The sound echoed sharply in the dark, empty room.Yosef had been alive for 28 years, and this should be the first time he was slapped. However, Zara had slapped him once before a few months ago.Back then, he had said he was just 'using her as a tool'.This time, Zara was ready to give a slap that was way harder than before.Zara was sprawled on the couch, her chest rising and falling with fury as the two stared each other down in the pitch-black room.The curtains were so thick that they could not see a thing. She could not even see the look on Yosef's face.They were so close, less than a foot apart.Yosef's breaths were calm and steady, but they felt as cold as ice.They were like two animals trapped in a cage, neither one backing down. They seemed ready to battle it out forever.All of a sudden, there was a beeping noise at the door, and someone swiped a card to get in.Zara did not think twice. She shoved Yosef away, sat up fast, and fixed her clothes. She wondered who c
Luckily, Zara was used to being on her own. She did not need anyone to cheer her up or comfort her. Her emotions might spill out like water, but once they were out, they were gone.She took a deep breath and slowly calmed down.There was no hurry. She would try again. She was determined to get back on her feet....Yosef did not want to go back to his room. He wanted to go downstairs, so he pressed the elevator button to go down.The elevator arrived, and the doors opened. There stood Ophite.Ophite immediately noticed the red mark on Yosef's face and the floor he was on. He raised an eyebrow. "You came to see Ms. Lowry?"Yosef's face turned even colder as he stepped into the elevator.Ophite really knew him well, being his best friend. "Did you have a fight? Did Ms. Lowry slap you?"Yosef's face was blank. "She thinks she's too good now. She doesn't know her place."Was he suggesting that Zara was now with Stanley? Ophite scratched his nose. "Yosef, have you ever noticed tha
The manager frowned. "Well, that's a bit tricky. Other guests are on that floor, and we have to respect their privacy. I can't make this decision alone. I may need to check with my bosses.""You may do that, but remember, I can call the cops anytime. I'm being stalked and harassed. The police will have the right to see the surveillance footage, won't they?" Zara said evenly.The manager, a seasoned pro, gave a wry smile. "You weren't hurt, and being followed is just your guess. Even if the police come, they might not take your case. Without proof, we have the right to keep the footage private."Zara countered, "Really? But Mr. Webb from the 19th floor was on the 17th floor too, and he almost got hurt by the stalker."As soon as the manager heard the name Mr. Webb, his face went pale. He quickly looked back at the worker for confirmation.The worker leaned in and whispered something that made the manager look even more serious. He told Zara to hold on for a second, pulled out his p
Wilder replied: [Not yet.][How about that fake phone number?] Yosef asked about the number that sent the photo of Beatrice kissing.Wilder said: [That's a fake internet number. It's hard to track, but I'm on it.] Yosef pointed out: [You would've solved it if you had just used the time you spent watching other people's videos.]Wilder just laughed and swore in a friendly way....Zara went to the bathroom to take a call. "Hey, Cheryl.""Are you busy, Zara?" Her sister's voice was light and easy, not worried at all.Zara relaxed. "Nope, what's going on?""Mom finished knitting your scarf, and now she wants to knit you gloves. She made me ask you right now what your favorite color is."It turned out that this was the reason for her call.Zara smiled and asked, "Is Mom with you?""Here, talk to her," Cheryl said, handing over the phone with a sigh. "Mom's getting more impatient by the day. I told her we could talk about it tonight, but she wouldn't wait."Sharon's voice came
Yosef's voice was cool. "Ophite ordered all the heavy, spicy dishes from Aquaville. Think you can handle them?"Zara really could not, which is why she had not eaten much.Why was that his concern, though?Yosef was already on the phone. "Bring some light-tasting food to private room B88 in ten minutes."Zara watched him, puzzled. Was he going out of his way to get her something to eat?"Mr. Webb, I'm quite taken aback by your kindness." He was more unpredictable than she had thought.Despite last night's uproar, he seemed to care about whether she could eat.Yosef gave her a quick look. "Don't be so surprised. You need to be alive to answer my questions."It turned out he had an ulterior motive.Zara was too weak to leave, so she stopped resisting. She sat at the dining table and held her stomach.The private dining room in the upscale hotel smelled indescribably good.Yosef did not hesitate and bombarded her with questions before she could even catch her breath, "What happ
Work started in the afternoon.Zara was busy with data on her tablet when Sarah popped up next to her. "Something's not right here."Zara looked where Sarah pointed. "What's wrong?"However, Sarah had just made it up to start a conversation. She got closer to Zara. "You slapped Mr. Webb last night, right?"Zara knew Sarah was just making an excuse and could not be bothered to pay her any more attention. She went back to her work.Sarah whispered, "How could you dare to hit him? What gave you the courage?"It was not Zara's courage that made her do it. It was Yosef who had lost it when he was drunk.Sarah huffed, "You're pretty bold."Zara glanced at Yosef. His face was clear of any marks from the night before.He looked sharp in his black suit, nothing like the mean bully from last night.He caught her looking, and Zara went back to her notes.Sarah's words made Zara realize that Sarah had seen Yosef late last night. Could they have been together?The project was huge, touc
Zara immediately said, "Professor Schmidt, I didn't mean…""I don't care." Stanley was being a bit stubborn. "Well, that's my opinion. If you have something else to say, let's wait until I'm done with my lab work. I'll come get you at Aquaville and then we can talk it out properly."She was not even his student... Zara felt like she could not get a word in edgewise."It's late. You should get some sleep. I'm going to hang up now," Stanley said.He really did hang up, leaving Zara with no way to respond.Stanley stepped out onto the balcony with a watering can in hand. He began to water his mint plants, feeling happier than he had in a long time.He thought back to that day at school. During a break, he accidentally overheard some guys joking, "Jack, your girlfriend is so pretty. We just want a peek..."Stanley could not help but laugh.He really was stealing his friend's girlfriend now... However, it was not his fault the guy had not shown up yet.He could not be blamed for th
She saw a face covered in grime.Zara blinked in surprise. "You…"He looked like one of the workers from the base.His voice was low. "Are you okay?""I'm okay, but what about you? Are you hurt? Thank you for saving me. What's your name?" Zara asked him upon returning to his senses.He had been hit on the shoulder, and someone had already gone to get a doctor. The other workers were helping him away.Zara was still a bit scared. The people around her kept asking if she was okay.Yosef was standing not too far away.He had seen it fall and had started to run back, but he was just too far away. This scene made him think of the float that had fallen at the Thanksgiving float manufacturing factory.Back then, he had seen Zara trying to pull him to safety, but he had gone to help Beatrice instead.He had not thought much of it at the time. Now, after watching this incident from the side, he realized that Zara could have easily dodged it back then too. She simply did not dodge beca
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