Ophite figured it out. "She's the youngest Schmidt daughter, isn't she? Yosef had her working as his secretary for a bit."Yosef, focused on his game, replied, "She's gone now."Just the thought of the Schmidt family annoyed him.Melanie would not quit, though. She kept searching for him, but Yosef did not have the time for her."Speaking of secretaries, I've been back a few days and haven't seen Yosef with Ms. Lowry. She used to follow him around like she was stuck to him."Wilder grabbed a pool stick, dusted it with powder, and lined up to play a round with Yosef.Ophite shook his head. "Ms. Lowry is no longer with us."Wilder stopped what he was doing. "She left?"Ophite said slowly, "Her contract was up, and she chose not to stay. What could Yosef do? He had to let her go. He has now secretly blacklisted her to get even."Wilder owed Yosef a lot, and he did not like to see him upset. He snorted. "She doesn't know what's good for her."Yosef angled his pool cue differently
Yosef ended the call abruptly.Zara put her phone down. She was coughing as she rummaged for her cough syrup. A capful eased the coughing a bit.Once she felt a little better, she booked her ticket, hopped on the high-speed train, and headed back to Starville.Stepping off at Starville Station, Zara's eyes accidentally caught a familiar silhouette. She focused and recognized it was Beatrice.They were not too far apart, and Beatrice saw her too.Zara was wearing a mask because she was coughing, but her eyes that were peeking out and her silhouette were enough for Beatrice to know it was her.Beatrice was with a woman who looked a bit like her. It was probably her mom.Beatrice's eyes were wide and sparkly, like a deer's. They seemed to be filled with some kind of emotion.Zara's phone rang out of the blue. She saw it was a number she did not know."Hello, who's this?" she asked as she picked up."This is First People's Hospital. Are you a family member of Sharon Winslett?"Z
Zara and Cecil headed home after their dinner.Zara was getting things ready for Sharon's hospital visit the next day. Cecil was on the couch, glued to her phone. Suddenly, she shouted, "Zara!"Zara looked up. "What is it?"Cecil was beaming. "I found you a job!"Zara blinked in surprise. "Really?"Cecil nodded, excited. "I was checking social media and saw my old boss post a job for a manager. You're perfect for it! I sent her your resume, and she thinks you're a great fit!"Zara recalled and said, "That's the place you left because of that mean coworker, right?"Cecil shrugged. "Sure, it's no Azure Cloud, but it's a pretty good company. Not many can match Azure Cloud anyway!"Her eyes lit up as she continued, "Everything's great except for that jerk of a colleague. If it weren't for her, I would've hated to quit my job. Plus, I'm still in touch with my boss. She's really nice!"Zara gave a half-smile. "You're making it sound pretty good."She had met Cecil's old boss once.
They had not even made it to the door when Clara blocked them again. "Why are you always in such a rush to leave?"Cecil was getting ticked off. "What's your deal, Clara?"Clara put on an innocent face. "What do you mean? I'm just helping you find a job.""Are you helping us find a job or trying to sell us off?" Cecil snapped back, feeling utterly betrayed.Drake strolled over with his wine. "Why say such nasty things? You're accusing the innocent here. No way, you need to apologize! Drink this wine, or you're not leaving today!"Their true intentions were out in the open now!Zara and Cecil locked eyes. They knew that drinking the wine wouldn't make a difference. They wouldn't be allowed to leave. They pushed Clara aside and made a break for it.They had to get out of this room now!Clara was sent crashing to the floor while Drake yelled, "Catch them!"When the two women flung the door open, two bodyguards were waiting right outside!Zara and Cecil were suddenly surrounded,
Why did this always happen?Every time Zara was at her worst, Yosef was there to see it. It seemed she could not get by without him.Yosef took off his suit jacket and tossed it over her.His cologne was rich and fancy, making Zara feel small.Yosef did not pay her much attention and walked over to Mr. Wilbur instead.Drake was cursing as he got up from the ground. "Who's messing up my plans? You're asking for trouble... Ah!"Wilder stepped on him before he could fully stand, pressing him back down with a friendly smile. "Who do you think you're threatening, old man?"When Mr. Wilbur tried to look up and saw Wilder, he went pale. "Mr. Lund..."Yosef joined Wilder and lit up a cigarette.He stood there in just a white shirt that was tucked neatly into his trousers. He had broad shoulders and a slim waist. His long legs were like pillars, strong and commanding.One hand rested in his pocket, while the other held a cigarette. With a flick of his long fingers, ash sprinkled down
Yosef looked down at Zara and offered his hand. "Get up."Zara did not take his hand. Instead, she held onto the edge of the table, trying to pull herself up. However, she could not seem to find the strength.Yosef grabbed her wrist and yanked her to her feet. Zara found her balance and shoved him away, her voice raspy with anger. "Yosef, you're worse than I ever imagined!"He understood right away. She thought he was behind Wilder's actions. His voice was low and firm. "Don't get carried away with your imagination.""People stick with those like them. I was blind to your true colors before, but not anymore. You've sunk low enough, have you not? Getting big companies to shut me out, getting small ones to mess with me… "You're back with Beatrice and still, you won't leave me alone. If you hadn't been on my case, I wouldn't have gotten trapped here!"Yosef looked at her with icy eyes. "You were the one who betrayed my trust first.""What did I do?" Zara shot back."What?" Yosef'
Zara had no choice but to call Craig. She told him where they were, and Craig said he was close by and would be there in five minutes.Zara felt wobbly and weak. She could not make it home, so she headed to the hotel across from West Palace.She checked in at the hotel lobby. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a camera flash. Someone had taken her photo.Too tired to even take off her makeup or shower, Zara flopped down on the bed.She was worn out from job rejections, her mom's critical illness, and rushing to nine different places in just a week. Yosef's harsh words weighed on her too. Her body and heart were both tired.She tried to sleep but could not. Her heart felt heavy, pounding with a sense of dread.She knew she needed to rest. Her mom's surgery was scheduled for tomorrow.After a struggle, sleep finally came. It felt like she had just closed her eyes when her phone blared to life!The loud ring jolted her awake. She sat up too fast and felt dizzy for a moment
Zara squeezed her fingers so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. She took a deep breath and said firmly, "Dad, please put the fruit knife down. Put it down."Trevor's face was a mix of white and green as he stammered, "I... I just don't know what went wrong, Zara. I didn't mean to... I can't figure out why this happened...""Where did you get that knife?" Zara asked, her throat tight."We were waiting for so long in the hallway, and the doctor never showed up. I wanted to peel an apple for your mom, and then the nurse said the surgery was off. She told us we had to go home because there was no heart. "They weren't making any sense, and I just... I lost it."Zara spoke more gently, "Put the knife down, let her go, and I'll take care of the rest."Trevor nodded over and over.He was completely overwhelmed and did not know what to do. His hands shook as he moved the knife away from the nurse's neck.The nurse dashed off, and the police swarmed in, pinning Trevor to the gro
Harper's kisses were always teasing, intentionally awakening her senses.Their tongues tangled, taking her breath away. When she felt like she could not breathe and instinctively grabbed at his shirt, Harper let go and kissed his way down to her chin, neck, and chest.She could not resist him.Shelby was torn. She did not have to hold back her body's needs and reactions, especially since they could not end their marriage just yet. He was her husband, after all, so why should she deny herself? She decided to make the most of it.Men could easily separate love from physical desire, and women could too. Shelby did not think that accepting Harper's touches meant she liked him. It was just about meeting a need.She would just get that over with.Shelby's fingers gripped the sheets tightly as Harper kissed her growing belly. She was six months along, and her belly was a little bigger. The thought of their child made his heart melt, and he kissed her several more times before suddenly s
Shelby made a sound of agreement, her back sore from sitting too long. She leaned back against Harper without much thought. She was busy with her work and not in the mood for conversation.Harper quickly got the gist of the case file. In short, it was a classic example of someone facing the consequences of their own actions.In the western part of Starville, there was a middle school and a vocational school. The two schools were just a street apart. Not all, but at least 80% of the vocational school students were troublemakers.One of those students, Yered, often rounded up his gang to shake down the middle school kids for their money.Since last year, the bullies had been targeting Steven Scott, a middle schooler. They would often demand money from him. Steven was shy and scared, so he never stood up to them and just handed over the cash.However, this time, as he was walking with a girl from his class, the bullies blocked their path again. They started to pick on the girl becaus
Samantha was really happy. She lifted her finger elegantly and said softly, "One step at a time. First, we'll make sure the child is gone. Then, we'll push them to divorce, and in the end, when she's weak from losing the baby, we'll take care of her." If Shelby died as Harper's wife, then Harper would get everything, and that would be bad. The two women agreed. While reclining on their bamboo chairs, they started dreaming about their perfect future—one with the Young family and the other with all the money. Since the foot masseuse could not hear or speak, they talked freely, not worried about anyone overhearing them. After the massage, they even went to eat together. The masseuse quietly cleaned up and tidied the room. Then, she headed straight for the lookout point. The resort was in the mountains, with lots of trees and streams. The lookout was up high, with a great view of all the little mountains. It was a beautiful spot that every guest at the hotel made sure to visit.
Adalee was doubtful. "Is it really that serious? Our husband doesn't like that dowdy wife or the eldest son. Even if he's started to favor Harper more because of his marriage to the Lambert family, that still won't affect our children.""Our husband used to leave the company matters to our sons, but now he's handing them over to Harper. Who knows what the future holds?" Samantha said with a hint of malice. "We can't take that risk. We can't let Harper get too much leverage. We can't let him and his child have too great a chance to win."Adalee could see Samantha was desperate and asked anxiously, "What are you thinking of doing? She's a lawyer. She knows the law, and she's the sole heir to the Lambert family."Samantha's eyes suddenly became slits. "That's right, she's the only one who will inherit the Lambert family's fortune. With that kind of money, there are loads of people who want to trick her or get their hands on it. "She's a lawyer, not a superhero. Just wait. I'll make
It was Shelby's first visit to the Youngs' place, and by chance, she walked in on his father's so-called second and third wives being snide to Harper. His dad had not lifted a finger to help. It seemed like this was not a one-off occurrence.Was that the way they always treated him?Harper, taken aback by her blunt question, nearly slammed on the brakes. What?"Me, being pushed around in the family? That's just because I can't be bothered..." Who would waste their time arguing with a bunch of women or stoop so low as to fight with their dad's other women? That would be so embarrassing, right?However, he stopped himself mid-sentence.Because he suddenly realized that by saying that, he was making it sound like he felt bad for being 'picked on' at home.Harper slowed the car down and glanced at Shelby. Her eyebrows were knitted together, and she looked really serious. She was definitely not happy.He almost smiled, but he pushed it back down. He swallowed hard and changed his voi
She faced Samantha, not bothering to argue about inheritance rights. "You still haven't answered my earlier question. What does 'stepmother' mean?"Caught off guard by the sudden shift back to the topic, Samantha was momentarily speechless.Shelby did not wait for her to catch up. She pulled out her phone and quickly tapped the screen."Ah, I see," Shelby remarked, glancing at her phone. "According to this, 'stepmother' used to refer to a concubine in ancient times. That's similar to a servant, isn't it? So, in modern terms, it's like a maid. "Got it now. Would you mind getting me some salad? Thanks."The nerve of her, treating Samantha like a common maid! She had never been so insulted. "You!"Shelby set her phone down and met her gaze. "Since you're so curious, I'll fill you in. In the Lambert family, my word is law. If you're ever curious about me again, just ask me directly. No need to rely on rumors."Samantha bit her lip and looked to Gilbert for support, but he just sat
It was Shelby.Pregnant and in flats, she stood firm with not a hint of weakness about her.Her steady gaze fell on the two women who fancied themselves important, leaving them at a loss for words.Harper paused for just a moment, then quickly got to his feet and hurried over. "Dear!"The Young family's house was bright and airy. Harper's eyes sparkled with the unexpected joy of seeing Shelby, who had said she would not come. His face lit up with a smile.Shelby watched him, amused. She thought he was like their excited Shiba Inu, dashing over at the sight of its owner.Harper reached her side, calling out again, "Dear."Shelby gave a small nod. "Yeah."The guests at the dining table snapped out of their surprise, and Wrenley beamed. "Shelby, you're here."Shelby greeted her parents-in-law, "Mom, Dad."Wrenley hurried over to help her, her actions showing just how much she cherished her daughter-in-law.That was Shelby's first visit to the Young family since her wedding. She
Harper waited until Wrenley had said enough, andthen he spoke up."I just don't get you. Your family's loaded, my grandparents are laidback, and Dad doesn't even like you. Why stick to him? Just divorce him, take half his stuff, go home, and hang out with some young models. "That'd be way better than sticking to a lost cause. You've got no ambition."If it were Shelby, she would have left by then if he had not trapped her by getting her pregnant and holding something over her head. Why couldn't his mom be more like his wife?"In your dreams!"Wrenley, with tears in her eyes, scoffed. "The Young family wasn't always so fancy. I married him, and he promised me the moon. 'A good wife helps me reach my dreams, and I'll pay her back in gold.' And then what? "Once the Young family made it big, he just kept bringing in more women and their kids. How can I accept that? I'll fight him to the end, even if it kills me!"Harper sighed. "You want to fight him, I don't. Shelby and her baby
"An old friend?" Zara questioned. "If an old friend wanted to see me, they should be visiting the cemetery, not here."Only a very few people knew she was still alive.Shawn asked, "Is it a man or a woman?""A young man. He also said something else...""What did he say?"The butler hesitated, then relayed, "He said... The miss tricked him, and now she owes him for it."Zara was speechless.The garden fell silent for a moment, with only the whisper of the summer wind rustling through the flowers.Seconds later, Shawn set aside his tablet and smiled slightly. "Really? That sounds fun. Get him to come in. I'd like to meet him too."Zara had thought it was just a joke, but when the butler led the visitor in, she stood up in astonishment.It was him!...In Parnova, the sun shone brightly.However, in Starville, the weather was turning.The sky had been clear when Harper left home in the morning. However, when he reached the Youngs' place at noon, he saw the sun hidden behind