Yosef rolled down the car window and stretched his hand out to tap the cigarette ash into the breeze.He turned to Samwell in the front seat and instructed, "Go and get the surveillance footage from the hospital entrance."He meant the video that showed Zara and Cecil attacking Beatrice. He wanted to make sure it did not end up causing a big fuss if someone else got it.If they looked into it, that kind of intentional harm could lead to Cecil being locked up.Samwell nodded, understanding what he had to do.Yosef continued, "Also, bring me the lead surgeons for Zara's mom and Beatrice's dad.""Got it," Samwell responded.By some strange twist, it turned out that Sharon and Harry had the same lead surgeon.Only the top doctors did heart transplants, and at First People's Hospital, there were only two choices for cardiac surgery.Flint Snyder was usually treated with great respect, yet in front of Yosef, he would not even get in the car. He just stood in the rain and held his um
"I know, let her catch her z's," Stanley said with a gentle voice. "Have you grabbed a bite for breakfast?"Cecil blinked her eyes. "I was gonna grab a bagel and some juice on my way to work.""I swung by the store and picked up a few things to whip up some oatmeal. If you can wait a bit, it'll be ready soon."It clicked for Cecil right then. Stanley was not just here to cook. He was here to make a special breakfast for Zara!Finding a guy who knew his way around the kitchen, especially one as classy as Stanley, was not an everyday occurrence.Cecil quickly said, "Feel free to use the kitchen. It's right over there. Help yourself to anything you need. I've got to dash to work, so I'll skip breakfast. You two enjoy."Stanley gave her a grateful smile and headed into the kitchen with his groceries.Cecil could not resist. She whipped out her phone and snapped a photo of Stanley rolling up his sleeves. She sent it to Zara with a quick text.Once Cecil was out the door, Stanley got
The internet? Zara was confused. "Why?""You should look online first. It seems like you might not need to do anything else. People are seeing things differently now," Shelby explained.What did she mean by that?Zara quickly closed the call screen and went to check the local hot topics. Right at the top was a post from First People's Hospital.She clicked on it and read through it quickly.At about ten in the morning, First People's Hospital had posted a long explanation about a big fuss at the hospital.They admitted they had messed up by not telling the patient and their family right away when the heart for the transplant went to someone else, which made the patient and their family take a trip for nothing.The hospital had not made the rules about organ transplants clear to the patient's family, which made them really upset because they could not understand what was happening.The hospital realized they had messed up too. They said they were really sorry to the patient, the
Stanley saw Zara's thank-you message when he got back to his office after teaching.She did not just say thanks. She also sent him a photo of a green plant by the window, telling him how lovely the sunlight was.He smiled and asked: [Is that mint? What got you into planting mint?]Zara replied: [It's easy to care for. And when you need some flavor, you just pick a leaf. It's nice to look at, delicious, and smells great.]Stanley laughed. [You've sold me on it. I'll get one for my place too.]Zara said: [You don't have to buy one. Mint grows like crazy. I'll give you a few cuttings, and before you know it, you'll have a whole pot.]Stanley could tell from her words that Zara was in a good mood.Stanley thought for a second before typing back: [What's up? Did having a few drinks at dinner cheer you up?]Zara gave a small smile and said: [No, I just wanted to tell you that you don't need to bother asking your friends at the medical school anymore.][Why not?][Chairman Webb took
This was all wrong.After three years as Yosef's secretary, Zara knew Mondays were his busiest days at work.He hardly ever came to the Webbs' place, so why show up now and at such an odd time?Zara's brow creased for a moment. Two months had passed, yet he looked exactly the same.Winter had wrapped Starville in its chilly embrace, with the temperature dipping below 50 degrees. Yosef, in his black suit, was shrugging off a long cashmere coat and handing it to the helper. He had just come in.As she stepped out of the kitchen, Yosef looked up, his eyes meeting hers. Yosef and Zara locked eyes for a few seconds before Yosef turned away to wipe his hands with a warm towel the helper had handed him. He did not show much emotion. Zara felt a little uneasy. She carried the soup to the dining table. Macy was there, setting out the silverware. She saw the soup and said, "This mushroom soup looks so tasty, perfect for this kind of weather. It's great to have such a light and delicious s
Zara did not try to smooth things over this time. She stayed quiet, like any ordinary guest would when the hosts were fighting.Macy quickly got up to stop Yosef. "Why does it always have to end in an argument, Yosef? You haven't finished your meal. Eat a little more, or you'll be too busy later. If you skip meals, your stomach will act up again."Yosef, who was blocked from leaving, looked frosty.Macy had no choice but to call out to her husband, "Ethan."Ethan paused for a moment, clearly wrestling with something. He finally gave in. "I wanted to ask you about the board elections at the end of the year. Mr. Red and Mr. Gaunt, you're not planning to keep them, are you?"Yosef settled back into his chair, his appetite gone."Yes, I'm not."Ethan's eyebrows came together in a frown. "They've been with the company for a long time."Yosef replied coolly, "Which is exactly why they think they can do as they please.""They've both done a lot for Azure Cloud. It's understandable th
Zara was worried. Was this Macy's own thought, or had Ethan suggested it?This subject was too dangerous. Zara glanced away and said, "I'm not sure what you mean, but I think people need to change sometimes. I want to try new things too. "You and Chairman Webb have been like parents to me, but just like how a young bird grows up and leaves the nest to make its own, I should too, right?"She appealed to Macy's emotions, and it worked. She managed to smoothly change the topic.Macy had no choice. She had to change the subject too. "Let's drink some tea," she said, and that was that.Zara did not think it was good to stay too long. She finished her tea and put down the cup. "It's getting late, and you probably want to rest. I'll head out now."Macy told her, "Ethan is upstairs in the study. Go say goodbye to him. Who knows when you'll come back to visit him again?"That made sense."Which room is the study?" Zara asked."Go upstairs and turn left. It's the second room.""Got it
Zara pressed her lips together and finally lifted her hand to help him with the cufflink.The ruby color was deep and matched his shirt perfectly.Yosef looked down at her.Although she had helped him with his tie and cufflinks so effortlessly in the past, she seemed to be doing it with a heavy heart now.He gave a small smile.The cufflink was tiny and tricky to fasten. Nevertheless, Zara did it as quickly as she could. "What's this about an artificial heart that you mentioned?"She was still on guard, worried he might be playing a trick on her.Yosef said in a detached tone, "This technology is well-developed overseas, and it's been used in our country's hospitals for a few years. But it hasn't really taken off on a large scale yet."Hearts were not like mangoes; they did not just grow on trees."Why haven't we seen a big rollout if these machines are so much more convenient than waiting for a donor heart?" Zara pressed.Yosef explained, "They're expensive, there's a higher
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