Zara could not shake the memory of how he had used those photos to bully her into doing things and then coldly told her they were never real in the end.She was determined to make him feel what it was like to be tricked."I'm the one who lost out, Yosef. You have no idea how hard it has been putting up with you," she said.Yosef's voice was chilly. "Sounds like you've had a rough time."Zara bit her lip and ended the call.…Listening to the beep as the call cut off, Yosef's screen went dark. He was so mad he actually laughed. He had been wondering if Zara might try to get back at him, but experiencing it as it happened was a whole different story.What did she say? That she had been struggling to put up with him?What had he even done? He had taken her out to eat when she was too worried about her mother to think about food, got her a folding bed to rest on in the hospital ward, and even brought her home to freshen up and sleep.He had taken her rowing and archery. He even go
The driver up front nearly lost control of the car when he heard Sasha's bold words. How could she dare say those words to Yosef?Yosef's eyelids lowered, and his eyes narrowed with a clear warning.Sasha, however, did not care.She went on, "Ms. Lowry's a person with her own feelings and moods. If you had a pet, like a cat or a dog, and you hit it, yelled at it, or didn't feed it, it would want to run away. And people? Even more so."You need to show her respect, make her feel like she's her own person when she's with you. That's the only way she might stop pushing you away... "Look, forcing a woman to stay with you doesn't make you cool. It's when she wants to stay without wanting anything else that you're really something special."Yosef's thoughts drifted back to Zara.He was quiet for a bit and then asked, "If you're so smart, how did you mess things up with Stefan even after so long?"Sasha was taken aback. "Hey, I'm just human, and it's my first time at life. Kids mess
It was Yaxley.Zara's eyebrows were furrowed together for a split second. Quickly, however, she shook it off and smiled. "Good morning, Mr. Lark.""Good morning? I'm far from good, Ms. Lowry. My heart's in pieces."Yaxley lounged on the couch, with one leg casually draped over the other. With his charming bad-boy look and a sly grin, he seemed like the ultimate playboy."Ms. Lowry, I've sent you so many flowers, and you haven't even said thanks once. I started to think maybe I got the address wrong, so I decided to come and see for myself."He went on, sounding hurt, "And what do I find out? The cleaning crew tells me that every time you get the flowers, you just toss them in the trash. You're crushing my feelings, and it's making it hard for me to breathe."Ever since Zara started working at Schmidt Group, Yaxley had been sending her flowers every single day. They were not just any flowers either. They were fancy ones like color-changing tulips and spray-painted white roses. T
"What are you looking for?" Yaxley asked suddenly, noticing that Zara seemed distracted.Zara looked away and said, "It's nothing."Yaxley grabbed a glass of cocktail from a nearby table and offered it to her. "If you're looking for Mr. Webb, he's sure to show up tonight.""I'm supposed to congratulate Madam Hoster for Mr. Schmidt. I'm trying to find her," Zara replied calmly, declining the drink. "You go ahead, Mr. Lark."Yaxley's face fell, and he let out a sigh. "Why won't you even accept a drink from me? What's so bad about me that I don't even catch your eye, Ms. Lowry? Am I not handsome enough? Or am I not trying hard enough?""I'm not sure why you're suddenly so interested in me," Zara said."That's why you shouldn't have thrown away the flowers I gave you," Yaxley said. "There were letters I wrote inside. If you'd read them, you'd understand why I like you."Zara hesitated and then turned to look at him.Yaxley was good-looking, with charming eyes, a high nose, and thin
Zara stood tall and explained, "Something came up with Mr. Schmidt, so he asked me to come on behalf of Schmidt Group to congratulate Madam Hoster on her twin grandchildren. Running into Mr. Lark was just by chance.""That means you're still with Schmidt Group," Yosef said, his tone hard to read. He swirled a glass of red wine in his hand, the liquid silently striking the sides. His action spoke volumes without a sound.Zara's heart felt just like the wine that was held in his grasp, wobbling and wavering.It was their first face-to-face since they had had it out with each other.What would Yosef do to her, the woman who had openly tricked him?Zara would not be surprised even if he were to splash the wine right in her face just to make her look like a fool in front of everyone.Instead of splashing his drink, Yosef extended the glass toward her to offer a toast, "Then, to your future at Schmidt Group that's as bright as gold."A glint passed through Zara's eyes.Was he giving
To everyone else, the group of four seemed to be having a great time, laughing and chatting away. Zara, however, was right in the middle of it all and could not stand still. She was nervous.Luckily, Leah nudged Yosef at just the right time. "Mr. Webb, Madam Hoster is downstairs. Let's go say hi."Yosef glanced at Zara one more time and nodded. "I'll be right back."He took Leah's arm, and they went to talk with Marigold.Zara could not believe it.This was their first meeting since they had been honest with each other, and there was no scary payback—not even a hint of trouble or mean teasing.Yosef had wished her well and then he was gone... Did he think it was useless to keep trying, so he had chosen to leave her alone?Feeling like she had just dodged a bullet, Zara's eyes followed Yosef. She wondered why he seemed so different all of a sudden.As she stared, lost in thought, Yaxley caught her eye.He teased her quietly, saying, "I'm right here, and you're still looking at
Yaxley couldn't forget how Zara had looked on the Stewart family's cruise ship, wearing a light green evening gown that had been updated to a modern style. Her hair had been pinned up, and she had held onto the railing as she walked upstairs, moving with such grace. She reminded him of willow branches dancing in the breeze.Zara spoke up, "Mr. Lark, if you’re making suggestions on what I should wear, you might be speaking to the wrong person."Yaxley did not seem to notice. "I know this amazing tailor who makes beautiful dresses. I'll get one made for you in this color. What's your size? Or better yet, I'll take you to meet the tailor this weekend. Dresses like that need to be made just for you."Zara figured out something about Yaxley—he only paid attention to what he wanted and only talked about what he wanted.She had met bossy guys like Yosef and nice guys like Stanley. However, Yaxley was in a league of his own with his shamelessness.Zara had had enough. "Sorry, Mr. Lark,
Zara whipped around to see who it was.Yosef spoke up, his voice icy, "I didn't come here with Zara, and we're just... acquaintances. So why would I take her side?""I..." Tanya bit her lip. She thought, 'Just acquaintances? Weren't you two an item before?'She could challenge Yaxley, but Yosef was a different story. It was not that he was more important. Rather, Yaxley was approachable and would not get mad. Yosef, on the other hand, had an aura that was downright scary."I... So now all of you are picking on just me?" Tanya's voice wavered with self-pity.Zara smirked. "The one who did wrong is the first to complain. You're the one who started it by picking on Madam Hoster."Tanya shot back, "What lies! I never did such a thing!"Zara stepped forward and said, "We're celebrating an occasion today. Why would you stir up trouble on such a happy day? Isn't that just mean?"Yaxley watched, his smile hiding his other feelings. It looked like Zara had the upper hand with her quick
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