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
The Hoster family's party was a grand affair, with their whole house shining bright with lights.Zara and Stanley walked out into the garden. The wind was chilly, and Stanley was worried Zara might get cold in just her dress. "You've already said goodbye to Madam Hoster. How about I take you home now?"Zara shook her head. "Let's stay a little longer. The party's not even halfway done."She could leave now, and probably no one would notice. Zara liked to do things right, however. She did not want to give anyone a chance to find fault with her.Stanley wrapped her coat around her more tightly and stood where he could shield her from the wind.He glanced down at her dolled-up face and asked in a low voice, "You look really tired. Is work keeping you too busy to rest?""I'm new at the company, so there's a lot to learn. I'm busy, but I'll get the hang of it," Zara replied, not too bothered by the workload.Stanley's voice was gentle. "You should still look after yourself. I'll ask
In the end, neither Yosef nor Stanley got to hear Zara's answer.Right then, Stanley's phone rang. It was Melanie calling."Stanley, Stanley, where are you? Something bad happened! I need you to come save me!"Stanley's forehead wrinkled with worry. "Melanie, calm down. What's going on?"Melanie was freaking out, and her words came tumbling out. "I was driving, and I glanced at my phone. When I looked up, someone was crossing the street..."Stanley felt a drop in his stomach. "What happened next?""I swerved the steering wheel to avoid them, and now my car has crashed into the greenery. It's stuck, and I can't move it. I'm so scared. Please, you've got to come help me..."Stanley said, "If no one's hurt, you're lucky. You shouldn't be looking at your phone while driving. Crying won't help, especially if our brother hears about this. He might just break your legs."Melanie whimpered. "Just come help me...""Get out of the car and find a safe spot. Send me your location. I'll be
Zara spun around, puzzled. "What was that, Mr. Webb?"The room was cozy with warmth from the floor. Yosef had taken off his suit jacket and was holding it on his arm. He was just in his white shirt and a dark gray vest.His sleeves were rolled up, showing off his muscular arms—a mix of classy and wild.He was so close, and his words were clear. Zara must have been really lost in thought not to hear him. Yosef figured she just did not want to chat and gave a small smile. "Never mind."Zara turned back to the twins.She really did not feel like talking.Why did Yosef say that out of the blue?He would not have let her have their baby even if she did not end up miscarrying it. He had told her that much when she had that really bad period, which they thought was a miscarriage.She did not want to talk about babies with him either. It felt too weird and pointless.The twins had been snoozing so peacefully, but when Zara leaned over to check on them, one suddenly burst into tears wi
His hand was so warm against her that she could not ignore the feeling. Zara tensed up, about to speak, when Yosef suddenly released her and stepped back politely.It was as if he had only meant to help her up, like a true gentleman.Zara quickly smoothed out her dress, gave him a weird look, and held out her hand. "My coat, please."Yosef handed her the coat he was holding."No, I need Professor Schmidt's coat," Zara said, pulling her hand back.Yosef squinted at her, and Zara sighed. "That's Professor Schmidt's coat. I have to give it back to him."Yosef looked like he wanted to toss the coat in the trash.To her surprise, he threw it back to her after a few seconds.Zara caught it, amazed he was being so cooperative."He wears perfume? That doesn't seem too unmanly to you?" he teased.The faint cinnamon scent on Stanley's coat was warm and comforting, not at all like the insult Yosef had implied."It's just good manners," Zara whispered back.Just because Yosef did not w
"Mr. Webb, it's over between us," Zara said. "I know you might be upset because I left all of a sudden, but it's been a long time. You should really move on. There's no point in bothering me anymore... I'm just the old flame you've gotten sick of."Yosef stepped closer to her in the dimly lit parking lot. His face was hard to see, and so were his feelings. "Go on, tell me more. What other things do you remember me telling you?"Zara's mind raced with too many harsh words. "You said I wasn't good enough, that I had no class, that I was too easy..."Just saying those words made her heart ache. No one could hear such things and not be hurt."Mr. Webb, you have all sorts of fun, and any woman you want is just a wave away. But for me, just getting by with my family takes everything I have. I'm serious, I can't just play around."She did not look up at Yosef or let him see her face.Time seemed to freeze, with only the wind still moving around them.Finally, without a word, Yosef toss
It hit her like a bolt from the blue. Her name was on it, and the house was in a fancy neighborhood near Schmidt Group.Zara's mind raced. It could not be Stanley. He was not the type to pull such a stunt without warning. That left one person who might do something this bold. She quickly texted Yaxley: [Mr. Lark, did you send something to the office for me?] He had sent her flowers before, so it was not a stretch to think he might be behind this grand gesture.Yaxley must have been tied up with something because he did not get back to her until over an hour later. His voice came through the phone, "Are you hinting that I forgot to send today's flowers? I'm just doing what you said, not wasting money and giving it to charity instead."Zara's brows creased a little. "So, you didn't send me anything today?"Yaxley was spinning a pen in his fingers, and one could hear a mischievous streak in his voice. "Are you telling me you got a mysterious package?"He put on a serious tone. "D
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