James had taken the reins of his family's business empire, and his dad saw the upcoming birthday bash as the perfect chance to introduce him to the company's allies.Sure, James could round up a whole squad of dates if he needed to, but none of his usual crowd of models and social media stars were suited for the cutthroat corporate scene. He was not about to mess up his big debut, which was exactly why he needed Zara by his side.Everyone in the industry knew Zara was the top secretary at Azure Cloud Group. She was in a league of her own when it came to getting the job done.Zara mulled it over for a hot second before sighing. "Mr. Sate, you've got yourself a deal. I'll be your plus one and get you through this event. After that, we'll be even." "Deal!"...James was too psyched to keep the news under wraps. The moment Zara gave him the thumbs-up, he bolted to the bar where his crew was hanging out to spill the beans."Ms. Lowry is on board!" he announced.Ophite raised an e
Zara subtly shifted to the side, putting a little more space between her and that piercing gaze.James showed up just in time to escort her. Zara took his arm without hesitation, and they strolled away together.As she walked, her bare back was on display. Her shoulder blades and the dip of her waist were peeking out. Her movements were graceful and alluring without making a sound.Beatrice could not ignore Yosef's lingering stare and instinctively glanced down at herself.She was slender too, but in a way that lacked presence. To put it nicely, she had the air of a schoolgirl.The gown Yosef had chosen for her was a chic, youthful design from a high-end collection. It was an off-the-shoulder chiffon number with diamond and floral embellishments that gave off a fairy tale vibe.She had felt beautiful in it at first, but when she compared herself to Zara, she suddenly felt plain and uninspired.Especially when she caught that predatory look in Yosef's eyes—the kind that made her
In the very next moment, she felt the overwhelming presence of a man closing in on her."Looking for James, are you? Since when were you two so chummy? How long have you been sneaking around with him behind my back, huh?""Mr. Webb?" Zara's voice trembled as she was still reeling from the shock.Yosef's gaze was dark and heavy in the shadows. "Mhm."Zara breathed a tiny sigh of relief. However, her relief was short-lived. She stiffened up again and pushed back harder. "Mr. Webb, let go of me.""So, you've taken a liking to James?" Yosef could read her like a book. The moment he saw her smile at James, he knew she was not totally uninterested.Zara was not bothered by his words and continued to struggle quietly. She just thought James had this innocent, endearing quality.Yosef sneered, pulling her over to the storage room's window and cracking it open. "Take a good look."Without thinking, Zara peered outside.There, in the secluded rockery of the back garden, was James with a
The guests paused, recognizing Zara. "Ms. Lowry, didn't you hear? Chairman Webb and Mr. Webb nearly went at it in front of everyone just a while ago!"Zara's mind raced. That could not be right. Yosef was always so composed. How could he lose it and get into a spat with his dad at a party?"For real?"The other guest chimed in, "No, no, it wasn't that bad. He's making it sound worse. It was more like Chairman Webb just got really stern. There was no actual fight."There, you see where Chairman Webb is standing? He was chatting with Mr. Webb's secretary, the one he brought to the banquet. "Then, Mr. Webb showed up, stepped in front of the secretary like a human shield, and said something that angered Chairman Webb right there and then."Good thing Mr. Sate Senior was there to defuse the bomb. He suggested they take it upstairs to talk, and what went down after that, nobody knows."Zara's brows creased in a frown.One of the guests leaned in with a sly smile. "Ms. Lowry, you're
Suddenly, all eyes were on Zara, thanks to James' big announcement.There she stood in a deep purple gown, looking drop-dead gorgeous. However, her face was a blank canvas.The Sates were actually pretty stoked about Zara, especially after watching her schmooze and mingle with James all evening.They were no dummies. They knew James was not exactly a business whiz. Snagging a wife who could handle that stuff was top of their list of priorities when it came to looking for a daughter-in-law.Sure, they had heard Zara did not come from the fanciest of backgrounds. However, that was a plus in their book. It meant she would be easier to guide, and they would not have to stress about her using the company to bail out her own folks.Thinking this, Olivia stepped right up to Zara and gripped her hand with a warm, grandmotherly smile. "Absolutely, I'm all for Zara too."Zara immediately withdrew her hand. Olivia blinked, surprised.With a slight press of her lips, Zara started speaking
James barely had one foot out the door when he spun around to face the crowd in the banquet hall below, ready to announce."Ladies and gentlemen, I've got something huge to announce! Everyone, listen up! Me and..."Out of nowhere, Zara found the strength to hold onto the door frame with one hand, keeping herself from being pulled out. With her other hand, she sent James flying!James was totally blindsided, and with Zara's push, he landed with a thud on the corridor floor outside. He almost flipped head over heels. The guests downstairs buzzed with shock, stretching and craning to catch a glimpse of the commotion.Zara quickly retreated a couple of steps, staying inside the room and away from the prying eyes of the guests.She took a moment to collect herself, then said sharply and firmly, "Enough with your jokes, Mr. Sate! I barely know you, so how can we talk about getting hitched? "I don't want to marry you, and I'm not into you. If you still can't grasp that, I can go out an
Yosef was not the type to play the field. In the three years Zara had been by his side, she was the only one for him.Now, however, he was playing by Beatrice's rules—no messing around before marriage. That meant he only came to Zara when he needed something.She could still hear him singing Beatrice's praises that day, going on about how 'well-raised' she was.In his eyes, Zara was anything but that. If she were, she would not have spent three years in a nameless, no-strings-attached situation with him. In the end, she was tossed aside like yesterday's laundry.At least she walked away first and did not stick around to mess up his perfect little plan to get hitched and have kids.Kids...Without thinking, Zara's hand drifted to her stomach. Her heartache welled up until it spilled out of her eyes in tears.The bitterness was overwhelming.…Yosef dropped Beatrice off at her place, like he always did, with his usual reminder, "Stay safe out there and hit the hay early, okay?"
Yosef never did say if he would take Harper's suggestion. They drank on until the break of dawn before calling it a night.Harper crashed at West Palace. Yosef, who thought it was beneath him, had an attendant from the palace drive him back to East Coast.He was pretty sloshed by then, staggering as he walked. The attendant guided him upstairs with care, and he collapsed onto the couch while cradling his pounding head.The attendant lingered, worried about leaving him alone. After all, any trouble would be on his head. He hesitated, then spoke up."Mr. Webb, Mr. Webb? Should I call someone to help you out? Maybe you've got something for hangovers stashed around here? I can grab it for you."Yosef's frown deepened with irritation as he pulled out his phone and tossed it over. "Dial up Zara and tell her to get here."The attendant, feeling a bit gutsy, scrolled through the contacts and found the contact saved as Zara. He hit call.The first call went unanswered. It was pushing two
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