Zara looked down and kept eating her food.Yosef watched her, his voice deep. "Should something said when you're just a kid really matter?"Zara looked up sharply.Yosef, who had not gotten mad when she slammed her plate down or when she had boldly told him to cut ties with his admirers, was now giving her a cold stare."You and Shawn were serious, but don't think everyone's like that. We're not all ready to commit to only one person at a young age. It was just a little fun. She's not my real first love."Zara and Shawn were a high school affair too.her grip on her spoon tightened as she asked, "It doesn't count? Then why do you still do whatever Leah says?"When had Yosef ever done anything Leah said?Zara took a few more bites of her food. Her throat felt sticky and uncomfortable, so she got up to get a glass of water.Yosef leaned back in his chair, his eyes cold.When Zara came back with her water, Yosef tapped the table. "Finish up and I'll take you to the hospital. We
Zara was taken aback for a moment when she saw Jane so close to John.Zara quickly thought back to what Yaxley had told her. John was a married man with two kids, but he was known for not being faithful to his wife.Was that why Jane went to see John after she left Schmidt Group?Zara felt sorry for Jane. She was really good at her job.People made their own choices, and Zara was not one to gossip. She ignored Jane's challenging look and greeted John with a smile."Mr. Hummer, I'm Zara, the secretary from Schmidt Group."John's eyes sparkled when he saw her. He looked her up and down without trying to hide it and grinned from ear to ear. "It's so nice to meet you in person."He shook Zara's hand and held on a bit too long. "I've known about you since your days at Azure Cloud. I wanted to bring you over to Morter, but Mr. Webb wouldn't have it. I really regret losing such a talent. Now, here you are at Schmidt Group."Zara pulled her hand back calmly. "Thanks for the compliment,
John raised his eyebrow. "Ms. Lowry dances?"Jane laughed softly. "She sure does, and it's classical dance too. During a school celebration, many boys started crushing on her after seeing her dance. Her locker was stuffed with love letters. "Ms. Lowry has always been popular with the guys. She knows what they like, and that's why she has always done so well."She looked over the table, which was only set with wine bottles. "The food isn't here yet. Ms. Lowry, why don't you dance on the table for us?"The assistants and the representative from the Business Department looked upset.This was more than a challenge; it was an insult!Dance on the table? Was Jane suggesting Zara was just another dish to be enjoyed?That was ridiculous!They had dealt with pushy partners during deals before, but with Schmidt Group behind them, no one usually dared to go too far. They did not expect that a former colleague from their own Schmidt Group would be so spiteful!Zara kept her cool. She was
Yosef, in his sleek black suit, strode into the room with Leah and Charvi by his side and a line of bodyguards behind him. They looked like a powerful wave of authority. Everyone in the room stood up as if pulled by strings. Yosef was a man no one could ignore.John's face froze in shock for a moment before he quickly plastered a grin on his face. "Mr. Webb... Mr. Webb! What a surprise to see you here!"Yosef glanced at Zara, and she felt her heart skip a beat. She was not expecting him to show up. The winter chill of Westwood was no match for Yosef's cool demeanor, even as he peeled off his black leather gloves. "I heard there's a dance show. Thought I'd come and see for myself. You don't mind me dropping in, Mr. Hummer?" he said smoothly."Not at all! You're here to watch the dance too?"John's mind was racing. Everyone knew Yosef had cut ties with Zara. Was he here to settle old scores and watch her stumble?Yosef's reply was cryptic. "I've never seen a dance on a dining ta
Yosef was in charge, thanks to him. Zara and John's deal went without a hitch. They picked a day to sign their contract in no time at all.Zara raised her glass and said, "Here's to Mr. Webb and Mr. Hummer. I hope our three companies can work together in the future."Yosef raised his glass too and gave the table a little tap. That was his way of joining the toast.After that, Zara did not have much to do. John was worried Yosef might still be upset about what happened earlier, so he kept trying to make Yosef happy.Yosef just stayed cool and calm.Zara noticed she was not needed right then, so she informed an assistant and went off to the restroom.When she was done and came out, she saw Leah fixing her makeup in the mirror.Zara washed her hands quietly, dried them with a paper towel, and was about to head back to the party.Leah snapped her makeup compact shut and said, "Zara, you haven't thanked me yet."Zara turned to her and asked, "Oh? For what should I be thanking you?"
The dinner was over, and Zara walked out of Epitome Gastronomy with the folks from Schmidt Group. They were following Yosef.The Business Department representative was quick to say, "Ms. Lowry, we've got to catch the subway. We'll head out."Zara nodded. "Okay, take care. See you at work tomorrow.""See you tomorrow."Once they were gone, Charvi pulled up in Yosef's car.A bodyguard was just reaching for the car door to help Yosef when Zara stepped forward. She swung the back door open and called out, "Mr. Webb."It was a familiar scene for her. Back when she worked at Azure Cloud, she always opened the car door for Yosef, just like what she was doing now.Yosef watched her, his eyes a deep, dark pool.Leah, remembering Zara's words in the restroom, held on to Yosef's sleeve even tighter. Yosef's gaze, however, stayed on Zara. Leah's jealousy flared, and she dashed over to shove Zara aside."Why aren't you leaving with your colleagues, Ms. Lowry? If you need a cab, you'd bette
Not at all.Zara was desperate to slide off Yosef's lap.His arm, though, was wrapped around her waist like a seatbelt, keeping her pinned in place.She caught a whiff of his clean, snow-like scent. She bit her lip, and with a determined push, she managed to stand up. They were locked in a silent battle of will.The car wobbled on the spot. To anyone passing by, it looked as if the people inside were… well, up to something.Charvi, sitting in the front, wished she could disappear beneath the car rather than be inside it.Perhaps it was the car's odd shaking or the duration it had been parked, but the doorman of Epitome Gastronomy came over and knocked on the window. He peeked inside."Hello..."Without tinted windows, the scene inside was clear—a man and a woman in an awkwardly close proximity.Yosef's icy stare sent a shiver down the doorman's spine, making him back away fast."I'm so sorry!"With Yosef distracted, Zara wriggled free and scooted to the far seat. She put a s
Honk!The light turned green, yet the car in front was not moving. Charvi honked to remind the driver, jolting Yosef back to the present.Zara's voice was cool and distant. "She made a point of saying I had a locker full of love letters just to make me seem like I made questionable choices in my personal life."She sure knew how to make a girl look bad.Out of nowhere, Yosef asked, "Did you really have a locker full of love letters?""So what if I did? They shoved them in my locker before I could even say no. Is that supposed to be my fault?""Did you read them?""No."His voice was cold. "You threw them out?"Zara gave him a puzzled look. "I didn't read them, but I didn't throw them away either."Although she did not really want those letters, it seemed rude to toss out something that someone had put their heart into. She remembered collecting them all and stuffing them into a bag.The car's lights flickered as they drove past the mall, casting strange shadows over Yosef's
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