Yosef looked up from his phone and said without much interest, "That was fast. Tell him to come here.""Okay."Charvi waved her hand. Out of nowhere, a bodyguard appeared and stopped the car.Charvi went up to the car and exchanged a few words. The person inside stepped out.It was Yaxley, all right.Yaxley gave Yosef a quick look with a smirk, then strolled over with his hands in his pockets.Sitting at the café's outdoor table, Yaxley teased, "Mr. Webb, you sure have a lot of spare time. One minute you're in Westwood, the next you're here. Is the big boss running around because things are quiet in Azure Cloud Group?"Yosef answered, "Mr. Lark, your cousin just got taken by the police, and you're not helping out in Westwood but showing up here. Seems like you're getting things a bit mixed up, huh?"The two young and good-looking guys faced off in the small town—one was smiling, and the other appeared collected and aloof. However, their words were like a silent duel.Yaxley, s
Yosef glided toward her on the boat, clad in a black suit with a dark red tie that shone like a beacon in the night. It pierced the darkness and hit her right in the heart.The boat edged closer to the shore. Yosef reached out his hand to Zara, inviting her to hop on and join him.Zara stood still.She did not run toward him like that time in the elevator. She just watched him with a frozen gaze.Yosef told the boatman to come a little closer. When they were just a short distance from the shore, he suddenly stepped onto the bank and jumped right in front of Zara!She was so surprised by his sudden move that she wanted to step back. Before she could, however, he wrapped her up in his arms.With his broad shoulders and slim waist, especially in his black coat, he enveloped her in a hug that seemed to hide her away from the world.Zara's nose was nipped by the chilly breeze as she bumped into his warm chest. She quickly turned her head away and asked, "Why haven't you left?"She w
Zara was fuming, her embarrassment turning into anger. She whispered fiercely, "Is this the only reason you came to see me?"It was like a lightbulb went off in Zara's head, and she suddenly wondered if this was another one of his tricks?Before, he could not get enough of her, always taking what he wanted and making her stay. After that, was he trying to be Mr. Nice Guy? Had she fallen for his lies once more?Zara did not want any part of it, not at all. She pushed him away and tried to leave.Yosef grabbed her from behind, holding her waist. "Desire only comes with love."She shivered, feeling goosebumps all over. Her eyes started getting all misty. "...I've never heard that before. Don't guys like you go after any girl?""Not me. I'm choosy. I only want you."Zara whispered, "Guys will say anything at night to get what they want."In the darkness, Yosef gazed into her eyes. "Then I'll say it again at dawn, just for you."Zara felt so silly tonight.She felt silly for bring
Trevor tripped over a raised stone and nearly fell, but Yosef caught his arm just in time, steadying him.Trevor looked up, surprised to see the man in the fancy suit. He felt a bit awkward. "Thank you, thank you," he stammered.Yosef simply said, "It's nothing."Trevor gave a small laugh and kept walking with Yosef by his side. Yosef took his time as if they were headed the same way. Trevor felt a weird pressure and asked, trying to sound casual, "I noticed you came from Lane Eight, just like me. That's quite the coincidence. I live there too. Are you visiting relatives? I've been around for years and never seen you."Yosef seemed aloof as he replied, "I'll say a name you're sure to know.""Oh yeah? Let's hear it," Trevor said, pretending to be curious. Yosef stopped, his expression aloof. He said just one word, "Winston."Trevor froze in his steps!Yosef continued, "I want to talk about something important, the '45 billion'."Hearing 'Winston' was one thing, but '45 billion'
Charvi, standing close by, had pieced together what had happened.She figured Yosef would surely help Zara if he knew, so she decided to act first."Ms. Lowry, you look after your mom. I'll go find out about that caretaker."With her wide network, Charvi could get to the bottom of things faster than anyone.Zara, with worry written across her face, nodded. "I appreciate it."Charvi was quick and efficient. Before Sharon's next medical report was even out, she had tracked down the caretaker and brought her straight to them.They were in a secluded part of the hospital parking lot.The caretaker was trapped, her attempts to flee thwarted by four towering bodyguards whose mere presence was enough to keep her from moving.Swallowing hard, the caretaker demanded, "Who are you? What do you want? Kidnapping is a crime, you know!""You know about the law?"Zara's voice cut through the air, startling the caretaker as she turned to see Zara approach. Her face went pale.Why was it her
Zara held her phone tight. She had been furious, but she now knew who was really to blame. She felt a strange calm. "Tell me what you've done," she said calmly to the caretaker.The caretaker shook her head frantically. "Nothing else, I swear."Just then, Charvi's phone rang. "Got it, I understand," she said into the phone.She turned to Zara with urgency. "Ms. Lowry, I'll tell Mr. Webb about this. He'll take care of it, I promise."Charvi was kicking herself for getting involved. If she had known Beatrice was connected to this, she would not have helped Zara dig into this mess. Had she just made things worse?"We should see your mom first," Charvi suggested. "The doctor has her test results. There's a problem."Zara took a deep breath and stood up. "Okay."Charvi glanced at the caretaker, unsure. "And her?""Let her go," Zara said with a sigh.What else could they do? They could not exactly punish her themselves.Zara did not have any proof, just an empty threat.Feeling he
It was not a long ride, and soon, they were at the community's entrance. Zara stepped out of the car and headed inside.Wilder really thought she was on a mission to give someone a piece of her mind and did not think twice about following her.Zara paid him no mind and made a beeline for Beatrice's front door.However, to her surprise, the person waiting there was Yosef.Zara had a sinking feeling the moment she stepped toward the house. She rushed past him and into the empty home. It was just as she feared—Beatrice was gone.She came back out, trying to keep her boiling anger in check. She stared at Yosef. "Where did you take Beatrice?" she demanded."She wasn't here in the first place," Yosef replied."Not here? Then why are you?" Zara did not buy his story for a second.She was sure Charvi had warned him. He knew she would come looking for Beatrice to confront her, so he had moved her somewhere else!Yosef's brows were creased with worry. "Zara, you've only heard the careta
Zara quickly stepped away from him, looked down the stairs, and whispered, "How did you get in here in the middle of the day?"Yosef's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying I should come back tonight?"Zara did not want to joke around. "I've got a train ticket to Westwood tonight. I need to pack. Mr. Webb, it's not good for you to be here. Please go.""Has Stefan asked you to go back to work?" Yosef sat down and reached for her hand. "Stay a few more days."She replied firmly, "Even if I'm not working, I'd prefer if you stayed out of my sight."Yosef looked up, standing in front of the balcony window. The fading light made his outline fuzzy and soft, and he did not seem so scary anymore. His voice was gentler too. "She won't bother you again, I promise," he said.He meant Beatrice, of course.Zara knew he was trying to make her feel better.It was strange to think she was worth his effort to comfort.He had changed a lot. He was really nice to her recently, always there to help, prot
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