Zara was momentarily stunned.Stanley scowled. "Melanie."Melanie put on an innocent face. "What's the big deal? It's totally normal to ask these kinds of questions in a game like this. It's all in good fun. If you don't believe me, just ask around."Zara stayed cool. "I guess I don't get the game, then. What's the dare option?"Melanie's smile was sly. "I dare you to kiss the guy to your right for ten seconds."The guy on Zara's right was the liaison from the base they had visited that day.He had overheard them planning to hit the bars. Being a local, he knew the best spots and had joined their group for the night.Here was the thing—Stanley was sitting to Zara's left.Even if the dare was to kiss someone, it should have been the person on the left, since everyone had already been teasing Stanley and Zara earlier.Melanie deliberately said the person on Zara's right, which was clearly intentional.Stanley's expression turned stern. "Have I really let you get away with too m
Yosef was in the upstairs area of a bar. He was not a fan of loud places.Even West Palace, which was a quieter spot owned by Wilder, was not his cup of tea—much less a place just for fun.He was here tonight because someone had asked to meet him at this bar. He only learned it was a bar upon arrival.He lounged in a booth with his legs crossed, ignoring the drink in front of him. When he felt thirsty, he simply picked an orange from the fruit plate.He peeled it into four sections and ate them one by one, his movements calm and graceful.Yosef was not in his usual shirt today but a black turtleneck and a dark brown suit jacket. He stood out in the noisy bar, looking cool and proud."Mr. Chase, there's no need for this chat. The demolition payout is already fixed, and it's the same for all the villages. I can't just give you more money on the side."The music boomed from below, but Yosef's face was expressionless. His voice was even. "Besides, this project involves three other c
Zara clenched her teeth, fighting to stay alert. She pushed through the crowd toward Stanley."Stanley! Professor Schmidt—"The dance floor was a storm of noise.Stanley was focused on Melanie. Zara was so close. She reached through the last bit of space, almost touching him.Then, Melanie stumbled and fell. In the crush of bodies, the danger was immediate.Stanley, desperate, shoved through the crowd. The person he accidentally pushed ended up batting Zara's hand away.He scooped up Melanie, tears and all. Just like that, they disappeared into the throng.Zara stumbled to the ground after someone bumped into her. Stanley glanced back but did not catch a glimpse of what happened.From the second floor, Yosef watched the scene unfold with a smirk.There she was, the woman and her poor choice in a man.The fall made Zara's head spin even more. When she managed to get back on her feet, she saw Portly blocking her way. She turned to find Lanky right behind her.She opened her mo
Portly and Lanky stood by the door, puffing on their cigarettes. Lanky said, "You watch her, I'll go get the boss. Keep your eyes peeled, and don't let her get away!"Portly just chuckled. "She's just a woman. How's she gonna run? Plus, she's drugged up. Her legs are probably like jelly!""You used a sleeping drug on her, right?""I couldn't catch her in the forest that night, but I've been thinking about her ever since.""What kind of drug did you use?""That one. Hurry up and go. When you're back, we'll head in. The boss didn't say we couldn't have a little fun first!"Lanky stroked his chin and left in a rush. Portly licked his lips, already dreaming about his prize.Then, a crash came from inside. Portly did not hesitate and burst through the door.All he found were ropes scattered on the floor. She was gone!He panicked, looking all around. What happened? Where was she?!Zara was hiding right behind the door.The moment he opened it, she dashed out, slammed the door shu
Zara's memories came rushing back. Thinking about that time only made the drug work faster. Her vision blurred, and she found herself clinging to Yosef's waist without meaning to.Yosef's face grew colder by the second.If he had not been at the bar and if he had not seen her and come to her rescue, would she have ended up in the hands of those people? Would she have ended up helplessly giving in to them because of the drug?His gaze was icy as he touched her neck. He gently tilted her chin up so that he could see her face, which seemed so different from her usual self.Zara felt like he was treating her like some kind of toy, and she did not like it one bit.Her sense of reason pushed past the confusion, and she shoved him away, saying firmly, "Don't touch me!"Yosef did not back off and instead leaned in closer.Trapped against the wall with nowhere to run—not that she could have run in her state—she was stuck."Are you really asking me to go at a time like this? Who else do
The leaves trembled in the wind, casting dancing shadows on the ground like restless willow branches.Zara was completely unresponsive while Yosef seemed to be suppressing a chill in his gaze, especially since she had just called out Shawn's name.He was relentless, yet he seemed detached.Suddenly, a cell phone rang. Zara flinched, and Yosef whispered, "Relax."Zara could not relax.Was that... her phone?Was her phone not taken away by Portly and Lanky?It turned out it was not.Her mind was all fuzzy, and she had just assumed they had taken it, which was why she did not think to call the police right away.Those two goons did not even bother to tie her hands behind her back or check for her phone?If she had known she still had it, she would have called for help sooner, and she would not be trapped under Yosef now...One mistake really did lead to another.She never should have gone to this bar.Yosef had no idea Zara had so much on her mind. Hearing the phone ring, he
Over in Starville, Cheryl could not get through to Zara's phone.Sharon had passed out suddenly, and the doctor was busy carrying out rescue attempts. Cheryl had been through it once before, but this second time did not make it any easier; it only scared her more.Forgetting Sharon's earlier advice, she did not hesitate to try calling Zara. She wanted Zara to come and take charge. Zara's phone just would not connect, though.Cheryl was about to try calling again when the doctor finished up and came to explain, "She's stable for now. She fainted because her brain didn't get enough oxygen.""So... she's okay now?""It's not that simple. Not getting enough oxygen can hurt the brain, and it might make things more complicated after surgery. You all need to be ready for that."Cheryl looked at him, feeling completely lost.What did that mean? Complications? Were they saying the surgery had gotten even riskier?She did not mess up, did she? Her hands shook a little, but no, she was no
Zara's fingers tightened on the fabric of the man's sweater.Yosef looked down at her, noticing her sudden dependence. He then turned to Winston. "Jane? You must be mistaken, Mr. Chase. She's my secretary."Winston's laugh was cold and mocking. "Impossible. She's Jane. I'm not wrong about her."Yosef let out a small, confident smile. "So, you're saying I'm the one who's mistaken?"He spoke lightly, but his presence was commanding. Just standing there, he made it clear that he was not to be challenged.His authority came from his family's generations of wealth and power, from his company's dominance in the business world, and from his own reputation for being decisive and feared in the cutthroat world of business.His confidence and pride were not without reason.When he said he was right, who would dare to argue with him?Winston's face was a storm of colors, anger and fear flashing across it. He had tried to scare Yosef, but Yosef did not even flinch. Instead, Yosef had Winsto
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