripped him, but he had to restrain himself.The slap didn't hurt much, but he was willing to endure it if it eased her distress.Lena curled up, unable to meet his eyes, and repeatedly apologized, "I'm sorry, Chris. I'm so sorry.""What's bothering you today?" Chris asked.Lena hugged her head, shoulders trembling."Lenny, please tell me. I can help you!""I need some time alone."Chris' hand, suspended mid-air, stopped just short of touching her head. That tiny distance became an insurmountable chasm the moment she spoke.It felt like the world's greatest distance now separated them. Chris sighed deeply, eyes filled with pain. He reluctantly got off the bed, picked up his coat, glanced back at her, and walked away.The sound of the door locking outside crushed Lena's heart. A sudden, painful sensation
Drake's hands shook slightly. During his time in Centrolis, he'd heard about the Hamertons and Thompsons. The Thompsons not only controlled the entertainment industry but also had ties to the underworld."Heh..." Drake chuckled dryly. "This baby might be small, but the family background is impressive. What a stroke of luck to be born into such a family!"Bianca was too busy admiring her newly painted nails to pay him any attention.Drake asked, revealing his yellowed teeth, "Ms. Bianca, why are you showing me this photo?""Find a way to acquire this child for me.""What?" Drake almost dropped to the ground in shock."What's the matter?" Bianca turned to him, a mocking glint flashing in her eyes. "From what I know, your village is known for human trafficking. Everyone there is skilled at abducting children and women. Even your wife was trafficked there, right? Kidnapping a child should be easy for you, shouldn't it?""You..." Drake was at a loss for words—his smile froze on his f
Bianca couldn't hold back any longer and erupted, "Dickinson! You're absolutely absurd!"Drake stared at her as if she had lost her mind.Had he said something wrong? In his mind, baby boys were obviously more valuable. Instead of making more money, this woman insisted on taking a worthless girl!It seemed like women were just born with no value!Drake's foolish yet unreasonable sense of superiority started to stir within him."Ms. Bianca, you really don't get it, do you?" He shook the bottle in his hand. "Girls, when they grow up, they have to get married. Eventually, they'll belong to a man—""Shut up! Just do what I asked!" Bianca had no patience for talking. "Kidnap the child I requested!"Bianca would lose her temper and shout when she got angry, not caring that they were in the hotel's backyard. Even if no one was around, it was still a public place."Dickinson!" She panted and glared at him. Then she tossed a wad of cash at him.Drake was caught off guard, and the bills
Alexander stared directly at Drake with a faint smile. Drake opened the door to welcome him inside, and Alexander's expression turned complex as he surveyed the grand surroundings. It was a place adorned with gold, and it struck Alexander as improbable that Drake now resided there.Alexander grinned slyly. Did he truly deserve this?"Why are you here?" Drake prodded him curtly from behind. "Shouldn't you be in school right now?"Alexander turned to face him, his tone indifferent. "I wanted to see you, so I came.""See me?" Drake felt surprised."When has a kid like you ever thought about his old man?" Drake's words were oddly accurate. Who would think about a father who only knew how to inflict pain?"Let me be direct so you can get back to your drinking." Alexander observed the bottle in Drake's hand and then eyed his pocket with a cunning glint. "I've got it all figured out!""What?""I saw that woman giving you money."Drake panicked, trying to muffle his words, but Alexa
On Sunday, Alexander visited Lena after getting the money.At first, he thought about taking her out for a meal, but he understood that things had changed for her. A simple meal wouldn't mean much to her now, considering she must have enjoyed many good meals before.Nevertheless, he was determined to use the money to do something special for her, so he suggested they go somewhere else."Ms. Lena, how about a trip to the amusement park? My treat," Alexander suggested with enthusiasm.Lena was initially hesitant but found it difficult to decline when Alexander was so excited about the idea. She agreed to meet him at the amusement park.Surprisingly, it was Lena's first visit to an amusement park.Despite residing in Centrolis for many years, she had always harbored an instinctive aversion to places like this. She believed that the happiness and laughter found in such places didn't belong to her world, which she felt was confined to the gray, overcast sky.Even during her time with