Ever since the birthday bash, James had been cooking up every excuse in the book to hang out with Zara, but she was not biting.He got the hint after giving him the cold shoulder a few times. Being accustomed to the role of the golden boy, he did not see the point in chasing someone who was not interested. Thus, he backed off.Then, there was that awkward moment at the supermarket. Zara bumped into him flaunting some internet-famous arm candy. He acted like she was invisible and whisked his date away. That was the end of that chapter.With James out of the picture, Zara found herself pretty much out of the loop with the in-crowd. She was clueless about the latest happenings.Perched on her vanity, Cecil could not resist spilling the beans. "So, a guy from my office who's always at those high-society shindigs overheard that Chairman Webb isn't Beatrice's biggest fan. "He's shipped her off on the down-low and didn't even clue in Yosef about where she has gone. Yosef's been moping a
The warning from the person from HR was not just to spook her. It was dead serious.There was this buzz a while back about a big-shot project manager who, as his contract ticked down to its last seconds, was already plotting his next move to a rival company. However, when his old bosses caught wind of it, they dragged him to court and slapped him with every charge in the book—slacking off, doing nothing, and costing the company big bucks.It was a classic case of kicking a guy when he was down. The old company was out for blood, and they tangled him up in legal knots for two whole years. The court did not pin anything on the project manager in the end. However, the damage was done. His reputation was in the mud, and he was toast in the industry.Zara bit her lip. "I've got my eyes open."Post-dinner, they split up.In the ladies' room at the restaurant, Zara, tucked away in a stall, could not help but overhear two waitresses dishing dirt."See that chick hanging around Mr. We
The cab driver got it right.Yosef's ride pulled up to the hotel's entrance.The East Coast was smack in the middle of downtown. Yosef had no good reason to opt for a hotel room over his own place—unless the young secretary had other plans while he was out cold.Zara paid the driver, stepped out of the cab, and stood not far away. She watched as the young secretary propped Yosef up and guided him into the hotel.She was not sure if the secretary was trying to take advantage of Yosef or if she was up to something else. Either way, Zara was not about to stop tailing them.Blending in like any other guest, she shadowed them right up to their room door.Yosef was drunk to begin with, and after the car ride, he was a complete mess. He stumbled over his own feet and practically draped himself over the young secretary.He stood tall at over six feet, and he had a muscular physique. The secretary was struggling just to keep him upright, let alone close the door properly. She just nudged
Zara dodged swiftly, leaving Yosef kissing thin air. He was right on her heels, though—determined as ever.Zara's hand dove into her bag and clutched something.The next second…A cloud of stinging white mist burst forth, landing right on Yosef's face! In a flash, Yosef slammed his eyes shut and frantically got off Zara. He stumbled backward several steps.The next second, his eyes and throat felt like they were on fire, sending him into a fit of coughing."Zara!"Zara was not doing much better.As she had been too close, she got hit with the backlash. Luckily, she had braced herself. She had snapped her eyes shut and held her breath in time, sparing herself from breathing in too much of the mist.Coughing, she bolted up from the bed, dashed away from the smoky haze, and ran into the bathroom to rinse her mouth and eyes with water.That stuff was pepper spray.Zara always carried it in her bag when she went out, just in case. She just never thought she would end up using it
Zara approached his bed. "Mr. Webb, if you want me to stay and keep an eye on the drip, I'll be here."Yosef typed out a message on his phone and flashed the screen at her: [Feeling guilty now?]Whether it was guilt or fear of payback, it was just one night. She owed him one anyway, for that night she had passed out from cramps and he had kept vigil by her hospital bed.Zara dragged a chair over and took a seat. "It's getting late, Mr. Webb. Try to get some rest."Yosef's throat was killing him, and swallowing was torture. Needless to say, he would not be able to sleep tonight.He typed another message: [You were in contact with someone from Chavez Capital tonight?]She was spotted at the restaurant? Zara's heart did a little flip-flop.Yosef settled back against his pillow.The ward was dead quiet, the wee hours of the morning casting a hush over everything. They had been in too much of a rush when they came to sort out a private room, so Yosef was admitted into a general ward
Yosef had just finished his shower and was in front of the full-length mirror. He was slipping into his shirt, taking his time with each button.His phone lay forgotten on a dresser. Zara did not need to see him to know what was happening. The familiar sound of his crisp shirt rustling was enough.That was the thing about knowing someone too well.Even if Zara could not see him, her brain could fill in the blanks. He always wore black—black shirt, black pants—that made him look even taller and more imposing. At the same time, it made him more distant. After fastening his buttons, he would tilt his head up and neaten his collar. His jawline was as defined as the edge of his collar. His tie would be perfectly knotted in a classic Windsor, just like one would expect from the Webb family heir.He would even select a watch from his fancy watch winder... Hold up!Zara shut her eyes, a frown creasing her forehead.He was all over her memories, his face always appearing when she least
What Yosef meant was...Zara's hands were firm on the wheel as she stole a glance in the rearview mirror. "Is that young secretary really working for Mr. Chapman?"Yosef had a rough night, and it showed. His eyes were half-closed, making him look both aloof and icy."Spy games aren't exactly high-class, but they played the beauty card pretty well."They played it right into his hands. Whoever it was knew about the friction between Yosef and his dad over Beatrice. They sent the young secretary as the perfect distraction.She had that Beatrice vibe, and Yosef was clearly smitten, even willing to bend a little for her.He was completely smitten. Since the boss had made his call, she would follow through."I'll handle it," she said, keeping it professional.Yosef gave her a brief look, then shut his eyes. He was done with the conversation.When they arrived for the meeting, another secretary was already there with the team, and among them was the young secretary.The young secr
Zara leaped to her feet, pulling the young secretary behind her for protection."Mr. Chapman, assault is illegal. You should be 'thanking' her for switching sides. Otherwise, getting caught for planting a corporate spy is a crime too. And what good is all your money if you can't spend it behind bars?"Her words were met with silence.Finally, Mr. Chapman clenched his teeth in anger and signed the contract. As he left, he shot a venomous look at the young secretary. "This isn't over," he promised with a glare.The young secretary, clutching her reddened cheek, stumbled over to Yosef. Tears were streaming down her face. "Mr. Webb..."She was the unsung hero of this victory, and she had the slap to prove it.In a way, she had taken that slap for Yosef.Zara sensed that Yosef would want to offer some real comfort now, so she motioned for everyone else to clear out of the room. The two would be given a moment alone. They were all hanging out by the restaurant's exit when Zara's coll
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